Blast from the Past...:-)

Thought I'd share this video I did while studying....The message is still very powerful.

Enjoy!!! :-)

Disappearing Acts

Sorry, its been a year since I've added a blog post but I have been extremely busy (and neglectful :-) ).

So much has happened, I hardly know where to begin!

In the next coming weeks...you get blog overload 'cause I'm back!!!

Xtra, Xtra read alllll about it!..what makes the 'News' these days??

They’ve cracked it at last! The chicken DID come before the egg (are you serious?). This was actually reported in noted newspaper The Daily Mail. It's actually quite funny what makes the news today; especially since we as PRs are constantly being reminded that half our press releases end up in the bins (or deleted-if you use email) of bitter, ol' journalists who've had (or seem to have) a long bad day. I am puzzled as to why an old riddle solved would make the daily news. Is it that our ideas of what's 'newsworthy' are changing? or is it just a 'spur' of the moment thing? Either way, I had a bit of a laugh when I read this story. Not to add insult to injury, just a week after the Daily Mail's tribute to 'riddle lovers' the Guardian reported Ice-T arrested for driving without a seatbelt. On top of all his raving and ranting when he was arrested, there's one thing I agree with 'Some punk bitch rookie cop named Fisher #10026 made the arrest of his bullshit career today," oh well...he said it...not me. Prominence is something that is bound to get some airtime or a slot in the papers. If I fell and broke my arm, no one cares...but on the contrary if this were to happen to lets say..David Cameron (God forbid..;-) ), that's something you will find all over the news, possibly for days.

So, what makes a story newsworthy? According to Media.com(http://www.mediacollege.com/journalism/news/newsworthy.html), there are five things that actually make a story newsworthy.

Timing
Significance
Proximity
Prominence
Human Interest

They are pretty much self-explanatory, but I'm thinking that with the exception of Timing and Prominence, the others are left up to opinion and judgement. This I believe, is left up to none other than our good ol' friends...journalists. Lets face it, PRs dont write headlines, we only write press releases and hope that the journalist will make it into a headline.

So, what are they looking for?

Remember the four 'w's' - who, what, where, when (and an 'h' - how), they are indeed very handy...use them! Journalists like being able to tell what is going on by just looking at the first line or paragraph of the press release. It is therefore, important to get the most relevant details in the first paragraph. Other things that may annoy a journalist, especially if press releases are emailed, is low-res versus hi-res images. I have learnt the hard way during my internship (phew). It is better to get in touch with the journalist to find out their preference. Otherwise you'll be wasting time sending out all those beautifully written press releases. A little sucking up will help too, invite them for a cuppa or a drink, sneak in a story while you're at it - get to know them!

And just for your entertainment..enjoy these news stories!

Its a New Day!!...Yippie (First Day at Work)

First days are always exciting....the anticipation can become overwhelming too. I was so eager to learn and finally be in a place where I wanted to be. I was bent on making a good impression and I am sure I did...I arrived 1/2 an hour early for christ's sake...ha (lets see how long I keep this up). First days are significant to me particularly because thats the first opportunity you'll get to build a reputation that will stick with you throughout your career. It is the day when colleagues sum up your persona and decide if they like you or not...lol.

My first day wasnt what I expected it to be but it prepared me for the tasks ahead. I spent the day getting to know my colleagues and ventured into the PR new business role which has been bestowed upon me. Being the 'newby' was a bit awkward for me...dont get me wrong I am very sociable...but my lack of experience working in a PR agency forced me to become a bit more subdued. I sat back and covertly observed my surroundings and made my own assumptions. I was determined to blend in without compromising my personality... afterall teamwork is important and I wanted this experience to be the best. So get on board and make some friends! Believe it or not, forging relationships with work mates is as equally important as carrying out tasks effectively. The PR industry has no place for introverts (leave that to journalism).
When the day was done, I felt I had achieved something I once dreamed about...(I know its just the first day but let me finish...uhmm), I was elated to say the least. I had worked a day in PR and I loved it. My expectations are still left to be met but I can say I am one step closer to truly achieving my goal.

Whatever the case is, the first day is when you face the challenge, look it in the eye and say 'I told you so'.

Cant wait for tomorrow....I'll keep you posted!!...:-)

Good Movie, Bad Movie

So we're talking movies. I got into a heated discussion about one of the latest romantic flicks 'Dear John' starring 'eye candy' Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. For me this was a very disappointing film...I was expecting more. My friend Mishy tends to see things differently...she got all teary eyed and thought it was a Great film. The hype, the drama, the excitement all boils down to who likes it or not. I mean I get the whole irony of writing a 'Dear John Letter'...but face it...that's usually a breaking up letter...isnt it?...correct me if I'm wrong. The storyline didnt settle too well with me either...I thought it has a rather ambiguous ending, which makes me think what's the point?? If this story was about 'love'...why did she (Amanda Seyfried) end up in a loveless marriage. In that case, the story should have been about 'Pity'...(yeah...I said it!)

I believe that credit should be in fact given to the PR team on that film; reason being its a hard job making a movie seem more interesting than it actually is. Public Relations on this film was conducted by Touchpoint Communications....(kudus to them). The coverage on this movie prior its release date was Massive!..they sure did a good enough job, so much that 'Dear John' bumped 'Avatar' (which spent weeks at the top spot) off the number one spot in its opening week. The funny thing is movie trailers never cease to amaze me. Its interesting that they craftily select ....maybe 60 seconds of the BEST pieces and ..(maybe its just me)...they MAKE you want to go see it. I must say thats a good PR strategy...give them a preview..yippee and they'll come runnning. The glitter, the lights, the fancy premieres is all a part of the Master plan...to let the unaware and unsuspecting public spend money on cinema tickets to an epic FLOP. Whose to blame though...the person who makes the film or the person who promotes it?

Well, thats just my 'two cents'...but no matter what you say Mish..that was not a good movie...it was mediocre at best :-)...Im just saying

Pick Me, Pick Me!

In this current economic climate it is no joke how hard it is to find gainful employment...and if I may add, the PR industry is even harder to get into. So I've just spent a year studying a Masters in PR and the question is...What next? Does all the lessons learnt teach you how to get a job in the industry?...Hardly does. After completing a Masters Degree in PR you'd actually think that your chances of getting a job are greater than that of the average joe...think again! There are relatively few vacancies available for graduates in the PR industry, especially if you have no experience. So now I have two strikes against me...

(1.) I am a Graduate and
(2.)I have NOO experience...zit.

I had to come up with a plan....and fast!..at least when I consider my tuition..no way was I about to be a Customer Service Rep for much longer. I strategised. How do I sell myself?...after all thats one of the main formuli in PR. I needed to put myself out there, and make people like me....Thank God for TWITTER, I had more PR companies following me than anyone else. I must admit though that this platform was the one I used most in my job hunt. I was a bit lazy (thinking about it :-) ) I applied for a few positions here and there but wasnt successful...then BANG!..I was invited for an interview with a considerably new Company and I was elated. I thought this is my time to shine and impress. It all boils down to being better (or GREATER)than the next person who applied for that same position. Put that 'pick me' sign..not on your forehead..but in your heart and mind and soul and your entire body. Its about Confidence.

So after months of using twitter as a platform to tell the world 'HELP I NEED A JOB IN PR!'....I finally bagged an internship with Adrenalin Marketing & PR Solutions (Yeaaahh!)

And another thing...isnt it ironic that you get called for interviews from companies you forgot you applied to AFTER you've accepted a position?...weird :-)..I'm just saying. Oh...I start next Monday by the way..I'll tell you all about it!