Although graduating with an undergraduate degree is a big step in a person’s life, students often need more applied experience or some extra “pizzazz” to truly make them stand-out candidates. Many students overlook the importance of getting their name out to industry professionals.
One of the main ways to do this is through networking. This can be face-to face through agency tours, company happy hours, or Handshake. Networking provides a great way for students to get connected to professionals quickly and easily, while showing these staff members that you are interested in learning about their roles. In person meetings, such as agency tours and happy hours, are often publicized by collegiate chapters of professional organizations like the American Advertising Federation.
Another effective networking hack is through online platforms like LinkedIn. Although it might seem scary at first, students are able to match with professionals and request informational interviews about how professionals gained their experience. This is what LinkedIn was made for, so even if it seems daunting, a student could be one connection away from an opportunity that might change their life.
Internships are also wonderful ways students can get their name into more professional settings. These long-term opportunities allow students to gain insight into not only what it is like to actually work in an agency but also to make connections with bosses and co-workers. Internships can often be found through online job sites; however, a great resource that all students have are their professors. These professors worked in the industry and often have connections, so they can help students with their search.
If a student is able to form a good rapport with their boss and/or coworkers, the student will be able to use them as references later. Along with this, having a certain company name, like GSD&M or RPA on a resume can open many doors.
Lastly, one of the many ways that students can get their names out into the professional world is by joining mentorship programs. Mentorship programs are often offered through professional organizations, such as Ad 2 Austin, an affiliate of the American Advertising Federation.
According to the Ad 2 Austin website, the mentee is expected “to form relationships and connect with industry professionals in the Austin area while becoming a part of the advertising community.”
Overall, students need to recognize that connections in the strategic communications industry are important – perhaps even more important than in other industries. An undergraduate degree might be necessary; however, it is expected of up-and-coming professionals to already have one. The degree is not the be-all-end-all, but rather how you use the degree to form connections is what really counts.
When Thou Wakest
Adapted by faculty member Nicholas Lawson. When Thou Wakest is a once-in-a-lifetime mash-up of four readily read Shakespearian plays. The play focuses on the universal themes and relationships in Shakespeare’s time and ours. Lawson has woven an innovative narrative using text and storylines from Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, and Romeo & Juliet. When Thou Wakest is the perfect caricature of reality, offering the audience a theatrical reflection of their own lives.
Small Mouth Sounds
Directed by Kathleen McDowell. In the overwhelming quiet of the woods, six runaways from city life embark on a silent retreat. As these strangers confront internal demons both profound and absurd, their vows of silence collide with the achingly human need to connect.
Performance:
]]>Bobcat Promotions members recently participated in the first of four scheduled Bobcat Days, a program that was a huge success.
Madison Walker, Megan Kim and Maddy Ramon, leaders in the student-run media strategies firm, participated in the academic fair to share knowledge about the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) and the overall Texas State experience with prospective Bobcats and their families.
Walker, an advertising senior and executive director for Bobcat Promotions recalled her personal experiences at Texas State and shared how her experience here has prepared for her future.
“I got to tell them about the classes that I took, the professors that I love, and all the student organization experience I’ve gotten that’s helped me in my pursuit of internships and graduation,” Walker said.
Kim, a public relations junior and director of internal communications for Bobcat Promotions, said more than 300 people were excited to be a part of Bobcat Days.
“I think it was able to give them a lot of clarity on what kind of programs we offer and the kind of opportunities Texas State could have for them,” Kim said.
Ramon, a public relations sophomore and deputy director of web design for Bobcat Promotions, echoed Kim’s sentiments and was able to connect with potential students visiting Texas State for the first time. She shared her memory of attending Bobcat Days as a graduating high school senior and also shared a bit of her experience with changing majors in response to questions from attendees.
“I was able to share my experience . . . and talk about how I was a mass communications major first, then I switched to public relations,” Ramon said. “I talked about how they’re both in the school (SJMC) and how it was an easy switch because we all start with the same general classes.”
Ramon was able to give both potential students and their families a sense of ease knowing that they would be able to explore Texas State and find the right choice of major.
Walker, Kim, and Ramon agree that Bobcat Days is an excellent way to get a feel for Texas State by conversing with current students and hearing about their experiences.
“I did not tour any of the colleges or universities that I have attended before and I can tell you that getting a feel of the campus and the culture is invaluable,” Walker said. “I feel like Bobcat Days is just a great opportunity to get a feel of what you’re going to experience. I wish I would have done it.”
Ramon added that she highly recommends attending Bobcat Days when considering whether to attend Texas State. “Attending a Bobcat Day really solidified my decision to attend Texas State because I saw all of the programs that there was to offer,” Ramon said.
For more information, please visit https://www.admissions.txst.edu/visit/events/bobcat-day.html.
]]>In the ever-changing social media landscape, quality content is everything. However, where and how that content reaches its intended viewer is equally important. Online videos are watched by 78 percent of people every week; 55% every day, according to HighQ. What platforms people use to watch these videos is just as important as watching the video itself, especially in the ever-changing and competitive world of ad revenue. To look at the impact and reach of monetized video content, we look at two big social media giants — YouTube and Facebook.
For the past 20 years, the social media giant owned by Google, used to be the #1 digital home for video, amassing more than 1 billion users and expanding groups of creators with a large following at its peak. The company was on upswing with great pay incentives and collaborative opportunities for its creators. However, this situation changed quickly.
In 2014, Facebook expanded its reach and allowed users to share content like never before. How did they do it? Through video uploading. Users started to upload videos directly to Facebook from your phone, instead of driving users to YouTube to watch their favorite home clips. What followed within Facebooks’ billions of users was Facebook Watch.
Facebook Watch is not a cable replacement service. It does not include live television and is geared toward the ever-growing field of user-generated content. The service includes a mixture of professionally-produced content that Facebook pays to have produced and user-produced content. This strongly resembles YouTube Premium, which includes regular user-produced content and exclusive content. The only difference, however, is that Facebook Watch is free.
Now that you know a bit of the history behind this Facebook and YouTube rivalry, which one produces the better reach for your content? The answer isn’t so black and white. It all depends on your audience. If you are looking for an audience suited for longer videos, you may want to go to or stick with YouTube. Data supports that the average attention span on YouTube is three minutes. If you’re looking to target a specific audience with your video, Facebook gives almost instant access. For global reach, again, YouTube is your winner. For a more interactive environment in terms of shares and comments, choose Facebook.
In the final analysis, users must consider their audience and how best to reach that audience. Both platforms deliver. Of course, if you want it all, tailor the content accordingly and use both.
Tyler Lees is a rising senior public relations senior at Texas State University.
]]>Adobe’s InDesign and Canva are both amazing graphic design softwares that designers use to create beautiful, modern and professional visual projects. While both offer a great variety of products — posters, books and book covers, magazines, newsletters, menus and more — they also differ in many specific ways.
Adobe’s InDesign is specifically created for experienced graphic designers who are accustomed to sitting in front of a blank canvas organize content in a way that attracts viewers or readers. It is equipped with a toolbox that allows the designer to take a concept from nothing to something visually enticing and readable. It allows creators to design, produce, publish and print their digital media work. Their software is downloaded on a computer, allowing Adobe’s designs to have better and much higher resolution than its competitors.
InDesign is a tad more complicated and challenging to learn to work with. First, users must have an understanding of design rules based on a knowledge of visual communication and aesthetics — with imagery and typography — that involves how best to organize information that will capture and retain the attention of the reader. Technically, InDesign’s toolbox allows users to work from a blank canvas, to create work that’s as endless as one’s imagination.
In order to be able to use their services the InDesign customer has to subscribe to a monthly single plan for $20.99. Alternately, the user may elect subscribing to InDesign’s premium service and obtain their full bundle with Adobe Creative cloud for $52.99 a month.
In comparison, Canva leans toward newcomers of graphic design and a younger audience. Rather than their software being downloaded onto your computer, Canva is edited through the web or through its app. Canva understands that as a new graphic designer, it can be overwhelming to create something from scratch, so Canva has made their program easier to use and learn. The program offers templates that can be fully edited to the designer’s preference for a more personalized work to help facilitate new user experiences. If desired, a user can also start from scratch with just a blank page.
A big plus for Canva is that its basic services are free of charge. Designers need to create an account, the free version provides free fonts, images, templates, symbols and more. To upgrade to their Pro version, the cost is only $12.99, and CanvaPro offers twice the amount of design tools to work with.
However, if you are planning to pursue the professional graphic designer path, you should still go with Adobe InDesign. It is versatile and offers an extremely large font library. It’s an industry tool that will help you stand out in the designing field.
Hebe Barrientos, a public relations senior, served as Executive Director of Bobcat Promotions during the Spring of 2022.
Do you ever find yourself mindlessly browsing through TikTok for hours on end when you know you should be doing something productive with your time?
Well, you aren’t the only one. Tiktok has taken social media to a whole new level with its endless stream of content and a lot of people are finding it hard to stay off the app. This TikTok addiction can be harmful to your productivity and become a crutch for dealing with things in your own life. So how do you stop the addiction from becoming a problem?
TikTok doesn’t have to consume your life, leaving you wondering what else you could be doing with your time.
What makes TikTok so addicting in the first place? After the app was launched in late 2016, it became the fastest-growing social media app in the world with more active users than Twitter and Snapchat.
As soon as you visit the platform, you are bombarded with 15-second videos created primarily by young users. The platform content is immediately stimulating. But what constitutes an addiction? Well according to the article, “How TikTok Is Addictive” the inability to stop using, adverse health impacts, compulsive behavior, and usage to cope with external issues are all common indications of addiction.
TikTok as a platform satisfies some of the criteria for addiction. The brief, often fun videos supply us with essential information that elicits a dopamine reaction. This process is reinforced on a regular basis by providing us with more correctly recommended videos.
This leads to compulsively scrolling through the app which, in turn, creates an algorithm that is specific to your interest and inhibits a user’s productivity. The endless stream of content can become a coping mechanism and an easy distraction from dealing with things in your own life.
Not unlike other forms of addiction, the TikTok addiction may be difficult to overcome, but there are some basic steps you can take that will save you a lot of time on the app, time that you can use to be productive on your own.
The first and most important tip is to limit the amount of time you spend on social media a day. In your iPhone settings, there is a feature under “screen time” where you can set a limit on how long you can be on certain social media apps (Avison and Mercado, 2022). Make sure to turn this feature on so you know when you’ve reached your limit for the day.
After speaking with my roommate, Sloan Payton, a recovering, self-proclaimed TikTok addict, she told me that this feature is what helped her stay off the app. “It was hard at first, but it really helped me keep track of my time on social media and hold myself accountable,” she said.
The next thing you should do is turn off all notifications for the app. Social media alerts serve as a continual reminder that something else, probably more important, is going on in the online world, and you may feel as if you’re missing out. When you stop allowing notifications to disrupt your typical routine, you may find it easier to focus on your daily tasks and not become sidetracked as readily.
The last thing you should try is to find a new hobby outside of TikTok. This new hobby could be reading, cooking, or even knitting as long as it allows you to spend time productively offline and get your mind off of TikTok.
Although it can be easy to get sucked into the TikTok addiction that has taken the world by storm, there are actions you can take to prevent yourself from the unhealthy habit. Taking the time to simply turn off notifications or set limits on your screen time can vastly improve your productivity while decreasing your reliance on the app.
What makes TikTok so addictive is the never-ending stream of content that is catered to your interests, but by finding alternatives such as a hobby or managing your screen time you can kick this addiction to the curb.
Sources:
- “How TikTok Is Addictive.” Medium, DataSeries, 13 Sept. 2020,
https://medium.com/dataseries/how-tiktok-is-addictive-1e53dec10867.
- Avison, Phoebe, and Mia Mercado. “7 Easy Ways to Detach Yourself from Social Media.”
- Bustle, Bustle, 7 Jan. 2022,
https://www.bustle.com/life/144893-7-ways-to-stop-your-social-media-addiction.
Lauren Chesser, a senior advertising major, was deputy executive director of Bobcat Promotions during the spring of 2022.
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Why Social Media is Good for Business
Olivia Weber – July 13, 2019
In the last decade, social media has become integrated in people’s everyday lives, perhaps too integrated. In 2018, adults spent an average of 136 minutes on social media every day, according to Statista. Millennials spend much more time communicating through various social platforms.
Whether it used for frivolous chatter, entertainment or news consumption, social media is growing and evolving. Such platforms as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn have allowed businesses to reach a broader and more diverse group of people. All of these users are consumers. They look for places to spend money, so any seller of goods and services who want to reach a vast marketplace find it essential to be in the media game.
Research shows that 91 percent of United States businesses use some social media platform for marketing purposes. Although social media was originally intended for building communities, mostly for entertainment and fun, many businesses have realized the influence and benefits that come from it.
Social media allows instant feedback and reaction, which can help business owners gauge how they should operate. Before social media, people lacked instant, interactive and anywhere access with a customer or prospect. Now they have the power to reach thousands within seconds with just the tap of their fingers. Within a decade, social media has taken over and has expanded its original intention. For some businesses, transactions can take place online even when retailers have closed for the day.
While social media may seem like a nuisance to manage, it definitely has its benefits, especially if the person managing the platform keeps the content interesting and engaging. Business owners who don’t think social media is useful or they haven’t yet appreciated its value should consider the following:
- Customer Loyalty
There’s no doubt that social media can help get the word out. Businesses can build connections with their customers and provide immediate, personal feedback, which is a good way to build customer loyalty. In turn, customer loyalty boosts company reputation.
- It is Popular
Social media is everywhere. It is hard to enter a room or a restaurant and not see someone using some sort of social media platform. People are consumed by their phones — it can be a bad thing, too — but they’re even more consumed by the apps that are on the smartphone. A total of 69 percent of U.S. adults have at least one social media site; 88 percent of American 18-to-29-year-olds use social media.
- It is Affordable
Social media is cost effective. Marketing costs can definitely add up and not every company has the privilege or funds to make elaborate campaigns. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are great ways to spread the word and create an image for your company.
- Brand Building
One of the best things about social media is that brands can be created instantly. Social media platforms provide a visual and voice to companies. There is also more flexibility in how a company wants to be perceived. Social media is a great place to experiment and determine what is best for the company. It is the perfect outlet to branch out from the corporate and business side and create a welcoming atmosphere. Advertising can be targeted and is inexpensive.
- Interactivity
With social media, business owners usually get instant feedback. And if the response is unhelpful, the customer can weigh in immediately. If they’re unsatisfied, they can quickly search for a better business. Business owners will establish a positive reputation with strong customer service, and that begins with communication. One caveat worth mentioning here is that while social is quick and efficient it should not be a substitute for good old-fashioned person-to-person communication. So, it is important to build a place where respect, care and understanding are emphasized throughout the whole company.
Recommended Links:
- https://marketinginsidergroup.com/content-marketing/why-social-media-is-important-for-business-marketing/
- https://blogs.constantcontact.com/why-social-media-marketing/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/203513/usage-trands-of-social-media-platforms-in-marketing/
- https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-statistics-for-social-media-managers/#general
Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
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REDESIGNING A WEBSITE: When, Why other useful questions
Cheyenne Heaslet – July 30, 2017
Nothing sells the right first impression than a well-planned website. It exudes to clients or random visitors a feeling of professionalism and trustworthiness. It offers insights into a company’s heart and soul. It tells the story of a brand with visuals and words.
But there comes a time when a website redesign or update is useful, if not necessary. While a reorganization of information keeps a site fresh, interesting and easy to navigate, it’s crucial to stay true to the client’s brand.
When redesigning a website, there are many questions to ask themselves, not the least of which is “why?” Dealing with a more fast-paced consumer brand, the “why?” could be something as simple as a need to stay fresh and appear forward thinking.
Fashion retail sites such as Gap.com change their design annually and sometimes even seasonally to follow trends in both aesthetic and function. Think of the difference between a fashion based website in the summer that eventually turns to winter.
The “why?” with these types of brands isn’t always a major overhaul, but the focus is typically to make a new presentation easier for the user to adapt to, while also giving the appearance of a new direction.
Other consumer based websites, such as Zildjian.com, redesign with similar reason, but will also take on a new look with the announcement of a new product or branding such as a new symbol line or technology, much like they did when the L80 was introduced.
While redesigning in other industries, like manufacturing, the “why?” is almost always focusing on the function over appearance.
Jayne Wilks, web designer for pipe manufacturer Cantex Inc., said in an interview that while having a “clean, easy to navigate” page is of paramount importance, the reason for redesigning is typically to employ new features that make their existing page easier to read and navigate.
“Our clients are used to our site […] we’ve kept the layout consistent for a while,” Wilks said.
In industries such as hers, where the business stays specific enough, making the clients feel at ease with their use offers ease to the designer as well. Designers like Wilks generally use time-tested approaches to their interface, and only intervene when another tried and true method presents itself.
Another question for designers that fits into the “why?” is, “for what?” or “for whom?” is the site? Again, Wilks said the intention should be to make the site accessible to your existing user base as well as new visitors.
If the user base is consumer-driven, then designing or redesigning needs to be with the demographic or audience you seek in mind. When rebranding, it’s important to show the direction the product or function is taking the site.
Apple Computers has rebranded itself a few times, and each time their website takes a new turn. Earlier this decade it showcased its line of laptops in a straightforward fashion, with photos of it appearing on a scrolling dock much like the one in the Finder folder. Now, with its phones being its most celebrated product, Apple has shifted to swiping tiles that resemble its iOS interface. This is done to have the product they believe you came to see up front, while also appealing to the consumer’s personal attachment to the device.
Finally, for prospective designers, “how?” is another useful question. Much like building a website for larger industries, there are practices to avoid when designing a site on your own, and mistakes that could wreak havoc while costing you money and/or time.
Lack of foresight for your website could lead to poor organization, confusing navigation, or a number of other blunders that plague inexperienced designers and their potential user base. Fortunately, it’s not impossible to get by on a few Google searches and a subscription based website builder such as Squarespace.
Engineering firm Design Tribe Innovations is a startup that uses Squarespace to cut out expenses that one would incur if you relied on contracting a web designer. Founder David Frank wasn’t experienced in web design before using the builder, but explains that in pursuit of creating a better page what he’s learned has made him more conscious of the decisions he must make.
“I wanted to make something cheap that also had a domain, but I was still afraid of it looking cheap,” Frank said. “[…] I read up on what I should look for, watched some videos on YouTube and had most of the site running within a weekend.”
In 2017, there are websites for just about anything. Staying up to date on a site is important, but it doesn’t have to be costly. Taking time to learn about design can save money and ensure the owner gets exactly what he/she wants out of it.
Eric Koger designed a website for his company, ModCloth, which offers handcrafted clothes to consumers at reasonable prices. He learned html and design through months of research and began to design his website.
“It took a long time to figure out html, which was just half the battle,” Koger said. “It takes a lot of work and willingness to learn, but because of that, I will never have to pay someone when my website needs updating.”
Koger said he feels a sense of freedom knowing he’s self-reliant when it comes what his website looks like and the way it navigates.
“I am in complete control of what customers see and how they interact with my website,” Koger said. “I am able to train employees on how to work little updates within the site, which is much better than having to outsource from other designers.”
Designing, and the eventual redesign of a page is no easy task. After the mission of becoming knowledgeable about who it’s for, and determining why the site is being made, it also takes dedication to learn how to design and when to redesign.
Anyone could have the knowledge and position of Jayne Wilkes or the perseverance of David Frank with practice. Web design has never been as accessible as it is now, and as long as the designer is asking him or herself the right questions, their users will have all of theirs answered as well.
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BPR Website: Always a Work in Progress
Corey Rowland – June 6, 2017
A website is a crucial tool for any business or organization that seeks success. And who doesn’t want that? It’s also something that evolves.
Bobcat Promotions had a website that was clean and well organized, but it needed a little updating to match changes within the student-run PR firm. The website — www.bobcatpromotions.com — would mostly serve as a source of pride for staff members and a 24/7 face for prospective clients.
BPR’s first digital team — Andrew Wallace-Bradley, Krystyna Castro and Danielle Martinez — was created to determine how to redesign and reorganize the website in a way that was interesting, informative and inviting to various target audiences.
Faculty adviser Chuck Kaufman acknowledged that all three students brought “senior leadership and a very full toolbox” to the project. “They also had different insights as to what could be accomplished and how to execute their plans,” he added, “so that is a very healthy situation for the creative process.”
The team felt the former site was outdated visually and could do a better job of telling the mass media firm’s story with its very deep bench of talent from various disciplines reflecting our various majors, particularly PR, Advertising, Electronic Media and DMI.
Danielle Martinez
There were many goals that were set for the new website. First, the should reflect issues that the firm faces in addressing the needs of its clients,” said Martinez, a veteran who will lead the media organization through the summer and next fall. Thus, BPR could connect its expertise with real, day-to-day activity. Bobcat Promotions has a strong digital focus for its clients, whether it’s developing websites or managing social media platforms.
Another goal for the website was to be more modern, informative and visually appealing. The reasoning behind this is to help the traffic of students and clients continue to come back to the site again and again and to help expand BPR’s brand.
New Website Homepage
Considering the target audience for the website is for students, current clients and future clients, the main purpose of the site is reflect how BPR is current with industry and professional practices and trends.
The new site, like the former site, takes advantage of the backoffice and themes of WordPress sites. The new site has a different theme and overall structure. The home page features sliding photos and tabs that clearly define the firm’s clients and capabilities.
“The improvements of our site should be a great source of pride to our staff and appealing to prospective clients,” Martinez said. “Everyone on the team has a true passion for what they do and hopefully the website will showcase to students and clients how much the team truly cares and will continue to help the organization grow internally and externally.”
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Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
Join BPR
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