Types of Advertising of “Special Interest” to Public Relations Counselors

With Rowan University’s graduate comprehensive exams coming up this week, here is information vital to pubic relations practitioners when it comes to political and advocacy advertising. [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

IssueAdvocacyAds – These ads try to influence public perceptions of proposals being debated in Congress or state legislatures, often by putting public pressure on lawmakers. Like political ads that aim to defeat or elect a candidate, for the most part, issue ads are not regulated. Sponsors are neither subject to spending limits, nor must they disclose sources of funding.

Political Advertising – The purpose of political ads is to persuade people to vote for a candidate, or in some cases, an issue. While the Federal Trade Commission, Federal Communications Commission and Federal Election Commission view political ads liberally when it comes to “truth in advertising” and “deceptive” practices, there are certain guidelines that must be followed:

•  Political advertising does not have to adhere to truth in advertising as other types of ads do. They may use deception and misleading information (PR Play 11-21) in “The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbook.”

•  If a printed piece is mailed, the name and address of the candidate or representative must be on the ad.

•  All printed pieces, brochures, fliers, and newspaper and magazine ads must indicate who is paying for them.

•  Radio commercials must contain the candidate’s voice and television commercials must show the candidate’s face (even a still shot). They must also state who is paying for the commercial.

•  Candidates for federal office must disclaim their radio and television ad – either at the beginning or end – stating their name and saying “I approve this message.” On TV, they must be shown saying it.

•  Generally, both print and electronic media charge the lowest rate on a rate card for a section or page in the newspaper or magazine, or “day part” in radio or TV. (Congress is considering legislation related to political pricing charged by TV stations.)

•  As a safety precaution, most media outlets require that payment is made at the time ads are placed.

One word appeared in press releases 776 times—in a 24-hour period

Taken from: Ragan’s “PR Daily” By Michael Sebastian | Posted: March 23, 2011

If you have time…and want the full article — plus comments: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/7660.aspx

 

To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com

I hope you’re sitting down. 

Last month, PR strategist Adam Sherk took 25 of the most overused buzzwords in marketing and PR—he compiled a list of the top 100 in June—and ran them through PRFilter, a website from RealWire that aggregates press releases.

The results: “Solution” led the pack with 243 appearances.

Shortly after he published the post, PRFilter set the record straight: “Solution” did not appear in press releases 243 times; it appeared 622 times—and it was the second most common buzzword.

The most common word is “leading,” which showed its face 776 times—in one 24-hour stretch.

Here’s the full list—compliments of Adam Sherk and PRFilter:

1. leading (776)
2. solution (622)
3. best (473)
4. innovate / innovative / innovator (452)
5. leader (410)
6. top (370)
7. unique (282)
8. great (245)
9. extensive (215)
10. leading provider (153)
11. exclusive (143)
12. premier (136)
13. flexible (119)
14. award winning / winner (106)
15. dynamic (95)
16. fastest (70)
17. smart (69)
18. state of the art (65)
19. cutting edge (54)
20. biggest (54)
21. easy to use (51)
22. largest (34)
23. real time (8)

UPDATE: As RealWire CEO Adam Parker noted in the comments, there are 23 (instead of 25) buzzwords because PRFilter treats some words (innovate, innovator, innovative) as single words.

A few comments…including one from that Litwin guy:

 

Comments (27)

donmorberg · 2 days ago

Most interesting. Not sure how 25 of 23 words were run through PRFilter, but nonetheless it’s interesting. Where did synergy go?
dm
Hi Don 

The difference in number is because Adam had innovate, innovator and innovation as separate words on his list but in actual fact PRFilter treats them all the same within its relevance processes as it sees them as all relating to innovation – hence why they are grouped together above.

Synergy wasn’t on Adam’s original list but having looked at our data I can confirm it appeared 19 times on the day in question.

Thanks for your interest.
Adam Parker, Chief exec, RealWire

 

Larry Litwin
Don’t kn ock synergy. I’ve been using it effectively in strategic sommunication for 25 years. (Even wrote a book about it.) When your output achieves your planned outcome and you achieve your goal by assuring the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, you have achieved synergy and more. Do not knock synergy. Each of us functions daily thanks to the unique physiological makeup of our bodies.

Robert Cole

Adam,

 

Apologies for the comment being longer than the post – bad habit of mine…

Love the analysis, but I am not really surprised. Fundamentally, what you are seeing is what I have frequently called “Synonym Syndrome” or “Thesaurus Theory” in action.

In essence, in an effort to differentiate their product and break through the clutter, marketers are using seven basic pillars to justify product superiority or noteworthiness:

– Bigger
– Faster
– Simpler
– Smarter
– Different
– Popular

To sum up, they all are actually applying one unifying construct as an umbrella,

– Better

Some concepts, like Bigger, Faster, Simpler, Smarter are product related and traditionally dominated the landscape in an effort to describe HOW a product is better.

The other two, Different & Popular are a bit more socially oriented, referencing aspects that relate to other competitive products or an earlier version. These tend to address the WHY a product deserves attention.

Finally, if the product features/benefits & differentiation present a challenge, one can always fall back on those good ‘ole non-specific superlatives like Better. Does it really matter who gave you that award (thanks Mom) as long as you are now award-winning? Didn’t think so.

What I find most interesting is how these specific terms stack up when aggregated into groupings of similar terms –

Popular:1339
1. leading (776)
5. leader (410)
10. leading provider (153)

Better:1330
3. best (473)
6. top (370)
8. great (245)
12. premier (136)
14. award winning / winner (106)

Simpler:887
2. solution (622)
13. flexible (119)
21. easy to use (51)
15. dynamic (95)

Different:425
7. unique (282)
11. exclusive (143)

Bigger:303
9. extensive (215)
20. biggest (54)
22. largest (34)

Smarter:188
4. innovate / innovative / innovator (452)
17. smart (69)
18. state of the art (65)
19. cutting edge (54)

Faster:78
16. fastest (70)
23. real time (8)

Now that we live in more complex times where branding often trumps product feature sets, popularity and simplicity has apparently become the dominant theme, with the impact of social media perhaps tilting the scales, as you note, from Solution (Simpler) to Leading (Popular) within the last year.

Of course, it could be worse. We can be thankful that we are not suffering the product marketing malaise of the 1960’s & ’70’s when the generic and typically unsubstantiated “New & Improved” were undoubtedly the most popular terms.

Great stuff – would love to see you semantically categorize the concepts as the context is what really makes the usage of these terms most intriguing.

Associated Press Removes Hyphen From ‘Email’ In Style Guide

From “Huffington Post” [huffingtonpost.com] comes the following: [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

The Associated Press decided to remove the hyphen from “e-mail” in its Stylebook–the bible for many media outlets–on Friday.

The AP announced the changes at the annual conference of the American Copy Editors Society in Phoenix. The use of “e-mail” was seen as a relic of an earlier age, when the Internet was new to most people and the idea of “electronic mail” was confusing.

The change mimicked a similar one that the AP put in place in 2010, when it decided that “Web site” could now be called “website.”

The AP also announced that it is changing “cell phone” and “smart phone” to “cellphone” and “smartphone.”

The organization also announced the move on Twitter, writing, “language evolves.”

The changes go into effect on Saturday. Copy editors, take note.

Read More:Ap, AP Stylebook, Associated Press, Associated Press e-Mail, Associated Press Email, Media News

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

Tips for the Job Hunter

This appeared in “Courier-Post” on Sunday, March 6, 2011. Read Eileen Smith’s full story at http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20110306/NEWS01/103060347/How-job-seekers-got-hear-yes-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

TIPS FOR JOB HUNTING

Get the word out and tell people you are looking. Include former colleagues at every place you have ever worked, fellow members in clubs and business groups, former classmates, friends, neighbors and people at your house of worship.

Help others. Reach out if you learn of a job that might be a good match for someone else.

Press the flesh. Find ways to interact with other people at least five times a week. Attend meetings of professional groups. Go to parties. Hit the gym. Volunteer.

Print business cards with your name and contact information and hand them out to people you meet.

Set up a designated job search area in your home. You must have a phone with voice mail or an answering machine, a computer with Internet access and a good filing system.

Keep your energy up through exercise, healthy eating and meditation.

Ask other people for advice, even if they cannot offer you a job. Most folks genuinely want to help.

Set yourself apart from the pack. You might stop by to visit former clients and deliver a copy of your resume in person. Do not rely solely on the Internet to apply for jobs.

Use social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook to keep in touch. Show discretion, as prospective employers may be watching.

Follow up. Send thank you notes. If you do not get the job, ask what qualifications were the deciding factor for the person who was hired.

For more on Thank You Notes, check out Chapter 15 in “The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbook (See, www.larrylitwin.com. It is available in hard copy and for the Kindle, iPad and iPhone.)

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

Keep resume clutter free – Part 2

Kaitlin Madden is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. This piece ran on Sunday Feb. 13. [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com.] Last week: what NOT to put on your resume.

Appropriate resumé length is a pretty consistent subject of debate among human resources professionals. Some will tell you that your resumé should be one page, max; others will say no longer than two pages — or that it doesn’t matter either way. But there’s one thing that most resumé experts can agree on. No matter the length, resumé real estate is valuable, and only the most important and relevant information should be privy to this prime locale.

While only you can decide what is important enough for your resumé, there are a few things that definitely don’t belong there.

1. Your interests: Your resumé is a professional document, bottom line. “While I always find it amusing that you like rollerblading and good red wine, please don’t tell me this (on your resumé),” says Elizabeth Lions, author of “Recession Proof Yourself.” “I want work-related experience only.” In addition to being off-topic, a long list of outside interests and hobbies may cause a potential employer to worry that you’re over-committed — a definite red flag.

2. An objective statement: Objective statements that outline what you’re looking for in a job or employer are a waste of space. “As a career coach I’m constantly counseling clients to remove this paragraph because it takes up critical real estate on your resumé and (this information is) better discussed in your cover letter,” says Lisa quays, president of Seattle-based career coaching firm Career Woman Inc. “Don’t waste valuable space on your resumé with what I call a ‘fluff’ paragraph.”

3. Salary history: Including a salary history on your resumé will turn any employer off, since you’ll give off the impression that money is your main concern. Plus, if the employer sees that you’re “too expensive” they may disqualify you, and if your salary is on the low side, you may end up with a lowball offer should you get the job.

“(It’s best to) discuss your salary history and expectations during your interview process,” says Sharon Abboud, author of “All Moms Work — Short-Term Career Strategies for Long-Range Success.”

4. Dates of anything you did more than 15 years ago: “You may be giving your resumé to someone who wasn’t even born when you had your first job. If you date yourself so far back, you may set yourself up for age discrimination,” says Kristen Fischer, a certified professional resumé writer from New Jersey.

Agrees abound, “Don’t include the dates of your college graduation if you graduated more than 15 years ago. Just list the name of the college and the degree that you received.”

5. A GPA below 3.25: Anything under that is considered to be average, so why waste space by including something that classifies you as such? Focus on the things that give you a leg up on the competition instead. Have you been out of college for more than 10 years? Take the GPA off altogether. “GPA after a certain level of experience and years in the work force is so unnecessary,” says Tiffani Murray, owner of career consulting firm PersonalityOnAPage.com. “If you have been working for 10-plus years and are now in middle management it is safe to assume that you either had a good GPA or have made up for it through hands-on work.”

6. An unprofessional e-mail address: “Don’t include an overly personalized e-mail address such as ‘atlhousewife2@gmail.com‘ or ‘ilovecats24@yahoo.com,’ ” Murray advises. “This can make recruiters take your resumé less seriously.”

7. Marital or family status: Besides being irrelevant, including this information on your resumé can actually make an employer uncomfortable, because it is illegal for them to take such information into account. “It is none of the employer’s business and it is illegal for an interviewer to ask you about your marital status or the number of or ages of your children during your interview (so why include it on your resumé?)” Abboud says.

8. Your references: “These are personal to you and you should control when an employer calls them,” Lions says. “Don’t give me your power.” There is also no need to specify that “references are available upon request.”

9. Activities with religious or political affiliations: These topics are polarizing, and while recruiters shouldn’t take them into account, it’s better to be on the safe side.

10. Your picture: This isn’t the Miss America pageant. Employers aren’t going to be more inclined to hire you because you included a glamour shot. In fact, they may even be more prone to not contact you. “Please don’t include a picture,” Lions says. “If I want to see what you look like, I can find it on LinkedIn.”

Kaitlin Madden is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz.

Keep resume clutter free – Part 1

Kaitlin Madden is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. This piece runs on Sunday Feb. 13. [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com.] Next week: what NOT to put on your resume.

Appropriate resumé length is a pretty consistent subject of debate among human resources professionals. Some will tell you that your resumé should be one page, max; others will say no longer than two pages — or that it doesn’t matter either way. But there’s one thing that most resumé experts can agree on. No matter the length, resumé real estate is valuable, and only the most important and relevant information should be privy to this prime locale.

Don’t put these items on resumé

• Your interests
• Objective statement
• Salary history
• Anything older than 15 years
• GPA below 3.25
• Unprofessional e-mail address
• Marital or family status
• Your references
• Religious or political activities
• Your picture

Next week: In detail — What NOT to put on your resume. [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

Kaitlin Madden is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz.

Arthur Page’s Seven Principles of Public Relations Management

From time to time, I include excerpts from “The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbook.” To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com. Check out www.larrylitwin.com

This week, Larry’s Blog remembers Arthur Page – known as the first corporate public relations practitioner @ AT&T:

1. Tell the truth

2. Prove with action

3. Listen to the customer

4. Manage for tomorrow

5. Conduct public relations as if the whole company depends on it

6. Realize a company’s true character is expressed by its people

7. Remain calm, patient and good humored

To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com


The Power of Mouse to Mouse

The following article appears in the January-February issue of “School Leader,” New Jersey School Boards Association’s official magazine.

Cutting Through the Clutter Using “Word of Mouse” – The Future is NOW

By M. Larry Litwin, APR, Fellow PRSA [To comment: larry@larrylitwin]

M. Larry Litwin, APR, Fellow PRSA,  is an associate professor of public relations at Rowan University in Glassboro and a former school public information director in Washington Township, Gloucester County. He is the 2006 recipient of the National School Public Relations Association’s Lifetime Professional Achievement Award for “excellence, leadership, contributions to the profession, and advocacy for students and our nation’s public schools.” His two books, The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbook and The ABCs of Strategic Communications, both published in 2009, have won national acclaim.

 

         In your wildest dreams, as a school district communicator in New Jersey, could you imagine asking voters to approve $60 million in bonds – not for a school – but for a new high school football stadium?

         A Texas school district did and won voter approval (May 2009) with a 63 percent yes vote. To set the record straight, voters in the Allen Independent School District, a Dallas suburb, approved a $120 million bond initiative, which included new performing arts and transportation service centers.

         Allen and other school districts have adopted strategies and tactics used by the nation’s most successful enterprises – proving that when it comes to communicating with our many audiences, the future is now.

         After paving the way with an effective 1:1 (one to one) electronic marketing/communication approach, Allen tested the so-called Aladdin Factor: ask, and the worst thing that can happen is – the wish isn’t granted.

         To have its wish granted – or in intellectual terms – its objectives and goal achieved, Allen and its public information director Tim Carroll, a New Jersey product, relied on its well-established 1:1 program, which includes sending its messages to voters and encouraging feedback. That interactive approach helped shape the campaign and many other facets of the district’s on-going two-way communication.

MORE

         1:1 complements – and in some districts, greatly reduces – the

multi-step communication information flow in which news releases are sent to the media for broadcast or publication. It adds meaning to the term “direct communication” and eliminates a district’s reliance on others to communicate important strategic messages.

         “1:1 promises accuracy, speed and dividends on the ‘investment,’“ says Carroll. “It’s an investment because those thousands of dollars once spent on printed publications are now redirected to such online communications as targeted e-mails, newsletters, ‘fliers’ and other strategic messages vital to parents, businesses and other residents.”

         Carroll points out that his district “actually spends less now than it did with hard copy publications.” School districts ready to take the plunge must do as major corporations do – develop effective tactics that rely on a

long-term planning strategy, an initial relationship management effort and a

well-maintained (current and error free) mailing list.

“It’s important to remember that brilliant tactics do not overcome a

flawed (business) strategy,” says Ed Ziegler, Wilmington University lecturer and former Rowan University marketing director. “School districts, like businesses, should communicate the value of what they are offering to those who can benefit the most.”

         1:1 marketing has been around for years – used primarily by magazines and brand manufacturers who send fliers through regular (U.S.) mail. Once called inkjet printing, such mailers personalize each piece with the recipient’s name. In fact, 1:1 has become so precise that some magazines offer personalized ads within the publication.

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         Others use “customization,” which includes the recipient’s name (accomplished through a mail merge) – plus other personal information such as, “Your wife, Nancy and teenage children, Julie and Adam, would love a free week at the Marriott here in Hilton Head.”

         That is quintessential targeting (with the help of outsourcing), which has made it possible for businesses and school districts to accomplish the same bottom line via e-mail, social media and other technology. Some refer to such programs as 360-degree communication – using as many online and interactive channels as time and knowledge permit.

         The 1:1 strategy relies on services provided by ListServ and other mail merge vendors. Many districts already contract vendors to help blast phone messages, texts and e-mails to parents and students particularly on urgent matters (snow closings) or emergencies. Many of these same vendors – for a fee – are willing and able to turn nonpersonal electronic mailings into a product that is almost certain to get the receiver’s attention.

         A recent Rowan University study reveals ”the majority of American consumers want organizations to interact with them electronically.” Rosie Braude, who conducted the study, says, “It shows the majority of consumers consider organizations using social (and other online) media as innovative and that the use of social media can improve an organization’s reputation.” Braude, a Rowan program assistant, is past president of the university’s student public relations chapter.

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         As Carroll and his staff have proven, “It is a cost-effective practice that may not guarantee results, but most certainly will cut through the clutter and get your target audiences’ attention.”

         Braude’s study reinforces the premise that audience lists for 1:1 must be current, as evidenced by comments from Southwest Airlines.     “Organizations need to define the purpose behind their electronic involvement and establish goals of what they’d like to accomplish,” Braude says. “They will also have to invest a significant amount of time and energy (initially) formatting, editing and updating each social media tool – whether it is direct mail, newsletters, blogs, Twitter or any other tools they use.”

         Says Philadelphia advertising executive Barry Magarick: “For a message to be effective, you first must get someone’s attention.” If you don’t, you are wasting your time and money.

         As school district employees, responsible for keeping parents and all other taxpayers informed, we should be communicating 365 days a year (sound familiar?) – not just prior to budget and bond issue votes. That’s where 1:1 could help.

     “Today, more and more effective marketing communications programs rely on an integration of various media including personalized direct mail that can be offered with e-mail and other integrated products,” says Dean Pugh, account manager with the global firm, CRW Graphic in Pennsauken (Camden County). “Consumers rely on a mix of print and non-print media (to get their information) as evidenced by the fact that 51 percent of consumers indicate that traditional mail is still their preferred method of contact.”

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         “That,” according to Ziegler, “is why schools, like businesses, should link all their communication (marketing) activities together to achieve a single goal. Their communication efforts should tie together a consistent look, feel, tone, and message that support their mission.”

         Many districts blast a weekly communication to school families and other subscribers (called RSS feeds – Real Simple Syndication). Some include a newsletter in the e-mail while others offer a link.

         With proper planning and minimal effort, that e-mail could open with: Hello Mr. and Mrs. Litwin, this week’s District e-News includes a summary of elementary school awards, this week’s school board meeting and the district’s search for a new superientendent. The Litwin family might be interested in reading about proposals to refirbish the auditorium at High School North. That introductory paragraph is referred to as an infosnack. A recipient simply clicks on the infosnack and up comes the entire story, video, “poster,” etc.

         As Allen’s Tim Carroll notes: “Electronic communication has become an expectation from our parents and is a part of almost all parent interactions.  What began as electronic newsletters has become a comprehensive and interactive communications effort aimed at parents – 360 degree. 

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          “In our suburban school district of 19,000 students,” says Carroll, “we produce e-announcements at the district level monthly and at the campus (local) level weekly.  All of our back to school registration materials and handbook acknowledgements are now done online. All payments for school lunches, textbook fees, student organization fees, etc., are all done online.” 

          His parents and others were early adopters because, according to Carroll, “Emergency communications from the district can reach parents at home, at work and on their cell phones within seconds if necessary.”

          Many New Jersey districts are finding out what Allen discovered several years ago – parents like checking their child’s attendance and viewing real-time grading books online. As they become more comfortable with the process, parents and those they talk to, come to rely on and trust school district messages. It was that credibility (trust) and believability (truth) that helped persuade voters to take the $120 million plunge.

          Carroll, Pugh and others agree, a key to electronic 1:1 communication is brevity. “Parents are more attuned to e-communications and therefore are less tolerant of lengthy or time consuming emails from school districts.” (Keep in mind, some elementary school parents are products of the MTV generation – accustom to short, pithy messages. They are texters and Facebookers.)

          It is interesting to note that while parents and others like those short, to the point, communications, tweeting has not yet caught on. However, one thing is certain, says Carroll, “Turning print materials into pdf files and posting them no longer gets attention.”

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          Here are some suggestions as your district explores 1:1:

  • Create a well-maintained electronic data base with as many key fields as you believe are necessary to help you effectively communicate targeted messages with parents and others in your district – especially key communicators and municipal and state officials.
  • Research vendors (talk with other districts) to find out how they can partner with your district in an on-going 1:1 money-saving communication plan. Two vendors who come to mind are eChalk, School Messenger,
  • The importance of a well-maintained list cannot be stressed enough. Last Father’s Day an inline attachment from a large local car dealership wished Nancy a Happy Father’s Day, rather than Larry. Credibility was immediately damaged.
  • A good start would be establishing a weekly school blog (if you don’t have one) as a conditioning tool. Distribute it via an RSS feed and audiences will come to rely on it. Creating a school (district) blog as the centerpiece of a 1:1 social media strategy is a strategic investment in stakeholder longevity.

             School blogs help build those online communities around issues of interest to parents, students, employees, taxpayers and other stakeholders.

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          In today’s “word of mouse” world, schools (districts) are discussed online, whether or not the schools participate in the conversation. To maintain credibility and support their “brand,” schools must interact with their audiences – online. Blogs and 1:1 are vivid examples of 21st century credibility using a 21st century tactic:

  • Blogging allows a school to benefit from stakeholders’ praise to the

                     “world.”

  • Schools can win over readers’ testimonials that satisfy their need to

                    demonstrate they are making a difference.

  • As people share their experiences with others, it builds a sense of

                    community that links value with your blog and brand.

  • School communicators would be party to the positives and, more importantly, the negatives and become “rapid responders>’

          Like Allen, Texas, New Jersey school districts that plan and execute effective 1:1 programs using “word of mouse” to cut through the clutter, will soon view themselves as brand champions.

###

 

Magee Rehabilitation Hospital’s Post-Concussion Clinic to be Recognized at Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Dinner

An estimated 1.6 million sports-related concussions occur every year. Athletes of all ages who are not fully recovered before returning to their sport are much more likely to receive another—more devastating—concussion.

Magee Rehabilitation Hospital is determined to stop that from happening.

In November, 2010, Magee’s Brain Injury Service Department, headed up by Tim Young, MD and Todd Lewis , PhD, created a post-concussion clinic to help athletes, parents, coaches and teams determine when it is safe for an athlete to return to their sport, as well as to utilize Magee’s physical, occupational and speech therapy expertise to address any complications that may arise as the result of a concussion.

On January 31, The Philadelphia Sports Writers Association will acknowledge the work being done by Dr. Young and Dr. Lewis at their 107th Annual Awards Dinner, being held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill at 5:00pm. Magee will also have an information booth at the dinner to discuss concussions and the post-concussion clinic.

“I’m glad that Magee Rehab is participating in our banquet this year,” said Rich Westcott, president of the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association. “Its new post-concussion clinic is providing a vital medical service to teams and athletes in our area. Concussions are a major issue in sports these days, and it’s extremely important that people get the proper information in terms of learning how to deal with this dangerous injury. I’m pleased that Magee will be present to do that.”

To learn more about Magee’s post-concussion clinic, call 855-587-BRAIN. To learn more about the PSWA Award Dinner, visit PSWAdinner.com.

Procter & Gamble ends soap opera sponsorship – a must read for Rowan U. and other advertising majors

As Professor Litwin has said in class, so many times:

The way it was. From Procter & Gamble, AP. Cast of "Guiding Light" in 1937, a radio (and later TV) show sponsored by Procter & Gamble, which helped coin the term "soap operas." Ratings for daytime dramas have been sinking for years. Now, P&G and other big firms recognize social media as the efficient way to connect with customers. (Associated Press)

“The future is now and will (probably) change before this class ends.” To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com

By DAN SEWELL • Associated Press •

December 10, 2010

“As the World Tweets”

CINCINNATI — Goodbye, “Guiding Light.” Hello, YouTube.

Procter & Gamble Co., whose sponsorship and production of daytime TV dramas helped coin the

term “soap operas,” has pulled the plug after 77 years. Instead, the maker of Tide detergent, Ivory
soap and Olay skincare is following its customers online with a big push on YouTube, Twitter and
Facebook.

“The digital media has pretty much exploded,”
marketing chief Marc Pritchard said in an interview.
“It’s become very integrated with how we operate, it’s

become part of the way we do marketing.”

The last P&G-produced soap opera, “As The World
Turns,” went off the air in September. The show was
the leading daytime soap for decades, but had lost
some two-thirds of its audience at the end.

Over the years, P&G produced 20 soap operas for
radio and TV. But ratings for daytime dramas have
been sinking for years, as women, their target
audience, increasingly moved into the workplace,
switched to talk and reality shows, and spent more
time using online media and social networking
sites.

P&G, the world’s biggest advertiser, still buys
individual commercials on daytime dramas. But the
dollar amount has shrunk. P&G won’t say by how
much.

Dori Molitor, whose WomanWise LLC agency
specializes in marketing brands to women, says big
companies are realizing that social media is an
efficient way to connect with customers.

“Social media has become mass media, and for
women especially,” she said. “I think for all
marketers, these one-way, 30-second (TV) spots are
very expensive, and are less effective for the way
that women make decisions.”

Marketing experts say the biggest companies were
generally slow to adapt to the rapid rise of social
networks, but that beverage rivals Coca-Cola Co.

and Pepsico Inc., and P&G and fellow consumer
products makers Unilever PLC and Johnson &
Johnson are among those quickly making up for
lost time.

In recent months, P&G began selling Pampers
diapers on Facebook, offering an iPhone application
for Always feminine products that allows women to
track menstrual cycles and ask experts questions,
and using social media to turn a campaign for the
venerable Old Spice brand into a pop-culture icon.

The “Smell like a Man, Man” commercials starring
hunky former football player Isaiah Mustafa became
a YouTube sensation, drawing tens of millions of
views and spawning parodies such as one with
Sesame Street’s Grover, and generated another
round of attention with Twitter questions that
Mustafa answered in videos — such as on ABC’s
Good Morning America when he suggested that
President Barack Obama could improve standing
with female voters by wearing only a towel and
beginning speeches with “Hello, Ladies!”

The echo effect gives P&G a bigger bang for its
nearly 9 billion bucks a year spent on advertising.

“It is such an effective advertising campaign that we
are getting impressions that we did not pay for,”
CEO Bob McDonald told investors recently,
recounting that he saw an editorial cartoon showing
Obama on horseback, a takeoff on Mustafa’s “I’m on
a horse” Old Spice catch-phrase.

For a company known for measuring just about
everything, P&G touts big numbers from Old Spice

tracking:

Number of impressions (people who saw, read, or
heard about commercials): 1.8 billion.

Number of YouTube views for Old Spice and related
videos: 140 million and counting.

Increase in Twitter followers for Old Spice: 2,700
percent.

P&G also said Old Spice sales are growing at double
digits, taking more of the market for body washes
and deodorant.

Just 20 months ago, P&G hosted “digital night” at its
Cincinnati headquarters by inviting Google,
Facebook, Twitter and other online experts to help
test ways online and digital media could be used in
marketing. By the Vancouver Winter Olympics last
February, P&G was coordinating TV commercials
with Facebook messages and tracking instant
reactions to new commercials on Twitter.

P&G, which sponsored Team USA, unveiled
sentimental “Thank you, Mom!” commercials at the
Olympics that it estimates added $100 million in
sales. The campaign has included Facebook essay
contests and e-Cards for mothers.

P&G says it’s still exploring new uses for social
media.

“It’s kind of the oldest form of marketing — word of
mouth — with the newest form of technology,”
Pritchard said.