Off the Rail - tba | PR + Advertising - Roanoke, VA

Our Blog Has Moved

2010-10-18T09:04:00.002-04:00

We have launched our new website which now includes our blog. Please visit offtherailblog.com to view our new location.

#, @, RT? Twitter: Back to Basics

2010-10-11T11:56:00.009-04:00

by Aimee Drysdale

I once heard someone say that people you are friends with on Facebook are the people you have once known personally, but don’t really have much in common with, and the people you follow on Twitter are those you don’t know personally but have a lot in common. How can you start interacting and making a connection on the Twittersphere? Many people are still unaware of the benefits of Twitter and how it can help a company or an individual engage with the public. Here are a few basic pointers on how to start doing this:

1. Hashtags #
A great way to get in front of like-minded individuals is to put a #hashtag symbol before a keyword. If you use a hashtag in your tweet, and you have a public account, anyone who does a search for that hashtag can find your tweet. Anything can be made into a hashtag, but there a several common ones that can be found here. As a side note, the location you put a hashtag into your tweet is really up to you. Most people put them at the end of their tweet, but you can also integrate them inside the tweet. This is also a great way to find out what people are saying about your company or industry.
2. @ Replies or “Mentions”
By using the @ symbol or #hashtag in front of a Twitter username to reply to someone or refer to their post, you are basically saying hey, @XYZTwitterUsername, I am paying attention to you! The user below prefaced his RT (which I will go into next) with a comment, which makes this a hybrid tweet. He both mentions @thebecheragency by making the comment “Hilarious!” and RT’s @thebecheragency’s post by saying RT before the username:

In this post, user @WhitleyGaffney mention’s #thebecheragency by using a #hashtag. It is not as easy for the Twitter user to notice these posts, but it is still searchable. Best practice would be to use the @ symbol when mentioning @XYZTwitterUserName in your post.

3. RTs or “Re-Tweets”
If someone posts something interesting on his or her wall, RT their post. This will share it on your wall and will appear to all of your followers. A standard RT does not include additional comments.
4. DM or “Direct Messages”
A direct message is a private, off-the-record message that you can send your followers. Think of it as a short email. The only rules are that the user has to first follow you and the message has to be under 140 characters. One great way to use DMs is to send a short thank-you message to the user when they follow you, or to make connections with them outside of Twitter.

5. Follow Those Who Follow You
Personally, if someone is trying to sell something, speaking in a different language, or is posting vulgar information, I will not follow them back. If for example you are a contractor and another local contractor follows you, follow them back! Twitter is a very powerful networking tool that could potentially lead to strong partnerships and friendships. By following your followers, you can not only monitor the competition, but also re-Tweet relevant information of local and national companies or individuals who are in similar industries.

6. Find and Follow Like-Minded Twitter Users
This is crucial to learning more and engaging within your industry. The best site I have found for this is Twellow. It is very straightforward and allows you to add your username to certain categories. For example, @thebecheragency is listed under 5 categories:

Marketing + Advertising + Ad Agencies
Marketing + Advertising
Marketing
Marketing + Public Relations
Information Technology + Software Programming + Web Developer + Web Design

Social media is supposed to be fun! The more you do it, the more familiar it will become. It can seem like a lot if you are first starting out, but really becomes second nature when you dive in. Yes, social media is always changing, but please feel free to give me, or anyone at tba | PR + Advertising a call if you have any questions and if there is anything we can assist with.

D+. The best campaign for a college?

2010-10-04T14:52:00.005-04:00

by Chris McAdams

I love this business. It’s fun dabbling in many different industries at once and talking to different people in different ways. And the work we do is subjective and often open to commentary — especially among peers in our industry. I try my best not to comment on what I may think is bad because, more than likely, I’m not a member of the target audience, I don’t know the problem and so forth. But I’ve been watching this one for a while and I just can’t make sense of it.
The problem:
Drake University wanted to showcase the Drake experience, which is a result of the students’ potential and the opportunities that Drake provides.

The solution:

Really? D+? For a university? Again, I just can’t make sense of it.

I’d welcome your thoughts.

Who vs. that. Who knew?

2010-09-01T09:31:00.004-04:00

by Thomas Becher, APR

As a former journalist, I’ve always been taught that “who” refers to a person. “That” is for an object. Heck, that’s a grammar lesson from elementary school.

Then why are so many people – I’m talking prominent, educated leaders in business, government and religion, even media talking heads – using “that” to refer to people?

I hear it all the time – on TV and radio, online, at speeches and luncheons. People are saying things like, “I know this person that …” Huh? Did I miss something? Are humans becoming objects? Is our addiction to all things electronic taking over our abilities to speak about humans in, well, human ways?

Who vs. that is not just about the proper use of a pronoun. It’s about how you present yourself in public. Being grammatically correct – and showing it – goes a long way toward building trust, credibility and professionalism.

The lesson? Double-check your words next time you’re speaking in public, even if they sound right. Because someone in the audience is going to notice.

I don’t know where this that-instead-of-who trend started, but please stop. Now. You’re making us humans sound like louts.

Oops...Did I say that?

2010-08-19T14:32:00.004-04:00

by Scott Samson

Yes, you did just say that. Your slip-up could use a little cover-up. Too bad! It went viral.

Ten years ago during a media interview, if the interviewee misspoke or was caught “off the record” saying something inappropriate, it was much easier to move forward as if nothing happened. This is not the case anymore, as Carly Fiorini, U.S. Senate candidate from California, can attest. A poor choice during a media interview can quickly go viral and catch the attention of millions of people. As former Chairman and CEO of HP and now a frontrunner in the race for a Senate seat, you would think she would know better to chitchat while sitting in front of a camera. Apparently not!

Check out this video that hit YouTube and other user-generated content sites immediately following the mishap.

The lesson? No matter what you may think or even get told, when in front of media, always stay focused and on message, and be on your best behavior. There is no such thing as “off the record” or “cameras are off." If you want to chit-chat, or talk about anything private, do it in your car, home or private office – certainly not when media is present. The one time you think nobody is listening, trust me, they are. Everyone likes a good YouTube video these days. But have no fear, we all make mistakes and move on. Fiorini certainly did and she is still the frontrunner in the polls ahead of incumbent Barbara Boxer.

I will leave you with this video, which I hope only reiterates my advice – never forget when media is present, stay focused and on message.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzgq70kO4Sk
(embedding disabled by request)

The not too distant future of the web

2010-08-06T13:17:00.007-04:00

by Christina Knapp

It seems like only yesterday we were surfing the net with our computers. Today more than 10+ thousand people are interacting with the web through their phones or other mobile devices. Where is this mobility taking us? What are websites of the future going to look like?

I imagine we will no longer be accessing the web through a browser on your computer. Instead it will be accessing us through applications and feeds making the "browsing" experience more customized to what you want to see. Our favorite news site will be streaming stories to us based on a few profile questions we answered on setup while also accessing our Facebook profile to update us on premier movies we might like to see. So essentially applications are the websites of the future. It won't be enough to be on the web – you must function free of it, on any device, anywhere.

Your phone will also change to become your method of payment and identification. A UK mobile phone provider is already in the process of making a contactless payment so you can just bump your phone to the payment machine and never have to carry cash or cards again.

Think of the possibilities with implanting your identification into your mobile device, you won't need to be carded anymore in bars with technologies like Foursquare using your GPS location to find out where you are. The bar can be alerted of someone under age as soon as they walk in the door. Since telling everyone where you are is so popular already I am sure no one will notice when tracking your every move is just a daily process for businesses and government alike.

This will also unlock a whole new way to advertise. You can send a coupon straight to someone's phone as soon as they enter the store or maybe even just in the vicinity. Sheetz MTO could then be ordered from your mobile device via the Internet while still in the car. And I am not talking about calling for takeout – that is so 2010.

YouTube spoofs: Ready to take the hit?

2010-07-29T16:38:00.010-04:00

By Ariel Clark

This guy doesn’t need an introduction.

Thanks in part to being incredibly clever, beautifully directed and timed, the Old Spice guy and his first commercial, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” has gotten worldwide recognition. It also had plenty of airplay, including a whopping 16 million views on YouTube. And while I am sure you are all familiar with this character, I’d like to introduce you to these two guys.

Personally, I think @ohdoctah was funnier, but the Old Spice kid was so low-tech and earnest that you can’t help but like it. I mean, he made it to Ellen!

I wonder what the effect of the parody is on market share. It can only help, right? The two parody ads got 200,000 views and 500,000 views on YouTube, respectively, along with countless blog mentions and tweets adding to the conversation.

This article in AdAge calls @ohdoctah a “boon” to the company, and while it details the recent market trends in body products, doesn’t discuss whether the parody ultimately hurt or helped the campaign. In its entirety, the latest Old Spice campaign-- which includes the aforementioned television spot, additional commercials, as well as the social media experiment run by Old Spice featuring the Old Spice Guy -- made the Old Spice the number one, most-watched channel on YouTube and increased its site
traffic by 300%.

But what if your idea is turned into something ridiculous? Or worse, is used to deliver a scathing attack on your ad’s approach?

Behold, the Honda “The Cog” ad and the spoof it spawned.

Will these two lanky sportsmen help sell Hondas? Probably not, but I got a kick out of it.

Now observe when a parody is used to deliver a smackdown.

Original:

Spoof #1:

Spoof #2:

Spoof #3:

Ouch.

As part of an agency, it’s my job to deliver engaging, informative and (hopefully) entertaining messages for our clients to broadcast. If these ideas get some recognition and are subsequently spoofed, how can it be tracked, if at all.

Does a happy audience equal happy shareholders? Whatever the analytics for Old Spice say, imitation is certainly one of the greatest forms of flattery. However, if your message hits a nerve with the wrong audience, it could also be hard to look at yourself through their eyes, and their subsequent YouTube response.

Is your brand clutter or art?

2010-06-30T09:01:00.005-04:00

by Carolyn Kiser

Is the world looking more like a giant billboard to you these days? And in this world, do you see clutter or do you see art?

After returning from the 55^th Annual Boardwalk Art Show in Virginia Beach recently, it made me ponder the question – is advertising art? As an advertising professional and studio art major, I would love to believe that it is. But I’m not that naïve. While both use color and concept to convey messages and both share the goal of changing people’s behaviors, where do you draw the line between the two? Perhaps advertising is only art when the advertising is creatively executed in a way that would make you want to clip it, frame it, share it, or bookmark it. But if art is in the eye of the beholder, then maybe some people consider an ad with a giant red starburst art?

So who is to say what art is and what it isn’t? Let me attempt. The main discrepancy is that artists do not worship audiences in the way advertisers do and they don’t tailor their art around other people – I would like to think it is more personal than that. So I would classify advertising as a targeted, emotional art. And to develop advertising that can be considered an emotional art, you truly have to understand your audience. Rather than grouping consumers into demographic buckets based on age, sex, and income, we should consider how it will make them feel based on their attitudes and beliefs. It needs to evoke the emotions that we are all programmed to value. When you create an ad (minus starbursts and disproportionally sized logos) and the message in the ad speaks to a single consumer insight that will drive desired purchase behaviors, then you have crafted emotional art.

In summary, it’s not necessarily the reach and frequency of a media buy (think Head-On of Free Credit Report dot com commercials) but the power of an insightful, consumer-driven message (think Got Milk or Get a Mac campaigns). Is your brand in the hand of a Picasso?

Your reputation: Fodder for YouTube?

2010-06-22T12:54:00.004-04:00

by Aimee Drysdale

Like many Americans, I am infuriated about what is being done to the animals and tourism in the Gulf of Mexico. I have several friends and family members in Florida and Louisiana, and have become sickened by what BP is saying and doing to try to help fix the mess. After seeing this video called “Gulf Oil Spill Birds – Don’t Let Kids Watch” it reminded me about the power of YouTube.

More and more, we are hearing about people getting their 5 seconds of fame by posting videos on YouTube. I naturally found it really funny when one of the most recent viral videos of a Brazilian baby dancing in his diaper titled “Bimbo Dancer,” made it on national news. This video was used to note Tony Hayward’s behavior during his recent testimony to Congress:

BP published a TV spot in early June to try and fix the issue it created. Regardless of the messaging set forth, its actions so far do not reflect what the company said it would do.

BP’sactions have only led to more and more anger and mockery, such as this video below titled “BP Spills Coffee.” I think they had this one coming.

YouTube is not only a medium for people to vent their frustration but also a medium for resourceful, newsworthy information of what is truly happening. In the video below, Mike Ellis, a boat captain in Louisiana, notes his negative experience with BP while assisting with rescuing endangered sea turtles from the spill.

The media have changed. It is unnerving, but regardless, people’s actions are transparent, and anything said or done has a strong likelihood of being posted online or made into a spoof. Watch out BP, and anyone else out there doing something they are afraid of others finding out about. YouTube is advertising you! And your reputation might never be the same again.

Branding done right: 50 years of marriage

2010-06-07T17:04:00.004-04:00

By Thomas Becher, APR

While celebrating my parents’ 50th anniversary last week it struck me: Not only are they an inspiration to all of us – they are an example of branding done right.

Good branding – being consistent, trustworthy, impactful, memorable and true to the core – is not done overnight, nor in a year or two. It takes time, practice, fortitude, commitment and, yes, learning from mistakes – kind of what’s needed to sustain a half-century of marriage.

My parents, Helga and George, are well-liked, generous, polite, accepting and straight-forward. With them, you get what you expect over and over again. And that doesn’t change, no matter what challenges life tosses at them or what kind of mood they’re in.

Like your favorite brand – whether it’s a pain reliever, department store or oil change – my parents are consistent. Decade after decade, they provide their family and friends with the same pleasant experience, in good times or bad.

Good branding – your 360-degree brand, as we call it – aligns the internal brand with the external brand for a consistent customer experience. In this example, my parents treat each other with respect and honor – that’s the internal brand – and present to others a couple that’s loving and kind – that’s the external brand.

Happy anniversary, my dear parents, and congratulations from a proud son.

Little did you know that your golden anniversary would provide a case study of branding done right.

So, in honor of their special day, how is your brand – and does it stand the test of time?

Putting the lid on bad ideas

2010-05-19T15:27:00.005-04:00

by Chris McAdams

I find it nearly impossible to overstate my level of enthusiasm over the amount of (recycled) waste that comes out of our office. We’re proud of that. And on a mission to produce even more.

So what’s behind our infatuation with trash? Two words: great ideas. Ideas don’t come easily. They’re the result of an excruciatingly painful process of fear, obsessive labor, determination, rejection and a whole bunch of other feelings that fuel the creative process.

But the destination is well worth the trip it takes to get there. So to get to great, we’re tossing everything that’s good (along with the bad and the so-so) into the 31-gallon trash can that has become an iconic piece of office décor.

Bad ideas are everywhere. Just look around and you’ll see what I mean. Banjos, dickeys, toe nails, Rachel Ray – all bad ideas. They cost little in the way of effort to create and the mental challenge they pose is minimal yet they surround us. Good ideas are a little harder to find, but they’re out there.

Great ideas, however, make you stop. They’re beyond creative. They make you think. They justify a feeling, an instinct. You don’t have to search for them. They find you. And once they find you, they stay with you.

I firmly believe that success is the result of a greater number of failures. And turning failures into success takes focus. In our business, great ideas that benefit our clients are how we measure success. And we know that one great idea will likely be the result of a few hundred so-so ideas. So we work hard -- very hard. And we generate a lot of waste.

The next time we present an idea to you, remember there are 31 gallons of ideas that didn’t make it. We invite you to stop by, pop the lid and take a peek. Just don’t pull anything out.

The World Wide Web is like a girl

2010-04-14T09:36:00.007-04:00

by Christina Knapp

A lot of people like to compare the World Wide Web and web trends to Jell-O or clay because it's constantly being molded or re-shaped. I think that's still a bit too slow for what is actually happening. I like to think of web trends like fashion trends. One day that awesome red scarf is the best accessory out there and the next it's sentenced to a life collecting dust. What happened? I see someone else with the exact same scarf, I see a better scarf somewhere, I read something online that the scarf was used in a gang fight and is now a suspect, whatever it is... I changed my mind and that's it.

As soon as someone completes a great idea on the web, a lot of times someone else suddenly realizes a better way to do it. So after all that time learning one way to do something, you must switch sometimes to a completely different direction and learn something else.

You might have heard recently of a little thing being released called the iPad and its issue with Flash. Apple will not be supporting Flash for web or apps on their iPhone or iPad because they say it is so buggy. So now we must look to something else to fill that media void that may happen. So why is Apple so quick to say "No" to Flash? A brief explanation is that every time Apple would want to come out with an update, they would have to wait on Adobe to make patches for Flash to run properly. But, you can't condemn a great media application like Flash without a replacement.

Click on the image to see CSS3 Animation in action. Like high fashion
this won't work for everyone you must have Chrome or Safari for now.

Enter HTML5 and CSS3. HTML is the language that the World Wide Web is built on. HTML5 and CSS3 seem to now solve all of those video and animation problems through the code without another program. To put it in my words, HTML5 is the satiny soft thread that makes up this beautiful new turquoise scarf I now find myself salivating over. Who needs red when you can have turquoise? I imagine, and am hoping a little, that Adobe Flash will come up with something to ensure they don't die a slow death due to Apple. But as Heidi Klum would say, “One day you’re in and the next day you’re out”.

Creepy or not? Are your customers relating to your brand?

2010-04-09T09:59:00.010-04:00

by Carolyn Kiser

After hearing of the split between Palm and their agency, Modernista, it made me think about the creepy ads for the Palm Pre. For those unfamiliar, they feature actress Tamara Hope as an unsettling spokesperson for the smart phone. And while I’m sure the client-agency relationship ended because the success of the creepy Palm Pre ads was not realized, I don’t think that means that creepy ads are off limits completely.

You can’t argue that Tamara did not generate some buzz. If you type “creepy ads” into your preferred search engine, you will undoubtedly see Palm Pre appear with many comments about the creepiness of the ads and specifically, Tamara Hope. And the ads may not have created brand loyalists, but they did get people’s attention and they got them talking. This is true of almost any creepy ad. They are almost sure to get attention, but the most important thing is: are they driving people to buy your brand? Isn’t that the point of advertising, after all?

Some ads are intentionally creepy, others are not. It is questionable if the Palm Pre was intended to be creepy, but I would imagine most of the people who saw that commercial would agree it was. Now, “creepy” is a very subjective term but let’s consider other ads and or/brands that score on the creepy scale (intentional or not): Orville Redenbacher (posthumous campaign), the Quizno’s hamster, Snuggle fabric softener’s bear (who some adore), the Welch’s grape juice girl from the 90s, and the Sour Patch Kids candy commercial.

Perhaps the most notorious brand for creepy ads is Burger King. With a reel full of creepy commercials with the likes of the Creepy King and the Man in the baby costume, they walk the creepy line quite well. So why do their creepy ads seem to work while others flop? It comes down to knowing your audience. Humor and even a little creepiness can make great ads, but you have to know your audience. You have to use creativity in a way that makes consumers like your brand and what to be part of it. And while the Burger King king may be creepier than the Palm Pre girl, but the ads had an edge to them that appeal to their young male audience and that they can relate to. While I am not particularly fond of the ads, I realize that I am not their target. Which makes me wonder, who was Palm Pre targeting?

Next time you are about to launch a new ad, ask yourself - How well do you know your target audience? And are you speaking to them in a way that they can relate to your brand?

P.S. If I had written this before the Tiger Woods Ad launch, that would defiantly be included!

This blog has moved

2010-04-05T17:10:00.001-04:00

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Resurrecting the Cadbury Easter Bunny

2010-04-01T11:43:00.011-04:00

by Ariel Clark

Recently, I had the experience of viewing an ad that took me back to my childhood. Not for being evocative of my particular experience but because the ad itself first aired in 1993, and I can recall it playing during Saturday morning cartoons. With some small updates, this spot has been given new life this Easter, and though its original broadcast was some 17 years ago, it's still fun, clever and relevant.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oamnDsxFLyg

OK, so the production quality reeks of the day, but it still gives me a chuckle. And it raises a lot of questions. Did Cadbury intend on this ad running into the 21st century? And in today's ever-growing, consumer-focused, social-media-2.0-viral-digital-everything market, is there value in designing a "classic" ad, or should the imperative be about trends?

Personally, I love poring over issues of Communication Arts from the early to mid-90s because, while they might not be as flashy as today's ads (and of course, there's no social media component), the copy is BRILLIANT. The concepts are simple and powerful, and they're delivered with efficiency. It's what makes them remarkable, and therefore memorable.

So what of today's advertising will be remembered in 17 years (or 17 months, even) and what will be forgotten? Could this Cadbury spot still sell chocolate to my kids? Or will the next generation need more stimuli and a more personalized advertising experience to be compelled to buy?

Only time will tell, of course, but it's my belief that wit will forever trump flare, and frankly, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups always beats Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Happy Easter!

2010 Western Virginia ADDY Awards

2010-03-09T11:53:00.012-05:00

After a pre-game party at our Account Supervisor, Carolyn Kiser’s house, the tba team headed over to Center in the Square in downtown Roanoke for the ADDY Awards.

The set-up and presentation planned by this year’s Addy Committee was superb, and the food, which was catered by Schaals, was a treat, as always.

This year, tba ended the night by taking home five ADDY awards for work done on behalf of Oak Hall, Lanford Brothers, and Astonish Antique Restoration.

WORK SAMPLES
Awarded: 2 Gold ADDYS® Awards + 1 Silver ADDY® Award
Oak Hall’s Greenweaver Cap-and-Gown Campaign
Categories: Direct Marketing | Gold for Direct Mail (2) + Silver for Campaign, Mixed Media| Gold – Campaign
Microsite

Direct Mail

Direct Mail (2)

Awarded: Silver ADDY®
Title: Lanford Brother’s Planting Ideas Open House Invitation
Category: Special Event Material Card

Awarded: Silver ADDY®
Title: Astonish Antique History Buffed Print Ad
Category: Consumer or Trade Publication

In addition to the agencies awards, our newest addition the team, Aimee Drysdale, Advertising Accounts Coordinator, won three student ADDY awards while the tba creative team contributed to pro bono work that won 10 awards as part of the Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley’s CreateAthon event.

Congratulations to all of the students and professionals who submitted work. This was a great awards ceremony full of inspiring and innovative advertising work.

Don’t forget to stop by our office to pick up a bottle of tba's own microbrew with our compliments!

When Even the Best PR Isn’t Good Enough

2010-03-01T08:30:00.001-05:00

by Thomas Becher, APR

The recent case involving Southwest Airlines and an overweight passenger shows the power of mobile technology and social media.

The policy involving “customers of size” made headlines when film director Kevin Smith was kicked off a flight from Oakland to Burbank when the crew determined he was too big. Southwest’s policy: http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/cos_qa.html dictates that “customers of size” purchase two seats if they can’t fit into theirs. Shrinking airline capacity has served to fuel the debate with passengers of all sizes facing packed flights and cramped seats.

With smart phones and Twitter, passengers are now able to instantly gripe about delays and boarding problems to thousands of people before the plane is even in the air. It’s new territory for airlines, and even for those carriers who get social media – like Southwest – sometimes even the best PR isn’t good enough.

As a result of this incident, Smith turned to his Twitter account to vent: “I broke no violation, offered no ‘safety risk’ (what, was I gonna roll on a fellow passenger?). I was wrongly ejected from the flight.” Smith paid for two seats on a later flight but tried to fly stand-by.
Southwest stated in a blog post soon after the incident that “a timely exit from the aircraft in the event of an emergency might be compromised if we allow a cramped, restricted seating arrangement.” After the issue was blasted in the blogosphere and made the celebrity news channels, Southwest refunded his airfare, admitted it was “a mistake in trying to board him as a standby passenger and then remove him,” and said it would be reviewing “how and when this delicate policy is implemented.”
Social media pushed Southwest toward refunding Kevin Smith. My take, as a former manager of media relations for a global airline?

A policy is a policy, but it’s how that policy is implemented by employees on the front line that really matters. In this case it didn’t go so well -- even from an airline that has led the way in harnessing social media to communicate with customers.

The lesson here? Your best public relations is only as good as your employees.

Driven For Inspiration

2010-02-15T08:30:00.003-05:00

by Aimee Drysdale

In the creative industry, inspiration can come from anywhere and at anytime. With creative juices constantly flowing, we decided we needed a place to capture ideas, interesting news, articles, ads, and notes. tba needed an “inspiration board!” What started so simple an idea, ended up being quite a team effort. Read on for some inspiration.

MATERIAL CHOICE | STRATEGY
After doing a lot of research on large bulletin boards, magnetic boards, cork boards, blogs, etc. I came across this post by Shiso Mama and this one by Martha Stewart. We decided that by using a recycled material and painting the board we would be able to help the environment and get exactly what we wanted at the same time. So Homosote it was! I called Lowes, Home Depot, and every other local hardware spot in between and the majority of the people I spoke with responded with confusion and comments like, “Homo-what!” Finally, 84 Lumber in Pearisburg, VA, who has great customer service, by the way, said they would be able to get a 4’ x 8’ board shipped to the Salem, VA store in two days! I was there by noon that day to pick it up.

On my way back from 84 Lumber in Salem, VA with the Homasote board in tow

Thomas and Chris helping to carry in the board from Carolyn’s Explorer
Chris and Thomas unloading and carrying in the board

Christina admiring the board before it got painted

DESIGN | STRATEGY
We really wanted the board to be simple and not take away from the pieces we hung on it, so we decided to paint it white and use yellow and red stripes to match our space. Luckily we had a few old cans of wall paint that Lowe’s kindly shook up for us. I applied two coats of primer and two coats of white. Then Christina and I adhered painter’s tape, to make sure the lines were perfect! For the stripes I put down two coats of tba red, and two coats of tba yellow. Ariel and Carolyn then had a lot of fun removing the tape. And we were finished…or so we thought.

Ariel and Carolyn removing the painters tape!

After several days of painting and clean up, I began the detail work

HANGING | CREATIVITY
After painting, we ran into the issue of hanging the board on a wall that had no studs or support! Lowe’s in Christiansburg, VA had a solution. They suggested we use ¼ inch Steelworks Systems Toggle Bolts (and we ended up using all eight!) Thomas, Chris, Ariel, Dave, Christina, Sonja & I made sure the board was hung properly and aligned on the wall. We all contributed to make sure the inspiration board was a success (and not a liability). This was a true team effort!

Thomas helping screw the board into the wall

Carolyn and Ariel making sure everything is straight

The inspiration board up and painted!

PURE INSPIRATION | RESULTS
Since the board was hung, there have been several posts from our employees, both internal success stories and work from outside inspiration.

From this day forward we will be able to share and contribute our ideas and success stories. We hope that you will do the same and tell us about it!

The first posting on the board!

Monday morning quarterbacks: tba's Super Bowl sound bites

2010-02-08T14:18:00.004-05:00

Naturally, when you work at an advertising and PR firm, you spend the Monday following the Super Bowl rehashing the ads. We all become office-chair QBs, with our Monday morning staff meeting dominated by discussion of the ads, what we liked, what was weird, and what completely bombed. Some sound bites from that discussion follow for your review. Let us know your thoughts as well. And please vote in our poll for your favorite 2010 Super Bowl spot.

After a year of bad economic news, unemployment and political discourse, it’s refreshing to see humor make a comeback. Yet, despite all the cleverness, it’s nice to know a simple ad concept from Google can be so memorable. –Thomas Becher

Someone Please Sack Betty White Again. A note to all advertisers: The more Betty White gets sacked, the more product you sell. Simple. –Mike Quonce

There were movie trailers galore and free Grand Slams at Denny's. Men with no pants and women like Betty White getting tackled. But it seems to me Doritos has gone off of the deep end and E*Trade can't top shankapotomus from last year. I think it's time for some new ideas and a new trend of humor. My favorite was the Dodge Charger spot, it was hilarious to me. –Christina Knapp

It’s the one night of the year when people actually look forward to the ads as much as the content and aside from a few standouts, it was a disappointing year for advertisers. The cheapest ad to produce had the most impact on me. Google’s simple and captivating “Paris” spot was my #1. It left me wanting to see other story lines and executions – perhaps one with more humor and less sap. The Doritos spots were all over the place; I did enjoy the little tyke slapping the mom’s date, but the coffin spot left me with a WTF feeling? From a strategic perspective, Snickers seemed to do well combining humor with a message (when usually only humor comes through in Super Bowl spots). As far as the worst: GoDaddy. Their spots are a tasteless embarrassment to Super Bowl advertising and make me want to buy domain names elsewhere. –Carolyn Kiser

The Audi Green Police spot creates a fun twist on a much discussed topic, the environment. I thought it was successful at captivating the audience’s attention by using a classic tune and then waiting till the very end to give the product’s name away. –Aimee Drysdale

I really enjoyed the ads from Google, Hyundai and CareerBuilder.com, but I think the beaver spot from Monster.com was my favorite of the night. I was disappointed by Focus on the Family and the U.S. Census Bureau. Both generated a lot of controversy just by advertising, but their ads were dull and poorly written. –Ariel Clark

Last year an estimated 95 million people tuned in to watch the Super Bowl and with all the hype surrounding the commercials, its no wonder companies spend millions upon millions to have their messages and brands splashed across the television screen. But another interesting approach to the big advertising showcase is to create an ad that won't air, which in turn drives a media storm, along with viral sensations and an exploding blogosphere of the things we didn't see. But you have to give credit (or at least marvel in the strategy) of taking advantage of the Super Bowl advertising hype. And ManCrunch and Focus on Family are the clear winners. These spots have not only lit up the newswires, blogosphere, social networking sites, etc. but have strong potential to be talked about in year's to come. Don't believe me? Do a quick Google News search and see what comes up. Or just Google "Super Bowl ads we didn't see" and sit back and enjoy. Well played. As the old adage goes, "any press is good press" and especially when Super Bowl season comes around. –Mike Quonce

The Bud Light house spot is so different from anything I have seen and gives a fun and comic edge to drinking Bud Light. It’s definitely gave me a laugh out loud moment! –Aimee Drysdale

Would your brand get a golden ticket?

2010-02-05T10:09:00.006-05:00

by Carolyn Kiser

As I was watching the American Idol auditions these past few weeks, I couldn't help but think about all the hopefuls as brands. And that is what they all are and that is how they are being evaluated - whether they have the package to become a national (or international) pop icon and brand.

There are four basic categories of people who audition for the show: (1) truly talented people, (2) people with a decent voice, (3) people that just want 15 minutes of fame and (4) the people who are tone-deaf but actually believe they can sing. Brands exist in each of these groups, of course. But in this stage of the competition, the real branding is with the people in groups 2 and 3 as described above. Let's start with the second group.

There are thousands of people in the second group - the people with a fairly decent voice. And because they may not get in front of Simon and the judges based on their voice alone, they have to somehow make themselves stand out. That is where the branding comes into play. Among the above-average hopefuls - it is the ones that differentiate themselves who actually get a chance to make it in front of the panel of judges for a shot at the golden ticket. Think of some of the more recent notorious Idol-wannabes: Bikini Girl and Norman Gentle from Season 8 and from this season - Guitar Girl, the former Barney child-actor with the whip, and of course, Ski Bo Skii. In these cases, it was definitely not their voices alone that got them to Hollywood, but their ability to break through.

And the fame-seekers in group 3 have a similar strategy. They have all seen the show and know they need to do something truly outrageous to get in front of the judges. Bikini boy, weird voices, terrible dances, crazy outfits, you name it. But the best of the fame-seekers was this year's singer/songwriter "General" Larry Platt and his "Pants on the ground" act. The general has turned his brand into the craze of American Idol Season 9, with Pants-on-the-ground t-shirts even being sold on AmericanIdol.com.

So what do the Idol auditions teach us about brands? It reminds us that in a sea of sameness, it is critical to differentiate yourself in order to stand out from your competition and ultimately impress your target audience. How is your brand different?

Does your brand have a spray tan?

2010-01-08T13:49:00.002-05:00

by Carolyn Kiser
As I was gearing up for a black tie New Year’s party, I did something I have never done before. I got a spray tan. For those unfamiliar, it is like getting your body spray- painted and can make some people look more like an oompa loompa from Charlie’s chocolate factory than someone from South Beach.

Anyway, I was fortunate enough not to look like a person painted orange. However, it was sprayed on and therefore, not permanent. As my color faded over the following days, my true semi-pasty color returned. This slight transformation reminded me of branding.

Let me explain.

In most all cases, successful brands are not just a result of fancy advertising and marketing, rather they are successful because they are true to their core. They have a 360-degree brand; their external brand (what they communicate to their customers) aligns with their internal brand (how they operate and run their day-to-day business).

Think of brands that you like and why you like them. My personal favorites are Zappos, Nordstrom, Whole Foods, and Chick-Fil-A. And not just because I love shoes and food, but because the brand and customer experience is authentic. I get a consistent experience from what the brand promises in their ads and their external messages as I do when I interact with the brand. Whether it is a customer service call to Zappos or a shopping trip to Whole Foods, the brand is successfully reinforced at every consumer touch point.

So how does branding relate to my spray tan experience? Well, unfortunately, many companies approach branding like a spray tan. They try to be something they are not. And the problem is, eventually the façade will disappear and the pale underbelly is exposed.

So ask yourself, are you OK with your customers seeing your underbelly? If not, you may need to look at your brand, starting from the inside and working out.

Lessons learned from the airline industry

2010-01-04T17:14:00.001-05:00

by Thomas Becher, APR

In my previous corporate career I served as media spokesman for Northwest Airlines – the same airline that carried the alleged attempted bomber (and coincidentally is finalizing its merger with Delta Air Lines).

My first thought upon hearing about the Christmas Day incident was that I was thankful this was wasn’t a disaster. But the global media onslaught that followed also reminded me of the public relations lessons the high-profile airline industry can impart on other businesses:

A crisis can happen anytime. Bad news does not take a holiday – nor does a situation have to be your fault for you to be affected.

A crisis can percolate before you even know about it. Passengers on that Northwest flight were taking photos and video and making phone calls even before airline management was fully informed. In this age of technology, there’s no time to wait to react.

Embrace social media as a crisis tool. In a society of instant communication, a simple message on Twitter can help calm fears.

Communicate early, communicate often. Recovering from a crisis requires constant communication to all your stakeholders.

Have a communications plan. Determine what can go wrong and how you will communicate during a crisis.

Media Snacking

2009-12-14T09:24:00.000-05:00

by Carolyn Kiser

I am a snacker. Not one to eat a big meal, I eat about 5-6 mini-meals or snacks a day. I also love to graze – pick at a bowl of nuts or take a bite of a cupcake (never the whole thing). In fact, I rarely ever finish what is on my plate. Not necessarily because I get full or give myself too large a portion, but because I am bored with a piece of chicken or bowl of pasta by the time I am halfway through. That’s why I am a big fan of tapas.

But this blog is not about my personal relationship with food – his is about our society being full of snackers. And again, I am not talking about food snacking. I am referring to how people consume information and media. With thousands of blog posts (including this one), tweets, photo comments, headlines, news feeds, etc., ask yourself this: how often do you read the whole article? We may start to read an article from our custom news feed, get partly through it and then jump to twitter or read a newsletter just landed in our inbox.

I am not suggesting whether this is good or bad, merely pointing out the fact that most of us prefer a snack to a five-course meal. Sure, we may not get as satisfied as we would have had we indulged in the entire article, but we do get a chance to sample a variety of perspectives and information. So for a society of snackers, can you fit your message into 140 characters or less? If not, you may lose most of us who have moved on to the next tweet, post, status update, news feed, text, or email.

Social Media Starts With Strategy

2009-11-23T08:04:00.001-05:00

By Thomas Becher

By now businesses have recognized the value of social media. When done well and used the right way, social media such as Facebook and Twitter can develop customer relationships, reach new audiences and build your brand.

But social media, despite what you may have heard, is not the end-all to marketing. In fact, it’s just another tool in an expanding communications toolbox.

Social media is hot right now, and some form of it will certainly morph in the future, especially with mobile applications. Yet other media aren’t going anywhere. When TV came out people dismissed radio, and today radio is as strong as ever. And despite predictions of gloom, print publications remain relevant and engaging.

What you use to communicate your message depends on your goals. As the media landscape becomes more fragmented, it’s really about understanding which channels to use to engage your audience and using that tool effectively to help achieve objectives even as the toolbox gets bigger.

Like other communications methods such as advertising and public relations, social media must start with strategy. Before embarking in social media, you must ask a number of questions – Who is your audience? What are their demographics? How are they influenced? How do they think? What are your business goals? In other words, what do you want to accomplish as a result of the communications?

Depending on the industry and the target audience, we encourage our clients to utilize social media when it makes sense for their business. Sometimes social media does not make sense. Where appropriate, though, it’s a powerful customer engagement and awareness vehicle that can certainly help spark conversation and develop new relationships with your audience. But it’s not for everyone. Nor is it a “get it and forget it” tool. It is something that needs to constantly be updated, monitored and nurtured to be effective.

So there needs to be a strategy and process in place before starting a Facebook fan page or creating a Twitter account. Social media is like a shiny new toy. Everyone’s talking about it, everyone wants to hold it. But does everyone know how to use it properly?

Go ask your father.

2009-10-28T17:01:00.005-04:00

By Ariel Clark

Similar to the parent who is asked, “Where do babies come from?” by a young child, many creatives struggle to come up a good answer when asked about the birth of ideas. Certainly the truth about each is more mysterious, complex and gruesome than “The stork brings them,” but rarely do we go out of our way to explain in full.

Generally, the process of idea generation gets little consideration from the client and their audience. They are far more concerned with increasing their bottom line and being entertained, respectively and justifiably. If the creative process is explained to the client at any point, it usually is described like this:

Read brief. Work on concepts and thumbnail sketches. Arrive at big idea.

Unfortunately, this is pretty much never the way things go. (Though if such an inspiring brief exists, it would probably get more exposure than this one.) The cold, hard truth is that there is no one winning formula. Sure, tackling a job well-informed with a comprehensive brief is necessary to understand the message you are trying to convey. And yes, there are methods of brainstorming out there, but truly great ideas usually materialize from the ether, sometimes at the oddest moments. In the shower. At the movies. Those quiet moments right before sleep.

Every creative carries the burden of not knowing where our next great idea will come from. Luckily, a common trait among our kind is the ability to pull inspiration from all around us. And as scary as not knowing when or where an idea will strike is, it means we are open to them coming at us from all over, from any source. It’s sort of liberating, really.

A better explanation of the creative process would read like this:

Read brief. Begin concepting. Gather CA's at your desk to look for inspiration. Surf stock photography sites looking for inspiration. Surf favorite food blogs looking for ideas for dinner. Meet friends for a drink. (Ok, a few drinks.) Unwind at home by watching Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 on DVD. Round out the evening with some Guitar Hero. Sleep on it. Grab some coffee on the way into work because today you are going to "nail it." Stare at your blank screen awash in fear of failure and coffee jitters. Go back to the CA's. Meet friend for lunch. Take notes on napkin during conversation about her ex (there's definitely something there). Back at office, review notes, brief and food blogs one more time... and PRESTO! Great idea!

Truly great ideas are born when your brain is able to unconsciously chew on the message and its audience. Sometimes you need a few sips of a stiff drink to get the mix right, sometimes it’s as easy as stepping away from the computer and taking a walk. Wherever they come from, creatives and clients should take comfort knowing that the well can’t really run dry. As the world shifts, societies expand and grow, and Guitar Hero continues to release special editions, we’ll always have something to inspire a good idea.

Civility is the best PR

2009-09-21T17:39:00.000-04:00

By Thomas Becher, APR

In recent weeks we have seen ugly public outbursts in the world of politics, sports and entertainment. Even town hall meetings on healthcare reform have become R-rated.

Whether this lack of civility is a result of unchecked egos, an influence of Internet-fueled vitriol, or simply a new but sad state of communications, recent examples provide important lessons in public relations.

Good public relations is about building relationships and establishing two-way communications to establish mutual understanding, cooperation and acceptance. The recent chest-thumping and finger-pointing does little to gain cooperation, let alone foster mutual respect.

Bad communication – and that’s what these outbursts are – does our society a great disservice. In the case of Serena Williams or Kayne West, their rude, obnoxious and unacceptable behavior tells millions of impressionable young people that it’s OK to act like a fool to make a point. After all, they’ll still make millions – so what’s the big deal?

In the case of healthcare reform, this important yet complex topic is being relegated to us-vs.-them sound bites and insults when in reality the topic – no matter where you stand politically – deserves an intellectual debate based on facts, not lobbyist talking points.

Civility – whether it’s healthy debate free of personal attacks or taking time to think before you act – really is the best public relations tool because you’re more likely to gain respect and support from people even if they disagree with you. Nor would you need to repair your maligned reputation.

There’s a good lesson for businesses in all this. Always treat your customers with respect, service and friendliness. You may not always agree with your customers, but if you treat them right they’ll be your fans.

It’s a shame that many in our society aren’t using these simple principles.

It's the experience that walks out the door.

2009-08-18T10:56:00.009-04:00

By Carolyn Kiser

I had the privilege of hearing Darren Jackson, CEO of Advance Auto Parts speak this morning at a breakfast organized by the United Way Community Catalysts. He is a fascinating person who has accomplished so much in his short professional career. He had a lot of good information to share about business, economic development, and his 2010 Camaro. But what really struck me is the legacy he wants to leave behind as CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He recognizes that the stores are a critical part of his customers’ relationship with the brand. And therefore part of his goal is developing and implementing a successful operational system in which a strong in-store experience and healthy working culture can be adopted across all stores. He understands that if the employees are happy every day they go to work, they in turn will pass of that passion to the customers, resulting in a positive in-store experience. He simply stated “It’s the experience that walks out the door.”

This can not be stated enough. Anytime a person has a positive (or negative) experience, they are more than likely going to tell a friend about it, resulting in the coveted word-of-mouth marketing. Unfortunately (for us), this type of marketing is not something that can be achieved with a national PR campaign or a television spot. The customer experience is part of the internal brand that needs to be aligned with a company’s core values and operations.

Think of a brand as an ice cream cone. The ice cream would be the products and services, while the cone represents the corporate culture and customer experience. The cherry is the external brand message. Many people think building a brand is just about the cherry on top. While the cherry is very important, it only represents one part of the company’s brand, the external brand. Whether it is a snazzy logo or a funny TV spot, it is only part of what makes a brand (or cone) complete. Companies need all three parts working together to have a successful brand. And especially in today’s social media driven world, brands need to rely on great products and a great customer experience, as fancy ads will do little to help an inferior brand.

What’s in your cone?

What makes you interesting?

2009-07-23T17:03:00.000-04:00

By Thomas Becher, APR

Every business has – or should have – an elevator speech. You know, that 10-second opportunity to tell someone about your business.

Problem is, not everyone does a good job communicating who they are and what they do.

That’s why I’m a big believer in developing key messages. Key messages are words and phrases that describe your business and its benefits to your customers.

These key messages should be used in that elevator speech, for sure, but also in your marketing material, Web site, social media postings, internal culture – anytime you’re communicating.

I’m not talking about a clever slogan. I mean a clear, brief and understandable set of words that will effectively explain how you stand out.

We’ve all heard a line like this: “I work for XYZ Corporation. We make pneumatic parts for the transportation sector and we just received ISO 9001 registration.”

Yawn. How about this instead:

“XYZ Corporation makes parts that help trains and buses move freight and people around the world. And we’ve been recognized with an international quality standard.”

That’s more like it.

Every business has an interesting story to tell. Give some thought about what makes your business compelling and unique. Then jot down those words and phrases.

You’ll be surprised what you may come up with. Then be sure to tell the world.

Think Strategy First

2009-06-19T17:05:00.000-04:00

By Thomas Becher, APR

I just had the pleasure to join some fellow PR pros on a panel discussion about public relations and advertising. A record crowd attended the Technology & Toast breakfast hosted by the NewVa Corridor Technology Council.

Here are some points I shared with the audience:

The communication landscape is going through a shift-change never before seen in our lifetime. Today, when people read a newspaper, watch a newscast or listen to a broadcast it’s likely they’ve already seen much of that information online and chatted about it on social networking sites. That’s why we’ve seen traditional media adapt by providing analysis and coverage not found anywhere else.

At the same time, there are more niches than ever before. There’s at least one web site, trade publication and trade show for virtually any industry. There’s always a new print publication that seems to pop up. Not to mention bloggers – some good, some not so good -- on literally any topic on earth.

And while newsrooms in traditional media are scaling back staff they still have to fill pages and airwaves with stories and ads.

So how do you get the right message to the right audience at the right time?

Good PR and advertising always starts with strategy. Before you do anything, you should develop a strategic communications plan. Don’t waste your marketing dollars without having a plan in place first.

Only after you have a plan should you wade into this changing landscape.

The Top 3 List: Brands using social media

2009-06-03T14:42:00.005-04:00

By Carolyn Kiser

As brands start experimenting with social media tools like Facebook and Twitter, many of them crash and burn. Companies recognize the benefits of using social media to develop a conversation with their customers, but few have learned how to converse. The most effective uses of social media marry some customer interest with brand relevance. It is about creating meaningful connections. Even if you only have 14 fans or followers, as long as you are engaging those customers in an authentic way, you are using it successfully. With social media, it is about quality, not quantity. And if you get the first part right, more than likely the number of fans will likely follow.

The following is a list of my top three social media brands because they just get it.

1^st Place: Whole Foods Market

The upscale supermarket just does it right. They appreciate each channel from Flickr, to Facebook, and Twitter and use them appropriately. Comment on their post about fathers’ day and be entered to win a $100 gift card or are you curious if they carry Liz Lovely cookies – tweet the question and they will let you know. This is a great example of customer dialogue and brand engagement.

Runner up: Aflac

Who would think the Aflac duck could have more Facebook fans than pop icon Paris Hilton or as many as mega star Angelina Jolie? With over 100,000 fans, the duck’s quacks get hundred of thumbs ups each day. And through their feathered friend, Aflac uses just the right amount of self promotion – posting a new TV commercial or talking about the Nascar race. The question is, does he write with his feathers or his beak?

2^nd Runner up: Zappos

Not surprising, the customer-focused online shoe retailer has made this list. The brand that is authentic to its core understands their customers and how to talk to them. The retailer isn’t always tweeting about shoes or their company; they are using Twitter as another customer service tool. But CEO, Tony Hsieh tweets range from shaving his head and MTV to adapting a successful corporate culture.

Honorable mentions: Other notable brands/people/media who have grasped social media are (in no particular order):

Burger King, Southwest Airlines, Jet Blue, Michael Phelps, Barack Obama, Starbucks, Perez Hilton, and Ellen Degeneres

What is the one thing these brands all have in common? They are authentic. It’s that simple; they have strong brand identities and understand the importance of using social media as another way to communicate their brand to their customer/supporter/fan.

Do you know of any brands using social media effectively? We would love to hear your thoughts!

When advertising, know thy audience

2009-05-19T16:53:00.006-04:00

By Thomas Becher, APR

Good advertising is all about great strategy.

Anyone can create a pretty ad or write a clever headline. But it’s understanding a the audience and what makes them tick that’s crucial to a successful advertising.

After all, why invest in advertising – and it is an investment -- if you don’t know your audience, their demographics, their habits, and where they’re getting their information?

With today’s changing media landscape (and more diverse choices than ever before to advertise), it’s important to ask a number of questions to best match your target with the right medium for maximum results. For instance:

How old are your target customers?

How many of them are there?

Where do they live?

How much income do they have?

What do they spend on your type product or service?

Are the decision makers male or female?

What are they reading, watching or listening to?

Spend some time getting to know your audience. It’ll make it easier and less costly to reach them through advertising.

Click here to see the best newspaper ad of 2008, as determined by the Virginia Press Association.

Are you prepared to communicate in a crisis?

2009-04-17T17:04:00.007-04:00

By Thomas Becher, APR

Too often I have seen businesses large and small face a crisis -- and blow it.

Think about the beating Peanut Corporation of America took recently after one of its plants knowingly sent out peanut products that may have been tainted with salmonella.

As that crisis evolved and people were dying as a result, we never adequately heard from the company. The public wanted to know: What happened? What steps were being taken to ensure this doesn’t happen again? Was it safe to eat peanut products again?

With a lack of comment from the company, the public – harnessing social networking technology – was quick to take sides and bad-mouth the company. The story, in other words, got away from the company. Fast.

In a crisis, it’s imperative to communicate early and often. Stakeholders in a company – customers, shareholders, employees, vendors and so on – need to know what’s going during a crisis on and, more importantly, what the company is doing to repair damage afterward, whether or not the crisis was the company’s fault.

This need for speed is particularly critical now that social media – not the media – are becoming the main vehicles to share information and opinions. When a crisis happens, companies have very little time to get it right.

So how do you prepare to communicate in a crisis? Plan it and practice it.

Establish a crisis communications plan. In the event of a crisis, this plan will determine the types of crises that can occur, who is authorized to speak in a crises, when to communicate, what to say and so on.
Practice the plan. Don’t let a plan sit on a shelf. Key people in a company should practice their crisis plan regularly so they know what to do no matter what the next crisis.

Having worked on crisis plans in the airline industry, I have seen the benefits of fulsome plans and regular drills.

Don’t wait for the next crisis to happen. Prepare now.

As president-elect and program chair for the Blue Ridge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, I had the pleasure host Pat Philbin, former head of public affairs at FEMA, at our April 16 luncheon. You can read more about his take on crisis by clicking here.

How to select a PR + advertising partner

2009-04-03T08:18:00.006-04:00

By Mike Quonce

Fresh fruit is an integral part of a well-rounded diet. It’s delicious. It’s nutritious.

But selecting the right ones can be cumbersome. Ever bite into a bad peach? Or opened an avocado that was brown on the inside? Ever question the firmness of an orange? Choosing the wrong fruit can be expensive and frustrating. Similarly, choosing the wrong public relations and advertising partner can leave a bad taste in your mouth.
But once you've had a taste of the perfect fruit, you can understand why seeking it out is worth the extra effort. The same, of course, can be said for picking the right agency. Whether for a single project, a campaign or as your marketing department, the perfect partner can elevate your business and sales from ordinary to outstanding. From no name to the name. From number two to number one.

So keep the following three things in mind below to ensure you find a right partner:

1. Pretty ads don’t always work. While the ad might look attractive, remember that every ad must have a strategy behind it. Make sure the strategic message will incite action and help accomplish your marketing goals.

2. Chemistry is critical. You could work with the most talented creative team or PR expert ever, but what if you don’t get along and what if they don’t listen to your needs? When searching for a partner, make sure it’s also someone who not only will do a great job, but who would enjoy having a conversation over a cup of coffee, too.

3. Size doesn’t matter. Bigger is not always better. Great ideas come from anywhere. It’s all about the people and their strategic process -- see tips 1 and 2.

And a word to the wise:

Much like cherries, watermelons, grapes and pineapples, agencies don’t ripen once you buy them. Choose wisely.

Understanding Facebook changes

2009-03-17T15:56:00.008-04:00

By Carolyn Kiser

The most recent Facebook update is a notable opportunity for companies and brands. The traditional company “pages” will now be similar to an everyday user’s profile page. This update will provide companies and brands more opportunity to interact with their fans, just as everyday users interact. Now, information brands post to their pages will now be put into the “stream” (i.e. news feed/status update). It is these channels that really ignite activity and conversations among users.

While this is a tremendous opportunity for brands, there also lies the danger. Only companies that practice social media etiquette can truly leverage this new opportunity. Let me explain. With more information being fed to a brand’s fans, it will be up to the fans to filter the information they want to see. So now more than ever, companies need to respect social media etiquette. If brands abuse this relationship and “pump and dump” information that is not relevant to their fan base, they will likely be filtered and ultimately “unfriended,” thus decreasing their fan base and tarnishing their brand image.

With that in mind, here are a few guiding principles for companies using Facebook fan pages:

Be relevant: Don’t use Facebook exclusively as a promotional/advertising channel. Instead, apply some PR principles to determine what news feeds are worthy and relevant to your fan base.
Talk and Listen: Make sure you are always having a two-way conversation with your fans. Know your community.
Don’t ramble: People don’t want to read paragraphs of information. Be compelling and to the point. And don’t repeat, repeat, repeat.
Be real: You have fans for a reason and they like your brand for a reason so it is important to stick to your brand guidelines and speak in your brand voice.
Filter: As a general rule, if you would not want your message/post in the mass media, don’t put it on Facebook either.

Awards are nice, client satisfaction is better

2009-03-10T17:31:00.004-04:00

By Ariel Clark

Most ADDY stories revolve around excess: drinking, testosterone,bravado. Ours is one of redemption.

After nary an award last year, I convinced myself that winning an ADDY didn’t mean much -- at least to the creatives like me, who get more joy from client approval than out of lucite.

Having never held a professional award in my hand, I theorized that nothing could feel better than hearing back from clients that they love your idea. The sweet relief of an ad (finally) going to print or airing on TV. The validation that comes when a campaign works to grow the client’s business.

These things are so much more important than awards because they get to what we do – harnessing our creative abilities to solve business problems and make a difference.

While I still think the greater rush is seeing one of our billboards or hearing positive feedback from a client, there's something to be said for having your company’s name trumpeted along with the names of your peers on ADDY night.

An ADDY isn't all-important, but it helps to have something heavy in your hand when you're battling the competition. Last Saturday, we finally got our propers. And you know what? It feels pretty darn good.

Check out our award-winning work.

Chris McAdams Reevaluates His Career Path

2009-03-05T18:00:00.010-05:00

tba Parties in the Alley

By Michael Quonce

tba recently partied in the alley at the 24th Annual Junior Achievement Bowl-a-Thon at Hilltop Lanes in Roanoke, Va. Companies throughout the region participated in the beach-themed bowling event to benefit Junior Achievement and its mission to help children learn work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

Chris McAdams was the high-game winner and stole the show with his Fred Flintstone approach and PBA-style accuracy. Afterwards he was overheard commenting to his wife, Tara, “I don’t know why I ever went into creative design.”

We sat in awe all day wondering the same thing, but are happy to still have him on board until his PBA Career takes off. Hopefully there weren’t any of these guys scouting him in the alley looking for endorsements.

tba had a blast at this year’s event and looks forward to doing it again next year. Junior Achievement of Southwest Virginia educates and inspires young people to value free enterprise, business, and economics to be workforce ready and improve the quality of their lives. To learn more visit the Junior Achievement website.

What is PR anyway?

2009-02-26T17:35:00.008-05:00

By Thomas Becher, APR

I’m often asked: What exactly is public relations?

Years of wisdom gleaned from high-level corporate work have taught me to appreciate and advocate the role of PR in a free society.

The cynics will say the PR guy’s the one with the shovel and bucket at the end of the circus parade.

In truth, PR is about building relationships between companies and organizations and their constituents. It’s about ensuring communications take place – at the right time, at the right place and in the right way – as part of the marketplace of ideas.

It’s a vital part of commerce, discourse and democracy.

Yet so few people understand what PR is. That’s probably because it can be so many things. This blog will, over time, help to demystify public relations.

To wit:

PR helps journalists tell stories.
PR enables businesses and organizations to recover from a crisis.
PR makes it possible for people to deliver memorable speeches.
PR creates meetings and special events that get people engaged and connected.
PR helps companies communicate effectively with employees.

Public relations is vital for successful businesses or organizations. I’ve often wondered – if they have attorneys and accountants, shouldn’t they have PR pros working for them as well?

Feel free to e-mail me

Welcome

2009-02-18T14:11:00.010-05:00

Welcome to Off the Rail, the new blog brought to you by the great minds at tba (the becher agency), a leading public relations and advertising firm in Roanoke, Va.

Our cool office is located in a former warehouse hard by the railroad tracks. With an open floor plan, wood floors, brick walls and exposed beams, the place inspires us every day to provide our clients with strategy, creativity and results.

Plus it’s fun to watch the freight trains rumble by as commerce makes its way to and fro.

Which brings us to our blog’s name. You see, we’re all about being a bit different – taking a new approach, offering new ideas, plodding a unique path. Like being off the rail. But in a good way.

With this blog, written by different members of our team every week, we hope to educate, inform and inspire with helpful tips, valuable insight and astute observations to help your business or organization communicate more effectively to any audience.

From time to time we’ll even chime in about life on the other side of the tracks.

So please check back often or subscribe to our feed here.

For now, we gotta go – a train is coming.