Current Events

July 17, 2015

When a PR Campaign Scores a Gooaaaal!

womensworldcup_logoDie hard soccer fanatics and fair weather sports fans alike cheered loudly as the U.S. Women’s Soccer team brought the World Cup down to its final game…and nailed it, making them the first team ever to win three world championships. Names like Wambach, Solo and Lloyd were further etched into sports history, and young athletes everywhere had a reason to keep dreaming of the big time.

Another big winner? U.S. Soccer sponsors, who benefitted not only from being front and center during the most watched soccer game in American television history, but from well cultivated partnerships built around the sport. Some on a large scale, some on a small one, but each with a particular angle.

Sports Gear Powerhouse

Take for example, Nike, a company whose partnership with U.S. Soccer spans back to 1995. Moving far beyond event sponsorship and product promotion, the Nike brand has worked to promote the sport of soccer as a whole. In addition to higher profile national team programs, Nike has also supported initiatives geared toward player cultivation on every level through their U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

In support of the 2015 U.S. Women’s team, the brand backed every promotion with the hashtag #NoMaybes. The result was a huge social media win for Nike, with the biggest push coming during the hours before Sunday’s final, when individual players were the focus of the #NoMaybes campaign on Twitter. The U.S. Women were also the focus of a Nike video series called Pressure Makes Us, which focused on each players drive to the top, as well as the team’s progress toward Germany and the start of the World Cup.

Healthy Fruit Growers

By contrast, another U.S. Soccer sponsor rode the World Cup wave in a simple, almost grass roots manner. The National Mango Board signed on this year as the “official fruit” of the National Women’s Soccer League. On a local level, the Board went market by market, sampling mangoes at soccer matches and inviting fans to enter to win tickets to big market matches through their social media channels. On their website, mango growers posted nutritional information and recipes, urging fans to enjoy the superfood and “eat like a superstar.”

Big or small, it’s about lining up the shot

What we can learn by these two examples is that regardless of its size and scope, a publicity partnership can score for everyone if it’s planned and executed thoughtfully. Basic concepts always apply:

Know your audience – High end video production, celebrity endorsements, massive social media campaigns…all key for a global brand like Nike. We all know the swish mark – putting the drama of competition around it creates the perfect draw for the athletic and sports minded demographic.

For families looking for a healthy snack option and maybe some great tasting summer recipes – more of the soccer parent crowd – sideline food sampling and game day ticket giveaways are the perfect hot button.

Match the mood – Nike’s black and white video spots, rich with sweaty athletes pushing it to the max, is a perfect lure for real and armchair athletes alike. The Mango Board is visually all about color and fun, from its playful font to a Facebook comment that called the final game against Japan “one for all the mangoes – we mean marbles!” For kids and families, the perfect tone.

Today’s publicity efforts are more varied than ever, with countless ways to maximize promotional channels. If you’d like to figure out not only your message, but the best way to target and formulate it, we’re ready to put our team to work for you. Give us a call at (203) 762-8833 to get the ball rolling.

-BML

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April 15, 2015

Election 2016: Extra! Extra! Tweet All About It!

Despite its reputation for live real time information distribution, Twitter was recently part of the most pre-promoted announcement of the 2016 election.

On Sunday, April 12, Hillary Clinton formally announced that she is officially jumping into the presidential race. The news was released via a video posted on her website, hillaryclinton.com, and spread through social media channels within minutes.

The choice of social media, rather than the traditional news outlets, was not surprising, given Clinton’s presence on Twitter since leaving the state department. The move also demonstrates the growth of the social media approach since 2008, when President Obama took to Twitter to announce his victory. According to a study conducted at the University of North Carolina, the announcement was retweeted just 157 times, while according to the same study, his 2012 victory tweet was retweeted more than 800,000 times.

Democrats aren’t the only ones embracing social news distribution. A January Washington Post article claimed that “2016 may yet be the first ‘Instagram election’,” citing Jeb Bush’s choice to announce his super PAC via a homemade smartphone video released through the popular app. (Of course, he was criticized for shooting the video vertically – rookie mistake – but when Instagram squared it off, it was somewhat of a non-issue.)

On the other end of the spectrum, no politician is going to compete with the mayhem a celebrity can cause on social media. When pop star Beyoncé released a surprise 14-track album online in December of 2013, every social media channel was jammed with fans clamoring to get in on the news – and the downloads. Followers were virtually scolding each other to stop uploading or downloading anything not-Beyoncé to stop the crowding. Think screaming, crying Beatleseque fans…in cyberspace.

Likely Politicians won’t elicit that kind of emotional response, but at least in the case of Hillary Clinton, campaign managers are hoping for another kind: dollar signs. Through the pre-promotional build up and release of Hillary’s announcement video, hopes are high that the ensuing momentum will help to raise as much as $2.5 billion for her campaign, according to an article in the New York Times.

Social media is as much a part of our news cycle today as the Sunday paper was in generations past. To find out the best way to channel your message out to your target market, call us at (203) 762-8833. We’d love to help you to strategize, target, and release – whether your approach is like that of Hillary, Beyoncé, or anyone in between.

-BML

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March 25, 2015

Do We Have to RaceTogether? Or Can We Just Drink Coffee?

As I write this, I am sitting in my local Starbucks. It’s a typical morning, and the usual suspects are here. Older intellectuals debating local politics, parents with toddlers discussing the best spot for swim lessons, and workers typing away on laptops in their office away from office. Everyone is doing their thing.

You know what they’re not doing? Discussing race relations.

Shocking, considering that just last week the Starbucks company decided that was exactly what we were going to talk about. By teasing with a full page ad in the New York Times, touting online, and scrawling a hashtag on cups, Starbucks – in partnership with USA Today – launched its Race Together campaign with high hopes.

So far the response has been less than grande.102512229-Race_Together_[4].530x298

In theory, the Race Together campaign was going to represent the company’s active participation in a national discussion on race relations, a hot button topic which has been enflamed by events from Staten Island to Ferguson to Oakland. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz told shareholders at the company’s annual meeting last week that the initiative’s intention was pure, driven by the need for publicly held companies to step up on such issues. Shultz’s presentation was echoed by musical artist Common and punctuated by finale performance of “Hallelujah” by Jennifer Hudson.

Critics, however, called foul on a company they said was obviously using racial tensions to draw attention and increase the bottom line. Others pointed to a blatant attempt to increase cultural relevance – just another shot fired in the ultra-competitive specialty coffee wars. In 4,700 Starbucks locations across the country, baristas are being encouraged to talk to customers about race relations, but details remain sketchy as to what type of training was provided them in preparation.

On social media, the backlash has been brutal. Video parodies of baristas talking to customers have already popped up, and the company’s vice president of global communications reportedly chose to temporarily delete his Twitter account to dodge the negative onslaught. Customers aren’t just rejecting the campaign, they are turning the spotlight on the company itself, and in some cases, its competition:

RockPrincess ‏@Rockprincess818:  Why doesn’t CEO Schultz have many Starbucks in inner city communities…Typical liberal hypocrite always blaming someone else.

James Parkley ‏@jnarls: Starbucks: Nothing Says #RaceTogether Like Only Hiring 3 People of Color Out of 19 Executives.

ConservativeBlackMan ‏@Thomasismyuncle: Stopped at Dunkin Donuts this morning, got my coffee and a croissant sandwich and no lecture on my victimhood… so winning!

 What went wrong?

Starbucks has never shied away from hot issues. In October 2013, Schultz introduced a petition during the government shutdown to push Congress to pass a budget deal. That same year, in response to gun rallies, the company placed print ads urging patrons to keep their firearms out of stores. They have also shown open support for veterans and for marriage equality.

But here’s the difference.

Those efforts were put forth by the company as a whole, and didn’t directly impact the customer experience. If, as a customer, you feel strongly about Shultz’s stance on a given topic, you were welcome to simply take your business elsewhere. Skip Starbucks in favor of a competing store, post about it on social media, say your peace and move on. Conversely, studies show that consumers are increasingly drawn to businesses who support social causes on a corporate level, which makes walking through the door enough of a statement for most.

By taking the Race Together campaign to the boots on the ground level, pushing baristas and customers into a blind date of conversation, Starbucks introduced an aggressive element which has been unappreciated, to say the least. One business consultant quoted in the New York Times put it best, saying that “the effort [clashes] with consumer’s wishes – to order, wait silently, and leave the shop within minutes.”

The Race Together story represents basic key considerations for any PR campaign aimed at starting a conversation:

  • Know why your customers choose you and figure out how you can serve that key demographic, bringing in cause related messaging in ways that make sense.
  • Decide in advance what your company’s stance will be. Backing a cause is acceptable and even beneficial at times in helping a brand grow, but associating afterwards puts consumers in an unexpected partnership and can backfire.
  • Know where the line of polite conversation ends and the risk of controversy begins. Decide which side of that line your company should be on.

Starbucks makes good coffee, offers a variety of products to suit any taste, and creates a comfortable environment conducive to working, socializing, or simply killing time. Dive into a race relations discussion, prompted by a hashtag scrawled on my cup? No thanks. As PBS NewsHour co-anchor Gwen Ifill wrote in a tweet, “Honest to God, if you start to engage me in a race conversation before I’ve had my morning coffee, it will not end well.”

There is no arguing the fact that Starbucks started a conversation. But, like someone who ordered a latte and was served a frappucino, it was not the one they wanted.

If you are thinking of what strategies might work best for your own PR campaign, we would love to help. Together, we can conceptualize, target, and craft your message to benefit your customer base and your bottom line in a synergistic way. Give us a call at (203) 762-8833 so we can start our own conversation.

– BML

 

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January 30, 2015

Uber’s MADD Hail Mary Pass

Uber-MADD-Football-700x300Like an action packed highlight reel, the momentum leading up to Sunday’s Super Bowl is seen in glimpses everywhere. Social media posts, headlines, party recipes, predictions… But did you know that it is also one of the nation’s deadliest days for drunk-driving?

According to MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Driving – 47 people were killed in drunk-driving related accidents on Super Bowl Sunday in 2012, a jump of more than 60% over the normal daily average of 28. If only some of these drivers had had options for getting themselves or their fellow football fans home.

Enter Uber.

The app-based transportation network and company first announced a partnership with MADD this past July, and has stepped it up in preparation for the upcoming Super Bowl by jointly launching the ThinkAndRide campaign. On Sunday, between 3:00 p.m. and midnight, Uber will donate $1 to MADD for every trip taken via their service. Riders need only enter the ThinkAndRide code.

Along with MADD, Uber is pulling out all of the PR stops to promote the campaign. Just days ago, the partners released a report connecting Uber services with a drop in auto accidents over the last three years in California, where the company is based. In addition, the Benenson Strategy Group contributed to the report, providing impressive results from a consumer survey measuring attitudes toward ride sharing services as a means to prevent drunk-driving. Uber and MADD held a joint press conference to present the findings and to promote the ThinkAndRide campaign, following it up with a major social media push on both.

At face value, the partnership between Uber and MADD seems a perfect match, accelerating at the perfect speed to gain optimum attention. To skeptics, however, that’s just the point.

In November 2014, Uber came under fire from more than one direction, facing allegations ranging from regulatory complaints to reports of passengers being assaulted by their drivers. To cap it off, one company executive suggested – during a sponsored event open to journalists – that critical reviews of the company might warrant tracking the rides of those writers and finding information to use against them.

Clearly the relationship between Uber and the journalism community – and the community as a whole – has been strained. Bad press has lead to vocal dissension which has lead to more bad press. Steve Barrett, Editor in Chief of PRWeek US, described the company’s handling of the most serious charges as being executed with “breathtaking arrogance.” Not exactly endearing.

A successful partnership with an organization no one can argue against might be just the ride Uber needs. Or, it might be a forced marriage doomed to transparency. Like the Super Bowl itself, no one will know the actual outcome until the clock runs out.

Partnerships are key to success for any company. Finding those which make the most sense and which drive real results can be challenging. If you are ready to amp up your PR playbook, we are ready to help you find the right match-ups, map out the best plays, and go for the big score.

– BML

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January 16, 2015

Federal First: A State of the Union Trailer

It’s a page right out of the Marketing 101 playbook: Find out where your target audience is, and go there.

When President Obama unveiled his proposal last week for making community college partially free for students, he did so where those prospective students can be found – on social media. By creating a video wherein he explains the basics of the program, the President was able to send out his message in one swoop across The White House’s Facebook, Twitter, and Vine accounts.

In no time at all, #FreeCommunityCollege was trending. The White House reported 6.6 million views of the Facebook video within 21 hours of the announcement, while Obama’s Vine video scored nearly 35,000 shares on Twitter.

Arguably the proposal would have gotten its fair share of mileage following the President’s State of the Union address on January 20, but not necessarily where it needs to be. While the talking heads and loud debaters would no doubt have been hashing it out in late January, the program’s key demographic may have missed the message altogether. By introducing the concept where its potential beneficiaries are found, The White House ensured the conversation was sparked by the group they wanted to hear it first.

Of course the topic was then fair game for Obama fans and haters, those who thought the program was a great idea and those who were incredulous. Again, the social media launch may have brought engagement full circle, generating interest in the State of the Union by a demographic who may not have otherwise tuned in. Maybe. Ultimately, only the ratings numbers will tell.

For the record, the Free Community College proposal calls for applicants to enroll in school at least half-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and make steady progress toward completing a degree in three years. Participating colleges would be required to offer academic programs that fully transfer to four-year colleges or occupational programs in high demand fields. The federal government would provide three-quarters of what is determined to be the average cost of community college.

Using social media to spread a message isn’t something new for President Obama. His 2008 campaign was the first presidential run to effectively use social channels as a tool to, among other things, draw in younger voters. Today, @BarackObama boasts tweets which are favorited over one million times. Michelle Obama may be even more comfortable in the social arena, readily using videos to promote everything from her healthy kids initiatives to support for military families.

By the time the gavel drops to mark the opening of President Obama’s State of the Union address on January 20, his Free Community College program will almost be old news. Almost. And that’s the point; the discussion is already fully underway.

Who knows? Maybe there will even be a live Twitter feed scrolling at the bottom of our screens.

Social media is more powerful than ever in spreading a message and engaging your target audience in real-time discussion. To find out how you can best utilize the many channels available, let’s talk. Defining strategy, audience definition, targeted communications – it’s what we’re about. Give us a call at 203.762.8833.

– BML

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October 10, 2014

Can NFL Sponsors Survive the Media Blitz?


Football season is well underway, and while much of the NFL’s media coverage includes actual scores, stats, and highlights, a large portion has centered on the real life crime drama playing out off the field.

The downward spiral began with the surfacing of a shocking video of domestic abuse between Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice and his then-fiancée. Then, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson made headlines when he was charged with child abuse for physically punishing his 4-year-old son. Lastly, Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer was recently accused of head-butting his wife and breaking her nose one day and then punching her the next.

While the NFL nurses the big black eye its players have delivered the league this season we can’t help but wonder what this all means for the sponsors who collectively spend billions of dollars to be associated with them?

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, while many NFL sponsors have issued statements condemning the actions of the players and the response of Commissioner Roger Goodell, most will keep their partnerships intact as a vital marketing component. In an age of on-demand video accessible through a multitude of channels, it has become increasingly difficult for advertisers to reach a large audience in real time, without the ability to fast forward through commercials. NFL Football provides that.

Then there’s the money. Many major NFL sponsors are on the hook for a lot more than just advertising dollars. Multi-year contracts commit partnerships which run in the millions and can’t simply be dropped. Nike, for example, advertises during games, sponsors individual athletes (including Peterson and Rice, though both sponsorships have been suspended) and supplies jerseys for all 32 NFL teams.

When a topic is so controversial and the potential business ramifications of any response so disastrous, what is a sponsor to do?

So far, most advertisers linked to the NFL are staying put – but being quite vocal about their condemnation of player behavior. Some have taken the opportunity to publically urge action within the NFL leadership and our communities against the overall issue of domestic violence. Others have quietly shifted their TV ad schedules to stay away from games featuring the most controversial players.

Both sides are hoping to weather this storm without too much damage, but it won’t be easy. NFL sponsors and advertisers generate more revenue than other streams such as ticket sales, and many of those ad campaigns rely on thematic, and player-specific, tie-ins. Without confidence in the men who wear the jerseys, those campaigns could be at risk.  Fans may become disenfranchised and sponsors may be forced to walk.  To counter this risk and to assure sponsors and fans, Commissioner Goodell has announced plans for a tougher domestic abuse policy among players and increased educational efforts around the problem.   Only time will tell if his plan is appropriate and if it’s effective.

As certain as I am that on February 1, 2015, we’ll have a new Super Bowl Champion,  I’m certain there will be heavy losses within the league and its sponsors if the powers that be can’t effectively tackle this year’s troubling issues.

Your PR partner should know how to handle the good, the bad, and yes, sometimes the very ugly. At Kovak-Likly, we have that kind of experience and will work with you to build a plan which highlights your strengths and turns your challenges into opportunities. Give us a call at 203.762.8833.

– BML

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September 22, 2014

This Tearful Goodbye Sponsored by…

Summer officially ends this week, taking with it beach days, barbecues and soon enough, baseball. (Our offices contain Yankees, Mets and Red Sox fans so let’s face it: there is no October for us this year.)

While we fans never like to see our boys of summer put the tarp down on another season, one player in particular has captured our attention, provoking a pensive sigh or even a tear or two (from some) as he finishes out the last days of his tremendous career. I’m talking, of course, about Derek Jeter.

And, from a publicity point of view, no company has benefited from the captain’s pending retirement more than Gatorade has this past week.

In case you haven’t been near a television, a computer, a magazine or a newspaper, Gatorade unveiled a 90-second commercial focused entirely on Jeter’s goodbye to his city and his fans. Shot in black and white and featuring music chosen by the iconic player himself – “My Way” by Frank Sinatra – the spot evokes emotion from the opening scene and has become a leading topic of conversation via almost every media channel available, social or otherwise.

Within 18 hours of being posted on YouTube, the farewell ad had already garnered more than two million views. Days later, the spot appeared on television. Next week, an accompanying print ad, also produced with full input from Jeter, will run in Sports Illustrated and the New York Daily News. See that? A print ad of all things; on actual paper. And not only do we know about it ahead of time, many of us are going to actively seek it out next week.

It’s no wonder those in the industry are calling the Gatorade ad, and the campaign around it, a home run. There are several take away points which other advertisers can gather from the drink company’s success.

Seize Opportunities

Gatorade immediately approached Jeter about shooting the ad in March of this year, when the captain first announced his plans to retire. While fans were shaking their fists at the sky at the idea of losing their beloved number 2, Gatorade was already ramping up to ride the inevitable end of season wave (no baseball stadium pun intended).

Tell A Story

We’ve seen plenty of wistful photos of Jeter since that announcement last spring. We’ve even seen other ads built around the theme of his legacy. The Gatorade ad was different. Our hero, walking through the streets of the Bronx, genuinely surprising fans and business owners, shaking hands with those who until then had only dreamed of doing so. By capturing the true, raw emotion of these real life moments, the ad hooked us. Who could look away? Yankee lover or hater, every one of us wanted to see that story play out.

 Stay Out of the Way

The only appearance of Gatorade in the ad is a moderate logo placed mid-screen in its final seconds. The company does not attempt to take ownership of the moment, nor of the legend, but to present both with the subdued respect their subject’s fans would not only seek but demand. Was the impact diminished? Just the opposite. Any mention of the ad includes the name Gatorade, which means spreading the word several million times over.

Subject, tone, and approach are vitally important for any publicity campaign to be successful. If you are stepping up to the marketing bat and need some coaching along the way, we’d love to help. The seasoned professionals at Kovak-Likly can work with you to build a plan which takes advantage of what your audience wants, presents it in the right way, and sets you up for your own PR home run. Give us a call at 203.762.8833 or visit www.klcpr.com.

– BML

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July 7, 2014

Big Score in the Social Media World

fifaWhether you were following the World Cup minute-by-minute or only knew it was happening from the whooping and hollering of your neighbors, there was no getting around the top sporting event last week. The most vocal fans out there? Facebook fans, it would seem.

The social media company announced last week that the World Cup was the largest event ever – sports or otherwise – in their history, generating more than one billion interactions on the site. The likes, comments, and posts came from 220 million Facebook fans, representing 17% of their total user base.

Participation came in many forms, including posts from soccer fans around the globe and from many of the players themselves. Looked at from the big picture, the experience demonstrates what social media can create – enthusiastic and sustained synergy between a product (in this case an event) and its ambassadors (fans).

Before social media, a large-scale event like the World Cup would be watched on television, a one way interaction. High five-ing after goals and commiserating over disappointments would be left to those sharing a living room or a sports bar. Many small ripples, no overlap.

By enabling fans around the world to interact with both the event and each other through social media, however, that ripple has no bounds. Even those with very little interest in soccer (or fútbol) were drawn into the action last week, curiosity sparked by endless posts and photos populating their Facebook feeds.  Some of the most popular, most shared contributions, in fact, were those from the star players themselves. A photo posted by Brazil’s “Neymar” with his teammate Hulk, for example, drew almost 2.5 million likes.

Your business can cause a ripple, too, if social media is engaged correctly. Meaning, in a way that both promotes the brand, invites interaction, and provides compelling content. By keeping those three elements in play, the conversation knows no end.

Promote the Brand

Obviously this is the goal. But it’s important to go about it in a mindful way. One-way communication is for traditional media, best left to print and broadcast. First, it’s critical to know why your brand should be important to your target audience. What are their hot buttons? For example, the right angle to promote might be the product itself, or what it represents, or what causes the business supports.

Dove is a perfect example of this concept. They are selling soap, yes. But via video campaigns shared on social media, their brand is about positive body image in women. Would you share a post about how great their soap is? Probably not. But a lesson in helping women feel better about themselves? You bet.

Invite Interaction

It’s what social media is all about. Everyone is on the guest list; the playing field is leveled when your target customers feel like their opinions matter and that their feedback is truly being heard. In a case like the World Cup, fans were able to post in direct response to their favorite players. With consumer goods and services, the celebrity factor may not be there, but the feeling of inclusion is just as powerful.

Provide Compelling Content

Soccer fans wanted minute-by-minute updates. Non-fans wanted just enough to speak knowledgeably at the water cooler. And let’s face it, some fans (mainly female, just guessing) were most interested in photos of the athletes. In any case, there was something for everyone. This is achievable with just about any brand. While one contingent from your target audience may be most interested in your actual product, others may feel more drawn to your overall message. By keeping content fresh and compelling, you can serve all with what influences each the most.

Social media is the most flexible of all PR channels. To find out how you can best utilize this incredible tool, let’s have a conversation. Give us a call at 203.762.8833 or visit www.klcpr.com.

– BML

 

 

 

 

 

 

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May 27, 2014

Making Social, Social Again

What do you think of when you hear the word “social”? The definition has certainly changed greatly over the last decade, immediately bringing to mind Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media outlets. It’s hard to believe that not that long ago, social activity meant being physically out and about, mingling with other humans in real time.

The TGI Fridays restaurant group is hoping to bring back that traditional kind of social, having announced plans to turn their once red and white striped, kitsch-walled locations into casual, neighborhood bar themed gathering spots.

In a recent New York Times article, the company’s marketing director was quoted as saying that the overhaul program was launched last year, and is internally called T.B.C.B.T – The Best Corner Bar In Town. Program highlights include the redesigns of 190 of the company’s 540 locations in the United States during this year, with the rest to follow. Every detail has been reexamined, right down to updated menus replacing the longstanding laminated version, and fresh ingredients replacing frozen in the kitchen.

To spread the word about TGI Fridays’ relaunch, a “Summer of Fridays” food truck will be dispatched to music and art festivals throughout the country over the next few months. A Tumblr page has been set up to document the Summer of Fridays tour, including profiles of unique personalities and craftspeople the crew meets along the way.

In hitting the road, and engaging social media, TGI Fridays is hoping to reach the demographic needed to keep their revenues strong enough to remain competitive in the casual restaurant industry. The Times quotes Technomic, a restaurant consulting and market research firm, as reporting a 4.7 percent drop in revenue for the chain during 2013, compared to some newer casual restaurant chains reporting revernue increases between between 17 and 26 percent during the same timeframe.

Where do your target customers gather?

By taking their new brand on the road, specifically promoting at events which draw the crucial 21- to 35-year-old demographic, TGI Fridays is engaging an efficient PR strategy: Know who you want to reach, know where they will most likely be, and go there. This demographic isn’t reading the Sunday paper on the living room floor or catching TV spots while watching the evening news; but there’s a good chance they will attend a cultural event.

How can you reach the target customers who aren’t there?

While music and art festivals draw large crowds, they are no match for the reach of social media. By incorporating a Tumblr account, TGI Fridays has included a vehicle to share the physical Summer of Fridays experience in a virtual way. Additionally, they have devised a method for keeping the content fresh and interesting by incorporating a human interest element. Profiling unique individuals along the way makes journal entries compelling, thus encouraging repeat visits to the Tumblr site.

By September, the hope is that the Summer of Fridays fling will turn into a real relationship, with customers trying out the revamped gathering spots and having a positive enough experience to return, hopefully with more friends. That will depend on the quality of the food and service, which have also been reworked as part of the plan. If all falls into place, TGI Fridays could be on an upswing – away from suspenders and potato skins and toward chill and hip.

If your brand could use a boost, or a complete overhaul, we’d love to hear from you. The marketplace today is too competitive to stick with ideas that aren’t working. At Kovak-Likly we pride ourselves on bringing expertise and a comprehensive, targeted approach to every campaign we develop and execute. Let’s see what we can make happen together.

– BML

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May 12, 2014

When to Swerve…and When to Pin It

If you’ve been reading our blog from the beginning you’ll know we wrote about Tesla a few months ago.  We’re a fan of their cars and their CEO’s flair for public relations.  I ask for your forgiveness as we write about them again because anyone who has seen a Tesla in person doesn’t soon forget it. The sleek lines, the unmistakable presence of style and innovation…and if you’ve been lucky enough to watch it cover zero to sixty in 5.4 seconds, well, you might just need a moment to catch your breath.

I sat in a friend’s Tesla recently – and even drove it about three feet. I heard how he had taken it from Connecticut to Baltimore and back without buying a drop of gas, stopping only once at a Tesla super charging station to power up on the way. No worries, he said, he used the recharge time to stretch his legs and have a cup of coffee.

But behind the power and glamour, there still lies a car company very much in building mode. A recent CNNMoney report said that in a letter to shareholders, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk reported increased revenues in the most recent quarter, but a large drop in profit. A close to $29 million drop, to be exact.

While this may have investors shifting in their seats, CNN reported that Musk followed up the announcement with plans for increased spending, with investments this year of up to $850 million focused mainly on research and development around the new Model X, set to go to market next year, and on planned expansion into China and Europe.

Musk is also continuing to move forward with the construction of a $5 billion lithium-ion battery “Gigafactory,” the location of which has yet to be determined as five states vie for the contract.

Long story short, Musk could have succumbed to the pressure of bearing bad investor news by downshifting. He could have eased concerns by cutting back, reassuring the skittish, or at the very least, spinning the numbers into a blur.

Instead, he chose to gun it.

Yes, profits are down, he said, but here’s why we’re going to spend more. Invest more. Expand more. As if that wasn’t enough, he reiterated his goal of delivering 35,000 cars around the globe this year, which would represent a 55% increase over 2013. The guy has chutzpah, you’ve got to give him that.

From a PR perspective, Musk’s approach presents an interesting dichotomy. On the one hand, there’s the negative financial news to which we’ve all become so accustomed, particularly within the automotive industry. An announcement like this could easily trigger a media feeding frenzy around the rush to write Tesla’s preemptive obit.

But from the public’s perspective, Musk’s forth righteousness is refreshing; we almost can’t help but root for Tesla against all odds. Musk is committed to going big or going home. What can we, as PR professionals, take away from this?

1) Please Don’t Feed the Cynics

With today’s unlimited access to information, readers and viewers are more informed than ever before. Research can be performed in minutes, leading to a nearly instant ability to discredit whatever diluted story has been approved for distribution. Add that to a morbid fascination with bad news, especially in corporate America, and you’ve got yourself a nation of harsh critics waiting to pounce. The decision to bare all and spin nothing can be an instant diffuser, allowing the attention to shift to where your client wants it to be.

2) Position Yourself: Failure or Underdog?

Once the truth is out, and the flame of negativity has been denied oxygen, your client has the floor. From here, smart positioning will not only erase the bad news as an indicator of failure, it will move it to the background. Coming to the forefront will be the story of the underdog, surging onward, taking on challenges in the name of innovation. We hit a snag, your client says, but what greatness was ever achieved without some strife along the way? By guiding PR efforts around this message, you can not only silence critics, but enlist fans.

When it comes to strategic – even seemingly risky – messaging decisions, there are more vital opinions to be considered than just those in an agency conference room. Millions of them, in fact. At Kovak-Likly, we are dedicated to keeping our finger on the collective pulse of the public you want to reach, so that your message can be honed and presented in the best light possible for the greatest response. What are your PR challenges for 2014? We’d love to hear from you and help find the best approach.

As for Tesla Motors, I am rooting for them in a big way. Despite a significant drop in profit, they still beat the expectations of most industry analysts, which tells me there are likely more surprises in store. Personally I hope one of them is an all wheel drive version for the snow with better battery life…and perhaps a tad lower purchase price.

– BML

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