I am eager to see how this works out and whether many in the social media community contribute thoughts to this. We all claim to be experts and have opinions on just about everything we possibly can, and this is an amazing opportunity to come up with definitions that are not forced upon us but that we create ourselves. Continue reading →
From AOL’s prominence in You’ve Got Mail to T-Mobile’s stronghold on MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge franchise, product placements are hard to miss. They’ve run the gamut from subtly integrated to awkwardly implanted, generated buzz, and, prompted viewers to reevaluate their perceptions of endorsement. But what’s next?
Could SM come to occupy a similar role in movies and television programs? Is it reasonable to think we could see a day where reality show contestants are live tweeting? Could Facebook updates replace some of the face-to-face interaction? Not to mention how the speed at which messages move in the SM sphere seems ideal for helping the contestants on reality dating shows to spread their trash talk and drama effectively. Continue reading →
We all like to go after the “Social Media Experts” claiming there’s no way anyone can a) be an expert in such a new field or b) such a quickly changing field. Beyond the semantics (“expert” vs. “experience” (as much as one can get), “guru,” “knowledgeable in,” “has an instinctive grasp of,” or my favorite undefinable (but likely true in some cases) “just gets”) there’s certainly something to be said for being able to use labels professionally which make us appear to have some higher level of comprehension in our field (and in many cases this is true).
Here’s the kick in the pants — PR pros, and other professionals in the related communications fields, don’t really “know” anything either when it comes to this stuff that a first or second year wouldn’t. Continue reading →
In a recent op-ed in the New York Times, the writer took on the current state of the R.S.V.P. He talked about the lack of response that R.S.V.P.s illicit, and that perhaps evites are on the way out the door. This is especially frustrating as a publicist when you are putting on event and are forced to utilize the cost-effective method of evites. You depend on responses.
The decline of evite popularity is becoming more and more of a trend.
I, myself, have been on both sides of the fence in relation to the R.S.V.P. Nothing is more frustrating then sending out an evite, only to realize no one has responded. Not only does it make you sad, but how do you even know who is coming to the event or not? Continue reading →
It’s no big secret that I am a bigger Dunkin’ Donuts fan than most. This weekend, in the wake of New Jersey’s monster hurricane, I traveled to three different Dunkin’s just to get hash browns and an iced coffee, and then I went to a fourth one later that night. Today I somehow found myself in a Starbucks and asked for a medium iced coffee three times before I realized I was supposed to say Grande. Dunkin’ is sort of always on my brain.
And I’m definitely not the only one. Last month, Dunkin’ Donuts was named number one in customer loyalty (in the coffee category) for the fourth straight year, which shows just how many people in the United States have made stopping at the infamous chain part of their daily routine. Of course the question that a study like this raises is, what is it that Dunkin’ Donuts does that inspires such utter devotion among their consumers? Continue reading →
If you didn’t know already, the PRBC has our very own Facebook Fan Page. Every Friday, we ask everyone a random question in a series called “Fun Facts Friday.” Last week we just finished up presenting our 35 ideas about social media in 30 minutes, so we asked you to share your one social media idea in a sentence.
Each morning when I wake up, read an interesting article and want to share it with my social community I begin to hyperventilate (not actually … yet … but I think its coming). The countless options I currently have to participate in the social world are beginning to create an anxiety problem. Should I Tweet or Facebook or Buzz … and enter paper bag. It made me wonder – with a new social networking site popping up each month and workloads increased thanks to the rough economy, will brands and their key executives take a step back from social media in fear they will not be able to communicate effectively? Maybe not just yet but we are on that path. Continue reading →
I have been reading a lot lately. Really, way more reading than I was doing in previous months. From the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times on the weekend, to amNY and Metro weekdays, and a slew of business and advertising trades in between, I have been trying to immerse myself in two of the professional areas I have the most passion in: small business and media.
Despite the fact that many of the publications that I have been reading have their own unique audience (For anyone who hasn’t done it yet, check out FT Weekend. Honestly, one of the best papers you will read.), the underlying fact of the matter is that each and every one of them tries to do the same thing at the end of the day: tell its readers great stories in a compelling medium that they enjoy. Continue reading →
When I spoke at the PRSA-CVC Social Media Conference last fall, I told my audience, “You can’t engage in social media for the sake of doing so.” To my audience, the majority of whom were there because they lacked experience with but felt pressured to engage in social media, this statement probably seemed bizarre. As though I were implying that you don’t have to jump on the SM band wagon.
A few months later, I realize that my statement was a bit more accurate than I initially thought. With SM, there is virtually nothing to be gained by going through the motions. Having made what I am sure some will perceive as an incredulous statement, I think it is important for companies to understand the value of SM before engaging in it. Continue reading →
As many of you know members of the PRBC group presented today at Ragan’s Social Media panel. Below we share some of our thoughts on SM. The names in parenthesis indicate who brought up the point. Hyperlinked to their twitter account on the first use.
Diving Into Social Media
Before any company, agency, or professional decides to become involved in social media, there will no doubt be some basic questions that they want answered, or some background information that they would appreciate hearing. The first group of points provide some helpful hints for diving into social media, whether you’re interested in using it for clients or becoming the resident thought-leader for your company. Continue reading →
Recently the Web Analytics Association announced it published social media measurement definitions on which it wanted the public to comment. I bet y’all realized I’d be excited about this since I’ve been so adamant about crowdsourcing (and not!) in the past.
