Millennials were the subject of a recent WOMMA webinar that MMC attended.

The session – led by Mr. Youth Managing Partner, Doug Akin – focused on tips for engaging Gen-Y consumers whose lives have been impacted by Social technologies. Akin referred to this group as Consumer 2.0.

According to Akin, these targets share four core values: connectivity, individuality, authenticity and ownership. They expect the brands they love to talk to them. They’re not bound by a universal definition of “cool” and – often through Social Media – feel free to pursue their own interests, passions and creativity. He went on to discuss the five ways a brands might capture their attention:

• By being disruptive: Akin referred to the “U by Kotex” campaign as “inspired” and “genius” in its mission to empower women to more openly talk about vaginal health.
• By allowing consumers to express themselves: Nike’s “One of a Kind Society” invited consumers design their own shoes – a risky, but smart move, said Akin.
• By sparking communities: Akin attributed the growth Tom’s Shoes experienced – from a home-grown brand to an online community – to the power of story-telling through Social Media.
• By recognizing consumers as collaborators: Mountain Dew’s “Dewocracy,” said Akin, was so successful because it encouraged fans to co-create elements like new product concepts and product packaging along with the brand.
• By telling great stories: while acknowledging that every brand has a great story, Akin singled out Levi’s for “owning a piece of the market” with their hard-working “Americano” platform.

As a vocal generation that continues to lead in Social Media, it’s clear that Millennials – especially the women in this bracket – cannot be ignored. “Listening closely to your consumers and engaging them in deeper, two-way relationships is a great start,” concluded Akin, and we couldn’t agree more. But it doesn’t end there: having a deep understanding of your consumer, what makes them tick, and who (or what) helps shape their opinions – is absolutely critical.

I attended BlogHer on behalf of my team a few weeks ago thinking I was just going to learn more about the blogosphere. Well, I learned a lot about that but also took away a new appreciation for the growth of social media. I laughed to myself after walking in and within the first two minutes (before I’d even had a cup of coffee or checked in) I’d shaken hands with at least five bloggers thrilled to be in NYC celebrating their passion for blogging.

After finally getting checked in, I grabbed my breakfast and headed over to meet fellow MMC’ers who were at a table full of women, some wearing T-shirts that flaunted their blog’s masthead and others with babies strapped to their chest or back while handing out business cards. The conference kicked off with a quote from SugarMama saying “I personally would love to be the best mom I can be to my kids, but I don’t want to ever forget that my little girl dream was to be a writer.” I realized then that every person in the room was there fulfilling their own dream of writing and the blogosphere has opened a new door to help people reach that goal.

Over the course of the day, I attended several sessions which gave me a first-hand peek into issues bloggers face and gained tips on how to better interact with these busy folks. I also explored a field day of brand booths on-site, getting a photo with the Jimmy Dean sun after his new product announcement, traveling through the P&G Home Away from Home and also “testing” out the 2^nd edition of Just Dance. It was a whirlwind but one of my favorite moments came at the end of the day when several bloggers had been chosen to read their posts from the year. It was like the Emmy’s for bloggers and was chilling to see what a community these folks have built. The very last blogger to read her post actually sang it to the tune of Wicked’s “Popular” while wearing a black sequined top and made me appreciate the sheer, genuine personalities I met throughout the day. Writing used to be known as a condensed, precise field and hearing true, unedited stories from blogger’s lives left me with an overwhelming need to…yes, update my RSS feed.

Year after year, significant increases in the number of searches conducted by Web users seeking information about themselves are recorded. Today, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, more than 57% of all online adults 18+ are engaged in one form of reputation management or another. And for good reason.

When it comes to building one’s online identity, most users, say Pew, fall into one of two categories: those who are “careful to protect themselves” and those who “embrace an open approach.” Adopting the latter can be troublesome, particularly among younger adults.

In a recent poll, 44% of those between the ages of 18 and 29 admitted to taking steps to “limit the amount of personal information available.” 71% said they changed their privacy settings often and on sites where photo- or video-sharing is popular, 41% removed their names from tags used to to identify them.

Smart.

We’ve all heard stories about celebrities, politicians or even friends who’ve suffered at the hands of something found online. So before you publish that next post, leave your next comment or tweet your next tweet, remember: you’re putting yourself out there for everyone – your friends, your employer, your clients – to see.

Last weekend, nearly 2,500 Social Media enthusiasts and participants – mostly women, but not all! – gathered in New York for the annual BlogHer conference.  When reflecting on my experience as an attendee, the first word that comes to mind is inspiration. After two days at the New York Hilton, I left inspired: inspired as a marketer, inspired as a content creator, inspired as a consumer, and most importantly, inspired as a woman with a voice and a platform for change.

The sessions were filled with hot topics, respectable debate, teaching moments, collaboration and thought-provoking questions. Everyone seemed eager to learn, network and share their stories.

Regardless of their background or motivations, all attendees had something in common: passion for Social Media. Talk of community online is common, but seeing it play out live through reunions, first-time meetings, education, common drivers, etc., was almost indescribable.

Something I had not expected to be so prevalent at the conference was activism. Both keynotes on Day 2 (The International Activist Blogger Scholarship Recipients and How to Use Your Voice, Your Platform, Your Power) as well as a track of sessions appropriately called “Change Agents” focused on speaking up and joining forces for positive change. Attendees were encouraged to ask themselves how they wanted to use their voice and reminded that “the Internet puts everyone at the same decibel… and that’s a huge advantage for women.”

It’s no secret that conferences like BlogHer are unique opportunities to connect with influencers. I for one was excited by seeing some of these relationships play out in the real world. Attendees seemed genuinely interested in learning about brands and welcomed – and were welcomed by – marketers with open arms.

Another key takeaway – and a point that we can’t stress enough: events like BlogHer prove time and again that influencers are not created equally. Each has his/her own voice, interests and is motivations. In PR, really knowing your audience and tailoring your key messages to meet their needs head-on has always been important – especially when engaging women. Today, empowered by Internet, that fact cannot be ignored.

For additional BlogHer coverage, check out:

• BlogHer Liveblog
• BlogHer’s flickr photo set
• #BlogHer10 (Twitter)

Savages by Don Winslow is the best pop fiction book of the summer.  Hands down.  How did I find it?  The power of PR.  A great review in the New York Times convinced me that I needed to order this book … despite the fact I have stacks of unread books scattered throughout my home.  And I’m glad I did … from the first two-word chapter, the book grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.  Its characters jump to life off the page.  And the action is non-stop.  I could hardly put the book down.  So if you’re heading to the beach this summer, you may want to give it a try.  And kudos to the publicist who got the review that got me to buy the book.   Job well done.

July 16^th proved to be not your “Typical Friday” in a Day In The Life of the Interns.  And no, we’re not talking about the Enrique Iglesias concert out on the Plaza—this, my friends, was even BIGGER!  As the crew of eager interns hailed cabs (for about approximately 30 minutes, thank you, Summer Fridays), we embarked on our first out-of-the office adventure together—we left as six, and we arrived as one.

The Fest, held annually by the Council of Public Relations Firms, began with PR Maven Gail Heimann, Vice Chair of Weber Shandwick.  She imparted unto the approximately 150 Interns valuable advice and insight.  She stirred our creativity early, as she began her presentation with the “5 Questions Interns Never Ask Her,” challenging us to add to her list.  Following this discussion, we were presented with two separate panels, one of which starred our very own MMC superstar, Kate DiChristopher.  Kate held her own with poise, as she offered advice as to how to turn an internship into a full-time career.  Finally, to top off the discussion, Jessica Lee, Senior Employment Manager of APCO Worldwide presented all of the things not do to when applying for a job (you may want to take a quick peek at your Facebook profile picture right about…now!) 

We want to thank the Council of Public Relations Firms for giving us the invaluable opportunity to be exposed to such esteemed PR professionals.  We look forward to applying all of our gained knowledge in the future!

(submitted by Jaimie Scambio, Allyson Culligan, Marianna Castro MMC 2010 Interns)

I’ve always considered myself a Midwest girl. Born in Chicago, Raised in the Northshore suburb of Evanston then attended college in Wisconsin. In fact, when I decided to move to New York just over a year and a half ago many family and friends were pretty surprised I decided to venture to the big city on the East coast. With excitement, eagerness and just a little apprehension, I set off to establish myself in the world of beauty PR in the most exciting city in the world, always, knowing in the back of my head that I was still a Midwest girl at heart.

I’m not really sure when it first happened, but somehow along the way, New York began to become home. Sure, I still visited Chicago every few months and it is a strong part of who I am, but my life suddenly felt grounded in New York with my new MMC family. Referring to “going home” now meant my studio apartment downtown.  I didn’t fully notice the change until I recently went to visit friends and family in Chicago and for the first time felt like a visitor. Although it was slightly upsetting to feel that I had let go of my past roots, I also felt comforted to realize that home is truly where the heart is and that I had established my own home, not confined to a zip code or where I went to school, but where my life is happening now and that feeling of excitement and eagerness for the future stirred again.

So…what does home mean to you?

It’s July, and recession or not, summer travel season seems to be peaking.  Every click I make lately has me counting down the days until my next weekend getaway. Here’s a quick overview of online resources to check out before you leave on your next trip.

Getaway Gear

• Have you seen InStyle’s recommendations on your must-have travel items under $20? The straw fedora is definitely in my future.
• Before my last trip I couldn’t help but treat myself to a new set of luggage I found on Overstock.  They have really affordable deals for all your travel needs, and if you sign up for their e-newletter, those deals are delivered weekly right to your inbox.  
• A killer playlist is always a must-have before any trip.  I love the new iTunes Genius feature to do the work for me.

Sumer Vacation Social Networking

• If you’re currently planning your next trip, you’ll want to read this article on Top 4 Travel Social Networks to help with recommendations destination research..
• Once you depart for your trip, or upon your return, be sure to leverage your existing online identities to share your experience (Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, foursquare).
• According to Travelocity’s recent poll, more than half of travelers share vacation information via Social Media. Be sure to check out their tips for safe travel sharing.

Best Travel Sites

• Some of my favorite travel sites filling up my RSS feed include Gadling, Travel & Leisure, Jet Set Girls (they let me guest post) and Glam Globetrotter.
• But when looking for a good deal, my go-to sites include Kayak, Vegas.com, TravelZoo and the Twitter feeds for Jet Blue or my favorite hotels.

Bonus Tip: Don’t forget to stay on top of your frequent flier miles or hotel points for free stays/travel, too.

With so much information at your fingertips, it’s hard to imagine how people planned trips before the Internet.  Happy travels!

I just returned from a trip home to Pensacola, Florida for my high school class reunion.  I had planned to write a pithy post about how things had changed since the glory days of 1980.  However, my bad hair photos, ridiculous clothes and adolescent stories were eclipsed by the monumental change to Pensacola in the last 100 days since the Gulf Oil Disaster.  

Although the world’s whitest beaches look clear of oil, it broke my heart to see clean-up vehicles driving on our sugar white sand.  The traffic on the beach was the only hub of activity.  Typically the end of July marks huge crowds of visitors from around the South.  Not only are the beach visitors deterred by the oil in the water, but the economy of the region is devastated leaving potential tourists unable to travel.  It’s hard to imagine when this beautiful beach, fishing and tourist town will recover.

I readily admit that I am extremely fortunate to have grown up on the Florida Panhandle.  I have taken for granted the privilege of sitting on fine white sand and watching birds and fish enjoy the crystal clear, blue-green Gulf of Mexico.  Walking along the beach or swimming out searching for the perfect shell has always been the best way to spend an afternoon at home.  Fresh shrimp, grouper and oysters have always been local and available.  Not anymore.

Pensacola, Florida has had its share of natural disasters including seven major hurricane hits since my years at Woodham High School.  2004’s Hurricane Ivan devastated the area causing over six billion dollars of damage including destruction to over 37,000 homes.  My family, friends and neighbors in Pensacola are incredibly resilient.  I truly hope that the government and industry will step-up efforts to help the people of the Florida Panhandle recover from this manmade tragedy.

I look forward to seeing restored beauty and the financial recovery of the Florida Gulf Coast by the next 1980 Woodham High School class reunion!

Recently, COVERGIRL hosted an event with our makeup artist Molly R. Stern and key LA-based beauty bloggers that gave a behind-the-scenes look at how red carpet looks are created. Actress Rashida Jones partnered with COVERGIRL to be our celebrity “live demo” and worked with Molly to create the perfect red carpet beauty look in front of the 13 bloggers in attendance before Rashida left for her MTV Movie Awards parties later that evening. It was truly a great example of bringing online influencers together for an in-person experience.

I really enjoyed executing and being part of this new and unique event dynamic showcasing step-by-step makeup application with a celebrity in front of a live audience. One of the things I love about working with COVERGIRL is that we engage with makeup artists constantly and are able to elevate our brand through red carpet “get the looks,” artist relations and celebrity seeding. This event allowed us to take our red carpet pitches truly to the next level by engaging bloggers with customized and authentic content in an in-person setting, the media in attendance raved about it as well!

Rashida proved to be the perfect celebrity to anchor our event. Her chemistry with Molly was only made better by the fact that she was already a fan of so many COVERGIRL products, especially the Outlast Lipstain. It was great to hear her speak with Molly and the bloggers candidly and organically about her beauty routine, she was such a delight to work with. As you can see, Molly chose to create a colorful smoky eye utilizing COVERGIRL LiquiLineBlast, Smoky ShadowBlast and LashBlast Fusion for Rashida, she looked gorgeous and definitely red carpet ready!