Is Twitter For You/Your Brand? Hmm...

Well Hello There,

This week, I wanted to share an infograph designed by Column Five Media that is a fun way to tell whether or not Twitter is the social media platform for you. The graph looks at Twitter from a personal aspect as well as on a professional/business level. I'll admit, this is just a fun way of looking at the different ways that people can use Twitter to communicate with others in what's known as the Twitterverse.

This week, the topic came up in my social media class whether or not brands should be using social media. How do company execs decide which social media platform to use? Each network is different, so it is very important that professionals find ways to cater to their specific audience and relay messages appropriate to that particular network.

After applying myself and the organization I work for to the infographic, it was obvious that I should be using this tool as a form of communication. I currently work for the campus activities board at the University of North Texas and social media is something we highly depend on in order to engage with our students.

Aside from that (on the personal side of things), I am a journalism student. The fact that Twitter provides instant news updates 24/7...well, you know I'm lovin' that.

Check out the article/graph at the link below and see where you fall. Is Twitter right for you?

Is Twitter Right For You?

Until Next Time...

An Ad Major.

Brittani Wilkins

JOUR 4210

Follow Me on Twitter -@BrittaniWilkins

$5.00?! And I'm Not Talking Footlongs.

Public relations practitioners are often perceived in a negative light. Many people believe that they tend to construe the truth in order to positively reflect the company or organization that they are working for. In relation to risk management, the potential for conflict to occur in an attempt to balance every side of an issue may result in a risky or unfavorable ethical practice.

The balance of trying to keep everyone happy in a crisis situation is something that I personally find challenging in the field of public relations. PR pros have to manage to keep both the company and the public happy and provide the most accurate information without compromising the reputation of the company along with the public’s trust. Not only does that seem stressful, but it’s also a very hard thing to accomplish if there is a company goof.

And don’t get me started on ethics…

Transparency is something that companies are leaning toward these days but let’s be honest, there are few CEOs and company executives who are willing to openly disclose every aspect of their business. So what happens in the case of an emergency or company error?

Do companies accept full responsibility?

Point the finger?

Act in the company’s best interest or the interest of the people?

Let’s examine a case that focuses on the idea of the ethical theory, Egoism.

In 2011, Bank of America (BofA) made an announcement that the company would begin charging its members a $5.00 transaction fee on any purchase they made using their Bank of America debit card.

Yes, I said $5.00.

I’ll give you a second to process that.

Of course the company received tons of criticism following the announcement, even from U.S. President Barack Obama. When it came time for Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan to release a statement, members were anxious to find out the reasoning behind applying a transaction fee. Moynihan released a statement in an interview with CNBC including the following:

"I have an inherent duty as a CEO of a publicly owned company to get a return for my shareholders."

Moynihan followed with a statement saying that once customers and shareholders were fully aware of the reason behind the transaction fee, they would be more understanding as to why the bank has a right to make a profit.

The ethical theory that could be applied to this particular case would be egoism. In my opinion, it’s clear that Bank of America executives were concerned about the company’s potential to profit off of their members. It seems as if they tried to keep the members in mind by stating that members would understand of the fee following implementation, yet it still seems as if BofA’s profitability was the bigger goal.

One thing that I found surprising about BofA execs stating that consumers would be on board with a $5.00 fee, which came as a surprise to many, was when Don Vecchiarello, Bank of America’s VP Media Relations Manager, commented on banks charging overdraft fees and how consumers reacted negatively toward costly fees.

“Our customers told us they did not like surprise charges,” says BofA spokesman Don Vecchiarello. “Reaction has been very positive and our complaints about overdrafts have gone down.”

In my opinion, I believe that Vecchiarello, along with the media relations team, should have known that an additional charge would definitely reflect negatively in the minds of BofA members and shareholders.

I mean, come on.

Following the backlash of consumer criticism, BofA decided to get rid of the transaction fee, citing that customer outcry resulted in the company’s choice to pull the plug. In the end, I believe that BofA made the right choice in nixing the fee, although they had to learn the hard way that people do not want anybody messing with their money.

Until next time.

An Ad Major.

Brittani J. Wilkins

Professors, Students and Social Media - Should They Connect Online?

Well Hello There,

I'd like to focus tonight's discussion on whether or not students and professors should establish online relationships via social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Hmm...

I found interest in this topic after reading an article online posted by the Wall Street Journal stating that New York City schools are interested in pursuing a policy that would crack down on social media contact between teachers and students. The main concern with teachers and students having online engagement is the fact that there may be an online conversation that could easily be misinterpreted. The New York City Schools Chancellor estimates a social media policy that could possibly take place next month.

In my own experiences, I've connected with a couple of my professors online and continue to maintain positive relationships with all of them. A few of my professors would not allow online engagement with students until after students were no longer enrolled in his or her class. Their main reasoning would be that they didn't want to compromise any academic integrity.

I can easily understand why some professors may be fearful of compromising their careers due to backlash from interacting with students online (I mean, watch the news...). As an adult, I don't see a major issue with conversing with professors online, as long as it is done in a responsible manner. I definitely feel that there should be some restrictions when applied to young children in grade school. It'll be interesting to watch the New York City schools as they develop a policy to crack down on student/teacher social media interaction.

http://online.wsj.com/article/AP8886ce60311b4d3793feaacccb6e77fe.html

I'd love to know what you all think. Please comment.

Until next time.

An Ad Major.

Brittani Wilkins
Follow Me on Twitter 

World, I'd Like You to Meet...Mobli.

Well Hello Ladies and Gents,

Lets talk Mobli. It's Instagram on STEROIDS. I love it. See that video down there? Watch that bad boy. It'll fill you in on everything you need to know!

Disclaimer: I apologize in advance for the amount of times I say, "It's really cool." I was a little too excited. Press play.

So, have you downloaded the app yet? What are you waiting for?

I think Mobli is a very interactive social media app to use and share images and photos with others. Instagram move aside.

 

Until next time.

An Ad Major.

 Contact me.

Follow me on Twitter

This is Just Absolutely Linsane.

Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks breakout point guard, has caused much #Linsanity over the past few weeks as he is the topic of all things social media.

Forbes staff writer Mike Ozanian couldn't have said it any better.

"No athlete has ever  illustrated the power of social media so quickly and as much as New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin."

Not only has he been the topic of conversation online, this guy has managed to build a brand behind himself that has exceeded the expectations of many. Although Lin's game performances have been very interesting to watch, the media is coverage is quite interesting as well. Basketball fans have elevated Lin into an overnight celebrity all through the power of social media. Even celebrities such as director Spike Lee and boxer Manny Pacquiao have expressed much enthusiasm over Lin.

As a huge fan of basketball, I have been following Lin's story as it continues to develop on an even bigger platform. Basketball fans and Twitter users have coined various hashtags in relation to Lin (#Linsanity being the most popular). Reading a little bit on the history and evolution of Lin through an article posted by The New York Times, Lin's background represents a very inspirational story that people, especially athletes, can relate to. A lot of media have compared his story to that of NFL star Tim Tebow.

However you choose to look at it, you better brace yourself for the future of Jeremy Lin. This kid isn't going anywhere. With the power of social media and individuals weighing in on all things Lin, it will be very interesting to see what's next.

Oh, by the way, Ben and Jerry's have officially released the Jeremy Lin flavor. All of a sudden I'm craving ice cream. Too bad it's only currently available in Boston. Now that's Linsane.

Until next time.

An Ad Major

Brittani J. Wilkins - Follow Me @BrittaniWilkins
Connect with me

Applying Ethics to Advertising. Don’t Laugh, I’m Serious.

Oh, the exciting world of advertising. To some, it’s entertaining and to others, annoying. The connection between brands and their consumers through a creative platform is rather interesting. Of course, businesses want their products to generate sales, exceeding those of its competition. The methods they follow to persuade consumers to buy their products could be viewed under the structure of different ethical theories.  The Federal Trade Commission has cracked down on advertisers and has continued to regulate the advertisements in order to ensure that they maintain an honest representation of a particular product. But honestly, how many of you believe 100% of the advertisements you see? Serious question.

So let’s focus on some common ethical theories and apply them to a few advertisements, shall we?  First, I would like to look at the theory of Emmanuel Kant. His perspective basically insisted that actions have true moral worth only when they spring from good will (Bufkins). This theory could be applied to the Dove Real Beauty campaign.  The idea was to represent different ideas of beauty conveyed through what would generally be considered a personal flaw. I’ve been a fan of this campaign since the beginning and Dove has been very successful through implementing this idea of true beauty. The reason that Kant’s theory could be applied here is that this campaign is structured through good intentions. Dove wanted to make all women feel as if they were beautiful, regardless of what society has shaped opinions of beauty to portray. This particular strategy follows the structure of Kant’s theory.

Another theory, Egoism, states that an act is morally right if, and only if, it best promotes one’s self interest (Bufkins). This could be representative of an individual, organization or corporation. When an ad for J.Crew was featured in the brand’s catalog, Jenna Lyons, J.Crew president and creative director, received tons of backlash following the ad. Viewers felt that the ad would persuade the child to be homosexual or transgendered.  Susan Donaldson James of ABC News wrote an online article elaborating on the views of others. What’s interesting here is that Lyons applied an egoist perspective on the situation.  She felt that there was no error in making the choice to feature herself alongside her son, regardless of the viewpoints and opinions of others.

I know that the idea of ethical advertising seems a bit suspicious, or maybe even comical to some, but businesses are constantly trying to build their relationship with consumers and looking for ways to develop brand loyalty by providing quality products to consumers. This is not an easy thing to accomplish, especially when a product may not be the best choice for the buyer to make. Products such as alcohol, weight-loss products and unhealthy food choices can easily fall victim to an unethical approach of advertising.

This week in my journalism ethics class, the argument came up about whether or not we should blame brands versus parents on the overall health of today’s children. This particular argument focused on cereal aimed at a young audience. On one side, the idea that brands use cartoons and toy prizes to lure children into consuming sugary cereals. On the other hand, many classmates believed that the parents represented the ultimate decision-maker when choosing what their children consume.

Personally, I believe that parents have a major influence on what they buy their kids as well as what their children are being exposed to.  Of course, advertisers with a younger target audience are strategically placing their advertisements through various mediums, which focus more so on children’s programming, and children are the masters of persuasion when it comes to getting what they want (or at least I was).  But when it comes to making a choice of what to purchase and consume, that decision is that of the adult, not the child.  In this instance, I would not blame advertisers.

Which brings me to my next point.

Considering all of the advertisements that consumers are exposed to daily (about 3000), it is still the individual’s choice to decide whether or not he or she would ultimately make the purchase. The main goal of advertising is to influence a buyer’s decision (obviously), but at the end of the day, it is the consumer’s choice. So should we point fingers at the businesses out to make an extra buck or at ourselves as consumers?

Until next time my friends.

An Ad Major.

Follow Me @BrittaniWilkins

Sources

Samra Bufkins – JOUR 4470 Class Notes

Dove - http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/campaign-for-real-beauty.aspx

J.Crew - http://abcnews.go.com/Health/crew-ad-boy-painting-toenails-pink-stirs-transgender/story?id=13358903#.T0c0kL_wOJo

Watch What You Say, Especially if Your Dad's an IT Guy.

With social media outlets like Facebook constantly making various changes in hopes to advance on an even bigger platform, it's vital that members pay close attention to how it affects their privacy settings. Now that Facebook plans to adopt the new timeline feature and make it mandatory for all users, it's important to pay close attention to the privacy settings that come with these changes.

It recently hit me in one of my classes, focused on social media strategies, that many people are not aware of the information that is open and available to anyone who has a computer as well as internet access. My class professor introduced the class to Storify, an online story generator (which is pretty awesome by the way, check it out), in which you can use various websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube and access any available information that is out there. This got me thinking, I wonder if these people even know that complete strangers can see their status updates without them even having a clue. Kind of scary when you think about it...

Aside from the privacy issues that Facebook has to constantly deal with, you also have those crazy computer nerds out there who can easily hack into your information. In the case of the IT dad, this is exactly what happened. After watching this video, which began to circulate via Facebook, I found it very humorous but at the same time, it reiterated the idea of privacy. In this particular video, a girl posted negative comments about her parents which later results in her father finding out and having a very memorable reaction. Watch for yourself.

Until next time ladies and gentlemen.

Brittani J. Wilkins
@BrittaniWilkins
brittani-wilkins.blogspot.com
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