Myspace and other social media forums can be used by many different people, individual or groups, including teenagers, music bands, movie makers, and even businesses. Having a page for your business is a great way to publicize your service to a wide target audience of young individuals.
For example, a tanning salon here in Athens has their own Myspace page, and they encourage members to go to the site to check out their latest specials, prices, hours, etc. Not only are there fliers all over the salon, they also send out mass e-mails to their list of customers reminding them of their Myspace page. While this method of advertising and PR works great for them because their target audience is teenage girls and young women, is a business wasting their time creating a Myspace page when their audience is older?
For our Campaigns client, the Athens Symphony Orchestra, we are trying to increase awareness of the organization among all members of all ages in the community, but most of the people who support the symphony (the guild, conductor, etc.) are all senior citizens. Also, many of the people who attend the concerts are elders. Are businesses wasting their time creating social media forums like Myspace pages when they have an older target audience? I'd love to know what you think because my classmates and I have been debating the issue for a while now.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Business Etiquette is a MUST
In my campaigns class yesterday, I was lucky enough to hear a guest lecture about Business Etiquette - the lecturer came from a background of event planning and hospitality, and she also mentioned reading many books about the subject, so her advice seemed more than reliable.
While I think having an interview or meeting over a meal is probably one of the most scariest environments (yes, despite my politeness there are some minor things that are not appropriate that I wouldn't even realize,) the lecturer stressed that the main purpose is NOT the meal - it is the CONVERSATION. However, after choking on a piece of sushi in the middle of dinner last night at a public restaurant with my boyfriend, I couldn't help but worry about other embarrassing things that might go on during dinner meetings (regardless of how great your conversation may be)!
I went home and looked at some different Websites about dining etiquette, not only because I worry about myself, but I think the topic is very interesting and is often not stressed enough to students looking for jobs. YOU are the center of attention, so dining with a potential employer can give you the opportunity to either make or break an opportunity.
Some very interesting things I learned from the lecture and from other etiquette sites:
1. NO ALCOHOL!!!!
2. Eat light - avoid messy foods, even if you have to go through the drive-thru on the way home
3. When eating soup, bring the spoon away and then towards you and sip from the side of the spoon
4. If someone asks for the salt, pass both the salt AND the pepper
5. Can I use my fingers?
Yes
Berries, if served with the stem
Caviar on toast
Cheese on crackers
Corn on the cob
Crisp bacon
French fries (informal situations only)
Hamburgers
Hors d’oeuvres
NO
Berries without stems
Cake
Clams
Fish
Fruit
Ice cream served on cake or pie
Large chicken pieces
Oysters
Pastry
Pizza
Shish kabob
Shrimp
Sushi (or use chopsticks, if provided)
Steak
6. Know which plates, utensils, and glasses are yours, and know what each of them are meant for.
7. Order something you are familiar with
8. Even if you are invited to a meal, bring money just in case.
9. Try your best to make the other person feel comfortable.
10. FOCUS ON THE CONVERSATION (as difficult as it may be)!
While I think having an interview or meeting over a meal is probably one of the most scariest environments (yes, despite my politeness there are some minor things that are not appropriate that I wouldn't even realize,) the lecturer stressed that the main purpose is NOT the meal - it is the CONVERSATION. However, after choking on a piece of sushi in the middle of dinner last night at a public restaurant with my boyfriend, I couldn't help but worry about other embarrassing things that might go on during dinner meetings (regardless of how great your conversation may be)!
I went home and looked at some different Websites about dining etiquette, not only because I worry about myself, but I think the topic is very interesting and is often not stressed enough to students looking for jobs. YOU are the center of attention, so dining with a potential employer can give you the opportunity to either make or break an opportunity.
Some very interesting things I learned from the lecture and from other etiquette sites:
1. NO ALCOHOL!!!!
2. Eat light - avoid messy foods, even if you have to go through the drive-thru on the way home
3. When eating soup, bring the spoon away and then towards you and sip from the side of the spoon
4. If someone asks for the salt, pass both the salt AND the pepper
5. Can I use my fingers?
Yes
Berries, if served with the stem
Caviar on toast
Cheese on crackers
Corn on the cob
Crisp bacon
French fries (informal situations only)
Hamburgers
Hors d’oeuvres
NO
Berries without stems
Cake
Clams
Fish
Fruit
Ice cream served on cake or pie
Large chicken pieces
Oysters
Pastry
Pizza
Shish kabob
Shrimp
Sushi (or use chopsticks, if provided)
Steak
6. Know which plates, utensils, and glasses are yours, and know what each of them are meant for.
7. Order something you are familiar with
8. Even if you are invited to a meal, bring money just in case.
9. Try your best to make the other person feel comfortable.
10. FOCUS ON THE CONVERSATION (as difficult as it may be)!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
A MySpace for Basketball Fans?
The explosive social media networks like myspace and facebook might come to mind when looking at Fan Voice, the new NBA on-line network that allows you to add friends, create profiles and favorites, leave their favorite quotes, and add pictures.
Fan Voice's unique features dealing with the NBA are to discuss fantasy, create NBA video highlight mixes, writing game recaps, and finding player stats.
Good idea?
I think Fan Voice is a great PR move made by the National Basketball Association. Although finding people with the same niche can easily be done through Facebook (creating groups and associating with people who have the same interests), Fan Voice should be able to attract an older audience rather than the high school and college students who log on to facebook 5 times a day (I know, it's becoming a habit). Speaking of basketball, all I have seen lately on Facebook are NCAA March Madness Pools, where people can actually go on-line, fill out a bracket, and compete with other group members across the country.
I am actually surprised it has taken this long for particular groups to create their own on-line social networks after seeing the success of others like myspace and facebook.
Steve Rubel talks about Fan Voice in his blog, which specifically focuses on how technology is revolutionizing PR and marketing. I think the on-line sites help the public become more involved and interested. On-line Fantasy Football, for example, causes participants to log onto sites such as espn.com, yahoo.com, etc. several times per week to adjust their rosters, check injury lists, and so on.
I'm very interested to see how popular the new Fan Voice will become.
Fan Voice's unique features dealing with the NBA are to discuss fantasy, create NBA video highlight mixes, writing game recaps, and finding player stats.
Good idea?
I think Fan Voice is a great PR move made by the National Basketball Association. Although finding people with the same niche can easily be done through Facebook (creating groups and associating with people who have the same interests), Fan Voice should be able to attract an older audience rather than the high school and college students who log on to facebook 5 times a day (I know, it's becoming a habit). Speaking of basketball, all I have seen lately on Facebook are NCAA March Madness Pools, where people can actually go on-line, fill out a bracket, and compete with other group members across the country.
I am actually surprised it has taken this long for particular groups to create their own on-line social networks after seeing the success of others like myspace and facebook.
Steve Rubel talks about Fan Voice in his blog, which specifically focuses on how technology is revolutionizing PR and marketing. I think the on-line sites help the public become more involved and interested. On-line Fantasy Football, for example, causes participants to log onto sites such as espn.com, yahoo.com, etc. several times per week to adjust their rosters, check injury lists, and so on.
I'm very interested to see how popular the new Fan Voice will become.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Grady Professors Cover It All
As I was sitting at one of the panel discussions at Real World PR in Atlanta last Friday, I realized I was hearing exactly what's been drilled in my head over the past 2 years in Grady College.
While I was a tad bit bored during some discussions, at the same time I realized how relieving it is to know that I have been taught exactly what PR Professionals want us to know before entering the work force.
Since I am graduating in a few months, I know how stressful and scary it can be to have to worry about putting your skills and knowledge to work in the real world; however, I feel that I can rest assured knowing that I will be well prepared.
Aside from the communications, administration, research, graphics, and other classes with great professors, UGA also gave students the opportunity to go to PRofessional Connection, which was a series of panel discussions at UGA, along with resume and portfolio critiques. Real World PR was exactly like PRofessional Connection, but bigger, which was basically a repeat of what UGA students already got to experience.
I think Real World PR could be so useful and benefitial to someone who wants to learn about the field, but knowing how great of a job the Grady professors have done teaching us about the business was definately worth the $60 it cost!!!
While I was a tad bit bored during some discussions, at the same time I realized how relieving it is to know that I have been taught exactly what PR Professionals want us to know before entering the work force.
Since I am graduating in a few months, I know how stressful and scary it can be to have to worry about putting your skills and knowledge to work in the real world; however, I feel that I can rest assured knowing that I will be well prepared.
Aside from the communications, administration, research, graphics, and other classes with great professors, UGA also gave students the opportunity to go to PRofessional Connection, which was a series of panel discussions at UGA, along with resume and portfolio critiques. Real World PR was exactly like PRofessional Connection, but bigger, which was basically a repeat of what UGA students already got to experience.
I think Real World PR could be so useful and benefitial to someone who wants to learn about the field, but knowing how great of a job the Grady professors have done teaching us about the business was definately worth the $60 it cost!!!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Blogging - A Powerful Rhetorical Form of Dialectic
As a Speech Communication minor, I am currently taking "The History and Theory of Rhetoric" in which a lecture last week about Plato's love for dialectic made me think of blogging.
In Plato's Phaedrus, Socrates addresses whether or not rhetoric is an art. Instead of hearing a speech and not being able to respond, Socrates prefers using dialectic to break everything down to develop and understand the monologue. Despite his complaint about an unresponsive speech, he especially disfavors writing because it is "dead" and cannot answer questions.
Can't writing and dialect come together in the blogosphere? Computers and Internet technology have brought about a new world of communicating with others, and I believe that blogging is the “dialectic” of the future. As Socrates thought dialectic was useful because things could be broken up and understood instead of hearing one long memorized piece, I believe he would appreciate blogging, as people post comments back and forth, mostly arguing or bringing about more in depth points to an original post. Topics are broken down and discussed by many different kinds of people, all bringing various issues and opinions to the table. Since posting blogs is essentially writing on the computer, I believe writing today has the potential to be full of rhetoric thanks to the blogosphere and new social media we are now exposed to on a daily basis.
Blogging is also commonly used for dialectic to discuss speeches. After President Bush’s State of the Union address last month, thousands of blogs were created primarily to discuss the President’s speech, which is exactly what Socrates and Phaedrus did after Phaedrus heard Lysias’ speech about non-lovers and lovers. Instead of having to speak dialectic, we now have the technology to write back and forth to one another without wasting time by mailing letters, etc.
Throughout the rhetoric lecture, I noticed that my opinion about the importance of blogging was reinforced because it can be such a rhetorical tool. People's opinions can be changed, different arguments and points can be discussed, yet with blogging, millions of people have access to the discussions and comments unlike in the days of the ancient Greeks. I think Plato would appreciate this form of social media.
In Plato's Phaedrus, Socrates addresses whether or not rhetoric is an art. Instead of hearing a speech and not being able to respond, Socrates prefers using dialectic to break everything down to develop and understand the monologue. Despite his complaint about an unresponsive speech, he especially disfavors writing because it is "dead" and cannot answer questions.
Can't writing and dialect come together in the blogosphere? Computers and Internet technology have brought about a new world of communicating with others, and I believe that blogging is the “dialectic” of the future. As Socrates thought dialectic was useful because things could be broken up and understood instead of hearing one long memorized piece, I believe he would appreciate blogging, as people post comments back and forth, mostly arguing or bringing about more in depth points to an original post. Topics are broken down and discussed by many different kinds of people, all bringing various issues and opinions to the table. Since posting blogs is essentially writing on the computer, I believe writing today has the potential to be full of rhetoric thanks to the blogosphere and new social media we are now exposed to on a daily basis.
Blogging is also commonly used for dialectic to discuss speeches. After President Bush’s State of the Union address last month, thousands of blogs were created primarily to discuss the President’s speech, which is exactly what Socrates and Phaedrus did after Phaedrus heard Lysias’ speech about non-lovers and lovers. Instead of having to speak dialectic, we now have the technology to write back and forth to one another without wasting time by mailing letters, etc.
Throughout the rhetoric lecture, I noticed that my opinion about the importance of blogging was reinforced because it can be such a rhetorical tool. People's opinions can be changed, different arguments and points can be discussed, yet with blogging, millions of people have access to the discussions and comments unlike in the days of the ancient Greeks. I think Plato would appreciate this form of social media.
Saturday, February 3, 2007
College Career Fairs
I recently went to a career fair here in Athens that was not associated with Grady. Out of almost 200 companies that were there, I could not find one that was looking to fill PR entry level; however, I was pleasantly surprised to see that those particular companies (mostly hiring for marketing and sales positions) took a big interest when I told them I was a PR major. Many of them said they like seeing PR grads because they're creative and great communicators. Just when I became more discouraged about entering the real world, I got some very positive feedback from major corporations that deal with real estate, financial advising, etc.
Maybe my job search does have a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel!
Maybe my job search does have a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel!
Budweiser is Getting Their Money's Worth
Reaching a target audience can be difficult unless you know where all of your target audience will be at one particular time, and there's ONE day out of the year when beer, car, and athletic companies know exactly where their public will be - SUPER BOWL SUNDAY. A company could almost guarantee that every man will be sitting on the couch watching the big game. However, the price of a 30 second spot during the game is about $2.5 million this year, so those companies should do something that stretches their campaign (unless that ad happens to be so funny that it spreads on youtube for the next month, which I have to say - some are hilarious!)
Budweiser is doing just that with it's new budtv campaign. Budweiser will use some of their airtime to promote this budtv, where people can actually go replay the Super Bowl ads after the game is over. Instead of going to youtube or another video sharing site, people will go to Budweiser's Website (and probably check out all the other cool aspects of the homepage like the budshop, send a talking e-mail, crown the king of bud commercials, etc).
To help the other advertisers out a little bit, here is a list of the ads for the times that have already been purchased at CBS. Even anticipating the humor level of the ads can make them live a little longer (hopefully none will fall short of expectations). Wouldn't that be a disappointment.
Budweiser is doing just that with it's new budtv campaign. Budweiser will use some of their airtime to promote this budtv, where people can actually go replay the Super Bowl ads after the game is over. Instead of going to youtube or another video sharing site, people will go to Budweiser's Website (and probably check out all the other cool aspects of the homepage like the budshop, send a talking e-mail, crown the king of bud commercials, etc).
To help the other advertisers out a little bit, here is a list of the ads for the times that have already been purchased at CBS. Even anticipating the humor level of the ads can make them live a little longer (hopefully none will fall short of expectations). Wouldn't that be a disappointment.
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