http://www.dvl.com/index.php/site/insights Insights into the minds of DVL Creatives. en dvlinteractive@gmail.com Copyright 2011 2011-12-16T13:42:32+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/putting_together_a_press_kit/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/putting_together_a_press_kit/#When:14:27:09Z When creating publicity materials for the “Back Jack” campaign that seeks to turn Jack Daniel’s birthday into a national holiday, public-relations firm DVL, which is based in Nashville, included archival photos of the liquor’s namesake and high-quality downloadable videos talking about his history. “He’s celebrating what would be his 160th birthday,” says Mark Day, senior vice president at DVL. “We want to point out to the media that Jack Daniels actually was a real man. [The kit] becomes a library of all things Jack Daniels for the particular birthday promotion.” » read full article     Insights 2010-09-14T14:27:09+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/get_the_most_bang_for_your_rfp_buck/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/get_the_most_bang_for_your_rfp_buck/#When:20:12:14Z Within your RFP, the best option is to define a budget and then ask agencies to pitch their best recommendations to you within the confines of that budget—even a preliminary one. Doing this puts all of the competitors on even footing—no one runs the risk of over- or under-bidding.  This also means that you’ll get to see who can offer the best product for the money. Many are wary of prematurely discussing finances within an RFP. The truth of the matter is that it can save both you and the competing agencies a lot of time and confusion. You’ll have an idea of what you can spend, and they’re able to show you what kind of deliverables they can give you for your money. People are often pleasantly surprised by the amount and degree of options agencies are able to get out of an initial, proposed budget. So think about how you write an RFP.  If you’re careful about it, you’ll inspire some really exciting competition, and you’ll be able to find an agency that can partner with you to take your brand to new heights.  Good luck, and we’ll be looking for your next RFP. Insights 2009-11-05T20:12:14+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/managing_a_client_tragedy/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/managing_a_client_tragedy/#When:21:22:34Z More than likely, these public figures had public relations counsel. And, if so, there most likely was some sort of crisis media plan in place to respond to any unforeseen event. Most professionally prepared crisis plans include general guidelines for what to say, what not to say and how to get the desired information to the media in a timely enough fashion to avoid rampant speculation. It’s also worth noting that this needs to be done with the utmost degree of honesty. Whether involving a suddenly-deceased celebrity or a Fortune 500 CEO, a crisis media plan should be a guideline for carefully selected responders who understand the plan of action and are prepared to act rationally in a moment of total chaos. A particular challenge to this series of events that must be accounted for is the speed by which the bad news can travel in today’s media. Long gone are the days when the only concern was delivering a prepared statement to the local daily before it went to print. In today’s world of online and mobile social networking sites, the death of a public figure can be tweeted to your next door neighbor before the next of kin gets the phone call with the bad news. The same is true for an untimely death of a leader of a corporation that has many concerned stakeholders. Twitter, Bebo, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Orkut, Skyrock, Hi5, Ning and Elgg are all social networking platforms being used around the globe by consumers and media alike to share breaking news and information at the touch of a keyboard or mobile keypad. Today more than ever, it’s imperative that a business – be it a small company or a large corporation – is prepared for any crisis scenario including the sudden death of a member of its leadership team. A good crisis media plan, read and understood, arguably represents the best money a corporate entity will ever spend, even if it is never used. Insights 2009-09-14T21:22:34+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/answering_questions_vs_responding_to_issues/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/answering_questions_vs_responding_to_issues/#When:17:27:59Z There are two distinct and sometimes conflicting objectives in play:  the reporter’s job is to “get the story;” the spokesperson’s job is to “get my organization’s message out.” So how should this dynamic work in an interview situation? You can best serve your organization’s interests as spokesperson by responding to issues rather than simply answering questions. It is a difficult task.  All of our lives we have been conditioned to “answer the question,” and sometimes the more fully we answer, the better the result.  This applied to our parents, our teachers, our colleagues and our bosses.  Answering the question correctly kept us out of trouble, got us a higher grade, or gained additional respect or compensation in the workplace.  Not so in the back-and-forth between reporter and spokesperson.  Less is more in most cases. When any question is posed, there’s an issue in there somewhere, and more often than not, a message that needs to be delivered about that issue.  For example: Q:  A supervisor in your Jonesville plant has been accused of sexual harassment.  What are you going to do about it? If you simply “answer the question,” you’d probably say something along the lines of “whenever any allegation of this type is made, we fully investigate and take appropriate action.”  An acceptable answer—it’s the truth, and the organization is doing the right thing in the circumstances—but a good spokesperson might take it a step further: First, identify the issue (conditions in the workplace) and then the message (what do we want to say about that?) and formulate a response instead of an answer. Response:  Our goal is to provide a workplace that our associates are proud to come to, so we can continue to provide our customers with great products (service).  We have strict policies regarding appropriate behavior in the workplace, and those policies will be enforced in every case. Remember that the reporter has a job to do, and so do you—but they are different jobs.  You may find that responding instead of answering will serve you and your organization well. Insights 2009-08-12T17:27:59+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/markday_insight/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/markday_insight/#When:20:24:53Z The second rule is just as important as the first: if your brand does have a celebrity fan, acknowledge them with no obligation to do anything other than what they have chosen to do themselves. Just open a dialogue and tell them “thank you.” If you ask for more, they’ll either expect money or feel exploited. If money changes hands, you’ve gone from a real friendship to a paid endorsement. If they feel exploited, your brand may lose a celebrity friend and gain a celebrity critic. A good third rule is to be careful which celebrities you acknowledge as friends of your brand. The celebs need to be real fans whose personalities, attributes and lifestyles mesh with your brand’s image. The friendship between your brand and a celebrity should be symbiotic. If the right celebrity is a fan of your brand, nurture that relationship responsibly. As they increase exposure for your brand, you can help increase their exposure. Do it right, and you’ll elevate your brand to new levels. Insights 2009-07-25T20:24:53+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/no_facts_no_comment/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/no_facts_no_comment/#When:21:57:26Z Mr. Obama said words to the effect of “I really don’t have all the facts of the matter,” and then proceeded to say that the police involved acted “stupidly.”  As it turns out, the officer involved is widely respected as a “good cop,” and is even an instructor to other officers on avoiding racial or ethnic profiling (which is what the citizen involved accused him of). Whoever was “right” about what happened, Mr. Obama’s comments created such a media firestorm that it totally distracted attention from his main messages related to health care reform.  And the President found it necessary to take the rare step of injecting himself into the daily White House press briefing on July 24 to backtrack and report on a telephone conversation he had with the police officer.  He “almost” apologized, but may have actually compounded the earlier error by continuing to react to the incident. In these kinds of circumstances, the correct response, to the media or anyone else, of course, is:  “I really don’t have all the facts of that matter,” and then SAY NO MORE, or in the case of a corporate person being interviewed, “that’s not really part of my responsibility, but I can certainly put you in touch with someone who can help,” and then SAY NO MORE. A good rule of thumb:  talk about your job, your area of responsibility, or corporate policies you would be expected to know by virtue of your position.  And then SAY NO MORE. Insights 2009-07-23T21:57:26+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/robinette_insight/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/robinette_insight/#When:19:15:14Z Before long, Crocs started showing up in places where they didn’t necessarily belong, quickly supplanting tennis shoes and sandals in casual situations. During winter months, summer Crocs went on the shelf and you could pick up a fleece-lined pair for frolicking in the snow and slush. So why do people wear Crocs? Because they were so good for their original intended purpose, they are good for just about everything else, right?  Social media was originally intended to connect peers—to provide a platform from which you could say whatever you wanted for anyone to see.  And, usually, your audience was your friends and family, and the occasional passersby. Viral media, which is a rare phenomenon, happens when social media is outrageous enough to attract the attention of a broad audience that is willing (not forced) to spread the message. What Crocs can teach us about social media is this: when you remove something from its original intended purpose, you run the risk of doing something that’s silly at best and inappropriate at worst. The existence of black Crocs does not justify wearing them with a tuxedo, for instance.  Similarly, the existence of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, et al, does not justify plastering your company’s image on any or all of them.  This rule, like all others, has exceptions.  If you own a brand that Facebookers and Tweeters want to fan and follow, by all means, blog away.  But don’t feel obligated to—especially if you lack a pertinent message to share.  So before your company jumps into social media, consider this: Social media is about connecting people Viral happens—it cannot be planned or produced It’s important to ask “Why?” before using social media Negative viral spreads faster than positive viral–it may be better to stay away from social media than to risk using it in the wrong way   Insights 2009-04-29T19:15:14+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/preps_for_pitching_national_media/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/preps_for_pitching_national_media/#When:19:48:05Z The media strategist should ask the client several questions: Is there true news involved, like a new product or event? Does it warrant national media attention? How is this going to affect the public, and why should they care? Once a few questions are answered, a strategic national media plan can be put in place, identifying targeted and prioritized national outlets. Here are a few suggestions for pitching national media: Know the media outlet and the journalist you are pitching by reviewing past news stories. You can even use new media tools, like Twitter, to gain valuable insight on specific journalists. But don’t discount good ol’ fashioned communication tools to develop a one-on-one relationship with specific reporters. Customize your pitch for each news outlet, if possible, and provide one-of-a-kind insights or access to data, research or a key personality. Avoid general pitches and sending bulk e-mails. When a national media person bites on the story, be ready to spring into action to accommodate extremely tight deadlines. Be prepared to offer interviews (phone or satellite, live or taped), b-roll footage, facts, figures and research, when applicable. Identifying these items before the pitch will save you valuable time. Going the extra mile to fulfill the reporter’s request – quickly – will solidify your relationship with that journalist and the media outlet.   Insights 2009-04-17T19:48:05+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/job_search_101/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/job_search_101/#When:21:25:21Z Because I oversee DVL's intern program, I receive many inquires per week about openings. More often than not, the e-mail contains numerous misspellings and/or the e-mail/cover letter was directed to another agency. Be certain you send the correct, proofread materials to the correct person. Once you’ve done that, request an informational interview. When you meet with the interviewer, have some questions prepared. You need to interact, not just listen. This conversation shows that you've taken the time to research the organization and are interested in working there. Next, follow up with your interviewer. It's important to thank him or her for their time via e-mail or a handwritten note and to ask if you can stay in contact about potential openings. In the future, there may be a position available and you will already have established a relationship with that agency, gaining an advantage over other candidates. And last, never underestimate networking. Whether it's through an educational, professional or social organization, you never know where you will make a connection. A personal recommendation can be priceless. Insights 2009-03-03T21:25:21+00:00 http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/practicing_proper_etiquette_with_your_pda/ http://www.dvl.com/site/insights/practicing_proper_etiquette_with_your_pda/#When:22:26:09Z During meetings, while having a face-to-face conversation and even during meals, no place seems safe or sacred when a PDA and its various dings and buzzes are involved. Just as there is proper etiquette for writing letters and answering phones, there are also some general rules of thumb to follow in using your PDA. Treat your PDA as you would treat your computer. If you have to walk away from your computer for an hour, it’s okay. While the immediacy of e-mail has in many ways spoiled us and increased the speed of communication, your response time should not be frantic. If you are in a meeting, silence your device or don’t even take it with you. The distraction of your PDA can greatly diminish not only your focus on the task at hand, but also the focus of those around you. If you have to “take an e-mail,” inform the group of the situation in advance and excuse yourself if the need arises – just as you would for a phone call. In the case of our agency, many of our clients deal with situations that require immediate attention. In these cases, there should be a contingency plan other than e-mail that can be used to reach you (i.e., at DVL, a phone call to the front desk). A PDA can decrease your efficiency just as easily as it can increase it. Remember to stay focused on the task at hand. And reserve checking that last ding until you have time to give it your full attention. Insights 2009-02-19T22:26:09+00:00