Bitten by a Trend: Vampire Fever

What’s hot? What’s everyone talking about? What’s the 411? In the world of public relations, it’s crucial to know what our clients’ customers are excited about, as companies must anticipate trends in order to leverage the demand they create. I doubt many anticipated the current vampire phenomenon sweeping the nation, but yet it happened, and it’s leaving the public with a growing thirst – a thirst that marketers in all industries are anxiously trying to quench.

Regardless of one’s personal opinions about the living dead, it’s become difficult to not admit that vampires and their fangs are everywhere. They are in our television sets, filling the aisles at our bookstores and strategically hung on the racks at our favorite department stores. They have literally “sucked” their way into our lives.

Friday was a big day for the supernatural world. Vampire stalkers (yes, myself included) across the nation were able to finally see the second installment of the Twilight Saga, New Moon. The mania associated with the film’s release has opened many companies’ eyes to a potentially new customer base within the movie’s fan base. As a result, they are acknowledging the impact of this phenomenon by gearing their products, promotions and advertisements towards the pro-vampire community.

Volvo believes vampires and New Moon will sell its cars. The company has recently released a campaign using vampire hunk and New Moon character Edward Cullen as its point of focus. The advertisement highlights scenes from the movie and welcomes its fans and customers to access its Web site, whatdrivesedward.com.

Burger King created a New Moon fan pack for its most loyal vampire fans. The pack consisted of trading cards, coupons and movie memorabilia.

AT&T has also taken a bite out of the excitement surrounding New Moon. The company partnered with 2ergo to provide ringtones, wallpapers and mobile games to its customers through the New Moon mobile site. The site allows fans to download games and songs and provides access to its Facebook page.

Whether you want to believe it or not, the United States has found itself living in a vampire-loving day-and-age which Anne Rice, Buffy and Angel could never have anticipated. Vampires have literally “come out of the coffin” and are appearing at the forefront of our nation’s (and pop culture’s) minds. It’s important for public relations practitioners to recognize trends like the current vampire obsession and incorporate them into their company’s campaigns and messages, where appropriate. This allows them to effectively align the client’s and company’s goals with the needs, wants and, in the case of vampires, obsessions of their target customers.

by Meghan Zimmerman

Word of Mouth: Your Opinions Matter

Who do you trust more when deciding on where to shop and what to buy: your friends and family or the hundreds of advertisements you see daily? For me, it’s a no-brainer. I value my friends’ and family’s opinions over anything an advertisement will try to lead me to believe.

This reasoning supports the statistic that word of mouth is two times more effective than advertising. According to a Customer Dissatisfaction Study from the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), “On average, U.S. shoppers tell four people about their negative experience, embellishing the story as they tell it.”

WOMMA considers word of mouth as the voice of the consumer relaying information about products, services or brands. As a consumer, I always express my opinions if I have a positive or negative experience within a store, but I had no idea how much of an impact I was making on a company and its reputation.

The customer study continues, “More than 50 percent of American shoppers say a negative shopping experience of a friend or co-worker will prevent them from setting foot in a store altogether.”

We are all influenced by our close family and friends, so how can companies combat the negative word-of-mouth phenomenon? First, companies need to be aware of the specific problematic issues their customers are facing and take control by fixing those problems to create positive word of mouth. Specifically, companies should utilize their public relations tactics to make the positive attributes of their products or services known to consumers to encourage positive word-of-mouth circulation.

Public relations practitioners can manage word of mouth with careful planning and techniques. Most importantly, companies need to focus on making consumers happier by simply listening to them. Targeting their complaints and concerns will allow companies to discover the root of the problem in order to address it properly.

by Ashley Ross

Tough Love in PR

Rule # 1: Don’t be weird. This is Steve Ward’s first rule in his VH1 show Tough Love, a boot camp for women who have personal problems finding a significant other. Ward says if these women follow his rules, he guarantees he will find them love.

I was watching the season premiere (a little inside information — I’m really into reality shows) on Sunday when I realized that maybe the tough love advice Ward gives to the nine women on the show can apply to all public relations students seeking a job.

Ward says he is going to give these women a “heavy dose of reality” on what they’re doing wrong when it comes to relationships. Then it hit me — many PR students, including myself, need help when it comes to employment. A lot of students, much like the women on the show, need tough love.

In episode one of the show, Ward teaches the importance of first impressions. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” says Ward. “In the unforgiving world of the male perspective,” first impressions are extremely essential. His advice applies directly in job interviews: first impressions are vital in the unforgiving world of employers.

On the show, Miss Body Issues has self-confidence problems. Ward advises her “a guy is never going to be convinced in you when you’re too busy convincing them why not to be.” The same applies to students in an interview: an employer is never going to be convinced to hire you when you’re too busy convincing them why they shouldn’t. You need to be confident in yourself; otherwise, you’re going to look like you either don’t want the job or you have no idea what you’re talking about.

You can guess the issue by her name: Miss Gold Digger. So, how does it apply to PR? Just like men want to see women more interested in the relationship and not the money, employers want to see you more interested in the experience, not the money. Having low-paying jobs (such as nonprofit) or unpaid internships on your resume looks good to employers because it shows you put effort into something substantial that may not financially reward you in return.

Okay, so a lot of the issues the women have on the show don’t necessarily relate to students’ issues. However, it’s fun to watch, and most of the women’s problems coincide to real-world issues. There are many more women to cover, such as Miss Wedding Belle, Miss Lonely and Miss Off Her Rocker. You can go to the Tough Love Web site to find more of Ward’s rules, and to try to figure out the connection between these women and students in a job search yourself. I’m excited to see what “guerilla tactics” Ward has to give his tough love to PR students in next week’s episode.

 

By Niki Gautier

Men Are From Mars…

We have all seen the television shows and movies portraying public relations professionals. Last week, our blog explored these stereotypes of independent, sexy women by examining characters like Samantha Jones of Sex and the City fame. We see this type of woman portrayed in the media all the time, but where are all the men in the public relations world?

According to the Public Relations Society of America’s podcast Endangered Species — Men in Public Relations?, women make up 70 percent of PRSA membership, leaving only 30 percent for men. Even more startling, women comprise 90 percent of Public Relations Student Society of America membership, with men only holding 10 percent of membership. These are shocking differences that show the increasing trend of men absent in the PR field.

Dr. Rochelle Ford of Howard University discusses why men are shying away from professions in public relations during the PRSA podcast. She says, “Focus group research reveals men see public relations as a ‘female’ profession, less respected than other corporate functions, such as marketing and finance.” Ford also says that the lower salaries associated with entry-level public relations positions could deter men from the field.

So, why is the gender gap a problem for the public relations field and what can we do to bridge the gap?

If the trend of female domination of the PR profession continues, men will become extinct in the public relations field and the industry will lack diversity. Women and men have different worldviews and perspectives, and without the male perspective, public relations could become a one-sided profession.

We may not be able to bridge this gap immediately, but we can take several steps to encourage men to look at public relations more closely as a career option or field of study. We need to educate everyone, especially men, about PR and what being a PR professional really entails. Although it is fun to wish for Samantha Jones’ lifestyle, we must realize that lifestyle is only a fantasy for most. Once men see that PR is not just for women with great style and an unlimited credit card, they are more likely to explore public relations as a career option.

Even though women still outnumber men on the planet, we must continue to diversify the public relations field to include more men. Men may be from Mars and women from Venus, but that could be just the type of diversity public relations needs.

 

 

By Jessica Boyd

After the Journey: My Priceless Experience at the 2009 PRSSA National Conference

As promised, I am reporting back to Platform readers to highlight my trip and experiences at the 2009 PRSSA National Conference in San Diego, Ca. Five days come and go too fast, especially when you are busy learning, networking and having the time of your life.

First of all, what a success! I have to applaud the PRSSA National Committee (including Rebecca Timms, National President, and Nick Lucido, National Vice President of Professional Development; both have contributed to Platform in the past). This committee, comprised of eight PR students from across the nation, worked so hard to ensure that this conference was the most valuable it could be for its one-thousand-plus participants, and did they ever succeed. Besides the occasional hotel elevator getting stuck with participants inside (OK, it was more than occasional, but we survived), the conference went off without a hitch. We appreciate all of the hard work and dedication that went into providing us with such a valuable experience – thank you.

So, were my expectations met? Exceeded? I had mentioned several hopes and goals in my previous blog. Some of these were: meeting and networking with other PR students; gaining resources and knowledge from the sessions; and promoting Platform Magazine to students, educators and practitioners, as I was the sole representative of Platform. Missions accomplished.

As I mentioned, there were over 1,000 PR students from around the country, and being PR students, most were talkative and eager to meet people by nature. I met so many wonderful people, and it was so much fun getting the inside scoop on their goals and plans, and even how their PR departments and PRSSA chapters run. We were instructed to bring business cards to network with and that was a great idea! I now have countless contacts from around the country that will be entering the real world in May, just like me, and I plan to keep in touch with as many as possible.

I not only had the pleasure of meeting some of the amazing, talented, soon-to-be graduates who may be my competition for jobs in the near future, but I was also fortunate enough to meet some of the most highly respected PR professionals. Following each session, we were invited and encouraged to ask questions and introduce ourselves to the speakers, which I took full advantage of. I can proudly say that people like James Holtje, Senior Manager of Leadership Communications for Siemens, and Rana Kay, PR Manager for the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, now have my business card (even if it is among hundreds of others). The opportunity to meet some of these people, whom I aspire to be like some day, was priceless.

One of the best experiences of the conference was a special panel called “A Conversation with PR Legends” and included: Joe Epley, APR, Fellow PRSA, Founder and CEO of Epley Associates; John Paluszek, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Counsel at Ketchum; and Jerry Dalton, Jr., APR, Fellow PRSA, Retired Director of Public Affairs of U.S. Air Force. The panel was moderated by UA’s very own Dr. Bruce Berger, Professor in the UA Department of Advertising and Public Relations. This panel, which was sponsored by the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, was a discussion based on student questions, with topics ranging from the biggest change witnessed in PR, to the skills most important for a career in international PR, to what can be done to encourage diversity in the field. It truly was an honor to hear these four highly esteemed PR professionals give their words of wisdom to the future of PR.

One portion of the conference was a career exhibition, with companies such as Edelman, Fleishman-Hillard, Up With People, CW Network, 2010 U.S. Census and Ketchum. These companies, among others, set up booths, held short informational interviews with students and accepted resumes and business cards. Students were given a great opportunity to explore companies more in-depth and ask those tough questions that might not be found on a company’s FAQs. I and other UA representatives got the chance to tell PR students about the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations and to encourage them to read and contribute to the Platform magazine and blog.

It was a long, tiring trip and San Diego is rough on a college kid’s budget, but in the end, attending the PRSSA 2009 National Conference was one of the most valuable experiences I could have asked for. Not only did I meet amazing people, learn lots and have fun, but I have a more clear vision of what I want for my future and the tools and resources to get me there.

By Amanda Aviles

Take Our Survey

Welcome to Platform Online Magazine’s blog. To the right of this post are links to brief surveys specifically drafted for PR students, educators and practitioners. Please select the survey most relevant to you and provide us with your feedback. We appreciate your comments and hope your answers will help us provide you with the most beneficial and comprehensive PR resource.

After completing the survey, please stay a while and browse our articles and blogs and feel free to comment on as many as you would like. The Platform team encourages you to subscribe to our mailing list on our publication’s homepage by adding your e-mail in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Thank you for visiting and continually promoting the ethical practice of public relations.

by Platform Online Magazine

Stereotyping Sexy PR Women

Ever since Sex and the City debuted on HBO in 1998, public relations practitioners have not been able to shake the stereotype associated with Samantha Jones. She made public relations look youthful, colorful and sexy. Singlehandedly, Samantha Jones changed the image of public relations for the 21st century. And it wasn’t long before other youthful, sexy publicists graced our televisions nationwide.

In 2002, Val Tyler, played by Jennie Garth in the WB’s series What I Like About You, portrayed another young woman working in public relations. And today on E!, Kim Kardashian claims she is a young, sexy woman working in PR. While there is nothing wrong with being a sexy, confident young female public relations practitioner, I feel it’s important to mention there is more to the public relations field than what women look like.

While we women would all love to wake up in the morning and go to work looking like Samantha Jones, Val Tyler or Kim Kardashian, it doesn’t always happen. But what we can all go to work with in the morning is our knowledge and understanding of the public relations field.

We’re taught in school the basics of communication. We learn how to write news releases, conduct research, put together media kits, work in groups and write communication plans. We learn the basics of event planning, but a major in public relations isn’t strictly about that. After we graduate, we put these skills to good use so we can build a name for ourselves in the public relations field.

While we all want to think public relations is as easy and as glamorous as these women make it seem, there is really more to it than some people think. A lot of thought goes into planning a campaign to launch a new brand for a company, and it takes time and strategy to target different media to cover events. We learn to be good public relations practitioners though the skills we’re taught in school and on the job, not by watching Sex and the City or What I Like About You. But it is nice to think that the women who are representing female public relations practitioners are confident and sexy.

by Alysar Alameddin

October Brings Social Media Changes

With the ever-increasing popularity of social networks, viral videos, blogs and other online media, it is essential for PR practitioners to be proficient in using social media. These online media are constantly evolving, and staying on top of the changes can be a challenge. This past month, two of the most popular social media, Facebook and Twitter, unveiled changes to their sites, and a new tool was released that will make Twitter safer for users.

During October, Facebook modified its home page by adding a News Feed feature displaying highlights of users’ posts over the past 24 hours. News Feed displays the news and activities that have received the most “likes” and “comments,” and was designed to allow users to catch up on items they missed when they were not on the Web site. Facebook users can easily switch back to a live news feed, which displays their friends’ real-time postings.

Twitter also introduced a new feature this month. The social networking site launched Twitter Lists, which works like an e-mail folder. With this new feature, users can organize the people they follow into lists, and the tweets from people on that list will be streamlined. Users can subscribe to other users’ lists, as well.

Though the Twitter Lists feature was just released last week, there is already a Web site offering the best Twitter Lists. Listorious.com offers the best lists by categories, so users can find the best lists according to their interests. With offerings of the best “Media Lists,” “Marketing Lists” and “News Lists,” this Web site could be a powerful, time-saving resource for PR practitioners and marketers.

This week, Twitter followed up by launching the List Widget. Tweeters can place the widget on their blog, or other Web site, and display any list they choose. The list does not have to be made by the user that posts it; users can use and even customize other users’ lists.

Since these new Twitter features are sure to bring in new Twitter users, the release of a new tool called Krab Krawler comes at a very opportune time. Launched last week, Krab Krawler analyzes Twitter posts and blocks any malware associated with them. The tool protects Twitter users from hijackers and viruses, which have been targeting the site due to its popularity and the sensitive nature of information often posted by its users. According to an article on CNN.com, Twitter experienced phishing attacks earlier this year. Krab Krawler was designed to protect users from such attacks.

If you haven’t caught on to the social media trend, it’s time to catch up. If you need a little help learning the ropes, check out the Daily Dog Social Media Channel, which offers tutorials and news about social media.

By Meg Watson

Innisfree Fundraising Event for Platform Online Magazine

Platform Online Magazine is hosting a fundraiser on Wednesday, November 4, at Innisfree Irish Pub in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The event will start at 8 p.m. and entertainment will be provided by the Hypsys. No cover for the night!

Proceeds for this event will help support our online magazine and funding for our trip to the annual PRSSA conference. This year the conference is in San Diego, Calif., and Platform member Amanda Aviles is representing the magazine.

Thank you for supporting Platform Online Magazine!

Before the Journey: Hopes, Wishes and Expectations for the 2009 PRSSA National Convention

As I anxiously await my impending early November trip to San Diego, Ca., I think about how lucky I am to have the chance to experience everything that I will in less than a month. PRSSA will host its annual National Convention this year in sunny San Diego, and I have the chance to take part in a week that will not only prepare me for the real world with resources and networking, but has the potential to open many doors for my future.

My hopes for the convention are widespread, and my doubts that they will be surpassed are nonexistent. I anticipate meeting many other students from PRSSA chapters around the country who are as nervous, excited and eager to spread their wings and fly into the PR world as I am, and I hope to make new friends and connections through these students.

I also foresee learning priceless information and gaining abundant amounts of resources from the sessions I will attend, most of which will be led by top professionals in the field. The registration packet that I received boasts page after page of seminars and sessions such as “Go Global, Get an Edge”, a session on International PR, and “Cruisin’ with PR,” a discussion on corporate versus agency work. I hope to enjoy as many sessions as possible, but have already found clear favorites that I hope to attend.

This convention is special for me in another way: I have the unique chance to go as two people at once. I will not only be representing The University of Alabama’s PRSSA chapter along with three other members, but I will also be the sole representative of the Platform Magazine Fall 2009 Editorial Team. This gives me the challenging but rewarding opportunity to promote the magazine to PR professionals, educators and students during the convention on behalf of the entire Editorial Team.

What I will gain from the convention, I can only speculate for now. Business attire: Check. Resumes: printed. Business cards: jumping out of my wallet at the chance to network. Check back with Platform’s blog on Nov. 13, when I recap my trip and discuss the experience in the second half of my two-part PRSSA National Convention blog post. Bon Voyage!

by Amanda Aviles