As a publicist, I see virtually every commercial message through the PR/marketing lens.  Was that a good idea…a brilliant idea…an embarrassing idea (who came up with that one?)…The marketing wheels turn, and I realize it’s not safe to presume that every marketing professional thinks about strategy and how the customer will perceive a message.  With the ongoing influx of viral/social media, it seems almost anyone can be a producer, a director, a writer.  But to be a really brilliant producer…that takes skill and perspective.

One example from this past year really struck me as as “stand out marketing.”  I wrote about Toyota’s “Swagger Wagon” video campaign on my moms’ website – click here for that post and a link to the video – as a great example of putting the “cool” in minivan.  Guaranteed to make you laugh – check it out.

I’m shifting gears (excuse the pun) about this campaign now as a marketer.  It’s entertaining for sure, and while the idea of commercials that entertain is far from new (think Superbowl without the multi-million dollar production and airtime pricetag)…the idea of airing a longer “commercial” breaking out of the :30 or :60 fence line where you can really tell a story has certainly found its playground on YouTube and other video sites.

The Swagger Wagon videos got some great industry press and views (10 million+ as of today for one video alone, and there’s a series!), but I’m curious, what did it do for the brand?

Toyota teamed with B.A.D. Company for an interesting promotion at the industry’s SEMA Show and created a special edition car, “The Sienna Swagger Wagon Supreme” (art meets life), and engaged Sienna’s online community of fans to engineer the product.  Interesting…get your customers to play architect – talk about consumer engagement!

Auto Guide called the campaign “hard core and humorous.”  Sports Bash got into the swagger with a “Yo! Viral Ad Marketing Genius” headline and bordered on a rapper tone in the short piece of coverage.

The closest I could find that reports on the potentially promising business aspect of this tactic was Jim Motavalli’s commentary in Forbes that reports that “minivans could be poised for a revival, as consumers let their image issues be trumped by concern for fuel economy and family-friendly practicality.”  This, despite the fact that “minivan sales have dropped precipitously in the U.S.”

All of this hype made me curious about something…what did it do to move sales of the product?  I reached out to Toyota’s media department and learned that yes, the viral campaign was a good shot in the arm (the sales arm, that is!).  Sona Iliffe-Moon,  Marketing Communications Supervisor for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., shared, “Sienna was a top performer in the minivan segment in 2010 as a result of a variety of factors, including the debut of the Swagger Wagon campaign in early May. We saw a spike in Sienna sales after the release of the Swagger Wagon music video, up 23 percent from the previous month. We’re pleased with the positive reaction to Sienna and that so many people—more than 10 million—have watched the video on YouTube and are still enjoying it nearly a year and a half after its premiere.”

Kudos to Toyota for putting the swagger in the wagon!

By Melanie McCraney, McCraney Communications

SEO: It’s one of those “techie” terms that is annoyingly overused by some who want to keep the web mysterious. Is every CEO tuned in to SEO? Well, no, but your CEO should know about SEO, and that’s where the fundamentals of SEO come in.

SEO means “search engine optimization.” Lots of people simply call it “search”. Like Agent Gibbs on NCIS when he tells his high-tech agent McGee, “In English, Tim,” in English, SEO means making your website more likely to turn up when someone searches with Google or another search engine for the kind of products or services you offer.

How do you do that? It’s not magic – it involves skilled use of keywords and phrases for starters– and there is an elaborate art and a science to it. Watch out for cold calls by “SEO Pros” who want to charge you an arm and a leg and guarantee “front page of Google.” Did you know you can pretty much guarantee you’ll turn up on Page one of Google all by yourself, simply by setting up a (free) Google Plus account? Google your name and there you are. Where’s the value in that? Good question.

It’s great if you’re only trying to get in front of people who already know your name. In fact, everyone should use the free social media tools available to help control on line image and reputation. Google +, Facebook and Linked In are masters of SEO, and when you index your name with them, you have the benefit of riding along with their search savvy for free.

But if you’re seeking to use SEO to build audience and increase visibility for your business, you need to take it a step further. Google, Bing and the other search engines constantly change their algorithms (the metrics that determine who lands on top in search) and it is critical to have an informed strategy to take you where you need to go.

A digitally savvy public relations professional can help put the art and science of SEO to work to enhance your business.  PR firms that don’t have search experts on board full-time frequently partner with digital pros . Search strategy is complex and there’s much more to it than tags and keywords; the good news is that a digital professional can build you a successful SEO strategy with measurable benchmarks on most any budget.

While many of us will spend this week planning holiday traffic routes or preparing a menu for the annual feast, I hope we can take a moment to reflect on those who should receive a bit of gratitude. All year long, our clients and our customers help us become more  profitable by trusting in our services and paying our fees. It is because of them that our table will be filled and we can afford other holiday blessings. Regardless of our industry, communicating our appreciation is a habit that should be adopted year round.

Maybe chicken should be the official holiday bird?

I have to admit that when I place my order at Chick-fil-A, I’m a little startled to receive “my pleasure” in response to my “thank you.” Fast Company has noticed this, too. There is something about that little bit of gratitude that sticks with me, especially when I’m lucky to get anything more than change and a receipt at other restaurants. Are you thanking your customers for the opportunity to use your skills to their benefit? Are you articulating it? Consider ending your next strategy meeting with a client, or your next encounter with a customer with a sincere “thank you” for the opportunity to be of service to them and a reminder than you enjoy the work you perform.

Are you properly and promptly thanking customers for their business referral?

Representing small, service-bases businesses has shown me the amount of new customers that can be generated by referral. Especially for small businesses with little marketing or advertising budget, a word of mouth reference, a favorable post on Angie’s List , or the retelling of favorable service on Facebook can be golden. However, having a system in place to ask for these referrals and rewarding them is key. Be sure to ask customers if they are happy with the service they received and ask that they tell others about it. Here are some tips from About.com. This also allows the customer the chance to tell you if they aren’t pleased, rather than have them blast you to their family, coworkers and friends. Determine how you want to thank people for directing a new customer your way. Will you give them a discount on their next service? Or, is a gift program (complete with promotional items featuring you logo, of course) a better route for you? Duct Tape Marketing has a couple of ideas.

Take a break from the food prep, or do some brainstorming while you drive. Simple solutions can help your company be more thankful, and more profitable, throughout the year.

I flew Virgin America to California this past weekend, and couldn’t wait to get back to my desk to write about the unique marketing muscle behind this flying experience.  It’s hard not to look at my own customer service experiences through a marketing/PR lens, and this was no exception.

Initially, I thought I was flying on one of those “off brand” airlines, and wasn’t sure what to expect, if anything!  Instead, I couldn’t believe the swank, nightclub feel on board.  Black leather, comfy seats, decent leg room, magenta-ish track lighting, a safety video cartoon-style with some attitude & humor (didn’t know THAT was possible).

The highlight, though, was the personalized TV/computer control panel (felt like an iPad to me) in front of me where I could order drinks, gourmet food, movies, all with a light touch (and for some options, the swipe of a credit card).  Well done, Virgin America!  Comfort, attitude, convenience, and FUN!  Pretty powerful marketing combination, I’d say!

This “party” video I found gives you a peek on board…I didn’t see this guy on MY flight, but can relate to his enthusiasm!

Oh, that PR professionals had as much influence over journalists as they say we have!  Keith Trivitt (no relation) debunks the myth that is evidently circulating among the journalists.

I don’t hear it from PR professionals!

There are several reasons we ask questions of journalists when they ask to interview clients or CEOs or anyone else in our realm of influence.  One is to be sure they are prepared.  We don’t want to say “I don’t know the answer, I’ll call you back.”  That wastes everyone’s time.

Another is to be sure we are making the right person available to the reporter.  Sometimes the best person to answer your questions is NOT the CEO!

A third reason is that the reporter is not asking appropriate questions…unfortunately, they sometimes go on “fishing” expeditions, looking for issues where there are none, or they don’t have a clear idea of what a corporation does or doesn’t do.  PR professionals are able to direct them to a more appropriate organization to answer the questions.

Like many PR professionals, I was a journalist before moving into PR (more opportunities, but not less stress).  Most of the good PR people I know work hard to make sure the stories they pitch are truly news-worthy and work to manage their client’s and CEOs expectations in regard to the media.  AND most of the journalists I work with appreciate the work I do to help them get the information they need.

Keith is correct…our influence in greatly over rated!

When discussing a work project, a business mentor used to constantly ask me, “what’s the message?”  The same question applies to Occupy Wall Street, a headline-garnering, fast-spreading movement taking place in cities around the country. Even watching the local news in New York last week didn’t clarify unified messages or goals for me. Every person who responded to the “why are you here” question by reporters gave a different answer.  On the upside, crowds were entertained by impromptu musical renditions of 60s classics like “This Land is Your Land”.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all about fixing a broken system. Contrary to Gordon Gekko’s 1980s “greed is good” talk in the “Wall Street” film, I think reform is better or at least as good.  But give me a common purpose, a call to action or an emotional response rather than universal skepticism.  Even the Occupy Wall Street website lacks clarity of message and goals although it does accept donations to fund protest operations.

Vagueness of purpose makes an organization’s mission impossible. A lack of consistent messaging exacerbates the situation. And while we’re discussing some basic tools of a public relations campaign, the absence of a media policy or at least talking points further confuses the audiences.

While Occupy Wall Street is spreading to the point of an official groundswell, any measurable action achieved (other than media attention) will be negligible. Effective public relations professionals know that our clients judge us by results. Successful results start with clarity. Success continues with consistency.

You get my point.

It was no secret that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was seriously ill.  Reports of his ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer were part of the news for several years.  His day-to-day condition was shrouded in near secrecy.  Most news reports amounted to nothing more than pure speculation about his condition and long-term prognosis.  That was due in large part to Jobs’ and most likely Apple’s desire to keep his medical condition as private as possible.  That was no small task given the love the world shared for Jobs, as well as the more practical and somewhat seamy side of things, Apple’s bottom line.

Such was Job’s vision and leadership that Apple became the single wealthiest corporation in the world, trading market rankings with the likes of giants like Exxon-Mobile and Wal-Mart, flush with billions in cash.  So it was reasonably understandable that Apple had a lot at stake in terms of keeping Job’s medical condition as quiet as possible.  I can’t fault them for that.

This blog post first appeared in PRSAY

In an age of declining journalism standards, where anything goes and credibility is in serious question, it’s about time we see a network take the high road and announce it’s going back to the true practice of journalism. According to The Daily Beast, ABC News division president Ben Sherwood has decided the network will do just that and no longer pay for interviews or images, a practice called “checkbook journalism” that has become all-too-common in recent years.

ABC spokesman Jeffrey Schneider told The Daily Beast: “We can book just about anyone based on the strength of our journalism, the excellence of our anchors, correspondents, and producers, and the size or our audience. These licensing deals had become a crutch, and an unnecessary one.”

ABC’s decision came after the network had egg on its face after paying Casey Anthony $200,000 for photos  in 2008, and after paying several sources of recent high-profile cases for photos and video just to get them to appear in interviews.

While ABC is making the right move ethically, will other networks and news media follow their lead? One can only hope.

So blurred have become the lines between paid and earned placement, that now when we pitch our clients, we sometimes get calls from “producers” or “editors” telling us they’re excited about our clients and want to talk to us about booking them on a morning show or writing an extensive feature article in an upcoming magazine issue. We quickly find out these “news” opportunities are pay for play.  The worst are the national feature shows that charge in the tens of thousands of dollars and are not clear on who their target audience is or how a client will even be presented on the show.

Not exactly the most ethically sound or comforting notion.

The Los Angeles Times summed up this problem beautifully in its article, “Is that a morning show or an infomercial?” It wouldn’t be an issue if both sides disclosed it’s a paid opportunity.  But the problem is that most of them don’t. They leave their audiences thinking the products featured in the news segment are there for the news value, not because someone paid to have them there. That’s unethical and violates principles of journalism.

If the Federal Trade Commission can compel bloggers to disclose when they are given a product or paid to write a review, then why are TV and print news media lagging?

The last straw for me came last week when my firm distributed a simple news release announcing our new account coordinator. We received a response from a representative who is now handling the “People on the Move” at the San Diego Business Journal . We were informed that our account coordinator  was perfect for the new, redesigned section and the Business Journal representative was excited to talk to us about it. It sounded suspicious already. The catch? She wanted at least $175 to feature our new account coordinator in this new section, which used to run real news about new company hires as long as the information was newsworthy. The only thing the Business Journal did right was include a disclaimer in its publication that the section is a paid advertisement.

Have newspapers, magazines and networks really gotten that desperate that now they’ve even resorted to charging for “People on the Move” – type announcements?

Does this mark the beginning of the end for “checkbook journalism” and pernicious pay-for-play schemes?

Write Ideas, Inc.

Lydia Dishman reported in Forbes (The Genius of Target’s Missoni Madness) “Two full hours before Target threw open doors…to offer rabid fashionistas a lower priced collection of haute Italian label Missoni…the discount chain allowed shoppers to buy the limited edition goods online.”

Success #1:  Mass distribution of “limited edition” designer labels

The site crashed, but ah, the buzz it created online, on-air, everywhere!  Target’s spokesperson told The Today Show that the New York “kiosk” they set up was scheduled to be open for days; instead, it sold out in HOURS!

Success #2:  Make lemonade out of lemons.  Site crashes; talk about demand and popularity, not a techno-glitch!

The Today Show segment included a Today Show staffer and contributor each wearing Missoni (one the “real deal” and one “the Target version”) – I certainly couldn’t tell the difference!

Success #3:  Show, don’t tell, but in a meaningful way.  The more senses you engage, the easier it is to tell a story.  Always more powerful!

I’d say Target hit the bulls-eye on this one!

Only criticism:  The Target spokesperson (Dustee Jenkins, VP Communications) did a great job promoting the story (wearing of course, a “Missoni” vest) — but I might have advised her against ending the interview with, “Target always has something great in store.”  THAT sounded rather self-promotional, and I think they got enough fabulous promotion already without being so direct!

Signing off to go track down some designer Missoni at my Target!

Beware of the Tweet that could result in legal repercussions!  Many professional communicators are launching into social media marketing campaigns and not considering the legal mistakes they may be making.  This oversight could result in fines and/or a disruption in the client’s business.

So before you post that next photo or conduct a sweepstakes on Facebook, read this blog on Write Speak Sell by attorney Kyle-Beth Hilfer about the most common legal errors in social media marketing…

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I have met a surprising number of experienced business people who do not budget for legal advice. Here are five common legal mistakes in Internet and social media marketing that can result in financial penalties and business interruption.