It’s Time To Focus On New Media
Whitney Drake is the brains and creativity behind the much talked about Ford Focus social media release. Not only does this Social Media Press Release (SMPR) offer everything from video to flickr pictures, but it also has links to media releases featuring the Ford Flex, Ford Trucks, the Lincoln and a concept car called the Ford Verve. The shiny car pictures and the flashy videos are just half of what makes this media release so popular. It implements the PR savvy tactics of “out with the old and in with the new.” Away with old school emails and forget about sending press releases to newspapers, there’s a new kid on the media block. The best advice that I could ever hear for my future profession is that you should never underestimate the power of media. Email is the old way of doing things. Besides, who wants their inbox flooded with useless emails when you can just type something into Google and it suddenly appears at your convenience? Media is constantly changing and it’s our job to keep up with it. This advice is coming from Drake, Ford’s Communication Manager and creator of possibly the most talked about SMPR in the world. So needless to say she knows a thing or two about media. I would encourage anyone to check out the 2008 Ford Focus social media release. This very well could be the future of how journalism and PR will work one day.
1, social media | Comment (0)Will Cell Phones Change The Face Of Online Shopping?
The thought of shopping online from your home used to be a far-fetched concept for most. Shopping in pajamas while making lunch only to have a product delivered shortly after just with a few clicks of the mouse. Now, big name companies such as Amazon have taken the technology dependent relationship a step further.On April 1, Amazon launched “TextBuyIt” which allows shoppers to text the name, description or number of a desired product to “Amazon” for pricing, availability and selection. The article entitled “Amazon Launches Text-Message Shopping” on nytimes.com caught my attention because I happened to be shopping online when I came across it.I started to think about all the ways technology has allowed for convenient, quick errands in a busy day. However, I could not help but be disturbed. Yes, online shopping takes away from the personal interaction with employee to customer and has slightly tampered with department store hiring. I kept wondering though “how successful will this text-message shopping be?”First, it would only be valuable to people with Internet access from their phone. We all know that can come at a hefty price. Second, who always knows what product they are looking for? I know I don’t…that is why there are store employees.I think it is a good idea and will be valuable to Amazon, especially because the Internet runs it. However, I also think that it’s not for every business and each business should look into the costs and benefits before they invest in such an idea.
1 | Comment (0)Stepping Away From The Newspapers, America’s Youth Turn To Social Media Outlets For Political News
Back in the “olden” days people would pick up a newspaper or turn on the television to get the latest updates on a political race. Now newspapers and televisions have become the “has beens” of an ever-growing trend of social media. This new generation turns to sources such as Youtube.com and Facebook to obtain information on today’s candidates and campaigns.Along with obtaining this information, the youth are starting to pass it on to friends with just the click of a mouse. An article from nytimes.com entitled “Finding Political News Online, The Young Pass It On” stated that “two-thirds of Web users under 30 say they use social networking sites, while fewer than 20 percent of older users do.”While this may come as a shock to some who believe that all traditional news sources are dying, I am not surprised at all. The majority of what I learn in class is the importance and power of social media. I am also part of that two-thirds that use Facebook and Youtube to obtain information on issues and give it to my friends. Coming from the “give it to me, and give it to me now” generation I’ve come to expect fast, accurate news without having to search through a paper or Web site.
1 | Comment (0)Forget the Days of Thinking for Yourself, Now the Internet Does It For You
Sometimes I find myself sitting at the computer lost in a maze of advertisements and soon forget what I was searching for in the first place. Fortunately, for people like me who have major online ADD, there’s a solution to my consumer problems. Alaska Airlines has introduced a new concept of marketing to its consumers.The company collects data from previous searches to customize an ad that appeals to your liking. Information such as geographic location, previous web site visitations and the number of times that a person is seen surfing the Alaska Airlines Web site are used to create an appealing ad for the web surfer.The company will also take into consideration previous experiences, good or bad, with the airline such as delays, lost luggage, cancellations or customer delight.As I read this I thought that this was an innovative concept. Unfortunately, I’m not much of a traveler these days, being busy with school. However, this can open the door to a whole new advertising strategy and not just for airlines, but for any company.It’s simple, if an ad appeals to us we are more likely to take notice of it. I can’t wait to see what this concept has in store for us in the future.
1 | Comment (0)Edelman’s Digital Bootcamp Forms Army of Social Media Enthusiasts
We all know that sometimes reading from the book is not the only way to learn. Sometimes it takes a computer and a good search engine. Edelman, a well-known PR firm, hosted a digital bootcamp at the University of Georgia to provide basic training of interactive media for students. Students who attended were broken down into teams to create campaigns for clients they were assigned. By creating a taxonomy, or a list of flexible words that relate to a client, students funneled broad words into more specific categories to find what was being said about each client on the internet.For example, my client was the Houston Astros. The Astros are teaming up with Waste Management to implement better “green” strategies from inside the field to out in the community. My team and I searched words such as “sustainability,” “green,” “global warming,” “Minute Maid Park” and “recycling.” We researched blogs including these words to find out what the community was saying about the Houston Astros, Minute Maid Park, or even recycling in general.The bootcamp was a good wake up call into the social media world. Close your books and open the search engines for your clients.
Public Relations, social media | Comment (0)A Customer’s Comment Becomes the Driving Force Behind Companies
It has always been a common question asked by companies…”How can we deliver maximum customer satisfaction?” Well now there’s an answer. You can’t find it in the books or the product prices the answers are online.Get Satisfaction is a new online service devoted to publishing customer complaints. It allows consumers to post opinions on the company of their choice and for companies to respond back in hopes of solving customer disputes and dissatisfaction.Get Satisfaction aims to sell its software to companies in need of feedback from its customers. Companies like the instant messaging forum, Twitter, are the first to respond to customer complaints. This software will open a new opportunity for improving relationships between consumers and companies. If a consumer feels they are being sold and not served they will drop support of that company.
1 | Comment (0)Yes We Can…Use Social Media to Promote
The recent “Yes We Can” Obama video has sparked multiple feelings since it first aired. Some would argue that it has created a cult of Obama crazed fans, while others would argue that those undecided have begun to lean towards Obama because of the video. Whatever the reason may be, the Democrats use of social media has earned them a place in the political race. Skeptics who are concerned that such media can hurt rather than help an image are entitled to that opinion. Although this video surfacing onto news outlets has created talk about Obama mania and Obama cults, it has still managed to spark curiosity amongst those undecided. I will be the first to admit that I polished up on my research about Obama’s campaign and political issues after watching the inspiring music video. Democrats seem to have a good grasp of social media and its powers (Youtube, Obama Girl), but I have yet to see a response video from the Republican side. Although most Republicans seem to reign in the radio kingdom it wouldn’t hurt to leave those old fashioned ways and develop their own social networking for the race. I feel that if McCain supporters fought back with a similar video it may have the potential to have a powerful result and have people take a closer look at each candidate.
1 | Comment (0)Say Goodbye to Cliché Car Washes and Bland Bake-Offs, Social Media is the New Fundraiser
I’ve always believed that social media can be one of the most powerful promotional tools for businesses. It wasn’t until I read a recent article in the New York Times about and online fund-raising contest that I began to see social media in a new light. Just when you thought online media was mainly beneficial for a company seeking to promote its image, information and services think again. Now charities like Saving Georgia Dogs are grabbing hold of online media outlets for fundraising purposes. The Chase Foundation, the sponsor of the online fund-raising contest, aims to get anyone involved in this event with just the click of the mouse. Not only could this help thousands of non-profit organizations, but it also gives ordinary people a chance to give just by surfing the web. The ever so popular Facebook, which has been known to attract middle school kids to college students, has been one outlet that has aided organizations’ fund-raising goals. The Love Without Boundaries Foundation, a charity established to provide needs to orphans in China, hesitantly gave Facebook a try, and was surprised to see a student’s word-of-mouth is more powerful for fundraising than just a car wash. Amnesty International was another organization that successfully raised money by encouraging Facebook members and their friends to donate small amounts of money. While this is still and an experiment it seems to be working and seems to be a convenient and attractive way of bringing funds into an organization.
1 | Comment (0)Bessie
Our style and design class is learning about social media. Resources such as blogs and videos are essential in social media which is why I have posted my practice blog and video.The subject is my roommate, Bessie, who is an Engineering major at Auburn. This video consists of a brief interview with Bessie.
Target’s Big Mistake
In response to the recent emails I received about Target and it’s ignorant attitude toward social media I have two words…big mistake. I learned earlier this year that Target had a great sense of community relations but setting up a book fair in the middle of a crime infested city to bring the community together.I feel that by rejecting social media will not only hurt Target’s reputation but also limit opportunities into the online world of networking and marketing. News travels fast enough as it is and with social media the opportunities are limitless.To regard social media as something of minimal importance is to say that marketing your brand or company is pointless. Target should really think twice on its opinions.This could be a way for Target to have employees, employers and customers interact with one another for a more productive and fulfilling way of doing business.
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