GROWTH IDEAS PATH

As the web evolves from a network of sites to a network of people, public relations campaigns must also evolve, and most successful PR campaigns now include a social component. But beyond the basics, such as creating tweetable press release headlines and reaching out to influencers on Twitter, what are some of the more inventive approaches out there? Here are five great examples of innovative social PR campaigns. 1. Rayovac: Rapid-Response Twitter Campaign In early February 2011, with a snowstorm of historic proportions on the horizon, social media outlets were abuzz with news and updates about the weather.  Rayovac  and  Circle PR  quickly created a campaign that capitalized on the fact that millions of Americans would be home — and online — on Wednesday, February 2, the day slated to be the worst of the storm. The central feature of the campaign was a virtual snowball fight that had more than 1,000 consumers changing their profile picture to...

In this age of 24-hour, seven-days-a-week news coverage, no business should dismiss the vast potential of PR, Communication and Media to impact your organisation and influence your stakeholders. Developing a proactive public relations plan can be an effective tool to your business and best defense in preventing potential damage to a company's image in the face of an already skeptical general public. That plan -- what I refer to as "proactive pr and reputation management" -- must be implemented if the company wants to ensure that its reputation and standing in the community remain intact. You will be convinced that public relations practitioners need to flip their thinking. Simply: from reactive to proactive. In a world where every company is a media company, PR should lead.  But only if they can become truly proactive in their approach to the practice. Media companies are far more proactive than reactive. They plan their content through editorial calendars. Their le...

In the  PRWeek's Power Book 2012,   they asked the industry's top practitioners which campaigns they most admired from last year . It is little surprise that the stand-out favourite is the impeccable comms operation around the royal wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William in April. T-Mobile's spoof royal wedding video was named as the second best campaign of the year. Its popularity illustrates that, done well, tying campaigns to major events can prove a fruitful endeavour. Major movements such as the Arab Spring, which toppled governments in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, and the global Occupy movement came third and fourth respectively. These were praised for creating widespread awareness of social and political problems and the use of social media to canvass grassroots support. Finally, The Royal British Legion's work to raise funds for the armed forces and their families was also praised. On the following pages, we analyse why these campaigns wer...

The key to building customer relationships and brand loyalty is meaningful interaction. But with so much marketing noise out there, how can you make your brand stand out in a meaningful way? Humor can be a great way to break through the noise. It triggers an emotional response from your audience, which makes funny messages more memorable. Think about your own experience: we can all recall a particularly amusing marketing message. It also creates brand personality, which helps customers relate to you on a human level. The key to building customer relationships and brand loyalty is meaningful interaction. But with so much marketing noise out there, how can you make your brand stand out in a meaningful way? Humor can be a great way to break through the noise. It triggers an emotional response from your audience, which makes funny messages more memorable. Think about your own experience: we can all recall a particularly amusing marketing message. It also ...

In recent times the consumer and retail industry has faced some hard times with a decrease in consumer spending and a tightened credit market. Many retailers slashed expenses, including marketing, in order to stay afloat and what has resulted is a marketplace that is considerably quieter in terms of businesses promoting their brands.  Now, with the light starting to shine at the end of the tunnel and consumer confidence beginning to rise, the time is ripe for businesses to stand up, be heard and tell their story.  In consumer campaigns public relations is an important part of the marketing mix for consumer brands as it serves to educate customers on new products and services as well as establishing a level of trust in a brand.  A PR program can work very effectively when it forms part of an overall marketing strategy, which may also include advertising, direct marketing, customer loyalty programs and online marketing.  Effective communication that a...