History in the Making

The 2008 presidential election is one to remember for many, many reasons. I am currently sitting in the UGA Drewry room watching the big screen and the room is slowly starting to fill with people and excitement!

But, from the PR standpoint, this past year’s election campaign set a new standard in many ways. Previously I posted about all of the social media and communication tactics used by Obama and his campaign. However, the part that stood out the most to me was the logo used to represent him, his campaign and his message.

Below is a link to a video interview with one of the creators of the logo. It’s a few minutes long, but I found it to be very interesting- especially some of the choices they considered but didn’t use!

Sol Sender interview

(credit: cameron.io)

Best of ’08- Technology Education Stories

Yes, I realize my last post is all about a new year, and this completely contradicts that…but I thought it was an interesting overview nonetheless! 

 

E-School News published a list of the top ten most significant technology education stories of the past year in December.

And the winners are…

10. Students use cell-phone cameras to send and receive inappropriate photos.

9. JuicyCampus leaves a nasty stain on campus relationships.

8. ‘Botnet’ attacks put school computers under hackers’ control.

7. The power of online video is a force for good–and bad.

6. A landmark cyber-bullying case inspires new laws–and raises awareness of a growing problem.

5. The RIAA scores huge wins … and then alters its strategy to combat illegal file sharing on campus.

4. U.S. students get low-cost laptops aimed at children in developing nations.

3. Broadband policies spark debate as the U.S. slips farther behind.

2. Rising costs, and a tanking economy, hammer schools–forcing several key changes in behavior.

1. President-elect Barack Obama’s historic victory signals a shift in federal ed-tech policy.

What do you think? Are these note-worthy events? Or do you remember one that didn’t make the cut?

New Year = New Thoughts

Originally I began this blog as a class assignment, but  now the class is over. You are probably expecting me to explain right about here how this is the end…but it’s not!

I found that I really enjoyed learning all about the interesting advancements made with new technology, so I hope to continue blogging. My goal is still to update about once a week. However, this semester will likely feature more general new media information instead of posts focusing on tourism and non-profits.

Each week at the UGA New Media Institute, we have a guest speaker discuss how his or her company is integrating new media, so I may highlight some of the lessons learned there. I also read several interesting technology-related articles each week that I may incorporate into my posts.

No matter what it is though, I hope you find it enjoyable and educational! Let me know if you have any new ideas!

Web Portfolio- check!

Finals took over my life.

Hence, it’s been a while since I have blogged- many apologies.

But, I achieved a number of exciting new media goals in the last few weeks of classes. First, I completed my Web portfolio! I built the entire Web site from scratch and I am in the process of adding various samples of my work. I hope to use this to demonstrate both my public relations writing skills as well as my Web production skills to future employers.

Additionally, my multimedia project was completed and is now available on my Web portfolio.

Overall, this has been a very educational semester! I have advanced my new media skills and knowledge more than I imagined and am excited to continue to share my discoveries with you when classes resume next semester.

Until then- Happy New Year!

Clear the way!

No more waiting in never-ending security lines for some travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Last month, Clear was launched at the world’s busiest airport.

The high-tech Clear cards allow passengers to easily and quickly pass through security lanes.  The most emphasized benefits of the new option are that it saves time, alleviates stress, maintains security levels and enhances the overall travel experience. Members pay an annual fee of $128 for this luxury.

Many local officials have praised the advancement.

“I’m pleased to see that this increasingly busy international airport is initiating the fast pass security lanes which will make flying out of Atlanta more efficient while maintaining the security of our airlines,” U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss said.

And, the technology is projected to decrease wait times by “up to 30 percent,” Congressman Lynn Westmoreland said.

For a frequent traveler, especially a business traveler, this seems like a great investment!

To enroll in the Clear program, passengers must visit www.flyclear.com and then visit an enrollment center. At that time, they will provide personal identification information, fingerprints and iris images. Noticeably, they go above and beyond the normal registration measures, but that helps ensure the security level at the airport is not compromised through this innovation.

While this technology was first introduced three years ago, the local Georgia residents and travelers have just begun to reap the benefits. I believe it will prove to be a great selling point, especially for business meetings, conventions and trade shows. 

Election 2008!

• Obama collects cell phone numbers & text messages his running mate nominee to the public “before” the media!
• McCain’s political commercials posted on YouTube caused disputes; they were taken off YouTube after news organizations cited the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, saying the commercials violated the news organizations’ copyrights. This New York Times article explains more.
• Twitter, a microblogging site, notes record-breaking tweets during the first presidential debate & creates an entire site devoted to tweets during the next debate.
• Obama creates an iPhone application that allows users to have instant access to his positions on important issues, up-to-date local and national campaign news, photos and videos.
• Users can donate their Facebook status to the candidate of their choice to help get out the vote.
• The public is encouraged to video your vote and post the election day experience on YouTube.

Advancing technology has made this presidential campaign one to remember! Never before have we seen such a high level of social media used in a political race by the candidates or the public. Countless videos have been uploaded to YouTube, articles posted on blogs, opinions tweeted on Twitter and ideas sent through e-mails. How do you think these new trends have influenced voters? Do you think it increased the number of young voters involved in this year’s election? Do you think the VIRAL aspects of these tactics influenced recipients more than if the messages had simply been communicated via radio, print and television like in years past?

 

Tomorrow will be an important day in our nation’s history, so whether you’re a donkey, an elephant or an independent—get out & exercise your right to VOTE and be a part of history!

 

 

 

P.S. I know these last two posts haven’t been travel or non-profit related, but they were just too good to pass up! I’ll return to those subjects next week! 

Voicemail, please!

Need to communicate a message to someone, but really don’t have time to talk? Or would it be rude to reply to someone via text message or e-mail, but you really don’t want to have to discuss your answer?

Well, slydial has solved all of your problems!

slydial, provided by MobileSphere, is a “free voice messaging service that connects you directly to someone’s mobile voicemail,” according to their Web site.

By dialing 267-SLYDIAL (267-759-3425), users can dial any mobile number in the United States and connect directly to the recipient’s voicemail. The recipient’s phone will not ring; instead, the message tone or alarm will simply alert the recipient that they have received a new voicemail.

The service is supported by paid advertising, so users do have to listen to a few ads before they are able to leave their message, but in some situations, that may be a small price to pay to avoid social awkwardness.

The slydial Web site offers a variety of potential “situations” where slydial would save the day! A quick sample is listed below:

Maximize your time.

You are working on a dozen different projects and have as many calls to return. Instead of being stuck on the phone with just one, leave each a voicemail with an update and you may just have enough time to enjoy Happy Hour.

Create the illusion of communication.

You maxed out your emergency credit card the first week of school. Your parents are looking for some answers. A text message isn’t going to cut it but a voicemail would mean that you tried calling them.

Don’t be a bother.

You just gave an awesome pitch to a potential client. You want to call him and thank him for the opportunity but you know he is in another meeting and don’t want to bother him. Leave him a voicemail and this personal touch may just tip the scales in your favor.

Just tell your side of the story.

You just partied hard last night and going to work is just not on your radar today. You dread having to call your boss and answering any awkward questions he may have. Instead just leave him a simple voicemail letting him know that you won’t be coming into work today.

Now, some critics believe that slydial is a deceptive, cowardly tactic to use on your friends, family or co-workers. Think about it—the title itself has built-in negative connotations. But, the provider emphasizes that there are a number of positive (sly as in clever) ways that users and recipients can benefit from the service as well.

Try it out yourself and see what you think!

 

Viral Messages Key for Non-profits

Join Chipper Jones for the 2008 Chipper Jones Invitational Golf Tournament!

NetRaffle.org offers fans the chance to win a chance to play in Chipper Jones’ Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament

Here’s your chance to join the 2009 National League Batting Champion, 1999 National League MVP and future Hall of Famer, Chipper Jones help raise money for the

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Tickets are being sold at www.netRaffle.org. One grand prize winner will be invited to play in the 2008 Chipper Jones Invitational Golf Tournament on Nov. 3, 2008 at the Bear’s Best Atlanta Golf Course.

·Winner will receive 4 tickets to the Chipper Jones Banquet/Auction on Nov. 2, 2008 at the Bear’s Best Atlanta Golf Course

·Winner and 3 guests will enjoy a Golf Foursome at the Chipper Jones Golf Invitational on Nov. 3, 2008 at the Bear’s Best Atlanta Golf Course

·Winner and 3 guests will have a group photo taken with Chipper Jones at the Banquet

·Winner will also receive a cash prize in the amount of $242.85 to mitigate the Winner’s tax liability that results from winning the raffle. This prize is withheld and paid, on behalf of the Winner, directly to the IRS ($200.71) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ($42.14)

The online raffle will take place at http://www.netRaffle.org with tickets costing $2.00 each and a minimum purchase of 5 tickets. This gives every fan a chance to win this amazing prize. The raffle closes on Monday, Oct. 28, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. EDT.

A portion of funds raised by this raffle will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
____________________________________________________________________________________

So why is the information above posted on this blog?

Well for one, the event supports a great cause and an organization that I have volunteered with for years. I would definitely encourage you all to sign up for the raffle- it you won, it could make a great early Christmas present for a golf-loving (or Chipper Jones-loving) dad or brother!

But, it has a new media connection too! In the world of new media, especially for non-profit organizations, VIRAL is a key word to know and understand.

Viral messages and viral marketing occur when information is spread voluntarily from one person to another. While word-of-mouth is one way to spread this information, because of new media, social networking tools are becoming increasingly important to these marketing strategies. By using technology, viral messages can take on many forms including video clips, interactive Flash games, advergames, ebooks, images, or even text messages, according to Wikipedia.

There are a number of reasons for a company to do a viral campaign:
-there is potential to reach a large number and range of people
-the message is being sent from a personal contact, which makes it much more credible than if it were a paid advertisement
-it can be very cost-efficient

However, it’s important to understand that for people to pass on a message, it must be noteworthy. Many of the same techniques used in paid advertising must be used in viral messages as well, or they will not be sent.

So, in the spirit of viral marketing, please feel free to continue to spread the above message to help increase awareness about the Cystic Fibrosis’ mission and the Georgia chapter’s exciting upcoming event!!

Who’s Key? MyKey.

Last week, an article was published in the New York Times announcing a new device to keep teens safe in the car. “MyKey” was introduced by the Ford Motor Company as a way for parents to slow down their teenage drivers, even when they aren’t in the car.

According to the article, “MyKey allows parents to limit teenage drivers to a top speed of 80 miles per hour, cap the volume on the car stereo, demand seat belt use and encourage other safe-driving habits.”

The MyKey feature will begin in 2010 on the Ford Focus and eventually many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models will come equipped with it.

Obviously, driving is a huge part of the travel/tourism industry—it’s how many people get to the destination! So, what do you think the implications of a device such as “MyKey” are for the travel industry?

Will teens be allowed to travel to further destinations because their parents feel safer? Or will this technological advancement create a burden for the travel industry because it will take young travelers longer to reach their destinations with a maximum speed programmed into the car? What other ways can you think of that this technological advancement might impact the travel industry?

Wiki, Wiki, Wiki

First of all- my apologies for not updating last week. It was mid-term week at the University of Georgia, so I was a busy, busy student! But, I’ve recovered and am ready to write!

In one of my classes this week, we are learning about wikis. According to Wikipedia (probably the best-known wiki), a wiki is “a page or collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language.” Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia with more than 10 million articles posted to the site.

Since Wikipedia was launched in 2001, there have been a number of sites created folowing the wiki model. The Wikimedia Foundation, which created Wikipedia, hosts 11 different wiki projects ranging from Wikiquote to Wikispecies to Wikiversity.

There are also a number of other sites powered by MediaWiki (not to be confused with the Wikimedia Foundation) that other people created. MediaWiki is a software package that allows other sites to have design layouts and functions similar to Wikipedia, which helps users who are familiar with the well-known Wikipedia site navigate these wikis. Wikitravel is one of many examples.

While wikis are not extremely new in the media world, I challenge you to think about how wikis could be incorporated into your businesses’ communication strategy. If you already have one, does someone check it regularly to ensure that it is accurate and up-to-date? If not, is it really helping your company? If you don’t have one, how would creating one aid your organization and increase its reach? What might you discover about your company through the contributions of outsiders?

I’d also encourage anyone who has never contributed to a wiki to try it! All wiki sites are based on the belief that collaborative writing strengthens the site as an informational resource. However, be warned that occasionally because it is entirely user-generated, articles may be “vandalized” and display inaccurate information. But, that simply provides informed users an additional opportunity to further their contribution to the site!