Well, well, well… I am back in the blogosphere after more than a week off.  I had one week of summer vacation and became a vampire who quivered at daylight and thrived in the wee hours of the morning.  Case in point, I had fun.  When you have to wrap up an entire summer vacation in seven days – well as the saying states - go big or go home.

There is plenty of PR I could talk about; Beckham not showing up to his own party -tsk, tsk- the onslaught of viral marketing for The Dark Knight (Oscar nod anyone?), or the re-defining of my own brand – INTERN!  Regardless, I will save my fingers from typing and just state that by taking a week off from blogging I have realized that there is a multitude of things I would like to write and only 8 minutes of the work day left.  Instead I will leave you with this, I am breaking the fast and will be back to blogging about all sorts of things including my new frosted glass desk at my internship that I am falling head over jimmy choo’s with.

As well – thanks to those who had to listen to my banter and wordy sentences during text or bbm conversation… I’m sorry!  When I don’t type it out in some way shape or form, you all tend to get gramatically correct text messages – deal with it!

And the winner of Miss Universe 2008 is… the new star of MTV’s Pageant Place! Oh wait, I mean Miss Venezuela.

Thank you Mr. Trump for bringing the universe yet another energetic, embarrassing episode of the Miss Universe pageant. This is like the Superbowl for women. I had my computer out (pad of paper is so five years ago) and kept score. Now the competition kept with all fairness of the scores being flashed after every pose and wink (or as Tyra Banks puts it, smiling with your eyes). It came down to Miss Colombia and Miss Venezuela who truly dominated the competition from the get-go. A few things, however, from this point on tended to bother me – this goes far beyond the two clenching each others hands waiting to hear who would be crowned.

The “Token Girls”:
What boggles my mind is all the “token” girls that need to be put in the top 15. Stop worrying about the press already Don, your PR rep can handle it!

Here are our “token” girls of 2008:
Miss Kosovo – first time this country that borders Serbia and Albania has ever been included, and therefore she gets face time!
Miss USA – standard rules apply here, no one expects Miss USA to be left out.
Miss Vietnam – keeping the host country happy.
Miss Japan – she won last year, but you get top 15 just for realizing you have no hope in hell of winning.

That leaves 11 spots up for grabs! Now come on. I like to watch a fair parade of women in bikinis and overbearing evening gowns. Inserting the obvious just cuts away from the fun.

However, the last two Miss USA’s – Rachel Smith and Crystle Stewart – have proven why their spot needs to be moved from “token” to “tradition”. The press that these women have, and will receive, over their falls in the evening gown competition could not have been thought up by the brightest PR practitioner. This kind of press is golden! Youtube, People, NY Times; they have all shown and wrote about the infamous fall of 2007 that left Rachel at the bottom of the top five. This year, Miss USA was left out of the top five altogether after her kerplunk. PR tactic? Probably not. An excellent topic for an episode Pageant Place Season 2? Absolutely!

Pageant Place Pitty Party:
Miss Universe would not be Miss Universe without the admiration of young women everywhere. With young women comes… boy bands? No, MTV! What a fantastic melding on traditions. In order to communicate the key messages, and high drama of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA organizations, Donald Trump decided to team up with MTV and create Pageant Place. This show documents the lives of the three women who live together in a New York City apartment.

Adding in spicy mixes like former Miss USA Tara Conner, a real pro at winning over the media, this show does the trick for their market – teen queens are now interested in being the “it” girl on Pageant Place. From woe is me attitudes to stuck up diva disasters, Pageant Place offers a real life look at what it takes to walk with a tiara on your head in public. Not likely. This, if anything else proves that someone wasn’t thinking when they decided to air the organizations dirty laundry. I understand that Tara Conner’s rehab mess had to be publicly dealt with, and what better way to show off her new clean edged outlook on life than on MTV. However, the messages communicated on the show leaves teens impressed and all others wondering why the melodrama? I guess they are hitting their target audience, after all, even I watched.

Can Miss Universe hack it?:
Bringing it back to tonight’s Miss Universe pageant, Dayana Mendoza will now become the “it” girl who will replace Riyo Mori, former Miss Universe 2007, in communicating all the ideas Donald Trump wants to showcase for the 2008 pageant season. Problem is, can she do this? In order to not take the heat on bashing a rather gorgeous woman from a foreign country that I would like to visit, I say view her interview for yourself. It is not a language barrier, more a filter that I think she may be missing. Panties? Really! Give this woman some media coaching and frankly I think she will be fine.

The brand identity of Miss Universe seems to change daily – beautiful, speaks well, world appeal, etc. always seems to find itself in the mix. Hopefully this year’s winner doesn’t take too much advice from her in-house companions – they tend to whine or fall their way into the press.

School is coming to an end – sigh. And truthfully all I can hear in my head on constant repeat is a classic rendition of SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER… SCHOOL’S OUT FOREVER!! Thank you Alice Copper for giving me my latest theme song in life. However, with the end of school comes the most anticipated part of the program — INTERNSHIPS! Now I realize no one should get as excited as I clearly am (hence the capital letters) for slave driving for no money. Ok, fine. This will not satisfy my craving for shoes, but it will satisfy my thirst for knowledge.

At a recent interview I was asked to discuss my mandate on ethics in PR. For example, if I was against bottled water, would I be able to work on a bottled water account? Does hellllls yes count as an answer? I mean I am trying to secure the best internship possible. However, the reality is this – you have to give truthful answers in order to make it in this business, so here is the truth.

Ethics in business is difficult. Not because it is hard to be ethical, but rather it is hard to decipher what in fact is being ethical. Be true to you? True to your company? True to your credit card payment that is due Tuesday? Regardless, everyone has their own criteria for ethical standards. I may not believe in bottled water, yet you knock back a case per week. Who is to say who is right?

My answer was straight forward and along the same lines of ‘you get what you pay for’ – which is why my free sandals are currently destroying my feet even as I type. If you work for a company, you need to know their ethical practices. Especially when it comes to a PR agency, they represent numerous and diverse clients. If you would stand in front of a water bottling manufacturer locked to a bucket of water screaming for the madness to stop – you probably wouldn’t want to work for Evian’s PR agency (just a thought). Therefore, do your research. These people are paying you to be the bright, insightful, creative little ‘thinking outside the box’ PR practitioner that you are – start being one. “Ummm, I didn’t know that I would have to work on a bottled water account..,” doesn’t fly very well.

If you have done all your research (pause for pat on the back here) then you are all set!! Right? Wrong! You may still be asked to work on a brand new account that you do not agree with. Now I was asked this very question. Right or wrong, to each their own, I decided that sometimes you need to put your organization’s needs ahead of your own. Unless they are representing something deemed socially unethical, suck up your pride and work with the bottled water company. There is a market for them, their business is needed by the thousands if not millions of consumers that purchase their products, so look at it as a learning experience. Provide key messages to an audience you don’t, or wish to not, belong to. Won’t this come across as a determined go-getter to your boss!

Ethics is touchy, and frankly I did not think I would be asked about my ethical practices in my internship interview. But I am glad I was. It made me start thinking about who I could and could not work for. Not only that, but it made me realize that you do have a choice. Before stepping out into the work force, breaking free from student-hood, there needs to be a discussion you have with yourself (possibly over a good glass of vino) that allows you to establish your own ethical practices. From there, finding an agency that matches up will allow you to keep your ethical practices in check.

Leave room for flexibility, after all being the ethical police isn’t your job – communicating messages effectively is.

I may not know it all, but Facebook I do know.

I was never a MySpace girl. Ever since its introduction a few years ago in the midst of my University career I have been hooked. It is easy to do so, and frankly the looks I received after deactivating it for one week (see puzzled, perplexed, disbelief, mystified in a picture dictionary for reference) made me wonder what’s the deal with Facebook?!

We all complain about it, that means you – creepers! We do. But truth be told everyone is still checking it, posting and tagging pictures, as well as adding the latest and greatest applications. The thought of living without this social network cannot be fathomed by its users, however there has to be a way to get around the complaints. We have to be able to brand ourselves better, just like the pros! PR technicians are using Facebook to brand products, yet figuring out a way to brand ourselves tends to be intricate.

For me and my close comrades, my fearless femme fatales, also known as my fellow professional cheerleaders, we tend to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Actors, athletes and really any public figure have the same problem. How can we brand ourselves properly, keep our privacy, while maintaining the fun of Facebook?

PR tends to fix crisis’ or issues, so why not use it to “fix” the book.
Let’s start a new chapter, turn a new page and write a story on how to use Facebook to the best of our branding abilities (sorry for the pun-intended book references).

Here are 10 Best Practices for using Facebook in order to brand yourself as a professional cheerleader (actor/public figure/local celebrity/athlete):

1. Decide whether or not you will be using your real name – it isn’t for everyone. If you are in the public eye and want to keep a personal page, use initials. If not, stick with your name and be proud of your content. Privacy settings are there for a reason, so use them, but keep your name clean (XXXShanXXX K-Dawg doesn’t look good).
2. Use an appropriate profile picture – regardless of the other pictures you post, this one is for all to see and attributes certain qualities and statements to your page. First impressions are key in business, well they are also key in Facebook. This is your first opportunity to set a standard for your page!
3. Choose your networks carefully – this says a lot about who you are. Picking a network gives others access to your personal information and dictates what information may be sent your way. If you do not want to add education information, stay away from joining their network. This also gives others who do not have you as a friend, pertinent life information (ie: where you are attending post-graduate studies).
4. Add some personal information – that’s what Facebook is for. It is a social networking tool that allows people to get to know their friends and acquaintances. Education and work information should be current and appropriate. Adding the last job you were fired from is probably not a smart choice… and no it is not common knowledge saying that.
5. Stay away from crazy pictures – by crazy I mean the drunk stammering on the floor pictures. Point blank, keep it classy.
6. Keep your applications to a minimum – once someone is your friend, they can ‘creep’ on whatever you have. It also appears on their news feed. Remember that applications you add says a lot about your interests. Adding the “weed application” may not be such a great thing for your employer to read on their news feed. In a blog post The Top 5 Viral Facebook Technique, it is mentioned that a news feed is a way of viral marketing. If you wouldn’t stand on the street selling weed, don’t sell it on your Facebook news feed.
7. Decide whether or not to have a wall – it may not be a bad idea to get rid of it. I deactivated my wall for two months. Truthfully the reasoning behind it was that the “wall” is the one thing you have 0 control over. Anyone can write anything on your wall – remember that. Until Facebook decides that you need to confirm or deny a wall post, it is a very tricky component that relies on the user to be alert.
8. Keep your groups to a minimum – joining groups determines who you are affiliated with. It is just like writing a good release; keep it clear and concise. Having 10 groups reads commitment, having 100 reads congested.
9. Use your privacy settings and limit friends – there are a million of them so experiment. If you are that worried about having access, you can block users, deny users the ability to search you and of course put certain friends on limited profile. Remember that anyone you add as a friend has the ability to quote you, access your photos and do some damage. Pick friends and privacy settings wisely.
10. If all else fails, create a professional page – numerous well-known individuals (or local celebrities!) have two profiles; one for their friends and family, the other for work. If the above tips seem challenging than this may be your best option. This is still questionable by PR practitioners (read PR Squared: Public Relations and Facebook), yet it is an individual decision and just like the rest of the tips – it is only a suggestion.

For everyone (including those who are celebrities in mind only):
Facebook is a social networking tool and none of these tools should inhibit anyone from getting down and dirty in it. However, just as children, we need to play nice in the sandbox. Facebook is one big playground, but this time you can block the bullies! Use it to make friends, keep friends and even brand yourself – just play nice.

Side Note: Thank you to my former Cheerleading team, coach and our Communications Director for the insight and inspiration to write this blog post.

Recently I was watching an episode of MTV LIVE, when Flo Rida was partaking in an interview of sorts. Flo Rida, maker of the hit “Get Low” – or better know as apple bottom jeans, and the boots with the fur – spoke of his Myspace page and what makes him unique.

You can call him! Really, he has a cell phone that he answers solely for fan calls. The telephone number is at the top of his Myspace page encouraging fans to pick up the phone for a chat.

This sounds like a fabulous PR stunt! Ok yes, he could be doing this for the sole purpose of connecting with his fans, but frankly I believe some genius who graduated from a high-end communications program thought this would be “different” and get hits on a page that includes his music.

Now Flo Rida does say he answers, I have yet to call as I still need to practice my freestyling. However, maybe this is a new way for musicians or producers to connect with their fans. Every musician has a Myspace, a website, a fan club, but a cell phone?! Brand new!!

By making yourself accessible, you are connecting further to fans which will later increase your sales. Believe me, if Brad Pitt started answering my calls (please answer), I would be buying the entire awful Ocean’s 11-22 collection

Secret #5, don’t launch on a Monday.

After reading Tech Crunch’s post entitled PR Secrets for Start-Ups, I am starting to realize that as much as I would like to be the independent PR practitioner who makes it to the top on her own right – it ain’t gonna happen. We are all completely intertwined.

I am already horrible with personal relationships (see status of single for further details), nevermind relationships with those in the PR field. You are asking for a lot out of the 20something-year-old “I want a job so I can move out and have a loft for my shoes”. However, it makes sense!! Tada!

“Great bloggers see their posts as the first comment in a conversation, rather than the final word on that particular topic.”

Now wouldn’t it be nice if you could just post and not have anyone read, no judgment, no comments… no silly, that’s a diary. Blogging, especially PR blogging is meant for others to see, create a community of readers and responders in order to further a thought or idea.

All in all, we couldn’t survive without people posting start-up rules, and those who have responded. It would just be one big mass of typing for the sake of seeing yourself pattern a page with letters.

Listen, respond and write with keeping that in mind. And who knows, possibly building blogging PR relationships over martini’s on my computer will be better than building them over an awkward first-date dinner… martini for thought.