Ketner Group Gets a Blog Make-Over & National PB&J Day!

Does something look a little different to you? Our blog didn’t lose weight or change its hair, but it did get a whole new look! What was formerly Ketner Group’s KbloG is now PB&J! We aim to give readers “a slice of PR, Branding and Journalism”–a place to hang out and read about good ideas and examples of how to lead a better PR, content and marketing program and discuss trendy industry topics. Follow our Twitter page at www.twitter.com/PBJblog to get all of our updates!

We’re happy to announce our new PB&J blog name on 2013 National PB&J Day (April 2)!

If our new name doesn’t make you hungry, then National PB&J Day will make you itch for a ‘which and eager to help the environment, too! Check out the PB&J Campaign, whose goal is to educate people “on actions we can take (such as choosing a PB&J sandwich for lunch) to help create a sustainable, earth-friendly future with enough food for all.” You don’t have to agree with that to agree that PB&J is just an awesome name.

Hope you like our new graphic! Let us know what you think. And for the love of jelly, have a PB&J sandwich soon and think of us while you chew that peanuty goodness.

Why Our New Intern, Mia, Decided on a PR Career

I don’t know exactly when I decided that the public relations industry was a fit for me. I did watch a lot of Sex and the City my freshman year of college, so there may be a correlation there.

I wanted to live Samantha Jones’s glamorous (fake) life. Little did I know that Samantha Jones’s fabulously glamorous life was an unrealistic version of what the public relations industry really is.

I was disappointed to find out that not everyone in PR rubs elbows with the elite and lives in million dollar condos, but the more I learned about the industry I was able to forgive Samantha for deceiving me all those years. Maybe this industry was right for me even without all the glamour. Who needs $500 Manolo Blahnik shoes, anyway?

As my undergraduate public relations education almost comes to a close I’m excited and nervous for what this industry has in store for me. I will be graduating in December with a public relations degree and business foundations certificate and look forward to using my education and experience to become a great PR professional.

My course work thus far has been a well-rounded mix of advertising, business and public relations classes, and I’ve worked with teams to create a PR plan for Animal Trustees of Austin — a local animal welfare non-profit as well as a hypothetical media plan for another local Austin business.

Outside of class, I’ve had experience in various industries such as special events, journalism, production and public relations. I worked at Study Breaks Magazine where I gained experience in social media as well as journalistic writing. Last year, I interned for Cultivate PR, a boutique lifestyle public relations firm that ignited my passion for food and was fortunate enough to meet Top Chef winner, Paul Qui and Tyson Cole of Uchi and Uchiko. After my internship at Cultivate, I had opportunity to drop everything during the summer of 2012 and move to NYC to intern for a production and branding agency, inVNT, which I eagerly and willingly took. I won’t lie; before I left I thought that I might actually have the glamorous life of Samantha Jones, even if it was just for the summer. However, as amazing as my summer in the “Big Apple” was, it was no Sex and the City. It was more work than anything, maybe a little glamour, but most importantly, a tremendous experience.

I’m extremely excited to use my skills and experiences at Ketner Group. I’m so happy to be part of the team. I feel at home even on my second day.

Women in Communications: Can We Have it All?

International Women’s Day (IWD) was March 8, 2013, and it provided a good opportunity for both men and women to take a look at the current state of women’s progress around the world. While IWD calls for an examination and appreciation of all aspects of womanhood, women’s roles in the career force took a front seat.

In the U.S. communications industry, women outnumber men by a 60:40 ratio—and this trend has been on the rise for years. However, men still outnumber women in the executive boardroom. According to the 2012 Catalyst Census’ “Fortune 500 Women Board Directors” and “Fortune 500 Executive Officers and Top Earners” reports, women served in 16.6% of board member positions in 2012—this is the seventh consecutive year of no growth. Women also only held 14.3% of Executive Officer positions—a zero percent growth for the third straight year. And if this is not alarming enough, the report found that women held an underwhelming 8.1% of top earner slots. (Read more on these statistics at Women on Business.)

Infographic by Caitlin New @ Ketner Group

As I advance in both age and experience, I wonder why this is still a disappointing reality. Is it because men have more advancement opportunities? Is it because they work longer or harder? Do they possess more leadership talent than women? Is it because women have a lot more distance to cover because we started from so far behind? Or is it because women with families bear an unequal level of responsibility and/or prejudice when it comes to balancing work and family? Do we do it to ourselves, as this CNN article about Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean in” philosophy suggests, a result of our own choices?

According to a report by the National Partnership for Women & Wage Families, women with children are paid 2.5% less than women without children, while men with children are paid 2.1% more than men without children. This is a confusing disconnect.

Curious about the work/family balance issues women face, I asked several women who hold leadership and managerial roles in the communications industry about their experiences in maintaining a successful career while performing the work/family-balancing act. Completely aside from the arguments of gender pay gaps and stay-at-home parenting vs. full-time workforce parenting, I learned about the challenges these women experience in making decisions about career and family.

“Today, most of my male co-workers have working wives and are more understanding and may have more responsibility themselves as a result,” said Stefanie Nelson, a technology industry professional. Nelson admits to having the fortunate ability to continue working full-time after starting her family, as her husband took some time off of work to be a stay-at-home dad. “The biggest challenge for me was letting him do it!” Nelson said. “I think a lot of women have not only a sense of obligation, but also a need to control certain things, and it can be hard to let go.”

On staying competitive at work, Nelson believes her “biggest challenge at the professional level hasn’t been dealing with the additional responsibilities as much as the perception that women don’t have the same dedication to their career as men,” she said.

Vanessa McMillan, a marketing specialist in the technology industry, believes that women carry more personal responsibility when it comes to balancing work and family. McMillan also feels men are given more opportunities to advance. “I think that men naturally are advanced in the organization, held in high regard and paid heed to more often than a woman—whether she is a working mom or not.”

Brittany Jedrzejewski, a communications technology professional, views women and men on equal ground as it relates to job responsibilities in the marketing communications industry. “However, in senior leadership roles, there are more men and I think that’s an indicator of how women are and have been viewed for a long time—that men are more adept at high level positions because they don’t have as much to balance,” said Jedrzejewski.

Jedrzejewski left her 65-hour workweek as a manager to work part-time. She is no longer considered for promotions and is not included in management meetings, but for Jedrzejewski, it’s a tradeoff she both accepts and appreciates. “Travelling was the biggest thing I wanted to give up because it took away from my time at home with the kids. I work hard and really enjoy a balance.”

As a communications professional interested in starting a family while continuing to advance in my public relations career, I asked these women to share their best advice.

“Remember what’s important. Man or woman, that answer should always be your family,” said Nelson. “Working harder, longer hours to get a raise or promotion is likely what you’ve been taught you’re supposed to do, but it’s not always the right answer.” Nelson advises us to remember why we want it all. “Careers are supposed to be fulfilling, give us a greater sense of purpose, challenge us, and make us excited to get up in the morning. If your career isn’t doing that for you and you find that your family (and possibly even your health) is suffering as a result, don’t be afraid to re-think priorities and readjust your strategy.”

McMillan advises women to choose a more established company when choosing a long-term employer. “Work for a company that has a strong work/life balance. Do not work for a start-up!”

Jedrzejewski encourages women to put your boss in the interview seat. “Find a career and environment that you really enjoy. Interview your boss—they determine your work/life balance and you want someone who empowers you, trusts you and isn’t afraid to fight for you.” Jedrzejewski recommends establishing your balance early, such as setting your in-office work hours and work-from-home day(s).

I’ll end this blog with an interesting story I heard from a friend who learned I was writing this blog post. She has a friend whose boss actually accused her of taking time off work during the day to go see her kids at school when she was, in fact, out of the office because she was traveling on business. Because she’s a mom, and because her kids’ school was down the street, he assumed that was where she must have been if she wasn’t at her desk.

Unfortunately, based on other blogs and articles I’ve read on the subject, this isn’t an isolated event. If this isn’t indicative of a problem, then what is it?

SXSW Interactive 2013: Mobile First

This blog is reposted from Digby’s The Mobile Retail Blog.

By Kirsty Hughan, Digby

Austin, Texas has just finished playing host to one of the most innovative and forward-thinking technology conferences in the world. South by Southwest Interactive Festival (SXSWi)  is a five day conference and trade show dedicated to the advancement of digital creativity and hosts sessions by industry leaders addressing cutting-edge concepts unfolding in the world of technology.

Mobile has been an exponentially growing industry in the last few years, both in widespread use as well as capability. We’ve seen mobile websites, apps and commerce explode, but what should we expect to see next in the push toward a highly mobile-centric society? This is what we’ve learned from our sessions at SXSWi.

Location, Push Notifications and Relevancy

In the U.S., 74% of smartphone owners use their phones to access real-time location–based information. Roe McFarlane, VP of Product Innovation and Customer Experience at Redbox spoke Saturday on the hyper-relevancy and personalization location adds to marketing. McFarlane discussed the personalization already intricate to Redbox’s mobile application, which allows users to create wishlists of movies they look forward to watching and favorite their nearest Redbox locations. But he also discussed the incredible future mobile has, mentioning how convenient it would be to receive a push notification as you drove by your favorite Redbox location letting you know that Spiderman is available for rental.

McFarlane also spoke about interesting joint advertising opportunities brought on by understanding location. Since Redbox locations rely on local vendors, the two have a symbiotic relationship. It is frequent that a drugstore displays popcorn, candy, and soda next to its Redbox location, encouraging visitors to stock up for movie night. McFarlane suggested pushing coupons to customers visiting a Redbox, offering them a discount on a bag of Doritos.

Retail: Going Mobile

Retailers, motivated by fears of showrooming are now engaging customers in and out of the store. A number of retailers and brands including Starbucks, ABC, WWE, and Redbox emphasized the need to contextually and personally engage customers through mobile, a technology that has the benefit of being always present with its owner.

A number of emerging trends in store including mobile point-of-sale, in-app check-out, and digital signage.  Starbucks’s Category Manager Dana Kruse discussed the opportunity mobile opens up between baristas and regular customers.  As the ordering and checkout process becomes more seamless, customers are freed from check out process in order to check in with their local barista and build a relationship.

Personalization was another key trend in mobile because of its ability to link to loyalty programs and customize content.  Both Tina Prause, Senior Director of Mobile Products at WWE and Peter Roybal, Product Management for ABC mentioned the success they have had in allowing users to customize their own experience.  In particular, Roybal mentioned how ABC’s mobile app allows users to follow specific news sources and receive push notifications updating them on how the news is evolving.

Consolidation & Specialization

At SXSWi, it is always interesting to learn about new apps that have been launched and the ones that stand out this year offer consolidated personal and business solutions.

pplconnect is a virtual smartphone app that allows you to tap into your personal information from any device with WiFi and urges consumers to pursue “mobile freedom,” a positive thing for Americans, who are constantly on the go.

Industry leaders also expressed a need for specialization in mobile commerce and sharing. Giving users the ability to search locally for services and products based on location and preferred cost not only customizes a purchase, but supports local merchants and small business. Zaarly is a mobile app that offers handpicked and highly specialized merchants, services and products using a smartphone application as the primary channel for search and purchase.

Lastly, the app on everyone’s lips was Uber, an app that not only makes it easy to find a nearby private driver but makes riding a private car seamless. By providing private drivers with their own smartphone with Uber installed, drivers and riders can quickly find each other. Further, riders can plug in where they are going and pay for the service on the spot, making trips quicker and less confusing.

Kirsty Hughan is Digby‘s Marketing Manager and as such is excited by the opportunity mobile provides to finally allow for a 1:1 marketing strategy for brands.  To stay in touch, you can find her on Digby’s FacebookTwitter or the Digby Blog.

SXSW 2013 by the Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC]

It’s finally upon us… SXSW Interactive starts this Friday! In the spirit of all things SX, we’ve created a little infographic to boost anticipation for the start of this year’s tech, music and film extravaganza!

We’re pumped for the festival – keep a look out for KG’s Brittany and Caitlin at your interactive sessions this weekend!

Attention Tech Companies: DO NOT – I repeat – DO NOT Launch at SXSW

This blog post is reposted from Laura Beck’s shirtshorts blog. See Laura’s awesome fan-wear business at stripedshirt.com. Also, check out what Ketner Group has to say about SXSWi on our Be Spectacled page.

After 18+ years working for PR agencies, Laura Beck is focused on independent marketing and PR consulting as well as running her own commerce business, www.stripedshirt.com. Until May 2010, she ran the Austin Texas office of Porter Novelli for nearly 10 years.

 

I’m not kidding this just happened to me: this morning, last day of SXSW Interactive 2012, I get an urgent plea from a friend helping a friend who’s “PR firm dropped the ball” b/c the client was ticked no one wrote about them yet, and they needed to call in some favors, get some coverage. This client launched at SXSW (and I’m not making this up): a Smartphone app that’s a free mobile guide for events, complete with location based mapping and social media integration. iPhone only now, but coming soon for iPad, Android.

SERIOUSLY? You and about 2,000 other companies.

This one, is irritated with their PR people for not getting them enough coverage, especially after they got 50 requests for beta day 1. 50??? SXSW attracts over 20,000 tech people. 50? You are but a speck of sand on the beach, in so many ways.

Now, I feel for this PR person or firm, but really, ultimately, it’s their own fault, and here’s where this public service announcement blog post come in handy. Read it, believe it, remember it, and PLEASE please preach it from now on, for all the rest of us PR folks, and the press and bloggers, and the betterment of the tech companies of today and tomorrow.

DO NOT Launch at SXSW

The odds of you “being the next Twitter” are slim to none. And remember, that big moment for Twitter at SXSW 2007 wasn’t its launch anyway. Jack sent the first tweet a full year earlier. SXSW 2007 is just when that “hockey stick moment” happened for Twitter and everyone has been trying to replicate that magic ever since. YOU CANNOT. It was MAGIC. This stuff sometimes happens at SX, often times does not.

Last year, you could argue Group.me and Uber were the buzz, but holy cow they put the money down to do so, whether hundreds of free grilled cheese sandwiches or branding every pedi cab in town. This year, this sweet delusional mobile apps company is competing against Amex launching Sync with freaking JAY Z. Seriously? How can anyone compete with that?

So, again, DO NOT LAUNCH AT SXSW. Or at least do not come expecting traditional PR, press and blogger meetings or coverage. Just do us a favor, and do not come here with those unrealistic expectations that kill us all.

But come! SXSW is an amazing 10 days, 5 (or more) of just us tech folks. There are 20,000 people here, and over 2,000 of em are press, bloggers, influencers. And they are here to meet, and talk, and network. BUT NOT TO BE PITCHED, not to commit to a sit down briefing or meeting.

They come once a year to Austin to put faces with names, meet the companies they covered last year, get their research in for companies to cover in the future, LEARN, and network. They want to spend time with the tech community, with each other.

They will not commit to time with you or make a packed schedule (or shouldn’t) because at SXSW, you don’t know what’s coming at you when. You need to be fluid and flexible, and go with what happens. Enjoy the ride.

So PR people, please counsel your clients. And companies listen and learn. COME to SXSW, use it as an opportunity to talk to anyone and everyone about what you are up to, what you care about, and LISTEN to what they care about too. Talk with the masses, and tell them about your company, your apps, your tools, your location based social discovery smart phone apps. Do take advantage of the feeding frenzy that is 20,000 people combing the streets of Austin as awareness building, branding, marketing, stunts.

Enjoy the ride and that it is so crazy. Do not torture your PR person asking where “so and so” is, and why “such and such” didn’t agree to a meeting. Do not come here thinking you are the next Twitter, or Amex Sync. Just come, and enjoy the experience, and respect the rest of us (including the press and analysts) doing the same. With the influencers, meet them, let them know you love their writing or read their story last week. Build relationships that will last you your tech life time. But don’t pitch them or ask them for anything. Not this week.

I have done SXSW now since 2004. I have seen the show grow like crazy. I still love it. But maybe that’s because I play it right. Along with friends, I created an event each night for a smaller group of people, including national – and local – press, bloggers, analysts, influencers, VIPs where you can go to just talk with people, hang out, catch up. A “no pitch zone.” I do the same at any other events I hit, I enjoy the moment, don’t party hop or try to catch Leo or Tobey. I don’t look over my shoulder the entire time I’m talking with someone to see if anyone better is there. And I decline any PR project that comes my way that involves “launching at SXSW.” I have a lot of press friends who I hope respect and like me, because I will NOT call in favors or abuse their time here at SXSW (or anytime).

Please keep this blog URL, PR peeps and tech entrepreneurs, because I promise, if you’ve gotten to the bottom and agree with me, you’ll forget by SXSW 2013. Or you’ll talk with someone who doesn’t know, hasn’t been here, and will need this advice. It’s easy to get caught in the glamour of imaging you doing the PR for the next Twitter, being the “Next Big Thing At SXSW.” But those odds are very slim, rare and Magic! DO NOT Launch at SXSW. Rather, just come and enjoy the experience. It’ll serve you way better in the future, and over the crazy 5 days we live every March.

Social Media Scores as an Effective Marketing Tool

super-bowl-social-media
Image courtesy of Branding Magazine

Super Bowl XLVII Shines in the Dark: Social Media Scores as an Effective Marketing Tool

Here is a statistic that will blow you away: According to a study from the Mobile Marketing Association and Session M, during the Super Bowl, a whopping 91% of viewers used their mobile devices during the commercial breaks!

After hearing this, one thing is for sure – we love our mobile phones as much as, or even more, than my three-year old son loves his special security “blankie.” Speaking from personal experience, when it comes to any highly-anticipated sporting event or celebrity-fueled telecast (such as the upcoming Academy Awards), my iPhone is never too far away. My need for instant gratification and social connection leads me to constantly check out what my friends are saying on Facebook and to make my own witty comments about the details of the event.

We all know that the Super Bowl commercials have become just as important to the overall event experience as the game itself, especially now with the saturation of mobile devices and social media. Brand marketers and advertisers have certainly stepped up their digital media game in recent years, and last Sunday was no exception. A few highlights:

Instant Advertising through Social Media
After the Super Dome lost power at the beginning of the third quarter, the quick-thinking team at digital ad agency, 360i, posted a picture of an Oreo cookie on Twitter with the tagline “You can still dunk in the dark,” moving from concept to posting in five minutes. Raise your hand if you were craving some Oreos and milk after seeing that posting! The ad became a viral hit, retweeted more than 15,000 times in the first 14 hours. Other brands tried to take advantage of the 34-minute game delay through Twitter, including Calvin Klein, Tide and Volkswagen – but none of them seemed to have the same affect that the Oreo ad did.

Online Contests and Customer Interactions: A New Focus on Online Integrated Marketing
While watching the commercials, I noticed that many brands developed advertisements that directed viewers to their websites for a more interactive experience. Coca-Cola held an online poll to vote for the ending of its commercial, asking viewers to select which one of the three groups in the ad (cowboys, showgirls and badlanders) would win a race across the desert to reach a bottle of Coke.  Oreo again received rave reviews for their commercial that asked viewers to vote, via Instagram, whether they preferred the cookie or the cream part of the Oreo. After the cookie vs. cream campaign, Oreo gained more than 50,000 followers on Instagram.

The TV spot for CBS’ new show, Under the Dome, directed its viewers to visit www.UndertheDome.com

and enter your address to see what your home would look like under an actual dome. I did this and saw my house under a dome similar to what was shown on the commercial. I really don’t know what the show is all about, but the TV spot left an impression on me so I will probably check out the first episode.

Overall, the notion of online integrated marketing seemed to resonate with Super Bowl viewers. According to social marketing solutions provider, SocialCode, brands that advertised during the big game saw Facebook fan increases 2.7 times higher than non-advertisers, when compared with previous fan growth.

The Second Screen Super Bowl Wins
Super Bowl XLVII has been deemed the “Second Screen Super Bowl” meaning that CBSSports.com, for the first in Super Bowl history, provided a digital live stream of the game, as well as all of the TV ads and the halftime performance. This second screen experience gave fans new ways to interact with the big game and generate as much as $10 to $12 million for CBS.

What were some of your highlights from Super Bowl XLVII? Any forecasts for how NBC might try to checkmate CBS on the digital media front during the 2014 Winter Games? 

Originally posted on Digby’s blog, The Mobile Retail Blog by Catherine Seeds

Caitlin New is Austin’s PRSA Member of the Month

We just wanted to give a shout-out to our Director of Company Branding, Caitlin New, as she’s featured as the Public Relations Society of America’s Austin Chapter member of the month for January.

Caitlin is currently serving on the PRSA Austin board as Programs Chair, and is also on the planning committee for the PRSA Southwest District Conference (June 5-7) as the Special Events Chair. Check out her member spotlight article here!

Enough shameless bragging, now.

Goodbye 2012!

We’d like to take this time to say goodbye to 2012. It was a good year, and–just like any year–we had a few downs, but mostly ups.

2012 saw Ketner Group go to NRF’s BIG Show for the 13th year. We explored our industry at SXSW Interactive, where we learned about visual storytelling, local SEO, social branding and new SoLoMo technology. We did a refresh of our company messaging and engaged with an awesome design firm, Creative Pickle, for a complete overhaul of our website.

We are looking forward to what 2013 may bring, but before we completely turn away from 2012, we wanted to share our Christmas card photo with everyone. That’s right, we know we look good.

Social Media Contests: It’s Always a Good Time of the Year

Photo courtesy of Blast Radius

Well, folks, it’s here. ‘Tis the season of giving and we’re knee deep in gift wrap and holiday cards, cookie dough and frosting, tree lights and ornaments – hopefully not all at once!

In a season that is already globally known for its high-stress characteristics, why not add in a little friendly competition? Brands that host a social media contest, especially during the holidays, can effectively boost online engagement, fuel your customer base and promote your company online.

Before highlighting a few brands that have successfully carried out a social media contest, keep these tips in mind when considering this opportunity:

  • Set a goal that doesn’t focus on increasing followers alone. Emphasize the value of reaching a new demographic or generating more sales leads during the contest period.
  • Don’t forget to promote, promote, promote! Use your social channels, company website and blog to spread the word about contest details and why people should enter to win this insanely awesome prize – which brings me to my next point!
  • Offer an appropriate prize. Know your demographic in order to choose a prize that participants will not only find valuable but worthy of a little effort on their part.

These brands have successfully hosted social media contests – maybe you’ll find some inspiration for your brand’s next online competition!

McAlister’s Deli has decided to get in the holiday spirit and host a “Name Our Gift Card Mascot” contest. Customers can Instagram photos of the brand’s promotional penguin in various situations, then submit their name idea with the tags #givedelicious and @McAlistersDeli. The winner can choose between a personal tablet and $500 McAlister’s gift card or a $1,000 scholarship and a $500 McAlister’s gift card. This is a great prize that incorporates a third party gift and a gift card from the company hosting the competition to reward loyal customers.

Alamo Drafthouse Filmmaking Frenzy – This Austin-based movie theatre is expanding rapidly to cities nationwide and is known for its quirky personality. To go along with its eccentricity, the cinema house recently hosted a film contest (how appropriate!) for viewers to send in their version of a public service announcement highlighting the negative consequences of talking or texting on a cell phone during a movie. Submissions were uploaded to Badass Digest, the theater’s pop culture site, and viewers voted on their favorite film. Winners for each location received a $200 gift card to Alamo Drafthouse and their PSA was screened at their respective theaters. While video can be intimidating for some brands’ marketing teams, it is still one of the fastest growing social mediums that should not be dismissed.

Nike hosted a month-long #RiseAbove Instagram contest over the summer that highlighted fans’ love for basketball by submitting inspirational photos while wearing Jordans, its popular line of shoes. Winners were spotlighted on the contest’s website and the efforts reached millions of fans.

Mellow Mushroom offered free pizza to random lucky Twitter followers in a campaign called “Follow Us and We’ll Follow You”, but complimentary pizza pies are not all a fan might receive. As a friendly joke, the pizza eatery’s mascots would “stalk” its followers participating in the social media contest and make them the stars of online videos and social pranks. While it is an interesting concept, we’d recommend going with a less offensive effort.

A trend not to be overlooked is the growing “Pin It to Win It” campaigns on Pinterest. This effort can be tailored to almost any brand, product or service and brings highly visual emphasis on the subject at hand. Take a look at this page of the Top 50 Pin It to Win It efforts.

These are all great examples to find inspiration for your next social media contest – every brand is different so tailor the competition to fit your image! You’ll quickly see it’s a great way to learn more about your target and an effective way to gain momentum in your marketing efforts. So go make that next big Tw-Insta-Pin-book contest and see where it takes you!