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Alphabet reminds us to focus

Posted on by Brian Lee

AlphabetGoogle was originally created as a web search business but as technology evolves, so has Google’s focus. That is, until yesterday when the answer finding site announced that it has now established a parent company, Alphabet, which will oversee all projects outside Google’s original realm of searching.

This change will allow Google to remain the search engine expert while Alphabet oversees other areas of technological exploration and advancement.

This move by Google is a reminder of the importance of brand focus. Companies should continuously look for new opportunities to grow, expand and market itself. However, it is equally as important to remain focused on your core offerings, as side projects can prove disastrous (see Google Wave, Google Buzz).

 

Be the best strategic storyteller

Posted on by Brian Lee

A recent poll by PR News and Nasdaq Media Intelligence asked which of Fortune’s 2015 Most Admired Brands succeed best at telling humanizing stories that drive positive awareness. The results were the following: one-fifth said that Apple is the best at doing this, with Coca-Cola in second. Other companies that ranked high were Walt Disney, Southwest and American Express.

Are you looking to share your brand’s story? Here are a few tips:

  • Share stories about your customers rather than employees
  • Use social media and your website to tell your story
  • Stay away from op-eds and radio when sharing story

So why is Apple so successful? It has found ways for consumers to buy its products without ever ‘advertising’ the actual product. Instead, Apple tells a story that engages everyone and makes them feel a connection.

For example, here’s an Apple commercial demonstrating its FaceTime app:

Cecil the Lion

Posted on by Brian Lee

In media relations, especially during a crisis, I always tell clients to get their story out first–don’t let others shape your story. (Note: this blog post takes a look at the PR aspect of the Cecil the Lion story, not the morality of it.)

Walter Palmer, who killed Cecil, issued a statement through a PR firm, but it was way too late. By that point, the media and people on social media already painted him in a extremely negative light (see the Yelp page for his dental practice, though you should note Yelp has already deleted about 5,000 posts).

In several subsequent articles, people familiar with big game hunting said that it’s actually common for a local guide to do all the work (scouting, luring the animal, etc.) before the client does the killing. Thus, it’s plausible that Palmer didn’t know he had killed Cecil the Lion, nor did he realize that it was lured illegally out of its protected zone.

Had he said that immediately, as well as explaining the method of killing (arrow followed by bullet) and garnering more experts to corroborate his story, he could have softened the blow. But, that’s all a moot point now.