The smell of success March 21, 2007

Only at a company like Odor-Eaters does success smell like an old sneaker.

Odor-Eaters, a company specializing in products to curb unpleasant smells, launched a rotten sneaker contest. Contestants from around the country competed to prove to judges that they had the smelliest, most foul sneakers.

I don’t know about you, but I’m sure glad I wasn’t the judge.

Katharine Tuck, a 13-year-old from Utah, took home the first place prize of $ 2,500 and a life supply of Odor-Eaters.

Luckily for the people at Odor-Eaters the rotten sneaker contest did more than just bring a foul smell to town. The event generated tons of media coverage. The Chicago Tribune, CNN.com, and CBS Newsall printed stories about the contest. After all, the event had everything it needed to be a strategic media relations tactic: great visuals and uniqueness.

Events can be a great way for PR people to get their client or company’s name in the news. However, not all events work. Events must be fresh and fit the company. The press will not cover an event unless it will catch the attention of its readers – media relations 101.

I know event planning can be tough, especially when its goal is to generate media coverage. Keep searching for the right event, and you may be able to smell the sweet (or foul) smell of success.

Companies “go green” to bring in the green March 15, 2007

I am an environmentalist.

I recycle – at least try to. I help stop air pollution. I mean, after all, I do walk when I can as long as it’s not snowing, or raining,  or too hot, or too far. I don’t brush my teeth while the sink is running, and I always buy “green.”

Turns out, I’m not alone. In fact, according to ABCNEWS, sales of environment friendly products– from energy efficient light bulbs to cleaner locomotive engines topped 10 billion dollars- almost double than the year before. Whether it is the fear of global warming, desire to do the right thing or the need to stay hip, we are willing to spend money on products that help out Mother Earth.

Many companies in all different industries are jumping on the green-wagon. In Oakland, FedEx uses almost entirely solar power to fuel their business. Automotive companies like Honda, are developing cars that are more “enviroment friendly”and even retail giant and most hated company, Wal-Mart, sells organically grown cotton balls.

Is it time for all PR people to start selling the “go green” campaign to their companies? Is this just a fad or a real attempt to clean our environment?

Either way, people are taking notice. Target Green, a conference for PR people, is focused entirely on how to help your company go green. While the conference is not until May, it is likely that it will draw a large crowd. I would go, after all, this is all in the name of saving the environment, isn’t it?

Free and Funny, but does it work? March 8, 2007

We know that humor relieves stress and can put us at ease. We also know, that when used correctly, humor can sell some products. But can it sell computer software?

The people at Microsoft sure hope so. Microsoft has launched a campaign aimed to promote Microsoft Office 2007 using a comic strip as well as a personality internet quiz designed to find users’ software that is a perfect personality fit.

While the personality quiz is interactive and fun, the comic strip lacks the kind of spark that keeps audiences interested. The comic strip is about a character named Madeline , who lives in an enchanted forest of productiveness until she discovers Microsoft Office. The strip is dull, too long and it is apparent that the reader is “being sold.” Today’s young professionals are too cleaver to give into tactics like the comic strip.

To be fair, these tactics are new and are moving Microsoft in a direction that may some day pay-off. The use of interactive media can be very effective when used properly and targeted at the correct audience. With a little more work, these new tactics could be successful.

While humor can be an effective tool for PR people, we must consider the audience. Will this tool really keep our audience laughing or will we be laughed at?