Why Ozzy Osbourne and Amnesty International Work Together

If You Want Headlines, Write a Good Headline

I started out with a lofty ambition to identify the 10 best or worst press release headlines of the week. But a quick browse through some of this week’s releases on PR Newswire made that mission more difficult than I thought because there were very few standouts – good or bad.

However, two did catch my eye. This one was hard to ignore: Amnesty International and Ozzy Osbourne Salute 70th Anniversary of John Lennon's Birth With Exclusive Digital Release on iTunes Store. It’s the sheer unusualness of hearing Ozzy and Amnesty International in the same place that makes this work. Likewise, this one caught my eye because I’m not really sure what it means: World's Largest Social Media Conference to Include Exclusive Social Media Business Summit. Presumably the Social Media Conference will include some sort of content on the business of social media, so this doesn’t tell me more than I might have already guessed.

The typical press release headline is very predictable though. “XYZ launches new version of XYZ product” or “XYZ Company Wins XYZ Award.” Here are just a few from this week:

• Boxee Announces New TED App
• IBM Introduces New Cloud Collaboration Services

I like these because of their brevity, but unless a reporter is seeking out information about your company because you’re in a hot space (Boxee) or are a blue chip company (IBM), it’s tough to get noticed. For both of these headlines, I still don’t know why the announcements are important or what makes them unique.

Now let’s look at a few headlines from the top tech blogs this week:

• Almost A Year After It Hit Android, Google Finally Adds Goggles To The iPhone (TechCrunch)
• Yahoo Buys Dapper, Which Makes It Easy For Ad Buyers To Create And Track Online Ads (Silicon Alley Insider)

These both create a little bit of tension, while explaining the importance of what you are about to read. PR agencies are tasked with the daunting challenge of writing headlines that their clients will approve and the media will read and then write about. Frequently, these two goals are mutually exclusive, but I will leave that battle for my fearless colleagues and their own clients. Here are my two cents on the three things that make for a good headline (and thanks to Lisa Mokaba for #4 and #5):

1. Keep it short. Twitter has made us used to 140 characters and more importantly, to optimize your release for search engines, you need to get your keywords in up front. The rest simply don’t matter.
2. Controversy breeds interest. Find the tension in your story and lead with it. And if you don’t have controversy, Ozzy Osborne is always a good option. We did a campaign awhile back where the winner would get to eat Thanksgiving with him at his house. Let’s just say that TMZ posted it with an interesting graphic of Ozzy biting the head off of a bat over Thanksgiving dinner.
3. Highlight why this is important. Having a new product is not news on its own. How does it change the landscape of your industry? Is it the first of its kind? What will its impact be? Find the things that set your announcement apart. And if you don’t have them, maybe you should not be making an announcement.
4. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. To quote the Princess Bride, “I do not think that word means what you think it means.” One headline I read this morning announced an “unhackable system.” To me, that’s just asking for trouble. Same with “only,” and “first.” Make sure you’re really first, because math doesn’t lie.
5. Tell us how you really feel. Your company may be proudly announcing something, excited for someone to join the team or looking forward to the future. We know. That’s why you are putting out a press release. Tell us what it means, not how you feel.

Don’t make your headline an afterthought. They should be the centerpieces of your announcements. Make them interesting, informative or fun. At the very least, make them something. Happy writing!

No Cameras, No Recording Equipment, No Sense

Last night I saw Gorillaz at the Agganis Arena at Boston University. The show was amazing. It's really easy to find really terrible examples of mixed media performances but when you see one that nails it . . . well, it's just an amazing thing to see. From the first song - which featured a video of Snoop Dogg on vocals to the last pounding encore Gorillaz wove sound and light and video into an intense narrative.

Even within each media type there were so many elements and styles and tones and textures that it could leave your head spinning. So given this commitment to flexibility and quality and creativity around content it was weird to see that old tag on my ticket "No Cameras, No Recording Equipment."

Now if that were actually enforced (or enforceable) I *might* be able to understand it. Sure, every artist (or production company or record label or venue) would like to have full creative control of the content they make or produce or distribute or present - but that isn't possible any more. Here's a shot of the crowd at Gorillaz:

There were dozens and dozens of people photographing and recording the show. Guess what though? Photographs/video/audio captured with an iPhone or point-and-click camera aren't great. Here's an example that's actually better than most:

Even though it's good for the genre, the quality isn't that good.

Here's another - this was was made with a proper HD video camera and the difference is evident. It's still not great but it's a step in the right direction:

Here's a third example that shows what can be done with two cameras and editing:

There are big differences in the quality and experience of the content in these three cases. It makes me wonder, "what's the logic behind the ban on recording?" Is it to protect the original content? to boost record sales? sell merch? fill clubs? Does the ban - or its unintended fallout (poor quality content) accomplish these things? I have no idea but am curious. For me personally, quality fan content makes me want to experience the band and its content for myself.

What about poorly produced fan-generated content? If anything, it may have a cooling effect on someone's desire to experience a performer. I think of it this way - the low quality content functions as a souvenir. It allows the producer to say "I was there" but rarely conveys much about the quality or experience of a performance. Of course the quality experience is exactly what you want to be conveyed. That's what builds and excites a fan base.

Encouraging fan-content is nothing new. The Grateful Dead managed to become pretty successful not in spite of fan recordings but in part because of fan recordings of their shows. Artists who include their fans in the process of creating a strong content-based community can and do thrive. The best way to create a strong content-based community is to allow fans to create strong content - NOT to force them to create sub-standard content with outmoded restrictions.

The idea of not just tolerating - but actively encouraging - content creation shouldn't be limited to artists. Virtually any brand can benefit from strong user-generated content. Some brands do this well, while others try to exercise control. Control is gone and has been for a while. People will say what they will say whether you want them to or not. The only control that can be exercised is how easy you make it for people to make quality content.

Aiding and encouraging content creation (and recognizing quality content) helps connect current fans/customers more tightly to the band/brand/movie/etc. It can also helps attract new fans (how many of you have checked out a band on YouTube based on a friends recommendation or because you've heard they're coming to town?).

By putting content restrictions in place all that happens is that poor quality content is produced. These restrictions squander the opportunity to build an engaged fan base, add additional content to multiple channels and reach new people. It's time for these types of restrictions to be lifted so more people can participate in a positive content experience.

What do you think? Do limits on content creation help or hurt?

Losing Friends and Fans on Facebook

Time Magazine has an interesting piece out today on how to lose friends on Facebook. It’s based on a study done by the University of Denver, which finds that the things that annoy real friends are pretty much the same things that annoy virtual friends. I for one am tired of all of the Farmville updates that clog up my Facebook feed. Not surprisingly, people don’t like lots of political or religious comments – although I always enjoy a good debate!

This is a good reminder for companies who are seeking to build up their fan bases on Facebook as well. No one wants to hear about the 12^th product update today, and few care about your new Web site or the award you just won. While these are important things for your company and employees, it’s always good to use them sparingly.

A company’s social media presence should create space for conversations. There are certainly times for pushing out messages from your brand, but also look for places to seek interaction with your fans. And remember the power of humor. You want to give people a reason to come back to your page once they leave. If they are entertained, the odds of a return visit are much greater.

InkHouse Exec Catches Office Record Number of Swedish Fish

InkHouse VP of Operations Claims 18 in One Package, Drowning the Package Average of Seven

WALTHAM, Mass., (October 1, 2010) – InkHouse, a public relations and social media agency serving innovative technology, consumer and services companies, is pleased to announce that one of the individually wrapped Swedish Fish packages that were mysteriously delivered to their office is purported to have contained 18 Swedish Fish. All staff members have been consuming the delicious gummy candy, without abandon, for more than a week despite it being dropped off by a stranger who may or may not have actually worked for Cadbury.

“When Pat sent out an office wide email claiming 18 Swedish Fish, I could not believe it, it just didn’t seem possible,” said Meg O’Leary, InkHouse principal and co-founder, speaking of office record holder (and records keeper), Pat Monaghan, vice president of operations. “What was even more surprising to me was the number of people that hit ‘reply all’ and sent out inane emails regarding this latest development. I had no idea how strongly people felt about Swedish Fish. No one replies that quickly for other endeavors, like staffing the office on ‘work from home Fridays.’ ”

“As PR people, we are constantly keeping our ears to the ground to stay up to date on what’s going on in our clients’ industries. It enables us to proactively uncover new opportunities, engage the media and develop relationships with thought leaders,” said Beth Monaghan, InkHouse principal and co-founder. “Apparently we also like to eat candy and the mystery box of Swedish Fish has really opened my eyes to how much the folks in our office not only enjoy free candy, but how competitive they can get as to who has the most in one package.”

InkHouse staff members were quick to post photos on Twitter and Facebook at the outset of the Swedish Fish delivery and enthusiasm for the treat has not diminished. Since the original claim of 18 Swedish Fish in one package, another confirmed record bag was opened, as well as several others containing 10 or more. Cadbury officials were not reached to discuss this latest development, although InkHouse assumes they would say something along the lines of, “They seriously wrote a press release about this”?

About InkHouse

InkHouse is a public relations and social media agency serving innovative technology, consumer and services companies. InkHouse provides public relations, communications strategy planning and content services by intertwining time-tested techniques with next-generation communication methods such as social media, blog relations and one-of-a-kind “buzz” programs. Headquartered in Waltham, Mass., InkHouse was founded in 2007. Visit www.inkhouse.net for more information.

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Nine Ways to Sabotage a Good Press Announcement

Getting the media to pay attention to a company announcement is one part common sense, one part timing, and one part luck (you don’t want to be competing for attention with the news about AOL’s acquisition of TechCrunch). Luck aside, there are some things you can do to increase the chances that the media will take notice and prioritize your news over the hundreds of press releases they see each day. And because we learn better from mistakes, I have created a list of the top nine things we regularly see companies doing wrong. Some of these may seem like common sense, but I assure you, they have happened more times than I can count to have made it onto this list.

1. Issue a press release virtually every week. There’s nothing like crying wolf to show the media that you don’t understand what constitutes news. But if search engine optimization (SEO) is all you care about, go ahead and put out a release on your new Web site. Just don’t send it to reporters and ask them to write about it. No one cares (except for your employees and maybe your parents).

2. Begin your release with “the leading provider of,” “next generation” or “best of breed.” No one believes you and these phrases have been used so many times that they are virtually meaningless. 1999 has come and gone.

3. Don’t return reporter calls (or return them tomorrow). If you are pushing out news, you need to be available for interviews — within the hour. Announcement day is not the time to be “stuck in a meeting.”

4. Break your own embargo. Embargoes result in better and more in-depth coverage (read more on our position on embargoes here). However, to make them work it’s incumbent upon the company putting out the news to do everything possible to stick to the embargo time. This means that you MUST coordinate timing for all launch elements with the time you issue your press release. I cannot tell you how many times we’ve seen companies post news on their own blog at midnight the night before launch day. This results in some very unhappy reporters, and a lot less coverage for the company.

5. Ignore the definition of “exclusive.” If you give a reporter a story exclusively, that means that they are the ONLY outlet you are talking to. Exclusive = one reporter. It’s as simple as that. Ignoring this rule is a surefire way to ensure that reporters will never talk to you again.

6. Issue a three-page press release that is a replica of your marketing brochure. Get to the point and do it quickly. Press releases should cover the highlights and include links for additional information. And remember, a press release is not marketing collateral. It should be written like a news story, which means it should contain just the facts and reserve color commentary to the quotes.

7. Send out software for review with major bugs. In this case, you’ll get coverage. It just won’t be the kind you want. Yes, this has happened more times than I’d like to recall.

8. Blast out your press release. If you find yourself sending out mass emails and @ messaging every reporter and influencer on Twitter with your press release, cease and desist. Read what reporters and bloggers write and make sure that your news is relevant – and tell them why. Look to see if they have a page on how they prefer to be contacted, and follow their advice. On Twitter, @ message the people you care most about reaching with Tweets that are relevant to them. If you use the same 140 characters for every message about your launch, you will quickly lose the followers you’ve tried hard to build up. Social media is about conversations, so make sure you treat it as relationship building, not a medium for broadcasting your message.

9. Choose a launch date that coincides with a major holiday. Only Apple can take on Jesus, and they successfully launched the iPad over Easter weekend this year. If you are not in the same league as Apple, pick a date when reporters and bloggers will be in the office and paying attention.

Is PR Relevant?

Henry Blodget just called attention to a piece in Inc. from Ross Mayfield, CEO of SocialText, about bootstrapping PR. I highly recommend that you read the entire post by Mayfield here as well.

The topic of PR’s relevance comes up most often in startup circles when CEOs are focused on introducing a new product or fundraising. It’s certainly an option at this stage. However, as a company grows, the job of PR is vast. I doubt anyone at BP would argue a case for eliminating its PR department.

PR is changing – there is no question about it. Public relations and media relations are not synonymous though. Yes, media relations is part of the mix, but there is much more to it. I would characterize the change as a move away from simply broadcasting messages to engaging with and creating conversations. PR’s role continues to be getting messages out to the masses, as well as facilitating conversations wherever they occur. But the role of PR is more than one of traffic cop. Our role is to help clients tell a compelling story – one that is relevant given the conversations taking place. You cannot be 10 things to any one industry and PR must help companies determine how to cut through the din with the most compelling message for their target audiences.

I agree with many of the tactics outlined in Mayfield’s article and think many startups and small businesses (the audience for Inc.) can benefit from that advice. However, what he outlines is also a full time job. Taking a story from the blogsphere to the mass market takes a focused effort that combines the right story, with the right audiences, frequently enough to rise to the top of the clutter and that takes a serious dedication to nurturing those conversations. There are only so many Twitters, Facebooks and Foursquares out there (incidentally, at least one of those has a PR agency).

The PR industry is stronger than ever, thanks in part to social media and the proliferation of news outlets. PR Week recently reported that PR spending is set to hit $4.4 billion by 2014 (up from $3.4 billion this year).

InkHouse at the Waltham Chamber of Commerce

I had the pleasure of speaking this morning at the Waltham Chamber of Commerce's Women in Business Breakfast at the Doubletree in Waltham. Great turnout and some good connections!