Twitter’s Not for Every Business

by Kim Taylor

Over the years, we’ve given clients advice about social media and whether it was right for their particular business.  In some industries, it just doesn’t make sense.  Maybe having a Twitter handle for a mechanical contractor isn’t the best communication method, for instance.

But then one day you stumble upon a Twitter feed for the most unlikely industry and question every hesitation you’d ever had.

Greenwood Cemetery, aka @OrlandoCemetery, has an official Twitter page.  In fact, Don Price, the cemetery’s sexton is big in social media.  He’s hosted Moonlight Strolls for Yelpers and manages the Twitter feed himself.

So, what does a cemetery tweet about, exactly?  Given the topic at hand, it’s rather lighthearted.  And, even though much of Don’s tweets are about the dead, they’re more of a history lesson about the City Beautiful.  Makes sense given Greenwood has been around since the 1880s.

Innovation in social media is still possible.  I guess you just have to think outside the box … the pine box.

Broken Hearts Pave the Way for Broken Rules

by Kim Taylor

For the public relations industry there are no doubt dozens of lessons to be learned from the Boston Bomber tragedy … from crisis communications to media relations to the use of social media … it’s a communicator’s dream or nightmare scenario depending on which story you reference.

But, in perhaps the most unexpected twist, instead of issuing a fine to Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz, aka, Big Papi, the FCC is standing behind the player’s heartfelt—albeit less than eloquent— message to Bostonians.

 

 

If you haven’t seen it, cover your kids’ ears and push play.

Sometimes, rules are meant to be broken.

Everybody Wins

by Kim Taylor

Last night our team assembled with Orlando’s public relations community for the annual FPRA Image Awards ceremony.  Each year we select a variety of programs and projects to enter on behalf of our clients with the hope of bringing home an award or two.

But, this year was special.  Not only did we go four-for-four in the award category (Go, team!), but my partner and Curley & Pynn’s Vice President, Dan Ward, was the big man on campus for the evening accepting the honor of 2013 Central Florida public relations professional of the year.

In a brilliantly produced video by Strategist Kerry Martin, many of Dan’s peers had a little fun at his expense, but deep down we know how genuinely proud they all are of his many accomplishments.  They’re not alone.  I couldn’t be more proud to call Dan my business partner—he truly is a gifted professional and now he has the bling to back it up.

If you couldn’t be there to celebrate, grab your morning coffee and check out the video below.

Rebranding the Pig

by Kim Taylor

We all know pork as “the other white meat” … the hugely successful ad campaign from the 80s still resonates today.  But, not enough I guess for consumers who apparently still fumble when trying to decipher the pork chop from the butt.  I’ll admit, when I’m selecting pork chops, it comes down to two things:  bone or no bone.

If the National Pork Board (yes; it’s is a real thing) has its way, the pig will take a page out of the cow’s book leaving consumers with a whole new menu of choices using an already familiar nomenclature—Pork Loin Chops become Pork Porterhouse Chops and Pork Top Loin Chops become Pork New York Chops, and so on.

The Pork Board has done its research and is providing retailers with a whole range of tools to encourage success including a labeling system that takes it one step further by telling the consumer the best way to cook their particular cut of meat—another nod to the beef industry—after all, who doesn’t know the best way to cook a filet?

Only time will tell whether this naming campaign is a success, but for now there’s only one thing left to say … that’ll do pig, that’ll do.

Where’s the News?

by Kim Taylor

When I was younger, “Where’s Waldo?” was hugely popular.  I was probably a smidge older than the typical demographic, but I had every book and would spend hours thumbing through the pages looking for the red-and-white-striped character.

Save for the red and white, I felt an instant feeling of nostalgia when I opened OrlandoSentinel.com today.

I get it; ads pay the bills, but where’s the news?

Don’t Be a Hero

by Kim Taylor 

Have you ever written a blog post because you hope it’ll remind you to practice what you preach?  Consider this one of those.

Everywhere you look, employers are running leaner and meaner than ever.  If the recession taught us one thing, it was that we could indeed do more with less.  The problem with that concept, and the pressure that comes along with it, is that “more” is this nebulous idea, and we never really know when we’ve reached a point where we’ve done enough and when it’s “okay” to ask for help.

As a self-proclaimed master multi-tasker, I’m quite possibly the worst delegator.  But, as a leader I know I have to do better.   That’s why when I read these tips from Inc. magazine, they really resonated … especially this one:

Stop believing you’re the only one who can do the job properly.

Just because an employee does things differently doesn’t mean he or she won’t do the job right or as well. If you establish expectations of the goal and the standards to follow, then methodology shouldn’t be an issue. An important and often overlooked part of delegation is that it helps develop employees for advancement and creates a better work environment.

Next time you’re trying to be your company’s hero by taking on task after task, which will inevitably lead to missed details and deadlines, try delegating.  Hero status comes from getting the job done—no matter who does it.

Friday Finds | December 21, 2012

by Kim Taylor

Here’s a look at some fun finds around the Web in the last week or two.

Foldify wins my vote for creating the best app you never knew you needed – This genius app lets you create 3-D figures on your device—if you can draw it with your finger, you can create it—then print, fold and voila!

Google’s Santa Tracker steps it up this year – Want Santa to make a personal call to your children?  Just send a message between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.  Can’t make that time-frame, Santa will send personal messages on Google+ or by email 24 hours a day!  Where was this when I was a kid??

Still worried about Instagram’s new Terms of Service? – Instaport.me lets you connect your Instagram account and easily export out all of your photos.  Now you don’t have to lose all of those high-contrast photos with the X-Pro II filter.

And speaking of exporting – Twitter announced this week that they’re rolling out an archive feature that allows users to download every tweet ever sent.  How long do you think it’ll take me to download more than 10,000?!

In case you missed it, the 2013 Pantone color of the year has been revealed – Just in time for the holidays – Emerald is the new ”it” color.  And, I have to hand it to beauty brand, Sephora, if it weren’t for their collaboration with Pantone, I might miss this each year.

Miss out on holiday carolers at your house this year? – Stella Artois has you covered with a brilliant holiday campaign. 

Thrice the Typo

by Kim Taylor

We’re sticklers for grammar, style and punctuation at C&P.  Documents are proofread, proofread and sometimes proofread again.   With all of that attention to detail, sometimes mistakes still happen.

I imagine that’s what happened with the copywriters at Z Gallerie—they’re probably wishing their family of typos were under the cover of darkness, or maybe hiding in that layer of the earth between the crust and the core …

Is Our Staff Un-American?

by Kim Taylor

A story on the “Today” show this morning indicated that Americans aren’t taking all of their vacation time.  According to Expedia’s Vacation Deprivation Study, Americans only take 10 to 12 days compared to 30 days taken by our European counterparts.  And, if we’re lagging behind the rest of the civilized world, the real story is in Japan where workers only average about five days a year. (Gasp!)

We’re pretty proud of the fact that we offer our team three weeks paid vacation each year—a benefit that ensures they have time to relax and regroup after many more weeks of hard work.  But what I’m most proud of is that we have nearly 100 percent utilization of time year after year.  Perhaps that makes our staff un-American, but hey, at least they’re well rested.

How Tina Fey Can Improve Your Brainstorming Sessions

by Kim Taylor

Last weekend during a road trip with friends I read Tina Fey’s book, “Bossypants.”  Hidden on the pages between the stories of her childhood and her days at “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock” were her Rules of Improvisation.  And, since I have no plans to leave C&P for a career in stand up, I thought it’d be fun to apply these rules to a brainstorming session.

Let’s take a look:

Rules of Improv

“1. Agree. If your improv partner launches a set with “Freeze, I have a gun,”* you don’t break it to him that it’s really just his fingers he’s pointing at you. IF you do that, you’ve just ruined it for everybody. Agree to play by the rules just set forth. He is holding a gun.”

First Rule of Brainstorming:  There are no bad ideas.  In other words, when an idea is presented during your brainstorming session, agree.

“2. And … ? Once you agree to agree, it’s not enough to just say “I acknowledge you hold a gun.” That doesn’t get us anywhere, does it? Agree, and then add something of your own. “Freeze, I have a gun.” “The gun I gave you for Christmas! You bastard!*”

Maybe it’s not the best idea, but what if you employ the “and …” tactic?  Will it help develop the idea further or flesh it out more?

“3. Make statements. If all you do is ask your improv partner questions, you’re not contributing. “Why are you holding a gun?” Doesn’t cut it. Be bold.”

Effective brainstorming is all about participation.  Make a statement.  Believe it.  How else will you convince others it’s an idea worth presenting to a client?

“4. There are no mistakes. Your partner misinterprets your setup? You don’t break the scene by stopping to explain and start over. You roll with it. There is no wrong.”

See No. 1 and the first rule of brainstorming.

So, thanks, Tina, this part of your book was even more enlightening than learning what it was like to grow up as a wide-hipped, sarcastic Greek girl with short hair permed on top.