PR nightmare vs Opportunity PR - on Social media

UNITED BREAKS GUITARS - How a PR nightmare for United Airlines became a dream-come-true PR opportunity for Taylor Guitars

The PR Nightmare for United Airlines

The song "United breaks Guitars" made YouTube history in 6th July 2009 by garnering 1,50,000 views within a day.  Since then it has propelled a little known musician to big time, Dave Carroll -who today has become synonymous with a disgruntled customer taking on a big corporation - the typical David vs. Goliath story which public love.

It all started with some baggage handlers' negligence in an airport. (If you are not already familiar with what actually triggered this fiasco, click on this). 

Anyway, this is NOT about how United Airlines mishandling of a customer grouse has made viral-marketing case history with 9.4 million views and many TV shows

This is about

How Taylor Guitars created the PR opportunity

In a classic case of ambush marketing, Taylor Guitars reacted really fast. They put on their own YouTube video on 10th July 2009, within 4 days of "United breaks guitars" coming online.

In this video Bob Taylor reassures all guitarists how they can restore their damaged instruments. He also guides guitarists to the company website where advice on transporting guitars and airlines' policy are available. Bob goes further to promise support for even guitars of other make!

That’s pretty efficient.. considering within 48 hours they sensed an opportunity, wrote a neat script, probably updated their website, shot the video in the factory, which makes it very credible.

And till date (1 Nov 2010) this video has got more than 0.5 million views and the positive vibes are evident from the viewer comments.

Forget Crisis PR for the moment. Let’s talk Opportunity PR

Tons of advice is available on handling disappointed customers. Especially I have hinted at negative repercussions of Social media earlier. I may probably add more tips on Crisis management using social media later. But this article is more to highlight the other perspective - that’s jumping at a remote opportunity and getting a positive rub-off using social media.

What’s evident is Taylor Guitars has been active on social media since 2007, going by their YouTube channel establishment. They give tremendous visibility to musicians with Taylor road shows. These road shows are also featured on YouTube and promoted in FaceBook.

The inference is Taylor Guitars seem to have invested some dedicated resources for social media. This makes sense, since creative professionals and musicians relate to social messages more intensely, than a left-brained professional.

And its evident Taylor Guitar kept its eyes and ears sharp with constant monitoring of the web-landscape. So when "United breaks guitars" video started gaining viral popularity, they were able to identify an opportunity to seize and leverage it asap.

SreeRam, Communications Consultant, Chennai, India.
9340006600, nathansmedia@gmail.com

MARCOM BLOG -  http://marketing-communications-ksr.blogspot.com/
FACEBOOK - http://bit.ly/nmg_fb
LINKED IN -  http://in.linkedin.com/in/ksr960
TWEET - @kravMagaSreeRam

Why should SMB invest in social media?

Till now I was analysing Social media from the perspective of the advertising professional. Now I am viewing it from the Client's angle; especially the SMBs ( Small & Medium Business) who lack the resources of big business.

......................................................................................................

Why should SMB invest in social media?

To get our perspective right, at the outset, let’s first ask –
What has happened to the consumer?!

In Phase 1 - from 1900 to 1940s
The market was NOT crowded.
The consumer readily lapped up if the product/service addressed his real/latent need

In Phase 2 - 1940s to 1990s
The consumer had choice. So s/he bought products/services based on tangible differentiators

In Phase 3 - since 1990s
Choices are aplenty and even the differentiators are blurred.
So the consumer has started making decisions based on intangible factors.

The business house of today cannot sit back complacently just because they have a quality product/ service and they advertise it . You will end up as 'One among the Many".
They have to relate to The Consumer and make him feel “Ok. These guys are not just trying to sell me something; they also listen to me and go that extra mile to address me as a person rather than a nameless consumer."

So the key actions to build a bonding have become 'Listening' and 'Interacting'.

The business has to look beyond one transaction and endeavour to build a relationship through 'Collaborative Marketing'.
Collaborative marketing, using social media tools, apart from placing you in the consideration list of The Consumer, ensures two additional benefits -

• Repeat transactions 
• Referrals, which are much more powerful than paid advertising

The critical relevance of Social media for SMBs (Small & Medium Business)

Big business, with deep pockets, can afford to spend on paid advertising using mass media. In contrast, SMBs cannot “Spray & Pray” using mass media.
In fact, SMBs don’t have a need for mass awareness. Even if they attempt it for creating initial awareness, it’s tough to sustain the spending.

Most of the small businesses depend on a niche or community. It makes financial sense to use targeted communication, which does not require big budgets.
This is where Social media steps in for SMBs.

SreeRam, Communications Consultant, Chennai, India.
9340006600, nathansmedia@gmail.com

MARCOM BLOG -  http://marketing-communications-ksr.blogspot.com/
FACEBOOK - http://bit.ly/nmg_fb
LINKED IN -  http://in.linkedin.com/in/ksr960
TWEET - @kravMagaSreeRam

Why Social media causes ED to an ad-pro! Part II

In Part I we looked at the causes. Now we look at the cure

ED is aggravated by ‘Stress’.  So what’s the stress the ad-pro today is being subjected to, of late?

 It’s the gradual shift in his influence over the consumer. What that shift and why is it happening?

The 3 generation shift in advertising thinking

Just in time, I curbed typing out the clichéd 'paradigm shift'. Those two words have become an instant put-off.

 Probably this is also a symbolic moving away from shallow advertising dictums, which used to view the customer as a unified entity begging to be manipulated.

The ad-pro realises that Marketing has evolved across three generations –

·         From the first one of 'Demand Creation'
·         to the second generation of 'Need Satisfaction'
·         and to the present one of 'Making Life Better' 

The coming-of-age genre replaces the feel-good genre

Going back to analyse the analogy of three generations, initially the advertiser's  script was simple and straight forward - address only the physical needs of the consumer. "You have a need.. we have this product to address that need.. why can’t you buy this?"

Within a few decades life got complicated for the ad pro. The scene was getting crowded and the consumer was getting flooded with choice. So he had to reorient his script with the message, “Please notice how our product is different from what the others are offering .. so you should be buying this rather that that.. Isn’t it?" 

Unfortunately, the 'Product Differentiator' script also has now become jaded. Even with visible, tangible differences staring at his face, the consumer is making purchase decisions that defy proven logic.

Slowly the realisation is dawning on our fraternity that an intangible element has to be tackled now - 'The Emotional Connect' with our Mrs and Mr. Customer.

Moving into the realm of comprehending and tackling emotions is emotionally draining for a marketer used to working with measurable metrics. This is a big grey area.

The relevance of social media in 'Emotional Connect'

As we said earlier it’s no longer about 'My Product' or 'Your Need'. It’s all about "Our shared Values".

When one starts talking of Values and Sharing, one has to pre-suppose a 'relationship"; a bonding which has to start long before the Purchase, and which has to hand hold the consumer even after the purchase.

And that’s where social media steps in; because it’s all about sharing.

"Oh...Come on. This is just a fad. Advertising has always been about 'Emotional Connect"

We advertisers took pride in talking of subliminal mental cues, psychology of colours and personality associations. "We were connecting on an emotional level, weren't we?!"

Oh yeah, we were connecting like a tele-marketer, trying to sell us an insurance policy or a car finance. Our tone was as phony as that and our involvement with the consumer was as fleetingly shallow.

The Smile has to reach the eyes

Like how the students of micro-expressions can easily make out a salesman-smile, the customer can see through these 'cosmetic emotional connections'.

Today the advertiser has to give and share information, which does not in any way pressurize the customer towards an immediate purchase. The customer has to associate that particular brand with his ingrained and unvoiced values and not just his life-style.

The secret is in Giving unconditionally.

Coming back to our ad-pro suffering the ignominy of ED, he now has to realise that long term salvation rests on building a deep emotional connect with his partner, which will rekindle the dying embers.

That comes with giving love and concern unconditionally. This secret mantra is what the ambitious Joe realises in 'The Go-Giver' by Bob Burg and John David Mann.

Of course, the ad-pro has also got to do some short term things to recoup his physical health. We will discuss more about that in the next salvo. 

SreeRam is a Chennai based marcom professional.
Connect on FACEBOOK
View profile in LINKED IN

SOCIAL MEDIA - HOW WILL IT AFFECT TV

The characteristics of Social media are –

·         Customized media feeds, tailored to individual need

·         Citizen journalism

·         Convergence - the same content reaching the public through various channels
( Conventional medium, Internet and Mobile)

These 3 dominant trends, which have affected the other mass-media channels like print, is catching up on TV too. Today major content creators like CNN and BBC have their footprint in varied channels apart from TV.
Down the line, to view TV programs we won’t need a TV!

The die-hard cynics will laugh at this, no doubt.
They will point out News papers did not die after TV news became popular.
They will point out movie going did not die after TV reached the mass.
They will point out radio did not die after TV became the entertainment vehicle.
Agreed!

But look at the usage share, the mind share, the revenue share.
The consumer does not rely on one single channel of media to catch up. He uses each medium at his convenience.
Newspaper for morning coffee and the loo.
Radio for commuting.
Internet for work, communication and pursuit of interests
TV for unwinding after a stressful day or specific events.

For entertainment, the share of time in front of the computer monitor is increasing; especially after the social media. Why?

·         The choices are plenty.

·         My peers' opinions are ready for me.

·         The measurement metrics tells me exactly how popular the particular content is.

·         The timing is to my convenience.

·         and above all, I can voice my opinion and convey it to my community immediately.

So satisfying!

Like any efficient life form which has survived millions of years by adapting to changing conditions, TV also will survive. But TV will survive by taking different avatars. The evolution is slow but sure.
Still doubtful?! Go to www.hulu.com.

SreeRam is a Chennai based marcom professional.
Connect on FACEBOOK
View profile in LINKED IN

Should the Advertising man be more intelligent than the Client!

CLIENT vs AGENCY

The advertising fraternity mostly faces an uphill task in selling an idea to the Client's management.

As advertising pro, I have been in client meetings where the process has even degenerated to fist-cuffs! Later being on the other side of table as Client, I have myself ripped apart the agency's idea that they shuffled out of the meeting room muttering "et tu, Brute?"

Ries & Ries recent observations on the conflict of Left brains of Clients and Right brains of Ad pros threw some light on this eternal struggle.

SUBJECTIVITY vs OBJECTIVITY

The Client has lots of industry internal knowledge and subject matter expertise. So when he faces a marketing problem, he looks at in the context of all this accumulated baggage.

On the other hand, The Ad pro looks at the problem as a Positioning/ Communication / Differentiator challenge. He is not in purview of the internal market dynamics as the Client is.

That may be one of the reason for the common complaint of many Clients that the Ad agency's understanding is shallow and it’s trying to palm off template solutions from its shirt pocket. The Ad pro defends himself saying he has spent quality time and energy to give the creative solution.

Fundamentally, it’s a case of " Looking OUT from IN" vs "Looking IN from OUT"

THE CREATIVE LEAP

The Client is rooted in reality and his translation as a left Brain decision maker is Verbal.

It’s the Ad pro's responsibility to take this torch from Client and run further to take the Creative leap. His Right brain will translate the Client's verbal brief to a Visual canvas.

This Creative Leap should bring forth the "Wow".

The verdict is, The Ad-pro need NOT be more intelligent than the Client. But he should think differently from the Client. That’s the value he brings to the table.  

The best advertising ideas have their feet planted firmly in left-brain logic, but the head is held high amongst the clouds of Right brain brilliance.

SreeRam is a Chennai based marcom professional.
Connect on FACEBOOK
View profile in LINKED IN

Why Social media causes ED (Erectile Dysfunction) to an ad pro! - Part 1

There are tons of thoughts on leveraging Social Media, from different perspectives. But very few of them are from professionals who have made the transition from the age of Print.

Having made the transition, I just want to point out 2 aspects of Social Media which can give symptoms of ED to a traditional advertising person. (My woman says "Don't blame social media")

Fear No:1

For the first time information is coming in the opposite direction - towards the company.

Having always been used to play the consumers' psyche like a keyboard, we are now quivering at this onslaught of unbridled opinions.

In the golden age, if faced with negative consumer opinion we commented with a shrug “Opinion is like an ass-hole. Everybody has one", and asked our PR guys to do damage control and concentrate on our job of Sell, Sell.

In fact, we took pride in a rising sales graph against a flagging consumer confidence. "Give a freebie to the consumer or Increase Dealer margins with attractive schemes" Hmm.. Life was simple!

Today, a cheeky spoof on my advertisement gets more views on YouTube than my uninteresting me-too TV commercial.

A Facebook group against a Dove or British Petroleum is much talked about and leaves a trail of information which the companies cannot erase. Every time someone googles my brand, I cringe.

Net take - My brand is no longer dictated by me. My consumers dictate my Brand.

Fear No: 2

The business can no longer talk about ‘Us or Our Product’.

It took some time to realise that the Consumer switches off if I start my pompous communication. From the age of 'rub-in', we are waking up kicking and screaming in the age of 'rub-off'.

Instead of directly talking of 'Me and my Brand', I am forced to learn the language of 'Brand association'. As an advertiser, I am today forced to be in sync with my consumers' aspirations. I have to please him, so that he sees my Brand not as a persistent salesman but as a well-wisher interested in him.

I have to entertain him, titillate him and educate him; at the same time being relevant to my core offering.

Net Take - Give the consumer associated value useful to him and be generous in giving that. Dont hold back.

The Viagra for the ad pro

From the Fore-play of Communication to the Consummation of Purchase, the tango is now being led by the Consumer.

And it’s going to be more acutely felt as we move into integrated communication era; where the defined lines between Information, Communication and Entertainment start eroding.

Remember, ED is cured by 2 ways -

Short term Medication and Long term life-style Changes.

As advertising professionals we emulate that in our professional life too. Let’s see how it’s done and we can resume our frisky romp with the Consumer, in the next part.  

SreeRam is a Chennai based marcom professional.
Connect on FACEBOOK
View profile in LINKED IN

SOCIAL MEDIA - HOW WILL IT AFFECT TV

The characteristics of Social media are –

·         Customized media feeds, tailored to individual need

·         Citizen journalism

·         Convergence - the same content reaching the public through various channels
( Conventional medium, Internet and Mobile)

These 3 dominant trends, which have affected the other mass-media channels like print, is catching up on TV too. Today major content creators like CNN and BBC have their footprint in varied channels apart from TV.
Down the line, to view TV programs we won’t need a TV!

The die-hard cynics will laugh at this, no doubt.
They will point out News papers did not die after TV news became popular.
They will point out movie going did not die after TV reached the mass.
They will point out radio did not die after TV became the entertainment vehicle.
Agreed!

But look at the usage share, the mind share, the revenue share.
The consumer does not rely on one single channel of media to catch up. He uses each medium at his convenience.
Newspaper for morning coffee and the loo.
Radio for commuting.
Internet for work, communication and pursuit of interests
TV for unwinding after a stressful day or specific events.

For entertainment, the share of time in front of the computer monitor is increasing; especially after the social media. Why?

·         The choices are plenty.

·         My peers' opinions are ready for me.

·         The measurement metrics tells me exactly how popular the particular content is.

·         The timing is to my convenience.

·         and above all, I can voice my opinion and convey it to my community immediately.

So satisfying!

Like any efficient life form which has survived millions of years by adapting to changing conditions, TV also will survive. But TV will survive by taking different avatars. The evolution is slow but sure.
Still doubtful?! Go to www.hulu.com.

SreeRam is a Chennai based communications consultant. He is also a passionate artist and writer.
FACEBOOK - http://bit.ly/nmg_fb
LINKED IN -  http://in.linkedin.com/in/ksr960