• The Art of Newsjacking: Four Strategies for PR Success

    The Art of Newsjacking: Four Strategies for PR Success

    Newsjacking is the art and science of injecting your ideas (or your client’s) into a breaking news story to obtain media coverage and ultimately elevate the brand. Since most clients aren’t wired with a journalist’s brain, it’s our job as PR pros to make those connections and advise clients appropriately. By newsjacking, PR teams can catapult their client into the forefront of trending conversations that are directly related to their core mission.

    When Apple refused to unlock the iPhone of a shooter in the San Bernardino terrorist attack citing privacy implications, the FBI took the technology giant to court, resulting in a media frenzy. With the largest global information privacy organization as a client, our biggest objective is to raise the organization’s profile as the leading voice in the privacy profession, as an essential resource for business and government in the practice of privacy, and as a trusted voice for the media. So, when the Apple vs. FBI story broke, my PR team quickly mobilized flagging stories to our client and advising on ways to leverage the news for their benefit.

    My team effectively used the current news to attract media to attend a candid interview and Q&A with FBI’s general counsel, just one high-profile panel at the client’s upcoming Global Privacy Summit. By staying on top of daily news and tracking trending conversations on Twitter, we effectively attracted key journalists covering the story to the event and secured coverage in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and many more.

    For this art form to work well, however, there’s four simple strategies to follow:

    1. Read

    So much of what we do as public relations professionals is driven by the news, so our knowledge of the daily breaking news is vital to the success of any media relations program. To keep up on the news:

    1.    Set up Google Alerts on key topics related to your client’s area of expertise or thought leadership platform.
    2.    Sign up for e-newsletters from relevant trade organizations, major industry press and blogs.
    3.    Subscribe to curated media platform like theSkimm which provide news in bite size format
    4.    Use social media:
      • Follow journalists on Twitter. This allows you to stay on top of news that’s important to your target media and helps build a relationship with journalists
      • Look for trending hashtags. Both Twitter and Facebook have streams showcasing news stories and topics that are most popular amongst users.
      • Use Twitter lists to organize by client or field, and then browse your list each day to see what’s being discussed in that industry.

    2. Real-time Responses

    Staying informed on trending news stories and topics related to clients’ fields is a non-negotiable as is responding in a timely fashion. In his bestselling book, “Newsjacking: How to Inject your Ideas into a Breaking News Story and Generate Tons of Media Coverage,” author and PR strategist, David Meerman Scott, writes about how to grab the attention of highly engaged audiences by taking advantage of breaking news.

    “Newsjacking is powerful, but only when executed in real-time,” David writes. “It is about taking advantage of opportunities that pop up for a fleeting moment then disappear. In that instant, if you are clever enough to add a new dimension to the story in real-time, the news media will write about you.”

    News hype doesn’t stick around for long – a few hours, maybe days and if we’re lucky, a few weeks. But the earlier you can seize the story, the more likely it will benefit you and your client in a big way. If you wait too long to contribute to the discussion, the more voices you’ll be competing against.

    3. Relevancy Matters

    Make sure the news you’re “jacking” relates directly to a client’s core messages and/or the position of the organizations’ thought leaders.

    When Verizon was in a deal to purchase Yahoo, Matter’s PR team quickly latched on to the patent purchase involved in the deal, offering our client – an intellectual property attorney – as a source for journalist. This ultimately landed us coverage in a key trade publication.

    4. Is it the Right Story?

    Avoid newsjacking negative stories unless your company has a legitimate tie to the news.

    Facebook was in a heap of trouble for broadcasting the murder of a Cleveland man on Easter. Offering a client to speak on privacy implications and the need for regulations related to streaming video on social media – that’s a legitimate news tie that will add value for reporters covering the story.

    On the other hand, there’s times when newsjacking can go very gone. When the World Trade Center collapsed on 9/11, Quantum Tech issued a press release two days later with the headline: ‘WTC Collapse Highlights Need for Quantum Tech’s Remote Backup.” It covered how its customer, Morgan Stanley, could function the very next day despite its offices being destroyed in the attack because it used an off-site remote backup facility to store its data. The press release was retracted and the person responsible was subsequently fired.

    It’s important to approach newsjacking ethically and sensitively. Think about the ways you can use real-time engagement authentically to further advance the current dialogue. Any questions about methods you’re currently deploying, feel free to leave them in the comments!

    Emily Quirk

    , , , ,

  • Politics and PR: To Speak or Not To Speak

    Politics and PR: To Speak or Not To Speak

    Wiretapping. Conflicts of interest. Russia. Twitter. Fake news.

    From a public relations perspective, the events originating from and surrounding the current administration are jaw-dropping. The news pipeline is a perpetual PR case study, making for spirited conversations among media professionals. Yet when it comes to the business world – especially relating to PR initiatives – there’s an uneasiness and trepidation around discussing political developments. As with previous administrations, the unwritten rule has been to remain silent and focus on the traditional business at hand.

    It’s time to rewrite that rule.

    If there’s ever an opportunity to broach the U.S. political scene and the state of America on the business fronts, it’s now. The seismic and overlapping shifts in societal, media, legal and political landscapes are making for anxious times. PR professionals, however, are uniquely equipped to raise uncomfortable topics given our training and experience. Human dynamics fuel us, and that fascination is often the basis of our most successful PR approaches and strategies.

    For PR professionals, engaging a company’s leadership proactively about the policies under debate or consideration on Capitol Hill will lead to important conversations. If done appropriately, those discussions will, at a minimum, strengthen relationships, the core of effective PR programs. At a maximum, such discussions will help enlighten the public about issues that may well have an impact on their own interests – business or personal. The key is to focus on how we approach a political topic during uneasy times.

    Step Back. Detach.

    An initial step is to check personal political opinions and keep them out of the conversation. This isn’t about changing anyone’s political leanings. This is about business, specifically advancing an enterprise’s goals and advancing (or sometimes protecting) reputations. Focus on the impact of any potential regulatory or legislative change from D.C. by cutting through the political personalities, hyperbole and drama. Drill down to the real, practical, fact-based significance of an issue.

    For financial sector enterprises (including fintech), activity relating to Dodd-Frank, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is highly relevant. For energy clients, the future of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For automotive clients, infrastructure and trade developments are vital. For law firms and professional services, court appointees and regulatory changes across all industries would resonate depending on practice areas. For healthcare and biotech, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is key. For the high-tech sector, H-1B visas are front and center.

    Some topics will be trickier to address than others, though by focusing on the practical impact of a matter, a PR team can tap into a thought leader’s experience and expertise to help position them as an unbiased authority on an important relevant issue. Below are a few practical PR pointers for businesses gleaned from a Matter panel discussion.

    Know your stuff.

    Before broaching any subject with a reporter, read up on the topics, including perspectives from all sides for a comprehensive understanding of the issue. Expand your news sources. Check-out trade association sites and newsletters as they are often on the front line of debates and are up-to-date.

    Look at the big picture.

    Consider the impact not only on your enterprise, though on an entire industry. Articulate the impact on the larger picture, which resonates more with the media. Ask yourself open-ended questions:

    • What issues in D.C. will affect my industry?
      • What is the potential impact of XYZ?
      • Where does my enterprise stand on XYZ?
    • Whom among my leadership team should be involved in determining the impact and whether to engage publicly on an issue?
    • Who are my target audiences and why should they care?

    Weigh the pros and cons.

    Exposure can be great if a CEO or institution takes a stand. The true barometer of success with that approach, however, is how their target audiences would react. An uptick in headlines and coverage is great, though meaningless if it doesn’t advance business goals – or worse, alienate current or potential clients as well as employees.

    Vet your position.

    Work with your PR team to look for holes in your points and theories before engaging the media. PR is all about reputation, so be sure a unique and meaningful element is added to an issue – and back it up. No alternate facts, please.

    Be prepared for worst-case scenarios.

    Regardless of whether a company decides to engage, a crisis communication protocol is key, including how to respond to a negative, early-morning Tweet from the leader of the free world. (Since the election, Donald Trump has tweeted about 62 companies, large and small, according to Yahoo! Finance — and there is no indication that the Tweets will subside.) If there’s an upside to engaging in a political issue, create a plan and be proactive. If there are anticipated challenges, create a plan and continue to assess a situation. The ideal route may to remain passive – or engage if there’s more upside to being proactive. Each scenario differs, though the takeaway here is to have a plan, which helps in minimizing panic when and if a crisis hits.

    Diving into a political debate – especially during today’s climate – is an uncomfortable endeavor, though the United States is a nation of laws and regulations. Now more than ever, what is going on in D.C. will have an impact on several industries and, by extension, businesses as well as their clients and employees. It’s our responsibility as PR professionals to connect the dots for clients to spur important conversations to learn more about the potential impact. Doing so not only provides a healthy discussion about leveraging media opportunities, it also enlightens those involved, and that can only raise the bar during these extraordinarily uneasy times.

    Claire Papanastasiou

    , ,

  • 5 Steps to Validating Your Campaign Concept

    5 Steps to Validating Your Campaign Concept

    In a world where consumers are increasingly demanding social responsibility from their chosen brands, it’s imperative that said brands refrain from turning social movements into tropes to be exploited. The consequences, as Pepsi found out last week, can be severe. On Tuesday, the soda brand attempted to capitalize on the perceived Social Justice Warrior generation with an ad disarming a police blockade using a can of delicious cola delivered by the stunning in slow-mo Kendall Jenner. What they got instead of cheering crowds and a Coachella dance party was an enraged social media mob. How did things go so wrong? Here are 5 steps to validating your campaign concept.

    https://twitter.com/jbarro/status/849391281893769218

    1. Make sure your spokesperson is relevant.

    Pepsi is only the latest in a series of big name brands getting tripped up by misreading public opinion. Last year Budweiser pulled an ad series amidst backlash for Seth Rogan and Amy Schumer advocating the gender spectrum in a commercial called “Labels”. While the reasons might be multi-faceted, one important question that was overlooked is “Are these spokespeople really the best choice?” Kendall Jenner is undeniably glamorous, but it’s that glamour that made her as wrong for the Pepsi spot as Rogan and Schumer were for Budweiser. If you’re going to use a celebrity to represent your brand within a cause, make sure that it’s a cause they’re known for supporting. No one is going to bat an eye at Matt Damon in a Poland Spring commercial about making clean water available to everyone, but Lance Armstrong supporting a healthy lifestyle? Don’t shoe-horn a supermodel into the middle of a protesting crowd. You can do better than that.

    2. Be genuine.

    Whichever side of whichever issue you happen to be on, it’s clear that there are as many problems facing our world as proposed ways to fix them. And with the key demographic of young, active people increasingly getting involved it might look like prime real estate to advertisers. If you’re going to drink from those waters however, it’s vital that your message be formed around the movement and not the other way around. Airbnb’s Super Bowl ad about acceptance is a prime example of how to do it right. The 30 second spot is filled with messaging about racial, orientation, religious and gender co-operation all packaged with some beautiful photography and clever editing. In fact, you can’t even tell it’s a commercial; rather than a PSA, until the last 2 seconds when the hashtag #weaccept flashes over the company’s logo. It’s a touching commentary set over soft piano music that could easily move one to tears, and into an Airbnb partnership.

    3. Don’t hop on the bandwagon, build it.

    Along the same lines as being relevant, don’t play ‘social movement roulette’ when choosing where to focus your efforts. Recently Lyft has been held up as the paradigm for “good is the new cool” putting its money where its mouth is by headlining corporate values and with programs like “Round Up & Donate”. Anyone can get behind adopting puppies, but how is that applicable to your brand? Making the world a better place is a wide scope; be specific, make it personal, and build a cause rather than borrowing one. 

    4. Make a list of what you’ll be praised AND criticized for.

    This one should be obvious, but there are some nuances that may be as difficult to grasp as a soda can. Going back to Budweiser, its 2017 Super Bowl ad extolling the virtues of immigrants received just as much hostility as it did praise. The company has gone on record in saying that it’s only coincidence that the commercial aired at the same time the White House announced its controversial travel ban, but that’s not the point. What is clear is that observant people sat down and considered the content from the audience’s perspective and decided that the cause was in keeping with their values despite the criticism it might receive.

    https://twitter.com/RonanFarrow/status/849407386502778884

    5. Put it all under a microscope, before your audience does.

    Can you find a person over 30 in the Pepsi commercial? Or one that doesn’t look like they stopped for that protest on the way to a GQ runway? It’s well known that people like looking at attractive people, but when your campaign is going to be seen as sponsorship for a social cause, it’s critical to include a healthy dose of reality. Remember that your audience is going to be looking at every frame, every street sign, every license plate. Not every faux pas may be as obvious as Nivea’s “White Is Purity” but if it’s in there, the internet will find it and you do /not/ want to be the next #prnightmare.

    https://twitter.com/krojasjoy/status/849771606494859264

    With the bar of advertising creativity on a constant rise, it might be tempting to use current events to punctuate your content campaigns. And it can pay off big like it has for Airbnb, Lyft, and Delta, if you can remain genuine and critical of what it is you’re saying to the audience. It’s important, nay required, that if you’re going to tap into people’s passion for social justice, you do it with the same concern that you would religion. If someone on your review team says that having Heidi Klum seduce the Dalai Lama with a cheeseburger is in bad taste, you probably shouldn’t have her offer it to a police blockade instead. Just sayin’.

    Matter

    ,
    , , , ,

  • All the Fake News That’s Fit to Argue About

    All the Fake News That’s Fit to Argue About

    As you might’ve heard, we had an election this past November.

    Perhaps you were living under a rock in a locked container that was hermetically sealed and then buried in the earth’s mantle before going on a top-secret mission to the planet’s core? Yeah, you probably still heard.

    Along with tax returns, email servers and plenty of other subjects, fake news on social media platforms was a much-discussed topic. And like Election Day itself, the implications of fake news on social will reverberate well beyond this election season.

    Here’s a cliff notes version, for those who didn’t follow it closely:

    There was an enormous amount of misinformation on social platforms about politics in the run-up to the election. A lot of us get political information from social platforms, Facebook in particular. Some people who worked for social networks had serious reservations about their role almost immediately. In the months since Tuesday November 8, Facebook has unveiled new ways to fight fake news, while Twitter introduced tools to mute and report hateful conduct, a longstanding issue on the platform.

    /></p> <h2><b>Will social networks sort it out for us?</b></h2> <p><span style=How about it, then? Will social media companies, featuring some of the best and brightest, be able to settle for us what’s fake news and what isn’t?

    In a word… nope! Here’s why they are sure to fail, told through one small example.

    Among a certain group of people, it’s long been fashionable to declare that certain other people don’t pay any federal income tax. If true, that seems kind of unfair, right? Like they’re getting off easy?

    The thing is, they aren’t. The reason that many U.S. workers don’t pay federal income tax is because they don’t make all that much money, and in fact many people who fit that description pay a higher percentage of their income due to local taxes, payroll taxes and the like.

    If the above example seems abstract, here’s why it matters. The phrase in question (50% of the people in this country pay no income tax!) is true, but it can give voters exactly the wrong overarching idea (that others who make less have it easier than them).

    Would the above be an example of “fake news?” That’s hard to say. A more appropriate term is “technically true, but grossly misleading.”

    Most political rhetoric lives in that kind of gray area, because it allows candidates to push their agendas without saying outright falsehoods. This is part of the reason that it has traditionally been tricky to catch a politician lying outright.

    How brands can steer clear

    From their perspective, large brands should steer clear of this entire debate on social, with a few notable exceptions. Political arguments often bring more heat than light, and that’s especially true when they take place online. Except for brands with a very clear identity that matches their customer base (think Ben & Jerry’s), politics is a high-voltage area and should not be entered lightly.

    Most companies with a couple dozen employees or more are probably serving stakeholders of all political ideologies and persuasions. Because of that, even if they think all their customers will agree with a particular statement, putting it out there courts more risk than reward, because in this era, there’s precious little that’s considered consensus across the aisle.

    At the end of the day, social networks can’t fix the problem of fake news, because it’s a lot bigger than them. The fake news fight is one more manifestation of America’s political polarization. And solving that problem is well above even Mark Zuckerberg’s paygrade.

    Matter

    , , , ,

  • A Newcomer’s Guide to Drone Videography

    A Newcomer’s Guide to Drone Videography

     At this day in age, it’s amazing to think that remote controlled drones (or UAVs) are becoming a part of everyday life. They can be seen in search and rescue applications, lighting scenarios, and of course aerial videography. When it comes to other places it can be useful, the sky is the limit (pun intended).

     

    Let me preface this write-up by stating that I am still a newcomer to the drone videography world. My goal for a while has been to learn any video rig I can get my hands on, and this is the most logical next step. The value in drone videography is obvious as well; shots from the sky add an interesting perspective to your video that simply cannot be replicated.

    At first I was under the impression that someone can go out and buy one of these and use it freely, similar to a remote controlled car- boy was I wrong. Here are a few tips and other things you should consider when becoming a drone enthusiast

    1. Start Small: A drone big enough for a camera complete with all the necessary batteries, prop guards, gimbal, and controllers will set you back at least a couple thousand dollars. Before making such a purchase, I found that buying this $70 drone is a great stepping-stone before graduating to the bigger contraptions. It helps with getting a feel for the controls, air resistance, and aerial maneuvering. It’s also inevitable that you’re going to have a few crash landings, which won’t damage it because of the small size (the drone in the link fits in the palm of your hand).
    1. Take a Class: Flying a drone is not a “plug and play” solution. There are important details such as calibration, course setting, home lock, airport communications, and many other things you need to know that can’t be summed up in a brief YouTube video. I found that taking an in-person course really helped me get familiar with both the drone and the app. The instructors are all licensed helicopter pilots who can address any other questions you may have, and there’s a block of class time that’s used for flight practice.
    1. Stay Current with Government Regulations: The FAA controls all of the airspace in our atmosphere. Whether it’s a few inches above your head or 400 feet off the ground, they are the ones who make the rules. It’s important to read up on their current and proposed regulations, so that you don’t get ticketed or fined for flying illegally. Right now, in order to make money from flying you’ll need to obtain an FAA 333 Exemption, or be a commercial airline pilot. While this paperwork can be easily applied for, it takes roughly six months for it to get approved and sent back. I’m writing this blog in June, and it’s been rumored that the FAA will be coming out with a separate set of drone pilot regulations this month. We’re still waiting on that, which leaves a lot of us commercial drone pilot hopefuls in limbo.
    1. Practice, Practice, Practice: Similar to the first tip I covered earlier in this blog, you can never have enough practice. After all, a great aerial shot cannot be achieved without great aerial maneuvering. Setup a chair or trash barrel in your yard and practice orbiting around it, with the nose of the drone constantly facing the subject. Once you’ve mastered that, give these a try.

    To sum it all up, it seems like drone flying is a hobby/professional tool that is here to stay. It’s an activity that should be done with safety as the number one concern, and enthusiasts should not rush to the finish line. I’ll leave you with my three favorite drone videos on YouTube (1) (2) (3). Happy flying!

    Fill out the form below to schedule a free strategy call with our team.



    Matter

    , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • 25 Storylines We’re Anticipating Ahead of Super Bowl 50

    As PR/social media/content creation pros, we’re all natural born storytellers at Matter.

    During these two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, there is a huge vacuum to fill on the airwaves, on sports (and now more than ever) entertainment blogs, newspapers, magazines, websites, etc.  So we are here to help. Inspired perhaps by the song “88 Lines About 44 Women” here are “25 Storylines about Super Bowl 50” – some we fully expect to see and a few we would like to.

    1. Peyton Manning vs. Cam Newton – Yes, quarterbacks simply get too much of the glory and the blame in these games. Also, QBs are never on the field at the same time, but the “wily old vet” versus the young buck is always a compelling discussion thread and this one is already on full throttle.
    2. Tennessee vs. Auburn – No matter how long guys are in the NFL they still love their alma maters and they love to trash talk. This SEC rivalry isn’t the strongest right now, but it does add to the intrigue. It’s one more layer to storyline one, SEC East (Manning’s Vols) vs. SEC West (Newton’s Tigers).
    3. Rest for the Wicked? – How much will a week’s rest help Manning’s ailing right arm? He has trouble hitting the 20-yard out play with regularity and if last Sunday is any indication, he’ll fade in the second half and the dying quail throws will emerge.
    4. Under PRESSure – Why has the national media essentially ignored the Manning-HGH issue? We seem to remember another big-time QB getting hammered in the media at this time last year and wonder why Peyton gets a free pass.  Where’s Michael Lewis when we need a real investigative journalist? Will DeadSpin, Bleacher Report or even TMZ Sports uncover some new sources and use the eve of the game to break open a new element to this HGH story?
    5. Singing the Unsung’s Praises – In big games, big players make big plays, or so goes the cliché. But it is not always the household name that does so in the Super Bowl. What do Malcolm Butler, J.R. Redmond, Jack Squierek, and David Tyree have in common? What lesser-known player steps up with a huge interception, blocked kick, fumble recovery or touchdown to turn the tide? It’s one of the better sub-plots to follow.
    6. Coaching Matters – Nether Gary Kubiak nor Ron Rivera are mentioned as the top minds in the game today and neither has coached in a Super Bowl. Yet, both are respected and have been to Super Bowls as players or assistant coaches. Who has the edge and how much does coaching matter on this big stage? Just ask Pete Carroll or his offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
    7. Net Neutrality – Pats fans know all too well how much of an impact the raucous Denver crowd had on the AFC Championship game. What impact does the neutral site have on this game and whose team will “travel better”? This one would appear to be a toss-up.
    8. Arrested Developments – Unfortunately, boys will be boys and trouble can easily be found, during an off-week and all its distractions. Hello Chandler Jones? Which player will get arrested or do something dumb to earn a little time on the pine or worse, a suspension?
    9. Wild Horses – The Denver running game was largely bottled up by The Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Yet, it is a strength of the Kubiak offense. Can Ronnie Hillman and CJ Anderson run through or around the Panther D in the big game?  Expect more from these two even though Carolina had the third-best run defense (69 yards allowed this year.
    10. Gospel of Luke – Former BC linebacker Luke Kuechly is an underrated superstar who doesn’t get the national attention he deserves despite being among the elite at his position. That changes Sunday at about 9 PM EST.
    11. Dancing and Dabbing – Newton seems to have cornered the market on dabbing this year in the NFL but if Manning rumbles for a TD run, might he show off his moves? Let’s hope not. And it says here Newton will and should show his emotions after scoring. It’s entertainment, folks.
    12. Will Coldplay Bring the Heat? – Nothing will ever top U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name” tribute to 9/11 victims in the 2002 Super Bowl in New Orleans (Pats win over Rams) but Chris Martin and the boys should definitely outdo some of the underwhelming recent Super gigs (Madonna? Please, Beyoncé, etc.)
    13. All-Points Bulletin – “Bulletin board material” is eschewed by our beloved Patriots, but someone on Denver or Carolina is bound to say something to a reporter or let loose on twitter or Instagram that they will regret. Who will it be and will it backfire?
    14. Turnovers Tell the Tale – Carson Palmer had more turnovers than a bakery vs. Carolina last Sunday and he had a helluva year for the Cards. How does that bode for Manning?  Good news for Denver fans is Hilllman and Anderson protect the ball.
    15. Strength vs. Strength – Irresistible forces (Newton, Jonathan Stewart, Greg Hardy) vs. immovable objects (Von Miller, Derek Wolfe, DeMarcus Ware). Something has to give. Those battles could be epic.
    16. Old Vs. New (Chapter 1) – Denver has had an NFL team (AFL actually back then) since 1959 and this is the Broncos’ fourth Super Bowl appearance; upstart Carolina did not debut until 1996. Their only other Super Bowl appearance came in 2004 against… you guessed it, New England and the Pats prevailed 32-29 in a nail biter.
    17. The Zebra Watch – All season long the NFL refs have been in a word, awful. Inconsistency has been their only consistency and in several cases, blown calls have directly affected out comes of big games.  To their credit, the officiating crews in the playoffs this year have been pretty good; very good in fact in the Championship rounds.  If they are not the story, that will be a story. Let ‘em play.
    18. What Happens in Vegas – Carolina is a currently a 3.5 favorite. That sounds really low considering the beat down they gave Arizona. Where will the smart money be going? One man’s vote is Carolina and the over. But the fan in me is looking for the proverbial “close enough to keep it interesting.”
    19. Close Encounters – The past two decades have produced a number of Super Blow Outs including two Denver appearances (2014 and 1990). Can Denver keep it close? Will Carolina start slow and then start to tense up?  Who wins this one if it comes down to the fourth quarter or OT?
    20. Doubting Thomas – Denver’s big tight end Demaryius Thomas is a physical specimen whose inconsistent play, especially in big games, is puzzling, if not downright frustrating to Broncos fans. If he steps up and makes a few big catches, particularly in the Red Zone, Denver has a chance.
    21. Mad Men and Ad Men – From an advertising standpoint, which brand will steal the show and have everyone talking during and after the game? Will the best ads trend old school and actually launch on the CBS broadcast or might we see something first on Facebook, Twitter or elsewhere. Who’s likely to kick off killer creative – GEICO? Bud Light? Go Daddy? Nationwide? Under Armour?
    22. Peyton’s Place – Often derided – especially here in New England – for a sub-par post-season record and “only” one ring, Manning can pen the ultimate script to the ending of a stellar career with a win – just like his boss, John Elway.
    23. New Nationwide Jingles – Speaking of Nationwide, we all know the “chicken parm you taste so good” jingle but it’s getting a bit long in the tooth. Here are a few that might be suitable replacement. Peyton wants to win one more. Cam Newton’s a football God. Hope we get a decent game. Wonder who will this one?
    24. Old vs. New (Chapter 2) – Does anyone care about DraftKings and FanDuel for the rest of the year? Or are the fantasy sites taking a back seat to the good old fashioned office and bar-room pools where you buy a square and hope for the winning score at the end of the quarter and game? One thing is for certain, that is a purely game of luck and not skill!
    25. Best Super Bowl Performance Ever? – There are so many qualified candidates and so many ways to judge this. Is it a team or individual award? Clutchest field goal kick? Adam Vinatieri vs. Rams in 2002. Boldest prediction that was backed up? New York Jet QB Joe Willie Namath in Super Bowl III vs. the heavily favored Baltimore Colts. Toughest running performance – Marcus Allen rambled for 191 yards on 20 carries against Washington in Super Bowl XVIII. Most dominating defense? Chicago Bears in 1985 over the then hapless Patriots. And of course the four rings won by Tom Brady and his fellow Bay Area idol Joe Montana usually top most lists.

    What have we missed? What stories are you hoping to hear or read between now and kick off on Feb. 7?

    Matter

    , , , , , ,

  • 4 Reasons Why Digital Video Will Win The Decade

    4 Reasons Why Digital Video Will Win The Decade

    Last week at CES 2016 in Las Vegas, Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer at YouTube, presented the keynote on why digital video will win the decade – and video and content marketers should take note.

    But before diving in, let’s refer back to 2012 when Kyncl made some bold predictions. He said that by 2020, “90% of all internet traffic was going to be video traffic,” and “75% of all video people watched in the US was going to be transmitted through the internet.” Fast forward to the CES 2016 Keynote, Kyncl justified his predictions by educating the crowd:

    • “Cisco predicts that video will actually reach around 90% of global internet traffic by 2019 – so a full year ahead of schedule.”
    • “By 2020…digital video will only reach about 60% of the total pie, not 75, as predicted.”

    However, Kyncl is standing by his latter prediction because he doesn’t think digital video will grow linearly – currently at 25% a year – but exponentially. “So, this being Vegas, I’m doubling down. I believe digital video will overtake TV to become the single largest way people spend free time before the end of the decade,” states Kyncl.

    Per Kyncl, here are four reasons why digital video will win the decade:

    1. It’s inherently mobile

    Bigger, brighter and sharper screens, longer battery life, stronger and faster data speeds, and better sound quality are all trends producing devices constantly improving on the mobile video viewing experience. “And app makers and publishers, from Snapchat to The New York Times, are all investing in making video a core part of their experiences, accelerating mobile video consumption,” adds Kyncl. “And on YouTube, the average time people spend watching video on their mobile device is forty minutes, a gain of 50% year-on-year.”

    2. It’s endlessly diverse

    With digital video, not only can audiences share and search, but choose to consume at their leisure. The mobility is “successfully changing the way we consume video into the way we consume books – you can find one on whatever interests you and consume it whenever and wherever you want,” explains Kyncl. “That openness has led to incredible content diversity. Not only do we have videos on every topic imaginable, entirely new genres of video have been born on YouTube.”

    3. It’s never been more important to music

    Aside from sleeping and working, watching video is the #1 way people spend their time. What’s #2? Listening to music – at just over four hours a day. “And YouTube is a major source of that music,” Kyncl reports, “More than half of all teenagers use [YouTube] as their main way to find and listen to new artists, in large part because we have the biggest and best music library available. If an artist has a live performance, a remix, an acoustic version or an out of print track, chances are you can find it on YouTube. But the best thing about music on YouTube is that music videos can become massive phenomena, whether they’re from established or emerging artists.”

    4. It’s immersive in a way TV can never be

    CES 2016 product and technology trends in Virtual Reality and 360 video are at the forefront of this statement, and leading content creators around the world are using this technology to tell richer, immersive, and interactive stories.

    “Already on Android and soon in iOS, you’ll be able to watch any video on YouTube in VR…making VR truly democratic and primed to grow exponentially,” concludes Kyncl.

    These four reasons and trends all point to digital video’s success during the decade.

    To watch Robert Kyncl’s Keynote in its entirety with compelling cameos from Scooter Braun, founder of SB Projects, Nick Woodman, CEO of GoPro, and Chris Milk, CEO of Vrse, carve out an hour for the video below:

    Fill out the form below to schedule a free strategy call with our team.



    Tim Bradley

    , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • 3 Video Trends for 2016

    2015 was a great year for online video – just check out the excellently crafted and entertaining #YouTubeRewind video. And there’s no signs of the momentum slowing as we enter 2016. From a communication professional’s perspective, I’d like to offer-up three trends that will likely have the greatest impact on how video will influence the industry in 2016.

    1. Mobile Video

    50% of video views will be via mobile in 2016. And more specifically, the biggest video platform of them all and the one that reaches more 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S., YouTube, supports that more than half of their video views come from mobile devices. Adults in the U.S. spend an average of 5.5 hours watching video each day, with 1 hour and 16 minutes of that on digital devices. Mobile video should be the biggest consideration for online communicators, especially in public relations and content marketing.

    2. Attention Spans and Viewing Habits

    Mobile devices and their connected counterparts (aka TVs) will continue to contribute to video viewing behaviors and ultimately increased attention spans. 81% of consumers watch videos longer than 10 minutes, and 65% watch videos longer than 30 minutes. Holistically, the number of hours people spend watching videos on YouTube has increased by 60% year-over-year. For mobile YouTube audiences, the average viewing session is now greater than 40 minutes. One interesting tidbit to note is that the weather can actually impact viewing habits; viewers watch 29% longer in cold weather while consumers watch 6x more video content on mobile devices during warm weather.

    3. Demand and Advertising

    According to Cisco’s staggering numbers, video traffic will be 69% of all consumer internet traffic in 2017 and could reach 80% by 2019. Fortunately, video converts better than any other medium according to approximately 70% of marketing professionals, likely due to the fact that the average click-through-rate for video advertisement is higher than any other digital advertisement.

    1+1=$

    YouTube’s mobile revenue has doubled year over year, and according to an eMarketer study, mobile ad spend will top $100 billion which accounts for more than 50% of the digital market. Despite all this, there’s still a huge opportunity for digital content marketers and advertisers in 2016, as only 24% of brands are using online video to market to consumers.

    Ultimately, video will have a remarkable role in how audiences engage online, as well as greatly influence content marketing and advertising budgets in 2016. Research shows 60% of companies who have a documented content marketing strategy rate themselves highly in terms of effectiveness, so it’s very important to have a documented video strategy for – and proceeding into – 2016.

    ###

    Sources:
    https://www.youtube.com/yt/press/en-GB/statistics.html
    http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Mobile-Ad-Spend-Top-100-Billion-Worldwide-2016-51-of-Digital-Market/1012299
    http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/service-provider/ip-ngn-ip-next-generation-network/white_paper_c11-481360.html
    http://www.codefuel.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics-for-2015-the-next-big-thing-is-here
    http://kantarmedia.us/insight-center/reports
    http://www.emarketer.com/Article/US-Adults-Spend-55-Hours-with-Video-Content-Each-Day/1012362
    http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2014/26719/2015-will-be-the-year-of-video-marketing
    http://www.reelseo.com/50-per-cent-video-views-mobile-2016/
    http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2016_B2C_Research_Final.pdf

    Tim Bradley

    , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Trusting the Storyteller

    An important disclosure: I’m a fan of Brian Williams. I like his reporting style, his humor on late night talk shows and dashing good looks. I like that he reports the tough news of the day with gravitas and a baritone voice. All the while, I thought that he didn’t take his celebrity too seriously and therefore could mock it. That wasn’t a problem, until now.

    Last week, it was revealed that Williams exaggerated his involvement in a helicopter accident during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Through the extensive Williams-gate coverage and commentary, the public has learned how the story has changed and warped over the years. While the Iraq incident was bad enough, his reporting of Katrina is also being brought into question for possible inaccuracies. Williams has since apologized on air, cancelled public appearances and decided to take a short break from the desk at “NBC Nightly News.”

    While many Reddit users and internet gumshoes scramble to prove William’s guilt, the truth is, the “truth” doesn’t matter anymore. Just like Williams’ twisting narrative, the American viewer’s minds have been twisted with a seed of doubt. Similar to witnesses being questioned by Dragnet’s Sgt. Joe Friday, Williams’ entire profession is based on reporting “just the facts.” Can you trust someone who confuses whether or not they were in a helicopter shot down by a RPG?

    And yet, that’s exactly what NBC News and its parent company Comcast is hoping for – viewer’s trust. With Lester Holt filling in this week, NBC News is hoping things will quiet down, no more incriminating evidence appears and Williams can return to his coveted No. 1 nightly news slot.

    However, for a news organization that has covered poorly handled PR nightmares, you would think NBC would know the “hope and wait” approach won’t work for a man who has spent his entire career speaking to the American public. Williams’ absence and silence has only led to more speculation as to what else has been exaggerated. Williams should have been more transparent about the incident rather than trying to spin it during his apology last week. With so many fact checkers employed by NBC News, how did it take this long to fact check their own anchor? Or was he just too big of a star to fail?

    As The New Yorker noted, “Each of them [news anchors] is seen in roughly eight to ten million homes nightly. They are seen by many more people, and more frequently, than any movie star. To walk down a street with an anchor is to be stunned both by how many people recognize them and how many viewers call out to them about specific stories. There’s a respectful familiarity different from the awe displayed to Hollywood celebrities. The anchor is treated as the citizen’s trusted guide to the news. As a result, they can feel expected to dominate discussions, to tell war stories, to play God. It’s a short distance from there to telling fantastic stories—and maybe actually believing them.”

    This whole incident has made me reassess of how I digest the news. How long has it been since I really took nightly broadcast news seriously in terms of ground breaking investigations? Or were they just an easy way to disseminate the fast facts of the day? A visual twitter feed, if you will. New York Times’ Maureen Dowd said it perfectly in her column this Sunday. “As the performers — Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver and Bill Maher — were doing more serious stuff, the supposedly serious guys were doing more performing. The anchors pack their Hermès ties and tight T-shirts and fly off to hot spots for the performance aspect, because the exotic and dangerous backdrops confer the romance of Hemingway covering the Spanish Civil War.”

    While I am giving Williams the benefit of the doubt that not everything has been embellished, the saddest thing about this whole scenario is that it is taking away from what really matters – the news of the day. The news that people need to know. The news that is factual, relevant and important. The news that will impact our economy, our world and our lives.

    Let Williams come back, read the prompter and see if the American public can move on. And if they can’t, well then perhaps it’s time that Williams starts performing somewhere else.

    Laura Peck

    , , , ,

  • How Doing Good in Online Video Can Help Your Brand Do Well

     

    I find all too often that companies are using online video as a means to hammer home their services, products, values, and messaging- and just that. We all know the stats about how video is an engaging way to showcase what your business can do, but unless you’re the creator of an exciting new consumer tech product or are offering a deal that’s almost too good to be true, who is going to share your visual message with their friends? In a digital world where social media is king, you need to be continuously thinking about the connection your video is making to basic human emotions. I believe that these philanthropic initiative videos have incredible shareability.

    There seems to be a trend we’ve been noticing here in the office where videos that showcase a brand’s effort to do good in its community are able to trigger that warm and fuzzy feeling to its audience. I think brands need to stop thinking of Facebook feeds as a place where it can just upload glorified TV commercials, with hopes that people will flock to its website and buy more stuff. Taking a stance on a social issue and contributing to a good cause is equally or maybe more powerful. Notice how in the Tim Horton’s video they never mention how inexpensive the coffee is, or how good the muffins taste? Sammy the Explorer never talks about how Hurley’s surfboards are going to help you ride out that wave that is 10 feet overhead. They just want you to see that they’re making an effort to brighten an unsuspecting person’s day, or make the world a better place.

    I think a company should first think about who are its consumers, and what they care about. Do they care about the environment? Poverty? Then, create a video that showcases how your initiative affects people; how it makes them feel. It is crucial to focus on the emotions of the people in the video, without littering it with your company’s logo and branding. Even at the end, directing the audience to a microsite where they can learn more about your cause seems to be the way to go. Just don’t try and sell them anything just yet.

    My main takeaway from these volunteering/philanthropic brand videos is that it’s equally as effective to win people through their hearts, and not necessarily the lowest price point or clever slogan. Make viewers feel good on the inside, and they’ll be forever yours.

    Matter

    , , , , , , , , , , , ,