Response to Skype chat with Liz Henry
Liz Henry has written for magazines, blogs, and translates poetry. She is a supporter of the Open Source movement and publishes much of her work online.
In 1983 there was a movement for free software, some people were excited about it and others were pretty upset. The Open Source movement discussing “free” software, meaning that you can see the coding and software of a particular company but not a free foundation for someone to take. She related this idea to making a sandwich, you should be able to learn to make the sandwich yourself, and put your own spin on it.
Henry doesn’t want people to steal and sell her work, but at the same time she enjoys putting her work on the Internet for other people to view. Copyright agreements are extremely important when putting your personal work on display, and she encourages that everyone becomes familiar with various licensing policies. She wishes that when she started writing that she put more on the Internet for people to view. When writing for a magazine or newspaper, it will disappear from people’s view at some point, but when something is on the Internet it can be viewed as many times as someone would like. This allows for people to give feedback and she has experienced many benefits from published her work on the Internet.
Liz Henry on BlogHer:
http://www.blogher.com/blog/liz-henry
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Lena West
Response to Skype chat with Lena West
Lena West is a social media strategist, which involves helping companies use all these different forms of social media that are available today, and picking the correct ones to promote their company. West’s interest in computers helped her create her own company twelve years ago.
She started as a web designing company because twelve years ago social media did not have the hype surrounding it that it does today. She understands the idea that companies need to use the Internet to gain consumers, which has created so much competition.
The idea of using social media to market yourself and your personal brand has really been introduced to me this year. There is much more to learn than being able to “friend” someone on Facebook. Some companies choose to use social media more than others, and West said that lots of companies surprisingly have not engaged themselves with various forms of social media as much as they should. She defined the difference between social media (tools) and social networking (one of the tools), which are often misunderstood. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn are all considered to be social networks, within the social media realm, and she said that these three are extremely necessary to learn how to use.
I found it really interesting when West talked about choosing the correct tools for companies and which social media tools are right for them. There is such a thing as using the wrong one, and since there are so many out there it can be difficult to choose the best fit for you. Looking at the budget and goals of a particular company is the first thing that they look at, and figuring out how familiar a company is with particular technological skills. For people that are not part of a company yet but aspire to work in the corporate world it is important to “sharpen up your skill set,” and spend time learning how to use all these different forms of social media.
West’s passion kept her going through some difficulties that she was forced to deal with at the beginning of her career. Being young was a struggle when starting her company because not many people took her seriously and felt that she did not have a ton of experience. She stressed that the people you work with and surround yourself with are a huge influence upon your work, and it is important to work with people that are just as dedicated as you are.
Lena West is a social media strategist, which involves helping companies use all these different forms of social media that are available today, and picking the correct ones to promote their company. West’s interest in computers helped her create her own company twelve years ago.
She started as a web designing company because twelve years ago social media did not have the hype surrounding it that it does today. She understands the idea that companies need to use the Internet to gain consumers, which has created so much competition.
The idea of using social media to market yourself and your personal brand has really been introduced to me this year. There is much more to learn than being able to “friend” someone on Facebook. Some companies choose to use social media more than others, and West said that lots of companies surprisingly have not engaged themselves with various forms of social media as much as they should. She defined the difference between social media (tools) and social networking (one of the tools), which are often misunderstood. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn are all considered to be social networks, within the social media realm, and she said that these three are extremely necessary to learn how to use.
I found it really interesting when West talked about choosing the correct tools for companies and which social media tools are right for them. There is such a thing as using the wrong one, and since there are so many out there it can be difficult to choose the best fit for you. Looking at the budget and goals of a particular company is the first thing that they look at, and figuring out how familiar a company is with particular technological skills. For people that are not part of a company yet but aspire to work in the corporate world it is important to “sharpen up your skill set,” and spend time learning how to use all these different forms of social media.
West’s passion kept her going through some difficulties that she was forced to deal with at the beginning of her career. Being young was a struggle when starting her company because not many people took her seriously and felt that she did not have a ton of experience. She stressed that the people you work with and surround yourself with are a huge influence upon your work, and it is important to work with people that are just as dedicated as you are.
Anaezi Modu
Response to Skype Chat:
The Skype chat with Anaezi Mondu was really interesting and increased my understanding of personal branding. Mondu talked about how sometimes your personal passion doesn’t always fit with the classes that you are taking. I can relate to that here at school because some of my classes do not directly relate to my major, but I am trying to make the best out of the time I spend there and learn as much as I can. Mondu was able to take her skills of being an architect and transform that into her website, designing physical space.
ReBrand is part of the evolution that entails following your passion, and Mondu explained that branding entails much more than what people may think. Thinking about color, logos, and identity all play into how you are branding your company and yourself. One of the most important aspects of branding is to think about what it is that grabs you and what your emotional connection is to bring you in. When you’re trying to make an impression on someone, you need to think of how someone will be taking all this in from their point of view. I checked out a website featuring ReBrand and Mondu for Providence – the creative capital, and I really like how everything is simple and clean-cut.
I enjoyed the part of the Skype chat when Mondu brought up the idea of having a group of people with different nationalities on a team because you want your brand to be shown globally. Teamwork is so important when creating a brand, and I feel like at TCNJ I have worked a lot with team members on projects and that has improved my communication skills tremendously.
The Skype chat with Anaezi Mondu was really interesting and increased my understanding of personal branding. Mondu talked about how sometimes your personal passion doesn’t always fit with the classes that you are taking. I can relate to that here at school because some of my classes do not directly relate to my major, but I am trying to make the best out of the time I spend there and learn as much as I can. Mondu was able to take her skills of being an architect and transform that into her website, designing physical space.
ReBrand is part of the evolution that entails following your passion, and Mondu explained that branding entails much more than what people may think. Thinking about color, logos, and identity all play into how you are branding your company and yourself. One of the most important aspects of branding is to think about what it is that grabs you and what your emotional connection is to bring you in. When you’re trying to make an impression on someone, you need to think of how someone will be taking all this in from their point of view. I checked out a website featuring ReBrand and Mondu for Providence – the creative capital, and I really like how everything is simple and clean-cut.
I enjoyed the part of the Skype chat when Mondu brought up the idea of having a group of people with different nationalities on a team because you want your brand to be shown globally. Teamwork is so important when creating a brand, and I feel like at TCNJ I have worked a lot with team members on projects and that has improved my communication skills tremendously.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Randall Rothenberg
Response to Skype chat:
“People really matter.” This was Randall Rothenberg’s answer when asked if there was anything that he had wished he learned when he was younger. Rothenberg said that your personal expertise doesn’t count for as much as your whole team’s expertise. Working as a team player is so important in today’s world and inspiring your team members, and being inspired by them, will lead you to the most success.
After viewing the Skype chat with Randall Rothenberg, I really was inspired by his drive to be successful and his positive attitude. He started as a fact checker at New York Magazine in 1978 and has dabbled in the field of freelance writing, editorial work, and has even written two books. He said that his experience was not “linear” and just like everyone else, he had to overcome some obstacles to be where he is today.
When he was working at the New York Times he was given the responsibility of writing an advertising column that the same man had worked on for the past twenty-three years and when he had passed away, it was assigned to Rothenberg. He called this one of his “Mikey moments,” referencing to “he’ll eat anything.” Although Rothenberg said this was a laugh, I think that that shows great character and the fact that he can accomplish success in so many different areas, shows that he is truly a hard worker and people admire this about him.
Rothenberg also touched on the idea that advertising is experiencing a huge change because of the Internet. It is easier to make ads for magazines and television because they can be reproduced without a lot of reformatting, but the interactive world makes advertising much more challenging now. Rothenberg’s words not only held my attention, but also inspired me to step into the field of advertising because it is constantly evolving and I know I would enjoy stepping into this interactive world of media and share my creativity.
“People really matter.” This was Randall Rothenberg’s answer when asked if there was anything that he had wished he learned when he was younger. Rothenberg said that your personal expertise doesn’t count for as much as your whole team’s expertise. Working as a team player is so important in today’s world and inspiring your team members, and being inspired by them, will lead you to the most success.
After viewing the Skype chat with Randall Rothenberg, I really was inspired by his drive to be successful and his positive attitude. He started as a fact checker at New York Magazine in 1978 and has dabbled in the field of freelance writing, editorial work, and has even written two books. He said that his experience was not “linear” and just like everyone else, he had to overcome some obstacles to be where he is today.
When he was working at the New York Times he was given the responsibility of writing an advertising column that the same man had worked on for the past twenty-three years and when he had passed away, it was assigned to Rothenberg. He called this one of his “Mikey moments,” referencing to “he’ll eat anything.” Although Rothenberg said this was a laugh, I think that that shows great character and the fact that he can accomplish success in so many different areas, shows that he is truly a hard worker and people admire this about him.
Rothenberg also touched on the idea that advertising is experiencing a huge change because of the Internet. It is easier to make ads for magazines and television because they can be reproduced without a lot of reformatting, but the interactive world makes advertising much more challenging now. Rothenberg’s words not only held my attention, but also inspired me to step into the field of advertising because it is constantly evolving and I know I would enjoy stepping into this interactive world of media and share my creativity.
Reginald Ponder
Response to Skype chat:
Watching the skype chat with Reginald Ponder was extremely inspiring and interesting. He works both in the advertising industry and has been reviewing movies for the past ten years.
I like how Reginal Ponder studied sociology at Princeton University, got his MBA in marketing from the University of Chicago, but his job is in advertising. This shows that despite the major that someone studies in college there is a way to always relate your field of study to your next job that you want to work in. Ponder spoke about marketing yourself and your personal brand, and how you can use your resume to reflect your image in different ways.
Ponder talked about how writing especially comes in handy for a lot of different careers. Being a journalism major this makes me understand that even though newspapers and magazine jobs are decreasing, I can use my knowledge of professional writing and target that skill towards another opportunity. This shows how to market yourself for a particular opportunity, and highlighting your accomplishments in a specific area. Ponder explained many different fields of advertising and now I plan on looking into that field for an internship.
He also has a pretty neat website! Check it out!
http://www.reginaldponder.com/The_Reel_Critic/Home.html
Watching the skype chat with Reginald Ponder was extremely inspiring and interesting. He works both in the advertising industry and has been reviewing movies for the past ten years.
I like how Reginal Ponder studied sociology at Princeton University, got his MBA in marketing from the University of Chicago, but his job is in advertising. This shows that despite the major that someone studies in college there is a way to always relate your field of study to your next job that you want to work in. Ponder spoke about marketing yourself and your personal brand, and how you can use your resume to reflect your image in different ways.
Ponder talked about how writing especially comes in handy for a lot of different careers. Being a journalism major this makes me understand that even though newspapers and magazine jobs are decreasing, I can use my knowledge of professional writing and target that skill towards another opportunity. This shows how to market yourself for a particular opportunity, and highlighting your accomplishments in a specific area. Ponder explained many different fields of advertising and now I plan on looking into that field for an internship.
He also has a pretty neat website! Check it out!
http://www.reginaldponder.com/The_Reel_Critic/Home.html
How come some of us just don't get it?
I am truly amazed to see that amount of smokers that are still at it today. After all the information that has been shown to us to not smoke, there is still such a majority that can't seem to quit. I went to one of the Ewing Township Council Meetings this year for the Drug & Alcohol Alliance and that main issue was how young teens are smoking. How do they even afford cigarettes? I wonder what else has to happen for people to finally realize, that smoking just isn't worth it. This opinion piece from the NY Times caught my eye today. After reading this I went to the Philip Morris USA website and in big letters on the home page it states, "We are the largest tobacco company in the U.S." As if this is something to brag about?
www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/opinion/27fri3.html?ref=opinion
www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/opinion/27fri3.html?ref=opinion
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
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Monday, November 23, 2009
"The Brand Called You"
Throughout the “Brand Called You” essay the author, Tom Peters, asks a few questions to the reader in order for them to understand the importance of our own companies which market ourselves. Everyone has the potential and power invested in themselves to create a brand that is deserving of recognition. In order to achieve this, it important to determine the loyalty held to yourself, the real power that you possess, and the goals you wish to accomplish in the future.
The idea that everyone has a chance to stand out and become “brand worthy” as Peters calls it is emphasized throughout the entire essay. It is important for everyone to realize that the real power of each individual can be utilized through ones brand and draw attention to millions. In order to use your power in the most successful way possibly it is important to understand our technological savvy society that we live in today to advertise your brand to the fullest extent. By learning how to market your brand you will be able to spread the word, increasing your consumers rapidly. By living in this “power world” it is necessary to take advantage of the tools around you to network yourself as much as possible (5). The more press and attention your brand receives earns you more power. The one downside to the idea of receiving constant attention is that it is important that whether working at that moment or not, is that you represent everything that your brand stands for and it is important to always act appropriately. Peters writes, “Everything from the way you handle phone conversations to the email messages you send to the way you conduct business in a meeting is part of the large message you’re sending about your brand” (4). The brand that you create will not be taken seriously unless people portray you to be a trustworthy leader, who customers can relate to.
By creating “Brand You” it is important to keep in mind the loyalty that you hold not only to yourself, but also to your fellow customers and team members. Asking yourself along the way if your ambition has been reached is crucial for the reason that you owe it to yourself to accomplish everything you want to. It is important that since this brand revolves around you as an individual, that you are being presented in a way that makes your feel comfortable. The advertising and promotion should reflect your style, beliefs, and attitude. The loyalty that you have to yourself is very important and you want to make sure you are being portrayed correctly. Your loyalty to your customers is just as important as the loyalty you hold to yourself and by asking for direct feedback from them will help you satisfy your consumers needs. Peters discusses the idea that being head of the company may require you to act selfish at times in order “to grow yourself, to promote yourself” (6). By creating this brand you have devoted yourself to a full time commitment of marketing this company, therefore it is up to you and your fellow employees to work hard and receive the success you deserve.
When creating “Brand You” it is important to have a clear set of goals and a plan for the future. While some may believe the idea of working their way up the company ladder will ultimately allow them to be the most successful, Peters disagrees with this idea. Peters writes, “When you look at the progression of a career constructed out of projects, directionality is not only hard to track – Which way is up? – but it’s also totally irrelevant” (7). Your plans for the future should not revolve around the rise of your job title, but on the idea of reinvention. Peters suggests this concept and points out “there is no single path to success” (7). By creating a successful brand that consumers enjoy is a tremendous success itself, and your future should involve working with that brand to expand even more than you have already.
Throughout “The Brand Called You” essay Tom Peters identifies the key components to designing a successful brand company. Understanding the idea that anyone has the potential to create a successful brand based off of themselves allows you to believe that you may obtain real power.
The idea that everyone has a chance to stand out and become “brand worthy” as Peters calls it is emphasized throughout the entire essay. It is important for everyone to realize that the real power of each individual can be utilized through ones brand and draw attention to millions. In order to use your power in the most successful way possibly it is important to understand our technological savvy society that we live in today to advertise your brand to the fullest extent. By learning how to market your brand you will be able to spread the word, increasing your consumers rapidly. By living in this “power world” it is necessary to take advantage of the tools around you to network yourself as much as possible (5). The more press and attention your brand receives earns you more power. The one downside to the idea of receiving constant attention is that it is important that whether working at that moment or not, is that you represent everything that your brand stands for and it is important to always act appropriately. Peters writes, “Everything from the way you handle phone conversations to the email messages you send to the way you conduct business in a meeting is part of the large message you’re sending about your brand” (4). The brand that you create will not be taken seriously unless people portray you to be a trustworthy leader, who customers can relate to.
By creating “Brand You” it is important to keep in mind the loyalty that you hold not only to yourself, but also to your fellow customers and team members. Asking yourself along the way if your ambition has been reached is crucial for the reason that you owe it to yourself to accomplish everything you want to. It is important that since this brand revolves around you as an individual, that you are being presented in a way that makes your feel comfortable. The advertising and promotion should reflect your style, beliefs, and attitude. The loyalty that you have to yourself is very important and you want to make sure you are being portrayed correctly. Your loyalty to your customers is just as important as the loyalty you hold to yourself and by asking for direct feedback from them will help you satisfy your consumers needs. Peters discusses the idea that being head of the company may require you to act selfish at times in order “to grow yourself, to promote yourself” (6). By creating this brand you have devoted yourself to a full time commitment of marketing this company, therefore it is up to you and your fellow employees to work hard and receive the success you deserve.
When creating “Brand You” it is important to have a clear set of goals and a plan for the future. While some may believe the idea of working their way up the company ladder will ultimately allow them to be the most successful, Peters disagrees with this idea. Peters writes, “When you look at the progression of a career constructed out of projects, directionality is not only hard to track – Which way is up? – but it’s also totally irrelevant” (7). Your plans for the future should not revolve around the rise of your job title, but on the idea of reinvention. Peters suggests this concept and points out “there is no single path to success” (7). By creating a successful brand that consumers enjoy is a tremendous success itself, and your future should involve working with that brand to expand even more than you have already.
Throughout “The Brand Called You” essay Tom Peters identifies the key components to designing a successful brand company. Understanding the idea that anyone has the potential to create a successful brand based off of themselves allows you to believe that you may obtain real power.
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