Chapters seven, eight and nine focus again on the tools we have to communicate with our constituents. Here are the questions for this edition of Book Chat.
1. What do you think of the conceptual change from press releases to news releases. How does this change impact organizational strategy now and into the future.
2. You've probably seen the Mentos and Diet Coke video (if not, go watch it here). What do you think of the way Mentos reacted to the situation? Can you think of other brands that have similarly seized the day?
3. The Rules of the Rave are good reminders. Which is your favorite and why?
4. Are websites more art or science? What website have you visited recently that made you sit up and take notice, as opposed to just going about your business?
2. I think that Mentos reacted well. Mentos is a mint and mints are almost like a commodity. Sure there are different types but I think typically most people are looking to just freshen their breath with a nice taste. Many mints do this so then consumers just look at the lowest price. This made the Mentos brand stand out. I can't think of any other brands who have taken advantage of viral marketing that was not created by them.
ReplyDelete3. My favorite Rule of the Rave is "Create triggers that encourage people to share." It's exactly the reasons why I share content. Something has to catch my attention and be interesting, informational, or funny.
I love the Mentos experiment, we used to do it at school and such when I was younger. The Mentos to me somewhat exemplifies fads and trends we have in the world today. New products enter into the market place every day and some of them make a big splash in the world. A lot of the products get really big, and stay big, and then others become really big, and then die off after a few weeks at the top. Like the Mentos, they explosion gets really big and then just stops after a bit. Most things are fads in the marketplace, and then after a while, their explosion to the top just ends.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite rule is: Nobody cares about your products (except you). I feel like many companies and product designers forget this sometimes. I'm sure most of the products created in the world is great, but unless it will benefit me in some way or another, I'm not going to care. I may think it is cool or helpful for someone who actually needs the product/service. Those who are putting the product out there, that no one is going to care unless it is being advertised to the right group of people. Make the product a big deal to those who need it, but not to everyone.
What do you think of the conceptual change from press releases to news releases. How does this change impact organizational strategy now and into the future.
ReplyDeleteWith how fast today’s media can get to masses of people, the term “press release” just doesn’t relate as much anymore. In past years, a written formal press release statement was written, sent to a news outlet, and then posted at a certain time. Now, with social media, everything is considered “news”, even small 140 character Twitter posts, so the press release, or what it used to be, just isn’t as practical anymore. Posts, pictures, videos, etc., from a credible source, can all be considered news.
The Rules of the Rave are good reminders. Which is your favorite and why?
My favorite “Rules of the Rave” is “create triggers that encourage people to share”. The most important part of social media in my opinion is to create conversation, to be social. If you aren’t getting people to share, like, comment, retweet, etc., then you aren’t really capturing your readers, and they aren’t going to be interested in what you have to say. Talk about topics people can relate to and comment on, and you will eventually have more likes, more followers, and more interaction on your pages.
1. I think the point of writing releases that appeal to your buyers is a great point. I would love to hear news from some of my favorite brands in this format. I don't ever read press releases because it takes too much effort to go around looking for the news or following a journalist to find that information. It would be as easy as tweeting the link to encourage your fans to check out the news.
ReplyDelete2. http://www.stevespangler.com/teaching-moments/coca-cola-company-is-blase-about-the-mentos-experiment/
This link shows Coke's reaction to all of the videos. They had a very lame response, in my opinion. Mentos did a much better job of taking what was handed to them and running with it.
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-social-media-responses-of-the-year-2012-12?op=1
This link has some great reactions of brands via social media. My favorite is the Old Spice vs. Taco Bell interaction.
3. I think the best rule listed is the first one: Nobody cares about your products (except you). I can understand this better after having started our blogs for class. No one cares about my blog unless they feel like they can relate to it. If I sought out other blogs like mine, those blogs when then start to be interested in mine, but I can't just sit back and hope that people read and comment on my blog.
4. In my opinion, websites are science until you put it in the hands of an artist. I find most websites to be generally unremarkable, but there are a few that have stood out to me as art.
Junior year I wrote a research paper about Allstate's Mayhem ad campaign. I did some research on the agency, Leo Burnett, which naturally took me to their website:
http://www.leoburnett.us/chicago/our-work/
It's fabulous and so artsy you almost forget you're browsing the internet!
1. I think the change from press release to news release fits now. At first I did not really like the change, but now I realize it is a better title for the time period. The release is not only for the press. Social media allows news to be accessed and posted immediately. Through social media outlets it is very easy to share the link too. That is why I think the term news release is more fitting.
ReplyDelete2. I think Mentos reacted very well. In grade school we used to do the experiment all the time. I think the Mentos explosion with Coke allows the mints to stand out from its competitors. Everyone remembers Mentos from this.
3.My favorite rule is "create triggers that encourage people to share." The reason for news and conversation is to be social so we should continue to do that with social media. Explore social media. There is so much out there. I love exploring my Twitter feed and seeing new ideas and products being generated. This rule is why I share content with my friends. The content has to catch my eye and either be interesting and/or funny.
1. What do you think of the conceptual change from press releases to news releases. How does this change impact organizational strategy now and into the future.
ReplyDeleteI think that the change from a press release to news release was inevitable. Like others have mentioned, the press is not as exclusive as it once was. News is more open to everyone and with the internet, accessible from anywhere. Press releases seem too uptight to me personally and make me not want to read them. With the term of news, I believe them to be more directly related to me.
2. You've probably seen the Mentos and Diet Coke video (if not, go watch it here). What do you think of the way Mentos reacted to the situation? Can you think of other brands that have similarly seized the day?
I like the way Mento reacted. It shows that they have a personality behind their brand. I like how the vice president of marketing said that if their brand was a person it would be Adam Sandler. Mentos really utilized this viral marketing and made themselves more personable with their customers in my opinion.
3. The Rules of the Rave are good reminders. Which is your favorite and why?
My favorite is "lose control". I feel like so many companies are so uptight about everything and so strict that it actually will cause problems for their company. They need to learn to go with the flow, after all, they are only human. When you try too hard to make something successful or to sell something is when it never seems to work out. Sometimes you just have to let some things go and hope for the best!
1. What do you think of the conceptual change from press releases to news releases. How does this change impact organizational strategy now and into the future.
ReplyDeleteThrough all the public relations classes I have taken at Bradley, the terms "press release" and "news release" have been interchangeable. After reading Scott's reasoning for using "news release" instead of "press release" though, I understand why he would prefer news release. There have been many times when I am searching for more information about a topic and come across a news release that is just as helpful, if not more, as a news article. In fact, most releases aren't sent directly to news outlets unless the outlet shows some interest in the story is first. Instead, PR pros send an email pitch and ask the reporter to respond if they would like more information. Releases are usually posted to company websites so anyone can look at them if they choose.
2. You've probably seen the Mentos and Diet Coke video (if not, go watch it here). What do you think of the way Mentos reacted to the situation? Can you think of other brands that have similarly seized the day?
I really like that Mentos took advantage of this situation and used it as publicity for their brand. It shows that they were paying attention to how people were using their product and went even further to help the men with their experiments. I like what they said in the book about understanding that they are a candy company and provide only a small pleasure, so why not make something great out of this video?
3. The Rules of the Rave are good reminders. Which is your favorite and why?
My favorite Rule of the Rave is "nobody cares about your products (except you)." There have been many times during internships or work where I will be pitching a story and no one will pick it up or think it has any benefit to them. Even though you think whatever you're doing is great and everyone should be just as excited about it as you are, they're not. You've got to constantly be thinking of different and creative angles to grab your audience's attention.
My opinion, in regards to the last question, is that websites are now a science. It really doesn't matter how flashy your page is if you can't get anyone to land on it. Content Management Systems like WordPress all use similar design features because, just like newspapers, people have decided how they want webpages to look. No one ever really comments on how good a website looks. They only comment if it looks bad, or out of th norm. And the CMS's create the page to the acceptable format, then worry mostly about getting people to the site through SEO and other manipulations to drive traffic up for the website.
ReplyDelete1.I like the idea of news releases as a consumer. When I research online for a product it's annoying and confusing when information about a product is coming from more than two different sources that are not the company. I also like the idea of linking within the news releases to make it easier for consumers to find information. After reading the chapter, I think that news releases should be written so that consumer's are able to easily read them and so that journalists are able to use them for their stories on other mediums.
ReplyDelete2. I like the way Mento's took advantage of this viral video. Although the company was a little lucky, in the sense that the videos portrayed them in a way they wanted to be perceived as (Adam Sandler like), I believe this viral video did not add or take away from the brand's image. If anything, I think it made them more personable.
3. My favorite rule is "No coercion required" because it points out that you have to think outside the box when linking an idea to a brand.
4. I think planning is really important because there are so many ways people use the internet. If a site is not organized and does not link to the right information it can be frustrating and will leave people with a bad impression. I think it all depends on the product you are selling and who the people you are selling it to. For example, a website selling power tools might be much different than a wedding planner's website.
1. What do you think of the conceptual change from press releases to news releases. How does this change impact organizational strategy now and into the future.
ReplyDeleteI think the conceptual change to a news release for consumers is great. It gets consumers more engaged and involved in the brand. The idea of breaking away from the bland and structured press release, and involving images and videos (like State Farm showed us when they visited) is awesome. If all press releases looked like State Farm's I would have no idea it was a press release. I am on the board for the Peoria Ad Club, and they create a press release for every event. The press releases are so structured and boring, I highly doubt anyone ever reads them. A news release for the consumer is a much smarter way to approach launching something new.
4. Are websites more art or science? What website have you visited recently that made you sit up and take notice, as opposed to just going about your business?
I think websites are most definitely a science because of all the coding that goes into a site, but if you want to attach your consumers and bring in new business I think the art aspect of a webpage is extremely important. Both have to work together. I know I would not stop to look at a site unless it is well designed and easy to read. The imagery and the content on the site has to be relevant to the consumer you want to bring in. Here are some examples where I think the art of the website does a great job targeting their market:
http://www.momentskis.com
https://www.missionbicycle.com
http://redfrogevents.com
2. I think Mentos handled the situation really well. It benefited and fit their company, but at the same time didn't try so hard that it ruined the "fun" of the video. Sometimes when companies try to monopolize of viral videos, they seem super forced and inauthentic. I've been trying to think of companies that have also seized the day when presented with a viral video that involves them, but I really can't think of one off the top of my head. All I can think of are companies that failed to do so, which I guess shows how rare/hard it is for a company to do so.
ReplyDelete4. I think for the best website possible, you have to have the science elements (content, what have you), but you have to be able to present it to a crowd of people who don't have time to just read walls of text. Being visually captivating is very important, and so is the design of the site. You need easy maneuvering. A recent site that I visited that was delightful was www.theoatmeal.com. Super easy to find what I wanted and was delightful to browse.
1.What do you think of the conceptual change from press releases to news releases. How does this change impact organizational strategy now and into the future.
ReplyDeleteI think that referring to press releases as news releases will help create a general consensus that press releases are not media exclusive. Personally I find myself sifting through the press releases of many companies ,which are archived on their corporate site. I don’t always intentionally look for a company's press release, rather I stumble across it on their website or through a Google search.
By changing a press release to a news release, I think companies may view the medium more strategically. Where as in the past they would hand the information off to the media to push out to the public, professionals may now communicate news releases directly to their customers, eliminating the middle man. By doing so, the content included in press/news releases may also change to best suit their customers.
2. You've probably seen the Mentos and Diet Coke video (if not, go watch it here). What do you think of the way Mentos reacted to the situation? Can you think of other brands that have similarly seized the day?
I think that Mentos made the best choice by playing along with the Mentos and Diet Coke viral video. I feel like it could have been very easy for Mentos to not comment or support the video, like Diet Coke. But the fact that they not only supported, but used the viral video as a marketing tool and had Mentos employees on hand at talk shows allowed Mentos to make the most of this advertising opportunity.
3. The Rules of the Rave are good reminders. Which is your favorite and why?
My favorite rule is “nobody cares about your products.” I feel that often times companies believe that viral videos are the best way to go and they will create content that directly pertains to their products and services and hope that it goes viral.
Sometimes throwing their product in the video works- for instance Old Spice’s “Smell like a Man, Man” campaign featured its product however was not solely focused on it and brought an element of humor to the mix.
But other times, throwing your product into a potential viral video takes away from the impact. For instance, Pepsi’s recent video with Jeff Gordon. The way Pepsi featured the can of pop as the camera in the video made me roll my eyes, and made me feel like they were trying to sell me Pepsi Max, when really the product had nothing to do with the video. By taking away that advertising feel, customers may be more willing to share and talk about content- even if it is sponsored by a particular company.
2. I think Mentos did a good job taking advantage of their viral fame. You have to take advantage of free publicity, and they surely did and I believe what they did benefited the company in the long run.
ReplyDelete3. I always liked put down roots. It's like of like twitter where if you want someone to follow you, you follow them first. And if you keep doing that, you build a great following, thus creating a successful network. So if company wants to get involved using social media, they have like other companies pages and interact with their followers in order to get them more involved with your pages and so on.
3. Well I like a lot, but the first is really good and second.. I find that this have never been more true and important. Some of the top brands and those with a great social presence aren't doing sole advertising or marketing. In fact, a lot of times they aren't at all. People don't want to be advertised to. They need a reason to come to your site or view your posts. You have to be more than a resource for a product purchase. You need to provide something that is useful to them. Like it said, unless you give them something they don't have, they don't care. People are sometimes selfish and won't want to waste time on information they have, don't need or care about.
ReplyDeleteI think websites are more of a science. This something I wish I would have focused on during school. I would probably change my major to some computer science degree and minor in marketing. Jobs are wanting employees that know things like HTML coding, Java script, etc. I always enjoy Red Frogs website. I would go there just to play with it if I could. You forget that you are at a website because it's so interactive and fun.