PR Video Case Study: Naked Heart and KaBOOM

Both Naked Heart Foundation and KaBOOM are non-profit organizations dedicated to providing children with safe places to play by building playgrounds in their region. Naked Heart is based in Russia and has other areas of focus, including providing safe living conditions for orphans and helping families with children who have disabilities. Therefore, their demographics are more specific to individual families as well as impoverished communities. On the other hand, KaBOOM is more widespread throughout the United States, perhaps because of it’s political support, and has built thousands of playgrounds through partnerships with other companies. Although they similarly target economically needy communities, KaBOOM focuses more on the neighborhood than on individual children. Both organizations use videos on their websites to appeal to their audience. While photos and news releases are effective in promoting their message, videos are necessary because they provide visual examples and draw people in emotionally through artistic quality and a story structure. This can be seen in Naked Hearts videos, specifically one called “Every Child Deserves a Childhood.” It begins with only music, photos and copy, however, it is extremely powerful in embodying the ways in which the organizations helps both healthy children and disabled children as well as families as a whole. As the video progresses, images turn into videos of happy children and families and it finally concludes with a photo of the founder and supermodel, Natalia Vodianova, holding hands with a disabled child while the words “every child deserves a childhood” fade onto the screen. It appeals to the audience’s emotions through bright colors, slow music, and appealing photography. In contrast, KaBOOM has dozens of videos that are set up in documentary format. They are usually twice as long as Naked Heart’s videos and include interviews and personal testaments along with music and copy. In one particular video called “All About KaBOOM” the CEO Darell Hammond specifies the companies vision to give all children a safe place to play within walking distance. Immediately he is reaching out to children nationwide regardless of status or health, whereas Naked Hearts helps the impoverished and disabled specifically. KaBOOM’s videos have less of an artistic quality, with song changes every few seconds and quick cuts from footage to photos to copy.   However, they provide more information and have a series of videos showing the construction of playgrounds in major cities. In this way, they show their constant improvement and work towards their goal. KaBOOM’s videos are more performed and rehearsed than Naked Heart’s, however, they are much more successful in their endeavors. This can be seen by their “1000 playgrounds in 1000 days” campaign whereas Naked Heart has built a little over 67 playgrounds since their founding. This may be due to the large celebrity and corporate endorsements to KaBOOM, including support by First Lady Michelle Obama, however, it may also have to do with their public relations tactics and communication with the media. Many of Naked Heart’s videos are similar in style and consist of testimonies from primarily its founder while KaBOOM’s videos follow their every move and give credit to supporting organizations and celebrities. While the artistic quality of Naked Heart’s videos are initially more appealing, they don’t deliver as clear of a message or show as many specific examples to the public as KaBOOM does.

Social Media Strategy Case Study- Urban Outfitters

The Urban Outfitters Apparel Company as well as their partnered brands Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain, and BHLDN have been known for promoting not only edgy, trendy products but also a lifestyle brand. They describe their core consumers as “upscale homeless,” young people between the ages of 18 and 26 who live the “hipster” lifestyle, complete with a fascination for the supernatural, tattoos, music festivals, and all things vintage. The very specific target demographic seems to grow from the Urban Outfitters brand itself, which is a tribute to its success. While the company’s main website focuses on selling merchandise, their blog and Facebook page promote their image. The Facebook page often features products connected to an activity that coincides with the lifestyle brand. For example, a recent post of a hand hovering over tarot cards includes the caption “consulting the cards” and appeals to a bohemian lifestyle. Although the

focus is on the activity, all of the products, including the cards, the nail polish, and the rings on the girl’s fingers can be bought in store. Other posts are unrelated to Urban Outfitter’s products altogether and focus solely on the lifestyle. For example, there is a weekly “Music Monday” post featuring edgy alternative music, company events that are open to the public and allow consumers to be VIPs, and other mentions of camping, exploring, and glimpses of the Urban life. By posting 3 to 4 times a day, the Facebook page stays consistent in the minds of consumers and appeals to not only what they like to buy, but what they like to do. This can be further seen in the company’s blog, which allows shoppers to be more interactive and incorporate Web 2.0 features like links to other sites, videos, and opportunities to comment on posts and chat with other Urban consumers who have similar interests. The lifestyle includes a interest in art, literature, and music which can be seen in the blog’s album reviews, foreign movie reviews, book discussion, and artist series. There is little mention of actual products although most of the subjects discussed can be connected back to the store. One recent blog post is an interview with a hypnotist who clearly resembles the company’s lifestyle while yet another is a contest that allows viewers to submit artwork, outfits, and interior decorations. Urban Outfitters and it’s connected brands

use their Facebook page and blog as well as many other social media outlets to encourage their consumers to not only purchase their products, but live their lifestyle and give feedback online. In this way, consumers are buying more than a product. They are buying into a way of life and continue to express their style through Urban Outfitter’s products. 

Website Strategy Case Study: Sophie & Trey

 Sophie & Trey and its “sister store” 4^th & Ocean are small boutiques in Lake Mary, Florida that target young women around the ages of eighteen to twenty-five. Sophie & Trey is the main store and its slogan “Where sophistication meets trend” implies that its clothes is for women who are either thinking about or just joining the work force but are still going out and dressing according to the latest trends. 4^th & Ocean on the other hand dubs itself a “surf chic boutique” and targets a slightly younger and less professional crowd who is more interested in comfort than trend. The stores are also linked to another boutique, Tria, which is upscale semi-formal wear and is not included on their website. I chose to study the web strategies of this small, family-owned company because of their remarkable way of attracting customers and getting them involved in the products before they even enter the store. The main website is set up in a very simple manner that allows the viewer to choose which store they want to shop in followed by categories of clothes and further by specific styles. In general, when women shop they are all about having many choices and the simplistic way in which the website leads shoppers to exactly what they may be looking for is what makes the site successful. However, I believe it is the company’s use of other forms of social media that really makes them stand out among the rest. Their Instagram page for

example showcases new outfits multiple times a day either worn by the attractive employees of the store or presented with different accessories. The page includes both photos and videos and every week there are multiple contests through Instagram specifically. The company encourages shoppers to comment “this or that” on pictures of multiple outfits to get their opinions, holds contests in which customers can send in their own pictures wearing their clothes to be featured on the website, and encourages people to re-post and tag their pictures to enter for a chance to win discounts or free clothes. Currently, they are also doing a contest in which customers can Instagram creative pictures including a sticker that they receive in-store for a chance to win “the item of your choice.” These incentives are spread throughout the company’s Facebook page, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr, thus keeping the shopper actively engaged at all times. The image of the company and its promotions are consistent throughout all forms of media, making them reliable and constantly present. Unlike websites where customers must go to the page themselves to find what they are looking for, Instagram updates among other forms of social media

bring the products to the customer as they are scrolling through their news feed. The chain of stores is incredibly successful considering they are tucked away in a small plaza in Lake Mary. I have learned from personal experience as well as from observing other shoppers that many people come in, not because they just need new clothes as is the case with other stores, but because they saw something specific on one of Sophie & Trey’s media outlets that they are interested in.

Site Map: Sophie & Trey Case Study Map

Traditional vs. New Media Case Study

The Apple logo is one of the most famous in the world, decorating laptops and cars and becoming a symbol of modernity and sophistication worldwide. The Apple Corporation uses both traditional media like stickers, printed ads, billboards and television commercials as well as new media like online videos and the company’s products themselves. Apple constructs not only an image but also a lifestyle of simplicity and innovation to be taken on by its consumers. The company’s style remains consistent across all forms of media, such as the clean, white background of its advertisements and constant focus on its user-friendly products, thus making them seem connected to their customers. In print ads especially the products being advertised do not even have to be shown. As Apple has grown tremendously over the years they have built up the credibility to sell their identity alone. Those who use one Apple product tend to stick to the brand for other forms of technology, thus creating a “community” of Apple users that are loyal to their brand. Founder Steve Jobs stated, “For Apple it is not about the money. It is about the people you have, how you are led, and how much you get it” (2008). However, we all know it is always about the money and by “leading” people to believe that they are joining an elite group of Apple users frequent customers consistently pay outrageous prices to stay faithful to their iPhone, Mac, iPad etc. An Apple sticker itself makes the consumer a walking advertisement and can be placed anywhere. Television commercials such as the Switch advertising campaign in the early 2000’s featured “real” Apple users who had switched from Microsoft to Mac. The print and television campaign do not mention the benefits of Apple products nor do they include the name Apple at all except as part of the website. Instead, they show just the famous symbol and then direct their audience to thei website where they dispel negative rumors about their products. Thus, the audience is drawn in with old media (television) and led to new media (Internet).  By directly comparing their product to competitors across multiple forms of media Apple builds their credibility and makes price no longer the main concern for the user. I can say myself that after graduating high school I asked my parents for a Macbook Pro, not because I thought it would fulfill my technological needs in college, but because having a Mac was the “cool” thing to do and put out a modern, edgy, and sophisticated aura. Apple not only uses traditional and modern forms of media, but it creates the outlets through which to consume its advertisements. Suddenly, iPhone apps can take the place of old media like books, magazines, and CDs. A phone isn’t just a phone. It’s an iPhone; and a laptop isn’t just a laptop, it’s a Mac. There are few if any companies that construct such a powerful corporate image that they can sell their identity before even promoting their product.

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Personal Brand Identity

I view myself as a very driven and independent person and it is through my constant motivation to succeed that I build myself up as a person. I was raised in a very religious household and was not brought up in a traditional way. While my family’s religion restricted me from doing most of the things I wanted to do it also fostered qualities of industriousness, honesty and care for others. My efforts to break away from religion while still staying true to myself has been a constant process that has defined who I am and how others view me. I work two part-time jobs as a full-time student and cover most of my expenses, including my rent. While I am very proud of the things that I have accomplished (despite being stressed 24/7) I think that my achievements are interpreted differently by the various people in my life.  I have four main social spheres, these being high school friends, college friends, family, and members of authority like teachers and supervisors. I believe that for the most part everyone that I meet recognizes me as a kind, independent, focused, and for the most part likeable person. I am extremely sarcastic and at times have been jokingly called “sassy” but I think that mostly stems from my desire to be realistic and true to myself and others. I believe that my high school friends see that side of me more than anyone else because I have known them the longest and am still very close to a few old friends, including my roommates whom I have known since middle school. Because we grew up in similar environments my old friends understand why I am such a determined person and recognize my accomplishments in a town where many of our friends go to community college and live at home. Similarly, my college friends realize that I am hard-working and have leadership qualities but may not fully understand the challenges that come with financial independence and separation from family, as well as what it is like to go to school in my own hometown and basically have a life outside the small social sphere of Rollins. However, my college friends also see a more recreational side of me and view me as relatively laid back when it comes to making plans or going out. As superficial as greek life may seem to some people my involvement with Chi Omega in the past year has been the first time I have truly felt like I am a part of something that I want to be in and further motivates me to exhibit my good qualities and draw closer to others. In contrast, my family is pretty unaware of most of the things that I do. However, they have made me who I am more than anyone else. My grandmother always tells me that I’m a hard worker just like my mom. Despite my growing distance from them in the past year or so my parents do express their pride in my school and work accomplishments. However, this is shrouded by their disappointment because of my separation from the church. I think that my realization that I will never make my parents completely proud has made me focus more on making myself happy and accomplishing my own personal goals. I do not see any other option but to put forth 100% of my efforts into everything that I do, whether that be a task at work, an assignment at school, or a relationship with a friend or significant other. Although there are slight differences in the way the demographics of my life understand me I think that everyone realizes that I will accomplish what I set out to do, I will do anything for those that I care about, and I always strive to portray myself in the most genuine way possible.