Green is the New Black

by erica ~ July 2, 2009

Going green, as we already may know, is not a new theory but it is starting to affect the high-end luxury brands. Brands such as Versace, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co. are paying closer attention to their Corporate Social Responsibility programs since that’s what current consumers are interested in according to the Wall Street Journal.

For example, this summer, the windows of Tiffany & Co.’s retail stores world-wide feature images of coral reefs, publicizing Tiffany’s commitment since 2002 not to use coral in its designs. Also, there is a new documentary called “Home”, which features brands like Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and others that highlight man’s abuse of the environment in an effort to show the companies greener side.

In order to appeal to the younger generation, who more often consider their impact on the environment than do traditional luxury-goods buyers, most brands are trying to re-invent themselves. Although some environmental groups, such as WWF, were originally skeptical about these sudden changes, they are now supporting their efforts, which can be a little risky.

“For corporate alliances with nonprofit groups to succeed, companies need to disclose how much money they are donating or risk allegations of “greenwashing” — or paying lip service to environmental causes to promote their products, says Mike Lawrence, an executive vice president at Cone LLC, a Boston-based marketing agency.”

Although the sales of luxury goods are expected to fall 10% this year, the companies’ efforts to “green” themselves might turn out very beneficial for them. “People have higher expectations of companies to make and sell environmentally responsible products and services during the economic downturn,” according to 50% of Americans age 18 to 24 in a February survey from Cone LLC.   

Erica Berkovich is an Associate Account Executive at Mediashop PR.  She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Corporate Communications at Baruch.

             

Value of Networking Doesn’t Fade

by lisa ~ July 2, 2009

July 2, 2009 - Is it as valuable to post a profile on the career networking site LinkedIn.com as it is to be a member of the Freemasons? That’s the question posted this week by The Economist.

After examining trends in business relationships across Europe, it concludes that “networking websites are booming, but they have not supplanted more traditional business networks.” It’s more likely that virtual professional networks such as LinkedIn, the French Viadeo, and the German Xing will grow up alongside traditional membership societies like the Freemasons and Opus Dei.

France, in particular, is known for the relationships that continue to bind its business elite. The New York Times wrote of its Club des Cent (Club of 100): “A close-knit brotherhood - it’s nearly all male - that shares school ties, board memberships and rituals like hunting and wine-tasting, the French business elite is a surprisingly small coterie in a nation of more than 60 million people.”

But even in “meritocratic America,” where networks of any sort are less important, it’s still natural to identify with groups ranging from fraternities to college alumni associations.

Businesses have even recognized the value of maintaining ties with former employees. For example, my former employer Moody’s Investors Service holds an annual event for alumni. “We are fortunate to have alumni serving in capacities throughout the capital markets and many alumni are now customers of Moody’s,” says its Web site. “Moody’s success has been supported by the strong relationships we strive to maintain with our former colleagues and the Moody’s Alumni Network was created to serve as an online venue to extend these valuable relationships.”

People who seek to belong to less exclusive clubs should consider The Lions Club International, which The Economist calls “the most global offline business network, with 1.3m members in more than 200 countries.”

To read The Economist article “LinkedIn v freemasons: Joining the club,” click here: http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13914661&source=hptextfeature

Lisa Tibbitts is a corporate communications professional with an MBA in marketing. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FinancialPR.

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Retailers’ Cuts Hurt Independent Marketers

by lisa ~ June 29, 2009

June 29, 2009 - Retailers nationwide are cutting back on the number of products they carry, according to an article in today’s Wall Street Journal. This is great news for the shareholders of the country’s biggest consumer product makers such as Procter & Gamble Co. and Campbell Soup Co. but disastrous for small manufacturers.

Companies ranging from Wal-Mart to Kroger Co. to Walgreen Co. are trying to cut inventory costs and increase the profitability of their house brands. So instead of offering a dozen types of glue or soy milk or hairspray, they are offering far fewer. Instead, they are promoting the top three or four brands as well as their own private label products, which offer higher profit margins.

This means that regional or artisanal food purveyors will have to work even harder to market their wares. Independent marketers’ efforts have long been stymied by retailers’ notorious “slotting fees” - payments they demand in order to provide shelf space in their stores. Now paying those fees may not even be an option if stores are only willing to stock the top-selling brands.

So what’s an aspiring consumer marketer to do? Product sampling at local events such as craft fairs and green markets is obvious. Build a following and ask patrons to join your mailing list. Collect names, addresses, and emails.

Then take your brand online. Social networking is a natural outlet. Owners of small brands have one distinct advantage over the CEOs of Procter & Gamble and Revlon Inc.: They can develop one-on-one relationships with their customers.

To really take advantage of this opportunity, tell your customers how the product is made. Are its ingredients locally sourced? Is it organic? Additive-free?  These too are selling points that smaller consumer products marketers can capitalize on. Not all marketing has to be expensive.

To read the Wall Street Journal article “Retailers Cut Back on Variety, Once the Spice of Marketing,” click here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124597382334357329.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Lisa Tibbitts is a corporate communications professional with an MBA in marketing. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FinancialPR.

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ProfNets of the Week

by admin ~ June 26, 2009

It’s time again to take a look at some of the strange and interesting queries from Profnet, a service that sends us journalist queries and calls for sources dozens of times throughout the day. Enjoy!

RELATIONSHIPS: Ways to Know Your Online Boyfriend is for Real - Freelancer
For a story for a national women’s magazine, I need to conduct e-mail interviews with relationship experts on the topic of “Ways to Know Your Online Boyfriend is for Real.” If interested in participating in the story, please respond with your full credentials (how you would like to be referred to in the story, contact info, etc.) and 2-7 detailed tips about how women who meet a man online (whether it be through an online dating service, Facebook, etc.) can be sure he is who he says he is, and not a complete fake. Contact:XXXXXXXX

ENVIRONMENT: Consequences of Wearing Shoes Indoors — Weight Watchers
I’m looking for an expert affiliated with a major medical center or teaching institution to discuss the potential consequences of wearing shoes indoors (particularly relating to tracking pesticides and other contaminants in the house). The expert should be well-versed in health problems relating to pesticides and also be able to offer practical advice on this topic. This is for a story for Weight Watchers. No phone calls or product pitches. Contact:XXXXXXXX

TECHNOLOGY/TODAY: Going Missing — Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What made Gov. Mark Sanford’s recent disappearance so intriguing is the fact that in today’s day and age, it’s very hard to go “off the grid.” With modern technology such as cell phones, BlackBerrys, Twitter, and e-mail, people are in constant contact. I want to speak to an expert about the stresses of work and staying in constant contact and/or about how hard it is to actually “drop off the face of the world” with all of our modern forms of communication. ContactXXXXXXXX

             

“Luv Gov” Needs Crisis Control

by lisa ~ June 25, 2009

June 25, 2009 - South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is undoubtedly in need of crisis control. His web site has apparently crashed and it’s a sure bet that every PR agency with a public affairs or crisis practice is overwhelming the phone lines to the state house in Columbia.

In the midst of calls for his resignation and laments about the future of the Republican party, the Wall Street Journal’s “Speakeasy” blog compares Sanford to actor Jude Law. “Law has not been able to make himself a star because he’s incapable of projecting strength. He comes off as decent, guilty, a little petulant, candid but weak. That was Sanford yesterday,” wrote Rebecca Dana.

Today on the professional social networking site LinkedIn, flacks opined on what Sanford should do now. Some suggested waiting a couple of weeks, then sitting down with a trusted local reporter. Others recommended that he hold out for Dateline - hold out long enough to get his autobiography ready for publication.

It’s not clear whether Sanford is getting bad advice from his advisors or whether he’s just ignoring them. Regardless, it seems to me that these advisors should have been savvy enough to squash the “missing” rumor before it incited the media to go find the governor. Did they concoct the story that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail from whole cloth? Or did they have reason to believe that? If the story was totally fabricated, his advisors violated the first rule of PR, which is simply don’t lie.

To read the Wall Street Journal “Speakeasy” blog, click here: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/06/25/mark-sanford-as-jude-law/

Lisa Tibbitts is a corporate communications professional with an MBA in marketing. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FinancialPR.

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