Bateman Group has started off 2012 with a bang!  Today we kicked off our new partnership with a company called Adchemy based in Foster City, Calif. and led by CEO and Founder Murthy Nukala, a veteran leader of innovative, technology-driven businesses.

Adchemy’s mission is to help advertisers leverage consumer intent to create more effective digital advertising experiences. The company is backed by Accenture, August Capital, Mayfield Fund and Microsoft and in 2010 was listed by The Wall Street Journal as one of the top 50 venture-backed companies in the U.S.

Adchemy is a wonderful new addition to our digital advertising and marketing technologies practice. The account will be run by a spectacular team consisting of practice lead and Senior Vice President Bill Bourdon, Vice President Lisa Melsted, Account Manager Shannon Hutto and Senior Associate Kathleen Stuart. I feel confident this will be a long and fruitful partnership for both our organizations. Please join me in welcoming them to the Bateman Group family.

Part 1: A Historical Perspective

When I started out in this industry 20 years ago, I loved to hear the senior staff trade anecdotes about the PR agency workplace prior to the PC era. They would have me and my fellow “Generation Xers” in stitches with war stories about press releases written on old fashioned typewriters and mishaps involving poorly applied white out (or “liquid paper”). Or how press releases were sent back and forth to clients via snail mail, so approvals would often take several weeks until the arrival of FedEx reduced this process to a mere 3 or 4 days (still one of the most “disruptive” business services ever launched, IMHO).

Fast forward to 2010 and I find myself in the somewhat uncomfortable position of sharing my own war stories about the PR industry before the arrival of email and the Internet. The “millennials” recoil in horror at my tales of standing at a fax machine for 16 hours straight on the day of a product launch. They laugh when I attempt to convey the pure joy that accompanied the arrival of our first plain paper fax machine, ending years of frustration with chalky, filmy thermal fax paper rolls.

One way back memory members of Generation Y have a hard time believing is this: THE BUSINESS PRESS REGULARLY COVERED NEW PRODUCT NEWS!  It’s true. In early-to-mid-90s, I worked with several product divisions of Digital Equipment Corp  and we could almost guarantee coverage in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Boston Globe, Forbes, Fortune, Business Week, et al for just about every single product launch ─ even for complex technologies like microprocessors. How was this possible?

Prior to the Internet, coverage of the technology industry was dominated by two dozen or so companies. Among them were familiar names like IBM, H-P, Intel, Texas Instruments, Oracle, Dell, Cisco and Sun Microsystems along with fading brands such as Digital Equipment Corp., Silicon Graphics, Data General, Wang and Informix. The media’s obsession with entrepreneurs and Silicon Valley start-up culture had yet to materialize.

With less companies to cover and lots of print pages to fill, it was common for business media to agree to pre-briefings on product news on Friday and hold it over the weekend under verbal embargo until Monday morning. That’s when the coverage would literally pour in from all the trades and business media. We would average about one new product launch each month, which allowed all of us to amass impressive clipbooks ─ not to mention forge genuine relationships with the members of the business media. I took this all for granted for a long time and boy I sure do miss this pre-Internet phenomenon.

Obviously, today things are much different. Not only in terms of how embargoes are received, but in the kinds of news items that capture a writer’s attention. Just a few years ago, product news still held some allure in the trades. News coverage relied on a steady stream of products and their new capabilities and enhancements. Since 2007; however, there’s been a slow shift with fewer journalists covering product launches. Three reasons for this change are abundantly clear:

1) Shortened News Cycles: The Internet has reduced news cycles from days to seconds.

2) Page View Journalism: The rise of digital media and its ability to measure page views is providing journalists and bloggers with insight into what readers actually want to read about. Concurrently, publishers are increasingly focused on driving more traffic and page views to appeal to advertisers.

3) Increased Noise Level: Unless you’re a closely watched brand like Apple, Google or Facebook spending millions on a product launch event or a pedigreed start-up with tier one investors and well-known entrepreneurs at the helm, a story on your product launch is unlikely to cut through the clutter.

So, the question remains… Is the product launch dead?

Whether or not we like it, things are changing fast. I don’t believe product launches or embargoes are dead just yet, but they are going by the wayside, slowly but surely. Whether you have an embargo in place or not, the quality of the content, the media strategy and, once again, the content, is what will get you maximum results. We as PR professionals need to adapt and evolve our strategies for the product launch. In part two of this series, we’ll be sharing some of our newly formed best practices and recent successes helping clients launch new products into this new environment.

The May issue of Fast Company Magazine features a great article by Ben Paynter on the proliferation of social media tools and how major consumer brands are using them to build customer loyalty. The article, entitled “Five Steps for Consumer Brands to Earn Social Currency”, is also very applicable to non-consumer brands, including many of the B2B technology companies we work with at the Bateman Group.

The impetus of the story was a new study by Vivaldi Partners and Lightspeed Research examining how companies create true value from social media and online community. Not surprisingly, the study revealed that many brands are still using social media to drive buzz, often too fixated on the numbers, i.e., “We’re up to 100,000 Facebook fans now, how cool are we?”

The study offers great insight and real-world cases on what works. Even better, Fast Company’s Paynter did an excellent job dissecting the study for the best five lessons. If you haven’t abandoned this post yet to go read the full article, you should! If you’re too lazy or pressed for time, here’s the Cliff Notes version:

It Ain’t All About the Numbers – Just look at Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks. The former has 80% fewer Facebook and Twitter followers than Starbucks. Yet Dunkin’ Donuts fans are 35% more likely to recommend the brand, according to the study. This is because Dunkin’ takes a more advocacy-driven approach. Their create-the-next-doughnut contest drew nearly 300,000 different entries this year and has become an annual event.

Context is King – Beer drinkers don’t give a rat’s ass if their beer tastes great or is less filling. At least they don’t talk about it with their drinking buddies. This means bottle packaging holds little relevance and that the bonding or “social context” during consumption is what’s most important, according to the study. Anheuser-Busch’s bud.tv encouraged being a solitary Web potato and failed. On the other hand, Bud’s attempt to brand “fan cans” in collegiate colors for tailgating was on the right track. Unfortunately for Bud, it was foiled by college administrators who viewed the campaign as condoning underage drinking.

Not All Brands Need a Facebook Page – Mass-market utility brands such as Gillette aren’t likely to see much upside in social currency, says the study. Gillette has loyal users: 96% of respondents in the study touted its good quality and reliability. Yet Gillette jumped on the social media bandwagon, producing a series of YouTube videos giving tips on how to “manscape” down below. One video shouts, “When there’s no underbrush, the tree looks taller”. Really, Gillette? Really?

Social Tools are Just That: Tools – Axe definitely pushes the envelope with its racy ads and viral videos on CollegeHumor. But does the body spray product really help guys close the deal? Because Axe’s social media strategy is pure goofball, the study concludes that it doesn’t translate as strongly compared with a more serious brand such as Clinique. Clinique’s educational YouTube how-to tutorials on applying makeup have earned it stronger social currency in the end.

Social Media Stunts are for the Birds – Two social media campaigns launched by Wendy’s and Burger King prove this point. Wendy’s “You Know When It’s Real” campaign featured commercial spots, online games, and contests about how it’s never-frozen patties are cooked to order. Burger King’s much buzzed “Whopper Sacrifice” asked fans to drop 10 friends on Facebook to get a free hamburger. Today, BK’s fans have moved on, but customers trust Wendy’s products much more, concluded the study.

To download the full report, visit: http://www.vivaldipartners.com/pdfs/Vivaldi_Partners_Social_Currency_US_Report_2010WEB.pdf.

For those of you social media pros in the know or brand marketers with good common sense, none of these lessons should come as a big surprise. What they all remind us is that any social media initiative needs to be authentic to the brand’s identity and engage its audience in the way they expect and want to be engaged with. If you’re an irreverent brand, it’s fine to perhaps push the limits a bit further. Just be mindful that all the buzz (Facebook fans, YouTube views, etc.) might not translate into more engaged, brand advocates in the end.

We know 2010 will be another fast-paced year filled with new and exciting opportunities for the Bateman Group.  January was a growth month for the firm and February is forecast to be one of our busiest on record.  In order to maintain our superior service levels (and some semblance of sanity), we need to expand our team. We’re seeking exceptional candidates to come in and interview for both Associate and Senior Associate positions at the firm immediately.

Here’s the skinny…

Our base salaries are extremely competitive (but vary based on experience) and our benefits package is considered second to none. It includes 100% paid health, vision and dental insurance; 401K plan with company match; state-of-the-art technology tools including the latest laptops and iPhones; three weeks paid vacation the first year; nine paid sick days; new business referral bonuses, new employee referral bonuses, domestic partnership benefits; free monthly parking; beautifully designed office space; and a convenient location near freeway entrances and public transportation. Last, but not least, we offer a nurturing working environment that supports life/work balance like no other.

Candidates should reside in the San Francisco Bay Area with an ability to work full-time from our offices near Potrero Hill. He/she must able to set priorities and deliver results using excellent written and verbal communication skills. The candidate also should be accustomed to working autonomously under pressure, be extremely self motivated, proactive and deadline oriented. Furthermore, the Bateman Group looks for people who are passionate about technology, have excellent client service skills, proven experience with technology trade, business and social media, a strong team orientation, and would enjoy the opportunity to work closely with agency senior management on their own career growth. Finally, he/she must able to leave their ego at the door, but not their sense of humor.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing exceptional client service, from strategies to tactics
• Creative, proactive communications and business development, including new media (podcasting, blogs, RSS feeds, etc.)
• Driving account activities, positioning ideas to managers and clients, implementing programs and presenting results as they follow
• Content development including: communications plans, press releases, corporate backgrounders, customer case studies, speaking abstracts, awards submissions, contributed articles, etc.
• Executing proactive editorial and social media/blogger influencer outreach programs
• Planning and organizing press/analyst tours and tradeshows
• General account reporting/administrative tasks
• Contributing to business development initiatives and internal training programs as requested

Requirements include:

• Senior Associates possess 3-5 years of high-tech public relations, communications or related professional experience; Associates possess 1-3 years experience (including internships)
• Pre-existing knowledge of at least one of our four main practice areas: 1) Software for consumers, developers, and the enterprise; 2) Systems for the transport of voice and data; 3) Security of the network, desktop, device or data; and 4) Services targeting both businesses and consumers.
• Excellent organizational, communications (written and verbal) and time management skills
• Established relationships with technology trade press/analyst community as well as business press
• Prior client service experience required; new business experience preferred
• Proficiency with basic computer and PR tech applications including Cision, Lexis, Sysomos, Meltwater, CatchPole, Google Docs and News Alerts, MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Additional technology prowess given priority (blogging, podcasting, RSS feeds)
• Ability to travel to and from client/new business meetings as appropriate

If this describes you, please forward a cover letter and your resume via email to: hr@bateman-group.com

We’re not seeking freelancers or contractors for this position – full-time candidates only, please. Individuals lacking technology experience, either agency or in-house, need not apply. No phone calls from candidates or inquiries from recruiters, please. The Bateman Group is an equal opportunity employer.

Last week, The New York Times’ Virginia Heffernan began tolling an early death knell for Facebook in her article, “Facebook Exodus.” According to Heffernan, despite the fact that people are continuing to join Facebook and “compulsively visit the site,” she claims that many people are abandoning Facebook for a variety of reasons-from its heavy-handed tracking of users for marketing purposes to the breakdown in privacy to the heartbreak (yes, heartbreak!) some users feel when “friends” drop them in a public forum. Heffernan says one user compared Facebook to a kids’ new toy-once the novelty wears off, it gets tossed aside.

I think Heffernan may be onto something here. I recently received suggestions from Facebook to “friend” my 70-something aunts and uncles. If this isn’t a clear sign that Facebook has gone too mainstream, I don’t know what is. Thankfully, it hasn’t reached my parents yet-that may be the day I quit myself!  Seriously though, if Facebook users are increasingly over 50 and the site is already being abandoned like my Quik-Curl Barbie once was a few days after Christmas, it begs a couple of questions:

1) Is Facebook’s usefulness as a social media marketing tool beginning to lose its cache?  

2) As PR practitioners, how do we best advise our clients which social media tools are right for their business and for how long?

Social media is still a developing medium. Many of the elements we collectively group together as “social” are still in the early fad stage and largely unproven. We have no way of knowing which will stick and which will go the way of MySpace, which in a two short years has gone from a “must be on it” social network to place primarily used by musicians for self-promotion. All the cool kids once on MySpace gave it up for Facebook long ago. Will, as Heffernan’s article implies, Facebook share a similar fate?

There’s no easy answer to that question, and if I could answer it, I could just pack it in and retire right now! What I do know is that these things come in waves. In PR, businesses must be smart about which waves they surf and which they choose to stand and watch. When mediums such as Facebook and Twitter are new, hip and exciting and early adopters are clamoring to join the wave, the pressure to conform can be overwhelming. After all, that’s how marketing works – it needs to stay ahead of the curve. 

Technology companies feel this pressure every day, particularly when it comes to figuring out how best to mine the emerging social media landscape. Many have begun to engage Facebook as a marketing tool by building “fan pages”. For consumer brands, a Facebook Fan page can be a good tool to build and maintain a community of brand enthusiasts. Facebook Fan pages for Apple Computer, the iPhone or the Wii, for example, make perfect sense to me. Are fan pages also an effective tool for B2B technology companies? It depends. If it’s just a static page of information like news releases or company events that can be easily found on the corporate website, then Facebook adds little value. If you use Facebook to cultivate an active developer community or user group-why not? The bottom line is to know your objectives in advance and be specific about what you want out of social media. Just jumping on the bandwagon will be completely unproductive or potentially damaging to your brand.

I feel Twitter is much better suited as a social media channel for the news-driven nature of PR and B2B campaigns in general. Unlike Facebook’s slow-moving walls, it’s much more dynamic. I can learn up to the minute news or link through to more in-depth information – and I get the added bonus of personality and opinion rather than press release repostings and pictures from the company picnic. I don’t have to worry about whether anyone I follow is actually my “friend” or not, whether they’ll post embarrassing pictures of me with a bad ’80s perm, or whether I’ve insulted anyone by not following them. I can tweet my client’s news or retweet industry articles and not wonder if I’m annoying people I care about. It’s also not profiling me for advertising purposes or making me vulnerable to fraud through the people in my network or quizzes I’ve taken. On Twitter, I can actually follow and get interesting updates from the journalists and other influencers in the industry I need to follow. Kara Swisher of AllThingsDigital isn’t going to friend me on Facebook anytime soon or consider a pitch I post on her Wall. But on Twitter, I can follow her professional musings and even pitch her when relevant. 

My prediction: Facebook will ultimately become a medium for the branding and advertising facets of marketing, particularly for consumer brands where creating a personal affinity with a product is desirable. B2B companies will likely lose interest in using it for marketing within a couple of years. Twitter, on the other hand, will evolve into more of a business tool, with less emphasis on the personal and mundane. And something else will come along soon enough that will upend the process yet again…

So, what do you think?