darbyDARNIT Blog

Return to blogging - at another site

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 05:30:00 +0000

After six years of blogging, then a one-year hiatus, I am back at it. The time off was refreshing, and gave me a lot of time to think about what I want the next iteration of my blog to be.

My new focus will be on innovative brand marketing, digital strategy, and creative storytelling, especially as they relate to better connecting and engaging with key stakeholder groups.

However, I will no longer use this blog. I have moved my blog to a Wordpress platform, and am using my former darbyDARNIT business domain, www.darbyDARNIT.com for my blog.

All of my blog posts have been ported over to that site, and I hope you will consider subscribing again. Thank you for listening, commenting, and contributing in the past. I hope we can continue the discussion. Goodbye Blogger.

Cheers - petri

Good ads Vs. Great ads - What's the difference?

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:17:00 +0000

Good brands are built on the backs of information, facts, history, and rational messaging.

Great brands are built on the backs of inspired people, shared emotional connections, changing history, and driving new cultures.

Good advertising and great advertising are defined by similar definitions.

Good advertising tells.

Great advertising shows.

Good advertising tries to convince through reason.

Great advertising appeals to the senses.

Good advertising says "We are smarter than you. We know what you need. Listen to us."

Great advertising says "We get you. We are you. trust us."

The following ads for two insurance companies are a perfect example of how wide the gap is between good advertising and great advertising.

GOOD TV AD: Allstate

GREAT TV Ad: Liberty Mutual

Most insurance companies are not thought of as caring, touchy feely organizations that are in touch with the human condition, so the ultimate test of the power of their advertising is whether these spots reflect an authentic image of the brands. But, let this be a lesson for law firms, accounting firms, management consulting firms, and every other business operating in an industry perceived to be boring, stale, disconnected, and unsympathetic.

There is a time and place for cerebral thinking and messaging, for your buffet of facts, statistics, awards, and rankings. But if every other firm is focused on coasting and being good, perhaps you have an opportunity to be great.

What Tiger Woods Did Right and Wrong in His Apology Statement

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:29:00 +0000

Tiger Woods just finished delivering his apology statement, asking for forgiveness for his infidelities and letting down his family and fans. Generally, the content of the speech was good. He apologized thoroughly and took responsibility for his actions. He admitted fault and presented steps he is taking to reclaim his discipline and put his personal recovery above his professional career. He praised and protected his family and humbled himself.

But the speech was not perfect. Here are the areas where it could have been stronger:

1. Tiger Woods is known for being extremely media savvy and very controlled, even without prepared statements. In press conferences and interviews, he comes across as confident and comfortable. However, he sounds much less authentic reading from a tightly scripted speech.

2. Tiger's speech should have been about complete contrition and acceptance of blame. Totally. Completely. Instead, Tiger switched from the soft, humble tone and aggressively attacked and antagonized the media for following his family everywhere they go and demanding that they leave his family alone. Yes, it is horrible that paparazzi hound his wife, kids, and mother. Everyone agrees with that. But in throwing darts at the media, he went from apologetic to accusatory. In crisis management, trying to spread blame is a horrible strategy. Own it. Take responsibility. Share your plan for doing everything you can to ensure it never happens again. Period.

3. I was surprised that he didn't apologize to his mistresses. Yes, I know some might not agree and that many people blame the person a spouse cheats with more than the spouse - which I find mystifying - but those women were victims too. Tiger leveraged his power and influence to woo them. He lied to them. He used them and disposed of them as though they were worthless and only there for his entertainment.

4. After finishing his statement, Tiger hugged those sitting in the front row in the room, including his mom. This was a very strange ending and it looked and felt staged. News reports indicated that Elin refused to join him at the event, to her credit. So it just seemed like Tiger felt the need to show that he still has support from friends and family. It's probably not a big deal, but I think it would have been better if he just walked out of the room.

5. His first public statement should have come way earlier. Waiting this long just reinforces the perception that everything he does is controlled and calculated.

Having said all that, I think the speech was a good step toward salvaging his reputation. The American public has shown time and time again that the only thing we love more than tearing down a celebrity, is seeing him/her rise from the ashes like a Phoenix, cleansed and reborn as a new and better person. Tiger has that chance. Now we just have to see what he does with it.

CLIENT NEWS: Win a Free Apple iPad by Referring RedEye Remote to a Friend

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:43:00 +0000

Win a Free Apple iPad by Referring RedEye Remote to a Friend

RedEye Universal Remote Control for iPhone and iPod Touch: Now Compatible With Apple iPad

February 2010 - ThinkFlood (http://thinkflood.com/), maker of the RedEye personal remote control for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad (http://redeyeremote.com/), has launched the RedEye Remote Refer-a-friend Sweepstakes to celebrate the arrival of the Apple iPad. Odds of winning are 1/100, and ThinkFlood is prepared to give away dozens of iPads.

For every friend you refer who purchases a RedEye universal remote control system before March 31, you will be automatically entered for a chance to win an Apple iPad. All friends referred will receive a 15 percent discount on the purchase of a RedEye system.

"Apple's new tablet inspired us to develop a version of the RedEye app that takes advantage the iPad's enormous touchscreen," said ThinkFlood president and co-founder Matt Eagar. "We're looking forward to showing our sweepstakes winners all the new RedEye features and content made possible by internet connectivity and the iPad's extra screen real estate."

Like the iPad, the RedEye system is designed to blend into any home's design with both functionality and style.

Visit http://thinkflood.com/products/redeye/redeye-refer-a-friend-ipad-sweeps/ for sweepstakes rules, and to sign up for a referral link to share with friends.

About RedEye
The RedEye system (http://redeyeremote.com/) turns the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad into a personal remote control that allows control of virtually any home entertainment device from any room in the home. RedEye offers users an affordable, easy-to-use interface and all of the features and functionality previously available only in expensive, high-end universal remotes and home automation systems.

About ThinkFlood
ThinkFlood (http://thinkflood.com/) designs and develops hardware and software with a focus on making everyday tasks easier. Its first commercial application, RedEye, is an iPhone accessory that transforms the phone into a universal remote control and enables users to easily control almost anything in their home entertainment centers using any iPhone, iPod touch or iPad device. Founded in 2007, ThinkFlood is a privately held company headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

With 4,000 fans and counting, RedEye is the most popular remote control on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/thinkredeye.

Visit ThinkFlood's blog, MoreControl (http://morecontrol.com/), for the latest remote control and home automation news.

Listening and Asking Questions are the Key to Marketing Success

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:01:00 +0000

My good friend, and oftentimes marketing and business development mentor, Eric Fletcher, (Twitter: @ericfletcher) chief marketing officer for McGlinchey Stafford law firm, recently penned an insightful blog post, "The Discipline of Listening vs. The Art of Messaging." In it, he challenges marketers' instinctive focus on one-way creative messaging before truly listening and understanding a client's unique market, conditions within that environment, and the client's true interests, and needs.

In a culture that, in the short-term, rewards speed, strong points of view, and tactical activity, listening is a lost art.

I recently had two experiences in meeting with prospects that highlighted the value of listening and getting the other person to talk. Both were referred to me and wanted to meet to see if I could handle a few tactical projects. The more questions I asked, the more the prospects shared about their business, their personal interests, their frustrations, and the dynamics and trends driving their industry.

After an hour with one of the prospects, he said, "I feel like I'm doing all the talking," and at that point, I knew the conversation was going well. I transitioned and said, "Let me tell you what I've heard from you and where I think you have some opportunities and you can tell me if you feel like I have a firm grasp of where you want to go."

Much of what I told him was information he already knew, but he needed someone with a marketing mind to analyze what he said, repeat it back in a clear, organized fashion, and present a strategic framework of possible solutions. While I shared some relevant case studies, I never attempted to make the fast, easy, tactical sale or convince him that I was the man for the job. I didn't have to make a full-court press for the business - the process was organic and the deal signed itself.

Listening, connecting, understanding, caring, and delivering - those are the keys to successful marketing and business development.

CLIENT NEWS: Pearland BLOCKBUSTER Store Hosting Midnight DVD Release Party for Michael Jackson's "This Is It"

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:05:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Petri Darby – darbyDarnit

pdarby@darbyDarnit.com or 713.724.9917

GIVING TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF POP: PEARLAND BLOCKBUSTER TO HOST MIDNIGHT DVD RELEASE PARTY FOR MICHAEL JACKSON’S “THIS IS IT”

Monday, Jan.25th Event to Feature "Thriller" Dance Instruction, Contests, Prizes, and Lookalike Contest

WHAT:

The final memories of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson will descend on the BLOCKBUSTER location at 8325 Broadway St, #220 in Pearland on Monday, Jan. 25 as the store hosts a midnight DVD release party for “This is It.” A compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson as he prepared for his series of sold-out shows in London is the final performance of an iconic figure. 104.1 KRBE Radio will be on-hand playing music and conducting contests.

Activities at the event include:

· The opportunity for Michael Jackson fans to be among the first to rent or purchase the movie on DVD or Blu-ray, while supplies last

· The chance to win Blockbuster prizes

· "Thriller" dance instruction from Shevyn's Dance Studio

· Michael Jackson lookalike contest

· Trivia contests

WHEN:

Monday, Jan. 25

· 10 pm: Event begins

· Midnight: “This is It” DVD and Blu-ray available for rent or purchase while supplies last.

WHERE:

BLOCKBUSTER, 8325 Broadway St, #220, Pearland, TX 77581

HOW:

Admission is free and open to the public.

OFFERING:

“This is It” will be available for purchase or rent while supplies last at participating BLOCKBUSTER stores and online at www.blockbuster.com on the movie’s nationwide release date of Tuesday, Jan. 26. Fans can reserve their standard DVD or Blu-ray copy in advance by putting $5 down at any participating store.

# # #

CLIENT NEWS: New NonProfit Provides Seniors with Way to Donate Unwanted Life Insurance Policies to Benefit Charities

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:01:00 +0000

Client News: New Nonprofit Provides Seniors With Way to Donate Unwanted Life Insurance Policies to Benefit Charities

- Seniors surrender more than $300 billion in benefits every year -

Houston – LifePoint Charitable Endowment recently launched as the first-ever charity to accept, pool, and manage life insurance policies donated by seniors to benefit their favorite charities. LifePoint assumes responsibility for premium payments and distributes benefits to nonprofits designated by donors, without expense to the donor or the charity.
Charities can accept direct donations of life insurance policies, but most do not and will only do so if the policies are paid in full or if donors continue paying the premiums because:

- Ongoing premium commitments can become a significant financial drain

- Charities do not want additional administrative burdens

- It is hard to predict when policy benefits will be received

“Life insurance is the most commonly discarded asset in the United States, to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars annually,” said Dale Toney, CEO and co-founder of LifePoint Charitable Endowment. “LifePoint is a vehicle for charities to add a sizeable new revenue stream from their existing donor bases, using something that most seniors give up anyway. Now many seniors have a very real opportunity to leave a legacy and make the endowment-sized gift they never thought possible.”

LifePoint offers donors the opportunity to designate almost any charity in the humanitarian, health sciences, Christian ministry, or education charitable sectors. LifePoint pools life insurance policies donated through the organization and distributes regular contributions to charities based on their percentage interest in the total policy pool, which is managed much like a mutual fund. Donations of life insurance policies offer several benefits:

- The donor can make an endowment-sized gift to a preferred charity

- The donor gets to stop paying insurance premiums

- The donor receives a charitable tax deduction

- Charities benefit without having to pay insurance premiums

Even those who do not have a life insurance policy can support the effort by making cash donations, which help LifePoint pay for premiums and operations. Cash gifts are leveraged and ultimately multiplied by more than 100 times the original donation, because premium payments secure much larger life insurance policy benefits.

“Thousands of charities are struggling with funding shortages in this challenging economic environment and are looking for ways to raise new dollars,” said Ken Berger, President and CEO of Charity Navigator. “The LifePoint endowment concept is a very innovative approach and we will be watching with great interest to see its effect on nonprofits’ ability to strengthen their financial situations.”

After spending more than a year researching the concept and finding significant interest among charities, associations, and prospective donors, Dale Toney and his business partner Dan Bates co-founded LifePoint to create a comprehensive solution for charities that makes possible their access to this vast new source of revenue.

About LifePoint Charitable Endowment

LifePoint Charitable Endowment is a financial catalyst that provides seniors with a simple way to donate life insurance to help their favorite charities meet the physical, medical, and spiritual needs of people around the world. LifePoint is a 501 (c)(3) based in the Houston, Texas area that accepts and manages tax-deductible donations of life insurance for the benefit of donor-designated charities. For more information about LifePoint, visit www.LifePointCE.org. Charities can visit www.GiveLifeToCharity.org to learn about LifePoint’s branded private label programs.

Contact: Dale Toney, LifePoint Charitable Endowment

281.290.9002 or dale@lifepointce.org

Petri Darby, darbyDarnit

713.724.9917 or pdarby@darbyDarnit.com

# # #

Embrace the chill Houston! Free frozen yogurt Saturday for Red Mango Market Street grand opening

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:49:00 +0000

AWARD-WINNING FROZEN YOGURT RETAILER RED MANGO

TO CELEBRATE GRAND OPENING IN THE WOODLANDS

Taste the All-Natural Difference with FREE Frozen Yogurt January 9

Grab your spoons and prepare your taste buds, as Red Mango, the fastest growing retailer of all- natural nonfat frozen yogurt, celebrates its grand opening at Market Street in The Woodlands on Saturday, January 9. Guests will receive a free small Original yogurt with one topping from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The first 100 customers will also receive a Red Mango gift bag.

“Our all natural, award winning frozen yogurt lets customers indulge in a guilt-free treat that is truly healthy and delicious,” said Dan Kim, president and CEO of Red Mango. “We are confident that once North Texans taste Red Mango frozen yogurt, they will taste the difference and make it part of their lifestyle.”

Red Mango frozen yogurt is available in four unique, gratifying and delicious flavors - Original Pomegranate by POM Wonderful®, and Tangomonium™ (a proprietary citrus blend), as well as the seasonal flavor, all under 100 calories per serving. Healthy, natural toppings include fresh fruit, nuts and granola, and fun toppings like Fruity Pebbles® and Cap’n Crunch®. Red Mango also offers the first line of probiotic iced teas as well as made-to-order parfaits and probiotic smoothies. Lemonocity™ (Lemonade Green Tea), Mysteaque™ (Vanilla Black Tea) and Fanteasia™ (Wildberry Hibiscus Tea) iced teas are each uniquely delicious, low-calorie, and sweetened with natural cane sugar.

“Red Mango, voted best frozen yogurt in several cities, is the perfect escape for active, health-conscious customers in and around The Woodlands,” said Jay Randle, the owner of the Market Street Red Mango store. “We are confident Red Mango will become the frozen yogurt of choice for Houston-area residents, especially those who celebrate the joys of eating delicious foods that are also good for you.”

Red Mango is 100 percent natural, contains no fat and is certified gluten-free and kosher. Unlike many other frozen yogurts, Red Mango is made by licensed dairy manufacturers in the U.S., the same way real yogurt is made. Because of this differentiating factor, it offers a deliciously authentic natural flavor with all of the benefits of yogurt, such as calcium, protein and a significant amount of live and active cultures (also known as probiotics). In 2009, Red Mango began fortifying its yogurt with GanedenBC30®, a patented strain of probiotic shown to help support and regulate the immune and digestive systems.

Red Mango, the fastest growing retailer of authentic nonfat frozen yogurt, opened its first U.S. store in July 2007 in Los Angeles and has since celebrated more than 60 store openings across Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Minnesota, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Red Mango received Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2009 “Hot Concepts!” award and has been named the best frozen yogurt in Los Angeles, Seattle, Las Vegas, Chicago, Utah and New York by independent publications. Headquartered in Dallas, Red Mango serves uniquely delicious frozen yogurt that is all-natural, nonfat, gluten-free and packed with beneficial live and active probiotic cultures that support a healthy immune and digestive system. Red Mango’s frozen yogurt has been certified by the National Yogurt Association’s Live and Active Culture Seal for meeting the required criteria for healthy frozen yogurt. Additionally, Red Mango recently introduced the first iced teas fortified with probiotics.

For more information about Red Mango’s delicious, all natural frozen yogurt and treats, please visit www.redmangousa.com or its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/redmango. Also be sure to check out the Red Mango Market Street grand opening Facebook event page.

For more information: Petri Darby, darbyDarnit - 713.724.9917 / pdarby@darbyDarnit.com / @darbyDarnit

BLOCKBUSTER Store In Channelview hosting Star Wars Event

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:23:00 +0000

ESCAPE IN THIS SUMMER WITH BLOCKBUSTER!
Join BLOCKBUSTER, 104.1 KRBE Radio, and Space Center Houston on Friday July 10, 2009 from 6-7 p.m. at the BLOCKBUSTER store at 14807 Woodforest Blvd. in Channelview for a Star Wars-themed van stop.

Great prizes and giveaways:

BLOCKBUSTER movie gift cards
Space Center Houston passes
Astronaut ice cream
Star Wars items

Now at participating Houston-area BLOCKBUSTER stores, one-day rentals of all new releaseson both standard DVDs and Blu-Ray are $2 for the first day, and only $1 a day after that. All other movies in the store rent for just $1 a day.

June 29 is Free Movie Monday at almost 90 participating Houston-area BLOCKBUSTER stores

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:43:00 +0000

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Petri Darby – darbyDarnit Public Relations

713.724.9917 or pdarby@darbyDarnit.com

BLOCKBUSTER TO GIVE HOUSTON

CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE NEW DAILY RENTALS WITH

“FREE MOVIE MONDAY”

HOUSTON, June 25, 2009 -- BLOCKBUSTERis giving Houston- area movie lovers the chance to try its new one-day movie rental option for free. Monday, June 29 will be “Free Movie Monday” at participating BLOCKBUSTER^® stores. The event underscores that the entertainment retailer is giving consumers the choice between one-day and five-day rentals, enabling them to access entertainment based on their lifestyle, budget or even their mood of the day.

Anyone who visits a participating Houston BLOCKBUSTER store on June 29 may receive a free one-day DVD rental. One free rental per member account. A BLOCKBUSTER store membership is required to participate; free memberships are available to those who are not currently members.

“Some customers like to rent by the day, while others need a little more time. So we’re offering different options and pricing to meet their needs,” said Mark Guild, Regional Director, Operations for Blockbuster Inc. “The new rental choices represent one more way BLOCKBUSTER offers consumers convenient access to media entertainment, all just a drive, download or mailbox away.”

Under the new rental terms, one-day rentals of all new releases, both standard DVDs and Blu-ray, are $2. All other movies in the store rent for just $1 a day. Customers who want a longer rental period can choose the five-day rental at only $5 for the latest new release titles or $4 for all other movie titles in the store.

About Blockbuster

Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI, BBI.B) is a leading global provider of in-home movie and game entertainment, with more than 7,200 stores throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. The company may be accessed worldwide at www.blockbuster.com.

# # #

Blago may be an idiot - but he's no dummy

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:53:00 +0000

Illinois Governor Blagojevich's fate is in the hands of the state legislature, which is carrying out an impeachment trial in an attempt to unseat him in the wake of allegations that he tried to sell the United States Senate seat vacated by President Obama.

It is pretty much a foregone conclusion that Blago will be removed from the state's top post, and although he won't acknowledge that publicly, his recent media tour shows that he is thinking one step ahead, to the criminal trial.

The governor is no longer trying to convince his Illinois constituents of his innocence - he lost that battle. And despite his early claims that trying his case in the press would be wrong and that he would fight in the appropriate forum - the courtroom - he has realized that there is a huge crossover between the court of law and the court of public opinion and if you ignore one or the other, it usually leads to your downfall on all levels.

He now is using the national media to reach potential jurors in his criminal trial in an attempt to avoid jail time. I don't know if this strategy was conceived by the governor, his legal team, or outside litigation communication specialists, but it is a smart move. Then, in the same breath, he references Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mandela, saying that he empathizes with their struggles and being victimized, but that he is not comparing himself to them. He also said that he was considering Oprah for the open senate seat - something that he hadn't said previously.

I'm not sure that these statements endears him to the average person, but he doesn't need to appeal to everyone - just enough so that a couple folks on the eventual jury will think twice about voting for jailtime. It is obvious that he is trying to tap into a few key audiences that he thinks these messages will resonate most with:

- Liberals
- Minorities
- Women

Blago is using a strategy similar to that which helped President Bush get elected twice and that is appealing to the base. He isn't looking to convert those least likely to support him.

During his media tour, he also said that even Mother Teresa and God's angels coming down from on high and testifying on behalf of his character would not help him in the impeachment trial. He may or may not be right, but the reality is that NO ONE is standing up on his behalf, except for him. So while his public communication strategy is a good one, the lack of third party advocates defending him sends a louder message than anything he has said thus far.

Bookstores Are More Worthy Than Automakers

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:40:00 +0000

In a post titled "A Bookstore Stimulus Package?" in the Freakonomics blog on the New York Times Web site, Stephen J. Dubner highlighted a plea from the president of the Author’s Guild to its members to “mount a book-buying splurge” to support independent bookstores, since they certainly won’t be on the list of bailout recipients. While the automakers have developed and sold products based primarily on immediate profit opportunities and what the market wants, independent bookstores have operated out of a love for their products and what the market needs. What the market needs is fewer cars and more books. But that would require more readers.

I wish there existed strong, consistent support for independent bookstores, or even books. I love books. I have always loved books. Books represent one of my few prized possessions. Besides books, what I want for Christmas is more bookshelves. I often buy books as Christmas and birthday gifts – and just because. And I think there are few more thoughtful gifts than books.

Good Night Moon was one of my first purchases when my son was born because it is the first book I can remember from my early years. I preferred to read more than just about anything – eat, sleep, or do homework (that is not surprising). My elementary school doled out prizes based on the number of books students read, during the school year and the summers. And I remember filling my sheets with lots of stickers representing dozens and dozens of books read.

I remember reading Madeline L’engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, the entire Hardy Boys series, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and the others in the series, over and over and over again.

There were no vacations from reading – reading was vacation – and my actual vacations were marked by even more intensive reading. Growing up, my family traveled to Finland almost every year. In the town of 200 people where my mother grew up, they had a library on wheels – similar to an ice cream truck, only bigger, that you step into and make your selections. I waited anxiously every few days to pick up a few new books and comic books that I quickly devoured.

Anything that encourages reading is a plus in my mind. Oprah and other book clubs are good mass stimulants of reading. The concept of the Kindle is intriguing and I am an early adopter of new technologies that aggregate information and simplify your life, but I don’t think that books can be made more perfect. They may become more accessible with technology, but they do not get better. They are never better as movies or as audiobooks. Every book is different, from the cover to the spine to the text to the paper. I don’t want more space – I want more books. And downloading books from Amazon.com or even Powells.com just does not compare to the bookstore experience.

There is nothing like spending a few hours in a small, independent bookstore, combing through the stacks and finding a couple gems. I love visiting bookstores in different cities, and countries. It’s a spiritual experience. I love getting new books, but I love finding used books. There’s an automatic connection I feel to another person who I don’t know. I don’t have to know them. There is just something poetic about the shared human experience.

I hope people turn off the television more often to read. I hope people frequent indie bookstores more often. I hope independent bookstores collaborate with each other and connect more with prospective and current customers to grow the category in their communities. I hope more people give the gift of a book this holiday season.

What independent bookstores should do to thrive is a completely different subject. The only point of this post is to say that, in my mind, bookstores and books – and the ideas contained within them, are far more important than cars. I know why we have to debate saving our car companies. But we should not need to discuss how to save our bookstores.

Want to escape? Read

Want to be someone else? Read

Want to be a great writer? Read.

Want to be a great thinker? Read.

Want to be a great talker? Read.

Want to be a great lover? Read.

Want to be a great leader? Read.

Guy Kawasaki and me - three things in common

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:34:00 +0000

Let me start with this: Guy Kawasaki is THE MAN! He is a hero of mine and thousands of other entrepreneurs and business leaders. He is a creative and strategic genius, wildly successful, and by all accounts, an all around great guy. He doesn't know me and we don't have much in common, except for three small things:

1. I've read his book "The Art of the Start." It's a great primer for anyone looking to launch or join a startup. I haven't yet written a book, but maybe I can send him some of my haikus.

2. We follow each other on Twitter. He is @guykawasaki and I am @darbydarnit. I should clarify that, as of now, 26,995 people follow Guy on Twitter and 349 follow me. 'Nuff said.

3. We both just made the list of "30 Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter" on YoungGoGetter.com. I am wholly undeserving of making the list, but I am extremely grateful and humbled to have my name even mentioned in the same galaxy as Guy. The author of the article/list is freelance copywriter and SEO specialist Eric Branter. He is @Eric_Brantner on Twitter. Thanks Eric!

If you aren't yet on Twitter, sign up now, and be sure to follow Guy Kawasaki. If you're already on Twitter and aren't following Guy...you know what I'm going to say.

I love my insurance company. What? Did I just say that?

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:32:00 +0000

Let me start by saying that I never expected to be moved enough by an insurance company to actually write a complimentary blog post about them.

I have been a member of AAA for several years and the roadside services I have been provided over the years and the piece of mind that comes with membership have more than made up for the annual dues. A few months ago, I decided to look into what auto and home insurance would cost through AAA. I was surprised and happy to find that I could secure better coverage at a significantly lower price than I was paying at the time by switching, which I did.

The day before Hurricane Ike arrived, I received an automated message from AAA, wishing my family and me a safe outcome and providing options for contacting AAA immediately after the storm in the event that we did have damage to the house or cars. I was really impressed and yes, even touched, by the gesture of my insurance company to first address the emotional aspects of the impending hurricane and second, encourage us to call so they could help get us through the recovery with as little impact to our lives as possible.

It just reconfirmed my choice of insurance companies, and that type of outreach and service is consistent with my original AAA membership. It also reminds me that they could also be a better choice for life insurance options than I currently have. And so I'll be calling them promptly.

Thanks AAA and AAA-Texas.

Speeches and Media Not Enough to Quell Anxiety

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:24:00 +0000

President Bush just finished another short speech to the American people trying to reassure people that the government has a good plan that will work and that the problem is one of perception and that we just need to trust that the people in charge know what they are doing.

Problem #1: The messenger
When the overwhelming majority of the country does not have confidence in the messenger, a message of "trust us" is not effective.

Problem #2: The content
The country is not sold on the $700 billion financial rescue bill as a panacea. New tactics, plans, and proposals are popping up daily from different sources. There's a sense that no one really knows what to do and what people can expect.

Problem #3: The medium
The President is giving regular speeches. The media focus is all finance, all the time now. The Fed and Treasury offer background on the financial rescue plans, but they are in bureaucratic, fact-pushing formats. They offer a way to sign up for e-mail updates, but I don't see them promoting that outside of their sites. They do not provide simple, straightforward education and address the emotional anxiety that is accelerating this crisis. And surprisingly, I can't find any evidence of plans for direct communications, use of social media and blogger outreach campaigns, and leveraging of Internet search engine marketing channels.

I searched for "bailout plan," "rescue plan," "financial rescue," "credit crisis," and a dozen other related terms through search engines and what pops up is news coverage and investment company ads, not Treasury or Federal Reserve links or Web sites set up to address the financial crisis and offer plans, media coverage, fact sheets, and setting-the-record-straight responses. I've received nothing from any of my elected officials on the crisis. I've received nothing from my bank.

Study after study shows that people want high-level vision from the leaders at the helm, but that people trust those closest to them. I've said it before, in this blog and to my clients and employers, and I'll say it again. In the absence of good information from trusted sources, people will fill in the blanks with the worst case scenario, and that will drive behavior - and not the desirable kind.

There are very real financial issues that need addressing. But the crisis of confidence is fueling the fire, and without a sound, multi-tiered communications strategy, the public's perception will continue to dictate how deep a hole we will have to dig out from over the next few years.

Free Online Twitter Seminar Today

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:55:00 +0000

If you read my blog, you already know what a blog is. But you may not be as familiar with Twitter, a micro-blogging platform that continues to gain in popularity as a social media, marketing, PR, political, and general short-form communication tool. Some companies use Twitter as one of several ways to monitor, and sometimes respond to, discussions and comments published about their products and service.

When our power went out at 9 p.m. the night that Hurricane Ike came crashing through Houston, I used Twitter as a tool to track the storm's progress on my BlackBerry (with Verizon Wireless service of course - not a client, but I'm pretty much a walking billboard for them) by monitoring Tweets by folks such as Eric Berger, the Houston Chronicle's Sci Guy columnist/blogger/reporter/Twitterer (or is it Tweeter?) whose Twitter entries can be found at: http://twitter.com/chronsciguy. Thank you Eric.

While I was able to get online through my BB, Twitter was the only place where I could get really fast updates on the storm's progress, what I could expect, and what others were experiencing. It wasn't always the news I wanted, but I always prefer more information rather than less.

According to Wikipedia's entry on Twitter, as of July 2008, more than 2.2 million accounts were registered on Twitter. After registering, you can send updates, or "tweets" from the Twitter Web site or your PDA via free downloadable software programs.

Hubspot.com is hosting a free Twitter webinar today on the basics of Twitter. Here is what their invitation says:

"There's a lot of buzz around Twitter but many marketers don't know how to translate that buzz into a worthwhile marketing tool for their business. Most people's first reaction to the social media "micro-blogging" tool is that it is a waste of time, but as Twitter becomes more and more mainstream, businesses are now using Twitter to engage with customers, reach the media directly, and further establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry.

This webinar will go over all the basics for using Twitter for marketing and PR, including:

What is Twitter and why is it important

How to use Twitter to monitor your brand and engage customers and prospects directly

How to reach media and bloggers directly to get PR coverage for your business

What and how to measure the results of your social media efforts

Date: Friday, October 10, 2008
Time: 2PM EDT (GMT-4)
Duration: 1 Hour

Click here for more information and to register. Afterwards, I hope you will sign up for a Twitter account and go to: http://twitter.com/darbydarnit to add darbyDarnit to your list of Twitter friends to follow. Tweet tweet.

Few things better than a haiku contest

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:33:00 +0000

My best friend Paul and I used to work together. And when days were moving way too slowly, or when we just needed a little respite from the grind, we found refreshment and inspiration in our own haiku contests. Haiku, with their 3-line, 5-syllable / 7-syllable / 5-syllable structure, are the ultimate test of language strategy and efficiency. We typically opted for clever, humorous approaches, rather than the traditional, serious, beautiful Japanese forms.

USA Today used to coordinate an online daily haiku contest and as far as I know, I am the only two-time winner of the competition. The first prize I won was a long-sleeved shirt, which my wife dons regularly during Houston's chilly nights. The second, and perhaps a testament to the fragility of the newspaper industry, was a small umbrella that crumbled and ripped with the first light wind that tickled it. Much to my dismay, USA Today retired that element of its Web site a few years ago and I seldom run across an opportunity to challenge my skills in this area.

But Hooray, Hooray, today I saw an announcement on Twitter of a haiku contest being conducted by John Moore of Brand Autopsy, with the winner being awarded with a free entry to SWOMfest, a word-of-mouth marketing conference in Austin at the end of October. As you now know, I compete not for the glory, girls, fame, or the Benz's or Benjamins, but for bragging rights, and shirts, umbrellas, and tickets. It would probably be safe to assume that the theme should have something to do with word-of-mouth marketing, but that wasn't indicated, so I decided to go with the top item in domestic current events, the bank bailout discussion.

Here is my entry:

The bailout - schmailout
Two down, third time is a charm
What about my needs?

Think you can do better? Bring it.

Hurricane Ike rumors

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:11:00 +0000

Today's Houston Chronicle features an article titled "For some, rumors harbor 'the truth' of Ike's carnage" that briefly touches on the rumors swirling among Houstonians regarding possible cover-ups of mass deaths in Galveston and skepticism that they will ever get the full truth. The article quotes a professor who says that victims of the storm are vulnerable, which leaves them prone to wild scenarios.

Unfortunately, the article didn't delve into the truly interesting roots of the rumor mill and how such misinformation can be addressed. The following is an excerpt of a blog post I wrote in September 2007 on this very topic:

In 1947, Allport and Postman theorized that:

1. people exert effort to find meaning in things and events and

2. when faced with a situation that is both ambiguous and important, people retell related rumors to create meaning.

Importance and ambiguity are the keys to whether or not a rumor is actively spread. Further, Allport and Postman determined that as rumors are spread, they are:

a. leveled or shortened and made more precise

b. sharpened, resulting in details being cut out

c. assimilated, or made more interesting to those with whom the rumor is shared

The book "Reputation Management: The Key to Successful Public Relations and Corporate Communications" by John Doorley and Helio Fred Garcia says, “To control a rumor, one must either diminish the importance assigned to the rumor if true, or eliminate the ambiguity around the factual basis of the rumor, or both.”

The book highlights a quantitative formula, developed by Allport and Postman, that helps determine the intensity of a rumor and its potential impact:

R ~ i x a

Stated otherwise, “the amount of rumor in circulation (R) will vary with the importance of the subject to the individuals concerned (i) times the ambiguity of the evidence pertaining to the topic at issue (a).”

If there is either no ambiguity or no importance, then a rumor will not continue. If you can reduce one or both at all, the power of the rumor will be significantly diminished.

Doorley and Garcia also indicate that speed in addressing rumors is key to shortening their lifespan and their tempering their impact.

The rumor mill is a lot less powerful in environments that are transparent and feature proactive communications and those that create two-way dialogue and feedback channels.

During a crisis or in a high-change environment, people need much more regular information and more personal, face-to-face communications.

For the full blog post, visit:
http://darbydarnit.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-rumor-mill-works-and-how-to-manage.html#links

Hurricane Ike - power's out

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 03:48:00 +0000

Our power went out a little while ago, so the candles are lit. We and our next door neighbors are on a different power grid than the rest of the neighborhood and the other three houses still have power. We usually keep our house pretty cool at night and thankfully -ke is bringing down temps so we shouldn't roast without air conditioning. It is a good reminder of those who live without air conditioning and electricity in hotter climates.

The wind gusts are probably in the 30-40 mph range, but still no rain. We're thinking that we should get a couple hours rest, as Ike probably wpon't let us rest long, if at all.

We expected to lose power, but hoped it wouldn't happen this soon. And we hope it doesn't remain out for long.

I'm blogging from my Blackberry, and need to turn it off to conserve its juice. Night night for now. Could be back soon.

Hurricane Ike - sunset and a little wind

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:58:00 +0000

Talk about calm before the storm. The sunset tonight was spectacular. Like cotton candy sherbert, as you can see from the pics.

Ike is wreaking havoc in Galveston right now, with the storm surges flooding the entire city. I can't believe that 40 percent of Galveston's residents decided to stay. I'm afraid there will be really bad news coming out of there in the next few days.

We live about 75 miles from the coast, so we don't have anything to fear in terms of the storm surge, but we expect some pretty solid winds, possible tornadoes, power outage, and a good deal of rain.

Winds are picking up here a little, with moderate gusts, but nothing really significant yet. No rain to speak of, but that will
change in the coming hours.

Several of us in the cul de sac gathered and had hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, and brownies (and the requisite drinks). Afterward, our neighbor whipped out a kite that had been sitting in the garage for months without ever having been used. He thought it would be the perfect time to try it out, since the winds were favorable.

This is about as high as the kite got. Even though the attempt wasn't successful, we enjoyed watching and taunting.

More to come later as Ike, our unwanted nighttime visitor comes a knockin'.

Free PR White Papers

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:11:00 +0000

For those looking for free guidance on specific PR topics, here are links to some free white papers. You may have to fill out a form to receive some of these and do not know whether any of these organizations follow-up and contact people who fill them out. I have no formal affiliation with these organizations and do not vouch for any of the information contained within these white papers. I merely wanted to pass along some resources that may be of assistance and do not cost anything.

Let me know if any of these are really exceptional, or completely worthless.

Vocus PR White Papers
Five strategies for media relations success
Five golden rules for blogger relations
Public relations in practice
New role of the PR professional
Measuring the marketing ROI on public relations
Analyzing the media landscape for strategic advantage
Driving sales using public relations
Taking your message to the next level with multimedia
Optimizing your public relations with social media

Cision white papers
Blogs
RSS and podcasting
Targeting
Social media
Communication cycle
Effectively managing the 24/7 global media environment

How to measure social media relations from KDPaine & Partners, LLC

The evolving role of public relations in the age of social media from the Council of Public Relations Firms

PR News list of PR white papers
Are You a Digital Einstein? By Peppercom
Exploring the link between volume of media coverage and business outcomes by VMS
The 2006 Cone: Millenial Cause Study by Cone Inc.
Stakeholder networking by dna13
What journalists want to see on your Website by Vocus
Public relations professionals in early stages of technology adoption by Vocus and PR News
Correlating outputs to outcomes by VMS
A comprehensive report on media monitoring and search engines by Burrelles Luce
PR best practices for global corporations by Vocus
Paid placement for global corporations - VNRs and SMTs by DS Simon Productions
Measuring media coverage effectively by VMS
What do you stand for? Principles for success in cause branding by Cone Inc.
The future of PR. How to garner more coverage and stay way ahead of the competition by Vocus

PRWeek white papers on subjects ranging from blogging and social media to branding and e-marketing

Bulldog Reporter white papers on topics such as online newsrooms, traditional and social media, word of mouth marketing, and more

I know there are a million more, and I don't plan to post them all. But if you know of one or two that just shouldn't be missed, send them along and I may include them in a future post.

How do you explain this?

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:35:00 +0000

I pitched a story to a reporter, who expressed interest. I connected the reporter with two subjects for the piece. The client wanted me to ask the reporter to share the draft article with us prior to publication so we could review it for accuracy. I explained that the media almost never does this to maintain complete objectivity and editorial freedom, but that I would offer the opportunity just in case. As expected, the reporter declined.

While the client was pleased with the general themes of the resulting article, they pointed out that it included multiple innacuracies. The story mixed up two technologies and described them as one and indicated that it was made from a particular material that is not present in either product.

The errors are not consequential to the story or to anyone's reputation, so the paper would not be likely to print a correction or retraction, but they are significant in the client's eyes.

This only further reinforces to the client their interest in reviewing media coverage in advance, and the explanation that you can't guarantee news content on the back-end doesn't provide any additional measure of comfort.

Aside from managing expectations upfront and teaching clients how to view the news from a reader's/viewer's perspective, do you have any other tips or techniques you use to help clients accept this reality?

Speeches

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:20:00 +0000

Observations from the Democratic National Convention:

1. Hillary Clinton has evolved into a really great speaker.
2. Bill Clinton has always been a wonderfully dramatic speaker. He is known for micromanaging his speeches and changing them right up until the last minute. This time he wrote his own speech and proved that he also is a great speechwriter.
3. Evan Bayh's speech is reflective of why he remains a constant bridesmaid, but never the bride or even the maid of honor - or best man - or whatever. His tone is constant, so nothing seems more important than anything else. And his non-verbal gestures are unnerving and not supportive of his verbal comments.
4. Bo Biden is a great speaker and looks every bit the future politico.
5. Joe Biden may complement Barack Obama in terms of foreign policy gravitas and his blue collar roots and image play well, but he is much better on a debate stage than he is behind a lectern reading from a teleprompter.

Where do reporters go?

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:39:00 +0000

I think that reporters at newspapers and TV stations across the country are disappearing into a wormhole or something. Four reporters at different media outlets expressed interest in the stories I pitched and even highlighted particular days that they were available. When I contacted them to confirm, I didn't hear back. Now, after multiple follow up e-mails and calls, I'm hearing nothing.

I understand that people get busy. But I don't really understand why they stop responding completely. So I assume they have been sucked into the nether regions of space and their cell phones don't have intergalactic coverage.

Stephen Hawking, where could these folks have gone?

BLOCKBUSTER/Indiana Jones event

noreply@blogger.com (darbyDarnit) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:01:00 +0000

Check out some of the highlights from the BLOCKBUSTER event I referenced in my last post:

The BLOCKBUSTER store on West Gray in River Oaks

The 104.1 KRBE promotional wheel

Charles the Chuckwalla from the Houston Zoo

Animal artifacts from the Houston Zoo

A visitor makes friends with a king snake from the Houston Zoo

Big winners!