Future Camp- The Future begins now!

As the final Social Media #HumberPR class comes to a close, It was time to experience future camp. I had no idea what to expect. I knew discussions would arise about what we've done and where we go from here. What I failed to recognize was the need to focus on the networks we have been building thus far and importance of continuing to connect with those we already know.

The Beginning:
A class about social media seemed simple enough, but when it began I was extremely overwhelmed. I hadn’t realised how many social and digital media tools existed and was very unaware of how they worked. At the time I didn’t understand the value of such things like Twitter and Blogging. It was very foreign to me. As time went on the overwhelming necessity to connect and engage in conversation using these communication tools took over a huge chunk of my day. The value was evident. The importance of creating and maintaining relationships with those you are connected to was a major priority. We’ve learnt a lot over the past four months and today reminded me that it has only just begun.

The Future Looks Bright:
Moving forward into our prospective careers, it is essential to determine which tools will be most important to carry with. As I look towards a future in PR, I now understand the value of having a blog, twitter, Facebook and especially LinkedIn, as it helps paint a picture of who you are and what you are all about. Connecting with people in this industry face to face is of course ideal, but often unlikely. Social and Digital Media has opened up a whole new world for people to learn from one another and participate in worthwhile conversation.

Consistency in social media is vital. Either give it your all or don’t bother trying. The more information that you put out there, the more people will be inclined to follow you.

Follow me on Twitter @h_farb and follow my fellow PR Arts and Recreational junkies

Cheyoka, smtupper and JacquelineAnne2

Celebrity Twitter Update

After blogging about celebrities on Twitter a while back, I decided it was time to test the theory further. I had already begun following a number of celebrities and began to monitor their tweets a little closer. My initial blog post about one-way communication among celebrities and their followers still rings true. As Twitter evolves, this is not true in all cases.

It’s typical to find John Mayer tweeting about nonsense and Britney Spears tweeting about her trials and tribulations, but announcing a breakup on Twitter is a new phenomenon. Celebrities use Twitter as a way to send out messages to their fans, keeping them informed and making them priorities. Jim Carrey’s recent announcement of a breakup with long-time girlfriend, Jenny McCarthy over Twitter was an interesting way to make followers/fans feel in the know and important. Celebrity breakups are often dissected on twitter but never announced using this social media tool. Is this a good thing? What was the real intention behind it?

Not all celebrities would agree but a crowd of attentive Web users could become an audience for marketing or branding tool. This is beneficial for some of the more “washed up” celebrities that try to remain current and in the spotlight.

Take Alyssa Milano for example. She has an unbalanced number of the people she follows to those that follow her, but those that she follows she communicates with on a weekly basis. With her new show debuting last week, she uses Twitter as a forum to thank her fans for watching and believing in her. This humanizes celebrities on Twitter and engages them in conversations, which most celebrities have yet to do. Over time, engaging and participating in conversation with fans, may become more of a norm banishing the hierarchal way of viewing celebrities and their participation on social media tools.

Celebrities can and should begin to use Twitter as a way to give back and appreciate their fans, as opposed to just informing them. Only time will tell if the shift of PR 2.0 will influence celebrity tweeters to alter and strengthen their ways of communicating.

Ford Fiesta Social Media Campaign

Ford’s trend-setting way of capitalizing on the new Ford Fiesta by way of social media is unique in its own right.

Ford Motors had a very strong and successful presence during the recent economic recession and came out on top against competing auto makers. They’ve now seized the opportunity to further their popularity and online presence by creating this social media campaign. They have successfully created buzz around the Ford Fiesta and connected with consumers through Twitter, Facebook and other social media networks.

The company took a very ambitious risk by placing 100 Ford Fiesta vehicles’ in the hands of consumers who expressed interest in the campaign initiatives. These “agents” were meant to drive the vehicles for a total of six months and complete a series of tasks and then report back on their findings and opinions. Kind of like an interactive focus group of sorts.



This movement signals a desire to keep up with the on-going trends of our time and shows the initiative that Ford is taking to connect with their consumers on a more personal level. They are learning what their consumers want by way of blogs, twitter and video feedback, all without spending a dollar. This is very valuable information they can use towards this product launch and future launches. They used social media as a marketing technique.

Ford targeted millenials for their campaign, which is smart as they are an emerging and important audience. They also chose “agents” with well established social media profiles. This was beneficial as it helped gain public notoriety at a fast pace.

Was this a success?

Essentially, YES! The statistics for this campaign reveal success on many levels. Check out their Facebook page and Twitter page to see the kind of feedback they received.

As of now, according to Mashable, they have received:
Over 4.3 million views on Youtube
500,000 + views on Flickr
6,500 followers on Twitter

The fact that a campaign like this has never been done before, made the Ford Fiesta Movement buzz worthy and memorable.

For more insights into the Ford Fiesta campaign check out Shelley, Jen, Lauren, Owen and Sabrina’s blogs.

The Entertainment Review

ENTERTAINMENT PR/ TELEVISION CRITIC

The idea of formulating a personal brand/online reputation so early into the Humber PR program had me running scared. There was so much to consider and difficult to know where to begin. Personal Brand Camp 2010 was extremely useful for guidance and direction. I found myself more confident in establishing what I’m good at and what I know as the main focus for my online reputation.

Entertainment and pop culture has been an on-going passion throughout my life. Mix that with my need to critique everything around me and I have a pretty solid brand.

A communication junkie to the core, I have an opinion on everything and anything entertainment. My main focus will be on critiquing daytime and primetime television and all that surrounds it. I’m not sure where my brand will lead me, but stay tuned to find out!

Hayley's Personal Brand Plan

View more presentations from Hayley.