Insights for Leaders Navigating
Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.

From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.

Important Things to Know About TEDxSeattle

TEDxSeattle is one of the largest and oldest TEDx events in the U.S. Started in 2010, it is a day-long program held each November attracting about 2,600 curious and involved attendees. According to its organizers, “[TEDxSeattle] is carefully designed to honor a city known for its blend of innovators, technology leaders and edgy artists.”

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Elizabeth Coppinger, the executive director and curator of TEDxSeattle, to learn more about this year’s event, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 18. I was particularly interested in three things: why people should attend TEDxSeattle; how speakers are selected; and how TEDx organizers help those speakers prepare. Here is what I learned.

TEDxSeattle, a local brand licensed from TED, is a platform for people to present and hear about ideas so powerful that they need to be broadly shared. This year’s theme is “Changing Places.”

On the TEDxSeattle website they explain: “Changes in where and how we live are troubling for some, motivating for others. This year’s conference will explore the implications of change for the city in which we live; and for our country and the world.”

According to Coppinger, the organizers felt the theme was appropriate because, with so many new people moving into the area, Seattle is changing dramatically in terms of population and demographics. There is also significant development with new buildings and roads physically changing our communities.

“In this maelstrom of change, people are contemplating their roles in the community and how they can adapt or impact this change in a positive manner,” explained Coppinger.

The Attendee Experience

I’m a huge fan of online TED talks and TEDx videos, but until I spoke with Coppinger, I had not seriously considered attending an event in person. Now, I am realizing that there are some significant benefits to attending the full TEDxSeattle program.

Coppinger astutely pointed out when you watch a TED video online, you probably self-selected the content. However, when you attend an all-day TEDx event, you broaden your horizons because you hear from a wide range of speakers who have been carefully curated by the event organizers. This means you are likely to be exposed to new ideas and stretch your mind.

In addition, when you attend a TEDx event, you have the opportunity to connect with others in your local community. Connecting and discussing ideas is a very important part of the one-day experience. Conversing with others about a talk you’ve just heard further shapes your perceptions and may spark additional thoughts about new ideas.

Speaking at TEDxSeattle

If you want to speak at TEDxSeattle, Coppinger highly recommends that people sign up for and attend the event so they have their own first-hand experience and can get a better sense of the format of the program and how to add value as a presenter.

The organizers receive about 250 nominations each year from a mix of artists, philanthropists, scientists, technologists, and business leaders. This means there is significant competition for approximately 14 presentation slots. The organizers make speaker selections very carefully, and to be invited you need to have a compelling core idea that aligns with the theme. According to Coppinger, “Your core idea and how well you can express it is by far the most critical element.”

When I heard the organizers received so many nominations, I was curious about how they sort through them all to make their final selections.

“Pre-screeners review the initial nominations and select the top 50 to 75 of the nominations to advance to the scoring round,” Coppinger explained. “Once a nomination makes it to the scoring round, we review it for the quality of the idea and we look at the strength of the argument. For instance, we consider the examples or proof points that support the idea.”

Sometimes at the scoring stage, the TEDxSeattle speaker selection committee will ask nominees to provide additional information. The selection committee then meets again to discuss the nominations with the highest scores and determines who will be invited in for in-person interviews. After the in-person interviews, the speaker selection committee extends final invitations and notifies others that they have not been chosen.

Top-Notch Coaching & Support

If the organizers invite you to speak, you’ll be given significant support. Specifically, they’ll assign a mentor to guide you through the process. You’ll also receive the support of a graphic artist and professional speaker coach to help you take your idea off the page and onto the stage.

“Our speaker coaches are invaluable in helping people focus their ideas into a presentation arc,” said Coppinger. “They help people with attention-grabbing introductions, transitions to main points, and the development of conclusions that leaves the audience inspired and thinking about the idea well into the future. We want people to leave TEDxSeattle inspired to make a difference.”

Finally, KCTS is an important partner and provides studio space to the TEDxSeattle presenters so they can rehearse in front of organizers and mentors.

Sponsorship

Putting on the TEDxSeattle program is costly, but fortunately Washington State Employees Credit Union has been a key underwriter and vital partner for several years. Nonetheless, TEDxSeattle is looking for additional sponsors to subsidize tickets for students. “We want TEDxSeattle to be accessible to younger people in our community because they are such an important audience,” said Coppinger. “Many students find our $80 tickets to be expensive so if a company is interested in helping to sponsor student attendance, we’d welcome the opportunity to talk with them.”

Tickets for Nov. 18 will go on sales on September 10.

Everything You Need to Know About UPI

Think about the well-known names in news media. There is a good possibility that at least one of these names popped into your head: The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fox, ABC, NBC, and Associated Press. Throughout history, there have been certain news sources that are especially well known and revered, and a lot of them stand the test of time. But, what if, in 30 years, the newest generations have never heard of The New York Times? Weird, I know, but it could happen. That is how I felt when I was asked to do some content research on UPI, a news website I have never even heard of. What I expected to be a fairly simple task, turned out to be a fascinating research project on what was once one of America’s most important and prominent news sources. Interested? Good, because I am here to answer those burning questions.

First of all, what is UPI?

UPI, or United Press International, is an international news agency created in 1907 by E. W. Scripps. Formally United Press, until its merger with the International News Service in 1958, UPI has provided thousands of newspapers, magazines and other media outlets with news material over the last 110 years. In its heyday, the company was one of the largest and most influential new agencies in the U.S. It has even been called “one of the great institutions of American journalism.”

Before we dig into UPI’s historical importance, let’s get some background. What, exactly, is a news agency?

A news agency, also known as a newswire, is an organization or company that collects news and then sells it to newspapers or other news outlets that subscribe to its feed. This may seem counterintuitive, since it is a newspaper’s job to report the news, but most newspapers don’t have the capital or resources to have reporters or bureaus that are outside of the city in which they are based. For example, a newspaper in France may not be able to have a reporter present at the inauguration of the President of the United States, so it subscribes to a news agency that provides them syndicated content written by the agency’s reporter.

Currently, the top news agencies are the Associate Press (AP), Reuters and Agence France-Presse (AFP). Agencies like Reuters and UPI operate by selling the physical news itself, while agencies like AP and AFP work as cooperatives that are essentially owned by the subscriber newspapers and media outlets, which all contribute by submitting their own stories, as well as using materials written by the coop’s staff. This difference in structure can have an impact on how the journalists within the agency report, but we will get into that later.

Now we can get to the good stuff. What is it that makes UPI so important?

When UPI showed up on the media scene, there weren’t a lot of news agencies out there. In fact, the only serious competition in the industry was AP. So while UPI was a scrappy alternative to the well-known and better established AP, it was important for media outlets to have multiple sources for their stories, so many subscribed to both agencies. UPI’s famous slogan, “Get it first, but first, get it RIGHT,” bred multiple generations of notoriously aggressive and competitive journalists known as Unipressers, many of whom went on to win Pulitzer Prizes for their journalism or photography. In fact, 10 UPI employees have received Pulitzers and UPI’s list of notable alumni is a mile long.

One of the most notable, and memorable, reporters to win a Pulitzer from UPI was Merriman Smith. Smith, a legend among Unipressers, was the first person to report the Kennedy Assassination, which he reported just nine minutes after the event took place. An eyewitness, Smith was travelling in the press car with other reporters at the time of the shooting. Smith literally fought the attending AP reporter for the press car’s only phone to call UPI and dictate the story. As the underdog, this was a huge win, and this kind of scrappy initiative was the beating heart of UPI.

It wasn’t just the reporters that made UPI so important, but also what those reporters covered. For example, UPI was instrumental in reporting on the civil rights movement due to its independence. Since AP is owned by the newspapers it services, the papers have some influence over coverage, and this was true during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Southern-owned newspapers influenced the agency and coverage often slanted or minimized the racial unrest that was brewing, so it was difficult to get a full picture of the movement through AP. UPI didn’t have that problem, as they are not owned by the papers, so reporters were free to cover the news and report on events unbiasedly.

UPI was simply a great source for newspapers, radio and broadcast to get unbiased, fast and reliable news. UPI’s reporters were passionate, dedicated, and covered some of America’s most important events and, in its prime, UPI had over 6,000 subscribing news outlets, thousands of staff and bureaus across the globe.

Where is UPI now?

UPI is still alive and kicking, it’s just not as big as it was before. When newspapers sales took a big dip, most publishers had to choose between AP and UPI, with a majority going to AP. That, paired with some questionable decisions by management, caused UPI to take a huge hit. From the 1980s onward, UPI was sold and resold to different investors and companies until it landed at News World Communications in 2000. UPI is now focusing on more niche markets, especially entertainment, defense, energy, science, health and sports. UPI reporters are still churning out good content, and if you ask nicely, you can request permission to use UPI content and photos on your own site. UPI may not be the powerhouse it once was, but it played an important role in documenting America’s history, and for that it should be remembered.

Original Shows Within Social Media: The Newest Trend Millennials Have Ignited

As an avid social media user and communications student, I was intrigued by Time Warner and Snap’s June 19 announcement to bring shows from Time Warner brands to Snapchat users. According to the press release, “Under this new agreement, Time Warner will make a significant commitment to develop and produce shows for Snapchat from across its network and entertainment companies. These new shows will encompass a range of genres, including scripted drama and comedy.”

As I read about this deal, I began to wonder about the partnership’s potential impact on communicators and PR professionals. Communication managers are increasingly challenged by fragmentation. It used to be that nearly everyone relied on television, radio, newspapers and movies for entertainment and information.

With the rise of the internet and social media, the choices for entertainment are now vast. Consumers can stream programs and movies on Netflix, AppleTV or Roku, or they can spend countless hours on social media. Now, social media is on the cusp of evolving as rapidly as Facebook and Twitter, and Snap look to make a variety of new programs available to users. With this in mind, I decided to take a more in-depth look at Snap and answer some basic questions about its plans with Time Warner.

What content does Snap offer now? What is coming in the future?

Currently, Snap has three shows that air on Snapchat once per week. The different types of programming include: the reality show “Phone Swap”; “The Voice on Snapchat,” a behind-the-scenes show; and “The Rundown,” which features pop culture news.

According to the New York Post, by the end of 2017, Snap hopes to make at least 10 shows available. These will consist of drama, comedy and reality content, along with an animated series.

Why does Time Warner and Snap want to make this content available on Snapchat?

Time Warner wants to drive larger audiences to its shows, and increasingly younger people are forgoing subscriptions to cable. Known as cord-cutters, these people prefer streaming content online, and now want to consume this content on their mobile phones or tablets. Time Warner wants to reach these people, and with more than 166 million daily Snapchat users, Snap has the platform.

How is Snapchat differentiating itself from the competition?

Snap values the idea of keeping ads and videos vertical, which matches the format of its Snapchat platform. Snap concluded that many people who use other social media platforms dislike how ads are automatically formatted to play horizontally. Another unique feature of Snapchat is that users can swipe up while an ad is playing to either download the advertising company’s app, or to be directed to the advertiser’s website.

Finally, Snap has done its part on delivering a wide variety of consumer-friendly features to its users. Snapchat Geofilters and Snapchat Lens are global phenomena. Companies from all around the world are buying these Geofilters and Lenses to get consumers to interact with their brands in a new and unique way.

Geofilters, according to Snap, ”allow you to be where your product is bought, thought about, or consumed.” Geofilters generally provide consumers with the name of the advertiser, and the location of where the filter is available. Some of the more popular Geofilters are the ones that include an iconic city name, or iconic brand name.

Snapchat also offers Lens (or Lenses, plural), which Snapchat claims “[are] the most playful and memorable way to increase awareness, on a massive scale.” This feature is much more interactive and made for a more general market with little geographical constraints. Anytime a new Lens is available for use, it is can be available to millions of Snapchat users. If brands use Lens effectively, their promotions can go viral and generate awareness with audiences that may not have been thinking of them.

One of the most popular campaigns using a Snapchat Lens was Taco Bell’s “Cinco de Mayo Snapchat Lens.” This broke Snapchat’s previous record for most viewed campaign. In just one day, over 224 million people had used the Lens, which trumped the previous record held by Gatorade, at 165 million views.

What type of editorial coverage did the Snap Time Warner announcement receive?

There was significant news coverage of the announcement between Snap and Time Warner. According to my analysis, more than 90 articles were published about the deal between June 19 and June 26. Many of the major publications, including New York Post, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and CNBC to name a few, published articles about the deal and its potential impact on businesses and consumers.

Below is a small sample of some of the articles published:

For additional articles on Snap and Snapchat, please see these Communiqué PR articles.

The Top 10 Most Influential Smart Technology Reporters

Recently, Communique PR completed a project with our client, Smartlabs Inc., a tech company specializing in electronic home improvement and automation. Recently acquired by Richmond Capital Partners, Smartlabs is the parent company of both Insteon and Smarthome.

According to CNBC, 80 million smart-home devices were delivered worldwide in 2016, which is a 64 percent increase from the previous year. With smart homes and other smart technology on the rise, we did some research to understand what journalists were saying about the subject.

While there are many talented tech reporters writing about smart-home technology, there are a few that stand out. These journalists have created some of the most engaging and informative content surrounding the tech industry and, in this case, smart tech. So, without further ado, here is our list of the top 10 most influential smart-technology reporters:

Brian X. Chen, The New York Times – Chen writes a collection of stories about smart home devices and how to protect them from potential hacking. His article, Here Is How to Fend Off a Hijacking of Home Devices, is an example of this. Before joining The New York Times staff, this consumer technology writer was reporting on Apple and the wireless industry for Wired.
Jayson Demers, Forbes – Demers is not only a contributing writer for Forbes, he also is the founder and CEO of AudienceBloom, a Seattle-based content marketing firm. According to his article, 7 Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2017, he explains that with large, well-informed tech brands like Apple, Google and Amazon getting involved in the creation process, we should expect to see some major advancements in smart home technology coming within the year.
Luke Dormehl, Digital Trends – This UK-based, “Cool Tech” writer has written for publications such as The Guardian, Politico, Wired, and others. His stories include information about new advances in smart-home systems and other new smart technologies that are produced. In Smart Home System Uses Predictive Algorithms to Warn of Impending Disasters, he describes automation systems to be helping our homes “get smarter all the time.”
Lisa Eadicicco, Time – Formerly the tech reporter for Business Insider, Eadicicco is now the tech correspondent for Time Her pieces include compelling passages about smart technology, the new tools being used, and the ways that each gadget may be changing the industry. For example, her piece, The Creator of Android Has a Bold Idea To Fix the Smart Home, is interesting, as it explains the ways the smart technology industry is constantly sophisticating with every discovery that is being made.
Steve Kovach, Business Insider – Previously the deputy editor at Tech Insider, Kovach is currently the senior correspondent at Business Insider and has made appearances on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and many other networks. He incorporates the work of tech giants, such as Apple and Samsung, and explains their advances in smart home technology. Apple’s new HomePod sounds way better than the Amazon Echo is a good example of this.
Sarah Perez, TechCrunch – Before becoming a professional blogger, Perez worked in IT across a number of industries, including banking, retail and software. Currently working as a writer for TechCrunch, her articles cover funding and other advances being made in smart-home-supported technology, such as her article, ai raises $11 million for a premium home automation system with a smarter AI.
David Pierce, Wired – Pierce is a senior staff writer for Wired, covering personal technology. He writes about smart-home technology often and with gusto, like in his article, Forget the Echo. The Dot is the Most Important Alexa Device, where he uses engaging language to compare the two devices and makes an argument as to why buyers should consider the Dot over the Echo smart device.
Taylor Soper, GeekWire – Soper typically covers emerging startups in Seattle and Portland, the intersection of technology and sports, and other tech-related news, however, his portfolio for smart-home technology is nothing less than impressive. His stories include information on tech giant, Amazon, and its Alexa device, as well as other smart devices being praised or reviewed in the industry. A perfect example of this is his article, Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant reaches 10,000 skills, up from just 1K in June.
Hayley Tsukayama, The Washington Post – As a reporter, Tsukayama’s stories about smart technology are interesting because she ties current events in with the usage of these smart devices. She makes compelling arguments, like in her story, Google’s smart home hub is promising, but still a work in progress, where she argues that the technology, while making strides, has still got a ways to go before it is where consumers want it to be. This kind of perspective makes her content a must-read.
Lance Ulanoff, Mashable – Ulanoff is the chief correspondent and editor-at-large of Mashable. Some of his work focuses on smart-home devices and compares them to their competitors. His recent article, Police: Amazon Alexa didn’t call 911, but it did call us about domestic dispute, tells of the revolutionary smart-home technology, Amazon’s Alexa, and the part that it played in a domestic violence case. This article, if anything, shows that smart-home technology can prove to be useful in more ways than one, when it comes to security in our homes.

So, if you’re looking for interesting content that resonates about smart technology, the work of these authors should be at the top of your list. As automation systems and the internet of things continue to grow and prosper, I am sure we will continue to see a progression in articles written by many of these and others who might approach the field with a new perspective.

How to Successfully Join Political Conversations

Through various social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, brands not only have an avenue to engage with customers, but a way to build a personality and express the brand’s values. And it doesn’t stop with brands. These platforms, along with opportunities to contribute content to well-established media outlets, enable executives to express their perspectives, interests and company successes, as well as connect and communicate with customers.

With increased connectedness and transparency, there is increased responsibility. Traditionally, companies and leaders have avoided joining political conversations in fear of alienating customers. However, that approach may now lead to the outcome they are trying to avoid. According to this study, when a “values-oriented” company took a stand, 24 percent of participants made unplanned purchases, but when the brand did not comment, failing to meet the expectation of the customer, the number of unplanned purchases dropped to 9 percent.

Luckily, brands and CEOs are becoming more open to the idea of speaking out. In 2014, 36 percent of global executives thought it was important to take a stance on policy or political issues. In just two years, that number has increased by 10 percent with 46 percent of executives from large companies preferring that companies speak out on issues such as climate change, gun control, immigration and LGBT rights. The number climbs even higher, to 63 percent, when considering CEOs that work with “world-class” organizations.

With the contentious political climate we’ve seen an increase in the number of executives and brands taking a stance on policy. While many have been praised for sharing their insightful perspectives or committing a brand to a promise that aligns with its values, there have been instances in which speaking out has not led to positive results. For example, the vice president of public affairs at New Balance publicly expressed the company’s objection to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, leading customers to boycott New Balance and even going so far as to share images of the shoes in the garbage or burning on social media.

Clearly, speaking out on politics can still present its issues, so when choosing to do so, do so in a thoughtful manner, be well prepared and consider all potential outcomes. Here are a few tips to contemplate when commenting on political topics.

Make a clear connection between the brand and the policy. As seen with the travel ban, many brands and executives spoke out against it. However, when speaking out, the executives explained why they disagreed, many of them citing the companies’ inclusive company cultures and diverse, global workforces as some of the reasons for their strong objection. A clear connection will allow people, even those with differing perspectives, to better understand your desire to comment and the nature of your comment. In addition to watching larger policies and the resulting discussions, monitor the changing political landscape in your industry specifically to determine if there is an issue you feel passionate about, or that you are expected to comment on. It may not get the same pickup as the widespread policies; however, it will likely capture the attention of others in your industry, establishing you as a thought leader.
Take action or offer a solution. To be frank, nobody likes to hear people whine. If you plan to speak against a policy, explain a proposed change or solution. Help people understand your logic by illustrating different ways to approach the situation. Or, if the situation is more white and black, show how you plan to commit your brand to follow the company’s values despite the current landscape. For example, in June, President Trump chose to withdrawal the United States from the Paris Agreement, yet 30 mayors, three governors, more than 80 university presidents and more than 100 businesses are negotiating directly with the United Nations to show their commitment to sustainability efforts and maintaining the standards of the agreement. Michael Bloomberg said they are “[doing] everything America would have done if it had stayed committed.” This action clearly demonstrates the dedication and values of these cities, organizations and companies. They are talking the talk and walking the walk, likely earning them more respect from potential audiences.
Stick to your messaging. As with any topic, have clear, concise messaging prepared. This is especially important in situations that involve commenting on politics, as you are more than likely to receive negative feedback and hear from audiences that disagree with your position. In addition to this, political conversations tend to get emotional, so having messaging (and some supporting evidence) to fall back on will ensure that all of your statements are thoughtful and effective, leaving a lasting impression on your audiences.

How to Fight Off That Su-Su-Summertime, Summertime Sadness and Keep PR Activities on Track

OK, I’ll admit it – as I’m typing this blog post right now, it’s a gorgeous, sunny, 70-degree summer day in Seattle and it’s taking every ounce of self-control I have not to get distracted by the clear blue sky outside my window.

Summertime can be a productivity challenge when it comes to keeping activities on track, especially for PR professionals. During vacation season, it can be tough to navigate the slew of out-of-office emails from colleagues, clients and reporters – just as one person returns from their family reunion, another one heads off for a week at the beach – which can leave approvals, projects and campaign momentum in a lurch.

It’s easy to suggest that in today’s always-on, always-connected world that workers simply check in “periodically” during vacations in case there are urgent issues. I, for one, am the absolute worst when it comes to shutting off work and truly unplugging on vacation. This is neither a realistic nor a particularly humane suggestion. We deserve our vacation time and the chance to unplug, even if for a few days.

Given that, below are some tips to help keep your PR activities moving along during the dog days of summer:

Make the most of meetings. We get it – no one loves meetings, but especially during vacation season, they’re critical to pinning down decision-makers and getting things pushed through as much as possible. If you have key announcements, launches or content being developed over the next few weeks, make sure you get the necessary approvals, materials or resources you need as far in advance as possible. There’s nothing worse than starting a project only to have to stall it halfway through because a key component is missing due to a contact’s vacation schedule.

Adopt a “Help Me Help You” attitude with media. This next suggestion is a bold, crazy one (sarcasm alert): Consider actually speaking with your media contacts about their priorities and areas of interest. This isn’t about pitching your client or your business, it’s about checking to see what’s on their radar for the second half of the year – what are the trends they’re following and those they’re fed up with? Not every journalist or editor responds to these types of inquiries – they have deadlines and upcoming vacations of their own to manage – but for those that do, it’s an opportunity to build those relationships and act as a resource rather than a pitching machine.

Think beyond your “usual suspects.” It’s a familiar scenario: You draft a compelling and tailored email pitch, and send it off to your press contacts, only to have several emails immediately bounce back with out-of-office notifications. There’s the option of waiting patiently until your usual contact gets back into the office, but why not take the opportunity to find someone new to reach out to? Update the pitch with a new angle and try another reporter – it might get you an intro briefing with someone your client doesn’t work with traditionally and builds up your network of media contacts.

Prep, plan, and propose. In the sunny, seemingly carefree height of summer, it’s easy to ignore those activities waiting for you in the fall and winter timeframe. If you have a launch or a trade show that you know is coming up later in the year, now’s the time to start strategizing and thinking creatively about how to make the most of it. Schedule an office brainstorm to identify creative pitch ideas or programs for your vacationing client that you can flag to them when they’re back in the office. Good client service in PR is grounded in a proactive and creative attitude.

Lest you spend your entire summer focused on work activities and client service, don’t forget to throw some actual fun into the mix. Here at Communiqué PR, our “Fun Fun Fun Committee” plans summer activities including staff barbecues, movie nights (most recently we saw “Wonder Woman”), and “National Take Your Dog To Work Day.” If you find yourself distracted and less-than-productive, break the monotony with an impromptu silly dance contest or something out of the usual.

Are you hanging in there this summer? How does your office stay focused when so much of the country is off on vacation somewhere? Let us know here in the comments.

Insights for Leaders Navigating Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.