Reach out and touch someone

Here's to hoping Second Life never becomes our real life

I think I'm down with the latest technology, I really do. I consider myself very open-minded when it comes to embracing new devices, new ways getting things done. I'll even go as far to say that I'm somewhat of a techie.

But something just doesn't sit right with me when it comes to Second Life. Not sure what it is, but when I think about it expanding to become the "next big thing" in communication and business, I get a weird, creepy feeling.

I mean, it does makes sense for businesses to use this new technology avenue...in some capacity.

The Second Life Web site provides the following case studies as to how such a move can really benefit organizations:

• Residents who are thinking of buying a Toyota Scion, or are already owners in the real world, can pick up a fully scripted virtual car from Toyota's Scion City and customize their ride, cruise the town or catch a drive-in movie.



• Starwood Hotels brought the Aloft brand into Second Life to refine the design of its new hotel. Residents explored the virtual Aloft hotel in-world and submitted feedback on the design. The Starwood project blog provided timely updates on the consumer feedback-driven design iteration process and the eventual construction of a real-world version of the hotel.



• Little Wonder Studio values the collaborative advantage of Second Life as a real-time multi-user 3D-sketchbook for the toys it dreams up. Allowing customers, engineers and designers on different continents to simultaneously work together helps keep the vision clear and the lines of communication open.

That's great stuff. I'm all for collaborative, brand loyalty-building efforts that know no physical boundaries. Right on, globalization!

But I think that's where businesses should end their involvement in Second Life.

Use it as a means to target a certain sect of society, and that's it. Please don't replace your real world enterprises. Because if you do...

• What happens when we all realize how much easier it is to stay inside our houses than go to the office for that conference?



• Will we soon ask friends to meet us at a virtual cafe to catch up, because it's far too much effort to get in the car and drive to Starbucks?



• Will face-to-face communication cease to exist as we know it today, going from human to avatar interactions?

I know I'm no where close to conducting my daily existence through Second Life, and I think it's safe to say such a shift in society won't happen for quite some time. I'm probably just overreacting.

However, there are implications for the PR industry that should not be ignored. Much of the effectiveness of good public relations comes from building relationships through human contact.

The cup of coffee with a journalist. The hand-written note from a pleased customer. The friendly gossip exchanged between you and clients at some gala/benefit/fundraiser-- all communication experiences I cannot imagine Second Life successfully imitating, as the video below proves.



Sure, the PR industry can profit from Second Life. Like I said before, it's another medium through which to contact publics.

Just don't forget the one tactic that always seems to make a PR campaign successful: humanizing a company. And I have a hard time seeing how anyone could humanize via Second Life.

Bottom line, I just really like being a human being. Second Life does serve a worthy purpose, but by no means should it replace the world we were born into.

Note: Confused by the picture at the top of this post? Go here to get the story behind it.

A Shoe-In for CSR

Socially savvy shoe company isn't just playing the game; Poseurs beware

It doesn't take much to say your corporation is socially responsible.

Throw together a couple booze-and-schmooze fests and call it a fundraiser. Maybe sponsor a local charity. And if you're really feeling crazy, you could ship some money off to those starving kids in _____ (insert third-world country).

Things are about to get a lot tougher, though. With more and more watchdog groups popping up, gone are the days when a smooth talking PR person and a snazzy media kit could convince the masses how saintly you are despite a spotty record.

And companies like TOMS Shoes have made the game that much harder. They walk the talk, and they haven't the slightest smudge on their record.

Their concept is simple: you buy a pair of their shoes; they give a pair to a needy child.

I spent five minutes on the Web site and I was sold. Compelling pictures, videos, links to a MySpace page, tailored information for media-- you name it, this site has it.

What makes the company's CSR so f-ing awesome is its combination of the following:

• totally legit cause
• stellar Web site
• bunch of easy involvement opportunities for all publics
• funky, free-love grassroots vibe that makes you feel like you can really make a difference

And it doesn't hurt that the company's founder Blake Mycoskie is hott with two t's.

The outcome: I wanted to buy the shoes. I wanted to help the cause. I wanted to apply for a job there. It's that good.

What's this mean for all those other companies out there?

It's time to step up your game. You've got to have real substance to promote, something beyond the X-amount of dollars you raised when the CEO's wife bid on that week-long yacht retreat at this year's silent auction gala.

A solid, put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is CSR can field the harshest of media criticism. It also effortlessly answers PR blogger Jeff Weintraub's question about the ethics behind public relations practitioners promoting less-than-responsible companies.

Do good. Be good. Look good. It's that simple.

Still not convinced you need to change your CSR strategy, ice queen? Watch the video below.



Kind of puts that annual office angel tree to shame, huh?

Give Us Our Facebook Back

We college coeds have lost our last great escape

Two very influential PR practitioners came to speak with my class the other day. Ken Luce (president) and Erika Holland (VP) of globally-renowned Weber Shandwick Dallas spoke candidly about what to expect as young PR people entering the business. Their honesty was much appreciated.

Towards the end of our discussion, however, they touched on one thing that got me thinking (and ended up making me just plain mad)- PR has infiltrated Facebook. Luce said he recently spoke with clients at Clorox and explained the need for them to expand their marketing to reach Facebookers. Here's another pretty good argument for the trend, as well.

As a potential future communications professional, this makes sense to me. It's a cheap, yet totally effective way to get young people talking about your products.

As a 21-year-old college student, this pisses me off.

My professor pointed out that, back in the day, Facebook used to belong to students. Only those privileged enough to have an email address ending in ".edu" could become Facebook addicts.

Let's take a nice, little trip down memory lane, shall we?

Remember when we could post any and all pictures of our wasted weekends without fear of future employers seeing us in less-than-flattering situations?

Or, how about when the ads on the side of the page used to be purely random shout outs and birthday wishes paid for by friends?

Or, when wall posts were written by actual human beings, rather than the spam bots posing as our friends that now send crap like, "Hey, buddy, I download super cool ringtones from www.hotringtonesforfree092342.com. You should check it out!!!!"

Ahhhh, those were the good 'ol days.

Now I cringe every time Mark Zuckerberg makes an announcement on the home page. What stupid feature have they thought of this time that will continue to kill off the true essence of Facebook-- its ability to let college students be the immature, shallow and self-indugled "adults" that we really are behind our pretty resumes.

So, with that said, no, I do not want American Airlines as my friend on Facebook. That goes for you, too, GE, Apple and any other creepy marketing/advertising man sitting in some cubicle. Go make a TV campaign and run it during The Hills. I promise I'll go buy your product then.

What has happened to my one escape from the corporate world? I miss it so.

It makes me sick to think that something so pure and beautiful as Facebook could be tainted by companies looking to capitalize off young, impressionable Facebook addicts.

So, consider this my call to action. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT click on the ads on the side of your Facebook page. And DO NOT become friends with a company (that's just weird).

I will, however, recommend detagging that grossly inebriated picture of yourself in a tennis skirt, because, like it or not, we all need jobs when we graduate. And it's my bet most real adults won't accept your explanation of "Ohhh...that was just from the 'Tennis Hoes and Golf Pros' party."

I'm done ranting. And don't get me wrong-- I love PR. I think it's a dynamic industry full of creative opportunities. I just want my Facebook back. That's all.