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.
Last fall, Communiqué worked closely with Big Fish Games to build awareness and demand for Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst, the fifth title in Big Fish Games’ blockbuster hidden-object adventure series. As part of those efforts we secured in-person meetings with consumer lifestyle media well in advance of the actual launch to provide these long-lead outlets with an opportunity to experience the game firsthand.
We secured terrific results from these meetings: recent issues of Parade and SELF highlighted Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst to their readers.
Parade (circulation 32 million) highlighted Return to Ravenhearst as a spooky mystery game and included a screen shot of Ravenhearst manor in the Parade Picks’ section of its March 8 issue.
SELF (circulation 1.5 million) included Return to Ravenhearst in a round-up of computer games in its March issue. The editors recommend Return to Ravenhearst for anyone who enjoys watching whodunit shows such as Law & Order.
Big Fish Games’ in-person meetings also resulted in coverage in USA Today.
In-person meetings can be a great way to target consumer lifestyle press and should be considered when planning for product launches. The resulting coverage from face-to-face meetings can be big, and can help establish lasting relationships with key media. Just remember consumer lifestyle publications typically work several months in advance, so planning early is critical.
For more information about strategically planning product launches or scheduling in-person meetings with media, please contact us at [email protected] or at (206) 282-4923.
We’ve written often about the importance of blogging to engage customers, share company news, establish thought leadership and improve search engine rankings. A great example of a blog that has improved – and even created – business for its author is YouLookFab.com, by Angie Cox.
A former specialist buyer for ladies’ wear, Angie now runs a style consulting business in Seattle. She started YouLookFab.com to offer style advice to a larger audience, and she posts an entry every weekday. Her blog has become so successful that it has led to corporate engagements with retailers and an interview on the Today Show which aired on Saturday, March 7 – a notable and exciting testament to the popularity of YouLookFab.com.
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What is it about Angie’s blog that attracts so many loyal fans? To begin with, she picked a compelling subject that she knows well. She believes that fashion and style is beyond size, age and price – making her blog a relatable and informative resource for all men and women.
Unlike many fashion blogs, Angie does not critique couture or equate style with buying the latest “It Bag” (with matching $700 shoes, of course). Instead, she shares tips that help women look polished, chic, confident, and – as the name of her blog suggests – fabulous everyday.
It’s true that the clothes we wear convey a great deal about us, and this is particularly relevant in a professional setting. Many of our clients ask us for help when planning for business events such press tours, interviews and important meetings because they recognize the importance of making a great impression.
If you’re looking for style consulting, we highly recommend Angie Cox. For more information about Angie, you can check out her blog at www.YouLookFab.com and click on the “contact us” tab.
Last week Dr. Sanjay Gupta, one of the healthcare industry’s brightest media stars, took himself out of the running for the position of surgeon general within President Barack Obama’s administration.
Dr. Gupta is best-known as CNN’s chief medical correspondent, hosting the network’s weekend health program “House Call” with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and making frequent appearances on the network’s “American Morning,” “Larry King Live,” and “Anderson Cooper 360∞” programs. He also contributes to CBS News and writes a column for TIME. In addition, he practices neurosurgery at Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital.
While Dr. Gupta’s decision may have been a surprise move for some, there’s no doubt that others are breathing a sigh of relief. As one of the most well-known medical correspondents in recent memory, Dr. Gupta has been an integral part of the changing media landscape around healthcare-related news.
A recent study by Pew Research Center’s Excellence for Journalism indicates health-related news coverage is in limbo as the media landscape continues to shift.
According to the report, “as consumers migrate from broadcast to cable, and from print to online; as newspapers cut pages, reporters and editors; as the amount of advertising on TV goes up and the news hole shrinks; as all of these shifts occur, it is likely that viewers will be exposed to less news coverage of health and health policy.”
What will this mean for those of us who look to the news for vital information about healthcare? Fortunately, Dr. Gupta has gone beyond simply reporting on the latest and greatest research studies to shed the media spotlight on some of the world’s most critical health issues including AIDS, mental health, vaccines, autism and gene therapy. These are all issues that will greatly impact our society in the near future and it’s critical that the media continue to incorporate ongoing healthcare perspectives from experts such as Dr. Gupta into their daily coverage agendas.
Health care is an important issue for many people and it should be a top priority for print and broadcast media as well as social media outlets such as blogs and micro-blogs. Dr. Gupta has certainly raised the bar when it comes to health-related news and we could use a few more like him educating people about the issues that will impact those most.
What do you think about the Pew Research Center study? Do you think a reduction in media coverage of health and health policy will be detrimental? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
According to a recent report by eMarketer, podcasts quickly becoming viable vehicles of communication in mainstream media.
Podcasts were born as a result of blending social media with iPods as a vehicle for anyone to broadcast their opinions or discuss topics of interest.
“The popularity of podcasts has created an environment in which increasing numbers of media companies are repurposing content from their radio or TV broadcasts as podcasts, and audiences have responded favorably,” says Paul Verna, senior marketing analyst for eMarketer. “This shift has resulted in the evolution of podcasting from a long-tail medium to a Web 2.0 extension of popular, traditional media.”
Verna continues, “today, the vast majority of the top-rated podcasts come from recognizable media entities that are using podcasts to expand their existing radio, TV, cable or satellite audiences.”
The report also indicates that podcast audiences have grown and will continue to do so. According to recent statistics, next year 26.7 million people will listen to podcasts.
We often recommend our clients leverage podcasts as a way to raise awareness of a company and drive viral buzz within the social media sphere.
Podcasts offer a fantastic platform to help organizations amplify key messages to media and consumers to create evangelists for a brand. With mainstream media joining the ranks of podcasting including TIME, U.S. News and World Report, Business Week and The New York Times, companies have a significant opportunity to get in front of they key audiences and influencers that matter to them most.
There are a variety of ways an organization can leverage podcast opportunities including:
Pitch interview opportunities with relevant podcast – Whether it’s TIME’s Green podcast or Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcast, all of these shows are looking for new story ideas and interview subjects. You should pitch podcasts in the same manner you would a traditional media opportunity. Develop a compelling interview topic and send to the producer or host via e-mail.
Develop your own podcast – Many organizations are developing their own podcasts and hosting them on their Web sites or seeding them with relevant blogs. The cost to produce these podcasts can vary depending on whether you have the proper equipment and skills. However, this option offers the ability to have more control over the content and ensures the desired key messages are being relayed.
Do some research on podcasts, you’ll be surprised to learn who is podcasting and how many opportunities there are to reach your key audiences via this medium.
Navigating the changing media landscape while simultaneously outsmarting the economy can be a challenge for PR professionals. It’s important to share our experiences, knowledge and expertise so we can learn from the triumphs and tribulations of others and ultimately, emerge successful.
Despite the myriad of social networking sites and the “always connected” lifestyle we all embrace, connecting with others in the business world can be tough. Enter the new weekly “PR Works Show,” an online radio show which debuted today at 9 a.m. PST.
PR Works is hosted by Lee Weinstein, former director of communications at Nike, Inc. and principal of LWR PR in Portland, Oregon. The 45-minute talk radio show will feature PR pros from a range of backgrounds discussing what works and what doesn’t in PR. You can listen to the show here.
Says Weinstein, “I’ve always loved radio and with the Internet and podcasting, there is so much more potential with this medium. Reading takes time, which is a shrinking commodity. I’m hopeful that the PR Works show will be something people can listen to as they’re doing e-mail, driving to work or sitting in a reception area with their iPod.”
He goes on to say, “We PR people have a lot to share with one another and we hope this is a format that allows for great discussions!”
Aside from the invaluable insights we hope to gain from listening to PR Works, we’re excited the show will be available via podcast so we can listen whenever we want.
Scheduled guests thus far include:
Dave Ingey, director of Olympic marketing, Johnson & Johnson
Corey DuBrowa, president – Account Services, Waggener Edstrom
We’ll be sure to post any valuable insights we gain from listening on our blog – stay tuned!
Today, RCR Wireless, one of the most well respected mobile and wireless publications in the industry announced it would cease publication of its print and online entities after 25 years.
RCR Wireless is one of several publications who have recently made the decision to close down due to the current economic climate. A few weeks ago, the Rocky Mountain News shut its doors after 150 years, and other major national dailies such as the San Francisco Chronicle and Seattle Post-Intelligencer are up for sale as publishers look for new ways to survive the economic downturn.
It’s no secret that this shift in the media landscape has been a long time coming. For decades, the magazine and newspaper industries have struggled to maintain and increase advertising revenue to support circulation costs. In addition, disruptive technologies such the Internet and social networking as viable forms of communications have forced traditional media outlets to look at other business models to retain readership.
According to a Dec. 2008 survey by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press, more U.S. consumers get their news online than from newspapers. The survey reveals that 40 percent of consumers rely on the Internet for news, surpassing newspapers as the main news source for the first time since Pew started administering the survey in 2001. In addition, the rising popularity of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook is giving way to the next generation of the citizen journalist with people leveraging these mediums to report and comment on events and news in their neighborhoods, cities and areas that matter most to them.
So what is the future of news? That seems to be the million dollar question and one our industry is watching closely. As traditional and new media continue to converge and social networking increases, I believe we will see traditional media outlets offering their content in new ways. We’re already starting to see this with online content, podcasts and journalist blogs. I think we’ll also see these outlets use micro-blogging sites and mobile social networking more in the near future. No matter what happens it will be interesting to see what happens.
As a PR professional who has worked with editors at RCR Wireless such as Colin Gibbs and Dan Meyer for many years, we are sad to see the publication go and wish everyone there the best of luck. Their industry insight and perspective will be missed.