There is a high chance that last week you bought a food item with food additives in it. According to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics they have learned that about 60% of foods use technical food additives which is about a 10% increase since 2001. If Americans buy color additives all the time, why aren’t the ingredients explicitly stated in the food packages? When searching the question “What are color additives” on Google, the first website that shows up is fda.gov, which is a government run food and drug administration that has a role in regulating and approving ingredients in our food supply. When clicking on the article “Color Additives Questions and Answers for Consumers” I beg to ask the question “What information are they leaving out of their answers?”. The FDA color additive has synthetic substances and natural sources in it. As to what these “synthetic sources” are, it is unclear. The FDA regulations on color additives in food include substances that are both synthetic and those that derive from natural sources.
The synthetic coloring is man made and has to undergo a batch certification by the FDA to make sure it meets the requirements needed to be used. One of these ingredients includes petroleum which is a crude oil that is used in gasoline, plastic and diesel fuel. Who wants to eat that? In contrast, natural substances such as plants, animals, or mineral sources are exempt from using the requirements but still must be FDA approved. An example is the insect, Cochineal which is dried, crushed and mixed in an acidic solution to make a red dye. The FDA only decided to specify the product because it provoked major health concerns such as allergic reactions, respiratory problems and asthma in some individuals. This begs the question: what other natural ingredients are they keeping from us?
In total, the FDA has nine color additives approved. You may see some of these including Blue 1 (Popsicles, beverages, frosting & icings) Red 40 (Dairy products, gelatins and beverages) and Yellow 5 (Yogurt, baked goods and condiments). These FDA approved additives have questionable ingredients and you can not let the “natural color” fool you.
What is all round us and billions and billions of years old? It is the beautiful Earth! More than often, we ignore it for our busy lives. However, Earth’s environment should not be disregarded and can be used as a way to get to know yourself.
I have recently hiked in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Just a 5.6-mile hike with a 1,120 ft elevation gain and the most difficult rating made me feel alive. Just going into nature allowed me to challenge my mental health. One of the changes was my mindset. When hiking uphill at steep elevation while watching out for rocks and tree roots, pushed me into two decisions. The first was to become negative, complain and give up. The next option was to have a positive mindset and to keep going. Instinctively, I chose to become determined and pushed past the pain. I learned that in times of hardship, I will always choose to become driven, dedicated and motivated.
When walking up the trail I took a few photos. This is so I did not get distracted from the beauty right in front of me. Photos cannot encapsulate the mood or feeling in that movement. I became more thankful for the moment and enjoyed all the emotions that I could not feel again. Being able to see all the amazing sites allowed me to improve my mental clarity and reduce stress. I truly felt free from all judgment.
Hiking allows you to understand yourself and have a deep appreciation for your surroundings. Spending time in nature reduces stress while improving your endurance. I boosted my self-esteem and confidence. So, what are you waiting for? Get into nature!
I have always wanted to study abroad. However, COVID hit and the whole world was on lockdown. Four years later, I decided to march into the office of study abroad at my university. Looking at the summer abroad I was nervous due to safety and not knowing the culture or language. However, I decided to face my fears and travel to Rome, Italy for a travel writing course. Little did I know that I would come back with a deeper understanding of culture and a growth mindset.
Studying abroad is a unique educational opportunity because it allows students to see the direct application of course content to their lived experiences. My course was fast paced and required me to write about the different things I saw in Italy. This was a new idea to me as I am used to reading about monuments and historical sites using someone else’s interpretation. However, going into sites I was able to make my observations and understand the culture. This allowed me to gain critical thinking and analysis skills based on seeing Rome with my own eyes.
One of my favorite assignments was interviewing Italians on a cultural difference between Italy and America. I interviewed a staff member who worked at my hotel. We talked for over an hour about transportation in Rome. From political happenings (Ex: the Taxi Strike), the division of the North and South of Italy, the movement of Immigrants to Rome and how what it is like being an Italian. The conversation flowed and I was impressed by how he related his experiences to America. Even though he has never been, he still was able to draw examples from what he has seen on the news. I was able to create connections between the two countries while expanding my preconceived notions of Italy.
Studying abroad allows one to have a deeper appreciation of culture and history. Through the foreign academic setting, I was able to engage in interactions with local Italians, develop a richer understanding of Roman culture and view the art and architecture that Romans handcrafted to be put on display a timeframe for millions to see. My study abroad experiences in Italy not only enriched my academic knowledge but also cultivated personal growth and adaptability while making me more empathetic as well as culturally competent.
I have recently been to Rome, Italy and it was a blast. One of my favorite things to do was to eat food.
I went to the restaurant Mr. Tiramisu 100 which was awarded Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice in 2023. They have 100 different Tiramisu flavors. Their Tira-Menu (as their menu is called) has tiramisu that includes fruits, your favorite snacks, biscotti honey as well as specialty flavors. Check out their menu on their Instagram page.
However, I was invested in the different cheeses Italy had. This idea came to me after I tasted a charcuterie board (as seen below) from Mr.Tiramisu. I was impressed by how versatile and unique each different cheese tasted. Almost as if they had different personality types.
Look at the beautiful charcuterie board
Gorgonzola, Grana Padano, Ricotta Salata and Montasio are some Italian Cheese I recommend trying based on the cheeses.
Gorgonzola Piccante originated in Lombardy and Piedoment Italy. It is a blue cheese that has a potent intense flavor. It has an aging process of about 80 days which gives it a sharp, spicy and salty taste.
Grana Padano is from Po Valley in northern Italy. It is made with unpasteurized cow’s milk and is similar to parmesan. However, this cheese is aged for about nine months minimum and 20 months at the maximum. It is best served with risotto or pasta dishes.
Ricotta Salata comes from Lazio, Italy and means re-coked salted in English. This cheese is made from sheep’s milk and is aged for many months. It has a creamy but saltier flavor.
Montasion was produced in Italy from the regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia as well as the provinces of Treviso and Belluno. It is made with raw cow’s milk and has a nutty type taste with a fruity taste
As a foodie, it was a must to try every new food item that I did not try in the United States. I am glad I was able to eat deciduous tiramisu as well as great cheeses and meats at Mr.Tiramisu 100.
Google is my worst best friend, leading me to unfamiliar places without warning me I was trespassing. My shoes pointed toward a slope of cobblestones. I began to step forward when I heard, “Scusi Miss, Scusi.” Turning, I saw men from the Esercito in their vegetato desert jackets, berets, and guns as wide as their bodies. Terror struck me, chills running down my spine. Here I was, in a foreign country, being yelled at by the military. The soldier shook his head and escorted me off the premises. Despite the language barrier, his gestures spoke volumes. Embarrassed, I thought to myself, what a tourist thing to do.
Away from the incident, the shock didn’t deter my travels to a nearby park. The busy, overcrowded area in Rome was overstimulating, and I needed tranquility. The city became less populated and my nose was free of the scent of smoke, which was minimal as I explored to find a park.
I stood at a crossroads, uncertain of which direction to take. Hesitantly, I started down one path, but then Google Maps indicated I was going the wrong way. I turned back, and forth again, unsure and anxious about getting lost forever. I paced back and forth in the same spot, my hamstrings burning as if on fire. Each step was more painful than the last. Then, confusion set in. A car seemed to wait for me, but then a motorcycle suddenly darted out, cutting the driver off. I felt a pang of guilt, fearing I was the cause of the near collision. The broad street for cars and narrow sidewalks on either side stretched out before me, adding to my anxiety. The street was so silent I could hear my heavy footsteps on the cobblestones and my uneven breathing. Suddenly, a car zoomed past, making me shake in fear. I was alone on the side of the road, and my anxiety kicked into overdrive. Was he laughing at me for not taking a car? Was he going to run me over? Could he tell I was American, and how much did I stand out?
I finally reached the park, excited to venture into its tranquility. I felt the natural soil seeping into my shoes as I walked. A woman lay on a bench, listening to an audiobook playing out loud in Italian. A man AirPods to talk on the phone. Observing myself, I realized I was using my phone every minute using Google Maps to guide me. I pitied myself because even in a park, I relied on my phone for directions. I wondered if the Italians noticed my distinctly American ways.
“I can’t believe we are in Rome”. “Everyone is so nice here”. These are some of the common things I have heard from my fellow classmates. The unique architecture and the romantic language do not fool me. Rome in a way reminds me of Las Vegas.
Las Vegas and Rome are two tourist traps hidden behind the saying “only once-in-a-lifetime”. Yesterday, I was invited to go on a group walk to the shopping district. I could hear excitement and self-confidence in their voices as they listed out places they wanted to go to. “Zara”, “The Lego Store”, “Gucci” as well as “H&M”. All places that feel familiar and safe to the American individual. The stroll to the stores was repetitive to that of Vegas; Overpriced, poorly culturally relevant but just neater in Rome.
Musicians open up their cases to make a euro, artists quietly wait until an aesthete approaches and restaurant promoters up-sell to attract tourists. The meals are the same with pizza, pasta, and gelato shops on every corner. However, in Las Vegas, it is overpriced Gordon Ramsay restaurants. Walking over men and women surrounds the edges and vacates the middle to make their “made in Italy” appealing. These street vendors aggressively use clever tricks to bolster their cash flow.
Upon arriving at Gucci I stopped at a booth selling various survivors. I often think about the vendors I see on a day-to-day basis in Rome. I wonder what they truly think of the city. Do they love it, or do they simply see it as a marketplace for tourists, pricing their items to attract attention? I’m curious about the stories behind these vendors.
What is their lifestyle?
Where do they receive their products?
How do they make money?
I want to know more about Italians beyond knowing them as a street vendor. I seek a deeper understanding of their motivations. Are they selling because they genuinely enjoy it, or is it a different reason? I’d love ultimately to sit down with an Italian and hear their true thoughts. I’d like to ask them questions, sparking debates about different perspectives.
While Rome is one of the most tourist cities, I can not help to wonder about the well-being of the workers. All I could think about was when the full documentary was going to come out of the behind-the-scenes for the workers in Rome.
The term and act of public relations has many different interpretations. I used to believe public relations was only shown in the form of holding press conferences and engaging in a Q & A section. It has become clear that public relations is a multifaceted discipline that involves interpersonal, writing and interviewing skills throughout this semester. This course has helped my creative thinking and analytical skills. In my coursework I have developed such as active listening skills, identified newsworthy angles and crafted questions to generate credible stories and learn the tools a public relation specialist uses. My perception of public relations has expanded to recognize that it is the act of conveying a message through a medium knowing there will be a receiver bias.
Public relations emphasized the significance of quantity, speed and context. Quantity pertains to the amount of context being put out, while speed relates to the timely release of information to let readers know about opportunities before another source does. Context refers to the format in which information is presented. Public relations is about fostering awareness as well as building relationships to enable two way communication. Public professionals are tasked with managing controversies, controlling online reputation, updating social media and representing brands. These tasks are with the goal of connecting with audiences effectively and efficiently.
Public Relations Examples
Some examples of this include using public relations to put a spin on stories that may put an individual in a negative light. For example, the Jonas brothers had to reschedule their summer concerts. Their public relations team conveyed to their fans on the jones brothers official website that their shows have been rescheduled. They put out a video for their fans about what happened sharing their point of view.
Europe!! We’re shifting our upcoming shows to later this year. We appreciate your love and support so much. We know this is a bit inconvenient but we can’t wait to share more about what’s coming 😏
All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new date and info is at… pic.twitter.com/5V8Z7FYljp
Another example of public relations is the Spotify pop-up library for Taylor Swift’s new Tortured Poets album. It allows fans to have an on-hands experience with her artistic vision for her new album. This fosters a sense of community among her fans as well as increases the buzz around her new album before it comes out. Furthermore, there was also an element of mystery throughout the library. There were hints and clues about music video release dates and hints about certain lyrics. Swift gives fans a unique experience to get fans excited about her album. Overall, on-hands experiences and mystery give Swift an excellent public relations campaign.
Over the course of this semester, my writing has undergone noticeable changes and improvements. In my initial blog posts, specifically the first and second ones, I struggled with integrating multimedia content and visuals, which impacted readability. Additionally, these posts lacked clear structure, with long paragraphs and insufficient background information provided about the topics discussed. For a blog post about Elle King about her performance at the Grand Ole Opry to honor Dolly Parton, I did not give background information about the Elle King controversy, or provide quotes and images. I also did not provide what Twitter post I was referring to and looked into Elle King’s public relation team on how they handled it.
My second blog was about the water brand, Owala’s Instagram post. The same problems appeared here as talked about in the post about Elle. However, there was more of a clear use of research in comparison.
As the semester progressed, I made conscious efforts to enhance my writing style and content. In my Croctober blog post, I used an engaging lead to reel in readers. I gave them more background about the cowboy boots that were being talked about through attaching a youtube video and a photo about them. Furthermore, I incorporated direct quotes from reputable sources, like CEO Andrew Rees, to bolster credibility and provided actionable recommendations, such as suggestions for improving press releases. One notable strength that emerged from this evolution was my ability to engage readers effectively. I included how the Croc company is honoring fans, as well as recommendation of how the company can get fans involved through social media.
For the Croc blog post, I provided a TikTok of fans reacting to the Croc boots, and I ended the blog with “The ultimate question is, are you ready to ride into Croc Nation?” to include an interactive prompt.
In my final two blog posts, I applied lessons learned from previous ones, ensuring proper referencing, using heading and providing insightful critiques supported by examples and class concepts, such as design principles as well as using the nut graph. I also engaged in comparative analysis, drawing differences between two different infographics about how to grill safely.
Moving forward, I intend to continue refining my writing by focusing on further diversifying multimedia content, refining my structure for enhanced readability, and consistently incorporating relevant research and analysis to enrich my arguments.
Learning
One aspect I can utilize is interviewing skills, as well as writing a press release. I plan to pursue a career in event planning. I have learned how to effectively tell a story across various media formats. My technical skills have improved as I understand how to reach a large audience effectively. Communication through different mediums is crucial in advertising. Additionally, I’ve learned how to increase event awareness through social media and websites.
This course has provided me with a deeper understanding of the background of through hands-on experience. For example, I enjoy interviewing people and hearing their stories. Public speaking and I strive to assist in challenging situations, excelling at presenting information within tight deadlines. I thrive on planning, executing, and evaluating events, as well as engaging with clients to bring their vision to life. Delegating tasks and setting up rooms are tasks I enjoy.
Social media plays a significant role in receiving and providing information. It serves as a platform for branding, communication, and self-expression. Among friends, it’s a way to share updates on my activities. With potential employers, it showcases who I am and my journey. With young professionals, it demonstrates how I maintain a clean social media presence, reflecting the best version of myself.
However, there are challenges. One must be mindful not to overshare or neglect updates, as this affects how others perceive you. Maintaining a clean profile and monitoring content is essential. Nevertheless, social media offers opportunities to share one’s brand and connect with like-minded individuals, allowing a glimpse into who you are and what you stand for.
The CDC released information highlighting the before and after steps on how to grill safely. The inverted pyramid structure of the food safety information page could have effectively highlighted the most crucial information but failed to do so.
The lead is lacking in depth because it indicates food poisoning and food-borne illness but it never goes into further detail. While the body content is useful there are no direct quotes and the kicker ends abruptly while not ending on a call to action. The lead of the food safety information, talks about making sure food is cooked at a safe internal temperature. While this is the most crucial information it lies in the “Cook” section at the bottom. This design for the temperature information is hard to read on both the page and the infographic.
The CDC Page Temperature Information
The Infographic Temperature Information
The CDC has done a sufficient job of capturing the main highlights of the information in the infographic format. This is because they cross-reference the same steps in both the flier and the infographic.
Design Principles
The food safety infographic provides information about the proper handling, storage, and cooking of food.
The headers are a repeat of the keywords in the safety information page. The words include “Separate”, “Clean”, “Cook”, ”Chill”, and “Refrigerate” which help reinforce the key overall message. The text is well-aligned but the layout is spaced out oddly. The headliners “Chill” and “Cook” are a little off in alignment compared to the other headliners. Also, in the “Cook” section the temperatures are ill-aligned.
The colors are not effective because there’s no common theme. When the infographics highlight the numbers in the green color and a different font it does not stand out and blends into the background. The orange coloring does not pair well with the different colored backgrounds in each of the boxes.
The infographic shows seven key pieces of information that are unbalanced. For example, the photos in the “chill” and “Don’t cross-contamination” overlap with the other boxes and make it look messy. The text boxes are even but have unnecessary gaps such as cream-colored lines between them.
The graphic would have been more efficient if there were six boxes to make the infographics not uniform. The use of whitespace is poorly used because the photos or fronts are too big with spaced-looking gaps.
The grilling safety tips infographic by Silverleafmanagement is well-designed, with a clear layout. It has a great whitespace that enhances readability and has a smooth flow in design. The choice of font and colors make the content easy to read in comparison to the CDC’s infographic.
The photos are also very misleading because the infographics are supposed to be about cooking seafood, meat, and other poultry food. The pictures show more vegetables in the photo, which is not in line with what the infographics talk about.
Overall, the CDC has done an alright job capturing the main highlights between the information within the website page and the infographic.
Building relationships with well-written issue statement
It is imperative to connect with your audience within your organization through a well-written issue statement. A two-way communication system from the customer to the client can help build trust and the reputation of the organization. Agenda setting can help provide information to the audience and help the organization become proactive in any issues that are important to the customers. Other factors in building trust include emotional appeal, values, and activism.
In Crocs press release it uniquely connect with the customer. The release alludes to their fan base, Croc Nation. The release revealed the classic cowboy boots, a holiday known as Croc Day, and shared items fans have made revolving around Crocs. This helps build a relationship with the audience.
Defining your target audience is extremely important regarding receiver bias. This is how an individual decodes and perceives a message. To have the target audience understand a message segmentation is used. In demographic segmentation, it is imperative to know the gender, ethnicity, age, occupation, etc. of whom you are targeting. Psychographic segmentation encompasses the values, personality, and lifestyle of the target audience. Overall the segmentation helps us choose which platform including social media, magazines, radio stations, newspapers, and events we should be promoting for the target audience.
Barbie’s demographic is girls all ethnicities between the ages of 5 to 14 in elementary school. The kids’ psychographic segmentation includes a playful and imaginative personality, with values of curiosity and confidence. Since children utilizes social media, the Barbie Instagram targets kids and shows that can be anything they desire, hence, using forms of kids segmentation.
“Ethical” Components
Components are presented within a public relations campaign for it to be ethical. Social responsibility is a component when the company takes initiatives, through philanthropy, environmental sustainability efforts, community engagement, and social causes. Self-regulation adheres to ethical standards because it shows accountability in the company’s business.
The audience also has to be aware what the company is doing ethically. This can help encourage the audience to become more positive about the company. Another component is if the company shows gratitude and customer appreciation to thank them for buying their product. Efficient communication, as well as respect, helps the campaign become ethically right in the long term.
Controlled media is when the organization or company puts out the content period. In this form, the company would be accurate, transparent, and respectful. Uncontrolled media is when an individual that is not a part of the organization produces content. With external users, it presents ethical challenges due to manipulating or influencing coverage unethically. This form can also harm a company with criticism and could expose a company.
Uncontrolled Media Controlled Media
We can see this with the controlled media Kylie swimsuit campaign. On Instagram, the swimsuits fit the model and show no issue in regards to the material. However, when looking the uncontrolled media, individuals are disappointed in the see-through material, the lack of coverage, and the poor fit.
Creating compelling content across various platforms requires a tailored approach to suit each medium’s unique characteristics.
A blog focuses on crafting original, informative pieces with attention-grabbing headlines and a journalistic writing style that’s brief yet engaging. It provides timely updates and ensures high-quality writing.
Feature writing thrives on human-interest stories, soft narratives, and insightful interviews. The writing highlights individuals with strong quotes while using an inverted pyramid. The writing ends with calls to action for reader engagement.
Social media demands concise, attention-grabbing captions with a consistent persona, tone, and visual style. This platform fosters two-way communication through tagging and strategic hashtag use.
Press releases serve to garner media coverage, following APA style and the inverted pyramid format for maximum publicity impact. The release is used for publicity, product, or financial information. It features hard news leads, company statements, and boilerplate or company information. Incorporating these strategies ensures effective communication across diverse platforms, engaging audiences with compelling content.
These writing styles share common goals of communication and engagement. They feature stories and provide information about in individual or organization.
The highly anticipated reveal of the first-of-its-kind Crocs Classic Cowboy Boot is shared with Croc fans from all over the world. Josh Schafer, a Yahoo Finance Reporter discusses the cowboy boot and the Crocs fan base in this YouTube video. A press release about these Crocs shows its timeliness as it was shared on October 5th, 2023 during Croctober. The lead highlights “Crocstellation” with crafty wordplay with a space theme. The lead becomes a bit confusing as the question arises of what “Crocstellation” means. It also is a bit wordy as the author should have clearly stated that the fan base is called Croc Nation and used the word “Croctober” instead of using “the month-long celebration”. As a non-Croc wearer, I had to reread the lead to fully understand what the press release would be about. The nut graph of the release has an appropriate dateline sentence with a tongue-twister first paragraph. The sentences are a bit time-consuming to reach the main point. However, it embraces a self-acceptance, positivity, and creativity theme as the punchline is “Come As You Are”.
Croc Classic Cowboy Boot: Credit to nbcdfw.com
The release’s body content summarizes the vital news connected to the announcements of the Crocs Classic Cowboy Boot. It discusses how the company made its loyal fans’ dreams come true with the Croc Classic Cowboy Boot. The Croc’s social media accounts capitalize on these boots as seen here. However, the boots’ reputation is perceived as unattractive. “Our goal is not to make the haters love the brand,” Crocs CEO Andrew Rees told the Business Insider earlier this month. “It’s to exploit that extrinsic tension because it creates opportunity, it creates PR, it creates media, it creates interest. It creates a whole lot that would cost you a fortune to buy in other ways.” (FWTX Staff). The release does a good job of describing the boot by advertising its uniqueness as well as its first-of-its-kind designs and details for the boot. To learn more click here. However, the information about Crocs-piration and the new constellation could be combined because the paragraphs are a bit redundant about how the Crocs company celebrates their fans. These paragraphs highlight the psychological proximity effect because of the emotional connection the Croc fans may feel knowing that their contributions are being seen and acknowledged. The press release brings a relevant source from the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Heidi Cooley. Her quote gives a nod to their creative fans and how her company inspires them.
Anatomy of the Boot: Credit to investors.crocs.com
The kicker leaves a lasting impression on the reader. It encourages a call to action for The Crocs Classic Cowboy Boots as it provides the website, dates, and details of how fans can engage with or buy the Crocs Boots. The information included tagging @Crocs and using the hashtag #Croctober23 on social media as seen on bree.kish TikTok. Overall, it gives the readers a chance to connect with or even join Croc Nation. The release has information about the Crocs headquarters, company, different products, and ways to learn more about the organization. The final part of the press release provides three photos. One is the anatomy of the boot (as seen above), the “Crocstellation” and a Croctober poster. These photos could have been more effective if they could be used earlier in the release. Overall, this release could improve in many areas but ultimately has many strengths.
Crocs: Credit to www.tiktok.com
After pushing out this release to the media, crocs could strategically craft an Instagram post by using videos, hashtags, links, and photos of the Cowboy Croc and Croctober. The content could include a video of people wearing the Crocs in different scenarios to show that it can be worn in everyday life. A fun caption could be “Come As You Are”. Another video idea is of influencers unboxing the Croc boots and being excited for them. Another idea includes a carousel of photos on Instagram with all the different photos seen in the press release. In both of these posts, I would also use the #Croctober23 and @Crocs from the kicker of the press release. The content from the press release that I would use is the description of the boot, Crocs-pirations (fan-generated content), and the Crocstellation on October 25. Lastly, I would do a call to action by linking to the website, sharing dates for the boots, and using hashtags to draw in new fans while engaging old customers. It is no surprise that the Croc company values its fans, and finds engaging ways to keep them coming back for more. The ultimate question is, are you ready to ride into Croc Nation?
