Buzz Builder

A new approach to saving the environment

Did you notice that Earth Day on April 22 got less press than the latest "news" from the Michael Jackson trial?

The environmental movement used to generate buzz and results. In the decade after Sen. Gaylord Nelson, D-Wis., started the first Earth Day with a series of teach-ins on April 22, 1970, environmental activists achieved some of their biggest victories — the passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and Environmental Policy Act.

Lately, environmental groups have been fighting to hold on to the gains of the 1970s and 1980s, but the battles have not been resonating with the voting public. And, serious threats to the environment such as drilling on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have been approved.

Sadly, the environmental movement has lost the ability to get the word out when the need is greater than ever.

In the 4/25/05 issue of The New Yorker, Elizabeth Kolbert published the first of a three-part series on climate change. In a lengthy and well-researched article, she writes about her travels from Alaska to Greenland, visiting the laboratories of top scientists to get to the heart of the debate over global warming. As best as can be determined, the world is now warmer than it has been at any point in the last two millennia, and, if current trends continue, by the end of the century it will likely be hotter than at any point in the last two million years. For more information, buy The New Yorker or read an interview with Kolbert online.

While Kolbert and many environmentalists do an excellent job identifiying problems, the environmental movement has failed to give people an idea on what they can do to make the world a better place. How about this for a simple message of action:

1. Write, call, or email your congressional representatives and tell them that you want them to take the lead
2. Purchase a low-emission vehicle or trade in your gas guzzler for one.
3. Donate money and/or volunteer for an environmental organization.
4. Tell at least 20 friends why you are concerned about the environment and what they can do to help (Steps 1-3 to start).

If just five-percent of the country followed these steps, we would be well on our way to building the necessary word-of-mouth to cause lasting environmental improvement.

Catholics Create Global Buzz with Smoke

The marketing of the next pope is taking shape. The media stood outside the Sistine Chapel today with the cameras trained on the chimney. Would they see white smoke indicating the next pope had been selected? Minutes ago, the press reported that black smoke had come out indicating that no decision was made during the first ballot.

White or black smoke is a dramatic way to announce election results. Would the media have been so entranced with the story if there were exit polls of the cardinal forecasting results? Definitely not.

By carrying out an election announcement in an unusual and unconventional fashion, the Catholic Church has built excitement around their process that is ensuring tremendous press coverage.

How can you do things different in a way that builds buzz? Can you learn from the smoke?

Fiona Apple's New CD: The Next Blair Witch Project?

Singer Fiona Apple and/or Sony Records may be in the midst of creating a masterful buzz marketing campaign for a record that she reportedly recorded in 2003 called "Extraordinary Machine." Music industry insiders say that Sony has not released the CD because it doesn't have an obvious hit single.

Yet, in the past few weeks, copies of the album have leaked out on the Internet, and Andrew Harms, a popular disc jockey at Seattle's KNDD 107.7, has been playing songs from "Extraordinary Machine" on a regular basis.

Some say Fiona may have leaked out the CD to build buzz and force Sony to release the CD but she has neither completely confirmed or denied this allegation. Meanwhile her fans have built various websites including www.freefiona.com that clamor for Sony to release the album and provide insight into the mystery.

Regardless of who is behind the release of "Extraordinary Machine," the buzz for the album is growing. On April15, Scott Lewis wrote a glowing article about the CD for The Oregonian stating "Instead of framing her sultry, weighted voice with tension and turbulence as she did on her first two albums, Apple has instead turned for inspiration to snazzy jazz, the footloose fancy of Tin Pan Alley and the spirit of Kurt Weill. Many of the songs are nearly waltzes, gliding along with rich strings, crazy gongs, horns and a carnival of classic keyboards. Apple still poetically ponders love and its loss, but she imbues her singing with a pleasing near-silliness, and she's traded in her overwrought vocals for a new confidence. This is a collection of contemporary, somewhat playful torch songs having more in common with Billie Holiday than, say, Britney Spears. "

The speculation around Fiona's new release is a bit reminiscent of how The Blair Witch Project channeled buzz to become a blockbuster. Stay tuned.

Leveraging the residual value of your press

This morning I had the most amazing cinammon bun at Criollo Bakery in Northeast Portland on 47th & Broadway. Their baked goods are the best I've had in Portland, and Criollo has earned lots of great press including a recent rave review in The Oregonian. Criollo shares a space with the Java Man, which makes great coffee and has a fast and free wireless network.

Like many places that get great reviews, Criollo isn't maximizing the residual value of PR. Their website has still not been built even thought they've been open for year. What a shame not to have a place to put those great reviews! Also, it's too bad that websites that mention Criollo can't link to a developed Criollo website. In their window, they've taped up the rave reviews and already the paper is starting to fade and the edges are getting curled.

When you get great press, it's worth remembering that only a small number of potential clients will see it the day that it appears. But, it's how you use your media coverage that creates it real value. Take the time to build an online pressroom on your website and include media raves. Also, it's well worth the money to have articles framed and properly hung in windows, or, at the very least, to laminate them before hanging them in windows.

Loreto, Mexico fishing guide builds business with buzz

Still on vacation today, my wife and I just got back from an awesome yellowtail tuna fishing trip. In less than 90 minutes, we pulled in five fish that were all larger than 20 pounds in the waters just one hour north of Loreto. These massive fish were the biggest fighters that I've caught, and I'm going to have to nurse my sore left arm with plenty of margaritas before we return home tomorrow.

We had originally booked the trip through Baja Fish Company (check out their great website to learn about the many fishing opportunities near Loreto), one of the largest fishing charter companies in Loreto. However, while we were walking around the dock, we stumbled across Ramon Davis Murillo, 31, who has been fishing in the Sea of Cortez for 16 years, as he was straightening up his small panga (boat). When he saw us looking at his boat, he quickly jumped onto the dock to talk with us. Within less than five minutes, we had booked a fishing trip with him and decided to cancel the reservation that we had made with the Baja Fish Company. Ramon won us over with his great personality and knowledge, and booking directly with him was much cheaper than going through Baja Fish Company.

Another fishing captain could have won our business that day but Ramon was the only one to get off his boat to speak with us when he saw that we were interested. To build buzz for a business, sometimes it takes the captain to seal the deal.

As we motored back into port following our amazingly successful fishing trip, Ramon demonstrated one of the best intuitive senses of buzz building that I've seen. He asked how I liked the trip. I said that it was great, and we enjoyed it more than any fishing outing that we've ever had.

The next thing I knew, Ramon was giving me his phone numbers so I could pass them along to any other guests at our hotel who might be looking for a fishing guide for the next day. Also, he asked that I spread the word about his services to my family and friends in the United States.

"My business will only grow when people tell other people about what I do. I take care of my clients better than the other captains because I know that people will send me business when they are happy with me. I don't mind baiting their hooks or even fishing for them if they want. Whatever it takes to make them happy, I will do."

Ramon is one of the best fishing guides I've ever had. And, I'm happy to do my small part to spread the buzz about his business. If you are looking to catch dorado (mahi-mahi), yellowtail tuna, sailfish, or any of the other amazing fish that swim in the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez near Loreto, Mexico, book a trip with Ramon Davis Murillo, who owns the Juanita sportsfishing boat. To reach Ramon from the United States, dial 011-52-613-135-0608 (home) or 011-52-613-109-3588 (cell). His English is adequate but you should be prepared to talk slowly or have somebody who speaks Spanish make detailed arrangements for you.

Happy fishing!