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.

The word on the streets in Manhattan and inside my network of CEO’s is that the Venture Capitalists are back. They collected their gains from 2009 which ended strongly and started off a robust Q1 2010. With funds starting off 2010 with $5 billion, -a 41% increase from 2009- venture capital funds have more to offer early-, mid- and late-stage companies — great news for technology and web startups. How will your startup stand out THIS early stage in order to get some funding? Spend some time on PR and see how VC’s find it easier to reach you. Pitch investors as if you’re the next ‘twitter’, ‘Facebook’, or the next great telecom solution.

Venture Capital funds have learned their lesson. In 2004 they raised around $20 billion, increased to $36 billion in 2007 and, well… you know what happened next. With this in mind, $5 billion of course is put in some perspective. The point being, it’s much more competitive out there. If you know you truly deserve it, follow these next steps to gain vantage point when they seek for new opportunities.

The one concept is the creation around buzz – the need to fund your company, That is,  the solution, the lack of alternatives, and finally – the promise coming through innovation. A few concrete ideas:

1. Blogs: start 2 or 3 blogs around the topic. Join existing blogs which cover your field. Start raising the issue. If your startup is solution-based focus on the problem first. Don’t reveal your product, and don’t push the problem too much either. You don’t want to lead anyone towards the solution. Be personal and introduce yourself using your ‘elevator pitch’. It’s a good practice.

1. Social Media: with the problem-solution model in mind, you can join LinkedIn groups; create your social network with people on the provider, manufacturer, analysts and finally investment guys. In addition repeat advice #1 on relevant groups in LinkedIn. Integrate your group posts with your blog posts and vice versa. Its very effective for SEO.

1. Twitter: in contrast to what you may think, twitter is NOT a popularity test for brands and people. It’s a practical marketing and business tool. Use it wisely. Open a twitter account both for yourself and your brand as well as for each of your team members. Use it to create conversations frequently over the solution you’re offering as well as the need for it in the markets. Tap both the markets as well as circles around financial and investment operations. Choose your followed twitters carefully by relevance. Sign your account up on twitter directories for the fields your startup is catering to. End-users as well as developers, programmers, marketing and all players in the tech field.

1. Media relations: this is probably the most challenging for startups but also one of the most effective way of attracting funding opportunities. It’s especially difficult if you don’t really have a PR firm taking care of you yet. The logic behind it is obvious: you want to throw the word out there that you exist, that you are relevant and that you are highly needed to fill up a gap, a social and technological demand etc. In order to have YOUR product answer these questions you need to strategically plan your way in advance. This requires frequent communications about trendy and timely issues that revolve around your startup.

1. Integration: No, not the technological term “integration” but the PR concept. You just have to lead the choir in perfect harmony. Your website, blogs, twitter, social media sites, and various publications should all be well connected. THAT’s the essence of a buzz. Make people from different sources reach the same conclusion: brand ‘X’ is the solution to problem ‘Y’ that we have. I guarantee that if followed correctly, the media will pick up on the buzz themselves. The conversations you lead on twitter, the insightful posts on your blogs, and the presence of your brand and yourself in social media and of course the opportunities granted by media placements all have a crucial role when it comes to the investor.

Venture capitalist read newspapers on the way to work. They have a social-media life too. They seek information online through search engines. And rely on industry analysts. These analysts put a finger up to feel where the wind is blowing. Make sure you blow that wind when they do.

As published by Odwyers PR Report -

TECH TRENDS TO STRENGTHEN PR, MEDIA BOND

AT&T’s move on data pricing and Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ commitment to monetize content will strengthen the marriage bond between PR and media. 

The sum of both requires some real thinking on traditional PR and how messages are communicated.

If you thought AT&T’s timing for coming out with their cancellation of the unlimited data plan was arbitrary, you can’t be more mistaken. Just the previous day during Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital Conference in California,  Jobs clearly stated that he’s strongly passionate and confident about Apple’s role in turning online content to a service-for-fee.

Combine the two trends in our content world, and what you get is the change not only in telecom, content and the journalism arenas – but also in the communications and PR world, where we will gain even more authority. I would argue that in the near-future PR firms would need to adapt to even more sophisticated ways of reaching publics who will become hesitant and selective of their content providers.

The PR helm will be taken back in full from the hands of novice individuals (i.e. bloggers), back to strategic planners.

In his talk to a content-thirsty audience, Jobs said he was concerned we were almost turning to “a nation of bloggers” and that in his opinion “we need editorial oversight now more than ever. Anything we can do to help newspapers find new ways of expression that will help them get paid, I am all for.”

Here is my “two cents” of analysis to the new double-tactic around content: on the one hand I agree with AT&T which states in their late-clarifying press releases that more subscribers will join the new data plans since the entry price would be as low as $15 for 200MB as opposed to the unlimited plan today charging double. 

In contrast, those who are used to getting their content, information, and interaction with the world via online content will not settle for entry level. They will go with the 2GB and up, reaching high volume of browsing and potentially high rates – which will lead to the creation of very selective content consumers.

What are the practical implications? Consider today’s very active consumer: he constantly checks social media accounts over any mobile device and gets push-based news items of her choice.  Each of the above channels them to second and third party links, pages, videos and images. Would you give up on half the fun?

In the media world, the last three years have brought major transitions to the pace and communication pipes over which messages disseminate to publics, and back.  PR firms have pitched the media with the most innovative channels including social media for reputation management purposes, crisis management, and of course strategic branding and communications with publics. This includes consumer, corporate, and fashion companies concerned with their online presence.

The PR dance with the media over the “online floor” which now will require a fee, -in addition to the fact that access is paid for- sets a high bar for content quality, reliability and credibility.

On the other end with 57.1 million mobile subscribers in the U.S, taking a data “free lunch” off the menu will create a huge population holding on to very smart and advanced devices which allow high capacities of data to stream up and down when necessary. In fact, the trend benefits mobile devices manufacturers and service providers since the content consumer is deserting his desktop at home and relying on multiple mobile solutions such as a BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone and notebooks.

What does it require from PR & media pros? First, the realization that content is profit-sensitive. With advanced phones all around wireless carriers have seen $41.5 billion in revenue just from data use in 2009. And this will grow with the new data plans. Content vehicles such as online news sites will be extra careful and more committed to quality and credibility with the information they choose to offer subscribers. Not everyone is a subscriber, nor is every info valuable enough to be offered for a fee.

On the upside, we will witness better monitoring and profiling of target audiences which adapt to the new way of getting news, info and online access. Today, we find it more difficult to know exactly what the profile of online readers of New York Times online is. With paid content structures, the Times will make sure to get accurate subscriber data, which can allow a customization of the news items offered to these demographics. See it as a “you pay – you decide what you want to read” type of arrangement.

Public relations processes will become more sophisticated so a story can be pitched to the right outlet, for the right key publics, with a better measurement of effective results on placements.

To that end, I project that news and content websites will adapt quickly and begin a process of selection of what goes online and what doesn’t. Media & PR strengthen their bond in search for quality, reliable, clarifying content on both streams between the audience and their input sent back. Ultimately, media focuses and offers its receivers content people specifically want and at almost harmonically PR will make sure to well tailor its pitches accordingly in service of all parties: clients, media and target audience.

A good PR manager who wishes to do it all for his client will make sure to get that story out there in a smart weighed manner which reflects the latest spin on 21st century journalism. After all, PR and journalism feed each other in a sense, and good PR adapts fast.

I simply cannot understand why companies spend so little on Public Relations:

        -A recent client who spent $1 Million on advertising over a short term period complained constantly about the $20K they spent with us over a 2 month period… This despite the fact that they agreed we did great work and had a major impact on their business.

        -Too often I get calls from multi-million dollar brands who want to spend a few thousand dollars a month after having had bad experiences with other pr agencies.  Let me understand – You have failed with other PR agencies to date by spending so little, and now want to continue to spend very little, but expect your next PR agency to succeed? Could that be part of the issue? Succeeding requires time (and therefore budget).

       -Companies spend hundreds of thousands on trade shows, but don’t spend on their PR firm to support them at the trade show.

        -Many companies spend tens of thousands of dollars on an advertorial, but won’t spend those fees on a 6 month campaign because there is no guaranteed ROI.  Of course, there’s no guaranteed ROI on advertorial either, and multiple opportunities to succeed with Public Relations… but “Oh, well”.

        -Companies spend thousands of dollars to develop logos, color schemes and graphics… but won’t spend for anyone to actually hear of the company in the media.

Public Relations done right is a vital component in corporate success, but needs to be afforded proper resources and respect to win the right way. PR is often the most cost effective and reliable way for a company to utilize marketing dollars, but allow your PR firm the resources to win.

Ronn Torossian 

@RTorossian5wpr

5WPR

As featured in today’s Bulldog Reporter, the following Op-Ed:

http://tinyurl.com/295rph3

Social Media Relations Sinners or Winners? Hospital PR Pro Behaved Appropriately in Viral Video — But M.I.A.’s Tweet Missed the Mark

By Ronn D. Torossian, President and CEO, 5W Public Relations

Public relations professionals walk a difficult tightrope between serving clients who pay our bills and satisfying the media whom we usually have to convince to write about our clients. This is a delicate balance, and sometimes PR agencies (although we don’t often discuss it) are hired to keep our clients out of the media or deflect negative stories. We believe clients often hire us to protect them from the media, much as they would hire an attorney to protect them in legal proceedings.

A recent video making the rounds online—and attracting controversy—features an ABC San Francisco reporter, a PR representative for Laguna Honda Hospital (both male) and another hospital employee (female). The PR professional is being widely condemned for his behavior. I strongly disagree. Watch the video, and consider the following:

The reporter, a man, stands directly in the path of the shorter hospital administrator as she enters the room, and again as she tries to leave the room.

Using a camera as his bully pulpit, the reporter disrupts a planned meeting and follows the woman throughout the room and the hospital facilities as if he owns them.

If someone repeatedly blocked your way at work, what would you make of it? Additionally, both before the meeting and after, the reporter talks loudly over the woman, forcing her to repeat seven times that she is not available for an interview.

The PR pro appears to be doing his job: He didn’t raise his voice and, to my eyes, did all he could to deflect the reporter’s attention to himself. The PR professional is clearly an annoyance to the reporter. In the end, the PR person seems to have shut down the reporter’s planned ambush. (And doesn’t the reporter display a certain haughtiness?)

The spokesperson seemed to be protecting his staff (similar to how a good attorney would), and I for one fail to understand why one assumes that the media has the right to question people. Do people not have the right to “defend” themselves?

A completely separate controversy now surrounds the musical artist M.I.A., who was profiled this weekend by the New York Times Magazine in an article by Lynn Hirschberg. She subsequently tweeted to her over 111,000 followers the journalist’s cell phone number to express her displeasure at the reporter’s clearly negative story.

Wow! This is clearly harsh, and one can understand why M.I.A isn’t happy with the story. I’d ask why she did an interview regarding these issues? What was the artist trying to accomplish by allowing herself to be interviewed? I’d have suggested if she is concerned, why do the interview with the same journalist that wrote an extremely harsh article on Courtney Love (which also stirred up quite a bit of controversy)?

Clearly, this article will do quite a bit of lasting damage. Does M.IA. have any proof that the article is biased? Did she or her assistants record the interview (as we often do if we are entering sensitive interview ground)? If they did, they could then release interview segments showing its inaccuracy.

When dealing in the world of crisis communications, consider taping the interview and discussions for yourself (to guard yourself against a reporter’s possible agenda).

Understandably, Lynn Hirschberg called M.I.A.’s tweets “fairly unethical” and “infuriating.”

M.I.A. clearly misstepped. As an artist, M.I.A. may indeed have stepped over the boundary, but one wonders what the next moves from her PR team will look like.

Ronn Torossian is president and CEO of 5WPR, one of the 20 largest independent PR firms in the U.S. Named one of the top “40 Under 40″ by PR Week & Advertising Age, Torossian is a semi-finalist for Ernst & Young 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and his PR agency works with a roster of iconic brands.

I regularly host networking meetings at our midtown NYC PR agency. Not only do I thoroughly enjoy these gatherings, but they also continue to allow me to recognize how fascinating and successful our clients and acquaintances are.  Just yesterday, I hosted 22 CEO’s at the 5WPR offices for a 8 AM breakfast. Attendees included: the managing partner of a distressed real estate hedge fund, a cosmetic dentist, plastic surgeon, CEO of one of the largest kids’ brands in the world, head of a mobile commerce company, and celebrity attorney.  

From these meetings, I am able to learn vital insight from fellow leaders about their professional successes and challenges. The next networking event our PR firm will host is on May 26th – we will have a special guest speaker – Lisa Oz, New York Times best-selling author, and wife of notable physician Dr. Mehmet Oz.

One of the most difficult tasks working at a PR agency is to understand many different businesses’.  Its important to keep your eyes open, and always search for more knowledge.  Whenever I travel, I visit the neighborhoods where people shop, and live as I find it’s the best way to study and recognize trends and consumer behavior.  I always ask the local cab driver to be my local city tour guide (and tomorrow am off on a 5-day business trip to Latin America, where I will visit stores, get a feel for the local shops, etc.)

Heard a great quote at networking meeting yesterday, and have adopted it as a new corporate rule at 5WPR: “No skunking.” (spraying negativity).

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

One of my favorite aspects of owning a Public Relations agency is that it allows entrée’ to CEO’s, and C-suite management of so many different types of companies.  We receive a birds-eye view of business ideas, strategies and focuses.

In a meeting this week, I asked a fellow CEO why he was developing a new, fairly basic, strategy for his company. Essentially, his response was “why not.”  He artfully explained the easiest ideas are often times the most successful, and in his 20+ year career of making millions, it was about working hard and not stopping to ask why his competitors often aren’t doing the same. 

This struck a chord with me because in many ways it embodies the same philosophy I used (and still do) when founding my successful PR firm, 5WPR in January 2003. I saw a void in the marketplace, as media relations wasn’t valued among other agencies as a core competency. We adopted it as a necessity. Few agencies require senior staff to work and pitch media and get results, but we absolutely do. Also, PR firm owners were process oriented, and archaic in their way of thinking (not to mention age). I didn’t and still don’t fit that mold.

So, when I founded my agency at the age of 27, I had the goal of working hard and getting results for our clients.  Today, when people ask me how we have grown into 1 of the 15 largest agencies in the U.S. in such a short period of time, I say truthfully this business isn’t too complicated. Our secret to success is hard work, focus and doing right by our clients.

Business doesn’t always have to be that complicated.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Born in Brooklyn and bred in the Bronx, I’ve watched the New York City “brand” evolve tremendously over the years.  As someone educated through high school solely by the NYC public school system, I experienced first hand – and not from the movies – through boom boxes, subway buskers, graffiti, ice cream trucks, pizzerias and arcades; the sights, smells and personalities of the City.  A short while back, I had the chance to spend time with Rudy Giuliani for a 5W client project.  We sat in his Times Square office, and he pointed down to the streets below, where prostitutes once haunted the corners and drug dealers used to kill.  I listened to his comments on his Disney-fication of the city: MTV and Toys R Us, clean streets and a Naked Cowboy.  Giuliani changed the face and brand of NYC for the better for business, children, residents and many other publics.  The city will never be the same.

I write this as a marketer and a lifelong New Yorker, saddened at the closing of Coney Island’s Astroland.  Until this past weekend, I visited the landmark (along with Brighton Beach, the boardwalk and aquarium) every 6 weeks or so with family and/or friends.   It was a relic to the old days of NYC, which I fondly remember, and it offered something that didn’t exist anywhere else in the city. Astroland was fun, but it had grown outdated.  I understand why it’s no longer wanted.  It’s the reality of business.  But I won’t forget the last time a few weeks ago when a family member had visited for the first time and said, “Wow.  It feels like we’re in a time machine to 20 years ago.”

The brand of NYC will continue to evolve and embrace change.  Onward and upward, but change nevertheless.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

When I graduated from college in 1995, wearing a tie to work every day topped my list of things I wasn’t looking forward to.  Even though it was the norm at the time, I always felt constrained in a tie.  During my first agency job, I was constantly scolded by my supervisor for not wearing a tie every day and to every single client meeting. 

Then, slowly during the dot-com era, no ties became the norm.  For many, and certainly for me, the defining moment was the AOL-Time Warner merger, when the CEO of Time Warner didn’t wear a tie during the press conference.

Watching the presidential “non debates” the other day, I instantly noticed that neither candidates, nor the host, wore a tie.  I was struck by how the world has changed forever in this manner. The Wall Street Journal in an article dissected the phenomenon and doled at advice on how to pull off the no necktie look to a tee. 

I may even venture to say that today I encounter more jeans in serious meetings among big and small company CEOs than I do neckties.  While our office dress code is still business casual (no jeans except on Fridays), and while I have a closet full of neckties, if I wear a tie a few times a year, it’s a lot.

In many ways, this can be viewed as the continuous break down of not only formality in communications, but also society in general.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR