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Science fiction is undoubtedly a popular genre in Hollywood and a common theme we often come across is artificial intelligence (AI). From action packed films like The Matrix to family favourites like Wall-E, AI has been the centre of futuristic storytelling for decades. But one major theme of this storytelling is known as “the singularity theory”: robots becoming so intelligent and powerful they rise up and take over, which has given AI a bad reputation. In reality, this perception of artificial intelligence couldn’t be further from the truth.

Most of the digital tools we use today tap on AI to make our lives easier. I remember when I first started my career in PR, I used to come into the office bright and early to flip through newspapers, and manually cut and scan any coverage received. Today, I just need to log in to Meltwater and all the coverage I need is right there, thanks to AI.  

While AI can be a powerful tool, it still requires people to write its algorithms and feed it data so that it functions properly. In the PR industry, AI can be a hugely helpful technology,  powering the different software and digital tools that we use on a daily basis – helping us do our jobs better rather than taking over our jobs.

Here’s the recipe for how you can use AI can to be a better PR professional:

Sparks creativity

Creative thinking is an essential skill for those working in public relations. In fact, creativity is the key to unlocking original and memorable PR campaign ideas, and these creative ideas often are sharpened and polished when working collaboratively or through  brainstorming sessions with colleagues and clients.  This is all part of expansive human abilities – the unique ability to imagine, anticipate, feel as well as to judge and react according to changing situations – something that artificial intelligence cannot truly replicate.

Instead, AI abilities only correspond to the data we feed to them. This means AI-powered tools will never have the ability to to think outside the box or be creative. Rather than create ideas, AI can help PR professionals execute plans and replicate ideas based on what has already been done. While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, this may not be the case when it comes to PR campaigns. 

Detects emotions

By nature, humans are empathetic: able to understand our own emotions and also those of others. This is extremely crucial in PR as every step we take impacts the public and stakeholders. Because of this, we must be in tune with how others may feel regarding certain PR campaigns or ideas to avoid blowback internally or externally. 

Today, machines are still unable to have authentic emotions that come naturally to human beings. While AI can be programmed to detect emotions, these tools are unable to fully comprehend the reasons behind these emotions. The lack of empathy means they are not yet capable of coming up with effective campaigns that measure against the publics’ emotions. Nevertheless, emotion detection or recognition technology can help measure emotional states of large groups of people in a short time by simply analysing texts. This can be helpful for PR professionals who need to have a quick overview of public sentiments. 

Boosts cultural awareness

Today, we live in a world that not only embraces but celebrates cultural diversity. This is why cultural awareness – the ability to understand, value and respect different cultures –  is extremely important. This is especially true in the PR industry, as consultants and in-house teams help their clients with messaging and building brand awareness. 

Executing nuanced cultural awareness can be a major challenge for machines due to AI bias. This comes down to the fact that the machine learning algorithms themselves are not perfect. AI learns based on data, so when bias exists within the data, then the AI itself will automatically be biased. For instance, Microsoft’s Twitter-based chatbot, Tay, lived a mere 24 hours before being shut down for being racist and misogynistic. This happened because of the influence of a user community who repeatedly tweeted offensive statements at Tay who learns based on interactions. Because of this, artificial intelligence cannot be fully relied on for creating sound and respectful communication trategies. This is why a human touch is crucial when crafting copy, be it for social media, a media release, or a presentation. 

At the end of the day, AI is only as good as the data that powers it. Though it can be an extremely powerful tool, it is one that is meant to augment and complement human behaviour rather than replace humans entirely. With that, we must not fear AI, but learn to embrace it as part of our PR work.  

Want to understand how we can make your PR work easier? Write to us at hello@mutant.com.sg

While native advertising still retains its appeal under the marketing umbrella today, the journalistic form of branded content has grown to become marketers’ new weapon of choice, as they have greater control over the content published. But is branded content really easier, faster and cheaper than PR?

Given the overlap between both strategies, some may even argue that branded content will eventually come to replace the jobs of public relations pros. When slapped with a budget limit, marketers are often forced to weigh one option over the other. Others are spoilt for choice on the channels to employ for their messages to be heard loud and clear. As a marketer, how do you decide which strategy works best for a business? Here are a few questions you need to consider.

Who is your target audience?

Defining your target audience from the beginning is key to shaping the outcome of your storytelling efforts. This includes having a strong understanding of the media consumption habits of your target audience – where do they “lurk” on- and offline, what type of content do they consume, and how do they react to various types of content?
It is also imperative to be on top of existing regulations and policies pertaining to branded content, especially on social media platforms. Facebook requires the brand to clearly indicate that the content published is branded, while Influencers collaborating with brands are required to explicitly highlight the commercial nature of their content with hashtags such as #sponsored or #SP.

How will your content benefit your target audience?

While branded content allows companies to leverage on the reach and engagement of media publications, consumers have become more discerning than ever. This means they can easily tell branded content and advertorials apart from journalistic articles. It also means they will make a conscious effort to avoid such articles. 

At the end of the day, if you’re putting your money on branded content, consider how you can craft content that is compelling enough to stir the interest of your audience or share new knowledge with them. A job board’s main purpose, for example, is to have jobseekers come on board, create their profiles and land a career with them. But with so many job boards readily available out there today, job boards have expanded into offering free, targeted career advice for jobseekers. While career advice does not appear to have an immediate connection with a job board business’ main function, it serves as another avenue to drive brand recall while adding value to a jobseeker’s job search. The next time a jobseeker thinks about job searching, the particular brand whom they’ve interacted with would remain at the top of their minds. 

Do you have enough time?

Behind every successful PR campaign, is a great number of hours put into preparation. This includes crafting the right brand key messages, identifying the relevant media outlets, drafting press releases and building the company’s press kit. Having ample time to pull the materials together can aid to the overall success of the PR efforts. 

But if you really can’t wait at least a month to start seeing some media traction from your PR team, branded content can be a quicker alternative to achieve a similar end goal. Whether it’s partnering up with a media house or collaborating with influencers on a post, a video or a blog post, these factors can all be controlled to suit your needs. 

Do you have enough budget?

Just like advertising, branded content is a reliable way of securing desired placements within your choice of media publications, allowing your messages to get heard. However, it is the quality of that branded content that will make the difference – and producing quality takes time. But while engaging a PR agency for their expertise and contacts across multiple media outlets can cost a lump sum, engaging a well-known influencer for a one-off branded Instagram shoutout, or engaging a publication for a content partnership can likely cost just as much. You also need to consider that one post alone won’t do much, as consistency and continuous engagement will keep a brand in the consciousness of consumers. 

Keep your end goals in mind

There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to choosing the marketing channels for your brand. Every channel plays its part in supporting the bigger picture of marketing. At the end of the day, it’s your understanding of your business’s needs, and knowing how to effectively blend various marketing strategies to put forth a cohesive message. That’s what will ultimately drive the best results for your business.

Want to talk more about getting your story out there? Write to us at hello@mutant.com.sg 

As consumers become more aware of societal issues, brands’ environmental and sustainability efforts have also become an increasingly important point of consideration to consumers.

According to a recent IBM study, 8 in 10 respondents said that sustainability is important to them, and over 70% of these respondents said they would pay a 35% premium for brands whose products and practices are sustainable and environmentally responsible. Considering this, it is crucial that brands communicate their commitment towards the environment effectively to earn consumers’ hearts and minds, as well as their trust. 

However, environmental communications has always been a tricky subject, and fraught with pitfalls such as greenwashing. The recent World Environment Day served as a good reminder for brands to reexamine their approach towards environmental communications to prevent their efforts from being seen as performative. That will be simply not enough for today’s consumers. 

Remember: consumers are just people like you and me – so the key thing to getting environmental communications right is to talk to them the same way you talk with your friends. Here are some tips on how to do so.

Be honest and transparent

If there is one rule you need to take away, it’s this: base your messaging only on the cold, hard facts and don’t smudge the details. This seems simple enough, but even in 2021, brands are still making this fatal mistake. For example, South Korean skincare and cosmetics brand Innisfree was recently criticised for falsely claiming their bottles are made of paper, when in fact they use plastic bottles covered with a paper label.

In that same vein, brands need to remember that they don’t have to strive for perfection. Instead, be prepared to share your progress, no matter how gradual it is, and admit mistakes in your sustainability journey. Coca-Cola does exactly that – instead of waiting to share 100% targets, the beverage company shares every small step they make, such as how 60% of their packaging is refilled or recycled. 

While it can be tempting to glamourise and exaggerate environmental efforts, consumers will double-check claims and call-out brands that lie. Just remember the Chinese proverb, “paper can’t wrap up fire,” – or in this case, plastic. 

Don’t get all “sales-y”

Be honest – if your friend came up to you to sell you insurance, you would be annoyed. Likewise, when it comes to talking about how your brand is saving the environment, don’t hard-sell your products. 

In a bid to demonstrate their sustainability efforts, we’ve seen many brands push out sustainable products that run the gamut from eco-friendly tote bags to reusable drink tumblers. However, not all of these products are actually friendly to the environment – in fact, some leave behind an even larger environmental footprint. For instance, a 2018 study found that a cotton shopping bag actually has a higher environmental cost than a plastic one.

A brand’s environmental efforts are often more effective when they don’t encourage consumerism. A classic example is Patagonia’s ‘Don’t buy this jacket’ campaign, which encouraged consumers to purchase only what they need and urged businesses to make products that are less harmful to the environment. It’s good advice – instead of churning out non-essential reusable products, focus on increasing the quality and reducing the environmental impact of your core products. 

Create a movement

Did you know that 88% of consumers want brands to help them improve their environmental and social footprint? That’s right, environmental communication is not just a one-way street — while it is important for brands to inform consumers about what they are doing to be more eco-conscious, brands also need to enable consumers to take action as well. 

Businesses can achieve this by creating thought leadership on wider environmental issues, and educating audiences on how to take actionable steps. For example, Colgate’s #EveryDropCounts campaign went beyond their toothpaste products to teach consumers the importance of saving water. Since the campaign launched, Colgate has collected over 300,000 pledges to save over 41 million cups of water, showcasing its reach and ability to influence consumers to be more mindful of how their daily routines affect the environment. 

While inspiring others to take action, brands need to make sure that they continue to walk the talk. If not, consumers – just like your friends – won’t be afraid to call you out if they see you slacking off. 

Putting out sustained messaging surrounding environmental issues and efforts not only reinforces your brand values, but creates a movement for both the brand and your customers. 

Make it fun

While it is important to tread carefully, environmental communications don’t always have to be dry and dreary. 

To stand out from the crowd, brands can use up-and-coming mediums like TikTok, where creators are already speaking up on environmental issues, to spark conversations. 

Brands can also partner with trendy brands and celebrities to reach wider audiences. Last year, K-pop group BLACKPINK spoke up about climate change ahead of the UN’s COP26 event, and this World Environment Day, music group BTS partnered with Hyundai to launch an environmental campaign.

So yes, environmental communications can be tough, but it isn’t impossible to get it right. The bottom line is to treat consumers just like how we treat our friends – with decency, honesty, and respect. 

Struggling to share your environmental efforts in an engaging and effective way? We’re here to help – hello@mutant.com.sg.

The rollout of a new meal at McDonald’s probably doesn’t seem like the type of thing that would excite most people. But when the new meal is a brand partnership between the Golden Arches and South Korean music group BTS, people get really excited.

Part of the McDonald’s’ Famous Orders campaign that was introduced in February 2020, the BTS Meal – 10-piece McNuggets with sweet chili and cajun dipping sauces, fries, and a Coke – launched in late May and will come to Singapore’s sunny shores on 21 June.

Unlike the two preceding Famous Orders collaborations – with rapper Travis Scott and singer J Balvin – the BTS Meal is a global event rather than exclusive to the United States, and will be served in nearly 50 markets. 

When planning a worldwide launch in partnership with a world-famous band that has an extremely engaged fanbase, McDonald’s knew that its approach to promoting the BTS Meal needed to be different from business as usual. To do this, McDonald’s and its agency, Wieden+Kennedy, took several pages from the BTS playbook, impressing both fans of the group, called ARMY, and marketers around the globe.

Here are the lessons marketers can apply to their own campaigns – whether they’re with BTS or not.

Prioritise authenticity

Every marketer knows that authenticity is the number one ingredient for a successful brand partnership. McDonald’s went so far as to make the ideal the center of their Famous Orders campaign.

Vicki Chancellor, the U.S. Franchisee Marketing Committee Chair for McDonald’s put it this way to Rolling Stone: “We look for artists who are true fans of our food. That authenticity is key,” and other McDonald’s marketing executives have reiterated this, emphasising that the celebrities tapped for the campaign have a favorite McDonald’s order, just like anyone else – and that by sharing their order, people feel more connected to them.

In the press rounds the McDonald’s team has done to promote the BTS Meal, many have made it a point to mention that the seven members of BTS were involved with the development of the entire campaign, from the meal to the creative.

Though some may be surprised that a music group is so involved in planning a campaign, it’s not a departure for BTS, who has famously made sincerity a cornerstone of everything they do, from communicating with fans to their partnerships. In the past year, that list includes online game MapleStory, which they grew up playing, artist James Jean, whose exhibitions BTS members have visited, and Louis Vuitton, the fashion house helmed by designer Virgil Abloh, whose streetwear they have donned for years.

By working with BTS, McDonald’s joined the exclusive list of partners who benefit not just from the group’s global celebrity status, but from their authentic enthusiasm for the collaboration.

Tailor your content – and its roll-out – to your audience

Though many elements of the BTS Famous Orders campaign are similar to the mechanics of the campaigns for Travis Scott and J Balvin – which both came with splashy commercials and merch drops that mirrored the artists’ personalities and aesthetics – McDonald’s went the extra mile to appeal to, and impress, ARMY.

When speaking with Rolling Stone, U.S. chief marketing officer Morgan Flatley detailed the campaign for the BTS Meal, which includes two merch collections and exclusive behind-the-scenes content on the McDonald’s app, and said, “We took inspiration from a K-pop song release — mimicking the build-up to a new single… Between our April announcement and the BTS Meal hitting restaurants, we’ve had a steady rollout of content on  social.”

What’s more, the burger brand has adopted characteristics that identify someone as ARMY on social media, such as adding a superscript “7” to their display name, and has followed in BTS’s footsteps by sharing a variety of behind-the-scenes and meal-exclusive activations across social media channels. These work as added value while also keeping ARMY engaged throughout the campaign.

Localise as much as possible

A successful global campaign requires lots of planning and a heavy dose of flexibility – something McDonald’s knows well. It’s no secret that its menus vary around the world, adapted to suit the palates and preferences of the local population.

Though the BTS Meal is largely the same the world over, what does change are the local marketing efforts, which have to align with country-specific regulations and requirements, and must follow strict approval processes. To ensure the campaign met all of these regulations as smoothly and quickly as possible, McDonald’s focused on communication between global, regional, and country leads.

The result of that can be seen on social media, where ARMYs have shared their experiences purchasing the BTS Meal. They’ve highlighted McDonald’s locations in South Korea decorated with balloons and streamers, franchises in Morocco that played BTS music, and outlets in India that delivered bonus gifts such as flowers or balloons along with a note with lyrics from BTS songs to the first customer to order the BTS Meal. McDonald’s crews are getting in on the action, too – teams in the Philippines created a TikTok dance challenge and have posted videos of themselves dancing to BTS music while at work.

These efforts highlight the different ways McDonald’s locations around the world approach marketing as well as customer experiences – and were made possible because the team at McDonald’s understood the importance of letting its outlets reach their local audiences in the ways that work best.

Adapt quickly

Agility can be hard for multinational corporations to master, but when it came to partnering with BTS, it wasn’t for McDonald’s. During an interview with Billboard News, the BTS members were asked if their McDonald’s meal came with photocards – a bonus inclusion found in their albums that are often treated as collector’s items. On the spot, Jin pulled out his phone and pretended to call McDonald’s to request photocards. 

Two days later, an announcement was made on Weverse Shop, an ecommerce app operated by HYBE, the entertainment company that manages BTS – photocards would be included with every BTS x McDonald’s merchandise order.

What’s more, the head of social media for McDonald’s tweeted on his personal account that the photocards were not planned, highlighting how McDonald’s, BTS, and HYBE worked together fast to produce the collectibles.

Though there have been bumps along the way, overall, the BTS Meal rollout has been a resounding success, and is a masterclass in the importance of knowing how best to work with a celebrity partner and activate their audience.

You can be sure that everyone involved is lovin’ it.

Looking to plan a stellar brand partnership campaign? Give us a shout at hello@mutant.com.sg – we’re more than happy to help.

This article was first published in WARC.

Cover image credit: McDonalds

To outsiders, the world of finance can seem intimidating and difficult to understand. This is why it’s imperative for finance companies, from fintech startups to multinational wealth management firms, to use public relations as an evergreen solution for connecting with their audience and building their financial reputation.

Here’s how an always-on public relations strategy can help finance players of all stripes build trust and achieve credibility from consumers and businesses. 

Understanding the evolving target audience and market landscape

First things first: the reason why finance companies should invest in great PR is because of how quickly the financial market for consumers is changing in this age of technology.

It is important to recognise that many people these days are active consumers – meaning they often seek out information on their own accord and are not simply consuming information that is presented by companies. Imagine you’re looking for specific financial information to manage your own portfolio – you’ll likely do your due diligence by researching and reading numerous trusted sources before coming to a decision of where to start.

In addition, the internet and social media have created a path for numerous independent financial advisors to carve out a niche and  share easily digestible information. However, this evolution of information makes it possible for people to perpetuate financial misinformation, terrible advice, or even fake news unchecked. Thus, finance companies have an opportunity to navigate this competitive landscape and stand out by sharing information that is not only accurate, but useful for consumers.

Building trust by establishing visibility and credibility

To be seen as a helpful and factual financial source, companies have to build trust – and this is where PR steps in. Besides traditional media relations tactics like sharing news via press releases and pitching relevant stories to have an active voice in the media, PR can also help position top executives or people in senior leadership positions as thought leaders through interviews with credible publications. 

However, with every company employing the same tactics, how can you make sure you stand out? One way is through providing valuable and relevant data insights. This will help build credibility, especially when media is able to refer back to the company for timely insights on certain issues. This is clearly highlighted when we helped conceptualise and execute two data-led campaigns for personal finance website SingSaver to garner mass visibility at a time when news cycles were dominated by COVID-19 and Singapore’s elections. What’s more, it positioned  the company as an insightful and well-versed industry player, which resulted in SingSaver being proactively approached by top-tier titles like The Straits Times for commentary on broader industry stories. 

Additionally, data campaigns can also help generate new organic leads when done right. This is a direct indicator of increased trust from consumers. For example,  a research-driven campaign on the sensitive subject of retirement readiness for digital wealth manager Syfe not only secured stories across online, print and broadcast but drove traffic back to their website. 

Connecting with your audience 

Once you’ve formulated credibility and cemented yourself as a trustworthy voice, PR can help you connect with and sustain prolonged engagement with your audience. This is especially important in the finance industry because it’s such a competitive landscape – companies can rarely rely on brand loyalty. Instead, they should create opportunities to directly communicate with their audiences. 

This can be easily facilitated via social media campaigns by anticipating and tailoring content to their target audience.

Let’s say your target audience is people in their 20s or 30s and looking to purchase their first house. Take note of key dates for BTO application and push out content around those times to capture their attention. 

As money matters can be confusing to people outside of the industry, finance companies must ensure that new updates or trends are communicated clearly and simply. Cut the jargon to make the information accessible and straight-forward, and establish channels for open dialogue so that consumers can ask questions. Better yet, make the information visual: this can be done in the form of an infographic or flow chart to help consumers digest information easier. 

The way different finance companies approach PR may vary, but the key outcome remains the same: to build brand reputation and provide consumers with a trustworthy brand that they can rely on.

Know a company that would benefit from this? Drop us a line at hello@mutant.com.sg!

News of Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open has dominated recent headlines. However, it’s not the actual withdrawal but its implications, especially regarding the mental health of athletes, that generated this buzz. 

Because conversations about mental health have increasingly gained importance throughout the pandemic, even non-sporting organisations and prominent figures – including President Halimah Yacob – have taken this opportunity to chime in with their own thoughts and opinions.

We call this newsjacking. 

A term coined by David Meerman Scott in 2011, newsjacking is the process of adding your perspective to the conversation surrounding breaking news stories. It is a valuable tactic that can help you secure media exposure, strengthen media relations and position your company’s spokespeople as key thought leaders.

Newsjacking hacks for success

While effective newsjacking can be very fruitful for your organisation, it’s important to proceed with caution. Below are some tips to keep in mind to help to increase your success rate. 

#1. Stay on top of the latest news 

The proliferation of news published everyday makes it hard to keep track of what’s happening. Make it easier to stay plugged in to breaking news and  crucial  stories by using monitoring platforms (such as Google Alerts and Meltwater). You can set up alerts that will notify you of  relevant news as they’re published – but be sure to establish criteria for the types of news you want to focus on by specifying key terms, especially those relevant to your industry. 

#2. Pick the right news to jack

If the stories you leverage do not have a connection to your business or personal brand, you risk confusing your audience and even discrediting your work in the eyes of your readers. Ensure that there is a legitimate link between the news and the message you want to convey. If you think that it’s a stretch, your audience will pick up on it as well. Some questions to ask yourself include:

• Will your message be misinterpreted?
• Does this newsjacking effort offend anyone?
• Will this opportunity boost your brand at the expense of another’s mishap?
• Will you come across as simply trying too hard?

The recent Circles.life fiasco is a very clear example of newsjacking gone wrong. For context, following a viral video on racism, the brand tried to jump on the topic to talk about their own positive racial values via social content. 

While I’m sure the post was created with good intentions, it unfortunately was executed in a way that seemed tone deaf to many. The backlash was harsh and immediate – thousands of netizens criticised the company for being tactless and opportunistic. Their brand image has taken a strong hit and they are now in damage-control mode. The takeaway here? 

Don’t bite off more than you can chew. 

#3. Do too many cooks spoil the broth? Not always

In addition to serving as a cautionary newsjacking tale, the Circles.life example also highlights a very important insight – get multiple people with differing perspectives and experiences to proofread your content. This especially applies to sensitive topics you are trying to newsjack. Make sure that you get several pairs of eyes to look over your content before you post it to catch any potential red flags. 

#4. Time is of the essence 

Newsjacking can only be effective if you get in on the conversation at the right time.. So once you get a news alert about a story that you believe is ripe for your comments, you need to act fast as you have a very brief turnaround time (usually within 24 hours) to draft your commentary and share it either via your own channels or with  journalists who are also working on a tight schedule. 

There is therefore usually a very short window of opportunity and it is important you are one of the first to be heard. Plan ahead by taking early note of confirmed events that will be happening such as the Singapore Budget, Chinese New Year, the Olympics, Christmas, etc. 

You can even reach out to your media contacts weeks prior to the actual event to gauge if there is any interest in doing a story and, more importantly, check if there is an opportunity for you to be part of the conversation. This will help you secure early interest and will give you sufficient time to prepare a fluid outline of your statement to ensure that it carries the right messaging.

You are now four tips closer to having newsjacking as a powerful tool in your PR arsenal. So, go forth and be bold – while also being smart. Or, you could write to us at hello@mutant.com.sg if you need a hand!

Most people have a broad idea of what a content strategy entails, but in our experience, the nitty gritties can be harder to pin down. 

While the definition of content strategy may vary depending on the brand or industry you work in, it generally means the creation and distribution of content to achieve business goals. This can typically include generating more customer leads, boosting engagement and downloads, or getting people to share your content. 

While it’s tempting to assume that content production lies in the remit of your  marketing or PR teams, making sure it actually delivers results  requires dedicated skill and expertise. Keeping it strategic  also requires knowledge of other functions such as corporate communications, social media and business development. Armed with knowledge from various disciplines, a well-crafted content strategy can do wonders for your business — but only if you consistently put out high-quality content that delights and engages your audiences. Here are some of the benefits of having one:

A consistent brand voice

From press releases and marketing material to social media posts, websites and more, a good content strategy can help you ensure that your brand’s tone of voice and style remains consistent across different types of media. It can also help set the standard for how you want your brand to be presented to the public – especially if you have multiple people writing and posting your content.

Do more with a seamless editorial and communications strategy 

When it comes to launching a new campaign, announcing a corporate rebrand or an exciting new business venture, things can quickly go south without a clear content direction. Coordinating the production of content for different platforms can be painstaking, especially if social media is involved and you have to respond to your audience or media in real time.

However, with a content strategy that oversees the entire content production process – from the initial brief to community management,  you can be assured that the development process won’t be hampered by uncertainty. With a series of robust checks and balances in place, you can consistently put out high-quality content 

Build solid media relationships 

There is great value in cultivating solid relationships with the media. Even if you don’t become a thought leader overnight, it’s definitely something you can work towards. Media exposure is undeniably beneficial for your business (as long as it’s positive) and brand. 

By making thought leadership a core aspect of your content strategy, you can position senior team members as industry leaders via op-eds, LinkedIn content or media interviews. Share your company’s perspectives in a clear and concise manner, and you will not only make a splash in the business community, but you will also establish yourself as a reliable expert that journalists can turn to when they need a quote.

These are just a few benefits of investing time and effort into creating a dynamic content strategy. If you’re interested in crafting this sort of content plan or want a bit more information if you’re unsure – feel free to reach out to us!

Need to develop a content strategy but don’t know how to go about it? We can help at: hello@mutant.com.sg

Whenever I tell someone outside of the industry that I work in public relations (PR), the first thing they assume is that my work is easy and glamorous (like that of Samantha Jones from the hit TV-series, Sex and the City). But contrary to popular belief, PR is anything but easy. 

In fact, working in PR feels more like being on a rollercoaster ride. There are times when you’re at the peak, riding on the waves of major company announcements and securing interviews left, right and centre. But there are also times when you can’t land a single piece of coverage, no matter how hard you try. This is what I call going through a dry spell in the world of PR. 

These can be difficult to navigate for even the most seasoned PR professionals. So from one pro to another, here are some tips and tricks on how you can steer through PR dry spells and continue to support your client with amazing PR work:

Learn to say “Pivot! Pivot! Pivot!”

The proverb, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” is a mantra for many of us, urging us to persevere even when outcomes seem bleak. But in PR, if you have pitched the same story angle to multiple media outlets with no success, it’s time for a new mantra. Try “Pivot! Pivot! Pivot!”, instead, the iconic line made famous by Ross from Friends. 

Unlike Ross from Friends, by pivoting, I don’t mean just switching to another angle — or other media outlets. I mean taking the time to think outside the box and find different ways to tell the story itself. For instance, if your client is sitting on a trove of data, you’re in luck. When it comes to storytelling, data is an incredibly powerful tool that can help you map trends, make insightful observations on user behaviour and ultimately, help you craft a compelling story that can resonate with your target audience long after its release. 

For example, when working with Zendesk, we were able to leverage their annual Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report (launched at the beginning of the year), to create a versatile series of thought leadership pieces. Apart from engaging brands and businesses with a steady stream of content, we were also able to continuously land a string of interview opportunities using different angles based on the report. 

Listen to your spokesperson

Learning about your spokespeople is just as important as learning about the company itself and one of the key things I’ve learnt is never be afraid to ask your client for a meeting with them. You’ll be amazed at how many CEOs or spokespersons are willing to take an hour out of their busy day to share their vision or passion points. You’ll be even more amazed to discover their insights that go beyond even your most extensive desktop research about the company. 

Once you’ve got the meeting in place, make sure you come prepared and ask the right questions to draw inspiring insights that contribute to great storytelling. Be careful not to rush through the questions like a checklist. Instead, listen to what your spokesperson is sharing, digest it, and elevate it by constructively participating in the conversation. 

Colour outside the lines and be creative

There may come a time when your client tells you that they don’t have any announcements coming up, or worse, no spokesperson to even make them! But fret not, times like these are an opportunity to explore new ways of doing PR. Beyond press releases or events, there are a variety of options that allow you to continue building positive brand awareness. 

Try dipping your toes into channels beyond traditional media. Owned social media platforms, for example, are great for running digital campaigns or engaging content that can directly connect with audiences. But to do this successfully, you also need great content. 

Great content is more than just writing an op-ed or curating a series of meme-driven social posts — it has the ability to shift customer perceptions and drive business outcomes. In 2020, a data-driven campaign Mutant conceptualised for SingSaver garnered mass visibility and landed top-tier media opportunities at a time when news cycles were dominated by COVID-19 and Singapore’s elections. With compelling and timely insights on the financial habits of Singaporeans at the time, we managed to cut through the noise to position SingSaver as an expert on personal finance. 

Dry spells can turn into pay-offs when you keep an open mind and create bold, strategic PR plans that are driven by content. Just remember, when you hit a brick wall, instead of breaking it down, find a ladder and climb over it! We can help: hello@mutant.com.sg

Many years ago – long before Covid-19 – I was a young journalist in New Zealand, and I suffered from intense and overwhelming burnout. I was working at a national newspaper and was good at my job. This meant I was often called on to do the last-minute “spot news” to fill the front or the first few pages of the paper. 

The job involved dealing with a lot of death. I saw a number of dead bodies – many just minutes after the accident had occurred – and those images are seared into my brain. I spoke with bereaved family members, most of whom did not want to speak with me. I had to door-knock family members (this is when you turn up and literally knock on someone’s door for what is essentially a surprise interview) mere hours after they learned their loved one had died. One particularly awful time, I reached a family before the police had informed them of their loved one’s death, and thus proceeded to (unknowingly) inform a woman that her husband had died in a car crash we were covering. I almost quit that day. 

I was yelled at a lot. People screamed at me. Told me to “f*** off” (can’t say I blame them). One time someone threw a chair at me. Another time, a family set their dogs on me. These incidents were common enough that often the photographers I often worked with would leave the car running with the doors open, so that we could make a quick getaway from our door-knock if we needed to. 

You’d think all of that would have got to me (it did), but what finally did it was an awful accident involving a woman who was driving her two grandchildren under the influence, leading to all three of them dying. It was tragic, and I decided I didn’t want to cover it. I couldn’t. My boss told me to approach the family as usual, but I refused. I was already out in the field but turned around and came back without getting what was wanted by the paper. My boss was waiting for me when I turned up, handed me a cigarette (I smoked and drank heavily in those days) and I proceeded to yell at him. I swore, through hot tears, and told him he was a piece of s*** for making me do these stories. I snapped. I was given a couple of weeks’ leave (much-needed), but I didn’t receive any follow-up to my outburst, or professional help – not until many years later when I sought it out for myself. 

This was my first lesson in burnout and not dealing with the source of my discomfort and stress until it was too late. I have had a couple of other close calls since then, but over the years I have equipped myself with the tools and practices necessary to help me cope with stress. 

—-

Then along came Covid-19 and its ongoing, relentless ability to bring the entire world to its knees. 

When we think of burnout or stress, we often align it with short-term demands – such as meeting deadlines or juggling workloads – but what about when the stress feels like a marathon? When there’s so much uncertainty and few answers? When the powers-that-be don’t know enough and when life is expected to continue as “normally” as possible?

We know that our collective mental health is in the process of suffering a global burnout. According to the Harvard Business Review, 85% of people say their wellbeing has declined over the past year and 62% can’t balance work and other responsibilities. We are exhausted, constantly dealing with bad news,and can’t maintain strong connections with each other. This crosses over into our work lives, too. While workplace engagement and wellbeing usually rise and fall at the same time, Gallup’s 2020 report on the “Wellbeing-Engagement Paradox” found that during Covid-19 they have diverged, with engagement shooting up at the start of the pandemic, as wellbeing tanked. Towards the end of 2020, engagement dropped, too. 

My personal opinion is that fear probably propelled this initial engagement (people felt lucky to have their jobs, etc), and they worked so hard to find a purpose throughout the change that they did a number on their mental health. 

It’s been 13 years since my first brush with burnout, and since then I have had a sort of mental checklist of things that help me cope with the subtle but pervasive toll this pandemic is taking. Some of these tips might not be new to you, but if we can help each other through this slow-motion horror, then all the better to strengthen our collective psyches:

Teach yourself to cope better with bad news 

This is a big one, but perhaps the most helpful to me over the years. Bad news – small or big – always had me immediately fearing the worst and plunging into those feelings. Now, there are a few steps I take to give myself perspective and bring me back on track. Firstly, regulate your physical response to bad news (like going back into lockdown, for example) by breathing deeply. I know it sounds simple, but it works. Secondly, contextualise the news and focus on the worst outcome. It sounds counterintuitive, but by framing the bad news in its proper context (i.e. lockdown is terrible, but at least it will help to keep us healthy and safe) and envisioning the worst thing that could happen actually helps prepare your brain to deal with any fallout. Finally, you can reframe to focus on the best possible outcome, and flip the narrative on its head. 

But also, don’t force positivity 

This is a pet peeve of mine anyway, but toxic positivity be damned. When things go wrong, telling yourself “it will be okay” or “focus on the positive” won’t cut it a lot of the time. I have found that the best way to come out the other side of a stressful situation or feeling is to allow myself to sit in my authentic emotion for as long as I need. Don’t pretend everything is okay when it isn’t. This only serves to increase overall stress and feed the burnout symptoms. 

My 1-2-3 approach to planning and routine 

I picked this up years ago and do it almost on a daily basis to give my day some structure – but also enough flexibility that I don’t force myself to feel like a failure. Each day, I write down one thing I absolutely must achieve; my non-negotiable task. Underneath that, I write two things that I will do my very best to complete, which I expect to get done about 75% of the time. And finally, there are three more tasks that I will do if I have the time. Some of these will relate to work deadlines, and others will be things I do for myself or others. I have found it really helps set the day up for success (and more often than not I complete almost everything just by virtue of writing it down in the first place.)

Ask yourself these 3 questions about work 

Is what I do rewarding? Do I have a supportive community at work? Is my workload reasonable?

In my opinion, these three things form the base of a supportive and positive atmosphere to work from. If one is missing, it doesn’t mean you need to leave that job, but it does indicate there may be steps you can take or suggest to close that gap. The last question is particularly important to give clarity around stress, but it requires being honest with yourself. Usually, your workload is reasonable, but there are numerous things that may have happened to increase your stress levels around it (i.e. your kid got sick, you got pulled onto another project, etc) and so it feels unmanageable. Often the solution is a lesson in time management, or perhaps chatting with your manager to find a solution. 

Discuss your mental health and personal issues at work 

I truly believe the key to ensuring that you or your employees avoid burnout – pandemic related or not – is to completely break the stigma of discussing personal issues at work, and openly talking about mental health. Leaders and managers should guide the way here, by showcasing that we all have stuff going on. We know that a personal issue can impair someone’s ability to operate at work, so let’s break the silence around it. It doesn’t mean you need to overshare, but normalising things like taking a mental health day because of a personal issue will not only help people feel more comfortable to do the same, but also potentially give others courage to seek professional help, without fear of it hurting their careers.

While these coping mechanisms are things I personally do, often the onus also falls to organisations to reset their working practices and culture to better align with the modern world. Too many companies are still caught up in “this is the way it’s always been done” that they fail to see how their inflexibility is increasing anxiety, stress, and productivity. 

Burnout was a problem long before Covid-19, but this pandemic has been the true test of our ability to properly address the issue, rather than just writing blogs about it. I hope this one has at least gone some way in helping both employees and employers rethink how we support one another to find purpose, fulfillment and overall well being.

Want to keep the conversation going? Talk to us at hello@mutant.com.sg

We hate to break it to you, but not all technology gets consumers equally excited. 

Think of the immediate onslaught of news articles and social media posts that accompany the announcement of a new Apple product. Now, contrast that with the response to the latest innovation announced by an integrated business-to-business (B2B) software solution people use every day. You see what we mean? 

Customers might not know it just yet, but they do come in contact with the products of B2B business more often than they think – ever used Ninja Van’s automated chatbot? That software is provided by Zendesk, a customer service software company.  Relatability is exactly what it takes for people to start caring about what tech brands, especially B2B ones, have to say.

But why should consumer perception matter to your B2B tech businesses?

Much like how B2B brands turn to their customers for validation,  consumer tech companies also look to customers – the end-users of B2B brand products – for theirs. By playing a significant role in shaping the way people (positively) perceive your customers, you boost the credibility of your own brand. 

If you ever find yourself trying hard to connect with an audience who has no idea 5G is upon us (let alone 6G), here’s how you can talk about technology without sounding like you’re quoting The Matrix.

SIMPLIFYING JARGON

To the average person, the tech industry seems to be full of long-winded acronyms, nonsense words, and seemingly meaningless catchphrases (“SEO optimisation,” anyone?). Though it can be hard to resist using techspeak in promotional material, that won’t impress your audience – instead, it could just confuse them, or worse, drive them away. 

For instance, a company may install a complicated new software which improves employee efficiency and productivity. However, if the audience is unable to understand what exactly the software does for them, and are not educated on how to go about using it, they’ll probably stick to doing things the way that works best, even if it is comparatively slow or clunky. Similarly, B2B software companies dealing with complicated products should drop the technicalities and instead articulate the value they bring to their customers. 

Rely on data-driven narratives

If you have data, insights, or even simply announcements that impact the local and regional tech or businesses community, you should work to create interesting story angles centred around your and your customers’ data. 

If data is not readily available, though, commissioned reports produced by third-party research agencies can also help you deep-dive into industry trends to produce an opinion piece that also showcases your brand’s technical product capabilities in a non-promotional light.

What’s more,  your data or opinion pieces can be distilled into more digestible satellite content – short-form pieces like social posts and blog posts – that can grab readers’ attention and then funnel those who want to know more towards your website, which can in turn help boost both awareness and generate leads.

Create a wealth of consumer case studies

Software companies who also act as vendors for their consumer tech clients can sometimes blur the lines between genuine thought-leadership and an opportunistic, promotional plug – especially when pitching to the media. For instance, if you’re a cloud service provider, it would be natural for you to speak with the media about how “organisations need to be cloud-ready” before 5G networks arrive.

But instead of telling others how something should be done, why not show them? The success stories of your customers make for great case studies, which prove the success of your products and services when applied in the real world. 

But here’s the catch: when sharing case studies with trade publications or other news outlets, B2B brands must understand and be comfortable sharing the spotlight with other parties – otherwise the neutrality of the story might be undermined. 

Don’t be afraid to newsjack

‘Reactive pitching’ – often called ‘newsjacking’ – is the art (if you will) of getting your organisation’s key messages into media coverage by riding on the back of breaking news. To leverage reactive pitching effectively, you should think about the type of data or thought-leadership your company spokesperson can bring to the table in the event of major tech-related news – brainstorming possibilities and having a ready-to-go bank of ideas is definitely not a bad idea. 

As a B2B brand, you likely work with partners that provide service to consumer tech companies. Work with them to tap into their available data in order to create compelling news hooks for journalists – especially those in the tech and business world. By inserting yourself into the conversation subtly and tastefully, you’ll be the expert on the situation and topic at hand. 

These tactics are for tech companies, as newsworthy corporate announcements may not always be available, and even when they are, they might be too technical for audiences of mainstream or business titles. By creating user-friendly content and positioning your business leaders as industry experts, you’ll be able to more easily get the word out about your company.

If you’re a B2B tech company in need of a simple way to explain what you can do, write to us at hello@mutant.com.sg

The Olympics.

Just saying those two words today can trigger half of the global population. Waves of protests and pleas for the Olympics to be cancelled can be seen on the news daily. I mean, The Olympics’ very own media partner, The Asahi Shimbun, is calling for its postponement. That surely can’t bode well for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Yet despite the gale, it seems like the Olympic flame won’t go out this time.

Between you and me, here’s a confession: I was a little jaded reading about the aggressive stances from athletes, governments, media, sporting associations, healthcare professionals and even the fans. It all felt like watching a game of table tennis that had gone on for too long. Then came an article that made my eyes perk up. Through a Reuters feed that promised the article would be a five minute read, the headline read, ‘As unpredictable Games looms, Japan’s sponsors struggle to adapt’. 

Oh boy, was I excited. 

Finally, I would receive some insight into the perspective of the corporations that have poured over US$3 billion to sponsor the Tokyo Olympic Games. I thought to myself, surely, they must be the most vocal supporters of the Olympics and will want the games to carry on. Right?

I was exceedingly wrong.

The article paints a picture of anxious and confused sponsors that are unsure if they can possibly earn a satisfactory return on investment with an audience of zero attending the Olympics. Asahi Breweries were wondering who’s going to drink all the beer. Toyota Motor Corp felt like they’d lost their “grand moment for electric cars”. JTB Corp is refunding tour packages. The list goes on.

From there, I joined the confusion camp.

Were these brands really just relying on physical sponsorships? The pandemic was declared more than a year ago – didn’t these brands think of digital alternatives? Isn’t “please have a digital extension” part of every brief these days? Are people going to think the media partner and the beer partner are the same company?

It may just be that these brands are panicking right now and having too many meetings-that-could-have-been-emails to think of digital strategies, or they could have just surrendered to their fate. No matter which, I challenged myself and am sharing a few thought-starter ideas of my own.

Animated Overlays

I remember watching a swimming race years ago, and wondering how on earth they had the swimmer’s flag and name on the lane at the start of the race. Did they use some kind of physical lane cover? Imagine how mindblown I was when the results appeared almost immediately as an overlay upon the podium finishers touching the wall. 

Using this same idea, advertisers and sponsors could harness the wonderful world of AR filters and animated overlays to “transport” data onto screens. For example, the Japan Tourism Board could use the broadcast to highlight the best spots for people to visit in Tokyo by displaying a QR code that viewers around the globe can scan,  receive more information about the venue and bookmark it for later, when travel is more feasible. 

Home Extensions

The food and beverage industry will probably be affected the most if physical attendance is limited, if allowed at all.  However, if the product is available in many other countries, F&B brands could create engaging mini-games for the audiences.

It could be something like this: in an activation called “Spot the beer to win exciting prizes!” fans watch some of the games where the product is placed somewhere in the venue. Those who spot it have to take a screenshot, upload it to social media, and tag the brand or use a hashtag. In return, they enter to win an exciting prize, such as a hamper. While it seems like a simple tactic, it could have a massive impact for a global audience, and could add a bit of spice to competitions like diving, where the action lasts for all of 3 seconds. 

What about photography sponsors, you ask? The company could create a fun Instagram filter for people to use when watching the games. All they’d need to do is open their phone, snap a photo of the screen, apply the filter, and voilà! The filter will transform the photo into a beautiful, high-quality still that makes it seem as if the person is watching the Olympics live.

Alternative Content

Ever watched Netflix’s Terrace House, where young people are forced to live in one house so that unscripted reality TV drama can unfold? The real drama for me always came from the colourful commentators who provide unfiltered quips about each scene. That sort of humour is something that can be brought out through all content your brand creates in relation to the Olympics.

All you need is a social media page. Are you a hot sauce sponsor? Maybe you could create “Best scream of the day” videos, where you get your followers to eat your hot sauce, recreate that scream, and post it on their preferred social media platform. 

If you are an energy bar or drink sponsor, you could post a daily video where comedians masquerading as pundits comment solely on the energy levels of athletes that day. I can’t promise it will go viral, but don’t knock it until you try it!

Well, those are some thought-starters – I could go on, but statistics show that articles that go on for too long have higher drop-off rates. So, to all the panicking Olympic sponsors: if the games do proceed as planned, fret not because  the digital world has lots to offer. Just take three deep breaths, call for that internal brainstorm and start pivoting your strategies towards creative digital ideas.

If you’re still lost, feel free to reach out to us at hello@mutant.com.sg for help. If somehow this is not relevant to you, but you’ve read until this point anyway and found these ideas helpful or inspiring, thanks and please help forward this to an Olympics sponsor who may be worried.

This article first appeared in PR Week.

I’ve spent about three years now as a PR consultant for a robust mix of (almost exclusively) technology clients, and no two days of my job have been the same so far. That’s because much like the dynamic nature of the industry itself, the communication needs of technology brands are constantly changing.

Most people outside the industry (and surprisingly, even some within it) think of tech PR in a unidimensional way — launch an app, create some buzzwords and slap a press release on it. If they’re feeling creative, they’ll throw a couple of media interviews into the mix. While this cookie-cutter approach might sound easy and even land some coverage, it’s not going to build a brand that lasts. 

It may sound counter-intuitive for a PR practitioner to say this, but today’s coverage will probably be forgotten tomorrow. Brands that truly want to make a mark in the media landscape should look beyond just coverage and focus on positioning themselves as true change-makers that are leading and defining exciting conversations within their space.

At Mutant, there are various ways we work to achieve this. Here are some of the top tools in our arsenal when it comes to delivering kick-ass campaigns for our technology clients:

Talk about real impact with authenticity

While talking about the specifications of their technology can be very exciting for clients, journalists and general audiences often aren’t as interested in details about hardware or the latest feature upgrade that just dropped. To increase impact, conversations about technology have to resonate at a deeper level. A tale told well is always more memorable than a cold hard list of facts and jargon. 

Businesses that want to grab media attention need to actively build narratives that humanize their brand and help them connect with wider communities. For instance, we recently started working with ecommerce start-up Ula to amplify how they’re supporting the digitalisation of Indonesia’s traditional warungs, which form an essential but highly underserved segment of a rising economy. Talking about the real value and difference you are adding to people’s lives will go a long way in establishing the legacy of your brand.

Leverage data — and then do it again

Amidst an increasingly cluttered media landscape, leveraging data will help you stand out from the crowd by offering your audiences compelling and genuine insights. We are also increasingly seeing  data-driven campaigns helping our clients establish unique thought-leadership positions within their industry. Last year, we worked with Taiwan-based startup iKala to put together an insightful report around social commerce, which not only drew significant media attention but also established them as go-to experts in a relatively untapped domain and opened up exciting partnership opportunities.

In a different take, we also work with clients like Meltwater to maintain a healthy pipeline of year-round newsjacking opportunities in which we provide journalists with timely data to support various trending stories. Over the years, we’ve helped Meltwater build a reputation for delivering fast and relevant insights, and are now proactively approached by some of the country’s top media publications when they’re planning ahead for a big story.

Nurture key media relationships

It’s no secret that the global tech media pool is a limited space — and even more so in Southeast Asia. When working with only a handful of quality publications, it becomes crucial to go the extra mile and develop relationships with key journalists to build positive brand associations and remain top-of-mind.

In the pre-Covid world, we could do this through  media events and meet-and-greets, but current restrictions have made it necessary to adapt and evolve. Earlier this year, we helped M1 with the virtual media launch of their new brand identity, engaging over 20 key journalists in an extensively planned digital event, complete with customised meals delivered to their homes. Since then, we’ve secured several one-on-one opportunities with key media outlets that showcased insights from the company’s chief executive.

Want to learn more about how we help our technology clients create impactful campaigns? Drop us a line at hello@mutant.com.sg!