I’m assuming by now that you know LeBron James is prepared to make an important announcement. Lucky for us, King James has saw fit to share the potentially universe-changing news with his loyal subjects tonight, live on ESPN. In what the network is calling, “The Decision,” the reigning two-time NBA MVP will finally put to rest years of speculation about his future. Where will he play? Who will he play with? It all ends tonight.

Several franchises have dismantled their rosters, essentially mortgaging their futures and ran the risk of forever alienating their fan bases for this very day. With absolutely no guarantees – just hope. Hope that a twenty-five year old James can do his best Moses impersonation and lead their clubs out of the basketball wilderness. Not only to championships, but a bounty of off the court benefits as well.

Members of the media have been willing participants in perpetuating the LeBronathon. Sports Illustrated has a site dedicated to the watch. Countless rumors have popped up on a daily basis. When it became known late Tuesday afternoon that James had finally created his long anticipated twitter account, reports stated that he gained upwards of 89,000 followers in a hour!

This, for lack of a better word has officially become a thing. A spectacle that would have made P.T. Barnum smile. I know folks who don’t care about sports in the least who have rearranged their plans to watch this announcement.

I must admit, I’m sad to see it all end. I never thought of myself as a big fan of reality TV, but I’m definitely going to watch tonight. Until recently, I wasn’t heavily involved with Twitter, but the during the last week I’ve been checking tweets every half hour. LeBron and his handlers have banked on the fact that there are a ton of people like me.

Who, not so secretly are eating all of this stuff up. We feign outrage with what he’s putting us through. We claim to be disgusted with his out-of-control ego, but actually I think we’re in love with it. This thing is no different than watching the finale of the Bachelor or American Idol. It’s an event, and we Americans love an event. No matter how vapid it may be.

More and more marketers are taking advantage of Foursquare, the location-based social networking game. Nationwide companies like Bravo and Starbucks have tapped into Foursquare’s marketing genius by offering users added incentives to engage with their brands.

What is Foursquare?
Foursquare is a smart phone app and website that works by letting the user tell the app where they are and sending that information to the user’s friends. All users need to do is “check-in” via SMS, mobile app or website. Using the Foursquare mobile app, users can automatically check-in and post shouts based on where they are and what they’re doing. Users can also find friends, search venues, earn badges, become the mayor of a venue and add friends.

Are any Milwaukee companies using Foursquare?
AJ Bombers
AJ Bombers has become a popular hang out for Milwaukee Foursquare users. On “Foursquare Day,” AJ Bombers partnered with Foursquare to develop special opportunities to pack the bar and restaurant with Foursquare users. The bar and restaurant attracted 231 people to their venue throughout the day, and experienced some of their longest wait times. You can read more about how AJ Bombers leveraged Foursquare here.

Stack’d Burger Bar
Stack’d Burger Bar entices customers with their Foursquare specials. Foursquare users can take advantage of happy hour all day, every day when they show their server they’ve checked-in. The mayor of Stack’d also receives a free burger!

Other Milwaukee businesses like the InterContinental Milwaukee Hotel and Molly Cool’s Seafood Tavern are using Foursquare to offer special discounts and deals to patrons.

How can I start using Foursquare to positively impact my business?
The first thing you should do is Google your company to see if you already have a Foursquare presence. For instance, the Harley-Davidson Museum would Google: foursquare.com/venue Harley-Davidson Museum. When you find your venue you will be able to see how many times people have checked-in, the number of people who have checked-in and who your mayor is. You may discover a Foursquare fan base you didn’t know about.

Once you know how and if people are using Foursquare to interact with your business, you can decide how integrating Foursquare into your current communications and/or social media plan will work best. Depending on your goals there are three main ways to interact with consumers on Foursquare.

1) Work with Foursquare to develop a special
Many restaurants and bars offer new mayors a free drink or meal when they check-in. Others encourage repeat visits by offering customers deals or specials every time they check-in.

2) Work with Foursquare to create a new badge
If your company has multiple locations, you may be able to develop a special badge. For instance, Starbucks worked with Foursquare to develop the “Barista” badge. Users earn the Barista badge by checking-in to five different Starbucks locations.

3) Create your own Foursquare account
When you create your own account on Foursquare you can become friends with your consumers, learn where they are checking-in most frequently, learn who is at your business at what time and let consumers know where you hang out. All of this allows for increased interaction between you and your consumers.

We all know “people like that.” You know, Harley-riding rebels or Nike-wearing heroes or Chevy-driving regular guys. There are so many different types of people in the world – or just in our circle of friends for that matter – and each of us is motivated by something specific. To satisfy that inner motivation, we all employ different strategies. In the same way, so do brands.

Not unlike each and every person on the planet, brands are motivated by one of four things: Stability, Independence, Mastery or Belonging.* Can you identify with one of these motivations personally? What about your company? It gets a little murky at this base level of brand construction. However, one of these four motivations is, indeed, what drives you and brands forward.

Let’s say you long for stability – you want or need to make everything OK. Well, there are a few different strategies that can satisfy you:

1. The Caregiver. Like a mama bear with her cubs, or a dedicated nurse by our bedside, this archetype creates stability through comfort. Think Johnson & Johnson, Campbell’s Soup or Bob Hope. A caregiver brand’s goal is to help others. Is it yours?
2. The Ruler. When things get dicey, do you feel compelled to “grab the reigns” and control the situation? If so, you may be a ruler. Companies like Microsoft, Cadillac and CitiBank express themselves as large and in charge.
3. The Creator. This archetype needs to create something of enduring value. This is the innovator, the entrepreneur or the writer. They make the world stable by giving form to a vision. Williams-Sonoma, Lego and Kinko’s are all creator brands.

But maybe you’re independent; maybe your brand represents paradise, deep understanding or free-spirited exploration. Try these archetypes on for size:

1. The Innocent. Somewhere in this world, there are spots that still hold the magic and romance of a perfect world. We find these spots at Disneyland, or while drinking a Coca-Cola, or watching a Tom Hanks film.
2. The Sage. From the Buddha to George Carlin to the New York Times, the Sage seeks to uncover the truth. These brands use quality intel to understand the world around them.
3. The Explorer. Some brands need to see things for themselves. They discover themselves through adventure and experiencing life first-hand. These brands include Starbucks, Jeep and Homer’s “The Odyssey.”

Say those six archetypes just don’t seem like you. There are six more to try on for size. If you are more about making a mark on the world before you go, these characters could appeal to you:

1. The Magician. Making dreams come true is the goal of this icon. Like a spa in a nice hotel, Harry Potter movies or MasterCard, this archetype transforms us into something better.
2. The Rebel. Want to make some noise in the world? Why not tear down the status quo and blaze a new trail like Harley-Davidson, MTV or Jack Daniels. If your brand is revolutionary, it just might live here.
3. The Hero. One of our most-loved icons seeks to help others and improve the world. If your customers identify themselves as good and moral, you could be in the same crowd as Nike, The Olympics or the Marines.

Then again, your inner motivation could be simply belonging with other people. Does your brand make connections on a personal level? Check these archetypes out:

1. The Lover. Godiva Chocolate, Victoria’s Secret and Sofia Loren all desire intimacy and sensual pleasure. These brands represent the promise of sexual appeal and indulgence. Is your corporation up for some?
2. The Jester. Let’s live in the moment with full enjoyment. Let’s have a great time and lighten up the world. If these are your thoughts, you may be like Pepsi, Ben and Jerry’s or Captain Morgan Rum.
3. The Regular Guy/Gal. Throw on your Wrangler Jeans, hop in your Chevy pick-up and let’s go to the union hall. These brands are down-to-earth, friendly and without pretense.

Each of these 12 iconic types of people and brands wrap up who we all are here on Earth. Where do you fall personally? Where does your company or organization fall?

B+L employs the use of archetypes as a part of brand personality analysis within our Brand ALIVE process. It’s a fabulous way to manifest your brand soul. The stages of brand/customer relationship become a concise blueprint when you understand and embrace the singular voice of one of these archetypes. At least that’s this Hero’s opinion.

* Much of this information can be attributed to a wonderful book called The Hero and the Outlaw, Building Extraordinary Brands through the Power of Archetypes by Margret Mark and Coral S. Pearson.

I’ve pretty much given up explaining my job to people at cocktail parties, weddings and bar mitzvahs.  However, every now and then I get drawn into a conversation that begs for a more detailed response than “I’m in marketing.”  Typically, the doctor/lawyer/cable installer I’m talking to has only the vaguest idea of what an agency PR guy actually does every day and it raises their eyebrows to learn that I spend a good chunk of my time trying to influence news media coverage. Occasionally, they’ll wink conspiratorially and ask how they can get on TV or in the newspaper like my clients do. At that point, of course, I hand them a business card …and the conversation usually shifts to sports or politics or the girl in the black dress.  But for those of you who really want to know, here are six simple tips for free. You don’t even have to buy me a drink.

1. Know the difference between an ad and a press release – Surprisingly, many people don’t. While there is neither the time nor space to fully cover this topic here, suffice it to say that releases should have a news angle to them…not a sales angle. Before you write it, ask yourself if your news is really, well, news.  If so, go ahead with the release, but try to write it in a journalistic voice, using inverted pyramid format. Keep it brief and to the point. Keep an AP Stylebook handy. And keep ad/brochure language out of it, as that will turn off reporters and editors. Also – here’s a tip inside of a tip – if your boss insists on including sales-y language, turn it into a quote. That way you’re presenting it as someone’s enthusiastic opinion, not a ham-handed attempt at an objective news statement.
2. Tie into a trend – By itself, your news may not rock an editor’s world. However, if it ties into a larger trend, you may be onto something.  Suggest your product or service as an example of how a national trend is playing out locally and you could get rewarded with lots of ink or airtime.
3. Tie into a current news peg – Huge new stories have an incredible ripple effect, spawning dozens of smaller, related stories.  If you can connect your news item to the bigger picture, you may be in luck. You can also anticipate news coverage based on seasons and holidays and plan accordingly.
4. Know the media outlet – A press release on a new industrial automation product probably isn’t going to be of interest to Time or Newsweek unless it plays into a larger story or trend. Sending it blindly to them is like hunting with your eyes closed – ineffective at best and potentially dangerous. However, the same release could be of great interest to a trade magazine covering industrial automation.  Always make sure you are familiar with the media outlets you are targeting…or don’t target them.  Waste their time once, and you’ll be junk-listed forever.
5. Know the journalist’s beat – An obvious corollary to #4.  Even if you are targeting the right media outlet, you may be going after the wrong reporter or editor.  In many cases, media outlets will readily identify reporter’s beats. But even if they do, take the time to research the reporter and read/watch his or her stories. Follow them on Twitter. Friend them on Facebook. Being able to reference a reporter’s recent work will not only show you have a clue, it will stroke their ego. Both are good things.
6. Respond quickly to media requests – If you’ve successfully piqued a reporter’s interest, don’t blow everything by taking all day to get back to them.  Reporters don’t care if you’re out of town, on vacation or chaperoning Little Sallie’s field trip…if you can’t get back to them within two hours or less, they’ll simply call someone else who can provide the same information.

MILWAUKEE (May 27, 2010) – Boelter + Lincoln received two Awards of Excellence at the 2010 Southeast Wisconsin Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Paragon Awards. Of nearly 100 entries, only 20 received the “Award of Excellence” designation.

The first award came in the category of “Tactics: Media Relations” for the agency’s creation of the “Wisconsin Gangster Tour,” an online video, map and feature article about the gangster hideouts around the state, including locations used in the movie Public Enemies with Johnny Depp. Working on behalf of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, B+L’s media relations and web content campaign garnered coverage in newspapers across the country, including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Dallas Morning News, as well as on AP, Yahoo, Google and MSN. The agency’s media outreach resulted in $5 million worth of exposure, with more than 100 news stories and over 24,000 visits to the department of tourism’s website. In addition, numerous gangster-related tourist sites reported a significant increase in visitors.

The agency won again in the category of “Tactics: Social Media, One-time special event” for launching Lakefront Brewery’s Wheat Monkey Ale. B+L employed a wide-ranging social media program to raise awareness for the Wheat Monkey Ale launch parties. Elements of the program included a Twitter and Facebook account operated by “the Wheat Monkey,” viral video, social media release, guerilla marketing, special tasting events and media relations. The campaign helped make Wheat Monkey Ale the brewery’s best-selling beer at all of Milwaukee’s 2009 summer festivals and the company’s second best-selling brand overall.

“Street construction and other infrastructure improvements are critical to Milwaukee’s commercial districts in the long-term,” said Boelter + Lincoln President Jill Brzeski. “We feel privileged to be involved with a program that helps support them during the short-term construction period.”

Boelter + Lincoln executives researched similar initiatives in states and cities nationwide while developing the program, adopting and/or modifying several common best practices to meet the City of Milwaukee’s specific needs. The program was also based in part on a pilot program implemented by Milwaukee DPW during 2009.

The Department of Public Works has the greatest impact of any city department on daily life in Milwaukee. It is responsible for the design, maintenance, and operation of streets, sidewalks, alleys, bridges, sewers, water mains, underground conduit, telecommunications services, traffic signals, and street lighting for more than 95 square miles; 221 city buildings, a fleet of over 1,500 vehicles, 476 acres of boulevards and green space, and 200,000 street trees.

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photo provided by the Associated Press

Why? It’s not because NCAA players are better…they aren’t. It’s because NCAA games are unpredictable. Every year, the tournament features scores of shocking upsets and unknown players who become “names” overnight – if only for a week or two. The fact that those Cinderella teams and players might never be particularly famous in the long term doesn’t matter to the popularity of the event or its TV appeal. The event and the game are bigger than the stars.

The NBA, on the other hand, heavily promotes individual players, on the theory that people pay to see stars, not necessarily teams. Call it the Michael Jordan effect. This star-oriented approach goes beyond marketing; it has long been understood that referees give big name players preferential treatment. Thus, A-listers like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James consistently have great games, their teams consistently win and they become consistently big draws…or so the thinking goes. While the star system is certainly a tried-and-true formula, I think a lot of fans see it for what it is and are turned off – and are turning their TV sets off as well. To a cynic like me, it’s almost like watching professional wrestling. The NBA’s caste system is particularly annoying if you are a fan of a “no-star” team in a small market city. In effect, the stars have become bigger than the game.

My pipedream du jour would be for Commissioner David Stern to reprioritize the NBA’s approach and once again make the game bigger than the stars. Let surprising new up-and-comers (like the Milwaukee Bucks’ Brandon Jennings and John Salmons) get the same treatment as Kobe, LeBron, DWade and the other marquee names. If that leads to upsets, all the better. That’s exactly why the NCAA tournament became known as “March Madness.” The NBA, too, could be awesome, baby!

“Boelter + Lincoln is a great fit for us,” said Dennis Kepchar, Ministry Health Care’s vice president for marketing, public relations, and communications. “They have extensive experience marketing to our demographic targets and in our key markets and the creative approach they proposed was very much in sync with our patient-oriented positioning.”

Boelter + Lincoln will assist Ministry in a variety of communications disciplines, including advertising, public relations and social media. Consumers in central and northern Wisconsin will start to see the new print, broadcast and online advertisements in May.

Ministry Health Care is a mission-driven, integrated health care system of clinics and hospitals, primary and specialty care physicians, home care and related services across Wisconsin and into Minnesota. As a Catholic organization, its mission is to use its core values of presence, service, vision and justice to create a patient-centered experience. Additional information on Ministry Health Care can be found at http://ministryhealth.org.

Boelter + Lincoln is a full-service marketing communications firm with more than 30 years of award-winning experience.

“We’re very excited to work with Mueller Sports Medicine,” said Boelter + Lincoln President Jill Brzeski. “They are an industry leader with international distribution, great new products in the pipeline and a tremendous potential for growth.”

Founded in 1961 by Curt Mueller, Mueller Sports Medicine, Inc. is a family-owned and operated international sports medicine company offering a complete line of patented braces, supports, and tapes and taping supplies. The company continues to introduce new and innovative products around the world. Mueller Sports Medicine’s product lines include Quench®gum, SportCare® retail products, Mueller Green supports and braces and H1N1-fighting Whizzer® cleaner and disinfectant.

Boelter + Lincoln is a full-service marketing communications firm with more than 30 years of award-winning experience in the industry.