esPResso Volume 5 Issue 4

excessive, Kiefer believes the

program will be successful.

Regardless of whether or not

“social media weddings” will be-

come popular, W Hotels‟ idea has

reiterated the fact that modern

day weddings tend to be extrava-

gant and expensive. According to

Huffington Post Tech Editor, Bian-

ca Bosker, this service is only

available through Dec. 31, 2014.

Perhaps W Hotel is merely testing

the waters to determine if the

service will be well received. Only

time will tell if social media wed-

dings are in our futures.

W Hotels in New York has pro-

posed the latest and greatest

wedding fad. For $3,000 brides

and grooms to be can hire a

“social media wedding concierge”

to broadcast their big day. Accord-

ing to an e-mail pitch from W Hotel

sent to the Huffington Post in

March, “from live tweets and

#hashtags to Vine videos and

Instagram filters, W's Social Media

Wedding Concierge will document

the „I Dos‟ and encourage guests

to utilize a dedicated wedding

hashtag for every one of their

posts.” Traditionally, weddings

have been private events with

family and close friends. Now PR

teams from big name hotels such

as W are encouraging weddings to

be publicized.

The idea behind this service is

that it provides instant and easily

accessible updates. For instance,

if a relative lives outside of the

country and is unable to attend

the wedding, they are able to stay

connected through social media.

W Hotel believes it may be in the

process of molding a modern day

digital scrapbook with its ability to

use multi-faceted media platforms

throughout the wedding. The ser-

vice not only offers day-of support

but also helps promote and broad-

cast important events connected

to the wedding such as engage-

ment photos and cake tastings.

According to the article, W Ho-

tels‟ Global Social Media Strate-

gist, Alyssa Kiefer, confessed that

the idea of a social media

“concierge” is a little over the top.

However, she believes this new

trend will eventually become the

norm. In response to criticism on

sites such as Twitter, Kiefer stated

in the article, “We‟re sure couples

balked at the idea of traditional

wedding planners years ago and

now you wouldn‟t think of plan-

ning a wedding without one.” Alt-

hough $3,000 may seem a bit

W Hotel offers wedding social media #digitalscrapbook

esPResso M A Y 2 , 2 0 1 4 V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 4

Your Shot of Industry Insight

By Molly Costello

Page 2

Three committees

combine and a last

word from our presi-

dent

Page 4

Chapter members at-

tend a speaker, agen-

cy tour and networking

workshop

Page 6

A look at Copenhagen

Zoo and other crisis

situations

Page 8

Northwestern student-

athletes unionize

0

Meet next year‟s

e-board

Page 12

Buzzfeed and hashtag

hijacking trends

Source: flickr.com, Andy

Inside this issue:

licly defended her executive deci-

sion, according to US Weekly

“Part of the pleasure of editing

Vogue, one that lies in a long

tradition of this magazine, is be-

ing able to feature those who

define the culture at any given

moment, who stir things up,

whose presence in the world

shapes the way it looks and influ-

ences the way we see it.”

Feelings on the cover are

mixed; some people see the cov-

er as an insult to high fashion,

while others see the duo as the

embodiment of fashion and pop

culture. There is no doubt that

Kimye will continue to fascinate

the public and always keep peo-

ple talking.

past year. Everything from West‟s

racy “Bound 2” music video to his

physical assault of an 18-year-old

who harassed Kim has resulted in

the “Kimye” media takeover.

The April issue of Vogue maga-

zine recently hit the stands and,

yet again, Kimye had everyone

talking. Twitter, Facebook and

national news focused their cov-

erage on the cover that pictured

Kim in a wedding gown and

Kanye cradling her. The cover

included the hashtag,

#worldsmosttalkedaboutcouple,

which proved to be very true upon

the release of the magazine.

Fans of the magazine even

took it a step further by criticizing

the highly respected Vogue Editor

-In-Chief, Anna Wintour. She pub-

Kim and Kayne grace another cover (ours)

#worldsmosttalkedaboutcouple

By Julia Lista

Source: flickr.com, Mills de Mode

The recent engagement of Kim

Kardashian and outspoken rap-

per, Kanye West, has been at the

center of media attention in the

P A G E 2

Marist PRSSA committees band together

General members

are encouraged to be

actively involved in the

Marist Red Foxes PRS-

SA Chapter. One way

they can do this is by

joining a committee.

Committees assist

the e-board in many

different ways such as

ensuring that events go

smoothly, accommodat-

ing guests that come to

campus, brainstorming

ideas and more. With-

out the help of our vari-

ous committees, the

Chapter would not be

as successful as it is

today. They are a quin-

tessential part of our

Chapter and their help

is always appreciated.

Last semester the

fundraising committee,

the community service

committee and the

event planning commit-

tee were each their own

entity and did not inter-

mingle. However, this

semester we decided to

combine all of the com-

mittees in order to en-

sure that all members

had the opportunity to

work on a variety of dif-

ferent projects.

All three committees

now fall under the title

“Event Planning Com-

mittee” and committee

members choose exact-

ly what projects they

would like to work on.

This is beneficial be-

cause now all members

are given an opportuni-

ty to explore and help

with their different are-

as of interest.

If you wish to join the

Event Planning Commit-

tee or have any ideas

for the upcoming se-

mester please email

ma r i s t c o l l ege pr s s a

@gmail.com.

By Kate Hardcastle

North Road

Communica-

tions recently

held a client

lunch, hosting

both current

account exec-

utives and clients. Each client

was able to talk about his/her

positive experiences with

North Road and highlight pro-

jects we have tackled as a

firm. North Road adviser, Dr.

Nadine Hoffmann, and past

adviser, Jennie Donohue, were

also in attendance at the

lunch.

After lunch, each client

contact got to sit down one-on-

one with his/her account exec-

utive to map out the semester

ahead. The event proved to be

a huge success and due to its

great feedback, North Road is

considering making it an event

each semester.

As the semester winds

down for North Road, staff

members have been finishing

their last projects and the firm

is expected to have close to a

100% assignment completion

rate for this semester. In addi-

tion, applications for North

Road will be coming out next

week and interested members

can apply to the firm, though

spots are limited.

By Maria Gironas

North Road hosts

a successful firm

lunch

Email:

[email protected]

Twitter:

@MaristPRSSA

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/maristcollegeprssa

Blog:

www.maristfoxesprssa.blogspot.com

Pinterest:

Marist PRSSA

P A G E 3

During

Open House

for Accepted

Students

weekend I

had the op-

portunity to

speak to pro-

spective public relations students

on behalf of the communications

department. Having this oppor-

tunity to interact with the students

and their parents made me reflect

on my time with PRSSA here at

Marist.

When I ran for an e-board posi-

tion in the spring of 2011, I never

would have imagined how much

being a part of this organization

would be a part of my life and

what opportunities it would pre-

sent to me. Whether it was at-

tending guest speaker lunches,

participating in agency tours or

making many connections for in-

ternships or potential jobs, my

opportunities through PRSSA have

made this organization a vital part

of my career here at Marist.

At the end of my presentation, I

remember a student and her par-

ents came up to me and asked

me why I chose Marist. I stood

there and smiled and just said,

“everything.” I didn‟t know what

else to say or how else to explain

it. There is an indescribable feel-

ing that comes with being a Marist

student and why we love it here

as I‟m sure you understand. I

could not think of anywhere else

to call my home.

My final words of advice to you

all is don‟t take anything for grant-

ed. These past four years have

flown by, and I will be forever

grateful for my experiences and

the opportunities that have been

presented to me as a Marist stu-

dent. Thank you to you all for al-

lowing me to serve as your leader.

I have no doubt that your new

president, Mckensie Saldo, and

her executive board will lead you

all into another year of success.

As Professor Jennie Donohue

would say:

„Til Soon,

Erica Conover

Class of 2014

Join the E-Board and run for a position!

Photo courtesy of Jennie Donohue

A Letter from the Chapter President By Ashley Hellberg

The second half

of the semester was

filled with guest

speakers, most of

them being Marist

alumni. The public

relations industry

better get ready for all of the PR profes-

sionals that Marist is producing!

Alumna Lauren Moran, manager of

baseball information for the New York

Yankees, came to speak to our mem-

bers and the sports public relations

class. She talked about working in the

very fast paced industry, how to be

taken seriously as a woman in a male-

dominated field and the importance of

networking as much as possible be-

cause you never know what kinds of

opportunities can come from it. A big

thing that the members took away from

the presentation is that if you love what

you are doing, it will never feel like

work.

Next, we had alumnus Michael O‟Bri-

en, partner at Ketchum, present to our

members. He spoke about the im-

portance of public presentation skills in

our future career fields. Having good

presentation skills can give people a

huge leg up when trying to get hired for

jobs and when trying to secure a client.

Learning about how helpful good public

speaking skills are from an industry

professional taught our members that it

truly is a necessary evil.

Most recently, 13 of our members

and Faculty Adviser Jennie Donohue

went to New York City to visit two public

relations agencies, Peppercomm and

Zeno Group. Both agencies are filled

with Marist graduates, so it was very

exciting to see our alumni working in

top PR firms, getting our members ex-

cited for their own futures in public

relations. The day was filled with infor-

mation about agency life and advice on

how to break into the public relations

field. This trip was definitely one of the

highlights of the semester!

We also hosted recent Marist grad

Kelsey Donohue who spoke via Skype

about how to land a new using social

media. Plus there was a networking

workshop with Faculty Adviser Jennie

Donohue, and to close the year, our

annual induction ceremony featuring

Fraser Seitel.

V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 4

P A G E 4

PR LinkedIn pointers straight from the professionals.

“Your profile will be viewed. With each passing day, LinkedIn becomes

an increasingly valuable form of networking and job searches, not just

for individuals, but for companies that look to hire people. Remember

that your digital footprint is forever, so think before you post.”

Timmian Massie, Adjunct Professor of Communication

“As a college student, your goal in using LinkedIn should be learn-

ing and networking, and you can do this by asking for advice and

information. In the box that says, I‟d like to add you to my network, you must explain why you‟re asking.” Ellyn Enisman, Adjunct Professor of Communication

“It is essential to write your headline. Although

LinkedIn will automatically use your current position as

your headline, I urge you to change it. This is a way to

differentiate yourself and tell recruiters why you are an

asset. Start with a personal touch and move into your

professional highlights.”

Lori Beth Greenan, Visting Professional Lecturer

“Take advantage of the oppor-

tunity to upload images, videos,

presentations and documents

into your profile. Turn your pro-

file into a portfolio.”

Stephen Cole, Executive Director

of Career Services

“I suggest researching key words that will

resonate with people in your industry.

This will help your page get noticed by the

right people. The skills section can be the

ideal spot for key words (e.g., „Cision,‟ not

„computer skills‟).”

LoriBeth Grennan, Visting Professional

Lecturer

On Wednesday, April 16,

Faculty Adviser Jennie

Donohue, with help from three

other faculty members, hosted

a networking workshop. The

workshop was publicized to

the members but not many

details were given on the exact

logistics of the event. When

the members arrived, each

was told to write her name on

a nametag and get some food

and beverages. Everyone was

quietly chatting when, out of

nowhere and in a rather dra-

matic fashion, a scandalously

dressed woman with a bad,

black wig flew in through the

door. The mystery woman was

wearing bright red lipstick and

had a tear in her stockings.

Although it took a second, the

members soon realized it was

none other than the amazing

professor herself LoriBeth

Greenan.

Professor Donohue (aka

Gwen) then introduced the

members to Heidi (Professor

Hoffman), Lola (Professor

Rozelle), and Gabriel la

(Professor Greenan). She then

commenced the networking

event. As soon as the mem-

bers began mingling, it was

evident that this was no ordi-

nary networking workshop.

PRSSA networking event forces students out of comfort zone By Marguerite Pinheiro Gwen did “PR for cats,” Heidi

did not speak a lick of English,

and Lola and Gabriella were

atrociously rude. Each scenar-

io at hand was an absolute

nightmare.

By the end of the workshop,

it became obvious that the

professors were acting as the

frightening yet potential peo-

ple who attend networking

events. They were forcing the

members out of their comfort

zones and ultimately teaching

very valuable lessons on how

to keep their cool.

By Tatiana Miranda

Professors at the Workshop: Face-

Check our Professor Massie‟s full blog post :

http://timmassie.blogspot.com/2014/04/

linkedin-etiquette-woo-before-you-pop.html

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 1

Thirteen PRSSA members

braved a 7:30 a.m. departure

time from Marist to attend this

year‟s PR agency tour in New

York City. These Chapter rep-

resentatives took the train on

April 11 to learn more about

agency life and explore two

different work environments.

The first destination of the

day was Peppercomm. Ac-

count Executive Samantha

Bruno and Marist alum Alex

Shippee greeted us in the lob-

by and gave us a brief tour of

the two floors that Pepper-

comm occupies in its building.

The agency‟s brainstorming

room was particularly memora-

ble. The glass walls of the

room allowed the tour at-

tendees to take a peek at the

stacks of magazines, white

board walls and fun chairs

inside. After getting a good

look at the office set up, the

Chapter members and Faculty

Adviser Jennie Donohue lis-

tened to a presentation from

Samantha, Alex, Account Exec-

utive Julie Hoang and Director

Chris Gillick.

The four employees ex-

plained that they put in a lot of

hard work at Peppercomm but

they also “know how to play

hard.” Samantha emphasized

that although each of them

has specific industry interests,

they are not confined to their

area of work because of the

variety of clients at the agency.

Peppercomm works with finan-

cial, consumer and architec-

ture brands, just to name a

few.

Peppercomm‟s slogan,

“listen, engage, repeat,” de-

scribes the firm‟s main meth-

ods for how it treats its clients.

If you are interested in being a

part of this well-oiled machine,

Peppercomm offers full-time,

paid internships. Julie ex-

plained that the company

treats its interns like tempo-

rary associates. Look on their

website for more information.

The second stop of the day

was at the nearby Zeno Group.

Close friends and Marist al-

ums Katie Pfiester and Laura

Zanzal led an interactive ses-

sion in their neon green and

bright white conference room.

A PowerPoint showed case

studies from Seattle Coffee,

Pizza Hut and Netflix.

“If you‟re up for the chal-

lenge and doing weird things,

this is the right industry for

you,” Zanzal said. Both Laura

and Katie reflected the wel-

coming and creative environ-

ment at Zeno

Group as

they ex-

plained the

n u m e r o u s

projects that

they have

balanced in

the past at

the agency.

A l o n g

with these

p r o j e c t s ,

Katie ex-

plained that

fun activities

and events are a frequent

occurrence at work. “You

have fun stories to tell working

here,” she said.

In terms of interviewing for

internships and jobs Laura

advised the students to frame

their activities and school pro-

Thirteen PRSSA members take to the city to tour PR firms

By Lizzy Peper jects as valuable learning ex-

periences. She commented

that capping outcomes and

retail jobs can sound just as

positive to employers as in-

ternships if the stories are

framed the right way.

The PRSSA members left

New York City with more

insight into the work environ-

ments and responsibilities of

different public relations firms.

The networking and hands-on

opportunities provided were

important stepping stones for

these future public relations

professionals.

Marist alumnus Michael

O‟Brien was kind enough to

share his words of wisdom with

the 2014 PRSSA Chapter on

March 26, 2014.

He shared what he feels are

the top 10 things that are most

important in the public relations

industry.

1. Media consumption is

changing. Television is no long-

er the number one source of

media. People find out infor-

mation through all of the differ-

ent forms of media before it

even has a chance to hit televi-

sion stations.

2. Big data, little data. Big

data is no longer the most im-

portant form of data. Now, it is

all about the little data and all

about the proof, and proof is in

the numbers.

3. Insight and creativity are

both extremely important skills

to have while working in the

public relations industry.

4. Content development:

one must be able to work on all

different aspects of the indus-

try.

5. Social and digital: it is one

thing to be involved in social

and digital media, but it is an-

other to be involved properly.

One‟s appearance on all forms

of social media is important to

the business world because of

how others will view them.

Michael O‟Brien offers advice to PRSSA members

By Katelyn Pecorelli 6. Media and solution ag-

nostic. Paid Earned Shared

Owned.

7. Social Sciences

8. Understand how to make

money. Public relations people

are business people who know

how to communicate.

9. Confident communicator

10. Never stop learning. In

the public relations industry it is

all about growing and continu-

ing our knowledge in the work

force. The best way to view this

is as a lattice. We must move

on a lattice rather than a lad-

der. In order to grow sometimes

we need to go sideways before

we can go up.

Michael O‟Brien with

Chapter President Erica Conover

PRSSA members pose at Zeno Group

P A G E 6

PR CRISIS HOTLINE

By Micaela Sanger

The death of an employee, train derailing and a devastating explosion, among other

things, have contributed significantly to the hiring of a new president along with the

declining reputation of the Metro-North railroad system. Metro-North has recently stat-

ed that 2013 was its worst year in history. In addition, the company‟s on-time perfor-

mance was its worst since the 1990s.

Following a rail accident in December when a derailment in the Bronx killed four

people and injured more than 70, a federal review denounced the railroad‟s “deficient

safety culture.” Metro-North announced that they would pay the medical bills for those

injured in the derailment, but then, “outrageously broke that promise and ceased pay-

ing any bills for those wounded by their negligence,” according to a report from the Law

Offices of Michael S. Lamonsoff.

Following the release of a scathing report from the Federal Railroad Administration,

Metro-North has instituted new safety measures. It has already modified its signal sys-

tem to enforce speed limits at certain locations, and commuters were invited this past

month to meet Metro-North‟s new president, Joseph J. Giulietti, and other top officials

to air grievances about the railroad. At the meeting, a “100-day” action plan was enact-

ed in response to these tragic events and outrage, in which Giulietti stated, “Safety

must come first at Metro-North.” Safety was not the top priority. It must be and it will

be.”

Metro-North hires new president after

experiencing worst year yet

By Amanda Hickey

Many partook in the fun dance moves that went along with the iconic 90s pop song, “Criss Kross Will Make Ya Jump, Jump.” However,

jumping got James Brady, Kyle Hartwell, Marko Markovich and Andrew Rossig into a great deal of legal trouble. The four New York men

were arrested Monday after their BASE (building, antenna, span and Earth) exploit from the top of One World Trade Center on September

30. According to CNN, NYPD released a statement that included charges of burglary, reckless endangerment and jumping from a struc-

ture.

According to Timothy Parlatore, Rossing‟s attorney, video footage recovered from the men‟s

homes show them deploying their parachutes and landing in a secluded spot on a highway nearby.

Parlatore viewed the footage and said the men were “very professional, very controlled. There was

nothing haphazard about it.”

CNN reports that Port Authority Chief Security Officer Joseph Dunne, however, isn‟t pleased. “The

Port Authority joins the NYPD in condemning this lawless and selfish act that clearly endangered the

public. It should be clear that the PAPD and NYPD will go to any length to bring those who defile the

WTC site to justice.”

NY1 reports that when asked how the men entered the building, Rossing replied, “We just kind of

walked in.” Still, regardless of your stance on the stunt, it is pretty breathtaking to watch.

Twin Towers BASE jumpers cause jitters in New York

esPResso analyzes the latest #PRFails in the media

and how savvy PR skills were used to mend the issues

Source: flicker.com, user hom26

Source: Matt Hinsta


By Jessica SchianodiCola

A couple of weeks ago, Nick Cannon took to Instagram

in hopes of promoting his upcoming album, “White People

Party Music.” The title had already sparked controversy

but the African-American TV host thought it would be clever

to undergo an ethnic makeover. Cannon donned white

face makeup, a strawberry-blonde wig and a beanie hat to

create his new identity, which he gave the name “Connor

Smallnut.” He posted pictures and videos on his Instagram

page to introduce the character and although some users

found the transformation to be entertaining and light-

hearted, others were not amused. Users commented di-

rectly on Cannon‟s posts, writing

how his stunt was “racist,”

“offensive” and “a double stand-

ard.”

Cannon defended himself on

Good Morning America, stating,

“The mission was to have fun, and

yes, put it out there that we have

issues with race in this country

and in this world, but it doesn't

have to be with hatred.”

Smallnut continues to make

appearances on Cannon‟s Insta-

gram page despite some of the

negative responses. However,

even though Cannon is handling all of this heat calmly, will

the controversy help or hurt the release of his new album?

Nick Cannon creates Connor

for his cover

By Julianna Sheridan

In February, Copenhagen Zoo in

Denmark was met with outrage after

shooting a giraffe, having a public au-

topsy and finally feeding his body to

lions. Now, after slaughtering four lions

to make room for a new male and ward

against inbreeding, the zoo has been

flooded with angry comments and tak-

en heat from animal activists. The Eu-

ropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria

said in a statement, “[The Zoo] has

been consistent in its approach to ani-

mal population management and high

standards of animal welfare."

However, many are confused as to why healthy animals are being eu-

thanized. The Copenhagen Zoo has taken a methodical approach to its com-

ments with its Scientific Director Bengt Holst saying, “When breeding suc-

cess increases it is sometimes necessary to euthanize,” according to Na-

tional Geographic. Essentially, the zoo does not want inbreeding or other

genetic problems to arise by having too many animals from the same family.

According to TIME, “More than 87,000 people have signed a petition to

tell the zoo to stop killing healthy animals and close to 36,000 have liked a

Facebook page demanding that the zoo be shut down.” It is clear that peo-

ple are not happy with how the zoo is handling its culling process. In both

cases, the zoo did try to reach out to other zoos, but none were willing to

take the animals. The zoo is hopeful that by bringing in the new male lion it

can create a new nucleus for a pride. As a whole, the zoo has responded

respectfully, but it is necessary that they respond to the criticism in a timely

manner before it harms its business and reputation, especially now that it is

under public scrutiny.

Killings at Copenhagen Zoo leave

petitioners outraged

Source: Nick Stepowyj

Source: Anthony Gavin

By Jennifer StJeanos

A Calgary radio station is facing some hostile reactions from the public after burning $5,000

during a publicity stunt a few weeks ago. In its „Bank It or Burn It‟ campaign, AMP radio let listen-

ers decide whether it should destroy the money or give it to one lucky fan.

Listeners voted for either “bank” or “burn” by text, as well as through Facebook, Twitter and

the station‟s mobile application. The individuals who voted “bank” were required to write his or

her future plans for the cash prize. If the “bank” votes outnumbered the “burn” votes, one voter

would have been selected to receive the cash based on his or her proposed plan. “Burn” made

up 54 percent of the nearly 100,000 votes, so the cash was sent off to the Pet Haven Crematori-

um. AMP radio then posted a video online of this large chunk of change being burned to ashes.

This marketing scheme ended up backfiring on the popular Canadian radio station. Many people have already vowed to stop listening to

the station all together. On its Facebook page and Twitter account, AMP is receiving extremely negative feedback. Betty Carter wrote: "Really?

With all the poverty in the world, this is what you choose to do with $5000 - for your entertainment? I am now un-liking your FB page and un-

programming your station from all of my radios. I will not promote a station like you."

Radio host Ryan Lindsey is doing his best to defend the campaign and radio station, saying that the decision was solely based on the listen-

ers‟ votes. He also added how other companies spend enormous amounts of money on marketing campaigns, just as AMP had. This contest

is still ongoing, with $10,000 on the line this time. However, the decision of the audience might be different than last time with double the

amount of cash on the line.

Canadian radio station burns $5,000 in publicity stunt

Source: flicker.com, user ForwardSTL

P A G E 8

17, ratings have been con-

sistent and promising. Accord-

ing to Verne Gay of The Seattle

Times, “‟Tonight‟ was seen by

an average 4.5 million viewers

the week of March 10 at the

regular 11:35 p.m. ET time,

compared with 4.9 million for

Jay Leno‟s last full week on the

air.”

Evidently, Fallon‟s success

was unprecedented. Nearly

every morning after a new epi-

sode, clips on YouTube of previ-

ous sketches go viral. Most

recently, Kevin Bacon celebrat-

ed the anniversary of Footloose

with a dance entrance into the

show, sparking interest from

both viewers and non-viewers.

Fallon‟s sense of humor and

ability to truly let his guests

shine is a true strength that

makes the show even better for

viewers who are less interested

in him. Unmistakably, Fallon is

a draw for many, and it is with-

out a doubt that the Tonight

By Jacquelyn Desjardins

Jimmy Fallon shines on Tonight Show

As the March 31 deadline for

Americans to sign up for the

Affordable Care Act quickly ap-

proached, President Obama hit

the road to promote the service

for 18-34 year olds.

Once again, the president

proved his ability to speak to a

modern society by revamping

his election Internet strategy

and targeting young adults

through some of their favorite

outlets.

One of President Obama‟s

most talked-about stops along

his media tour included appear-

ing on “Between Two Ferns,” a

talk show hosted by The Hango-

ver star, Zach Galifianakis, on

FunnyorDie.com. While there to

promote the Affordable Care

Act, he graciously took burns

from Galifianakis and even de-

livered some zingers of his own,

firing lines like "If I ran a third

time, it‟d be sort of like doing a

third Hangover movie. Didn‟t

really work out very well, did it?"

The video saw an incredible

response –11 million views, and

a 40 percent spike in traffic

from the day before on

Healthcare.gov.

But this was not the only way

the president reached out to

millennials. President Obama

appeared on “On Air with Ryan

Seacrest” and released a half-

hour interview on WebMD an-

swering questions submitted by

the site‟s viewers. First Lady

Michelle Obama appeared on

The Tonight Show with Jimmy

Fallon and on advertisements

with the moms of celebrities like

Jonah Hill, Adam Levine and

Jennifer Lopez. Also, celebrities

like LeBron James showed their

support by either appearing in

ads or promoting the Affordable

Care Act through social media.

After the original launch of

Healthcare.gov suffered and

gave the impression that the

effort would be a disaster, the

Obama Administration reached

its enrollment goal of 7.1 million

sign-ups. The president not only

recovered from the original cri-

sis revolving around the Afforda-

ble Care Act, but his unconven-

tional media tour was a creative

incredible success.

By Caroline Ferrari

President Obama takes an unconventional media tour

Source: Best Movies Ever Net

Throughout the years, the

iconic Tonight Show has been

hosted by many comedy heavy-

weights from Johnny Carson to

Jay Leno. Recently, the torch

was passed to a current favorite

of many, Jimmy Fallon.

Many nerves and doubts

swirled around as this an-

nouncement was made, but

many fans supported this im-

portant decision. Since Fallon‟s

premiere as the host on Feb.

Show will continue to live on

with great success.

By Mary Kate Heaten

For dedicated basketball fans and people that simply enjoy the game, March entails strategic bracket-making, plenty of upsets and 68

college teams vying for the NCAA Championship title. This is what helped earn it the name, March Madness. With such a huge televised

event catering to a such a wide audience, March Madness coverage offers companies opportunities to promote its products and services.

For instance, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which is an official sponsor of the NCAA tournament, has partnered with Turner Sports basketball

analyst Kenny Smith to launch an interactive bracket on Facebook called the Ultimate Pick Up Moment. Fans will be able to make a bracket

and vote for their favorite game-changing moments from the tournament with one chosen as the winner. Participants also have the oppor-

tunity to enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win various prizes and even tickets to the 2015 NCAA Men‟s Final Four. Enterprise is using a

variety of methods to promote its campaign. Greg Phillips, the brand‟s publicity manager, explained that, "the beauty of March Madness is

that it is followed by a wide audience, which consists of both spirited and more casual sports fans, because the tournament generates such

strong interest each year, we believe it is an ideal event to activate a consumer marketing program around."

Another company that is using March Madness as a format for its campaign is Burger King. The fast food chain has sponsored 13 athletes

that are part of the company‟s network for a Twitter promotion using the hashtag #WatchLikeAKing during games.

Other companies that are using the tournament to their advantage are men‟s clothing retailer Bonobos, Dove Men+Care, Buffalo Wild

Wings and Bud Light. March Madness is not only a time for viewing great basketball but it is also becoming a great promotional platform as

well. See if you notice any other companies taking advantage of the televised tournament to launch new campaigns next year.

March madness takes on a promotional spin

Source: Bohuslav Jonathan Toth

According to ABC News, the

New York City Council introduced

a new bill on March 26 to reduce

the city's landfill costs. The bill

would enforce a 10-cent fee on

all disposable plastic and paper

bags when people shop at both

large and small businesses. The

City Council made it clear that

the 10-cent fee would not be a

tax. Instead, the extra money

would be used to help storeown-

ers who supplied the bags. This

fee would not, however, apply to

restaurant deliveries, the majori-

ty of street food carts or to those

relying on public assistance pro-

grams.

Environmentalists have com-

mented that this could be the

perfect solution because 5.2

billion disposable bags currently

cost the city $10 million annual-

ly, and this is just to ship them to

a landfill. If this new program is

initiated, environmentalists say

that it could potentially save tax

dollars, which could be used

toward something else such as

education.

According to ABC news, Coun-

cilman Brad Lander said, “The

fee also applied to paper bags

not because the bill was intend-

ed as a method of raising reve-

nue but as an incentive for cus-

tomers to opt for reusable bags.”

He added, “plastic is worse than

paper, but it‟s best if people

bring their own bags.”

Although this bill will benefit

the environment, it will be more

costly for shoppers and may

even hurt small businesses due

to the charges their shoppers

will have to pay. There is poten-

tial that it could aggravate con-

sumers‟ shopping budgets and

could actually force small busi-

nesses to shut down.

Residents have expressed

one concern: forgetting to bring

in their reusable bags would

force them to either buy new

reusable bags that cost ap-

proximately $1 to $1.50 per

bag or pay the 10-cent fee on

the stores‟ bags.

According to ABC News,

Lilly Belanger of the environ-

mental advocacy group No

Impact Project says, “Plastic

bags are not central to our life

happiness or health but make

an enormous impact on our

world…with this simple step,

we can be a model for the rest

of the country.”

This bill will be voted on

within the next few weeks. If

the bill is passed, New York

will collaborate with other

large cities like Los Angeles,

San Francisco and Seattle to

try and make people think

twice about using plastic or

paper bags in an effort to save

the environment and prevent

further destruction.

By Allie Zoll


New York bill uses bag to go green

On March 8 at 12:41 a.m.,

239 people boarded Malaysia

Airlines Flight 370. These pas-

sengers ended up having to

face a situation they never ex-

pected to encounter when the

flight never made it to its desti-

nation in Beijing.

At this point there is no de-

finitive answer as to why this

happened. Families do not want

to give up hope and continue to

encourage the search for their

family members. There have

been many suggestions as to

what could have happened.

Some possibilities suggest ei-

ther a hijacking or plane failure.

There also has been mis-

leading social media content

regarding this incident. For

instance, on Facebook there

was a photo showing that the

plane had been found, but

this was just a photo-

shopped photo.

As of now, the world is

praying for the families and

hoping evidence will provide

answers soon to the many

questions.

By Sarah Gelbard

College sports is facing a

pivotal moment in history as

Northwestern football team‟s

bid to unionize was approved by

the National Labor Relations

Board (NLRB). The debate cen-

ters around whether or not col-

lege athletes should be classi-

fied as student-athletes or em-

ployees deserving compensa-

tion.

National Public Radio reports

that Northwestern has taken in

$235 million in revenue since

the 2003 season. While some

contend that athletes are com-

pensated in scholarships, the

Northwestern players claim that

the majority of their time and

responsibilities include up to 50

hours a week on the field rather

than in the classroom, leading

the players to appeal to the

NLRB.

Kain Colter, Northwestern‟s

quarterback, is at the helm of

the fight, speaking out on behalf

of the team. Currently this rul-

ing only impacts Northwestern

University but could build in

momentum to threaten the

NCAA and create a precedent

that opens the gate for other

college athletes to petition and

unionize.

Malaysian plane leaves the world with questions

By Katherine Burek

By Edith Morris

Karl Lagerfeld presented Chanel‟s Fall 2014 RTW collection via a makeshift outdoor supermar-

ket: Chanel Shopping Center. WWD reported that guests arrived at the Grand Palais in Paris and

were awed with the unique and innovative venue choice. Models graced the aisles in looks that

embodied traditional Chanel characteristics but with modern touches, which reflects Karl Lager-

feld‟s aesthetic. The collection had a wide range of looks that included active wear, structured

feminine dresses and bold outerwear.

WWD, Vogue, The New York Times, Daily News and several other publications covered the

show. In addition, YouTube was flooded with footage of the show and blogs highlighted Chanel in

their Paris Fashion Week posts. Chanel differentiated itself this fall and will have impressive shoes

to fill in the upcoming season.

Northwestern

athlete union

sets

precedent

Source: Vishakha Bajaj

Chanel fashion meets the produce aisle

P A G E 1 0

McKensie Saldo Chapter President

Class Year: Class of 2015

Hometown: Pittsfield, MA

Leadership Experience: Director of PR for Marist Student

Life Association (2012-2013) & VP of PRSSA (2013-2014)

Favorite Book: Ecotopia

Favorite Movie: Elf

Follow McKensie: @McKensZs

Amanda Orzo, Vice President


Hometown: Deer Park, NY

Favorite Thing About Marist: The people! The friendly com-

munity at Marist is amazing.

Favorite TV Show: Breaking Bad

Favorite Movie: We‟re The Millers

Follow Amanda: @Orzopastaaa

Julianna Sheridan, Director of Public Relations


Hometown: Worcester, MA

Leadership Experience: Senior Phonathon Associ-

ate at the Annual Fund Calling Center & Copy

Chief for the Circle

Favorite Movie: Little Miss Sunshine

Favorite TV Show: Scandal

Follow Julianna: @Jesher3

Melissa Saxe, Director of Member Services


Hometown: Delmar, NY

Favorite Thing About Marist: Its location!

Favorite Movie: Wedding Crashers

Favorite Book: Half the Sky

Follow Melissa: @Melissa_Saxe

2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 5

P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 4

Ashley Hellberg, Director of Chapter Programming


Hometown: Wantagh, NY

Favorite Book: The Catcher in the Rye

Favorite TV Show: Grey‟s Anatomy

Favorite Food: Pickles

Shane O‟Brien, Director of Fi-

nance


Hometown: Pittsfield, MA

Internship Experience: Blue Wolf Communications

Favorite TV Show: Entourage

Favorite Food: Pleasant Ridge

Favorite Movie: The Departed

Taylor Gripp, Director of Chap-

ter Advancement


Hometown: Bow, NH

Favorite Thing About Marist:

The River!

Favorite Movie: Good Will Hunting

Favorite TV Show: Scandal

Maria Gironas, Firm Director


Hometown: Corona, CA

Leadership Experience: Firm Director (2013-2014),

Resident Senator SGA, the Circle Arts & Entertainment

Editor, VP of Organization of Kappa Kappa Gamma

Favorite Movie: Never Been Kissed

Favorite Food: Bacon Pizza

Follow Maria: @MariaGironas

P A G E 1 2

Publication compiled and published by Elizabeth Peper & Marguerite Pinheiro

By Ashly Kim

The Olympics was one of the biggest events of the year. Companies used the Sochi Games as an opportunity to

advertise and seize positive attention. However, there are times when an attempt to gain support results in backlash.

According to The New York Times, McDonald's experienced a promotion gone wrong when its Twitter hashtag

#CheersToSochi was hijacked by activists. McDonald's became a target when the company tweeted, "We're kicking off

a way to send your well wishes to any Olympic today, are you ready to send your #CheersToSochi?" Activists responded

by using #CheersToSochi to express criticism. Dan Savage wrote, "Hey, @McDonalds: You‟re sending #CheersToSochi

while goons wearing Olympic uniforms assault LGBT people.”

McDonald's addressed these tweets by stating that the company was "aware that some activists were targeting

Olympic sponsors to voice their concerns," and it "supports human rights, the spirit of the Olympic Games and all the

athletes who've worked so hard." This was not the first time McDonald's faced a hashtag hijacking. According to

Forbes, the company's campaign #McDStories in 2012 was designed to spread positive stories about Happy Meals;

however, it was used by customers to voice horrible experiences with the company's food. These incidences tell us

that companies should beware of the hashtag hijacker. You never know when someone will strike!

H I J A C K I N G H A S H TA G S

The sudden popularity of Buzzfeed

By Monica Couvillion

If your time browsing the

Internet has recently been

filled with more and more

articles like “43 Cat GIFs to

Make Your Day” or “86

Things that Happen On

Every Season of the Amaz-

ing Race,” you are not

alone. The rapid success of

popular website Buzzfeed

has taken over timelines,

feeds and online dash-

boards over the last few

months.

Whether you‟re at work,

school, trying to do home-

work or just surfing the

web, it‟s almost impossible

to not come across a witty

Buzzfeed list, quiz or arti-

cle. It doesn‟t matter that

you‟ve never watched Star

Trek, you just have to know

your personalized answer

to the “Which Star Trek

Captain Are You?” quiz. The

creative titles, smart de-

scriptions and genuinely

funny questions have

made Buzzfeed quizzes a

huge hit. If you scroll

through your Facebook

timeline at any given hour,

someone is sharing a quiz

result. “Which Superhero Are

You?” and “Who Would Play

You in a Movie About Your

Life?” aren‟t necessarily burn-

ing questions, but Buzzfeed

makes you feel like they are.

It‟s the wit in these buzz-

worthy articles that keep read-

ers coming to the site day

after day. But while Buzzfeed

is entertainment-oriented,

staff writers also showcase

news stories regarding current

events written by serious jour-

nalists. On the Buzzfeed

homepage there is a promi-

nent article about the recent

Fort Hood shooting, a feature

titled “The 21 Struggles of a

Student Newspaper Editor,”

and a “How Obsessed With

Disney Are You?” quiz. There

are informational articles

about “16 Things You Didn‟t

Know Your Android Could

Do” and “26 Words That

Have a Totally Different

Meaning in Taiwan.”

One of the common

denominators of these

widely different articles is

their list format. While you

may not think that you have

the time to read 26 differ-

ent things about a subject

that isn‟t entirely interest-

ing to you, Buzzfeed makes

the points short, sweet and

sometimes rather sassy.

They may be accompanied

by appropriate GIFs for a

more interactive read or

written with a more casual

voice than anything you

would find on the New York

Times or the Wall Street

Journal‟s website.

It‟s no surprise that this

format draws in a specific

type of reader. Buzzfeed‟s site

statistics, according to

Alexa.com, show that com-

pared to the average website,

there are more readers who

have completed some or all of

a four-year college plan than

those who have not. The tone

and entertainment value of

the site is focused on younger

and trendier readers, especial-

ly by making the articles short-

er for younger attention spans.

According to this same

report, Buzzfeed is most ac-

cessed while the readers are

in a school or work setting,

showing its popularity among

a busier crowd. It‟s clear that

Buzzfeed‟s rapid growth has

become less of a surprise and

more of an inevitability, espe-

cially for college-level stu-

dents. Public relations profes-

sionals should view Buzzfeed

as a legitimate media outlet

because of its influence on a

specific demographic and an

overall positive, entertaining

tone. If its steady popularity

remains, it‟s possible that its

trendy list format may be the

news template for the future.

Source: Buzzfeed

esPResso Volume 5 Issue 4

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Transcript of esPResso Volume 5 Issue 4