Chase's Blog

Chase's Social Media Resume

2009-01-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

My name is Chase Becker and I graduated with a degree in Communication from St. Edward's University

Profile

Coursework: Advertising, Communication Theory, Mass Communication, Public Speaking, Organizational Communication, Social Media and PR

Member of the Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society; 4.0 GPA at St. Edward's University and graduated Summa Cum Laude

Strong work ethic; business ownership family background

Task oriented with attention to detail and time management skills

Education

Bachelor of Arts, Communication
Concentration: Media Arts, Public Relations, Advertising
St. Edward's University, Austin, TX

Experience

ADAO Global
International Affairs

PGC Creative
Public Relations and Social Media Manager
Oversee all social media efforts
Assist with public relations campaigns and media buying/planning
Write and distribute press releases
Media lists and press kits
Search Engine Optimization

Becker Dental
Director of Marketing
Developed and maintain office’s Web site (www.beckerdental.com); Search Engine Optimization; Social Media
Oversee and direct all marketing, advertising and public relations campaigns

ESPN Radio
Production Intern
Acted as the assistant producer
Ran the entire afternoon show on several occasions
Ran the remote broadcasts
Cut and edited audio for show
Created computer logs for commercials and promos

360 Training
Intern
Corporate billing and communication
Made phone calls generating leads for the sales team
Business Intelligence and Internet Research
Website audits and worked a lot with Microsoft Excel
Put together marketing packets and brochures
Edited press releases

Below is a sample of a video that I created for Social Media and PR

Bad Side of Social Networks

2008-04-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

A woman in Michigan was caught trying to hire a hitman to kill her husband on craigslist. This is another of many cases that shows the down side of social networking sites like craigslist and myspace. There have been countless crimes tied to both of these sites over the recent years. The reason why I bring this up is because we are taking a social media class. This class helps teach us about these social networking sites, and the good and bad aspects of them. This is an example of the negative consequences that these social networks bring to all of us. It is pretty scary when you actually think about it.

article

Freedoms We Take For Granted

2008-04-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting story on the web about cell phones that I thought would be relevant to our social media class. In class this semester, we have studied and explored the old and new technologies of the world. We have learned how to blog, create podcasts, and produce videos all due to the fact that we live in a technology efficient country. But what is going on in other countrie around the world?

The article that I found was about the country of Cuba, and how Cubans are just now being allowed to purchase cell phones. Until recently, the government of Cuba has restricted cell phone usage, among many other privilages that we in America take for granted. This is surprising to me because I cannot imagine a life without a cell phone. Can you imagine living in a place with no cell phones or Internet access? Not only do we have all these freedoms in America, but we have the opportunity to take classes such as social media and take the technology even farther.

article

2008-04-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting story the other day that should spark the interests of other Austin residents. The city has approval to build a RV park for the homeless. This park is going to be designed to house over 150 homeless people in RVs and cabins. It is the first project like its kind in the country.

I think this is a great idea. It will help get a lot of the panhandlers off the streets, and into homes. However, this could also be looked at as a bad thing for the city. Giving the homeless free housing could reduce their ambitions even more to go out and find work. Some of the homeless appear to be unable to physically work for a living, but some are still young and should be able to contribute something to society. Some people could look at this park as being unfair to the rest of us. The homeless can make tax free money panhandling on the corners, and then go back to their free housing paid for by the tax payers. What do you think?

link to the article

Sad Reality

2008-04-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of a U.S. soldier back from the war. The helmet to his side is what he has to wear in order to protect his brain. After suffering head injuries while serving in Iraq, he had to have part of his skull replaced with a metal plate. This is the tragic reality of many troops returning home from the war.

As if the war isn't bad enough, an estimated 300,000 soldiers are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with mental disorders including severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Another 300,000 soldiers are returning home with brain injuries like the man in the picture.

Something needs to be done to help these soldiers that are suffering. I think that anyone that has served in the wars should be given enough money to retire off of. They have enough problems after returning from the war, the last thing they need is to wind up one of the Vietnam vets on the corner begging for money. They did their country a tremendous service and I feel that they shouldn't have to worry about finding a job when they come back, especially while trying to deal with the trauma and depression that fills their heads.

World Hunger

2008-04-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Below is the video I created for world hunger.

There's Still Hope

2008-04-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

Theses 74 from The Cluetrain Manifesto says that, "We are immune to advertising. Just forget it." I would have to disagree with this theses and I still think there is hope for the advertising community. I do agree with the Citizen Marketers that the most powerful influence of all is word of mouth; however, I still think advertisements have the ability to reach the consumers. There are still commercials that come on TV that really catch my attention in one way or another. As long as advertisements still have the ability to catch people's attention, there is still hope for advertising. It is all about catching people's attention and matching your product with the needs of consumers. In my opinion, advertising is always going to be an influence on consumers to some extent. We cannot already be immune, not yet. There's still hope.

No Secrets!

2008-04-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed the 95 theses from The Cluetrain Manifesto. One of the ones that really stood out in my mind was theses 12. It stated, "There are no secrets. The networked market knows more than companies do about their own products. And whether the news is good or bad, they tell everyone." I loves this theses because it describes the reality of the world we live in today. There really are no secrets among the companies and consumers. If people have a problem with a certain product on the market, they are going to voice it to everyone that they know, creating accountability for companies. The social world today holds both companies and consumers accountable. However, I think this is a good thing. Today, companies know that they must create a dependable, quality product, or they are going to suffer the consequences. The results of this new media is better products for the consumers. It works the other way too. If a product on the market is great, consumers are going to reward the company through the ever powerful word of mouth. Overall, I think the new market is a great thing for everyone.

How Social Media is Changing the Playing Field

2008-03-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

With the Presidential elections coming up at the end of the year, it is important to look at how social media is changing the candidate's campaigns. It is safe to say that the candidates are playing the same game, just using new equipment. Social media is changing the way that candidates are targeting their selected audiences. For example, Barack Obama have a MySpace website that has over 160,000 supporters. With MySpace being as popular as it is today, it seems like a really effective campaign tool. Other social media tools such as blogs can also give candidates an advantage over past candidates. Instead of having to go door to door or use old fashion mailing lists to reach potential voters, this year's candidates can reach more people with less work. Here is an article that talks about this topic a little more in depth.

Social Media in 'O8 Elections

2008-03-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Presidential elections have taken center stage among the topics being discussed in the country, and with good reason. With the elections coming up in November, many Americans are using social media outlets to convey their opinions on the different candidates. For example, blog posts pertaining to people's favorite candidates are becoming increasingly popular. If you follow this link, you will see how one man has been tracking the trends in conversations people are having regarding the elections. In particular, it shows the popularity of Presidential candidates Clinton, McCain, and Obama in blog posts over a 30 day period. I think it is very interesting to look at because it helps show the impact that social media is having on this year's election. It is going to be an exciting election to say the least.

Podcast on Blogs

2008-03-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

This is a podcast that was created by Chase, Nicole, and Marcela. In the podcast, we discuss the different aspects of blogging.

Show Notes:

00:00 Chase introduces the group and topic.

00:14 Chase describes what a blog is.

1:30 Nicole talks about the different types of blogs.

3:50 Marcela talks about blogging and mass media.

4:32 Marcela talks about the consequences of blogging.

5:03 Marcela thanks the listeners and signs off.

Below is the link to our podcast

Some Sports Talk

2008-03-02T18:21:00.000-08:00

Even if you absolutely cannot stand the guy, there is no denying that Kobe Bryant is one of the best players in the NBA, if not the best. Just today he had over 50 points to lead the Lakers to a win over the Mavericks. The talk right now is that he will be the league's MVP if he continues to play this way. The reason why I even choose to blog about this guy is because so many people in the country do not seem to like him. I am not the biggest Kobe fan, but as a fan of basketball in general, I cannot help but respect his talent and skills. Even though I would never make the official comparison, watching Kobe Bryant play reminds me of watching the legendary Michael Jordan when I was growing up. Jordan is still the man, but Kobe is a player on his way to true greatness. Yeah he is cocky and has had some legal problems in the past, but what player hasn't. It is the NBA.

New Technologies Not Available to Americans

2008-03-02T18:09:00.000-08:00

There are some great new technologies that are becoming available in Japan. One of them is mobile digital TV. More and more people in Japan are seen watching television on trains and in restaurants on their cell phones. Another interesting technology is called mobile wallet service. This is where cell phones have smart cards that allows users to add applications like electronic money and credit cards by downloading the software. These are trends that are happening in other parts of the world and will soon find their way into the United States. If people can watch television literally anywhere just with the use of a cell phone, what is next? What direct impact will it have on social media?

link

2008 Academy Awards

2008-02-24T16:47:00.001-08:00

Well it is time once again for this year's Academy Awards. People across the country will be tuning in tonight to find out who will win what. To be honest, I might tune in for part of the program but I have not been that impressed with some of the movies this year. It is true that I have not had the time to see as many movies as I would like, but it still appears that this year was lacking any truly magnificant blockbusters. Nonetheless, the Academy Awards are still exciting to watch, even if the nominees and winners are not.

Academy Awards Nominees

What's New With Social Media?

2008-02-24T16:20:00.000-08:00

Most of you have already heard about this, but I just came across it myself. Ask.com has launched a new site called BigNews. The site is similar to other sites on the web like Google News, but it is a lot broader. Digg.com and Wikipedia have both been linked to the stories found on this new site.
I think this is good news for most people in the social media world, but as far as I am concerned, I think we already have enough news sources on the Internet. Besides Digg.com and Google News, there's Yahoo.com, MSN.com, and CNN.com, and many more. All of these sites basically contain the same information on them, just different formats. I just do not see the need for new sites like this. Other people might disagree with me and that's fine. Maybe I am just too lazy and do not take advantage of the features of these websites.

Ask BigNews

Another School Shooting, Are You Kidding Me?

2008-02-17T18:17:00.000-08:00

I do not know about the rest of you, but I am so sick of the rising number of school shootings. I mean I just don't get it. They keep happening at least a few times a year, if not more. The problem just seems to be getting worse and worse. I do know if it is the copycat effect or what, but so many young people are turning to these terrible crimes. Okay, I can understand if you are unhappy with your life and are depressed. I can even understand if you were picked on in school pretty bad. Get over it. Many people were picked on and hated school, and even more people are unhappy with their lives and/or depressed. There are many ways of coping with both of these problems, but going into a school and shooting innocent teachers and students is not one of them. I hate to say it but our world is getting bad. Students used to have worries in school about their classes and making friends, now they have to worry about just making it through the day alive. School should be the last place on earth that people should be threatened. I just don't know what we as a society could do about it. It has just gotten so ridiculous. At this point, I would even consider the proposal to allow students and teachers to carry concealed handguns with the proper permits. At least this way they could have a chance to fight back. I don't know what needs to be done, or if anything can.

Video

Future for Social Media

2008-02-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

I came across an interesting article about blogging earlier that was dated back to 2005. The article was titled "The future of blogging." What I found interesting about the article is that it discusses the potentials behind blogging. It talks about how blogging can be a useful tool and the article questions whether blogging will be integrated into the mainstream media in the future. With the article being two years old, we already know the answer to that question. Blogging is definately in the mainstream media, and it is only getting more popular. The article also talks about blogging as a potentially useful tool for many businesses. Once again, we can see today how useful blogging has become in the business world. Many big companies are setting up blogs, and they can be really helpful in getting feedback from the customers. This article was written two years ago, and so much has already changed with the world of blogging. My question is what is the social media world going to look like in another 5-10 years?

article

What's Next?

2008-02-10T17:29:00.000-08:00

All of the top dogs for the wireless industry met in Barcelona, Spain Monday for a four-day communications conference called the Mobile World Congress. This event is the largest communications conference in the world. The top question on everyone's mind is what's next? At the top of the conference's topics is mobile broadband. This new technology is already being used in places like Sweden, Austria, and Finland. With this popularity of the Internet moving to cell phones, some of the top competitors will be companies like Google, Yahoo, and of course, Microsoft. I personally cannot wait to see what they will think of next. If you would have told me ten years ago that we would have the technology that we have today, I would have called you crazy. Just the fact that we can take a class that teaches us blogging and podcast is evidence that the world of technology is constantly growing. Who knows what the future will hold for us.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23097799/

TSA Jumps on the Blogging Band Wagon

2008-02-10T16:33:00.000-08:00

The Transportation Security Administration launched their first blog on January 31. The new blog drew in hundreds of comments from travelers shortly after it was activated. I personally think this is a great move for them to make. They estimate that over 2 million people travel through airport security every day in America. This is a significantly high number and is evidence of why a forum that is open for comments will really come in handy. I am looking forward to using their blog in the near future. I do not know how many times I have had last minute questions while I am packing for the airport. Since 9/11, the security in airports has really stepped it up, and with good reason. However, this new security has also led to some problems for the everday traveler. What can I bring, what can I not bring? There are long lists of everyday items that are not allowed on the airplanes anymore, and not everyone is familiar with every item on these lists. This is one of the reasons why their new blog will surely keep attracting comments. I think it is a great move for them and I commend their efforts.

link: http://www.tsa.gov/blog/

Super Bowl XLII

2008-02-03T12:27:00.000-08:00

With the Super Bowl taking place in a few short hours, I couldn't help but to write a short blog about tonight's game. For those that do not know, tonight's game is between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. Tonight's game is going to be a unique one because the New England Patriots have a chance to make history with a win over the Giants. The last team to go undefeated and win the Super Bowl was the Miami Dolphins in 1972, when they went 17-0. Tonight's game is even more unique because the Patriots have a chance to go 19-0. This is one of the reasons why tonight's Super Bowl is going to be exciting. To me, tonight's game is going to be bitter sweet no matter what the outcome is. I am not a big fan of either one of the teams. My team is the Dallas Cowboys, who were knocked out of the playoffs by the New York Giants. Not only did the Giants end the Cowboy's hope for the Super Bowl, but they also defeated my second favorite team, the Green Bay Packers. Even with my great dislike for the Giants, I think I hate the Patriots even more. I just think they are all too cocky and arrogant, including their coach Bill Belichick who was caught cheating earlier in the season. This really disgusts me because with all the money that these guys already get paid to coach football, there should be no excuse for cheating. This, among many other reasons, is why I would like to see the Patriots lose tonight. Even though I would love to see history being made tonight, I am going to have to go with the New York Giants as my Super Bowl pick tonight. Either way, I hope that it is an exciting game of football.

Advantages of Blogging

2008-02-03T12:03:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons why blogging has caught the interest of so many people and businesses around the world. In America, many businesses are adding blogging to their business plans. Not only is blogging relatively cheap and easy to set up and use, but it also gives companies advantages over their competition by allowing them to receive feedback from the consumers themselves. However, this new trend is not being picked up by all the companies in America. For example, we have talked in class about how Target is one of these companies. When the controversial billboard came out a few weeks ago, there were many people in the country that were offended by it. Even though Target does not have blogging implemented in their business plans, they still were made aware of the customers dissatisfaction through their blogs. Since then, I believe it was said in class that Target is now reconsidering their policies on blogging. In my opinion, why would a company not want to blog? I was reading in an article that blogging is not big everywhere in the world. Ireland, for example, is a place where blogging is not very popular. At least in the business world, blogging in Ireland is almost nonexistant. This just shows how far ahead the technology of the United States is above other areas of the world. Blogging and other social media is popular in countries other than America, but there are still parts of the world that have not jumped on the band wagon yet. I think this is also the case with some of the people here in the United States. For instance, my parents would not even know what a blog was if you asked them. I think blogging is popular among the younger generations, but I would like to know how many of the "baby boomers" are regular bloggers. Honestly, before this class, I knew what a blog was but I had never blogged a day in my life. This class has already taught me the importance of blogging in today's world.

http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-advantages-of-blogging-for-business/

"UT among a growing number of newly-rich schools"

2008-01-24T14:12:00.002-08:00

UT among a growing number of newly-rich schools
1/24/2008 8:39 AM
By: Associated Press

The University of Texas is among a growing number of newly-rich schools, according to the latest figures on university endowments being released from the National Association of College and University Business Officers.

The updated figures on university endowments indicate that there are more than six dozen schools that have passed the billion dollar mark.

That includes the UT system with more than $15.5 billion dollars in endowments.

Harvard has more than $35 billion and Yale raked in $22.5 billion dollars.

http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=198763

I copied this article because I thought that it might be some interesting news to students considering that we live in Austin, and the University of Texas is right up the road. I was very surprised at the numbers that the article showed. It appears that UT is not far behind Harvard and Yale. Both of those prestigious schools have always had the reputation for not only being very selective about who they admit, but also very expensive. I was very surprised to see that UT was even in the same category. I wonder how St. Edward's University shapes up in comparison with the University of Texas and other colleges around the United States.

"

2008-01-24T14:12:00.001-08:00

Inc. 500 Companies Realize the Importance of Social Media

2008-01-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

A survey done by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth revealed that the fastest growing Inc. 500 companies have implemented blogging, podcasting, and other social media into their business plans. The companies realize the importance of social media and the significant role that it plays.
Two out of three Inc. 500 companies have said that social media plays a "very important" role in their business marketing strategies. Over 40% of the respondents claimed to be "very familiar with social networking."
33% of the companies are currently using message and bulletin boards. The study found that four out of the top ten companies are currently using some form of social media.
I find this article to be very interesting and significant to our class because it shows the importance of what we are currently using. Some of the top companies in the country are using social media techniques that we are going to learn in this course. I was somewhat surprised by the numbers, because I was not aware that so many companies are making social media a part of their businesses. I expected the numbers to be relatively lower, but the study shows the popularity of social media in the world today.

http://www.dmnews.com/Companies-are-adopting-social-media-study-finds/article/94232/