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Marijean

Marijean Oldham (Jaggers), a social media specialist and public relations professional, is president and CEO of Jaggers Communications LLC, a strategic communications firm based in Charlottesville, Va.

Sep 09
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Jaggers Communications Offers LinkedIn for Business Growth, Job Opportunities

By Jaggers Communications News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

WHAT: Public relations firm Jaggers Communications and nationally-recognized social media educator Marijean Jaggers offer a LinkedIn lunch time session. The workshop offers information for businesses to help increase social networks, enhance careers and find new and better opportunities.

WHEN: Monday, Sept. 12, Noon to 1p.m. Fee: $49. Register online: http://linkedinlunchandlearn.eventbrite.com/

WHERE: OpenSpace, 455 Second Street SE, Ste. 100, Charlottesville, VA 22902

WHO: This session is $49 to attend and is open to the public. Business owners, employees, job seekers, recent graduates and marketers should attend.

NOTE: Participants should bring a brown bag lunch. Drinks and dessert will be provided.

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About Jaggers Communications

Jaggers Communications is a strategic communications firm that provides organizations in the health care, education, manufacturing, travel and tourism industries with social media consulting, public relations support and reputation management strategy. The firm was founded in 2011 to serve businesses and nonprofits with a need for cost-effective, strategic communications with effective reach. www.jaggerscommunications.com

 

Sep 09
Love0

How the HIV/AIDS Conversation has Changed

By Communications, Media, Social Media

My friends Shawn and Gwenn began a joint career in 2000, educating teens and young adults about HIV and sexual health (Shawn is HIV positive; Gwenn is not). We met for coffee this week and talked about how the sexual health conversation has changed.

I learned that:

  • AIDS and HIV has become much less interesting to college campuses and other likely audiences; since AIDS patients manage the virus with a series of pharmaceuticals, the reputation of the virus has changed from that of a killer, to a “managed condition.” This is a false sense of security as people with AIDS are still at much higher risk of dying from a broad array of related causes, and is dangerous since it can lead to unsafe practices and spread of the virus.
  • Audiences (and the schools that fund them) are more interested in a broader sexual health conversation than focusing on HIV/AIDS. This opens potential new opportunities for the couple, particularly with the introduction of Gardasil, the HPV vaccine from Merck.
  • Sometimes, Shawn and Gwenn’s message isn’t welcome. Sometimes, there are pockets of denial; “our students aren’t having sex!” or groups that think that they’ve had all the sexual health education they need. That’s not really new, but has a resurgence when the country shifts to the right and has a stronghold in certain geographic areas. (No one has sex in the Bible belt, right?)

I’m interested, of course, in how students who are digital natives are learning; my guess is after friends, YouTube is a top educator. I’m not sure, as a parent, that I want my kids’ sexual health education to come from un-vetted sources (although I’m aware that has been the trend since sex itself became popular).

Shawn, also an author (My Pet Virus), has adopted social media outreach since before we even had definitions for it; a blogger back when blogging was “live journaling,” Shawn has successfully reached MANY living with AIDS or young couples with HIV positive diagnoses in their relationships. Adopters, too, of Facebook and Twitter, the couple makes their message available in all the channels where they can be found for those who may be searching.

There’s no substitute, however, for the message being delivered in person. A sponsor to make it possible for the couple to appear before more students nationwide would help extend safe sexual practices and hopefully, prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, improving the futures of a generation.

What other ways have you heard the conversation change about AIDS, HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases? As a parent, how will your kids get the sexual health information they need? As an adult, where did your education come from? Was it correct, or sufficient?


Sep 07
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Communicating 9/11: How We Talk and Write About it Does Make A Difference

By Communications, Crisis Communications, Media, Public Relations

In 2007, I shared my very personal 9/11 story. That was also the year I was devastated to learn our daughter didn’t — wouldn’t believe that the events of that date actually happened.  She didn’t remember — was just young enough then, that her absorption of it was at a minimum. In 2008 we took her to the site, to ground zero and finally, it really sunk in.

9/11 was real.

As we approach the 10th anniversary of the acts of terrorism, the Associated Press has provided us with guidelines to use when referring to, speaking about or publishing about 9/11.

  • Flight 93: Acceptable in first reference for United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pa. Include airline name and context of crash in subsequent references. Flight 93 memorial is acceptable in all references for the Flight 93 National Memorial at the crash site.
  • ground zero: Acceptable term for the World Trade Center site.
  • The Sept. 11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people: 2,753 in New York. Includes three later deaths from respiratory disease that have since been linked to illnesses caused by the towers’ collapse. 40 in Pennsylvania. 184 at the Pentagon. Total: 2,977 as of July 25, 2011. 2,983 names will be listed on the Sept. 11 memorial, including six who died in the 1993 World Trade Center truck bombing.

It’s important to remember, to be consistent in our storytelling and shared memories, to preserve and maintain the language with which we speak about the tragedies of that day, so generations later, history will not be rewritten.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sep 06
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UVa Football and its Effect on Doing Business in Charlottesville

By Communications, Media

I have a confession to make: I’ve never been to a UVa football game. I’m not what you’d call a huge football fan and so, be forewarned, when I do, inevitably end up at a game some time in the future, seat me near someone who doesn’t care if I chatter away the entire game. Except for halftime, of course. I revere marching bands.

So as oblivious as I seemingly am to college football in my college town, I’m not at all, really. The schedule for games is on my fridge; I’m aware of when everyone with whom I do business will be heading to a game. I know when orange and blue are appropriate to wear (and where). I know when to avoid the grocery store and stocking up tailgaters.

You can’t, in other words, live in a college town and completely ignore football. In St. Louis, there was a similar impact on business with the St. Louis Cardinals (I am, despite my football apathy, a major league baseball fan). Opening day in the spring in St. Louis is a regional holiday; no one works and everyone watches, listens to and celebrates baseball.

What regional reasons for celebrating shut down your business? How do you change your behavior with clients and customers on or around game day? 

Sep 02
Love2

WTF? Friday: J.C. Penney and the Terrible Tween Girl Tee Shirt

By Media, Public Relations

You probably saw this one coming as today’s WTF? Friday topic. J.C. Penney caught the wrath of the Internet this week when they marketed a shirt to tween girls that said, “I’m too pretty to do homework.” The Twitteverse, in particular, was aflame with demands the sexist tee shirt be withdrawn (it was).

I think J.C. Penney handled the mistake (which, granted, should not have happened in the first place, but that’s the definition of a mistake, right? Also, some buyer probably just gotI'm too pretty to do homework JC penney tshirt fired) pretty well and a review of their engagement in the social space reveals some good interaction. They apologize, they fix problems when they arise and they celebrate the good feedback.

 

‘Spokesperson Ann Marie Bishop told ABC News: “We’ve immediately discontinued sales of that T-shirt. It was only online … We agreed that the shirt does not deliver an appropriate message.” ‘

J.C. Penney is one of a few national retailers that really does a good job online. If you’ve sworn them off forever, reconsider. It was just a dumb tee shirt.

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/jcpenney/status/106709373585330177″]