I Could Do It Better Myself - The Volunteer Media - An Update From Henki

I wrote this back when I still owned and operated Tempus Fugit. A fair bit has happened in that time. I opted out of a job with a brand, I sold Tempus Fugit to someone who handed it to someone else, and it now appears to not be publishing anything, I accepted the job I have now which is working for MassHire - we help people find jobs and train for new careers. It is very satisfying work albeit with very long hours. Owing to this the publication pace and nature of Henki Time is not as manic as others. With that said, I still feel I have something to say, and this piece is one that I think still rings true. So brand owners and brand managers - don't forget to support the volunteer press. 

Even when we say things that might cut a bit too close to the bone ; )

A much younger Henki teaching English in Villa do Conde Portugal in 1995. You might recognize the gentleman on the far right as the current Secretary General of the United Nations.

I Could Do It Better Myself - The Volunteer Media - An Update From Henki

Despite what some folks think, the majority of the press covering the watch business these days is of a voluntary nature.  This is largely the result of brands cutting advertising budgets, and people going back to former occupations, getting married, or finding better ways to earn a living and spend their free (and not so free) time.

So gentle reader, an inside look at a day in the life of Henki -

5:30 - Whether I like it or not, Tallulah (the older cat and Executive Publisher) is awake and waiting to be fed.  Sabrina (the younger cat and Editor in Chief) is waiting as well.  I head downstairs, turn up the heat in the house, and feed the cats.  I gulp down my morning tablets with a glass of water, have the first of several espressos and head back upstairs to the office.

5:45 - emails reviewed, and...
Not a sausage! 
Not only has watch advertising money dried up, watch brands are producing fewer and fewer models, and some have made their PR functions redundant.  News is scant, and unlike some of my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estate, I prefer not to manufacture it.

6:15 - Go down and make a coffee for Wendy who is up and getting ready for work.

6:25 - I receive a follow-up email from the PR manager at Brand Y.  Y for "why won't you write a paid piece about us?", which I have explained a few times - I don't write advertorials.  I realize my unwillingness to do so is probably holding me back financially, but a man must have a code ; )

6:45 - Email in-box pings, and... 

Good news! I am the winner of the Nigerian National Lottery! Maybe I'll buy Watch Time from Ebner so I can finally have my own magazine!

7:15 - Finally I decide that as no news is forthcoming, I will write an editorial type piece. The Grey Market is always good for a few hundred words, and is showing no sign of slowing down.  Oh, wait! A PR staffer from Brand X has sent me a personal email with a story about a watch event featuring their brand, in Marblehead, Massachusetts (which I could literally have walked to from my house as it is the next town over), with several "Important and Respected" watch journalists who were flown in from New York and Europe a few days previous. The PR person feels that as I live nearby it would be great to have a story about this wonderful and glamorous event (lots of swag, 4 star meals, etc.) from a local perspective! I take a beat, decide to ignore the irritation that essentially - this person wants me to write a pr piece about an event that I wasn't even invited to even though my attendance would have cost Brand X $0... and I simply don't reply.

8:00 - Kiss Wendy and wish her a good day as she heads out the door.

8:35 - Hastily showered and dressed, lunch made, it's off to work.

8:55 - Parking lot duty.  Where I work we have very limited parking, and as such the students have been informed that they cannot park in the back lot.  Needless to say, it is a game of cat and mouse as several try to slip in anyway to avoid parking on the street.  This, in turn, prevents other staff members and board members (who have a meeting today) from parking.  While being the Director of Adult Education and Workforce Development has its perks, playing parking lot "sizzler" is not one of them ; )

9:05 - Call with my contact at the Dept. of Education office.  Nothing major, clarifications regarding programming made, and all seems under control.

9:35 - Call from reception, someone is interested in learning English, could I come down and speak with them?

10:30 - Class break time.  I try to speak with each of the four teachers, make sure everything is under control.

10:45 - Back to work on the grant application.  It is due on Friday, signatures are needed from the boss, and I still need to nail down the budget.

12:15 - Text message from brand manager in Switzerland.  Could I recommend a sales manager in Florida.  I file that under "not pressing" and dive back into "grant writing land".

12:30 - Lunch with the teaching team.  Brief ad hoc meeting to review a few items coming up.

13:45 - Call from former student of mine who is interviewing for a job. Would I act as a reference?

2:30 - 30 minute walk around the surrounding area to clear the head.

3:25 - Personal email pops on my iPhone, and I see that the watch from Brand X that three of the big outlets already wrote about 2 days ago is suddenly now a press release for "the rest of us".  I delete the message.

4:15 - draft of the grant application is finally ready to be reviewed by the boss.

4:45 - The phone rings just as I am leaving the office.  Meeting arranged for Wednesday morning to review our proposed adult education program with a new partner one town over.

5:15 - Stop at Trader Joe's for dinner items.

5:35 - Feed the cats dinner, scoop out the litter box, make a coffee and fire-up the laptop.

5:55 - Complete text edit for one of the brands that I "side-hustle" for, and respond to a customer query for another.  Yes, the watch in question is available, yes, it does cost that much, no there will be no discount!

6:17 - Phone rings, it's Japan (not the whole country, but one of the brands with whom I have a relationship) with an urgent request for a special event, could I help organize it?

7:25 - Dinner is nearly ready, and Wendy arrives home after a long day.

9:26  - Story lined up for tomorrow involving a review of a new brand's watch.

10:25 - After 15 minutes of futility, I give up trying to read any more of the book I've been working on since Christmas.  Turn out the lights and off to sleep.  Tomorrow is another exciting day in watch media!

I Could Do It Better Myself - PR/Media

So let's now have a look behind the velvet rope of brand PR and have an inside look at a day in the life of watch PR.

5:30 - Up to answer emails, and double-check the calendar.  

6:15 - Make sure the kids are up and dressed, it's dad's turn to take them to school, so for once you have time for your spin class - if you hustle!

7:45 - Following class you are on your way in, when your phone rings.  The personal assistant to the head of sales (Europe) calls to tell you that you need to stop to pick up Nespresso pods, milk, some snacks, etc., as he has very important meetings... the day after tomorrow.

8:30 - Safely at your desk, you double-check the press release that finally came back from the agency that you were forced to hire (old drinking buddy with the head of sales - UK), who you have discovered does not actually use the native language speakers that he promised that he did.  You know this for two reasons -
1.  The text in the English release is completely jacked-up.
2.  Your brother-in-law who studies languages in university answered a flyer posted in the university's student union looking for freelance/part-time translators, who then called to ask you about company x.

You hit send, and hold your breath.

9:25 - Influencer A who was supposed to be there at 9:00 is still nowhere to be seen, no call, no text, no nothing.

10:15 - Halfway through what was supposed to be a brief "check-in" meeting with the head of marketing, it becomes quite clear that the project that the entire company has been pushing with a partnership with movie star/philanthropist Z is about to be abruptly dumped in favor of a new brand ambassador campaign featuring a football star from a large, famous team in the UK.  You take note of the autographed photos of famous footballers on the walls of the head of marketing's office, and mentally accept that you and your team are about to embark on a "bromance" on behalf of a grown-assed man who will probably be working for a different brand inside of 9 months.

11:55 - Realizing that you might, for once, be able to enjoy your lunch on your own (i.e. no wining and dining of media or clients), you reach out to your friend who works nearby and make a reservation.

12:15 - Just as you are seated and about to order, your cell phone rings and it is a frantic front reception person back at the office.  Influencer A is there, spitting vitriol that he was not picked up at his hotel (which is in Zurich, and your office is, let's just say, a few hours away), and is clearly in no good mood.  

You apologize to your friend, dash to the car and double-time it back to the office.  You scan the front lobby where there is no sign of Influencer A. Your phone rings again and it is the CEO asking you to come to his office.  

And there, settled across from each other sipping Prosecco are the CEO and Influencer A.  The CEO lets you know that he and Influencer A are going to have lunch, and could you please book a table.  You call back the restaurant that you had abandoned just a short while ago, and explain the situation.  The restaurant manager is very familiar with the machinations of the CEO and a table is "created".  

While the CEO and Influencer A are out, you call each department to make sure that you can get him in.  You cancel the balance of your appointments for the rest of the afternoon, and you inhale a left-over sandwich from yesterday's meeting.  

14:15 - Returning a bit toasted and at least in a better mood, you begin the rounds ferrying Influencer A around.

15:25 - A journalist in North America who you have a good working relationship sends you a What's App message gently letting you know that your agency made a bit of a mess with the translation.  You make a note to speak again with the head of marketing to see if a change can be made with the translation agency.

16:30 - You greet Influencer A at the door, pass over a lavish goody bag which also includes the latest watch which he asked for (really, not-so-subtly demanded), place him in a taxi, and hand him the last of your cash to pay for his train ticket back to Zurich (you can submit the reimbursement tomorrow).

17:15 - Luckily, the kids spent the afternoon with Grandma, so you simply need to head there to pick them up.  As you are nearly out the door, the head of marketing pulls you aside to let you know that he might have "accidentally" told Influencer A that a car would take him from his hotel in Zurich to the factory this morning, and could you please arrange a bottle of champagne to be sent to Influencer A's room with a note saying how sorry you are that the car was not arranged?  This is more of a directive than a request, so you nod, and make the arrangements as you head to your car, and finally, home.

Tomorrow is another day!

Heroes of Communication - Bell & Ross The Americas

Curious to relate, I have never met the two big dogs behind Bell & Ross.  That is not a complaint in any way, shape or form.  Just a curious observation.  Curious because, to be honest, I hold Bell & Ross in a very high regard.  And a great deal of that is down to the dynamic duo handling Bell & Ross communications, PR (and a whole lot more!) for the Americas - Georgia Solomon and Alexandra Castro.  Consider for a moment that Bell & Ross is not the behemoth that is SWATCH group, LVMH, Richemont, Kering or even the monster independents that are Rolex and Patek.  This is not to say that they are tiny either, but rather that they are a brand that has learned to punch above their weight.  And I am perhaps old-fashioned, but as the guy who had to do the "messaging" for DOXA, I know how challenging it can be to do so in a sea of noise, when every writer, influencer and would be "instafamous" person has their hand in your pocket.  

Ms. Solomon and Ms. Castro always take the time to communicate.  I live under no delusion that Tempus Fugit Media is any bigger or more important than it is.  It is a niche outlet with a niche readership.  But the team at Bell & Ross Americas has always gone way above and beyond to accommodate and assist me.  It is a positive relationship because they are positive, highly professional people.  

What Traffic, Influencers and Exclusives REALLY Mean

Is, in fact, any one's guess.  This is not a new theme here at Tempus Fugit, but it is apparently becoming a more relevant topic as more and more brands and media outlets are asking, and being asked some increasingly uncomfortable questions about how they are handling their pr, marketing and media.

So let's get one thing out of the way right from Jump Street -
Tempus Fugit does not accept any watch brand advertising.  You will note a Bell & Ross interactive clock on the site, and it is there because I personally like the feature (clock adjusts to whatever time you are tuning in from).  No money is charged in exchange for this.  Tempus Fugit does run approximately 3 fund raisers a year selling branded t-shirts and sweat shirts which brands and brand managers are certainly allowed to purchase (p.s. still time to order your Tempus Fugit Sweatshirt -

for only $45 US - Support Tempus Fugit - Get a Super-Dope Sweatshirt!)

Note how I smoothly snuck in a pitch ; )

So how do I make money?  I have consulting clients in the watch industry (ones that you will not read about here, as that would create an ethical conflict), and I work as a teacher and social worker (as I have discovered, that is also part of my calling).  And then why do I do it (I get this question a lot from PR folks), because I love it.  The point being, I found a way to make enough money at it to make it worthwhile while not having to park my ethics at the door.

Okay, so that's me, but let's have a quick whip-round to consider what is happening outside my little ecosystem.  In order to have an even passably interesting site (whether you call it a blog, an online magazine, etc.) you need to have content.  And all of us, from the mighty to the small get lots of press releases.  Interesting to relate, I noticed that more than a few brands and PR agencies would send releases in 2 waves - the first wave to outlets that the brands and PR agencies ALREADY PAID advertising money to.  In other words, the outlet not only sold the brand ad space, but as part of the deal, secured exclusive advance intel on new products in so-called exclusives.  And this really creates a false impression for the reader.  If you are the reader (or a potential advertiser) and you notice again and again how a certain outlet can manage to "scoop" the competition on a new release again and again.  You would think that outlet and their platoon of writers must have some amazing inside track.  Guess again.  Several of these sites do not write a sentence until coin of the realm has passed hands.  Ever wonder why a mid-tier group brand will suddenly be relevant exactly two times a year to one of the biggest digital outlets, and never during the rest of the year?  Yeah, I don't wonder either.  The "package" takes care of  your needs even if you are not a "known" advertiser.

Another goofy trend is the once-a-year outreach employed by some brands.  These are the brands that will never give you a BaselWorld appointment, never respond to any emails, never assist in ANY way for a story.  But out of the blue you get this warm, fuzzy, honey-laden entreaty to connect because:

"We have a story that we think your readers will be interested in..."

What I have come to understand, is that this is code for:

"We have an influencer/instafamer/instagrammer under contract and we need to push this content".   

In such cases, I request other photos not from the influencer/instafamer/instagrammer and often never hear anything further.  So in the new year, a kind message for the PR office - I am happy to write about your brand and your releases.  I am not happy to blindly promote someone you already pay money to to promote your brand, which you are now trying to get me to promote by promoting the promoter... 

Confused?  I'm not.  You hired these folks, you paid them, they are supposed to be promoting you, not the other way around.  And please stop asking me and other people to promote them for you after you paid them.

Oh, and p.s. - the FTC is taking an increasingly dim view of paid promotion through instagrammers & influencers who fail to disclose the financial nature of their relationship with the brand/brands that are featured in their social media feeds.  So as a public service gesture, I'd like share this info from the Federal Trade Commission -

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
 

And now that not-so-tiny elephant in the room - TRAFFIC.

Traffic as it relates to the Internet is really one of the most misunderstood metrics out there.  On the one hand, traffic is based
on a number.  Something that is quantifiable, something easily understood by salespeople - selling 100 is far better than 50.  The bigger the number, the better!  But as we are now seeing with watch sales numbers and export numbers getting a "flavor enhanced" boost via the Grey and Light Grey market, we can see that these do, in fact represent sales numbers, but not in the sense that demonstrate sales through the traditional outlets.  Grey and Light Grey Market sales are cover for product dumping.  Well, website traffic is really not that different.  A website can have millions of hits per month, but that does not mean that millions of people are actually visiting those sites -

Click Farms via Vice News

For many of us who run these outlets, it can be a very tempting option, we get nearly daily offers to pay $15.00 for 2,000 followers!  And as the competition among click farms increases, the rates charged will continue to fall.  Pretty soon it will be 10,000 followers for $5.00.  And in fairness to the guys and gals making ad buy decisions (or editorial package decisions) at watch brand HQ, this is really all that they have to go by.  They do not generally have the time (or sometimes even the interest) to read the actual articles and postings that are generated.  Let me put this in a different context, I think despite that fact that everyone reading this is probably pretty interested in watches, we can also agree that the number of people interested in fashion would far eclipse the numbers for watch interest.  Scott Schuman's the Sartorialist - www.thesartorialist.com fetches approximately 500,000 visitors per month.  Do you really think that more people are "clicking in" every month to read about watches than fashion?  

Ever wonder why nobody ever wrote a book called "The Devil Wears an Omega", and why nobody ever made a documentary movie titled Biver: The Last Emperor (although, in fairness, I did right an opinion piece the last time he announced his impending retirement back in 2012 - http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2012/01/last-emperor-has-left-party.html), as someone did about Valentino - Valentino: The Last Emperor IMDb?

Simple, watches are interesting, but they're not that interesting.  Or put more precisely as it relates to the whole traffic conundrum - there is traffic, and then there is traffic.

As with my food, I generally prefer to keep my website traffic organic.

So another year is in the books, and we all look forward to turning the page.  I thank everyone who participated in Tempus Fugit from the brands, to the PR folks to most importantly you, the readers.  I promise you that in 2018 you will continue to get content that is "free range" and hopefully some commentary that will give you a different perspective.  And while you will probably read and hear about some of the brands that I am working for/with, you will not be reading/hearing about them here ; )


With our very best wishes for you in 2018 -

Tallulah Henderson - Executive Publisher, Tempus Fugit Media
James Henderson - Chief Messenger, Tempus Fugit Media

 
 

A New Brand!

That apparently is not entirely sure that they want anyone to write about them!

So I saw a new brand and reached out to the owner.  Waited about 3 days for a response that requested that I send him a selection of articles, etc., and then he would decide whether or not to send images...

Let us hope that he is more successful with this approach to PR with the other outlets out there ; )

Instafan!

Here at Tempus Fugit we are constantly looking for ways to make life easier for brand managers, marketing and PR directors and hey - even the other outlets!  

Ever wonder how a brand that has been around for YEARS becomes relevant once or twice a year?  Not unlike some folks who attend church on Christmas and Easter, these brands rocket into relevance according to a few outlets out there who will poo-poo 90% of the rest of the watch news out there, but this tends to happen with strange frequencies.  For those of us who cover this business it is not at all mysterious that Brand X suddenly becomes topical.  It is not the result of a particularly beguiling press release or the retention of a new PR company.  It comes down to money.  If you pay, your brand can play.

And it is clear that there are several newcomers out there who suspect that this is a legitimate way for the world to work.  In fairness, if a brand reaches out to an outlet and instead of seeing their watch get written about, they get sent a rate sheet... 
why should this fledgling brand owner/manager think that the world works any differently?  This is borne out by the emails I sometimes get asking first for coverage, followed by a question as to how much it will cost.

It seems like there is a solution that could be created to help ease the tension and discomfort of those awkward conversations back and forth, the awkward pause over that second cocktail when Brand A asks just how much it will cost to be covered by watch Outlet X.  But worry no longer, there is a solution!  

And that solution is Instafan!


Instafan is an app that would be available for both iOS and Android, designed specifically to address this issue.  Influencers and media hustlers will never have to worry about sending those awkwardly worded invoices that mention things like "package". Invoices that delicately dance around the thing that is actually being invoiced for.  And Instafan will be easy to use!  Simply, download the Instafan app onto your phone.  The influencers and outlets will pay a small fee to participate as a preferred vendor (a modest 10%).  Let's say, for example, that the pr manager of Brand A wants Outlet X to write about their new releases, they simply select Outlet X on the menu, scroll through the various pricing options for "packages" and click the "Pay me now, chump!" button.  The money will be instantly wired from Brand A's account and into the waiting pockets of Outlet X, making Outlet X an Instafan of Brand A!  

Well, an Instafan for at least as long as the terms of the package that Brand A purchased ; )

Embargo, Exlusive, and the Game

This first ran a while back, but it seems to still be a problem.  So I thought I'd reheat it for you -

For A Few Dollars More

So, some interesting watch news came out these past few weeks which you did not, and will not read about here. 

Brand PR staff as well as press agencies sent press releases under strict embargo.  They dressed these announcements with sugary phrases like "we really appreciate all of your support" and "we think you're really swell!"

Now what I and many of my colleagues in the fourth and fifth estate have come to discover is that, in fact, the reason for the embargo or intentional delay in sending the press release is because Brand X has, in some instances made an advertising deal with another outlet and part of that advertising deal is not only that Brand X pays a fee to run / promote the brand's item, but they lock down a media black out for everyone else, therefore conveying sense that they are somehow "more in the know", better connected, etc.  And of course when you get the release and post it 1, 2 or even 3 days in advance of everyone else, it would be reasonable to assume that you are somehow better informed.

An exclusive, gentle reader, is the idea that a writer has cultivated a special relationship with a brand, and owing to this, the brand trusts that one writer or outlet to handle their exclusive story or announcement.  Now in the "good old days", that meant communication, effort, hard work and sharing on both parts.  And if you were a big dog that might also mean that some money might have changed hands - but the idea of an exclusive meant that only one outlet would have the item.  And I think that is fair enough.  But an exclusive did not mean that the brand or agency would pay for the exclusive advance release, and then send the EXACT SAME RELEASE with the intention of paying one big outlet, and expecting everyone else to "carry the water".  It's a bit disingenuous and is guaranteed to engender a less-than warm and fuzzy feeling.

To be VERY CLEAR - this is not a judgment about any outlet and how they go about doing their business.  This is very much up to them, and if they can build a better mousetrap?  Well more power to them.  But to the brand representatives and pr agencies, don't expect the rest of us to wag our tails like little puppies under the dinner table waiting for the scraps to fall onto the floor.  We work just as hard, and many of us do it for free.  Don't be shocked or surprised when we don't want to roll on our backs and show you our tummies.

Either do an exclusive or don't, but don't half-ass it.

Why Your PR Agency is Wasting Your Money

Sounds pretty harsh, doesn't it.  I want to start this off very clearly by saying that their are GREAT Agencies!

Lisa Delane at Tigerlily Skye and Manon Vauthier of Gretz Communications AG come to mind as two PR agency folks that are worth double what they charge. They take the time to get to know their clients, and also the people who actually might cover their clients.  Moreover, they work to establish new relationships with people who do not currently cover the brand.  In other words, they do actual work and they actually perform an actual service which is of actual value.  Crazy, huh?

And then there are some agencies that frankly do exactly the same thing that the brand's PR department can and should do already.  In other words, the brand has the distinct pleasure of paying $3,000 - $5,000 to not really get much of anything.  The service that they provide?  They do no research as to who is currently covering them, they do nothing to increase the coverage, they charge a BOATLOAD of money, and in the end they get replaced by an identical firm at the end of the contract.

Maybe, just maybe, it is time for a change in how the industry does things?

Just a thought.