Author: Taylor Kennedy

Twitter to lend hand in Democratic debate

Posted on by Taylor Kennedy

TwitterIn 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 by Taylor Kennedy

new-uber-logoSince 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.

The selfie bandwagon

Posted on by Taylor Kennedy

Sometimes there’s a product or service that seems outrageous but for some reason, the public falls in love with it. A recent example is the selfie stick.

GIGA SelfieThe stick itself is part of a larger trend of people taking selfies, and Tourism Australia is taking advantage in its new “The GIGA Selfie” campaign.

The oversized selfie service is part of the upcoming campaign that’s trying to attract more Japanese tourists to Australia (the Japanese market is Australia’s sixth largest in terms of tourists). Tourists stand on a specific spot and use an app to set off a distant camera. Afterward they can download a short video that begins as a closeup but expands to reveal the surroundings.

This weekend will be the first opportunity for tourists to take the highly anticipated selfie. Future locations will be announced through social media outlets.

For companies, there’s no shame in jumping on the bandwagon in your marketing campaigns. Not only will the public be aware of the trend, but they may be more willing to use it.