Airfoil Boarding Pass Newsletter December 2009

2010 brings continued focus on energy, environment

An ever-increasing number of companies and startups are working on the future of how we save energy and protect and care for the environment, from lithium-ion batteries to LED lighting to environmentally friendly vehicles.
Here's what we expect to see more of in 2010:

• A coordinated effort towards advancements in œcleantech. No longer strictly labeled green, with more funding and stronger research, companies you may never have heard of will be leading the way with new breakthroughs.
• Energy savings. LED lighting from companies such as Airfoil tech PR client ilumisys will help buildings and facilities, companies and municipalities decrease energy consumption and reduce the amount of hazardous products that end up in landfills.
• Auto suppliers focus on eco. While hybrids and electric vehicles generate the majority of the buzz, auto suppliers such as Airfoil PR client Faurecia are exploring new materials such as wood and natural fibers to create everything from seats to instrument panels that have less impact on the environment.

Investment in all of these areas should continue to increase throughout the year as demand increases for products and continued research.

Five social media PR trends to watch

While many companies are still trying to figure out the value online networking will bring to their particular business, others are wondering where else they should focus to reach additional new customers. For online PR and marketing communicators, the challenge continues to be crafting messages to strike a chord with target audiences as the media serves a decreasing role as a filter to consumers.
The biggest interactive PR shifts we expect are:

• Social media becomes more targeted
  Some believe that networking online means talking to strangers across the country and across the globe. However, hyperlocal sites and news will lead to connections with your neighbors and those with common interests. For business, targeted outreach (for example, food product reviews on cooking blogs) will drive the highest relevance.
• Customer service and reputation drive the brand
  Companies will increasingly realize that ignoring online chatter can quickly deter future customers. Instead of the “nothing to see here” approach, communicators will work with customer service to devise response strategies that ultimately protect and build the brand.
• Cross-network sharing becomes common
  Facebook on Twitter, Twitter on LinkedIn, blog updates all around. Brands are learning to cross-link and promote content and assets from various social media networks, repurposing information to cast a wider net.
• Social media gets downplayed
  Businesses and communicators will focus less on the tools and more on the digital public relations strategy of reaching the end audience in the manner in which they want to receive communications.
• PR, marketing and advertising continue to blend
  Focused on results, online marketing and social media PR firms will realize that a common message needs to filter through audiences to strengthen the brand. Working together, or at least informed of each discipline's strategy, communicators can develop a cohesive effort to reach customers.

   

Airfoil clients spread holiday news

With the economy in flux and shoppers looking for the latest and greatest, several Airfoil corporate and start-up PR clients are making headlines recently with their product, ecommerce and consumer shopping knowledge.

Full of geekery and off-beat gifts, ThinkGeek and Airfoil's efforts to promote ThinkGeek's top products for this holiday season have resulted in 35 stories and counting in outlets such as The Today Show, CrunchGear and the New York Times Magazine.

For holiday shopping trends and Cyber Monday coverage, David Fry of Fry Inc. is the go-to source for all things ecommerce, as seen in USA Today and The Detroit News.

Holiday shopping is alive and well online, and many of our corporate public relations clients are being covered in blogs and social media outlets.

For discounts, coupons and special offers, Entertainment Publications, home of the Entertainment book, has been the resource for gift guides and news surrounding online promotions.

NCR Corp.'s Blockbuster Express-branded DVD rental kiosks continue to make news with additional kiosk installations, holiday movie choices and family movie night ideas.

From gadgets to guidance, Airfoil clients are in the know this time of year.

Up next: Translating the cleantech message

Stay tuned in January for Airfoil's upcoming point of view surrounding the cleantech industry and solving communications issues in 2010. Sign up here if you'd like to be notified when the paper is published.

Welcome to Airfoil's Boarding Pass, a quarterly update on news, views and trends from Airfoil Public Relations. See the full version online.

Airfoil's Rich Donley elected 2010 PRSA-Detroit Chapter president

Airfoil Vice President Rich Donley, APR, was recently elected president of the PRSA-Detroit Chapter. He will be responsible for leading the chapter in 2010. He has been actively involved in the organization for more than a decade and brings more than 20 years of solid experience in public relations, journalism and marketing communications to his new role.

Airfoil challenges businesses to examine their policy brands

The Airfoil Public Affairs group recently released a Point of View (POV),  "What's Your Policy Brand?"a complimentary thought leadership publication that details the resources and strategies for businesses to advance their public policy agendas. The piece includes a three-step process for immediate policy brand building.

Airfoil announces new hires

Airfoil announces the hiring of three new staff in the Michigan office, Jennifer Wilt, Susie Johnston and Stephanie Scheer.

Jennifer Wilt has joined the agency's cleantech practice as a senior account executive. She brings experience in planning, media relations, internal communications, marketing communications, Web site management and event planning/promotions to her position. She has worked for Weber Shandwick, Special Olympics Michigan, and BOSSdev Inc. Additionally, Jennifer has been a large part of the PRSA Detroit Chapter, serving on the PRSA Detroit Board for a three-year term beginning in 2010.

Susie Johnston has joined the Airfoil team as an account coordinator. Johnston has experience in marketing communications, advertising and digital media. She has worked for Solomon Friedman Advertising, Weber Shandwick and Marx Layne & Company. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and is a member of PRSA.

Stephanie Scheer has joined the Airfoil team as an account coordinator. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, she has experience in public relations, event coordination, employee communications and media relations. Scheer has worked for Henry Ford Health System and the Interfaith Hospitality Network and is a member of PRSSA.

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