All the Interesting Things: Marketing, PR, and Ideas for 01/10/14

One of SHIFT’s 7 core values are connected which means much more than just having a full Address Book app on your phone. Connected means knowing what’s going on, knowing what’s worth reading and sharing. Here are the top 5 most interesting reads that SHIFTers shared among each other lately. Let us know what you think in the comments!

Six Digital Media and PR Lessons From 2013

L&D Coordinator Kristina Norris on why this matters:

This article does a great job starting the conversation about top digital media and PR lessons from 2013. While it does only mention 6, the six are worth another look and joining the comments to develop to help expand the list.

5 Powerful Exercises To Increase Your Mental Strength

Account Director Megan Kessler on why this matters:

A career in PR is perennially called out as one of the most stressful. This article by social worker Amy Morin offers practical tips for improving our mental strength. PR professionals at any level can follow Amy’s tips to combat the inevitable stress of the job and to transform their attitudes and perspectives from pessimistic to productive.  I found it really enlightening.

Cracking the feminist psyche, and wallet

Account Director Megan Kessler (yes, again!) on why this matters:

This article is a great reminder of what is truly powerful about the work we do in PR, marketing and advertising. It is about connecting with people on an emotional and cultural level and creating a social commentary that resonates. This has never been more important than it is today, when social channels can bring even the smallest idea to a global audience.

Generation Now: Embracing the Power of Living in the Moment

Media Relations Manager Matt Nagel on why this matters:

This great piece in Advertising Age that declared 2014 as the year for “moment marketing.” The author, Zoe Lazarus, highlighted a number of cultural trends driving this opportunity for marketers and why we’ll want to capitalize on the “now.” She also cited two great examples of moment marketing: Oreo’s Superbowl blackout tweet and British Airways’ #lookup London billboard. As PR pros, we’ll want to keep challenging ourselves to build topical, timely and responsive marketing strategies.

8 Surprising Ways Music Affects and Benefits our Brains

Marketing Coordinator Lucas Stewart on why this matters:

This fascinating post covers the science of music and how it affects and benefits our brains. Buffer shares data that shows listening to ambient music is the “sweet spot” for creativity. They also step back to the workplace auditory environment in general, sharing that overhearing a one-sided phone conversation is more detrimental to performance than working next to two people talking.

Chel Wolverton 
Senior Marketing Analyst

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