Plaid Swan Archives - Page 3 of 4

June 14, 2017

Why Your Company Should Be on Social Media

All rise.

“What say you Madam Forman, have you reached a verdict in which you all agree?”

“We have your honor.”

“Very well, what say you?”

“We find in favor of the defendant, that all businesses should be on social media.”

“Thank you for your time and services. Court is adjourned.” The wooden gavel hits the desk with a thunderous bang.

www.giphy.com

Well, there you have it. The verdict is in. It’s unanimous that your company should be on social media. Why, you might ask? First, let’s look at some of the facts. Did you now there are roughly 1.18 billion monthly active users on Facebook? Over 500 million users and 70 million photos are being shared each day on Instagram. As of 2017, 328 million people are using Twitter and 500 million tweets are sent a day. 65% of U.S. companies are now using Twitter for marketing purposes. Lastly, two new members join LinkedIn every second. That’s 86,400 per day!

What do all these statistics mean? It means millions of people are online each day with social media platforms right at their fingertips. By having your business on social media, you are increasing customer engagement, brand awareness and visibility, and potentially sales. As Tom Cruise would say, “Show me the money!” Social media platforms have become ginormous, offering businesses valuable information about their customers, and even better, a free way to do so. Wondering how your business can benefit from social media? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Take a seat and take some notes, because court is in session.

www.giphy.com

Gain Customer Insight: Everyday your customers are tweeting, posting photos on Instagram, and liking posts on Facebook. All of this data gives you good insight into who they are and what they like. It also allows you to see how they feel about your brand and others in the market. By watching their engagement and listening carefully, you can use this data to your business’s advantage and customize toward their needs, wants, and likes. For example, Hootsuite Insights, gives real-time data from over 100 million sources across 25+ social networks. This allows you to gather information on all your social networks, in real time. This allows you to see what people are saying about your brand and run real-time reports.

Increase Your Brand Awareness: When you are present on social media it is easier for viewers and customers to find your brand, services, and connect. When you connect with customers on social media, you increase your brand awareness and visibility. In fact, according to a study by The Social Habit, 53 percent of Americans who follow brands on social media are more loyal to those brands. By being active on social platforms it shows your customers that you are up to date, enhancing the feelings of trust, signaling that you care, and letting them know you can easily be contacted.

Keep Track of Your Competitors:
metro.co.uk

Stalking. We’ve all been there – am I right? Woah, woah! Social media stalking I mean. Many people out there have done some sort of Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram stalking before whether that was scrolling though someone’s photos or reading a list of their tweets. In the same vein, it isn’t a bad idea to keep an eye out on your competitors. Watching their activity keeps you up to date on what they’re doing as well as giving you extra insight into your industry. By knowing this information, you can compare their strategies to yours to help improve your business and make sure you’re one step ahead. You can also use Hootsuite to screen industry keywords and references of your competitors’ names and products.

Promote Your Content: Want customers to read your latest blog, know about a new product or service you’re launching, or a new tip or trick occurring in your industry? Then your business should be on social media to promote them all. Social media platforms allow you to increase awareness about your company and the work you do. When viewers see your writing or different skills you possess online, this builds your reputation and expertise. Social media can be your magnet.

Should your business be on social media? It seems this one is a slam dunk. The verdict is in and the answer is a resounding yes. So, what are you waiting for? Be present online, connect with customers, and increase sales. It’s as simple as that. Case closed.

www.ontd-startrek.livejournal.com

Plaid Swan Inc. is a female owned and operated marketing communications firm with multiple offices located in the Midwest. Looking to make your company’s blog stand out? Don’t have a blog, but want one? What’s a BLOG? Contact us today to see how we can bring your brand to a new stellar level!

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

June 7, 2017

Piss Poor Decision: Artist Puts Urinating Dog Next to ‘Fearless Girl’ Statue

One pissed off artist. One piss poor decision.

Urine trouble. Correction, I mean – you’re in trouble, Alex Gardega. What in the world would possess you to take something as wonderful and iconic as the Fearless Girl Statue on Wall Street and desecrate it with a pissing dog?

For those of you who haven’t heard, or read, on Memorial Day last Monday, New York City artist Alex Gardega briefly put a sculpture of his own next to Wall Street’s “Fearless Girl”. It was the nature of the statue that was distasteful and crass. Gardega’s statue was a bronze, clay dog with leg lifted up in urination mode. He placed the clay dog right next to the Fearless Girl Statue, as if the dog was peeing on her. In a matter of New York Seconds, media had termed the dog statue; “Sketchy Dog” and “Peeing Pug.”

www.nypost.com

The “Fearless Girl” statue was installed to honor International Women’s Day on March 8, 2017 to help draw attention to the pay gap between men and women and gender inequality. She stands strong on Wall Street, staring down the “Charging Bull” statue which was created by Italian artist Arturo Di Modica in 1989.

It appears Gardega had had enough. He believed “Fearless Girl” was a publicity stunt, and had nothing to do with feminism. In his opinion she was a sign of disrespect to Di Modica, the artist of the bull. The “Fearless Girl” was commissioned by State Street Global Advisors, an investment service company. According to the company, it was installed as a way to make people aware of the gender pay gap and to draw attention to the glaring fact that few women are on financial boards. However, this didn’t sit well with Gardega. He explained, “That piece, [‘Fearless Girl’] was not made by some individual artist making a statement. It was made by a billion dollar financial firm trying to promote an index fund. It is advertising/promotion in the guise of art. That was my only point.”

www.popkey.co

That was your point? The point of the “Fearless Girl” statue was to bring awareness, to build courage, and to inspire hope. She is there to let us know that women only earn 78 cents for every dollar a man earns. She is there to remind us the percentage of female CEO’s in Fortune 500 companies is as low as 4%. She does not stand there defiant, hands on hips, to show disrespect. She is there to inspire.

To young girls everywhere who wear a Batman backpack to school, with dreams of becoming a Navy pilot, soaring to new heights, “Fearless Girl” tells them, ‘YOU CAN!’ To the female grad student who is completing her medical training, knowing all the while males make up almost 70% of active physicians, “Fearless Girl” winks and nods, ‘YOU CAN!’ To all the working mothers, wives and independent single women who are just beginning their careers, “Fearless Girl” exclaims, ‘Welcome to the new world, the wave of change is boldly blowing.’

The public opinion of Gardega, and his pissing dog, was an obvious negative, as passerby’s glared and kicked at the pissing pooch. But “Fearless Girl” simply and eloquently stood her ground. Hands on hips, head tilted back, certainty in her stare; she represents the millions of woman who have had to fight for every little dignity bestowed upon them. A peeing dog was no match for “Fearless Girl”. It would be interesting, though, to hear what she would say to the offense of the little dog at her leg. Perhaps her words would simply be,

“Let him be, he is just a small creature who was never taught to respect a woman. Let him remind those who pass, why I am standing here in the first place.”

As for the clay dog, it was removed within three hours. As for Alex Gardega, public opinion clearly stated, Piss Off!

www.tenor.com

www.lellebore.fr

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

www.cinemania.elmundo.es

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

June 5, 2017

How Heineken Got It So Right and Pepsi Got It So Wrong

Two beverage ads. Two bottles to pop off. You guzzle down both, but only one is respectively refreshing.

Beer. Pepsi. We tend to love them both. But in one particular instance, Pepsi left us with gut rot and the strong desire to pour the remaining 5 cans we have stored in our garage refrigerator, down the drain. So how did Heineken get it so right and Pepsi get it so wrong?

www.giphy.com

Let’s first start with the facts. For those of you who haven’t seen Heineken’s four-and-a-half-minute ad, it features a social experiment involving three different pairs of people who are from the United Kingdom, all with decidedly different beliefs. The participants are in a warehouse talking with each other, completely unaware of their political differences. There is a man who doesn’t believe that it’s okay to identify as transgender, who is paired with a woman who is transgender. There’s another man who doesn’t believe in climate change, who is paired up with a man who does. Finally, you have a man who describes feminism as “man-hating” paired with a woman who describes herself as a young, black feminist. The participants seem to be unaware of their differences and the purpose of the test. They are asked to perform a number of team-building exercises, which ultimately results in them assembling a bar and asking scripted personal questions along the way. They are then asked over a loud speaker to watch a video of the other person discussing and confessing their political views. Once they watch both videos, they must decide whether they want to leave, or stick around, drink a cold beer, and talk it out with the person who has been revealed as their complete opposite. In the end, they all decide to stay.

www.dailyedge.ie

You can watch the full ad here!

On the other hand, you have Pepsi’s two-and-a-half-minute commercial featuring Kendall Jenner with protesters who are trying to come together in unity. The key word here being, tried. Most felt the ad was anything but positive, leaving a bad taste for most viewers. In the commercial, we see Kendall modeling when suddenly, a protester passing by gives her a sexy smile, and she leaves the flashing cameras to follow him, to go protest and March. She soon sees a white male police officer giving a black protester a serious look. So, what does she do? She offers him a Pepsi, because that will surely solve all the world’s problems and end racism – right? The scene with the police officer accepting the Pepsi from Kendall was too reminiscent for most, of an actual protest image; that of Leisha Evans in the Baton Rouge protests last year. The police officer drinks the Pepsi, smiles, and the crowd unanimously raises their arms in celebratory excitement, another big no no to most. It appeared Pepsi was oversimplifying protests and what they really mean, as well as making light of the issues of police brutality. Towards the end of the commercial, it even sounds like the music is saying “Epic fail, fail, fail.” They must have known all along. Pepsi pulled the ad immediately and released this statement: “Clearly we missed the mark and we apologize… we did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content.”

www.dailyedge.ie

www.giphy.com

This is a great example of how one brand got it so right and one got it so wrong. Heineken showed Pepsi how to correctly make a politically charged ad. What made it work? Their human moments didn’t appear forced but seemed to unfold all on their own. We felt inspired, we felt compassion, and we felt honesty. Despite these stranger’s different political views, they were able to talk it out over a drink. So, Pepsi, please hold my beer and allow me to make a toast. Here’s to you Heineken!

www.giphy.com

Now, can we please put a bar inside Congress?

www.giphy.com

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

May 24, 2017

Why Blogs Should Be Part of Your Marketing Mix

“If “blogging” is a dirty word, then I am scum.” -Kevin Lim

www.sarahsawamovie.com

Is anyone out there? Can anyone hear me? Hellooo?

Wait! Did you hear that?

Yes!

The whispered words over the din of hyperbole and malice that chokes the internet on a daily basis…a soft lyrical voice sending us hope and good cheer – ”The blog is not dead.”

The blog is in fact, still kicking, living, breathing like your old Aunt Gertrude who blew out her 101 candles last June. So what if Gawker.com was put to rest, the soul of the blogger – blogs on. Blogging is still one of the most valuable tools a business can have. So whip out that laptop, flex those phalanges, because here are 5 reasons why your business should have a blog.

www.reactiongifs.com

It Establishes Yourself as an Expert: To write is to give. When you write useful and engaging content you are driving traffic to your site and establishing yourself as an expert. People will begin to see you as someone who is knowledgeable, dependent, and a leader. Because of this they will begin to trust you more than the competition and when they are in need of your services, it will be you who they go to. Things can only go up from there, including your sales.

It Increases Your Business’s Visibility: When your blog is full of resourceful information, relevant content, useful tips and advice you will be able to increase your businesses exposure, cultivating opportunities for you to meet and attain future leads, employees, and clients. By creating content that people want to read, that they find entertaining and useful, you are successfully getting your brand name out there as well as meeting new people you might not have met otherwise. This puts your business ahead of the pack and that’s ‘howl’ it should be.

You Can Share Your Blog to Social Media: The nice thing about blogs, and perhaps the simplest, is you can share your blog to your businesses social media platforms, increasing engagement and viewers. You can even set up your blog so it automatically posts to social media feeds when it’s published on your website. If you incorporate photos or videos in your blog post, you’ve already increased your chances to receive more engagement. Posts with engaging, funny, and relatable, eye-catching headlines and images, generate more clicks, likes, and shares, than those with just plain written text. So get ‘Disney’ all over your blog and make it technicolor.

www.imgur.com

You Stand Out from the Crowd: In a world that is full of competition it might seem hard to stand out. But have no fear, the blog is here! A blog is a great way for your business to stand out from the pack. If you want to engage with viewers and not be overlooked online, this can help. A blog allows your voice to be heard. You can write your own content or have multiple employees help with the process. By starting a blog, you are getting your name out there, producing pieces that show off your expertise, and engaging with viewers you may not have reached in the past. Get a blog. Do it now. By the time your competitors realize you’re attracting customers thru your blog, you’ll already have an audience established and they’ll be busy playing ‘catch up’.

You Are Able to Attract New Customers: According to a HubSpot survey, 60% of businesses that had a blog attained more customers than those who didn’t. By being present online you are increasing your chances of engaging with a variety of viewers. Thru a blog you show your customer base your doors are open for business. You are showing them that you’re online, you’re relevant, and you’re an expert in your field. A blog also allows you to answer questions. When a potential client reads your blog and sees you as a valuable resource, you’ll be the first one they go to.

www.tenor.co

You thought Grease was the word? Wrong! Blogging is the word. You might be thinking blah, blah, blah, but you should be thinking blog, blog, blog! Blogs should be, scratch that, need to be, a part of your marketing mix.

Blogging is not dead. Only flogging is, but that’s another subject. Perhaps a subject we’ll touch upon in our next blog.

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

www.pinterest.com

www.replygif.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

Sources:

https://www.rickwhittington.com/blog/14-reasons-why-your-business-should-start-a-blog/

https://www.sproutcontent.com/blog/19-reasons-why-your-business-should-be-writing-a-blog

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/the-benefits-of-business-blogging-ht#sm.0009ot7ya6tjdhr11hj105qmpd6yy

May 22, 2017

The Perils of Plagiarism

The Web was abuzz with a story purporting that the White House plagiarized part of a congratulatory statement about ExxonMobil, lifting parts of ExxonMobil’s own press release about its Growing the Gulf project. A few years ago, Hungary’s president resigned because of a scandal which alleged he had plagiarized sources for his doctoral thesis; he was also stripped of the doctorate. Plagiarism can be voluntary, which as such is fraudulent, or involuntary, which is careless or lazy. Either way, there are consequences which make it essential for writers to take note of what needs to be cited and what does not.

www.writer.ae.com

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines plagiarism as “the act of using another person’s words or ideas without giving credit to that person.” The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill gets a little harsher with their definition: “The deliberate or reckless representation of another’s words, thoughts, or ideas as one’s own without attribution in connection with submission of academic work, whether graded or otherwise.” Plagiarism takes several forms:
• Copying verbatim from a source without using quotation marks or giving a citation.
• Paraphrasing another’s work without giving a citation.
• Using your previously written work without gaining permission from either the prior or the proposed publisher of that article (self-plagiarism).
• Using graphics or other media without giving full credit to the creator of that material.

Plagiarism can have serious consequences. At a minimum, it is embarrassing. If an article is copyrighted, then there are legal ramifications. However, even if the copied material is not copyrighted, then there are other problems. The Hungarian president in the introduction lost his doctorate and his job. Mexico’s current president, Pena Nieto, has also been recently accused of plagiarism in his 1991 law degree thesis. For him, the accusation has contributed to some of the lowest approval ratings of any Mexican president. A search on the internet of “plagiarism in the news” will bring a lengthy list of stories of people who have been accused or caught. In business, plagiarism can result in embarrassment for an employer and possible dismissal of the employee. Most schools have a policy about plagiarism that includes serious consequences from failing the single assignment to failing the course to expulsion.

www.giphy.com

Writers need to cite sources carefully. There is disagreement about how many words comprise a direct quote. Sometimes, a single unique word needs to be cited and enclosed in quotation marks. Anytime a writer uses the exact words of another writer, the words need to be in quotation marks with a citation.

Paraphrasing can be tricky. Just altering a word or two or rearranging the words does not make an acceptable paraphrase. When it is done skillfully, it is a complete rewording and restructuring of the original text, and it still requires a citation. To help with this task, Wikihow suggests using Google language tools to translate the original text from English to another language and then taking that translation and translating it into a third language. By translating it one more time back to English, you will get a summary of the article in broken English. The rewrite of that text then becomes more your own words and a better paraphrase. The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill recommends that when taking notes about a reading, close the book and write the notes in your own words.

Of course, some words do not need to be cited; if everything in an article were cited, then it would be tedious and unpleasant to read – and not a very original piece. Common knowledge does not need to be cited. This would include facts that are found in multiple sources and are known by most to be true. A writer does not need to cite ideas or discoveries original to the writer, but it may be helpful to identify those so that a reader doesn’t question the source of that information. While it is important to give credit for borrowed pictures or other media, if it is original material, then it does not have to have a citation.

A review of what constitutes plagiarism is a sound idea for writers and students because there are ramifications at every level. Inadequate references for another’s words, ideas, art, and media are never acceptable. To err on the side of caution means that it is better to cite than to plagiarize.

www.awesomelyluvvie.com

-Diane Repass│Diane is a retired tenured assistant professor from The University of Dubuque and now a beloved writer for Plaid Swan Inc. She received her M.A. from The University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Cooper, H. (2016, May 12). Principles of good writing: Avoiding plagiarism. Retrieved from

http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2016/05/avoiding-plagiarism.html.
Grammarly. 5 most effective methods for avoiding plagiarism/Grammarly blog. Retrieved from
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/5-most-effective-methods-for-avoiding-plagiarism/.
Indiana University-Bloomington (2014, April 7). Plagiarism: What it is and how to recognize and avoid it.
Retrieved from http://wts.indiana.edu/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml.
Plagiarism. What is plagiarism? Retrieved from
http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/what-is-plagiarism.
WikiHow. How to avoid plagiarism. Retrieved from http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Plagiarism.
The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. Plagiarism. Retrieved from
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/plagiarism/

May 17, 2017

Uber’s PR Crisis Has Been One Hell Of A Ride

Pump the breaks! If you haven’t heard about Uber’s rough start to the 2017 year then maybe you’ve been driving under one too many tunnels. Uber has been slowly roasting beneath the beaming spotlight these past months for several stunning scandals.

Let’s break this down by months and highlight some of the key points:

January

January 7: An Uber driver crashed their vehicle, paralyzing the passenger. This quickly brought to light the facts that the driver had past misdemeanors that were either missed or simply ignored. A lawsuit followed soon after.

More than 200,000 Uber customers deleted the app as part of a movement called #DeleteUber. The movement began because Uber drivers were still doing business and picking up passengers at the JFK airport during a taxi strike organized by The New York Taxi Workers Alliance. The taxi drivers were protesting President Donald Trump’s executive order, which prevented travelers from certain Muslim countries from entering the United States. After the strike, Travis Kalanick, founder and CEO of Uber, was criticized for his close ties to Trump.

www.giphy.com

February

February 19: A former engineer of Uber published a blog post about the business’ workplace, claiming sexism and sexual harassment occurred there

February 28: Travis Kalanick has been in hot water in the past but recently, in February, he was in the public eyes once again after a video was released of him arguing with an Uber driver who had given him a ride. In the video, the driver tells Kalanick that he and other drivers are financially suffering due to the low fare prices that Uber charges passengers. The driver goes on to say, “People don’t trust you anymore. I’m bankrupt because of you… You changed the whole business. You dropped the prices.” Kalanick fired back claiming “explicit language” multiple times, raising his voice and treating the driver with disrespect.

www.onbreaking.com

March

March 19: Uber’s president Jeff Jones left the company saying his, “beliefs and approach to leadership” are “inconsistent with what I saw and experienced at Uber.”

March 24: Uber halted its self-driving car program and raised questions about its future when one of Uber’s self-driving cars hit another vehicle that didn’t yield on an Arizona highway. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

April

April 8: The city of Rome bans all Uber services.

April 11: Uber’s head of global PR, Rachel Whetstone, left the company. One too many PR crisis’s can do this to a person. Stay strong Rachel. We’re sure a break is much needed.

April 18: Sherif Marakby, VP of global vehicle programs and leader of Uber’s self-driving-car project also leaves the company. Another one bites the dust.

It seems this past year Uber has dealt with several PR crisis’s. But have they learned their lesson? The company’s CEO, Travis Kalanick, has taken several steps out of the crisis management book to try and do just that. Kalanick apologized for his outburst with an Uber driver that was caught on camera and said he would get help with his leadership skills. He issued a statement about sexism saying, “There can be absolutely no place for this kind of behavior at Uber—and anyone who behaves this way or thinks this is O.K. will be fired.” Kalanick has also promised to release statistics about diversity at Uber.

So, has Uber learned its’ lesson? Some of the steps they’ve taken have been promising, but it seems time will tell. For now, people will be watching with peeled eyes.

If you’re ever facing a PR crisis, hopefully not as bad as Uber, or dare we even say United Airlines, here are a few tips to settle the tide.

www.tumblr.com

1. Be Honest: Telling the truth is a smart business strategy. Everybody makes mistakes, but people will be less forgiving if you try to cover up the facts with lies.

2. Gather the Facts: Gather and analyze the facts so you can understand the issue at hand. Many things can be overlooked when people feel the pressure, especially when they are rushed. Do the research, talk to employees, figure out as much as you can.

3. Live and Learn: Even when the issue is settled, learn from the situation. Ask yourself, “What should we do differently next time?” Have a recovery strategy in place. Live and learn.

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

www.giphy.com

www.weheartit.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

Sources:

https://www.trendkite.com/blog/facing-a-pr-crisis-it-could-be-worse.-you-could-work-for-uber? utm_campaign=Blog%20Emails&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=51530590&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9KWFk5anj2W0uQFnNtxlk7gcT41EqG17D-sY9VEBmkyUMlHmwKudA7k8ZokxEX8umIaSKXrU5k8SdQu0PkeEisk2BvyA&_hsmi=51530590http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-in-crisis-timeline-2017-3http://www.prnewsonline.com/has-uber-learned-its-pr-lessons/

May 15, 2017

Dove Releases New Body-Shaped Bottles: When Good Brands Make Bad Decisions

No curves? You shall be a banana. Large waist and small hips? Yes, you are an apple. Little upper body but large hips? Nailed it, you’re a pear.

Women. Fruit. What do these two things have in common? Sounds a little fruity, but society does compare the two. For the longest time, we have associated women’s body shapes to fruit. So, women, you get to be fruit. But now you also get to be soap bottles. Body wash bottles to be more precise, thanks to Dove.

In the most recent years, Dove has been getting it right. They’ve connected with women, encouraged us to love our bodies, and we adored, praised, and related to them for it. So how could Dove get this so wrong?

Dove recently released a new advertising campaign giving their plastic soap bottles a whole new makeover. Just like women, Dove wanted to show that bottles come in all shapes and sizes. They designed and created six different bottles from curvy, pear and apple shaped to tall and slender. The response? Think of an apple getting violently thrown to a face. A foot slipping on a banana peel and breaking a leg. Yeah, we’re talking that bad. People instantly took to social media criticizing the product. Twitter didn’t disappoint.

www.dailymail.co.uk

www.1london.net

www.the-dailybuzz.com

Where did Dove drop the soap, I’m sorry – bottle? They made women feel ostracized when buying body wash. We should speak to all women the same, no matter their shape, size, or color. We shouldn’t talk to them based on what their bodies look like. Women don’t always need to be categorized. Who wants to go to a store, walk down the body wash aisle and say to themselves, “I’m pear shaped, so I’m going to buy this pear-shaped bottle?” Cue the crickets. Women don’t want to make purchasing decisions based on their body type. While in the shower, would you like to be reminded that you look like an apple or would you rather steam up the bathroom, peak out over the curtain and seduce the mirror, believing and knowing you are applesolutely delicious?

What Dove should consider, is what if this same ‘marketing idea’ was about men? What would we compare their bottle sizes to? Male body parts keep flying around in my mind. Think of that trip to the store, perusing that aisle of men’s body wash. What kind of bottles would be lined on the shelf? One small, one medium, one with an oversized cap?

www.jbuffyangel.tumblr.com

www.giphy.com

This is the perfect example of when a good brand makes a bad decision. Don’t get us wrong. Dove has done great things, they’ve taken risks, and spun their brand in the right direction. Their previous advertising scored a home run with young girls and women alike. But with the recent release of these bottles, Dove’s marathon of success has gone down the toilet, leaving them to do some serious damage control.

How did this get through so many checks and balances at Dove? This brand had nailed their niche, better than most companies in history, through supporting and empowering women and here they are assigning us body types.

Here, at Plaid Swan, we are a female owned and operated advertising and marketing agency. We understand women, we understand marketing, and we understand how stereotypes are taboo and need to be shaken and forgotten.

So to all the women out there, we don’t see you as fruit nor relegate you to a certain size or shape. We know Dove can do better and we believe they will. To forgive is to move forward and we’re just beginning our trek.

Looking to make your company’s blog stand out? Don’t have a blog, but want one? What’s a BLOG? Contact us today to see how we can bring your writing to a new stellar level!

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

www.replygif.net

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2017/05/09/why-ladies-didnt-love-doves-latest-gender-empowering-ad-stunt/?utm_term=.4592053499ba

May 10, 2017

5 Tips to Improve Your Memory

Wait! Was that PR plan due today? Do I have a client meeting? Did I turn the stove off? Is that fire I smell?… In an ever-changing and fast-paced world, it’s easy for us to forget.

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We have emails to check, papers to write, clients to meet, the list never stops. However, that doesn’t mean our memory has too. As a working professional, we want to stay as mentally sharp as possible, and now you can! There are many tips and tricks to improve your memory. Here are five simple tips to act as your how-to-manual guide!

1. One Sheep, Two Sheep: Sleep? What is that exactly? The sad truth is one-third of Americans do not get enough sleep. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 34.8 percent of American adults are getting less than seven hours of sleep a night. But 95% actually need between 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep every night to avoid sleep deprivation, obesity, high blood pressure, and mental stress. Sleep is critical when it comes to memory and learning. Research has shown that sleep is necessary for memory, with memory-enhancing activity taking place during the deepest stages of sleep. Tips to help you get the hours of sleep you need to help enhance your memory include: getting yourself on a regular sleeping schedule, avoid caffeine at night, and avoid all screens, (whether it be your phone, TV, or tablet) one hour before bed. Trust us, your brain will ‘lobe’ you for it!

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2. Have a Good Laugh: “I hate Russian nesting dolls, they’re so full of themselves. I also hate when a sentence doesn’t end the way I thought it octopus.” Laughing yet? We’ve all heard laughter is the best medicine, and the same is true for the brain, memory, and the body. Listening to and reading jokes and puns can activate areas of the brain which are essential to learning and creativity. To laugh is to live. So, get to it. Laugh at yourelf, surround yourself with humorous people, watch a comedy. Your brain and body will thank you for it.

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3. Put Down That Black Pen: Research tells us that using colored pens creates visual stimulation which triggers memory. So put down that black pen and swap it for a red or blue one. According to Science Daily, red pens are most effective at enhancing our attention to detail, while blue pens are the best at boosting our creative abilities. Blue and red pens are also linked to cognitive performance. One experiment studied a group of male and female students in the 9th grade. The study found participants had better recall with red text than blue, and greater recall with blue than with black (33% vs. 27%). Long story short, put the black pens down. Red and blue are so in this season.

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4. Let’s Get Physical: According to research published in the journal Neurology, physical activity can slow brain aging by as much as 10 years! Exercise helps your brain stay sharp. It increases the oxygen flow and reduces the risk of memory loss, diabetes, and heart disease. Research also shows that exercising four hours after learning something new can help you recall what you’ve just learned. Ever feel sluggish when you wake up? Once again, exercise has you covered. Try working out in the morning. It clears out the fog and peaks you for learning throughout the day.

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5. Dear Broccoli, We Need to Talk: Your brain is a well-oiled powerful machine, so feed it the fuel it deserves. The Mediterranean Diet, also known as the MIND Diet, has been attributed to boosting memory. Research has shown people who follow this diet have the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s disease. According to a MIND Diet study, over 1,000 seniors were tracked for 8 years. When the participants thoroughly followed the MIND diet, they reduced their risk for Alzheimer’s by 53%. It is a low carb diet that focuses on avoiding sugar and trans fats. Interesting enough, one of these influential mind foods is broccoli. Eating broccoli not only makes your brain more powerful, but it also sharpens your thinking. Broccoli, we may have had a bad relationship in the past, but we’re ready to give this another try. What do you say?

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-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

Sources:

36 Proven Ways to Improve Your Memory

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/memory/how-to-improve-your-memory.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/americans-arent-getting-enough-sleep_us_56c61306e4b0b40245c9687b
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2016/07/08/how-exercise-improves-memory.aspx
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090205142143.htm
http://www.neurology.org/content/86/20/1897

May 8, 2017

Putting Modifiers in Their Place

“We saw dinosaurs on a field trip to the natural history museum.” (Who knew that dinosaurs liked field trips?)

“Flying over the African landscape, the elephant herd looked majestic.” (I never knew elephants could fly.)

“I glimpsed a rat sorting the recyclable materials.” (I have a great respect for rats who have such an active concern for our environment.)

(Examples retrieved from Eddie Snipes 2011)

Like most languages, English has some very specific rules about word placement. Breaking these rules can lead to some disastrous, if not humorous, misunderstandings. Native speakers of a language learn most of the rules for placement of modifiers as they learn the language but probably cannot describe the rules to anyone else. For example, consider the phrase, my beautiful curly-haired Goldendoodle; native speakers know that it would sound odd to say, my curly-haired beautiful Goldendoodle. The rules for ordering those words are complex and would be difficult to grasp for an English as a second language learner. However, sometimes native speakers also get in trouble with the placement of some modifiers. Such modifier errors are called dangling, misplaced, and squinting modifiers.

Adjectives and adverbs are modifiers; they are words, phrases, or clauses that describe or limit the meaning of other single words or phrases. Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns, and adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. The referent is a word that an adjective or adverb describes. In this sentence The lush green grass appeared overnight, the, lush and green are adjectives describing the referent noun grass, and overnight is an adverb describing the referent verb appeared.

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So now you know what a modifier is; next, you should consider how to avoid errors in placing them. Using a dangling modifier is a common misstep for writers. It frequently occurs when a writer uses passive voice but also happens in other sentences when the referent is missing. Most often, but not always, a dangling modifier comes at the beginning of a sentence: “Coming out of the market, the bananas fell on the pavement.” (Example retrieved from The Writing Center, UW-Madison 2009)

In this sentence, it seems like the bananas were coming out of the market. The corrected sentence should be Coming out of the market, I dropped the bananas on the pavement. Note that not only do the words need to be rearranged but also the referent pronoun I needs to be added.

Image result for banana gif

Misplaced modifiers happen when a modifying adjective or adverb is not near its referent. One of the more famous examples of this error comes from comedian Groucho Marx who said, “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas, I’ll never know.” There’s an image that I want to get out of my head. Here are some other examples:

Confusing: “Hopping briskly through the vegetable garden, I saw a toad.” (My neighbors are beginning to talk about my gardening activities.)

Corrected: I saw a toad hopping briskly through the vegetable garden.

Confusing: “I gave olives to my friend that I stabbed with my fork.” (He thought that was a high price to pay for some olives.)

Corrected: I gave my friend olives that I stabbed with my fork.

(Examples retrieved from Eddie Snipes 2011)

The third modifier error is called a squinting modifier. It’s hard to tell whether the word/phrase modifies the word before or after it.

Confusing: “We cannot accept completely illogical reasoning.”

Corrected: “We cannot completely accept illogical reasoning.” OR

“We cannot accept reasoning that is completely illogical.”

(Example retrieved from ProofreadNow 2015)

There are two separate meanings for the confusing sentence, so there are two separate corrections.

Image result for modifier

Putting modifiers in their proper place can be challenging. The humorous blunders that occur with dangling, misplaced, and squinting modifiers make for interesting examples of what not to do. The skilled writer is familiar with these missteps and can avoid or correct them with ease.

-Diane Repass

May 3, 2017

The Challenges of Learning English

Who Says It’s Easy to Learn English?

Many, if not most, of us have studied a foreign language in school. You studied pronunciation, vocabulary, idioms, grammar, and syntax. You probably attempted stilted conversations with classmates and the instructor, and you may have even watched movies and read a book in the language. For some this came easy, but for others it was painful. And you left the classroom and spoke in English until the next class. Many language learners are immersed in a language; that is, they live in the area or country where the language they are learning is spoken. Unless there is a community of countrymen, they must speak the second language if there is to be any communication. It takes a particular kind of courage, and it takes hard work. I can appreciate how painful it is because I have studied a language in another country. I was able to connect with other English speakers during parts of the day, and it was such a relief to be able to occasionally speak without the exhausting mental calisthenics that come with speaking a second language. I have also taught English as a Second Language and know how hard it is to convince students to speak only in English during class, let alone outside of class. It is hard to learn any language, and English is certainly no exception.

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Many scholars say that English has the largest vocabulary of any language. While many disagree, it is safe to say that it does have a high number of words. It has shamelessly borrowed from many languages; it is a Germanic language, but French and Latin have contributed many words, as has Greek. Foreign words lead to problems in rules for spelling and pronunciation, and for every rule, there is a myriad of exceptions.

Spelling is a problem for native speakers, let alone second language learners. For example, there are many words with an f sound but with variant spellings. Sometimes the f sound is spelled with a single f and sometimes with a double f as in cliff or cuff. Ancient Greek has given us words that use ph as an f (elephant, phone). Some words use –ugh that sounds like f, too (enough, laugh), which makes matters even more confusing. Then, English has many homophones, words that sound the same and may or may not be spelled differently, such as feet and feat or jeans and genes.

Pronouncing words can be tricky, too. There are heteronyms, words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently, such as affect (ehFEKT- to change) and affect (AFFekt- a person’s feelings or emotions) (Heteronym Homepage). Who wouldn’t be confused by such roadblocks? We looked at words with f sounds that are spelled –ugh. Think about the word through which has the ugh that sounds like the word threw, or bough which sounds like bow (to bend the knee or body). Many words have silent letters, as with silent e (e.g. bake). Dialects add another obstacle to language learners who hear words pronounced differently by various groups. I grew up in Michigan pronouncing coupon as cyoopon, while many people in my new home state of Iowa pronounce it as coopon.

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English verbs do follow a prescribed system, but some oddities are confusing. Two-word, or phrasal, verbs are most often idioms that cannot be understood by looking at the meaning of each word individually. For example, consider cut (it) up, look over, come across, or call (it) off. Present tense verbs are used to mean several different things. In addition to indicating an action taking place at the present time, they indicate a habitual action (e.g. The sun sets in the west.), a repeated action (e.g. Birds migrate south in the winter.), or an action that is always true (e.g. Temperatures turn colder in winter for northern climates.)

Unlike many languages with nouns that are masculine, feminine, or neuter, English articles (i.e. a, an, the) do not indicate gender. According to Muriel Harris in Prentice Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage, generally, a and an are used to indicate an unspecified noun (e.g. My dog Cricket saw a cat in the neighbor’s yard.), while the is used to indicate someone/thing more specific (e.g. The Malaysian student prepared a fabulous meal.). Okay, that wasn’t so hard, but here come all the add-ons: a) use the when talking about a specific representative of a category, but use no article when the meaning is “all” or “in general” (e.g. Pets are our friends.); or b) when names are plural, use the (e.g. the Netherlands). There are many more rules and exceptions; native speakers learn these rules as they learn to speak, but they would be hard-pressed to explain them to someone else.

So far, we have looked at only a few of the many pitfalls of learning English. There are so many more, which are complex and challenging, like word order or idioms/slang. Many people criticize foreigners and immigrants for not learning English immediately upon arrival, but it is not easy, nor are all people proficient at learning a second language. It takes time, effort, and a bit of courage.

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