The search is on...for local news

The annual Google Zeitgeist was recently released; the report looks at the year in search.  What was one of the biggest search terms on the local level?  Local news outlets, with both local television news and the major daily newspaper being represented in city after city.  While marketers continue to look at the growth, importance, and influence of social and “new" media (and rightly so, by the way), it is an interesting juxtaposition that one of the most popular search terms people go to when given the opportunity to search for anythingas a source of information is your tried and true local news outlet.  Is it a sign that everything old is new again? No, rather it's a sign that at its most basic, "traditional" media, "new" media, and social media, etc. have converged into media, each often influencing the other, with each having it's place in the communication plans for marketers.

Stop Running and Walk Your Talk!

Let's make a new rule, any political hopeful needs to consult a PR expert before throwing their hat in the ring.  We would ask questions like: have you had any lawsuits?  numerous affairs? taken favors or money? Or any host of obvious questions. 

I know that so many of these ego-ticians are either responding to a call from above or simply looking for the next dragon to slay but public service is serious business.  We want people who care more about other people than a paycheck.  We want people who are wicked smart.  We want people who are ethical.  We want people who inspire us to be better ourselves!

 It would save the US some embarrassing international headlines, focus those who are qualified on the issues and bring forward some great future leaders who are afraid of the sacrifices that come with the race. 

I think our system in the US, especially our right to free press, still does a good job sorting this out but it would be nice some candidate looked harder at themselves before stepping up to run. Thank God the media are helping us to do the job that candidates and thier advisors should have done months ago.  Media want to find a great leader as much as the rest of us!  

All great future leaders: do not cheat on your spouses, take anything you do not deserve and most importantly do not be afraid to run -- we are waiting for your arrival and will vote for you!

What I Learned From Art & Copy (Again)

A huge fan of the documentary “Art & Copy,” I recently showed it at Coyne’s monthly Talking Titles book/movie club.  Even though I have seen the movie a lot, I learn something new every time I see it.

The movie documents the history of the advertising industry, shedding light not only on how some of the greatest campaigns of all time came to be, but also on the larger issue of how creativity survives despite formidable obstacles.  In fact, creativity is the star of the movie, not advertising, and the lessons learned are easily relatable to any creative industry.

Some of my key take-aways from the movie are:

•         Art & Copy/PR & Social Media.  The movie documents how, in the old days, advertising used to be copy-written first, then shared with the artists to develop the pictures that would accompany the copy.  Apply this to the 21^st century and we – as a PR industry – often follow a similar path:  develop a great concept, then supplement with social or digital media.  If history tells us anything, these things need to be developed and executed in tandem.
•         Strong Ideas, Simply Presented.  Nothing – regardless of your industry – ever beats a great, solid and simple idea.  We tend – myself included – to complicate creative with too much information.  The client or prospective client doesn’t need it (or they can ask for it later).  Spend your energy on simplifying rather than complicating.
•         Don’t Ever Allow Anyone to Dictate Mediocre Work.  This goes for any industry.  We are all guilty at some point in our careers of compromising and then regretting it.  It’s critical to go with your gut, check your gut, and stand by your principles.

I am sure if (rather, when) I watch the movie again, I will have a new set of lessons learned, but these are the ones that rose to the top this time.  If you have a chance, check out a preview at http://www.artandcopyfilm.com/.  So great…

The Name Comes With the Fame...

Ask anyone who has one … a good nickname grants an individual or brand with a level of confidence and swagger that is unparallel.

The most important question remains unanswered, what inspires a good nickname?

Is it creativity, a quest for originality and distinction or flat out laziness? My thoughts, you need to have a nice combination of all five.

Let us take a quick look at some of the brands that will be eternally referred to by a nickname…let’s also give credit to the automotive manufactures that have reached a level of affinity and fondness with their fans and the general public to be granted a pleasure of the same.

General Brands
Brands	Nicknames
Coca Cola	Coke
Pepsi Cola	Pepsi
Nordstrom’s	Nordies
Nickelodeon	Nick
Federal Express	FedEx
Budweiser	Bud
Stolichnaya	Stoli
McDonald’s	Mickey D’s
American Telephone & Telegraph	AT&T
The Walt Disney Company	Disney
Mini Cooper	MINI
Home Box Office	HBO
America Online	AOL
Hewlett-Packard	HP
British Petroleum	BP
Kentucky Fried Chicken	KFC
Target	Tar-zhay

Auto Brands
Brands	Nicknames
Chevrolet	Chevy
Mini Cooper	MINI
Cadillac	Caddy
Mercedes	Benz
Bayerische Motoren Werke	BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke	Beemer
Volkswagen	VW
Jaguar	Jag
Lamborghini	Lambo
Subaru	The Bru
Corvette	Vettes
68’ Mustang Shelby	Eleanor
Mercedes	3 Point
Ferrari	Prancing Horse

Yuan for Clunkers

In an effort to once again be on top of the global market in new car sales, China has once again implemented their version of Cash for Clunkers for 2011.  Building off the success of their 2009 crack at the program which put them on top at the time, China looks to get back to the winner's circle in a year that's been full of fuel effcient vehicles hitting the market including the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf.

Unlike the U.S. version of the program that paid out up to $4,000 for a valid clunker-for-new high MPG car and directly impacted the sale of 700,000 new model units, the Chinese version will incentivize consumers with a $1,700 - $2,800 payout for valid "trades." Something else unique about the Chinese version is that consumers are not limited to trading in passenger cars only; farm vehicles, buses and heavy-duty trucks are fair game in the overseas 2.0 look at the program.

So if you need to ditch that John Deere tractor for a Prius, call your parcel delivery provider to check vehicle shipping rates to China!