By: Nicole Blachowicz Public Relations practitioners work to create two-way communication and maintain solid relationships. Both companies and individuals used the Oscars as a way to express opinions and spark conversation about social change. Here are some highlights. 1. Dove’s and Twitter’s #SpeakBeautiful Campaign – Women’s Self Esteem Dove wants to boost women’s self esteem and have done campaigns, such as their Real Beauty Sketches advertisement, to promote this. According to Adweek, over 5 million people tweeted negative comments last year during the show. The #Speakbeautiful campaign promotes tweeting positive compliments during the red carpet using the hashtag. 2. #Askhermore Campaign – Sexism
Many celebrities supported this campaign during the show. It asks interviewers to stop asking sexist questions. In an interview, Reese Witherspoon said, “You know, this is a movement to say we’re more than just our dresses.” 3. Patricia Arquette – Women’s Equality During the acceptance speech for the Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Boyhood,” she said, “It is our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America!” The show captured other celebrities, like Meryl Streep, showing their support as she gave her speech. 4. Graham Moore and Dana Perry - Suicide Awareness During his acceptance speech, Graham Moore shared his story about his suicide attempt failure and encouraged others to “stay weird, and stay different.” Producer Dana Perry dedicated her award to her son who committed suicide and said that we must talk this problem. These are just a few of the examples seen during the 2015 Oscars. How can PR practitioners use these examples or use events like the Oscars to further build relationships? What other companies have pushed for social change? Is this a good way to maintain relationships? Why or why not? Sources: http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/dove-and-twitter-team-address-hateful-tweets-about-beauty-oscar-night-163040 http://www.newsweek.com/oscars-2015-reese-witherspoon-tackles-red-carpet-sexism-askhermore-campaign-308625
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by Rachael Booth Sick! Yolo! Salty! Felicia! Ratchet! If you are a teenager, or have surrounded yourself with teenagers within the past year, you have probably heard a few of these words or even more. Slang has been a very popular teenager dynamic in our culture and many adults want to see it gone. One adult has made an attempt to limit this poor word choice in the workplace and has received a lot of publicity for it. This adult is a Chick-Fil-A manager who is tired of listening to teenager’s slang and has decided to create a list of words that are prohibited from saying while at work. The manager is specifically bothered by the word “bae” and has threatened to take away free employee meals! However, there are some words that the manager allows and some that must be used in the appropriate context if teenagers want to say them. For example, “chill” may be used to describe the lemonade Chick-Fil-A serves but not in other situations. As this incident of the Chick-Fil-A manager continues to trend throughout the media, much attention will be drawn towards Chick-Fil-A. Whether people view this affair as negative publicity, positive publicity, or just flat out funny, the fast food chain is receiving exposure without direct payment, and this is a great example of PR. Lumm, K. (2014). Chick-Fil-A manager bans teenage slang. AOL. Retrieved from http:// www.aol.com/article/2014/11/11/chick-fil-a-manager-bans-teenage-slang by Christina Peterson A data breach in the United States Postal Service started last year and has continued through the present. On Monday, the postal service stated they are a victim of cyber intrusion and the hacker may have obtained the name, date of birth, social security numbers and addresses of the victims of the breach. If someone called the post office recently, it is possible that this information was collected through the call. This is obviously a major concern for people in this country. However, the federal institution dealt with the issue accordingly. The postal service released a statement apologizing for the inconvienience that the breach may have caused for anyone involved. They even offered to provide the employees that were affected with a credit monitoring service for a whole year in order to compensate for the damage that may have occurred. This was an effective press release because they disclosed all necessary information with the public. They allowed for transparency between the public and the organization, which is always beneficial when dealing with a crisis. The postal service took responsibility for the problem that is happening in terms of promising to find the perpetrator and stop the security breach. In addition, the US Postal Service also collaborated with the FBI in order to solve the problem. The FBI then created a press release of their own, which reassured the public that they are working towards solving the problem and recommended that people take extra precaution when giving out personal information in a time like this. They even gave a website where people could report such incidences. This just allowed for further reassurance that professionals are working toward stopping the breach entirely. by Caroline DiPietra “The artist or their representatives have decided not to release this album on Spotify. We are working on it and hope they will change their mind soon.” If any of you have received this disappointing message on Spotify recently, it is likely you’ve had Taylor Swift on the brain. Since the release of her new album “1989,” Swift has somehow managed to become even more popular, selling more albums in a given week than any artist has managed to accomplish since 2002. While the success of this album has been a hot topic of discussion lately, what could perhaps top it is the discussion regarding her falling out with everyone’s favorite music- streaming app. Whether you prefer old-school, country T-Swift or the upbeat and poppy version, it is safe to say that the variety of songs she has produced over the years can offer something different for everyone. It is for this reason that fans are disappointed in her decision to pull the majority of her music from Spotify, referring to the conflict as the “digital music war.” While Spotify is undeniably regretful for the loss of such a popular artist, the company has taken the strategic approach to utilize public relations in an effort to minimize any animosity. Upon releasing a statement that emphasizes the company’s mission to provide users with music whenever and wherever they want, they also pointed out that 70 percent of the revenue is paid back to the music community. So what do you think; do you agree with Spotify’s PR tactics? Could they have done more? Is Taylor Swift wrong for denying her fans the chance to listen to her music or is she protecting her rights as a paid artist? http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/17563.aspx http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/05/showbiz/music/taylor-swift-1989-sales/index.html by Alana Hallett If you haven’t read or seen it in every major newspaper or news media, Ebola has officially arrived in the United States. Thomas Eric Duncan, the Liberian patient who recently traveled from Africa, came into Texas Presbyterian on Sept. 25, 2014 with symptoms of Ebola, but was released with antibiotics. As to why he was discharged, that’s the question on everyone’s mind. DallasNews stated that Duncan returned two days after being discharged, and was officially diagnosed with Ebola. Presbyterian hospital announced Duncan died on Oct. 8, 2014. The even worst part, he not only died, but the two nurses, Nina Pham and Amber Vinson have now contracted Ebola. The real question, has Ebola affected the hospital’s ability to communicate? Bruce Haynes, Washington consultant, states that “mixed messages from Presbyterian created confusion that undercuts the public’s confidence.” Due to the lack of communication and confidence between the hospital and public, the hospital hired Burson Marsteller, global PR firm to help them restore trust. Its public relations efforts include a new social media campaign illustrating the hashtag #presbyproud, as well as a series of videos posted on YouTube with messages from Presbyterian nurses answering the question: Do you feel safe working at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas? Daniel Varga, the clinical officer, is hoping to see a restoration in trust and confidence in the hospital to treat all patients. Will these new strategies work? Or will they fall at the hands of another fatal effort illustrating how not to handle a situation? VIDEO: https://screen.yahoo.com/top-viral-videos/texas-health-presbyterian-staff-address-194525952.html Yasmin, S., & Railey, K. (2014, October 17). Texas Presbyterian begins public relations effort to restore trust. Retrieved October 25, 2014, from http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20141017-presbyterian-begins-public-relations-effort-to-restore-trust.ece by Shannon Kinney If you happened to step outside yesterday, October 22nd, you probably noticed the hoards of people crowded around The Farmer School of Business. Contrary to popular belief, it was not the line coming out of Dividends. The massive amount of people standing on the corner of High and Patterson were protesting to display their disapproval of George Will, a Washington Post columnist, coming to give a speech. Many students didn’t like the idea that Miami University was paying is a whopping $48,000 to come speak after he published a controversial piece, “Colleges become the victims of progressivism” on The Washington Post, about campus rape and sexual assault earlier this year. As many people are well aware, sexual assault has been a reoccurring issue specifically on Miami’s campus. It is not something that is taken lightly here in Oxford, Ohio. The scrutiny of the matters regarding campus rape that was shared in Will’s column did not go unnoticed or unheard in this small college town. by Ellie Broaddus Within the past year, the coffee chain Starbucks has generated plenty of positive publicity through their positive and innovative Public Relations ideas, such as their Starbucks College Achievement Plan, in which they’re offering thousands of part- and full-time U.S. partners to finish their bachelor’s degree with a full tuition reimbursement. Recently, Kristie Williams, a Starbucks employee, has created a petition in order to grant Starbucks baristas permission to sport their tattoos and piercings while working. With more than 25,000 signatures from Starbucks employees all across the country, the dress code change has been approved, and Starbucks employees will soon have permission to sport visible tattoos and piercings while on the job—as long as they are deemed appropriate. It’s important for companies to pay attention to Public Relations trends as well as increase employee retention. In my opinion, Starbucks made the right choice in supporting the petition, as well as over 25,000 employees nationwide. Attitudes towards more relaxed dress codes for employees in major chain companies have become a lot more common during the past few years, including major companies like Peet’s Coffee & Tea and Petsmart. However, will more companies join the bandwagon in this growing trend? by Ariel Wiley Some people were born great and some people achieve greatness through hard work and dedication. To be, not a good, but great leader in your community and extracurriculars takes these top ten qualities and skills according to Forbes. ·Honesty – Always be honest with yourself and your team because the best way to accomplish or overcome and obstacle is by talking about it. ·Ability to Delegate – Find what your team members enjoy working on and this will not only make your team more efficient, but the quality of work will be better. ·Communication – Communicate to be on the same page with your workers and they will learn to trust and even depend on your decisions. ·Sense of humor – Short laughing breaks or allowing your workers to take long weekends will keep the office, and you, happy! ·Confidence – Confidence is key, if you believe in yourself, so will your team members. ·Commitment – Work hard, and others will follow and respect you. ·Positive Attitude – To keep quality of work up and the energy, it takes positive vibes, give your workers positive vibes! ·Creativity – Don’t always play it safe by thinking inside the box, your co-workers will appreciate doing something different ever once in a while by thinking of new ways to solve problems. ·Intuition – Listen, watch and communicate to figure out what is right for the team and what isn’t. ·Ability to Inspire – Enthusiasm is a very powerful thing, work hard and respect your team members and they will want to do the same. Of course, there are many other skills and traits that great leaders possess. These are just a few to think about when going into job interviews and preparing for the work place. by Paige Garty I’m sure most of you have heard of Fashion Week: a hectic week dedicated to announcing next season’s hottest fashion. But have you ever heard of Advertising Week? Advertising Week is the annual gathering of marketing and communications leaders from all different companies. People from all around the world meet up in New York City for a week of seminars, workshops, and other events that relate to advertising. Just like Fashion Week, fresh new trends are announced that impact the entire industry. There are many entertaining activities for attendees such as contests, guest speakers, short films, and even concerts. Each year, the executive board of “The Week” announces the new members of the Madison Avenue Walk of Fame. This years lucky winners were: the Morton Salt Girl (celebrating her 100th anniversary), Smokey the Bear (celebrating his 70th anniversary), and Snuggle Bear from Snuggle Fabric Softener (celebrating his 30th anniversary). “The Week” consists of many hands on opportunities. The 6th annual Big Ad Gig was a huge success. Five men and women presented their ideas to the industry judges and Advertising Council who awarded them with paid, 30-day freelance agencies posts. Here are some FACTS & FIGURES about Advertising Week: · Advertising Week began in 2004. · Over 90,000 advertising junkies attended this year · This year it was held from September 29th to October 3rd. · There were 250+ events and 190+ seminars and workshops held by the industry’s most prominent leaders · The second annual Advertising Week in Europe will be held in March 2015 Feel free to check out the official website here: www.advertisingweek.com by Sarah Emery Although birthdays are an exciting time of year for anyone, sharing a birthday with John Lennon (who would have turned 74 on October 9th) just makes my special day even more unique. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztoSUhbNntQ How did this young man and his fellow Beatles band members become some of the most iconic names in musical history? Although they had incredible talent and charisma, even Lennon himself credited their success in a 1960s interview to the fact they “had a press agent”. The man behind much of the early success of The Beatles, Tony Barrow, started his career writing a slightly risqué alternative to his school’s newspaper. When hired, Barrow started with the mindset of promoting The Beatles with the regional press. He knew he could gain support for this new band from Liverpool organizations. Barrow soon began to branch out in his PR work, including ghostwriting articles and creating special Christmas records, helping The Beatles achieve more and more fame. His job couldn’t have been easy. Take a look at some of the pictures and the comments that he constantly had to deal with. What can students take away from the rarely told story of the PR mastermind behind The Beatles? Although even he admits that a lot of his good fortune came from being in the right place at the right time, it’s important to point out how he took advantage of his connections in his own community. Rather than taking the boys straight to London, Barrow garnered support from their hometown of Liverpool. Obviously, Barrow is an incredibly successful agent who utilized every opportunity he had to promote his clients. How can we do this in our own work, especially with the Internet right at our fingertips? How can we emulate Barrow and start small, to hopefully make it even bigger than anyone could’ve imagined? by Ellie Broaddus October is PRSA/PRSSA Relationship Month, yay! To me, my membership in PRSSA means building professional and personal relationships with other collegiate members in my PRSSA chapter here at Miami, in addition to PRSA members. After I graduate from college, I hope to transition my membership in PRSSA to PRSA in order to best develop a career in the Public Relations industry. Due to my membership in PRSSA, not only have I received amazing relationship-building and networking opportunities, but I’ve also gained access to numerous PRSSA benefits, such as my myPRSA account, which is filled with award-winning Public Relations case studies, daily briefings of top Public Relations news, and leadership tools! Our chapter’s Sponsor Chapter is the East Central Chapter, and I am so excited to continue meeting with more of these members and learning about their experiences working in Public Relations. Our chapter’s calendar is filled with guest speakers who visit our campus and inform us about the firms they work with, as well as provide us with networking opportunities, career mentoring, tips for working within the Public Relations field, information about internship opportunities, and so much more. “If we’re about building ‘mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics,’ we acknowledge such relationships must be founded upon mutual trust.” – George L. Johnson, APR, Fellow PRSA by Ariel Wiley In the technology section of The New York Times this article on Facebook was highlighted and how they are “promising” a deeper review of user research but the way they are doing this is not specified. Facebook now is up to 1.3 billion users, this means news and media opinions are spread around very quickly. Facebook has taken advantage of their viewers in the past year with the advertisements used to get the viewer to click, which usually end up being spam. When Facebook came out with the messenger app, another article came out claiming that the app was able to take a lot more information of the user than the user was ever aware of (everything from their phone number, home address if posted on Facebook, and likes and dislikes, etc.). Facebook is getting very aggressive with the way they take their users information before the users even get to benefit from the site. From this article, they hit a certain point that Facebook seems to be missing. This social media site is only functioning because people are using it, if Facebook pushes the people too far (which they almost did this time), they will not be needed in the near future. Consumers will find a more trusting social media site to be apart of. They need to work on better communicating with the public and giving users enough information to trust the site with personal information. GOEL, V. (2014, October 2). Facebook Promises Deeper Review of User Research, but Is Short on the Particulars. The New York Times, p. 3. Retrieved October 3, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/technology/facebook-promises-a-deeper-review-of-its-user-research.html?ref=technology&_r=0 by Kaylie Kueppers Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) now has a new strategy for 2014-2016. They have adapted the past mission and vision to help the profession continue forward and allow the association to be the best for it’s members. The new vision of PRSA is to be more focused on allowing public relations to lead the way of achieving goals. This means that PR will no longer just be another aspect of a company but now come before marketing and advertising. The new mission will allow all members of PRSA to achieve their goals without discrimination and by having the correct resources available. This means that PRSA will continually be changing to be the best association for public relations professionals. PRSA is also going to be focused on growing the association because the field of public relations is growing rapidly. This will allow for a more diverse field as well as more input from members. This is a video created by PRSA explaining the exciting plans for the future. by Kaylie Kueppers Are you questioning if a college degree is worth it with this economy? Think again.
As we all know, the unemployment rate is high in America. Many of us have that thought in the back of our mind that we try not to think about, “am I really going to find a job when I graduate?” Many of us also wonder if the college degree is worth the pricey tuition we pay. Well, I have something to say to ease your nerves a little bit. Even though the unemployment rate for those recently graduated from college is 8.9 percent, the rate for those who earned a degree in Communications is only 7.3 percent. This is relatively low especially if you consider your other option: dropping out of college. The unemployment rate for those without at least a bachelor’s degree is a shocking 31.5 percent. I know you are worried about finding a job now, especially with all your schoolwork piling up, but don’t question your education. Don’t worry about landing your dream job right away because employers tend to prefer those with higher education for almost any position. Earning your degree looks a little better now, right? Public relations professionals get a bad reputation because they are said to “spin” stories, which isn't true. Unfortunately, there are some professionals that go out of their way to spin stories or even create false ones. The stories that are created cause public relations professionals to continuously get criticized. It is extremely important to remember the ethics behind working in this profession and use them daily. If you decide not to do your job the way you are supposed to then you could generate bad publicity for your company or even yourself, which is exactly what happened to Fox News. Fox News’ public relations staff was said to have “anonymously leaked a false story to a reporter.” Unfortunately, the station is under a lot of criticism for releasing a false story, but they are handling the story with great care. They are working diligently to let the public know that they know what happened was wrong. To read more on the story visit: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/fox-news-pr-department-leaked-a-false-story-to-reporter-murdochs-world-charges/2013/10/24/5e56a620-3cc2-11e3-a94f-b58017bfee6c_story.html by Alexis Godshall
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