Pink Slime Makes People See Red

A couple weeks ago, a viral social media campaign was launched featuring an ammonia-treated meat additive in the form of pink slime. Used

as a filler for meats used in fast-food restaurants, grocery stores, and even school lunches, the use of pink slime allows meat to be produced cheaper than those without the additive. However, many customers are upset that the FDA would allow this to go on for so long, without making it known to people.

Soon after news of the slime broke, a Change.org petition was created and has garnered over 250,000 signatures to stop its use in public schools. Many large grocery stores such as Wal-Mart and Kroger have since stopped selling meat products without the additive. Kroger even released a statement, saying:

“We have listened to your concerns that the use of lean finely textured beef—while fully approved by the USDA for safety and quality—is something you do not want in ground beef. You are our top priority and for that reason we have decided to stop purchasing ground beef that contains lean finely textured beef.”

Since the social media rampage, the Beef Products, Inc., makers of 'pink slime' have since fired back. They created beefisbeef.com, in which they fire back at naysayers of pink slime. Beef Products post various news articles debunking the myth that pink slime is not healthy. They also created a graphic, shown below, that weighs the nutritional value of pink slime. “We produce 100 percent quality lean beef. That’s it. That whole thing is a farce. There’s no substance to it,” said Beef Products’ Craig Letch to the Chicago Tribune.

As opposed to other companies shying away from confronting critics, Beef Products has done no such thing. Although the Beef Products brand will be significantly tarnished, they did the right thing by pulling out stats, representatives, and credible resources to back their side of their story.

How do you think Beef Products handled its critics? Would you still buy meat products with the ammonia-treated filler in it? Let us know!

Cost vs. Benefit: Choosing the Right Internship

After applying for several internships, I expect to not get every job. But what if I get more than one offer? How will I decide which one is best for me? First and foremost, give yourself dates. Decide when you will stop applying for internships and when you will make a decision as to which internship you will accept. Also, keep in mind of the start dates of the internships you apply to because companies and organizations will need a fair warning if they need to contact another candidate.

I decided my cutoff date for applying for a summer internship would be mid-March and that I will decide by May 1st as to which internship offer I would accept. When interviewing for positions, communication is key. Be honest and inform potential employers that you are interviewing for other positions. If you are given an offer, thank them and remind them that you are still interviewing for other positions and ask if there is a deadline by which you will need to accept their offer. If not, give them a reasonable date by which you will inform them of your decision. After you receive all of your offers there are a few guidelines to consider when deciding on which internship offers to decline and which to accept.

Location, Location, Location

Will you have to relocate? Will you have to wake up at 4am and then take three buses and a train? While accepting an internship hours away in the city might seem exciting, it may not be realistic. Use the time you will save on commuting to get the most out of your internship.

Finance$

While paid internships are few and far in-between, can you financially afford to accept an unpaid internship? Would you be able to intern part-time and work part-time? Some of the best internship offers you might receive are unpaid, but you still have tuition and rent to pay for. If the company or organization is flexible and willing to work with you, consider also picking up a summer job.

EdUcation

Ask yourself, will I actually learn something out of this internship? While there is an opportunity to learn something out of every experience, accepting an internship which you feel as though you can't grow as a young professional is not of value. I was recently offered an internship with a government agency that was paid and in close proximity to me. However, I came to find out I would be filing, scanning and answering phones all summer. Make sure you find yourself somewhere where your talents can be utilized and showcased to the best of your abilities.

Have you received internship offers yet? If so, what are your non-negotiables?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Cori Shearer.

Severe Punishments for Bountygate: Crisis Management at its Finest

The “bounty” scandal, or bountygate as it is becoming known, of the National Football League’s New Orleans Saints has been considered by many different sports media outlets, such as ESPN, CBS, and Sports Illustrated, to be one of the worst scandals not only in NFL history, but in all of sports. The “bounty” program refers to a system set up and run by players where cash rewards were paid out to players who successfully injured or “knocked out” other players from a game. However, many consider the worst part of the program to be that Saints management and coaches knew about and encouraged the program. As a result, the league last week handed down draconian punishments that included a one year suspension for Saints head coach Sean Payton, an eight game suspension for General Manager Mickey Loomis, and an indefinite suspension for Gregg Williams, who was the coach that initially instituted the bounty program to the Saints when he was their defensive coordinator.

The significance of this scandal is that it does great damage to the NFL’s recent attempts to revamp its image and stance in regards to safety. Football, by nature, is a physical game with a high injury rate. Traditionally, the NFL has encouraged this physicality and has paid little attention to the overall and long term health of its players. However, recent research about head trauma and a class action lawsuit from retired players about the NFL’s negligence towards player safety have brought the issue to the game’s forefront. In response, the NFL has slowly introduced new tackling and equipment rules to try and protect players. In addition, new procedures have been put into place to ensure that players suffering from concussions are fully healed before they return to playing. The NFL was trying to reinvent itself to show that it cared about safety and this new prioritization was supposed to trickle down to the lower levels so that over time the game would become safer for everyone to play.
Then the bounty scandal happened.

The scandal showed that nothing had changed. The fact that it existed for so long and that coaches and players knew about it and encouraged it set an awful example for the lower levels of the game. The “bounty” system undermined the NFL’s attempts to establish itself as a safety first league.

The NFL, however, recognized the damage the scandal caused to its image and its “role model” status and this is why it punished those involved so hard. The Saints are one of the more popular franchises in the league, Payton is one of the best known and most respected coaches in the NFL, and to top it off, this year’s Super Bowl will be held in New Orleans. The last thing the NFL wanted to do was to hurt the Saints franchise, but it had to prove to all the high school and college players and their parents that the NFL is serious about safety. These harsh and severe punishments can be seen as a PR move by the NFL to respond to the image hit it took as a result of the scandal. They send the message that the NFL holds safety above all else, including the money it makes off the Saints franchise.

Bountygate shows us that when it comes to crisis management, the right decisions are rarely the easy ones. The NFL could have pretended like nothing happened and they would have continued to make heaps of money off the Saints. However, the league knew that its image as a role model for younger players was its top priority and therefore delivered a decision that will help the overall health of the league, even though it may not look that way right now.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Matt Jones.

StratComm's #LeadershipLookbook Shines from Head to Toe

Photo Courtesy of Sharla Feldscher

Last night, the Department of Strategic Communication (StratComm) hosted it's first-ever Leadership Lookbook event, an evening designed to teach students about the importance of leadership and professional dress in the workplace.

With over 30 students in attendance from the School of Communications and Theater, the event began with Dr. Tracey Weiss, a StratComm professor, and Shari DaCosta, a StratComm alumnus, who spoke to the audience about becoming a leader in your career. Students were also informed about the benefits of the department's leadership minor, which teaches students one of the most desired traits by today's employers.

Four of StratComm's very own students "hit the runway" as they modeled looks from Les Richards Menswear and Ann Taylor. Knowledgeable representatives from both retailers gave great tips and advice to audience attendees on how to assemble a professional outfit for both men and women, while further emphasizing the importance of dress and first impressions during the job search process.

To complete the leadership look, representatives from Jean Madeline Salons provided live hair and makeup demonstrations during the event to teach students that a professional look doesn't just end after the suit. Quick and easy tips were given to students on how to achieve a polished look, from smooth hair to healthy skin.

At the end of the event, various prizes were raffled off to audience members including gift cards for local restaurants, gift cards to Jean Madeline Salons and a free suit courtesy of Les Richards Menswear.

Les Richards Menwear will continue to help Temple University men get the leadership edge with an extra 10% discount throughout the month of April with the presentation of a Temple ID.

For more information about the Department of Strategic Communication, follow @StratCommTU on Twitter or visit http://www.facebook.com/StratCommTU.

Do Crises Have Long-Term Effects on Companies?

It depends on the company you’re talking about.

In some cases, like the case of former energy giant Enron, a crisis can destroy a reputation in a heartbeat. However, in other cases the effects do not seem as long-lasting.

Take Chiquita, harvester of bananas, avocados and all types
of delicious fruits and vegetables. In 2007, Chiquita admitted in federal court
to funding Colombian paramilitary organizations for a period of approximately
seven years. These paramilitary organizations were labeled as terrorist
organizations by the U.S. government.

So, why was Chiquita funding these Colombian terrorist
organizations? These organizations were used to squash unions and intimidate
union leaders, keeping the price of Chiquita products down in the U.S. The groups’ preferred methods? Massacres and targeted killings.

Chiquita was accused of wide-spread human rights violations and was sued in domestic courts under the Alien Tort Statute. If there was ever a crisis, this was it.

Fast-forward to 2012. Chiquita still controls over 40% of the U.S. banana market. It is still a major fruit company and makes billions of dollars every year.

We vilify companies such as Enron and Solyndra for financial and investment crimes, yet companies who do far worse are not held to the same standard. Companies are all affected by crises; however, the extent of the effect can vary significantly.

Show Me The Money!

With non-profits and charities the most important question contributors ask is, “Where does the money go?” My most recent experience with charities deals with my internship at Comcast-Spectacor Charities. Since its inception in 1977, the organization has raised over 24 million dollars for local Philadelphia charities. Their motto: “If it matters in your community, it’s important to Comcast-Spectacor.” However, I have noted a lack of tangible efforts performed by the organization and as a result, a lack of contribution from repeat donors.  

Charities and non-profits raise an exuberant amount of money but if contributors physically cannot see where the money is going, you will lose repeat contributors, as I saw happen to Comcast-Spectacor.

In an effort to accumulate repeat contributors, Comcast-Spectacor proposed a new tactic to show contributors where the money physically goes. The Flyer’s wives participated in the renovation of a home on Camac Street in Philadelphia for a sick 7-year-old boy named Kahlil. As a result of their physical efforts, a jump in donation directly followed. The success of the project created a catalyst for an entire series of renovations, “Building Hope For Kids”. The series will focus on renovating chronically ill children’s bedrooms to brighten their future.

Charities and non-profits need to physically and tangibly show where contributors money goes. As seen with Comcast-Spectacor Charities, beneficiaries will be more inclined to contribute more frequently if they can physically see your organizations efforts.

Social Media Leads Social Activism: Trayvon Martin Movement

Many people weren't aware of Trayvon Martin's tragic death at the young age of 17 in Sanford, Florida earlier this month. After online petitions, tweets and Facebook posts, awareness has skyrocketed and a social movement has formed.

Martin had been shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer while he had only a bag of Skittles on him. The shooter, George Zimmerman, claimed to police that he saw a suspicious black male that had a hooded sweatshirt on with the hood up. He reported to police that he thought he was acting strangely, possibly on drugs. Against police orders, Zimmerman followed the boy and at some point shortly after, shot Martin in the chest at close range. Phone records with the police remain blurry as to what happened.

Outrage and mourning ensued after news of the murder spread, especially because Zimmerman has not been charged. A "Million Hoodie March" to protest Martin's death have been seen in major cities such as New York and Philadelphia. Protestors wear hooded sweatshirts with the hood up to symbolize what Martin was wearing when he was killed. The march was initiated after Trayvon's parents created an online petition for the criminal investigation of Trayvon's murder. After an hour of the event, 973, 065 signatures were obtained. The petition now has over 2 million signatures. Aside from the petition, there have been over 600,000 mentions on Twitter concerning the case and a "Justice for Trayvon Martin" Facebook page with 82,000 "likes".

I can only anticipate that support for the movement will grow as more details on the case are investigated. Have you been involved with the movement on social media?

Photo courtesy of the Time Newsfeed article that can be found here.