Friday, January 30, 2009

Myspace is more than just a social networking site

MySpace plans to debut a new reality Web series as part of the social network's larger strategy to build its reputation as an entertainment portal.

“Get Married on MySpace” is an interactive online series that follows one engaged couple as the MySpace community plans their wedding. Users will be able to influence wedding plans by voting on the winning couple, the bride's dress, the couple's rings, and the wedding location. The 13-episode series will debut in May and conclude with the wedding in August.

The social network is currently raising awareness for the series among users interested in starring as the couple, as well as advertisers for branding tie-ins, said Jason Kirk, VP of video and entertainment for MySpace.

The initiative is intended to draw older users to the social network and help shake off its image as a site only for teenagers. The venture will initially target women between 18 and 34 years old, but hopes the program ultimately draws a wider demographic, including men. The project is also designed to retain MySpace's existing user base.

MySpace wants to show people a different side of the social networking tool. People assume MySpace is just a social network and that it is just for teenagers. But a show like this shows that it's about more than social networking and it's for people getting married, not just teenagers.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

AT&T uses Facebook

AT&T is using social media and partnerships with entertainment companies and artists to interact with a younger audience. One of the latest partnerships was with rapper Lil' Wayne. AT&T introduced his latest single using Freedom of Choice and Mobile Music Facebook pages on January 27. By doing this AT&T's data showed that its customers downloaded his ringtones more often than any other artist in 2008.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Sources for blogging assignment

To help you keep up with trends and issues in PR, marketing and communications, and to help you explore PR and new media, we will be keeping a blog for this class. Each of you will be asked to contribute a two posts during the semester and all of you will comment on a weekly basis. Yes, I know, I’m forcing a conversation which should grow organically, but let’s face it, if it’s not graded, it wouldn’t be done (but wouldn’t it be nicer if that wasn’t the case?).

Post topics can be about anything related to PR, communications, marketing, advertising, new media or journalism. Posts should link the original article and be 1-2 paragraphs long. Longer is okay, but the idea of a blog is to keep it in chunks. Original articles can come from a variety of sources. Below are some of my favorites, but you are not limited to them:

PR Week

Wall Street Journal

Marketing Daily

MediaBistro’s PRNewser blog

PR Week’s The Cycle blog

Welcome to PR Campaigns

So what does it take to succeed in PR? Check out this video.