Communication during crises is essential to the survival of a business. But COVID-19 has shown some companies’ true colors. Some businesses are over-communicating. Some are under communicating. And some are communicating when they should be staying silent. Below is a list of some admirable companies crushing the communication game during the quarantine.
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Does First Lady Melania Trump Hurt or Help Cyberbullying?
Her husband refers to the leader of North Korea as “Rocket Man,” calls Hilary Clinton “crooked Hilary,” and belittles and demeans people through Twitter. Her goal is to end cyberbullying. First Lady Melania Trump announced she would focus her attention on the issue of cyberbullying during the presidential campaign. Since Donald Trump’s election she gave a speech at a U.N. luncheon and traveled to a couple of middle schools to talk to children about bullying; it is believed that she has not yet formulated a defined program for ending cyberbullying. Given the recent comments made by a Parkland High School shooting survivor, it was time to take a look at what First Lady Melania Trump has done for the complex issue of cyberbullying and determine if she will ever actually be effective at change, assuming she is unwilling to smash her husband’s phone. Continue reading
Snapchat VS “Going Live”: Why Snapchat Wins
With the new ability for users to stream live video, Instagram and Facebook have both began to encroach on Snapchat’s long held territory.
The ability to share a personal video, a snapshot of a person’s experience or a window into their lives was how Snapchat revolutionized the social media world. Users were able to communicate with each other through shared sights and experiences. Instead of sending text messaged to explain what was going on, users had the ability to show their surroundings in live time. It didn’t take long for Instagram to see that a picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is worth ten million. So they decided to allow users to post photos as well as minute long videos.
Social Media, Personal Branding and Your Career
Ten years ago you got a job by cold calling and crossing your fingers. Today it is a much different story. Getting a job, moving up in your career and meeting new people is becoming more about your personal branding.
A big part of this shift is establishing your reputation online. In today’s digital age you are much more than your resume. Your digital footprint establishes your personal brand and allows anyone, such as prospective employers to get to know you better.
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Skinny Minnie: Not-So-Pretty
Kate Moss once said, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” This quote was one of the most popular memes of 2016. Young girls and women alike have posted and retweeted this as “fitness” inspiration. Unfortunately, this quote is not the only form of unwarranted, unhealthy physical propaganda; especially within the social media sphere. Continue reading
Does Social Media Give a False Sense of Reality?
We have all seen that Instagram or Snapchat post and have thought to ourselves “wow, they must have an amazing life”. Between lifestyle blogs, famous actors and musicians, and models, it’s hard to not find a life we may want. However, these posts that we see every day don’t represent an attainable lifestyle. So what is it in these posts that make everyone think they’re so great? It is the false reality of people’s lives that we all aspire to have. Continue reading
Snapchat Geofilters Pave the Way for Digital Marketing
In today’s world, digit
al marketing is an absolute must. Luckily for all digital and social media platforms, this is no big secret to brands. Unfortunately for brands, finding a way to stand out in the digital and social sphere is hard. No matter the size of the company, whether you’re Nike or a Dallas local doughnut shop, these online media platforms have paved the way for affordable marketing. It has become so easy to reach more people than ever. Specifically, millennials.
Spectacles by Snapchat, Take That Instagram
Yes. The rumors are true. According to Evan Spiegel, Snapchat’s beloved CEO, Snap
chat has revealed its Snap Spectacles. The spectacles will be released in the fall of 2016 in three blooming colors: black, teal or coral. These snazzy new sunglasses aren’t just cool because of their futuristic design. Oh no. These spectacles take videotaping to a whole new level. Continue reading
Snapchat vs. Instagram: It’s a War Zone
Wild West
In the multi-faceted, ever-changing world of technology, social media is only a small part of this intricate system. However, many brands have noticed this small area’s power within marketing. Due to the technological world’s unfamiliarity with social media, any new techniques or ideas are considered fair game.
Although this Wild West of marketing has little to no rules nor regulations, concepts such as copywriting have been called into the social media debate. Specifically between Snapchat and Instagram. Continue reading
Media: Combining Advertising and Public Relations
Although advertising and public relations both fall on the same side of clients’ balance sheets as staff functions, they have lived in separate offices for many years. Each of them produces media; however, they usually differ.
There are many differences between advertising and public relations that make them unique. A paid source of media is advertising. Advertising provides a guarantee that the client’s goods or services will be placed in the publics’ eye. Advertising’s complete creative control makes the messages targeted and purposeful. An earned source of media is public relations. The media and its viewers hold the lifespan of the organic content produced by public relations. Continue reading
New Facebook Reactions: ‘Like’, or ‘Angry’?
Image from Facebook
Travel’s gone social: the travel industry in the age of social media
The world just isn’t as big as it used to be.
Traveling was once a hobby that required time, patience, and not-a-little elbow grease. Vacation preparations often had to be made via a travel agent, tickets had to be purchased in-person or over the phone, and you had to actually buy travel books before leaving home. Maps were pieces of paper, not points of light on a screen, and gate agents could be as mean as they wanted to be without ever being reprimanded. The effect of social media on travel has been profound. Truly, travel’s gone social, with apps for online dictionaries and hotel recommendations popping up every day. The Internet has been inundated with information on travel crazes and annoying family vacation photos.
But is it all bad?
Sure, there will always be nostalgia surrounding the time it took to plan out a vacation to Cinque Terre, and the photographs from the family road trip will always be special precisely because they are so few. But there is certainly something good to be said about the way things are done now.
Now that travel’s gone social, a world of tips lies at your disposal. Need a romantic getaway? Check Pinterest; she’s got plenty. Craving a vintage-looking suitcase to tote around on adventures? Etsy’s got you covered. Need to make sure your hotel is up to health code standards? TripAdvisor is your new best friend. Facebook isn’t only a repository for annoying vacation photos, but also a source of check-ins, reviews and ideas that can ultimately change how your plan your time off.
Besides having all the recommendations you could ever need at your fingertips, it’s easier to be a tourist now that travel’s gone social. Companies that previously paid no attention to their customer experience are now forced to face their problems if they want to be competitive. You can talk to a company in real time via their Twitter or Facebook pages rather than holding for hours on the phone.
So, yes, travel’s gone social: travel is now friendlier than ever.
Cultural Divides: A Global Issue in the Shadows
Nonprofit organizations have been helping millions of people globally who could not survive otherwise, without food, water and shelter. According to global issues.org, over three billion people, almost half the world, live on less than $2.50 a day. At least 80 percent of humanity lives on less than $10 a day and more than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening.
“We are responsible for the world in which we find ourselves, if only because we are the only sentient force, which can change it.” – James Baldwin
Every man does not live on bread alone. A global issue has been forgotten behind poverty, sickness, and hunger. An issue that starts wars, causes suicide, and destroys societies. That issue is cultural divides. What makes humans uniquely different from other species is our need for relationships for survival.
Pinterest: As a Marketing Tool
Looking for the next big thing in social media marketing? It has been right in front of you this entire time!
Don’t be fooled by the bride-to-be stereotype… Pinterest has become a platform all companies should be monitoring and using daily if they want to be successful!
Pinterest is a visual bookmarking tool that helps individuals discover and save creative ideas. The social media platform was created in 2011 and now has over 100 million monthly active users (Griffith). Continue reading
Does the Rapid Evolution Of Social Media Have Apple To Thank?
Does the rapid increase and popularity of new social media platforms depend on Apple (AAPL) to continue their growth and usage?
Whether you’re a Microsoft groupie, a Samsung Galaxy guru, or an Android addict, there is no question that Apple is the most valuable company in the world. According to Forbes, this year Apple not only had the last largest market cap, but also the largest sales, profits, and assets among the world’s largest technology company.
January 2007 was the announcement that changed the tech industry forever. The arrival of the iPhone revolutionized the smartphone and paved the way for apps, digital media, and social media to become the future.
Twitter Campaigning: Social Media in the 2016 Presidential Election
Presidential campaigns spend millions of dollars each year on radio and television ads, but for the 2016 election this money is a waste. Presidential Candidates must look to social media for rankings, free advertisement, analytic
s, fundraising, public feedback and opinion, engage with young voters, and immediate response to controversy.
More voters are receiving their news from social media and the 2016 presidential candidates are taking advantage of this medium. Social media is a tool for campaigns to reach out to Millennials and gain momentum in the polls and recognition in the news. Twitter has become imperative for candidates to use to gain the public eye and attention of potential voters.
Combative Communications 101 – Presidential Debate Style
The candidates of the Republican Presidential Debate stand together after a combative, confrontational 3 hour dialogue.
Although titled the Republican Primary Debate, CNN’s lengthy Wednesday evening production was much more of a “he said, she said,” Real-Housewives catfight-esque, combative communications performance than a Presidential deliberation.
Taking place at California’s Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, CNN hosted a whopping 16 Republican candidates for what resulted in more of a confrontational therapy session between the “cool kids” rather than an evenly distributed discussion amongst all of the candidates. And yet, the prime time debate averaged 23.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched program in CNN’s history. Is this statistic telling of the type of communication that attracts a majority of our nation’s population?
CNN’s combative questioning technique was designed to spark conversation, typically controversial, between two candidates in regards to comments that one has said about the other and vise versa. As the inquiries and accusations were being responded to, the network would publish the responses via Twitter, which only elongated the “he said, she said” conversation via social media. On the contrary, professor and CNN Political Analyst during elections Dr. Rita Kirk, noted that although combative, the debate technique forced candidates to be confrontational in a public forum. By forcing candidates to face the criticism that was made both by them and against them, it acted as a “check” on held them and a catalyst for accountability, which may have been the appeal to the American public.
Everything Digital = Everything to Lose? How the Tech Generation May be Getting Set Up to Fail
When discussing with a peer his ambition to run for a position on his local School Board, the issue on the forefront of his campaign was to cut the funding for and requirement of purchasing iPads for all middle and high tech generation students. Plot twist- this perspective comes not from a technologically challenged, micro-managing parent, but rather from a tech-savvy, avid device user, sophomore at Southern Methodist University.
Unfortunately, a Pew Research Center study has confirmed our grandparent’s rants about the negative implications of staring at a screen all day. A whopping 87% of teachers in the study, joined by the College Board and the National Writing Project, reported that technology is creating an “easily distracted generation with short attention spans.” 64% of both middle and high school professors stated that today’s digital technologies “do more to distract students than to help them academically.”
Students getting distracted by their iPads in a Los Angeles classroom.
Director of the Pew Internet Project Lee Rainie hit the nail on the head when remarking that the tremendously overpowering influence of modern day technology may be attributed to the inability of students to understand how to master time management at such young ages. “Multi-tasking” has become a casual phrase referring to how our brains should function in this day and age, with the expectation that humans are able to comprehend and retain information while receiving and sending text messages with various people, listening to lyric-stuffed music, with various online shopping windows up, and while regularly glancing at overflowing Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat feeds, etc. Why, and how, is it that the biggest culprit of distraction has become the turned to tool for educating the youth?
Loosely titled the “iPad Initiative,” the break up between school districts and textbooks has become an epidemic as tablet computers are being utilized as a tool to help implement the new Common Core state standards for math and reading. The separation has had its positives, though, such as financial savings, lighter backpacks, and providing students with technology and internet awareness. The iPad Initiative provides instant information at students’ fingertips, which is both a blessing and a curse. There is a difference between information and knowledge:
Information – facts provided or learned about something or someone.
Knowledge – facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.
Although these nouns are used universally and interchangeably, it is pivotal that the tech generation is enlightened on the true difference between the two. The iPad initiative teaches only how to access information, without pushing students to both absorb and comprehend that information and make it knowledge.
Farewell to Undergrad: Two Takeaways from SMU
People tend to call college the “best four years of your life.”
And to be completely honest, I want to believe that isn’t true. So here’s my farewell to undergrad post. To look back on the two defining moments that have shaped my undergraduate career, and have helped me recognize that we have a few lessons to take with us post-graduation.
There’s a Secret Gold Apple Watch
So what exactly do Beyonce and Karl Lagerfeld have in common with each other? Well, for one, they’re both proud owners of an exclusive secret gold Apple Watch!
Though Apple recently launched its new wearable watch line this past Friday, the luxe gold edition is currently not listed for purchase…at least NOT for the general public…