Posts Tagged ‘Public relations
Connecting at Conventions
This weekend is Comic Con. While I did not venture inside convention grounds, I was in downtown San Diego amidst all the chaos.
It is interesting to see the crowd that appears for Comic Con. It is a diverse group of fans of arts of all kinds. I have met some interesting people who were more “pure” artist, and while they still sell their products, they feel that some comic artists have sold out by pushing their products at Comic Con. I have met some people who were just loyal fans of long lasting comics. I have met people who are in the industry and wanted to take this opportunity to network with others in the industry. I have met people who are fans of recent Hollywood films.
This made me think the value of these events. At what point is it a specialized event, and at what point is it simply a big crowd? How do you build buzz amongst all the noise?
Hollywood is a marketing powerhouse, and they seem to know the answer. They have celebrities hosting special events outside Comic Con at various downtown San Diego venues after the convention wraps every night. I wonder if this is the trick.
Comic Con at this point has so much noise that it’s becoming hard to differentiate yourself among the masses. People going around are simply overwhelmed by all that is offered. To make a real connection with your fans, you have to make them feel special. You have to take them out of the noisy convention and give them some real one-on-one time. Or, if it’s not one-on-one, at least something a little bit more intimate.
This applies not only to something as big as Comic Con, but to any events of this sort. Host a happy hour, an after party, or at least a hospitality room could really maximize your exposure at these events. If such initiatives are budget prohibiting to smaller operations, at least try to connect with those you have met at these events electronically. Invite your loyal fans to the event. Host a chat with them after the event. Tweet to your fans about where they may find you during / after the event (and have an impromptu unofficial unhosted party). Take that extra effort to make a connection, and you would get that much more out of your attendance to these events!
Photo Credit: Top – San Diego Comic Con 2009, originally uploaded by ToFuGuns. Bottom – 2009 san diego comic-con, originally uploaded by koadmunkee.
Potential Brand Advocates
It’s no secret that I’m a reality show junkie… This guilty pleasure of mine includes watching the Real Housewife of New York City.
Tonight’s episode was filled with various charity events, and I thought it was brilliant that these non-profits are getting some free publicity. But one example I wanted to point out specifically: Children of the World.
One of the characters previously (off the show) bid on a couture dress for the charity. The show showed the fitting of this couture dress. Off the show, the character wore the dress to an opera opening and was photographed doing so. That photograph had since been used in the tabloids for stories associated with that particular character.
Now, I am not sure that the non-profit did so on purpose. After all, they may not had any direct control over what the character would bid on. However, it shows that sometimes making such a connection could be so helpful to a brand. If you could identify a potential brand advocate, you should do what you could to persuade him/her to actually become one. One thing may lead to another, and that could very well take your brand to a new level.
The interesting thing is that potential brand advocates are everywhere, and yet marketers ignore them everyday. How well do you know your end consumer? Who are they? Any of them an influencer, such as an on-screen personality? Do you even know? Have you thought about how to growth this influence base and how to leverage this influence base? This could be the best marketing spend ever!
Photo Credit: Gawker.com
President as a Marketer
President Obama and his team are proving to be great marketers yet again. And it’s probably a good thing, considering the current environment.
Obama’s latest marketing campaign is recovery.gov. In itself, the website is similar to any other corporate website: A mean of communication. A mean to show where you could find their products, in this case results of the government’s stimulus plan.
But, this administration took this one step further and well into the realm of branding. The stimulus package has its own logo, and it may appear on a school bus near you (if that school bus benefited from the stimulus package).
This is smart in that it makes the intangible tangible.
However, would this logo be a reminder of progress or a reminder of tough times?
This is the test of the President’s marketing abilities. The logo and the website are only elements of a full-blown campaign. If executed correctly, it would be powerful. If the plan lacks legs, making the intangible tangible may backfire.
Jeannie Chan is a Brand Manager for a Fortune 500 consumer goods company. She considers herself a marketer, a traveler, and a foodie. Jeanne lives in NYC. 
