Making Bad, Worse

by Kim Taylor

Remember the outrage in July when Netflix changed their pricing structure and service offerings raised their rates?  The social media community went nuts, people threatened to drop their service, and I imagine many did.  However justified it may’ve seemed it didn’t go over well with their many loyal subscribers.

Then yesterday, in a moment of genius, CEO Reed Hastings issued a mea culpa and explanation and name change, leaving customers even angrier.

If that wasn’t enough, somehow Netflix failed to secure the ever-important-in-today’s-world Twitter handle of their new venture, Qwikster.  Instead, that belongs to a self-proclaimed pot head … who isn’t exactly using the Twitter feed to promote Netflix’s new brand.

It’s pretty clear that Netflix made an already bad situation even worse.  Do you think they can salvage a brand once loved by so many?

Have You Met WUCF?

by Dan Ward

I’ll admit right up front that I’m biased.  I am both a proud alumnus of the University of Central Florida and a PR professional who is honored to call UCF a long-time client.

Now that disclosure is behind us, allow me to ask a question: Have you met WUCF-TV?

That’s the question WUCF is asking the community to answer, in the hopes of getting to know at least 10,000 viewers as part of what Orlando Sentinel’s Hal Boedeker calls “an offbeat approach to its first fund drive,” which ends September 25.

If you haven’t “met” WUCF yet, I encourage you to do so. UCF and Brevard Community College stepped in to form WUCF-TV when WMFE announced it was selling Channel 24, an effort that saved PBS for Central Florida.

Since that time, WUCF has shown a willingness to try new, even “offbeat,” approaches to building and serving its viewer base.  The current fund drive is just one example, with less pledging and a more consistent programming schedule. The opportunity to meet WUCF is an opportunity for viewers to have their voices heard on the future of public television in Central Florida. For those who enjoy public television, the approach is refreshing.

If you have yet to meet, please reach out and say hello. Visit www.wucftv.org or www.facebook.com/wucftv, or call the station at (321) 433-7777.

 

The Qualman Effect

by Roger Pynn

Socialnomics Founder Erik Qualman is modest.

In sharing yet another gem, he makes no mention of the fact that this video proves the power of his brand.  The folks at the University of East Anglia in the UK did a marvelous job of telling the story of how brand power has shifted to the end user … and they did it by “borrowing” the compelling Web video style that has drawn millions of followers to Qualman.

I guess that means he proved their point.