Brand Engagement

Karam Foundation’s official website design offers an easy navigation and a very interactive experience.  They are using a parallax design style adopted by numerous big brands.  This is a design that permits the visitor to keep scrolling down for more information, rather than navigating different pages by clicking on different buttons. 

All important information has been made available in one page, this ensures the organization’s mission and projects are clear to the visitor, and encourages user engagement.

The brand personality is reflected in the colors and fonts used for the website design.  Karam tackles the worst humanitarian crisis today; their choice of black, white and blue for colors is subtle, respectful and loud.  The somber colors give a chance for all the powerful images to be the focal point and what is meant to resonate the most with potential donors.

The media team at Karam encourage audience engagement by showcasing its smallest aid recipients, children.  This always sparks empathy, ignites that fiery need to be involved, make a difference, the very message in Karam’s mission.

In a very emotional and moving campaign, Karam uses the hashtag #Notinvisible to spread the idea that we as humanity are all affected by the crisis in Syria.  That the moment we start to think as one, “WE” can break barriers and defeat evil.  This campaign was spear headed by the Karam’s project called Zeytouna.  Volunteers dedicated their time in teaching these children languages, music and providing medical health screenings and fun activities.  A beautiful four-minute video is published on the main page to promote the success of this project.

Karam uses the traditional social media buttons at the bottom of the page for convenient connectivity to their social media accounts.  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Medium are the platforms used.  The Medium account serves as the organization’s blog with articles, news and staff postings.  As for Facebook & Twitter the organization uses the platform to further its fund raising mission.  The social media team puts a cleaver business/holiday twist to their fund raising campaign by including black Friday deals. 

This is a fun way to engage donors in what is considered the most generous time of the year.  What better way to feel holiday cheer than by providing a winter package for a refugee for only $20!

Karam also uses Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday to raise funds.  They are also bringing back a fun and less gloomy campaign: Mustache Mad  This is another way to encourage donor engagement to raise awareness and of course funds.  The organization is not shy about using hashtags and trending keywords to stay up to date with social media trends.

The social media accounts are directly and strongly asking for a response from visitors, fans and donors alike.  Direct links, pictures and videos are made easily available for those wanting more information.  Each media platform is cross-connected to the other, where the website publishes videos from the YouTube channel and Facebook picture posts take you to Instagram and so on.  The organization ensures an all encompassing experience for potential donors to immerse them this giving an compassionate mood, that feeling of “I need to do more”

In Young’s Brand Media Strategy book, he defines communication planning in chapter 3 as the best way to influence readers, visitors in our case donors.  He compares it to Media Planning, which serves to only deliver the message.  “Communications planning allows a more strategic way of determining key media choices and connection strategies.  It is about moving away from the job of delivering messages to audiences and moving toward better understanding of how consumers receive and respond to communication” (Young, 32)

With this analysis of Karam’s communication planning, it is clear they have an organized and well-defined message.  The means to delivering the message is also well thought of to cater to the most trendy of users and donors from all age groups and demographics.  They emphasize ease of usability, and an inviting atmosphere to engage and care.  

Karam Foundation: Brand Personality

 Karam enjoys a deeply honest personality full of conviction, a passion for service and authentic love for those they serve.  As a foundation that is directly helping the middle refugee crisis, it is inevitably gaining public interest as the issue is up front and center in most media outlets. 

With its base in Washing D.C., Karam takes advantage of the international hub surrounding it, to raise awareness and further its mission to helping displaced refugees find life’s dignity again. 

Karam is a 503© charity recognized by authorities as legitimate and its mission unique and true.  It is an organization donors can trust will make an honest use of funds raised and as promised. 

Karam ensures all projects and updates are easily accessible on their website as well as social media accounts.  This brings a meaningful message to light and comforts donors they are indeed making a difference in someone’s life, it is tangible, true and empowering, this of course encourages additional and continuous support from donors. 

The organization showcases 3 main reasons they are different:

·      100% Transparent: which is very important given the political unrest in the region they are serving and doubts donors might have about the final destination of their funds.

·      We care: They are tackling the largest humanitarian crisis today, the mission has become personal and dedication has become stronger.

·      On the ground: The organization has successfully partnered with a trusted network of aid workers in and out of the conflict areas to ensure aid reaches all in need.  This hasn’t been achieved by other aid organizations.

This aligns perfectly with the UAT Filter for emphasizing the uniqueness, authenticity in their mission and their “talkability” on the ground and having a far reach into dangerous conflict territories.

Karam’s Value Proposition:

The organization’s humanitarian aid concentrates its services to healing first then educating.  This ensures a sustainable impact on the people served and decreases long-term dependency on additional aid.  Karam teaches sustainable development and what they call “Smart Aid”.

The success of this organization lies in its dedication to be different, to offer more and care deeply.  This moto aligns perfectly with its mission and goals.  When the issue at hand is as personal as the Syrian crisis, the determination to make a difference is unstoppable and without limits.  This passion can only come from generous hearts filled with love. 

Karam Foundation On The News

Karam foundation publishes news about the organization on its website highlighting its latest projects and accomplishments.  The foundation concentrates its charitable work in the middle east region and lately targeting the Syrian conflict and refugee resettlement. Karam gathers all its media and news under one tab on their website, this facilitates visitor experience and ease of gathering data and information about the work of the organization.  The key to an effective visit to the media site is to earn visitor trust and excites interest.  Karam uses news articles, videos testimonials as well as action pictures portraying the origination's work in the heart of the conflict.

Karam uses social media to display its greatest accomplishments and biggest announcements.  On Facebook, the organization showed its gratitude for its partners for helping with the Seeds program, which provides sustainable nutrition of the displaced refugees.  In addition, Karam announces important dates, new programs and posts all call for actions on they social media.  Donors are pleased with such posts as it is important they are kept up to date with how their support impacts recipients.

According to Argenti's book on marketing and social media, it is also important to ensure an seamless and pleasant design for the organization's online newsroom.  This he asserts isn't the only challenge, the difficulty lies in quality of content and its relativity to the organization's most recent activities.

In conducting an experiment on the foundation and its google ranking, It was astonishing to see that the first 3 results included the organization's website, Facebook page and Twitter accounts.  This confirms they have a strong SEO and social media team that ensures the most relevant information is generated after a google search.  Their mission is so important, they ensure all interested enough to google the organization receives all relevant information in one click.  The social media search results are followed by media articles about the organization.  Public opinion serves as an important tool for potential donors to filter out unreliable and unworthy causes seeking help.

Lisa Bytner discussed in her lecture the importance in earning trust in the work of public relations.  She highly emphasized to keep your word once a promise is made.  Karam foundation has a heavy burden to do that every time they receive $1 from a donor.  The donor expects their aid will reach the appropriate recipient in the very particular situation described by the foundation.  This proves especially difficult today, specifically because of the location of the conflict.  The middle east has been a vulnerable target for corruption and terrorism.  Donor money reaching its true and promised aid recipient is not only necessary for business but a dangerous and important social responsibility.

Karam would benefit from a closer relationship with local media.  Being based in Washington DC, they have an advantage of reaching local media in many places around the country.  Being actively present in local media not only highlights the organization's successful corporate social responsibility.  accruing to Argenti, "pressures to have a positive impact on communities, employees, consumer and investors mounted, and simply doing good had far less impact than communicating the good that was being done." (Argenti, 43).

Lastly, having met Lisa Bytner and received her first hand industry advice, it will forever resinate with me as a junior Public Relations apprentice, that honesty is the most important tool.  Building reputation in the PR field is building business, without one the other can't blossom.

Karam Foundation

1 What brand did you choose and why did you choose it?

I chose The Karam Foundation based in Washington D.C.  their work is admirable and fits right into my career plans and goals.  I am shaping my education today to I ensure I have all the skills they are seeking in new candidates.

2 When were you first introduced to this brand?

I was introduced to Karam through Syrian friends who actively advocate for the refugee crisis in Syria.  Dylan Connor my friend’s husband has worked closely with Karam and volunteered for one week in a refugee camp teaching music to displaced children.

3 What is the organizational philosophy or mission of this brand?  Where did you find this information?

The organization created its name with its mission in mind.   Karam is the word generosity in Arabic.  In their web site they define their mission as an organization that dedicates resources for people to help themselves.  Their most important mission is to restore dignity in displaced humans struggling to survive.  They believe every human and every child deserves food, shelter and an education.

4 What is the history of the organization?  How (if at all) does it fit with the mission of the brand?

Founded in 2007 Karam was determined to help all that were in need, anywhere.  Their approach is different from other non-profits alike, they empower the helpless and diminish the victim attitude.  

5 What products or services does the organization provide?  How (if at all) do the products/services fit with the mission of the brand?

Karam provides humanitarian aid for displaced people in conflict areas.  Their impact has reached all over Syria and all refugee camps in the vicinity.  Their services are dependent on donations and sales from their “Souk” section of their website, where local and traditional products are sold and all proceeds serve their mission to help more people.

6 Overall, how do you think the brand is perceived by the public? Why?

Karam has grown in the last 8 years to be recognized internationally for its outstanding work in the middle east.  CEO Attar is a Syrian native herself quoted in the New York Times confirming the dangers of barrel bombs and her views on conflict resolution.  

Media Literacy: The impact on children today

In a media ethics course, the final project was to develop and produce a public service announcement about the impact the media has had on our everyday lives. My group decided to concentrate on media impact on children and the disconnect it has caused on the normal and traditional family dynamic.

 

The subjects for our 30 second video were our children. My daughter of two years and another student’s daughter who is five. The message being channeled here is that too much iPad use and television impairs learning in children and cause long term learning delays. The implications are serious and tangible. The feeling of guilt drowned my body as my daughter knew exactly what to do when handed an iPad to set up the shot for the next scene. We have become accustomed to this new way of entertainment that it is now the norm. It is even “cute” at times when your little one knows to navigate an iPhone, unlock it and browse through pictures and play videos. But it really isn't cute, but dangerous.

 

As a single mom I find myself often resorting to distracting media tactics to find time to make dinner, do laundry, shower and finish homework.  Though many of us find excuses and many others try harder to break out of the habit, our digital world makes it extremely difficult to disconnect. Let alone disconnect our kids.

 

As a result we become an easy target for product placement. Being an avid shopper on Amazon and a proud prime member, I am always suggested products based on my shopping tendencies. Seems like such a convenient service but it's more like big brother. Creepy to think someone is watching me, knows what coffee I drink, the density of my pillow and if I prefer soap bars or liquid body wash. But the systems engineers and marketers are so talented that we have been programmed to appreciate this invasive creepiness.

 

If we fall into this digital dream world fantasy we are in grave danger. Social skills are already at a risk of extinction. People don't know how to interact in person anymore. The average person has 500 friends on Facebook but 5 in reality. Out of the 5 only 2 are probably visited in person.  

 

The refugee crisis is a good example. Even though social media was a useful took in raising awareness it also hindered the real effort needed. We need more people to get on their real feet, feel the stable ground they are blessed with, talk to their neighbor and create a proper buzz.  Not a digital one.  Many think they do their part by simply clicking the share button on their Facebook page. More of us should call to get information on how to volunteer, raise awareness, gather clothing and directly impact someone's life.

 

We need more human interaction, to talk, touch and feel emotions, suffering and joy. The day we are programmed to read our clothing for digital information will be the day we stop caring.

Refugee nobodies to the world, everything to their family.

I felt the need to alter the direction in which I am completing my homework for my Media culture class that starts today.  My social media accounts were drowning (pun intended) in the images of washed up Syrian refugees fleeing persecution.  I was left to wonder what is wrong with the world? 

I proceeded to post the horrifying event and brutal image of a 3 year old boy, face down on the beach, as dead as his dreams.  The post generated 14 likes and 7 comments.  I have 250 friends.  Something is clearly wrong with either the Facebook feed generator or my choice in friends.  One friend knew nothing about the Syrian revolution or the Assad regime.  Nor the fact that he has been wiping the entire population with a cocktail of weaponry, the world didn’t know still existed. 

I can’t help the tears as I type, my heart sinks, as I know every minute that passes, every word I type, a Syrian heart stops somewhere.   As of today, around 190,000 are dead and 10.8 million in urgent need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria and 3.8 million refugees around the world.  This issue has received almost no media coverage in the U.S. since the revolution started.  The censorship prevailing over the media networks and concealing the screams of many passionate journalists is now causing lives.   The New York Times article, and various other news outlets covered the story of the boy who washed up on the shores of a Turkish beach.  However, they failed to showcase the wasted innocence, a great loss to humanity but even bigger to the surviving father.  Only a photo of a rescue worker carrying the child was published.  Censoring critical facts as such is unethical, and makes for mild news.  I think Americans can handle the picture of a face down little boy.  I think it should be in their face front and center, as they read their morning news, sipping their perfectly brewed coffee and eating a nice warm coffee cake.  We deserve the truth, reality without make up or blush.  Because the ugly will wake up that moral beast in us, shake us up to do something.

But there aren’t enough passionate hearts, not enough senators who care or UN representatives who rise up.  Shame on the world for not doing enough.  Shame on our government, officials, community, schools and educators.  They are Syrians but we are all part of a global community, with responsibilities to each other.  We have the responsibility of opening doors not building fences. 

This week, every country had an emergency review of their refugee crisis policy, not to find a solution and help, but to justify shutting the door in their face.  It’s international policy, they are following treaty agreements they said.  What policy? Why does that matter? These are starving children, tired mothers and desperate fathers.  They are flesh and blood not ink on paper!

Wake up world! This could have been you!

#Gamergate

There are obvious Ethical concerns when it comes to exposing someone's personal life for any reason at all, let alone to gain online fame and start a propaganda.  Until today, the reasoning behind the entire controversy has yet to be explained.  the #gamergate hashtag spiraled out of control because of speculations and hearsay.
there is also an ethical issue with gamer journalism and corporate relationships.  Journalists are supposed to adhere to the ethical value of telling the truth.  and when writing about something you don't necessarily believe in just to promote a friend's new gaming product is misleading and a journalistic disaster.  Many journalists have to please the corporate powers which causes for public mistrust.

Social justice for Zoe and Anita is indeed a social responsibility for journalists and gamers and the public.  we have to protect the opportunity and freedom for women to be involved in whatever industry they are interested in.  Propaganda against Zoe started just because she's a woman, and because she created something different.  It was proven that she had no relationship with the journalist that rated her game at the time the article was published.  but all this information was irrelevant to those wanted to attack at no cost.   they violated the value not to harm others, and in Zoe's case she was harmed in many ways.

when Comparing Jackie's article and Zoe's case, they are entirely different.  Even if one can argue that Zoe instigated the propaganda to gain fame for her new game, she certainly did not intend to invite death threats.  Jackie failed to confirm her source and the information.

When advocating for a cause that one is passionate about and truly believes in, why is anonymity a necessity.  I'd say it loud and proud, use journalism as my tool and make true ethical points to persuade people.  Hiding behind the computer isn't ethical, the youth that started the revolutions in the middle east, didn't organize it on Facebook and watched the news later on their couches.  They started something and they finished it, they ousted dictators!  The value of transparency obviously wasn't a priority for those responsible for the attacks against Zoe.

Intel's removing of their advertising from Gamasutra was ethical given the magnitude of the gamer gate campaign and the direction it was taking.  Since it became about death threats, intel had to disassociate itself from the issue.  It is a large corporation representing a multifaceted industry all over the world, the last thing they need is to be involved in a depressing sexual scandal or an ethical issue regarding journalism.

Sony's The Interview

Sony’s initial decision to cancel the movie release was hasty and unethical.  The private information released shouldn’t have prompted such a violation of a basic human right: freedom of speech.  Some can argue that the movie release could have cost lives, since there were some violent threats, but we are the United States of America.  This country enjoys expert intelligence in counter terrorism and superior military technology.  So why did Sony feel vulnerable?  Their decision is unethical because it can easily set a precedent for more to be encouraged in attacking the U.S., and expect a weak reaction.

Sony employees are without a doubt entitled to privacy, but the second the send button is pressed, everyone knows our words are protected by a very thin wall.  a firewall.  And let’s be honest, hacking isn’t a new trend or a problem.  It’s prominent, it’s out there, it takes over our lives, the very reason the anti virus industry is booming.  Because of this, we have the professional and social responsibility to use caution using the internet and social media.  Kerr confirmed that because every aspect of our world is interconnected wirelessly, one can dream of remaining anonymous, because “it is a thing of the past”.  

Americans value privacy dearly, it is the very substance that protects us from an overpowering government.  (Though that has been heavily debated since the freedom of information act and NSA’s monitoring of phone calls) Hodges confirms “without some degree of privacy, civilized life would be impossible”  But with the speed in which our lives have been lifted to an unknown, floating and invisible world wide web, it has become increasingly difficult to contain.

The movie and its message, though fictional, prove to be very political.  could have Sony used an alias for the president and avoid many issues, yes.  Would the movie have made just as much projected profit? Absolutely!  So what was Sony’s message in all this?  many believe this propaganda was started internally.  Some can even argue it’s a form of an art.  The author’s attempt to be artistically free to create the story.  It is after all ethical for an artist to have the right to expression.  unrestricted expression.  But the meaning of art has been debated for hundreds of years.  Philosophers, artists and politicians alike have yet to agree on its meaning, it simply means some different to each and everyone of us.  Plato called poets the rebels of the first orders, he didn’t trust the power of the artist, he feared the influence of art in its simplest forms.  To contradict Plato, Tolstoy affirms that art is humanistic, it is the means in which the artist delivers his message, experiences and feelings.

In the press, Sony felt alone, the media was shameless, merciless and took advantage of every rumor.  And to add insult to injury, the film industry and the government sat back and watched it all unfold.  It is but ethical and an undeniable responsibility that the motion pictures association serve as the very support system Sony and its people needed.  Their governmental influence could have come in handy in making the decision to release.

It is unethical  to release the hacked information.  It is but a desperate move by the news outlets.  As Sorkin said, none of the information leaked threatened anyone’s life, mislead the public or harm anyone directly.  Juicy details of someone’s private life should remain for the tabloids or the real housewives shows.  The need for privacy ethically balances the common good in society, before it should be considered as an individual right. (Christians, 2010)

Behavior Marketing

blog 4

As a mom of a toddler, i am not surprised to learn of this kind of data mining by a big retailer such as Target.  In trying to have a baby, i started getting coupons, baby magazines and even samples in the mail before achieving a positive result.  It does put a mind in a whirlwind thinking of what else does the world know about my personal life?  On the other hand, i don’t mind saving money, so coupons are always good new to me.  But even better! coupons of products I usually buy is music to my ears.  At the end of the day, we are willingly giving away this information to these retailers just by shopping at their stores.  Because somewhere in the fine print on a receipt, there must be a clause about gathering information and the tradition in which we shop.  In my opinion, it is unethical if the information is used in anything other than customized marketing.  

Targeted marketing works, and it works because people respond to it.  We can assume that if this method wasn’t effective, companies wouldn’t use it as their best tool to attract shoppers.  I don’t see an ethical issue with it,  at the end of the day, we as shoppers always have the choice to go to any retailer we choose and make our purchases.  Nobody from Target has threatened my life in the past if i didn’t shop for diapers there.  It is however the means to the end that is unethical here, the way in which target gathers its information to send the coupons.  The bigger issue here is that most people don’t know the enormity of information gathered each time we spike the credit cards to pay.

The manager’s ethical obligation to the customer is apology which he made, followed by an investigation, which he also did.  I believe it was fulfilled.  At the management level, it is not clear that the manager could have been briefed on corporate’s style of marketing and data collection.  Therefore, an apology upfront was the perfect diffuser to the customer’s anger.

The mixing of targeted ads with random ones is unethical.  Target is still violating social norms by invading the privacy of its shoppers.  Many newly pregnant couples choose to keep the news secret until it is safe to share.  The fact that some computer network finds out before proud grand parents is outright unfair.

When dissecting Target’s practices, putting them through the TARES test, the claims are true, since the girl is indeed pregnant.  Claim is authentic based on information gathered from her shopping behavior.  However, it doesn’t treat the receiver with respect, since her privacy was invaded.  We can also see that there is no equity between the pregnant teen and Target, she is far from well versed in the world of data mining.  Not sure the ad has any social note at all, it is pure marketing.