This week's blog will focus primarily on the viewpoints of my fellow classmates, as opposed to my own. I have chosen two blogs in particular that I believe are the most relevant to mine. Each of these blogs discuss the two main components that make up my blog: Entertainment PR and Social Media. The first blog that I have chosen talks about the entertainment industry and how celebrities are often chosen to market products for companies in order for that product to gain recognition. The second blog discusses the importance of social media to gain feedback from clients and to provide a channel of communication between companies and their audiences. I felt that both of these blogs were extremely interesting, so I will now share them with you.
The first blog that I came across was Steph's blog, which focuses on the simple fact that society craves information about the lives of the rich and famous. Celebrities are all over the media and we can't help but wonder what they are doing next. Steph mentions how celebrities are often used for product advertising to "improve upon [a] company's sales results." The quote that she shared from the University of South Alabama was, in my opinion, 100 percent true. I thought that this topic shared almost exactly the same beliefs as mine and what I was trying to get across to my readers. In my most recent blog post, I talked about how celebrities are more likely to sell products as opposed to the average Jane. People love to see a familiar face in an advertisement so they can feel a sense of connection with them and, in turn, trust them to buy the product they are marketing.
The next blog that I will share is Kevin's blog because he discusses how social media has become such a prominent way to connect businesses with their public. Kevin mentions how social media websites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, provide a means of communication between PR practitioners and their target audiences. These types of websites provide such an easy way to receive feedback. What I liked about Kevin's blog was that it related to mine, in a sense. We both discussed the importance of social media and how it is becoming increasingly popular in today's society. It can be extremely beneficial for almost anyone to stay connected with certain clients, PR professionals, or even the media. The only problem that might exist is if you don't know how to use it.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Research Can Be Such an Ugly Word.
Fads are huge in society, despite what people choose to believe for themselves. If we see Lady Gaga get on a stage in a meat dress (oh wait, we already did) we would probably search all over for a replica -- okay, probably not. But you get my drift. Celebrities' styles jump out at us through the pages in a magazine or on our TVs, and we can't help but want what they have. How does this have any form of relevance to social media? You will soon find out.
The hottest celebrities are chosen to market certain products for name-brand companies because those companies are smart. We wouldn't want to buy a lipstick if some random "nobody" was advertising it on billboards, right? Companies want recognizable faces to catch your attention, and if you know who they are, you might be able to relate to them and want what they are selling.
This is where social media comes into play with the public eye. Celebs are taking over sites like Twitter and Facebook for their own popularity boost, but they are using this to their advantage. Take Snooki, from the MTV reality show Jersey Shore, for example. Although most of the time she tweets about her daily activities and whereabouts, she did a lot of PR for a spray tan company called "SUNLOVE." Her fans and other people were not only reading about her personal life, but they were seeing free advertisement for a spray tan company. Although this might be hard to believe, there are people in this world who look up to Snooki (and her pouf--literally), so this type of PR can manipulate her Twitter followers to look into this new product and find out more about it, or even perhaps buy it.
In a YouTube video that was posted on the SUNLOVE website, Snooki describes her love for the spray tan product and demonstrates how it works on a live person.
PR has a funny way of working with people's minds and the best part is that people don't even realize that they are falling right into these companies' traps. Organizations like SUNLOVE choose certain celebrities to market their products due to their popularity in society. The more popular and loved they are, the more likely people are to consider the product they are marketing.
As you might not have noticed, unless you previously knew the topic of my blog this evening, the word "research" was never mentioned once in the context above. Is it because there was none taking place? Often times, people don't even realize that they are conducting research through their work in PR. Well, the companies have certainly done their research when they choose which celebrities are going to be their spokes person for their next campaign. The results of their research are used for promotion and increase in sales. If they never did research from the get-go, how would they know who their demographics are, what to improve, what their budget will be, etc.? In this case, social media has almost become a form of free advertisement and promotion for companies without forcing them to pay a dime -- unless they hire someone else to do it for them.
The hottest celebrities are chosen to market certain products for name-brand companies because those companies are smart. We wouldn't want to buy a lipstick if some random "nobody" was advertising it on billboards, right? Companies want recognizable faces to catch your attention, and if you know who they are, you might be able to relate to them and want what they are selling.
This is where social media comes into play with the public eye. Celebs are taking over sites like Twitter and Facebook for their own popularity boost, but they are using this to their advantage. Take Snooki, from the MTV reality show Jersey Shore, for example. Although most of the time she tweets about her daily activities and whereabouts, she did a lot of PR for a spray tan company called "SUNLOVE." Her fans and other people were not only reading about her personal life, but they were seeing free advertisement for a spray tan company. Although this might be hard to believe, there are people in this world who look up to Snooki (and her pouf--literally), so this type of PR can manipulate her Twitter followers to look into this new product and find out more about it, or even perhaps buy it.
In a YouTube video that was posted on the SUNLOVE website, Snooki describes her love for the spray tan product and demonstrates how it works on a live person.
PR has a funny way of working with people's minds and the best part is that people don't even realize that they are falling right into these companies' traps. Organizations like SUNLOVE choose certain celebrities to market their products due to their popularity in society. The more popular and loved they are, the more likely people are to consider the product they are marketing.
As you might not have noticed, unless you previously knew the topic of my blog this evening, the word "research" was never mentioned once in the context above. Is it because there was none taking place? Often times, people don't even realize that they are conducting research through their work in PR. Well, the companies have certainly done their research when they choose which celebrities are going to be their spokes person for their next campaign. The results of their research are used for promotion and increase in sales. If they never did research from the get-go, how would they know who their demographics are, what to improve, what their budget will be, etc.? In this case, social media has almost become a form of free advertisement and promotion for companies without forcing them to pay a dime -- unless they hire someone else to do it for them.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Am I Grabbing Your Attention? Good.
When dealing with social media in the entertainment industry, ethical issues can play a huge factor when it comes to what to say and what not to say. Once something is posted into the cyber world, it is there forever. This can cause problems for people who make false statements, post inappropriate pictures of themselves (or others), or just say something flat out stupid. Although you might have full control over what you post on the Internet, the scary part is -- you don't have control over what other's can post.
In order to grab someone's attention to read what you have to say, you have a make a bold heading. The media loves to take the truth and run with it to make it more interesting for their readers. This can sometimes cause the truth to be twisted and taken differently than it was meant, and in turn, cause rumors to start and spread. Honesty, as we all should know, is the best policy, and is often a huge ethical problem that is taken too far in social media, if used at all.
The honesty policy goes hand in hand with privacy. Do you want the world do know your dirty little secret? I bet not, and if you do, kudos (yes, I really just said that). Just like changing the truth to make it more interesting, the entertainment industry loves to blab all of the gossip and new secrets about celebrities and their lives. Sometimes this can be taken too far and ethical boundaries can get crossed, as sad as that is to say. So, stay ethical, do the right thing, and don't blab things you wouldn't want blabbed about you. I guess when it comes to the entertainment industry, it is easier said than done.
When things like this happen, people can get very upset and blame the person who tweeted or wrote things about them on the Internet. This is when the author, or the "tweeter," has to take full responsibility for their post and do some serious crisis management. This is the ultimate hardest part of PR that there is because how can you take back what you said and alter people's way of thinking? People form opinions very easily and can be quick to judge someone based on something they read online. Are you capable of changing their minds and reformulating their opinions?
As I was browsing the Internet, I came across an article that seemed almost impossible, stating that Kim Kardashian is believed to be pregnant. Who can really make a judgement that obscene about her based on a picture and a purchase she was "seen" making? Who's to say that the pregnancy tests were for her use? Even if this article was true, is it ethical for the media to be drawing such attention to this? If Kim really is pregnant, would she want the public knowing so soon? What are your opinions about ethics when it comes to social media in the entertainment industry? Further more, if you read something that you believed to be unethical, would you do anything about it?
In order to grab someone's attention to read what you have to say, you have a make a bold heading. The media loves to take the truth and run with it to make it more interesting for their readers. This can sometimes cause the truth to be twisted and taken differently than it was meant, and in turn, cause rumors to start and spread. Honesty, as we all should know, is the best policy, and is often a huge ethical problem that is taken too far in social media, if used at all.
The honesty policy goes hand in hand with privacy. Do you want the world do know your dirty little secret? I bet not, and if you do, kudos (yes, I really just said that). Just like changing the truth to make it more interesting, the entertainment industry loves to blab all of the gossip and new secrets about celebrities and their lives. Sometimes this can be taken too far and ethical boundaries can get crossed, as sad as that is to say. So, stay ethical, do the right thing, and don't blab things you wouldn't want blabbed about you. I guess when it comes to the entertainment industry, it is easier said than done.
When things like this happen, people can get very upset and blame the person who tweeted or wrote things about them on the Internet. This is when the author, or the "tweeter," has to take full responsibility for their post and do some serious crisis management. This is the ultimate hardest part of PR that there is because how can you take back what you said and alter people's way of thinking? People form opinions very easily and can be quick to judge someone based on something they read online. Are you capable of changing their minds and reformulating their opinions?
As I was browsing the Internet, I came across an article that seemed almost impossible, stating that Kim Kardashian is believed to be pregnant. Who can really make a judgement that obscene about her based on a picture and a purchase she was "seen" making? Who's to say that the pregnancy tests were for her use? Even if this article was true, is it ethical for the media to be drawing such attention to this? If Kim really is pregnant, would she want the public knowing so soon? What are your opinions about ethics when it comes to social media in the entertainment industry? Further more, if you read something that you believed to be unethical, would you do anything about it?
Monday, September 6, 2010
Entertainment, Meet Social Media.
Way back when (so far back that you probably forgot) people would read the newspaper or listen to the radio to hear the biggest scandal or exciting event that was taking place. After time went on, the biggest source for information became the television. Then it was the text message. Nowadays, all people have to do is click a button and BAM! What they're itching to know about their favorite celebrity can be found in the blink of an eye. Just say, "When."
Almost everybody in the world has a social media account, and if you personally have one, don't even lie and say you're not addicted to it. One of the semi-new and most popular of all social media right now is Twitter. Some people have a Twitter account so they can follow all of the magazines, celebrities that they love (or hate), and find out about the juicy gossip they are craving. All you have to do is "follow" whoever you want and you are instantly connected to them and engaging in their personal lives. Who can resist getting this close to this kind of information? Say goodbye to E! News because you have it all in the palm of your hand (figuratively speaking if you have Twitter on your BlackBerry or iPhone.)
As you can probably see where I am going with this, Entertainment PR and social media are so strongly linked these days, which is why this will be the primary focus of my blog. If you love staying connected and in sync with all the latest drama with the stars, then feel free to pay a visit and drop comments! Tweet tweet!
http://www.twitter.com/
Almost everybody in the world has a social media account, and if you personally have one, don't even lie and say you're not addicted to it. One of the semi-new and most popular of all social media right now is Twitter. Some people have a Twitter account so they can follow all of the magazines, celebrities that they love (or hate), and find out about the juicy gossip they are craving. All you have to do is "follow" whoever you want and you are instantly connected to them and engaging in their personal lives. Who can resist getting this close to this kind of information? Say goodbye to E! News because you have it all in the palm of your hand (figuratively speaking if you have Twitter on your BlackBerry or iPhone.)
As you can probably see where I am going with this, Entertainment PR and social media are so strongly linked these days, which is why this will be the primary focus of my blog. If you love staying connected and in sync with all the latest drama with the stars, then feel free to pay a visit and drop comments! Tweet tweet!
http://www.twitter.com/
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