Category: Featured

TCC hosts awareness campaign focused on the First Amendment

Tower Creative Communications recently hosted a campus-wide, week-long campaign to spread awareness to Belmont University’s students and faculty. The campaign was focused on our First Constitutional Amendment. The five freedoms that our First Amendment right protects include speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. In partnership with MTSU’s Free Speech Center, Tower Creative Communications created a campaign through the 1 For All grant program that included all of these freedoms but focused heavily on individuals’ freedom of speech. Many different events were brought to life over the week, including a scavenger hunt that was located in the Lila D. Bunch Library. The idea behind the scavenger hunt was to show students the freedoms of the First Amendment being enacted on Belmont’s campus and educate each person on how to use these freedoms to better their communities. 

In addition to the scavenger hunt, there were other festivities that students could interact with throughout the week. A table run by students for students ran for two days on the second floor of the Janet Ayers Academic Center. The idea behind this table was to have a couple of different activities for the students to choose from. There was a “fishbowl” where students could read from a list of prompts and jot down a secret on a post-it note to throw into the bowl. A couple of the secrets would later be posted to the infamous Twitter account titled “Belmont Confessions.” If students did not feel comfortable sharing a secret, they also had the option to write how they felt about freedom of speech and how often they used it in their daily lives. They could post this sticky note to a board that was filled with other notes posted by students. Before leaving the table, students were encouraged to grab an informative brochure. 

The purpose of this campaign was to spread awareness of the First Constitutional Amendment. Confidently, Tower Creative Communications executed this campaign successfully. Students were drawn into the table for the free cookie but left the table with more knowledge of the First Amendment and an understanding of how often it is used in their everyday lives. Both the students and faculty interacted with the campaign and the results of the sticky notes showed the community how important the First Amendment really is. Without it, individuals have no voice. TCC extends a special thanks to everyone who participated and helped put on this eventful campaign. 

 

by Megan McCormac

Megan McCormac is a student at Belmont University studying Social Media Management. She is currently an associate in Tower Creative Communications. 

 

Can you really reach everyone? How to target diverse audiences

The past couple of years have been filled with some of the strongest social justice movements of our lifetimes – especially if you’re a Gen-Zer like me. If there’s one thing our generation wants to be known for (besides mental health awareness!), it’s inclusivity. How does this affect you and your brand? You have the power to make people feel heard, seen, and included.

inclusivity (n): the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized

Oxford Dictionary

There is no tried and true method for targeting diverse and niche audiences. It will depend on your brand, your products, your voice, your current audience, and so much more. However, there are some general tips and tricks that can help you develop an inclusive marketing strategy. We’ll go over those first, then talk about a couple of examples of brands that have had successful inclusive social media campaigns.

1. Acknowledge where you are.

Before you can go anywhere, you have to know where you’re starting. Have you been implementing diversity into your brand since day one? Or is your Instagram page filled with post after post of the same demographic? No matter where you are now, the important thing is that you’re choosing to take a step toward being a more inclusive brand. By acknowledging where you’re starting, you’ll be able to effectively decide what this first step might look like for you.

2. Check in on your current – and potential – audience.

Catering your brand to more diverse audiences doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be catering to every single audience. For example, if your brand focuses on products for young professionals, you probably don’t need to worry about including older generations in your marketing. However, if your company creates watches but you only ever show those watches on middle-aged white men, you might want to rethink your strategy.

“If your customers are different than you and they feel unrecognized, you will begin to lose them.”

Michael P. Krone, “Diversity Marketing & Cultural Awareness”

Be sure to keep in mind where your audience has the potential for growth within different demographic categories. Just because your current audience is filled with people who all share similar characteristics doesn’t mean that’s how it should be. Here are some of the main demographics to be thinking about:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Income level
  • Ethnicity
  • Geographic location
  • Sexuality
  • Physical abilities
  • Mental abilities

3. Develop strategies to include those in your current or potential audience who are not represented your brand.

This is where it gets tricky. Inclusivity is not as simple as posting a picture on Instagram with a non-white person and calling it a day. Your audience members want to see themselves in your brand, and that might take time. A true sense of inclusivity is created by repeated inclusive actions.

Let’s take a look at a couple of brands that have created extremely effective marketing campaigns, designed to target niche audience groups. First, Google Pixel. Their 2018 ad titled “The Picture Perfect Life” starts out like any other new phone commercial, showcasing the Pixel’s camera with happy people in happy photos. The audience quickly learns there’s more to the story than what they can see in the photo. I won’t give away the whole video, but I’d strongly recommend watching it. The video has been viewed over 18 million times – a clear success in creating a campaign to target those who struggle with mental health problems.

Another example is JINsoon, a popular nail polish brand. When you scroll through their Instagram, you can clearly see they are targeting a diverse audience. JINsoon is one of the only mainstream polish brands to feature men on their social media accounts – a huge step in making all members of their audience, current or potential, feel included.

So what are some ways you can start to target a more diverse audience? Where are you lacking now, and what can you build upon? Remember, you’re not just doing this to increase your customer base or build a good reputation – you’re doing this to make every person feel like they have a place in your world.

 

by Alli Prestby

*This post was originally posted to Alli’s personal blog which can be found here

Political Science Major with a Passion For Social Media

I’ve been interested in social media for as long as I can remember it existing. I was right on the edge of the first group of “YouTube Kids,” the group of people that helped skyrocket people like Bethany Mota and Shane Dawson to internet fame. This was really the first introduction of influencers, and instantly I was hooked. I remember the day I got Instagram and Twitter, and Facebook (in that order). A product of my generation, I watched influencer and digital marketing grow into what they are now firsthand.

As a political science major, I began to seek ways to connect my personal passion for politics and my interest in social media. This led me to a Nashville-based political consulting firm for 18 months during my sophomore and junior years of college. I learned a ton in that job and added social media management as a minor at Belmont University. I’ve pivoted away from the political sphere in recent months and am now trying my hand in the world of Digital Marketing for the music industry. I love the creativity and drive behind the entertainment industry and combining that with my knowledge and passion for helping people share their message through social media has been a dream.

A few months ago, my dad sent me an article titled “Social-Media Manager, the Most Millennial Job, Comes of Age,” it spurred a conversation that I will probably graduate and get a job that didn’t exist when I was born. This is one of the things that has always fascinated me about social media, something that is now considered an integral part of the marketing and PR strategy for every major brand that wasn’t even on their radar 20 years ago. We’ve gone from having to beg companies to open social media accounts to teams dedicated to staying on top of the latest trends for a chance to go viral. This is a fast-paced and ever-changing career and industry, and I can’t wait to see how it teaches and shapes me over my career.

As far as my aspirations, I have one: helping people share their messages through digital platforms. At my core, I am a people person. After 21 years of being a people person, I’ve learned that everyone has a story and a message they want to share with the world, and there are many, many people who aren’t comfortable or knowledgeable enough to do that. Social media breaks down all of those traditional barriers; anyone can have a platform and share a message. I hope that with my career in digital and whatever may come after, I can use my understanding of these platforms to help people share their message with the world. That is what fills me up. That is why I’m excited about the future of digital.

 

by Maddie Sebestyen

*This post was originally posted to Maddie’s personal blog which can be found here

Where It All Began

At age 16 it hit me…public relations and social media were what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Fast forward to today, and in 39 days I will be graduating. The reality of that is hitting me and honestly, it’s a little nerve-wracking and freaking me out!

My introduction to public relations and social media as a career is a little different though. Like I said, I knew I wanted to do public relations when I was 16 and that is all due to one crazy night.

I had the amazing opportunity to sit on country singer Craig Campbell’s tour bus and meet the record publicist for my local area, Hilary Hoover. The three of us chatted for half an hour about anything and everything. After leaving that amazing experience, I knew public relations was my calling. Not only was Hilary able to work in country music but was also able to travel, two of my passions.

Soon after, I learned about Belmont University and how they have a well-known music business program. This program would give me the tools and experiences I needed to fulfill my dreams. So, in 2016, I toured Belmont and it felt like home.

Since being at Belmont, I have had so many amazing opportunities to help me grow in the public relations and social media industries.

Right before COVID-19 hit, I was able to intern at the all-female public relations firm Elicity PR. While being there I learned how to write a better press release, the importance of branding, and how starting a brand from the ground up will have its ups and down’s but the results of hard work will pay off and the rewards will be worth the struggles.

Then last year I interned at CreatiVets. A non-profit which helps veterans heal through music and the arts. The Nashville location helps pair veterans with songwriters who then help put their stories into songs and help with healing. The process and amazing work that goes into this non-profit is so humbling and moving. While interning at CreatiVets, I worked on the TikTok, Instagram and Twitter accounts, and even wrote press releases about the veteran’s songs that were being released. I was also able to reach out to news outlets and other networks to see if they would publish the press release. This internship was not only a great learning experience, but I also had so much fun while doing so.

As graduation is right around the corner, I know I want to still do public relations and social media for musicians. Whether that is in a large record label or a small PR firm, I know that both experiences will allow me to grow as a publicist and gain many experiences that allow me to become better in the public relations and social media world. Life works in crazy ways, and I am so glad I was able to sit on that tour bus with Mr. Campbell and Ms. Hoover 5 years ago.

 

by Shaina Paris

Student Feature: Morgan Wood

Our students are one piece of what makes PR at Belmont special. Throughout the semester, we will be featuring our students as they share “Why PR?” and more.

Name: Morgan Wood

Major & Minor: Public Relations/Social Media Management

Why PR? I enjoy helping other people reach their goals and potential.

Favorite memory or favorite thing about PR at Belmont?  

I loved my time in TCC sophomore year because I was able to contribute to community culture.

Career aspirations or goals

I love planning events and hope to work in the event industry after graduation.

Hobbies, fun facts, or anything else that would be cool to know about you!

I am also pursuing personal training as a side hustle/passion.

Belmont PRSSA Receives Seven National Awards

by Dr. Bonnie Riechert

The Belmont University Chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America and its members received eight national awards at the society’s 2021 International Conference.

Belmont PRSSA received the national Dr. F. H. Teahan Outstanding University Service Award, recognizing its members’ service including work in Bruin Recruiters, Belmont Ambassadors, Towering Traditions leaders, the Belmont-hosted Presidential Debate, Lambda Pi Eta communication honor society and BOLD.

Senior Abigail Roering was one of only two students in the nation to receive a 2021 PRSSA National President’s Citation in recognition of her leadership in Tower Creative Communications (Belmont’s student-run firm), including WELL-Core programming and partnership with faculty and students at Tennessee State University.

One Belmont senior and four recent graduates received the PRSSA National Gold Key Award, recognizing chapter leadership, high academic performance, internship excellence and professional promise. Honored were Olivia Blumb, who graduates in December, and recent graduates Katie McAdams, Emily Stembridge, Aliah Tayyun and Lucy Walsh.

Belmont PRSSA also received a 2021 STAR Chapter Award for meeting 11 criteria of excellence including ethics advocacy, community service and professional engagement by its members. Belmont PRSSA is one of only two chapters to receive this honor each year since the award was established in 2009.

PRSSA is a pre-professional society sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America. Belmont PRSSA was chartered in 2005.

My Journey to Public Relations

by Brooke Elliott

Going into my freshman year of college at the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK), I had zero inclination towards what I wanted to do with my life. I was in the top 11% of my class in high school, participated in varsity track and cross country for all four years, and worked at Panera along with babysitting several weekdays. I had my life “figured out” in all areas except college. I enjoyed all subjects in high school but there were none that stuck out to me as one that could be the gateway to my future. As orientation for UTK approached, I had to declare a major. I decided on business, but after attending an information session on the College of Business, I quickly realized that was not my forte. I did a complete 180 and declared my major as kinesiology. 

After my freshman year, and receiving a B in Chemistry 100, I knew I did not want to pursue anything in the field of science. In Summer 2019, I started an Instagram account called “Skincareglowblog.” For years, I had been passionate about skincare, makeup and beauty in general, so I decided to create an account to showcase my favorite products and provide tips and tricks to my followers. I did not anticipate anything to come out of this account, but after posting consistently for a few months, several brands reached out to me about collaboration opportunities. At the time, I did not know that there was a whole field of work dedicated to forming relationships and reaching out to influencers. However, one day my good friend, Kate, was telling me how she loved her major, public relations. She told me about the general premise of public relations, and I was hooked! It seemed right up my alley and something that I could foresee myself doing in the future.

Fast forward to today, I now have an internship at Judith Bright, a custom jewelry designer,  as their Social Media Manager Intern. It is such a joy working there and learning more about what it takes to market a brand on social media. I have completed nearly all of the requirements for a degree in public relations, and I have loved every class I have taken in the PR department. Each professor genuinely cares about your success and education, and they are constantly checking in with new job or internship opportunities. I believe that public relations is the perfect fit for me, and I want to encourage others who may be uncertain about their major to take a step back and reflect on what they are truly passionate about. For me, skincare and beauty is and has been my passion for years. It has been such an amazing experience figuring out how to intertwine my passion with a major that I could use to fulfill it. 

Here are 4 key tips to help determine what major will be best for you:

  1. Write down 5-10 ideas or activities you are passionate about. Go through the list and add possible careers that could correlate with each passion. Find the correlating major for each career. 
  2. Make a pro and con list for each possible major. This is a great way to visualize what aspects would make you happy or not in the future. Determine which cons you could tolerate and which pros outweigh the others.
  3. Talk to professors that teach courses in the major you are interested in. They can give you a deeper insight into how a particular major could play out in the future. 
  4. If you are in between 2-3 majors, take elective courses in each of the majors. This will give you a better understanding of the expectations of each major.

Student Feature: Emma dela Pena

Our students are one piece of what makes PR at Belmont special. Throughout the semester, we will be featuring our students as they share “Why PR?” and more.

Name: Emma dela Pena

Major & Minor: Public Relations Major, Dance and Corporate Communications Minor

Why PR?

I chose PR because of a BuzzFeed quiz when I was trying to figure out what to major in, but it quickly turned into a passion of mine. I love hospitality PR and getting to work with people who love to present people with an experience through food, events, travel, etc. I enjoy writing for social media, media outlets, and organizations. I also love collaborating with clients and people to help tell a story.

Favorite memory or favorite thing about PR at Belmont?      

PR Writing II’s debate project with Leah Kuhn and Carrie Neville was one of my most favorite classes! I loved working with a group that was so collaborative and on top of the game. It was also so unique and such a cool experience to create pieces alongside such a monumental event at Belmont.

Career aspirations or goals

I hope to work in the hospitality PR industry or for a fashion magazine in New York City. I love events and hope to incorporate both my passion for writing and experiences into my future career goals.

Hobbies, fun facts, or anything else that would be cool to know about you!

I’ve danced since I was 5 years old and am a Dance minor at Belmont. I’m currently doing Belmont East in NYC and interning at Bullfrog + Baum. I’ve interned at Belmont’s Office of Communications and MP&F Strategic Communications in Nashville.

Seek truth, speak with honesty, says Miles

by: Kaitlyn Mashburn and Dr. Bonnie Riechert

Keith Miles discusses information, misinformation and disinformation, urging news consumers to be skeptical and urging communicators to be truthful and transparent.

People are bombarded every day with information, misinformation and disinformation, so we must be skeptical news consumers and earn trust as communicators, Nashville business leader Keith Miles told Belmont students at a recent Intellectual Well-being WELL-Core event.

“We’ve always had to be careful consumers of information,” said Miles. “Today, even more so.”

A partner at MP&F Strategic Communications, he discussed “Information/Misinformation & Intellectual Health: The Role of Ethical Strategic Communication.”

Miles defined information as the data, facts, knowledge and directions that are relevant to us in making decisions every day. Misinformation is “information that’s wrong inadvertently.” Disinformation is not only incorrect, but includes “the intent to deceive,” he said.

Psychologist Steven Stosny coined the term “headline stress disorder” to describe the negative effect of misinformation and disinformation to intellectual health. A 2019 study by the Pew Research Center showed 66% of American are “worn out by the news.”

Relating to intellectual health, Miles said that receiving misinformation can cause stress, anxiety, negative thoughts and can even negatively affect memory. Dealing with these issues can be taxing on personal mental health, which is why having accurate information is important.

News consumers can always investigate the truthfulness of reports, he said. “It’s up to you to make sure it’s correct.”

Communicators can be guided by the Public Relations Society of America Code of Ethics, Miles suggested. Principles such as the free flow of information, disclosure of information and enhancing the profession depend on the values such as honesty and transparency. “If you take a hit to your credibility, it just takes a second, and to rebuilding it would take forever.”

Miles summed this up by saying that we have a responsibility to be open, honest and transparent and do personal research to find the most accurate information. “Work harder, be more skeptical and remember there is hope — ‘truth will out,’” he said, quoting from Shakespeare’s “Merchant in Venice.”

Miles joined MP&F in 1995 after careers in journalism and politics, becoming a partner in the firm in 1998. He is the professional adviser to the Belmont University Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. He was named the Teahan Outstanding Professional; Adviser in 2016 and 2019 by the national organization. He was honored by the Public Relations Society of America Nashville Chapter with the 2019 Hercules Award for his contributions to the community and the profession.

His presentation was co-hosted by Belmont PRSSA and the Department of Public Relations. Belmont PRSSA is one of more than 350 chapters in the national organization and is open to students interested in public relations. The chapter has received national awards in ethics advocacy, chapter development, Outstanding PRSA/PRSSA Relationship and community service.

Professor Profile: Trenay Perry Bynum

by Trenay Perry Bynum

In case you haven’t already had the chance to meet her, we want to introduce you to PR @ Belmont’s newest faculty member, Trenay Perry Bynum. Professor Bynum is teaching two sections of First Year Seminar and two sections of Public Relations Principles during the Fall 2021 semester.

Education

Liberty University, Ph.D., Strategic Media – expected completion, 2023

Cumberland University, MSP, Public Service Management

Tennessee State University, BS, Mass Communications

Why PR?
During my junior year at Tennessee State University, I took a public relations course and enjoyed the variety of ways it could be applied to strategic communications. I purchased a textbook and spent the summer before my senior year studying. For my senior project, I pitched a public relations campaign to the honor society’s professor to increase awareness of the honor society and its end-of-the-year event. Surprisingly, the 13-year-old who sang Whitney Houston’s Greatest Love of All grew up to become Monica, a well-known R&B performer. When interviewing for jobs after college, I used the campaign as a writing sample, which helped me land my first writing job at Meharry Medical College. I landed a PR manager position with the Nashville Symphony 10 years later. Though my 30-year career in strategic communications has included various tactics, including event planning, marketing, collateral development, and social media, public relations has remained a favorite due to its connection to media relations.

What brought you to Belmont?
Belmont University is incredible! However, I was unaware of this until I became more exposed to its mission during my orientation. I enrolled in a doctoral program in strategic media in 2020 with the goal of teaching at a university as my encore career. Naturally, I thought my desire to teach would lead me back to my alma mater. Dr. Kevin Trowbridge, on the other hand, saw my pure enthusiasm for entering this field and opened the door. During my interview with him, I witnessed his passion for Belmont and his profession, which convinced me that this would be the right fit for me.

Something you want students to know:
Public relations techniques can be applied to personal/student branding (what I call Real Life Branding), as it is never too early to position oneself for their dream job. Stop scrolling and start creating on your favorite social media channel!

Personal Life:

I’m from Los Angeles and married to Quinton, who is from Memphis. Our daughter attends Hume Fogg, Nashville’s first public school founded in 1912. We live with two fur babies – Wyatt the Bulldog and Oliver the cat.

Follow Professor Bynum on social media!

Twitter: @tlpbynum

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trenaybynum/

Occasional Blog: https://trenaybynum.medium.com/