HESS Toy Trucks A Proven Brand Winner

 The ads have begun appearing and this past weekend consumers could began purchasing the ever popular Hess Toy Truck for the holidays. This year’s version is a giant race car with a smaller one inside, providing youngsters and adult collectors with a double treat.

A tradition that was started in 1964 by founder Leon Hess whose gas stations have sold these toy trucks every holiday season since then. The older versions have become highly collectible depending on condition and whether one saved the box the truck came in. The tradition has been one that has firmly associated the Hess brand with the Christmas gift-giving season.

Why has a simple toy that carries the logo of an oil company proven so successful? I believe it has effectively captured the public’s fancy because the toys have consistently been of high quality. Each edition has been unique, which not only leads to countless hours of enjoyment from children that play with them but from collectors who value them as sought-after collectibles.

Undoubtedly, the Hess Corporation’s foray into the toy business each year has been beneficial financially. Just think of the countless families like mine that have filled up their gas tanks at Hess during December just so we could purchase a toy truck to put under the Christmas tree for our children. How many of these same customers normally fill up at a competing company’s station?

Putting out a quality product, having enough of it to handle demand and supporting it with extensive advertising and marketing support is a great example for any brand to follow. For the Hess Corporation and its Hess Toy Trucks, it’s a tradition of marketing excellence.

Tom Cosentino

Press Releases Still Have Value

This week at the PRSA International Conference in San Diego, Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington in the course of her talk stated, “The press release is becoming obsolete…even though we still do it at the Huffington Post.”

Is the press release obsolete?  In a way it is, especially in the world of instant communication through Twitter, Facebook and blogs.  Years ago the only thing to define a company or brand from a news-oriented perspective was the information it disseminated via the press release. Obviously, that is no longer the case.

However, there still is merit in press releases and media still use and ask for them. Here at iMedia Public Relations we still see a value in issuing press releases for our clients. What is essential is that any release crafted for a client needs to provide newsworthy information to media and not serve as a commercial or sounding board for that client partner.  It also needs the pertinent facts, which should take priority over any flowery prose.

Press releases have always just been conduits for issuing information about an event, product, company, etc.  The intent is to give the editor, reporter, producer, etc. enough information to get them interested in your client.

Just the fact that you are issuing a press release is not enough to guarantee your company, product or event coverage. First, there is just too much information out there for a media member to navigate through. Reporters and editors want to be informed about companies that factor into their given beats or editorial coverage areas, but do not want to wade through a press release per day on your client’s message. 

As with any communications endeavor, one needs to know the audience it’s targeting.  For some companies, issuing a regular series of press releases and placing them on a newswire such as PRWeb.com, PR Newswire or Marketwire to name a few such services, helps to build SEO for the company and allows it to place information in the public domain.

For others, mentions in key blogs and online communities, is the desired platform. Other programs require a comprehensive approach to target a desired audience over multiple platforms.

Whatever the target audience is, the press release should reflect it.  Social media press releases are the desired platform for the online community.  Business media and mainstream consumer press still like to see the facts laid out in a standard press release.  

In writing a press release, make sure it accomplishes its goal, which is to make the media want to learn more about your client partner.

Tom Cosentino

Media Calls Still Matter

It’s easy in this age of email, IM and texting to lose the personal touch that comes with picking up the phone and calling a reporter, editor or producer to either pitch a story or gauge interest in what they are looking to cover. 

Of course, many media types will say the best way to reach them is by email.  Others will issue the dreaded retort, “Please no follow up calls.  If we have any questions or want to cover your story, we’ll call you.”

At iMedia Public Relations, we still feel that personal contact goes a long way to properly position your client’s story.  Sure, we email pitches to contacts on a daily basis. However, there is a method to this as well.  Mass emails to contact lists don’t work.  Personally crafting a message that fits the target audience is what has always proven to be most effective.

For example, in sending something to the Deputy Sports editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer during the height of the National League playoffs, be cognizant of what’s going on in that market in terms of coverage.  If you acknowledge the craziness of the situation but give the editor something to hold onto that can be pegged to a window when it won’t be all about the Phillies, you’ll have a better chance.  Having developed a good working relationship with that editor will ensure that even in a crazed state of editorial affairs, your email will still get read and filed away.

The same holds true for producers.  I recently held a discussion with a segment producer for a leading regional morning show.  She told me she gets around 116 emails in each one of her two email mailboxes each day.  She told me to definitely call as a follow up to a pitch because she cannot possibly read all the emails.

Another news producer at a cable news outlet told me that he cannot believe the bad email pitches he gets each day.  “I just hit delete when I see bad mistakes,” he said.

Some of the things he looks for in a pitch are how the overall story is framed.  Does it appeal to his viewership?  What are the various components that can make it into a feature segment? What resources are available to be included in a piece? Is there enough background in the pitch to give him a strong feel for the story? And of course, is it really news.

Picking up the phone at the right time of day and taking the beat of the media will go a long way to helping you shape media coverage for a client.  That phone call you make today may guarantee that email pitch you send next week gets read by a key media influencer.

Tom Cosentino

SMALL BIZ & LOCAL CHARITIES MAKE PERFECT TEAM

Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill used to say that all politics is local. In the case of public relations, that holds true as well for local businesses and charities. I happen to be a member of the Board of Directors of Michael’s Feat  a 501(c)3 non-profit that assists the families of seriously ill newborns in Monmouth and Ocean Counties in New Jersey.

The Fund is named in memory of baby Michael Gerard Puharic, born July 29, 2000 to Adam and Dana Puharic. They were informed early on in the pregnancy that Michael would face grave health problems because of a chromosome disorder known as trisomy 13. On August 1, 2000, after battling for 83 hours, Michael passed away peacefully at home with his parents at his side. At Michael’s funeral, the Puharics announced their intention to start a fund to assist other families raising an ill newborn. This initial fundraising goal turned into Michael’s Feat and has now helped hundreds of families throughout Monmouth County, distributing over $300,000 in direct benefits since 2000.

The Fund holds three major fundraisers each year, a Gala Dinner at Battleground Country Club in March, a Family Barbeque Picnic at Camp Arrowhead in Marlboro on the weekend anniversary of Baby Michael’s birth in July and a wine tasting event in September. Each event is geared to raise awareness for the work of Michael’s Feat and to raise funds from different demographic groups.

Throughout the year, other groups and organizations hold smaller fundraising events to benefit Michael’s Feat. The pairing of small business owners with local charities if done right can be very beneficial to both parties. An example of one that has been quite effective is a Michael’s Feat Cut-A-Thon sponsored by the Peter Conte Salon and Spa in Matawan.

 This past Sunday Peter Conte Salon and Spa held its second annual Michael’s Feat Cut-A-Thon with one hundred percent of the proceeds donated to Michael’s Feat. The event drew customers from throughout the surrounding area, with customers walking away with fresh cuts, courtesy of the stylists who generously donated their time to this worthwhile fundraiser.

Roger Peter, co-owner, said, “I understand the need for organizations such as Michael’s Feat that assist families who have seriously ill children. For the first two years of my granddaughter’s life, Monmouth Medical Center served as her second home. My family received tremendous support in many ways from the community during this very difficult time and I am happy to give back to help others facing similar challenges.”

Peter added, “My partner, Jennifer Conte, and I are proud to sponsor the Cut-A-Thon and have decided to make this an annual event. We were very pleased with this year’s turnout over the holiday weekend and look forward to making the third year the best yet, especially since it will be part of the tenth year celebration of Michael’s Feat.”

By partnering with Michael’s Feat, Peter Conte Salon and Spa made a direct connection to not only a co-owner’s personal life but to the community at large which is very familiar with the Michael’s Feat charity since the Puharic family lived in neighboring Aberdeen until a year ago. Hanging a banner outside the establishment announcing the fundraiser brought great visibility to the Salon.

For Michael’s Feat it was a winner as well. The Fund now has a local business committed to hosting an annual fundraising event. Local news outlets will publish the outcome from the event so both entities will benefit on the media side as well.

The teaming of Peter Conte Salon and the Michael’s Feat charity showcases how local businesses and charities can benefit from each other. Just like the ownership of the Peter Conte Salon did, a business should only get involved with a charity if they feel strongly in support of the cause and are willing to commit the resources necessary, especially manpower, to see the event through.

From a charity’s perspective, the group or business that contacts you to run a fundraising event, needs to understand fully what your Mission is as a charitable organization, what you are all about and how together you can help promote the event. If both entities are right for each other, the pairing turns into public relations wins for both.

Tom Cosentino

Is the White House Now Bringing Transparency to PR?

Earlier this week a transformative event in public relations occurred when the White House Press Office began posting its daily “Talking Points” on the Whitehouse blog.    This was addressed in the Media Bistro PR Newser column on September 29 written by Joe Ciarallo.  Two former White House officials were quoted in the piece about the historic nature of the publishing of the talking points.  

Don Goldberg, former assistant to President Clinton commented: “When I was in White House, we would have daily meetings on message and you would basically have conference calls…If the weekend was coming up and you had talk shows you were worried about, you would make sure all Democrats on the shows had the same points. The Obama administration is bypassing traditional media as much as it can anyway, so why not provide them with ‘message of the day’ type of details. Why not try to reach out to everybody?”

What the White House is doing is offering true transparency in its desire to get its message out.  It has always been obvious in watching the talk show circuit when spokespeople for both parties were seemingly reading from a script provided from their respective leaderships as Mr. Goldberg points out.  What will be interesting to see is how these representatives approach things now since the message of the day will already be posted.

More importantly, what does this ultimately mean for the public relations industry?  Will brands and companies feel obligated to be as transparent with their messaging to the public? 

A solid communications process has always relied on belief in the messenger.  Public relations practitioners have set the tone for what message is communicated to the public and the correct timing for communicating it.  If you use the White House as a standard bearer then the time may be right for public relations executives to be transparent as well with the talking points they want to issue.  Thus, what’s posted in the company blog is what’s transmitted to the media at large and to the consumer. No mixed messages.   

 The hardest part is ensuring that the message stays consistent.  Not every company has to face a press briefing each day that deals with issues that affect the security, economy, healthcare, and other pertinent national issues which the White House communications staff has to deal with.

For communications pros, whether it’s a daily message, blog post, tweet or monthly newsletter, getting your client or company to embrace transparency is a big achievement.  How you clearly define and deliver the message is even more important.

 Tom Cosentino

Be Wary of Leaking Info On Social Networks

A good public relations professional has always gone to great lengths to protect the public release of information about client projects and privileged information. Now, with the steady advent of social media, professionals need to take further care in protecting information about their clients and their own business practice.

This weekend, my son Johnny got engaged to his girlfriend Erin down in Alexandria, Va. The engagement on Sunday was a surprise on her birthday. John had worked it out with her family and ours to let us in on the planned date, and made us all part of the experience with a day-long family celebratory limo ride to tour three Virginia wineries after popping the question alone with Erin that morning. Since my son and his girlfriend are Facebook friends, early on I came to the conclusion that I had to be careful who I told about the planned engagement, knowing that all that was needed to erase the surprise was one exuberant relative or friend to spill the beans on my Facebook wall.

In the week leading up to the engagement, I read a story about Twitter and Facebook etiquette that included information about couples being beaten to the punch on announcing great news like an engagement or pregnancy. This made me even more conscious of the dangers of having the coming surprise engagement, ruined for my son and future daughter in-law because of what I may say to others.

This experience has also made me even more cognizant  of what information to share publicly and privately about any client partner. A few standards to follow are:

- Don’t post anything online you would not have placed into a client-approved press release

- If you are embargoing anything for the press, keep it private as well online

- Do not post any event or other client-related photos that have not been officially approved by a client

- Make sure any image of an individual, celebrity spokesperson, etc., has their approval before posting

- If producing online video for a client program make sure you have a waiver form for those being filmed to sign

- Remember who you have invited to be part of your social groups and what groups you yourself have joined

The communications world has certainly changed but one thing remains a standard. Protect your client by being ever watchful of not only what is being said about them, but what you are saying as well.

Tom Cosentino

Cable Positive’s Success is Everlasting

On Wednesday came news that Cable Positive, the cable industry’s AIDS awareness organization was going to shut down operations after 17 years. 

For three of those years, I had the great privilege of handling public relations for the organization along with my colleague Paul Schneider.  Cable Positive was a casebook example of the proper way to run an awareness campaign that involved an entire industry.  From CEOs of networks, to local cable operators and cable network employees, Cable Positive worked tirelessly to spread awareness for AIDS Awareness. All facets of the program were integrated and the message was simple, use the communications platform of the cable television industry to promote HIV/AIDS Awareness.

In the end, Cable Positive achieved its mission.  Cable Positive chairman Ray Guiterrez addressed this in a story in Multichannel News announcing the closing.

“The response of cable industry companies has grown dramatically, and that work demonstrates that Cable Positive’s mission will continue to be perpetuated in significant ways,” Cable Positive chairman Ray Gutierrez said in a statement. “Therefore we’ve concluded that a separate organization focused exclusively on HIV/AIDS is no longer required.”

Cable Positive’s outreach included the staging of AIDS awareness seminars at workplaces, free AIDS tests, a grant program for operators and cable systems, the creation of PSAs for airing on cable networks and the tremendous programming initiative each year on World AIDS Day (December 1) to get networks to air AIDS-related programming and PSA’s.

According to figures in the Multichannel News story, more than $2 billion worth of air time was donated for public-service ads. Cable Positive also provided direct assistance to cable industry employees who had HIV/AIDS, and generated more than $2 million in direct grants from AIDS service organizations across the country.

Molly McAuliffe was Cable Positive’s Executive Director from 1994-2000 and my client. She became a dear friend.  Molly was a real go-getter who twisted the arms of some of the biggest names in cable television to get them to pony up funds, set up testing and fund grant programs to benefit the cause.

I caught up with Molly to get her reaction to the closing of Cable Positive.

What was your reaction to the closing of Cable Positive?

“I was truly saddened at the news but also proud that there is no longer a need for Cable Positive to exist.”

Cable Positive was truly a galvanizing force for good, was it not?

“There’s no question, Cable Positive is a living testament to how an industry can work together to “do good things” by integrating cause-marketing and corporate responsibility into every aspect of its business.”

What do you say to those who helped pave the way for Cable Positive?

 “Congratulations are in order to the founders such as Jeff Bernstein and the late Joel Berger, who helped galvanize an entire industry to unite behind the HIV/AIDS.  Together, we were able to create a broad range of programs that not only educated the general public about HIV/AIDS, but also the employees of cable networks, cable operators and other cable-affiliated industries.”

The Multichannel News story quoted Bernstein:

“Cable Positive has succeeded far beyond what anyone could have imagined at its founding, establishing the cable industry as a leader in the private-sector response to the epidemic,” Jeff Bernstein, who helped form the organization in 1992, said in a statement. “I’ve had great pride in seeing an industry I love become a pioneering leader in the business community’s role in the fight against AIDS.”

In the end, Cable Positive may have been one of the most successful entities ever of its kind, unifying an industry behind a cause for the good of the public’s good and its own employees. 

 “I was honored to represent the cable industry and treasure the six years that I spent at Cable Positive, “said McAuliffe. “ I wish to extend my congratulations to all the volunteers, board members, Honorary Chairs, and former employees who made Cable Positive a leader in HIV/AIDS education.  Their efforts truly helped saved lives.”

 Tom Cosentino

Do You Have A Social Media Strategy for Your Company?

According to the story listed below from Ad Age, pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer is in a dilemma on how to use Twitter.

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Many marketers are struggling with the new world of Twitter and social media but few face the dilemma of pharmaceutical giants such as Pfizer. Twitter-using consumers are highly interested in their drug products, but their marketing communications are rigidly constrained by federal regulations. While Pfizer has just launched a Twitter site, the company is not exactly sure what it’s allowed to say on it.

 What Pfizer is going through is understandable considering the regulatory environment they are used to dealing with. However, what it also calls into play is how companies determine what role, if any, Twitter can and should play in their external communications process.

In creating a social media strategy for your company, you first have to establish what kind of tool you want social media to play in your overall communications plan.

Social media is something that should not be taken for granted.  If you decide to make it part of the communications process then it needs to be maintained and updated just like any other facet of your operations.

In deciding whether to pursue a social media strategy, company marketers need to ask the following questions:

-      What am I looking to achieve through social media?

-      Do I want to enhance sales? Run promotions?

-      Am I prepared to become a full member of the community and engage my audience?

-      What value can I add to such a community?

-      How can I use social media to monitor what is being said about my brand or company?

-      How can social media add value to my business?

The key element to social media is the ability to fully engage with the community at large. However, what companies need to realize is that their discussions are open to the world to see and there are no boundaries.

Also, social media is 24-7 in real time, so a failure to address a customer service problem or inability to react to a falsehood being spread can do great harm.

If a brand or company decides to enter the Twitter universe, they should examine how other companies in their field are using the service. 

Some of the brands, with Twitter handles, that @iMediapr currently follows on Twitter include: @Carnival Cruise, @Whole Foods, @Marvel  and @Dunkin Donuts.  Each one engages users in a different manner.  We also follow a local restaurant in the Princeton area, @SCGPrinceton Salt Creek Grille.

Many restaurants are successfully implementing campaigns via Twitter even though they may be just a local steakhouse.  The Twitter community is fully engaged which means anyone signing up to be a follower of an establishment is a captive customer that can be engaged through a variety of means via Twitter including coupons, promoting dinner specials, drink offers, etc.

Whether a company chooses to use Twitter, Facebook or both social media services, they need to ensure that they devote the time and effort needed to grow these online communities and truly make them beneficial marketing assets.

Once you decide on a strategy and jump in, just saying you’re on Twitter or Facebook will not be impactful. Being fully engaged certainly will.

 

Tom Cosentino

Imus Would Help Fox Business Build Its Audience, But Will It Help Publicists?

There was a report today in the Wall Street Journal that Fox Business Network  is negotiating to possibly simulcast the Don Imus syndicated radio show in an effort to boost its morning ratings.  Imus was fired from his powerful position at WFAN in New York back in 2007 after his comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team met with national protest because of their racist tone.  He has seemingly revived his career with a new show carried on Citadel Media, reaching 65 stations. The show is currently simulcast on the RFD Television network, a rural programming network seen in about 35 million homes, including DirecTV.

The move by Fox Business Network can be looked at in a number of ways.  For one, it may indicate that Imus’ image has recovered from the Rutgers disgrace.  Another may be an admission that Fox Business Network cannot compete with CNBC on a purely financial news basis, while  a third could be that the Imus ploy is a last gasp effort by Fox to increase its numbers.

Would Don Imus help spike the ratings of Fox Business Network? According to the Nielsen numbers mentioned in the Journal article, Fox Business Network ratings from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. averaged just 21,000 homes in June compared to CNBC which averages 232,000.  These numbers have not grown much since the Network’s debut a couple of years back.  When he was in his heyday on WFAN his show was simulcast on MSNBC but really did not help that network thrive.

While such a move would surely bring Fox Business broader visibility and potentially higher ratings, what will be its impact on the public relations industry? Right now, public relations executives can pitch their CEO’s and/or personalities to the existing Fox Business Money for Breakfast show for segments.  Despite the lower audience, it still is a targeted placement.  If morning programming on Fox Business Network becomes the Imus Show, then the opportunities to pitch segments may drop significantly, unless there is a major celebrity figure involved.

Media options are closing everyday.  Losing a programming vehicle that provides a platform for business stories in my opinion will be a detriment to the industry. 

The move also does nothing to further the brand of Fox Business Network.  Right now, Fox has its  own programming and on-air talent. By giving a four-hour programming block over to Don Imus, Fox is essentially turning financial news over to CNBC. One potential side effect could be that such a move would cut into the audience of their  sister network, Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends Show.  And, while a  move to Imus could have a positive short term impact for Fox Business Network, if it fails, what happens then?

Tom Cosentino

Nurturing Interns Can Create Future PR Pros

In the public relations agency business it is pretty easy to take advantage of the free help provided by college interns.  Creating and updating media lists, filing clips, preparing reports and stuffing media kits are just some of the myriad of tasks thrown at interns.  I know, because I’ve lived it as an intern in 1983 with the New York Yankees and delegated such tasks to students myself.  Interns know going in they will have to do a lot of the grunt work at an agency.  However, those that excel and show that they are capable of doing more can be thrust into bigger roles.  How they are nurtured along the way ultimately can dictate whether the public relations field is truly something they will succeed in.

I have a neighbor, Christina who is entering her sophomore year at the University of South Carolina.  She is going to major in public relations. So far, all she’s taken is an introductory course.  Last Thursday, I had set up a live remote segment for Good Day New York at the Meadowlands Racetrack to preview Saturday’s $1.5 million Hambletonian.  I invited Christina to come with me, prefacing the invitation by saying I would leave my driveway by 4:15 a.m.  Christina agreed to come and I was pleased to see her wide awake that morning ready to head up to the track. To me, Christina already was showing the determination to make public relations her profession.

When we arrived at 5 a.m., we met up with the Fox crew and weatherman Mike Woods who was already filing reports by the paddock.  I walked Christina through all the segments that I had worked out with Mike’s segment producer.   They were to include an interview with Greg Peck, trainer of Muscle Hill, the favorite in the Hambletonian; a learning to drive segment with Mike Woods and Peck; an interview with the director of the Harness Racing Youth League and demonstration by her youth racers and a cooking segment with Woods and Meadowlands chef Frank Travisano, cooking linguini and clam sauce, a dish that would be served in the dining room on Hambletonian day.

All of these segments had been mapped out and with the assistance of Meadowlands publicity director Amy Silver, marketing assistant Rachel Ryan and Moira Fanning of the Hambletonian Society. The first feature piece was set at 7:45 a.m.  

As we approached the first segment, I walked Christina through what the piece would be about, and told her to listen as I discussed it with Woods.  I did so because it is important for interns to know just what goes into making a segment work for live television and how to make the piece as easy as possible for the host.  Christina then got to experience how things can go wrong.   Peck showed up on time but thought his entire segment was happening right at 7:45 a.m.  He couldn’t stay to teach Woods how to drive a harness horse because he had to warm up his horses that were competing that morning in qualifying races.  Luckily Moira Fanning reached out to another trainer Frank Antonacci, who agreed to do the segment later in the 8 o’clock hour.  While this was happening I was working with Woods to reschedule the segments on the fly.

Everything wound up working out fine that morning and Christina received her first “real” experience in public relations.  As I drove her home we discussed the morning shoot and I stressed to her the importance of being prepared to be a field producer when you are publicizing an event.  It’s great to secure a television crew, but more importantly, you must to ensure that they are treated well and are provided the resources to make their segments work.

Christina came away a little tired but felt rewarded.  She told me she learned a lot that day, and for me, that made the trip worthwhile.  As Christina headed back to school on Saturday, the day of the Hambletonian, she could return to class with a heads up on the rest of the public relations students.  She now had first-hand experience and knew what behind-the-scenes is really all about.

For those that have a student interning with them for more than one morning, make sure to walk them through each element of the task assigned and educate them on all of the nuances you are applying to the pitch, strategy or event.  They will learn more than you expect. Not only will it aid them in becoming solid professionals, but they also may become future employees of your firm as well.  A little nurturing at the beginning may be all they need.

Tom Cosentino