In the age of social media, I fear we've forgotten how to communicate. It seems that we're always connected, but never truly interacting. I liked that the first rule of Netiquette is "to remember the human," because that is so essential to online communication. I feel like if you are typing things that you wouldn't say to someone's face, then you shouldn't be typing them.
I also liked the New Yorker cartoon about the dog. I feel like when you are communicating with people online, you should be very careful about what you share, because you can never be completely certain who you are talking to. Social media has created a great way to interact and associate with people all over the world, but it is also a way to hide who you truly are.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Social Media Club Press Release
Jan. 27, 2010
Preston Parker
President, Social Media Club of Cache Valley (SMCCV)
851 N. Main St., Logan UT 84321
661-772-7537
Social Media Club of Cache Valley
Cache Valley has a club to teach you all you’ve ever wanted to know about social media.
Have you wanted to fiddle on Facebook or tweet your thoughts on Twitter but simply don’t know how? There is an answer, the Social Media Club of Cache Valley (SMCCV). The club is a local chapter of the international Social Media Club.
According to the club’s president, Preston Parker, the club’s purpose is to “get people who are interested in social media together to share ideas, trade tips and socialize.” The club holds meetings on the second Tuesday of every month, with a “tweet up” every third month. A “tweet up” is a meeting specifically for discussing Twitter and is held at a local restaurant where the club provides free drinks. January’s “tweet up” was held at Café Sabor.
Preston Parker
President, Social Media Club of Cache Valley (SMCCV)
851 N. Main St., Logan UT 84321
661-772-7537
Social Media Club of Cache Valley
Cache Valley has a club to teach you all you’ve ever wanted to know about social media.
Have you wanted to fiddle on Facebook or tweet your thoughts on Twitter but simply don’t know how? There is an answer, the Social Media Club of Cache Valley (SMCCV). The club is a local chapter of the international Social Media Club.
According to the club’s president, Preston Parker, the club’s purpose is to “get people who are interested in social media together to share ideas, trade tips and socialize.” The club holds meetings on the second Tuesday of every month, with a “tweet up” every third month. A “tweet up” is a meeting specifically for discussing Twitter and is held at a local restaurant where the club provides free drinks. January’s “tweet up” was held at Café Sabor.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Dave Carroll vs United Airlines
As you may recall, last summer an obscure Canadian musician became an internet sensation after United Airlines "broke his Taylor guitar." That musician, Dave Carroll, recounted the ordeal on his website:
In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3,500 guitar was severely damaged. They didn't deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say "no" to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world.
(http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/)
This event is a prime example of the importance of public relations in the era of social media. Carroll outlined his attempts to receive reimbursement for the damage to his guitar and also the unacceptable customer service he received from United. Once his attempts to receive reimbursement were ignored, Carroll took his frustrations to YouTube . This proved to be a brilliant decision by Carroll and it earned him international notoriety.
According to an article in Rolling Stone magazine, after hearing about Carroll's unfortunate experience on United, other airlines offered Carroll free flights and a chance to experience their customer service. Also, Bob Taylor, of Taylor Guitars, offered guitars and props for Carroll's second video. Carroll was able to capitalize on the success of the videos and advance his career through nearly unlimited free publicity. This kind of large-scale PR could not have been possible in a pre-social media world.
United's big mistake, aside from damaging Carroll's guitar, was not realizing the impact of social networking sites, like YouTube, in today's society. Allowing Carroll's video to be released was a poor PR choice that ended up costing United a reported $180 million. When United finally responded to Carroll's video, they opted to use traditional media rather than new media.
Continuing with poor PR choices, United did not use the chance to respond to the allegations with solutions and policy changes, but rather, they sought to pay Carroll off and hope that the controversy would go away. United needed to realize that a major component of PR is customer service and that by ignoring Carroll, they were sending potential customers the message that they did not care about customer service.
Although United eventually offered to reimburse Carroll $1,200 for repairs to his guitar and $1,200 in flight vouchers, their gestures were too little too late. In today's fast-pace, socially networked blogosphere, hesitating for an instant allows negative press to generate and spread throughout the world. In PR it is understood that any press is good press, but United did not take the opportunity to take the negative press this situation generated and use it to their advantage. Rather than addressing the issue outright and offer solutions and new policies, they allowed the negative press to fester in the minds and posts of bloggers worldwide and tarnish their reputation.
In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3,500 guitar was severely damaged. They didn't deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say "no" to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world.
(http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/)
This event is a prime example of the importance of public relations in the era of social media. Carroll outlined his attempts to receive reimbursement for the damage to his guitar and also the unacceptable customer service he received from United. Once his attempts to receive reimbursement were ignored, Carroll took his frustrations to YouTube . This proved to be a brilliant decision by Carroll and it earned him international notoriety.
According to an article in Rolling Stone magazine, after hearing about Carroll's unfortunate experience on United, other airlines offered Carroll free flights and a chance to experience their customer service. Also, Bob Taylor, of Taylor Guitars, offered guitars and props for Carroll's second video. Carroll was able to capitalize on the success of the videos and advance his career through nearly unlimited free publicity. This kind of large-scale PR could not have been possible in a pre-social media world.
United's big mistake, aside from damaging Carroll's guitar, was not realizing the impact of social networking sites, like YouTube, in today's society. Allowing Carroll's video to be released was a poor PR choice that ended up costing United a reported $180 million. When United finally responded to Carroll's video, they opted to use traditional media rather than new media.
Continuing with poor PR choices, United did not use the chance to respond to the allegations with solutions and policy changes, but rather, they sought to pay Carroll off and hope that the controversy would go away. United needed to realize that a major component of PR is customer service and that by ignoring Carroll, they were sending potential customers the message that they did not care about customer service.
Although United eventually offered to reimburse Carroll $1,200 for repairs to his guitar and $1,200 in flight vouchers, their gestures were too little too late. In today's fast-pace, socially networked blogosphere, hesitating for an instant allows negative press to generate and spread throughout the world. In PR it is understood that any press is good press, but United did not take the opportunity to take the negative press this situation generated and use it to their advantage. Rather than addressing the issue outright and offer solutions and new policies, they allowed the negative press to fester in the minds and posts of bloggers worldwide and tarnish their reputation.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Letter to my Cousin
Dear Kerstin,
I hope that this letter finds you in good health and spirits. Are you enjoying your college experience? I am still attending Utah State University and I am majoring in journalism and communications with an emphasis in public relations. You may be surprised to hear that public relations is my area of study, mainly because I have told you that I am set on attending law school. Public relations is, however, a good stepping stone to my law career.
As you know, I want to study media and entertainment law. In order to be successful in that career, I need to be able to communicate. The classes that I am taking in my public relations program teach me how to communicate effectively. Public relations is essentially unpaid advertising for a product, company, person or issue. A public relations representative strives to create and promote a positive image for their employer and foster good relationships with clients, constituents, consumers, etc. My public relations classes also teach me how to gather and utilize research; this is a skill that will be beneficial to me in my career.
I hope this insight into my scholastic endeavors was interesting to you. Good luck in your studies.
Love,
Cami
I hope that this letter finds you in good health and spirits. Are you enjoying your college experience? I am still attending Utah State University and I am majoring in journalism and communications with an emphasis in public relations. You may be surprised to hear that public relations is my area of study, mainly because I have told you that I am set on attending law school. Public relations is, however, a good stepping stone to my law career.
As you know, I want to study media and entertainment law. In order to be successful in that career, I need to be able to communicate. The classes that I am taking in my public relations program teach me how to communicate effectively. Public relations is essentially unpaid advertising for a product, company, person or issue. A public relations representative strives to create and promote a positive image for their employer and foster good relationships with clients, constituents, consumers, etc. My public relations classes also teach me how to gather and utilize research; this is a skill that will be beneficial to me in my career.
I hope this insight into my scholastic endeavors was interesting to you. Good luck in your studies.
Love,
Cami
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