#ThrowbackTactics
CULPRIT ON CAREERS
Nostalgia and Pop Culture in Public Relations The Power of “Yes”: Say It Often
BY DREW PENDLETON
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
The phenomenon of nostalgia
specifically pop culture nos-
—
talgia as sparked recently by the
resurgence of Pokémon Go and
the revivals of “Full House” and
“Gilmore Girls” — is an element
of today’s digital space that ap-
peals to mass audiences. Howev-
er, for public relations profession-
als, nostalgia can be a critical tool
in turning a brand into a cultural-
ly aware and engaging force.
Nostalgia Marketing: The
Past Influencing the Present
The combination of nostalgia
and public relations already has
a name: nostalgia marketing. As
Lauren Friedman of Forbes writes,
“smart brands are engaging
through retro roots” as a way to
build relationships with their au-
diences. From KFC to Nintendo,
from Lego to Microsoft’s 2013
Internet Explorer update — the
list goes on and on of brands that
have tapped the past to influence
the audience of the present.
This trend can be epitomized
in a hashtag that sweeps the
world once a week: #Throwback-
Thursday, affectionately known
as “#tbt.” This wildly popular
hashtag has its roots in nostalgia.
As Hootsuite’s Kendall Walters
puts it, the hashtag’s impact can
be condensed to one final result:
“Simply put: What’s old is cool
again.”
Pokémon Go: Catching
Attention
The long-running Japanese
anime series that sparked a line
of toys, card games, video games
and countless other forms of
merchandise expanded its reach
in the summer of 2016 with the
release of Pokémon Go, a mobile
smartphone app that allows play-
ers to “catch” Pokémon while
roaming their own neighbor-
hoods. This augmented reality
approach served not just as en-
tertainment but also, as The New
York Times said, as “both a health
booster and a social cementer”
for its players.
Across 10 days in July, as
a PRWeek article cited Brand-
watch, the game garnered 11.8
million social media mentions
of the game — an embodiment
of how much this brand’s resur-
gence caught hold of the social
media sphere. Other brands even
jumped in on the trend. From
Arby’s to the WWE to the Smith-
sonian Institute, organizations
and brands used Pokémon Go to
spread their own messages and
engage audiences where it mat-
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ters: in the trends that their audi-
ences care about the most.
Netflix: Television Throw-
back
The February 2016 premiere
of “Fuller House,” Netflix’s re-
booted version of the 1990s
sitcom “Full House,” is a great
example of brand engagement.
As Diana Bradley of PRWeek
details, brands from Maytag to
Mercedes jumped at the chance
to play off of some of the origi-
nal show’s famed lines and land-
marks through social media. The
strategy behind these posts is
clear: These brands know their
audiences, and know that the
then-upcoming release of the
series would allow them to jump
into the conversation on a trend-
ing topic.
Similarly, Netflix struck gold
again with nostalgia marketing
with the November 2016 release
of “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the
Life.” Of their many tactics, Net-
flix hit a particular chord with
their “Luke’s Diner” pop-up
campaign, turning coffee shops
across the country into the show’s
well-known and beloved diner on
the 16-year anniversary of the
original show’s premiere. This
particular tactic caused a wave of
nostalgia to crash over the show’s
fan base, allowing them to, as
“CBS News” put it, “[get] their
chance to experience a taste of
life in [the show’s setting] Stars
Hollow.” Public relations publi-
cations such as PR Daily even got
in on the revival buzz, relating
lines and themes from the new
show back to the public relations
profession.
The Way to an Audience
The campaigns from Netflix
hit a homerun. However, if nos-
talgia’s role as a public relations
tactic has served as any kind of
breakthrough since its inception,
it is this: Nostalgia is a critical
way to reach millennials.
As Bulldog Reporter’s Ariel
Kramer notes, when companies
sell products associated with
one’s childhood, “many individu-
als jump at the chance to rekindle
memories by buying and using
the product again.” Nostalgia
goes hand in hand with memory,
and when those memories come
roaring back, they leave an emo-
tional impact and encourage en-
gagement.
While nostalgia remains a cru-
cial emotional bridge between a
brand and its audience, it’s up to
public relations professionals to
make sure that the connection
is sturdy, thoughtful and rele-
vant. Whether it’s through a new
Pokémon sighting or a cup of
coffee from a television favorite,
using an audience’s connection
to the past opens the door to a
potentially massively beneficial,
creative and strategic public rela-
tions approach.
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“Yes”-focused individ-
uals possess can-do at-
titudes that are noticed
by others, including bosses.
“Yes” attitudes open
doors to opportunities
that broaden your ex-
periences and ex pand your
capabilities.
Saying “yes” helps you
overcome insecurity and
fear of new challenges.
It demonstrates that you’re
BY RON CULP, FELLOW PRSA
willing to tackle bigger as-
DIRECTOR, GRADUATE
PROGRAM IN PUBLIC RELATIONS signments. And others will
AND ADVERTISING AT
help you succeed if you sim-
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
When Publications Editor in ply acknowledge that you
Chief Krista Watson asked might need some guidance.
Even if you think an
me to write about the power
idea is loony, try to
of “yes,” I instantly recalled
avoid the knee-jerk
a conversation a couple of
years ago with two over- “no.” Recognize something
positive in all ideas as you
worked agency interns.
The first intern looked work the discussion toward a
and sounded depressed, better approach.
Saying “Yes — And ...”
questioning her career de-
is quite powerful. It
cision. The other breath-
promises to build on
less intern said she’d never
worked harder in her life, the positive. Second City
but the experience con- friends Tom Yorton and Kel-
firmed her passion for pub- ly Leonard wrote an excel-
lic relations. Probing further, lent book about the use of
I learned that the non-stop “Yes, And” in improvisation-
demands of a big agency al comedy and how those two
internship stifled the first in- words improve creativity and
tern’s social life with friends collaboration in business.
who had “normal” 9-to-5 “Yes — And ...” builds even
jobs. She felt some guilt but more positive energy behind
she routinely excused herself your intent to do a great job.
from after-hours projects,
Most of the great business
while the other intern always leaders rose to the top of
volunteered to help others. their careers by embracing
Nine times out of 10, the the word “yes.”
second interns’ peers and su-
Eric Schmidt, chairman
pervisors told her everything
of Google’s parent Alphabet,
was under control. But oc-
Inc., nails the importance of
casionally she was asked to
“yes” when he says: “Even
assist with both boring and
if it’s a bit edgy, a bit out
interesting chores. Within a
of your comfort zone, say-
few weeks she became the
ing ‘yes’ means you will do
“turn-to” junior staffer.
something new, meet some-
Fast forward three months.
one new and make a differ-
When a full-time account co-
ence in your life, and likely
ordinator position opened,
guess who landed it? The in others’ lives as well. ‘Yes’
“say yes” intern’s public re- is a tiny word that can do big
lations career was official- things. Say it often.”
By the way, the first in-
ly launched, and the other
intern’s agency assignment tern that started this story
eventually became a tele-
ended abruptly.
Supporting the theory you marketer before moving
get a lot more done and can onto three other lateral jobs
advance your career through in two years. Meanwhile,
positive thinking, here are the “yes”-focused intern has
five tips to keep in mind been promoted twice and
when faced with your next now is a highly regarded ac-
count executive.
yes or no decision:
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SPRING 2017