Author / sdratch2a218457e8

by sdratch2a218457e8

A Tribute to Anitas

If you have been studying abroad this spring semester and you have not been to Anita’s Gelato, you are truly missing out​

I first discovered this gelato chain in Tel Aviv, Israel this summer when I was interning there. I spent the whole summer raving about my favorite gelato place “Golda” to my best friend Ally, who I coincidentally met while interning in Israel, as she argued with me claiming her favorite gelato place, “Anita‘s” was better. I constantly raved about the vegan cookie flavor and she would nonstop talk about the tart with Oreo sauce. The summer had ended and I never got to try Anita’s and she never got to try Golda. we had promised each other we will take a trip back to Israel to try each other‘s favorite gelato places. 

Ally and I had continued to keep in touch once the summer and it and we decided to study abroad in Barcelona for the spring semester together. We were roommates this semester and one night we decided to go on a walk around our neighborhood. Midwalk we had stumbled upon Ally’s favorite gelato place from Israel, Anitas! upon walking in, I instantly recognized the aesthetic of the ice cream shop and saw my vegan cookie gelato flavor. after speaking with the owner, Ben, we had a realize that Anita’s and Golda have the same owners and are simply the same gelato shop!

We were constantly posting about this gelato shop on social media, and as word spread quickly it came many peoples favorite and go-to ice cream shop. as previously mentioned and learned, social media is a way to reach a large audience with one simple post and this is a prime example. Social media is a main way many people get their information today, which has also been confirmed in a Forbes article that found 50% of individuals surveyed said the first place they get their information from is social media (Forbes).

Throughout this semester, Anita‘s became a regular dessert spot for my roommates and I. Our constant visits to this gelato shop has helped us form relationships with the workers. Regardless of the cultural barrier, we were able to create friendships and become “regulars” on a first name basis!

There are Anita’s and Goldas located around the world, from Australia to Barcelona to Israel to New York (Anita)! Anita is most popular known for their homemade gelato and sauces. From Oreo sauce to pretzel sauce, these sauces are able to target any taste buds! there is a variety of toppings to pick from and make sure to go on an empty stomach because this gelato shop is not shy with their portions! You are also able to order literal boxes to your apartment or home via Glovo!

Anita Is more than a gelato place to my roommates and I, it is a place that we enjoy being out together and will be a major memory of my study abroad in Barcelona experience. Additionally, this tart with pretzel sauce and Oreos has deepens my friendship with Ally and I am forever greatful for that. as the years go on and I continue my world travels, I hope to find more Anita‘s locations around the world.

by sdratch2a218457e8

Abroad coming to a close

As the Spring 2022 abroad semester is coming to a close, there are a lot of different memories and experiences to look back on. From weekly class to weekend travels, spending four months in Barcelona was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I am eternally grateful for.

With these experience comes lasting memories that all abroad students would like to remember forever. In order to do this, it is important us students use social media and our cell phones to keep memory of what occurred throughout the semester.

Whether it be Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok or Facebook, students are constantly keeping in touch with the “outer abroad bubble” in order to make these memories lasting. Social media has a large influence on students study abroad experiences beyond realization. Social media makes it easy for us abroad students to keep in touch with friends and family overseas in a simple and efficient way. abroad students are able to post one photo on Instagram and reach thousands of their followers without having to communicate and send these photos individually.

Oxford dictionary defines FoMO as “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media” (Oxford Dictionary). To put it simply, FoMO is short for “fear of missing out”. I personally have expirence FoMO a lot throughout my life, as I enjoy being involved in every experience my friends go through and get upset when I am unable to be there with then. This idea goes both ways, as abroad students are missing a semester at their university. On the other hand, this heavy use of social media seen by abroad students can increase the presence of FoMO since they are posting content from all around the world (Hetz).

A popular app that I have used in the past is called 1SE, or 1 Second Everyday. This is a pretty self explanatory app, where you record a short 1 second clip about your day, and this app puts each clip together to create a short film to remember your days. This app is popular among abroad students and is a great way for them to keep track of what they have done abroad during their busy days.

All in all, study abroad and social media go a lot more hand in hand than you may think. As the years go on and social media has revolutionized, abroad students have been seen posting more and more on social media in regards to their study abroad experience. It is easier today than it used to be for friends and family back and home to catch a case of “FoMO” due to the increase in posting.

by sdratch2a218457e8

The Weekend Travels

Studying abroad is an amazing once in a lifetime opportunity and give students the chance and not only see an experience the place of study that they may choose, but also travel to nearby places. The weekends are perfect time for travel and to immerse ourselves in new cultures that have been previously unknown to us American abroad students. Weekends are short and often go by quickly so it is important to plan ahead and ensure you are experiencing everything!

Abroad has had a positive experience on my life and this travel has helped me grow as a person and learn new things about myself and different cultures. I am so thankful that I was given this opportunity and feel Study abroad programs have a positive impact on students lives. being able to have said I have been to multiple countries all while taking classes and increasing my learning is an opportunity I am so thankful to have had.

by sdratch2a218457e8

Positives Surrounding Podcasts

Merriam-webster defines podcasts as music or talk that’s been made available in either a digital format for automatic download over the Internet (Merrimack-webster). There are so many different podcasts since they can be created by anyone. I, am I’m sure you do also, personally know people who have started their own podcasts. Podcasts have grown in popularity throughout the years and can be listened to and streamed on almost any mobile device in multiple different ways.

Apple Podcast App

Since podcasts is “walkway content” and being abroad we travel on planes and trains each weekend, I have found a new love for Podcasts. One of my personal favorite podcasts is We Met At Acne. This podcast is hosted by Lindsey Metselaar, a 30-year old married woman who discusses dating for millennials in today’s time. On top of dating, Lindsay also discusses sobriety and is known to be a safe space for those trying to get sober or know someone who is trying to get do so. This partner began in 2017 and has over 200 episodes (Dear Media). This podcast can be found on multiple platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. As much as Lindsey gives her own personal advice, she is seen having guests on this podcast. Podcasts can often come across as subjective, as it is almost viewed as a one-way conversation. Lindsey does a good job reminding her viewers and followers that this is her personal opinion, since people do tend to ask questions that are mainly opinion based. Especially when discussing this topic, each person handles their own differently, and there is no “right” way to have a relationship so sometimes podcasts on this topic can come across as very opinionated and Lindsey does a good job of not being judgemental when stating her opinion.

Social media is important, especially with podcasts. Podcasts have a particular audience, as more people are known to use other social media platforms such as Instagram or Snapchat. In a lot of cases, I have learned about podcasts through other media platforms. Specifically, We Met at Acme has an Instagram account with 76.5 K followers. On this account, Lindsey posts polls asking relationship and general questions on her story so her listeners and followers are able to interact with her account. This is how I first found my personal favorite podcast. I began following this account a while before I had even listened to the first podcast.

We Met at Acme Podcast lingo

Many podcasts make the listeners feel connected to the speakers. This is a difficult task, yet many influencers who have successful podcasts have the ability to do so. The content needs to get from the “receiver” to the “transmitter” in a clear and communicative way. A big factor to a successful podcast is clear audio. It’s a great way to get the “inside scoop” on your favorite celebrities and influencers.

by sdratch2a218457e8

Politics on the World Wide Web

As traditions stay the same, the world seems to continuously evolve. Since 1789, the United States has had presidents. As the years and decades have gone on, the world has changed. That being said, it is interesting to look at media evolution in terms of our past presidents. Starting off with Franklin D. Roosevelt, his main resource of media was the radio, John F. Kennedy utilized the television, and for Barrack Obama, it was social media. The first social media site was acknowledged in 1997 but Obama’s presidency was when social media really picked up. Obama had a strategy, and strategy is extremely important.

Obama positively and effectively managed social media, using it as a way to address many different types of people. Facebook, for example, was created in 2004 but internationally launched in 2006 (HISTORY). 2008 was a big year for Facebook and the beginning of Obamas, what will later be, 8-year term. The use of Facebook was a positive for Obama’s campaign, as he was able to addressed to every person and used statements such as “I am addressing to you” trying to bring everyone into his similar goals and challenges. Presidential campaigns can be difficult considering that they are trying to reach such a large audience, and people have so many different opinions.

The media can be a scary place, where news can get twisted and fake media can be believed by thousands and shared in seconds. On average, a person is exposed to around 5,000 different advertisements a day (Clario). Since individuals see so many different advertisements, it is easy to simply believe what we are being shown. University of Central Florida released an article discussing fake news in political elections. A lot of different political fake news that is shown comes from foreign entities, such as Russia, trying to control our social media and spread false information simply to cause commotion between our country during an already stressful time. The rumors started and spread through the media have created the term of fake news that is very prevalent in our daily lives. Fake news has the power to put the individuals in a false spotlight which could ruin their future and reputation. Rumors that are started and shared throughout the media can control a person’s life because of the negative publicity it can bring them. Fake news is a scary concept in the way that it can shift the way others feel about you including your boss, family, and friends. Politicians use the media to defat their candidates which is specifically abused during a dirty election. This is because politicians leak one rumor to the public, a news station, or blogger to make society look down on them and shine a negative light on them. This puts the opposing candidate at an advantage because as they put their opposer down through fake news, they are only keeping themselves in the clear and therefore gaining positive publicity. In recent elections this type of news has been more utilized.

by sdratch2a218457e8

No Lies Behind a Live stream

As if being able to upload your every move to social media wasn’t enough, social media platforms began adding live streams to their applications, which allow users to share live and raw content. Facebook live first launched in 2015 and was the start of one of the realest forms of shared information on said platforms, and this livestream has since been added to Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms (MediaKix). In order to keep a live stream professional, there are some basics you must do such as ensuring a strong signal or being connected to wifi, using a good quality device or tripod to ensure it looks the best that it can.

Being able to steam our current moves can have both positives and negatives. Some positives might include increasing awareness in terms of companies or news, as it is an easy way to reach followers, and also is a cost efficient way to do so, instead of paid advertisements or newsletters. On the other hand, the largest problems with livestreams is censorship and controversy. When looking at Facebook live for example, the videos are able to be streamed by anyone who has a facebook account (Responsive Bound Marketing).

This problem is also seen while looking at recent times, The quick dangerous upcoming war against Ukraine and Russia has not allowed news reporters to travel to that area to shoot live reports due to the dangerous conditions. Ukrainian citizens have been seen live streaming explosions and other things that show the dangerous reality of what is going on. Yes, it is a good thing in order to keep the world updated. Yet, on the other hand, these explosions are costing innocent people their lives and it is being streamed on live platforms. People have also been seen with guns and other weapons and had even committed suicide on live streams, all occurring before Facebook monitors were able to shut it down (Dewey). It is important to be aware of the content being streamed live and to truly understand the dangers behind this feature that is sometimes taken advantage of.

GO Fest for Pokemon GO

Moving onto a topic that almost makes live streams seems as if a thing of the past are virtual vs augmented reality. These are almost black-mirror type of tools, that really turn our current world into something a lot more futuristic. Virtual Reality, also known as VR, takes a human and places them entirely in a 360 false reality simply by looking through a lens. On the other hand, AR or AR places false realities in our current and real reality (Splunk). One example of this can be Pokemon GO which reached peak popularity the summer of 2016. Users were seen pointing their phone around different places where they would soon see Pokemon characters pop up on their screen, yet weren’t there in real life. This is one example of AR and is a great explanation as to how AR has the capability of controlling its users no matter where in the world.

by sdratch2a218457e8

Public Relations

Public Relations. I am sure mostly all have you have heard the word, some of you might even be studying in this field, but a lot of you might have a difficult time truly understanding what PR is aside from knowing it is a form of communications.

I myself am studying Public Relations at the University of Florida, yet I still have a lot to learn before I am an expert in this field. With the help of my Digital Journalism class, I got the opportunity to listen to guest speaker Marta Llibra, Co-founder & Strategic Director at About PR Studio, explain her PR experience and give advise that I will bring with me into the future work world.

Public Relations Society of America defines PR as “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics” (PRSA). To further explain, the start of good PR is to be able to tell a good story that the media feels has the ability to become newsworthy. The media provides the public ideas to think about without explicitly telling them how to think. For companies to communicate effectively they need message exposure along with accuracy and acceptance of the message. Once companies communicate the message, it is important the audience receives this message. Viewers are more likely to do so if they feel connected and related to the message so it is important in PR to understand communication barriers in order to most effectively reach the audience.

Marta opened the classroom up to a discussion if there is such thing as if there is such thing as bad publicity. At first thought: yes. Companies are constantly being exposed and “cancelled”. Until she showed us the Colin Kaepernick Nike ad, which caused such an uproar due to Kaepernick’s previous actions where he would kneel during the national anthem at NFL football games. When we looked deeper into this ad, she was able to show the increase in Nike sales, despite the hate that everyone felt was being received on Nike due to this.

One example that Marta showed us that I am going to expand on further is the company JUUL. If you are a millennial, or honestly just about any age, I assume you have heard of JUUL, an electric cigarette company that hit peak popularity in 2015 (Truth Iniative). JUUL was one of the first brands of e-cigarettes that skyrocketed in sales, and a good amount of those sales were to underaged indivudals. Whether teenagers used fake IDs in store, ordered online, or got a hold of this device from their friends or family members, teenagers got their hands on these e-cigarettes and many became hooked on the flavored disposable “pods” that are inserted in the device. JUUL was the main vaping company under fire for the epidemic of teenage vaping. In response to this crisis, JUUL directed their statement on about how the product was marketed towards adults to stop smoking, rather than actually acknowledging the problem: even though they did not advertise to teenagers, teenagers now have a hold of the product. JUUL instead should have expressed what tehy are going to do regarding that (Creswell). Amidst all of this, JUUL discontinued their flavored pods to steer away from teens yet it had little to no affect on overall sales (Forsester).

JUUL flavored pods that have since been discontinued
by sdratch2a218457e8

America Runs on Charli

There are many different types of earned media that stand out depending on the target audience. Making ad campaigns that are consistent with the current events and are relevant in todays society is important to media campaigns. Thousands of advertisements are shown daily so it is important for advertisers to make their campaign stand out. 

The Economic times defines viral marketing as a way to expand the “advertiser’s message to other websites or the users create a scenario which can lead to multi-fold growth” (The Economic Times). 

One media that stood out and was majorly successful was the Charli D’amelio x Dunkin Donuts collab in February 2021. Charli D’amelio became an internet sensation during the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic. She is actually the most followed account with 137.9 million TikTok followers (Thompson-Powell). 

Dunkin’ created a media campaign for “The Charli,” a limited-edition cold brew coffee with whole milk and caramel syrup, TikToker Charli D’amelios go-to. The reason for the popularity of this drink was not because of the flavor, but it was because the success that came with this media campaign (Williams). 

This campaign had different points that made it so successful: Charli featuring the drink in her TikTok videos and contests that consisted of posting on Instagram using the hashtag  #CharliXDunkinContest with a chance to meet the TikTok mogel herself (Williams). Going back, Dunkin’ had originally reached out to Charli after seeing her constant posts with the Dunkin’ cups. They saw this as an opportunity to create earned media, and get more advertisement aside from the subtle Dunkin’ iced coffee cups in Charlis 10 second dance videos. 

Dunkin’ Donuts knew that being a company that is already popular will become even stronger when combined with TikTok, an app on the rise of popularity as people were stuck in their homes with not much to do. Starbucks and McDonalds being two of Dunkin’s biggest competitors not having Charli D’amelio advertise for them makes Dunkin’s campaign even that much stronger.

@dunkin

Song is straight 🔥. Show us your moves to ‘The Charli’ while you drink ‘The Charli’- using #CharliRunsOnDunkin @charlidamelio #dunkin

♬ The Charli – Dunkin’

This campaign got even not coffee lovers to make their way to Dunkin’ just to try this limited edition drink everyone was raving about! People began going to Dunkin’ just to try and post a TikTok reviewing “The Charli”. Additionally, this drink being limited edition made the media campaign all that much more successful, since people wanted to get their hands on the drink before it was gone! I personally am not a coffee drinker but made sure to try “The Charli” before it was gone. Looking at statistics and success in this media campaign, the app download increased 57% the day the drink was released (Weiss). All in all, this campaign was a success both for Charli D’amelio herself and Dunkin’, as it did an amazing job getting the world out and increasing sales. 

by sdratch2a218457e8

TikTok Newsroom

Citizen journalism is exactly how it sounds. By definition, citizen journalism is the collection and analysis of news and information from the general public, and by general public this means us (Cambridge Dictionary)! Some of us are in school to become journalists, others are in school to become doctors, yet all of these individuals are a part of citizen journalism!

Citizen journalism can be related to Mobile Journalism in certain ways because everyone is able to create the content in one way or another, even if they are not professionals (MoJo). MoJo is an easy way to do citizen journalism since users are able to use their cell phones and tablets to create and spread content.

There is controversy surrounding citizen journalism and its reliability. Any individual is able to create this type of journalism and spread it to thousands quickly and efficiently. Does that mean this information is always reliable though? Not exactly. 

The ways citizen journalism has spread throughout the years has changed and become easier to spread information but the idea of this type of journalism has been around for centuries (Alderman).Smartphone cameras make it easy to take pictures and add information and explanation to it. Additionally, the invention of TikTok is one of the biggest ways citizens spread information that is believed to be reliable by teenagers and the other 1 billion users ok TikTok (Backlinko).

The recent tragedy and uproar going on in Ukraine has made it impossible for news sources to enter Ukrainian territory in order to report from there. In this specific circumstance, people around the world have been turning to TikToks posted by Ukrainians who are there and first hand dealing with what is going on there. Some accounts posting these are verified news accounts while others are young adults just like myself!

TikToks shown from both local and verified sites on the recent conflict

Personally, I have been finding my news and updates about what has been going on through tik tok since I believe those who are actually affected the most truly understand what is happening since they are living through it. As a society, we turn to the news

@valerisssh

Living my best life 🥰🥰🥰 Thanks Russia! #ukraine #stopwar #russiastop

♬ Che La Luna – Louis Prima

Don’t get me wrong, TikTok is definitely should not be an individual’s first choice of information gathering, as people do spread fake news and it is easy to create false yet believable content. But viewers need to have an understanding of that and realize we are not always shown the entire truth.