Jkander's Blog
Mission #8: Share a Slideshare link
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Please view the presentation below from Slideshare.com:
http://www.slideshare.net/ocunnigham92/disney-pixar
This presentation outlines the history of Pixar as well as the process for making computer animated films that people of all ages find entertaining. It gives an excellent overview of the corporate mission of Pixar in a user-friendly way.
Mission #7: Put the Public Back in Public Relations
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After reading Putting the Public Back in Public Relations by Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge, I have one initial comment: “Duh!”
I realize that is not the most enlightened response, and probably leaves most of you pondering, “What does this girl mean?” But, in all fairness, I feel like it was only a matter of time before a book like this was written and consequently hailed as the gospel for budding Public Relations executives in the 21st century.
Better yet, a word of wisdom for all of you students studying PR—you had better grab this book now as it is surely on track to be “required reading” in communication classes in Universities across the Nation.
Move over Strunk & White, for Putting the Public Back in Public Relations, is about as necessary in this day and age as the APA Style Guide.
Bold claim? Surely not. Simply put, this book is everything we’ve needed and more. Essentially, it details how Public Relations has changed and how the role of PR professionals will continue to adapt in a world that is shaped by social media applications.
I have taken my fair share of graduate classes in communications and I realize it was only a matter of time before a book with this message was written. In fact, I’m convinced that any one of my esteemed professors could have written the same thing.
Putting the Public Back in Public Relations shows shows a promising future for PR as opposed to the pessimistic viewpoint that people often have. According to the book, social media is drastically changing the way PR professionals work. Coined PR 2.0, the new age of PR, the industry is borrowing some of the tenants from web 2.0 applications. Instead of PR professionals dictating exactly how the public sees a product or service, it is important to note that everyone has a voice in shaping consumer reaction to a product or service. This book builds on the ideas put forth in previous readings like Groundswell and The Long Tail.
Traditional PR techniques do not work anymore. The traditional press release doesn’t take anyone else’s comments into consideration. PR 2.0 should resemble a dialogue, not a monologue.
Along those same lines, it’s no longer the sole job of a PR professional to “create a message.” Instead, messages are constantly evolving and are shaped by the community as a whole. In fact, it’s the community and the people in that community that are the most important factor in the equation. Think how easy it is to comment on blog post or news story online? At the risk of sounding cliché, “it’s so easy my grandma can do it!” (trust me she has…many, many times).
This book emphasizes the fact that technologies may come and go, but with the proliferation of social media tools, people are engaged and conversing in new ways. PR professionals have to communicate with the public. They can’t just tell the public what they want. They have to listen to the public.
And it looks like this book is just a start. After scouring the Internet, I found that a lot of PR professionals are following ideas from the Book.
Check out this blog by PR professional Kevin Dugan.
This blog gives specific examples of how the PR profession has changed. Professionals cannot ignore web 2.0 technologies and in order to be successful in the field, they have to embrace the power of the community and cannot ignore the presence of social media. Kevin Dugan’s blog is just one example of how PR professionals are changing the way they operate.
The tenants in this book directly relate to how my company, Pixar, is beginning to approach PR. Pixar already has an active presence on Web 2.0 platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, the Company has introduced some widely successful viral marketing campaigns, including the 2008 release of Wall-E. This Web site was originally sensory-overload for Disney/Pixar fans. But it shows how Pixar is integrating many different applications in their public relation campaigns. PR 2.0 is definitely the wave-of-the-future for large corporations like Pixar. Social media applications and Web 2.0 definitely offer Pixar an unprecedented opportunity to transform they way the Company thinks, strategizes, prioritizes and delivers its PR services in the most successful way possible.
Tags: brian solis, deidre breckenridge, facebook, kevin dugan, Pixar, public relations, Social Media, twitter
Mission #6: Discuss “The Long Tail” by Chris Anderson
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It was not too long ago when those that didn’t follow the mainstream crowd were labeled something less-than pleasant. Think “loner”, “looser”, “emo”, “goth”….
Do those words conjure a vivid image of someone who wears eyeliner and listens to mopey music alone in their bedroom? Probably.
Previously, these groups would have been ostracized or would have been the butt of countless jokes. However, now, these groups and many, many others are an important facet of society and directly inform what products and services are offered.
By separating out groups with various interests, the “mainstream” has become far less black and white. “Popular” is a now a relative term in each aspect of society.
The book, The Long Tail, by Chris Anderson examines how our economy (and culture) is shifting from mass markets to millions of niches. This paves the way for you to break through the clutter and find what you are looking for, regardless of how specialized your interest is.
I think the most important section in this book is how the long tail affects the niche market. The consumer world as we know it can no longer be only defined by the mainstream.
The medium by which I am writing now—a blog—is a perfect example of niche media at work. With the power of blogs and other social media applications, everyone can be an author. Better yet, everyone has a voice. To find out news about a current event or even your favorite type of music, you don’t necessarily have to watch mainstream CNN or download a song on ITune’s top 10 song list. Instead, you can find something that appeals to you and some of your closest, like-minded friends (friends that you never knew existed).
This notion brings us to what I liken to the “Small World” phenomenon—it’s a small world when you can find someone with your interest even if it’s highly specialized.
Mass culture was previously glued together by certain ideas, products, services etc. Those interests kept everyone together on a like-minded wavelength. The Long Tail suggests that society is more complicated than what was previously thought. There are so many different people out there who each have their own interests, niches, etc. This book suggests that society has the possibility to become “unhinged” since everyone is focused on doing their own thing. While I find it liberating to know that just because I like to do something—like make independent movies—there are probably pockets of people all over the world that share similar interests. I disagree with the “worst-case” scenario that this book illustrates. Rather than becoming “unhinged” I believe that society still has a tendency to follow what is considered popular or trendy.
I believe the whole concept behind viral videos perfectly illustrates this notion. Who hasn’t seen the wedding in which the bride and groom dance down the aisle? I can say with confidence that me, my mom, my best friend, even my best friend’s grandma has seen that video. All of the people that I just mentioned fall at different places on the long tail but are still aware of what is happening in mainstream society to a certain extent.
In this book, one of the concepts that I like most is the notion of the virtual watercooler. Personally, I find this to be true. Everyone can relate to the image of coming into work on Monday morning and gathering around the watercooler to talk about what happened over the weekend or at the very least what happened on HBO the previous night. It only makes sense that as society continues to have more options technologically speaking, that would inform how we relate to each other virtually. Personally, my “communities” are highly virtual, especially since my boyfriend lives in Dublin, Ireland and my best friend moved to Texas. If it weren’t for Skype, Facebook, etc. we wouldn’t talk nearly as much…and the cost would be double.
This concept is applicable to my company, Pixar. Especially since the Pixar brand is comprised of numerous digital images, it makes sense that Pixar has a strong digital community and therefore can use many sources and tools to appeal to its customers all along the long tail. As the book describes, there is “infinite shelf space” in this ever-growing digital world. Therefore, with more customers and “infinite” space, new technologies help a company like Pixar appeal to the millions of niches that are out there.
Mission #4: Create a Podcast Articulating a Corporate Mission
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This podcast articulates Pixar’s corporate mission to its stakeholder community.
Mission #3: Survive the “singles table” at a wedding
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Tonight’s mission (yes, I have chosen to accept it), is to attend a wedding alone.
Which also means that I will be sitting at the infamous “singles” table at this wedding…
Now, I have been to a number of weddings in my day, so I feel comfortable saying that tonight could either be the best night, or the most awkward night of my life. We’ve all been to those weddings where the “singles” table is the place to be. They seem to be having a blast, there is the prospect that two of the “singles” will pair up, etc. However, there are also cases in which the “singles” table is made up of a bunch of misfits and mismatched fringe guests. Think the movie, The Wedding Singer. I’d like to think that I am neither a misfit nor a fringe guest…so I guess only time will tell what tonight may bring.
Only one thing is certain, I will throw on a pair of fabulous heels, kickback a few glasses of champagne, and enjoy the night!
Take care until next time. If you need to find me in the meantime, just check the bar during all slow songs 
Mission #2: Fit 9 days worth of clothes into a “carry on”
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So, from the description of tonight’s mission…you are probably thinking that I am about to go on a trip. Well, you are right. Before I explain the painstaking process of preparing for my upcoming voyage, let me first bring you up to speed to the events that have led to my present packing conundrum.
My boyfriend of 4 years (insert collective “awe” here) recently moved to Dublin, Ireland to study abroad. Mark (that’s his name) is a 2L at Emory Law who decided to spend the next three months in Ireland. Now, the prospect of traveling to Europe is exciting and of course visiting Mark is also thrilling, however my biggest challenge to date is packing for the trip. I am a “carry on” girl at heart. Actually, I cannot remember the last time I checked a bag at the airport. It’s just so inconvenient! Combine the weight restrictions with the extra charge with the almost certain prospect of the luggage being lost…and you have a recipe for impending disaster.
That being said, my mission is to avoid checking a bag for my upcoming trip…Not an easy feat considering I am going to be in Dublin for 9 days!
Tonight I surveyed my closet. I picked out all of the clothes that could be easily folded. Keep in mind that this is a difficult task since the average temperature in Dublin now is 50 degrees. I’ve come to the conclusion that I will have to wear two coats, boots and possibly three pairs of pants on the plane in order to avoid packing the “bulkier” items. I realize that this mission will be difficult, but I’m confident it is doable. Hopefully Mark won’t notice if I wear the same thing a number of times.
As far as how my packing turns out?! Stay tuned. And until the next time, just remember that my next mission could be right around the corner.
Mission #1: Comment on the book, Groundswell
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Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, by Charlenie Li and Josh Bernoff, provides a very entertaining yet informative account into how the combination of people, technology and economics has led to an online environment that is very different from years prior (Groundswell, pg 10). Specifically, social media platforms have changed the way corporations use specific applications as part of their communication strategies and how the public relates to each other in an online environment. As we learned in last week’s lecture, the online environment can change in an instant—or better yet, in a “tweet.” This book presents a theory, appropriately titled, the groundswell, that suggests people go online to find out information from other people (pg. 9). For example, traditionally if a consumer had a question about a company’s product or service, he/she would contact the company directly. However, according to the groundswell theory, now if that same consumer had a question, he/she is more likely to consult other people online to ask their opinion on the subject at hand. Think Amazon.com or any other Web site that is based on “user reviews” or comments. There once was a time, where one would have to decide what book to read based on the cover art or better yet, by Oprah’s recommendation. Now, a vast array of user comments, discussions, etc. makes it very easy to tell in an instant whether or not millions of your peers would recommend you read a certain book.
That being said, technology has changed social interactions. From a personal standpoint, this statement is undeniably true. From the standpoint of a company or corporation, this changing online environment has also modified how each approaches the endless possibilities on the Internet. I do believe that certain companies have used the groundswell to their advantage. CEOs (or other members of the C-suite) have the unique capability to find out what their consumers are saying. And, as indicated in the book, sometimes the groundswell provides a glimpse into a harsh and blunt reality. On a related note, participation in the groundswell is varied. Some are very committed to engaging (creators) to completely observant (spectators) (Groundswell, pg 43). I think the most important variable here is the audience and how companies research who their core audience is. For example, if my company’s audience were considered “inactives” from Australia (please note that I am not singling out the continent, but rather pulling an example from the social technographics profile of Asian and European countries from Forrester’s Benchmark Survey), then it would not be wise to spend scarce resources on a highly interactive online marketing campaign.
The quote in the book that really struck a chord with me came very early on, and surprisingly was from the television show, NewRadio: “You can’t take something off the Internet. That’s like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool” (Groundswell, pg 5). As humorous as this quote is…time and time again I am reminded how true this assumption is. And, with the rise of social media applications and the companies that use them, this quote is as true now as it has ever been. With the advent of tagging mechanisms, blogs, etc. something that once lived on the Internet for even a short duration cannot be buried. This may explain why companies are fearful of entering the online conversation. By joining the conversation, companies risk loosing control of their message. However, as described in the book, corporations can thrive in that environment. Although I see where Li is coming from–there is an inherent risk associated with every reward.
Ultimately, the groundswell still focuses on relationships. You can’t have new technologies without people and you can’t communicate without someone to talk to. With social media platforms changing constantly, and new demographics taking part on the online conversation, the possibilities are endless. It’s important to find out what the groundswell means for you or for your business. Personally, I found the section on how to use the groundswell to energize relationships online to be very useful. Strategies such as ratings or reviews and specialized communities are great ways to engage your customers and to find the core customer that is really excited about your product or service. In addition to energizing, there are also ample platforms online that facilitate listening and talking. In summary, Groundswell helps to showcase that there are many tools available online, and ultimately it depends on your needs, your resources and your audience in order to determine how best to use them.
Mission Impossible
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Get ready to enter into the fascinating world of a woman with a mission—well, numerous missions to be exact. As a twenty-something trying to juggle a career, a Master’s degree, family, friends, etc., I’ve found that sometimes my life gets a bit complicated. Yet, through it all, it’s those unavoidable (yet entertaining) “missions” that make it all worthwhile.
Stay tuned for my first “mission”…If you choose to accept it…
