A Gen-Xer Figures Out Entertainment Media: Apple, Netflix, and Change
Many underestimate the impact that Gen-X, sometimes called the “Forgotten Generation,” has on media. But that may not be a great idea. Shashank Srivastava of Deloitte says, “Generation X’s emergence as avid consumers of mobile video presents new-age media and entertainment companies with an attractive opportunity. According to a recent Deloitte report, net wealth in…
Pivot! (Long Term Survival in the Social Media Game).
MySpace didn’t survive because it didn’t evolve. Way back in 2008, as Facebook began its ascension, you can almost imagine Ross screaming, on behalf of all MySpace fans and shareholders, “Pivot! Pivot! Piiiiivooooooottttt!” while the platform found itself wedged under the weight of progress, a la perennially-hapless Chandler Bing. But MySpace couldn’t adapt; January 30…
Birdwatching of Another Kind: How Regular Folk are Combatting Fake News
The art and science of news have unquestionably undergone a sea change since the advent of 24/7 news which began with CNN in 1980. Citizens are interested in current events. But they want them Current (with a capital C). Author Janet Kolodzy says, “their interest in news [is]growing; they [want] to know what is going…
Does writing well matter? In a word, yes.
For the digital storyteller who wants to reach an audience, to make your work stand out in the crowded field, good writing is a key element of creation. Sure, flashy graphics catch the attention. But well-crafted sentences built around interesting ideas will hold it. Of course, language evolves. To my great relief, we no longer…
Graphics and Videos and Sounds, Oh My!
Most of us know the story told in The Wizard of Oz; we instantly recognize the Wicked Witch, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. There’s a magical moment in the classic film when Kansas country girl Dorothy opens the door of her windblown cabin to discover the saturated palette of Oz. The world of communications…
Chicken Little and Modern Mediated Communication?
Has the way you communicate changed in the last 20 years? Whether you’re a writer who uses blogging to get your work out, an artist who uses Instagram to share your art with the public, or a content expert who releases podcasts to educate listeners, you’re probably navigating the shift from the old ways of…
Sample Press Release: St. Agatha’s Data Breach
The task? To create a press release for a fictional hospital whose computer systems have been breached. The objective was to communicate what action steps had been taken to secure patient data, to develop an avenue for communication with patients who might have been affected, and to assure stakeholders and the local community that the…
Launching and Leading a Creative Product: LadyFaire Magazine
In March of 2020, we all sequestered in our homes. What’s a Creative to do? What’s a Collaborator to do? What’s a Leader to do? Make something, that’s what. Having a project to dive into gave respite from the strain of being trapped inside with no major creative project to manage. I hopped on Facebook…
An In-Depth Analysis of Disney’s Imagination Campus Communication Practices
Another tremendous challenge for the Imagination Campus is visibility within the greater Disney company, as well as the need to build and increase awareness in the education community. A glance at the !C social media account posts reveals an impersonal, canned look at the work we do (posts appear to just be coming off a…
Sample Business Proposal: A Global Wine Partnership
Created for a Communications Leadership course, I was tasked with proposing a partnership between an American winery and the wine industry of the Republic of Georgia. It was a fun project, its initial challenge seemed to be the relative obscurity of Georgian wine. My first thought was, “Why not the French?” However, Georgian wine-making proved…
Storytelling for Businesses, Non-Profits, and Arts Organizations
As human beings, we love stories. We look for them everywhere because stories are the bridges that connect us, person to person, brand to customer, artist to audience. As a communications professional, I can enrich your story with today’s multi-faceted language: words enhanced with media that catch the reader’s eye, enhancing the message with sound…
“Are you okay?” Check on your people to build a healthy team.
Sometimes, our coworkers and colleagues need us to be mindful. To check on them. Especially if we are in a supervisory position. It’s not always easy to ask, it feels vulnerable, even as the one soliciting the information, the status. I decided to practice with a stranger. Last Monday, I found myself walking in the…
Wake Up Call Results in New Partnership for Coffee Giant Deja Brew
Created as a sample press release for graduate studies, the task was to blend the fictional Deja Brew with a real company (for academic purposes). Terra Genesis, while a real company, is not involved in any way with this story. But the sample press release is an example of the quality writing I create. Renewing…
Brewing Up a Social Media Profile: Deja Brew Coffee
January 30, 2023 Kimberly Bryant, Communications Created as a grad school project, Deja Brew is my own invention. I was tasked with developing a mock website and social media profiles for the company. It was a fun project, drawing on my imagination, writing chops, and eye for design. Logo for Profile Pictures: Cover Photo for…
Using The Written Word to Make a Positive Impact
No matter what your organization, its size, its mission, or its product, it comes down to the people who inhabit it. They are essential. And clear, effective communication is the key to your success. Organizational communication comes in a wide array of methods: emails, speeches, press releases, newsletters, social media, and blogs are all effective…
About Kimberly
My life has been a series of sure steps…and steps that were decidedly less so. I grew up in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas, known as the buckle of the “Bible Belt,” a metroplex known even now for the evangelical conservatism that coexists with rampant materialism and Texas snobbery. My mom was a Christian drug…
Kimberly Bryant, MA 