PR and industry insight from our flies on the wall.

On matters of Wikipedia…can PRs really be Switzerland?

11 January 2012
by Ana Mangahas
Tags: brand exposure, corporate communication, PR, reputation management, wikipedia

There have been some great posts recently about how to make the Wikipedia and PR “dance” more like a waltz and less like head-banging; Stuart Bruce’s and Phil Gomes’s being two that convey solid arguments in favour of open and responsible Wikipedia editing by PRs and corporate communicators.

To rewind: agencies – most notably, Bell Pottinger – have come under fire for heavy-handed editing of Wikipedia profiles on behalf of clients. The latest furore comes to us via Stella Artois and the attempted removal of “wife beater” from their entry. The brewer, InBev, said it disapproved of the reference to domestic violence; others yet said Stella “shouldn’t look to change details that are factually correct”.

Wikipedia belongs to everyone and no one. But people do feel proprietorial about its contents. It’s not just the image police who try to re-write history: disgruntled employees or anyone with an axe to grind can also have a go. (Firefly itself was the target of some unkind editing whereby, buried in the lower levels of text and not immediately obvious unless reading the whole script, were unflattering and factually inaccurate comments about the company). Ultimately, the ‘disgruntled’ are unlikely to be successful, given Wikipedia’s official rules of engagement; but that’s where its metadata is fascinating, because it can sometimes reveal the motive behind these edits.

On matters of editing, it’s easy to say, “stick to the facts”. But in these naked days of PR, one should do exactly that. Goodness knows there are enough policies and guidelines to make that line in the sand between fact and fabrication very painstakingly clear. And if you still had doubts, more guidelines look to be on their way from the various industry bodies.

So why do PRs still get it wrong? Is it because real brand-neutrality (for a client or one’s employer) can be difficult to achieve? Personally, I don’t think this tells the whole story.  Contrary to some people’s beliefs, PR is not an industry where you’re brow-beaten into submission, even when your moral compass is pointed in the right direction.

I think the Wikipedia crisis has revealed a crisis in writing. We need a re-training of the mind to write in a way that is simple, factual and is there primarily to inform –not necessarily influence. There are plenty of other vehicles for that.

Wikipedia’s importance – to companies, PRs, the media and the public at large – is not in question. But I have no doubt the quality of many entries can actually be improved with PR intervention. Of course, I would say that: but I would also put my money where my mouth is and participate in industry dialogue or training on this topic, to make sure I was doing a heck of a good job (acknowledging that “good” in this context can be subjective; in time, I hope it won’t be).

Firefly’s top six Wikipedia editing tips:

• Write for facts, not feeling, even if the text looks and sounds slightly dispassionate at first
• When in doubt, think back to section 2.2 of the PRCA guidelines: “Have a positive duty at all times to respect the truth and shall not disseminate false or misleading information knowingly or recklessly, and to use proper care to avoid doing so inadvertently.”
• Work with an editor when updating Wikipedia entries and have hard proof or evidence to substantiate your claims
• Sit down with a colleague who’s more removed from the task and ask him/her to critique your work
• Be prepared to have (potentially difficult) conversations with your stakeholders about what Wikipedia is and isn’t, including its mission, purpose and limitations

And last but not least, in true Wikipedia fashion, engage; engage in the dialogue, as there is certainly more to come in this hotly-contested space.  

Firefly shortlisted for Golden Hedgehog for best social media campaign

by Fiona Hughes
Tags: Firefly, give as you live, Golden Hedgehog, PR campaign, Social Media

We are delighted to start 2012 with the news that Firefly has been shortlisted in the The Golden Hedgehog PR Awards for the work we’ve done for client, Give as you Live.

PR agencies like award nominations and wins for the same reasons that many of our clients do.  They offer us (in no particular order):

• Respect within our industry, for the quality of our thinking and results
• A compelling proof-point, to help us grow and fulfil our ambitions
• Appeal to potential new hires, meaning we continue to attract the best staff
• Critical conversation – oh, Twitter, how we love thee when word gets out!
• PMA (positive mental attitude, hey Linford?) , upping morale and staff retention

Our Give as you Live Christmas campaign, which we talked about in a blog post back in November, has made the Golden Hedgehog shortlist.  We’re honoured to be on the list with the likes of 1000heads for Nokia, Frank for Beatbullying and Splendid for Smirnoff; and we’re looking forward to hearing the judges’ verdicts in March.

But the shortlist itself, threw up some interesting observations amongst the Firefly team.

Firstly, that the shortlist for the ‘Social Media Campaign of the Year’ consisted of the maximum eight campaigns.  This tells us that, according to the Golden Hedgehog shortlist, suddenly ‘Social Media Campaign of the Year’ awards are amongst the most hotly contended out there.  That’s more shortlisted campaigns than in ‘Integrated Comms Campaign of the Year’ (a huge favourite of the early-to-mid 2000s, in response to our clients’ “360-degree campaign briefs”) and ‘Best Use of Research’.  This is a landscape that even a year or two ago, would have been entirely different; these are truly exciting times for social media evangelists.

Secondly, we noticed that amongst the shortlisted entries three are squarely in the tech/consumer tech space, two are cause-related marketing, and all, including our own, seem to have been communicating to a consumer audience.

Why is it that, when it comes to social media, B2C campaigns are so ahead of the curve?  Friend of Firefly Peter Thomson has some interesting points to make in his blog around why B2B businesses aren’t taking enough responsibility for their social media.

Interestingly, the myths that his post goes out to bust, are very similar to many of the myths that we have found ourselves tackling over the years with our B2C clients, too. Take for example, “social media isn’t about selling”.  It can be, used correctly.  Or, “social media doesn’t have a clear ROI”.  It does – and it is our job to communicate it.  “Social media can replace offline marketing.” Show us the brief – but we suspect it’s better used in combination.

We’re excited about our award nomination, as it helps us to tell the story of how we can help brands and businesses to use social media more effectively. And we suspect that the landscape will continue to change: next year, how about some B2B businesses fighting for those award nominations?

Good PR habits to commit to in 2012

by Emma Brown
Tags: communications professionals, New Year, PR habits, resolutions, Social Media

There’s something satisfyingly symbolic about a new year: a fresh start; a blank page on which to inscribe a long list of self-improving rules and resolutions. Whether giving up chocolate or alcohol, or swapping lie-ins for 6am workouts, it seems no one is free from the ‘new year, new you’ mantra that takes hold each January 1^st.

But how often are such punishing promises kept– or even remembered? If January is supposed to be the most depressing month of the year, why are we going out of our way to make it even worse?

That’s why this year, Firefly isn’t advocating the throwing out of the biscuit tin, nor the ditching of post-work drinks on a Friday. Instead, we’ve come up with a list of positive, proactive habits which we think all communications professionals should commit to in 2012. Here they are:

• Social media - In 2012, there will be little-to-no-excuse for sitting on the sidelines of social media. Like that first, post-Christmas abdominal crunch, the key is to engage conversational muscles you never even knew you had. With public relations moving further and further into the digital space, we predict an exciting year for developments in online communication and campaigns. So sign up for that Google+ account, perfect the 140-character pitch and get clued up on Facebook for business. It could – and should – begin to play a significant role in this year’s campaign plans.
• Networking – there’s no doubt that building a network is central to the role of an effective communicator, and for many Fireflies, networking is the buzz-word for 2012. We’re already looking at a packed calendar of training courses, journalist briefings and professional networking events for the year ahead (and fighting it out amongst ourselves over hotly contested places!).  Note: simply attending doesn’t qualify as ‘networking’ – so have your little black book at the ready.
• Results – Outcomes should be at the forefront of the PR professional’s mind over the coming months, with a focus on using communications as a means to that all-important end: influence. Anything less than this is a distraction.
• Measurement – accountability forms an integral part of the PR-client relationship. Committing to a PR measurement system facilitates effective benchmarking and forward planning. But don’t allow yourself to waste time measuring the things that aren’t important. Develop KPIs and review them regularly, to remind yourself of what you are trying to achieve. Then use the available metrics to find out which tactics succeeded, which were less successful and –most importantly – what you can learn for next time.
• Forward planning – when taking on a new client brief, we sometimes marvel at the absence of a (prior) PR plan.  But it’s so important to be future-driven, hard as it might be to visualise what you’ll be doing nine months from now, as  it will help inform what you’re doing  right now, and how you should be doing it right now.
• Positivity –finally, we’ll all be beating the January blues with a positive outlook. This means approaching each task with renewed enthusiasm, high energy levels and an appetite for meaningful results. We’ll be celebrating each victory, however small, be it for ourselves or for our clients.  Because after all, if we don’t get excited about what we do, then how can anyone else?

The PR Output-to-Outcome Ratio: Make it Worthwhile

9 January 2012
by Ana Mangahas
Tags: CES, event management, PR, product launches, reputation management

Over the Christmas break, after filming a rather hilarious “dad dance” sequence on my iPhone, I got to talking with some folks about the glory days of the personal digital assistant (PDA). My “wow, you’re old” moment came when I mentioned the Palm Pilot, which in the late 90s was the show-off executive gadget of choice. It stored your phone numbers (didn’t matter that it couldn’t actually dial them), allowed you to receive/send emails, organised your life and came with a nifty stylus.

Since then, Palm’s fortunes have waxed and waned. Smartphones are the kings of consumer gadgetry, with one brand looming quite large in our lives and general consciousness.

Since we’re now in the throes of another CES extravaganza, wizened tech industry PRs are probably looking back at the various bright, shiny objects (BSOs) they’ve launched over the years; perhaps with wistful nostalgia. Did their BSO change the world, become subsumed, or suffer a crash landing?

This is all the more relevant because – although there are few really big shows like CES anymore –  there is treble the pressure for return on trade show investment.

One thing is for sure: it takes a village – literally – to prepare for the kinds of announcements we’re already seeing and will continue to see from CES. The output of energy devoted to product launches at CES could, I believe, power a small English village until Easter.

It’s bloody hard work. After a big product launch, what slings and arrows of outrageous PR fortune lie in wait? It takes a huge output of energy to shape a brand’s narrative and far less time to tear it asunder. That’s why, before any major launch, I always ask my clients if there are any skeletons hiding in the reputational closet…

So spare a thought and well-wishes to all the CES 2012 freshers and returning alumni, and especially all the PRs who keep the whole thing humming, well after the last delegate has left the building.

2012 PR trends and predictions for keen communicators

13 December 2011
by Caroline Higgins
Tags: 2012 predictions, campaign, digital, PR trends

As we begin to scribble appointments in the 2012 diary, how do you feel about the year ahead? None of this hovering over a crystal ball nonsense (what is Mystic Meg up to these days?), we’ve listened to our clients and monitored recent developments to come up with what we think will be the trends to watch out for in 2012. Based on these predictions, 2012 will turn out to be a triumphant year for sharing, authenticity, the “everyman/woman” and more. Let’s take a look:

1. Pitch restraint: agencies and consultancies will take greater care when pitching their services; post-Bell Pottinger, they are more likely to think twice before making any sweeping, hyperbolic statements (dark arts, anyone?).

2. Hyper-personal PR: visibility into things like online sentiment is improving with the availability of more sophisticated analysis tools. PR will use this insight to deliver more targeted, one-to-one content to individuals. Alternatively, smart, quick opportunism – especially on Twitter – will increase.

3. What’s mine is yours: the future is bright for curation platforms like Pinterest, Evernote or bo.lt, which allow you to collect, edit and share information and data. We see this relatively new phenomenon becoming a key, digital tool for brands and individuals wanting to share, share, share.

4. Reviewing the reviewers: consumers are wisely watching where every penny is spent and scouring third-party reviews is the norm. In 2012, the key will be authenticity: consumers will no longer put up with blatantly paid-for endorsement, and will even question hyper-negative reviews that smack of rant versus reality. It places a greater burden on the individual consumer, but is also a huge opportunity for technology to harness opinions in new and more transparent ways.

5. Digital couch potatoes, unite! With YouTube set to launch scheduled programming and the debut of Google TV, increasingly, TV fans will engage with brands via telly-on-demand. This is already happening to a degree (see BBC i-Player, 4 On-Demand); the key difference being that it will integrate intelligent search and product placement – giving brands the power to target you with more relevant offers and the ability to buy at the click of a button through your TV screen.

6. Happy campaigning: Times are tough. Morale-boosting campaigns, in which the general public play a central role, will reach fever pitch in 2012. Also – prompted by the popularity of flashmobs, campaigns like Dove’s Real Beauty, and irreverent responses to viral sensations like Awkward Family Photos.com – companies will increasingly encourage real people to use their communications assets as a platform for positive self-expression.

7. Olympics fatigue? The event will offer rich content ideas and pitches for PRs and clients, with every aspect offering up timely and competitive opportunities for businesses. The trick will be in keeping it original and creative!