tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330234012012-02-16T22:21:35.292-05:00This is my PR blog where I will offer my thoughts and opinions concerning the PR industry and what we do.Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.comBlogger911100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-12722100403375011192010-02-21T22:30:00.003-05:002010-02-21T22:46:12.797-05:00

After nearly four years of sharing my opinions and insights on public relations industry news and trends, I have decided to stop blogging. I really enjoyed this while it lasted but I have a lot going on in my life and have to prioritize what's on my plate. Thank you for reading my posts and sharing your feedback over the years. Sadly, all good things must come to an end.All the best,Tara

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-22427986136120252742009-03-30T11:07:00.004-04:002009-03-30T11:14:28.282-04:00

According to Editorsweblog.org, the New York Times will implement pay cuts of 5% for nine months starting in April.Sadly, the cuts extend to the business side with 100 people on the chopping block for layoffs. Staff who receive pay cuts will be granted ten extra vacation days and have been told that their salaries will return to normal levels in 2010 if the economy improves.Read more about the

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-21635327781755246482009-01-29T17:11:00.007-05:002009-03-30T11:17:14.035-04:00

MediaBistro just posted a story about a new web service called BuzZGain. Check out the details here. One of the comments to the article brought up a really good point about the importance of understanding the impact of coverage online, in broadcasts and in print about our clients and brands versus receiving a list of where the coverage ran.

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-86148497430293427642009-01-27T10:22:00.007-05:002009-01-27T12:31:35.520-05:00

Photo Credit: chicagopublicradio on FlickrFrom today's AP article: "Blagojevich spent Monday making the rounds of news shows in New York, declaring his innocence but refusing to discuss the criminal allegations he faces. On ABC's "Good Morning America" and "The View," CNN's "Larry King Live" and more, Blagojevich would say only that the quotes in the criminal complaint were taken out of context."

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-10558914486122069112009-01-25T16:18:00.010-05:002009-01-25T17:01:14.636-05:00

Photo Source: Associated PressHas it really been four months since my last post? Ouch! In my defense, my client's busiest time of year is during the winter, we moved into Manhattan in January and I began grad school (I was accepted into NYU's Master of Science in Public Relations Corporate Communications-surprise!) this month also.So yes, times have been busy and good but I do miss blogging so

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-57125029389578383342008-09-18T13:16:00.004-04:002008-09-18T13:34:55.364-04:00

Brian Solis recently shared his viewpoint that there is no such thing a viral marketing...well sort of. "This isn't a campaign. This is something new, this is something we have to do every day," Solis said. CNET's story on Solis reports why Solis believes viral marketing isn't what many people think it is.Although I'm sure his statements will be misunderstood and misconstrued by some, I have to

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-60681903835526279372008-08-19T08:58:00.002-04:002008-08-19T09:00:50.312-04:00

If you're into Twitter, I highly recommend saving the link to the Twitter Brand Index for future reference. In addition to listing media that you can follow on Twitter, it also includes companies from various industries such as airlines, entertainment, even the government. So far in my Twitter experience, I've found the most useful updates are those from my local media. I can quickly get updates

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-63042811748916933072008-08-12T16:29:00.003-04:002008-08-12T16:32:06.570-04:00

Interesting read on MediaPost. Check it out..."Social Media: It's More than Facebook"

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-27098992558315390512008-07-29T15:20:00.004-04:002008-07-29T15:41:49.105-04:00

In case you haven't heard yet, The New York Times reports that product placements have found a new home in some TV news studios around the country.Read more here. Picture Source: The New York Times

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-38828183895685234792008-07-23T13:34:00.006-04:002008-07-23T18:00:44.290-04:00

MediaBistro posted a story this Wednesday titled, "It's Official: ProfNet vs. HARO," and the story does a nice job of summarizing a potential issue of stiff industry competition for ProfNet thanks to the quick success of HARO. To be completely transparent, I will admit that I am a current subscriber to the HARO list serve, own a copy of Shankman's eye-opening book, "Can We Do That?! Outrageous PR

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-45918025156961469502008-06-30T11:45:00.006-04:002008-06-30T14:07:57.603-04:00

The New York Times had an article today in their Media & Advertising section about how press releases with the appropriate word choice selection can receive attention from major news organizations. Target words suggested for use to gain buzz from one public relations practitioner in the article were: money, fat, cancer or sex. I'm not sure if I agree that this always works to a client's advantage

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-23653531241963625062008-06-27T15:44:00.008-04:002008-06-27T16:04:13.381-04:00

PRSA's PR Tactics and The Strategist Online posted a story today about potential problems on the horizon in the somewhat rocky relationship between media and bloggers. As media companies find new ways to to control the distribution of their content with content recognition systems, many bloggers are becoming frustrated with trying to keep information flowing freely over the Internet.Read the

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-45777809573172087542008-06-26T12:47:00.004-04:002008-06-26T12:58:11.584-04:00

Mixed Media Blogger Jeff Bercovici wrote an insightful post today about a poll that Conde Nast Portfolio did recently of their reader's opinions on The Wall Street Journal's change in quality (positive or negative) since Rupert Murdoch took control late last year. Jeff also interviewed media critics for feedback and I found Ken Auletta's perspective to be the most compelling and honest.New Yorker

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-41394876553795627112008-06-13T16:12:00.003-04:002008-06-13T16:16:53.102-04:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080613/pl_bloomberg/algnfleb4pew_1Picture Source: Associated PressTim Russert was an amazing journalist who will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him personally and also by those of us who watched him every Sunday on "Meet the Press."

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-86375631349752927012008-06-12T13:32:00.011-04:002008-06-12T15:30:48.771-04:00

MTVMusic VideosMTV ShowsEntertainment NewsPublicity efforts for Ashanti's newest record The Declaration sparked controversy and anti-violence protests among parent advocate groups and religious leaders in Los Angeles this week. In the music video for her latest single, "The Way That I Love You," Ashanti plays the role of a woman who discovers her boyfriend cheated on her and takes revenge by

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-87582963203342045592008-06-10T01:55:00.003-04:002008-06-10T01:59:16.025-04:00

Funny and pretty accurate: http://www.ereleases.com/pr/pr-Eight-Worst-Jobs.html

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-56161200731486182722008-06-03T10:07:00.008-04:002008-06-03T11:49:00.428-04:00

In case you haven't already heard, CBS Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen slammed the public relations industry earlier this week on the "Sunday Morning" program. After sharing his opinions about Scott McClellan's new book, Cohen decided to mock the public relations industry as a whole by suggesting McClellan's actions are more the rule than the exception in our industry. "Show me a PR person who is '

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-84212489712996880942008-05-12T14:56:00.008-04:002008-05-12T16:16:28.243-04:00

I have recently subscribed to Peter Shankman's Help a Reporter Out list-serve and absolutely love it. In addition to great query opportunities from journalists (similar to ProfNet) he also shares tips and advice in his daily e-mails. Today, he mentioned that there is a wiki listing PR companies who spam bloggers. For more thoughts on the PR agency spam wiki, see what Todd Defren of SHIFT

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-25317848207039601522008-04-29T09:07:00.005-04:002008-04-29T09:45:03.596-04:00

Picture Source: Associated Press.Broadcasting & Cable pointed out yesterday how all three presidential candidates have had their moments in the spotlight with political blunders captured on YouTube:-McCain’s mix up with Shiites (Iran) and Sunnis (al-Qaeda) (McCain's moment on one YouTube video has more than 11,000 views)-Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., shouting obscenities

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-52650895687221777312008-04-14T20:32:00.006-04:002008-04-14T22:15:47.363-04:00

By now you should know of my bias, love and admiration for the iPhone I received a few months ago. So of course, being the nerd that I am, I was extremely happy to find out that LinkedIn has new features available for mobile users and more specifically for the iPhone.Some of the new features include:- Sending messages to your connections via LinkedIn- See status updates in your network- Browse

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-91258090314995473732008-04-07T14:37:00.008-04:002008-04-07T15:50:11.976-04:00

CNN recently shared breaking news about Olympic protesters in San Francisco who have scaled the Golden Gate Bridge to hang banners saying "One World. One Dream. Free Tibet."This comes on the heels of aggressive protesting in both London and Paris where the Olympic Torch was even put onto a bus to keep it safe during a scheduled march.China's actions in Tibet have caused many people around the

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-49974938405943900022008-04-03T10:52:00.010-04:002008-04-03T11:59:44.420-04:00

Michael Nash, the soon to be head of digital strategy at Warner Music Group made the above comment in an interview with BusinessWeek about a joint venture between MySpace, Sony BMG and Universal Music Group.With CD sales continuing to decrease and record labels unhappy with the standardization that Apple has set up with selling music on iTunes, social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-37691724823178710132008-04-01T11:25:00.004-04:002008-04-01T13:09:20.059-04:00

A co-worker of mine, Katie Campbell, pointed out a really interesting idea to me this morning. Our agency is very tuned in to the professional networking web site, LinkedIn and we also have an account with ProfNet (a service where journalists can send queries out to the subscribed PR professionals looking for sources or ideas for their stories). My co-worker stumbled upon this posted question by

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-63188058992949723342008-03-28T09:53:00.018-04:002008-03-28T14:59:31.886-04:00

The quote above is from an article in today's New York Times, "Finding Political News Online, the Young Pass It On." This particular quote really stood out to me because I could identify with it. Although I try to consume as much news as I can because of the job I have, I will admit that I prefer hearing about the most important news from friends through text messages they send or a link e-mailed

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-30860191852130276452008-03-26T23:53:00.009-04:002008-03-27T00:36:33.594-04:00

On Valeria Maltoni's Conversation Agent blog today, she discussed a poll Ad Age conducted of the bloggers on the Power 150 and she made one point that really stood out to me because of its implications for public relations practitioners. Valeria shared that, "As our lives look and feel very busy, now more than ever, randomness and chance will favor the prepared marketer. Context matters in viral

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-60132881148479336402008-03-25T15:51:00.005-04:002008-03-25T17:40:06.113-04:00

On Bulldog Reporter's Daily Dog today, Richard Laermer from The Bad Pitch Blog, shared his insight into future PR trends and changes in the media landscape. He then discussed how that affects our strategy on the media relations side. I don't know if I agreed with everything he said, but he had a lot of great points and one that I could definitely relate to was the following:"Response (must be

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-18711536850921764572008-03-24T14:19:00.003-04:002008-03-24T15:28:23.916-04:00

Findings were released today from a study conducted by APCO Worldwide and the Council of Public Relations Firms (Council) on the State of Blog Relations. The study presented some interesting findings that I thought were noteworthy to share. PR executives and bloggers differ slightly on whether bloggers should be treated as journalists. When presented with the statement, “Bloggers are journalists

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-2023369955805303622008-03-21T22:50:00.013-04:002008-03-21T23:40:22.317-04:00

This should be like riding a bicycle again, right? My apologies to friends and colleagues who enjoyed reading my blog posts over the past year and a half. I have enjoyed blogging so much in the past but fell into a nasty habit of not writing for weeks on end which turned into months unfortunately.The good news is...I'm back! And with my thoughts on a new study released today by The Project for

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-22803921823734477232007-12-05T19:39:00.000-05:002007-12-05T20:08:48.170-05:00

Being a current user and advocate of Facebook, I have been a little concerned lately about the direction this social networking site is heading in just to please potential advertisers. I completely understand that the site has to make its money, but recent additions such as the Beacon platform which came out several weeks ago, worry me. I must not be alone in my concerns because today, Saul

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-54953679163145684282007-11-30T16:48:00.001-05:002007-11-30T16:55:17.613-05:00

Despite the year-long efforts of many retailers to be more environmentally-friendly this year, "green" marketing during holiday shopping may be limited this season. According to one expert cited in an article from Bulldog Reporter's Daily Dog, consumers are not supporting green endeavors with the green bills in their wallets. Another expert however, claims this is far from true. Marshal Cohen,

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-83910156174025829332007-10-25T13:59:00.000-04:002007-10-25T17:26:39.172-04:00

I have always been a fan of quirky, "out of the box" promotional ideas to raise awareness or share information about a product or service. I've always been a big believer in doing something unique that most other companies or clients haven't been creative enough to pull off. That's why I was very impressed to read the latest news article regarding the Lackawanna County Convention & Visitors

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-72216231055280728422007-09-26T15:20:00.000-04:002007-09-26T15:44:39.492-04:00

Okay, so I don't have a very good excuse for not blogging in over a month (groan). However, I will say that the past three months have been amazing for me professionally, so it doesn't surprise me that I haven't had time to share my thoughts and experiences.For one thing, this is my first time working full-time in an agency. Two prior internship experiences with Edelman and Golin Harris

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-75305207986131893422007-08-14T00:10:00.000-04:002007-08-14T00:37:32.208-04:00

I read the PRSA PR Tactics and The Strategist Online article today titled, "Looking back: Consumers wonder, could milk be radioactive?" It's a part of PRSA's special compilation of articles that celebrate the 60th anniversary of PRSA.I found it to be an interesting article for several reasons:1. The simplistic approach that the company's PR team took to evaluating the problem."The problem was

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-60738367936054650222007-08-12T20:10:00.001-04:002007-08-12T20:40:44.340-04:00

Well, I realize it's been a few weeks since my last post. Let's just say that life is still busy post-marriage and especially since I have a new job now. Speaking of which, the job is going really well! I have two consumer accounts where I am gaining a lot of great media relations, event planning and campaign management experience.With that said, I might only be able to post once every week (

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-26580268908615603262007-07-24T22:05:00.000-04:002007-07-24T23:31:00.493-04:00

Ronn Torossian, President and CEO of 5W Public Relations wrote on his Thoughts From Ronn Torossian blog about his opinions on the NBA's future PR nightmare regarding the scandal with NBA referee Tim Donaghy.Ronn points out that, "There's a big difference between this and the Michael Vick or "Pacman" Jones issues, which have marred the NFL off-season. Those issues have been NFL off-the-field

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-45947871762724166412007-07-12T13:51:00.001-04:002007-07-12T14:12:49.915-04:00

On Sally Falkow's proactive blog, she shares her suggestions as well as others on effective ways to incorporate social media into your Internet marketing strategy. I think the links were very helpful and I'm glad she and other like minds are discussing ways to be effective with social media now that Web 2.0 applications are becoming more prevalent. The more popular social media becomes, the more

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-82256818683059664762007-07-06T15:23:00.000-04:002007-07-06T17:53:18.831-04:00

Peter Himler provides an insightful blog post on media saturation in his blog, The Flack. He compares the publicity the new Harry Potter movie receives, the iPhone and the BBC hostage who was recently found to shed light on when the media attention can be a help or a burden.I encourage reading through his post and checking out the useful links he shares to see how some journalists view the amount

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-40037094557489489082007-07-05T12:22:00.000-04:002007-07-05T12:58:05.991-04:00

Has it really been two weeks since I last posted?! Okay, while I did promise to continue posting after the honeymoon, I got a little swept away with being a newlywed and more accurately, a little lazy. But, I'm back!And, with a new name to boot. Please let me introduce myself...the new, Tara Lynn Smith.As you may remember from my last post, I began a new job with The Haystack Group and I am

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-291504777460886952007-06-18T20:42:00.000-04:002007-06-18T21:10:27.043-04:00

Well, the wedding countdown is officially 5 days and going strong! Speaking of which, I will probably stop posting from Thursday, June 21 - Sunday, July 1 since I'll be on my honeymoon.Well, the announcement I have to make is probably obvious now after seeing the title. I have a new job!My last day with the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau is this Thursday, June 21. I have accepted an

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-62889143017893255362007-06-15T14:02:00.000-04:002007-06-15T16:17:48.995-04:00

PRSA announced today that Megan Colligan, Paramount Vantage executive vice president of Publicity and Promotions; Buffy Shutt, Participant Productions executive vice president for Marketing; and Michael Feldman, Glover Park Group founding partner were named as the PR Professionals of the Year.PRSA's Silver Anvil Awards were last night in the Equitable Tower in New York City. Vice President Al

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-63023622046579885632007-06-14T15:56:00.000-04:002007-06-14T16:32:08.245-04:00

Richard Edelman, the president and CEO of Edelman, discussed the New Media Academic Summit that PRWeek and Edelman are hosting right now.His post summarized insightful comments from media executives and even the Dean of the Columbia Journalism School.Edelman concluded his post discussing his view on how our role in public relations will evolve into "open advocacy." He reminded us of the need for

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-2046909932725092072007-06-13T23:52:00.001-04:002007-06-13T23:53:37.815-04:00

One very busy day...and little time to write. However, a good find from Bulldog Reporter talking about PR people and how we interact with bloggers perked me up as I ended my day, so I pass on for you to enjoy. John Biggs, editor in chief at Crunch Gear,a blog about gadgets and computer hardware, offers a blogger's insight into what public relations departments should be doing to improve their

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-60738786119447446472007-06-12T13:16:00.000-04:002007-06-12T13:35:03.873-04:00

Bulldog Reporter has a great section on their Daily Dog part of the web site called "Journalists Speak Out." It usually has very helpful insights on best practices when working with media with advice given straight from the horse's mouth.The most recent article featured Pamela Kaufman, executive editor at Food & Wine. She offered three key points that you can read more about in the article:1.

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-70320985817829786032007-06-11T23:19:00.001-04:002007-06-11T23:23:45.401-04:00

A previous post I wrote regarding layoffs of newspaper staff at major dailies on the West Coast is unfortunately followed up with additional disheartening news. Journalism fellowship programs are feeling the fallout of the media industry's turmoil. Some prominent universities have noticed a drop in applications from American journalists. Stanford, MIT and Harvard report a decline in journalists

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-8022531051415735762007-06-11T22:22:00.000-04:002007-06-11T23:13:21.073-04:00

While reliving my glory days as a Penn Stater this evening and perusing the 2007 Homecoming web site I stumbled across great excitement in the online press room.A story about the new 2007 logo had badges that allowed me to blog about the article!While this might not seem amazing at first, it doesn't take long to see why this is so exciting. Back in the day (cough, cough - 2 or 3 years ago...okay

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-26967322623584536892007-06-11T14:36:00.001-04:002007-06-11T23:13:47.633-04:00

Hello! Just a quick note that while I do intend to write today, I might be a bit delayed in doing so with the wedding right around the corner. Countdown: 12 days.

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-58636314996784089182007-06-07T22:53:00.000-04:002007-06-07T23:33:37.760-04:00

I attended the PRSA GA monthly luncheon today that included a fantastic seminar about how some companies are incorporating virtual worlds like Second Life into their communications plans.The speakers included: Paul Greenberg, director, consumer marketing, The Weather Channel Companies; Rhonda Lowry, vice president, New Products Group, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.; Janice Nall, director,

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-4162842906543972412007-06-06T09:26:00.001-04:002007-06-06T09:32:22.918-04:00

Sally Falkow talks about the Online Revealed Canada show in her blog, The Leading Edge and shares some important takeways for those of us in the travel industry to be aware of if we want to incorporate social media into our business plan.read more | digg story

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-9799023935501443592007-06-05T15:32:00.001-04:002007-06-05T16:16:57.680-04:00

David Meerman Scott, the author of "The New Rules of Marketing & PR" wrote a very helpful article today that gives some insight into why traditional public relations methods won't be effective with bloggers. He has some great advice on how to incorporate bloggers into your communications plan.read more | digg story

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-35469298856139953942007-06-04T12:20:00.000-04:002007-06-04T12:41:00.471-04:00

Bulldog Reporter's Daily Dog ran a story today about the various layoffs at West Coast newspapers. Staff at the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News will all be adding to the growing trend of downsizing newsrooms.It's a strange development to observe, especially on the public relations side. While we all have known for quite some time that advertisers were going to

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-39591239053770062692007-06-01T14:25:00.001-04:002007-06-01T14:27:44.250-04:00

Advertising Age has an article about several companies who have stepped into Second Life (SL) for virtual marketing and branding. Some great examples of how these companies interact with the SL residents is shared as well as tips on what to do and not do in order to be a successful organization in SL.NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In the Wild West that is virtual-world marketing, Coca-Cola is the latest

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-51971286826077197392007-05-31T17:31:00.001-04:002007-06-01T14:30:58.109-04:00

The PR folks over at Eastwick Communications dealt with an opposing view from Mike Keliher about their new social media newsroom very well today.As you may remember, I had nothing but high regards for their efforts in my previous post.I think this is a terrific example of how social media enables you to have a conversation with others about why your organization chooses one path versus another.

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-89642388375359319612007-05-31T15:52:00.000-04:002007-05-31T16:04:09.962-04:00

I can't believe I have just now discovered this podcast, but in case you haven't either, it's called "For Immediate Release." It's a podcast with new episodes every two weeks. The podcast features book reviews, interviews with prominent figures and even speeches and recordings from conferences.The podcast creators are Neville Hobson, ABC and Shel Holtz, ABC. After listening to today's podcast, I

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-33450223605269482292007-05-30T17:14:00.001-04:002007-06-01T14:28:05.559-04:00

BU president Bob Brown is test-driving the slogan "Boston's University" for his sprawling institution of higher learning. The new moniker may be the centerpiece of a campaign to rebrand what Brown's predecessor called, none too convincingly, "the third great university on the Charles."read more | digg story

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-76158040928057049302007-05-24T17:20:00.000-04:002007-05-30T20:49:45.418-04:00

Two recent news items that I ran across and was very impressed to read about...KFC Embraces Social Media Trend: Fast Foodie Taps User-Generated Video Snippets to Compile "American Idol" CommercialKFC's ad agency gathered user-generated content from YouTube and MySpace for a commercial during American Idol's finale earlier this week.Bulldog Reporter summarizes the story and hits upon the idea that

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-47870222665588533692007-05-23T13:30:00.000-04:002007-06-01T14:30:37.716-04:00

Hopefully you've already heard about this fascinating new initiative from Ragan Communications, Inc. I just signed up on it today since one of my co-workers (shout out to Liesl!) forwarded me the information.Myragan.com, a Facebook or MySpace style site for communicators and media is garnering a lot of attention lately since its launch.What I enjoy most about the site so far is that it's very

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-17152044831749365622007-05-22T11:14:00.000-04:002007-05-22T11:40:14.151-04:00

Sally Falkow's blog, The Leading Edge, had a great post yesterday about a recent survey on Blogging in other countries and she offers wonderful tips on integrating our media relations practices.Rebecca McKinnon, a blogger/journalist/educator, conducted the survey with results that I found of great importance.One of the results mentioned was that 90% of journalists in China cover blogs. Another

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-43721315684971538782007-05-18T15:16:00.000-04:002007-06-01T14:30:37.717-04:00

Did you love that alliteration? Okay, I know...it means I'm officially a geek for doing so, but I couldn't resist!PR Newswire ran a story today, "Word of Mouth the #1 Influence on Business Buying Decisions" that highlighted a recent study conducted by U.S. and U.K. executives for market research.The study results showed what I have always hoped to be true: That word of mouth (a.k.a. WOM)

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-53615675791309526002007-05-15T15:47:00.000-04:002007-05-15T15:55:08.888-04:00

Steve Rubel's Micro Persuasion Blog had a great post on editorial calendars in the blogosphere. I think it's a neat idea and while I probably won't use it myself right now (so little time to plan ahead!), I highly encourage its use!

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-79687665334567182622007-05-15T14:37:00.000-04:002007-06-01T14:31:21.442-04:00

The Bad Pitch Blog had an interesting post about a product launch from Weber Shandwick for Odwalla. I thought this was a great idea for product publicity, so if you haven't already read about it, check it out!The Bad Pitch Blog: The So(y) Smart Pitch

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-31217017150086288212007-05-15T09:10:00.000-04:002007-06-01T14:31:39.129-04:00

Eastwick Communications has begun an initiative that should prove to be a good test run for converging social media with traditional on-line press rooms.Based in Silicon Valley, this mid-size PR firm will help its clients brave the new world of social media by giving them the opportunity to post news and video or audio files to the agency's social media newsroom.I went and checked out the

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-91899275463783939642007-05-14T15:53:00.000-04:002007-05-14T16:47:30.386-04:00

David Vaina with the Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ), recently reported that, "despite revenue and circulation problems, job cuts, and budget slashing in many newsrooms, 73% percent of 2005 print journalism graduates found full-time employment in their industry."While this fact was very startling to me because of its high percentage and increase from past years, there was even more

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-48409079607715093852007-05-04T10:31:00.000-04:002007-05-14T16:47:02.388-04:00

Okay, I know it's been almost a month since my last post. Horrible, right? Well, I have something to say now and not surprisingly, it's about that not-so-strategic company, Circuit City.In my two most recent posts, I talked about why I disagreed with Circuit City's layoff of its most experienced workers in exchange for cheaper labor.Apparently, their latest mistake has backfired on them.

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-87579169456426770872007-04-09T10:39:00.000-04:002007-04-09T11:29:36.041-04:00

According to a Los Angeles Times article, it appears that some of the laid off workers from Circuit City are fighting back.The only public relations question I pose regarding this is: Was there a communications strategy in place to deal with the possible backlash at these firings?Because, now that this is a pending legal situation, the company spokesperson is unable to comment. That doesn't

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-67570649330834907282007-03-30T12:15:00.000-04:002007-05-31T16:07:58.857-04:00

Okay, so I won't pretend to be a business whiz or anything. But honestly, when Circuit City announces to the world that it is laying off about nine percent of its workers so it can re-hire cheaper ones, I have a question:How does anyone in communications at this company think that this communications strategy was good for their already weak image?Where's the tact? And where was the strategy?While

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-53618663182572221452007-03-30T00:20:00.000-04:002007-03-30T00:27:10.530-04:00

I know. It seems as though it's been absolutely ages since I last posted something and I know that must make returning to my blog every now and again less and less enticing. I'm sorry!Life and work have both been crazy.As you know, I get married in June and every time I'm not doing something, I feel less guilty if I do wedding stuff rather than blog. Plus, to be completely honest, I haven't had

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-50285248641571919332007-02-26T09:38:00.000-05:002007-05-31T16:08:29.210-04:00

Bulldog Reporter ran an article recently about how the new PR manager for Audi, Celeste Atkinson, is building relationships with media and celebrities to generate buzz for the European luxury car.In the past few days before the Oscars began, Audis were seen shuttling celebrities from one awards party to the next and noteworthy celebs such as Elton John were seen being touted around.While I can

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-39926176614873046792007-02-21T15:13:00.000-05:002007-05-31T16:19:20.033-04:00

David Kiley of Business Week wrote on his Brand New Day blog today about the GM Suicide ad that was pulled due to pressure from suicide prevention groups and families. Apparently it had a robot from the assembly line jumping off of a bridge.I haven't actually seen the ad, but the pressure from mental health and suicide prevention groups was enough to make the company and its ad agency Deutsch Inc

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-56816306384822342982007-02-20T10:23:00.000-05:002007-02-20T10:34:38.211-05:00

Linda VandeVrede of VandeVrede Public Relations wrote a great op-ed on Bulldog Reporter today titled, "The Dark Side of Social Media: Press Releases Are Not a PR Strategy."More than the releaseI think she addressed a very important issue in that press releases should only be one part of effective communications planning. And with the ease and convenience that comes with social media, it can be

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-44859241190482546442007-02-19T22:42:00.000-05:002007-02-20T00:22:54.458-05:00

I finally gave in.I didn't understand what Second Life was really all about and I will admit that I hadn't read any news reports about it either...so that probably didn't aid in my education.I did know it was a 3D world "owned" by its inhabitants, but did you know it's been open to the public since 2003? I had no clue how behind I was on this whole thing. As of today, there are 3,771,111

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1170367622002774212007-02-01T17:04:00.000-05:002007-05-31T16:20:08.961-04:00

On Bulldog Reporter today, Jeff Crilley, an Emmy award winning reporter, offered several suggestions for having a successful public relations campaign. I really enjoyed what he wrote because it was short, sweet, to the point and a great reality check.His seven suggestions were as follows, with more elaboration by him in the article:1. Failure to do homework.I think he brings up a very valid point

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1169611570202707142007-01-23T22:46:00.001-05:002007-01-24T00:26:44.563-05:00

Business sounds like a "sound" investmentI don't know when I will know for sure what the answer to this question is for me. One part of me wants to add on to my business minor courses that I enjoyed and felt challenged by in college. So I figure the MBA allows me the opportunity to better my business acumen and understanding of how a business is run.But...public relations is what I loveOn the

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1168709907075723832007-01-13T11:57:00.000-05:002007-01-23T12:45:48.876-05:00

Owen Lystrup, just summarized some interesting ideas on why blog posts can be boring on his blog, Into PR.So this got me to thinking about the blog posts I enjoy the most. I really ought to start keeping track of what attracts to me someone's blog or a post so that I can learn from it and improve more on my own blogging.For one thing, I love short posts. I know it seems hypocritical to name this

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1168704497987235092007-01-13T10:58:00.000-05:002007-01-13T17:27:54.356-05:00

I know the New Year began thirteen days ago, but cut me some slack. Life has been very busy and blogging hasn't been at the top of my list for good reason! Though I rarely delve into my personal life and share on my blog, I will mention that I am in preparation for a wedding right now...mine!My fiance Daniel and I are getting married on Sunday, June 24 in Las Vegas. Neither of us have been before

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1167545052182303262006-12-31T00:55:00.000-05:002006-12-31T01:52:07.650-05:00

According to Brandweek magazine, Target will be involved with the Countdown Entertainment and Times Square Alliance organizations that manage the special events for the New Year's Eve celebration in New York.The article commended Target for connecting with consumers in an emotional way without being too concerned about branding. Jeff Straus, executive producer of New Year's Eve in Times Square

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1166378454870041752006-12-17T12:47:00.000-05:002006-12-17T14:30:41.710-05:00

The other day, someone asked me a very good and simple question that I really had to dwell upon before answering. The question was, "What do you think are the best company blogs?"Since starting this public relations blog, I have been very interested in stories regarding prominent companies and if social media is being utilized by them. But I haven't posted on this very much for fear that I wasn't

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1165799564295690592006-12-10T20:05:00.000-05:002006-12-10T20:13:21.900-05:00

I always believe that if you are going to complain about something, then you ought to be the first one willing to take action for an effective solution.With that said, I thought I would share some reasons that blogs are considered profitable for a company since my recent post was me on my soap box upset with why we PR pros aren't blogging more.Bulldog Reporter gives you even more convincing

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1165795100067163242006-12-10T18:52:00.000-05:002006-12-31T01:40:17.176-05:00

Peppercom Strategic Communications and Bulldog Reporter recently released the results from an international survey on blogging. The survey looked at which public relations practitioners (United States or the United Kingdom) were most advanced in digital marketing.The survey produced some interesting results from the 1,100 professionals who participated. According to Bulldog Reporter, geography

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1165514819747436172006-12-07T12:49:00.000-05:002006-12-11T03:45:00.920-05:00

I'm not sure what Blockbuster's overall business strategy is with their on-line subscription program, but this plan doesn't sound half bad to me. According to an article on USNews.com about Blockbuster's offer to Netflix customers, any Netflix subscriber can bring in their mailing label from Netflix for a free rental at Blockbuster.It sounds like Blockbuster knows how to attract some of their

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1164469943371038982006-11-25T10:44:00.000-05:002006-12-02T10:40:59.843-05:00

Sorry I never posted an ending to my weekend with the BET Hip Hop Awards. Let's just say that I was knocked out upon returning home around midnight that Sunday and wasn't sure getting up for work on Monday was even possible.I did get up though, and stumbled through the rest of the week in a tired haze. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but the point is: It was intense, amazing, psychotic and

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1163220144929819242006-11-10T23:31:00.000-05:002006-11-13T03:27:51.440-05:00

Well, after applying, praying, and hoping to God that I would get selected - I was chosen last week to be a PR volunteer for the 1st annual BET Hip Hop Awards this weekend in my favorite new hometown: Atlanta.The city is abuzz with excitement right now because of all the star power in town and it's a great feeling to know I get to be behind the scenes and experiencing public relations for a major

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1162709987753058412006-11-05T01:59:00.000-05:002006-11-05T02:01:58.936-05:00

How fantastic! If you haven't heard about this yet, it's a new podcast that the PRSA Accreditation Board is doing on the value of the APR. I've really enjoyed the first two posts, so I highly recommend listening when you get the chance!Accreditation in Public Relations Podcasts: APRPod #1: Interview with Edward M. Bury, APR, about the Accreditation in Public Relations credential

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1162709295813480432006-11-05T00:39:00.000-05:002006-11-05T01:48:15.826-05:00

I have often wondered if work/life balance is something that develops from within you as an individual employee that you begin as a habit in the start of your career or if it's something that is unique to the environment you work within.Maybe it's a little bit of both?The challenge I face is that while I realize the importance of work/life balance, I also see that opportunities for promoting

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1162272983574735702006-10-31T00:27:00.000-05:002006-10-31T00:53:10.586-05:00

Unfortunately, it seems that GM is under a little heat for their recent commercials depicting American history and tragedies tied in with their trucks.I can respect that some people may find offense to American tragedies being depicted in a commercial where the main goal is to sell a truck. However, I don't think GM was sitting around with their advertising agency and saying, "Let's find negative

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1162003903151300442006-10-27T22:40:00.000-04:002006-12-02T10:43:19.156-05:00

I just wanted to write a quick post about how completely appreciative I am for the job I have. I sometimes wake up in the morning before work and can't quite believe that I get to do what I'm doing - and get paid for it!PR is IMHO one of the best professions to begin with anyway because it is a cost-effective, purposeful, and targeted way to communicate whatever message your company or client has

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1161836465616736612006-10-26T00:11:00.000-04:002006-12-02T10:47:26.186-05:00

I know, I know. I've been absent from my own blog for way too long. I should probably get punished or kicked off the blogosphere.In my defense, work has been absolutely nuts (in a great way), and any free time where I'm not at an event or networking has been spent exercising or cooking at home with my fiance. We're dorks, what can I say?Anyway, I had a thought a while back when I was first

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1158088722962738202006-09-12T15:12:00.000-04:002006-09-21T23:11:09.893-04:00

In my personal opinion, yes! I think that this addition of News Feeds on Facebook is really quite annoying, and extremely unnecessary. I'm not normally one to feel as though my privacy has been invaded, but this really is quite ridiculous.What exactly is this point of this horrible idea? According to an open letter on the site, Facebook creator Mark Zuckerburg wrote, “Somehow we missed this

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1157931359204552132006-09-10T19:30:00.000-04:002006-09-10T19:57:14.690-04:00

After writing previously about my disappointment with GM for not using their sponsorship break from CBS's Survivor show (which is separating contestants this season by race) to take a stand against discrimination; I would like to applaud Scholastic for using well executed PR strategy and well written public statements in their break from ABC's show.For those who don't know, apparently, ABC is

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1157118633182156802006-09-01T09:34:00.000-04:002006-10-28T00:57:57.720-04:00

I can understand if GM had decided months ago to not back Survivor for the first time in six years, but what I can't understand is why they didn't capitalize on a great moment for good corporate communications.In being a good corporate citizen, didn't they think it made sense to stand out and say, "Yes, we aren't going to support a show that promotes segregation!" While the decision may have been

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1156718659452539012006-08-27T18:31:00.000-04:002006-08-27T18:55:54.730-04:00

An article by the Seattle Times on job hopping got me to thinking about advancement in the PR field. How is it done successfully? Is there really a right way to do it or is it just dumb luck?I mean I look at people who have earned the title of manager, director, SVP, and I just think - what did they do to get there (some of them at such young ages)? Did they stay patiently at one firm or company

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33023401.post-1156024589370463462006-08-19T17:50:00.000-04:002006-08-28T10:58:37.076-04:00

After reading PRSA's quarterly Strategist feature articles about blogs, I decided that PR blogs are an extremely fun trend to become a part of. I never had much interest in blogs before (save a personal one I had about 3 posts on total from a year ago), but I am starting to see the purpose of blogging. I'm not quite sure what this blog will become, or what topics I'll cover, but I do know that

Tara Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07079770958644689048noreply@blogger.com3