Ottavio's Blog

In the End, Relationships are Job One

Mon, 12 May 2008 08:36:00 EST

At the end of the day, after all of the strategies and tactics are implemented, after the press releases are written and sent, and after the star-studded haute affairs wind down, building and maintaining trusting and mutually beneficial relationships are, and will always be, job one.

Indeed organizations must dedicate much of their energy to building relationship factories in order to survive and thrive rather than well insulated silos focused only on the bottom line.

The tsunami that arose from the depths of unscrupulous organizational actions at the onset of this century and washed away much of the trust between organizations and their publics has far from abated. It is thus increasingly imperative for organizations to acknowledge and embrace the importance of relationships before they can transcend the dark fog of public distrust and advance toward more perfect and mutually beneficial outcomes.

The principles underlying the practice of public relations, a functional area within the IMC framework, implicitly signal our interconnectedness as they embrace and forward the ideal of developing mutually beneficial relationships with one another.

It is not enough however for organizations to merely implement public relations strategies and tactics in order to create and sustain long lasting relationships with their publics; a genuine companywide comprehension of the importance of placing the good of their constituencies above tactically improving return on investment must underlie those actions.

Unfortunately even with greater emphasis being placed on the practice of public relations today in the midst of a great crisis of trust between organizations and their stakeholders, the organization and the underlying ideology of public relations still often seem at odds with one another, like strange bedfellows struggling for some semblance of common ground; the first, a highly individualistic and opportunistic spirit stomping his way up the latter of ?success? on the cadavers of those left in his wake; the other, a collectivist with meaningful relationships on the mind and disdain in her heart for the self-serving corporate and political policies of our day, a time when dreams of socioeconomic equality have been extinguished by schemes for greener bank accounts. So caught up with accounting for bottom line results, these organizations of willful ignorance and greed have forgotten that their own accountability ultimately lies in the hearts and minds of their publics and have placed them on the back burner. For these organizations and their ?PR practitioners,? public relations amounts to maintaining the status quo through the implementation of tactics and grand affairs of pomp and glamour rather than building and maintaining relationships of trust with their stakeholders.

Ultimately the practice of public relations works best when its underlying principles are well understood and interwoven within the framework of the entire organization; only then will strategies, tactics, and messages exude the sincerity necessary to build bridges of trust with stakeholders. By contrast, PR cannot be applied as successfully to organizations that view this function as merely a magic trick of flash and pageantry and make use of its tactics for the purpose of paving over the rough and stony terrain of corporate misconduct and greed. It is therefore essential for corporations to integrate every facet of their operations with the true essence and purpose of public relations so that it becomes less a magic trick in the organization?s IMC repertoire and more a holistic way of ?being.? In doing so, everyone will benefit and a more accurate and effective implementation of public relations and IMC will be achieved.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we must remember that the principles of public relations, building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships, will only flourish in the boardrooms if it first flourishes at home, in the schools, among people of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, and in our relations with other nations. The corporate executives and government leaders who have caused so much widespread gloom and panic are largely products of our time, however they are ultimately responsible for and must be held accountable for their behavior. A truly holistic practice of IMC involves more than uniting functional areas within organizations and organizations with their publics; it also acknowledges and seeks ways of improving the destructive divisions we find in society at large.

Winning Website Marketing Tips

Mon, 05 May 2008 08:41:00 EST

It took planning, time, money, and effort, but the organization website is finally up and running; unfortunately the adage ?if you build it they will come? does not so readily lend itself to Web real estate. Regardless of how well orchestrated the site, it amounts to little more than a high-priced business ornament with few or no visitors. Internet marketing is the next step toward realizing the true potential of a business website. Below are some timely marketing methods that savvy organizations are using to get their websites noticed, to potentially increase traffic, and to accomplish objectives.

Search Engine Marketing

A form of Internet marketing, search engine marketing (SEM) seeks to achieve high visibility of websites for relevant keywords. SEM includes advertising and search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Discussion here will be limited to a highly popular and effective form of search engine advertising known as pay-per-click (PPC). Whether an organization seeks to drive website traffic, increase brand recognition, generate leads, bolster sales, or any number of other possibilities, PPC advertising is one of the most effective ways of accomplishing these objectives. With this auction style form of advertising, marketers place bids on keywords and keyword phrases that trigger their ads and display them on search engine result pages and on websites within the search engines? content networks. Generally, the higher one is willing to bid on a particular keyword, the higher their ads will appear, although some search engines use additional criteria for determining position. Advertisers are charged each time their ads are clicked. No costs are incurred for impressions, or when the ads are merely viewed and not clicked. This presents an opportunity for smart organizations to use PPC as a relatively inexpensive branding tool. Ads showcasing an organization?s name, brand names, or website address could potentially be viewed thousands or even millions of times while maintaining a marginal click through rate and thus result in a high degree of exposure for very little cost.

Google is the dominant player in this arena, followed by Yahoo Search Marketing and MSN adCenter. There are hundreds of smaller search engines that offer PPC, and some have been known to work quite well, but if one is new to the game with little or no experience in this area, it is recommended to begin with Google Adwords because of the quality of its visitors, streamlined technology, and helpful service. After a few winning campaigns are up and running on Adwords, they could potentially be replicated on other search engines with similar success.

A word of advice for those just embarking on this method of marketing. While PPC may seem like a fairly simple process, using it effectively and at minimal cost is a very challenging and time-consuming process. One must understand what keywords to bid on and why, write compelling and action oriented ad copy, master the bidding process, and grasp an almost infinite number of other technical and strategic aspects before becoming proficient and profitable with this tool. Indeed PPC should be one of the primary tools in an organization?s promotional arsenal, but unless there is trained staff aboard who can make it a successful endeavor, it is in the best interest of the company to leave it to the experts, at least initially until sufficient experience is gained by company employees to confidently take the reigns.

email Marketing

One of the most effective forms of marketing for building relationships, acquiring and retaining clients, and fulfilling objectives is email marketing. This method is relatively simple to implement, is much less expensive than most forms of traditional mass marketing, and offers the kind of interactivity necessary to break through the media clutter that prospects are bombarded with on a daily basis. A business does not have to implement an internal database to engage in email marketing. For a reasonable monthly fee, there are many companies that offer packaged services which include database hosting, a wide variety of templates for use in designing newsletters, emails, and other forms of email marketing materials, automatic management of adding and removing prospects from the company?s lists, statistic information, and much more.

Social Network Marketing

Organizations are becoming increasingly aware of the power of using online social networks to market themselves and their products and services. At the top of the list are sites by the likes of YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace. In this day and age when consumers have become downright weary and largely immune to traditional forms of mass media advertising, a focus on building relationships through a more grassroots approach to marketing is a key factor of today?s business success. By utilizing techniques made viable by social networking websites, such as creating and distributing interesting product demonstration videos, an organization can skyrocket brand recognition and profitability. The key is to take a soft sell approach and provide interesting and informative messages that site visitors will read, watch, and ideally pass on to their friends and family. If used correctly, the impact of social network marketing on an organization?s success can indeed be greater than that attained by costly forms of traditional mass media approaches.

Build an Effective Business Website

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:38:00 EST

Websites have become increasingly important for the success of even the smallest organizations. Indeed it would be difficult in this day and age to find a business that does not have a presence on the web. Unfortunately, more often than not these websites lack many of the essential qualities to make them as efficient as they could be at accomplishing objectives, enhancing brand equity, and building those all important relationships with stakeholders. Below are a few tips for creating an effective website.

Articulate Objectives
Many charged with the task of building a business website have only vague and scattered ideas of why it is being built; this often results in ineffective site designs, poorly targeted content, and ultimately in poor site performance. Before contacting web developers, content writers, and SEO specialists, assuming you don?t have the skills to go it alone, it is important to first articulate what exactly the company hopes to achieve with its web real estate. Does the business wish to obtain leads, increase phone calls to its sales center, or sell products and information online? Each of these objectives requires a different approach to the planning and creation of a website and must be clearly defined before construction begins.

Define the Audience
Different audiences require different approaches to website design. Are business professionals, moms, children, accountants, vacationers, or a variety of different publics being targeted? By first demographically and psychographically defining who exactly is being targeted by a business website, it makes the design process much simpler and effective. Many organizations cater to more than one audience and segment their websites accordingly with pages devoted to communicating with the press, investors, and other key publics.

Plan Site Design and Layout
Much as getting in a car and driving to some foreign destination without a map is an exercise in futility, setting out to create a website without a plan in place will likely result in failure. Before sitting down to create a website or hiring professionals to make life a little easier, it is crucial to plan the site layout and design first. In doing so, keep the audience and objectives in mind, ensure that site navigation is simple and not a tedious and difficult task or visitors will simply leave and surf elsewhere, make sure the site design and layout are consistent throughout, choose appropriate color schemes, use graphics, photos, and multimedia prudently to reach objectives and not merely for entertainment purposes, and prioritize writing quality content.

Remember, Content is King
Site visitors and search engines love relevant, interesting, and frequently updated written content. The primary reason people visit websites is to obtain information and the more credible material your website has on topics they are searching for, the longer they will stay, the greater the chance of their returning, and the higher the possibility of getting them to perform the tasks you want them to perform, whether it be making a purchase, calling your company, or some other objective.

Keep it Simple
It is often tempting to use an abundance of colorful graphics, videos, audio, colored text, noisy backgrounds, and every other novelty possible on a website. Unless employing such elements will help to accomplish objectives, it is strongly recommended to opt instead for a more simplistic and minimalistic approach. Remember, the ultimate goal of a business website is to motivate visitors to fulfill business objectives, and this is less likely to occur with a website that does more to frustrate visitors than to lead them through the process of performing desired tasks with minimal distraction.

Keep it Fresh
Websites must evolve, or they will lose their effectiveness and appeal. No matter how well-developed a website, improvement and change are critical in this day and age where visitors demand fresh material to keep them interested, where businesses are always seeking to stay one step ahead of their competitors, and where new technological breakthroughs occur daily. This includes routinely writing new content, updating pictures and graphics, adding new web pages, utilizing new technologies, exploring new and effective ways of interacting with visitors, and maximizing the site?s conversion rate, or the percentage of site visitors who perform a desired action.

Innovate and Purée the Competition

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:40:00 EST

The success of any organization in the technologically advanced world of today is limited primarily by the extent of its readiness to allow creativity to flourish. Indeed some savvy businesses are reaping more profits from shoestring budgets and a willingness to be bold, daring, and creative than are many mega corporations that are strangled by their steadfast adherence to conventional marketing approaches.

Some companies prefer to stick with the timeworn convention of creating one-size-fits-all messages for a ?general public? and broadly disseminating them through traditional mass media options. While traditional channels such as television, radio, and newspapers still represent a large portion of the advertising landscape and certainly have their benefits if used correctly, it can often be far more effective and lucrative for organizations to move beyond using only these methods and explore the array of new and exciting possibilities made feasible by advancements in technology. Through the power of new media, marketers have access to limitless possibilities with which to reach their publics and motivate them to act including the creation of interactive websites, search engine marketing, email marketing, electronic newsletters, and video advertising.

Case Study: Blendtec Drove sales 500% in 2007 with Interactive Marketing

One company that opted for a more creative approach to selling its products is Blendtec, based in Orem, Utah, a leading manufacturer and seller of high-grade blenders for commercial and home use, as well as other kitchen appliances. The company touts its blenders as being the world?s strongest; they have highly powerful motors, jugs made of virtually unbreakable composite material, and a variety of other selling points that set them high above the those of its competitors. Blendtec is, in essence, the Rolex of the blender industry?top of the line.

While the company, its products, and its founder have not always enjoyed the kind of cult popularity they are experiencing today, the Blendtec brand is now top of mind in its industry thanks to a simple, yet forward-thinking and highly innovative idea. When the company?s marketing manager discovered that founder and CEO Tom Dickson routinely tests the durability of its blenders by jamming long pieces of wood through their blades until there is little left but sawdust, it was an inspirational moment. With a small budget, a lab coat, a rotisserie chicken, a garden rake, a bag of marbles, a camcorder, a willing and eager CEO, a little creativity and imagination, and, of course, the endless possibilities of the Internet, the team created and distributed the first few videos of the hugely successful Will It Blend? viral campaign.

The company sought to build awareness and demonstrate the strength of its blenders in an entertaining manner by having the CEO blend anything and everything imaginable on camera, then submitting the videos to YouTube. The videos went viral and gained more and more popularity, garnering massive attention, and the rest, as they say, is history.

To date, the team has created over 68 videos that have been watched millions of times, resulting in a tremendous amount of publicity for the company and its blenders. They can be viewed on YouTube and on a special company website created specifically for the campaign, www.willitblend.com

Since the company released the first handful of videos in late 2006, it has experienced a 500% increase in sales of its Total Blender, the machine featured in the videos and created for use in the household. The numbers clearly speak for themselves and exemplify just how much a company?s ROI can be increased with a shoestring budget and a little imagination. Below is a selection of Blentec?s Will It Blend? videos that are nothing less than compelling to watch.

Will It Blend? ? iPhone

Will It Blend? ? Hockey Pucks

Will It Blend? ? Rake Handle

Real World Real Estate

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:39:00 EST

You want to be a real estate mogul. You have studied hard, passed your licensing exam, signed with a brokerage, staked out a viable target market, had some high quality business cards created, and purchased or leased the latest and greatest luxury motor with which to scoot your clients to and fro. You are on your way. Now it is time to sit back, relax, and wait for prospects to come pushing their way through your door. If only it were that simple.

In the real world, while image is certainly important, the most significant asset a real estate professional can have in their toolbox is a desire and aptitude for building and maintaining long-term relationships with their clients. Indeed without good PR skills, there is no foundation from which to build a lucrative and lasting career in this industry. Below are a few ways in which building and maintaining relationships with clients may be accomplished.

Be Available 24/7/365

Real estate professionals must be accessible to their clients 24/7/365. This means answering the phone when relaxing at the beach, in the evening during dinner, on weekends (a given in real world real estate), and so forth. Without the willingness or ability to be accessible to clients in the manner described, there is little chance of rising above the crowd in this highly competitive field.

Embrace the Menial Tasks

In this industry, even the smallest of undertakings should be tackled with enthusiasm; clients and prospects notice and appreciate the well done smaller efforts as much as they do the larger successes. Making every client project an important priority will earn their loyalty for life. These miscellaneous tasks might include touching up walls, scrubbing floors, working with contractors to correct property deficiencies, cleaning up after irresponsible tenants have vacated a dwelling, collaborating with stagers to add appeal and marketability to a home for a faster sale, shopping with clients for that perfect window treatment, listening to them rant and rave about their tenants or landlords, and tactfully, ethically, and legally addressing the array of issues, concerns, and crises that routinely occur on a daily basis.

Adhere to High Ethical Standards

It is imperative to remain honest and ethical, even if it means losing a possible sale or listing. Clients and other stakeholders are legally and ethically entitled to honest and fair dealings with real estate professionals and they should receive nothing less. In essence, building relationships built on trust rather than on lofty promises and dishonesty is a must and will lead to the greatest long-term success.

Falling Stars: Can PR Save Them?

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:02:32 EST

Stars no sooner fall from their lofty heights than are their descents graphically depicted on the Internet, in the tabloids, and in the magazines. At times they are shown storming the latest hotspots with little discretion, careening down highways, and carried away by stretchers?inebriated, out of touch, and ablaze with the intensity of the moment. Other times their behavior is shown as less extreme, though nevertheless unusual enough to portend an equally turbulent downward spiral. These are the stars who once where beyond reach?worldwide brands at their zenith?now a mere glint in the cosmos of inspiration they once personified. Can stellar PR save them? Here is a sampling of clips that depict and discuss a few examples of some of the world?s brightest stars who have fallen on tenuous ground.

Tom Cruise

Britney Spears

David Hasselhoff

Publicists act as middlemen between notable figures and the media; they seek to attain positive publicity for their clients while preventing and diffusing circumstances that pose a threat to their brand equity. Assuming the stars depicted above are going it alone, it seems evident they would benefit from having a good publicist for such purposes.

The question remains however as to whether the damage caused by the bad habits, poor behavior, and overexposure of a luminary verging on the edge of extinction can be sufficiently countered with even the best PR. Is there a point of no return, and have these stars crossed it? Is there hope for these brightly burning luminaries, or have they exhausted their brand equity to the point where even the best of publicists would be at a loss to rekindle their mystique and enable them to once again occupy a high place in the expansive universe of the publics? imagination?

Road to the Presidency: PR Moments

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:39:00 EST

This discussion reflects upon the interplay between presidential candidates and the media. We examine a few PR moments from this epic election and you can then debate whether you feel these instances were more helpful or hurtful to the candidates? images.

Obama?s Inference about Clinton?s Character and Judgment

In the midst of a heated debate in South Carolina where Clinton and Obama unleashed a number of charges against one another, Obama asserted that Clinton was ?a corporate lawyer sitting on the board of Wal-Mart? while he was working on the streets in the interest of public welfare.

Clinton?s Assertions of Media Bias

During the final Democratic presidential debate before the public cast their votes in Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island, Hillary Clinton suggested that the media was biased in favor of Obama and, in referencing a Saturday Night Live skit, said ?maybe we should ask Barack if he?s comfortable and needs another pillow.?

McCain?s Interaction with a New York Times Reporter

John McCain was recently questioned by a New York Times reporter traveling with him about an article alleging that he never had a conversation with former presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004 on the topic of being his potential running mate. McCain responded by stating that ?everybody knows that? he did have a conversation with Kerry. When pressed by the reporter on the particulars of the conversation, he refused to divulge any information, citing that it was personal in nature.

The media is the gatekeeper to the presidency, and the candidates do their best to harness this powerful force in a way that best projects their images and ideals. Sometimes their words and actions are portrayed favorably, and sometimes not. Ultimately, the public must decide which messages derived from the media are most pertinent, are most reflective of the candidates? true character and viewpoints, are most accurate, unbiased, and untainted, and are ultimately worth paying attention to and reflecting upon.

Overall, how do you feel the candidates fared here in terms of helping or hurting their images, and who do you feel best utilizes the media to adequately project the messages they wish to convey to their publics?

PR: An Organizational Imperative

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:58:00 EST

We are learning in IMC 618 ? PR Concepts & Strategy how public relations is assuming a central role in all sectors of business and government today because of its primary concern with developing mutually beneficial relationships between such entities and their publics. These relationships, built on a foundation of trust, ethics, and other important values, are the crucial foundation on which successful organizations and societies at large are built and thrive.

This rise in the stature of public relations has largely been roused by the corporate scandals and other negative events in the United States during the early part of this century which have damaged the relationships and underlying trust between organizations and their stakeholders.

Some organizations have indeed learned from the failings of others, embracing public relations and with it the notion that building strong relationships with publics should be of supreme importance and a top priority. Others, while largely on the right path, have failed to remain consistent in their behavior and risk heading straight for PR calamity. Examples are given below that illustrate both scenarios.

A company?s unwavering commitment to stand by its products and services is one of the best ways in which to build relationships and trust with its publics. One of Company A?s customers has a camera that malfunctioned, and rather than throwing it away, she sent it back to the company for repair. The company promptly fixed it free of charge and followed up with her within a month to inquire how the product was working and to determine her level of satisfaction. She was elated when she received her camera back, as good as new, and with absolutely no charges incurred for the services performed. She will doubtlessly be a loyal customer of this brand for many years to come and generate a fair amount of free and positive word-of-mouth PR along the way.

To sum it up:

Building strong relationships = satisfied publics = positive PR

When a company?s actions deviate from its mission, this can damage the relationships it has with key publics and result in negative publicity. One company, well-known for its dedication to social and philanthropic good deeds, has shown some inconsistency in its otherwise meritorious behavior at one of its stores. To give voice to this illustration, an email is cited below written and sent to Company B by a frequent and loyal customer who experienced the contradiction first hand.

To Whom It May Concern:

On [this day] I visited [Company B] located at [this address]. I visit this location 5 days a week between 1:00 – 2:30pm. This [company] recently began to sell a phenomenal [food item] which I now purchase every time I visit. Two days ago when I requested the [item] at about 2:30pm I was told by one of your employees that “it’s a morning [item] and they?get tossed out once the PM shift comes in.” As a loyal customer of 10 years, I am appalled with this revelation.

One of the main reasons I support [Company B] is because it’s suppose [sic] to be an environmentally conscientious company. The knowledge that you dispose of food simply because you are switching shifts is completely and utterly contradictory to the idea that you support the environment. Waste is NOT an environmental characteristic! When I inquired why the food was not being donated, I was informed that others [sic] locations do donate food but this location doesn’t because “they don’t have any one that [sic] wants it.” This is unacceptable. Why is this location not working with a local food bank? With the number of homeless people and shelters in South Florida, how can anyone possibly believe that the food you dispose of is not wanted? This is a social issue as much as it is a green issue. As an environmentalist, I am disgusted with the fact that food is thrown away.

Rest assured that you have severely damaged my perception of what your company really stands for and I will be re-evaluating whether I want to continue being a [Company B] consumer.

Sincerely,

—
[Customer]
Earth Day Every Day

“You must be [the] change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Ghandi [sic]

The company?s response to this email thanked the customer for their interest in the company, affirmed its strong commitment to social and environmental sustainability, stated that ?[Company B] donates all past-date [food items] to local homeless shelters, and [that] many of [their] partners (employees) volunteer at their local facilities.? The respondent further noted: ?I have shared your comments with the manager and district manager for their consideration.?

Although the reply affirmed the company?s commitment to environmental and social sustainability, and detailed the steps it takes toward this effort, the actions witnessed in some of its stores strongly contradict its assertions and efforts. Is it enough merely to share the customer?s comments with the manager and district manager ?for their consideration?? Should the company do more to prevent a potential PR crisis, and if so what additional actions might it take? After all, information such as this could easily be virally transmitted online or leaked to the press and damage the reputation of an otherwise responsible company.

To sum it up:

Contradictory actions = unsatisfied publics = negative PR

What measures might organizations take to achieve excellence in building strong relationships with their publics? How can organizations best prevent potential negative repercussions stemming from actions that contradict their overall image?

Late Spring 2008 Semester Begins

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:58:00 EST

Current students, prospects, and faculty, welcome to the late spring 2008 semester of the IMC program at West Virginia University.

My name is Ottavio and I have been given the opportunity to be the IMC program blogger for this semester. Over the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences on the program, the specifics of the course I will be enrolled in, IMC 618 ? PR Concepts & Strategy taught by Professor Shelly Stump, and on topics of interest examined through the lens of marketing communications. IMC 618 marks my second course taken thus far, preceded by the program prerequisite, IMC 610 ? Introduction to IMC, in which I was enrolled last semester.

My thanks to the student bloggers before me for paving the way and making this website a noteworthy aspect of the IMC program?Anne, Todd, April, and Jamie. Your contributions were enlightening, intelligent, engaging, and helpful, and sparked interesting discussion among fellow students?my goal will be to keep the torch lit and carry it forward though the weeks to come.

I was born and raised in South Florida where I currently reside. The enticing weather, attractions, career opportunities, and my wonderful friends and family have kept me rooted here?however, as they say, who knows what the future may bring. I am an alumnus of the University of Florida where I majored in English and minored in business administration. Before that, I obtained an AA degree, and a vocational degree in television production operations. Professionally, I am presently the Marketing Communications Director for a luxury real estate firm located in downtown Fort Lauderdale where I plan, execute, and oversee initiatives that have, among other things, increased brand equity, leads, sales, and overall profits.

Below you will find a few of my general tips for success in the IMC program. There are also many helpful existing insights and ideas put forth on this website by the aforementioned bloggers that would be beneficial to review.

Stay Positive
There will be many times in this program when you will be confronted with challenging academic and personal circumstances. Remember to always stay positive and control the situation rather than allowing it to control you. A consistently positive attitude in this program, as with anything else in life, is a primary factor of success.

Be Organized
Formulate a general plan of how you intend to approach the program and courses, including reading and writing assignments, discussion postings, projects, and balancing academics with your personal and work life. After reading the syllabus for each course, you will undoubtedly gain more specific ideas on how best to organize yourself. One nice aspect of this program is that the courses follow a familiar framework of organization and timing. This may be used as a springboard for your own organizational guidelines.

Don’t Delay
Due to the condensed nature of the program and courses, time is not on your side and must be used wisely. Work on assignments early, and use the additional time before they are due to revise and polish them.

Actively Participate in Discussions
For those new and unfamiliar with its framework, this is a very interactive program requiring a fair amount of participation in class forums. Consider this an opportunity to expand your understanding of the subject matter and contribute regularly to discussions.

Lastly, in keeping with tradition, ?Ask Ottavio? is open. I encourage you to submit any comments and questions you have about IMC 618 ? PR Concepts & Strategy and the IMC program in general by following the prompt below. Additionally, I am looking forward to our discussions on the IMC blog in the coming weeks. Best wishes this semester and beyond.