As marketing and PR are changing rapidly with the constant evolution and expansion of the digital ecosystem, success requires integrated efforts that combine the smartest tactics in traditional PR combined with online marketing and SEO practices. The Internet has changed how we receive information, how we interact and engage with each other, with brands and with media. PR is a critical aspect of the marketing mix and there are fundamental shifts in strategy and approach that Zenzi Communications, an integrated marketing and PR agency, works with daily.

First and foremost, it is critical for PR professionals to be knowledgeable in all digital tools, including social media, blogs, mobile apps, SEO and email marketing. PR and online marketing are two areas of expertise that should go hand-in-hand.

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They say sometimes life is more surprising than anything you could ever make up.  The result of Boston Med was a captivating glimpse into reality at Mass General, Brigham and Womens and Children’s Hospital that could not get any more dramatic than this. “A welcome respite from the summer stupids,” commented VARIETY.

Full disclosure can be a PR nightmare…

A heart surgery on a newborn gone terribly wrong

A real-life glimpse at the cockiness of a young, privileged doctor

The shortcomings of a doctor in gaining control of an emergency situation

Or, it can be an unbelievable endorsement…

The first breaths of two women waking up, each with a new lung and new outlook on life

Doctors and nurses that give up their social lives and make hard decisions every day to save patients

A man who experiences a terrible disfiguring accident gets a new face and lease on life, with one of the first face transplant operations in the world

All of which was the case in Boston Med.

Greater awareness about…organ transplantation, mesothelioma, heart defects and the tireless work of doctors and nurses.

Janet Pollet, widow of patient, Marvin Pollet, who was featured in Episode 5, wrote the following letter in response to an article debating filming at hospitals:

“We were informed that ABC News film crews would be on the MGH campus and that we may be approached and asked for permission to film the medical treatment. We were also told to feel free to decline filming and not to feel obligated. The disclosure seemed one for awareness and avoiding an unexpected surprise of camera crews inside the hospital. We traveled to Boston with anticipation of receiving treatment and with no expectation of being filmed. Shortly after arriving at MGH my family was asked to consider being filmed by ABC News. After all, Marvin was young, had a rare condition, and a great personality. For nearly two years prior, my husband aggressively sought treatment, answers, and a diagnosis. No matter what his own outcome, Marvin reasoned that allowing filming would hopefully help others in similar situations. We felt if only one person were helped, it would be well worth it. We agreed to the filming and signed the necessary consent forms.

The filming was occasionally awkward but, for the most part, no more distracting than furniture in a room. Dr. Kimberly Parks was Marvin’s cardiologist and is genuinely caring, compassionate, intelligent and professional. Dr. Parks and her colleagues utilized all resources in providing treatment to Marvin and our family. Treatment decisions were made with Marvin’s and/or the family’s consent. MGH personnel at all levels were nothing short of remarkable. I met staff and others in Boston with whom I have kept in touch and will remain life-long friends with…”

Would you be open to full disclosure at the hospital or in your workplace?

The season is currently over, but you can check out past episodes at: http://abc.go.com/shows/boston-med

I was not excited about the idea of networking – showing up to an event in a room full of people that all seem to know each other somehow or at least know what to say and do was daunting to say the least.  I started with the Public Relations Society of America’s local chapter by attending a luncheon.  For an unemployed recent college graduate, it was a bit of an investment but it really paid off.  I was thankful to find one person I knew that I had met recently through my boyfriend (now my husband) at a biotech industry event, sat next to her, and happened to also sit next to a local agency owner that was looking to hire an account coordinator.  I sent her my resume and the rest was history – that was the start of my PR career in San Diego and my involvement with PRSA.  I have since worked for a few local companies, both in the agency environment and in-house, and three of those jobs were a direct result of my involvement and connections through PRSA.  From meeting a future employer at a luncheon to receiving a referral from the president of the chapter because the employer contacted her for recommendations of strong candidates, PRSA always seems to play a part in making connections happen for me. I LOVE my current job and where I have ended up at this point in my career, have had some amazing experiences along the way, and I largely have PRSA to thank for that.

Serving on the board of directors for the PRSA San Diego-Imperial Counties Chapter is an honor and a privilege, but it also involves a lot of work, often during my free time.  I would not have spent the last 3+ years of my life dedicated to this organization if I did not believe in the work we are doing.  I am so grateful for the network of wonderful people and friends that I have made through PRSA and it is the least I can do to give back and help run the local chapter, along with an incredibly talented group of diverse PR professionals that I serve alongside.  But what I have gotten back from my service far outweighs any sacrifices I have had to make along the way.  Beginning with my involvement on the New Pros Committee in 2004, I have made great friends and watched people that were fellow newbies with me back then move on to high-level positions, and have been able to share the highs and lows of our careers openly throughout the years.

I would encourage anyone in the local PR industry to get involved in PRSA-SDIC in one way or another, and there are so many ways to do so, by attending a luncheon, volunteering at an event, joining a committee, and of course becoming a member.  Volunteering on a committee turned out to be the absolute best way for me to overcome my networking fears, as my network of peers organically grew through real working relationships and friendships.  I have come to learn that is what real networking is all about – not just walking into a room and handing out some business cards, but working with your peers on projects that require you to get to know each other on both personal and professional levels.  Now when I walk into a room of PR professionals, it is a completely different experience because I know most of the people in the room and have more than enough to talk about with them.  I love meeting newcomers and look forward to continuing to expand my network in the future, and hopefully be able to pay it forward and help others in the industry.  I have already had a few remarkable experiences of being able to make connections and help people with their career moves, and it is such an awesome feeling to be able to do that.

I am proud to represent PRSA-SDIC as the chair of the Membership & Volunteer Recruitment Committee, as I have gained so much through my own membership and volunteer projects with this organization, and I will sing the organization’s praises to anyone willing to listen.  Feel free to contact me if you are interested in more information on how to get involved with PRSA at erin.coller@zenzi.com!

Former flight attendant, Steven Slater, threw a heck of a punch when he cursed out the belligerent passenger and slid down and away from his JetBlue plane and airline career, beer in hand. JetBlue’s immediate reaction? Arresting Slater for endangerment of the public, which is fair enough. However, the next thing you know, the media outlets pick up on this quirky story, Slater makes bail, people are fundraising on behalf of Slater to help pay for his legal fees, loyal customers are claiming they will “never fly JetBlue again”, Slater gains a hefty support group and bam!

JetBlue is stunned.

Stunned enough, it seems, to robotically go into ordinary protocol. On Twitter, JetBlue is stating that they cannot “comment on ongoing investigations nor on the personal information of our customers or crewmembers”. Nobody from JetBlue has responded to angry rants and statements being made on their own Facebook page. It seems as though they may not realize the scope of people this conflict has affected. This has turned into a media fiasco, and JetBlue’s public image is at risk.

However, PR is not all about image. Ultimately, it’s about helping the client understand, connect with, and engage with people. In this case, Slater’s story seems to be resonating with the frustrations of the common employee – the employee who often wishes that they had the guts (and financial resources) to rebel against their daily grind, the employee who feels overworked, underpaid and unappreciated.

JetBlue is now positioned as Slater’s enemy, and therefore, pitched against the everyday employee and general public. The best thing to do from here is to simply react — to do something to acknowledge the concerns. Whether it be to publicly empathize with Slater, discuss the issue openly, or tweet a news update, they must act quickly.

To be fair, the public is fickle; it was probably tough for JetBlue to distinguish between which problem is worth addressing and which problem will simply blow over. After all, the public’s attention is always fleeting. However, not addressing a popular issue fast enough will often come off as indifferent, calculating, and/or cowardly. The bottom line that it is their PR’s job to get insight during these crisis situations and react appropriately, speedily and gracefully.

The crowd is waiting, JetBlue!

As traditional media struggles to remain relevant, and adjust to compete with new media by implementing social networking, video, etc., even the mighty Playboy brand is vulnerable.

The company is currently in a bidding war over its future.  Shares of Playboy increased by about 35% on Monday morning as Hugh Heffner bided to take the company private while competitor Penthouse simultaneously made a play to gain a share of the company.

The adult entertainment company is going through a “transitional year” according to CEO Scott Flanders.  Playboy is currently restructuring from a company that relies on traditional media, including magazines and movies, to one that largely licenses its famous brand, as reported by CNN Money. Even as the company has started to bring more of its content online, Flanders says he expects overall sales to continue to decline but that its licensing business, the most profitable segment, will grow.

Hefner is concerned about the company’s brand and the editorial direction of the magazine and is not interested in selling Playboy, according to a statement issued by Playboy.

The first Playboy magazine was issued in 1953, and the company has grown to be a household name.  But, as its current situation implies, even a behemoth like Playboy needs to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to online communications, offerings and strategy.  Was its move online too little, too late?

At Zenzi, we view online communications and marketing as a critical component.  We strive to help businesses plan ahead and strategize to compete in today’s rapidly changing marketplace.  Now more than ever, companies need to leverage all opportunities possible to maximize their campaigns and also grow a successful business overall…

We are a month and a half into, probably, the biggest environmental disaster we’ve ever faced in this country. Though BP’s top cap is now siphoning more than half of the oil spewing from the damaged well in the Gulf of Mexico, a lot of damage has already been done and officials admit that the slick is still growing.

BP faces criticism for only recently making a public apology in the past week, being unable to stop the leak it created and potentially purposely underestimating the amount of oil in question that is leaking into the ocean.

As beaches are being destroyed, animals are being killed and the livelihoods of fisherman and others along the coast are being threatened, projections are that the leak may continue through August.  The situation is grim.

BP has hired the 23-year-old independent agency, Brunswick, as the lead communications shop to try to manage the messaging around the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.  However, with the leak not yet stopped (by BP or the government) and BP’s reputation and motives on the line, for seeming by some to not provide the full truth, there is little room for BP to move ahead and rectify the situation.  And tempers continue to flare.

@BPGlobalPR  is a new, satirical Twitter page and feed, with mock posts, seeming to come from the oil giant, like:

Look, cut us some slack. We’ve kinda just been winging this whole “deepwater drilling” thing.     12:26 AM Jun 6th  via TweetDeck

A BP spokesman told The Wall Street Journal the company was aware of the account. “It’s a shame, but obviously people are entitled to their views,” he said.

This latest development acknowledging BP’s inability to act to correct the situation is a reminder to communicators that corporations face a whole new, powerful form of media, that can be quickly assembled and united, to hold them accountable.

As Leroy Stick, founder of the feed states:

“I started @BPGlobalPR, because the oil spill had been going on for almost a month and all BP had to offer were bullshit PR statements.  No solutions, no urgency, no sincerity, no nothing.  That’s why I decided to relate to the public for them.”

With over 100,000 followers, far surpassing BP’s 12,000 at @BP_America feed, the mock feed is a testimony to the power of the human voice and why companies need to be aware of potential crises and have a comprehensive plan to rectify them in place.

With the effects of the spill in the gulf expected to be long lasting, so too, it seems, will be the challenges to BP’s image.  With the emergence of social media, corporations risk having potentially negative actions exposed and need to be more diligent to plan ahead and be mindful of the effects their companies can play on society.  When mistakes are made, they need to be corrected quickly and swiftly, and corporations need to show accountability.

Now, more than ever, every company needs to plan ahead and be socially responsible.

http://www.slideshare.net/secret/4PAcLseoHIsedn

Can Businesses Learn PR Lessons from Lady Gaga?

Interesting article this month, and fired up feedback from readers, in EverythingPR on key lessons that businesses can learn from, who else but, Lady Gaga.

Yes, I am talking about how you and your company’s conservative CEO might gain a promotional nugget or two from the over-the-top pop singer best known for adorning out of this world getups, making people do a double take.  How can that be, I wondered at first.  But the author actually makes some great points, including differentiating yourself and capitalizing on what makes you different, recognizing your customers, ah fans, and recognizing the power of social media and using it to your advantage.  I would also add not being afraid to be controversial (at times and within reason, this can work for companies and CEOs) and realizing that behind every strong figure is a good PR firm.

Conversely, companies and executives can learn what not to do when it comes to PR from the actions of musicians such as the Dixie Chicks, who were shunned years back for publicly speaking against the war 10 days before the Invasion of Iraq and blasting the U.S. president at the time at a London concert. Statements from lead singer Natalie Maine and the lack of reticence afterwards offended people and cost the group half of their concert audience attendance in the US and led to hate mail, death threats and the public destruction of their albums in protest.

If your company was a rock star, which rock star would it be?  And why?  True, you might not want to trade fashion tips, but businesses often can learn a lot from the public actions of rock stars and celebrities.