Fox Cashes in on Super Bowl Ads

Could you spend $2.7 million in 30 seconds?

Well, that’s what companies are reportedly spending on average this year for one of the coveted 63 ad spots scheduled to air on Fox during Super Bowl XLII this Sunday, February 3. Fox has even sold some spots at as much as $3 million, topping the $2.6 million CBS Corp. reached last year.

Commercials have started to leak onto the Internet via Youtube and other popular video-hosting sites. As one of the few that have leaked, this 60 second clip from Pepsi stars Justin Timberlake with appearances by Dallas Cowboy’s quarterback Tony Romo and Saturday Night Live comedian Andy Samberg. (Hmm… I guess if Romo couldn’t play his way into the Super Bowl, he had to get in there somehow!) Do you think the commercial is worth the cost to get that kind of talent and the appx. $5.4 million just to launch it during the SuperBowl? Watch for yourself and decide!

I’ll report back next week with a list of commercials that had everyone at my party rolling… and the sad few that just maybe weren’t worth the dollars spent.

Oh, and as far as Sunday goes… GO GIANTS!

Qtrax Lands “Bewildered Betty Award” for Announcing Deals with Major Music Labels Before Said Agreements Are Signed

Major PR faux pas by Brilliant Technologies puts future of nascent free music download service — QTRAX — in serious doubt

Can you think of ANY reason why a company would ever want to “announce” it had closed deals with one or more major partners at a HUGE industry event without having such deals actually signed?

Me neither.

Amazingly, that’s apparently what happened this past weekend at the MIDEM music conference held in Cannes.

According to media reports from around the globe, New York-based Qtrax — a subsidiary of Brilliant Technologies (Pink Sheets: BLLN) — spent close to £500,000 to host a launch party that featured such recording artists as LL Cool J and James Blunt and was designed to promote the “fact” that Qtrax was going to announce Monday it had

• Signed deals with the four largest music labels – EMI, Universal, Sony BMG and Warner Music Group; and that
• These deals would provide more than 25,000 free downloadable songs for users of the new free ad-supported QTRAX music download service.

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Official Statement from President George W. Bush Caps Tributes in Honor of Gordon B. Hinckley

The White House just issued the following statement from the President of the United States:

Statement by the President

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of our friend, Gordon B. Hinckley. While serving for over seven decades in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon demonstrated the heart of a servant and the wisdom of a leader. He was a tireless worker and a talented communicator who was respected in his community and beloved by his congregation. As President of his church, he traveled to more than 60 countries to spread a message of love and optimism to the millions of people around the world who shared his faith.

A Mayflower descendent and the grandson of Mormon pioneers, Gordon was a deeply patriotic man. His leadership and service strengthened the Board of Trustees of Brigham Young University, the Boy Scouts of America, and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. In 2004, I was honored to present him with the Medal of Freedom, our Nation’s highest civil award, in recognition of his lifelong public service.

Laura and I will miss Gordon’s friendship and wisdom. Our thoughts and prayers are with his five children and the rest of the Hinckley family.

# # # 

Two days ago when I wrote that every organization should expect the unexpected and prepare a Crisis Communications Plan, I little suspected that Gordon B. Hinckley, the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a man revered by millions as a prophet of God, would pass away suddenly Sunday evening.

At the risk of being callous, I firmly believe that the aplomb, speed and grace with which both the church and its Public Affairs Department has handled President Hinckley’s death has been inspiring to witness. So much so that I give the church’s Public Affairs Department a Happy Betty Award.

And in this regard, today’s official statement from President Bush is merely the capstone message honoring Gordon B. Hinckley, a giant among men whose message of goodwill, peace and love will be missed.

Expect the Unexpected: Create a Crisis Communications Plan

Consider these three local crises and/or events, each of which occurred within the last week:

• The building housing the former Club DV8 was destroyed by fire Wednesday night, a building directly across the street from the Salt Palace where the 2008 Outdoor Retailer, Winter Market was being held.
• Alpine Air Express (OTC BB: APNX) had a cargo plane crash into the Pacific Ocean seven miles off the coast of Kauai on Monday, January 14. According to the company news release, the plane “has not been recovered and the pilot has not yet been found.”
• Two members of the University of Utah football team were stabbed Saturday night following a fracas in Salt Lake City.

In each instance, something unexpected occurred and directly or indirectly impacted one or more business or organization.

Whether or not we like to admit it, bad things happen all the time. Sometimes such events are within our control, other times they are not.

“Bad things happen all the time. Expect the unexpected . . . prepare a crisis communications plan.”

Regardless, as a public relations professional or strategic communications executive, you should expect the unexpected and prepare a crisis communications plan.

That way, when something bad does occur, you’ll be primed and ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

Oh, The Power of Swag

It is no secret that celebrities who hit up the Sundance Film Festival gift lounges can walk away with some pretty sweet swag.

According to the Deseret Morning News

“Lip balm and hot chocolate, a button to advertise a documentary about alternative fuels and rubber wrist bands that say “Rehab” just about round out the freebies for average Joes.

But if you’re a star or you’re on the right list, there are free high-end watches by designer Michele (no last name), clothes by Andrew Marc, electronics, shoes made by Asics and decorated by artist tokidoki, booze, bags by Vera Bradley (they had a bag appear in “Desperate Housewives”) and makeup products by Sephora and others at an array of lounges geared toward celebs.”

Even more convenient for celebs who may have “forgotten” appropriate apparel for the freezing Park City climate. (i.e. Brittany Murphy who scored a pair of Frye Boots)

Amid our chuckles and rolled eyes over the glitz and glamor of it all, there are others who have slightly more intense feelings about the swag “mania.”

Jeremy Walker, whose New York public-relations firm is representing six films at Sundance, sent a letter to his festival clients comparing swag with drugs.

“We’ve watched swag, like cocaine, turn nice, smart, humble, creative people into monsters,” the letter says. “Like cocaine, swag produces a giddy high of self-importance and supreme confidence. As with cocaine, once tasted, the consumer of swag instantly wants more.”

Humm… Any truth to this guys?

What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen done to get a piece of swag or better yet, what is the best piece of swag you’ve ever scored?

The New Pace of News

Sadly, actor Heath Ledger died today at the age of 28. It’s too bad that he’s gone at such a young age, as it is with any unexpected death, especially for someone who seemed to have so much ahead of them.

It is interesting to note, however, the speed at which the story broke. His body was found at 3:31 p.m. EST, and within 90 minutes the news was all over the internet. As my friend and fellow PR practitioner, Russ Page, elaborated on his blog there is a lesson to be learned about the new pace of news.

The Sky Fell

Well, not really, but it sure did snow a lot today. About 18 inches fell outside my house, with another four feet that accumulated at the foot of my driveway thanks to the snow plow (who always happens to make it right after you finish shoveling your driveway… is that one of Murphy’s Laws?). While toiling away with my neighbor clearing his, mine and another more elderly neighbors front drive, I got to thinking about work and how little control we have over some events in life. Let’s look at a hypothetical example, from a PR perspective, that could happen to any company so you can prepare for the unexpected.

For example, say you’re a company planning on launching your new product today (fine, it’s an unreal scenario because today was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, but for this example let’s pretend it wasn’t), you spend lots of time and money preparing for the big launch. You line up TV segments to break it locally or nationally. You brief reporters before the story is to launch so that print and online stories can break on the same day of your big launch. Let’s say you even prepare for a press conference to talk about your product (hey, it could be the new iPod and you want people to know about it?). Then it happens. The unexpected. The storm of the year. More than 250 traffic accidents throughout the city steal your thunder. Or maybe it’s an unexpected press conference from President Bush. You get the picture. Something unexpected has stolen your attempt at a big splash.

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How To Create A Logo …

All successful companies have a logo of some kind. Some visual representation of their company, whether it’s simply the name of the company written creatively or a flashy logo, part of branding is the creation of a logo.

By far one of the most popular logos today is that of Google. Although it seems pretty simple, the process of coming up with the actual design is pretty complex.

I came across this article on the Google Blogoscoped blog, very interesting read.

Got a logo? Share your story in the comments.

Congratulations Sen. McCain?

Our fellow pr practitioners at the Michigan Republican Party made a major goof tonight. I mean, really, congratulating the wrong candidate? Their explanation…they simply pushed the wrong button.

Full story at LA Times.

Facebook’s First Shot in the Spotlight–On TV that Is

Here’s the scenario: You’re 23, a Harvard dropout, CEO of the company you founded with some friends, a computer programmer, your company is valued at more than $15 billion and you’ve just been invited to come on 60 Minutes. Mark Zuckerberg, what do you do?

Well, given that the founder of Facebook probably had weeks, if not months to prepare for the interview, you hire someone to train you for going on camera. Then, you train again and again till you feel completely ready to go with Lesley Stahl on one of America’s most watched news programs. You get questions thrown at you till you feel confident about your responses, and confident that you can handle any question. You practice with a camera to see what you look like when the lights are turned on. In short, you prepare for the interview the best you can.

Quick disclaimer, I’m a fan of Facebook. A big fan. I’ve been a user for almost a year now and have reconnected to many friends and associates who I had lost contact with. I want Facebook to succeed since I’ve already reaped some of the benefits the site has to offer. I don’t want it to be successful at my expense, but I want it to succeed at becoming profitable. I’d love to help them with their marketing communications efforts. I can only imagine how fun the challenge would be. Do I think Mark would be a hard client to work with? Absolutely.

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