Just because an A-lister Twitters disdain for a product, service, another A-lister, or the meal they just ate, doesn't mean anybody actually hears their scream.
Social media relationships fail without a relationship connection. A large number of followers is only meaningful if those followers represent people you have come to know and respect.
To feel the full impact of this piece I suggest listening to some Dylan.
The Legacy For Health, the Ad Council and the Ex campaign have joined up for a PR campaign aimed at convincing smokers to quit. Imagine that. A PR campaign to convince people to declare their liberty and independence from smoking cigarettes. A full 180-degree about face by an industry famously known for convincing young women to march down the streets of New York holding their cigarettes high in a proud declaration of their independence and freedom.
According to Ad Age, the PR campaign will focus on tactics that will motivate smokers to quit, including public service announcements, posters, and an air freshener takeaway campaign. And to tap into the here and now, iPhone users will be able to install an iPhone application starting this Month created by Ex with a message to stop smoking. With 6 million people worldwide dying from the affects of cigarette smoking, the campaign aims to help smokers “relearn” how to live without the freedom sticks.
I’m not sure air fresheners are going to do the trick. It takes a lot of work to break an addiction and even more to change a habit. But it makes for good PR, which I suppose is a start. Likely, Ex will need to go back to the beginning and channel the spirit of Bernays to find a way to change the hearts of people and empower them to march to a different tune.
I’ve had a lot of folks pulling up an old blog post from 2006 about Social Media use by large companies. Back then, quite a few folks were still on the fence about blogging, Twitter and Facebook. The post, titled “Work, Work, Work, Hello Boys!” features Blazing Saddles Governor William J. LePetomaine briskly signing papers and shouting “Work, Work, Work” as he stares down the cleavage of his secretary. My point back then was that you can spend a lot of time frittering away at social media with no real strategy, admiring the shiny objects, which leads to more problems than good. (From all sorts of standpoints!) Continue reading →
Oh, what to do, what to do? You’ve just posted an opinion piece about something that you found passion for, and there it is: the negative, harsh and somewhat threatening comment. A comment which has led to another and another and you’re deep in a full-flamed comment war. However, this is a good thing. Embrace negative comments. They lead to opportunities to improve reputation and customer service. Continue reading →
