Views From the Cove
The Most Important Thing on the Internet recently was Gillette’s new publicity campaign focused on the behavior of men. The conversation starts with the web video Gillette posted, which is either a long ad or a short film, depending on your sensibilities about such things.
Have you ever thought about how your brand would react if something went wrong? The reality is, it's not a question of if, but a matter of when. Any effective crisis communications response includes a thoughtful apology.
Well, in February, bad news hit KFC as hundreds of UK-based franchises closed their doors when they ran out of their main ingredient: chicken. The apology was an instant hit among consumers, the media, and professional marketers, and it's easy to see why.
Every now and then, there comes a good ad that breaks out of the four television walls and into popular culture. These ads grab our attention, and stay with us, for many reasons. They captivate us visually. They offer refreshing candor. Or, perhaps it's an annoying-but-catchy jingle that we can't forget. Others still stick with us because of their poignant messages.
It's for the latter reason that a 2002 Saturn ad began recirculating recently. But, not for the message you'd think.
When was the last time you had a Kodak moment? Or sent a BBM on Blackberry? Or ate at a Quiznos? These brands are headed towards extinction. Why? Largely because they didn't spend enough time asking questions. They were busy telling others what they needed.
Quiznos neglected the trend of consumer choice with pre-designed, hot-only subs. Blackberry was convinced consumers wanted traditional keyboards on mobile devices. Kodak discredited the appeal of digital film. In journalism, there's an expression, "Show, don't tell." In branding, the expression should be, "Listen, don't talk."
The Super Bowl can be a career-defining moment. For coaches, players, and even halftime performers, it's truly a make or break moment. Every second counts.
The lights shine equally bright for the commercials aired during the Super Bowl, and those responsible for their creation.
This year, NBC will average more than $5 million for a 30-second spot, equivalent to 10 times the cost of a comparable ad in the 2016 World Series.
But, what about business-to-business companies? Is the level of exposure worth $5 million?
In this day and age, when news can go viral instantly, organizations need to be ready to respond to a crisis not only efficiently, but quickly too. Not all crises are the created equal; each is different and presents a unique set of challenges. But they can be avoided. How can you and your company prepare?
Does public relations really work? Yes, and there’s one simple reason: people trust, and share, news content in ways that they’ll never do with advertisements.
While news consumers don’t trust all news sources, everyone has at least a few outlets that they trust. Whether they’re trade publications, national newspapers, or online news resources, we each have go-to places for information about the world around us.
