If we were to personify the collective Internet, it would be comprised of a toddler’s attention span and a teenager’s keen awareness of revolving trends; essentially a virtual hyperactivity disorder with a dash of rebellious competition as to what’s ‘hot’ and what’s ‘not.’ If MySpace is an acid-washed t-shirt, then Pinterest is low-rise skinny jeans.  As a twenty-something male (not denoting my actual age, but rest assured it’s at a number that I’m no longer comfortable listing publicly; think wrong-side of twenty-five) who is an outlier in terms of Pinterest’s target demographic, my knowledge of the burgeoning social media giant is cursory at best, but it’s been impossible to ignore the website’s meteoric ascent. In the rapidly shifting online arena, it’s essential to keep your finger to the wind to maintain a working understanding of the latest trends, whether they immediately apply to you or not.

Five years ago no-one would’ve predicted the world-altering effect Facebook would have on interpersonal interaction. I like to joke that it’s even made high school reunions obsolete (you didn’t want to go anyway, regardless of the open bar). Zuckerberg and Co. have created the up to the second news cycle, and ushered in an unprecedented level of connectedness, forging the way for other social media outlets to follow suit.

Working with Amanda and Lindsay, two dedicated Pinterest disciples (I colloquially refer to the pair as ‘pinheads,’) I’ve gleaned a great amount of knowledge as to the website’s purpose and potential by simply listening to their conversations. This social media incarnation takes a different avenue for connecting others: visual branding. I like to think of it as an online dorm-room corkboard, outfitted with your favorite personality-encompassing Internet graphics; be it memes, recipes or sarcastic quips about waking up on Monday mornings. With its user-base multiplying daily, businesses are clamoring for opportunities to utilize Pinterest much in the way that they use Facebook and Twitter.

In our office we’ve been exploring the benefits and possibilities of adding Pinterest to our own social media cache, although the existing interface and format seem a little outside of our realm of business. Pinterest has carved a unique niche as a visual and graphically-driven outlet which is not immediately applicable to what we provide, but as other social sites have shown, this can change at the drop of a hat. So while we are not adding the Pinterest rung to our ever-increasing social media ladder at the moment, we are keeping our ears to the ground for ways this burgeoning website can benefit PR/PR and our clients.

Staying ahead of the e-growth curve is synonymous with maintaining a stout online footprint, which at times can feel a bit daunting. The whirlwind nature of social media trends can at first seem confusing and make your head spin, like when your teenage son calls you a square for still wearing pleated jeans or colors out of season. When did all of this go out of style? The ‘when’ is unimportant and irrelevant, and in the age of ‘now’ it has never been more imperative to attune yourself to the ever-changing online world and keep ahead of the game.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Emotional appeals are the redheaded stepchild of crafting and supporting an argument. Pathos, the black sheep of Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion (which also include ethos and logos, ethical and logical rhetorical devices), has long been regarded as a slippery slope on which to base a claim, albeit a powerful one. This is not intended to be an intro course in communications; I’ll spare you that brand of drudgery on a spring-ahead-induced sluggish Monday. Still, there is much to be said about the important role emotions play in framing a point, and how they can make or break your audience connection.

By now you’re well aware of the Invisible Children charity and the Kony 2012 video that went viral last week, prompting a social media conversation about the documentary’s effectiveness, the charity’s agenda and the deliberate plucking of the viewer’s heartstrings. An interesting dialogue developed in our office about the pathos devices utilized in the video, with admittedly split opinions as to their worth. Concerns over perceived emotional manipulation via scenes of the documentarian’s young son learning about kidnappings in Africa, and segments blatantly designed to elicit sympathy provided a thought-provoking discourse that dominated our discussion topics on Friday.

Regardless as to what side of the fence you reside concerning Invisible Children, there is no denying that emotional appeals are powerful rhetorical tools. When employed in the correct manner alongside established credibility and logic, they provide a tangible ‘human’ element to any argument. Over-utilized, however, and you run the risk of denigrating your entire point and invalidating yourself.

Many of our clients secure our services for the placement of op-eds, and these often contain personal accounts that have contributed to a concrete opinion. While stories comprised of supportive evidence of the emotional variety have their place, we caution our clientele from overusing them. Unabashed emotive appeals undermine your argument and can potentially alienate your audience. As seen from the rapid (and rabid) responses to the Kony documentary, these types of claims are not always well-received, and can be interpreted as ‘cheap shots’ with purely manipulative intentions.

Providing a layer of humanity to formulate an argument is Communications 101, and is an essential component of supporting a claim. Tread lightly when emphasizing the emotional, however, as you risk the possibility of creating a disconnect with your readers. Invisible Children accomplished their goal of making Joseph Kony famous overnight, but by relying heavily on the emotional spectrum they may suffer a loss of support for their cause.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Between All-Star Weekend in our city of Orlando, Florida, and the 82^nd Annual Academy Awards Sunday evening, it was a hectic 48 hours in the social media stratosphere. On-site updates were rolling in at breakneck speed; so much so that my thumb is sore from repeatedly tapping the ‘refresh’ button in a feeble attempt to keep up. In this week’s blog, we attempt to roundup the top Twitter trends and highlights from an electrifying weekend.

Jolie’s Leg Blows up the Internet

Award shows always dominate the Internet, and last night’s Oscars were no different. The main trend, however, was regarding the awkward pose Angelina Jolie struck while presenting the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Showing off her right leg via the extremely high slit in her dress proved online-gold, as #angiesleg immediately topped the trends on Twitter, going as far as spawning the spoof-account @AngiesRightLeg (which garnered nearly 13,000 followers overnight.) Tweets about the starlet’s stance came in at the staggering speed of nearly 3,500 a minute.

All-Star Weekend Invades Orlando; Dunk Contest Social Media Savvy

Orlando was the focus of the sports nation over the weekend, playing host to the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. Reports of celebrities mingling with common folk and grabbing drinks at local watering holes were rampant; the town was truly abuzz with basketball fever and enjoying national exposure.

For the first time ever, the NBA dunk contest utilized Twitter to tally the votes for the evening’s winner. By tweeting ‘#SpriteSlam’ with the name of who they felt won, the fans decided the winner in the judgeless competition. Incorporating social media allowed for an unprecedented level of fan-interaction and boosted ratings for the annual contest.

Norm Macdonald’s Real-Time Twitter Commentary

Norm Macdonald has normally been regarded as the anti-Hollywood. His deadpan, oft confused and mumbling delivery are not always well received, but his snarky real-time narration and mockery of the Oscars was terrific. His Twitter handle, @NormMacdonald, provided up to the second one-liners regarding the awards show, gracing the Internet with gems like, “I think it would be cool if an actor changed his name to Oscar Buzzworthy,” and “I was hoping another movie I’ve never heard of would win.”

Twitter gives creative minds like Norm an outlet and arena to deliver an entertaining take on events such as the Oscars, often making the actual affair appear mundane in comparison.

It was a watershed weekend for Twitter interaction, from the Academy Awards to All-Stars, alley-oops to acceptance speeches. Social media made Angelina Jolie’s extremities famous, gave fans an online voice and made Norm Macdonald relevant. We are just beginning to see the benefits of using this medium, and every new national event is another possibility to break new ground.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Common lunch break conversation fodder here at PR/PR is the day’s posts on Reddit.com, a social news website and message board. One topic last week detailed the ‘least funny jokes that leave you in hysterics.’ Sporadic laughter echoed throughout our various offices for the remainder of the afternoon. Sometimes what should be humorous isn’t, and what shouldn’t lend to hilarity leaves you at your desk with sore sides. A degree of humor is a fundamental aspect of any PR campaign, but maintaining your wits online and ensuring your message is conveyed accurately is vital.

Individuals have an uncanny way of twisting your message if you’re not mindful of how it’s constructed; this especially applies online. Sarcasm and satire may be mistaken for sincerity, and genuine sentiments may be misconstrued as facetiousness. Framing your thoughts and ideas in a succinct manner with no room for cloudy interpretation should be your aim. Trying to be funny? Emoticons go a long way on Twitter to avoid confusion.

Your online voice and tone establish your cyberspace persona. No one likes to be misunderstood, and no one wants a misunderstanding going viral, potentially spoiling a vibrant career. Do not give others an opportunity to take you out of context: guarantee your 140 characters on Twitter contain no grey areas and your status updates are concise and informative.

Sometimes we catch ourselves laughing at the wrong times. It was a struggle compiling databases while rifling through ‘a man walks into a bar…’ jokes, but the puns and punch lines were so dreadful that the only logical response was a burst of raucous laughter to break the awkward. Keep a tight lead on how you relay your message and brand on the Web. You want your audience to laugh with you and not at you.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations