PR Buzz

The 2010 Census

2010-02-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

As the 2010 Census nears, I think back to the last time new census numbers were released. About 10 years ago, it was the top story of the day; people were shocked that Latinos comprised 10 percent of the population and 1/3 of California's population. This year, the U.S. Census Bureau wants to ensure that the entire population is included. In the past, many undocumented immigrants have been fearful of being included in the Census. In 2010, the Census Bureau will receive help from Univision and Telemundo; the networks will inform Latinos about the Census and encourage them to participate.

Currently, Latinos make up 15 percent of the U.S. population and account for nine percent of the total national buying power, the equivalent to one trillion dollars. However, marketing/PR budgets allocated to this market only represent about four percent of the nationwide overall marketing budgets.

The 2010 World Cup

2010-02-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

Many believe that the 2010 World Cup will be the top marketing opportunity of the year for effectively reaching Latinos, especially males 18-44. The World Cup's impact on the Latino market is comparable to the Super Bowl in the general market. Some of the companies that will be developing campaigns with a World Cup theme include Walmart, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Verizon Wireless and Budweiser. In addition to developing commercial spots that will air during the broadcast of the games on Univision, companies will be developing community outreach and online campaigns. For example, Verizon's V-Cast mobile entertainment platform - will enable its customers to have access to Univision's coverage on their mobile phones, and Walmart is planning on holding official World Cup events at their stores.

Online marketing to gain relevance

2010-01-22T15:39:00.001-08:00

The New Year is here and I would like to share with you my thoughts of the likely changes that I see taking place in the Latino marketing arena in 2010. I will be posting twice a week. Stay tuned as I will be posting more next week.

Recent studies show a ten percent increase in internet usage among Latinos from 2006 to 2008. Although the Latino population’s use of the internet lags behind other groups, Latinos are catching up fast. U.S.-born Latinos have higher internet access rates, but foreign-born Latinos’ internet access provides the biggest opportunity for growth. This year will mark an increase in the expansion of these opportunities. Univision.com, the largest Spanish-language portal in the U.S., has seen increased partnerships with sponsors. General Mills is the exclusive sponsor of the portal’s “Cocina” widget allowing Web site visitors to browse by meal, country or ingredient. Also in the "Cocina" lineup are video and cooking tips from celebrity chefs' appearances on the Univision network shows. Other companies such as Flock, State Farm, Toyota and Ford have teamed up with Univision.com to launch online marketing campaigns. The Univision portal also launched its first virtual online novela last year, which could only be viewed online. And since You Tube signed a deal with Univision last year, You Tube’s Hispanic audience has grown by 80 percent. With the increasing number of Latinos online, those of us who work in marketing and PR will have to incorporate more online components into our campaigns.

Taking Brand PR on the Road

2010-01-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

I didn’t realize it at the time but looking back on my childhood, my love affair with automobiles started with my first Matchbox Car.

My father was all too proud to see that I shared his passion for cars, especially the classics. When I was a kid, he used to take me to a classic car showroom in Gladstone N.J., which housed an impressive collection of rare, vintage sports and race cars. Every imaginable European marque was represented in the collection, and whenever my father asked me if I wanted to go back, I didn’t hesitate. When I was old enough to drive I would make trips on my own, taking care to learn as much as I could about each model from the specific history and ownership of the car, to the designer, all the way down to the original factory equipment. My fascination grew with each trip, and when I went off to college and found myself in need of a job, it was the first place I thought to look. I didn’t actually think I would get the job, but I soldiered on and went anyway. I met with the owner and let him know I would be willing to do just about anything, so long as I could work around these beautiful works of art. He took my number down and said he would call if there was an opening. I never expected a call back.

Lo and behold, a few months later the call came. The owner told me he needed someone to help run errands, detail cars, take care of DMV paperwork and, most importantly, to shuttle cars back and forth between showrooms, repair and restoration shops, dealerships throughout the Tri-state area and long distance road trips to deliver cars to their new homes. Life was complete.

During the time I worked at the showroom I developed a particular fascination with Italian and British sports cars, particularly Jaguar and Ferrari. I drove just about every model Jaguar and Ferrari from the ‘60s through the early ‘90s and became quite familiar with the history behind each example. The Ferrari Dino and Jaguar D-Type were my favorites - just for the record. I listened closely to the way in which my boss would communicate with prospective buyers, spending as much time as necessary to educate them about the subtle nuances of each example. This was no ordinary sell. Emotions play an important role in the purchase of such exquisite automobiles, especially when you’re paying $250K or more for a car. History is everything when buying a classic car and telling the story behind each car was an art in itself. Most would say, however, that these cars literally sell themselves. Although there is some truth in that sentiment, there is a much more powerful element at work here. Brand PR.

Automotive companies like Jaguar and Ferrari have a long history of nurturing emotional connections between the consumer and their brand by promoting a feeling of trust, loyalty and lasting value. Consumers know they are not only purchasing a special car with a long and illustrious history on the racetrack and on the roadways but a commitment to continue to produce the finest cars in the world. Take one drive in either of these particular brands and you will know.

One particular brand that I have been following with great enthusiasm is Tesla Motors. Here is a brand that is breaking away from the proverbial pack and really differentiating itself in the marketplace. No other car company in recent years has tapped into the imaginations of consumers in the same way as Tesla Motors has. The company’s 2010 Roadster has a range of 244 miles, goes from 0-60 mph in less than 4 seconds and has a sleek design that offers “performance with a conscience,” according to Tesla. I couldn’t agree more. Tesla’s Model S will debut in 2011 for those looking for a high-performance 4-door sedan with an ever longer 300 mile range. In fact, Tesla recently showed off its all-electric Roadster sports car at the 2010 North American International Auto Show. Lee Hawkins from the Wall Street Journal covered Tesla’s appearance at the show and the company’s "Roadster Road Trip" to get there. Definitely worth the read.

This is a great example of a forward-thinking car company that is tapping into ever-increasing consumer demand for the next generation of high performance automobiles. I can think of many ways that Brand PR would benefit Tesla Motors as they tap into this growing market and will have more thoughts on Tesla as they are certainly one to watch.

The paywall problem and how Brand PR can help

2010-01-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

The Economist declared 2010 “the year of the paywall.” As newspapers continue to adjust their business models, many outlets are considering using a paywall and charging for content. The Wall Street Journal has successfully used a partial paywall model for years. According to The Economist, The Wall Street Journal expects to generate more sales from content than from advertising this year.

It is rumored The New York Times is about to make the move towards a paywall model soon. For an outlet that has been providing free content for years, such a move presents a dilemma. How can you convince millions of readers to start paying for something that used to be available for free? And how do you convince them to stay when so many other news outlets and bloggers are offering news coverage without a paywall?

That’s where the strength of an organization’s brand identity comes in.

Readers pay for The Wall Street Journal because they believe it has something unique to offer. Whether it’s journalistic style, format, specific journalists, subscribers believe The Journal brand offers something of value and so they’re willing to pay.

Smaller outlets that have been forced to rely heavily on syndicated content in light of severe staff cuts will face a tougher time justifying a paywall. However, a paywall isn’t the only possible solution. Other outlets are experimenting with different business models. For example, The Seattle P-I converted to an online-only format last year. A similar model is leveraged to great success by outlets like The Huffington Post and Slate.

As the news landscape grows more competitive, it becomes more important for outlets to differentiate themselves from the crowd.

PR Strategy – No “Spitting Wars”

2010-01-15T12:14:00.000-08:00

It’s a fairly common strategy to call out your competitor’s flaws (perceived and/or actual) in a public forum (e.g. Progresso/Campbell’s Soup Wars, AT& T/Verizon’s map dispute, I’m a Mac/PC). Though this strategy often leads to highly publicized, drawn out and costly litigation, it has also yielded improved sales for some companies.

There’s an alternative to the “spitting war” strategy. Here‘s the case study.

Most consumers don’t realize that “fresh, natural” chicken can include products that have been injected or plumped with sodium phosphate, cane juice, corn syrup and other “enhancers.” Our client, Foster Farms, the leading poultry producer on the West Coast, had always differentiated itself as producing truly 100 percent, natural, fresh poultry without any added ingredients. The other guys were injecting their fresh and natural-labeled chicken with salt water, ostensibly for better flavor but in fact adding weight and thus the total cost – and sodium content -- to consumers. With labeling loopholes, though, most consumers didn’t know the difference.

Foster Farms had enough, but how do you out your competitors’ deceptive labeling practices and market that without painting yourself defensive and y whiny in the process? The answer – with humor, with award-winning TV advertising and, not least, with effective public relations working on all fronts.

Our job was to help consumers understand what they were getting – or not getting – when they bought fresh chicken. We informed them about an issue they should be concerned about without scare tactics or shock value. Our approach was credible, reasonable and caring rather than pointed or aggressive

The upshot – Consumers remained loyal to the premium Foster Farms brand even in a tough economy. And the campaign, as lauded in an L.A. Times editorial (and reprinted in the Sacramento Bee and other dailies), won praise for its integrity.

“Foster Farms, which developed an entire marketing campaign around the fact that it does not plump its chicken, is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to withhold the “all natural” label from enhanced chicken.

“Although we hate to take sides in corporate competition, we think Foster Farms is right. If anything, its campaign is too tame. It's tempting to imagine a label that identifies heavily enhanced chicken as "chicken-like product, with X% real chicken." At the very least, enhanced meats should be conspicuously labeled as such, and the list of added ingredients should appear in larger type. Shoppers should know at a glance what they're really getting.”

Celebrity Chefs Become “Brands”, Heat Up Cookbook Sales

2010-01-08T14:48:00.000-08:00

The last time I perused my collection of cookbooks, I realized that 90 percent of them were written by Food Network chefs. What is it about the network and the chefs that make me purchase their cookbooks over those authored by lesser-known, yet more qualified, chefs?

The Food Network chefs have friendly and cheerful demeanors and they make me feel like I can master any recipe. I know that some of them never went to culinary school, but that just makes them less intimidating. Most importantly, because I’m familiar with the chefs, I know that I can trust them. For example, I own the entire Barefoot Contessa cookbook series by Ina Garten, my favorite host. Since I watch all of her shows, I know that I love the dishes she prepares and that she simplifies each step as much as possible. Ina Garten’s show on the network has made her into a beloved “brand” to whom millions of home chefs have an emotional connection. Her show provides a venue to constantly promote her products, unlike most cookbook authors. I trust the Ina Garten, Bobby Flay, Giada de Laurentiis brands because I know more about their products than some author I’ve never heard of. Plus, if a particular step is confusing, I can go to the Food Network Web site to replay an episode, rather than risk ruining a meal.

Even though some criticize the concept of televised cooking shows, saying that they’re intimidating and unrealistic, I always learn new cooking techniques and feel inspired to try a variety of recipes. I’m just one of the millions of Food Network fans who share this sentiment; the network “commands more viewers than any of the cable news channels“. The allure of celebrity chefs was noted in The San Francisco Chronicle, which listed “celebrity chefs” 6th among the 10 top trends in dining from the last decade, saying that chefs are “increasingly defined by their television appearances”. So, much like trusting a well-known brand in my supermarket, I rely on the Food Network brand of chefs to ensure my meals come off without a hitch.

The Evolution of the Grocery Getter

2010-01-06T16:18:00.000-08:00

As an avid cook, I used to love grocery shopping. I perused a few retailers weekly to assure the best quality items for the price. Trader Joe’s for cheese, frozen appetizers, snacks and good deals on wine; Safeway for dependable basics; my local farmers market for ripe seasonal produce (and the live music). Shopping for groceries was truly a weekly hobby. All for the admittedly-smug satisfaction of knowing every meal had a personal touch and stamp of approval.

Then, I became a mom, and a member of the fastest online shopping demographic. Forget about multiple stores, I was lucky to make it to one. And that quickly evolved from the neighborhood grocery chain to SuperTarget – for the sole reason that I could purchase any household necessity in one place at one time and save my back from carting the babe in a carseat all over town. (Note to retailers: I’ll make the extra trip if your grocery carts’ car seat rests tilt forward as opposed to backward, thereby keeping my baby upright and not upside down, uncomfortable, and hence, wailing like a banshee. And if you have a few carts with built in baby seats – go ahead and splurge on a few more – moms like me will thank you for mitigating parking lot fights over them.)

I recently evolved (or regressed depending on how you look at it) once more. At the urging of another mom, I bit the bullet and outsourced my grocery shopping. I now shop for groceries online and love it. And according to Nielsen, so do 13 million U.S. Internet users. With one keystroke, my groceries are personally selected by a sweet young woman who had the foresight to call me to find out how ripe I wanted my avocados.

How can a self-professed grocery control freak like myself allow a stranger to shop for my food? Simple. B rand P R. I know and trust that the brands I buy are dependable, the same quality whether I’m personally selecting the food or not. Meals are easier to plan, and each week, I can quickly update a previous list and have a week’s worth of groceries waiting for me at my convenience. While I may no longer be the sole gatekeeper to each item finding its way into my refrigerator or pantry, I feel just as confident in the quality of the foods I’m choosing. And while the personal shopper certainly deserves some credit, so do the food brands that consistently exceed consumer expectations for quality and value. I count on them week after week whether I’m the one in the aisle or not.

And this doesn’t mean I’m forgoing my grocery forages altogether. I’m just savoring them as a family outing, rather than just one more draining errand.

Insurance Policies for Crisis Communications, Part 2

2009-12-30T09:16:00.000-08:00

Westmont College, a small, private Christian educational institution, suffered significant campus damage in the devastating November 2008 “Santa Barbara Tea Fire.” The day after the fire started, the school recognized the possibility that its students might have caused the disaster; the blogosphere and local community was rife with rumor and speculation. Though the true perpetrators were eventually found to be students from a neighboring school, with no Westmont students involved, in the heat of the initial hours the school needed to respond forthrightly. With time ticking, the urgent demands of police and fire authorities, the looming deadlines of media inquiries, frantic calls from parents and from neighboring residents, Westmont decision makers debated various, often emotional and defensive responses. The protection of students, privacy issues, assessing blame and the need to cooperate and show concern for the community all vied for attention. At the “request” of its insurance company, United Educators, Westmont called upon Fineman PR, previously vetted for these kinds of crises, to assist. Less than 24 hours after the fires began, Fineman PR was engaged and worked with the College through the night and weekend to develop effective communications plans and responses for a range of scenarios and audiences.

Westmont College was prepared the next morning to present itself, cogently, as a community and law enforcement resource for any investigation or for up to date information. College communications had to assume a delicate balance during a time of great loss, intense scrutiny, allegations and suspicion. In the end, Westmont College was acknowledged throughout the community and by the media for its responsible and forthright response.

With professional, experience-based communications, the insurance provider benefitted by minimizing the client institution’s total loss related to reputation, credibility and even legal exposure from misleading, false or clumsy communications. Because of this, the crisis event is less likely to contribute to dropped applications, enrollment and donations. The amount of time the institution is fully involved in its crisis may also be shortened if its communications do not add complications to the original situation.

The issue is also one of quality of service provided. If the insurance company vets the communications firms they wish to use and is confident in those firms’ qualifications and experience, its members are assured of having quick access to quality professional services during a time when members would have limited ability to find a provider themselves. As a crisis unfolds, crucial time delays are encountered as the institution looks for a provider. Also, less experienced providers, selected in a rush, may have limited ability to effect the desired outcome.

Insurance Policies for Crisis Communications, Part I

2009-12-29T11:32:00.000-08:00

As the year ends, businesses and other organizations that confront volatile issues may want to look to their insurance policies for extended coverage. More and more, insurance companies are offering “public relations” riders to help limit the financial damage that can come from a “reputation” disaster. Insurance companies are not only offering this coverage, but some are going further by selecting trusted and experienced crisis communications firms that, if brought in immediately to provide sensible counsel, could actually limit the potential exposure and damage of a crisis on an organization.

A tragic accident in a rental housing development left the owner/developer and property manager exposed to charges of health and safety violations from some of its tenants. Though those allegations were found ultimately to be untrue, the situation (evolved) began to blossom into what could be viewed as unreasonable and unwarranted demands for accommodations, rent relief, lease abrogation and satisfaction of unrelated, pre-accident grievances. Almost all of these demands were leveraged with the threat and activity to publicize what amounted to rumor and speculation. Further damage from the original accident would then have the potential to arise in the form of a plummeting reputation in the community for that complex and all other developments of the same owner, then mass exodus of tenants, diminished traffic from new potential tenants and political fallout in surrounding communities where the owner wanted to build. As a result of our strategic counsel, the developer and property manager were lauded at the next meeting of the Town Council. At the heart of the matter, of course, our client was committed to doing the right thing.

The owner had an insurance policy rider for just this kind of situation and understood its need for an external communications resource. The company called on my agency, Fineman PR, to help them communicate the facts. We worked with local town officials, law enforcement and fire district officials to communicate the truth of what happened and began an intense program of tenant relations, media relations, community relations and Web communications to help these critical audiences understand that the developer and property manager were intent on going the last mile to help residents. We also worked closely with our client’s law firm to assure our work in the court of public opinion did not create added exposure in the court of law.

As companies look to 2010, my advice would be to take a close look at their insurance policies and understand what the provisions are for crisis communications. Bad news can go global within seconds and when you’re trying to weather a crisis, planning makes all the difference.

Don't Get Caught with Your Pants Down When the Whole World is Watching

2009-12-23T13:12:00.000-08:00

Currently, there is so much buzz about what people and organizations are doing when confronted by a crisis.

While every crisis is different, there are some fundamental principles that should serve as a reference on how to get started resolving the challenge. And, while at this point in my career as crisis communications counsel these principles are burned in my mind, I still immediately turn to my list the moment I get a call for help. This was the subject of my agency’s very first blog post, more than a year ago, but with all the year-end interest in this topic, I will repeat it as a guideline for all the new friends I have made on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

We call it a “pantchek” as a memorable acronym, because we believe it is important not to get caught “with your pants down” once all eyes are turned your way.

• Public welfare is first priority

• All bad news out at once/Assemble the facts

• No blame, no speculation, do not repeat the charges

• Tell your side of the story/Take responsibility

• Care and concern

• High-level organization spokesperson

• Ensure that it will not happen again

• Keep separate plan for moving ahead

I believe these fundamentals are a good complement to the interview I did with Bulldog Reporter that was posted today.

Branding, even in the Pens You Write With

2009-12-22T09:32:00.000-08:00

I collect pens.

A pen isn’t always just a pen. It could be a brand, a brand that says a little something about the person that’s brandishing it.

For the most part, my pens are not terribly expensive. Hardly any are fountain pens – I’m a mess with fountain pens – they’re mostly roller balls and ball points. But each one has a certain style, a weight, a comfort, color, motif, a feel to them that attracts me. I like the more retro style, nothing too fancy, but I guess that goes with my fondness for these tools that is not necessarily present with my younger staff who like the convenience of recording with technology.

I have more of the Retro 51 brand pens than any other. I also like the Aurora pens from Italy, stylish but understated. I like Waterman and Sheaffer, but I only purchase them when I am feeling especially “flush.” All of my pens, though all different, seem to have a consistent look and feel, and they mark my daily life like monograms.

I always have a pen in my hand, and I carry two pens with me each day. Obviously, the tactile aspect is important to me. I was once told by a writing teacher that many people must hold on to something in order to think clearly or creatively.

In speaking with others about their views on the “pens in their lives,” I’ve been told that some have “dress pens” for special occasions, some collect pens as mementos of where they’ve been or a special person who gave it or handed it down. There’s a nostalgic aspect to that, like certain kinds of smells or tastes or moments of déjà vu.

Sometimes a pen really is just a pen, but even then I want a writing instrument that provides effortless comfort and ease in signing my name or writing a thank you note. If you are caring, if you are thoughtful, you find significance in almost everything. And that’s the purpose of brands, to represent that secret niche for a specific audience.

Outbehaving the Competition

2009-12-17T15:33:00.001-08:00

Just this week, my agency published its 15th annual Top 10 Blunders List. While we make no claims to be the supreme arbiter, we do base our credibility on a wealth of experience and success in helping clients navigate through turbulent seas (see www.finemanpr.com for crisis and other cases).

Crises come in all shapes and sizes, from national crises that impact a wide variety of audiences to industry-specific crises. For the past 21 years, Fineman PR has been called upon to handle front page crises including Avian Influenza fears, bacteria in packaged salads, animal rights activist bombings of academic researchers’ homes, riots and insurrection at KPFA Radio in Berkeley, tainted wine in the Napa Valley and, most recently, a tragic, fatal explosion at a Truckee housing development. The heart of the matter, though, is what sets our approach apart from others. Fineman PR’s byword is -- always take the high-road.

We just do not believe that effective and smart public relations strategy and tactics are about spin, deflecting blame or unleashing attack dog tactics; it’s about demonstrating the organization’s goodwill, good faith and interest in doing the right thing. History shows that companies who act responsibly and forthrightly stand a better chance at weathering the storm and may even increase brand trust while they’re at it. This is not “apology PR”; many crises are situations in which organizations are wrongly accused. But there is a need for an ethical dimension to the crisis response, and that is often forgotten.

Dov Seidman sums it up best in his new book How: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything when he makes the point that there is an increasing competitive advantage in outbehaving the competition.

You are What You Collect

2009-12-16T15:57:00.000-08:00

I collect PR Blunders…that is, I capture them throughout the year as they occur for my year end Top 10 PR Blunders List.

But I collect so many other things as I zoom through this life. Is this more male behavior than female? I used to think so, but apparently I’m not the only one in the office who likes to collect “stuff.” Come to find out, female members of my staff have diverse collections themselves.

So, for example, I collect state quarters, silver dollars, wines, scotches, rye whiskeys, t-shirts, pens, tunes for my IPOD, books, baseball caps, white dress shirts, S.F. Giants memorabilia, and shampoos, for crying out loud. My wife insists I collect men’s suits and shoes, but I don’t want to go there for now :).

Obviously, it is all part of my personality and what makes me, me, but it is also a part of my understanding of public relations marketing. It is part of how I view brands and how I understand the values that each of these “things” impart. It is part of how I define “Brand PR.”

More to come on each of these idiosyncratic material categories. As I develop this topic, I hope readers will jump in with their own thoughts.

Expanding on the Top 10 Blunders List

2009-12-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

Fineman PR’s Top 10 Blunders List is a call to organizations to pay attention to their image as reflected in their organizational behavior and communications. Our list is not meant to degrade or defame but to educate and bring greater awareness to the value of professional communications counsel.

Everyone, including all organizations, make mistakes. Often a blunderer will make our List not because of the initial mistake but because of their response to that mistake, hence prolonging negative impressions. When confronted with a challenging situation, we counsel our clients to think of public welfare first, to avoid blame and speculation, to show care and concern for all affected audiences, and to assure those audiences that the issue is being resolved with good faith.

While we strongly believe that organizations must take responsibility when the fault is theirs, it is just as critical for organizations to understand that they have a responsibility to counter false charges and to set the record straight. No person or organization should allow others to tell their story for them. No person or organization can afford to allow misinformation to stand without a correction. The key to these kinds of assertive communications is in the tone. Defensiveness, obstinacy, arrogance, and name calling should not be options.

This year’s Top 10 PR Blunders List was marked especially by the role that online and social media played. This is a relatively new area of PR and many companies stumble when they miscalculate social media’s potential for influence. Examples here would include the United Airlines, Domino’s, KFC and Horizon Group Management Blunders.

We have received several inquiries about why some high profile situations were left off the list such as Tiger Woods and “Balloon Boy.” In our professional opinions, not all news making incidents are necessarily “public relations blunders.” Some that we ignore are too tragic, some are too personal, some are plain criminal acts, and some are just instances of moral turpitude.

As always, I welcome your comments.

Why I’m Hard on You

2009-09-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

I chuckle when I think back to the hundreds – if not thousands – of exasperated looks, sighs, blank stares or simply good, old fashioned push back I’ve received during my years as an agency executive in the PR business. My teammates, specifically those of whom I have had the responsibility of overseeing, have huddled to discuss how my goal in life is to make their lives miserable, that I’m too nitpicky or hard core. What’s been interesting about this whole process, though, is the number of phone calls and/or emails I’ve received after the fact when these colleagues have developed more in their careers, perhaps becoming supervisors in their own right, and gained insight into what it really takes to produce excellent products. I’ll deem that Hindsight 20-20.

After moving onward, upward or out and back again into positions with more responsibility, they have become the “bad guys”, “minutiae queens” and more. Many of them later called to thank me for pushing them and some have even apologized for their often resistant behavior.

Maybe I can save a few of you rising stars the conflict, heartburn or frustration of butting heads with a manager who only wants the best for the organization and for your development as a professional. Here’s a little about why I push those in my charge.

I know you’re capable of excellence, even if you’re not so sure – I push you because I recognize your potential. Nine times out of 10, you’ll rise to the occasion. Even it is a painful process, you’ve learned something and you’ve grown.

You won’t learn a thing if I’m doing your work – You also won’t earn any points if your manager always has to fix/re-do your work. Be thorough, think things through, proof your work, show you care.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch – Hard work, ingenuity, efficiency and creativity will get you far. Cruising will not.

Take ownership, especially if you’ve made a mistake – It takes more guts to admit you are wrong than to pass the blame. Any manager worth their salt will admire your courage. You’ll lose respect if you constantly make excuses or pass the buck.

Show me you’re a keeper – Show value, manage up, help me, and I’ll help you.

Don’t be a clock watcher – I have a life too. But I don’t dash out the door at the stroke of 5 if my work isn’t done.

Keep your word – Do what you say and say what you do. If I can count on you to deliver - without constantly being reminded - I’ll come to you with better and bigger projects, and I’ll be able to recommend you for promotions and raises.

Use your head – I admire someone who can come to me with an idea or solution. It may not be used every time, but it shows me you’re thinking and that you care about what you’re doing. Just doing what you’re told won’t get you far.

I’ve got your back, but I expect you to have mine – Loyalty is a two way street.

Bridging Generational Gaps in the Workforce

2009-09-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

Four generations are now in the work force — traditionalists, baby boomers, gen Xers and millenials - and each group has an opinion about whose communications approach is the best. Addressing these generational differences in the workforce is critical to a company's long term success, but how do companies manage the needs of a multi-generational workforce without alienating some employees? Granted, not all traditionalists, boomers, Xers, or millenials are cut from a cookie-cutter mold, but enough similar values and perspectives exist within each generation to address them generally. Knowing what those values are and leveraging that knowledge is the key, especially when you look at the differences:

Traditionalists: Structure/consistency, strong work ethic, loyalty, patience, mission and respect
Baby Boomers: Teamwork, long hours, hard work, recognition and respect
Generation X: Autonomy, informality, competence, ongoing learning, feedback, balance and respect
Millenials: Achievement, structure, collaboration, mission and respect

*Source: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

When you stop to think about the era in which someone was born you get a better sense of who they are. For example, baby boomers grew up at a time of dramatic social change where music was a true expression of their generational identity. Words like experimental, individualistic and free spirited resonate with boomers. Millennial ‘s, often referred to as the "Trophy Generation," due to their reputation for being peer-oriented and for seeking instant gratification, grew up with technology and are often seen as the social network pioneers.

Employers need to recognize these and other traits in trying to train and retain employees in today’s increasingly complex and competitive corporate landscape. They should also work hard not to stereotype different generations, but there are some differences and shared values in the workplace between the generations. For example, in their relationships with work, Traditionalists view it as "personal sacrifice," and Millennials view the relationship as "loyal." In contrast, Baby Boomers view it as "personal gratification" and Generation Xers as "reluctant to commit.”

Here are a few characteristics to help illustrate key differences in each generation’s workforce traits:

Traditionalists: Listen to their war stories; respect their experience; use them as mentors and in technology training, flexible work options and opportunities to learn and develop
Baby Boomers: Seek recognition and credit; respect hard work; they prefer working in teams; they build consensus, like professional development; use to tap into experience
Generation X: Prefer autonomy; like frequent feedback and learning opportunities; are flexible; like access to decision-makers; are fun and exciting; prefer results over process
Millennials: Prefer structure and guidance; seek input; are team oriented; they maintain technology and manage projects; aren't time sensitive; prefer challenges and stress mission and values

*Source: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

Bridging the generational gap in the workforce can be tricky but when it’s done right employees feel empowered and productivity levels go up substantially. It’s an important lesson to learn for any company but once you understand any one generation's formative years, you can make sense of that generation's workplace values and beliefs, and the gaps between the generations then tend to shrink. We all grew up in different worlds but at the end of the day, we all want the same things -- to feel respected and valued.

An Unexpected New “Friend”

2009-07-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

Monday night seemed like any other. I watched a little TV, did some reading, ate a good meal. The work day after a long three-day weekend is always a little tiring, so I thought I should turn in early. But just before heading to bed, I decided to check my Inbox one last time.

And that’s when I saw it. The email I never IMAGINED would show up there.

My mother had requested to add me as a friend on Facebook.

Having my parent on Facebook is both intriguing and mortifying. Intriguing, because not but two months ago, my mother was quizzing me about Twitter and “all this social networking mumbo-jumbo”—along with swearing to me that she would never join any of it, for it all seemed confusing and unnecessary. Intriguing too, because I think it will be interesting to see how she utilizes the platform (after only a few hours on the site, I noticed she had already connected with some of her old co-workers, extended family members that even I didn’t know were on Facebook, and a mélange of people I imagine are from her childhood).

And of course, it was mortifying in that 5 years worth of pictures—including many from my days as an undergraduate—were readily available for her to see (luckily, I’ve already created a number of Friends Lists, so with a quick click of the button, embarrassment was averted).

The reason I chose to write about my newest Facebook friend is to give some context as to how far the site has come in a very short amount of time. A little over five years ago, when I first joined the site, there were only 11 colleges on the Facebook “network.” And, you had to be a current student at one of those schools in order to join. There was no such thing as a “Wall.” There were no photo uploads, no news feeds, no Fan pages, no groups, no “liking” of statuses (in fact, there were no statuses either).

Back then, Facebook was purely a base-level networking site: you could friend people and send messages to them, but that was the extent of connectability. Mostly, thefacebook.com (as it was known back then) consisted of your profile picture and some informational text you posted about yourself. I can remember when one of the coolest features about the site was that it housed your university’s entire course catalog, so that you could add your classes and discover “friends” who were taking the same courses.

Today, as my mother is finding out, Facebook is unbelievable in its ability to connect people and share information. With Facebook, you can be one of millions of Nutella fans. You can use Facebook Connect to post the latest New York Times cover story directly to your profile, for hundreds of your friends (and family) to see. When your childhood best friend has a child of their own, you’ll know about it—even if you haven’t spoken to that person in 10 years (I can imagine that planning high school reunions is infinitely easier with Facebook!).

More than anything though, I’m excited that this technology—which is truly revolutionizing the way we communicate with one another—is so readily accessible to users of all ages and technical abilities. I can hardly wait to see how my mom and I connect over Facebook. And, after five and a half years since its initial launch, I can hardly wait to see what Facebook comes up with next.

Work smarter

2009-06-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

I just came back from Ragan's Corporate Communications and the Social Media Revolution conference where I met members of the PR twitterati (@briansolis, @PRsarahevans). The conference was geared towards a wide spectrum of social media acolytes– from newbies to old hands with backgrounds in education, healthcare, military, aeronautics, etc.

With social media, monitoring and participation go hand-in-hand. You can’t participate meaningfully if you don’t pay attention to what other people are saying. One of the questions asked several times during the conference was on the topic of time management. We all aspire to the 4-hour workweek, but for many of us in the PR industry, even a 40-hour workweek seems out of reach. Add to that the high level of engagement required by social media and you have what seemingly looks like endless hours with your fingers on a keyboard.

Many of the speakers shared the apps they used to streamline social media efforts; BackTweets and Tweet Later were two that I was particularly excited to learn about. Here are some other social media shortcuts that you might find helpful:

ShareThis, AddThis, GetSocial, etc – Don’t know HTML or CSS? Use these free code-generating sites to add social bookmarks to your blog, website or other online communications. All you need to do is submit your URL and these services will create a social bookmarking button for you, similar to the one you see at the end of every PRBuzz post.
RSS – This should probably be #1 on the list. RSS is like getting an up-to-the-minute table of contents to all your favorite information outlets. It’s also like portable Tivo for text: it lets you archive stories and, and you can access your RSS feeds from anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection. posts for future reading
A Twitter app – almost any Twitter app will offer more features than the Twitter website. For monitoring on the go, try TweetBeep or CoTweet if you’re maintaining a corporate Twitter account. TweetDeck, Twhirl and Twitterific are great for regular use at your computer. You’ll have to try a couple apps to find the one that works best for you, but there are a lot to choose from and 99.9% are free.

Reaching Affluent Latinos

2009-06-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

There is often a misconception among marketers that “Latinos” are recent immigrants, speak little English and only purchase basic necessity products. Although it is true that, historically, Latinos (as well as other ethnic minorities in the United States) have been at a disadvantage both educationally and economically, there is now a growing and important Latino middle and affluent class, which is only expected to grow in the coming years as the educational opportunities for Latinos widen. With more Latinos achieving the American dream, a new affluent consumer market has been created. Currently, the affluent Latino market is growing at a rate 8% faster than the non-Latino affluent population. (Miami is the most affluent Latino market in the country, where most of the top government and business posts in the city are held by Latinos).

Companies including Lexus, Casa Herradura Tequilas and JP Morgan Chase are realizing the growth of this affluent consumer market and are embracing it by developing communications and marketing campaigns to target them.

Affluent Latinos are a niche within a niche, and for a brand’s campaign to be successful reaching this consumer group, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Prioritize Latino markets based on the biggest opportunity for your product
Upscale tequila brands may have more appeal among Mexican-Americans in Texas or California while South Americans living in Florida may be more likely to try a new brand of wine. Marketers should take this into consideration when deciding where to launch their new products.

• Language is important
Miami is a market with a large population of foreign-born Latinos; this also applies to its affluent class. Communicating with affluent Latinos in this market is best done in Spanish. However, reaching affluent Latinos in California or Texas is more effective in English or with a combination of both English and Spanish.

• Latino Culture is important even among English-speaking Latinos
Latino culture is very powerful and research shows that unlike other previous waves of immigrants, the new generation of U.S. born Latinos is assimilating while maintaining certain cultural traditions and values, such as the importance placed on family and community. Even though assimilated Latinos may prefer to speak English over Spanish, they are still proud of their cultural heritage and recognize it if a company makes an effort to understand their culture. Hiring an agency or consultant that understands the Latino market is important when launching a campaign, even when it comes to affluent and assimilated Latinos.

• Latinos tend to be younger than the general U.S. population
Latinos are 10 years younger than the general U.S. population; this is also true among affluent Latinos. Marketers should take this into consideration and target their products and services accordingly.

Latino consumers are not only buying items such as toilet paper and milk, but also luxury automobiles and investment products. The biggest lesson to understand is that affluent consumers with Latino cultural roots and dispositions will only keep growing as new generations of Latinos achieve their educational and economic goals.

Making the Move from Technology to Consumer PR

2009-06-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

After graduating from college on the East Coast, I made the choice to move out West and work in public relations. San Francisco seemed like the perfect city for what I wanted to do. My first PR job introduced me to the world of tech PR as I found myself in the high-tech epicenter of the world.

Over the years I worked for a variety of different tech agencies that mostly represented small companies trying to get their foot in the door with technology products that were often times already out there. I mean, who is really going to go up against the Googles or MacAfees of the world? That market is cornered. It’s like a newcomer going up against Steve Jobs or Bill Gates: they may get close, but they will never catch up. And the real kicker is, all these companies really want is to be bought by a MacAfee or Google and then fire the PR agency!

So, as the tech market softened and work became more scarce (nine years later) I found myself in the position of deciding whether to stay in high-tech or move to a more consumer-focused agency. This uncertainty ultimately led me to consumer/lifestyle PR where creativity is key! Coming from a tech world, PR had become a formula to me. After working at Fineman PR for about a month now, PR is fun again—just as it was when I first cut my teeth in the biz! Don’t get me wrong, I love tech PR but my new position at Fineman has truly opened my eyes to a very different and exciting world of PR. The accounts vary from large restaurants to major food brands to healthcare districts.

With so much diversity, every day is different. Every pitch is unique and (almost) every event is exciting. Press calls are no longer called briefings, but interviews. The clients are not eager to be bought, radio and broadcast media are actually interested in speaking with you, the national press is interested in traveling to come see you, and you occasionally work with celebrities. Planning events became fun again because instead of planning tech trade shows, we are planning ribbon cutting ceremonies. Instead of reaching out to eWeek or Network World we are pitching Time and Fitness. Instead of being forced to read InfoWorld, your knowledge of what’s in People magazine becomes relevant. The passion that initially got you interested in public relations becomes awakened again and it’s exciting to be going to work!

So, if you’re considering a switch from technology PR to consumer PR, I say go for it! It’s a refreshing change and one that provides you with an opportunity to see just how creative you really are.

The Mad Dash to Brand

2009-06-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

Online marketers, start your engines. This Saturday at 12:01 a.m. EST (9:01 p.m. on Friday, PST), Facebook will allow both users and brands to claim a “vanity URL” on the site. But, act quickly—URLs will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.

So, what exactly is a vanity URL? Vanity URLs refer to the URL connected to your specific Facebook profile or Fan Page. With a vanity URL, my Facebook URL would be www.facebook.com/victoria instead of www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=123456. The implications for brands interested in or already maintaining Fan pages on Facebook is big. From Mashable:

The vanity URL is an important aspect of most social media websites. Being able to choose the URL for your social profile (i.e. Twitter.com/BenParr) not only makes it easy to share with others, but helps you claim a little piece of social media space as your own.

There will be an inevitable gold rush for names on June 13th, and thus there will be many disappointments, complaints, and issues to sort out once the system goes live. Nonetheless, this should be a positive step towards making Facebook profiles a more shareable and personal experience.

Gary V also does a great job of summing it up:

This service will be so useful both to individuals and brands—wouldn’t YOU rather go by your own name instead of some long string of numbers? And, having such an easy-to-remember URL will mean that brands can start aggressively marketing the URL on all of their collateral, which will make the content brands post to their Fan pages all the more important.

As a big proponent of online branding, I can tell you where I’ll be Friday night at 9:01.

Slammed in the Media? PR Tips for A Savvy Response

2009-06-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

Ideally, every business would have a PR counselor ready for action at a moment’s notice. Picture a powerful team of superheroes stashed in your desk drawer like an earthquake or snake bite kit. But unlike larger businesses with internal communications teams and expert agency counselors, many smaller businesses either don’t have the time, money or means to fund communications resources like the big guys. Still, every business should have the basic tools to act in the event that their reputation is on the line.

Recently, the small Alzheimer’s facility where my relative receives care was negatively portrayed on the front page of a major daily newspaper. The article profiled one family’s struggle in shifting a relative from an assisted living residence to a specialized care facility. The reality is that few facilities have the technical licensing to care for patients with certain stages of Alzheimer’s; past a certain stage, options are not as extensive as one would hope. The article was just one more reminder that every business is vulnerable to public criticism online and in traditional media.

Even with the best of intentions and a great business product or service, it only takes one brutal shot by a vocal detractor or unhappy client to do damage to even highly regarded businesses.

Here’s a quick PR kit for small businesses to help prepare and hopefully avoid PR disaster, or, to deftly handle a media crisis once it hits. Slammed in the Media? PR for Small Businesses

Give your fingers a rest. Pick up the phone, already!

2009-06-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say, “Well, I sent an e-mail” only to be baffled by waiting hours, days or weeks for a response – if they get one at all. Want an answer now? Then pick up the phone!

I have nothing against e-mail, texting or tweeting. They all have a place in our fast-moving world. I for one have responded to e-mails while my kids bounce off the walls or in the middle of the night when a phone call would be less than perfect.

But there’s no substitute for a good old-fashioned phone call if you want to catch the subtleties, tone or just make things happen.

Why should you call, instead of e-mail?

Do I know you? -- If your client/customer/vendor/boss recognizes your e-mail signature but not your voice, then you may have a problem. A phone call can go a long way towards establishing trust, rapport and just a basic human connection.

Send it into the ether and it may (or may not) stick – Chalk it up to spam filters, junk mail filters and/or spotty technology, but not all e-mails find their way. Even if they do, not everyone is on e-mail 24/7 with fingers ready to hammer a response - despite the more than 10 million people who currently have iPhones or Blackberries strapped to their hip (with only personal e-mail forwarded).

E-mail overload – At one point this week my inbox had 2700 e-mails. The sheer volume of e-mail has turned this medium into one with which I have a love/hate relationship. And I’m not alone. It’s estimated that businesses lose $650 billion annually in productivity due to unnecessary e-mail interruptions. The average number of corporate e-mails sent and received per person per day is expected to reach over 228 by 2010. Convenience is great, but not when you’re buried by it.

Room for translation – How many times has a colleague or client misinterpreted the tone or content of an e-mail only to spend hours fuming or going back and forth ten times to clarify its meaning?

Instant gratification – To my previous point, make a one-minute call and save yourself 10 e-mails!

So the next time you’re tempted to tap out a “quick” e-mail, try smiling and dialing. It just may get you an answer, a new opportunity, a story, or even a new client.

Why newspaper reporters should love PR folks

2009-05-27T17:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it seems like PR-bashing must be a parlor game for journalists. And while sometimes it’s well-deserved, the industry often suffers subtle digs and outright attacks from reporters who dismiss the value of PR.

But here’s why you should reserve your judgment, reporters (or at the very least, give us a chance!): PR professionals make up a large contingent of those who continue to believe in the importance and relevance of newspapers. We know that it takes more than an Internet connection to qualify as a journalist.

Many readers have cancelled their subscriptions and companies have pulled their ad budgets. The Pew Research Center found that only 33% of Americans would miss their local newspaper a lot if it folded.

The ad budgets that newspapers solicitously court? Companies have taken most of those dollars elsewhere. Someone may even be walking around with what was formerly a quarterly print ad budget tattooed on their forehead.

We know your words still matter. Though we’re at the forefront of leveraging the power of social media, we also recognize your power and influence.

We buy your newspapers and carefully clip your articles. Sometimes we even frame them. We read your articles for tone and nuance, share them with clients and friends. We subscribe to your RSS feeds and check out your blogs and tweets. You put a smile on our faces when you respond to our pitches. We wait for your calls and avoid calling you when you’re on deadline. We commiserate when layoffs or closures are announced.

We stand by you. And we’re cheering you on as you find a way to adapt to the changing landscape. And if you do get laid off, just remember that your writing skills are marketable and transferable.

KFC's feathers ruffled over rival's challenge

2009-05-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

Everyone’s been buzzing about KFC’s coupon blunder, but the latest chatter on the topic has involved a much smaller chicken chain that doesn’t usually make headlines. In a series of savvy moves, rival El Pollo Loco took advantage of KFC’s mistakes and landed itself on the national media’s radar.

The coupon fiasco, along with KFC’s campaign touting their new grilled chicken offerings, inspired El Pollo Loco to challenge KFC. El Pollo Loco released ads and YouTube videos featuring CEO Steve Carley challenging KFC to a grilled chicken taste test—they even set up an 800 number for KFC to call and agree to the “Taste the Fire Challenge!” KFC didn’t call to accept the challenge, but according to El Pollo Loco, KFC employees and execs did call pretending to be consumers preferring the taste of KFC’s grilled chicken. I thought KFC’s response to El Pollo Loco’s claim was inadvertently hilarious: “we’ve been grilling our employees to see if anyone’s done any undercover dialing.”

Going one step further, El Pollo Loco posted a YouTube video named “What does KFC have against Moms?” As it turns out, the KFC coupons Oprah mentioned on her show were valid through May 19—except for Mother’s Day. El Pollo Loco’s YouTube clip mocked KFC and told consumers that El Pollo Loco would honor KFC’s coupons on Mother’s Day “just like we honor Moms”.

To add to KFC’s missteps, The Wall Street Journal reported that KFC spokesperson Rick Maynard explained that “KFC won’t honor free-meal coupons on May 10 because Mother’s Day is its busiest day of the year”. In that case, they should have had the promotion end prior to Mother’s Day in the first place. I can’t wait to see the next chapter in this chicken fight!

Cinco de Mayo Festivals: A tremendous opportunity for branding, if done right.

2009-05-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, many U.S. cities with large Mexican populations -- Los Angeles, Houston, San Antonio and San Jose -- held large public celebrations to commemorate Mexico’s defeat of the French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Most of us know this celebration as Cinco de Mayo.

If you attended one of these festivals, you probably saw thousands of families (in some of the larger cities like Los Angeles, attendance at Cinco de Mayo festivals was estimated to be at over 150,000). And also if you attended, you probably saw the booths of hundreds of companies in a variety of categories, from food and beverage, to home improvement, to financial and even government agencies. These companies are represented by brand ambassadors who will often do whatever it takes to attract the attention of attendees to their booth -- tactics include giving away simple promotional materials like T-shirts and hats, to raffling off brand new automobiles or large sums of cash.

Does the time, effort, staff and budget really translate to value for companies? The answer is a BIG YES, but with one caveat: ONLY IF IT IS DONE RIGHT.

Research shows again and again that Latino consumers appreciate the interaction that brands and companies offer on a personal level. After all, trust is a very important value in Latino culture, and for a brand to establish trust with Latino consumers, the consumers have to able to see and directly interact with the brand. This is especially important to build relationships with recently arrived immigrants who may not yet have a preference for a brand or what marketers call as not yet “branded.”

With their wallets, Latino consumers will support the brands they recognize and trust, though at these events it helps to give away prizes to initially entice consumers. Once the consumer is at the booth the real value rests in the quality of interaction between the consumer and the brand ambassador.

Having said that, it is important that these ambassadors are bilingual and bicultural so that they are aware of the cultural sensitivities and specific consumer needs of this community, which may be different from those of general market consumers. Consumers can play a game to help initiate interaction, however the communication has to go beyond reading from cue cards, and ambassadors should be familiar with the brand and the culture so that they can engage consumers and explain how their product can provide solutions for them. Some of this may sound like common sense, but you’d be shocked at how many companies staff these events with non-Spanish speaking brand ambassadors, or pass out all-English language brochures.

These events present a great opportunity for marketers to learn from their target consumer and to provide consumers with the opportunity to become acquainted with their brand; however marketers should follow these recommendations in order to maximize this interaction. This is where the real value is. Anything short of that is a missed opportunity.

[The photos in this post were taken at the 2009 Whittier Narrows (top) and Santa Ana (bottom) Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Southern California.]

Thwarting social media identity theft

2009-05-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

File this under “Why I Love the Internet.”

Recently, I spent a good bit of my workday determining whether one of our client’s brand names had been registered as a username on a number of different social media sites: Twitter, YouTube, Delicious, and about 15 more. It wasn’t an arduous process in any sense, but it did take some time, searching every iteration of the client’s name, with spaces and underscores and the like, then filling out the necessary registration forms.

If only I had come across Brian Solis’ most excellent post on his blog, PR 2.0, sooner!

I would have discovered an amazing service called KnowEm, which easily searches 120 different Web sites with user generated content to determine whether your brand name, username or vanity URL has been registered. Simply type in the name you’re looking for, then click “Check Username.” KnowEm does the rest.

The site also offers a premium paid service to register your brand’s username on all 120 sites (before someone else does), for a little under $.55 each. And, users can sign up for a subscription service to have KnowEm monitor for newly launched social media sites, then register the username to those sites as well (according to KnowEm, there are “always a minimum of 10, up to 16” new sites each month!).

Of great value here is that KnowEm is streamlining the process by which communications professionals can manage and protect our clients’ online brands. No easy task, as these days, strategies for nearly all brands demand a strong Web 2.0 presence. As Brian said,

“Brand and reputation management is now a systematic process in our daily routine of listening, learning, and participating. We ARE responsible for our personal brand as well as the corporate brand we represent. Securing that online brand and investing in and cultivating an impeccable and influential reputation is critical to establishing and maintaining a consistent, strategic, and complementary presence from network to network. It's not just about what's popular today, but ultimately engaging where your communities are congregating. Maintaining a portfolio of consistent usernames provides a seamless ability to effectively navigate the Social Web as one cohesive brand, where and when opportunities emerge.”

Type in your desired brand name, username or vanity URL, then click "Check Username"...

...and the availability of that username will appear next to each Web site.

By rolling over each Web site's logo, KnowEm also provides a brief description of what the site offers.

Insurers Vetting Crisis Communications Counselors for Policy Holders

2009-04-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

Large industrial and institutional insurers are beginning to develop policies that seriously consider the advantages of effective communications for their policy holders facing a crisis.

Last year, my agency was engaged by the nation’s largest insurer of colleges and universities to provide communications for their clients in a crisis.

The insurance company’s strategy received a real payoff last October when policy holder Westmont College was caught in the middle of the Santa Barbara Tea Fire, a terrible conflagration in an outlying area of Santa Barbara, Calif. Almost immediately it was rumored that Westmont students were involved in starting the fire, not a surprising development in the annals of traditional town and gown friction. The College was committed to working with local authorities to investigate the disaster while needing to protect the rights and privacy of its shell-shocked students and safeguard its own reputation and exposure as an unsecure institution in an unsafe area.

The insurance company instructed Westmont to call Fineman PR to help assure the college’s effective communications and as a condition of coverage. In less than a week’s time, Fineman PR provided counsel to the school which ultimately led to its working effectively with authorities and with the community while demonstrating concern for its student body. Both the Los Angeles Times and Santa Barbara News-Press published the story of Westmont’s response along with the complete Q&A that the school had posted to its web site.

With professional, experience-based communications, insurance providers benefit by minimizing the client institution’s total loss related to reputation, credibility and even legal exposure from misleading, false or clumsy communications. Because of this, the crisis event is less likely to contribute to dropped applications, enrollment and donations. The amount of time the institution is fully involved in its crisis may also be shortened if its communications do not add complications to the original situation.