Strategically Communicating

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Hey Everyone-

I read this article in the LA Times and thought it was really interesting. It really shows how social media influences people, their relationships, and the way people think about social networking sites.

Let me know what you think!

I came across this article on Mashable discussing the recent announcement that Newsweek Magazine would be merging with the online publication, The Daily Beast. As we all know, the print news industry is on its way out and many other publications have turned to the online publication as the primary source. What I found interesting though, was that the decision to do away with the Newsweek.com website completely, rather than integrate The Daily Beast into it. The Newsweek.com website generates about five million users per month while The Daily Beast has around two million users. Apparently the goal was to get some of the Newsweek.com traffic over to The Daily Beast, since now when users type in the Newsweek address, they will be redirected to The Daily Beast. This seemed rather bizarre considering Newsweek is a much larger contender for readership. What is really interesting though is that the people from Newsweek.com created a Tumblr page venting their frustrations and asking readers for support to not shut down the site. It will be interesting to keep an eye out and see if the Tumblr will have any effect on the websites ultimate fate, especially if online supporters link the Tumblr to their social media outlets. It is definitely a strange battle between the print and online world.

Hello classmates! I seem to be having trouble finding each of your blog pages unless you’ve already posted them on this class blog. I am still getting used to WordPress and would love any tips about how to properly navigate to our classmates blogs.

Check out my blog–RyEsBlog– to learn how to make healthy food choices that will help you maintain a healthy weight, stay energized, and avoid health risks down the road.

http://ryebur.wordpress.com/

Yesterday in the J 454 Campaigns class, we had a really helpful guest lecture about personal branding. Erika, a University of Oregon Public Relations graduate, talked about the importance of emphasizing your personal strengths and differentiating yourself from others who may be applying to the same job as you. She suggested the following blog for information and tips regarding personal branding.

http://www.personalbrandingblog.com

When I got home, I browsed through the website and came across one of the most recent articles about monitoring your online reputation. This was a very helpful resource for google alerts and other ways to find out how often your name is written online.

How to Monitor Your Reputation and Boost Your Brand Online

I think this Mashable article is very interesting. A federal agency has just declared that Facebook posts are legally protected speech, even for employees who write negative things about their employers. An employee used vulgar language to deride her boss on Facebook because he denied one of her requests. But apparently, you’re allowed to mock your boss when it’s your private time and space even though he or she is actually able to see it on Facebook if they’re “friends”. Though it’s probably good that our privacy is protected as everything is getting more and more public with social media, I still find it a bit strange that you can actually put those things in writing and get away with it..

To copy the Mashable questions:

What do you think: Should companies have the right to make and enforce social media policies about what you can and can’t say about them online? Or should your personal social networks be protected from any work-related consequences?

http://mashable.com/2010/11/09/facebook-free-speech/

I ran across this article that completely took me by surprise. Imagine taking your favorite hobby and somehow fusing that hobby with a current job or internship to create a news article. I never thought it would be possible to combine my fascination with Subaru and my internship at Habitat for Humanity until I ran across an article that did just that.

Subaru has selected  Habitat for Humanity International as one of its non-profit partners for Subaru’s “Share the Love” event.

For every new Subaru sold or leased from November 20, 2010, to January 3, 2011, Subaru will donate $250 to the customer’s choice of five charities:

-Habitat for Humanity

-Meals on Wheels Association of America

-The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

-Big Brothers Big Sisters

-Ocean Conservancy

I thought this was a cool example of a for-profit organization improving its image by supporting multiple non-profit organizations.

Check out the complete article at http://www.habitat.org/newsroom/2010archive/11_08_2010_subaru_and_hfh_partner_for_3rd_year.aspx

-Drew

Most of you probably remember the video I showed in class Wednesday featuring Taco Bell’s drive-through diet spokesperson  preparing for a marathon. I decided it would be interesting to research how viewers and health professionals have responded to this “healthier” campaign by Taco Bell. I found the following article on CNN, which includes some excellent points about the sensibility and credibility of the ads and premise of the “drive-through diet.” Check it out and tell me what your thoughts and opinions are: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/05/taco.bell.diet/index.html

(My own thoughts about the article) :

Notice that the spokesperson, Christine Doughterty lost only 2 lbs per month for two years. That is an amazingly slow rate of weight loss for someone as active as she is, and shows how much faster she could have achieved these results with a better nutritional balance. Also, Doughterty says she ate Taco Bell regularly before starting her “diet”, so the biggest change she made was switching to meals on their Fresco menu. As the dietitians point out in the article, you could lose weight in a variety of ways by simply reducing your calorie intake per day.

My favorite quote from the article was from Joan Salge Blake, registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association,”It’s the Drive-Thru Diet. That’s what I think is funny. I have to chuckle. One of the issues perpetuating weight problems is that we’re more sedentary than ever. We shouldn’t be going to the drive-through. At least park the car and walk in and get it.”

In my Culture and Communication course the other day, my teacher shared with us some Youtube videos as an example of a culture jam which I thought pretty interesting. The first was a video sponsored by Nike featuring Lebron James and his response to his decision of switching basketball teams from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat. The second video was Cleveland’s response to the first video. I thought this was a  amusing culture jam. Check them out!

1st- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtejCR413c

2nd- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvgD9HNTMkM