It turns out that at the very moment we were attending this session, thousands of Californians were being evacuated from their homes.  The Red Cross was sending out messages via Twitter, telling people where they could find shelter and what they needed to do.  They also were using their regular channels, including a purpose-built blog, as well as local radio and television.  But even local media were turning to social media platforms to get the word out.

Gerald Baron is CEO and Founder of AudienceCentral, which makes the online crisis management software Public Information Emergency Response (PIER), and is also the author of the blog CrisisBlogger and the book Now Is Too Late 2, was the session presenter.

Building Trust in a Crisis

Baron said that you have to do two things during a crisis situation to build trust:

1. Do the right things
2. Communicate them well

Communicating well includes getting the word out fast; communicating directly; and communicating honestly and transparently.

Continue reading " Breakout: Building Trust During a Media Maelstrom "

Diane Gaysesk Ph.D., associate dean at Ithica College and founder of Gayesky Analytics, shared her tips on connecting with Nexters. A generation born between 1982 to present. Nexters are generally idealistic and moral. They learn by playing, are team oriented, will hold out for meaningful work and were born in a trophy child era.

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Read Diane’s original post about Nexters too.

Continue reading " Video: Connecting With Nexters Part II "

Cause marketing is hot, but it certainly isn’t new.

As early as 1891, Rockefeller hired someone to handle his philanthropic affairs.  Cause marketing provides mutual benefit to non-profit associations and corporate partners by aligning their interests for good.

Kristian Darigan, vice president and futurist for the non-profit cause division of Cone, explained that Cause marketing is getting harder because doing good has become an expectation rather than a differentiator.  In order to reap the greatest rewards, companies much be linked much tighter into the cause than in the past.

Continuum of Engagement

• Cause Marketing: Singular campaign
• Cause Branding: Using the companies philanthropy to deliver better results
• Corporate Responsibility: Integrated into the social DNA, in addition to causes they support, all the equity

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The Benefits for Companies

• In the US, 87% say when price and quality are equal, they are likely to switch from one brand to another associated with a cause, 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Study
• Globally, 60%chose NOT to buy a brand because the company was seen as a bad corporate citizen, Wirthlin Worldwide, Corporate Citizenship Balancing Act, 2002
• In the US, 77% say a company’s commitment to a social issue is important when they decide where to work, , 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Study
  Globally, employees were ranked as the stakeholder group that creates the greatest pressures or incentives for their company’s citizenship activities, World Economic Forum
• In the US, 92% say they have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause, 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Study
• Globally, 61% of opinion elites say they have recommended a company to others in response to positive news about a company’s citizenship, APCO Worldwide Global CSR Study

The Benefits for Non-Profits

• In the US, 76 percent of people reported that they had a more positive image of the non-profit
• In the US, 70 percent are more likely to donate money to the charity

Kristian made an interesting point, that was also made by Mia Farrow yesterday in the general session, that many global companies have a bigger reach than the United Nations. 

A new trend is for the non-profit to initiate cause marketing campaigns. Cone usually represents clients such as Yoplait, Starbucks, Western Union and other corporate players, but decided to expand its practice when it chose to represent the American Heart Association in its cause marketing campaign.

Links to the PDFs of the Presentation

• PRSA- Creating Value, Building Relationships.pdf
• Go_Red_Case_Study_Final[1].pdf

See case studies below the fold

tags: Cause+Marketing

Continue reading " Breakout: Social and Cause Marketing: Creating Value, Building Relationships "

I have always found Katie Delahaye Paine, CEO, KDPaine & Partners, to be a font of knowledge.  Well, actually more like a fire hose.  Her sessions are always packed with information, much more than one can consume in one setting.  I thought that I would share Katie’s 5-3-7 advice about social media measurement that she presented at today’s conference.

5 Immutable laws of 21st century communications

1. There is no market for your message so stop screaming and start listening
2. Spin is Dead, long live transparency, so be who you are an see who is pleased

Continue reading " Breakout: New Media, New Metrics: How to Service in the New Consumer-Driven Media World "

Phil Gomes, vice president of me2revolution group, Edelman recommends a four-part process for companies and organizations to engage in social media

FLEE: Find, Listen, Engage and Empower.

Find those content creators who matter to your company or organization

Listen to what they have to say

Engage in a conversation with them

Empower their voice by taking action

Phil argues that social media campaigns are not about the technology, they generally don’t cost much and are easy to install and use. What social media campaigns really boils down to is Knowledge, Passion, Authority and Sweat Equity.  Or in other words, it boils down to the content and conversation.

Continue reading " Breakout: Public Relations & Social Media: Not Rocket Science, More Like Brain Surgery "