Oldham Blog #23

So I love the "You know you are a (blank) when posts so I thought I would do one for PR students:

Ten Ways to Know You are a PR Student:

1. You carry your AP handbook with you just in case you might need to reference something.

2. You have already thought of your own personal"brand."

3. You are one of the only college students your ages that actually checks the news daily.

4. You look for errors while reading the newspaper.

5. You are on the only one in your group of friends who knows about Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, PROpenMic,Flickr and Google Wave.

6. You have thought about logging into Second life just to see how people advertise.

7. You joined PRSSA.

8. Unlike the norm, public speaking is not your biggest fear, but rather something you actually enjoy.

9. You have googled yourself to see what your online reputation is.

10. You have realized being able to network will get you farther than any of your classes.

OLdham Blog #22

Something I just got into is checking my friends' personal blogs for their wedding. I think it is so great because I get to hear their "stories" of how they met, how the wedding is coming, and what their plans are. As a bridesmaid for two of these people, it has been so great to feel like I am a part of the wedding process. I feel connected and they reach not only me, but all of our friends. As I was viewing one of them again today I thought of the idea that all companies really should have a blog where they post things regarding new products, sales, ect. Facebook pages are also a great idea and I know lots of companies who already have them. I feel like my generation spends more time on a computer than anywhere else and that this is the best bet for companies of the future.

Oldham Blog #21

One networking tool I just cannot get over is facebook. Not only can you stalk your friends and even random strangers, but you can literally let me know almost everything about you. A personal example I have of this comes from two years ago when I kept changing my relationship status. In a day it went from "in a relationship" to "it's complicated" to "single." I cannot even begin to explain the number of texts and phone calls I got just because of this. The situation really reminded me how much people are online and checking their friends status, photos, ect. Sometimes I feel that people live more online than they do in the real life. This moves into the idea that people don't communicate face-to-face anymore. Things can so easily be done over an emial, text, phone call, and now your online profile. Although this has benefits, to me. nothing beats a heart-to-heart conversation.

Oldham Blog #20

I recently had the opportunity to attend a local charity event in support of Common Ground.

Here is a little more information on the organization:

"Common Ground Outdoor Adventures' mission is to provide life-enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities. We provide adaptive equipment and support, which enable people with disabilities to participate in outdoor recreation alongside their peers. These experiences reduce stereotypes, raise awareness, and empower people to realize their full potential. Our trips are not only accessible physically but also financially." http://www.cgadventures.org/

The event was so much fun to attend because they had some of the handicap kids their who had benefited from the organization. This marketing tool was such a great pr tool and really helped motivate the attendees to help the organization even more. When I plan events in the future this will definitely be something I remember.

Oldham Blog #19

The situation that happened in relation to the song “United Breaks Guitars” is a great example of both poorly conducted and positively conducted PR. A little over a year ago as musician Dave Carroll was traveling on United Airlines from Halifax to Chicago, his $3,500 Taylor guitar was damaged and broken during the flight process. When Carroll approched United about replacing the guitar, his wishes were denied. Carroll vowed to write three songs about the poor customer service and two days after his first release the company was down $180 million.

The first mistake with the public relations on United’s end was that the company did nothing to apologize or explain why they could not replace the guitar. When a client has a problem with your company, it is the priority of the PR employees to make sure the customer leaves the situation happy and on good terms with the organization. No matter if the customer is in the wrong or not, it should have been the role of United to make sure Carroll left feeling satisfied. Without caring about your customers and listening to their concerns, there is no way for a company to be successful and United should have known this.

The second mistake on United’s end was ignoring Carroll’s threats at writing three songs. Considering that Carroll is a musician and could potentially have a lot of influence, United should have taken what Carroll said much more seriously. As public relation specialists, the employees at United should have known that the reputation of the company was in danger. First and foremost, I believe that United should have provided some sort of compensation for the guitar. Ata minimum United should have already had a statement prepared in defense against Carroll and his music. This way United could have quickly had a reaction statement and the losses could have potentially been avoided.

Looking at the actions of Dave Carroll, I believe that he did absolutely nothing wrong and handled the situation very professionally. Carroll tried to first handle his issues with the company. When nothing was done to assist him, Carroll forewarned United about the songs and gave them ample time to either defend themselves or help buy a replacement guitar.

Carroll’s songs and the enormous impact they had on people and United, are a great example of just how strong of an impact public relations can have. Neither Carroll nor United could have suspected that a simple song could change people’s views so strongly. With the social media of today, people see and hear things at a much quicker pace. Youtube and the Internet are so popular that millions of people can view content in a matter of days. As time continues and technology progresses, organizations and people are going to have to maintain an even stronger watch on their image and the reputation they have with the public.

Although the increase in technology and media resources can damage a company quickly, it can also change an image for the positive overnight. Dave Carroll is an excellent example of how in a matter of days he went from being hardly known to a social sensation. Today, PR can be used to the advantage or disadvantage depending on how resources are used and situations are handled. The overall message and key is to recognize the power of PR and use this power for good.

Oldham Blog #18

A great organization for all PR students to get involved in is The Social Media Club of Cache Valley (SMCCV). It is a new organization in Logan that allows members to learn more about the concepts of social media through guest speakers and panel discussions.

The club meets on the second Thursday of every month at different locations around Logan. Businesses that are willing to offer a venue receive free publicity since members of the group Facebook, blog, and tweet about their experiences.

Individuals of all knowledge and experience levels are welcome to attend meetings and become a member of SMCCV.
The next meeting will be held Thursday September, 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Club New York, located at 359 N. Main St. in Logan. Loralle Choate will be speaking about being discovered by the White House based on her personal blog entries on health care. Choate will be taking questions and discussing how to improve a blog. Approximately 50 to 80 people are expected to attend.

The Social Media Club of Cache Valley is a local chapter of a global organization that began three years ago and is headquartered in San Francisco. Parker and three colleagues started the Cache Valley chapter in July 2009 after attending a Salt Lake chapter meeting in Jan. 2009. The club began with three members, but has expanded to 27 official members according to the SMCCV website at http://www.smccv.net/

Oldham Blog #17

Until I started my Online JCOM class I had only every heard of HTML. On our second day of class we learned the basic codes that allow you to begin creating webpage. At first, I was nervous to start using HTML because in my mind it was simply a bunch of dashes and codes that seemed far too confusing. However, once I started practicing, it was a lot easier and more exciting than I expected.

In an article that discusses the basics of beginning XHTML it defined the practice as: “…a way of describing how a set of text and images should be displayed to the viewer, similar in concept to a newspaper editor's markup symbols." This definition helped me to better understand HTML and think of it as the overall blueprints and layout of what you want your webpage to look like.

As a PR major, I have realized the importance of learning at least the basics of HTML. Being able to tell a future employer that I know how to construct a webpage is going to give me an advantage over my competitors. This ability also lets your employer know that you are technologically savvy and comfortable using tools and resources that could help the business.

Another note to add is that like all technology, HTML will eventually infiltrate throughout society and eventually be used and understand by the vast amount of people. Realizing this, it is important to get ahead and master HTML concepts now so you can already be ahead for the future.

oldham Blog #16

Often times I believe that people underestimate the power of the written word. In the professional world, one of the most important tools an employee can have is to possess high-quality writing skills. One of the areas that most people lack writing skills is in electronic communication. A section from “Writing Effective Email” states, “By requiring employees to use appropriate, businesslike language in all electronic communications, employers can limit their liability risks and improve the overall effectiveness of the organization's e-mail and Internet copy in the process.”

With the new wave of technology so much of our communication, business and personal alike, is handed through email. Looking at email etiquette from a business standpoint, a company needs to implement etiquette rules in order to achieve professionalism, efficiency, and protection from liability. If employers take the time to construct high-quality work, then it is going to tell the clients that the company they are working with is professional and cares about them as a client. Emails that get to the point are not only more professional, but are much more efficient and beneficial. Lastly, if employees use etiquette when communicating electronically, then they are potentially saving the company from costly law suits.

An article discussing email etiquette gives these 32 rules to follow when writing an email:

1. Be concise and to the point
2. Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions
3. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation
4. Make it personal
5. Use templates for frequently used responses
6. Answer swiftly
7. Do not attach unnecessary files
8. Use proper structure & layout
9. Do not overuse the high priority option
10. Do not write in CAPITALS
11. Don't leave out the message thread
12. Add disclaimers to your emails
13. Read the email before you send it
14. Do not overuse Reply to All
15. Mailings > use the bcc: field or do a mail merge
16. Take care with abbreviations and emoticons
17. Be careful with formatting
18. Take care with rich text and HTML messages
19. Do not forward chain letters
20. Do not request delivery and read receipts
21. Do not ask to recall a message.
22. Do not copy a message or attachment without permission
23. Do not use email to discuss confidential information
24. Use a meaningful subject
25. Use active instead of passive
26. Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
27. Avoid long sentences
28. Don't send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks
29. Don't forward virus hoaxes and chain letters
30. Keep your language gender neutral
31. Don't reply to spam
32. Use cc: field sparingly

In order to enforce these rules in a company, a written email policy must first be established. Not only should the policy outline the do’s and don’ts of professional email communication, but the employees should also be trained on the rules to make sure they fully understand them. As long as these procedures are followed and the policies implemented, then the company will not only function better, but hold a higher image

Oldham Blog #15

Netiquette. It is not a word that most of us hear very often, but simply put it is the set of rules for behaving properly online. Cyberspace is its own culture, and with each new culture comes a different and unique set of rules. Luckily, netiquette consist of ten basic rules, that when followed, will provide you with the skills to behave appropriately.

These ten rules are as follows:

1. Remember the human.
2. Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you would follow in real life.
3. Know where you are in cyberspace.
4. Respect other people’s time and bandwidth.
5. Make yourself look good online.
6. Share expert knowledge.
7. Help keep flame wars under control.
8. Respect other people’s privacy.
9. Don’t abuse your power.
10. Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes.

In my opinion, the most important of all these rules is to remember the human. When you communicate on cyberspace it is important to remember that you don’t see the person face-to-face, you only see the computer screen. Therefore, you need to realize that people can’t see gestures or facial expressions. Sometimes what you might mean to say sarcastically will only come off cold and mean. Also, remember that if you wouldn’t say something to someone’s face don’t say it online. It can often times be easy to say whatever you feel like when you are only looking at a computer screen, but manners are important, especially when it comes to people’s feelings.

Overall, following these ten rules will help you represent yourself better and keep the culture of cyberspace a happy and professional one.

oldham Blog #14

Most of us go about our day using Google to search for anything and everything. What most people don’t realize is that Google keeps a personal history of what everyone searches for on the Internet. Recently, a North Carolina man was found guilty of murder based on words he had searched for on Google prior to his wife’s death. As a Google user myself, I first found this information to be extremely shocking. However, thinking about it more fully I don’t believe people should have anything to hide under their search terms. Overall, I believe Google’s power will provide more good than harm. People who are innocent will not be affected by the lack of privacy. The only time this issue will really affect people is when a crisis happens, like a crime, and Google’s power can help solve the case.

oldham Blog #13

Another interesting behind the scenes Internet battle is the control of the web by telecommunication groups. Within just a few years, telecommunication companies may have the potential to alter the flow of information on people’s computer screens. For a price, companies like Google and Yahoo are going to compete for “time” on the web. Throughout Internet history, we have become accustomed to the Internet being a neutral space where every company had equal opportunities. Companies are lobbying their views on both sides, each arguing that one way will help better support and market their company. Alan Davidson, Washington policy counsel for Google comments, "If carriers are able to control what consumers do on the Internet that threatens the model of Internet communications that has been wildly successful.” Overall, the neutrality of the Internet is a heated battle that keeps on getting hotter.

Oldham Blog #12

In the journalism world of today, branding yourself on the web can be one of your best tools. I recently started this blog and am working to collaborate entries about my thoughts and knowledge about public relations. When I am writing, I often times find myself double checking my work and making sure it sounds just the way I want it to. Posting your work makes it a lot more serious than just turning it in to a professor. It is crazy to think that anyone who wanted to could be viewing my profile. Alfred Hermida wrote, “With journalism shifting toward an era of the personal, rather than the institutional, brand, students need to consider how they are going to stand out as the expert in a knowledge-based economy.” I personally feel that blogging is a great way to showcase your skills and talents as a public relations student. Although I am not interested in becoming a journalist, I can still display my writing skills as well as blog about my event planning and media relations skills.

Here are ten tips I found to develop a personal brand:

1. People in your field should know who you are.
2. Someone who Googles your first and last name should be able to find out who you are.
3. Your online self-representation should demonstrate that you are a serious, ethical journalist.
4. Samples of your best work should be linked to your home page or online (HTML) resume.
5. Your real work experience should be easy to find and easy to scan quickly. People will want to check this for verification, so dates should be clear, not obfuscated. Example: “June – August 2006″ is clear and honest. “Intern” is honest when “reporter” might not be. Consider “correspondent” or “stringer” too, when accurate. Lists of dodgy freelance work make you appear dodgy. Links to work add credibility. (Use PDFs for work that has been locked behind a pay wall or deleted.)
6. Make sure your online pages can be read easily on various cell phones, including the iPhone.
7. If you supply a link to a PDF of your resume, make sure the pertinent job or freelance-experience information is also available via simple HTML (not exclusively in the PDF). Word Docs are not good for online resumes. A Google Doc would be better.
8. People who might want to hire you need to be able to find your contact info EASILY. Don’t make them hunt all over for it. If you supply an e-mail address, make sure you check mail at that address just about daily, if not more often.
9. You need to be around, to be visible, to be seen — people should see your name in comments, retweets, etc.
10. People online should point to you from time to time, as I have pointed to Joe, Dave, Ryan, Greg, and Lauren in this post. This confers authority on you. Brands rest in part on authority, in part on name recognition.

oldham Blog #11

I have been a member of Kappa Delta for the last two years and I get a lot of questions about who we are and what we stand for so I thought I would share a little.

Kappa Delta Sorority at Utah State is part of a national organization committed to inspiring women to reach their full potential by volunteering in the community, holding active leadership positions, receiving opportunities for networking, and living time-honored values.

When people take the time to look past what they think they know about sorority life, they realize that Kappa Delta allows women some of the greatest opportunities available for leadership, academic success and community service.

The open motto for the organization is “Ta Kala Diokomen,” which translates to “Let us strive for that which is honorable, beautiful, and highest.” The Kappa Delta members at Utah State not only say this is their motto, but they do all they can to live it.

Greek life at Utah State has had a rocky past, but we have stepped up as a chapter to combat the negative image and prove we live what we stand by.This school year alone, the chapter has already logged over a hundred hours of combined community service hours. We work very closely with the Girl Scouts and help teach them the values of the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. It is amazing to see the impact we can make on these young girl and I am so happy Kappa Delta gives me such an amazing opportunity.

Kappa Delta not only helps the community, but the women involved. Being involved in a sorority has helped me out tremendously academically. I know that if I don't do well in school I can't be a part of Kappa Delta and that is motivation enough to make sure I do as best I can.

With over 200,000 members nationally, the networking opportunities are phenomenal. Personally, I know Kappa Delta will give me my first job. It's not just because of the name, but what the name means. Being Greek means I am a leader and a strong woman who is motivated and serves.

Oldham Blog #10

I recently learned about a great organization here in Cache Valley called the The Cache Valley Area Investors Association (CVAIA). It is a local organization that allows everyone to learn how to increase their passive income and become financially independent.

The mission of CVAIA is to teach people how to invest their time and assets in order to build a strong financial foundation so that individuals can be happier and more successful. The association believes that when you are free from financial stress you do not have to focus on money and instead can focus on a career you enjoy.

“You spend too much time working to do a job you don’t enjoy. Most of the millionaires in America are self-made. They keep expenses low for five to ten years and then they find themselves financially independent,” said Preston Parker, founder of the organization.

Promoting information about CVAIA would be extremely beneficial to the target audience of The Utah Statesman. Professors as well as college students deal with financial issues and information about how to better handle funds is beneficial to all of the readers. College students would especially be interested in the organization since they do not have strong financial experience or knowledge. Attending CVAIA meetings would not only interest readers, but would significantly benefit their lives.

Oldham Blog #9

I think that it is crazy to think that online you can be anyone you wish. Since no one can see you face-to-face there is no way to truly tell who you are dealing with online. I have found that because of this people are less shy about things and tend to be more outgoing and bold than they usually would be. These cartoons remind me of the game second life where you can create your own ‘second life’ in a virtual world. Just like the cartoons demonstrate, no one knows your true self and people do things out of character because of this. Although online images can be false, you can also use your online name to create a positive image of who you truly are. So basically, BE CAREFUL and make yourself look good! :)

Oldham Blog #8

Going along with my last blog post, I get SO happy when I see amazing advertising. This season, my favorite I have seen so far are the Tiffany & Co. commercial for this holiday season. It is SO tasteful, BEAUTIFUL, romantic, and incorporates positive branding with core values. If you go to this link: http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/Default.aspx?mcat=148203; or the Tiffany website, click on engagement, and then the "Give Voice to Your Heart" video you will be able to see it. I hope you love it as much as I do! :)

Oldham Blog #7

I am so amazed at some of the terrible PR and advertising that is out there in the world today. It seems like some companies think they will best market their brand by incorporating bad humor, crude mannerisms, and distaste to best brand their product. I know people say that it is the changing times, but sometimes I wish our society would go back to the times of class, elegance, and simplicity.

I also think that if the advertising and PR world promoted these things society would follow. When I work in the industry one day this will be my goal: to influence society only for the better and help bring us back to core values, morals, and manners.

Oldham Blog #6

So I have always heard about how great Photoshop was, but I never really took the time to get familiar with the program. This semester I have had the opportunity to learn a lot about the program and I am happy to report that it is not nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Once you get familiar with all of the different tool and where they are you are pretty much set. I have had a lot of fun playing around with the program and here is one of my favorite picture.

This is a shot of me (right), my sister tara (left), and her friend (middle). The letters were painted by a sigma chi, designed by me, and constructed by my amazing boyfriend. AOT!

oldham Blog #5

Public Relations vs. Advertising...

Compared to advertising, public relations is generally much more effective. Even if the PR is not free, expenses are generally minor things such as phone calls and mailings to the media. Not only is it far more cost-effective, but it reaches a much wider audience. A newspaper article compared to an advertisement not only is viewed by a wider audience, but is taken much more seriously since outside sources are more credible and less bias. There is much more longevity with a news article as well, which also makes it more important that the information about the company is positive.

oldham Blog #4

Within the realm of public relations there are a variety of tools and resources that help assist with the representation of a company. Non-profit events, charity donations, and community service done by an organization all help assist with positive representation. Furthermore, if a company hosts a non-profit event helping the community this news will likely get recognition from a third-party, like a newspaper, and provide positive PR for the company. An example of this is the Utah Fast Pass where Cache Valley Electric (CVE) hosts a charity banquet where all donations go towards helping the community. Although CVE is not personally advertising these actions, the event still acts as a great PR tool as third-party media sources relay this information to the community.

This past summer I had the opportunity to attend the Fast Pass and witness what a great event it really was. The Fast Pass is unlike most charity events where you come, pay for dinner beforehand and then hold an auction. Instead, the participants get to drive around Utah on closed off roads and get "tickets" that go to a charity. Due to the fact that the event was so fun, people who went to the dinner were so happy and excited to be there and thus were willing to participate and donate.

Oldham Blog #3

Public relations is a way for a company to gain exposure to their audiences using tools such as news items, speaking at conferences, employee communication, and working with the press. These resources are extremely beneficial for a company because they do not require direct payment and have more credibility. Since these forms of PR are done by outside third-parties, the public finds them more legitimate than internal advertising that is directly controlled by a company.

I personally want to work closely with event planning in order to help create positive PR for a company. My dream is to work for a major fashion house such as Chanel, Prada, DVF, ect. In this industry fashion shows and promotional parties are some of the best forms of advertising. Both fashion and event planning are passions of mine so hopefully my dreams will come true! Look for my work in Paris! ;)

Oldham Blog #2

As a PR major, a lot of people ask me exactly what that is. Public relations (PR) is the positive promotion of a company and representing the organization in the best light possible. PR helps to relay and filter information that is released to the public in order to make the company more appealing. PR is also a way for organizations to inform the public about the values of a company and how they operate and function.

PR is a way for a company to achieve their highest potential as part of public relations is relaying feedback from the public back to the company. This is done through research methods to see what concerns and praises the public has with the organization. Overall, this makes PR a way to best please the public market and keep the masses happy with the organization.

In order to help protect the image of a company, PR is also responsible for avoiding negative press. PR means spinning bad situations around and helping protect the company’s image. A recent example of negative PR is the death of an initiate among the Greek Community at Utah State. When this travesty occurred, it was the role of PR specialists to step in and try to make the situation as less damaging as possible for Greeks and USU. This was done by Greeks making promises to live their values to the fullest and attempting to increase their involvement in the community.

Overall, PR is one of the most important tools a company can use in order to promote the overall image of the organization. In order for a company to function effectively, it is necessary for the public to view the company in a positive light, thus making PR one of the most effective resources available in the business world.

Oldham Blog #1

I recently heard about the new phenomenon called Second Life. Here is a quick definition to help in my explanation:

A virtual world on the Internet from Linden Research, Inc., San Francisco, CA (www.lindenlab.com), in which "residents" create an identity, meet people, buy land and build their own environment or purchase an existing one. It is a "massively multiplayer online role playing game" (MMORPG), but one that offers users total freedom to create and interact as if they were living another life.

Land and objects are purchased from Linden Lab or other Second Lifers using Linden dollars. A small amount is given to first-time users, but additional Linden dollars must be purchased monthly to acquire more. An entire island can even be purchased.

Virtual banks sprang up in Second Life that paid interest to Linden dollar depositors. However, some of them lost money by speculating in Second Life gambling and real estate ventures and actually caused a "virtual run on their bank." Since Linden dollars can be converted to real dollars, Second Lifers lost real money, and in early 2008, Second Life closed down the virtual banks, stating that only real chartered banks could offer banking services.

There are countless Second Life cultures and subcultures organized around arts, sports, games and other areas. Groups can be formed that simulate mini-companies and mini-communities. Even real companies, such as Coca-Cola and Adidas, participate in Second Life as a marketing venue. Numerous universities, including Harvard, Princeton and Vassar, offer online classes. Religious organizations hold meetings, and starting with the Maldives and Sweden, countries have created virtual embassies.

-PC Dictionary

When I hear things like this happening it boggles my mind and makes we wonder what they will come up with next. I personally do not know if I think the website is a good idea. I know people say it is an escape, but I think that social interactions with actual people, reading a book, taking a walk, ect. are much better options. I do not think people should have a second life, I think they should make the most of their current or "first" life.

I have even heard my professor for one of my classes say that next semester we were going to have an ACTUAL class offered through the website. All we would have to do is pay tuition like normal, log into the website, and sit and listen to the lecture. CRAZY!

JCOM 2160: Assignment Seven

This image was achieved using Photoshop. I began by creating a duplicate layer. Then, I went to Image, Adjustments, Hue/Saturation and then changed the saturation to -100 to make the image black and white. Following this, I clicked on the background layer and errased the outline of the letters so the pink would shine through. I added the quote by creating a text box. I made the shadow on the quote by adding a drop shadow effect.

In order to achieve this new image I started by cropping the picture to focus it in more on our faces. Then, I changed the coloring so it gave the black and white look with a slight color. Then I sharpened the image because it was a bit blurry.

JCOM 2160: Assignment Six (Part 2)

This castle is supposed to look like their is a ghost in it! Scary huh? :) In order to achieve this image I scaled the castle down to fit the size of the pumpkin. Then I used the blending tool and used the screen option to make the image duller.

JCOM 2160: Assignment Six

In order to create this image I duplicated my image and did a color overlay in pink and then errased the top of the new image to display the lid of the origional can.

JCOM 2160: Nobody Knows You're a Dog

I thought that the cartoons displaying that ‘nobody knows you’re a dog’ had a very great message. I think that it is crazy to think that online you can be anyone you wish. Since no one can see you face-to-face there is no way to truly tell who you are dealing with online. I have found that because of this people are less shy about things and tend to be more outgoing and bold than they usually would be. These cartoons remind me of the game second life where you can create your own ‘second life’ in a virtual world. Just like the cartoons demonstrate, no one knows your true self and people do things out of character because of this. Although online images can be false, you can also use your online name to create a positive image of who you truly are.