There is a growing industry of “prize-riggers” (my term) who band together to manipulate the results of online contests, giveaways and sweepstakes.
In this blog post on PRSAY, the official blog of The Public Relations Society of America, I categorize different types of prize-riggers and offer tips for PR pros to consider.
Go to the link and check it out. And if you have comments, you can share them there or below.
There was an interesting post in The New York Times today about labor unions’ use of social media to better inform members on negotiations, solicit ideas and also to rebut rumors. To be sure, unions are also using Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other digital connections to build momentum for organizing attempts as well.
As unions embrace technology, so must employers. Here are several initial thoughts to consider:
Better monitoring. As unions conduct more digitial dialogue , the ability for companies to monitor those discussions becomes easier. Comprehensive online monitoring systems will probably be a better indicator of a union’s demands than the “watercooler talk” checks of the past. This should eliminate some surprises if there is a rift with the union.
Ketchum, my employer, recently published the latest edition of its online magazine, Perspectives. Some previous posts I created for this blog have been combined and updated for one of the key articles of the magazine.
Check out the article if you:
Starlight, star…bright?
Many contemporary superstars – celebrities, artists, athletes, etc. – are embracing social networking to enjoy direct, authentic dialogue with the public. Today’s icons let thoughts flow through their fingertips, without the primping and protection of publicists or PR handlers. This is a good idea for the thoughtful, who share information that is complimentary to their image. However, this is a detrimental idea for those who expose a naiveté, bias or thoughts inconsistent with their image.
For professionals who manage sponsorships with these stars, social networking creates accelerated risks. From an issues and crisis perspective, I’ve long recommended “inoculation actions” for sponsorships. Here are those actions, applied to a sponsored star who is active on social networks:
Earlier this month, the U.S. Army Social Media Handbook was released to the public. It is a solid guide of practical tips for anyone engaging in digitally networked dialogue, whether for personal or professional use.
Many of the tips promote networking caution in the interest of saving lives on the battlefield (and at home) and also to save individual and troop reputation. From a crisis management standpoint, I thought these eight tips were standouts:
1. “All leaders must communicate social media expectations…” (p. 4)
So many organizations provide protocols that define out-of-bounds online behavior for social networking. It’s probably equally beneficial to illustrate the expected behavior. This approach provides the most clarity if the organization is pressed to take corrective actions.
2. Warnings on geotagging and location-based social networking (p. 5)
These warnings may be obvious to protect troop locations. Perhaps it is less obvious to consider how this seemingly innocent location-disclosure can harm personal privacy or sensitive corporate information. As one example, keep in mind that hackers love to collect information – including where you’ve been and when – before they infiltrate.
3. Online relationships – keep it professional (p. 6)
Following this very obvious guideline can keep many corporate executives out of HR trouble, or out of the courtrooms.
