Tag Archives: YouTube

The Twitter PR battleground

Seems hard to believe, but Twitter is only about 11 years old.  It started as a cute social media venue, used mostly by celebrities to promote their movies and shows.  Somehow it has become a PR battleground and major political communications force.

Twitter now is used by presidents (I don’t have to mention who) and state leaders around the globe.  Police forces, business people, everybody.  It is the favored way to instantly get a message out, hopefully reposted, and then often regretted.

It is fascinating that something that allows only 140 characters can become so powerful.  Of course most people post multiple messages, strung together, to make their point.  But Twitter’s constraints have forced people to write more concisely, use abbreviations they make up and often convey nonsensical messages.

President Trump has said he believes he wouldn’t have been elected without Twitter.  He touted his Twitter account years before entering politics and has never stopped using it.  Today, as the leader of the most powerful nation in the world, he still refuses to give up the habit, much to the chagrin of many Americans who see it as “unpresidential.”

What does this say about our communications, PR and marketing?  It says a lot, but foremost it underscores the fact that we don’t have the time or patience to write complete, thoughtful sentences. It says a lot about lashing out impulsively at another person, a company or a government.

The lesson to be learned from the Twitter craze is it often does more harm than good for the user.  How many people have been fired for insensitive or racist Twitter posts?  How many people in prominent positions have had to retract their Twitter posts, only to see them live on.

Instant communication via social media or even email is tempting.  Getting back at someone quickly through electronic communications can provide instant gratification.  However, for most people if they take a couple of hours, and a few deep breaths, they usually decide it is not worth it.

The internet never forgets, and too often people never forgive.

Old words with new meanings that we can do without

We PR professionals are in the communication business. Our job is to structure the messages of those we represent and communicate them in the clearest, most understandable words possible.

But every now again, new word meanings creep into our daily lexicon. It’s hard to tell who comes up with these alternate ways of saying the same thing, but some – many – catch on. Before you know it, we all are using the same new-styled wording to convey the same thoughts when the words we have been using for decades have worked just fine.

Perhaps it’s nothing more than looking and sounding cool; like you just bought the latest model sports car so you must know something. But having practiced PR for several decades, successfully, I do my best to avoid the newest and latest lingo because I don’t think it adds to my credibility, and frankly, I think it makes me sound silly.

Here are a few examples: Feel free to add to the list:

Space – No longer do people work in a business or industry, they occupy a certain space. I had a conversation with a nice young person recently who was trying to sell me a service. Every other word from his mouth was the “space” my company occupies. The only space I occupy is my office space and I pay rent for that. That’s the only space that makes sense to me.

Reach Out – There was a time when people would call or contact one another. Today, everybody “reaches out.” I wanted to reach out to you about any openings you may have in your company. You mean you are calling me about a job?” If that person was really current, s/he would have said “I wanted to reach out to you about any space I could fill in your firm.” But I guess there are only so many new-fangled clichés a recent graduate can muster in one sentence.

Different Direction – This has actually been around for a while, and won’t go away. Years ago, as the story goes, Johnny Carson decided to fire one of his writers. He called him into his office and said something like, “I just want you to know we’re taking the show in a different direction.” That was Johnny’s way of firing him. Later, the writer said in an interview that he never knew what different direction the show took, as it seemed the same to him until Johnny retired.

Circle Back — “I’ll tell you a bit about my company, you tell me a bit about your company, and then we’ll circle back to how you can help us.” You mean: After we get the preliminaries out of the way, we’ll get to the point of the meeting? Can we do this while remaining in our chairs or do we have to get up and walk in a circle?

Best – Prior to email overtaking our daily communications, people wrote letters. Yes, with actual paper that had to be folded and put in an envelope and mailed, or in later years, faxed. For as many years as I can remember, letters ended with something like Very Truly Yours, or the ubiquitous Sincerely. Then, when email arrived, people wanted to sound more friendly and started using All the Best. And now, All the Best has morphed to simply Best.

Best what?

It was nice hearing from you, Best, Gary.

You mean All the Best? You mean I Wish You the Best? You mean I Am the Best? Perhaps You are the Best? I never know what best you’re talking about. Please explain.

Hey – I saved my favorite for last. I can’t tell you how many emails I get, usually from people soliciting business or more likely people sending resumes, that begin with Hey! If I am not worth a Hello, then why bother? Colleges should offer a course that teaches would-be PR pros the difference between writing a business email and writing a text to a buddy. If you are asking me, or anyone for a job, don’y start with Hey!! We’re not drinking buddies, at least not yet. And for heaven’s sake, drop the exclamation points unless you are writing for a comic strip.

So hey, now that I have reached out to you, I want to circle back and take this in a different direction because of the space that I occupy. Thanks for listening.

Prank-vertising — Selling via ambush

As companies search for new avenues to reach their target audiences, they are finding that a viral YouTube video may be the most cost-effective way to go.

Case in point is the latest YouTube video promoting the movie “Carrie.”  Instead of traditional newspaper and TV ads that try to scare people to see the movie, the studio created a fake scenario to scare real people.  YouTube viewers are let in on the prank from the start.  We see a small New York cafe transformed with fake walls and remote controlled furniture.  Then the place is filled with actors pretending to be customers.  When a real customer comes in, the main actor, a woman, pretends to go ballistic because the guy sitting next to her (a stuntman) spills coffee on her laptop.  She rises and uses her telekinetic powers to throw him up a wall, move furniture and have books fall off the shelves — all controlled by a hidden crew.

You can see the video here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlOxlSOr3_M

The reactions of the “real” customers are what makes the video compelling and funny.  People think she really has telekinetic powers and are stunned.  After we’ve had our laugh, it is revealed that the prank was to promote the movie.

In three days the video garnered upwards of 25 million views and climbing.

If we are to believe the YouTube numbers, and there is no reason not to, 25 million people viewed and/or shared the video.  And a good chunk of the 25 million learned briefly about the movie “Carrie.”

While the gag was to prank the coffee shop customers — for our entertainment — the real prank was to fool YouTube watchers because it is not revealed that we were set up to be sold a movie.  There are enough pranks on the web to believe someone went to all the trouble to set this up without a hidden agenda.  But, not surprisingly, we’re being fooled.

This marketing ploy is not new.  It also is well done, gets the message across and is effective in attracting more attention to a movie than typical ads.

And it proves the point that in today’s world where we are continually bombarded with messages, cutting through the clutter is critical.  It also says something about our attention span, where we are most receptive to messaging and of course what gets our attention.

Bottom line — be different and creative.