Not Everything has to be a Tweet

Just as Chapter 23 said in “Share This”, traditional forms of communication are not dead just because of the introduction of social media. People still read things and judge how well a company writes. As author of the article Mark Pack said “We still speak. We still write. We still publish books. Neither the eons nor the centuries of progress since any of those were first done have killed them off.”

            For example social media press releases are a huge thing since their creation by Shift Communications, but that does not mean traditional press releases are extinct. There are still books people pick up and read that are wonderful sources of information as well. I think the detail that needs to be observed and updated with traditional methods is how the methods are circulated. Are they easy to obtain and share, credible and easy to understand? Does it energize people?

Chapter 23 gives these four lessons that are basic for any sort of medium to show technology and traditional media have the same basics.

1.      Put information where your intended public easily sees it.

2.      Make the information interesting. (Just because it is traditional doesn’t mean it has to be the driest piece or material ever read).

3.      Make the information easy to share (and energize the public so they want to share).

4.      Continue to talk with the public; do not let others do all the talking for you.

The bottom line is traditional and technological mediums can both be affective. Traditional mediums do not need to always be shied away from just because they are marked “traditional”. If the campaign calls for it and it is handled in the right way traditional forms of media do not have to be stuck in the stone ages. Not everything has to be tweeted or posted.

What Makes a House a Home

Is everyone getting excited?!
(image found on Google Images)

 

There is one thing that is obvious about the Grigsby family: Christmas is everything.

We spend all year pretty much thinking about Christmas. Yes we acknowledge it is a little obsessive of us and honestly we do not really care because who isn’t happy when Christmas comes around?

Since we have this love of Christmas naturally by the first of October we are getting pretty excited. My mother has most all of her shopping for Christmas done by now and the rest of my family is asking for lists by end of September. This is a lot of pressure because I do not really know what I want for Christmas quite yet! What if something new and better comes out?

Other than that, we have broken out the Christmas movies and put them within an arm’s reach of course. Do not be shocked if we watch “Elf” by this time next week. My mom has also started going through her delicious Christmas cookie recipes.

With all the hype we put around Christmas some of my friends ask how am I not exhausted by the time Christmas actually comes or am a tired of seeing Hallmark’s Christmas displays blown up all over my house (I swear my mom has bought every Christmas decoration Hallmark has ever tried to sell).

The answer: no, I am not tired one bit. I love Christmas for all its festivities, for celebrating the birth of Jesus and for coming together as one crazy family because that is what makes a house a home…and who does not like a season full of joy, gift-giving and eating junk food for breakfast?

Ruffled Feathers

Urban Outfitters has ruffled feathers yet again, and it is making people wonder is Urban Outfitters deliberately having bad taste in its marketing campaigns and designs, or is the company just oblivious?
 

         According to an article by prdaily.com, Urban Outfitters has posted a vintage Kent State sweatshirt that is a faded red color, but it has concentrated red ink stains on the front of the sweatshirt that looks like it is alluding to blood and the 1970 Kent State shootings. There is also only one made and it was selling for $129.00.  

 

 This is the fourth time (that I can think of at least) Urban Outfitters clothes have been called historically offensive in a major way in the past few years; Times Magazine wrote an article about past offenses. Urban Outfitters need to step up in communication between its designers, marketers and PR people because now the company’s reputation seems to be turning to the way of offense and bad taste even though the company has apologized for the offenses.

This is a still from Urban Outfitters online shopping site displaying the Kent State sweatshirt
 

 

Measuring: One Part Meterics; One Part Communication

I did not interview anyone for my podcast, instead I opted to discuss an aspect of public relations that I researched using the book "Measure What Matters" by Katie Delahaye Paine.

I wanted to look at the beginnings of what to measure and how to get started measuring, also how to define success after measuring is done. I researched this because as a relatively new PR student I wanted to explore the factor of the job field that is going to be done constantly and I wanted to know how to do it right.

The New Press Release in Town

In Chapter 12 of “Share This”, the author Stuart Bruce talks about the social media press release. I feel the need to comment on this because time has evolved the traditional press release into something that social media yet again controls.

Before I read this chapter I did not even know social media press releases existed. My introduction to PR class never mentioned this “new” idea (“new” because the idea has been growing since its release by Shift Communications in 2006). I wanted to really explore this and make sure everyone knew about it. My thinking is if I do not know what it is I surely do not know how to write one.

Here are a few current widely accepted current elements of a social media press release the book mentions on page 105:

·         Headline- Write a catchy headline that will effectively use search engine optimism, and catch the public’s eye on social media platforms. 

·         Anchor Text Links- This is key words or phrases that will link to a web page with more information on the subject. I thought this was smart because instead of people asking for more information you have already provided a credible source embedded in the press release to which everyone has access by a click of a button.

·         Creative Commons License- This is an online copyright release which makes it clear who can use the information and how. Be sure to include this!

There are about 23 actual guidelines the book gives that are current to social media releases today. Before doing a social media release it wouldn’t hurt to look up a few current social media releases to see what is still accepted or what may have changed because we all know anything that has to do with the Web or social media is always changing.

            If you would like to see Shift Communication’s first ever social media press release template it can be seen on this link. In the article just click the on the link in the words "the first social media press release".

            Shift Communication’s updated template (version 2.0) is here. In the article click on the link in the words "what does the modern social media press release look like?"

How Far Is Too Far?

            I have just read an article for an English class today about reality television and it went on to comment about how reality television is a sort of disease making adults into children by indulging them in an absorption of entertainment that desensitizes us.

            Now I think that the article’s point of view that we are all sort of large, desensitized babies that are never told no to sex, violence and degradation is a tad severe; however, I would like to pose a question that I thought of while reading: how far really is too far?

There needs to be a sense of shared responsibility for what is watched because I do believe this society is increasingly becoming un-shockable. Never in a million years would you turn on the television in the 1960s and see a woman twerking in a thong, or watch the kind of violence shown in movies like "The Expendables".

            I do not think we should all watch something like "Sesame Street" for our entire lives. I am just saying we should maintain a balance. Desensitization can be dangerous. An un-shockable popular culture is what could lead to things like the Hunger Games. Do I think we are going to take tributes from each state, put them into an arena, let them kill each other and call it the new "Survivor" next year? No, of course not.

          There is a limit to everything, and we are liable as a society for that limit.

Baby Your Blog

            In Chapter 11 of “Share This”, we learned about social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and blogs. I would like to focus on blogs because well, you’re reading one.

            I enjoyed what the book had to say about the blogosphere and what challenges and advantages it has and lacks. Blogs are a wonderful way to personally connect to people. Connections, I believe, lead to influence, trust and credibility.

            As the chapter lists on page 94 and 95, blogs can also affect SEO, which is Search Engine Optimism. When key words or phrases are put into Google it can pull up those words from a blog and direct towards a blog page, then a URL for a homepage, the homepage could have a Twitter link and so on and so forth. Just from SEO anyone can be linked to all forms of that company’s social platforms.

One thing that Chapter 11 points out though is that blogs need attention. There is not a lot of successful corporate blogs most of the time because blogs need attention in the form of frequent posts. Readers do not want to read posts that are spread out from months at a time. Then it is not relevant anymore and the blog will not gain followers or recognition from search engines (SEO!).

            The point I think Chapter 11 is making is blogs are a wonderful way to integrate friendly, social, personal interaction with users. If not kept up with authentic, relative information and integration of the company’s other forms of media then the blog will sit in the blogosphere alone.

Chocolate!

You know what makes me happy? Chocolate; and I am not trying to be a typical girl either. Chocolate just has amazing qualities that makes you feel happy.

            Here are 10 facts you probably did not know about chocolate that you should know from factslides.com:

1.)    Eating chocolate releases theta waves in the brain that makes you feel a sensation of relaxation.

2.)    White chocolate is not actually chocolate (gasp! Imposters!), this is because it contains no cocoa liquor or solids.

3.)    It takes about 400 cacao beans to make 1 pound of chocolate.

4.)    M&M’s were created so soldiers could eat chocolate without it melting in the field.

5.)    Every second, America collectively eats 100 pounds of chocolate. Now keep in mind that it takes 400 beans to make one pound…that is a lot of beans.

6.)    Chocolate magnet Milton Hershey cancelled his ticket on the Titanic due to last minute business matters.

7.)    Eating dark chocolate everyday helps cut your risk of heart disease by 1/3. And my mom always told me chocolate was bad for me.

8.)    I am not sure if this is true, but it is interesting: chocolate has anti-bacterial effects on your mouth that reduces the risk of cavities. (Do you believe that?)

9.)    In 2013, Belgium issued limited edition chocolate flavored stamps!

10.)            Finally, a lethal dose of chocolate is 22 pounds or 40 Hershey bars Let’s all keep that in mind once Halloween comes around, because I for one eat way to much chocolate.

After reading this you must be hungry, go get yourself some chocolate. You deserve it.

Measure, Measure and then Measure Some More...Most of the Time

            One thing that you always must do as a PR person is measure. If you do not measure a campaign to see if an objective was reached than what was the point in doing the campaign?  A blog site that is run by public relations and marketing firm called SHIFT Communications posted about what not to measure in PR  in this post attached here, and I thought the article was interesting because aren’t we as PR technicians supposed to measure any and everything all the time?

            SHIFT Communications gave three instances where it is ill-advised to measure PR metrics; the first one being do not measure things you or your company has no control over. This makes sense because why invest money and time into something a campaign cannot remedy or change anyway?

             Second thing SHIFT advised not to do is measure things which you do not intend to act upon. This surprised me because I did not even think about this happening. We measure all of our campaigns and it tells us something important. You could measure the most important feedback in the world but if no action is taken everything was for naught. Plan to act on what is measured and make more objectives; don’t just let it sit on the desk.

            Lastly, do not measure something that doesn’t mean anything. Well everything means something right? SHIFT went further to say do not measure metrics that are misleading, un-impactful or passive. I must say I am a little confused by this because doesn’t everyone’s feedback make something impactful and then in turn you measure that feedback?

Misleading statistics of course try to steer clear of, but I think the level of impact is a grey area and therefore should be measured anyway and explored to see if it is impactful or not. If anyone has anything to say about this last one let me know because I do not think I fully understand its meaning.

Hurricane Shopping

Every PR student or just news watcher in general loves a good PR crisis right? It is the proverbial train wreck from which everyone just cannot look away. Well here is one for all of you folks whether you are a PR student looking for case studies or just want a good disapproving shake of the head.

            Number one for today is American Apparel’s Hurricane Sandy Sale. During the wake of Hurricane Sandy, American Apparel thought it was a wonderful time to put into effect a special  twenty percent off of everything sale. Now as a shopper that is a great sale and I would love to go to it, but not during a hurricane!

Sandy had killed and injured people, destroyed homes and displaced many. According to listverse.com American Apparel said in the ad “In case you are bored during the storm”; they even put #sandysale as if the tagline was not enough. I think more people were looking for a bed to sleep in that day than a sale.

            This is a case of the marketing team and PR people not working together. I am sure after the ad printed the PR people were shaking their heads and thinking “how are we going to make this right?”

This is why interdepartmental communication is really important so ads like this do not happen. This ad makes American Apparel look like it absolutely does not care about its community which is going to alienate a lot of publics for a while.

My Furry Brother

                My dog died last October. Depressing way to start a blog post I know, but just stay with me it gets better.

This is Rocky, he was about twelve years old here.

 

                Rocky, my dog, died last October because he ate a large pile of chocolate I had in a box in my room to take back to college. I felt so guilty because I thought I could have prevented the whole thing from happening if I had just moved the stupid box. Rocky’s passing was hard for my family and me because I grew up with that dog. He was one of my best friends.

                I know that being best friends with a dog sounds odd, but dogs can become an integral part of a family. Rocky ate, slept, breathed and lived in our home. He was a part of our ohana (which if you were a Disney’s “Lilo and Stich” fan from when you were little you will know that “ohana” means family in Hawaiian).

                After Rocky’s passing there were a few months the Grigsby household was pet-free. Until December when we got my newest little brother: Joey. Joey is now a nine month old Chocolate Lab; and he is the most adorable little puppy you will ever see. I am a little biased however.

This was taken the third day we had gotten Joey.

 

                I have to admit I had a few uneasy feeling about bringing a new dog into the house because I thought we were trying to get over Rocky too soon, but once my mom walked through the door with Joey I was head-over-heels, fall-down, irresistibly, in love with that dark brown fuzz ball and I have been ever since.

                Joey tests our patience a lot like when he drags my pillows off my bed and onto his dog bed, or when he leaves shreds of toys all over the living room floor. After all that though when I look into those puppy eyes I know no matter how ornery he is I love him and he is a part of our family, and my heart, forever.



This is Joey now at nine months old.

Objectives? How About Saving Over Two Million Dollars

            Chapter 10 stated that Dove spent two and a half MILLION dollars on a 30-second Superbowl ad. Two and a half million! That is a good chunk of change even for a large company like Dove. We all like to see a good Superbowl commercial but at the same time most of the public watching is going back to get more buffalo chicken dip during commercials. Honestly I like a good Superbowl commercial but I am just going to forget it a few weeks later when the Cincinnati Reds’ spring season starts. So was the commercial worth the millions of dollars for the 30-seconds I watched?

            The chapter went on further to say that Dove’s “Evolution” video on Youtube cost a whopping $0 .00 and it has gotten 4, 940,130 views on it so far. It is worth a watch to if you want to see it here.  A business cannot pay for that type of widespread publicity…and Dove literally didn’t.

            This is just one example of the power of the Groundswell and how versatile it can become.

The authors pointed out the Groundswell is measurable. Actually to be successful in the Groundswell you must have objectives. What do you want to accomplish with the blog, Twitter account, Youtube video series, etc? Chapter 12 actually suggests making a three-year outlook of where the company is trying to go towards and one of the most important and frequent trends would be building a relationship with the customer. That is what the Groundswell is about and what a company should strive towards.