PR vs. Advertising: The difference made clear

After we leave work for the day, and go home to family or to the bar with friends, those of us in public relations are often the subject of common confusion.

"So, you're in advertising?"

"No," we say, somewhat beleaguered. "We're a marketing and PR firm."

"Aren't they the same thing?"

The answer, of course, is "No." They are not the same thing. Some marketing firms handle advertising - advertising is one marketing tool - but PR and advertising are two different animals.

Most folks make this common mistake because they are bombarded by ads all day. They are identifiable, recognizable and often direct. Public relations is a more elusive animal. Bad Pitch Blog, an online public relations pub, described the difference succinctly:

"They know the ads aired during the Super Bowl cost millions and wait in anticipation to see the über-creative spots during the game and then the post-game commentary on which ad made the biggest impression. They understand advertising, but they don't understand that the hype surrounding those ads is PR at its best."

In fact, what makes PR a great tool is that it is NOT advertising. Poll folks on how much they trust ad sales people, and they will place them next to used-car salesmen and telemarketers shilling mortgage refinancing. This transfers to their products, as well. If you have the money, advertising can get your products or services in front of the right audience with a message that never strays from your brand. The potential exposure is great, but do those who see it believe the message? Most likely, they are media-savvy consumers entertained by a talking baby but not interested in investing with one. Advertising lacks credibility.

Who does have credibility in the eye of consumers are journalists and other influential third parties. (Think about it: do you believe what you read in an ad in your local newspaper? Do you believe what you read in an article in your local newspaper, or what you hear from a friend or community leader? Overall, which is more trustworthy?) It is the job of a PR person to get these journalists and influential third parties interested in their clients' products and services. These folks have an influence over their audience unmatched by advertising. A movie may be advertised ad nauseum during commercial breaks and still not be successful, but when Oprah says she likes it, the movie is a hit. Oprah has credibility, and your local journalist does as well. Plus, it's significantly less expensive. Professional assistance from an experienced PR agency with established media contacts that will get you the most from your publicity efforts will come with a fee, but you will not be paying exorbitant rates for ad placement, or for the ad to be designed.

The downside to PR is a loss of control. You can't control how journalists and other people of influence slant your message. And there is no guarantee that after hours of creating story angles around your product and trying to get people of influence interested that they will actually mention it.

Of course, media placement is not the only aspect of PR - there's also community outreach, for example - but often it is the major effort. Increasingly, with the advent of new media like blogs, microblogs like Twitter and social networking sites like Facebook, organizations are becoming the media. The key here is to maintain credibility by presenting an authentic face to the public. Using these PR tools as advertising vehicles will only create disdain in the eyes of readers. And still, companies with a media outlet like a blog need to reach out to other bloggers of influence for links to create traffic.

Is the difference made clear now? If not, email A-Train's PR Manager Josh Johnson at josh@atrainmarketing.com.


A-Train Update

April was a busy month for A-Train, as is often the case. But no matter how busy we get, A-Train staff takes a Friday afternoon each month and volunteers or does something equally as enriching. This month we went to Denver for a psychedelic experience. No, not like that. We went to the Denver Art Museum for the "Psychedelic Experience" exhibit of '60s concert posters, http://exhibits.denverartmuseum.org/psychedelic/. An interesting study in branding a movement and subverting message to appeal to a niche audience "in the know," as opposed to squares, the exhibit simultaneously titillates and nauseates. Worthwhile visit, especially since the museum has also recently swapped out the art collection in the modern wing. Be sure to check out "Fox Games" by Sandy Skoglund.

Also in April, the area's first non-event was held. On April 21, folks stayed home for "Haus at Home" in support of Elderhaus (www.elderhaus.org). The non-event was a big success. We introduced the concept of live-blogging fundraisers at hausathome.blogspot.com. We suspect more folks lurked than commented and suspect the idea will grow in the future.

In other Elderhaus news, the annual Rock-a-Thon in support of Elderhaus' Mindset program was delayed due to a spring snowstorm. The rocking-chair marathon will take place on May 30 at the Cracker Barrel in Loveland. Come out, decorate a chair and rock the day away for Elderhaus. Visit ElderHaus.org for details or call 970-221-0406 for more info.

Congratulations are in order for Press-One customer-service call center in Fort Collins (www.press-one.com). The company landed a major contract with Minnesota's Star Tribune newspaper to handle all customer service calls. The competition for the contract spanned the globe, and Press-One's continued success is a testament to their high-level of Fort Collins-based customer service call center services - and that they are able to provide these services with a local staff at a competitive rate. The new contract also means the company will be hiring 25 new people.

We have an in-house congrats as well. A-Train Executive Administrator Sarah Wozniak's husband Paul has released the first in a series of children's books, The Green RADventures of Nico, which highlights the importance of recycling in a way that's sure to entertain kids. The book has a multi-media, online component at www.radventuresofnico.com.



Every quarter, A-Train B-Sides will feature a case study from one of A-Train Marketing's past projects. So, sit back, relax and watch how it's done. You can also click here to link to a PDF of this case study that includes design samples.

Case Study: Washhouse

The Challenge:

Local entrepreneurs, business partners and husband-wife team Greg and Joy Fuhrman wanted to revolutionize the Laundromat. An industry known for shady characters, bad lighting and grumpy staff, the self-service laundry was ripe for a change. The Fuhrmans wanted to introduce a laundry with an inviting atmosphere, Starbucks coffee, high-efficiency equipment, and one-stop, coinless convenience for self-service and drop-off wash-and-fold laundry and dry cleaning.

With less than three months before Washouse was slated to open, the Fuhrmans came to A-Train with questions: "How do we get college students to recognize how great Washouse will be?" and "How can we make our marketing activites all work together to create a strong brand?"

The Solution:

A-Train suggested taking market-appropriate risks to generate buzz among students. To reach students, things need to be a bit edgier, and we knew how to do that without offending other segments of the population who may use Washouse. We also suggested engaging local students in a focus group, using outcomes to further define core audiences and inform strategy for a 12-month marketing plan. As a result, an integrated marketing communications strategy was developed and executed, including public relations and advertising campaigns to develop brand awareness and promote opening events.

The Results:

A-Train designed a logo and an integrated series of marketing materials, including print advertising, website, collateral materials, targeted indoor display ads and more to communicate the Washouse message. We also conceived a successful, audience-relevant campaign that brought a playful approach through advertising with hooks like, "Like a quickie... for your laundry," "Like your Mom, only easier," and "Your clothes won't want to go home." Through targeted pitching, we successfully brought the Washouse media coverage. The Washouse is an excellent example of how a multi-faceted, yet integrated, marketing communications approach that is audience aware can firmly establish a brand and ensure your messaging reaches the target audience.

Reference: Greg Fuhrman, owner, 970-267-9274


The Hook Up
Networking in the Flesh: A Review of Area Networking Meet-ups
So much is written about online social networking these days. And yes, B-Sides falls into that trap as well. But really, there is nothing better than some real face time. Beer in hand, business card in pocket and eyes locked in conversation, a networking event where you actually meet people is so much more fun and effective than posting a status to Twitter. Luckily, we live in an area that loves these events, as shown by the number of networking clubs available. This month, A-Train offers an overview of our favorites.

EMERGE COLORADO
www.emergecolorado.com
Cost: $30 for the event ($25 for employees of non-profits)
Membership: $150 annual

Events: Emerge hosts events the second Tuesday of every other month (January, March, etc.), alternating between breakfasts and afternoon socials.

Membership benefits: Free admission to events; access to members-only events; use of Emerge Colorado membership list and directory; discounts at member organizations; name listing and contact info on Emerge Colorado website.

Overview: Emerge members skew younger and their events are held at exclusive locations with fine food and drink. I'm not saying this because Ryan and Gretchen are owner-partners in Emerge Colorado, but Emerge events tend to be the more fun events. Breakfasts have a speaker, but the evening socials are business casual with an eclectic group of folks worth talking to.

ARTICULATE CITY
www.articulatecity.com
Cost: About $40 for premiere events, with membership
Membership: $75 to $1200, with varying levels of access

Events: Six premiere art parties and six free Casual Friday events.

Membership benefits: Primarily, you get access to arts events & discounts with local art organizations.

Overview: Key here is the "art" in "articulate" - the organization's tagline is, "We part the ART in party." As such, the events attract a lively bunch of interesting people, and the art events expose members to the finer parts of area culture. Because it's arts first, Articulate City events tend to feel less "business-y."

REFRESH NOCO
www.designerdrinksfortcollins.com
Cost: Free
Membership: None
Events: Designer drinks meets the fourth Friday of every month.

Overview: Refresh NOCO is targeted to professionals working in creative industries. With Designer Drinks as the premier event, Refresh hopes "to refresh the creative, technical, and professional culture of marketing and graphic design endeavors in Northern Colorado."

GREEN DRINKS
www.greendrinks.org
Cost: Free
Membership: None

Events: Fourth Wednesday of the month hosts an "eco get-together."

Overview: Whether you are in an eco-industry or not, simply an interest alone is reason enough to get together with these green-minded professionals and share a beer. Very laid back and lots of fun.

STIR LOVELAND
www.loveland.org
Cost: Events are free with membership
Membership: $75 for Loveland Chamber of Commerce members/ $100 for non-members

Events: Six social events and six educational events

Membership benefits: Admission to the events & directory listing.

Overview: A young professional networking group for those under 45 years of age, Stir is a recently emerged group for Loveland that has a similar feel to the other groups listed above.

ENVISION YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
www.coloradoenvision.com
Cost: None
Membership: None

Events: Meets every other month starting in February

Overview: The Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce's young professionals group, Envision works "to provide a casual atmosphere and interesting topics that relate to pertinent issues in the local community." Envision events have a more focused educational aspect to them and are for folks between 21 and 40 years of age.


In The Know
Twitter Tweeter: What the heck is Twitter anyway?

We know, it's a slightly awkward word to say, sounding like a vague reference to foreplay. And how is that word conjugated? Even CNN hosts have gotten it wrong. For the record, Twitter is the name of the website where people tweet. Now that we cleared that up, what the heck is Twitter?

What's funny about all the Twitter conjugation confusion is that the word "twitter" is most commonly used as a verb to describe chattering, chirping short bursts of sounds like that which a bird makes. But now it more commonly is used as a noun to describe the microblog that currently is populated with the most people. There are other microblogs - Yammer for one - but it makes sense to be where the most can see. Essentially, microblogs are exactly what the name implies: small blogs. Social networking sites may contain microblogs - Facebook's status updates, for instance.

Essentially, after getting a Twitter account -- visit Twitter.com and click "Get started - Join!" to sign up -- users can broadcast messages to "followers" limited to 140 characters. What the messages contain, of course, varies user to user. Much is made about the less creative, more mundane messages some people send out announcing that they need coffee, are tired today or are stuck in traffic on College Ave. Sure, this is annoying and a waste of everyone's time. Users can suppress such banal messages for exactly this reason.

But tweeting has its benefits. San Francisco is considering using it as an instant way to broadcast earthquake warnings to phones and desktops across the city. This immediacy also makes it useful for news outlets. The Greeley Tribune tweeted the verdict in the Angie Zapata murder case as it was happening, arguably before anyone else. And Twitter also offers a host of marketing opportunities.

Odell Brewing Co. has been using Twitter in a really interesting way. They are working on a TwitterBrew beer and marketing it on Twitter before it's even been bottled. Followers of Odell's - totaling 974 as I write - are polled about beer characteristics like style and alcohol by volume, deciding what the beer will become over Twitter. It's this kind of dialoguing with clients and customers that exemplifies Twitter marketing at its best.

Twitter can work to reinforce a brand and reach customers, but like the person stuck in traffic, organizations need to be thoughtful with content. Tweeting too much is annoying; tweeting too little means you're off the radar. It's permissible to make announcements regarding a product or service, but mix it up with more fun tweets as well. No one wants to sign on to be spammed over Twitter. Also, be sure to follow your followers; it's just polite. And don't tweet without a profile picture.

One important thing to note is that Twitter, the site itself, is not the best platform from which to tweet. It's slow and simple. Twitter is an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed. RSS eliminates the need to visit multiple blogs, micro- or otherwise, by congregating the ones you like onto a platform like Google reader. RSS is also helpful for featuring another blog's content on your site. For a Twitter RSS feed reader, we like Adobe AIR's free TweetDeck.com. This software allows users to better manage tweets as well as consolidate with Facebook's status update.

Like all social media, and all marketing, the idea for using it is to direct people to an action. Be sure to have a clear way for readers to act on your website, and use a TinyURL in your tweets to direct them there. Otherwise, you're tweeting for no good reason.

As with most marketing tools, it often makes sense to consider hiring a professional experienced with maximizing the benefits of the tool to help you. This can be as simple as a setup or as complex as providing ongoing content. And as always, A-Train Marketing is available to help. Just ask.