PUBLIC RELATIONS, INFLUENCER MARKETING, AND CORPORATE ADVERTISING

Marketing 3344

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INTRODUCTORY SCENARIO: THE BUZZ BIZP & G created “Buzz” for Crest with:

Public relations—Celebrities were lined up to take the “Quiz”—MTV, boy band personalities.

Online—Banners ads promoted the quiz and appeared on Facebook, MySpace, etc.

Events and Publicity—Partnered with Vibe.com to host a speed dating event in Times Square.

Print ads and posters. Posters appeared in restrooms of night spots.

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PUBLIC RELATIONSThe marketing and management communications function that deals with a firm’s public issues.

Objectives:Promote goodwillPromote a product or servicePrepare internal communicationsCounteract negative publicityLobbyGive advice and counsel

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A NEW ERA FORPUBLIC 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.”

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Microsoft turned to “warm and fuzzy” corporate advertising to combat the negative publicity of a Department of Justice case against the firm.

Microsoft turned to “warm and fuzzy” corporate advertising to combat the negative publicity of a Department of Justice case against the firm.

Ad in Context Example

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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.

Wal-Mart in nearly constant damage control.

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OBJECTIVES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Promote goodwill Promote a product or service Prepare internal communications Counteract negative publicity Lobby Give advice and counsel

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TOOLS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Press releases Feature stories Interviews and press conferences Company newsletters Sponsored events Publicity

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PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES

Proactive PR strategyGuided by marketing objectivesPublicize a company and its brandsTake an offensive rather than defensive posture

Reactive PR strategyDictated by external influencesFocuses on problems, not opportunitiesRequires defensive measures

INFLUENCER MARKETING A series of personalized marketing PR

techniques directed at individuals or groups who have the credibility and capability to drive positive word of mouth in a broader and salient 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.

– 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.

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 or forwarding YouTube 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.

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CORPORATE ADVERTISING

Designed to establish a favorable attitude toward a company as a whole.

Objectives:Build the image of the firmBoost employee morale or attract new

employeesCommunicate an organization’s viewsPosition the firm’s productsPlay a role in integrated brand promotion

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

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

Ad in Context Example

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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.

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Drinking and driving is an important social issue featured in corporate cause-related advertising.

Drinking and driving is an important social issue featured in corporate cause-related advertising.

Ad in Context Example