Monday, September 21, 2009
2300 Thoughts
Whoever is running Volkswagen’s Junior Masters Tournament public relations/advertising campaign is a genius!
The promotions they have put together are so well done for their target audience, which is really unusual in the United States. Their target audience is soccer players, fans, and parents. Usually companies just seem to miss the picture of what their target market actually cares about and what it really wants to see.
Well Volkswagen has got it right! They have created a tournament similar to the World Cup, but for youth around the world. They are using the same format, including qualifying rounds and knock out rounds. They are not only getting young players and their families to pay attention they are getting the entire soccer community involved with their “Celebration Camp.”
They have produced eight (so far) commercial type videos in which goal celebration coach Umberto Santiago Antonio Rodriguez uses Major League Soccer (MLS) players to demonstrate how to “properly” celebrate a goal. Coach Rodriguez is hilarious. He has some of the greatest lines that only soccer publics would understand and find humorous, thus illustrating that Volkswagen actually understands their publics. I personally laughed so hard I almost fell off my chair SEVERAL times while watching the eight celebration videos. I sent the link to multiple people and only received positive responses back to the celebrations videos.
One strength of this campaign is the use of MLS players in the videos. ReAL Salt Lake, Columbus Crew, Chicago Fire, Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution, and Seattle Sounders FC players are featured in the clips. The nationalities of the participants also vary providing an increased fan base for each participant, and a greater “bang for your buck” feature for Volkswagen.
All of the players selected are distinguished MLS players, providing deeper credibility to Volkswagen, and an even bigger humor factor for the fans. Seeing some of these legends participate in such hilarious goal celebrations was an interesting draw for me. I think it was very smart of Volkswagen to go after some of the “big boys” to participate in their campaign it really made a difference in the quality of the final product.
Being a huge ReAL Salt Lake fan, I would personally recommend The Rock Star, The PiƱata, Toot the Boot, and The Cranky Donkey, but they are all hilarious.
Great work by Volkswagen they have really found something here. Along with being the front of jersey sponsor for DC United I think this will really increase their brand recognition among the growing niche group of soccer publics in the United States.
Press Release 2: Image Management Draft
September 21, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Hans Ketchup, VP of Communications
Burger Planet
271 North Main, Gary, Indiana 46401
BURGER PLANET INCREASES MENU OPTIONS
Burger Planet continues to build on sturdy foundation
LOGAN, Utah – Burger Planet is adding innovative menu options. Burger Planet will now be offering, in addition to all your traditional favorites, low-carb white meat chicken breast sandwiches, gourmet salads, and fruit packages.
Jayne Petersen, president and CEO of Looking Glass, Inc, Opal Whitcomb’s personal fitness guru, has placed her stamp of approval on Burger Planet’s menu additions. Petersen said, “Women can have a burger and fries now and then as long as they are active and also try some of Burger Planet's exciting new menu choices, such as the fruit packages.” Burger Planets fruit packages come in a variety of fruits, including apples, grapes, peaches, pineapple, and bananas.
Another exciting menu choice, a gourmet salad, is a good source for a low-carb meal. Burger Planet offers three gourmet salads the raspberry vinaigrette spinach salad with gorgonzola cheese and walnuts, spinach salad with hot bacon dressing and eggs, and Caesar salad.
Petersen will work with Burger Planet chefs to make sure that new menu offerings are as healthy as possible. She is also developing new tray liners that will offer nutritional advice. Petersen is developing a new adult Burger Planet Smiley Meal that will include an ankle weight, the fruit packages, and the white meat chicken entree.
Corny the Clown, the beloved Burger Planet mascot is also excited about the menu additions, and will make several appearances with Petersen to get children interested in the new menu options available to them at Burger Planet. The duo will make their kick-off appearance at the Burger Planet franchise located in Times Square in New York, and will continue to make appearances throughout the summer months.
Burger Planet, headquartered in Gary, Indiana, was founded in 1934 by James E. Muellenbach I. Burger Planet currently has 8,921 franchises in 17 countries, employs 48,272 people, and has served over 52 billion customers. Burger Planet is currently the leader of the Quick Service Restaurant Industry.
Jill Little, Public Relations Specialist
jill.little.7@gmail.com
-END-
Friday, September 18, 2009
2300 Thoughts
I think a MLS team that is really great innovative public relations in fan interaction is the Houston Dynamo. They were the first MLS team to create a social media network for the fans, and they have continued to be the leader in interactive features. Their team blog “Forever Orange” is packed with interactive things for their fans to do. Just in doing some research for this piece I wasted several hours looking at all the cool things they had available to their fans. Some of the best and most unique things the Houston Dynamo Forever Orange page features are
• Game day cartoons featuring Dynamo members and opponents
• Weekly player features
• Forever Orange commercials (in English and Spanish)
• Featured fan blogs
• Video collections from fans and the team
• Fan forum front and center on the home page
• Featured photos from fans and players
• Featured events including games, watch parties, and charity events
• Players pages with links to personal blogs and videos posted
• Chat feature that allows mydynamo members to chat online
I was so impressed with the innovation of the Forever Orange page. The Houston Dynamo has really put together a great place to cultivate truly informed fans. The Houston Dynamo are really building a strong brand by hitting a large number of publics with their current public relations with their fan base. I am sure the Forever Orange page is increasing their fan base, because just from my time spent on the page they have made a fan out of me.
2300 Thoughts
As a huge fan of ReAL Salt Lake, and a season ticket holder for 3 years I would like to offer some suggestions to the organization regarding their “team blog.”
Let’s begin with basics, the design of the blog. It has a gray background with a white strip down the middle for their content. Gray is boring! And ReAL Salt Lake’s colors are Red, Blue, and Yellow. If you want to get specific their actual colors are Crimson and Cobalt. From a public relations stand point a team this new to an area and a league should be trying to build their brand, ReAL Salt Lake is definitely not taking the opportunity to do so with their current team blog. (If you would like to see a team actually doing a good job of building their brand look at Seattle Sounders FC, this is their first year in the league and they already have a phenomenal team blog.)
Multiple ReAL Salt Lake fans have started their own blogs about the team, and actually have more followers than the teams own blog. I personally would say that is because of the lack of interesting content on ReAL Salt Lake’s team blog. I think the current content on the blog is quality; they just need to add more quality content, and a much larger variety. The current “Across the Ticker” feature is good, and takes very little time to put up, but has very little content soccer fans have not already read, most of the articles are taken from other blogs and a few news sources, this feature needs to be ramped up.
Other Major League Soccer teams are frequently writing articles or doing small interviews about their players on their blogs. Jimmy Conrad of the Kansas City Wizards hosts his own radio show every week and has it streamed over the web. Supporters groups have been featured on other MLS team blogs, ReAL Salt Lake has multiple supporters groups that could be featured. I think this is a great opportunity the ReAL Salt Lake is missing out on.
Last year they started a bit called the “Kyle and Javi Show,” and put out several episodes. The “Kyle and Javi Show” featured two key players for ReAL Salt Lake in, team captain, Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales. Fans loved it the episodes always got the most positive comments on the blog. I think ReAL Salt Lake should start producing episodes of the “Kyle and Javi Show” again to draw fans back to the team blog.
So in short my suggestions to ReAL Salt Lake for their team blog upgrade would be
• Create a better color scheme for the blog with a more intense soccer design
• Feature quality “inside” player articles and interviews
• Read fan comments and try to implement suggestions
Monday, September 14, 2009
Press Release 1: Announcement
September 8, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Preston Parker, President
851 N. Main St., Logan UT 84321
Personal: (611) 772-7537
E-mail: prestonparker@gmail.com
CACHE VALLEY GETS SOCIAL
Social Media Club of Cache Valley (SMCCV)
LOGAN, UTAH – The Social Media Club of Cache Valley was organized in July and will hold its second member meeting on September 10 at 6:30 pm at Club New York in Logan.
The Social Media Club of Cache Valley was organized by members of Cache Valley for Cache Valley. The Social Media Club of Cache Valley “is for everyone who wants to come and learn more about social media.” said Preston Parker, President of the Social Media Club of Cache Valley.
The Social Media Club is part a global social media club based in San Francisco. The club meets every second Tuesday. Meeting locations float around Cache Valley depending on the facilities needed for the meeting format for that month. At club meetings members participate in panel discussions, station rotations, and listen to expert guest speakers.
If any locations are interested in hosting a club meeting they should contact President Preston Parker. “Having several social media users in your facility would be great free publicity, if they enjoy themselves they will let all their friends know immediately” said Preston Parker.
This month’s meeting format will be a guest speaker. Loralee Choate local discovered blogger will be talking to members about what it was like to be discovered through her blog and attend the White House. She will also field questions, and provide tips on successful blogging.
Anyone in Cache Valley can become a member of the Social Media Club of Cache Valley by going to www.smccv.net and applying online, or by attending the meetings and signing up. Membership in the Social Media Club of Cache Valley is free.
Social Media Club of Cache Valley was started in July 2009. The President of the club is Preston Parker. The Social Media Club of Cache Valley currently has 26 registered members, and meets every second Thursday.
Jill Little, Communications Officer
jill.little.7@gmail.com
-END-
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Draft Press Release 1: Announcement
NEWS RELEASE
September 8, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Preston Parker, President
851 N. Main St., Logan UT 84321
Personal: (611) 772-7537
E-mail: prestonparker@gmail.com
CACHE VALLEY GETS SOCIAL
Social Media Club of Cache Valley (SMCCV)
LOGAN, UTAH – The Social Media Club of Cache Valley was recently organized and will hold its second member meeting on September 10 at 6:30 pm at Club New York in Logan.
The Social Media Club of Cache Valley was organized by members of the community for the community. The Social Media Club of Cache Valley ‘is for everyone who wants to come and learn more about social media.” said Preston Parker, President of the Social Media Club of Cache Valley.
The Social Media Club of Cache Valley is part a global social media club. The club meets every second Tuesday. At club meetings members participate in panel discussions, station rotations, and listen to expert guest speakers.
This month’s meeting format will be a guest speaker. Sarah Lee Shoat a discovered blogger will be talking to members about how to blog successfully and tell her story about what it was like to be discovered through her blog and attend the White House.
Anyone in Cache Valley can become a member of the Social Media Club of Cache Valley by going to www.smccv.net and applying online, or by attending the meetings and getting signed up. Membership in the Social Media Club of Cache Valley is free.
Social Media Club of Cache Valley was started in July 2009. President Preston Parker can be contacted at the information listed above. Any membership questions can be addressed to Preston Parker.
Jill Little, Communications Officer
jill.little.7@gmail.com
-END-
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
United Breaks Guitars
In this situation I think the organization with good public relations is Dave Carroll and his band, Sons of Maxwell. Carroll found a way to use his personal skills to change the feeling the public had about United Airlines, he formed a place for those that felt similar to him to come together and be heard. I find it most interesting that he warned United and they still did not care, because they obviously do not understand the power of social media.
I really like how Ryan McCarthy of the Huffington Post put it, “After United repeatedly declined to reimburse him for the damage, he wrote a now-famous song decrying their customer service and their brand. It was funny, justified and smart.” I completely agree with that statement, most of all with the smart piece. Carroll obviously understood the potential power of social media; although even he was shocked by how well the song was received as mentioned in his personal blog. “My goal: to get one million hits in one year. To date I have written “United: Song 1” and “United: Song 2” and I’m proud to now release the first video in the trilogy. The response has been incredible so far. Everyone involved in the recording of the track and filming/editing of the video has volunteered their time and pre-production work is underway for the filming of United: Song 2 (hopefully to be released later this summer).”
I also agree with Ryan McCarthy on the justified side. The fact that he warned United just cracks me up. Carroll gave them the opportunity to get out of the entire mess even after they had wasted several months of his life, and they still would not do any better than refusing his claim over email. After all the time they spent telling him no, I cannot help you, go here, or ask them you would think it would have just been easier to give him a little something; Carroll seems like a very reasonable person, after all he dropped his claim from the $3000 the guitar was worth to merely $1200 the cost of repairs.
Carroll illustrated United’s customer service system perfectly I thought on his blog, “It occurred to me that I had been fighting a losing battle all this time and that fighting over this at all was a waste of time. The system is designed to frustrate affected customers into giving up their claims and United is very good at it.” What a terrible customer service department model. You would think that he must be joking there is no way this can be true a company really utilizing such a ridiculous “customer service” model. Well, just read a few of the comments on the United Breaks Guitars video on You Tube and see for yourself.
“United used my ex girlfriends luggage as a parking break for a jumbo jet” fenixwylde
“United messed up now... they should have just paid for the guitar. Now 5 million people won't fly with them!!! Lol” NevaehChyne
“I hope they go Bankrupt, they broke my luggage too.” rolitofc
Those were some of the nicer comments on You Tube. I really hope the United public relation specialists get out on the internet and really analyze what this whole experience has cost their company. I honestly think it will take them a very long time, and a very experienced, hopefully expensive, public relations team to repair the damage they have done to their customer relationships.
I like that in this situation you can see when United’s public relations department seemingly gets involved. I think this statement is definitely something from United’s public relations specialists, “his video is excellent, and we plan to use it internally as a unique learning and training opportunity to ensure that all our customers receive better service....This should have been fixed much sooner."
I like that they acknowledged the quality of his video, but using the video for internal training? What? Where? Are they going to use the video as training of what not to do for baggage handlers? I mean the video is hilarious and United definitely needs to do some internal training, but I just struggle to find a legitimate use for the video in the internal training. Maybe they will use it to teach them how to use social media now that would be a useful skill for anyone in that company to understand.
The thing that makes this story so interesting to me is that I definitely did not understand the power of social media. This situation has been a great learning experience for me. I spend very little time using social media and probably would have been a little ignorant like Ms. Irlweg. Now I know I have grossly underestimated the power of social media. I am excited to learn more about social media and the benefits, and consequences that it can have for an organization in the public relations side of their business.
The only reason that this story is even a big deal is social media. Nothing like this could have ever happened ten, even five years ago. I am so excited now, this story has really got me pumped up about what we as regular people can do now when we unite for a good cause, and best of all we can afford it do it with social media.
I really like that we the people can have a big influence on how we are treated by large organizations. I really hope organizations are following this story and understanding how important Carroll has made customer service for all of them. Carroll has set the standard for consumers not only organizations. I would not be surprised to hear about more videos or groups being produced to fight for similar kinds of things.