The Jazz of Innovation

Posted on February 2, 2012 by

Innovative business is much like Jazz, combining disciplined analysis with unbridled creativity to produce breakthrough ideas and products.  That is the message of  a wonderful article that appeared in the most recent  New York Times Sunday Business section.

The article took much of its message from the ideas of John Kao, one of America’s most brilliant business educators, authors and consultants, who also is a talented Jazz pianist.  His two insightful books, Jammin’  and Innovation Nation, are “must reads” for anyone interested in business success through creative processes and organizational transformation.

Jazz is a musical art form with its roots in strong musicianship and creative improvisation.  Similarly, business development benefits from conditions that combine strong foundations and inventiveness.  As Kao points out, when companies combine left-brain and right-brain approaches, breakthrough concepts often follow.

- David Stiefel

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Fineman’s List Recounts Top PR Blunders of 2011

Posted on December 22, 2011 by

Friend and colleague Michael Fineman of San Francisco’s Fineman Public Relations has released his annual Top 10 PR Blunders List.  The 2011 list torches everyone from presidential candidates to Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream for truly outrageous missteps and miscalculations in public statements and actions — all of which could have been preventable.  

As always, Michael offers more than a few “teaching moments” for those interested in the finer points of reputation management, publicity and marketing.

http://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/article/fineman-pr-releases-its-annual-top-2011-pr-blunders-list-penn-state-herman-cain-oak

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Reality Show Sensibilities Mar Serious GOP Politics

Posted on December 7, 2011 by

The long-running television reality show, known as the Republican debates, has reached a point of absurdity with the recent announcement that Donald Trump will moderate a December 27 episode in Iowa.

Many of the remaining candidate have expressed plans to skip this one, but current frontrunner Newt Gingrich will be there.   It will be interesting and perhaps somewhat distressing to see discover how many voters tune in anyway.

In recent months, the GOP debate series has taken on all the qualities of a reality show.  Candidates declare positions without effort to remain on topic or fear of followup questions.  They duck and dodge, take potshots at one another and compete to determine who hates Barack Obama with the greatest passion.

Viewers watch to witness the minor dustups between candidates and the trivial posturing that substitutes for statesmanship.  And they evaluate what they hear and see with the same criteria applied to a nighttime soap opera.  Will Rick Perry step on his tongue again?  Can Gingrich overcome his serial marriage problem? Will Michele Bachman embarrass herself again with another misstatement of American history?  Will Mitt Romney overcome his apparent case of schizophrenia?

Now, the final indignity with the selection of Trump as moderator of a debate scheduled just days ahead of the Iowa caucuses.  Long ago, a journalism professor of mine warned us of the danger of “infotainment,” the practice of confusing real news with public amusement.  The downward spiral of this year’s GOP debates demonstrates the prescience of this admonition.

Perhaps this extreme exercise in bad judgment will return some sense to the campaign season and re-introduce some seriousness to political discourse.  Then again, perhaps the importance of real substance has been lost in today’s perplexing media environment.

The lesson for all serious communicators should be to avoid confusing entertainment with relevance.

By David Stiefel

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“Occupy” Movement Exposes Communications Gap between Generations

Posted on November 23, 2011 by

Months after the “Occupy Wall Street” first assembled in New York and spread to become a global phenomenon, the movement remains a puzzle to many outsiders.  In Letters to the Editor and television interviews, many Americans express their cluelessness about the movement’s purpose and goals.

Listen and you’ll hear many in the over-30 generations ask the same questions again and again. “How can they be a movement without a leader?”  ”Why can’t they issue a united statement that clarifies what they want?”  ”How can they speak as individuals and expect anyone to understand their cause?”

Somehow, the “Occupy” movement continues to grow because so many younger people do get it.  So obviously, its message is getting through to a critical audience.  Then, why is there such a generational divide and what does this say about the future of mass communication?

The answer is quite simple.  Social media have changed the way a new generation deals with information, as well as its perceptions of relevance.

For those of us still old enough to rely on traditional media, we are accustomed to a “theatrical” form of communication.  Our media present to us and we receive.  There is limited opportunity for dialogue between presenters and audience.  So we need spokespersons, position papers and precise definitions that enhance our understanding.

For those who receive their information from the Internet, social media provide opportunities for dialogue.  News and opinions are presented and lead to online conversation.  Therefore, there is less dependence on the talking heads and staged news conferences that fuel the traditional media.

As a result of this dynamic, those involved in a social media dialogue are in tune with one another, but those outside their “conversations” may not understand.  This type of insular communication can create movements, but often can fail to persuade the masses.

Any movement seeking to strengthen its position must be able to reach out to the general populace and convince others of its merits.  Yet the need for dialogue and discussion remains a critical component of promoting acceptance.

Perhaps the next major advancement in digital media will find a solution to these apparently opposing objectives, but until that happens, a healthy mix of traditional and new media remains the best recipe for effective communication and expressive dialogue.

By David Stiefel

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Internet Content Relies on A Larger Public Relations Vision

Posted on November 3, 2011 by

The Internet has transformed the manner in which many businesses present and market themselves. A primary challenge is to describe and promote a compelling, yet consistent image both on the web and in all other aspects of the marketing process.

While all sorts of new, specialized firms have arisen to build Internet sites, many claim to be experts in creating individualized messages that can reshape business development. In reality, such claims extend beyond these firms’ true areas of expertise.

The modern public relations industry is better positioned to develop messages that communicate coherent brands, responsible reputations and competitive advantage. Ask the right questions and you’ll come to the same conclusion.

Last week, I had a very interesting conversation with a sales executive from a growing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) firm. We were seated together on a lengthy plane flight and he was explaining to me what he does.

His company specializes in building and optimizing websites for companies in the mining industry throughout the United States and Canada. When I asked him how his firm creates unique content for each of its clients while serving so many competitors, he responded, “We find ways.”

Then I asked how his customers extend the branding and operating messages on their websites to other aspects of their promotional activities, he said, “That’s not what we do.”

I had to smile to myself because that is exactly what we do in the public relations field. In fact, all aspects of our comprehensive campaigns focus on distinguishing our clients, their organizational characters and experience, and their specific customer/client-oriented advantages.

Search engine optimization is a valuable service because it can raise a website’s visibility on Google, Bing, Yahoo and their competitors. In the same way that large Yellow Pages ads once attracted the attention of potential clients, SEO assistance in raising search engine positions can play a pivotal role in elevating online visibility.

However, responsible businesses should not rely on SEO firms to establish the basics of their identities and promotional campaigns. These considerations should take place before embarking on any communications strategies. And a skilled public relations specialist remains the best source for integrating those tactics into all aspects of organizational communications.

By David Stiefel

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Bravo Seth Godin: We Are All Weird

Posted on October 12, 2011 by

Every once in a while, you’ll open a new book and find yourself nodding your head in agreement with the author. That’s what happened to me during the past few days, as I read Seth Godin’s new book, We Are All Weird.

Although written from a marketing perspective, We Are All Weird can be viewed as a larger commentary on modern society in the Internet Age.  Its premise has far-reaching implications for business, politics, religion, and practically any other vocation or avocation that traditionally has relied on mass appeal.

Godin’s message is that the days of marketing toward a massive audience of “normal” people are gone.  Today, each of us is far more focused in our own individuality and has direct access to sources that reflect our own belief systems and interests.  As a result, the future belongs to those brands that are truly committed to being different and avoid being all things to all people.

This is hardly a new topic for Godin who has written 13 books on marketing-related topics, but it is positioned more like a manifesto than many of his previous writings.  At only 97 pages, We Are All Weird is a quick read that successfully exhilarates the reader and is a marvelous analysis of  the growing diversity and freedom of choice in today’s world.

- David Stiefel

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An Appreciation of Steve Jobs: Creative Thinker and Visionary

Posted on August 25, 2011 by

The occasion of Steve Jobs’ retirement as CEO of Apple has raised awareness of the power of one brilliant individual on modern society.  He envisioned and gave life to the Macintosh, the IPod, the IPhone, the IPad and many other innovative products that forever changed the fields of computing, communications, entertainment, business, leisure and much more.

While all of these accomplishments have been important, Jobs should receive equal credit for his influence on modern creativity.  His imagination, vision and drive to create the “insanely great” changed life on a planetary scale.  Competitors were focused on building devices that were faster and cheaper.  Conversely, Jobs was pre-occupied with next steps in advancing technology.

In 1979, Jobs and partner Steve Wozniak visited Xerox Parc, a remarkable corporate facility where scientists and engineers experimented with innovative new ideas and systems.  It was during this visit that the Apple partners witnessed the first computer mouse, a bulky wired contraption that moved a cursor in any direction across a screen.  Xerox executives also demonstrated an early “graphical interface system,” using of onscreen icons to open computer programs.

According to published reports of the visit, Jobs became excited and started jumping around the room shouting, “Why aren’t you doing anything with this?  This is the greatest thing.  It’s revolutionary.”

Xerox never recognized what it had discovered, but Jobs saw the possibilities immediately.  He returned to his Apple headquarters and plunged his company into an intensive development project that created the revolutionary Macintosh computer.  Not only did Jobs and his team design a sleeker, more easily navigated mouse for Macintosh.  They also took graphical interfacing to the next level.

Macintosh debuted both of these innovations to the public and changed modern computing forever.  Those of us old enough to remember computers that required typed operating commands understand the incredible advances introduced by the Macintosh.  Once the exclusive province of businesses and hobbyists, the computer suddenly became truly personal.

Over the years, there has been a raging debate about whether Jobs “stole” the mouse and icon-based computing from Xerox.  Regardless of where you stand on the question, all sides admit that Jobs saw possibilities that Xerox never understood.  He also realized that user-friendly computers would extend beyond the business environment and become an important part of our everyday lives.

In the three decades that followed the Xerox Parc visit, Steve Jobs continued to envision technological innovations that would enrich our lives.  That is the essence of his genius – imagining possibilities that others fail to see.

By David Stiefel

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Public Relations: Telling Your Story, Sharing Your Ideas

Posted on August 19, 2011 by

One of the greatest failings of the modern public relations industry is its difficulty in defining itself. PR practitioners are asked to explain on a regular basis exactly what it is that we do and why our work has real value.

Let’s take a moment to answer those questions by assigning a relatively simple and accurate explanation to our profession.

In public relations, we tell your story and communicate your ideas, using media and methodologies that are most likely to impress your most important audiences. If we are successful, your potential customers, clients or supporters will beat a path to your door.

We begin by understanding and defining who you are and what makes you (or your organization) stand out from the competition. Then we assist you in developing and promoting an identity that tells your audiences why they are best served doing business with you.

The process of creating and communicating identity is different in each situation because each public relations campaign must be as distinctive as the people or organization it seeks to promote. The mix of tools and strategies in each campaign also must be different to reach your particular audience and explain why they should do business with you.

A truly successful campaign can generate the type of positive and consistent visibility that builds your reputation and recognition, while enhancing your bottom line.

By David Stiefel

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Media Gone Wild

Posted on July 18, 2011 by

The ongoing scandal involving the Murdoch media empire should remind us how the pursuit of sleaze begets bad journalism.  When a newspaper, television or radio station, or blog goes out of its way to feed the public’s most prurient interests, it does itself and its followers a disservice.

A number of years ago, our public relations firm represented a prominent Miami professional who was falsely accused of beating his wife.  We knew that the truth would come out in court and we did our best to warn reporters about their responsibility to remain objective until both sides were heard.  As a result, most media covered the criminal case with balance … but one popular newspaper columnist decided that exaggerating the charges against our client would make her readers happy.

In every column for weeks on end, this columnist found new, salacious ways of describing the charges against our client.  She repeated the allegations of the self-proclaimed “victim” whenever possible in the most lengthy, lurid manner. Some of her columns also included nasty, unsubstantiated rumors about the defendant, which further assailed his character.

After several days of trial, it became evident that the wife’s assault charges were malicious lies to generate a large divorce settlement after the criminal trial.  The ensuing divorce proceedings were swift and quiet, away from the prying eyes of the media

Somehow, the columnist never covered the “not guilty” verdict, nor did she apologize for her baseless campaign against our client.  She just moved on to the next scandal.  The desire for provocative headlines had replaced any semblance of good journalistic judgment, smearing a good man’s reputation.

Our firm has represented a number of other individuals, businesses and institutions publicly accused of wrongdoing over the years.  Some were innocent and others were guilty.  Some were treated fairly by the media and others were treated to the type of sensational tabloid reporting that strays from the truth.

Reporters and editors who practice this type of ugly journalism do more than tarnish prominent people.  They do a disservice to their readers or viewers, and feed public skepticism about the honesty of the Fourth Estate.

By David Stiefel

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Social Media Wars

Posted on July 7, 2011 by

The latest salvo in the battle for social media supremacy is the introduction of Google+, an attempt by the search engine giant to confront the growing popularity (and profitability) of Facebook.

As described in a various online articles, Google+ offers new and convenient features that will appeal to many individuals and businesses that communicate through social media. Its capabilities enable users to target “Circles” – specific target audiences – as well as video chat and group chat. Plans call for the assimilation of Google’s Picassa and Blogger into the new platform, creating greater integration of capabilities.

Of course, competitors are already responding with upgrades of their own. For example, Facebook is integrating a number of new features, including its own video chat capability, in partnership with Skype. Google+ has upped the ante and the entire social media industry is responding swiftly.

Is this a major change in the basic fabric of social media? Probably not, but Google+ bears watching for the bundled social media services it will provide and for the influence it will have on its competitors.

Once upon a time, Microsoft dominated the computer world. And, for a while, Microsoft was able to thwart upstart competitors – particularly in new software companies – from gaining market share.

The Internet changed all that with the rise of Google, Facebook, Twitter and other interactive services. Even Apple found new and creative ways to build market share, while Microsoft repeatedly struggled in vain to compete with failed smartphones and Internet projects that imitated existing technology.

Only time will tell whether Google will be able to maintain its array of diverse services to beat the competition or whether it will suffer the same fate as Microsoft. If the brief history of the computer/online industry is any indicator, some upstart company now forming in someone’s garage or dorm room will probably rise with an entirely new idea that will signal the next great war for dominance.

By David Stiefel

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