Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, showed up last week on his first stop of the Facebook public offering road show in *gasp in horror* a black hoodie.  Critics from Wall Street to Silicon Valley are commenting on his hoodie.  Some investors suggested Zuckerberg step aside and that his hoodie showed signs of immaturity, Shel Israel noted in his article, “Does Zuckerberg’s Hoodie Matter?”

A New York Times writer, Somini Sengupta, discussed “hoodiegate” and referenced the Twitter hashtag #zuckerbergshoodie in his piece, “Why Is Everyone Focused on Zuckerberg’s Hoodie?”  Those in Zuckerberg’s defense have said that it is a sign of his youthful confidence, not immaturity.

Whether or not Zuckerberg meant disrespect to the suits on Wall Street with the hoodie will not determine the success of Facebook’s historical IPO. Let’s face it, a bunch of suits on Wall Street just lost $2 billion! Love him or hate him, if Zuckerberg showed up in a suit there would have been backlash as well.  Regardless, he is set to make some serious cash on Friday when it is rumored that they may or may not go public.  Maybe then he can buy a few more hoodies.

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That was the question raised by Richard Hope, CMO of Jersey Mike’s, as he spoke to JSPRAA (Jersey Shore Public Relations & Advertising Association) members on May 4 in West Long Branch, NJ.

At the event, Hope explained that marketers constantly strive to reinvent themselves only to find that if the essence of their brand image is not based on authenticity, it is doomed for failure.  According to the Authentic Brand Index, “at its heart, authenticity is about practicing what you preach; being totally clear about who you are and what you do best.” Hope also discussed how to keep your brand image real and provide an authentic experience for customers.

Before delving into how Jersey Mike’s maintains its own authenticity, Hope lauded Coca-Cola for staying true to its brand identity (versus PepsiCo’s perpetual logo alterations). He then cited examples of established brands attempting (read: failing) to branch out to other markets such as frozen dinners from Colgate, disposable underwear from Bic,  and Zune, the now discontinued line of digital media players from Microsoft.

A staple of the shore area, Jersey Mike’s Subs is a franchise restaurant chain with more than 600 stores open and under development in 33 states. The first store opened in 1956 in Point Pleasant and was originally called Mike’s Subs. When the company began franchising in 1978, Mike’s Subs became Jersey Mike’s Subs to capture the authenticity of where its famous sub sandwich was born. Hope noted that in all of its corporate and franchise locations across the country, the menu and signage are the same, staying true to its brand. Jersey Mike’s is also a charitable organization that gives back to the communities where they operate. Hope explained that prior to each store’s grand opening, the company aligns with a local charity and a percentage of proceeds (from the first five days of operation) are donated to the non-profit organization.

Jersey Mike’s is clearly a company that has striven to maintain its brand authenticity. As Hope outlined, remaining true to its brand identity has enabled the company to maintain its customer base over the years that come back to Jersey Mike’s for an authentic submarine sandwich.

Is your brand authentic?  Let us know how in the comments below.

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Want to know a secret? New Jersey is quietly emerging as a technology hub.

I know what you are thinking. Despite the jokes about the Garden State and the perceptions, thanks to Pauly D, The Sopranos and the most tanned lady on the planet, New Jersey is home to some really interesting startups and innovation.

In the past 18 months, several meetups have popped up to support groups congregating in key areas of New Jersey, from Hoboken and Princeton to Red Bank and Asbury Park. There is a renaissance in the making, and the state that is largely known for pharmaceuticals and farm-fresh tomatoes is evolving into a technology and telecommunications center.

Cultivating the growth of startups and entrepreneurship in New Jersey is TechLaunch, one of several accelerator programs to help facilitate the commercialization of innovative technology. It was formed in collaboration with the NJ Economic Development Authority (EDA), Montclair State University and successful entrepreneurs.  Executive Director Travis Kahn explains the technology ecosystem which New Jersey has to offer in this recent interview on TechCrunch.

Companies like Thumb (crowdsourced market research), Sched-It (social calendar), WhipTail (enterprise storage), and EtherFax (cloud fax automation) are just a few companies that have roots in New Jersey.

Through TechLaunch, the various meetups and support from academia such as Princeton University, Rutgers University and Stevens Institute of Technology to name a few, there is no doubt New Jersey will distance itself from the jocularity and create a new persona anchored around technology and innovation.

Disclosure: The Red Bank meetup a.k.a. NJConnect is organized by Springboard Public Relations. Additionally, Domenick Cilea, the author of this post was recently asked to be a mentor for TechLaunch.

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This week we shared an article around the office titled “Agencies Ditch Blogs.” As you can imagine, the article explained how various agencies are ditching their company blogs and focusing more time on social media platforms, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc. Some agencies are posting here and there about company news and accolades, while others are choosing to simply forgo the process altogether. The only question I have is… why?

At Springboard, we look forward to producing blog posts. Not only do our posts give our readers (and clients) a glimpse of our personalities, but they also highlight our strengths. As public relations professionals, we assist clients with everything from content creation and media relations to branding and social media. Clients look to us for the next step, and our company blog allows us to share the very strategies and practices we utilize for our clients on a daily basis.

Blogs are social in nature. Maintaining a blog is just as important as maintaining your other social media accounts and should continue to play an active role in your social strategy.  In fact, blog content can feed your social media properties.  Use your blog to offer your expertise, opinions on current events, and insight into the industries of your clients.  Then, use social media to echo and repurpose those opinions.  Blogs and social media should be complementary and can provide a concerted lift for your overall online presence.  If the reason for ditching a blog is because nobody is tuning in, perhaps it’s time to focus more time on creating interesting and compelling content rather than just throwing in the towel.

In this office, we are committed to practicing what we preach. We recently made the decision to increase the amount of content we post, publishing three blog posts each week.  In addition to increasing our Website and page views, this new format reinforces our commitment to our social strategy. Want to know what we think about a certain topic in the PR, marketing, or social media world? You’ll most likely find it in a recent post. If you don’t, let us know! We want to engage you, our readers, and keep you coming back.

Have any suggestions for the Springboard blog? Leave them in the comments below!

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Last week, I wrote about the marketing issues associated with the Rebel Race, a military style, mud-laden obstacle course.  The organizers promoted it as a grueling course that allows participants to “test their physical toughness and mental endurance.”  Because of a lack of mud and a few unsafe obstacles, the race failed to live up to the hype which sparked a muddy revolt on the company’s Facebook page.

Can you say social media mudslinging?

Consistent with most mud runs, Rebel Race offered various heats on Saturday and Sunday.  By Monday morning, there were hundreds of rabble-rousers expressing their displeasure for how the event was run.  Someone actually set up a separate Facebook group page that includes a trove of comments and even a letter submitted to the Better Business Bureau.

So how did the Rebel Race react to this social media scrutiny? Some may argue not fast enough.  To their credit, the organizers posted an update on Saturday acknowledging work was being done to deliver a better experience for Sunday’s participants (see below).

Unfortunately, the race experience was more of the same on Sunday, and the feedback on Facebook continued.  While there were some positive comments, a majority was negative.  On Monday, Rebel Race posted the following statement (see below):

From a crisis communications perspective, the company’s message was direct.  It acknowledged the unexpected issues and reinforced the need to ensure safety. However, it did not offer any assurance on how it was going to remedy the situation and fix future races.  In situations like this, rebuilding trust is priority one.  Offering a 50 percent discount (with an imposed deadline of seven days to redeem it) as a consolation for a “less than fun experience” is not the best way to earn a second chance. Perhaps a full refund or free registration to a future race would have conveyed genuine concern, empathy, and a commitment to making things right.

Social media offers a two-way channel to engage with people and listen. It’s debatable whether or not the Rebel Race was listening, but they are clearly in a muddy mess.

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Finally, a reality show that we can relate to! I mean, sure there are some of us who think that they have the looks of the Bachelor or the survival skills of Survivor but for anyone who has worked at an agency, The Pitch is finally one for us.

Let me start off by saying that this does not glamorize agency life (some of you may recall PoweR Girls on MTV – the furthest thing from reality I have ever seen!).  This show pits two competing ad agencies against each other, both vying for a new account. And so far in the first two episodes, these new accounts are no small fry accounts. Subway and Waste Management.

The Pitch takes you through how each agency approaches the “pitch,” from what goes into the brainstorming, development, creative work and through the actual presentation and selection, and from late nights and stressful meetings to technical difficulties during the presentation.  Sound familiar? Yeah, me too.

I think after watching the show, people not in the business can appreciate the detail involved in attracting and retaining new clients. The time and costs that go into preparing each “pitch” can really be stressful for an agency, especially the smaller ones.

Set your DVR to Mondays at 9 PM EST on AMC if you haven’t already. Interested in hearing what you think!

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Two weekends ago, I ran the Rebel Race, a military style obstacle course and trail race. Compared to other mud races, such as Tough Mudder, McGuire Mud Run, Rock Solid and Rugged Maniac, this event did not live up to the company’s hype, as there was a discrepancy between what was advertised and what was delivered.  As a result, hundreds of unhappy participants slogged to the Rebel Race’s Facebook page, causing a tremendous amount of social media mudslinging.

According to the company’s marketing materials:

The Rebel Race Series is designed for people feeling the urge to tackle intense obstacles.  From start to finish, Rebel Race’s military style obstacles will have you dashing, barricade-climbing, mud-crawling, rope-swinging and fire-jumping.  Our grueling course forces each rebel to test their physical toughness and mental endurance.  Cross the finish line and bask in the glory with tons of beer, food, live entertainment, and many new friends covered in mud.  Earn the bragging rights!

Sure there were obstacles, barricades and fire, but based on the Facebook feedback, the course was not grueling and lacked mud, a key ingredient for these types of races.  One racer commented, “Definitely a disappointment!!!!!! Very misleading Web site…. we made our own fun, but the race and camping situation was totally not what was advertised!!! Never doing the rebel again!!”

Another summed up the experience with the following, “Having done a few of these, this race was by far below par. I would not sign up for it again, nor would I recommend this race. You can identify all the logistical issues you want, but at the end of the day, we all paid for a race, and we did not get what we paid for.”

When formalizing your marketing and content strategy, it is important to carefully articulate what the customer can expect.  Overstating a product, service or experience will only lead to disappointment. Had Rebel Race framed its event as an entry-level obstacle course, it may have tempered the expectations of the participants, thus eliminating most of the scrutiny and social media backlash that took place.

Check out my follow-up post this Monday about how Rebel Race handled the crisis and what they could have done better.

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From a branding perspective, social media has become an invaluable marketing component, enabling companies to listen, engage and analyze data. Furthermore, social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, serve as platforms for companies to build relationships and trust with their prospects and existing customers.  However, many companies are infatuated with increasing their number of Twitter followers and Facebook fans as they believe it provides a perception of authority and popularity. Sometimes, it’s all about bragging rights.

Instead of attracting followers and fans organically, some companies have opted to purchase their social media audience. Sure, you can purchase followers and fans in bulk as a quick fix, but will there be authentic engagement –  or any engagement at all?  It should be noted that buying Facebook fans using Facebook ads is a little different, as you can target by geography, interest and a number of other parameters, but when you buy Twitter followers through third parties, you don’t really know what you’re getting.  These bought followers and fans will not engage with you as much as the followers and fans whose trust and interest you have earned.

While purchasing followers may have some impact on short-term perception, there is no question that this strategy will not benefit companies’ long-term objectives. Building a larger follower base on Twitter can be achieved by actively following relevant tweeters (check out Followerwonk and Tweepz) and consistently engaging with followers and non-followers.  In sum, there are no shortcuts.

Our mantra here at Springboard is that social media is all about quality over quantity.

What is your take on buying followers and fans?

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This week, Google announced the launch of Google Drive, a service that allows users to store and share files in the cloud from any device. With Google Drive, users can do everything from creating and sharing documents and spreadsheets with real-time tracked changes, search for content with keywords and filters, view over 30 different file types, and share files from a variety of apps. Additionally, Google Drive features Google+ integration, so videos and photos are instantly available on the site. Before you get started, it’s important to note that once again, privacy issues come into play.

Flurries of articles were published following the launch announcement, including this one from the Wall Street Journal, questioning Google’s privacy policy. The policy states that when users upload content, “you give Google and (those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content.”  Essentially, many businesses are worried that the company data and content they store in Google Drive could potentially become Google’s intellectual property.

Google, along with Drive competitors Dropbox and SkyDrive, have made it clear that users have complete ownership of their intellectual property. Following an uproar among tech bloggers about privacy, Google expressed that users “retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours.” However, we all know Google uses our data to tailor advertisements and searches.  Will their opportunism ever compromise the data we share on Drive?   As discussed in my two most recent blog posts, online privacy really is becoming a thing of the past.

At the end of the day, all of the most popular cloud storage services have similar privacy policies, differing only in their use of legalese. It’s up to you, the user, to decide who you trust the most with your information. If you are overly concerned with the possibility of your information being used in a way that you do not approve of, you may just have to steer clear of the internet. Welcome to the 21^st century, folks.

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Earned media refers to public relations, analyst relations and investor relations.  The term is pretty self-explanatory, but the wording can reveal much about the way the media operates.  This is especially true when considering counterpart terms like paid media, which refers to advertising and sponsorships, and owned media, which refers to your website, blog, etc.  The phrasing of the latter two suggests control whereas the former intimates a lack thereof.

Earned media does offer the least control (if we’re not including social media in the conversation, that is), but it is also the most potent.  Owned media and paid media will do exactly what you tell it to do, but earned media is more volatile.  That makes some folks uneasy.  They prefer the security of knowing exactly what they’re getting.  If you pay for a banner ad, you know the dimensions, how long it’ll be up there, and how it’ll look.  On your website, you determine which media and copy are presented.  Earned media, by contrast, is never guaranteed and is difficult to predict (even reporters don’t always know what the final product will look like or when it’ll run).

But earned media’s weakness is also its strength.  It’s precisely that unpredictability that bespeaks a credibility not found in earned media and paid media, although they also play important parts in today’s marketing mix (watch a video on our POSE methodology for more on how).  Your website can be the snazziest, most informative website in your industry, but a visitor will know that you’re choosing what goes on there, even if those elements are third-party validators.  Today’s consumer is more educated than ever and, therefore, is more skeptical of paid media than ever.  Earned media, however, is vetted by journalists.

Sure, there is risk when you don’t have control. The potential downside of a third-party review can be negative feedback.  However, if you do your homework (or your representative does it for you), you can minimize the potential for negative fallout.  Still, it’s important to understand when pursuing earned media that uncertainty is the price you pay for the boon of glowing publicity.  Usually, media coverage for your business won’t be one extreme or the other; it’ll be a balance.  A balanced, mostly positive article, segment, etc. trumps the shiniest ad out there at a fraction of the cost.

But don’t take my word for it.  This blog post is owned media and has not been vetted by a third party.