Posts tagged as:

PR

Beware the Hero’s Narrative

by Daria Steigman on February 21, 2013

Cracks in the FoundationA man shoots his girlfriend multiple times. He doesn’t immediately call an ambulance or the police, and he later claims it was accident. Oh, and there are allegations of previous domestic abuse.

This sounds like a sadly very familiar tale. Except the man is Oscar Pistorius, so everyone is shocked.

We need to be wary of the hero’s narrative.

I have no idea what happened that night. What I do know is that all the talking heads talking about how “out of character” this is are mistaking the athlete’s tale for the flesh-and-blood man.

Oscar Pistorius, blade runner, is an awesome story. I’d followed his fight to race in the Olympics for years.  But I don’t pretend to know anything about the man.

We need to stop turning men into myths.

All the branding in the world is only as good as the product at its core. Just ask BP, company of the green sun logo, the “beyond petroleum” tagline, and the giant oil spill.

Without a solid foundation, cracks become chasms–and no amount of marketing and PR is going to patch your business back up.

What’s your brand? Is it based on who you are or just a story you are selling?

Photo by The Photography Muse (Flickr).

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Kellogg, Kashi, and What Customers Want

by Daria Steigman on April 30, 2012

SoybeansSaying you’ve done nothing wrong when your customers are angry may not be the smartest response. Calling customers “confused”–really?

My friend Zane Safrit pointed me to this story about Kellogg’s Kashi brand. Apparently some of the soy used in its cereals comes from genetically modified soybeans. So the use of the term “natural” strikes some consumers as misleading–even if Kashi’s general manager says the company has done nothing wrong.

Legally, he is correct. But it’s a soundproof room argument.

Perception is another matter. And while Kashi has committed to have “at least 70 percent organic ingredients by 2015,” that doesn’t make some customers feel less duped today. Not to mention that the Kashi brand is marketed as though it were an independent health-focused company, not part of the same big business responsible for Rice Krispies and Pop Tarts.

Authenticity is not about “all-natural ingredients” and “nothing artificial.” It’s about being the same when the covers come off as you are when you’re all wrapped up for show.

Photo by Brendan C.

Have you grabbed a free copy of Your Social Media Checklist? Download it today to get 9 tips for being findable and attracting the right customers for your business.

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Bigotry is Not a Business Strategy

by Daria Steigman on December 13, 2011

Lowe's Bows to Bigotry, Creates Bad PRYou’ve probably heard that Lowe’s pulled its advertising from reality TV show All-American Muslim. The home improvement company says it made a business decision based on its assertion that the show is a ”lightning rod” for “strong political and societal views.”

The show isn’t the problem.

Lowe’s made a reactive decision based on a fringe Florida group’s disapproval of the company’s initial decision to advertise on the TV show. Now, somehow, Lowe’s is surprised by the backlash.

Like most business owners, I choose to work with people and companies I like. And I’m conscious of my brand. And my reputation. I also “own” my choices and my decisions.

So far, Lowe’s has done neither.

Bigotry is not a business strategy. Unless, that is, your strategy is negative PR, a firestorm of media attention, and a lot of customers who won’t be back anytime soon.

Photo by Niloy (Flickr).

Have you grabbed a free copy of Your Social Media Checklist? Download it today to get 9 tips for being findable and attracting the right customers for your business.

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Why I Love Billboards

by Daria Steigman on August 29, 2011

Billboards, Advertising, Customs and Border Protection, Human TraffickingI love billboards, and not just because dozens of South of the Border ads have given me and millions of other drivers cheesy entertainment while driving up and down I-95.

Billboards work.

In an era when we’re constantly on the edge of sensory overload, very little unwanted information seeps through. I tune out extraneous stuff on Web pages, rip ads out of magazines, mute TV ads, fast-forward through commercials while streaming video-on-demand, and pay for ad-free premium Spotify.

But I see billboards. Clean Bathrooms Next Exit. Best Morning Drive Station. Outlet Stores 20 Miles. Free Wifi, Heated Pool, Kids under 12 Stay Free.

And Slavery Still Exists.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection last month launched a human trafficking awareness campaign. I hadn’t seen or heard anything about it–and it’s a topic that I pay attention to. Then I rode by a “Slavery Still Exists” billboard at a busy intersection in Atlanta.

Billboards aren’t right for every business or every ad campaign. But sometimes old-fashioned, low-tech, can be a very effective way to grab people’s attention.

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Golf’s $1.4 Billion Missed Opportunity

by Daria Steigman on May 16, 2011

PGA Tour, Branding, Storytelling, Independent Thinking, Steigman CommunicationsWhen you think of the PGA Tour, what comes to mind? (Bear with me here–this post is not about sports.)

Here’s my short list:

  • Really ugly clothing
  • Country clubs
  • Boring men (see bullet 1) flying around in private planes

What’s on yours?

Here’s what should be top of mind: $1. 4 billion.*

The PGA Tour has raised over $1.4 billion for local charities. This is an amazing story. It’s a story about generosity, and excellence, and giving back to the communities where you live, work, and play (golf).

If I were advising the PGA Tour, I’d be storytelling in every town, city, and state where the tour has a presence. Instead, all we get are halfhearted TV ads branding “the next generation” of players. That and a Together, Anything’s Possible Web site that’s trying to to showcase the great charitable work that individual tour players are doing–but the look, feel, and writing are so bland that it looks to be composed of press releases (it’s not, but you have to be willing to click around to figure that out).

Savvy businesses align their  brands inside and outside. The PGA Tour spent so much time promoting one free agent (Tiger Woods) that it’s way behind the curve in figuring out how to tell its own story.

What story is your business telling?

*2009 estimate.

Photo by Dirk Hansen (Flickr).

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