“Celebrate the kid inside”-The Oreo turns 100

On March 6, 2012, the Oreo will celebrate its 100^th birthday. Kraft Foods is holding its first worldwide campaign, which will include traditional and new media, stores, events, promotions and public relations. The best part of the campaign will be the limited-edition Birthday Cake Oreos.

The main goal of the campaign is to frame the 100^th birthday anniversary as a child-like birthday party, rather than the negative view of passing of time. The campaign theme will be “Celebrate the kid inside,” which already appears in video, print, Oreo.com and social media. The company will remain true to its roots while adapting to contemporary needs.

Also, commercials will air in 15 countries, depicting routine adult activities, such as school board meetings and train rides, which are interrupted with children bearing Oreos and milk. The adults will then discover their “inner child.”

Along with media campaigns for Oreo’s big birthday, there will be more than 100 birthday parties held in more than two dozen countries, including Oreo bakeries. Happy birthday Oreos! 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/business/media/the-oreo-turns-100-with-a-nod-to-the-past-advertising.html?scp=6&sq=marketing&st=cse

A marketer's guide to Pinterest

Pinterest is a hip, new and highly addictive social media site. It has been named as the fastest growing social site today. Not only is it for members to pin things that they enjoy, want, need or like, it has now found its uses into the hands of PR and marketing pros and brands, as well.

In the article, Pinterest created a marketer's guide on how to get your brand one that is "pinned" by members. They created a guide that shows all the demographics of the users, which in return, helps PR pros to determine what methods they need to use that will be most appealing to pinners. They even provide statistics and charts that show the growing usage, sign ups and traffic. Other things the marketing guide shows are the companies who are already active on the site, along with lingo to help master the new social platform. It even includes tips and hints on how to make Pinterest work for each brand.

I have no doubt that the social media world is one that will continue to change. PR pros must learn to adapt to new things and stay on top of what is hip and most popular among people. This is just yet another outlet that public relations professionals can begin using to get their brand out among customers.

I think the idea of pinning is great. All they need is one person to "pin" something on the website and it is seen by millions of others. Basically the work is done by the customer. It's just learning the tips and tricks provided by Pinterest already to make your information and visuals searchable and available for Pinterest users to find.

I, myself, am a Pinterest user and every day I find myself searching the site time and time again. It never gets boring because it's always changing. It's growing rapidly, too, and it's something I can see with my own eyes. Everyday when I log into my e-mail, I have numerous e-mails saying that new friends have joined. You can also link Pinterest to your Facebook and Twitter accounts, so even the friends or followers you have on there can see what you have pinned.

I think PR pros definitely need to hop on board with the Pinterest group. It will allow their messages and visuals to spread like wildfire amongst different social media websites.

To see the guide for yourself, visit: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/10976.aspx

Wal-Mart to Give Hollywood a Hand

This article discusses Hollywood's most recent attempt to combat the issues of digital piracy and a fading DVD market. The movie industry is recruiting Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to help attract users to its struggling online video-library service.

The plan is for Wal-Mart to provide an in-store service that will assist customers in registering DVDs they already own with the movie industry's UltraViolet system. The Ultraviolet system is a "digital proof of purchase" system that allows consumers to store movie or TV titles in a free online personal library. Every video that is added to the UltraViolet account can then be streamed over the Web or downloaded for viewing on a computer, TV, or a range of mobile devices by anyone on that account.

By using this system, the movie industry hopes it can encourage consumers to pay for content they might be tempted to download illegally.

Although UltraViolet accounts are free to set up, the process can be troublesome. So Wal-Mart employees will help customers create the accounts, check the DVDs that customers already own and add them to their accounts for a small fee.

Wal-Mart's service will include several thousand movies, drawn from every major studio (Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Brothers Entertainment, Sony Corp.'s Sony Pictures, News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox, Comcast Corp.'s Universal Pictures and Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures) except Walt Disney Co.

An announcement will be made in early March followed by a $30 million marketing campaign.

A Wal-Mart partnership is attractive to Ultra-Violet group not only because the stores are visited 140 million times a week but also due to the retailer's popular Vudu streaming service. The service is the third most popular film rental and download service, according to researcher IHS Inc.

However, UltraViolet's service aquired a bad reputation early on because of glitch prone technology and limited selection cof titles. I think Wal-Marts good reputation from its popular Vudu streaming service and its vast amount of customers will help repair UltraViolet's negative image.

I think this plan to decrease digital piracy and counterbalance the slumping DVD sales is very creative. It gives consumers the feel of downloading and sharing movies with each other without the consequences of illegal digital piracy. Although, there is a small fee I think it's worth it.

Although UltraViolet has been unsuccessful at offsetting decreasing DVD sales, I think its partnership with Wal-Mart will increase its subscriber base and therefore increase its selection of titles. As long as the service is affordable and Wal-Mart helps by making the account set up easier, I think the campaign will be a success.

For more information about the article go to http://global.factiva.com.libproxy.txstate.edu/ga/default.aspx?imt=2&ao=14&aod=1811683

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203833004577249652072048154.html

Ben & Jerry’s ‘Lin-Sanity’ Flavor Leaves Bad Taste

Jeremy Lin is an Asian American basketball player that graduated from Harvard and now plays for the New York Knicks. He is gaining international fame since he became the starting point guard for the Knicks earlier this month.

The Ben & Jerry's Boston Scoop Shops decided to create a limited-edition flavored ice cream, "Taste the Lin-Sanity," in honor of Lin and his rising fame in the NBA at their Harvard Square location to recognize the Harvard graduate. "Taste the Lin-Sanity" had pieces of fortune cookies in it and people were offended by the racial insensitivity caused by the fortune cookies in the ice cream.

The local shop posted an apology on Facebook and Twitter saying they did not intend to offend anyone, they were just trying to honor the rising NBA star since he was a Harvard graduate.

They replaced the fortune cookies in the recipe with bits of waffle cones and the flavor sold out over the weekend.

I think they did the right thing by recognizing the situation quickly and apologizing on Facebook and Twitter to anyone that took offense of the fortune cookies in the ice cream. Even though they are not a media outlet and were just trying to sell ice cream, this should be a learning opporunity for any buisness trying to capitalize on Lin's rising fame and they should think about what they are communicating or putting in a recipe beforehand.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-jeremy-lin-yogurt-20120227,0,1130363.story

http://www.prnewsonline.com/prnewsblog/index.php/2012/02/27/ben-jerrys-lin-sanity-flavor-leaves-bad-taste/

-Lindsey O'Neal

Cruise Ship Adrift in Pirate Infested Indian Ocean

More than a thousand people are awaiting rescue on the Costa Allegra cruise ship after a fire broke out on board causing the luxury liner to lose power.

The ship is adrift in the Indian Ocean more than 200 miles from the Seychelles island nation off mainland Africa, an area that is infested by pirates.

This is the second emergency situation this year for Costa Cruises which is owned by Carnival Cruises. In January, 32 people were killed when the Costa Concordia capsized after hitting rocks off the Italian island of Giglio. Seven people are still missing and presumed dead.

The Italian cruise line released a statement saying no one was injured, and the blaze that broke out in the engine room in the ship's aft was quickly extinguished. A spokesman for the Italian coast guard said the Seychelles Navy is sending rescue vessels-- including tug boats-- and a plane that has spotted the Allegra's location.

The PR agency for Costa Cruises is in major crisis management mode as they now have this new disaster. Although they are stressing that every person on board is safe, this cruise line will have a hard time saving face and avoid getting a bad reputation.

To read more go to: http://news.yahoo.com/cruise-ship-adrift-pirate-infested-indian-ocean-174117815--abc-news.html http://news.yahoo.com/cruise-ship-adrift-pirate-infested-indian-ocean-174117815--abc-news.html

Zac Efron plays it safe ;)

At the premiere of his latest movie, incidentally a children’s film, Zac Efron dropped what appeared to be a condom while walking down the red carpet. In a video that is circling the internet, you can see a slow-motion close-up of Efron handing something to his publicist and then a little golden square fall out of his pocket. To reaffirm this judgment call is Efron’s reaction, when he turns around to pose for pictures he mouths to his publicist what seems to be “oh my god” covers his mouth and then turns around to hide a chuckle. Though it has not been confirmed to actually be a condom, there has also been no denying it. I saw in an article somewhere that some are considering it to be publicity stunt to help Efron prove that he is no longer the innocent little Disney star that he once was. Whatever the plan was, kudos to Efron for a good laugh, it’s nice to see that celebrities can make fools of themselves too!

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/news/zac-efron-condom-022312?click=cos_latest

New technology selects advertisement based on your gender

By Rebecca Seay

 A children's advocacy group called Plan has placed a high tech billboard at a popular London bus stop. The billboard has the ability to recognize if the person standing in front of it is a woman or a man. With a 90 percent accurate gender read, the billboard then shows an informational advertisement based on the gender of the person.

Plan's goal is to inform the public of the "plight of women and girls in poor countries around the world." The men's version of the ad is cut down to just statistics rather than a 40 second video that women see. (Does this suggest that men have less patience for women's issues?)

The billboard does not collect any data or store any data, but it still conveys a chilling look into future technologies. Will our advertising turn into what some are comparing to the movie "Minority Report," in which advertisements detect who you are and feed you ads based on your consumer profile?

The article asks if this is an innovative tool in advertising, or just creeping and invasive? I choose the second option. 


Read the full article below:
http://whatsnext.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/22/this-london-advertisement-knows-your-gender/?hpt=hp_bn6

PINteresting Brands to Follow

Ever since I joined Pinterest I have been mildly addicted. What I didn’t realize was how it was benefiting different brands. Mashable recently posted the top ten list of brands followed on Pinterest.

Here it is:

1. Perfect Palette
2. Real Simple
3. The Beauty Department
4. HGTV
5. Apartment Therapy
6. Kate Spade New York
7. Better Homes and Gardens
8. Whole Foods
9. West Elm
10. Mashable

What I find most interesting about this list is that I wouldn’t have looked at or heard of most of these brands if it weren’t for Pinterest. This social media outlet has morphed into an influential outlet for brands like these to shine and become known by the general female audience. Pinterest has turned me into a more creative person by giving unique project ideas and has given me brands to look to that I wouldn’t have before. A big internet high five goes to all that made the top ten list for utilizing one of the fastest growing social media outlets created.

March Madness Takeover

This year the NCAA Men's basketball tournament will be broadcasted even more than ever before. All of you the college basketball fans will have no reason to miss any of the games that will be played this year. In the previous years, the games were broadcasted on Turner Sports networks and CBS. This year a new way will be implemented. NCAA March Madness Live will be the way to catch every minute of all 67 games.

This re-vamped method, formally known as March Madness on Demand, is produced by Turner Sports Interactive, is a suite of live productions presented across multiple screens including online and as an iPad, iPhone and iPod touch app, and for the first time, on Android phones.

March Madness Live will only cost $3.99 and can be purtchased starting March 7. This is a huge re-vamped idea. It goes to show how far technology has come and how much Americans rely on the internet in their everyday lives.  It will be a success.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/19/march-madness-live-2012-streaming-apps/

School birth control service defended

http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/1117196/on-agenda-school-birth-control-service-defended/

I found the above article on PR Week. It explains that Solent NHS Trust partnered with nine Southampton schools (in the UK) to launch a sexual health advice program and contraception program to drive down teenage pregnancy. Southampton has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the UK.

Although this new program was launched in 2009, the controversy came back into debate last week when a mother complained that her 13-year-old had a contraceptive implant fitted at school without her consent.

NHS Southampton and Solent NHS trust in house comms teams joined together to create a reactive PR strategy to rebuttal the negative publicity. They issued a statement on February 7th broadly defining and defeneding the scope of the service provided. In fact, the teenage pregnancy rates have dropped 22% since the service was started!!!

The story was widely covered across the UK.

I think the numbers do the talking; there clearly was a pregnancy problem in the area and the program has reached its intended goal of reducing these rates. The two organizations did a good job of defending their stance.

*&%@#! and Other Advertising Trends for 2012

Suzanne Vranica explains in an online Wall Street Journal article her predictions for the advertising industry in 2012, including new downloadable apps that will allow viewers of a TV program to have conversations with others watching the same show and that ads will soon include curse words regularly.

The apps that will let viewers of a TV show talk to other viewers during the program will turn TV watching into a virtual community event.

"Apps like Get Glue invite viewers to check-in to a program and have conversations with others watching the same thing," says Daniel Khabie, CEO of Digitaria.

I feel like this trend will catch on and that the makers of Get Glue have found an interesting way to unite TV and newer technology that is steadily gaining popularity, like FaceTime.

Vranica explains that Glenn Cole, CEO of 72 & Sunny, an advertising unit of MDC Partners Inc. was quoted saying that major brands will start to create racier contents for their commercials, disregarding the opinions of more traditional people and demanding the attention and respect of younger audiences.

To me, this trend should catch on to the point of no turning back. Similar to TV shows, I believe that once commercials are allowed to have curse words, the number of companies that are willing to release commercials like that will gradually increase until it is the norm. Cursing is apparent in most popular comedy movies made today, and is used on TV shows for extra laughs, I believe. I think people enjoy it in moderation and would not be offended by seeing foul language on future advertisements.

-Blake Brittain

Snapple Mix Jelly Belly's

This clever new product line of Jelly Belly's famous jelly beans was created to be 100% natural; free of artificial colors and flavoring. By teaming up with Snapple, they have opened themselves up to a whole new market of customers who only choose to consume food products which are organic or mostly natural.

They have also created a buzz about the new "Snapple Mix" in the packaging of these jelly beans. A miniature version of a Snapple bottle has been re-created to hold the jelly beans, perfect for on-the-go or snack size bites!

I think this is a great team up by both parties. Each had something to gain from this partnership and seem to be doing so. Their advertising tactics are cute. Not too "in your face", but definitely not subtle. I've seen in the past when their Dr. Pepper flavor was packaged in a miniature "coke" bottle and it seemed to have worked great for them since we are seeing it here again. I say kudos to them for finding something that worked and sticking with it!

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jelly-belly-snapple-mix-bottles-natural-flavors-in-clever-new-candy-package-139507403.html

What a Saab Story

By: Staci De Leon

Saab dealers, owners and investors are experiencing what GM experienced in 2009, a downfall in the automobile sector of the economy.

Over 200 dealers called it quits when Saab recently announced it bankruptcy plans, putting them out of business or scrambling to find partners. Not only is it bad for the dealers, but for Saab owners. Now that the bankruptcy papers have been filed that means an end to Saab manufacturing, meaning a shortage of parts. And since Saab is a foreign-made vehicle, the price of getting it fixed will go up, or even worse, shops will turn you down because of the difficulty of finding Saab parts.

Although this is going on, some say the Saab brand may still have a chance since, "half-dozen parties are considering buying the business and restarting assembly, according to the court- appointed Swedish attorneys handling the bankruptcy."

To read more about this Saab story, click on this link:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-12/saab-dealers-driving-to-maserati-with-unfolding-bankruptcy-cars.html

TCU is now paying for some bad choice their football players and students have made. On February 1st, 82 of the players supposedly failed a surprise drug test leading to 19 current or former TCU students being arrested for allegedly dealing drugs. Four of those arrested were TCU football players- including Tanner Brock, the team's leading tackler in 2010 and an honorable mention on the All-American team, as well as defensive lineman D.J. Yendry, offensive tackle Tyler Horn and safety Devin Johnson.
And Johnson, thinking he was speaking to fellow students, told undercover police officers that a whopping 82 football players supposedly failed a surprise drug test on Feb. 1st leading the officers to be able to make the arrests. The four football players have all been accused of being involved with the selling of marijuana to undercover cops multiple times with the most recent time being Feb. 7th.
The university said that all students still registered at TCU who were involved in the arrests have been suspended.
The Horned Frogs, currently members of the Mountain West Conference, are slated to move to the Big 12 next year. Over the last four seasons the team has gone 47-5 and won the 2011 Rose Bowl. Until recently, the team had been one of the only teams ranked among the nation's top 25 that had players with clean police records. Which only makes one wonder how long they have been getting away with this scandal.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/post/tcu-drug-arrests-a-stain-on-football-program/2012/02/16/gIQA9es2HR_blog.html

The Voice has found its voice

NBC's singing competition is a whisper away from achieving the unthinkable: unseating 11-season Fox juggernaut American Idol from its ratings throne, particularly among the key younger viewers that networks and their advertisers covet.

So how did the Voice do it?

It recruits contestants, rather than hosting open auditions, but has them perform for judges whose spinning seats are turned away to avoid the influence of singers' appearances.

Monday's episode drew 16.3 million viewers, just 13% shy of last week's Idol average, and matched those Idol episodes among ages 18-49 while beating it among the younger half of that group. A big help: NBC's season opener Feb. 5 enjoyed a record-setting Super Bowl lead-in, which delivered nearly 38 million viewers to the show.

When I heard the Voice would be on after the Super Bowl, I thought why not tune in to watch it. That was my first episode to ever watch.

But, no one is crying (yet) for Idol, despite declines of nearly 20% this season and an aging viewership. (The average Idol viewer is 47, up three years from last season, while The Voice's is 43.)

Though I would be sad to see Idol go, I haven't watched since Simon left. If that shows you were my loyalties lie! The Voice has a younger vibe, younger judges, fresher feel, which could be what the draw to the show is. Every one is always wanting something new.

Click Here to view story

"Love hath no fury like a flower customer scorned."

1-800-Flowers’ no good, very bad Valentine’s Day

1-800-Flowers flubs one of their biggest selling days of the year and quickly becomes flooded with complaints via Facebook and Twitter. To make matters worse, private messages to upset customers get tweeted by their social media expert, while competing florists capitalize on this massive upset.

This story cracks me up more than it should. Having witnessed first hand the poor customer service of 1-800-Flowers, I'm surprised they didn't have a better crisis plan ready. Their whole system seems sloppy and unprofessional.

But for local florists, this is a great story to help market their business.

Guyliner, Murses, Bromance: Why not Manentine's Day?

Click here to view the article.

Manentine’s Day, a new holiday on March 14 that is just like Valentine’s Day but celebrates the man in the relationship, was launched several weeks ago and just announced its plans to partner up with SpringLeap to start an online design contest.

The “Manentine’s Day Best in Swag Contest” runs from February 13- March 18 and is aimed at finding a “design that embodies the essence of what it means to love in a manly way.” The contest winner receives10% royalty off all of the product profits, as well as bragging rights. “Best in Swag” is not the first contest to be launched Manentine’s Day, however. There is also a “Why I Love Manentine’s Day” YouTube video contest still going on, which started February 4 and ends March 1.

From the looks of it, Manentine’s Day is off to a pretty strong launch with interactive contests, a witty concept, social media, press releases and branding. Clearly its creators have a strong sense of the important roles that public relations and fresh ideas play in a new business' survival.

I think Manentine’s Day is a great idea and will catch on like wildfire. I mean it’s the 21^st century, and everything is—or should be— 50/50 in a relationship. Why not dedicate a day to the men, also? ... Or give them an excuse to celebrate their single-dom with their bros!

Click here for History of Manentine's Day; Click here for Rules of Manentine's Day

Does PETA ad featuring a young, pantsless woman in a neckbrace promote veganism, or offend?

This article talks about how PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is known for its provocative ads, many of them featuring women in various states of undress that aim to draw attention to animal rights.

However, Monday's ad may have crossed the line for some viewers. It shows a limping, pantless women with a neckbrace, struggling to carry a bag of vegetables home from the store. "The woman suffers from 'Boyfriend Went Vegan and Knocked the Bottom Out of Me,' a painful condition that occurs when boyfriends go vegan and can suddenly bring it like a tantric porn star," Kevin Nealon, the narrator of the ad said.

The ad even shows a clip implying that the couple is having raunchy sex. The boyfriend is then shown fixing a hole in the wall while the woman undresses. "Oh your feeling better?" he asks as she has a mischevious grin on her face.

The campaign is intended to promote veganism and animal rights by implying that men who go vegan have crazy sex skills and that women like it. But does it also promote violence against women?

Lisa Lange, a senior vice president for PETA says the ad is playful and the woman is happy. However, I agree with Michael Learmonth, digital editor at Advertising Age. Although PETA is going for shock value, I dont think showing a woman beat up is the right way to gain attention and promote animal rights.

I think this is bad PR for PETA and portrays their organization as sex crazed, women beating advocates. But its okay because they love animals right? Although their organization is for a good cause and is intended to stop violence against animals, its brings about the greater social issue of violence against women.

Furthermore, this is not the first time PETA has been accused of using sex to gain coverage. Prior to the Super Bowl, PETA released a "Girls Gone Wild"- style anti-milk ad that it said was banned from the broadcast. The Super Bowl is known for using sex to sell ads so the fact that they rejected PETA's ad must mean it was pretty bad.

There are other methods besides objectifying women to promote awareness against animal cruelty. I think by using their current methods, PETA is downplaying the severity of its main purpose to stop animal cruelty and therefore people will not take them seriously. They are sending a bad message to the public, which in turn is ruining the company's image.

For more information about the aritcle and to view the ad go to http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/does-peta-ad-featuring-young-pantsless-woman-neckbrace-222920818.html

Whitney Houston's Sudden Death

As many know or have seen the Grammy's, including all the festivities surroundiong the event, took place this past Sunday. To no one's surprise, british recording artist, Adele was the "Cinderella story" of the night, sweeping the award show with mutliple wins.

However, the show was overshadowed with the pressing of music icon, Whitney Houston's death just a day prior to the event. With media coverage of every level covering the ordeal, it was hard to escape the Houston frantic. Personally, I heard the sad news through Twitter while at the movies, viewing "The Vow." To see how the majority of the audience entered normally and when the movie ended buzzed of the Whitney Houston story was truly a sight to see.

The power of social media continues to grow and become the leading method in breaking hard news over traditonal media. I found the statistics on news breaking pertaining to Whitney Houston's death, when it broke, and how fast on "Media Culpa," a media and public relations website.

According to "Media Culpa," the news spread on Twitter at the speed of over 1,000 tweets per second.

Additional information was found on "Topsy Labs," a social media blog.

"Topsy Labs" reported new was first broken at 4:15 pm, by a relative of a hotel worker who reportedly found Houston.

"omgg , my aunt tiffany who work for whitney houston just found whitney houston dead in the tub . such ashame & sad :( "

The first full hour after the news broke saw 2,481,652 tweets and retweets, peaking at 61,227 tweets at 5.23 pm (all times are PST). That is over a thousand tweets a second, not quite as much as during the Superbowl but still a lot.

The most retweeted article after the news broke was from MSNBC, with 13 thousand tweets linking to it. Friends, musicians and celebrities tweeted out their condolences, each of them getting retweeted thousands of times: Rapper Lil Wayne has the record, with over 29,000 retweets as of the time of writing this post. Others who were widely retweeted include: Justin Bieber (15,000), Nicki Minaj (8,739), Katy Perry (8,394), Mariah Carey (6,305) and Christina Aguillera (4,321).

Hundreds of thousands of people mourned her passing away, posting to Twitter links to over 3,000 video recordings of Whitney Houston’s songs.

As more news developes, social will continue to buzz.

For more information:

Media Culpa
http://www.kullin.net/2012/02/whitney-houston-is-dead-twitter-user-beats-media/

Topsy Labs
http://topsylabs.com/2012/02/12/2-5-million-tweets-an-hour-as-news-of-whitney-houstons-death-spreads/

How social media changed the DNA of the Recording Academy

In celebration of the 54th GRAMMY Awards, (R)evolution shot a video in Los Angeles and Evan Green, CMO of the Recording Academy discussed the fusion of two worlds, the social explosion and the increasingly sophisticated expectations of consumers.

In this discussion, we learn how a 54 year old industry body adapted to the change in how people interact with television, music and one another, shifting from watching the conversation to engaging and helping facilitate shared experiences. More importantly, you’ll hear what it took to get management to see the opportunity for the future and how it changed the DNA of the Recording Academy forever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=286e_I0xIDY&feature=player_embedded

Father's reaction to a Facebook post

I think this video is hilarious. It is about a father whose daughter posted stuff about them on Facebook and she didn't think they would see it. She posted things about "being her parents slaves" and "having to do chores and such." She blocked her parents and knew they wouldn't see it: she was wrong. Her dad found it and decided to make a huge lesson out of it so he made a video. Its 8 minutes long but it proves a point. People put things on Facebook and think oh no, no one will see this. ITS FACEBOOK; everyone sees it. Don't put anything up there you don't want seen. Especially for people our age, we get creeped on there all the time by potential employers and we don't know it. So what it comes down to is we need to watch what goes up online, because it could turn out super embarrassing for us like for Hannah. Here is the video link: http://www.keepbusy.net/play.php?id=parent-reacts-to-daughters-facebook-post

Woody Harrelson's 'Ask Me Anything' on Reddit Proves Disastrous

Actor Woody Harrelson decided this week to reach out to fans via social media to promote his new film "Rampart." The actor participated in an AMA (ask me anything) forum on the social news media site Reddit. Harrelson was under the impression that the discussion would be related to "Rampart," and that is all he would talk about or answer questions in regard to.

The questions in the chat quickly turned into a verbal attack on Harrelson's personal life, including inquiries into an alleged one-night stand he supposedly had 10 years ago. This is when the actor became upset and his publicist took over responding for him. His publicist responded to only four out of thousands of questions, leaving users upset and dissatisfied.

The outcome of this particular forum is a PR nightmare. However, these social media tools could also be be very beneficial to celebrity publicity campaigns as long as all parties are fully aware and approve of the topics forums will consist of.

Woody Harrelson's 'Ask Me Anything' on Reddit Proves Disastrous

Super Bowl Twitter

When I was watching the super bowl on Sunday (about 10% interested in the game and 90% interested in the commercials and halftime show) I noticed a new trend. Almost every single commercial had a hashtag. I had to giggle just a little bit because it was only further proof that social media is officially taking over the world. I mean, not just website usage, but companies are competing for mentions and popularity through tweets. After making note of all these hashtags, I made sure that after the game I checked the stats. And this is what I found in an article from BBC...

"The Super Bowl XLVI set a record for the highest number of tweets sent during a sporting event."

"On average, 10,000 tweets were sent per second during the final three minutes"

Madonna's half-time performance "sparked the second highest rate of tweets during the event, with 10,245 posts published per second"

The article mentions that viewers were encouraged to use hashtags during the event, which might have accounted for the uprise of twitter usage. I guess I'm just waiting for the next big thing next year! Oh what will it be...

Here's the article! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16918780

JCPenney re-hires former employee, Ellen DeGeneres

After the former VP of Apple, Ron Johnson, moved is talents to JCPenney, the store started a three-year transformation that debuted its new image on Feb. 1.  Along with removing coupons, promotions and percent-off sales, the company hired celebrity Ellen DeGeneres to make store appearances and to star in upcoming TV advertisements. 


In hopes to accommodate the customers, Johnson is now reverting back to the "fair and square" pricing policy that JCPenney was founded on 110 years ago. The store now has everyday low pricing and sales that last a month, rather than a few days. 


JCPenney also hired former employee from the 70s, Ellen DeGeneres as the spokesperson for the season. After much ridicule from the conservative group One Million Moms to choose another spokes person, JCPenney stood by its decision.


“One of my first jobs was at a jcpenney in Metairie, Louisiana. You know what – I don’t think I ever clocked out on my last day. I should look into that. Anyway, I’m so excited to be back working with the company,” said DeGeneres.

In association with hiring a celebrity spokesperson and its new pricing, JCPenney changed its logo and will attempt to transform its 1,100 stores into 100 "specialty shops". The store is also featuring more items by designers such as Liz Claiborne and Martha Stewart. Johnson's major goal is to re-brand JCPenney with an image that is modern and contemporary, fitting into the budgets of everyday Americans.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/02/01/jcpenney-hopes-ellen-degeneres-can-boost-its-image/

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/02/jcpenneys_rebranding_wins_over_some_shoppers_disappoints_others.html

BP Announces $500 Million Public Relations Campaign

By Rebecca Seay
In a Forbes article published today, BP revealed a $500 million public relations campaign to over come the 2010 Gulf spill. 

The campaign will focus on BP's retail business, which makes up the majority of its worth. Since what was named the worst oil spill in U.S. history, BP's customer sales end showed no visible effects, so the company has decided to stay clear of environmental initiatives and put their money towards positioning themselves "as an efficient player in the oil and gas space. 

The campaign will involve a new customer loyalty program as well as a new gasoline offering called "Invigorate," helping to keep car engines clean and saving customers money.  

The strategy of this campaign is based off the fact that BP's campaign prior to the Gulf spill, which focused on BP's commitment to the environment, proved to be false and misleading. 

I believe this new approach will work better for BP as it focuses on the business end, instead of trying to claim environmental support. Let's face it, oil companies are not for the environment; they are oil companies. They provide a much needed resource that happens to be bad for the environment, but it is better for the company to just come out and say that rather than claim different. 

Read the full article below:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2012/02/07/bp-goes-for-public-relations-makeover-to-get-beyond-gulf-spill/

Google Unveils "Solve For X"

Monday morning, Google unveiled a new project that it hopes will solve some of the worlds biggest problems. The site is called "Solve for X," a TED-like think tank that will encourage problem solving and teamwork to come up with "radical" ideas for big picture problems.

"Solve for X is a place where the curious can go to hear and discuss radical technology ideas for solving global problems," reads the Solve for X website.

The project is believed to be linked to Google X, the company's top secret lab dedicated to "shoot-for-the-stars" type ideas, such as driverless cars, web-connected appliances, and even space elevators. The labs are reportedly run "as mysteriously as the C.I.A.," according to unnamed sources familiar with the project, and housed in two facilities -- one in California at the company's headquarters and one in an undisclosed location elsewhere in the country.

This all sounds pretty crazy but because Google is behind it, I feel like it must have potential.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/02/06/google-unveils-secret-project-to-solve-worlds-biggest-problems/?test=latestnews#ixzz1lfkP2QeA

PR plays a role on Super Bowl Sunday and beyond

The Super Bowl is obviously not just a football game. It is the biggest social television event of the year. Advertising companies and businesses spend millions of dollars just to be seen on that channel during that game.

The big game is also not just a platform for creative advertisements, but for all of the PR and marketing that surrounds the broadcast at the game and elsewhere.

This is the perfect time for PR professionals to pick apart the Super Bowl from every angle to find the ways to reach the target audience.

Social Media surrounding the Super Bowl is also helpful for advertising products.

Twitter has launched an “Ad Scrimmage” where fans can vote and monitor the talk surrounding Super Bowl ads in the week after the game. Brand Bowl 2012, brought to you by Boston.com, Mullen, and Radian6 will also be taking a closer look at the Twitter activity surrounding ads. And The USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter involves a Facebook partnership, the real-time Web, and a mobile component, all of this to maximize the social and sharing prospects of the day.

Linda Boff, GE’s global head of digital marketing, says in that story that FC story that Super Bowl success for the company isn’t just about sales, but also chatter. Warschawski’s Goodell proposed that all of the pre-game ad “leaking” was exactly for that purpose.

“Paid advertising is used to generate word-of-mouth and third-party credibility,” she said. That’s where PR steps in.

http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser/pr-plays-a-role-on-super-bowl-sunday-and-beyond_b33439

NFL & NBC apologize for actions of rapper M.I.A. during Superbowl

As with all televised productions, it is hard to determine what people are going to do during a performance. In today's world, we would like to think that people would know how and when to act a certain way, especially in one of the most watched events on the television, the Superbowl, however, this is not always the case.

This reminded me a lot of Janet Jackson in the Super Bowl a few years back. More than likely, the celebrities do this for attention, yet it occurs at the cost of the television network itself.

In this year's Super Bowl, rapper M.I.A. ended up flipping off the camera at the end of the half time show. Usually, the television network would catch this, however they mentioned that the gesture was a spontaneous one and there was nothing they could do to keep it from being aired. By being just a second late on the blur, it was late to cut the camera shot.

Press releases and apologies were released immediately by NBC and the NFL both. The NFL's statement tried placing more of the blame on NBC since their delay system allowed the gesture to be seen. The NBC, however, said that the NFL was responsible for hiring the talent.

Nothing has been said if the FCC plans on intervening, but many celebrities were tweeting and talking about the gesture of the rapper.

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/apologies-nfl-nba-mia-flips-bird-15522354#.TzB44ZhqNFI

Papa John's Offering Free Pizza To Loyalty Rewards Program Customers if Coin Toss Prior to Game Results in "Heads"

Papa Johns Pizza announced today that the nation voted "heads" to be the outcome of the Super Bowl pre game coin-toss. As a promotional strategy, Papa Johns will give all members of their loyalty rewards program a free large one-topping pizza and 2-liter Pepsi Max if the coin flip lands on the heads side of the coin.

This is a twist on their promotional strategy during last year's Super Bowl game, in which Papa John's would reward fans with free pizza if the game went into overtime. Last years game did not end up going into overtime, however with minutes remaining in the 4th quarter the two teams were separated by 3 points, and overtime was a definite possibility, and a buzz was generated regarding the chance for free pizza.

This year will involve the opposite end of the spectrum, with the promotion taking place before the game begins rather than when it would end in regulation time like last year. Papa John's is expecting a huge increase in sign-ups for its loyalty rewards program in the days leading up to the big game. Former NFL star Jerome Bettis and current NFL star Peyton Manning are endorsing the promotion, and have both became recent new members of the Papa Loyalty Rewards Program. Both NFL stars explained how they would be crossing their fingers for "heads" to come up on the coin toss along with the rest of the nation.

Company CEO John Schnatter said he is excited for the promotion and the opportunity to provide customers with free pizza as the result of a simple coin-toss.

Papa John's Pizza Giveaway

McDonald's learns lesson from Twitter campaign

This past month, McDonald's created a Twitter campaign that was intended for customers to talk about McDonald's in a positive light, but the campaign backfired instead and led to many negative and derogatory tweets.

McDonald's created hashtags for the campaign such as #McDStories and #MeetTheFarmers and that led to people tweeting harsh and negative comments about the quality of food. McDonald's social media director, Rick Wion, said the company is "learning" from the experience.

In the past, McDonald's has had successful Twitter campaigns, but those campaigns were more controlled and specific and did not lead to negative tweets against the company. One reason this past campaign may have failed was because of the broad topic and it was less controlled than previous campaigns.

All companies need to be careful when they create hashtags and campaigns because that gives people the freedom to write whatever they want and sometimes they don't always have the nicest things to say in return.

I think McDonald's handled the situation very well considering the harsh comments said about their company on Twitter and the fact that they were up front and honest by admitting their failure during this campaign showed that they are willing to learn from the social media mistakes made and that they will create more specific hashtag campaigns in the future to get postive feedback instead.

By: Lindsey O'Neal

http://www.prweekus.com/mcdonalds-learns-lesson-from-twitter-campaign/article/224533/

Apple Computer's silence: branding technique or bad PR?

Julia Hood’s article in PR Week is a response to the recent controversial New York Times article, “In China, human costs are built into the iPad”.  To provide some background information, the article exposes the grim working conditions in the Chinese plant: stress, fatal accidents, and suicide attempts are all covered.

Hood states that the sentence “Apple was provided with extensive summaries of this article but the company declined to comment” was no surprise, and that Apple’s “no comment” policy is getting old.

It is true that Apple computer is notorious for their lack of transparency. (In fact, Hugh Forrest, SXSW Interactive director and mass communication week guest speaker, spoke of his frustration with Apple Computer’s unwillingness to work with other companies during his time at Texas State.)

Apple Computer did release a supplier responsibility report, and a report of an email from CEO Tim Cook to employees. Hood argues this is not enough.

Hood goes on to question why the public won’t tolerate “no comment” on safety issues from a mining company or squeezing margins at the expense of employees from a discount retailer (AKA: Walmart), She thinks it’s imperative to not accept it from companies we love, but to hold them to a higher standard.
 

Beyond the accusations and the obvious human rights issue, this article left me curious as to whether Apple Computer’s lack of transparency is a genius branding technique or downright bad public relations. (I am by no means condoning the exploitation of Chinese workers, but arguing that Apple’s lack of a comment could be part of their branding.)

Yes, Apple Computer’s lack of communication to commenting to the public on such issues has frustrated the general public for years, yet Apple is still one of the most successful companies the world and a household name. People around the world continue to vote with their dollar and spend thousands of dollars on Apple products.

Could the lack of transparency be part of Apple Computer’s appeal; perhaps the element of mystery is part of their “personal branding”. Maybe their silent policy prevents the company from digging themselves a deeper hole. Apple has remained silent and successful throughout the years.

On the other hand, a serious human rights issue has come up this time and I personally agree with Hood in the fact that Apple does owe some explaining to the general public. What will this do for the company’s image? I do not know.