What the Chuck?

Social media has given the general public a more active voice in the media than any other public relations campaign has ever accomplished. A prime example of this is the social media campaign that was launched regarding the possible cancellation of the NBC comedy series, Chuck.

Although the series Chuck has garnered a great deal of praise from critics and has translated into almost a “cult following”, this unfortunately has not translated into ratings success. Once rumors began to swirl that Chuck would possibly not be returning for a third season in the fall of 2009, devoted fans of the comedy quickly sprang to immediate action.

The TV blog “Give Me My Remote” were the catalysts behind the “Give Me My Chuck” movement. Bloggers encouraged fans of the NBC series to not only be sure to tune in every week for the end of Season 2, but also to encourage friends and family members to become devoted followers of the series. Many fans felt so passionately about the cancellation of Chuck that they too looked to the web to let out their frustration.

Following rumors of Chuck’s cancellation, Facebook pages dedicated to the “Save Chuck” campaign quickly began to grow on the web. Fans of Chuck were also encouraged to use their Facebook statuses to let Facebook friends not only know to watch Chuck, but to also join the different pages dedicated to the series. Tweeters would often use the hash-tags “#save chuck” or “#chuck” on Twitter, and many fans made their background images pictures supporting the series and campaign.

Because of the success of the fan-driven social media campaign, Chuck was eventually not only picked up for a third season, but has been renewed for a fourth season this fall. Social media has truly given fans and the general public power that they had previously never truly possessed. NBC realized that such a strong “cult following” could hopefully translate into ratings success for the series. The decision to “Save Chuck” reflects positively on NBC as a network dedicated to presenting quality television despite less than impressive ratings. It also portrays NBC as a network who truly values its dedicated fans.

How to Reach Your "Target"

As a junior in college, I’ve come to the understanding that Target is a critical means of survival for many college students across the country. From toiletries to apparel, they’ve truly provided all you can need in a “One-Stop-Shop.” Each summer I look forward to my trip to Target to purchase all of my dorm necessities.

 Target has sharply created a college brand in which students are able to purchase any and all of their dorm room needs. From XL-Twin sheets to stackable bins, if the college kid needs it, Target has it. This past summer, not only did Target sharply capitalize on the market that is college students (and believe me, it exists) but also knew the proper outlets to reach their “targets”.

This past summer, Target launched a social media campaign on Facebook dedicated to their College Collection. They decided to focus their Facebook page on dorm room survival. Their page featured a “Checklist” of all incoming freshman college needs, but also had different daily tips for future students. Naturally, the Facebook page featured multiple pictures of Target’s dorm merchandise. However, the Facebook page also had a feature that allowed students to upload pictures of their dorm rooms equipped with Target’s College Collection.

I thought that the ability of consumers to upload their own photos was the most brilliant aspect of the Target Facebook campaign. One of everyone’s favorite apps to Facebook is photos. While consumers got the thrill of having their photo blasted across the internet for all of Target’s “fans’” to see, Target was able to not only have their merchandise seen by more prospective customers, but also highlight that Target’s merchandise truly is the most functional for the college dorm.

Public Relations is defined as a means of two way communication between the company and their audience. Therefore, an opportunity for active participation from the audience needs to be a key feature of the social media campaign. While unhappy customer response could potentially backfire for a company launching a social media campaign, the Target College Necessities Facebook campaign was undoubtedly successful. As “Black Friday” and the Christmas shopping season approaches, I’m excited to see what Target, and their Facebook page, has in store for loyal customers.

Social Media and Crisis Communication

Throughout the semester, I have focused my blog on the appeal of social media and the contributions it has provided for the public relations industry. However, social media, like all other forms of legitimate PR, is also forced to address one of the negative aspects of public relations: crisis management and communication. Because of our sophisticated age of technology, information is able to travel at lightning speed. A negative comment or post about a company can be posted on the internet, and potentially viewed by millions within a matter of seconds. Therefore, it is necessary for a PR practitioner using social media to know how to accurately respond to all types of situations.

According to this article, “Surviving a Social Networking Crisis, although the internet provides a new outlet for public relations practitioners to address crises, the steps taken in addressing these issues should remain a constant. The author notes that the public relations representative or agency must address the problem, be honest, gauge a response from the audience, respond quickly, and assign a point person. These steps have been critical components of public relations crisis management in the past, and will be essential to social media crisis management as well.

The internet provides innovative opportunities to reach your audience, such as online video streaming, and new forms of audience feedback, such as comments or blogging. In spite of these modern elements that have aided the practice of public relations, PR pros must still engage in all of the necessary steps of crisis management and communication that have been respected in past public relations activity.