The End of 2009

With 2009 and the year 2010 just around the corner there are so many things to reflect upon and think about for the future!

What do you think were some of the best and worst public relation moments of 2009? Just thinking about social media alone makes my head spin! Facebook, YouTube and Twitter were all extremely exciting tools for public relation professionals that will inevitably continue to spark interest. And then of course there were the scandals, announcements, recalls and everything else that comes with great/bad publicity.

We'd love to hear what you think! Feel free to share your opinions with us!

Are Idioms the New Ticket to Intriguing PR Prose?

With all of the 'noise' that communicators aim to cut through every day, we're always open to suggestions on new ways to make our writing more interesting. We're taught to cut out the fluff, leaving only the most important content in the message to save our readers time and and to ensure that our message is accessible to the largest possible audience. This 'no frills' approach to writing has been favored by most professional communicators as the easiest and most effective way to convey a message to the public.

Now, Rob Reinalda of Ragan.com is telling us otherwise. In his article 'For communicators, a world of options for spicing up text' he tells us that idioms are the next big thing in professional communication. He's not touting the use of any old cliche, but of new, exotic foriegn cliches, such as 'catching two pigeons with one fava bean'. That's an Italian saying conveying the same meaning as our 'kill two birds with one stone', but it's a bit more PETA friendly.

When reading this article I felt completely mixed up because the use of idioms of any nature goes completely against everything that I've been taught about professional communication. It's an interesting idea, but I can't imagine employing idioms to convey a message any time soon. I'd like to know what you think. Are idioms the next big thing?

Click here for the full article.

Let's Go Owls!

Today the Temple Owls are competing in their first bowl game in 30 years. The Temple football team will be playing against UCLA in Washington, DC at 4:30 p.m. today in the EagleBank Bowl.

PRowl Public Relations wants to wish the Owls good luck on this exciting day. Let's bring home a win!

Click this link to visit the Temple Athletics website for current information on men's and women's sports!

Achieve the Unachievable

My mom got me a wonderful, wise little book for Christmas called "It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be." Although this book is a light read, it holds a great many truths. These truths are applicable for both the personal and the professional spheres of life, and are relevant regardless of one's area of expertise.

Particularly interesting to me so far is the section "You Can Achieve the Unachievable." The author, Phaidon, says this:

Firstly, you need to aim beyond what you are capable of. You must develop a complete disregard for where your abilities end.

Try to do the things you're incapable of. If you think you're unable to work for the best company in its sphere, make that your aim. If you think you're incapable of running a company, make that your aim. If you think you're unable to be on the cover of Time magazine, make it your business to be there.

Make your vision of where you want to be a reality. Nothing is impossible.

Great food for thought! I'll be sure to share some of Phaidon's wisdom in future posts, but I definitely recommend picking up a copy of the book!

100 Smartest People in Social Media

As the year 2009 comes to a close, it is fun to pause and reflect on the accomplishments of the last year. The blog Smarter Social Media recently released a list of the 100 Smartest People in Social Media. Among the gurus at the top of the list:

1. Alfred Lin of Zappos
2. "Social media goddess," Amber Mac
3. Amber Nasland of Radian6
4. Beth Harte, a blogger, speaker, communicator, connector, professor and community manager.
   
5. Bill Stoller, who has been active in social media since 1987

Be sure to check out the blog post for the complete list of social media superstars and to read details about their accomplishments!

Good Digestion PR

Well, Christmas is finally here, which means spending time with the ones you love, giving and receiving great presents, enjoying some time off from work or school and of course, lots and lots of holiday food. Who would think that there are companies out there that are looking out for your good health and good digestion during this time filled with baked ham and yummy cookies. All over the country pharmaceutical companies are showing their concern for your health and creating some PR moves to make sure you are taking care of yourself this holiday
season.

As Purdue Products L.P states in their most recent press release out just a few days ago, the holidays may be fun, but uncomfortable digestion issues are not. Purdue Products recommends a few tips and tricks on how to keep these issues to a minimum this holiday, so you can party on.

Some tips include finding time to relax and get some exercise in during all of the holiday chaos and even adding a few herbs and spices to your holiday meal to help aid digestion and prevent splurging.

By showing their stakeholders and customers that they truly care, Purdue Products L.P is yet another company taking advantage of the holiday season to get in some good PR. So take some of these tips and enjoy another great holiday season!

Happy Holidays Everyone, and Happy New Year!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Melissa Colelli.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at PRowl Public Relations!

BlackBerry Service Down

Many of us here at PRowl Public Relations, like the majority of the business world out there, use BlackBerry smartphones. I'm sure you've already either experienced or heard about the service failure this past Tuesday night. Check out this New York Times article about the subject here.

A lot of talk has been going on scrutinizing BlackBerry, which is based in Ontario, for their lack of response to the service interruption. Apparently it occurred as a result of a software upgrade, affecting both North and South America, but this isn't the first time either. This particular article includes examples of how many people rely on their smartphone device as crucial tools to their successful businesses. Failure to be able to communicate can seriously hurt these business professionals; Blackberry's service failure could potentially cause problems or cost them a great deal of money. So the question everyone is asking is... Will BlackBerry users grow tired of a sometimes unreliable service provider and adopt the popular iPhone instead?

What do you think BlackBerry needs to do to keep their clientele? BlackBerry users seem to have been very loyal in the past, but what might cause them to make the switch to a different smartphone?

15 Biggest PR Disasters

With 2010 just around the corner the first decade of the millennium is coming to a close. In the PR field there have been countless product launches, special events and some quite effective reputation management. However, there have also been some unforgettable PR debacles in the past ten years. Fifteen of those made The Business Insider's list of the decades biggest corporate PR disasters.

Kicking off the list is the Bridgestone tire recall of 2000. In 1998, Bridgestone tires began failing. The treads on thousands of the tires began splitting, causing horrific traffic accidents for their users. Bridgestone ignored the problem for a whopping two years and a government investigation ensued. When all was said and done Bridgestone's credibility as a trustworthy tire company was dashed and the company was forced to recall 6.5 million tires on August 9, 2000. It was the second largest recall in U.S. history.

In 2006, HarperCollins gave the 'OK' to publish If I Did It: Confessions of a Killer by O.J. Simpson and scheduled a two part interview with Fox 29 about the book. The media circus surrounding the Nicole Simpson murder trial was unbelievable and public opinion for O.J. Simpson was definitely not positive. The publishing of Simpson's new book outraged many and was seen as disrespectful to Nicole's grieving family.

I'm sure that we all remember the Domino's pizza scandal of 2009 when two employees filmed themselves doing disgusting things to a Domino's sandwich before sending it out to a customer. The video was uploaded to YouTube and was seen by millions of people as the company took two long days to respond to the incident. The employees were fired and Domino's issued a public apology via YouTube video, but the damage was already done to the company's reputation.

These three PR disasters show a one fatal flaw: a lack of planning. Each of the corporations should have had a disaster response plan ready, awaiting the worst possible PR scenario. Usually, it seems that the public handles scandals much better if the company is upfront and honest about their mistake. Corporate PR practitioners must have a disaster plan that can be implemented immediately and must be ready to respond to anything in less than 24 hours, especially with the popularity of digital and social media that can spread messages to thousands in a matter of minutes.

Click here to read The Business Insiders full list of the decade's 15 biggest PR disasters and see if you agree. Let us know your ideas about how these company's could have overted these disasters.

Best CEO of the Decade

Apple is a brand that affects many of us on a daily basis. Even if you're not a Mac computer person or iPhone lover, you may have an iPod that you can't live without.

Fortune magazine recently named Jobs "CEO of the Decade" and today the Harvard Business Journal put Jobs at the top of their best performing CEOs in the world list. Pretty impressive, if you ask me!

Jobs has built an empire in the technology market. The Apple, Inc. company culture is something that draws people of all ages in. I have heard many of my classmates say that they'd love to work for Apple!

With all of this in mind, do you agree with these awards Jobs has won? Let us know!

Check out more information here at Mashable.com!

Winter Reading List!

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I love a good book! Unfortunately, though, my schoolwork keeps me from doing a lot of pleasure reading during the academic semester. One of the things I most enjoy about winter break is having the time to do some pleasure reading!

I'm always looking for new authors and titles to pick up from the library. Does anyone have any suggestions?

For others in my situation, I read several books this past summer by Thomas Cook and Greg Iles and I would strongly recommend both authors!

I'd really appreciate any of your suggestions to help me build my winter break reading list.

Healthy Changes for a Healthier Life!

We are always told to eat healthy, exercise, sleep a full 8 hours a night (even though that rarely seems to be possible), drink plenty of water, and to have a positive outlook on life. I never thought there was any real reason for these tips, aside from just living a healthy lifestyle. However, as it turns out, following all these tips -- plus a handful of other easy activities -- actually preserves, protects, and improves brain function!

Who knew that exercising is linked with improvements in memory and learning? Or that learning new things, like how to play a musical instrument, how to cook a new dish, or simply staying informed about what is going on in the world encourages brain growth? The mind should always be stimulated, and this can be done through doing crosswords and sudoku puzzles, reading books, going to museums, traveling, doing crafts, and even dancing!

As far as the whole “8 hours of sleep each night” situation goes-- even though school assignments or busy social lives may interfere with our sleep -- it’s absolutely necessary that we get enough rest. Naps count too! The information we learn during the day is consolidated while we sleep, preparing our brain for future tasks.

How many times can it be said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? The reason this is drilled into our heads so often is because breakfast improves the abilities of concentration, reaction time, learning ability, mood, and memory. If breakfast is skipped, performance at school and at work is reduced. In addition to breakfast, there are other “brain foods” that boost brain activity and power. Foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, walnuts, tofu, scallops, tuna, and mustard seeds, to name a few), as well as fruits and vegetables, keep the brain young and healthy.

Laughter is the best medicine! It’s true—by having fun and laughing, stress levels are significantly lowered. Being able to manage our stress and remain positive whenever we can keeps our brain growing everyday, giving us more capacity for information and memories.

Improving brain function and power is easy! Try partaking in some “neurobics” like getting dressed with your eyes closed, brushing your teeth with your other hand, or driving to work or school on a different route. It’s been proven that simple changes such as these can stimulate different areas of our brain that are not normally used!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Marissa Sudol.

Nothing to Do Over Winter Break?

Are you looking for something to do over winter break? The break between the fall and the spring semester is an awkward length of time, and it is hard to find an internship for winter break. If you are looking for something to do during the holidays, try volunteering at local non-profits. Non-profits would most likely appreciate help during the holiday season. Volunteering at non-profits is perfect for the short period of time between the two semesters.

What are you interested in? Think of any non-profits in your area that may incorporate some of your interests. I looked into non-profits that integrate arts, entertainment and culture, such as the Philadelphia Film Society and the Mann Center. If you can’t think of any specific organization you would like to work for, search on the Internet for non-profits in the area. There are websites that provide descriptions of local non-profits and specific contacts within the organization.

If you are interested in specific communications work, then look on the non-profit’s website for a contact in the communications department. Call or e-mail the person and inquire whether or not the organization would need any volunteers during winter break. Keep looking if one organization does not need help. There are many non-profits that will need help.

This is a productive way to spend your winter break and a great way to boost your resume!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Evan Nicholson.

Happy Winter Break!

For all Temple University students, it's officially winter break until classes resume on Tuesday, January 19, 2010!

The semester can be very stressful and time consuming (especially finals week!) so it's important to relax, spend time with your loved ones and recuperate for the next semester!

I am flying to Tampa, FL tomorrow to visit my mom and family, then I return to Philadelphia in time to ring in the new year, and then finally I get to go home to Northeastern PA to visit more family for a week!

What are your plans for the break? Happy holidays!

Sheldon Yeager of MTV

The other day I was able to meet Sheldon Yeager when he came in to speak for one of my classes. He's a director of operations/development for MTV in New York City and he talked about his career, as well as, working for the monster conglomerate Viacom. He also offered quite a few interesting points about working in the city and finding success in the job market.

Sheldon got his first job right out of college, starting at Nickelodeon in 1998, while soon after he moved to TV Land working on "packaging" the channel and bringing in a new generational audience. He's had his hand in many projects over the years, working with MTV Puerto Rico and most impressive was his work with the 44 1/2 screen (aka the big screen with the golden frame around it) in Time Square.

In any case, Sheldon offered a great deal of insight into the industry and living in New York City. Here are a few of the highlights:

-If you're planning on moving to NYC, be prepared to give up a year and dedicate yourself to working. His advice was to "chain yourself to your desk," and work hard for at least a year to really succeed.

-When you're new, it's realistic that you're going to mess up, however, the important thing to remember is... never make the same mistake again.

-Gifts for your co-worker's/supervisor's/boss' children are the secret to staying in touch and being on someone's good side.

-As someone's assistant or when working with people, you should get a feel for what people want and how they like. He referenced Helen Mirren's character from the movie "Gosford Park," in which she plays a servant. She said the best servant knows what the master wants even before he does.

-NETWORK. Always keep in contact with people, make connections and keep up a rapport with them.

-Read the news! Sheldon said reading the New York Times is something he does every morning. (As PR people, keeping up to date on the news is crucial.)

Sheldon shared some really valuable insight, talking about his personal experiences, corporate America, New York City and so many other things I found interesting. I'm glad I could share a few of them with our readers too!

Thanks again Sheldon!

Client Update: Support Center for Child Advocates

The Support Center for Child Advocates 2009 Holiday Toy Drive is this Saturday! Sadly, this means that PRowl Public Relations' campaign for the toy drive is coming to an end. I'm happy to report that my account's hard work has paid off and, thanks to many generous donors, the toys are overflowing at the Child Advocates office.

If you haven't gotten a chance to watch the 2009 Holiday Toy Drive video you can check it out here. The video will show you how much this event means to the donors who make it possible, and the huge impact that it has on the abused and neglected children that it benefits.

Working with Child Advocates throughout this holiday season has reminded me, among the advertising and commercialization of the holidays, the true spirit of the season, no matter what holiday you're celebrating. Child Advocates' kids and many others in the Philadelphia area are in need of support year round, and we can't forget about them when the holidays are over. I think I can speak for everyone on my account when I say that working with Child Advocates has been a great experience and nonprofit PR is very fulfilling work!

If you're interested in following the work of the Support Center for Child Advocates in 2010 become a fan of them on Facebook here or follow them on Twitter @advo_kid.

Do These Scare You?

While reading Ragan's Daily Headlines on Monday I came across this article. The title is "10 things clients say that scare PR pros" and I thought it would be fun to check it out. The article says that the list may be funny to PR pros, and that business and non-profit pros should think before they say things like this to their PR consultants. It also talks a little bit about the relationship that exists between a client and their PR team. It takes some times for a client to get used to working with a new PR consultant, and they should keep in mind that the consultant will take the steps needed to try to get great media coverage.

Here is part of the list:

1. I want to be on “Oprah.”
2. I wrote a press release once in college.
3. How much will it cost to get my press release printed?
4. I want to get publicity but I don’t like to talk to those pushy reporters—I was once misquoted.
5. I know your PR ideas will make me money, but I’m on a very tight budget.

Want to see the other five? Check out the article here!

Has anyone ever been told something like this by a client? Let us know how you handled it!

(Information taken from Susan Young's article on Ragan.com)

Major Sponsor Ends Relationship with Woods

According to an article today in the Wall Street Journal, Accenture has become the first sponsor to end its endorsement of Tiger Woods. Accenture has been a six-year sponsor of Tiger Woods, having used him as a "centerpiece of the company's ad campaigns, which included print, cable and TV advertising in 27 countries, as well as display ads in airports." The conclusion of the relationship comes at the end of a long series of events that began with a mysterious car crash and ended in a voluminous list of extramarital affairs.

The company first sponsored Woods in 2003, when it described him as "'famous not only for his success on the golf course,'" but as being "'equally renowned for his work ethic, focus and commitment to continual improvement.'" This statement underscores the more recent events that have been incredibly detrimental to Woods's credibility and image, as it contrasts drastically with the public's current perception of the world famous golfer.

Do you think that Woods could have saved his relationships with his sponsors if he had been more proactive in dealing with the public and the media following the shaky events of the last few months? Could Woods's current predicament have been avoided if he and his PR team had handled the crisis differently? What can be done now to salvage what is left of his image and the public's respect for him?

Putting Philadelphia into Philadelphia Style Magazine

Until recently Philadelphia has not been on the radar as a city known for its fashion, but this is all changing. Philadelphia has a unique style that should be celebrated and the public needs to be informed of the unique fashion trends occurring right in their very own city. During the course of this semester in my Media Information Gathering class, my group conducted research on the readership of Philadelphia Style magazine.

Some of you might be unfamiliar with this publication, others may not. Currently, Philadelphia Style caters to an affluent audience by showcasing top designer brands, luxury hotels and top of the line restaurants. Our mission is to alter the content in order to attract a younger demographic. Like I mentioned earlier, Philadelphia’s style needs to be celebrated. In order to do this we will feature a designer from Philadelphia in the magazine, in order to inform readers of the talents of local designers. Our other changes include articles featuring the designer look for less, store locations for affordable clothes, celebrity looks and the proper way to dress for the corporate world.

We feel that by making these changes to the content, introducing the magazine to the world of Twitter, and promoting it on campuses across Philadelphia will allow the magazine to reach a larger and younger demographic.

The name of the magazine is Philadelphia Style; it’s time we honor that name and put a little bit of Philly into the content. What do you think? Are you interested?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Amanda Kaster.

How to get to the top of the Christmas List

With the economic debt still churning, many people are planning to buy less this year. According to the National Retail foundation, holiday shopping this year is on track to increase, but by only 4 percent. People are really thinking twice about who to buy for and who to cross off their lists. This has resulted in thrifty shoppers giving recycled gifts, homemade greeting cards and cutting costs dramatically.

This means that it is now harder than ever for businesses to market their goods and services. So what sets one product higher on the Christmas list than another one? In order to market a product or service successfully you need to find out what makes that product or service different from all of the other ones offered. If your business offers products that a thousand other stores offer, then figure out why your store is better.

Make sure to utilize the holiday season by running some sort of holiday promotion. People love the holidays and want to be involved with stores that love them too! Jason Markum, a writer for Web Promotion Weekly, suggests a promotion called the “12 Days of X-Mas” promotion. Yes, this promotion does involve your store handing out small complimentary gifts during the 12 days leading up to Christmas. He suggests small inexpensive gifts that will keep the customers coming back for more.

The holiday season is a great time for promotion. So think creative, feel that holiday cheer and make sure your product is on the top of everyone’s Christmas list!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Josie Fox.

New Survey Findings of Teens' Ethics

The seventh annual Junior Achievement/Deloitte Teen Ethics Survey focused on the ethical implications of the popularity of social networking. Here are some findings:

• 88 percent of teens surveyed use social networks every day
• 70 percent of teens say they participate in social networking an hour or more daily
• 58 percent said they would consider their ability to access social networks at work when considering a job offer from a potential employer
• 40 percent do not consider the potential reactions of college admissions officers when posting to social media sites
• 38 percent do not consider the reactions of present or future employers
• 30 percent do not consider their parents' reactions
• 16 percent readily admitted to behavior that included posting content embarrassing to others, spreading rumors and pretending to be someone other than themselves and 54 percent said they later regretted doing so

According to Professor David W. Miller, ethicist and director of Princeton University Faith & Work Initiative: "The contemplation of how one's actions will be received by others is a hallmark of emotional and ethical maturity. A lack of consideration of how one's behavior will impact others suggests that teens need to be more mindful of the ramifications of their actions. If this lack of reflection continues into adulthood, it's a signal to employers that the workplace implications could be considerable."

What do you think? Should we be worried about the future generation of corporate America because of actions displayed on personal social media sites?

Read the full article here.

It's the Last Day of Classes!

Today is the last day of classes for the 2009 fall semester at Temple University. This can only mean one thing, finals week is right around the corner. Finals week is the one week of the semester dreaded by students more than any other. I thought that'd I'd share some study tips from how-to-study.com that I plan on implementing to help get me through. The following is a list of ten tips for effective studying:


1. Study in a quiet place that is free from distractions and interruptions. Try to create a space dedicated solely to studying.

2. Make a study schedule that shows what tasks you need to accomplish and when you plan to accomplish each task. This will provide you with the structure you need for effective studying.

3. Try to study at the time of day you work best. Some people work well early in the morning, others late at night. You know what works best for you.

4. Make sure you are not tired and/or hungry when you study. Otherwise, you won't have the energy you need to concentrate. Also, maintain your physical fitness.

5. Don't try to do two tasks at the same time. You won't be able to concentrate on either one very well. Concentration means focusing on one thing to the exclusion of all else.

6. Break large tasks into series of smaller tasks that you can complete one at a time. If you try to complete a large task all at once, you may feel overwhelmed and will be unable to maintain your concentration.

7. Relax. It's hard to concentrate when you're tense. It's important to relax when working on a task that requires concentration. Meditation is helpful to many students.

8. Clear your mind of worrisome thoughts. Mental poise is important for concentration. You can get distracted by your own thoughts. Monitor your thoughts and prevent yourself from following any that take you off track. Don't daydream.

9. Develop an interest in what you are studying. Try to relate what you are studying to your own life to make it as meaningful as possible. This can motivate yourself to concentrate.

10. Take breaks whenever you feel fatigued. There is no set formula for when to take breaks. You will know when you need to take a break.

I hope this helps! Happy Studying (well, if there is such a thing)!

Wal-Mart Pays for a $40 Million Suit

Wal-Mart owes 87,500 employees from Massachusetts $40 million, and not for good reasons. The money owed is a result of a class-action lawsuit against Wal-Mart from 2001 that said the retail giant wasn't giving employees rest and meal breaks, was manipulating time cards, and wouldn't pay them overtime.

"Resolving this litigation is in the best interest of our company, our shareholders and our associates. These cases were filed years ago, and the allegations are not representative of the company we are today," a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, Daphne Moore, said.
(The New York Times)

I know that I have talked about Wal-Mart in conjunction with unethical business practices in many of my classes. Do you think that unethical business practices, like the ones faced by employees in Massachusetts, are in the past for Wal-Mart? How would you handle this situation from a PR standpoint? Let us know!

Holiday Shopping?

The holiday season is quickly approaching! I recently came across a clever list of gifts for young PR practitioners by Rachel Esterline. Out of Esterline's 20 gift suggestions, here are my favorite 5:

1. PR Week subscription
2. Business cards with an engraved case
3. Personalized stationery and thank you notes
4. Netbook
5. GPS

I recommend checking out her full list! She offers some great suggestions, both for those who are interested in PR and for young professionals in general.

What gifts might you suggest for aspiring PR practitioners?

Client Update: Support Center for Child Advocates

Our new, year-long client contracts have allowed my account team the opportunity to take on a special winter PR project for the Support Center for Child Advocates, a local nonprofit that provides legal and social service advocacy for abused and neglected children in the Philadelphia area. In a previous blog, I mentioned Child Advocates' annual Holiday Toy Drive is quickly approaching on Saturday, December 19. The toy drive has been the corner stone of our campaign for Child Advocates which includes three things: three press releases geared toward legal, business and general Philadelphia media, a promotional YouTube video and a social media campaign. Did I mention that we're only contracted for six weeks? Needless to say, we've been busy!

So far, we've finished the press releases and videos which will be sent out to the media on Monday morning. We've also been regularly updating Child Advocates Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as uploading sneak peaks of the promotional video onto their YouTube page. All of the media relations for this campaign will be complete after next week and then we will focus our work on a final push to create a buzz about the toy drive through our social media campaign.

Our account for this project consists of:
Melissa Marsili, Assistant Firm Director
Me, Brianna Fisher, Account Executive
Niki Ianni, Assistant Account Executive
Melissa Colelli, Staff Member
Josie Fox, Staff Member
Amanda Kaster, Staff Member

Are you interested in the work of the Support Center for Child Advocates? Follow them on Twitter @advo_kid or visit their Facebook fan page here , and check back for a link to our Child Advocates promotional toy drive video!

Tiger Woods Should Stick to Golf

Golf superstar Tiger Woods has been in the public eye for over a week now dealing with rumors of his mysterious early morning car accident, cheating accusations and lack of a coherent response. In other words, right now Woods is in the midst of a public relations nightmare. Media outlets all over the nation, from NBC Philadelphia to the New York Times and OK Magazine, have been covering the Woods story as it continues to unfold each day.

When Woods crashed his car in the early hours of Friday, November 27, 2009, questions immediately started to surface and comments from both Woods and his wife didn’t add up. In the following days several women have come forward with statements regarding relationships they had with the married man, some dating back three years to 2007. Rumors then surfaced about the status of Woods’s marriage and changes in the prenuptial agreement signed by Woods and his wife. Since then, evidence from the women, a canceled press conference by one, and Wood’s pulling out of a gold tournament he was sponsoring have all become media sensations.

On December 2, 2009, Wood’s posted a short statement on his website that starts with, “I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart.” While this message to the public is a start, it is nowhere near what Woods needs to do to clear up the disaster he has caused himself.

As a PR student, I have to ask, who is advising Woods with his public statements (or should I say lack there of)? While his team might be trying to wait out the scandals and hope another celebrity takes media attention in the next few days, hiding in the sand (no pun intended) is not the route Woods should be taking right now. As suggested by an article found on foxnews.com, to properly clear up Woods's sticky situation, he needs to tell the truth, do it himself, and learn from his mistakes!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Tristin Fabro.

No More Candy In Philly

According to Gawker.com, DailyCandy, "the popular consumer Web site that blasts e-mail newsletters to millions of subscribers every day with information about local events and bargains," is reportedly not going to be publishing it's daily, locally-based blasts for much longer. Instead, they'll be sending out an “everywhere” edition every day, plus "twice weekly e-mails with local content." It's rumored that Philadelphia will be one of the affected cities, along with Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, Miami, Boston and Washington, D.C.

To read the internal memo distributed by the SVP of DailyCandy click here.

PPRA Event!

Sign up to attend the Philadelphia Public Relations Association's event highlighting Business Etiquette this Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009 for just $10. The deadline to RSVP is Friday, December 4th, so don't delay! For more information and to register online, click here...

The event will be at PECO Energy Hall, 2301 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA

5:30 - 6:00 p.m. Registration
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Presentation (featuring Gail Madison)
7:00 - 7:30 p.m. Interactive Session with Students/Attendees
7:30 - 8:00 p.m. Networking/Reception

This event is open to all Philadelphia college students, recent graduates and PR practitioners looking to freshen up their business etiquette skills!

Sorry, Paula, We’re Gonna Have to Pass on the Butter This Year!

Since it’s nearing the holidays, I’ve been on a huge baking spree. I just learned the “proper” way to bake (no Rachel Ray measuring!), so I love trying out my recipes at the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and PRowl Public Relations bake sales we hold every few weeks.

My favorite thing to do with goodie recipes is to make them healthier for everyone to enjoy without feeling guilty the next day. That got me to thinking about how many holiday office parties there are throughout the season—I’m betting that very few offer healthy options! While it may be easier and less time consuming to buy store-made goodies, baking your own and altering the recipe for more healthy ingredients will make them much more fun to eat!

Almost all of your holiday favorites can be made healthier and still have that same, sinfully good taste—and your coworkers will most definitely appreciate the effort you put into it!

Here are some websites/magazines that I use to find a healthier recipe:

www.self.com

www.cookinglight.com (my favorite!)

www.realsimple.com

http://blog.healthyeats.com/

Bon Appétit!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations firm member, Ashley Kraynak.

Twitter and World AIDS Day

If you were on Twitter today you probably noticed that the homepage looked different than usual. The homepage on Twitter was red with a link to click to follow @joinred because it's World AIDS day. @joinred currently has 904,293 followers and is following 6,741 people.

We write about social media frequently at PRowl Public Relations, it's always a discussion topic in class and articles are written about it in traditional media every day. One of the great things about social media is its ability to bring people from all over the world together on global issues.

Do you think that social media is a good channel of communication to spread information about issues that affect the whole world, such as AIDS? Let us know!

Making Progress

It is hard to believe, but today marks the first day of the last full week of classes in the fall 2009 semester at Temple University. Although I have learned a lot this semester, I am looking forward to winter break and to starting with a fresh set of classes in the spring!

At the very beginning of this semester, I blogged about the goals I had set for myself going into the 2009-2010 school year. I thought that, with the first half of the school year coming to a close, it would only be appropriate to evaluate myself on the progress I have made so far. After all, it you do not monitor your progress, it becomes all too easy to lose sight of the goals you have set.

Here are some goals I have made progress towards achieving so far this year:

• Staying on top of the news and current events: I have made a concentrated effort so far this year to stay abreast of what is going on in the world. The Wall Street Journal was a required text for one of my classes this semester, which meant that the news was delivered to my doorstep each day. I enjoy feeling plugged in to the news industry and the world around me.
• Learning more about the research and planning side of PR: Thanks in large part to my Media Information Gathering & Evaluation class, I have learned a great deal about the research end of PR. I have learned a lot about the various methods most commonly employed in the industry, like conducting focus groups, in-depth interviews and surveys, and how to conduct them. I was also given an introduction to the statistical programs that are often used to attain tangible measurements of PR goals and progress. Going forward, I hope to focus more on the planning aspect of PR, as this is an area where I must admit I need more experience.
• Choosing an area in which to specialize: As a result of several of the classes I took this semester and insight gained from others in the field, I have decided that the employee relations function of PR might be a great fit for my interests and skills. I look forward to learning more about that branch of PR in the coming weeks.
• Updating my resume
• Continuing to learn about social media
• Looking into internships for the spring semester

Moving along, I still need to work on my goals of bringing more personality to my writing and becoming increasingly creative in my PR tactics. I also have created a new goal for myself: to get published!

I look forward to continuing toward these goals as the year moves along. What are some of your goals? Have you been keeping track of your progress as you move toward them?

The Value of Soft Skills

It has been suggested that in a number of professions soft skills may prove to be more important over the long term than occupational skills. Public relations is one example where the ability to deal with people and effectively and appropriately communicate can determine the success of a public relations practitioner.

Possessing soft skills includes but is not limited to: being a good listener, persuasion and teamwork skills, decision making and problem solving skills, motivating others, knowing negotiation tactics, and being optimistic and friendly. Hard skills, on the other hand, include the occupational requirements of a job, such as computer protocols, safety standards, machine operation and sales administration. Hard skills are also easy to train because most of the time the skill sets are brand new to the learner and no unlearning is involved. Introducing new soft skills is more difficult because it means replacing old, well-known and comfortable skills.

Eric Davis, i4cp’s associate editor states that, “More often than not, it’s who we are, not what we know, that seals the deal.” He goes on to explain, “The most technically competent people will still flounder if they can’t communicate properly or play well with others in the business setting.” This goes to show that skills some may look past as being so simple, may actually be the most marketable.

The development of our soft skills is something that should be paid close attention, as they are highly valued in the workplace. It is also something to keep in mind during interviews because soft skills are increasingly sought out by employers in addition to standard qualifications.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations firm member, Trish Wyatt.

The Ten Commandments of a Press Release

As a sophomore Public Relations major, I have been thrown into the world of writing for the media this semester. In my current class, News Writing and Media Relations, I have learned how to successfully write news advisories, broadcast releases, and letters to the editor. However, most importantly, I have learned how to write press releases. Every public relations class I have taken has always stressed the importance of constructing an effective and creative press release that will gain media coverage for the client. I found an article, The Ten Commandments of a Press Release written by Bill Stoller while looking for some extra writing tips. In the article, he outlines the ten “shalts” and “shalt nots” to help any press release get published.

1. Thou Shalt Be Professional. No goofy fonts, rainbow paper or silly gimmicks. Even lighthearted press releases represent a communication between one professional and another.
2. Thou Shalt Not Be Promotional. If you can't get enough objective distance from your company to write a press release that's not filled with hype and puffery, hire someone to write it for you.
3. Thou Shalt Not Be Boring. Even the driest subject matter allows for some sparks of creativity. Journalists like knowing that there's a human being communicating with them, not some corporate robot.
4. Thou Shalt Be Brief. Learn to cut out extraneous words. Keep your sentences short. Include only the points necessary to sell the story. The well-crafted one page press release is a thing of beauty.
5. Thou Shalt Know Thy Recipient. A features or lifestyle editor is a very different creature from a city desk editor. If you're promoting the opening of a new winery, the food and wine editor may be interested in all the details about what kind of aging process and wine press you're using. The city desk editor just wants to know when the grand opening is and what's going to happen there.
6. Thou Shalt Use The Proper Tense. When writing a hard news release (a contract signing, a stock split, a major announcement, etc.) use the past tense. When writing a soft news release (a trend story, a personal profile, etc.) use the present tense.
7. Thou Shalt Think Visually. A press release is more than words -- it's a visual document that will first be assessed by how it looks. Whether received by mail, fax or e-mail, a journalist, the reader will (often unconsciously) make decisions about whether to read the release based on how the release is laid out. Big blocks of text and long paragraphs are daunting and uninviting. Short paragraphs and sentences make for a much more visually inviting look.
8. Thou Shalt Tell A Story. How to arrange the facts of a hard news release is pretty much cut and dried. The old "who, what, when, where and how" lead and "inverted pyramid" concepts still hold.
9. Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness. This may seem an obvious point, but it always bears repeating. Tell the truth. Don't inflate, don't confabulate, and don’t exaggerate. Don't twist facts, don't make up numbers, and don’t make unsubstantiated claims. Any decent journalist will be able to see right through this. If you're lucky, your release will just get tossed out. If you're unlucky, you'll be exposed.
10. Thou Shalt Know Thy Limitations. Not everyone can write a press release. A good feature release, in particular, isn't an easy thing to craft. If you just don't feel like you have the chops to get the job done, hire a professional.

What do you think of these “commandments?” Can you think of any of your own to add to the list? Let us know what you think!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations firm member, Niki Ianni.

Cyber Monday 2009: The Predictions

Happy Black Friday! For the past three years I have braved the crowds and went out at midnight to shop my local outlet mall ("The Crossings" in Tannersville, PA). After getting home early in the morning, eating a turkey sandwich with leftover cranberry sauce and going to bed for a few hours, I got back up to shop the sales at the mall. Although I got some great deals, I noticed that this year the crowds were a little slimmer than in previous years. Could this be because of the unemployment rate and our still-looming uncertainty about the economy, or could it be because more and more consumers are getting more comfortable about shopping online?

"Cyber Monday" is the online equivalent to brick-and-mortar stores' "Black Friday." Cyber Monday is meant to target those who are shopping online while working the Monday after Thanksgiving with no prying eyes at home wondering what would be under the Christmas tree.

In an article from the LA Times, there are several sales predictions for this holiday:

"Shop.org, whose members tend to be bigger merchants, said a survey of 60 retailers showed 70% of respondents expected online sales to grow this holiday over last year."

"A Nielsen survey found that 63% of people are planning to buy online this holiday, compared with 71% last year. Of those planning to shop online, 31% said they planned to spend more than $300, down from 42% last year."

"Research firm ComScore, which tracks online spending, is projecting a paltry 3% growth in holiday spending online, to $28.8 billion from $28 billion last year. From Nov. 1 through Sunday, online sales ticked up just 2%, compared with a 4% decline in the same period last year."

Did you shop today to take advantage of the Black Friday sales or will you be cyber shopping this coming Monday?

Happy Thanksgiving!


Everyone at PRowl Public Relations wishes our readers
a delicious holiday. Thank you for reading our blog!

Support Center for Child Advocates Holiday Toy Drive: Get Involved!

On yet another Thanksgiving eve the 2009 holiday season is right around the corner. These tough economic times will certainly have an impact on the holidays, just like everything else in your life, but it has allowed us a chance to get back to the true spirit of the holidays. Spending time with family, giving back to others and sharing genuine joy and compassion are worth much more than any present, and no one knows this better than the Support Center for Child Advocates.

PRowl Public Relations is honored to work for the Support Center for Child Advocates this holiday season to further their mission of providing a protective, nurturing environment for abused and neglected Philadelphia area children. A large part of their mission is their annual Holiday Toy Drive, where businesses and individuals alike donate thousands of toys to these children and their siblings.

"I am a big believer in 'to whom much is given, much is required.' What an amazing feeling it is to know that because of Child Advocates, hundreds and hundreds of kids will wake up on Christmas morning with presents under the tree - many of whom would otherwise have none. This will be the 4th year I've been a part of the Toy Drive, and I can honestly say that I can't imagine a Christmas season without participating" says Adrienne Simmons, Child Advocates Volunteer Toy Drive Co-Chair and Founder of P.S. I Love You.

The Support Center for Child Advocates Holiday Toy Drive will be held this year on Saturday, December 19, 2009. For more information on how you can get involved and help change a child's story this holiday season please visit www.advokid.org. Also, look for the Child Advocates Facebook fan page and stay updated on toy drive details through Twitter at @advokidphilly. Have a happy holiday!

Philebrity's "Readers Cameraphone"

I love reading Philebrity. I think the writers are the right mix of funny, sarcastic and blunt, and I love reading their take on everything Philadelphia. I especially like the "Readers Cameraphone" posts because anyone can send in a picture off of a cameraphone to Philebrity and hope their picture gets featured on the blog. Many times readers send in pictures of things around the city that make them mad. This post is a great example of that.

The picture that was sent in is of a SEPTA booth with a worker inside next to a half complete jigsaw puzzle on a table. This is the description the reader sent Philebrity that was posted on the blog above the picture:

"I did a double take when I saw this scene at the Market-Frankford EL stop at 8th and Market this morning. The handwritten sign that is cut off on the right of the photo says “window closed.” It appears that closing down that window has given this SEPTA employee plenty of time to work on the giant jigsaw puzzle (pictured)… amazing. “Jigsaw puzzle time” must be one of the new contract stipulations." Philebrity

I know that in many of my classes we have talked about a PR person's responsibility to respond to unfavorable comments made about their client on social media. Do you think that a SEPTA representative should respond to this post on Philebrity? Why or why not?

Good to Great

I began work at my new part-time job this weekend and began the challenging but exciting process of learning my new responsibilities and the ins and outs of the company.

One thing about this particular company that I thought was really cool was the fact that the company offers a lending library for its employees. These include books, recordings and DVDs that help convey industry-specific knowledge, as well as more general materials that can help employees and the company reach their full potential. The company also has a "book of the month" club, for which each employee must read a specific text and discuss ways that the book's ideas are - and can be- reflected in the company's operations.

The first book I'll be asked to read is entitled "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. According to Amazon.com, the author of this book (along with the help of his 21-person team) sorted through "1,435 companies, looking for those that made substantial improvements in their performance over time." The team chose 11 companies and "discovered common traits that challenged many of the conventional notions of corporate success."

I'm anxious to read this book and find out both what the 11 traits were and what implications they had within the companies that possess them! I'll be sure to blog about the book's lessons as I read it in the upcoming weeks.

Have you read this book? If so, what were your thoughts? Does your company offer a lending library and or a book club?

Helpful Blog Tips!

In today's technology-driven world, blogs must fight for attention and time against conventional media news outlets and the intensifying expansion of social media. With this in mind, many PR firms must consider electronic media when contemplating the best way to appeal to their audience.

Bloggers are not usually reporters and do not practice the same policies within fixed reporting. Yet, a single blogger can attract an audience just as easily as that of a small-scale news group. That being said, there are a few tips I’ve learned since I began reading numerous blogs.

First, be pertinent. This seems straightforward, but it can truly make or break a pitch to a blogger. Look at the categories and sub-categories if available of the blog, its’ tags and preceding posts. Is your pitch similar?

Next, you should always try to personalize when applicable. If a blogger gets a pitch with no personal consideration or a simple news release without a message, your message has a sure trip to the trash folder. Take the time to research, make comments and become interactive. Be honest but professional about the comments you post and provide attentive feedback that is of value to the topic. This will help build familiarity and establish a two-way relationship between you and the blogger.

These tips have been incredibly useful in my time as an avid blog subscriber, and I am eager to learn more as these times continue to change.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Stephanie Loiero.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Well, the day has come. Oprah Winfrey has officially announced that she is ending her show with a final broadcast on September 9, 2011.

It’s almost impossible to put into just a few words how Oprah has impacted not only talk TV, but this country and the world in her 25 years of being on air. Her personality and her ability to market that personality has been the benchmark for many over the years. She is one of the most powerful women in the world for a reason, and her impact has changed lives.

Oprah's astounding success has led PR professionals everywhere to try to get their client on Oprah. It may be a stretch for many, but there are always those with high hopes. Over the years, public relations professionals have analyzed this task down to the tee, including why Oprah would want them on the show and what one would physically have to do to catch her attention. For the past ten years or so, landing a client on Oprah has represented the apex in PR success for many public relations professionals.

I wonder what the new benchmark of PR success will be when the legend takes her final bow? Will a new personality take her place? Could anyone ever fill her shoes? Regardless, September 9, 2011 will be a sad day for many around the nation, especially for those who never made it onto that comfy seat next to the queen of daytime TV.

For those of you who still have the dream for the next year and a half, check out what Pierce Mattie PR has to say on how to begin the quest. Enjoy!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Melissa Colelli.

Takeaways from 2009 National PRSSA Conference

Jessica Lawlor, president of Temple's PRSSA wrote an article about her three takeaways from the 2009 PRSSA National Conference in San Diego:

1. Read, read, read; write, write, write
2. Public relations is a 24/7 job
3. It's all about social media

Check out the full post here!

Follow-Up: Palin on Oprah

I wanted to follow up on the interview I mentioned previously about former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show. The show actually produced Oprah's best ratings since about two years ago. According to EntertainmentWeekly.com the show had a household rating of 8.7 and 13 share. The numbers haven't been that high since 2007 when the Osmond family made and appearance. Palin talked about her experiences on the campaign trail, dealing with the media, her interviews with Katie Couric, the father of her daughter's child Levi Johnson, as well as her new book, "Going Rouge: An American Life."

So did you watch the interview? What did you think?

Also, did anyone watch the Barbara Walters interview with Sarah Palin? I didn't but I'd be interested to see the differences in material discussed as well as the ratings too.

As a public relations student, the idea of getting a client on the Oprah Winfrey Show or being interviewed by Barbara Walters is a HUGE deal. Of course, Palin's appearances were more important than just promoting her book, getting placement for your client with these media moguls is a PR person's dream come true.

Twitter to the Rescue

I came across an article today that immediately caught my attention with the headline of, 'Texas Hospital finds Blood Donors Through Twitter'. I was shocked that social media has come this far. The article went on to describe how, after the tragic Ft. Hood shootings of November 5, a PR person for Scott & White Hospital utilized Twitter to reach out to an active audience following news about Ft. Hood, which had quickly become a trending topic. He kept the audience and media abreast of the condition of the soldiers at the hospital and asked if people could donate blood to the shooting victims. His tweet was retweeted 400 times and he recieved a whopping 1,000 units of blood that day. His tweets generated such a buzz that he had to turn 600 donors away due to the overwhelming response. This is a great example of the power of Twitter in accessing people on a personal level and shows why social media has become such an important phenomenon in the PR world. Please link to the original article here and tell me what you think!

Guest Speaker: Joanna Hawkins

Today in my Advanced Public Relations Writing class we had a guest speaker named Joanna Hawkins from the U.S. Department of Labor. She gave us tips on how to become great PR professionals by making sure we have the basics down. Some of her tips were:

• Learn the AP Stylebook backwards and forwards. Having a working knowledge of the rules of the AP Stylebook will set you apart from other writers.
• Research doesn't end after college, so become the best you can be at it. She said that she does research constantly at her job, so learn to love it!
• Be a great communicator. Have the ability to speak to everyone, from cold calling to reporters you've developed a relationship with.

Another great piece of advice she gave us was to not worry about knowing everything about the industry you get a job in by your first day. Have the basics of public relations down, and learn new information as you go!

Informational Interviewing

Today in my public health class, our teacher used the class period to discuss good practices for those seeking internships and, ultimately, a full-time job. Although I am not a public health major, I found a lot of her advice to be relevant for everyone and anyone, regardless of specific interest. One element of her talk that really stood out for me was her enthusiasm about informational interviewing.

My teacher explained to us that she kicked off her career by conducting informational interviews during her college years. She would ask teachers and others from her professional network for the contact information of people who were already working in the field in which my teacher wanted to become involved. She would then call these contacts, ask for ten minutes of their time, and proceed to ask them, "how did you get to where you are?" and "what steps can I take that will put me on the path to a career like yours?"

My teacher explained that information and advice she was given during these informational interviews helped her secure her first job in public health. They also helped her foster some new professional connections that she has had ever since.

Here are two things that she explained should be the goal of informational interviews:

1. Emerge from the interview with an established and meaningful connection with the person you interviewed. This person can serve as a valuable resource and contact for you in the future.
2. Emerge from the interview with the contact information for five of that person's contacts (with their permission to use their name as a reference with those contacts). These people can provide you with further information and may know of opportunities they could pass along to you. This will help grow your professional network.
   

Informational interviewing could be a great practice for those of us in the field of public relations, as it represents a form of personalized networking. In addition, it could facilitate a sort of informal mentoring, which could help give us an edge over others in our field.

Do you have any experience with informational interviewing? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Having a “Roaring” Time: Interning at the Philadelphia Zoo

Most of my friends have been interning since sophomore year, so when the fall of my senior year rolled around and I hadn’t had any internships, I felt it was time for me to catch up. I searched for an internship using resources from Temple’s Career Center, and through the OwlNetwork I found a bunch of openings for communications interns. I applied for two positions, one with a small marketing agency in Plymouth Meeting and the other with the Philadelphia Zoo. Working for the Zoo seemed like a fabulous opportunity but I didn’t think I’d really get the job.

As it turns out, I did get the job and have enjoyed it ever since my first day. I was so nervous that I wouldn’t know what to do or I would disappoint my bosses, but they have been willing to help and answer all of my questions. They also understand that I want to gain as much knowledge and experience as I can while doing meaningful work, not just running to get coffee or making copies. I have had the chance to write multiple press releases and media advisories so I can practice the most important skill in PR, writing. Right now I am also learning how to work with metrics and understand ad value equivalency and audience numbers. Another beneficial aspect of this internship is that I have met some great people, including valuable contacts in the media.

My favorite thing so far has been the PR surrounding the birth of our baby orangutan. Not only is it cool to see the new baby, but it’s been a great experience being involved in the process of announcing the birth to the media and holding press conferences. Mother and baby are doing well and made their public debut this past Thursday. Our efforts at media outreach were also successful.

Because I have enjoyed myself so far, I plan to intern with the Zoo again this spring before I graduate. Although I regret not searching for an internship earlier in my college career, I feel that things happen for a reason. If I had been interning earlier I may not have been able to have this wonderful experience while working with the Zoo.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Laura Macenka.

Lobbying in Public Relations

Before I officially became a Public Relations major, I was back and forth between a bunch of different possible majors and career paths. At one point, I was set on becoming a lawyer. Now that I'm studying public relations, I've been looking into the different career routes I can take after graduation, and one of my recent findings, lobbying, particularly stuck out in my mind. For me, it seems like the best of both worlds--it's a combination of my interest in law and my major in public relations!

Lobbying is a fast-growing field that is closely connected to public relations, for the role of a lobbyist is to influence legislators, using the art of persuasion, on behalf of an organization’s point of view on various issues. Lobbyists aim to influence the policy making of the institutions to produce policies and legislation that are beneficial to their employers.

Since lobbying is about communicating with policy-makers, it is always beneficial to familiarize oneself with the political scene. Many of the lobbying career opportunities are concentrated in the political sphere of Washington, D.C., where graduates can gain experience working as congressional aides or with government agencies prior to beginning a career as a lobbyist. Many prospective lobbyists begin by working for environmental and advocacy organizations, where they can promote their agendas by meeting with members of Congress, legislative aides, and leaders of governmental agencies.

The primary skill of a lobbyist is to construct and communicate messages to legislators. If you're like me and have an interest in the legislative scene, maybe a lobbyist is the perfect career to pursue with your public relations degree!

Some statistics, according to the Princeton Review:

• There are approximately 106,000 people in the profession
• 35% are female; 65% are male
• The average starting salary is $20,000
• The average salary after 5 years is $50,000
• The average salary after 10 to 15 years is $80,000
• Major employers include Greenpeace, AARP, and Sacramento Advocates

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Marissa Sudol.

San Diego Zoo Pictures!

I can't believe it's almost been a week since I was in San Diego attending the PRSSA National Conference with Temple PRSSA's president, Jess Lawlor!

Here are some pictures of us at the zoo!

Jess (left) and I on our tour bus!

Jess loves giraffes!

Hyenas are by far one of the scariest and creepiest looking animals...

So cute! Momma gorilla carrying around her baby gorilla!

Jess and I were obsessed with this orangutan!

Behind dogs, an orangutan is my favorite animal!

Has anyone ever seen Orangutan Island on the Animal Planet? It was probably my favorite "reality" television show, following the lives of an orangutan village!

To bring it local - a baby Orangutan was born five weeks ago at the Philadelphia Zoo and now they're asking the public to help name her! The choices are Batu, Kadoa or Anoano. You have until November 26 to vote on the name you like best.

Click here to vote now! Can anyone guess my choice?

Burberry Meets Social Media

Burberry founder, Thomas Burberry, first designed the famous trench coat for British army officers in 1914. This 95-year-old fashion icon is Burberry’s top selling product and now has a social networking site dedicated to “the art of the trench.”

On Monday Burberry launched a social networking site, http://artofthetrench.com/. This site encourages viewers to submit pictures displaying them in their trench. They ask for participants to share their “trench coat” stories. The site features trenches all over the world on cyclists, children, in the rain and in Paris.

A majority of luxury good companies have been skeptical about getting on the web. They have been afraid that this non-traditional marketing tool would hurt their credibility. In the past, most believed that the web was for bargain buyers and counterfeit items. Now they are realizing that in order to reach their younger publics they are going to have to enter their turf, the Web.

During the current recession the $226 billion market for luxury goods saw an 8 percent drop. The market is expected to begin to grow once baby boomers retire and younger workers take their place.

Social media has made an impact on our lives and is now moving into our closets. It has become an ideal branding tool and has become another business strategy that we, as public relations practitioners, have to utilize better than anyone else out there.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Josie Fox.

Philly.com's Twitter Directory

I always like sharing when I find something interesting, so for you Philadelphia folks out there... Check out this page!
(It's Philly.com's Twitter Directory)

The page has streaming tweets from everyone including the word "philly" in them, while there is also a list of all the Twitter accounts of staff members from Philly.com, Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer and Phrequency.com.

Sarah Palin goes on Oprah

For you Oprah followers out there you probably already know that Sarah Palin will be appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show soon. The episode will air on Monday, November 16th and sizzle reels have already been previewing the highly anticipated show. Last night Oprah tweeted breaking news after finishing the taping of the former Alaskan governor's interview, sending Tweeters to a YouTube video. (Check it out!)

It is no secret Oprah was an avid Obama supporter during the 2008 presidential campaign, while she remains a supporter of the now president. Both Palin and Winfrey have encountered criticism alike for doing the interview together. So what do you think, will you tune in to watch the interview?

*Interesting Fact: Michelle Obama was the first person to appear on the cover of O Magazine alongside Oprah Winfrey for the April 2009 issue.

Always Remember Your Strategy

This week, while preparing a public relations campaign for a new client, I learned the importance of always thinking strategically. It is easy, especially when you're working with a small team, to get caught up in the small details of your plan. I've learned that details are extremely important, but only if they accomplish your goals and further your PR campaign strategy.

During the plan writing process you must always think about what you're writing and ask yourself, 'how does this accomplish my goal?' If the detail that you're writing doesn't fit perfectly into the puzzle that is your strategic campaign then you have to get rid of it, or rethink your entire strategy.

I've learned that a campaign strategy is like a container, and your tactics are what you will use to fill your container, but you have to make sure that those tactics will fit inside.

The most important piece of the strategy puzzle is research. Without researching your client, the environment in which you'll be working and the audience that you'll be reaching out to, you can't have a sensible strategic campaign. Research is the backbone to your business goals, and you can't just make them up.

When you're up to your eyeballs in campaign details and it starts to feel overwhelming, just take a step back and think, 'does this fit into my strategy?' This simple advice has given me a tool to create an effective campaign that can actually get results. I hope it helps you as well!

4 Types of Writers

This video from Ragan.com describes four categories that many writers fit into. The four categories are:

• Mr. Know it All
• Mr. Sensitivity
• Mr. Suck Up
• Mr. Lazy Bones

The men in the video role play to show viewers these four different types of writers, and it's a funny video. Even though it's a funny video, I'm sure a lot of people can think of coworkers and peers that fit into these four categories. This is a good reminder to all of us always try our best or else we may end up in one of these categories!

SEPTA is Back!

The Transportation Workers' Union, Local 234, reached a deal with the Southeastern Transportation Authority (SEPTA) early this morning, effectively ending the strike that had discontinued Philadelphia's subway, bus and trolley transportation for six days.

Luckily, this strike didn't even last week, in comparison to a similar strike four years ago that lasted for four months. Although this conflict was resolved relatively quickly, as we discussed in one of my PR classes today, there are several things that the Transportation Workers' Union failed to do during the strike that could have rallied more public support for their cause and possibly pressured SEPTA to strike a deal sooner.

Here are three things we came up with, with the help of our teacher:

1. The Transportation Workers' Union did not effectively keep the media in the loop about what was going on. The union did not proliferate a cohesive or consistent message to the media, nor did they effectively convey their side of the conflict. As my teacher explained, the strike began on Tuesday and it wasn't until Friday that the union's national leaders stepped in, brought their own PR people, and were finally able to articulate to the public a specific reason as to why they were striking. Particularly in a strike situation, it is crucial that an organization make clear its goals and demands.
   
2. The Transportation Workers' Union failed to keep its own workers in the loop. As my teacher explained, workers can be important vehicles through which the organization can get its message out. Keeping workers informed as to the state of negotiations and the ideas driving the strike would have been really helpful in securing public support for the strike because these workers could help spread the word and raise awareness for the union's cause. In contrast, many Local 234 workers were not kept abreast on the union's actions. Ironically, the morning the strike was begun, several workers showed up at their job posts to start their workday because they weren't even informed they were on strike.
3. The Transportation Workers' Union did not use new media to get their message out. Until Friday, when the national union heads stepped in with their own PR team, the union was not using the web or Twitter to spread its message. This would have been important for several reasons. For one, the use of new media would have helped the union keep the public informed about their progress and demands in real time. Secondly, as my teacher explained, messages spread through new media outlets like Twitter have a higher rate of retention and spread. This means that new media would have been particularly effective in helping the organization get its word out. Lastly, the use of new media would have helped tap into the demographic of teens and young adults, a group that has the capability to exert a lot of power and influence. Successfully engaging this demographic could have given the union's cause a real boost.

Ultimately, the union could have done a much better job of communicating with the public and raising awareness and support for its causes during this strike. Situations like these are great opportunities for aspiring PR professionals, like myself, to learn valuable lessons about crisis communications.

Creating an Internal Newsletter

Public relations is about more than efficiently and effectively reaching the media. Internal public relations is an integral part of the field. As Public Relations Committee Head of Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity here on Temple's campus, I decided to start a newsletter for our chapter. A newsletter should boost morale and provide useful information to those receiving the newsletter.

The first decision to make is who the audience of the newsletter will be. The Phi Sigma Pi newsletter that I am creating will be sent to Brothers of the fraternity, alumni, and maybe even parents.

Another decision to make is the layout of the newsletter. If you have graphic design skills, creating a layout on a computer program should be easy. For those who do not have these design skills, there are other options. I will be using Microsoft Program Manager, which has pre-made layouts.

The last thing to consider is the content of the layout. What will be beneficial to the audience? Make sure the information is relevant to the readers but also interesting. Some of the features that I would like to include in the Phi Sigma Pi newsletter are profiles on alumni and Brothers, as well as information on upcoming events. Not every member can attend all of the events, so members may be interested in having a recap of past events from a Brother's perspective. Also, a letter from the president is a good opening to the newsletter.

It is important to keep in mind that a newsletter must be relevant to the audience. Newsletters can include anything you want, so be creative!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Evan Nicholson.

Multitasking: A Growing Necessity in the Workplace

Tara Ballenger, a writing correspondent for The Boston Globe, recently reported on the rising need of the ability to multitask in today's technology-driven world. But does multitasking hinder our ability to perform tasks successfully and proficiently?

Ballenger describes the hectic lifestyle of Lillian Dunlap, a 25-year-old working woman at a Boston public relations firm. Dunlap's days are consumed with fielding emergency emails for one business, while writing press releases for another and juggling phone calls from everyone. The ability to multitask is imperative in order for her to get her job done and keep her clients happy. Dunlap says that "in today's corporate culture and competitive job market, the person willing to take on the most jobs gets ahead. Every client has 10,000 things they need done, and with all the new technology, we're expected to always be on call."

Switching around from task to task may be what the job requires, but what effect does this "toggling" of tasks have on our ability to perform at our best? In a 2001 study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, David Meyer and his colleagues discovered that valuable time is lost in transitioning from task to task. "The brain must refocus each time it switches activities, and the more complicated the task, the more time it takes to refocus." These little increments of time add up and soon one might be losing hours out of his or her day.

Performing multiple tasks at one time is inevitable, but there are ways to go about completing your work that save on "brain drain."

Here are some tips:

• Choose easy tasks: Combining activities such as sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office and answering e-mails on your hand-held is fine because one of the tasks is so easy.
• The fewer the switches, the better: Time and attention are lost each time you toggle between activities. If you're working on an important project, checking your e-mail every half hour instead of every 10 minutes will cut down on inefficiency.
• Know yourself: Everyone multitasks differently. Experiment with watching TV, listening to music or texting while completing other tasks, and pay attention to which ones affect your work.
• Know others: If you're successfully multitasking with the TV or radio playing, make sure that others in the room aren't being hindered by it.
• Practice paying attention: Constant multitasking may cause your brain to "forget" how to concentrate intensely on just one activity, which is a useful skill.

Ultimately, the lesson to be learned here is that although some jobs, like public relations, require that you have the ability to multitask, it is still important to give your brain a healthy rest. Becoming overloaded may result in major errors or inability to retain important information.

To read the full article by Tara Ballenger, click here.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Amanda Kaster.

PRSSA National Conference: Day 1!

Jessica Lawlor (President of Temple PRSSA) and I arrived in San Diego, CA last night at around 8:30 p.m. (11:30 p.m. time in Philadelphia) for the Public Relations Student Society of America 2009 National Conference! We quickly went to bed since we weren't on west coast time yet, and then got up bright and early today (we woke up at 4:30 a.m. PT, but then realized our internal clocks hadn't rewound yet and went back to bed).

On Day 1 of National Conference there were no workshops until 3 p.m. so we got to take a field trip to the San Diego Zoo! My high-speed Internet at the Holiday Inn isn't so "high-speed" so I will post some pictures of all the cool animals we got to see later.

One of the interesting workshops we attended this afternoon was entitled "Portfolios and E-Portfolios: Creating Connections During This Wave of Change," presented by the PRSSA chapter at Indiana State University.

As the chapter said in their presentation, a portfolio is a compilation of all the quality work you have done (either at school or during internships) that contains concrete examples to showcase your talents and abilities to potential employers. A portfolio is a great interview supplement; it can give you talking points and allows you to back up your answers with specific examples.

Some things to include in your portfolio: Your resume; examples of public relations materials, such as press releases, media kits, biographical portfolios, professional blog and Web site material, feature stores, Public Service Announcements, and more; research examples, such as media tracking projects; examples of creativity; additional writing samples that may not be related to PR but showcase your writing skills; and awards, achievements and recommendations.

The "new wave" of portfolios are "E-portfolios." E-portfolios are generally the same thing as a printed portfolio, but are located on the Internet. An E-portfolio is a great way to build your professional brand.

Always remember: You have to get the interview to get the job. An E-portfolio is a great and easy way to set yourself apart and help secure the interview of your dreams. Not to mention, it's cost effective and is environmentally-friendly!

Here is a list of 10 E-portfolio sites you can use:

• www.Webs.com
• www.LeadYou.com
• www.VisualCV.com
• www.Wix.com
• www.Weebly.com
• www.WebStarts.com
• www.DoodleKit.com
• www.Moonfruit.com
• www.Homestead.com
• www.OfficialSiteBuilder.com

Thanks to Indiana State University PRSSA for providing us with these helpful portfolio and E-portfolio tips!

Check back for more PRSSA National Conference updates coming soon!