Kelly Frank Green

The Awesome Visual-Storytelling-Sharing-Social App You Aren’t Using But Should

/ Kelly Frank / Leave a comment

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Doing what I do for a living and working towards a Masters Degree in Social Media, I am often asked “What’s your favorite app or social platform?”  The typical ones roll off the tongue but in the top three or four, you’ll find Storehouse. I’m always a little stunned when people say, “Store-what?”

Storehouse is the most awesome social app you apparently aren’t using.

When you combine talent that comes from Facebook, Apple and The Daily, you are bound to come up with something not only beautiful but user-friendly. Storehouse doesn’t disappoint. It’s the brain child of co- founders Mark Kawano and Tim Donnelly.  They began their start-up in 2013 but didn’t launch the app (only on iOS devices) until January 2014.

I’m not a coder, a designer or a professional photographer so I can’t dive deep into any technical flaws or brilliance but I am a storyteller. With Snapchat, Instagram, Buzzfeed and the increasing presence of video and photos on Facebook, we are moving towards more visual communication at the speed of light. As a journalist, this pulls me to Storehouse.

Co-founder Mark Kawano told TechCrunch “We’re not targeting just photographers; we want to teach everyone that they can tell stories…We want Storehouse to be the really easy way to share and create stories. From photographers…to everyone, this is the shift in visual communication.”

As with all social platforms these days, Storehouse starts with a profile.

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While I am a lover of Storehouse, I admit I tend to be more voyeur than participator and creator. It’s such a beautiful experience that I sometimes wonder if what I have to share is worthy. My contributions to date number three: Kelly’s Storehouse: @kfg5Horizons

The process really is quite simple. You import photos and videos. You position them. You choose a title. That’s where the must-dos end. You can choose to add text, captions or just let the pictures speak for themselves. Layouts vary but the best part is that you have options. You can clearly see Kawano’s inside knowledge of Apple as you manipulate your stories. For the end user, the layout options and beauty of the app are flawless.

In Storehouse, you follow and can be followed but note that all you do is public. You don’t have to be following someone to see all their work and anyone can follow you. You can search for people or use the almighty hashtag. Yes, Storehouse wisely aggregates topics using hashtags. Unlike Instagram, Storehouse is built for sharing. You can republish.

There aren’t many Community Rules in Storehouse outside the obvious copyright ones which makes it a space ripe for creativity.

If you need a little hand-holding, Storehouse has created communities to address what it calls “your moods.” It’s a collection of interests you can follow to publish and republish stories from like-minded souls. Take a look:

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Storehouse is not without its critics and the fact that it is not available on Android devices will hamper the start up from maximum reach. That said, I would expect nothing less from the mind of a former Apple designer.

A couple other highlights worth noting. When you publish, you immediately receive an email to the account you set up your profile with. In it is a web-responsive link to your story ready to be shared to all.

Tstorynotifyhe world of Storehouse isn’t just comprised of parenthood, travels and selfies (but you can find that too). It has a little bit of everything and for those who question whether journalism can move with the times, check out this offering from the landmark gay marriage ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Others have taken to Storehouse to share their most intimate moments but in a way that can’t be captured on Facebook or Instagram or even Tumblr. One could argue that albums allow similar aggregation but they don’t allow the user to tell a story. This is where Storehouse breaks from the pack. Take a look at One Last Year with My Father.  It’s visual communication at a profound level.

While Storehouse is web-responsive, I strongly encourage you to visit it on your phone or iPad. It was created for those devices and doesn’t disappoint. In fact, given the mass exodus to all-things mobile, it’s quite brilliant Kawano and Donnelly were so mobile focused. It makes sense given the world we live in. Have phone, have camera, will travel, will tell stories.

Author Note (August 2021): Storehouse shuttered in 2016. All employees migrated to Square. I removed all links. It’s a shame. It was beauty while it lasted.

All-Access Pass: It’s Not Just for the VIP Anymore

/ Kelly Frank / Leave a comment
badges

Assignment Snapshot: Explain why people in the following roles should use social media – i.e. how would they benefit: Foreign news correspondent. Local beat editor. Photojournalist at TV News.

The All-Access Pass.

It’s kind of a right of passage when you become a journalist. Your photo is snapped. A number is assigned. A logo is embossed. You get your first badge. I remember my first badge with that beautiful, colorful NBC peacock. I felt like a bad-ass! (And don’t think I didn’t try to casually flash that sucker every time I could).

Then you grow up. You see a lot of things. You cover a lot of stories. The badge becomes a necessity, a lifeline, a key in and sometimes a one-way ticket to a swift exit.  There are several reasons a foreign correspondent, a beat editor and a photojournalist should use social media but the greatest of all is access. It’s not just access TO the user/reader/viewer but it’s also access FOR the user/reader/viewer.

FOREIGN NEWS CORRESPONDENT

NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent is Richard Engel. I don’t know him personally but have interacted with him over the years in coverage and find him to be very sharp. His political views are worn on his sleeve at times and he is deemed controversial by many for his public comments on ISIS, Syria and the Middle East in general. He is very active on Twitter and truly worth a follow.

Foreign correspondents broaden perspective for their users by giving them access to places they can’t go. They both expose and enlighten. In the slide show below, you will see a small collection of Richard taking you to places (Everest) you may never see. Additionally, it’s an opportunity for the correspondent to get intimate and if necessary, defend their reporting. You may recall that Richard Engel was kidnapped in 2012 in Syria. In one of his tweets, he talks about that and adds the additional context of linking to his story:

While I can argue a case for social media and the foreign correspondent, I would much rather let the foreign correspondent do it himself! Below is a lengthy but fascinating segment on MSNBC with Richard Engel.  In it he discusses what I believe is perhaps the greatest reason that foreign correspondents should use social media: they can affect change.  He talks about the power of social media in the face of violent regimes among other things. It only strengthens the point that the foreign correspondent is able to give us access we’ve never had before.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32545640

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

LOCAL BEAT EDITOR

We don’t really use beats in my current newsroom In fact, the beat is a bit of an outdated concept in most TV newsrooms I have been in. I was curious to see if the word “beat” would even come up in a basic google search with a semantic tie to a journalist. This is the result:

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As you can see, it pulls from the concept of the police officer’s area of surveillance. There are reporters who naturally gravitate to certain areas they live in but the days of the crime beat, city hall beat and county beat seem to be behind us. The one beat that lives? The Political Beat.

The benefits for a local beat editor include all those mentioned above for the foreign correspondent but I would also add that for this person specifically, it’s a great resource.  A local beat editor can narrow their focus, create lists of key influencers in their beat, follow and engage with local organizations and develop relationships. Social media give a local beat editor a multi-directional channel to talk with their users as well.  This really applies to all but for local–it can become intimate because most of the time you are working where you live.

PHOTOJOURNALIST AT TV NEWS

When I first got into TV (and I do mean TV) I was working for my father on a magazine style show. It wasn’t journalism. It was infotainment. I learned by spending hours upon hours hanging out with the photographers/shooters. They were incredible. They could see things I never saw. They could look at a vast landscape or a person’s face in an ugly room and find the most beautiful shot possible. I became a sponge. I learned how to shoot, frame, iris up, iris down, rack focus and so on. I learned that a story isn’t much of a story without pictures. (is it any surprise the social media that performs the best is visual?) So I took this knowledge with me when I entered a newsroom, ever-vigilant that a good picture or a good piece of video will always add impact.

For everything I said above, photojournalists should be on social media. They typically are motivated by the visuals not just the facts. They see things others don’t see. They capture the moments that sometimes don’t require any words. They are promoters and advocates of journalism and take GREAT pride in what they do.  I’m lucky in that I work with a lot of people who just *get* social media. Fortunately, some of them are photojournalists. I’ve captured two tweets below from Jim Zorn on Twitter and Erin Coker. Erin is just starting to develop her tweet chops but Jim speaks the language well and 99.9% of the time includes a photo.

One thing that hasn’t entered our newsroom yet but I believe should and will: Periscope. There is no one more primed to use that then the photojournalist. When they are on the scene they can live stream using their expert eye bringing people access to what matters. The other aspect of Periscope I like specifically for the photojournalist (and the foreign correspondent) is the ability to interact live in real-time with the viewer as things are happening. Viewers/users can ask questions and perhaps even steer coverage. It’s a whole different level of engagement.

EVERYONE

If you work in a newsroom, you are in the business of information dissemination. In this new media world we occupy, we all have the opportunity to tell stories any way we want. I’m a believer that everyone who works in this environment should be on social media: Producers, managers, photographers, digital staff, on-air talent and so on. Each person plays a role in the craft of storytelling and we all have something to offer the social discussion. We are the all-access pass only this one doesn’t require a velvet rope and a clipboard.

Engagement 101: Lists, Pics & Sex

/ Kelly Frank / 4 Comments

Assignment Snapshot: Use social media to source a news article or piece of social media news content that engages you. Why does it engage you? How has the story been told? Consider the written journalism and any multi-media content. Do you recognize story telling techniques as discussed in our lecture?

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When in doubt…just turn to sex.

Much of my research and reading for my job is serious. It’s not the “if it bleeds it leads” mentality but sometimes it can be. It’s also politics and corruption and national disaster and train wrecks and police-shootings -and that was just this week. I follow many news organizations on my social platforms from the pinnacle New York Times to what some consider low-brow Buzzfeed, Upworthy and Vice. I do it to be on top of vast amounts of information for work but I also do it for fun. So that brings us to this week’s assignment:

13 reasons every woman should masturbate regularly

In my down time, I tend to gravitate to the lighter side of the info-spectrum. I like edge. I like different. I like things that teach me something I didn’t know-and let’s be real, I like sex! Who doesn’t? So when I was trolling Twitter I came across this little Huff Po nugget and stopped and stayed awhile.

Why Did It Engage Me

This is pretty simple. It’s a straightforward title on a (sadly) taboo topic with a black and white photo that could have come right out of my mother’s 1963 yearbook (minus the book titled: “Masturbate”). Clearly I was not alone based on the 139 favorites and the 109 retweets after only being on Twitter for an hour.

I also read… a lot.

It’s part of my job so when I am not on the clock, I like spoon-fed nuggets. In other words, don’t make me work for it. When I see this social post, I know at first glance, I am going to have a nice, tightly packaged list of 13 reasons I need a little more “me time.”

How It’s Told

Lists are easy. Lists are familiar. We make them to organize and order chaos. They find their way into everything from classrooms to newscasts. (Have you ever seen a morning show that gives you “the five things you need to know before you go out the door?”).  In my Social Media & News class we read Jeff Hodson’s 12 Tips For Producing Strong News Stories. The story here captures several of the tips Jeff recommends: It’s interesting and has some color and good quotes (“…a little menage a moi”…C’mon!). It’s clearly structured and organized and in the end it ACTUALLY has expert information. You probably know masturbation feels good but did you know it’s because of dopamine and oxytocin?  Did you know masturbation is an actual sleep aid? What about the fact that it’s good for your health?

Is this really news…journalism?

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There is no real inverted pyramid here. Huffington Post isn’t fighting for justice (although an argument could be made for feminism!). This isn’t going to clinch a peabody, lead a newscast or change laws. In today’s world though, much of what I call “social news” is about an experience. It makes us feel. It makes us laugh. It makes us smarter. It makes us want to share.  A constant conversation in my newsroom is the ever-changing face and the ever-moving lines that define news, journalism and what we do every day. That’s a conversation to keep on having. The one for this week though, is about how to engage. Huffington Post did the ol’ “when in doubt, sex sells.” It did. I clicked…and I now have 13 reasons to engage more often.

I Masterminded a David Letterman Kidnapping Plot… (According to Google)

/ Kelly Frank / 14 Comments
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I remember the day back in 2005 quite vividly. I was working for the NBC affiliate in Phoenix as an Executive Producer. I walked in as I normally do every day and went straight to my desk.  When I arrived, I saw it covered in AP wire copy. Yes! Clearly something important was upon us if my desk sit covered in printed wire copy.

I soon started to read about how I masterminded a plot to kidnap David Letterman’s son and nanny. I was under arrest and in big trouble. Right there in black and white: “Kelly Frank planned to hold the boy and his nanny for a $5 million ransom”.

My colleagues were highly amused but if you Google Kelly Frank today–that is what you will find. That…and apparently I am one hell of a professional team mascot! So much so—I teach other mascots how to shake, shimmy and do their silly string thing without getting canned.

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Now clearly I am not a criminal or a professional mascot (although the latter would be pretty cool!) All kidding aside though, being aware of who you “are” out in the digital landscape is crucial. It doesn’t take much for an employer, prospective employer, friend, boyfriend, wife or colleague to find out what you left in your online wake. Luckily I am very tuned in to this. I knew what I would find when I googled myself because I do it often. I also set Google alerts to my name. I work in a high-profile field where your reputation isn’t just about you–it’s about the network you represent. I take that very seriously.

Now that I am married, I use Kelly Frank Green and I am happy to say…no celebrity stalking or mascot twerking to speak of. Googling Kelly Frank Green yielded exactly what I thought: my social media library. Here’s a brief slide show:

Aside from my social media footprint, there is the expected search services and directories to find “Kelly Frank Green”. I also looked through the search results that came up under News, Shopping, Video and Images. Video revealed my vine account and a “day in the life” video shoot at CNN. It was for an event for my alma mater:

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The Images search results were a mix of pictures I took, posted or pinned along with some that have nothing to do with me:

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Googling my email address produced similar results. The findings only extended about three-quarters of the page whereas my name went into a second page of results. This surprised me a little in that I use this Gmail account for many things. Clearly it is very public if I have it on this blog and it is associated with all my social media.

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I also looked at the News, Images, Shopping and Videos for these findings as well. No news on News is good news! There was nothing under Shopping or Videos. The Images results were similar to those under my name. Interestingly enough, classmate Angela Cook came up “below the fold as you can see below. We are friends on Google+ and that seems to bump up her ranking! (Oh Google…you do like yourself!)

Googling yourself is a good practice to keep every month or so. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living, reputation management is something we should all take seriously.  So stalk yourself now and then. Check profiles from the “public” point of view. Check in on what various groups see or what lists you are on. It’s important…you never know when you will find you are a twerking, silly string-slinging mascot or worse…a celebrity-stalking convicted felon.

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Kelly Allen Frank ~ Convicted Felon

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The experience above is chronicled for my Web Research Methods class for the University of Florida Masters Degree program specializing in Social Media. As always…this exercise is purely academic.

Down the Rabbit Hole: My Trip Through Second Life

/ Kelly Frank / 8 Comments

 We looked at Digital Ethnography this week for my University of Florida Masters Degree program specializing in Social Media. For an assignment, we had to spend at least two to four hours in Second Life. This exercise is purely academic…

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I’m a beach gal. Born in southern California, my childhood is threaded with moments spent swimming at Newport, Santa Monica and Huntington Beach. When I was in Junior High, my family took our first big vacation together to the island of Oahu. I fell in love with Hawaii and as an adult have had a handful of occasions to return with friends and my better half.

It’s not just an island, it’s a lifestyle. An awesome one too.

So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my journey down the rabbit hole of Second Life was not a beach-less one. In fact, I could visit some of the greatest beaches in the world– and I did. My adventures extended beyond the sand in my toes though…

Meet SloanFierce

SloanFierce, Second Life
My alter ego

* 26 years-old, Aspiring singer

* Waits tables by day, sings in clubs by night

* Only child, parents are dead

* Single

I’m sure there is some psychology to who I chose and what she does but I really wasn’t focused on that. I was more about getting in and checking out this world.

Where I Went & Who I Met

If  you have never been to Second Life, it is alarming at first because you just get dropped on an island. When I first arrived, I was surprised by how self-conscious I suddenly felt. Then again, I was dropped right next to a naked man who literally kept running into me. (Possibly a fellow student learning their way?!)

I was worried about interacting with others and proper etiquette. Being able just to function in Second Life is a little challenging at first but once I learned to move and fly, I was off.

I changed my clothes but that was a process and a half. I am sure it was because I was new but there were just so many options. Too many if you ask me. So I checked out the categories for newcomers. I entered “The Shelter” where people were friendly and willing to help. There were several bulletin boards teaching basic instruction and of course, shopping.

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The Shelter…a safe haven for new citizens

From there, I wanted to go exploring to places I have been and places I have never been. I wanted to see just how “real” the experience would be. First stop: Miami Beach. It was exactly as I recall Miami Beach to be…complete with the constant thump of techno music.  Next stop: Rio ~ A place I have not been.

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A trip to Rio

I walked around and talked to some people but I don’t speak Spanish and found that most people did during the time I arrived. I ended this trip into Second Life at Machu Picchu. I have never been there and always wanted to go. I flew around for perspective and walked a lot. I hung out with the Sherpas and alpacas. It was fun but certainly not the real deal.

I logged in the next morning to round out my experience. I spent $10 to buy $2500 Linden to see what a commerce experience in Second Life entailed. Upon completion of the transaction, which I did via PayPal, I was immediately informed that there had been market fluctuations in the Linden and a credit would be applied to my account (Nice touch Second Life).

Day Two was a little stranger. I decided to explore what I will call the darker side of Second Life. I went to the Adult sections to a place called Hathian. It was a bit much. You walk down a gray and black maze with various billboards advertising sex toys, pornography…even brutal S&M depicted with photos of black and blue women. The corridor ends with an elevator that takes you down to The Crack Den. The Crack Den was a whole different city scape with fires burning in abandoned cars, prostitutes on every corner and an occasional home. I walked into one and was promptly told to get the hell out—it was private property. So I did. I also got the hell out of The Crack Den! (Slide Show below ~ Warning: Adult Content)

From there, I went to Temptations Resort. Bad Idea. Not even worth discussing.

I checked out Featured Events, more new citizens places and even walked the streets of Italy. In the midst of all of this, the system kept crashing and pushing me out. I logged back in and when I did, I was dropped in the middle of what I will call Naked Land. Take a look (and this is with some creative cropping for a safe-for-work image):

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I still don’t know where I was. I asked what was going on and mentioned I had just been dropped here. That was met by laughter from other SIMS. I was told it was “rolling restart day” and that many SIMS were restarting which can affect the Second Life experience.

What Do I Think of Second Life

I have mixed opinions on Second Life and in the end, it all comes down to the intention of the user. I can see so many benefits from many areas I explored. I went to Indiana University. I climbed a beanstalk. I went to the John King experience and lived like a pirate. I walked the streets of France and refreshed my ear to the sound of my second language. I revisited Bondi Beach…a place I have been to in real life…and recalled pleasant memories. I see the educational value of Second Life with its ability to pull in people to learn and discuss. I see the imagination stimulation for a child to climb a beanstalk or be a pirate. I see the possibility for someone without means or sick or unable to travel to explore real places and have some rich experience.

I also see the Rabbit Hole. I put earphones on and immersed myself in it. There are so many little touches that enhance the experience drawing you in deeper. Native languages are spoken in the background when you travel somewhere international. Music and ambient noises compliment the location: NPR plays in the background while touring a nuclear plant, HawaiianRainbow.com plays the ukulele while you stroll Oahu. People are having intimate conversations and when you move near, you hear every word. I even witnessed a marriage proposal. When you capture an image, your avatar snaps a photo and you hear the camera. When you chat with someone, your avatar types. The beaches come complete with crashing waves, porpoises squeaking and the crunch of the sand.

I didn’t spend a great deal of time in the seedier side but I can see where curiosity would pull in someone who has never tapped into that environment. The sex and crime and grit feels very real because no detail is spared. It is rare that my eyes left the screen. When I am working or surfing, I often get distracted and look up or out the window. In Second Life, I found this didn’t happen. When I finally logged off and looked up, my eyes hurt, I was tired. There were many nice people but it just all seemed too much. It is just real enough to be sad.

So What of SloanFierce?

By the end of my journey through Second Life, I was ready to return to real life. I’m very aware though that the naked man and the newly engaged couple and the pirates are still inside there, living their lives. Just like Sloan ~ my personal alter ego and tour guide. So I did what any responsible girl would do. I plopped her down in the sands of Hawaii, left her with the meditative crashing waves, singing dolphins and the sweet sounds of the ukulele.

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Power to the She…& to the SEO

/ Kelly Frank / 12 Comments

Assignment Snapshot: Pick a favorite multinational company and create a list of 10 keywords you think should be associated with that company and its products. Do a Google Search of those keywords and see where in the results (if at all) you find the company you selected. Go to the company’s site and review their coding to see if any of the words you selected appear on their homepage

If you know me, have read this blog at all or seen some of my discussion posts for the Social Media Masters Program at University of Florida, then you know I am an aspiring yogi. It started after the birth of my first child when I was very overweight and fighting the baby blues. I’ve written about this journey in the Namaste section of this blog so I won’t dive into it here. Part of that journey though, was discovering the Athleta brand. They are yoga clothes for normal people like me. While in my head I may look like this:

yoga pretty

The reality looks more like this:

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SO WHAT IS ATHLETA?

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 According to Athleta, they are  Gap Inc.’s premier fitness and lifestyle brand in the rapidly growing women’s active apparel market. Athleta offers high-quality, stylish, and functional apparel, footwear, and accessories across a  wide variety of sports and fitness activities, including crossover apparel and casualwear. Athleta products are found online, in stores, and through catalogs.  Athleta, the premier name in women’s fitness  fashion, values inspiring an active lifestyle from yoga to running to cross-fit. Athleta values motivating others and tapping into our collective power as women. Their slogan or tag line is Power to the She. Athleta was founded in 1998 in Petaluma, California. It started as a catalogue business that grew into online sales and was purchased by Gap Inc. in 2008 for $150 million. Since Gap Inc. acquired Athleta, they have opened  over 80 brick and mortar stores. (as of September 2014)

Ten keywords or keyword phrases for Search Engine Optimization:

  • Womens fitness clothing
  • Womens yoga clothing
  • Discount yoga clothing
  • Womens fitness fashion
  • Yoga clothing
  • Running clothing
  • Athletic clothing
  • Yoga pants
  • Sportswear
  • Yoga brands

I performed a Google search of each keyword phrase. The gallery below shows each result (click on image for larger view):

Athleta chooses to pay for Yoga Brands, Yoga Clothing, Womens Yoga Clothing and Athletic Clothing. Priority appears to be expansion and fighting the perception that they are only a yoga brand based on their purchase of the top spot, left rail for the keyword phrase “Athletic Clothing.” They still clearly emphasize yoga based on these searches and you see they paid for a top right rail spot for the keyword phrase “Womens Yoga Clothing.”

In reviewing their homepage, some of the keywords appear directly on the page visible to all. First, in the title of the site captured above the URL (see below) you will see “Womens” “Yoga Clothing” and “Run Clothing”.

The words “Fashion” and “Sport” also appear on the homepage. Looking at their site, they are really focused on performance, style and versatility. If I were going to redo my list, I would consider adding these in but with clothing or fashion also included.

In looking at the site’s HTML and alt tags, I found the following (click to view larger image):

Under metadata the description reads:

“The ultimate performance apparel for women. Shop Athleta yoga clothing, running clothing, swimwear & more online and in stores. Clothing designed and tested by and for women athletes.”

The metadata description is formatted well for SEO based on some of my choices. Below you will see the keywords that Athleta uses in the metadata above. The bold ones align with my choices above :

  • Athleta
  • athletica
  • womens yoga clothing
  • swimwear
  • running clothing
  • athletic clothing
  • workout clothing
  • exercise clothing
  • swimwear
  • tankini
  • bikini
  • one piece swimsuit
  • yoga pants
  • yoga tops
  • running tops
  • running shorts
  • skort
  • golf clothing
  • tennis clothing
  • special sizes
  • petite sizes
  • plus sizes
  • tall sizes
  • organic cotton
  • tights
  • yoga tights
  • run tights

They wisely use a common misspelling of their brand “Athletica”, the importance of which was discussed in lecture this week. Given the look and layout of their homepage, I would also consider adding performance wear and athletic style to keyword phrase choices.

Overall, based on this metadata and my Google searches, Athleta does a nice job capitalizing on SEO for the customer they want to target.

For me, the love affair is about comfort and price. I’m not a size zero and I want to practice without being half-naked. Athleta clothes accomplish this for me and I’m grateful for that.

Rise Above the Noise: An Integrated Marketing Proposal for BullHorn Media

/ Kelly Frank / Leave a comment
Amplify-Your-Image-Bullhorn_LOGO

 Let’s face it. There is a lot of noise in the world.  Like  this. Tweet that. Share This. Choose us. Pick me.

The bombardment is never-ending. It’s hard to be  heard in a 24/7 world without dissolving into a sea of  white noise.

Want to rise above the noise? That’s where we come  in.

rise above

We’re BullHorn Media…we amplify your image.

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If I were writing the story of BullHorn Media, that is how I would begin. Today’s consumer is savvy. They don’t want to be over-marketed, under-sold and spinned. They want an authentic experience but they want to know they are in the hands of experts.  They want personal attention with professional results. BullHorn Media is uniquely positioned to do just that.

BullHorn Media is twenty plus years of experience in videography, production, design and story-telling.  It is the brain child of Mark and Lisa LeGrand with roots dating back to the early 90s. What started out as a husband and wife team capturing love stories flourishes decades later as a full-service production company serving corporate clientele.   Don’t let the humble beginning dissuade you. It shows what hard work can do.

One of the visionaries behind BullHorn Media is an award-winning craftsman. Mark LeGrand has been repeatedly recognized for his talent and creativity in editing and video production. What makes Mark excel is his never-ending desire to learn in an ever-changing technology driven world.  He has a thorough understanding of the latest equipment ensuring your desires are not only met but exceeded.

The people of BullHorn Media do not have a “been there, done that” attitude. Each project is unique. Every client is an original. BullHorn Media leads the way because the minds behind it understand vision comes from never settling.  BullHorn Media takes pride in your event the same way you do. Whether it is a black tie affair for a thousand or a convention for three thousand or an intimate speaker series for executives, BullHorn Media will amplify your image to the level you seek.

Bullhorn Media has the experience. BullHorn Media has the tools. BullHorn Media has the technology.

You may be thinking, “Yea…but so do the other guys!”

True. They probably do. What they don’t have though…is the personal touch.

BullHorn Media is designed to give each client a unique attention often missing in today’s world. They are with you from inception to completion. This one-on-one philosophy is a core value of BullHorn Media and they stand by it.  It’s who they are. Amplified.

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 Target Audience

BullHorn Media is unique in that it can provide services to a wide variety of clientele. It’s target audience is anyone looking for that extra-added wow factor that only comes with a personal touch including but not limited to:

  • Small private or public businesses in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
  • Professional Associations in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
  • Non-Profit Organizations in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
  • Leadership and Training Organizations in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
  • Convention and Meeting Planners

BullHorn Media can:

  • shoot your commercial
  • recap that special leadership event you worked so hard to imagine
  • capture that perfect tutorial for your audience
  • enliven your marketing material to a new visual level
  • memorialize that special key-note address for those who could not make it…or those who just want to live it again

The BullHorn Media target audience is technologically savvy, forward-thinking and evolutionary but appreciates the quiet values of originality, authenticity and story-telling.

Interviews, speaker series, event summaries, meeting recordings, conventions, conferences & fundraisers…it’s not about the size, it’s about the personal touch. Amplified.

sWOT

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 Why use an Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy?

BullHorn Media is in the business of image but there is nothing surface about their service. People need to know that.

Who wants to be a king without a kingdom?

The purpose of this Integrated Marketing Communications proposal is to provide recommendations on how to reach new customers while maintaining brand voice, brand vision, brand value and message.

Let’s be real. Small businesses are often resource-challenged. That’s why IMC is a friend. Marketing guru and social media influencer Steve Olenski constantly writes about Integrated Marketing in Forbes.  No, wait…Correction: He preaches and rants! Question the method if you want, but not the message. It is solid. He’s a believer in IMC and wants everyone to get on board.

In one of his latest offerings, Olenksi points out that a recent study revealed 65% of marketers are not giving consumers what they want. 65%!  So that tells me that 65% of businesses are NOT giving customers what they want.

To capture the personal touch and one-on-one experience core to their values, BullHorn Media must understand what their customer wants. There is a lot of noise coming at all of us non-stop. People don’t have to search far to find what they are looking for. BullHorn Media needs to be a part of the conversation.

Or settle for being part of the 65%.

Companies are still operating in silos. Integrating the message of BullHorn Media to a solid, consistent and defined brand makes it easier (and cost-effective) to spread your reach to the channels your customers live and work in.

BullHorn Media must live where their customer lives.

BullHorn Media must listen to their customer.

Only then, can BullHorn Media rise above the noise.

Integrating your marketing accomplishes just what you seek to provide: AN AMPLIFIED IMAGE.

rise above

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Final Thoughts

Creating an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan can be overwhelming when you read a proposal like the one I have presented. (Especially when it is accompanied by a dozen others!) Don’t let it be. Once you get the structure in place it can be very rewarding and even fun to keep the content going. Most important though, it’s worth it. Your customers are out there and on these channels. You need to be where they are to stay relevant.

You have a business with brand message:  Amplify Your Image. When that is your brand message, you need to walk the walk.

Amplify YOUR Image.

Rise Above the Noise.

“All Five Horizons Revolved Around Her Soul, Like the Earth to the Sun”

/ Kelly Frank / 3 Comments

I’m a Pearl Jam Fan. I mean a cross-country, international traveling, tattoo-wearing, every album-owning fan. We call ourselves the Jamily. It’s a passion I share with my younger brother.

My fave jam is Black. It’s always resonated with me primarily for the above lyric (blog entry title). I love the idea of horizons…seeing them, reaching for them, going beyond one to find another. It’s a mantra I believe in. It’s a concept I always turn to no matter what I am doing. I often use some form of the word Horizons in my usernames or something creative I am working on. In some ways, it is slowly becoming my brand title: KFG Horizons.

So that brings us to this week’s assignment:

For Intro to Multimedia Communications, we are to create the copy for an email blast promoting who we are as a brand, complete with links, YouTube videos and a content community. Since this is out on the world-wide web I include this disclaimer. I am a work in progress. I’ve been fortunate enough to tell amazing stories, produce content of all kinds and broadcast the news events of your lives from the hot seat of several network control rooms. I am pursuing my masters in social media because I am a journalist at heart and believe good stories need to be told. It’s 2014 though. You won’t find much news ink on thumbs each morning. How we deliver the story evolves every moment. I want to be a journalism evolutionist. (Aim high right?) That’s why I am a student: to keep telling good stories in whatever way you want to read/touch/watch/slide/pin/like/post/tweet/Instagram/YouTube them!)

EMAIL BLAST ASSIGNMENT:

Hi.

If you are reading this, chances are we may have something in common.  You believe there are many people telling stories but very few storytellers. If you are like me, you believe in good journalism AND you don’t believe social media is the death of it.  It’s a tall order to combine them but that’s where I come in. I’m a storyteller who believes in the Greater Fool. A Greater what, you say…?

Pretty cool right? Oh and if you want to know who the girl in the newsroom is, hang tight, I’ll get to that. The point is I want to work alongside other aspiring Greater Fools. I believe in the Fourth Estate but I also believe in Twitter and anything else that connects.

SO WHO AM I…

Save the flowery sell – just give you the resume?

My LinkedIn Profile

My LinkedIn Profile

I’m not a rookie. I have produced with the best in local, national and international newsrooms.    You want more flavor?  My fast ball paid for my college degree so I know what it means to  compete at elite levels. I have jumped out of a plane at 10,000 feet and lived so I can be fearless  when needed. I dove the Great Barrier Reef so I like adventure. I shook hands with a Pope  and a President (not at the same time) so I have manners and know how to respect. If you  want the professional rundown, just click on my LinkedIn profile to the left.

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Oh…you’re more the right brain, creative type? (Yea, me too.)

Pinterested? Click Me.

Read No More.

Check out my Pinterview

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So you may be saying, “That’s nice Kelly, but I need more…”

Ok, ok…I pride myself on being a great writer but a good writer knows when to let someone else wax poetic:

I guess you could say there is a little Lloyd Dobbler in me. I want to be authentic in a one-click, info-in-an-instant, twitter-me-this world.

Everyone’s an Expert…So Why Me?

Because I believe we can be innovative, engaging, interactive, relevant AND responsible in a new media world — without being stupid. No question, Journalism must be experiential. We have to embrace our audience without losing our audience. That means interacting but to Jeff Daniels’ point, being smart about it. I don’t think you have to “dumb it down” to be a social media journalist. In fact, I think you have to be even smarter, more witty and more aware. I’ve been telling Emmy-nominated, Peabody-winning, captivating stories for over a decade. That’s one-of-a-kind experience, combined with an education-backed social media prowess at your fingertips. It is about the story I can tell you today that captures the audience of tomorrow.

Are you read to expand your horizons?

Let’s go be Greater Fools!

Kelly Frank Green

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(Oh…and I mentioned we’d get back to the girl … the Greater Fool Speech?  Here you go…just for fun & thanks for reading)

horizonheader

The Truest Reflection of Me…

/ Kelly Frank / Leave a comment

Today, I did not kick my morning in the ass. Today it kicked mine.

The minutiae of it doesn’t matter but let’s just say my two-year old whom I love and adore was being just that…a 2 year-old. Everything led to a tantrum.

“No honey you can’t have my phone”

“No you can’t throw the iPad”

“No you can’t smack your 6 month-old sister on the head really hard”

“No you can’t have a cookie for breakfast”

Each tantrum came quicker, louder and with some really hyper-ventilated breathing. I was hurting for her while trying not to lose my mind. With most tantrums I just walk away. Today was different. She was so upset. Her little face so red and the heavy breathing was just too much. I didn’t give in to her requests. I didn’t pick her up. I didn’t coddle her. Instead, I just got down on the floor and sat with her. Silent. I calmly breathed. Silent. I whispered it would be okay and I just breathed.

I’m lucky in that my mom lives with us so she is able to care for my children. I know they are in good hands when I go. This morning I was talking with mom about what happened and all she really said was, “she’s high-strung like her mom”. It wasn’t said meanly. It was just matter of fact. I think she was telling me in an effort to say, “hey…it’s ok”.

What she said though, kind of stung.

Shortly after I left for my yoga practice with John.

I thought about that comment for the 20 minute drive in to the city.

I entered the studio, rolled out my mat and began my practice as usual. John and I talk a lot through practice. Some days more than others. Today, I talked about my morning. In the course of that, we got to the source of what was stinging me. My little sponge, my beautiful little girl…she is the truest reflection of me. Not her skin or her mouth or the way she walks …but the way she is. She sees me. She learns from me.  Half way through practice I broke down and cried. That has never happened in practice before. There I was, bent over on my mat, tears falling where sweat usually does.

Now — I don’t kid myself. A 2 year-old is a 2 year-old. I don’t think the morning was a manifestation of my daughter absorbing my anxieties. I think it was a small, formative being experiencing new and powerful emotions that she can’t control. That won’t always be the case though. Someday it will be manifestations of me…if I don’t learn to let go.

I am not in control.

I am not in control. This has to be my mantra through each breath.

John talks a lot about this. We talk a lot about it. He believes death is a big motivator for people to be, to change, to live, to feel, to move, to reset. He and I are very alike in ways. So as I move through practice, he talks about how he works on letting go. How he has his moments too, like me. How he falls down and gets back up and does it all again. We fail. He tells me we all fail and that’s ok.

I know he’s right. The intellectual in me knows he’s right.

It’s hard to be ok with failure when I look at the truest reflection of me…my daughter.

But I know I have to. I know I have to tell myself that it’s okay that there were tears instead of sweat on my mat today. Sometimes all we can do is sit on the mat and let it go. Sometimes all we can do is sit on the floor and breathe softly and deeply next to those who can’t.

It is through my breath that I will continue to find, hold and survive the best part of me.

Matching Pajamas make everything cool.

Matching Pajamas make everything cool.