What do the Harry Potter series, The Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games, and Silence of the Lambs all have in common? They were all successful novels before they were massive box office successes. In just 2014 alone 14 books were adapted to the big screen, ranging from classic novels such as Lois Lowery’s The Giver to new releases as illustrated by The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. On March 21, 2014 Divergent, the first novel in the young adult trilogy by Veronica Roth, took the number one spot in the box office on its premiere weekend earning $56 million. The book was published in April of 2011 and two years later Summit Entertainment purchased media rights to the book before the final book in the trilogy, Allegiant was even published. Why is making a film adaptation of a book so brilliant, you may ask; well, the answer to that lies within the fans. The majority of these new films are adapted from young adult thrillers, such as the Hunger Games and Divergent trilogies. There was already a prominent fan base there. So how does the PR team reach out to those young and dedicated fans? By utilizing teen and young adult methods such as social media. The Divergent movie’s Twitter page has 208 thousand followers. The page encouraged interaction between fans by asking fans to tweet a review of the film using the hashtag #DivergentReview. The film also used stores frequented by youth, such as Hot Topic to sell merchandise and paraphernalia. The items being sold ranged from various t-shirts to coffee mugs and even iPhone cases. By selling the products at Hot Topic a certain audience was targeted and reached: young adults and teenagers. What else do all of these book-to-movie successes have in common? Beautiful people in them, of course! Even though in the many of the aforementioned books the main characters are described as “average,” “large nosed” and “plain,” all of the actors casted are generally attractive. Movies with a predominately female audience are guaranteed to cast sought-after young men for male roles in order to boost word-of-mouth advertising and viewings. Post-filming, the cover of the books are changed to match the movie cover, selling books with the familiar faces of famous movie stars. Edited by Melanie Ford, Webmaster and Editor-in-Chief 2013-2014
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It seems as though everything is going global, from fast food chains to music to television shows. The public relations industry is no exception. In an increasingly interconnected generation, the field is spreading worldwide. Global public relations, also called international public relations, is gaining popularity as a career path. So, as a college student studying PR, what should you know about this industry trend? What is Global PR? First, it’s important to know what exactly global public relations is. Here are a few different definitions from PR professionals, given in Platform Magazine:
Why should you be interested? As you attempt to enter the public relations field, it’s important to be up-to-date on industry trends. Applying for your first job with some knowledge of global PR shows that you’re knowledgeable about how the field is growing internationally. Although the U.S. dominates the PR industry, agencies have arisen around the globe, especially in Europe and Asia. Large PR agencies such as Edelman, Hill & Knowlton and Fleishman Hillard have offices not just in the U.S., but also worldwide. Edelman, for example, reported that 64 percent of it’s $450 million revenue in 2008 was made internationally. It’s likely that the industry will continue to spread in the coming years. What can you do now? Think global PR sounds like something you’d be interested in? Here are five things you can do while you’re still in college to make your resume more competitive: 1. Travel: Studying abroad is a perfect way to broaden your horizons and experience new cultures. Or, if you’re taking a vacation abroad with friends or family, take the opportunity to tie PR experiences into your trip – take pictures of new places you see and keep a traveler’s blog. 2. Learn about other cultures: There are countless opportunities to increase your cultural understanding right at your school. Ask your friends from various backgrounds about their customs, check out an international street fair, or take elective classes in international relations or global marketing. 3. Learn another language: Knowing a second language is a highly marketable skill that makes you a valuable asset to many companies. Sign up for a few language classes, or use online services to brush up on a language you studied in high school. 4. Practice your PR skills: Remember, successful global PR practices are fundamentally the same as any other PR practices. Work on skills like press releases, media kits, campaign planning and media pitches in your public relations classes as well as in student organizations or internships. 5. Network: Network as much as possible! In a field that’s so focused on relationship-building, creating and maintaining professional relationships can be the best way to get your foot in the door for your dream job. Edited by Melanie Ford, Webmaster and Editor-in-Chief 2013-2014 |
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