Much different than BP, Toyota, Mel Gibson, Tiger Woods and Dell, Apple can better weather negative media and afford a PR crisis (if such a thing is possible).  Let’s keep things in perspective for Apple – The brand is so hot that there are waiting lists for their products, and they won’t even take your money in their stores.  Even with a massive, high-probability record-recall, Apple still will emerge unscathed in the big picture.  They have made so many right moves for so many years that one misstep was to be expected.

In exploring the world of branding and marketing, people tend to lean on the mass marketing concepts taught in schools of business. They teach about power branding, co-branding, differentiation and loyal consumers following their brand preferences. As these are all valid concepts, it is a natural negligence of the power of the brand stemming from media coverage and public awareness. If not for Public Relations management and buzz around innovation, none Apple’s inventions of the last decade would have been as successful as they currently are.

Were people agitated by Dell only since its batteries burst into flames while working on your laptop? No, the batteries were one additional negative aspect of the brand stemming from the late 90s’ caused by reckless communication management instead of quality service. As for the recent Mel Gibson fiasco, are the newly released tapes the only reason the public is asking to end his career? No, there is a recent history with poorly-considered statements and very unfortunate timing. This also applies to BP with the oil spill and the public opinion of corporate ‘Greed,’ goes alongside the jealousy and anger towards Tiger Woods’ glamorous career, and concludes with Toyota, which simply wouldn’t admit to mistakes and playing with peoples lives.  They all paid the price and will continue to for miscommunication.

Apple has been innovating and determining the way consumers of all walks of life live, do business, and interact. It is a brand that applies to all industries and it reinvents itself all the time while dominating the markets of Telecom, Tech, and mass consumption. Just as Fed-ex defined overnight travel, how many people are walking around with “walkmans” these days? No one, now it’s the iPod, stupid. Apple has amazing products, but all of them would mean nothing had Apple neglected the communications around its activity.

If IBM’s Thomas Watson of the 50’s is known for his pathetic statement, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers“, then Apple is known for the exact opposite. The bi-annual Apple extravaganza in San Francisco is an unprecedented attraction of media attention. It is as if every single year Apple will and should introduce us to a new way to make life easier. Its CEO is a brand power that is reenergized by his quiet, almost “simple” character that lacks colorful dimensions. The products enjoy a pre-sale rate that shows a blindly-directed consumer market, overachieving substitutes.

Today, Apple can afford the iPhone 4 recall because – from the public’s view – they are almost vital to our “existence.” The awareness this brand gained and maintained in the minds of the masses stands as a symbol of technological modernity. It defined mobility.  It reads portability and integration. It defines social interaction through its apps. As a business, it acts as a generator of income for app developers and social media marketers, and let’s not forget how it revolutionized the music industry through iTunes.

What Apple did that no other brand could do is integrate and harmonize all its sub-brands as leverage for a major awareness-building stunt – known to us as “Apple”. In contrast to Toyota, people will return the device and impatiently await its replacement, because Apple doesn’t have peers, whereas a Toyota driver can easily drive a Honda, instead. In addition, Apple lures customers to the next innovation – be it iPad 3, iPod 5 or Shuffle 8. When Toyota cars were returned, it was a ‘Goodbye’ wave from former drivers. The recovery for Toyota will require a regained credibility and loyalty on the consumer’s end. On the other hand, the Apple case is so strong that loyalty remains intact.

The strength of Apple stems from its PR and brand awareness. The probable recall reinforces the public opinion of Apple that displays it as a highly-crucial piece of equipment in our daily lives. Apple described the possible recall as a “sign of its commitment to consumer quality devices,” and that shows how well the PR machine works for Apple. For any other brand this would mean a disastrous outcome and a possible end to periodical success.

For Apple, it’s a re-run of the suspense and sleeping bag phenomenon seen outside Apple stores worldwide. If they sold 3 million devices now, I’m thinking they will sell 5 million by the end of this epic.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Through the years, we have represented a slew of celebrities, ranging from Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube, to Pamela Anderson, hall of fame athletes, and others. Whether or a major mega-star, or up and coming celebrity, universally celebrity PR campaigns are very demanding, time consuming and hard work, for many reasons.  (And of course that’s before the “colorful” (and I can tell a ton of stories, but wont am sworn to secrecy).

Adrian Grenier’s recent comments to the WSJ that celebrities wont need Public Relations representatives in the future: “I don’t have a publicist and never have.  I’m no stranger to self promotion. I find it first of all more authentic when you put a bit of your creative touch to what you’re trying to share.”

Public Relations is more than self-promotion for celebrities, its shaping and positioning a brand, its filtering requests, and many other responsibilities.  I agree with a comment I read made by a CEO of a PR agency “Dollar for dollar publicity is one of the great bargains left in Hollywood. If a celebrity makes $6 million a year, for example, they probably pay a publicist give or take $5,000 or $6,000 a month, or one percent of their net. When you compare the hours a publicist puts in to the ten percent a manager or agent gets…I don’t think agents or managers are overpaid, but I think publicists are underpaid.” As he further stated, a good publicist will drive their client to be themselves.

I am just returning to work today from a week in the gorgeous French Riveria (visited Monaco, Nice, Cannes and other areas), and the amount of wealth and high profile people there was amazing.  Who would handle the many celebrity mistakes made in places like this, or false sightings which are reported ?

Nearly all CEO’s have Public Relations pros, or PR agencies handling their needs, and so too should celebrities. Celebrities need PR specialists, much as they need lawyers, accountants, doctors and others who know their fields the best way.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

I remember when my daughter was born I said to my wife, “I already have a baby.” In shock, she turned hurt, until I immediately told her – “Dont worry darling, its my business, 5WPR.” Of course, entrepreneurs feel that the business they founded, sweat and bleed for is like their baby. I say this writing from a “business center” in the South of France, on vacation, where people are on vacation, relaxing, but like many other entrepreneurs, the concern, care and passion for my business arent on vacation. An entrepreneur always is caring for and nurturing their business, much like a child.

Being away for the last week, in the beauty of the French Riveria has left me time to think about items which are often neglected day to day, but are vital. Entrepreneurs dont realize how much in fact they are brands – To their employees (who often watch their every move), clients, competitors, and others. Any business owner’s personality and character are part and parcel of the company’s very fabric and being.

In the honor of July 4th, I’d like to offer four easy and applicable “independence” tips for you to apply this weekend. They wouldn’t take long, but can impact your business and reputation.

1.       Who are you? Understand the important role of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) vis a vis your brand. ”Everyone is “Googled” often, and what comes up when someone does in fact google you ? (and the 1st few pages count a lot more than the last)… Tip #1: create your public Google profile. Google prompts you to do that once you type your name on their search. Include links to your website, social media accounts, blogs, or any other source of information about you

2.       What are you up to? Social media: you should, at the very least open a Facebook, LinkedIn and twitter account, for yourself and your business. Did you visit them lately to update your network? Twitter is like a pet: if you don’t feed it and give it attention – it dies. And it takes your social media presence with it. Once you have active social media accounts, they will influence google, and therefore you will contribute directly to your brands “google” reputation. This weekend make sure to go to your social media accounts and update them: are your links set in properly? Is your professional doings updated? Have you optimized your network by bringing in more friends, colleagues and business partners? Look up for potential clients and partners to your ventures.

3.       What can you tell me? The online arena has turned to be one huge social setting. People are there to share. I am certain you have a lot to share too. First and foremost – on yourself, your skills, your talents and strengths. State them clearly over your different online accounts. Sign up to forums that revolve around your business. One of the greatest goals you can set for yourself in this venture is for you to come up and be recognized as an expert in your field. In order to achieve that you must be active and share opinions, expertise and knowledge in professional forums, your own blog or two, and in the business and professional settings that are meant to meet this goal. One of them is the BusinessWeek business exchange forum found here.

I am undoubtedly addicted to my blackberry, but it is a mandatory addiction for anyone who works in the Public Relations industry.  As I often tell clients, there are a million other tasks that need to be attended to simultaneously, making it nearly impossible for me to go two hours without checking email.

For example, if I miss a call from the media or my client misses their interview, “not available for comment” will be printed instead of our commentary. Like it or not, checking emails every few minutes is a necessary evil that prevents such an occurrence in the PR business.

Recent Book Recommendations

It is rare to find a successful Public Relations pro or business person in any industry for that matter who does not read regularly. With this in mind, I want to recommend two great books I have recently read – one focusing on professional development and the other personal development.

· For great business lessons, It’s Not What You Say… It’s What You Do – How Following Through at Every Level Can Make or Break Your Company by bestselling author Laurence Haughton is a must-read.

· For amazing lessons in personal growth and development, Garden of Emuna: A Practical Guide to Life is a book that “once you get your hands it, you won’t know how you ever lived without it.”

http://www.1800eichlers.com/Books-and-Sefarim/Emunah-&-Bitachon—Believe-&-Hope/Garden-of-Emuna-A-Practical-Guide-to-Life/p-388-1931-5230/

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

This article ran in The New York Times over the weekend. It speaks about the MLB rookie camp, which brings together professional baseball’s brightest prospects for three days to prepare them for “life under the lights.” It is a must-read for all CEO’s and company leaders as there is also much non professional athletes can learn from this article – Success requires change and attention.

In today’s tech driven society, any speech or even off-handed discussion can be captured by a camera phone, or recording device, posted online, and then instantly registered on the Public Relations machine known as Google. These simple sound bites that may not have been intended for public viewing can easily be misinterpreted and distributed online where they will live for many years.

Among the lessons to be learned from this article — leaders across the board should be well-trained and prepared to speak publicly.  As a general rule, always ask if you are being recorded when making a public speech, and remember, in the world of PR, people who are paranoid will survive far longer.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

This weekend I read a very interesting survey of journalists.

Prior to the recession, traditional media had tremendous challenges. Now, with the onset of this economy, things are changing even faster, with mass layoffs and newspaper after newspaper folding. The survey spoke volumes and led me to ask how long it may be before blogs publicly (or privately) sell content to the highest bidder. In a world that — to date — has no established rules, do bloggers have the same ethical responsibilities as traditional journalists?

Anyone with mass traffic and early-mover SEO may eventually be able to do a lot with content. I have very much enjoyed Tina Brown’s new site, and wasn’t surprised to see last week’s announcement re: advertising, nor comments re: “sponsored content.”

For me, there’s a very clear link in terms of the survey item I led with in this post and the concept of sponsored content. The world has changed, and one wonders how traditional journalism schools will adapt in the years to come, as well as how the public relations industry will evolve.

Companies like NAPS have been servicing the PR agency world for years. For a fee, NAPS writes articles and incorporates them into newspapers and magazines. They guarantee hundreds of placements, and the articles they write are rarely labeled as advertising. As their website states, “The CDC and the AMA, for example, contribute timely health stories on food, safety for children, or cutting edge medical technology and techniques; experts write about home maintenance and decor; home economists at General Foods send recipes; and financial gurus at such companies as Primerica (a member of Citigroup) offer advice on investing and money management.” Will someone incorporate this concept for the internet world? Without mass publishing or distribution costs and with simple, smart SEO, it can be done a lot quicker, and a ton cheaper.

Food for thought.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

This op-ed was published today in the BullDog Reporter:  
 
COMMUNICATIONS OF AN A.D.D GENERATION
By Ronn Torossian, CEO, 5W Public Relations

Yesterday, from 5 PM until 8 AM the following morning, I couldn’t reach one of my closest family members; someone I communicate with multiple times a day via email, SMS, and less often, by phone.  Contemplating a breaking and entering to her home after five of each, emails, texts and unanswered phone messages, and after a sleepless, worried night, she called and woke me with a simple explanation – “I didn’t feel well and turned off my phone at 5 PM to rest;”  simple and instant.  Yet in today’s age of communications within an Attention Deficit Disorder generation, untypical and scary.

Growing up in the Bronx in the mid-1980’s, there was a corner public phone bank adjacent to the park where all of the local kids took turns manning the phones as our parents would call and demand us home for dinner, or our friends would call to see who was there and what was up.  These calls were often our only communication for hours at a time.  Today, walk into restaurants, meetings, movie theaters or otherwise, and people are typing away, blackberries in hand, on chatting on their cell phones, too often oblivious to the person in front of them with whom they can communicate without the technology.

Owning a PR agency, I am perhaps more cognizant of, and surely guilty of the instant communication bug.  I often explain and even offer semi apologies to potential clients and new friends.  I carry my blackberry and like an addiction, must check it every few minutes; not to do so can mean missed media opportunities, or worse, a newswire quote which reads “couldn’t be reached for comment,” – which occurred recently when I didn’t call a reporter back within an hour.  The journalist also expected instant gratification, and when I finally did call back, it had already appeared on more than 80 websites.  Is this indeed life today?

People update their Facebook or Myspace statuses countless times a day instead of sitting face to face with actual friends.  We create identities online and befriend people who in reality we may not actually want to sit with, chat up or share anything with.  Is this authentic or flawed communications?

Similarly, as much of today’s news originates from the blogosphere, much of what we see on blogs today is biased rant.  The bloggers who make headlines are the ones who fancy themselves as progressive journalists, unbound from the conventions of traditional journalism, such as checked facts and arms-length objectivity.  This has become acceptable only because of this A.D.D. communication generation.  This communications generation now jumps so fast, fearful of being scooped or being behind the times; they accept the blogs, often devoid of facts, but indeed instant.

Along with those marketing-savvy bloggers come what is usually a small host of commentators who use pseudonyms, anonymous posts and the like without accountability in the comments section of these blogs. Some of these “followers” are not followers at all, but actually the hosts themselves, or shills planted by the host to say the things that, coming from the host, would damage his or her credibility. Yes, indeed it’s instant; but accurate or ideal? No!  However, that’s not required for an A.D.D. generation.

In this Attention-Deficient world, it is much harder to validate or check identifies.  The guilt is shared, whether it is the New York Times which last week ran a Letter to the Editor falsely blasting Carolyn Kennedy by someone thought to be the Mayor of Paris, or the teenager who killed herself because her teenage rivals’ mom mocked her endlessly pretending to be a cute teenage boy.   While today’s instant communications of email, SMS, Facebook and the like is instant, I believe it’s not authentic.  It’s raw but it’s not real, on so many levels.  It could be a husband texting a wife a quick answer to a simple question, or a client annoyed at an agency that doesn’t instantly reply to an email.

In the earlier days of professional communications, or PR, mail forced people to plan ahead with care.  It required thought, strategy and planning, something which today often is not available. Today it is hard to plan even a day, or an hour in advance, for if you don’t reply instantly there can be mass panic.  Instant gratification has become a double edged sword; what we do believing to be cutting edge, can also dull the sharpest blades.

One of my earliest bosses taught me to use the draft box for email when I was upset “Wait an hour or a day before you send that message” – I try to use that advice as much as I can.  Perhaps one of the lessons of the current recession is to be wary of the uber-quick – There will be many false messiahs in times such as this – Just as one cannot “get rich quick”, perhaps we should all try and slow down and be wary of anyone who requires instant communications. While instant communication can seem great, we must too be wary of only relying on instant rather than building longer, real bonds.  Face-to-face, or extensive real phone calls are much more real and valuable than blog commentating and Facebook profiles.

Of course, had I heeded that message, or considered for that someone else might be heeding it, I may have slept last night.  For tonight, I will only check my Blackberry two times during dinner instead of every five minutes – and dinner will hopefully last longer than ten minutes.

Our Technology Practice, Amazing.

I’ve been taking a long look at our Online & Technology division lately, not because there’s any problem – the practice has been a steady performer for a number of years – but rather because we have so many long-term, innovative clients in this area. If you’re like me, a few of the gray hairs on your temple are a result of the dot com bust a few years ago. A lot of hard lessons were learned by many in business at that time (How many paper millionaires couldn’t even afford to buy lunch?)

Here at 5WPR, we take a hard look at every so-called “Web 2.0″ and technology client before we agree to represent them (and we have turned down a number in the last few months who really have no business plan whatsoever). Despite the downturn in the financial markets over the last few weeks, I find that there’s a lot of investment money abound for the right technology companies.

It’s amazing how some of our clients turned a late-night business idea into a multi-million dollar enterprise; our clients have “must-have” wireless applications that were unheard of five years ago, online services that were impossible to provide two years ago, and older, time tested services that are continually enhanced with new technologies. The one common trait among our entire tech clientele is that they consistently look back at the hard lessons learned when the first dot com bubble burst. The notions of launch, initial public offering and cash-out are replaced by hard work, aggressive sales, marketing and PR, and – as one client told us – the will to “build something useful and meaningful.”

The reason why we have such great technology clients is twofold: we pick and choose who we work with, and their work ethic mirrors the 5W PR work ethic. Our senior VP spent a few days at the agency’s Hampton house, but never missed a conference call or dropped the ball when a client had a crisis. His staff comes in early and/or stays late to accommodate client work schedules from the West Coast to Israel. When we learned that a client’s competitor was going to appear in a Wall Street Journal article, a junior staffer contacted the editor and fought to have our client appear as well.

The tech world is a cluttered market filled with knock-offs, clones and pikers looking for a piece of the pie. It’s our job to raise a client above the noise and clamor and get them noticed by consumers, investors and large corporations looking for partners. We succeed and retain long-term clients because we place ourselves in the trenches alongside them. Our clients acknowledge the fact that we become “partners” in their vision.

We are only to happy to be there with them and witness some of the most exciting technologies unfold. They are amongst our agencies best clients and smartest folks.

Ronn Torossian
5WPR

Email has been down in my company since yesterday at 4 PM…and wow what a revolution it has caused in my office (including with me). Funny, earlier today, I was speaking to 2 new entry level employees and they were amazed – Shocked when I explained that when I was in college, no one used email.

I remember superlong email addresses and maybe once every week going to check email for a few minutes… now, nearly my whole business and entire industries are dependent on email…. Certainly no epiphany… but what was the PR business like in the days before instant communications ?

… but what is the next invention which we live without and our kids will be amazed we don’t use?

Ronn Torossian

5W PR