Flyers Carnival Crisis Communications

I have the distinct pleasure of interning for the Philadelphia Flyers working with Comcast-Spectacor Charities.  We most recently held our 35^th Annual Wives For Lives Carnival, which in the past has raised over $1 million for local charities. We have learned a lot from past carnivals and are always looking to make the experience better for our guests. In the past, the lines have been too long and some participants were unable to receive autographs or photographs. This year, we decided to pre-sell popular players, including Flyer’s captain Chris Pronger, in order to insure that every participant will receive an autograph or photograph. While this was a good idea in theory, the unexpected happened, as it usually does. The Flyer’s Captain Chris Pronger suffered a major concussion and announced that he would not be participating in the annual carnival, leaving 650 paid customers out of an autograph and photograph. There were a number of things done to inform the public about Pronger’s absence both internally and externally.

Internally, we made every department in the building aware of Pronger’s absence. We created a FAQ sheet and interns, such as myself, were trained to take calls from angry participants. We were told to explain how their ticket could still be used at the carnival and assure customers that other players were still available for autographs and photographs.

To inform the public, the department reached out to all of those who had pre-purchased tickets via email. We explained the unfortunate circumstances and instructed guests that they could still receive photographs and autographs for any available player with their Pronger ticket, at the carnival. We also updated the Flyer’s CharitiesFacebook page with the same information.  Additionally, we mailed a signed autograph picture to every pre-purchased Pronger order.

The unfortunate circumstances of Chris Pronger’s absence enabled me to get a better a look into crisis management and communications. I learned that the two key factors in handling the crisis were: informing the public that they still had options prior to the carnival, and still giving the public what they paid for, which was the autographed picture.

And the Oscar goes to...Twitter?

For the unlucky ones (like myself) that were stuck doing homework instead of watching the Oscars, little did we miss considering all one had to do was glance at a Twitter feed to know what was going on every minute of the special event.

From Angelina's right leg, Jennifer Lopez's revealing outfit and Ryan Seacrest's ash shower, many noteworthy happenings during the awards were being discussed on social media. Here is a recap about what the world was commenting on during the show:

• Probably the most popular thing on Twitter was the new handle, @AngiesRightLeg. Referring to the strong stance she took throughout the night where her right leg was very much pushed forward to accentuate the slit in her dress. The fake Twitter account apparently sent out mock posts to poke fun at the actress.
• Many comments were directed towards Jennifer Lopez and her apparent wardrobe malfunction when she was presenting an award, supposedly exposing a little too much cleavage.
  
• 62-year-old actress, Meryl Streep, won the third Oscar of her career for her work in The Iron Lady. She portrayed former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the film.
  
• While The Artist earned Best Picture, Martin Scorsese's Hugo was one of the most mentioned films according to Bluefin Labs. Since Hugo received it's Oscar nomination, the film's trailer has generated 2.2 million views of online trailers and clips.

According to Bluefin Labs, social media comments for the Oscars have tripled since last year with 3.4 million Oscar-related comments on Facebook and Twitter, up from 966,000 from the 2011 Academy Awards telecast. With that being said, Oscar producers will be able to generate a lot of advertising revenue in the years to come based on social media's growing popularity.

Did you post on social media during the Oscars? What was your favorite trending topic?

To read more about the most-talked about topics on the big night, click here.

Newsworthiness: Lessons from First Year PR Writing

Right now I'm in the middle of my first PR writing class, ever. So far its proven to be challenging, but in a good way. My professor is Dale Wilcox, who actually doubles as a PR pro when he is not molding minds in AP Style. Lately, he's been assigning us to write short news stories in 5 paragraph pyramid style. That is; lede, quote, transition, quote, followed by the last important details. But along with trying to make us cut down the information we're given to what is most important, Prof. Wilcox also urged us to keep in mind: is it newsworthy?

So what is newsworthy, exactly? Below is what I've learned from News Writing & Media Relations:

Timeliness: Did this happen recently? Is it still relevant? Pitching a story to a reporter from 2 weeks ago doesn't exactly make a lot of sense, so make sure you're keeping the timeline of your story in mind when pitching to media.

Proximity: Will this affect your readers? Say you are pitching to a local newspaper in Philadelphia, will a car crash in Phoenix, Arizona make much of a difference to your readers' life? Probably not, so consider this when pitching your story.

Prominence: People love a tragedy. Chances are, people are going to pay more attention to the death of famous person than a farmer. But just like before, while the death of a farmer might now be international news, it will likely affect the farmer's local newspaper, maybe even make the front page.

Novelty: Is there anything unique or quirky about your story? Anything that deviates from normal, i.e. 3 headed cat, will prove to be newsworthy because its something that will surprise readers and encourage them to pick up the paper.

Weather: Weather trumps everything. Natural disasters will always affect a large portion of people. Therefore, a storm will be more newsworthy to a larger population than the majority of local news.

Always keep in mind who you're pitching to, and consider, as Prof. Wilcox likes to say: "We're here, you're not, so here's what's happening."

Here Come the Summer...Internships!

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been looking forward to the summer. Long sunny days, time with the family, no classes, and most important…. summer internships! Why do an internship when you can lie on the beach all day? Well, internships have invaluable experience and connections that cannot be learned in a classroom. You’ll most likely have the weekends off, so that can make your beach trip that much more enjoyable! Getting an internship will be the best way to keep your mind active and give you new material to juice up your resume. I’ve been on the summer internship hunt for about a month now, and the applying process has begun for many. But for those who are not sure where to start, here is some tips that I have picked up along the way:

February
-Start by researching various positions already posted, and look up your dream firms/companies now! Make a list in a Word document or write it down. Whatever way you choose, keep it organized and keep your links.
-Find at least 10 companies or positions. Summer is THE time for internships and thousands of students are going for your spot.
-Make note of any deadlines posted within the descriptions.
-Get your materials together and update them i.e. resume, cover letter, letters of recommendation (if needed).

Early March
-If you haven’t by now…start applying! Keep track of all the internships you have applied to, doing so will make sure you have not applied twice.

Late March
-Unless they have specified to NOT call, do follow-up by calling. If anything, send an e-mail. All you have to say is “Hi my name is ____ , I e-mailed my resume to ______ a few weeks ago and wanted to follow-up to make sure they’ve received it”.

Last Minutes:
-Companies, firms, and organizations still post internship positions right before and even during the summer season. These positions might not be the cream of the crop, or at the top of your list but…the early bird gets the juiciest worm, correct?

Tips:
-Big companies usually have early deadlines; they might have even passed by now, but make sure to look!
-Always, always, always get another pair of eyes to look at your resume and cover letter!
-You will most likely be notified by mid-April if not before.
-Don’t limit yourself to paid internships (though they are nice) a good experience is the most important.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter.

The "How To's" of Gaining Media Attention for Your Event

If you’re in PR you know how important media attention is in promoting an event. But you may think to yourself, “How am I supposed to get them interested in my event?” Though this question may seem daunting, it’s really not!

Here are some quick tips on how to make your event stand out from all the rest and get the media attention it deserves:

1. Make it relevant and timely. Media circuits are not going to cover your event if they don’t feel there is any connection to the audience. Do your research and know who the primary audience is. Research what the audience finds most interesting and plan the event around that.

2. What is the potential for word-of-mouth. Get people talking about your event. It cannot just be about relying on the media, you have to get people interested. Tell people the perks of attending this event and guarantee the use of social media and electronics i.e.- photographs, video cameras, tweeting, posting Facebook status, etc.

3. Cover all the bases. Be sure to have a set plan with your event. Do not allow for the media to find a hole in your stunt. Because if they find a hole, your event will become about the failure rather than the success.

4. Anticipate the response from the media. Make sure there is a clear message for your stunt. What do you want this to be remembered for? Laughter, anger, warmth or charitable work- that’s up to you to decide.

5. Prepare…Prepare…Prepare! Be sure to have all materials needed before the start of the event. This will help ensure the event running smoothly with no mistakes.

Media attention helps events gain credibility. With these “how to” tips on how to gain and sustain media attention, there is no reason why your event can’t be as successful as you hope!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Alison Curran.

Making Your Resume Go Viral

If you're anything like me, you've put out a few job applications, haven't really heard anything and realize this whole job-search thing is going to be a steep up-hill battle. I know I have an impressive resume, but so do the other hundreds of job applicants up against me, and I'm becoming more and more aware that maybe a simple black and white word document isn't going to do the trick anymore. I've seen people with amazing personal websites, crazy cool infographic resumes, and now people are even "pinning" their work on their Pinterest boards! After researching all of the new, innovative ways people are making their resumes more tech-friendly and eye-catching, there are endless possibilities for creating the "wow" factor. An article from U.S. News outlines five ways many job seekers are showcasing their resumes online:

1. Create an infographic. If you'll be working with data or visuals on the job, an infographic resume might be the way to go. These are naturally packed full of information, which means you'll have ample opportunity to strut your stuff. Below is an example of social media strategist, Hagan Blount's infographic resume:2. Produce a video. A video resume allows the hiring manager to get a feel for your personality before meeting you in person. And since likeability and cultural fit are often high priorities when considering a candidate, introducing yourself via video can put you ahead of your competition. You'll need multimedia skills and a friendly, upbeat-yet-professional personality to make this work, so if cameras and editing tools aren't your strong point, it might be smarter to skip this option. Alternatively, consider a tool like Hello There that does some of the legwork for you.

3. Use a QR code. For techies, QR codes—or barcodes that direct you to a website when read by a smart phone—present the possibility of opportunity. The code itself isn't difficult to generate. What's more time-consuming is figuring out where that code will take your potential employer; whatever is at the other end has to be impressive. Make sure the hiring manager will understand and appreciate this technology before using it as part of your pitch.

4. Just go digital. LinkedIn works for getting your experience and skills online, but what if you displayed your resume on your own website? Even without interactive bells and whistles, offering a good-looking resume at a URL rather than on a piece of paper shows you're ahead of the curve.

5. Pitch yourself with a PowerPoint. If you're looking to work at a presentation-oriented company and can convince the hiring manager to click through more than one page, a PowerPoint might be the right choice for you. Pitching your skills isn't the only way to approach this; you could also offer ideas on how the company could become more effective and the role you'd play in that transformation. Prezi has become a large attraction for soon-to-be grads as well as an alternative to standard PowerPoints.

What are some other creative ways to get your resume online and noticed? Let us know!

Compromise Ahead of Elections? What's the catch?

The United States House of Representatives and Senate passed a year-long extension of the payroll tax cut last Friday, Feb. 17, marking another legislative victory for President Obama ahead of the 2012 elections. Want to know the best part? The bill was passed through with bipartisan support and a hefty helping of compromise. Crazy, huh?

The payroll tax cut, which was temporarily extended last fall, was packaged with an extension of federal unemployment benefits. The $143 billion economic package will reach over 160 million workers. A big reason the bill garnered bipartisan support in both houses was because of two conservative-leaning provisions: one reducing the time that individuals can stay on unemployment and another helping to support doctors who treat patients on Medicare. Both Democrats and Republicans hope that it will help sustain the country’s economic recovery.

But if Obama supported the bill, why did it pass? It turns out, voting yes (or in some cases, voting no) to a bill before an election can give candidates great PR ammunition.

Obama is likely to tout this bill as his latest effort to boost the economy, a subject that will dominate the upcoming presidential election. He will use this bill, along with the American Recovery and Investment Act and the recent drop in the unemployment rate, to take credit for moving the economy forward post-recession. If this is properly communicated to target audiences (think American’s unemployed, underemployed and the middle class) it could result in a big boost in public opinion for Obama.

Democrats are likely to piggyback on Obama’s economic messages, a strategy that worked well for them in 2008. They can add this to the list of legislation that they voted for to help the economic recovery. This makes them look like strong advocates for the middle class, a powerful position in the wake of the Occupy movement.

Finally, Republicans who voted for the bill might choose to promote their bipartisanship in the promotion of economic growth. This could work well if Obama has a high approval rating in their states. Republicans who voted against the bill can position themselves as strong advocates of the conservative, top-down approach to macroeconomic policy. However, the corresponding messaging might appear insensitive to unemployed or underemployed individuals.

Whichever way you want to look at it, the payroll tax extension was a strategic vote. Only time will tell if it pays off, and for whom.