Author Archive for Carter Breazeale – Page 60

Who’s Chopping Onions?

February 11, 2014

In a bittersweet announcement from my post as blogger, I’m saddened to say that this Thursday will be Amanda Tucker’s final day here at PR/PR.

You can only steal so many office-supplies before your fellow employees catch on. Our move to our new location obviously affected her ability to effectively pilfer pens and staples, so it didn’t take long until we were made aware of her extracurricular activities. This is what at-home arts and crafts will get you, kids.

Kidding.

In all seriousness, Amanda is moving on to a terrific new opportunity, and she will be sorely missed each and every day. She has left an indelible mark on our company – with her steadfast dedication, her infectious laugh and unparalleled professionalism. I met Amanda near eons ago; back when 56K modems were the source of envy among peers and MTV still played music videos. We remained friends throughout high school, and celebrated together as we prepared to depart to our respective universities.

I owe my position here at PR/PR entirely to her, for informing me of the opening, and putting in a solid word prior to my initial interview. It’s safe to say that my life would be on a completely different path had it not been for Amanda’s faith and confidence: so it will be odd walking into work each day and not seeing her in her familiar spot.

Change is a part of life, and we all wish Amanda the absolute best on her new career path. I can speak on behalf of all of us when I say that her future employer will be receiving an invaluable asset: a person whose heart is as strong as her mind, whose passion for life and love is unrelenting and whose commitment to her friends and family are second-to-none.

Best of luck, Amanda – I’ll miss bothering you on a daily basis.

-Carter Breazeale

Current Events

Super Savings

Posted by Carter Breazeale on

February 4, 2014

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There are certain aspects of Super Bowl Sunday considered sacred. Buffalo wings. Prop-bets on wacky in-game scenarios. Critiquing the halftime performance like you could have done it better.

But among the facets of the Super Bowl considered holy by Americana, save for the game – it’s the ads. And along with the demise of Denver’s championship aspirations, on Sunday we may have witnessed the death-rattle of Super Bowl advertising.

The Super Bowl is the only event where viewers actively tune-in to the commercial programming, as corporations dump massive portions of their annual marketing budgets and best ideas into producing top-tier advertising spots. The cost can be monumental, as the going-rate for a 2014 Super Bowl commercial was as high as $4 million for 30-seconds. As such, many companies have attempted to stretch their mileage by releasing them up to a week early on YouTube – which eliminates much of the mystique of the Super Bowl ad-watching experience.

The move is understandable from a business-standpoint, as the economy is still grinding toward a full-recovery, companies are searching for any way to stretch their dollars – especially in the advertising sector. But for your average Super Bowl partygoer, it amounts to sacrilege. The anticipation of the unknown is as ingrained in Super Bowl Sunday as wings and beer, and the ability to view ad spots in advance can ruin the joy of watching.

Things have gotten so expensive that some companies have turned the price-tag into a unique marketing ploy. Esurance ran a commercial after the game’s completion, touting the fact that by purchasing ad-time after the fourth-quarter, they saved $1.5 million dollars – and considering they pride themselves on saving their customers money, by using the hashtag ‘esurancesave30’ they are giving away their savings to one lucky Twitter user.

So what do you think? Do you side with corporate executives attempting to get the most bang for their buck, or do advances of commercials hurt Super Bowl viewership?

Business

Sochi-Media Security

Posted by Carter Breazeale on

January 28, 2014

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Russia’s government has had the long-standing reputation as one with invasive proclivities; monitoring citizens’ activity, controlling the press and limiting the liberties of its people. But Vladimir Putin and the Russian regime have upped the ante in preparation for the Sochi Olympics – telling news media outlets that they will be observing and scrutinizing the communications of all athletes, journalists and attendees – and that includes each and every message on social media.

The Olympics are located in a highly-contested area of the Russian state; nestled between the Caucauses Mountains and the Black Sea, Sochi is in relatively close-proximity to the separatist republics of Chechnya and Dagestan – and as such, rampant security concerns have overshadowed the forthcoming international athletic events. Islamist militants have vowed to disrupt the Winter Olympics, so Russia has been staked with the task of ensuring tight-knit security in and around the city.

The current Russian government recently announced that it had installed DPI, or Deep Impact Inspection, to its widely-available free Wi-Fi service in Sochi, which will allow massive data-mining of social media. Every byte of information – from status updates, private messages and pages visited – will be collected and surveyed by Russian security officials in an effort to thwart any potential strike.

Anxieties have become so overwhelming that a few U.S. Olympians have told their families to avoid attendance altogether. It’s an unfortunate statement of the realistic fears of today – that fears can override and undermine an event as sacred and embedded in the international mosaic as The Olympics, but these are the lamentable times that we live in – and Russia is utilizing all available online technology in its arsenal to maintain safety and order.

The Winter Olympics in Sochi begin next Friday, February 7th, and with the security measures in place, will hopefully go-off without a hitch.

Social Media Messaging

A Salute to Dr. King

Posted by Carter Breazeale on

January 21, 2014

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Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day, and it’s imperative that we never lose sight of this man’s contributions to our society, and the impact that the Civil Rights Movement had on our country. There are still groups fighting equality battles and channeling Dr. King’s resilient spirit to ensure that the same inalienable rights are afforded to all, without discrimination or fear of persecution.

We owe Martin Luther King Jr. an immense debt of gratitude for making the sacrifices to end the scourge of Jim Crow, promote racial tolerance and fairness and assure that the words of the Declaration of Independence ring true – for everyone.

Current Events

2014 Online Resolutions

Posted by Carter Breazeale on

January 14, 2014

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Each day new sites are popping up across the Web and new strategies are being devised to take advantage of the ever-evolving opportunities in the online landscape. In 2014, along with the customary gym-joining and gluten-avoiding and compulsive budgeting that takes place, you should strive to keep your thumb on the pulse of Internet trends, and use them to your benefit. Here are some places to start:

1. Video on Facebook. If you haven’t noticed by now, Facebook’s video incorporation has now been designed to auto-play across newsfeeds. While some may find this new feature aggravating, when utilized correctly it can be wildly valuable – especially to businesses. Professionally produced video-spots can immediately grab the eye of potential consumers or clients, and showcase your ability to market a successful product or service.

2. Mobility. Society is trending even further toward the ‘have to do this on the run’ narrative. This doesn’t exclude social media, where developers are continuing to focus their efforts on mobility incorporation to accommodate a culture on the go. Just because the clock strikes 5:00 pm does not mean you should mentally abandon your professional social media cache. Respond to inquiries, comments and friend requests in a timely manner to demonstrate availability and expedience.

3. Focus on turning ‘likes’ into conversions. A potential customer has connected with you online, and seems to be fairly interactive with your profiles? Great – but that doesn’t help your bottom line. Engage them and begin an online dialogue, and work to bring them aboard your operation. As the analytics and SEO functionality of social media platforms continues to grow, 2014 will allow for far greater monitoring of leads and traffic.

4. Instagram is essential. Image-centric social media will be the story of 2014, and with photo-sharing sites and apps continuing to crop up, there is no reason you shouldn’t be participating. Instagram allows for the softer-side of business, showcasing in-house projects and happenings, and injects a bit of lightheartedness into the world of online commerce. Even if your feed is comprised of mainly photos of staff or events, connecting with others is just another opportunity to get your name out there.

Keeping abreast of trends is imperative to growing your business and name recognition. Make this another entry onto the litany of resolutions you’ve made this year.

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Author Archive for Carter Breazeale – Page 60

Who’s Chopping Onions?

Super Savings

A Salute to Dr. King

2014 Online Resolutions

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