Branding an identity from crisis. How to avoid an industry stigma and remain positive.

How many times have you heard of the company Cameron International? What about Transocean? I’m a huge animal lover and I drive an SUV to carry them around to the park, vet or even on a road trip. So now that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is reaching the shores and affecting wildlife preserves I’m getting really anxious. When I go online and read more and more about it I only hear about one company: BP. British Petroleum, a worldwide oil conglomerate, that sells you gas, explores for oil and finally drills. Or do they?

I’ve heard of BP plenty of times. They’ve had cute commercials in years past, a colorful logo and they’re huge in Southern California (where I’m from). Cameron International and Transocean are new to me. Are they new to you? Certainly I’m not an oil expert. But the multi-billion dollar industry is not as simple as it looks. BP and others like it, contract out to local companies that specialize in certain jobs. They hire one company for exploration to find new oil reserves. They then hire another company to drill the oil. Then another to send it to shore and of course it continues on from there.

Transocean is the operator and owner of the rig responsible for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (http://deepwater.com)

Transocean is responsible for the oil extraction. They are the technical owners of the rig and they operate it themselves. BP hired Transocean for their services and most importantly, their expertise. Cameron International is responsible for the equipment Transocean uses. Most importantly they manufacture the safeguard device meant to plug an oil drilling hole in the event of an emergency. Obviously between the two companies something went wrong. Oil is washing ashore and threatening delicate wildlife and damaging the fishing industry already. Millions of dollars in damages are poised to skyrocket. Ultimately, who is responsible for this mess?

Cameron International manufactures devices for oil drilling meant to cap oil spills before they happen. (http://c-a-m.com/)

There are a ton of people who are anti-oil and blame companies like BP. Well BP has already stepped forward. They’ve accepted blame and have dedicated a full clean-up and restoration team. It’s only expected because the technical clean-up of any oil spill is responsible to companies like BP. But the cause of the oil spill does not belong necessarily to BP. Lawyers will soon be able to analyze data and conclude who is to blame for the oil spilling in the first place. The real loser either way is BP and the oil industry as a whole.

BP has taken the right course: they’re accepting blame in it’s entirety. For their reputation, it’s best to be seen as humble, apologetic and committed to righting it’s wrongs. But what about the industry? What about these two companies who are most likely to be blamed for the spill in the first place? Media strategies offers businesses the unique ability to engage the public and media en masse and form the story from their perspective. While no official investigation has made any official findings public, it’s possible to see the BP media machine charge after their contract workers.

Avoiding any stigma is very difficult and it does not happen overnight. What is possible is to avoid the stigma for yourself and place it squarely on another entity. Managing crises is very sticky business. It too, does not happen overnight. But what do you do? Try making information easy to read and easy to understand. Make sure it explains your perspective and make sure that you separate yourself from those you are not wanting to be associated with. Sounds easy but the key is making that information easy.

I’m not a big fan of animals being harmed because of a careless corporation. But in the game of industry stigmas it’s always best to be honest and forthcoming – whether you’re the one to blame or not. You have a voice and it’s in times like these that you have to use it. If you don’t then you are more likely to be used as a scapegoat. And that’s not any fun.

I hope you all have a great Monday! Looking forward to the weekend already! See you back on Wednesday!

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TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Blame Game going Bad. is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

BOOBQUAKE : Media relations is and never will be a science. Finding subtle and direct ways to promote your brand through media relations is more powerful than advertising alone.

It’s not really a scientific fact YET. According to the prominent Iranian cleric Kazem Sedighi, women’s immodesty has cause the increase of worldwide earthquakes. While this may be debated for hours and become heated very quickly I seriously doubt many people new to online media could see this coming: BOOBQUAKE.

If there’s a sole reason for the internet to exist it’s to at least provide a little slice of humor and satire. Now we have a new source of entertainment in the form of Boobquake. What is Boobquake? It’s a Facebook event today (Monday, 26th) aimed at testing cleric Sedighi’s claim scientifically. It calls on women worldwide to wear their most revealing top – all in the name of science. So far I’m liking it.

What is also not really a scientific fact YET is the impact media relations has compared to traditional advertising. Imagine you’re the cleric in Iran who greatly opposes women showing cleavage. You’ve just been hit with Boobquake. What do you do? What do you want?

Sarah Bernhardt, one of the world’s first acting superstars (1844-1923), traveled the world with her racy performances. Before she could arrive in Chicago on her tour, a Chicago bishop delivered a very critical and harsh speech against Bernhardt. That speech received a great amount of press coverage. What did Bernhardt do? She sent him a $200 check.

Why?

The note attached with the check stated:

“I am accustomed, when I bring an attraction to your town, to spend $400 on advertising. As you have done half teh advertising fo rme, I enclose $200 for your parish.”

For Bernhardt, the value was about $200. The story and the coverage was priceless. How would you value others talking about you publicly?

It’s not a science but it is also not illusionary. There’s sound logic behind your brand and message sprawling across the news, blogs and social networks. Just as you want people scrambling to buy you also want them scrambling to learn more about you. Advertising does not build demand. Advertising entices the unsure. Media relations increases demand to incrementally. It cannot repeat itself like advertising can. Media relations is capable of building on itself unlike advertising.

I have mentioned before – bad reviews scare people away. Word of mouth can kill a business. Media relations is similar to reviews from prestigious sources. When the dedicated health reporter on your local news mentions red wine, in moderation, can benefit your heart you take that advice more seriously. If it was a buck-toothed mechanic telling you that you might ignore it. It’s not a science, but media relations has long-term potential that builds demand. Advertising only entices a certain amount of people for a short period of time.

In the meantime – Boobquake! I hope you all have a great start to your week – I’ll see you again on Wednesday!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Your Breasts are Causing Earthquakes: REPORT is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Lamb is on the long term rise. Is your business ready to have long term success with a long term media strategy?

The American Lamb Board (ALB and yes, there really is one) is predicting 2010 to be the year of the lamb. A “meat fashion” sweeping top chefs, restaurants and grocery stores alike. Ground lamb, neck cuts, stomach cuts – you name it, lamb is taking off. Are you already a fan?

Meat & Livestock Australia, the organization promoting lamb in Australia, has been running ads and contests in hopes of fast service chains adding lamb to their menus. The trend is advancing along these hallmarks: affordable, versatile and local. Small lamb producers nationwide are seeing their cuts for customers increase in variety and frequency. Where many farmers would sell an entire lamb they are now complicating their cuts and offering a market variety.

Why this sudden shake up in the meat industry towards lamb? Well it’s a complicated strategy. A little bit of splash and flash. A solid hometown story and finally a multi-national effort. It’s not rocket science but when I consider products for a media strategy I have never considered lamb. I’m more of a beef and turkey guy myself.

Ask yourself if you would consider lamb. What comes to mind right away? The ALB acknowledges the not-so-yummy stigma with lamb. It also plans to approach most of the younger generations as a customer base. This way there’s less of a stigma to fight and more of an adventurous spin they can use. The fact is that almost one third of the US population has never had lamb before.

What’s very interesting about the ALB’s efforts is that they are long-term. Many companies and brands thing long-term on scales of epic proportions and global dominance. The ALB wants lamb to become a staple food for US households. They also understand that becoming that entrenched in a nation’s diet does not happen in even one single generation. They’re in it for the long haul because they know that in order to get what they want, they’ll need to take small steps.

I’m typically impatient myself. For you that means the potential of more lamb on your plate. For the burgeoning media strategist it means that there’s no timeframe for results or projects. It’s kind of silly to have a long term vision of success without a long term vision for strategy. Why work for perpetual prosperity with instant efforts? The equation simply doesn’t add up.

That’s all from me for this week! Hope you all have a great weekend and I’ll see you again on Monday!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Check out Lamb Bacon! is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Pepsi and the biggest mistakes of branding. Media Strategies with little forethought and no value.

Remember Super Bowl Sunday and the absence of Pepsi + millions of dollars? Well – I found this article today: Make the logo bigger: 10 rebranding disasters. Read through to the second page and you’ll find my favorite brand (although not my favorite cola): PEPSI.

My dad LOVES Pepsi. I’ve never been a big fan. Dr. Pepper rocks! But I do LOVE the people at Pepsi. First they took a less-travelled path with social media. They found success. However, last fall I remember making a comment about their new logo. Today I felt a bit validated in reading this article. I’m also feeling a little bit out of the loop too. Did you know the new logo was supposed to resemble a SMILE?

What were they smoking when they agreed it looked like a smile?! What were they doing spending $1 Million to develop it?! Again, what were they smoking?!

I guess it could be worse. It could’ve been a “New Coke”. Looking at the other brands mentioned, nothing really beats changing your name to a slang term for syphilis. I dare anyone to try and top that one. Then there’s Fort Worth-based Radio Shack targeting their small customer base and calling themselves “The Shack”. Does that not bring up bad imagery to anyone else either??

What’s even more telling of Pepsi’s mistake is that their subsidiary, Tropicana, also changed it’s packaging and logo. FAIL. Most response after launch mentioned that the packaging resembled a store brand. Nothing like syphilis and a store brand shackn’ it up together.

To further make less sense, each Pepsi-Cola brand, i.e. Caffeine Free or Diet, smiles differently. Again, what were they smoking?? Is there one type of Pepsi-Cola that is happier than the other? Can I guess the caffeine free isn’t so peppy?? Can you see where I’m going with this?

Coca-Cola is a standard of branding. Lessons for success in media strategies center around stability.

It’s all a tragic moment that just won’t end. They out-did their fiercest competitor with less money during the Super Bowl but they lack the big picture. Coca-Cola has that single imagery we all recognize. We see it world-wide. We also see very few logo changes from them. They’re a standard. Pepsi is acting their part: the second-rate cola.

Now I’m all for inanimate objects smiling at me. I LOVE the creepy statues at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion that follow you – and they don’t even smile! Honestly though, when I want a cola I hate having to hunt for it. Changing the logo and the packaging make it difficult for people to identify with your brand. When people cannot identify your brand you cut your revenue down to your loyal customer base. Where’s the growth strategy in that?

For anyone that’s starting from scratch, don’t be like Pepsi. Great product + no confidence in brand = struggle. And that is no good.

I wish everyone a great weekend and I’ll see you again on Monday! Feel free to battle it out for your favorite cola!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Do Pepsi Bottles Smile at You Like This? is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Build your media exposure by interacting with news stations on social media.

Ever notice that trend last year for dozens of news anchors and reporters who joined Twitter? Visit most news station’s websites and you’ll find somewhere to learn more about your favorite news personality AND what their Twitter account is. Now check: are you following them? Are they following you?

There’s a secret to why news stations push hard to build Twitter or Facebook followings. For an industry that heavily relies on ratings and numbers of viewers, finding new ways to track viewership enhances their ability to sell airtime. But while that might seem as the most obvious reason, the biggest secret is that they can use social media to produce content.

I have a huge complaint with news stories that are receive too much coverage. In a lot of instances, such over-coverage has stopped. That’s mostly due to news stations vetting topics through social media. They ask their viewers what they think and when they hear a lot of complaints – they act.

How can this affect you?

Since you know a lot about your chosen profession, you have a lot to contribute to any news story that deals with your industry. It happens all of the time with me. I see a story about something I know a great deal and I yell at the television. I comment with friends or family who saw the same story or report. I have an opinion and something to contribute.

Until recently, there was no real effective way for typical viewers to contribute. Sure you can go to the story online and leave a comment. You can contact the station with a phone call or by email. When do you see that directly effect a story that is going to air and not one that has already aired?

Especially when reporters or producers vet stories via Twitter – how can you not see the potential to put in your 2 cents? Now keep in mind that there are a lot of average hourly workers that offer their opinion as well. Those opinions are important but they contribute to the overall newscast and not to a particular story. If you’re an expert – you can directly contribute to a story.

To help build your status as an expert in this situation you will need to have a professional website, professional credentials and preferably your own generated content. That way your contribution is taken seriously and it will increase the odds of your contribution being used. I’ve talked many times before about how to make yourself more accessible and how important that truly is when people go online to look for you.

Taking yourself seriously means that others will as well. When you start following your favorite reporters or anchors keep in mind that they have a deadline. They have a level of standard. You need to work to their needs first and remember the ultimate rule: you have to actually be on Twitter to take advantage of this opportunity!

I hope you all are having a good Monday – mine has been off to a crazy start! Have a great week and I’ll see you here again on Wednesday!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

This is all kinds of stalker-ish is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Hype and drama always sell but they also burn out. Focus your media strategy on offering substance when you stir scandal or drama.

Ever notice the shameless and over-the-top antics of celebrities? Ever wonder why that has a place in your nightly news? Drama lives in front of you everywhere. Capitalize on it.

Don’t be stupid. Those who cry wolf for no reason much too often get ignored permanently. Those who cry wolf and have something to offer get to have another 15 minutes of fame.

Jon & Kate Gosselin are two sharp contrasts. Kate doesn’t cry wolf and offers more and more to her reality TV junkie fan base. Jon offers nothing and cries wolf … often. It’s all very childish but somehow it is on the news consistently. Focus on business and you’ll find companies that exude drama. Microsoft, Apple, Toyota, GM, Verizon, AT&T etc. Whether it’s damage control or positioning, business drama is just as if not more media worthy than Jon & Kate Gosselin.

How do you capitalize?

Be confident. You are an expert so make sure you talk confidently about your field, your business and your competitors. Don’t be negative but don’t be kind. Don’t get personal but don’t give an inch. Fight for your superiority and anticipate your flaws.

Be vocal. How much money do health, insurance, and financial advisors collect from people who want their expert opinion? Plenty. There are varying values of expertise but in the end, everyone wants to get an expert opinion when they can. Offer it.

Be the winner. If you’re going to start a skirmish make sure you can win it. There’s nothing more disappointing than starting something you can finish and feeling its negative effects. Losing only makes more work for yourself.

Drama may get annoying but there’s always that little side of everyone that loves to hear gossip and scandal. Capitalizing on it is simple enough but like anything else you must analyze the risk.

I hope everyone enjoys their Wednesday – hope to see you again on Friday!!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

This is where DRAMA lives. is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Basically the speaker is at a gaming technology convention speaking about the future of gaming. He talks about how every mundane thing could become a game like brushing your teeth. The game would be designed to get you to brush more often, using more toothpaste and in turn make the toothpaste and toothbrush companies richer. He goes on and one with more intrusive ideas and concepts. I am disturbed just a bit and I do not see how many of those items will ever work.

Why?

Because after a few too many Bloody Mary’s last night I crashed and stopped playing any games. I am NOT addicted to Farmville on Facebook and I keep up with my AAdvantage Miles with about as much enthusiasm as going to the dentist for a root-canal. There’s a reason why we have movies, books and music – games get old sometimes. Can you imagine a newborn child today living to the age of 115 years and playing a game that gives them points for brushing their teeth their entire lives??

Don’t get me started on the scary Big Brother aspect of all that. While I think it would be cool to get tax deductions for riding public transportation, I don’t think it will be cool to get free groceries for letting Pepsi control my dreams for a few nights.

What is cool about all of this? Well imagine raising your children (because children get less tired of games so easily and they need re-inforcement to learn quicker and faster) with games to brush their teeth, play outside and eat more fruits and vegetables. It would kinda put this guy out of business quickly huh? But essentially this guy is not trying to scare us. He’s trying to highlight the unlimited potential of Interactive Marketing.

This is a growing sub-field of Media Strategies that envelopes marketing goals with technology, media and creativity. You thought Social Media was a bit overwhelming? Just wait. Soon you are going to be tempted with developing games to keep customers coming back over and over again.

So while I have you thinking about the potential let me give you a golden rule: don’t be evil and always give back. If I were Proctor & Gamble right now, I’d be focused on developing new Interactive Marketing to help mothers do what they do best: raise bright, healthy and happy children. If I were Price Waterhouse Cooper’s I would be working with the IRS to develop new technologies that would give my clients new tax deductions (i.e. public transportation credits, etc.). If you cannot offer something valuable then you will not be sustainable.

Let me know what you think about these ‘Games’. I’d love to hear it!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Most Disturbing Games Ever – I’m Shocked. is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Making your Media Strategy a Call to Action might be Controversial but might be your marketing savior.

I LOVE to cook and enjoy a great meal. It’s a passion of mine to include wine, dessert, cheese and an incredible entree into a meal whenever I can. I love fresh foods and those that I know are healthy for me. Every once in a while though – I love a great pizza too. Is it as healthy for me as an Avocado Salad? No. But I sure do love it.

My friend, Janet St. James, reported last night on the DISD’s current efforts to change their approach to food in their cafeterias. If you haven’t heard, the U.S. is the most obese nation in the world. We have plentiful food – and a good portion of that food is not fresh. It’s a sensitive subject and one that a lot of people are passionate about: Food & Our Children’s Health.

It can be a heated subject and honestly I prefer to avoid political debate. So I avoid it. But then there are people like Jamie Oliver and his new show Food Revolution where he tries changing the cafeteria menu in a school district. He gets the cold shoulder from local media and a wicked eye from the lunch lady but there’s something VERY awesome about that: he’s getting exposure and media coverage.

Sure he has a show but if it wasn’t controversial and up-front, how would it be good for ratings? If there wasn’t an element of passion and adversity, why would the media want to cover it? Honestly, their strategy is very lackluster for online media. But they have enough of a traditional news media strategy that they are sparking conversation and reports linked to their show. Reporters like Janet St. James have covered this before. Janet is one of the best reporters specializing in health that I know. Shows like Jamie’s offer reporters a chance to engage a sometimes non-chalant audience.

Sometimes the best media strategy is all about your mission. Want to change the world? Do it. Tell everyone about it and create your own call to action. When you offer a way for people to become active themselves you are more likely to get a response and see real results. What’s your call to action?

I hope everyone has an amazing weekend and for those of you planning Easter Egg Hunts – I’m hoping for sunny blue skies! See you Monday!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

How FAT are We Making our Kids?? is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Simon Cowell - Media Marketing Mogul or Emmy Winner? What makes branding and revenue limitless?

Another person with an Emmy and it’s not me. Well someday maybe. American Idol has been rocking and now, with Simon’s imminent departure, his second best show ever is coming to the US: X Factor. Do both of these show really earn Simon an Emmy?

Here’s the thing: American Idol, Pop Idol, Britain/America’s Got Talent and X Factor are global. They span more than a decade and millions upon millions upon millions of dollars in revenue – a second. I’m just kidding – it’s every 60 minutes. I don’t think I’d give him an Emmy – I think I’m going to create my own “Media Marketing Genius” award (I may need help to come up with a better name!)

There’s not an element of any of his shows that do not churn revenue regularly. Want to vote by text? AT&T pays for the exclusive advertising during voting by text rights. Want to hear the judges give their critique? You have to see that they’re drinking from Coca-Cola cups if you do! Think the show ends in May? Hardly! Those contestants and the winner tour for months while the show starts the audition process for the next season!

The big concept Simon has down is that everything you do has the potential to earn money. It has the potential to be valuable to someone – just find them. This television phenomenon has taken branding to a whole new level. Auditions cause a stir, you can buy the contestant’s songs each week and you can finally buy the debut album from the season’s winner. Where do you not see potential?

Officially today I announce Tony Zazza’s [Insert creative name for a media marketing genius] Award – Candidates will be announced after we come up with our clever and creative name. So please, send in your nominations, your suggestions and spread the word! Tony Zazza is looking for a genius!

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TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Simon Cowell wins Emmy?! For what?? is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Media Strategies prove their strength during any crisis. Keep your public image and marketing strategy effective with three crucial steps.

So she had the BEST Oscar moment that wasn’t aired – now she has the biggest FLOP. And I’m not referring to “All About Steve”. I’m referring to the outlaw husband Jesse James.

This is incredibly sad and quite the Media/Public Relations nightmare. From the ultimate tongue-in-cheek moment, to Oscar gold and finally to the dreaded Hollywood marriage curse: infidelity. What is a person with a prominent, lucrative and growing brand like Sandra Bullock to do when hit with this sort of adversity? Remain traditional, compassionate and speedy. If you ever find your brand in a position of hitting an ultimate low after the highest high, keep these three things in mind:

• Think inside-the box

You don’t hear that much too often, huh? In these instances you need to control your reaction and prepare for the next two steps to be “outside-the-box”.

What’s essential is that you don’t pull a Britney Spears and attack paparazzi with an umbrella. You do, however, pull a Toyota and make sure everyone knows you are listening and responding to the problem directly and peacefully. Lashing out with jabs and attacks is completely irrational and not traditional. When adults are confronted with harsh criticism or rough news they keep a professional and attentive demeanor. Never act with your emotions first or you will kill your brand and your business.

• Show Heart

Toyota executives travelled to Washington to apologize. It was compassionate, endearing and very welcome – not to mention greatly expected. Britney Spears will always be considered somewhat unstable after shaving her head but Toyota will maintain it’s “family-friendly” image. Even if it’s products are less than perfect.

When you show that you are compassionate and care that others are upset or offended you let people relate to you as a human being again. That will in turn translate to your brand and business. Disney has made millions off of an image that is seen to have tremendous heart. You can make millions off of that sort of image too.

• Keep a Fast Pace

Once you let the first stories run on all of the papers and after you apologize and appear humble to public opinion you quickly and methodically defend yourself. Toyota is now performing studies and defending their products. Is this causing an uproar? No. Why? Because they’ve already apologized, they’ve already let their critics talk. They’re prime for stopping the horrible imagery of their cars accelerating off the road.

The public demands results quickly and the result they want is whether you’re going to survive the crisis or not. Make sure they hear you say “We will continue to serve…” It’s crucial for people to expect to continue to see your brand, your name and your products continue to live on. At the very least they will respect you for your dedication.

Don’t let flops or crises ruin you! It’s terrible to think about infidelity claiming a sweetheart like Sandra Bullock as its latest victim. It’s important to “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” and move forward.

I hope you enjoy your Friday! What will you be up to? I’ll see you again Monday!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

The BIGGEST Oscar FLOP! is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Filling out and expanding into your business white-space not only grows your business but also your media exposure opportunity.

There are a lot of great ideas out there and a lot of people who talk. There are only very few people that actually act on them. There are even fewer people who consider themselves successful with their ideas. How can there be so many people that are considered unsuccessful and then there are people like Warren Buffett or Russell Simmons who own empires of diverse companies?

I had the privilege to have Russell on my show a while back. He’s a great guy and I recently heard him speak of his business approach to growth and sustainment. What struck me as interesting was his mention of ‘filling in the white-space’ in business. He couldn’t stop talking about how his endeavors and companies fill a white-space in the business world and how innovative he feels his ventures have become. Outside of determination, hard work and passion, Russell accredits his choice of filling white-space for his success.

When Russell is introduced to an audience or in an interview he is known as a mogul of branding and identity. Over decades Russell has made his name synonymous with entrepreneurship and expansion. If his strategy is to always fill the white-space of business – how can you apply this for your gain?

It’s not an easy strategy but it is simple. When I consult with clients I take a great amount of time to analyze their needs and their assets. What do they contribute that I can enhance and gain exposure for in an effective way? What makes my client special and news-worthy? Often I find potential clients that offer great personalities, amazing ambition and tremendous heart but their focus is too narrow and too short. They are not filling in their white-space.

Own a candle shop? Why not sell soaps or other smell good items? Home decor, furnishings and books on every home-related subject imaginable can effectively fill in your white-space. Check out Rodney Anderson. He started with mortgages alone and now offers insurance and credit advice. You don’t have to invent an industry – you only have to fill in the white-space.

Increasing your work-load may not be what you particularly need or can handle right now. I completely understand. Why not fill your white-space with other people? Building relationships designed to help the consumer can only grow your business. Consider the benefits to expanding services: expertise, opportunity and exposure.

The media loves people who are diverse in their subject matter. It means you can answer more questions and you are more versatile for articles, interviews and news clips. Are you filling out yet?

It’s already Monday and I feel like I’ve ran through my week – where did it go?! I’ll see you back here on Wednesday!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Am I filling out too much?? is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Radio advertisers depend on listeners for success. Does your media strategy rely on your customers?

So here’s the truth about radio – I’m going to just let it all out. You, the listener, provide me my paycheck. No joking, you really do have the power. The more you listen, the higher the ratings. The more you interact with me here and on 1037litfm.com the more data the station has to back up the ratings data. Without you tuning in, there’s very little for us to operate on.

Whether a station is #1 or #20 in the ratings, you hold the power to speak your mind and contribute to what you hear on the radio. It’s the complete truth. Comments, tweets, wall posts and becoming a fan means the world to me and my great colleagues like Gene & Julie and Leigh Ann. There’s also a completely different side to the station you rarely get to know much about. Between my jabbering and playlist, there are those advertisements that pop in from time to time. There’s an entire team that negotiates with advertisers based on our ratings.

Advertisers sometimes pay very serious cash to get their word on the radio. I’m sure you’ve seen it with the Super Bowl and Olympics – ratings are king to advertisers. That makes you, in turn, king to the station. The radio business model is built on getting the best ratings you can so then you attract the most advertising dollars. Pretty basic right?

I’m sure there’s nothing I have just said that you didn’t already know – but do you practice this same business model for your benefit?

For most of you out there, customers are king. The more they buy, the more profit you make. Simple and easy. However, do you have any way of making your audience interactive with you? Can they send you feedback easily? Can they recommend you quickly? Are you focused on getting your customers to consider your brand and business an essential part to their everyday life?

Even for services where customers only stop by once or twice a year, how will your customers remember you when they need you again? Here an essential tip for any business to build better success:

Make your contact information the easiest to find and remember.

Whether you’re buying ads, building a website or starting your twitter account: make sure people can contact you. It’s a fail-safe measure that a lot of people actually miss more often than not. Post your phone number, a contact form or your Facebook Page front and center as best as possible. Given customers an avenue to be king gives you the upper hand for success each and every time.

It’s going to be an amazing weekend for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and I hope that each of you stays safe. I’ll see you back on Monday!

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TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

The truth about radio. I’m going to let it all out. is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Apolo Ohno Knows the Secret Strategy Every Business Owner should Know...

What a great two weeks of sport! I love the Olympics. I’ve known that most of the athletes focus on their sport as a full-time job. I know that they get sponsorships but I didn’t know that they get a cash payout based on how many medals (and what medals) they win. Honestly – I think I could live on the payouts but when they don’t have full-time jobs they must be doing something else.

I’ve included a caption of Apolo Ohno’s secret to not only earn income – but to gain exposure. Apolo is probably getting complimentary miles or flights for his permission granted to Alaska Airlines – and exposure.

What does that matter to an athlete? Name recognition will help him launch an athletic equipment line. Start a television show. Anchor the next Winter Olympics. The possibilities are really endless. It’s a great business decision to build on opportunities. Sometimes opportunities come directly to you. Sometimes you have to make the opportunities a reality.

One of my clients, Corinthian Wellness Spa in Southlake, has a wonderful relationship with The Melting Pot. They share a similar environment in their businesses. They are also very complimentary in what they do. They don’t overlap but they also share a similar client base. Why not advertise in each other’s businesses with events and promotions to help each other out? Sometimes exposure is simply reaching out. Have brochures, menus, offers and events to entice people into the door. Find venues that could benefit from exposure in your establishment.

Apolo’s secret, and my client’s experiences, is a lesson that is often over looked. Media Strategies is about exposure. Exposing your business to as many eyes as possible does not need to be expensive. It’s completely reasonable to partner with another business that compliments what you do.

I hope you all had a GREAT weekend – the sun was out here in Dallas and I only hope it comes back soon! I’ll see you all on Wednesday and take a moment to share any cross promotions you may have!

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TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

I know Apolo Ohno’s Secret! is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Are you missing the boat and becoming irrelevant? There are a ton of Media Strategies to use for any business.

Be honest – am I becoming irrelevant? You know me, I’m on the radio, I blog … more here than on my site but I try to keep everyone updated with Twitter and Facebook too. I used to update my Myspace page – I don’t anymore really. I have three or four email addressees too many and I find it hard to check them all in a day. Does that make me irrelevant? Is there something else I should do?

Where to go for activity and response can be a difficult question to answer. I’m always trying to keep up on news and my team is always reading, researching and testing new things when they’re not building something for a client. It does get tiring sometimes. I just had a client on an internet TV show last night. There are online radio shows that have large followings and I sometimes wonder if I shouldn’t be working 36 hours a day just to keep up. Do you feel the same way at all?

Even if you don’t own a business – ever feel like you could spend all hours of the day online finding new stuff or doing stuff that’s interesting and potentially meaningful?

Media is growing more and more. It’s becoming more and more interactive. Our client was receiving tons of questions direct from viewers in an instant last night. People were just typing away – watching away – and tuning in. It was very exciting! Does that mean I should switch attention to that? The stress of “keeping up” gets to be a lot sometimes.

When I see clients getting overwhelmed by the possibilities and effort of today’s media I just have one thing to say: what gets you excited?

From there I sometimes have to shoot down ideas that are obviously now irrelevant. Take Myspace for example. It still has a ton of accounts and visitors however they are steadily declining in hits for the past three years. Facebook has experienced tremendous growth in visitors, accounts and hits for the past three years. Many more observers are talking about the death of Myspace and the new features of Facebook. Myspace is becoming irrelevant.

Just three years ago, a few companies I was familiar with were forging their way online. They had websites early on and were doing a complete “refresh” with new looks and new Myspace pages. They invested a lot of time and simply walked away. Now their looks are out-dated, their Myspace pages are static ghost haunts with little information and no interaction. Their business is now becoming irrelevant online. Their real sales are hurting. Their biggest mistake? Not staying informed and not taking simple steps on a regular basis.

No one has all of the answers at once. Doing a site refresh and a re-branding campaign is not always perfect right out of the box. What matters are the little details that are updated and added on a monthly basis at the least. If you don’t take an hour or two a week to glance at your company’s website, Facebook Page, Myspace or whatever – you are doing yourself a HUGE disservice. Why? Because you’re making yourself irrelevant by not giving your online presence relevancy in your own routine. Why should anyone else if you don’t?

It’s Friday! In that spirit, leave me some feedback. I’d love to hear from you! I’ll be back to check in over the weekend at some point before Monday. Take care and be safe!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Am I irrelevant? is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Don't cry if no one is admiring your latest and greatest. Put the age-old strategy of showcasing to your advantage at the most crucial of times!

February is almost over – where did it go?!

I was at a shoot for one of my clients yesterday. It was at a great spa center and the owner was not my client but it was like he was. He must read this blog or something! He has a state of the art spa and treatment business and some wonderful habits. His spa was ready to give the royal treatment to new people. Media people.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to roll out the red carpet for the media. He did just that. Not only did it look GREAT for the cameras which is what he and the camera crew would want but it was so inviting and … interesting. Having free access to a space like that is almost like peeping into the looking glass. Seeing areas you’ve never seen before. Exploring new territory … and being led to his latest equipment.

I just bought an expresso maker. I love it – I’m not an expert yet but I’m getting to ‘Barista’ status, I can feel it! Where is my new kitchen toy? Hidden behind the old coffee machine? Not at all – it is prominently displayed as the center of my caffeine world. If you look at my kitchen you will find it clean and inviting to view. Most importantly it begs the question: is this new?

Whenever you have something new you’ve got to spread the word. You’ve got to make it look it’s best and make it the center of attention. Make sure you announce it as the major event of your day. When people visit, make sure it draws attention. Then you can continue the conversation to what else might be new and what might be coming soon. Just as we had the grand tour before filming we were also invited to see the newest equipment, procedures and treatment options offered. He was speaking directly to a news producer and getting her attention. An awesome strategy at work.

Before I forget: does anyone else have an expresso machine?? Any tips??

I’ll see you back here on Friday!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

I’ve got something new! is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Pepsi has a long tradition of Advertising and Marketing around a Super Bowl Ad - Not in 2010

… If you did see the commercial – you were NOT watching the Super Bowl. Nothing hilarious and nothing noteworthy about any ads from the cola manufacturer. If you, like millions of us yesterday were (I had queso, dip and great sliders! Yum!), were watching the Super Bowl you saw millions of advertising dollars for Coca-Cola and Doritos. However Pepsi was noticeably absent yesterday.

Instead of spending $30 million + on marketing and buying airtime for the big game, Pepsi turned to an online campaign called ‘Refresh Everything’. The company built this online campaign with a blog, Twitter and Facebook account to reach out to local communities with grants ranging from $5k to $250k. Grants have been distributed based on input from the nearly 400,000+ followers and fans. Even NFL stars were given the chance to choose local community centers to receive a piece of the $20 million Pepsi was dolling out.

Has it worked? – Yes!

This campaign is being referred to as a ‘Crowd-Sourcing’ project and so far Pepsi has already received 21% of Super Bowl-related media coverage and buzz. This coverage and buzz is great for their public image AND keeps them involved locally. To make matters even BETTER: rival Coca-Cola has only received 2% of coverage and buzz for their marketing dollar. Sometimes it’s the strategy and options you use when marketing and NOT the amount of dollars you have to spend!

Who do you think is the winner here?

I’m exhausted from being so festive yesterday – plus the weather is gloomy and it just makes me want to stay inside! Let me know what you think of today’s post and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can sneak in a quick nap! LOL. I’ll see you again on Wednesday for another post!!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Did you see that HILARIOUS Pepsi Commercial?! WOW… is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Look in the mirror right now. Don’t get out of your desk though. And don’t be to hard on yourself if any new year resolutions haven’t provided any results. Do however, make sure you look at you and your business in the mirror. And don’t do these two things.

One: Never ignore the obvious. Your public image is your reputation. If you want to be trusted and earn business through any sort of referrals then make sure you act like a business people can trust.

Take Toyota for example. There’s growing rumors that they knew about their faulty brakes for a while and did nothing. This is a company who’s products are entrusted with the lives millions of people and thousands of families with children. Think it’s a good idea to lose a reputation for safety and maintenance like that?

Two: Always assume the obvious. When you’re managing your reputation realize that if people associate you with harming a cute cuddly polar bear they’re going to associate you with a lot of terrible things. Don’t harm polar bears and don’t harm your reputation.

The Alaska Legislative Council has approved $1.5 million to fund a PR campaign to curb the Endangered Species Act. The State’s Senate Majority Leader has recognized that this might give Alaska a black eye. In a state full of natural wonder and wilderness does it make sense for some of its leaders to remove protective provisions to sustain the natural wonder they hold so dear?

When you’re in a position to help cute and cuddly polar bears or you manufacture products designed to keep children safe, do not take anything for granted.

I hope you have a great weekend – We just launched some new “under-the-hood” tools for our website here. You probably notice a few changes. I’m always excited about growth! I’ll see you on Monday for sure… if not sooner!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Look in the Mirror and Shape Up! is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Top Military Secrets on Twitter - Did you see?

Directly from Mikko Hypponen, of F-Secure, British Military secrets were leaked via Twitter within the past year. Isn’t that ridiculous? The U.S.’s key ally in a number of military activities has a security gap via a seemingly harmless website like Twitter. Doesn’t that frighten you a bit?

British Military documents reveal a very pro-active approach to online security – even restricting all but a few computers from even allowing access to Twitter, Facebook, etc. Yet even the very few computers allowed access, someone seriously dropped the ball and tweeted sensitive information.

The Ministry of Defence, similar to our Defense Department, is an elaborate, highly-trained, and well-funded mechanism. If they can’t stop harmful tweets – what can you do to protect yourself or your company online?

What is very important to realize is that controlling information you consider sensitive or personal is paramount. You can employ the latest and most expensive techniques to keep employees, family, legal information or trade secrets safe from exploitation and still have a HUGE failure – like military secrets on Twitter.

I cannot stress enough that it’s best to strictly define what is expected from your employees – especially via Twitter, Facebook or any other networking site. Can you imagine what a disgruntled employee might say about you online? Can you imagine how quickly that might spread to your clients and harm your business?

Just as you may use Social Media/Networking to your advantage – and I work with a lot of clients on this – you need to monitor and police what might be a disadvantage. If you expect people to respect and trust what you publish online, what’s to say they won’t respect and trust something circulating the internet that isn’t true?

Let me know if you need some easy (and even FREE) monitoring tools to keep you safe and well positioned! I’ll see you back on Friday!

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TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Military Secrets Leaked on Twitter is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

Domino's Recent Marketing Ploy May Have Already Backfired.

Imagine my surprise when I saw these self-depricating ads from Dominos airing during prime time. They announced that they were making a new crust and sauce to satisfy customers. “Wow,” I thought, “they are really listening to their customers and making a change for the better!” Did you feel the same way? The ads made a lot of buzz and Dominos made sure that they were disseminating that message through their stores, on their website and on their Twitter & Facebook accounts. Great media strategy, right?

WRONG.

There have been a slew of negative posts and retweets. Over half of all the comments about the new crust and sauce are horrible. Fans of Dominos on Facebook were announcing their switch to another competitor if they didn’t bring back their old recipe. What a nightmare! I have seen very few of the prime time ads since the first two weeks and I doubt anyone will see much more of them. Where did they go wrong?

When I choose pizza for a meal I always start at one place: the coupons. Why not see if my favorite pizza place has some coupons I can easily get my hands on? I usually forget to search their website because when I’m ordering pizza I’m usually too busy to think clearly. In the past two or three years I have stumbled upon very few if not any coupons from Domino’s.

For each client I approach their needs – not just their ideas. I incorporate this lesson: Keep it Simple and Find the Easiest Solution. I do not consider a multi-million dollar campaign to be an easy and simple solution. Printing more coupons however, seems very simple. Don’t let this same thing happen to you! (I’m hinting at my favorite pizza place here in Plano … )

Leave a comment with your favorite pizza place and I’ll tell you mine! I’ve got a busy weekend ahead and I look forward to hopefully stopping by before Monday – but until then, take care!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Who Wants Pizza?? is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.

The Worst Taglines always have you in shock.

There’s nothing more dangerous than a horrible tagline. I’m sure you’ve heard them plenty of times. They can sound very cheesy or they can sound utterly ridiculous and distract you from understanding or respecting their service or product. You’re supposed to attract interested and serious customers. You’re not supposed to push them away laughing at you.

Everyone needs a tagline – whether you’re making a commercial or just telling people what you do at a cocktail party – to make a great impression. For my clients I always make it a point to consider a great tagline. I make sure taglines compliment branding strategies and I develop the best taglines possible.

You too can have a great tagline. Just make sure it’s short. Only a sentence long. Keep a positive tone and only use simple words. Don’t be afraid to run through a few drafts. Taglines get better with time.

Have a great Wednesday and don’t forget to leave some feedback! See you Friday!

Tell a Friend,

TZ

Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.

Worst Tagline Ever is by Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Area Media Strategies, Relations, Advertising and Marketing firm.