The Importance Of Online PR

The importance of online PR

UK media 30 years ago… Sources: OfCom 3 TV channels 6 radio stations 3,500 magazine titles

UK media today... Sources: OfCom, Wikipedia 250+ TV channels 500+ radio stations 10,000+ magazine titles +

39.1m internet users (64.2%) But not just penetration… broadband drives interactivity & engagement Average amount of time spent online increased x4 in last 4 years (20hrs pm) 110% mobile phone penetration 1 billion text messages sent weekly 38% mobile internet usage by 2012 UK media today... Sources: Yahoo! 2006, eMarketer 2007 & OfCom Q1 2006, International Telecommunications Union and Veronis Suhler Stevenson, Economist 2004, Forrester

3,000 Source: Advertising: It's Everywhere, Media Awareness Network, 2005.

Always on culture… today’s consumer mashes 44hrs into 24hr day Source: Yahoo!/OMD

There are 3.5 billion online conversations every day Peer reviews are a significant driver of brand trust and product selection Sources: Keller Fay Group, Bazaarvoice/izu Answers online market research May 16, 2007 to June 6, 2007

Consumers trust their peers more than they trust marketers 90% 70% 45% Recommendations from other consumers Brand websites TV ads Sources: Forrester/Intelliseek Research 2006, Yankelovich Monitor 2004/05 Not as overwhelmed by information as they used to be 58% 1999 “ I’m overwhelmed by all the sources of information avail;able today.” 45% 2004 Want to try before they buy More and more watching film trailer online before buying tickets iTunes have shifted record buying. Sample the singles then buy the album. Pride themselves on seeing through the marketing speak & spin 58% 2005 “ It’s important to be seen as somebody who can see through the exaggeration & the hype.” 38% 2002

The atomisation of the web has made these complexities harder to overcome Brand “ownership” has fundamentally shifted. Consumers expect to be involved, engaged and invited to collaborate Sources: David Armano, http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion

From SHOUTING to conversations web 1.0 / mass media web 2.0

The user is in control

Everyone can be a:

Publisher

DJ

Expert

Broadcaster

Editor

Network

Critic

Syndicated

Without any technical knowledge

Without any vast resources

Just one of these…

The consumer has evolved… They have on demand expectations They want real-time dialogue They want personal experiences Sources: Greg Verdino, http://gregverdino.typepad.com/

Even journalism has evolved

In September 2006, mainstream media had over 200 attributions to blogs

Journalists now monitor blogs, forums and activist news to get information:

53% finding story ideas

43% use blogs for research and reference facts

33% uncover breaking news or scandals

A case in point: BBC news reporter Jo Twist. Blogs have:

“… transformed my newsgathering… blogs reflect wider conversation about news… I don’t have time to go searching… blogs will have absolute latest news”

How can your brand engage in this world? Be: Open Authentic Transparent Sources: Greg Verdino, http://gregverdino.typepad.com/

Find your risk threshold The comfort point between “ policing the brand” and “releasing the brand” Sources: Greg Verdino, http://gregverdino.typepad.com/

The most important thing you can do? listen Sources: Greg Verdino, http://gregverdino.typepad.com/

Getting it wrong is easier than getting it right

“ I want to acknowledge our error in failing to be transparent about the identity of the two bloggers from the outset.” Edelman PR

But have learned from mistakes

Hasbro tried to shutdown Facebook’s Scrabulous app Source: Fallon Brainfood

Agencies not immune

Nike Supersonic on Facebook

Nike have set up a group for their new Supersonic event (run followed by groovy tunes in secret locale)

Not much activity so far and then some comments to gee up the group and spread the word. From people at AKQA. Who are Nike’s agency.

And then a happy chap added a deliberately provocative comment. Which then has been wiped.

http://bluurb.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/return-of-flogs-this-time-on-fakebook/

Sony PSP flog

All I want for Christmas Is a PSP pretends to be a fan blog (run by a guy named “Charlie,” who says he’s helping his buddy Jeremy get a PSP for Christmas), but it’s a poorly disguised marketing effort

The blog attempts to reach a male demographic by speaking like Ali G on IM and featuring low-resolution rap video.

The worst part is, the PSP blog keeps up the act, even long after commenters publicly flog the ad agency behind it.

“ yo where all u hatas com from... juz cuz you aint feelin the flow of PSP dun mean its sum mad faek website or summ... youall be trippin.”

Sony PSP flog

“ Please know that we approached the client initially with this scenario and they said ‘who cares if people find out? As long as it is funny, we do this stuff all of the time.’…when was the last time people were blogging about Zip ato ni? I’m confident Dawn will turn this into one helluva a case study in the months to come.”

President, Zipatoni (Ad agency)

“ Busted. Nailed. Snagged. As many of you have figured out (maybe our speech was a little too funky fresh???), Peter isn’t a real hip-hop maven and this site was actually developed by Sony. Guess we were trying to be just a little too clever. From this point forward, we will just stick to making cool products, and use this site to give you nothing but the facts on the PSP.”

Sony Computer Entertainment America

Some examples of getting it right

Starbucks Vs Oxfam

“ Starbucks' response is unique in that the corporation managed Oxfam's unconventional assault in a very unconventional way, via YouTube. Regardless of the outcome of this particular incident, the move on Starbucks' part comes off as unmistakably in touch with today's communication modes and methods”

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/02/2117236&from=rss http://www.irwebreport.com/daily/2007/01/08/starbucks-answers-activists-on-youtube/

Southwest airlines setting the record straight

Coke Facts http://www.cokefacts.org/

5 principles

VALUE EXCHANGE Interaction that benefits the individual EXPERIENCES, NOT MESSAGES Engagement, not advertising. Co-creation, comment. DETACH & DISTRIBUTE Content that does not exist in one silo. Allow good content to spread & allow consumers to build on it. Infectious content will spread faster. BRAND EXPERIENCE Ensure consistency of messages across all platforms and channels. Allow consumer to choose channel for them: do not dictate. OPTIMISE Continually assess. Do and learn. Build on what works, stop what doesn’t.

How we do it

Online media relations Reputation management Brand assets Video/pod casting Viral e-communications Managing online relationships Editorial placement Online promotions Corporate partnerships Auditing Consulting Blogs Landscaping Monitoring Interaction Street teams Grassroots communication

And we do it for…