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Archives for February 2014

February 20, 2014 by Lara

Keeping Your Brand’s Social Media Presence In Check

Social media may arguably be one of the greatest—and the most uncontrolled—advances to ever hit the communications industry. On one hand, it creates an entirely new way to interact in real time with individual consumers. On the other, it presents an opportunity for information to spiral out of control. However, it would be a mistake to avoid social media simply due to fears of spreading the wrong type of information. It would also be a mistake to approach a brand’s social networking efforts without a clear understanding of online interactions and how to manage them.

In some cases, social interaction can result in great organic buzz from brand loyalists, such as this witty consumer-made Audi ad following the recent Olympic opening ceremony. However, it can also result in negative chatter that a company is not prepared for, as some big companies have realized when their Olympic hashtags were hijacked by brand critics. Companies must be aware that the social media world is usually operating on Murphy’s Law, and they should learn to expect the unexpected.

Brainstorm potential reactions. When operating in social media, you know that, at some point, someone is going to say something less than positive, so prepare for that in advance. This can begin with a company deciding how much “stomach” it has for off-message buzz and then simply developing a general company-approved architecture for responding or managing social media. It will be invaluable to have a prepared game plan when the internet starts gaining speed, so you can know when to respond quickly and when to let the internet settle back down on its own.

Interact with consumers regularly. If a brand is rarely active on social media, consumers will notice. It is more conspicuous to have an inactive page than to have none at all. More importantly, it will draw attention to any negative event that occurs in the social realm because there is no established social clout for the brand. Also keep in mind that the social media world is crowded, so make your interactions exciting. Avoid repeating posts and make an effort to interact with consumers (positive and negative) regularly.

Confront negative comments (over a legitimate concern). If Twitter is suddenly flooded with tweets to one specific brand over a justifiable issue, silence by the brand is only an affirmation that the comments are correct. Don’t be afraid to apologize—in fact, truthful, sincere apologies when an organization falters are generally the best option. This takes us back to the importance of a prepared game plan. A company should reply to concerns in a diplomatic, and not defensive, manner. Of course, there are people who may try to start unfounded negative chatter about a specific brand. In such cases, no response is likely the best response as long as the brand closely monitors the situation to ensure it doesn’t gain traction.

Social media can really help a brand or organization build buzz, but, just as with traditional media relations efforts, engaging in social media means an organization has to relinquish some of its control over the message, which is why it’s so important to have a plan for sharing and responding to content on Facebook, Twitter, or even the company website.

At Pollock Communications, we specialize in building awareness for food, health and wellness clients and we know that maintaining strong social and traditional media relationships is crucial to delivering stellar results for our clients. For more information on how we can help build your social media strategy, contact us.

Filed Under: PR Buzz

February 5, 2014 by Lara

A Holiday Every Day of the Year

We’ve just finished up a very busy time in the world of food and beverage public relations. With Halloween, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s, the past few months have been chock full of inherent story angles to fit almost any product, service or expert opinion out there. From Halloween snacks to Christmas feasts and the inevitable New Year’s resolution, there’s been something for everyone.

So now what? Do we just go dormant and wait for Mother’s Day? Nope. Instead, we’d like to introduce you to the world of lesser-known holidays. With the thousands to choose from, we guarantee a few new media relations opportunities you’ve never thought of. For example:

  • National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day (April 2)
  • National Eggs Benedict Day (April 16)
  • National Chocolate Chip Day (May 15)
  • Eat Your Vegetables Day (June 17)
  • National Good Neighbor Day (September 28)

They may not have the clout that Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day and July 4th have, but there’s also a lot less media competition. In 2014, we encourage you to think outside the holiday (gift) box when creating story angles…or call us – we’re happy to help. And, if no holiday exists to suit your needs, you can create one. Pollock Communications can help with that too! After all, if National Shrimp Scampi Day exists, there’s certainly room for one more interesting holiday.

Oh, and by the way, Happy National Weatherperson’s Day!

Filed Under: PR Buzz

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In this tumultuous food and wellness world, Pollock Communications has promoted and protected the tea industry by leveraging science from conception to communication –  transforming tea into a health-promoting, functional food heralded by public health officials, investigated by scientists, recommended by nutrition influencers and relied upon by consumers.

Peter Goggi
President of the Tea Association

Pollock Communications has consistently provided us with the highest quality customer service and professionalism while working tirelessly for our industry. Their insight and expertise in the areas of food, nutrition and wellness are unparalleled.

Karen Cahill
Cranberry Marketing Committee

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  • Pollock PR Pro Shares Top 3 Pitching Tips on BuzzFeed
  • Survey Findings Show Consumers Go with their Gut in the Grocery Aisles
  • #HappyBirthday Hashtags!

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