Every month I share a short list of ideas that I think deserve your attention, or at least commandeer my own. This month I’ve included a few extra as an early holiday gift to readers. I want to wish everyone a Happy Holidays, and hope to see you in the new year.
Blog: Framing Science. Matthew Nisbet will change how you understand science. We take for granted that the facts should speak for themselves, but our understanding of these complex subjects are largely a matter of communication. His blog covers so much of what I learned in his classroom, and it is recommended reading if you care about climate change, public policy, or evolution.
Colleague: Nina Keim. I met Nina as a Graduate student at American University (maybe Classmate is a better title), and have always been impressed by her initiative. Unlike some of my peers, Nina displays an endless curiosity; she seeks out new ideas in communication and isn’t afraid to try them out for herself, often before their value is readily apparent. Rather than merely acting as an informer, Nina embodies the role of an opinion leader in her own right.
Meme: PR does not equal “Press Release”. Sure Press Releases still work, but the question is “should you send one?” At #PRCamp we first realized that the words Press Release should never be used near anything Social Media. PR practitioners build relationships and tell stories, and in today’s media landscape that cannot be limited to broadcast and print news releases.
Music: Bob Dylan’s “Christmas in the Heart”. I’ve made many jokes over the past month about the music video, which I’m convinced will soon become another Rick Roll. What convinced this unassailable icon to record his first Holiday album may have been a favorite charity, but I’m convinced it must’ve been Santa.
PR Agency: 2ChicksInc. Full Disclosure – I’ve been working (as an intern) with this start-up PR group over the last month. Working with the women who are its namesake, I’ve learned how a boutique PR firm can use their expertise to innovate online campaigns. And their generous part-time position has helped me continue my own career search (thanks again for the opportunity).
Shameless Plug: The Brew Noob. My side project has evolved from 140 charecter beer reviews on Twitter into a Tumblr blog of own right. As usual, I’ll test the brews so that you can enjoy tasty beers.
Social Network: Hot Potato. Why use hashtags or checkins if you only want to talk about an event while it’s happening? It’s not meant to replace Twitter or Foursquare, but its a new take on an old idea. Another revelation we made at #PRCamp was that not everyone will use Twitter (the brand), but that SMS/mobile messaging (the idea) were here to stay. Try it.