OK, I had to do it.

As seen on thesuperficial.com, Paris Hilton has been spotted walking around town carrying a copy of "The Holy Bible" and "The Power of Now" as an effort to clean up her image a bit. (In case you've forgotten, she faces 23 days of jail time for driving with a suspended license. She got her sentence cut in half for good behavior. i.e. showing up to her court date on time.) Does her publicist really think that shoving religion and a New York Times bestseller into her hands will make the public forget all about the Paris we used to know?

I guess it's a cheap way to try to change your image, but...you definitely get what you pay for. If anything, this stunt will get the TV newsmagazines and tabloids talking about how unbelievable it is that Paris is a) religious and b) literate.

Who Will be the Next American Idol?

Tonight the votes are tallied and this season's American Idol will be crowned. American Idol is in its sixth season and ratings continue to reflect the shows phenomenal success. According to Nielsen, Idol is at the top of the prime time ratings for yet another season. The shows unparalleled success has drawn in hundreds of advertisers and sponsors, including Coke and Ford. The show has also created a PR buzz.

All of the shows contestants do hundreds of interviews and some do advertisements. They are promoting the show, products, and most importantly themselves. Media coverage of this show is constant and so a smart contestant who knows anything about PR knows that they need to idolize (no pun intended) their time in the spotlight to promote their image.

Successful Idol contestants include Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Hicks, Fantasia Barrino, Ruben Studdard, and Kelly Clarkson. These contestants marketed themselves well and have continued on to have very successful singing careers.

Ocean's 13 Cast Raises Money for Darfur

Ocean's 13, a second sequel to the rat pack classic, Ocean's 11 made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last week, but that is not why its cast is getting so much publicity. The Ocean's 13 cast, which includes George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Don Cheadle are working towards raising money and awareness for the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

Cheadle recently co-authored the book Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond. Cheadle admits that getting media coverage of the crisis in Darfur is an uphill battle. The use of the upcoming Ocean's 13 release has been a way to gain publicity on the issue. Cheadle has gained the support of his co-stars and with this powerhouse team of actors behind the Darfur project progress is being made.

Over 9 million dollars have been raised already, with a $1 million contribution from Stephen Spielberg. The charity effort is proving to have benefits for everyone. The Darfur crisis is finally getting some of the attention it deserves and the movie's stars are getting good publicity because media coverage is showing their campaigning efforts to help with this worthy case. The Ocean's 13 cast is making good use of their time in the spotlight.

What do PR and Accounting Have in Common?

What do PR and Accounting share in common? This may seem like one of those riddles that doesn't seem to have an answer. Although public relations and accounting may seem to be on completely different ends of the career spectrum they offer one common benefit to college graduates who go into these fields. They both allow you to work in a field that you may be passionate about. For example, if you played football in college, you can find a job working with any of the hundred professional teams that all have communications, public relations, of media relations departments. Accountants can do the same, but their jobs just don't seem as interesting (maybe I'm a little bias).

This freedom to find a job with a team, company, person, or organization that you are passionate about is almost exclusive to PR graduates. PR professionals are needed in all kinds of businesses. A person with a passion for animals could work with the SPCA. A person who is concerned about the environment could work for a non-profit environmental group. The possibilities are endless.

So when entering the work force, search for a position that allows you to incorporate the things you know and care about. It will make work much more enjoyable.

Jerry Seinfeld Makes a Buzz

At this year's Cannes Film Festival Jerry Seinfeld answered questions about what he has been doing since his "Seinfeld" days and created some big "buzz" in the process. Jerry has returned to the scene to promote his latest project, a movie titled, "Bee Movie." This is a DreamWorks film thought up by Seinfeld and directed by Stephen Spielberg. With such a successful animation production team, legendary director, and hilarious comedian behind the film you wouldn't think outlandish publicity stunts would be necessary to create buzz, but Jerry wasn't taking any chances.

On the morning of May 17, Jerry Seinfeld suited up in a giant bee costume and was attached to a guy wire. He then proceeded to fly hundreds of yards from the top of the Carlton Hotel onto the pier. Below, Co-star Chris Rock was doing play by play commentary. The two comedians engaged in comedic banter before Jerry made his final landing.

Jerry landed unharmed and apparently unembarrassed. He claimed, "No desperation here, just good advertising." He also said, [If there's] anything I hate its publicity that smacks of any kind of desperation." Apparently Jerry doesn't view his flying bee stunt as desperate, just clever. I agree. At a film festival, reporters are forced to choose between event and films and many of them passed up other events to watch Jerry fly in a bright yellow and black bumblebee suit.

The film is scheduled to premiere on November 2. Guest appearances include Oprah Winfrey, Larry King, Chris Rock, and Ray Liotta.

To read more about this film and Jerry's publicity stunt go to time.com.

It's all starting to make sense now.

Over the semester, the blog assignment was very hard for me. It was always something i forgot about and ended up skipping a few. But it was good to learn how to write 'real' blogs rather than the fake ones on Myspace. It is good to show just how much the PR industry is changing and how soon-to-be PR professionals need to adapt to these changes. It has also been great to read the various types of blogs. The ones that focused on celebrity gossip as well as the ones that gave us great tips for blogging in the future.

Overall, it was a great way to learn from one another as well as create self-learning skills. I've learned how technological the world is getting from the other side of the spectrum. Actually creating virtual news is a lot harder than just reaping the benefits from it.

PR 191...

This class blog has been an interesting look into what interests my fellow classmates. Some blogged about politics, some celebrity gossip (ok, more than some. and sometimes even I.), and some stuck just to public relations topics. Most posts were well written and all exhibited each students personal writing style.
I think this blog is a good exercise for public relations students because the face of public relations is changing. It is keeping up with technological advances and requires its practitioners to do the same. Blogs are becoming more and more common and people in the pr field must realize that they play a part in shaping public opinion...which can be both good and bad.
Hell, people in pr even have to keep up with that pesky little wikipedia site. The times they are a'changing.

Paging Karl Rove...

This Salon article asks the questions that are on many Americans' minds. Regardless of how you feel about the Bush presidency, I posit that Karl Rove, senior political advisor to the president is a public relations genius. Rove's ruthless PR tactics enabled the administration to stay afloat for six years, albeit by a narrow majority. I appreciate how this article highlights those tactics, both as a citizen and as a future public relations practitoner.

Final thoughts on PR 191

PR 191 opened my eyes on new topic. I did not pay attention to blog from before. Following a blog during the semester was challenging and made me realize that this is the new trend in business. Blogging is becoming more important than ever, even businesses use it to polish their company’s image like in “Sun” case.

But, the problem resides in who is behind the blog? Who is writing the blog?
We saw in Walmart case that Walmart hired secretly people to start blogging in its favor. Blogging can confront unethical problem.

Overall PR 191 was a challenging class, looking back, I feel that I learnt a lot of valuable information whether in doing position paper, annual report, a direct mail package or blogging.

PR class

This class has placed a new perspective on my future role in public realtions. I have learned many useful tools that I will look back and rely on as a PR practitioner. Who knew the strong effects of a position paper, as well as the aspect of writing a blog every week?

The lessons we have learned are skills that will encompas us to succeed in the business world.

One skill that has lead us into the heart of public relations is blogging. Blogging has become one of the most used and useful tools to the public relations field. It has become a source of marketing, persuasion, and good publicity. As a blogger I have learned to browse other bloggers for news and current events. Blogging is another way to market yourself to future employers. It can be a useful way to market your skills in creative writing as wewll as your professionalism.

This class has helped spin a simple internet tool into a wonderful way to speak your mind about a certain topic. I was very happy to learn a new skill that is becoming more and more useful in public relations.

Reflection On Our PR 191 Class

Before this class, I had never understood what a blog was or how to create one. In addition, I never saw myself ever posting any. PR 191 has taught me a lot in regards to the "new" media and the popularity of online technology.
Blogging has seriously taken over the traditional media, as more and more people are able to connect with each other through blogs. They are so easily accessible and easy to post, something that scares me a little. Unlike anything else, anyone can read your blogs and hear what you say.
Let me just say, I was surprised when posting my blog regarding Blogger and Podcaster Magazine. It was shocking to find that the magazine's publisher, himself, posted a comment in reaction to what I wrote. Interesting how easily accessible any blog can be!
Realizing the astonishing effects of the "new" media, I see myself maybe utilizing it in the future. It may affect my career plan, who knows. It might benefit me, even though I never had a liking to it. But reality is reality. Sooner or later, blogging, podcasting, vlogging, and any of this online "new" media will one day be the dominating media in society.

Shrek & McDonald

Since Shrek the Third is coming soon, McDonald cross-over Shrek a series of product. Firstly, McDonald products 4 edition of Shrek glasses, consumer can buy it with any food purchase. Clearly. the target audience (TA) for this collection is kids and supporter of Shrek.

To broader the TA, McDonald has new burger, Ranch BLT with innovative slogan, "Feed your inner Ogre". Definitely, the word "Ogre" can enhance loyalty of Shrek's fans.

To arouse TA interest, it also designed a game of Shrek on its website, I tried to play, it is pretty good. Check it out: http://shrek.mcdonalds.com/mcd/shrek.html

Changing PR

There have been many transitions in the way the media transmits their news. We have newspapers, internet and radio. Within the media we also have so many new forms of communication that can often overwhelm the content of our messages and instead concentrate on how fast and how concise people can deliver their messages.
The truth is we live in a fast paced world that depends on technology on a daily basis. As time passes more technological advancements that facilitate the way we live our lives. It is important to keep up with these innovations because it is precisely these new podcasts, blogs and web-pages that will become, or have already become, the new way to communicate. This will inevitably affect our career, but the best thing we can do is stay knowledgeable in technology and open-minded to new forms of communication.
Public Relations is very much part of this transition. It's important to know how to blog. It is quickly becoming part of many major organizations as is designing a web-page. It is a difficult task but it is not necessary to become an expert. One can familiarize themselves with the basics skills needed to contribute to this new media.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

This semester has been a particularly trying one, but the information and skills i have picked up this semester have been some of the most useful. This is especially true thanks to PR 191. The activities we did in this class have forced me to explore PR resources and tactics that I was completely unfamiliar with. One of these tools is blogs.

By creating a class blog, all of us have been forced to explore the world of blogging and what it means from a PR standpoint. What I have discovered is that blogging might be one of the most useful resources a PR professional can use. This is because it allows a message to reach a large audience for free. Isn't that the ultimate goal of most PR efforts; to get the message out there without paying for it? It seems to me that blogging might be the future of PR. Blogs have already gained a huge reader base and most companies and public officials have used blogs at one point or another. I don't see an end in sight for blogs. The possiblities seem endless.

As a Public Relations major hoping to break into the field sometime in the next few years, it is going to be important for me to take advantage of these relatively new types of media, which includes such things as blogs and podcasts. Surviving without using these tools seems almost impossible.

Steve Rubel may be onto something here...

If blogging is the new medium for reaching audiences, why not tell them what you're going to blog about and when you're going to do it? Print media has used the editorial calendar to inform advertisers about upcoming editorial and special sections. PR guru Steve Rubel has decided to do it on his blog, too. It will be interesting to see if it draws advertisers, or marks a trend in blogging, since he's the Me2revolution man.

Reflections on PR 191

Weekly blogging is a challege for me. Thankfully, there were several PR flaps this semester to cover, but finding new and interesting material to post proved harder than I expected. New media is the future we face as PR students today. I am thankful that this class taught me more about it. That said, I think I'm going to take MCOM 163 in the fall, because I feel like I need to learn more!

I appreciated our time spent on direct mail and design. It was very fun putting words to the things I had inuited about fonts and design principles, in the past. Learning inDesign is high on my list of priorities, now.

I also really enjoyed getting to know my fellow classmates. You're all a bunch of great people and I look forward to networking and getting to know each other in the future. Thanks also to Prof. McCune for encouraging us and spurring us on toward our best effort.

Final Blog

I’ll start off by saying that this has been a class that has taught me a significant amount of information regarding the world of public relations. It seemed at times, as if I was actually working for a PR agency. Regarding blogs, I have to admit that I finally know what they are all about. I remember that in previous classes blogs were mentioned, nevertheless, I never really knew what they were. This class not only defined what blogging is, but also gave us the opportunity of actually write and comment blogs.

I have realized that blogs are a very important and significant form of communication in the world of PR. I have also learned that they can help, as well as harm. Therefore, being aware of the impact that the blogs have in the world of PR is essential.

In addition, I believe that blogginng is a new phenomenon that will be with me through out my career. I don’t think it will affect me. I’m not an expert at blogging, however, I think I got the hang of it. The impact the it id having in the world of public relations is so intense that I am very much encouraged to become if not an expert a close-to-being and expert blogger.

Final Thoughts...

I am a Marketing major and a PR minor. So I'm not really looking to get into a full blown PR position. But I have to say I have learned a lot this past year and I think it has helped me and could help me in my business career.

Blogs and other new media are not only changing the practice of PR, but I think it is changing everything. It changes the way we communicate as a society and it changes buisness. It's a new way to get a message or opinion across. Or simply, it's a way to let your feelings out. In either case, people are reading blogs. As we all know, it can even lead to new opportunities.

So i think that we as a society, have to adapt, just like any other new technology, we have to adapt to it and incorporate it into our daily lives.

So I just want to say that this semester in PR 191 has been a blast because I have learned so many new things that I haven't ever known before. Dreamweaver, direct mail, position paper, blogs and brochures are some example.

Good luck to everyone on their endeavors and have a GREAT summer!

Vaccine's future murky for Merck?

A recent Los Angeles Times article discusses the results of a study that suggest Merck's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine only protects against one or two strains of the virus. HPV is known to cause cervical and other cancers in women.

By early 2007, many states created legislation for mandatory vaccination for teenage girls, igniting a national debate. The ramifications of these statues in addition to the efficacy of the vaccination, are ripe grounds for public relations practitioners and lobbyists.

Merck, having weathered the inital round of scrutiny, is again positioning itself as one of several vaccines designed to prevent HPV.

What I've Learned

So here's the deal. My first semester here at San Jose State was last Fall as a transfer student. I took PR 99 and the entire semester all I did was question why I chose Public Relations as a major. For the life of me I could not figure out what had attracted me to the profession.

Now, about nine months later as I near the completion of my second semester here, my mind is at ease. With classes like PR 192, PR 191 and even Intro to Marketing I am beginning to realize why I am here. I love what I have chosen to do and although it may have taken some time to realize, I am happy that I stuck it out.

I wasn't sure what to expect at the beginning of this semester, but I now know that I have learned far more than I could have possibly expected or anticipated.

Let me share my insights...
1. Appreciate the ease of use of In-Design - Although it seems complicated and the first time using it can be confusing, it has now become my new best friend (figuratively speaking, of course)
2. The databases from King Library are essential - King Library offers SJSU students access to databases like Lexis-Nexis and Academic Search Premiere, both of which are extremely helpful in finding accurate and informative research information.
3. Don't take guest speakers for granted - guest speakers in class are the easiest way to get started on networking. Take initiative, show interest and, most importantly, stand out.
4. Get involved - unfortunately I may have waited too long for this one, but it is important to get involved in the organizations that are associated with your profession. Organizations like the PRSSA will not only look good on your resume but will also do wonders for your networking and also get you the information you may want, if not need, for your future. The PRSSA has guest speakers at every meeting, usually from different areas of PR. These professionals will allow you to network and help you decide which area of public relations is right for you.

I must say that this semester has been exhausting, endless and hard, but it has helped me learn that I am doing what I love and I am enjoying every minute of it. I may be hard, it may be tiring, and it may be the longest 16 weeks of school so far, but they have also been the most eye opening, life changing, and fun 16 weeks of school I have experienced thus far.

Reflection

Over the semester I have become more aware of PR issues by reading PR blogs and reading the news. It is interesting to see the different ways that companies have decided to deal with certain issues, if they even deal with them at all.

Blogs seem to be crucial in the success of some companies. It is a way to communicate with the public in a faster, cheaper and more efficient way. A company can find out what people think of their brand, image or reputation with the simple click of a button. They are able to see if the messages they are trying to convey are being received in the same way.

I am still trying to figure out what area of PR that I want to get into, so it has not necessarily changed my carrer plans, but it has definitely opened my eyes to new possiblities. It has also made me more aware of what is going on with the web and how to be a part of it. I will definitely pay closer attention to blogs and what they have to say.

Can GM reclaim their title against Toyota?

General Motors has been the leader in sales for automobiles for nearly 76 years, however it was recently surpassed by Toyota.

In hopes of reclaiming the title as a global industry leader, GM Chairman-CEO Rick Wagoner made the announcement that they wantsto make a shift from newspaper ads to advertorials. An advertorial is advertisement but is passed off as an editorial.

In short GM wants to pay for public space. In the age of blogging and online media, is a newspaper advertorial really going to be effective enough to reclaim their title and demote Toyota?

Don't Blame Paris, Blame Mintz.

From the sex tape scandal, to her non-undergarment wearing partying, to her dim-wiited antics on Simple Life, Paris Hilton has not had a very good image for being in the public eye. Granted that she is ultimately the one responsible for her actions, it is the fault of her publicist for making her image the tabloid feast it is today.

Elliot Mintz, Hilton's publicist, is not a rookie to the entertainment world. He has also held clients such as Bob Dylan and Christie Brinkley. However, how could can a publicist be when you inform your client that it is ok for her to drive to work when it is against the law? I mean, the bad girl image has definetly given Paris her time in the spotlight but now those 45 days in jail are really gonna hurt her image even more, if that'd even possible.



Now that Mintz has been let go of his role as Paris' publicist even though it was for a 'dumb' reason, it was completely necessary and this is why: "Mintz, declined to comment".

Happy Mother's Day

Little known fact: the United States began celebrating Mother's Day about 150 years ago, when Julia Ward Howe (author of the lyrics to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic") organized the day to encourage peace. She believed that mother's suffered from the loss of human life more harshly than other people.

So while conspiracies about Hallmark inventing Valentine's Day may be true, they did not have a hand in the popularization of Mother's Day. Though they are certainly reaping the benefits.

This may be an angle they could use in to try to down-play the perception of the company as a holiday creator.

Also...make sure you call your mother.

Metro Fountain Blues Festival

Yesterday was the grand finale of the Metro Fountain Blues Festival at San Jose State.

Various artists performed throughout the day, with Buddy Guy, a blues legend, as the grand finale.

Buddy Guy was amazing--naturally. But what else was amazing was learning that San Jose hosts the largest blues festival in the country--The Metro Fountain Blues Festival. Little ol' San Jose has yet another claim to fame, and since an SJSU alum is the main organizer, and the event is held on campus and presented by the Associated Students, SJSU gets some of the spotlight too.

The festival is free, though a $5 donation is suggested to keep the concerts free in the future.

There was also a raffle to win a guitar (like the one in
the picture) autographed by Buddy Guy. Some lucky sap won who wasn't even there to claim his awesome prize.

The Metro Fountain Blues Festival is a sure-fire way to have a good time, listen to good music and see what San Jose and SJSU have to offer. Free concerts are a great way to get positive news coverage and enhance your organization's image...as long as there aren't any riots. Woodstock 99 anyone?

Tom Wants to Help!

Three years later and the myspace phenomenon is still as big as ever. Not only has myspace become a huge network connection and a way to promote up and coming events, but myspace has know taken on the role of becoming an awareness tool.

Recently when checking my myspace account Tom, the creator of myspace, posted a bulletin asking everyone to add this profile to their friends and place it on their top friends to help find Madeline. Madeline, a three year old girl, was abducted from her apartment bedroom in Portugal.

Myspace is yet another outlet to spread the word on situations like this. It gives reward as well as contact information and is a great way to send out a mass message since myspace recently hit over one million accounts.

Could myspace be yet another PR tool? It reaches tons of people, blogs are used, bulletins and reminders can be posted. Myspace seems to be taking over the world.

The Publicist

I have always admired Elliot Mintz, the publicist of Paris Hilton. He had shielded her from the comments by other people. He had a really tough job but he did it incredibly good. However, no matter how good he is, Paris will still be going to jail for 45 days.

It’s an old axiom in PR that you have to love your client and you got the feeling that Mintz did. He was willing to stretch language to its farthest reaches to spin Paris as a little Miss Understood Heiress. See GlossLip for Mintz’s greatest hits.

It is Paris' over fault for ignoring the law. She shouldn't blame Mintz and should be thankful for what he did for her so far!

Source: PR Blog News

Blog Sets Online World Record!

Urban Outfitters, a clothing store, sets the record for having the LONGEST bottom scroll bar ever. Its blogs highlights the 23 windows of content it serves for its fans. The blog has done a great job of appealing to its nationwide audience and at the same time, making a very local connection.

Readers can search posts related to the store nearest to them and learn about store promotions and events. Urban Outfitters have been trying to become "cool" in each of the markets in which its stores are located. In this sense, I think that they are providing some sort of value to potential clients because it doesn't really have anything to do with the clothes it sells.

All in all, I think the blog is a very great way for Urban Outfitters to connect with its customers.

P.S. And the unusual LONG scroll bar won't hurt either.

Again Moore in Trouble

Treasury Department is investigating Micheal Moore, the Academy Award-Winning filmmaker’s trip to Cuba for possible violations of the U.S. trade embargo restricting travel to Cuba.
Moore, took along with him about 10 ailing workers from the Ground Zero rescue effort in Manhattan for treatment in Cuba, and to help him in his upcoming health-care documentary “Sicko.”
After receiving the letter, the first thing Moore did is to place his documentary “Sicko” in a safe place outside the country so the government won’t get hold of it before the scheduled airing on May 19 in Cannes Film Festival.
What kind of surprise Moore has for the world now? We shall know soon.
Read more

Got Good Karma?

The Ad Council and the Federal Voting Assistance Program are sponsoring a new campaign to encourage individuals between the ages of 18 to 24 years, to get out and vote in upcoming elections, entitled Get Good Karma.

The site targets the 18 to 24 demographic because according to U.S. Census Bureau reports, this group is the least likely to vote on election day.

With its cute, fluffy, almost anime style it's entertaining and eye catching. Hopefully, it will encourage young people to vote and become more civic-minded.

Wasteful families leave on TVs and lights

Nearly half of households waste electricity by leaving their televisions on with no one watching, a Friends of the Earth survey has found. I think 5 things to do to save energy:

1. Turn off your computer when you are away for a long time
2. A void using standby mode on household appliances
3. Turn off lights when you don't need them
4. Switch off the power when you are not watching TV
5. Avoid using air conditioners as far as possible

HKSAR Government should have a year-long public relations campaign to advocate the publics.

"Blogger and Podcaster Magazine" Is Getting Some Heat

As known from a previous blog, a new magazine is out: the Blogger and Podcaster Magazine. With online technology becoming such a widespread form of media, it's no wonder why someone would come up with the idea of creating a magazine about blogging and podcasting. But after its launch, the magazine has been receiving some critisism. Kevin Dugan, director of marketing communications for FRCH Design Worldwide, discusses about the irony of the new magazine. In his article, "The Ironic Hypocrisy of Blogger & Podcaster Magazine", he states that, "the industry that regularly chastises mainstream media for not adapting to social media now has a print media vehicle. All the while, this industry eagerly charts mainstream media's death along with the plain, old-fashioned news release." It is a little hypocrtical to say how old-fashioned mainstream media is, only to, in the end, use it to publicize your own publication. But the magazine may have its use to it. What do you guys think about the Blogger and Podcaster Magazine?

Biotherm

I received a bad news last week!!

Last week, I went shopping at Macys since I wanted to buy some skincare product. When I stopped at Biotherm counter and looked for the day cream that I wanted, the sales lady told me that Biotherm is going to leave the US and Canada market after this month.

Omg~ It's a really bad news for me since I am its supporter. Also, it made me to think that is it beacsue the sales volume is not good here. However, Biotherm does great PR work in Hong Kong market, it chooses right celebrity, organize excellence PR events etc.

Guys, please feel free to comment about Biotherm's PR work here.

Social media meetup

John Furrier, founder and CEO of PodTech.net, will speak at the next Third Thursday meetup on May 17 in Palo Alto. His topic: The Newsroom of the Future.

With the arrival of social media, both media companies and businesses are rethinking the way they manage news-gathering and distribution. But how do businesses manage that well-known mainstay -- the "pressroom" at industry events and conferences? Furrier will talk about how smart companies are reinventing the pressroom with state-of-the-art technologies, combined with social intelligence.

Third Thursday is a meetup for Bay Area PR and marketing folks who are interested in sharing and learning about the practical applications of social media in business. It's co-sponsored by the Social Media Club and the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR), and held on the third Thursday of the month.

Seating is limited at this event, and you have to be a member (or the guest of a member) to attend. If you're interested, please let me know ASAP and I'll add you as my guest.

Strategy of Online Dating Sites

I came across with an old news about how online dating sites used strategy to keep the subscription of their customers. These sites promoted their services with fake ads and they had their employees pretend regular subscribers to flirt with their members. Being a quite conservative person, I always think that it's unsafe to find a partner online. Not only is it hard to find true love, many people in these sites are giving fake information. To me, it's horrible that even the online dating companies themselves are cheating their members in this way. I really don't like the virtual world in the internet that much. I can't imagine what I will feel if I was fallen in love with someone met in dating sites and ended up realizing he was the employer of the dating site.

What surprised me the most is that the two big dating companies, yahoo and match.com, were being sued for cheating their members. For more detailed news, go here.

Promoting Spidey

After smashing Sandman and Venom, Spider-Man has also blasted worldwide box-office records. According to studio estimates, "Spider-Man 3" took in a record $148 million in the United States in its opening weekend, breaking the previous all-time high of $135.6 million set last summer by "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."

With $59.3 million on opening day Friday, "Spider-Man 3" also broke the single-day box-office record in the United States, which has also been held by "Dead Man's Chest," with $55.8 million on its first day.

Sony Pictures, the studio behind the "Spider-Man" franchise, also reported Saturday that the movie took in an additional $45 million overseas on Friday for a worldwide total of $104 million, a record for single-day grosses globally. "That's why they call him the amazing Spider-Man," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers. "Just five years ago, these are numbers we thought we'd never see."

Along with Spidermans cult following the promotions behind "Spidey" are all over the web. With his own Myspace, Official Web Page, a Developers Blog, and "Spidey's Web" (a website dedicated to the new Spiderman 3 videogame) there is more then enough 411 about the film and game to get someone not interested in comic movies excited to see the film. All of the websites are very interactive, and all about the fans! Check it out!

PR's future

If you are in public relations then you understand that if the message is lost..all is lost. As PR students we learn everyday how communication and targeted audience is a major part of our job. Well I'm here to tell you that video is the future. PR has used video releases and satellite media for some time now, but the new trend is online video. Since the explosion of users on You Tube browsers now prefer online video. People love video...reading is alright but nothing grabs the attention and holds on to it like a great video. I once heard someone say a picture is worth thousands words...but I'm here to say that a video is worth a thousand pictures and a million words...

Hey folks...just thought I would spice up the blog a tad bit and ask the question....a question most people hate or lets say dislike answering. "Who are you voting for in the Presidential Elections" (sorry for all you Bush fans)..Well if you still haven't decided then here's some food for thought. Presidential runner Mitt Romney recently released an Ad campaign on his views but mostly on himself and how "right" he is for the job. I personally don't know who I am voting for but after seeing his commercials..I kinda have an idea it may not be him...after the long commercials I'm confused where he stands. He co-founded a significant investment firm. He led an overhaul of a corrupt Olympic committee. He served as a Republican Governor of a notoriously Democratic state. He is the son of a well-known pol who served as Governor of Michigan and ran for President. He is a Mormon. He has flip-flopped positions on three GOP issues: abortion, gay marriage and stem-cell research.

I have one piece of advice for Mr. Romney...KISS (keep it simple silly) if the audience doesn't receive the message clearly then the messenger hasn't done his job...

Sarkozy For a Change

Finally, the French people said their word. They elected Sarkozy hoping for some serious interior reformation in the country.
Sarkozy, son of Hungarian immigrant promised to lower the unemployment rate and to be tough on crime and control immigration.
Sarkozy announced after his election, his support to USA even though some opinions may contradict.
Will the American – French relations witness closer ties than ever?
Days to come will decide.

Paris Hilton is going to jail

Paris Hilton, the 26 year-old hotel heiress is sentenced to 45 days of jail time.

Hilton is set to start her sentence on June 5th of this summer. The incident that apparently spurred on prosecutors occurred Jan. 22, when Hilton was cited for speeding in her Bentley, a violation of her no-plea on the DUI case, and for driving with a suspended license.

Paris is a walking PR case. The 6th season of The Simple Life is favorably watched, her CD released late last summer, the sex tape, and her notorious partying habits make her a strong figure in the celebrity world. She is constantly in trouble, or constantly at the hotest L.A. nightclubs.

Now Paris's Hiltons PR strategy is avoidance. Her publicist, Dan Flores, is the mastermind behind her crazy life. Flores has recently pulled Paris from numerous appearances. She was set to appear on: Live! with Regis & Kelly, TRL Live, CBS and the Late Show with David Letterman. However, her recent DUI charge has silenced her and kept her in celebrity hiding.

Fox officials are upset that Klores has steadfastly refused to take their calls about the situation, while their show The Simple Life is begining to air.

Letterman has begun to half-heartedly attack Flores for "his incompetence." He is offended that Paris is not allowed to come on his show.

"He's some kind of PR guy, and I believe for a time, lost his license to practice PR in this country, and he was running all his PR operations out of Mexico," Letterman joked on his show Monday night.

While Paris is painting her nails in jail, Flores will need the time to rethink Paris' public relations tactics for Hollywood.

Good news!!

According to Dennis Spring of Spring Associates, who just released the 11th annual “Official PR Salary & Bonus Report,” he stated that this is the year of fat bonuses and pumped up salaries for PR pros on both the agency and corporate side.

“We haven’t seen this kind of full employment in PR since the dot com boom,” Spring told PRBlogNews. “Agencies are getting new business and growing existing business. The pace accelerated in the last quarter of ‘06 and it is continuing through this year. Now that business has been good for a couple of years the benefits are filtering down to employees.”

According to the report, there was a huge jump in the bonuses last year even though the base salaries on the agency side declined and corporate communications salaries increased slightly

“The PR business always lags the economy by about a year,” explained Spring. “The dot com boom bred caution into the market but this economy has legs. With full employment and business booming across the board it is harder to find and retain good people. You get into negotiations with candidates, and there is a sense of urgency from the agency or corporation. A lot of activity in this market.”

For more information click here

Source: PR Blog News

New Camel Brand Targeting Women

Camel, a popular cigarette company, released a new brand of cigarettes in February targeting women. This new brand is called Camel No. 9, a brand that advertises being "Light and Luscious" and has a packaging that reminds people of perfume boxes. But with a new brand comes new controversy. Some are getting mad over Camel No. 9, remarking that it's only purpose is to attract new consumers that are mainly young female teens or young women in their 20's. According to MSNBC, spokesman David Howard said this new brand was only meant "for women who were asking for a product that better reflected their taste preferences and style" and "to connect with women adult smokers", not other consumers.
According to NPR, many are angered by this new brand because of it's advertising strategies. People see it as aggressive advertising since R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company even held lavish parties targeting women. The company held"event[s] promot[ing]...a girls' night out, where women can sample cigarettes, get massages, have their hair styled and take home gift bags that include makeup and jewelry."
The company may say that the brand is meant to target women who already smoke, but through its aggressive advertising, who knows if it will, in the end, intentionally target young non-smoking women, too.

A Magazine about Pocasting and Blogging

As the name indicates, Blogger and Podcaster, a new type of magazine about podcast and blogging is going to appear in print market this month. The major contents will focus on news, feature and tips on how to express our voice, exchange information and skills on how to expand business through different platform available on the Internet. As podcast and blogging are becoming one of the major tools for our everyday life communication, it is beneficial for companies to target their audiences and communicate with customers.

- Jasmine

Take a Lesson in PR from China

I came across an article in Newsweek that I thought was really interesting. It was mainly about China learning the value of good PR and is beating the United States at its own game. It went further to discuss how PR is increasingly blending with international politics.

For example, early this month, Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Russia for a three-day visit. This is remarkable because not too long ago, Chinese leaders rarely left home. Now, Russia has declared 2007 the "Year of China," and plans to hold hundreds of China related business, educational and sport events in the upcoming months. In addition, Hu along with Russian President Vladimir Putin both pledged to build a series of cooperative energy projects.

A major public opinion poll last year found that most ordinary Russians now think China has "a positive impact on the world" and the United States has a negative one. We have to stop and really think of how others around the world now view the United States before we get a really tarnished image that may not be salvageable.

I'll leave you with one quote that really stuck out when reading the article:

"Ordinary people across the planet now view China more warmly than they do the United States. Polls taken by the Program on International Policy Attitudes and the BBC show that majorities of people in most countries today consider China to be a more positive influence and less of a threat to international peace than the United States is."

Conversation Marketing

Marketers are finding themselves in an increasingly frantic race to get people talking about their brands. Consumer can be any number of things—sometimes all at once. And that fact is driving marketers, businesspeople, and brand managers crazy. Consumers are producers, users, participants, members of niche communities, or even critics capable of effectively mobilizing others. The article proposes marketers become "conversation architects." Communities are forming around popular social platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, Ning, Twitter—the. These platforms facilitate conversation and this is where marketers should begin their conversations about products or organizations. Marketers, businesses, and designers must have an intimate understanding of how these platforms are evolving and influencing human behavior. There has to be an in-depth understanding of why some us of love to incorporate these services in our digital lives. They need to be taken seriously in this evolving world.

Lying to get a job?

We are all about to go into the career world looking for our first job. However, does that mean we are going to have to lie on our resumes before anyone hires us?

It has become more and more common to lie on your resume. Human resource surveys show consistently that more than a third of people have lied on their resume or "enhanced" it in some way in order to get the job http://jobs.aol.com/article/_a/resume-indiscretions-remain-widespread/20070430123309990001?ncid=AOLCOMMjobsDYNLprim0001.

Even though it is unethical, some companies need to take the blame as well. If the background checks they were doing were thorough, then some of these people would get caught and the rates might decrease. In 2004 a report by the Government Accountability Office found that 463 government workers had lied on their resumes and were not caught. This makes me a little nervous that our own government can not do a thorough background check.

Lying on a resume is not something new. We have seen many CEO's, football coaches, government officials and the dean of admissions for MIT all get caught for lying, or embellishing, their resume and losing their jobs. It can be a message to all of us: DON'T LIE.