PR & New Media January 2, 2010

New media is definitely making it easier for people and companies to publicly express themselves and their opinions.  So what does this mean for the public relations field? Has new media made the lives of public relations directors easier or more difficult?

Let’s say you are a public relations professional working for a celebrity or a high-profile client like a CEO. They use and have access to new media just like everyone else, and it is a great way for them to brand themselves and create a positive and more personal public image. They are also able to get more feedback from fans and critics of their work which can be helpful in maintaining their image. This seems like an easy way for a PR professional to manage their clients, that is until something goes wrong.

On the flip side, all of the new media surrounding these types of people can make a PR professional’s life a nightmare. New media creates many more challenges for their clients because they have the ability to ruin their image themselves. Because of YouTube, social networking, and email, people can run into trouble when it comes to their personal lives. People can be fueled by emotions and post comments on their social networking sites in an instant. This can obviously create problems for the PR professional handling their business because they cannot control every little aspect of their client’s lives, they can just recommend what is right and wrong. Also, new media has the ability to ruin someone’s image in an instance if photographs that aren’t favorable get passed around, or videos that are not meant for the public go viral.

So I believe that new media is making the lives of public relations professionals just a little bit more difficult, but in a good way. At least they will remain in business when they have to salvage the image’s of people with emerging media nightmares!

Magazines VS New Media January 2, 2010

Magazines are obviously struggling with all of the new emerging media. The hardships magazines are facing these days are lower subscriptions, higher costs, and lower reach. There have been many magazines within the past 2 years that have been on the decline and some have even run their course. Big names like Conde Nast, who run over 20 publications, are making cut-backs when it comes to how many issues and publications are being put out on the newsstands.

Just like the newspaper industry, the magazine industry is seeing a lot of competition coming from emerging media.  People are getting their news and information faster and more conveniently through the internet now so the magazine industry seems to be falling a bit behind. The magazine industry is very different from newspaper though because magazines are more for a niche markets because they are broken down to different categories based on their content. They are perfect for reaching certain targets because of the specific nature of their content, but of course, the internet is a faster more convenient alternative.

When it comes to emerging media and magazines, new media is definitely putting a strain on the magazine industry because everything that can be found in the pages of all of these publications can be found on the internet, more importantly, on their own websites. Many publications are being forced to repeat content and other information on their website in order to keep their readership up. People are just expecting to have internet access to everything. So in order to stay up to par with new media, many magazines are getting more hits on their websites than they are getting purchases of their issues. Their online content and interactivity is more important than ever. All of the other new media outlets are being utilized as well. Many are taking advantage of YouTube and social media. Also, with smart phone technology, many publications are creating applications that can be instantly accessed by readers.

So it a fact that magazines in print are not doing so well these days, but it doesn’t mean that they aren’t teaming up with new media to make their businesses better.

Cellit – Mobile Marketing Company December 29, 2009

Cellit is a mobile marketing company with an impressive list of clients. This company supports initiatives for mobile marketing all over the world and they have testimonials to prove their success.

Some of their major clients include Ikea, Subway, Dell, Marie Claire, Phillips, VeriSign, Prudential, ReMax and Ace Hardware. Each of these companies have had proven success through Cellit’s mobile marketing campaigns. 

Case Study:

“Cellit worked with IKEA’s agency, Valassis, to develop a mobile marketing club that would provide subscribers with periodic offers and incentives, scannable with a special kiosk, creating a fun and innovative way to track redemptions.

Customers recieve offers via text, and use a specialized scanner in-store (pictured to the right) to print those offers. This workflow allows IKEA to accept mobile offers without adjusting their existing point-of-sale system.

Cellit executed the “FINDIT” mobile quiz, a “scavenger hunt” through the fall IKEA catalog.  Each participant was sent a question for which the answer could be found in the pages of the IKEA catalog. Upon successfully answering the first question, additional questions were sent – up to a total of three. Random participants were award gift certificates for participating, while one grand prize winner was given a $10,000 shopping spree.

To augment the mobile component, and reach individuals who preferred another method of entry, an IKEA FINDIT website was created that replicated the experience online.”

There are so many other examples such as this Ikea case study, the involve little work on the part of the client. The company offers mobile and web solutions for all industries on all levels and provides service specially based on the consumers needs. Cellit is only going to grow with the growth of new media, and is such an interesting company to keep track of, especially if your business is needing these services.

Cellit stays up-to-date on their news and articles!

Social Media Revolution December 29, 2009

I recently started working in a new position that has a focus on mobile marketing and emerging media initiatives. This video was one of the first I saw during my training period, and it very impactful.

Holiday Retail “Emerging” December 29, 2009

Online sales were up 18% this year along with retail sales up 3.6% for the holiday season. Does emerging media have something to do with this increase?

I know that email marketing campaigns really increased within the past month. At least once a day, the retailers that I subscribed or opt-ed in to were sending me sales promotion information for store locations and online at least once a day. Almost all of the retailers, which include J Crew, Amazon, and Macy’s, offered free shipping at least two or three times in between black Friday and Christmas Day. Since online sales were up 18% this year, it is easy to assume that new media played a role in the large increase.

Not only has there been an increase in email campaigns, but there has also been a rise in social networking when it comes to the retail industry. One great example of this would be the retailer, Michael Kors. Michael Kors transitioned from high fashion to more affordable retail in the past few years and have done numerous marketing tactics to boost business. Before the start of the fall season they introduced their Facebook site and within a week’s time had 10,000 fans. Now with over 20,000 fans, they are using their Facebook page to advertise sales promotions, new products, and overall create a better brand image by being more personal with their consumers. During the holiday season they advertised key products that were featured not only in other emerging media but also in many traditional forms as well.

Michael Kors is a great example of a company putting emerging media to use over this holiday season, and the numbers speak for themselves. Although, Michael Kors alone cannot take credit for an increase in retail sales but they are a great example of how emerging media may be affecting retail (and the economy) in a good way.

GPS = New Media ??? December 28, 2009

Emerging media has many different outlets. Some of the most popular are email, pop-up ads, and social marketing. These new media outlets are probably the first that come to mind when choosing a marketing campaign but there is so much new technology out there that can be considered a part of the emerging media trend.

Some new technologies may include iPhone and Blackbery applications for cell phones, Bluetooth, and MP3 players. One new technology that can be considered new media would be GPS devices. GPS or navigation devices include ones that are mobile that can be moved from car to car, and there are also versions that come already installed into cars.

The reason that these GPS devices can be considered new media, is because there is potential to advertise on these devices and market your company. When using the navigation to get directions to different locations, companies can have the opportunity to have their business listed on the directory. In most GPS devices, there are categories that can be searched to find different businesses and locations.

This can definitely be considered a new media tool because it is a non-traditional form of media that can be specifically tailored to certain target markets (especially geographical locations) to reach audiences in a unique and “new” way.

Wikipedia & New Media December 28, 2009

 Wiki’s have been a topic of discussion in emerging media, but few may not even know what they are about.

Here is a great explanation for those who are unfamiliar to the term:

“Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser. Wiki supports hyperlinks and has a simple text syntax for creating new pages and crosslinks between internal pages on the fly.

Wiki is unusual among group communication mechanisms in that it allows the organization of contributions to be edited in addition to the content itself.

Like many simple concepts, “open editing” has some profound and subtle effects on Wiki usage. Allowing everyday users to create and edit any page in a Web site is exciting in that it encourages democratic use of the Web and promotes content composition by nontechnical users.”

So obviously the most popular wiki on the web is Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia that can be edited and added to by the users. This can be great for those who are seeking information for personal use, but it can be challenging for use in schools. Because Wikipedia is not reviewed by scholars, the information cannot be deemed 100% accurate.

On the other hand, Wikipedia can do wonders for marketing a company, brand or product. When searching something in any search engine, a Wikipedia sight is usually one of the first few sites that pop up in the search results. This can lead users directly to a page of information on that product with links and other resources they may need. Not only do these pages get much exposure, they can be edited by the company themselves which can make the content fit their needs of their marketing campaign.

Of course there are drawbacks to using these sites, but they are becoming much more popular, and Wikipedia is one of the most visited sites on the web. The obvious drawbacks of using a Wikipedia page as a marketing resource, is that the information can be changed or altered by any user. The company would have to constantly monitor the page in order to keep their information secure.

In any case, this is one emerging media outlet that is stirring up the media world and opening up the horizons for all information seekers!

Ring Tones & iTunes…New Media? December 28, 2009

Ringtones and iTunes have completely taken over the music industry. Album sales are down these days, and the new media in music is quickly beginning to take over. With new technology of iPods and internet radios, CD album sales have slowly began to decline in the past decade. Just as many other traditional forms of media, the music industry began to take the hit.

Of course, this decline can be attributed to illegal downloading of music and other such illegal practices by fans but also to new media. However, the new media in the music industry is still helping artists rake in cash, but this is of course effecting the way music is being sold.

Rolling Stone, a very popular publication that is dedicated to all this music, has tons of articles on how new media is effecting this industry. Brian Hiatt and Evan Serpick write about how the numbers are changing based on the ways people are getting there music:

“In 2000, U.S. consumers bought 785.1 million albums; last year, they bought 588.2 million (a figure that includes both CDs and downloaded albums), according to Nielsen SoundScan. In 2000, the ten top-selling albums in the U.S. sold a combined 60 million copies; in 2006, the top ten sold just 25 million. Digital sales are growing — fans bought 582 million digital singles last year, up sixty-five percent from 2005, and purchased $600 million worth of ringtones — but the new revenue sources aren’t making up for the shortfall”

So what does this really have to do with new media? The advertising and marketing that is being done now that effect this business are becoming more based around anything and everything that is new media. Ringtones for example are being bought over the internet and downloaded on to cell phones. The sites that sell the ringtones, and the phone companies that offer them are using new media to sell and market their products, and the music industry is using these methods to market their products as well.

New media isn’t just taking over traditional forms of media, but other industries as well.

Emerging Media=Emerging Jobs December 10, 2009

I would like to take the time out to thank emerging media…because this field is continually growing, I now have a new job!! When I started this semester, I was unemployed and I find it very ironic that as I study this field, I land a job in it.

My new position requires me to sell digital marketing solutions to clients. This means text message campaigns, email marketing and other forms of advertising including website and digital advertising. However, the even more ironic situation is that the company I will be working for is actually a form of traditional media, network television. A local television station had to create two new positions among their sales team just to handle all of the new media developments. However, this does not mean that their network television advertising is hurting, quite the opposite. Television advertising numbers may be down, but that is not necessarily due to emerging media, it has more to do with emerging technology such as TiVo and DVR’s. The advertising numbers may not be the same as they used to be, but the dollars generated are still hard to beat. Adding emerging media to the mix only helps the cause!

This highly ironic situation does not surprise me. With all of the forms of emerging media, plus all of the traditional forms of media, this growing industry needs more workers and more educated people in this field. I believe that new marketing campaigns based on emerging media can be very successful as long as there are educated people behind the campaigns that know what they are doing.

I am very appreciative to get a job in a recession, let alone one that is right up my alley. This industry is only going to continue to grow, so I’m sure more and more jobs are going to be available very soon.

Upgrading Advertising November 23, 2009

With all of the new and emerging media out there, advertisers have more and more outlets to promote their products. Last week I mentioned that advertising on the iPhone has become very popular. My internet radio application posted ads based on my locations and which genre I am listening to. Advertisers can be more creative and reach a broader audience if they utilize all of the new media available.

There are two website in particular that are taking advantage of the new media which have advertisers flocking. Hulu and YouTube are both sites that allow viewers to see videos. Hulu was created to show television shows and movies through the web just like television. They have television shows posted the day after it airs and it remains on the site for a certain amount of time. What is great about this is…Its  Free! Viewers do not have to pay to see anything, however, you do have to sit through a 30 second ad when beginning to view any of their videos. In my experiences I have seen big names such as Tide and Cotton advertising on this site and there are many others. This is how the website makes their money so that the viewers can view all the content for free! It works out well for the advertisers because the viewer has to watch the ads in order to see a video, and each video gets thousands of hits.

YouTube is very different from Hulu, but it seems that corporations are catching on to the fact that certain videos get thousands even millions of hits. Some videos that are now on YouTube have a short ad at the beginning.

These new media outlets are allowing advertisers to go outside of the box and reach more of their target markets. It can be especially helpful for those who are trying to advertise to the niche markets because the content of the videos. This is also less painful for viewers who do not like to be bombarded with ads. Watching a 30 second ad is better than sitting through minutes worth of ads on a television show!

Above is a YouTube clip of actor Robert Pattinson on David Letterman last week. Before the clip will play, Blackberry has a 30 second ad and afterwards, Chase plays a short ad as well!