My FAV blog

So I found my new favorite blog --- urban outfitters
Their stuff is crazy unique and artsy. ...So I'll probably be mostly linking to their blog and posting the sweet stuff I see on it.
Like this-



http://www.mikerea.com/instruments.html

Wow. Check out this fiasco. An awful awful case of a baby's murder in Britain was followed by a humongous backlash on the web. It involved bloggers and Facebook users who just went crazy with the story.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/170087

Yay! Seventh Avenue in Ybor City -Tampa, FL was named one of the Top 10 Streets in the USA! I spent a good deal of time there this summer. :)

Also a good place to get your nose pierced. :P

A+ class

After our little PR presentation to the orientation class, a friend of mine texted me. He is a freshman broadcasting major and heard our spiel. He was super excited and said he really wants to add a PR minor now. He said we were very convincing (well, the people that talked anyway).
So, great job everyone! We're already putting those persuasive PR tactics to use. ha

TOMS shoes Week 10

If you haven't heard of TOMS shoes, you need to pay attention.

There are so many varieties of TOMS shoes, but it's not the look of the shoe that is appealing, it is the concept behind it. For every pair of shoes that is sold, TOMS shoes donates a pair of shoes to a child in need. The creator of the company uses word of mouth as his advertisement because of its personal interaction. He markets the shoes through his story and his cause. He says it is the "intimacy of his message" that matters. TOMS shoes communicates to customers via YouTube, their Web site, and word of mouth. Their hope is that people will get asked by others about the shoes and then have the opportunity to share the message behind TOMS. It is brilliant and beautiful and I'm getting a pair for Christmas! (Which also means I'm giving a pair to a child who needs it.)

The End Week 10

In a way, it is sad to read the final chapters of our 'textbooks'. I would never normally use that sentence. But it is true, like most people in our class agree, these books were thought-provoking, insightful, and intriguing. With social media being a new topic to study, I was excited to read each week and learn what the knowledgeable, experienced authors had to say--especially since all of their ideas can be applied directly to PR and where the profession is headed.

In the conclusion of New Influencers, Gillin says, "Social media is simply an electronic version of interactions that have been going on for a long time." I completely agree with his statement. The concepts and ideas behind social media aren't fabulously new and innovative. At its core, social media is communication and interaction between people. What has changed is that people now know how to communicate/interact electronically and instantaneously. This allows companies, organizations, and individual people to interact with the public in a more effective manner; a manner that follows the evolution of technology in our culture and uses it.

Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba stress the importance of loyalty and transparency in this social media phenomenon. Loyalty is the goal and the backbone of citizen-created content. People blog and share because of their passion and desire to do so. It isn't (normally) out of monetary motivation. Self-motivation is what makes the communication credible, honest, and transparent. Investing time and thought into people and engaging in transparent communication is social media at its finest.

Wonder Woman Week 10

I hate that people can't be trusted, especially on the internet. Nobody likes being fooled. Yet another story of a lying blogger/Web site recently ocurred.
On the site Wonder-Who.com, fans have been eagerly awaiting the announcement of who will play Wonder Woman in the upcoming film adaptation.

In the article by Matt McDaniel that I read on Yahoo, it said, "The Wonder-Who.com site appeared with an image of the Wonder Woman logo over an American flag with the words "The Truth Will Be Revealed!" Every day they would reveal a little more of the picture of the actress until finally the picture was revealed and the actress was Megan Fox, dressed in Wonder Woman garb. Megan Fox fans were ecstatic! As were fans of the comic Wonder Woman--they were excited that apparently a cast had been chosen and filming was soon taking place.

However, it was all a hoax. Other Web sites had started stating that Fox was the lead, but after some bloggers' investigation, Warner Bros. was contacted and they said that the Wonder-Who.com site was "complete B.S." What a downfall. The site built up hype for the revealment of Wonder Woman, and it wasn't true it all.

How can any Web sites information be fully trusted? The creators of Wonder-Who.com disgust me. Why put useless, false information out there that people latch on to? This story is another example proving that before trusting online information, people need to do their own research. I know I will in the future.

Singers tour Week 10

Is there a life management tool someone could sell me out there? K, thanks.

From last Wednesday till Sunday night I was on tour with University Singers. We performed at various high schools and churches around northern and eastern Ohio. It really was a blast--despite the missing class and not having time to get work done part. I wasn't smart like Evan who brought his computer into a mall to work. Then again, I don't know if I could've handled the people harassing me for money like they did him. We were in Cleveland.

My favorite part of the trip was staying with host families. My roommate and I, Amanda Quintrell, were overly excited to meet our host "mom"s and "dad"s every evening. It is just a unique experience to invade a random family's home for the night. Albeit awkward, there are bound to be stories that arise from the situation. Amanda and I had great hosts every night (by the end we were hoping for a bad one so we could have an exciting story to tell). Our first host mom gave up her master bedroom for us. She threw us a nacho party and invited all of her friends over so we could meet them. In the morning, we received a breakfast smorgasbord too. The second night, Amanda and I stayed with a nice old couple in Mansfield. The lady bought us Starbucks and let us browse a Barnes and Noble for an hour before heading to their home. Despite not having a shower, we slept well and were grateful. The third family experience was also pleasant. It was another old couple who fed us and basically left us on our own. Their cat loved me(I named it Buttons) and their dog didn't love me. Anyway, they took us out to a local diner for breakfast and we conversed about all kinds of things.

I'm glad that during our tour, we stayed with families instead of in hotels, because it really helped us to connect with people. I'm not a big talker, but I am always interested in other people's lives. I love to hear their stories and see from where people come. Because of the way our tour was set up, we could do that.
Bonding with choir members was also a huge positive that resulted from our tour. I feel much more comfortable around them now considering I spent several hours squished on a bus with them, swapping stories and sharing everything.
The tour was more fun than I expected, but it is causing me to breakdown now, after the fact. I'll be astonished if I don't drown under my workload this week...

Kidney Caper--Video Project

Kidney Caper



Evan and I wanted to come up with an unconventional, creative way to endorse organ donation. We're funny people, so we wanted to do something comedic and different. Although organ donation is a serious matter, comedy appeals to college-age students and we figured we could find a way to mesh the two. Most people are aware of the urban legend where a person is drugged or kidnapped and that person wakes up hours later in a tub full of ice with a missing kidney. Well, we figured we could incorporate this legend into organ donation. With the help of the brave actors, Trent Dorner, Kyle Roby, and Tim Smith, our vision became reality. We hope the message comes across through the video and leaves the impression that organ donation is hip but also important.

GPS underwear Week 9

In our high-tech day when everything and everyone is connected, I'm still flabbergasted at some of the insane things people think they can do with new technology. They twist useful tools and incorporate them into idiotic products. Like this newest product I found online--lingerie fitted with a GPS tracking system. ...see what I mean about idiotic? Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks this is weird and ridiculous; most women, especially feminists, are "reacting with horror to what they call the 'chastity belt'." I've read the article over and over but I still can't find the real purpose for this invention. Lucia Lorio, the Brazilian designer, says it's a "wink to women and a challenge to men because even if she gives him the password to her GPS, she can always turn it off." Still, I don't see why? Especially since it ranges from 500-700 euros. She also said women want to use it for protection reasons when they go out in big cities. Whatever the reason, it is plain weird to buy underwear with a built-in GPS tracking system.

As long as the technology keeps evolving, there are going to be people who exploit it for strange uses. Some of the uses may catch on, but others are only going to be mentioned in a few articles and bought by a small group of people. I have a strong feeling this is going to be one of those 'firecracker'inventions. It will fizzle out soon enough.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1082707/Outrage-chastity-belt-lingerie-fitted-GPS-tracking-system.html?ITO=1490

New Rules Week 9

While reading this week, I didn't have any grand epiphanies or interesting realizations. The three chapters in The New Rules book basically outlined and briefly explained the basis for marketing and PR and their shift to the new rules of conducting business and relating to customers through social media. It further reinforced the importance of why we should care and what we should be doing.

A few quotes from David Meerman Scott stood out to me and seemed right on with the changing direction that PR is taking. In chapter 2 he says, "Unlike in the days of the old rules of interruption marketing with a mainstream message, today's consumers are looking for just the right product or service to satisfy their unique desires at the precise moment they are online." The word unique is important. PR needs to find ways to reach unique, targeted groups of people on a more personal level. The mass messages are useless and "try to reach everybody, but speak to nobody" as Scott says. Specifically targeting people that are most likely to use your product or sign up for your service is a no-brainer. And you have to use ways to reach them that are creative, direct, and easy to relate to. It takes work and research, but is worth it.

Scott's statement that "content drives action" is also very impacting. He says that, "Great content brands an organization as a trusted resource and calls people to action--to buy, subscribe, apply, or donate." I agree that what a company decides to portray and how they portray it affect how the consumer responds...obviously. But more isn't necessarily better. I hate visiting a site that overwhelms me. I'll tend to skip over those for sites that are cleaner and simpler but with meaningful content nonetheless. Instead of obnoxious flashy advertisements and pages jam-packed with links, pictures, and videos, organizations should strive for direct and classy. Of course their own style needs to be incorporated, but the disturbing flashiness needs to go.

Reverse Trick-or-Treating Week 9

This Tuesday, a group of friends and I did something unique and rewarding that tied in with the Halloween spirit. We dressed up in costumes and drove to St. Rita's and Lima Memorial hospitals in order to reverse trick-or-treat. Our group consisisted of a fencer, vacationer, lumberjack, bunny, nerdy weatherman, hippie, bubblegum, and a sleepwalker. The looks we received were priceless. At least I had called ahead to warn the hospitals we were arriving-I didn't feel it would be right to burst in all masked and weird looking.

We took candy and coloring books to the pediatric wards. There weren't many kids in the wards though, which is a good thing for sure. So we trampsed down to the cancer and rehab wards. It was a good thing we did, because they loved it! Most of the patients were older and they enjoyed looking at our costumes as we 'trick-or-treated'. Although most of them couldn't eat the candy we had, they were more than happy to work on some Halloween word searches or crosswords. The nurses loved us too because they got glow-in-the dark stickers and our leftover candy.

The best part involved all of us standing at the entrance of the elevator, waiting for it to open when a man walked out and jumped, completely bewildered. Also, since I'm from this area, I saw at least four people I knew working/visiting someone in the hospital. They should be used to me wearing weird outfits. Whatever, it was a great time. The patients and nurses were ecstatic to see us come and hopefully we brightened their evening just a little bit.

Corn Week 8

Corn is amazing. I've grown up with corn all around me; it's really hard not to considering I live in northwest Ohio. Occasionally though, I'll look out at a cornfield with fresh eyes and realize how beautiful it can be. Despite their creepy reputation thanks to the movie industry, corn fields are something to enjoy. And there are so many ways to enjoy a corn field. Let me list a few.

1. Corn on the cob - Delicious, buttery sweetcorn is a highlight of late summer/early fall. I remember always husking the corn before dinner so my mom could have it ready(somehow my siblings never had to do any labor.) Anyway, Mmmm...

2. Getting purposefully lost/hours of solitary entertainment - If you get angry and don't want to be around people, find the nearest tall corn field and just blindly run into the center. Turn around in a few circles, and there you go, no people!

3. Corn mazes - Great fun for family and friends. Carry a jug of cider and wander around in a maze yelling at friends for leading you to dead-ends. If you want to make it even more fun, when you get somewhere near the center, tear up the map. I can't promise your group won't attack you, but it sure promotes a good bonding experience.

4. Haunted corn fields - Oh man, it isn't Halloween if my friends and I don't get chased by a masked man carrying a chainsaw. In my opinion, my county (Putnam County) puts on one of the best haunted corn fields around. For a few bucks, I get a cheap thrill in the crisp night air, latched onto my friend's arm screaming bloody murder.

These are my top four ways to experience corn fields. If you can't check off this list, I suggest you hurry up and get out there before the farmers harvest it all. And if you have any interesting corn field stories/different uses for corn, let me know and I'll add it to my list!

Buyer Profiling Week 8

The whole buyer persona profiling sounds very effective, but also very creepy. I never realized how much thought goes into every marketing campaign, every commercial, every Web site... If companies or organizations are doing it right, they spend hours and hours researching every little detail about their target customers. I find it weird that before I even visit a Web site, an organization has looked up where "I" go online, what television shows "I" watch, and what phrases "I" use in search engines. "I" refers to myself and the buyer profile that I fit into. I never thought about it before, but I can see how some companies and organizations really do use this strategy in marketing, especially in the US Presidential Elections of 2004 example where marketers targeted groups of people like "NASCAR dads" and "Security moms".

In the New Rules book, David Meerman Scott suggested even naming the persona. He wrote, "This should be an internal name only that helps you and your colleaguees to develop sympathy with and a deep understanding of the real people to whom you market. Rather than a nameless, faceless "prospect," your buyer persona will come to life." I'm not sure about his use of the word sympathy, I would lean towards the word empathy. Sympathy makes me think of feelings of pity while empathy is more of an identification with and desire to understand.

Scott's example of UGOBE's toy dinosaur, called Pleo, that they created seems almost superflous in the amount of work they put into correctly marketing the toy. I had never even heard of Pleo until reading this book. If it was supposed to be such an amazing invention, why doesn't anybody know what it is? Sure, there are probably Pleo fanatics out there, but shouldn't a goal of the company be to gain more publicity for their product after reaching the target groups? Anyway, they must not have finished the job because I never heard a thing.

Negative Feedback Week 8

Maybe free speech isn't guaranteed online...

After perusing Digg, the site where I get all of my news information, I found an article described a legal case involving libel. Chris Reed bought a phone through eBay recently and when the package arrived, the phone that was claimed to be in "good condition", was chipped and damaged. It was also a different model than he had paid for. Reed, disappointed and perturbed, sent the phone back and logged in to eBay to leave negative feedback on the seller's site. It only seems right that Reed would honestly write about the interaction in his feedback. That is why the feedback option is on eBay in the first place.

Nevertheless, the seller took offense and is now suing Reed with libel action. Give me a break. Reed said: 'I can't believe someone can be so petty. All I had done was left an honest opinion and everything I said was true. I thought that was why the feedback service was there. It's not like I wrote anything malicious or called him a conman.'

The seller is complaining that the negative feedback significantly hurt his business and he is not sure he can bounce back from the remark. Though it's true that the remark probably did lower him on the search engines and undermine his credibility, it is for good reason. He lied online about the condition of the product he sold, he should reap the consequences of his actions.

I don't see how the seller will have a chance if the case makes it to court. If, for some reason, the courts rule in favor of the seller, there will be an uproar in online communities. The court should not be allowed to punish a person for honestly and transparently recording his/her opinions online.

Into the Wild

I watched an amazing, inspiring film this weekend. It was so phenomenal that I must share. Into the Wild --the true story of Christopher McCandless, a 24 yr old college graduate who burns up all of his money and ties to his life and abandons society in search of something more. It's a beautifully sad and unbelievable story. Even from an artistic point of view, I could watch it over and over. Which I will, I am sure. Check it out.

May I take your trash? Week 7

We are constantly pressured to conform to the 'norm' of life. But can anyone really define what the 'norm' is? In my interpersonal comm class we were discussing social norms. Dr. North said that she makes her nonverbal comm class violate social norms for an experiment. Maybe some of you have even taken the class...

Anyway, her description made me want to run off of campus, into civilization, and test people's reactions to social norm violations. Then I realized that I actually participated in a small violation of the norm earlier this week on campus.

Some friends and I attend a small group that is linked to northern christian fellowship. We decided to use our meeting time primarily for service. We're planning to rake leaves, serve at soup kitchens, visit nursing homes, trick-or-treat with kids in the hospital...just normal service activities to bring us together with people that we love. Anyway, last week we didn't have anything set up to do so we spontaneously came up with the brilliant idea to walk through lima complex and ask people if they had trash we could take out for them. You should've seen some of the crazy looks we got. It was worth it just for that fact.

A lot of people were really nice and were willing to give us their full trashbags, but it wasn't without an initial awkward look at our offer. Roberts hall was the best though. Most guys jumped on our offer right away. One guy asked if we lost a dare. Most others just asked why. We didn't really have a good answer, basically just b/c we felt like it.

So, to tie this into the social norm situation, I feel like we violated a little bit of the norm with our random door knocking/trash taking. People don't normally come to your dorm door and ask to take your garbage with a smile on their face. Oh well, I do. If not just to see your reaction...

Going Viral Week 7

I loved reading about the successful and unconventional viral marketing campaigns companies have been experimenting with. The risk in going viral is in itself intriguing. Since marketing costs are so low, there is no good reason for a company not to at least try launching a viral campaign.

I believe the primary factor that plays into the success of a campaign is creativity. At first, anything interactive on the web between companies and customers was exciting. But now, since viral marketing is becoming more common, and consumers are constantly bombarded with info, it takes a very creative approach to get people involved. In my opinion, people's response rates will start to decline if companies rely on the same old commercial video or photo contests to spread their brand. Right now that form of marketing is a hit, but creative innovations are sure to surpass the norm.

The guerilla marketing tactics of NightAgency are impressive. They use their brains to think outside of the box when trying to reach the public. I would love to work for them. They work in dynamic capacities and employ existing surroundings to promote their clients' products. Their efforts may not succeed 100% of the time, but they are willing to test out different strategies and explore new marketing frontiers. NightAgency is a great model for viral marketing promotion.

Death isn't the end... Week 7

I love Digg.com. I check it evey other day or so when I have a free minute and desire some interesting info. Tonight when I looked at the site, a top article caught my eye. The title was, "What happens to your web stuff after you die?"
I never pondered that question before and it is weird to think about. When people die, part of them is still living on--perhaps in their Facebook profile, Flickr account, or personal Web site. Does the account last forever? Do you want it to still be out there once you're gone? Apparently some people think it is necessary.
I'm sure there are cases where a Web site should continue after the creator dies, like in business situations, or if they want to keep photo galleries online for friends to have access to. But otherwise, I don't think people should be worried about making sure their online presence outlasts them.

In the article, Struan Robertson, Legal Director with Pinsent Masons and Editor of OUT-LAW.com explains, "You can bequeath your copyright to others. So I can say in my will that I'm leaving all my rights in my photographs or website to a friend. If I don't do that, the copyright will belong to my estate - and in most cases it will survive for 70 years after my death." Most online accounts are terminated if there are extended periods of inactivity. For Web sites, if the domain name isn't renewed every couple of years, someone else can purchase it. If people really want their sites and accounts to continue after they don't, the article says the best thing to do is to leave their log-in information and passwords to a trusted source and let the source take over. It doesn't have to be in a formal will, it could just be a mutual understanding.

I know when I'm gone, I would rather my online presence be gone too. It is creepy to think of people visiting my sites, or me visiting theirs, after knowing they have passed away.

RSS Week 6

Due to this class, I have really delved into the whole RSS concept. I always saw those three letters on Web sites but they simply annoyed me because I had no idea what they meant. I always considered myself pretty Web-savvy too; guess I was mistaken. In the New Influencers, Paul Gillin says that earlier versions of RSS were confusing and difficult. I think it just hasn't recovered from it's bad reputation yet.

Gillin writes, "RSS is an extremely powerful but somewhat clumsy technology that is central to the blogging movement." After playing around with it, I definitely believe it. Since the other week when I started subscribing to feeds of some of my favorite sites and blogs, I've been amazed at how efficient and easy RSS is. I save an adequate amount of time since I only need to click one button to get to the feeds and choose the one I want to read. Then I receive the instant info! I find myself searching for the little orange icon at the top of the pages I visit.

In the same chapter of the book, Gillin says that, "Most blog search services also let you save your search terms as RSS feeds." I find this technology to be extremely advanced. Right now I don't have a need for it, but I'm sure someday I will. Corporations have got it made with these media tools. And they are free! There isn't any reason why every organization shouldn't start tapping into these resources.

Txt b4 Tlk Week 6

Cell phone users have finally done it! We have exceeded the limit of texting more than we talk.

I'm due for a phone upgrade and I've been keeping my eye open for what I like. There are so many styles out there, it's all about finding the most functional style for me...and it has to be pretty too. I think I've settled for the 'text fiend' genre in the cell phone realm. I want a phone that has a full keyboard to make texting significantly faster. I've found that my cell phone standards are similar for many people.

Many phones these days are hardly used for their original purpose. Since the phenomena of texting has been revealed, it has taken over. Through Digg.com, I found an article on cnet news that claims Americans text more than they talk. The article says, "For the second quarter of 2008, U.S. mobile subscribers sent and received on average 357 text messages per month, compared with making and receiving 204 phone calls a month, according to Nielsen." These 2008 texting statistics exceed the same statistics from 2006 by 450%. Marguerite Reardon, the writer of the article, also says, "On average, American teens send and receive 1,742 text messages a month." I know that I send more than that. I was talking with some friends the other day about our monthly amount of texts, and a few of them said they normally send and receive at least 10,000 a month! I don't have the time for that amount of texting, but apparently some people do.

Texting can simply be more convenient than calling, and noone can deny the fun factor of intimate, constant contact with people. I even got my mom hooked on it this summer. Whenever I'm shopping by myself and am unsure of an outfit, i'll snap a picture, send it to her, and receive her opinion in a few minutes. Definitely useful.
This article proves another way that social media is rising to replace traditional actions. With a 450% texting increase in only two years, new forms of communication are rising faster than we can imagine!

Homecoming Week 6

This week I've really been feeling the ONU love.
Firstly, I was nominated a while ago for homecoming court by my NCF comrades. Actually, I was basically forced into the nomination. I thought I would go along for the ride to appease my friends.
My fine running mate, Jordan Rowsey, and I did the whole picture taking/sign making fiasco. It was slightly stressful. It's not like I have enough to worry about without making tons of homecoming posters... Anyway, we hung them up as soon as we could and I didn't expect anything more to happen. We got a few compliments about our attempted humor with "The Office" theme that we chose. Jordan just happened to significantly resemble Jim from The Office, so I had to put on my best Pam persona.
Voting was the beginning of this week and only five ladies and five gentleman were to be chosen out of the massive amount of nominees. I was completely shocked Thursday when I got the call that I had been elected as one of the five! I know it's not a big deal, but I'm excited nonetheless. I'm proud to be selected as a possible representative of ONU. Besides, we get treated pretty well all homecoming weekend. :)

I wouldn't trade our small school atmosphere for anything. I'm constantly impressed by the attention we receive as students. Most faculty and staff make an effort to know our names and show interest in our lives, we can delve right into our course of study and gain practical experience, and it's not uncommon to pass twenty friends on the sidewalk on the way to our next class. Even though I occasionally crave the excitement and diversity of big college towns, I'm content right now, right here.

People's Choice Podcast Awards Week 5

In chapter 6 of The New Rules book, the People's Choice Podcast Awards were mentioned. In 2006, Diggnation apparently won as the best tech podcast. I thought I'd research what the Podcast Awards are exactly, and what their stipulations are. Listeners and podcasters nominate and vote for the best podcasts. The winners then receive various awards and prizes as well as recognition. Last month was the nomination period and over 281,000 listeners submitted nominations and the website had over 2.2 million page views during the nomination period. Once that period has ended, all the nominated podcasts enter the reviewing process.
I have pasted the site's review process.

"The Review Process:

There will be approximentally a 18-19 day period in which Podcast Connect and it's volunteer reviewers will review all of the nominations. The review process will include the following and those shows nominated should pay attention to some of the things we found in grading in the 2006 and 2007 event details can be found at PodcastConnect.com

Verification Podcast fits in Category Nominated
Verification that the Podcast has 8 Shows Produced
Verification the the Podcaster has been creating shows on or before 1 August 2008
Verification that the Podcaster has a visible RSS 2.0 feed with Enclosures
A confidential non-releaseable grading sheet has been created , nominated podcast will be graded:

Number of Nominations 40%
Quality of Website Design 15%
Quality of Sound 15%
Quality of Podcast Delivery and Show Format 10%
Relevance of Content 20%
Once the top 10 nominees in each category are selected by the review committee and added to the website, voting will commence."


The People's Choice Podcast Awards are a great incentive for podcasters. Obviously it is effective because the people determine the winners. When researching podcasts to subscribe to, I will definitely keep the winners of these awards in mind. Especially since October 19th the 2008 winners will be announced! Tune in!

Who's Your Daddy? Week 5

Through Digg.com, I found a shocking blog post. A blogger named Amy who is part of The Garage Sale Blog Network wants to have a baby. And she is turning to blogging to make that happen. Her story reminded me of the lady we talked about in class last week...the one who was selling her virginity online. Amy has a slightly different request. On her latest blog post, she states that she is "looking for some good, hearty seed." She discarded the idea of sperm banks or asking friends, so she decided to turn to her blog's readers and commenters for their sperm contribution. Weird, but true. Her blog's network is helping her finance the baby and she just needs a male to become her sperm donator aka have sex with, no strings attached. The screwed up part is that a ton of people commented and are willing to do it! All they have to do is contact her and send their picture, then she'll supposedly choose one and have at it. I suppose that is one way to get people to read your blog. She is putting absolute trust in her readers and letting random people play a huge part in her life. What will social media be used for next?

I do feel bad for the baby. Where is his/her choice in the matter? "Little Billy, who's your dad?" "Oh I don't know, some guy who commented on my mom's blog once." Right. Some people take things just a little too far.

tweet tweet Week 5

I attended Billy Fischer's talk about social media at PRSSA last week. The students at the meeting must be crazy if they weren't motivated to jump into the social media realm after hearing him speak. His enthusiasm for what he was talking about definitely impacted me. The next day I created a twitter account and started checking it out. It is confusing. I need to spend more time using it, but so far I am lost. With the little "@" symbols everywhere and sentence blurbs, I'm not sure where to go or what to look at. (I did find some new ONUers on the site who also jumped on the twitter bandwagon after PRSSA.) I soon foresee myself becoming a twitter addict and knowing the site inside and out considering I went through the same process with xanga, myspace, and facebook. At first, all of the gadgets and technology are intimidating, but once I break it down and dig into the site, I realize how simple and straightforward it can be.
Now I need to visit LinkedIn and SlideRocket...

Singing the weekend away Week 4

Where does all the time go? Seriously, this quarter seems to trump all of last years busyness. Maybe it has something to do with the transition from my lazy summer directly into days filled with classes, meetings, friends, athletics, work... I am not complaining though, because I put it all on myself. Most students have this dilemma, several have it worse than I do I'm sure. Anyway, this tangent is somehow leading into what I was involved in this past weekend.

University Singers, of which I am a part, traveled to Toledo Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights in order to sing with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. We joined three other colleges to form a 200 member choir. The symphony we performed was composed by Gustav Mahler. The piece is roughly an hour and a half long. The choir only sings in the last fifteen minutes. That left us sitting onstage in our pretty black dresses and tuxes, appearing professional and engaged for quite some time. It was a bit of a challenge, but we made it. Through it, I developed a new appreciation for orchestral music. Having a "front row seat" directly behind the orchestra allowed us to watch their every move and envelop ourselves not only in the sounds, but also in the experience, of classical music.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given at ONU so far. I think the university does a spectacular job of encouraging new experiences and pushing for them. It doesn't matter what area of study or what hobbies one pursues...it feels like there is always an organization or cause to get involved with. The opportunites are there, we just need the drive to enthusiastically take them.

Laptops for Everyone ...Week 4

Democratization concerning the internet is a loaded topic. Social media fuels the race for it. According to McConnell and Huba in chapter three of Citizen Marketers, democratization perpetuates the battle between transparency and control within companies and organizations. To me, one of the most interesting ideas concerning the concept was introduced by Nicholas Negroponte. He is an MIT hotshot who began a project called the One Laptop Per Child project in 2005. For around $135 each, the project sells laptops to children in developing nations. Negroponte is "trying to ride the wave of technological democratization by gentrifying the elitism of computer ownership." Once I broke this statement down into smaller words that I could understand, it made a lot of sense. Negroponte is embracing the concept of democratization and he knows that it is fueled by social media. He is working against the idea that only the privileged and wealthier countries should have social media tools at their fingertips. Negroponte knows that everyone has a voice and the potential to be a citizen marketer, whether they're an American businessman or a Nigerian child. I think the One Laptop Per Child project is genius.

"Magic Mirror" ...Week 4

Shopping has normally been a very social activity. Girls love to try on clothes and get their friend's opinions. But every once in awhile, someone has to shop by themself and alas, it can become a crisis. Without a friend's opinion on a dress or a swimsuit, how will we know which style to go with or what color to choose?

I came across an article on CNNmoney.com about a new invention that can aid us in this problem. A digital technology developer from New York, IconNicholson, was developing a dressing room product called the "Magic Mirror." Basically it is a full length mirror with two cameras. The shopper tries on an outfit, stands in front of the mirror, and uses their cell phone's camera to "transfer an image to a Web site where family and friends can see them model different outfits." The mirror is interactive and displays text messages and replies to the different outfits, as well as new suggestions. Joseph Olewitz, the senior vice president of IconNicholson's client relations, says, "The real innovation here is social retailing. We're bringing together the entire universe of networking concepts through the use of the Internet, the webcam, the webcast to enable shoppers to interact with their friends.

Social networking is seeping into every aspect of our lives. The more connected people are to others, the more they feel a part of something. Now shopping has even become a tool for social media to invade. Cameras, text messaging, and interactive Web sites in a dressing room! It is everywhere. Supposedly these "Magic Mirrors" were supposed to hit the major retail stores about a year ago. I haven't seen them yet, but then again, I live in Ohio. Maybe the idea of social networking in a store dressing room was a little too much, a little too soon...

kids these days

I have viewed hundreds of videos on YouTube over the past few years, but I have not uploaded one of my own on the site. Probably due to the fact that I don't know how and I don't have the time to learn. Anyway, my younger brothers have plenty of time on their hands. They and their friends spend their time dressing up in wigs and filming short movies which they edit and directly put on YouTube. I admire their technological expertise. Their movies only get a few hundred views, but it is important for them to have their work online for anyone to view. It's crazy for me to comprehend how young kids are growing up with these social media tools at their fingertips and will be inventing newer and better versions in the blink of an eye.




Their creations are very weird. At least they have fun with it.

RSS means what?

When I viewed different blogs and videos online in the past, I always noticed the little "RSS" sympbol but never knew what it meant. After reading Citizen Marketers by Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba, I understand the significance of RSS (Really Simple Syndication). They explain that it simply "makes anything on the Web subscribable." It is commonly referred to as a "feed". I am baffled by a feed's comparison to traditional media. McConnell and Huba show that feeds do not consume energy, they are free, and they are an immediate form of communication, thereby accelerating direct communication between consumers and companies. Why aren't all companies jumping on this bandwagon? The economic benefits alone are substantial.

The required books for this class have so far been very enlightening. They are fun and informative, when I don't procrastinate. After only two weeks of class I have learned more than I ever expected. The field of PR is undergoing a radical revolution with social media at the forefront. Thank God I am learning about it now before I attempted to place myself in the work world without blogging knowledge or desire.

Privacy is a thing of the past

Thanks to this class, I have been increasingly aware of social media's influence everywhere I look. Ashamed as I am to admit this, I am an avid Gossip Girls fan. The characters on that show are constantly using their cell phones or the internet to communicate the latest gossip. None of the characters can get away with anything. When Serena and Dan secretly rekindled their romance after a summer of being broken up, a random girl on the street spotted them kissing and snapped a picture with her camera phone. She then proceeded to send the pic to every other teenager in the city apparently. (This tends to happen at least once an episode.) Privacy doesn't exist in the fast-paced, technical world of Gossip Girl. But Gossip Girl's world is not far from our own.


With everyone owning an instant-connection-to-every-humanbeing device aka a cell phone, anything can be captured and sent out to people within seconds. Social networking sites are superb at capturing every little detail of one's activity and posting it in the open for all to witness. Ben Parr wrote a fantastic blog about the link between social media and privacy at http://mashable.com/2008/09/08/social-media-privacy-news-feed/


Facebook began their news feed application almost exactly two years ago. He explains that at first people were wary about the idea of the instant feeds and had no desire to post their lives online or view anyone elses. Or so they thought. Once the phenomena caught on, it exploded. Parr says the Facebook News Feed began to revolutionize how people viewed their friendships with people online and off. Suddenly, everyone could know when Joe Schmoe broke up with his girlfriend and what she had written on her best friend's wall about it. Parr writes, "Our views on what should be shared, what shouldn’t be shared, and with whom we share our lives are what have changed the most. We are more comfortable sharing our lives and thoughts instantly to thousands of people, close friends and strangers alike". Social media has invaded our privacy, but we are willing to let it. Individually, each person should ask themselves, how much should I put out there? What do I want my parents, boss, teachers, to see? Personal discretion is becoming more and more necessary.

I couldn't find any herbs at the festival...

Today was the day of Ada's noblest community effort-the harvest and herb festival. It was a beautifully sunny day for the little street affair. It amazed me how many people came out to enjoy the cotton candy, sugar-glazed almonds, and craft tents. The store owners were in shock at the amount of customers. I wandered around from booth to booth with no intention of purchasing a thing. I simply enjoy observing people and feeling the sense of community when college students and townies combine.

Maybe I have a connection with the harvest and herb festival because it was one of my first experiences with Ada. I was a mere four or five years old when my parents took me to a festival in a little town the next county over. I remember the day well because it was slightly traumatic. Because it was a festival, my parents allowed me to get a Mountain Dew (i was stoked). My Dad opened the can and handed it to me. For some crazy reason, a bee flew in the little hole and I didn't see it. I lifted the can to my lips to take a drink and instead of sugary liquid, i got a painful beesting on my lip. It was shocking for a four year old. I honestly thought the liquid had electrocuted or burned me. Once my parents realized what happened, they attempted to calm me down.

When I think about it, it's interesting that I had a connection to Ada years before I would ever consider living here. I hope that is a good thing, although I wouldn't consider a bee sting a welcoming gesture...

Mud

I always had a fondness for playing in the mud. Nostalgia flourished last Saturday when I joined five of my friends in the mud volleyball tournament. Last year I was too preoccupied with freshman fears to be outgoing enough to join a volleyball team. But I have regretted it for an entire year, so this fall I was keyed up to get down and dirty. We duct taped our feet (i don't really know why...I just did what my team told me) and we had to take the infamous "before" picture. The experience reminded me of an Orbit commercial. When our team, The X Factor, was called up to the court, I gleefully jumped into the mud. P.S. I suck at volleyball. Anyway, we lost the first game and were finished in the tournament. But in the heat of competition, all that gushy, flying mud was absolutely exhilarating. And it did wonders for my pores. As did the freezing lake water... My body was numb and in shock. Oh boy...I can't wait for next year! I'll work on my volleyball abilities in the meantime.

technology woes

I feel that I deserve the right to rant. I am an extremely busy person and when I finally have time to check my email or research the internet for a class, I would really appreciate it for the internet to WORK. How much am I paying a year to live in the residence halls? What is the quarterly "technology fee"? ONU wireless needs some help. I do not appreciate the added frustrations that it causes. I am sick of looking at the little blue computer icon, praying that a globe will appear (meaning that it has internet access). And even when it does happen to connect there is, at the most, two little signal bars. It is ridiculous. After suffering through 9am-3pm class without a break, I can't take it when I need to check my e-mail and the wireless decides to act up. I don't know what needs to be done, or how it can be fixed, but I would like to see some action. Information Technology, where are you?

My roommate and I had enough problems this past week with cable malfunctions and the beyond awful shower heads with water pressure constituting a dribble. All I'm asking for is some consistency with the internet situation. It is virtually impossible to survive as a college student without access to the internet.

Brand 1 for President

I have a confession to make.
Politics bore me to death.
Therefore, I do not take the time to inform myself of current political issues. I am gradually realizing their importance, but at this current stage of my life...I have bigger concerns.

I attended Aaron Brown's talk at the PRSSA meeting the other day. He was discussing public relation's role in the presidential campaign. It got me thinking. I never realized how a candidate's image and public relations strategies dominate the competition. My interest led me to research what people were saying about the emphasis of public relations in the Obama:McCain campaigns.

Diana Francis, a blogger on nationalpost.com, referred to the current presidential election as a "battle between two brands." Since the majority of the public doesn't personally know either candidate and can't predict with certainty what they will do once taking office, she says the vote rides on the image of the candidate and how they are portrayed to the people. Francis explains that McCain's brand emphasizes the experience that comes with his old age. On the other side, Obama pushes a hip, youthful, tech-savvy image. Both candidates realize the impact of public relations and seek to get the most positive media coverage possible. It's more about the appeal of the brand than the issues. I should really take the time to become a truly informed voter before November. So...whose brand appeals to me more?


http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/francis/archive/2008/07/27/obama-mccain-battle-of-the-brands.aspx

Blogging -not bad after all

This week I realized that I am a public relations major who has completely underestimated the impact of social media in my future profession. Talk about an overwhelming realization... Before this week, blogs held no interest for me. My preconcieved notions led me to believe that blogs were computerized versions of diaries reserved for the bored and internet addicts. Silly me, now I know better.

This idea of blogging initially caused me to sympathize with the poor newspapers, radios, and televisions. It saddens me that they are spiraling into antiquity, overshadowed by the internet's capabilities. However, my crying subsided when I reached page 11 in Gillan's book, The New Influencers. He explained how mainstream media and blogging are actually complementary. Once I thought about it, it made sense. Where are bloggers going to get their current information? From newspapers, television, radio, etc. of course. And how do bloggers assist mainstream media? They supply them with helpful feedback. The two are dependent on each other for success.

Gillan portrayed this relationship with an example involving the company Sony. A large amount of Sony BMG music cd's were sold with hidden software on them. Nobody knew of this activity until a blogger discovered it and blogged about it. From there, bloggers went crazy responding to the scandal. The mainstream media found out about the Sony scandal through blogging. Mainstream media and the blogosphere played off each other to bring the scandal to light for the public. The public greatly benefits from the relationship between blogs and mainstream media.

Hopefully this means that in the future my children won't be one track minded to the internet. I can only hope they won't give me funny looks when I talk about printed newspapers or turn off the i-pod to listen to the radio.

And it begins...

There was a class I was highly anticipating to take all summer.   Sadly, it was not the wonderful Social Media class.   It was to be my first real art class - studio foundations 1.   I try to be an artist at heart.  Considering my love for drawing and painting in high school, I had to incorporate an art class somewhere in my college career.  

So I walked into the class, unprepared and not knowing what to expect.  Their desk/seats are a little too unconventional for me.  Backless stools with adjustable desks... hello back pain.  I figured I had a decent grasp on the artist lingo, but after the first ten minutes I realized my lack of knowledge.  The teacher rambled on about 2B, 3H, and 4B pencils with seven different types of erasers.  

Next, we had to take off our shoes and draw them.  I was wearing old blue flip-flops.  fantastic.