A 2-year-old girl is being recorded on video by her father, and just as he’s almost done recording, she grabs for the camera. Dad didn’t have time to stop recording, and a 2-year-old's hands grasp the camera. You hear her immediate need for gratification: “I wanna see.”

This was the story being told and shown by Jim Lin, VP of digital strategy at Ketchum Public Relations in San Francisco and author of the BusyDadBlog, as he finished his workshop at the Visual Storytelling Workshop that was held recently in San Francisco.

The audience gathered to learn from Lin; Lou Hoffman, CEO and founder of The Hoffman Agency; Brian Solis (via Skype), author and principle analyst at The Altimeter Group; and Lee Sherman, co-founder and chief content officer at Visual.ly.

Hoffman started by talking about the importance of telling a good story and how visuals serve as the shortcut to the emotional touch points of the story.  In fact, he spoke about a study that The Hoffman Agency did on articles in The Economist and how 17% of the stories over a three-month period included anecdotes, yet less than 5% of press releases do so.  

Storytelling today has a new process. Online, good stories can take on a life of their own. Hoffman showed his theory of the new Communicator’s Story Spike:

Lin then spoke up about how visual storytelling can be the cure for the “common meh.” Good visuals can bring the true emotion to the story. Piggybacking on those emotional touch points, Lin spoke about how people don’t always remember the stories (facts and figures), but remember how they felt in that moment -- yet too many brands leave passion on the table to settle for just the facts and text. The importance that multimedia can bring to the table ... good snackable content … and related the contents of a multimedia story to that of a good lunchable – short text, nice video, good visual, all in one box ready to be lunch. This is truly the way to make your story an experience for the consumer of that story. At PR Newswire, we know this is true based on our own studies that have shown that visual stories get more views and generate more engagement.

Solis then joined the crowd via Skype. In just launching his new book, WTF Business – What’s The Future of Business, Solis spoke about creating a business book that was more meant to be a visual experience. (I know it’s the first business book that I’ve seen that is in a coffee-table book format.) His desire to present his content in this way was developed with his passion to try new things and break the rules of common convention.

When it comes to breaking common conventions today, Solis passionately spoke about this being the best time for PR and marketing professionals to recreate all the rules. The trends of content marketing are about “stitching together moments of truth” for the passionate consumer. Solis explores these “ultimate moments of truth” in his book, and finds that connecting visuals and stories lead people down the path to purchase because we are now connecting facts and figures to emotions.

Finally, we heard from Sherman from Visual.ly, one of the most visually exciting companies out there today. Sherman is passionate about connecting data to that visual story. People are starting to suffer from I.F. – "infographic fatigue." So, now we need to be able to tell a better and more cohesive story, and visuals can help do that. Just check out this video created by Visual.ly:

Visual storytelling doesn’t have to be complex, but it does have to be emotional. PR Newswire will be hosting another workshop on Visual Storytelling in Atlanta on April 24.

Location, Topics, Who

Location is a factor for a number of people, because that sometimes encompasses the cost.  Generally, I do prefer conferences that are easy for me to get to, and I think a lot of people feel the same.   However, location is often trumped by the following:  Topic of the conference; Who is speaking; and Who is attending.

The Topic of the conference and who is speaking are big motivators for me. It’s not always the big name speakers that bring me in, but the caliber of the smaller sessions.  I find that I tend to learn more in the small breakout sessions than the larger keynotes.  There’s something about being close to the speaker in room where the speaker can engage the audience directly.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing keynotes that I’ve been too, but the personalization that can take place in a room of 50-75 people is hard to replicate.   Some of the best sessions I’ve been to in the past month were sessions that had 30-50 people in them where there was more of an opportunity to listen and ask questions and start true conversation.

This is where who is attending plays a role.  If I see that there are a number of people I know or people whom I want to know are attending – based on companies and titles (which is sometimes published in advance), then I’m all there.  I ask on Twitter or other social networks who might be attending an event and look for the hashtag of the event weeks or even months prior to see what the buzz is like. (note, if you are hosting an event – please choose a short hashtag and start talking about your event as soon as you announce the event).   If I know the caliber of the audience is going to be high, then I can also expect not just to be learning in the sessions, but learning in the breaks too.  However, in the sessions, so much can be learned by the audience asking really good insightful questions.

When do I find I learn the most?

At the recent Content Marketing World, there were so many sessions so full of good speakers that I had a hard time choosing which sessions to go to.  Almost every session that I attended was great – but I actually tended to not go to the sessions that most people were going to.

I looked for interesting topics and I tended to focus more on individual presenters vs. panels.   I tend to enjoy presenters who don’t just talk, but ask questions of the audience to tailor the presentation to who is in the room – not always an easy thing to do.  I also learn more when the pace of the session moves at a good click – but not too fast (admission: as a presenter this is sometimes my biggest mistake).   I also tend to like highly visual presentations because if I wanted to just listen to someone read bullet points, I could simply view the presentation on Slideshare later.

Networking Matters

I also get the most out of events where there is conversation and networking done in the halls and even in the exhibits area.  At the recent Internet Marketing Association Conference in Vegas and the Converge Symposium, I got so much out of just talking and networking with other attendees.   Small conversations that even included access to the speakers were tremendously valuable, and that’s likely why I want to go to these conferences again.

Finally, I really appreciate when conference presentations are made available after the conference and forums allow people to continue to connect and converse after the event.  I so appreciate that Content Marketing World encouraged their presenters to post presentations to Slideshare and elsewhere online after the event.

Putting The Learning to Work!

PR Newswire is hosting the Integrated Communications forum in Seattle next week.  What we’ve learned from putting these events on in 4 other cities this year is being put to use here.  We believe that an Integrated Communications forum must integrate the audience into the conversation to be successful.   We’ve put together a great line up:

• Rod Brooks, VP & Chief Marketing Officer, PEMCO Mutual Insurance
• Bill Cox, Senior Director of Marketing Communications, Microsoft
• Jessica Evans, Senior Account Supervisor, Edelman Digital
• David Patton, Editor in Chief, Waggener Edstrom
• Tim Fry, Executive Vice President, General Manager, Weber Shandwick

Just check out how interactive our event in San Francisco and Chicago were earlier this year:

San Francisco: storify.com/mpranikoff/content-marke

Chicago:  storify.com/bdionline/9-19-chicago-integ...

For conference providers and attendees, I hope you found this helpful, and I hope marketers and communicators in Seattle come out and enjoy our forum next week.

Last week in San Francisco, I got to play host at the PR Newswire  / Business Development Institute Content Marketing & Communications Leadership Forum hosted at the beautiful UBM Technology Headquarters in San Francisco.   The event not only hosted conversations about content and strategy, but produced some great content as well. 

Here's a recap of the morning, not in my words...but in the words of those who attended and participated in the event.

Content Marketing and Communications Leadership Forum by PR Newswire / Business Development Institute - San Francisco - May 16, 2012

Guest at PRNBDI SF May 16 2012

Along with a great group of attendees, the morning got started off right with some Bacon Donuts - yes, that's right....Bacon Donuts!

The morning got started with a great keynote by Vince Golla who is the Digital Media and Syndication Director, Kaiser Permanente.

A Look at Kaiser Permanente’s PR &Social Media Engagement

"Calvin Coolidge was first social media US President because of his focus on persistence, listening -- Vince Golla" #prnbdi

The Content Wrangler

"Promote brand, extend reach/awareness, improve search, create brand evangelists -- the goals of social media - Vince Golla #prnbdi " Scott Abel

"@vincegolla states "Kaiser creates great owned content to push it out and in turn creates great earned content." #prnbdi " Bill Dube

"Shout out to old school tools: eNewsletter + Video Blog = success - Vince Golla, Kaiser #prnbdi " Khai Nguyen

The morning then continued on with a second keynote from Danny Miller, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communications, Esurance

Content Marketing at Esurance

"Your social media activities have to be able to cut through the clutter so consumers don't tune you out - Danny Miller @sfcomms #prnbdi " Scott Abel

"Social media content should do three things: inform, educate, and engage - Danny Miller, Esurance #prnbdi" Khai Nguyen

"As an online only company, it is imperative esurance has personality and shows the people behind the brand. @sfcomms #prnbdi " Natalie Bering

"We're OK with negativity on our Facebook page. It gives us an opportunity to turn things around. - Danny Miller, Esurance #PRNBDI " Tracy Fine

Next up, I got to interview Mike Parker who is the newly minted Chief Digital Officer at McCann Erickson.

"Challenge: People's belief that media is suddenly free. @parkerbeta #prnbdi " Natalie Bering

"Our clients need us 2 connect all the dots between traditional, social, digital we need 2 understand their whole biz. @Parkerbeta #prnbdi " Sandra Cobb-Boykin

"We believe we are in the business of storytelling - Mike Parker @ParkerBeta #prnbdi #contentmarketing " Scott Abel

This was a comment that really sparked some conversation from Mike Parker. 

"Increasingly digital agencies are pitching against PR agencies for the same gig - Mike Parker @ParkerBeta #prnbdi #contentmarketing" The Content Wrangler

This is a guy whose seen a thing or two with a lot of experience in the advertising and marketing world.  If he's seeing competition from the PR Agency side, then I think the conversation is really starting to get interesting out there.

"earned media is not always free. You need paid distros to get buzz started.@parkerbeta #prnbdi "

Colleen Pizarev

" Ad pitching against PR bc the whole ecosystem is connected. All r about storytelling content still king & it's not always free. #prnbdi " Sandra Cobb-Boykin

 "Everything we create now should be inherently shareable." @parkerbeta #PRNBDI

Tracy Fine

The conversation for the morning really took off with a great panel discussion with:
Vince Golla - Kaiser Permanente
Danny Miller - esurance
Scott Symonds - AKQA Media
Mike Parker - McCann Erickson

"Well said! RT @NatalieBering: Social is to marketing is what Internet was to marketing 10 years ago @jscottymonds @SRCBsf #prnbdi #in " Miriam Bellows

"Panelists discuss the importance of measurements and analytics (for decision-making purposes) in #contentmarketing #prnbdi " The Content Wrangler

"Marketing and PR pros are trying to measure platforms that are rapidly changing, moving targets #contentmarketing #prnbdi " Scott Abel

"In parallel to your long term calendar, create a newsroom like atmosphere to participate in the now. #prnbdi @parkerbeta " Natalie Bering

"Panelist @VinceGolla brings up the most important issue -- content silos -- and how they prevent us from sharing meaningful stories #prnbdi " The Content Wrangler

" Listening vs. Content Development. Conversations with consumers requires participation. ~ Mike Parker @parkerbeta #prnbdi " Roberto Tiscareno

"The bar has been raised on the stories we tell because if they aren't good it won't be shared. @parkerbeta #prnbdi " Natalie Bering

"Facebook is just another channel. It's a destination for it's users but not necessarily your audience and brand. #prnbdi " Roberto Tiscareno

 I think the conversation is just getting started.  I know there were at least a few audience members calling for this conversation to be continued.

" I hope we can continue this discussion each month, growing it and making the content increasingly useful. Anyone? #prnbdi #contentmarketing " Scott Abel

Thoughts from the panel discussion at SXSW 2012

I had the great opportunity this past week to attend SXSW in Austin, TX and sit on an incredible panel with some even more incredible people.  I'm biased, but I think this was one of the best panel discussions at SXSW this year (and Mashable said it would be too!).

The discussion was moderated by MultiVu Director of Multimedia Engagement -  Tom Miale (@tmiale). He led a group of really smart folks who worked in and around media:

Alicia Stewart - Sr. Editor / Producer at CNN

Tony Uphoff (@tonyuphoff) - CEO of UBM Techweb

Shelli Whitehurst (@codenamemax) - CEO / Director of Strategy of Code Name Max (and gets the award for traveling the furthest by coming from Australia)

Michael Pranikoff (me - @mpranikoff) - Global Director of Emerging Media at PR Newswire

via PRNewswireGlobal on Flickr

16 days agoThe discussion was fast and furious and the audience was really trying to keep up with it. I could try to tell my story from the discussion, but it's better for me to take the key points that resonated with the audience that was there.

"The daily newspaper is getting lonely sitting on the driveway." @TonyUphoff #vetting #sxswThomas Hynes

The way we get our news has changed.  Life is moving faster than ever, and so is news and information, but as Alicia Stewart and Tony Uphoff pointed out:

"We'd rather be right than first." - Alicia Stewart, CNN #vetting #sxsw

Thomas Hynes

"Twitter breaks the news -then you turn to an additional source w brand trust." @TonyUphoff #vetting #SXSW via @PRNewswire

Justin Breitfelder

However, while speed is challenging us to source our news more, CNN is using it's iReport service to allow their viewers to be a prt of the story to present perspectives that might not otherwise get seen.

"Alicia @CNN on #iReports - they want viewers to be part of the story; allows us to hear other news we've never heard of - #sxsw #vetting ^KL"

PRNtech

This lead to some discussion about the pace of news and the movements of CNN iReport and The Guardian Open Journalism project.  We were very lucky to have come across this video that they created in our prep for the discussion.Guardian open journalism:

Three Little Pigs advert - the Guardiantheguardian

However, with the idea of open journalism, the discussion turned to the blurring of the lines between bloggers and journalists.

“#VETTING #SXSW If readers trust a blogger or non-journalist source will they will follow up to verify truth of story?

AV eddy

Alicia Steward from CNN and Shelli Whitehurst debated about opinion and facts.

"You're entitled to your own opinions, but you're not entitled to your own facts." Alicia Stewart, CNN #vetting #sxsw ^th"

PR Newswire

Tony Uphoff rebutted some of the discussion about how the lines might be blurring, but that Journalism is like marketing, everyone thinks that can do it until they try.

“Journalism is like marketing. Everyone thinks they can do it until they try. Via @tonyuphoff #vetting #sxsw

Jen Pearsall

“Everyone with iPhone is not a journalist, but they are all content creators - the difference is intent to creat credible news #Vetting #SXSW

Ken Kunze

Finally, the discussion turned to the idea that brand marketers and companies are becoming their own media

“@jmaccx: Intresting trend: every company is a media company #vetting #sxsw @mpranikoff”

Emily Lyman

The idea that brands are now creating content  faster than some traditional news organizations let Tony Uphoff to state:

"RT @PRNewswire: "Content is the new advertising." @TonyUphoff #vetting #sxsw ^th"

Katherine Davis

However, if this is true, the audience and the panel were in complete agreement that in today's world and with the pace of news:

“Preach. RT @JenPearsall: Every - EVERY - brand needs social media as part of crisis plan. #vetting #sxsw

Katherine

It was a great discussion, and we can't thank everyone enough who attended in person and participated online.

My fellow panelists consisted of Tekedra  Mawakana, Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy, Deputy General Counsel, at AOL; Jessica Fredrickson, Associate General Counsel at Walmart; and Richard Weaver, Deputy Privacy Officer at Comscore.   Of the panelists, I was there to represent a view point of the marketing & communications professional who is using social media to engage their audiences and find new audiences.

The view point from many of the companies and organizations that talk and meet with every week is that the in-house legal departments often don’t get social media and the purpose.   I can say from speaking with the panelists and some of the members in attendance, I don’t think that is always the case.  The in house counsels are often conservative and are trying to mitigate risk.  This is understandable and often very much needed.  However, we sometimes have to weigh whether the reward may be worth the risk or if we are just letting our fears get in the way of business being conducted.

Here are a few things that came out this very lively discussion:

Don’t Fear Your Corporate Counsel

We asked the question in the room about how many of the corporate counsels in the room feared social media.  I was actually surprised to see so few hands come up.   The corporate counselors in the room, and on the panel, shared that they often feel left out of the conversation and are only approached on a last resort basis.  Jessica Fredrickson from Walmart said that corporate counsels very rarely feel like they are the decision makers.  In my own experience, the that is often the viewpoint from the marketing & communications side – that they feel that the legal team has all the control.

One thing that we spoke about, and I suggest, is that we need to work together to embrace each other’s roles in the organization.   The more we learn about the view point from the other side, the better off we will be.  I also suggest that marketing & communications professionals, and social media practitioners, reach out to the legal team to invite them to a conference that they are attending.  The more exposure we have to the thought process that goes into making decisions, the easier those discussions will be.

Having better working relationship with your corporate counsel and involving them early in a process or campaign can really minimize headaches and heartaches down the road.

Create a Social Media Counsel Internally

There is no way to get around the fact that the internal legal team has a very valid role in any company / organization.   However, marketing & communications teams can’t live in a social media bubble.  Social Media touches many parts of the organization – customer service, HR, Legal, Sales…etc… The formation of a social media counsel that involves participants from the different parts of the organization and at least one person in the C-Suite, can really help your social media channels.  The more understanding there is of different initiatives, the better coordinated your efforts will be.  Better yet, you will have access to other points of view, and access to people who can help in the content creation process that will fill the chosen channels.

Education = Success

One of the highly discussed topics was about having Social Media Policies vs. Guidelines.   This is definitely a hot topic in many organizations and I definitely have a personal opinion on this.   The panel seemed to come to an agreement that social media is just one of the ever evolving ways that we communicate.  Most companies and organizations have a general communications policy.  My suggestion is that companies incorporate social media into that policy.  However, having social media policies around specific social media channels can often be an exercise in futility.   The landscape changes too quickly to enact policies around every new channel that opens up.   Policy can also be difficult to change once it is enacted.  This is a reason that I am personally more in favor of guidelines that can regularly be updated.

Having a well thought Social Media Policy or Guideline is really only the first step.  Today, education about social media channels, how they are used on a personal and a professional basis is important to discuss internally.  I suggest that social media guidance / training should be a part of any new hire process today and reviewed with staff annually.   Having some simple guidelines in place helps, but also showing people where the lines between personal and professional can often get blurred.   Our U.S. military does a great job of not only educating their employees (soldiers and staff) but also extends that education to anyone by really making this information public and easily accessible (US Navy Slideshare Page, US Army Slideshare Page).   While privacy is definitely an ever evolving thing today, we have to remember that your name is your brand;  if you’re brand can be associated anywhere online with the company you work with or represent then any content you post online then your brands can be connected.

Transparency Matters

One comment that caused some pause, but later agreement is that today “No Comment” is not a choice.   While there was some grousing in the room about this, both the panelists from Walmart and AOL agreed that corporate counsel has to provide better guidance in a crisis situation.  They agreed that while they sometimes have to be dragged kicking and screaming into making a comment, it’s always that better choice – even if it is simply to say that, “we are looking into the matter but need more information before we can comment on the matter”.

Part of the transparency factor in marketing / communications, especially in social media channels, is that we set both standards of behavior and expectations.  An example of this that was pointed out is that Walmart links to their Walmart  Social Media Guidelines from their Facebook page.   PR Newswire also lists our guidelines in our “About” section on our Facebook page.

The importance of setting these expectations comes very true in a crisis situation.   This example of this happened in 2011 when Nestle USA came under attack from environmental group and had their Facebook page, and a number of their brand pages, hijacked.  Since then, Nestle has posted a ‘House Rules’ tab on their Facebook page as well as a number of their brand pages.

I hope you’ve learned a few things from this blog post that covered a 90 minute discussion on the topic.  I know that I was very enlightened by what I learned during this discussion, but many of the corporate counsels and privacy officers whom I spoke with after the panel were also very appreciative for a glimpse at how the other side thinks too.

Author Michael Pranikoff is PR Newswire’s Global Director of Emerging Media.