TV and Social Media

Social media is changing the face of television as we know it. Any time that you sit down to watch your favorite TV show, you are most likely going to have your phone or computer right by your side so that you can post about what is going on. Social media has become a staple in the TV watching process and everyone is contributing.

TV shows and networks are a major part of why social media is playing such a crucial role in the TV watching experience. Many shows and networks encourage their viewers to post on social media while watching their favorite shows. They develop hash tags and social media contests so that viewers can take an interactive role in their favorite shows.

This viewer to show interaction has both positive and negative effects on the TV watching experience. On one hand, it allows the viewer to be a more active participant with their favorite shows. People are able to connect via social media and share their thoughts and opinions about what is going on during the episodes they are watching. They are able to view the tweets and posts of their peers that are also watching, which establishes a more connected fan base for the programming.

On the other hand, these TV show blasts can also ruin the TV watching experience for some viewers. Often times I hear of people complaining about cliffhangers being spoiled because they logged on to Twitter or Facebook before they had a chance to watch the episode. This experience can be frustrating for viewers and could potentially cause a decrease in viewers for future episodes.

Have you had an experience with social media affecting your TV watching? Leave us a comment and let us know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Lexi Drexler.

PR In Any Setting

As a high school student, I was under the impression that to have a career in public relations I had to be located in the city to be successful. Upon coming to school in the city I have learned that while being in a city is certainly a beneficial choice, public relations can be practiced almost anywhere. Since many of my classmates are out of the city for the summer, I have compiled a list of ways to practice your public relations skills in any type of living environment:

The city: We’ll start with the easiest and most straightforward. Finding ways to practice PR in the city is pretty easy if you know where to look! There are internships and volunteer opportunities coming out on a regular basis. A lot of big companies have headquarters in cities so you can get experience working in corporate PR or get internships with both small and large companies. There is also great opportunity for you to work on street teams and do promotion for your favorite artists or companies. Check out the websites of your favorite bands, venues, or companies to see if you can get involved with their promotion teams.

The suburbs: The suburbs are somewhat of a best of both worlds situation. You can find a lot of opportunity to get involved with projects that are centered around the city but not directly in it. For example, many radio stations are located in the suburbs of major cities. Try contacting your favorite local station to see if you can help with any of their local promotional events or pass out flyers for them. Who knows, you might be able to score free tickets to a show for your efforts!

The country: If you are from an area where there is not much around, there are still ways that you can practice your PR skills at home! Contact your local high school or middle school and see if you can work with their public relations director on campaigns for the school. Also, local business can always use promotional help so contact owners of local shops to see if they can use your expertise!

Opportunities can be found anywhere, you just have to know where to look. Have you gotten PR experience outside of the city? We would love to hear about your experience!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Lexi Drexler. 

The Importance of the Profile Picture

When presenting yourself on social media, the first thing that any one person is attracted to when looking at your profile is your profile picture. Your profile picture, also known as an avatar, is the main attraction of your page; it sets the tone and allows your audience to get a feel for whom you are. Your avatar helps to aid you in developing either your personal or public brand. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a profile picture for your personal page or your professional/company page:

Personal Avatar:

Choose something that shows off your personality. A personal profile picture should show your character and display your own personal brand. You can incorporate your hobbies and experiences in to your picture.  Your avatar can be fun and creative or it can be serious as long as it communicates the image that you want to present. Always remember, that even personal networks and avatars can be viewed by professionals, so always keep your photos appropriate.

Professional Avatar:

The picture on your professional or company page should be a clear and organized. A professional headshot is acceptable as well as photos taken by a company. If it is a personal professional page, you should be the only one in the picture. Be sure that your actual profile page is consistent with the photo as well. If you are looking into working in childcare, a picture of you bullying a younger sibling just won't cut it.

Always make it a point to avoid pictures that could be deemed inappropriate. It is always important to consider the online reputation you are building for yourself. Having inappropriate behavior in your profile picture is never a good thing. Even if you are not looking for employment, any negative image that you present of yourself on the internet can always resurface at a later time and come back to haunt you. Do yourself a favor and just avoid negative images all together.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lexi Drexler.

Stamping A New Path Of Promotion

There is a new type of promotion that this taking over the world of branding recently, street art. I first noticed this type of advertising when I was on my way to the Temple University Tech Center. I noticed a small stamp near the bell tower on the ground in bright white chalk paint with the name of an event and a date. I couldn’t help but consider how genius this type of marketing strategy was, it was extremely simple while at the same time generating great publicity for the event. 

Upon doing some more research on this new type of promotion, I discovered that the street stamp is becoming more and more popular in cities as a way to get people interested in new brands. The main idea of the street stamp is to subtly draw attention to a brand, event, or organization by leaving a small stamp with the logo in high traffic areas such as public walkways, college campuses, and city sidewalks. The main reason that this type of branding is successful is because it draws curiosity to the brand. The first time that I saw the Temple Made Live stamp on the sidewalk I was immediately intrigued. I quickly started asking around trying to figure out what the deal was with the event. 

While posters and flyers are the typical types of promotion used to generate publicity about people or events, the street stamps are almost always more successful because they generate that curiosity. With posters and fliers, all the information you need about an event or person is automatically given to you; but with the street stamp, you are required to do your own research. This type of promotion will drive people to Google the brand or look it up on Twitter or Facebook, which ultimately is generating the brand more publicity than it would receive otherwise. 

Have you noticed any street stamp promotions around? What drew you to them and where have you seen them? Let us know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lexi Drexler 

The Science of Guerrilla Marketing

Guerrilla marketing, also known as low cost publicity strategies, is a popular technique that is used by many industry professionals in todays society. There are many different strategies that are used by guerrilla marketers in order to raise awareness of their issue, brand, or group. Below are a few of the popular techniques that are commonly used by today’s top publicists: 

Street Teams:

Street teams are a common marketing technique often used by music industry professionals and other entertainment professionals. The goal of a street team is to get people interested in a product, person, or group using their current fans. Most street teams establish connections with fans in all major cities. They then ask the fans to perform simple publicity stunts  to create exposure. These acts consist of social media blasts, putting up posters, passing out stickers, and attending events and shows. 

Graffiti:

Graffiti is used as a tool to gain publicity for organizations and companies. Companies hire graffiti artists to create graffiti that promotes their brand, organization, or product. Many companies often choose locations of high traffic so that their graffiti gains as much exposure possible. 

Sticker Bombing: 

Sticker bombing is a popular technique that is often used in political campaigns. This technique involves creating a sticker and placing it all over areas in mass quantity. A somewhat popular example of this technique was the KONY 2012 campaign. Hundreds of thousands of activists for this organization placed stickers and posters all over major cities to make citizens aware of this issue. 

Have you ever heard of or used guerrilla marketing techniques? If so, let us know which one and how it worked for you!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lexi Drexler

Starting Off The Semester On The Right Track

Starting off a new semester as a seasoned sophomore, I have learned a thing or two about how things operate in a university setting. There are a couple things that I wish I would have known last year when I started the semester, so I put together a list of tips to help make the new semester run flawlessly.

Don’t procrastinate on your reading: My biggest mistake last year was not staying on top of my reading assignments. If you push off one night of reading it may seem like no big deal, until you have 100 pages due the next class. To avoid this mistake, simply complete your reading assignments as they are given. Although it may seem like a daunting task at the time, you will be thankful later that you just did the assignment when it was assigned.

Get a planner: One thing I wish I had used last semester was a planner to keep track of my assignments.  Balancing 5 classes may seem easy, but in reality it is a lot of work. Having a planner to keep track of assignments will help you to stay on top of your work. 

Visit your advisor: Talking to your advisor at the beginning of a semester is a great way to stay on track. Your advisor can help you with any of your academic needs, and make sure that you are following along well with your major requirements and are also on track to graduate. 

Go to class: Early in the semester, it might seem like an easy choice to just roll over and go back to bed instead of going to your 8am, but DONT cave in.  Skipping class early in the semester is never a good idea. Most classes only have an allocated allowance for absences, and there is most likely going to be a time later in the semester that you will need the day off for. Do yourself a favor and don’t lower your grade by skipping because you are too tired. 

What tips do you have for starting the semester off strong? Let us know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lexi Drexler 

Practicing PR On The Job

Summer is a little more than half over, and that means it’s was time to start thinking about a job for the fall semester. Though ideally I would rather take on two internships than a job, the fact of the matter is I need a source of income while at school. At first I was discouraged at the fact that I would not be able to work at a place that would benefit my area of study; but the more I considered my possibilities the more I realized that more often than not ones typical “after school job” is actually extremely beneficial to a career in the public relations industry. Below are just a few of the correlations I found between typical student jobs and work in the public relations field. 

Restaurants: Working in the food service industry gives you many skills that you can use in any field of study. P Although the issues may not be on the same scale, the skill set used is very similar. Through my own experiences I have learned how to remain calm with a customer in stressful situations, and handle the situation in a way that is practical for all parties involved. 

Secretarial Jobs: Working as a secretary can also give you skills that will aid you for a future in the public relations industry. Answering calls and scheduling appointments are valuable skills that can be transferable to any industry. Secretarial jobs also teach one to be organized and efficient when handling another person’s schedule, because they are relying on you to be consistent and thorough. 

Retail: Working in retail is very applicable to the public relations industry because it teaches one good customer service. On top of that, working in retail allows one to utilize their skills of persuasion. Convincing customers to buy a certain product can give you the same experience as convincing someone to see your point of view, or convincing someone to attend an event. These skills are directly transferable to the PR industry. 

Any Job: As we all know, the single most important aspect of any public relations professional’s job is to network. Therefore, with any part time job, you should take advantage of the opportunity to connect with new people. Network with your co-workers, and keep a good rapport with your managers. You never know when you will meet the person that has the key to your success in the industry!


This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lexi Drexler

How To Keep Up With PR Over The Summer

Summer is now in full swing, and it’s a time for old friends, vacation, and relaxation, but also a time for work. While many of my fellow public relations friends have taken on internships in the city or are studying abroad, I have returned to my hometown where I am working at a local restaurant. Despite my unfortunate summer circumstances, I have brainstormed a few different ways for me, and others in a similar situation, to stay up to date with the public relations world over summer break!

• Network Network Network- We all know that networking is one of the most important aspects of public relations. Don’t underestimate your ability to network in your hometown. Talk to everyone you know: your old teachers, family friends, and your bosses. You never know who will be able to help you out with something in the future. 
• Stay informed: Over the summer, make sure you are staying informed on what is going on in the public relations industry. Subscribe to big PR websites like PRdaily.com to stay in the loop of the latest public relations news. Staying connected will allow you to be well informed on public relations issues as well as give you topics to discuss in your classes when you return to school in the fall.
• Expand your Social Media: Getting involved with social media is a great way to keep up with public relations. Over the summer do what you can to expand your personal social media platform. Follow major public relations firms and professionals on twitter. Try experimenting with new social media outlets like Pintrest.  Create a blog on Tumblr and write about your public relations experiences. Develop a Linkedin profile to connect with other professionals that you may know. 

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lexi Drexler

What I've Gained as a Member of PRowl PR

As the semester has just come to a close, and everyone is starting their summer breaks, I have had some time to think about my past semester as a member of the PRowl staff. Being a member of PRowl has been a truly positive experience for me as a freshman in college and has provided me with many beneficial skills and opportunities that I would not have received otherwise.

• A Leg Up in Classes: Being a freshman public relations major, I had absolutely no experience with any type of public relations writing. As a member of PRowl, I was taught how to write PR documents such as press releases, media advisories, blog posts, and instruction sheets. Having the opportunity to learn how to write these documents outside of the classroom made the transition to academic writing much easier.
• A Networking Opportunity: As any public relations professional would tell you, one of the more important aspects of public relations is networking. As a staff member of PRowl, I was exposed to a whole networking community. Being a staff member allowed me to connect with other PR majors in my school. It also allowed me to form relationships with older PR majors that were in turn able to aid me in my work as a staff member as well as my other schoolwork.  
• Real World Experience: Perhaps the most beneficial opportunity that I gained from my work on the PRowl staff was the opportunity to gain real world Public Relations experience.  The real world experience that I gained from being on staff will aid me when I apply for internships and jobs in the future. It will be something I can add to my resume, a conversational topic during interviews, and will put me ahead of other peers applying for the same position. 

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lexi Drexler

Persuasion and the Study of Public Relations

As a freshman and new to the study of public relations, I find myself learning new things about the industry every day. Recently, in my persuasion class, I have been learning about an aspect of the industry that is of vital importance but often overlooked: non-verbal communication.

There are a variety of different ways to communicate non-verbally each highlighting a different aspect of the message you are trying to convey. Below is a list of the tactics of non-verbal communication that are most important when working in the PR industry.

• Physical Appearance: Your physical appearance, or your overall look, is vital when presenting yourself in a professional situation. Appearing groomed and well put together will position yourself as professional and credible when you are at work. Similarly, having your client’s physical appearance match the audience that he or she is appealing to will help them to seem more credible to their audience.

• Chronemics: Chronemics, or the use of time, is also extremely important when working in the PR industry. Being on time to meetings and making deadlines is of the utmost importance when you are working as a public relations specialist. The best PR moves have been made in a timely fashion.

• Haptics: The use of haptics, or communication through touch, is another aspect that PR pros need to take in to consideration. Whether you are the specialist or the client, having a firm handshake can make a world of a difference to your presentation. A firm handshake exudes confidence and allows your audience to feel confident in your hands.

• Artifactual Communication: Similarly to physical appearance, artifactual communication, or communication through objects and ornaments, is extremely important in the professional world. The kind of clothing you wear sets the tone for how people are going to view you. If you are dressed in a professional manner, then people are more likely to treat you as a professional

Taking non-verbal communication into consideration when working in the PR industry can have a substantial effect on your success. Now that you are aware of the different types of non-verbal communication, and how they can affect your presentation, use them to your advantage. Make yourself and your client as marketable as possible!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lexi Drexler.