26 February, 2013

Media Relations Oscars-style

Jennifer Lawrence shows how to showcase your personality, while staying on message when quality journalism is elusive.

03 February, 2013

Super Bowl 2013: Creative is King


Super Bowl advertising is expensive and represents some of the best known 'spots' in global advertising.

Traditionally, it is the best cocktail of TV and outdoor that has the power (audience) and prestige (position) to make or break a brand, but cash alone (approx. USD 3.5 million for 15 second spot) does not guarantee position. That comes down to creative (and relationships).

With Super Bowl kicking off in the wee hours of Monday morning (Sydney, Australia time), Super Bowl creative is top of mind in corporate and creative circles around the world.

This year, Kia and Budweiser have put together some key spots. Although, Mercedes inspite of the the use of fire, not so hot.And while fellow automotive VW creative was controversial, based on metrics alone, some have Toyota category winners in the pre-match Super Bowl IMC campaign face-off.

While Doritos reverts to its original point of (campaign) origin for Super Bowl creative: story-telling by an amateur creative and Doritos' Crash the Super Bowl competition winner,  Pizza Hut keeps it simple in a fabulously contextually relevant way.

GoDaddy.com 's shock and awe tactics has won out in the PR stakes, creating talkability and unpaid media discussion by pairing a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and a pudgy, nerdy computer type in a raunchy game of tonsil tennis.

Coca-Cola raises the engagement stakes for gamification, but potentially at the cost of the creative. While also highlighting why Super Bowl ads are not always broadcast outside of the USA, with this gem. Anyone else thinking Bundy?

When it comes to ad creative EVERYONE has an opinion. Talk Super Bowl and quite frankly, it doesn't get much bigger.

Although there are some who think Super Bowl money is better spent on Facebook.

But as with all marketing communications, what works, and what doesn't, is personal.

So what works for you this Super Bowl final advertising season? And most importantly, Why?

For the Quantitatively-minded: Check out the latest Super Bowl consumption infographic:
Media Consumption by Nielsen 
Media Consumption by Nielsen

For the creatively minded, here is a behind the scenes look at how a Super Bowl ad is made, from the  director's POV  and the broader production approaches and tactics of cast, crew and creative.

30 December, 2012

Awkward Social Media Moments: We All Have Them.

Awkward Social Media Moments (ASMM) are inevitable.

Especially, when most of us can only stumble around the 17 year old web (the World Wide Web was commercialised in 1995) as toddlers, or tweens at best.

Facebook is a social utility (just like gas and water?) that enables people to connect with friends (strong ties), strangers (weak ties) and everyone else 'online' who dares.

Unlike my current utilities providers, Facebook is constantly refining its product and service offering to community members via 'new releases' or user interface updates.

Most of us turn a blind eye and deaf ear to these changes. That is until we notice a new tab, or that our profile looks different and we can't find that short cut button or right click where we use to.

So we grumble and moan for a post or two, but then continue with our daily business online unperturbed.

However, with the increased frequency of user interface updates of high-use and high profile online platforms, like facebook, come increased opportunities for ASMM, TAT's (Troll Attacks on Twitter) and moments of SMR (Social Media Remorse).

Such was my experience recently...

The other day, a friend posted a video of his daughter on a swing. I made a comment on what I thought was his wall, however, I inadvertedly reposted his video onto mine.

I'm still not sure how I did it, but when I eventually realised what I'd done (a couple of days later!) = #AwkwardSocialMediaMoment.

You see, I've never met this particular child and there was no 'reason' to share the family movie to a wider audience. Thus my repost, simply didn't make sense.

Not surprisingly, I facebook messaged my friend and apologised, explaining what and how it had transpired.

He's a lovely guy and I've known him for over a decade, but is someone I see infrequently (beyond Facebook).

I knew (hoped) he'd be understanding (which he was). But this Awkward Social Media Moment (ASMM) got me thinking...

  1. What is the impact of strong/ weak ties (social capital) in resolving/ minimising potential conflicts via misunderstanding in this pseudo-private Facebook environment?

  2. How often do user interface upgrades impact public communications/ interactions in social media communities?

  3. What is the scope for and impact of misinterpretation in ASMM?

This is especially interesting for me (Governance), given neither novices or seasoned users (who are usually guiding individuals, brands and businesses) are immune to being 'caught' by tech changes.

So thinking practically, how can you manage/ resolve / insulate the individual, team, brand or business?

In looking at possible (plausible) practical solutions, does a communications (control) system need to be introduced (beyond the charter and legal obligations of big business) to better educate / update online users? Will this satisfy any potential breeches of both private,  personal and public communications? Is the current system enough? What is the current system? #WatchThisSpace.

For the moment, I'm still comfortable with my original hypothesis pertaining to the bastardisation of the word 'expert':
There is no such thing as a social media expert.

While some of us are a little more knowledgeable in this space than the majority (probably because we also 'live' online), beyond the clever souls who create the actual social technology platforms, online, as in life, everyone makes mistakes - some inevitable, most avoidable.

Either way, at the end of the day, ALL ASMM are an opportunity for learning.

So, get up, dust yourself off, learn from your failures and keep practicing The Art of Social! :)

21 December, 2012

2012: The End Is Near

Every year the creative souls at JibJab entertain us with their spin on the year that was. Here is 2012's...Enjoy! :)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0zf7EWZET0&w=640&h=360]

18 December, 2012

Getting my Hoot on

Today I decided to rediscover Hootsuite - a platform I haven't engaged with since 2010.

I love the process of discovery, especially online. Why? Because everything has it's time and place. Don't even try to jump ahead, this is a step-by-step process designed and automated by those who direct your online wanderings through various lines/ blocks/ pages of seemingly incoherent code.

1. Logging In.
Realise you have no idea which email/ password combination you signed up with. Try your three most used email/password combinations. Hope for the the best.

2. Remembering the 'Forgot Password' button.
Enter email addresses until one registers. Punch air in triumph with one hand, while opening corresponding email with other in search of this:
Reset passwordReset password' link. Enter new password - twice. Enter new password again and this time, make sure both entries match!

3.Logging In.
Enter email/ password. Smile broadly as you read: 'Welcome to Hootsuite'

4.Navigation Made Easy:
Learning the ropes

05 December, 2012

To Follow or Not to Follow: Which Twit? Is the Question...

Twitter's 2000 follow limit encourages us all to proactively manage our 'followers' and dedicated Twitter lists.

My modus operandi goes something like this: You pique my interest, for whatever reason, I'll follow you. :)

My follow back policy is equally straight forward: You follow me, I #FB (that's 'Follow Back' for the uninitiated).

Why? Well, because... in the Twitterverse,

1. EVERYONE has a public profile and no one 'Twit' is more important than the other. (Unless of course you're a Belieber, then the rules of the game change completely and turn a late teen into a deity! But that's a whole new discussion thread)


2. A 'follow' represents a turn in time. Someone has taken the time to follow me, so I can take a moment out of my tightly scheduled day to return the compliment.

3. An extended network of associates encourages opportunities for learning, teaching, business and insights into what constitutes the art of conversation.

4. I tend to 'unfollow' the passive aggressive sales Twit and spambots with ninja-like efficiency.

5. I generally give individuals, teams and organisations a week (maybe two) to follow back, after which I generally unfollow and file them into my Twitter lists. (Recent changes to the use of Twitter's #'s has made following/ creating # community conversations a little more challenging without paying for the privilege)

6. At the moment, I do respond to DM's. This might change when I start receiving a thousand a day, however, for the moment I find DM a really efficient and effective communications tool. -Actually I prefer it to email which is so old school! :)


There are however, some exceptions to my follow back rules:

1. Although I can swear like a losing Rugby World Cup final coach at half-time, I don't condone the use of foul language in public. So if you have a penchant for acronyms such as F.u.c.k or referring to women as 'ho's or *itches (you get my drift), thank you for your follow, however, I won't be following you back.

2. Likewise if you promote cruelty to children, animals or individuals based on colour, race or creed, once again, thank you for your follow, however, I won't be following you back.

This is how I roll on #Twitter atm. It's entirely up 2U if U want 2 cyber roll with me or not.

Either way, I hope your face aches from smiling all day today and everyday.

xo