A Steve Jobs action figure - just what Sheldon Cooper et al want….

It only took three months after the tragic passing away of Apple’s iconic founder Steve Jobs for a company to come up with merchandise. The company “In Icons” is going to launch Steve Jobs action figures.

The company’s website has pictures of the poseable Steve Jobs figure on its website. The figures are expected to be shipped in February and will cost $99.

The Chinese manufacturer believes that the 12-inch-high Jobs doll will become a collector’s item. They might be right; there is a lot of viral buzz and the item already appears on eBay for around $135.

If you take a close look at the doll, you will see that it is rather eerie. The level of detail is too much, including pores on Jobs' forehead, subtle wrinkles under his eyes, and veins on his hand. According to the company, the item will come with 2 pair of extra hands; 1 in case the original set goes AWOL and one set with pointing index fingers.

In case you wonder, the Steve Jobs action figure comes with a whole set of clothes and accessories that would make Barbie green with envy. Items include: 2 pairs of glasses, 1 black turtleneck, 1 pair of blue jeans, 1 pair of sneakers, 1 black leather belt, 2 apples (one with the iconic bite) and 1 bar stool.

Needless to say, Apple, Inc. is not amused. According to The Telegraph, the conglomerate is allegedly threatening to sue the toy maker unless they cease trading.

It would not be the first time; back in 2010, Apple blocked M.I.C. Gadget from selling a Steve Jobs action figure on Ebay, stating that the action figure was a violation of its copyrights and trademarks.

FAQ that Companies Have for Their PR Agencies (Part II)

This post is the continuation from the previous one that you can find on my precious post.

7. Companies must have a dedicated (and charismatic) spokesperson

For startups, putting the CTO or VP R&D without any media experience in front of journalists and the media is disastrous. In many cases, the interview will result in a monologue about all the cool features of the amazing technology/product/service, peppered with tech lingo.

The journalist needs to write something cool that everybody can easily understand. Listen to the PR agency and your marcom; they will tell you who would be good for the interview and prep them accordingly. Technical information, including diagrams, should be sent upon request by email.

Please note that there is no such thing as “off the record”. Any information you share about upcoming investments, major deals or product developments will be covered by the journalist. Also make sure that all information submitted is accurate. A good journalist will do his or her homework and will know if you fibbed.

8. What you said is not always what you get

Journalists and the media can use received information as they see fit. A journalist might write about your technology under a funky heading that make you cringe. Journalists might even misquote or relate incorrect information. There is not much you can do about it, except asking your PR agency or professional to contact that journalist, thank him or her for the great article and gently correct the mistakes. Don’t expect a correction though.....The only way you can do damage control is on your own corporate blog, Facebook, or Twitter account.

9. Social media for PR entails more than harnessing the power of Facebook and Twitter.

Many countries outside of the US have there own social networks (and search engines). China uses Baidu, Russia Yandex, and the Germans prefer Xing over LinkedIn.

PR agency (or in-house professional) should also target the most influential bloggers in your industry, such as Technorati or the Huffington Post. Using op-eds is also useful, such as offered by the NYT are effective.

10. Professionals have been trying to come up with a “calculator” - without success
The best way for companies to get a grip on results is to ask for reports on progress and exposure. It is important to realize that exposure might take time. To give an example, the CEO of Curapipe was interviewed at WATEC on 19 November 2011. An excellent article appeared in the Mexican media on December 27; more than a month later. Due to the power of going viral, articles can be reposted and blogged about for a long time!

(Image courtesy of Jeff Bullas)

FAQ that Companies Have for Their PR Agencies (Part I)

Companies and clients often ask a lot from their PR agencies or marcoms. Not without reason - since PR agencies work on a monthly retainer, the company wants to get maximum results.

As anyone in PR can tell you; it’s a tricky field. You have to put in a lot of effort and networking that is not visible to the company or client. In the end, it’s the results that count. Any company that hires a PR agency asks the same main questions.

In this post and the next one, I will address these FAQ.

1. No agency is in contact with all relevant journalists.

Yes, journalists of trade magazines and broadsheets relevant for you must be targeted - in the Americas, Europe, and the Far East depending on your business. But is it unrealistic to expect your PR agency to be on first name basis with all of them. They do have their own database and network though and will try to get you as much targeted exposure as possible. Please note that journalists don’t always bite. Yes, that is chutzpah considering how cool your company and product/service is, but that's life in the media lane.....

2. The location of a PR firm or professional is not that critical anymore.

However, if you are considering investor relations, it helps to be in or near the main financial centers, such as New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris or Tokyo. If you are targeting governmental agencies in the US, finding a PR agency near Washington DC helps, as does finding one in Brussels if you want to target EU-related governmental bodies and influencers.

3. Think local.

No PR agency is truly global. Many have partner agencies in other countries, which makes them highly effective. To reach journalists in Europe, you do need to communicate in the local language. No journalist of La Stampa, Le Monde, or Die Zeit will communicate with you in English.

4. You do need to send out press releases, but they must be newsworthy.

Publicly traded companies must put out a press release on any change that could influence investors’ decision to buy or sell stock (e.g., appointment of a new C-level manager or board member). Private companies can (and must) be far more selective. A new product release, major contracts, deals and partnerships, as well as received investments are all worthy of a press release.

To get the news out, I strongly recommend using one of the major paid distribution companies. My favorite is PR Newswire, which also takes care of translations and distributes to all media channels (including social media) in any region and industry you want.

5. A PR agency is only as good as the input they receive.

It is therefore crucial that you as a company or client share your goals, competitive information, and yes, all the relevant skeletons in you closet. Any publicity based on faulty or incorrect information, will backfire big time.

6. Some PR goals are unrealistic.

“Get me on Oprah” is a mantra that companies have been singing for many years. Chances are very slim, to say the least. Sending out (by email) and uploading B-roll footage (e.g., to YouTube) to be freely used by the media is cheaper and far more effective. Cold calling the media is a waste of time (and money), trust me!

To be continued in Part II - keep posted!

(Image courtesy of Jeff Bullas)