Saturday, April 19, 2008

Using YouTube for a PR Campaign

As PR majors, we all know that students at UGA are pretty jaded toward new messages. Everyday students are being pitched information about a new club, campaign or event. Most of the time these messages are distributed through flyers or Red and Black inserts, which we all know are very quickly thrown away at the nearest trash can. One group of PR students, however, has chosen not to go that route.

This semester Dr. Sallot's public relations campaigns class executed a campaign to educate students on environmental issues on campus, but they didn't make flyers. Instead, they created a series of fun and witty online PSAs promoting sustainable behaviors.

The four videos, created for the Go Green Alliance, show how students' individual actions affect the environment. These PSAs have been incredibly successful so far with each receiving more than 200 hits in just one week. PRSSA members can check out the PSAs (and share them with friends!) by visiting the links below:

Beware of the lint monster!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkLGu7TX5Qk

Some things are just better cold…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9wbBss7OiY

The world is not disposable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUObM_tTGHw

Reduce consumption (and embarrassment)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4qmM-QJih8

The Go Green Alliance is dedicated to connecting environmentally focused campus groups and promoting green efforts on the University of Georgia campus. The organization was started in the fall of 2007 in conjunction with Dr. Lynne Sallot's public relations campaigns class and will be continued by some of campus' brightest environmental leaders. For more information on the Go Green Alliance, please visit www.gogreen.uga.edu.

By Jessica MacLean