“If It Ain’t Fun, to Heck with It.”

by Roger Pynn

When it comes to television advertising, Volkswagen – like Target – has achieved a level of creativity as unique as a fingerprint.  You see a VW ad coming a mile away.

When you visit this VW initiative you’ll get a peak into the mindset that drives the automaker’s success in creating brand recognition.

We’re in the business of driving perception and motivating behavioral change and there’s no doubt that changing behavior is easier when it is fun.

When we went into business 25 years ago our first client was Florida Cypress Gardens whose founder Dick Pope, Sr. was famous for the motto “If it ain’t fun, to heck with it.”

He proved it with lots of beautiful Southern Belles wandering his beloved gardens, barefoot water skiers, water skiing while playing a Baby Grand piano and any number of other stunts to call attention to his beloved gardens.

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Mr. Pope built what was Florida’s pre-Disney trademark tourist attraction on that philosophy … changing perceptions of Florida as a place simply to relax and avoid cold winters to today’s expectation that this is a great place to be entertained.

His advice still stands.

The Essence of Teamwork

by Connie Gonzalez

Teamwork is mandatory in any thriving business.  Relying on the help of others to complete a task for a client is, without a doubt, essential.  In our line of work, it takes several employees to get to the finish line of any given project.

Recently, Kim Taylor presented an idea to our graphic designer, Dionne Aiken, regarding tips on blogging.  Dionne took that idea and created a “How To” pocket guide as a take-home for an event Kim was attending.  I was asked to assist in this process by making sure this product reached its final potential.  And so I did.  The end result was a phenomenal product.

There was no budget and a turn-around time of three days, but we managed to make it work with teamwork!  The efforts one person – let alone three – can put into a project will reap the benefits far and beyond.

Everyone has a very important position, regardless of the person’s professional title.  Whether we are working on a press release, re-designing a website or handling a crisis, we all pitch in to help one another in our roles for the client.  Without teamwork, there would be no Curley & Pynn.

Teamwork is the essence of success at Curley & Pynn and I am proud to be a part of that success.

Unselfish Celebration

by Roger Pynn

Milestones are an important tool in public relations.

Just as a company often displays its first dollar of revenue above the cash register, we advise companies to share achievements ranging from their first major contract to awards received to anniversaries.

When our client OrLANtech asked our help devising a way to celebrate the company’s 15^th anniversary we knew whatever the solution it would be fun because that’s the culture of this outstanding IT company.  Founders Keith Coker and Chriss Rhode have built their very successful business on simple principles of good service by very smart people they value … and always taking time to have fun.  They have fun with their employees.  They involve their families.  And they share the fun with their clients … for instance with their trademark Halloween candy delivery to client offices while dressed in some pretty creative Trick or Treat costumes.

They’ve lived up to their reputation for fun with The Big 15! Quiz … which will tickle your funny bone and test your memory of how computers have changed our lives in such a short time.

But they’ve also shown another side of the OrLANtech culture by turning their celebration of 15 years into a fundraiser for a cause they believe in, Jarrett’s Joycart.  For every quiz entry completed, OrLANtech will make a contribution to the Orlando chapter of this wonderful cause that aims to make the lives of hospitalized children and their families a bit easier.

Happy Birthday, OrLANtech … and thanks for reminding us what’s really important.

A Leave-Behind that Won’t Get Left Behind!

by Dionne Aiken

When Curley & Pynn VP and social media enthusiast Kim Taylor approached me a few days ago to create a leave-behind for a lecture on blogging I was clueless.  We were short on two things:  time and budget.  All I knew was that it needed to be eye-catching and memorable.   We took a step back and put on our thinking caps to “see the big picture.”  We started to think through the concept of a leave-behind.  The end result needed to be something memorable that would serve as a reminder, and also a useful reference tool that consumers could walk away with and keep after the lecture.

Given the limited time and budget, I could’ve just created some fancy 8.5 x 11 handout and called it a day.  But, handouts are too commonplace and unless you’re a student or you just so happen to travel with a binder or some oversized planner, one of two things were bound to happen:

1. The handout will get folded into tiny squares and shoved into a deep dark pocket or purse only to be found later shredded to pieces in the laundry, or
2. The handout will get thrown into the trashcan as soon as the chance is had and when no one is looking.

We wanted people to hold onto it, not get rid of it or destroy it.  Evidently the handout was not the solution in this instance.

So what then is the ultimate leave-behind?  A business card.

After Kim and I talked this through a bit more, the solution became “clear.”  An accordion-folded business card that when folded down slipped neatly in a clear sleeve for protection.  Through the sleeve you can see the title on one side, flip it over and you can see basic contact information.  Open it up and the tips are presented as the “Who, What, Where, When, Why and Hows of blogging.”

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By taking into account consumer behavior and usability we were able to create a leave behind that won’t get left behind.

The result – good design, where form and function meet in the middle.

Click here to download your free copy of the “Who, What, Where, When, Why and Hows of blogging.”

Show You Care—Use Automated Messages

by Kerry Martin

Let it be known that this might be the first time someone writes praises about the efficiency of a government agency.

But honestly, I couldn’t help but be wowed by a great use of technology employed by the Economic Development Administration for an online award application form.

As part of a strategy to spotlight our clients’ activities and efforts, we seek out award programs that cater to their industries.  I’ve seen my share of online submission forms for award nominations:  ones that have upload tools for PDFs, some that warn you that the page will timeout in 15 minutes, and plenty that have some unknown “error on page” message in the bottom of your browser no matter how many times you refresh.  What’s worse, I know that after clicking the “submit” button I’ll receive some automated message saying that if I don’t receive confirmation within 10 business days I can contact info@xyz.com.

So suffice it to say, I nearly have a panic attack every time I hover over that button thinking that some technology glitch could erase my application, cause me to miss the award deadline and I won’t find out for ten days (possibly longer knowing that my 87 emails to info@ surely won’t get returned in a timely manner).

This time, however, was completely different.  After clicking submit and waiting for the page to finish loading, I subsequently heard the ding of my email notification.  There in my inbox was a full report of what I had just submitted, with embedded links showing the PDFs that I had uploaded—displayed exactly how they will be seen by the award review committee.  Who knew a government agency’s upload tool would be so comforting?  (Or rather, their use of online form builder, Wufoo.)

So here’s a challenge to everyone reading this post that is in any way connected to an online submission form—invest in some IT consulting (or just sign up for a service like Wufoo) to construct an automated response system to message users who interact with your organization. When they get confirmation that their application was received, it sends the signal that you care—and saves them from having a nervous breakdown worrying if their application was lost somewhere in cyberspace.

Florida Gators Must Be Wondering

by Roger Pynn

This blog has nothing to do with sports, but it has everything to do with the world of communication and for better or for worse that includes the news media.  Since many in the media are quick to judge those of us in public relations, I find it easy to point out their shortcomings, as well.

I actually think the Orlando Sentinel’s Iliana Limōn does a good job covering athletics at my Alma Mater, so I was more than a bit surprised by her story about the University of Florida’s women’s soccer team defeating our Lady Knights the other day.

Since soccer is traditionally such a low-scoring game, a 3-0 victory would likely be viewed with more enthusiasm than a 1-0 win.  Alas, Sentinel readers may never know … because although she said the UF team was victorious there was no score reported.

In a story full of detail, I just had to wonder whether this was another example of how editing – or the lack of it – has changed the face of newspapers today.  But just in case sports fans are desperate for the score, in this online version at OrlandoSentinel.com, you’ll find the answer.

Oil and Water: Science and the News

by Dan Ward

Christopher Reddy’s opinion piece “How reporters mangle science on Gulf oil” appearing on CNN.com is a great example of how the drive to “get the story first” can sometimes result in getting the story wrong.

Reddy is an associate scientist and director of the Coastal Ocean Institute at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which gained worldwide attention last week after reporting that it had discovered a plume of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

News reports were quick to use this report as evidence that a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimate of oil in the Gulf was wrong.

But as Reddy points out, science doesn’t work that way.  The Institute’s report was meant to add to the wealth of scientific data available, not to suggest that any previous research or estimates were right or wrong. Despite Reddy’s attempts to share this with more than 25 journalists, the story was turned into a “duel between competing scientists.”

The fact that Reddy felt compelled to set the record straight should encourage us all to avoid jumping to conclusions when future scientific reports are released.

Science takes time, a commodity in short supply in many of today’s newsrooms.

Hate to Pester? Try Humorous Reminders

by Kerry Martin

We all have to do it.  Send a “gentle” reminder e-mail to request something, follow-up with a phone call on that favor you asked for, and even ask your boss to mention it when he sees them in person.  I hate having to pester people when I need something, which is why I always look for another way to change my tone or soften my request on repeated points of contact.

Thanks to the familiarity and informal language prevalent in social media and trendy internet-based programs, I’ve seen more and more examples of using humor as a means of deflecting annoying reminder e-mails—and even turning them into friendly correspondences.

After experimenting with a Weebly build-it-yourself website (as I described in a previous post), I left my Web page project dormant for a while.  That’s when I found this funny message in my inbox:

Their sincere follow-up email was so endearing, I couldn’t forget about my project. I’ve held on to the email because it made such an impact, and I even go back and read through it occasionally when I want a quick giggle.

If the opportunity arises to send out a reminder to a familiar audience, why not experiment with a funny note or melodramatic plea for their cherished affections?

I’m going to give it a try—it certainly beats “Third request – PLEASE RESPOND!!!”

Is There a Line Between News and Opinion?

by Dan Ward

The News and Opinion pages in daily newspapers are rarely truly separate, despite the assertions of some newspapers over many years that a line divides the two, just as there has long been a line between news and advertising.

The Opinion pages often include editorials about stories that have appeared in the News sections, leading many to believe that those stories are being driven by editorial opinion.

In most cases, I believe that is not the case.  It makes sense that, following a major news story, editorial writers might decide to weigh in with their opinion.  But notice I said “in most cases.”  The line, if there really is one, between news and opinion does appear to be blurring, especially with the increasing use of blogs that allow beat reporters to share their opinions.

Last week, I saw a clear example where an editorial board was attempting to influence the direction of news coverage.  On behalf of one of my clients, I set up and managed a call with an editorial board for a major Florida daily.  My objective was to provide an introduction to my client’s industry.  Since a reporter for the daily was coincidentally working on a story involving our industry, she was invited to attend.  That’s fairly common.

What isn’t common is having the editorial board director interrupt our conversation to brusquely ask, “Can we just get to the point of why we’re here, and discuss the story that’s being developed?”

When the person running the Opinion pages jumps in to drive a news interview, the line between the two is not just blurred, it’s ignored entirely.

Do We Fit?

by Kim Taylor

When I read this post over at “Brass Tack Thinking” yesterday, I felt a little pain in my side. A few months ago we met several talented PR professionals in our quest to fill a vacancy.

Each of them brought a variety of skills to the table; and most even seemed to meet many or all of our requirements. Yet, time and time again we struggled with the vague “what’s missing?” piece. What did we omit from our requirements? What were we forgetting to ask during the interviews?

The truth is, we may not have known what we were looking for, but we’d know it when we found it …that elusive ‘fit’ that Tamsen talks about in her post.

I tend to think that same ‘fit’ rule applies to the client-agency relationship. There have been times when we knew our proposal was spot-on and that the presentation couldn’t have gone better, but ultimately business didn’t move forward. We’d retrace our steps, wonder where things went wrong and make notes on how we could improve the next go-round.

But, what if – just like with those talented PR professionals – it wasn’t just about skills and ability and it all came down to fit?