Vincent E. Pacheco Blog

Friday, July 1, 2016

Content We Love: Huggies Brand Continues to “Wipe Out” Diaper Need with CSR

It’s not enough to promote what your brand does or the products you offer. Your audience wants to know who you are.

Is your company friendly? Trustworthy? Compassionate?

It’s qualities like these that help turn audiences into loyal brand advocates.

Corporate social responsibility, or CSR, initiatives are an excellent way for organizations to show people what they’re truly about.

Take Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies brand, for instance, and their partnership with the National Diaper Bank Network. As a founding sponsor of the NDBN, Huggies has donated a combination of more than 200 million diapers and wipes in the past six years.

However, when the White House recently released the alarming statistic that one in three US families are unable to provide fresh, clean diapers for their baby, Huggies knew they had to go above and beyond their previous efforts.

They answered President Obama’s call for help and donated 22 million diapers and 22 million wipes to NDBN.

“We’re committed to fighting diaper need by providing great skin care to all babies through diapers and wipes donations,” said Giusy Buonfantino, president of Kimberly-Clark baby and child care North America. “We want to embrace all babies so they have the opportunity to grow up healthy and thrive – it’s how we got our name: Hugs + Babies = Huggies.”

Of course, it’s not only Huggies’ incredible generosity that makes their announcement an excellent example of how to share your CSR news.

Give audiences a reason to care.

Although doing good can be a good way to build consumer trust, you first need people to care about the issue at hand.

Huggies’ press release doesn’t just announce their donation, it serves as another way to educate audiences about the country’s diaper need and the important role that clean, dry skin plays in a baby’s overall health.

Engage readers right at the beginning of your press release by focusing on the problem, as Huggies does in their first sentence.

Demonstrate an ongoing commitment.

Corporate social responsibility may start with an initial donation, but it shouldn’t end there. When developing a CSR program, your brand should strive to establish an authentic culture of giving within your organization.

For instance, Huggies’ donation of 22 million diapers and 22 million wipes is the latest example of their long-standing commitment to wipe out diaper need.

While the press release is primarily about this donation, it also notes Huggies’ previous efforts and their next project with the City Dads Group and The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses to engage parents on skin health and diaper need.

The sum of Huggies’ work reinforces the message that the organization truly cares about making a significant impact.

Offer an invitation to participate.

As the father of two young boys, I know just how many diapers parents go through. The idea that some families can’t provide them for their children is a troubling thought. And I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling this way.

That’s why I love how Huggies’ press release not only educates, but also empowers.

Besides inviting readers to join in the conversation during a “Huggies Wipes Out Diaper Need” Twitter chat, the press release invites parents to donate their Huggies Rewards points to help a baby in need.

Make it easy for your audience to get involved in your CSR efforts by including a call to action in your press release.

With these tips, you can start creating your own CSR content that audiences will love. And if you want to learn more about writing and distributing press releases, download our free Press Release Boot Camp: What You Need to Know. This checklist outlines how to format your press release for success and what happens when you submit content to go over the wires.

Author Ryan Hansen (@RPH2004) manages social media at PR Newswire, sharing the latest PR, marketing and social media trends across our networks. See what he’s up to around the PR Newswire offices by following @PRNewswire on Instagram.

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What are some stories about your dad you would want your kids to know about?

When I was ten I decided I wanted a boat. Not just any boat, I wanted a BIG boat. And I wanted to be a captain and commandeer one, knifes drawn, ho ho and a bottle of rum and all that, plankwalking people, the works. My father decided that this might be a good teaching lesson and made me an offer: if I spent Saturday afternoons with him working on a boat he'd help me build one.

I should mention that my perception of boats and boat building was informed by a Danish comic named Rasmus Klump ("Petzi" in German, "Barnaby Bear" in English) about a little bear who, along with his friends, built a boat and traveled the world. I figured we'd be done in a week or two.

We worked on the boat for over a year. My father was patient but strict. We worked diligently and spoke little. Ten year old boys aren't really that patient and when, a year down the road, we hadn't even finished the skeleton, I threw in the hammer. Literally. And stormed out.

The boat was never mentioned again and I forgot all about it. Until my father died in 2008 and my mother handed me a key to a storage shed a few miles away. I opened the shed and in it was ... a finished boat. My father had continued work on it until the week of his admission to the hospital, spending long hours (he feared he would die in surgery, which he ultimately did) racing to finish the boat. It was red and yellow and named Mary.

There was a letter on the captain's seat and a captain's hat. The letter was my father's last words to me, 24 pages, hand written. I cried a lot sitting in the boat as it finally sunk in that he was gone and read with shaking hands. After page over page of stories and explanations how he worked on the boat and what had happened in the mean time in our family (the letter was started when he moved it, amending it as he added pieces to the boat) the final page contained what he'd written the week before he died. He thanked me for a year of my Saturdays, working with him, and apologized for being tongue tied and awkward as we worked because he feared I would give up much sooner.

I only wish I can be one percent as much of a father and man as my father was. I'll have to do a lot of growing up for that, though.

I'd want my son to know that about his grandfather, after whom he is named and whom he never met, that he was the greatest man ever alive and the best father a boy could have.

Read other answers by Jonas Mikka Luster on Quora:

What does it feel like when you become a father?
If I am unable to have children, is my existence pointless?
Would you let your son backpack in Europe over the summer with his girlfriend after graduating high school?

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What gossip have you heard about yourself that just isn't true?

I get this one a lot but I suppose it makes sense...

"He's definitely on steroids."

The truth is: I've never done steroids. I've never even done pro-hormone pills that you can buy over the counter. I'm actually pretty far from the "typical meathead." I got into bodybuilding because when I was 18 years old, two major things happened in my life:

1) I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, finally figuring out why, for the first 18 years of my life, I felt like I had the stomach flu every single day. Nobody knew what "gluten free" was 7 years ago so the only foods I thought were "safe" were rice, chicken, and vegetables.

2) I had re-fractured my spine a second time, trying to return to playing hockey. By the time I graduated high school, I was back in recovery mode, and I started to have really horrible spasms in my back to the point where it was hard to breathe. My dad told me those were signs of an arthritic disease that he has as well called Ankylosing Spondylitis. He said the only way to keep it managed is to keep the muscles active—so he encouraged me to start lifting weights.

Pair a gluten free diet of rice, chicken, and vegetables with a sudden need to start lifting weights and you have a Bodybuilder.

I love the lifestyle because it helps me take things in my life that would otherwise be seen as challenges or "unlucky circumstances" and turn them to a positive. I have to eat gluten free, and as a result I live and stay very healthy (and have abs year round). I have to go to the gym otherwise after about a week of not lifting my muscles will start to cramp in on themselves—so I force myself to get to the gym at least 4-5 days a week. Eating 6 meals a day keeps me in a constant flow, and I've learned how to break my day up into sections based on my meals so that I can be productive in other areas too. I go to bed sore and tired every single day (I fall asleep within 30 seconds of laying down) and I wake up knowing exactly what I need to do to be successful that day.

But yes, I constantly run into the accusation that I am on steroids, that anyone could do what I do with drugs, that I cheated my way to where I am, that there's no way I could be "natural," etc.

I really don't care. I take it as a compliment actually. The fact that I "look" like I'm on steroids without ever having to run the risk of injecting anything into my body is kind of awesome.

Stay shredded, mates.

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If you liked this answer, you can read more on my blog: www.nicolascole.com, or follow me on Instagram:www.instagram.com/nicolascole77 or Twitter @NicolasCole77.

If you're interested in my personal training and nutrition plans, check out my "Skinny to Shredded" eBook series here: Bookstore

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5 tips for producing great video

This article first appeared on PR Daily in June, 2015.

A report from Cisco offers a glimpse into the future of content marketing and video.

The research says it would take one person more than 5 million years to watch the amount of video that will cross global IP networks each month in 2019. That statistic alone should make you start thinking about how to make your brand’s video content stand out.

Consider these techniques:

1. Start with strategy. As with any communications initiative, always begin with a plan. Before hitting the record button on your camera, be clear about your company’s goals, target audience and message.

2. Keep it short and compelling. Many of today’s most popular YouTube videos run less than a minute. However, the length of your video should be determined by your goals and the type of information you’re trying to communicate. It’s difficult to keep an online viewer engaged for more than two or three minutes. If you have a lot of content on one topic, edit it into several shorter videos. Regardless of the length, begin your segment strong. Open your piece with compelling visuals and information.

3. Reflect your brand’s standards. A more casual, less perfectly produced video style is acceptable on social media. What’s most important is that your message should be congruent with your brand. A casual presentation shouldn’t equate to low standards or quality.

4. Use smartphone accessories. If you are producing video on your mobile device, add accessories to upgrade its recording capabilities. For example:

Microphone: All too often, bad audio ruins good video. A smartphone-compatible microphone will update your audio capabilities. Directional microphones enable you to record presentations clearly on your mobile device.

Tripod: Shaky video looks unprofessional. Choose a tripod designed for a smartphone to keep your phone steady.

Lighting: To avoid dark, underexposed video, add a portable light to your equipment list. A small LED light can be mounted to your phone.

5. Customize your content for specific channels. When producing content, keep the various social media channels in mind. Certain types of videos are more popular on specific social media networks. Understand the specifications for each destination, and, if necessary, create multiple versions of your segments.

Based on the Cisco report and what we’re already experiencing with the video boom, this is no time to be camera shy.

Lisa Arledge Powell is president of MediaSource, a public relations firm that specializes in brand journalism. MediaSource has been named Best Health Care Agency in both 2013 and 2014 in Ragan’s Health Care PR & Marketing Awards. Connect on Twitter: @LisaArledge.

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What are some interesting hobbies?

Science Reveals 7 Hobbies That Make You Smarter

For a long time, it was believed that people are born with a given level of intelligence and the best we could do in life was to live up to our potential.
Now we can even measure the intellect of animals.

Scientists have now proven that we can actually increase our potential and enjoy ourselves in the process. We now know that by learning new skills the brain creates new neural pathways that make it work faster and better.
Here is a list of 7 hobbies that make you smarter backed by science.

1. Play a musical instrument.

Playing music may be on the top of the pyramid because it helps with creativity, analytical skills, language, math, fine motor skills and more.

While these are all great advantages, some people argue that playing team sports might do as many things. What playing musical instruments does that other activities don’t it strengthens the corpus callosum that links the hemispheres of the brain by creating new connections.

An improved corpus callosum helps with executive skills, memory, problem solving and overall brain function, regardless of how old you are.

2. Read anything.

The benefits of reading are the same whether you are enjoying Game of Thrones, Harry Potter or the latest issue of the Wall Street Journal.

Reading reduces stress, which makes you feel better about yourself, and increases all three types of intelligence — crystallized, fluid and emotional.
That helps with problem solving, putting different pieces of knowledge together to better navigate everyday life, detecting patterns, understanding processes and accurately interpreting and responding to other people’s feelings.

At work, this translates into better understanding how to make things happen and better managerial skills.

3. Exercise regularly.

Occasional exercise alone doesn’t do the trick. Regular exercise is much more effective than hard work-outs every now and then.

When exercising regularly the cells are flooded with BDNF, a protein that helps with memory, learning, focus, concentration and understanding. This is also often referred to as mental acuity.

Some scientists speculate that sitting down for prolonged periods of time has the opposite effect and actually hinders our brain from working as well as it could.

4. Learn a new language.

Forget solving puzzles to improve your memory and learn a foreign language instead. Research has shown that people who are bilingual are better at solving puzzles than people who speak only one language.

Successfully learning new languages enables your brain to better perform any mentally demanding tasks. This includes the typical executive skills such as planning and problem-solving.

Additionally, speaking at least two languages positively affects your skill to monitor your environment and to better direct your attention to processes.
Many people are told that because executives speak languages, they should learn Spanish or French if they want to move up the ranks.

Based on how the brain reacts to learning languages, it might be the other way around. Learning another language might be the last missing link people need to get their brain ready to take on C-level jobs.

5. Test your cumulative learning.

Many intelligent students in high school and college “cram” for finals and seem to have mastered the topic the day of the big test.

The trouble with that is we tend to forget these things quickly because we are rarely, if ever, required to repeat that knowledge in that same way.

One reason studying a new language makes us smarter is because it requires cumulative learning. Because we need them over and over again, the grammar and vocabulary we learn is repeated countless times as we improve our foreign language skills.

Apply the concept of cumulative learning to every day life and your work place by keeping track of noteworthy bits of knowledge you acquire.

Go through takeaways from recent books, observations during an important negotiation, or keep a small journal with anything that strikes your attention. Start integrating cumulative learning into your self-improvement program.

Related: 4 Interesting Methods To Develop a Photographic Memory

6. Work out your brain.

Sudoku, puzzles, riddles, board games, video games, card games, and similar activitiesincrease neuroplasticity.

This encompasses a wide variety of changes in neural pathways and synapses that is basically the ability of the brain to reorganize itself.

When nerve cells respond in new ways, that increases neuroplasticity, which allows us with more ability to see things from different points-of-view and understand cause and effect of behaviors and emotions. We become aware of new patterns and our cognitive abilities are improved.

Considering that neuroplasticity is involved in impairments such as tinnitus, an increased amount can help prevent certain conditions.

For instance, people with high neurplasticity are less prone to anxiety and depressionwhile learning faster and memorizing more.

7. Meditate.

In 1992 the Dalai Lama invited scientist Richard Davidson to study his brain waves during meditation to find out whether he could generate specific brain waves on command.

Turns out that when the Dalai Lama and other monks were told to meditate and focus on compassion, their brain waves showed that they were in a deeply compassionate state of mind.

The full research results were published in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” in 2004 and then in the Wall Street Journal, where it received an enormous amount of attention.

Meditation became interesting to ambitious people because the study implied that we can control our own brain waves and feel whatever we want to feel whenever we want to.

This means we can feel more powerful right before a negotiation, more confident when asking for a raise and more convincing during a sales call.
The general idea is that the brain can develop further and you can do it on purpose.

Different activities stimulate different areas of your brain, so you can work on becoming unbeatable at your strengths as well as improving your weaknesses. Focusing self-improvement on the brain is a good idea for anyone who feels they are at their professional peak (or maybe just have stagnate of getting better), ambitious professionals and of course, entrepreneurs who are looking to maximize their potential.

Related: We Have 60 000 Thoughts Per Day And 95% Are The Same From The Previous Day

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8 reasons job seekers should start blogging

Have you ever considered the ways a blog can help you get a job? I meet a lot of young people entering the work force, and I always recommend blogging to get ahead in almost any career. Here's why:

1. Show what you're made of.

In a job interview, you have to try to convince people of what you know. In a blog, you can show them. Blog about recent events in your industry and your views on trends. Demonstrate your areas of expertise. Blog about what you aspire to be.

2. Build a professional network.

There are lots of examples of people finding jobs through connections in a blog community. Last week I helped connect a young woman with the marketing scene in Chicago because I was impressed with her blog. Your blog community can be a network that gets you a job.

3. Engaging versus advertising.

Face it. No matter how creative, a resume is still an advertisement. I struggle to read a long resume carefully. I will read interesting stories on a blog all day long. Compelling content gets and holds the attention of employers.

4. A marketable skill.

If you look for an entry-level job in sales, marketing, PR, and even HR, there's a good chance that part of your job will involve social media and blogging. Showing the ability to create content may be the difference that gets you the job over a non-blogger. I would never hire someone who hasn't shown a capability to blog.

5. Sharpen your professional skills.

If you're going to blog about a subject, you need to know your stuff. Putting out thoughtful content requires that you stay on top of your game, which will be an advantage to you, especially if job-hunting goes on and on. The more you blog, the more you learn.

FREE DOWNLOAD: 10 punctuation essentials

6. Expand your reach.

Building your personal brand means showing up in all the places an employer might find you. That usually means LinkedIn. But having a link to a blog on your profile, as well as displaying a feed of your blog posts, gives an employer stalking you on LinkedIn more ways to connect with you and learn about your skills.

7. Blog for the job

A few years ago I interviewed for a VP job at Fortune 100 company. The position had five key deliverables. The week before my interview, I wrote five blog posts, one about each of those goals. If interviewers looked at my blog (and I know they did), they must have thought I was the perfect candidate. Use a blog to connect with job prospects.

8. Extend the interview

The last thing you say to your interviewer: "I've enjoyed our time together but there is so much more I could tell you about my abilities. I hope you'll take a look at my blog (the web address is on my resume) so you can see for yourself the way I think about things." You know what? They'll do it. You just extended your interview by another 15-30 minutes. That may make the difference!

What do you think? Has blogging helped you in your professional life?

A version of this article originally appeared on Mark Schaefer's blog, {grow}.

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