Month: June 2024

The Importance of Media Training

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The Importance of Media Training

June 6, 2024
Matthew Swope, Public Relations Director

Media Training is a specialized communications program designed to help a company’s spokesperson learn how to most effectively and impactfully interact with media. The ability to speak to media in a productive manner is not a skill that should be reserved for crisis communications. On the contrary, organizations that enable their spokespersons and executive leadership to develop media interview skills before media interview opportunities arise are more likely to successfully reach target audiences with core brand messaging.

As traditional media coverage still plays a significant role in influencing corporate reputation, shaping stakeholder perception, and impacting the bottom line, brands understand that the ability to effectively represent themselves is a non-negotiable in today’s competitive media landscape. While social media continues to aggressively compete with print, online and broadcast mediums as news sources, it should also be noted that traditional media interviews are still coveted opportunities to deliver targeted messages.

It should never be assumed that a spokesperson understands the nuances of a media interview just because he or she is well versed in their company’s key messages. Only with practice can one truly become comfortable with interacting with media in a way that is productive, positive and memorable. The purpose of Media Training is to help a company’s spokesperson learn how to develop compelling key messages, deliver sound bites and stay on message during a media interview.

Media Training should never follow a one-size-fits-all approach, but instead should be tailored to the company’s and the individual’s needs. A customized approach will enable a spokesperson to specifically apply the fundamentals of media relations to their company’s priorities, ensuring that they get the most out of any training. Social media trends as well as reputational risks associated with social media, should also be addressed.

Typically, Media Training will include the following with variations depending on the trainer and spokesperson’s priorities:

• Overview of the types of media, journalists, and method of communication for each
• Message development as well as non-verbal and verbal message delivery
• Instructions on how to control the narrative, including transitions and amid awkward silences
• Education on the most current media practices, e.g. Nothing is “off the record” and how to appropriately apply “On Background”
• Guidance on how to develop and deliver succinct language that can be distilled down into impactful sound bites
• List of helpful “Dos” and “Don’ts” to use when talking to reporters
• Step-by-step instruction for Zoom, Skype or other virtual meeting forums
• Appearance, including hair, make-up and wardrobe tips

Quality Media Training should create a supportive working environment that allows for constructive feedback while building confidence. There should be an understanding between trainer or coach and spokespersons that a savvy media relations expert doesn’t happen overnight. The adage “practice makes perfect” holds true for the learned skill that is mastering a media interview.

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4 Reasons Why Good PR Takes Time

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4 Reasons Why Good PR Takes Time

June 6, 2024
Stephanie Ceccarelli, VP Public Relations

We live in a world obsessed with instant gratification. Fast food. Fast transportation. Quick fixes and expectations to be entertained with a tap of the finger. It shouldn’t be surprising then for a brand or business to presume that overnight success is standard practice in PR. It certainly can be, but here at MassMedia we counsel our clients to think critically when it comes to their long-term marketing strategy. A quick press hit or two – even with big media outlets – won’t necessarily translate to a jump in sales, much less increased overall brand recognition or trust.

Renown billionaire, Warren Buffet says it takes 20 years to build a reputation. Creating true credibility which has a lasting and positive impact on a business, or a personality is a long-term investment to build relationships and build trust. Effective results don’t happen overnight. It takes patience and commitment, for example, to see feature stories in outlets like Forbes or The Wall Street Journal by writers and editors that would now have confidence enough in the brand or personality to maintain a productive relationship that may include additional features or expert sourcing down the line.

Here are four reasons why a long-term approach to PR can help you achieve the meaningful results required to take your business to the next level:

1. Effective PR Requires a Solid Foundation – Far too often companies quit PR too soon. They expect their brand to be taken to new heights with a couple of phone calls when the reality is PR reps should be laying solid groundwork before achieving the desired tangible results. For example, you should make sure that your PR agency has a strategy, including target media, that you’ve approved. Good PR takes time. It takes at least three to six months to see the beginnings of your desired results.

2. Short-Term PR Eliminates Quality Long-Lead Coverage – Many of the top-tier print media outlets that may be on your target list are long lead and therefore plan their issues months in advance. For example, the October issue is being developed in May or June. To give up on PR too quickly means that you may not benefit from the fruits of your agency’s efforts.

3. Project Work Does Not Result in Long-Term Success – Many brands hire a PR agency solely for a specific initiative or announcement. This approach to PR doesn’t necessarily translate to long-term success, as by the time your agency’s team has immersed itself in your business enough to effectively represent you to media, the project is nearly wrapped. Oftentimes, reporters will reach out to PR reps expressing interest in the initial pitch, but a story never happens as the project has ended.

4. PR is About Relationships Which Take Time to Cultivate and Nurture For Your Benefit – Although the agency you’ve hired may have strong existing media relationships, the news cycle is now so cluttered that even your closest media contact will typically require some lead time to find proper placement of your story. Depending on your media targets, some journalists may already have stories slated for several weeks, if not months out. Shorter-lead media may be able to move quicker, but they are still at the mercy of the news cycle and if you find yourself in a particularly hectic news time, you’ll have to wait for a calm moment to see your story placed.

Contact us today to learn more about how to effectively generate meaningful PR for your business!

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The Resurgence of Out of Home Advertising

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The Resurgence of Out of Home Advertising

June 6, 2024
Lisa Montague, Partner/VP of Media

As the year progresses, and more and more cities and states begin lifting restrictions, we will undoubtedly see more and more people eager to take advantage of these new lenient measures and get out of the house to start experiencing life as it once was.

The lockdown forced us to alter and adapt our behavior. For over a year, people have been mostly confined within the walls of their homes, staring at screens for both work and downtime. From video meetings to FaceTime and television to online workouts, it’s how we have been conducting business, communicating with family and friends, and keeping busy. The quick and swift change to our daily lives sent some mediums skyrocketing at an unforeseen pace while others saw the biggest decline they have ever experienced.

A rapid pace of change among the media landscape has always been a driving force that encourages creative thinking, new applications, testing and a constant state of learning. And for digital, its exponential growth was only amplified by the pandemic, with major behavioral and economic shifts continuously happening every day.
But if media and the rise of digital has taught us anything, it has been to be nimble, have a learning agenda and be a student of the consumer — and we’re putting those principles to work now more than ever.

From One Extreme…

We are now reaching a point of “screen overload” among people universally. According to Media Brew reporting, streaming services are already seeing significant drops in subscriber growth saying, “Now that people are dusting off their hard pants and Hinge profiles, streaming numbers are expected to slip.” Recent data tells us that consumers are experiencing unprecedented levels of screen fatigue, with 75% saying, “I spend so much time looking at a computer, mobile device and TV screen, that I often tune out digital ads.”

Feeling the effects of cabin fever, compounded by screen overload, has led consumers more anxious than ever to escape the confines of their homes. Even before the loosened restrictions, we saw a drastic increase in consumers living their lives outdoors — dining outside, taking fitness classes outside, and engaging in more walking and biking than ever before.

Going outdoors has served as a much-needed respite from staring at a screen all day. It has provided a renewed appreciation and heightened awareness for surroundings outside of the home. As of January 2021, 55% of consumers in large cities reported noticing out-of-home advertising more than they did before the pandemic. The numbers were even higher in the fall of 2020.

The consistent data points to this being the “right moment” for outdoors as the optimal medium to reach consumers, bolstering its already-high value proposition. As the year continues and we see more and more businesses reopening and capacity limits increasing, we can expect a surge in traffic (vehicular and foot traffic). Overly excited to make up for lost times, consumers are sure to be flooding the streets in droves, which translates to an upswing in impressions for OOH advertising.

Don’t Call It A Comeback

MediaPost.com reports, today, OOH advertising is more powerful than ever — taking center stage with key audiences during this time of revitalization. But OOH ads have always been one of the purest forms of communication that can transform businesses and impact society. A poster, whether on a billboard or a kiosk or on public transit, is a creative canvas that calls for distillation as well as memorable copy and design. With a broad reach, it has the power to create visual drama and results in maximum meaning using minimum means, making it one of the most effective forms of advertising. Interested in kicking off your Out of Home campaign or learning more about how we can help market your business? Contact us today!

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Do I Really Need an Account Manager for Creative Projects?

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Do I Really Need an Account Manager for Creative Projects?

June 6, 2024
Brooke Snelling, Partner

This is a question that is sometimes posed to our Accounts Department by clients and the answer is always, “Absolutely!” Clients may view an accounts person as someone who is not actually creating the end product, but whose time they have to pay for to act as a liaison between the client and creative team. They may ask themselves, “Why not just get rid of the middleman and work directly with the graphic designer myself?”

Even though an Account Manager is not producing the creative asset per se, they are contributing to the project and assisting the creative team to ensure it exceeds client expectations by providing invaluable insight, guidance, and service. Hence, they should be thought of as more than just a liaison and point person for the client. So, while working with a talented and experienced designer is obviously an important component of a creative project, the role of an Account Manager should not be undervalued either.

Read on for more information about why working with an agency that delivers strong account management is vital to the success of any creative project.

Account Managers Specialize in Client Services & Interpersonal Communication
More than any other specialty, Account Managers are especially skilled in the art of providing exceptional client services. This involves taking the time to form and foster great relationships with clients that goes beyond just the work.

The account manager serves as trusted ally for the client and a constant presence on every project. They are there to make certain that the client’s strategy and goals are driving all the work the creative team is producing and ensure client expectations are exceeded.

Account Managers have also mastered essential interpersonal skills needed when working with clients on creative projects. An accounts person knows how to draw important information out of a client by asking the right questions, listening carefully, probing for answers, and even picking up on inconspicuous cues. This all helps the creative team produce work that is not only stellar, but is an ideal fit for the client.

Account Managers Serve as a Resource for Everything Client-Related
A creative’s primary focus should be on brainstorming innovative ideas and creating inspiring work that accurately reflects a company’s brand, engages the target audience, and assists to accomplish a goal.

Producing this type of work demands a creative’s full dedication, time, and attention and they should not be preoccupied with conducting necessary background research and sifting through comprehensive documents to help them understand a client’s business, its industry, and the competitive landscape. This will only chip away at the time they need to focus on the task at hand. And while it is important for the designer to have a strong understanding of the client, he or she should not be the one pulling the research and spending an abundance of time reviewing a considerable amount of information.

Additionally, creatives are usually juggling various assets for multiple clients, and it can be hard for them to remember and keep track of the details for every campaign (including goals, target audience, etc.) as well as the specific nuances about the client themselves, including their idiosyncrasies, specific preferences, likes and dislikes.

So, it’s the Accounts team (and a strong creative brief) to the rescue! No one at an agency will know more about a client than its Account Manager – especially if he or she has been on the account for several years. It’s the Account Manager’s responsibility to live the client’s brand, know the ins-and-outs of the company and speak the industry language.

A great Account Manager will also know the client’s campaign through and through and be well-aware of client nuances. The accounts person is there to make sure creative assets don’t include a Verdana font because they know the client absolutely hates that type of font or that the creative doesn’t include a look and feel that the competitor has already done.

Through their deep understanding of the client’s business and campaign, as well as the client themselves, the accounts person does the legwork and provides a concisely summarized creative brief with the most relevant and important information to the designer, allowing him or her to quickly review and easily learn more about or refamiliarize themselves on the client or campaign. Having a strong creative brief allows the creative team to develop work that is on point the first time around resulting in little to no revisions.

Account Managers Serve as the Client’s Representative and Advocate
Another way to think of an Account Manager is as the client’s representative, as they are the first line of feedback before the creative is shown to the client. Account Managers make a point to view the work from the client’s perspective. They vet the creative and identify red flags before it gets to the client. A great Account Manager knows their client’s style and will instantly recognize work that will impress them and work they will be unmoved by. Additionally, the accounts person ensures that the creative aligns with the campaign strategy and will resonate with the target audience.

Furthermore, an accounts person is a client’s main advocate. They work to ensure the creative team is always putting their best foot forward and does not become complacent or sloppy with their work. They make certain clients are presented with viable creative options that will make a difference for their brand by pushing the team to produce remarkable work that drives results.

Account Managers Act as a High-Level Intermediary
Account Managers help creatives save time by acting as an intermediary between the client and the creative team. Creatives are usually extremely busy focusing on producing compelling work, which as we established earlier, takes a substantial amount of effort, and they are not always accessible. On the flip side, when it comes to account managers, it is their job to be as accessible as possible.

Just like they speak the client’s language, Account Managers also speak creative’s language and can effectively explain design terms and jargon to clients in layman terms. Things like knowing what printing crops and bleeds are and knowing the difference between PMS and CMYK.

An accounts person also helps to streamline revisions; however, they do more than just take feedback and relay them over to the designer. Account Managers also asks thoughtful questions that allow them to get to the bottom of revisions and address any issues at the core whether than just at a surface level. For an agency with a robust creative and accounts team, look no further than MassMedia. Our creative team’s design expertise combined with our accounts team’s fantastic client services will result in great, effective work. Contact us for more information!

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The Benefits and Best Practices for Radio Advertising

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The Benefits and Best Practices for Radio Advertising

June 6, 2024
Lisa Montague, Partner / VP of Media & Operations

These days, when it comes to advertising, many brands are zeroing in on the big three mediums – TV, digital and print – leaving radio by the wayside with the incorrect assumption that this outlet is fading into obscurity. In fact, I’ve even seen radio referred to as the red-headed stepchild of the advertising industry(!) Despite these dismissive views, radio is still found to be one of the most popular mediums around – just check out the following statistics*:

• Every week, close to 92% of the total American population are tuning into the radio. The majority of those who love to listen to the radio are people who drive and stay at home.
• Every day, around 59% of the total American population is listening to a radio program.
• 25% of those listening to radio advertisements are buying the product advertised after hearing it from the radio.

Keep reading on for the benefits of radio ads, helpful information you should know before running radio ads, and details about other forms of radio advertising.

Advantages of Running Radio Ads
• Cost-Effective: Radio advertising is cost-effective especially when compared to other forms of advertising such as television and print. Because repetition is important to advertising, the low cost allows you to run multiple ads — which is especially beneficial for igniting brand recall and driving action.
• Selective Targeting: Reps from radio stations offer listener profiles that include a breakdown of the demographic groups and market segments for the station’s specific shows and dayparts.
• More Memorable: Radio advertisements can sometimes be more memorable compared to print or even TV ads. Believe it or not, according to researchers, sound can be stored effectively inside memory for longer than visuals. This is why some companies create a catchy jingle that you will hear more than just a few times and never forget.
• Easier to Produce and Less Costly: When creating a television ad, the time frame required to produce the ad can span weeks or even months. However, when it comes to radio, brands only have to worry about the audio and not the visual, so a radio ad can be produced relatively quicker and for much less money.

Tips for Effectively Running Radio Ads
• Create an Engaging and Enduring Ad – Unlike television which has the advantage of sight and sound, radio is limited to sound, so advertisers need to think outside of the box and get very creative to produce an unforgettable ad that piques a listener’s imagination so they can create the visual in their minds. Make sure you include a clear call-to-action with a tagline, phone number, website or offer and repeat it several times.

• Know Your Target Market – As with any advertising, knowing your target market is paramount and will help you identify the right station to go with. For example, talk radio has been established as the best way to reach a 65+ audience. If you’re trying to target a much younger audience of adults 18-24, then Top 40, Alternative, and Urban stations are likely the way to go. 35-44? Rock and Adult Contemporary may be your best bet.

• Determine the Best Times to Advertise – The times during the day in which stations offer ad space is broken into “dayparts.” There’s morning and afternoon drive times, as well as nighttime and late night. Different dayparts usually capture different audience groups. For example, a rock station might play music that appeals to younger listeners late at night, but more classic rock in the morning when older listeners are likely to be driving to work.

• Keep in Mind, Frequency is Key – To be effective, radio ads require repetition or frequency. For best results, run your ad multiple times per day per station. However, be sure to run it during the same daypart every day, so the same audience is likely to hear it over and over.

Listeners need to hear a radio ad multiple times before it sinks in with them — running it once a week for a month won’t cut it. In fact, it generally takes at least three exposures before the audience will even notice and internalize your ad, additional exposures for brand recall to occur and even more exposures for the audience to act on the message. With that said, experts recommend that you allow at least three to six months before you expect to see an impact.

• Be Sure to Track Your Results – To assess how effective your ads are, implement a tracking system such as using a unique phone number or website address that can only be attributed to the radio ad itself. For example, you can create a specific website landing page or ask listeners to mention the radio station for a special discount.

Other Forms of Radio Advertising
While traditionally produced spots are the most popular types of radio advertising, stations also offer other ways to reach your audience.

• Sponsorships – Sponsorships are usually inserted in segments within a show. For example, the announcer or on-air personality will tell the listeners that a certain company sponsored a segment. This type of advertising is usually used for branding purposes and can help increase name recognition.
• Onsite Broadcasting Events – Otherwise known as live radio remotes, these involve popular on-air personalities broadcasting live from an event to entice the general public to come out to the event as well. These aren’t just a great way to advertise, but they’re also great attractions for events.

Interested in trying your hand at radio advertising? MassMedia is here to get you out there. Contact us for more information on how we can serve as your media buying partner.

*Nielsen 2019: The Steady Reach of Radio: Winning Consumer Attention

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5 Video Trends to Watch in 2023

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5 Video Trends to Watch in 2023

June 6, 2024
MassMedia

There’s no denying that we love videos. Videos of adorable puppies, funny pranks, food recipes, fitness exercises, product reviews, or travel vlogs – you name it, we love it!

And when it comes to social media marketing, this still rings true. Recent data shows that video content is one of the most influential forms of marketing out there. A 2020 study by Wyzowl reported that people share videos at twice the rate than any other form of content. It also found that 84% of people were convinced to buy a product or service based on the brand’s video.

With audiences consuming more and more video content, it is critical for brands to capitalize on this emerging medium and understand where the future of video is going. Whether you’re a digital marketer, content creator, or business owner, here are the top video trends to watch for in 2021-2023:

#1 Silent Video & Captions Gain Momentum
It’s estimated that 85% of short videos viewed on Facebook are watched without sound. As users view more content on the go, this accessibility is becoming increasingly important. Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, are all starting to embrace and offer audio transcription features. We can expect to see more video marketers using captions and other “no-audio” tactics to provide a more user-friendly experience for viewers.

Fun fact: Captioning your videos is also helpful for search engine ranking and visibility. When uploading a video, the captions are indexed and used for keywords, which make the video more searchable on search engines.

#2 Social Media Goes Video-First
Video on social media is having a major moment right now. In a recent Instagram Live, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri shared that video is “driving an immense amount of growth online for all major platforms” and stated that video will be a key focus area for Instagram over the coming months.

The takeaway: If you want to grow online, it’s time to start creating video content. By 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic — 15 times higher than it was in 2017.

Prioritizing video content and testing different video formats across YouTube Watch, Shorts, TikTok, Reels, IGTV, and Snapchat will be critical to stay ahead of the game.

You can also expect to see more and more brands exploring ways to convert static pieces of content, like photos, into compelling video animations using tools like Adobe’s After Effects, Canva, Moovly, Mojo, or Animaker.

#3 Short-Form Video Dominates
The growth of social media is causing the human attention span to become shorter and shorter, so leveraging the power of short-form content will give you a leg up on your competition and help engage your audience. TikTok is the leading platform of today’s short-form video movement, along with YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Snapchat.

Aside from length, one thing that sets short-form videos apart is the trend culture. TikTok, for instance, is run by dances, sounds and social challenges. So, to get on the “For You” page on TikTok — which is equal to the “Explore” page on Instagram — brands must often join in on the fun.

You can expect to see companies take on a more authentic/human approach to video marketing and leveraging short-form video content to engage, educate, and inspire consumers.

#4 User-Generated Content is on the Rise
User generated content and advocacy marketing can provide the one-two punch your marketing strategy needs to succeed in 2021 and beyond. More than 86% of businesses are utilizing UGC as part of their marketing strategy and 75% of brands feel that adding UGC to their marketing mix makes their brand content more authentic.

Not only do user-generated videos provide more value in terms of authenticity, they also drive higher engagement! Videos created by (and featuring) users get 10x more views on YouTube than content created by brands.

In conclusion, UGC works! Whether it’s employees taking selfies at work, running an influencer campaign, or happy customers sharing their love for your product in a short video, UGC is a powerful medium for driving consideration, awareness, and sales.

#5 Brand Building through Social Video Marketing
Video is one of the most effective ways to transmit information. Viewers retain 95% of a message presented to them in the video as compared to 10% when reading text. And for marketers trying to optimize for ROI, videos have long proven to be effective. Branded video campaigns can promote brand awareness and recognition while also helping define what your brand is and what makes you different.

Some popular types of brand videos include:
• Product videos, which showcase specific products and what makes them unique
• Tutorials and how-to content, which may or may not involve your product or service directly and serve to offer value to your audience
• Behind-the-scenes content, which can vary from showing how things are made to the set up before an event
• Brand story videos, which focus on telling the brand’s story, mission, or the stories of those who started the business
• Interview videos, which often include interviews with prominent influencers, employees, or important executives

Relevant, well-crafted videos will grab users’ attention, and by knowing each platform and using some of the techniques above, you can interact with your audience on a more personal (and fun) level—ending in more impressions, higher engagement and, hopefully, more customers.

At MassMedia, we strive to help our clients stay at the forefront of emerging trends and are well-versed in the latest video platforms. For support with integrating short-form video content into your overall marketing strategy, contact us today.

Sources: Hubspot, Exploding Topics

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5 Tips for Creating TikTok Ads

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5 Tips for Creating TikTok Ads

June 6, 2024
Zachary Krassin, Digital Marketing Director

During the pandemic, at the height of TikTok’s growth, brands were unsure how TikTok fit in with their advertising efforts. While it was known that TikTok’s powerful algorithm offered extreme reach, even against handles that did not have a large following (a selling point for brands entering the space), the unique creative required, the time it would take to produce a high volume of short-form video content, and uncertainties on data mining, made brands unsure where TikTok fell in priority. Did it make sense to spend time and effort building within a space that may or may not pay off?

Fast-forward to today, in which TikTok has solidified its place within the social spectrum, rivaling big name players such as Facebook and Instagram, and surpassing the likes of others (Twitter and Snapchat). It’s unique, creator-focused video editing tools have paved the way for other social platforms to create their own variations of TikTok (meet YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, etc.).

TikTok currently boasts 1.1B+ monthly active users across 150 countries and an average of 52 minutes spent per day within the platform. Compare this to top front-runners such as Facebook (2.9B monthly active users, 2 hours and 24 min on average spent per day within the app) and Instagram (1B+ monthly active users, 28 min on average spent per day within the app).*

With this in mind, TikTok’s ad platform has grown considerably, as well. Albeit the self-service ad platform is still pretty simplistic, it offers precise audience targeting (age, gender, location, language, interest categories, etc.) and has an effective reach and engagement across the platform. When utilizing this ad platform, here are 5 key points of consideration to maximize the ad platform’s value and end with an effective campaign.

1. Show TikTokers an ad without showing them an ad: TikTok has done an exceptional job at disguising ads. As users engage with the app, the first 5 seconds of a TikTok ad hides the CTA link, the clear indicator for an ad. And the “sponsored” logo is greyed-out throughout the entirely of the ad. This offers advertisers the ability to connect with their prospects without them initially realizing they are viewing an ad. With this in mind, the first 5 seconds are instrumental in hooking the user. This can be done with a compelling narrative, a current TikTok trend, or a trending sound. Also, keep in mind the hook may not just be audio, it can be visual, as well.

2. Focus on vertical formats and tailor your creative strategy. This may seem obvious but in browsing the platform, you’ll realize quickly that some brands simply take the video ads built for other channels and utilize them here. Your creative strategy for TikTok should differ from other platforms, because TikTok’s short-form video content offers a unique set of editing tools. This offers brands the ability to get creative and find new ways to engage with potential prospects – take advantage of it!

3. Make sure to center all important elements. TikTok tends to obscure the outer margins of the frames, particularly the bottom margins where the description text appears. Many times, elements are illegible and missed due to poor placement, and in some cases can appear as a distraction.

4. Don’t forget the captions! Sometimes users may scroll too quickly or click the ad without seeing the video in its entirety. Offering captions is a simple way to help prospects get the general gist of the video, even if they do not watch the entire video. It’s also worth incorporating subtitles, as sometimes it’s helpful to users as they watch TikTok videos.

5. Keep your videos short. While TikTok offers 60-second videos, the reality is users will not watch your ad in its entirety if your video is too long, missing the second half and potentially some valuable pieces of information. The best ads are between 9-15 seconds, and while that may seem exceptionally short, ads this length are proven to show increased brand recall and will compel your brand to only focus on what’s important.

With the immense rise of TikTok, it’s impossible for brands to ignore its presence. While TikTok still skews relatively younger, with 60% of the users on the app under the age of 24, it’s starting to show growth in other age groups. Currently over a quarter of the users on the app are between ages 26-44, and over 20% are over the age of 40+.

At MassMedia, we strive to help our clients stay at the forefront of emerging platforms such as TikTok and others. For support within this platform, both organic and paid placements, contact us today! * Source: www.statista.com

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5 PR Trends Reshaping the Industry

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5 PR Trends Reshaping the Industry

June 6, 2024
Stephanie Ceccarelli, VP Public Relations

In the early 2000’s, with digital on the rise, many industry insiders questioned whether there would be a need for PR moving forward. However, this prediction of the field becoming obsolete proved to be without merit, as PR pros continued to demonstrate their worth time and time again. Just look at 2021 and its share of controversies. From Peloton to every airline to the steady flow of celebrity scandals, PR served as brands’ anchors through tumultuous waters.

As one of the scrappiest and savviest industries out there, PR agencies are recognizing their value and measuring it against the current erratic media landscape. In fact, recent forecasting reports have shown the PR industry alone is expected to be worth $129 billion by 2025.

We say all of that to say this: PR ain’t going nowhere!

There will, however, always be room for the industry to develop and evolve with the times. We know digital encompasses a major part of our future. Additionally, we must also incorporate other complementary specialties like creative, experiential, and social media in order to remain relevant as an industry.

In 2022, PR professionals will continue to move the industry forward by embracing digital and other marketing specialties through the following trends. Let’s dive in!

TRENDS

1. Community-Led Storytelling: Storytelling is an art form as old as time, and when used as a marketing and PR tactic, it’s all about sharing your brand’s narrative. It humanizes brands and helps consumers understand why they should care. Additionally, with seemingly limitless content in the form of posts, articles and ads in the palm of our hands, a good story has the potential to stand out to consumers and hold their attention.

Taking this a step further, community-led storytelling, in which the power of the story is given to actual consumers and influencers as brand advocates, is more authentic than direct brand-led messaging. Allowing these ambassadors to share their experiences with your brand boosts brand appeal and trust, promotes products and services, and provides word-of-mouth recommendations and social media chatter. 2022 will see many more brands consciously harnessing community advocacy through storytelling.

2. Emphasis on Authenticity: When most people think of PR, authenticity isn’t always the first thing to come to mind. In fact, for years people thought of PR execs as “spin doctors” – professionals fabricating or putting a “spin” on the truth to position self-serving clients in a better light. However, today’s audience expects the brands they follow to be upfront and honest, and not being an authentic company can hurt your reputation. These savvy consumers can immediately sniff out messaging that is disingenuous or pandering and aren’t afraid to call out a company on social media for not keeping it real. Authenticity is all about putting aside pretenses, defining your mission and embracing who you really are in every communication with your audience. Put simply, consumers will gravitate towards brands that walk the talk.

3. Holistic/Integrated PR: PR has been moving away from traditional business models towards a more holistic and integrated approach. Whether it is the shift from solely media relations to content marketing or the migration from print to digital, there is a marked change in the way the PR landscape functions. In 2022, this trend will further solidify its presence. There will also be a blurring of demarcation lines between PR, marketing and advertising, eventually leading PR & communication professionals to further value the importance of integrated communications.

4. A Face to the Brand: The role of founders, a leadership team, or a representative will become even more important this year. Gone are the days of hiding behind a faceless brand logo. Now, on the heels of the pandemic, people still want to be reassured, communicated to, convinced, calmed, etc. — by other people. To build this type of humanizing, personal connection, your brand needs a face, and PR can help you establish the persona that is best for your company.

5. Resurgence of Print Media: Recently, people have started turning back to print media and reading it again at the frequency they did before. This behavioral change has prompted a need for brands to be present in print media, via editorial articles and feature stories, and evidently this will be one of the biggest trends in 2022. This comes as no surprise given the general sense of mistrust when it comes to receiving news from social media. Print media has always been emblematic of authenticity and credibility, and in the age of “fake news” and “alternative facts” predominantly among online platforms, readers are finding relief among this trustworthy medium. The PR field is certainly different than it was in 2000, and it will change even more by 2025. MassMedia’s smart and seasoned PR team is here to help you understand these industry trends and how they can enhance your PR strategies for the future. Contact us today!

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7 Signs It’s Time to Rebrand (And a Couple of Times When It’s Not Necessary)

Posted on by shashankasrirama

7 Signs It’s Time to Rebrand (And a Couple of Times When It’s Not Necessary)

June 6, 2024
Brooke Snelling, Partner

With the start of a new year in full swing, you may want to use this time as an opportunity to improve your company’s image through rebranding efforts — #newyearnewbrand. A rebrand is the process of reshaping how a company or product is perceived. It can be as simple as a refresh or as extensive as a complete overhaul of everything from a brand’s name and tagline to its logo and visual identity.

A rebrand is a natural part of a company’s evolution. Due to various internal and external market factors, a brand’s image is only fresh and relevant for so long. One day you may look up and realize that your branding is not giving what it’s supposed to or what it used to. Even the strongest of brands have a shelf life and it’s rare to find a prominent company that’s been using the same branding for 20+ years. In fact, Airbnb’s logo has evolved five times since it was founded 14 years ago.

Rebranding can be an exciting endeavor. It gives you an opportunity to refresh your company’s image, strengthen your market position, boost reach, or even improve your bottom line. However, rebranding can also be an exhaustive undertaking that includes not only changing your brand identity, but also revamping your company’s website, business cards, letterheads, and other marketing collateral. With that said, you’ll want to ensure you’re rebranding for the right reasons.

So, how do you know when it’s time to rebrand? Read on for several surefire signs a rebrand is necessary and a couple of times when it’s probably not worth the effort.

1. Your branding no longer reflects your company’s vision and core values

Outgrowing a brand is not uncommon — what started out as a great brand image when the company initially launched, may no longer represent what it is currently about. Many companies begin as small businesses that serve as passion projects for the founders in which they are focused on specific products or services. Over time, however, these companies grow by expanding into new markets, creating new offerings, and reaching new customers. Subsequently, the company’s mission and goals may shift, and a wider purpose is unearthed, which results in a new vision and core values for leadership and employees.

When your company’s brand as you used to know it begins to change and is becoming shaped by the growth your company is experiencing and the future of where it is moving towards, then rebranding is necessary to ensure your image aligns with your new business goals and vision. Remember, your brand image is what appears front and center on every touchpoint your customer engages with, so it’s important that it is representative of your business.

2. Your logo leaves a bad first impression

Sure, your brand is more just than logos and colors. But let’s keep it real – just as people judge a book by its cover, they will judge your company by your logo – it’s a significant factor that contributes to a first impression.

Maybe your brand’s once-fresh colors, fonts or graphical elements now look dated or stagnant, so much so that your logo makes you feel like you’re traveling back in time. Or maybe when you launched your company, your logo was not a priority, so an amateur created it, and therefore it gives off low-quality vibes. Whatever the case, if your logo invokes a response that involves cringing or a feeling of embarrassment because of its sheer aesthetics, this could negatively affect first impressions of your company.

Strong visual branding should be unique, eye-catching, and above all memorable (in a good way). It should also convey relevancy to your target audience, and by staying fresh and modern, your branding communicates that your company is up to date and current.

3. Your company has undergone a merger or acquisition or you have multiple service lines

Mergers and acquisitions almost always involve rebranding at some level. In any acquisition, it’s important to look at how the acquired brand fits into the brand architecture of the acquiring entity. With mergers, brand architecture is equally important. If two companies come together, two brands come together, so rather than having one win out over the other, it may be better to come up with a corporate rebranding strategy that unifies and represents both companies. One example of a successful rebrand after a merger was the union of United and Continental Airlines. They kept the United name and used the globe symbol from Continental Airlines to create an identity that was recognizable by both sets of customers.

Similarly, if your brand offers an array of products and/or service lines and they all have different branding, it might look disjointed and confusing. You may need to take a step back to simplify and streamline to ensure everything can easily be identified as being part of your brand through a cohesive brand identity.

4. You’re trying to reconnect with your target audience or reach a new demographic

A rebrand lets you redefine your company with the goal of appealing to new and untapped audiences. You often see this from companies trying to reach younger audiences. As a core audience grows older, brands either must develop with them, or target the next generation by adapting their branding to fit contemporary trends.

Staying on top of demographic shifts and being aware of how each demographic relates to the world is vital for a brand. For instance, the last thing a savvy young demographic wants is to associate itself with the stuffy brands of their parents’ generation, so if your brand is associated with an older generation, it may be time to make changes to your look and tone of voice so you can appeal to a younger audience. In fact, that’s exactly what Tiffany & Co decided to do when they rebranded to shift focus on a younger buying audience with a campaign that declared “Not Your Mother’s Tiffany.”

5. In a progressive landscape, your branding is considered out-of-touch

A shift in cultural and societal norms may render a brand out-of-touch or offensive. People’s values change over time and your branding needs to adapt with them and reflect these changing values. As customers evolve, brands need to evolve with them.

Below are few examples of companies rebranding in order to change with the times:

WW’s change from Weight Watchers: Rather than focusing on losing weight, WW now pushes health, fitness and feeling your best – all of which are aligned with societal trends.

Pearl Milling Company change from Aunt Jemima: With social justice and racial equality conversations coming to the forefront in 2021, brands like Aunt Jemima needed a rebrand to survive a negative backlash of offensive representation.

Aerie: In 2014, the company announced that it would no longer be retouching its images to promote body positivity and real women with real bodies. As part of this campaign, the company rebranded its logo to align with its spotlight on the beauty in realness and imperfection.

6. Your company needs to overcome a negative reputation or perception

Rebranding to overcome a negative reputation might include repositioning to completely change the way the general public thinks of your company. In the past, a company could more easily keep crises out of the public eye. But now, largely in part to social media, company disasters can spread like wildfire. If the problem is serious enough, rebranding by changing the name or redesigning the logo to ditch a tarnished image might be necessary in order to give your company a fresh start.

A recent example of a company doing such is Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook. Several leading analysts have pointed out that the brand change came at a time in which the company was under attack and heavily scrutinized for its practices concerning privacy.

7. Consumers mix your company up with your competitors

Does your brand stand out in the marketplace? It’s important to distinguish your product or service from the competition as this helps to achieve marketing success, so if you’re failing in that area, then that’s a problem.

It’s critical that your business stand out from the competition with clear differentiators, and this starts with your branding. However, you’d be surprised at how many companies are unable to identify their key competitive advantages, so a rebrand can also serve as useful exercise to identify and determine or redefine your key differentiators.

When to Refrain from Rebranding Efforts
Brand equity, or the value of having a well-known brand, is a crucial piece of your brand’s health. Companies with higher brand equity are at a significant advantage because people know and trust them. Changing your company’s branding can put this equity at risk by minimizing brand recognition and thus decreasing your market share.

With that said, if your reasoning for rebranding is not listed above or isn’t based on another solid factor, then it’s probably not worth the risk, and you should just leave well enough alone. Below are a couple of situations in which you’ll want to refrain from changing up your brand.

1. You’re bored and looking to shake things up

It’s natural to crave a change after seeing the same colors, logo and messaging for some time. But, as the old saying goes: If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it. Rebranding shouldn’t be done on a whim, or “just because.”

2. Your new branding will confuse your audience

Your goal when rebranding should be to give your brand a new look and feel that customers connect with and support, rather than going in a completely different direction, inevitably baffling them. If you’re unsure if it’s the right time for a rebrand or not sure how to communicate the need for a rebrand to company leadership – let’s discuss how MassMedia can guide you to make the right decision. Contact us today!

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