Posts filed under ‘Uncategorized’
My Social Media Policy
1. Connecting:
My name is Holly West and I would like to have a network of connections that builds relationships with PR professionals in order to share ideas and information with one another. My hope is that I can further my knowledge of public relations by learning from others while possibly helping my fellow public relations professionals gain new perspectives.
2. Follow, add, friend
On Facebook, in order to accept a ‘friend request’, I want to at least know of the person. I do not necessarily have to meet them personally, but I would like to at least have some sort of connection. On Twitter, I will accept any request, but if I find that we don’t have have any common interests I may stop following certain ‘twitterers’.
3. Privacy, boundaries and safety: Be careful what you share
Facebook information can be disbursed very easily and can end up in any ones hands (often the wrong hands). I would suggest either having minimal information on your profile or having a limited profile so that certain friends can see certain things. I would even suggest removing any information that you wouldn’t want a future employer to see (pictures, quotes, posts).
4. Signal to noise: Facebook Drama
I think some Facebook statuses are completely unnecessary. I’ll give a few examples:
‘So and so’ is wondering why is life so complicated. ‘So and so’ is feeling like my world is coming to an end. ‘So and so’ can’t believe that people you think are your friends can stab you in the back.
This is so dramatic, and quite frankly ridiculous. I understand that a status is intended to describe what you’re doing or how you’re feeling, but really, do you have to be so self-involved as to put your personal problems out there for everyone to see. It’s like a soap opera, with all your ‘friends’ wondering what happened and who is involved.
I don’t really see such statuses on Twitter, so hopefully it’s a bit more informational and professional on other social networks. I think Facebook is geared more toward being the gossip and stalker hour club though.
5. Personal data and sharing: Professional and Personal Interests
I would like to share information with those I’m connected to on a professional and personal basis. I don’t necessarily mean I’m looking for that special someone; I simply mean it would be nice to exchange recipes, TV show reactions, fashion tips etc. I would also like to learn from PR professional what other companies are about and their suggestions on things like job searching, interviews, and experience.
6. My networking needs and uses
I use Facebook to keep up with high school and college friends as well as organizations in which I’m involved. It’s more casual in conversation and the information found on my profile.
I have begun using Twitter to bounce ideas off those that I’m following. It has also served as a connecting tool to get familiar with other PR professionals in the field as I begin to job search. Professionals seem very willing to help college students and provide advice on Twitter. It’s good mix of professional and casual because you want to watch what you say, but still incorporate your own opinions and interests in the mix.
LinkedIn is completely professional for me. I have very few connections right now, but I intend to use this social media to provide professionals with a well developed and well rounded profile, which includes my resume.
Sign me up!
After researching Kraft Foods Incorporated, I’ve discovered that I am quite impressed by the company as a whole. Kraft seeks to please its consumers while maintaining its focus of encouraging a healthy lifestyle. They have quality products, and ones that I have always trusted. The products can be used so diversely and to fit each consumers need, whether it’s an afternoon snack for your kids or preparing a full course meal for guests. They have so many great qualities, and are still thriving even in this economic crisis.
Use Kraft products in your holiday treats!
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Pages/home.aspx
Kraft Foods Inc. offers several jobs in hundreds of locations. I definitely support the company for its products and even community involvement. The company has donated quite a chunk of change to its communities. If I worked with the company doing anything, it would probably be aiding in the non-profit organizations. The company is wonderful, but the jobs available to public relations professionals are very limited. If I applied for and was offered a job, I would love to work for this company. Kraft believes that their employees are the keys to their success; great people working with great brands. They really understand their consumers and love promoting a healthy lifestyle. I admire the company much more now because I associate the brand Kraft with each product they produce.
Awards and Careers with Kraft
Awards -Kraft Foods Inc. has an incredible connection with its consumers. The company has figured out how to be successful: by giving consumers what they want. Kraft customizes according to specific consumer, it listens to the consumer, and it provides a variety of options for most consumer types. Because the company is so involved with its consumers and community, last August Kraft Foods UK and Ireland was awarded the Big Tick, which is given to companies that can demonstrate the positive impact of their business practices and is a highly respected endorsement. In September, Kraft was also chosen on the list of top 100 companies in Working Mother Magazine.
Here are some other Kraft awards which can be found on their corporate site.
· Kraft was named to the 2008/2009 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) – both the World and North America lists. This is the third year Kraft is part of the DJSI World index and our fourth year on the North America list.
· Kraft was named one of “Mexico’s Leading Companies” (Empresas Líderes de México) for 2007. Kraft stood out in the areas of corporate image, customer service and corporate social responsibility. The award was based on a survey of executives in Mexico by the Hay Group.
· Kraft Canada ranked number 10 among Canadian companies in the third annual corporate reputation survey by “Marketing Magazine.”
· Kraft was named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2008 by “Corporate Responsibility Officer” magazine in the US.
Careers -Kraft Inc. is also has an array of careers in communications and marketing. They have many brands and different departments that each give you the opportunity to work with people from around the world. Nicole, the Associate Director for Community Involvement, helps Kraft serve as a resource to non-profit organizations around the world. “My job truly enables me to fulfill Kraft’s vision of helping people around the world eat and live better. And on a daily basis I am inspired by the fortitude, tenacity, creativity and desire of communities around the world to lift themselves up — for me nothing is more satisfying,” she said.
Other job titles include:
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Human Resources |
| Marketing |
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Sales |
| Customer Service Coordinator |
http://www.kraftfoods.co.uk/kraft/page?siteid=kraft-prd&locale=uken1&PagecRef=2545&Mid=
http://www.kraft.com/Careers/working-at-kraft/career_story_nicole.html
Financial Crisis- what Financial Crisis?
Kraft Foods has earned the reputation of a trusted brand among consumers. Although the economy’s financial crisis has persisted over the past two years, food makers, including Kraft, are flourishing according to Thomas Gaudio of BNET. In Gaudio’s article, “While Financial Crisis Continues, Food Industry Flourishes,” food manufacturers are a “safe haven in uncertain times” for investors according to Gregg Warren, an analyst with Morningstar, a Chicago based investment research firm. “Their cash flows are stable. When you boil it down, people still have to eat,” he said.
According to Gaudio’s article, Kraft had net profits of $ 1.3 billion on net revenues of $21.5 billion for the six months ended June 30, compared to net profits of $1.4 billion on net revenues of $17.8 billion during the prior year. As of Sept. 22, Kraft shares were trading at $33.05, between a 52-week range of $28.04 and $35.29.
Gaudio also discusses how Kraft Foods Inc. is trying to make its mark in the developing world by getting more exposure in countries like China, Russia and Indonesia. However, brands like Oreo and Maxwell House must compete with other brands that have already made their mark in such countries. This is not an easy task because Warren says that taste tend to be local.
Kraft Foods has not always been so fortunate to have stability in an unstable economy. The company has faced a few crises, but none so big that the company couldn’t handle. Most of their problems can be found in a food safety category where food is contaminated. For instance, in September of this year, milk contaminated with melamine was found to be the cause of the deaths of four infants in China. Food companies around the globe immediately began assessing their products, and according to an internet news source, some companies created new strategies to prevent such problems.
However, rumors of melamine-related recalls of Oreos and other sweets spread by phone text messages and on the Internet, so Kraft Foods Inc. hastened to reassure customers that none of its Oreo-brand products contain milk powder from China. A representative of Kraft Foods said that Oreo fillings contain no milk, while Oreo cookies with icing on them use milk powder from Australia. “Regardless of where they are produced, Kraft products are always held to the highest quality and safety standards,” the company said.
Because the rumors were false, the company could have reacted outrageously, but Kraft Foods simply assured their consumers that information was just not true. The company had a valid explanation of why the statement could not have been true and reiterated that their products are of high quality and safely produced.
http://www.wkrg.com/consumer/article/tainted_milk_crisis/19505/
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5292/is_20081006/ai_n30946429
Kraft Gives Back
Kraft is one of the largest food companies in the nation, and because their focus is creating healthy lifestyles, Kraft has teamed up with leading non-profit organizations which specialize in issues such as fighting hunger and building healthy lifestyles to help make a big impact. According to Kraft’s corporate website, here are some ways in which Kraft Foods gives back to its communities.
· Kraft gives nearly $100 million in food, cash donations and volunteer support annually to hundreds of non-profit organizations
· When disaster strikes, the company sends food, donates money and volunteers time to help those who need it the most.
· Kraft helped fund the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s first Produce mobile, which delivers fresh fruits and vegetables to neighborhoods where produce is either not available or too expensive.
· In Russia, 16 percent of children are overweight or obese. Kraft entered this partnership with Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)to teach school-aged children in Russia to cook healthy foods, increase physical activity and grow nutritious foods in school gardens.
· The health 4 schools program is designed to engage students in the elements of a healthy lifestyle by promoting breakfast, gardening, cooking and active playing. Kraft has donated about $1 million since 2004 to launch the health 4 schools program at 75 schools in Gloucestershire, England.
As you can see, Kraft is certainly involved in its communities around the world. The company does not focus on one specific location, as it can be purchased in 150 countries. Kraft Food products have impacted the lives of millions, and the team at Kraft intends to maintain its focus of fighting hunger and promoting healthy lifestyles.
Who likes Kraft?
Kraft has one large category which sums up its products: food. The website specifically is very family oriented and targets all audiences, but it also clearly has one group in particular that it focuses on. The site provides ideas for things like dinner plans, entertainment, healthy eating, your kids, and community involvement, all of which primarily target women. Let’s face it. There are many men out there who can cook a wonderful, full course meal with ease. But the vast majority of shoppers in your local grocery store aiming to cook dinner are women.
Based on Grunig and Hunt’s four public relations models, I would say that Kraft Foods is using the 2-way asymmetrical model. Although asymmetrical is a form of two way communication, the goal is not balanced. The company has found it most important to disperse their information such as recipe ideas, health tips, and product promotions. Although Kraft focuses on gaining public interest, the company still gives consumers the opportunity to give feedback through message boards on its website.
Kraft Foods: It’s more than just Mac and Cheese
Kraft’s vision is simply this: Helping people around the world eat and live better. With its headquarters in Northfield, Illinois, Kraft employs 103,000 people worldwide with operations in more than 70 countries, sales in more than 150 countries, approximately 180 manufacturing and processing facilities, and 11 research and development centers. Kraft reports its financial performance by eight segments: US Beverages, US Cheese, US Convenient Meals, US Grocery, US Snacks, Canada and North America Foodservice, European Union, Developing Markets. Net revenues in 2007 totaled $37 billion. (http://www.kraft.com/About/who-we-are/Kraft-at-a-Glance.html)
Kraft is more than just cheese! The company has nine brands with revenues of $1 billion. The nine brands are:
The history of Kraft began in 1903 when J.L Kraft started selling cheese from a horse drawn wagon. Today, Kraft Foods has established a brand name that is valued and trusted by its customers. To look at Kraft’s complete history, visit their site for a slideshow and timeline of events which has led to their success.
http://www.kraft.com/About/who-we-are/Kraft-at-a-Glance.html
Kraft Foods Incorporating the Groundswell
In this world of always changing and increasing use of technology, social media has come to the forefront of advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, sales, etc. YouTube, Twitter, blogging, and many other forms of social media are being used more and more by major companies and corporations. For instance, Kraft Foods has created a website which coincides with this new social media age by adding videos and blog posts.
I would like to share two ways in which Kraft Foods has become involved in social media by comparing the company to the book Groundswell, Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies. It’s a book by two Forrester analysts with practical, data-based strategies for companies that want to harness the power of social technologies like blogs, social networks, and YouTube. Groundswell is based on facts and experience from analysts who have advised more than 100 business clients on social technology strategy.
One way Kraft Foods is using the ideas produced by Groundswell is by listening. In different sections on the Kraft Foods website, you can view a message board where Kraft consumers share their cooking ideas and recipes with one another, whether it’s entertaining, healthy living, or Kraft’s cooking school, where you can learn about basic cooking techniques. This gives the company the opportunity to receive feedback on the consumers’ needs and wants.
Another way Kraft Foods is using the Groundswell is its use of videos, which can be found on the website as well as YouTube, and the ratings on each dish or recipe. These tactics could be in different categories like listening, energizing and embracing the Groundswell. Videos of the preparation of the meal helps consumers stay involved and interactive. The ratings could help consumers share with one another their thoughts on a specific recipe. This is a great tactic to get consumers involved because people are more willing to try something if it is recommended or highly praised by someone who has already tried it.
Lastly, Kraft has incorporated its brand on the growingly popular virtual social media program, Second Life. Millions of users can now play with the added feature of a Second Life supermarket which was launched by Kraft in May of 2007. The Supermarket is the only food manufacturer on Second Life, with Kraft Foods as its only brand. This relatively new form of social media is a great way to get consumers curious about Kraft brands, possibly items that did not originally associate with the Kraft Foods brand. This reinforces the quality of its products as well as variety.
Kraft Foods could definitely work on some aspects that would involve using the Groundswell ideas more effectively. Getting as much feedback and information from your consumers are keys to making your company successful. If your consumers are not happy, no one is happy. Kraft could definitely use more innovative ways of involving consumers, but in my opinion, they do have a pretty good grasp on social media at present.
Top Reasons to Use Adobe InDesign
Almost everyone has heard of the software Adobe InDesign, but do you know how easy and efficient it is to use for your desktop publishing projects? InDesign is a great program for creating items like brochures, flyers, newsletters, and much more. What makes it such a good tool for publishing products is that’s exactly what this software was designed for: Creating. It’s much more efficient than standard programs like Microsoft Word, and trust me I have done my best to create using Word, and it’s not easy to manipulate. You can’t type beside a picture because the cursor won’t allow it. You can’t type on a path around a picture. You can’t use transparency or manipulate fun shapes. It’s just too structured of a program, and it’s not designed to create like InDesign.
According to A Review of Adobe InDesign from BrightHub.com, professions ranging from advertising and newspapers to public relations need a good mix of graphic skills and writing to produce quality print publications for clients. Adobe InDesignis the perfect software program for people with little graphic design knowledge. It opens up a world of creative possibilities for those with limited design experience. From cool typography tools to its flexible illustration tools, Adobe InDesign has definitely made creating desktop publishing projects fun and easy (well, once you use it a couple of times).
All this said, I’ve compiled a short list from personal experience and other reviews of top reasons why you should consider using Adobe InDesign for your next publishing project.
· Professional typography:Create interesting, sophisticated typography for any media with text and table styles, text wrap control, the Paragraph Composer, OpenType support, drop caps, and more.
· Balance:“All in all, InDesign CS3 has an excellent balance of new design and performance features, making this a compelling upgrade for the program’s user base.”
· Designer Awards: “The designers gave careful consideration to functions that aid creativity, improve productivity, and allow repetitive features to be scripted. Because the developers are working on the next version.”
· Layout productivity tools:Quickly and precisely produce sophisticated page layouts with fun designs using productivity tools that were created or enhanced based on the input of InDesign users worldwide.
· Search with Ease: One new feature I have found extremely useful is the expanded Find and Replace options. You can now search based on object attributes and make changes to strokes and fills document wide instantly.
If you are still uncertain about using Adobe InDesign, research the information on these links as well as other reviews. I’m certain you will find that for your most basic project to your most complex, InDesign will fulfill most if not all of your publication needs.
Developing a Good Blog
I am not alone in this new blogging endeavor. I feel better now, just by stating (writing) that. As a college, and like most other people, starting something new, something that can totally mess up a certain routine, can be intimidating and often frustrating. When my professor explained what blogs and posts are, my immediate reaction was not ‘cool’.
But now that I’ve started blogging on a somewhat regular basis, I don’t know how most young people are turned off by the idea, especially in this internet age. Blogging is such a good way to be expressive, share ideas, and voice your opinions. I’m still learning and exploring, along with my classmates, many of whom already have exceptional blogs of their own.
For instance, Donovan Sharkey’s blog Sharkey’s Machine has not only a unique and clean design, but it also includes valuable insight which targets areas like business and public relations. His latest post Blogging for Big Businesses is a great example of how he incorporates his own perspective with the links and information he found about this particular topic.
Sharkey comments on how blogging could greatly impact The North Face, a company that he is currently researching, saying, “It is possible that if The North Face doesn’t capitalize on blogging and social media that their brand will go the way of countless other fly-by-night fads. Anybody remember Ocean Pacific, British Knights, or Members Only? Blogging can be the catalyst that helps organizations continue the momentum growth; instead of slowly losing steam and not knowing why.”
Another great example of a well developed blog from a classmate is Kelli Martin. Her self-titled blog includes fun graphics, catchy titles, and a great layout. This blog is easy to read and stresses many of the important basics of public relations, such as her latest blog entitled Strategic PR Planning and Goal Setting. Martin also incorporates great links about her interests and personal information, such as the Fortune 500 Company Limited Brands and her resume.
Developing a good blog takes time, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really not so bad. Depending on the topic of your blog, follow these three writing guidelines to make it successful.
· Develop a writing style and tone appropriate to your subject material.
· Post often, even if your posts are short.
· Allow your readers to comment on your posts.
Holly West 