Our amazing teacher Trevor Morris gave us as a group of 3 an assignment to do a campaign for the M&S new line of fragrances "The SIlver Fox". It is a totally educational and fictional project. But anyway-I hope you'll enjoy it!
(abbreviations are nice but since you know what they mean)
So CSR is "Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship, social performance, or sustainable responsible business) is a form of corporateself-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms. The goal of CSR is to embrace responsibility for the company's actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities,stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere."
The rest of the article can be read on lovely Wiki page - CSR
Actually, the more successful the business is- the healthier society is, and the healthier the society is - the more successful the business is. This interconnection is simple, clear and suitable for everyone. The slogan of the business of the second half of the 20th century is "grow or die!" and it brought the society and the companies not only benefits, but also a lot of troubles (eg environmental), for which business is to blame. In some cases the charges are true, in others - not.
Thus, Nestlé, the world's largest supplier of bottled water is on of the main targets of the global debate on the depletion of fresh water, although the company uses only 0.0008% of world reserves.
What is more,people are annoyed by the too high, often unrealistic promises that companies tell the consumers, sugary-sweet declaration of missions and values backed by completely unethical behavior of these companies (for example, in respect to its own employees).
The public is trying to influence the corporations with hundreds and hundreds of different organizations, movements, initiatives, often losing, sometimes gaining. However, the irony is that, if there were huge wins over the business, eventually that would bring society's absolutely no benefit.Actually, the weaker a business, the weaker a society. That is still the same way of relationships, but with a "minus" sign.
The idea of corporate social responsibility (CSR), in fact, allows to rethink the relationships developed between business and society, giving them a more constructive direction.
The History
First talks about CSR began in the U.S. in 1905 when there arose the "Rotary" movement, which was based on the fact that financially successful people had to contribute to the improvement of the professional sphere and society. 90 years later, in 1995, leading companies have formed a so-called EU Initiative Corporate Social Responsibility-Europe, that unites about 50 large corporations. In 1999 the UK International Standard Accountability 1000 was designed to measure the performance of companies from the ethical point of view.
In 2000 by the initiative of the UN Secretary Kofi Annan there was created the Global Compact, calling together business and civil society to support ten principles of human rights, labor relations and the environment. Hundreds of global companies have already joined this initiative.
For the first time a project of social accountability to the public was introduced in the early 90's by a number of companies such as the UK Body Shop, American Ben & Jerry's and Canada's Van City.
This approach (CSR) gives the company an opportunity to listen and respond to the expectations of its customers.
Why use CSR if it makes the companies spend amounts of money?
Maintenance of corporate social responsibility in the company at the first stage increases the business expenses, however it's promising investment that pays off not only by a good reputation, but by the real profit. And if you add other good sides, the business benefits are obvious. These are, for example, growth in consumer trust, increased demand for company’s products and services, support of company’s activities by the local public, the competitiveness of products and finally increased profits. In particular, it is important for companies whose activities give rise to public debate, for example, industrial companies that deal with gas or oil, or companies that produce products that directly or indirectly affect the society ( tobacco, pharmaceutical companies), as well as public companies, (i.e. mobile technologies spheres and financial spheres).
So as it is possible to find out CSR is extrmely beneficial for business.And here comes the PR.
PRofs deal with the main aim here- to create the ability of the company communicate with the audience in a proper way. Create a good brand image and cover itself from the NGO attacs.
As far as the company understands the importance of CSR it will develop in a right way.
It will gain public trust, get a good image and increase sales.Showing that the money the company gets could be spent on something really usefull for public, will create an extra bonus for the company.
P.S. And PR people will not lose their jobs at that sphere =)
We,as people directly connected with PR, always speak about branding.
But brand is not just a product. The person itself can be a powerful brand.
That happened with Barack Obama- 44th American president.
Actually, the Obama preelctoral and electoral campaigns were so huge and so powerful, that just sweeped away the concurents.
But that happened not accidently. A huge PR machine worked (and I'm sure still works) for Barack Obama.
PRofs of the American president banked on the social media, and though many critics predicted the fail,they proved critics wrong.
Obviously, every future president wants his electoral campaign become the most fantastic,colorful,bright and memorable. In this case Barack Obama's was even better than many were expecting. The key factor (exept usual actions like speeches,debates,merchendise and others) was to engage as many voters as possible and make them a part of the future presidential elections.
PRofs made a good step and played on peoples' desire to be a part of something big and significant.
Barack Obama was everywhere-on almost every social platform, the ringtones with his voice were downloadable , his website opened the doors for the users.
However taking the same route doesn't lead you to the same result.
David Cameron in his election campaign tried to take pretty similar steps as Obama did. However,it is obvious that Britons and Americans have absolutely different mentality.
That's why to please the British public you have to be really smart and persuasive. David Cameron, creating buzz through Twitter,Facebook and e-mails , just annoyed the british public.
His bank on the same messages of "HOPE" and "CHANGE" failed as the audience revealed the absolute similarity between his and Obama's mottos.
And definately Social Media creates a risk if used incorrectly. That also happened with David Cameron when his posters appeared in the internet. He became a laughingstock and the ground for numerous internet memes.
At this point I would like to say about the Russian ex-president Vladimir Putin. I'm Russian so you'll get a direct view.
While Obama and Cameron were fighting for voters in the social media, Putin came to power when there was no Facebook or Twitter.
However his PRofs made him a cult. While officially we have Dmitriy Medvedev, every Russian understands that we now have 2 presidents.
According to statistics, just 10-12% of Russian population uses Internet. Yes we are huge,so it takes time for technologies to come to every corner of Russia. However, about 90% have an access to the TV, so it becomes the place for political battles.
One of the main PR actions of Putin are the live transmissions.Thus people can ask the questions live. Though the cencorship works here, many strange,funny,explicit and dangerous questions are allowed to appear. That is not made accidently-thus Putin can show that he is not afraid of difficulties, that he can react quickly,that he has a sence of humour and thus he becomes closer to the ordinary public. As well as he creates the food for thought and speeches of Russian public.
Putin apperas on the TV almost everyday (to be honest almost everyone is tired of that). There are many Internet mems now that also shows the popularity of him.
The other PR action for Putin promotion includes his way of speech. I mean not the speed or tone, but the words he uses. To say a sharp and close-to-public sentence is a normal practice. People are happy (oh look-he is just like us), Putin gains popularity.
The so-called "exhibition galas" are in huge practice these days. Appearance in a usual shop or tube station without warning the public is a normal practice. Thus the idea is to catch people unawares and show how Putin fights the injustice officially.
(a case in one of the Moscow Food Supermarkets:
Putin:"Why pork is so expensive? You think 120% bigger than the everage price is normal?"
Vendor(frightened): "Oh, sorry, Mr.Putin - we'll change the prices right now").
People are happy (Did u see how he fought those self-conceited vendors? Ha-ha! He showed them awht was what!). Putin gains popularity.
Even to scold the highest rank officials in public is not a problem for Putin. Everything for PR.
Here is the example of Putin shames the high-up politicians:
Russian audience was just happy,Putin was a national hero.
However after so many years of his power, Russian public began to understand that they were fed with stories and Putin is a tyrant (hope the KGB won't read my blog).
The conclusion is that PR proffesionals can make an amazing job and make people beleive and vote. However in some time people begin to look with clear eyes on what is happening around them. And the goal of PR practitioners and politians is not to disappoint the public.
Getting aquainted with the PR profession I asked myself a very simple question-What are the qualities of a PR-specialist? Do I personally have them to get success? Today,listening to the Depeche Mode "Try walking in my shoes" song, I came back to that question.
Well, at first glance, the answer is simple:
ability to get on well with people
openness
readiness
self-discipline
high intelligence and defiantely
sense of humor.
PR-experts always communicate with people of different professions and different temperaments, so we are required to keep ourselves up, be prepared for unconventional solutions and instantaneous change of tactics.
But there are "hidden rocks" as well. PR is not a funny "fluffy"job. This is routine, difficult, very stressful and rigorous activity with irregular working time. And often the qualities like
calmness
moderation
perseverance come to the foreground.
Not to be lost in the cycle of constant calls and letters, articles and press releases, interviews and press conferences emotions must fall aside. So how to develop these qualities?
What I think is :
First of all, the very main point is to love your profession and to respect the people with whom you have to communicate during the work-time.
Secondly,in conflict situations try "walking in other person's shoes" and maintain a constant open dialogue,be empathic and judicial.
Social Media...Web 2.0...Facebook...Twitter...Google...
They haven't always been a part of our lives, however today it's impossible to imagine our lives without those platforms...
Even if u don't Tweet or use Facebook,you still use Google.
What will you tell a friend who doesn't know something? "Well,Google it".
And that's directly what most of us do.
However have anyone ever thought about the principle of Google work?
Actually Google was created more than 10 years ago by Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
It all began us a University project but very soon they understood that with the development of the Internet and appearance of numerous webpages, there should appear an engine that will arrange all the information in a logical way. And definately provide users with that information when needed. That's how Google was born.
However, obviously, Google is not a tiny room with one person who operates the engines-that are the massive headquarters all over the world. But that wasn't always. In the beginning Larry nad Sergey had to find out how to cover the expences for Google: all the equipment and stuff.
The main principle of Google-it's free.
So how make money out of service that is free for everyone?
The advertising came up.
Have you ever noticed that social media platforms know exactly what you want? Facebook or Vkontakte (Russian social network) know exactly what links to offer you.
At the times I didn't know how those engines work, I was amazed and surprised how these platforms find out what I want? Is it a miracle?
Well there is no miracle at all. The search engines are optimised for people.
How they work?
The are specifically tailored for your needs as they actually collect all the information you provide them with.
"How can it be?"you can ask. "I don't give them any of my personal information".
It's not true. Everytime you type the words in the search engine like Google, it remembers your words and next time shows you the pages that can be similar to your usual requests.
Some of you can be incredibly happy with that,however let's think about our personal identity.
Are we unique now? If the search engine want's you to be like many other people like you, doesn't that mean that you lose yourself?
That philosophy of masses is very convinient for the people who want to sell us something.
Many ears ago, when there was no internet, we used to find out all the necessery information ourselves.
We didn't rely on the search engines. Probably that is why we still have our individuality. But what about the next generations?
Another question to rise is the question of privacy.
One day the huge corporation name AOL revealed all the Google searches of it's users for a three month period.
All the names of users were in numerical code,that created the visibility of privacy.
However one journalist from the NY Times decided to find out-is it possible to find a person just knowing the numerical code and the tag words?
You know what? He found a person just within 4 (!!!) hours only with a help of telephone and internet.
What does that small episode show?
Well,obviously,that there is no Internet privacy at all.
Choosing the world of social media, we subscribe to lose our own identity and privacy.
Is internet access a good price to lose such important things we have?
Well it's up to you to decide use social networks or not.However you should always remember that once you use Internet you're not alone anymore. The question is - what is the size of your private life part you want to share with the rest of the world?
Here are the additional material for you to watch:
How cookies are used to tailor the online advertising?
Extremely interesting program of the BBC "The Virtual Revolution-the cost of free"
Before talking about Social Marketing, it's better say what it is all about. Lovely Wiki comes to help: "Social marketing is the systematic application of marketing, along with other concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioral goals for a social good."
The term itself appeared in 1971. It happened after Philip Kotler and Gerald Zaltman published "Social Marketing: An Approach to Planned Social Change". The main aims are that those ideas used in marketing can be applied not just to sell goods, but to change behaviors and attitudes as well.
Such areas as environment,health,protection need people's behavioral changes.The main goal is to sell ideas to make positive changes in people attitudes towards social problems, so targeted correctly the message then bringe harvest of a long term positive change.
The grounds of social marketing stand on 4 "P's":
Product - The social marketing "product" is not necessarily a physical offering. A continuum of products exists, ranging from tangible, physical products (e.g., condoms), to services (e.g., medical exams), practices (e.g., breastfeeding, a heart-healthy diet) and finally, more intangible ideas (e.g., environmental protection).
Price - Refers to what the consumer must do in order to obtain the social marketing product. This cost may be monetary, or it may instead require the consumer to give up intangibles, such as time or effort, or to risk embarrassment and disapproval.
Place - describes the way that the product reaches the consumer. For a tangible product, this refers to the distribution system--including the warehouse, trucks, sales force, retail outlets where it is sold, or places where it is given out for free. For an intangible product, place is less clear-cut, but refers to decisions about the channels through which consumers are reached with information or training. This may include doctors' offices, shopping malls, mass media vehicles or in-home demonstrations.
Promotion - Promotion consists of the integrated use of advertising, public relations, promotions, media advocacy, personal selling and entertainment vehicles. The focus is on creating and sustaining demand for the product.
There are as well additional "P's" of Social Marketing:
Publics--Social marketers often have many different audiences that their program has to address in order to be successful. "Publics" refers to both the external and internal groups involved in the program. External publics include the target audience, secondary audiences, policymakers, and gatekeepers, while the internal publics are those who are involved in some way with either approval or implementation of the program.
Partnership--Social and health issues are often so complex that one agency can't make a dent by itself. You need to team up with other organizations in the community to really be effective. You need to figure out which organizations have similar goals to yours--not necessarily the same goals--and identify ways you can work together.
Policy--Social marketing programs can do well in motivating individual behavior change, but that is difficult to sustain unless the environment they're in supports that change for the long run. Often, policy change is needed, and media advocacy programs can be an effective complement to a social marketing program.
Purse Strings- Most organizations that develop social marketing programs operate through funds provided by sources such as foundations, governmental grants or donations. This adds another dimension to the strategy development-namely, where will you get the money to create your program?
One of the most important role players in all that issues are the audinces. That is why it's extremely important to target them correctly as well as choose the correct type of target audience.In this case (as in many other cases) research is sesential. The problem is that many people don't even know about the existing problems till somebody tells them. Thus social marketing as well leads and educational role.
Here is an example of the social marketing campaign to make my thoughts more visible. This video tells about the problem of immigrants and their slavery when they move from their native countries. This problem is timing not only in Europe or Asia, but in Russia as well. We have illegal slavery markets as well as almost all of workers who build the houses,roads,clean the streets etc are illigal immigrants. Education of population on the existing problem can raise the awareness and make significant changes in the problem.
Social Marketing can play a significant role in changing attitides and behaviors. However some issues need the Government interference.
This can be a hard task either for the government,people and companies.
However it is always worth risking as the end result will bring benefits to everyone.
