The #DontJudgeChallenge Is Actually Judging

People all over the world are proving to not judge a book by its cover with the hashtag #DontJudgeChallenge.  But is the challenge doing more harm than good?

The #DontJudgeChallenege is the latest trend users are taking to on all forms of social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Vine.  The challenge is simple; users record themselves with drawn on zits, unibrows and other physical attributes that are associated with body shaming then transform and reveal a more beautiful version of themselves without the flaws. 

Intended to be a social media campaign in hopes to end body shaming, many question the message behind the hashtag.  The individuals participating in the challenge are clearly attractive and would rarely be judged on their looks. 

The campaign can be seen as a parody, making of fun of individuals with these features and cruelly mocking their looks.  If the universal description “ugly” consists of acne skin, messy hair and birth marks, that itself is being judgmental.   

These physical features (acne, braces, etc.) are something people, especially teens, cope with every day, and cannot be erased away in .1 seconds like the challenge videos. 

With its goal to empower teens and address the issue of those who are judged based on their appearances, it is instead insulting those with these flaws. 

Narccissism is the last word the #DontJudgeChallenge ever wanted to be linked to, but unfortunately it is. 

While other hashtags can add excellent publicity to messages or movements such as the #IceBucketChallenge and #YesAllWomen, this is not the case.  With good intentions behind it, they have, ironically, been backfired.  Perhaps, another and better web trend will launch soon, reminding us no matter what you look like—everyone is beautiful inside and out.

Written by Chloe Slavin from Rebecca Adele PR & Events

      

Millennial Moms: The New Target Market

We’ve all heard of the millennial generation; how they’re changing countless aspects of our society and are now surpassing the Baby Boomers as the nation’s largest living generation.  It comes as no surprise that the Public Relations and Marketing world are revamping many of their campaigns to target this generation, as it now has an increasingly important role in our society.

Fall is just around the corner, which means we’re about to be bombarded with the yearly back-to-school ads and promotions.  So what’s different about the approach that many strategists are taking? Rather than focusing on the “tried-and-true” Mom, companies are targeting the “Millennial Mom”.   While previous generations relied on trusted brands and ideas that had been passed down to them, the Millennial Mom has a completely different method of decision-making and newfound creativity.  Millennial Moms rely on lifestyle blogs and social media sites such as Facebook and Pinterest to get new ideas for their family.  Our Moms usually paid attention to brand-generated content full of facts, but Millennial Moms are more trusting of word-of-mouth and peer-generated reviews.  Reportedly seven out of ten mothers will recommend their favorite products to friends and family.  Think about it: when we need help with decision-making, our generation is not using research to help us make our choice. We go to our friends, family, and network to choose what is best. 

Millennials are also more concerned with making a difference in their community, and enjoy supporting companies that do the same.  Brands are taking advantage of these views by emphasizing not only how their products will benefit the Millennial Mom’s family, but also how the purchase of these products will give back to worthy causes. 

Implementing loyalty programs has long been a success among major retailers.  Let’s face it, everyone loves an incentive and a great deal.  However, strategists have changed what they are placing the incentive on.  This generation’s Mom is much more concerned with convenience than quality.  One could attribute the preference for convenience to the fact that more moms are working nowadays.  The love for one-stop shopping stems form the working mother’s need for convenience in her hectic day.  Retailers that offer this convenience and extra rewards will attract more Millennial Moms come back-to-school shopping. 

Companies that want to gain the Millennial Mom as a customer need to pull all of these methods into their campaigns.  Give ways for the Millennial Mom to be creative.  Show her how she can find inspiration from the products and personalize them to fit her own family.  Make her feel like she is giving back in some small way by supporting a company that does good in the world.  Millennial Moms may be breaking the traditional “Mom” role that campaigns are used to, but they are also bringing in new, creative ways to target today’s most prominent generation.

Written by Kara Ferrera from Rebecca Adele PR & Events

Facebook: More Trending Topics, More Substance

We all know how easy it is to scroll mindlessly through Facebook’s infinite news feed. With friends keeping you updated on their life-events, funny videos, or what they ate for lunch, you may get lost in the crowd of content. In the midst of all this over-stimulation, we can’t help but crave something with more substance. Well, Facebook has heard this cry and taken a step in a more substantial direction.

The dawn of Facebook Trending improved the site to give users a worthwhile experience while they update their statuses. Most are familiar with the “Trending” sidebar on the homepage. It features a list of words and phrases that are most often mentioned in Facebook users’ posts, along with a brief description or headline.

A recent update to Facebook’s Trending sidebar plans to expand the service by offering different categories for trending topics. At the top of the sidebar, along with an “All News” section, there will be five topics: Sports, Entertainment, Politics, Business, and Science & Technology.

As Facebook tries to become an established news distribution platform, the update caters to the unique consumer by offering a variety of stories and headlines that intrigue a specific Facebook user.

This change is will also be beneficial to marketers with content that matches category niches, allowing them to target their audiences through trending topics included on the list. It is also helpful to media outlets who want to get more exposure and user engagement.

Facebook’s latest update to the Trending sidebar is a positive step in the direction of high-quality content and providing its users with a meaningful, fulfilling experience. Though the site is first and foremost a social media platform, the growing news distribution feature adds both substance and variety to the social network.

Written by Jackie Miesle of Rebecca Adele PR & Events

How to Throw the Perfect Fourth of July Party!

Independence Day/Fourth of July is a day to celebrate our nations freedom and the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. People decking themselves out in red, white and blue apparel, fireworks and of course ta Fourth of July cookout and party commemorate this day! Putting together a Fourth of July party can seem like a daunting task, but there are plenty of ways to throw a festive and fun celebration!  

Decorations

Every great party has great décor to match! For the fourth of July it’s simple, anything red, white and blue is a great addition to your party! However, to add a unique touch to your party other than the typical American flag paper plates and streamers, try painted lawn stars! These are a simple and easy addition. They can turn your backyard from ordinary to something people will keep talking about for parties to come!

Streamers are seen at almost every party you go to, whether it is a baby shower or a child’s birthday. Give a new twist to them by adding holiday lights to the mix! String the lights above your patio or around your back yard and loop red, white and blue colored streamers through them. Not only is this a low cost decoration, but also it is great for lighting the party after the sun goes down!

A party isn’t a party without food and the Fourth of July is known for cookouts! Be the “star” of your party with star shaped burgers. A new twist on a cookout staple! The star shape can be accomplished by forming the burgers with a shaped cookie cutter. To keep time and costs down on food, ask your guest to bring a side dish. Everyone will be happy to contribute to the potluck and you have a wide variety of food to choose from.

Desserts are also a very important part of any party. Incorporate the theme into your food by making red, white and blue fruit and brownie kabobs. A dessert with both fruit and chocolate is sure to be a hit! This delicious treat is easy to make and can be enjoyed by everyone. The marshmallows are also great for roasting around the bonfire if you have one going!

Drinks

Let’s be honest, what is a Fourth of July party without some adult beverages! A great way to make a drink that appeals to a lot of people are Jell-O shots! These fun drinks are also great because they don’t require ton of different kinds of alcohol. Although, the prep time is quite long, most recipes make a large quantity. So, enjoy the holiday all night long with these festive, sweet “treats”.

Non-alcoholic drinks are a necessity at any part as well. To go along with the red, white and blue theme of everything try this “Independence Punch”. Using juices with different sugar levels creates the layering of the colors. Most times blue Gatorade, cranberry juice, and 7-Up is used. Combine it with the cute drink dispenser, like this one, and you have a tasty and low-cost drink for all ages to enjoy!

Activities

So now that you have decorations, food and drinks covered, there is one final step to throwing the perfect Fourth of July party, fun activities for everyone! Forget baseball being America’s favorite pastime, corn hole is the real deal! It is a great game for the kids to play or have a little friendly competition with the adults. There is little to no set up and clean up and this game can be played all summer long. Any corn hole set can be used, but an American flag themed set is even better!

Let’s not forget this is a Fourth of July party, so it can’t be complete without fireworks! Snap, crackle and pop your way to a great night with sparklers and other fun activities. These are a great way to still get in the Independence Day spirit with out having to deal with the hazards of actual fireworks. Kids and adults alike will enjoy them and it is another low cost way to add a some fun to your party!

Written by Olivia Marrali from Rebecca Adele PR & Events