Our project board!! Special thanks to Jacob and all the Platform team members, it went over so well!!
Chevy Volt, which GM made available for us to check out at our opening night social.
Managed by the public relations student editorial team of Platform Online Magazine (www.platformmagazine.com), this blog explores current issues and trends in the field of public relations. As with its parent publication, the blog offers a forum for an exchange of ideas and information that encourages the ethical practice and enhancement of leadership in public relations.
“An apology can acknowledge that an injury or damage has occurred. It may include acceptance of responsibility for the mistake; express regret, humility or remorse in the language one chooses; explain the role he, she or they played; ask for forgiveness; and include a credible commitment to change or a promise that the act won’t occur again.”Stomato also claims that “Apologizing by admitting a mistake—to co-workers, employees, customers, clients, the public at large—tends to gain credibility and generate confidence in one’s leadership. Acting defensively, on the other hand, undermines it.”
With the presidential election just days away and the final debate only a memory, we have seen numerous buzzwords and slogans thrown out there. Obama is begging for “change” at every campaign stop he makes and as the television show Saturday Night Live suggested, Palin and McCain’s references to the term “maverick” could be turned into a pretty successful drinking game. And who could forget from his frequent references to Scranton, Biden’s hometown?
We have also seen the emergence recently of a new player on the political field, Joe the Plumber. Replacing the Republican Party, and specifically Sarah Palin’s reliance on “Joe Six-pack,” Joe the Plumber is the new everyman the candidates are fighting over, or at least fighting for his vote.
But beyond all of this, there is yet another character that many may not even notice as he is being brought up in these same debates. ExxonMobil is taking a beating from both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates. It has been mentioned at least six times during the debates as the enemy both parties can rally around. The company is one of the only things that they seem to agree on during these forums on disagreement.
While I have seen a commercial or two for the company and read a press release about their work in a hurricane stricken area of Texas, this is a time for ExxonMobil to really ramp up its PR efforts. With everyone against them, they must have some message positively portraying themselves to the American people. A few years ago, ExxonMobil was the only oil company to have its CEO appear for interviews when the three major stations were calling all oil companies to account, but this same company is now letting these candidates hurt their image without putting up a fight.
So where is the ExxonMobil of the past, responding to issues when the call was placed? But then again, with all the criticism they face now and have faced in the past, maybe two candidates in a 90 minute debate who occasionally express their dislike for ExxonMobil isn’t all that bad. And maybe the American people care more now about candidate’s buzzwords than when they call a company to task. Could it be possible that those paying attention to this race don’t even realize a company is being bashed when all we hear about on the news are mavericks asking Joes for change?
Martha G.Celebrities define our culture. You buy a certain style of dress, brand of jeans, type of video game or cup of coffee because the celebrity you admire the most purchases that same kind. They serve not only as entertainers, but also as opinion leaders. Whether you agree with their views or not, chances are that you know what your favorite celebrities stand for and what they want to see accomplished. But their influence extends far past the realms of fashion, entertainment and politics.
In recent years, a new trend has emerged among celebrities: philanthropy. Celebrities have started using their wealth, influence and resources to fight for a cause. By channeling their energy toward a certain issue and supporting that cause, celebrities give the organization they stand for free publicity and PR. Their influence makes the cause they believe in popular within our culture, and thus they raise awareness and support just by joining the fight.
Over the past ten years, the following non-profit organizations and campaigns have emerged as some of the most popular among teenagers and young adults. And part of the reason for their popularity is celebrity endorsements and involvement.
This organization abides by the one for one idea. That is, for each pair of shoes that you purchase, TOMS will donate a pair to a child in need. Started by Blake Mycoskie in May 2006, TOMS has given 10,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina and 50,000 pairs of shoes to children in South Africa. And helping Mycoskie to spur on this cause and complete its mission is the band, Hanson. They realized that their music, vision and a willingness to get involved could help promote TOMS. Hanson informed their fans about TOMSshoes and encouraged them to get involved.
Other celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel, Tobey Maguire, Lindsay Lohan and Brittany Murphy have been spotted wearing TOMS. By wearing these shoes, celebrities raise awareness for the cause and drive up demand for the product. These shoes, made of rubber and canvas, look like the opposite of what our culture considers high fashion. But because celebrities sport these shoes, TOMS have become the new look.
In 1997 after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, Lance Armstrong founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation to equip cancer patients with the knowledge and confidence to become cancer survivors, not cancer victims. In 2005, Armstrong launched his famous LiveStrong wristband campaign to raise money and awareness for his foundation. The phrase “LiveStrong” is inscribed on a yellow wristband and sold all over the world. These wristbands have become widely-used for supporting other organizations and non-profits as well a new fashion trend among young adults. His innovation has encouraged cancer patients to keep on fighting and created new ways for other groups to promote their mission and raise money.
We All Have AIDS…If One of Us Does.
This slogan was coined to unite the plethora of HIV/AIDS organizations into a community with a single message. The We All Have AIDScampaign calls for an end to the HIV/AIDS stigma. “It is a powerful display of the unity and solidarity we all share with the 40 million men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS around the world.”
This campaign, launched on World AIDS Day in 2005 by Kenneth Cole, featured t-shirts (as worn by actor T.R. Knight) and advertisements appearing in over 200 magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, The Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune. The campaign features celebrities such as Richard Gere, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Hanks, Alicia Keys, Will Smith and Rosie O’Donnell. Without Cole’s connections and influence, this campaign might not have been possible.
Celebrities have always provided our society with gossip, laughter, fashion, style, music, movies, television, speeches and award shows. And now we can add service to the list. Celebrities serve our culture by being a driving force behind non-profit organizations and campaigns. Celebrities first entertained our world, and now they are changing our world.
Kristin McDonald