Measuring Up

Tired of being sleepy?

The sleep industry is making a fortune. And, a big reason why is because it’s done a masterful job of bombarding us with information about how we Americans are sleeping less and less… and the harmful effects that this deprivation is causing.

Think about it. When’s the last time you read or watched something that went like this? “According to a new study, about half of all Americans don’t get the recommended amount of sleep now. Experts feel that an inadequate amount of sleep can lead to higher blood pressure, much greater stress and even diabetes…” I feel like I’m seeing this type of news/content daily these days.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure many of these studies are right. Americans (overall) are sleeping less. I know because I was one of them (knock on wood). And why are we sleeping less? According to the random Yahoo search I just did, we’re facing much more stress on the job, have less time to do things, a ton of new stimulus is keeping us awake and a variety of other things. It’s all created much groggier, crankier people who are less productive and most likely have more health issues.

But, man this industry is smart (over $110 billion dollars worth of smarts.) There are thousands of psychological specialists, pill manufacturers, consumer tea, elixir and syrup makers, self-help book and CD writers, sound machine distributors, mouth piece distributors, etc., etc., etc., who sell their “solutions” to make us sleep better by feeding on our misery. They understand our pain and create every product and service imaginable to treat our growing anxiety. And, some of them receive the most credible endorsements out there. Take this article in The New York Times from last Friday. Reporter David Pogue offers a ringing endorsement for this new-fangled product known as the Zeo sleep monitor. The device is meant to help any user form good sleeping habits. From what I understand, the product is kind of an alarm clock connected to an elastic headband (which you’re supposed to wear to bed each night.) At the center, resting against your skin of your forehead, there’s a little transmitter pod which measures your brainwaves all night long. These waves are transmitted to this technologically advanced alarm clock as well. The purpose of all this is so when you wake, a screen comes to life which shows how well you slept during various periods and an alarm can be set to zing you slightly, or can completely wake you up at problematic times during light and deep sleep which can lead to grogginess. Wow, that’s different. Oh, by the way. The cost is $400.

So, what’s my point?

We’re tired of not sleeping (sorry for the pun) and because of this, we’re also jumping at any new solution that can possibly become our instant cure. I know because that was my life for a good 2-3 years. The problem is that 95 percent of these magic solutions (including the Zeo sleep monitor, I bet) just don’t work.

I’m not saying they aren’t good products. The problem is that most Americans don’t even really understand what their problem is. That’s because they are never diagnosed properly. And, that’s why their monthly shopping bill for sleep aids keeps getting higher.

After struggling with so many frustrating panaceas, I finally decided to undergo a real sleep test at a credible sleep center. One incredibly uncomfortable night produced a surprising diagnosis– I have minor sleep apnea. What’s interesting is that over 1 million people also have this and at least half of them don’t even know it. No pill, medicine or psychologist can help sleep apnea sufferers sleep. But, it is very treatable. And, I sleep just fine now.

I think that if more people had the time and patience to actually understand why they aren’t sleeping, prior to purchasing almost anything that might provide relief (largely driven by all the successful marketing from the sleep industry), they’d most certainly be sleeping a whole lot better.

The science of PR?

A client asked me today if the discipline of PR is considered an art or science. I paused for a few seconds before responding. I'd never really thought about it before.

I told her that public relations is more of an art than a science. But, I now wonder if the actual answer to this question is: When it's done right, it can truly be considered both.

My initial thought (and point of view) was that because no one can guarantee if a specific product, service, corporate story or entire campaign will be of interest to reporters or any other target audience, it's really difficult to prove that science is involved.

Plus, there are always so many outside (hard to plan) factors that come into play in our campaigns that impact success or failure. For example, try generating a lot of broadcast coverage for a client's great growth story announcement on the same day that a major scandal rocks the White House. Any and all interest will immediately vanish as the networks and cable channels use every resource to cover the ‘more important’ news of the day.

No, factors like breaking controversial news coming to bear, personal preference of stories or even other problems that could be impacting a client's larger reputation make it hard to predict with any scientific odds as to whether the media, digital world or larger public relations campaign will pick up traction. This is because, our world is so focused on subjective, human nature (how well do we tell our stories and will they resonate with key constituents?).

Where the science should come in is how we can leverage real facts, statistics and truths to create impressions and persuade audiences that our story should be believed. The other clearly scientific part of our work is our ability to measure results. The right measurement approach is not arbitrary or subjective at all. Just the same way an accountant would measure the results of how well a company fared financially in any given year, PR professionals can provide real numbers on how well particular components of a campaign worked. Just as importantly, we can show whether a campaign or program demonstrates objective outcomes that are worthy of the investment put in.

So, what do you think now? Art or science? I'm still stuck in the middle, believing it can be both. Now, I'm going to call my client to change the answer...