The Blackest of Friday's

I absolutely love this time of the year. Everyone in college is coming home for the holidays, home cooked food is appreciated more than ever, and everyone is more than happy for the end of the fall semester of school. Another moment that adds to the holiday cheer is marked down on every shopper’s calendar and that special event is Black Friday.

Every year, my dad receives around fifty circulars about all the sales and deals around the area where people get up at 4am to be the first ones in the door for the latest game systems or movies. The circulars never stayed on my kitchen table for that long because in all of my twenty years, I had never been out on Black Friday. This year I went full circle with Black Friday. I shopped and worked on this monumental day.

I volunteered to work at my job the Apple Store on Black Friday. I felt it was the least I could do since my managers needed the extra help. I lucked out and only had to close the store from five o’clock to ten at night, but still in Atlantic City, the shopping never ceased until the late hours of the night. Every iPod color of the rainbow (literally) were being sold throughout the store and all the visual displays had been changed to match the holiday cheer.

The experience of working Black Friday was nothing like getting up to shop. My friend Nicole goes out every single year and I decided that since I was going out, I might as well go with an expert.

I woke up at 3:45 a.m. and was out the door by 4:15 a.m. Of course we stopped by a WaWa, bought coffee, and headed down to our local Target by 5 a.m. The wait to get in the store wasn't bad at all. I enjoyed listening to the hot items people wanted to hurry and buy (The Wii Fit and Guitar Hero World Tour was the top of people’s lists). As the doors opened I became lost into the electronics section and consumed in movies priced for five dollars. Six hours later I finally returned home with a movie, a new digital camera, and new clothes for the holidays.

It was quite the learning experience working and shopping on Black Friday and I’m glad that it only happens once a year. I would never make waking up at 3:45am a habit.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations firm staff member, Jade Barnes.

Don't eat too much!

Everyone at PRowl Public Relations would like to say...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eat, laugh and enjoy!

Guerilla Marketing

Fellow board member, Jessica Lawlor, sent an e-mail out to PRowl Public Relations' board of directors yesterday, with a link to this article.

Burger King is having people "drop their wallets" around in some major U.S. cities. In the wallet, it advises the good Samaritan to keep the wallet, and hopefully it will make them go to a Burger King in the area. Reports are also saying that some of the wallets have actual cash in them ($1 - $100) and Burger King gift cards.

Check the article out, it's pretty neat!

Happy holidays!

It's That Time of the Semester .. Again!

The end of a semester always brings lots of stressful things. Finals, papers, projects, the list goes on and on! Along with all of that good stuff, the end of a semester means client evaluations for PRowl Public Relations. There is some good news though - they don't have to be that bad! Here are a few of my tips to get through evaluations quickly and painlessly.

• I like to ask myself one simple question: What did we do, and how much? This means thinking of all the things that the account I'm with has done, and how much of we did. For example: What did we do? Handed out fliers in LOVE Park. How many did we hand out? We handed out 300.
• This question is so important because everything in an evaluation needs to be quantified. It's best to keep track of things like this during the semester, because then you won't have to scramble for numbers later on!
• Include any clips from the campaign, as well as links to the information that is posted online.
• Really think of things that can be done in the future and include them. Do you want to stay with this certain client? Give them a reason to want you back!

These are just some of the tips I've picked up over my time in PRowl. Hope they help!

Event Planning Tips for the Holiday Season

Event planning is a large and exciting part of public relations, especially around the holidays. Planning events with “seasonality” is important to PR professionals and their clients. If a company wants to have a holiday special, or Christmas Gala to raise money for children in shelters, seasonality is important for events.

During the holidays, many people will be planning and hosting holiday dinners and parties of their own, turning into PR professionals for their event. Here are some great PR tips for planning your very own holiday event this season.

Pay attention to competition. Do you have other friends or neighbors that are throwing a holiday event on the same day you are? Would your guests have to choose between which party to go to? Look into this simple detail to avoid having half your guests attending some else’s party and putting guests in an awkward position. Find a date that would cater to your guest list’s availability.

R.S.V.P. Make sure your invitations have an R.S.V.P. on them. Knowing how many people will be in attendance ahead of time will allow for a smoother party, with plenty food and space for everyone.

Creativity. Why not have a theme party? Being creative with the event in terms of theme, décor, food and entertainment can make all of the difference. You want people to remember your party as a great time and a party incomparable to others. Try having a Mr. and Mrs. Claus themed party or having a cranberry sauce sculpture of Santa Claus. Have enough creative entertainment to keep your guests well entertained. Having a small scavenger hunt for a prize can create great memories. Be creative, yet classy, and don’t do anything disrespectful towards your guests' religions.

Venue. Location, location, location. Where are you holding you event? In your home or in a hall of some sort? Make sure wherever you are having your party, the venue is appropriate for the type of party you are having. If you anticipate 30 guests, don’t have your party in a large venue because it will seem empty, this would be better as an at-home event. Is the venue decorated to give off the ambiance you are trying to achieve? If you are having a ‘Winter Wonderland’ theme, then make sure the venue appears to be white with snow and has a classic look.

These are just a few characteristics that I will be looking for when attending events and parties this season. I am looking for a Thanksgiving feast, and a Christmas party with unforgettable memories and holiday cheer! Pay attention to these elements and you’re on your way to a having a great holiday party.

So, what is the fate of your party, holiday joy or a holiday destroyed?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations firm staff member, Olivia Ragni.

How To Start Your Own PR Firm

For most PR practitioners, starting a firm is usually in the back of your mind as an ultimate, long-term goal. If this is one of your goals, then you’re in luck! Starting a firm costs much less than starting any other business because you’re charging for your services and you can work from home. After speaking with a professor who has successfully started his own firm almost a year ago I gained even more insight into the process.

The hours that you will put in to begin your firm will certainly be long at first, upwards of fifty hours a week, and you will probably be the sole employee working on projects in order to keep costs down. However, you will start a firm because PR is something that you love, and working towards building your own business will make the hours completely worth it!

To begin you must develop a business plan and find clients. A lot of research must be done to develop your business plan correctly. To be sure that you don’t miss a step it may be wise to employ the knowledge of entrepreneurial programs at local business schools to help you iron out the details of your plan. Our guest speaker at a Temple PRSSA meeting who began a very successful firm in Philadelphia some twenty years ago employed the help of the Wharton business school when developing her plan.

Finding clients may be a little harder than developing your business plan, however. My professor scouted for clients through networking as well as doing ‘drop-ins’. If he felt a certain person or business could benefit from his services he would make himself known to them and leave all of his contact information with them. This process for him resulted in two lasting clients. If you’re leaving a firm to work for yourself, however, be sure not to contract any clients who may not be free to work with you because of legal agreements with your previous employer. The quickest way to ruin your chance at starting your own firm is to show that you’re not ethical!

The best thing about starting a firm is the opportunity to work from home if you wish. You will only have a few bare necessities to begin working. Access to the internet, a reliable computer and printer, phone line and fax line are the essentials, as well as a subscription to a website where you can access media information, like Cision Media Database. Investing in a letterhead, business cards and a website are also very helpful in marketing your new firm with a professional edge.

It is important to have a decent working knowledge of the internet, search engines, and various upcoming social media sights like blogs, Linked-In, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. If they aren’t already, these will soon be important parts of both public relations and marketing campaigns, and cannot be overlooked by small firms as a quick and easy way to reach countless numbers of people.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations firm staff member, Brianna Fisher.

Blogging Live!

Speaking of celebrating the holidays, I'm blogging live from PRowl Public Relations' Thanksgiving dinner party!

We are having a pot-luck dinner, where the members each brought a dish to my house to celebrate!

Thanks to all the members of PRowl Public Relations who make the firm possible!

Don't forget to celebrate!

The holidays are fast approaching and along with the rush of getting ready, we can all be extremely busy. But don't forget to take some time to relax and enjoy yourself!

Plan a holiday party with your peers, friends and co-workers! It will be nice to socialize without the anxiety of the work place and the mayhem of e-mails or deadlines. Getting to know each other is always fun and interesting.

Tomorrow PRowl Public Relations is having a holiday party! Its going to be a pot-luck, so everyone will bring something and we can all sit at the dinner table, enjoying each others company, without the board room feel. We've all been working really hard this semester and we deserve a break, but so do you! So get started and plan a party or event! But don't stress over it, it can be as casual or as formal as you would like. Just remember to have fun!

Any fun party or events you might be planning for the upcoming holiday season? We'd love to hear about them!

PRSSA Guest Speaker

At yesterday's PRSSA meeting Tina Breslow, of Breslow Partners, came and spoke to our group. She talked about being a single mom in the 1970s, and how she broke out of the stereotypical housewife role and broke into the PR scene. She has witnessed many economical recessions, but none have been as bad as this. Here are some tips she gave us, so we can be successful and find jobs after we graduate, no matter what the economy looks like:

• INTERNSHIPS! It seems like everyone is saying this, but it's true. When you go in for your first job interview and you don't have any experience, that's not a good thing. When you send someone your resume and it doesn't show experience, you might not even be asked to come in for an interview.
• Personalize. When you're sending a cover letter and resume to someone, know what they're like. Know what they do. If something isn't personalized, they might not look at it. Send your information directly to the person that you want to see it.
  
• Specialization. It's good to focus on one area of PR, but not yet! Save that for when you're older. Now is the time to experiment and get your feet wet in all different kinds of PR. It looks good on you resume and shows that you're familiar with most everything. When you're jumping from internship to internship, don't stick with the same area. Try an agency, then non-profit, then corporate, etc.

Here are some other tips she gave us about PR in general:

• The press release is almost dead. Now it's all about pitching the media. Sell them the idea, but keep it short and simple. Nobody is going to read a long e-mail about what you have to say. A paragraph or two of copy will do just fine.
  
• The fax machine isn't dead. Tina Breslow uses it a lot, especially when pitching news stations.
• Personalize it. This doesn't just go for finding an employer, it goes for pitching the media too.
  

Does anyone else have something to add or comment on?

PR Majors are Getting Jobs!

The more I think about getting a job after graduation, the more nervous I get. With the economy in shambles and people from all different kinds of companies getting laid off or fired, it's not looking good. However, last night I was reading the November 2008 issue of Public Relations Tactics (published by PRSA) and an article quickly caught my eye.

"Survey: PR students have highest level of employment among journalism and communications graduates" (Amy Jacques)

After seeing that title, I had to read on! Here are the things that I learned from article:

1. The results came from an annual survey called "Annual Survey of Journalism & Mass Communication Graduates" that was done by the University of Georgia.

2. The participants were 2, 271 spring grads from 83 universities around the county!

3. 63.3 percent of bachelor's degree grads had jobs by October 31, 2007.

4. PR students had the highest level of full-time employment in 2007!

5. 45 percent of the survey participants said they were in professional organizations like PRSSA, SPJ and Ad Club.

This really boosted my spirits, and made me realize even more what a good idea it is to be involved in professional organizations. So keep your heads up PR majors, things aren't as bad as they seem!

Obama Must Say Goodbye To His Blackberry

Come Inauguration Day, Obama must surrender his Blackberry.

The NY Times states: "In addition to concerns about e-mail security, he faces the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record and ultimately up for public review, and the threat of subpoenas. A decision has not been made on whether he could become the first e-mailing president, but aides said that seemed doubtful."

This concept is so strange to me. I never knew that presidents were not allowed to carry cell phones or use email. It seems like once you become president, you re-enter the stone age. Personally, I don't think I would be able to cope.

Could you?

Scholarships for PRSSA Members

The current financial crisis hit its peak late September causing many big-time loaners to cut back or stop issuing student loans. I read an article by Christina Rexrode called “Student Loans Still Out There, but Leaner.” She explains that federal loaners are dropping out of the market or making their standards tighter for students who are seeking federal loans for school.

During these tough times money doesn’t come easy, but there are a variety of scholarships that PRSSA offers to their student members. Located on PRSSA’s website, http://www.prssa.org, under the section, Member Scholarships and Rewards, there are over 15 different scholarships. They range from scholarships rewarded to PRSSA members who have excelled in school and during an internship or even for members who submit an essay displaying that they thoroughly understand the importance of ethical conduct in the Public Relations profession. These scholarships offer monetary rewards which range from $500-$2500. Below are some of the scholarships that are offered by PRSSA and their descriptions from the PRSSA website.

Gary Yoshimura Scholarship: Monetary Reward: $2,400

This scholarship is opened to all PRSSA members, who must display financial need to further their education in the Public Relations field. This scholarship has been created and dedicated in memory of Gary Yoshimura, who was a leading professional in the Public Relations industry. You are required to be a PRSSA member, must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA based on a 4.0 grading scale, must submit an official transcript, a letter of recommendation from an internship supervisor or an academic advisor, write a 1,000 word essay describing a personal challenge that you have faced and how you have overcome it and a complete statement of intent and financial need section.

National Gold Key Award: The National Gold Key award was created in 1983 to acknowledge PRSSA members that have displayed outstanding leadership within the Public Relations community. It is the highest honor bestowed upon members of PRSSA. Qualifications for this reward are as follows, the applicant must have been a member of PRSSA for at least two years, be a senior or attending graduate school, have a GPA of at least 3.4 in their major, include an academic transcript, have had a PRSSA leadership position at a chapter or at the national level, have completed a professional internship, affirm their intention of becoming a member of PRSA within a year of graduation.

For more information on the scholarships that are offered by PRSSA visit: http://www.prssa.org/resources/award-GoldKey.asp

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

Christmas Before Halloween?

When I took a trip to my local Target in early October looking to pick up some Halloween decorations for my apartment, I was thrown off guard with the abundance of Christmas décor! The Halloween section was minuscule, compared to the prevalent display of Christmas decorations on sale.

This display was quite puzzling; I thought we still had Halloween and Thanksgiving to tackle? Turns out, I was the only one thinking that way. I saw tons of middle-aged women ruffling through the Christmas decorations eager to benefit from the bargain!

The Halloween section stood alone, looking pretty dreary compared to the Santa in his sleigh and the array of reindeer's and lights.

It frightens me that the downfall of our economy has caused an early Christmas shopping uproar. The United States is already known for moving too fast and losing sight of the present. With the discounts and plethora of Christmas décor in early October, it makes one forget the occasions that fall before Christmas. Halloween and Thanksgiving can be just as fulfilling, and should not be forgotten.

I understand that our economy is experiencing some turmoil. So when Christmas does come around, one might consider not spending as much as you usually would. However, let’s get through eating the turkey, before we hit the malls!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations firm staff member, Samantha Sultzer.

All Is Not Well in Detroit

So, I know everyone has heard about the next phase of the economic crisis: Detroit's "Big Three" (General Motors, Ford and Chrysler) are rapidly losing money and teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.

Coincidentally, I was in Detroit from Oct 23-26 for the PRSSA National Conference, located at General Motors' headquarters, "The RenCen." As I dined with directors from GM, the lead sponsor of the conference, I would never have known all was not well. The building was buzzing, the employees were happy, and salespeople were doing "ride and drives" (test driving their upcoming vehicles) with all the conference attendees.

While I was in my island of a conference, I secluded myself from outside news. When I returned back to Philadelphia I realized I had just left the middle of the storm and had not even known it.

GM may be out of money by the end of the year and have to declare bankruptcy. They will not look at that as an option though, as they are continually trying to rally support in Washington for the next set of government aid to come their way.

But what do you think? Should the US government bailout the American auto industry or should we let our free market, capitalist economy play out?

Client Update!

Uhma had another photo shoot in downtown Wilmington, DE, and I was lucky enough to help out again! I would have blogged about it sooner, but I wanted to wait until Erik (CEO of Uhma) got the pictures back. And… the pictures look great!

Here is a sneek peak! Enjoy!

P.S.
This is PRowl Public Relations' 250th blog post!

PRSSA Guest Speaker

At yesterday's PRSSA meeting, Rick Alcantara, of Tara Communications, spoke to our group. He focused on "things I wish I knew when I was in college."

Here are some pointers he gave us:

• Internships, plural. Even if you can't get college credit for all of them, it's good to have the experience. It looks good on your resume.
• Get involved in student groups like PRSSA.
  
• You can also go to PRSA meetings in your area. In Philadelphia, PRSA holds monthly meetings, and students are allowed to attend.
• If you're a member of PRSSA, you get a discounted membership rate in PRSA during your senior year and when you graduate.

• Get a mentor, like a person already working in the field you're interested in, or one of your professors.
• Take some business classes. Instead of taking easy classes that get you to graduation, familiarize yourself with introduction classes in accounting, economics, marketing, finance, etc.

Do you have any other ideas to get a jump start while you're in college?

Client Update: The Rebecca Davis Dance Company!

With the performance just over a month away, our account is getting very excited! We sent information to Rowan about the performance so they could announce it at their Darfur Day. Now, we are working on sending press releases and media alerts to media in Fair Lawn, N.J. We will be meeting with RDDC next Wednesday night to go over upcoming actions and performance details.

Check out RDDC's Facebook or MySpace to see some new pictures!

Facebook Link - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=524463676&ref=ts

MySpace Link - http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=26220751

Why Collaboration Works

Sometimes sitting down to write a press release or a pitch letter is the toughest part of the process.

Last week, I needed to write a pitch letter for our client Dutch Umbrella, and was having trouble getting started. Another account member, Olivia happened to be present, and we decided to write the pitch together.

I've never physically sat down with another person to write something, and found that this was actually a really great experience. I thought that it might be difficult, but found that it made the entire process much simpler.

Olivia and I were able to bounce ideas off of each other, and just get something on the page, and then edit based off of what we had written. Some of the things we thought of were silly, but in the beginning of the writing process, ideas are more important than perfect wording and grammar. In the end, we came out with a fun and creative pitch that we both really liked.

I would definitely suggest this to anyone having trouble writing...sometimes another person's opinions or style can really help to get the ball rolling.

Public Relations + Advertising=The Perfect Way to “Fluff” Up A Campaign

Sometimes a plain peanut butter sandwich is the perfect snack to satisfy any consumer (who does not have any peanut allergies, of course). However, sometimes peanut butter is not enough, and it requires something more, something special to get the job done. Those who are silly reach for grape jelly, those who know how to eat reach for the marshmallow fluff. Metaphors aside, different situations require different promotional strategies. Although public relations can certainly be the sole form of promotion, certain situations might require help; this is where advertising can lend a hand.

The definitions of public relations and advertising are very different, but in terms of promotion their goals are quite the same. Both fields strive towards a similar outcome but do so in different ways, and this is exactly how an arm in advertising can be beneficial.

For example, an event is being thrown for Product A, and the event needs to be promoted. A public relations professional can certainly reach an audience through press releases and media pitches, but a campaign can be strengthened if an advertisement is created to air a week before the event on television. Even in terms of consumers – what happens when a consumer is impossible to reach with free media? This consumer can easily be reached by advertising efforts.

When used together like peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, public relations and advertising can be the perfect solution to spread the word.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations firm staff member, Keith Flanagan.

First Friday A Success!

Last night, members of PRowl Public Relations participated in a night of active outreach for our client, Dutch Umbrella. We dressed in rain-gear and handed out bookmarks with cocktail umbrellas attached to the people who attended First Friday in Old City.

We talked to a lot of people about the Dutch Umbrella brand, and spread the word about all of Dutch Umbrella's different locations. The reaction was quite positive, and we were able to raise awareness to over 200 people about the company.

For more pictures, click here to check out our Facebook Page.

First Friday

If you are near Philadelphia tonight, you should head to Old City for First Friday from 5-9. PRowl Public Relations will be there doing some active outreach and guerilla marketing for our client, Dutch Umbrella.

It should be interesting and a fun time, so come check it out!

Pictures to be posted this weekend!

This Time... Bad News for Philly

News on the national level has been priority lately, with the presidential election and what not, rightfully so. But we can’t ignore the issues just down the street, in our city of Philadelphia. The celebration of the Phillies may very well just be winding down, while celebrations of the country’s new president only begin. Yet, Mayor Michael Nutter is busy tending to serious issues that can’t be put off any longer. In a ten minute televised announcement on 6ABC this afternoon, Mayor Nutter addressed the city’s not so secret budget problems. After all, the city had to ask sponsors to foot the Phillies’ parade bill. The city and Mayor Nutter have little options in trying to close the $1 billion gap in the city’s five year budget. But it isn’t just Philadelphia hurting, job cuts and layoffs are becoming trends in other major cities as well. Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced his fair share of bad news in New York City yesterday, as well.

Check out the Philly.com article highlighting the issues further.

Obama+Social Media= The Future

Our next President Barack Obama has at least one thing in common with the readers of this blog. He engages in social media.

Li Evans wrote an excellent post on her blog yesterday about Obama's use of social media throughout his campaign.

A few of the things she mentioned were his use of text messages (which really resonates with the college audience) his blog, and his use of Twitter.

What does this mean for the future? Are more and more regular people going to engage in social media? Are they already engaging in it, without even realizing it?

What do you think?

And The Winner Is...

Democrat Barack Obama is president elect for 2009. If you didn't know that already, you probably live under a rock. Congratulations to Mr. Obama and his family!

Barack Obama won 338 electoral votes, beating Sen. John McCain's 163. The Democrats also lead the House of Representatives 251 - 173, and the Senate 56 - 40.

Complete election coverage can be found at: CNN and MSNBC.

Chase Does it Again

Friday was an amazing day in Philadelphia. More than a million people turned out to watch the Phils roll down Broad Street, basking in their 2008 World Series glory. The parade atmosphere was much calmer than the atmosphere after the win on Wednesday, and many younger children were in attendance in addition to the adult crowd.

When the parade finally made it to the stadium, and all players, coaches, announcers, etc. made it to the stage, it was time for speeches. The crowd got to hear Harry Kalas, Shane Victorino, Brad Lidge, Brett Myers, and of course, Chase Utley. Chase Utley is always a crowd favorite, especially today. As he was giving his speech in front of thousands of people at the stadium, and thousands more watching at home, he gave a remark that no one will ever forget.

"World Champions. World F*ing Champions!"

After those words left his lips, the crowd roared and jumped to their feet in excitement. Everyone on stage laughed in astonishment, and cheered on their superstar. The quotes I've read in papers that parents have given about Utley's choice of words haven't been negative. I've read that people knew he was excited about the big win, and that they explained to their children not to use that sort of language.

What do you think? Did he cross the line by saying those words when he knew he was on live TV and in front of families? Or is it okay because he has the right to say whatever he wants to? Let us know!

Don't Forget to Do Your Civic Duty!

It's ELECTION Day! Don't forget to exercise your right as a citizen of the United States and VOTE!

Craig Kaplan

Today, my Intro to PR class was lucky enough to hear Craig Kaplan of All Star Promotion speak.

All Star Promotion is described as, "We are a marketing, branding, and management agency based in the Philadelphia region. Whether you're a small business, a national or regional account, or a multi-million- dollar-a-year professional athlete, All Star Promotion has an action plan for you."

Craig Kaplan got his start in the advertising industry which he believes has given him a different perspective on public relations. He worked for Comcast, which helped lead him into his current job in sports marketing.

Kaplan works with several Philadelphia athletes, one of his most notable clients being Jon Runyan of the Philadelphia Eagles. He works with his clients to help them gain exposure through working with different charities.

When he spoke to our class he stressed the importance of creating relationships, and following up with contacts.

"When I say I'm going to call someone at 2:00, I call them at 2:00," Kaplan said. "I also return every phone call or message I receive. Not many people do that."

Kaplan's best piece of advice to us as PR students is to truly be passionate about what we are doing. He said that loving your job is so important, and that if you really love your job, the money will come. He said that it isn't worth being miserable in a job for a little bit more money.

This got me thinking about all the different avenues PR has to offer. There are so many aspects of public relations, and sports marketing is just another avenue to consider!

Election Day

Just a reminder to everyone out there that tomorrow is ELECTION DAY. It's very important, so make sure you get out there and VOTE!

Have We Become Too Impatient?

Check out this interesting NY Times article about how impatient we have become, and what we expect from technology.

Fashion PR: Worth it, or not?

Watching the new Bravo TV reality show, The Rachel Zoe Project made me begin thinking about what fashion PR really entails. It has been glamorized as being an awesome career filled with perks and celebrity encounters, but I wonder if it is as fulfilling as it seems to rise to the top in fashion PR. Obviously not all PR jobs will have a huge humanitarian impact, but I just don’t know if all of the stress and non-stop work is worth it in the end. As a future PR practitioner I look forward to making at least a small difference in people’s lives, for the better, by working for a non-profit one day or taking on a pro-bono client that really needs the help of a publicist.

On the episode of The Rachel Zoe Project that made me question this popular and desirable facet of PR, Zoe, a Hollywood fashion stylist, had to go through the PR personnel of such designers as Oscar de la Renta and Zac Posen to get the exact dresses she wanted for her clients. Being in the industry, I realized just how many different avenues one can take in public relations. The PR person for Oscar de la Renta probably has a million different jobs, from planning glitzy events to helping with every last detail of a fashion show. The fashion and celebrity world is such a well oiled machine of fake perfection that is made possible by brilliant and creative publicists who are so completely behind the scenes that many people don’t even know what public relations actually means.

It’s really great that PR people have so many options in employment. Fashion may be a perfect field for some who really feel fulfilled to help an aspiring actor become a celebrity, while others thrive in the corporate environment helping a company develop a good rapport with the public. The opportunities seem endless!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations firm staff member, Brianna Fisher.

Celebrity Endorsements in Politics: Helpful or Hurtful?

As I browsed through PerezHilton.com today, I noticed another public service announcement from a bunch of A- and B-list celebrities. The basic purpose of it is to motivate those who are registered to vote.

A few days ago, I came across a picture (or an obvious photo-op) of two reality television stars wearing John McCain and Sarah Palin shirts. On a prior occasion, I noticed that another big name music star was sporting a Barack Obama t-shirt.

I can’t help but wonder if these endorsements by entertainers are helping or hurting the presidential candidates’ chances. Does Oprah Winfrey have more power to sway voters than Heidi Montag? It may depend on who you ask. But why should Heidi Montag or Oprah Winfrey have anything to do with people’s choices in the voting booth?

I believe the gesture is genuine. But what both parties need to realize, is that endorser correlates to the campaign. If that celebrity does something stupid or gets in some kind of trouble, it may reflect poorly on the candidate. It’s one thing to motivate people to vote. It’s another thing to endorse someone based on popularity.

Next time you see a celebrity wearing their political affiliation, think about it.

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