As industry professionals, we have to constantly watch trends within the industry. Learning from fellow PR gurus is what drives trends and improvements. As a regular follower of marketing, advertising, creative and PR trends, I frequently come across interesting examples of engaging an artist.
As seen in THIS example, Nike/Foot Locker has taken a creative and interesting approach to invoke interaction with it's clientele. The two companies have worked to capture the audience, and have them spend time on the site. It also allows consumers to relate to the brand, by actually 'identifying' themselves in a new way.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Knob Hill Ads - Marketing genius?
It's interesting the intellect that has to go behind designing an effective advertising campaign. This is two-fold. Not only is Knob Hill getting the word out about the shortage of its product, but it is also making others, like me who have never heard of or tried the product, interested in it..
Way to go!
MediaPost Pic 1
Media Post Pic 2
(via MediaPost>
Way to go!
MediaPost Pic 1
Media Post Pic 2
(via MediaPost>
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
technology crisis
Considering many current events, I was drawn to the importance social media has had on crisis management, especially in terms of crisis PR.
Last week, I sat earnestly at my office desk, attempting to wrap up my tasks before heading across the street to the local mall for my part time job. Minutes before leaving the office, I receive a tweet on TweetDeck from a local radio DJ about the Red Line crash. I read it, shared the information aloud with the office, closed the program and left. I don’t take public transportation, and my family/friends in the area either don’t take the metro or aren’t on the Red Line, so I didn’t think much of it.
Hours later, as I’m walking out of job number two, the discussion is on the fatal accident. I turn my phone on to find a couple texts from concerned friends. I call my mother—who hadn’t watched the news just yet, but was glad to know I was safe. It made me think.
Technology has drastically changed the way we communicate with others. Seven plus years ago, I ate my morning cereal, oblivious to the catastrophe in NYC, regardless of it’s instant streaming on TV, radios and the Web. It wasn’t until an hour or so after the first plane hit that I was even aware of the national security risk. The mobile technology that we currently have available to us did not exist. Granted, we were permitted immediate gratification to our needs with live streaming, but the actual response, the outcry, was not immediate.
Any rider on the Red Line last week could have instantly “tweeted” their state of mind. Within minutes of the accident, reports were being filed, agencies were pushed to make statements they weren’t quiet ready to make, all because the phenomena known as social media, microblogging, etc. is out there, beating the prepared message to the punch.
Even now, as I slowly peruse today’s tweets from the 30 or so people/organizations I faithfully follow, I’m looking for information that I haven’t already consumed in my daily browsing of the internet, newsletters, water-cooler conversation.
Public relations professionals are pushed to a new level of firsts. A level they haven’t had to experience since the advent of the television. Web stories would wait, reporters could wait, the newsroom would wait; but when the consumer, the targeted audience is already speculating and sharing their impressions before you even are notified of the occurrence, then the professional is given the lesser hand.
I’m brought back to a discussion we had in my PRI class. My professor was discussing her role in implementing a crisis management plan for my alma mater, a role that is rather difficult, because you can’t always prepare for everything. While deciding on the actual delivery of the University’s message, she had time to prepare. The school’s response had to be swift and immediate. The message: At this time, our primary concern is the safety of our students. That was it. Simply put, no elaborate showcasing of the school’s plans for the future, no leaked information. But that was then.
Given the exact same circumstances, today, that message would not suffice. She would be battling with the Tweets of the concerned student who raced down that hallway at 3 a.m., trying to make it out of the building before the smoke consumed him. She’d be messing with the frantic blog of another student, eager to put the story on “paper” while the images are vivid. She’d be concerned with these immediate responses being picked up, a student complaining that the system was flawed, a parent outraged over text messages received, a news story featuring quotes from someone’s blog or another’s twitter profile. Social media platforms designed to allow the regular Joe and Jane to speak up, creates a crisis management nightmare.
In a matter of minutes, a once carefully considered, well-crafted crisis management plan can go to shambles in the hands of social media conversation. This change places a huge responsibility on the shoulders of PR planners and crisis management engineers everywhere. If nothing else, its something that needs to be carefully considered before executing that well-crafted, carefully considered crisis management plan.
UPDATE: With Sarah Palin's recent resignation, here are some tips from Forbes about crisis communication, and delivering a well-thought resignation.
Last week, I sat earnestly at my office desk, attempting to wrap up my tasks before heading across the street to the local mall for my part time job. Minutes before leaving the office, I receive a tweet on TweetDeck from a local radio DJ about the Red Line crash. I read it, shared the information aloud with the office, closed the program and left. I don’t take public transportation, and my family/friends in the area either don’t take the metro or aren’t on the Red Line, so I didn’t think much of it.
Hours later, as I’m walking out of job number two, the discussion is on the fatal accident. I turn my phone on to find a couple texts from concerned friends. I call my mother—who hadn’t watched the news just yet, but was glad to know I was safe. It made me think.
Technology has drastically changed the way we communicate with others. Seven plus years ago, I ate my morning cereal, oblivious to the catastrophe in NYC, regardless of it’s instant streaming on TV, radios and the Web. It wasn’t until an hour or so after the first plane hit that I was even aware of the national security risk. The mobile technology that we currently have available to us did not exist. Granted, we were permitted immediate gratification to our needs with live streaming, but the actual response, the outcry, was not immediate.
Any rider on the Red Line last week could have instantly “tweeted” their state of mind. Within minutes of the accident, reports were being filed, agencies were pushed to make statements they weren’t quiet ready to make, all because the phenomena known as social media, microblogging, etc. is out there, beating the prepared message to the punch.
Even now, as I slowly peruse today’s tweets from the 30 or so people/organizations I faithfully follow, I’m looking for information that I haven’t already consumed in my daily browsing of the internet, newsletters, water-cooler conversation.
Public relations professionals are pushed to a new level of firsts. A level they haven’t had to experience since the advent of the television. Web stories would wait, reporters could wait, the newsroom would wait; but when the consumer, the targeted audience is already speculating and sharing their impressions before you even are notified of the occurrence, then the professional is given the lesser hand.
I’m brought back to a discussion we had in my PRI class. My professor was discussing her role in implementing a crisis management plan for my alma mater, a role that is rather difficult, because you can’t always prepare for everything. While deciding on the actual delivery of the University’s message, she had time to prepare. The school’s response had to be swift and immediate. The message: At this time, our primary concern is the safety of our students. That was it. Simply put, no elaborate showcasing of the school’s plans for the future, no leaked information. But that was then.
Given the exact same circumstances, today, that message would not suffice. She would be battling with the Tweets of the concerned student who raced down that hallway at 3 a.m., trying to make it out of the building before the smoke consumed him. She’d be messing with the frantic blog of another student, eager to put the story on “paper” while the images are vivid. She’d be concerned with these immediate responses being picked up, a student complaining that the system was flawed, a parent outraged over text messages received, a news story featuring quotes from someone’s blog or another’s twitter profile. Social media platforms designed to allow the regular Joe and Jane to speak up, creates a crisis management nightmare.
In a matter of minutes, a once carefully considered, well-crafted crisis management plan can go to shambles in the hands of social media conversation. This change places a huge responsibility on the shoulders of PR planners and crisis management engineers everywhere. If nothing else, its something that needs to be carefully considered before executing that well-crafted, carefully considered crisis management plan.
UPDATE: With Sarah Palin's recent resignation, here are some tips from Forbes about crisis communication, and delivering a well-thought resignation.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
from sham wow! to scam...wow.
PR professionals know that research is vitally important. this extends beyond campaigns.
i like to know who i am interviewing with. today, i found ripoffreport.com a little bit later than i wish i had.
i consider myself a smart girl. i recently graduated from Seton Hall with a Bachelor's in Public Relations, have held multiple internships, and peppered my resume with various extracurricular activities to spice up my communications background. needless to say after four years of hard work, what this last "Marketing firm" i interviewed at considered "entry level" was offensive to me.
on my first interview, I met, as many have, with the owner of the company. he seemed like a cool guy with a unique story. but red flags popped up faster than strawberry fields in john lennon's mind after tripping on drugs. first, tony didn't have a computer in his office nor a laptop anywhere in sight. I have yet to meet a marketing professional who didn't constantly have some component of the microsoft suite open, usually excel. second, I came prepared with a sample campaign, writing samples, and an audio reel. in three interviews, nobody in the company asked to see any of my previous work.
i went back for a round two after a pithy first interview, optimistic that my second impression would be better than my first. false.
i entered a lobby of people who were eagerly awaiting second interviews--all familiar faces that waited for my first interview. it seemed they didn't cut anybody from round one. i met with the owner again, who quickly shuffled me off to an assistant manager. she took me outside, to a PARK BENCH, to conduct the interview. because interviews don't feel like interrogation enough. it was like movie scenes where a criminal is sweating under the heat of direct questioning and a bright light. but instead of the bright light, i had THE SUN. furthermore, other interviews were conducted on surrounding park benches. smokers anxiously awaited for these seats to be vacated.
after making several non-offensive but still inappropriate comments about her gay friends, she made a list of my positives and negatives, and manipulated them to her liking. she invalidated much of my very valid experience so that i would fall between her sweet spot of overqualified for what they consider entry level, and underqualified for what they consider management. the overqualification is supposed to make you "want management more." hearing about the entry level duties made me "want the leave the interview more." furthermore, they only promote from within, so even if I was qualified, it wasn't "their" qualified. did I mention I applied for an entry level position and never asked about management?
but that's where they see everyone. managers. promoted within three months to do the work i probably could be doing now. among her "concerns" and "negatives" about me was that I never managed an account before. i corrected her, and noted that I have an entire campaign with a real world client from my coursework. she decided that because I didn't manage the budget of my client, it wasn't valid experience. my client was a non-profit that relied on the surrounding community support and partnerships, which is MORE work.
after she manufactured other cons about me that i happily rebutted, she told me she was taking me directly to a client. on the way over in the car, because I said in the interview that I was creative, she said she wanted me to think of a marketing scheme that would produce money for Home Depot, which is where we drove to. the 20 minute car ride surprisingly was not enough for my to come up with a business development plan, but i scrapped a plan together in my head. we sat down at home depot, needlessly offsite. i never thought i would long to be back on a park bench interview, but it was a fond memory because i hadn't yet wasted my entire day.
discussing my scheme, i informed her that my tactics are based on research and related objectives. but this made me incompetent. why she felt the need to try and tear me down in a warehouse setting is still something i have yet to understand. she was flustered by my every rebuttle, and hated that i was qualified.
after reviewing my creative tactics that were pathetic because they were untied to research and objectives, she asked me how I would raise awareness of my campaign. I noted that I would use PR because we were on a budget, and as all integrated marketing specialists should know, PR is about unpaid, uncontrolled messages. she then told me that buying print, radio, and tv ads was a waste of money and not cost effective to the rest of my makeshift campaign. i then explained to her the difference between advertising and PR, which made me feel really secure since I was informing my interviewer of her job.
she then told me about what her company did for home depot, which was sway buyers to update their kitchens instead or remodel them, which was more cost effective for the consumer, especially in this economy, and pulled in more leads. she then pampered me with stats about how well Home Depot is doing thanks to them.
after this nonsense, she told me I was going to see what my job as an entry level professional would be. finally i would get to see the intense research, carefully planned objectives, creative programming, and precise evaluation that went into campaigns. instead she took me around home depot, and bugged customers to see if they heard about the plan, and see if they wanted to sign up for a demo. entry level PR professionals are not girl scouts selling boxes of cookies door to door. it's insulting, and furthermore, it's not marketing or PR. it's customer service. it's not grassroots. it's annoying.
finally I drove back with no legitimate directions for a 10 minute third interview with Tony. first I had to fill out a questionnaire, asking me if i knew the difference between indirect and direct marketing among many other questions. he closed by once again failing to look at the evidence I had from my previous experiences and internships. but at this point i didn't care, i was half way tuned out watching the clock...and still looking to see if there was a computer.
i believe in integrated communications--i think it makes a lot of sense to assess a client's needs and treat their symptoms rather than have a client distinguish between PR, advertising, and marketing, and decide what is best for them. but this was a hollow shell of that thought process.
entry level marketing and PR professionals deserve better than to be the guys selling tickets in Times Square for comedy shows. Magnum is a suited version of this.
if you are looking for work, don't go here. if you are looking to fulfill your marketing needs, don't go here. you just may end up with advertising or PR, because whoever is handling your account may not know the difference.
-k.
i like to know who i am interviewing with. today, i found ripoffreport.com a little bit later than i wish i had.
i consider myself a smart girl. i recently graduated from Seton Hall with a Bachelor's in Public Relations, have held multiple internships, and peppered my resume with various extracurricular activities to spice up my communications background. needless to say after four years of hard work, what this last "Marketing firm" i interviewed at considered "entry level" was offensive to me.
on my first interview, I met, as many have, with the owner of the company. he seemed like a cool guy with a unique story. but red flags popped up faster than strawberry fields in john lennon's mind after tripping on drugs. first, tony didn't have a computer in his office nor a laptop anywhere in sight. I have yet to meet a marketing professional who didn't constantly have some component of the microsoft suite open, usually excel. second, I came prepared with a sample campaign, writing samples, and an audio reel. in three interviews, nobody in the company asked to see any of my previous work.
i went back for a round two after a pithy first interview, optimistic that my second impression would be better than my first. false.
i entered a lobby of people who were eagerly awaiting second interviews--all familiar faces that waited for my first interview. it seemed they didn't cut anybody from round one. i met with the owner again, who quickly shuffled me off to an assistant manager. she took me outside, to a PARK BENCH, to conduct the interview. because interviews don't feel like interrogation enough. it was like movie scenes where a criminal is sweating under the heat of direct questioning and a bright light. but instead of the bright light, i had THE SUN. furthermore, other interviews were conducted on surrounding park benches. smokers anxiously awaited for these seats to be vacated.
after making several non-offensive but still inappropriate comments about her gay friends, she made a list of my positives and negatives, and manipulated them to her liking. she invalidated much of my very valid experience so that i would fall between her sweet spot of overqualified for what they consider entry level, and underqualified for what they consider management. the overqualification is supposed to make you "want management more." hearing about the entry level duties made me "want the leave the interview more." furthermore, they only promote from within, so even if I was qualified, it wasn't "their" qualified. did I mention I applied for an entry level position and never asked about management?
but that's where they see everyone. managers. promoted within three months to do the work i probably could be doing now. among her "concerns" and "negatives" about me was that I never managed an account before. i corrected her, and noted that I have an entire campaign with a real world client from my coursework. she decided that because I didn't manage the budget of my client, it wasn't valid experience. my client was a non-profit that relied on the surrounding community support and partnerships, which is MORE work.
after she manufactured other cons about me that i happily rebutted, she told me she was taking me directly to a client. on the way over in the car, because I said in the interview that I was creative, she said she wanted me to think of a marketing scheme that would produce money for Home Depot, which is where we drove to. the 20 minute car ride surprisingly was not enough for my to come up with a business development plan, but i scrapped a plan together in my head. we sat down at home depot, needlessly offsite. i never thought i would long to be back on a park bench interview, but it was a fond memory because i hadn't yet wasted my entire day.
discussing my scheme, i informed her that my tactics are based on research and related objectives. but this made me incompetent. why she felt the need to try and tear me down in a warehouse setting is still something i have yet to understand. she was flustered by my every rebuttle, and hated that i was qualified.
after reviewing my creative tactics that were pathetic because they were untied to research and objectives, she asked me how I would raise awareness of my campaign. I noted that I would use PR because we were on a budget, and as all integrated marketing specialists should know, PR is about unpaid, uncontrolled messages. she then told me that buying print, radio, and tv ads was a waste of money and not cost effective to the rest of my makeshift campaign. i then explained to her the difference between advertising and PR, which made me feel really secure since I was informing my interviewer of her job.
she then told me about what her company did for home depot, which was sway buyers to update their kitchens instead or remodel them, which was more cost effective for the consumer, especially in this economy, and pulled in more leads. she then pampered me with stats about how well Home Depot is doing thanks to them.
after this nonsense, she told me I was going to see what my job as an entry level professional would be. finally i would get to see the intense research, carefully planned objectives, creative programming, and precise evaluation that went into campaigns. instead she took me around home depot, and bugged customers to see if they heard about the plan, and see if they wanted to sign up for a demo. entry level PR professionals are not girl scouts selling boxes of cookies door to door. it's insulting, and furthermore, it's not marketing or PR. it's customer service. it's not grassroots. it's annoying.
finally I drove back with no legitimate directions for a 10 minute third interview with Tony. first I had to fill out a questionnaire, asking me if i knew the difference between indirect and direct marketing among many other questions. he closed by once again failing to look at the evidence I had from my previous experiences and internships. but at this point i didn't care, i was half way tuned out watching the clock...and still looking to see if there was a computer.
i believe in integrated communications--i think it makes a lot of sense to assess a client's needs and treat their symptoms rather than have a client distinguish between PR, advertising, and marketing, and decide what is best for them. but this was a hollow shell of that thought process.
entry level marketing and PR professionals deserve better than to be the guys selling tickets in Times Square for comedy shows. Magnum is a suited version of this.
if you are looking for work, don't go here. if you are looking to fulfill your marketing needs, don't go here. you just may end up with advertising or PR, because whoever is handling your account may not know the difference.
-k.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
PR is awesome.
a passion for PR is something i discovered long before i could define what PR is. PR weekly noted that people view the field as somewhat undefinable; something that you can't even describe to your mom. those practicing know it's vital, challenging, and hey, if you are like me, you have a slight arrogance when it comes to those "marketing and advertising" people.
the best definition i have heard is that public relations is the "art of managing strategic relationships." what i love about this definition other than it's specific description of the field is it depicts what an open and sprawling field PR truly is. one of my professor's said that PR gives you the opportunity to combine two loves: a love for communication as well as another field (ex: music, sports, non-profit organizations, politics, travel, etc.). furthermore, you can find your niche within a client or an agency that you are lucky enough to land a job with (ex: internal relations, corporate relations, international relations, event planning, etc.). PR is what you make it, which is why i find it so fascinating. i'm the girl who has a notepad by her bed jotting down ideas at 3 a.m. i see things through a PR lens, dissecting promotional work and catching news angles of different stories.
PR is also defined by a vital second component: PR expresses an unpaid, uncontrolled message. this is where my PR arrogance comes in. before my senior year of college, i didn't know the difference between PR, marketing, and advertising. when i came ot understand that PR was unpaid and uncontrolled in contrast to the paid and controlled messages set forth by advertising and marketing, i found myself offended by those who wanted to categorize me as such. you cannot buy my message like a distant step parent trying to close a love gap with a Coach bag. it must be earned through the development of *strategic relationships* and strong verbal/written communication.
with a better understanding of these three fields and a lot of therapy, i have grown and accepted the function that all three fields play. so it is with an open heart that i welcome all three to hire me :)
-k
the best definition i have heard is that public relations is the "art of managing strategic relationships." what i love about this definition other than it's specific description of the field is it depicts what an open and sprawling field PR truly is. one of my professor's said that PR gives you the opportunity to combine two loves: a love for communication as well as another field (ex: music, sports, non-profit organizations, politics, travel, etc.). furthermore, you can find your niche within a client or an agency that you are lucky enough to land a job with (ex: internal relations, corporate relations, international relations, event planning, etc.). PR is what you make it, which is why i find it so fascinating. i'm the girl who has a notepad by her bed jotting down ideas at 3 a.m. i see things through a PR lens, dissecting promotional work and catching news angles of different stories.
PR is also defined by a vital second component: PR expresses an unpaid, uncontrolled message. this is where my PR arrogance comes in. before my senior year of college, i didn't know the difference between PR, marketing, and advertising. when i came ot understand that PR was unpaid and uncontrolled in contrast to the paid and controlled messages set forth by advertising and marketing, i found myself offended by those who wanted to categorize me as such. you cannot buy my message like a distant step parent trying to close a love gap with a Coach bag. it must be earned through the development of *strategic relationships* and strong verbal/written communication.
with a better understanding of these three fields and a lot of therapy, i have grown and accepted the function that all three fields play. so it is with an open heart that i welcome all three to hire me :)
-k
Thursday, June 4, 2009
stay current
having PR internships in new york city have yielded valuable learning experiences about the art of public relations and similar fields. it also taught me valuable lessons about the commuter lifestyle, like don't ever, EVER let your mp3 player die on the train. if someone is yelling on their cell phone, move to the next car. they will not stop.
also, don't roll your eyes at those around you. last month i was discussing a campaign on the phone while sitting across from a PR professional. he was in charge of corporate communications for ABW. the firm provided security for parking lots and buildings. he overheard my conversation, and like any true blossoming PR executive/nerd relationship, we started talking about the field. initially we discussed the differences between marketing and PR, and how people view them as the same when they are actually opposites of the same spectrum--but that's another blog. what we truly ended up discussing was how he spent most of his train ride back researching the swine flu. he said that it is something he never would imagine was necessary considering his field and his client. but sure enough, he was on the phone with people all day discussing how the swine flu would affect his account.
i mean, it's the swine flu!!
this just reinforced the notion that everyone in PR should be well versed in current events. you never know when a current event is going to sneak into your profession. furthermore, you never know when your client can hook onto something newsworthy. follow reporters on twitter. hail the mighty bacon's list. and keep yourself posted on what's going on in the world, because you never know when the next odd disease involving an animal will break out. and not having your research done will drive you mad...if a cow doesn't get you there first.
-k.
also, don't roll your eyes at those around you. last month i was discussing a campaign on the phone while sitting across from a PR professional. he was in charge of corporate communications for ABW. the firm provided security for parking lots and buildings. he overheard my conversation, and like any true blossoming PR executive/nerd relationship, we started talking about the field. initially we discussed the differences between marketing and PR, and how people view them as the same when they are actually opposites of the same spectrum--but that's another blog. what we truly ended up discussing was how he spent most of his train ride back researching the swine flu. he said that it is something he never would imagine was necessary considering his field and his client. but sure enough, he was on the phone with people all day discussing how the swine flu would affect his account.
i mean, it's the swine flu!!
this just reinforced the notion that everyone in PR should be well versed in current events. you never know when a current event is going to sneak into your profession. furthermore, you never know when your client can hook onto something newsworthy. follow reporters on twitter. hail the mighty bacon's list. and keep yourself posted on what's going on in the world, because you never know when the next odd disease involving an animal will break out. and not having your research done will drive you mad...if a cow doesn't get you there first.
-k.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Proper Attire
After an interesting shopping debacle, it inspired a post about casual and professional attire.
Dress to impress
Often times people believe that proper business attire is a black suit, white shirt, and a red tie to symbolize power, but that isn't necessarily the case. It's all about your surroundings and how you should dress.
"It's always better to overdress than to under dress" can be heard in the halls of every college campus, but let's face it - you never want to make another person feel uncomfortable because you're completely and utterly over dressed.
It's better safe than sorry
jobsearch highlights the do's and dont's in interview attire. I'm sure they are absolutely right. Every career fair and forum agrees with the muted professional attire. I personally believe it depends on the position you want and the message you want to communicate.
It depends on context
As a product of a small business owner, when an employee is dressed in a suit for a interview you don't hire them. Why? Because you don't hire a guy dressed in a suit for a summer position selling ice cream at a Dairy Queen. Much like how you wouldn't hire a guy dressed in shorts and a t-shirt to manage your investment portfolio.
suite101 says attire varies by region. Now I'm not saying you should drop into an interview in the newest and trendiest clothing. No, that is an absolute no. But it's better to take into account your surroundings when choosing your wardrobe and to take consideration in the image portrayed when you go to work, school, or running errands.
eHow describes the steps a public relations professional should follow when choosing their clothes. We preach the ROPE process, but do we live by it? It applies to life.
The next time you put on clothes, ask yourself these questions:
Dress to impress
Often times people believe that proper business attire is a black suit, white shirt, and a red tie to symbolize power, but that isn't necessarily the case. It's all about your surroundings and how you should dress.
"It's always better to overdress than to under dress" can be heard in the halls of every college campus, but let's face it - you never want to make another person feel uncomfortable because you're completely and utterly over dressed.
It's better safe than sorry
jobsearch highlights the do's and dont's in interview attire. I'm sure they are absolutely right. Every career fair and forum agrees with the muted professional attire. I personally believe it depends on the position you want and the message you want to communicate.
It depends on context
As a product of a small business owner, when an employee is dressed in a suit for a interview you don't hire them. Why? Because you don't hire a guy dressed in a suit for a summer position selling ice cream at a Dairy Queen. Much like how you wouldn't hire a guy dressed in shorts and a t-shirt to manage your investment portfolio.
suite101 says attire varies by region. Now I'm not saying you should drop into an interview in the newest and trendiest clothing. No, that is an absolute no. But it's better to take into account your surroundings when choosing your wardrobe and to take consideration in the image portrayed when you go to work, school, or running errands.
eHow describes the steps a public relations professional should follow when choosing their clothes. We preach the ROPE process, but do we live by it? It applies to life.
The next time you put on clothes, ask yourself these questions:
- What message do my clothes communicate?
- Are the clothes I'm wearing appropriate for the occasion?
- How can I dress differently to positively boost my appearance?
Thursday, April 23, 2009
the limits and rewards of non-profit PR
fellow PR nerds,
Today concluded the long journey that was the Seton Hall PR 2 campaign. As Kendrick mentioned, we celebrated PR with Seton Hall Alumni and active members alike. Representatives from New Jersey and New York's top PR firms was there, including Coyne PR and MWW. The PR greats that painted the pages of my PR weekly magazines all semester were now a networking opportunity.
My infatuation with PR this week has been a love-hate relationship. It was so refreshing to see PR professionals who have been in the field for decades, but still have a palpable passion for what they do.
Much of my passion in driven by the prospect of shedding light on a worthy cause through non-profit PR. This is both a huge challenge and reward. Our PR 2 professor announced that campaigns have "roped" in over $1.5 million. Wow. That's a whole lot of good assigned to prospective PR professionals.
The biggest challenge of working with a non-profit organization is the limited budget...or lack there of. One would imagine that this was a much more challenging task before social media shook the PR world. Why produce an expensive and controversial VNR when you can draw traction to youtube for free? Why pay for ads in teen magazines when you can create a facebook fan page for your product?
PR has a reputation of crazy spinsters who distort the truth. Those who actually practice PR know that honesty and transparency are two very necessary tools. Non-profit PR has developed into a less controversial, do-gooder field. I believe all PR demands honesty, but i have yet to meet anyone who is vehemently opposed to non-profit PR, unlike those sleazy "corporate" PR types. If it were up to me, I would have my own firm called Pro-Bono where every cause could receive PR for free.
Every good cause deserves a voice.
-k.
Today concluded the long journey that was the Seton Hall PR 2 campaign. As Kendrick mentioned, we celebrated PR with Seton Hall Alumni and active members alike. Representatives from New Jersey and New York's top PR firms was there, including Coyne PR and MWW. The PR greats that painted the pages of my PR weekly magazines all semester were now a networking opportunity.
My infatuation with PR this week has been a love-hate relationship. It was so refreshing to see PR professionals who have been in the field for decades, but still have a palpable passion for what they do.
Much of my passion in driven by the prospect of shedding light on a worthy cause through non-profit PR. This is both a huge challenge and reward. Our PR 2 professor announced that campaigns have "roped" in over $1.5 million. Wow. That's a whole lot of good assigned to prospective PR professionals.
The biggest challenge of working with a non-profit organization is the limited budget...or lack there of. One would imagine that this was a much more challenging task before social media shook the PR world. Why produce an expensive and controversial VNR when you can draw traction to youtube for free? Why pay for ads in teen magazines when you can create a facebook fan page for your product?
PR has a reputation of crazy spinsters who distort the truth. Those who actually practice PR know that honesty and transparency are two very necessary tools. Non-profit PR has developed into a less controversial, do-gooder field. I believe all PR demands honesty, but i have yet to meet anyone who is vehemently opposed to non-profit PR, unlike those sleazy "corporate" PR types. If it were up to me, I would have my own firm called Pro-Bono where every cause could receive PR for free.
Every good cause deserves a voice.
-k.
Friday, April 17, 2009
ROPE in Sucess Event
I handed in my PR2 campaign along with my unofficial editing partner Kate. We spent countless hours in the library bouncing ideas off of each other. The greatest ideas always started out with "do you know what I mean?"
The ROPE in sucess event was amazing. It was refreshing to see my peers receive awards. It's human nature to be curious - which often poses questions. I couldn't help but think...
-What if I I make it to the Bateman Competition next semester?
-What client will I work with?
-What type of research will I conduct?
Life always seems to produce a lot of questions. The beauty of PR is that after you do all of your research, there is no doubt that your work is on track.
Lauren Atkinson shared some advice: always act as if you are being watched by a potential recruiter. I learned something about networking tonight. John Gramuglia from Coyne urged me to network. I was exhausted and I didn't have my game face on. That is when I realized that there is no such thing as a game face. As long as you are genuine, act like you normally do, and are motivated, then eventually things will take a turn for the better.
I gave out 7 business cards tonight. I loved creating my personal brand. I think the best part about it is that I was able to incorporate my two passions in life - PR and Graphic Design.
I've always prided myself on having spur of the moment ideas, some people call it randomness, I prefer to call it creativity.
-What if you were in charge of re-branding a major coporation?
-What would your first steps be?
As professor Golan always hounded into our heads - RESEARCH.
The ROPE in sucess event was amazing. It was refreshing to see my peers receive awards. It's human nature to be curious - which often poses questions. I couldn't help but think...
-What if I I make it to the Bateman Competition next semester?
-What client will I work with?
-What type of research will I conduct?
Life always seems to produce a lot of questions. The beauty of PR is that after you do all of your research, there is no doubt that your work is on track.
Lauren Atkinson shared some advice: always act as if you are being watched by a potential recruiter. I learned something about networking tonight. John Gramuglia from Coyne urged me to network. I was exhausted and I didn't have my game face on. That is when I realized that there is no such thing as a game face. As long as you are genuine, act like you normally do, and are motivated, then eventually things will take a turn for the better.
I gave out 7 business cards tonight. I loved creating my personal brand. I think the best part about it is that I was able to incorporate my two passions in life - PR and Graphic Design.
I've always prided myself on having spur of the moment ideas, some people call it randomness, I prefer to call it creativity.
-What if you were in charge of re-branding a major coporation?
-What would your first steps be?
As professor Golan always hounded into our heads - RESEARCH.
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