It's about them, not you

by Kevin Taylor FCIPR

For five days in February, the wireless communications world descends on Barcelona for the annual jamboree that is the Mobile World Congress. Some 60,000 visitors and delegates will be joined by around 4,000 journalists and analysts.

Just about every major wireless company in the world will use the event to launch new products, announce strategic partnerships or made an acquisition of eye-watering proportions.

So in the face of this onslaught of big brand activity, how do smaller companies in the wireless eco-system stand a chance of capturing any attention in the media frenzy? How do you "punch above your weight"?

Firstly, swimming against the tide is particularly difficult, so don't even try. This leads straight to rule number two: it's about them, not you. It's about what the media are interest in, not what you want to promote.

If you are not representing a big brand that commands an audience almost whenever it opens its mouth, then by and large you do not command attention because of who you are, and maybe not even because of what you are doing.

The best chance of success is to understand your market, understand the trends, and search for the topics that are already capturing interest in the national press, among the analysts and of course with the best trade writers. Read opinion columns from respected online writers, search for the gossip on the blogosphere, and look at the conference agenda to understand what topics might just be to the fore. Do everything you can to understand the likely media environment.

And what then? Now you need to understand your place in the wider world. Look for the links between the issues that will be on the media agenda, and the areas in which you operate. It's good to have supporting views; it's also good to have contrary views.

When approaching media and and analysts, start by talking about the issues and then introduce the relevance of your business.

Beginning a media pitch with "our client X is an expert in Y" is a fast track to the recycle bin. But begin a pitch by referencing a major brand and quoting some analysts predictions, and you can introduce a spokesperson who can comment with authority and stand a chance of opening the door.

It is essential to provide relevance. As we say at CCgroup, you have to put your content into the media context. Only then can you punch above your weight and capture an unfair share of voice. Good luck.

A Breath of Fresh Air

by Pauline Mason, DipM MCIM

Time was when planting a tree was an adequate gesture to demonstrate your company’s environmental goodwill. If only it were that simple.

The climate for articulating corporate responsibility for sustainable issues has changed irrevocably during the past 12 months, driven by public opinion, media attention and now legislative focus. It is not enough to merely recycle; waste, packaging and energy must be reduced. Product, component and executive "miles" are scrutinised indiscriminately. Toxins used in manufacturing are vilified. Energy must come from renewable sources.

This new environment for green advocacy has vast implications for PR and marketing professionals. The threat of a public backlash for unintended "greenwashing" paralyses businesses into downplaying any existing environmental programmes, fearing they will not meet heightened market expectations. Is it appropriate to offset your carbon emissions? Should you use 100% recycled paper 100% of the time? Should the business install wind turbines and solar panels, or switch to a green tariff? Should you only buy British? Should you be using that much water? Will free CFL light bubs and folding bikes be received in the spirit intended?

The answers lie closer to home than you may think. To achieve sustainability, you need to balance environmental, ethical and economic factors. This is markedly different than pursuing a purely green agenda, or one of carbon neutrality, for example. In this context, profitability is not a dirty word. It is central to your existence.

Defining what your own management team believes is the right course of action to achieve sustainability - there are no right or wrong answers, here - is a crucial first step in setting the marketing agenda. Every message, every campaign should be anchored in your corporate values and core business model, which are unique to you. Sustainability is no different. Unlock your corporate DNA, and you have the code you need to defend your actions and assert your own opinions in the wider debate on climate change.

If your business has not already done so, commission an environmental audit. Knowing what action you should take against specific targets will help you to define a phased programme of action which will not cripple your bottom line in the short term. As well as delivering a heads up on areas and legislative requirements you may not have considered previously, an audit also provides a credible, independent endorsement of your actions - an invaluable asset for marketers keen not to underestimate the mood of the times.

By all means, keep planting trees. But if you wish to express your commitment to combating climate change or reducing carbon emissions, you may wish to point the cameras in an entirely different direction.