Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility, especially with regard to the environment, has become a major facet in surviving today’s green-obsessed corporate atmosphere. With global warming and the carbon footprint on the radar of every watch group, companies are trying harder than ever to create CSR campaigns that truly benefit their communities. Sometimes the campaigns win awards and audiences, but other times, they may be more of a formality than a movement towards change.

ExxonMobil, the largest integrated oil company in the world, releases a corporate citizenship report every year to let the world know what it plans to do in the global community. One of the biggest portions of the report is the environmental performance section. This section outlines various measures taken by the company to increase its involvement in environmental preservation and improvement. The 2006 report focused on global climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, spill prevention and environmental management. Within the report, ExxonMobil promises to operate in an environmentally responsible manner in everything that they do. Sounds like the company grabbed CSR and ran in the right direction, right?

SourceWatch, a watch-dog organization dedicated to documenting propaganda activities in the PR world, has written extensively on the lies surrounding ExxonMobil’s CSR promises. Questionable increases in profits amidst soaring gas prices, the boycott against progressive radio station Air America Radio and the large sums of money going to political and lobbying campaigns top the list of allegations against ExxonMobil. Even the tiger mascot has been questioned by assorted NGO’s who claim the corporation destroys the environment as it claims to be saving endangered Bengal tigers.

The main accusation surrounding the company, however, stems from a study published by the Union of Concerned Scientists. This study offers insight into ExxonMobil’s alleged disinformation tactics, much like the ones used by the tobacco industry, in its handling of climate change. According to the report, ExxonMobil has spent nearly $16 million between 1998 and 2005 on organizations specializing in climate change denial, purportedly funding 29 of these organizations in 2004 alone. These organizations publicly disagree with the climate change theory, and many completely reject the idea of climate change altogether. ExxonMobil paying companies to discard climate change theories? Doesn’t sound very responsible to me.

So I guess the user-friendly website and optimistic report are a keeping-up-with-the times strategy – the company realizes that CSR is a necessary element in surviving today’s business landscape, but it has yet to instill this model into its own corporate culture. Until a company can fully embrace CSR as part of its business model, empty promises and broken pledges will set the backdrop for potential change.

Realizing Dreams

In an earlier post, I mentioned that social media belongs to our age group, that we are the ones who know it best, so we should be the ones to utilize and manipulate it. Well, it seems as though my opinions have turned into reality.

invite media, an online video advertising startup company, came out of the brilliant minds of four University of Pennsylvania students. Seniors Zachary Weinberg, Nathaniel Turner, Scott Becker, and Michael Provenzano started with an application for Facebook, but have now changed their game plan to a full-on online display optimization company with a social network component. The last few months have seen them move from a small studio apartment in North Philadelphia to an office building at the heart of the city. A management team, board of directors, statistics team and engineering team combine to create the brain-power needed to pull off such an impressive project. With the help of angel investors, venture capitalists, and a 2007 Wharton Business School Venture Award, the guys have been working hard to get the company off and running.

Such determined and skillful college guys don’t come around too often, so check back for updates on their progress – I expect great things to come out of that small studio apartment.

Back in the USSR?

Although China has been the main focus of debates on Internet censorship, it does not stand alone. There are many countries currently employing and exploring censorship of the World Wide Web and they offer many excuses to rationalize this infringement on basic human rights.

Rumors of Russian censorship of the Internet started back in 2000, when Vladimir Putin became the acting president of the newly democratic country. This article from early 2000 describes Putin’s use of secret service to monitor the Web, complete with the “stopping crime and corruption” excuse given for the crack-down. A Freedom House article also from 2000, talks of the Russian government’s apparent restriction of Internet use in the name of protecting the public. In 2002, Johnson’s Russia List portrayed a denial issued by the Russian Interior Ministry in response to an article about censorship published in a Russian daily. The author of the Russian article stands by his source and story and describes it as a “warning sign” of impending abuse. As the years go by, the censorship rumors have not waned. 2005 brought with it numerous articles on the debate, ranging from Russian newspaper Pravda to Radio Free Europe, both regarding censorship as a problem for the country.

But the biggest concern comes out of an article published in 2007 on the Russian News and Information Agency website. This short article quotes President Putin as he denies Internet censorship in Russia, but then explains that law enforcement officers should monitor the Internet to make sure laws are observed and crimes not committed. This glaring contradiction is the root of the censorship problem. Governments consistently declare that censorship is an act of protecting its citizens, and refuse to refer to it as censorship, per se. As in Putin’s case, he sugar-coats the problem by describing it as a “law enforcement” issue. Just last month, a Russian blog compared its Internet censorship to that of China; earlier this month, another blogger was quoted on Radio Free Europe as saying he believed censorship would continue into Medvedev’s term.

The problem with censorship is obvious: it undermines people’s rights in an undemocratic way. But Russia’s case goes deeper than that. Two decades have not yet passed since the end of Communist rule in the country, and democracy is still fresh in the land. This censorship, however, reminds the world of what Russian government is capable of doing. During Communism, censorship ran rampant and this new democracy doesn’t seem to be doing anything to stop that. It almost seems that little by little, Russia is reverting back to a time of oppression and unconstitutional rule. If its government wants to earn respect as a democratic nation, it should start by opening up channels of communication. Even the slightest bit of censorship reminds the world of what once was. In Russia’s case then, its censorship is hurting more than just its citizens, but what can be done to stop it in the face of great excuses reminiscent of the Big Lie?

Something to Think About..

Today I read this very interesting post on the PR Squared website dealing with Social Media News Releases. The story includes links to some of the more prominent companies that have put out news releases online and commends them on their techno-savvy attempts. The greatest part about these releases, according to PR Squared, is the two-way communication between the company and its customers.

But this raises a controversial point - how do the customers know for sure that the news release is actual news and not just fluff that is commonplace on blog posts? We have heard stories of Coca-Cola and other companies writing fake blogs to promote a product or company, so how are we to know for sure that these SMNR's are coming straight from the source and telling us useful information?

Our Turn

Last week, Brandweek posted this article on its website, proving once and for all that the Millenials may actually be good for something. A recent TNS Media Intelligence /Cymfony study concluded that agencies (including advertising, public relations, design and creative) lack expertise in social media. They consistently come up short when their clients want to take advantage of new online tools and maximize their technological potential.

Many agencies continue to apply traditional models to social media when they should be seeking new models to fit these novel forms of communication; they need to move beyond the closed media model and implement strategies that fit the ever-open world. These days, clients need more than just representation, they demand professionals who can evolve with technology and agencies who will stay on top of trends.

What the article doesn't mention, but seems obvious to me is that aging agencies may be the problem. Sure, college grads are pouring into agencies of all kinds, but the execs keep getting older. Leadership roles demand experience (and lots of it comes with age), but our generation holds the key to a whole new level of experience - natural born gurus. Well, maybe not born, but definitely innate. We've grown up directly inside the milestones and advancements - our peers are the ones coming up with these things, including social media. So as scary as it may be, I think it's time that we take over.

Time to see KC

My travels took me to Kansas City over the weekend and I must say I'm impressed. I wasn't expecting much from the little town in the Midwest, but it sure proved me wrong. The Country Club Plaza offers beautiful Spanish architecture and even boasts a replica of the Giralda Tower from Seville, Spain. Walking around the shop and cafe lined streets feels just like a walk through a quintessential European town. And the steak, some of the best in the country, speaks for itself. I would go back just for the steak alone!

But the best part awaited me at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. This neoclassical building contains masterpieces inside and out. The new Bloch Building, pictured above, was just named Time Magazine's #1 Architectural Marvel. The building stands in stark contrast with the neoclassical style, but adds a new dimension to the establishment.

I just wish KC received a little more credit. I never expected such great things, but I will definitely recommend it to any traveler looking for an up-and-coming kind of place.

Not Just a Legend Anymore

“Technology has re-shaped the PR landscape and changed the way we communicate”: It sounds excellent and looks great on paper (or the computer screen), but without a practical application and real world example, the phenomenon is as obscure as the Loch Ness monster. And since I wouldn’t lead my readers to believe in mythical beasts, I won’t force them to believe my faith in technology without substantial proof, either.

LEGO, the toy company known for its colorful building bricks, has always been associated with creativity and imagination. Boys and girls have played with them for decades and developed important skills in the process. However, by 2004, the company was losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year to the high-paced excitement of computers and video games. But after hiring a new CEO and reorganizing the company, the people behind LEGO decided they would need more than just a company clean-up to get back in the game.

LEGO hired 360PR, a firm specializing in the use of online tools, to create a platform that would bring back the thrill of Lego toys amidst the constantly evolving world of iPods and game consoles. Together they came up with the “LEGO Builders of Tomorrow” campaign targeted at parents of the hi-tech robo-tots; it was used to remind parents that successful adults were cultivated with the help of creativity, and not the kind that gets your kid to the next level of Halo the fastest. After conducting the research, it became obvious that kids were not the only techno-savvy generation out there: parents were using the Internet for everything from diagnosing a runny nose to purchasing a playground set. So the best outlet to reach the web-surfing parents? Online technology, of course.

With that in mind, 360PR designed three devices to establish discourse with parents about the importance of imaginative play: a website used to deliver tips and stories from real parents, a LEGO Playtime Podcast and a blog. The site came complete with stories about “Builders of Tomorrow,” or the high profile fans of LEGO, ways for kids to become a “Builder of Tomorrow,” a scholarship contest, play tips for parents and links to the podcast and blog. Through this campaign, LEGO was not only able to boost its sales, but also spread a positive message to young kids and their parents everywhere.

But how can I prove the importance of technology without results? The campaign has been featured in dozens of media outlets, online outlets and audio releases, the site attracts 5,000 unique monthly visitors, the blog has been featured in a story called “Dawn of the Dad” in the Washington Post and the podcast has been picked up by directories including iTunes. As for the picture at the top of the post – it is the outdoor advertisement that won a Gold Lion at the Cannes International Advertising Festival in 2007 .

So now that everyone’s convinced that emerging technology is not just some phantom of the communication world, I’ll leave you with this: the word Lego (leg godt) means “play well” in Danish, so I guess the campaign comes pre-packaged right in the toy.

And just for fun - while keeping with the theme - here is a video of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” made entirely of Lego’s.

Global Marketplace

In my Finance Relations class, we have been talking about stock exchanges all over the world and how they are becoming more global with recent technology. The technology, Electronic Communications Networks, allows trading to be conducted electronically, and therefore, more quickly. The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ have both acquired ECN's and have become publicly held companies in the process.

This innovation, as well as many others, has taken stock exchanges to a new level. No one wants to trade on a single continent anymore, but across oceans and beyond. In regards to this, I want to mention that Borse Dubai, of the United Arab Emirates, has recently acquired a 28% stake in the London Stock Exchange and Quatar Investment Authority has acquired another 20% stake. That means almost 50% of the LSE is owned by Middle Eastern investors! The Middle East does not always come up in conversations about stock exchanges, so I think it's great that the world has embraced it and has been able to come together in a whole new arena.

Skype's Got The Hype!

After searching many similar blogs (and reviewing my own), I noticed that Facebook, YouTube and MySpace are the most common communication tools outlined. It almost seems that they are the only ones making an impact in social media. I knew there had to be devices somewhere on the Internet that were either too fresh or just forgotten. And then it dawned on me – Skype!

Skype (part of the eBay group) was founded in 2003 as a communication device used to make free phone calls from your computer to anywhere in the world. All it takes is downloading some (free) software and you're set. It’s free to call anyone with Skype and extremely cheap to call land lines and cell phones anywhere in the world. Sending text messages, setting up a voicemail and forwarding calls to your cell phone have recently emerged as new features. You can even get an online number so people can call your computer from their regular phones. There’s even an added bonus for those who love face-to-face: free video calls straight from your webcam. And the newest craze for 2008?The ability to use Skype with the Sony PSP Slim &Lite .

But the real question is how it’s impacting corporate communications. Well, it allows businesses to conduct meetings from all over the world, for free. In fact, Skype allows up to nine people to join in on a conference call or up to one hundred in a group chat. With our global village becoming smaller every day, companies are sending out employees to far corners of the world – and they don’t want to spend extra money just to stay updated. Sure, cell phones these days have international service, but you can’t always depend on them. Just last week, a close friend of mine was in Myanmar and couldn't get service on his cell phone, presumably because the government isn't too keen on outside contact. Had he been introduced to Skype, he would have remained connected. It's also great for students on a college budget whose roommates are studying abroad for the semester or for anyone who doesn't want to spend obnoxious amounts of money just to keep in touch. The ICT Professional Development for Wellesley College even recommends using it as a tool for the classroom; and Asterik VoIP calls it “one of the most fantastic internet applications ever built,” suggesting five of the most useful plugins for Skype.

So whether your anthropology team is off in Egypt or your multi-national PR firm has just opened offices in five European countries, you never have to miss a beat (or those extra dollars you’ve earned). It may not be the newest device out there, but one that connects us in a whole new way.

The Big Grammy Whammy

On February 10, 2008, the Grammy Awards celebrated their 50th year, honoring musical talent in a multitude of categories. Whether you agree with the winners or not, the Grammy's are widely regarded as the most prestigious musical award of its kind. Even amidst the writer's strike, the Awards were set to go on and were heavily advertised in all forms of media. But preliminary reports suggest that only 17.5 million people tuned in this year, compared with 20 million last year. That's the third least-watched edition of the Awards. With big performances from Amy Winehouse, Kanye West and even Tina Turner, I thought this year would definitely rope in extra viewers. And with all the promotion and publicity surrounding the 50th year anniversary, I'm just wondering what went wrong?

Honing In the Media

Public relations professionals have proved to be essential to any
organization. No matter what the product, they’re the ones that get the word out. But how do PR people assure their clients that the product will get coverage? The most obvious way, to pay for an article or advertisement, lies in the realm of advertising departments. So when you’re looking for free exposure of your greatest product and PR gurus dominate your publicity work, look no further than this list of tips:

-Great press releases jump start the process. Knowing how to write effectively and concisely must be a pre-requisite. Without a clear-cut pitch, the release won’t even get a full read-through.

-Research, research, research. Making a targeted media list is imperative to pitch an idea to the correct medium – you never want to send a cooking product press release to a car parts publication. Getting the research done and having the list readily available will save time on any project. Even Misukanis & Odden and CR Ransom from Mosnar Communications recommend this as a preliminary task.

-Events and press tours. Publicizing a product doesn’t have to be a direct pitch to a publication or television station. Organizing an event in town can attract media on its own, and press tours take your pitch on the road. Even Rob Thomson, VP of Communications for Major League Soccer’s Kansas City Wizards arranges a media day to kick off the publicity for an upcoming soccer season.

-Might seem pretty simple, but.. Stay in constant contact with the media outlets that have chosen your pitches in the past. Get to know their style and adapt to it. Fact-check your stories every time and you’ll be known as a legitimate source. Keeping them happy will encourage them to choose your ideas in the future and it may soon turn in to a mutually beneficial relationship.

-Last, but not least: blogging! Yes, even this phenomenon that I have fully embraced for class assignments can be a fabulous tool for generating publicity. Blogs can be a great way to incorporate bells and whistles (who doesn’t love videos and graphics?) to any proposal. Send over a link to your favorite editor or producer and amaze them with your virtual abilities for an extra boost. And the added bonus? Competitors and potential clients can access the blog for free. Even the guys at 101 Public Relations consider this a hot new strategy.

These tips extend to any type of public relations work. Of course when dealing with a particular product or entity, public relations strategies can be extremely specified and go beyond these basics. But for now, hold on to this list – it doesn’t have an expiration date. And don’t forget to keep up with the latest technology and trends: find a new way to get their attention, and they’ll keep coming back for more.

Target-ing the Wrong Guys

Recently, my attention has been brought to an article on The New York Times website entitled "Target tells blogger to go away." This article outlines Target's response to criticism from a blog, saying among other things, "Target does not participate with nontraditional media outlets." Many people left comments at the end of the article, agreeing with Target's response and suggesting that blogs and other similar media should not have the same respect as traditional media sources. But is this the right way to think in our technological world? Should companies really ignore criticism just because it is coming from a source that has not been incorporated into our traditional paradigm?

It is true that some blogs merely show people's mindless opinions and do not have much relevance to large companies; it is also true that many blogs deal with and highlight issues that should be of top importance to corporations around the world. Customer service surveys have become a very common way for companies to get feedback from their customers - how are blogs any different? If a blogger takes the time to confront an issue, it should matter just as much as a survey or any of the recorded customer service calls that are reviewed.

Our world is constantly changing and technology is a big part of that change. Social media has taken over the way we communicate and I am not just talking about blogs - Facebook, MySpace and YouTube are some of the most popular destinations on the web. If you take a look at any of these sites, you will see large amounts of advertising lining the pages, and advertisers wouldn't waste their time or money if they weren't generating business. So if advertisers have jumped on the bandwagon and so have millions of people around the world, maybe corporations need to re-evaluate what a traditional media outlet really is. In fact, I hardly think that ten years ago Target was thinking of creating a website, but I'd like to see the figures on how much profit the executives have made from that very thing.

Running away from criticism has never advanced a company - no matter what outlet it comes from.

Blogging together

For today's class assignment, we were told to look around at other blogs and blog about them. So when I sat down, I thought this assignment would be a piece of cake. But after searching around for hours, I couldn't find any inspiration. Blogs are all so different, about so many different things, that I just didn't know what to say. And then it came to me - that's the whole point!

If you are interested in collecting rocks, you can probably find at least 10 other people who line up their rocks according to color; If you're into analyzing historical events, I'm sure you can find thousands of others who share your passion. Blogs are a way of connecting people from all sorts of backgrounds and sewing together the sharp corners of the world. You can learn about different cultures and even make friends with people who are just getting up when you're headed off to sleep.

We all knew that the Internet would revolutionize the way we interact and connect with each other, but this whole idea of blogs has really stressed that point. It's never been easier to find
friends who share passions and ideas. And what's even greater is finding a new talent or new product that can inspire others - and with blogs, it's just a mouse click away.

Blogging as a tool for PR

Blogs within professional disciplines have been popping up all over the place, especially in the realm of corporate communications and public affairs. Of course, this whole field deals with communicating, so finding an entirely new way to communicate is obviously going to spark a large interest. But blogging goes beyond the field of communications which goes to show that there is more to the phenomenon than a novel way of connecting to people – it is a tool for getting ahead in a business.

I think that blogging within the corporate communications and public affairs context advances the field as a whole. Blogs can introduce new companies, new products or even new ideas to professionals across the board and offer much-needed insight into those companies, products or ideas. It’s almost like getting a review without working for it! (Some examples are Marketing Monster, The Flack or Son-of-a-Pitch.) Fast-paced technology and busy days make it easy to overlook some of the up-and-coming concepts or products circulating around the communications field, so bloggers who track the latest innovations are a great resource. And we all know that innovation is the key for progress in this business.

Naturally, some of the PR or communications blogs that I have read for our class assignment go much deeper than just finding the next new thing – some of them have specialized functions. The one that sticks out, The Bad Pitch Blog, is a website dedicated to “stop[ping] bad PR before it starts.” It is almost like a watchdog group that scans the horizon for potentially bad PR moves and exposes them before they get the best of a company or individual. This is a great new use of blogs because it truly helps communication professionals pay more attention to potentially hazardous (or ridiculous) situations.

So basically, blogs are a part of the business now, and learning how to use them will not only make you a stronger candidate in the profession, but maybe even a more intuitive trend spotter.

More than just a face?

When I was a freshman in college, The Facebook made its way onto the Internet and into the lives of college students across the nation. Now a household word, Facebook has grown from a college-only networking site to a tool used by anyone and everyone. Filled with high school students, parents, celebrities, even CEO's of organizations, this site has truly made its impact on the way we communicate. And it's not just for the United States anymore - thousands of people from every corner of the world have joined in on the fun.

The obvious (and probably intended) use of Facebook is for networking and keeping in touch with friends. It's easy to find new friends through friends you already have or meet new people and keep in touch with them, even if you don't talk every day. And everyone loves showing off how many friends they have.

In recent years, however, Facebook has evolved from this one-function website to an all-purpose communication device. It can be a great tool for keeping in touch with friends from travels abroad or for high school kids trying to figure out what college to go to. Even small things, like getting homework assignments from classmates, are easier to do now. And who can forget the pictures and personalized profiles? If you're trying to communicate your personality to the people around you, there's never been an easier way.

But the big new function of Facebook goes beyond entertainment. Employers are now using it to delve deeper into the lives of their prospective employees, to figure out if the good boy/sweetheart persona actually translates into life. Some people have even missed out on great jobs because of that Mardi Gras picture album or dirty inside joke from years ago. And it doesn't end there - they can even keep checks on their current employees to make sure professionalism is maintained beyond the workplace. On the flipside, it's a great way for employers to find college graduates that would be perfect for their company or even recruit interns. Who knew Facebook would be a career tool a few years down the road? That's the beauty of technology!

So I guess Facebook has gone from a yearbook-style information page to a revolutionary communication device used by everyone around us. It's not just about a face anymore, but more about the person behind the picture.

About Time..

In the past few years, blogging has gone from a computer nerd secret to the trendiest way of communicating your thoughts to anyone who will read them. And since I love reading all kinds of thoughts, blogs have made their way into my daily routine. But writing my own blog? Never really crossed my mind.

So when I enrolled in the Communication, Technology and Globalization class at Southern Methodist University and realized we'd be making our own blog, I was pretty curious. I guess this online-diary phenomenon has more to it than my daily dose of Britney Spears' antics on PerezHilton.com.

As a Corporate Communications and Public Affairs major, I guess I'll have to leave my love of celebrity gossip aside and make way for the ever-important tactic of exploring the latest trends in the communications industry. And hopefully the blog can help me in gaining more knowledge about this constantly evolving field before I set out into the professional world.

It's about time I get on the bandwagon, I guess. Check back for updates!