T-Mobile's Brilliant Kampaign

Say what you want about the Kardashian clan, but you can't deny that T-Mobile's recent campaign featuring family front man Kim Kardashian West is ingenious. If you haven't seen the commercial just yet, take a moment to check it out now. If you have seen it, watch it again because it's hilarious.

What worked best is that instead of attempting to mold her into a new character, they used her just as she comes. Let's face it, she's not an actress and probably wouldn't have been able to pull off a campaign like Rob Lowe's recent string of DirectTV commercials. She's also been criticized before for having a flat, and almost unapproachable, affect which T-Mobile used  to their advantage. By having Kim poke fun at herself, she not only became approachable and relatable, but funny too!

T-Mobile has also taken this commercial a step farther by creating an entire social media campaign around it. You can now visit kimsdatastash.com to connect with her on social media, view a lesson in how to take the perfect selfie and share your shameless snaps with an entire online community using #KimsDataStash. And let's not forget the whole purpose of all this: to promote T-Mobile's new rollover data policy so that you can share all the selfies you want! Brilliant.

This post was written by Assistant Firm Director, Jordan Washington. Follow her on Twitter here.

Explaining PR to Uncle Joe

For no reason in particular I woke up this morning with graduation on the mind. Oddly enough, my only concern was how I was going to explain my major, and what I plan to make a career out of, to my family. It was difficult enough during the holidays and I would rather not repeat that spiel again come May 8th. So, I did the only logical thing I could come up with: turned to Google. I knew I couldn't be the only one with this problem and I was right. For those of you who may face this same issue, I've complied a few of the best explanations to help your family and friends understand exactly what we do.

• "Public relations (PR) is the use of communications to manage public perception of an individual or an organization." What Is

• "Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics." PRSA

• "A public relations specialist is an image shaper. Their job is to generate positive publicity for their client and enhance their reputation. The client can be a company, an individual or a government. " The Princeton Review

• "PR agencies and advertising agencies share the same goals:  promoting clients and making them seem as successful, honest, important, exciting or relevant as possible.  But the paths to creating awareness are vastly different. PR agencies, as opposed to advertising agencies, promote companies or individuals via editorial coverage." Forbes

• "It’s my job to talk to the public about my clients, and to help my clients listen to what the public is saying about them. My ultimate goal is to get positive attention for my clients, which may mean securing news stories, getting people to talk us up on social media, planning cool events, or anything else creative I can come up with." Talent Zoo

• “I help companies communicate with people – customers, employees, legislators. And with you! If you’ve read a story in a newspaper or on CNN.com on a new product, a PR pro shared that with the reporter and lined up the interviews. If you see a business leader delivering a speech, a PR pro probably wrote it. If you happen across a really cool event in Bryant Park, a PR pro likely played a major part in the idea behind it. We work with executives to figure out the smartest, most effective ways to engage with people, let them know what’s going on with the company, and get their thoughts and feedback.” Communications Catalyst

• "You make your clients look good by coordinating interviews and providing information about them to the media." Business Insider

Sure, most of these definitions are blunt or don't cover the full breadth of what we do, but for the purpose of having your relatives get a grasp of our industry, these should do just fine. We are taught to be concise after all!

Fake It Til You Make It

One of the newest trends when it comes to job hunting has been to create your own job. I don't necessarily mean become an entrepreneur and work for yourself, although that is also a viable option these days. It's come to my realization that most of the people I've spoken to about their own job search experience didn't find it on Indeed. Instead, they started with what they knew they wanted to do and found someone who was willing to let them do it. Sound a bit confusing? Well I promise it's much simpler than it sounds.

Typically, one would go on a site like Indeed, Monster, or even Craigslist to check out job openings in their field of work. However, the new trend (albeit a bit more risky and ambitious) allows young professionals to create their own positions. As opposed to simply applying to an open listing, people are doing the process "backwards" and starting with looking into companies or careers they love, whether they have announced a job opening or not.

Attempting to create a position for yourself doesn't go unnoticed; it shows real courage and confidence in yourself and what you have to bring to the company. Whether that leap of faith results in a job or not, you've just created a new network. Someone else in the industry now knows who you are and although they may not have a position to offer you at the time, it's always possible that they know someone who does. This generation is betting on themselves and selling their skills to their dream companies...and it seems to be working pretty well.

This new approach is actually pretty similar to what it was like applying to colleges. We were taught there were safe, match, and reach schools. Safe meant that you are over-qualified and guaranteed to get in, match schools are universities where your skills correspond to their qualifications, and reach schools are where your credentials fall just below their qualifications but you try your best regardless. Why can't applying to jobs be treated the same way? Reach for your dream job. The very worst that could happen is that they say no, but the very best could open up doors to a career that's tailor made for you.

Burnout Season

If you're anything like me, finals season can be quickly followed up by burnout season. After the end of a long and taxing semester it's easy to still feel wound up, stressed out, and overall exhausted. After all, if you're interning, freelancing, or on an executive board for an organization at your school you know those responsibilities don't take a break just because classes do. However, it is possible to get a little R&R while still getting your work done. Here are a few tips on how to truly make the most of your time off from school.

• Have one email free day a week. I know some of you readers who are also in public relations probably just cringed, but one day of being logged out won't kill you. Email is probably one of the most anxiety-inducing tasks we have to face so stepping away from it one day out of the week could prove to be a huge stress reliever. If something comes up that requires your immediate attention, I'm sure there are alternative methods to get in contact with you.
• Reward yourself. Just finish a huge project you've been putting off until winter break or had a super long day at work? Instead of running home to crash in your bed, take a moment to treat yourself to something you really enjoy. Whether that comes in the form of ice cream, going to the movies with friends, or people watching at a cafe, do something you love. After all, you just spent the past few hours on something you're not too fond of; it's only right that you balance it out. Your bed will still be around once you get home.  
• Plan for the future. Okay, I understand this sounds like an odd tip compared to the first two, but if you love what you do this should be exciting for you. We've discussed on this blog before how important winter break can be in finding a job. Take the extra time you have to dig a little deeper and uncover what your dream job looks like. Just because you haven't seen it on a job posting doesn't mean it's not out there. Hone in on your passions, find out who doing something similar, and ask them how they got there. If you're in the right field, this shouldn't feel like work, rather a learning opportunity.

There are so many ways to balance responsibilities and relaxation; these are just a few. What things work for you? Share your own experiences in the comments below!

Big, Over-Protective Brother

Whenever someone is the victim of suicide, family and friends often wonder if there were warning signs that could have helped them prevent such a tragedy. One of the first places people check are their social networks. Did they write an ominous status on Facebook? Have they been tweeting sad song lyrics for the past few months? Well one organization thought that something more, something preventative could be done.

U.K. suicide prevention charity Samaritans launched a mobile app in October that notified its users when someone on their timeline tweeted something that could be considered "suicidal." The Samaritans Radar app would send an email to its users whenever certain problematic key words were used such as "help me" or "hate myself." The problem is, most of the time no one even knew they were being monitored. Soon, the app was monitoring close to 2 million Twitter accounts. 

For example, if I opened an account on Samaritans Radar app, they would collect the data of all of the people I follow on Twitter without their consent, including several of my fellow PRowlers. 

Less than a week after the launch of the app, Samaritans offered an option for people to opt out of being monitored. However, this solution proved to have little impact on protesters of the app most notably Adrian Short. It didn't take long for Short to create and gather signatures on a Change.gov petition urging Twitter to shut down the app.  Today, Friday November 14th, Samaritans has deactivated all accounts, shut down the application, and issued a statement. 

For more information as this story continues to develop, follow along here: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/fd0ef598-9df8-4f88-b807-e139cb714695.aspx?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter. 

How #PRSSANC Eased My First Job Fears

I would be lying if I said the thought of the upcoming job hunt season didn't seem like a daunting task. Luckily for me, according to US News, the job outlook for this year's college graduates is looking great. Those statistics coupled with what I took away from the "First Job Survival Guide" session have definitely eased any fears I previously had.

One of the panelists, Anthony LaFauce of Porter Novelli, had a few nuggets of wisdom to share with the conference-goers. If you've also been struggling with the thought of tackling your first job in the real world then these tips are for you. 

When interviewing, spell out how you're going to midigate risk for the company. Most "entry-level" jobs are listed as requiring two or more years of experience. Since we don't have that just yet, we're technically seen as a risk. Ease the company's mind and explain you're actually an asset.  

Be excited; upper management will notice. Personality is everything. Positive energy is infectious and shows genuine interest. A smile and a good attitude go farther than you think. 

Once you get your first job, there will immediately be three other people trying to get it. Keep your competitive edge and always bring your A-game. Otherwise, there will be someone else willing to step up to the plate. 

You're never inconveniencing anyone by asking questions. It's better to ask thorough questions ahead of time rather than make a mistake that could have been avoided. 

Double check everything you do. It's better to be a few minutes late and right, than not. Same principle as the tip before: thorough preparation makes for better results in the long run. 

Always keep candy on your desk. I could say this fosters positive office commradery...but people just like candy!

Hopefully these tips were helpful and if you have any first job survival tips of your own, feel free to share them in the comments below!

Eric Holder's Legacy

Eric Holder, this nation's first African-American Attorney General, announced his resignation earlier this week. However, after six years in the position Holder has been able to do a lot of good for the American people. Here are five acts documenting the legacy that Holder leaves behind (in no particular order).

• During the recent events in Ferguson, MO, Holder served as the point of contact for the federal response, ordered a civil rights investigation into the Ferguson Police Department, and assembled a team of criminal justice researchers to study racial prejudice in law enforcement. 
• In regards to terrorism, during his time in office Holder waterboarding (an interrogation method that simulates the sensation of drowning) as a form of torture and ordered a full review of current CIA interrogation efforts.
• In 2011 he declared that the Justice Department would no longer defend the constitutionality of a 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriage in an effort to advance progress for gay couples.
• He also fought heavily against discriminatory voting restrictions that made it difficult for minorities and poorer citizens to vote, demographics that typically vote Democratic. In North Carolina and Texas, two Republican-controlled legistlatures, Holder challenged restrictions such as cutbacks in voting hours and strict voter-ID policies to allow those demographics a better opportunity to cast their ballots.
• In relation, many of Holder's efforts went towards civil rights and law enforcement. He worked to ease the disproportionately harsh treatment of African-Americans in the criminal justice system saying it “isn't just unacceptable; it is shameful.”

Although not everyone may have agreed with his policies or felt that he failed to act on several other issues during his time, this article is simply to focus on the improvements that were made because of his leadership. 

Why Silence Is Also A Crime

One of the biggest headlines this week circled around Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice and a video that recently surfaced documenting him physically abusing his wife Janay Rice. On Monday, TMZ released elevator footage from Revel Atlantic City in February earlier this year that shows Rice assaulting his then-fiancee, rendering her unresponsive, then attempting to drag her out of the elevator. Prior to the video surfacing, the National Football League only sentenced Rice to a two game suspension but has since suspended him indefinitely from the league. 

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The public also hasn't taken too kindly to this recent discovery. This week alone Rice has been eliminated from his high school's hall of fame, removed from videos shown during Rutgers University football games, taken out of the upcoming NFL Madden video game by EA Sports, and sparked a powerful Twitter discussion under the tag #WhyIStayed. Baltimore Ravens owner has also written a letter to publicly apologize and the team is offering an exchange for Ray Rice jerseys. 

While it may sound like justice was served, a source revealed to the Associated Press that NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, had knowledge of the video back in April, despite denying that he had any access to the footage. While no significant progress has been made just yet, the Commissioner is now under fire and facing plenty of public scrutiny. However, it never had to get to this point. 

Public scrutiny is a result of public relations failure. What Goodell needed, in addition to some much needed empathy, was transparency. Had he been open, honest, and apologetic from the beginning, he, and the NFL by extension, would have never faced such heavy public criticism. Only time will tell if Goodell will also be punished for the crimes he has committed in these events as well. 

Ikea Pokes Fun at Apple in Recent Ad

Apple has become pretty well known for their embellishing product advertisements and there have more than a few parodies made at their expense. However, with the quickly approaching iPhone 6 announcement, Ikea's recent advertisement couldn't have come at a more apt time.

In order to promote their newest catalog, Ikea took a page out of Apple's book launching a promo video that highlights the different specs and features of their new product: the BookBook.

Well, Ikea's clever and well-timed campaign has already gained a lot of attention, gaining over 3 million YouTube views in just two days! What's more? Consumers are starting to get in on the joke by filming their own "unboxing" or "first time impression" videos of the newest BookBook.

So what exactly makes this campaign so successful? For one, it's definitely relatable. Whether you're a fan of Apple products or not, I'm sure most people would agree that, while exciting, their product unveilings can be a bit dramatic. Ikea is basically saying what everyone was already thinking anyway: Apple could stand to take it down a few notches. The ad also appeals to those who prefer a simpler time, a time of bookbooks as opposed to ebooks and tablets.

Just uploaded to YouTube on Wednesday, this ad is gaining traction and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon!

What do you think of Ikea's newest campaign? Share in the comments below!

This Week In PR | No. 10

Another installment of current events and public relations developments for the week, in case you missed anything!

• Chi Omega faced public scrutiny this week after a social media fiasco by one of their members. A member of the chapter at the University of Alabama posted a picture on her Snapchat with a caption boasting that her organization doesn't recruit African American women. She has since been removed from her sorority. (Huffington Post)
• Remember missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370? To add insult to injury, two people have recently been charged with alleged theft of $35,000 from the bank accounts of four of the missing passengers of the flight. Though the missing flight has still not been found, search efforts are scheduled to resume in September. (CNN)
• Although this has been my personal opinion for a while, it's definitely comforting to know that I'm not alone. The events in Ferguson have exposed Facebook's shortcomings in relation to updating users on current events. Despite their efforts (such as implementing trending topics), Facebook falls short to Twitter when it comes to up to the minute updates in social news. (BuzzFeed)
• Yet another social media campaign has gone awry. Puma launched a Twitter campaign where fans could use the #fastergraph tag in order to create a personalized autograph featuring their favorite Puma-wearing athlete. Unfortunately, with free will comes...interesting results. Take a look. (BuzzFeed)
• Macy's has agreed to settle allegations of racial profiling at their flagship store to the tune of $650,000. The signed agreement also implements new policies to prevent any future profiling in any of their other 42 stores in the state of New York. (NBC Washington)

I hope you enjoyed the This Week In PR series this summer! Fridays will return to regularly scheduled blog posts starting next week. 

This Week In PR | No. 9 #Ferguson

Though there are always many public relations fiascoes to share, this is another week where it seems more appropriate to focus on one major issue that, believe it or not, impacts us all.

On Saturday, August 9th, Mike Brown, an 18-year-old Ferguson resident, was shot down by a police officer. Though some details of the altercation between the two are still fuzzy, it is clear from witnesses on both sides that there was a physical scuffle before Brown was shot 10 ten times, though his arms were raised above his head prior to being killed. Unfortunately, the cops and eyewitnesses tell two completely different stories as to what led to this tragedy.

Since the shooting of the unarmed, college-bound student, the city of Ferguson, Missouri, and the nation, have been in an uproar, both on the streets and on social media.

In Ferguson, many peaceful protesters joined together in a vigil to remember Brown earlier this week. However, police were sent to disperse the crowds and soon, the peaceful protests quickly morphed into looting and rioting. Ferguson police responded by throwing tear gas and shooting rubber bullets at civilians, most of which were the peaceful protesters.

In response to the media's interpretation of Ferguson events, many young, African American students took to social media using #IfTheyGunnedMeDown, a hashtag used to start a conversation about how black people are often portrayed in the media. The hashtags #MikeBrown and #Ferguson have also seen traction on social media as a means to share up-to-date information with the public about the developments in Ferguson since some major news outlets are misreporting stories.

Unfortunately, the events in Ferguson show no sign of slowing down and people are starting to take action. This past Wednesday students at Howard University, a notable Historically Black College or University (HBCU), shot a powerful photo featuring hundreds of young, black men and women with their hands raised in surrender. The following day, even more supporters came out for National Moment of Silence vigils held in major cities across the country. In our own city of Philadelphia, hundreds of people stood in solidarity at Love Park to show their support. Though issues in Ferguson still rage on, hopefully their citizens feel comfort in knowing that they are not alone.

UPDATE | After widespread public outcry, this morning the name was finally released  of the police officer who shot Brown: Darren Wilson. Wilson is a 6-year veteran with no previous incidents on his record.

This Week In PR | No. 8

This week (as are most weeks) was pretty full of major current events and changes in the public relations world. Here are just a few to give you a quick recap of what you may have missed.

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• Remember Malaysia Airlines? As predicted, they have recently launched a social media campaign in an effort to restore consumer trust. Take a look and/or participate in the conversation using #FlyingHigh on Twitter. (Mashable)
• Ladies, it would seem that we aren't the only one's whose body image is heavily affected by the media; men are also subjected to "fat shaming." While women are subliminally (or not so subliminally) told to get smaller, men are equally told to get more buff. It's great that the media is treating both sexes equally, but perhaps they should do so while being encouraging instead of discouraging. (TIME)
• President Obama has officially issued an order for air strikes to be launched over Iraq as well as air drops with aid for "religious minorities threatened by extremists." For his full statement, click the following link. (Associated Press)
• Edward Snowden, the NSA whistle-blower, has officially been granted a three-year stay in Russia. His temporary asylum came to an end on July 31st, but he has since requested it to be extended. On August 1st, his request was granted and Snowden will now have Russian residency for another three years. (CNN)
• It's no secret that the Chinese government can be fairly strict so it should come as no surprise that they've recently enacted tighter restrictions on instant messaging applications. Their reason? They were put in place in an effort to "help build a clean cyberspace." Hopefully they reach their goal. (Wall Street Journal) 
• In light of the massive breach of security that compromised around 1.2 billion usernames and passwords, the Associated Press has a few tips on how to make your information a little more secure...at least until this Russian hacking ring has been caught. (Associated Press) 
• To end on a lighter note, Kentucky State University's interim president, Raymond Burse, has agreed to a salary cut of $90,000. Why? The money will instead be going to 24 minimum wage campus workers in order to raise their hourly salary to $10.25 an hour, a pretty significant jump from their previous salary of $7.25 an hour. When explaining the bold move Burse simply explains, "I did it to bring the lowest wage employees up to a level where I think they should be." (CNN Money)

This Week In PR | No. 5

Need a recap of this week's public relations happenings and current events? Well, you're in luck. Here's what happened this week in PR.

• In entertainment news, Laverne Cox became the first transgender woman nominated for an Emmy for her role in the Netflix breakout series Orange is the New Black. She has been recognized for her role as Sophia Burset, "an inmate who committed fraud in an attempt to pay for a sex change procedure." Note: Cox's identical twin brother played the role in the scenes prior to the character's surgery. That's pretty powerful. (TIME)
• There's a fine line between humor and professionalism on social media. However, the CIA seems to be dancing on the line when it comes to their Twitter account. In fact, their first tweet read, "We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet." While Twitter has become a major platform for creativity and humor, some think that certain organizations should abstain from participating in the trend and stick to more professional updates. What do you think? (PR Daily)
• The summer is a great time for vacationing and winding down, but if you're interested in still being stimulated occasionally, there are plenty of great opportunities nationwide for growth and networking. Here's a compiled list of seminars on social media, analytics, and more. (Mashable)
• Globally, issues in the Middle East continue despite President Obama's pleas for peace. The Palestinian death toll has risen to over 100 civilians today. Gaza militants have fired over 550 rockets, hit over 1,100 targets, and wounded close to 670 people. Their offensive tactic shows no sign of slowing down; unfortunately, it seems to be expanding. (Associated Press)
• ESPN Magazine's annual body issue is out and this time around, their cover athletes are of all shapes and sizes. We've become accustomed to seeing the covers of this issue graced by the most athletic and "physically fit" professionals, but this issue is more representative of all body types. I'd say that's a pretty good play on ESPN's part. (Huffington Post)

This Week In PR | No. 4

It's Friday, which means it's time for your weekly roundup of public relations happenings and current events.

• In case you missed it a few weeks ago, FAFSA's Twitter account posted a meme from the hit movie Bridesmaids with the quote, "Help me I'm poor." Naturally, it was received with mixed reviews. While some took great offense, others thought the use of a popular meme was a great way to connect with FAFSA's main audience: young adults. Regardless, this week FAFSA tweeted out an apology explaining mocking people in need was never their intention. (PR Daily)
• The News of the World phone hacking scandal first surfaced back in 2011, but on Tuesday former head of News International Rebekah Brooks, her husband, and her personal assistant were acquitted of all charges. Most people found the verdict shocking since there seemed to be plenty of evidence against them and agree that even if Brooks had no knowledge of the phone tapping, that it's her role as head of the company to take responsibility for any short-comings. (Jezebel)
• It's no secret at this point that employers, internship directors and, well, anyone you would like to network with often check your social media profiles. However, now if you're selected for jury duty it's possible that the lawyers can take a look at your Facebook profile. Is this an invasion of privacy or simply a more efficient way to weed out any ineligible jurors with ties to the case? (Now This News)
• Recently, comedic duo Seth Rogen and James Franco released a trailer for their new movie "The Interview." However, the film which is a comedy about assassinating Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un was seen by North Korea as "an act of war" with promises of "merciless" retaliation if the film is released. Some wonder if there is any connection to North Korea launching three short-range projectiles earlier this week, if it was in response to growing tensions with South Korea, or if it's simply a regular test. (TIME)
• On a much lighter note, if you haven't already noticed there is something new on your Twitter timelines: GIFs! In a partnership with Giphy, a popular GIF site, users are now able to embed GIFs directly from their Giphy account or by tweeting the link to the GIF they want. As if picture and video tweet integration weren't enough, now you can enjoy looping animations over and over again, and people seem to be loving it! (Mashable)

This Week In PR | No. 3

This week in public relations and current events was full of head-turning headlines...and faces. Here's just a few of the things that occurred within the last week.

• Though this news is probably more relevant to this blog's younger readers, it's news nonetheless. The Unicode Consortium announced the release of 250 new emojis. Making their debut in late July, the emojis include icons that have been highly requested by users as well as a few (well, several) that will probably never be touched. Let me know if you figure out a way to incorporate three types of floppy disks into a text. (CNET)
• In response to Russia's recent crackdown on social media, Twitter executive Colin Crowell took a trip to Moscow to speak with representatives from the Russian government. Though details of the meetings have not been disclosed, President Vladimir Putin has always been weary of the internet and Crowell's goal is to ease any fears that Twitter is used in any way as a "government tool." (BuzzFeed)
• American Apparel president and CEO Dov Charney has been suspended pending a "month-long 'cure period.'" Though the reason for his release was not stated in the press release announcing his dismissal, Charney has been the center of a few sexual assault allegations in recent years. In addition to those rumors, the American Apparel stock had been performing poorly for a while now, with stock prices only rising the morning after Charney's firing. (Refinery29)
• During a new program unveiling, T-Mobile CEO John Legere compared his competitors to rapists saying, "These high and mighty duopolists that are raping you for every penny you have, if they could do something nice for you they would. The f—ckers hate you." Naturally, this sparked a huge social media backlash with many angered T-Mobile customers voicing their disgust for the CEO. The next day, Legere also took to Twitter issuing an apology. (PR Daily)
• Remember my comment about this week's head-turning faces? Just yesterday a mugshot released on the Stockton Police Department's Facebook page went viral. Why? It just so happens that the arrested citizen, Jeremy Meeks, is quite handsome. By the end of the day, the photo of Meeks had accumulated over 30,000 likes, 9,400 comments, and had been shared over 2,900 times! That has to count towards good behavior, right? (FOX News)

Feel free to share even more newsworthy or interesting stories in the comments section below!

This Week In PR | No. 2

• It appears that Europeans' protest against driving company Uber may have been the best publicity they've ever received. Uber saw a major spike in profits after protests broke out against the company saying that they are taking money away from taxi drivers. Despite posing fierce competition for taxi companies and having what many feel is a less than thorough driver screening process, "Uber's signups in the UK alone rose 850%." It seems in this case big business may just win out in the end. (Forbes)
• It's been clear for a while that video is the newest and most popular trend in social media so, of course, Facebook wants in on some of the action. The company is introducing a new feature to their Messenger app that will allow users to record and send 15-second videos. All this comes after their accidental launch of the Slingshot app, which had the same video capabilities. But good luck trying to download Slingshot; the app was removed from the App Store shortly after it was added. (Mashable)
• Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, there have been 74 school shootings in America. In an effort to come up with a solution for student protection, ProTecht invented the "Bodyguard Blanket," a bulletproof pad for students to put over their bodies in the event of a school shooting. However, people are beginning to question whether ProTecht's motives are noble or profiteering. You decide. (PR Daily)
• Twitter COO Ali Rowghani resigns, ironically, via a tweet saying, “Goodbye Twitter. It’s been an amazing ride, and I will cherish the memories.” Though his resignation may seem abrupt to the public, Rowghani had been losing responsibilities within his position for months now. Originally appointed to help bring in a new audience and increase current users participation, Rowghani's leadership has only seen plunging stock prices and a less than impressive growth in users. Despite Twitter's recent struggles, Rowghani will stay on as an adviser and no one new will be appointed to the vacant COO position. (NY Times) 
• On Tuesday, 11 of the leading public relations firms made a public statement saying that they would not alter the Wikipedia pages of their clients. After years of sneaky editing, these firms have promised to abide by the Wikipedia rules in an effort to mend the relationship between the two industries that has experienced strain over the past few years. Hopefully this statement signed by firms such as Edelman, Ogilvy & Mather, and Ketchum will encourage smaller PR firms and agencies to follow suit. (Ad Age)

This Week In PR | No. 1

This year we're introducing a new series here on the PRowl blog: This Week In PR. Just as it sounds, Friday will now serve as a day to recap current events and public relations developments of the week! In case you missed it, here are a few things that have happened this week in PR.

• If you would ever consider signing a prenup, you may also want to take a look at signing a social media prenup as well. That's right, this is a growing new trend that people are adopting to protect themselves from their spouses posting unflattering photos online. Apparently, discussions about social media have become increasingly common in divorce proceedings, which should come as no surprise. (TIME)
• In a savvy PR move, the company Swimsuits for All is living up to its name by recreating the recent Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue using plus sized models. It's no secret that many people find the models used for the swimsuit issue (and several other publications) are not representative of what most American women look like. Swimsuits for All's alternate shoot reminds us all that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. (PR Daily)
• While Instagram has been the leader in photo sharing for quite some time now, it has not been ahead of the curve when it comes to editing. This Wednesday, however, that changed with their newest update. Within the app, users are now able to adjust filter intensities, brightness, contrast, saturation, and warmth. Instagram is slowly, but surely, becoming a one-stop shop for all things photo and video. (PR News)
• This article is less of a PR development and more of a useful tool. Several of us are beginning to hunt for jobs after college and social media is growing into an amazing resource for aiding that search. We now live in a time where a simple hashtag can get you an interview. This article breaks down tips and tricks to utilize on various social networks that can help you find a job, secure an interview, and get your foot in the door. (Mashable)
• For those of us who are bloggers or manage a website, you already know how important traffic is in spreading your message. However, what you might not know is what you may be doing wrong in increasing that traffic. While people are becoming more knowledgeable about the role of SEO, there may be other factors within your content or marketing that are hurting website views. This article lists five things to keep in mind when trying to bring in a larger audience. (Huffington Post)

If there is anything else that happened this week in PR, feel free to share and discuss below!

Slacktivism: Friend or Foe?

I first heard the term slacktivism a few months ago during my public advocacy class. Put simply, slacktivism can be best described as passive activism. Liking a Facebook post, signing an online petition, or retweeting someone else's opinions are all forms of slacktivism. However, is simply sharing these campaigns virtually such a bad thing?

The most recent form of slacktivism to hit social media is the #YesAllWomen campaign. The hashtag was made in response to the recent killing spree at the University of California, Santa Barbera at the hands of 22 year old student, Elliot Rodger. Both in his manifesto and in several YouTube videos, Rodger openly shared how lonely he felt and how people, specifically women, would need to pay for not giving him the love and affection he felt he deserved.

In response, #YesAllWomen was created as a platform for women, not to bash men, but to share their own stories of discrimination or violence that they've felt personally at the hands of a man. Soon, the hashtag was trending and women everywhere were relating to and supporting one another. However, one huge flaw in online activism is the ease and ability for others to add a new message to the conversation.

In the last few days, tags like #YesAllMen and #NotAllMen have been trending, most of the tweets accusing those participating in the #YesAllWomen tag to be extremely feminist and close-minded. Unfortunately, most of the tweets also just happen to reaffirm many of the arguments made about the validity of discrimination and violence against women discussed in the original hashtag.

While some may argue that slacktivism is, well, slack, I find that advocating via social media is a great way to reach a huge audience at once. The problem arises when that's where the activism ends. After an issue has gained public attention, it's important to take it one step further than an Instagram post and make strides towards changing the issue.

Time to Fly

To the PRowl seniors, thank you for a setting a good example

For making the impossible seem possible

For teaching us more about ourselves 

then we ever knew possible.

To our mentors, thank you for leading us

For becoming our role models

For setting the bar high and

then telling us how to reach it.

To our friends, thank you for being there

For holding our hands

For coaching us through and 

then celebrating when we succeeded.

Congratulations to all our PRowl seniors. It's your time to fly.

Ben Coleman | Tessa Cohn

Ransford Whaumbush | Jenna Stern

Allison Curran | London Faust

Former Firm Director, Kaitlyn Sutton

Girl Unrelated to #BringBackOurGirls Made the Face of the Campaign

Recently, a social media campaign called "Bring Our Girls Back" has erupted in response to the kidnapping of 276 Nigerian girls by terrorist group Boko Haram. Several photos of citizens and celebrities alike have surfaced with them holding up a sign with the slogan in an effort to raise awareness and gain the support of government. In the past few weeks, the campaign has been very successful, reaching the ranks of First Lady Michelle Obama.

Unfortunately an issue has recently surfaced related to the most circulated photo of the campaign which features a girl that is neither kidnapped nor Nigerian. The photo is actually of Jenabu Balde, a girl from Guinea-Bissau on Africa’s western coast. It was found on the Alexia Foundation website, a photojournalism organization. 

The photographer, Ami Vitale, has since issued a statement saying, “I support the campaign completely, and I would do anything to bring attention to the situation. It’s a beautiful campaign that shows the power of social media. This is a separate issue....This is about misrepresentation.” Emmanuel Hephzibah, the Nigerian man responsible for photoshopping the photograph and adding the hashtag, says he meant no harm claiming, “I was crying out so that our voice could be heard in Nigeria, because it seems our government was not ready to take any action. I credited the source of the image as AlexiaFoundation.org.” 

Though Hephzibah has been asked to take down the photo, the image has already gone viral in association with this campaign and is impossible to remove completely. Unfortunately for Balde, she will also be associated with this campaign for a long time as the face of a terrible, ongoing crisis. 

Source: PR Daily