Tag Archive for: consumer pr agency

3 Pitfalls to Purpose Driven Communication

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Recently, Google polled 3,000 Americans to find out how they responded to sustainability messaging. As more brands make efforts to become more sustainable or even start any sort of purpose-driven communications,  these four tips will help you communicate purpose-driven messaging effectively. 

Today’s consumers are smarter about messaging. Millennials, the first digitally native generation, are grown-ups, and have their own kids. Gen X (now called Zoomers), see right through greenwashing. They can smell inauthenticity and they actively bristle at brands leveraging purpose-driven messaging to improve their own reputations. And they are right to be skeptical. According to a Google study global survey of top-level executives 59% admitted to overstating — or inaccurately representing — their sustainability activities. Whoa. That’s not a trust-first strategy at all.

So how can well-meaning brands celebrate purpose-driven messaging like sustainability, and awareness days like Earth Day, without alienating their customers?

Communicate Sustainable Efforts with Plain Language

Purpose-driven messaging is nuanced, but sustainability messaging is quite difficult because sometimes an effort to be sustainable has unintended, non-sustainable results. Yet, it’s important to be clear and honest when discussing your company’s efforts.

One way to do this is to share your sustainability goals and roadmap and be candid about your yearly progress. An annual purpose-driven progress report that is open and available on your website allows your customers to come on the journey with you. And explaining how to you took action and the implications helps consumers understand the complications.

Let me tell you a story. Many years ago, I had a client who created disposable compostable plates and utensils. Before we could even get into messaging, I had to take a mini science lesson because compostable can be problematic due to chemicals used to breakdown items like this, yet using products like this is still better than using plastic that ends up in the landfill, right?

Everyone agreed that anything misleading would destroy trust. We landed on a simple outcome everyone can understand: less plastic is better. And this was a fantastic choice because everyone can clearly understand that we have a plastic problem, and it creates an awareness of a bigger issue that the brand is trying to tackle.  Today if I had that client, we would dig deeper and be even more transparent, but this was 2009, and we were barely scratching the surface of how complicated “sustainable” really is to achieve.

Simple is better. Honest is better. Transparent is better. 

 

Celebrate The Accessible

What creates change? From a sustainable messaging standpoint, we’re past awareness. In 2009, Harvard Business Review study found cost is one key reason people don’t adopt sustainable practices. Things like EVs and solar panels are financially inaccessible, to say nothing of the fact that the nations 44 million renters can’t do either of these things.

But what is one thing everyone can do? Reuse. That’s something to celebrate, and it’s accessible to millions of people. Folgers recently did a commercial about reusing its glass jars; I like this because I think it’s on-point to their consumer. The ad incorporated a touch of nostalgia which was effective too. On the flip side, in a recent AdAge podcast, some creatives slightly skewered the video by asking, “What about the plastic lid?” which I think misses the point. The point is: when you remind your customers of the accessible ways they can make a difference, it empowers them.

Focus on small, actionable, concrete actions that you can celebrate alongside your customers. 

Dire Threats Aren’t Effective

“When asked to describe “actions or attitudes that could make people feel bad about their impact on the environment,” many U.S. survey respondents pointed to images of landscapes ruined by trash, fires, or pollution, while some pointed to images of animal suffering.”

Not only does messaging like this put the consumer in a terrible position, it’s disempowering. This kind of messaging is increasingly ineffective because consumers have had it with feeling bad about a gigantic problem that they, as an individual, can’t personally solve alone. And why is the burden even on the consumer all the time anyway? What is the business doing internally?

Instead, focus on positive outcomes. Before and after pictures of rooftop gardens, clean parks, these are all uplifting images that send a positive, impactful message. 

Use Educated Consumers to Your Advantage

Sustainability has become political. It’s that simple. For example, according to Harvard Business Review:

“Republicans were less likely to buy a compact fluorescent light bulb that they knew was more energy-efficient than an incandescent bulb when it was labeled “Protect the Environment” than when that label was missing.”

Most consumers who want a sustainable bulb know incandescent bulbs are more sustainable. But instead of pointing to the environmental benefits, labeling incandescent bulbs as more energy efficient is effective for a wider range of consumers. Everyone can see the benefits of saving energy, whether for sustainability or economic benefit.

Without a plan and consideration for the pitfalls, purpose-driven communication can do more damage than good. For more recommendations, download our Purpose-Driven Guide, which provides an internal roadmap to avoiding the typical challenges of communicating purpose-driven messages.

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Why Hiring a Cannabis PR Firm Matters

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Ask anyone who works in the cannabis industry: it’s different from any other industry. It’s not “just another CPG” product. It’s a highly regulated, heavily watched, extremely volatile industry. Our firm handled the first cannabis product recall in California, and we can tell you it’s not like other product recalls. We’re deeply engaged in the cannabis industry through our NCIA leadership and we proudly spearheaded the Best of 420 Clio Cannabis last year. The cannabis industry, which started in 2012 when Colorado and Washington legalized recreational use, has a history and patchwork of regulations even though it’s an emerging industry. Navigating these waters takes strategy, foresight, and the ability to read the tea leaves, which only comes from experience – that’s why hiring a cannabis PR firm matters.

 

The Cannabis Industry is Not The Green Rush

The ACTUAL gold rush was famously unregulated; it was a bonanza of rebels who swarmed government lands with impunity. Or the tech industry, whose ground-breaking innovations in media, medicine, and technology happened without major government oversight for decades, giving time for some of the world’s most profitable companies to take root.

The cannabis industry is on fragile ground. Even the most basic of business tools, the bank account, is challenging to secure for plant-touching cannabis brands. Unlike the surge of other emerging industries which merged into hypergrowth businesses, from the very first, the cannabis industry has been highly regulated. No startup industry has managed so many regulations, taxes, and hurdles early in its growth.

Why does this matter when hiring a cannabis PR agency? Because there is a more significant responsibility to consider and more to lose for cannabis brands. Anytime a bad actor lands in the cannabis industry, legislators can point to the irresponsibility of that single company as representative of the entire sector – fair or not. Cannabis brands must take the reputation of the whole cannabis sector seriously. Cannabis owners have the opportunity to be cultural leaders, and that’s a heady but consequential task that a cannabis PR agency knows how to handle.

If the cannabis industry is to change its federal legalization situation, then it must take the reputation of the cannabis industry seriously; that’s why hiring a cannabis PR firm matters.

 

Building a Brand Matters More in Cannabis

There are only a few ways for cannabis brands to differentiate because of the limitations on cannabis brands. Therefore, cannabis brands must use the marketing and communication tactics that are open to them, strategically.

While a cannabis connoisseur may be able to detect the subtleties of your flower’s terpene profile, the average U.S. consumer is still blissfully unaware of what a terpene is. It’s essential to meet your consumer where they are and celebrate their lives through the articulation of your brand. People are rarely drawn to a brand because it educates them; educational content has its purpose, but as a cannabis brand, you must know its purpose and place more than other consumer brands. And when I say brand, I mean every touch point from cannabis packaging to website. If your website looks amateur, then it doesn’t scream luxury or lifestyle; it screams “cheap, and uncommitted.”

Don’t kid yourself into thinking your digital presence doesn’t matter because traditional e-commerce isn’t available to cannabis brands. The fact is, search is one of the most powerful marketing tools you can leverage, and PR and content are critical to successful cannabis SEO.

It’s more important than ever that brands articulate clearly WHO their customer is. This is true of all consumer brands – but for the cannabis industry, where it’s even more challenging for the consumer to differentiate between brands, it’s even more critical that you tell them. No successful brand is everything to everyone right away. It took decades for Coca-Cola to be a brand that crosses generations and lifestyles, and even with that, Coca-Cola is continuously adding new products and new campaigns to reinforce its connection to segments of its audience. No cannabis brand has the history or the budget to operate the way the world’s biggest brands do – and that’s OK. You can’t be ubiquitous, but you can be niche.

But being a cannabis company doesn’t make you a cannabis brand-a brand you must build. And PR is a vital tool for emerging industries and ambitious brands for a reason.

Today’s cannabis brands have a multitude of strategies for their future. Some want to create generational family businesses, some want to be acquired, and some want nothing less than world domination. All those things are possible when you build a cannabis brand and that’s why hiring a cannabis firm matters.

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What Does a Consumer PR Agency Do?

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With the abundance of information available online, consumers are more informed, and a single mistake can lead to a public relations disaster. Thus, to maintain a positive reputation, investing in a public relations agency may be helpful. These agencies can help manage the company’s image and prevent potential PR issues. So, if you’re considering hiring a PR agency for your business, here’s your chance to learn more about what they do. Continue reading as we discuss DTC PR and CPG PR.

What is a Consumer PR Agency?

A consumer PR agency is a public relations firm specializing in consumer products or services. These agencies work with various clients, including retail companies, consumer goods manufacturers, and service providers, even app developers, intending to create a positive image for and increase sales by building consumer awareness and interest.

Types of Consumer PR Agencies

There are several types of consumer PR agencies, each with its own unique focus and approach:

  • Full-Service Agencies: These agencies offer a wide range of PR services, including media relations, event planning, and social media management. They typically work with clients in various industries and can handle all aspects of a company’s public relations needs.
  • Specialty Agencies: These agencies focus on specific areas of PR, such as crisis management, purpose driven PR, product launches, or sustainability. They may work with a range of clients within their area of expertise or specialize in serving a specific industry, such as automobile, construction, etc.
  • In-House Agencies: These agencies are not considered to be external agencies since they are owned and run by the corporation/organization that they represent. At the very least, they take care of their parent company’s public relations and communication requirements.
  • Boutique Agencies: These smaller, more specialized agencies often concentrate on serving a particular economy sector or audience, such as the cannabis industry or hyper-growth companies. They may only provide a limited variety of services but are very knowledgeable in that particular area/field.
  • Digital PR Agencies: Online public relations methods, such as social media management and influencer outreach, are the primary emphasis of digital PR agencies. They assist companies in developing and maintaining an online presence on the internet.
  • Integrated Agencies: These agencies provide PR services and a more comprehensive range of marketing and advertising solutions. They may take a comprehensive market and public relations approach while working with a diverse range of customers in different sectors.

Now that you know different agencies, know that no matter the type of support your company needs, there is an agency that can help you effectively manage your public image and reputation.

DTC PR vs. CPG PR vs. Consumer Tech PR

Your search for DTC PR vs. CPG PR ends here. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) PR and consumer packaged goods (CPG) PR are two types of public relations that focus on specific industries. DTC PR requires a special combination of media relations and digital savvy, while CPG PR requires a deep understanding of storytelling and consumer trends to differentiate brands. Consumer tech PR requires the ability to tell sometimes complicated and technical stories in a consumer-friendly way. 

The Role of a Consumer PR Agency

Consumer PR agencies take on a variety of functions for their clients. As the future is shaped and molded by technology, the roles will continue to evolve and change along with it. It’s incumbent on consumer PR agencies to stay plugged into trends and technologies that will change the day-to-day lives of consumers in the future. More importantly, though, consumer PR agencies need to have a deep knowledge of Google’s latest changes and how PR agencies can improve client SEO with premium product reviews. Consumer tech PR requires a digital forward approach. 

Reputation Management

The primary role of a consumer PR agency in reputation management is to safeguard and improve its client’s public image. This can be achieved through various tactics, such as monitoring the media for negative stories, managing a crisis to minimize damage, and proactively promoting the client’s positive image. Nevertheless, it is important for consumer PR agencies to prioritize their client’s reputations, as the success or failure of the client’s image can also impact the agency’s reputation.

Crisis Management

In the event of a scandal or other negative online or in-person publicity, or a product recall,  a company needs a team of skilled professionals who can help reduce harm and rebuild its reputation. Similarly, crisis management involves not only managing the aftermath of a crisis but also preventing it from occurring in the first place. Thus, the role of a PR agency is to work with its clients to prevent crises and use all of its resources to safeguard the client’s interests and manage the situation effectively.

Social Media

In the digital age, having a strong social media presence is crucial for all businesses to succeed. A consumer PR agency can assist in developing and implementing a successful social media and digital marketing strategy. They can monitor online conversations about a brand and address negative feedback before it worsens. A PR agency can also help increase your brand’s reach on social media and establish relationships with potential customers through promotional efforts.

Press Releases

The main goal of consumer PR agencies is to generate media coverage that creates a favorable public image for their clients. One way they do this is through press releases. A press release is a written statement provided to the media to generate news coverage, usually containing information about an exciting event, product launch, or other newsworthy technologies. Simply put, they collaborate with the clients to develop effective press releases that attract the attention of reporters and editors.

Media Relations

An effective media relations strategy can create positive press coverage to increase awareness, credibility, and potential leads. Thus, every competent consumer PR agency specializes in specific industries and has established relationships with important media members, such as directors, writers, and editors of famous magazines. They are knowledgeable enough to recognize journalists who cover the clients’ industries and pitch story ideas that interest the targeted audience.

Internal Communications

In today’s digital age, where anything can be shared or “leaked” publicly, businesses need to have strong, well-crafted internal and external communications. Consumer PR agencies not only help clients write speeches and develop internal communications, but they also ensure that these materials are well-written and effective. This includes ensuring that the language is clear, concise, and free of grammar mistakes and that the message is persuasively conveyed through storytelling techniques.

Event Planning

When a client is hosting an event that media members will attend, PR agencies often take on the role of an event planner. The goal is to make sure the event goes smoothly and presents the client in a positive light. To accomplish this, PR agencies handle all aspects of event planning, including booking venues, organizing press conferences, and coordinating travel and lodging for attendees. The PR agency may also use its marketing team to create content for the event before launch.

Market Research

Conducting market research is an essential element of any successful PR campaign. By thoroughly understanding the target audience, PR agencies create messaging that resonates with them and reaches through channels where they are most likely to encounter it. However, to develop an effective strategy, agencies invest their time and resources into market research to understand the needs and preferences of the target audience, enabling them to create relevant content.

Content Writing

PR agencies typically have experienced writers who can create compelling messaging that accurately reflects the brand’s essence. These writers are skilled at crafting captivating headlines and writing persuasive body copy. In addition to developing written content, a PR agency and its marketing team help generate ideas for creative marketing materials such as infographics and white papers. These materials can be useful for telling the brand’s story and engaging with its target audience.

Outreach

PR agencies work to establish beneficial relationships with media outlets and influencers to promote their clients’ messages to the public. The first step in this process is identifying the target audience and creating messaging that will appeal to them. Once the message is developed, the agency aims to get it in front of as many individuals as possible through paid advertising, earned media placements, and social media. By getting the message out to a wide audience, the agency’s goal is nearly achieved.

Media Training

Interacting with the press can be a daunting and challenging experience, even for those accustomed to the spotlight. Therefore, consumer PR agencies work with their clients to ensure they are prepared to handle any questions from the media. This may involve conducting role-playing exercises to help the client practice responding effectively and positively to various scenarios. The agency also guides what to say and what to avoid saying to the press to prevent potential PR disasters.

Influencer Management

Influencer management can be a powerful tool for a brand, allowing it to tap into the influence and reach of key individuals to promote its message and reach its goals, and this can only be done effectively through a consumer PR agency. It involves identifying, engaging with, and working with individuals who can influence public opinion and drive action. An effective influencer management strategy can help a brand reach its target audience and create long-term customer relationships.

How to Create a Consumer PR Strategy?

Don’t have the budget to hire a consumer PR agency? Don’t worry; you can make a strategy by yourself. All you need to do is follow these steps to the very end, and you’re good to go.

  • Define Your Target Audience: Who are you trying to reach with your PR efforts? Clearly defining your target audience will help guide all other aspects of your strategy.
  • Determine Your Objectives: Ask yourself: what do you hope to achieve with your PR campaign? Your objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
  • Identify Key Messages: What do you want your target audience to know or think about your brand? Identify the key messages and ensure they are consistent with your brand’s image.
  • Choose Appropriate Tactics: Based on your target audience and objectives, determine the tactics that will be most effective for reaching and engaging them. These might include press releases, media relations, social media, events, influencer partnerships, or content marketing.
  • Create a Timeline: Develop a timeline for executing your tactics and consider how you will measure the success of your campaign (you can also invest in online tools to keep s track).
  • Implement and Monitor: Put your PR strategy into action and track its progress. Monitor the results and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that you meet your objectives.

Wrapping Up – What Does a Consumer PR Agency Do

One of the main tasks of a consumer PR agency is media relations. This involves building relationships with journalists, bloggers, and other media influencers and pitching story ideas to them to secure client coverage. At the very least, this can include distributing press releases, organizing media events and interviews, and providing background information and research to journalists.

Another important function of consumer electronics PR is social media management. This involves creating and managing the client’s social media accounts, developing strategies and campaigns, and engaging with followers and influencers. Moreover, PR agencies may also create and distribute content, such as blog posts, infographics, and videos, to promote the client’s products or services.

Overall, the role of a consumer PR agency is to help its clients build and maintain a positive image and increase sales by promoting their products or services to consumers through a variety of methods, including media relations, social media management, event planning, sponsorship, and market research. By effectively communicating the client’s message and building relationships with key influencers and media outlets, a consumer PR agency can help its clients achieve their goals.

Finally, this brings us to the end of this blog; now it’s time to hear from you. Questions or comments? Or maybe there’s something we missed? Either way, feel free to contact us. 

 

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5 Often Untapped Strategies of Early Adopter Marketing

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Ah, the early adopter. Their the people who grab on to things first, they start trends and they are influencers in their respective communities.

Whether you’re a startup, a movement or a personality, you need these early adopters. Marketing to early adopters can be slippery though, what they grab on to is almost entirely motivationally based. Toss out your traditional “Three P’s” of marketing if you want to capture this crowd, you’re going to need to think through what makes them tick.

Whether you’re building a product or starting a movement, keep your early adopters in mind. Strategies of early adopter marketing require a deep understanding of their motiviations.

Early Adopters Value Intellectual Stimulation

It doesn’t matter what your target market is, a certain segment of them are early adopters and early adopters like to be challenged and stimulated.  Puzzles and quizzes are intriguing to these people, but they get bored easily, so make sure the content matches the intelligence level.

Don’t mistake this to assume that every puzzle or quiz is intriguing to early adopters. They aren’t necessarily the “Buzzfeed” quiz takers. They like to learn and be challenged but they aren’t interested in dumbed down versions of anything. By the time something has caught mass adoption, early adopters have either “been there/done that” or are already deeply engaged in using the product.

Early Adopters Have High “FOMO.”

Because they value their role as early adopters, they never want to be “out of the loop” or miss something that’s particularly cool.

Tap into that “Fear of Missing Out” during the earliest stages. Give them ways to be cool to their community by letting them be the gateway to a broader audience and you’ll be tapping into their desires to be seen as an early adopter.

Google generally does this really well when it launches products. It does an initial invitation to known early adopters and gets everyone else clamoring to be part of it in the first phase and SEEN as an early adopter. Google definitely has marketing to early adopters down.

Early Adopters Are Attracted to Art, Emotion and Adventure

Perhaps more than any other target market, early adopters are pulled in by emotion, art and adventure.

This is one reason why Apple’s early emphasis on design caught on with early adopters, they loved the elegance of the product and interface, the art of the experience.

Remember, art, emotion and adventure can happen online and offline. This is a place where you can really get creative and have some fun. It’s also easy to identify these people based on where they go because events like TED and TEDX inherently draw early adopter personality types.

Because of this constant searching early adopters have, curiosity is a primary trigger for action. Tripping the curiosity trigger requires some thought because early adopters aren’t generally suckers for the usual mass-marketing techniques; they’re a little more sophisticated than that. You’re going to really have to think of something that genuinely makes them curious.

The “Why” Seriously Matters

Early adopters are very observant they generally see through tactics and need a reason to be inspired.  Your marketing message to early adopters needs to be centered around something inspiring.

Instead of focusing on product features, tap into the deep intellectual and emotional reservoir of early adopters and give some insight to them about why this product or movement matters. You’ll likely need to do some message testing here, but it will be worth it once you hit on the “why” that matters most.

Don’t Confuse Early Adopters for Extroverts

It’s easy to lump the two together, but research shows that messaging that targets extroverts actually repels early adopters. Early adopters like intrigue and creativity, they aren’t particularly attracted to social attention in a public way. This doesn’t mean they aren’t on social media, it just means that their triggers are different. They like to have their role as early adopters confirmed, but they also like to be the messenger of that delivery.

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