Brand Profile- Mcdonalds

Everyone knows when they see the golden arches in the sky what is to follow... cheeseburgers, french fries and of course the famous Happy Meals.  McDonalds has positioned itself in my memory forever.  As a child my mom would use thoes infamous Happy Meals to trick me into doing my chores. " Honey go clean your room and after I'll take you to Mcdonalds!"  I would dart off to complete my chores with a smile on my face.

Mcdonalds has done an exceptional job at marketing to children because I am not the only one who fondly associates McDonalds with a happy childhood.  Their marketing team has targeted us with scary accuracy and the impression they made on me has lasted into my adulthood.. Given the choice I ALWAYS pick McDonalds over any other fastfood choices.

The lesson learned here is the key to associate ones brand with happiness and if possible, reach em when they are young!

Nocturnal Festival 2012

Teenagers and twenty somethings are a hard segment to truly reach.  Although they are highly influenced by advertising, they have a keen eye for what is cool.. and what isn't.  This segment will be the first to deem a new commercial cheesy, or condemn a new product to lameness.

The best way to reach this group is to know what they love, especially what MUSIC they love.  This year will be the third annual Nocturnal Festival.  It features djs and artists who play music in the dubstep/ electronic genre.  This music is HOT HOT HOT in this age segment and if a company is able to associate its brand with this event, it will be sure to make a lasting, favorable impression.

Young adults come decked out in their rave gear and wear anything from a pancho to pasties.  The crowd is a wild bunch all looking for a good time.  If that speaks to your brand then this is a perfect pr/ marketing opportunity.  Although Disney may want to steer clear from this rambunctious atmosphere it would be perfect for a brand such as Red Bull or Monster.  If a company is looking to get in with the young cool kids, this is the place.

A company that markets here however should be careful.  Events like this are known to also attract drugs such as ectasy and LSD.  There is a level of risk in associating with Nocturnal because in past events put on by Insomniac there have been multiple drug overdose deaths.  In marketing with Insomniac you may be isolating thoes in their late twenty's and up, but for some it may be worth the while.



This festival is magical to me and any brand i see there will instantly become a part of my experience.  Music is a powerful tool for marketers because it stirs up emotions better than words.  I can't WAIT for April 26th to get here and I will keep an eye out to see which companies take advantage of this unique opportunity.

For more information visit nocturnalwonderland.com

Choosing a Worthy Non-profit

Working for a non-profit organization is one of the most rewarding things a public relations practitioner can do.  Whether the cause be children or puppies it is truly a way for a person in our field to make a difference in the world.  While most non-profits are truly nobel, there is a dark side to these organizations.

It is not uncommon to see stories on the news about corruption in non-profits.  Some CEO's have been caught taking money off the top or having overly generous wages.  And while any organization is bound to have overhead costs (supplies, wages.. etc) there are some non-profits that are better than others at efficiently distributing donations.

Choosing a non-profit to either work for or to donate to should be considered carefully.  Do some research and some online listening.  A big factor is to look up the overall reputation.  Are there any recent scandals? Is the head of the organization passionate about the cause?

Another key thing to find out is what percentage of donations actually go to the cause you are donating or working for.  Non-profits such as American Cancer Society donate only around 26% of the money they make to cancer research. The Susan G. Komen Foundation was recently in hot water about cutting the money they used to donate to planned parenthood.  These are the types of things you should find out before you pick a charity.

Although some have tarnished non-profits reputation, there is still a lot of good done by these organizations.  So pick a cause and an organization worth fighting for and make a difference in the world!

For more information on non-profit fraud click here

Communications job fair

On April 6th there will be a job fair for communication students on campus!  Its a great opportunities for students like me who have been procrastinating on the summer internship. But now its time to prepare!

STEP 1: RESUME
- Before you can go to any job fair you MUST have a proffesional and relevant resume.  The fact that you were in theater freshman year of high school is no longer that relevant.  Include ANYTHING that makes you a better communicator, especially the courses you have taken in college.

STEP 2: RESEARCH
- The first step is to select which companies/ agencies you are interested in working with.  It is your job to then do some background research on theses entities.  Know their history, their mission, and relevant and recent doings of the company. click here to view the complete list of attendees to the job fair.

STEP 3: DETAILS
-  Now that your resume is ready and you are familiar with the places your hopping to intern for it is time to put the cherry on top.  Shine your shoes, iron your shirt and pick out your most professional attire.  Sometimes how you look can make all the difference or even can distinguish you from thoes also applying.  If you don't look the part, chances are you won't get the part.

For more information on the communications job fair click here.

SXSW

 I have never seen the city of Austin so alive.  In broad daylight 6th street was cramed with Austinites and out of towners alike.  Live music drifted out from every bar and free merchandice was being passed out like candy.  World reknown artists such as Eminem, The Shins, 50 cent and Skrillex played along side underground local bands.  The festival spread all over downtown and posters, logos and advertisement was rampant on every corner.

SXSW is a PR dream.  The festival is sure to generate fond memories so associating ones brand with such an occasion will help make a lasting impression.  At Chiddy Bang I was pulled over by a concert goer who proceeded to pour my Vitamin Water (it was free, of course) all over his iphone.  I was amazed and shocked as he told me about his product which uses nano technology coating to protect any electronic device.. starting at only $80.  If that doesn't get a consumers protection, I don't know what would.

I ate free Salt Lick barbeque, drank all the free vitamin water i could handle, and even got free popcicles.  It was a battle ground of who could stand out and get their name out there.  I would say the most over the top thing was the dorito stage where Snoop Dog performed.  It stood out and was a centerpiece in conversation.

In the Eye of the Perceiver

In marketing, public relations, and advertising perception is everything. Suppose an advertiser uses a sweet Golden Retriver in order to illicit warm fuzzies for a product. And now suppose that the viewer watching the ad is grieving due to their own Golden Retriver being hit by a car.... this does NOT bring warm fuzzies but instead illicits a sadness that is now associated with the product being advertised.

My perception is that this dog is CUTE!

Communicating, rather it be from a marketer or a PR practitioner, is a risky buissiness. A person's perception is caused by all the events that have happened in a person's life. Communicating is a dance in which you sweep in and tip toe around. You have to be engaging without being overbearing, and interesting without being offensive. You never know when what you may say may strike a nerve and must always be ready to recover from these mishaps.

Some ways to avoid this is to KNOW who your talking to! Do your research to minimize the possibility of offending. You want to be peceived in the best light possible so even though you can not predict every bad topic, you can do your research and know what the client is interested in. If you falter in a conversation or hit a snag, a smile and an apology will do wonders. Always remember that you are talking to another human being!

While Golden Retrivers are usually a safe bet, the truth is that you will never know a person's life story and thus how and why they perveive a message the way they do. Be careful with your words because they are your trade.

Festivals and their Bad Rap

YES. I go to music festivals. NO. I don't do drugs. These days everyone thinks that if you listen to dubstep and electronic music you do drugs. That is not true! The music is on another level, the beats are so catchy and stimulating that every concert is a mind blowing experience in itself. From a PR standpoint however, these festivals are a nightmare.

You see in the media that teenage overdoses at these concerts are a reoccuring thing. These kids go to the festival in fuzzy boots, a thong and a bra and take drugs instead of appreciate the music. Not everyone at these concerts are ravers, but these unfortunate deaths have caused this misconception.

Insomniac Events is a bit of a PR nightmare. The company made a whopping $33 million from their events last year but also sent more than 200 teens to the hospital. 2 years ago in Los Angeles a 16 year old girl used a fake id to get into the venue and overdoesed on ectasy and died. It was a tradegy and many wondered how Insomniac let this happen. Artists walked off stage a year later at EDC festival in Dallas when 2 teens died and over 30 were carried away in ambulances for heat exhaustion.

These concerts can be called modern day Woodstock Festivals and it will be interesting to see if Insomniac will survive the lawsuits and controversy. I hope for their sakes they have a team of PR gods by their side. As for me, I am there for the music and I know there are many like me there for the same reason.

Check out these links to Insomniac Events and leave a comment on your opinion of these Rave Festivals!

Nocturnal Wonderland
Electric Daisy Carnival