Has Social Media Killed Sports PR?

As we begin 2011, little more can be said about the power of social media. Explaining how Twitter and Facebook connect people like never before is like explaining to someone that the sky is blue. But perhaps the most continually fascinating thing about this new social media reality is how it connects celebrities and their fans.

The implications of this connectivity touches a special nerve with professional athletes, their teams and the communicators those teams employ. In the past athletes were larger than life personalities, often removed from their fans and guarded by their handlers. The stereotypical image of a “PR Guy” for sports teams during this period was a stiff in a suit who would cover up the wild partying and indiscretions of athletes before the media latched on.

The athletes of today are drastically different. On Twitter, athletes like Shaquille O’Neill and Chad Ochocinco command large audiences of followers of their random thoughts and opinions. No longer silent, the athletes of today speak their minds. Sometimes, they say too much. Fans revel in this new closeness with their idols, now able to see these superstars as real people. Sports leagues, on the other hand, are wary.

So will Twitter be the end of Sports PR?

Hardly. True public relations is founded on honesty and transparency. Communicators should stop attempting to censor the opinions and ideas of athletes over social media. Rather, they should strive to educate them on the importance of their team and league image, and teach core social media etiquette.

The key messages public relations professionals should communicate to their athletes:

· The jersey you wear defines you, you define the jersey you wear: from the moment they are signed the reputation of team and player are linked.

· Basic media relations: a brief workshop regarding what is newsworthy and controversial will go a long way.

· History: the history of social media is brief, but there are many cautionary examples of athletes getting in trouble on Twitter.

· Personal branding: a common workshop in many professions, the importance of building a beneficial online self.

Communication, both internal and external, works best when it is integrated amongst departments. This includes all employees, especially the athletes. Including them in the communication process will aid their understanding of team image and lessen their chances of embarrassing missteps.

Controlling the online presence of athletes is not realistic. Like it or not, athletes have the power to voice their thoughts in public, and the media has access to every word of it. Rather than focusing on what cannot be controlled, an effective PR practitioner will change the way he approaches his craft. Social media will not kill public relations; rather, public relations will adapt. The role of communicators in sports is changing, but has never been more valuable.

Coming Full Circle...and enjoying the journey!

Many of you have known me as a journalist, but my life in communications began in public relations...back in the days with a press release was posted to a red box at the corner of the street, and not to an electronic wall.

Times have changed, so deciding to come back into this world of promotion a few years ago, meant not just dusting off the old tools, but learning how to use all the wonderful new tools of the trade.

Well, I am doing it! I am learning and loving it. When new opportunities arise to work with clients from the arts world, business and/or industry...I just can't wait to join them on a journey to explore all the creative possibilities of spreading their word together. It is never too late to get excited about what you are doing. That makes for a good PR person, journalist, or whatever you do... not only in work, but of course, in life's play.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank those on the Kathryn Kates Public Relations' team who bring so much talent and smarts to the table. I also want to thank the people who believe in our spirit and work ethic and have supported us by becoming our clients.

And thanks to the media, who have been our partners in getting our clients' messages out--when they deem it is an important story to be told. Be forewarned--your receptiveness has only encouraged me to continue to pitch away! lol.

I invite you to check out our website at: kathrynkatespr.com, or join the Kathryn Kates Public Relations Facebook Fan Page. We would love to hear from you.

Five Romantic Tips for Valentine’s Night compiled by Liona Boyd, The First Lady of the Guitar…and Romance.

Five Romantic Tips for Valentine’s Night compiled by Liona Boyd, The First Lady of the Guitar…and Romance.

1. For me, nothing inspires a romantic mood more than the flickering of scented candles and soft romantic music providing a sound track. I use candles in the living room, the bedroom and on the edge of bath tub especially when it’s shared!

2. One way to my heart is with delicious fresh strawberries or cherries dipped in dark chocolate. So much so, that if you listen to the lyrics of my song, Let’s Go to the Mountains from my new CD, Liona Boyd Sings Songs of Love. I sing, "Feed me strawberries, wild mint and cherries, and the sweetness of your lips on mine...”.

3. I’ve always loved beautiful perfumes on women and sexy colognes on men! Vent Vert by Pierre Balmaine has been my signature scent for many years.

4. There’s no better prelude to love than sharing a slow, sexy dance…while draped in a silky fabric that your partner can’t take his hands off!

5. Create the perfect Valentine’s meal for two…make it healthy, playful and fun. Fresh salads, spicy soups, creative vegetable dishes, wine and chocolate…what could be more delectable!

Set the romantic mood this Valentine’s with Liona’s latest CD offerings from Universal Music—“Liona Boyd Sings Songs of Love”, and “Seven Journeys...Music for the Soul and the Imagination” available at http://www.classicalguitar.com/, or most retail stores.

Liona is a lover of love…she is more than happy to discuss this passion and her music approaching this Valentine’s Day!

Liona will participate at the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s fashion show March 30th and perform live with Srdjan Givoje as well as giving the keynote speech at a fundraising gala at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel May 25th, for the Ontario March of Dimes.

Contact Info:
Kathryn Kates
CEO
Kathryn Kates Public Relations
kathryn@kathrynkatespr.com
kathrynkatespr.com
905-849-5639

The 10 Most Over-Publicized People of 2009!

The 10 Most Over-Publicized People of 2009!



December 27, 2009. Oakville, ON. The 10 Most Over-Publicized People of 2009 expertly compiled by Kathryn Kates, CEO of Oakville, Ontario based Kathryn Kates Public Relations.


10. Paris Hilton. From a sex tape, to a lost chihuahua, to an infinite number of boyfriends and fiancées, a fight with her TV co-star, a search for a new BFF and endless product endorsements…is Paris the City of Lights, or the Girl in the Limelight?

9. Ivana Trump. After splitting from “The Donald”, the very rich divorcee announced on daytime TV to much less affluent viewers… that if she could survive divorce anyone could. The arrogant ex-Mrs. Trump has now survived four divorces, but not a flight out of Florida… the self-proclaimed survivor’s foul mouth resulted in being bounced from the plane.

8. The Duggars. TLC don’t encourage these people with titling their show 17 and Counting, 18 and Counting…now that they have their 19th, little Josie…a preemie. Maybe it is time for these God-fearing folks to count their blessings—and rename the show 19 and Thank You Lord…But, That’s Enough!

7. Sarah Palin. In Sarah’s world, the road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue means giving up politics to become a celebrity…book deals, publicity tours – is a talk show next? Right or left…it is a scary thought that celebrity versus substance can lead you up to the White House path.

6. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Most surprising is when this philandering politician got bashed in the face – it wasn’t his ex-wife Veronica Lario doing the bashing.

5. Ocotomom. Instead of endearing herself to the world, Nadya Suleman, the single mother of 14 pissed off everyone including Dr. Phil...who felt compelled to walk away after renovating her house.

4. Balloon Boy's Dad. Richard Heene reached new heights when it comes to procuring a reality series…backfired! Not such a panoramic view from a jail cell.

3. Anyone named Jackson. Thought you were over-exposed with Janet’s wardrobe malfunction…well that was just the beginning. Talk about over-exposure…the brothers got a reality show on A&E.

2. Jon Gosselin. Coming out of his divorce from Kate, this father of eight got his “middle-age crazies”, 20 years too early. What’s next for this guy…a red Corvette?

1. Tiger Woods. Over publicized, over exposed…he might be known for scoring low on the course, but in bed it was another story. In his case, what happened in Vegas just didn’t stay in Vegas…ouch!

Kathryn Kates, a lover of pop-culture and the zaniness that surrounds it, is a former media darling, a journalist who crossed over to the PR-side. According to Kathryn, this year was a tough one, there were just so many over-publicized souls to select from.


Contact Info:
Kathryn Kates
CEO
Kathryn Kates Public Relations
kathryn@kathrynkatespr.com
kathrynkatespr.com
905-849-5639

Why Promotion?

This is a story I have heard more than once. A company spends a whole lot of money on developing a product or setting up an office or store full of stuff and when it comes to branding, advertising, publicity and generally getting the word out to attract customers - the coffers are empty.

So, the business sits there...with the owner crossing fingers and hoping that what they are offering will be discovered, perhaps by some divine intervention. When starting a new venture, and planning your budget, it is smart business to budget for your promotional future, even if you have to start small and increase your promotional spending as your revenue increases. This will certainly help you stay in the business of choice and not be looking for a secondary job to be supporting your business because no one knows you have a business except your close friends.When trying to figure out a promotional budget, ask around. Call a friend in business, meet with public relations firms, and read about promotion and see if you can do some self-promoting on your own.

A well thought out plan to spread the word about you and your business will speak volumes down the road and will make for easier driving.

Handling Rejection from the Media

You've come up with a great idea, one that you think will put your business on the map.So, you write up a killer press release, rehearse your pitch and get your media list all ready. You make your first call, get an answering machine, the next call is an intern confused by what you are saying, and to make matters worse the third call is a hardened old timer that has heard whatever you have to say a million times before.

Rejection can be tough, don't take it personally. Take a coffee break, rethink your message or delivery...perhaps your calling at the end of the week when those you are talking to are on overload or have their minds on the weekend not on what you are saying or about too. So, perhaps wait until a new week begins.

There are options available. Engage a professional public relations firm, who may have history with the media outlets you are trying to make inroads with. Another option is thinking outside the box of traditional media and engaging in social media PR, where by blogging and social networking you have more control of your message and it's circulation. The best thing is your message is out there without the need of a producer or editor having a good day and saying yes to you...you are in control.

Combining traditional public relations and digital public relations will ensure that a wide cross-section of potential customers will learn about you and your business.

I STILL BELIEVE IN SANTA!

By Kathryn Kates

When I was a little girl, I knew that Christmas wasn’t coming to our house. We celebrated Chanukah. However, I truly believed and still do, if you are good girl or boy, no matter what your religious beliefs, you too, could sit on Santa’s lap at the mall and invite him to drop by for milk and cookies on Christmas Eve, in hopes of having your stocking filled.

My parents encouraged us to celebrate our holiday by lighting candles and spinning a small wooden or plastic top called a dreidel. But to their credit, while establishing our faith’s boundaries in a positive way and conscious of the fact that we live in a secular society, my sister and I grew up never feeling alien to the Christian holiday that surrounded us. They allowed us to meet Santa Claus at our local shopping center. And although we weren’t supplied with a fancy red stocking, we did hang my fathers’ old socks above the fireplace and on Christmas morn found it full of oranges, candy and a small toy.

My family always made me feel secure and happy with the traditions I was born to follow. So it was never a problem for them or me to celebrate holidays of other faiths and in turn, my non-Jewish friends were welcomed to learn and participate in my religion’s festivities.

In many cases, children nowadays are allowed only to celebrate holidays during school hours in a generic fashion. How unfortunate and sad, to think that any character and color a religious holiday brings would be obliterated in hopes of not offending. Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for kids to be introduced to all the different songs, celebrations and foods that their fellow classmates and their families practice at this time of year?

My friends tell me, you don’t have to be a non-Christian to feel overwhelmed by all commercialism of Christmas. However, I would think a parent would be delighted if their children, no matter what the faith, had an opportunity to share their special family holidays with others at school. I don’t know any child to date that was corrupted by a Christmas carol or Chanukah song. It is certainly better than some of the other music kids are exposed to throughout the year.

It is so important to not lose sight of the true reasons we celebrate at this time of year. I don’t doubt Christians know Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, Jews know that Chanukah is about warrior Judah Maccabee and his sons saving the Ancient Temple and followers of other religions are well-versed in the roots of their faith’s celebrations. With that in mind, I still think we can enjoy the jolly old man in red with our Christian friends without feeling guilt. From all the many multicultural smiling faces I’ve recently seen pose for photos with Santa, I suppose many parents agree that Santa should be considered, as a seasonal celebrity who rewards us all for being good!