Celebrity Meltdowns November 23, 2008

This evening when I was watching TV, I came across a special on celebrities and particular mishaps that have impacted their careers. Additionally, the show  talked about what the particular celebrity did to try and fix his or her image. Some of the stories on the  special were Rob Lowe and his sex scandel, Naomi Campbell and her violent actions, and Mike Tyson and the boxing match when he bit Evander Holyfield’s ear. Shows such as these are successful because a lot of people find celebrity gossip to be entertaining. What people may not have realized is how important the celebrity’s plan of action after the crisis is. The crisis communication plan a celebrity and his or her publicist decide on ultimately directs the celebrity’s future career and reputation.

Although I found this TV show very amusing, as it is right up my alley having to do with PR and celebrities, it did have a negative aspect for the celebrities being featured. For those audience members who were not aware of what these celebrities did, it brought it to their attention. For aware audience members, it reminded them of the scandal. This show proves how difficult it is for celebrities to escape their mistakes. Although there are many successful strategies for celebrities to follow, the scandal will always exist and be viewable through media.

Have a Problem? Fix It ASAP… November 18, 2008

Every company or organization will sooner or later have a crisis that their PR professionals must fix in order for the company to remain successful. Today in class we discussed in detail the ways people can choose to communicate their crisis, which is known as crisis communication. One strategy of solving and preventing future problems is to try to solve the crisis as soon as you see the first sign. It is very important for companies to be alert and monitor their organization so the crisis does not escalate. In other words, the sooner you fix a problem the better. 

This idea of fixing a crisis as soon as possible, can be applied to our daily lives as well. As soon as we fix problems in our lives, the better. Once we have conquered whatever is bothering us, the more comfortable we will be and the easier it will be for us to live our life. It is impossible for anybody to predict what type of crisis will come their way. However, if we are aware of the best ways to handle problems, the more successful the process of fixing it will be.

Hanging Out With Cheryl November 7, 2008

As a college student, I am fortunate to spend a large amount of time talking and hanging out with my friends. My conversations with my girlfriends have covered a large variety of topics and the levels of seriousness vary. When we are together, we do not monitor what we say and we are free to be ourselves. Cheryl’s blog was a lot like my hanging out with the girls. She puts everything out there just the way it is and says what she wants to, when she wants to. After reading some of Cheryl’s blog posts, you know exactly what type of person she is. It is very clear that Cheryl is the same person on and off the computer. Since she is a senior in college as well, I can relate to a large majority of her posts and have had many similar thoughts. Whether it was when she was talking about preparing for job interviews or the idea of stalking people through social media, I found myself slightly giggling because it is very true. It was so nice to see she has put these thoughts out in the open for all sorts of people to read and think about. I look forward to reading Cheryl’s blog posts and honesty in the future.

Microblogging and Blurting November 5, 2008

After reading Guest Post- Twitter- To Converse or to Broadcast-THAT is the Question, one theme stood out to me. I learned how important it is not to “blurt” your organization or product on microblogging sites, such as Twitter. This is not positive PR for you or your company and people in the microblogging community will soon stop paying attention to your posts or even put your account in their trash bin. Others will respect you if you actually join the conversation and add value to people who share your same interests.

Positive PR is Always In Style November 2, 2008

While I have been at home in Hilton Head over fall break, I found out that my hair dresser added a new component to her career. She decided to spice up her job a bit by putting on a monthly “contest” where one lucky winner will get styled. The winner’s styling will consist of skin care, make-up, hair styling, wardrobe and a professional photo shoot showcasing the final result. The estimated retail value of this package is $1,000. This is awesome PR for my hair dresser for several reasons. First of all, a local magazine titled, Celebrate Hilton Head ran a large article on her, what she does, and this new contest. The contest gets her name out into the community and shows she is giving back to the area. Additionally, locals will see what she is doing and learn about her and her style. She will very likely receive more clients based on this new monthly contest.