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Is Kik Replacing Snapchat?

By on June 2, 2017 in Advertising, Events, Launch, Marketing, Paramount Public Relations, PR for Businesses, Press, Public Relations, Snapchat, Social Media, Social Media for Business

Social media comes in many different shapes and sizes. From Facebook to Snapchat to Pinterest to Kik, there are a variety of ways for us to stay in touch with our friends and favorite celebrities every day. Facebook, Snapchat, and Pinterest are widely known by many, but what is Kik?

I’m sure many of us have heard the phrase, “You got a kik?” but what is it really. Kik Messenger is an instant messaging mobile app available for Android, iPhones and Windows Phone operating systems. Through Wi-Fi, you can send and receive messages, videos, sketches and other content with any of your friends that have the app and register a username. Sounds a little bit like Snapchat with similar capabilities and a focus on anonymity. Kik made its debut in 2010, but why did it get lost in the shadow of Snapchat?

kik

Ad Week recently published an article about Dunkin’ Donuts’ interesting marketing move involving Kik. On National Donut Day this year, Dunkin’ Donuts will create and sponsor the first branded face filter on Kik. This face filter will be in addition to the filter they will be creating for Snapchat. While Snapchat face filters have become increasingly popular in recent years, this is the first time a major corporation will be paying for a filter on Kik.

dunkin

Dunkin’ Donuts could be onto something here. Kik is making its first major comeback in the always evolving world of social media. Will other major corporations follow in Dunkin’ Donuts’ footsteps and create and sponsor face filters for Kik? Or is this going to prove to be a complete waste of money for the coffee and donut company America runs on?

Make sure to grab a donut for National Donut Day!

For more reading, visit Ad Week.

 

“She’s a Lady” but She Doesn’t Fit the Mold

By on November 14, 2016 in Advertising, Campaigns, Fashion PR, Paramount Public Relations, Public Relations, Women in PR

muscles

H&M developed a new advertising campaign earlier this year that clearly states there is no correct way to be a lady. Set to the song “She’s a Lady” by Tom Jones, the commercial goes against the very misogynistic themed tune. The advertisement by Swedish agency Forsman & Bodenfors features many women who in the past would not be considered the ideal “lady” that is described in the song. An article by AdWeek describes the implications of this commercial.

There are some very iconic people involved in this stand-out commercial including actress Lauren Hutton, model Adwoa Aboah, transgender actress Hari Nef, Design Army’s Chief Creative Officer Pum Lefebure and Lion Babe’s Jillian Hervey. There is something uniquely inspiring about this campaign’s direction, which clearly goes against the societal norms of what it is to be a lady.

short-hair

The new fall 2016 fashion line by H&M is presented in this commercial and it isn’t until after you view it, that you find out there is a hidden message in this fashion preview. The campaign helps to create conversation about the oppression of women in a seemingly entertaining way.

The commercial challenges the traditional concept of what it means to be a lady in a variety of ways. Most people think of women (ladies) as having long, thick, luscious hair, but H&M’s new commercial features a woman who has a bald head and challenges the viewer’s thoughts on what is beautiful. A woman is beautiful and a “lady,” no matter the length of her hair. Throughout the commercial women are curvy, transgender, bald, muscular, and don’t have “lady-like” posture. All of these women are still ladies, no matter what the traditional thoughts on that label are.

armpit

H&M made a strong advertising move by creating a commercial that is not only entertaining, but has a heavy social message behind it. There is sure to be a lot of opinionated talk about this bold campaign.

View the full commercial: https://youtu.be/8-RY6fWVrQ0

Read more at: http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/hms-stunning-new-ad-subverts-what-you-think-lady-should-look-or-act-173487

Coca-Cola Creates Magic and Smiles Once More

By on November 13, 2015 in Advertising, Feel Good, Marketing, Paramount Public Relations, Public Relations

 

Coke Blog

Coca-Cola is at it again. The company that continuously puts forth feel-good videos just released a new campaign titled “Wish in a Bottle.” This time around the video features teenagers at a summer festival event in Israel unleashing the magic of Coca-Cola, literally. With every twist of a cap, each specially designed Coke bottle triggered a shooting star up in the sky. With a little help from transmitters, drones, Wi-Fi and fireworks, Coca-Cola was able to give the party-goers an experience they will most likely never forget.

Creativity Online highlights how Coca-Cola sustains its company’s emphasis on innovation and happiness in its videos, and included a quote from Coca-Cola Israel’s Vice President of Marketing.

“As always, in every event we hold, the emphasis was all about innovation,” said Coca-Cola Israel VP-Marketing Alon Zamir in a statement. “The bottles series was created under the notion of ‘Internet of Things’ and by making a star fall using a Coca-Cola bottle, we could intensify the teenagers’ experience when interacting with the Coca-Cola brand.”

This is not the first time that Coca-Cola has released a video that makes viewers feel fuzzy inside. Coke has a knack for producing videos that create one of a kind interactions between viewers and the brand, making its campaigns hard to forget.

There are a number of things that likely come to mind when thinking of the company’s well known advertisements, and odds are it’s because it restored faith in humanity. Take the “#WishUponACoke” campaign for example, where Coke granted wishes to a handful of workers. It’s difficult to watch this advertisement and not be impressed.

Creativity and heartwarming deeds aside, Coca-Cola does not disappoint when combining music and camera angles to tell a story that generates smiles and goosebumps. That is magical in itself.

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/

 

Extra Gum Pulls At Audience’s Heartstrings

By on October 16, 2015 in Advertising, Feel Good, Marketing, Media, Paramount Public Relations, Public Relations, Social Media

Extra Gum Blog

After what may have seemed like a very long two years since the success of Extra’s first gum wrapper centered video, “Origami,” the company released a second advertisement featuring the brand’s foil wrappers. Quickly capturing a favorable public opinion, the new ad, “The Story of Sarah and Juan,” gained 74 million views within a week of its release.

Audiences have eagerly waited for the Wrigley Company to produce another video for the campaign. With the tag line “Give Extra à Get Extra,” the ads tell stories about how it’s the little things that add up.

Marketing Magazine talks about the “Minty Love” vibe of the ad and the love it or hate it mentality viewers will have. The video starts on the steps going into a high school where students Juan and Sarah first catch each other’s eyes and one offers the other a stick of Extra Gum. As the ad continues, the relationship of the two characters has its ups and downs. However, there is always one constant – Extra Gum.

Whether it’s the love story or the catchy Haley Reinhart cover of Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” the video has captivated the minds of its audiences. In two minutes of video, an emotion can be conveyed that will resonate with audiences, potentially creating  a very positive brand association for Extra.

The ad comes at a time when viral videos are what create an engaging, lasting memory with a brand’s audience. Audiences have taken social media by storm, sharing the ad on their Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts. Twitter users took to the social media platform to express the emotions watching the video evoked in them. Many also noted that they were initially exposed to the ad through it playing before the YouTube video they were attempting to watch. These various channels are key for reaching the maximum possible audience.

For more on The Story of Sarah and Juan check out the Marketing Magazine article here: http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/1368588/love-hate-it-extra-gums-the-story-sarah-juan-definitely-having-moment

Amazon Launches “Handmade At Amazon”

By on October 12, 2015 in Launch, Media, Paramount Public Relations, PR for Businesses, Public Relations

amazonetsy

With handmade items trending in today’s society, it seems like everyone has had their fair share of DIY disasters. Sites like Pinterest have a variety of jewelry, style and decorating ideas that can be hard to resist, but when projects turn out looking nothing like the original, it’s probably best to leave it to the pros. For the past 10 years, Etsy has been the go-to site for these unique items, where creatives can open their own shop to take orders and sell products. Last week, online shopping mogul Amazon launched a new element to their online platform, Handmade At Amazon, which is in direct competition with Etsy.

In a recent SF Gate article, the challenges that will face Etsy because of Handmade At Amazon are contemplated.

Handmade At Amazon currently consists of 80,000 products from 5,000 artisans. In order to sell on the site, artisans, which are determined by having 20 or fewer people working for the shop, have to fill out a questionnaire and be approved by Amazon. Etsy currently has 22 million active users and 1.5 million active sellers and allows for specific products to be made with the help of approved manufacturers.

Amazon also announced that users who have Amazon Prime can utilize the free shipping on the site’s new element as well. This gives Amazon an edge over Etsy. When an Etsy shop owner sells one of their products, they either need to then charge their customer for shipping or pay for it out of their own pocket.

Though Amazon does not allow for outsourced manufacturing for Handmade At Amazon products, Etsy feels that this allows for their marketplace to grow. Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson says that they only allow these manufacturers to be those who align with their values. The site has grown so much, that in order for more growth at Etsy to happen, these outside sources may be necessary to continue at their current rapid rate of growth.

So how can Etsy hold its own against an e-commerce giant? If Etsy sticks to their values and continues to sell unique, well-made products, the company can keep their customer’s allegiance. Individuals who shop on the site value the customer service experience and relationship between buyers and sellers.

Competition is always a great way to see how a company can do under pressure. Since its launch 10 years ago, Etsy has been the leader when it comes to purchasing and selling handmade goods online. It will be interesting to see how and if they change their marketing tactics or business strategy to compete with Handmade At Amazon.

For more on Etsy or Handmade At Amazon, visit their sites, or read this article from SF Gate here: http://www.sfgate.com/business/technology/article/Amazon-challenges-Etsy-with-Amazon-Handmade-6557787.php

PR – Not Just For the Workweek

By on October 2, 2015 in Career Talk, Communications, Paramount Public Relations, Public Relations

blog networking infographic 100215

It’s so easy to become completely consumed in the exciting and fast-paced world of public relations. However, after an eventful week, it’s finally Friday! Utilize these next two days to refresh and regroup from the everyday hustle and bustle by taking some time to get involved in PR activities outside of the office.

While you may be tempted to leave work at the office, incorporating PR inspired activities during your personal time will help you remember why you first decided to break into the industry. Whether you are a working professional or even a student, there are plenty of ways to become more involved in the PR community this weekend.

Here are three suggestions from PR Daily to get involved in PR activities this weekend:

1. Join a PR-Industry Organization

Being a PR professional is exciting because there are so many organizations you can join to help you relate with your peers.

A few favorites are the Public Relations Society of America, PR Council and Publicity Club of New England (locally the Publicity Club of Chicago).

Being part of these organizations—and working alongside those who run them—give PR pros opportunities to meet many local communications pros along the way. You can also learn new tips and tricks, which you can then share with colleagues.

2. Focus on Trade Shows

Spring and fall are typically the biggest trade-show seasons for PR executives.

In the trade show off-season, research events that would be useful from a knowledge-share perspective that your client isn’t attending. This will give you the opportunity to attend workshops and network without client demands.

3. Attend Networking Events

Major cities like Boston, New York, Chicago and San Francisco often host mixers and socials that bring together PR pros with common interest, such as technology or consumer products. These types of events are great for recruitment and new business prospecting.

Client responsibilities are the number one priority, but by making time for industry activities, you create opportunities to bring even more creative ideas to your client campaigns. Even for students, there is the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), which has chapters at campus’ across the country.

Hopefully these idea have inspired you to try something new you can start next week fresh, rested and ready to take on new challenges!

Read PR Daily’s full article here: http://prdaily.com/Main/Articles/19460.aspx

In Honor of the 45th Anniversary of Earth Day, Companies Launch Impactful Campaigns Online

By on April 24, 2015 in Campaigns, Paramount Public Relations, Social Media

Earth Day 2015

This past Wednesday, April 22, the world celebrated its 45th Earth Day. Every year, communities come together to demonstrate their support of environmental protection by putting together events that help encourage public awareness. In addition to individual efforts, research from the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) indicates that “over the past five years both U.S. consumer awareness and consumer attitudes toward sustainable or ‘green,’ brands have increased to an all-time high.”

Many companies and brands participated in Earth day this year by using social media accounts to showcase their “pride for the planet.” On a variety of social media platforms, companies inspired one another to launch campaigns focusing on their sustainability efforts reaffirming their commitments to the environment. A sense of community and public pride was evoked having companies across the globe provide tips for environmental protection to their networks.

Neutrogena was one brand that stood out among many others this year. For its annual Earth Month campaign, the brand choose to dramatically change how it targets its audiences by launching a digital-only campaign that promoting water conservation in addition to a new line of environmentally friendly makeup wipes with actress Kisten Bell as the brand’s spokeswoman. The efforts of this new campaign center around the #WipeforWater hashtag to inspire consumers to use Neutrogena’s wipes for seven days which would save about 35 gallons of water per person. Neutrogena will also be donating $1 (up to $50,000) to the Nature Conservatory for every person who pledges online to Neutrogena’s Earth Month cause.

Inspired by Neutrogena’s engaging campaign and creative thinking, how can we as consumers start holding ourselves at a higher standard and become actively conscious of our environmental responsibility in our daily lives?

Watch Kristen Bell explain Neutrogena’s campaign here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4ScVY-hZJ4&feature=youtu.be

Ultimaker Unveils Newest Innovations at the 3D Printshow in New York City

By on April 17, 2015 in Clients, Paramount Public Relations

There’s a lot going on at Ultimaker with recent innovations that can all been seen in-person at the 3D Printshow that is currently happening in New York City. Ultimaker, a leading 3D printer manufacturer, will be showcasing its new community platform, unveiling its new Cura Software and showcasing its highly anticipated new printer models.

Ultimaker will be showcasing the following at the 3D Printshow:

• New 3D Printshow Booth. Showcasing all the latest technologies and stories from Ultimaker’s world, the booth is a snapshot of what’s happening right now in 3D printing across design and medicine. It also reveals inspiring stories of how 3D printing is dramatically changing lives, such as making prosthetics available to all. As part of this engaging exhibit is an awe-inspiring life-sized 3D printed motorcycle, lovingly created by Jonathan Brand. This translucent wonder is a real treat for the eyes – who’s ever seen a complete 3D printed motorcycle.

Jonathan Brand 3D Printed Motorcycle-Ultimaker

• A new community platform. On April 16th Ultimaker will be launching their brand new community platform – redesigned from the ground up, it’s effortlessly intuitive and fun to use. A completely new experience, it allows members to actively share new ideas with Ultimaker and the rest of the community, earn badges based on their interaction, post their latest prints for all to admire, offer technical and creative support to each other directly through message boards, and well, there’s much, much, more besides too.

• The new Ultimaker Family models arrive. Two hotly anticipated new models, the Ultimaker 2 Go and the Ultimaker 2 Extended, will begin shipping in the last week of April and will also be making an appearance at the 3D Printshow. These two models complete the current lineup of the Ultimaker 2 range giving customers the option of a smaller more compact printer with the Ultimaker 2 Go, great for life on the move; an industry leading desktop printer with the Ultimaker 2; or the ability to print even larger models with the Ultimaker 2 Extended.

• All new Cura. We’re announcing the launch of new Cura at the New York 3D Printshow, with the actual software launch date set at July 1st. Ultimaker has rebuilt Cura, their industry leading software, from the ground up to create an even more seamless integration between hardware, software and materials. It now features new pre-settings for materials and default profiles, a very handy undo button, support structure optimization plus many other new abilities.

With all of these developments, Ultimaker is proving that it is still committed to upholding its vision of making 3D printing an inclusive experience.

You can find Ultimaker at the New York 3D Printshow on floor 2, stand A4.

For more information about Ultimaker please visit: https://ultimaker.com/

Fans Can Now Experience the 2015 NBA Playoffs from the Suite Life

By on April 10, 2015 in Clients, Paramount Public Relations

2015 NBA PlayoffsThere are only eight days left in the regular NBA season, and basketball fans are gearing up to cheer on their favorite team in the upcoming playoffs. Every year, the Eastern and Western Conference teams compete against each other with hopes to secure the league’s winning title. This year’s teams have yet to be finalized, but the prospective teams to participate are shaping this year’s tournament to be intense and exciting. Although the season is coming to an end, fans can still attend an NBA playoff game alongside fellow supporters to celebrate their team’s talents and past year’s achievements.

Beginning April 18, SuiteHop, an online marketplace where fans can easily book luxury suites, will have suites available for basketball fans to watch games during the NBA playoffs. By purchasing private luxury suites through SuiteHop, fans are provided with amenities such as top visibility, free parking, in-suite catering, private bathrooms and more. SuiteHop’s streamlined platform allows users to directly book entire suites or individuals seats in suites with real-time availability and pricing. SuiteHop has suites available across the country at top events ranging from MLB, NBA and NFL games to concerts from leading musicians that are easy to search and buy online.

Basketball fans love the drama that comes with every game and to help heighten this year’s NBA playoff anticipation, SB Nation has highlighted some of the past year’s most memorable NBA moments that help shape the face of today’s NBA league such as when the Nets scored six points in 15.3 seconds. Which teams and players will be this year’s post-season heroes?

For more information about SuiteHop please visit their website at: www.suitehop.com.

Watch the top 7 crazy NBA moments clips from SB Nation here: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/4/10/8377431/nba-playoffs-standings-game-winners-highlights

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