By Taylor Lord
Ever called a tissue a Kleenex? Or asked a friend to borrow Chap Stick? Brands have infiltrated every aspect of normal life and each one of us is guilty of referring to an object by a trademarked brand name. In a culture that is branded to a T, it’s not surprising that the idea of creating unique and distinctive labels for individuals is a topic that seems to come up constantly.
From seasoned industry professionals to untried college students, people are concerned with their personal brand and how they can stand out from the crowd. Even if you say that you don’t have a personal brand because you don’t post three to five times a day on Twitter, guess what? That reluctance to be active on social media is an integral part of how people perceive you, and thus part of your brand.
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Category: Social Media
Snapchat: It’s Not Just for Millennials (Anymore)
By Julia Lescarbeau
While it can’t be denied that the majority of Snapchat users are millennials, many businesses and organizations are using the trendy media platform to their advantage. Snapchat allows users to be live, be present and share experiences with friends, followers and brands. With that in mind, advertising with Snapchat has proven to be incredibly effective, particularly when directed toward users ages 13-34.
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4 Ways to Prepare for Instagram’s Upcoming Algorithm
By Kat Pallotta
Instagram currently boasts more than 400 million active users. As of now, users view posts in chronological order. However, in the next few months Instagram plans to integrate an algorithm that predicts which photos users will “like” based on relationships with other users, timing, and interactions, including likes and comments. These photos will appear higher in feeds instead of chronologically.
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Major (key emoji) for Brands: Staying Relevant
By Kat Pallotta
Over the past few weeks, you may have seen people use “Major (key emoji) to success” in an Instagram caption, Snapchat, Facebook post or tweet. This phrase refers to the popular Snapchat account of hip-hop producer DJ Khaled. More than 2 million people a day watch Khaled’s Snapchat stories that feature what he believes are major keys to success.
Leading brands such as MasterCard and Uber have participated in the DJ Khaled phenomenon by tweeting his trademark phrase in relation to their services. “Major (key emoji) Alert: If you need ID Theft alerts, we’ve got you covered (credit card emoji) #blessup,” tweeted MasterCard. The White House, which recently joined Snapchat, also used the phrase in its “My Story” the day before the State of the Union address, stating: “Major (key emoji): Get some rest before the big day.”
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How Companies Have Leveraged User-Generated Content in Marketing Campaigns
By Heather Ebert
The evolution of social media has led to a change in the consumer brand experience. No longer do people wait to tell friends about their latest favorite brand or product in person; instead, they share images and posts about their indulgences instantly on social media. This change in brand advocacy has resulted in a stockpile of user-generated content that brands can easily use in their own marketing efforts.
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How Snapchat Has Become a Force for Marketing
By Alice Lee
In September 2011, Evan Spiegel released Snapchat, a revolutionary new social media platform that allows users to take photos or videos to share with friends. One of the more unique functions of Snapchat, as compared with similar social media platforms, is that the “Snaps” as they are called, are only visible to recipients for a few seconds. The app also includes a doodle and text function where users can draw or add text on top of their Snapchat messages, adding a creative component to customize messages.
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Using YouTube to Elevate Your Brand
By Amanda Garrity
If you check the Internet on a Millennial’s computer, it is likely that YouTube is bookmarked. If not, it will certainly be one of their most-visited websites. YouTube provides endless hours of entertainment to Millennials, creating prime advertising opportunities to reach this key demographic.
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Public Relations Lessons From Celebrities That Apply to Not-So-Celebrity Clients
By Heather Ebert
Recently, singer Taylor Swift penned an open letter to Apple via her Tumblr page expressing dissatisfaction with Apple Music’s policy to not pay artists for music streamed during the service’s free three-month trial period. She stated that because of this policy she would not release her album “1989” on the platform. Apple quickly reversed its policy and pledged to pay artists during the trial period, which began June 30.
The intensity and reach of the public eye often requires that celebrities like Swift be very transparent and responsive with the media and their fans, especially when news stories or scandals break. There are many celebrities that handle such events almost seamlessly, but there are others whose actions make the situation worse. There are lessons to be learned from both. Here are the top three PR do’s and don’ts that we can take from celebrities.
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History in the Making: How Brands Showed That #lovewins
By Amanda Garrity
The world was exceptionally colorful on Friday, June 26. From Twitter feeds to the illuminated White House, everyone was buzzing about the historic Supreme Court ruling, which made same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.
Responding to current events, especially ones with international news coverage and online engagement, is a great way for brands to showcase timeliness and relevance. It can also bring added attention to their brand and gets people talking, a win in the world of public relations.
The following four brands captured our interest (and hearts) by the way they uniquely and creatively showed their support of the Supreme Court’s decision.
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3 Valentine’s Day Campaigns Spread The Love This Season
By Marina Panagopulos
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, companies are finding unique ways to spread the love. Whether it’s through fun in-store challenges or more serious matchmaking efforts, brands are successfully (and sometimes not so successfully) getting in the Valentine’s Day spirit.
Here’s a review of three impressive campaigns that are bound to spark conversation this year:
World’s Largest #StarbucksDate
Starbucks and Match.com are pairing up on Feb. 13 to host what is expected to be the “world’s largest Starbucks date.” Single Match users will get access to a special “Meet at Starbucks” feature to send out invites and arrange first dates. Starbucks will offer $5 pairings of coffee and bakery treats for two.
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