The $18 million PR stunt

The world is in mourning. How could this be happening? Theirs was a love that should have lasted. Right? Of course not. Kim Kardashian filed for divorce this morning, ending speculation to the rumours that the "American Royal Wedding" was nothing more than a publicity stunt. A great one for her, mind you, allowing to her cash in on her wedding photos for a rumoured $18 million.


Her publicist is likely pulling out her hair that the reality-star has ended her whirlwind 10-week marriage to basketball player Kris Humphries. While there are likely some that doubt this was a sham marriage, this is a woman who has made her empire by becoming famous for her publicity.

• Along came the sex tape – A star is born

• Keeping Up with the Kardashians airs on E! network, following the lives of her and her sisters while they date famous men and make silly faces. It has been on for 7 seasons (This is why you don’t get nice things, Americans)

• Dates exclusively famous men, typically athletes

• “Designer,” entrepreneur, Mastercard maker – Kashing in on anything/everything



So my question is this: Why do people care? This story is a top news item on many legitimate news sites along with gossip blogs.

Do you care? Tell us why.

Is this the most lucrative publicity stunt in recent history? Do we have a new J.Lo or Elizabeth Taylor, or just a new Paris Hilton?

Its a sticky situation

It’s not everyday a clothing company pays celebrities to stop wearing their brand, but that’s the case with Abercrombie & Fitch and the cast of the MTV reality show Jersey Shore. Abercrombie & Fitch, known for its sexy, preppy clothing, has offered to pay a substantial amount to Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and any other cast member to stop wearing its clothing because it’s damaging to the brand’s image.

Now it might seem confusing that the store that places half-naked models in the entrance of their flagship stores would be concerned about who wears their clothing, but the company claims that Sorrentino is not the ideal personality to represent the brand.

Why wouldn’t A&F want this free publicity? With the back-to-school season wrapping up and the holidays around the corner, the company can benefit from this free marketing. Many companies often pay celebrities to represent their brand, so why wouldn’t A&F want the cast to wear their brand?

A&F doesn’t agree with the kind of role models that the Jersey Shore cast represents. The show features six 20 to 30 year old men and women, who swear, get drunk, hook-up and behave erratically. Their behaviour doesn’t exactly fit the preppy manner.

The shows latest season, season five, took place in Italy. This is an opportunity and a threat. A threat because A&F hasn’t yet expanded to the European market and don’t want Europeans to associate the brand with Sorrentino’s characteristics, but on the other hand, its free publicity.

Should A&F take this as a win-win situation? Should Mike Sorrentino be offended at the request to stop wearing A&F, or is it understandable that celebrities carry persuasion and are walking advertisements? Should celebrities be held accountable?

Meet the Boy the Bullies Broke

On Monday Oct. 17, 2011 15-year old Jamie Hubley took his own life as a result of cyber-bullying. The Ottawa schoolboy died on Saturday of human cruelty, profoundly depressed after years of being bullied online for being gay.

While it is easy to praise social media platforms for providing two-way symmetrical communication between a brand and its audience every once in a while a story like this comes up which reminds us that there are devastating unintended effects of emerging media.
Hubley pointed out that cyber-bullying has created a new problem. There is no longer any refuge. “Children often feel there is no safe place to go; even when they are at home they can still be victims.”

Social Media’s Role in the Investigation

After Hubley’s death investigators began exploring his personal blog, Tumblr, Facebook and Youtube pages. Hubley was using these platforms to express his thoughts and posted his final note to friends and family, along with a response to those who had bullied him online. After uncovering these pages Const. Scott Mills hosted a Canadian Safe School Network conference in Toronto, during which the recommendation was made for educators to have a stronger presence on social media websites.

Mills controversially argued that social networking sites can be used for mentoring, building relationships and can help prevent teen suicides and gang activity and that a positive relationship with a teacher can help kids who are prone to aggression and depression.

Two schools of thought seem to have emerged

The first argues that social media should not play a role as it blurs the lines of the teacher-student relationship.

The second argues that adult mentorship is crucial and because teenagers spend so much time online, that must be carried over to the cyber world.

The Stats:

· Of the 7,112 high school students who took part a survey by the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association, 39 per cent believe it is not acceptable to connect through social media with teachers.
· 58 per cent of parents oppose their children having online connections with teachers and administration.
· 69.5 per cent of teens support schools taking action on cyber-bullying that occurs outside of school hours.

Check out Rick Mercer’s rant on teen suicide and social media’s role in cyber bullying.
What do you think? Should teachers be required to step up to the plate and have a stronger online presence through social media sites?

PR for Protesters

Like much of the world, I’ve been following the development of the Occupy movement over the last five weeks with keen interest. This isn’t our parents’ activist movement. The Occupy movement has the makings of the internet era's first true political movement.

Unlike the civil rights movement of a half-century ago, what makes the Occupy movement different is that there really isn’t any one leader at the forefront acting as the movement’s public face. This is a completely democratic movement, in that all decisions are made by consensus by protesters at daily assemblies. It is what makes it so complex and unprecedented from a public relations standpoint.

I stumbled across a blog by leading PR expert David Meerman Scott addressing the public relations obstacles facing the occupy movement. Here is some PR advice Scott gives for those involved.

Put a face to your organization

As mentioned, the Occupy movement has no official spokesperson. This is a problem from public relations standpoint. Since the movement has no clear mouthpiece, news outlets are instead finding celebrity surrogates. The movement claims to be carrying in the tradition of the Arab Spring tactic. This is not entirely true. That movement found a media spokesperson in Wael Ghonim. The Occupy movement needs to find itself a public face, or else the media will decide for itself who that person should be. The results could prove disastrous.

Give your website some personality

The movement’s official website unfortunately seems almost as impersonal as the banks and the corporations they are protesting against. The blog posts on the website are written by "OccupyWallSt" rather than a human. The contact information listed on the site is anonymous too.

Clearly articulate what you want

The Occupy movement prides itself on its broad mandate, but this is not doing them any favours. There must be a more concrete and consistent driving force behind the movement if it wants to stay relevant.

Is Scott's analysis of the Occupy movement rooted in a dated twentieth-century marketing perspective or are his concerns valid?

Top four Celebrity PR Blunders of 2011

The land of Hollywood is a tumultuous one. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down and if you’re lucky you’re somewhere in between. The public scrutiny on celebrities is intense; and unfortunately not everybody can maintain a squeaky-clean image.

Here are four celebrity PR blunders, and what we can learn from them as PR practitioners …

LINDSAY LOHAN

WHY: Because her countless court dates and failure to observe community service punishments have de-railed her once promising career as an upcoming starlet.

PR LESSON: Don’t make the same mistake twice (or more)! Lohan’s continuous appearances in court and blasé attitude towards the California legal system have put her in the gossip columns week after week, and discredited her work as an actress. Showing that you take legal incidences seriously may help you to return to public favour.

CHARLIE SHEEN

WHY: Because his wacky appearances and antics earlier this spring cost him a job, and a reputation.

PR LESSON: Know when to talk, and when to stop. Or at least make sure that you are well prepared for an interview. Tiger-blood, bi-winning and referring to yourself as a drug may have become part of contemporary vocabulary for two weeks; but it cost him the staring role on Two and a Half Men.

JOHN GALLIANO

WHY: Former head designer of legendary French fashion house, Dior, was over heard making obscene, racist comments at a Parisian restaurant.

PR LESSON: You never know who might be listening, so always be respectful. Galliano’s thoughtless comments cost him a job, celebrity endorsements and disappointed many who had come to respect him in the fashion industry.

HEIDI AND SPENCER PRATT

WHY: Because their paparazzi photos are so obviously staged that they sensationalized themselves.

PR LESSON: Make yourself newsworthy. Staging a beach photo shoot or interviews about botox leaves the press with very little to write about, making thoughtful commentary or using their media power for something productive may have given them a chance for more long running fame.

A photo is no longer worth a thousand words

It’s not unnatural for us to question the deaths of famous figures (after all, how exactly does Tupac still release all that new music?). Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s capture and gruesome death last week in his hometown of Sirte, Libya ignited a flurry of responses on social media sites. While much of Libya erupted with excitement in their newfound liberation after 42 years of tyrannical rule and months of civil war, the rest of the world seemed to ponder the accuracy or truthfulness of the story. Here are a few responses from 9 News’ Facebook page from users of the site:

“for real or just another stunt…”

“sounds like another BS story like the killing of Bin Laden … really … did ANYONE believe that BS!!!”

“Wow if this is accurate, its amazing news!!! :)"

There is vindication in learning of a dictator’s demise, yet stories of their death are often met with instant criticism from reluctant believers. Social media encourages the diversification of opinion and published material; it is no longer just our traditional news media outlets delivering us the top stories. The use of horrific photographs taken of dead bodies or reports of DNA tests (which were used to prove the death of Osama Bin Laden) in news stories were once considered taboo. We have a hard time believing that these infamous, illusive figures are really dead. To a degree, social media has created a culture of disbelief in traditional news media.

For the following reasons, we are becoming increasingly cynical of news we read from our mobile devices:

1. Everyone’s a publisher: With millions of blogs, Twitter users and Facebook posts, everyone can post their own opinions online and claim them to be “facts”.

2. Photo tampering/Photoshop, baby! : A published photo is no longer a reliable means of communicating the truth if they can be altered so easily. In fact, I'm pretty sure I could make myself look like a Kardashian.

Thousands of pictures taken of Gaddafi’s dead body circulated via Twitter and Facebook were not enough to change the status of his death from “unconfirmed” to “confirmed”. The confirmation of his ghastly execution came from recorded videos taken from cellphones belonging to celebrating rebels and citizens in the streets of Sirte. While much as been said about the disturbing abuse of his body after his execution, it was the videos of his lifeless body posted and shared throughout the social media spectrum that confirmed his death for the rest of the world. With the popularity of social media usage around the world, “seeing is believing” is still the norm. However, the standard of how much we need to see in order to believe is being raised because of the increased discussion of breaking news through social media.

How trustworthy are you of the news you receive from your social media newsfeed? Is the exchange of news stories through social media still meaningful if we doubt its credibility?

Hit and run sparks demands against apathy over social media

A video went viral this week of a toddler named Yue Yue wandering into the street in Foshan city, China. She was hit by two vans on Oct. 13, 2011. This video has circulated across the globe and has been watched by millions of viewers within hours of the incident. The truly shocking part of the video was the reactions from the first driver and bystanders. The first driver knowingly ran over the little girl and 18 people passed right by her body before one woman tried to help the two-year old. Yue Yue has since died from her injuries. Some have argued that the lack of legal protection for good samaritans has caused people to become fearful of helping those in need. Despite this, the apathy of the bystanders has raised some alarming questions concerning the values of Chinese society.

The nature of social media has made information instantly accessible. Social movements, natural disasters and celebrity gossip are known all over the world as soon as they happen. People have formed communities online and come together in support of causes or to speak out.

Social media has been used to:

• Disseminate information
• Demand change
• Show solidarity
• Connect across vast geographical and social distances

In Yue Yue’s case, social media has been the vehicle for all of these. On Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, the incident has been the No. 1 topic generating more than 4.5 million posts. The footage and images have reached audiences across the globe via Twitter, YouTube and other social media sites even faster than some news sources. There has been an outpouring of support for the family and cries against apathy.

If you were in a similar situation, what would you do? If it meant getting in trouble, would you still help?

Calculating Influence Through Klout

As a student of social media, buzzwords like ‘influence,’ ‘audience’ and ‘relationships’ are always thrown around in class. What do these words actually mean in a social media context? Klout, a tool that’s used to determine online influence, can help in our understanding.

Klout uses over 50 factors in calculating its scores. Still, some say it’s useless while others call it essential. Is Klout all its cracked up to be? Here’s my quick analysis.

Strengths

Influential Topics

These are assigned to each Klout user based on what they are influential about on social networking sites. Influential topics are a great way to gauge your audience and see what types of content they are interested in.

Klout Styles

Klout users are placed on a graph based on social media style. Ranging from broad to focused, sharing to listening and more, these styles encompass different social media behaviours and can be eerily accurate. A user can move to different parts of the graph as their behaviour changes.

Weaknesses

Influential Topics

One of the first reactions from first time Klout users is, “whoa those are my influential topics?” When a user’s tweet receives multiple responses, the subject of the tweet can generate an influential topic. A random tweet about cats could make you a cat connoisseur according to Klout.

True Reach

One of the main factors in calculating True Reach is the amount of responses a user receives. A user may receive many responses from the same people within an echo chamber. Does that mean this user is more influential than someone who receives fewer mentions but from a wider range of people?

Final Thoughts

My list is far from exhaustive, but at the end of the day Klout is measuring influence and influence is subjective. No algorithm can determine how influential someone actually is. Even through speeches and face-to-face interaction there is no way to truly put a number on influence. There’s still a long way to go, but as a tool that measures something completely subjective Klout is good at what it does. Plus, Klout provides excellent means to keep track of a brand and its competitors.

Do you think Klout is a useful tool or do its analyses lack substance?

Ask Me Anything

Reddit isn’t just a social news site full of hilarious memes, inappropriate but comical images and entertaining YouTube videos. It’s also stock full of AMAs, or Ask me Anythings. AMAs allow the Reddit community to ask a certain individual questions. The individual who initiated the AMA will provide the answers. AMAs allow the Reddit community to ask one another anything and everything with an open mind.

Popular AMAs include:

· I am Bear Grylls AMA

· I am a Columbine survivor named Brooks Brown AMA

· I am Anthony Bourdain AMA

· I am a closet pedophile in my early 20s AMA

AMAs have taken social media to a whole new level. Average Joes and celebrities expose themselves online, allowing the Reddit community to question them truthfully without preconceptions.

Reading celebrity AMAs are definitely entertaining, but reading AMAs from everyday people sets Reddit apart from other online communities.

For example, take the closet pedophile in his early 20s. The topic starter states that he is a closeted pedophile and tells the community that they can ask him any question they want about it. I couldn’t help but wonder: would this person be as open and honest about his life if he were talking to individuals face to face as opposed to screen to screen?

As I scrolled through the thread, I felt like I had to brace myself for endless name-calling and judgment. In a Web 2.0 world where people feel they have the right to say anything online, I assumed that this AMA would be full of hateful comments. It turns out I was wrong. Those who commented were supportive and asked insightful questions about the person’s struggle.

Outside of Reddit, the AMAs topic could be considered taboo. The fact that the Reddit community is so receptive suggests that sometimes getting your message through is not just easier through social media, but sometimes it’s the only way.

Who would you like to see doing an AMA? And, if you had the opportunity to tell a secret online anonymously, would you?

Does Social Media Influence You to Stay Fit?

Social Media is changing the way people stay in shape. Microblogging platforms like Twitter allow people to easily share quick tips, news, and advice while also facilitating a large and diverse support system. Facebook, blogs, and online forums provide a space where people can discuss and learn about healthy active lifestyles. Inspirational stories now travel faster, influence more people, and reach a broader audience.

Social Media is also changing the nature of some sporting events. An example that has been in the news frequently this October is marathon running. The sport is often viewed as an individual activity however social media has made it easier for participants to build a strong community around each event. Marathoners are able to go online to meet other runners, learn about upcoming events, and provide advice and encouragement. They share training tips, music playlists, and comment on any recent accomplishments. People who enjoy watching marathon events are able to use social media to share major news, highlights (spills and thrills), and final results live from their smartphones.

The Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon was in Toronto this past Sunday with over 20,000 people participating from all over the world. Reid Coolsaet and Eric Gilles both qualified for the London Olympics in 2012. This marks the first time in 10 years that Canada will send two athletes to the event. Coolsaet crossed the finish line with a time of 2:10.55, the fastest for a Canadian on home soil. Their results were filling Twitter feeds before they were even deemed official and the word spread quickly through the massive crowd that had gathered near the Scotia Plaza.

At the same event Indian-born Fauja Singh shamed every able-bodied person when at 100 years old he completed the 42km race and earned himself a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. He completed with a time of 8:25, almost two hours longer than he was expecting. His story inspired all those who attended the event and people were tweeting his progress throughout the day. Singh started marathons 20 years ago at the age of 80 and he now runs 16 km a day. He became an inspiration to many and a topic of online conversations even before he could cross the finish line.

Has social media influenced you to live a more healthy and active lifestyle? Do you think social dynamics in sports has been changed by online platforms?

CSR: a strategic Band-Aid or a genuine overhaul?

Having a corporate conscience is vital for any thriving or developing brand. Corporations are beginning to realize the integrity of encompassing corporate social responsibility in their business models. However it seems that some corporations are merely jumping on the CSR bandwagon and the effort might appear anything but authentic to audiences.

Recently, luxury brand Gucci was under fire for inhumane working conditions in China. The company’s slow response to the situation was a promise to: replace senior managers; set up direct communication and reporting outlets; and hire external consultants to investigate the interest of China employees and develop working conditions. Aside from this mishap, Gucci’s CSR extends as far as reducing paper consumption and Co2 omissions, and saving Indonesia’s rainforests.

Walmart was recently involved in one of the largest class-action lawsuits ever made against a corporation. Close to 1.5-million female Walmart employees claimed damages as a result of wage and gender discrimination. Faster than you can say “major brand overhaul needed,” Walmart launched a new worldwide $100-billion campaign called the “Global Women's Economic Empowerment Initiative.” Its goal: to empower women. Walmart can now add this project to its list of CSR initiatives, but do these efforts truly humanize this major corporate machine?

The Hudson’s Bay Company incorporates the most essential aspects of corporate social responsibility into their business model:

· Environmental sustainability

· Community investment

· Ethical sourcing

· Associate care and development.

The HBC successfully fulfills what John Elkington – an expert on measuring corporate social responsibility – calls the triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. The HBC is accountable to the community, their employees and to the environment, and the profits have followed with a reported revenue of $70 billion and new and promising partnership with TOPSHOP. HBC's CSR is a promising model for all brands to aspire to.

What other examples of CSR are worth recognition?

Brand Like A Rockstar!

Summer's gone.

Fall is here.

NFL football has started and with that comes a whole new level of commercials that even non sports lovers can appreciate. One in particular peaked interst. The new Dr. Pepper 10 commercial which uses the slogan "It's not for Women." This low calorie pop is trying to target men, and specifically NOT women.

News outlets like CBS, and Esquire have analyzed the ad bringing questions to the surface such as:

• Is using subtle sexism a good way to sell a product?
• Will men actually buy and drink a low calorie pop?
• By NOT targeting women, are they in a way doing the complete opposite? (if someone tells you not to do something, you want to do it even more)
• Is this a risky move on Dr. Peppers part since women are usually the ones doing the grocery shopping?

With all of these questions being raised, Dr. Pepper is doing what it intended to do.....get people asking questions, be controversial, and create BUZZ!

Steve Jones has written a book called "Brand Like a Rockstar" and explores the idea that companies can approach marketing the same ways in which AC/DC, KISS or Lady Gaga have created a brand image for themselves. Realizing that being different draws attention and makes you memorable and Dr. Pepper is on the right track, creating buzz around this controversial advertising campaign.

Lady Gaga is known for her ridiculous outfits, and maybe Dr. Pepper will have 14 million followers on Twitter some day with this breakthrough in controversial advertising.

Do any other brands stand out as breaking boundaries in advertising and "brand like a rockstar?"

Twitter...Counterrevolution?

The phrase ‘Twitter Revolution’ is catchy. It makes Twitter and revolution sound like they were created for each other. Would you like some revolution with your Twitter? It was popular in Moldova. It was a hit in Iran. It triumphed in Tunisia. Egyptians are ecstatic about it. It grabs attention. It finds its way into headlines and bylines. It makes revolution (and social media) seem simple and easy.

‘Unlikely activist sparks monumental protest with the click of a mouse’ read the byline of an article on Egyptian protester Wael Ghonim in the Atlantic. It sounds like Ghonim was messing around on the Internet, clicked a button by accident and started a revolution.

Ghonim was an activist on purpose. He organized protests online and attended them in person. He put his safety at risk. He had links to organizers in the United States and contingency plans if he got arrested. He was arrested and interrogated because of his Facebook activity. Social media was influencing the Egyptian revolution. According to Ghonim, “this revolution started online.” Still, there was a lot more going on than the click of a mouse. It doesn’t seem simple or easy.

I think the relationship between social media and protest is more complicated than some media admit. If social media is a useful tool for the democratic and progressive, is it just as useful for the conservative, oppressive or violent? Is it inherently democratic? Here are a couple examples of social media uses that are less than revolutionary:

• Two men in England were given four years in prison for inciting riots on Facebook. Neither Facebook post resulted in rioting.

• In Tunisia, government officials hacked into citizen’s email and Twitter accounts to search for intelligence.

• In Syria web-surveillance has led to the arrest of protesters.

•The CIA warned that North Korea is using YouTube and Twitter to spread propoganda.

• During the London riots, English PM David Cameron publicly considered a temporary shut down of social media sites.

As social media becomes less of an innovation and more of an institution, will it continue to favour progressive, democratic people over conservative or oppressive organizations?

Your Server Has Facebook Too

This past weekend, a man named Andrew Meyer failed to tip his waitress. Not exactly newsworthy, right? Andrew’s actions, however, were one of the feature stories in Tuesday’s Globe and Mail, and it has everything to do with social media.

When Andrew signed his credit card slip, he left a note at the bottom informing his waitress, Victoria Liss, that she “could stand to loose [sic] a few pounds.” Victoria was obviously offended, and Andrew, leaving this note on his credit card slip where his name was clearly visible, made a big mistake.

Victoria immediately posted a photo of the offending receipt on her Facebook page. The photo went viral over the weekend, broadcasting Andrew’s shame and obvious cheapskate tendencies all over town on:

· The Globe and Mail

· Facebook

· Jezebel

· The Stranger

· Eater.com

· The Seattle Weekly blog

And that’s just the beginning. Some restaurants in the Seattle area found Andrew’s photo online, posting it on their front doors and banning him from their establishments.

All this, from a Facebook photo.

Times have changed. In a Web 2.0 world, Victoria’s Facebook audience took the story of a disgruntled waitress who got a bad tip and a rude comment straight to the front page of Canada’s national newspaper. Maybe next time Andrew will think twice before he insults his server in writing, on his credit card receipt.

To avoid facing the same fate as Andrew, restaurant patrons should remember:

· Be nice to your server

· Wait your turn

· Be nice to your server

· Don’t be cheap

· Be nice to your server

Following these simple steps will genuinely guarantee you have a great restaurant experience. Honestly. I know. I’ve been a server for a long time.

Some say that posting Andrew’s receipt online violated his rights. Do you agree?

Crackberry Withdrawal

Blackberry users around the world are simultaneously suffering from withdrawal as e-mail and messaging service glitches have entered into day two. The disruptions in service have affected people in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, India, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. So far, the United States and Canada have not been affected in the latest technical difficulties.

The disruptions began yesterday and continued today even after RIM announced this morning that the problems were resolved. Hours later the company offered an explanation for the continuing problems. A core switch failure within the company’s own infrastructure is to blame.

RIM has been losing its status as the corporate e-mail service of choice to other smart phones, in particular, the iPhone. The recent problems are not helping.

Social media today provides a number of outlets for consumers to voice their frustrations and for companies to communicate with customers. Blackberry’s latest disruptions have provided lots of buzz on Twitter and other internet blogs.

Phone companies sent out tweets about the issue:

TMobileUKhelp“Hi there Peeps, For all of our Blackberry users, please see here for updates regarding BBM issues today: http://cot.ag/r6di96 Thanks :-)”

Blackberry even took to its Twitter account to communicate with consumers:

BlackBerry“Message delays were caused by a core switch failure in RIM's infrastructure. Now being resolved. Sorry for inconvenience.”

Tweets referencing the iPhone:

esmeeworld“seriously why is my blackberry service still not working . want an iphone now grrrrrr.”

NickManghum“So I'm eligible for an upgrade to an iphone, but I don't think I can turn my back on blackberry...it just wouldn't be right! #iheartbbm”

Gally_7“Just ordered the new iPhone 4s , blackberry another person down .. #teamiphone”

Many Blackberry customers have tweeted about the rivalry between the iPhone and Blackberry, some expressing their interest in switching over.

The desperate tweets from Blackberry users reveal just how much people really identify themselves as either Blackberry or iPhone users. They also reveal how much we rely on e-mail and messaging services. Two days of disruptions have left many people questioning their loyalty to Blackberry.

Do you think we rely too much on our smart phones?

Are you a Blackberry or an iPhone user? Would you ever switch over?