Main Nav

Navigation

Archive | Press

Oct. 21, 2015: Brands That Leveraged #BacktotheFutureDay

By on October 26, 2015 in Advertising, Campaigns, Events, Marketing, Media, Paramount Public Relations, Press, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter for Business

BttF Day Blog

Last Wednesday marked the day Marty McFly went to the future in the 1980’s movie, “Back to the Future,” and brands didn’t skip a beat aligning themselves with the cult classic. Fortune took an in-depth look at how brands like Nike, Toyota and Pepsi  leveraged the day with ads connecting them to the film, while Ford and Universal created mock ads for a Flux Capacitor and Hoverboard. Lyft even added an element to their ride-sharing app called “McFly Mode.” Great Scott!

Here’s how each of these companies used Back to the Future Day to promote their brand:

  • Nike: When Marty McFly arrives in 2015 in the film, he puts on a pair if Nike sneakers that can lace themselves. Starting in January 2015 Tinker Hatfield, the original creator of the concept, said the Nike team was planning to release self-lacing shoes at some point in the year. The concept was again teased to the world this past Tuesday via a tweet. As of now, we still wait for the futuristic sneaker to become a reality.
  • Toyota: Not only does the car in the film travel through time, it is also fueled by garbage. The car company used the date to promote its new hydrogen fuel car, the Mirai, by including actors Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in the debut commercial.
  • Pepsi: The drink of choice for Michael J. Fox’s character in the film, Pepsi released limited edition bottles of the soda that were sold on Amazon. However, they may have been a little too limited. Many fans hoping to get a bottle of the Back to the Future Pepsi took to Twitter to express their disappointment.
  • Ford: In honor of Back to the Future Day, Ford created a dummy version of a flux capacitor – the essential part for time travelling in the film. The Y-shaped generator powered by a getting struck by a bolt of lightning bolt or nuclear fuel was released in a mock ad and advertised to sell at a fictional $1.21 million.
  • Universal: Unfortunately not a real product, but Universal released a mock ad for a hoverboard like the sweet ride available in Back to the Future’s version of 2015. Check out the ad here to see how Universal envisions hoverboards in 2015.
  • Lyft: The on-demand ride sharing company offered free rides for up to 15 minutes around New York City in a DeLorean, the type of car used in the film. Users simply had to press the “McFly Mode” button in the Lyft app and the DeLorean ride would arrive minutes later.

Whether a devoted fan who has waited decades for this day or just someone who wanted to take part in the Back to the Future Day festivities, brands successfully engaged audiences through strategically impactful advertising.

For more on how brands utilized the date for product placement read the full Fortune article here: http://fortune.com/2015/10/21/back-future-day-brands-twitter/

 

Happy Holidays from Paramount Public Relations, Inc.

By on December 24, 2014 in Holidays, Paramount Public Relations, Press

red-xmas-lites1-657x402

Paramount Public Relations, Inc. would like to wish you and your families a happy holiday and a wonderful New Year. It has been a very memorable year, and we would like to share the top 10 newsworthy events of 2014:

  1. Ice Bucket Challenge: In what quickly became a viral internet sensation, countless people took on the Ice Bucket Challenge which raised over $100 million for ALS. People dumped freezing cold buckets of water on top of their heads before sharing the hilarious videos on social media – but not before nominating someone else to take on the challenge.
  2. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Disappears: Malaysia Airline flight 370 vanished Saturday, March 8 with 239 people on board traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The largest search in aviation history slowly spread from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean but as weeks stretched to months and the numerous reports of floating debris led nowhere. Baffled aviation experts have admitted the MH370’s final resting-place could take years to discover, leaving the missing passengers families to wait without answers.
  3. Polar Vortex: As we head into another winter, it is hard to forget about this January’s negative temperatures which started 2014 with some of the coldest weather across the country since the 1970’s.
  4. All About That Bass: Meghan Trainor stole hearts across America this June with her debut single “All About That Bass” which promotes health body image. The song was nominated for a People’s Choice Award, a MTV Europe Music Award and two Grammy Awards.
  5. Tight Rope Walk Across Chicago: Nik Wallenda, a seasoned daredevil tightrope walker, did the unthinkable this Fall – he walked between two Chicago skyscrapers on a tight rope. The first 454 ft long walk was at an incline and Wallenda completed his second 94 ft walk blindfolded.
  6. #BreakTheInternet: After marrying Kanye West and coming out with her own video game, Kim Kardashian managed to shock the world again this year with scandalous photos for the winter cover of Paper Magazine. The photos sparked countless internet spoofs across Facebook and other social media channels.
  7. The Death of Robin Williams: Comedy will never be the same after Robin Williams, stand-up comedian and well-known TV and film star, died at age 63 from an apparent suicide.
  8. Leaked Celebrity Photos: After a hacker stole thousands of private photos off of Apple’s iCloud of female celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton and Victoria Justice, the security of iCloud storage was heavily scrutinized.
  9. Ebola: What started with just a few cases in Guinea became the deadliest outbreak of Ebola on record. The virus spread throughout West Africa claiming more than 5,000 lives and in September, the first case of the disease in the United States was diagnosed at Texas Presbyterian Hospital.
  10. The United States and Cuba Mend Relations: The United States and Cuba took the first step in mending diplomatic relations on December 17 after Cuba released two Americans who had been imprisoned for years.

Promoting A Socially Conscious Brand

By on April 18, 2014 in Advertising, Campaigns, Communications, Community, PR for Businesses, Press, Public Relations

Lately, consumers have been drawn toward brands that make a good impact on society, whether through charitable causes or brand alignment with non-profit associations.  Cause marketing goes beyond traditional marketing by creating the necessity to convince the audience that it is a socially responsible contributor to society. This type of publicity, however, works more seamlessly for some brands than for others. It is important to consider the audience and product before considering promoting a partnership with a non-profit or other charitable cause.

A recent PRweb article by Stacey Miller highlights the trend for brands to want to appear socially conscious as a tactic to gain visibility and promote the brand’s image; however it cannot be a universally applied tactic. Here is key advice about how to move forward with a cause marketing campaign:

1) Authenticity is key. 

You must select a cause that supports your brand’s core values. Avon’s “Breast Cancer Crusade” echoes the company’s values, which encompasses the well-being of women. The cause aligns with the company’s mission and connects with Avon’s customers.

KFC’s “Buckets for a Cure” cause marketing campaign did not coordinate with the fast-food chain’s values and ended up being detrimental to brand image. Consumers felt the campaign was a sales gimmick rather than a true concern for women’s health.

2) Integration is an everyday effort. 

The needs of your nonprofit partner should be fully integrated into all marketing endeavors. It’s no longer enough to just sign a check. The success of the “(RED)” campaign and its fight against AIDS is in part due to how big-name organizations such as Coca-Cola, Apple and Starbucks seamlessly merged the foundation’s visions and goals with their own.

3) Are you talking to me? 

As with any PR or marketing initiative, you must understand your target demographic. The audience for your cause marketing campaign may be more narrow or broad than your traditional customer demographic, so it’s important to do the research and get to know them.

Cause marketing has to be carefully articulated to appeal to the desired demographic and product image. Without the right insight, a socially conscious campaign can actually hurt the image and integrity of a brand.

Farmer’s Fridge on Fox Business National News!

By on February 14, 2014 in Farmer’s Fridge, Press, Public Relations

This week, Founder of Farmer’s Fridge Luke Saunders appeared on Fox Business National News’ “Money With Melissa Francis” discussing the business behind Farmer’s Fridge.

Luke discussed how unlike other vending machines on the market that sell candy and soda, Farmer’s Fridge’s goal is to have a “more distributed healthy food network.”

Farmer’s Fridge will be installing a vending kiosk every day until the end of February, with the goal to eventually become a national brand.

Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cajqKLNcaNI

Beckett Simonon’s New Goodyear Welted Collection

By on November 14, 2013 in Beckett Simonon, Press, Press Release, Public Relations

Paramount Public Relations, Inc. has been assisting with the launch of Beckett Simonon’s new Goodyear Welted collection, which contains beautiful, high-quality men’s shoes for under $139. Beckett Simonon is a a leading online retailer of men’s footwear that sells high-end footwear, including their new Goodyear Welted collection, at an amazingly affordable price. What is Goodyear Welt? A type of shoe construction that is the gold standard for American, high quality shoes. However, most Goodyear Welted shoes these days are well over $300 and not in the budget for many men.

But Beckett Simonon footwear is styled for a “new breed of gentlemen” that want to look dapper but are also price conscious.

Thanks to Beckett Simonon’s direct-to-consumer business model, Beckett Simonon is able to offer their shoes at an affordable price without sacrificing quality. Instead, Beckett Simonon is taking the extra money needed to go through retailers and putting it right back in the customer’s pocket. Plus, free shipping!

Pretty awesome we’d say!

For more information, visit www.beckettsimonon.com!

BECKETT SIMONON LAUNCHES ITS NEW GOODYEAR WELTED COLLECTION

Online-Only Men’s Footwear Retailer Offers High End Product Collection at an Affordable Price

Beckett Simonon, a leading online retailer of men’s footwear, announces the launch of their new Goodyear Welted collection, which is available for under $139 thanks to the company’s unique direct-to-consumer business model. Styled for a “new breed of gentleman,” Beckett Simonon is ideal for American men who want to look dapper but are also price conscious.

As the American gold-standard in quality shoe construction, Goodyear Welt construction* is most commonly found in expensive shoe brands that typically cost more than $300, however, since Beckett Simonon bypasses all “middleman” retailer costs and ships all their products directly to consumers free of charge, they are able to offer their Goodyear Welted collection at an affordable price without sacrificing quality.

“We see a huge gap in the men’s footwear market. It’s outrageous that well-made leather shoes retail above $300. We operate without the complex layers of big businesses (no middlemen, no distributors, no expensive physical stores, etc.) so we can offer the same quality products for a much more affordable price,” says Andres Niño, CEO and co-founder of Beckett Simonon. “By selling directly to consumers we bypass the traditional retail markup, around 2.5X, so we are technically selling to consumers at wholesale prices.”

Highlights of the Goodyear Welted collection include:

 

“Beckett Simonon is a great alternative for guys who want to look dapper but are also price conscious.  Good style doesn’t end with a nice suit or well-fitted clothes, there are also shoes, but very few guys can afford to spend $300+ on a pair of fine shoes,” says Nicholas Hurtado, lead designer and co-founder.

Beckett Simonon is the only online footwear company to sell Goodyear Welted construction shoes under $139, setting them apart from competitors with equivalent craftsmanship and materials but retailing above $300.

*ABOUT GOODYEAR WELT CONSTRUCTION

As the American gold-standard in quality shoe construction, Goodyear Welt construction holds together the sole, insole and upper sole with one thick stitch and a leather welt. Between the insole and outsole is a cork layer that creates a custom-like footbed, which makes the shoe breathable and flexible.

ABOUT BECKETT SIMONON

Beckett Simonon is a leading online retailer of affordable men’s footwear. Launched in 2012 by Co-founders Andres Niño and Nicholas Hurtado, Beckett Simonon is a direct-to-consumer value-oriented brand that sells shoes to a new breed of gentlemen who want to look good but are price conscious. Beckett Simonon’s newest Goodyear Welted collection utilizes the gold standard for high-quality shoe construction while being sold at an affordable price. For more information, please visit http://www.beckettsimonon.com/.

###

Paramount Public Relations’ Meredith Hutching’s Summary of Cision’s “How the Press Uses and Values Public Relations and Other Media Resources”

By on February 2, 2010 in PR for Businesses, Press, Public Relations

George Washington University in partnership with Cision recently published a study highlighting how editors/journalists use and value public relations assistance, media  databases, and other traditional and online resources for research, story ideas, and other purposes. Statistical analysis of the data (collected in November and December of 2008) showed some interesting results.

One prominent topic in the study was editors’/journalists’ preferences when receiving information from public relations professionals. Below are some of the findings from the study on this topic.

  • For identifying or developing story ideas, websites are most important to editors/journalists, followed by submissions from PR professionals.
  • Submissions from PR professionals are used by more than 94% editors/journalists
  • Over half of the editors/journalists responding wanted to receive unsolicited  e-mail pitches from communications professionals as simple text only.
  • Being more relevant to their beat/area of interest and being less promotional struck the strongest chords with editors/journalists.
  • Editors/journalists also expressed the following specific preferences when receiving correspondence from PR professionals:
    • Press release email sent to a bunch of reporters is more likely to be ignored. The offer of exclusivity, however minor, would pique anyone’s interest.
    • Follow AP style and avoid unqualified superlatives. Be concise and get to the point quickly. Be more personal; know about the publications you are pitching to.
    • Have clear subject lines, no attachments, signature with contact information and no follow up phone calls.

With few exceptions editors/journalists agreed that e-mail pitches should be more relevant to their beat/area of interest, less promotional, should state benefits for their audiences, have stronger story ideas, cover the 5 Ws in leads, be better written and have less boilerplate.

Read more here http://us.cision.com/journalist_survey/ and happy pitching!

Meredith Hutchings

Newer posts