We had months of advance warning. In fact, Fast Company gave the new Microsoft advertising firm, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, the cover in its June issue and in as much detail allowable proclaimed of what was to come. Clearly the Tech media and blogoshere needed a little more time.
Its been three weeks since Microsoft’s salvo in response to Apple’s surging share of the U.S. consumer computer market. In those three weeks nearly all the Tech media has fallen over themselves to attack the Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld rendezvous series. Apparently only Mashable and Techdirt paused long enough to get the marketing brilliance we all just witnessed. Here is my comment on a recent TechCrunch post:
Since its launch, Microsoft’s new ad campaign has made a daily appearance in the national news cycle. They definitely have our attention. Earlier this week, it was uncovered that Microsoft was launching phase two of its campaign. Lets pause and consider this statement. When was the iterations of a advertising campaign national news? Ad Week and Ad Age will fold if this continues.
Most of the media felt Microsoft “cancelled” the Seinfeld ads because of the strong criticism, however their PR team was adamant that this was all part of the plan and Jerry may show up later in the campaign. I believe this is true, but it hardly matters. Microsoft PR in conjunction with Crispin Porter + Bogusky has become a Pied Piper of sorts and the Tech media is completely oblivious.
It has been uncool to like Microsoft for years and in that time the Tech media and blogoshere have mostly become Mac Fanboys. Microsoft is using this to their advantage. Undoubtedly there will be the expected criticism for the ”I’m a PC” campaign. Proof of this appeared this weekend when reports came out that part of the Microsoft campaign was built on a Mac. Funny, this is not news since nearly all ad agencies use Macs and Crispin Porter + Bogusky admitted to this in the previously mentioned Fast Company article. More still, the media will say it just copies the current Apple ads, but they would be wrong. Beyond making Apple look elitist, the campaign includes an intelligent and engaging interactive viral component.
This is quite possibly the most significant and impressive marketing campaign of this century, and nobody knows it beyond the marketing community. We have not even acknowledged what could be the most devastating blow of all. Apple is expected to announce its new line of Macs in about two weeks? Can Apple maintain its market share? Does Apple know how to take a hit and how will the company respond? It would be an utter failure if they continue on with their current Mac vs PC campaign. Lastly, Google should take note as Microsoft is agitating a similar storm in the antitrust courts that could cripple the search leader.
Great marketing can only take a product so far. This is as true with the half price coupon as it is with an incredible opening day launch due to strong PR. Take Cuil as exhibit A. I was genuinely excited when I read this article. A Google killer with a new search design, a larger search index, unique relevance algorithm and privacy by not storing IP information. It had glowing posts from all the top tier bloggers right out of the gate, even though it became clear none had actually tested it yet.
Then it happened, bloggers started using it and all that great PR went for not. In fact, I think it is arguable that due to Cuil’s PR blitz earlier in the week, it received an even greater backlash when it became clear it was simply an average alternative search engine and was not ready to go up against the incumbent big four (Google, Ask, Yahoo and Microsoft).
Cuil’s launch provides several lessons and maybe a future PR case study. First, if you are a search engine and you do not appear in you own first page of results, perhaps you should delay the launch a bit. Another is do not over promise and under deliver. In hindsight, it is laughable to believe a startup could go head to head with Google on day one. Google has too much money, experience and scale. A company could grow to eclipse Google over time, but not until after extensive real world adoption and testing. Smart startups do not let their PR run wild. Lastly, we need more restraint and journalistic responsibility in our blogoshere media. No longer should pure speed dictate new media, but instead accuracy because that is true journalism. Except for the fake news anomalies seen in the Onion and the SportsPickle, people read news to learn truth about their world. New media is now the media as professional journalist are blending with former ameatuer blogoshpere titans. We do not have room for fanboys, we need journalists.
The standard press release. For decades it has been the weapon of choice for flaks to disseminate “important” news and updates. Its beauty was in its simplicity. It is a static, controllable, one way communication tool that tells the reader everything the company determines is valuable, newsworthy information. It even spawned the PR wire service industry seen through companies such as PR Newswire and Business Wire.
I thought there was nothing that could take down this now trival document, but the SEC announced it will now allow companies to satisfy fair disclosure requirements through their Web site. What does this mean? Well instead of two pages of hype and quotes fired off to any and every reporter that could possibly be coaxed into covering a company update, we can now communicate legally via blogs and other Web 2.0 technologies that allow for audio, video and images packaged around bulleted top line information that can be accessed by RSS feeds. Some suggest this opens the door for the Social Media Release. I suppose this could advance communication, assuming it is not riddled with corporate speak. Hopefully the most powerful result of this decision is the breakdown of the controlled, prepackaged communication structure that infects accurate reporting. Now if we can only outlaw message training…
One of my greatest passions has become food. Not because I love to eat or enjoy testing out new recipes. It became a passion once I learned what corporate America was actually passing off as food to the public. I am appalled with our industrial agriculture system and the chemistry experiment we devour every day to the benefit of quarterly earnings. Unfortunately, we cannot trust companies or the FDA to ensure what we are sold actually makes sense for a human to consume.
With that in mind, I recently came across an article in Fast Company that takes a look at Procter & Gamble’s stated devotion to sustainable, green products. It became clear in only a few paragraphs that P&G wanted to bathe itself in sustainable messaging, but words and a few nods to energy efficiency does not equal sustainable truth. As the reporter moved beyond the prepackaged interview with the company’s VP of global sustainability, he learned “that the amounts of hazardous chemicals consumers are exposed to through P&G products are at levels a thousand times lower than those that cause health problems in animals.” What? Why would a company ever use manufactured chemicals labeled as a “probable human carcinogen” at any level. The VP stated, “I know for a fact that everything in our products is safe.” Perhaps he should check his research with the European Union and the states of Virginia and Maryland who have banned P&G products deemed toxic.
Don’t be evil. This is the stated motto of Google and should be the rallying cry for all. But as with most corporate PR messages, it is just words founded in nothing to help shape a crafted image of the company. Communication transparency is not just an option with the growing social advances provided from Web 2.0, but a reality that I do not think companies have yet grasped. The era of developing messaging and providing prepared statements is over. For decades reporters have tried to cut through the empty statements given by corporate talking heads, but now companies can and are required to communicate directly to its customers. No longer can no comment or a convoluted response that actually says nothing be the last word. A company is guilty until proven innocent because history has shown there is reason to expect the former and consumers dismiss corporate speak sight on seen. Not answering a question directly results in the assumption that the truth is as bad or worse than that which a company is accused. Respond truthfully early and often is the only option…that and do not sell sugar coated poison. It really is not any harder than that.
Newsweek.com has a great article on where the Web is heading…famously coined as Web 3.0. The article highlights the shift away from “Wisdom of the Crowds” toward edited information vetted by professionals. Examples of Web 3.0 sites from the article include: Knol, BigThink, Mahalo and About.com. Each sites focuses on providing human experts that readers can trust and rely on vs unregulated content by enthusiasts.
There has been much talk on what Web 3.0 will look like, and Im not certain this is it. Instead, I believe this is the maturing and mass adoption of Web 2.0. From a news and communications standpoint, this is a positive trend that will only increase the credibility of the blogosphere and provide relief to the PR world that we are in fact working with other professionals on behalf of our clients.
Client demand for user generated content got you down. No worries…as always SportsCenter provides the last word on all that is life. I think the following “This is SportsCenter” commercial provides enlightened social commentary on a world hopped up on the drug called UGC (user generated content).
I came across this last night and probably played it 10 times…still brings tears to my eyes. It is aptly titled “Choices.” Choose wisely…
Per today’s WSJ…apparently the big new jargon word for corporate communications attempting to side step the bleak earnings outlook for 2008 is “headwinds.” A smattering of Executives have recently used the term including Wachovia, GM, Yahoo and even the Fed. The article looks at the true definition of the word, its history of use from an economic perspective and the validity of its current use by corporations.
My issue is this represents the continued practice by PR to mask facts with jargon that provides little useful information. Telling analysts you will be facing a headwind is completely meaningless. As example from the article, when an audience member asked “So, how big a headwind should we think about in ‘08?”…the executive stated “Well, right now, it’s a big headwind.” Thanks…that clears it up perfectly.
I came across an interesting article this week looking at the Quiznos vs. Subway TV Ad Challenge back in the fall of 2006. The challenge aske Quiznos fans to submit videos that drew a comparison between Quiznos and Subway with Quiznos being superior. The winner received $10,000, and the video was shown on VH1 and on a giant screen in Times Square on New Year’s Eve in 2006.
Easy enough. Subway has decided to sue Quiznos because it contends that the consumer video contained “literally false statements” and depicted Subway in a “disparaging manner.” The issue though is that Quiznos did not make the videos, but can it be held liable for content its fans made at the company’s request. This is an important case because it will set a precedent that could impact on user generated campaigns moving forward.
I believe this will add yet another layer of consideration when developing online campaigns. This could potentially have impact beyond contests that attack or poke fun of competitors because “false claims” could have a very broad interpretation.
Microsoft PR…they may be on to something. In the second week of ’08 we may have campaign of the year – making Bill Gates a lovable Geek. Think Apple’s Mac Vs PC campaign is ingenious? You haven’t seen anything yet. Overall Gate’s keynote at CES 2008 was regarded as strong, but its the video accompanying the presentation that is snagging the blogoshere headlines.
The video features Gates’ last day at the office, in which he works out with Matthew McConaughey, tries to impress Bono with his “Guitar Hero” chops, tests Jay-Z’s patience with his rap skills and lobbies to land the VP spot on the Democratic ticket.
This is a great example about how you must be bold to create an endearing and viral campaign in today’s critical online environment. If Microsoft only went half way…this never would have worked and they would look completely foolish for it.
You can view a segment of the video here. Full version here.
Thought this would be a good Friday post. The video is pure genious and two applications for the community…how to deal with client demands when theyre just flat wrong and a unique way to reach your customer…show them you understand their struggle.
Welcome to MakeMyLogoBigger.com. It was created by Agency Fusion who is a Web site development company that caters to designers. It is part of its new advertising strategy. While Im not a designer, I expect this video perfectly mirrors the day to day frustrations of designers with their clients. It is definitely edgy, but I think it works and would resonate well with their customers.
Additionally, has anyone recently run into issues with a client where they want to modify a release, pitch strategy or overall program that by doing so will completely kill its effectiveness? Any good ways to push back to prevent this from happening?
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