Public Relations Princess

Revlon Beyond Natural: Beyond the Pale!

It is pretty rare that I find a product that is so defective that I feel compelled to write an entire post about it. Revlon's "Beyond Natural" Cream to Powder is one of those products.

My daughter and I both use the same color palette of eye shadows and both happened to run out at the same time, so I was unfortunate enough to have bought two of these "fail whales" at the same time.

The concept of the eye shadow is to fully cover the eyelid with the cream, which is easy to apply. But then, if it's supposed to turn more powdery and be anti-crease, then it fails that test miserably. Basically, it's so greasy that it never forms a powder, and it also makes your eyeliner impossible to apply (or stay on) and the simple act of blinking can cause your mascara to run and make lines on your eyelid.
I paid $8.00 apiece for these useless eye shadow compacts. Revlon, if you're listening, please contact me at claire.celsi (at) gmail (dot) com and let me know when and how I can get a refund. I would also love to know who Revlon tested this stuff with. It's probably one of the worst cosmetics products I have ever used. I am writing reviews on every Web site I can find to try to warn other women not to waste their money.

The First Internet President: Barack Obama

We've entered a new era in American life. As we inaugurate our first "Internet president" today, there are signs all around us that the Internet is the foundation of modern life.

I follow "TheMediaIsDying" on Twitter, and it's a bit depressing to witness the demise of some print publications, and the dramatic shrinking of others. Even outdoor advertising is suffering under the weight of the recession and the rise of the Internet as a source for information.

The first sign of trouble started long before the recession, when the business model of newspapers started to collapse. Long dependent on overpriced classified advertising, some newspaper executives naively allowed more than half of their total revenue to come from paper ads. When free sites like Craigslist started to take over the ad space, newspapers had no online model in place to combat the competition.

Just the opposite was happening in politics. Smart political pioneers like Howard Dean and Joe Trippi were figuring out not only the best technical ways to use the Internet, but how to connect people using tools like "Meet-ups." It's the empowerment of people to control their own information, surfing, contributions and connections.

Obama's team took this whole concept to a new level by harnessing the contributions of small-dollar donors. He also employed an old fundraising trick: Ask often and ye shall receive more! It's true! The most likely donor is someone who has just recently given. They also shamelessly played on people's love of free stuff. Donate $15.00 and get a "free" t-shirt.

The communications team was on board too. They used every social media outlet imaginable to reach out to a new demographic: Generation Y. This group of young people had never had the opportunity to vote for such a connected candidate, let alone one that had the "cool factor."

It remains to be seen how the Obama team, along with the newly recommended "CTO" (chief technology officer) will use technology and the Internet to harness all the support surrounding the new President. I expect great things!

Historic Day for the Nation as Obama is Inaugurated

I've eagerly watched just about every pre-inauguration show on TV that I could. I've purchased extra copies of special edition newspapers, listened to dozens of podcasts, read perhaps hundreds of blog posts and tweets, all waxing poetic about Barack Obama's inauguration.

A pet peeve of mine is how otherwise well- educated people use the term "historical" when they really mean "historic."

Barack Obama's election and inauguration are historic (meaning: important) events in our country. Barack Obama's election as the 44th president has historical (meaning
; happened in the past) significance that transcends race. Subtle difference in usage, to be sure, but important for vocabulary and usage freaks like me. Here is another take on the difference from Grammar Girl.

Whether you say historic or historical won't matter to me tomorrow. Nothing anyone could say or do could take this special day away from me, and I intend to drink it in like a cool glass of water on a hot summer day. Ahh. Refreshing.

Welcome, President Obama.

More Adults Using Social Media Than Teenagers, Creating Multiple "Online Personalities"

Sorry, kids. Mom and Dad have taken over your favorite playgrounds. And they're using their social networking for the same reason you are: To socialize and keep in touch with friends.

The study, completed by Pew Internet and American Life Project, sheds light on the sheer numbers of adults now using social media to connect and reconnect in much the same way their children have been using the networks. The numbers are a bit deceiving though, because the percentage of teenagers who use social media is much higher, at 65%. The percentage of all American adults who use the technology is only 35%, but because there are million more Americans who are over age 18, that number represents more people.

The study debunks the notion that adults use social networking primarily for "professional networking." Turns out, just as many of us grownups enjoy throwing sheep at each other as our younger counterparts. However, the study reveals that many adults have mulitple personalities online, which takes the form of having a "professional" profile on sites like LinkedIn and more personal, less formal presence on MySpace or Facebook.

Not surprisingly, the number one questions I get from professionals looking to boost their social media skills and online presence is, "Should I create separate personal and professional profiles?" And my answer is, "No." Here is the rationale.

As we all know, what you say online stays online. Unless you create a totally anonymous account, with no personally identifiable details, your online life is still visible. But what's the point of doing that? If you create multiple online personalities, it's just more work for you to keep up. Social networks can make your life more fulfilling and easier to manage, but not if you have multiple personalities.

Here is my recommendation: Create profiles on Linked In, Facebook and Twitter. Be yourself! Use good judgement, of course, but have fun with it. You can be professional and social at the same time.

Do you have trouble reconciling your professional and online social lives?

Three Words Communicators Should Avoid Using

This week, I read a great article on MyRagan.com called "Three Words Every PR Pro Should Ban." First, I recognized myself in the words. I have gone the lazy route before, just as the article describes. Here are the words and a little reflection on each one, and how we might strive to use more descriptive language in the future.

The first one is "excited." Here is how it might be used in a lazy news release. "ABC company is excited to have Judy Smith join our accounting department." Are they really excited? Are they jumping up and down? The word excited should be used to describe things like winning the Lottery, kids who are playing in snow for the first time in their lives, or a person who has just been called up on stage on The Price is Right. It's great for them to not have to interview any more accountants, but excited is overstating the emotional impact of this hiring.

The second word that is overused is "thrilled." Here is a "lazy" example. "ABC company is thrilled to be locating its new distribution center in Pleasantville," said CEO Alan Smith. First of all, a company can't be thrilled. Secondly, is anyone really "thrilled?" Use your words properly! Here is a better way to convey the same sentiment. "On behalf of the entire management team at ABC company, I want to thank the Pleasantville city council for welcoming us to town. We feel this location offers mutual benefit to our company and to the people of Pleasantville, many of whom we will be hiring soon."

"Honored" is another word that is misused and overused in news releases. You are honored when receiving knighthood from the Queen of England, not when speaking in front of the planning and zoning commission. "ABC Company presented plans to the Pleasantville city council for its proposed factory project" would be much better than "ABC Company was honored to present our expansion plans to the Pleasantville city council." Wouldn't you agree?

What over-used words make you cringe? 

Memories From My Address Book

Today, I spent a good part of the day setting up my new iPod Touch. I can already tell how much this little device will improve my communications and organize my life.

What I didn't expect were the emotions I encountered when deleting people who have passed away since I last cleaned out my address book.

It made me very upset and in some cases very teary to hit the delete button, knowing that I would never be entering digits for those people ever again.

My dear friend Rob Borsellino, who passed away in May, 2006 of ALS, now has a Rob Borsellino Facebook page dedicated to his memory. I deleted him from my phone two years ago, but for some reason, it was still comforting to see his name as I scrolled by him in my address book. I took the plunge today, and it was not at all fun. I think he would tell me to get over it and stop being such a baby, so I will. But I still miss him.

My friend and mentor Merle Fleming also passed away in 2006. I wrote a tribute to her on my personal blog shortly afterwards. Merle went to law school at age 50, and was equally fearless in all aspects of her life. I was her frequent guest at University of Iowa football games, where we sat in the cold, windy north end zone and cheered her favorite team to victory. I'll never forget the look of fear in her eyes when she began to lose her purse on a regular basis. One time, she admitted that her kids had talked to her about driving around town and forgetting where her car was parked.

Merle taught me more in in the eight short years of our friendship than I learned in a lifetime from my contemporaries. Among these nuggets of wisdom: Knowledge overcomes hatred. Don't judge. Revenge is a waste of time. There will be assholes in your life...deal with it. I have her walking cane in my front closet, because she left it in my car the last time we went to Iowa City. I never returned it, but now I'm glad I have it because it reminds me of her.

My pal Ralph Gross died in early 2008. This picture, which he took in Japan, hangs in my dining room. It's a long story how he came to give it to me. But he gave me this beautiful framed photo, worth more than $2,000, just because he was a nice guy. He was known in Des Moines as the biggest critic of the Des Moines Register. His ramblings to that end outlive him, proving the theory of "The Long Tail!" I'm sure he's up in heaven, putting together an editorial board. Ralph was a very talented photographer and a one-of-a-kind fellow. He was way too young to die.

And last but not least, my democratic buddy Mike Tonini passed away after a long battle with cancer a few years back. He was such a unique individual. An undertaker by vocation, he also delighted in "campaigning"...his way.

He used to take his hearse out on Des Moines' southside in the middle of the night and fill it full with yard signs of anyone who dared to oppose his candidate. What he did with all those signs, I'll never know. I also have no idea how he functioned on such a lack of sleep.

One time during the Gore campaign in late 1999, we were desperately looking for someone with a large, official-looking vehicle to drive Hillary Clinton around to a couple of Iowa surrogate stops. Mike's "other" car was a Ford Expedition, so he volunteered. He kept the unusual key chain he used intact: a  swinging miniature wooden coffin that made a thunking noise on the dash at every stop sign.

So now I have a clean address book. But it was great to look at each name, remembering how we met and how many great friends I have.

Blogger Relations Case Study - Curls and All

A couple of weeks ago, I gave a webinar with PR Newswire on using social media in public relations. It was only a 45-minute presentation, so I was only able to touch on a few subjects. One of my listeners was a representative from a small company called Curls. After the webinar, I got a very engaging and targeted personal email from someone named Shaun at Curls. It's the best example of blogger relations that I've personally experienced.

Shaun took note of my effusive curly locks, and offered to send me some of their product. It arrived a few days ago and I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

Shaun's "pitch" was very effective for a number of reasons. First of all , it was very targeted and personal. It is obvious that I have very curly hair, and people with curly hair is Curls' target audience. Secondly, they offered to send me free product to try. Third, they send me a brochure with more information, including the address to their excellent Web site, where I can look for more information.

It is very gratifying to see small companies opportunistically reaching out to the blogosphere, making personal connections. As my friend David Meerman Scott says in his landmark book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, "The Web has opened a tremendous opportunity to reach niche buyers with targeted messages that cost a fraction of what big-budget advertising costs."

I am impressed with the outreach efforts that Curls is already involved with, and think that if they're considering a social media outreach campaign, they would have great success. I'll be looking for them on Twitter!