+ Trend presentations Rosalie Cicala Kendra Clapp Cameron Clarkson
+ Retail research Group discussions Facebook trends posted.
+ How to Write a Trend News Story… At least the first 500 words…
+ The News Story Each of you has received a “trend” that the class picked up from the film “500 Days of Summer.” Your assignment: Find one key piece of research data that supports your trend. Interview one person who is symbolic of the trend Find one “expert” to quote: this can be from an existing article that you have read about your trend
+ Key components The headline: how will you draw the reader into the story? The lead: what is the most important information you want to relate to the reader? Do you want a hard news lead? Or would an anecdotal lead work better? Now what? The transition graph—how do you tie the universal—your stats and demographics—to the personal—to your interview. One way is to bring in an expert—a professor, an analysts, someone who is familiar with the trend. You must have one of these in your article 51% Percent of Women Are Living Without a Spouse Not so fast…and here’s what the Times said Not so fastand here’s what the Times said
+ The interview Most trend news stories will include at least three—three makes a trend we always say in journalism—interviews in a story with data and stats. But for your purposes, one interview will do… Key components of an interview They must be “symbolic” of the trend Ask very specific questions Remember the who, what, when, where and how? Write down the questions before you do the interview Always ask more questions than you think you need to. You never know what people will say just as you are getting ready to leave
+ How do you find people to interview? Hi Everyone -- I'm trying to put together a column this week on things you can do for friends or former colleagues who have lost some or all of their income. Short of handing over a pile of cash, which many people would feel uncomfortable receiving or giving, what else can you do to help? I've come up with a few ideas, like inviting the person and/or his/her family over for a lavish home- cooked meal or providing a service that they might otherwise have to pay for (helping to write a resume or paint a room or take care of their kids for a night). But I'm betting that there are more out there, and that lots of people who are still employed would like to find creative ways of helping friends who aren't. While I'm hoping to come up with ideas that wouldn't seem out of place in a personal finance column, please don't edit yourself. What have you done for people you know in this situation? And I'd be grateful if you could forward this to others you know who have lost their jobs or seen their take- home pay fall to see what sort of helpful things people have done for them. Thanks, as always, for helping me... Yours, Ron Lieber "Your Money" columnist The New York Times
+ Or go to a place where you will find these people… Atmosphere in a trends article is as important as the atmospherics in a retail outlet So where could you go describe your trend or to interview the person who is symbolic of your trend. Cohabitation instead of marriage Desire for a relationship—but a tough time finding one. The nuclear family is dead.
+ For the news story…you must have News story due on Feb. 15—one week from today. No late stories accepted. Must be 500 words and no more—including your headline One interview with a “symbolic” person An atmosphere—a store, their room, a coffee shop, etc. And describe it. Set the scene for us. An expert—this can either be another interview if you feel so inclined or it can be from an existing news story, press release, blog on the trend, just make sure you credit the news organization. For example, Stephanie Coontz, an author who writes on marriage, told the New York Times…
+ Anatomy of a Trend Using “Anatomy of a Trend” to help you with your in-class assignments and final project. Define a trendsetter. –do you want to interview a trendsetter for your news article—someone who sets a new trend? Someone who goes counter to the mainstream or conventional wisdom? Think about the environment. Who are trendsetters—how did it become mainstream? “Trendsetters crave change and variation.” “Trendsetters need see something only a few times to be hooked, whereas conservatives need to see it thousands of times.”
+ Anatomy of a Trend Trendsetters can be governed by outside influences. What are they? Basic needs can usurp being “trendy.” How would that affect marketers? Consider the environment and the recession…
+ The Setting The importance of place to the shaping of trends. What places set trends for your generation? What makes Western Michigan NOT a trendy place, but San Francisco a trend setting city? What makes a city a trend setter? Is it possible to turn a city trends? Think about Michigan’s “Cool Cities” project.
+ When a trend gets a bad rap… Thoughts/comments on the Mother Jones Fiji Water story The perfect mixture of a larger social trend—the environment—with a health trend— drink more water. “The nexus of pop culture glamour and progressive politics. But what is going on behind the scenes? Fiji is controlled by a military junta; water becomes the country’s main export. The irony of drinking bottled water to fight global climate change Lynda Resnick—also behind the Pom trend When trends affect public policy—both locally and globally? Why do private citizens own aquifiers? The power of celebrities and politicians—not just about drinking the water, but getting the kind of access needed to make
+ When a brand gets a bad rap… Think like an investigative journalist for a minute... Anything wrong with re-usable grocery bags? Going green on college campuses. Do you trust the numbers you read? Renewable energy at the Super Bowl The problem with carbon offsets Going green more trend than solution—investigate your own “green” goodness. Do you really know if something is truly green or is it just marketing.
+ Journalism uncovers our predilection to desire trends/brands without understanding how they work… Would any of your relationship trends benefit from an investigation? Wednesday’s in-class assignment: researching your green trend to see if it really holds up to scrutiny.