Taylor’s Blogs

Social media is a must with public relations. This is coming apparent to me every day. I use many social media sites. At first it was just for fun because I could keep in contact with friends that I didn’t go to school with. It seemed easier to keep in touch with someone on Facebook than with phone calls. This semester alone has opened my eyes to social media.

I am in Style and Design for PR this semester. The class requires a lot of countless hours of writing stories, videos and stress, but I wouldn’t give it up for anything. This class alone has opened my eyes to the world of public relations.

Some of the social media sights I am a part of because of this class are The Loveliest Village, PR Open Mic, Twitter and Utterz. It is amazing to see how I can network with people all over the globe because of these sites. I can find potential jobs and careers, which alone captivates me. PR Open Mic is a way that students close to graduating can start networking with PR practitioners in the fields they want to go into. I can type in sports or entertainment and member after member come up on the screen with similar interests or careers in that field.

It is also interesting to see that the field of public relations uses social media so much. At first I was horrified that I had to do anything with it. I was lost and had no clue what I was doing. Now, I understand it and am excited about what it can bring to me and my career. So I guess I owe a special thanks to the class I am in. It has opened many doors for me and I know it will help me out so much in my career. Because of this class and a few others, I am more prepared now for the business world than ever.

I read an article on PRweekus.com about a website that features videos tours of college campuses. The website was launched by CollegeClickTV.com on Nov. 3, 2008. The website includes about 200 colleges. The company has conducted an outreach campaign targeting parents and students.

Enricho Communications has teamed up with CollegeClickTV.com to produce the campaign. Enricho Communications has pitched radio, consumer publications, media and marketing trade titles and blogs to promote the website. The campaign is also pitching a series of advertisements as stories in themselves. The public relations campaign has budgeted about $150,000.

The campaign also stresses that the website reduces costs for families because it decreases the amount of money spent on college visits. It is also said that families do not have to pay for travel expensive because they can just visit the site.

I think this website can be a good and bad thing. It can be good in the sense that the families that do not necessarily have the money for many college visits can just visit the site. Also, students who are indecisive about which college they want to attend can get a lot of information about colleges without actually visiting the colleges. This will reduce expenses for the students and their families. I think it is also a bad thing because students can’t get the actual feel of the school they are about to attend. I know I have heard plenty of students say they were indecisive about what college they wanted to attend, but as soon as they walked on Auburn University’s campus. This is an overwhelming statement. This feeling cannot happen over the computer watching a digital tour of the school and campus.

I read an article titled “PR Pros Predict ’08 Election” on PRWeek’s website.  The article consisted of many comments or blogs about who the public thinks will win the ’08 presidential election.  The comments and blogs are of course from a public relations point of view. 

            Not to any surprise, many said that Barack Obama will win hands down over John McCain because of his campaign.  Several entries explained how he had a strategic campaign from the beginning.  It was said in the comments that his communications approach is compelling, consistent and disciplined over McCain’s presidential campaign.  Obama’s message stayed the same for the most part and was constant.  Derek LaVallee, vice-president of public affairs at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide says, “Team Obama has managed the most regimented proactive and reactive communications campaign in the history of modern politics.”  His message emphasizes his strengths instead of his weaknesses.  Many also said Obama will win the election because hope comes over fear.  “Americans are drawn to optimism in ‘change’ years:  Kennedy 1960, Reagan 1980, Clinton 1992, Bush 2000,” says LaVallee. 

            I think these words are powerful.  When people say this is election is history and we are making history that is very powerful to me.  It shows how important this election is to our economy and our country. 

            To go along with many saying Obama will win the presidential election, they had a few comments about McCain’s presidential campaign.  A lot of entries said that McCain’s campaign went from message to message with no rhyme or reason.  This says a lot about the public relations aspect of his campaign.  Not thought out to well.  When a message was finalized, it was said to have been targeted to the right-wing based audience.  This wasn’t a good idea for him with the swing voters.  One entry said that McCain’s campaign was “disorganized with mixed messages and it constantly shifts priorities. 

            This is negative feedback going towards McCain and his campaign from a communications aspect.  Even though many public relations practitioners are focusing on the message when they speak about the presidential campaigns, they also speak about McCain electing Sarah Palin as his running mate.  Many agree that this was a huge mistake on McCain’s part.  Not only is his campaign in shambles, but also he doesn’t have a good running mate in most of the public’s eyes. 

            Rich Masters, partner of Qorvis Communications, explains that Obama has conquered the three M’s in politics including money, machine and message.  This goes back to Obama’s campaign being a success.  He mentions that ever since Obama announced his candidacy, his message and main theme never changed once.  “McCain might have controlled the cycle for a week or two,” says Masters.  “McCain might have won a battle, but they are still losing the war.”

            If Obama wins the presidential election this year, I think it goes to show how important public relations is to politics and the campaigns.  I also think that if Obama wins, it will be proof that his campaign had better communications and public relations aspects than McCain’s campaign.  It will be interesting to see who will come out on top and maybe why he did.  Whether it is because of the communications aspect of the campaign or other reasons, it will be interesting to know why.

The Florida Prepaid College Board will soon begin its public relations campaign for its annual enrollment period and its up-coming Birthday Bash. The Board will be working with The Zimmerman Agency in hopes of having a successful campaign.

The Board wants to encourage families to start or continue saving money for their children during this difficult economic time. The state of Florida will pay for the Florida Prepaid College Board to administer more than 500 tax-free college saving plans to families. Almost 1.3 million plans have been purchased since it was started in 1988.

The campaign will use media such as the radio to inform the public about the event coming up as well as updates with the campaign. The Board will use its website to inform the participating families about the Birthday Bash. The Birthday Bash will be held on Nov. 17, 2008, at Tallahassee Community College. This will also remind the public that community colleges are a part of the prepaid program as well. Current and former governors of Florida plan to attend the event.

The Zimmerman Agency wants the campaign to succeed for the Board. Education is important to many and should be recognized in any way possible. The campaign also wants to focus on the stories of families who have participated in the program. I think this is a good communication device because people tend to listen to people who are like them in some way. Relating to the speaker or message in a personal way is usually more effective to get the message understood by the target audiences.

I think what the Florida Prepaid College Board is doing is a good positive step for the education system in Florida. I also think that The Zimmerman Agency stepping in to help is also a good thing. If the campaign is successful, then maybe it can happen in other states to help other education systems.

I would hope that this plan of prepaid college saving funds will be contagious and will be picked up by other states in America. The country needs programs like this for future kids to go to college. The thought of college and the thought of children going to college is very important and should be stressed greatly to children. This program and campaign reinforce those attitudes and opinions. It tells the public that education is important in the state of Florida.

I also think this is a good program to have during this economic problem with our country. The tuition for colleges and universities is estimated to tremendously increase over the next decade. With this in mind, the Florida Prepaid College Board is making a great decision for the state of Florida and the families living there. Any kind of help is good for families saving up for their children’s college fund. Any kind of support or encouragement to do so is even better.

I think it is making more sense now than it ever has.  School assignments are sometimes difficult, but I am seeing the importance of them.  I am taking a very full load this semester.  At first I did not know what I was going to do with all my classes.  Now I think I am doing fine.  Even though I am taking a full load, I think it is all making sense now. 

My classes are complex and complicated.  Each class involves a lot of outside of class time to work on projects, stories and other intricate assignments.  This semester is the first semester in all my semesters in school that my work relies so much on other people.  This worries me sometimes.  If someone does not want to fill out a survey, it could impact my grade.  If someone does not want to do an interview, it could affect my grade in a negative way.  The classes can be hard and difficult, but I think the reliance of others is more frustrating than the actual work.  I think it is a lot of unnecessary stress, but in the same aspect, I also think that the reliance of others and the frustration of it are helping me understand public relations better.

                All the classes I am taking this semester are helping me to understand public relations better.  This semester is a lot of work, and there are a lot of stressful days and nights.  The work and stress, I think, will be well worth it in the end.  I have been told that if all the work and my classes are making sense to me, then I am doing well.  I agree with this. 

                Although public relations and my career path are making sense to me, I do not like the idea that I am just now figuring it out my senior year in college.  This is a scary thought.  What happens if one figures out their major and career path too late?  What happens when they figure it out and do not like it?  These are difficult questions to answer.  One hopes that he or she will not cross this difficult bridge.  It would be wasted time and money in their college careers.

                I have wanted to go into the entertainment or sports industries ever since I can remember.  I have dreamed of walking down the red carpet since I watched my first movie and learned of what the red carpet is.  I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals.  Although I have wanted this since I was little and I still do, I am hesitant.  I am scared it is the same concept as someone figuring out their major and then not wanting it anymore.

                Now that I know that it is possible for me to go to a large city and receive an internship in the entertainment or sports industries, what if it is not what I really want after all these years?  I am afraid that I will do whatever it takes to get there and not want it once I am there. 

                This is why I think people should learn and be taught early on what they are getting into.  It is important for students to learn their majors and career paths near the beginning of high education learning.           

Public Relations seems very difficult to manage pertaining to higher education schools and institutions.  There are many events that can occur at any given moment.  I haven’t really thought of how major the role of public relations is in colleges and universities.  There are several aspects of higher education institutions that could require assistance of a public relations practitioner including sports, academics and other sudden and unexpected events.

            The controversy relating to Auburn University’s football team has made me think about the aspect of public relations and how it is related to what is going on.  Since the offensive coordinator was recently let go, the football team is experiencing negative thoughts toward it before and after the coach was released.  A public relations practitioner has to turn negative thoughts and views into positive thoughts from fans, students, faculty and alumni.  Auburn football is considered to be very important to those who understand the traditions and have a lot of spirit.  If the team is not doing well, and there is a new coach, fingers start to point and the blame is placed on a certain person.  Since the offense hasn’t been doing as great as they could be, blaming the new coach is the easiest thing to do.  With all these issues going on, the university still needs to maintain a positive image.  This is where public relations is important and relevant to keep this positive image present. 

            I think academics need aspects of public relations as well.  It is imperative that students of higher education institutions keep up good grades overall.  It is important that universities and colleges uphold high test scores from students to maintain a positive image by the society.  If this does not happen, then the university has to take steps in bringing up higher tests score.  Public relations has a part in this, and the practitioners would also have to relay how the university will go about bringing up test scores.

            Sudden and unexpected events can be predicaments within universities and colleges.  The Virginia Tech incident was a disaster.  Public relations played a major role in bringing back a positive image to the school.  Reassuring the safety of the students is a major concern when dealing with and communicating with the parents of those students.  The public relations practitioners have to succeed in doing so.  An unexpected event that happened at Auburn University within the past year was the passing away of Lauren Burke.  It was a tragedy for her family, friends and many students.  It is a difficult task for public relations practitioners to overcome those obstacles and to re-establish a safe feeling among the parents and students.  AU Alert is a positive way to reassure this safety and knowledge of what is going on in and around campus. 

The public relations practitioners have to take the necessary steps to make all these situations better.  Most of them are not topics and events that most would want to deal with.  Thinking about each of them helps me to realize the importance of public relations and why it is necessary in times of need.  There are a lot of aspects of higher education institutions that involve the need for public relations.  The need for it is not just in businesses and organizations.

Because of the election getting closer and closer, I have been thinking a lot about it from a public relations perspective.  Public relations plays a major role in the presidential campaigns.  I started thinking about how much it is a part of it, and I have come to the conclusion that it is a lot.

                I think there are many public relations practitioners on each campaign team.  Each has to be very credible and trustworthy because the presidential campaigns could be the most important job the practitioner could have.  They have to be ready for any negative information that gets out about the candidates.  If something negative does enter into the media, each public relations practitioner has to know what method is best to use to make the situation better.  Presidential candidates always have their personal background and information put into the media.  If it is viewed negatively by society, then it is up to the public relations practitioner to make the situation better in any kind of way.  They have to take negative images and turn them into positive images.

                I think each campaign has to have practitioners on call at all times.  I think there are many speakers and writers that are ready for any circumstance that comes up during the campaigns.  I think the speakers and writers have to come up with the correct way of answering all the questions the candidates receive. 

                The public relations practitioners have to be sensitive to issues of each candidate and also sensitive to voters and the population in general.  They have to be knowledgeable of each issue and how it will be addressed to the public.  If social security is the issue being addressed, then the practitioner has to have knowledge about the certain demographics that are being targeted.  The senior citizen population will be affected by the decisions of the issue, so sensitivity should take into affect for those certain audiences. 

                The public relations practitioners also have to publicize the positive aspects of the campaign.  I would think that press releases are constantly written for announcements and events during the campaigns, or if the campaign wants to relay or put out information to the public.  The techniques of how this information is released are very important, so each public relations practitioner should be professional and knowledgeable about the methods.

                Positive advertisement is especially important in the presidential campaigns.  I think this aspect of the campaigns falls into the public relations practitioner’s responsibilities.  I think the advertisement includes publicity in a positive way including the press releases that inform the public about important information.  I think it also includes television advertisement including commercials.  The advertisement also includes any personalized message tools.  These tools fall under the responsibilities of the public relations practitioners as well. 

Overall, the role of the public relations practitioner is major in presidential campaigns.  Their responsibilities are huge because if something goes wrong, the candidate is looked upon in a very negative way.  This could keep the candidate from becoming the next president of the United States.   I think the public relations practitioners are always on call and on their feet ready to handle any situation, positive or negative, that surfaces in the presidential campaigns.            

I recently attended a small seminar for internships.  It was very informal, but informational.  It was a good way that students in a few different majors including communication, public relations and radio, television and films, could come together and hear about internships.  Helpful tips and pointers were given to us. 

            Two young ladies spoke about their internships from the summer.  It was a typical summary of what they did, and then they explained the do’s and don’t’s of an internship.  Both said it was crucial for us to make ourselves known and heard in our business of choice.  Also they stressed that the internship is what you make of it.  Hearing both experiences helped me grasp more of a feel of an internship and how it will turn out.  Listening to the two girls was a positive thing, especially since they are both students at Auburn.  It was easier to relate to them, than if it were a teacher or someone else telling me about an internship. 

            I related to one of the girls more than the other.  One girl told about her internship with MTV.  This pretty much amazed me.  It was good to hear that she and I had the same thought process.  We both thought that we are just someone from Alabama that cannot do something like that.  Well she was wrong.  She received the internship and moved to New York for the summer.  She was telling about a lot of tasks that she had to accomplish, and I was seriously in awe.  The things she was talking about are tasks and events that I have always wanted to be a part of. 

            She planned events for MTV.  Choosing locations, activities and guests was something she took in charge of.  She networked with many different people and even just met a lot of people.  From MTV she met other people in other fields of career options including helping out with an event for ESPN.  Sports is the other field I would like to go into for my career. 

            Hearing her tell her story and her opportunities brought dreams to realities for me.  I have always dreamed of entering the sports or entertainment businesses, but never knew how I would get there.  Not only did it bring reality close, but also it reminded me that I can do what I want to.  I now have some knowledge of how I am going to achieve my goals.  I know where to go to research and become familiar with what I am looking for.

            I want to go in the same direction she did.  I have already searched jobs pertaining to public relations online with certain business including MTV, FOX and other small independent companies.  I have looked for places to live in these big cities and looked into financial aid as well.  I want to be a part of the entertainment industry.  When I see events that will happen in the entertainment world, I automatically think about what would be in the press release for that event.  I also think about what all went into the planning process. 

            I am still thinking about how broad and vague the field of public relations is.  I am getting closer to graduation, and I still have questions about my own major.  I don’t think that is a good thing.  It is kind of scary in a way.

            I love my classes this semester though.  At first, I was overwhelmed with work and information given, but then I got in the swing of things, and I am fine now.  New material is always hard to grasp for most people.  New material in correlation with public relations, in my opinion, is even more difficult, because public relations is a hard concept to comprehend.

            I am learning a lot in my classes.  I have already learned how to write and arrange a press release.  I have written four press releases in less than month.  I understand somewhat how and why they are written.  Also, this semester has been primarily dependent on others.  I am not accustomed to relying on others so heavily for my own work.  This semester is helping me to step outside of my comfort zone too.  I have to interview people for stories, and this usually means I don’t know them.  My classes are sometimes difficult, but I am learning a lot.  The assignments can be complex, but they are easier to complete, because I am interested.  I haven’t been so concentrated and into school and classes in my life.  It was a slow start, but now my mind is in the right place.    

            With this in mind, I wonder why these thoughts and learning processes couldn’t have come at an earlier time in my college career.  I am about to graduate in May or August, and I am just now figuring out what my major is all about.  The introduction course to public relations wasn’t that in depth, so not much information was retained. 

            The biggest question concerning my major is what I will do when I graduate.  That is the one thing I always ask myself, especially lately since I am close to graduating.  Is this my fault that I don’t know?  Is it professors or other authority’s responsibility to enlighten me with opportunities or career choices?  These are questions I frequently ask myself.  Am I supposed to know the possibilities or job descriptions? 

            I am not the only one who has questions.  Many students in my classes are indecisive about what they want to do after they graduate.  Some students can give a roundabout answer such as event planning or publicity.  As far as details and knowing exactly what one wants to do, it is not happening. 

            I think the indecisiveness is a sign of lack of knowledge.  I don’t think students in certain majors, including public relations, are informed properly about the careers they can have.  I think that a course or seminars should be held to inform students about the details of careers and job descriptions.  This would limit the amount of uncertainty that students have about the rest of their life.  If I was told what I can and can’t do with a public relations degree, I probably would have known a long time ago what I want to do with the rest of my life.           

I recently wrote a short feature story on the American Red Cross Lee County Chapter.  It included information about events and some other things that the non-profit organization was conducting.  The most important occasion that has happened lately is the two shelters that were opened up in Opelika, Ala. for evacuees from Hurricane Gustav.  These two shelters were supplied and coordinated with a small amount of time.  Also, other than the shelters, the American Red Cross Lee County Chapter hosted a blood drive on Auburn University’s campus. 

                With all of this information, both hearing and reading about it, it made me think.  Public relations plays a major role in this non-profit organization.  Dealing with the shelters and helping with the mandatory evacuation, it was a very important aspect.  The two shelters, Southern Union Community College and Covington Park and Recreation Center, both had to be contacted.  An immediate plan was put into action to supply the two shelters.  Trained volunteers were on sight for the week that the shelters were open.  Their training consisted of disaster training and training from the Public Affairs team.  Once again the roles of public relations were present.

                The blood drive required a lot from public relations as well.  The event has to be planned with every detail present.  The day, time and location, I think, are the easy parts.  I peeked into the blood drive when it was taking place.  It was so organized.  Registration, the number of nurses, the number of chairs and volunteers had to be planned out.  Even the snacks and drinks had to be prepared for the students who felt queasy after giving blood.  All these things are what the public relations practitioner has to coordinate ahead of time.

                Just talking to Jennifer Ryan, the executive director and CEO of the American Red Cross Lee County Chapter, amazed me.  I know that the American Red Cross is a non-profit organization, holds blood drives and betters the society as a whole.  Jennifer definitely enlightened me on the aspects of public relations and how it plays a major role in the organization.  It was almost as if the organization was all public relations related, with of course helping the communities and people as much as possible. 

                The American Red Cross is constantly planning events and fundraisers to help anyone and any place it can.  The public relations practitioner participates in interviews with all media.  This is so the public will know what is happening and what steps the American Red Cross is taking to help.  These interviews are both locally and nationally including news papers, CNN and other news broadcasters.  Before I talked with Jennifer about what was going on locally with the Lee County Chapter, I searched the American Red Cross website.  It was almost unreal to see events that were going to take place including information about the event and a press release.  It was interesting to see that I will actually be writing those when I settle down with a career.  Also hearing from Jennifer, all the steps required in making an event a success.  The preparation and planning aspect of all of them are conducted by the public relations practitioner. 

Since the American Red Cross is always hosting events and fundraisers, the public relations practitioner is always as work.  The whole interview itself was great for me to hear all about the organization, because it opened my eyes to what actually happens in the real world.