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Posts Tagged ‘PR Torossian’

Ronn Torossian On BlackBerry

President Obama today jumped on the BlackBerry bashing bandwagon stating, “In the Oval Office, I always thought I was going to have really cool phones and stuff. I'm like, c'mon guys; I'm the President of the United States. Where's the fancy buttons and stuff and the big screen comes up? It doesn't happen."

Earlier in the week, The New York Times wrote how Blackberry’s difficulty to be seen as edgy is actually hindering their growth.

Mike Lazaridis, one of Research In Motion’s two chief executives responded, “Why is it that people don’t appreciate our profits? Why is it that people don’t appreciate our growth? Why is it that people don’t appreciate the fact that we spent the last four years going global? Why is it that people don’t appreciate that we have 500 carriers in 170 countries with products in almost 30 languages?”

It’s amazing that even as companies are profitable and doing well, their image and brand can have subpar connotations that can ultimately affect its bottom line. With iPhones and Androids seen as the next generation of phones, the “coolness” factor of BlackBerry is clearly starting to lack, even as everyone, including Obama uses it.

I for one say the Public Relations strategy for BlackBerry needs to be examined – What can be done to show that they continue to evolve and are keeping up with the technologically savvy brands which are currently out there?

Stockholders and consumers alike don’t like to be associated with antiquated brands, so companies successful or not always have to be aware of their image and PR strategy. Just because you’re profitable does not mean it comes with great press and universal admiration. You have to work on it and it has to be ongoing.

Marketing and PR campaigns have to continue to evolve, regardless of success, and staying relevant goes hand-in-hand with staying profitable.

This post was written by Ronn Torossian of 5WPR.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/blackberry-making-money-is-great-now-use-pr-to-show-youre-with-it-too-2011-4#ixzz1K0fbPkkD

Ronn Torossian On Why Brands Really Do Matter

In a recent story that appeared in The Economist, two researchers examined people’s reactions to consumers who were wearing clothes made by two well-known brands.

Here are some of the results:

In the first experiment, volunteers were shown pictures of a man wearing a polo shirt – When a man was wearing a designer logo he appeared to have a higher status and wealthier than the man without a logo.

52% of people agreed to take a survey when someone wearing a logo asked them to take a survey – only 13% did for the identical sweater without a logo.

Even charity – “When two of the team’s women went collecting for charity on four consecutive evenings, switching between designer and non-designer shirts, they found that wearing shirts with logos brought in nearly twice as much—on average 48 cents per answered door compared with 27 cents when logo-less.”

It goes on and on… but this shows exactly and precisely why brands matter. The power of marketing and Public Relations campaigns is our ability to make you that much more successful. The right brand recognition simply makes you more money and more success – so call your PR agency, marketing partners and street team and give them a raise.

Kid, Youth and Parent Power

Attend IQPC’s Kid, Youth & Parent Power Conference to hear how companies have changed they way they market to this audience and how to achieve it.

Main Conference Sessions: Thursday, April 28, 2011
http://www.kidparentpower.com/Event.aspx?id=450978
April 26 – 28, 2011
Vista Palace Hotel & Spa, Lake Buena Vista, FL

Quick fire Q&A session: Breaking Through The Clutter to Drive Sales

With Moms around the globe spending trillions, 60% of them say they are more likely to purchase a product if they read about it in the press.

So how do you break through the clutter and get your product in the news and ultimately drive sales? When it comes to public relations and marketing, it is important to link your brand to culturally relevant trends and present your product in a way that resonates with media – whether it’s the Hollywood baby boom or the “Mompreneur” trend. However, while traditional media is important, it’s also no longer enough.

Mothers are “the original social networkers”. Marketing to moms begins with traditional media but must continue in popular mommy groups, schools, social networks and in the online community in places like blogs, twitter and Facebook. It also means executing disruptive marketing stunts and guerilla tactics that will link your brand directly with parents.

To effectively build a brand in 2011 you need find a way to be in front of parents where they live, work and socialize.
Integrating new trends and media into traditional products to grow your brand.

Hear the latest initiatives being conducted to keep a brand at the forefront of Mom’s minds.More info about the conference here:

http://www.kidparentpower.com/Event.aspx?id=450978

Ronn Torossian
President & CEO
5W Public Relations

Ronn Torossian on Rajaratnam Trial

Several major companies, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc, McKinsey & Co and Intel Corp may be subjected to lawsuits, or suffer injury to their reputations as witnesses take to the stand at the trial of Raj Rajaratnam, 52, co-founder of Galleon Group LLC, for trading on tips which he received from these firms and others.

If Rajaratnam, billionaire native of Sri Lanka is convicted by a Manhattan jury he may face a jail sentence of at least 10 years if US prosecutors get their way. Other companies who may also be named are Morgan Stanley, IBM, and Moody’s Investors Service Inc.

The companies are worried that they may be asked to come to court to explain how sensitive information came to be in the hands of traders at Galleon. Despite the fact that one employee acting unethically by divulging privileged information would not justify a lawsuit, any proof or evidence that executives at a firm purposefully leaked data to certain traders with the intention of manipulating share prices could indeed be grounds for a lawsuit, according to Mark Rifkin, a New York based lawyer who represents investors.

“If a company made a decision for whatever reason that it wanted to make information available to select individuals, that in my opinion would be unlawful,” said Rifkin, of Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP, in an interview. “We’re paying close attention to the entire insider trading case as it unfolds because you never know what’s going to happen.”

Evidence of unlawful disclosures may be more than “just embarrassing” to companies that are required to guard against such leaks, said Ronn Torossian, Chief Executive Officer of 5W Public Relations LLC in New York.

“It’s absolutely distracting from the company’s core mission,” Torossian said in an interview. “A microscopic problem can very quickly become a bigger problem. These are things that can very easily end up on the front page of a newspaper.”

Ronn Torossian on Looking Smart by Reading Effectively

As a self-made entrepreneur, I believe in the power of reading, and wasn’t surprised last week when Amazon’s Kindle book sales surpassed print books’ for the first time. Information is always being changed and updated, and now the ways in which we retrieve information are following. So, how are people to choose the right way to get their news, books and journals in today’s uber-information age?

The “Newsreading Theory” by William Stephenson Ludenic asserts that people don’t merely seek information delivered via newspapers, but actually stick to print-editions for another reason: they receive a certain joy from holding on to a newspaper.

A newspaper is a collection of chosen happenings that informs you of “what’s important” for that specific day. It also puts, and keeps, things in order for its reader. It is limited to only the most relevant information, so you know by the time you’re done reading, your “need-to-know” thirst is quenched, and you are informed enough to go on with your day.

Digital readers, on the other hand, can only fit so much on their screens. You can’t predict where you will end up; links in stories can lead you far and away from your starting point. The coverage of a news item can consist of multiple links that, by clicking on them, will delve deeper into the topic, but away from the home page where other news is offered. In addition, the endless amount of sources online gives you a sense that there is an infinite amount of information to gather – it becomes a challenge. You can actually spend days just gathering information online from various sources.

So why is this important? Let me relate it to the late President Ronald Reagan, of whom it is said throughout his career he was always the best dressed in the room, regardless of the social forum. They say he would stand out from any crowd by simply appearing as the smartest person there – again, regardless of the issue at hand.

In order to stand out one needs to always have that extra piece of information among his cards. By reading, one can know something more; share an insight others don’t possess. Here are some personal guidelines which have served me well:

1. If you only have so much time: Get the newspaper at your front door and read it first thing; know what goes on around you (A necessity for me as a PR firm owner). Enrich your engagements and opportunities will follow. Meet with new people, have discussions with colleagues and friends, and engage in business. Before long, uncertainties can look much different if you have the upper hand on the latest developments both locally and internationally.

2. The arena you play on: Often how mavericks differentiate themselves from the laymen. Your industry is a global story – that’s a fact now no matter what field you’re in. Are you familiar with the trends and transformations in your industry? In what direction is the service/product/firm predicted to go and where should it aim to reach? This information would be found in trade magazines and analyses reports online. Make sure to subscribe to several to get a wide and progressive perspective.

3. Global trends: Many in the last decade lost their jobs because they were “asleep” when global trends were shouting that jobs of their kind will be exterminated. They didn’t listen. By following vital stories, pictures become clear and problems can be avoided. Recently, the Motorola Company sold major assets from its wireless division. This means thousands of job cuts worldwide. Following news over the last 8 months, one would have seen Motorola gradually getting rid of operations in its wireless branch; it would not have come as a surprise.

4. All the rest: Yes, this includes this article. The 2.0 era and the social media environments have lead to an unprecedented amount of sharing. So, don’t rule other people’s advice. Read 5 random sites of your choosing – whether they are related to your field or not. Another person’s opinion can contribute to you in many ways, whether it’s personally or professionally. Content like tips, motivational notes, how-to lists, and even personal obstacles are valuable. You never know where your next idea may come from.

Communication is all around us, and the wise will find enrichment inspiration, and strategy through their reading. Once you’ve developed a strong reading habit, take a few moments to write, too. Contribute back to the places you’ve borrowed from, and share.

Make a strong impression in your next engagement. Show that you know.

Ronn Torossian on IQPC Kid, Youth and Parent Power

With Moms around the globe spending trillions, 60% of them say they are more likely to purchase a product if they read about it in the press. So how do you break through the clutter and get your product in the news and ultimately drive sales? When it comes to public relations and marketing, it is important to link your brand to culturally relevant trends and present your product in a way that resonates with media – whether it’s the Hollywood baby boom or the “Mompreneur” trend. However, while traditional media is important, it’s also no longer enough. Mothers are “the original social networkers”. Marketing to moms begins with traditional media but must continue in popular mommy groups, schools, social networks and in the online community in places like blogs, twitter and Facebook. It also means executing disruptive marketing stunts and guerilla tactics that will link your brand directly with parents. To effectively build a brand in 2011 you need find a way to be in front of parents where they live, work and socialize.

Integrating new trends and media into traditional products to grow your brand
Hear the latest initiatives being conducted to keep a brand at the forefront of Mom’s minds

Ronn Torossian on IQPC Kid, Youth & Parent Power

Ronn Torossian on Christina at the Super Bowl

Christina will recover; this was a mistake, not blatant disrespect. While this was a very high profile flub, in the annals of her career this will be seen as a footnote and not as the headline. This too shall pass, and she will absolutely recover.

Read More at PopEater.com

Ron Torossian on Social Media and the Egyptian Revolt

New World Order & New Media Order: How Social Media Changed Our World, Again

By Ronn Torossian

The 1970's counter-cultural poem " The Revolution Will Not Be Televised " couldn't be further from the truth today, as we see governments today shutting down social media, as "The Great Lie" is harder than ever before, as self-created content via social media has spread to the Middle East and worldwide. While President Mubarak and many throughout the Arab world survived with a strong fist, am sure that never did he dream that the biggest threat – and possibly an actual overthrow – would come from a simple technology that people entertain themselves with through 140-character messages.

Jan 25, 2011 is likely to be remembered as the day commemorating the start of the modern Egyptian revolt led by the Internet. Many will also notice when Egypt decided as an early measure to entirely disable both the internet and the wireless services implying our era's "mouths-shutting" altering basic freedoms of expression in Egypt. Social media was also found in Tunisia to be the main media for anti-government forces to mobilize, inform, and communicate with one another.

So, whereas state run media in countries like this could previously propagandize to the people messages they saw fit, today social media is a mass communications tool whereby each citizen is a journalist, giving true rise to the title and concept of citizen journalism. This of course comes on the heels of Wikileaks' whereby countries had several days of sheer anxiety before each release. The unprecedented phenomenon causing undisclosed records to reach the public amass brought up diplomatic chaos worldwide.

Political philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and John Locke addressed the issue of a government's responsibility towards its people, and social media allows people to force government to face their version of truth, whether they like it or not. New media today will result in the open -" We see images today of protestors with hand held cameras surely for Youtube, and we remember the images a few months ago of the protests in Iran -" All visuals only 30 years ago which would have very likely never reached the Western World.

The "truth' is now in the open; exposed and accessible to people instantly and vertically across most of the world. The impact -" is something we are witnessing right now. Lies and manipulations must be handled differently by dictators with this degree of transparency. It takes one person with a mobile phone to start a revolution, one network of friends on Facebook to mobilize friends and contacts around a cause, and only 140 characters to begin the route to expel a dictator out of Tunisia.

Social media has shown its potential with the simplicity of online and wireless access by individuals with passion, energy, and a just cause. While it is still uncertain whether Egyptian youngsters will achieve their end goals, the young have not disappointed as they have moved quickly and unhesitatingly to form nothing less than a "New World Order' -" utilizing new media. Perhaps state run media in many countries will also follow the lead of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez who joined Twitter a few months ago, and invited Cuban head Fidel Castro to join him on Twitter . He had previously called Twitter a potential "tool of terror" -" But maybe he realizes he has to use it as his tool of terror.

China , Syria, Iran and other South American countries are putting effort in limiting the access people have to online media and I'd strongly suggest if they want to protect themselves, they keep at it, or take classes in social media themselves.

Ronn Torossian is president and CEO of 5WPR , one of the 20 largest independent PR agencies in the U.S. Named to the "40 under 40" list of PR Week & Advertising Age, Torossian was a semi-finalist for the Ernst & Young 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and may be reached at 212-999-5585 and followed on twitter @rtorossian5wpr

Ronn Torossian On PR in 2011

Brands such as The Huffington Post, TMZ and others have built in only a few years, and at fractions of the cost, what it has taken The New York Times, ABC and others decades and hundreds of millions of dollars to do.

Even bigger changes affect the PR industry as social media opens every individual up to disseminate information and affect brand perception from Facebook, Twitter and other entities. There has never been a more difficult time to work in the industry of shaping reputations, as attention is clearly the most valuable form of currency for marketers.

Twenty eleven will see massive change for the public relations business:

1) Content Will Be King We create as much information in two days now as we did from the dawn of man through 2003, according to the CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt. Success in 2011 will be about controlling the content and message (better than Lebron did), as the social Web has had a democratizing effect, allowing social media to serve as newswires for information dissemination. Whether op-eds, viral videos or corporate blogs, self-created content will be king as the public can be reached in non-traditional ways that achieve PR goals — perception communication and perception shaping.

2) Public Relations And Marketing Will Morph Together Whether it's about product placement or budgets being spent to mine for online data, the days of traditional PR for the sake of column inches is largely behind us. From requiring an understanding of how to communicate with shareholders to recognizing that today's economy requires a driving of business results to win market share, today's PR pro will win via positioning their expert storytellers in the right place, and the right way. The one-way flow of communication no longer exists. Brand equity will thrive and remain king as PR and marketing morph.

3) Public Relations Will Own Social Media SEO To Increase As social media redefines influence (Ashton Kutcher vs. CNN, Lady Gaga challenging U.S. senators), PR will own social media. According to the Digital Readiness Report, PR leads digital communications at 51% of organizations and will continue to. Expect increased focus and spend on search, the largest media in the world (as Wall Street already values Google.) Search Engine Optimization, or "googling" someone affects ones' brand perceptions and what brands one buys and sees first. SEO as a PR principle will increase in 2011, as PR and content creation will be seen as the most effective tool to affect online search results.

4) PR Will Report to The C-Suite And Budgets Will Increase In today's rapid-response media world of instant feedback (and Twitter and blogs), can any brand afford not to have its perception accountable to the C-Level suite? With the economy in the doldrums, PR professionals today will be expected to remain sharp, business-focused and on point. With consumers more distracted than ever, messages have to be super-sharp, and campaigns will only be deemed effective if beneficial for brand perception (and ultimately sales). PR executives will increasingly be the pulse for the CEO.

5) Crisis In The World Of PR Will Become Common In a year in which we saw Tiger Woods miserably fail in the PR (and marriage) function, and Wikileaks affect worldwide governments' PR, this is a year in which crisis communications has been front and center. In 2011, public relations pros at companies of all sorts will be expected to take more responsibility and have ongoing visibility for crisis, especially after the financial meltdown impacted companies of all sizes. As online commentators or the wrong tweet can affect a company instantly, crisis will become part and parcel of day-to-day PR, and expect soon to see 24/7 PR offices and PR operations.

PR in 2011 will keep the philosophical riddle relevant: "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

Ronn Torossian On Celebrity Product Placement

from The Washington Times

Celebrity Product Placement

You can read about, say, Madonna's Dolce and Gabanna bag that costs as much as your monthly mortgage payment, but will you ever be able to carry that tote? Fat chance. The $29 Crocs her son is wearing, however? Sure. With the cash you save, you might even be able to spring for the same $900 Bugaboo Orbit stroller as Nicole Richie.

There is no way a publicist is going to gift you with an $8,000 Birkin bag like Katie Holmes carries, but the $200 Burberry jumper her daughter Suri has been photographed wearing? By all means, your own little girl would look just as cute.

There is a perfect storm brewing in the tabloid world, and there is a good chance it is clad in Stride Rite shoes. Take a pushy pack of paparazzi and mix a slew of magazines and blogs with a celebrity-obsessed culture. Add to it the beautiful people, who are generally young. Young means fertile; fertile means a new crop of celebrity offspring every year.

Coverage begins with US Magazine's two-page "Bump Watch" feature, continues through a baby shower with gift bags that rival the Oscars, and by the time junior arrives, he's a celebrity style icon.

There is no bigger interview/photo in demand right this minute than Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's soon-to-be-born twins, says Pamela Paul, author of "Parenting, Inc: How We Are Sold On $800 Strollers, Fetal Education, Baby Sign Language, Sleeping Coaches, Toddler Couture, and Diaper Wipe Warmers – and What It Means for Our Children."

"It used to be that pregnancy was maternal, but not sexy," she says. "Expecting a baby is now a PR coup."

OK, so maybe your own pregnancy wasn't quite as sexy and free of stretch marks as Angelina's. Still, knowing that star babies need the same eating, sleeping, diapering and transporting accoutrements as your own progeny is a great common denominator, says Lisa Weber, founder of Celebritybabyscoop.com, one of several Web sites dedicated to all things celebrity baby.

"Having children humanizes celebrities," says Ms. Weber, mother of three young children. Her site gets more than 1 million hits a month, bringing in enough revenue for her to leave her job as a labor and delivery nurse.

"Seeing them with their kids is one of the main things we can connect with when it comes to celebrities. You can look at pictures and say, 'My kid has that stroller.'"

As the tabs would say, "Stars! They're just like us!"

Actually, much of what fans are seeing when it comes to celebrities and their children is the result of carefully orchestrated PR moves. Your own family may have that stroller or those shoes, but the reason it is the kids' best seller of the moment may have something to do with star kids in the first place.

Publicists know which celebrities like to be out and about with their kids in full view. There are huge missions to get cute T-shirts, high-style sippy cups and charming cardigans into the hands of those tots.

Melissa Lemer, co-owner of the Silver Spoon Entertainment Marketing in Los Angeles, devotes a large part of her business to making sure celebrities have the product of the moment. The Silver Spoon recently held its annual Dog and Baby Buffet, where Hollywood came to harvest this year's crop of freebies. Among them: Smart Mom Teething Bling, Gaga Gourmet all-natural baby food and hip T-shirts from a company called Tykeoon.

Ms. Lemer says a company cannot put a price tag on the boost it gets from a celebrity child wearing its stuff.

"It's huge," she says. "Celebrities get products as gifts, then they order a lot more. If Tori Spelling's son, Liam, is walking around in a shirt that says 'Rock Star,' that is going to be popular with little boys."

Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5W PR, started a mom and baby division at his firm in 2006, shortly after sending a T-shirt on behalf of his client, Belly Maternity, to Miss Jolie who was still in Africa after giving birth to Shiloh. Shiloh was on the cover of People magazine wearing the shirt (after the magazine paid $5 million to Miss Jolie's charities to secure the photo shoot), and a sea change swept the celebrity baby world.

At the time, Mr. Torrosian called the move "celebrity product placement at its finest." A press release from 5W called it, in hyperbole only a PR professional could appreciate, "one of the most important product placement opportunities in the world."

Two years later, you can bet Mr. Torrosian is hoping the Jolie-Pitt twins will be snapped wearing something from a 5W client.

"My job is to maximize clients' value while lessening their spending," Mr. Torrosian said last week. "Like it or not, we live in a tabloid-centric world. A photo will capture eyeballs in the mass media. It's able to reach millions."

Mr. Torrosian says that soon after Britney Spears' first son was born, Miss Spears was photographed walking out of a store holding a stuffed toy his firm had sent to her.

"Sales went off the charts," he says. "Like it or not, people want to be like celebrities. You can't buy a $100,000 car, but you can buy a $60 shirt. You may not be able to dress like the star of the moment, but you can have your kid dress like their kid. At the same time, you are giving to your child, which people like to do. Even if the economy is tanking, kids' stuff seems to be recession proof."

Numbers show that sales of children's clothing at all price levels is on the rise. Sales of clothing for children younger than 3 grew 11.2 percent last year, compared with 2.9 percent for the overall apparel market, according NPD Group, a market research firm.

Ms. Paul agrees the trend will continue going strong. In the tradition of a Hollywood starlet, who is always looking over her shoulder as there is usually someone younger and cuter to take her place, so goes it with the celebrity baby. Every couple of months, there seems to be a new bundle of hot babies. Can't keep track? Celebritybabyscoop.com has an "expecting calendar" to help you remember who is due when.

"We're definitely seeing the stylization of childhood," Ms. Paul says. "In our parenting consumer culture, this extends to all accoutrements. It will continue strong and in force. I predict the next generation of parents will be even more ga-ga over celebrities."

Source: The Washington Times

Posts Tagged ‘PR Torossian’

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