How Choice of Speakers at Political National Conventions Helps Reach Voters: A Lesson in PR Tactics

     Every four years the atmosphere in the media takes a shift toward the impending presidential election. Two of the most anticipated events in politics are the Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent or have another party affiliation: Watching both national conventions is a perfect way to not only get informed on pressing issues of the election, but also to watch public relations practices in action.

       In order for candidates to get their constituents’ votes, candidates must know their constituents and be able to appeal to a vast range of needs. The speakers at both national conventions were key in attempting to reach as many different demographics of voters, and especially important in tallying up the Independent vote. The conventions allow both parties to highlight their accomplishments and generate support in weak areas, using PR strategies is an integral part of this process.

     According to an article on CBSnews.com, Hispanic voters hold the key in this year’s election. This isn’t just a matter of opinion; an appeal to Hispanic voters was evident at both the RNC and DNC. With minorities (especially Hispanic) leaning toward Obama in the polls, the RNC had to reach this demographic.  The choice of Florida Senator Marco Rubio and New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez to speak at the RNC was a PR strategy by the GOP to identify with Hispanic voters, even more so after its anti-immigration stance in the primaries did not fare well with minorities.

     On the other hand: Since President Obama is up for re-election and under scrutiny from Republicans for not keeping his promise of change, it was in the Democrats best interest to showcase what he has accomplished during his four years in office. An example of this was Arizona mom Stacey Lihn speaking on how Obamacare is benefiting her daughter, who was born with a heart defect. She explained that the Affordable Care Act prevents insurance policies from placing a lifetime cap on most benefits, emphasizing that this will allow her daughter’s insurance to cover the surgeries she needs. She even stressed the fact that if Romney wins and repeals Obamacare, she doesn’t know how she will be able to pay off her daughter’s medical bills. This PR tactic appealed to mothers across the board (even those with healthy children), while it also appealed to people with hefty medical bills. Plus, it demonstrated Obama’s reliability against Romney’s criticism. It highlighted that he did what he promised in the healthcare sector, a huge platform point in his 2008 campaign.

       Both conventions gave plenty of examples that showcase the careful PR strategies behind political campaigns; choice of speakers was only an aspect of it. From camera cues and angles, to video montage filled with inspiring music and citizen testimonies, public relations continues to silently dominate the behind-the-scenes work in politics throughout this election.

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Link to article: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-215_162-57363773/why-hispanics-hold-the-key-in-2012/ 

By: Ana Gomez, University of Florida PRSSA Online Strategy Committee

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Warner Bros. & "The Dark Knight Rises" Shooting: A Lesson in Crisis Management

     When a gunman opened fire on a movie theatre audience during an opening night screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo., the tragic fate of the victims would overshadow the success of the summer blockbuster.

     Warner Bros., the studio behind the film, came to recognize the scope of the tragedy and make several bold decisions to manage the crisis including:

1. Weekend box office totals for the film's July 20 (Friday) release were not provided until July 23 (Monday) out of respect for the victims and their families.

2. The studio canceled the Paris premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises" and all cast interviews on July 20, the day of the shooting.

3. The trailer for the film "Gangster Squad," which features a movie theater shooting scene, was removed from screenings of "The Dark Knight Rises." TV advertisements were also pulled for the Batman movie nationally.

     Finally, early on Friday, July 20, Warner Bros. released this statement: "Warner Bros. is deeply saddened to learn about this shocking incident. We extend our sincere sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims at this tragic time."

How "social" is social media?

The managers of social media sites are trying to get people to become fans of their pages or follow their Twitter accounts.

Once people start following Twitter and become fans of Facebook sites, the next goal is to get those users to read the content -- not just skim the content, but read and retain it.

That is a very difficult task. Some companies and organizations are using prizes to lure in users to "like" statuses or to comment on event pages. Other companies make competitions to see who can which users gain the most friends in the shortest time.

How "social" is social media though? Yes, everyone follows favorite people and looks at favorite pages, but how will companies get audiences to comment or respond, to get involved and feel attached to a company or organization.

The future of social media is unknown. Will there be regulation of social media or will social media continue to grow to be a bigger part of society?

Apple's Steve Jobs appears to unveil iPad 2 despite being on medical leave

 

Apple's CEO Steve Jobs surprised the public with his appeared at the debut of the iPad 2 on Wednesday. Jobs has been on medical leave since mid-January due to his battle with pancreatic cancer.

Some people say it was not good timing for him to make an appearance since it took some of the attention away from the new product and put it on assessing his health. But others think it boosted company morale and increased customers' confidence in the product since he is the revered face of the company.

What do you think? If you were in charge of Apple's public relations, would you have encouraged or discouraged Jobs' appearance?

The Oscars Win with Great PR

The Oscars are here again. On Sunday night, millions of viewers will sit on their couch and watch the glamor and prestige of the 83rd annual Academy Awards. The ceremony is the oldest media award ceremony and is televised in over 200 countries. Last year’s show had 41.62 million viewers. The Oscars have been called by some as one of the best examples of good public relations ever. How does the Academy do it?

One of the reasons that the Oscars is so prestigious is because it was the first. The first Academy Awards was held in 1929 as a way to make movies more popular as a leisure activity. The Oscars encouraged people to go to the movies and movies encouraged people to watch the Oscars. The ceremony was the best and first formal movie award ceremony and being the first is what gives the Oscars so much prestige.

And prestige is what gives the Oscars so many opportunities to capitalize on good public relations. All year round, movies advertise on the box as “nominated for an Academy Award” or “Winner of Best Picture.” Actors are constantly referred to as “Best Actress winner” or “Best Actress nominee.” Press for the Oscars occurs months before the actual event, building up anticipation for the ceremony held in February. In addition, red carpet before shows build up the anticipation for viewers even greater. Countdowns to the Oscars occur for months before the show on television stations, on websites, etc. And the shows never seem to disappoint, leaving viewers coming back year after year and maintaining some of the best public relations of any award ceremony on television.

Social media causes a worldwide revolution!

It's no surprise that social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter are popular worldwide. But who would have guessed they could cause a revolution and ultimately lead to the downfall of a president?

Well, just that happened in Egypt! Facebook groups promoting the early protests in Cairo gained popularity among hundreds of thousands of people. Facebook and Twitter were ultimately blocked by the government, but those experiencing the action found ways around this.

Journalists in Egypt posted as often as they could as the protests unfolded. The world watched, 140 characters at a time, as the protests turned violent.

Just over two weeks after the protests began, President Mubarak stepped down. Social media played a huge role in these events in Egypt, which shows just how powerful our words on Facebook can be.

Remember: every little character counts!

Here's a video that was posted on YouTube as the violent protests took place:

Job Market Looking Up

According to Simply Hired's U.S. Employment Trends Report for December 2010, the job market is improving. The top five hiring companies, nationwide are Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, HCA, Advance Auto Parts and the U.S. Air Force.

There is a 69.9 percent year-over-year increase since 2009 in terms of job openings nationwide. Retail and finance jobs continue to grow with a 37.3 percent growth.

This is a positive sign for those of us who will be graduating in the next couple of years. We can only hope that the market will continue to go up from here.

If you want to look at more specific information, visit the Simply Hired website for more information.