99 Problem’s and Now Barney’s Is One

Well-known rapper, Jay-Z, has been put in the midst of controversy involving the high end department store Barney’s New York and the racial profiling of two of its customers. It’s now come out that the rapper was facing increasing pressure to back out of his collaboration with the department store after it accused two black customers of stealing expensive items, which they had in fact purchased. The original reason why Jay-Z and Barney’s teamed up was to benefit Jay-Z’s charity, The Shawn Carter Foundation. The foundation provides scholarship money to underprivileged students, allowing them the chance to attend college.

The rap mogul first came under attack for remaining silent and not immediately responding to the event at Barney’s. However, soon after Jay-Z responded to the controversy through his website, stating that he’s being unfairly “demonized” for not getting personally involved and waiting to hear for the full story. He later stated that, "making a decision prematurely to pull out of this project wouldn't hurt Barneys or Shawn Carter but all the people that stand a chance at higher education.”

This situation proved to be quite a tough one to solve in order to satisfy both his relationship with Barney’s and the public.  Although he did release a statement, it was quite delayed, and allowed for the public to take this story and turn it into a much bigger situation then it should have been. However, he was able to maintain a positive relationship with the department store, while also recognizing the discriminatory act, which showed sympathy to the falsely accused. 

In this case did Jay-Z make the right decision by not getting immediately involved, or should he have pulled the plug on his collaboration?

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jenna Stern.

The Power Behind Twitter Chats

I have recently begun diving into the world of Twitter chats and have realized the power behind them. A Twitter tweet chat is a pre-arranged chat that happens on Twitter through the use of tweets that include a predefined hashtag to link those tweets together in a virtual conversation.

Formal Twitter tweet chats are arranged in advance and occur at a specific time. They may include a formal agenda with a specific leader or "speaker", or they might involve a free flowing discussion between all participants.

This past Tuesday night, I participated in a popular Twitter chat known as #PRStudChat, thanks to a Temple University alum, Jessica Lawlor (@jesslaw), who was chosen to host it this month. Developed by Deirdre Breakenridge (@dbreakenridge) and Valerie Simon (@valeriesimon), #PRStudChat is a community designed to bring together PR students, professionals,and educators for a dynamic conversation about the Public Relations Industry and to provide opportunities for learning, networking and mentoring relationships.

Live conversations held each month on Twitter using the hashtag #PRStudChat offer insights into the practice, business, career, and future of Public Relations by bringing together current and future industry leaders.

There are many reasons to participate in Twitter chats but here are a few ways you can benefit from one:

Connect With People Beyond Your Network 

By participating in a Twitter chat, you have the ability to connect with like-minded people across the world. Engaging with others' responses is a great way to network during a Twitter chat. Thought provoking topics can really breed intriguing conversation. As aspiring PR pros, learning from others is extremely vital. Being able to build your network in under an hour or two is incredible and really speaks to the real-time nature of the PR field.

Foster Creativity 

When you have to react quickly and respond in real-time, it really gets your creative juices flowing. Being able to respond positively to pressure-filled situations helps to develop critical thinking skills which are crucial in any career. Getting creative with 140 characters is definitely a challenge!

Build Knowledge 

You can always learn something new from a Twitter chat. Being able to discuss a concept or idea with others leads to understanding. As I mentioned before, learning from others is crucial in this profession.

Participating in Twitter chats, or even just listening and learning, will benefit you both personally and professionally. Go tweet! What are you waiting for?

Let Your Learning Lead to Action!

As we all know, knowledge is power. However, it isn't power until you actually put your knowledge to use. A wise guy once told me " Don't let your learning lead to knowledge, let your learning lead to action." This statement stayed close to me simply because of its truthfulness. How can one fully learn without actually doing it or putting your knowledge into action? You really can't!

Therefore as you continue on your college journey, be sure to take action. This would only benefit you and add to your expertise. Below are different ways you can put your learning to action:

1. Internships- Yes, internships are mandatory in college but it's ABSOLUTELY important. Lectures are just the form of learning but actually putting your learning into the work field is a form of action. You will never know what you understood in class until you put your theories, knowledge of case studies and class examples to use.

2. Volunteering- In college, learning about current events and issues that are faced by different countries and states are usually presented in our daily lives. Therefore, take action and assist different organizations that helps people who are in need.

Are there any other ways you have lead your learning into action? Share with us!

5 Truths About the Brand of "ME"

There is no denying it, we are each our own individual brand. We may not be completely conscious of this, but it is indeed true. We have all of the components of corporate brands and then some. If a brand is what people are saying about you when you aren't around, the brand of "Me" is the reaction that people have about you once you leave the room. It is the image that you display to your friends, professional networks, and to yourself on a daily basis. 

Thanks to technology, it is extremely easy for us to reach and impact our audiences, even if we don't intend to. Whether it be through hundreds of Twitter followers, Facebook friends, or likes on Instagram, we do things every day that add to other's image and perception of the brand of "me."

5 things can almost always be determined by the story being told via your "Me" brand:

1. Your Vision - What is your vision for yourself? Where do you see yourself in the next five years? The next ten? Do you project longevity, or do you come off as flighty? Are you working for the greater good, or for your own self gain? All of these questions can be answered when looking at your "Me" brand.

2. Your Mission - Why do you do the things that you're doing? Are you applying for an internship because you want to learn and grow from the experience? Do you take extra time out of your week to mentor or help other students find their way. All of these things speak volumes to who you are and what you stand for. The same way that companies have mission statements, you should create one for yourself as well!

3. Your Image - How are you portraying yourself to others? I'm talking physically and virtually here. Do you take pride in your appearance, showing up to interviews and networking events dressed appropriately? And on social media, are you putting your best tweet forward? All of these things add up to be the image that people have of you. You always want to make sure that your brand of "Me" is creating the best possible image of who you are.

4. Your Values - Your values are the things that are important to you that define the ways you work and live. The values that you showcase on a daily basis help people determine if they want to work with you, hire you or even be around you in general. The values that you display to the world everyday matter more than you may think.

5. Your Outcomes - Finally, where do you want to end up? No matter if it is an internship, future job or even the city you want to move to after graduation, the story told by your "Me" brand can help or hinder your success. 

So consider this: what is your "Me" brand saying about who you are and what you do?

Declutter Your Life

At this point of the year, your brain is full to bursting with knowledge you may or may not ever use again (unless you're taking all PR classes, then you're just bursting with fabulous knowledge you'll be grateful for forever)--am I right?

Before you have an inevitable mental breakdown, let me offer you some tips on how to declutter your mind and your life and help you breathe again.

Step 1: Organize your inbox.  Take half and hour to get all those emails either into a folder or into the trash. Did you feel the tension in your shoulders release? I thought so.

Step 2: Clean your room. It's a lot easier to get work done when dirty socks and wash you should have folded a week ago aren't staring you in the face.

Step 3: Situate your personal life. Is there tension between you and your roommates? Are you frustrated by a group project? Actually have a conversation with these people and you'll see that coming to a solution isn't as hard as it seems.

Step 4: Declutter your soul. It may sound cheesy but doing something that makes you feel good inside is incredibly beneficial.  Help out with a neighborhood clean-up or volunteer to work a 5k benefiting a good cause. A happier heart makes for a happier you.

What do you find most effective when you're overwhelmed and feeling pretty cluttered?

Along those lines, check out this funny Buzzfeed video: 35 Things to Get Rid of to Declutter Your Life.

Lipstick Backlash

Recently, Sephora had to do a bit of crisis management. About a week ago, the cosmetics chain had to pull a lipstick off of its shelves after receiving backlash from customers. The lipstick shade, titled "Celebutard," was a part of the Painted Love Lipstick line by Kat Von D. While the nude hue flatters most consumers, ironically, it didn't set well with many. 

The majority of the negative response came from mothers of children with developmental issues who were not a fan of the use of the derogatory word. Kim Stagliano, managing editor of Age of Autism, wrote in a Huffington Post blog, "People with disabilities are the last to benefit from what some might call 'political correctness,' and what I would call basic human decency. 'Retard' is still bandied about - even by people I like a lot, like Howard Stern and his crew, who still have wack packers with the R word in their name."

Once realizing the mistake, Sephora issued this statement saying, "It has come to our attention that the name of one shade of a lipstick we carry has caused offense to some of our clients and others. We are deeply sorry for that, and we have ceased sale of that shade both in our stores and online."

Lipstick creator, Kat Von D, did not share the same sentiment. Although it has since been deleted, she reportedly tweeted, "At the end of the day, it's just a f**king lipstick." 

Do you believe it's "just a lipstick" or is it an offensive and insensitive term to a large group of the population? Do you think Sephora handled this crisis effectively? We would love for you to share your thoughts below!

For more information: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/07/celebutard-lipstick-sephora_n_4233966.html#slide=more240278

http://www.prdaily.com/crisiscommunications/Articles/15577.aspx

Are You Using The Internet To Its Full Extent?

Today, the Internet is one of the most helpful tools a publicist can use.  Recently I heard from a few speakers a few websites that seemed like must-knows for a public relations specialist.  While we are all Facebook, Twitter and Instagram experts, here are some other websites that will be helpful to you and your public relations career:

1.  HelpAReporter.com - HelpAReporter.com, or HARO, can offer you that extra story you did not know you could have had.  HARO is a free website that emails you three times a day with publicity alerts from journalists looking for article assistance from publicists. HARO is partnered with some of the top journalists in the country, such as ABC.  Also, it allows you to make connections with even more journalists than before!
2. SeekOrShout.com - SeekOrShout.com helps you create and promote new content.  The ‘seek’ feature lets you search editorial news from all over the web.  After you find what you are seeking, you can ask the SeekOrShout community for its help with your search by requesting an interview, product review or helpful document.  The ‘shout’ option allows you to promote or announce new content.  People who follow you or who follow the topics you tag, will be able to see the post and use it themselves.  This website is a great way to help you with a blog post, find someone to help you promote your new product, and promote your new content.
3. PitchEngine.com – PitchEngine is the sleekest way to release your press releases.  They claim that, “It combines the readability of a magazine with the immersive experience of an app.”  It allows people to interact with your press release and also share it with others.  It automatically formats your press releases for viewing on any smart phone.  PitchEngine also allows you to leverage your release, reach more networks make it more searchable and even tracks your release and lets you see where it is being published.  The basic package of PitchEngine is free, however there are other packages with more features that will cost you a bit more.

Also, do not forget to follow websites that are specialized to the field you are working.  You never know where there is an extra story you can find!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jackie Grillo.