This week we will take a look at two of my classmate’s blogs!
Caryn’s blog focuses on technology and public relations. As most people know technology has improved in the past years and instead of snail mail we now have email and even video messages to relay our messages to the public. Public relations uses new media to gain their audiences attention. With things such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs public relations personnel are able to reach their audiences through these new means of communication.
Caryn mentioned that many public relations company’s use blogs and podcasts to get their messages across to their publics and employees. Each time a client, employee, or consumer looks at a blog, Facebook Update, or Tweet they are conducting unobtrusive research. By looking to other sources to see what is going on in the world today and in the past.
Technology is changing and will keep changing. As Caryn said, “Times are changing and public relations needs to keep up.” Therefore they need to conduct all types of research to learn the best ways to reach their target audiences. One way to research new methods to reach the public is by means of a focus group.
We spoke about focus groups in class this week and the main idea of creating a focus group is to encourage discussion among the group of people to find out their views and opinions on certain products, ideas, or services. As Caryn mentioned in her blog the iPhone has many Apps that are available to its users. A focus group could be used to find out what Apps iPhone users use and like the most; along with what other Apps they would like to see and that they would find helpful.
In order to discuss a focus group you have to identify who your target audience would be (the iPhone user) and generate questions to help reach your results. A facilitator would need to be present to keep the group on track and in the end the conversation needs to be engaged within the group about the Apps they like and dislike on their iPhones.
Brian’s blog focuses on Sports Public Relations. He mentioned the need for a relationship between the fans, the media, and the community. Sports public relations have to build relationships between the team and its fans, the team and the various media outlets, and the team and its community.
In order to create these relationships research has to be done. Many times as Brian mentioned the players will speak with reporters about issues involving the team and themselves. One ethical issue Brian mentioned was the Jets player, Braylon Edwards arrest for a DWI. Not only did this hurt him as a player but the team as a whole. In order for the Jets to act on this event properly they need to make a media announcement as soon as possible and assure the public that the team as a whole will get through this.
The New England Patriots recently traded one of their players and they did so by using a focus group! They held a focus group between the players of the team to find out how they felt if one of their teammates were traded. Evidently the team traded the pro bowl wide receiver and now they will have to see how their fans feel about the move. This can be done by watching the fans reactions on blogs, in the stands, and by counting up ticket sales!
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