Tiger Woods & A Brand in Jeopardy

There seems to be a legion of media experts stating that the Tiger Woods story is no story, that it will not affect his career and that it will soon blow over.  Decidedly, it will eventually blow over, yet as to whether this is a story, the experts seem to be in the minority, since, from my vantage point, it appears that everyone else thinks it’s a huge story.  I’ve tried to avoid it but have had no luck.  I’m about ready for the octuplets  to resurface, to give me a breather.  Whether people think this should be a story could be argued, but it’s a bit of a moot point, since it most certainly is one.

Myriad celebrities, particularly sports figures have been embroiled in public scandals and survived them.  From affairs, to violent altercations, to drug abuse, a litany of sports figures have fallen, some harder than other, but generally they’ve withstood the fall

But Tiger Woods finds himself in a unique position.  He’s on his way to becoming the first billionaire sports star.  He defines his sport.  He transcends the sport.  He is one of the most recognizable figures worlds wide. He is publicly known for his achievements on the course, but beyond that he’s known for his smile, his wholesomeness and his family. What Oszzie and Harriet were to TV in the 1950’s, he is to sports in the millennium.  He is a very specific, very narrowly-defined brand, one that sells millions of dollars worth of products.

Because of that, his situation is singular.  Many suggest that Woods can employ the same strategies that Kobe Bryant used six years ago when he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman.  But, the Kobe Bryant’s and Ray Lewis’s of the world are positioned to withstand scandals more easily.  Kobe always had an edge.  He was known for his swagger, his attitude, his battles with Shaq, his bling.  His endorsers embraced his edge.  That type of image can more readily weather scandal.  Of course it helps that he continues to win.  People forgive winners an awful lot.

But fans don’t love Tiger for his flash and companies don’t hire him for his edge.  Tiger’s brand is more vulnerable, more easily tarnished and shaken.  Mom and apple pie do not do well in the glare of the media and under the strain of illicit affairs and unanswered questions.

Will the media frenzy stop?  Undoubtedly.  Soon the TMZ’s of the world will tire and move on to the next scandal.  Unlike most sports figures who find themselves in damage control mode, Tiger Woods is accused of no crime.  Yet, even if the media frenzy were to stop today, his image is changed forever. The fact that the Tiger Woods brand is paying a price is a definite.  How big a price is the question.   Yes, he’ll continue to be an amazing success, but are there companies considering endorsements that will now think twice before making what not long ago would have been an automatic decision?  That we’ll never really know.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

Building Your Business with PR

An effective public relations campaign can give you media exposure, credibility, offer you validation and establish you as one of the premiere experts in your field, and, if you actively work your media, it can build your business.  If used correctly, public relations is the best form of marketing available for growing your company    It is also the most effective way to establish your brand.  Why?  Being featured in the news builds trust and trust creates consumer loyalty, which builds effective brands.   It is possible to build a brand through advertising if you have a multi-million dollar budget and can keep your name, product, service and logo in front of the public on a consistent basis.  Yet, even then, there is no guarantee that a break-the-bank ad campaign will create a loyal clientele and build an enduring brand.

 

This is not to say that you should avoid advertising, but that you do so with realistic objectives.  If you’re working with a finite budget ( and these days who isn’t?) you want to develop a well-targeted, focused  marketing campaign to establish your name and your company, separate yourself from your competition, reach your target market and  credibility and validation.  You want your marketing to drive sales and build your business.  That’s where an effective PR campaign comes into play.

 

Find a public relations firm that understands you, your company and your needs.  Work together as a team to create a focused message and develop stories that will grab the media’s attention.  Use your media in your other marketing efforts.  If you’re featured or quoted on CNN or NBC, or in the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times, make sure you let your prospective customers know about it.  Amplify your media exposure on the internet using blogs or social media.  Now use your media to garner even more media coverage.  Establish yourself as an expert in your field.  Used effectively, a targeted PR campaign can not only build your company’s brand, but build your business.

 

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

 

 

Creating An Authentic Transformational Marketing Machine

Having worked in public relations and marketing for over twenty years, I can honestly say that I have never seen a time when professionals, businesses and entrepreneurs are at such a loss as to how to market.  This is a dizzying time.  When it comes to marketing there have never been so many options.  At the same time, I doubt there has been a time when so many different failed marketing approaches have been implemented.  It was tough before to know what ad to run, or how to focus your PR campaign, but businesses knew the mediums that were available and, at least in theory, understood how they worked.

The trick was to craft a message that resonated with the target market.  That has shifted; yes those marketing tools are still extremely powerful, but they are no longer sufficient as stand-alone approaches.  For a company to be truly successful, a mix of traditional and internet marketing must be implemented, but deciding what that mix should be is not an easy task.  Because my public relations firm is eclectic, we have worked with a wide range of clients.  We have represented clients in such fields as entertainment, medicine, law, publishing, technology, beauty, psychology, finance, fitness, and a number of other fields.  One thing I have learned is that here is no one marketing mix that fits all of those arenas, each has a specific target market and a unique message.  Each needs to craft its message using language that its target market understands and has to target venues that the market utilizes.  In this brave new world of marketing, companies need to learn how to find the right marketing mix for their business, product or service.  But that is just step one.  They also need to develop a personal, authentic message, one that reflects the values and goals of a business or entrepreneur in its marketing message.  Companies that focus on and solve those two problems are those that succeed; those are companies that have created their own transformational marketing machine.

 

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

Shift Your Marketing Now For Success in the New Year

2009 was not an easy year for most businesses.  We hit the worst recession since the Great Depression (is “great” really the appropriate adjective); we saw unprecedented unemployment rates.  It was a year of sustained constriction, but as with all of nature we’re in a cycle.  Fall leads to spring and times of constriction lead to those of expansion. The problem is that when tough times come, most businesses focus on the negative, actually adding to it.  They cut back on, or severely limit their marketing, which in turn restricts their growth.  So, make a decision NOW to reverse this trend in the new year.

 

Be practical, but be savvy.  Take a look at your business plan and make the appropriate adjustments.  Focus on your values and your core strengths, then market to those.  Get excited about where your business can go, how it can grow, the new changes you can make, the new markets you can target.  Use this time to transform yourself and your business.  By that I don’t necessarily mean make major changes to your business.  But change how you approach it.  Shift your attitude towards yourself, your business, your associates, your employees and your customers or clients.  Bring some magic to the table.  Get exited about what the new year can bring.

 

Now take that change in attitude, that excitement, and reflect that in your marketing.  Shift your focus from tactical marketing to transformational marketing.  Inject that new attitude into your PR campaign, your internet  marketing, and into all of your promotional efforts.  Having run a public relations firm for nearly two decades, I’ve seen how the excitement that entrepreneurs or business owners bring with them carries into their marketing and ultimately into their overall success.  Make the leap towards sustained,  transformational marketing your goal for the new year.  Make it your year for growth and expansion.  Make it your year for success.

 

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

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Oprah Announces the End of TV’s Holy Grail

She is a phenomenon unlike any other I’ve witnessed.  I’ve run a Los Angeles-based public relations firm for over two decades and during most of that time, whenever I’ve met with a prospective client, I’d count the seconds waiting for that inevitable line – “I would be perfect for Oprah” or “Oprah will thank you for pitching this story to her,” or better yet, “Oprah would pay to have this on her show.”  Who would have guessed that a daytime talk show would become the Holy Grail of the PR world?  Even clients, whose client story was more appropriate for the Wall Street Journal or Forbes, or CNN wanted that shot for the golden ring on Oprah.

Yes, we booked clients on the show, but that was never easy.  Nearly everyone wanted to be on her show.  Yes there were some who realized she was the wrong outlet, but those I could count on one hand.  Most waited with baited breath.  I had one client cancel a competing talk show appearance because she was afraid it would ruin her chances of appearing on Oprah.  The way most people viewed it was, Oprah made stars, Oprah changed people’s lives and that’s where they belonged.  One of the most difficult parts of my job has been trying to convince some clients that not only was there no chance of them appearing on the show, it was the wrong media outlet and the wrong target market for them.  That didn’t matter.  It was Oprah and her draw has always been like its own gravity field.

It’s hard to think of another show as influential as Oprah.  She launched other talks shows, created brands and turned writers into mega-selling top selling authors.  In many ways she changed the topography of TV as we know it.  It’s going to be interesting.  After September 9, 2011, which is when the show is scheduled to end, what will become the next media must-have?  There’s always The Real Housewives of Orange County.  Well, maybe not.

 

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PR Success Quiz

The good thing about PR is that it can reach your target market, boost sales, bring in more clients, establish you as an expert in your field and build your brand.  The hard thing about public relations is that is a subtle art.  You need to be able to separate yourself and your wants and needs from those of the media.  That’s not always an easy proposition.  So, if you have a PR campaign in progress or are thinking of launching a public relations campaign (and if you aren’t, you’re making a mistake), here are some quick questions (and answers) to review, to make sure you’re on track.

1)      What is your story?  Sound simple? but this is a touchy one.  Most businesses think that their story is their product, or their service.  They think they’ll pitch that to the media, that print, TV and radio will pick it up and all will be well with the world.  That’s generally not how it works.  What you might think is your story will generally be very different from what a media outlet will see as a story.  So, study the media.  Look for compelling, human interest or news oriented pitches that you can develop. Make a list of possible stories.  Remember different media outlets have different needs.  There are very few one-size-fits-all stories.  Be creative.

2)      How are you going to pitch your story to the media?  If you’re planning on wowing editors and producers with press kits, photos and as much information as you can cram into an envelope, or thinking of sending loads of attachments in an email, think again.  This is a true less-is-more world.  Nine times out of then, the more you send, the less it’s read.  Come up with a compelling succinct one-page press release.  Not two pages or one and a half pages.  One page.  It takes some work, but that’s what you need.  Come up with a strong headline.  Put your most important information in the first paragraph.  Chances are that’s as far as most journalists will get.  If you grab the there, you’ve done your job.

3) Once you’ve mailed or emailed your press release to the media, what’s your next step?  If you’re going to sit and wait for a response, chances are you’re in for a long wait.  The media is inundated with hundreds of press releases.  Most are never read.  So, they need to be gently and respectfully nudged.  Perhaps wait a few days and send a short follow up email, or better yet, take a deep breath and make that call.

Having worked as a journalist and run a public relations firm for over twenty years, I can safely tell you what it all comes down to is the story.  If you just look at it from your perspective and try to “sell” the media on running a story on your company or your product, chances are it’s not going to work.  But if you can offer journalists a compelling, timely story that will interest their viewers, listeners or readers, they are going to want to work with you.  They’re going to want to run the story, because your story meets their needs.  And, if you meet their needs (guess what?) you’ll meet yours.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

The Sarah Palin/Megan Fox Connection

This is a brave new media world for marketing celebrities and politicians, one in which, the reality TV approach seems to be leading the way.  Take two of the bigger celebrities of 2009, the sultry Megan Fox and the roughish Sara Palin.  The two would seem to have little in common; they’ve marketed themselves quite differently, yet they both have taken pages from the reality TV approach to media and in doing so one has catapulted herself into the spotlight and the other has firmly anchored herself in the very same light.

Sarah Palin gained some national recognition as the Governor of Alaska but made the leap to the forefront after being named John McCain’s running mate as the Republican’s vice presidential candidate.  Anyone in that position would have commanded the media spotlight.  Yet Palin’s star shown all the brighter for her unorthodox style and approach.  She very quickly turned herself into a media lighting rod.   Since she lost the election and resigned as governor, her media game-plan has become even more unique.  With the launch of her book, one can safely argue that her media approach is closer to a celebrity, along the lines of a Megan Fox, than to a politician such as a Colin Powell, or an Al Gore.  In similar, yet remarkably different veins Sarah Palin and Megan Fox are utilizing some of the basic tenants found in the Reality TV PR handbook.  Unlike Miss Fox, the former vice presidential candidate does not discuss her tattoos or pose scantly dressed, but she does fulfill many of the primary requirements of reality TV PR.  She’s combative; she’s outspoken (some would say to a fault), pugnacious, she seems to care little about burning bridges and she complains how she has been maligned and abused by the media.   This is standard reality TV fare.   She more often shares her personal experiences and embarrassments, than she discusses political ideas or national issues.  In her new book, she rather seductively explains why she would not divorce her husband.  Her candor has created a loyal following.  Many see her as honest, forthright and as one of them.  Whereas her approach lands her unparalleled media coverage, is this the type of image that would benefit an aspiring political candidate?

Megan Fox has made a media splash which far and away eclipses any of TV or film projects she’s been involved in.  Yes, she’s gorgeous, yes she’s sexy and her image has landed in more than a few publications.  But this is Hollywood; there are quite a few actresses who are gorgeous, sexy and whose photos have graced a number of celebrity-oriented publications.  Yet, Megan stands alone and has been crowned this year’s “it” girl.  Why?  She knows how to play the media like a well-tuned violin.  She plays sex goddess not with a coy or subtle approach, but smack-in-your-face leer.  She’s willingly talked about how her lust matches that of any male, has discussed kissing other females and has explained exactly where her boyfriend’s name is tattooed on her anatomy.  Without having to become a reality TV star, she has utilized the reality TV formula to leap over the competition to the top of the celebrity heap.  Her rise has been so meteoric that the New York Times magazine ran a cover story explaining the Megan Fox phenomena.  The trouble is reality TV approach thrives on controversy and not substance.  Being untalented on reality TV is not a detriment.  People identify with reality stars, not with movie stars.  And that is now Megan’s dilemma.  If she can’t jump from shock media exposure to stories that focus on her acting ability, she and those handling her could be setting the stage for a stellar fall.

Media coverage is important, but the adage that any media is good media is a foolish one.  How the media covers a personality defines how the public views that personality.  Plus the media is fickle; it loves to take one to the summit so the fall can be even more monumental.  A spectacular fall makes for good ratings.   Whether Palin and Fox can control the media furor they’ve unleashed and use it to craft the careers they hope for is an open question.  One that only time will answer.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

Creating An Authentic Transformational Marketing Machine

Having worked in public relations and marketing for over twenty years, I can honestly say that I have never seen a time when professionals, businesses and entrepreneurs are at such a loss as to how to market.  This is a dizzying time.  When it comes to marketing there have never been so many options.  At the same time, I doubt there has been a time when so many different failed marketing approaches have been implemented.  It was tough before to know what ad to run, or how to focus your PR campaign, but businesses knew the mediums that were available and, at least in theory, understood how they worked.

The trick was to craft a message that resonated with the target market.  That has shifted; yes those marketing tools are still extremely powerful, but they are no longer sufficient as stand-alone approaches.  For a company to be truly successful, a mix of traditional and internet marketing must be implemented, but deciding what that mix should be is not an easy task.  Because my public relations firm is eclectic, we have worked with a wide range of clients.  We have represented clients in such fields as entertainment, medicine, law, publishing, technology, beauty, psychology, finance, fitness, and a number of other fields.  One thing I have learned is that here is no one marketing mix that fits all of those arenas, each has a specific target market and a unique message.  Each needs to craft its message using language that its target market understands and has to target venues that the market utilizes.  In this brave new world of marketing, companies need to learn how to find the right marketing mix for their business, product or service.  But that is just step one.  They also need to develop a personal, authentic message, one that reflects the values and goals of a business or entrepreneur in its marketing message.  Companies that focus on and solve those two problems are those that succeed; those are companies that have created their own transformational marketing machine.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

Growing Your Business Intuitively

You’ve read the latest business books, visited all the marketing websites, gone to the most popular seminars, listened to the gurus, yet you feel that you still don’t have the answers to many of your basic business questions.  So how about trying something different?   How about taking a step back and listening to – you? 
 
You definitely want to consult an expert when it comes to the specifics of growing a business; you want to benefit from the expertise of others.  But do you really need or want someone to tell you what your business should be?  Shouldn’t your vision define your business?  If your gut is telling you to focus on a certain target market, or try a specific type of marketing campaign, or develop packaging that is unique and different, why not listen?  What if you know more than you think?  Some of the most successful businesses have been built by those who listened to their gut and took the road less traveled. 
 
Haven’t you ever had one of those feelings or thoughts that you should try an idea or a direction that is new or different?  Maybe fear that all of your peers and mentors would think you were wrong is stopping you, maybe this gut feeling of yours goes against everything you’ve always been taught, everything the gurus preach, still, that feeling is there.  Listen!
 
That’s not always an easy thing to do.  Ours is a culture of experts.  We look to authorities for everything from how to run our businesses, to how to raise our kids, to what movies we should see.  There’s nothing wrong with listening to specialists.  They can save you time, money and heartache, but at some point, your core life decisions have to come down to one authority, you.  Your choices might not always seem right.  It may be that there is a series of steps you have to go through and the first one or two (which might seem like miss-steps) are designed to move you to the next important level.  But, the more you listen to yourself, the more on track you’ll become. 
 
We’ve all experienced or have seen examples where others have listened to experts and generally made a mess of things.  Look at the economy.  We ended up in the worst recession since the Great Depression because we all collectively listened to the “experts.”  We can’t do much worse than that on our own.  Try listening to your intuition when it comes to making business choices.  Not only is it beneficial and authentic, it works.  Give it a shot, even if only for a few days, try tuning out all of the external advice.  Listen to yourself.  Become your own guru.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009