For some professionals, the best part of the Holiday Season is their job’s annual Christmas party. For many public relations professionals, there are an array of parties to chose from based on clientele, affiliated companies, etc. Last week, I attended two Holiday parties, one for my job and the other for a client I’ve worked with countless times. I had a phenomenal time at both, but throughout the party, many ideas for this post came to mind as I observed interactions and behaviors of the patrons. In reference to my past posts, there is definitely a fine line between enjoying yourself and turning into the talk of the water cooler. Hopefully some of these tips will assist you as you party on!
1. Make your rounds- Mingle with your coworkers, clients, and other professionals that you normally don’t interact with on a daily basis. It helps you gauge the personalities of your coworkers in a casual setting.
2. Attend with your significant other, children, or parents (if you could)- By attending with someone who plays a big part in your personal life, it allows your fellow coworkers and superiors a chance to know your personality and by also including someone so close to you may show how committed you are to both aspects of your life by merging.
3. Have a drink limit- Even if your job offers transportation after the event, please don’t abuse the open bar and make a complete mockery of yourself. Those memories seem to last as long as your duration at your place of employment.
4.Mind your behavior- Don’t come across as creepy, flirty, or out of control. If there’s music, enjoy it…but please don’t invite your bosses wife to dance the lambada in the middle of the dance floor…
5. Send a thank you note or Holiday card to the event’s organizers- It’s just the polite thing to do. Some of the organizers plan for months in advance to ensure that it all goes off without a hitch. Show your appreciation.
Growing up, I was taught to believe that my fore-fathers were Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Marcus Garvey, and Nelson Mandela. They were the faces of freedom in a world that I’ve never known, and a beacon of light to before me who lived in a world torn by division and inequality. When Marcus, Malcolm, and Martin passed on…Mandela was all we had left. When I was six, he was released from prison after serving 27 years under South African Apartheid laws and distinctly remember the reactions from notables around the globe. When Apartheid was officially abolished and Mandela was elected President of South Africa in 1994, the world rejoiced as it was a symbolic sign of equality between races. I rejoiced because it represented the culmination of his struggles and perseverance and it inspired droves of people worldwide. I was too young to grasp that the eradication of racism was worlds away, but I believed in the strength of Mandela’s commitment and had faith in him because he was all we had left. I could write 100 blogs about the impact he’s had on society and it still wouldn’t encapsulate his contributions.
I was coordinating my business trip to Canada with my client when I read unconfirmed reports that Paul Walker had died in a fiery car crash. I checked Twitter, Facebook, and TMZ to confirm the truth and when it was indeed true…I felt the memories of my teenage years flash before my eyes. I could remember for my 15th birthday, my parents finally allowed my friends and I to go to the movies in the evening and our first movie choice was “She’s All That” with Freddie Prinze, JR (The Golden Child of 1999) and Paul Walker. Shortly after, he became the lead of the Fast and Furious franchise and became sort of a face for my generation.
As the news stories poured in about his death, droves of people expressed their feelings about him on various social media sites and it was definitely obvious that he had impacted a significant amount of people. There are many skeptics who wonder why we worry so much about celebrity deaths when we don’t know them personally…I truly feel that since every aspect of their lives are now publicized and constantly available, it is easy to develop a personal connection to their image. Many celebs have personal social media accounts that gives their fans open access to their personal thoughts and lives and it strengthens the connection and idolization that fans feel towards a public figure.
The Paul Walker story was no different. He appeared on our screens for the better part of 15 years and when you see the reactions from his costars, friends, and family members through vigils and interviews, you truly see that the idolization that some had for him was justified by his relationships with those who truly knew him. When social news sites post information about the last minutes of his life, the relationship with his 15 year old daughter, and even the results of his autopsy….it gives many of his fans the opportunity to sensitive and personal information that was once classified before the social media age.
As a music industry professional, I’ve been invited to and attended many events on behalf of my clients, with my clients, and to network across fellow PR professionals, managers, producers, personalities, etc. Majority of these events are of a social nature, but for many professionals it should always be viewed upon as business and a strategic representation of your artist and brand. Your behavior at these events set the tone for how your business and client are viewed and respected among your peers. I’ve seen many professionals play the part and then there are those who’ve carried on as if the event was a frat house beer pong tournament. Below are some tips that may help with navigating through events:
1. Two drink maximum:
Just because an event has open bar, doesn’t mean it has to be “all you could drink”. Remember that you are a representation of your client and your business and act accordingly. It’s okay to have one, but no more than two (and that’s even a stretch).
2. Remember your manners!!
(Enough Said)
3. Leave the throwback jerseys, baggy pants and all remnants of 2003 at home!!! Dress the part and dress for success!
4. Ensure that your client is in the right position for photo ops and interviews.
5. Follow up with all contacts you make within 72 hours of meeting them. Any time after that may come across as phony and rude.
6. Even though you’re there for business, try and enjoy your time there!
In preparation for an awards show earlier this year, I realized that coordinating business travel isn’t as clean and simple as many would perceive. It was usually easy to collaborate with a travel agency and pick up the boarding passes for en route to the airport, but this time was completely different. Our camp had only received confirmation of our artist’s participation 48 hours before the actual event, so needless to say it was a mad dash to organize everything before our clients and road team departed. It took 9 hours, 4 cups of coffee, and numerous conference calls in order to finalize all the travel and thankfully everything went off without a hitch. As public relations professionals, there are going to be times where you will face similar situations and will be expected to handle it almost effortlessly. Here are 5 essential business traveling tips that will help you along the way:
1. Create your own Itinerary
Once you have your flight confirmations and hotel accommodations, it is wise to create your own itinerary. Your personal itinerary should be printed and should contain all flight times, confirmation numbers, flight numbers, hotel addresses, rental car information, meeting times, contact information for people you are meeting with or coordinating the events you will be attending, places and travel times from hotel and airport. This is essential because it allows you to have a clear cut guide of all information pertaining to your trip. If you are scheduling travel for your client, creating an itinerary with all available information is ideal and often expected. This should be done as soon as everything is confirmed.
2. Arrive at least Six Hours BEFORE:
I even say six hours with caution! There are many factors that may cause a delay in travel such as inclement weather, missed connections, etc. and you would not want that to be the reason for you or your client to miss an event or meeting. Arriving at least six hours before your schedule event will afford you time to coordinate local travel, make appropriate calls, and prepare properly without haste.
3. Research Local Events
As a PR professional, it is imperative to know the happenings of the area you are visiting. Never miss an opportunity to further your network and enhance visibility for yourself and your client. Google events related to your selected industry at least four days in advance and attempt to RSVP! It would be ideal to attend events close to where you are lodging or near the site of the event/conference you are attending. Keep your schedule open enough for potential invites.
4. DO NOT FORGET YOUR BUSINESS CARD
This is one of the most important aspects of business travel. It may seem obvious to most, but there have been situations I’ve encountered where professionals are not equipped with their cards. Technology is all the rage, and many of us have grown comfortable with just exchanging numbers on site. What if you lose your phone? You business card should contain your number, email, and even social media information. If you are traveling with your client, you should have a few of their promotional items as well.
5. Try to stick to your daily routine
If you workout daily, try to squeeze in a small workout while traveling. If you are accustomed to speaking with your family and friends at certain times throughout the day, try and stick with it. Sticking to your daily habits while away reduces the stress of business travel and allows you to have a piece of home with you. Frequent traveling has the potential to be strenuous on your personal relationships, but it is best to minimize the effect of your absence from your loved ones.
The music industry has undergone a significant face lift over the past ten years, and it is reflective in the way we view artists and content. The notorious Miley Cyrus is a perfect example because her music is pretty solid and way more mature than the Miley we’re used to, but no one is really speaking of the content as much as they are about the “twerking” and tongue wagging, which is apparently part of her collective branding and marketing image. With her content taking a backseat to the way she is being advertised, it raises questions about the direction of the industry in a whole. I think it’s great..Sinead O’Connor (One of the biggest music sensations of 1990-1991…who basically became irrelevant 20 years ago for ripping up a picture of the pope on SNL will probably vehemently disagree.
As the industry perpetually evolves, we are seeing how important branding reigns superior over content, and it leaves many aspiring professionals, enthusiasts and fans to wonder if the music So when twelve distinguished music industry professionals assembled during The 10th Annual New York City Advertisement Week and shone light on their predictions for the upcoming year, I definitely honed in and wanted to observe and compare trends with their predictions. 2014 is right around the corner, and with various years of experience and success combined, their forecasts will definitely set the tone. Analyzing each prediction will turn this post into a thesis draft, so I will focus on the major theme: Cross Branding and Collaboration
1. Bozoma Saint John, head of music and entertainment branding, PepsiCo: “Branded content will no longer be king — it will be a dictator. All parts of the process — artists, agencies and brands — will be demanding more creative, authentic and unique collaborations. And hair bands will make a comeback, pretty please.” (I loved hair bands…Poison especially)
Growing and enhancing an Artist’s brand has grown to be more significant to professionals and ultimately to the fans than the content. The music has become a piece of the package instead of the collective goal. As Bozoma Saint John stated above, “Branded Content will be a dictator”. That is why artists like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and RIhanna prove to be consistently successful. Their singing voices are not the best (comparable to the Whitney’s, Celine’s, and Mariah’s) but their images and brand development have provided them with the attention and notoriety that their music alone would not have given them. (Maybe Gaga…Definitely 2009 Gaga..Not 2013 Gaga)
Gaga.. ooh… la… la
While most of us are aware of the significance of branding. It’s beginning to branch off into a plethora of subsets, with cross branding and the merging of genres and publicity beginning to take hold. In the advertising world and maybe in corporate America…Cross Branding may exist in a different capacity, but the definition is definitely relative to the music industry trends. According to Boston.com in regards to their company developing a new “Insight”plan for advertising , Cross Branding refers to “combining advertising content, social media and blog posts from outside brands with related news stories, the site hopes to provide improved engagement for advertisers and a new way to place information in front of a highly targeted audience.”
Back in the 90’s, artists rarely collaborated with each other unless it was for social efforts or “remixes” to songs. In recent years, especially the past two, majority of the most popular songs of the year have been collaborative efforts…whether the artists are represented by the same management, label, etc. and it’s been working! It rises above just an appearance on a colleague’s album, it has taken shape and is beginning to take on a life of its own.
2. Gabe McDonough, – Music Director of Leo Burnett stated that “We’ll see further iterations of brands really releasing albums,” and that in this day and age, We’re also seeing a lot more genres bleeding out from where you might have traditionally put them before — country music in spots that aren’t just about trucks and stuff, or Latin music in spots that are aimed at everybody, even with Spanish language.”
I really think that the development and constant trend of cross branding and collaborating is pushing artists to think more creatively and objectively. The visuals are definitely appeasing for the fans, its like the merging of two or three distinct fan bases at a time. So if 2014 is all about cross branding, then I am all for it. I believe it challenges the artists to put forth their best.
I just want to thank the most notable figure in cross branding: I call him the Godfather of Rap Mergers
Jay Z was one of the first artists of the digital era to release a collaboration effort…which one do you think it was?
Tavia's Thoughts 