Public Relations in Action

For our last blog post this semester, we were asked to post a FlipCam video showing "Public Relations in Action."

As you know, there are several different routes a public relations professional can take upon graduation. One of these is event planning. Therefore, I decided to show "PR in Action" at the PRSSA Induction Ceremony. Our event planners put in a lot of effort to make this night memorable for all of our new members.

Enjoy!

Relay For Life Kickoff... Total Success!

On Tuesday, November 17, my Public Relations and Administration class was finally able to see all of our hard work pay off.

This entire semester, we have been planning the Baldwin County Relay For Life Kickoff (I previously wrote a blog about the pitching experience). Luckily, we were given the theme by the national Relay For Life Committee: "The official sponsor of birthdays," and one of the groups in our class came up with the winning slogan: "Celebrate a memory." It seemed like everything was going to be simple. The hardest part was already done. However, as the event grew closer, so did my blood pressure!

I got out of class that Tuesday afternoon around 1:45. We had all decided as a class to meet at Northside Baptist Church (where the event was being held) by 2. As I was walking out of the library, I see Dr. Miller... She wasn't happy. We only had about three dozen cupcakes donated for an expected 100 people. Somehow Dr. Miller was able to find enough uniced cupcakes at a local grocery store to calm all of our nerves. If it wasn't for her running around like a chicken with her head cutoff, our event would have been unsuccessful (considering the cupckes were key to the ceremony).

What I expected to be the biggest problem turned out to be the least of our worries. The Baldwin County Relay For Life committee did not give us a budget... Nada. How in the world could they expect us to put on an event for over 100 people without a dime? Lucky for us, Brooke Brookins was in our class. She was able to get 100 hamburgers and hotdogs, chips, cookies and a helium tank donated to the event. Other members of the "Food Commitee" were able to get donations from local businesses in the Milledgeville area. There was so much food left over, the entire class was able to make a plate once the event was over and take a plate home for later (and we still had to throw some away). The buffet consisted of hamburgers and hotdogs, baked beans, coleslaw, chips and cookies... The perfect birthday meal.



The menu went perfectly with the theme of the Kickoff, as did the decorations. We made centerpieces of wrapped presents (in Relay colors of course) for the tables that were covered with white and black tablecloths. There were also oversized wrapped presents spaced out on the walls and on the floor throughout the room. Purple candy was sprinkled on the tables, a balloon arch at the door, a banner with the theme on it, and my duty... The candles. For my group's pitch at the beginning of the semester, I came up with the idea of making 27 large candles to signify the years that Relay For Life has been raising money for the American Cancer Society. The committee loved the idea and decided to incorporate the candles into the Kickoff. Professors from the university (including Dr. Miller) and other fellow classmates donated posterboard and art supplies to make the candles the talk of the event. The Give Center even decided to keep them for a later event!

Andrea Lowery and Keri Allgood made nearly everyone in the fellowhip hall cry during the survivor slideshow. They worked extra hard to make the slideshow meaningful through the music, quotes and pictures. Their hard work made the team captains see the importance of their fundraising for ACS.

Beth Benton and I were on the "Media Team" for the event. Beth wrote press releases that were published in local newspapers while I wrote PSAs for the two major radio stations in Milledgeville. I also came up with the idea to advertise the event via pizza boxes. I distributed nearly 1,000 flyers to restaurants who had pizza to go. These restaurants taped the flyers on the front of the boxes for the community to see. Between the newspapers, radio stations and pizza boxes, we had somewhere around 100 team captains from the Milledgeville area to show up for the Kickoff.

Overall, this experience taught me a lot. It first and foremost showed me the importance of handling stress. Staying calm throughout the planning and execution of an event is key. If one person is stressed, it seems to rub off on everyone. It is also extremely important to be connected to the community. Had the class not been connected to the community, it would have been impossible to put on such a successful event without a budget. Lastly, it is important to delegate authority. Lyric, Cara and Kara did an amazing job at assigning different tasks to everyone in the class. Everyone stayed busy before, during and after the event to help everything run smoothly. I was the most amazed by how long it took us to clean up the entire fellowship hall... 30 minutes! We all worked hard together and had an extremely successful event! The community is excited about the upcoming Relay For Life, and that was our job. Great job PR Admin!

~Tori Cantrell~

Swine Flu... No Way!

Aching body, extreme headache, burning eyes, blurred vision, diarrhea, fatigue and a cough that kept me up all night were the symptoms I told the doctor on the worst Wednesday of my life. I started feeling bad Tuesday afternoon. However, I assumed that my tiredness and headache were a result of what my mom calls "running myself ragged" (being busy all of the time). I took what turned into a three hour nap Tuesday afternoon and woke up feeling worse than before. I couldn't let it stop me though, because I had an extremely important test to study for. I took some Coricidin and attempted to study for the rest of the night.

The next morning, I was unable to pick myself up out of the bed. Going to the doctor is my least favorite thing to do, but this time... I knew it was a must. When the doctor finally called me back, she took my vitals. Although I knew I felt bad, I didn't realize the extent of my illness. My fever was at 103.8 and my blood pressure (which is usually extremely low) was 130/90. With wide eyes, the doctor responded to my vitals with the remark, "You're a sick kiddie." After taking a few tests, the doctor sent me home with H1N1. However, my mom insisted that I go to our family doctor back home. They too came back with the same response. On my favorite holiday of the year (Halloween), I got to be quarantined in my own room for five days.

According to cdc.gov, forty-eight states are reporting widespread influenza activity at this time. Of these, "almost all of the influenza viruses identified so far continue to be 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses." The website gives viewers ways to prevent catching the virus, as well as other important information. Luckily, my body should have built up immunity against the virus so that I will not be able to catch it again. However, with the upcoming winter months, it is important for everyone to be vaccinated to prevent both seasonal flu and swine flu. Believe me... You do not want to learn the hard way!

~Tori Cantrell~

Relay For Life Kickoff

On November 17, my public relations administration class is in charge of planning the Relay For Life Kickoff. Each year, feature stories are written about a person in the Milledgeville, Baldwin County area who have fought cancer or are battling it currently. This year, I did my story on Mr. Bill Kent, a car dealership owner in Milledgeville. The interviewing process and learning about the battles people face everyday made me excited about taking part in such a meaningful event. This is his story:

It was a cold day in January 2007 when Bill Kent heard, what he called, “the worst three words you ever could hear from a doctor: you have cancer.” After taking a routine blood test at his regular checkup, Bill’s doctor noticed that his Prostate-Specific Antigen, or PSA, level was high. His doctor scheduled a biopsy and sent Bill home unsure of his future.

Bill left his doctors office and went back to work to take his mind off of things. Usually, doctors do not begin checking men for prostate cancer until they are 50 years old. He was only 44 years old with three little girls, the youngest being three weeks old. Therefore, the words ‘PSA’ and ‘biopsy’ were the last words he expected to hear that day at his checkup.

A few days later, Bill went in for his biopsy. He and his wife waited anxiously for ten days until the doctor finally called him back in to discuss the results. Bill had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. While his wife “went to pieces,” Bill remembers that his initial response was, “Now what?” He learned as much as he could about the disease while several different doctors explained the treatment options to him and his wife. Luckily, chemotherapy and radiation were unnecessary. In April of that year, doctors at Emory Medical Center were able to remove the cancer, leaving Bill cancer free!

“Being diagnosed with cancer will make you realize how quickly life can change,” Bill said. “You feel indispensable and then realize you’re not. We had great support from our community, family and friends. They became more important than work and other material things that I cared about before.”

During recovery, Bill stayed busy handling work brought home to him by his office manager. He stayed at home for only two weeks before returning to work. However, things changed drastically upon his return. Before he was diagnosed with cancer, Bill owned six car dealerships in several different states. He spent most of his time traveling and even spent a lot of time at his home away from home in Knoxville, Tennessee. Having cancer made him realize how important it was to watch his children grow up. Therefore, Bill sold four of his dealerships and kept two, one in Milledgeville and the other nearby in Macon.

Every three months, Bill goes back to the doctor to make sure his cancer has not returned. In the meantime, he remains active playing several different sports, being a pilot on the side and spending time with the people who mean the most to him.

~Tori Cantrell~

Tipping Georgia College

This semester, my public relations administration class was assigned to read The Tipping Point, a national bestseller by Malcolm Gladwell. If you ask anyone I know, I have a difficult time finding books that I like. I often find myself dozing off in the middle of my reading and then asking myself, "What in the world is this book even about?". While I was reading The Tipping Point, however, I found myself wondering how I managed to read and comprehend ten pages so quickly. I finally understood what my mom was talking about my whole life when she would say, "Tori, you just have to find the right book." This book was very informational and even made me realize a lot about myself.

According to Gladwell, the "tipping point" is "the name given to that one dramatic moment in an epidemic when everything can change all at once" (9). It is the "moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point" (12). In other words, the tipping point is when something (an idea, product, message, behavior, etc.) suddenly spreads like wildfire, similar to how chicken pox spread in my third grade class. Gladwell gave an example of a tipping point with the reemergence of Hush Puppies- "the classic American brushed-suede shoes with the lightweight crepe sole" (3)- in late 1994. These shoes were cool when our parents were in school, however, nobody wore these bland shoes in the 1990s. A small group of people started wearing the shoes again to the clubs and bars in Manhattan, and before you knew it, Wolverine (the company that makes Hush Puppies) went from considering phasing out the shoes to selling 430,000 pairs in a matter of months. Just like that, Hush Puppies experienced their tipping point.

The author discusses the Three Rules of Epidemics: The Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor and the Power of Context. The Law of the Few is simply a "word-of-mouth epidemic" (32). In other words, in order for a tipping point to occur, people must use their "social gifts" to get the word out. There are three different types of "social gifts." A person can either be a Connector-someone who knows lots of people and makes friends and acquaintances easily, a Maven- one who accumulates knowledge, or a Salesmen-a persuader. The Stickiness Factor is finding ways to make an epidemic memorable so that it is set into action. Lastly, The Power of Context is "peer pressure and social norms and any number of other kinds of influence that can play a critical role in sweeping us up in the beginnings of an epidemic" (171). In other words, it's how our "external environment can have a dramatic effect on how we behave and who we are" (182). Once all of these combine, you have yourself a tipping point.

As I mentioned earlier, The Law of the Few divides people up into three subgroups: Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen. After thinking long and hard about it and asking my friends and family what they thought I was, I reached a general consensus. I am a mixture between a Connector and a Salesman. I have always liked to know everyone. It drives my boyfriend crazy that I "can't go anywhere without seeing someone I know." Ironically, I often find myself running into people I know in different states. The last time my family and I went to Universal Studios, I just so happened to run into my best friend's youth pastor. My parents just laughed it off and went on about their day. Like the guy in the book, I enjoy meeting people. Although I do not send Christmas cards to everyone I meet, I do find it extremely fascinating how everyone can relate to one another in some way, and sometimes, even know the same people. I am very open-minded and enjoy learning about others' lifestyles. I also consider myself to be quite the salesman. In high school, I managed to sell over $1000 in advertisements for the mediocre school newspaper. I am good at picking out a reason that something should be important to someone. Growing up, if I asked my parents to go somewhere on the weekend and they responded with the usual, "We'll see, Tori," I always managed to negotiate with my parents, work something out and go to the skating rink almost every Friday night. I'm good at opening people's eyes to things they might not have thought of before.

Our class is made up of Salesmen, Connectors and Mavens. We are definitely capable of making this years' kickoff the best yet. In order for our Relay For Life Kickoff to be successful, we are going to have to relate to the team captains, survivors and other participants personally. In order to make the kickoff stick, I think that we should somehow relate to each and every person that attends the kickoff. We could do this through touching Survivor Stories or pictures of captains and their loved ones who have suffered from cancer hanging up around the room. In return, the team captains will be reminded of the importance of raising money for the American Cancer Society and partake in the Law of Few. Suddenly, everyone in the community pumped up about Relay For Life in the spring.

Just recently, I have witnessed a tipping point occur in Milledgeville. Phillip Joiner (my boss) is running for City Council. At first, Phillip asked a select few of us to help him get his name out there so that, hopefully, he would be elected to represent District 4 of Milledgeville (consisting of mostly college students). It was a group of no more than ten of us. We sat around and brainstormed for the first few meetings, discussing the best ways to actually get college students to the polls to vote for him. Like I mentioned before, we decided to connect to these college students on a personal level and have registered over 600 students to vote in Baldwin County. Phillip, being a GCSU amumnae, understands the importance of college students in the city. Without us, several local businesses wouldn't be in business. However, City Council has repeatedly passed legislation that had a negative effect on our college community. Most recently, for example, they passed a housing ordinance within city limits where no more than three unrelated people could live in the same house. Several students were forced to move and/or find other roommates. Therefore, Phillip's slogan, "I want to be heard," has pumped up the college community. At our last meeting, there were nearly 30 people there supporting Phillip and his campaign. Local businesses have also put on benefits for his cause. All of a sudden, the entire college community is rooting and campaigning for Phillip. His Facebook group has reached almost 700 people, several of whom dedicate their statuses to his cause-reminding people to vote, etc. This is a real-life example of the Three Rules of Epidemics causing everything to change all at once.

Say Goodbye to Guacamole... No Way!

Throughout my childhood, the term "global warming" was not a big issue. Had you asked me two days ago what I am doing to reduce global warming, I would have probably said... "There's nothing I can do about it." Of course my parents constantly complained when my sister and I would leave on every light in the house or forget to cut off the water while brushing our teeth, but to be completely honest, I assumed they were just wanting to save a little money on the bills that month.

When Dr. Miller, my public relations professor, introduced my PR administration class to Blog Action Day, I was amazed. Nearly 8,000 bloggers from 140 different countries blogging about the same issue of global importance... Must be about something important! Then I heard the topic-- Climate change. Oh no! I had absolutely zero knowledge on the subject. It's not that I did not believe that it was going on (surely the smartest scientists in the world wouldn't make something of this magnitude up), but I always thought it was the big industries causing the increase in average temperatures.

Okay, so it's getting a little warmer every year. Of course I miss the little snow that Georgia saw every winter when I was young and making snow sleds out of floats from the pool. However, I love the short winters and warm spring breaks. A link on the Blog Action Day website led me to "The Top 100 Effects of Global Warming." Immediately, I wanted to make a difference! All of my favorite things were on the "Goodbye" list, including: wine, Christmas trees, fly fishing, the great American past time of baseball, my favorite snack-guacamole and many more. With rising temperatures, the website also informed me that I would have more itchy mosquito bites, poison ivy, tornadoes (yikes!) and several of my other worst nightmares.

There are several things that I can do now to help out with climate change. Starting now, I am going to recycle, quit using plastic bottles, plant some trees, buy some of the weird looking LED bulbs, hang up more clothes to dry rather than using the dryer and take advantage of car pooling when traveling with friends. My car, although not electric, does get an average of 30 miles per gallon, but I have realized that I definitely need to cut back on my "joy riding" time to help with the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Since I am a PR major, it is my job to spread the word! I am immediately going to start by informing my friends of the dangers of climate change, ways that they can help out and why it's important. I may also look into getting involved with a local organization that focuses on global warming and help speak out on the situation. I mean... This is pubic relations.

One day, I hope to work in the public relations department of NASCAR. I have grown up around the sport and thoroughly enjoy everything about it. When I typed in "NASCAR and global warming" into my search bar, I expected hundreds of websites dedicated to the million ways NASCAR contributes to climate change. Surprisingly, however, the entire first page of results were ways in which the corporation was taking their own steps to help out with the issue. This year, in fact, NASCAR began planting trees at Cup races "to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of NASCAR, while raising awareness of conservation among fans," NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said (nascar.com). In just one year, NASCAR will plant 20 acres of of new trees. In addition, several drivers are beginning to work on the levels of carbon dioxide emitted by their cars by working with hybrid technologies. NASCAR's green initiative is off to a good start, and if I get a job there one day, I would be thrilled to help out with this wonderful project.

If you're like me and think that there is nothing you can do to help out with climate change, do some research! I guarantee that your opinion on the situation will be changed drastically. Thanks to Blog Action Day, I plan on making the world a better place to live!

OMG How the World Has Changed

Social networking has grown into a natural part of everyone's daily lives. According to Nielsen Online, 10% of time spent on the Internet was devoted to blogs and other social networking websites in 2008 (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Today, Facebook alone has over 300 million active users. Over the years, these users have developed hundreds of acronyms to make their social networking easier and faster. One of which, WTF (what the... you get the picture), had been the acronym for a well reknown lobbying coalition in Wisconsin.
According to Journal Sentinel in Milwaukee, the employees of Wisconsin Tourism Federation "couldn't possibly have predicted how the Internet would change the lingo." After thirty years of dedicated service to the tourism industry, the business finally gave into temptation and changed their name to the Tourism Federation of Wisconsin (TFW). A spokesperson for TFW said that they didn't want it to detract from their mission. No longer will preteens be able to giggle every time one of the businesses' commercials airs on television.
I personally find it amazing how much social networking has changed the world I live in. Ten years ago, if someone abbreviated a cliche phrase, I would have been dumbfounded. However, our fast-paced society is always seeking faster and easier ways to communicate. I wonder what social networking will be like 10 years from now...

My First "Pitching" Experience

Over the course of the semester, my public relations administration class is responsible for planning and putting on the annual Baldwin County Relay For Life Kickoff event. The class was divided up into five groups of three to come up with our own ideas for the event. Every group was responsible for coming up with a catchy slogan, decoration plans, food arrangements (with budget), an invitation, a menu and other arrangements necessary to produce a successful event. Since our slogan had to fit into an overall birthday theme, my group came up with "Pin the Cure on Cancer." We would keep the event casual, like a birthday party you would have as a child. Each person who attended the event would receive a goodie bag containing candy, a birthday hat and noise makers upon their arrival. We also decided to have a magician in the "meet and greet room" where they could enjoy balloons, magic tricks and popcorn as an appetizer. In this room, we would also set up a card making station where attendees could make birthday cards for cancer patients in the local hospital. We created buttons (or pins) that had the slogan on them for team leaders to wear. The menu would also be simple, consisting of the choice of a hamburger or hotdog, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad and chips. Desserts would also serve as decoration and would be provided on each table as a centerpiece (cupcake tier with Relay colored cupcakes). Each cupcake would have a birthday candle in it which would be lit at the end of the ceremony in memory of someone who has suffered with cancer.
Our group was not chosen for the event, but the Relay Committee was very intringued by one of our ideas (which I just so happened to have come up with). I thought since it was a "birthday party," why not celebrate it being Relay For Life's 26th birthday. Therefore, I made a large, three-dimensional birthday candle as an example for the pitch. At the actual event, I wanted to set up 26 along one wall with a banner hanging above it saying something along the lines of "Relay For Life, celebrating 26 years of dedicated service to the American Cancer Society." The committee loved this idea and decided to incorporate the candles into the actual event.
Although our group was not chosen, this experience taught me a lot about the event planning world. First and foremost, event planning is stressful, but it is important to learn how to manage your stress so that your pitch is delivered clearly. I also learned that even if your theme isn't chosen, that does not mean that a committee does not like any of your ideas. In addition to the candles, the committee also kept our food and meet and greet ideas as well. It was a great experience and I look forward to the kickoff in November.

Really? Flooding in Georgia?

It seems like all of the prayers for rain in Georgia were answered all at once! If someone had told me a month ago that Georgia was going to see 12 inches of rain in one day, I probably would have laughed in their face. However, after several days of continuous rain, the death toll has risen to nine and several school districts in Metro Atlanta have cancelled school. Sunday, some counties in Metro Atlanta had over 14 inches of rain. Major roadways, including I285 and I20, were closed due to the rivers that were raging across the bridges.

The Home Depot Foundation has donated $100,000 to the cleanup and rebuilding effort in Atlanta, with $50,000 going to the American Red Cross for immediate emergency disaster assistance and another $50,000 to go to the longer term rebuilding process. The corporation has already assisted local cities with emergency releif efforts including the donation of tarps, wet patch roof cement, bottled water and buckets.
Although no rain is currently in the five day forecast for Atlanta, it could be weeks until we see water levels return to normal in the area.

Kanye West-Bad PR?

For the first time, a country singer won "Best Female Video"at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. As Taylor Swift gave her acceptance speech, hip-hop artist Kanye West took the microphone from the seventeen year old star and announced to the audience that "Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!". As I watched the awards live on television, at first I thought it was all a joke. However, the reaction from the audience and the look on Beyonce's face made me quickly realize that this was no joke! Shocked and embarrassed, Taylor did not finish her speech and walked off the stage. To Kanye's satisfaction, Beyonce did win the VMA for "Video of the Year" and let Taylor come back out and give her acceptance speech in her place.
Within minutes of the incidence, the Internet was flooded with YouTube videos and blogs about Kanye West. Although there were some devout fans who still took up for the artist, most people referred to him as "racist, rude, inconciderate" and several other demeaning words. Even President Obama called him a "jackass" in an off-the-record television interview Monday night.
Will Kanye West become more or less popular after this incidence? Martha Stewart went to jail and came out more popular than she was before! However, in my opinion, this event was an example of awful PR. Although some fans will remain loyal, I believe that he will lose a big proportion of his fans who listen to rap and country (like myself). The majority of onlookers felt bad for Taylor Swift (good PR) and touched by what Beyonce did (good PR). However, like the many bloggers and President said, most people are disappointed in Kanye West's actions. Although he did apologize on The Jay Leno Show, was it enough to change the negative opinions people have formulated? I will find it very interesting to see how this event affects his fan base. Will he sell as many albums when his next album releases? Will his concerts still sell out? Right now, I am sure that his manager is working hard on his PR to improve his image to his fans.

My PR skills (and those I still need to work on)

After reviewing the skills listed on davefleet.com required to be a successful Public Relations professional, I realized that my college training thus far has been a great success! I feel that I possess more on the list than I lack, which made me a little more comfortable about graduating in a couple short semesters! These are the qualities that I feel I have in my back pocket:
1. Writing skills- Teachers in grade school as well as professors in college have complemented my writing style. I feel
pretty comfortable with my writing skills.
2. Communication skills- Like I've said before, I can pretty much talk to anyone!
3. Attention to detail- I find myself proofreading my papers and doing more research than is necessary.
4. Media Relations- I have updated and created media lists for several businesses now. I know what to ask when I
call.
5. Proactiveness- I hate not knowing the answer, and I will do whatever it takes to find out!
6. Work ethic- I do not mind putting in a little extra effort to ensure that things are done right.
7. Blogging- I am starting to get the hang of blogging and actually enjoy it!
8. Social networking tools- I check my Facebook at least four times a day... enough said!
The way I look at it, that's more than half! The remaining six topics I am familiar with, but can not say that I am comfortable with them yet. For example, microblogging (Twitter). As I try to figure it out, I get extremely frustrated, but I am hanging in there and am feeling a little more comfortable with it each day. I do have an open mind and look forward to learning more about each remaining topic (I was a little skeptical about blogging at first, but now I love it).

Tori Cantrell

Why Public Relations?

Throughout my life, my parents have always said that I "saw the world through rose colored glasses."  According to them, I never met a stranger and could "talk to anyone until they were blue in the face."  Growing up, I never thought anything about not being a shy person- it was just one more thing that made my sister and I polar opposites!  I loved talking to people and learning how everyone was unique in their own way.  I always found a way to relate to people and that's what I enjoyed doing!  

During my talkative childhood, I never imagined that my blabber mouth would help me decide on a career path.  Going into college, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I "grew up."  I knew that whichever major I chose had to be a Liberal Arts major, because I had recently been awarded the Vera Lucille Vincent Scholarship at Georgia College & State University (a Liberal Arts scholarship for people with good academics and community service hours).  As my mom and I looked through the different majors, my mom immediately noticed the words 'Public Relations.'  "This is it!  This major has your name written all over it," Mom said.  However I had no clue what Public Relations was.  She explained to me that it would be a job where I talked to people a lot, did not sit behind a desk all day and would get to write often.  All of those things I enjoyed, so Public Relations it was!

I guess that you could say that my mom "chose my major for me," but I wouldn't call it that.  She simply pointed me in the right direction.  So far I think that she did a great job helping me choose my major, because I have actually enjoyed running around like a chicken with my head cut off constantly. I enjoy being busy and am looking forward to learning more about Public Relations in the years to come!      

Until Next Time, Tori Cantrell