My view on PR and Marketing

In this blog I like to talk about my view on PR and Marketing, talk about communication, share my experieces and highlight interesting news!

[ingeruumpol]

Nazi-advertising?!

This week when I was traveling with the DLR, I was shocked to see a big poster at the station of the Statue of Liberty (NY City) with Nazi insignia on it. I had to look twice before I noticed it was an advertisement for a new show on Amazon Prime.

When I arrived home I hopped on my laptop to look for more information and found out that the show ‘The Man in the High Castle’ is about an alternate world where Nazi Germany and Japan rule the US after winning World War 2. I also found out that more people were shocked by the advertisements. They were shocked, not because of the posters, but because of an advertising campaign on the New York subway. For this campaign Amazon wrapped the seats, walls, and ceilings of one train, connecting Times Square and Grand Central in Manhattan, with versions of the American flag with a German Eagle and iron cross, as well as a stylized flag inspired by imperial Japan.

The mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, called the advertisements “irresponsible and offensive to the WW2 and Holocaust survivors, their families, and countless other New Yorkers”[1]. Although the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has said that the campaign does not violate the agency’s content-neutral guidelines, Amazon had asked to remove the train advertisements, not the posters. In the poster you can see the context of the image, that it is used to advertise a show, the train advertisements however do not depict this context, making it more likely to be perceived as offensive. Amazon did not give a statement yet about the advertisements and the withdrawal.

From a marketing perspective it can be seen as a creative campaign, where the public get to experience what the alternate world, depicted in the show, would look like. Creative and bold advertisements, like these, are usually more memorable, and therefore usually also more effective. Amazon said that the show was “high-quality, provocative programming that spurs conversations”[2]. Well, not only the show itself is provocative and spurs conversation, the train advertisements did too.

The question is whether the metro campaign spurred the right conversation, and created the right publicity. As the mayor of NY said: the train advertisements are offensive for many people. From a public relations perspective you could ask yourself how on earth Amazon could think this was a good idea. They certainly did not do their research what consequences and effects the campaign could have for society, especially New York citizens. It seems that Amazon tried to compete to the television industry by choosing a risky and aggressive form of marketing, but failed in terms of a PR approach.

PR is all about planning, strategy, and (most importantly) doing research. When doing research before implementing a campaign, problems such as Amazon encountered, can be prevented. Research into publics and stakeholders show what concerns they have and show how they could best be approached. Results can also predict what issues might arise and can therefore act as guidelines for the campaign strategy.

In the future it would be wise for companies like Amazon to let public relations, and research, be a part of the making and planning of the campaign. Especially when it concerns shows with similar subject matters, since in that case it is even more difficult to make appropriate, ethical communication programmes.

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34919692

[2] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34919692

[prweek]

Hi! My cousin recently just graduated college with a bachelors in communications. She focused on advertising and marketing and she is having a tough time trying to find a job. She's been on multiple job interviews etc. Do you have any tips for people trying to break into the public relations industry or any books you recommend? Thanks

Thanks for the question, and congratulations to your cousin. If she’s looking for a job, one place to start is our LinkedIn group. PR and marcomms companies post jobs there, and professionals will often post blogs, articles, and other important resources.

It never hurts to try generic job boards like Indeed or Media Bistro. They can be valuable start points for a job search.

You can find advice on preparing a killer resume & cover letter on the Public Relations Society of America’s website here.

Although PRWeek’s website is behind a paywall, you can read a couple of articles each month for free. A good place to start might be our Career Guide. You can find the latest one here, and the archive here.

I hope this helps a bit – best of luck to your cousin (and anybody else trying to break into the industry).

[ingeruumpol]

Good tips when you're looking for a job in PR!

[ingeruumpol]

I hate gin, but love Hendrick’s!

Last weekend when I was traveling back home, the Netherlands that is, I wanted to bring a gift for my parents. Since I know they both love gin tonic, especially Hendrick’s Gin, I was looking whether I could buy a bottle on the airport. Fortunately I could, also it was not hard to find either. The bottles of Hendrick’s Gin are easy to recognize, concerning their apothecary style bottle shape. What however was more unique was the package surrounding the bottle, it directly attracted my full attention. As you can see on the image below, it is a very creative and fun package.

The brand also added certain messages to the package, such as: “Transcend borders, Ignore boundaries, Discover new garnish (And please send us a nice card telling us what you are up to)”. By nice card they refer to the postcards they included to the package: “Compendium of Postcards- for those you hold most dear-“, as they explain: “An odd postcard is worth a thousand emails”. 

The whole creation of the package and the postcards gives consumers a different experience and adds another dimension to buying and consuming a product. As Hedrick’s states: “In our opinion, there are far too many experiences that are so-called ‘Normal’. Which I why Hendrick’s follows its own peculiar path.” It is nice to see that the company not only embraces this in their product packages, but also in their communication channels. On both their website[1] and social media platforms Hendrick’s uses its distinctive vintage, imaginative drawings. In addition they use funny messages and statements, such as: “Hendrick’s Gin, it is not for everyone” or “Loved by a tiny handful of people all over the world”.

All these tools add interest to the Hendrick’s drinking experience. The brand really succeeds in differentiating itself from other Gin brands, in an unique and creative way. This is not only accomplished by their design, but also by their ability to tell a story. The use of old fashioned words and metaphors add to this experience. An example is the following sentence, used in the booklet attached to the bottle, to inform how the product is made: “A wondrous orchestra of 11 botanical sets the stage of our pièce the résistance; two rather unusual, yet marvellous infusions.”. The combination of the creative design and storytelling causes consumers to imagine themselves in another world.

Hendrick’s Gin is the perfect example how package design, creative branding and storytelling can create an intriguing and fun experience. They show that brands do not have to follow the latest trends to be interesting. Being different is hard to accomplish, yet Hendrick’s seems to do it very well.  In my opinion, more brands need to sort out what makes them different from others and express this through creative branding, as this enhances the consumers’ product experience. Also I just really love to see brands who are putting an effort in creating an attractive and unique package design!

[1] https://uk.hendricksgin.com/

[ingeruumpol]

Augmented Reality: The future of marketing?

To attract consumers’ attention we all know that in today’s world print media alone is not enough, consumers now want the whole experience. One way that I think is very cool to create that experience, is through Augmented Reality (AR). Augmented Reality is an enhanced version of reality, created by the use of technology, to overlay digital information on an image of something being viewed through a device (as a smartphone camera)[1].

Just recently Toys “R” Us added some digital elements, including AR, to their 2015 Christmas catalogue, how exciting! The company used a mobile app ‘The Geoffrey Shuffle’, that consumers can download, to make eight spreads come to life in their catalogue (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdnDCdMtfdg).

These digital elements add another dimension to reading or looking through a magazine. It gives consumers the possibility to really engage with the products, in this case toys, and get involved. In my opinion this technology can add a real fun and creative perspective to advertising and marketing. Not only for companies like Toys “R” Us, which sells products, but also for companies in other branches such as tourism, which sell experiences.

In my view still too little companies make use of AR in marketing, but why? Is it too expensive? Is it too difficult for consumers or are they too lazy to download and interact with the app? Perhaps companies are not embracing Augmented Reality, because still too little is known about its effectiveness and outcomes for marketing. In that case more empirical research needs to be conducted, as I sure think it is a fun and cool technology which can really enrich the perspective of consumers. In the future I hope to see more companies use AR as one of their marketing tools!

[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/augmented%20reality

[prweek]

There are months and months spent on creation.

Starbucks’ Vice President of Design and Content Jeffrey Fields on the reveal of their new holiday cups

Read the whole story, and see the cup designs, on Cool Hunting

(via prweek)

This story shows that package design is an important part of the whole marketing strategy, and that it can be used to convey a certain feeling! 

[ingeruumpol]

There shouldn't be racism in football, right? http://ingeruumpol.tumblr.com/post/131806799771/how-is-uefa-dealing-with-racism #football #uefa #pr #public Relations #saynotoracism

[ingeruumpol]

How is UEFA dealing with racism?

It’s becoming more and more important for organisations to show and increase their social responsibility. Organisations in different branches are starting to realise this and several have been handling it in their own way. One organisation that has stepped up to their responsibility is UEFA: The Union of European Football Associations.

In 2001 UEFA and the FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) network partnered up to stand up against racism and discrimination.  What better way to tackle these unacceptable issues and trigger social change than to use the most popular sport in the world?

UEFA uses its high-profile platforms and wide audience reach in passing the message of zero tolerance for any form of racism and discrimination. The organisation endorses this #saynotoracism message in UEFA Champions League and Europa League by broadcasting TV spots (both in the stadiums and on national television), stadium announcements and print advertisements. The UEFA also lets captains wear branded armbands and let the children, that are entering the pitch before the game, wear #saynotoracism T-shirts. All these tools are used to make sure that the message is visible.

Probably one of the smartest moves in their long term project, is the TV ad produced in 2014, where top players of the best European clubs and referee Howard Webb repeat the message in their own language (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwE9dUepoF8). We all know that using celebrities in a campaign is one of the most effective and persuasive tricks you can apply. Some of these top players even used the hashtag (#saynotoracism or #notoracism) on their social media platforms, creating even more awareness.

In the past week UEFA again contributed to the FARE action week by endorsing the message in all stadiums hosting  European games, this resulted in great media coverage. For instance during the Fenerbahçe - Ajax game, where both teams incorporated the banner in their team photo and used the branded armbands.  However there also was some negative news to cover concerning racism. During this Tuesdays Champions League game between Dynamo Kiev and Chelsea, supporters of Kiev have been charged with racist behaviour. To make sure that UEFA carries out their zero tolerance message, the organisation launched disciplinary proceedings against Dynamo Kiev.

It is obvious that racism still exists, however using these football games to send a message can result in increased social awareness. In addition sponsoring a charity and network like FARE also brings great advantages for UEFA itself. By identifying the organisation with the #saynotoracism campaign, UEFA positively develops its own image and reputation (of course depending on how they handle situations like Dynamo Kiev).

All in all I think that UEFA is a great example to show how (international) organisations can use their power and influence to address and tackle social problems, while at the same time creating a more positive image and reputation for the organisation itself. Therefore making sponsorship a great tool (when used in the right way) to create social responsibility!

[onceuponadvertising]

*Beat cancer* #BurJuman #youngandrubicam #breastcancer #breastcancerawareness #women #printad #ad #advertising #marketing #publicidad #campaign #creative

[ingeruumpol]

I like the creativity in this campaign to raise awareness for breast cancer, simple but really effective! #breastcancerawareness #advertising #marketing #creativity #beatcancer #campaign