PR-Obsessed

As a part of living a healthy lifestyle, I enjoy eating fresh, organically produced foods on a regular basis. In recent years many wonderful stores have come into the business of natural and organic foods. One of my favorite stores to shop at is Whole Foods Market. The atmosphere, the food and the people make Whole Foods a wonderful shopping experience. I like Whole Foods Market because it is dedicated to selling the highest quality of products while providing extraordinary customer service. I decided to review the company’s Whole Green Blog for as an assignment for my Advanced PR Writing class to see how well the company is represented by its employees. I am curious to see if the values and convictions of Whole Foods are reflected through its blog.

Using blog-grading criteria developed by businessandblogging.com, I reviewed the Whole Foods blog in a number of important areas and then scored it out of 80 points.

Overall, I rate this blog: Good

On a scale of 1 – 10:

• Ease of finding: 10 – The Whole Foods blog is easily accessible. I was able to type in “Whole Foods blog” into Google and The Whole Green Blog was the first link that appeared. The blog link is also listed on the main Whole Foods home page. It is a well-identified link at the bottom of the site, which takes you to all Whole Foods blogs.

• Frequency: 4 – The Whole Green Blog has one post per week. There were some weeks where there were two posts; however, those weeks were not frequent.

• Engaging writing: 8 – The style of writing varies from entry to entry because different Whole Foods employees contribute their ideas to this blog. However, all the entries are well-written, engaging and establish a clear message. The writing style of the blog is very casual, which makes it easy for Whole Foods consumers to relate to such a large corporation.

• Relevant: 9 – The blog is directly relevant to the ideals of Whole Foods Market and its shoppers. However, what makes this blog interesting to read are the posts that don’t discuss the business aspect of the company, but focus more on environmental topics. Most of the posts have a personal feel, which builds a closer connection with the community of Whole Foods shoppers.

• Focused: 9 – The blog is very focused on environmentally friendly topics such as sustainability, renewable energy, recycling and many others. The blog updates readers about new ways to live a “greener” life. Every post discusses a different issue that ties in with the central message of Whole Foods Market.

• Honest: 10 – The blog focuses on “green” issues, which I believe to be accurate and honest. Since the blog does not discuss the company’s financial information and focuses more on human interest stories, there is less of a push for the blog to be dishonest. The writers of the blog are clearly identified, which gives this blog credibility.

• Interactive: 10 – The Whole Foods Blog provides a space to comment on each blog entry. The blog encourages feedback, and even gives out prizes to randomly selected comments each month. Then the blog turns those comments into featured postings. There are valuable website links as well as video links included in the posts, which adds to the blog’s overall interactivity.

• Responsive: 5 – Even though the blog encourages bloggers to post their comments by providing incentives, it doesn’t look like the writers of the blog comment back on their postings. The fact that the blog allows its readers to leave comments suggests that it is making an effort to address the readers’ questions and concerns.

I also want to give The Whole Green Blog 5 bonus points for including many valuable links in the blog posts. These links made the blog a lot more interactive. Another feature that this blog received extra points for was the simplicity of accessing all of the blog’s archives.

Whole Food’s blog scored 65 out of 80 points according to businessandblogging.com’s blog-grading criteria. Even though the blog was very encouraging for comments, I would have liked to see more feedback from the employees that posted the comments. From a public relations standpoint, this blog is well done and is focused on the core values that Whole Foods Market portrays in its stores.

I was casually browsing through the Bad Pitch Blog when I noticed a post about Twitter. My Advanced PR Writing Professor suggested that we join Twitter at the start of this term, so now anytime I hear about Twitter I am curious to know what others think about it. This blog post particularly intrigued me because it said everything I have ever felt about Twitter and then some. For me Twitter is a very unfamiliar form of social media. I know Facebook and MySpace and blogs, however Twitter just never truly caught my interest. The Bad Pitch Blog looks at Twitter from a cool perspective that makes me want to give Twitter another try. It is true, I need to learn how to not hate Twitter and take advantage of its unique nature. Here are the tips that I thought were most helpful for me as a Twitter newbie:

Twitter takes time- Twitter gains value over time. This statement is true because I have yet to gain any real value from Twitter, however I also rarely spend any time on it. Getting on Twitter is like a job to me, it does not yet appeal to me as something that I want to do on my own free will.

Twitter is niche- After talking to Leona Laurie, a fellow PR practitioner, I learned that Twitter is a very niched community. She explained to me that Twitter aides people with the establishment of personal connections within the Twitter community. The public relations industry is based on building personal relationships. It is a great community for individuals to connect on a more personal level. Personal relationships tend to lead to professional relationships, making Twitter a beneficial tool for establishing relationships within the industry.

140 character pitches- I like this one especially because in my PR Writing class the other day we had to make an elevator pitch to our teacher. Twitter seems to be really valuable for that because the 140-character limit forces the writer to be concise and get right to the point. This feature of Twitter I think is truly beneficial for a public relations practitioner.

I do potentially see the benefits of Twitter, however I think in order for me to actually receive those benefits I would have to spend much more time on Twitter than I do now. What do you guys think?

The fashion world thinks of it as a “retail’s odd couple,” others think of it as a smart strategic move. Target Corp. has recently teamed up with Barneys New York to promote designer Rogan Gregory’s new eco-friendly clothing line. Rogan’s “Go International” line will make its debut at Barneys in New York, May 9-11 and in Los Angeles on May 16-18. This collection is apparently only going to be in stock for five days, after which shoppers will have to wait for the collection to debut at the Target stores.

Rogan Gregory is known for his cutting-edge concept of fashion, as well as his understanding of social responsibility. His casual clothing collection is produced from organic materials, so Rogan really knows what is fashionable as well as environmentally friendly.

The move to design a less expensive clothing line for Target has no-doubt caused some interesting questions as well as concerns. Since Barneys sells Rogan’s primary line, which includes trousers for $230, dresses for $320 and anoraks for $450, many wonder what the reaction will be to such a contrast in prices. Rogan, a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award winner, created this eco-friendly line while keeping budget constraints in mind. Ronan’s prices for this line are fairly inexpensive, ranging from $15-$45. One of the main concerns that has been brought up is the fact that customers will see two pieces from the same designer and wonder why one costs $300 and the other costs $30. Even though there is a chance that such a move will throw some customers off, such a bold move will also create a positive buzz for both Barneys and the new Rogan line.

New York Magazine’s Fashion blog,The Cut, discussed the issue and they believe that this move is going to have a positive outcome. The Cut thinks that such a strategic move is good PR for Barneys because it will not only better its already fabulous reputation, as well as keep people talking for weeks.

I believe that this is a start of a beautiful new relationship. With the economy at its low, not many average American citizens are spending money on clothes like they used to. So here is a happy medium. Designer-made clothes for a department store price. It’s genius.

Ronan’s new line is so versatile. It appeals to many for its price and it also targets those “eco-friendly” consumers. This move is very timely and all the clothes are very cute, modern and stylish. The line features animal print and cut-out bathing suits, striped vests, button up jumpers and more.

One of Nylon Magazine’s current most viewed links is “First Look: Rogan Grergory for Target.” Check it out, it goes along the same line as my blog post.

So as PR professionals what do you guys think of this bold move?

Yet another Disney Channel favorite stirs up controversy in June’s issue of Vanity Fair. This time it is Miley Cyrus that has caused the most recent Scandal du Jour. In a portrait done by Annie Leibovitz, Cyrus poses semi-topless, covering herself with a blanket. The Hannah Montana star has definitely caused a stir with her “grown-up” pictures, however, in reality were those pictures as provocative as the media made them out to be? In a world full of Britneys and Lindsays, stunts like these have become casual. However, when a 15-year-old media darling became a master piece of the legendary Annie Leibovitz’ work, people really paid attention. Even though Cyrus did pose for Leibovitz, the photographs were done in a very tasteful way. There is a video on Vanity Fair’s web site that shows that the photo shoot was actually a relaxed family affair that has no inappropriate undertones.

The media and others are worried that Miley will become another Britney, but in all honesty not every one turns over to the dark side just because they did a some-what suggestive photo shoot. Just like any normal 15-year-old, Miley Cyrus is just experimenting with new things and is doing things that kids her age do. I do agree that since she is such a public figure, as well as a Disney Channel icon, she should be more selective with what she does and what she doesn’t do.

In my opinion, getting to work with Annie Leibovitz is an opportunity of a lifetime. She is an amazing photographer who has had years of photography experience. Leibovitz is known for great pictures that tend to cross the line a little. There are always ways to make celebrities look bad, however i do think that Cyrus could have done much worse things than this. Even though many are worried that Miley Cyrus is going to follow the path of Lindsay Lohan and other Hollywood teens, I think that one photo shoot is not an indicator for that conclusion. I definitely think that Vanity Fair is also a big part of this situation because they cater to an old audience and by putting a 15-year-old girl on its cover, it threw a lot of people off.

Just like the fashions of Balenciaga, Carolina Herrera, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, Starbucks is also going retro for the spring. Its original brown label has temporarily replaced the highly recognized green Starbucks logo of a mermaid encircled by the words “Starbucks Coffee.” Since the green logo is so pervasive, the change is an immediate attention-grabber.

The reason for the switch is the launch of Starbucks’ new coffee blend, Pike Place Roast, which is supposed to have a smoother taste. Starbucks wants people to recognize the company’s shift toward brewed coffee as well as emphasize on the their coffee-roasting abilities. The new Starbucks cups are also made with 10% post-consumer recycled content, so they are not only promoting their new roast but also their efforts to serve coffee in a more environmentally friendly way.

Such a move seems unusual since Starbucks’ logo is immediately recognizable all over the world. However, the logo change was a definite strategic PR move on the company’s part. It drew immediate attention not only to the logo, but also to their new blend. The logo change raised the question of “Why did Starbucks do that?” Starbucks rarely advertises its product because its popularity sells itself. So the logo change is a subtle marketing technique for the new Pike’s Place Roast.

Even though the move has raised some controversy, I feel as though it also added to the popularity of Starbucks coffee. After all, techniques are the same in fashion, a designer has to make a drastic move to gain attention and make an impression on its audience. Since this spring bold, retro floral prints are making a come back, why not bring the retro Starbucks logo back as well?

What are everyone’s thoughts on the new Starbucks cup? Does it make you miss the old, more familiar logo or is it something new and exciting? I personally haven’t made up my mind yet! I kind of got used to the old cup over my coffee-drinking years!

While browsing through a PR blog, Strategic Public Relations, i found this “bumper sticker” as Facebook calls it. I thought it was perfect for us bloggers who also appreciate the bumper sticker application on Facebook. How someone came up with the whole bumper sticker idea i don’t know but it is yet another way to build connections with others. It is also a way for people to get a little taste of your personality, kind of like going to the student rec center, it goes along the lines of personal PR.

At University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication we are taught about “official PR”, which includes things like working for clients, writing official documents and dealing with crisis situations. One day last week when i was at the student rec center on campus, i had a revelation. As i was looking around at all the people i though to myself “People don’t come here just to exercise, they come here so others have a certain perception of them.” It is a no-brainer that people want to appear healthy and fit, especially at such an active campus like the University of Oregon. Going to the rec center is personal PR in that sense and even though some may claim that they “don’t want to see anyone at the gym,” i would personally disagree with that statement. Not only is the rec center a fitness heaven, it is also a place for social netwoking between students who have similar fitness goals.

Stacey Rogers found a great article that perfectly fits the idea of personal PR. As the man with the pitbulls made a strategic move by letting the neighbors see his puppies, the students going to the rec center make a strategic PR move of their own when they go to work out. In recent years fitness has become a big trend. Going to the gym didn’t just become popular, it became a lifestyle. Speaking of style, the gym has become the new night club, where people come fully put-together. Gym attire does no longer just consist of a plain old T-shirt for many. This is where Nike, Addidas and other sportswear companies come into play. Fitness-obsessed individuals want to look good at the gym, hence the personal PR aspect. By wearing the specialized sports gear, the sports wear companies are also getting publicity, which in the end benefits everyone. Therefore, going to the gym is essentially just personal PR, plus the working-out aspect!

Bend Living Magazine, Central Oregon’s Premier Lifestyle Magazine, has just put out its first “green” issue. The March/April 2008 issue of the magazine discusses Bend’s emerging green culture. Bend, Oregon has been booming for years now. New homes are going up faster than Bend locals can even notice. However, not many of those homes have been entirely environmentally friendly. Only recently, Bend has become conscious of alternative “green” ways to improve homes and decrease energy use. The “green” issue discusses a variety of topics such as new energy-saving hybrids available in 2008, beneficial ways to build “green” and the use of alternative energy methods such as solar power grids. In my opinion, the “green” issue is a great step for Bend as well as Bend Living. For my J203: Information Gathering (Info Hell), class project, I researched renewable energy use, particularly wind power and solar power. After completing the project, I realized how beneficial “green” energy is and I am happy that Bend is taking the next step and thinking “green!”

After a brief meeting with a fellow PR practitioner, i got inspired to check out NotCouture. NotCouture is a fashion blog with a very unique touch to it. The blog consists of only image boxes with pictures of the latest fashion indulgences. This fashion is particularly intriguing to me because of its lay out. Design is a recent interest of mine and i found this blog at the right time to enjoy and appreciate it. This blog has a particularly classy feel to it. The styles featured on the blog are top notch designer pieces. The Maison Martin  Margiela  Spotlight Clutch particularly caught my eye, first for its beauty then for its price. However, this masterpiece is a true fashion statement. In my opinion this blog is a very positive representative of a fashion blog. It is done with taste and it stands out for its unique design. My thoughts on fashion blogging as a hobby? I’m hooked already.

Hello! My name is Olga and I am the author of PR-Obsessed! This is my first blog, so I am very excited to dip my feet into the blogging world. I will be blogging about the current trends in PR, as well as other topics such as fashion, fitness, beauty, technology and consumer public relations. I am very happy to have such an awesome opportunity to be able to write my own blog. With the help of my Advanced PR Writing class I hope to improve and learn more about blogging.

So, welcome to my blog!