18 Public Relations Influencer Marketing and Corporate Advertising

18 Public Relations, Influencer Marketing, and Corporate Advertising © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Introductory Scenario: Bring on the Buzz Procter & Gamble creates buzz for Charmin • Enjoy the Go! Campaign • A dozen support agencies involved • Created on site “go teams” who greeted visitors but were also screened for social media skills • Celebrities get into the act • Sponsor a Broadway show and get news media involved—TV, newspaper, blogs

Public Relations The marketing and management communications process to foster goodwill between a firm and its constituents: • Customers • Stockholders • Suppliers • Employees • Government entities • General public

A New Era for Public Relations? Firms are using PR in new and different ways to create visibility and image for a brand by getting people to “talk” about the brand. BUT… • PR is NOT the tool for establishing brands in the market. • PR lacks the strategic control needed to establish a brand within the segment in the manner desired by a firm. • It is true that corporate execs want more “action” and visibility from promotion. PR is now more prominent in many IBP campaigns as consumer tire of mass media advertising. • Good PR can create a positive social “epidemic. ”

© 2000 JABRA Corporation The cellular phone industry has had to combat the bad “PR” from distracted driving incidents related to cell phone use while driving.

Public Relations and Damage Control • Intel—Caused its own PR crisis by not responding to concerns about the performance of the Pentium chip. • Taco Bell and the PR “curse” of social networking. • Walmart in nearly constant damage control. • But, companies need to learn to handle bad news.

Objectives of Public Relations • • • Promote goodwill Promote a product or service Prepare internal communications Counteract negative publicity Lobby Give advice and counsel

Tools of Public Relations • • • Press releases Feature stories Company newsletters Interviews and press conferences Sponsored events Publicity

Public Relations Strategies • Proactive PR strategy o Guided by marketing objectives o Publicize a company and its brands o Take an offensive rather than defensive posture • Reactive PR strategy o Dictated by external influences o Focuses on problems, not opportunities o Requires defensive measures

Proactive Strategies • Public relations audit • Public relations plan o Current situation analysis o Program objectives o Program rationale o Communications vehicles o Message content

Reactive Strategies • Public relations audit • Identification of vulnerabilities

Influencer Marketing • A series of personalized marketing techniques directed at individuals or groups who have the credibility and capability to drive positive word-of-mouth in a broader and relevant segment of the population. • The idea is to give the influencer something positive to talk about with respect to firms and brands.

Professional Influencer Programs • Targeting professionals (doctors, therapists, lawyers, accountants, etc. ) with positive PR messages with goal of having these “professionals” influence their clients attitude toward a brand. • “Seeding the conversation” between the professionals and their clients. • Tactics include trade show displays, direct mail communications, and personal selling calls—all IBP techniques. • The process provides professionals with “intellectual currency. ”

Peer-to-Peer Influencer Programs • Targeting social networks with positive messages about a brand to pass along through their social networks. • The programs provide “social currency” within peer networks. • Buzz and Viral Marketing

Peer-to-Peer Influencer Programs Buzz and Viral Marketing • Buzz marketing is creating an event or experience that yields conversations that include the brand. • Viral marketing is the process of consumers marketing to consumers via: – The Web (e. g. , via blogs, social media, or forwarding You. Tube links) or through personal contact. Simulated by a firm marketing a brand. – The idea behind both buzz and viral marketing strategies is to target a handful of carefully chosen trendsetters or connectors as your influencers, and let them spread the word. • Cultivating Connectors – The sophisticated process of cultivating peer-to-peer influencers to positively tout a firm’s brand. – Procter & Gamble has enrolled 600, 000 “connectors” in its Vocalpoint program—mostly women with wide social networks.

Corporate Advertising Designed to establish a favorable attitude toward a company as a whole. Objectives: • Build the image of the firm • Boost employee morale or attract new employees • Communicate an organization’s views • Position the firm’s products • Play a role in integrated brand promotion

Courtesy BMW Corporate advertising features the firm rather than one of the firm’s brands.

Types of Corporate Advertising • Corporate image advertising: Create a favorable predisposition toward the firm—not designed to affect sales. • Advocacy advertising: Establish the firm’s position on important social, political or environmental issues. • Cause-related advertising: Features a firm’s affiliation with an important social cause. • Green Marketing: Corporate efforts that embrace a cause or a program in support of the environment.

Courtesy, Miller Brewing Co. Drinking and driving is an important Social issue prompting corporate cause advertising.