experience all.

Twitter is a multipurpose, digital platform that has expanded the PR industry by linking clients to customers.  It can be casual, informative or promotional to fit the needs of a particular event, product or brand.  And it’s easily accessible from almost any smartphone.

But, does there come a point when Twitter is excessively “in your face?”  When the Twitter timeline is exponentially updating, what will users scroll past first?  Will the constant streams of live-tweets and tweet chats become a casualty of obnoxious Twitter overkill?  

How can we use Twitter without overusing it?

A Brief Overview of Twitter Platforms

General tweets are great for pumping out short bits of information and staying engaged with the audience.  Tweet chats are ideal for growing communities around common interests and creating a forum for ideas or questions.  Live-tweeting generates buzz about events or media productions (like TV shows or specials) and sparks a directed conversation.

Trendy or Too Much?

So, back to live-tweeting… is it a valuable tool or another means of distraction?  I think it depends on the type of event, the scope of the audience, the frequency of updates, and the manner in which it is conducted.

• Event type:  There’s a difference between a nationally-broadcasted special, like the Victoria’s Secret fashion show, and an open-mic at a local coffee shop.  Big events usually mean big awareness, so live-tweeting throughout the event makes sense.  For smaller events, maybe stick to a few general tweets before and after the function.
• Audience scope:  Kind of goes hand-in-hand with the type of event.  If it’s something a lot of people will be attending or tuned into, chances are you’ll have a lot of interest on Twitter.  If you don’t anticipate a large audience for the event, don’t expect one on Twitter.
• Update frequency:  There is nothing I dislike more than a single Twitter handle pumping out tweets every two seconds.  If you’ve decided the event is important enough to live-tweet, try to tweet about major highlights and not every moment in between… Here are some helpful tips to avoid time-wasting tweets.
• Manner of live-tweeting:  Don’t be that person at the event with your eyes glazed over from constantly gluing them on your smartphone.  Be sure to interact with those around you and contribute to the atmosphere while tweeting.  Pick appropriate times to tweet and do so with professional subtlety.

I’ve heard it said dozens of times that “print is not dead”, nor will it ever be.  Professors reassure me of this when lecturing on pre-digital advertising platforms, while supervisors at my marketing internship continue to request brochures, sell sheets and direct mail pieces to drive business.  It’s almost as if they’re afraid myself and my colleagues might fall into the fear that print won’t make the cut in this new age of digital supremacy.

And should they be?

Betting on the Brochure

As someone who clings to my love for all things print and graphic design, I like to believe that by expanding creativity from both a content and visual perspective, print stands a good chance at a long, healthy future.  In particular, I think brochures offer the best canvas to compete against the rapid dominance of digital marketing.

Take a look at one of Audi’s international brochures:

At first glance it doesn’t really resemble an archetypal brochure—in fact, it looks more like a sleek invitation or a stylish magazine.  But look closer and you’ll see a perforated tab which, once removed, reveals a detailed history of the company’s 100 years as a pioneer in the automobile industry.

Three Keys to a Revolutionary Brochure

What makes this brochure a perfect example of a new age wave of marketing collateral?  I think there are three key distinctions that can fuel brochures into the evolving communication world:

1. Presentation.  Audiences have seen tri-fold brochures for decades—it’s about time we gave them something new.
2. Identity.  Content focused on persuading the audience to buy a product or to engage in an activity is not so effective.  Deliver information about the brand and what it represents to effectively foster brand loyalty.
3. Interactivity.  Let audiences build a relationship with the brand on their own terms.  Invite them to explore the brochure through hints of information and generating allure.

Keeping these components at the forefront, I have no trouble visualizing a bright future for brochures.

To see what else is on the horizon, check out these great brochures.

Is the “Pitch” Really Outdated?

The idea of a “sales pitch” always left a bad taste in my mouth.  Then again, that was long before I considered pursuing a career in marketing and communication.  Nowadays, I feel somewhat obligated to befriend the concept of “pitching” since it’s practically part of the strategic communication job description… or is it?

After reading a stimulating article on Ragan’s PR Daily about traditional pitches and why they no longer deserve a place within the PR industry, I feel torn between the past and the future of advertising.  The past says a pitch is necessary to craft your ideas and present them to your client, while the future says even the term “pitch” sounds arrogant, dated and pushy.  I can agree with all of the latter connotations, yet I think the writer is mistaken if he thinks the practice of “pitching” one’s ideas to audiences big or small will disintegrate anytime soon.

Changing the Name Doesn’t Change the Action

While the article makes a good point by referencing a “two-way conversation” between the salesman and the client—or audience, for that matter—who’s to say that the pitch cannot evolve to meet these adaptations?  Of course no one wants information shoved down his or her throat, but the first step in establishing a relationship is generating awareness about your product, service, event or organization.  In my opinion, it seems a daunting task to create awareness without presenting noteworthy information in a deliberate manner.

Sure, we could throw out the notion of “pitching” and instead call it “starting a conversation with the audience”.  When you boil it down, isn’t it really the same thing?  Whether its facilitated through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, a board meeting or a blog, the author’s mandate to “tell a story, listen, learn… [and] invest time” with others is nothing more than a description of a glorified pitch.  

Giving the “Pitch” a Makeover

What the good, old-fashioned pitch needs is a facelift to keep it integrated in the new generation of social media savvy and transparent, conversational media relations.  The act of pitching should be authentic, engaging and enduring—not fake, dominating and rushed.  

Make it genuine, make it colloquial, make it up to speed with technology—just make sure it sticks around for the long haul.

My brain feels like it’s on a caffeine overload.  There is a complete backup of information in my mind and it seems like it may take a few hours for me to catch up to speed.

Why?  I just finished an hour-long tweet chat.

The chat I attended was hosted by @HealthSocMed.  According to their website, the weekly chat covers topics about health care communications and social media.  As a marketing and communications intern for a large hospital system, OhioHealth, this sounded right up my alley.

It could have gone better.

Common Threads Drive Participation

Let me make one thing clear: I gained a lot of important takeaways from this tweet chat.  I enjoyed the diversity of the audience and the strong intellectual level of the chat in general.  What I didn’t like was how out-of-place I felt the entire time.

While I found the information relevant to my areas of interest on a career level, I seemed to be the only representative from the public relations/marketing sector of the healthcare industry.  Most of the chat attendees were doctors, nurses, healthcare providers or patients.  

It was hard for me to relate to the perspectives they were talking about, much less drive the conversation toward the applications of social media in a healthcare marketing arena.  Perhaps if I had I felt more connected with the participants, I would have been more encouraged to share my opinions.

Trendy Topics

Despite my difficulty connecting to the audience, I was pleased with the topics we discussed.  The chat covered everything from the effectiveness of hospital social media campaigns to the future of Google Plus.         

My favorite topic of the evening was about privacy in regards to social media.  The question asked was:

How much is too much (TMI)?  Where do you draw the line with sharing your personal health info online?  Has privacy changed with the evolution of social media?

This one sparked a lot of opinions and a little bit of controversy.  Most people agreed that in the healthcare industry, patients should have the final say when it comes to the release of personal information.  But a good point was made by @unxpctedblessing:

“…remember what you say will STAY said- once it’s on the Internet, it’s ON the Internet.”

As for me, I contributed to the topic with the following statement:

“Privacy is important, but not as important as creating a positive environment for others to be transparent with their lives.”

I’m pleased to say I had a few re-tweets.

“Tweet” What?

I first heard of Twitter three years ago while watching “Ellen”.  Ellen was reminding the audience to “tweet” in order to win prizes and trips.  I felt pretty clueless about the whole situation.  To my surprise, however, Ellen rapidly announced audience members as they “tweeted” and won giveaways… apparently they knew something I didn’t.

I eventually discovered that “tweeting” was related to “Twitter”, and “Twitter” was the latest, greatest social media platform.  I considered investigating further, but Facebook was all I needed at the time.  And I thought the Twitter terminology was a little dorky, if not just plain confusing…

A Twitter Veteran

Today, I am proud to say I have spread my wings and embraced the Twitter phenomenon.  Yes, it was different than any other type of social media I had previously experienced.  Then again, maybe that’s why Twitter has surpassed all of them in providing networking, entertainment, news, careers and more.

A Tweet is Worth… 150 Characters?

Twitter is concise and simple (once you take a crack at it).  There aren’t a million different microorganisms living on the Twitter site like there seem to be on Facebook or Google Plus.  It’s simply a never-ending, up-to-the-minute stream of information from the people you care to know something about.

It’s not just for inside jokes and reminding your friends where you’re going to dinner.  I love that Twitter gives you the ability to create a conversion with virtually the entire globe all from one convenient, manageable database.  It makes it possible to start meaningful dialogues between businesses and consumers, or news media and the public.  It’s personal, professional and pertinent all rolled into a clean package.

Handles That May Change Your Life

These guys light up my Twitter feed:

• @jimmyfallon
• @JimGaffigan

Who do you like to follow on Twitter?  Recommendations encouraged.

A good advertising or public relations campaign grabs the recipient’s attention and calls them to act upon the information they receive.  A great campaign does so with infectious creativity that lingers in the recipient’s mind long after the channel is silent.  But to achieve eminence as a truly iconic display of mediated communication, a campaign must push the limits a bit further.

A Branding Legend

Take Cola-Cola, for example.  As a product, it appeals not only to a national audience, but it to an entire global community.  As a brand, its simplicity and originality drive a renowned marketing campaign celebrating 125 years in the spotlight.  With TV commercials celebrating everything from polar bears to magical assembly lines inside a soda machine, Coca-Cola has created an empire of memorable images linked to its name. 

For the full history of Coca-Cola’s heritage, go here.

The Difference A Cartoon Bear Can Make

The Coca-Cola ads caught my eye at an early age.  I remember the happiness they sparked when I heard the jingling tune and saw the animated polar bears sliding across the ice.  

I thought the Christmastime campaign was a success. It wasn’t overly childish nor was it catered to an exclusively adult audience.  Although they showed the actual product as two polar bears clinked their frozen bottles of Coke together in the air, the real magic came from the joy the advertisement showcased.  As a potential consumer, I walked away with more of a spring in my step—and I had Coca-Cola to thank for it.

The campaign reached beyond the TV screen and into the actual marketplace.  I recall visiting the grocery store and stumbling upon a cardboard cut-out of a polar bear.  And what was conveniently positioned next to the bear?  A mountain of Coca-Cola.  The campaign came to life before my eyes and the call-to-action was a success as I begged my parents to buy a liter of Coke.

Catching The Eye, Catching The Mood

While there are dozens of famous campaigns known for their popularity, it is the mood they evoke from the audience that translates into increased sales or positive association.  Nearly everyone has heard of the “Got Milk?” campaign, yet how many people can say they drink more glasses of milk as a result of it?  Creative?  Yes.  Endorsed by celebrities?  Yes.  Motivating?  Not so much.

Here are 5 famous campaigns that caught the consumers’ attention, but didn’t translate into positive sales.

Ingredients For Success

It’s hard to create a successful public relations campaign without the right ingredients.  Even with the perfect measurements of content, creativity, consistency, some consumers won’t like the flavor.  Audiences have diverse tastes, so how do you cater to all of them?

Just ask Coca-Cola.

THE WRITER

I’ve always been a writer.  My parents’ stories of my early aptitude for the English language coupled with several tattered, hand-written books from the age of six are all the evidence I need.  Writing has always been my outlet, my channel and my link to my community. 

I was an only child for the majority of my adolescent life, which is probably why I felt the need to constantly communicate with the world around me.  Scribbling poems, short stories or journal entries was my way to let everyone know I was present.  Of course, most of those writings never saw the light of day (outside of my bedroom, that is), but they still sufficed the enthusiasm for communicating my ideas and dreams.

THE CREATOR

When I wasn’t writing, I was busy creating or planning something for my friends and me to do.  These creative streaks resulted in everything from elaborate restaurants in my basement (complete with detailed menus, table settings, sometimes even food!) to creating a neighborhood version of “Survivor” that generated a lot of buzz from the other parents.  I was all about creating an enjoyable, unforgettable ‘experience’ for others, and I would go to great lengths to make those experiences a reality.

THE PERFECTIONIST

This is where my perfectionist tendencies kick into high gear.  Some people may find it strange to be so open about my pedantic ways, but I think they explain a lot about how I communicate.  I can’t simply spit out the first thing that comes to mind.  Don’t get me wrong—sometimes, especially when I’m writing, I let the words flow naturally without hesitation.  Most of the time, however, I want to be sure the message I’m communicating is explicitly clear, creative and contagious.  

THE CREATIVE CONTINUUM

I don’t want my ideas to stop with just myself.  I want them to catch like fire and spread throughout my community, and hopefully farther.  My hope is that they will linger in the minds of others, morph and evolve, then continue on their way.  Creativity feeds off of creativity, not off of silence.  It usually takes one person, or a group of people, to break that silence in the first place—that’s what I hope to do.

MY ROAD

So, I’m all about experiences.  I love writing and expressing my ideas.  I love creating something new and seeing where others take it.  Essentially, I love the field of communication.  Which is why I’m pursuing strategic communication as a junior at The Ohio State University.  

I’ve chosen this major as a road for my future, and hopefully it will be one that leads me to a career in communication.  Whether that career is in advertising, public relations, journalism, marketing or what have you, I’m not sure at the moment.  But I do know that whatever platform I choose, it will be within an environment I am passionate about.

Dance is my second love, next to communication.  It’s an art form bursting at the seams with creativity and expression, much like communication.  My ideal career would be one that fuses communication with dance.  I can definitely see myself involved in marketing, public relations, sponsorships or event planning for a large dance company like American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, or BalletMet.

Another platform I hope to explore within communication is entertainment through movies and television.  I’m an especially avid TV buff, so I would love to be involved in the creative process through promotion, writing or producing for a television show.

I have high hopes for my future in strategic communication.  Although I may not know the exact destination right now, I am confident I am on the right road.  After all, I’ve been a commuter since the age of six.