Nata PR School (EN)

For our 70th episode, I’m delighted to welcome Andy Thê-Anh, an immensely talented stylist and fashion designer who I deeply admire. Today we’ll be talking about Lululemon and looking at what makes the brand so successful.

Before we get started, I’ll give you a quick recap of Andy's career. You’ll find some of his story in the Canadian Encyclopedia: (https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/andy-the-anh).

- Andy was born in Saigon, Vietnam, and immigrated to Canada at the age of 16.

- He’s won many awards and dressed major celebrities, all while being very involved in a lot of charitable causes.

- Before he created the POW (Power of Women) brand, he was hired by independent brands like Parasuco, Irving Samuel, and Raffinati.

- Then, under his own name, Andy Thê-Anh, he designed the most glamorous collections marked by the refined and modern touches that make his signature so recognizable.

- Later, he was design director for LOLË before returning to his role as an independent designer. These days, he’s sharing his expertise with several brands.

Thanks for agreeing to join us, Andy. After talking about your professional accomplishments, and before we talk about Lululemon, I always begin with a super simple question to my guests:

Find Andy Thê-Anh on:

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We’re frequently approached by brands that were really successful before the internet. These are impressive companies, celebrating their 30th or 40th anniversary – sometimes more.

And these brands have several things in common:

These companies contact agencies to create little miracles:

Here’s what they’re thinking:

If this is your company’s situation, I’ll be happy to show you the steps and actions that will get you there.

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My partner, David Tremblay, and I create Instagram Lives every Friday, whenever we can.

During one of our latest live events, I was asking him if he thought public relations qualified as an art or a science.

“We are very similar to the art of cooking, that is also a science I find”, says David. Especially after working with Thermomix, an incredible cooking device that uses the latest technology.”

And here’s what Albert Einstein, that giant of science, teaches us about the arts and sciences:

For Einstein “arts and sciences are branches of the same tree” and “we do art when we communicate through forms whose connections are not accessible to the conscious mind, yet we intuitively recognize them as something meaningful.”

“PR is probably a science when you start to learn about the profession. The more you fine tune it, the more it becomes an art as you make it your own.I definitely think that it’s both,” David explained to us.

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I find the journey a brand embarks on to forge a path into the consumers’ subconscious fascinating. This principle corresponds to the Law of Ladder. If you think quickly about the best brands for running shoes, champagne, luxury watches, or electric cars, you’ll

Being in second or third position isn’t always a disadvantage. In fact, it’s possible to take advantage of it, since trying to take that first place is often a futile endeavour. Your resources will be better invested if you concentrate on what makes you stand out. Being first or the biggest is good but being the best can also be very lucrative.

Where do you fall on the consumer popularity ladder?

We often talk about the top 3, top 5 or top 10 best products. Certain studies* estimate that the human brain will retain seven brands (plus or minus two). Marketing specialists often cite a study by cognitive psychologist George A. Miller of Harvard University to illustrate this point.

PR is a highly effective way to climb the brand ladder.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magical_Number_Seven,_Plus_or_Minus_Two

I hope you enjoyed this episode, and that this PR/marketing moment stimulates your creativity.

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Many years ago now, I stopped fighting people’s perception – the so-called law of the mind. The best example I can give you of this is my partner. David Tremblay is a young white man who stands 6 feet 2, in his early thirties, the typical millennial who has insane charisma.

Whatever we do, David will always have a head start on me:

So, you’ll understand why I try to include him in all our meetings with clients, to reassure them and, above all, to give us the best possible chance when we’re submitting a bid.

It’s hard to fight the law of the mind, isn’t it? It’s easy to see how electric car brands trying to win consumers over will have trouble rivalling Tesla, which is imprinted on consumers’ minds as being the elegant, innovative electric car. In terms of down jackets, we’ve seen many brands emerge in the past decade, trying to find their place in the sun. But which brand pops into consumers’ heads when they’re looking for a warm coat? You got it – Canada Goose. Next you probably think of North Face and Moncler if you’re thinking of a luxury range. But if you do a few online searches, you’ll quickly see that all the major brands are there. Even Lululemon, known for its yoga wear, is trying to win market shares with its down coats.

As you’ve probably figured out, the law of the mind closely follows the law of perception. It’s pointless to wage an expensive marketing battle on beliefs and perceptions, since the law of the mind will win the day whenever products are at war – even if your product is better than Canada Goose.

It takes time to get inside consumers’ heads. It can be done, but you’ve got to be able to hold your own somehow until you’ve made your mark on consumers’ minds.

What about you? Is your brand one that leaps to consumers’ minds?

I hope you enjoyed this episode, and that this PR/marketing moment stimulates your creativity.

Reach out to me so we can continue the conversation!

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For this 65th episode, I’m delighted to welcome Tina Poitras, a seasoned businesswoman and high-level coach.

It was Tina who introduced me to the power of coaching more than a decade ago.

Tina is a two-time Olympic race walker who represented Canada at the Games in Barcelona (1992) and Atlanta (1996). Following her career as an athlete, she became a seasoned businesswoman, founding Magma Photos, an image bank that would become the largest independent agency in its sector in Canada. In 2004, she would sell her business to Corbis Image, a company owned by Bill Gates.

Tina founded Namasté Leadership in 2010.

To find out more about NAMASTÉ LEADERSHIP

https://www.namasteleadership.ca/index.php

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I hope you enjoyed this episode, and that this PR/marketing moment stimulates your creativity.

Reach out to me so we can continue the conversation!

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Eleven years ago, I was considering adopting a dog. I was midway through my forties and I saw life passing me by. Several of my friends and loved ones had had to live with cancer diagnoses, and I wondered if I’d have time to achieve all my dreams before dying.

After two years of reviewing many scenarios, one encounter would bring me the solution I wanted so much: a meeting with Lise Watier in a downtown apartment, where my assignment was to ask her a few questions in front of a painting by Dominic Besner.

What about you? What are the dreams, big or small, that you have yet to realize?

I hope you enjoyed this episode, and that this PR/marketing moment stimulates your creativity.

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Dominique Besner

Do you love magazines like I do? When’s the last time you read a magazine? What media was it on?

The last magazine I looked at was Paris Match. On Sundays I read a newspaper called La Presse on my tablet, and it has a Paris Match supplement inserted. So, a section of the magazine, which we get for free, has articles about the great French stars of my childhood. The last issue I read featured an interview with Paul Belmondo, son of the megastar Jean-Paul Belmondo, aka Bébel, who was famous all over the world. Besides my nostalgic side, which I indulge with Paris Match, I love the big interviews with international stars. I get access to other viewpoints and different sides of these celebrities, who are covered differently by the American media.

I firmly believe that, just like for printed books which have seen a real resurgence during the pandemic, the print magazines that feed our fantasies have a bright future. There’s nothing like print media for showing off the highest possible image quality.

What does the research say about the status of magazines?

According to the independent organization Vividata:

- In many markets, magazines reach nine out of ten adults over 18.

- 62% of magazine readers still read them exclusively in print.

- Half of magazine readers have run a search for a product, brand, or service after reading an advertisement for it there.

- One in five has purchased a given product or service.

- People aged 40 and under are more inclined to read the digital version of a magazine, especially using a smartphone or computer. We also see this trend for newspapers.

The magazine as an object of desire? Certainly! Perfect for when you’re preparing a “home spa” treatment, for reading while you soak in your favourite tub.

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Have you read the print version of a newspaper recently?

Personally, I rarely read the print version. I usually read the online versions.

However, I do still read the print version of Les Affaires – a specialized newspaper that I can also consult online – so I can support them for as long as they maintain a print version.

I should say that a few months ago, we made the front page of this newspaper for one of our clients, and in full colour too! The print version had a very powerful impact. We should make the most of these printed newspapers because I think one day online versions will be our only option.

We also still receive an English-language newspaper, The Gazette, at the office. I browse this newspaper’s headlines to see if the English-speaking community in Quebec is interested in the same issues as the French-speaking community. I must admit I enjoy flipping through the pages of printed newspapers. Although I appreciate how easy and accessible online newspapers are, as well as how they help the environment, the content doesn’t stick in my mind in the same way. There’s something almost architectural about print versions, because I can remember the page and location of the article I read. This more “spatial” aspect disappears completely when I read an article on a computer or tablet. There’s no point trying to remember where I read something, or which issue it was in. My brain doesn’t consume information in the same way. However, it’s true that I look at many more newspapers than I did before. The quantity of information that is accessible to us has exploded in recent years. Between online media and social media, often I don’t know where I saw a certain piece of information.

So, why are newspapers in any form still important?

Although we are bombarded with information 24 hours a day, newspapers continue to provide information through in-depth reports written by independent journalists. I still read newspapers for the relevant information I find in them:

- detailed investigations

- stories that reflect our world or our community

- a country or region’s culture

- spotlights on the issues affecting our world and our environment

- how the public feels about certain issues

- current trends and opinions

- freedom of expression

A difficult time for newspapers

Although most major daily newspapers shifted to digital format several years ago, finding a balance in terms of revenue remains difficult. This is what the former Vice-President of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times had to say:

“Even in the smallest markets, Facebook and Google syphon three-quarters of the digital revenue,” said Penelope Abernathy, a former Wall Street Journal and New York Times vice-president who now teaches media economics at the University of North Carolina. “That leaves all other legacy media fighting for the digital scraps.”

The major dailies are holding up well – The New York Times saw its digital revenue exceed its print revenue for the first time during the pandemic.

To survive, smaller publications are likely to become rarer and more expensive, and will continue to target niche audiences.

“Print will survive in some form,”said Abernathy, comparing newspapers to books, which have survived the digital transition.

There’s a future for subscriptions to the major newspapers a few days a week. “The era of the print daily will be remembered fondly. The whole notion was capturing the history of the last 24 hours,”Abernathy concluded.

Source: La Tribu

I hope you enjoyed this episode, and that this PR/marketing moment stimulates your creativity.

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What about radio? Is it on the way out?

For me, radio will always be a local medium. I love listening to the radio and my favourite hosts, because I feel like they’re talking just to me. There’s nothing like the warmth of the human voice to reassure us, and that’s what radio offers us – that’s what makes it a medium we trust.

It’s very present in our lives, and especially during our morning and evening commutes. Radio still matters. As with any traditional media, radio is in the midst of big changes. In terms of advertising budgets, we know the GAFA of this world are getting the lion’s share – and leaving some scars on radio.

However, this medium has genuinely changed to adapt to the age, because now we can listen to it on replay or in podcasts, or stream it on our computers, tablets, or smartphones.

Radio is also a powerhouse of local media, because it gives listeners that familiarity and forges ties with the community like no other major generalist media.

Here are MÉDIAMÉTRIE’s findings:

- 70% of listeners feel that radio inspires trust.

- 98.5% of business owners with 10 or more employees still listen to the radio every day.

- The car is the number-one weekday listening location.

- 80% of listeners mention radio’s warmth.

- Radio is cross-generational:

nearly three quarters of individuals aged 13 or older, as well as two thirds of 25-34-year-olds and 78% of over-60s listen to the radio every day.

In France, there are 900 stations and 7000 frequencies: community, local, and national radio.

More and more people are listening on digital devices:

12.2% of the population listen to the radio on replay: mobile takes the lead with 3.5 million listeners each day.

Podcasts are growing in popularity: of the 16.9 podcasts downloaded by single listeners every month, 13.5 are played, for a conversion ratio of 81%.

I sincerely believe that radio has a bright future, especially if it keeps listening to its listeners, and continues to let them know what’s happening in their world.

I hope you enjoyed this episode, and that this PR/marketing moment stimulates your creativity.

Reach out to me so we can continue the conversation!

Free consultation.

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