Messaging. Critical to your business success, it’s the way you communicate the appeal and the impact of your business, product or service to your target audience. A clearly stated message tells consumers why they should do business with you rather than your competitors.
Over time, these messages help to build your brand image whether for a product, service, company or even a person, like a politician or sports superstar. They must be communicated on a daily basis in your words and by your actions.
So why do we forget? No matter how finely honed an image might be, there will always be those moments that make PR specialists cringe.
And every now and then, you just have to throw your hands up and say- well – what do you say to the following 2010 real life examples of public relations misfires?
There are the obvious examples we’ve discussed ad nauseum:
• BP, CEO, Tony Hayward saying “I want my life back,” when 11 others lost their lives and millions were frantically worrying about their livelihood.
• If you Google “Bidenisms” you’ll find many. But nothing compares to Joe’s open mic disaster when during the signing of healthcare reform he whispered to the President AND the whole world, “This is a big @#*&! Deal!”
• Or Christine O’Donnell’s very short lived ads that ran during her political campaign for the Delaware Senate seat stating unequivocally, “I am not a witch!” –really good to know!
But there are also those that typically go unnoticed (unless you watch late night TV).
• When the best promotion you can come up with to drive sales is “Buy a car, get a free balloon,” it’s time to reconsider your messaging.
• Or in an effort to raise money and draw attention to animal cruelty you hit on a really big idea for fundraising and the headline reads: “Local Humane Society to Host Pig Roast Dinner.” You might want to rethink your mission.
• All the refined messaging in the world doesn’t work if you can’t use spell check: “We’re the small local college BIG on graguate success.”
• And then there is the ever present tag line that concisely communicates your message. For one school this didn’t work out so well. The tag:
Mount St. Joseph School: Building Boys into Men. Men who Matter. Mount Men.
I’ll just leave it at this – messaging – it’s important.
Happy Holidays!
As design director at Cookerly, Tim serves as the creative lead in the development of branding campaigns, print collateral and digital media for clients across a broad range of industries, including consumer, professional services, healthcare and technology.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman is a strategic communications leader specializing in media relations and reputation management. With a proven track record of securing high-profile placements in top-tier outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and USA Today, he excels at crafting compelling narratives that resonate across print, broadcast and digital platforms.
Mike Touhill is vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, where he helps lead traditional, social and digital media programs for B2B and B2C clients in packaging, telecommunications and technology, among other industries. As a communication leader, he develops and executes public relations strategy, provides proactive and reactive counsel to C-level executives and secures earned media coverage for client initiatives and product.
Andrew Agan is a vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, overseeing the agency’s internship program and leading media relations, content strategy and social media initiatives. He provides counsel and executes campaigns for clients across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, hospitality, technology, automotive and many others. Andrew excels at crafting compelling stories and building media relationships, resulting in clients being featured in notable outlets such as CNBC, Associated Press, Business Insider, Fox Business, HBO, Inc. Magazine, Sirius XM, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, among others.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.