communikate

How to outsmart a retail giant

News last week that David Jones publicist Kristy Fraser-Kirk has filed a record $37 million sexual misconduct claim in the Federal court is so far a textbook example of how to win a case in the court of public opinion.

When high profile David Jones CEO Mark McInnes unexpectedly resigned in June after admitting to inappropriate behaviour, the media focused on his spectacular fall from grace and how the retailer had moved swiftly to minimise damage to its brand.

Within 24 hours, Ms Fraser-Kirk moved from being behind the news to in it when she was identified as the “blonde publicist” at the centre of the allegations who was “often seen escorting David Jones ambassadors Gai Waterhouse and Megan Gale”. Photos were flashed across newspapers, television and online of a glamorously dressed, fun-loving and attractive young woman in her role as escort to David Jones’ most recognisable faces (now ironically replaced by Mark McInnes himself).

Until last Monday, August 2, Ms Fraser-Kirk had shunned the media to work on her case with her legal team. Given the likelihood of an out-of-court settlement, Ms Fraser-Kirk may never have the chance to take the witness stand and tell her story.

So the only avenue open to her was to use the tools of her trade to make one carefully worded public statement that outlined her case and cast her as a champion for women. Interestingly it is women who make up the majority of David Jones’ staff and customers. As her claim was filed in court, Ms Fraser-Kirk turned the tables on the retailer and Mark McInnes, presenting herself as a strong, intelligent and articulate young woman – the David pitted against David Jones’ Goliath.

With her parents by her side, Ms Fraser-Kirk fronted the media scrum dressed in sombre grey pants, lacklustre shirt and jumper with plain hair and minimal make up – far from the glamorous look bandied around in the media when the news first broke. In front of what looked to be her modest family home, she announced that her case was about being “treated with respect”. 

To demonstrate her point, she promised that if she wins, the damages will be donated to a charity to help victims of sexual harassment and bullying, putting to bed any speculation that she’s doing it for the financial gain it’s likely to reap. She’s also set up a confidential hotline where other David Jones employees can come forward with any complaints – despite the retailer having already establishing its own service for staff.

Even the formula used to arrive at the record $37 million damages claim - five per cent of the retailer’s profits during Mark McInnes’ tenure as CEO, as well as five per cent of his salary - reinforce the David v Goliath theme.

It’s also no coincidence that her statement was made the day before one of the biggest events on David Jones’ publicity calendar– the launch of its spring/summer fashion collection for 2010/2011. The claim was front page news that left David Jones scrambling and off-message on what should have been one of its biggest publicity events for the year.

Plans to put David Jones staff forward for interview were changed at the last minute. Instead business partners, otherwise known as fashion designers, were asked to speak on the retailer’s behalf, prompting woman-spurned Alannah Hill to further add to the retailer’s woes. She now has a PR battle on her own hands, with one solution to have a ‘Sorry Sale’ with all proceeds going to the White Ribbon Foundation, which supports victims of domestic violence.

Right now, the court of public opinion is favouring the controlled Kristy Fraser-Kirk, leaving David Jones – and all the resources at its disposal – scrambling to fight back. Ultimately though, time will tell whether the women who shop at David Jones will show their support for Ms Fraser-Kirk by shopping elsewhere in this tough retail climate.

What will you do?

- Vicki Cirillo, Account Manager

The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the author and does not represent the view or opinion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.

Spinning lies and telling porky pies

So Tony Abbott admitted that “in the heat of the moment” he says things that aren’t always completely true - wow, a politician that lies, that’s not exactly new news, so why did it attract such a shocked response?

Certainly he didn’t make it any better by saying that unless it is a considered, carefully prepared and scripted remark then no one can take his comments as “gospel truth”. Unfortunately his timing couldn’t be any worse, with research from America released on the same day stating that kids who tell white lies from an early age are more likely to become high achievers and are more likely to land a job as an executive, banker or as a political leader. How ironic.

But at the end of the day it comes down to trust. Nobody likes to think they’re being deceived, but nobody wants to feel as though they are being spun a meaningless line either.

So what about PR then? Isn’t it all about spinning the truth? Well actually, no, it’s not. Any PR practitioner worth their weight would never endorse lying to the media, or in fact to any stakeholders. But it is about balancing on a very fine line. 

Good PR should work hand in hand with media and stakeholders ensuring that everyone gets the information they need while ensuring the organisation’s communication needs and objectives are met. Yes, you should always be transparent but rather than giving the warts and all version, be selective about what you say. The same way that you wouldn’t divulge your medical history to the GP’s secretary, when you really should be telling your doctor, considering your audience and the messaging that is most relevant to them is vital.

Everyone at one time or another is faced with a question they don’t know the answer to or would prefer not to answer, which is exactly why it’s so important to be prepared. An investment in media training can help you develop the skills and expertise to communicate effectively and confidently.

Proactively developing communications strategy with a professional can also help you navigate the obstacles and ensure that you communicate effectively with the people that are important to you and your organisation, both now and in the future.

As Tony Abbott proves, if you lie you’ll be caught out – don’t get caught in the trap.

- Briar Standing, Consultant

The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the author and does not represent the view or opinion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.

Confessions of a Virgo

For those of you who don’t know, apparently we Virgos are a little bit… how do you say it… particular! There are a couple of other words that have been bandied around at times, but best I don’t share those. Generally speaking, we’re an organised bunch who like things a certain way and get a little frustrated when it’s not, well, perfect!

One thing that gets me every time is the misuse - or more like abuse - of the English language and punctuation in advertisements. Again, I admit I’m not squeaky clean on all things grammar and punctuation, but when it comes to apostrophes and the rules on singular and plural I definitely know when it’s not right.

Those rather annoying “Whats new” (sic) TV commercials are just one constant reminder. And no, that’s not a typo on my behalf. Maybe I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt since it’s been going on so long and assume that it’s a ‘style’ thing. Why? I have no idea, but it begs the question, why hasn’t anyone picked it up?

Spelling is another bugbear of mine. One would think a retailer specialising in jewellery would know how to spell that very word. Apparently not. A new retailer promoting its soon-to-be-opened jewellery store in the Myer Centre splashed the words “exciting new jewllery (sic) store opening soon” across a large window area fronting Rundle Mall. Sack the signwriter or the person who approved that signage!

The Stag Hotel is another who has missed the punctuation boat, using your instead of you’re on its prominent Rundle Street balcony banner - and they have even recognised it and fixed it with a bit of masking tape - which only highlights it further.

And finally, some advertising agencies might want to pull up their socks too. The number of times I hear that mega chain, Target, are having a massive sale instead of Target is, drives me mad.

I enjoy bearing witness to the creative juices that flow from advertising agencies and love seeing how one small concept or idea can be turned into an advertising masterpiece - but it’s imperative to get the copy right to go with the pretty pictures. It’s such a simple thing but it happens time and time again. 

That’s me done. Now if you pick up any mistakes in this blog – keep it to yourselves!

- Rebecca Tape, Account Manager

The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the auther and does not represent the view or opinion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.

A load worth sharing

Following many years of coordinating other people’s weddings, I recently had the challenge of organising my own.

In the beginning, I refused offers of help, but as the months galloped away it dawned on me that family and friends weren’t just offering their help to be nice, they too wanted to play a part in the wedding ‘production’. They wanted to feel needed and above all, involved.

Events can be a daunting beast, but by delegating roles and sharing the load, the pressure mounting on your shoulders dissipates.

Events can weigh heavily on resources – certainly time and money – so be sure that if you’re throwing an event, no matter what shape or form, that you’re doing it for the right reasons and the right outcome. 

Here’s some handy tips to ensure your next event is a hit:

•    Ask yourself, your colleagues and/or clients what the purpose of the event is and the overall objective. Ensure everyone involved is aware of the end goal and that all aspects will help you achieve this. If you want it to be truly memorable, be prepared to put a fair amount of effort in.

•    Themes are important in providing direction for elements across the board, including invitations, decorations, entertainment, speeches, catering and so forth. Try to avoid falling into the trap of clichés – aim for unique and memorable.

•    Planning and preparation are paramount to the success of your event. The more time you give yourself, the better prepared you will be, however sometimes time can be a luxury. Regardless of how much time you have up your sleeve, putting together a detailed production schedule outlining tasks, deadlines and responsibilities will put you in good stead. Also have a contingency plan in place, particularly around weather conditions if it’s an outside venue.

•    Surround yourself with good people – not only your events team, but suppliers also. All elements are incredibly important such as catering, entertainment, venue etc, and can speak volumes about you, your organisation or client if you’re acting on their behalf. You’ll be spending a lot of time with these people so make sure they share similar values, work ethics and reflect your level of professionalism.

•    Delegation is the key! There’s no need for you to think like a superhero and take everything on yourself. People respond better when they have a sense of ownership and responsibility.

•    Finally - and most importantly - enjoy yourself! If you’re having a good time it will rub off on others.

Happy planning!

Alex Ruffin, Senior Consultant

'Photoshopped' versus reality

Every now and then magazines will do something out of the ordinary to shock the public, whether in a bid to boost readership or simply to publicise an organisation or cause.

Most recently Marie Claire was scrutinised as to why it chose to put model and former Miss Universe, Jennifer Hawkins, nude – without any airbrushing or enhancement - on its February cover as a way of celebrating the female body. The magazine stated a framed copy of the image would be auctioned off with proceeds going to The Butterfly Foundation, which provides support for Australians with eating disorders and negative body image issues.

Personally I think this is a small step forward in promoting the use of untouched images of models and celebrities in magazines, but was Marie Claire’s choice to use Jen the right one? Is she really someone who’s going to make me feel proud and confident about my body? After all, she is a lingerie model who gets paid to wear next-to-nothing in advertising campaigns and keep her body in shape.

Yes, the magazine wants to promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, but I wonder if the everyday woman relates to Jennifer.

We buy magazines and aspire to recreate what we see in them in our own lives, so do we actually want to see more real women in magazines or do we like the edited versions?

Research shows that exposure to the images of wafer thin and airbrushed models can be linked to depression and loss of self-esteem. With that in mind, we have someone like supermodel Kate Moss causing outrage last year by revealing that she lives by the motto “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. Imagine the impact this would have had on impressionable young girls across the world, who are already feeling vulnerable.  This shocking statement would have surely become the mantra for some of these teens in their unhealthy pursuit for an unrealistic thinness. 

An untouched fashion magazine cover is certainly a step in the right direction in raising awareness of what is real, but choosing an Australian icon like Hawkins who only has minor dimpling on her thighs and a crease on her waist isn't exactly groundbreaking. Yes, Jennifer Hawkins equals sales but is she REALity?

- Natasha Cicchiello - Frontline Operations & Team Support

The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the author and does not represent the view or opinion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.

Social media climate change

Sold your car on Facebook? Found a job through Twitter? Social media has become so much more than just a platform for friends to chat or share photos, and more and more marketers are tapping into the power of people’s online networks to spruik their products.

Some brands seem to think that advertising on Facebook or (sometimes rather lame) status updates or tweets cover all there is to social media. But let’s be honest, who is really going to like a brand more because they updated their Facebook status? This activity alone will hardly be a talking point, at least not for the right reasons, if a recent post by Coca Cola is anything to go by: “Open a Coca Cola, open happiness”. Made me want to get up and buy a Coke - not.

Half-hearted and blatant attempts like that aside, there are other organisations that come up with some great campaigns that engage people and really give them something to talk about.

In the UK, chewing gum brand, Trident Unwrapped, invited 300 adults to play musical chairs in a busy London shopping centre to win Beyoncé tickets. Not only did it generate a memorable experience for participants, a funny scene for shoppers and plenty of word-of-mouth, it gained more than 50,000 views on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o9wB8e6BP4              

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) used Facebook to encourage people to travel spontaneously despite the tough economic times. Players spin the “Globe of Fortune” which randomly selects a destination somewhere in the world, and one of their Facebook friends to travel with. Players get 10 spins to find the best combination, and then have a shot at winning that trip for two.

But it’s not just the big brands that use social media to engage with their target markets. Not-for-profits are already using social media to reach a massive audience very quickly – and for free!

Instead of relying on the world leaders to save the planet from global warming at the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, some creative minds took matters into their own hands and created a climate change campaign for everyone – Hopenhagen.

Using Facebook, supporters become citizens of Hopenhagen, get a passport and collect stamps on Facebook for green deeds and suggesting new ‘citizens'. So far the movement has already attracted more than 1,700,000 people worldwide, almost 35,000 fans on Facebook, and all green deeds by Hopenhagen citizens are shared on the website (such as number of car pool trips taken and disposable cups saved).
Engaging? Absolutely!

Many organisations haven’t yet grasped the fact that social media is all about interaction, rather than just blurting out another message. But campaigns such as the Musical Chairs and Hopenhagen show that there is hope to change the climate of marketing through social media.

If you've come across some other creative and memorable social media campaigns, share them with us and post the link below - we're always keen to see what's out there!

- Silvia Knoppien, Consultant

The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the author and does not represent the view or opinion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.

Wayne Carey = Groundhog Day!

I feel like I have been living Groundhog Day lately… Former AFL footballer, Wayne Carey, tells-all AGAIN! The latest spurt of publicity from the Carey stable is all in the aid of publicising his autobiography The Truth Hurts.

Come on! How many times do we need to hear how sorry he is for the all the stuff-ups he has made and that he is trying to face his demons and repent his sins? Now don’t get me wrong, I am all for giving someone a second chance, but how many chances should this guy really get?

 The Adelaide Advertiser obviously thought the Carey story was newsworthy – splashing him on the paper’s front cover on both Friday (22 October – this was a new low-point for Carey where he used his innocent daughter in a photo shoot for his sob story) and again the very next day (front page of the newspaper, as well as its flagship weekend magazine, SA Weekend).

I can see how the powers-that-be at the ‘Tiser and various other media outlets around the nation came to the decision to run the story – it ticks numerous boxes when it comes to deciding the newsworthiness of a story:

Timeliness – tick – he is releasing his tell-all autobiography.
Prominence – tick – he is an ex-Aussie Rules footballer, need I say more?
Proximity – tick – Australian lad and had particular interest to Adelaide, Melbourne and Gold Coast media especially after living in each of these locations.
Conflict – double tick – this story is full of it (sex, drugs and scandal).
Unusual – tick – or is it? Isn’t it just another elite sportsperson trying to make a buck from airing their dirty laundry?
Impact – no tick here – this really does not impact on our lives – only people’s voyeuristic urges to know all the sordid details of one individual’s life.

But the question is - do we, the public, really care about Carey and do we feel any empathy for him? Is it old news and should be left alone for (a) the sake of all the people being affected by Carey dragging up the past again and (b) the sanity of people like me who just don’t care about Carey’s confessions?

I think last Saturday’s SA Weekend Letter of the Week summed it up nicely:

I couldn’t have said it better myself Sally!

But one could say I am the hypocrite as I have just given him more airtime by writing this blog….

- Alison Michell, Account Manager

The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the author and does not represent the view or opinion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.

Social media - everybody's doing it!

Over half of Fortune 100 companies are doing it. The top 100 global brands are improving their bottom line because of it. You’re engaged with it right now.

Social media – it’s not a new concept, nor is it likely go away any time soon, and yet it still remains a largely misunderstood and poorly utilised communication tool by so many organisations (See Social media used “badly”).

The reality is though, at some point or another (please, sooner rather than later) social media will become a part of your organisation’s regular communications activity.

You may decide to tweet, or befriend Facebook fans, or perhaps blog to the masses. Regardless of how you set about engaging with your target market through social media (and your approach should be targeted), there are a few basic steps to follow, to ensure mindless tweeting doesn’t expose you as a twit...

1. Evaluate the resources required

Social media requires constant interaction, and must be resourced accordingly. The ‘real time’ nature of social media means that yesterday’s news comes around quicker than ever, and content should be constantly refreshed if you’re to effectively and meaningfully engage with fans and followers.

2. Establish business goals and develop a strategy

As with any new business activity, you need to be clear on what you want to get out of social media engagement. Are you seeking feedback - providing customers an opportunity to tell you what they think of you? Do you want to grow awareness of something - using social media to share and spread your message?

Define your goals clearly and develop a strategy that is structured – yet flexible enough - to help you achieve them.

3. Use tools to eliminate the time-wasting

The amount of information that’s out there in the social media world is mind-blowing. Trawling unaided through Tweets, Facebook pages, YouTube clips, blogs and more, is going to chew up more time than you likely have. There are a plethora of tools (mostly free) to help you identify, sort and manage the information likely of interest to you. Some of the basic but ‘goodies’ include JournoTwit, TweetDeck, Shrook (for Mac), Seesmic and Google Alerts.

So with these tips in mind ... get planning and take the social media plunge. Everybody's doing it!

-Kate Rayson, Consultant

The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the author and does not represent the view or opinion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.