When brands take the time to get to know their consumer they often find it easier to conjure up wonderful, impactful ads. However, there are some brands that like doing business without research regardless of the consumer and changing demographics. As globalization changes the look of business and how we communicate, brands need to realize the value of engagement. When an audience feels they can relate to a brand, what the brand represents and any collateral that comes from that brand, the more willing consumers are to forge a real connection, offer opportunities for increased sales and act as cultural informants for the creative product of ad placements.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we explore the brand behind the ad and how a lack of connection internally, as well as, externally with your audience can deeply impact the success of a company’s ad campaign.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Ad Placements Act as Good Indicator of Strength in Audience Connection "

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that public relations professionals juggle many different responsibilities and wear a number of different hats every day. They must execute several strategic moves on behalf of their client, the agency they work for or their stakeholders. PR pros play multiple roles and have become experts in the area of rapid transition. These do-it-all professionals are definitely a force to be reckoned with. Think twice before accusing a PR person of not being able to handle a task at hand. Truth is they’ve probably dabbled in whatever it is you’re throwing at them and have discovered a more efficient way to accomplish the task.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at how public relations is evolving in the face of technology, social media and other traditional roles once thought to be out of PR’s realm.

Continue reading " Friday Five: PR Pros Happily Put on Extra Hats "

Brand identity is critical in influencing opinion, maintaining solid engagement with a selected audience, and retaining awareness in the marketplace. What was once an easy objective – get people to like you and have a brand advocate for life – has become far more challenging in the age of social, digital and mobile technology. Brands must now connect with their audience visually as well as emotionally to garner brand loyalty. Brands are now being forced to tackle the big issues, turn obnoxious customer reviews into a strategic play and sometimes rebrand completely as a way to stay fresh with younger generations.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary —we take a look at what some brands are doing to remain relevant and the creative strategy they’ve employed to reach new audiences. We look at the concept of brand loyalty and explore the challenges brands face to remain in good graces with consumers.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Brands Reach New Audiences with Creative Strategy "

As we gear up for the New Year, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals alike are beginning to explore trends that will help them navigate their designated industry and will ultimately translate into happier clients and consumers. Thanks to social media and 24 hour cable television, news travels at the speed of light. It is challenging to keep up with new innovations and tools to send your business into the future, but with the help of professionals in the field we get a look at some of the top trends shifting our business in 2013. 

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at a diverse mix of shifts and trends affecting various professionals in the communications industry. Get a handle on the various applications that will impact multi-channel communications today and insure that you are not left behind in the New Year. 

Continue reading " Friday Five: Emerging Communications Trends for 2013 "

The advertising industry is facing pressure to keep up with the increasing presence of mobile, technology’s new ability to censor consumer ads based on their likes and dislikes, and the lack of targeted, more personalized ads that resonate stronger with brand advocates. All of these factors combined with companies having significantly smaller ad budgets are forcing the ad industry to make a change, and make it fast.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we explore how traditional advertising channels are being put to the test as they compete with mobile and online advertising. We also take a closer look at disruptions to mobile and online advertising. Finally, we get a peak at how some brands find new advertising opportunities in television advertising while others miss the mark despite their brilliant products. 

Continue reading " Friday Five: New Technology Pressures Ad Industry to Get Personal "