One Last Thought on Social Media

Katherine Bradford and Lee M. Gills, two social media experts, joined us last Wednesday for our concluding class. The two speakers both spoke on the elements of social media, but with two totally different perspectives.

Bradford spoke on the importance of a positive digital footprint and how to avoid unintentional “toe prints.” On a completely different note, Gills discussed how “response driven” social media has the power to effectively boost profits of businesses.

There is no doubt that social media has profoundly changed the world, but last night it became even more obvious, as a constant stream of tweets united Americans with the breaking news of Osama Bin Laden’s death before it was even formally announced by the media.

During all of this Osama-Twitter hype, I started noticing that my generation understands Twitter’s amazing effect on society, but that they also don’t understand Twitter’s negative impact, and how it can personally damage reputations. I thought back to Bradford’s advice:

Know your audience. Many of the tweets I read last night included profanity and inappropriate sayings regarding Osama’s death. Keep in mind that you never know who will read your tweets if the are re-tweeted. (hint: potential employers)

Separate online identity into personal and professional. Many tweets also included strong political views, some offense and some not. Remember that not everyone shares the same beliefs as you, and whatever you say can potentially offend others.

Blog only about professional and informational subjects. 45% of employers use social media in screening potential candidates. If a potential employer sees your blog talking about “how drunk you’re going to get at the bar celebrating Osama’s death,” consider that opportunity lost.

I can’t believe the semester is already over…we’ve heard from so many motivational communication leaders that have truly inspired the class to be the best that they can be in the PR world.  

Frank Roby

From fighting over the front seat of the car to borrowing shirts without asking, my sisters and I have fought over almost everything and anything.  These petty arguments usually involved tears, name calling, and door slamming. Luckily for my mom, like the calm after a storm, 15 minutes later and we would be laughing and smiling—just like that—as if nothing ever happened.

Disagreements are unavoidable, natural parts of life.  Some conflicts cost billions of dollars and precious human lives to resolve, while others can be fixed with in moments over a bowl of ice cream. While there is an enormous discrepancy between these two types of disputes, they both arise from the same communication problems.

Tonight’s speaker, Frank Roby, claims that the inherent problem with communication is how we approach communication. As humans, we are wired to only concentrate on the message we want to send, that we can’t concentrate on other incoming messages. We are so one-sided in our own thoughts and opinions that we find it difficult to open our minds and listen to what others have to say.  

So, how do we fix things? Understand that we must put our differences aside in order to have a meaningful conversation. Although it may sound simple, this is still a huge challenge to all of mankind. And until we find a way to successfully communicate and solve discords, siblings will still bicker and wars will still be fought. 

Matt Gobush

Matt Gobush, Manager of Corporate Communications for the world's largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, knows a thing or two about effective strategic communications. Although his background is not originally in the oil industry, Gobush’s communication expertise has helped ExxonMobil take on the world’s toughest energy challenges.

After working on Capitol Hill for several years, Gobush started at ExxonMobil without any experience in the oil and gas industry. The need for people with political experience in the corporate world helped Gobush land his position at ExxonMobil, where he uses his background in politics to influence policy makers and opinion leaders. Calling communications an “art and a science,” Gobush claims that communication skills are universal: you can apply the same skills to a different industry and still see the same results.

Showing the class that it is not just about cleaning up reputations after major crises, (such as devastating oil spills) but rather improving overall living standards around the world, Gobush shared some of ExxonMobil’s many innovative initiatives. For example, researching the potential of algae for alternative fuel.

Gobush’s presentation made me once again realize the versatility of communications: all these basic skills I am currently learning in class will one day help me in almost any industry. 

Maureen Locus

“Life is short. Work Happy.” Norman Brinker, founder of Brinker International, coined this motto to motivate his “BrinkerHeads” to work hard and play hard.

 Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to “work happy” when you’re dealing with disgruntled customers on a daily basis.  With 226 international Chili’s locations, there is enormous potential for many things to go wrong, which is why it amazes me that only four people run the communications team at Brinker International. Luckily, this small yet hardworking team is lead by Maureen Locus, who not only monitors the organization’s media hotline, but helps respond to crisis’ by securing media placements and implementing social media.

Locus has dealt with everything from uptight and unhappy customers displeased with their dining experiences to the more extreme case of a New Mexico woman finding a needle in her mashed potatoes. With a strong commitment to delivering hospitality to every guest, Locus handles each crisis situation in a calm, cool and collected manner. Locus explained to the class that she must “become numb to the situation” in order to efficiently comfort people and solve issues. Throughout her presentation, it was obvious that her patience, work ethic, caring nature, and extreme passion were major contributors to her success in the PR world. Her admirable qualities made me realize and focus on some of the areas I need to practice and perfect before I enter my own personal career.

Along with all of the valuable insight Locus shared with the class, she also generously gave each of us a gift certificate to Chili’s. Immediately after class ended, Laura, Madison and I raced to Chili’s and redeemed our gift certificates…nothing like (free) molten lava cake to end the day. Thanks Maureen! 

Privacy, Please!

Although most Americans still consider TV the most influential media channel, smartphones are rapidly catching up. According to a study by ComScore, over 45.5 million people in the United States owned smartphones in 2010. The explosion of smartphones is not only affecting everyday life, but also strongly influencing the practice of public relations.

As marketing and public relations becomes more multi-layered and multi-faceted, Americans are responding accordingly: by multi-tasking. 75% of Americans use another medium while the TV is on, meaning marketers have no choice but to implement all channels simultaneously. Public relation practitioners can create buzz about a product or service before the start of a campaign or advertisement, and then use that advertisement to direct them to websites, Facebook, and Twitter for a more interactive, engaging experience.  

Facebook, Twitter, youtube, and Four-Square are all accessible right out of consumers’ pockets—including my own. Everyday I use my Blackberry to check email, check out Facebook, tweet, etc. My phone is with me almost 24/7, meaning marketers can also be with me 24/7.

Although this is great for marketers, there’s a whole privacy issue to consider. Marketers can access my number and text me at anytime, and by “checking-in” to places on Facebook or Four-Square, strangers can know my exact location: frightening.

Many people have mixed views on this, but what do you think? Share your thoughts…creepy or creative? 

iPoker

Everyday 10 billion play online poker—illegally--resulting in a $2.7 billion loss in tax revenue. I had no idea this was even a controversy, until Mike Lake brought it up in class the other night.

Mike Lake, Chair of Burson-Marsteller's Southwest operations and Chair, U.S. Public Affairs Practice, offered fresh insight into the PR industry. Instead of talking about how great Burson-Marsteller is (which it is!—see for yourself here) he presented an exact campaign Burson is currently working on.  The class got to see the exact same PowerPoint presentation that was shown to their client just a few weeks ago. Instead of hearing about the broader, general terms and practices of PR it was really cool to see the campaign’s actual blue print.

Although Lake was unable to disclose the name of the client, the campaign “iPoker Legalization” dealt with petitioning to legalize the practice of online poker. Lake provided all the exact details of the campaign such as their messaging approach, target audiences, and even their survey methodology.

The topic was a little confusing for me to wrap my head around but I am curious to stay updated and see how the controversy regarding this legislation will play out. 

The Big Debate

Tonight, students gathered in O’Donnell lecture hall for the Communicating Excellence Symposium’s second event to hear the SMU debate team discuss the pros and cons of a possible new U.S. policy of humanitarian intervention.

The opposing sides both provided clear, strong arguments fully supported by evidence and facts-- their rhetorical skills clearly products of semesters spent in Dr. Mark McPhail’s infamous intro rhetoric class.

This being my first attendance at a live debate (ever!) I discovered a few things:

1.    There’s never a right or wrong answer. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. I always thought debates were all about the “I’m right and you’re wrong” mentality, but tonight I realized that they are simply forums to express your feelings in hopes of moving and persuading others to share similar views.

2.    I’m fortunate to be a communications student at SMU. I was blown away with the students’ level of professionalism and ability to educate and empower others with their words. I truly believe that the professors in this department can be credited for this. Daily currents events quizzes, essays, and extemporaneous speeches might make most communication studies students cringe, but without these assignments we would never successfully grow as communicators, which leads me to my next point…

3.    I really, really, REALLY need to practice my public speaking skills. Most communication professionals stress the importance of writing, but being able to effectively voice yourself with words is an essential skill not just for success in the industry, but for life in general.  

After tonight, I’m looking forward to attending more debate team events and sharpening my public speaking skills next semester in either Forensics or Mock Trial. 

Agi Geva

You’re 14 years old. You’re forced from your home, taken to a concentration camp, ordered to undress by gunpoint, and then shoved into a shower. Humiliated and traumatized, a stranger proceeds to shave off all the hair on your body and completely “disinfect” you. The year is 1944 and you’re a victim of the Holocaust.

You might have read similar scenarios out of history books or watched films that documented the horrifying events of the Holocaust. Yet nothing compares to the first-hand accounts of Holocaust survivors themselves, and tonight I had that rare opportunity.

Tonight’s lecture kicked off Meadow’s Third Annual Communicating Excellence Symposium, “Better Communication for Better Leaders on Human Rights.” All semester we’ve been lucky to hear respected and high profile communications professionals share their experiences, but nobody can top what survivor Agi Geva had to say.

Although the Hungarian native was a little more difficult to understand than our previous speakers, her words were incredibly powerful: parts of her story literally sent chills running through my body. Her description of Auschwitz and the torture she was subjected to during her time there was almost hard to believe. But what’s even harder to believe is that despite how far we think we’ve come, genocide is actually still happening in places around the world. 

We are lucky to have courageous people, such as Agi, share their stories with us. Some might find it too painful to re-live the trauma and misery they suffered through those horrible years, but if these stories weren’t told, we wouldn’t be able to effectively communicate the issues affecting the struggle for human rights.

Agency PR: The New Land of Opportunity

Last night we were spoiled, as we had not one, but two guest speakers share everything (and then some) about working for an independent PR agency. The two Edelman representatives, Jennifer Little (a seasoned vet) and Ashley Maddocks (an all-star rookie) shared their experiences working for such a prestigious firm.

The agency side of PR always seemed overwhelming to me: juggling clients, all the different teams, practices, specialty units, etc. But, what I hadn’t realized was that when you work for an agency, such as Edelman, the opportunities are virtually endless.

For starters, there is more mobility compared to corporate PR. Whether it’s moving from the consumer marketing practice to the media practice, or even moving from the Dallas office to the Chicago office, there seems to be a lot of freedom once you get your foot in the door. Jennifer and Ashley’s presentation brought up a great point: your tastes change as you grow and as your career grows. Working for an agency gives you the chance to explore new and exciting areas, while satisfying your ever-changing tastes.

Working for an agency is like eating at a buffet-style restaurant: you get to sample a little bit of everything. However, when you work on the corporate side, you might only get to handle one brand. Working at an agency and working for different clients allows you to discover an interest you might never knew you had. You’re not limited to one industry—you can oversee retail, food, or technology accounts and get to know a little bit about everything. Think of how boring is it to talk to someone who knows everything possible there is to know about computers—but that’s all. By working agency, you can really bring something to the table by having some background in all these different fields.

I’m sure pro-agency people could argue that there are much more benefits and opportunities than just these, but even just these few had me sold on the agency life.  

The Best

Smartly dressed in a blue suit (she later filled us in on a little tip: wear a blue suit when you want to stand out in a crowd), Gail Chandler stood in front of the class explaining how she found “the best communications job ever.” Now, that might sound biased, considering everyone thinks that they have the best job ever since the definition of best can vary from person to person; best can mean most successful, most fun, or maybe even most rewarding. But after listening to Chandler’s story, I came to agree that her claim was pretty much spot on.          

After working in the nonprofit, government, and education sectors, Chandler finally landed a job in the corporate world, working for Texas Instrument’s Public Affairs Communications department.  Her journey through each of her previous jobs helped her realize more and more what she wanted to do. For example, while working for Dallas ISD, Gail realized that the bureaucracy of education is unlike any other.  In the PR business, you’re not always going to be able to please everyone—someone is always going to angry or upset with certain decisions, especially when they don’t get their own way. 

Gail reminded the class, “life is too short to work somewhere you don’t like.” The generous and philanthropic nature of Gail’s current job allows her to not just please people and make them happier, but actually change people’s lives for the better. As she explained more about all the cool CSR initiatives and programs TI undertook, I realized there was a whole new possibility to consider: corporate responsibility communications. I had never considered a career that focuses solely on CSR, but truly being able to not just make a difference in one person’s life, but the whole world, does make Gail Chandler’s job the best job ever.

90 Minutes with Ken Fairchild

After mysterious winter weather hit Dallas, cancelling not just one, but TWO classes, last night we finally got the chance to listen to our next speaker, Ken Fairchild. And I can assure you that it was definitely worth the wait.

Mr. Fairchild, a pioneer in the communication field, spoke to us on Crisis Communication in the era of social media. With over 40 years in the business under his belt, he truly had some great things to share with the class.  But it was his emphasis on headlines that truly made me analyze my own communication skills, and how they could improve.

I’ll admit that in the past I’ve had trouble expressing myself without blabbing or using multiple “ums” and “likes;” fights with my sisters, arguments with my parents, and questions that have left me stumped and speechless. Mr. Fairchild’s advice shed light on how I can more effectively handle myself in such situations.

Throughout his lecture, Mr. Fairchild harped on the idea that your message is the most important thing. It doesn’t matter which medium you choose to distribute your message; that strategy depends on knowing exactly what you want to say.

His advice: develop your message by starting with the headline. “Tell it in one sentence” he said, and then if necessary provide an example, and then lastly give proof. “If you develop your message like this, even Mike Wallace can’t make you say something you don’t want to say.”

Mr. Fairchild’s words gave me a newfound confidence to adequately communicate my message without sounding like a broken record. Who knows, maybe I’m even ready for 60 Minutes. Bring it on Mike Wallace…

Phew.

Last night we had the pleasure of hearing our first guest speaker: the bright, bubbly, and often times silly, Deanna McKinley. Not only did our visitor bring snacks (there’s nothing college kids love more than free food), but more importantly, she brought her invaluable knowledge on the real world of public relations.

After listening to McKinley, the Public Relations Coordinator for Frito-Lay, Inc. (and also one of the youngest people in America with an APR), I felt reassured on many levels.  As I said in my previous post, I am still young and not 100% positive what exactly I want to do with my career. McKinley shared with us that early in her college career she had her heart set on being a 9^th grade teacher. However, after an in-class teaching experience didn’t go as planned, she quickly realized that maybe that wasn’t the right choice, and on a whim, changed her major. When I heard this, a sense of relief washed over me. Aha! So not everyone knows from the beginning what they want do with their life!

           

               “Whatever your reason for choosing public relations, own it.”

This especially stuck with me because sometimes it is easy to forget the breadth of the public relations field. Many of our CCPA classes focus on more of the serious stuff: textbook definitions, case studies, political communication, rhetorical studies, etc. Some people find all that interesting, but for me personally, I enjoy the lighter side of public relations. McKinley made me realize that it’s okay to admit you want to work in public relations for all the fun stuff, like planning parties and events.

A few other reassuring things I learned from McKinley’s engaging and hilarious presentation:

• -       TMZ IS a news source, no matter what anybody says
• -       A bag of Lay’s potato chips has less salt than a slice of bread
• -       Your degree doesn’t matter! (I think Professor Flournoy cringed upon hearing this)
• -       “You’re supposed to be tired and broke in college. It’s the American way!”

Deanna McKinley really set the standard high for the rest of our speakers, but I am sure they will have just as much to offer. Next in line: Ken Fairchild, Founder and Principal of Fairchild Consulting. Can’t wait! 

I just don't exactly know...

 If you asked me what I wanted to be about fifteen years ago, you probably would’ve gotten ballerina, actress, and mermaid as possible answers. However, my days of frilly pink tu-tus and Ariel dress-up costumes are long gone, now replaced with resumes, portfolios, and power-point presentations. Ever since I was a little girl, my career ambitions have changed upward of a hundred times, but now as a junior CCPA (now called “communications studies”) major, I can at least confidently say I have an idea of what I would like to accomplish in the communications field.

This past summer, I held an internship position at Conde Nast Digital (the online division of Conde Nast Publications) working in the marketing department for various websites including epicurious.com, style.com and concierge.com. I spent my days writing and uploading RSS feeds, managing all the sites’ facebook and foursquare accounts, and writing copy for promotional emails. I was so excited to be so heavily involved with social media, after spending an entire semester learning how crucial this trend is becoming in the communications field. I definitely envisioned myself sitting in that same office in just few years from now, yet hopefully at a bigger desk instead of a tiny intern’s cubicle. But that was only my first internship. I am just getting started.

So, if you asked me today, fifteen years later, what I want to be when I grow up, I’d probably be honest and respond, “you know what, I just don’t know!” But what I do know is that the most important thing for me is to be passionate about my job. I want to wake up each morning, not trudging to work, but practically running into the office. I need a job that will match my high energy, passion for people, and appetite for success.

With that said, I am only twenty.  There is so much more to learn and experience, which drives my excitement for this semester’s Dallas Communication Leaders topics class.  I want to walk out in May with a clearer perspective on what I want to spend my life doing, and more importantly, NOT doing.  Here’s looking to a great semester!