By: Julia Robinson Source: Free PNG Logos TikTok was launched in 2017 after Musical.ly the app was discontinued. TikTok ended up gaining popularity quite fast due to the large following its similar predecessor Musical.ly experienced. “The Musica.ly connection is key to understanding the TikTok platform, since the app rose to popularity with users posting short lip-synch videos and offering a community of users tackling trending songs” (PR Daily). Over time, TikTok has become one of the most used apps in recent years. Source: Oberlo Statistics
There are a few specific factors that have led to TikTok’s immense success. One factor is Generation Z’s tech-savvy skills and how Gen Zers have grown up with similar apps, creating a familiarity with TikTok. TikTok’s user demographic in terms of age ranges from 16-24, and Gen Z is right in the middle that. Another aspect that has helped TikTok grow is its song association. Within the past few months, I have heard people say, “This is a TikTok song,” due to its repetition on the app. By connecting certain trends whether it be a song or a dance with the app, people will only think of TikTok when that sound is played, growing the app’s influence. When compared to other apps, TikTok differentiates itself by providing an outlet for teens and young adults to express themselves. “Properties like TikTok are supporting and creating new forms of self-expression, and brands want to tap into that,” Williamson said. “It’s an experiment for many marketers. In many ways, TikTok is where Facebook was in the late 2000s, and where Snapchat was three or four years ago” (eMarketer principal analyst Debra Aho Williamson). TikTok separates itself by giving its users the ability to create trends that most often happen naturally. Anyone can create a trend, end up on the “for you page” and dance in front of their phone camera. According to Data Reportal, TikTok has 500 million users worldwide, placing it 9th among social network sites. Its competitors include YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram, some of the most used social media networks. The availability and relatability of the app make it very attractive to users. If people cannot relate to a platform, what is the point of the app’s existence? TikTok has created an empire of both creative expression and entertainment, expanding itself into the hands of millions of teens. What will be the next TikTok?
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By: Sydney Nelson On October 24th, Twitter announced that they will be launching a new “Advertising Transparency Center” in the coming weeks. This Transparency Center will display all ads that are currently running on Twitter, how long ads having been running, creative content associated with the ads, and which ads are targeted to you and why. Additionally, users will be able to report inappropriate ads or give negative feedback if they feel a certain ad doesn’t pertain to them. In conjunction with the new technologies for general ads, Twitter’s Transparency Center places a huge emphasis on political ads. In this section of the center, users will be able to see all currently running political ads and ads that have run in the past, transparency about the identity of the organization funding the campaign, targeting demographics (age, gender, geography), and historical data about the ad. This need for a transparency center in regards to political ads was likely established in response to the 2016 election in which Russians bought advertisements that interfered with the U.S. election. By: Lindsey Nelson
As an extremely swamped college student, it can be hard to stay in the loop with news outside of your busy schedule or the tiny college town of Oxford. But as students interested in the Public Relations world, it could not be more important, and is a good habit to get into while you’re young. Here are 3 quick ways for busy students to stay in-the-know: The Skimm The Daily Skimm is a daily newsletter that Miami University students can sign-up to receive an emails breaking down recent events in government, sports, Hollywood, etc. Their main goal is to give their readers short blurbs that get to the point, so the subscribers are not bombarded with unnecessary information. It will only inform you of the most relevant news, with a wide variety of topics so readers can impress their friends with new facts daily. Most people think Twitter is just a platform for celebrities and following friends, but it is a perfect place to receive news and companies. Every major network is always updating their account with breaking news updates, before it can hit actual TV-news. Even if you do not follow news accounts, you are bound find current events updates from your friends liking or retweeting them. Or if you want to find news on something specific, the search feature is an awesome device to type in key words and instantly say what the world is saying about it. Snapchat Who would have thought that Snapchat would turn into a news outlet? With being one of the biggest social media apps out there, it is one of the easiest ways for college kids to quickly access different news sites of their choice. Daily Mail, People BuzzFeed, and ESPN are just a few of the channels that are provided. By: Kendall Cree With the new season of Stranger Things just coming out, Netflix decided to implement various marketing strategies in order to promote media attention. These strategies were able to make the buzz of the already popular show, even more hype. One of the best forms of marketing the show’s producers implemented was using interactive advertising. Netflix, the creators of Stranger Things, partnered with the company Lyft to provide an interactive experience for its viewers to promote the new season coming out. On October 26th and 27th nationwide Lyft users were able to change its map in which the cars would show up as common Stranger Things items in the show such as waffles, Christmas lights, trucker hats, and the show logo. In select locations, there was also an interactive car ride with pulsating ceilings, flickering lights, and many other show themed features. In addition, to partnering with Lyft, Netflix decided to use their social media to release trailers and other teasers. They released trailers about the upcoming season along with posters and a game for fans to download and play. This helped create brand loyalty and add more attention to the upcoming show. If this wasn’t enough advertising, along with the listed above strategies, Netflix also worked with Eggo brand waffles. Eggo claimed they were unaware of the iconic Eggo waffles being used in the show so frequently and were more than happy to help promote the season. Eggo used their waffles as an ad space for the show and even made recipes “to enjoy while watching the show”. By implementing all of these strategies, Netflix was able to advertise to many different demographics. Lyft is mainly used for 16-30 year-olds, social media and a video game is for the younger demographic, and recipes can advertise to moms who cook and could tell their children and family about the show. All in all, I believe Netflix made excellent strides towards advertising for their already successful show to help make it even more popular. Source- https://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/23469.as By: Hannah Saltzman It is official. Netflix has made a deal with Warner Bros. to make four new episodes of “Gilmore Girls.” Each episode will be 90 minutes long and will include all of the major characters: Alexis Bledel (Rory), Lauren Graham (Lorelei), Kelly Bishop (Emily) and Scott Patterson (Luke). They are still in negotiations with the some of the other characters. Furthermore, the creator of the show, Amy Sherman-Palladino said she promises to make it end correctly this time. Sherman-Palladino left the show before the last season because of a contract disagreement with Warner Bros. and said that she did not picture the ending of the show like the way they ended it. It is unclear when the episodes will premier, but they did state that each episode will represent each season and will take place in the present. I am very excited to see what is going on in Stars Hollow and too see where all of the characters are today. For more information take a loot at: http://tvline.com/2015/10/19/gilmore-girls-revival-netflix-new-episodes/ http://tvline.com/2015/10/26/gilmore-girls-revival-four-seasons-episodes-on-year/ By: Emily Lammers Thousands lined up on the morning of April 19 outside of Targets across the country. Since the January announcement of Lilly Pulitzer’s partnership with Target there has been endless buzz on social media and from preppy girls everywhere. Some expressed pure joy for the release; others quite aggressively said this move would devalue the Lilly Pulitzer brand. However, Target’s work with Lilly Pulitzer is turning out to be one of the most highly anticipated of the 150 limited-time designer partnerships it’s ever done. Target executives say the partnership’s success doesn’t have much to do with how many or how quickly products are sold. To Target it is already successful just by the buzz and excitement it has provoked. In January, it was a trending topic on Twitter and has continually been a popular subject on social media since then. The success of the partnership was no longer questioned as the collection sold out within minutes across the country and online. By: Ariel Wiley Have you heard of Miami Television News on Miami University’s campus? If you have, that’s great! If not, you are not alone. As the Vice President and Business Manager for Miami Television News, I have witnessed many missed opportunities to promote our organization around campus to get both viewers and new members. There are a many ways to improve your own organization on campus, but there are 3 big steps you can take upon yourself to get great PR for your club! 1. Social Media
2. Getting out of your Comfort Zone
3. Old Fashioned PR
These are just a few starter tips to gaining followers and members for your own organization. What other PR strategies have your favorite organizations taken to improve/gain members? By: Rachael Booth As years go by, trends and fads change. Whether it’s the transition from the Razor to the iPhone, or the typewriter to the computer; technology improves, and interests change. Even when it seems technology has reached its paramount of capabilities, something new is created and surprises us with features we never dreamed to be possible. The economy is fueled by these popular and new industries. Today we live in an Internet based society where Apple dominates this generation of smartphones and computers. However, many have argued that Apple is finished and doomed. Analysts suggest that Apple is all out of ideas and society is transitioning away from their brilliant inventions. Although this is a feasible accusation, Apple has been accused of this before and has responded with record-breaking sales of new inventions. For example, Analysts claimed Apple would be finished… • Before the iPod came out in 2001. • Before the iPhone came out in 2007. • And right before the iPad came out in 2010. As you can see, Apple has bounced back and proved critics wrong. So what’s the future of Apple and how will they maintain their relationship with the public? It will be important for Apple to study the public’s attitudes and desires about future products and therefore keep their place as one of the most recognizable companies. Although Apple’s next commodity has not been revealed, it is speculated that in three years, 485 million of these new devices will be sold a year. As our society continues to improve technologically, it will be interesting to see what the 2015 launch will be. Brooks, M., (2015). The billion-dollar ace hidden up apple’s sleeves. The Motley Fool. 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 by Tyler Olson Last week, an average teen named Alex had become the biggest Internet sensation, all because another female teen had posted a tweet with a picture of Alex checking out items and the caption saying “YOOOOOOOOOO”. People are questioning how and why Alex is becoming such a big sensation in such a short period of time. Is it his hair? Is it how he appeals to the public? Or was it how well he checked out his customers? Some might believe it’s because of the close resemblance to Justin Bieber’s hairstyle that had also created a worldwide Internet sensation. “This is the coolest thing to happen to Target lately, so brand managers better take advantage of it,” said Allen. This is a great opportunity for Target to take advantage of the situation and create brand awareness for the Corporation to prosper. Already, target has benefited from Alex’s Internet sensation by creating positive publicity for the corporation and boosting revenue in just the few days since the tweet had been posted. This tweet that had made Alex famous in just a couple hours shows how powerful social media is and the impact that it can have on any one individuals life. 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 Shannon Kinney It’s that time of the year again! It’s almost Halloween—also known as the day that you need to start planning what you’re going to wear about three months in advance. Remember last year when you said you were going to put together an awesome costume but never got around to it? You probably said something like, “I’ll try harder next year” or “I’ll come up with something really creative next time”. Don’t wait until two days before the holiday to rummage through yours and your roommate’s closet to see what you can come up with…plan ahead! Try out some of these tips to help you get those awesome costumes you were thinking about a year ago. · Creep on friends of friends on Facebook to see old costumes. After all, a part of creativity is knowing how to hide your source. · Make it scary(ish)! Everyone seems to overlook this category. · Base your costume off pop culture! Think along the lines of new artists, new apps, or new movies. Everyone loves things that are current and have never been done before. 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 Rachael Booth Social Media. It surrounds us everywhere. Social media websites are portrayed in the media as positive inventions that have benefited society. However, beneath all the excitement and advancements social media brings, what are the consequences? It has been said that Facebook can cause loneliness and depression. Studies have shown that the way users portray their lives and display photos, specifically photos of vacations, cause others to envy them. Taking a closer look, Facebook may not be the biggest criminal here. These four reasons explain why:
The question here is will social media sites continue to tell us that the best images are what give us our worth and will we continue to be influenced by the ideologies social media presents? WINTER, J. (2013, July 23). Selfie Loathing Instagram is even more depressing than Facebook. Slate. Retrieved October 5, 2014 from http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/2013/07/instagram_and_self_esteem_why_the_photo_sharing_network_is_even_more_depressing.html 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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