Spring Break in Oregon

So, I took an English class entitiled "Literature of the Northwest" and we were required to do a creative project on Oregon humor.
We decided to address how Oregonians deal with the rainy weather.
This video is what we ended up with. It is mocking MTV's Spring Break shows but it is set in Lincoln City, so instead of a wet t-shirt contest, they are attempting to hold a wet sweatshirt contest.
I think any Oregonian would appreciate it.

Let me know what you think...

I'm not Irish...

So, I've never been a big fan of St. Patrick's day. I guess the whole wearing green and pinching people thing has just never appealed to me.
Last night however was one of the most fun nights I have had in quite a while. I decided to just throw myself into it. I drank green beers, wore green clothes and pinched those who didn't.
I guess any excuse to have fun with those closest to you, wear matching clothes and celebrate life is a good one.
Hope your St. Patty's day was as good as mine.
Cheers!

Following are some links which explain the traditions of St. Patrick's Day:
http://wilstar.com/holidays/patrick.htm

http://www.holidays.net/stpattys/customs.htm

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blnotes5.htm

PR Portfolios

While I have learned more in my PR classes this year than any classes I have ever taken, there is one thing that I wish I would have learned a little more about. That one thing is Portfolio Building.
We discuss portfilios and their importance quite a bit, however I have yet to learn exactly how to put a portfolio together, what it should look like and what it should include.
So I did a little online research. Here are some awesome sites that contain information about and images of quality PR portfolios.

http://advertising.about.com/od/careersource/ss/perfectptf.htm
This one contains 10 tips to building a perfect portfolio, and explains what order th included documents should be in.

http://www.stepinsidedesign.com/STEPMagazine/Article/28588
This one explains the importance of an attention-grabbing portfolio, and how to make an online version as well.

http://www.ucalgary.ca/careers/students/sample_resumes/pdfs/Portfolio_Tips.pdf
This one is a step-by-step guide of portfolio building from start to finish.

-Happy portfolio building!

I love vintage style. My bedroom is adorned in black and white photos of Marilyn Monroe and old 1940s and 1950s movie posters. To me, these images just exude a type of classic glamour that no longer exists.

However, that time period was not as glamorous as it seems from our perspective, looking back. It was also a time of great oppression...especially for women.

Take this ad for example:


This image may make you giggle to yourself, or maybe even gasp, but as a society, have we really evolved past this kind of advertising?

Take a look at the high-fashion advertisements in any Vogue or Vanity Fair magazine today. Just because these images are now shown in a more artistic, avant-garde style, aren't the same messages being delivered?
When in the line between art and insult crossed?
What do you think?


For more vintage ads, click here: http://pzrservices.typepad.com/vintageadvertising/

Let It Out

So, it seems to me that Kleenex is up there with toilet paper and hemorrhoid cream as one of the most difficult products to advertise for. It is a product that will always sell, no matter what, as it is a basic need that people use everyday. Because of this, advertisers for such products can focus on creative campaigns that people can relate to in order to make their brand stand out instead of simply explaining the benefits of their products.

I think that Kleenex's new "Let it out" campaign is a great example of this.

It touches on peoples emotions, gets the attention of the viewers and all audiences can relate to it.

I think it's great. What do you think?


Visit this link for more information on the campaign: http://www.prweek.com/us/news/article/642668/Kleenex-gets-emotional-Let-Out-nationwide-push/

More Britney

Britney Spears's publicist recently released a statement saying that Spears's recent erratic behavior is due to symptoms of Post-Partum depression.

However, in a recent interview, a few of Spears's close friends, including her ex-husband of 48 hours, Jason Alexander, stated that Britney has been invloved in drugs such as cocaine and ecstacy for over three years. Many, including radio-marketing specialist Sandra Poulin in this article: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/2007-03/03/content_818642.htm find it hard to believe that Britney would have enough energy to party if she were truly depressed.

So, wasn't this a bad move on the part of Spears's publicist? The media are going crazy over this issue, and anything her publicist says will be heard or read by millions. If it is apparent that the publicist is lying, she is completely ruining her reputation with the media and with consumers of the media.
It seems to me that a statement more along the lines of "Britney realizes that she has issues in her life that needs to be resolved, and she is now doing whatever it takes to overcome those issues and be the best mother she can be." would have been more effective.

What do you think?

Britney needs support...

So, according to this article:http://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/issues/1_1/dailydog_pr_biz_update/6486-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS, Elizabeth Arden is sticking by Britney Spears, and continuing to support her perfume line despite her current personal difficulties.

This article initiated quite the debate in my head...when you become famous, and companies support your products because of your celebrity status, do you have an obligation to keep your personal life stable and private?

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past two or three weeks, I'm sure you have heard of Britney's recent breakdown and head-shaving incident. If you haven't, these images should pretty much sum it up for you:

From our point of view as unbiased people who have no connection to Britney, it is obvious that this is a troubled girl, who needs some serious help from those closest to her.
However, from those who endorse and produce Britney's products, like the people at Elizabeth Arden, the success of their company lies in the behavioral choices she makes. Britney receiving this much negative publicity turn fans off...not only from Britney, but also from her products.
Usually, when celebrities' personal lives go downhill, they are dropped from their endorsements and sponsors. Take Kate Moss for example: When video surfaced of Kate snorting Cocaine at a British night club, Rimmel, one of her biggest endorsements, immediately dropped her.
This is why I was so pleasantly surprised by this article. I believe that the personal lives of celebrities should have nothing to do with their professional careers. No wonder this girl is having a nervous breakdown, she has been in the public eye, scrutinized her entire life. The last thing she needs right now is another negative aspect to her life. This is why I admire Elizabeth Arden for sticking by the side of, and continuing to support a teen icon, who has helped them make quite a bit of money, in her time of need.
What she needs right now is empathy and compassion. Not judgement and scrutiny.