REICH COMMUNICATIONS

Sound bites can bite back

The sound bite:  It's something we in public relations and marketing strive for.  We train our clients how to speak in sound bites for the media, wrapping up our key messages neatly in a brief, punchy and self-contained two or three sentences.  Ready for prime time or the front page, we hope.

But there's a real potential risk with sound bites, when they get taken out of context.  It's something we've been witnessing these past few weeks as Barack Obama's campaign gets derailed by constant media replays of provocative sound bites from speeches by his minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

But have the media made some mistakes by zeroing in on the sound bites without reporting on the context in which they were made?  There's a lesson for marketers and communicators here.


Read more about it at my post over at MarketingProfs Daily Fix.

Big Truck Day

Public libraries have evolved over the years.

When I was a kid, the library was simply books.  Borrow books, browse books, and use books for research.  (This was before the internet, when most of us do our research online.)  It was about books.

I remember when the local library added records to its collection, and later CDs, and then videos and DVDs.  And now you can surf the web at the library as well.

Really, it's always been about more than books... sharing information and experiences with the public.  And reaching out to attract everyone, young and old, to the library through community relations programs.  Many libraries have lectures and host events where people can interact first-hand with people or things they might not normally see close-up.  Baby animals for the kids, experts giving advice for seniors, local arts & crafts and much more.

The library in Topsham, MaIne the other day had a program that, to me, trumps them all.  It was called Big Truck Day.

I heard about it from someone who was there -- our daughter Jennifer, who went with our 2-1/2 year old grandson Jack. 

According to Jen, there were several dozen kids -- almost all boys, accompanied by a handful of female siblings and their moms.  But considering it was a weekday, Jen said there were quite a few dads there as well.  (Of course there were.  Guys love Big Trucks, no matter how old we are.  If I lived in the area, I definitely would have played hooky from work for the afternoon to see the Big Trucks, even if I didn't have a young grandson.)

As each truck pulled into the parking lot, a collective cry went up from the assembled boys, calling out the name of the truck.  To these boys, it wasn't just a fire engine.  It was a pumper truck.  Or it wasn't simply a construction tractor; it was a front-end loader or a back hoe.  These kids know their Big Trucks.

Big Truck Day was fun for the kids and it reinforced, for the kids and the parents, the idea that the library is a place for them and that it's about more than books.  So much more.

Jack in a tractor.  (Oops, I mean a front-end loader.)

As times change, should your marketing message?

An article in this week's Advertising Age, "Why consumers may never be the same," talks about changing purchase motivation by consumers during these turbulent times where we are faced with ongoing talk of recession, real inflation fueled by climbing gasoline prices and higher food costs, and layoffs across a broad range of industries.

The article says "our customers' behavior is changing right under our noses" and goes on to warn that when the economy eventually bounces (or limps) back, we might find what motivates customers to choose or not choose a brand has changed.

The author advises marketers to observe consumer behavior and not to rely on what focus groups or one-on-one interviews find.  That's good advice even in the best of times, since I've found that people in focus groups often say what they think the people behind the one-way glass want to hear. And even as the moderator prods  for honest answers, many respondents simply don't want to hurt the feelings of those unseen people playing big brother back there.

So you watch trends, follow blogs and other internet chatter to see how your consumers are thinking during these changing times.  But if, in fact, their thinking has changed, does that mean you've got to change your message?

Maybe, but think carefully. 

Most consumers like stability... something they can count on.  That's especially true in uncertain times.

So make some fine-tuning, if you think it's really called for.  But be careful not to change too radically, or you might throw your target consumers off balance and send them scurrying to your competitor, whose message seems to have remained steady.

And if you change your message -- and thus, possibly, your positioning in the consumer's mind, where does that leave you once the economy settles down in a year or two, or less?  Will your message then be off-base, forcing you to change it again?  You'll risk becoming a moving target in the consumer's mind, as he or she tries to figure where your brand fits in his or her life.

So yes, study what consumers are thinking.  That's basic good marketing.  But be cautious as you consider changing your messaging and your positioning.  It could backfire over time.

Magazines... and then some

At the Advertising Club's annual Magazine Day in New York this week, the e-word -- engagement -- was still heard a lot.  The advertisers say they want it; the media say they offer it.

The key media represented were, of course, magazines.  But magazine today often means a whole lot more than the pretty printed piece that comes out every week or every month.  "Magazine" today for many publishers also means broadcast, cable and, of course, the other word that was used heavily at the conference -- digital.

John Griffin, president of the National Geographic Magazine Group and one of the session panelists, said his company is actively involved in all platforms.  "We develop stories from the ground up, considering all of our media brands," he said. 

In print, he noted, the line between editorial content and advertising remains fairly clear.  But in other forms of media, especially online, the line is not as hard and fast.  I think that can make for some interesting possibilities, both from an advertising and public relations perspective.

Digital is the hottest area for publishers.   One media buyer said digital offers his clients the chance to place a message where news is being seen almost as it's happening, rather than in a place (in print) where something is already stale.  Print, though, still offers a great environment for certain products like  beauty, fashion and food where there's usually not a hard news edge.

One advertiser noted that with some publications now, the print part of his buy is the smallest, as more money goes to cable and digital incarnations of a magazine brand.

The publisher of Gourmet, Tom Hartman, told the audience  that "no one just wants to buy a page anymore.  They want to talk about the other opportunities in addition to the page."

In most cases, what they're talking about -- and buying -- is that d-word -- digital.

Taking a new look at newspapers

Update May 28th:  Drew McLellan at Drew's Marketing Minute discusses this post and adds his take, with some good comments coming in.

Valeria Maltoni, the real Conversation Agent, pointed to an article several days ago in The New Yorker, titled "Out of Print: The Death and Life of the American Newspaper." In typical New Yorker fashion, the l o n g article by Eric Herman stretches, going back to the first American newspaper published in Massachusetts in 1690. 

The article offers a good understanding of the pressures today's newspaper management is under -- rising production and labor costs, increased competition on a playing field that's no longer level, and advertisers looking at  and moving to other channels for reaching their target consumers. 

The article also talks about news websites that are becoming generators of original news content, singling out the Huffington Post, which coincidentally that same week enjoyed a major profile in the business section of The New York Times.  Both stories cite the online venue's hiring of news reporters, albeit a handful at this point, to do original reporting.

Independent news sites (ie., those that are not an online offshoot of a newspaper, magazine, radio or TV station) seem to have focused their original news content in a few distinct areas -- politics, entertainment/gossip, and health.  That's sure to change over time.

Newspapers are still the primary generators of original local news content -- and that is their strength.  Local news is what can keep newspapers alive.  Whether the paper of tomorrow is delivered to your doorstep, on your computer screen or on a Kindle-like reader remains to be seen.  My guess is it will be a combination of them all, as well as through other channels that haven't even been developed yet.

Regular readers here know I'm a newspaper junkie and my preference is to turn the pages of a "real" newspaper rather than scroll through a virtual edition.  I was pleasantly surprised, though, when I heard similar comments from many of the 20- and 30-something marketing bloggers I met recently at Blogger Social.  Some said they usually skim through a paper online and then later, at their leisure,  thumb through the same paper in print, where they might spot something they missed going through it online.

So maybe newspapers aren't dying the slow death we keep hearing about.

I think they stand a good chance if the build on what they do best -- deliver local news and analysis.

In the public relations profession, we may need to view newspapers in a different way as well.  One of the biggest p.r. prizes is a great feature article in the paper.  There's still something about seeing a story in print that has a certain impact and credibility.  But newspaper websites and blogs are opening new opportunities for p.r. placements, and their readership is growing.

I sent a story idea a few weeks ago to the ad columnist at The New York Times, even though I knew it might be a bit too technical for his column.  I acknowledged that in a note, saying I wanted to give him a first look and asking that he pass it along it wasn't for him.  He did, and the material ended up in another reporter's nytimes.com blog.  The readership isn't as big as it would be for a story in print in the business section, or even as big as  a mention in Stuart Elliott's weekly online column.  But those readers it did reach are a highly targeted group.

Likewise, advertisers need to take another look at options newspapers offer.  In some cases, a smaller but much more focused audience may make sense, rather than the costly mass audience of print newspaper or TV.

And, the ad salespeople for newspapers need to do a better job selling the merits of their online options.

I got hugged by a Grouch last night

I was finishing a post about newspapers, which I had planned for today.  But that will wait until next week, because I met Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch last night.

Yes, I spoke with two of my favorite Sesame Street characters at the annual Christopher Awards last night.  Master puppeteer Caroll Spinney, who created Big Bird and Oscar when the groundbreaking children's show began 39 years ago, was a presenter at the annual awards program that recognizes outstanding work in TV, film and books.

Before he presented the Christopher Award for outstanding children's books, he told a story that touched me -- and it obviously touched him because he became choked up as he told it from the podium.

He told of a letter that came to the producers of Sesame Street from the parents of a young boy of about 5 who was dying of cancer.  He had lost the will to fight and was depressed -- never smiling.  The parents asked if it might be possible for the boy to get a phone call from Big Bird.

When the letter was passed along to Spinney, who seems to be a gentle and compassionate soul, he immediately agreed.  He said he called the boy and, in his Big Bird voice, spoke for several minutes with the sick boy.

A week later he received another letter from the parents, telling him how thrilled their son had been to get the call.  He showed excitement and smiled for the first time in weeks as he told his parents, who were at his bedside in the hospital, that Big Bird had called him and he was happy that Big Bird was his friend.  A few minutes later, he peacefully slipped away.

Spinney's voice choked with emotion as he told the story.  I had a chance to chat with him for a while after the ceremony, and he said to this day he is glad that he showed compassion and called that boy.  As we talked about it, his eyes teared and he explained it still moves him, even after a few years.

Spinney told me that Big Bird's role originally was simply to teach about letters and numbers.  But he realized the importance of teaching about compassion after he walked past a man on the street who he assumed was a derelict muttering to himself.  Something made him stop, turn around and ask the man if he needed help.  It turned out, the the man couldn't walk well and had been asking strangers to help him across the street.  Spinney walked the man not only across the street, but the three blocks to his apartment building.

The next day, he told the producers of Sesame Street that he wanted Big Bird to teach kids about feelings and compassion.  And after a while, Big Bird became the character who expressed concern about others' feelings.

Spinney, part of a pioneering TV show, added a new approach that taught life lessons perhaps more valuable than the ABCs.

After we talked for a while, I thanked him for taking the time.  And he said, "No. Thank you for coming over to talk with me."

And then Oscar gave me a hug.  How cool!

David, Oscar and Caroll Spinney (photo courtesy of Jules Peimer, 15minutes.com)

[To those who I met at BS 08, if I look different in the photo, it's because after seeing the BS 08 pix of myself, I ran out to get a long-overdue haircut.  It'll grow back quickly.]

What I learned this weekend

I learned a lot this weekend at Blogger Social '08 right here in New York City.

I learned that Heather Gorringe visited New York from England on business a few years ago, and one of the highlights of her trip was a visit to the garbage dump at the Staten Island landfill.  Heather is in the compost business.

I learned that there are many ways to express oneself with a Lorna Doone cookie, thanks to Chris Kieff. 

I learned that Steve Woodruff has lost track of Curious George, possibly somewhere between New Jersey and Ohio.  (Steve, did you look in the Raritan River?  Maybe George is sleeping with the fishes and Big Pussy.)

I learned that Lewis Green really does lead with his heart and that it's a good heart.

I learned, very much to my surprise, that Montreal bagels are pretty damn good.  (Mark Goren: I didn't say better than New York bagels, but Mario Vellandi, Nathan Snell, Cam Beck, Ryan Karpeles and I did a taste test at my house Saturday morning and the consensus was very positive.)  (Nathan, Cam & Ryan at the Reich Regency, with host Loki.  Mario was inside looking for his toothbrush.)

I learned that Cathleen Rittereiser is a rising star in stand-up comedy.  Let me know when your next gig is and I'll come. I won't heckle.

I was shocked to learn how much Sean Howard looks like my son-in-law. (I don't think my son-in-law takes his shirt off at every public gathering, though.)

I learned that Joseph Jaffe wasn't there.

I learned that Ryan Barrett looks very nice in a very short and shiny, puffy blue dress.  Poor Ryan so wanted to dance.

I learned Tara Anderson has a great laugh.  Is she legit?  (or is it lijit?)

I learned that Arun Rajagopal likes steak and eggs at 4 in the morning.

I learned that Tim McHale drinks ketchup straight.

I learned that CeCe Salomon-Lee lives in my second-favorite city.

I learned that Gavin Heaton and Mack Collier are really nice in person.

I learned that I didn't spend enough time catching up with Matt Dickman.

I learned that Gene DeWitt is re-reading short stories like War & Peace.

I learned that Toby Bloomberg, if asked, will share her boa.

I learned that Linda Sherman is not the same Linda Sherman who was my wife's roommate in Greenwich Village after college.

I learned that Geoff Livingston is as nice in person as he sounds on the phone.

I learned that Neil Vineberg will soon become bi-coastal.  Good luck, Neil.

I learned that Katie Chatfield will be in New York for another two weeks.  You have my card. Call me and let's have coffee or lunch, since we didn't get to talk much this weekend.

I learned that even at a party at 2 a.m., my pal CK hands out action points to very tired bloggers.

I learned, again, why I like C.B. Whittemore and Valeria Maltoni.

I learned, again, what a class act is Luc Debaisieux.  Hey Luc, how do you think my hair would look with some pointy spikes like yours?  (photo: CK, Luc, C.B. and David, courtesy Jason Falls.) 

I learned that I missed Ann Handley Saturday.  Where'd you go?  I didn't get to say goodbye.

I learned that, as the party was ending Saturday night, I hadn't spoken at all to that pretty lady over there.  So I introduced myself to Kaitlyn Wilkins.

I learned I need one more set of goodbye kisses from Lori Magno -- on both cheeks.

I learned that red M&Ms say on the back --  BS 08 NYC.  How did the M&M people know we were coming?

I learned that CK, Drew McLellan and Lori Magno plan a hell of a party, with every little detail beautifully planned and spectacularly executed.

I learned it's fun to collect booty.  Thanks to all who put stuff into the goodie bags.

I learned how lucky I am to be in the company of so many smart and nice
people -- people I genuinely enjoyed hanging out with and want to see more of.

I learned that blogging is not a waste of time.

To those whose names I didn't mention here, it doesn't mean I didn't learn something from or about you. It simply means I was too tired, too drunk or too overwhelmed to remember.  We'll have to talk again at BS '09.

WELCOME !

Welcome to New York.



See all you soon at BS 08.

David

Blogger Social: Real New Yorker's Visitors Guide

Coming to New York for Blogger Social, April 4 - 6?

If you're new to the city, you can check the tour guidebooks and you'll find Times Square, Rock Center and The Empire State Building.  (You don't have to go out of your way to see the Statue of Liberty, because that's on the official Blogger Social schedule for Saturday afternoon -- a cruise down the Hudson and around Miss Liberty.)

But those things, great as they may be, are the "tourist New York."  Here's a New Yorker's quick guide to the real New York, if you have some time.

New York has an awesome music scene.  You don't have to go to Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall or The Beacon Theater to hear great music.  There are small music venues around town -- many in the what would seem to be the most unlikely places.

The Lower East Side, for example, has tons of good music -- much of it free or for the price of a drink or two.  Ludlow Street, just below Houston, has a wealth of small music clubs packed one next to the other.  The Living Room is one of my favorites, at 154 Ludlow.  Any night, you can find great singer-songwriters there.  (Before she hit it big, Norah Jones was a regular there.)

Next door to the right is The Cake Shop (for music, not cake), and Pianos is next door to the left.  Arlene's Grocery Store -- in what used to be a grocery store -- is another popular music venue, right around the corner on Stanton St.  And up the street on Houston (between Ludlow and Essex Sts.), is The Mercury Lounge, which often has bigger names and is a bit noisier in its choice of bands.

Where to eat?  Forget The Four Seasons, Nobu and all those pricey joints where it's often more about being seen than the food itself.  Want a great New York deli sandwich with meat stacked five inches high, and at a good price.  Not The Carnegie Deli or The Stage Deli in touristy Times Square.  Go to Sarge's, on Third Ave between 36th and 37th Streets in Murray Hill.  It's open all night.  Sunday mornings, the place is often full of young singles who live in the area.  The place is in the midst of renovations now, so the walls are bare, but the food is still excellent.

Want to pig out on sushi?  For $20, it's all-you-can-eat at Kinoko, on West 72nd St. just east of Broadway.  It's a small place and not fancy.  But the sushi is very good, and plentiful.  They also have other Japanese dishes on the menu,in case sushi isn't your thing. 

Great music and food... and good company at Blogger Social.  What more could you want in New York?

Have a good visit.

Here we go again

Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton must have lots of free time.  Why else would they dare undertake -- again -- a collaborative book project among marketing bloggers?  For Drew, especially, after putting together (with CK and several others) the big Blogger Social event this weekend in New York.  And for Gavin, who will be flying halfway around the globe to attend.

But here they go again -- inviting us to participate and share our thoughts in a new Age of Conversation book.  And this time, 275 of us have responded.  They (we) are:

Adam Crowe, Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob Carlton, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Bradley Spitzer, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Clay Parker Jones, Chris Brown, Colin McKay, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Cord Silverstein, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Goldstein, Dan Schawbel, Dana VanDen Heuvel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Darryl Patterson, Dave Davison, Dave Origano, David Armano, David Bausola, David Berkowitz, David Brazeal, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Emily Reed, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, G. Kofi Annan, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Graham Hill, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, J.C. Hutchins, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeremy Middleton, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, Joe Talbott, John Herrington, John Jantsch, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Flowers, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kris Hoet, Krishna De, Kristin Gorski, Laura Fitton, Laurence Helene Borei, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Barnes-Johnston, Louise Mangan, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Marcus Brown, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Mark McSpadden, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Hawkins, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Monica Wright, Nathan Gilliatt, Nathan Snell, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul Marobella, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Beeker Northam, Rob Mortimer, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Cribbett, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tiffany Kenyon, Tim Brunelle, Tim Buesing, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Longhurst, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem

It'll be fun to see what all these great minds have to say about "The Age of Conversation:  Why Don't People Get it?"