A few weeks ago, social media guru Taylor Ellwood interviewed me for his Blog Talk Radio program. One of his questions really stuck with me. He asked, "Is mainstream media dead when it comes to creating buzz?"
With tremendous cuts in advertising spending during The Great Recession and the rise of social media, there have been many stories about the demise of mainstream media's influence. But, a quote from Mark Twain reacting to a rumor that he had passed away also applies to the news about traditional journalism's demise: "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."
We spent a week in the beautiful beach town of Bandon, Oregon. Before arriving, as a chocoholic, one of my must-see spots was Coastal Mist Artisan Chocolates, a chocolate maker and retail shop, which received enthusiastic coverage in The Oregonian, the Pacific Northwest's largest circulation newspaper.
If you love chocolates and visit Oregon's South Coast, make a pilgrimage to Coastal Mist. The husband-wife owners Kevin and Tara Shaw craft the most exquisite truffles and other chocolate goodies that I've ever tasted. It's no wonder that they Best in Show award at the 2009 Oregon Chocolate Festival which they smartly highlight on their website (hint: if you win awards, don't forget to buzz about them everywhere).
Since I visited Coastal Mist nearly every day while we were on vacation (yes, I have a severe chocolate problem), I got to know Tara who is very friendly and happy to talk about her passion for chocolate and living in Bandon. She told me that The Oregonian article continues to be a big generator of retail and website traffic even a month after it appeared. The article is especially important for Coast Mist in providing credibility since it is not in a big city where many people think a premier chocolate manufacturer would have to be located. Order from Coastal Mist and you'll know how irrelevant a big city location is to making amazing chocolate.
Most businesses like Coastal Mist who receive prominent coverage in the mainstream media can attest that the positive impact of that buzz is palpable.
Good post, Patrick. I'm a new reader to your blogs...and this one is a keeper. Our firm, LT Public Relations, firmly believes that traditional meeting is a long way from being dead and trained reporters are still one of the most credible conduits to tell a businesses story. If a business can leverage both traditional and new media to their PR arsenal, then that's a powerful one-two punch.
Posted by: Casey Boggs/LT Public Relations | October 01, 2009 at 03:25 PM
Casey, great to hear from you and thanks for visiting the blog. Your comment means a lot to me since I know how successful you've been in carrying out successful PR campaigns for your clients using social and mainstream media. Companies need savvy PR practitioners like you to guide them as the ways to create buzz are going through so many dramatic changes.
Posted by: Patrick Galvin | October 13, 2009 at 09:36 AM