ecedentPublic Relations Student Society of America

pr No. 3 • November 2015 • Grady College • University of Georgia • Drewry Chapter • ugaprssa.org

As students and practitioners of Public Relations, the word “branding” is used with frequency. It means crafting the story and sentiments attached to a business so that your target public finds itself emotionally invested in that company. It could also mean creating an identity for a product beyond just its functional purpose and sharing that identity with the world. In my experience, I have found that branding should also be applied to yourself. Instead of a “product” or a company, you are creating a “unique name and image” for you as an individual; instead of marketing to “consumers,” you are marketing to every employer, every contact and every person with whom you interact. We are all constantly branding ourselves in order to “establish a significant presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers”

Personal Branding:Easier Said Than Done

(i.e. gets us hired so we don’t have to move into our parent’s basement). The way we dress, the way we converse with others and the way we carry ourselves all contribute to our own personal brand. I don’t know about you, but the process of creating a brand has not been an easy one for me. We are told time and time again, college is an era of exploration; a time to “find ourselves” and learn who we are. How is it that everyone already seems to have it all figured out? I see and meet people on a daily basis who seem to know who they are, what they want out of life, and all of the steps they need to take in order to get there. I still don’t know how I like my coffee in the morning (two sugars? No sugar? Cream? Flavored cream? Too many choices!) How can I begin to define my brand if my favorite color changes every other day? Then I realize, I don’t need to define myself in such strict terms. Yes, personal branding is something to be aware of in the job market but it doesn’t mean we have to place ourselves into a neat, definable box. In relinquishing the struggle to constantly assign myself certain characteristics that I want to be part of my “brand”, I could better discover who I truly am. Ultimately, who you truly are is your brand. I promise that if you are always authentic and true to yourself, no matter how you take your coffee in the morning, your brand will emerge.

Branding /brand/ verb: the process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers’ mind, mainly through advertising with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.

Written by Riley Muse

#Throwback Written by Tori McKenney

to ADPR Connection

n Oct. 20, 2015, representatives from more than 50 different public relations and advertising companies gathered together in Tate to meet, advise and connect with students. ADPR Connection is a unique opportunity for Grady students to network with professionals and learn more about many different job or internship possibilities available to soon-to-be graduates and students. The day began with a new feature to this event: coffee hour. Students and professionals were able to casually mingle and discuss interests over everyone’s favorite breakfast beverage. Following coffee hour, seniors and grad students had the exclusive opportunity to attend a luncheon with visiting professionals. For many seniors, this was one of the most important times of the day. Rather than a quick introduction at a career fair, students had the ability to converse with and really get to know the professionals and create long-lasting connections. Following the luncheon, several of the professionals shared their advice and experience over the course of six different panel discussions. All students were invited to choose two of the sessions to attend. These sessions focused on either becoming versatile, inspired or prepared, all of which were in line with ADPR Connection’s theme of becoming a VIP. The day culminated with a two-hour long career fair where students of all years were able to network and gain a better understanding of potential employers. Finally, the event wrapped up with an evening mixer downtown at East West Bistro. Students and professionals alike were able to unwind after a busy day and reflect on their new

connections. Despite being a senior, I had not attended many career fairs before ADPR Connection. My previous internships and experience all came through personal research or other events. The idea of competing for the attention and time of professionals with a sea of other potential candidates placed so much stress on me that I could barely sleep the night before. How does an individual differentiate themselves against a hundred or more other to-be public relations graduates when you all are, quite frankly, pretty much the same? We have all taken the same basic classes, participated in the same professional clubs and activities, and largely have had similar internships or work experiences. When all this is true, how do you connect? I walked into the event still unsure of the answer to these questions. However, it did not take me long to realize most other students were as anxious as I was. Anxiety quickly turned into excitement as people began mingling, chatting and connecting at both the luncheon and the career fair. I quickly learned that connecting with professionals at booths is a much different beast to tackle than getting to know someone over time at a luncheon. After fumbling my way through my first stop or two at the fair, I decided to let go. I was trying far too hard to present myself in a way I thought the company would want me to be rather than just being myself. As soon as I opened up and let more of my personality show, the real magic began. Conversations became more sincere and connections felt more tangible. Did I have an amazing connection with every professional I talked to? No, of course not, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. To answer my previous questions, I realized that if you put your truest self forward with passions and interests in mind, you will find the place and people that will make you most happy.

WHO? You!WHAT? Cannes-Lions Study Abroad ProgramWHEN? June 13, 2016 - July 3, 2016 WHERE? Cannes-Lions International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, FranceWHY? The ultimate study abroad experience! HOW? Apply by Jan. 15, 2016

Ready for the opportunity of a lifetime? Apply for the UGA Cannes Lions Study Abroad Program! The program includes two academic courses focused on the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival, which takes place on the southern coast of France in the city of Cannes. The Cannes Lions Advertising Festival is the most prestigious festival in the world held for the best advertising, public relations and digital marketing communications campaigns. During the festival, Cannes becomes a central point for the top executives and practitioners of the advertising community. Major CEOs and leaders in their fields come together from around the globe for the week-long event. Cannes is located on the Mediterranean in southern France and is just a quick train ride away from Nice and Monte Carlo. Don’t fret PRSSA members! Even though this festival is focused on advertising, this program is intended for anyone majoring or interested in the fields of public relations, advertising, digital and marketing communications, and mass media arts. During your stay, you can earn six hours of upper-

level academic credit in advertising and mass communication courses offered by UGA. This three-week adventure will expose students to the world’s best advertising and marketing campaigns and introduce them to the geniuses behind the ads. Students will attend seminars, workshops and master classes taught by some of the most influential professionals of the advertising community. We asked Laura McLeod, a fourth year student studying Public Relations, about her experience with the program. Here’s what she had to say: “There’s really no other study abroad program that offers the same opportunities as Cannes. I didn’t realize until I was there how much access I had to some of the top creatives in the world. I was amazed at how much people took an interest in me when they found out I was a student, since it really is rare for students to get to go for the full festival. I learned things that I could’ve never learned in a classroom setting. My advice for those going is get out of your comfort zone, be bold and network because you never know who you could meet! Take advantage of every opportunity.” Summer 2015 will be the sixth year that UGA students will travel to Cannes. We hope to see you there!

For more information, please visit:http://canneslions-studyabroad.uga.edu

http://www.canneslions.com

Written by Lacey O’BrienPhotos by Laura McLeod

A Trend Toward Social Efforts

topPublic Relationscampaigns of 2015

Each year the Holmes’ Report produces a Global Creative Index, which analyzes the contenders of 25 different PR programs around the globe within a 12-month period. In 2015, at least five of campaigns at the top of index were built around current social movements. Here are a few of the campaigns heard around the world in 2015:

#LikeAGirl The #LikeAGirl campaign from Leo Burnett and MSLGroup was the most awarded PR campaign of 2015, according to the report. The campaign won a PR Grand Prix at the Cannes PR Lions, winning in a field that consisted of almost 2,000 entries. It also won Campaign of the Year at the PRWeek Global Awards and a Gold SABRE in cause-related marketing at the SABRE Awards. The Procter and Gamble Always campaign questioned why the phrase “like a girl” has become an insult in our society. Leo Burnett and MSLGroup partnered with Always, a Procter and Gamble brand, to empower girls not to be defined by harmful words or social limitations but to freely define themselves. Lauren Greenfield, documentarian and director, produced a video in which different people were asked to portray the phrase “like a girl.” With the help of MSLGroup, the video quickly went viral. The “Like a Girl” video received 85 million global views from over 150 different countries. The campaign was a catalyst for many conversations around Always, as well as the empowerment of girls and women. As a result of its success, the campaign built consumer loyalty as well as purchase intent and behavior change for Always.

CVS Quits Edelman partnered with CVS to create a campaign around the company’s decision to stop selling tobacco products in their drugstores. The CVS Quits campaign was awarded the Platinum SABRE for Best in Show at the 2015 SABRE Awards, where it was also awarded a Diamond SABRE in company of the year and a Gold SABRE in corporate image.

campaigns of 2015 In 2014 CVS made an announcement that they would no longer sell tobacco products because it was inconsistent with their goal of supporting the health of their customers. Edelman headed up a PR campaign around the corporate decision in which they sought story placements with top tier media, created hashtags for social media such as #CVSQuits, and planned an event in New York City’s Bryant Park where a 50-foot cigarette was extinguished. With the help of Edelman, CVS achieved 347 million media placements and 200,000 social media mentions within the first week after the corporate announcement alone. The movement influenced politicians and public officials to push other companies to follow the example of CVS Health. The organization saw a 9.2% stock price increase following the decision.

I Touch Myself Hill&Knowlton Australia partnered with Cancer Council NSW to cover Chrissy Amphlett’s song, “I Touch Myself ”, and create a music video to remind women to self-examine and raise breast cancer awareness. H&K achieved Campaign of the Year at the PRWeek Awards Asia, as well as

the Platinum SABRE for the best public relations campaign in the Asia-Pacific region at the SABRE Awards. They also scooped up two Bronze Awards and one Silver Award at Cannes PR Lions. The video was released almost a year after Amphlett passed away from her battle with breast cancer at age 53. The video features 10 of Australia’s top female artists who are passionate about breast cancer awareness, including Olivia Newton John who is now a breast cancer survivor. The video had a $0 budget, and it garnered 250,000 website views within the first two weeks of the launch. It was also the top trending topic of Facebook for the first two days.

When creative public relations strategies are coupled with empowering and inspiring messages, they have great potential for awareness and change. It is the campaigns that move our emotions and strike passion in our hearts that garner worldwide awareness and support.

Written by Chelsea WoodSources: Holmes Report, PRWeek, AdWeek, Soap.com

PRSSA National Conference Comes to Atlanta ith both the PRSA International Conference and the PRSSA National Conference in Atlanta from Nov. 6 to Nov. 10, the city was a hot bed of professional communicators, providing valuable networking and education opportunities for students, educators and industry professionals. The five-day long conference kicked off on Friday with tours at top agencies and corporations in Atlanta. Emily Johnson, a junior public relations major who volunteered at the event, helped lead a tour at Weber Shandwick, a leading global PR firm. “The agency [tour] was a great opportunity,” Johnson said. “It provided me with a direct outlook on a real world PR agency. I was intrigued by the Atlanta office specifically because it is composed of less than 20 employees, and I was glad to see several Grady grads employed there.” The day ended with a dance party for all of the PRSSA members who made the trip to Atlanta. Beyond networking with established PR professionals, the conference was also a great opportunity to network with fellow PR majors across the nation. The opening night party allowed everyone to cut loose, mingle and meet each other. “The opening night party was such a unique networking experience,” said Susie Cha, a senior PRSSA member. “Meeting my peers in a fun

WPRSSA National Conference Comes to Atlanta

environment helped me develop relationships that were not only useful for the weekend but opened the door for new friendships and opportunities to come.” Saturday kicked off with a ‘roll-call’ of all the chapters in attendance. It was astonishing to see that people had made the trip from as far away as Hawaii. Roll-call was followed by an inspiring speech from Scott Williamson, Coca-Cola’s vice president of public affairs and communication. Saturday and Sunday were filled with educational sessions on various topics, allowing conference attendees to explore different career opportunities and gain career advice. Some of the most popular sessions covered topics such as careers in entertainment, sports, fashion or politics, networking tips and social media marketing. The No. 1 tip that professional speakers at the conference gave was to network, network, network. Almost all of the speakers discussed how networking led them to the position they hold currently. On Sunday two living PR legends, Ellen East of Time Warner Cable and Patrick Ford of Burson-Marsteller, addressed the conference. They both discussed what it was like to be a leader in communications for each of their respective companies. Ford shared his experience of working

PRSSA National Conference Comes to AtlantaPRSSA National Conference Comes to Atlantafor Burson-Marstellar for the past 26 years and being able to live all over the country, including Asia. East addressed what it was like to be a female leader in her field and the challenges that women face, men’s unconscious gender bias being the No. 1 challenge. “Understanding the key [gender biases] will help you in the workplace,” East advised. PRSSA members had the unique opportunity to sit in on PRSA general sessions on Sunday and Monday. Atlanta congressman, John Lewis, spoke first, giving an inspiring account of his participation with the civil rights movement. He pointed out that movement would not have been nearly as successful without the help of the media shedding light on the black experience in the South, especially their treatment during the movement. His biggest word of advice: “find a way to get in the way.” Monday began with an interview of KIND CEO Daniel Lubetzky by Bobbie Batista, a former CNN anchor. Lubetzky discussed the challenge of creating a successful company that is both socially responsible and economically sustainable. He stressed the use of earned media over paid advertisements to gain the public’s trust of the product. His main point, though, was that to create a successful company, one needs a great product. Lubetzky claimed that although consumers appreciate a company with

a social mission, the only way to maintain a customer base is to have a product worth buying. Sheryl Connelly, futurist for Ford Motor Company, followed Lubetzky. Connelly spoke on possible trends we will see in the coming years and the importance of thinking big picture to keep a company in business. Connelly recommended that we “don’t look to the past to precisely predict the future, because the best way to predict the future is to create it.” Creating the future is to create futuristic scenarios and prepare the company to respond. It is important to be proactive, not reactive. Throughout all five days, attendees gained a wealth of knowledge to enhance their understanding of the PR industry and gained valuable new connections in the field. We thank everyone who was in attendance and supported our PRSSA chapter in creating a successful National Conference.

Written by Katie McKeogh

2015 - 2016 Executive Board

PresidentAmelia Milesajmiles@uga.edu@ameliajmiles

Vice PresidentKaitlyn Peelkdpeel@uga.edu@kdpeel

Creative Consultants DirectorKatie Hallkhall@uga.edu@UGACC

PR DirectorNia Washingtonniaw24@uga.edu@nia_washington

TreasurerKristyn Hickskristynhicks@gmail.com@kristynhicks

SecretaryTess Cleggcclegg12@uga.edu@TessClegg1

Publications EditorAdriana Reynoldsabr23@uga.edu@adrareynolds

Digital Media DirectorIsabel Bergerisabelberger00@gmail.com@isaslider

HistorianKelly Trankellytran384@gmail.com@kelly_tran_348

Faculty AdvisorKim Landrumklandrum@uga.edu

Creative Consultants AdvisorKristen Smithkmsmith@uga.edu

Professional AdvisorLynn Medcalf lynnharrismedcalf@gmail.com

As the holiday season swiftly approaches, students likely haven’t given much thought to their holiday plans. Most agree that end-of-semester projects and final exam preparations are to thank for this. While most students will go home for the holidays, some will linger around in Athens a little longer than others. Downtown Athens and the UGA campus may seem deserted when clases are not in session, yet numerous Athens residents remain in the Classic City. Thanks to them, you can find many holiday events and festivities that may interest students who have a little more free time at the end of the semester. Several Athens-area venues host annual events and special guests each holiday season, including: Ice Skating and Christmas at The Classic Center, the Downtown Athens Christmas Parade, and The Nutcracker performance. Several holiday concerts can also be found around town, including performances such as An Evening of Jingle Bell Jazz with Athens A-Train Band and A Totally 80`s New Year`s Eve with The Highballs, both at The Melting Point, Athens Flute Choir Holiday Concert at Lyndon House Arts Center and more. If a road trip is of interest, Atlanta and surrounding areas also host numerous holiday events and festivities. Lanier Islands Christmas, which features holiday lighting traditions and concerts at Lake Lanier, tends to be a favorite of many. “Lanier Islands Christmas was festive, and all the lights helped really get me in the Christmas spirit more so than I imagined possible,” said Sommer Sparrow, a junior journalism major who attended the event last season. “It is definitely worth checking out!” Other popular holiday celebrations and entertainment that can help one get in the holiday spirit include: Stone Mountain Christmas with light shows and a Christmas Train, Fantasy Lights in Callaway Gardens, Macy`s Tree Lighting at Lenox Square Mall, Atlantic Station Tree Lighting and Ice Skating, as well as other lightings, Christmas shows, and Santa appearances in area malls. No matter how and where one chooses to spend their holiday break in between semesters, be sure to enjoy the time out of class to relax. Catch up on much needed sleep, reading and visits with friends and family. Holiday movies are always a must too!

around Athenswritten by Erin Shattles

Holiday Funin and

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Upcoming EventsDecember 2Holiday Party and Member Social, Studio 100

January 28 - 30PRSSA Southeast Regional Conference, University of Alabama