Global Comms Insights | Minneapolis

MorganMyers has been a partner in the Worldcom Group, currently more than 100 independent public relations agencies worldwide, for more than 25 years. We get together twice a year with our partners to discuss best practices, audit partner capabilities and enjoy some camaraderie.  We met last week in Minneapolis. Here are the highlights from my time with our partners.

1. Ag and food are hot communications topics. Less than 20% of the $288 million in combined revenue from Worldcom Partners comes from food or ag, yet multiple case studies were presented, mainly contentious issues, involving consumer acceptance of farming or food production practices.
2. Hot, as in burn your mouth hot, also describes the contents of one of Minneapolis’ signature burgers, the Jucy (Juicy) Lucy. It’s an inside out cheeseburger with a controversial origin. Matt’s Bar and the 5-8 Club both claim to be the original.
3. An unabashed original is DJ Khaled. His storytelling on behalf of Palmers cocoa butter was a great example of putting a product in the hands of an influential brand advocate and watching what happens. See for yourself: Palmers & DJ Khaled or DJ Khaled & Stephen Colbert
4. Story telling versus trying to communicate facts doesn’t just happen. Worldcom Partner Coyne PR provided some insight into the process, including steps such as Story Starting, Collaboration, Borrowed Interest/NewsJacking and Creating Experiences.
5. Even global high integrity brands like Mayo Clinic are searching for answers on how to respond appropriately, in real time, in a hypersensitive world. Mayo Clinic has traditionally “led with its heart” but is working to build metrics, with Worldcom Partner Padilla, to inform response teams as even emotional responses need to be defensible.
6. The Worldcom network continues to grow. We added partners in Philadelphia and Miami at the Minneapolis meeting.
7. Marketing automation continues to gain favor with clients. The ability to specifically show how each platform and each piece of content creates progress toward objectives solidifies the ability to show ROI for communications programs. Agencies need to get with the program or get left behind.
8. Finally, Minneapolis weather can behave in October. It was low 70s the entire time we were in town, and some of us took a short pontoon boat ride, although a week later they received 2.5 inches of snow.