Solomon McCown &

We all know social media has changed brand communications and crisis management. The latest example of the trend is Disney. Account Coordinator Amey Owen reflects on the issue:

Recently, Disney crowned Merida, the main character of the popular Walt Disney Pixar movie "Brave," the 11th Princess in the Disney brand. To conform Merida to the appearance of the other princesses, Disney redesigned her to have a more slender waist, slightly larger bust, make-up, tamer hair, and no appearance of her trademark weaponry.

Soon after this change was made, social media buzzed as thousands of people, predominately women, voiced opposition to the princess's redesigned appearance. This buzz quickly let to a Change.org online petition ("Disney: Say No to the Merida Makeover, Keep Our Hero Brave!"), which gained over 213,300 signatures in less than two weeks. Talk about a movement.

Despite initially refusing to budge (issuing a statement saying that the "new" Merida "remains the same strong and determined Merida from the movie whose inner qualities have inspired moms and daughters around the world"), Disney ultimately responded to the outcry by quietly returning Merida to her original character design on their official princess website.

As one pundit added, "Social media obviously allows for rapid fire communication, and when savvy opponents got wind of what Disney was planning, they took the now well worn path of Twitter, Facebook and online campaigns and created an online buzz that Disney couldn't ignore."

Lesson learned?

Social media changes the pace of everything. Twitter and Facebook have made it incredibly easy for people to express their concerns, vent even more if frustrations go unanswered, and team up with like-minded people to create change - all with a few keystrokes and a click of a button.

This creates uncomfortable situations for brands caught in crossfire and emphasizes the growing need for crisis communications. Social media cannot-and should not-be ignored. To keep up with the often explosive nature of social media, businesses need to proactively listen and be prepared with clear messaging to provide consumers and/or customers with an answer.

In her recent article, "Is Facebook Worth the Hassle for Smaller Nonprofits?,"Joanna Fritz, Ph.D., talks about the importance of social media for nonprofits.

For many nonprofits, especially smaller ones, Joanna recognizes entering the social media world can be a challenging one.  However, she says, "in a multichannel world, where people get their information from a variety of sources, playing the social media game is just as important as setting up a website, sending out press releases, and mailing out fundraising appeals."

If one thing is clear, it's that social media is not going away anytime soon. It's something every organization should be taking advantage of. Facebook, Joanna advises, can be a great jumping off point for many nonprofits looking to make their way into the social media world and take advantage of an engaging and listening audience.

In looking at the nonprofits I follow on Facebook, I can't think of a small nonprofit leverging Facebook better than Be like Brit. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the children of Haiti, Be Like Brit aims to continue the compassionate life and legacy of Britney Gengel, a 19-year-old Lynn University sophomore who was tragically killed in the 2010 Haitian earthquake. The organization has established a safe, nurturing and sustainable orphanage in an environment where children can grow, learn and thrive.

On Facebook, Be Like Britdoes an excellent job of constantly keeping their readers updated with pictures and videos. Despite the orphanage being located in Haiti, through the organization's posts, photos, videos and stories, I feel as though I am there and know each and every one of the children at the orphanage (from Love-Na to Kerby) personally.

The same goes for Britney. Although I never met her, Brit's personality and passion for service live on in the photos and stories that the page provides. The Facebook posts are simple, yet colorful, informative and engaging--which is why it's no surprise the Facebook page has over 13,500 likes.

Be Like Brit is a great example of how a smaller nonprofit can thrive on a social media environment. I'm amazed at not only the incredible mission of Be Like Brit, which grew from the four members of Britney's immediate family, but its' ability to constantly interact and communicate effectively on social media through itsFacebook page, Twitter handle, YouTube channel and blogs (http://belikebrit.org/blog/ and http://belikebrit.org/category/jonathans-blog/).

As Joanna states, if nonprofits do take the plunge to join social media, they should be prepared for a long road of hard work, learning, and experimentation. But, as I'm sure Be Like Brit can attest, putting effort into social media is totally worth it and can create very exciting results.

By: Amey Owen, SM& Account Coordinator

As PR professionals, we understand getting a story placed for our clients is a big part of our job. But we want the story to go beyond a clip on a website. We want it to resonate with its audience.

Late last week, SM& Senior Vice President Michal Regunberg and Senior Account Supervisor Brianne Miers led an informal discussion on the power of storytelling-of going beyond facts and figures to a tale with a beginning, middle, and end.

Here's what I took away from our conversation:

1. Stories travel fast. Thanks to social media platforms like Twitter, a newsy, interesting, funny, or otherwise noteworthy item can travel at 38,250 miles per hour. That's accelerated significantly from the 2.7 miles per hour news of the Battle of Trafalgar spread back in 1805.
2. But speed isn't everything. Brain scans show that when one person tells a story to another person, their brains begin to synchronize and "ideas, thoughts, and emotions" are planted in the listener's brain. A compelling story will literally get in a reader's head. That's a powerful tool.
3. Find a good (and eager) storyteller. When working with a client to find someone who benefits from their business or initiative, make sure he or she has the ability spin a good yarn. Nothing will turn off a journalist faster than someone who is uncomfortable going on the record or isn't willing to pose for a picture.
4. Help clients recognize and provide solid anecdotes. Clients are busy running their businesses and don't always see golden media opportunities. We shared how we remind clients to recruit ambassadors for their causes or business-monthly check-ins and questionnaires were mentioned as solutions. Another strategy was to ask our contacts to make an introduction with employees who know potential ambassadors. Sometimes, it's all about finding that missing connection.
5. Be aware of potential issues. Nothing spoils a story like missing details. If HIPAA or other privacy concerns prevent someone from telling their entire story, it's best to hold off for a future opportunity.

By Amy Derjue, Senior Account Executive at Solomon McCown & Company

The scramble to shape the post-Menino era has begun, and the stakes couldn't be higher for companies and organizations in the real estate industry, healthcare and mission-driven, non-profit sectors.

Today's announcement by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino that he will not seek re-election means the city has the chance to elect only its fourth mayor in 45 years. Since 1968, the year before the Mets won a World Series and America put men on the moon, only three people have led Boston government - Kevin White, Ray Flynn and Menino.

There will be no shortage of candidates for the job, but the seminal question is: Will Bostonians go "big" or small in choosing Menino's successor? While actual Boston residents will cast the ballots, everyone knows the money and blessing of the city's business interests will exert disproportionate weight - especially if most of the key influencers wind up unifying behind a favorite candidate.

Is Boston's next mayor a Paul Grogan, the head of the Boston Foundation, a Peter Meade, the head of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), a Stephen Lynch, the congressman from South Boston now running to succeed former U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry? Or it is City Councilor John Connolly, the only official candidate who had the temerity to get in the race early. Or Councilor Michael Ross, a bridge builder with a strong personal story to tell? Or Councilor Ayanna Pressley, the first African-American woman to serve on the Council? Or any of the dozen or so other councilors and state representativeswhose names are being floated today?

Menino has always been perceived as friendly to the development community and the city's real estate industry is booming as a result in Boston's core. Menino's administration has been wildly successful masterminding a relentless PR push touting the promise of the Fort-Point-Innovation District-Waterfront area.

Favorable financial conditions will continue to propel commercialdevelopment in the oldest real estate market in country, but the next mayor will also control the BRA, which is where the rubber meets the road for commercial real estate and affordable housing.

Boston's globally renowned network of hospitals and academic medical centers provide the jobs that employ one in five Boston residents, driving a big slice of the city's economy, so you can bet that institutional executives in the healthcare sector will want to exercise some control over the destiny of their workforce and expansion plans.

The policies of the next mayor also loom large for mission-driven non-profits, including the city's colleges and universities. A mayor who is friendly to labor uniongrowth and who demands more or larger payments-in-lieu-of-taxes, for example, would have a major impact on the business models of institutions already struggling for stability in the post-recession economy.

And then there are the neighborhood voters, who want crime kept low, their streets plowed free of snow, better family housing, a better urban transportation system, especially in the poorest neighborhoods, and, of course, better schools.

There's never a dull moment when politics and business intersect in Boston, and they haven't had the chance to collide like this since Menino succeeded Flynn in July 1993 and then won election outright that November. The next nine months will produce a political spectacle that most of the city's residents and many of its business leaders have not experienced in 20 years.

One ironic and telling anecdote, the "Menino Won't Run" story was broken Wednesday on Twitter by David Bernstein, the sharp-eyed former political columnist for the Boston Phoenix, which folded a few weeks ago.

Bernstein's scoop is a good reminder of how the media environment has changed since the days when an army of beat reporters and columnists from city's two newspapers and major television stations controlled the flow of game-changing information. It's no longer about where you work or who you work for; when you are online, breaking news is about your connections.

Based on a look at today's papers, it appears the Boston Herald, led by former Boston City Hall Bureau Chief and now Editor-In-Chief Joe Sciacca, had the story early enough to produce a package of blanket coverage in today's edition. The Boston Globe's new editor, Brian McGrory, also a former City Hall reporter and Metro columnist, appears to have paid a personal visit to the Mayor to make sure his paper remained competitive on Menino's departure plans.

By Ed Cafasso, Senior Vice President at Solomon McCown & Company

We couldn't help watching the 2nd Presidential Debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney through our communications lens. It's what we do. Here are a few of our takeaways from the fiery town hall style debate.

@HeleneSolomon: #women get big play in debate. #Romney's Binders of women trended high on @twitter. BTW, binders from Mass Gap

@Ashboomersooner: Obama has his spiel down on accomplishments. Wash, rinse, repeat #debates

@MRinTouch: @HeleneSolomon: Think this format far better than static podium style for sure and you've got to give #CandyCrowley credit.

@athompson823: In a debate never ask a question of your opponent you don't already know the answer to! #debate #Libya

@edcafasso: Obama learned lessons of 1st debate. Enumerates his points, stays positive, offers specifics, doesn't roll over on Romney claims #debates