Yes, another Twitter story.
When news of the Turkish Airlines crash that occurred in Amsterdam on Wednesday morning broke, every media outlet had one thought: we need pictures. Who beat them to the punch? Twitter.
Click here to read more about how this social media website is beginning to steal some thunder from traditional media. Also, read about the new fascination with surgeons Twittering FROM THE OPERATING ROOM! If the Chicago Tribune going bankrupt hasn't given you enough of a clue, the world of media is changing right before our eyes and this is just another example of why it's important to stay on the cutting edge. 
People may think I have a secret love affair with Twitter and that I just can't wait to talk about it in my blog. However, I'm just curious about this new form of media just like any fledgling PR, marketing, or advertising person should be.
By the way, I'm working on an advertising campaign through the American Advertising Federation that is aimed at spreading awareness of the dangers of binge drinking. If you have any thoughts, suggestions or antecdotes that may help me in my quest for advertising glory, please post a comment or message me. 
The Death of Traditional Media is Announced With a Tweet
Does Size Matter?
With some recent conversations I've had with PR practitioners, I'm becoming more and more confused as to which route I should take in my own career in the crazy world of public relations. My experience so far has been mainly been with a big agency and now on the client side. Here is the information I have gathered so far.
With a large agency, you will be able to learn within an account team and have access to a large network of resources. Large agencies have the flexibility to allow you time to learn from your superiors. However, the hierarchy and structure of a large agency is an ever-present force that will determine the work you do on a daily basis. You may not have the ability to learn as much as you'd like to in some cases. On the other hand, large agencies mean larger clients which always sound good when name-dropping for your next job...or trying to pick up chicks. Try it.
In a smaller agency, you will have the opportunity to take on several tasks or "wear many hats" as one professional told me. At the same time, smaller agencies have smaller staffs and therefore need you to hit the ground running. It's harder for a seasoned PR professional to find time to train a novice PR person. Some smaller agencies have big clients but they are usually more limited with one big client that takes up the majority of their time.
What it comes down to is what works for you. Talking with those working in both environments and comparing their experiences is the best thing you can do. I have certain public relations practitioners that I've met in the field who I can see myself being in 5 years. In order to do that, I've questioned and researched how they got to where they are today constantly. Remember you can never make a mistake when trying to gain experience.
Knowing what you don't want is just as important as knowing what you do want.
Bloggers Battle Without Bombs
With the recent conflict in the Gaza Strip, both sides found new ways to take down their enemies. While some fought the war on the ground, Jaron Gilinsky found that others were committed to fighting the war in the realm of social media.
I'll be the first to admit that my interest in international politics is minimal at best. My only interest in this story is from a public relations standpoint. This post is not meant to promote any political agenda.
Stand With Us is a pro-Israel advocacy group based in the United States. They created a social media “command center” where they coordinated a group of volunteers who took to the internet and “fought” against what they saw as biased information circulating the web about the conflict. Using your typical blogs as well as Twitter, Facebook and even YouTube, this group worked to win in the realm of public opinion and mainstream media.
“Social media is an effective way of providing the right information passively,” said Ahuva Berger of Stand With Us.
Their commander, Niv Calderon, assembled a group of about 20 individuals with multi-lingual backgrounds such as French, German, Dutch, Russian, English and Spanish. With this tech-savvy group known as "Help Us Win," Calderon was able to coordinate their influence online. 
One interesting tool they used was the Qassam Counter Facebook tool which allowed for Facebook users to “donate” their Facebook status to this counter. 
As the article explains, “Every time a Qassam rocket fell in Israel during the war, the Qassam Counter account would tweet another rocket, automatically changing the Facebook status of anyone who subscribed. The Qassam Counter became infectious. At its peak, 75,000 users from 150 countries had "donated" their Facebook status to the Qassam Counter.”
For more information and to read the rest of Jaron Gilinsky’s article, click here.
Super Bowl Ads Lost Their Super Powers
The Super Bowl advertisements this year just weren't...super. Maybe it was the budget cuts to advertisements caused by our ongoing recession. Maybe it was the obnoxious sorority girls at the Super Bowl party I attended that insisted on singing Spice Girls and playing flip-cup as opposed to watching the game. Regardless, I was able to take some time to watch all the advertisements without distractions after the game and I came to some conclusions. 
Let’s be honest. When you go to the bar and order yourself a cold Bud, it’s NOT because it’s the best tasting beer. It’s because it’s your “go-to” beer. You know that every bar will have it and that no one will look at you funny for ordering it. Your father drank it, your grandfather drank it and someday, your son will probably drink it. It’s a symbol of what is America just like McDonald’s or Barack Obama. 
Therefore, when Budweiser thinks of commercials, they aren’t always overtly product-heavy. Much to the chagrin of some of my cohorts, my favorite ad of the night was the Clydesdale Lovers. Prior to the Clydesdale Lovers, there was a previous commercial with Bud Light in an office meeting which was more on the traditional product placement side. Why does the emotional response commercial work over the obvious cheap laugh commercial?
The Clydesdale represents those fond memories of your first beer with the soft focus lens capturing the struggle of two horses in love, with many people, does not connect to beer…but who cares? Those horses fighting for their love against all odds works for the American beer drinker because we all have some emotional response within us that is secretly a sucker for love stories. Advertisers know this and use it. Even if we aren’t aware of the significance of Clydesdales in the Budweiser history, they are important because they symbolize tradition which America prides itself on. For those who don’t know, August A. Busch, Jr. gave a group of Clydesdales to his father, the President of Anheiser-Busch, in celebration of the repealing of Prohibition in 1933. Thank you, Wikipedia.
For many, the other top favorite of the night was the Career Builder ad showing bad times at work essentially. It was funny and got the brand message across clearly. I was particularly amused by the punching of a Koala bear that was obviously a puppet, obviously wearing glasses, and most certainly had a British accent.
My issue with this one might be a bit too philosophical but follow me for a moment. In the current times, hunting for a career is not a cavalier endeavor. People aren’t looking for new jobs because they are dreaming of riding dolphins or punching koala bears. They are hunting for new jobs because they are losing their current employment. Every major company is announcing layoffs by the 1000s. So, while Career Builder is known for its sense of humor, it may not translate as well as they think.
I don’t think Career Builder needed to be intensely serious but I think that they failed to relate to their real audience: the unemployed American. Then again, advertising is a matter of perception. It’s possible that with the tough times, everyone was looking for a laugh. After they chuckle, they could consequently start snooping around the website.
As for the rest of the ads, they were honestly disappointing as a whole with the possible exception of the 3D ads for Monsters vs. Aliens which led into an ad about SoBe which then led into a 3D ad for NBC’s Chuck. According to the Associated Press, Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks Animation chief executive, said: "It's perhaps the biggest media-advertising event in history" and "involves tens of millions of dollars.” The companies sent 150 million 3D glasses across the country which used a new Intel InTru 3D and ColorCode 3D technology, replacing the old red-blue Anaglyph system. To learn more check out this article.
I hope the advertisers find a way to "spice up" their ads for next year.
