Learn how and why men communicate for dating and PR purposes!

Hello blogosphere! The semester is coming to an end and this is my final post on SA&P’s group blog! I thought I would switch it up a little and talk about a book that I am currently reading and how it can help myself, and others relate to men within the PR industry.

I am currently half way through comedian Steve Harvey’s book Act like a lady, think like a man. In Harvey’s book, he offers women tips on what really goes on inside a man’s head. Harvey also offers his view on what mean are really thinking when it comes to dating, sex, having kids, settling down and most importantly: RELATIONSHIPS!

The first thing that came to mind when reading the book was that PR is all about relationships! So I figured maybe this book would help me understand the simple, and sometimes stupid minds of men pertaining to dating as well as the business aspect of PR. I try to read and learn new things to help improve my communication skills as much as possible.

What I have already learned in life, is that men and women think completely different. The best way to get to a man (through advertising, PR or marketing) is through sex … the best way to get to a woman (also through advertising, PR or marketing) is through her emotions. The two different genders function very differently when it comes to communication.

Harvey’s book has given me a lot of knowledge and insight on how to approach men when it comes to dating and has influenced my thought process on how to market to men as well as communication with men in the PR/marketing/communications industry.

I will be able to better communicate with men if I understand how they function and why they function the way they do. Harvey’s book has definitely helped me gain insight to those two questions. Harvey has a whole chapter dedicated to explaining why men love and how. In order to market or communicate clearly to a target audience (for example, the target audience could be men), it makes sense to understand what motivates them, what they do and don’t like and why they function the way they do.

I am only half way through the book right now, but I would definitely recommend anyone needing help in the dating department or PR/communication department to pick a copy up and read it!

If you have read the book and would like to touch on other ways in which it relates to PR, ways in which I have not pointed out, feel free to leave your comments! Thanks for reading and happy end of the semester everyone!

-- Samantha Savory

Now it's time to say goodbye...

Hello everyone,

This will be my last post of the semester, so I wanted to make it interesting. Don't get me wrong, I want these posts to be informative, but I don't want to bore you to tears. So I thought, what better to entertain while informing, than to discuss PR and celebrity news?

What celebrity is better to talk about and perhaps learn from than our favorite Mouseketeer, the infamous Britney Spears? Since the beginning of her career, she has remained fodder for the tabloids. Every day there is something in the news about her erratic behavior, crazy antics, legal issues or her comeback. Is her star on the rise? I’ll let you be the judge.

Lately all we’ve been heard from the Spears camp is how well she is doing. After a much publicized divorce, a bevy of child custody hearings and a “mental breakdown," Spears is said to be back to her old self again. Unfortunately for her, episodes like the one that took place on Thursday, April 9, 2009, don’t do much for her reformed image. Apparently during her concert in Vancouver, British Columbia, fifteen minutes into her set, Spears left the stage for more than a half an hour stating that there was too much smoke in the arena. An announcement was made to the crowd stating that the show would “resume when the smoke on stage was cleared.” The clearing of the smoke took about 30 minutes, after which she was back on stage in all of her lip synching glory. Spears ended the show on an even stranger note by saying, “Drive safe, don’t smoke weed and rock out with your c**ks out! Peace mother f**kers!”


Now I don’t know about you, but this little episode is not a great signal of Ms. Spears’ mental well-being. Her PR practitioners have been working day and night since she broke onto the music scene to build and maintain her image. She has done quite a lot of damage to that image in the past three years or so, but it seemed as though her career was on the mend. Obviously her problems have not gone away. I believe that this stems from the fact that instead of caring for her personal, physical and mental well-being, the people around her (including her PR practitioners) focused only on getting her career back on track.


It’s about the bottom line. How much money would they lose from her failing career? When would it be too late to have a comeback? How soon is too soon to get her back onto the studio? I think that all of these questions were posed and instead of really taking the time to see if she was ready to go back into the spotlight, they put her back on the hamster wheel and hoped for the best. If I were her PR practitioner, I would have raised concerns, citing how her career would greatly benefit from her complete recovery and if my concerns were not heard, I would quit, stating that I did not feel right continuing to represent the Spears camp.


Here are some words of wisdom for all of you burgeoning PR professionals out there. You are not only governed by your paychecks. Your personal morals and convictions should also be your guide, and what is good for your bank account may not always be good for the person you’re representing. PR is a business like any other and the bottom line does matter, but there is a personal line that must be drawn. Would you continue to enable Britney Spears?


Porsche


http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/celebrities/hollywood/britney-spears-walks-off-stage-breaking-down-212639/#blog

Blogs & Television-- The newest combo!

Social media is taking over the world, especially when it comes to TV shows. Shows from Larry King Live on CNN to The Real World on MTV, it seems like every show has a blog that allows viewers to tell others their opinions of their favorite shows. MTV has even gone so far as to post the blog comments at the bottom of the screen while the show is airing. It's insane how social media and the mass media are converging and taking over!

The big NCAA Championship game is airing tonight starring North Carolina's Wayne Ellington and Michigan State's Goran Suton where the New York Times is providing sports fans with a live blog. The NY Times editors are at the game are blogging every two to three minutes updating fans on what is going on in the stadium, providing information and insight that might not be available on national television. The opprotunity of blogs are cheap and easy and they provide people with the information that they want instantly.

Everyone is blogging from sports fans to reality TV show junkies and I don't think blogging is going any where any time soon. Communities stay in touch and keep each other informed through blogging and other social media outlets. Blogging, like any other thing in life, has its negatives and positives but I personally think that the good outweighs the bad. People can educate others on topics ranging from preventions of yeast infections to how to cook a good samon dinner with the right seasoning, and it's all available from the touch of a mouse.

In my opinion, blogs are the most popular form of social media and that's why television stations are incorporating them with their shows. Do you agree? If not, what form of social media do you think is the most popular and why?

-- Samantha Savory

Broaden Your Social Media Vocabulary

Hello everyone. Today I decided to focus a little less on public relations and more on social media. I found this website that basically provides anyone in need with a social media glossary. Now, I don’t know about you, but sometimes the terms used to describe social media and its various forms can be confusing. So I thought that I would bring a little more enlightenment to the most heard and used terms used when discussing social media. This is a list that I compiled of the most used and misunderstood terms when dealing with social media according to OurMedia.org:

1. Creative Commons: This term is used to describe a “not-for-profit” organization and licensing system that offers creators the ability to fine-tune or adjust their copyright. It basically provides people with information on how others may use their works (OurMedia.org).


2. Digital story: This term refers to a short personal nonfiction narrative that is written often for online publishing or publishing to a DVD. They are usually 2-5 minutes long and can include anything, from music to video (OurMedia.org).


3. Mash-up: This term can refer to many definitions, but there are two that are the most widely used. The most commonly used mash-ups are video mash-ups. This is generally what’s done on YouTube. It is when one combines two or more pieces of video to create new content. Music mash-ups are more of the same. They are a combination of two or more songs, usually with the vocals of one song overlaid on top of the melody of another (OurMedia.org).


4. Personal Media: This term refers to user-created media. It is generally used to describe at-home work, such as videos and audio. It can be shared on social networking sites, as well as, various types of social media (OurMedia.org).


5. Prosumer: This term is a combination of the words “consumer” with “producer”. The term was coined by Alvin Toffler in 1980 and it refers to an “amateur” who has the specific skill set of one who is trained as a producer (OurMedia.org).


I have seen and heard these terms quite often the past few semesters and I decided that it would be a pretty good idea to look them up. In the process I thought that it could be beneficial to all of those who read this blog to see these definitions as well. As future PR practitioners, it is not only important to know how to use social media and all of its accompanying technologies, but to also know the language. This is just a small collection of terms and definitions. I encourage all of you to go out and look up the words that you don’t necessarily understand, because it will come in handy when you enter the workforce. How do you feel about learning the new social media “cyber-language”? Do you believe it’s important or do you think we should just pick it up as we go? I’d love to hear from you.

Porsche

http://ourmedia.org/learning-center/glossary

Millennials Are Good People

The characteristics of Millennials, a.k.a. the Net Gen, was the topic of discussion in my advertising class on Thursday. My professor was quick to describe the bad qualities that Millennials (the entire class) are said to have, one of them being how we think we are so special.
(Picture- http://techyness.com/2008/05/)


She described us as being very sheltered and of having egos that were boosted by our parents. We apparently need to be able to access everything from food to information at the blink of an eye. She also said that we are overly confident. In a business setting, we are known to have the “nobody can fire me because I quit” attitude. We are goal-oriented, and we think that we will reach our goals faster by going to college.

The list goes on.


Come on! Give me a break! Millennials are always being put down. We cannot help that our parents want the best for us. Baby boomers laugh at the fact that parents tell their children that they are still winners even if they have lost. The funny thing is that they are the parents.


Mandla made things worse when he raised his hand and said that he just could not see himself working 40 hours a week for another man to gain all of the wealth. His statement was a little cocky, but very logical. Millennials want to be reflections of their exemplars: the baby boomer parents. We want to own our own businesses and make millions of dollars, too.

My professor should have mentioned the good qualities of Millennials. We are the collaborating generation. Instead of watching television all day like the baby boomers did, Millennials are growing up interacting. Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and Habbo are some of the social media Web site giants that Millennials use as communications marketplaces.

I admit, we like to get our research fast. If we want to know how many people in China buy Chinese Barbie dolls every year, we can type it up on Google and get some kind of information about the subject.

Baby boomers and Generation Xers should point out the healthy brain-stimulating habits that Millennials have instead of making us seem like lazy rebels.

What are some other things that you have heard about Millennials?

-Armegan

President Obama's PR—is it working in his favor?

I’m sure all of you have seen President Barack Obama every where from cable television to the internet. Whether it was an appearance on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, an appearance on ESPN, to his weekly addresses to the nation, President Obama is continuing his phenomenal PR (even after the campaign) in order to help keep the nation informed on our financial crisis(s) as well as putting in a significant effort in maintaining his positive ratings among Americans. Everyone knows his number one priority is promoting and selling the stimulus bill … what other way to do so then to go to cable shows that millions of the average American watches and tell them about it? Spectators say that president Obama’s aggressive PR campaign seems to be aimed at making the president more human, as he communicates straightforwardly to the American public about the pros and cons of our rugged economy and the stimulus package.

Along with the President being on his “PR grind,” his wife, Michelle Obama has easily been seen on several magazine covers and has appeared on several talk shows to help promote the positive image of her family, particularly her husband and his decisions with the economy. The Obama’s are flooding the mass media every which way you look with positive images and messages to the public in hopes that the nation will support them and help them make the “change” in our nation and the world that President Obama originally campaigned on.

But is the bold decision to be in the nations faces so often a good idea, or is he overexposing himself and wearing the nation down? It seems like the far right conservative blogs and commentators think he’s not doing such a hot job, but let’s be honest; will Republicans and all the Fox News junkies ever be happy with President Obama and his decisions? Most likely NOT! I think President Obama is genius for some how managing all of our countries trying issues (everything from the drug war in Mexico, to America’s current recession to fighting the war on terror). I would love to hear your thoughts on our president and how he’s done thus far….
-- Samantha Savory

You Can't Control Everything

I was having a conversation with my friend the other day about the Rihanna/Chris Brown situation. In particular we were discussing how all of the sponsorships that Chris Brown had, have been taken off the air. Brown had numerous commercials and was the spokesperson for brands like Double Mint Gum; but after his most recent run in with the law and the impending trial he is facing, his spots were quickly removed from the air and he no longer does press for this company or any of the others he represented. This brought me to the topic for this blog, spokespersons. According to “Strategic Planning for Public Relations” by Ronald D. Smith, there are three categories of rhetoric. One of those categories is Ethos. Ethos is persuasion based on the character of the person delivering the message. It’s also based upon how the audience perceives the speaker and it can be divided into three C’s:

1. Credibility- the power to inspire belief.
2. Charisma- having a magnetic appeal (also thought of as charm or “swagger”).
3. Control- the spokesperson’s command over the audience.

Now, as we all know Chris Brown at one point in time had all of these qualities, making him an excellent spokesperson. Unfortunately for him, when the news broke about his alleged altercation with Rihanna, he lost at least two of these things. His charisma seems to have stayed in tact. He hasn’t made any real public appearances since the incident, but once someone has charisma, it’s pretty hard to lose. His control however has suffered. Many are unwilling to acknowledge him because of recent events and therefore he lacks any command over an audience. Lastly, and most importantly in this case, his credibility has taken a huge hit. Once a clean faced, young man with a bright future and loads of talent, Brown is now thought of in a far more negative light. He has lost that credibility that made him such a noteworthy performer and celebrity spokesperson and once credibility is lost it is nearly impossible to get it back.

So this brings me to my main point. When you are an established PR professional and you are given the task to choose a spokesperson, remember, that even though they may seem ideal for your company, they are human beings and ultimately their actions are out of your control. The best you can do is choose someone who fits your company’s image the best and be prepared to do any kind of damage control that comes around if it doesn’t work out. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Talk to you later.

--Porsche

T.I.'s Road to Redemtion

Everyone is aware of how poignant and popular reality shows are. I personally think 98% of the reality shows on cable television are nonsense and diminish brain cells (except for Jon & Kate Plus 8 and Making The Band on MTV! Lol) but of all the reality shows that I have flipped through on TV lately, T.I.’s Road To Redemption seems to be the most purposeful and honest. The MTV reality series follows hip-hop artist T.I., also known as Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr., as he mentors troubled teens before he faces formal sentencing on weapons charges on March 27.

After T.I. was arrested for firearms possession, the hip-hop artist agreed to complete 1000 hours of community service in exchange for a reduction in his potential 30-year prison sentence. So now the singer (who is currently out on bond and monitored at all times) offers tough love as he shows disobedient kids some of the very real negative -- and often fatal -- consequences of dealing drugs, joining gangs, and breaking the law. Meanwhile, T.I. offers his personal insights about his own life and the mistakes he's made as he counts down the days to his own incarceration.

T.I. has encountered a lot of negative publicity within the past year due to his run in with the law, and doing this reality show helps inform his public about the circumstances of his legal situation as well as possibly swaying the legal system into giving him less, or maybe no time in prison. Some spectators say they feel as if the show is just a publicity stunt intended only to score points with the legal system, but I disagree. Even if those are his main intentions (which I wouldn’t be mad at him for...because let’s be honest, who wants to go to prison?) behind the reality show, T.I. seems to have sincere intentions to help other young men and women avoid the same problems that he is currently facing. I’m sure the show is making a major difference in some young teenager’s lives, which hopefully in the long run, will prevent them from going to prison or getting killed like so many other young juvenile delinquents.

In the first episode of “T.I.’s Road to Redemption”, T.I. sits down in a room by himself with a camera and tells the camera exactly what happened that night he got caught with machine guns, along with other types of guns, and tells his side of the story. T.I.’s honesty and openness helps viewers understand his situation better while filtering out the media. From a public relations stand point, I think the TV show was a great idea as far as improving his self image with fans, haters and of course, the legal system.

The show portrays T.I.’s reality of his legal circumstances and shows that T.I. truly understands that he has done wrong, has changed his ways, and now is trying to help other young juveniles change their negative lifestyles. T.I. is taking the negative situation that he put himself into, and turning it into a positive situation by giving young troubled teens insight, wisdom and courage to change their lives for the better. The series shows that people who come from a life of crime can make their lives morally and legally “right” and change for the better.

Personal PR is all about conveying a message, and what better way to convey a message than through national television? Everyone watches TV and I personally think, besides the internet, it’s the best way to get a message out to a target public. T.I. should have done this show a long time ago. Any other celebrities that have “run-ins” with the law should talk to T.I. and take a few notes.

- Samantha Savory

What’s the Difference Between Public Relations and Marketing?

During spring break at my friend Aisha’s going-away party in Atlanta, I had the chance to have an interesting conversation with Aisha’s cousin who was a 20 something going on 30-year-old marketing businessman. We talked about his career in marketing for a U.S. government firm in Afghanistan and how being in the U.S. services can enlighten you in ways that you’ve never imagined. He suggested to Aisha that she learn the language of the land to survive and to have great credentials.


After the talk about being safe and how to work your way up the ladder in different businesses, he and I got into a conversation about my career of being a full-time student. I didn’t know that he was in marketing until he asked me what field I would soon be working in. When I told him PR, a smile as wide as Kool-Aid Man’s appeared across his face. He quickly replied, “I’m in marketing.” Then he proceeded to ask me what the difference between PR and marking was and which of the two is most important. I didn’t want to go into a drawn out conversation over PR vs. marketing and which one is better. I simply replied that PR practitioners are there to deliver a corporation’s messages to its publics (customers, stakeholders, employees, partners, media, etc.) and vice versa, and marketers create relationships that hold value with the corporation’s target audience in order to offer a product at a quality and price better than competitors'.


We discussed some different responsibilities that each position held in diverse business fields. The conversation lingered in my mind the whole night. A few days later, while doing some homework for my advertising class, I stumbled across a picture on the internet that explained everything that he and I discussed in four pictures.


Though at times there may be rivalry between the two, PR and marketing are two communications that compliment each other well and are very important to a business. Understanding the two is pertinent to a company’s survival as well as in the lives of individuals according to the picture from an Ads of the World blog.

Click Image to Enlarge
(Picture- http://adsoftheworld.com/blog/ivan/2007/apr/11/the_difference_between_marketing_pr_advertising_and_branding)

-Armegan

Advantages: Social Media and PR

It has been said that if public relations is to move forward with the times, practitioners should be prepared to become as familiar with new technologies as possible. Now, this may sound like common sense to most students studying public relations because we are part of the “technologically savvy”. We understand blogs, social networking sites (like MySpace and Facebook) and we get the whole “YouTube” thing.

Now what I find that we tend to overlook because of our knowledge of modern technology, is how it can be used to benefit us in a work environment. We should not only become familiar and comfortable using technology for public relations purposes; we should also understand that this technology is becoming undisputable as the leading means to deliver a message. According to PR News Online, there are a few key reasons why social media is important to the field of public relations. Here are some of the advantages listed regarding social media and public relations:

1. Stickier than traditional media: By stickier it is meant that social media has the “potential to attract and hold the attention of a vast demographic of people who have grown numb to more traditional forms of marketing and advertising.”

2. Viral Nature: Now, we understand what it means to “go viral”. Simply put, it’s when something spreads from one place to another, quickly. Social media has tremendous viral capacity. It can reach wide audiences in a short amount of time.

3. Interactivity: People love to be entertained and we are so over stimulated that when an opportunity arises to become active participants in the news or information we receive, most of us jump on that opportunity. The same can be said for social media in which organizations can now communicate and get immediate feedback from their public. This enables the two-way communication that is so vital to public relations practitioners.

It’s important that we keep these advantages in mind when we enter the workforce. It is more competitive than ever out there and we need to stay ahead of the competition. That can be best achieved by applying all of the knowledge you’ve acquired while in school and putting it into action; but also by being creative in your approach to each situation and keeping an open mind when it comes to how social media can be used for you and your organization. So, what do you think? Are there other advantages when it comes to social media and its use in PR? Love to hear your thoughts. Have a great spring break and be safe out there.

--- Porsche

"Optimizing Your Public Relations with Social Media"
http://www.prnewsonline.com/Assets/File/whitepapers/socialmediawp.pdf

Photo from http://mcintranet.musc.edu/bin/b/j/womanusingcomputer.jpg

Oakland City Officials Need More Public Relations

(Picture from: http://basementelevation.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/ba-bartshoot_fun_0499631920.jpg)


Many of you have heard about the young black man who was shot in the back while lying face down on the ground by an Oakland, Calif., transit police officer. If you have been under a rock and haven’t heard, On New Year’s Day a fight broke out among some young men riding in a Bay Area Rapid Transit train. Transit police arrived on the scene to settle the altercation, handcuffing young men who were believed to have been involved and placing them on the ground. It seems as if 22-year-old Oscar Grant III was cooperating with police while sitting on the ground when all of a sudden two officers forced him down onto his stomach, one officer with his knee to Oscar’s neck and the other on top of him trying to pull Oscar’s arms behind his back. Oscar’s friends (some of whom were even sitting next to him on the ground), bystanders (both on and outside of the train) and even transit officers were shocked when 27-year-old officer Johannes Mehserle stood up from being on top of Oscar and shot him in his back.

Oscar’s death has caused many riots on Oakland’s streets as well as in the BART station. One concern that many of the Oakland citizens have is the disconnection between them and their city officials. Mayor Ron V. Dellums was slow responding about this tragic event. The main reason why he “reached out” to the city was reportedly to get people to stop protesting in the streets. Mayor Dellums appeared at a riot in downtown Oakland only to be brushed off and ignored by citizens because of his lack of credibility. Citizens are pointing the finger at city officials because they are never seen and only come out to address the public when tragic events like this take place.

Oakland city officials like many other cities, have some work to do in the PR department. It is unbelievable that mayors and city councilmen can get away with not communicating with their publics. Things such as town meetings and forums should be provided to citizens so that they may express their needs and wants for the city.

In your opinion, what are some things that Oakland city officials can do to regain their credibility with citizens?

(Picture from: http://www.bendib.com/black/1-15-Oscar-Grant-III.jpg)

-Armegan Anderson

Kanye West's personal PR

(Picture of Kanye West from Vh1 Storyteller's: http://www.vh1.com/)


Kanye West's personal blog: http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/

I am an avid music lover...one of my favorite types of music is hip hop. Within the hip hop community, Kanye West, a mult-million album selling rapper from Chicago, Ill. ranks in my top five favorite rappers. West is a genius when it comes to music...and he's an even bigger genius when it comes to his own personal PR. West has taken control of his own publicity by eliminating the filtering that the media does by creating his own media outlet better known as his blog. On his personal blog, West discusses all different types of issues ranging from his favorite architecture in London to why he does some of the outrageous things that he does. Whenever there is a rumor about West, he has the capability of going directly to his target audience, his fans and others that care enough to go to his site, and addressing the rumors head on. Many other artists in the hip hop world have jumped on the social media bandwagon and gotten their own blog where they post daily or weekly podcast or videos, but West was one of the first.

Another part of West's attempt to communicate with his audience in an effort to help his self image was to perform on Vh1's Storytellers, where he performed and in between each song, gave a description of what the song was about as well as anything else that was on his mind. Kanye got an hour and a half to sing, rap and say almost whatever he liked, and he is one of the few smart musicians that have taken advantage of this Vh1 opportunity. Besides West appearing on Vh1’s Storyteller’s, he promoted his appearance on Vh1 on his blog.

Another smart aspect to Kanye’s personal PR is the availability to make one click on a link on his personal blog that will allow you to buy any of his albums online. West is taking full advantage of all his social media resources and that, along with his gift in music, is the reason that he is so famous and successful.

I think that Kanye West is an excellent example of framing his own image through all outlets of media whether it be social media (on his blog) or on national television or radio. West even posts his own press releases about his upcoming albums, concerts, as well as posts related to how his personal life and image is displayed in the mass media. West doesn't have to pay thousands of dollars to myspace or MTV.com to promote his latest album or most recent controversy; he can just post about it on his website (which receives hundreds of thousands of hits each day).

If PR students can learn anything about PR, social media, or framing, they can learn it from Kanye West! West’s message comes directly from him and goes directly to his target audience, eliminating any filtering or spin! Kanye seems to understand the importance of conducting his own PR through social media!

-- Samantha Savory

Doesn't It Just Grind Your Gears

On Friday of this week, I was having a conversation with a friend of mine who is a business major here at FAMU. One minute we were talking about shoes and the next thing I knew I was being dragged into a discussion about the differences between publicity and advertising. Now what my friend (who will remain anonymous) insisted (with great vigor and conviction if I do say so myself) was that they basically served the same function and that in her opinion the two were interchangeable. She also stated that if she had to choose one or the other, she would choose advertising.

Now, I generally try to refrain from allowing people to get me riled up. I don't want to be unnecessarily confrontational or use colorful epitaphs unless warranted, but these comments annoyed me to no end (and you, who will remain nameless, know that they did). So, instead of giving in to my hot tempered nature, I remained calm and put my litigation skills to good use (I was formerly a pre-law student). I stated in a very conversational tone, the main characteristics the differentiated these two disciplines. Those characteristics are as follows:


Characteristics of Advertising:
1. Create a “Big Bang”
2. Visual
3. Reach Mass Audience
4. Promote New Lines and Extensions
5. Likes Old Names

Characteristics of Publicity
1. Use of Slow Buildup
2. Verbal
3. Reach Targeted Audience
4. Favor New Brands
5. Likes New Names


I closed my argument by quoting Ronald Smith saying that, “Publicity lights the fire and advertising fans the flames.” What became a heated debate was quickly quelled and I came out victorious. That is to say, when I was finished with my side of the debate, there was no rebuttal. So, what do you think? Are the two interchangeable or are there distinct differences that you can see? Or, you can riddle me this… have you ever had an argument with someone about the relevance of PR and PR related activities? Doesn’t it just grind your gears? Well, that’s all for me folks. Take care and have a wonderful week.

--Porsche

Facebook gets bad publicity for changing 'Terms of Service'

Photo: Facebook staff member & facebook logo
Photo Source: Google Images


After causing havoc in the Internet world, one of the most popular social networking site's, Facebook, has issued an apology to its users for creating confusion over the privacy of their content, causing Facebook immediate negative publicity. Users who may try to deactivate their account on the site are now being asked if they are doing so because of concern for their content. If the user's reply yes, they are being informed that the terms of service have been corrected and their pictures and information are safe and belong only to the user that put the information on the site.

In an effort to clearly communicate and correct the negative publicity to Facebook users directly, Facebook founder and chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg posted a blog entry on February 18 that mentions that the networking platform would continue with its previous ‘terms of service’ till new terms are defined. Zuckerberg claims in his personal blog that the intention of the changes in the privacy language was to make it clear that even after a user has deleted his or her account, the messages he/she may have sent out to his/her contacts would continue to be with recipients.

Facebook also states updates about the privacy situation on the home website when users log in. Also, the Facebook team is asking users to contribute ideas and suggestions on the language of the new 'terms', and has set up a global group called 'Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities'. The group has over 78,000 members and over 9,000 wall posts/entries have been put up within the last two weeks.

Suspicion over privacy of users' content uploaded on Facebook was raised recently after the company changed the language in its 'Terms of Service' on February 4, stating that even after users leave Facebook, others would be able to access their information and content like photos and messages.

Even though it was not a good idea to change the terms of service and think that the member would not know or care, but I believe that Facebook counter-reacted in a very speedy and efficient way. Just like any other organization, mistakes are bound to happen, but Facebook displayed their phenominal public relations skills by listening to complaints and responding quickly through the use of blogs and news releases.




-- Samantha Savory

Ashton Kutcher Did What?

I wanted to keep this post nice and light (as if my last post wasn’t on the light side, lol), so I decided to travel down memory lane with you and talk about Ashton Kutcher. We all remember Ashton Kutcher, right? You know him from “That 70’s Show” and/or “Punked”. You may also be familiar with his friendships with stars like Diddy and Bruce Willis. Not to mention his highly publicized marriage to Demi Moore (Willis’ ex, by the by). Well, Kutcher has been out of the spotlight for quite some time. After a few years of seeing his face everywhere, now the only place he can be spotted is on the random Nikon “Cool Pix” commercials. Don’t get me wrong, those commercials are entertaining (he’s a funny guy), but he has definitely been amiss in the media lately.

So it came as a surprise to me to find that Kutcher has decided to start a series on Facebook. I thought it so apropos that I couldn’t stop myself from writing about it. According Mediaweek, “the Ashton Kutcher-led production firm, Katalyst Media has entered into a partnership with leading social networking apps developer Slide Inc. to launch an original Web series on Facebook”. The series is entitled “KatalystHQ” and it is basically going to be a “mock reality” series that will allow for viewers to have a behind-the-scenes look at the ins and outs of the Katalyst offices in Los Angeles. The first episode, “Method Acting”, debuted on February 4, 2009. The hot buzz about this is that this marks the first time a series is being exclusively shown of Facebook, this is in part because all of these episodes are being distributed via Slide’s FunSpace app, which apparently reaches 150 million users on Facebook. It’s also pretty interesting because it will offer advertisers more space than is usually available on Facebook.

This is the question I pose to all of you PR guys and gals out there: did you have any idea that this was happening? Whether you care or not about Ashton Kutcher, if you didn’t have Facebook, would you have known about this venture? My answer to these questions is, no. So, what would you, as a PR professional in the making, have done differently to bring some media attention to this story? Let me know, give me some feedback; I would love to hear your thoughts. Until next time, have a great night, be safe and enjoy the rest of your weekend.


--Porsche

Picture retrieved from www.bittenandbound.com
Kutcher Debuts Series on Facebook
'KatalystHQ' provides product placement opportunities on social networking site
Feb 4, 2009
By Mike Shields, Mediaweek
http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/creative/news/e3i9f631ea10a4997bcfbad1745fee47cfb

Diesel Fashion Brand

Diesel Revs Its Engine for the Brand’s 2009 Guerilla Marketing Campaign





(Picture-http://torontoist.com/attachments/toronto_christopherb/diesel-boat.jpg)


Many of us who enter the Public Relations field often have thoughts of becoming a professional in the entertainment industry. No matter what category of PR you select, the strategic planning and communication programs will involve the same techniques needed to reach a successful and effective conclusion.


PR in the fashion industry is more than just getting a famous celebrity to wear the designer’s piece that you represent on television. It involves building the designer’s or company’s brand, making it familiar to the public. Integrated marketing communications are often used for business-to-business transactions (to obtain materials or services needed to produce the company’s product), building brand equity, advertising strategies and so on.




Diesel is proud of its brand and is confident in changing its PR and advertising tactics for 2009. With the opening of its largest store in the world located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, Diesel has developed a guerilla marketing scheme.

(Picture- http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/guerrilla-marketing-gorilla-in-disguise.jpg )


During an interview in the February 23, 2009 issue of PRWeek, Diesel US CEO Steve Birkhold said the company’s strategy is to focus on [driving] traffic into Diesel retail stores (where the majority of their business comes from). He calls this approach organic because they did not solicit a lot of media, and they want people walking by to discover it, themselves.


Some of Diesel’s guerilla marketing campaign tactics are to transform the store window into a dinning room where local New York figures (Giants players and their wives, Ford models, and NY Fashionistas) will eat dinners catered by renowned New York resturants, and organize a street team in Mohawks and Diesel fashion to walk the avenue for the week. (Pictures http://guestofaguest.com/nyc-events/diesel)

-Armegan

Chris Brown: Did his PR team handle the negative publicity effectively?

Picture Source: http://www.celebrityicing.com

R&B singer Chris Brown, who was arrested last weekend on suspicion of attacking a woman widely believed to be his girlfriend, Rihanna, who is also a famous pop singer, has finally brought his silence on the domestic violence incident to a close and hired a public relations company that specializes in crisis management.

After more than a week of dozens of reports floundering the internet with details of Brown's alleged assault on Rihanna, Brown finally broke his silence by having his PR practitioner publish a five sentence news releases in which he also said many media and blog reports have been wrong.

In the news release, Brown said that "words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired...I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerge as a better person."

The 19-year-old performer of such U.S. chart-toppers as "Run It!" and "Forever" has been in hiding since the alleged scuffle with his girlfriend in a rented Lamborghini, which was the wrong thing to do from a PR position. To most PR practitioners, being silent during a time of crisis is the last thing you want to do. Brown and his rep's remained silent for more than a week which allowed false rumors and stories to be published in blogs, websites, as well as on radio talk shows and TV shows. If Brown would have immediately come out and told his side of the story as well as sincerely apologized, the press and his fans would most likely be less harsh on him.

In effect to Brown's alleged domestic violence, sponorships such as Doublemint Gum have suspended their Ad commercial which features Brown singing about the gum product. Brown's reputation has been tarnished and as a PR practitioner, I believe if he would have not gone into hiding and would have honestly spoken out about the situation from the beginning, then he would have received less negative publicity.

From a good public relations stand point, Chris Brown should have put out a press release within 24 hours of the incident, which would have killed all rumors and speculations.

Brown has officially been charged with one count of criminal threats and is expected to attend court on March 5th in Los Angeles. The pop singer has also hired popular defense attorney, Mark Geragos to represent him in the case. For future reference, Brown and his PR staff should continue communication to Brown's public in an effort to help restore his reputation.

QUESTION TO THE PUBLIC: Do you think Chris Brown's publicist handled Brown's domestic violence incident in the best manner? Why or why not? Explain

Publicity Stunts vs. Special Events

photo from kfoxtv

It’s Valentine’s Day and I thought it fitting to blog about something kind of “Valentine/PR related”. In Texas there was an uproar this Thursday, February 12, 2009, when PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, gathered in Downtown El Paso and put on a show. Now you may be asking yourself, “What kind of show; puppets maybe?” Unfortunately, no puppets here. No, PETA wanted to pull out all the stops. So, to bring attention to the plight and suffering of animals, PETA organized a “special event”. For those that are a little unsure as to what constitutes a special event, according to “Strategic Planning for Public Relations” by Ronald D. Smith, special events are “staged activities” that are planned. They’re also called pseudo-events and they provide the PR professional the opportunity to gain the attention and the acceptance of key publics.

Anyway, back to the story. PETA’s “show” couldn’t have been any more show stopping. To bring attention to the suffering of animals and the benefits of living a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle, PETA made sure that all El Pasoans spending the morning downtown saw their display. Two bikini clad women on a blow-up mattress, making out. People were passing by, snapping photos and taking video with their cameras, and wondering what this had to with animals. Ashley Byrne of PETA provided a little enlightenment on the subject. "This weekend is Valentine's Day, so it is a great time to get the point across that vegetarians have lower rates of impotence and this is also a great way to show off what a healthy vegetarian body looks like," said Byrne. Although the method is rather mad, the message is correct, at least for some El Pasoans. Vegetarian Miguel Rodriguez stated that he used to be overweight, but now that he is a vegetarian he’s a lot healthier and says that, “I am a better lover now.” Some people, however, were not so impressed saying that the whole thing was disrespectful and inappropriate for children.

Whatever people thought about the event, it was definitely attention grabbing. This brings me to my final point ladies and gentlemen, so please bear with me a few minutes longer. As I stated before, a special event is a staged activity that provides you, the PR professional, the opportunity to gain the attention of key publics. That being said, I want to know what you think about this “event” and if you actually believe it’s a special event or a publicity stunt. Publicity stunts, unlike special events, are gimmicks, “planned mainly to gain publicity and having little other value,” said Smith. Whatever the value of this particular show, I am sure the people of El Paso won’t soon forget this past Thursday and hopefully they walked away with some of the message, which was to, “learn more about how delicious and easy a vegetarian lifestyle is," Byrne said. Have a Happy Valentine’s Day and take it easy. Talk to you soon.

--Porsche

"Half-Naked Women Make Out in Downtown For Animals"
Derek Shore-KFOX News Reporter
Thursday, February 12, 2009 – updated: 10:41 am MST February 13, 2009

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/18704797/detail.html

I Just Love This Page

http://globalnerdy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/kissing-the-monitor.jpg

Love is in the air and on the web too. Instead of just spreading love to your Valentine you can spread love to the website that you think needs more love. HubSpot came up with the idea to give a V-Day present to the small to medium sized businesses that they represent, as well as any others, by allowing Twitter users to post the websites that they think deserve more link love this Valentine’s Day. HubSpot is an inbound marketing site that helps small to medium sized businesses market their business to current/potential partners and clients on the web using different techniques; two being social media and helping design a company’s webpage. http://www.hubspot.com/


Anyone can get to the Link Love by HubSpot webpage http://linklove.hubspot.com/ and view the interesting websites other people think you will enjoy. HubSpot included a funny, but very cute, mini Valentine’s Day video. Visit the site and WATCH IT!


Link love is a term that derived from Google’s Page Rank algorithm of search engine optimizations and blogging. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_love That basically means it is the effect of high amounts of visitation to a site which gives it a high ranking and more attention pointed to it from other higher quality links. The more visitors to the link the more love it is receiving.

This Valentines Day show a website (www.thebaracknation.com, http://rap.de, etc.) that you care by inviting others to become familiar with it.

The 51st Grammy's engage in social media...

It seems like everyone is getting in touch with their social media savy side these days. One of the biggest music events in history decided to jump on the bandwagon this year: The 51st Grammy's Music Award Show live-streamed awards given out to artists that were unable to make the nationally televised show due to time constraints.

In an effort to give music lovers what they want as well as publicly congratulate musicians for their hard work, the Grammy's participated in social media by live-streaming the "pre-telecast" awards. The live-streaming show included such categories of music like gospel, latin music, spoken word and classical music acts through RSS Feed live on the Grammy.com website. The Pre-tel kick off started at 4 p.m. ET and showed the other 80 awards that were given out to artists, directors, editors, etc.

The fact that the Grammy's was unable to showcase the more than 100 awards that they gave out to musicians this year and took advantage of a great opprotunity of easily accessable social media outlets is just another step towards convergence and intelligent PR strategies.

The Grammy's also had professional social media experts create blogs as well as profiles on Twitter and Facebook in order to keep the blogosphere and internet world updated on what to expect for the 51st Grammy Awards. The Grammy's public relations team did the research and listened to what people wanted, and since they were unable to televise all of the awards given, (which would have made the show over 6 hours long), they still found a way to give all the winners recognition through live-streaming RSS Feed.

On the Grammy's official website, fans were able to get updated by the second with pictures, live interviews, and live stream of who was at the Grammy's, who won what award and what they were wearing. People from all over the nation left hundreds of responses with their comments on the show. Some fans posted on Facebook and Twitter about how mad they were that their select singer or band didn't win a specific award. Whether a music fan was estatic about the performances or upset about who didn't win an award, they all were provided the opprotunity to get involved through social media and voice their concerns.

I think the Grammy's did an excellent job in using social media to their advantage this year.... Do you think it was a smart move for the Grammy's to get involved with social media? Did they execute their interraction with social media well?

-- Samantha Savory

Phelps' Reputation Goes Up in Smoke...

Michael Phelps is probably having one of the worst weeks ever. After becoming America’s pride and joy this summer at the Olympic Games, Phelps has had a blast from his past come back and bite him in the “you know what”. Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals in Beijing and is one of the world’s most acclaimed athletes, has experienced major fallout from a photo that showed him smoking from a bong.

The photo of Phelps has been one of the most-seen headlines in the news lately and I can only imagine what his PR team has been doing to shield him from the controversy. Phelps has dealt with major consequences and could still face criminal charges in the state of Colorado. According to FOX Sports, Phelps has been suspended from competition for three months and has had all of his financial support withdrawn for the same three-month period by USA Swimming. In addition to all of the professional repercussions, he has also put his endorsements in jeopardy. In fact, Kellogg Co. has announced that it would not be renewing its sponsorship contract with Phelps, stating that “his behavior is not consistent with the image of Kellogg.”

So what has his PR team done in the way of damage control? Well, as I learned in my PR Campaigns class last semester, there is an entire typology of public relations responses that one can use to deal with situations that could be problematic. There are seven types of PR responses and they are as follows:

1. Pre-emptive Action Strategies (e.g. prebuttal)
2. Offensive Response Strategies (e.g. attack)
3. Defensive Response Strategies (e.g. denial)
4. Diversionary Response Strategies (e.g. disassociation)
5. Vocal Commiseration Strategies (e.g. apology)
6. Rectifying Behavior Strategies (e.g. repentance)
7. Strategic Inaction (e.g. silence)

All of these responses can be used to handle situations that have gotten out of control. From my personal observations, I have noticed that the main response that has been used by Phelps has been vocal commiseration in the form of regret and apology. I believe that this is the best way for him to regain control of a situation that has been very damaging to his reputation. By offering an admittance of remorse and issuing an apology, publicly accepting full responsibility for his actions and asking forgiveness, Phelps can regain the support of his public. People like honesty and they respond well to it. So, I ask you, as future PR professionals, if you worked for Michael Phelps, which strategy would you employ to put out this fire?

"USA Swimming Suspends Phelps for 3 Months"
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/9186634/USA-Swimming-suspends-Phelps-for-3-months?MSNHPHCP&GT1=39002


-Porsche Haynes

Social Media Spectrum: Where do you fall?

While searching the blogosphere I came upon a post entitled, “Social Media is the Responsibility of Public Relations” by Jason Falls. This post was written in 2008 and it’s basically about “where” social media lies, in terms of responsibility, in the corporate spectrum or organizational structure. I found this blog very interesting because it really describes social media in the context of the PR professional and it’s various uses in this field. Falls states that in his personal opinion, social media should be the responsibility of public relations and he explains his position very eloquently and convincingly enough.

The main reason Falls gives as to why social media belongs in the realm of PR is simply because social media is a method of communication. Falls states that, “To be effective in social media, whether as a marketer of just an ordinary participant, you must, first and foremost, communicate well.” He goes on to discuss that although social media tools are technology driven, the technology is used primarily to deliver or convey a message; and who better to covey any message that your company may have, than someone who is trained in the art of effective communication.

That being said, what I found so interesting about this post is that Falls goes on to discuss on important it is for PR professionals to learn as much as they can about computer and internet-based technologies. Communications professionals shouldn’t just sit back on their laurels and hope to understand all of this new technology. He urges PR professionals to get out into cyberspace and to really experiment and become familiar with the technology. “Technology has become a requirement of the skill set,” Falls said.

The need for communications professionals to be adept and knowledgeable about web-based technologies and tools is evident and as social media continues to evolve, I can only see how important this particular skill set will become. Now here is the question that I pose to you. Do you believe that within the corporate structure, social media should fall to the PR professional? Do you believe that perhaps there is a better way to divide this responsibility? Let me know your thoughts and check out that post if you get a chance at http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/2008/07/18/social-media-is-the-responsibility-of-public-relations/ . Thanks.

Porsche Haynes

3-D Commercial on YouTube Presents New Ad/PR Techniques

SoBe’s Lifewater 3-D High-Definition Commercial Can Be Seen on YouTube


With their pimped-out grills and their fly moves, the SoBe Lifewater lizards bring new meaning to the word "commercial." Try more like mini-music video. With this new approach to commercials, SoBe has done exceptionally well with profits, even though the economy isn’t at its best. "The SoBelieve campaign continues to be an extraordinary multimedia, multiplatform event. From iTunes to NBC to the global YouTube platform, the lizards are everywhere," said Massimo d'Amore, CEO of PepsiCo North America Beverages (http://www.prnewswire.com).

YouTube is the first social networking media site to show the 3-D commercial. SoBe’s new Super Bowl XLIII commercial will show in 3-D Hi-Def and includes the oh-so-famous blinged-out lizards dancing alongside NFL superstars Ray Lewis, Matt Light and Justin Tuck. To see the true effect of the video, viewers can go by their local grocery, drug or other retail stores and pick up a pair of free 3-D glasses from SoBe Lifewater displays (http://www.sobeworld.com).

SoBe enables viewers to share and discuss the footage among each other by posting the 3-D SoBe Lifewater commercial on YouTube. The SoBe 3-D commercial cannot only reach couch potatoes, but it can also reach computer junkies (people who are excessively devoted to a particular activity or place on the Internet).

From gorilla advertising to 3-D commercials on the Internet, companies are finding new spins to innovative advertising and PR strategies.

How effective do you think the 3-D commercial (on TV and YouTube) will be on SoBe Lifewater sales? Is it a good idea to use social media sites to show advertisements? Why or why not?

-Armegan Anderson

PR STUNT: Gov. Blagojevich goes on Larry King Live

Impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich has hired Drew Peterson's PR Firm, whose specialties include crisis management as part of his last-ditch national media blitz before the Illinois Senatea begins its trial to consider removing him from office.

As a part of his public relations efforts, Blagojevich has gone on several networks to be interviewed in front of millions of people to get his side of the story out. On January 27, Blagojevich appeared on Larry King Live explaining his case and trying to convince the public that he "did nothing wrong" and wants to "show his innocence".

From a public relations stand point, Blagojevich's publicist decided that the best social media outlet for him to tell his side of the story would be through national television. By going on popular TV shows, such as Larry King Live, Blagojevich was able to communicate to several millions of viewers that he is not as "crazy" as the media has been portraying him to be as well as prove that he has not committed any crimes while being the Governor of Illinois. If Blagojevich were to remain silent and allow the media to only report on what they have heard or researched, it would have tarnished his image and reputation even more.

Even if a client is in such a bad situation, such as Gov. Blagojevich is, the best thing to do from a public relations stand point would be to be completely open and honest to the public and communicate his side of the story through all social media outlets including the internet, blogs, TV, radio, etc.

Do you think it was a good idea, on behalf of Drew Peterson's PR Firm, to recommend and put Blagojevich on TV to tell his side of the story?


-- Samantha Savory

Welcome to OurSpace: The PR Place! A blog dedicated to FAMU PR students and graduates.

The SAP PR Firm is dedicated to educating FAMU students, graduates and alumni about social media and its various uses for public relations students and practicioners. That is why SAP PR Firm has created OurSpace: the PR Place. We, the founders of SAP PR Firm, include: Samantha Savory, a 21-year-old fourth-year public relations student from Fort Lauderdale, FL; ArMegan Anderson, a 22-year-old fourth-year public relations student from Decatur, GA; and Porsche Haynes, a 24-year-old graduating senior from SHAPE, Belgium. There are three main objectives for our blog, and they are to:

1. Increase the use of social media among students at FAMU, particularly students majoring in public relations.
2. Use this blog space as an open forum for discussion and dialogue about issues and subjects relating to FAMU and/or public relations and social media.
3. Help keep public relations students in the know about the do's and dont's of the art and science that is PR.

The main reason for this blog is really to just to create a dialogue about PR and subjects (like social media) that pertain to public relations. This blog is OurSpace: The PR Place and we welcome all to come and join the conversation. We hope to talk to you soon!