• The Retail Roundup: COVID-19 Edition – Take 2

    The Retail Roundup: COVID-19 Edition – Take 2

    Coronavirus continues to accelerate dramatic changes across the retail industry, and it’s hard to imagine what the sector will be like for businesses and shoppers in a post-pandemic world. According to a new report from market research company Euromonitor, U.S. retail sales could be down by an estimated 6.5% this year. For comparison, retail sales were down just 2.2% in 2009, the year the Great Recession ended.

    While many factors could alter the course for retailers, including another outbreak or shoppers’ willingness to return to stores, current headlines affirm that the pandemic will have long-lasting and likely permanent impacts on customer behavior and the retail landscape. Here are a few key themes we’ve seen being covered across publications:

    Retail Divide 

    Apparel retailers and department store operators continue to report on operating losses and declining profits, with many announcing temporary and permanent layoffs in an effort to cut costs during this time. Neiman Marcus, J.Crew, Stage Stores and J.C. Penney have already filed for bankruptcy during the crisis. And just last week, Macy’s announced forecasts of up to a $1 billion quarterly loss while Kohl’s net sales tanked 43.5% during the first quarter due to lockdowns. 

    E-commerce players and essential-item retailers that stayed open throughout the quarantine – such as Target, Walmart and Home Depot – saw sales surge in the last quarter as shoppers stocked up on household goods. To keep up with demand and retain their workforce, both Target and Walmart have stated they plan to continue offering wage increases for workers as a result of the pandemic.

    As consumers continue to engage in “relief” spending – some retailers will continue to see unprecedented demand, while others look to stay afloat. 

    Relevant Articles:

    “Dark” Stores + Fulfillment Strategies 

    The surge in online shopping has caused retailers to rethink the way they use their store space. To manage the massive increase in online orders and provide faster deliveries, many are turning their shuttered brick-and-mortar locations into “dark stores” that moonlight as fulfillment centers. Because staff do not have to work cash registers or help customers, it makes it much easier for the retailer to rapidly fulfill online orders.

    This has become particularly common in the grocery industry amid record demand for online orders, with Whole Foods opening a total of six dark stores, and chains like Giant Eagle, Kroger and Stop & Shop leveraging the strategy to fulfill delivery and pickup orders. 

    Walmart and Target, as well as fashion brands, have converted stores into fulfillment centers, too. Bed Bath & Beyond recently announced plans to transition 25% of its stores into regional fulfillment centers, and Gap has been fulfilling and shipping online orders from 1,000 locations. 

    Gap, REI, as well as other clothing chains, have started to reopen these stores for business by offering curbside pickup to trim down transportation costs and further boost fulfillment capabilities. 

    Relevant Articles:

    Re-opening of Stores

    As US states continue to loosen restrictions on stay-at-home orders, retailers are announcing their plans for the slow re-opening of store locations and preventative steps taken to ensure shopper and worker safety. People want to feel safe, get their lives back to normal, and start shopping again, but as they return to stores, they will notice many changes.

    TJX announced it “expects” customers to wear facial coverings while shopping, and American Eagle announced it will provide hand sanitizer for customers and institute employee temperature checks. Meanwhile, Ulta is banning any product sampling.

    Aside from new sanitation practices, some retailers, such as Nordstrom and Macy’s, will temporarily close some fitting rooms and quarantine items that have been tried on before returning them to the sales floor.

    Relevant Articles:

    What headlines stood out to you this month? We will continue to closely monitor the media and market sentiment amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Send me an email if you’d like to receive our weekly summary and insights.

    Kate Duchaney

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  • How Lawyers Can Become Valuable Resources for Journalists (and Get Quoted)

    How Lawyers Can Become Valuable Resources for Journalists (and Get Quoted)

    Given the number of attorneys in the United States (some 1.2 million practicing ones), it seems unlikely that the majority of these lawyers can become trusted resources for journalists. It is possible, and before such a union can materialize, there are rules that apply for both parties. The below focuses on a lawyer’s role in forming a mutually beneficial relationship with reporters.

    Rule 1. The Media Do Not Work for Lawyers, Clients or Firms

    Simply put: Reporters are interested in getting a scoop and writing an article in a compelling, accurate way. To achieve this, they seek and cultivate relationships with people-in-the-know to glean information to report their stories out. It’s up to the journalist to decide what the angle is, with whom to speak, what information to use. In short, they call the shots and decide what goes in a story and how it’s presented. Lawyers – no matter how high up a firm’s food chain – have no say.

    Rule 2: Say Something Relevant, True … and On the Record, Preferably

    On a positive postscript to Rule 1, lawyers can influence a story by controlling their messaging, especially if what they say is relevant beyond their internal audience and business goals.

    One obvious rule is that lawyers know their topics inside and out before positioning themselves as thought leaders to the media. Because of their work, attorneys are on the frontlines of human and corporate drama, amassing relevant insight and perspective. Information based on experiences is the currency reporters and readers crave. Focus explaining a legal issue’s impact on various audiences depending on the media outlet. Get to know a reporter’s beat and previous articles.

    A journalist may seem like an ideal contact given a recent article, though it’s best to review previous ones to get a sense of their style and what they’ve covered previously (and how). Reporters love trend pieces so upon reviewing articles, ask yourself (or discuss with your PR team) why this is important and what’s next. The “what’s next?” question will help develop potential follow-up articles.

    Client sensitivities by lawyers are certainly legitimate concerns, and sometimes attorneys must pass on a media opportunity due to a client conflict. Clients naturally come first, though there are other ways to work around not commenting or providing insight. Specifically, a lawyer can set interview conditions, perhaps speak on-background with the goal of educating a reporter while cultivating a long-term relationship.

    Rule 3: Never Blow Off a Deadline (or a Reporter)

    Time is money for lawyers, and the same goes – albeit indirectly – for journalists. The reason reporters have deadlines is to feed the process of the news cycle. In this age, it’s about posting to the web as soon as possible to attract readers to a site (which in theory would generate ad sales and more viewers). Before the web, deadlines kept the process moving by ensuring that copy would get to the typesetter and presses in time to make the press run. A missed deadline then, meant overtime pay. Now, it’s more the speed of disseminating information that translates to Benjamins, though most news outlets continue to publish hard-copy editions.

    Reporters are generally mindful of a lawyer’s time, and it’s fair and kind to be mindful of theirs by keeping appointments. If anything crops up at the last minute that forces a cancellation, check with an equally qualified lawyer as a replacement to speak with the reporter. That extra effort and attention to detail will resonate with the media.

    Rule 4: Never Ask to See an Article Before Publication. Never.

    Only select people are permitted to read a reporter’s article before it’s printed, specifically their main/news editor, copy editor and perhaps someone else in the newsroom. That’s it, so asking will only demonstrate a lawyer’s misunderstanding of the media and make the process awkward. Only one thing annoys a journalist more than this, and that is providing juicy information – and then saying, “That’s off the record, right?”

    Certain media will agree to review quotes beforehand with a source, though that condition is set before the interview, not during or after, and it’s becoming more rare.

    Rule 5: Embrace Media Training

    When it comes to seeking legal counsel, people (including PR professionals) rightfully defer to the lawyers. The same dynamic should hold true in media training. While not lawyers, PR counsel are just as valuable as legal advocates because reputation is at stake in both cases. Lawyers – no matter how legally brilliant – are best served by listening to a PR professional. If there’s a disagreement over an approach, an engaging, healthy back-and-forth often leads to a thoughtful and agreed-to media plan.

    Rule 6: Follow-up, Keep in Touch … Though Don’t Overdo It

    After an interview, continue to keep reporters in mind. Send a brief thank you email. Make investments by keeping in touch by providing information that is relevant and useful. If a lawyer anticipates a regulation to kick-in that would affect clients, chances are a journalist for an industry publication or a beat reporter for a business outlet would like to cover it – or at least know about it.

    Send along a timely and germane client alert with a note saying that you are happy to discuss – even if it means no immediate ink for you or the firm. It’s simply helpful gesture highlighting a lawyer’s knowledge and one step closer to solidifying a one’s status as a trusted media resource.

    A version of the above post originally appeared in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and its affiliates.

    Claire Papanastasiou

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  • The Difference Between PR and Marketing

    Public relations professionals know it. Marketers know it. Beyond those folks, however, the difference between PR and marketing may well remain one of the world’s best-kept secrets… until now.

    While both share a common goal of attracting and retaining business, their approaches and roles differ greatly, yet are equally important to businesses of all sizes and industries. Further confusing matters is that these two functions usually work together under the auspices of business development and/or marketing.

    Here’s a quick rundown on the differences:

    1. Focus

    • Marketing focuses on advancing a company’s services or goods (business development)
    • PR focuses on advancing the company’s relationships (media relations)

    2. Function

    • Both are management functions and work closely together
    • Marketing directly contributes to a business’ bottom line
    • PR indirectly supports the business’ goals and objectives, which fuel the bottom line

    3. Targets

    • Marketing targets clients, including other businesses
    • PR targets the media that reaches a company’s desired audiences. The media are PR’s lifeblood, though in these changing times, a dedicated team will go the distance to communicate with a company’s non-media stakeholders, such as customers via social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook) or by creating corporate communications (investors). PR targets the media to reach the following audiences, depending on a company’s goals, and creates outreach strategies.
    • Examples of key audiences include:
      • Current and prospective clients, including other businesses
      • Internal audiences, employees (talent retention)
      • Potential lateral hires and C-suite staff (talent recruitment)

    4. Impact

    • Marketing helps bring in new business
    • PR helps build a positive internal environment and external image
      for a company and its reputation, which helps bring in new business, and attract and retain talent (and makes marketing’s job a lot easier)

    5. Paid, Earned, Owned Media

    • Paid media primarily handled by marketing
    • Earned (editorial by third parties) and owned (website) handled by PR
    • Earned media carries the most weight (this is the top reason why a business benefits from investing in a sustained PR program)

    Making the PR commitment, setting expectations

    The decision to embark on a plan takes thought and time, and there are several topics to consider before making the commitment – and investment.

    • Leadership buy-in. Seems like a given, though buy-in here means that company leaders accept that PR is a strategic long-term partner. Mutual respect and open lines to the top management team is key. A plan won’t work unless trust has been built, and that rapport can only be established through continued contact.
    • Defined goals. A PR department operating in a vacuum is a waste and can be potentially costly. The more defined an enterprise’s business goals, the better; and the more the PR is involved or aware of them from the get-go is best so the media team can create a meaningful communications strategy. Ongoing collaboration is a non-negotiable. Unlike an advertising buy, which is usually a one-off transactional exchange, a PR program is an ongoing relationship, much like a marriage.
    • Set expectations and commit. A robust PR operation is just that. Its mission is to leverage a business’s news of all kinds in the best interest of the enterprise. Sometimes things go smoothly. Other times, not-so-much for one very real reason: The media do not work for businesses. PR professionals know this, and recognize the value of setting expectations with company leaders when embarking on a PR plan. Making sure everyone is on the same page will ensure a positive process, which in turn will lead to more positive results.

    Claire Papanastasiou

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • Week One: Another Kind of Internship at a Boulder PR Agency

    I have to admit that on the first day of my internship at Matter Communications I had some major jitters. I had no idea what to expect, and all I knew about PR, or account management in general, were the shady antics that Pete Campbell conducted on “Mad Men.”

    Having been a journalist with two internships under my belt, I knew I could handle the craziness that is a newsroom and crank articles out with an editor breathing down my neck. What I didn’t know was if I could handle the type of assignments that would be thrown my way at a PR agency. When asked to picture what an account associate did all day before this internship, all I could conjure up in my head were images of endless phone calls and an out of control office that was filled with people looking like they needed a nice long vacation.

    Fast forward to the end of my first week. Yes, phone calls were made, but to my surprise the office was, and is, a level-headed environment. Mind you this was just my first day, and I couldn’t help thinking that the calm was a fluke. As the week went by, I started to get more comfortable and settle in. I helped my team with research, which was something I did a lot as a reporter, and began to learn about key PR tools, like press releases, media lists, awards and editorial calendars.  Prior to this internship, the only contact that I had with the PR world was a constant flood of press releases in my inbox. What I‘m beginning to see is the amount of work that goes into writing a press release before it is ever sent.

    I have to give the PR world props; the energy in the office is great, and I learn so much just by listening to the conversations that happen around me. My coworkers, although passionate at times, are super helpful, nice and down to earth, and it’s great to see that they love the work they do. I’ve also found that data is prolific, and that’s something I want to learn more about. And, of course, I can’t wait to start learning how to manage accounts and even – gasp – pitch reporters.

    With about two weeks under my belt, I know that I still have a lot to learn, but I’m excited to continue this journey. My honest review? It’s different, but in the best way possible. Plus, no one has tried to poach a client from one another – the “Mad Men” fantasies have been put to rest.

     

    Matter

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  • Brian Williams, Jon Stewart and the Shifting Media Landscape

    Since the time that I was in college, people have been talking about the “death” of print journalism and the shifting media landscape. We talked about it so much in fact, that my then journalism-major girlfriend wound up becoming my lawyer fiancé. Between a PR pro and a lawyer, I’m not sure which side of our union best represents the “dark side” – but I digress. Recent weeks have seen two more major fluctuations in the already unstable ground that is journalism in the modern age.

    Longtime newsman and benchmark journalist, Brian Williams, has been suspended from the NBC Nightly News for concocting a fictional story that he was in a helicopter that was hit by ground fire in Iraq in 2003. Almost simultaneously, Jon Stewart announced his resignation from the Daily Show, Comedy Central’s satirical take on mainstream news reporting. At a glance, these two sound like journalists at opposite ends of the spectrum, however, many Americans actually hold Stewart and Williams in similar regard when it comes to journalistic integrity and admiration. At least they did in a 2008 PEW Research report. Things have likely shifted even more in Stewart’s favor in recent weeks.

    Many have even begun to speculate that Jon Stewart is the natural choice to fill Williams’s seat. I don’t know if this will happen, but the fact that publications like the Washington Post would even suggest such a departure from the traditional tenets of journalism, says quite a bit about the media today.

    In a world where the lines are blurring between satire and national network news, where do we draw the lines between PR pros and journalists? I would posit that PR pros are, in many ways, parallel to Jon Stewart in this regard. For many editors or producers, we are quickly becoming a really viable source for quality news. The best PR pros are evolving from “flacks” to multifaceted experts, respected for our knowledge and availability. That’s right, I said availability – newsrooms are shrinking and journalists simply aren’t available to write every story.

    In today’s media landscape, information is regarded as information regardless of the whether it comes from a three-piece suit and haircut, a health IT blogger, a mommy blogger, some guy on Twitter or a PR pro. You may not know it, but that recent op-ed that you read in the New York Times from the CEO of X company was most likely written by a PR pro. The old guard in journalism is evolving or they are dying out, and it is our job as PR people to evolve right alongside them or risk the same fate.

    I always say that the best PR people know enough to be dangerous around a lot of issues and industries. With the new dual role of journalist and PR pro comes quite a bit of responsibility. Not only must we deliver our client’s messages, we must deliver them in a way that engages and educates beyond just products or sales. In our new hybrid roles, we must become creators of content that is worthwhile and engaging, without making things up of course…cough. Also a little humor never hurts, just ask Jon Stewart.

    Ryan Lilly

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  • PR Perspectives: Will Uber Go Under?

    Full disclosure: I have never used the Uber service. Also, I am a GenX (barely) suburban guy who prefers driving own car and has no problem with mass transit in Boston or other major metros. Right there I am in in the wrong demographic for the suddenly most reviled brand – “sharing economy” or otherwise – on the planet to care about what I think.

    But this post is not about the Uber service. It’s not even about the alleged behavior of some of its drivers – that’s an entirely different matter. It’s about their brand and their integrity (or lack thereof). One of which seemingly does not exist and the other could cease to if the company doesn’t act quickly and decisively and demonstrate some existence of a soul.

    Its also about their complete and utter failure to take any meaningful, genuine public responsibility for both recent actions and words by their executives. Or the manner in which they’ve communicated with, and about, the media and how they are going about their business. And growing that business, which seems to be the only thing that Uber cares about.

    Like everyone else in media and communications, I’ve watched with interest the past the few days as Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has been justifiably pilloried by the very media he shows complete disdain for. PandoDaily’s Sarah Lacy was first out of the gate, railing repeatedly against Uber’s modus operandi. @sarahcuda has encouraged women everywhere to just delete the app. BuzzFeed’s Ben Smith attended a supposedly off the record “influentials” dinner last Friday night with other media, investors and high profile types. Smith reported that Uber’s Emil Michael suggested that the company should consider hiring a team of opposition researchers to “dig up dirt” on any media members who dare to be critical of Uber. Here’s Lacy’s Monday morning take on the dinner and what was disclosed.

    If you can believe all that’s been written (the casual observer has no reason not to) by both traditional media outlets like WSJ and USA Today and blogs everywhere, Uber is under a ridiculous firestorm and no amount of dirt on Bill Cosby, Roger Goodell or any other people behaving badly are about to nudge off the proverbial front page.

    The latest from Kalanick came yesterday when he told a group of technology investors that the company’s problems stem from growing too fast. I’m sorry but that is weak, it still a cheesy cop out from the young CEO.

    So what’s the prescription for extinguishing the many brush fires engulfing Kalanick and Uber?

    David Plouffe’s the guy pushing the buttons now, but here’s “three for free” in the PR recommendations department:

    1. Appeal to the board to fire Kalanick today. Scoble and others have made the same call. Start anew. Get a respected CEO who knows how to grow a business with integrity in there. Today.
    2. Drop the surge pricing model for the holiday season. Uber must regain goodwill with consumers everywhere. Happy Thanksgiving. Merry Christmas. Happy Chanukah!
    3. Issue legitimate apologies to media member and outline policy changes with some teeth to clean up the mess.

    What would you do if you were in Plouffe’s shoes?

     

    Matter

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  • Animate Your Infographics to Maximize Your Reach

    In today’s media landscape, there’s no such thing as “too much content.”  The amount of platforms, outlets, and opportunities for getting your message seen and heard is enormous, and it’s crucial that brands take notice and stay ahead of the game.  

    As both the Boy Scouts of America and Scar from the Lion King advise, “Be Prepared.”  It’s best to always be ready with content (especially visual content) before it’s needed, because inevitably, it WILL be needed.

    Here at Matter, we’re big proponents of maximizing content and creating cross-platform campaigns.  It’s one of the many benefits of having a full suite of creative services under one roof, working with both the PR teams and each other to keep messaging and aesthetics consistent, regardless of what the “output” is.

    While larger projects (product launches, cause campaigns, etc) benefit most from utilizing the “Holy Trinity” of Creative Services – integrated Web Development, Design, and Video (more on that in another post), smaller initiatives can benefit immediately from simply going one step further with your content production than initially planned.

    With that, I give you The Animated Infographic – A cost-effective way to spread your message across as many platforms as possible, while maintaining a consistent design aesthetic.

    By developing both a static infographic AND an animated video based off of that infographic, you’re ready for almost any application.  Examples:

    -Post the infographic on your site (obvi…)

    -Add the video to your YouTube page (also obvi…)

    -Print out the infographic to use as collateral.  Clients have used our infographics at presentations, sales meetings, or even blown up and displayed as artwork on walls (we do that too)

    -Include either the infographic or video (or both!) in press releases and blog posts

    -Run the video on TV screens at trade shows or at your office.

    And the best part is, as your story gets pitched to media and spread on social channels, you can accommodate any content request.  Some websites may prefer to embed videos, while some may want the static infographic.  Print publications, obviously, would prefer the infographic if they plan to print it.  Double-up on Facebook and Twitter blasts by sharing both pieces of content separately.

    This way, you can be sure that you’ve got a consistent message and design aesthetic, and have maximized your opportunities for sharing across all possible outlets.

    Check out some examples we’ve produced here at Matter!

    Tyco Integrated Security:

    Anna Jaques Hospital:

    Madico Window Films:

    High Liner Foods:

    Matter

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  • Does Print Media Matter?

    Earlier this week I grabbed a good ole’ hard copy of USA Today here in the Matter office, thumbed through the Money section and spotted this piece speculating on the future of two of the most esteemed national print newsweeklies, Time and Newsweek. Newsweek of course made its own headlines recently when it resumed publication of its print edition. Talk about “Back to the Future.”

    I am showing my age here a bit but I’m a PR professional who’s had countless conversations with journalists, who in self-deprecating fashion, refer to themselves as “ink-stained wretches.” I also have fond memories of a PR tradition of yesteryear – the Monday morning arrival of “The Weeklies.” For the unitiated, this feeding frenzy took place at our agency’s receptionist desk where our account teams would devour the print editions of Computerworld, InfoWorld, NetworkWorld, eWeek, InformationWeek and countless other now defunct trade publications.  We’d huddle and push and shove in an attempt to “scan for client coverage.”  Ahh the good old days, right?

    Reading Rem Rieder’s (is that a great name for a media columnist or what?) aforementioned USA Today piece got me thinking again about one of the great debates of the past decade or two in our industry: what’s more important? Print or Online.  Which can more effectively move the sales needle?  Which do clients value more?  Which is likely to prompts reader action? Which has more legs and enjoys a greater shelf life?

    Before you reply with a snarky “that ship has sailed” remark, consider the comments about – and from – Samir Husni, founder and director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi, who is quoted in Rieder’s piece.  Rieder notes that “Husni is serenely untroubled by the print-is-dead drumbeat we’ve all heard for years. Husni thinks this is a great time for journalism in general and magazines in particular. He loves the fact that a number of digital outlets, Politico among them, have started up print magazines.

    “The marketplace is sending the signal that there is value in print, that there is money in print,” he says.Rieder continues, “But, Husni cautions, the stakes have been raised dramatically. To win the hearts and minds — and pocketbooks — of readers in a bursting marketplace, and with everyone’s time at a premium, you’ve got to be really, really good.”

    Husni is of course, biased, but he makes some great points.  And if we, as PR professionals intend on cracking this rarified media real estate, we’d better be well, even better.

    The truth is most PR pros rarely if ever, strategize and then move to pitch/land a “print only” story.  The same goes for cover stories or the proverbial “page one” piece.  Those decisions – unfortunately – are out of our hands.   However, we’ve all had clients who covet the printed article; we’ve also worked with others who think just the opposite – “What do I care about print?  My customers and prospects, investors, partners and employees live online, on their iPads, their smartphones, etc. If I can’t share, I don’t care.”

    The truth (as we know) is that most any story appearing in a newspaper or magazine also lives online, often appearing there first and sometimes in longer form. For good quality journalism, print vs. online is really only a question of how the content is delivered, many of us believe.

    So here’s the potentially unanswerable question: what is more valuable? Print or online?

    I am old school. I like the feel of a paper or magazine in my hands with my morning coffee or evening beer. I like understanding where a particular piece ran, what space it shared editorially and how it was juxtaposed against ads. I am also in the minority, no doubt about it.

    While most print circulations now trail their online brethren and print stories are arguably not as valuable from a Google Analytics, SEO, content sharing standpoint, there is something special about holding up the hard copy of a New York Times, USA Today or Economist story or handing it to a client. Sadly, that’s becoming rarer and rarer.

    What are your thoughts? Is it a demographic thing?  Do younger media pros look at print publications as the publishing industry equivalent of the Model A? Do you ever read the newspaper anymore? When is the last time you looked at FORTUNE, Forbes or BusinessWeek without the help of Chrome, Firefox or Safari?

     

    Matter

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