2011 trends

Another Presidential election is less than a year away. The Democrats are backing President Obama, since the incumbent is usually a safe bet. Unfortunately, this means an unusually large number of Republicans spent most of 2011 wrestling endlessly amongst themselves for the chance to take him on in 2012. I’m not sure if this is the longest pre-convention tussle ever, but it sure feels like it, and I for one am happy it’s beginning to wind down. Still, the wrestling continues.

When you’re launching a new product or service, parked in your head is a pretty clear picture of your customer – where they live and work, what they eat and wear, even how they shop. You craft elaborate plans to convert their needs into action, based on what you think is sound research and solid process.

But what happens when your customer changes in unexpected ways? What do you do when recession forces you to rethink who they are – especially when their new home isn’t home at all?

A couple of weeks ago, I attended an event where the speaker was so boring that almost everyone in the audience was looking down at their gadgets and clicking away rather than continuing to pay attention.

In contrast, this morning I attended an event at which U.S. CTO Aneesh Chopra held everyone's rapt attention. He was articulate, passionate, and engaged. He spoke without notes or slides and damn well knew his stuff.

While the world of public relations has changed dramatically in the past decade, there certainly remain a few constants. One of my favorites is the rebirth that occurs every January in PR/marketing agency life. Bigger campaigns, bolder messages, and better differentiation are on the agenda across the board for almost all of our clients. It’s a new year.