UPSTATE PR TRIP

1. UPSTATE PR TRIP November 5-6, 2009

2. Places We Visited THURSDAY: • Michelin Tire North American Headquarters- Greenville, S.C. http://www.michelin-us.com/north-america/past/ • Erwin-Penland Public Relations- Greenville, S.C. http://www.erwinpenland.com/ FRIDAY: • BMW Manufacturing Plant and Performance Center- Greer, S.C. http://www.bmwusfactory.com/#/home/ • Jackson Marketing Group– Greenville, S.C. http://www.jacksonmg.com/

3. Michelin Tire • Founded & worldwide HQ in France • Greenville Corporate Comm staffers all seem to have been to France a few or numerous times. Nice perk! • Some have traveled to numerous countries around the world to conferences or Michelin facilities worldwide • Michelin has 68 manufacturing locations in 19 countries and has 110,000 global employees • Brazil, India, China, Russia seen as key growth countries for tires • Space shuttle tires- among many types of tires Michelin produces worldwide

4. Michelin North America • Michelin has 18 plants in U.S., Mexico, Canada • First U.S. plant- built in Greenville in 1975 • Michelin has several plants in S.C. and employees 7,850 in our state • R&D is in France, Japan and Greenville

5. Michelin’s Five Core Values • Respect for Customers • Respect for People • Respect for Shareholders • Respect for Environment • Respect for Facts

6. Michelin’s PR Mission • The corporate communications people see themselves as stewards and nurturers of the Michelin brand • Five areas within PR: • External Communications • Governmental Affairs • Image and Brands • Michelin Development • Internal Communications

7. International Public Relations • Michelin’s Lynn Martin, head of external comm, talked about the “additional complexities” of global PR • “Local is global in minutes” in today’s 24/7 digital news/media environment • Language is a barrier • Cultural and political differences • A “cookie cutter” approach to PR and corporate relations won’t work today

8. Global Advertising Campaign • Just last month Michelin successfully launched its first global advertising campaign ($20 million) • Effort to attract coverage in business news world with its global announcement (10/6/09) • Put out a global spokesperson: Senior VP Michelin Communication & Brands Claire Dorland Clauzel • Complemented by a N.A. spokesperson: Scott Clark, Executive VP, Michelin North America • http://www.michelinmedia.com/default/kw=TheRightTireAd

9. Michelin’s New Ad Campaign • TV Commercials Airing Worldwide • “Michelin Man Rescues Dog” • “Michelin Man Defeats Evil Gas Pump” • Print Ad:

10. Targeting Media • For the global announcement in New York, specific influential media are targeted including AP, New York Times, Forbes • The goal is coverage and to “spark tire conversations” and stress “pillar messaging” of fuel efficiency, longevity, safety • Michelin very happy with the resulting coverage

11. Michelin and Social Media • Most media/advertising is one-way communication– monologue vs. dialogue • Idea of social media as two-way and conversational • Only 14 percent of people trust advertising • While 78 percent trust peer recommendations • Social Media encourages dialogue, debate, content to (potentially) a large audience • Michelin is focusing on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr and LinkedIn to get out its messages and try to get it out “above the fold” • Company adheres to “Social Media Principles”

12. Michelin Man Tweets! • Today the aged and iconic Michelin Man is hip to 21st century communications • He tweets “wherever he goes and whatever he does” • http://twitter.com/michelinmanUS

13. Michelin’s Evaluation Process • PR Metric and Analytics Component • How does Michelin’s PR prove the value of its work? • “How can we measure our results?” • Michelin (and many companies) use Vocus– on-demand software for public relations management- http://www.vocus.com • New Global Ad Campaign generated $1.6 million in “advertising equivalency”

14. Erwin-Penland IMC Agency • Erwin-Penland PR/Advertising- Greenville, S.C. http://www.erwinpenland.com/ • Fourth or fifth largest PR/marketing agency in the South, employees 250 people. Founded 1986 • Is all about IMC– not organized by departments but by teams--all physically located together in the office • Effective “speed shop” approach—often spends just 2-3 weeks on a campaign from getting business to launch • No one has an office not even the president

15. Andy Mendelson, EVP, Creative Director • Great time to be in advertising • Great opportunities for messaging with so many new venues today • Good ads make you think and feel something • TV commercials used to cost an average of $400,000. Cost today down due to less demand for visual perfection in part because they are being seeing on smaller screens (i.e. computers)

16. Erwin-Penland Drinking the Social Media “Kool-Aid” • Case Study– Yes brand car floormats • E-P developed a creative spill interactive site in which you could poor different things on a woman’s head such as milk shakes, ketchup • Then quickly shows the spill on the floormat being completely scrubbed away • The “ad” was Internet-based– they got bloggers to help get it going • Site was imbedded with codes to track many things such as click-through rate • Claim that 10 percent of visitors clicked through to purchasing the floor mats!

17. How Sweet the Sound Campaign • Verizon phone service was noticeably under used in Memphis, especially among African-Americans • E-P brainstorm session produced idea to have a best gospel choir competition • Gospel music huge in Memphis • People invited to submit videos of favorite church choirs • E-P and Verizon found way to connect with a demographic(s) and increased business • Have now held “How Sweet the Sounds” contests in 11 cities and held a national best church choir competition • http://www.erwinpenland.com/news/details/26

18. Master the process– call, write, call again, network, learn the business Follow the news– know the key players and pubs in an industry: Ad Age, PRWeek, for example Don’t let mom and dad do too much, pressuring their contacts on your behalf Exhibit confidence, leadership, personality Be a humble servant Bust through the resume trap Close with tenacity and manners– be courteous to all- the art of the follow-up Joe Erwin’s “Tips for Getting a Job in Advertising”

19. Joe Erwin’s “6 Ways to Blow It” • In the door, you’re “almost home” he says • But never lie • Don’t say or write “I look forward to hearing from you” • Don’t treat the receptionist poorly • Don’t criticize the company’s work • Don’t talk about yourself excessively • Avoid typos and other “stupid stuff”

20. E-P HR Recruiter Advice • Post your resume online with links to things you’ve written, videos you put on YouTube, your blog, your website • What is your brand? Sell your brand! • How are you unique? • How are you a fit for this position? • How are you a fit for the E-P culture? • What have you done? • Be “authentic” and be able to demonstrate your value

21. BMW Plant- Greer, S.C. • South Carolina assembly plant opened in 1994 • The U.S. plant has helped BWM increase American sales from 51,000 to 288,000 • Plant employees 5,000 workers • Average pay $25 hour for plant workers

22. Boon to South Carolina • 500 X5 and X6 SUVs are shipped by rail from the plant to Charleston’s port daily • The plant has suppliers in 37 of S.C.’s 47 counties • $30 million in product is built daily

23. Role of the Automotive Communicator • Engineer– understand and explain the car manufacturing process • Labor negotiations- fine points and sensitivities • Trend setters- cars are part of popular culture • Social scientist- can’t be tone deaf to changing consumer demands and needs • Industry cheerleader- visible spokesperson for the car industry

24. Attributes of Auto Industry Communicators From Tom Kowaleski, VP, Corporate Communications • Constant inquisitiveness about and knowledge of the outside world • Understanding of how cars are a fabric of society– all societies • Passion and competence • Trust the business to manage your career

25. Jackson Marketing GroupGreenville • This IMC agency was founded in Detroit in 1980 • Found niche with product launches and car dealer training • Focus today in on “building brand value” • Specializes in automotive, motor sports, business-to-business, and Greenville market

26. Jackson Marketing Grouphttp://www.jacksonmg.com/ • Marketing • New Media • Advertising • Public Relations • Motor Sports • Event Management • Video Production • Support Services- such asinbound/outbound call center services for market research, order processing, event registration and customer service surveys.

27. Motorized Couch Too! • A Jackson Marketing staffer (right) tinkered with a sofa and an engine…and created this motorized sofa • Anything to better serve the client! • YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNL8vHWViaQ