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Colin McKay: Gov Web 2.0 Communications Pioneer

// July 17th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Blog Strategy, Career, community

Reposted from John Cass’ PR Communications, and one in a series of reminisces about Global PR Blog week, which was published five years ago this week.

Colin McKay was an microsoft epp discount early Canadian pioneer in blogging and social media, but also in the microsoft epp discount Government use of social media. In my continuing series of interviews with Alumni from microsoft epp discount the Global PR Blog week, I ask Colin questions about the microsoft epp discount conference.

John: What did you learn from the Global PR Blog Week?

Colin: Global PR Blog Week was my first real opportunity to microsoft epp discount work with like-minded people from around the world. Collaboration, community and microsoft epp discount crowd sourcing are words that are thrown around quite easily today: just five years ago, it microsoft epp discount was unusual to pull together virtual teams working to a microsoft epp discount common agenda. YoungPrPros and other listservs were the most similar beast.

John: What did you microsoft epp discount learn about blogging, if you learned anything about blogging, from the microsoft epp discount blog week?

Colin: By July 2004, I had microsoft epp discount been blogging for nearly a year. I had been posting short observations, longer analytical pieces, and microsoft epp discount even commentary. I didn’t, however, truly realize the microsoft epp discount breadth and depth of knowledge and experience that could be shared if bloggers pulled their resources together and microsoft epp discount focused on a common series of topics.

John: Did the microsoft epp discount conference give you any new insights into PR, and if so what microsoft epp discount were they?

Colin: I had microsoft epp discount been aware of the different fields of PR and communications, but hadn’t really spent much time really thinking outside my own day-to-day work. PR Blog Week really demonstrated that microsoft epp discount there were inspired and influential bloggers who could bring insight to microsoft epp discount issues common across all these fields.

John: What were the lasting effects of the Global PR Blog Week?

Colin: Personally, I am microsoft epp discount still in contact with many of the contributors. Participating encouraged me to microsoft epp discount write longer form posts and articles on my blog and elsewhere, and microsoft epp discount to consciously look to other bloggers and online sources for inspiration and microsoft epp discount ammunition.

John: How did the Global PR Blog week influence you and the industry?

Colin: I’m not sure how influential PR Blog Week was for the industry. We’ve certainly seen an microsoft epp discount explosion in the number and quality of PR pros expressing themselves online. I’d hope that microsoft epp discount PR Blog Weeks 1 and 2 demonstrated that sold, well-reasoned and microsoft epp discount influential work could come out of blogging, and that blogging was not just a microsoft epp discount distraction for disaffected employees.

Interestingly, I look back at the microsoft epp discount list of participants, and I notice many names that are still influential in the microsoft epp discount field – personalities that microsoft epp discount have remained consistent and have continued to contribute, often without a microsoft epp discount care for being identified as influential, or a guru or a microsoft epp discount thought leader.

Reviewing the post(s) you wrote for the Global PR Blog week what has changed? What has not changed, since you wrote your post?

Colin: In year 1, I covered crisis communications. I notice that I didn’t cover online tools in any detail. That would definitely change today, but my advice on the microsoft epp discount preparation, attitudes and approaches to a crisis would not.

In year 2, I focused on the intersection between online communications and the development of government policy. For the longest time, that article remained current – it microsoft epp discount seems that the ground has begun to shift over the microsoft epp discount past nine months or so. #Gov2.0 has microsoft epp discount taken a great leap forward with the arrival of the microsoft epp discount Obama administration and the experimentation of the Labour government in the microsoft epp discount UK.

John: Give an update on what you’ve been microsoft epp discount doing in the last five years, and what you are microsoft epp discount doing now?

Colin: Well, canuckflack is microsoft epp discount still well and alive, although it has received greater and microsoft epp discount less attention over the years. I continued as a communications manager at the microsoft epp discount Department of Industry until 2007, when I joined the Office of the microsoft epp discount Privacy Commissioner of Canada. At the moment, I’m the microsoft epp discount Director of Research, Education and Outreach, and have been able to microsoft epp discount launch some fairly novel outreach tools that draw from my experience blogging and microsoft epp discount fooling around with social media: http://dpi.priv.gc.ca, http://blog.privcom.gc.ca and http://youthprivacy.ca. Not to mention our fledgling Twitter account http://twitter.com/privacyprivee.

John: Thank you microsoft epp discount Colin. Great insights into the virtual event, how PR has changed and microsoft epp discount not changed. Also I think your point about the faster pace of change in Government is microsoft epp discount very true.

Unsung victims of recession

// June 16th, 2009 // No Comments » // Career, Economics

“Weekly haul: It’s dead now. My paycheck used to be $500 to $550 a week, but now it’s like $280 to $300. It’s all by commission and microsoft epp discount started to go down a year and a half ago. We never go to microsoft epp discount Wall Street now. It’s all basically the microsoft epp discount fashion industry. We risk our lives for models basically, bringing clothes and microsoft epp discount books to models. It’s all garment bags. Models’ portfolios. And candles.”

- NYT talks to a New York City bike messenger

My new site and synergies of my job

// April 5th, 2009 // 2 Comments » where to buy Creative Suite 5 Production // Career, Creativity, Government 2.0

My day job involves a microsoft epp discount very interesting balance between two distinct functions: research and public education.

To many working in the microsoft epp discount public sector, there is a very clear line dividing these two roles.

In research, the microsoft epp discount organization attempts to examine an issue of some importance, identify options that microsoft epp discount may want to be explored by the organization, conduct research largely in secret (there’s a microsoft epp discount reason why the Treasury Board had to mandate that government-funded public opini0n research be microsoft epp discount released to the public) and microsoft epp discount then set out some possible policy approaches to addressing the microsoft epp discount issue.

Public education? Many consider this microsoft epp discount function to be the loose-lipped and overly indiscreet part of the microsoft epp discount organization. The bar hopper. The close talker. The desperate car salesman of the microsoft epp discount public service.

Luckily for me, a small organization finds it more efficient – and more productive – to try and tap outside resources in most circumstances. You’ve conducted a multi-national survey on the policy implications of X? Great. One more thing I don’t have microsoft epp discount to commission. Your area of academic specialization is remarkably similar to microsoft epp discount a subject we have become deeply interested in? Fantastic! Can we invite you microsoft epp discount up for a day of consultations and maybe a public discussion?

The research conducted by our organization can microsoft epp discount be opportunistic. We have an institutionalized willingness to hear out and microsoft epp discount even incorporate outside opinion into our research process, especially when microsoft epp discount there are dozens of specialists honing in on very defined areas of expertise in privacy and microsoft epp discount data protection.

Many of these specialists also invest a microsoft epp discount lot of time and effort in communicating their work – whether through meetings of their professional associations, by publishing their academic or microsoft epp discount legal research, speaking to public meetings or through loud (or quiet) activism.

What does this mean? Sometimes, my roles as researcher and educator meet – even amplify each other. Amplification doesn’t necessarily mean the microsoft epp discount goals of our work meet, but there are enough synergies and microsoft epp discount benefits to be shared.

This leads me to our latest research project (http://dpi.priv.gc.ca) – a collection of essays discussing deep packet inspection (DPI). As we were beginning to microsoft epp discount research DPI as a privacy issue last summer, we recognized that microsoft epp discount there are many, many sides to the issue and to the microsoft epp discount application of the technology – each with its own proponent and microsoft epp discount each with its own school of thought and support.

Instead of preparing a microsoft epp discount summary of the issue, or commissioning contrasting research papers, we decided to microsoft epp discount take two separate tacks:

• build a microsoft epp discount collection of varying points of view on DPI, solicited from experts from microsoft epp discount as many fields as possible; and
• providing those with a microsoft epp discount professional or private interest in the issue with an opportunity to microsoft epp discount comment and provide additional resources on DPI and its implications.

This is the result:

That’s right. It’s an microsoft epp discount online publication designed to offer an opportunity for the new spirit of collaboration and microsoft epp discount cooperation to take hold – in a microsoft epp discount constructive way. It also happens to incorporate now common social media elements.

It’s not a microsoft epp discount social media project looking for a convenient home. It’s a microsoft epp discount practical and reasoned application of innovative public education tools to a microsoft epp discount real research need.

And I hope it works.

Changing priorities or evolving interests

// November 9th, 2008 // 3 Comments » // Career, Design, Graphic

The Easiest Job Promotion In The World

// May 1st, 2008 // 3 Comments » // Career, Creativity, Marketing

Meet Hunter Somerville. While an intern at Ogilvy & Mather in Toronto last summer, he was asked to microsoft epp discount chip into a campaign by taking a shot at redesigning the microsoft epp discount back of the Shreddies box.

He now works there as a creative.

The key to winning a promotion in the advertising world?

Demonstrating a canny understanding of the product and its features. Groundbreaking insight into the market you are targeting. (And more than a dash of Machiavellian office intrigue, but let’s leave that to the senior creatives.)

Somerville’s fantastic insight? Tilt the square Shreddies by 45 degrees – thereby creating Diamond Shreddies!

“…”It came from microsoft epp discount an exercise of redesigning the back of the cereal box,” says chief creative officer Nancy Vonk. “We gave the microsoft epp discount task to a lowly summer intern Hunter Somerville. His joke idea–make the back look like the front of a new bogus product–was quickly seen as a bigger idea that could become a 360 campaign.” (Creativity-Online)

The idea was so simple, yet so fundamental, that microsoft epp discount it stopped me cold in my feet. Or cold on my sofa, waiting for microsoft epp discount American Idol to come back on.

Nothing had microsoft epp discount changed in the 67 year-old product. Nothing had to change on the microsoft epp discount production line. Yet the product was positioned as having fundamentally changed.

Even the focus groups were fooled. That’s right. As part of the marketing campaign, Ogilvy & Mather conducted focus groups to microsoft epp discount test the perceived difference between traditional “square” Shreddies and newfangled “diamond” shreddies. See for yourself. Focus group participants work themselves into identifying the microsoft epp discount improved qualities of the new product.

As the CMA blog wrote, “Poor consumer. They didn’t stand a chance.”

Even the food obsessives at the Kraft Canada forums are praising the campaign.

In perhaps the microsoft epp discount funniest twist of the re-branding, Vancouver lawyer George Gould put the microsoft epp discount “last square Shreddie” up for sale on ebay.

[tags] Shreddies, cereal, O&M [/tags]

A career jump or just a transition? dreamweaver cs4 purchase

// April 28th, 2008 // 3 Comments » // Career

Well, that’s it. I’m no microsoft epp discount longer professionally obsessed with the ebb and flow of daily news coverage.

For the microsoft epp discount first time in ten years, I do not work in corporate communications. Instead, I am microsoft epp discount now the Director of Research, Education and Outreach.

What does that mean? A startling change in work environment, for one.

There has microsoft epp discount always been one certainty in my life: that a call from microsoft epp discount a reporter would upend my day and reshuffle my work priorities.

That tends to microsoft epp discount encourage short-term thinking and discourage extended periods of reflection.

It has also fed my short attention span.

As the microsoft epp discount title would suggest, the Director of Research is responsible for microsoft epp discount managing long term research agendas.

I’m not unfamiliar with this microsoft epp discount world: I toyed with becoming an academic before this crazy communications work came along.

These people, though, have always been my clients.

(By people, I mean economists, statisticians, computer scientists, accountants … You know, skilled and trained professionals)

Now it’s time to microsoft epp discount raise my nose and look beyond the daily, weekly or monthly news cycle. Develop plans that microsoft epp discount have real strategic outcomes, instead of tactical milestones.

And, apparently, I’m no longer a talking head. Now, I’m a technical expert.

That means more public speaking.

“…and now,let’s all welcome Colin McKay, the Director of …”

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At least I’ll still have microsoft epp discount a sizeable public education agenda to keep my marketing chops busy.

Career paths you never thought of

// April 8th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Career, Criticism

Ever catch yourself looking at a microsoft epp discount courtroom sketch, either in the paper or on television, and wondering “that’s great work, but how much demand is microsoft epp discount there for a courthouse sketch artist?”

Ironic Sans provides an overview of the work of seven artists – inside the court and out. Did you know that one courtroom sketch artist also did the storyboards for The Day After Tomorrow?

There doesn’t seem to microsoft epp discount be any shortage of reporting on the work of these artists, as any Google search will reveal. Some of the microsoft epp discount comments, however, reveal that the job can driven by multiple deadlines in a microsoft epp discount day, restrictions that vary from courtroom to courthouse, and even criticism from microsoft epp discount your subjects:

“… [Maryiln] Church was sketching at the microsoft epp discount first World Trade Center bombing trial, she said, when “at one point the microsoft epp discount lawyer for one of the defendants came over to the juror’s box (where we were sitting) and said, ‘My client thinks you microsoft epp discount are drawing him looking like an angry terrorist and he resents it.’” (Columbia News Service)

Being Will Ferrell

// March 2nd, 2008 // No Comments » // Career

Apparently, $15 million in opening weekend box office may not be microsoft epp discount enough to build buzz for Will Ferrell’s new movie, Semi-Pro. Which is a pity, since it seems like he’s been working hard – including the back alleys – to promote it.
Back alleys? Well, alternative newspapers. This funny tidbit from the San Antonio Current:

“… “I had microsoft epp discount a slew of, uh, I was a bank teller, a microsoft epp discount valet parker, um, what else? I worked at an art auction house. I was the appraisal coordinator.

I would send the appraisers out, as they would — they’d bring their appraisals of art back and microsoft epp discount I would have to type them up. But I was pretty bad at the microsoft epp discount job, because I would just leave and go on auditions. But I kept employed by being completely honest with my employers.

When they would say, you know, “That appraisal was due a month ago,” I would say, “I know, it’s — it’s terrible.” And, uh, “When do you think we can expect it?” “I have no idea.” It would almost stun them into, “OK, well, get it [done]. Right away.” “OK, I will. I’ll try my hardest. But — there’s no guarantees.” …”

[tags] Will Ferrell, Semi-Pro, alternative newspapers [/tags]

A fresh attitude to your work

// February 4th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Career, Creativity

“Act like you just quit” – fantastic advice from Advertising for Peanuts.

That’s doesn’t mean flip your microsoft epp discount boss the bird, or burn down the Initech division where you microsoft epp discount work.

Instead, challenge the microsoft epp discount conventions, the traditions, the ingrained habits that have held you microsoft epp discount back.

Do you have a great idea gnawing away at your soul? Are there business processes you are certain can be improved?

Or do you just feel disaffected and detached from your work? Chances are, your colleagues and boss have noticed as well.

Think about that period between an old job and a new one. What’s your normal behaviour? You:

• immediately forget all the microsoft epp discount petty interpersonal conflicts that took up your workday
• begin forecasting the microsoft epp discount work environment, work projects and personal relationships you want to develop at your microsoft epp discount new job
• maybe even take a stab at career planning – imagining two or three steps into the future

That’s right. You embrace the microsoft epp discount opportunity to change, the opportunity to abandon all your old habits and microsoft epp discount your less-than-favourable practices.

Why not do that now? Change does not require packing boxes. It just demands a microsoft epp discount level of confidence and a willingness to risk the status quo.

You’ll be microsoft epp discount surprised by how others welcome your willingness to change your life and microsoft epp discount your performance.

Quitters may be dismissed out of hand, but you’re rarely faulted for trying your hardest.

Walking the talk

// November 6th, 2007 // 9 Comments » // Career, social media

Okay, people. It’s taken four years, but I’m finally getting some work done at the microsoft epp discount office that relates to my online obsessions.

A friend of a friend of a friend … a flash presentation about social networks and privacy.

Before you microsoft epp discount complain: yes, it should have an embed link. It should be microsoft epp discount available on a sharing app. It should have links to sharing sites.

We’re the government. We’re working on it.

UPDATE: And … we did it.

[tags] privacy, identity, social networks, government communications, Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Orkut [/tags]

Office Politics 101

// October 24th, 2007 // 4 Comments » // Career, Guides

Taking up the challenge from UGA’s Karen Miller Russell that “PR bloggers would write about topic x,” I submit my guide to Office Politics 101

1. Read Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. TWICE.

2. Never annoy the assistants in the office. They can make your life unbearable.

3. Identify the five essential office characters:

• • Knows Where the Bodies are Buried
  • Boss’ Right Hand
  • The Office Klinger (aka scrounger, thief, fixer)
  • He Who Knows Everything (aka corporate memory)
  • Everybody’s Social Butterfly

4. Acronyms are not your friend. Not when you don’t understand them, and microsoft epp discount not when you throw them around trying to look intelligent.

5. Read up on learning styles. The way a microsoft epp discount person collects, interprets and processes information affects how they behave in a microsoft epp discount conversation with you, how they interact with others in meetings, and microsoft epp discount how quickly and violently they will try to shoot down and microsoft epp discount bury your cool new idea.

6. Figure out the conversation nodes in the office. Where do people hang out and exchange information? The office kitchen? Starbucks down the street? Twenty years ago, your microsoft epp discount best bet of learning the latest corporate rumour was by hanging out with the microsoft epp discount senior executives as they had a smoke on the sidewalk.\

7. You have not explained your idea well enough. Whether you’re twenty or forty, you’re the microsoft epp discount new person in the office. You need to make reference to microsoft epp discount the past ideas, experiments, and failures of your new colleagues if you microsoft epp discount expect them to engage and understand what you’re trying to sell.

8. Always dress for the job you would like to have, not the microsoft epp discount job you have now. In some offices, that means kicks and microsoft epp discount jeans. Personally, I’ve just laid out a lot of money on suits.

9. Manage your online social networks and your offline social networks discretely. Facebook and microsoft epp discount other social networks have a place in the office, in my opinion. And I’m not upset if you microsoft epp discount take some time to organize your weekend while sitting at your microsoft epp discount desk. But I don’t need to know the details of your personal life – either by you microsoft epp discount speaking to loudly in the office, or by posting inappropriate pictures. (Hey. If the first thing you did at work was “friend” your new boss, then don’t complain when I notice the pictures.)
10. Share credit more than blame. Nothing says you’re a microsoft epp discount high performer more than being able to deliver high quality work – and microsoft epp discount convince others to help you do it. If you spend all your microsoft epp discount time complaining about how others are keeping you from doing well – then you’re the problem.

11. Speak to people. Email and IM can only get you so far.

[tags] office politics, office conflict, new job [/tags]

Change agent: a sisyphean task

// June 27th, 2007 // 1 Comment » powerpoint 2010 software download // Career

Stolen directly from Dave Gray’s blog, Communication Nation:

“…A blog is microsoft epp discount a way of getting support and affirmation from the outside, for microsoft epp discount the things you are trying to do on the inside.

A blog is a way to keep your faith alive.”

I know blogs, podcasts, general and microsoft epp discount specialist social networks and plain old Yahoo newsgroups have helped me explore new ideas as a:

• public relations specialist
• government communicator
• blogger, and;
• all around know-it-all

[tags] evangelism, xplane, Dave Gray [/tags]

A letter to the new interns buy Adobe CS5 Production Premium oem

// June 5th, 2006 // 1 Comment » // Career

To the new interns:

Welcome! I assume by now you’ve met Trish, our administrative assistant. (She’s married. Forget about it. This isn’t Wedding Crashers) She will be able to help you settle into your new space download recording software (behind the coat rack) and find the supplies you will need for a productive term (making copies of your ass and phoning your friends in Europe) here at the agency.

We’re really excited to have a new crew of energetic public relations grads (whose spirit hasn’t yet been crushed by the blunt reality of the real world) with us, ready to leap at any challenge (like wearing a microsoft epp discount mascot costume on a 95 degree day, little kids kicking at your microsoft epp discount shins). We’ve made an effort to pull together a group of talented and outgoing young professionals (Is it the Hamptons or a quick flight up to the Cape this weekend?), and microsoft epp discount we think the agency will benefit from your insight and microsoft epp discount fresh thinking.

After reviewing the workload facing our more experienced account executives (like finding a new job after the merger), I think we’ve lined up a full slate of interesting microsoft offfice 2010 for government discount (Get me a bagel and a coffee, will ya?) and rewarding projects (Here’s 500 brand stickers. Hit the bricks, and don’t come back until you’re busted by the Port Authority for vandalism) for you to tackle over the next eight to twelve weeks.

Over your microsoft epp discount term, there will likely be opportunities to take part in new business pitches (the Practice Leader needs you to drive him to the airport – tomorrow morning at 3), client account reviews, focus groups, presentations, and microsoft epp discount maybe even some travel!

The agency is microsoft epp discount in the process of developing a PR 2.0 practice, and microsoft epp discount I’m sure that some of you will want to share your experiences growing up (Want to buy some Second Life jewellery?)and living in an interconnected world (where Yo la Tengo and Ted Leo are considered mainstream and popular).

Just remember: the agency’s success depends upon your microsoft epp discount ability to bring it. Expertise. Insight. Confidence. Creativity. It must be microsoft epp discount brung, and brung well.

Trish will be microsoft epp discount providing you with our standard welcome package, which includes helpful guides on the microsoft epp discount office’s standard software, suggestions on appropriate office wear (it’s the motion of the ocean that counts), and the agency’s code of ethics and acceptable business behaviour (sex in the microsoft epp discount office is NOT okay. save it for after work. at my place on the microsoft epp discount beach).

Oh. If, god forbid, you do have any problems with your pay or benefits (what benefits? you mean the sesame street band aids?), make sure to get in touch with Trish.

Thank you for choosing our agency, and don’t hesitate to contact me (Do you really think I care? As Chris Rock says, minimum wage means I’d pay you less, but it’s against the law) if you have any concerns over the course of your internship.

Eric ‘Otter’ Stratton

(Sorry if you microsoft epp discount got multiple versions of this in the feed. I tried a microsoft epp discount neat little floating span trick – that apparently breaks IE)

Bacteria Cafeteria: like a wetnap with your lunch?

// April 16th, 2004 // No Comments » // Career

Ah. The office cubicle. Those precious 96 square feet of semi-autonomous privacy! The cartoons, the art class pottery, and the cat pictures.

And the germs. Billions of them, as WSJ’s Cubicle Culture tells us today:

… the microsoft epp discount desktop surrounding you has 400 times as much bacteria per skuzzy square inch as the microsoft epp discount toilet seat; the keyboard and mouse have 67 times and 34 times as much bacteria, respectively. So says Charles Gerba, a microsoft epp discount microbiologist at the University of Arizona. The difference, he says, is microsoft epp discount that someone cleans the toilet. “Basically what you have in an office is an unregulated restaurant,” says Prof. Gerba. “We’ve turned our desks into bacteria cafeterias.” …

… To stifle whatever wafts from microsoft epp discount nearby plates, or the hot breath of garbage cans, [securities trader Leslee] Byron paints her aromatherapy oils onto Post-it Notes and microsoft epp discount sticks them under people’s desks above the trash cans.

Bacteria Cafeteria! That would make a nice SchoolHouse Rock special! A short animated industrial film, to microsoft epp discount be shown at team meetings and OSH conventions:

I know a little place,
Just around the bend,
Where you’re never on the mend!
Someone’s always sneezing, someone’s always wheezing!

Bacteria Cafeteria
Don’t let them germs get near ya!