PR for GenerationY

2007-07-31T10:11:00.000-04:00

Check out Chris Pirillo's video on "What is Social Networking"

Chris | Live Tech Support | Video Help | Add to iTunes

2007-07-26T10:58:00.000-04:00

Web 2.0 and online consumers affect journalism yet again….Crowdsourcing tests yield mixed results, PR Week

“But the masses of the Internet, always eager to improve or destroy a well-established practice, have deemed "crowdsourcing" the journalism technique of the future. The wisdom of crowds, the theory goes, will allow large numbers of disparate people working on different parts of various assignments to come together in a quasi-journalistic fashion to produce material that is richer and more varied than what the mainstream media can turn out.”

2007-07-16T09:34:00.001-04:00

Validation is always nice. “What's Plaguing Viral Marketing. Sorry, Malcolm, but the Tipping Point Might Be More Myth Than Math,” by discusses the same topic I posted about- targeted marketing vs. mass marketing. Here is a good snippet from the AdvertisingAge article.

“The crux of Mr. Watts' argument is that even if influentials are several times as influential as a normal person, they have little impact beyond their own immediate neighborhood -- not good when you're trying to create a cascade through a large network of people, as most big brands do. In those cases, he argues, it's best to skip the idea of targeting that treasured select group of plugged-in folks and instead think about that group's polar opposite: a large number of easily influenced people. He calls this big-seed marketing.“

2007-07-12T16:32:00.000-04:00

With web 2.0 changing the landscape for the way advertisers, marketers, communications professionals, industry analysts and consumers interact on the web, and sites battling it out for the top spot it becomes harder and harder to determine where and if our brands should be represented on these sites. Most communications professionals participate in some form of social media- whether it be blogging, social networking sites, video sharing, social bookmarking, etc.- so we’ve probably all noticed a difference in the types of people each medium attracts. “Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace” by Danah Boyd infamously describes these differences. But regardless of the validity and taking into consideration of audience segmenting/targeting the question on which social media to engage brands in is still the same. Should marketers ignore what’s being said in the media and amongst analysts and solely use the mediums which their target audience already uses, or should we go for the medium that has the biggest audience? Should you sell your product via Walmart or the niche hat shop on the corner? Would a pr person pitch USA Today or the women’s health magazine? There’s just too many options available….

2007-06-04T11:13:00.000-04:00

Kids socialize in a virtual world as avatars
Fri Jun 1, 2007 3:53PM EDT
By Yinka Adegoke

2007-05-22T10:34:00.000-04:00

For new breed, word of blog becomes new word of mouth
By Dean Takahashi
San Jose Mercury News

I could have been one of "The New Influencers," the term coined by Paul Gillin in his new book about the most influential bloggers. But after being laid off from Red Herring in 2002, I took a job in traditional media.

One of my Red Herring colleagues, meanwhile, entered the then-experimental blogosphere.
Pete Rojas started the blogs Gizmodo and, later, Engadget.
Both gained enormous momentum as online destinations for readers seeking information about tech gear.

When AOL bought the company he worked at, Weblogs, for $25 million, Rojas, then 31, got a payday in the millions of dollars, his reward for 10,000 posts and starting early in the blog gold rush.

So it goes. For those who are slow to catch on like me, Gillin introduces us to the impact of blogs and the new social media.

If you haven't immersed yourself in blogs or started one yourself, "The New Influencers" can tell you what is popular, what type of blogs work, and what kind of impact they're having across the consumer and corporate worlds. ( Gillin's own blog is www.paulgillin.com.)

Far beyond pioneers

Just like the Web itself, blogs — more than 70 million by one count — have moved from their pioneer days to a more mature phase where they command respect and huge mainstream followings.

Gillin argues that, rather than adding up to a vast wasteland, the addition of each new blogger improves the quality of discourse.
No longer will 30-second TV ads reach the right audiences. "Word of blog" is the new word of mouth.

In this era, Gillin advises public-relations practitioners who want to contain bad news and control messages in the age of blogging to give it up.
One-way corporate news releases no longer cut it.

As Gillin writes, "The shift to small markets served and influenced by an entirely new breed of opinion leaders is a sea change for marketers."

To influence the influencers, companies need to have two-way conversations with bloggers, whom Gillin terms "enthusiasts."

Disney courts John Frost, author of the DisneyBlog, for instance, because it knows his posts can inspire stories on mainstream TV shows and in news publications.
Such "conversation marketing" requires a completely different set of skills than those that marketers typically use.

When New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman criticized General Motors for fuel-inefficient cars, GM punched back just as hard with a post on its corporate blog, Fastlane.
Friedman fired back, and in the ensuing spotlight, GM got its points across to a big online audience.

Bloggers are forcing companies to be more transparent. Gillin opens his book with an anecdote about Vincent Ferrari, who recorded the painful conversation he had with America Online when he wanted to cancel his account.

When Ferrari posted the audio file on his blog, the resulting "blog swarm" brought down his servers and forced AOL to drop its hard-sell retention tactics.
Other bloggers exposed Sony's hidden software on music CDs, fanned the flames on AOL's inadvertent release of private search data and forced Dell to recall batteries on its "exploding laptops."

Gillin's book is useful for its practical advice on blogging etiquette and finding the influencers.

Engadget at top

He shows us how to decipher the shifting sands by taking us to www.technorati.com, where, at least today, you'll see that Engadget is No. 1 on the top 100 blogs.

The book also details stories of some quirky and unexpectedly popular blogs.
For instance, there's Blendtech, a Utah company whose "Will it blend?" blog shows videos of the company's CEO blending golf balls, marbles, Coke cans and rake handles in its high-end blender.
Inevitably, the stories focus on people with the right idea at the right time, like the "Mommycast" podcasters, Paige Heninger and Gretchen Vogelzang, two suburban mothers who started an early podcast, or a radiolike show for digital music players. They were picked up by Adam Curry's PodShow Network and now reach hundreds of thousands.

Gillin predicts media institutions will matter less and less, fears of a blogging bubble are overblown, the blogging trend is unstoppable and everyone is going to work extremely hard as this new medium takes shape.

Are you afraid you'll be left behind?

Fortunately for me, I did start blogging in May 2005. I didn't show up as one of the New Influencers. But there's hope.

Maybe all 70 million of us can make it into the second edition.

2007-05-22T10:24:00.000-04:00

Cold Stone Creamery Out With First Integrated Campaign
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 5:04 AM ET
MediaPost

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.-BASED ICE CREAM CHAIN Cold Stone Creamery is launching its first national integrated campaign since its inception 20 years ago. The effort, via Saatchi & Saatchi, N.Y., includes television, with the tag "Love it, Love it."
The effort plays on how far ice cream lovers would go for Cold Stone's ice cream. It comprises three TV spots, web marketing--including the web site Loveit-Loveit.co--and radio.
The campaign dramatizes the ice cream lovers' journey to a Cold Stone Creamery, the mecca of ice cream, and then puts obstacles in their path, thus testing their desire for ice cream. The television spots are meant to be dramatic, humorous and a bit mysterious.
For example, one television spot features a young boy approaching a Cold Stone Creamery. Inside he sees a few of his arch-nemeses. A voiceover asks if the "insatiable draw" of his favorite Cold Stone creation, "Birthday Cake Remix," will give him the strength to open the door. Other spots borrow from urban legend and pop culture, and feature Big Foot and an Heiress.--Karl Greenberg

2007-04-27T10:04:00.000-04:00

I came to an epiphany last night. I don't like watching the news on TV because I can't decide which news stories to watch. I have to watch what the producers want me to and decide if I enjoyed/learned from the story or not. Which brings me to my next point, I love reading/watching the news online because I can read the headlines, event summary of the piece before I watch it or skip to the next news piece. I know it's wrong of me, and I should care about everything that's going on in the world and my community, but sometimes my heart just can't take hearing about all the negatives. So, is it just me, or do most younger consumers feel the same way? I've asked a few co-workers, and despite having to read the paper for our jobs, we never do. So maybe my theory is right...

2007-04-09T10:01:00.000-04:00

So, I've been thinking about this all weekend. If there's a term for new web initiatives (web 2.0), and new/emerging media, shouldn't there be a name for the "new" consumer? Yes, we do call them generation Y or the "echo-boomers" among other names, but shouldn't they also have a name that suggests how consumers have changed and evolved? Something along the lines of Consumers 2.0, etc.

2007-04-06T12:53:00.000-04:00

So, we just found out that one of the local papers here in South Florida, the Sun-Sentinel has made some pretty major changes to it's business section and other columns. No surprise, huh? This just reiterates all my concerns and thoughts about the major changes to the public relations industry. As more and more gen y'ers enter the "business" world, there is going to be less and less use of traditional media. Yet, small pr firms still focus on getting print coverage and most colleges/universities still don't really include courses on web 2.0. Maybe it'll take the folding of a major pub. such as the NYTimes or USA Today for everyone to realize that the pr industry needs to re-focus its media relations strategy.

2007-04-05T10:27:00.000-04:00

Now that's taking advantage of an odd situation to get some press!

Quiznos Delivers PR Hero After Coyote Invades Chicago Store
by Kevin Ransom, Thursday, Apr 5, 2007 5:01 AM ET- MediaPost Publications

STOP ME IF YOU'RE HEARD this one.

A coyote walks into a Quiznos ...

The Quiznos restaurant chain took full advantage of a unique marketing opportunity when it issued a playful, tongue-in-cheek response after a wild coyote wandered into one of its shops in Chicago's busy Loop area on Tuesday.

After the unusual event, the company quickly issued a press release quoting Steve Provost, Quiznos' Executive Vice President/Corporate Marketing Officer, as saying: "We've certainly been looking to expand our customer base and appeal to different demographics, and it appears that we have hit a chord with the animal kingdom. This has never happened before; we can only think that [the coyote] must have been attracted to our new Prime Rib on Garlic Bread and its above-average portions of meat. One thing is for sure, this coyote clearly has excellent taste."

The coyote walked right into the restaurant through the front door--which was evidently propped open due to unseasonably warm weather--causing startled customers to scatter. It tried to jump over the counter, but when it couldn't make the leap, it plopped down in the beverage cooler. The animal lingered for about 40 minutes, as dozens of rubber-necking pedestrians poked their heads in to see what the rumpus was all about--some of whom snapped pics of the puzzled mammal with their cell phones.

Eventually, officers from Chicago Animal Care and Control arrived and escorted the coyote safely away. Animal Control staff even gave the coyote a name--Adrian. The staff deduced that Adrian is a male, and approximately a year-and-a-half old--which is about the age when coyotes leave their families to find their own way in the wild.

Quiznos' media response wasn't all shtick. The statement also scored some points among animal lovers--and touched on the ongoing environmental crisis of commercial and residential development wiping out animal habitats.

"We will support the safety for Adrian and any other members of the wild animal kingdom who face severe challenges and unknown urban obstacles to find their way to Quiznos restaurants," said Provost. "We are pleased to donate $1,000 to Chicago Animal Care and Control, where Adrian currently resides."

This morning, Adrian will be transported to the Flint Creek Wildlife Refuge near Barrington, Ill. The refuge is a rambling, fenced-in area where stray urban coyotes are allowed to roam--and in any case is a much safer home than the mean streets of Chicago. Quiznos announced it was even giving Adrian a farewell present--a Prime Rib on Garlic Bread sub "to go"--adding that it was the sandwich that the coyote had "traveled far and wide for." The chain also closed the store to sanitize it before reopening.

2007-04-02T15:59:00.000-04:00

Oh boy, yet another social networking site launches...

Lonely Planet Launches Video, Social Networking Site
by Karlene Lukovitz, Monday, Apr 2, 2007 7:57 AM ET

2007-03-30T14:38:00.000-04:00

MTV Brands Virtual Worlds
By Krisserin Canary
iMedia Connection

MTV wants you to head on down to West Coast customs in a new virtual world created specifically for "Pimp my Ride."

For all of those energetic fans who wished they could restore their hooptie but don't live in the Los Angeles area, Xzibit invites you to go online and visit a virtual Van Nuys with all the accouterments of West Coast culture.

The virtual world will be connected to MTV's other virtual worlds -- for shows "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills" -- with a virtual highway. MTV is planning to add more features in the coming months, including clickthrough items, which allow users to buy real-world objects in the virtual world.

More virtual communities are in the works including worlds, for "MTV Cribs" and the "Logo" world, for MTV's LGBT network.

Virtual branding and merchandising opportunities are sure to be large with a pervasive reach into the younger demographics. Matt Bostwick, SVP franchise development for MTV, told Yahoo! News that the "Laguna" and "Hills" projects have drawn a total of 600,000 registered users, with 85 percent female with a median age of 20, and daily visits are up 300 percent from January.

2007-03-30T14:35:00.000-04:00

Nissan's Pitch For Mini-Car: Accessorize It
By Amy Chozick
Word Count: 774 | Companies Featured in This Article: Nissan Motor, Omnicom Group, Hakuhodo
TOKYO -- Nissan Motor Co. had a tough challenge in launching its Pino minicar: Make it appeal to young female consumers who couldn't care less about cars.

While these deep-pocketed shoppers spend lavishly on clothes and accessories, cars are optional for many. Instead, they rely on bicycles, motorbikes or public transport. So Nissan Motor purposely avoided focusing too much attention on the car itself. Instead, television and print ads portray the Pino as just one item in a collage of accessories, such as plushy animals, furry seat cushions and heart-shaped decals. The Pino pamphlet, designed to read like a comic ...

Read the rest here Wallstreet Journal Online

2007-03-29T11:21:00.000-04:00

You always hear or read about mistake business people and pr people make. For example, the one pr person that sent a semi-racist joke out to a list of his friends, but accidently sent it to his media list. Well this is about as bad, if not worse. I'm not sure how much this will affect the reputation of the PR professional, but I'm sure it can't help.

Microsoft Sends Secret Dossier on Reporter, to Reporter
http://blog.wired.com/business/2007/03/enough_about_me.html

2007-03-27T11:16:00.000-04:00

This is the kind of stuff that I've been saying all along. I don't know anyone my age, or remotely close to my age that still reads newspapers (unless we have to for work). PR agencies (large and small) and professionals should really start focusing on new media (web 2.0).

Anti-Clinton Video on YouTube Proves that the Web is More Than a News Outlet—It Is Now a Source of News

The anti-Hillary Clinton video posted last week on YouTube demonstrated the speed and power of the Web as it quickly jumped from the Internet to cable news and network broadcasts such as NBC's "Today" and "CBS Evening News."
As a result, the video, which portrayed Clinton as a dictatorial character out of Orwell's 1984 became one of last week's most-discussed stories, USA Today reports.

It also cost its author his job. Posted anonymously, the video drew nearly two million views on YouTube. Its creator resigned when he was about to be outed as an employee of a digital consulting firm that worked for Barack Obama. The candidate's campaign denied any part in the video. Clinton also downplayed its impact, reports USAT writer Peter Johnson.

But media experts say that the way "Hillary 1984" made its way into the national discussion serves as a cautionary tale for traditional news outlets, which risk spreading material that may be damaging or untrue to wider audiences—all for the sake of staying current with the Web. Politico.com's misreporting of John Edwards' campaign plans last week is another example of this phenomenon.

On the Web, "you essentially have a public wall where anybody can put up a billboard and say anything," says Tom Rosenstiel of the Project for Excellence in Journalism. "And if the wall attracts a crowd, mainstream media write about it."

That presents challenges for the media, he says: "If something is out there and having an impact, you probably have a responsibility to report it. But you have no less a responsibility to tell me if it's believable or not."

Because of the sensation the Clinton video caused on the Web, mainstream news outlets aired stories about the phenomenon of political attack Web videos. "We wound up giving more exposure to the video than it ever would have gotten on the Web," CBS News vice president Paul Friedman told Johnson. "I don't know how to get around it. It comes down to how much can we still exercise our traditional role of being a gatekeeper on what's fair, decent, factual and accurate—and what isn't."

Bob Steele, who teaches ethics at the Poynter Institute, says that speed has always been an important factor in journalism. Now, with Web outlets churning out stories and videos that quickly gain traction across the Net, mainstream news needs to exercise great caution when deciding to pass that fare along. "The Edwards story speaks loudly to how fast those values can get lost in a hurry," Steele says. "It does no good to be first and wrong. Whether they are at cable news networks or at mainstream newspapers or news blogs, journalists still have an obligation for accuracy and fairness."

Article from Bulldog Reporter's "Daily Dog"

2007-03-27T10:32:00.000-04:00

Newest Next In Media: Ads On Employee Clothing
by Nina M. Lentini, Monday, Mar 26, 2007 5:06 AM ET

WHY SETTLE FOR AN EMBROIDERED logo when you can have a four-color, 14.5 x 16.75-inch print-quality ad on the shirts of employees in big box retailers, sports stadiums, theme parks, state fairs, supermarkets, gas stations and drugstores?

Actually, that's pretty much what Solomon Emeth was thinking when he started Eye Level Marketing, the newest next in media.

Emeth, who spent a few decades in men's clothing, found himself at the turn of the millennium in a business that was limited to embroidering shirts for the Professional Golf Association and theme parks. "It was not being as creative as you could be," he says, understatedly.

Now, he and his partners have created a company that already has deals with Universal Studios, a Beverly Hills perfumery, the Indianapolis Colts and the 99¢ Only Stores in California. Eye Level Marketing (tag line: "Be Seen") is in talks with major corporations (many among the Top 100 leading national advertisers), ad agencies across the country and an unspecified racing sport, according to Eye Level's agency, MB2, which happens to be located in Indianapolis, Ind.

John Miles, CEO of MB2 (also known as Miles Brinson Brown), says they are spending a lot of time now at trade shows and conventions, even as the new medium is gaining traction, "we're still learning."

For example, he says, at a trade show in Las Vegas three weeks ago, "we realized that just showing the shirts wasn't enough. We have to make sure people realize the panels are interchangeable."

Ah, the panels. That's where your ad goes. The panels are designed by a patented engineering process to attach to the front and/or back of camp and polo shirts, bibs, vests and aprons created by the company.

Advertisements--such as your latest print ad--are sublimated on the clothing in the print process much like an inkjet printer. Miles says any graphic can be reproduced, and the clothing is washable. Details can be found at EyeLevelMarketing.com.

Universal Studios employees have been wearing the product for 18 months, Emeth says, with advertisements for its rides and movies.

Duty Free Perfumery in Beverly Hills signed on late last year and reports a 12% sales spike in January over January 2006. Store owner Avraham Zajac is blown away. "It is very, very helpful in this business," he says of the product. "We have thousands of types of fragrances. If people don't know what they want, it is difficult to finalize a sale."

Zajac has interchangeable panels advertising perfume brands such as Dolce & Gabbana on the apron he wears in the shop. "We are selling brand name products. If people maybe saw an ad in a magazine and they want to try a newer fragrance, if they see one of the three they are testing on my apron, there is a real, palpable chance they are gonna buy it.

"This is what any retailer would want. It's neat, easy, clear and a wonderful idea. I am sure it's going to go like wild."

Eye Level is talking with pro football teams after a successful run with the Indianapolis Colts (there's that Indianapolis connection again), wherein the stadium staff wore vests with front and back panels advertising one of 10 corporate sponsors, including Motorola, Chevy, Charter One Bank and a construction union.

Stadium advertising is costly, and space is often sold out.

Emeth is particularly eager to bring stadium advertising to those who heretofore could not afford it. "It creates a whole new platform or inventory in which to sell traditional [big-ticket] products or local products and services," he says. "The construction union was now able to really sponsor the day on these vests, which will attract new advertisers to the platform, and that is what got the eye of the NFL officials."

At a New York trade show, Emeth says, "we were approached by someone with P&G, who called his ad agency to come down and see this concept. We're really getting our feet under us."

Eye Level Marketing is testing the concept in the U.S. as well as in Japan, Korea, Israel and South Africa.

"We keep saying, let's move slow, do it correctly, go to trade shows and, down the road, we'll do trade advertising," says Miles. "They've only approached one side of this business--in-store, in-market people, arena people, grocery people, retailers. Once that's established, there's the agency side, where people can have inventory to sell.

"This is so strong that instead of trying to sell the complete package, it'll come with time. We're approaching all potential uses, letting people use the product so they can see how nice it is. It's not silkscreen."

2007-03-26T10:05:00.000-04:00

Newest Next In Media: Ads On Employee Clothing
by Nina M. Lentini, Monday, Mar 26, 2007 5:06 AM ET

2007-03-14T11:47:00.000-04:00

Social Networking Goes Niche
MySpace and Friendster’s runaway popularity and exposure have helped spawn an array of targeted networking sites. Advertisers are noticing
by Catherine Holahan

2007-03-14T09:53:00.000-04:00

Starbucks May Sign McCartney To Hear Music Record Label
by Nina M. Lentini, Wednesday, Mar 14, 2007 5:00 AM ET

Teens Driving Growth Of Iced Teas Across All Meals
by Karl Greenberg, Wednesday, Mar 14, 2007 5:00 AM ET

2007-03-12T09:38:00.000-04:00

Good article highlighting the importantce of IMC (integrated marketing communications). I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that thinks pr should merge with marketing and not only focus on media relations....

The Cultural Gulf That Separates Marketing & PR
And Why Both Sides Must Work Harder to Bridge it
By Jonah Bloom
Published: March 11, 2007

2007-03-06T12:09:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm not sure if it's just me being too thoughtful and respectful of the media, but why is it that the older generation of pr pros seems to insist on the aggressive follow-up call. Every reporter/editor that I've ever heard from or read about on Bacon's says not to follow-up with a phone call unless it's breaking news, etc. If I get a read receipt from an editor and I've already e-pitched them a few times- but they don't respond, is it really necessary to call them and follow-up? Yes, I realize that they're extremely busy, but isn't calling them when they specifically asked you not to a version of harassment. This just adds to the stigma that pr people already have. I just don't get it. Is it a generational gap in that I trust that my email was enough and that I don't need to call unless I'm asked to? Do other generations just not think email is enough?

2007-03-05T10:50:00.000-05:00

Arguably the happiest and most nerve-racking day of a woman's life, a wedding is something to look back on with fond memories. On January 18, 2007, 2.8 million web surfers got a different take on that day. YouTube viewers watched in morbid fascination as a young bride "freaked out" and proceeded to butcher her hair in a room full of horrified bridesmaids.

After much speculation and national coverage, Jodi Behan, the video's star, came clean "Good Morning America". Far from a "bridezilla," Behan is a 22-year-old aspiring actress from Toronto. The incident was designed to generate buzz on the Web, like Lonelygirl15, who tricked millions this past summer.

Behan; Ingrid Haas, the co-creator of the video; and the two women who played Behan's bridesmaids hope to garner acting jobs in response to the international attention.

Behan and Lonelygirl15 are prime examples of the growing marketing power of YouTube. What was once a forum for Web users to showcase goofy talents and skits has become a powerful marketing tool. Companies such as Volkswagen - courtesy of Crispin Porter + Bogusky - are jumping on the YouTube marketing machine by sticking advertisements on the site. Senator Hilary Clinton announced her Whitehouse bid via video on her website creating media buzz for both her announcement and the launching vehicle.

Traditional approaches of advertising are being replaced with the low-budget, attention-grabbing web casts that can reach millions of viewers all over the world. More and more companies are turning to websites such as YouTube, eBaums's World and Myspace to reach the elusive, yet influential 18-25 demographic

Only time will tell if web casts will remain a viable marketing tool in communications, but some questions do arise. Do companies run the risk of angering web surfers who may feel "duped" or "being sold to" as more advertisements flood the Internet? Are web casts a passing fad that will incur a negative image for companies? And, what will be methods of measurement will be used to monitor and substantiate the use of this strategy?

2007-02-26T09:14:00.001-05:00

SURVEY: Marketers Can't Grade Agencies but Fail Them Anyway
Most Clients Can't Measure Advertising's Exact ROI Yet Feel 'Vague Disenchantment'
By Matthew Creamer

Starbucks Smells the Death of its Brand Experience
CEO Confronts Missing Aroma of Fresh-Roasted Coffee
By Matthew Creamer

2007-02-26T09:14:00.000-05:00

2006-12-11T10:57:00.000-05:00

Teens and media: a full-time job
By Stefanie Olsen
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: December 7, 2006, 3:54 PM PST

BzzAgent Mulls Axing Rewards Program
December 08, 2006
By Todd Wasserman

Helio's Buddy Beacon Extends Positioning
by Emily Burg, Monday, Dec 11, 2006 5:00 AM ET

2006-11-20T10:04:00.000-05:00

YouTube Grows Up -- But What Does It Mean?Bob Garfield Explores The Implications of the Video Sharing Revolution
By Bob Garfield

Global Marketing Report: Top 100 Marketers' Media SpendAlso Download 53-Page Global Marketers .pdf
By R. Craig Endicott

176 Newspapers to Form a Partnership With Yahoo By MIGUEL HELFT and STEVE LOHR
Published: November 20, 2006

2006-11-16T10:10:00.000-05:00

Ahh, I love this time of year, so many new products, market competition, holiday gifts, etc. so much going on!

Burger King-Branded Foods Heading To Supermarkets
Thursday, Nov 16, 2006 5:00 AM ET

Brand Ambassadors--And Their Blogs--In Big Demand
by Nina M. Lentini, Thursday, Nov 16, 2006 5:00 AM ET

Teen Stores Post Record Sales, Rosy Predictions
by Sarah Mahoney, Thursday, Nov 16, 2006 5:00 AM ET

HBO, AOL Join Forces For New Humor Site
by Wendy Davis, Thursday, Nov 16, 2006 6:00 AM ET

To Combat Rivals Microsoft and Yahoo, AOL Revamps its Instant Messaging with No-Hassle, No-Frills Communication Model
by David Whitman

2006-11-13T11:56:00.000-05:00

I walked into an Office Depot yesterday while I was waiting for the next showing of Borat to start and saw Zune for sale. If I hadn't been really bored and walking around the entire store, I would've never seen it. They had it on the bottom shelf all the way on the far right side of the store, and they had little to no, and totally not memorable, advertising/display. My bf picked it up because it reminded him of an iPod. I'm not sure on Zune's marketing strategy. But if they're trying to become a major threat to iPod, I think the last place you'd want to sell it is at Office Depot!! Sorry Office Depot, you do a wonderful job of providing office supplies, but that's just it, which young and trendy "socially" focused consumer goes to Office Depot to buy something other than office supplies (and I'm not even sure if they do that). That's one of the things that appealed about the iPod, you knew it was "special" because you couldn't buy it at your mass retailer (well when it first launched anyway). It wasn't mainstream, it was cool, you'd see a few people on the subway wearing it and it made you curious because you couldn't find it everywhere. I guess the Zune executives figure that because iPods are everywhere they need to take a mass market approach, but I think that something that's promoting social networks and "sharing" should take a look at consumer research and find something more fitting for its target audience.

2006-11-13T11:53:00.000-05:00

Teen Study: Seventeen Tops Affluence List
by Lucia Moses

Blogs becoming force in advertising
Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:27pm ET

Two Bloggers Set Up a Web Site To Go Head to Head
By GARY SHAPIRO

2006-11-10T12:16:00.000-05:00

A Way Cool Strategy:Toyota's Scion Plans To Sell Fewer Cars
By GINA CHON
November 10, 2006; Page B1

Starbucks' Holiday Viral Effort Doubles as Social Experiment
'Cheer Pass' Tracking Device Looks to Spread Good Deeds and Coffee Message
By Kate MacArthur

2006-11-06T10:07:00.000-05:00

Microsoft's Zune Takes 'Social' Tack Against iPod
New Music Player to Focus on Sharing, Paint Apple Device as Gear for Loners
By Beth Synder Bulik and Alice Z. Cuneo

If they market this right and make sure it gets into the right hands, (i.e. the people who can spread viral marketing messages) it could really threat iPod's market share....Worth watching!

2006-11-03T10:17:00.000-05:00

WOMMA Issues Blogging Guidelines For Marketers
by Tom Siebert, Friday, Nov 3, 2006 6:00 AM ET

2006-11-01T09:47:00.000-05:00

Seriously inspiring!!

America's Best Young Entrepreneurs
Check out 25 smart new businesses from some of the brightest entrepreneurs in the U.S. aged 25 and under
By Jeffrey Gangemi and Douglas MacMillan

2006-10-31T10:18:00.000-05:00

Tweens Lag Behind Teens In IM, E-Mail
by Erik Sass, Tuesday, Oct 31, 2006 6:00 AM ET

IAB Forms Mobile Group
Mike Shields
OCTOBER 30, 2006 -

2006-10-27T14:17:00.000-04:00

Seven In 10 Tweens Surf Web At Home
by Wendy Davis, Friday, Oct 27, 2006 6:00 AM ET

Whirlpool Taps Digitas For Interactive Duties
by Wendy Davis, Friday, Oct 27, 2006 6:00 AM ET

Private conversation is aim of new blog software
Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:08pm ET By Eric Auchard

2006-10-26T15:52:00.000-04:00

Wanting Conversation, TV Nets Beef Up Web Presence
The CW, ABC, Others Look for Viewer Feedback Via MySpace, Blogging
By Claire Atkinson and Abbey Klaassen

2006-10-25T14:31:00.000-04:00

So I saw Thank You For Smoking this weekend. The woman at blockbuster said it was hilarious. I didn't quite agree...

I'm not sure if my little over a year's worth of work on an anti-tobacco campaign for teens affected my ability or inability to laugh at it, or if it's because I have a problem with the way the main character was portrayed.

I know he was never officially called a publicist/public relations/communications manager/vp/whatever, but anyone remotely involved with the industry knows that's what he was. He was the company spokesperson after all. I was tremendously annoyed that he described his job as "debating" and "convincing" people that their opinions (if they were against smoking) were wrong. And I won't even get into how I felt about him teaching his son how to do the same.

Anyway, back to my point, they made him seem beyond sleazy, like he knew what he was doing was wrong but it didn't really matter to him because he was good at it/got paid well. The same goes for the members of "MOD." Movies like this just keep adding to the stigma a lot of pr people face. Why can't there be a movie that portrays us pr folks as the good buys, not scum bags...

2006-10-23T09:22:00.000-04:00

Myth-busters: Four Magazines Point the Way to Gens X and Y
Hats Off to 'Real Simple,' 'Domino,' 'ReadyMade' and 'Every Day with Rachael Ray'
By Jonah Bloom
Published: October 22, 2006

Mobile Customers Like Their Text-Messaging
by Emily Burg, Monday, Oct 23, 2006 5:00 AM ET

MTV Vet Launches Travel Video Site
by Mark Walsh, Monday, Oct 23, 2006 6:00 AM ET

2006-10-20T10:35:00.000-04:00

It's no wonder our generation and others are weary of media and its related fields (i.e. advertising, marketing, public relations). Every time something kind of indie catches on they find a way to exploit it and use it to make a profit. I'm not against finding new innovative ways to market stuff, but I am against trickery and lying. So naturally, I was not happy when I saw this flog stuff come about with Walmart and Edelman. Not sure why Edelmen went about it this way, they have all these great bloggers and pr people working for them now. Hopefully they can come back from this, learn their lesson and do things right next time....

Edelman Reveals Two More Wal-Mart 'Flogs'
by Tom Siebert, Friday, Oct 20, 2006 6:33 AM ET

2006-10-19T16:38:00.000-04:00

Gen Y Gives Department Stores A Chance For Holidays
by Sarah Mahoney, Thursday, Oct 19, 2006 5:00 AM ET

Music Companies Grab a Share of the YouTube Sale
By ANDREW ROSS SORKIN and JEFF LEEDS
Published: October 19, 2006

Yahoo sees social network sites competing for ads
By Michele Gershberg and Eric Auchard

Timberlake debuts 'Street Sexy' clothes
By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer
Wed Oct 18, 3:37 PM ET

2006-10-18T09:12:00.000-04:00

More goodies from my newsletter subscriptions....

On The Scent: Teens Prefer Victoria's Secret
by Christine Bittar, Wednesday, Oct 18, 2006 5:00 AM ET

Mobile Banking Services Coming Soon
by Judy Warner, Wednesday, Oct 18, 2006 5:00 AM ET

Battleground for Consoles Moves Online
By JOHN MARKOFF and MATT RICHTEL
Published: October 18, 2006

Yahoo Takes Stake in Nasdaq-Like Ad-Exchange System
Will Begin to Sell Nonpremium Ads Through Right Media Exchange
By Abbey Klaassen

Jay-Z Gets a Marketing Title at Anheuser-Busch
Rapper Named 'Co-Brand Director' for Budweiser Select
By Jeremy Mullman

2006-10-17T10:54:00.000-04:00

Tokion Creativity Now Conference

My day is overcast with saddness because I missed this event. I tell you, Florida sucks! But anyway, this conference sounds like it was exactly the type of stuff that I attempt to blog about here. Because I didn't go, I can't give an accurate recap of the events, but this is what the overview says:

Tokion Magazine announces the Fourth Annual Creativity Now Conference, to be held at Cooper Union's historic Great Hall on October 14th and 15th, 2006. This unique symposium will bring together top figures in art, design, fashion, photography, film, new media, publishing and marketing. In the same room for the first time, the people shaping today's popular culture will spend two days exchanging their ideas, methods and inspirations before an audience of 2,000.

Creativity Now will consist of several panel discussions and individual presentations.

A large cross section of the contemporary creative community is expected to attend the conference, which will be open to the public. Creativity Now will be the definitive yearbook of popular culture for 2006.

I'll def. post whatever else I find about this....

2006-10-17T10:49:00.000-04:00

More related articles:

On Advertising: Blogs give PR new job
By Eric Pfanner International Herald Tribune

New Age Of Marketing Takes Hold: Companies Worldwide Are Shifting Focus To—And Cashing In On—The Popularity Of Social Networking Websites
by David Whitman

2006-10-16T14:33:00.000-04:00

How GoogTube Merger Will Change Online Media and Marketing
By Abbey Klaassen and Gavin O'Malley

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- What does Google's $1.65 billion acquisition of YouTube really mean for the future of online video-related media and marketing? That question has been ricocheting around boardrooms, business offices and bar stools throughout the industry since the merger was announced last week. Ad Age asked five highly respected authorities for their take on the landmark deal and its implications for the world of digital advertising. Read or listen to their answers below.

Read the rest here

2006-10-12T12:29:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I get about 10 different newsletters everyday on various kinds of topics- mainly media/marketing/brand related and this morning I saw a ton of articles related to new media and youth. I will post links to all topics here and will more than likely comment on my favs later today (I do work people!)....

The FTC Joins The Blogosphere
by Shankar Gupta, Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 6:00 AM ET

Icon Sites Lose Clout With Teens
by Wendy Davis, Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 6:00 AM ET

Pro-Wal-Mart Travel Blog Screeches To A Halt
by Tom Siebert, Thursday, Oct 12, 2006 6:00 AM ET

Survey Measures Opinions Of Youth In The United Arab Emirates On U.S. Business And Corporate Culture—And Paves The Way For Influential PR
by David Whitman

2006-10-11T12:54:00.000-04:00

Gen Y Wears The Pants
USA Today

Multitasking, Web-savvy Generation Y (1982-2000) has surpassed the baby boomers as the most influential generation for retailers. New research from online marketer Kelly Mooney, released today at the National Retail Federation, shows that 13- to-21-year-olds influence 81 percent of their families' apparel purchases and 52 percent of their car purchases. At 82 million people, Gen Y is the biggest generation. Its members have strong spending power, and stronger opinions at an early age. According to Mooney's research, nothing turns these young consumers off to a brand more than slow Web sites, a dismissive sales staff and free shipping that takes more than two days. They tend to want merchandise that's cheap (American Apparel) or elite (Diesel); retailers in the middle can get lost. "They are more demanding and more savvy than they feel they're given credit for," Mooney says, so in marketing to them, it's important not to insult their intelligence. They will abandon a Web site that takes longer than 3 seconds to download; on average, they require access to information five times faster than older generations. "They don't distinguish between 'this is the store' and 'this is the Web site,' Mooney says. "Part of the reason Gen Y has such influence over household decisions is because their parents tend to be nonauthoritarian. They value friendships with their kids over discipline, which tends to give them an "equal vote in the look and style of the family." - Read the whole story...

2006-10-11T11:34:00.000-04:00

So, I've been giving some more thought into this blog and its topic: Public Relations and Generation Y. Being a member of generation Y and having a love of public relations (and integrated communications) I'm always amazed and impressed when I think about and realize just how much my generation has influenced media and the way we communicate. Gen Y & or echo boomers, are the most diverse generation ever. We're also a lot more aware of current global issues, weary of the corporate world, and are accustomed to instant communication. Everyone would love how to market to us and get our consumer loyalty, but the reality is that very few organizations get it. And that it, is what we love, what makes us- well us. And that's the beauty of it all. We affect the media, marketing, corporations and global communications. Just think of gen Y's more recent contribution to media and marketing: we made myspace and youtube household names, and just about every American knows what an im and text message are. I'm sure there are a million other examples. And to support what I just said read this USA Today article. Really cool to see this in the USA Today and know that I had the exact thought!

2006-10-10T15:25:00.000-04:00

Special thanks to Technorati Profile for providing blog search options!

2006-10-10T10:53:00.001-04:00

Dot-Com Boom Echoed in Deal to Buy YouTube
October 10, 2006 - New York Times
By ANDREW ROSS SORKIN

A profitless Web site started by three 20-somethings after a late-night dinner party is sold for more than a billion dollars, instantly turning dozens of its employees into paper millionaires. It sounds like a tale from the late 1990’s dot-com bubble, but it happened yesterday.

Google, the online search behemoth, agreed yesterday to pay $1.65 billion in stock for the Web site that came out of that party — YouTube, the video-sharing phenomenon that is the darling of an Internet resurgence known as Web 2.0.

YouTube had been coveted by virtually every big media and technology company, as they seek to tap into a generation of consumers who are viewing 100 million short videos on the site every day. Google is expected to try to make money from YouTube by integrating the site with its search technology and search-based advertising program.

But the purchase price has also invited comparisons to the mind-boggling valuations that were once given to dozens of Silicon Valley companies a decade ago. Like YouTube, those companies were once the Next Big Thing, but some soon folded.

Google, with a market value of $132 billion, can clearly afford to take a gamble with YouTube, but the question remains: How to put a price tag on an unproven business?

Check out the entire article

2006-10-10T10:26:00.000-04:00

Hello, and welcome to PRforGeneration Y! As our title suggests, this is a blog for all things related to new school pr. Generation Y's impact on the world has been so great that not only has it changed the way society gets its news, but it's created trends and methods in public relations, advertising and marketing that will last way beyond our years. This blog provides a venue for pr pro's and the general public alike to comment on the happenings of everything media and gen Y related. So feel free to post away!

Stephanie