The Big Hit: The Houston Chronicle for Samsung

By Robyn Kratzer, Vice President, Houston

Edelman client Samsung had been embroiled in U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) litigation with Apple in two cases. In the first case ITC issued Samsung an exclusion order, noting that Apple had infringed on one of Samsung’s FRAND-encumbered SEPs that enables devices to operate on 3G mobile networks. In the second case, which was set to be determined Thursday, August 1, Apple was arguing that Samsung was infringing on patents covering unique functional aspects of its mobile devices or their physical designs (essentially rounded rectangular devices). Additionally, the Obama administration had the option to veto either ruling on Friday, August 2.

Confronted by the imminent decision from the ITC on August 1, Samsung lobbyists asked Edelman to provide strategic political “air cover” in Texas and New Jersey where several members of Congress supported Samsung. The Edelman D.C. team decided it would reach out to the Network for assistance in placing third party op-eds in key regional papers in these states, one of which was Houston. An op-ed highlighting the potential negative impact the case might have on the Texas economy was drafted and bylined by signatory, Carroll G. Robinson, a Houston area attorney and trustee of the Houston Community College System. 

Key messages for client included that: 

• Samsung had announced plans to invest $4 billion in the expansion of the company’s manufacturing plants in Austin, marking the largest foreign investment ever made in the State of Texas. Additionally, the prospect of court-ordered injunctions on high-tech products could potentially disrupt the free flow of commerce and negatively impact the Texas economy and job creation.
• Injunctions, if allowed, could have a chilling effect on companies’ decisions to invest in the U.S. and local state economies.
• An import ban could remove products that are essential to market competition.

Challenges

Due to the imminent ruling on August 1 and the potential Obama administration veto on either ruling on Friday, August 2, the placement of a third-party op-ed became critical and time sensitive. Edelman D.C. contacted the Houston office on July 26. The bylined op-ed was pitched to Houston Chronicle editorial page editor, Jeff Cohen, and the pitch, coordination and placement of the op-ed occurred within three business days. Coverage was posted online at Chron.com on July 30 and in the hard copy of the paper the next morning, July 31. Coverage can be found here. 

Digital Insight: Embracing the Change in User Behavior

By Amanda Nguyen, Account Executive, Digital West

Last week, the Seattle Interactive Conference brought in an array of technology experts, brands and creative types to share their thoughts on the evolving digital landscape. “Change” was the resounding theme that echoed throughout the conference, emphasizing the shift in user behavior, as well as the importance of brand flexibility and transparency. Below are five key trends from the sessions:

1. Evolving Platforms

As technology evolves, brands must be flexible and willing to adapt. Tim Keck, cofounder of The Onion, spoke about platform shifts and how it relates to traditional print newspapers. The Onion, widely known for its satirical and confrontational content, may need to consider adjusting its approach since becoming digital. The new generation of online readers is less familiar with The Onion’s play on AP-style writing, and as a result, jokes are losing their relevance. Digital opens up a very public dialogue with readers who expect a two-way conversation.   

2. The Cluttered Landscape

We are constantly bombarded with information from multiple touch points. This is impacting how news is gathered and delivered. In the “Technology, Journalism and Business” panel, journalists asked PR professionals to consider the clutter they deal with when pitching stories. Kelly Clay, who blogs at Forbes, mentioned she preferred pitches via Twitter over email. Through social, she feels the story is more directed and tailored for her, due to the character limit and timeliness of the platform. 

3. Revenue Models

Both publications and artists spoke to the challenges of traditional ad revenue models. Jack Conte of the band Pamplemoose brought up crowd-funding platforms like Patreon as a fresh way for musicians to approach monetizing their craft. It is not just artists who are thinking outside of the box—GeekWire journalist John Cook spoke about sponsorships as an additional means of bringing in revenue. We will need to continue to put forward creative and diverse solutions for our clients. 

4. Transparency

In a “share all” era, transparency is becoming more of a hot topic for brands. In the “Shopping Inside a Mashup” panel, Susan Livingston, executive coordinator of Whole Foods emphasized the importance of clear messaging in customer loyalty programs. It is imperative that brands communicate how they are using and storing the consumer data they collect. Consumers are become savvier and want more control over privacy. 

5. First Impressions

In a morning keynote, Sanaz Ahari of Google explained the shift in user viewability complicates advertising penetration. For example, 77 percent of TV viewers use another device while they watch their television program. Ahari suggests using data-driven insights to find where the audience is spending most of its time, what interests are pushing the attention there, and how the brand can connect with its audience on that level. Then, create a two-way dialogue within the advertising so that the audience feels a part of the conversation and not simply bombarded with information.

New Formats, New Stories, But Journalism Remains Crucial in Digital Era

By, Marcus Kabel, Vice President, Atlanta

This article originally appeared on Edelman.com.

It’s natural to look across the media industry and wonder if the digital upheaval of legacy formats will leave anything standing. The core mission of storytelling itself is morphing, whether by requiring new elements like video and interactives, integrating the audience through social media or using analytics to get a better understanding on impact. As a former journalist who spent 20+ years in newsrooms at Reuters and the AP, I wonder sometimes if journalism itself is headed for retirement in a new era of something more direct, crowd-sourced and visceral.

But then I look at the people and skillsets that are populating this digital and mobile landscape and realize that journalism remains highly relevant. Many of the high-profile leaders of purely digital enterprises come from old-school newsrooms. Even before Katie Couric swapped broadcast TV for Yahoo!, Buzzfeed recently hired Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Schoofs, who had been at The Wall Street Journal and then ProPublica, to head a new investigative unit. Others who came up through the new media world took on legacy titles and positions at long-established media institutions in order to better transmit their messages to the world. I’m thinking here of Glenn Greenwald, and I’ll come back to him in a moment. So while the shape and feel of digital stories may be different, the ability to draft and present a compelling tale based on reportable facts is more necessary – and gets more attention – than ever. In other words, the jobs are changing, but the journalism remains.

Last month alone saw Jim Roberts, who spent 26 years at the New York Times before a stint at Reuters Digital, move to Mashable as executive editor and chief content officer with a brief to help it expand coverage. Twitter also got the urge for a stronger journalism side and hired NBC News chief digital officer Vivian Schiller as its head of news. More recently came word that the new, as-yet unnamed digital media venture of billionaire Pierre Omidyar has hired Eric Bates, the former executive editor of Rolling Stone, to bolster ranks that already include political journalist Dan Froomkin, who spent 12 years at The Washington Post before leading The Huffington Posts’s D.C. coverage.

Omidyar’s venture, of course, first made headlines last month by hiring NSA reporter Glenn Greenwald away from The Guardian. Greenwald’s saga is an interesting illustration of the relevance of journalism from another angle. He started as a blogger with no formal journalism training, back when “citizen-journalist” was the nicest thing that professional media would say about this new breed of digital correspondent. His national security coverage won him a spot at Salon.com as a contributing writer and then an appointment The Guardian as columnist – an old-world title if there ever was one. The Guardian’s global reach and credibility as a news source helped Greenwald spread the word of the NSA material provided by contractor Edward Snowden. Greenwald’s story harkens back to the days before graduate degrees became the norm in journalism, when people came to the craft from all backgrounds (Greenwald was previously a lawyer) and learned it by doing.

In the digital era, Greewald’s professional success across platforms from paper to smart phones underscores my contention: The journalist’s core storytelling toolkit is still in demand. The growing movement of experienced journalists from traditional newsrooms to digital ventures just adds more proof that even if the media are changing, the journalism remains.

Building Reputation on the Racetrack and Beyond

By Janna Hughes, Account Supervisor, Edelman Houston

World class open-wheel racing made a pit stop in the state of Texas in Q4 of this year with the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston and the second annual Formula One United States Grand Prix in Austin. With the help of Edelman, client Shell Oil Co. leveraged both Grand Prix events to achieve widespread business, brand and reputation benefit.

As part of Shell’s corporate sponsorship of the events and close technical alliances with partners like Formula One and IndyCar, the organization was able to create a centerpiece initiative – a scalable, branded experiential area – called the ‘Shell Mobility Experience’ to educate invited stakeholders, racing fans and general consumers about innovation and technology for road transport. The Shell

Mobility Experience was also created with the goal to increase brand awareness and positive reputation of the organization by showcasing Shell products in use in the motorsports environment.
Below are a couple of key, successful tactics that Shell and partners executed as part of the Grand Prix events, which can be adapted for future client initiatives involving sponsorships:

Corporate Storytelling: In its infancy, racing pioneered ways for cars to move faster, longer and more safely, which new automakers inexpensively adapted for street vehicles. Today, motorists use decades of race-inspired technology such as engine-cleaning fuel additives and advanced lubricants for better performance on the road.

Shell understood that Grand Prix events offered outstanding visual examples of Shell’s innovation and competitive edge on the track and on the road through the lens of motorsports. The Shell Mobility Experience at the track served as an essential platform for storytelling starting with interactive displays, live demonstrations and a simulated lab with real tools (e.g., engine valves) and Shell scientists who could speak to performance and future of fuels, further helping consumers see the connection between the racetrack to the road. Storytelling was also accomplished through the creation of historical timelines that were displayed through the event and used in online channels to highlight examples like Shell’s long-standing technical alliance with partners such as Scuderia Ferrari - dating back 60 years - and background on Shell’s successful US Eco-Marathon events.

Partnerships at Work: This goes without saying, but worth reinforcing that partnerships require close collaboration throughout every step of the relationship in order to achieve a successful outcome for all parties involved. 

Grand Prix race organizers and Shell worked as one cohesive unit; holding multiple weekly meetings and closely collaborating to develop joint communications materials. Motorsports events also provided an advantage for Shell to build credibility and forge relationships with customers, such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Tours of the Shell Mobility Experience were scheduled around the events to help customers get an in-depth look at Shell’s positioning in the motorsports space.

Digital is Key: It was a no brainer for Shell to execute a social media strategy around Grand Prix events. With the help of Edelman Digital, pre-event, during and post-event strategy was deployed to educate consumers not only about the events, but Shell’s role in motorsports. An eight-week content calendar was formed by Edelman Digital to frequently communicate event updates and Shell motorsports content to the Twitter, Facebook and Instagram communities. Real-time content was also posted to these channels during the events to drive education and help remote fans feel like they were part of the events. In addition, geo-targeted posts were developed, along with customized hashtags, to entice fans to talk about the Shell experience for a chance to win special consumer experiences at the track.  

Hometown Always Wins: The Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston event was found to be a more effective platform for stakeholder engagement and partners largely due to the close proximity of the event to Shell US headquarters. The location offered Shell the opportunity to create activities beyond the racetrack to engage key stakeholders and partners, including a Proclamation ceremony with the Mayor of Houston to kick off race weekend. Shell held multiple pre-event business engagements, such as an Alternative Energy forum for stakeholders and a Lubricants luncheon with global Shell leaders to communicate key business messages to media and customers (OEMs) using the Grand Prix event as a backdrop for these activities. 

For an inside look at the event, check out the below footage of the Shell Mobility Experience in Austin:

The Holidays are a Time for Sharing. Content.

By Spike Jones, Senior Vice President, Managing Director – Southwest Digital

Alas, the holidays are upon us once again. Quicker than you can say, “How did that happen?” we are bombarded with brands promising huge sales, deep discounts and unlimited supplies of the latest and greatest. Just like every year, they’re blowing up all types of media – from traditional to social – trying to spread their message and hoping, praying, that consumers will listen.

But what’s even better than someone responding to your content? Someone responding and then sharing it. It’s not an easy chestnut to crack, but if you stick to three buckets when creating content, the probability it will be shared will increase exponentially.

What are the top three reasons people share content online? In descending order:

1. It feeds their ego. Think about it. Social media is fueled by people pointing out how awesome they are. Look at the hotel where I’m staying. Look where I’m traveling. Look at this nice meal I’m eating or this glass of wine in this fancy bar. Foursquare. Instagram. Facebook. Twitter. Stop and take a look at your feed and you’ll see post after post of people trying to convince the rest of us how incredible their life is. Instead of trying to fight that fact, embrace it. Why not create pieces of content that make your customers look awesome? Something as simple as calling them out in a tweet or Facebook post (or retweeting them) makes them feel important… and they will naturally want to share the attention they received. Want to supersize it? Make a video about them and their passions with your brand being the sponsor.
2. It’s information. And not just any information. People tend to share information that is either brand spankin’ new or very freakin’ complicated (and explain it). We’re talking about new products. Upgrades. Game changers. Life hacks. Why not create content around this idea and give it to your biggest fans first? Not only will they feel special that you shared it with them first (read: feeds their egos), but they won’t be able to wait to share it in their social circles. 
3. It gets an emotional response. And yes, humor is great. But it’s hit-or-miss. In particular, people share content that enrages them (as a general rule, let’s stay away from that one) or delights them. I’m a huge fan of surprise and delights. What better time of year to activate a random act of kindness campaign for your customers on social. Or even better – enlist some of your fans to pay it forward and allow them to become the ones doing the surprising and delighting. 

To make it easy to remember, I think of ego, info and emo. Anytime our team is creating content for a client, we make sure at least one of these buckets is filled. If we can fill two or three of the buckets with one piece of content, that’s even better. Brands have to fight the instinct to talk about themselves and flip the spotlight to shine on their customers. When they do this, amazing things will happen.

More on word-of-mouth marketing and consumers’ instinct to share content can be found here. 

 

Huh? What’s that you said?

By Helen Vollmer, President, Edelman Southwest

In our world of icons, infographics and emoticons, man is still looking for better, smarter ways of effectively communicating universally. While I acknowledge (and embrace) that visual communications is now a bellwether in quickly getting an audience’s attention, a recent study from the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in the Netherlands got my attention.

It turns out, according to researchers, that ‘huh’ is one of the world’s most universally understood words.  That’s right—this monosyllable that I spent years getting my children not to say in response to a question, works as well in Mandarin as it does in Dutch.  It’s as easily understood on the aboriginal plains in Australia as it is the geothermal pools in Iceland. 

These linguists looked at other words as well, but only ‘huh’ is found in languages that have little to nothing else in common.  Contrary to what my ninth grade English teacher Ms. Seaholm taught me, it appears that language is not a matter of inborn structure (and sentence diagrams), but is instead rooted primarily in social interaction.

Managing common understanding as we talk, confirm and check with others is really the job of words.  So while a picture may well be worth a thousand words these days in getting a conversation started, it is stringing simple syllables together that allows us to engage the world around us and get things done.  

The Big Hit: USA Today for Entrust, Inc.

By: Allison Burum, Edelman Dallas

Edelman client Entrust’s President and CEO Bill Conner was featured in the USA Today article, “ID Security CEO: ‘NYT’ hackers did their homework,” written by leading Technology Reporter Byron Acohido. In the article, Conner provided detailed commentary on how the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) orchestrated a spear-phishing attack that compromised the username and password of an ISP administrator, disrupting the media giant’s site for several hours. The article was published online on August 28 and received prominent placement on the USA Today homepage. It also ran in the August 29 print edition and was syndicated to more than 50 Gannett outlets.

How it Happened: 

Edelman recognized from previous Twitter hacks that similar hacks would likely occur again, and worked with Entrust to develop pre-approved quotes on various scenarios and had a pitch ready to go. Preparing quotes ahead of time proved helpful in the past after the team realized that reporters in the space were writing quickly and pre-approved quotes and quick commentary generated leads and coverage. 

This time, the team landed a big fish. When Edelman saw news that The New York Times website had been hacked on the afternoon of August 27, the team reached out to top-tier media contacts offering Bill Conner, a leading security expert, to lend commentary and insight on how the hack occured. The next morning, Byron Acohido of USA Today responded requesting fresh information as the Times’ website was still down. The team quickly set up a phone interview between Acohido and Conner, after which Acohido reached out throughout the day and evening to fact-check and ensure he had the highly technical details correct around the hack and the providers in question.

This was the first time Entrust had spoken to USA Today for an in-depth interview in more than five years, and the client was thrilled with the piece. The resulting article can be read here. 

Media Trends: How Mobile Media Reaches Multicultural Audiences

By: Stephanie Florence, Edelman New York 

After more than a decade of immersion in the global digital revolution, the resulting changes, impact and opportunities continue to loom larger each day. Fast-growing digital information platforms proliferate at blazing speed, and the accessibility of mobile devices together with the power of social media is capturing and empowering a new mainstream: The multicultural digital consumer.

DREAM Digital recently brought together current Hampton University students, recent graduates and New York area Hampton University prospective students with industry executives, entrepreneurs and journalists from leading media companies for its inaugural symposium. Below are some key quotes and insights from the event:

·      o   “One of the challenges faced today is finding ways for content to seamlessly transfer across platforms…from desktop to tablet to phone.” – Norman Pearlstine, former Chief Content Office, Bloomberg, current Chief Content Officer, TIME

o   Takeaway: When pitching, offer insights into how a journalist can distribute the content through multiple channels

·      o   “With sports content, fans either cheer or boo – they never send a ‘thank you for this information’ email. 60 percent of ESPN’s traffic on Sunday’s results from mobile – people are actively reading, sharing, etc. football-related content.” – Rob King, SVP, Editorial, Digital & Print Media, ESPN

o   Takeaway: Consider incorporating mobile into initial plans and not as an afterthought

·   o      “One of the challenges Ebony faces is how to translate meaningful relationships that exist with readers who view Ebony as a curator of the African American experience past, present and future. Integrating archived content is a nod to the past to what Ebony was like at the beginning.” – Desiree Rogers, CEO, Johnson Publishing Company

o   Takeaway: Research related, archived content that plays into pitch and strengthens story

·      o   “When hiring, often look for journalists off the beaten path. Search Twitter/blogs for people with a new perspective and an already cultivated following that can transfer to the website.” – Kierna Mayo, Editorial Director, Digital, Ebony

o   Takeaway: Digital media is a new way for new voices to be heard

·      o   “Young people don’t identify themselves as their race. Instead, they identify around a passion point.” – Alvin Bowles, CEO, Grab Media

o   Takeaway: Readers will search for the content that most interests them, regardless of its origin/author

·      o   Re: maintaining the voice of the brand: “Must start with authenticity. That will lead to how you monetize audience insights and how you spread the content to audience and outside typical audience. The traditional media companies are now more willing to take more risks than in the past.” – Alix Baudin, SVP and GM, Digital Operations, Scripps Networks Interactive

o   Takeaway: Lifestyle content from the Scripps properties [HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, etc.] transcends any sort of audience differences. A recipe or home design tip will be relatable to most consumers.

Let’s Hack Public Relations

By: Phil Gomes, Edelman Chicago

I recently had the great privilege of delivering a talk at the PRSA International Conference that reflected both a personal and professional passion of mine. It was entitled “Hacking Public Relations: How Understanding and Embracing Open-Source and Hacker Culture Is Critical to PR’s Future.”

For the purposes of the talk, “open source” was defined as a set of values and processes whereby a system is open to examination and any modifications are shared. “Hacker,” in the ethical and non-pejorative sense, referred to someone with a passion for learning how a system works as well as relentlessly improving it.

There are at least five imperatives that drive the need for the public relations community to adopt these important precepts, which I’ve outlined below:

1. Newsflash: Parts of PR’s “Source Code” Are Already Leaking Anyway

The “operating system” (OS) of PR exists in a semi-proprietary form across various companies, agencies and practitioners. For those outside of the trade and the media sphere in general, relatively few currently know how this OS really works, why it exists, why it’s important or what it is actually capable of doing.

That said, the source code for the PR operating system’s various “features” and “subsystems” has been leaking onto the Internet for some time. This hasn’t been due to a dramatic Wikileaks- or Edward-Snowden-style unveiling (which, make no mistake, is bound to happen eventually), but a slow reveal over time. For example, think about the many ways pitches—certainly a core feature in PR’s OS—have been examined in public and, when maladroit, mercilessly criticized. This is to say nothing of the subsystems for crisis management or Wikipedia engagement.

2. Open-Source Values and Practices the Same Things the PR Industry Ought To

Openness, transparency, accessibility… We frequently see calls from both within and outside the public relations industry to adopt these principles—principles that map very closely to what open-source communities and hackers value. While it’s presently naïve to think that more than a small number of companies will go so far as to, say, lay their product-design or engineering plans out there for the world (and competitors) to see, I do believe that there is still a lot of room for companies to make people participants in their processes, rather than simply the recipients of them. Opening, fostering and maintaining this necessary dialogue is PR’s mandate.

3. Open-Source Is a Proven Way to Deal with Complexity

Everyone can agree that the complexity involved in public relations and marketing has skyrocketed in the past decade. The question is “How do we address this?” and “What can we learn from communities who have done so?” I believe that looking to open-source and hacker communities gives us the answer.

The open-source Linux operating system comprises 15 million lines of code. It takes thousands of volunteers committing more than seven changes every hour to make it work. This is to say nothing of the volunteers who test, document, translate and evangelize the operating system. Sometimes these volunteers severely irritate the project’s founder, and some would maybe even hurt each other if they ever actually met. For all of that potential chaos, however, this operating system powers 476 of the top 500 best-performing supercomputers out there, as well as countless embedded devices.

Wikipedia is another topic about which I’m very fond. This massively collaborative online encyclopedia has 29 million articles in more than 240 languages, built by about 1.7 million volunteers (and bots) who have each made at least 10 edits. On one hand, it’s difficult to imagine how it hasn’t completely flown apart. On the other, only through an open-source ethos can something like Wikipedia even exist.

I don’t pretend to have all of the answers here, but looking at these examples is extremely instructive in terms of looking at how we address PR’s own complexity issues.

4. Open-Source and Hacker Mores Are Compatible With Increasingly Hierarchy-Averse Audiences

One aspect of the Edelman Trust Barometer that I’ve found interesting is that people (both the general publics that the Barometer now polls and the media-attentive elites it has always looked at) maintain a particularly strong aversion to hierarchy. Last year, CEOs and government officials rounded out the bottom of this annual trust study, whereas “a person like yourself” has continued to rise and is now among the top three most credible company spokespeople. The top two over the past two years: academics (or otherwise subject-matter experts) and technical experts within companies.

But aren’t even these people at the top of a “hierarchy” of sorts? Not necessarily. Just like in open-source and hacker communities, these are people who command respect and because 1) they have close-to-the-data knowledge, and 2) they are typically very open about sharing it. So, it’s not so much that they’re “at the top,” but that they earn respect through expertise and access.

5. PR Must Prove Its Value to Online Communities or It Will Be Treated as a Software Bug or Network Damage

Open-source projects come together and draw volunteers because groups of people find shared, mutual value in doing so. If you have an itch to scratch, someone else probably has that very same itch and is willing to help. In a recent post on my blog where I warn people to approach content marketing thoughtfully, I urge the public relations industry to seek that mutual value, lest it be viewed as a system “bug” to be fixed or ignored. “If PR inspires people to build something that does to PR what TiVo was supposed to do to television advertising, we'll know (perhaps too late) that we failed.” To survive as a discipline, we must remain thoughtful, transparent and valued members of communities, rather than just merely entities tasked with influencing them.

What to do in such an environment? My talk will offer several remedies for consideration. In the meantime, sound off with your comments.

Should Your CEO Be On Twitter?

By: Jennifer McClellan and David Rosen, New York

The CEOs who moved first onto Twitter have been hailed for their commitment to transparency and ability to adapt to the modern media landscape. It started with people like Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos [2007] and Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Group [2007], with some big names in business recently joining. One hundred and forty characters at a time, these leaders have educated investors about their vision, inspired employees and personally proven their commitment to customers. But as we emerge from this early adopter phase, CEOs – and the communications leaders responsible for positioning them – need to think across three dimensions to bring these benefits to scale.

1. Strategy: The digital channel is but one of many forums that a CEO uses, along with town hall meetings, emails, earnings calls, in-person meetings, media relations, events, etc. Asking whether your CEO should tweet or blog is like asking whether s/he should do broadcast television. The answer is: it depends – what’s the strategy and what’s the goal? It’s best to use classic communications strategy, thinking through which message will resonate most in which medium.
2. Channel: Which community uses which network? While Twitter has become a mainstream tool, particularly among journalists and investors, it is not necessarily the network that employees, customers and partners prefer. Doing research to identify which targets use which networks will reveal both the networks that will be needed and the proportion in which they should be used. Later in the process, each network’s back-end analytics are applied to measure the degree to which the channel is achieving its goal.
3. Language and cultural nuance: Most CEOs using social networks communicate in just one language, likely omitting the majority of stakeholders out of the conversation. Real-time translation services should figure into any global online executive positioning program, as should local culture and customs of where your message will be communicated.

These new factors can at first appear overwhelming. Indeed, the more countries, languages, social networks and stakeholders there are, the exponentially more complex the upfront process becomes. That said, if approached one piece at a time, the puzzle can be assembled in short order. And given that the end result is both scalable and measurable, the returns will far outweigh the investment. 

Chemicals, Energy and Trust

By: Carolyn Mayo, General Manager, Houston

Each year, Edelman produces a Trust Barometer based on a trust and credibility survey conducted of the general population and informed publics. Over the past several weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to facilitate discussions based on Trust Barometer results with leaders in the chemical and energy space as they begin to formulate communication plans for the coming year. Edelman has heard from stakeholders that now, more than ever, energy and chemical leaders need to build—and in some cases, rebuild—trust. Easy to say; but it can be difficult to do. Let’s look at what the data tells us.

Trust in Institutions 
Trust in institutions like NGOs, government, business and media is increasing in the United States, but intensity is weak. Energy and chemical companies face unique challenges with respect to communicating and engaging with stakeholders and the general public—one of which being that they often must work with government officials who are even less trusted than they are to get things done. It’s hard to have good policy, constructive advocacy and proactive communications when those charged with moving the needle are starting out with a Trust deficit.

Trust in Industries 
The energy industry ranks low among other industries, but it increased slightly this year from 56 percent to 59 percent. This first year’s ranking of the chemicals energy places it even lower at 51 percent, just slightly above banking and financial services. The technology industry is still the darling—it has consistently ranked as the most trusted industry over more than a decade of Trust research, and that’s across every market globally as well.

Building Trust – What Matters for Energy and Chemicals
We are in the midst of a transformation and are operating in a profoundly different world: one of stakeholders rather than just shareholders. Communication channels and authority have gone from the few to the many. Leaders can no longer just dictate, but must now co-create. We’ve moved from fixed, standard tools to flexible ones. It’s no longer a monologue, but a dialogue. It’s a shift from control to empowerment.

It’s a brave new world for the energy and chemical industries – a time of innovation and growth. And it’s prompting a change in how we craft communication platforms and counsel leadership. While these are industries where authority figures like CEOs and government officials would like to continue to funnel their authority downward to the general population, there are new communities of social activists who pushing upwards to counter and engage in the conversation, showcasing peer-to-peer influence with groups like employees and action consumers.  

Election Day Blues (And Reds)

By: Helen Vollmer, President, Edelman Southwest

Whether you’re a red state or a blue state, I was reminded during the election cycle that came to fruition this week that exercising our right to vote in this country is in a pretty sad state of affairs.

According to The Center for the Study of the American Electorate, only 57.5 percent of eligible voters showed up to choose a new US president. And while 11.2 million Latinos (our fastest growing demographic) voted in the 2012 election, the Pew Research Center says that represented only 48 percent of eligible Hispanic voters.

So what’s up with this? Why can’t we make it to the polls? I know everyone out there has an opinion about what’s right and wrong with their neighborhood, city, state and country.

Certainly, there are some issues regarding state election laws that are viewed by some as placing significant restrictions on voter registration drives. But in what seems to be an increasingly partisan world we’re living in, the fact remains that voting means having a voice in the process, a responsibility not to be taken lightly. Voting is the only real way we have of indicating to politicos exactly what the electorate as a whole wants.

We’re a nation of freedom fighters and believers in a democratic system. While you may not like election outcomes all the time, if you don’t vote and encourage your children, neighbors and colleagues to do so, you really will have lost your voice. And there’s nothing worse than laryngitis in a political firestorm.  

Social Media: A Best Friend or a Big Enemy?

 By Samantha Schaitberger, Assistant Account Executive, Austin

"Twitter is a frenemy...the network uses, relies on, and is scared by, social media."

- Jeff Zucker, CNN President

“Can he say that? Is he allowed to say that?” I wondered to myself. I felt discouraged, but the world kept spinning, I kept writing and life moved on. 

A few years later as I sat in class refreshing my Twitter feed, I began noticing tweets from friends in Virginia, New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., all asking, “Did everyone feel that shaking?” Determined to find out what was happening, I searched the New York Times, the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the Washington Post. Nothing showed up, but on Twitter, hundreds of comments were pouring in. 

It wasn’t until 30 minutes later that the first news article mentioning the earthquake hit, and I then realized what my journalism professor had meant. The digital age was in full swing.

Breaking news is no longer read in a newspaper and the latest products are no longer discovered in magazine ads. At the intersection of the evolution between traditional media and the digital world, social media channels like Twitter are integral. Fast-paced and globally popular, sites like Twitter have changed the way media is consumed, catapulting a revolution in how stories are delivered and how they are told. 

There are currently 200 million active Twitter accounts and over one billion tweets sent every week. Over the past three years, the power of Twitter has become more and more apparent. 

During the heartbreaking Boston Marathon bombing investigation, activists, government agencies, news organizations and people all over the world came together on social media channels to stand in solidarity. Brands raised money to support relief efforts and American Airlines offered special travel options to those affected by the tragedy.

Social media has become an undeniably important asset, but despite its significance, the swiftness of social media also gives cause for concern. 

Information on social media spreads rapidly, accurate or not. The average Twitter user doesn’t employ fact-checkers or cite sources as traditional media does; raising the question, how factual is the information being posted and who is held responsible when that information is wrong? 

Following are some guidelines for brands, organizations and individual users alike to consider when using social media:

1. Double-check everything before it’s posted and then check again, especially before posting after a tragedy or about a holiday with a significant history. Always get multiple opinions about the appropriateness of the brand’s message and its timing. Tragedies and controversial historical events are never a time for blatant self-promotion. 
2. In a social media world where inaccurate information roams free, being right is far more important than being first. If a story begins to unfold about a brand, get ahead of it as soon as possible, but first ensure necessary information is verified.
3. Have a crisis communications plan in place for negative social media feedback. By promptly addressing user complaints, brands have an opportunity to turn negative feedback into a more positive experience. 
4. Always say no to automated responses on social media and be mindful when scheduling content in advance, as news can break at any given time.
5. Though exceptions exist, it is generally best to keep political and religious opinions out of brand social content to help avoid alienating fans. 
6. Only delete negative comments if they violate the channel’s clearly stated social media policy. Fans remain loyal to brands that are transparent and consistent. To quote Shakespeare, “No legacy is so rich as honesty.”

Stories will always need to be told, regardless of how they’re delivered. Whether written in 140 characters or in a 300-page novel, words have the power to instill change. That’s why it’s crucial for brands, organizations, media and individuals to always take a second glance before pressing “send.” 

The Big Hit: Chemical Week for Edelman’s Chemical Group

 By Jay Andrew, Vice President, Houston

As part of Edelman’s chemical sector development initiative, the sector team set out to identify third-party influencers in the chemical industry who could amplify Edelman’s visibility and credibility beyond the work Edelman does for chemical clients around the world.

Using chemical industry data from Edelman’s 2013 Trust Barometer, the Edelman team pitched an exclusive to Chemical Week magazine’s editor-in-chief, Robert Westervelt. Westervelt was highly interested in the data, and following a meeting taking him through the history of the Trust Barometer and highlighting compelling data points related to the chemicals industry, an interview was brokered with Ben Boyd, Global Chair of Edelman’s Corporate Practice, Corporate Affairs Sector, and Carolyn Mayo, General Manager, Edelman Houston.

The interview resulted in a special article inset entitled “Who do you trust? Chemical makers form poor bonds with public” which was tied to the Chemical Week cover story, “Corporate social responsibility: Pursuing the triple bottom line.”  

The resulting article outlined the Trust Barometer and the 2013 findings, noting “The chemical industry ranks 15th out of 18 business sectors in terms of public trust,” and “The chemical industry is trusted by 51% of respondents to do what is right.”

The article went on to include a POV and several key findings from Boyd, further elevating the Edelman Chemical Group’s visibility. 

“There have been dramatic shifts over the past five years in how the public establishes trust,” Boyd says, “Stakeholders are placing greater emphasis on engagement and integrity-based attributes, such as treating employees well, listening to customers, and exhibiting ethical and transparent practices… Operational-based attributes—including financial performance, being recognized as a top place to work, and having a strong CEO—were nearly twice as important in 2008 as they are in 2013—76% versus 39%—according to the survey. Business must show that it has a broader skill set and can execute on engagement and integrity-based attributes.” 

The full article can be found here.

Digital Insight: Using Twitter Chats for Corporate Influencer Engagement

 By Abigail Wambaugh, Senior Account Supervisor, Digital New York

Corporate brands often find the greatest digital value in engaging with influencers. While CPG brands directly engage with consumers online to ultimately increase sales and brand affinity, the opportunity for digital engagement for corporate brands is less straightforward.

Online influencer engagement is a top request for corporate, B2B and public affairs clients, and a frequent strategic recommendation, but the tactical implementations are not always obvious. A Twitter chat is one way to create a specific ask and build online relationships with those who matter the most to a company.

Below are five steps to a successful Twitter chat:

Pick a conversation-worthy topic

Not every report, release or panel discussion should be accompanied with a Twitter Chat. Identify a conversation that your brand can own, tied to ongoing digital dialogue and related to a moment in time when possible. Ensure the topic of your chat correlates to the passions of the influencers you identify.

Choose your date and timeframe wisely

When working with global brands, it’s important to keep in mind the time zones of all chat participants and primary audiences. If it is not possible to pick a time that makes sense for everyone, brainstorm creative ways someone can still contribute, whether through scheduling a tweet, holding multiple regional chats or asking them to reply to tweets following the chat.

Consider the risks and rewards of different formats

There are several formats for Twitter chats. The two main chats a brand will likely host involve pre-written questions directed to the general audience or a Q&A format with one or multiple participants pre-chosen to answer the questions. The first is generally shorter and requires less organization and planning, but runs the risk of falling flat if the community does not readily participate, particularly for niche topics. The second can seem preplanned to a digital audience, runs the risk of creating temporary silence if an influencer doesn’t participate and can get lengthy. However, the Q&A format guarantees a certain level of conversation and activity, and means influencers only need to be available for a specific period of time.

Seed the conversation with strategic influencers

Recruit influencers to join the conversation for either a set period of time in a Q&A format, or during a time range if a more free form chat is scheduled. Send an initial, brief communication and follow-up with details if the individual is interested. Be sure your influencer asks are clear and specific with the individuals’ busy schedules in mind. Also be sure to send a calendar invite to block the time on their schedules and act as a reminder to join.

Let the qualitative results speak the loudest

Tools like TweetReach and Salesforce Radian6 are great to capture the numbers behind the conversation, but it’s the qualitative results that have the most impact on influencer engagement. Highlight the most insightful comments from those recruited to join the conversation, new relationships formed and social commentary from others not intentionally engaged. 

Twitter Chats are not new, but when executed well can still yield lasting relationships with targeted individuals.