Facebook Hits the Big Screen with 'The Social Network'

With 500 million users in just six short years, Facebook has clearly become a global phenomenon. We rely on the social media site to not only connect with friends and family but to create and build brands and businesses by engaging everyday consumers. It is the birth of this incredible website that has sparked the creative minds of director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin to create The Social Network.

Based off of the book "The Accidental Billionaires" by Ben Mezrich, the new film set to debut October 1 follows the story of Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius, Mark Zuckerberg, and his creation of the biggest and most influential social media networking site. What begins in his dorm room as a jumbled project of blogging and programming soon evolves into a global sensation and revolution in the field of communication.

The movie follows Zuckerberg's journey to being the youngest billionaire in history within the short span of only six years. However, alongside his journey to fortune and fame we also witness the personal and legal complications of his creation, and as the film shows, "you don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies."

Check out the trailer of the upcoming film The Social Network and learn more about the movie by visiting the official website.



What do you think of the story of Facebook being turned into a feature film? We would love to hear your thoughts!

Customer Service: Good PR at the Ground Level

While visiting my hometown of Lancaster recently, my boyfriend and I observed an excellent example of PR at the ground level.

My boyfriend purchased a watch in April from the Fossil outlet. At the time, we were thrilled with the customer service we received, particularly because the employees removed links to custom fit the watch--in just minutes and for free! After that trip, we were both quick to recommend Fossil to our friends and family members.

Since then, we have made several other purchases from that store. Recently, though, the watch we originally purchased in April stopped working. Disappointed that the battery stopped working after only four months, we returned to the store on Monday. Without any hassle, or even needing to verify our purchase history, the employees at Fossil replaced the battery for free! The employees were very friendly, attentive and apologetic, and they made it very simple and quick to repair the watch.

It was so refreshing to see a company so thoroughly stand by its products and its customers. Thanks to the excellent customer service we received, we have developed a deep level of loyalty to Fossil. In fact, my boyfriend has said that he will never buy a watch any place else! In addition, you can be sure that our recommendations to friends and family will be even stronger after this experience; the company has succeeded in unofficially enlisting us as its very own buzz marketers!

What changes can you make at your company to generate loyalty and to positively represent your brand at the ground level?

Would You Book Airline Tickets on Facebook?

You may be planting imaginary crops or fighting imaginary mafias on Facebook, but did you know you can now buy airline tickets through Facebook? Real airline tickets, not imaginary ones.

On August 12, Delta Air Lines posted an update on their Facebook page that read: "Breaking news! We just launched Delta Ticket Window in Facebook. You can now search, book flights, and share them with friends without ever leaving this page!!" Facebook fans will find the new "Book a Trip" tab on the top of Delta's Facebook page.

Delta's status update received over 300 "likes" and 100 comments. The comments ranged from excitement to some early complaints about the new service. Either way, the Delta Ticket Window has at least gained the attention of many Facebook users.

The possibilities for what companies can do with their Facebook pages are growing by the day. Do you trust Facebook enough to use it for important real-life tasks, such as purchasing airline tickets?

Know Your Facebook Friends

I recently had five friends visit me at my vacation home and during the course of the week they tried to access their Facebook accounts from my laptop. I was rather shocked to see that of the five friends, three of them were denied access due to Facebook’s extreme security measures. Facebook has implemented a random security check if any user logs in from an unfamiliar computer and location. While this is an understandable security measure for a social media that is as widespread, easily accessible and highly influential as Facebook, it seemed slightly ridiculous that my friends could not check their messages because they could not identify friends that they had played middle school tennis with.

As a social media publicist, I am constantly reminded of the restrictions of Facebook and other social medias. The typical user is not looking to be bombarded by advertisements and marketing strategies, which admittedly happens often. This random check is tough for a robot to fake, but it is also irritating to those who are innocently subjected to identifying someone on the outer layer of their onion of networks. Upon failing the test, the user's Facebook account becomes inaccessible for at least an hour.

For those of you who are using Facebook for work or promotion BEWARE! It is more important than ever to remember that you are building relationships and not just increasing fans and friendships. Take the time to get to know your audience or you may lose Facebook as a marketing tool altogether.

PRowl Public Relations Fall 2010 Initiatives

With almost two weeks left until the fall semester, PRowl Public Relations' Board of Directors met last night to discuss different initiatives we'd like to focus on internally in the year ahead.

A few (but not all!) of them include:
-Relaunching our website
-Fundraising to help send members to the 2010 PRSSA National Conference in Washington, DC
-Creating a valuable evaluation system that allows members to gain professional feedback about their strengths as well as areas they should look to improve
-Developing our Facebook page to better engage current members and PRowl alumni
-Gathering client testimonials about their work with our student-run firm

We're looking forward to the year ahead. We have some great clients and new members that I can't wait to share with all of you! Stay tuned...

Managing Twitter On the Go!

The fast pace and flexibility of this field usually leaves us changing location at the drop of a hat between client meetings, press events and business trips. As Twitter is no longer a new frontier, thoroughness is key when managing a client's account. Missing a consumer @reply or direct message (DM) can do unbelievable damage in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, a bevy of Twitter applications have been developed to help make the monumental task of tracking @replies, followers, mentions and DMs a bit easier on the go.

Mashable.com has published a list of five new applications aimed monitoring Twitter via email. This is a great option for users who can't be chained to a desk all day (most of us!). These applications automatically send a notification to your email as soon as you receive an @reply, DM or mention allowing you to use your smartphone to keep track of who's chatting from any location. This feature also allows users to organize @replies into email folders making them easier to manage. Mashable named Twitstra as the best of these applications for its simplicity.

Check out the rest of the list in this Mashable.com article. Which is your favorite Twitter application?

Mastering "The Meal Interview"

I have heard several horror stories from fellow colleagues about their embarrassing experiences during 'meal interviews.' There are a million different ways these interviews can crash and burn-- talking with your mouth full, ordering the most expensive meal on the menu and overall poor table etiquette, just to name a few. All of these simple mistakes can easily ruin an interview by indicating a lack of professionalism and respect.

This summer I had the opportunity to experience my very first meal interview and I was determined to avoid the same mistakes my colleagues had made. In order to be prepared for the interview, I scoured the web for a guideline on acceptable and expected behavior and etiquette.

To make your next meal interview a success, here are a few great fundamental rules to guide you, thanks to Nathan Newberger at WorkTree.


1. Mind Your Manners:

• BE POLITE. In addition to evaluating your answers, the interviewer is also paying close attention to your personality. Being courteous and respectful and minding your "please" and "thank you's" will speak volumes about your character.
• BE AWARE. These are the basics or the building blocks of table etiquette. Keep your elbows off the table, chew with your mouth closed and avoid talking with your mouth full. Make sure you are aware of even the smallest actions.
• BE PREPARED. If you are like me, and unsure about rules on proper table manners, do your research like I did to learn great advice from etiquette experts.

2. The Dish Dilemma:

• KEEP IT QUIET. Avoid foods that are loud and noisy to eat. In an interview you want to be sure that you hear the questions that are being asked and are remaining attentive to what the interviewer is saying. You are already in a public setting, therefore do your best to avoid adding further noise and distraction.
• FOLLOW THE LEADER. This was one of the most important pieces of advice for me. If you are unsure if a menu item is priced too high or whether or not it is appropriate to order an appetizer first, make sure you wait to follow the interviewer's lead. Base your decisions off of the price range and number of courses that are being ordered by the person in charge.

3. Consume and Converse:

• YOU ARE IN CONTROL. This is a very common mistake that many people make during meal interviews. Do not feel so pressured to talk that you do not wind up eating at all. This can easily be interpreted as nervousness when you should be exuding confidence.
• ASK QUESTIONS. By coming prepared with questions to ask, it shows that you have done your homework on the company and allows you to learn more about the position you are interviewing for. It is also a great opportunity to eat while the interviewer is responding.

4. Finish with a Bang:

• DON'T OFFER TO PAY. It isn't expected of you, therefore don't do it.
• NEVER ASK FOR A TAKE-HOME. Even if your meal was delicious and you didn't have the chance to finish it, never ask to take the leftovers home. It is inappropriate for the current situation.
• GRACIOUS HANDSHAKE. Do not forget to thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. Be sure to be gracious and say that you enjoyed the meal. Follow this with a handshake and a follow up thank you letter in the morning.

With these great tips and tricks, you'll be sure to take a big bite of success out of your next meal interview!

Do you have any additional advice to add? Let us know!