Future Camp: humberPR

As I think back to the first day of social media with Michael Cayley I laugh at how freaked out I was. I think I actually lost sleep over the class..I a) did not understand what Twitter was and how to use it, b) I thought being involved in social media meant that you had to be tech savvy (which is not a characteristic I currently possess) and c) I had a preconceived notion that blogging was for self-indulgent folks.

What I learned in 4 months in social media is simple-and was a trial and error process. For future humberPR students I would say this...don't fret. And don't be scared. or overwhelmed by social media.

Social media adds value in many ways. Twitter not only helps you stay in touch, but it keeps you connected and updated on the people that you may want to work for one day. Or maybe that just let you know about the latest trending topic.

The point remains: social media may seem tedious-scary even (in my case), but at the end of the day it has an immense potential to really add value and enhance the credibility of not only our own personal brands but to our industry as a whole. In turn, we are given the possibility to either use or abuse this opportunity. And this opportunity that has great potential..and is free..Learn to love it!

HOT TOPIC, Cover Your Tiger Tracks

Text messages do not have to live forever thanks to TigerText. Last week the TigerText hit the App Store in full swing. For those who do not want to end up like our favourite notorious golfer extraordinaire, whose alleged racy text messages was how his wife busted him for his numerous affairs, and can be found all over the internet....well there's an app for that!

Without social media, the Tiger Woods scandal would be over by now but thanks to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace ect. information is leaked daily and is accessible to everyone, including his text messages..until now...

The TigerText slogan is "cover your tracks" and has been reportedly discussed by TIME as "stupidity insurance". "People text like they talk," says TigerText app creator, Jeffery Evans, "And some of the things they say, taken out of context, can come back to haunt them."

Evans claims that the app was created more than a year ago, before the drama's of Tiger and Elin even existed, however the name of the app was most likely a custom fit after Woods unfaithful text messages exposed him to the world. Ironically, the TigerText app wouldn't have saved Tiger since he has a Blackberry!
The TigerText is a free app and is compatible with all iPhones as well as with any iPod touch. Sending text messages with this app is unique for many reasons. Messages cannot be forwarded or copied and have expiry dates. Messages are deleted from both users phones, eliminating any proof that they ever existed. In fact messages that are sent through the TigerText app are never actually sent to receivers phones, rather they are saved to TigerText servers. A TigerText sender may choose how long they want their message to last, before it is destroyed forever. Sender's can also "delete on read" setting, which gives recipients a 60 seconds to read the message upon opening the message before it vanishes. There is also a "delete history" button that eliminates any given phone call history that you don't want anyone to see (or press redial).

Tiger Text demo from Jason Evans on Vimeo.

Text messages have become a huge part of our lives and it is important to consider that all age demographics send and receive text messages (including criminals, teens sending inappropriate sext messages). However TigerText creator, Evans raises a good point as he explains that the reason for his creation is to protect users from not only being caught, but from basic privacy rights. In 2006 the European Union ruled that cell phone and internet providers must keep email and cell phone data (includes text messages) for a certain period of time. Even if you have nothing to hide, isn't this an invasion of privacy?

MORAL OR PRIVACY ISSUE?

I think that the TigerText app is a moral issue since it is advertised as a way of avoiding all forms of accountability, but realistically how would you feel if all of your text messages went viral, even though you may not have anything to hide? Or how would you feel if every private message you texted, or email you sent, was stored in someone's database somewhere, accessible for anyone to read?




Since this app came out a couple months ago Tiger returned to golf at the Masters...and nonetheless a new NIKE commercial was released. The commercial went viral online instantly (obviously).


Without social media, the Tiger Woods scandal would be over by now..as I mentioned earlier. Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace ect. information is leaked daily and is accessible to everyone, including this commercial, where Tiger uses his late father's voiceover to try to explain himself...Do you think this commercial will help make, or help further break Tiger's career?

Putting the Public Back into Public Relations

"PR 2.0 puts the public back in public relations with the ability to speak to more people"

-Dierdre Breakenridge from A Communicator's Manifesto

This means that social media:

-Facilitates participation between PR and public by connecting us to the “unreachables” ("participate in dialogue in places where they have never been invited to participate before")

-is FREE and universally assessable

-Allows PR practioners to understand, engage and identify with the public

-owe our thanks to technology!

-Easy to spread your ideas and ideas that spread WIN. Because social media is assessable, ideas, concepts and even brands have the ability to become trends and spread quickly.

"Public Relations can now participate in the online conversations that define our markets" -Brian Solis

Why is broadband connectivity important for PR?

1. Congregate

• creates a sense of community, getting in contact with audiences, customers, colleagues, friends, family

2. Collaborate

• free flow of ideas, work together, bounce ideas, 2-way communication

3. Share content

• learning from one another, gaining a better understanding of issues/topics, become aware of customer satisfaction levels

Why is it important for consumers?

Consumers want to be acknowledged by the company. They want to see involvement because this gives makes the brand/company seem human. Customers now expect compassion and involvement from the companies that they support.

Traditional media such as TV, newspapers and radio are effective however they are one-way communication vehicles, and viewers tend to be passive. Social media is two-way communication and its participants are active engaging.

According to Breakenridge, customers often want/need to gather, organize and share information in order to feel confident in the company, as well as in their decisions to support the company. This therefore supports the importance of "putting the public back into public relations"!

CHANGE: Good or bad?

According to Breakenridge change has been the only stable variant in public relations and that all PR practioners should embrace this change and view it as an opportunity to redefine the industry.

People are always fearful of change however in the PR industry, we as practitioners must embrace it..OR ELSE we will be left behind, confused and out of the loop. It is up to you to become not only acquainted but comfortable with using social media.