Creative Public Relations for a Digital World

On this past week’s episode of Mad Men, Ted Chaough, while trying to dream up campaign ideas for a margarine, riffs on the notion that various category brands can be viewed through the lens of the very popular, very silly 60s-era sitcom , Gilligan’s Island.

The notion is that the seven ship passengers stranded on a desert island after what was to have been (sing along if you know the lyrics) “a three-hour tour,” embody archetypes that endure across time, cultures and disciplines like PR, marketing, and advertising.

Ad/marketing wisdom holds that twelve archetypes are useful in brand-building, helping creatives define the personality and character of a client’s brand. Here is a look at a few of the types through some of today’s cultural icons and hot products. See if it helps you write your next PR proposal!

The Hero or Explorer is someone who will have a major impact on the world or help people be all they can be – Rick Grimes on The Walking Dead is your basic archetypal hero. A brand like Nike, with its glorification of the athlete and the nobility of competition, is often thought of as a “hero” brand.

The Innocent or Jester is exemplified by that which offers a simple solution to a problem and is associated with goodness, morality, simplicity, nostalgia or childhood> Brands like Dove Soap and Ben & Jerry fit the mold, and Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory is a terrific example of an Innocent.

The Sage is distinguished by traits like truth, intelligence, and analysis. It has wealth of knowledge and an urge to share it. This archetype screams Carrie (Claire Danes) on Homeland, perhaps minus the crazy. It evokes brands like PBS or possibly even Google.

The Magician makes things happen. It makes dreams come true but can also be a bit of a manipulator, given its passionate and charismatic ways. Magician archetypes include Walter White on Breaking Bad or Mad Men’s own Don Draper. Magical brands might be anything from Apple or perhaps Disney.

The Lover archetype, is no surprise, physically and emotionally attractive, passionate and helps people have a good time – put Victoria’s Secret and Godiva Chocolate there and think Sophia Vergera of Modern Family as the TV embodiment.

Recognize any of your clients in the archetypes?

A former colleague once told me that she “interviews recreationally” – that is, she actually enjoys going on employment interviews even if she isn’t actually looking to make a jump.  She interviews for sport – to see what else is out there, remain savvy about the PR marketplace, and stay competitive within the field.

Assuming you’re in the majority that does not rank interviewing among your top hobbies, you probably get apprehensive the night before an interview.  The what-ifs can be killer, especially if you’re new to the interviewing scene.  Below are key tips borrowed from PR media training as well as life experience, to help you prepare for, and ace, your interview.

Nail the “tell me about yourself” question. Set yourself up for a successful meeting by “wowing” your interviewer when asked an open-ended question about yourself. Think of three major points you’d like to convey about yourself and your background and memorize them. Then supplement each with anecdotes or supporting points that you can use throughout the session. If you’re a publicist like me, you might list media relations as one of your greatest strengths – take it a step further by sharing an example of heroic work.

Anticipate difficult questions. You’ve agency hopped three times in the last year?  There’s a mysterious time gap on your resume?  Know how you’ll tackle these questions, because they will be asked.  For tough questions, honesty and brevity are always best – if the company wasn’t a good fit, say so.  Follow your response with a genuine reason why you’re interested in this company.

Practice out loud. What sounds good in your head might not sound as compelling out loud, and the last place you want to learn that is during your interview.  Sure, you’ll want to talk about brilliant accomplishments or ideas, but delivery is the differentiator between confidence and arrogance.  Practice reading in front of a mirror, or better yet, in front of an audience. If all else fails, call your mom, whose unconditional love for you will force her to oblige.

Like the company. On Facebook, that is. And follow them on Twitter.  And Pinterest.  Many companies have a newsletter and/or blog – sign up for it.  Social media is a great way to obtain information that can’t always be found on the company website, including icebreakers like sport team favorites.

Prepare intelligent questions:  Always have questions.  I once met with someone who rocked the interview until I asked “Do you have any questions?” and the candidate said “no.”  Really, nothing?  So you’re telling me you know EVERYTHING about this agency and this position?  This was a red flag that may have signaled a lack of interest. To play it safe, prepare roughly ten carefully thought out questions (in case some are answered during the interview).   NEVER ask about salary or benefits until later in the game.

And finally, remember that it’s just an interview: Think back to a time you were mortified beyond belief.  Chances are this interview pales in comparison.  Even if this is your dream job, the worst thing that can happen is you bomb the interview, learn from it, and move on.  And, you’ll have a funny happy hour story.

We have all had conversations with PR clients and wish that some kind of client translation software was available to confirm that what you heard is what someone actually meant. For example, we’re working on a proposal for a prospective client who told us “don’t work too hard on it, we just want to see some sample ideas.”

Now, what does that really mean? If we offer a single page of “thought-starters,” will that suffice, or is it like when a hostess says “no gifts” and everyone but you ignores her request and actually brings something?

With that in mind, have a look at some actual client comments and our “translations.”

“I don’t know what I want, but I’ll know it when I see it.” What it usually really means is “I have no idea what I want and I probably won’t like what you do.” Seasoned PR pros may also infer, “and I will tear apart everything you ever present.” Try to get more direction, preferably in writing, and proceed with caution.

“I’m just a start-up, I can’t afford much now, but as we grow, we will increase our budgets.” Often said by prospects and clients who are trying to win your sympathy so that you will charge less. But, services have a price. Would they dine in a restaurant and expect to pay less because they’re a newer company?

The close relative of this comment: “We have no budget in mind, you tell us.” This usually translates as we have “no budget,” period, and want some work on the cheap. The smartest move is to set your minimum retainer in a meeting ahead of preparing a detailed proposal so as not to surprise the recipient and take you nowhere.

“My nephew/wife/friend does PR.” This may be a set-up for all kinds of critiques of your work by someone who perhaps did local PR for the PTA (not that there is anything wrong with that) but telling you about this other relationship may act as subterfuge and undermine everything from your fee to your writing and your campaign results.

“I absolutely must have this by 4:00 p.m.” This statement is usually made at 3:00 p.m. by a client with less than perfect planning skills. And if you’re good at your job, the client knows they can count on you again and again to get them out of a jam. This is not a bad thing if it’s occasional and in the spirit of partnership; otherwise, think twice about setting and repeating the precedent.

“Let’s have a short meeting.” The sin of the meandering, unstructured meeting can be be committed by anyone, but you can prevent it! Take smart steps early in the relationship to use an agenda, Outlook calendar and other tools to structure meetings and get the most out of everyone’s time.

Every day we make (and occasionally miss) our deadlines. Catch the train by 8:30am. Get to the bank before 5pm. Submit this blog post by…well, you get the point.

Today’s definition of a deadline is “the time by which something must be finished or submitted”, but it gets its name from an older and more sinister meaning. It used to be a boundary around a military prison beyond which a prisoner could not venture without risk of being shot by the guards. Scary. Think about that next time you face a proposal due by week’s end.

The advantage of deadlines is that they’re motivational. When you make the deadline, the feeling of achievement makes the next step or task that much easier. “Publicly committing to meeting a deadline is a powerful motivator because it puts your reputation on the line,” said Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. It’s much more difficult to procrastinate when someone else is watching the clock, and you!

Here are some tips to meet that ever looming deadline:

Start with Specifics
When exactly is the deadline? Clarify whether “end of the week” means 5 p.m. Friday or first thing Friday morning. Be sure to nail down the tasks and the results. What is the client expecting? How will they measure your success/effectiveness?

Make a Plan and Start Easy
Some of us thrive on the pressure of a last-minute scramble, but rushing at the 11th hour isn’t the best way to meet a deadline. It’s better to make a plan to take tasks head-on, starting with the easy stuff – the aspects you know you are quick wins. Make a commitment to do at least a little bit at a time on a consistent basis. Even if you take a break at a certain point, the task that awaits you isn’t nearly as daunting as it was before.

Don’t Be Fooled
Who hasn’t reached the point when the oh-so-far away cutoff is just around the corner, resulting in a mad dash under pressure? Far-off deadlines trick us into thinking that we have all the time in the world and convince us that we don’t need to start anytime soon. Ideally, you want to meet a deadline, not have a deadline meet you! When working against the clock, be sure to set shorter deadlines along the way to get manageable chunks of the work done and make a plan to complete the task in plenty of time.

Use Tools
Set reminders everywhere. On your calendar. Create tasks in Outlook. Stick a Post-It on your computer in big bold writing. Creating a sense of urgency will keep your deadline top of mind and not pushed aside by distractions.

You never know what’s on the other side of that (dead) line!

by guest blogger George Drucker

The excellent film and tremendous PR effort created on behalf of “42: The Jackie Robinson Story” which opened on screens nationwide a few weeks ago, inspired me as a PR professional.

As a long-time  Angeleno, and even longer PR practitioner, I have to take my Dodger baseball cap off to the studio, producers, director and PR marketing people. I’ve never seen a more powerful, continuous–and successful PR effort on behalf of a movie.

It shows what can be accomplished when you look at, think about, and create story angles, media pitches (pun intended) on a wide variety of subjects, all under the same umbrella. I think I counted TWELVE separate major feature stories on the film, meaning twelve distinct story angles, in the LA Times alone.

Too often, we go for quick hits and move on. But there are some opportunities that deserve a more thorough approach. Granted, there were many “gimmees” for media coverage here, including the incredible story of Robinson’s breaking the barrier in professional sports; the impact on society and his family; his courageous life; and, of course, the reviews.

But for the marketing communications folks, this was just the beginning. They went deeper. The first wave of coverage was followed by interviews with his widow; remembrances of players, sports executives, and fans from those early seasons; the local recollections in the original National League cities where he played; the business angle of producing another, updated film on the story; the search for the actor who could capture the essence of the player and the man; the director and his updating on the story, etc.

The lesson to be learned for us in the marketing communications biz is simple. Get out in front of the story. Be creative in your approach, and come up with a wealth of angles that can potentially attract media attention. Get out there and pitch. Don’t give up, and don’t be satisfied with a nice first wave of coverage. Dig deep and go into overtime.
The hits will follow.