Archive for October, 2009
New UNR Extended Studies Course Focuses on Personal Branding
Posted by: | CommentsIf Google is your new business card, then managing your personal brand online is critical. The University of Nevada, Reno Extended Studies Program offers a new course this November designed to assist students with hands-on techniques to build the online presence needed to remain competitive in today’s economy. “Google is Your New Business Card: Building a Valuable Personal Brand” is led by social networking, branding and entrepreneurship experts Bret L. Simmons, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, and Ronele Klingensmith, president of RKPR Inc. The 10-hour, four-session class assists students in discovering their personal brand and how to develop valuable content around that brand.
“With Google being a 21st-century electronic business card, it communicates one’s personal brand to the world–with a click of a mouse anyone can learn about you,” said Simmons. “Combine that with today’s intensely competitive business environment, and it’s even more essential to actively control what is being said about the value of someone’s unique skill set. You can control your brand and that’s what this course is about.”
Through hands-on coaching from social-media experts, students will learn how social-media tools correlate, as well as the most effective ways to use the tools discovered to create a personal brand. It will also go beyond traditional social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and static websites to demonstrate how to create and operate a dynamic blog and develop a presence on Twitter the right way.
Klingensmith founded RKPR Inc. in 2002 to provide clients with innovative communications strategies. With her 17 years of communications experience, Klingensmith offers a broad range of expertise with a variety of clients in various industries with strong emphasis on travel and tourism, focusing on the integration of social networking, new media and integrated communications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno and received her Accredited in Public Relations (APR) certification in 2003 from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
Simmons teaches classes in organizational behavior, entrepreneurial psychology and research methods at the University of Nevada, Reno. His research currently focuses on positive organizational behavior and employee performance. In addition to academic publications, his research has been featured in articles by US News & World Report and USA Today.
Class dates for “Google Is Your New Business Card” are November 2 and 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. and November 16 and 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. Registration is required for the course, for information visit online or call the Extended Studies office at 775-784-4046.
Volkswagen’s Fun Theory
Posted by: | CommentsRecently, I stumbled across a video (thanks to Facebook) that tested “the fun theory.” The video shows the everyday use of an escalator compared to the use of a stagnate staircase located right next to the escalator. It’s very apparent that more people chose to use the escalator in their daily paths. However, the idea was to test the theory that if an ordinary staircase was turned into something more fun people just might choose to take the stairs over the escalator.
Overnight, workers gathered materials and morphed the normal staircase into a piano staircase that, not only looked like a piano, but actually played music. The result was 66% more people than normal chose the fun piano stairs over the escalator.
The video is from a contest that Volkswagen is currently running to test the theory “that fun is the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better.” In this case by using the staircase, 66% more people than normal are getting added exercise.
This contest is the perfect example of a PR stunt. Volkswagen is getting their name out to the public solely through viral buzz. The contest deadline is November 15 and contestants must come up with their own ideas that will change people’s behavior for the better whether that’s through themselves, the environment or some other entity…all in the name of promoting Volkswagen. Now that is great PR!
Texting while driving PSA…too harsh?
Posted by: | CommentsA few weeks ago, I stumbled across this CNN newscast regarding a British PSA about texting while driving. I watched this video and then sent it out to all of my friends and family knowing how hard it would hit all of them.
This PSA is graphic to say the least and frighteningly realistic. The big question is, did they go too far with this video and is this a message that we should send out to, not only teen drivers, but all drivers?
Did you know that if you put a 20-year-old in the car with a cell phone their reaction time is the same as a 70-year-olds reaction time?
The Silver Spikes!
Posted by: | CommentsWe worked this week on preparing three great entries into this year’s PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) Sierra Nevada Chapter Silver Spike Awards. It’s a great exercise for us as a team, forcing us to step back from the work we’ve been so close to this past year and really look at our strategies, goals, tactics and outcomes for various clients. 
From this we’ll be more prepared to make recommendations for the coming year and adjust our strategies and tactics as needed to stay at the top of our game.
While I’d like to think that all of our work deserves an award for some reason or another, in the end our true reward is client satisfaction.
