PRowl Public Relations

Happy International Women's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Tue, 8 Mar 2011 05:00:00 -0800

Today, March 8, is International Women's Day. International Women's Day has been observed since 1911, so this year marks the 100th anniversary! International Women's Day is a national holiday in many countries and is celebrated in some countries similarly to how Mother's Day is celebrated in the United States.

International Women's Day celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women in the past, present and future. This celebration is certainly relevant to the field of public relations, with estimates that about 70% of PR professionals are women.

In honor of International Women's Day, watch the video below for an inspirational message from Michelle Bachelet, Former Chile President and Executive Director of UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

Trying to rest? Give your eyes a break

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Mon, 7 Mar 2011 13:57:00 -0800

It seems as though there are never enough hours in a day. Chances are, your waking activities and daytime responsibilities have a tendency to bleed into your sleep time. At this point in the semester, mine certainly are!

Do you check your e-mail or play around on your smart phone or tablet before bed? Are you up late working at the computer? A new study by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) sheds new light on why this can be a bad thing.

Besides cutting into your sleep time, the use of these devices before bed time can actually "increase alertness and suppress the release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin," according to the NSF as reported on prdaily.com. The disruption is caused by exposure to the bright artificial light of the screen before bed, the NSF said.

Moral of the story? Giving yourself a break in between using the computer, TV or your smart phone and going to bed can have a positive impact on your quality of sleep. If you're like me, you need all the sleep you can get!

Facebook ‘Likes’ are Worth a Thousand Words, Literally

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Sun, 6 Mar 2011 06:00:00 -0800

Have you ever ‘liked’ something on Facebook? Whether its a picture, status, product or service, ‘liking’ is a simple way to show an interest in something. As a generation saturated in social networking, we may take a lot of small things like Facebook’s ‘like’ application for granted, not thinking of its true potential, especially in creating awareness. Recently, Porsche became the quickest automaker to reach 1,000,000 fans on Facebook. How did they celebrate this social media achievement? Porsche printed the names of 27,000 fans who ‘liked’ their Facebook corporate fan page onto the body of their new hybrid 911 GT3 R racecar as a thank you to their million fans who made their social network success possible. The names were chosen at random from their fans and set to a Facebook-themed design with navy blue and white accents.

I don’t know about you but I can’t think of a better way to show fan appreciation than adorning their names on a car worth well over $250,000. From a public relations standpoint, Porsche’s use of social networking to gain publicity is a great initiative for them and other companies to start adopting. Porsche even created a separate “thank you” campaign and website for their fans to see the process of the car’s creation and search for their name on the car. Not only does this campaign portray the luxury automaker as a friendly and fan-loyal company, it brings awareness to the auto industry’s current eco-friendly car trend. By combining their fan loyalty with the popularity of hybrid vehicles, Porsche gets publicity, awareness, record setting and novelty points for releasing news in an unorthodox manner. For a company like Porsche, social responsibility to the environment and social interaction with their consumers and fans are connected. Porsche’s use of Facebook is an example of how the use of social networks can create more than just a digital and perceived connection between corporations and consumers but also a literal one.

What do you think about Porsche’s social network idea? Do you know any other companies that have used social media to connect with their fans in a creative way?

Become a fan of Porsche at http://www.facebook.com/porsche and check out their “A Million Thanks” campaign at: www.porsche.com/thankyou.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Jessica Lopez.

The PR Strategy Behind Penn State’s THON

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Sat, 5 Mar 2011 06:00:00 -0800

Have you heard more about Penn State’s THON this year compared to years past? This is most likely due to the fact that over $9.5 million was raised in support of the fight against pediatric cancer, which is truly inspirational. Another reason you may have been more aware of the event is due to the outstanding public relations strategies that were carried out by students to attract attention and awareness about the event and the cause.

As the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, THON already has a great reputation for its fundraising efforts. The event, which is a two-day, non-stop dance marathon, is planned and carried out solely by Penn State students. Committees and captains are set in place to oversee every aspect- from donor/alumni relations, to entertainment, and specifically public relations.

In a blog post written by Colleen Hanrahan, a student at Penn State, the different divisions of the public relations committee are explained:

Media Relations:
By contacting local, state, and national media through press releases, the media relations captains are able to keep the public up to date about THON and are able to inform people how they can get involved.

Street Teams:
This group uses guerilla marketing techniques when it comes to spreading the word about THON. Members promote events to the campus and surrounding communities through excitement and word of mouth.

Publication Management:
This group creates the “Diamond Guide,” a publication that explains all things THON. This is distributed to attendees, visitors, and participants to provide facts, pictures, and basic information about THON.

Alternative Media:
This group maintains THON’s social media, which includes Twitter, Facebook, and a newly created blog.

An organized PR effort is clearly needed to make THON a success. Raising $9.5 million for pediatric cancer and gaining a ton of national attention? I’d say they did a pretty good job.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Mackenzie Krott.

TUTV Student Organization Filming Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Fri, 4 Mar 2011 09:04:00 -0800

Yesterday (March 3), PRowl Public Relations assisted client TUTV (Temple University Television) with an event to promote the March 16 launch of TempleTV.net, the channel's interactive online platform. One of our largest audiences for the launch campaign is current students on Philadelphia's main campus and abroad. When doing our research in the planning portion of the campaign, we found that Temple University has more than 300 registered student organizations on campus, with a total membership reach of 15,330 students.

In order to engage these students and get them excited for the website launch, PRowl planned a four-hour event where student organizations were invited to film a clip welcoming all visitors to TempleTV.net and introducing their organization to Temple's global community. On the upcoming March 16 launch day, these student organization "welcome" messages will rotate on the homepage. Every time a visitor enters the site, a new student organization will be there to greet them.

After a lot of e-mails and attending meetings to talk to student organizations, we got a great turnout of 58 organizations throughout the day. Students were invited to either share a message about what their organization does, or demonstrate their mission through a creative act. There was even more creativity than we expected! Singing, dancing, guitars, keyboards, flags, acting scripts, and other props appeared in the room throughout the day, and we were happy to have them!

Thank you to all Temple student organizations that stopped by. We look forward to sharing the messages we got yesterday with visitors who enter the site around the world on March 16!

Do Not Track

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Thu, 3 Mar 2011 18:21:00 -0800

You may be aware of the legislation surrounding the “do not call” policy that applies to telemarketers. Now there is new legislation regarding a “Do Not Track” law, which was introduced to Congress on Friday, February 11 by a California Democrat. The “Do Not Call” policy allows people to sign up for a list to prevent them from receiving telemarketers’ phone calls. The previous bill is similar in nature to the new “Do Not Track” legislation introduced by Representative Jackie Speier. The new policy allows Internet users to block those who track their information online. Speier unveiled the companion bill formally titled the Financial Information Privacy Act.

Consumers frequently became aggravated with phone calls from telemarketers. These sales marketing professionals were not limited to calling people during a certain time of day; hence the stereotype telemarketers always call during dinner. The recipients of telemarketers’ calls were often left wondering how they were placed on a list for companies selling printing services and credit card programs. Are online advertisers bugging Internet users in a similar way, though? Advertisements are going to be on sites whether companies have your personal information or not. Users may, however, be receiving spam emails marketing programs or services from companies who obtained personal information. Online users may consider these emails and other messages just as aggravating as telemarketers’ phone calls.

Due to the perception of these messages, the new Financial Information Privacy Act comes as a relief to many Internet users. People surfing the web can feel safe knowing their personal information is protected from corporations and businesses seeking to obtain personal details. However, this will create a dilemma for companies that utilize consumers’ personal information to create targeted advertisements. Without users information on what they spend their money on, the recent trend in targeted advertisements may decline.

Welcome to Twitter Charlie Sheen!

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Wed, 2 Mar 2011 05:00:00 -0800

As everyone knows, you can't go a day without hearing someone reference one of the latest "Sheen-isms." Charlie Sheen, the controversial and reckless star of the popular and recently canceled series, Two and a Half Men, has been making his rounds on the television and radio talk show circuit, blurting out statements that have increased his "popularity" ten-fold over night. After making such a buzz on television and radio waves, Sheen has now turned his time and attention to the Twitterverse, creating his own verified account last night.

His Twitter handle, @charliesheen had over 300,000 followers within the first few hours. His first post: "Winning..! Choose your Vice... #winning #chooseyourvice http://twitpic.com/455ly9- boasting a picture of himself with his girlfriend, endorsing his beverage of choice: chocolate milk. The star, who's bio describes him as an "unemployed winner," will be tweeting regularly to stay more connected with his fans. However, it is yet to be seen how his entrance into the world of social media will affect his reputation with the public? So far... it doesn't look too promising.

Charlie Sheen has been in desperate need of good publicity for awhile now due to his problems with drugs, sex scandals and acts of violence. Stan Rosenfield, Sheen's publicist for several years, finally threw in the towel and respectfully resigned after one too many blunders during his most recent round of interviews.

However, Team Sheen seems to be doing just fine in terms of generating publicity and Sheen has managed to make himself the next "Chuck Norris" of American pop culture. With fan sites popping up all over the internet and companies such as Zazzle.com producing Charlie Sheen gag gifts, Sheen has become one of the biggest pop culture sensations.

We have all heard the cliche saying: "All publicity is good publicity"- however I am not so sure in the case of Charlie Sheen. The four-time Emmy Award winning actor was once respected for his talent - not his drug habits and has recently become the newest joke in Hollywood. His fan base may be increasing and although he is still raking in large amounts of money from sites that are partnering with him to sell products, his reputation is abysmal and without a publicist to guide him, I am sure it will only grow worse. Although Twitter could be used to improve his reputation and standing with the public, it appears as though Sheen will only be using it as another platform to continue boasting of his blunders and famous zingers.

What are your thoughts on all of the Charlie Sheen gossip? Does the saying still stand true that all publicity is good publicity with Sheen's growing popularity in pop culture or does this increased fan base only indicate how far Sheen has fallen off the wagon?

An Update on Taco Bell's Crisis Control

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Tue, 1 Mar 2011 05:00:00 -0800

Earlier this month, I wrote a blog post about Taco Bell's response to a lawsuit claiming the restaurant chain uses more meat fillers than real ground beef. The response was quick and direct: a web campaign and a print campaign attempting to silence the rumors with an explanation of the ingredients in Taco Bell's ground beef.

I questioned whether people would be reassured by Taco Bell's response, considering it wasn't the first time the chain had come under fire about its ingredients. An article on Ragan's PR Daily provides an answer to my question. According to the article, Taco Bell offered all new and existing Facebook fans a free taco coupon on February 8. Within a week, Taco Bell gained 250,000 more "likes."

Taco Bell turned its lawsuit into a web and print campaign to sway the skeptics and a social media campaign to gain more Facebook fans. Sounds like a good example of turning a negative situation into something positive.

Public speaking: all about your mindset

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:22:00 -0800

In your public speaking class or in your personal experiences, have you ever been encouraged to approach your speaking from an acting mindset? In his blog post for the Harvard Business Review, Peter Bubriski points out that public speaking classes have borrowed many of their techniques from the acting profession in recent years.

"[T]he energy and creativity this can unleash can be a good thing when it leads to well-told stories that inspire colleagues, customers and stakeholders to action," he says. "But it doesn't work for everyone."

If you are one of those people that does not feel comfortable or is not a natural at using acting techniques in your public speeches, Bubriski suggests a rather insightful alternative mindset you can try: "think of practicing speaking skills like practicing a sport," he advises. "With a sport you're not pretending to be someone else. You are training your body and your mind to achieve feats of skill--building your muscle memory with drills and repetition," he explains.

How can you do this? Bubriski explains that it starts with an awareness of your own skills. He recommends looking at yourself and recognizing the "instruments, and how versatile, flexible and capable they are." Chances are, you have a lot of strengths that can be applied--you just have to learn to channel them for use with public speaking. Bubriski's sports mindset could be a way to help this come about.

Do you think this mindset would be helpful? Will you give it a try? Do you have another metaphor for public speaking you think our readers would find useful?

The NFL Drops the Ball

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 06:00:00 -0800

The Super Bowl is one of the largest sports spectacles in the world. Around 111 million television viewers looked on as the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers battled for football glory. An additional 103,219 spectators saw the game live from Cowboys Stadium in North Texas. But due to poor planning, the stadium was not able to accommodate 400 fans who showed up to the game with their tickets in hand.

Due to a lack of space, the stadium’s maximum capacity was exceeded. In order to allow additional seating, temporary sections were built, but construction was not completed by Super Bowl Sunday. As a result, 400 fans were removed from the stadium and denied re-entry. The NFL failed to take proper action and is facing public scrutiny because of it.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Cowboys Stadium owner Jerry Jones were both in attendance, but did not apologize for their mistake face-to-face to those impacted. After reports surfaced about the ticket debacle, the NFL took action in efforts to compensate the fans that were not allowed to see the game and to save face in the public sphere. What unfolded achieved neither.

The NFL presented the 400 fans with two options. First, each fan would receive a free ticket to next year’s Super Bowl along with $2,400, a figure three times the amount of this year’s tickets face value. The second offered fans one free ticket to a future Super Bowl of that fan’s choice. This option also included round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations. Fans immediately rejected the initial offers. The NFL neglected to assess how much those 400 fans had spent on travel arrangements. They also forgot to account for the inflated cost of tickets when sold by third parties. Under the two options, fans’ expenses were still far from reimbursed. The NFL failed to properly assess the extent of monetary losses experienced by the fans. In doing so they made the organization appear stingy and unattached from their fans. This mishap and the failed attempt to solve it could not have come at a worse time for NFL executives and owners.

With the uncertain status of the new collective bargaining agreement and the looming potential of a player lockout, the NFL finds itself reliant on the support of its fans and will need some public sentiment. They may have lost all hope of that with their Super Bowl mistakes. Typical NFL fans have a hard time relating to rich athletes, which may ultimately lead them to side against players, blaming a potential lockout on their selfish demands. But, your typical NFL aficionado can relate to an ordinary fan being denied entrance in a game that he or she has paid for. The mistake, along with the obvious mishandling of the solution, reflects negatively on the operations of the NFL, which in turn may lead the fans to conclude that the NFL is responsible for the potential lockout, not the players.

A lockout will tarnish the reputation of the NFL. Executives and owners will take the brunt of the blame because of their failure to exhibit foresight and fairness with their largest profitable entity, their fans.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Evan Galusha.

Advice from a Junior PR Major

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 06:00:00 -0800

There are a many of moments when I look back at my college career so far and think of what I could have or should have done in order to further my professional career. In this assessment of my college career I wish to discuss what I have learned in my experience so far. It is my hope that my story will help younger students as they begin to make decisions about their future.

One thing that has helped me as a public relations professional in the making is that I have spent a great deal of time reaching out to fellow students and professionals who are more knowledgeable about the field than I am. One of the greatest resources within the university for reaching out to professionals are the office hours professors provide. Going to talk to professors during their office hours was especially helpful to me because I learned more about my professors’ fields of study, got help with my writing, and built relationships that continue to be beneficial. While visiting a professor’s office hours may be intimidating at first, the benefits are great since professors can become mentors for your future as a public relations professional.

Another thing I have learned is that you can never ask too many questions. Inquiry proves that you have interest and that you are invested in learning more about a topic, a field, or an organization. My ability to ask questions helped me learn more about some of my professors and helped me become a member of PRowl Public Relations.

A final thing I have learned that I would like to impart here is that you should invest time and care into your work. Essentially, it only hurts your ability to be a great public relations professional if you do not care what you turn in. This is especially true with your writing. If do not try to improve your writing it is only hurting your chances of landing your dream job. If you learn one thing from this post, do not turn in lackluster work if you want a dazzling response.

The above are some of the greatest lessons I learned in my three years at Temple. What lessons have you learned in your undergraduate career that may help younger students?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Kurie Fitzgerald.

Become a Better Spokesperson with 9 Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 06:35:00 -0800

In my full-time job after graduation I am looking forward to joining a national financial services company (my ideal starting place to capitalize on the information I have also learned in business school!) as a coordinator for company-wide communications. One responsibility of my department is to prepare executives for speaking to the public - whether through investor meetings, conferences, interviews, etc. Although I most likely will not be the lead person for these tasks immediately, I have been trying to read articles that I think will pertain to my job and help me assist my supervisor as best as possible.

In an article by Brad Phillips on his blog MrMediaTraining.com, I learned "Nine Things New Spokespersons Need to Know" - and they're really good!

1. Develop a message - Know what you want to communicate and prepare your three most important phrases or sentences.
2. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. - Articulate at least one of your messages in every answer (not verbatim though).
3. Transition - Bridge from the reporter's question to your message with phrases such as "The most important thing to remember is..." or "Well, what we're seeing here is..."
4. Don't make a new friend - The moment you get comfortable and start thinking the reporter is your friend, you're going to venture away from your message and make a mistake. They may be nice, but they're not your friend.
5. Speak everyday English - Don't use big, jargon-filled words, especially when speaking with general audiences.
6. Don't bury your lead - Give the most interesting part of your answer, aka your "lead," first. If you have additional time, you can go back and provide more context.
7. Be your most engaging self - Gesture, convey warmth, and smile when appropriate.
8. Speak 10 percent louder than usual - This will help you sound less monotone and helps animate your body language.
9. Watch your tone - If you feel defensive, you will look defensive. Don't greet tough questions with panic, welcome them as opportunities to correct the record.

Purple Tie Happy Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 05:00:00 -0800

An evening of professional networking in one of Philadelphia's premiere Italian restaurants is one of a series of events planned to help raise money to support the local fight against cancer. Relay For Life of South Philadelphia, the American Cancer Society's signature fundraising event, will host its first Purple Tie Happy Hour tomorrow, Thursday, February 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Positano Coast at 212 Walnut Street in Old City.

The American Cancer Society invites members of professional communications organizations to socialize in order to raise money for Relay For Life of South Philadelphia that will be used to directly fund cancer research and treatment in the Philadelphia area. Professionals will be offered beer, wine and authentic Italian hors d'oeuvres during an enjoyable evening of philanthropy.

Tickets are priced at $35, are available for purchase at the door, and online at http://purpletiehappyhour.eventbrite.com/

To learn more about Relay For Life of South Philadelphia and the other fundraising events leading up to the Relay in June, visit www. phillyrelay.org, follow @RFLSouthPhilly on Twitter or connect with Relay Philly on Facebook.

iPads Upgrade the Shopping Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 08:34:00 -0800

Keeping up with technology trends is important. For retailers, that means recognizing that their customers may prefer being able to customize products or browse their options online before making an in-store purchase. Many retailers are making efforts to accommodate their technology-savvy shoppers by incorporating iPads into their stores.

An article from the Chicago Tribune discusses some of the ways stores are using iPads to upgrade their customers' shopping experiences. One cosmetic company, Make Up For Ever, is using iPads to allow customers to access face charts for browsing makeup combinations. Things Remembered, a personalized gift retailer, is using iPads to allow customers to browse messages and designs for engravings. The stores plan to eventually add a feature allowing customers to view their completed design before they order. Other clothing stores are using iPads to allow customers to browse their online catalogs while shopping in their stores.

How much the addition of iPads to stores improves the shopping experience is something to be experimented with and debated, but making the in-store shopping experience more high-tech will likely appeal to the wired generations.

Would you be impressed by iPads when shopping in stores? Have you been to any of the stores already using them?

Using house parties to build relationships

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:00:00 -0800

In PR we focus on building relationships with all sorts of internal and external publics. It is important that we constantly seek new ways to interact with our publics and maintain those relationships.

I recently learned about what is essentially a new PR tool called houseparty.com. The site describes itself as a collection of "thousands of parties across the country, hosted by people like you." Each event offered on the site is "sponsored by a leading brand and focuses on something the sponsor wants its best fans to experience firsthand and share with their friends." The concept is simple: organizations put together and sponsor themed parties and consumers can apply for the chance to host the parties in their homes. The chosen consumers are supplied with materials, decorations, prizes, discounts, freebies and other supplies to host their parties.

I think this site is on to a great idea. What better way to raise awareness and generate buzz about your company or product than to offer your consumers a chance to try it for themselves- for free- in the presence of their friends? Further, these parties represent the basis for a two-way, mutually beneficial relationship between the company and the consumer; the consumer gets a social experience, "insider" information about the company's products and some free stuff while the sponsoring company gets a chance to wow a whole group of people with their product and has the opportunity for that excitement to spread to attendees' other contacts in a viral, grass-roots fashion.

Would this type of party work for your company or client? What other creative ideas do you have for fostering relationships with your publics?

Social Media Week: “Defend the Tweet”

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 06:00:00 -0800

“There is something about a perfectly crafted tweet.” --JWT’s Chief Creative Innovation Officer, James Cooper

Recently I went to New York to attend Social Media Week--for free.

What I originally expected to be just another boring speaker series filled with out-of-touch professionals turned out to be one of the best networking and learning events I have experienced.

I observed a lively series of practitioner panels on topics like YouTube, Foursquare and Twitter and how to use them effectively in both personal and professional settings. The best part: every one of them got it!

From 50-year-old marketing veterans to 18-year-old entrepreneurs, everyone was there to learn and discuss how social media influences and changes us and our society. At one point in the evening, I found myself speaking with a marketing student at NYU, a director of digital strategy and a freelance website designer from Boston.

At the end of the day I attended the panel discussion for “Defend the Tweet.” The idea was to get five of the 25 most influential tweeters to literally defend their controversial tweets against a slew of questions and criticisms from the participating audience. Here are a few points I took away from the panel:

• Twitter is all about who you follow
• Twitter is a creative not restrictive outlet
• Information should come to you- the idea of destination web visits are over

Social Media Week is held biannually, every February and September, and is predominantly free thanks to corporate sponsorships. So if you are looking for more than just a humdrum networking event and want to move into a collaborative learning environment that welcomes new ideas and differing points of view, register to attend Social Media Week’s New York City event in September 2011.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Jacob DeChant.

Expanding Your Network Beyond PR

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 06:00:00 -0800

As aspiring public relations professionals, we are constantly told about the importance of networking with current PR professionals. However, I have come to realize the benefits of expanding my network beyond PR.

After attending the 2011 Media Access Workshop organized by the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and the Philadelphia Black Public Relations Society, I know now how important it is for future PR professionals to network with journalists and people within the business industry.

As future PR professionals, we must remember that PR is not practiced in a vacuum. PR people constantly interact with the media, advertisers, marketers and a host of other business people. Therefore, networking with professionals in these industries is a great way to learn firsthand the best ways to approach them in the PR process.

Attending the workshop provided a comfortable atmosphere for me to communicate directly with media people, and learn real world approaches for pitching stories. Networking with these media professionals also allowed me to gain media contacts. In fact, I was able to secure a media placement for the organization I intern with through a contact. The event also provided me the opportunity to network with other organizations that could partner with the nonprofit I intern for.

Essentially, networking outside of the PR industry will help aspiring PR professionals learn how to build beneficial relationships with professionals in positions vital to the PR process.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Shari DaCosta.

Could Facebook Be Forced to Go Public?

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 06:44:00 -0800

CEO and founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has infamously declined unthinkable amounts of money to keep his treasured social networking site private. Now, it seems it may be out of his control due to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Rule 12g5-1(b)(3) that requires companies with more than $10 million in assets and 499 shareholders to register as public companies. Facebook has recently been valued at $50 billion by Goldman Sachs, and has agreed to sell $1.5 billion worth of its stocks to elite Goldman clients, possibly putting the shareholder count over 500.

The reason I say "possibly" is because according to Andrew Ross Sorkin of the New York Times, Goldman is attempting to create a "special purpose vehicle" that will only count itself as one investor since the offering will be managed by the firm, even though money could be pooled from many other clients.

Although this could be a potential loop hole, in Section B of the rule it states (in more confusing terms) that if the primary reason for creating the "special purpose vehicle" is to get around the rule's constraints, specifically the shareholder limit, then each Goldman client who gets involved will be considered an individual shareholder in the company, pushing Facebook's number over 500.

Via an article on MSNBC.com, top securities law professor Adam Pritchard says "If Facebook is selling to [Goldman] knowing this is going to happen, then they are on their way to having to register the company as a public company with the SEC."

An important note though: Just because Facebook will have to register as a public company does not mean they will have to offer stock to the public. They WILL have to disclose their financials though, including profits, revenues, top executive hires and departures, etc. Many who are informed about the subject suggest that if Facebook has to disclose their financials and register through the SEC, they might as well issue second-class (non-voting) shares to the public.

Going public and trading shares can be dangerous for some companies. Read "Facebook likely to go public in 2012" on CNN.com to learn a little more about why the author will not rush to hold stock in Facebook.

Here are the list of articles I read about the possibility of Facebook going public:
MSNBC.com
CNN.com
NYTimes.com
WSJ.com

I recommend you read them too in order to get a better grasp of why Facebook may have to go public and what the possible effects are for "The Social Network."

Google One Pass

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:29:00 -0800

Google has taken a subtle stab at Apple. The internet search giant unveiled One Pass, its new Android prescription model. One Pass is a direct competitor to Apple's recently launched App Store subscription service. Without directly announcing its new product is meant to compete with Apple, Google has designed a service that will surely outdo the App Store subscription service.

What is the One Pass, though? The application is meant for tablets and smart phones. Users are able to sign on to websites using a single name and password. Publishers are able to authenticate individual subscribers so users are not forced to resubscribe. These same publishers are also able to experiment with revenue methods- metered access, subscriptions, 'freemium' content or single articles for sale.

Google tactfully announced, "Our goal is to provide an open and flexible platform that furthers our commitment to support publishers, journalism and access to quality content."

Beat that Apple.

Brands Are Getting Dumped on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:00:00 -0800

During last week's meeting for one of PRowl's accounts, we held a small social media workshop to educate staff members about the various differences between Facebook and Twitter and how to handle those differences accordingly while managing those channels. We discussed how establishing an engaging online presence on Facebook may not be the same way it is created on Twitter and created several strategies and tactics in order to successfully create relationships with all of our users in the most effective ways.

With so much social media on the brain between managing my account and the current social media course I am enrolled in, I have been stalking the internet for interesting articles about the best ways to handle Twitter and Facebook accordingly. I came across this article on Twitter from TWTRCON about a study that was recently conducted by ExactTarget and CoTweet that revealed why Facebook and Twitter users "unlike" or "unfollow" brands, and how the expectations around brand communications differ between the two social media platforms.

Marketing Profs reported the results, and below is a comparison of how Facebook and Twitter users engage with brands, courtesy of TWTRCON:

While Twitter users are less likely to ‘dump’ a brand, they do expect brands to keep it interesting – 52% “unfollow” brands due to boring content. Only 38% of Facebook fans “unliked” a brand because content became boring or repetitive, but a significant majority (63%) “unliked” a brand due to excessive postings – Facebook users don’t want to hear too much from a brand (44%), and want to keep their wall fairly uncluttered (43%).

Additional highlights from the comparison:

A significant amount – 26% of Facebook users, and 27% of Twitter users – only “liked” a company to take advantage of a one-time offer
24% of Facebook users and 27% of Twitter users said the company didn’t offer enough deals
24% of Facebook users and 21% of Twitter users said posts/tweets were too promotional
only 51% of Facebook users expect a “like” will result in marketing communications from brands, vs. a whopping 71% of Twitter users
20% of Twitter users have stopped following a company because their tweets were “too chit-chatty”.
71% of Facebook fans say they’ve become more selective over the past year about which brands they “like” on Facebook. And even after users have “liked” a brand, 51% of Facebook users claim they rarely (or never) visit the brand’s page again.

The most surprising data was how the decision to ‘unlike’ a brand had relatively little effect on future buying: 63% of Facebook fans say they are as likely or more likely to purchase something from a company after ending their Facebook relationship.

What are your thoughts on these statistics about brand communications via Facebook and Twitter? What are some recommendations that you have for being a successful communicator on both platforms? Let us know!

A Bakery Masters Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 08:33:00 -0800

It seems that companies in almost every type of business have jumped on the social media bandwagon. Your gym, your bank, and your favorite coffee shop might now be on Facebook or Twitter. Social media has become an important way for businesses to connect with their audiences if their audiences are in the demographic of social media users. However, simply having a Facebook or Twitter account is not enough. Businesses must be strategic in their use of social media to reach their audiences in the right ways.

An article in the Wall Street Journal profiles a New York bakery's effective use of social media. Spot Dessert Bar uses its Facebook page to offer discounts, contests, and news to customers who "like" it. The bakery also offers laptops and iPads to customers in the shop so they can make posts about the bakery on their social media profiles. According to the article, the bakery has seen a 15%-20% increase in sales since it began this social media campaign.

Spot Dessert Bar has figured out how to use social media to engage and attract customers. Although the bakery's tactics would not be appropriate for all types of businesses, other businesses would benefit from taking notes and thinking about social media tactics that could work for their company.

Do you know of any other businesses effectively using social media to attract customers?

Free-ish speech online

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:02:00 -0800

Where does the line fall between your right to free speech and your employer's right to protect its reputation? The world is still figuring that out.

In case you missed it, the National Labor Relations Board won an important lawsuit against American Medical Response of Connecticut, Inc last week. The NLRB had sued the company after it fired a worker who had turned to her Facebook page to vent her frustrations about her boss.

As a result of its loss in court, American Medical Response will change its blogging and Internet policies, as well as two other policies that forbade employees to say negative things about the company over the Internet, according to an article for the AP.

The decision is believed to inspire employers around the country to review their Internet policies. However, while this case helps set a precedent for free speech on the Internet--particularly when it involves the workplace, don't take it as a free pass to go spouting off about your employer online. The jury is still out when it comes to just how far employee rights to free speech extend on social media.

"'The line can go over into disloyalty or disclosure of truly confidential information'" warned a labor and employment lawyer for the NLRB, "'this is not without boundaries, but we just don't have a good sense yet of where the boundaries are.'"

It seems that we as a society are still adapting old laws to a new world dominated by online media, and it is a tough course to navigate. While it looks as though steps are being taken to ensure employees' rights to free speech on social media, err on the side of caution when posting about your employer.

I recommend only saying things that you wouldn't be ashamed to repeat in person.

A Deeper Look into Diversity

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 06:00:00 -0800

Since February is Black History month, it is important to examine how diversity is intertwined with public relations. While our industry has made great strides in attaining a more diverse employee population, African Americans and women are still underrepresented. The Calvert Study, released this past fall, stated that women hold less than 1 in 10 top paid executive positions. Women only make up 18% of director positions within the top 100 S&P 500 companies, whereas 92 out of 100 CEO’s for these same companies are white males. Additionally, within the public relations field, there are low hire rates for African Americans, both male and female.

Public Relations is a global industry that demands diverse perspectives. In the PRSay article, “Diverging into Diversity: A Communications Strategy,” Larry Jones explains that companies are reluctant to move from the familiar to more diverse populations. Jones describes the importance of this idea by saying, “Diversity in communications also can mean building bridges to new audiences or tapping into new perspectives and ideas.” This statement is a central idea that can permeate through any realm of public relations. As public relations professionals, it is important to provide creative opportunities for our clients. With the help of people from different backgrounds with different experiences, we can provide the most innovative and comprehensive strategy for our clients.

Diversity in public relations is something that can always be improved upon. As young professionals, it is in our best interest to be continuously aware of the inequalities that all minorities may face in our industry. We must focus on changing these aspects to ensure the most inclusive community of public relations professionals. This will ultimately allow companies to provide a more complete plan for their clients.

Do you feel diversity is a problem within the public relations world? What steps can young professionals take to change these issues?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Alex Crispino.

How Social Media is Hurting Corporations

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 06:00:00 -0800

Does your organization or company use social media for public relations? If so, watch what you post or your audiences might start seeing double.

Fake public relations social media accounts are a rising trend in internet tolling. No longer are dissatisfied consumers and irate activists confined to personal accounts or the comment sections of news websites. A single motivated individual can now reach huge audiences by creating a mock corporate social media account. These accounts often post humorous and harmful messages that can cause a public relations nightmare for the most astute crisis management expert.

Two of the most prominent examples of mock social media accounts in recent history are the @BPGlobalPR and @KennethColePR twitter accounts. BP faced a public relations disaster after an explosion in one of its oil pipelines flooded the Gulf Coast with millions of barrels of oil in the spring of 2010. Soon after the initial explosion, the fake public relations twitter account @BPGlobalPR came into existence – much to the chagrin of BP’s real twitter account @BP_America. Memorable tweets from @BPGlobalPR include “Negative people view the ocean as half empty of oil. We are dedicated to making it half full. Stay positive America!” and “What a gorgeous day! The ocean is filled with the most beautiful rainbows! #yourewelcome #bpcares.” To this day, @BPGlobalPR has around 160,000 more followers than @BP_America.

Kenneth Cole recently found itself in a bit of hot water after a blunder on its corporate twitter account. The account, @KennethCole, tweeted, “Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo -KC.” The very same day the fake twitter account @KennethColePR was created and started tweeting similarly fashioned product plugs with a noticeably more malicious undertone. One tweet read, “South Africans won’t be able to tear APARTheid my new knits – they’re just that strong! #KennethColeTweets.” The @KennethColePR account was only active for two days but managed to get over 7,000 followers.

The backlash against Kenneth Cole did not stop there. Mashable reported that a decal of the original @KennethCole was plastered to the storefront of its Kenneth Cole’s San Francisco location. As if the social media blunder wasn’t big enough already, multiple national news organizations also picked up on the story including Forbes and The Huffington Post.
So what is a corporation to do? BP unsuccessfully tried to get @BPGlobalPR removed (instead the account had to clarify that it was fake). In Kenneth Cole’s case, removing the offensive tweet and offering a half-hearted apology was not enough to quell peoples’ anger.

Kenneth Cole’s official twitter account has not made a single post since February 4. Is silence the best answer? How would you deal with a corporate social media blunder?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Doug Bennett.

My Opinion - You Need Brain Balance for PR

noreply@blogger.com (Inside Ads) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:30:00 -0800

I was reading my PR Daily News Feed yesterday (2-10-11) and couldn't resist taking the Right Brain versus Left Brain Creativity Test from the Art Institute of Vancouver that was posted. Typically, creative people use the right side of their brain more than the left side, and vice versa for more logical people. I consider myself a fairly creative person, but am also very diligent and focused. I am actually surprised at my results! Due to my love of "to-do" lists, classical music, research and numbers I would have assumed I would be overwhelming left-brained, but alas I am only left-brained by a slight majority. It turns out that I am 58 percent left-brained and 42 percent right-brained.

Although I came out as more logical than creative, I am confident that I am entering the right field in public relations due to my dominant left brain characteristic: verbal processing. Verbal processing is a method used by the left hemisphere to process our thoughts and ideas with words.

What brain are you? Also, do you feel like most successful PR people are right-brained? I personally think that those in PR need a good balance of both (maybe I'm biased...). Although I think creativity is an essential aspect of finding attractive angles for the right audiences, I also think that organization, logic and diligence are extremely important for managing heavy workloads and strict deadlines, and advocating for your projects to upper-level management, who often may only want to hear about the logic and numbers behind your idea, rather than its genius creativity.

Thoughts? Take the test here!