Taylor Kennedy, Author at Public Relations, Advertising & Social Media - Revelation

Disappointed with early release of Super Bowl ads

Posted on February 4, 2016June 8, 2018 by Taylor Kennedy

Even if you didn’t grow up a sports fan, you still watched the Super Bowl for its advertisements and maybe even the halftime show. You knew that the ads you saw were being released for the very first time. It’s also one of the only sporting events in which people don’t leave the room during commercials (unless they need to refill) because they are what many people look forward to seeing.

This year–like the past several years–that feeling of being surprised has disappeared. I guess it was only a matter of time, as companies have released their ads weeks prior to the game, with the hopes of increasing exposure.

As I think about it, it is a smart move for companies. Since companies are spending an average of $4.8 million plus production costs for a 30-second commercial, it makes sense the organization would want to extend the buzz to make the investment worthwhile. It could make a one-day campaign turn into a 10-day campaign. Also, releasing early gives the company a chance to break through some of the clutter.

It will be interesting to see how pre-releasing these ads will affect viewership numbers during the game on Sunday.

Twitter to lend hand in Democratic debate

Posted on October 26, 2015June 8, 2018 by Taylor Kennedy

In an attempt to become the world’s real-time source for information, Twitter announced today it will partner with CBS News for the second Democratic debate, which takes place on Nov. 14.

The app will provide real-time data on viewer insights, live reactions and questions that will then be relayed to CBS and used in its live coverage of the debate.

Twitter has set the official hashtag to #DemDebate and provided the handles of each candidate for users to follow.

This is a smart move from Twitter as it’s capitalizing on a very high-profile U.S. political event. In fact, the idea of partnering or using a significant event to help promote your product/service is great for any business regardless of industry. Not only will your target market be watching, but millions of potential viewers as well.

I look forward to seeing and using Twitter during the next debate.

Uber’s unethical behavior

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Taylor Kennedy

Since it is PRSA’s Ethics Month, I thought I’d share an example of how a national company violated its business ethics.

Uber, the mobile app that instantly connects customers with drivers, knows how to use aggressive tactics (while taking it too far) against its competitor Lyft. According to CNN, since 2013, Uber employees ordered and then cancelled 5,000 Lyft rides, forcing customers to subsequently use Uber’s services. This not only hinders the company but hurts Lyft drivers’ income and time.

Also, in the same article by CNN, Uber employees in New York are being told it’s against city regulations to work for both companies, even receiving text messages forbidding the action. However, according to the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, this is false.

Whether you’re a part of a startup or a company with a net worth of $3 billion, one of the first things that needs addressing is providing your employees (and management, in this case) with a compliance/ethics training program. That’s because your credibility is directly tied to your ethics.