9/11 and the day you landed your first big job—What do they have in common?
In Psychology they're called Flashbulb Memories. Intense, vivid "snapshot" moments of your life when you remember almost every detail and second of a significant event; where you were, what you were doing, who you were with—they are long-lasting memories that can be recalled as easily as remembering what happened just a few seconds ago.
Five years ago today the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast experienced one of those extraordinary moments when Hurricane Katrina struck, an experience that continues to this day.
When it comes to sharing an experience there is no greater mass outlets than Facebook and Twitter. Within the last couple of days I've continually seen other New Orleanians post statuses that say things like, "Five years ago today I was sitting with my family in so-and-so city watching the TV as Katrina hit New Orleans. I prayed, hoped and cried...not realizing my life would forever be different from then on." Whether they are still living in the city or have moved on, they all start with, "Five years ago today..." (On Twitter check #fiveyearsagotoday.)
To outsiders five years ago means one thing, the past. Most of the U.S. is tired of hearing about Hurricane Katrina. Believe me, so are we in New Orleans. Yet, for all the progress we've made in this city, it seems that many people still use the storm as a way to belittle the achievements of New Orleans, such as the Saints were "given" the Super Bowl. And now with the BP Oil disaster, more people seem to be rolling their eyes at our city, claiming we're "dumb" for wanting to live here.
To New Orleanians, five years ago means a lifetime. If you've ever been on a job interview yo
u know the significance of the question, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" It's a question many people don't take seriously, though, I'm willing to bet you won't find anyone, anywhere, who has reflected on that question more than the people of the Gulf Coast. Katrina has changed us forever, and mostly for the good. We look back five years. We look ahead. We take it all in and see where we are. In that moment we cry and laugh all at the same time. It's kind of like being forced to fail so you can truly appreciate success.
Five years is a long time, yet so short. Over the next few days and years you may see more Hurricane Katrina material on TV or online. Despite how the media may portray it, we don't want you to feel sorry for us, heck, we don't. We just want you to take stock of your life, appreciate it and understand that at any moment, it could change in an instant. We just want you to remember like we do. You probably won't be prepared for the Flashbulb Memories that await you—But hopefully when the time comes this advice at least helps you say, "cheese."
Congratulations to HERO|farm client myPhoneMD on opening its 5th smartphone ER! On Tuesday, June 15th, the innovative company celebrated the grand opening of its new Lafayette, Louisiana location. With this addition, myPhoneMD became the second largest smartphone repair chain in the country. Now boasting its own smartphone trauma center, Lafayette joins Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Mandeville as myPhoneMD seeks to expand its availability to citizens across Louisiana, and soon, the nation.
In just a few short months, myPhoneMD has expanded from its two original locations in Mandeville and Baton Rouge to five and has plans for locations outside of Louisiana already in the works. Since first opening its doors, the company has been generating buzz with its “CPR” technique, or Cell Phone Resuscitation. This technique allows the company to quickly fix broken or malfunctioning smartphones through a unique repair process that takes about ten minutes and comes with a six-month warranty. If your smartphone has a cracked/shattered screen, water damage, broken buttons or just isn't working right, bring it to myPhoneMD or call 1-888-LA-MY-PHONE.
It’s summertime, and for most people that means sunny afternoons by the pool, vacations and lighting up the grill. But it also offers the optimum time to re-ignite and energize your mind.
The thought of freedom and fun that beckons just outside your office window doesn’t exactly make for high productivity. If you feel like your creativity has taken a nosedive recently, you’re not alone. Much like TV’s summer lineup, creativity often slows during these hot months because people check out, say bon voyage to reality and coast through to the season’s finish line.
Take advantage of summer’s unique break from routine by continuing to feed your mind. This is the time of year that gets you ready to face the other 9 months. So how do you keep your mind’s motor running smoothly when the heats building? Here are a few slightly off-kilter ideas to keep your creativity from slipping into idle:
• Take a stroll through your local bookstore and hit up the alternative history section. You’ll find some pretty gnarly/weird “What ifs.” WHAT IF 4.5 billion years ago the moon never formed? WHAT IF the Cuban Missile Crisis blew up? WHAT IF Janet Jackson hadn't had a wardrobe malfunction? WHAT IF I hadn't eaten that second burrito?
• People watch. Try to figure out what the hell they’re doing there and who they are. The stories you make up about others can be classic hilarity.
• Rearrange everything around you. Change everything up for awhile—Your routine, your furniture, your driving habits. Even try a different way of eating, walking and interacting with others. Everything.
• Don’t be yourself. Like they say to do in Vegas, take a short trip (preferably where no one will know you), make up a new identity and stick to it. Do the whole shebang—create a life story for who you will be for that day. Have fun with it…but also know when to cut the act.
• Join a group/club/team that seems an odd fit for you. Sign up for a group that’s predominately made up of the opposite sex or is a social hobby you’d never dream of doing. (Competitive ironing anyone?) Will it be awkward? Probably for a little bit, but it’ll definitely get you thinking outside your comfort zone and get you firing on all cylinders.
• Run for office. Are you going to win? Not unless you’re serious about it. But that's not the point for doing this. Just for some kicks, enter your name in an election, any election (PTA, city council, senate, Oprah fan club) and get it on the ballot. Admit it, it’d be pretty cool to see your name on there…just be prepared if you do happen to win, Mr./Mrs. President.
• Start a business from your home. Now I’m not talking about all those cheesy “I made 25 grand a week by sitting at my computer" infomercials. I’m talking about utilizing talents or hobbies you use during spare time. Make great deserts? Offer them for sale. Does tidying up relax you? Parlay that into a weekend cleaning service. Nowadays you can setup an easy small business and nice website in a matter of hours—if that.
• Attempt an "impossible" challenge. I don’t mean dangerous challenges like machete juggling, but something you usually would look at and think “I could never do that” or "I'm not skilled enough." Go ahead and give it the ol’ college try. Even if you don’t beat the odds, just by trying you’ll already have done more than most people ever do. Plates spinning on sticks, anyone?
“In Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Just off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico, British energy company BP is fighting the ongoing ramifications of a major oil spill not seen since the days the Exxon-Valdez in Alaska in 1989. But this isn’t a spill. You spill drinks, beans and guts. Oil isn’t exactly something you throw a few Bounty paper towels on and call it a day. It belches from pipelines and spews onto environmental, social, biological and political factors causing untold backlash, discussion and damage.
About 10 years ago BP rebranded itself with the amazing “Beyond Petroleum” ad campaign and focused on becoming a greener company. BP was able to lift itself to the level of trusted brand and market pioneer. But as a pioneer, you need to keep your eyes on what’s ahead. Oil spills provide the kind of situation that public relations experts plan for but dread: crisis management. Every major company experiences some kind of crisis during their existence—often several. As a Louisianan, I wonder about the long-term effects the spill will have on my state. But also as a marketing professional, I consider hypothetically what else BP could have done. How can BP recover? Is it even possible? Well, Exxon certainly didn’t close down after soaking the Alaskan coastline with almost 11 million gallons of oil. And even though the name Exxon-Valdez is synonymous with oil spills, the brand has removed itself from that notion with the general public and still posts billion dollar profits. That isn’t to say the public has forgotten, however, and neither should BP.
Twenty-one years after Exxon-Valdez, people in Alaska continue to fight the long-term effects of the spill. The local maritime population disintegrated, tourism and recreational industries collapsed, jobs were lost, marriages broken and bankruptcies declared—leading to rampant depression and anxiety. So what do you do when disaster strikes? Most people first think about the bottom line. Over the years Exxon is estimated to have spent $2.5 billion for the cleanup and reportedly paid $300 million soon after the disaster to those affected, as well as hundreds of millions more in punitive damages. That’s a ton of cash, but it doesn’t fix lives broken by the disaster. Exxon didn’t have a sound crisis management plan prior to the spill, a tool that can greatly lessen the blow, and was criticized for having a slow response. Exxon's image was tarnished for several years after and set precedence for PR case studies in what not to do, but nonetheless came out wiser.
So where does that leave BP? Initially the company appeared unsure of itself when the crisis began, but has since regrouped pretty well. As oil continues to slither into the Gulf of Mexico, what can the BP learn from the past and how could they have better approached this problem? Here are a few tips:
1) Establish a consistent presence in the media with a single spokesperson. Have one face represent the company to answer any and all questions. It gives a personal, human quality to an otherwise faceless business. Preferably, make it a local person who genuinely understands the area, can relate to the people and is personally invested in improving the situation.
2) Establish trust. When the crisis first broke BP asked residents to promise not to sue in exchange for a small financial settlement. Nothing shows you care about others like trying to protect your own ass. Acknowledge what happened (fast), create a positive perception by assuring the public you’re doing everything possible to correct it and maintain transparency. Transparency is key in any relationship and is an age old crisis management tool that is not going anywhere.
3) Diffuse the situation by being proactive—not reactive. Set the tone and show your competence by answering questions before anyone gets a chance to ask.
4) Don’t be a deer in headlights. BP seemed lost when the spill initially occurred. Take charge, unite whichever groups want to help and lead the recovery effort. If it’s your mess don’t let anyone else clean it up for you. If you need help ask for it, but don’t let it run it.
5) Socialize. As was seen with the US Airways—Hudson River debacle in 2009 where a bystander was the first to report on the crash, social media needs to be part of every crisis plan. Almost 75% of Americans are now online. Information spreads online like wildfire, and if you’re not there to release it or defend it you’re putting your company at great risk. Reach and assure the public before someone else does. (Check out Southwest Airlines’ strategy utilizing social media.)
Of course, there are numerous other ways to tackle a crisis. But successful companies do not hide their faults; they prepare for every scenario and take them head on when the time comes. The public accepts that no one is perfect, including businesses, but they also recognize when they worry only about themselves. This wasn’t a spill. It’s an opportunity for BP to embrace the challenge, take charge and show the world just how far beyond petroleum they’ve come.
For a couple examples of some famous, successful crisis management responses, click below:
Pepsi’s Syringe Scare
BP’s website with current information on the oil spill
On April 9 & 10, a room full of soon-to-be graduates from colleges across the Southeast attended the 2010 PRSSA Regional Conference in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and received HERO|farm's digital take on the antique 8.5" x 11" resume. Farmers Reid Stone and Shaun Walker were asked to plant some seeds of social media knowledge with the goal of landing a position in the communications industry...And plant they did.
Their presentation, Content is King: Moving Past The Poke, discussed ways to maximize personal branding by utilizing creative social media strategies that build engaging online content. In other words, students and professionals learned how to take skills they already had, and use them to launch their careers. With over 17 examples for creating job-worthy content, attendees left with ideas for not only proving their social media/public relations worth but also a better understanding of what employers are and are not expecting to see from them. The event hosted by the PRSSA of the University of Southern Mississippi was streamed live at USTREAM and the slides from the presentation can be found at slideshare.net.
HERO|farm is honored to have been asked to speak at the conference alongside some exceptional presenters that included the founder of idgroup, Inc. Mona Amodeo, Southwest Airlines’ social media guru Lindsey Reynolds, Coco Design’s founder Jay Massey, ParenteBeard public relations expert Natalie Neczypor, Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s Thomas Broadus, and Red Square Agency strategists Niki Lim and Janine Gascoigne.
The conference wrapped with a speakers' panel on the ethics of posting and the opportunities and pitfalls of social media profiles. Among the lessons attendees took away included putting the "grandmother" filter on posted content, maximizing LinkedIn recommendations and identifying the appropriate privacy settings. Our lesson...We miss college.
