When brands take the time to get to know their consumer they often find it easier to conjure up wonderful, impactful ads. However, there are some brands that like doing business without research regardless of the consumer and changing demographics. As globalization changes the look of business and how we communicate, brands need to realize the value of engagement. When an audience feels they can relate to a brand, what the brand represents and any collateral that comes from that brand, the more willing consumers are to forge a real connection, offer opportunities for increased sales and act as cultural informants for the creative product of ad placements.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we explore the brand behind the ad and how a lack of connection internally, as well as, externally with your audience can deeply impact the success of a company’s ad campaign.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Ad Placements Act as Good Indicator of Strength in Audience Connection "

Social media are powerful tools for communicating with niche audiences, cultivating brand advocates, influencing influencers, generating awareness and achieving other communications objectives. And sometimes, you’re lucky enough to have your content go viral.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we explore the ease with which some social media content goes viral. But, we also examine how having your content go viral can occasionally backfire.

Steve Jobs Taught Obama Campaign How to Go Viral (The Hill)

Continue reading " Friday Five: Social Media Can Be Inviting – But Beware of Its Biting Effect "

The unforeseen ease of sharing content at what seems like the speed of light has been made possible all thanks to social media. In 2012 alone, we’ve seen brands dragged through the mud, increase awareness of campaigns, and gain/lose political support. We’ve become so accustomed to socializing via social media channels that we can’t even remember how we functioned before social media revolutionized the way we interact, engage, and share.

PRSA’s “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest PR and business news and commentary — explores the intentional use of social media by organizations and people to rally a conversation, good or bad. Once that conversation takes off, you have officially gone viral and there is no telling where that conversation may be headed. This week we will look at the positive and negative effects of social media sharing. We will also look at two entities that went viral as a result of social media, KONY 2012 and Greg Smith’s resignation letter in a New York Time’s Op-Ed.

It Helps Us Create Everything…Good and Bad (socialmediatoday)

Five early adopters Brad Pendergraph, podcaster, blogger, and manager of consumer digital & social engagement at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Sarah Weinstein, director of music video and content at The Matrix, Noel Hidalgo, director of emerging technologies at the World Economic Forum USA, Steev Hise, new media artist, filmmaker, and activist with a passion for social justice and the environment, and Craig Hickman, tennis blogger and contributor to the Huffington Post, have joined forces to create a video series that reflects on the delicate balance of positive and negative in a world increasingly influenced by social media. This video series explores the changes in technology, knowledge and the social fabric of the Internet.

Continue reading " Friday Five: The Viral Nature of Social Media "