By Anne Carlantone

I have always loved magazines. It started in childhood when I would look through my grandparents’ collection of what I think may have been every National Geographic issue ever printed. It progressed to when I discovered my older sister’s copies of Seventeen and Glamour and has grown from there to include everything from news magazines to home magazines to (yes, I’ll admit it) entertainment/tabloid magazines.

That’s why it was interesting to me to read the announcement last week from five major magazine publishers that they have united to launch an ad campaign that will promote the continued “vitality” of magazines as a medium in which to advertise, and, basically to communicate that people are still reading them.

Personally, I have never felt that magazines would go away. True, they have been dropping like flies (this article puts the death toll at a total of 1,466 nationwide from 2007 to 2009), but the publishers’ campaign also points to statistics showing that magazine readership has actually risen over the last five years, and this includes a growing number of 18- to 34-year-olds (whom everyone seems to assume are internet-only when it comes to information). I think what we can tell from all of these stats is that while hard-copy magazines may now face much more competition for our attention, they definitely still have their place.

Why? I think it’s because, like me, a lot of people just simply like magazines. Magazines are pretty and glossy. They appeal to several senses – the visual appeal of the photo layouts, the sound and feel of the flipping pages, even the smells of the perfume ad inserts. Magazines are a source of affordable, instant, curl-up-on-the-couch “me time,” (as many of my fellow moms will agree), and best of all, they are a pleasant escape from the computer, Blackberry and TV screens we’re tethered to all day. And let’s face it — no one is going to browse the online version of People on the beach!

As PR people, we can definitely see the reaction that a nice magazine placement still elicits from a client. While online placements are fantastic and very important, there’s still a special “something” about a great photo or mention of your product or service on the pages of a popular glossy magazine. So while we do spend a lot of time staying on top of, and, talking about the latest developments in digital media, this blog post is a tribute to the continued importance of “traditional” media. There’s a place for it all in a well-rounded PR program!

By Laurie Lindenbaum

Growing up, it was always exciting to watch major sporting events, though I was never one for bundling up, going out in the freezing cold and participating in winter sports. Watching the winter Olympics was always a highlight when it came to sports on TV and ice skating was, by far, my favorite event. While I can no longer rattle off the names of all the current figure skaters, the media have kept me abreast of some of the big names to watch – Apolo Ohno,¬ Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White.

With the explosive growth of the Internet and social networking along with general media coverage, I can be kept updated on all Olympic activities 24/7. The official Olympic Facebook page, for example, has nearly one million fans, with updates and images posted regularly. Not to mention the Tweets taking place around the clock and the videos on YouTube.

But for these athletes, it isn’t just their athletic ability that is being monitored and reported about. While all athletes are hoping for gold – or silver or bronze – there is more on the line for leading athletes than standing on the medal stand – they are building a great brand – themselves! After all, endorsements are on the line, and to get endorsements they have to be the complete package – the personality, likeability and relatability of a star.

It goes without saying that you have to be a great athlete to compete in the Olympics, but the personalities and stories that go along with the players are what the fans love. Learning the behind-the-scene stories of leading athletes, we connect with them emotionally and root for them regardless of their nationality, either because they overcame a major obstacle to get where they are today, or they are young with a promising future. Marketing products and communicating about them is very similar – there needs to be an emotional connection to products of interest.

Once the competition is over and the torch has been extinguished, for many athletes, the “games” will first begin, as the business and marketing deals take shape. As the athletes’ loyal supporters, we will continue to follow them as I am pretty sure many of these athletes will not only go home with medals, but will get to enjoy sizeable endorsements as a result of their successful “brand” marketing. Whether Ohno winds up on a box of Wheaties or Vonn endorses Chapstick (remember Olympic skier Picabo Street), these athletes will continue “selling” themselves to potential customers, and we’ll continue listening.

Prior to joining RL&A in June 2007, I was a reporter with Westfair Communications, publisher of the Westchester County Business Journal, so I’ve been on both sides of the communications spectrum. As a writer, I relied on PR professionals to keep me in the loop regarding their clients’ business happenings and what was going on in the industry. Relationships were easy to build during my time as a reporter because, as a member of the media, I was the one people were pitching on a regular basis, particularly local PR professionals whose clients were looking for business press.

Now that I work in PR I’ve learned that, while relationships are important, they are secondary in the quest for effective PR. The key to landing high-profile media placements that resonate with a company’s target audience is the ability to communicate and tell your  story in a unique and compelling way.

Now that I have been working in PR for a while, I know that one can have Oprah Winfrey, Matt Lauer, Katie Couric and their executive producers in their rolodex as contacts, but a relationship with them will not guarantee media coverage. However, come up with a story angle that fits in with the content they typically cover, communicate your pitch effectively and with a unique twist or expert, and you may be in business. In fact, it’s this skill that can help you develop and sustain these relationships over time.

The most successful PR people do a great deal of leg work before they even send out a pitch. They research the writer or producer, they see who has covered the specific topic in the past, they only pitch media who cover the topic being discussed, etc. You won’t see media coverage resulting from a technology pitch that was sent to a health writer. Tailor your message to the person and outlet you’re pitching. It’s this behind-the-scenes work that establishes your reputation as a credible resource to media and helps form and sustain beneficial relationships. Sending people in your rolodex pitches that don’t fit their coverage/audience will surely hurt your relationships.

I started at RL&A a little more than two years ago as a college intern (I graduated with a journalism major from Iona College in New Rochelle last year). While I thought I learned about PR in the classroom, I’ll admit that I hardly knew anything about it except what I had read about in my textbooks. These textbooks discussed case studies and PR successes or flops, but what you really can’t learn in any course, and what I feel is the key thing I’m learning in the “real world” of PR is that success in getting placements – in both traditional and online media – is based on mutually beneficial relationships with the media.

In the beginning, it was intimidating to build these relationships, I’ll admit. I didn’t realize PR is pretty much like sales…just selling ideas and information in the hopes that a media person will “buy” and report on it.  So, I started out slow…developing relationships with beauty bloggers such as Temptalia and Beauty Blogging Junkie. Pitching bloggers was a relatively new concept when I started, but I enjoyed reading their reviews about products and I knew that I could work with them to create the same type of coverage for our clients.

Gradually, I started pitching traditional journalists.  I had the pleasure to meet some of the editors of top magazines and blogs who attended our events when we had the ROHTO Hydra launch party and the Softlips media briefing. It was great to match a face with a name and be more conversational with them.  It let me get to know them a bit, so it is more than just a pitch, but a relationship. 

It’s so rewarding to see when my hard work pays off, and I’m happy to report that I’ve secured client product coverage in magazines like Family Circle, Seventeen and online newspapers, and online magazines, with several more pending (though a good PR person doesn’t talk up pending placements until they appear…or it is like the kiss of death!).  I get very excited to see a placement, because I know the work it took through the whole process to make sure it eventually appeared with the proper messaging, etc.  I also continue to work on my media relationships, paving the way for future brand coverage…a win-win for all.

This past weekend I attended an event. But not just any event – my only brother’s wedding. While hundreds of people all came together to eat, dance and celebrate, I started thinking about how PR plays a role in all aspects of our lives, even some of our most personal events, such as weddings.

Having planned many client events – from one-on-one media briefings to public events at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal – I am well aware of all the details that go into planning an event, from finding the perfect venue, to determining the menu, to writing speeches and presentations – as well as the benefit of having events. We usually spend months planning an event, to make sure no stone is left unturned.

While I didn’t play an active role in planning the wedding, I listened to stories, and added thoughts, when appropriate, based on my event planning experiences. While the wedding was perfect, I saw things from a different perspective – after all, I was a guest, not a planner. And after all, I am a PR person.

The vendors no longer had to impress the hosts of the event, they now wanted to impress the guests, since any guest could be a potential customer. They rely on our word-of-mouth, to tell our friends and family that everyone danced the night away since the band was so terrific, that the flowers were gorgeous, and the bridal party so tastefully attired. Every detail had to speak for itself, and be memorable.

And let’s not forget, since we now live in a world of social media, this information could have been tweeted out and posted on Facebook before we even ate the wedding cake.

The bottom line, no matter where we go or what we do, we are spreading the word about products and services, enabling someone else to benefit from our experiences, and giving them something to talk about.

As an agency that specializes in products found on the shelves of drug and superstores,  consumer response to the current economic climate is something we need to follow closely.

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t become more conscious of their spending habits over the past year, and during a recent webinar presented by the National Association of Chain Drugstores (NACDS) and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), the presenters described a new “Lens of Affordability” through which consumers are viewing the health products marketplace.  

According to IRI data, overall consumption is down 6 to 10 percent, and consumers are adopting new shopping “rituals.” These rituals involve weighing purchase decisions more heavily than before, reconsidering brand loyalties, and assessing not only the price, but the big-picture value of the health and personal care products purchased.  To me, this shows that many of us are employing some of “value-based healthcare” concepts being discussed and debated at the government level in our personal spending, and IRI estimates that 83 percent of purchasing decisions are made at home – before the shopper even enters the store.

As consumers in a shaky economy, we can definitely relate to this. As PR professionals, it means realizing that it is no longer enough to communicate the benefits of a product, however superior those benefits may be. We need to help communicate how and why the product fits into a consumer’s value-based decision, and provide useful information that aids in the decision-making process.   

In addition to communicating brand messages to a mass audience, we need to also need to identify smaller niche audiences and tailor messaging in a way that’s relevant to those audiences – something that can only be done effectively by incorporating social media tactics, as people seek not only media reports, but peer recommendations, as well.   

While all of this presents a more challenging media relations landscape, it also presents new opportunities for brands.  Whether it’s a cosmetics “junkie” who is now being forced to consider drugstore brands, or someone looking for a natural way to prevent colds and flu, people are open to new information.

The New Consumption Dynamic

Supply & Demand

With the recent news about the New York Times and Boston Globe running into financial peril, this seems an apt time to talk about why print publications, both long and short lead, are having so much trouble maintaining their historic revenue streams.  The quick and obvious answer is that these publications are being hit from two sides by the new digital environment: since consumers can now get their news for free online, they are purchasing less print publications and, as a result, advertisers are spending less money to reach their diminishing audiences. At first glance, this follows the natural law of economics:

1. Consumers want content.
2. They used to pay for it AND read advertisements while consuming it.
3. They no longer have to.
4. As a result, demand for print publications goes down…and will continue to go down long after the economy rebounds.

But when we look closely at what’s happening, I contend that this has less to do with price and more to do with experience.

Consumer Value & the Experience Product

I just bought the new PunchOut game for the Nintento Wii. Between work and classes, I have no idea when I’ll ever play it, but I was thrilled to discover it was available for the new Nintendo system and I couldn’t wait to tap back into my inner 10 year-old.  Bravo to Nintendo for advertising to let me know about it!!

Except they didn’t.  Or at least, that’s not how I found out about the game’s availability.  A friend of mine posted a YouTube video in Facebook with a comment.  Some trash-talking ensued and, before lunch-hour rolled around (Thank you Amazon!!), I owned the game.

The New York Times‘ financial troubles and my decision to buy Punch Out are very closely related:  its all about experience.

When you buy a newspaper, you’re all alone. You read through the articles, you glance at the advertisements, you fold it up into neat little origami shapes of readable size and, occasionally (usually on the weekends), you interrupt your partner, co-worker or friend to say, "Hey, check this out". This experience is isolated, and, unless you happen to speak with someone who has read the same article, does little for our ability to share our views, thoughts and impressions from the content.

Now, when The Times posts an article online,  I can:

1. Share the article with my followers on Twitter.
2. Post it with comments in my Facebook news feed.
3. Email it to my grandma, boss or brother.
4. Comment below the article and have my thoughts be seen by all New York Times readers.

In my opinion,  this ability to share and interact is a new consumption dynamic. It’s like going to a concert instead of buying the CD;  the experience has almost infinite touch-points and we feel like we’re a part of it. We all want to share what we know; its basic human nature for us to connect with one another. How can a print version of the same story possibly compete with my ability to interact with the online story? It’s not that the content has changed, my experience has changed and I don’t want to go back to the way things were. I want to share things, hear my friends opinions and be heard myself.  While not all of our thoughts and opinions belong in social networks, the power of these new platforms to influence consumers is unmatched in any other form of media. We’re all at the concert, and the record store seems so much less appealing than it used to.

The lesson for brands in this new dynamic is to give people things that are worth discussing. If your product is conversation-worthy, you need a platform that goes beyond a banner ad;  you have to build a platform for people to share their experiences with your product and you have to give them tools to do so.  If your product isn’t conversation- worthy, you need to get behind some content that is, and make sure you can stay in the conversation.  People are willing to pay for products, services and experiences that they value. Advertising in the new consumption dynamic means offering an experience that is worth having.

With tough times likely to be with us for some time, we thought we’d start a new section of the RL&A blog – Talking PR – “down and dirty” talk that helps shed some light on how PR can realistically help extend tight marketing budgets.

Okay, so it’s a well known fact that PR delivers a better CPM and ROI than other types of marketing, such as advertising. Here are some practical tips to help you get started once you decide to dip your feet into the PR pond:

• Get more “bang for your buck” with smaller agencies: Smaller firms are usually better equipped to handle smaller budgets, since they often have less overhead, are used to working with smaller/tighter budgets, yet can still give clients individualized attention.  For example, at RL&A, we have a relatively small, select group of clients that we typically work with for several years — as opposed to the revolving client roster that many of the large Manhattan agencies have. Since we regularly work with smaller budgets, we pride ourselves on maximizing the effectiveness of each dollar spent, and getting our clients a strong return on their investment, all while making them feel like they are getting the service of a larger agency.

• Buyer beware — find an agency with a specialty/expertise to best meet your needs: Having an expertise in a business category is particularly important in PR, since it means that the agency knows this industry well and should have relationships with the trade as well as with the media who report on these types of brands. Having an agency that specializes means that your budget will go toward getting results versus educating the agency on your industry. And just specializing in “healthcare” isn’t always enough – is your brand an Rx, OTC, nutritional supplement, medical device, drugstore beauty brand? With budgets being so tight right now, this is key to selecting the right agency for you. We often turn away business if it doesn’t meet our expertise, but in this economy, other agencies may not be so forthcoming.

• Focus on social media as well as traditional media outlets: These days, PR specialists need to be especially creative when putting together PR campaigns, since the competition for editorial space is at a premium, with all the national news on the economy and related stories filling most of the news hole. The strategy now needs to include social media as well as traditional, since social media reaches target consumers right where they are talking about your category, your brand or your topic. A well-planned social media outreach will pinpoint the places where key conversations about your products are happening online to get your brand into the discussion, without spending a lot of dollars to do so. Ask an agency how long they’ve been doing social media and to see examples of their work in the digital arena.

• Go to online media: While the economy has been deteriorating, media outlets have also been affected. While many magazines have been folding, other magazines and newspapers have been shutting down their print editions and focusing solely on online editions. With more and more people turning to the Internet for their news, and, with the rise in social/digital media, a good PR campaign should also focus on the .com media, not solely the bloggers, to communicate a brand’s messages.

• Research cost-effective tactics: Being able to cost-effectively reach a variety of mediums on small budgets can be a challenge, which is why an agency that specializes is so important. Whether you’re looking to reach mommy bloggers or garner TV coverage in local markets, there are tools and tactics, including co-ops, that allow you to split the costs with other non-competitive brands making them more affordable for all involved during these difficult financial times. Your agency should be always on the lookout for these cost-effective tactics that can be shared with other companies or internally with its own clients.

We would never say that PR will ever completely replace advertising, but PR can be a great, cost-effective alternative during a tough economy, as well as a great complement to any marketing plan during good economic times. To find out how PR can extend your marketing dollars to help you reach target audiences more cost effectively, visit www.robinleedyassociates.com or contact Robin Russo at (914) 241-0086, ext 16, for a complimentary media audit.

With the present economy growing increasingly iffy every day, people tend to ask us “How’s business?  I guess you must be hurting like the rest of us.” But they are often surprised to hear that over the past 22 years, we tend to do better during tough economic times – those same times that ad revenues tend to shrink.  That’s because during recessionary periods, many companies, particularly those that are small to medium in size, tighten the reigns on higher-cost marketing tactics, such as advertising, and delegate more of their marketing budgets for PR, which delivers a better CPM and ROI.

This works for both traditional media outreach and social media efforts, which are becoming increasingly important. For us, it comes down to simple math….no matter what the budget spend, RL&A typically sees the CPM within the $.40 to $2 range. And our proprietary Publicity Value Analysis, which helps measure the quantity and quality of the PR placements against comparable ad spending, is typically double or more the actual PR budget, so each of our clients is – at the very least – getting $2 worth of marketing for every $1 spent (we have clients getting four times or more their spend!).

For social media, we cost-effectively reach target consumers right where they are talking about your category, brand or topic, so instead of spending against the masses to “see what sticks,” we pinpoint the places where key conversations about your products are happening online to get your brand into the discussion….without spending tons of dollars to do so.

As you look for ways to make the best use of every dollar spent to reach your existing or potential consumers, we hope that public relations becomes a part of your planning. Yes, we know it will never completely replace advertising, yet PR is an ideal, cost-effective method to help cut through the clutter and get your messages heard by those key to your success.