Posts Tagged ‘Public Relations’

If you haven’t visited @FakeAPStylebook on Twitter, you should — even if purely for the entertainment factor. As mentioned in an article, this Twitter sensation offers memorable nuggets of writing advice, particularly interesting to those of us whose lives are ruled by the APA, MLA and AP guidebooks.

Since October 2009, Fake AP Stylebook has filled the gap for a satirical attack on the topic of language. The site attracted 1,000 followers on the first day — and now with over 150,000 — it is clearly catching the attention of many loyal fans. The founders, Ken Lowery and Mark Hale, even have a book deal in the works! [In Bookstores Spring 2011, from Three Rivers Press]

Quoted in PRSA’s PR Tactics, Lowery says, “The account was a joke between some friends and me. We’d just hit on a good comedy prompt and see how far we could take it before the joke ran out of steam or we lost interest. Once we got some vindication that the joke had legs, we made the account.”

When asked about the Fake AP Stylebook’s effect, Lowery says, “The reception has been largely positive and sometimes surprising. That said, I know at least one of us has been told by a colleague that they’re concerned the Fake AP Stylebook will steer students of the English language down the wrong path, even if we have ‘fake’ right there in our name. So you can’t please everyone all the time.”

Here are a few of the hysterical tweets you’ll find on @FakeAPStylebook:

• Avoid repeating common myths: we only use 10% of our brains, drink 8 glasses of water a day, man landed on the moon.
• Roman numerals are neither Roman nor numeric. They’re, like, letters, right? Are we the only ones seeing this?
• Do not use quotes inside quotes inside quotes; you’ll get lost if you go that deep into the sentence.
• Include plenty of rainbows and unicorns when writing your organization’s marketing plan. Everybody loves rainbows and unicorns.
• internet – Wires and something? We’re looking into it.
• Op-ed: May only be written by men named Ed who wear vintage 1980s surfer clothing.
• When interviewing third-party candidates, try not to snicker when they discuss their chances of being elected.
• Sprinkle the word ‘quantum’ throughout science articles, particularly if you have no idea what you’re talking about.
• Never say anything about a colleague in a private e-mail that you wouldn’t put in print, since it’s going to end up there anyway.

I continue to see the trailer for an upcoming movie based on the founding of the social networking website Facebook, called “The Social Network.” It is already earning huge buzz from the movie moguls of the world, making its way to the front of the Oscar pack. But is the movie based on fact — or is it purely fiction — or does it matter?

What makes a good movie? Drama, action, adventure, love? If you feel an emotion, from shedding a tear to a pulse-pounding adrenaline rush, does that make the movie a winner? And does distorting the facts matter to the audience when the entertainment value is high?

Wanting to understand more about the movie, I read several articles in anticipation of its October 1 release. One article says, “Any film about real people, real companies and public disputes are always going to come under some scrutiny. There will always be a ‘he said, she said’ no matter how documented the events appear to be. Therefore, it’s no surprise that one of fall’s most anticipated releases, The Social Network, is being criticized from its subject matter: the founders of Facebook.”

Many accounts detail that co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and former Facebook President Sean Parker are cast in a very negative light and that some of the scenes are completely untrue. Others say details in the movie are “horrifically unfair.” Zuckerberg is even quoted as saying, “Honestly, I wish that when people try to do journalism or write stuff about Facebook that they at least try to get it right. The movie is fiction.”

But is it? Who will ever know the truth? The movie’s producer, Scott Rudin, says the movie is about conflicting truths, as recalled by Mr. Zuckerberg and his associates, largely in a pair of court cases that ended in settlements. “There is no such thing as the truth,” he says.

Well, with a movie drawing up so much controversy — and one that seems to be packed with excitement, friendship, betrayal, drama, money and action — maybe it doesn’t really matter if the movie is based on the “truth.” Right now, Facebook is trying to ignore the release of the movie. However, “Facebook might be forced to deliver a forceful rebuttal once the film has its premiere, especially if it turn(s) out to be a hit,” says another insider. The truth will set you free — or will it?

Since its inception, Facebook has been subject to a host of changes — different layouts, formats, policies and so on. One of the more recent and widely-noticed changes has been the phasing out of the Facebook Fan Page in favor of the “Like” button. But are you giving the “Like” a thumbs up?

The change was part of a broader plan to spread the “Like” button across the web and lower the barrier for users to become connected with brands and organizations. According to Facebook, users click “Like” almost twice as much as they click “Become a Fan” — so,  if Facebook changes “Become a Fan” to “Like,” more users will click on it. Right?

However, in a poll by Mashable, 29.6% preferred the “Like” button — while 57.3% preferred to “Become a Fan.” The rest were indifferent. (Come on people — Choose a side!) Then, there are the articles that talk about how “fan” is a whole other level of “like,” dictating the Wikipedia definition of the word “fan.” And believe it or not, there is actually a Facebook page titled “‘Like’ vs. ‘Become a fan,’” and you can choose to “Like” it or not. (By the way, there’s only 20 people who do!)

Jay Krall’s article on the Cision blog notes that “when you ‘like’ an article, it gets published to the news feeds of your friends on Facebook. This little feature has the potential to drive new traffic to your content. If you publish press releases or blog posts online, then you should consider using it.”

Is the “Like” button more lightweight, like Facebook says? Do you “Like” the “Like” button? Well, it really doesn’t matter if you actually “Like” it — so far, there is no “Dislike” button.

Managed Health Services is the title sponsor of a communitywide back-to-school event Saturday during which children can obtain free school supplies and parents can undergo free health screenings. The Mid-North Back to School Rally starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Martin Luther King Center, located at 40 W. 40th St. in Indianapolis. The event concludes at 2 p.m.

Free glucose and cholesterol screenings for adults will be conducted by the Marion County Health Department and Martin Center. Healthcare professionals will provide dental education, general health information for families and answers to attendees’ health-related questions. Food will be available and entertainment for children, including a bounce house, will be provided.

The Mid-North Back to School Rally is also sponsored by the Marion County Health Department, the Radisson, United Way of Central Indiana and the Indianapolis Tornados.

Bright House Networks in central Indiana will add 10 new high- and standard-definition channels this month and debut its exclusive Start Over feature on some of its most popular channels. Seven of the 10 new channels will be in high definition and available free to customers who subscribe to the corresponding channel tier. These channels will be added to Bright House Networks programming throughout August:

DIY HD (channel No. 826)
National Geographic Wild HD (channel No. 831)
Fox Soccer HD (channel No. 825)
Game 2 HD (channel No. 905)
Sportsman Channel HD (channel No. 443)
Fox Soccer Plus HD (channel No. 824)
Starz HD (channel No. 276)
Logo (channel No. 156)
Military History Channel (channel No. 159)
Fox Soccer Plus (channel No. 424)

Start Over allows viewers to restart a live program from the beginning at any time during its scheduled broadcast. When customers tune to a Start Over-enabled show in progress, they are alerted to the feature through an on-screen prompt. By pressing “select” on their remote control, customers can restart the program from its beginning. Bright House Networks will offer more than 32 channels with Start Over capabilities by the end of August.

Funny Old Chicks
Girl Scott Cookies
The Lemon Juice Diet
HOUSEography
Revisioning the Victim Goddess

Any idea what all these things have in common? They are all blogs — written by women. According to PRWeek and BlogHer, today there are 55.6 million women who read and write blogs monthly. And of those women who blog, they say their top goal when blogging is to express themselves (82%), followed by giving advice (51%) and persuading others (20%).

Women trust friends first — and a blogger’s personal trust will apply directly to her recommendations on everything, including the clients and brands you represent. Eighty-five percent of BlogHer’s audience reports buying a product based on a recommendation from a blog, while 82% of women bloggers rely on blogs for information about shopping, says Lisa Stone, CEO of BlogHer.

So what is the best way to get the attention of the female blogosphere?

• Disclose, disclose, disclose. Say who you are, what you want and why you’re doing this. Don’t make women guess.
• The technology exists, so leverage it. “I’m sure this is a terrifying thought to brands and products, but technology has enabled us to actually have a conversation. Let’s have it.”
• Beware treating women with brains and wallets as the only demographic or as a niche. “Not all women are mothers or married. Reach out to single women, as well as to women without children.”
• Women want to hear directly from companies and candidates. “It’s irrelevant what media think. I want to hear from the companies and products and decide for myself.”

And for a list and directory of women bloggers, check out BlogsbyWomen. Happy Blogging!

Distractions in the workplace are inevitable, especially during these summer months when you continue to look outside from your office window — wondering why you can’t be out in the sun at the pool. (that’s not me, I’m just guessing that’s what “one” might be wondering;)

And certainly these distractions have the power to decrease our productivity.

From the Hoosier PRSA blog, here are some simple suggestions for working smarter, not necessarily harder.   

• Make the most of your time both in and outside the office.
• Work on one task and complete it. If you have to jump to something else, try to always pick up where you left off.
• Prioritize and know how to delegate. Spend the last 15 minutes of your day preparing for the next. 
• Unplug from controllable distractions, i.e. social media. Browsing is okay every now and then but try to stay on track. (What? No Facebook chat?!)
• Write things down or find online tools to help you organize your day. For those of you who live on your computers and mobile devices, try TeuxDeux. TeuxDeux is a simple, design, browser-based to-do app, and best of all- it’s free. Try for yourself, http://teuxdeux.com/.
   
  Also, set mini deadlines — if you give yourself a specific time to finish a project, you’ll pace yourself better and work faster than if it’s open-ended. So decide what you must get done by lunch. Or plan to call your mom in an hour, and complete something beforehand.

How do you stay productive? The sooner you get your work done, the sooner you can head out to enjoy the weather!

Coles Marketing Communications is the Pinnacle Worldwide representative in Indiana

Pinnacle Worldwide, a global network of independent public relations agencies with more than 50 offices worldwide, including Coles Marketing Communications in Indianapolis, has formed a strategic alliance with 27&More, an international public relations network covering 44 countries.

Established in September 2007 in Frankfurt, 27&More began as a partnership of prominent European PR agencies which all had one main focus — to provide strategic communication services with flexibility, effectiveness and an integrated approach to worldwide clients. Individual members of both Pinnacle Worldwide and 27&More have long-standing business relationships. Coles Marketing Communications is the Pinnacle Worldwide representative in Indiana.

“This alliance between Pinnacle Worldwide and 27&More gives firms like Coles Marketing Communications the opportunity to reach an even wider landscape of global coverage for their clients,” said Coles Marketing Communications Vice President Brian Coles. “It will help firms within the partnership continue to thrive and establish high-quality practices, concepts and relationships in an ever-changing business landscape.”

Ruud Bijl, President of Bijl partners in public relations in the Netherlands, and President and Co-founder of 27&More said, “The strength of our new alliance lies in the fact that we have hand-picked the best consultancies in each country rather than relying on ‘outposts’ of a big brand to deliver. That means quality consulting delivered by experts wherever the need, and for brands seeking sound strategic support and quality delivery regardless of location. That’s a very strong offer indeed.”

“With our combined strength providing access to highly-respected offices around the world, this partnership expands the reach for our clients and members alike,” said Donna Vandiver, President and CEO of The Vandiver Group, Inc., in St. Louis, Mo., and President of Pinnacle Worldwide.

If you haven’t at least heard of Facebook and Twitter, you have probably been living under a rock — or in denial. But as quickly as you get used to the ins and out of the most popular social media sites, more are on the rise. And these sites want to know where you are, where you’re going and where you’ve been.

Welcome to the location-based social networks, such as Foursquare — which I have previously discussed in another post. I tried out Foursquare — and I while I’m not super familiar with it, I can see the appeal. You “check in” to businesses and other locations in real time, and many places are now offering special perks for their most frequent visitor — called the “mayor” — and others who check in.

But what about Blippy? Customers can tell their friends about the products that they buy through this site, which links merchant accounts to broadcast members’ purchases to the world. Blippy lets you communicate about and share purchases with friends by syncing already existing e-commerce accounts to Blippy such as iTunes, Netflix, Woot, eBay and more.

And then you’ve got TagWhat, which takes a leap into the world of Augmented Reality (AR). It allows people to tag real-world locations and attach information, reviews, links, photos, videos, notes and so on to those particular spots, whether tied to their current location or not. Users can also follow other people and merge their respective ‘markers’ together in an effort to build a global network of augmented reality hotspots.

A little overwhelming, right? Well, maybe it’s best to start with a toe in the ever-changing social media pool instead of taking a flying leap headfirst. But whatever you do, start swimming!

On this beautiful Friday, the Coles Marketing staff decided to kick off Memorial Day weekend a little early.  Check out the photos (shot on the iPhone) below.

Hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend, as we honor those who served in our military.