Anniversary and Music

Break out the bubbly - its my anniversary!

A year ago (yesterday) I started this blog. It has neither been consistent nor awe inspiring, but for me, it has offered an amazing opportunity for reflection on what it means to be a modern communication professional. I thank you, my readers for tolerating my bits of nonsense for so long!

Today’s post though is dedicated to the communicative power of music. Whether it is J-I-L-L-S-C-O-T-T that represents the definition of lovely in your music or Axel Rose or Machel Montano, without question, music communicates with more than the mind – it moves the soul. What is the rhythm of your soul? What moves you?

These questions are ones we all in a way, ask as “Pr Peeps”. We have to find a way to communicate with even the most savage of society. With our own rhythm and rhyme, we must work our magic in the ways Quincy Jones, Michael (Jackson – not Bolton) and for me, J-I-L-L-S-C-O-T-T, magically work over the souls of their audiences. Our clients expect us to “fix” all their communication problems by somehow hitting the right key. Don’t you wish we could tell them it’s as easy as hitting those notes Mariah does in “Vision of Love” (see the live 1991 Grammy Performance below)?

To once again compare our work to music, when faced with the challenges of our profession, the more hardy among us know, the only way to achieve results sometimes is to move between the standard beats – to create our own musical genres. We are the musical radicals – like Beethoven did, we must challenge traditions and at times move to our own beat to inspire a multigenerational, picky and fickle audience to want to listen and want to be moulded into the shapes outlined in our PR plans (musical scores for the purpose of this analogy).

Is it easy? Nope! Do our performances always inspire applause? Nope. But play on PR professionals. Play on.

Today’s post brought to you following a wonderful evening of Itunes. Oh modern music world, how I love thee!

Hugs!

Beyond “Getting the Media Here”

One of the biggest mistakes companies desiroud of PR make is the mistake of simply “”getting the media” to attend an event. By “getting the media” the persons issuing such ‘commands’ do not mean “invite”. No no –  in that instance the media is, in there minds, to be present, pen in hand ready to accurately capture there every orchestrated word and deed. Newsflash – media relations is a sybiotic relationship. Newsflash to PR folks – its your job to ensure both sides understand that.

Think such an important lesson is well intertwined in the detailed preparation all head honchos at companies MUST go through prior to receiving their first hefty pay check? Think again. I once heard an Exec say “Marketing and Communications classes were an irritant to my MBA pursuit.” I realised then and there this is how we are viewed – as irritants and get this, PR/ Communications folks may be irritants but media are seen as even more lowly to some of these decision makers. This makes our work hard.

So what do we do? We plan, prepare and pounce.

• PLAN: If you can see the event coming (if its a planned event) – plan YOUR media strategy. Know what YOU as a PR professional would like to see as the out comes of said event. How will you measure your success and how can you align these achivements with the success desires of those in charge. Example: You want a print news story in the 1st 15 pages of the next day’s paper with at least 2 verbatim quotations. They want: A big picture with a check and a headline with their name in it…Great! How will you work with the media houses to achieve both the professional PR desired outcome and the outcome the poeple signing your check want? Strategize!
• PREPARE: If a distinguished member of the media is assigned to your event – they are not coming to hang out and shake hands. PREPARE for THEM! Have a media sign in area – a programme with names and deisgnations. Ensure they are aware of who the dignatories are in the audience (aka: have a conversation that is newsworthy…you know, more than ‘Hi! Thanks for coming – you look nice’ – small talk is not what they came for. Give the media news. Prepare it and show them that. The best way to do this is to have a PREPARED media release as part of the media kit. Now, this is tricky, because quite often head honchos think pre-scripting a post event media release is crazy. “You must attend the event first, hear what everyone has to say and then proceed to write a prolificly detailed message.” Ok, that thinking is as old school as high top fades. Find a nice way to ensure the head honchos learn this. The best way to is advise the prepared release promotes accuracy.
•  POUNCE:  You probably thought I meant pounce on the media. Negative. Pounce on your Executives pre and post the event. Pre the event force into their heads that there are things they just SHOULD NOT say and SHOULD CONSIDER avoiding. (yeah, note the tone. If you were speaking to a peer or someone that saw you, lowly PR person, as human, you would say – Don’t/Can’t…). Know what they are planning to wear – pounce on the lighting people to make that work so they look their best in photos. All in all – pounce all over that event before, during and after it happens. Pounce so hard after that you be sure to be 1st to submit the actual printed photo and news article to the very execs that wanted them. Don’t expect a reaction though. Consider yourself a Pouncing PR Dragon – you know, a hidden tiger. 🙂

So, to all the hidden tigers out there….Fear not. You can “get the media” – but it would be oh so much better to invite and make them feel appreciated – or at least understood.

Social Media Spin

I learn from social media everyday. Over the past 9 weeks I have learned that indeed, digital natives (those born post the internet explosion) are alive, well, passionate and powerful.

YUMA VIBE official Facebook Photo

I have had the distinct pleasure of working to promote new Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Band Young Upwardly Mobile Adults (YUMA). In the first 6 weeks of e-existence the band’s Facebook page soured past 3,000 fans (likes), was commented about on the 3 most read Carnival blogs (or any blogs really) in Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad Carnival Diary , Carnival Jumbie and Afro Chic ), featured on other blogs (Wuz De Scene) was featured 6 times in local traditional media. Following daily questions on the page, discussion by the avid Facebook Fans and continued post launch discussion by the not to be discounted carnival blogeratti, YUMA is now sold out (save for a handful of male costumes) and has interwoven itself into the hearts and minds of over 5,800 Facebook fans and average daily use (August 2010) of 9,000. Freakin’ wow! Way to go YUMA? Nope, way to go YUMAs!

This is not a post about successful PR. Its a post about the importance of Social Media Spin and the fact that no single person/ group can really take sole responsibility (so, no more collar popping – damn!).

Sure, the daily questions on the YUMA page about Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, music and culture are interesting – but that’s not what keeps people buzzing about the band. The Yumaraders (a term DEVELOPED by YUMA’s Facebook Fans), have created their own language (yumerific, yumafied, yumalicious, etc), Blackberry groups (at least 2), and created their own blogs ( http://yumachat.blogspot.com , inc.blogspot.com/2010/09/sooo-what-is-tourism-like-in-trinidad.html). These YUMAs (term for those involved with and intricately interested in the band) made numerous suggestions on how the band can be better and have become brand ambassadors for an entity that has given only a preview of what it will be – a great Trinidad and Tobago Carnival experience. Daily, if the YUMA page is not officially updated, the YUMAs now post their OWN questions of the day to ensure they have their OWN e-nourishment (daily YUMA-fix). The YUMAs are the page. They are the entity. They are amazing.  They are the social media spin every modern PR professional dreams about but cannot claim.

In the world where brands are created daily, it is those brands that become “owned” by their customers that will survive. Of this new world, Apple is king. Proudly we say “I’m a MAC”. PC users have responded with their own social media spin – “I’m a PC” and Blackberry users aren’t too shabby at it either.

Photo From IPhone 4 Problems Website (link in blogpost)

Each of these mega “tech-e-brands” have their own social media spin. There are blogs, micro sites, user groups, chat groups, Facebook pages (official, unofficial and anti) and are featured daily in traditional media as well. These brands don’t just exist, they are fiercely protected by their consumers which keeps pressure on their creators, the people that actually work to deliver on the brand promises, on their toes. The same people that develop languages to sing your praise can develop a force to bring you down.

Am I, a person affiliated with the love of this new brand afraid then? Nope, I am inspired and I know the YUMA team will work (and is working) to deliver. All might not be perfect 1st minute out, no new products ever are (Iphone 4 much?) BUT the team is working, passionate and strong. I’m very confident. It’s Trinidad and Tobago Carnival and a very eager public – we can’t, as that old time Calypso says “Play Mas and ‘fraid powder”. See you on the YUMA page.

Hugs!

Facebook in times of Illness

My Anti Dengue Arsenal as Suggested by Facebook Friends

It happened suddenly. Around 10pm 12 days ago I started to get horrible pains in my back. Less the 13 hours later I hit the hospital and began what has been the saga of battling off Dengue Fever – a virus spread by the less than innocuous mosquito. Has it been horrible – absolutely. Has it taught me something? Of hell yes – it has reminded me that Facebook and social media have forever bonded with the core of my being (and that of more than my generation).

Around day 5, when it became clear this was more than a passing illness, I began posting status updates re: my angst with this illness. Then it happened, a miracle. In a time when no one remembers to even call to say what’s up or can pass you by at the mall because they’re so engrossed in their blackberries, friends (old, new and cyber) took a moment out of their lives to say “get well” and a few even took moments to share wellness tips and THEIR battle stories with Dengue. There were days that these shout outs were more effective than the pain killers.

Add blogs and e-news to the mix and I felt a little less flattened. When my eyes were not smarting with pain (so scratch day 7-8), I kept up with news via blogs and e-news. Pre the failure of my blackberry keyboard on Day 11 (yes – AGAIN. Sigh – I so love and hate my bb), I could see what was happening at the office and of course, “hear” (interpret as SEE)  what was going on with my fave social media client team.

So now, day 12. As I soon force myself to daily ablutions to then hit the hospital and hopefully the office (I actually miss my job), I ask this Communication Question: Was our life pre-Facebook and social media a Sick One? Why? Because having Facebook, email, blogs and social media makes being sick not so bad.

Thanks for all the e-TLC and EXTRA SPECIAL thanks to 17 and K-squared that took the time to bring TLC in real life.

Hugs!