Shop Talk

Okay, so I don’t really have $10 million in student loans, but the money I owe is still quite a bit. It limits me from doing a lot of things, credit-wise.

I had to turn down an internship today due to those financial limitations. It was with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Pittsburgh chapter.

I didn’t want to say anything until I was certain of whether I could take it or not. Things didn’t work in my favor and it’s awful.

I wanted to take this internship. I’m interested in gaining experience in all facets of PR (corporate, agency and so on) and I really love working for better causes. I just felt so bad having to decline. I know it happens all the time, but the only reason I had not to take it was the money issue. Money is evil.

Back to the drawing board.

What do ya know? I finish my last post and this catches my eye:

NFL Suspends Ricky Williams for 2006 Season

Williams failed a drug test … again, but this time it was for a substance other than marijuana.

This is not only a financial blow for the once highly touted 1998 Heisman Trophy winner who already owes millions in restitution to the Miami Dolphins; it desecrates his tarnished image even more.

As a professional athlete, he will always have the obligatory bunch of wet-behind-the-ears kids who look up to him. His repeated offenses obviously do not present a positive impact. It is an ill-conceived assumption to say that his admirers will try to emulate him, but still, it takes just one.

Furthermore, his career has become nothing more than a joke in recent years. It is doubtful that other teams will want to take a chance on him, especially now that he is an older player with a record of drug problems.

If you were his publicist, what would you do to rectify the situation? Is there anything that can even be done at this point?

Had I been asked two years ago whether I would be sitting here typing away for my PR blog, I wouldn’t have had a clear answer. Yet, here I am typing my thoughts about my experience in the world of blogging.

How and why did I start blogging?

I wanted to chronicle the rewards and the difficulties of putting together my own research study and campaign. Yes, I was deeply fanatical about putting together a campaign out of my own curiosity and urgency to educate. I didn’t have the total game plan in mind, but boy, I had an idea.

I was conversing with some co-workers of mine one day about the bombings in London last summer (7/7/05). I asked two of my co-workers if they had heard anything about it, to spur them into an active conversation. Neither of them had. This perturbed me. It was big news. How could they not know?

I thought of all the times when I’d ask someone about a big news story, craving an intelligent, engaging conversation. All I’d get in return is, “I don’t read (or watch) the news.” Disappointment after disappointment.

Those responses got me thinking. I know I can’t help not knowing what’s going on. I feel lost if I don’t read at least a news story or two every few hours. I wondered how many people actually shared my sentiments or didn’t care so much.

I started formulating in my head a research study to measure media/current events awareness among high school and college students. I wanted to understand how much they knew about current events and the people or companies making headlines and what effect, if any, the news had on their understanding of the world.

From the results, I wanted to develop a campaign that would educate young people about the importance of paying attention to the world. It was going to be filled with so many resources. I was so excited whenever I thought about it.

I thought that if I could have a place to express my trials and tribulations, I could look back and appreciate how much I’ve grown as a person and a young professional since then. Moreover, perhaps, someone with a big idea could look at my work and learn from my mistakes. Thus, my blog was born.

Here I am, almost a year later, and no, I haven’t even come close to getting a research study off the ground. It’s still in the back of my mind and one day, it will come to fruition.

I use my blog to communicate my ideas and provide commentary, but in a different sense than what I originally intended. I’m trying to learn a little more about PR and about myself one entry at a time. I can see that I’ve developed a more formal tone since starting my professional blog. I have a personal blog mostly limited to only friends who are added, and I think I cater to a different audience. I know these people well and they know me. I know how to write for them. A professional blog, on the other hand, is a different experience. I don’t know who’s reading each entry and it is of the utmost importance that I maintain a professional attitude. I want to be taken seriously, I want my blog to be taken seriously.

I’ve read many interesting posts that have inspired me to become more active with my blog than I have been in recent months. Life is only beginning for me. I can’t stop now.

When you’re on the job, what do you do in a typical day?

A New York administrative law judge recently ruled that a city employee cannot be fired just because he surfed the web while on the job. His ruling states that “It should be observed that the Internet has become the modern equivalent of a telephone or a daily newspaper, providing a combination of communication and information that most employees use as frequently in their personal lives as for their work.” (Find the rest of the article here).

While this was the case of a city worker, it makes me think of how this can affect the PR industry. There has been a discussion about this on the YPRP list, I think. Or maybe it was Forward (*plug, plug ;)*).

As I’ve learned, it is important for the practitioner to be well-aware of the world and develop a keen eye for information. It’s not going to be unusual for that matter for a practitioner to surf the web throughout the day checking up on email and various news sources.

I admit I read the news  and various blogs every day, even when I’m at my internship. I can’t stand not knowing what’s going on in the world. I have a need to know what’s going on around me. My justification is, “Hey, there may be a day when I need to know that piece of information.”

I think it’s come to a point where we can’t be on the job and not do the more personal things here and there. We’ve become a world on the go. We want things done and we want them done now. As long as the work is being accomplished, some organizations see no problem with their employees utilizing the web for personal purposes.

I can see the other side, however, that thinks there should be limitations on web-surfing. PR is a business. Practitioners are being paid to do a job. If a client is paying big money, they want to see results that are reflective of that money. Playing solitaire or chatting on the web isn’t very conducive to the work process.

It becomes not only an issue of productivity, but accountability as well. You’re responsible for the image of your client. Every task has to be taken seriously, no matter how large or small it is. If you’re not putting in the work, it’s not only going to affect the client, it’s coming back on you.

Take a moment and think about how much time on the job you spend doing actual work, and how much time you spend doing other things. Would you say that you’re spending your time wisely?

I’m not afraid to admit it; I love the Food Network. In fact, I tune in almost every day. I’ve seen re-run upon re-run, yet it doesn’t phase me one bit. I guess you could say this is a little bit of an unhealthy obsession!

One of the shows that has caught my attention in the past month is “The Next Food Network Star.” The show pits actual chefs (or people who just enjoy cooking, but most of the contestants are chefs) in a battle of not only culinary skill, but television likeability. The winning contestant gets his or her own Food Network show. Hence, the made-for-TV contest’s title.

Each week, the contestants must complete a challenge for a panel of judges. This usually involves three judges, though sometimes a FN personality will rotate in a judging position. Each contestant is unique and it is easy for the audience to identify with one or two from the start. At the end of each episode, one is sent packing home. This can be based on anything from cooking skill to the ol’ energy level. Because the winner will be getting his or her own show, it is essential that he or she has that winning personality that can draw viewers in. If you have followed the show, or care to watch the zillionth re-run, you can see who has that spark and who doesn’t.

The contestants kept blogs that were posted after each show, recounting their experience with each challenge and their thoughts about the contest and their fellow contestants. All of them, save one, have websites that promote the show as well. What’s great about this is that viewers get to see the contestants as real people. They offer us a little glimpse into their lives and we begin to feel and understand as if we’re actually a part of it. They become a part of our lives. They’re not just known as this contestant or that contestant, but with actual names and faces.

After countless battles and six eliminations, the pool is down to two: Reggie and Guy, who both happen to be my favorite contestants. Each is different in not only experience (Reggie is a baker/shop co-owner and Guy co-owns a restaurant), but personality as well. Reggie reminds me of a big, old teddy bear. He’s very personable and has good energy. He likes to think of himself as sassy and he does indeed have the sass to back it up. Guy, on the other hand, has a lot of spark even for being close to 40 years old. He’s hip and his ideas are fresh which is going to really draw in the younger viewers.

In almost every episode, Guy was either praised or criticized for his boundless energy. Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson, two members of the judging panel (who also happen to be FN executives) expressed their concern that he may be too “out there” for the network.

Reggie, while sweet and fun to watch, just doesn’t hack it in appealing to a wide demographic. I think this will be Guy’s time to shine.

From a PR perspective, I think that if Guy does win, this will, in fact, be very good for the network. True, the network is very successful, but what is the typical audience demographic? One article says mid-30s, another article says the median viewing age is 49. What’s not varied is a general belief that FN is getting away from actual cooking shows and is putting on more entertainment to appeal to a younger demographic. Nicole Weston of Slashfood noted this when she argued the ”disconnect” from the network’s name (Food Network) and that “cooking shows are a logical part of the programming.”

As I mentioned, I watch a lot of FN and I realize that she is right; the network is becoming more favorable to entertainment over actual cooking shows. Why is this so? Is it because life is too-fast paced and people just don’t have the time to watch a program about cooking, let alone cook? Or, do people just want a show that entertains without much in the way of informative substance? Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I like watching the cooking shows and learning about interesting and healthy dishes. I realize I may never find the time to cook them once I am a professional, but it doesn’t stop me from attempting to expand my horizons.

Anyway, back to why I think Guy would be good for the network. He can cook; and he has the passion and intensity. I think he’s going to draw a larger demographic, and not just females. (Females are probably are more inclined to watch the channel). He makes cooking look easy and may interest some people who normally wouldn’t cook or care to learn how to. He described his ideal show as a mix between “Jackass, American Chopper and Emeril,” which I think will appeal more to the male 15-35 demographic.

From April 16-April 20, viewers had their chance to vote by text messages and online. Amazing, how attached we’ve become to our computers and cell phones, eh? Brilliant strategy for companies who use communication capabilities such as text messaging or email to get their target audiences involved.

Here’s one thing that’s confusing me. The shows were taped in December and have been airing since March. The synopsis for the final show is that the two finalists will cook with Iron Chef Bobby Flay for the eliminated contestants and the winner will be revealed.

Last week’s episode featured a preview of sorts for this week’s finale. Are we to assume from that, that the finale was already shot months ago? I take it that this episode will not be live. I wonder … if it is true that the episode is NOT recently taped, then what was the point in having viewers vote? I mean other than to confirm that the judges made the right decision, it would seem rather pointless. I’m just curious to know what the protocol for the show’s finale is, whether it was indeed taped in the past three days or if it was taped months in advance. I think it would be pretty crummy to tape alternate endings for a show that both finalists have worked so hard to win. I know it’s not unheard of, but still you can’t help but feel gipped.

I guess we’ll find out on Sunday!

Edit: 4/24

It seems that FN taped part of the show in December and edited/added on to it after the contestants went home. The end was apparently live. I think that’s better than actually passing off an advance taping as recent.

You may be wondering, “What the heck is a Woot?” I didn’t even know such a thing existed until I clicked on a photo link in a friend’s personal blog. She had stated that she bought her “first Woot,” showing a picture of some odd kitchen appliance that looks like it makes elliptical-shaped sandwiches. My curiosity getting the best of me, I decided to check this photo link out and discovered that a Woot is not only a kitchen appliance, but can be many different items ranging from the random oddity to the latest, or at least semi-latest must-have item. 

The beauty of the site is that the products are sold at a fixed quantity. Every evening a new product is released to the rabid masses who hungrily snap them up within a matter of minutes. Once the last item is bought or when the clock hits 11:59pm CST (whichever comes first), the shop is closed. That’s right, the site sells only one product per day with the exception of random bonus items known as Woot-Offs released for 12 hours after an item has sold out. 

Aside from its uncanny approach to product sales, the site also boasts a blog and podcasts. The anonymous “WootBot” who describes the item for sale while adding humorous commentary, creates each blog post. A podcast accompanies almost every post and is equally as bizarre. Honestly, if nothing else, listen to the podcasts. Little original ditties to hark each product - you won’t be disappointed.

Strange or pure PR/Marketing genius? 

The use of humor is refreshing and the actual description of the featured product helps its marketing ability. What’s most important, however, is that registered buyers are allowed to post comments about the product. The comments are of no use to the site, but do allow first-time Wooters and seasoned Wooters an inside tip on whether the product is a steal or a bust. 

After browsing the Frequently Asked Questions page, I do have a few problems with the online store. First, Woot employees are not guaranteed to respond. Second, customer service is not offered. These two factors combined severely limit two-way communication. If a buyer has a problem with the item, he or she has two options: contact the manufacturer or sell it on Ebay. Only in dire cases, it seems, is the customer allowed to return the item for a full refund. I’m led to conclude that the site takes no responsibility for the products it hoardes. Granted a wide-scale defect (i.e. a dangerous product) may not happen, but still I wonder how much Woot can be faulted without the presence of a customer service department or regular interaction from the staff. Say something disastrous does happen; does Woot have a plan in place to deal with the backlash? 

As I mentioned previously, I had never heard of Woot. Is this because of misguided PR efforts or is the World Wide Web simply too vast that discovery has to be at random? What does this say about information gathering? Obviously, that is a question that must be answered by the individual.

I realize I’m not being as faithful to my blog as I said I would be. Shame, shame.

I’ve been either very busy or by the time I get to posting, I forget what it was that I wanted to post about. A lot has been going on in the name of sports, entertainment, politics and the sort. I think I’ll just start jotting down the things I want to post about so I will have some recollection by the time I get to post about them.

I’ve been helping quite a few students and some folks older than me by giving advice on PR matters. It makes me feel good to do something of that nature. I realize I don’t know everything, but I am amazed at what I do know. Perhaps I’ll make a very good mentor one day.

Many of my classmates have struggled and question why they ever got into PR. Life is frustrating and this industry isn’t easy. It takes long hours, dedication and alot of sacrifice. A job isn’t handed over, it has to be earned. I sometimes question if I made the right choice, but deep down I know that I have, even at the worst of times. I think everyone goes through that at times. However, if a person were to continuously complain about the work, about there not being a shortcut, about finding closed doors, then I think his or her heart wasn’t really in this profession to begin with. I believe I know quite a few people who fit that bill. It’s saddening because I know they could be great if they really wanted it.

I want to see people succeed, which is why I stress the importance of internships, PRSSA and networking. I can only do so much to encourage people to work hard and ride out the storm; the rest is up to them.