Public Relations Undergraduate To achieve great things, we must first dream - Coco Channel
Articles
‘Stop sugarcoating it’
An American childhood obesity campaign hit the headlines this week with an abrupt take on the dangers of obesity. The anti-obesity campaign entitled ‘Stop sugarcoating it’ was set up by the Strong4Life campaign group and the staff at Children’s Healthcare Atlanta in a bid to highlight the scale of obesity in Georgia; the state which has the second highest rate of obesity across America. The harshly worded posters and adverts the campaigns created shows the realities of childhood obesity using slogans such as ‘It’s hard to be a little girl if you’re not’ and ‘big bones didn’t make me this way. Big meals did’. The various campaign advertisements show children of a mixture of ages that are battling obesity speaking about bullying and health risks, highlighting the seriousness of childhood obesity and how it needs to be taken more seriously by parents. The advertisements centre on the children’s emotion in a bid to sound alarm bells across the country, and that they have done. America has not completely supported the campaign and has forced many of the ads to be taken down as they deem it unethical and unsupportive of children battling obesity. The UK however has been much more accepting of the methods used and has praised the advertisements as being a great shock tactic that is really addressing the seriousness of the issue.
Sources found at thesun.co.uk and via google images.
Abbey Clancy’s inspiring vintage photo shoot
- Love magazine, September 2010.
Stress free shopping
With the horrible January weather very much upon us it feels like a struggle to get out of bed in the morning, let alone to do your daily tasks. With this in mind, it was no surprise that the torrential wind and rain that hit this morning very much put me off doing my food shop so I thought I would give online grocery shopping a go. I may be a little behind on this online phenomena but I have to say that this convenient way of shopping is something which I will defiantly be doing again, even after only one attempt. The simple way to browse the store at the click of a button, all from the comfort of your own home removes the hassle of trailing through the hustle and bustle of the supermarket; you can just sit back and wait for your delivery. But the question lies, is this convenient shopping tool cost effective as well as effortless? I feel the amount of money a person will save from online shopping really depends on their lifestyle and the way they usually approach their shop. From the student opinion the online delivery was good for me, as I was able to see the price comparison between the varied brands and quantities of products ensuring I was able to get the most for my money. I did in the end spend more than my typical shop, however I feel I purchased much more than I normally would have had I been walking round picking up the products that the supermarket were promoting that week. I chose to do my online shop with Tesco simply because I had heard good things about their service and they did not disappoint. The task of setting up the account was straightforward and effortless and they also redeem you with club card points which entitle you to vouchers in the future. Online food shopping is obviously not going to be for everyone and has many negatives for example you must spend over a specific amount to be entitle to delivery, therefore realistically this is not ideal for every customer. But for people constantly on the go with a full food shop to do, this service is ideal for giving you a little extra time in the day and is something I will definitely be doing again.
Five tweets of fame?
2011 was undoubtedly the year of twitter domination, with the newly formed social networking site taking the world by storm. The digital form, created in 2006 has boomed in popularity over the past few years with famous socialites giving people an insight into their lives on a regular basis. With 21st century culture being so engrossed in the world of ‘celebrity’ and all its scandal its unsurprising that this small link tothe media makes the average Joe feel like they have a front row ticket to all the celebrity gossip as and when it unfolds.
Twitters constant growth has been greatly determined by the popularity of the Smartphone making it possible to tweet and keep in social contact at any point throughout the day. With this popular choice of interaction at the touch of a button it is unsurprising that twitter has become an outlet for people to voice controversial opinions with the ability to directly reference people, while ‘trending’ hash tags to coincide. The media, along with the rest of the world have embraced this new way of connecting and many celebrities are using Twitter to interact with their fans on a daily basis. This is echoed through the popularity of reality shows such as The Only Way is Essex and Geordie shore rising in 2011 which showed the reality TV personalities using twitter as a channel to speak to the public and their fans; creating a direct web chat, attempting to solidify their five minutes of fame for as long as possible. Although twitter does have its promotional advantages and is designed to keep online connections alive it has its downfalls. With the freedom of speech comes opinionated followers which can often cause heated online debates between celebrities and the general public.
So why do celebrities use social networks? The phrase no publicity is bad publicity is something which springs to mind when describing celebrities on Twitter as it is undoubtedly one of the most beneficial PR tools in the 21st century. Twitter is an easy access point for celebrities and businesses to reach the cliental which have an interest in them; enabling them to create an online fan bass which can continuously grow. The effortless act of creating a Twitter account can be deemed strategic PR and has the ability to gain an online reputation instantly, when in the right hands. Twitter has constantly made the headlines in 2011 with controversy over drug taking reality stars, short-lived marriages and the questionable media fuelled break down of Charlie Sheen; and I’m sure no one can predict how far celebrity tweeting will go in 2012.
This winter I have fallen in love with these Topshop Black Matt Wetlook Leggings. At just twenty two pounds this cheeky bargain are extremely flattering to your shape and look amazing both dressed up and dressed down. Here are three perfect wardrobe choices from casual shopping in knitwear to cocktails with the girls .. enjoyyy xx
The self exclaimed ‘student city’ Leeds has been shaken up this week with the dramatic spate of student attacks occurring around the city. The unprovoked attacks have been the talk of halls leaving most students on edge, some to the point where they fear to leave their homes unaccompanied. The attacks have mainly taken place in the Woodhouse area and have left some victims hospitalized and facing serious injuries. Over the past month student attacks have become increasingly more frequent with the intimidating group preying on students on their way home from university wearing both masks and balaclavas. The police are urging students to think about their personal safety when around the city by travelling in groups to avoid leaving themselves venerable. The police are looking seriously into these attacks and have now made six arrests including two males aged 14 and 16.
Since starting my Public Relations degree at Leeds Metropolitan University the most common thing I am asked is ‘What is public relations’. This question is something which I am always baffled by, but this may be because I am fascinated by the industry and therefore I am well aware of what it entails. Public relations is not advertising which is a common misconception, it is however the practice of managing communications between a business and the public. PR focuses on creative exposure and imaginative promotions to expand a company’s profile in the hope to broaden its popularity.
Upon finishing my A-levels at 18 I had a serious decision to make, and being someone who is ridiculously indecisive a gap year was an obvious choice for me as I knew university wasn’t something to jump into. After a tedious 3 months of full time employment my decision about university was made and I knew it was time for a change of scenery. With a passion for writing and a sociable nature I stuck to my strengths and decided that I was going to study either Public relations or Journalism, both of these courses having very appealing attributes. As I toured the UK’s universities I found that Leeds was a place which I could call home and had the whole student package, not to mention being one of the UK’s best universities for Public Relations.
After receiving my place at University the year seemed to fly by preparing and anticipating the move to a big city. After a busy year and an exciting life change I am now two months into University I feel that public relations was certainly the best choice for me, not to mention how much I adore living in Leeds. Public relations as a degree has been so much more than I expected, from the writing of press releases to events management the possibilities of PR are endless which is what makes the profession so exciting. With so many opportunities I couldn’t be happier with my choice of degree and now have far too many aspirations for my future in the PR world.
Christmas comes to Leeds …
Leeds has surprised me with an early Christmas present this year with the German Christmas market coming into the city. Being from the small city of Lancaster the wonderful Christmas market along with the exciting light switch on has been a festive delight and so refreshing from the mundane holiday season back home. After being in Leeds for around two months now this is exactly what I needed to pick up my spirits and stop me feeling homesick, especially at this time of year. Between the choice of mulled wine and German Wurst to all the sweets you could want it’s safe to say Christkindel Markt along with the German sausages is something you have to try ATLEAST once. When in .. Germany I guess.
The price of education ..
2012 marks a turning point in higher education with tuition fee’s reaching an all time high of £9000 a year. The controversial increase to University costs determined in April of this year has caused uproar over the past eight months with prospective students outraged at tuition tripling. Upon government decision ambitious students stood together in protests in a bid to boycott the changes put in place; however after failing to make an impact forthcoming students now have a short time to choose whether their education is worth the debt that they will face at the end of their time at university.
University applications of 2011 were recorded to be the highest to date when more than 600,000 desperate students fought for their place at one of 115 universities across the UK. However with limited places more than a third of applicants were left disappointed and now undergraduates have limited time to decide if the ‘investment’ of university will be beneficial long term.
Sinead Brockbank, aged 17 and currently in the process of applying to higher education confesses that the ‘rising tuition fee’s seemed daunting at first’. The prospective student goes onto to elaborate that ‘I am focusing on my prospects after higher education as the fees won’t affect me drastically until I am in a comfortable position to pay them off’. Sinead much like many students are refusing not to be put off by the price of education and are determined to succeed in their chosen field.
Academic calling is not the only positive to university; most students feel it gives them an education in life with opportunities and incredible experiences that many students deem priceless.Amy Veitch, first year student at Leeds metropolitan describes her experience thus far to be “The best decisions I have ever made” she expresses “It prepares you for life and develops you as a person. The education and life skills you gain from the experience is worth every penny”.Current university students will come out of higher education with debt in the region of £25,000 pounds and although this does not reach the scale of future students, this hefty sum has been managed by students for the past decade.
With so much controversy over the cost of higher education prospective students are questioning whether a degree is worth the cost when the current job market is so uncertain. Universities are extremely supportive with your studies and work placements to ensure that at the end of your time in higher education you are as prepared as possible to go out into the working world and get the career you have always wanted. University is not worth it for everyone but students with great potential and the skills for learning should not dismiss the option of university because of increased tuition. Job certainty in any field is undetermined but job satisfaction is something which is a personal choice. University is the place where many students find their passions and mold their own futures and this is something you can’t put a price on.
- This is just a little article i was working on in a bid to inspire undergraduates about university .. its all about passion :)
