Peace Out

From the very beginning, I have always wanted to study Public Relations. I picked UNT because of the journalism program. From the very first class I took, right up until the last one (4470), I have loved every class. Maybe not every minute of every class, but over all I enjoyed my time here.

These classes have taught me more than just how to write correctly. I have learned how to deal with good and bad teammates, take constructive criticism, network correctly and how to be a professional.

As I get ready to leave the Mayborn School of Journalism, I have taken a look back at some of the most memorable times in my Three years here. I’m starting this blog of in the traditional fashion for the last mandatory blog in my undergrad career, with at Top 10.

Top ten ways to tell you went to the Mayborn School of Journalism

1. You see a grammar tweet and immediately go check paper to make sure you didn’t make the same mistake

2. Sex, sports and alcohol are all ways to keep you interested in ethics

3. Being the mayor of the School of Journalism is an accomplishment

4. Your grade is always better when Kentucky wins

5. #asseenoncampus is a common hashtag

6. Tweeting during class is not frowned upon, it is encouraged

7 . Your papers bleed in green or purple, never red

8. You will never misuse American’s and Americans ever, ever again

9. Writing blogs becomes second nature to you

10. You stress over which shoes to wear to graduation, knowing you will be shoe judged

Bonus:

11. You get excited when you make a new word, and see your blog pop up second on Google

The last three and a half years have been amazing. There have been some ups and downs (but isn’t there always), and I have made friendships that will continue on for years to come. My wow moments from this year and this period in my life are different, but connected.

This semester I went into ethics thinking that I had a base knowledge for the theories, and I did- a base knowledge. I learned that depending on what theories you use ALMOST anything can be right or wrong. That wasn’t my wow moment though. My WOW moment was when Dr. Broyles came in to speak to us.

One of the last things she said was “if you can see subliminal advertising, and point out what it is then it is not subliminal.” That one sentence made the entire lecture click for me.

I never really thought that subliminal advertising was real, but her lecture was in lighting. I love how she showed us the advertisements and let us look at them, trying to find what was “seen.”

One of the biggest “wow” moments of my entire college careers is how much work goes into a news story. Growing up watching the news I never thought about how the anchor got the story.

Going through the Mayborn School of Journalism I now know every step it takes to get a story from start to finish. Press releases, media kits, B-roll, interviews, logging tape, live action shots etc. all take part in making one 30 second video.

I hope that as I go on in life, and have full time job (cross your fingers), these things will always stick out in my mind.

Balance Beam

Is there a way to protect against libel and protect free speech at the same time, or will one have to be sacrificed for the greater good? Libel on the Internet has been around since, well the Internet. Bloggers took libel to a new level and now Twitter has created a platform for well, microlibeling. (I know I made that up.)

After having a bad experience what is first thing we do? Grab our smart phones and tweet away. Complaining is one of the top uses for Twitter, and companies are taking notice. More and more companies have departments or agencies monitoring social media for customer service, and many companies will give discounts or freebies to disgruntled customers.

Complaining after having cold food or an awful waitress comes with the territory. If you were there it is your First Amendment right to express yourself. What if you were not there, though? I know it is not ethically right to falsely complain about a place or service you have never been to, but is legal?

People do it all the time. They complain on Twitter without having actually been harmed just to see if they can get freebees. The practice is unethical and doing it is shady, but I also think it is libel, or microlibel.

Beware of what you tweet. In fact, when you are angry you might want to put the phone down and walk away. Calling someone a name or blaming a restaurant for food poisoning when you haven’t eaten there may seem harmless, but you can be sued.

Libel is one thing, but actionable libel; well that is what is missing from Twitter and other social media sites. Proving fault, falsity, injury, defamation, identification and publication can seem like a stretch in a sentence or two. In my opinion, identification, publication and injury would all be pretty simple but proving some of the other key points may be more difficult.

Why isn’t microlibel a word yet? My theory is that not enough people are paying attention. Most people get away with it because one tweet of 140 characters or less will not scream at a company or person to sue. Once the first Twitter/libel case has gone through the court system and sets case law precedents, more people will be sued, especially if there is a large jury award.

Another reason people (and companies) are getting away with microlibel is the anonymity that the Internet can supply. By using fake email addresses, Twitter handles, screen names and blog accounts you could “work the system” and get away with microlibel.

What these individuals don’t know is technology is working against, not for them. Tracking IP addresses, Twitter handles, email addresses etc. can all be done pretty easily. Finding out if you have actually visited the restaurant or went to the event is not rocket science. Every tweet you send and picture you upload from your phone has a location number on it, and if it is on the Internet (unless your privacy settings are super strict,) anyone can see it and find out if you were really where you said you were. No matter how secretive you think you are being, you cannot hide on the Internet.

There has been and will always be unethical, lying, cheating and shady people out there in this world. Microlibel may only be a made up word by a college senior but one day there will be lawsuits and settlements because of it. Once one person, or company, decides a tweet is worth suing over and going to court instead of settling, microlibeling will be included in the next Webster’s dictionary edition.

Sara Alderman|@sea6789

Crystal Ball.

After looking at all the codes of ethics, the Public Relations Society of America has the most complete ethical guidelines of all the ones listed online. It combines information from all the other sources without being too short or too wordy.

The PRSA, SPJ and WOMMA codes of ethics have many overlapping ethical principles but one in particular stood out to me. Conflict of interest is the easiest principle to blur the lines on. When is it ok to do a favor or work with clients in the same industry? When should you step back and say no.

My first experience in the real world was not rainbows and butterflies. I had a summer internship with a very large business to business benefits firm who had no marketing or PR department. I took the internship because I was promised help, education and the freedom of doing what I thought was right for the company.

After a few weeks of getting nothing accomplished because no one could agree on what I needed to do (that is beside the point) my boss started asking me to work on marketing for his personal business and home life. I tried avoiding the assignments at first, but I knew that was not the way to solve the problem.

Talking to my boss about my conflict of interest was one of the scariest things I have ever done. I don’t like people to be disappointed in me, but I was not happy with my job. After trying to explain to him why I could not work on any assignments except for ones for the insurance company for 30 minutes, he basically told me I did not know how things worked in the real world. He went on to tell me that in the real world interns do what their bosses tell them in order to move up in the company.

I was heartbroken. I felt like I was failing at my job and letting my morals go down the drain by staying at the company. After talking with anyone who would listen to me about my dilemma I decided to go above my boss and talk to his boss.

His boss was concerned, but not with the acts of my boss. He was concerned that having interns in the office would stir up issues with the head office (I was at one of six.) He knew what my boss was doing- using company time to work on his other business, and was looking the other way.
My boss went on vacation the next week and his boss told me that services would no longer be needed when he got back. I am ok with not working there, and would have resigned if he had not said anything to me.

I will always be super sensitive to conflicts of interest, along with all the other ethical principles, especially after seeing first hand that some people really are unethical.

Where do I want to be in five, ten and even fifteen years down the road? After my first run in with unethical behavior I can say not there. I love people, talking to them, listening to their stories and I hope that where ever I end up I will be doing just that.

Working for a corporation or agency would be wonderful for five years down the line. I love interacting with a team and brainstorming, bouncing ideas and having someone to double check your spelling is amazing. I hope that in five years I will be moving up the ladder and personally that I have a family to come home to.

In ten years I want to either be up the ladder or opening my own company. I still have the idea in my head that I can work for one company for my entire life, or at least most of it but I know that is not how it works most of the time.

Fifteen years from now, wow it is hard for me to even imagine myself in 15 years. I want to have an office somewhere, mostly because I want to decorate it. I would like to be known for my success in and out of the office and have avoided any conflict.

I know that my fifteen year plan for myself seems a little naive. I will have speed bumps. I will get knocked down and get into conflicts. I will probably switch companies and make mistakes. It won’t be an easy road to get where I want, morals and values will be tested.

I also know that I have my education to back me up. These codes of ethics been drilled into my brain from the first class I took and will continue to be in my head for the rest of my life. I know that I have professors and classmates that will turn into colleges and friends and that I can always pick up the phone (or tweet) them when I am having a tough time.

I Know that I will be successful, I hope it is in the way I have envisioned.

Little Tikes a Little Late

I heard on the radio this morning that Little Tikes is recalling 1.7 million tool kits and tool benches because of over-sized nails. The radio announcer said “just place the nails in a place your kids can’t reach them and they should be fine.” I felt like that was not enough of recall since at least two children had already choked…I decided to check out the Little Tikes website.

The Little Tikes website had something alarming on it. The recall is for products that were bought anywhere from 1994-2004. The products had been discontinued and redesigned in 2004 and were no longer a hazard.

The company did have a recall in 2009 after a few choking incidents, but apparently over 1.7 million were still out there, and still having the same problems. Why did it take 5-15 years before the first recall, when they obviously knew in 2004 that there was a problem (the reason it was discontinued).

Hasbro also has a track record of recalling toys, and then calling for more recalls years later. The Easy Bake Oven was recalled in 2006 because children were burning their fingers when trying get their desserts out. Over 100,000 children burnt their fingers before the first recall happened which is a lot more than the few kids who choked with the Little Tikes tool set.

Just like returning the nails for the tool set, the Easy Bake Oven recall was simply filling out a form and getting a replacement part. After the recall, another 250 children were burnt, resulting in a compete recall of all ovens made before 2006.

One more thing that ties these two cases together is that both recalls were for products that had already been altered. The Easy Bake Oven recalled was in 2007 for ovens made in 2006 and before, showing that the model for 2007 was different. The tool box was recalled for models manufactured in 2009 and before, and since it is 2011 the model had already been changed.

Utilitarianism

After years of following the utilitarianism theory, continuing to sell the product and not doing a recall, Little Tikes took a turn and ended up not following the theory. If the company had not recalled the product, it would have fallen under the utilitarian rule.

Utilitarianism does not take into account emotions, and when dealing with little kid’s emotions is key. Only a few children choked and all recovered so recalling the toys under the utilitarian theory would not be the greatest good for the greatest number

The Easy Bake Oven recall did not leave the items on the shelf either, at least the second time around. If they would have stopped at the first recall and continued selling the product, their actions would have fallen under this theory. However, more children got hurt and they decided to take everything off the shelves and recall all the ovens sold.

Both cases did not follow property number one of the utilitarianism rule either. The rule states that decisions should be based on the majority with little thought to that of the minority. For both recalls the majority of children who had the toys were not injured. There was a minority of about 100,000 of millions for the Easy Bake Oven and an even smaller one of 2-5 children for the tool sets.

Egoism

When I first read of the recall, I thought that they were looking out for their consumers and not themselves. After reading a little bit more, and looking into what the egoism theory really means, I saw that in fact Little Tikes was doing exactly what the theory states.

Little Tikes only recalled their product so that in the long run, parents will feel safer about buying from them. The nails that were/are being recalled are not a huge cost to the company, and what they are gaining is trust in their brand.

The Easy Bake Oven recall took a little bit of a turn to make it an egotistic move. The first move (recalling the part and replacing it) was not a huge deal to them or the consumer. After a few more children got burnt, they recalled all ovens and the ones in stores. This move was more egotistic. They basically recalled the rest of the ovens because of media coverage and concerned parents hounding them and made the move to prevent their brand from becoming tarnished.

Hasbro did the major recall of ovens to save their skin. In order for parents to want to get an oven again, some for the third time, they needed to take extra precautions, not just for the kids, but for themselves.

Conclusion

The Easy Bake Oven recall is one that I remember from childhood. I remember having to return my oven to the store (I got a princess tent instead) and I remember thinking about the minority of people who would get hurt. The Hasbro Company learned their lesson the hard way, and I am sure they weigh these theories every time they do a recall.

In my opinion, the Little Tikes recall is far from over. Although their decisions thus far can be sorted into many of the classical ethical theories, their future decisions about the product could change the theories their actions fall under entirely.

-Sara Alderman

Other sources:

http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/money/business_news/big-recall-of-little-tikes-play-tool-sets

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/02/06/toy.oven.recall/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

The Boy Who Tweeted Wolf

Have you ever heard of the boy who cries wolf? The little boy is unethical and no one believes him when he needs them too.

What about the boy who tweets wolf. Is it unethical to tweet information you don’t know is correct? What about retweeting information?

In today’s world news is created and travels fast. No longer do you have to wait by the T.V. to find out why there is smoke, you can check your twitter for a minute- by- minute update of the fire.
With the new speed of information comes the opportunity (for some) to be misleading or flat out lie.

According to an article on Mashable.com two individuals decided to tweet that schools were being attacked and children were being kidnapped in the state of Veracruz.

The tweets were false all the children were safe in school several accidents and chaos erupted because parents became frantic.
Mexico dubbed these two “twitter terrorists” and they are now facing up to 30 years in prison.

There is a huge debate on if legal action can be taken, but ethically is it right? Giving false information at any time on any medium is unethical. If you know what you are saying is not the truth you are lying, and lying is unethical.

Mike Wise is another great example of Twitter’s importance in distributing the news. Wise is Washington Post reporter who wanted to demonstrate how bloggers and Twitter users will post information without fact checking.

His attempt at proving a point backfired when he tweeted from an account that stated he was Washington Post reporter. His tweet (which was untrue) linked to a blog with rumored football trade information.

People took his tweet seriously and chaos ensued. He was soon suspended from his job and the credibility he had gained over 15 years was gone in time it took to write a tweet.

Wise tried to show how unethical others were being on Twitter and while blogging but instead he wound up being a case for his own point. The Post took actions they deemed necessary to fix behavior they did not agree with.

While Wise and the “Twitter Terrorists” both had actions taken against them for their unethical behavior, they are just two examples. There have been millions of tweets written with fake information, some with fun pranks and others with terrifying news.

Writing false information in a tweet is not only unethical but it is also lazy. Checking your facts is not reserved for news articles and textbooks; you should be checking information for your blog posts, tweets and Facebook posts as well.

If people continue to see Twitter as a way to be pranksters and a way to create information then the social media platform will continue to lose credibility.

Twitter should never be someone’s only source of news, but It should be an option to get news updates. I hope that people will be ethical about their content to preserve Twitter’s reputation and their own.

Mod-podge

This semester has been a roller coaster ride for me, I have learned so many lessons-some the hard way, and sharpened my skills a little more. I have made friendships with people I know will continue to grow next semester, and after graduation.
One of the most important things that I have learned is to not be afraid. I am probably the least confrontational person ever, and realizing that sometimes confronting people is necessary evil was a hard lesson. When group members slack off or disappear it is not fair to me or them to cover and just do the work for them. It is also not ok for me to hold back in my writing because I am scared it will be awful.

You also have to be assertive in this business (PR). If you want a job, go for it. Networking events are there to help you, and being shy or hanging out with the people you know does not work in your advantage. Asking for a business card and then following through with emailing them after is one of the keys to gaining a job.
Taking every opportunity (good and bad) and trying to use it to the best of your ability is a life lesson that was reaffirmed this semester. I didn’t get an internship that I wanted, but a new door opened and I am excited about this summer. I am also leaving a job that I LOVE and have worked at for 3 years for an opportunity that is a shot in the dark-it could be super successful or crash and burn.

Along with these life lessons this semester has taught me that the basics are what is important. If you can write, talk to people and not be afraid to cold call- the only thing stopping you is yourself. Reading the AP stylebook has been a new found life line, I never really refered to it before.

I also realized that life is not just about school and work. Yes those two things are very important, but taking the time to spend doing things you love, and staying connected with the people you love is a key to being successful in life.
There is a new found love in my life for cooking. Something about it is so peaceful, and I find myself escaping to the kitchen when life gets stressful. My puppy Cooper and boyfriend have also been huge influences in my success this semester.

This past year has been a rough one form me. I have tried to keep my personal life/issues private and not let them influence my work and that is super hard sometimes. I have a few health issues and my father passed away , but I never want to use either one of those things as an excuse, instead they empower me to push longer and stronger than most people.

fail

This week my inspiration is myself and my embarrassing moments: “How to not get an internship.”

I am graduating from college in December (scary right) and have been painstakingly looking for a summer internship to build experience and networking. After uploading a new resume to the Eagle Network (It’s UNT’s job site) I started applying for internships.

Well, after not hearing anything from the three places that I had applied at I thought that my resume and cover letters were just not cutting it. Then I got an email and phone call from someone saying they had been trying to contact me but my number on my resume was wrong. Let me just tell you that was the most embarrassing moment of my life, and I have had plenty of chances for my cheeks to turn bright red. Luckily, this place still gave me a phone interview, and now I have an in person interview! (cross your fingers for me!)

This embarrassing and somewhat traumatizing moment in my life got me to thinking; I can’t be the only person who has made a simple mistake or error trying to get an internship or job. There just had to be some common errors that people make, and ways to check yourself as to not turn out like me.

1.Check your resume- don’t just create or update it periodically, check it before you send it every time. By reading it over before submitting it you can avoid having mistakes like your phone number, email address or the wrong information for references.

2.Do your homework- before you apply for a job or internship at a company look at their website. What do they focus on as a company? Tweak your resume and create a cover letter focusing on key points for that company it will show you’re interested in working with the environment they already have.

3.Don’t be afraid- If you have class or work when the company wants to interview you tell them. It will not only show them that you are committed to school and have your priorities in order, but that you are not afraid of them. (thanks Professor Bufkins for this tip)

4.Watch your attitude- if you show up confident and excited to be interviewed with a knowledge of the company the hiring manager will notice. If there was a choice between two people, one with great energy and was excited to work, the other one was yawning and looked bored the one with a great attitude would get the job every time.

5.Be prepared- the same thing we have been told for years and years. Guess what? Its true. If you come prepared for the interview with writing samples or your portfolio, answers to questions prepared and a knowledge of how an interview is conducted your interview will be more professional and flow much easier.

So, these five things seem pretty simple, and most of you are probably thinking “ I do all that already”, but do you do all five things consistently? The last thing I thought I would need would be a refresher course in how to write a resume- reality check I did.

Priorities.

I know that everyone has a list in their heads of what things are the most important. To some it is an education, others is serving the country and some people think that a family is the most important thing.

Let me also start by saying that I am not writing this to say that anyone’s priorities are wrong, or should be in a different order.

I work in an advising office, and I see students every day who think that education is the most important thing. There are the few who show up on time, with everything needed in hand completely prepared to map out the rest of their college career. Then there are the other students. The ones who show up late or not at all and don’t even remember what their majors are. These students, the ones who say that education is a priority and then don’t commit strike a nerve, to get what you want you have to do what is asked and even what is not asked.

Going on job interviews is no different story. I have not personally been the one interviewing perspective employees but have heard stories about perspectives sounding very enthusiastic on the phone and having an amazing resume show up with wrinkled clothing and alcohol on their breath.

By now you may be thinking what does this have to do with public relations? So what if kids show up for appointments late and perspective employees don’t show up dressed appropriately? In the public relations profession you wear many hats, that is no secret.

Working for an agency will require you to put the same amount of effort to all of your clients, and working for a company requires dedication to that brand. If you have an amazing proposal for a client, and show up in your pajamas completely unprepared your brilliant idea means nothing.

It is also important to prioritize your values. The PRSA has its code of ethics, and each employer will have their own set of rules to live by. What happens when something is in a gray area, or a client asks

you to lie for them? Do you do it? Ethically speaking, no you politely decline but depending on where you prioritize honesty you may be sucked into a tornado.

Prioritizing your life, values and ethics is only one part of the equation. Writing down a list of items, or telling yourself what you think is important means nothing if you are not committed and focused. Working for a specific client may be the most important thing you have to do at work, but if you do not act professional to that client and come prepared to meetings that priority means nothing.

I guess what I am trying to say is to think about what is a priority in your life, really think about it. Once you have a list of two or three items in your head make a plan on how to accomplish them and stay committed. If you have to contradict your values in order to reach your goal, think twice and see if there is another way around it.

Enthusiastic

Last week I wrote about how angry I was with Sonic for their lack of promoting their social media and website. They have so many opportunities that they are missing and I kind of feel bad for them.

This week is the opposite. FC Dallas (the Dallas area Major League Soccer team) embraces social media and makes it work for them. Although it is a different industry, I think the same basic rules apply. I went my first FCD game of the season last week (we have season tickets) and even before we left our apartment I was pleased with their up to date promotions.

A few hours before we left for the game, I got an email with a pre-match itinerary and game-day statistics. It gave me a list of bars to visit in the area, discounts on merchandise and the “players to watch.” I would have been ecstatic if this was the extent of the “social media” for FCD.

While in the car on the way to the game, the official twitter of FC Dallas, started tweeting pictures of people tailgating and having that “game day experience.”

Once we got to the game, on the programs was their Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare information for everyone to see. They were also running a special on FourSquare, that day it was an extra 15% off a scarf.

While we were having a pre-game drink, the president of the soccer club came on the big screens and announced if you followed him on twitter @FCDQuinn and show your account to a bartender he would buy you a beer.

During the game, Twitter updates continued as well as Facebook polls. After the game a thank you for coming tweet came out as well.

Now, this may seem like a normal social media plan for some people reading my post, but if you were around FC Dallas a year or two ago, none of this was in place. There was virtually no Twitter or Facebook interaction and Foursquare? Forget it. This post is basically giving two thumbs up for whoever decided to turn their PR around.

Now, this is not to say I don’t think things could be improved on (they always can be.) Before the game, or after, what about tweeting the players handles so fans can follow their favorite? I follow Shea personally.

Also, what about for away games, have people upload pictures of them supporting FC Dallas for a pair of free tickets to the next home game. They could be at a bar, a party, at home etc.

Twitter is a fast paste medium. I know that the big screens are for the game, but if you could incorporate a twitter stream of some sort for people to tweet into, that might grab people’s attention. This idea may be a little harder to pull off than the others, but I think it would work well.

I understand that when you’re at a soccer game, you don’t necessarily pay attention to your phone for updates, pictures and peoples comments. I really thought that FC Dallas did a good job of keeping people engaged but not distracted. If only other companies (sonic) would implement social media plans.

Reluctant.

My inspiration this week is a Route 44 Vanilla Diet Coke from Sonic.

On the side of the Styrofoam cup there is a “create your own flavor” how-to guide. There are three steps to adding flavors to your ordinary drink in order to create almost 400,000 combinations. There is also a list of the flavors available on the other side of the cup.

Nowhere on the cup is anything about Sonic. No website, Facebook page, Twitter account or even phone number. This got me to thinking. Professor Bufkins always says to promote all parts of a campaign (including social media) on all other parts.

Sonic could have easily printed a website or Facebook page on these cups, so why didn’t they? At first I thought it was because the cups were printed before social media became a big player, but then the copyright information says 2011 so it ruled out that theory.

Sonic had my attention. I don’t normally pay this much attention to my cups, and I can easily Google Sonic- Americas Drive-In but why should I have to? In this day in age isn’t it faux pas for a company not to at least put their website on promotional items?

I took this thought one step further (at this point my boyfriend was getting tired of my rant so I decided to blog instead). Sonic has thousands of combinations and directions, as previously stated, on their cups with similar information on their bags for food. Why not turn it into a contest? Visitors to the Sonic Facebook or Twitter pages could write their favorite combinations for a week, then based on likes the “favorite” could become a special for a month or two.

After ranting about Sonics’ lack of motivation to use social media I had another idea for them. Between the hours of 2-4 in the afternoon Sonic is famous for its half price drinks. Why not incorporate Four Square into that equation. During happy hour checking in to sonic could lead to a free small tater tot or upgrade in drink size, and if it is not during that time frame, give the happy hour prices.

As an avid Sonic soda drinker ( I swear by Diet Vanilla Coke) I would defiantly take part in the social media part of Sonic, and the people I know who use Four Square, and some that don’t, wish more businesses would use it.

I know I am not the only one with these ideas, and I wonder if Sonic has something in the works. I hope that companies do not think that they are above social media, or that they cannot apply it to their everyday business plan. Sonic could have printed a website, or gone above and beyond and created a contest on social media with their cups, but instead- I am left Googling “Sonic America’s Drive-In website.”

Clown.

Some people may think of PR professionals as “flappers” or “clowns (or so I have been told this week.)They don’t see the behind the scenes work, and think that the news magically appears on reporters desks. The public sometimes thinks that our only purpose in a company is to speak to them when something goes wrong.

Although calling us clowns seems distasteful, in some ways it’s true. We juggle, a lot. There is always something that needs to be updated, sent out, or created. A campaign is always being created, tweeked, measured or changed and a company always tries to respond to its customers.
That’s where we come in.

We are constantly deciding which medium is the best for our market. Do we take on Twitter? What about Facebook? A blog? Once that question is decided three or for more pop up. Who is going to update them? How often? How are we going to respond to comments?

Juggling social media is not our only task. Along with getting Google Alerts with comments from Facebook, we write press releases, fact sheets, backgrounders, position papers etc. for reporters. Do we get credit? No, but that is not the point. We all know when a story we helped with airs, and that little smile comes across our face.

Along with the daily multi-tasking of social media and helping create news, we must keep our clients and the stakeholders informed. Newsletters get written and sent out, conference calls get made and meetings with power points get presented.

Looks to me like we are juggling.

Lets add in another clown-like trait, tight-rope-walking. There is a fine line in Public Relations. Not only between what is ethical and what is not, but how to keep your personal life and work life separate. With social media, keeping comments to yourself do not exist, especially if you choose to put them online. Many people have lost their jobs for saying something inappropriate or posting a picture online.

It may not be painted in clown makeup, but PR professionals have a smile painted on their faces, epically during a crisis. We are responsible for getting the news to you, the public during difficult times. Even if that makes us upset, mad, angry etc. We have to put on a normal face, to talk to you.

We also have big shoes to fill. The people who have practice PR well have set the bar high for soon to be graduates. You may not know their names because they have not been in the news, and they are not famous like Charlie Sheen, but they handle situations with class and grace. Their shoes are like clown shoes to me. Maybe one day I will be able to fit into them, but at first young PR professionals might be awkward and trip or stumble.

So you see, when people call us clowns to them it may be an insult. I respond by saying yes: I juggle every day, I also can walk a tight rope, wear a smile and have big shoes to fill. In a way, we are clowns, it just depends on your perspective.

Crisis.

For crisis communication teams everywhere, social media has been lending its
helping hand in getting information out during situations across the board. Most of the time social media works as a partner with a crisis communication team, helping put the fires out and keeping everyone safe.

Sometimes, it backfires. Social media is just that, social. Anyone who has an option or hears a rumor can post their thoughts for everyone to hear- even if it is wrong.

Rumors of deaths and breakups, shootings and hook-ups have all started via social media, Twitter in particular. As long as you can say what you're thinking in 140 characters or less, the possibilities on Twitter are endless.

Texas Women’s University had a threat made by a student last week, prompting the University to go on an immediate lock down. Students who signed up for the “pioneer alert” received a text or email stating not to go on campus.


It took TWU over 30 minutes to update their website at all, and when they did it was a simple statement “the campus is on lockdown please stay indoors and do not come to campus if you are not there yet,” or something along those lines. After an hour, @twunews had yet to report anything. After I mentioned them and the lack of response (and a few students retweeting it) they finally updated a tweet saying the same generic statement as the website.

Although to this point the communication had been vague, It was consistent. The consistency stopped there however; the local news stations started to report different stories, some were that the suspect was somewhere on campus with a gun, others tweeted that the suspect had fled campus. No one knew the real story because TWU or @twunews had yet to release any more information.

An hour after the lockdown began, TWU finally posted a press release on their website stating some basic facts of the case, and calling the all clear on campus. TWUnews then tweeted that if you were in your car you needed to leave campus;at the same time local news stations were tweeting the all clear and for students to return to classes as normal.

The miscommunication between twitter users can cause more confusion in a crisis situation instead of getting information out to the public.

Although the TWU case is the most recent, cases involving twitter miscommunication, and social media in general go back as far as the Internet. Miscommunication in general has been around since the beginning of time, and with social media it is becoming easier to get confused.

Are companies and universities taking miscommunication due to social media into account when they add it into a communication plan? Or are they assuming that social media is only a tool that can help, not harm?

Creeper.

Let me start this post by saying two things.
1. I am not a stalker, creeper or peeping Tom.
2. I really do love Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare.


When Facebook first started it was exclusive. Exclusivity was one of the reasons its popularity grew so rapidly. Facebook started with expanding to different colleges and eventually removed the registration requirement of having a “.edu” e-mail addresses, and the exclusive angle slowly wore off.

Facebook’s market has expanded from college students in the United Sates, to anyone with internet access in the entire world. Seven year old children have pages, celebrities and journalists have pages even my grandmother has a page.

If exclusivity is not drawing people in to social media than what is? Why are people signing up for sites like Facebook in masses?

There are now games to play, a constant status feed to look at and pictures galore. Facebook has redesigned itself several times. The most prominent reasons are differing expectations from potential members and privacy concerns.

You now have countless privacy options ranging from being completely open to completely hidden. All those privacy settings fly out the window with “opt-in” options on some websites. You can log in with your Facebook name and password, and the company has access to all of your information.

If that is not creepy enough, Facebook is launching a new option where you can click through your friends and check who you have a crush on. If they are single, you will get an email stating that they are available, and if they are in a relationship, an e-mail will notify you if things go downhill.

Facebook saw how successful Foursquare had become and wanted a piece of the action. It now has a plug-in called “Facebook Places.” You can check in wherever you are; in your house, in your car, at school, at work etc. and it will show up as your status.
Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and even Linked In are all intertwined. If you post something on your Foursquare or Facebook account, it can show up on your other social media pages (depending on your settings).

I don’t know about you, but I think this is a little “Big Brother.” I don’t think we need to make it any easier for your creepy neighbor or robbers to come in and steal or kidnap you. I know that you can change your settings to private and only your friends can see your information, but come on now, how many of you really know all of your Facebook friends personally.

Twitter is even worse, because if you tweet where you check in on Four Square, anyone who chooses to follow you will see where you are.

From the marketing side, Four Square and Facebook Places are both great tools, I get to see who has visited my business and how many times along with what tips they have for other customers. As a consumer, Facebook relationship updates and tracking where I go still feels like I am giving up to much of my personal information to whoever decides to listen at that point and time.

Deadlines.

Before the wonderful world of Public Relations, and Journalism classes at all
for that matter I never carried a planner, made to-do lists or put updates in my phone. In every class that I have taken, and every networking experience one thing that has been drilled into my head is don't miss your deadlines. Not only do public relations professionals have to worry about their own deadlines, but deadlines of the press and their clients.

I now carry a planner in my purse, constantly make to-do lists and update my
phone on a regular basis. I thought that it was just me; maybe I'm just a
college kid who needs the constant reminders of when assignments are due.
I Googled, yes Googled "public relations time management" and thousands of
articles came up. One blog caught my attention; Personal PR by Tiffany
Monhollon stresses the importance of using technology to help you, not distract you. When I thought about this a little more I realized that between Facebook, Twitter, STubleUpon.com etc, I get distracted more often than using the tools to help me.

As I get farther and father in school and in my career I realize that
multitasking is something you have to be good at. Being given several projects at once, all with different deadlines is considered normal and not being able to juggle is unacceptable. Prioritizing what is most important, what will take the longest to do and what is due first are all keys that help me stay on track and organized.

Asking for help is something I have had to learn to do. Saying "I don't know" in the PR world is not frowned upon. I think any reporter, boss or coworker would rather you ask questions than do something wrong or give out the wrong
information.

Keeping up with a planner and daily to-do lists may seem a little time consuming in itself, but I get a slight joy out of being able to cross things off my list. My blue sticky notes get lots of use in my purse, and being able to throw one away with everything crossed off is an amazing feeling.

I have grown to love those blue sticky-notes. Maybe one day, (someday soon?) My to-do list will be empty. I think that if I ever do get everything crossed off I would have to find something else to write down. An empty to-do list, even if it is just a bucket list, seems quite depressing.

Misunderstoood.

I work in an advising office for the University Of North Texas Mayborn School Of Journalism. I interact with high school students and their parents on a daily basis, whether they are coming for a tour or are at one of our many recruitment events. When I say my major is Public relations there is usually a weird look and a quick change of subject. At first I was a little taken aback, but after seeing the same reaction time after time it became a normal thing to see. I have come to the conclusion that people react the way they do for 2 reasons.

1. They don’t have any clue what public relations means
2. They think they know what PR means, but actually have the wrong idea.

After getting questions from prospective students such as “what do you actually do in PR” and “is there even a demand for people in that field” along with the disgusting looks from parents, I realized that Public Relations professionals are misconstrued in the public’s eye.

I am not going to school for four years in order to lie through my teeth to you. I am also not learning how to be deceitful to the public, say no comment on TV or to make up information on behalf of my client.

I am learning how to write clearly and concisely (AP style of course), create communication plans and uphold the PRSA code of ethics. It is not just speaking in front of a camera. You write the speech, brief the media even get the media interested in your product.

After answering the students questions and explaining that PR is not just a corrupt profession and yes, every company really either has in-house PR or it is outsourced, the parents usually zone back in.

The parents usually try and shoe their kids away, while the kids seem really interested in what we have to offer. More times than not I slip them a business card and they contact us later.

Don’t get me wrong, some parents are not that clueless. Some have a great understanding of PR and what it entails: long hours, practice makes perfect attitude and a commitment to bettering your client. Those parents, the ones who encourage their kids to do what they want well, your kids will make great PR professionals.

I really hope that this generation,the ones who are getting taught the correct way to be a PR professional, can change the perception of some people and help them understand Public Relations is not a propaganda driven career.

Technology Takeover?

I woke up this morning made some coffee and immediately got on the Internet. I checked my e-mail, tweeted and Skyped my best friend all before I got dressed. Have social media and the World Wide Web become more of a necessity than an indulgence.
Our generation (Generation X/Y) and the ones below us feel entitled to all the Internet offers. E-mail and texting are no longer fast enough and if a web page doesn’t load, well that is just unacceptable. The invention of websites such as Hulu and YouTube created an anti-commercial viewership and watching a short advertisement before a video is “annoying.”

After the invention and wide usage of e-mail a snowball effect happened. Being able to communicate with friends, get your message to consumers and share ideas with colleges around the world was the “gateway drug” of sorts.

Today we have applications not only for computers but for our phones as well. With Skype and Facetime we can not only talk, but see who we are talking to. The application Hey Tell has turned voicemail into a thing of the past. You can now turn your mobile device into a walkie- talkie. Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, Blogger and Flicker are just some of the Social Media sites that not only work on laptops but on Smartphones as well.

Is all this technology taking over our lives? When you sit in a classroom you can look around the room and see people on their laptops checking out Facebook or Twitter. Go to any restaurant and you can see families not even talking, just playing on their mobile phones. Some people spend fourty hours a month checking the news, social media and browsing the Web. Are they obsessed? Actually according to a recent study from ComSCORE that’s the new average time spend surfing the Internet.

The Internet also helps us connect. It is easier for small businesses to become global, companies to get feedback and friends to stay in touch. Response times via the internet are becoming less and less, helping keep us dependent on the services it offers.

When the cold weather was to much for The Electric Reliability Council of Texas
to handle, blackouts occurred. People (myself included) did not know what to do with themselves with no internet or TV to occupy their time. That was until I remembered my phone! Alas, I was saved and could connect with fellow North Texans to complain about the weather.

Has all this technology taken over our lives, or is it just improving the way we communicate? To me it is a little bit of both. I can’t wait to see what future technology has in store for us.


http://www.comscoredatamine.com/2011/01/average-time-spent-online-per-u-s-visitor-in-2010/

Camouflage

Watch any prime time TV series and I bet you will find some sort of product placement. TV shows are using product placement in order to supplement commercials, where the revenue has been declining over the last few years.

With the invention of the DVR and sites such as Hulu, viewers no longer feel the need to spend their precious time on commercials. Those who do not use DVRs take commercial breaks as time to go to the bathroom, catch up on Twitter or make something to eat.

Advertisers needed to get creative in order for their products to be seen. The solution…camouflage their products in almost every show, and most people do not even realize it happens.

Can a TV show in this day and age have an episode, much less a series without product placement? Any phone call, car ride or dinner table scene has the potential for product placement. Producers attempt to disguise the product logos, not for the purpose of hiding the product, but rather to make what they are doing less obvious. This can manifest itself by putting a pear instead of an apple for a Mac, or tweaking a car emblem. In reality though, most Americans will realize which products are being placed, but not feel ambushed with an advertisement during their favorite TV show.

The natural first question is does it actually work? Does having a product featured on a TV show really increase revenue?

After doing some digging I came to the realization that no one really knows if it works. The growth of product placement is still occurring, and there has not been enough time for (accurate) data to be collected and processed. If marketers know how well it works, they are not sharing.

Some obvious points can be related back to McLuhan, “the medium is the message.”
If you place a laptop on a children’s TV show or a kid’s toy on a teenage soap opera you will not see a good ROI. Logic tells us this. Only time will tell if a properly placed product is an effective tool for boosting revenue.


Sources
http://www.mediaite.com/online/ipad-product-placement-on-modern-family-actually-wasnt-still-angered-fans/
http://www.mushon.com/fall08/nmrs/10/27/traveling-in-product-placement-land/
http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2009/10/product_placements_in_movies_w.php

Tricked.

I always thought that Twitter was only a social media platform, nothing more and nothing less. That is, until a few days ago. I was doing some light reading on Eonline.com and stumbled upon an article about celebrity tweeters. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian get paid up to $10,000 PER TWEET. I for one was a little upset. You follow your favorite celebrities on twitter and never know if there are tweeting for real or for money.

Ad.ly is the new social media company behind the celebrity tweets. They claim to “connect consumers to celebrities.” Over 5,000 celebrities and 150 companies use Ad.ly for a paycheck or to enhance a campaign.

Some celebrity tweeters have hundreds of thousands of followers who they influence on a daily basis. Is tweeting for money (without saying it) betraying our trust? I follow the Kardashians on twitter (I’m not going to lie) and after reading the Eonline.com article, I don’t know if their tweets are opinion or money driven.

Some celebrities have started using #ad at the end of their tweets. You may think that they are doing this out of their own goodwill to let their followers know that they are getting paid. Wrong. The Federal Trade Commission recently changed its "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.

The FTC states that “Celebrities have a duty to disclose their relationships with advertisers when making endorsements outside the context of traditional ads, such as on talk shows or in social media.”

How is the FTC catching the online rule breakers? Well, unless someone is trolling the internet 24/7 not everyone will be caught. Some celebrities are still tweeting like this law is not in place. If they do know they don’t care because the fine is only 11,000 dollars which they can pay back in oh….2 or 3 tweets to their “fans.”

-Sara Alderman

Sources:
How I found out: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/ask_the_answer_bitch/b160341_do_celebs_get_paid_tweet_about_products.html
Who is helping the celebrities
http://ad.ly