… For some, that is the question. When it comes to social media for your business, Shawn Vincent hit the nail on the head with this tweet:

Chances are your brand (or industry) is being talked about online. Whether it’s a compliment or complaint, it’s an opportunity to thank a loyal advocate or address a concern. To equate this to the pre-Twitter, Facebook and blogging days, think of these comments as if they were a phone call to your headquarters. But, with social media, that “call” is potentially being heard by millions of users.

Opportunity is calling. Are you picking up?

Foursquare recently launched “Foursquare for Universities,” a section of their website dedicated to connecting students, staff and alumni with their respective school. The best part about the program is that it fits naturally into what universities are already doing.

You can use Foursquare to enhance campus events. For example:

• Fall orientation? Help students get acquainted with their school by hosting a campus-wide scavenger hunt.

• First football game of the season? Offer a free university t-shirt to students who “check in.”

• Daily deals at an on-campus restaurant? Promote specials and ask for students’ feedback via Foursquare tips.

For case studies of universities getting an “A+” in Foursquare 101, check out Harvard, Stanford and Syracuse.

I’m definitely a supporter of attention-grabbing, non-traditional media to increase brand awareness, “butt” when it comes to Kentucky Fried Chicken’s recent ploy of renting “ad space” on women’s derrières to promote its Double Down sandwich, I have to wonder.

According to a recent USA Today article, “women on college campuses are being paid $500 each to hand out coupons while wearing fitted sweatpants with “Double Down” in large letters across their rear ends.”

For certain types of products, this form of marketing might be appropriate, but for fast food? Personally, seeing a logo for food on someone’s backside would not be the way I would increase market share – especially for a deep fried delight weighing in at 540 calories, 32 grams of fat and 1,380 mg of sodium.

KFC is definitely trying to refresh their brand – with grilled chicken last year and the Double Down sandwich this year. However, it doesn’t seem to be working.

Last week, KFC confirmed that more than six in 10 Americans ages 18 to 25 — the chain’s key demographic – couldn’t identify Colonel Sanders, KFC’s animated figurehead. Also, five in 10 believe he is a fictitious icon.

Is 120 years of brand equity being diluted further by this type of campaign?

I have to wonder what Colonel Sanders would have to say about the tactic. What are your thoughts? Double-breaded disaster or “finger lickin’ good” gimmick?

Photo credit: USA Today

If you’re like me, one of the most dreaded details about driving in downtown Orlando is finding parking close to your destination – without paying an arm and leg. So when I came across this new, free iPhone application, I thought, “Everyone should know about this!”

Orlando parkIN’ is a new app created by Right Brain Media. It helps drivers figure out where the closest parking garages are in proximity to their downtown destination, and it will sort the options in order of price. This handy application requires the iPhone 4.0 Software Update.

With the new Amway Center opening October 1, this is the perfect app to use when scouring for parking – if paying $20 at the GEICO Garage (located across from the Amway Center on W. South St.) is not in your budget.



In a world of shrinking attention spans, PR professionals are challenged to capture interest instantly. What makes a headline or subject line stand out and influence potential readers to invest their time? On average, 8 out of 10 people will read a headline, but only 2 out of 10 will read beyond that.

If crafted carefully using the following techniques, headlines and subject lines can better engage your audience in an article, press release or e-mail:

• Hook, line, sinker: Put yourself in the audience’s shoes. Convey the “what’s in it for me?” benefit in the title.
• Activate active voice: Using active rather than passive verbs brings power and life to the header, and typically requires fewer words.
• A.A.A.A.C.: Avoid acronyms at all costs.
• Walk the line: Admit it. You read tabloid headlines at the grocery store checkout. Being a little edgy, sassy or witty is a good way to catch the reader’s attention. However, there’s a line between catchy and inappropriate.
• Be purposeful: Remember that a headline’s job isn’t only to grab the viewer. It’s supposed to give a glimpse into the topic at hand. Using creative, somewhat abstract language is acceptable; just make a literal connection within the first paragraph so that the audience doesn’t have false expectations.
• Succinct success: Trim excess words to make it as lean as possible.
• What about cliff-hangers?: Starting with a question is a common method to leverage your audience’s curiosity and draw them in. Impactful single word headlines work sometimes too.

Bottom line: don’t underestimate the value of a good head start. Although, writing the headline might be an afterthought to some, it’s the first thing people read. Make it count.

I’ve always enjoyed reading books on “writing right” – like Writing Well or Eats, Shoots & Leaves. I was late to the party and finally read On Writing by Stephen King. The book is a combination of the author’s writing advice and a memoir.

After reading King’s book, it made me appreciate his working class background because of the personal experiences infused into his stories and characters. In writing, he says to tell the truth (along the same lines of Pablo Picasso’s expression about never painting a lie). It’s well worth the read – especially his rants against adverbs.

Some of my favorite passages include:

• “The more you read, the less apt you are to make a fool of yourself with your pen or word processor.”
• “This [writing] isn’t a popularity contest, it’s not the moral Olympics, and it’s not church. But it’s writing, damn it, not washing your car or putting on your eyeliner. If you can take it seriously, we can do business. If you can’t or won’t, it’s time for you to do something else. Wash the car, maybe.”
• “Write with the door closed. Rewrite with the door open.”
• “Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up.”

Share your favorite inspirational writing tip and Costa DeVault will select a winner to send a complimentary copy of Stephen King’s book.