I never do two posts in one day, but this one is itching to be written.

T.G.I. Fridays has a new promotion out: BYOB Summer (Bring Your Own Buddies.) You can read it here. In the lead sentence, they used the word “kick-ass.”

No, I’m not joking, PR pros. So here’s my take on pros and cons.

Pros:

1. The title of the promotion is BYOB. Now, what comes to mind is ‘Bring Your Own Beer’ which might warrant the word choice. It’s looking at the after work bar crowd who will bring big groups of people to Happy Hour.

2. The target audience seems to one of an older crowd, especially because they promote their new drinks in it. So is it a successfully crafted pitch? They use words – and mentions of social networks – that will probably attract the 21+ audience. Those of us that have been chatting about it on Twitter are already causing buzz.

Cons:

1. TGI Friday’s has always been a family-friendly restaurant to me. Are they going against their brand? Will they be able to go back to the other perception?

2. Cussing in press releases  isn’t standard.  How will the media perceive this if they receive it in their inbox? I ran it past both seasoned reporters and newbies, and most said the same thing: ‘It grabbed our attention, but we don’t know how professional it is to use that.’

So, let’s discuss. Bold move or Bad choice?

*Image Copyright of T.G.I. Fridays.

LAF Note: Another 2 for 1 Blog Special – My #followfriday picks are at the bottom of the page.

“Just because you’ve always done it that way doesn’t mean it’s not incredibly stupid.”

I don’t remember where I heard that, but it was at a conference within the last two years. Harsh? Sure. But it can also be true. Many times, we get stuck in the same routine, or always pitching the same way, or just becoming so inundated in your routine that you never try to add to it. I can count on my hands and toes how many times I’ve heard “Well, that’s the way it’s always been done.” So?

Routine should be your foundation. But you also have to be willing to try new things.

1. Branch out with your media outlets. Yes, you still need to make sure they fit your angle. Research is a great skill for any PR pro to have. Look at magazines, alternative weeklies and blogs. Try it out. A large circulation newspaper might read about your client or organization in something smaller, and keep an eye out for what you’re doing.

2. Challenge the norm. I don’t mean change the coffee from regular to decaf, because who wants to deal with cranky people? Try a new approach to a campaign. Be as innovative as your press release says your client is. Ask questions.

3. Energize. If you need new ideas for creativity, bust out your music. Do a cartwheel in your office (only if this is appropriate.) Call up an old colleague or mentor and shoot the breeze. You never know where your next idea will come from. You have to be willing to be observant and practical, but also open to change.

So what do you think? How else can you challenge the norm as a PR pro?

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And… #followfriday. Usually I do one guy and one girl, but I am featuring two men this week. Why? Because I said so.

Kilt-wearing Awesome Dude of the Week: Danny Brown, @dannybrown

People tell me all the time how nice and kind I am – but DB puts me to shame. He is the most genuine, kind and all-around sweetheart guy that I know. He started the 12for12k challenge, which aims to raise $12,000 for a different charity each month – all through social media. He’s a great writer and his blog proves that – plus it doesn’t hurt that he’s smart, savvy and takes the time to talk to anyone and everyone.

Would Wear Heels if He Could Be Superman: Sonny Gill, @sonnygill

Any guy that will tell me he would wear red patent heels if he could have Superman powers gets an A in my book. His sense of humor draws you in, but he’s an extremely smart cookie as well.  Plus, do you love sports? I could talk for hours with this kid about any sport, stats, legends… you name it. Sonny is a must follow because he knows what he’s talking about.

The Yum CEO (Parent company of KFC) stated that the grilled chicken fiasco was  a success in an article that ran this week.  According to Brandweek, “Parent company Yum’s second quarter earnings, announced today, showed KFC sales went from a negative 7 percent in the first quarter to a positive 3 percent in the second quarter. Yum CEO David Novak called the launch the most successful in KFC’s history and added that the item now accounts for 40 percent of KFC’s chicken-on-the-bone sales. ”

Man, you need to lay off all that fried chicken you’re obviously eating.

Brand success is not all about the money. It’s about consumer perception, and well, you kind of let everyone down when you became an Indian giftgiver of grilled chicken. The world is all about diets nowadays – and you just took it away from consumers. Plus, who doesn’t love getting free food?

To me, that’s not success. All of the blogs and Twitter posts about how people felt about your publicity stunt threw a mid-size bomb into your brand’s perception.  Many probably wanted to try out the chicken -

Does Yum understand branding?

Also in the article, this was stated: “It created a demand, a buzz and a lot of free press. It gave a lot of people a reason to try it.”

Please repeat after me: Just because it’s free press doesn’t mean thats a good thing. The whole ‘Press is press’ mentality drives me crazy. Now, the advertising on Oprah -great idea. But it can’t be a great idea if you can’t follow through. You need to have a strategy and be prepared. Planning is something that every PR person should know – and also know that branding is never just about the dollar signs.

What do you think? Was the KFC campaign a success?

*Picture taken from Brandweek article and a copyright of Yum and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

LAF Note: It’s that time again, #FollowFriday for the Twitter peeps.  It’s been awhile since I’ve done one, but since my travels have settled down, I felt the pull. And hey, what better way to start off a weekend than to recognize some awesome people?

Mujer Confidente of the Week: Amy Mengel, @amymengel

Amy is always telling me that she’s a quiet one – but here’s the thing. It’s a quiet confidence that commands attention through her words. You want to listen when Amy blogs or gives advice. She has an uncanny knack to make you feel comfortable right off the bat – plus she’s always making me laugh. A is a must follow for corporate comm and PR people – or if you just need a good ear or direction.

El Jefe of the Week: Arik Hanson, @arikhanson

Not much I can say about Arik that hasn’t already been said – but a few key words: rockstar, brilliant, dedicated and always willing to help come to mind. Arik doesn’t care about the level of experience you have or how old you are. He wants to know what you can bring to the table.  He has an incredible drive and is always challenging me to think outside the box – and go for what I want. Anything is possible in his head. Another must follow this week.

A topic that has been bugging me since my intern days: the role of being a woman in the business world – especially in PR – and having to reign in your personality so that you don’t come off as flirtacious with clients. I’ve heard about and witnessed it before. Women are friendly to clients, asking questions and genuinely listening to them. The client, in turn, responds well. An outsider looking in, as in a supervisor, might feel that you are crossing that hazy line between too friendly and professional.

So, what’s the line?

Three Things:

1. Do you keep your personality in check until you have an established relationship with the client?
2. What if you are a personable person? How do you turn off your personality?
3. Will the lines of professionalism change as we move into social media? Does having access to a FB page, a Twitter account, etc. make it easier to become friends with a client? And should you be doing that?

As PR professionals, we can be viewed as people pleasers. We try to make our clients and organizations happy with positive press and great media relations – all delivered with a positive and pleasant attitude. I think it might be easier for a PR professional unknowingly cross that line than most, because of the nature of our job. We just tend to be friendly, upbeat people.

What are your thoughts? Discuss.

Today, I have a guest post over at my friend Sasha Murdali’s blog. You can check it out here.

The post details the response to their Bruno movie segment by the “Hot PR Twins” (as they call themselves), who are two girls who own a PR firm in L.A. I analyze it, provide feedback and tips, as well as my thoughts to the response.

Cheers,
LAF

I blog a lot about PR tools, how social media affects PR and what we can do to be better PR professionals. However, what about those that are entering the PR field and wondering what tools they do need?

What about the tools they DON’T need? Let’s face it, not everyone is a rockstar PR professional, nor are they ever going to be. Many times, hard work and dedication will get you far in this field. If you don’t have the foundation, however, you won’t make it. Below are three points that won’t add to the next great PR pro:

1. I want to dress up, meet celebrities and like, host parties

The public relations field is viewed as a glamorous all night party on many TV programs. With how my TV kids watch nowadays, it’s no wonder that many enter their college public relations programs thinking that’s what it is. Wrong.  Public Relations does not equal solely publicity.  Yes, you might plan events.  You will be the one running around, making sure all of the details are seen to, dealing with any crisis and making sure that everyone is happy.

2. I have to write and research?

Yes. Two strengths I always tell PR students is that they must be able to write and research well. Most of my days are spent writing, researching and executing media relations. PR is all about getting the word out – and you have to know the market and your audience before proceeding.

3. “I’m a people person.”

Good for you – so is everyone else. Your personality can get you far in this field – but it’s through pitching, promoting a brand and landing media hits that will get you even farther. Many times, being extremely personable can come off as flirty and non-professional. There is a line – and you have to work for a brand that fits your personality.

So, what would you add?

*Photo copyright of HBO and Sex and the City.

Edit on 7/13/2009: The post has garnered more than 100 comments and provided a very interesting discussion. I, for one, am very grateful to both my readers and David’s for contributing. This is a topic we felt deserved to be written about and discussed. Thanks for reading!

Today’s post is located over on David Mullen’s blog, who was the co-writer for the blog entry. The topic covers whether The Gazette in Colorado Springs, Co., should have called out their summer intern for plagiarism, rather than just understandably firing her (which they did.)

The post is located here. What do you think?

-LAF

I’m a big advocate of having mentors. I think that those that can guide you, provide advice and offer an ear when you need it are only beneficial in the professional world. Why is it that we default to those older than us and in higher positions?

Why not turn to your peers or those younger than you?

By no means am I saying that you should turn your back on those more experienced in the field – those are vital to building the type of professional worker you would like to be. But someone young has an almost naive view of the field – and might not be as cynical and have had negative experiences. The optimism is there; the drive to do well is there; and having people as a support system and a foundation can bring your ideas even quicker to fruitation.

Mentoring is a two way street. Both the mentor and mentee should be getting something out of it. If they aren’t, it’s not a right fit. The balance of give and take is imperative when it comes to mentoring.  The younger person or peer might know of a new technology, or be so removed from the situation that they can act as a general public. They also don’t have the attitude that affects more seasoned professionals at times: “Well, this has always worked. Why change it?”

Why? Because change makes you better. Trying new things makes you better. And, yes, learning from mistakes makes you better.

Tomorrow features a guest post from my friend, Arik Hanson, that I think you will enjoy. Stay tuned.