World Communication Week 2024: Navigating the Digital Age

by AdvertisingMarketingPublic RelationsSocial MediaUncategorized

Back in 1988 – when digital tech was in its infancy – November 1-7 was established as World Communication Week by the International Association of Business Communicators. Since then, this week has become increasingly important, given the rise of social media and other forms of digital communication. Even when your organization is closed for the night or for a holiday, your brand continues to be seen by consumers online. In this 24/7 digital landscape, it is important to ensure your brand is available at all times, a unique challenge brought on by the advancing digital landscape.

 

World Communication Week has evolved into an opportunity to reflect on how we can enhance our communication skills in various facets of our lives.

 

Precision in the Digital Age

As communication becomes increasingly complex through digital mediums, the need for clear, precise messaging is vital. The shift to these mediums hinders the ability to express body language and tone, making precision all the more important for effectively communicating.

In response to these challenges, many organizations are turning to public relations to help ensure that their brand’s image is portrayed accurately. And, that their messages are clear and compelling. These challenges have prompted shifts in how we communicate, leading to notable trends that reflect the changes in the field.

 

Trends and the Rise of Short-Form Content

Trends in communication are also affected by these mediums and their limitations. It isn’t a secret that the attention span of the average consumer is lower than it was when World Communication Week was established. The rise of short form content across all platforms reflects those consumer preferences.

Visual storytelling on platforms like TikTok and YouTube are only part of it. Short messages are not only shared, but required. Due to character limits on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, etc. This week should be used as a chance to consider how you are adapting. And, to make sure that your team is aligned on how you are approaching the task.

 

The Role of Public Relations in Digital Communication

As communication technology continues to evolve, the ability for organizations to communicate with confidence and clarity is more important than ever.

Public relations practitioners play a crucial role in optimizing communication for today’s digital world. They help organizations establish trust while limiting miscommunications.

 

About the author:

Justin Picciuto is a fall 2024 intern at SCG Advertising and PR. He is currently a senior Communication and Media Studies major at Montclair State University in Montclair, NJ.

 

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Threads

Threads Debut: A College Student’s Perspective

by AdvertisingMobile AdvertisingSocial MediaUncategorized

Threads

As we pass the one-year anniversary of Threads’ debut, let’s review what this platform is all about. Threads is a social media “app from Instagram where you can view and share public conversations” (Instagram Help Center, 2024). A post can be a “short piece of text,” photos, or a combination.

About a year later after Threads debut, the app has introduced several updates to enhance the user experience.

According to Embed Social, the July 2024 update included:

  • Side-Swiping Feature: This allows users to “train their Threads algorithm by swiping right on posts to indicate they want to see more of that kind of content” and swiping left to see less.
  • Enhanced Hashtag Functionality: A “#” button to change the way hashtags are used.
  • TweetDeck: Similar to X, the TweetDeck will allow “users to monitor multiple timelines when using the website version of the app.”
  • Independent Algorithm: Threads has implemented a new algorithm for its users, separate from Instagram to curate user’s feeds.

The app itself reminds me a lot of Instagram and X functions combined into one.

For this blog, I downloaded the app for the first time as I have never used it before. It feels like an extension of Instagram as many of the functions are similar. If a user knows the Instagram platform, then the Threads app won’t be difficult to navigate.

Demographics and Users

Despite these updates, Threads has not gained popularity among certain demographics, particularly my age group (college students between 18-22). This age group values larger platforms like Instagram and TikTok as they offer greater potential for posts to go viral.

As of August 2024, Threads has 190 million users, which was reached in May. 175 million users are active monthly (Cardillo, 2024). 37% of users are between 18-24, and 63% of users are over the age of 24 (Curry, 2024). Zuckerberg is currently focused on increasing activity over attracting new users, keeping app updates to a minimum. On the app store, Threads is the first on the “Top Free Apps,” as it continues to grow every day.

Threads has the potential to grow even more. Some may think it might be worth investing in the larger platforms as Threads is small, compared to Instagram’s 1.4 billion users (Statista, 2024), and TikTok’s 1.04 billion users (BackLinkO, 2024). However, Threads could be another opportunity for an organization to engage with key publics out there, as it is projected to grow by 33.9 million in 2025 (BackLinkO, 2024).

Opportunities for Businesses

Threads offers businesses a unique opportunity to reach niche, targeted audiences. Since there is a smaller population on the app, posts are based on niche topics/interests. Businesses can use the app to help gain customers, engage audiences or build brand awareness, especially if they are interested in connecting with a specific audience.

Although it may require additional steps to join another social media app, Threads could be important from a business perspective, depending on the audience you want to reach. If Threads helps you with your target audience, then it is worth the download. If your audience is not on the app, then you should pause and consider your options.

Digital Marketing, digital age, advertising

Intern Insights: A Gen-Z’ers Perspective on the Power of Influence in the Digital Age

by AdvertisingBranding

Digital Marketing, digital age, advertising

 

Representing the voices of Gen-Zers, I can confidently say our generation differs from those of the past that indulged in traditional marketing versus today’s digital age. Classifying a generation by its behavior toward trends and advertisements is impossible. A recent “report published by Juniper Research reveals 22% of all digital advertising spent in 2023 was attributed to fraud…” Although the internet has scams, this form of entertainment reaches billions of individuals just searching for their purpose.

Coming from an impressionable person, influence is the greatest marketing strategy, referring to the ‘word of mouth’ and influencer aspect of the term. Instagram presents its audience with many messages from sponsors. These sometimes-effective promotions interrupt my feed, forcing my attention away from my intended search.

Resembling organic posts, images, videos, or carousels, Instagram aims to provide relevant ads. Strategically showcasing a brand like “Holy Thrift” and its clothing on my timeline sparked immense interest. While sometimes these ads cause a mass disturbance, if done correctly, brands may find themselves successfully eliminating competition.

For Holy Thrift’s campaign, they posted original content boosting brand awareness. Despite the brand’s calculated performance in intruding on one’s browsing, Instagram ads are effective.

On the topic of influence comes the original influencer for students. In my case, it’s my parents. With encouragement from Mom and Dad, when things are promoted to aid my success on their social media– they will share this information with me.

Being accustomed to the swindles of social media, Gen-Zers know which companies have been involved in controversy. Parents, on the other hand, are sometimes like guinea pigs, unaware. If companies target parents of teenagers and young adults, their products can sell. I, for one, take every product my mother mentions with a grain of salt. She is more likely to fall into the deep deceptions of internet advertising.

While spending time with our neighbors, my neighbor Dave asked why my mom followed an irritating influencer. My mom responded, “She’s annoying but has really good Target finds.” We laughed, but it also made me realize why my mom is so infatuated by Target. I went along with her newfound interest without questioning it.

Recently, my friend Emily moved. While reminiscing, she mentioned the only thing near her new house was a Target. I replied, “What? Target’s the best!” This sparked a conversation about this multinational corporation, all influenced by my mom’s social media feed, proving the benefits both consumers and companies obtain from online advertisements in this digital age.

Social Media Day

Intern Insights: Social Media Day

by BrandingSocial Media

Social Media Day

As I embark on a dozen years of owning a social media account, it strikes me that I’ve been active online for more than half my two decades. That sounds petrifying – at least to me – yet the time has rushed by and I’ve come to terms with this being my normal way of life.

Social media is everywhere and in everything. Platforms push out advertisements, along with hugely influential input on trends, mental health, politics, and connectedness. People all around the world connect and live vicariously through the lenses of others, which has triggered many of us to almost constantly compare ourselves to strangers’ lives. When I signed up for an Instagram account at the ripe, old age of 8, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Curating and creating posts, and receiving feedback became a hobby to me. For better or worse, it’s a continuously vicious cycle. During high school, I ran an anonymous Instagram account, @RelatableMood5, that grew to have 25,000+ followers. It featured aesthetically pleasing images targeted towards trends connected to teenage girls. I found posting photos of other people was the most validating way to approach social media because the backlash was minimal. And the lack of complications related to this account enabled me to do something risky – post about politics.

I received a good bit of negative feedback and lost followers, which confirmed for me that social media is terribly inauthentic. It’s a performance. Ultimately, I was unphased by the negativity and even hate, largely because – since I’d shared neither my face nor name – none of it was truly directed at me, as a person.

Social media certainly has its pitfalls, but it also has enabled my peers and me to connect. Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and a few other platforms let me see what my friends are up to, while allowing me to disseminate private stories, as popularized by Snapchat. It’s this capability of social media that encourages others to, at a minimum, share select aspects of their lives.

Many teens are made apprehensive by watching other people’s experiences – it generates immediate FOMO (that’s fear of missing out for the uninitiated). We’re constantly updated on how others are spending their time. It’s a complex, fluid environment in which well-manicured personalities frequently replace genuineness, but social media is nonetheless a crucial tool for building connections and exchanging experiences within our globalized society.

Harley Rosenbaum is a rising junior at Tulane University and is interning this summer with SCG Advertising + Public Relations.

Intern Insights: Are Your Photos Worth A Thousand Words?

by AdvertisingBrandingMarketingSocial Media

In the digital world, visuals are essential to grab attention, convey messages, and make a lasting impression. In this blog post, I will walk you through the basic elements and techniques to take the best eye-catching photos. By utilizing these tricks, you’ll be able to consistently generate high-quality images for your future projects.

A picture is worth a thousand words

A well-crafted image portrays a message better than a one-thousand-word essay (with far less effort too!). It is important to create the best quality work when representing your brand. Is your photo relevant to the work it is connected to? Is it a dynamic photo that will catch your eye when scrolling through your social feed? An article with an attention-grabbing image is far more likely to generate engagement than a poorly chosen one.

Know your equipment

Knowing your equipment increases your capabilities as a photographer. Once you understand the basics, you can step out of your comfort zone and experiment with different settings to create some fun effects. Also, know how to upload your image to your computer without losing resolution. Regardless of how clear the picture is, it can become blurry if the process is handled incorrectly.

Master composition

Set yourself up to take a picture with a visually pleasing background that conveys the intended message and mood. Also, make sure you are successfully lining up your photo. One way to do this is by utilizing the grid. The grid is a helpful composition tool featured in many cameras and smartphone apps. Using this feature can help you to align your subject within your frame and maintain symmetry.

Fix your lighting

Understanding the different qualities of natural light versus artificial light is also important. Different types of lighting can impact the mood, color temperature, and overall aesthetic of your images. When taking photos outdoors, it is important to learn how to harness the natural light to your advantage and to avoid shadows and sun glare. When taking photos indoors, it is still ideal to take advantage of the natural lighting. Whether or not natural lighting is available, it is important to make your lighting look as natural as possible.

Combine these skills to take the perfect photo

Remember, a well-crafted image can make or break your project, leave a strong impression, and help grab attention. By harnessing these skills, you will be equipped with the knowledge to elevate your photography, helping you and your business increase engagement and polish your aesthetics.

 

Justin Picciuto

Public Relations Intern

SCG Advertising & PR

Misguided Victoria’s Secret Campaign Result of Inadequate Fan Research

by BrandingSocial MediaUncategorized

Five years ago, Victoria’s Secret put on its last fashion show. This show was an iconic event each year where viewers would see their favorite models glide down the catwalk in angel wings, wigs, and accessories. The most popular artist at the time would perform, too. A line of models would parade in the brand’s lingerie for around 42 minutes. The tradition lasted for 20 years and was watched in more than 100 countries. It was beloved…until it wasn’t.

 

During a time of heightened awareness for women’s rights, starting with the MeToo movement in 2017, Victoria’s Secret began getting backlash. People started to call out the brand for being out of touch with real women, being the antithesis of what women were trying to accomplish. So Victoria’s Secret retired its wings and its show.

 

Now, VS has decided to rebrand. And that being the case, I’m sharing some insight from the perspective of a branding professional.

 

On September 26, Amazon Prime dropped the film The Tour ’23, which shows all the work the brand has done to change its image and be more inclusive to women around the world. This documentary is mainly about giving women a platform without gaining capital from it.

 

So what’s gotten everyone upset? The campaign choices. Victoria’s Secret has become extremely active on its Instagram, posting daily. One of the campaign themes dropped was “Icons,” featuring some of the most iconic ’90s and 2000s models. People responded well to the older models. Yet some of the new influencers and current models in the campaign were bashed for not being true icons or real supermodels. People also thought the new models looked unkempt and their garments were unflattering. Spectators claimed that they would have preferred the original campaign instead. Feedback from your audience is so important to take note of when running a digital campaign.

 

Overall, I think Victoria’s Secret had the right intentions, but there’s been far more backlash from the new campaign than the original one. The original show was very successful. The VS brand is popular, but it’s been stripped and remodeled, leaving people disappointed. The downfall of this Victoria’s Secret social media campaign was the company’s failure to listen to its massive following. Social media enables the brand to know what followers want, but it seems VS neglected the opinions of its audience. The campaign ultimately backfired, and fans were let down when they didn’t see the campaign they were familiar with. Fortunately for Victoria’s Secret, it’s been a household name for a long time, so it may still have time to repair the damage.

 

Madison Trumino

Account Coordinator

SCG Advertising & PR

Intern Insights: What is Threads?

by Personal InterestSocial Media

Social media is constantly evolving. If you blink, you could find yourself behind on the latest app. Not every site will be a juggernaut like Facebook, but you don’t want to be late to the ones that end up succeeding. In this blog, we’ll discuss the new platform Threads, including its pros and cons.   

  

So, What’s Threads?

Threads is a companion app to Instagram that allows users to share text, photos, and videos. It is similar to Twitter in terms of the content and tone of its posts. In its first week, Threads reached more than 100 million users, which may be attributed to being owned by global media giant Meta, which currently has more than three billion daily users.  

  

Pros  

Threads runs smoothly compared to other platforms in the early-release stage. It uses the same design and structure as Instagram,  meaning major issues have been dealt with on Instagram before Threads was introduced. It is also easy to connect with your Instagram followers via Threads. You need to use your Instagram login to access Threads, so everyone you follow on Instagram will be shown to you upon signing up. Threads is also similar to Twitter, a smashing success for more than a decade, which is a positive indicator for its future.  

  

Cons  

Threads is Instagram’s companion app, meaning you need to have an Instagram account to sign up. This has proven to be problematic (At this point, in 2023, anyone who doesn’t have an Instagram most likely has no intention of changing that). Over the years, people have become so comfortable with Twitter that many wouldn’t leave it unless they were left with no other choice. A new platform means starting from scratch, and it takes months for an algorithm to be properly tailored to one’s interests. Lastly, Threads is currently only available on iOS and Android devices, which, despite making the milestone of 100 million users more impressive, isn’t a sustainable model for social media success.  

  

 In the rapidly evolving world of social media, Threads holds promise for individuals and businesses alike. Threads swiftly established itself as a potential powerhouse, and the best way to avoid being left behind in this fast-paced world is to pay attention to the newcomers.  

 

Justin Picciuto

Public Relations Intern

SCG Advertising & PR

Using Social Media for Recruitment: Is Your Next Hire One Meme Away?

by Online StrategySocial MediaUncategorized

Did you know?

  • 96% of employers use social media to hire talent
  • 86% of job seekers use social media to search and apply for jobs
  • 63% of job seekers look at social media for information about a company’s workplace diversity
  • 65% of job seekers read at least 5 reviews about an employer before applying
  • 75% of potential hires are not actively seeking jobs on job boards

Social Media Recruiting– an asset many companies know they should be using social media for, but are unsure where to begin. Some assume getting started would be as simple as creating a social media profile, but really, the first step should be determining your objectives and developing a strategy.

In order to use social media recruiting to effectively hire candidates and promote your employer brand, organizations need to develop a clearly defined strategy, build relevant and engaging content, and have the bandwidth to monitor interactions and track performance– all while ensuring an accurate and professional representation of your brand.

 

 

If you’re thinking about getting started, here are 10 tips to jumpstart your recruitment efforts on social.

  1. Tell your employer brand story

 

  1. Don’t say it, show it.

 

  1. Stay ahead of the curve

 

  1. Engage. Engage

 

  1. Be authentic

 

  1. Empower your team

 

  1. Plan ahead

 

  1. Understand your audience

 

  1. Get leadership buy-in

 

  1. Commit resources

 

 

Contact SCG today to learn more about how we help our clients use social media to reach job seekers and build a candidate pipeline.

National Day of Unplugging 3/3

by Personal Interest

The average daily volume of media content consumed by an American during 2022 (per Oberlo) was 494 minutes, or about 8.5 hours. So, given the time we spend sleeping, that means roughly half of our waking hours involve media consumption. It’s even harder when screen time is a large part of your typical workday. Each year, National Day of Unplugging is celebrated on the first Friday in March, and encourages people to step away from their digital devices and unplug for a 24 hour period. Let’s talk about ways we find ourselves stuck on screens, and how to unplug.

My iPhone indicates my own daily screen time averages about 6 hours and 46 minutes. That’s no surprise, since I use my phone for nearly everything, including:

  • Listening to music
  • Meditation apps
  • Social media
  • Texting and calling family / friends
  • Taking photos
  • Accessing Duolingo
  • GPS support while driving
  • As an alarm clock

 

Of course, there’s also my Apple watch … and my laptop for the office … and my personal laptop at home.

 

Because I work as a social media specialist, all this online time is both normal and necessary, since I need to keep up with best practices and the latest trends. But, is it healthy for me in the long run? Is all this time spent consuming media content healthy for any of us?

 

One benefit of my particular profession is that I have access to all manner of technology for actually reducing the time I interact with a screen. For example, I can automatically schedule social media content, and I don’t need to conduct a lengthy search to determine the most effective time of day for posting. Technology also makes it remarkably easy for me to locate media coverage of our clients and to find contact information for journalists. In other words, technology actually helps to reduce the time I must spend consuming and processing media.

 

There’s also lots to be said about how to enjoy workday breaks without involving your phone or laptop.  On my breaks, I like to:

  • Walk outside
  • Read books
  • Play pool (the office building in which we’re located has a terrific lounge area)
  • Write poetry or new song lyrics

 

These are some of the fun things I do that help me avoid unnecessarily using my phone. I mean, it’s not always beneficial to be aimlessly scrolling through TikTok (although, I must admit, I really do enjoy TikTok).

 

So, on this National Unplugging Day, what’s one activity you could undertake that wouldn’t require use of your phone or laptop?