Social Media: COMM 303

Wow. I know that social media has become a commonplace for bullying, but the story about Daphne from Vanity Fair was appalling. No one should ever have to go through that experience, especially not an eighth-grade girl. I can truly not imagine knowing a person who was so disgusting and vile that they felt that they had the right to make someone want to kill themselves. The whole thing was completely mind-boggling and I am saddened to hear that people like that exist in this world. Of course, social media has created a multitude of positive opportunities, but with the good always comes the bad. Bullying, materialism, and a lack of genuine face-to-face communication are just a few of the negative aspects that come with social medias major influence on society.

For me, I have began to realize that social media is more of a part of my life than I thought it was. I am currently taking a social media class; which has forced me to get more involved through actively blogging and Tweeting things that are actually intelligent rather than just random chatter. I am not opposed to social media at all but I would like to decrease the time I spend using it unless it can actually benefit me or inspire others. Social media has created a major communication disconnect for people, and as we mentioned in class, many people feel justified to say terrible things to people that they wouldn’t say to their face because they are hidden behind a computer screen.  

The platforms I use most frequently are Instagram and Twitter. I do not feel that they enhance my relationships in anyway, but I do think they provide a wonderful outlet for expressing yourself. I use Twitter more so to check on breaking news as well as look at celebrity tweets. Social media, if done right could be a wonderfully positive way to enhance human communication, but unfortunately that is not the path we are currently on. I am hopeful for the future. 

Guest Speaker: Melissa Agnes; Crisis Communications Specialist

Guest speaker, Melissa Agnes (Twitter: @melissa_agnes), visited my social media class this morning all the way from Montréal, Canada via Skype. She is a well-spoken and well-educated crisis communication specialist who is the president of Agnes + Day Inc.; which is crisis intelligence firm that is based in New York City & Montréal. For more information and a definition of crisis communication see my blog below, “It’s a Crisis”.

Agnes's Firm's Website 

She began by discussion the important difference between an issue and a crisis. She defines a crisis as, “a negative event or situation that threatens to have a direct negative impact on an organization’s reputation and/or bottom line”.  An issue however, can very quickly escalate into a crisis but she defines it as, “a negative event that does not threaten to have a direct negative impact on a company’s reputation and/or bottom line”.

Agnes advises companies to respond to the crisis or issue at least 15-20 minutes from the time that it develops an online presence, because of not the story will get way ahead of them. One of the more important things to remember when handling the problem is to LISTEN to what people are saying, and respond accordingly. Most companies are quick to say that responding in the short time frame of 15-20 minutes is impossible, but Agnes provides a few helpful reminders:

• People are not looking for all the facts right away, they just want recognition of the company’s awareness and that they are looking into it.

• Write sincere and sympathetic posts. Don’t have the legal department post this.

• Promise the public that they will hear directly from the company when there is more information to provide. Giving them a time period for when they can expect new news helps to calm them down. 

• Having a “holding statement” prepared for these type of events is helpful for being able to respond promptly and be on top of the situation. 

• Twitter is the #1 social media platform that people look to for news. Take advantage of this by creating a unique hashtag that people can use to refer to your crisis.

For more information and insight into the world of crisis communication I strongly recommend visiting Agnes’s blog, http://agnesday.com/blog/.

It's a Crisis!

Before taking my social media class with professor Karen Freberg, I had never heard of crisis communication, let alone that there are actually special employees who are paid to handle these “crises”. Crisis communication can be defined as the unplanned mishaps and unpredictable events that occur for a company or person on social media that threaten the company or brand’s success.  Most examples of this include Tweets that are sent out that are either insensitive or inappropriate and not thought out. Usually these Tweets go viral and cause an uproar by the public; which often can be detrimental to the company’s reputation if they go unhandled.

One major example of a social media crisis occurred after the Boston Bombings last spring. Epicurious, a social media sight for recipes and cooking, posted two thoughtless and tasteless tweets that went viral and caused followers to question the integrity of the business.

The first tweet read, “Boston our hearts are with you. Here’s a bowl of breakfast energy we could all use to start today: (insert link)”

Then, a half hour later they still hadn’t realized the inappropriate nature of their first Tweet and decided to post another:

“In honor of Boston and New England, may we suggest: whole-grain cranberry scones!”

There is a fine line that can easily be crossed between taking advantage of major events for personal business gain, and just being completely thoughtless. If your company or brand’s social media decisions are placed in the wrong hands, mistakes like these can be made and are extremely damaging to not only your business but to the victims of the bombings, or other events, as well.

Fortunately, after much backlash, Epicurious sent out apology Tweet’s that expressed regret for their insensitivity. This is just one of many communication crises that have happened over the recent years as social media has gained popularity as a business tool.

Divergent: FILM REVIEW

Ahh, loved it! Divergent hit theaters this past Friday (March 21^st) and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. As promised in my book review, I have to let you know just how awesome the movie was. For those who read the book, you can be at ease knowing the film was nearly spot on the book, with regards to a few small changes. Shailene Woodley was a perfect match for Tris and obviously we can’t complain about Theo James being Four, because, well he is absolutely beautiful; and together they make a stunning pair. For plot summary of this ingenious trilogy written by Veronica Roth see my book review a few posts down.

Anyway, back to the film. The set was exactly how I pictured it would be as I was reading the book. However, I pictured Tris’s best friend, Christina, to look differently. Christina was played by Zoe Kravitz (yes, Lenny Kravitz’s daughter) did an excellent job playing the spunky girl who transferred from Candor to the feared & hard-ass Dauntless fraction.  Another casting choice that shocked me was Miles Teller playing the massive dick, Peter. Maybe it’s a personal bias due to my raging crush on Teller, but I was picturing someone a little more beefed up with muscles. Teller also has my heart for his comedic genius and ability to portray genuine emotion (like he did as Sutter in The Spectacular Now 2013).  I was delighted to see that he defied my fear and was a great fit for the role of Peter.

However, the stars of the show Shailene and Theo definitely earned their place as the main characters Tris and Four. The sexual tension between the two that we get a feel for in the book comes through beautifully on screen. I have yet to read the next book in the trilogy but I hope for more of s relationship between them, can’t get enough. I will def be seeing Divergent in theaters again and HIGHLY recommend it to all, but for the best experience I strongly suggest reading the book first.

Which faction would you be in?
I would be DIVERGENT 

Social Entertainment Gold

Social entertainment is a fairly recent concept that has been implemented as a source of engaging consumers via social media platforms.  Engagement includes creating an interactive environment where the consumer, viewer, gamer, etc. can interact with the show, game, music video or other media driven outlet. Social entertainment goes hand-in-hand with the concept of “live Tweeting”.

One TV show that I feel has really been on the forefront of social interaction is ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars, which has broken many Twitter records, including the return of season 4, which generated more Tweets than any other season premier in TV history, pretty impressive! Since becoming such a socially driven show, the show’s producers have begun to promote different hashtags that flash on the screen as the show is on, which prompts viewers to participate in live Tweeting. This in turn fuels conversation and generates more awareness of the show, not that it needs any. Not to harp about Pretty Little Liar’s successful social media strategy, they also have been trailblazers in their tactic of having the show’s starts like Ashley Benson or Shay Mitchell Tweet live during the show and answer fans questions and comments. Shay Mitchell has had a lot of success with this and now encourages her fans to participate in this, calling it #PLLayWithShay.

But enough about Pretty Little Liars. Shall we recall Ellen DeGeneres’ recent hosting of the Oscars when she took what can inarguably be seen as the best selfie of all time? The picture, which was taken by the stunning Bradley Cooper, also included Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Jared Leto, Ellen (obviously), Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Kevin Spacey, Channing Tatum, Lupita Nyong’o and her brother. With a gorgeous and talented group like that, it is no wonder that the Tweet sent out by @TheEllenShow received over 3.4 million retweets and 2 million likes, and almost instantly shut down Twitter for over 20 minutes during the Oscars, yes shutting it down! This interactivity with Ellen and the Oscars viewers is a classic example of social entertainment and also helped to reap benefits by creating even more buzz for the event, again, not that it was needed, but still. This epic selfie not only created attention for the Oscars as an event but also for Samsung, which was the type of phone that Bradley Cooper shot the picture with, major win!

For those of you who havn't seen this epic selfie
(which would honestly be weird since it is EVERYWHERE), here it is!
Photo cred to Ellen's Twitter @TheEllenShow 

DIVERGENT: Book Review & Film Anticipation -Comm460

Okay, this week I’m straying from my usual movie review post to do a book review with extreme anticipation for the movie that comes out this Friday, Divergent. I am the slowest reader on Earth, and no that is not an exaggeration, but over spring break my mom told me that I had to read the book, and I was already really interested in the film since it stars Shailene Woodley, who I love, so I decided to give it a try and finished it in just two days! It is a must read! Author, Veronica Roth, does an outstanding job and I commend her creativity in this three part book series.

For those of you who are not familiar with Divergent, the book takes place in a futuristic Chicago and revolves around a society that functions by classifying people into different “factions” based on their personality. Divergent follows Tris (played by Woodley in the film) who was born into the Abnegation faction, which is for the selfless. At age sixteen you are required to take an “aptitude test” which tests which of the five factions is your best fit, however on “Choosing Day” you can decide to go with any of the five factions; Abnegation (selfless), Amity (peaceful), Dauntless (brave), Candor (honest), and Erudite (intelligence). Divergence, however, is a dangerous and secretive unofficial category that people who do not fall under a particular faction are named. Divergence is not widely known and not something that many people classify as.

On Choosing Day, Tris (Beatrice) decides to join Dauntless and the adventure ensues as her life in Dauntless training is examined and unraveled. Of course, with any good teenage novel, a romantic interest must be prevalent and Tris finds herself falling for one of the Dauntless leaders, Four, who is played by the exceedingly handsome, Theo James. The novel spirals through a series of dangerous and suspense building encounters. I am beyond pumped to see this novel come to life in its theatrical release this Friday, March 21^st. I will do a follow up blog with my thoughts on the film, which I am sure will not disappoint, fingers crossed!

What About Video Games? Comm 303

Ah, where do I begin with video games? I have had a personal vendetta against video games for the past few years. I think that this vendetta stems not so much from a hatred for the games but for the parents or guardians administering them to their children on a far-too-frequent bases, solely to keep the child entertained. 

My six-year-old male cousin has been raised on video games, and not the educational kind. For the past two years I have not been to a family gathering where he was not on his GameBoy for the entire length of the party, and I am not exaggerating. I have been noticing this “tool” of placing video games or tablets in front of children as a way to keep the child entertained, and ultimately out of the parent’s way. I have seen the effects of this first hand through my cousin, who lacks social skills in a major way as well has become a very aggressive child. 

However, I cannot knock the video gaming business entirely, I feel if monitored, video games can be a fun activity for children, but creating a reliance on them is extremely damaging to the child’s emotional and mental growth. I grew up in a household that valued social interaction and playing outdoors, which is pretty much all that my sister and I did. We did not own any sort of gaming equipment until I was in high school when we got a play station 2, and had one “game” which was just an 80’s karaoke sing-a-long. Later in high school however I would occasionally (and by that I mean maybe three times) play Call of Duty with my friends. Many of my friends also play games like Angry Birds or Candy Crush on their phones on a frequent basis, which can be a fun and light distraction or way to pass time while you have to wait for something, like the bus for example. The difference here is that at my age, my friends are not reliant on these games as a way of avoiding social interaction, as my cousin does, and they are old enough to know when enough is enough and that there are healthier ways to have fun. 

So my overall view of video games role in society today is fairly negative, but as stated previously, the problem is mainly with the administrators and not the games themselves. I feel that Congress places their focus too much on research of the effects of video game violence and not enough on the social interaction repercussions that spending too much time not in communication with an actual person can cause. In class, we talk about the displacement theory, and I feel that this theory can be applied to video gaming. When someone is investing a lot of their time playing these games they are losing time they could be spending outdoors playing with actual people and enhancing their communication skills.

Guest Speaker: Scott Adkins WAVE3 News

Today our social media class had the pleasure of having Scott Adkins from WAVE3 News (@ScottAdkinsWave) as our guest speaker. Adkins, who graduated from Ball State University, has been in the “business” since he graduated about 10 years ago. Rather than a news anchor, Adkins views himself more so as a storyteller, and a mini filmmaker of sorts. For television news stations, like in many other facets of business today, social media can be an effective and enhancing tool for increasing viewership and community connection. Scott Adkins tells us that he and the WAVE3 team have found this to be especially true for their purposes. WAVE3 has developed a method to staying relevant in today’s fast-paced environment by touching on three facets.

1.     The news reported must make the viewers feel something (laugh, cry, or evoke some emotion)

2.     Must make the viewer smarter (informative)

3.     and must make the community better

Adkins and the team view these three tactics as the key to quality and relevant news.  The marriage of these tactics with effective social media use creates an accomplished television news program. #Hashtags in particular are something that Adkins focused on as a way to tie all posts together, create conversation, and reach a broader audience by allowing people who would otherwise never hear of WAVE3 to get access to it. Scott Adkins also added that while TV stations (as well as other businesses) should capitalize on social media, they should also be cautious not to overuse, as it can be overwhelming and may push followers and fans away. Adkins did a great job of letting us see the business and tactic side of television news and it was a pleasure to have him visit!

Photo from Adkin's Twitter Page (@ScottAdkinsWAVE)

My Internet History - Comm303

As a child of the 90’s I have been around for a fairly large portion of the ever-evolving World Wide Web. The first memory I have with a computer was at my childhood home, I can’t recall the exact year but I remember I was around 7 or 8 years old. My sister and I originally only used our single home computer to play “computer games” like Barbie makeover or educational learning games. Playing Barbie sports and makeover games particularly stands out in my mind, this was my sister’s and my favorite past time other than playing outside with our friends (which is something children now know little about).  My sister and I were constantly getting into trouble by our Dad when we would download new games to our computer, with the newness of everything my dad was constantly paranoid that we would break it. It wasn’t until a little later in my elementary school days that computer classes were entered into the curriculum. This is when I started to learn how to type, use Word, access a little bit of the internet and learn other aspects of early-age computer type programs. I’m thankful to have been born into the technological era that I was. 

My friends and I constantly discuss how we are happy to have experienced the early days of functioning the Internet and computer technologies because we are now fully functional and semi-advanced in this area. Children now a days however know nothing other than I-phones, I-pads, laptops, I-pods, and high-speed internet I believe this has done them somewhat of a disservice to their interpersonal social skills. Personally, the Internet is part of my daily life. As we speak I am experiencing an extremely slow connection and I am getting increasingly agitated. Internet speed in particular has become a major part of our lives and when it is slow we get angry, our “have-it-now” attitude comes full swing in times like this. However, personally, I feel the Internet has far more benefits than downfalls and I am lucky to have the ability to access it in so many places and on so many devices.

If you're a girl of the 90's you undoubtably recognize
this and are currently feeling overwhelmingly nostalgic.