iPitch : Apple's Media Spin!!

Apple launched its iPad this week and made the media across the world go into a tizzy. The buzz that followed the launch was any PR professional’s dream come true – every one had something to say about the new Apple product.

7000 Apple tweets per minute during iPad announcement.

Thousands of technology journalists and bloggers across the World hooked to every word Steve Jobs had to say about his latest offering and a front page headline on most publications across the World.

A quick search on Google – is enough to showcase the media frenzy Apple unleashed with its recent product launch.

Over 6 Million coverages for its iPad is currently visible on the search engine of which more than 330,000 are mentions in blogs from all over…

Am I then surprised to hear a fellow tweeter tweet – “I would love to join the PR team of Apple – it is the easiest job on Earth.”

Looking at all the eyeballs Apple manages to get and all the tongues it sets rolling, I feel like agreeing with my tweet buddy. iPod, iPhone and now the iPad each outdid the other in terms of media coverage.

As a company Apple has always been tight lipped, which has worked for it in many ways. Speculations about its tablet PC were rife in the market, videos of its tablet PC were available on YouTube for over a month before the launch, yet it could not diminish the curiosity of the technology buffs and managed to take all by surprise.

While I would like to believe all this interest in Apple and its products is because of the great work and efforts put in by their marketing and communications team – in truth it’s not their doing, at least not ‘just’ their doing.

The real credit goes to the people behind the products Apple launches. They have managed to establish themselves as the creators of the most desirable products in the World – known for their cutting edge technology and exclusiveness, which every time manages to change the course of future technology.

Very rarely do you see the pride of owning a branded gadget like that among the Apple users.

Cynics can debate that despite the technology they were down in the dumps and almost on the verge of closure before they re-created themselves with the iPod, and yes there is truth in that – but then iPod was a success because of its technology and the way it managed to capture the imagination of music lovers all over.

Public Relations as a profession is a lot about creating that feel good fluff around your clients and their products, but for it to really make a mark it is important that the product in itself is good, of high quality and one which finds favor among its users.

At the end of the day, if the user experience is compromised, then how much ever good you write about it – the truth will finally find its way out.

Public Relations as a profession is a lot about creating that feel good fluff around your clients and their products, but for it to really make a mark it is important that the product in itself is good, of high quality and one which finds favor among its users.

At the end of the day, if the user experience is compromised, then how much ever good you write about it – the truth will finally find its way out.

I wouldn’t like to undermine the role PR professionals can play in creating the hype and building a company’s brand reputation – after all it’s my bread and butter.

But the truth is even if I were the best PR person in the World, with the best of media relations I would not be able to build the hype and keep it going if, the end product I was promoting was not good enough.

That is where Apple makes a mark. Its products and their users speak on its behalf. Apple believes in making – the ownership of an Apple product an experience. From the way Steve Jobs launches a product to the way Apple stores market it – everything is about experience.

UTalkMarketing Editor, Clark Turner quotes, “Tim Greenhalgh, a PR consultant at Liberate Media in his post, “No one does desire like Apple, and no one presents desire as well as Steve Jobs.”

Apple iPad

Good or bad, every time Apple launches its products – it creates something that is desirable by millions around the planet. And when millions want information on something – there will be thousands who would seek to provide them.

When you should just go out and make a public announcement !

Make that announcement now..

Press release is one of the best marketing tools – because it lets you speak your version of the story, gets across your company’s news updates to your relevant audience (Stakeholders, potential investors and customers) and in the online space, helps you build credible backlinks.

If you search the term Press Release on Google – it throws up thousands of articles and posts which tell you how to write that perfect press release. I am sure on that front you will find a way out there – either yourself or with some hired help.

While most companies use press releases to announce their big moments, very few realize that press releases need not be restricted, to just the big moments but are more effective when used for all the significant moments in a company’s lifespan.

Let me put down some of these obvious and not so obvious moments for your future reference. You can always add to this list depending on the needs of your company.

Since the opportunities of going public with a news update vary in each company – this list cannot and should not be treated as the end of all thought and discussion – but more as the beginning of one…

So here you go – Occasions and reasons for you to go out with a Press release…

1. Launch – Any kind of launch, your company, product, service, new division etc.

2. Client Acquisitions

3. Partnerships

4. Mergers

5. Quarter and Annual results

6. New feature updates

7. New Appointments

8. Awards and accolades for the company and for those in the management team

9. Chartering new markets

10. Diversification

11. CSR initiatives

12. Green initiatives

13. Positive Industry Analyst reviews

14. Change in Location of your head office

15. Event/Webinar announcements – those you organize and those you are participating in

16. Published Reports / Whitepapers

17. Any offline or online conference your are hosting

18. If a company spokesperson is speaking at an event – you can have a post event release – focusing on the main points in his speech (provided they are significant)

19. Comment on a significant Industry development – in support or in opposition

20. Announcing your entry into the social media space – Opening your Company’s Twitter or Facebook account (It’s a great way of telling people where to find you on social mediaphere)

And before I close this post here are some must remember tips -

Tip #1 – If you are holding a press conference or an event – remember to have a pre – event and post-event press release.

Pre- Event press release – Should explain the reason for holding the event – (Launch, Partnership announcement etc.). Names of individuals, who would be addressing the event and their brief introductions, date of the event, details of your company.

Many companies and PR professionals today give pre-event releases a miss – but it is significant because it might give a journalist enough reason to write a heads-up report on the event, also it helps in getting your event listed under the upcoming events section by the various media publications – ensuring better attendance at your event.

Post – Event press release – Should elaborate on the announcement made at the event, significant quotes of those who address the gathering. Since, this is a more thought after release – PR professionals should think through the most significant development at the event which has news significance and build their release around that news peg or angle (use quotes that add to that point).  This will ensure your release has a better rate of coverage.

Tip #2 – We are aware that press releases are your company’s mouth piece – still it is best not to overplay (do not underplay either)  your achievements and appear very promotional when writing them. Those press release which appear balanced in their approach have a better chance of getting carried by the media

Tip # 3 – Remember to post a copy of the releases on your company website and on free Press Release submission sites.

If you can think of any more reasons or occasions for issuing a press release, write in and I will update this list further 

Press release is considered one of the best marketing tools – as it lets you publish your version of the story, gets across your company’s news updates to your relevant audience (Stakeholders, potential investors and customers) and in the online space, helps you build credible backlinks.

If you search the term Press Release on Google – it throws up thousands of articles and posts which tell you how to write that perfect press release. I am sure on that front you will find a way out there – either yourself or with some hired help.

While most companies use press releases to announce their big moments, very few realize that press releases need not be restricted, to just the big moments but are more effective when used for all the significant moments in a company’s lifespan.

Let me put down some of these obvious and not so obvious moments for your future reference. You can always add to this list depending on the needs of your company.

Since the opportunities of going public with a news update vary in each company – this list cannot and should not be treated as the end of all thought and discussion – but more as the beginning of one…

So here you go – Occasions and reasons for you to go out with a Press release…

1. Launch – Any kind of launch, your company, product, service, new division etc.

2. Client Acquisitions

3. Partnerships/tie-ups

4. Mergers

5. Quarterly and Annual results ( if your are profitable its good to let your stakeholders know)

6. New feature updates in your product or service

7. New Appointments at the senior management level

8. Awards and accolades for the company or for those in the management team

9. Launching in new markets

10. Diversification

11. CSR initiatives

12. Green initiatives

13. Positive Industry Analyst reviews

14. Change in Location of your head office /Website address

15. Event/Webinar announcements – those you organize and those you are participating in

16. Published Reports / Whitepapers

17. Any offline or online conference your are hosting

18. If a company spokesperson is speaking at an event – you can have a post event release – focusing on the main points in his speech (provided they are significant)

19. Comment on a significant Industry development – in support or in opposition

20. Announcing your entry into the social media space – Opening your Company’s Twitter or Facebook account (It’s a great way of telling people where to find you on social mediaphere)

And before I end this post here are some must remember tips -

Tip #1 – If you are holding a press conference or an event – remember to have a pre – event and post-event press release.

Pre- Event press release – Should explain the reason for holding the event – (Launch, Partnership announcement etc.). Names of individuals, who would be addressing the event and their brief introductions, date of the event, details of your company.

Many companies and PR professionals today give pre-event releases a miss – but it is significant because it might give a journalist enough reason to write a heads-up report on the event, also it helps in getting your event listed under the upcoming events section by the various media publications – ensuring better attendance at your event.

Post – Event press release – Should elaborate on the announcement made at the event, significant quotes of those who address the gathering. Since, this is a more thought after release – PR professionals should think through the most significant development at the event which has news significance and build their release around that news peg or angle (use quotes that add to that point).  This will ensure your release has a better rate of coverage.

Tip #2 – We are aware that press releases are your company’s mouth piece – still it is best not to overplay (do not underplay either)  your achievements and appear very promotional when writing them. Those press releases which appear balanced in their approach have a better chance of getting carried by the media

Tip # 3 – Remember to post a copy of the releases on your company website and on free Press Release submission sites.

If you can think of any more reasons or occasions for issuing a press release, write in and I will update this list further

Successful Marketing is more about Creativity and less about Money!!

Today’s post on Merl’s PR Speak is about some  interesting images, that speak a thousand words. They also create brand recall and help connect people with what they offer. Most of all these images entertain all with their sheer creativity…

Wouldn’t you want to buy these solid building blocks from Lego for your kids??

A little bit of imagination and out of the box thinking is all it took to make this eye catching advert do wonders for the brand!!

Weighing down!!

Tilting a normal and boring looking billboard makes this advert quite meaningful and eye catching. You look at it because it is not placed properly and when you read the message – you can’t help but compliment the guy who designed it. – Impressive and effective.

Never seen a more effective ad, which talks of what smoking can do to you and the people around you

Powerful

Clean Sweep!

The basics!

In all the four pictures above – by just strategically placing their adverts/product dummies the companies have managed to create  interesting and eye catching campaigns.

Companies today spend a lot of money on marketing and advertising in pursuit of creating brand awareness.

Often the point missed – is the fact that marketing is not so much about money as much about creativity. Its also a lot about getting across to the right people in a way that they remember to invest in your product or service.

A simple idea showcased differently can make a brand stand out in the market place.

Creativity needs to be fed. Your surroundings and the surroundings of your target audience is the best place to look for inspiration and ideas when it comes to designing Marketing campaigns. 

Don’t forget to get into the shoes of your target audience – How do they think? What appeals to them? What do they look  for when buying a product or service? What need of theirs can your product address? If you do your research well, you will always manage to come up with a marketing campaign  that your consumer will identify himself with. If it does not appeal, then maybe you missed something really important – don’t shy away from going back and researching again, till you find the answer and get it right.

An important question every marketing or PR professional should ask himself before ideating a campaign is – How can I do this differently ?

Not every idea may materialize into a campaign, but the point is atleast you are thinking…..trying to think beyond the ordinary, the regular, the mundane, the usual.

Beyond the box and into the space…….