Social Since 1505.

Social media, it only took you 500 years.


Ever wonder where the word “social” originated from? I do. What occupies a significant portion of our day, ok, of our hour, has been in the making since 1505.

 The word “social” originated in 1505 and is derived from the latin word socius meaning “united, living with others.”

Socius also means follower, which by no surprise is related to the word sequi, meaning “to follow” - Hrm. Followers and following, sound familiar anyone? 

In 1695 “social” meant pertaining to society as a natural condition of human life. 



What does social mean to you in 2010? Better yet, what did it mean to you 10, 15 years ago for those of you that can remember?

Enjoy the Scenery, While It Lasts! - The Changing Landscape of What We Know...

The video was produced by information design consultancy XPLANE for The Economist Media Convergence Forum in New York.

Top Five Reads for Social Media Strategists

So here's a little trivia for you. Sometimes I just crave a book. I think I just like the feeling. I know its hard, but remember the days when "notebooks" meant paper binded together, and "on line" meant your cursive writing stayed within the lines given on the page. Does anyone even know what cursive writing is anymore? Which begs the question does anyone read books anymore?

Oh technology, as much as I embrace you, I hate you :) So, I guess we have a healthy relationship. ANYHOW what I am getting at is that I went "on line" to look for a good read on social media strategies and to my surprise there is an overwhelming amount of material out there! It was refreshing to say the least. After picking through the #$%!, I've come up with my list of the Top Five Reads for Social Media Strategists.

1. Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
First off, just have to say Chris Brogan has one of the best blogs out there right now. He's brilliant.
Trust Agents is a new breed of influencers who can yield a great deal of influence in today’s Web 2.0 world.

2. Six Pixels of Separation. Everyone is Connected. Connect Your Business to Everyone. by Mitch Joel
You want strategies and tactics on how this all works. This book is FULL of case studies.

3. Putting the Public Back in Public Relations: How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR by Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge
It's Brian Solis. Really. Need I say more?

4. Yes We Did! An Inside Look at How Social Media Built the Obama Brand (Voices That Matter Series)
The Obama campaign was revolutionary in more ways than one. But if your serious about social media and its potential, this is definatley worth your time.

5. Readers choice, what is your recommendation????

Best Buy Knows Where Its At- The Future is Digital- The Future is Now

Public Relations and the FBI: Part One -The Press Release




This is part one of an on-going look on the role of public relations within the FBI and how social media is changing the game. The more I research, the more I realize the integral relationship between PR practitioners, the media and high profile cases, and its quite fascinating. 
 
Lets start by looking at Press Releases.
The FBI's 
Press Releases certainly extend beyond the traditional Who, What, Where, When, Why and How here. They are very specific to the limitations to the case. The wrong information, released at the wrong time in the wrong tone has the power to cause a suspect to strike out against another victim. While at the same time, if the media does not cover a suspects doings, they could very well take their crime to a heightened level to gain attention.


In general terms, Press Releases are designed around several purposes when writing for the FBI.

1. To announce a development in the case

2. To provide public safety information

3. To educate the public

4. To solicit information about the offender

5. To correct misinformation about the case

6. To encourage someone who may know the offender to come forward




Case Example:
Take the infamous BTK case for example. The BTK killer loved the media attention and communicated on a regular basis during his killing spree between 1974 and 1988. Despite disappearing in 1988, he resurfaced in 2004 by sending a new communication to the media. The FBI’s BAU (Behavioural Analysis Unit) then put forth a proactive media strategy that they utilized throughout the case up until his capture. This strategy involved using the lieutenant in charge of the investigation to provide written press releases at critical times, which resulted in 15 press releases during the course of the investigation.

This established a two way relationship with BTK and the media which eventually led to his demise. In a communication to the media, he slipped up and revealed information that led to his identification. It is thought by many that this proactive media strategy created a perceived relationship between BTK and the lieutenant and it is this relationship that weakened his sense of control, throwing him off his game, and led to a mishap in his methods that led to his capture.

Lesson learnt here: Never underestimate the power of the press release. Furthermore, never underestimate the importance of the right words, at the right time, at the right place. 


Case Study: Public Relations and the FBI: How Social Media is Changing the Game

My friends over at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and I say friends because Criminal Minds has become my alternate reality, call PR folks like you and I ... POI’s [Public Information Officers]. Its no Secret Agent, but I’ll take it. 


Being a creature of curiosity, I have taken it upon myself to delve into the lives of these POI’s. I expected doing PR for the FBI would be interesting, but I never realized that POI’s have the power to advance or retract a case. They are just as important and critical to the case as the Secret Agents themselves. 



What begs the question here is How has social media changed the playing field for the FBI ? Does it work for them? Or has it complicated matters beyond no end? 



Before I dare attempt to answer that, lets take a journey on how we got here, on how traditional methods of PR have been employed with the Bureau and the guidelines to follow for each. 


Stop 1: The Press Release