So Flippin’ Awesome

 

  Last semester, the term “Flip cam” seemed to be buzzing everywhere in the Grady PR department. A NY Times article states that the device’s claim to fame is its minimalism.

Flip cameras are close to the size of a digital camera and have a built-in USB port to both charge the device and upload videos. The recorders only have a few buttons, weigh a few ounces and have 1.5-inch screens.  According to Pure Video Technologies’ Web site, “the Flip video camcorders are the world’s first with on-board software to enable editing, organizing, and seamless video uploading to YouTube, MySpace, AOL Video and other video sharing sites.” Since 2007, more than two million cameras have been sold!

At Grady, Flip cams were used to create quick promo videos by fellow classmates. They were taken to the PRSSA national conference in Detroit to document the experience for peers back in Athens. And, I even had my first dabble with a Flip cam when I created this short infomercial for a class project (please excuse the terrible acting—I write for a reason! 🙂 ).

Now, Flip cams have moved up in the world and are producing content for national entertainment!

CNN.com announced last month that a new reality show based on the lives of two freshman congressmen would be filmed with Flip cams. The two men will carry high-definition Flip cameras throughout their experiences and the segments will be uploaded to the Web throughout the year. Below is a sample of the show:

Embedded video from CNN Video 

While, I’m not sure how exciting this drama on Capitol Hill really is, it’s an innovative idea that may spark some other, more appealing ideas. In addition, Pure Digital Technology, the maker of Flip cameras, was recently bought by Cisco. With the new ownership, the Flip cam is expected to become even more mobile than it already is… potentially through the use of wireless Internet connections. With this concept leading the way, I think there are great things in store for the future of the Flip.

Athens College Track- You CAN go to college without accumulating debt!

Athens is ranked fifth in the nation for the highest poverty rate! To combat this issue, a team of students at UGA created Athens College Track (ACT) to inform local high school students about financial issues surrounding education after high school. The program offers insight to education costs, the importance of saving for college early and how grades will affect not only what schools students are admitted to but also what scholarships they receive.

My favorite part of the campaign is the creative, interactive event they held this past week. Students at Clarke Central High School were given the opportunity to submit an essay answering the prompt “Why do you think college students graduate with debt? How can you start early to avoid this situation?” to win a chance to play the College Track Game.

While their fellow students watched, essay finalists, Natalya Haas, Natalie Lett and Kalyn Breeding, competed as playing pieces on a life-sized board game modeled after the game of LIFE. The game simulated how good grades, high SAT scores and savings can reduce the cost of college.

Haas rolled her way to victory, earning a $500 scholarship from Horizon Staffing and other donors.

“I learned about saving money and how much college really costs,” said Alan Watson, a senior at Clarke Central who attended the assembly. “I’ve already applied for a good bit of scholarships, but I’m definitely going to look into a lot more now that y’all (ACT) have come and talked to us.”

The team of five students who developed the campaign will compete in the national Bateman Case Study Competition in April. Whether they win the competition or not, they are making a significant impact in the lives of many students in Athens-Clarke County, so that’s a win in my book!

Is social media making money?

The UGA PRSSA student-run PR firm (Creative Consultants) had a year-end presentation competition  and my team received 3rd place! As part of our prize, we were given the opportunity to tour Jackson Spalding, a local public relations firm. 

After a brief tour and several interesting facts about the company’s history, the group sat and chatted with three of the firm’s employees. I was so surprised at the amount of time they invested and the candor they displayed as we discussed everything from industry trends and new media to interview tips and vital skills.  The discussion was very informative and introduced me to a new perspective on several issues. One key take-away message I got from the discussion was that social media is awesome…but only if you can prove that it is increasing your client’s bottom line.

My generation is all about new media/social media (this entire blog is about it!) But, knowing how to use Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, blogs, wikis, iPhone apps and many others is not enough. Young professionals need to be able to measure the return on investment and know which tools are the best fit for each client and each situation.

From a PR stance, this article about the Phoenix Suns basketball franchise provides a creative example of how PR and digital media can be intertwined to engage target audiences. For this NBA franchise, Twitter has allowed them to connect on a personal level with many of their fans. Twitter has also aided in media relations for the communications/PR department- and, we all know that good media relations= good PR!