Zappos.com

I recently did a project on Zappos.com, an online shoe company, which has an outstanding corporate culture. In my business ethics class we were assigned to choose a company who we believe is ethical and do a presentation for our class. I originally saw Zappos' CEO Tony Hsieh on Oprah prior to the assignment. As many people know I have a not-so-secret love affair with shoes, so this topic is right up my ally.

I knew this was a great company after seeing the oprah interview but my love for this company began with a youtube video I watch while doing research for my presentation. Hsieh spoke about their unbelieveable customer service and the culture of the company. I have never heard of a company quite like this one. Hsieh is not your typical CEO who hides in his enormous corner office and owns 20 designer suits. He wears casual clothes each day where he works alongside other employees in a CUBICLE.

In order to enhance the Zappos atmosphere they frequently have office parties and parades! Hsieh prides himself in making a workplace where employees actually want to be there. The reason I chose this topic to blog about is partly to share how fantastic I think this company is but also to talk about social media. One of the ways that Zappos creates a family culture and great relationships is through their twitter. They post about the company, random things that are happening in their lives, and jokes. While reading their twitter page I smiled because I enjoyed what the employees had to say as well as Hsieh. I can proudly say that I am follower of Zappos on twitter and they are following me in return.

I will honestly admit that at first I was not a huge fan of twitter but now that I am emersed in it, it has 'tipped' for me.

Blue Thunder

Is GCSU Baseketball on the verge of tipping? I do not know the answer to that yet, but I know what I saw on Friday night. My Pr Administration class is doing a campaign for the Basketball team in hopes we will change the culture of the games and promote some attendance. Well, the average head count for the games in 2006 was around 700 people. The last game a few days ago obly had 300, but our Blue Thunder game had 1170! To say the least we were thrilled at the turnout.
It was actually a lot of fun promoting the event because of the blue tie dye on campus that everyone really seemed to enjoy and the body paint outside the game. I cannot say that I ever thought I would paint a stranger's body blue but in fact now I can.
When we first realized how many people had attended the game, my first thought was, "Is this a coincidence?" Then I looked at the crowd and the majority of the fans were wearing blue. Well our promo's told attendees to sport their blue gear so I think we really did make a difference. At first the campaign was another school assignment but after seeing changes starting to occur I am really getting thrilled about promoting the junk out of our next event!

Wedding Guest List

I was searching through wedding blogs to find more useful information on my future career of Wedding Planning and I ran across how important a guest list is in the course of planning. Susan Southerland's Blog explained that most other aspects of planning have to do with the number of attendees. The reception, ceremony, and caterer all depend on the head count. On her blog she gave a great site that can be used to electronically enter each guest with all of their information.

After the wedding, thank you cards for gifts will be easy because you have each guest's information easy to reach. Giving brides simple resources like this will make them appreciate you more as a planner because it will take stress out of their lives. I want to be a planner that makes a wedding fun and not a headache by being experinced and a fountain of wedding knowledge.

"Tip" me over and pour me out

I bought a copy of the "Tipping Point" at the school bookstore thinking it was just another textbook. After turing through the pages I realized that this book really has a significant point. This book refers to the "tipping point" which is the moment that sets into motion an epidemic. These epidmics are initiated from different triggers but they all lead to a spark that will catch to quickly head in another direction.

What the book refers to as "the power of context" set into motion a change in New York's terrible crime rate. It was not fighting crime head on and putting people away for violent crimes that caused the sharp downward spike in crime; it was something different. The power of context relies on the evironment to shape people's actons.

New York's subways were trash and graffiti ridden. When William Bratton took on fixing the subway system he revamped the inerior and trains because it was the environment that was the spark that triggered the violence. This is synonymous with the broken window theory and once the graffiti was wiped clean and fares were paid a change occurred. This epidemic is explained in the fact that "behavior is a function of social context."

By relating this to us as college kids I think I can better keep the attention of my fellow PR bloggers, I will take an intermission from the complexities of the tipping point and relate it to High School musical! I think that in the movie the tipping point is Zack Effron. I am sure most of us agree that he is rather attractive and I think that if it were some other boy up there shaking his bon bon it would not be the same at all. I think that we all admire his dance skills as well as the back pockets of his jeans (win,wink).

Back to a more serious topic... Other than an environment effect in society, there are also types of people who may cause a tipping point. A "connector" is an important type of person who is influencial to those around them and they have to ability to trigger a new wave. There are also salesmen, and mavens who lead as influencers of society. If I labeled myself as one of these types of people, my personality most relates to a maven. If I ever have insite in an opportunity or a deal I share it with as many people as possible. For example when I go to Kroger and hummus is on sale 10/$10 and it is regularly $3.99, I let all my roomates know. Also, if there are sales on websites I tell anyone who I think my be interested so that they can benefit from it as well. I never thought about this quality starting any kind of epidemic but maybe to some degree it has. After reading this book, I am led to believe that perhaps I have lead to a tipping point at least to some small degree.

Our "One team, One spirit" campaign could tip this semester because of what in the book is the golden box factor. We do not have an interactive ads persay, but the Thunders around campus are definitally a converstaion starter. A way that we might further tip this campaign would be via the stickiness factor. People become interested in something depending on how "sticky" it is. We must make our events sticky like the example in the book of the creators of Blue clues. As much as we as PR people do not want to be labeled as marketers, knowing our target audience is the way to giving an idea stickiness. We need to make sure the ways in which we are not only advertising to our students is sticky but also the events themselves. Without stickiness we cannot create traditions.

I feel that Twitter has tipped to many of my fellow pr students. For me, twitter is gradually becoming more interesting. At first I felt like it was just one other thing that I had to check. Now, I feel like I know my classmates better and I am happy to know what they are up to and I think we can relate to each other besides just working on projects with one another.

I think that social media in general has tipped. A lot of social networking through media outlets is in large due to the success of facebook. Facebook was much more sticky than myspace I think partially because of the power of context. Facebook has cleaner content and pictures and started out as only a college network. This factor elimninated many of the creeps so it had a better environment which caused the huge tipping point.

After reading the book if we look around at popular examples like Blue Clues, the New York crime rates, as well as facebook we can see that these epidemics all having crutial tipping points initiated by a nontraditional cause.

Fashion Week

Many fashion seeking women thrive on New York's famous fashion week where all the top designers congregate to show their lastest trends. I have newly discovered that there is a actually a bridal fashion week were designers Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Badgley Mischka, and many others put their wedding collections on the runway.

New York's bridal show was in April of this year right before the boom of wedding season. Brides flock to the show with the idea to splurge on a couture gown for this special day or just get be inspired by the impecable designs.

Some gowns that were showcased were traditional gowns that you would see in any wedding, but some include color and interesting twists on Bridal dresses. To attend New York's bridal fashion week as a soon to be bride would be the epitomy of perfection to be surrounded by the excitement of fashion inspired by love.

I would be in awe to attend one of these shows and would suggest every bride to at least search the collections. I feel that many bridal gowns begin to look the same after a while and I think these leading designers bring a fresh perspective to tradition.

PR Open Mic

I feel like Pr Open mic is the facebook of the PR world. I am really glad that Carter introduced us to this site because I am already become increasing nervous about finding an internship. As of yet, I haven't seen any opportunities for wedding planning but I will be looking! Also, I feel like open mic will be a better fit for me than twitter for PR news and networking.

What I am most excited about pr open mic is the side bar with different blogs and pages that you can access. Things like internships, pr blogs, and important links are put right there when I have been searching for this on google all semester. I am not the most techno. savy person by any means whatsoever and I think this site is super user friendly.

Each week I am really starting more and more to feel the weight of graduating, finding a job, and becoming and adult. I know that if others are not saying this most of us are feeling it. I think that this new networking tool may help to alleviate some of these fears. I think now more than ever these fears are very real because our economy going in such a downward slope. It may be hard for new grads who have no job experience to enter into the market. Hopefully some good networking, hard work, and prayers will do the trick!

Budget tips for Weddings

I am starting to get really interested in finding out as much as I can about wedding planning. I found a website that has an article with great price cutting tips. I feel that as a future wedding planner one of the most important aspects of my job will be to give couples who are on a strict budget an insider's scoop. I plan to educate myself on all the best price cutting strategies so that people can get more for less. I think that as an event planning professional it is our responsibily to strech dollars and make every penny count.

In this article there are tons of money saving tips for weddings in the day or at night. Also, some of these tips could be used for multiple events. For example, it talks about where to spend your money that will make the biggest impressions on guests. The event program is an item that may make a big impression on guest especially since they may keep these.

I know that most of my knowledge will come from actually interning with a wedding planner or at a venue that hosts many weddings. I would like to keep finding meaningful articles like these that will help me have some idea of what to do before I job search.

Not ready for "sub prime" spin

Is what is NOT being said spin? Of course. In the PR world we call it spin, in politics we call it a great plan. It was, or sounded like a great plan when President Clinton proposed using Fannie Mae, the quasi government morgage guarantee company, to help people who would have not been able to receive a loan through normal means. This policy (circa 1999) helped many struggling Americans receive a loan to buy a home, who otherwise would not be able to qualify. Sounds good so far... what is NOT being said is the inevitable cause and effect when government interfears in the free market. Such as Bizillions of dollars loaned to these people who now can't afford the payments. Big mess! So big that I heard this would require a $700 BILLION bailout from the lovely taxpayers (you & me).
Last week we witnessed Barney Frank gabing about the current economic trainwreck caused by President Bush. Not one word from the 'Frankfurter' about this being a Clinton policy to begin with... talk about spin :) One guess who wrote this fine peice of legislation for the Clinton administration.
Times up! Barney Frank. Don't you just love politics.

The PR world is always being called out and blamed for spin, but when we look to the governement and disect their proposals the proof is in the pudding. As PR professionals it is our ethical responsibility to stear clear of propaganda because guess what, people will only beleive and trust what you say for so long. But it is our respobsibilty as Americans to inform ourselves so that we can see through this spinning mess. Because I learned as a child if you spin enough inevitably you get sick and pay the price.

I having been hoping and searching to find a good PR blog to read and really find out from professionals, beyond simple Millyvegas, and see what in the world is out there. Carter is always gabing about how there are so many PR blogs out there and what great information there is but why couldn't I find it? Well, I think I am begining to discover that I favor tremendously the grassroots Public Relations. I like the thought of forming long lasting relaonships with people. As a "Public Relations" person one should actually form relationships!
I ran across Jeremy Peper's blog, who is a San Francisco PR Rep. I really enjoyed his thoughts on actually picking up the phone and meeting with clients and the media in order to set up his organization's media tour when his computer was on the fritz.
I am not a huge fan of technology and sitting in front of a computer screen all day. I had so much rather sit down with a real person or speak with them personally and hear to voice I am actually speaking to. I have a passionate love for coffee so a quick coffee date with a client is a 'perk' on so many levels (pun intended).
To me personal interaction is much more respected and appreciated than the inpersonal e-mail.
I have a close friend that is the Vice President of domestic sales of Hawker Beechcraft, this is a large provider of corporate jets in the U.S. and internationally. I was talking to him one afternoon over a salad while he was explaining to me how he likes to interact with the people within his company. Many executives and salesmen e-mail from office to office within the same building. He found this humerous and said that they have to wait sometimes hours for a response when all they had to do was walk to their door to ask the same questions. He laughed and said "this way they have to answer your question when you ask it."
I really like relationship aspect of doing public relations.

Skinny Hollywood

The best way to spread an idea or influence the use or purchase of a product is having someone influential create a "buzz factor." In Public Relations the buzz factor can make or break any organization or person. Hollywood, more than ever, is sporting a super skinny image and wearing a size 00. Sadly, girls and even grown women look to these celebs as what is perfect and beautiful. This subject has been harped on many times before but it is so true. I just feel like that there is an incredible number of girls who I know who have struggled with some type of eating disorder or body image crisis.

I would say that one third of the girls who I know have had struggles with this in the past or currently. These girls are beautiful and by no means fat. Also, this struggle is terrible and taxing on women young and old.

These celebrities need to stop endorsing the product of extreme thiness. This is creating a society of unhappy self conscience women who are influenced by the celebs they look up to.

This idea came to me last night while watching the Emmy's of how slender these women really are.

Even the "housewives" are tiny. Thier PR for super svelte is quite influentail.

Kanye West Arrested

The well known singer Kanye West, as most of us have heard, was arrested last week. Apparently the paps were invading his privacy. This all went down at LAX aiport. He reportedly knocked a camera out of a photographers hand and broke it and he has been charged with vandalism.

Do stars these days think that they are so above everyone else that they can get away with anything?

I am sure his PR representative is doing some serious damage control. I was just doing some pondering about how different the areas of PR can be! One PR person may be planning parties while another is doing damage control for an organization or in this case Kanye.

Watermark Weddings

This weekend I was talking with a friend about what I wanted to do after graduation and she told me she had a connection with a company called Watermark Weddings. I have e-mailed my new contact about internship opportunities and my fingers are crossed. 

The awesome thing is that I was looking at this company's website before while doing internship research. My fingers are crossed.  

Wedding Planning

Belles, Bows, confetti, and promises, what are weddings all about?


To me weddings mean different things to different brides. To some brides, it is a day and event they have dreamed about like a fairy tale. To others, it is something they thought would never come.

Whatever the case, to me being a wedding planner and truly listening to be able to give a bride something that is her it would be extremely rewarding. Many women who have a full time career do not need a wedding to be a hassle. This should be a stress free celebration.

I have researched and found a few different companies that do offers internships in the Atlanta area. Another awesome resource I have found to educate myself before even interning is the knot website. After I got over the akwardness of registering because you have to put in a groom's name (I am single) it was very resourceful and interesting. By just l0oking at the site I was inspired and got so many new creative ideas for "that perfect day."

I just hope I can handle the Bridezillas!

>Lynn

Republican National Convention

the New York Times blog has interesting opinions about the current timing of the national convention.

This blog brings up the fact that coverage of hurricane Gustav make contend with the airing of the convention. Because Katrina was such an increadible disaster people may be more interested in that than what the republicans have to say. Also, it is notable that the democratic convetion pulled in 22 million veiwers.

Now the news of Palin's 17 pregnant daughter could potentially overshadow McCain was well.

McCain's new running mate

This morning while watching the Today Show (like the old lady I am,) Matt Lauer popped in with breaking news of McCain's new running mate. Wow, I do not think anyone would have guessed that McCain would choose a women as his running mate! I think this is definitally ties into the PR of his campaign. Being so much older, and "less cool" than Obama, he needed some kind of savy boost. Was choosing Sarah Palin a good PR move on his part? She is very conservative and has ranked very high in the opinion polls in Alaksa where she was the Governor.

Also, will Pailin possibly become our first women President? I hope that this doesn't come off wrong but the fact stands that McCain is really old.

I guess we will not know if this put him in a positive public light or not until the voting begins.

I thought this was an interesting picture because she is indeed very pretty. I also heard that she was runner up for Miss Alaska in her younger years!

.... Beauty Queen & VP?

www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/29palin.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Wedding Planning

When I declared Public Relations as my concentration I was glad to know that special events planning was a possible career opportunity. The first thing that came to my mind was wedding planning ( no, not because of the Jlo movie.) While searching for wedding planning blogs I thought this one http://www.perfectweddingguide.com/wedding-blog/ provided neat tips and great information for wedding planners.
My last post was related to the recession that we are currently undergoing. My new wedding planning article focuses on this topic as well. It is not a coinsidence that blogs across the PR spectrum are talking about this, because it may greatly affect our future careers.
This recent article focuses on the importance of not skipping on a wedding photographer while trying to cut down on cost in these tough times we are experiencing. It also gives tips on how to still get a great photographer possibly at a lower cost. For future wedding planners, now is the time to be an expert at cost cutting in areas that it will not be noticeable. These recession is happening and we must be ready when we venture into the work force.

Image from: http://www.completewedding.com.au/__data/page/9583/Melbourne_weddings_guide_4.jpg

The New york PR scoop

Sunday, while googling potential PR topics to discuss on my brand PR blog I ran across and firm in New York that has a blog. They brought up a topic that could potentially affect us as almost graduates. This blog called to attention the effects that the lagging economy could have on the PR profession. One outcome is that companies may want to sut costs in every area in which the PR field may suffer, but the more optomistic view may be that when advertising may be too pricy in this slump possibly PR may be the more cost effective alternative.

...just a little something to ponder on my fellow PR bloggers.

Lynn V.