WHAT DOES THE INTERNET THINK ABOUT PR AND ADVERTISING?

I've just found this rather nifty new online tool called What Does the Internet Think? It somehow calculates the number of positivity and negativity surrounding a particular word/phrase/place on the internet. I'm not sure how accurate it can be but it's fun to play with if you need to rest your brain from the media release or communications plan you're working on.

Oh yeah. I typed advertising and public relations into the 'WDIT' search function. Public Relations came back 87.9% positive, 7.5% negative and 4.6% don't care. Advertising came back 57.9% negative and only 33% positive! I'm not sure what this tells us about the state of the PR industry but it made me chuckle all the same!

CLIENT NEWS: LUMINO THE DENTISTS ADVISES AGAINST SKIMPING ON DENTAL CARE WHEN TIMES ARE TIGHT

Our client, Lumino The Dentist, spoke to the Herald on Sunday late last week, warning New Zealanders that cutting back on regular dental care when times are tough could prove to be a false economy : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10578249

To help people out, Lumino is offering a number of interest free deals and payment holidays, through such cards as Q Card and Farmers Card. You can find out more about these options by clicking here.

For those that are still keen to indulge in a bit of luxury, Lumino has slashed the price of tooth whitening. They are offering the Opalescence Tooth Whitening System for a limited period only for $299 for a take-home formulation (around half the usual price).

For more information on Lumino The Dentists, visit www.lumino.co.nz

CLIENT NEWS: NZMA LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT BENEFITS OF STUDYING IN NEW ZEALAND

Leading private education provider, New Zealand Management Academies (NZMA), has launched a drive to boost the numbers of international students coming to New Zealand, claiming there’s never been a better time to benefit from studying in one of the safest countries in the world.

NZMA has started an integrated marketing campaign across student-centred media using, advertising, public relations and web based programmes to present information about studying in New Zealand in ways which are relevant to the new technology savvy generation.

Managing Director, Tim Cullinane explains: ‘New Zealand is officially the safest country in the world according to the Global Peace Index (GPI), an annual ranking of the world's nations on the basis of how peaceful they are but it is also an extremely exciting, interesting and beautiful place to visit. The cost of living is low compared to a lot of similar countries and standard of living is high. Auckland, New Zealand’s largest and most vibrant city and the base for NZMA, was recently identified as fourth best city in the world for quality of living.’

Central to NZMA’s international campaign is a highly interactive, user-friendly website (http://www.nzma.co.nz/). The website offers in-depth information about the Business, Hospitality and practical, career focussed English Language courses on offer at NZMA, as well as a guide to life in New Zealand. A discussion forum, blog and details of how to apply for study programmes also feature on the website.

‘Studying with NZMA in New Zealand can provide an excellent opportunity to learn valuable English speaking skills and get to know other cultures,’ explains Tim. ‘Students can also study towards vocational qualifications, in Business and Hospitality, which will hugely enhance their employment opportunities anywhere in the world.

Past student, Zhao Zhen Paddy believes that studying towards a National Diploma in Hospitality Management at NZMA provided him with the skills and confidence that he needed to pursue his rewarding career in China.

‘I have my dream job,’ says Zhao. ‘I don’t think I would have been offered the position without my English language skills and my NZMA hospitality management diploma. NZMA have fantastic industry functions which help us to practice, gain confidence and showcase our skills to the industry. Also it’s like one big family, because everyone makes you feel so welcome.’
For more information on studying in New Zealand visit http://www.nzma.co.nz/