OBrien et al Public Relations

USAToday Points to the Newspapers of Tomorrow

2010-10-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

For those of us in the PR business, this story pretty much sums up where the news media world is headed.

USA Today's overhaul cuts 35 newsroom positions

The AP describes the carnage at the paper saying that USAT is de-emphasizing "... its print edition and feeds more content to mobile devices."

But it's the sixth paragraph that really speaks volumes:
"With the print edition selling fewer copies and less
advertising, USA Today is reshuffling its editors, reporters and
photographers so they will be in a better position to produce information
more quickly and develop story packages more likely to appeal to the growing
number of people who are getting their news through mobile phones and sleek
computer tablets ..." -- AP/Michael Liedtke, 10/6/10
Well there it is. If you think PR had a hard time getting credit for what it does and putting a value on what it's worth, as the Bard said, "You ain't seen nothin' yet."

If PR pros can no longer equate a story's column inches to an equivalent sized advertisement, then what should a news placement be worth (especially when that clip is a digital image on a 2 by 3 inch screen)?

Should an electronic placement be equivalent to one found in a fixed media (newspaper, magazine, website) or even a broadcast hit (TV or Radio news, blogs)?

When newspapers go the way of the Dinosaurs, we (PR pros) will know where the eyeballs will be. Don't know about your practice, but if our clients can't grasp the value of PR-produced news coverage is NOW, what's it going to be like in the future?

Will it be: "Congratulations. Your video news release has generated 1,375 viewings on YouTube. Now pay me."

To be continued....

Journalist or Celebrity. Please not both.

2010-02-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

Is this what we really want from one of our leading "journalists"?

C'mon folks. Talking about shoes? This is a sure way to break that "glass ceiling." Has NOW weighed in on this?

Either you want to be received seriously or you want to get fan mail.

Edward R. Murrow must be spinning (and not on his aerobic class bike).

And you wonder why the news business is in trouble.

Democracy coming to a TV near you(?)

2009-12-29T14:20:00.001-08:00

Had a bit of banter with the good folks in the Advertising Dept. today about a news story we forwarded from Yahoo! News.

Broadcasters' woes could spell trouble for free TV - Yahoo! News

The article basically sketched out the demise of "free TV" from the American landscape, more or less. While you'd think that a PR group would find that a BAD thing for PR business (we'll get to that in a minute), we rather liked the concept from the consumer point of view.

Before you think, "How am I going to afford my TV if I have to PAY for everything on it ...?," take heart. Before things get to that point, we predict another "age" of American TV will emerge: a true Free Market structure -- emphasis being the uppercase "F" and "M." True, we'll be paying cable or satellite fees to get the programming, but coming days the power will move away from the service provider to the service consumer.

We think we'll soon be able to select cable TV programming "a la carte." No more of this "Standard Cable" or "Tier Two" or "Deluxe Level III," etc., as defined by the cable or service provider.

This will make Advertising and PR people MORE important because it'll break people down into more defined media consumers and we'll be in a position to recommend what "types" of people to buy (or influence) and more efficiently be able to target where they are with our client's messages (or news). Eventually someone will find a new use for "free" over-the-airwaves frequencies and the people with just their metal fillings will be able to pick up the broadcasts.

As Rod Serling used to say, "... imagine if you will ..." tomorrow's TV marketplace much like mobile phone plans are today: an a la carte menu of programming and bells and whistles that the consumer selects based on how they use the media. YOU would get to select what you/your family want -- and more importantly what you DON'T want. Have you ever considered all those stations that you click through en route to your desired or "favorite" station? By virtue of your monthly bill, you are paying for those unwatched "misfit" channels.

For this convenience (soon to be a "right") the providers will lock you into a contract for a specific period (but nothing approaching the bad old phone days of 1-to-3 years). Some sort of requirement will have to be instituted if nothing else to help standardize media buys (remember, this is still advertiser supported "free" TV). At this point, you would be yet paying for the service plus underwriting some of the programing.

There will probably be a minimum channel selection you'll have to make to justify running a cable line to you, and you might have to pay for installations and/or service calls.

For example, we'd select "sports": All ESPNs, or all Network sports feeds; or ideally just the sports we wanted -- say, golf, all season college and pro football and March Madness(tm), but no pro basketball, or baseball -- and sure as hell no soccer. Other people will get MMA + WWE + NASCAR, while still others will simply go with "all sports."

How about "the News"? Will it be Fox News, PBS Newshour, or one of the Networks? Does one keep CBS if for only "60 Minutes" and drop CNN (as viewers are today in droves?). MSNBC anyone? Anyone? Anyone?

We could see where the government might require consumers to receive the local channels or at least local news, plus the local city/municipal government channels, and probably C-Span. PBS would lobby hard to be included here too no doubt, but we think the large yellow Bird, a certain purple Dinosaur, a little blue Train and several rotund multicolored aliens could do much better on their own channel.

The world will see what the viewing public really thinks when consumers start paying for things and NOT paying for others. People will vote their preferences via their pocketbooks, which is real consumer power, real democracy and choice.

Mixing our metaphors, the cream will rise and the chaff will float away. If people really want to watch Bill Moyers or Bill O'Reilly, Tavis Smiley or Travis Tritt, perky Katie or doughty Diane, they'll have to select them for viewing. After all, people paid to see "The Sopranos" on HBO and the result was the best TV drama ever.

May the most popular programming win.

Washington's newest verb: 'Salahi' - MICHAEL FALCONE | POLITICO CLICK

2009-12-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

Washington's newest verb: 'Salahi' - MICHAEL FALCONE POLITICO CLICK

While reading this today, we got to thinking about how words entered our lexicon.

Comes against a backdrop of many interesting (and seemingly disparate) recent events. Does anyone doubt there will someday be a term coined for “… pulling a Tiger…”? Also noted that CBS announced that the network was bagging the soap opera production industry as they cancelled the epitome of daytime dramas “As the World Turns” after 70-some years.

Those of us pre- and post-Boomers are acquainted with the reference “as the world turns ...” (and the endless permeations of that phrase) meant to describe something that has devolved into deep drama, marital infidelity, diva or playboy shenanigans, or similar other tabloid escapades.

Leading me to wonder, will Gen Xers, Millennials, etc., know what “as the ____ turns” means if they hear it in the future? Will they blindly use it without knowing from whence it came? Will they use it at all? To test this theory, we asked our twenty-something* receptionist if she was familiar with the term and/or what it meant; she replied that she wasn’t but didn’t watch soaps all that much.

(*There’s another. Will these youngsters realize this phrase was enshrined in today’s parlance by that 1980s TV show, “Thirty-something*” which actually did include the asterisk in the title.)

Something we as communicators need to keep in mind as we craft messages for audiences younger than us in the years to come. Better run it by the receptionist.

Whatever happened to CNN?

2009-10-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

"CNN Drops to Last Place Among Cable News Networks"

So reported the New York Times on Oct. 26.

The NY Times media writer (Bill Carter) might have his opinion as to what the ratings mean.

"The results demonstrate once more the apparent preference of viewers for
opinion-oriented shows from the news networks in prime time."

If I may be so bold, perhaps -- just perhaps -- it could mean that they are just tired of CNN. (the audience gasps!) At least, this incarnation.

Whether that fatigue is better described by "weariness" or "wariness" is the real predicament for the network, because one condition is far easier to respond to than the other. One is a change of personnel, and maybe a studio set. The other is a change in how they report the news and what news they decide to cover. (again, the audience gasps)

Letterman's (better late) Apology

2009-06-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

David Letterman finally did the right thing and said what needed to be said (albeit a week late), and did so (to all appearances) sincerely.

Regrettably, his mae culpa Monday night was all that needed to be said at the very outset.

It would have been better if he had said it the very next show instead of trying to laugh it away, or poke more fun at the expense of anyone who "didn't get it." Now – although it appears to be a sincere apology – Letterman's apology could also be seen as the result of pressure by CBS or advertisers (or both).

Some additional observations:

Letterman (or his staff writers) need to realize that "18 not 14" WAS NOT the point; continuing to parse the joke into being funny if it had only specified the 18-year old only digs the hole deeper. Best advice: simply stick to "I'm sorry" and stop trying to explain who the original target was. As Letterman eventually said, it was a poorly conceived joke (whoever wrote it) and a dumb choice (Letterman's alone) to actually use it.

The lesson to be understood is that most people didn’t think the joke would have been funny even if he had specified it was about the 18-year old daughter. To a lot of people, just because she's 18 didn't make being joked about getting "knocked up" in front of millions on TV (and millions more in subsequent news coverage) any more acceptable, classy, or amusing. SOMEone on Letterman's staff should have recognized this (a woman?) and questioned the "joke."

This cautionary tale warns all of us to be cognizant of the possible collateral damage that can result from today's divisive political rancor from both sides of the aisle. Perhaps Letterman's joke writers subscribed to the "conventional wisdom" that such statements are uttered only by conservative talk show hosts; it must be a surprising revelation to the comic and the Late Night staff that they are not only just as capable -- but also just as likely -- to say hurtful, derisive, and politically toxic things from time to time. And perhaps that is what truly took the week to figure out.
Lastly, the Indiana-bred Letterman ignored a simple test that has served him well countless times in that 30 year career he mentioned --what would Mom say?

None of this means we should chill "free speech" -- it just illustrates that we have a responsibility for that speech, and just as often, have to be prepared for the response that speech engenders -- good, bad, and the ugly.

Bank on it: a real world lesson in image repair during a Recession

2009-04-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

A recent e-newsletter brief from MediaPost's Media Research Center is headlined, "PR Outranks Advertising in Improving Consumer Confidence in Banks." [Original source is from a Neilson News blog post from Nielsen IAG.]

While we at OEA PR are always happy to hear about the discipline getting its due respect, the article is an important "teachable moment" for most enterprises (aside from banks) about marketing during a recession.

Indeed the article speaks well for BOTH Advertising and PR, finding that consumers who see their financial institutions putting out Advertising felt "very confident (55%)" about the firms, and that the leading factor boosting in boosting their confidence "... in the safety and soundness of their financial institution, ... (was) reading positive stories in the press about that institution (44%)."

The PR finding isn’t really "news" (excuse the pun) to those of us in the PR biz. This article reported data consistent with similar studies done about PR over the years for many different industries, various concerns and even political candidates. People tend to believe PR more than Ads because of the intrinsic “third party endorsement” that news editorial is perceived to have – that’s why press coverage is so coveted.

Being coveted and being valued are not necessarily interchangeable when it come to Public Relations. In the business sense, PR’s problem resides not its perceived value, but quantifying that value. At the risk of being brutishly simplistic, PR is: A) hard to measure, B) predominantly out of your control, and C) can’t be guaranteed. [This is true for simple news coverage/publicity, as well as nuanced activities such as community relations or environmental stewardship.] Hence, putting a price tag on it is a squishy science.

In a sense, PR is very much like insurance: one knows inherently, intellectually, and rationally that such a purchase makes good sense and is a worthwhile investment; but then many other distractions demand more immediate and/or are emotionally more tantalizing. Then BOOM, comes the day -- like today -- when you need "it" (insurance or PR) but don’t have "it." Then come attempts to get some quick and "on the cheap," followed by the inevitable regrets and second-guessing “if I had only….”

Which brings us back to today's business climate. The Nielsen report is demonstrative of the over-arching “don’t-make-the-mistake-of-cutting-marketing-during-a-Recession” argument.
As this story shows, when you are out-of-sight, you soon become out-of-mind. And worse, less trustworthy.

OEA Relaunches Website

2008-09-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kevin Gaydosh
September 22, 2008 757.422.3231

O’BRIEN ET AL ADVANCES ITS WEB PRESENCE
After 10 years, Still Changing the Face of Communications in Hampton Roads

(Virginia Beach, Virginia) – To mark its 10 year anniversary as one of the market’s leading integrated marketing firms, O’Brien et al. Advertising (OEA) recently unveiled its new web presence, www.obrienetal.com.

The new site’s home page stays true to the agency’s trademark “faces” theme through the morphing close-ups of agency personnel in glorious dot-matrixed black and white. Richly illustrated examples of past work by each agency discipline are revealed through drop-down buttons.
Much like the agency itself, the web site is easy to navigate, straight-forward and informative. The different facets of the agency – Print, Interactive, Public Relations, Media, TV & Video and Photography – revolve around the existentialist crux of the site: “Who is et al?” (But to discover the answer, you’ll have to visit the site. Sorry.)

About O’Brien et al. Advertising

O’Brien et al Advertising (OEA) was formed in 1998 by Kevin O’Brien and a small cadre of marketing professionals from other local advertising agencies. Today OEA is a leading advertising and public relations firm still based in the sands of Virginia Beach, Va. The agency provides strategic planning, brand positioning, market research, media planning and placement, public relations, Web design, marketing and creative services. Contact: 757-422-3231. www.obrienetal.com
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A great primer for PR clients: How media contacts think

2005-12-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

http://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/issues/1_1/dailydog_journalists_speak_out/index.html#2637

A great insight into why PR should be left to those of us who do it and why clients should heed the advice of their PR counsel when it comes to approaching the media too much.

Red Cross Selects OEA PR Pro for Communicator Training

2005-06-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

Immediate Release: CONTACT:
June 20, 2005 Mia Wingfield, O’Brien et al
757-422-3231

AMERICAN RED CROSS TAPS GAYDOSH FOR DISASTER PUBLIC AFFAIRS TRAINING

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – The American Red Cross has requested a local public relations professional to lead a two-day advanced disaster public affairs training at Loyola University in Chicago. Kevin J. Gaydosh, APR, director of public relations for O’Brien et al Advertising here will conduct the class for Red Cross national disaster employees and volunteers at a special communications camp June 24-25.

Currently a Level V public affairs officer for the national Red Cross, Gaydosh volunteers on the communications committee for the Southeastern Virginia chapter in Norfolk and regularly teaches introductory and advanced public affairs for the organization on the local and state level.

Gaydosh has 20 years of crisis communications experience with the national Red Cross in various natural and manmade disasters, including Hurricane Hugo, the USS Iowa explosion, the aftermath of September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, and most recently Hurricane Isabelle in Virginia. He is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and a past president of the Hampton Roads PRSA chapter.

O’Brien et al, or OEA, (www.obrienetal.com; http://OEAPR.blogspot.com) is a full service marketing communications agency located in Virginia Beach; Gaydosh directs the public relations and strategic planning department.

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Speaker's Bureau and Speechwriting

2005-05-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Dear OEA PR:

Working on a plan for a speaker's bureau, and want to get idea of what a fair hourly rate would be for someone to manage such a bureau externally, as well as do a little speechwriting.

Dear "Hourly":

Hmmmm.

Well, you've basically got two different things.

Researching speaking opps and scheduling of speakers involves research skills as well as some PR insight (or at least a fundamental understanding of the craft). The actual research could probably be done by an administrative or clerical worker; a gifted PR intern with accomplished Internet research experience, or a junior professional with some publicity persuasion skills.
Writing, especially speechwriting, requires substantially more "gift" and practice, so you're going to pay more for that.

Agencies vs. Freelancers/Single Pros [For more on why OEA would be the BEST solution, read on to the end]

Compared in most cases to single practitioners, agencies often have more resources and are generally better known in the local market (perhaps even in the industry sector) and may perhaps have a "bit" more clout with some speaking opportunities.
Your company's reputation, brand name, industry segment or news topicality, will all contribute to your bureau's ability to open doors when it comes to speaker pitching and placement.
For Agency pros in this market, you are probably looking at upwards of $80 to $100 per hour or @ $300+ per speech, at least; probably $50 for research or junior pro hourly rate for anything PR related.
Freelancers or single practitioners will likely be the cheapest, but consider if you want to talk to anyone who would charge anything less than $50/hour. After all, inside or outside the company, this person is going to be "representing" your interests. So you want to command a certain level of maturity and professionalism when communicating with the prospects (add to that, the savvy and self-control when overcoming objections and/or skepticism to book your speaker).

Some things to think about:

Consider requesting bids or estimate on a bundled or "project" basis, not hourly.
Or, permit a certain fee for background/research to familiarize the booker not only on your company but the various issues to be addressed and the biography of the person who'll be speaking. There's no use paying for this "research" over & over again, especially if the subject & speaker remain essentially the same.
On a project basis, the incentive is there for the practitioner (or Agency) to be effective & efficient (not to mention successful) - therefore "quick" - in booking your speaker because the faster they do it, the more they think they "made profit" on the deal. You benefit from not paying an endless trickle of hourly billing portions for failed or low-booking rates.

OEA would recommend stretching the usefulness of the Speaker's Bureau by:

Including tactics such as pitching business publications on your speaking engagement or the topic, adapting the speech for publication as Op-Eds, Guest Columns, or "My Turn" articles or Letters to the Editor
Not to mention ways to leverage the speech further using your Web site, e-newsletters, even print pieces and advertisements.

If you appreciate this kind of thinking and would like to put O'Brien et al to work on establishing -- or fine tuning -- you company's Speaker's Bureau, give us a call or send an email.

2005-04-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 18, 2005
Contact: Mia Wingfield 757.422.3231

O’BRIEN ET AL ANNOUNCES NEW PR CLIENTS
Strong Activity Marks First Quarter

(Virginia Beach, Virginia) – O’Brien et al, a leading integrated marketing firm in Hampton Roads, announced the addition of several new client engagements and successful project launches during the first quarter of 2005.

O’Brien et al. has entered new engagements with three Bonefish Grill restaurants opening in Hampton Roads, as well as Rudee Tours in Virginia Beach. In addition, O’Brien et al has been contracted to conduct national media relations for the Mudhoney benefit concert for Chrysler Museum of Art on April 22.

About O’Brien et al. Advertising

O’Brien et al. Advertising is a leading advertising and public relations firm based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The agency provides strategic planning, brand positioning, market research, media planning and placement, public relations, Web design, marketing and creative services.

Press Releases aren't written for you.

2005-04-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

News Releases (a.k.a. “press release”)

Many journalists see this seemingly innocent page (or two) of paper as the bane of their existence. Which is unfortunate, because news releases are actually a fundamental part of any PR program. The problem isn’t the release – in-and-of-itself. Mostly, it’s the information (or lack thereof) contained in the release and the way that information is worded.

News (press) releases basically come in two (usually mutually exclusive) varieties:
One will please someone’s boss
One will get used by the news media

The question is….which one do you want?

What good is it if the press release is written with loving superlatives and portrays the company or client with platitudes and CAPITALIZED Job Titles, but doesn’t generate action by the news industry?

At O’Brien et al, our policy is that the audience for a press release is the working journalist or broadcaster – NOT the client we write the release for. (Yes, we know that’s not “good English” but you get the point.) This policy is reflected the way our PR professionals write, time or deliver the release.

We depend on the client to ensure that the information we use is factual and that the presentation is accurate; the client depends on us to get the word out. The client is the subject matter expert of their business; we’re the subject matter experts on the news process and the journalists with which we work.

The client knows what makes his widget the best, OEA knows what the media needs to do their job. We’re more successful when this rule is honored by everyone.

O’Brien et al will issue news releases when circumstances warrant (i.e. when we have “news” to share):
announcing a truly important or significant change
revealing something new or different
responding to a trend or development
reporting the results of some action or activity
explaining a position, policy or decision

But sometimes, we won’t write a release.

It’s not because we’re lazy. Not because we can’t type. Not because we’re shy. Sometimes, you simply don’t need one. That’s what we’re paid to do: know when to do something and when not to.

20 Questions to ask about sponsorships

2005-03-21T16:06:00.000-08:00

Evaluating Sponsorship Proposals:
Something I learned at a seminar a long time ago from the guy (can't remember his name, sorry) who used to evaluate sponsorship opportunities for Coca-Cola USA.

(Hey--If it’s good enough for Coke, it’s good enough for you.)

20 Questions Coke asked of its potential sponsorship properties:

What is the history or brief description of the property/event
Provide a general background on the property
General description of what is proposed to the Sponsor
What is the Estimated exposure value
Schedule of where Sponsor will appear during the sponsorship period
What role (if any) required by Sponsor’s staff
What will the involvement accomplish (for Sponsor)?
What does the sponsorship cost?
What exactly (specifics) will Sponsor receive?
What will you do to ensure a successful event?
How was the sponsorship price determined?
Do you offer/guarantee category exclusivity?
Do you understand the Sponsor’s brand?
Why does the proposal fit with Sponsor’s image or products?
Is this opportunity local, regional or national?
What is the advertising/promotional exposure for Sponsor?
What/who are the other sponsors?
Can (how can) this Sponsor become involved with the larger picture?
Is this a potential long-term opportunity?
What do YOU consider to be a successful partnership?

10 Commandments for Clients seeking agencies

2005-03-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

10 Commandments for Companies Seeking a PR Agency

Favorable Public Relations results from getting caught in the act of doing something good or doing something well.
Nobody has a divine right to favorable publicity; it must be earned. And in most cases, both favorable and unfavorable publicity is usually deserved.
A positive reputation is never purchased, it’s given.
A solid reputation is a financial asset that doesn’t appear on your ledger sheet. You can’t turn it into cash, but no amount of money can get it back fully once it’s been lost
99 times out of 100, your company golf outing, Christmas party or business open house is not news.
In all but the smallest markets (and probably there too), the media doesn’t care how much you advertise with them
If you aren’t doing the right thing, no matter of PR (or Advertising for that matter) is going to help you.
Someone will always know the truth – your customers, your employees or your government will know.
The press release isn’t written for you; it’s written for the news media.
Half of what the PR firm does on your behalf gets you into the news; the other half will be to keep you out of the news.

Our et al Approach

2005-03-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

OUR APPROACH

Stephen Covey noted, “Begin with the end in sight.”

OEA does not rely on recycling old PR plans – or worse — cannibalizing a PR plan drafted for another client and passing along as brand new thinking.

We’ve learned when it comes to marketing within industry segments in general or clients in particular, each demands its own, custom-designed PR plan, based on current conditions and foreseeable scenarios.

Therefore, this is how OEA would approach researching, developing and implementing a customized plan of public relations for your company or product.

A little bit about us

2005-03-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

O’Brien et al Public Relations/Overview

· Two full-time PR Professionals on staff
· Nearly 25 years combined experience
· Successful record across diverse client roster
· Credibility in Hampton Roads; respected in industries served

OEA Public Relations/Philosophy

Public understanding, goodwill or acceptance is earned; it is not a divine right.

Reputation has equity. This equity takes many faces (financial value, in-kind worth, customer loyalty, employee performance, etc.). The dollar amount is never fully known until it is cashed-in.

PR success stems form
· Evaluate public attitudes toward our client partners
· Identify the public interest in client’s products, services
· Identify the public’s stake in our client’s success or failure
· Developing an appropriate messages for various audiences
· Creatively exploit timely opportunities
· Implement a researched, measurable program of action

Public Relations/Advantages

· Relationships with working media
· Award-winning PR solutions
· Web PR NOT a novelty
· Strategic Counsel vs. “Flack”