Monday, March 18, 2013

Using Instagram to Enhance Your Brand


With the vast amount of social media tools that are available to brands today, it is common for some to get left behind the curve and collapse to their demise.  To prevent this catastrophic event from happening, there is a very popular up-and-coming social media tool that brands should start using to their advantage.  This tool is Instagram and with over 100 million users and counting, this free photo sharing app can take brands to where they want to be.

There are many fun and creative ways that brands can use Instagram to reach their audience.  The first way that brands can use Instagram is to create two-way engagement with their audience through contests.  Brands can easily develop a contest on Instagram by asking their followers to use a particular hashtag when posting a picture.  For example, in 2012 Dunkin Donuts encouraged their customers to celebrate Halloween on Instagram by using the hashtag #DresseDD,  which gave an incentive to their followers to dress their Dunkin Donuts cup up and snap a photo.  Dunkin Donuts selected their favorite photos and showcased these photos on their social media platforms.  This contest was a great way to engage with their customers and create a strong presence on Instagram.

Another way that brands can use Instagram to reach their audience is to show their products.  For example, clothing companies can use Instagram to broadcast their new apparel and give their followers a first look at their new collection.  Other companies such as food restaurants can use Instagram to show their new menu items and can give their followers a behind the scenes look as to how they create their menu items.  Instagram is an innovative tool for brands to show their products in a new and creative light.

The last way that brands can use Instagram in a creative way is to go behind the scenes.  Brands such as Nordstrom use Instagram to provide behind the scenes shots from photo shoots and commercials.  In addition to providing shots from photo shoots, brands can take pictures at events so that all of their followers can feel that they are at the event with them.

All and all, there are many opportunities for brands to thrive on Instagram.  With over 100 million users, Instagram proves to be an innovative tool for a wide variety of users ranging from celebrities such as Justin Bieber to popular companies such as Kohl’s. 
 
-Alexis Mortenson

Carnival Troubles... A Smelly Situation.

     



       Damage Control has become the norm this month for management and Public Relations at Carnival Cruise Lines as four different ships have experienced some sort of malfunction. The first incident  occurred on the Carnival Triumph, dubbed the "cruise from hell"as an engine fire caused a loss of power stranding over 4,000 passengers in the middle of the ocean and leaving bathrooms unusable.
       So what has Carnival done to compensate these passengers for the worst vacation of their lives? $500. Yes, only $500 for living in a human waste basket for a week. In 2012, Carnival had a revenue of over $15 billion. I think they have the funds to give those passengers and other potential Carnival cruise goers more of an incentive to travel with their company instead of a competitor such as, say, Royal Caribbean who has had no negative light shed on them in recent years.
       On top of insulting its Triumph passengers with just $500, PR at Carnival Cruise Lines has done a terrible job of connecting with its customers through social media or any other media outlet for that instance by keeping mum about the whole situation in general. Carnival CEO Micky Arison, was seen court-side at a Miami Heat game during the whole Triumph fiasco.
       Could this month, filled with misery, malfunctions, and failure to communicate to its customers be the fall of one of the most popular cruise lines in the world?


     
 

Sunday, March 17, 2013

The Benefits of Organic Eating


Lately, there has been a lot of chatter about organic verse non-organic lifestyles. Many people have heard that organic living is better, but they aren’t aware of exactly how much better. So why choose organic? Many recent studies have shown that the benefits of eating organic greatly exceed industrial agriculture. It benefits many different groups including consumers, farmers, animals and the environment.
            It is important that we are aware of what harmful things we are putting into our bodies. Organic farmers grow all of their produce naturally rather than using pesticides or chemical fertilizers that can harm the body. According to the Organic Consumers Association, on average, organic food is 25 percent more nutritious in terms of vitamins and minerals than products derived from industrial agriculture. Organic food also contains many more minerals that become depleted in foods that are grown with pesticides and chemicals.
            One important phrase when dealing with organic food is GMO – genetically modified organism. Food and animals that are grown organic are not genetically modified products; they are raised naturally. Also according to the Organic Consumers Association, eating organic has the potential to lower the incidence of autism, learning disorders, diabetes, cancer, coronary heart disease, allergies, osteoporosis, migraines, dementia, and hyperactivity.
            Many people shy away from organic eating because they see the prices of organic products at grocery stores compared to regular products. Consumers need to realize that the health benefits of organic foods are worth the slight price increase. It is much safer because they do not contain of all of the toxins that industrial agriculture does. Also, organic produce and agriculture can be purchased at much lower prices than industrial products at local farmers markets. By shopping at farmers markets, consumers are supporting the local economy.
            So the choice is yours. An organic lifestyle will improve overall health and add many other benefits. There are some downfalls but the overall positive effects people obtain by eating organic outweigh the negatives. It is important that people become educated on this subject because of the increasing amount of pesticides and hormones that are used in industrial agriculture.




Abby Meyers
Social Media for Public Relations