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.
Our client, Spaceflight Industries, has had several big announcements over the few several weeks—the latest was a major customer announcement. Spaceflight, the launch services and mission management arm of Spaceflight Industries, announced that Terra Bella will serve as a co-lead on Spaceflight’s first-ever dedicated rideshare mission, SSO-A. The mission is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in late 2017 with more than 20 payloads from 10 countries manifested aboard the rocket.
Spaceflight’s SSO-A mission is not only Spaceflight’s first dedicated rideshare mission, it is the industry’s first-ever dedicated rideshare mission. Because this is an industry first and a revolutionary approach to accessing space, people are wildly interested in its developments. We initially announced Spaceflight’s plans for a dedicated rideshare mission in October 2015 when they purchased a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for the mission. Since then, we have not shared any updates about the mission. Given that this is a highly anticipated event, we want to maintain journalists’ interest by sharing developments and progress leading up to the 2017 launch. With Spaceflight’s marketing team, we decided one of the best ways to do that was through an announcement that shared information about scheduled, contracted customers.
With a dedicated rideshare mission that is near capacity, there is a significant number of payload customers aboard this mission. Rather than listing all the contracted customers, we reasoned that announcing a co-lead payload and several secondary payloads would provide the media with a sense of the customers on the mission without overcrowding the release with the full list of customers.
Another thing we considered when making that decision was approvals. When announcing partnerships, new customers, or anything that involves multiple brands, you need to gain approval from each party included in the release. Gaining approvals from all of the customers in this situation would have been a lengthy process that would have consumed a significant amount of time.
As always, we developed a targeted, yet comprehensive press list and delivered the release to those contacts. We also placed the release on the wire to maximize awareness and reach. We’re pleased to report that the announcement garnered 13 pieces of coverage in a number of top industry publications and a local broadcast segment. Below is a list of the coverage:
- Spaceflight signs up Google’s Terra Bella for satellite launch on SpaceX rocket—GeekWire, 10/11/16
- Terra Bella and Spaceflight Ind. contract SpaceX for Falcon 9 Launch in 2017—NewSpace Global, 10/11/16
- Terra Bella & Spaceflight Industries Sign The Big Bird To Launch Small Imaging Satellites—SatNews, 10/11/16
- Terra Bella and Spaceflight Industries Sign Agreement for Falcon 9 Launch for Small Imaging Satellites—Parabolic Arc, 10/11/16
- Spaceflight to launch Terra Bella satellites on Falcon 9 mission—SpaceNews, 10/11/16
- SpeedNews Defense & Space—Aviation Week, 10/12/16
- Spaceflight to launch Terra Bella satellite on Falcon 9 rocket—Aerospace Technology, 10/12/16
- Spaceflight Industries Signs Satellite Launch Deal With Google’s Terra Bella—Northwest Innovation, 10/12/16
- SpaceX to Launch Terra Bella Satellites Through Spaceflight Industries—Via Satellite, 10/12/16
- Spaceflight to Launch Terra Bella Satellites on Falcon 9 Mission—Florida Space Report, 10/12/16
- Terra Bella and Spaceflight Industries to launch small imaging satellites—Space Daily, 10/13/16
- Seattle company sends satellites into orbit—KING 5, 10/14/16
- Seattle Week in Review: Read It While You Still Can—Xconomy, 10/14/16
Last month, BlackSky, a business belonging to our client Spaceflight Industries, successfully launched and confirmed signal acquisition of its first satellite, Pathfinder-1.
BlackSky is an earth-imaging company with a geospatial intelligence platform that Spaceflight Industries conceived in 2013 and officially began operations in July 2015. Since then, the company has focused on the construction of its first satellite, Pathfinder-1, and development of a platform that allows customers to observe, analyze and act on critical global events and data in near-real time. Pathfinder-1 and Pathfinder-2, which is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base later this year, are demonstration satellites that are vital to informing the development of the remaining satellites in the company’s planned 60-satellite constellation.
The successful launch of Pathfinder-1 was a significant milestone for the company, being that it was the first step to operating satellites that will gather images and data to access through the platform. Given the importance of this accomplishment, normally we would have opted to release the news under embargo to select journalists before releasing it on the wire. However, working in the space industry presents unique circumstances to consider when executing launch announcements.
Reaching space is still a very complicated process and there are several possible outcomes for satellite launch and operations. First, the launch could be entirely unsuccessful. Second, the launch could be successful, but there might be operational issues with the satellite once it is in space. Lastly, the entire mission could be a complete success, which in this case, it was (though we never doubted that!). Due to the potential outcomes, we opted to hold the news until BlackSky could confirm a successful mission.
The key to a successful announcement with a variety of outcomes is preparation. We focused on creating a plan for each possible scenario and developed all of our materials in advance of the launch date. This included statements for the two scenarios that were not complete successes. If either the launch or the signal acquisition had been unsuccessful, our plan was to acknowledge the setback and the company’s next step through a statement issued via social media.
Our approach to announcing a completely successful mission involved placing a press release on the wire and sending the release to a comprehensive press list consisting of relevant business, technology and space industry journalists. We are pleased to say that we received confirmation from the BlackSky team that the satellite was operational and were able to proceed with distribution of the news.
There was significant interest and excitement around the news resulting in 17 pieces of coverage including local television and radio segments. Here’s a list of the coverage:
- Satnews, “Spaceflight’s Pathfinder-1 Is Accomplishing Just That…,” Sept. 27, 2016
- Sat PR News, “PSLV DELIVERED TO ORBIT 8 SATELLITES DURING ITS 37TH FLIGHT !,” Sept. 27, 2016
- KING 5, “Seattle-based BlackSky to sell affordable, real time space photos,” Sept. 27, 2016 (6:30 p.m. show)
- KING 5, “Seattle-based BlackSky to sell affordable, real time space photos,” Sept. 27, 2016 (5:30 p.m. show)
- KOMO Radio, **Segment not being posted online, however, we are allowed to share the audio (attached) via social media with attribution to KOMO**
- Spaceflight Now, “India declares success on PSLV’s most complex mission,” Sept. 26, 2016
- SpaceNews, “India’s PSLV launches 8 satellites in a record fifth mission this year,” Sept.26, 2016
- Parabolic Arc, “Spaceflight Industries Successfully Launches BlackSky Pathfinder Satellite,” Sept. 26, 2016
- Behind the Black, “Pathfinder 1 communications confirmed,” Sept. 26, 2016
- Spaceflight Insider, “INDIA’S PSLV ROCKET SENDS EIGHT SATELLITES INTO TWO DIFFERENT ORBITS,” Sept. 26, 2016
- Seattle Times, “Spaceflight Industries says first satellite put in orbit,” Sept. 26, 2016
- Jargan Josh, “ISRO launched 8 satellites in two different Orbits,” Sept. 26, 2016
- One India, “ISRO’s complex, historic launch: From students’ to weather satellites,” Sept.26, 2016
- The Wire, “Seven Reasons ISRO’s Latest PSLV Launch Was Significant,” Sept. 26, 2016
- Geekwire, “India’s PSLV rocket sends BlackSky Global’s first Earth-watching Pathfinder satellite into orbit,” Sept. 25, 2016
- NASASpaceflight.com, “ISRO PSLV conducts SCATSAT-1 launch,” Sept. 25, 2016
- PC Tablet, “ISRO’s PSLV rocket set to launch eight satellites on Monday: Things you shouldn’t miss,” Sept. 24, 2016
We are extremely excited for the BlackSky team and look forward to their many successes to come!
With 2017 just around the corner (it’s hard to believe, I know), marketers and journalists are already predicting trends set to take off in the coming year.
I recently read an article in Forbes highlighting the top 10 marketing predictions for 2017 and found the following predictions to be particularly on point:
- Data scientists will become “the new marketing lieutenants.” Given the rise of data scientists across numerous other fields, from people analytics to banking, it’s no surprise that there’s going to be an increased demand for data scientists in marketing. According to the author, data scientists will be key players in bolstering marketing strategies by ensuring initiatives are evidence-based and data-driven. Marketing will become increasingly programmatic – less an art than a science.
- ROI measurement will become more effective. Measuring the impact of PR and marketing is critical to prove its value, but metrics often establish correlation versus causality. Current metrics feel imprecise, providing an opportunity to iterate and arrive at more accurate measurement. In 2017, measurement will likely tie marketing initiatives to profit, revenue, customer retention and client satisfaction more clearly than in years’ past.
- Content will become increasingly personalized. With the current buzz around the internet of things and connected devices, it’s no surprise that marketing initiatives will become increasingly personalized, with the goal of delivering the right content to the right prospect at the right time. Sensors, edge devices, fitness wearables and more are arming brands with user-specific data that’s ripe for leveraging in marketing initiatives. According to Forbes, “For some businesses, this will mean ensuring touch points are specific and individual. For others, it’s simply streamlining the purchasing process and making it more responsive.”
- AI has arrived. While there’s been talk about AI and its role in marketing for some time, we’ll start to see the business impact of AI and its actualized potential in 2017. “Imagine a chatbot who knows your likes, dislikes, and needs and can guide you on where to eat, how to travel, or where to shop.” The possibilities to use AI to guide consumer behavior are seemingly endless.
- More (and better) video content. With the success of Pokémon Go, virtual reality, augmented reality and video will become increasingly central to brands’ marketing strategies. According to the author, “Social content, reviews, blogs, papers, and eBooks are all still crucial aspects of marketing, but video will be the rage moving forward.”
For more articles on marketing, please take a look at the following posts, if you’d like:
As one of the most contentious and theatrical presidential elections in U.S. history unfolds before our eyes, many citizens are thinking about what it truly means to be a democracy. Equitable, factual media is one of the most significant markers of a democratic society, and for those of us working in the industry, it may be a suitable time to reflect on our part in upholding this ideal.
PR people and journalists in particular have been pitted in a lasting rivalry that has inspired many media professionals to refer to public relations as “the dark side” (in varying degrees of seriousness). Some have even suggested that PR is killing journalism and that the rise of PR is a “threat to democracy” (in all seriousness).
For us to treat this complex debate with the thoughtfulness it deserves, we must first raise clarifications against some common misconceptions:
- The rise of PR has resulted in the decline of journalism
Indeed, the journalism sector has seen a decline in recent years, while the public relations sector has simultaneously grown. Last year, there were 4.8 PR people for every one reporter. However, the two trends are not causally related.
Unfortunately, job availability for reporters is shrinking for a number of reasons. One of the most profound is the decentralization of media. Before the internet era, news was only available through a few major sources, including TV and newspapers. Today, news and content are disseminated across an increasingly massive array of channels, which are all fighting for the attention of readers. People can now find desired information in smartphone apps or blogs, for example, which has subsequently decreased the demand for traditional newsroom journalists.
Additionally, this radical change in media structure has lowered newspaper valuations, forcing newsroom budgets to drop as much as 10 percent in recent years.
- Public relations is the source of media bias
Of course, it is the job of PR professionals to represent their clients in the most positive and diplomatic manner possible. However, the No. 1 source of bias in any story will always be human subjectivity. This can come from anybody – whether accidental or not, PR people and journalists alike are capable of letting their own perspectives and intentions show up in published media.
- Journalists and PR people work together begrudgingly
While the two positions are popularly characterized as a dysfunctional, sometimes adversarial relationship, the truth is that we need each other. Without reporters, PR pros would not be able to do their job of spreading awareness of their clients’ activities. Without PR pros, reporters would be less in tune with the internal news and buzz of the beat they cover. Rather than think of the two as “a broken marriage,” a better description would be that they are two sides of the same coin – roles that are distinct, but cannot exist without each other.
No matter what your stance is on this longstanding discourse, one thing is certain: The decline in journalism is a bad thing for society at large, including and especially PR professionals. The uneven reporter-to-PR ratio means that each individual reporter gets flooded with pitches, on top of their burden of having to produce content like a machine.
This is bad news for PR people because their pitches are significantly less likely to get interest, let alone coverage. There may be a lot of meaningful news that would be valuable to readers, but not enough reporters to cover it all.
Media consumers are negatively affected because what they see might not be an accurate depiction of the big picture. As long as there are significantly fewer journalists than PR people, citizens will only ever be able to see what manages to make it through the tumultuous media relations cycle. Given the mutually dependent relationship of PR and journalism, it’s vital that the two are equally powerful and populated so that they can keep each other accountable.
If we’re thinking about a more democratic media system that upholds truth and reflects reality in the fullest capacity, we need to invest more money and resources in honest journalism.
Jay Greene, of The Wall Street Journal; Nick Wingfield, reporter for The New York Times; and Mary Jo Foley, of ZDNet, made it clear earlier this month during their panel at the Geekwire Summit: Don’t pitch them via social media – they all prefer email. And they are not alone. According to a recent survey conducted by Adobe regarding U.S. white collar workers’ habits and behavior related to personal and work email, email is still the preferred mode of communication over social media.
AdWeek’s Kimberlee Morrison summarized some of the findings in her article, Americans Still Prefer Email to Social Media. Specifically, she shared that “nearly 40 percent of participants preferred communicating by email, while 10 percent preferred instant messages. The enterprise social platforms don’t really seem to be catching on, with only 2 percent of respondents choosing to communicate with their colleagues via social networks.”
Given American workers’ reticence to communicate over social platforms, it’s no surprise that journalists still prefer to be pitched via email. While communication trends may evolve over time, it’s important for PR professionals to consider that the vehicle for our outreach matters and demonstrates an understanding of our audiences’ preferences.
Marketers should also take note: When asked about preferred methods of contact from brands, 49 percent of consumers prefer email – dwarfing other methods such as a brand’s mobile app (9 percent), social media (8 percent), text messages (7 percent), and phone calls (6 percent).
Given these findings, below are some additional resources to help you craft the perfect pitch:
Social-media presence is becoming an increasingly important tool for any business. Social media allows businesses to target specific audiences, have greater control of their messaging, and allows direct interaction with customers. Though there are benefits to any social media platform, when it comes to speed and direct customer interaction Twitter is king.
Up until very recently, Twitter gave you 140 characters, which included any characters a picture, gif or video might take up. This caused increasing frustration among both consumers and businesses using Twitter as it significantly cut down the amount of space you could use for your actual message. Luckily, Twitter has seen the error of its ways and made an update that allows you to send out a tweet with exactly 140 characters and include a visual separately. This is a big step in the right direction as it allows companies greater freedom in terms of the amount of information their tweets can convey.
Even before this update, Twitter was a valuable tool for businesses, so let’s go over some of its biggest and most valuable advantages.
Speed
The biggest advantage of Twitter is its real-time capabilities, and when it comes to real-time, no other social-media platform can compare. It is by far the fastest way to introduce news to your consumers and clients. This could include introducing a new product, announcing a merger, or even doing damage control when something goes awry.
Not only that, but you can have real-time updates on the response to your news as followers tweet back or ask questions. For example, Eagle Alpha used Twitter to track customer reactions to the Apple Watch when it was first released last year, keeping them updated on if the responses were negative or positive in real-time.
Customer Service
Twitter is quickly becoming one of the best social media platforms for customer care. Unfortunately, brands aren’t using this to its full advantage. In a social customer care report put out by Rational Interaction earlier this year, it was stated the 67 percent of Twitter users that have used Twitter to contact brands for customer service issues, more than half never received a response.
Using Twitter to instantly help with customer-care issues will have a huge impact on improving not only your brand image but will give you valuable insight on what your customers’ needs and concerns are regarding your product or services. For example, Spotify uses Twitter to keep tabs on server issues and keep customers informed when server’s crash on wait times until the site is back up and running. This kind of customer interaction can have a big positive impact on customer satisfaction.
Information
Finally, Twitter is a great way to keep up with and track new information coming out within your industry. You can search specific hashtags, follow prominent people that work in the industry, and keep up to date on articles written in media outlets that cover your scope of work. Keeping informed about new trends and research can be the difference between a good company and a great company.
Twitter has a lot of benefits that can be important when growing and maintaining a business. This, paired with a well laid out social media plan, can become a huge asset in helping boost your company to the next level and creating a larger customer base. The new Twitter update is a great excuse for experimenting with the social media platform if you haven’t already, or to brush up on your Twitter skills if you have. Since, as they always say, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a tweet is worth a thousand words and 140 characters.