The Death of Advertising

With social media quickly reinventing the way people communicate, this might just be the future of advertising agencies. Yikes!

The Last Advertising Agency On Earth from FITC on Vimeo.

My San Francisco Treat

 

Photo: view from my apartment window!

As you know, it’s been several weeks without posting to my blog. In the past few weeks, I’ve been a busy bee: making a move to San Francisco and starting a new job at SHIFT Communications. I’m so glad to finally settled in, especially before NYFW explodes into the blogosphere!

Currently working on the consumer team, I am gaining a lot of experience right off the bat and learning all there is to know about SHIFT. Already, I’ve had the pleasure to meet Principal Todd Defren and jump right into working on social media and traditional PR projects.

I’ll be buzzing around the city a lot, so catch me on Twitter @ConsumingPR when you want a dose of Consuming PR! Any fun SF hot spots to recommend?

Social Media Brings in NYE Fashion

Gift-giving season is over and we now set our sights on the New Year’s Eve trends. After one day of digesting the holiday dinners and potlucks, we’re now on the search for sequins and shiny fabrics for the best price. Shoppers are looking for a deal and researching through their social media networks to get the inside scoop.

As of two days after Christmas, Nordstrom is strictly pushing NYE accessories through Twitter and Facebook. Rather than publicizing glitzy and expensive dresses, this strategy is right on the money in the current economy. @Nordstrom features cocktail rings for all budgets; an easy fix to accessorize an ensemble without buying an entire new look.

On the other hand, Hayden-Harnett is featuring dresses through social media, but they too are aware of the small pockets after holiday shopping. Posting the day after Christmas, @Hayden_Harnett tweets, “Dresses perfect for NYE and far beyond! http://ow.ly/QcwN.” The Web site features Hayden-Harnett top NYE picks, all with up to 30 percent discounts.

Thinking from the consumer’s perspective is key to social media success. Both Nordstrom and Hayden-Harnett have proactively posted to various social media tools before the work week begins. These brands are anticipating the customer to stop thinking of others the moment Christmas is over. Sadly, their prediction is correct! Consumers move quickly– once holiday shopping ends, NYE shopping begins.

Baby Phat Engages Facebook Fashionistas

Baby Phat is holding its first ever Baby Phat “Fab Photo” Contest until April 22. Since April 8, Baby Phat Facebook fans have been styling and posting photos of their most fabulous looks.

Fans of the Baby Phat Facebook fan page are invited to submit a photo of themselves wearing their favorite Baby Phat outfit to contest@phatfashions.com.

One Grand Prize winner receives a $500 Baby Phat wardrobe and the opportunity to have their name and photo posted on the Baby Phat Facebook fan page! Please keep in mind that this contest is exclusive to fans of the Baby Phat Facebook page.

All entries must include their name, e-mail address, telephone number and include a close-up photograph of themself taken within the last 30 days. All photos should be in one of the following formats: .jpg, .pdf, .tiff, or .bmp. All photo entries submitted will also go into Kimora’s personal fan photo album.

So, get going and channel your “fabulosity!”

Blog Pitching Tips

On June 3, 2008, Allison Blass from the MWW Group, was kind enough to speak in our Advanced Public Relations Writing class. Our class was particularly interested in her immense knowledge of social media. Blass had started exploring the world of social media early in her career by starting a blog. She then became an expert in all forms of social media by landing a job with MWW Group as a new media coordinator in New Jersey. She works on health and lifestyle accounts, such as Vitals.com, FreshDirect and 1-800-Flowers.

Our class was interested in pitching to bloggers and spent the entire hour discussing the topic. Blass first explained the importance of blog research and how to “blog hop.” Blog hopping is when a person goes from one blog to another by way of one’s blogroll. Noticing that many people have linked to or featured the same blogs reveals which ones are popular and relevant.

Blass also recommended that we tally our blog research with an Excel spreadsheet. This enables us to compare blog authority according to a set of criteria. She stressed that the ranking on Technorati is a poor indicator of popularity.

Blass gave us a few tips to remember when pitching to a blogger:

1) Find the correct contact information. Do not rely on database records for e-mail addresses; they can often be incorrect.

2) Check out the “About” section on his or her blog and relate back to it in your pitch.

3) Include an interview opportunity, link to the press release, or link to multimedia in the e-mail pitch. It is important to give the blogger as much as possible for them to get hooked on your story.

4) Monitor Technorati and Google Blog Search after you send the pitch.