Is Social Media Making Us Lazy Professionals?

It's an interesting notion to consider when social media is used as the catalyst and primary tactic in many PR campaigns today. Author Rosanna Fiske, Chair and Chief Officer of the Public Relations Society of America, disagrees with this statement in her Marketing Commentary response posted on April 27. Fiske claims the older generation of marketers and public relations practitioners often tries to "decry" new technology and favor traditional campaign tactics. In her post, she condemns this archaic method of thinking, because it shows the disdain that some older generation professionals have for the changing face of strategic communication.

However passionate Fiske remains on this topic, she does mention that the older professionals who feel this way have some validity in their claim that social media is making younger marketers "lazy." Fiske says that only when social media is misused with "blast" messages and alerts is it no longer strategic, nor effective and she can justify the "lazy marketer" argument.

Fiske draws the conclusion that when used strategically to market to specific audiences, social media is a valuable asset to any campaign. Fiske reinforces the idea that social media is just one tactic, and while it may be valuable it cannot serve as the sole tactic behind a campaign. Fiske says, "We need to set an example that social media is not the strategy, but one tactic among many that must work concurrently in successful client campaigns. That goes for mentoring young professionals and clients alike."

In my opinion, social media has its purpose, as long as it's used with purpose. I believe social media is not making the younger generation of marketers "lazy" but I think complacent would be a more appropriate word. Because social media plays such a crucial role in our personal and professional lives, it is easy to try to use social media as the primary solution in every campaign. Traditional media certainly still has its place but I agree with Fiske that you cannot denounce the importance of social media in the modern PR era.

To read the discussion about social media and to see the full article, click here.

I encourage you to share your opinions about this topic, because I believe it is one of the main schisms between the older and younger generation of PR professionals.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Michele Reilley.

Newspapers Take a Hint from Groupon

Who doesn't love a good deal? Sites like Groupon and LivingSocial enable users to find savings on everyday needs and luxury items alike. According to author Matthew Ingram of GigaOm, some newspapers will begin providing discounts for their readers by introducing sections modeled after Groupon and LivingSocial.

The New York Times is planning to introduce TimesLimited, a section of their newspaper featuring special discounts and offers on travel and lifestyle items. However, with sites like Groupon and LivingSocial already establishing brand recognition and successful campaigns, is it too late for the traditional media to jump on the bandwagon?

Ingram comments, “As more than one Groupon observer has noted, the service isn’t exactly rocket science. It involves sending people email offers and discounts from companies and service providers, then charging a fee for connecting them with customers.” Furthermore, the New York Times isn't the first to copy this idea.

Ingram states that Cox Media Group came up with a similar service called DealSwarm. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune has “Steals” and Canada adopted the WagJag service for the Toronto Star.

So is it too late?

Although this maneuver may help save the declining readership of newspapers, it won't be an overnight fix. Ingram says, "The problem now is that Groupon and LivingSocial have become such behemoths in the email-marketing business that they can offer a size and scale newspapers can’t hope to compete with."

Ingram has a valid point. However, the newspaper sections will likely attract a different audience than the online sites, so it's important for the traditional media to market to their readership. If newspapers develop their niche market and personal brand, they should be able to find success in their coupon campaigns.

To read more about this topic or to see the full article, please click here.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Michele Reilley.

Quora: A New Social Media Platform

A recent article from Ragan.com discusses a new social media platform called "Quora." Quora describes itself as a “continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it.”

So what does this really mean?

According to author Matt Wilson, Quora serves as a question and answer-based platform that strives to provide accurate, focused, concise answers that have a specific audience in mind. Reaching your audience is the backbone of any PR campaign. A platform that allows users to find the exact information they are looking for instantly, without having to sift through massive pages of information, is not only convenient but is any communication professional's dream. Many professionals agree that Quora will be a beneficial tool for companies and mainstream society alike.

Mario Sundar, Social Media Manager for LinkedIn, shared some valuable insights on Quora. He said, "It's the chance to find peers and experts in your field who share a common love of topics and issues." Quora currently caters to academics and technology, but that is likely to change as they open up their platform even more, similar to when Facebook became open to the public. Sundar also said he can see companies using Quora as a corporate blog for providing their audience with insider tips about the company.

To understand what PR professionals can get out of Quora, author Matt Wilson provided some key insights from Poynter's Mallary Jean Tenore, who suggested six ways reporters should use the site. Here are her suggestions:

1.) Ask questions about local events and hotspots. For instance, TBD.com asked for recommendations for the best Washington, D.C.-area pizza joint.
2.) Find story ideas and sources by following users who work in the areas you cover.
3.) Ask users what they would like to know from the people you’re going to interview.
4.) Find out whether people are interested in a topic you’re covering by asking about it or searching for it.
5.) Search for what people are saying about you and your organization.
6.) Build your reputation as an expert by answering questions and giving feedback on others’ answers.

To read more details about the Quora platform or to see the full article, please click here.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Michele Reilley.

Lessons in Digital Media

It is no secret that we live in a digital world. However, many times we don't consider the effects of digitalization in our everyday media. For a PR professional, reaching your audience is the basis and driving force of any campaign. So how can we adapt traditional media in our digital age?

Amy Jacques of PRSA Tactics interviewed Joshua Hatch, USA Today's Interactives Director, after a seminar in Washington D.C. about "saving traditional media." Hatch had some valuable insight and advice to follow when you are trying to adapt traditional media to today's digital demands.

Below are Hatch's main ideas about engaging your audience in the world of digital media:

Q: How can we best engage today’s on-the-go consumer?

A: "The best way to reach people is to go where they are — to make journalism and news and information available everywhere."

While some people may consider us to live in an information overload of a world, Hatch suggests that we make news more widely available to everyone. I agree with the overall concept, but if people feel smothered with information, they may begin to tune it out and then you would lose your audience completely. I think we could improve this idea by finding ways to target the news to your audience in the medium that is appropriate, so that your message is not lost.

Q: How has the rise of mobile and digital changed storytelling?

A: "There are two keys to what’s happening with mobile. One is the fact that news and information is now available all the time--to me, the more important part of mobile is the spatial component because now you have a device that can match up your location with the news and information of that area."

Hatch brings up some of the main ideas that traditionally make a "newsworthy" story: timing and proximity. Digital media can improve these factors because the information is much more quick and readily available. Hatch also said: "Some stories are best told through words. Some stories are best told through video or audio or photography or data." I completely agree with this because while sometimes the visual component is not necessary, there are some times when it is crucial.

Q: What are the challenges of smaller news holes and unfiltered public access — with 24/7 news and with a real-time news cycle?

A: "Misinformation can propagate much more quickly. Culturally, we need to do a better job of media literacy — of teaching people how to ask critical questions, how to evaluate news and information [and] not simply to just believe what you’re told, but to critically analyze it for yourself."

This is probably my favorite argument that Hatch makes; instead of just accepting the news for what it is, we now have the opportunity for interactivity. We can analyze and respond to what is being told to us.

Overall, I think Hatch makes good suggestions for enhancing traditional media through digital media.

To see the complete article and video, click here.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Michele Reilley.

Diversity and PR

It is not difficult to identify the importance of diversity-driven planning in today's business world. Since 2001, DiversityInc has published an annual list of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity. PRSA Tactics interviewed PR representatives from top-ranking companies Sodexo, Coca-Cola, Xerox, and American Express about their company's perspectives on diversity. The representatives also share how Public Relations plays a crucial role in developing diversity awareness to achieve their company's objectives. Below are some highlights from PRSA Tactics' interviews.

Jaya Bohlman, VP of PR for Sodexo, said that diversity is "primarily a business requirement- without it we couldn't cater to our client's needs." To me, this is important because the job of any good PR professional is to fully understand their client to achieve their client's overall objectives. Without recognizing diversity, the PR department could not do its job, because they would not fully understand their client's perspective. Sodexo attains diversity in their workplace by having a Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board. Bohlman describes this as a group of seven members who make sure they are attracting and maintaining widespread diversity in their workforce. PR works closely with this board to report their success in maintaining diversity.

Gorki De Los Santos, Communications Manager for Coca-Cola, said diversity, both in the marketplace and workplace, is critical to the company's sustainability. According to De Los Santos, diversity is crucial for a business' survival in today's competitive market. De Los Santos said Coca-Cola's PR strategy for attracting and retaining diversity includes diversity training programs and education to maintain an "ongoing dialogue" among their employees, suppliers and customers.

Ernest Hicks, Manager of the Corporate Diversity Office for Xerox said that a commitment to diversity is important because, "It creates more diverse work teams — facilitating diversity of thought and more innovative ideas — and it positions Xerox to attract a wider customer base and to address the needs of diverse customers." This is a great insight, because it covers the importance of diversity in both the inner-workings of the company and in meeting the needs of the customers. Hicks said PR has a role in the diversity of Xerox, by encouraging minority and female-based businesses as suppliers and by creating different diversity-driven programs.

American Express Chief Diversity Officer Kerrie Peraino said diversity is important because it "creates culture of inclusion" and "drives business success." Peraino said PR plays a major role in diversity by communicating the company initiatives through guest speakers, programs, and networks, both within and outside of the company.

Diversity inclusion is an important tool for maintaining a successful company. A PR department can help diversity initiatives by communicating both to their employees and to their customer base about how the company values diversity and what programs they have to maintain diversity. PR professionals need to recognize the importance of diversity not only when managing within the company, but also when catering to their clients needs.

To read the full interviews and to find out where these companies ranked in the DiversityInc listing, click here.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Michele Reilley.

What Do Changing Demographics Mean for Marketers?

A key component in public relations is understanding your client and their audience and knowing how to create and manage communication between them. The 2010 census reveals a significant increase of the Hispanic population in the United States. With Hispanic Heritage Month approaching, author Greg Beaubien highlights the impact the growing Hispanic population will have for marketers.

Beaubien identifies the following statistics:
"The 1990 census revealed that African Americans were the largest majority, making up 12 percent (29 million people) of the population. Meanwhile Hispanics made up only 9 percent of the population (22 million people). But by the end of 2010 there will be 30 percent more Hispanics than African-Americans living in this country — a total of 50 million Hispanics and 38 million African American, according to projections. And, adding significance for marketers, studies show that 62 percent of Hispanics are under the age of 34."

This information is crucial in understanding who is making up American households in 2010, a significant factor for marketers and public relations practitioners when communicating with their clients' audiences. Public relations practitioners should be mindful of the changing demographics and shape their message to communicate with the growing Hispanic population. According to household designer and author Issac Mizrahi, "Experimentation, pilots, and control programs are the best options for marketers." Mizrahi also says to account for multi-generational households when targeting the Hispanic market.

The numbers indicate that America is changing, so it is likely that we will begin seeing companies accounting for the growing Hispanic demographic through changes in the way they communicate with the public. To learn more about this topic or to see the original article please click here.

JetBlue Social Media Falls Short

Steven Slater. Some may consider him an admirable revolutionary; others might think he's insane. All opinions aside, Slater has become a household name after his dramatic resignation from JetBlue Airlines last week. As the story goes, Slater was a disgruntled flight attendant pushed over the edge by a passenger's complaints. Fed up, Slater yelled various profanities at the passenger and slid down an inflatable evacuation slide at JFK Airport.

Although JetBlue has been known for its proficiency with social media, they surprisingly did not give any follow-up about the event on their Facebook page and simply wrote "no comment" on their Twitter.

In an article from PRSA's Public Relations Tactics page, Greg Beaubien tries to decode the lack of response from JetBlue. Beaubien quotes Lawyer Michael J. McSunas, who believes that silence is the best route for both traditional and social media. McSunas stresses that it is important for JetBlue to ensure they are taking the matter seriously, especially in the eyes of the Federal Aviation Authority. McSunas says, "I would advise a client to not necessarily address the matter on Twitter or Facebook,” he said, “but if people are posting about it, respond with something like, ‘Joking aside, this is a serious issue, and our passengers’ safety and security is the number one priority for us.’”

JetBlue's lack of response was called "disappointing" by Conor Brady, the chief creative officer at Organic Inc., who believes that JetBlue should have reached out to the public via social media immediately after the incident. However, a recent poll by the Times discovered that 70 percent of the comments about JetBlue had a positive tone, and many believed they were "doing the right thing" when dealing with recent events.

While it may be difficult to find the right words when dealing with such a bizarre situation, from a PR perspective it is always important to address problems, dispute rumors and provide viable information as quickly as possible. When used strategically, social media can be a great tool for immediately interacting with the public and solving problems in a crisis.

What do you think: was JetBlue's decision to remain quiet an oversight or strategic?

This blog was written by staff member Michele Reilley.

The Shrinking Newsroom

Any PR professional knows that Public Relations is based around timeliness, what is current, what is new and especially what is newsworthy. In a world with literally hundreds of media outlets right at our fingertips, an interesting concept to discuss is the reality of the shrinking newsroom and how to adapt PR practice accordingly.

PRsay (a PRSA affiliate) author Philip Tate discusses what he considers to be the benefits and the frustrations that accompany the shrinking newsroom. The following are some important points that Tate discussed about how media has evolved in his professional experience.

Tate said that although there have been cuts in newsroom staff, local newsrooms have endured in keeping "six out of every eight reporters." The number of investigative reporters have actually increased in recent years, he said. Tate also emphasized how it is not that certain departments have necessarily been cut out completely, but that reporters need to be more well versed and write on a variety of subjects rather than simply just one specialty.

Lastly, Tate said the major implications for "the shrinking newsroom" for Public Relations professionals is to work harder to find the most timely information and distribute it as quickly as possible. The focus of the newsroom is still gathering newsworthy information in the ever-changing world of media.

To read the full article and learn more about Tate's perspective on the "shrinking newsroom" click here.

This guest blog was written by staff member Michele Reilley.

Disaster Strikes, PR Cleans It Up

Whether it is a hurricane, flood, oil spill, or corporate mess (because we all know there are plenty of those), one of the main jobs of a PR practitioner is to use their skills to assist in managing the crisis. In a recent article in PRSA's online publication Public Relations Tactics, intern Philip Volmar describes the tactics used by three PR professionals who have had to deal with crisis management on a large scale. Volmar does this to compare the PR response of the recent BP oil spill with the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina.

Volmar begins by quoting John Deveney, head of the Deveney Communications firm, who dealt with the PR aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Deveney said, “What we’ve learned from Hurricane Katrina is that we need to have a one-voice strategy." Deveney also comments on how impressed he is that media outlets, businesses and local governments have successfully proved to have one collective voice on how to handle the disaster at hand.

Volmar continues by quoting regional PR Director of MGM Mirage Mississippi Operations Mary Cracchiolo-Spain who said, "Perception becomes reality for some people. Key challenges are dispelling rumors and responding to negative media coverage.” According to James E. Lukaszewski, president of the Lukeszewski Group, “All crises follow patterns — from robberies to weather disasters — that you can use to forecast and plan for [other] crises."

So what does all this mean? What should any PR novice take away from what the professionals are saying? Volmar combined the collective experiences of Lukaszewski, Deveney, and Cracchiolo-Spain to outline the following points when managing a crisis of any size:

Communicate with core audience. During Katrina, MGM spent the first 48 hours relinking communications with the public by establishing an 800 number and creating a website dedicated to the crisis. Now for the oil spill, the company rerouted the hurricane hotline to a new oil-spill information center.

Form strategic partnerships. Deveney said that in Louisiana, coastal parishes are coming together with other stakeholder groups to conduct media monitoring and image audits.

Establish a hub for information. To reduce the amount of media volume on a crisis, develop a one-stop source for simplified facts, background information, story ideas, contacts and news releases. The Mississippi Beyond Katrina website is an award-winning example.

Be sympathetic to employee needs. Don’t forget that a crisis can impact human lives in addition to the bottom line. Communicating with employees will prevent rumors, and trust will flow to your audience.

Define roles. The leader must be empowered to make executive decisions, and the spokesperson must set the tone for the crisis.

Validate victims. One way to manage the victim relationship is simply to apologize — early and quickly. Often, a public apology is all that is needed. “Apologies are the atomic energy of empathy,” Lukaszewski said. “Apologies limit litigation and settle people down.”

To see the original article or to learn more about crisis management, click here.

This guest blog was written by staff member Michele Reilley.

There is Nothing Like the Summer To Spark Up Nostalgia!

As my tribute to the infamous hit Summertime by Will Smith infers, the summer of 2010 can be defined by none other than a little nostalgia. Feeling like you are in Grease or a Happy Days re-run recently? In case any fashionistas did not take notice yet, vintage designs from the 1940s and 50s are making a huge comeback. What is the theory behind this? According to Nigel Hollis, the chief global analyst for the market research firm Millard Brown, “We’ve been through a very unsettling time, and it’s when people are discontent with the present that they really start appreciating or having a nostalgia for the past, marketers are seeking to tap into that.” Current market research Gallup polls indicate that retail sales have declined 1.2 percent since the fall.

To combat and help improve these figures, retailers such as Eddie Bauer, Jantzen, L.L. Bean and others are going back to the drawing boards of the 1940s and 50s. From a PR perspective, this can be considered a type of "branding." By bringing back styles from a better economic time period, consumers will intuitively think things are turning around in the economy, and this encourages them to buy more. To see some of the styles or to learn more about the vintage comeback, read the entire New York Times article here.

This guest blog was written by staff member Michele Reilley.

Are Virtual Crops Coming to Life?

Good news FarmVille and Mafia Wars lovers- soon you can really take a bite out of your games- no really! According to “Digits,” the Wall Street Journal's technology blog, Zynga, the creator of our favorite addicting facebook games, is teaming up with 7-Eleven to bring the games from your screen to the store. This means that certain items you purchase at 7-Eleven will be accompanied by access codes that you can redeem online for goods in the popular Zynga games.

For all of you who scoff at friends watering crops or feeding their baby eagle, consider these figures: in 2009 the sale of virtual goods in social games brought in $336 million of revenue for Zynga. This figure is projected to quadruple to $2.1 billion by 2012.

7-Eleven is notorious for promoting movie and charity campaigns, but this partnership signifies the growing popularity and buying power of not only social media, but also social media games. The idea for the partnership developed after 7-Eleven retailers began selling FarmVille, Mafia Wars and YoVille gift cards in their stores. When sales of these gift cards skyrocketed, Zynga and 7-Eleven decided to capitalize on the concept of virtual goods and real goods coming together.

What this really proves to all of us is that whether we are talking about the virtual world or the real world, money is money and it is good for anything anywhere. The promotion is set to begin June 1 and run through July 15. For more information, you can read the Wall Street Journal blog post here.


This guest blog was written by PRowl staff member Michele Reilley.

"Kick-Ass": the Edgy New Statement in the Box Office

Temple's 2010 Spring Fling was full of creative, entertaining and rather rainy booths around every corner. For instance, who could forget the life-size yellow letters spelling out "KICKASS" right next to Barton Hall? Intrigued, I looked into this more and found out that Kick-Ass is a new movie expected to be a box office hit. The film combines teenage nerd culture with superhero combat madness. An inquirer article talks about the new hit as having "punk energy, ace action moves, and a winning sense of absurdist fun."

Kick-Ass is a story of Dave Lizewski, a dorky high schooler who wants to impress the girl of his dreams more than anything. Through the fabrication of an alter ego, crime fighting antics, and literally "kicking ass," a chain reaction sets off and other superheros, such as "Hit Girl," and "Big Daddy" come out of the wood works and a new-school justice league is formed from the everyday "average joes."

Interestingly, technology and social media play huge roles in the movie. For instance, when Kick Ass saves one of his first people from bad guys, bystanders watch from a distance and film the combat scene on their cell phones. The cell phone videos are then posted online, and Kick Ass gains notoriety as he becomes the next viral sensation. In a similar vein, MySpace has a huge placement in the movie, acting as the main social networking site through which Kick Ass raises awareness about his quest to help others. Social media is also used by the movie's bad guys to stream live video over the Internet as they take revenge against Kick Ass for foiling their plans.

The movie features action-packed comedy, but also reflects the enormous role technology plays in our lives today.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Michele Reilley.

Obama Proposes Education Overhaul

Although Spring Break has been so wonderful for us Temple students, here's a little something to get your minds back into the swing of school (don't all jump up at once!):

Reporter Richard A. Serrano from the LA Times wrote an article about President Obama giving the "No Child Left Behind Act" an extreme makeover. Obama conveyed his concern for our country’s standard of education in his weekly address. He said,"The nation that out-educates us today will out-compete us tomorrow." Obama claims that the US has "lost ground" over the past decade or so and that our high schools are no longer the top producers of college graduates among other top nations in the world. Obama's reforms will push the states to do more to make sure that high school students are prepared for college by 2020 and "stress academic achievements beyond what were called for under President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind program."

While many universities have increased standards every year for prospective students, what will this new plan do for students who are simply “average” academically? Will they get left behind in the midst the increasing competition of college admission and graduation? The Teachers Union is afraid of this factor exactly, and according to the article, is skeptical that Obama’s proposal may only reward the top 10 percent of schools nationwide. Also, many also fear that this plan is good in theory but will have a delayed start due to budget cuts and teacher layoffs that resulted from the recent recession.

I have high hopes for Obama’s education reform. What do you think?

To learn more about Obama’s education reform and to read the full LA Times article click here.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member, Michele Reilley.