Too Much Caffeine? That's a Thing?

As a PR major, my caffeine intake increases as the semester goes on. You’ll see me with a large mug of coffee during my late nights of cramming for an exam or writing a paper before the deadline the next morning. I drink multiple cups of coffee each morning to help me make it through my classes and the rest of the day. Coffee is my source of life.

PR friends, beware. Did you know it is possible to suffer from caffeine intoxication? According to Livestrong.com, “the signs and symptoms of caffeine intoxication vary, depending on the individual and how much caffeine is ingested. Caffeine is a stimulant, and its greatest effect is on the brain.” Drinking too much coffee can contribute to feelings of restlessness, nervousness, excitement and insomnia. In addition, incoherent flow of thought and speech, periods of inexhaustibility and agitation are also common when there is too much caffeine in the system.

I know when I drink too much coffee, I feel shaky and I get stomach pains. The distress or impaired function associated with the consumption of caffeine should be taken seriously: “Caffeine intoxication can lead to potentially life-threatening signs and symptoms, such as irregular heartbeat, severe electrolyte imbalances and seizures. Immediate medical evaluation and treatment are needed in these situations” (Livestrong.com).

It is possible for a person to die from too much caffeine intake, but this threat is highly unlikely. Unless you were to consume approximately 140 cups of coffee in one day, your life would not be at risk. I never really took the symptoms from too much coffee consumption seriously, but I just might now that I have a better understanding of the risks of too much caffeine intake. Caffeine intoxication is a real thing and I suspect the rest of my PR friends experience some of these symptoms due to our high intake of caffeine to help us make it through the long nights of studying.  

Evolution of the Web

We are entering an evolution of the Web. Today, there is a transformation of the website into a real-time marketing and sales machine. Online presence is more important today than ever before. In the past, robotic answers and extremely slow response times were acceptable. Today, consumers are looking for service to match their high-speed life style. They want responses and they want them sooner rather than later.

“Consumers’ online expectations are ratcheting up. Just as no one tolerates hour-long waits or robotic answers in a physical shop, they’re not going to stand for it online” (Real-Time Marketing & PR).

David Meerman Scott explains the danger many organizations are in because they are not keeping up with the demand for real-time responses on the Web (Real-Time Marketing & PR). Responses are vital because the sooner you engage with your customer’s interest the more likely you are to obtain their loyalty in the end.

The best websites are the ones that facilitate action. Answer your customers in real-time, engage them further and create demand to increase the sales for your company. As we have discussed in class, listening to your customers is vital. Responding to your customers in real-time is even more important.

Domino's Pizza: Brand Innovation

Do you remember the crisis Domino’s Pizza experienced in April 2009? Two employees posted videos online of themselves tampering with the food they were serving to customers. After only a few days online, more than a million people had viewed the disgusting video and Domino’s brand was faced with a major public relations crisis.

The company faced the crisis head on and eventually returned the brand name to a positive reputation. Even after a crisis this large, Domino’s continues to revamp its menu and launch campaigns to increase revenue and decrease negative feelings from potential customers. This past month, Domino’s reports “10.5% revenue growth in the third quarter, as well as a 16% increase in profit. Shares were up 13% this month, reaching a record high on Wednesday afternoon, and the chain opened 160 stories in the period, according to CNNMoney” (PR Week).

Over the past five years, Domino’s has launched campaigns critiquing the quality of its own food in an effort to show customers its commitment to change. Chris Brandon, director of external communications at Domino’s stated “You’re only as good as your next innovation, and that’s certainly true in the ever-evolving world of technology” (PR Week). He explains further the mission of continually improving Domino’s brand, especially through mobile and digital initiatives.

It’s crazy to see how far Domino’s has come since the crisis in 2009. Social media platforms have helped with engaging customers in fun ways while also monitoring concerns and handling them immediately. Like we always say, listening to what your customers are saying about your brand is a vital practice if you want your company to be successful.

Some Things Never Change

I often look back at high school and all of the memories I shared with my best friends. Everyone says when you graduate from high school, you won’t be able to stay friends with the people from your hometown. I completely disagree with this. To this day, I am still close with four girls that I spent my four years of high school with. Whether we were laughing together, crying together, or crying because we were laughing so hard, us five were inseparable. I know I can still count on them to be there for me whenever I need them.

Fall 2011

Two of the girls go to the University of Cincinnati, one at Ohio State University and the other at Brigham Young University in Utah. Even though we’re hours and states apart, we always find time to get back together over our breaks from school. During high school, we would always go to this amazing pancake house on our half days. You could find us enjoying brunch together, talking about our boy problems and complaining about the teachers who wanted to make our lives miserable.

Now when we get back together, nothing has changed. We pick up right where we left off, talking about our current relationship status with a guy, complaining about the professors who really do frequently make our lives miserable and how much we miss being together as a group. Our conversations don’t stay sentimental for too long because we are pros at making each other laugh.

Fall 2014

I know the rumor about losing your high school friends when you go off to college is often true, but this was not the case for me. Even though we can’t talk everyday like we would like to, we keep a constant group chat about the ups and downs of our lives. We are constantly planning our next reunion and reminding each other that our group will always be too close to separate.

My Galway Girls

It has officially been three months since I returned home from studying abroad in Ireland. I thought my reverse culture shock would have worn off by now, but I still find myself using Irish terms and missing so many things about the Emerald Isle. What do I miss the most about my study abroad experience? The best friends I made.

I was extremely lucky to be paired with an amazing roommate during my time in Galway. My temporary roommate, Annie, is from Boise, Idaho. She is most likely my sister separated at birth because we are the same person. It was scary how much we had in common and how in sync we were. We had long, random conversations about life and always found something fun to do together. It took only days before I found my long lost best friend.

The other friend I found in Ireland (also named Annie) was our next-door neighbor. Annie is from Chicago, Illinois. All three of us were in the same study abroad program, allowing us just over a month to get to know each other and become best friends in a very short period of time. My neighbor Annie was likely my sister separated at birth as well because it was crazy how easy it was to get along with her.

These girls are my best friends, my adventure seekers and my Galway girls. I know I can go to them for anything and they will be there to support me and talk me through whatever I am facing. They know how to make me laugh, how to make me cry and how to make me reminisce on, inarguably, the best time of my entire life. We called it the “Hannah & Annie’s in Ireland”. Making the most of our time there was our mission and all three of us were determined to accomplish exactly this.

There is no doubt in my mind that our time was well spent in Galway. I can’t imagine what this experience would have been like without these girls. Both Annie’s are my best friends and the reason why my study abroad experience was so successful. I can’t imagine life without them. Luckily, I don’t have to. We have a group chat almost every single day and we obsessively plan the next time we will all meet up again. I’m crossing my fingers that someday, we’ll end up meeting in Ireland again.