Social Media vs. The Basics February 23, 2009

PRSSA National Forum Article

I wrote an article for PRSSA Forum, check it out!

I interviewed a Professor at Auburn University, Robert French, and the Founder of Caffiene Communications, Bryan Lemonds.

PRSSA Free Webinar December 10, 2008

PRSA is offering FREE WEBINAR: “Don’t Be Faceless: Learn 7 Essential Social Media Techniques for PR Success”

From Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

Searching for a FREE social media professional development event? We’ve got a FREE WEBINAR that’s just what you’re looking for! Sign up for “Don’t Be Faceless: Learn Seven Essential Social Media Techniques for PR Success” on Wednesday, January 14 @ 3 p.m. EST.

As the world of communications continues to change, it is no longer an option to simply refer to the social media guy or girl within your organization for all things digital. Every public relations pro needs to know the basics of social media and how to apply them effectively. How should social media play a role in your overall communications strategy? In this session you will learn:

- Techniques that are field tested and proven through work with dozens of clients, including some of the world’s largest brands.
- Actionable tips for how to put your knowledge to work the very next day — or perhaps even the same afternoon.
- How to integrate social media and personality into your overall communications strategy so it complements your other efforts.
- Tracking and reporting your success in a way about that will get your boss excited (and reward you).

Join ROHIT BHARGAVA, award-winning author, blogger, founding member and SVP of Ogilvy PR’s 360 Digital Influence, is author of the best-selling new marketing book, “Personality Not Included,” an engaging, useful guide to the future of public relations and how personality and social media are impacting the world of business. He publishes the Influential Marketing blog, which is ranked among the top 50 marketing blogs in the world, and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek and other global media. He also is a popular keynote speaker on marketing and business strategy and often appears as a guest columnist in media publications. He believes in being approachable, helping others do great things and loves to be identified as a smart marketer — although, he prefers to be described as a nice guy.

Register today at: http://www.prsa.org/PD/events/DontBeFaceless.html

Spread the word on Facebook by inviting people to the FB event at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=43073960875&ref=nf

***Check out PRSA’s upcoming events at http://www.prsa.org/PD/events.html ***

Social Media Policy December 4, 2008

Melanie McBride posted a template, and encouraged her readers to “[Steal This] Personal Social Media Policy.” Since she has this licensed under Creative Commons, I’m sharing it with you here.

 

MY SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

[a work in progress]

1. Connecting: Introduce yourself and tell me why you want to connect

I would love an introduction from new people, but I dont have to have one. If its college friends that I may have been introduced to previously, then no. But if its on Twitter or LinkedIn, then yes. Please introduce yourself and the connection that we have for me to add you.

2. Follow, add, friend: Come on In!

I friend immediately if I am going to friend or add someone. If it takes time, you are probably in Limbo and I feel bad giving a straight rejection…but its coming.

3. Privacy, boundaries and safety: a-b-C your way out of it!

I prefer to have only professional information, with harmless personal information out there. I dont mind if you see the pictures from my weekend out, as long as they are pictures that I would show my Grandmother. In fact, I dont take pictures that I wouldnt show her, so I guess Im safe! I dont post or write information that should be kept private; I feel that its my responsibility to protect that, not my networks.

4. Signal to noise: Tweet much? Not me…

I am not as active as I have been on Twitter, due to other Social Media interests such as Facebook and blogging (writing and reading) so I really dont mind.

5. Personal data and sharing: Network!

I would love to connect professionally, but that’s it.

6. My networking needs and uses:

Facebook is mostly personal/ organizational with PRSSA

Twitter is professional/ educational

LinkedIn is only professional

I dont use MySpace.

7. Your criteria here: Be Kind, Rewind

Just like any other courtesy based policy, be kind and professional. I dont need to know your personal business and I dont need you in mine

 

Holiday Cheer and Good Publicity- John Mayer December 4, 2008

To John, Love Santa

I have spent most of the day watching my friend Ashley make a cake for a John Mayer holiday cake contest. On his blog, (which is on my Google Reader) he put up pictures of his cakes he has made and said that if people made cakes and sent him pictures he would pick one to be the winner. The winner gets a Fender Strat guitar by the way… so Ashley made a cake. She is also going to his concert in LA this weekend (we’re in Savannah, GA), which means that if she wins the cake contest- she will pretty much be the best John Mayer fan that there is out there!

Just thought I would share a little Christmas cheer while showing how publicity stunts are great ideas, if only to connect with your audience for the fun of it. There is green icing and red fruit roll ups all over our counter, not to mention loads of fun laughing about how things turn out and innovating when problems arise (Public Relations 101 right?) So good job, John Mayer, and thanks for inspiring a little holiday fun in the midst of stressful college finals!

PS. Pick Ashley’s present cake!

Applying to work within Time Warner December 3, 2008

Megan Piper Resume

Megan Piper Cover Letter

 

Posting Job Title	Credit Only Intern
TimeWarner Division	Warner Bros. Entertainment Group
WB Business Unit	WB Interactive Entertainment
Industry	Film Production and Distribution
Location	United States – California – Burbank
Requisition #	108213BR
Position Type	Full Time
Posting Job Description	Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. seeks a Credit Only Intern for the WB Interactive Entertainment department. Position will compile and pull newspaper and magazine clips for reports. Scanning consumer, trade and gaming publications for WBIE news. Work with PR Director and Managers on interactive product placement for games. Attend Marketing and Production meetings. Assist with press releases and fact sheets. Performs other duties as assigned. Requirements High School diploma required. Current college student at a 4 year University majoring in communication, journalism, public relations other similar degree program preferred. Firm knowledge of MS Office Suite (Excel, MS Word, PowerPoint). Strong analytical skills. Strong organizational skills. Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Strong grammar and writing skills.

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverlettersamples/a/covertemplate.htm

https://careers.timewarner.com/1033/asp/tg/cim_searchresults.asp?function=runquery&agentid=5373947 

I <3 Time Warner December 3, 2008

Why have I written a ton of posts on a separate page about Time Warner? Im sure in a blog full of random PR student information, this question has come to mind. Just to fill you in, I have a final project in my PRCA 3331 Corporate PR class that I chose to do on Time Warner. I would rather blog than write a term paper, so here it is! Check out the page (up there to the right) Time Warner- a positive online presence!

M. Piper

Groundswell- No Other but Time Warner December 3, 2008

What Is Groundswell?

It’s a book by two Forrester analysts with practical, data-based strategies for companies that want to harness the power of social technologies like blogs, social networks, and YouTube. Featuring 25 full case studies, a complete road map for social strategy, and data from around the world. Learn more about the book, download an excerpt, or see our reviews.

http://www.forrester.com/Groundswell

So that was just so that you know where I am coming from when I talk about the Groundswell, which is just a wave of Social Media that has hit and is not going to wash away. Time Warner is using the Groundswell in that it is a huge part of the Groundswell already. Time Warner works through websites for a vast amount of its company. Entertainment has jumped on the Groundswell wave with full force, with Time Warner right in the middle of it.

For example:

 I can read about my movies, television shows, and other entertainment on www.moviefone.com

I can read celebrity gossip and news on www.popeater.com

I can access the latest fashion on www.instyle.com

I can search directions for my next trip on www.mapquest.com

Everything that Time Warner does is online as well as in the traditional versions of TV, news, and magazine, etc. Also, Time Warner interacts with its audience through questions and comments features. They provide social networking sites online like www.bebo.com The Groundswell is popular with many Corporations and Companies these days, but when I think about the sites and aspects of the Groundswell; I think of who? No other but Time Warner!

Economy Depresses, Time Warner Restructures December 2, 2008

“Challenge unlike we have seen before”

 

According to an article by the Financial Express, Time Warner faces challenges because of the recent fall in the economy. It plans to restructure, which will cut approximately 600 jobs.

“Industry conditions have been challenging due to the financial crisis, which has produced sharp decreases in advertising spending. This is expected to continue through most of 2009,” Time Inc Chairman and Chief Executive Ann Moore wrote in a memo on Tuesday to employees that was obtained by Reuters.

She said it was a challenge “unlike any we’ve seen before.”

There has been an increasing decline in advertisement spending in U.S. magazines and newspapers. People would rather read free information online than buy it in print. (Here we are reading and writing blogs as they speak!)

This will affect popular magazines, but they will not be closing any of them at this time. The information is not permanent right now, changes differ from day to day with each decision made. The number of employees cut may be between 300-600. The company is also talking about selling their AOL unit to Yahoo.

The positive aspect of this restructuring will be that they will have more opportunities to focus on their Internet-based publics. The plans are to categorize the 24 magazines and websites into three umbrellas: news, style and entertainment, and lifestyle properties.

Positive for PR majors: “Time Inc also will create an advertising sales and marketing group to handle sales across all of Time’s magazine brands, something Moore said was critical because of the difficult ad sales environment. The unit will be run by Stephanie George, also a Time executive vice president.”

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/time-warner-plans-restructuring-to-axe-600-jobs/378948/2

http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1008327,00.html

Time Community Warner (Community is their middle name) December 2, 2008

Community Involvement

There was so much to say on this topic that I just provided the links to this area of www.timewarner.com I will say that my favorite part of the community involvement area is that Time Warner provides employees with up to five days of paid leave to participate in community volunteer or charity work. What a great way to help out the community in which Time Warner is involved! Also, what a great way to nourish all aspects of their employee’s lives!

 

 

Education and the Arts

 

Employee Engagement

 

FAQs and Contacts  

Public Relations Model-Time Warner December 2, 2008

I believe that Time Warner uses the Two Way Symmetric Model of Public Relations. Of the PR Models by Grunig and Hunt, this model is appropriately applied to Time Warner. This model gets feedback with view to changing practices, and it is a dialogue instead of a monologue.

Time Warner uses its websites and print to ask for questions and comments from their audiences. In each of the different divisions and businesses, they ask for feedback in order to better serve those who support Time Warner