Analyzing PRAnalyzing PR

John L. Couper, Ph.D.John L. Couper, Ph.D.

Founder and DirectorFounder and Director

ReachAcademicReachAcademic

AnalysisAnalysis

Is only as good as your Is only as good as your GoalsGoals Data qualityData quality Analytical skillsAnalytical skills

Links concepts to categories to details to Links concepts to categories to details to actionsactions

Is a constant process beyond just dataIs a constant process beyond just data

Case Study: PicasaCase Study: Picasa

Don't tell me, show me: Online photo service wins Don't tell me, show me: Online photo service wins coverage by using the product -- with reporterscoverage by using the product -- with reporters

When your pitch is in a "me too" market, your When your pitch is in a "me too" market, your challenge is to find a way to make a product or challenge is to find a way to make a product or company vault ahead of the competition -- especially company vault ahead of the competition -- especially when those rivals have established brand names. when those rivals have established brand names. Bryan Pope, an account executive at Connors Bryan Pope, an account executive at Connors Communications in New York, met the me-too Communications in New York, met the me-too challenge by actually using a client's product to challenge by actually using a client's product to communicate with the media.communicate with the media.

Background a) Background a) In late 2003, Connors began working with Picasa, a software In late 2003, Connors began working with Picasa, a software

product that organizes users' digital photos and places them product that organizes users' digital photos and places them into online albums. The company had a great product, Pope into online albums. The company had a great product, Pope says. It was simple to use and easy to understand, both says. It was simple to use and easy to understand, both important for a product aimed at average consumers.important for a product aimed at average consumers.

"The problem was that Picasa was a small fish in a big pond," "The problem was that Picasa was a small fish in a big pond," explains Pope. "This market has many players in it, and Picasa explains Pope. "This market has many players in it, and Picasa was in the mid-range in that arena." was in the mid-range in that arena."

Major companies like Adobe and Microsoft had recognized Major companies like Adobe and Microsoft had recognized that the burgeoning popularity of digital cameras would bring that the burgeoning popularity of digital cameras would bring about a demand for easy ways to store, modify and share about a demand for easy ways to store, modify and share pictures over the Web. In addition, startup companies like pictures over the Web. In addition, startup companies like Ofoto and Shutterfly had crowded into the photo-sharing Ofoto and Shutterfly had crowded into the photo-sharing market.market.

Background b)Background b) "We found that if reporters were covering photo-organizing "We found that if reporters were covering photo-organizing

software, they were covering the space, not individual software, they were covering the space, not individual products," Pope says. "They were doing roundups." The team products," Pope says. "They were doing roundups." The team realized that their best hope for coverage was getting included realized that their best hope for coverage was getting included in these roundups, since they probably wouldn't be able to in these roundups, since they probably wouldn't be able to convince a reporter to do a stand-alone piece about Picasa.convince a reporter to do a stand-alone piece about Picasa.

Picasa, while a well-developed product, didn't have any Picasa, while a well-developed product, didn't have any standout features. "It's a simple program for people who didn't standout features. "It's a simple program for people who didn't want to mess around with resizing photos, or using want to mess around with resizing photos, or using Photoshop," says Pope. "But reporters who cover consumer Photoshop," says Pope. "But reporters who cover consumer technology are going to measure the product against what they technology are going to measure the product against what they know."know."

And since they were savvy about online digital imaging -- far And since they were savvy about online digital imaging -- far savvier than the average consumer -- they might not be savvier than the average consumer -- they might not be impressed with Picasa's simplicity: "It didn't jump out at impressed with Picasa's simplicity: "It didn't jump out at them."them."

News PegNews Peg In October 2003, Picasa launched Hello, a free utility for sharing photos In October 2003, Picasa launched Hello, a free utility for sharing photos

through an instant messaging-style system. Users could trade photos through an instant messaging-style system. Users could trade photos instantly without the hassle of sending them via e-mail, and could post instantly without the hassle of sending them via e-mail, and could post comments right next to the pictures.comments right next to the pictures.

"Hello provided us with the differentiator we needed: It was free, and no "Hello provided us with the differentiator we needed: It was free, and no one was offering a photo-sharing service that incorporated the instant one was offering a photo-sharing service that incorporated the instant message-like chat function. But now the communications had become more message-like chat function. But now the communications had become more complex. We had to weave two different brand names into the pitch."complex. We had to weave two different brand names into the pitch."

Now that they had a standout product feature to pitch, the Connors PR team Now that they had a standout product feature to pitch, the Connors PR team needed to think of some angles for a possible story.needed to think of some angles for a possible story.

"Our vertical targets were important to us. How would we get to the holy "Our vertical targets were important to us. How would we get to the holy grail of women's magazines?" Pope says. "We had the message of grail of women's magazines?" Pope says. "We had the message of simplicity, and we had to figure out how to get that message to the right simplicity, and we had to figure out how to get that message to the right audience." The team wanted to get beyond the digital camera story, and tell audience." The team wanted to get beyond the digital camera story, and tell users how to share all the photos that are piling up on their computers.users how to share all the photos that are piling up on their computers.

The PitchThe Pitch With the advent of the Hello utility, Pope says his PR team With the advent of the Hello utility, Pope says his PR team

realized they could use the new tool to show reporters, in real realized they could use the new tool to show reporters, in real time, exactly why it was so cool. In early 2004, they time, exactly why it was so cool. In early 2004, they assembled a large list of consumer technology reporters and assembled a large list of consumer technology reporters and editors at newspapers, magazines and Web sites, and sent them editors at newspapers, magazines and Web sites, and sent them a “pitch” asking if they wanted to test out Hello and Picasa.a “pitch” asking if they wanted to test out Hello and Picasa.

In the pitch, members of the Connors PR team offered up their In the pitch, members of the Connors PR team offered up their own Hello screen names so that media contacts could test out own Hello screen names so that media contacts could test out the product with a PR person on the other end, and set up the product with a PR person on the other end, and set up times to do so. times to do so.

"Since photo software was an evergreen topic, our strategy "Since photo software was an evergreen topic, our strategy was to sign reporters up for Picasa, and chat with them directly was to sign reporters up for Picasa, and chat with them directly about the product via Hello. This allowed us to develop key about the product via Hello. This allowed us to develop key relationships with consumer tech reporters, and get a sense of relationships with consumer tech reporters, and get a sense of when and what they were covering."when and what they were covering."

ResultsResults

The on-the-spot approach to pitching Picasa by The on-the-spot approach to pitching Picasa by chatting and sending photos to reporters did the trick. chatting and sending photos to reporters did the trick. One of the first major placements was in the Boston One of the first major placements was in the Boston Globe, which did a roundup on sharing photos online. Globe, which did a roundup on sharing photos online. Other key placements came from USA Today, The Other key placements came from USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.

The goal of raising Picasa's profile paid off big-time The goal of raising Picasa's profile paid off big-time for the company: It was acquired by search engine for the company: It was acquired by search engine Google in July 2004.Google in July 2004.

Analysis means…Analysis means…

Finding answers in informationFinding answers in information Data, context, knowledge, ideasData, context, knowledge, ideas

Turning answers into patternsTurning answers into patterns Prioritizing patternsPrioritizing patterns

Which are most helpfulWhich are most helpful Preparing for actionPreparing for action Completing the info/decision circle Completing the info/decision circle

Analysis deals withAnalysis deals with

SituationSituation Goals Goals Public factors (characteristics, habits, etc.)Public factors (characteristics, habits, etc.) ResourcesResources ConfirmationConfirmation New insightsNew insights Trends into the futureTrends into the future Efficiency (most impact, fewest resources)Efficiency (most impact, fewest resources) Effectiveness (targeted impact)Effectiveness (targeted impact)

Analysis is done…Analysis is done…

Before planningBefore planning Understanding context and previous workUnderstanding context and previous work

During planningDuring planning Of goals, strategy, Big Idea, resources, etc.Of goals, strategy, Big Idea, resources, etc.

During campaignDuring campaign Of ongoing results, Of ongoing results,

At end of campaignAt end of campaign Of overall results, lessons for the future, etc. Of overall results, lessons for the future, etc.

Benefits of AnalysisBenefits of Analysis

Identify opportunitiesIdentify opportunities Clarify issues and factorsClarify issues and factors Makes the most of resourcesMakes the most of resources

Efforts, money, opportunitiesEfforts, money, opportunities Connects levelsConnects levels

To make action more likely, unified, and effectiveTo make action more likely, unified, and effective Produces useful information for future workProduces useful information for future work

Personal BenefitsPersonal Benefits

Skilled analysis willSkilled analysis will Explain what is going onExplain what is going on Connect seemingly-distant factorsConnect seemingly-distant factors Make good use of expensive informationMake good use of expensive information Suggest actions and inactionSuggest actions and inaction Seem like magicSeem like magic

Thank You!Thank You!

John L. Couper, Ph.D.John L. Couper, Ph.D. Visit ReachAcademicVisit ReachAcademic The new, best way to support all your work The new, best way to support all your work

and development goalsand development goals

www.reachacademic.comwww.reachacademic.com