Yik-yak and Tinder; Newest Social Media Platforms?

I was scrolling down my Yik-yak feed a few days ago, and came across a post asking if Yik-yak was considered a form of social media or not. I knew that I saw Yik-yak as social media, and judging by the responses to the post, it seemed that most people agreed with me. For those that do not know, Yik-yak is similar to Twitter, but the posts are anonymous and location based. For example, when I open the app when I am on or near Temple's campus, all I will see are posts from people near me. Yik-yak has said that this is because they do not want people under 18 years of age to use the app, as most of the content is not monitored, except by the community. As you view your Yik-yak feed, you have the ability to up or down-vote every post; they start at zero and if they get to negative five, they are automatically deleted by the system. Posts with a very high number can make it into a 'Top Rated' category, viewable by anyone using the app, anywhere. The app is primarily aimed at college students, so the locations in which posts are grouped go by colleges, which you can search for and view, but not vote on. Here is the link to the Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yik_Yak.

 

Tinder has made a big splash across the country in the last few months, from outrage to incredulity at an app seemingly aimed at enabling quick hook-ups. But, due to the app's popularity, it has increasingly been featured in television and movies, and already has advertisements within it. Tinder shows you a few pictures and a short bio of people around you; you can choose which gender to see, and you either swipe right to say you like the person, or swipe left if you do not. If someone you have 'liked' also swipes you right, you are matched together and able to chat.

While these two apps might not seem immediately conducive to us in the public relations world, I have already seen examples of how they can be. On Tinder, every so often you will get an advertisement instead of a person; if you swipe right on the ad it will give you more information about it. The last one I heard about was ads for an upcoming Jason Derulo concert, swiping right would bring you to a page where you could enter to win free tickets. Both of these apps are definitely aimed at college- age people, so any company or product that wants to reach those audiences should make use of these apps. Yik-yak has started introducing hiring people to be their brand ambassadors on college campuses; intended to promote usage of the app. Since anyone is able to post to the app as long as they are within a certain area, it should be easy to create and upload posts by any PR professional, looking to expand their company's social media presence.

Have any thoughts on Yik-yak or Tinder as social media? Let us know in the comments, we would love to hear from you!

This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a senior at Temple University and an Assistant Firm Director with PRowl Public Relations. You can follow him on Twitter here.

Good PR: Listening to your Community

In my spare time, I am an avid gamer, my current video game of choice being Destiny, on the Xbox One console. If you have ever heard of the games Call of Duty and Halo, then you might understand when I say that Destiny is sort of a combination of both games, having been made by the two studios that usually make Call of Duty and Halo. The primary studio in Destiny's case is called Bungie, they're the ones who make all the Halo games, in conjunction with Microsoft Studios. However, with Destiny, Bungie has created a whole new type of game; Destiny is a completely online, open-world first person shooter game, set on the moons and planets of our solar system. Most games out there let you play at least some aspect offline, but for Destiny you must be online the entire time to do anything. Because the game is set in such huge and detailed landscapes while supporting thousands of players doing different activities, the bandwidth required can be quite enormous. This leads to a myriad of different problems and bugs that can affect players. But it is the way that Bungie has responded that makes this story noteworthy for us in the study and business of public relations.

When Destiny was first released back in September of 2014, Bungie launched a companion website and app to go with it. Both were beautifully designed, and provided a compelling counterpart to the game; on the site you could track your stats and connect with other players, and the app allowed you to control aspects of your character's appearance and equipment. Bungie also launched a running blog on the new site, with frequent posts from the game's designers, engineers, producers, and many more. These men and women would post about upcoming changes to Destiny, or about things that happened in the game that might interest other players. At the end of 2014, Bungie posted a longer story, detailing all the accomplishments of Destiny players in 2014, including all sorts of interesting statistics and facts. And, Bungie launched an extensive forum for players to post about problems and bugs they encountered within the game, as well as multiple Twitter accounts for tech support. With the forums and Twitter accounts, Bungie maintained a large 24-hour team that constantly interacts with and responds to people posting about problems they have with the game. More so than any other game I have ever played, Bungie has done everything possible to foster an interactive and engaged community, which has frequently come together to solve major and minor problems. When Destiny first came out, a lot of people didn't think it work, but Bungie has gone above and beyond the necessary PR footwork to make it happen, and to create a base of people that will be playing this game for a long time to come.

Have any questions or comments about Destiny or Bungie? Post them below in the comments, we'd love to hear from you!

This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a senior at Temple University and an Assistant Firm Director of PRowl Public Relations. You can connect with Faiz here on Twitter and LinkedIn. 

The Queen's English

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of hosting a student from England for a night, and in his honor my housemates and I threw a small party. Unfortunately for us, a few of the people that came managed to fulfill every negative stereotype that I think Europeans have of Americans, within about the first five minutes of their meeting the English student. 

Everything was going fine at the party until the English student stepped outside to smoke a cigarette, which was when these two girls and two boys, for lack of a better word, pounced on him. I did not know the four of them, so maybe it was out of character, but they immediately barraged him with requests that he just talk to them with his accent. To hear him say it, he speaks the Queen's English, but to them it must have been some sort of exotic experience. Soon, the four Americans started to practice their own, embarrassingly contrived 'British accents' on him, which he took with admirable aplomb. Thankfully, these four people soon left, but in the morning at breakfast they were our only topic of conversation. The English student was fairly polite about it, but made it clear that he had hated every second of it. My friend and is formal host was much less diplomatic about it, talking about how people like that give us all a bad name.

As he talked, I realized that whenever you meet someone from another country, you are in a way a representative of your home country to that foreign person you meet. And whatever kind of impression you leave on them is going to shape how they feel about the entire country you have hopefully just represented well. So without knowing it, all those American tourists out in the world are doing public relations for the U.S.A., here's to hoping they leave a better impression than the four from my party.

Have any ideas or comments on how we can better represent ourselves to the world? Comment below, I'd love to hear from you.

This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a senior at Temple University and an Assistant Firm Director of PRowl Public Relations. Follow Faiz on Twitter here and LinkedIn here. 

PPRA's Careers 101: Is it Worth It?

Short answer: Yes. Long answer? Keep reading!

First off, you should know that PPRA stands for Philadelphia Public Relations Association, and that it is the oldest and largest independent public relations association in the country. And to put that into perspective, this year is their 70th anniversary!

Secondly, Careers 101 is an annual event that PPRA puts on to bring together students and professionals for a night of networking and learning. For all us PR students out there, this event will get you a resume critique, professional head shot, networking opportunities and raffle chances for shadowing days and informational interviews...all in ONE NIGHT. I've never even been before but I can tell you all that is worth it. This year it's on April 1 (this Wednesday night!) and the theme is 'Your Career is No Joke.' (Get it!?)

But, to make it even better, this is Careers 101's 10th anniversary, so in honor of that and PPRA's 70th birthday, all the panelists are PPRA Hall of Fame recipients and/or past PPRA Presidents. And hopefully you will understand that to be in one or both of those categories makes you the best of the best - and worth hearing from. During Careers 101, for about an hour, six of Philly PR's best will be sharing their unique and experienced insights about the industry and how they went from a PR student to a PR leader. The moderator is David W. Brown, who was the 2007 Hall of Fame recipient. The five panelists are Bill Cowen, President of Metrospective Communications LLC; Bonnie Grant, Executive Director of Greater Philadelphia Life Sciences Congress; Catherine Engel Menendez, Communications Director of PECO; Lisa Simon, President of Simon PR; and Mark Tarasiewicz, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association. Mark, Lisa and Catherine are also all Hall of Fame recipients.

And as if all that wasn't enough, anyone that goes this year will get a free professional head shot! I know I need one, I'm still using a picture from three years ago. A little more detail on the other benefits you get from attending: PPRA leadership will edit and critique all the resumes dropped off into the box during the event - and you'll get your edited resume back at the end of the night. This is such an easy way to get professional advice on that resume that's always going to be one of the first things your potential employer sees about you. You'll also be entered into a raffle to win one of many opportunities to shadow a PR professional or get an informational interview with them. I know that it is awkward enough reaching out to people you don't know for such an opportunity - this way it's all done for you and the awkwardness is gone! I've had four informational interviews in the last two years, which have led me to my current internship and (hopefully) next one! Plus, you get connected to another PR pro, and in PR, it's often all about who you know.

I know that in the last few months we have been inundated with networking event after networking event (especially at Temple) but I really do believe this one is worth it. I first heard about Careers 101 last summer, and even though I haven't been before, I got on the planning committee for it because I really believe it to be one of the most beneficial events to students of the year. Here is a link to the official Careers 101 page, and below are some more logistical details.

Careers 101 will be on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 from 6 - 8 p.m. at The Liacouras Center - Fox-Gittis Room. It costs $20 to attend, unless you are a member of PRowl Public Relations - in which case please email me asap if you want to go at faiz.mandviwalla@temple.edu.

Hope to see you all there!


This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a junior at Temple University and the Director of Finance for PRowl Public Relations. You can connect with him on Twitter here. 

Killin' that Snapchat Game

Two weeks ago was spring break, and I was able to spend half of it in beautiful, warm Los Angeles; where even though it rained it was still a million times nicer than the frozen tundra of the East Coast. A little while after landing, I opened my Snapchat app and noticed a new story on my feed called 'LA Life.' I quickly realized that the story only appeared because I had my location services allowed, and was specific to the city of Los Angeles area. Even better, any snap I took I could upload to be considered for show in the story, for the entire city to see. I assume that some computer or team of people looks at all these snaps and picks the best for the story, so it was even cooler when my first snap actually appeared in the LA Life story about 30 minutes later. I had obviously picked something that I didn't mind everyone seeing, and it was cool to know that so many people were really going to see it. Snapchat has had these stories, native to a particular area or event for a few months now, but this LA Life story seemed to just exist there perpetually, as a place for all the 'Snapchatters' of LA to share their stories. I was disappointed (for many other reasons, too) to return to Philadelphia and find no such story for our area.

Snapchat has also introduced a new idea called geo-tags in the last few months, where they have preset filters that can be overlain on your pictures. Based on where you are, there are filters customized for that area. For Philadelphia, you can overlay the word 'Philly' in a bright, sparkly font. In Los Angeles, there were tons of different geo-tags, even for different districts of LA; there were two specific just to the Santa Monica Pier! They have also added ones that tell the time or temperature of where you are, as well as how fast you are moving. As a form of social media, Snapchat has rapidly become the most fun to use platform, as well as the most customizable. And, Snapchat has done it without really appearing to most people as a form of social media, but more as a means of communication, a means that is becoming integral to many people's daily lives. I know I always checking out all the Snapchat stories, from people I know to all the featured ones. There have been featured stories from the New York Fashion Week, from huge concerts and festivals like Tomorrowland, and just everyday life ones like the LA Life story. Snapchat has been doing everything right, and I believe will become the biggest social media platform.

Questions or comments about Snapchat? We would love to hear from you in the comments section!

This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a junior at Temple University and the Director of Finance for PRowl Public Relations. You can follow him on Twitter here or on Snapchat at bbqpringles. 

Super Bowl Commercials: More Interesting than the Game?

Last night, the 49th Super Bowl was played by the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, with the Patriots winning 28-24. Many will attribute this win to an interception on the one-yard line by Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler. But something I realized during the game, and confirmed with many of the people watching with me, was that they cared more about the commercials than the actual game.

I was sitting next to one of my roommates, watching the game, when I happened to glance over at him, and noticed he looked a bit strained. Asking him if he was okay, he replied, "I need to use the bathroom, but I am waiting for the game to come back on so I don't miss any of the ads!" As he said this, a few other people around us nodded their heads, some saying they didn't know or didn't care who was playing, but only cared about the quality of the commercials. I realized in myself that unless my home team (the Eagles!) were playing, I cared more about the ads than the game. Especially in the last four or five years, the Super Bowl is known as the place for big companies to release their best ads. Many companies will save an ad, keeping it secret, just for this night. As far as public relations goes, the Super Bowl is one of the most watched events, if not the most watched events in the United States. Even though it costs upwards of $1 million to air something, on a cost per thousand viewers basis, it is more than worth it. Especially now, when so many people just watch to see and talk about the ads.

One of my personal favorites was the ad for Clash of Clans, a mobile app game, featuring Liam Neeson, a actor known for many movies, but most recently the Taken movies. Clash of Clans has had a lot of very clever advertising in the last few months, the TV commercials are always really funny, and I see their ads on the subway, on buses, and on taxis. You can watch the commercial below. The Budweiser commercial, featuring the puppy and Clydesdale horses from previous years was another favorite, along with the 'Like a Girl' ad by Always.

This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, the Director of Finance for PRowl Public Relations. Follow him on Twitter here. 

Ferguson Desperately Needs Some Good PR

I am sure that everyone reading this knows what is happening in Ferguson, Missouri; that a white police officer, Darren Wilson, shot and killed an unarmed black teen, Michael Brown. I am also sure that everyone has their own opinions and views on this issue, and in this post I will endeavor to remain neutral regarding the larger issue at hand, and concentrate my focus on where public relations fits in. Ferguson is back in the national, and international, spotlight because last week, on Monday night, St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch announced that the police officer in question would not be indicted. Since that announcement, protests of all kinds have been taking place nationwide, from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles. Highways have been blocked, malls boycotted, and even a few players on the St. Louis Rams got involved. Some believe that some of this could have been avoided, or mitigated, if the announcement of the grand jury's decision had been handled better.

St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch

 The announcement was made just after 8:30 p.m. on Monday, November 24, and immediately sparked protests and riots all night long, leading to the destruction of multiple properties around Ferguson. During his announcement, St. Louis County Prosecutor McCulloch made some questionable comments, such as saying the jury 'gave up their lives' while making the decision, and blaming the 24-hours news cycle and media for much of the unrest. According to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, the decision on when to announce was McCulloch's alone. He should have consulted with somebody, anybody, preferably a PR professional. The timing allowed protesters ample time to set up and get in place, and it is much harder for the police to do their job at night versus during the day. He should have made the announcement early in the morning, ideally before most people are awake, thereby giving police a full day to control any riots. Plus, I think that people are less likely to loot and burn down buildings in broad daylight. Outside of Ferguson, major cities saw protests nationwide, here in Philadelphia protesters marched from City Hall up Broad Street to Temple University. Maybe if McCulloch had announced the decision in a more positive way, without blaming the media, there would have been less of a firestorm of riots and backlash.

Police line during Ferguson riots

From a public relations perspective, I would start by saying that Robert McCulloch is not the ideal spokesperson; he's white. Furthermore, it seems that no one was allowed or able to vet anything he said. Blaming the media and the news never ends well, but he did it anyway. Well-known and respected media figures, as well as social media users everywhere, immediately attacked the idea that media was responsible for Michael Brown's death. That comment likely turned people away from supporting the decision, only adding more fuel to the fire. The situation in Ferguson is so bad that even other countries are commenting on it, China and Russia frequently receive criticism and condemnation for human rights abuses from the U.S., now they are pointing to Ferguson as a testament to 'American hypocrisy.' Ferguson desperately needs some good PR.

This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a junior at Temple University and the Director of Finance for PRowl Public Relations. Follow Faiz on Twitter here, @faizmand. 

What do you think about the way Ferguson officials have handled the situation? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!

Catalonia Needs PR for Independence

Yesterday, on November 9, over 2 million Catalan people in Spain's Catalonia region voted on whether the region should be independent from Spain. According to the volunteer group who organized the vote, over 80% of voters said that yes, Catalonia should be independent. Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and site of most of the voting. The Spanish government had previously declared the vote illegal, and currently dismisses it as propaganda. Whether or not you agree that Catalonia should be independent, it is obvious that both sides need to engage in more widespread public relations to accomplish their goals.

Having spent this last summer interning in Barcelona, I can tell you that most native Catalan people do not like the rest of Spain. I was there during the World Cup; the Spanish national team consisted of players from all parts of Spain, even Catalonia. However, people in Barcelona would refuse to watch Spain play in the World Cup, because they didn't support the country and viewed Catalan players on the team as traitors. Hearing how vehemently opposed to Spain as a whole these people were, it was obvious that something needed to be done on a national scale. After the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's, Franco took power and specifically oppressed Catalonia and its people. The Catalan language was banned, the city of Barcelona became poorer and poorer, and the people were looked down on by the rest of Spain. Since then, things have gotten better, but many Catalan people still remember this time and resent the rest of Spain for it. The problem is that outside of Spain, nobody knows any of this, so no one understands why Catalonia wants independence so badly. Looking at the news today, articles about the independence vote hardly make the headlines on news sights, but if Catalonia really were to break away from Spain, that would be a huge deal. It would impact the entire world; even in minor ways such as every map everywhere needing to be updated. There would be an entire new country in the world. 

Catalan pro-independence activists waved a cardboard ballot box at a rally in Barcelona.

The people of Catalonia need to engage in PR aimed at the rest of the world, they need to tell their story of oppression, of how they've risen above where they were to become one of Spain's major economic regions. There is a real story to be told here, which needs to be heard 'round the world. 

What do you think Catalonia needs to do, or what does Spain need to do to keep Catalonia in the fold? Comment below, we'd love to hear from you.

Read this BBC article for more information: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29982960 

This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a junior at Temple University and PRowl's Director of Finance. Follow Faiz on twitter @faizmand.

Fake It 'till You Make It

"Fake it till you make it" might be a phrase you've heard in many places before, not just within the realm of communications. But, especially after my experiences last night, I've come to believe in its power as a way to get things done; to cut through all the proverbial red-tape and accomplish something. Or, in my case, defuse tired and irritated people and stop them from choosing me as the target of their frustration.

Last night, President Barack Obama came to the Liacouras Center at Temple University in support of Tom Wolf's campaign for the office of governor of Pennsylvania. President Obama's visit was not widely publicized, it was more of a word-of-mouth event, but regardless, the arena was completely filled. I was asked to help at the main entrance, to direct people to their seat section depending on their ticket color. Because President Obama was going to be there, the Secret Service had been at the Liacouras Center all day, making sure it was safe. For everyone entering, the Secret Service checked their bags and electronics, and passed them through a metal detector and then did a quick scan with the wand. For every single person entering. Over 5000 people. It took over 2 hours to get everyone in and seated. As you might imagine, the Secret Service was primarily composed of men in suits and ties.

Because we do not have Liacouras Center uniforms, we were asked to dress business formal for this event, so naturally I wore a suit, and a blue tie. As it so happened, most of the Secret Service agents had blue ties as well. And 'naturally,' I was mistaken for a member of the Secret Service by more than a few people entering into the arena. I myself didn't catch on until a family walked in, I directed them to their section, and the father stopped and asked me, "Are you carrying a gun?," gesturing at actual Secret Service agents. I had no idea how to respond, so I gave a weak smile, nodded noncommittally, and thankfully he walked away. I turned to the girl I was working with, who confirmed that I could in fact pass for one of the agents walking around. Deciding that being mistaken for the Secret Service was probably a compliment, I proceeded to use this misconception to my advantage. A few minutes later, a small group of older women walked in and asked where they could sit. I let them know which section was currently open, but they didn't like my answer, and started getting nasty, talking about how long they'd had to wait and that they deserved front row seats. I thought about how a Secret Service agent might respond, and told them that if they didn't calm down I'd have them escorted out. This seemed to work, or at least got them off my case. Beyond that, it never came up again, and I was able to watch and enjoy President Obama's speech at the end of the night.

Even at the PRSSA National Conference, speakers and presenters told us to fake it until you make it. Almost always, if you convincingly act like you know what you're doing, no one will question you, thereby giving you the time to figure out what it is you're supposed to be doing. In PR, this can be essential, especially at a new job or when a crisis starts to flare up.

Do you have any thoughts on what to do when you aren't sure? Tell us in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you!

This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a junior at Temple University and the Director of Finance for PRowl Public Relations. Follow him on Twitter @faizmand. 

It's Been a Week: How to Stay in Touch

It's been 1 whole week since the PRSSA National Conference, and it already seems like a lifetime ago. I wore what I now think of as my 'conference suit' today to work because it made me feel like I was getting dressed for another session or workshop. But, while conference may alternatively seem like a long time ago and very far into the future (over a year from now, in Atlanta!) there are some things you can, and should, do to stay in touch with the people you met at the conference. And for those that didn't attend conference, these tips are a good way to stay in touch with anyone you meet that you won't normally see.

For better or worse, technology, and specifically the Internet, rules our world, especially for public relations and its practitioners. The days of handwritten letters as a means of correspondence are over, now getting an actual letter is something special and rare. While at conference, after meeting with people I always make sure to give and get a business card, and I always tried to follow them on Twitter before we parted ways. Not all business cards are made the same way, so don't count on them to have all of the person's relevant information. Twitter becomes very popular while at conference, the hashtag #PRSSANC was trending for awhile because of all the users. Once you have that mutual Twitter follow with someone, you are good to go meet other people; just make sure to hold on to that business card!

Around right now is the perfect time to invite people to connect on LinkedIn; it's been a week so the memory of conference is fading. Sending out and getting LinkedIn invitations right now serves to jolt those conference memories back into action, and will get people looking at your profile. This is especially good for connecting with professionals that you met at conference!

Lastly, and this depends on how close a relationship you want to maintain, send the person an email a week or two after conference. Talk about it was great to meet them, ask a question or two about what's going on in their life, and if it's someone you really want to learn more about, ask to schedule a call or meeting. I shouldn't be anymore, but I'm still surprised and inspired by how helpful every PR pro I've met is willing to; they're always willing to take the time to talk to you and give you tips and advice to further your own career.

Have any questions or comments on the best practices to stay in touch with people? Comment below, we'd love to hear from you.

This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a junior at Temple University and the Director of Finance for PRowl Public Relations. Follow him on twitter @faizmand. 

The Unique Approach to Networking

I write to you from the lobby of the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., site of the 2014 Public Relations Student Society of America National Conference. The wi-fi is slow, my hands are tired and my feet ache, but it's been an amazing weekend of hearing from our industries professionals, and my own peers at schools across the nation. One of the biggest advantages of conference, or PRSSANC, is the endless networking opportunities.

Most anyone will tell you that networking is the key to success in our industry; getting a job is often all about who you know. Here at conference, I've experiences all forms of networking, and I've come to several conclusions about the best way to go about it.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of PR students here at conference, all vying for a chance to talk to sometimes just 1 single professional after a speech or session. The only way for them to remember you is uniqueness. Before you walk up to someone, do your best to think about something different from anyone else to talk to them about.

This weekend, more often than not I'll hear students walk up to a PR pro, and say something along the lines of, "Well, after my 5th internship..." At first, I was just anxious, I'm only on my 3rd internship, how can I compete!? But, from watching the reactions and body language of the person they're trying to network to,  realized that they often weren't very interested. Everyone has had internships, so a PR pro isn't going to remember you that way. Instead, I introduced myself and then asked him (the guy I wanted a job from) a few questions about his own life, and the props he had on the table. Then we got to talking about Philadelphia, and I ended with recommending he take a trip to Jim's Steaks, which he actually wrote down! I was thrilled, and felt sure he'd remember me after that.

Another key to networking is to follow-up, and do it quickly. I talked to a speaker after his session, got his card, and then emailed him less than 15 minutes later. By the next day we'd scheduled a time to sit down and talk! As with most emails in PR, come up with a catchy subject line, and keep the body short, sweet, and simple. Make sure to connect it with something unique you talked about in-person!

Another few things to think about is to make your business cards stand out, but not be too flashy. The real, over-arching key to networking is to establish your unique, personal brand, communicate that effectively in just a few minutes, and than follow-up quickly and decisively.

Have any comments or questions on best networking practices? Leave them below, I'd love to hear from you!



This post was authored by Faiz Mandviwalla, a junior at Temple University and Director of Finance of PRowl Public Relations. Follow him on twitter @faizmand.  

What's Important

Today, at least at Temple University, is the first day of classes for the fall. Summer is over, and it's the chance at a new beginning, whether it's new classes, a new internship, or a whole new school. Your whole situation might be about to change, but it's still important to remember a few key things this semester. Especially for fellow PR people, who's lives and schedules might already seem packed to the brim, these are really important for your own sanity.

1. Always make some time for your friends, for your family, and for fun. Life can't be all about work, everyone needs a little time off. A friend of mine is studying to take her MCAT in a month, which essentially determines the rest of her life, but even she knows to take 1 day off every week from studying. Fit some time whenever you can, have some laughs with your friends, it'll relax you after a long day at work. Class and work can seem like they're taking over your life, you have to remember to make that time for yourself.

2. Be proactive, be preemptive. For when you are at class or at work, be proactive and preemptive with what you do. Don't wait for your boss to tell you to do something, have it already finished by the time they assign it to you; especially for interns, it'll raise you that bit above all the rest! When you come into work one day, sit a minute and think to yourself, 'What'll my boss ask me to do today?', and then see if you can get it done before they ask. Distinguishing yourself from the crowd in that way is only going to boost your reputation.

3. Throw yourself into what you choose to do. Even if you're at work and you get a task you don't feel strongly about, don't choose the lazy way. A lot of the time, your boss will be watching to see how you handle the tasks you don't like more than the ones you do like. A positive attitude towards everything that comes your way is a must, not only will it improve your work ethic, but also your general mood. Think positively, and you'll act positively.

Keep these 3 things in mind this semester, and you're on your way to a healthy standard of living for the rest of your days. In many ways school and internships are practice for getting that job after college, so make the most of your opportunities to figure out what works best for you. Don't be afraid to try new things, and don't be afraid to say no when you know you won't enjoy something.

What do you think is important to keep in mind at school or work? We'd love to hear from you!

Smartphones: Essential or too Invasive?

Everywhere you go you will see people on their smartphones, from iPhones to Androids to Windows phones. Go on popular sites like Imgur or Buzzfeed, and you'll see all sorts of funny pictures and memes about how technology is taking over our lives, how when people are 'hanging out' with friends they're really just staring at their phone. Most people will argue that their smartphone is essential to their everyday life, but if that's true then what did you do 6 years ago, when smartphones barely existed? Even beyond technology taking up everyone's attention, apps you have on your phone may be taking more information about you than you realize. 

I recently saw an article about how Facebook's mobile messenger app for smartphones recently got a major update, along with several new required permissions. For Android users, every time you update an app, the app may ask to be granted access to more parts of your phone, such as your pictures or account information. Generally, everyone just accepts all new permissions, because you can't update the app otherwise. According to this article, which I ironically found through Facebook, the Facebook messenger app now has access to people's cameras, microphones, text messages, and emails. This means that Facebook can see what your phone sees by remotely turning on your camera and looking through. Facebook can hear what your phone hears by turning on the microphone. And Facebook can see all your text messages and emails, and even send messages on your behalf, without you knowing. Now, Facebook probably wouldn't send anything or take a picture without you knowing, but they can still see everything you might not want them to see. 

Facebook, smartphones, technology, and a whole lot of other potential privacy invaders are very useful to public relations professionals, but at what cost does using them on-the-go come to you? Right now there doesn't seem to be any way besides totally disconnecting, which many people can't do, so I believe that more people have to become aware of this issue and start protesting this invasion of million's of people's privacy. 

Here's a link to the full article: http://thebull.cbslocal.com/2014/08/07/facebook-crosses-the-line-with-new-facebook-messenger-app/ 

What do you think about smartphone use? We'd love to hear from you!

Why Going Abroad is Important for Aspiring Public Relations Professionals

Today is my last day abroad of the summer, and I'm writing this post from Berlin, Germany! I've spent this summer interning abroad in Barcelona, Spain, and also had the chance to visit the south of France, the Netherlands, and Germany. This summer, along with the summer I spent 2 years ago in London, Paris, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, has shown me how important it is for aspiring PR professionals, like myself, to experience the world beyond the United States. This summer has gone by far too fast for me, but before I (gratefully) return home, I wanted to share why going abroad is so important.

1. Living, studying, or interning abroad will undoubtedly teach you things about a culture you could never understand just by looking at it. Learning about the rest of the world through class and study is well and good, but cultural immersion is the only real way to experience it.

2. Our world is becoming ever more connected, which means that at some point, you'll probably be dealing with a foreign company or public. When you do deal with this foreign entity, knowing the culture can be vital to accurately forging a connection with them. For example, spend a week in Spain and you'll realize that between 2-4 pm is never a good time to do business, because everyone is on siesta, either getting lunch or napping. But, if you'd never been to Spain, you wouldn't know this, and your business efforts could go to waste.

3. An often-overlooked component of inter-cultural relations is food; and who doesn't love food? Well, if your're from Spain, you probably before some sort of Iberian ham, or some seafood. If you're German, on the other hand, you're likely to go for some sort of curry sausage dish, or some delicious brattwurst. And if you're from France, then a crepe or some crackers and cheese might be your preference. When interacting with people from a different country, serving the wrong food or going to the wrong restaurant can ruin the relationship from the start.

If you ever get a chance, even a glimmer of a chance to go somewhere abroad, then take it! Even if you're just going on vacation, go somewhere different, and take the time to feel out the culture. My professor once said that as soon as you arrive in a new city or country, take a minute to think about what your smelling. What you smell when you arrive will be the unique smell to that place, and if you don't acknowledge it immediately, you'll stop noticing it after a little while. So, all I'm saying is to get out of your bubble, your comfort zone, and go somewhere new. First time I stayed in a cheap European hostel, I hated it, but give it a chance, and it'll grow on you, just like whatever foreign destination you choose will grow on you.

Is Snapchat the Next Social Media Platform?

When you think about social media nowadays, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram probably come to mind first and foremost. And you wouldn't be wrong, these 3 giants have dominated the world of social media for the last few years. But, as technology and trends evolve, we must consider new and different forms of reaching our publics.

For the last year and a half, a picture messaging app called Snapchat has taken college-age students and younger by storm, becoming one of the most popular apps in mere months. Snapchat allows you to send a picture and just a few words to your friends, for a maximum of 10 seconds before it disappears. You can also do the same with videos; and recently Snapchat introduced 'Stories', their version of a news feed. Stories allows a user to post a picture, video, or series of both for all their friends to view for 24 hours. It's this news feed-esque function that makes Snapchat viable as a social media platform.

Yesterday, during the World Cup final between Argentina and Germany, and in the hours leading up to it, Snapchat surprised everyone by adding a story called Rio Live to every user's story page. This Rio Live story was constantly updated throughout the day by the company, using curated user's images and videos from Brazil regarding the game. By watching this constantly updated story, people half the world away, like myself, were able to watch the game from the front row, or even from some of the players' perspectives. Watching the end of the game from so many unique perspectives was so much better than just watching it on TV, and this capability shows how Snapchat stories can be used.

Snapchat stories, and even just sending out mass snapchats to people, are a sure way to get recognized. Even receiving a snapchat from someone you don't know, most people are going to open it, simply because they believe it will be gone after a few seconds. This can become a great way to tell college age demographics about products, services, or a way for trends to get started. Snapchat used to just consist of a picture and some words, but now the trend is towards Instagram-style pictures, with filters, emoticons, drawings, and different fonts. Snapchats are becoming more complex, people have even made movies out of them, showing the potential for even more uses.

This is the Snapchat logo, named Ghostface Chillah. 

What are your thoughts about Snapchat or other emerging social media platforms?

It's Time to Start Reading the Terms of Service...Especially for Facebook

Earlier this week, a study was published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in which researchers had manipulated Facebook user's news feeds in order to test for a phenomenon called 'emotional contagion'. Back in January 2012, for one week, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and Cornell University, paired with the Facebook data team to manipulate the news feeds of nearly 700,000 users. Using a computer algorithm, users were selected randomly, and then their news feeds were populated with more positive posts, or more negative posts. According to the study, users with more positive posts all over the news feeds posted more positively themselves, while the opposite was true for users with more negative posts. However, not a single Facebook user was told in advance, or even afterwards about their 'participation' in this study; so if you were feeling more happy or more depressed for a week in January of 2012, then this is probably why.

The real punchline to this story is that according to Facebook, everything they did complied with the terms of service and privacy policy that every user agrees to before creating a Facebook account. I think it's safe to say that the grand majority of people don't read those very long documents, myself included. If it really is true that Facebook's policies allow for user's data to be manipulated and studied in this way without their knowledge or consent, then it's time to at least start actually reading every terms of service you agree to, no matter how long. That's at the least, on the other end of the spectrum, many people are quitting Facebook and advocating for a general boycott of the social media giant.

Social media, and especially Facebook, have become essential parts of the lives of so many people, especially younger generations in college and high school. Having been a Facebook user myself for over 5 years, I can hardly imagine how I'd ever stay in contact with people without it. But, no matter how essential social media platforms force themselves to become in our lives, we have to remember that not too long ago, people got along just fine without them. In fact, whether or not you continue using Facebook and other sites, it's relaxing to get away from it once in awhile; go eat a meal by yourself and enjoy the scenery, or just spend the day with friends, face-to-face and without your phones. Social media is very important, especially for people in the field of public relations, but everyone needs a break from it once in awhile, just don't be afraid to take that break.

What do you think about Facebook's use of user's data? We'd love to hear from you!

Studying Abroad in Public Relations

Today, I landed in Barcelona, Spain, to kick-off a summer of interning in international public relations. Obviously, being in a different country on a different continent from what I’m used to, things here are a bit weird to me. But, you have to understand that our world is a big place, and people are raised in totally different cultures.

Here in Spain, and Barcelona especially, time runs slower; the work day is shorter and work is done at a slower pace. Coming from the United States, this is quite alien to me, because I’m used to work having set deadlines and full 8 hour work days. Here, I already know I’m only working 5 hours a day at the most. Just because something is different from what you are familiar with doesn’t make it bad or wrong, it just makes it different. Our world history has a trend towards blindly rejecting that which is unknown or different, but it’s our differences that make us unique and interesting.

Public relations is about relating to people, and knowing the differences in different cultures can be the key to successful communication. Traveling, studying, and working abroad are key for public relations practitioners, because it will give them a sense of what makes up our world. Rejecting the unknown is no longer an option, so to successfully communicate with the people of our world we must travel and understand them. 

As I spend more time in Barcelona, I will blog more about my experience here.

Do you have any tips or suggestions about working abroad in public relations? We'd love to hear from you.

What's an Informational Interview?

Before I became a college student, I’d never heard of an informational interview. A normal job interview, of course, but never with the word ‘informational’ ahead of it. In fact, it wasn’t until the beginning of my sophomore year that I heard about informational interviews, and immediately I thought about how helpful they can be to an aspiring public relations student. However, it seems that many people don’t realize just what a few good informational interviews can do for them.

First off, the best thing about an informational interview is that you can go on as many as you can get, and you can go on them even if you’re already working an internship. Informational interviews are an easy way to learn about different industries within PR from an insider, who’s willing to help you as much as possible. I’ve been on 4 informational interviews in the last few months, all with people in different PR industries, and they’ve helped me decide just what I want to do with PR. Beyond that, I’ve made lifelong connections with people I know I can always go to for help.

Informational interviews aren’t just good for students, those people who do the interviews have an ulterior, albeit benevolent, motive. Going on informational interviews with students allows PR professionals to meet and get to know the people that in a few months or so, they may be considering for an internship or job. Informational interviews are like a more intense version of networking, and if you can make a good impression, you may be surprised what comes your way down the road. The key is to make a good impression, ask lots of questions and take notes, and then follow up and keep in touch every month or so.

                So, anytime you get the chance, reach out and get an informational interview. And if you have any tips on informational interviews, we’d love to hear from you!

What Game of Thrones Can Teach Us About Transparency

Warning: If you plan to watch the HBO show Game of Thrones, this does contain spoilers. 

​In the very first episode of HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones, we learn that the queen of Westeros, Cersei Lannister, has been involved in an incestuous relationship with her brother Jaime since before she was married to the king, Robert Baratheon. Unbeknownst to everyone but Cersei and Jaime, Cersei and Robert’s children are actually Jaime’s children, with no relation to King Robert at all, making the 3 kids 100% Lannister, and in no way related to the throne of Westeros. King Robert Baratheon dies under suspicious circumstances only a few episodes later, making Cersei’s oldest child, Joffrey, the new king. However, Robert Baratheon’s friend and advisor Ned Stark soon learns the truth about Cersei’s children, that they are not Baratheons and therefore not eligible for the throne.

       Right here is the main thing about public relations that Game of Thrones can teach us: to tell the truth and not try to cover up dirty secrets, because they’re going to come to light anyway. Ned Stark confronts Cersei about her children’s illegitimacy in private, and she uses her brother to have him imprisoned, and then her son has him beheaded. However, despite Cersei’s rather extreme reaction and attempted cover-up, Ned Start had already sent letters containing the truth to many different lords and ladies across the world.

​Take any class about public relations, or just ask most people, and you’ll realize that public relations practitioners, and the industry as a whole, are often perceived as masters of some dark art of manipulation, wherein the truth is never what you think it is. While this may have been somewhat true in the days of PT Barnum, nowadays, regardless of what you may want, the truth has to be clear and visible to all, no matter how dirty it is. In this modern age of technology, it’s nigh impossible to sweep something under the rug forever, and being caught trying to hide something will always make the situation worse. It’s always better to get out ahead of an ugly truth, by being upfront with it as soon as it is relevant.

       Spend 5 minutes with Game of Thrones, and you’ll realizethat one hallmark of the show is its intricate webs of internecine politics and relationships. Despite its complexity, Game of Thrones can teach us many practical, real life skills, especially about public relations.

       If you’re a fan of the show, what are some PR skills that you’ve seen in Game of Thrones? We’d love to hear from you!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Faiz Mandviwalla.

 

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Vacationing in Pakistan

Terrorists. Drone strikes. Al-Qaida. These are some of things that may come to mind when you hear the name Pakistan, but what about food, scenery, and ancient ruins? My family is from Pakistan and I’ve been there to visit almost every year. The first thing I can tell you is that you’ll never find better food anywhere in the world. Pakistan, and the people of Pakistan, is so much more than what the world thinks of them as; there aren’t terrorists or extremists hiding around every corner in Pakistan. Instead you’ll find people in need of help.

Ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States of America, Pakistan has been the recipient of millions of dollars of US aid, meant to further the fight against militants and terrorists. Meanwhile, Pakistan has been trying to revitalize its own economy through tourism in order to help its struggling people. Pakistan should put the money towards helping the people, and creating a better name for itself worldwide. Nobody I know has ever wanted to go on vacation in Pakistan because it’s viewed as unsafe; that’s the attitude that the Pakistani government needs to be working to change.

To bring in more tourists and create more money for the economy, Pakistan needs to show people everywhere that it’s safe to visit the country. Pakistan’s Swat Valley used to be a premier vacation area because of its amazing scenery, but now it’s a nearly desolate, former battleground. 

The government needs to convince media and tourism agencies to promote Pakistan as a tourist destination again. Pakistan also needs to get off the USA’s travel warning list. The country needs to put itself into TV ads, onto more travel sites and offer deals and packages as incentive for people to visit. Once locals start returning, Pakistan can show the rest of the world that it’s safe to visit. 

There are plenty of people who want to see what Pakistan is like because it’s so different from the USA. People want to sample the amazing food, or explore the huge excavation sites of ancient ruins. Whatever your interest, there’s something waiting for you to discover in Pakistan.  They just need to brand themselves a little better in order to get you there.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Faiz Mandviwalla.