The BlueSky PR Blog

Canadians adopt social network activities at higher rates than users in the US

2010-11-30T13:52:00.000-08:00

According to a report published this month by eMarketer, close to 60 percent of Canadian Internet users are logging onto some type of social network, viewing social media as their online home – a hub for communication, entertainment and information.

In fact, Canada has the highest penetration among social network users of any of the countries studied.

While we may be logging on more than our US counterparts, there is still a trust issue when it comes to marketing initiatives through social media. Gaining the trust of the network will remain the brand’s biggest challenge when looking to engage through tools such as linkedin, Facebook and twitter.

The report also notes that as Canadian users have grown more familiar with social media they have also become more accepting of advertising in the space.

This report further demonstrates the opportunity that exists in social media for marketing and PR. As with any strategy, it starts with understanding the best vehicle to reach your audience, and ensuring that you communicate to them a message that resonates.

Battle of the Brainstorm

2010-07-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

An article on the Globe and Mail website last month, presented different arguments around what sparks creativity in the workplace. It stated that ‘to find big solutions to big problems, business and government leaders need to foster more of this kind of creativity’.

I tend to agree – the question remains, what is the best way to go about it?

Working at an agency, one of the aspects I would deem beneficial is the creative environment. New ideas and approaches are constantly encouraged. While we do not go as far as molding figures out of Play-Doh to get our brains working, we do have frequent brainstorming sessions.

For many, time is money and many find brainstorms a waste of time, lacking in results. For others, the less limitations placed on creative thinking, the better.

When it comes to brainstorms, a few tips I’ve learned through my own personal experience are:

Give your team some time to think individually in advance - Having some time to mull over the topic/various ideas a day in advance of the brainstorm gives everyone a chance to bring something different to the table.
Positive Reinforcement – No matter how crazy an idea brought forward might seem, try to focus on the positive. Your team members will likely be too embarrassed to bring up ideas in the future if they’ve received blunt feedback and you may miss out on the next big thing.
Timing is everything - People need to be awake to get the ideas flowing. If you’re scheduling a brainstorm, make sure everyone’s had their morning caffeine. You may not get the best ideas if your meeting starts at 8am.

If you’re feeling uninspired, there are workshops and interesting literature out there that address creativity. Some examples include Beyond the Box, Business Innovations for Dummies and a Globe and Mail article from February 2010.

It’s all about personal preference and what works best for you. My mom keeps a pen and notepad beside her bed because she believes her best ideas come to her during the night (and this is one creative lady). I prefer a solid playlist and a delicious snack.

Do awards matter?

2010-07-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

BlueSky recently received two 2010 IABC Ovation Awards. A proud moment, yes, and a rare moment to reflect on our good work. Yet in the marketing and PR world, these awards are a dime a dozen, each with different criteria and credibility, punctuated with subjective evaluations of hard business results. Do awards matter?

Aside from having a lovely plaque for our wall and statue for our reception area, was the submission worth the ‘ka-zillion’ hours of work? If securing new business is the primary objective, then I would say no. If gaining company profile is the objective, again, I would say no. But I’ve come to one conclusion: the submission process offers a tremendous opportunity to self-evaluate. Is the work we are doing for clients meaningful? Do we help their businesses?

I can confirm with a resounding YES: our work has tremendous value, and that reminder has been very rewarding. The process forced us to lay out all our program objectives and assess whether they were met. Now we have a strong case study demonstrating our skills and the potential of creative, well-executed PR, and our client has results to show for their investment.

Gathering and evaluating the business results also enhanced our client relationship. We now have specific, even more meaningful metrics moving forward and were able to document business benefits in areas we could not have foreseen.

The submission process has also forced us to improve upon our PR plans, going the extra mile to ensure our communications tactics are driving the client’s business. It has also given us an insider’s glimpse of our client’s business – a new level of understanding that allows us to deliver even more and better results.

Will I invest in more award submissions? Absolutely. While the plaque and statue are nice mementos of our accomplishments (not to mention the enhancements to the office decor!) the impact on our creativity, strategic capabilities, client relationship, and business as a whole, has been exceptional. As for the quality of our work, we continue to raise the bar.

The earthquake that shook twitter

2010-06-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

Looks like the earthquake that just shook central Canada is bringing out our good ol’ Canadian humour. Here are a couple good ones!

@spacing - There has also been a tsunami warning for the G20 fake lake. #earthquake
@kylemcinnes: Ottawa government buildings evacuated. Productivity unaffected. #earthquake
@LGaucher: #earthquake - water in the office was trembling Jurassic Park styles
@mlse The earthquake in Toronto was just thousands of England fans jumping back on the bandwagon. #worldcup
@philippec Quebec is finally separating!
@ivortossell: Widespead disappointment across Toronto at news that it was not, in fact, the epicentre of the quake.
@MuchMusic: it's ok @justinbieber is safe guys #earthquake

Fresh Ideas for fundraising drives

2010-06-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Every year I participate in at least a couple of fundraising drives for Charities that are close to my heart. I’m also asked to donate regularly from my friends and family or participate in the campaigns that are close to their heart. And while I’d like to give money to everyone, sometimes it is just not feasible.

It made me start to think about how to successfully reach out to my friends and family when I’m looking to support my cause. It’s likely that most of these people are being contacted often to give money, so how can I stand out and show them that my cause is worth it?

Mitch Joel at Twist Image makes a great point that while using social media tools to get your message out there is a great strategy – it can sometimes be a lazy way of communicating. Blasting out form emails, or linking to your fundraising page on your Facebook or Twitter is probably not going to get you any extra dollars. Mitch has some great tips/ideas on how to make your efforts stand out, and hopefully reach your friends, family and colleagues with a stronger message. Click here for more of his great ideas.

Are you a multitasker?

2010-06-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, The New York Times profiled a family of multitaskers who consume technology in just about every aspect of their lives. In, Your Brain: Hooked on gadgets and paying the mental price, Matt Richtell explores the new reality of multitasking. He takes a closer look at how reliance on technology to enhance our lives, might be having a significant and adverse effect on our brain. Experts suggest that multitaskers have a low ability of being able to focus, and that the use of technology is intensifying this.

“A study at the University of California, Irvine, found that people interrupted by e-mail reported significantly increased stress compared with those left to focus. Stress hormones have been shown to reduce short-term memory, said Gary Small, a psychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles.”

Working in a client focused business, being a multitasker is part of the job description. While this is a trait that I pride myself on, this article is making me take a step back to evaluate what it really means to multitask. Am I concentrating on the right things, and the right times? Am I always giving my full attention to the task at hand?

While I do still see a lot of value in being able to juggle many things at once, I have to wonder about whether it’s the right strategy all the time. Like most things in life, the key might be moderation. Taking some time each day to shut everything down, and concentrate on that pressing issue, or project that needs to get off the ground, might not only ensure I’m doing my best work – it might also help my brain and my memory. I can’t argue with that!

Click here to test to see if you are a high or low multitasker, and to test your ability to focus.

Appropriate Work Attire

2010-06-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Dominating media over the past week is Debrahlee Lornzana's wrongful-dismissal suit against Citibank. It has sparked much debate over policy regarding appropriate office attire, workplace sexual harassment and double-standards. If you've somehow missed this story, the basics are: Debrahlee Lornzana, a New York City business banker, believes she was fired for distracting her male colleagues with her looks while Citibank claims she was dismissed due to her performance.

There was a good online discussion about this on the Globe and Mail's website earlier today.

As a young female professional, I can understand that it's not as standard of a process when shopping for work clothing compared to that of males (collared shirt, dress pants and tie). I can also relate to the fact that much of the trendier female fashions out there are shorter, are more form fitting and may not be suitable in a corporate environment. I have seen other females wearing clothing to work that made me think, 'Really'?

In the end, I think it all boils down to good old common sense. If you work in a corporate environment such as a bank, you are expected to dress in-line with the corporate culture. This ties into branding, respect and an overall sense of professionalism. You can express your fashion personality further outside of the workplace. If total freedom of dress is really important to you, then I would look into more flexible work environments.

I pride myself on incorporating a bit of flare into my everyday wardrobe, but it can still be done subtly.

One of the suggestions in a Globe and Mail article yesterday was for employers to offer coaching about dress code to incoming staff, not after a problems arise. This could be a beneficial, proactive approach. If this option is not available, I would suggest looking at what types of clothing fellow coworkers are wearing.

More From the Desk of an Intern

2010-04-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

I’m backkkkkkkk!!!!! Wow, how time flies when you’re having fun and whoever thought work could be fun? Over the years, so many individuals have told me “Ashleigh, choose a field and career you love, because then no day will ever feel like work.” This is definitely true and I am so glad I continued on my educational journey after university and enrolled in college to find out that I truly love public relations and advertising. The work I produce at BlueSky Communications never feels like work to me, because I am so interested in everything that both the BlueSky team and myself does throughout the workday!

I can’t believe it has almost been six-weeks since I started my internship at BlueSky Communications Inc. You thought I learned a lot about public relations and marketing in the first few weeks of interning, I bet you can’t wait to hear about the new fountain of knowledge I have received from the BlueSky team. Most recently, I have been working in sync with the team to put together a year in review report for one of their clients, which they will be presenting at the end of April. Some of my tasks have included going through media coverage and highlighting the quotes from various spokespeople. The report highlights our success in securing stories in various media outlets, which increases awareness around their organization. The same project has also involved creating and compiling an MRP report. I am very excited to be a part of this process, as I am able to see how everything in a public relations campaign comes together, including how media activity is evaluated. I am also excited to help put together the presentation, including all the media coverage and statistics, which will be shared with the client soon. I am hoping to accompany the BlueSky team to watch the presentation. I would be very interested to see the interactions that take place throughout the meeting, along with the client’s feedback.

Although the year in review report has been my major ongoing project recently, I have also been working on other projects along the way, as multitasking is key in public relations. I have been fortunate enough to interact with clients during brainstorming sessions. This was a very exciting time for me, as I was given a chance to voice my ideas to a REAL client! I was also able to be involved in an interview with a student who is enrolled in Ryerson University’s The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. During this interview, the individual told us about their experience at this school, in hopes for us to find an interesting story angle to pitch to the media. Again very exciting for me to be a part of!

I was also given the opportunity to learn about and compile a media list. I was taught how to navigate a media database and search through various outlets to find editors, editor in chiefs, reporters, producers, etc. that would potentially cover certain stories related to the client, their organization, and their needs. This database is amazing and one of my first questions for the BlueSky team was what did you ever do without this system? This database is very user friendly and a savior for all you PR lovers out there.

During my time at Seneca college, I was fortunate enough to learn both business and creative skills needed for public relations and advertising. I can definitely say that this was one of the major benefits of my program, because in this industry you definitely need to be able to think with both the left side and right side of your brain. I was fortunate enough to be trained in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, which definitely allowed me to help out the BlueSky team when their Art Director was on vacation. I was more than happy to jump on InDesign and help them make changes to various documents. It gave me the opportunity to jump in when certain creative skills were needed and I can definitely thank my patient, desktop publishing teacher Mr. Richard Slaven for that!

A lot of the knowledge and skills I learned at Seneca have definitely helped me throughout my entire internship process; however, there is also a lot of knowledge and skills, specifically pertaining to public relations, that only hands-on experience could really teach me. I have been very lucky to have the patient and knowledgeable BlueSky team, teaching me everything they know about this industry. One thing I have learned about being an intern is never to be afraid to ask questions. I feel like I ask soooooo many questions about things that I am learning about or working on. I truly believe asking questions is the only way to develop your learning and complete tasks effectively. The BlueSky team has answered every single one of my questions very thoroughly and believe me I have asked a lot of questions. Thanks guys! Just keep in mind that when at your internship, no question is a dumb question and somewhere, sometime, someone else has asked that very same question!

BlueSky is a very successful public relations and marketing agency and one thing I believe is a determining factor to their success is their passion toward the work they produce. It is very evident to me that everyone at BlueSky loves and takes pride in what they do and I feel so fortunate to be a part of a team where individuals are so devoted to their jobs and their clients. Well ladies and gentleman, I must get back to my work; however, I will leave you with this, “Commute time = 90 minutes,
Parking = $5.00, Subway fee = $6.00, Internship experience = Priceless.”

The Life of an Intern

2010-03-31T06:36:00.000-07:00

I would like to start off by introducing myself; my name is Ashleigh Gigliozzi. I know what you are thinking, how do you even pronounce that last name. That’s why after 23 years of wrong pronunciations, I am willing and open to answer to anything you can pronounce. More importantly, I am a student at Seneca College in the Creative Advertising Program and I am currently conducting my internship at BlueSky Communications Inc.

You may be thinking to yourself, what is the life of an intern like? Well, it’s amazing and for anyone who is finishing their college or university diploma or degree, I highly recommend researching various companies that you are interested in working at and fire off those emails asking if they need any interns.

I started my internship at BlueSky at the beginning of March and have not looked back since. First and foremost, they have a wonderful group of people, who are very smart, patient and helpful individuals. I have learned so much from them about the wonderful world of public relations and marketing and it has only been a few weeks. Each day that I come in, I get excited about the new things they are going to teach me and have me work on. My teachers always told me that when you get out into the real world, that you learn more in two weeks that you would in two years in the program. They definitely speak the truth. Hands on experience in a real agency teaches you more than you could ever imagine!

Over the last few weeks, I have learned various public relations tools and tactics, including writing and placing event postings on various websites to increase awareness of events. I have also been involved in writing media alerts, which will be sent out to media outlets to introduce to them and remind them about upcoming events. Have you checked out our website yet? Well you definitely should, as I have been writing captions and updating the website with our clients’ most recent media coverage. I have also been creating MRP (media rating points) results tables, which are given to our clients so they are able to see their return on investment of their public relations campaigns. Another task I have been given is to compile a list of blogs that are relevant to various clients, in hopes that the bloggers will write about our clients on their websites. I have also been given the opportunity to critique various print ads and logos and provide constructive criticism for the clients. I have been fortunate enough to learn and execute all these tasks in just a matter of a few weeks.

In the weeks to come, I will be learning more about writing press releases, and pitches to a wide variety of media outlets, as well as putting together year-end reports for various clients. I am excited about what the BlueSky team has in store for me! I feel that everyday I come to work I am learning and absorbing new information, strengthening my writing skills, and developing my public relations expertise. Stay tuned and I will update you in a few weeks about the latest news on life as an intern!

A black tie affair

2010-03-07T17:32:00.000-08:00

For the past two months we've been working on a black tie benefit gala. The big night was February 27, 2010 and the fundraising gala was for The University of the West Indies with proceeds benefiting the school's scholarship program. We were responsible for media relations and the response was great. This was the inaugural event in Toronto and the excitement was felt as soon as you entered the ballroom. Well-known musician, actor and social activist Harry Belafonte was an honouree - and a huge draw - but unfortunately a snow storm in New York prevented him from attending. A camera crew was quickly pulled together and Mr. Belafonte sent greetings to the guests via video. There was also a special message from Archbishop Desmond Tutu all the way from South Africa.

From the Mercedes-Benz that was auctioned off to the fabulous Caribbean music that was performed it was a wonderful night.

the standard newscast

2010-01-30T08:56:00.000-08:00

All you PR types will appreciate this 'standard newscast' video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtGSXMuWMR4

Proroguing Parliament - Take a lesson from the private world: silence is not profitable

2010-01-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

What can I say about Harper’s latest move to prorogue parliament? Well it got me thinking about whether shutting down communications and accountability can actually be a viable option. For the Conservatives, only time will tell, but the approach is counter intuitive to basic public relation principal.

What if a company took this approach? How would customers and shareholders react? Businesses who decide to fly under the radar will never be the Apples or the Nikes of the world, nor will it help a Conservative government get a majority. When you shut down the only vehicle where customers, or in this case Canadians, get questions get answered, you are sacrificing your opportunity to deliver your key messages and limiting your ability to gauge public opinion, not to mention acting undemocratically.

So Harper, why the silent treatment? From my experience, good communications is vital to a company’s success. It results in an increased market valuation, increased shareholder value, greater connection and commitment with customers, and an open and honest reputation that makes people want to do business with you. Without this transparency, mistrust grows, and when a real crisis arises you won’t easily recover. And for governments in Canada, rest assured, the next crisis is just around the corner.

So it may be time for Harper to start listening to the communications professionals and start fostering a culture of openness, which includes opening the doors of parliament.

The 'Aughties

2009-12-08T14:43:00.000-08:00

As the decade comes to a close, everyone is weighing in on how we will remember the 2000s. My personal favourite is Vanity Fair’s ‘Aughties’ column.

The 70s had shag carpets, lowriders, and lava lamps. The 80s had stonewash, Ray Bans, and Flock of Seagulls hair. The 90s had flannel shirts, Clintonisms, and heroin chic. But what will the decade that began with Y2K panic and ended with recessionistas yield in terms of funny and embarrassing nostalgia?

Check out the full article here.

How would you characterize the decade?

Tiger Woods: your sins require a press release

2009-12-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

According to Tiger Woods, your sins should not require a press release. In an ideal world I would agree with this statement but this is not our reality when you are a public figure. With fame and fortune comes a life under the microscope and managing that image is just as important to building and protecting your career as is your golf game. As we’ve seen time and time again from Britney Spears to Michael Jackson, celebrities are not permitted to reap the benefits of fame and then shun the very thing that gives them their status when things don’t go their way. Unfortunately this is the price of fame.

And while this is nothing new, celebrity after celebrity learn this lesson the hard way. With all the resources and expertise that surround them, it never ceases to surprise me how poorly they handle their communications around their indiscretions. It would be nice if the embarrassing incident could be swept under the rug, but the more attempts to hide it, the juicier it becomes, and the more aggressive the media become to get to the bottom of the story.

Celebrities can’t give the tabloids this power – they have to diffuse the situation immediately. That’s the only way to shorten the lifespan of the story. Coming clean will actually earn them points – we see the human behind the personality and that puts them on an even higher pedestal. So, Tiger, take a lesson from David Letterman, swallow your pride, apologize to your fans and your wife and move on. Yes, a press release is required.

Two Sides to the Story

2009-09-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

The tragic bike accident that’s dominating the news in Toronto these days happened just a few blocks from our offices. A very unfortunate event where tempers flared resulting in the death of the biker. Humanity at its worst. But in a city where bike incidents happen often, why is this story still front page news days after? For two reasons: the animosity between Toronto drivers and bikers has reached a boiling-over point resulting in protests taking over Avenue and Bloor Streets – but even more shocking is that the driver was former Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant.

What are we to take away from this? When the news first broke and both driver and biker were anonymous there was an assumption in the media coverage and by the public that the driver was to blame. And this may still be the case. But new details are emerging daily since that fateful night, shedding light on the behaviour of both driver and biker and demonstrating what we all intuitively know but often fail to remember: there are two sides to every story.

As public relations professionals who work hard to build positive images for companies or often end up defending the reputation of clients when they get into trouble, prejudices are a reality of the world in which we work. Regardless of how innovative a company is or its dedication to corporate social responsibility programs, people often make snap judgements and these opinions, which, admittedly, sometimes prove to be accurate, are often difficult to change.

So how can we ensure our side of the story is told? We can’t always see how a story will evolve or what facts will emerge that will change the public’s perception, but what we can do is stop the rumour mill by listening to what is being said and communicating the facts. And if the facts aren’t yet known, then say so, but don’t stay silent. Sometimes we can’t win them all and some situations are simply out of your hands no matter what you say. When this occurs, rest assured that another front page media story will come along soon and you can get back to proactively building the corporate reputation that will help fend off, or at least help you bounce back more quickly, from negativity.

As for the deceased biker who can no longer defend himself, let’s reflect on the tragedy of the situation and how we can avoid such an unfortunate event in the future; and as for Michael Bryant, let’s not pass judgement too soon.

The Role of Social Media Expertise in PR Firms

2009-08-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

As we grow our social media practice we are debating what skill-sets to develop in-house and what to outsource. It’s a difficult decision to make because without knowing how this whole sector will evolve, where to make the investment can be a bit of gamble.

While many PR firms are hiring social media specialists, others are opting to partner with companies specializing in the space. I’m not convinced either avenue is the right choice because it conflicts with two beliefs I have: PR professionals who don’t embrace and integrate social media into their practice won’t survive; and those who specialize in social media risk failing to amalgamate the online strategy with the PR and marketing program as a whole.

Social media is another vehicle of communications. Like TV, print or radio, it is another means of communication – albeit with a far more interactive, instantaneous component that comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. But it’s because of its nature, communicators are rethinking their approach: after all this is about everything from direct, authentic discussions with individual customers to reaching large groups of engaged audiences with brand-building campaigns. It’s both empowering, and for some, intimidating.

In other words, admit it or not – even the social media specialists themselves are still figuring it out. There are no tried and true rules and probably never will be. And it’s because of that I believe the best approach for us is a little bit of both: our team is dedicated to enhancing our social media expertise while other aspects we would consider outsourcing, such as the monitoring and analysis of social media content. That way, our team continues to evolve as specialists - but as PR strategists delivering superb client service.

Silver Screens Arts Festival

2009-06-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

With the official kick-off of the 2nd Annual Silver Screens Arts Festival, presented by Ryerson’s The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, in partnership with the LIFE Institute complete and the Festival well-underway, I thought it an appropriate time to talk about media relations around events. Having a background in event planning, it was an interesting switch to be responsible for the media relations side instead of the event logistics and development. Here is what I found:

Challenges:
· There are so many events going on all the time, how do you make your event stand out?
· Timeliness-getting all the information you require far enough in advance that you can run an effective media relations campaign

What worked:
· Having a high profile and interesting speaker, in this case, Dr. Gene Cohen, MD, PhD, Director of Center on Aging, Health and Humanities at George Washington University
· A very targeted market with relevant media outlets, individuals aged 50+

Through a mix of event listings, and targeted media outreach far enough in advance, we were able to secure coverage in outlets such as Forever Young, YoungRetired.ca, CIUT 89.5FM and secure interviews with The Globe and Mail, as well as, Zoomer Magazine. Not only does that bring satisfaction to the client, is also helped in quadrupling pre-purchased ticket sales from last year’s totals.

Connected Parenting - Jennifer Kolari launches first book

2009-05-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

BlueSky’s long-term client, Jennifer Kolari, founder of Connected Parenting has officially launched her first book in Canada and the US. The book, Connected Parenting, transform your challenging child and build loving bonds for life (Penguin) will be available at all major booksellers this month. If the launch event last week at Parentbooks in Toronto is any indication, the book will be hugely successful and a must read for all parents.

Jennifer’s ground-breaking approach shares techniques that therapists use to help you soothe your child as well as enhance the parent-child bond. By showing you how to model compassion, empathy, responsibility, and understanding, Connected Parenting allows you to parent from a place of compassion rather than anger and frustration will bring out the best in both you and your child.

Congratulations Jennifer! We've had a lof of fun working with you and we look forward to helping you make this book a huge success!

Twitter for Small Business

2009-05-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share an article by Rick Spence published in the National Post today encouraging businesses to look beyond the challenges of Twitter and explore the opportunities. I like this article because it gives concrete examples of how small businesses can get in the game. Rick says:

...What can you say in such a tight space? Surely not anything of significance?

Actually you can. You can thank someone. Announce a new product or special sale. Praise a staffer. Promote a cause. Congratulate a supplier.

Restaurants can relate daily specials. Realtors can promote new listings. Service firms can dole out free advice that makes them look smart.

With Web-based social media, you don't judge a medium by how others abuse it. The question is, can you use it to reach your target market?

We all recognize that Twitter has flaws and limitations, but it’s also a proven, effective tool to get a message out there. Thanks to Rick for showing how effective of a tool twitter can be for Small Business.

Let’s get digital.

2009-04-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, my colleague Sarah and I attended the second Digital Media Workshop at Ryerson’s G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. The first workshop I attended back in January was on user experience design with presentations from Tedde van Gelderen (Akendi), Steve Mast (Delvinia) and Ilona Posner. The workshop on Tuesday focused on usability with presentations from Adam Oliveira (Quizative Inc.) and Tara O’Doherty (w.illi.am).

With absolutely no background in user experience design, or any tech for that matter (one of the few people in the room without a BlackBerry), I found the workshop to be both interesting and exciting. The first presentation titled ‘UX-ability’, encouraged participants to question the whole concept of usability by asking-‘does easier necessarily mean better’? With the advancement of technology and the internet, come users with an advanced need for a richer experience. The presentation was very visual, with a few concepts that gained my interest in particular. Microsoft Photosynth, the Pomegranate Phone, and the Nokia Morph concept that demonstrates some of the possibilities nanotechnologies might enable in future communications devices, all had me returning to watch the clips numerous times throughout the week.

The second presentation titled ‘UX Evolution: The Good, The Bad and The Embarrassing’, went through numerous examples of great website designs and website faux pas’. One useful resource Tara mentioned was http://www.usability.gov/, a website that includes tips for developing usable and useful websites. Tara emphasized that when considering website design, it is crucial to think of it as a holistic user experience from beginning to end.

On the public relations side, I think it is important to continually learn about user experience design and digital media for our clients’ benefit. As this field moves ahead in full force, it is part of our job to demonstrate the gain of investing in this area and make the case for going digital.

How businesses can become THE destination

2009-04-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

Posted by Cathy-Anne O'Brien

Here's a great post offering practical advice on how to get customers into your store and visiting your website, and how to be seen as a expert.

Leadership - common sense?

2009-04-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

Posted by Cathy-Anne O'Brien

Tips on how to be a good leader always appeal to me. These tips are often simple, common sense advice, yet I've observed so few people actually embracing all these qualities. Why? Many of these qualities require one to be very humble, yet many still believe that a strong leader never shows weakness. Perhaps this is why the letter from the editor about Leadership in Hard Times in the current Harvard Business Review (particularly paragraph 3) caught my attention:

1) Surround yourself with the best (better?) people.
2) Surround yourself with people who will challenge you.
3) Share the credit.
4) Communicate, communicate and communicate again.
5) Relax.

During these tumultuous times, maybe it’s the perfect time to give these a whirl.

The end of the press release?

2009-04-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

By: Julie O'Brien

Is the press release dead? More and more journalists feel that way.

Whereas so many people think that public relations (PR) is all about the press release. Many businesses issue a press release, hope it gets attention and then are disappointed when it doesn’t get picked-up. We’ve all heard the adage ‘I tried PR and it didn’t work’. PR is so much more than a press release. In fact, we deliver great results for clients without issuing press releases. Sure releases may have their role, but it’s always important to question the purpose of developing and issuing a release and explore how other tactics, such as tailored story pitches, may be more far more effective.

Script kiddie, Tikiwiki, Twitter…say what?

2009-03-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Hall and Leah Gaucher

At a recent Third Tuesday Toronto meetup, Matt Ingram from the Globe made the joke that talking about social networking sometimes makes you sounds like a 5 year old. Words like script kiddie, Tikiwiki and twitter sound like they were created by kids who still can’t pronounce all their letters. So why is it that adults are the ones who are embracing this social media culture far faster than teens or 20 something’s.

Steve Rubel, SVP, at Edelman Digital had a great post recently about social media demographics. According to the latest Consumer Electronics Usage Survey from Accenture, its baby boomers who are adopting social media platforms (such as facebook, twitter and linked in) the fastest – far outpacing their Gen Y counterparts. Click here for a great chart outlining Accenture’s findings.

It makes sense then, that Matt Ingram and his team at the Globe and Mail have taken a whole hearted approach to social media. They know that their audience is interested, even if they don’t understand exactly how it works. Through their recent policy wikis, Cover It Live events and even a live twitter chat on the idea that ‘people like twitter because they are afraid of death’ the Globe is pushing the envelope in how they deliver the news.

Email versus Phone Pitching

2009-03-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Leah Gaucher

As a public relations practitioner educated in an email age, I find it easy to get carried away in the dependence on email communication rather than picking up a phone. This could be because I opted to use texting and instant messaging throughout my university career as a cheaper alternative to the traditional phone or it could be that email is a much less intimidating process. Either way, I’ve recently noticed this dependence translating into my work life (especially when pitching media) and have forced myself to recognize that there is a time and place to email versus phone. Here are my thoughts:

Email Pros
-Time saver: you can save time by sending out mass messages, duplicating and reusing information
-Accessible: as long as you have signal, you can communicate without disrupting others
-Complete: in an email, you can include everything you want to say all at once
-The norm: with others so dependent on technology, many prefer to be contacted via email

Phone Pros
-Persuasion: on the phone you have a better opportunity to back up your points
-Immediate: if you reach someone, you get the satisfaction of having an immediate response
-Personal: contact is more personal over the phone and can help to build relationships with clients/media
-Stands out: with such a dominant volume of emails today, a phone call or voicemail is less likely to get lost in the clutter

I do think that both methods of communication are valuable in different circumstances. When pitching media, I tend to email out the original pitch and follow-up via phone in order to spark conversation about the story angle. It is about doing what you are the most comfortable with and trying to meet the preference of your contact/client.

Trusting the brand

2009-03-08T13:35:00.001-07:00

Posted by Sarah Hall

Edelman’s recently released their results from the 10th annual Trust Barometer Survey. In the US, public trust in business has dropped by twenty percent and in Canada by four percent.

While we may think that Canada is optimistic compared to the US, a four percent drop is still significant. It demonstrates that companies need to be mindful that in this digital age, you can no longer be entirely in control of your brand by simply putting out messages (even if they are truthful) and expect them to be consumed as they are. If you want to be believed and taken seriously, you have to live and breathe the messages you want to convey, and you have to be willing to leave them up to public scrutiny. This isn’t new thinking, but it is becoming more understood as we start to see the effect social media and online dialogue is having on corporate brands.

Another interesting point to note; when asked about trustworthy news sources, Canadians ranked the following as most trustworthy: industry analyst reports (52%), articles in business magazines (50%), conversations with friends and peers (42%) and conversations with company employees (41%). Corporate communications initiatives fared much worse with press releases, company websites, product advertising and social networking sites ranking the lowest on the list.

I find the last point about social networks surprising, because when I am conversing on Facebook, Twitter or Linked in, these conversations are with trusted friends – how does that differ from the 42% of people who trust conversations with friends and peers?

Obama: I Screwed Up

2009-03-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

Posted by Cathy-Anne O’Brien

Wasn’t it refreshing to hear Obama say, “I screwed up” earlier this week? “I’ve got to own up to my mistake...,” he continued, addressing the breakdown in the vetting process for administration nominees.

While having grasped the attention of the listener with this admission, he then skilfully stayed on message: “...ultimately my job is to get this thing back on track because what we need to focus on is a deteriorating economy and getting people back to work.”

Obama is certainly leading, what he himself has coined, “this new era of responsibility.” Can you picture Prime Minister Harper saying he made a mistake? Or Pope Benedict, who recently revoked the excommunications of a bishop who denied the existence of the Nazi gas chambers? Obama is defining the qualities of the new leader – defined by honesty and integrity while showing a human face. This is, after all, what we want from our leaders.

As a PR professional, how do we embrace this new era of honesty? How do we guide our clients and company leaders to speak with this level of candour? It takes a leader with lots of self-confidence and a sincere belief that truthfulness and openness will be rewarded. It requires a faith in the public. This mindset is what we are currently observing on the Internet – forced upon by the rise of social media - whether we like it or not. (It is no coincidence, then, that Twitter and Facebook have been incorporated into Obama’s world, or that he gets to keep his Blackberry while in office, albeit with limited use.)

For resisting business leaders who refuse to have these frank conversations with the media, their employees and their customers -- preferring instead to stay on the corporate message track -- they will miss out. A new bar has been raised by Obama, and the public will be less and less likely to respond to a leader who lacks that authenticity. And it will be up to us, PR professionals, to give this level of counsel to our clients, spokespeople and company leaders.

Social media: should I participate?

2009-03-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Julie O'Brien

Last week I went to an event about social media hosted by our PR association International Association of Business Communicators. The room was full of communication professionals, which is an indication of how much we’re craving information on how to incorporate more social media into our PR programs.

Blogs and Twitter were the hot topics, and consensus from the panellists (all of who have been blogging for years - Michael O’Connor Clarke, Mathew Ingram, Boyd Neil and Jennifer Evans) was that you have to participate. Conversations are happening online and we can’t control what’s being said. This leads to the question for many “how do I participate?” Having a presence is important, but in what form? For instance, should my CEO set-up a blog? Or as a PR professional should I be on tweeting on behalf of my client? The answer: it depends.

Companies have to put communications tools in place in order to work with and respond to the flurry of social media that’s changing the way we all communicate. For instance, honing skills to write key messages in minutes versus hours is critical in responding quickly to online conversations.

Because social media is evolving quickly many may be hesitant to jump in – however, like the panellists said participating is the first step. So start off slowly. For instance, blogging is new to us at BlueSky and we kicked off 2009 jumping in with both feet. Or join a conversation on a social networking site like Facebook on a personal level to learn how it works then see how you can apply it to your professional life.