Its all over!!...

The relief of finally finishing our website is brilliant. We were getting pretty stressed out by the end of it. The finished product is deadly if i do say so myself! The links all work, the images all open up in thier own window and our monkeys are zoomifyable!! The design is basic enough but someday Id hope to design a website like this one http://www.loadedsmoothies.co.za/. Its a website for a south african based smoothie. I came across it the other day and i was blown away by its design. The background is a field with a moving sun in the top left hand corner. When you hover over the sun, its eyes wiggle about. To view the menu you must hover over a little bee who then drops the menu down for you. When you hover over the bee he smiles at you! There is lots of movement and bright colours on the page which make it very enjoyable to view. I clicked on all the menu buttons just to see what would come up next! I think the design of this website is something all web designers should aspire to. Its fun and easy to navigate and really gives us a good feel of the type of company they are.

Wana Get High Now?!?

While Ive been thinking about the design and effects of our website, I have been paying close attention to the design, layout, effects and applications on other websites. While surfing the net I came across this website http://www.gethighnow.com/. It is a page full of amazing visual and audio "highs" IE illusions.

The first thing about the home page that struck me was the design and layout. It consists of a yellow background with pink stripes down the middle. The name of the site is in large black letters at the top of the page in a simple font. The buttons are in a blue tab under the websites name and are very easy to use. The site has a very uncomplicated feel to it and is easy to navigate through.
I think the site design was simplified so as not to overshadow the numerous illusions that appear on the other pages. Seeing as in our website we will be showing lots of Banksys artwork I think we should follow suit and keep the background and buttons simple, clear and easy to use. We want the pictures and info about Banksy to stand out so we should keep everything else simple like Banksy does on his own web page.
The colour scheme we have decided to go with is black and neon blue. I feel that this is understated yet eye-catching at the same time.

Banksy - The best artist of our generation??

Julie and I have decided to create a website about the street artist "Banksy", as I am a huge fan of his. Banksy is a graffiti artist from Bristol, UK, whose artwork has appeared throughout London and other locations around the world. Despite this he manages to keep his real name from the media.

Some believe that his graffiti provides a voice for those living in urban environments that could not otherwise express themselves, and that his work is also something which improves the scenery of urban surroundings. Other people disagree arguing that his art is simply vandelism which should be stopped. His work has become recognised across the world as his pieces are often humerous yet controversial. He uses only spray cans and stencils to complete his work which is currently selling for record amounts of money at art auctions. He is also a ‘guerrilla artist’ because his activities are illegal and some local authorities have removed his work from buildings and walls.

On Bankys official website, http://www.banksy.co.uk/, the background visuals are kept to a minimum. There is a white background with his name spray painted in black over it. There are 3 buttons on the side - Outside, Inside and Shop.

When you click on the Outside button you are presented with a variety of Banksys artwork which he has created outside on public buildings and areas. this piece was painted onto the side of a sexual health clinic in Bristol.

When you click on the Inside button you are presented with a selection of his artwork whick he has created for inside viewings.

We have decided to follow his simple colour scheme by using just black and blue colours. We also want to give the viewer more information about Banksy so we plan to add extra buttons such as biography, career, quotes etc.

Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing is the practice of promoting products and services using digital distribution channels to reach consumers in a timely, relevant, personal and cost-effective manner. (Wikipedia)

It includes Banner advertising, search engine optimization (SEO) and pay per click, RSS, voice broadcast, fax broadcast, blogging, podcasting, video streams, wireless text messaging, and instant messaging? You get the idea.
Through learning about digital marketing with Colin in Online PR Ive learned that online now accounts for 12% of UK consumers' media time. Since we are all studying for a degree in PR, some of the advice for PR professionals in digital marketing was invaluable.
Such as:

• Running higher share in online improves overall campaign results
• more reach in online can greatly increase brand awareness
• online reaches younger audiences
• online is more cost effective than other forms of media.

I found this video on Digital Marketing and I feel that it really pushes the point that digital marketing is the way of the future

News Release

News Release

For Immediate Release

Meagan Keenan

Keenan PR
Dublin 4
1st December 2008

Irish Dragons Den to air on RTE1 in Spring 2009

RTE announced today (1.12.2008) that they will comission an 8 part seris of the hit BBC show, Dragons Den.

Screentime ShinAwil, makers of "The Apprentice" and "You're A Star" will produce it. The seris will air on Rte1 in spring 2009 and will be presented by Deputy Editor of the Sunday Business Post, Richard Curran.

The Irish Dragons are Gavin Duff, Media Entrepreneur; Bobby Kerr, CEO of Insomnia Coffee chain; Sean Gallagher, MD of Smarthomes; Niall O'Farrell, the businessman behind Black Tie; and Sarah Newman, director of Newman Equity.

It will be the Dragons own money on the table and they will have to decide who they want to invest their money in.

Larry Bass, CEO of Screentime ShinAwil said : "Dragons Den is one of the most successful formats on TV worldwide and we are delighted to be bringing Irish viewers the opportunity to see their own version of the series."

Claire Duignan, Director of Programmes, RTE Television said: " We are delighted to bring this successful series to Irish viewers. Dragons Den has a natural appeal for Ireland, given the high percentage of entrepreneurs in this country. The RTE series will have fierce Irish Dragons with proven business acumen and astuteness, We believe it will be an RTE 'must see'".

The UK version of the show has been a huge success for the BBC, drawing in almost as many viewers as Eastenders.

About to go into production, the series is currently seeking would-be entrepreneurs to pitch and take part. Anyone interseted in applying to take part in the show can download an application form from www.rte.ie/dragonsden

For futher information-
Contact:
Meagan Keenan
Keenan PR
Tel:0871234567
E-mail:mkpr@gmail.com

Achmed the Dead Terrorist

This is Achmed the Dead Terrorist. You have to see this. So so so funny!!!

Googles #1...

PageRank is one of the methods Google uses to determine a page’s relevance or importance. A high Page Rank makes you look like your site is an "expert" in it's field.

Any business worth their salt will want to be high on the google rank but this is not an easy feat. Some companies employ people whose whole job is to keep their company high on the google rank. The whole idea of being in the top 3 is that you are way more likely to get clicked on and attract attention and possible customers to your page. Some companies arnt up to the challenge so they pay Google to insert their ad on the page of a relevant search. These ads appear above and to the side of the "organic" or free listings. Google will be paid a small sum of money any time these paid listings are clicked on. I don't know about anyone else but I for one have never clicked on a paid listing. For some reason I just don't trust them. If their company or product is so great then should it not be able to make it onto the organic listings???

The Online Sex Industry

(CNN) -- Gone are the furtive visits to seedy theaters and the fear of being outed as some perverted purchaser of porn. Now, all you need to indulge anonymously in the "XXX" world is your trusty personal computer and a good connection to the Internet.

Never has this statement been more true than today when the online sex industry has a $12 billion revenue worldwide. $12 BILLION!!!!! OK instead of maybe feeding Africa or something why dont you all have a good wank??!! Crazy!!

Here are some "Fun Facts" about the online sex industry.

• 25% of total search engine requests are porn-related.
• 8% of total emails are porn-related
• 20% of men admit accessing pornography at work
• 13% of women admit accessing pornography at work
• 12% of total websites are pornographic
• 10% of adults admit having internet sexual addiction

Now that all well and good if it is consenting adults partaking in it but when children can be involved so easily it becomes very very scary.

100,000 websites offer illegal child pornography

Child pornography generates $3 billion annually in America

90% of 8-16 year olds have viewed porn online (most while doing homework)

I find these stats to be very disturbing and i really think that more should be done to deal with this issue.

In other ways though, the online sex industry can be heaven for those people who would be too embarrassed to visit sex shops for kinky toys and costumes. Some of us wouldnt give a damn if we were to be seen browsing through sex shops (sure why not?!??!!) but a lot of people would be too afraid to take the risk of getting spotted buying a cock ring, a dildo or even a pair of handcuffs to take the chance. The stigma of sex shopping is still very evident in Ireland today. Through the net all people with a shy disposition can indulge in their fetishes too!.. Fair is Fair!!

MY BELIEFS..............

I believe that we don’t have to change friends if we understand that friends change

I believe that you can keep going long after you think you can't

I believe that either you control your attitude or it controls you

I believe that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up

I believe that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have

I believe that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are but we are responsible for who we become

I believe that just because two people argue it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because two people don't argue, it doesn't mean they do

I believe that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different

I believe that when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help

I believe you should live your life to the limit and love it

N-Dubz

N-Dubz have to be one of the greatest UK acts ever! I absolutly love them and their songs are the only things that really get me and the girls going on the way to college every morning!! Although they are only starting to make a name for themselves recently, they have been about for 7 years now.

N-DUBZ are Dappy, Tulisa and Fazer. They are based in Camden in London.

Dappy is a singer, song writer and producer. Tulisa is Dappy's cousin. She is a singer/songwriter and the brains behind N-DUBZ. And, in my opinion, she has the absolute best dress sense!!.. deadly tracksuits and class dresses!! completely my style.. Fazer started 'spittin' and writing songs together with Dappy when he was 11. Now 18, he co-produces and writes.

Their new album is called Uncle B and is dedicated to Dappys dad, who died last year. Their new song Papa is also about him.

My favourite N-Dubz songs would have to be Defeat You, Papa, Ouch and I Swear.. They are just deadly in my opinion and nobody else can make music like them. I honestly hope that they get to number 1 in the charts with their new album and become hugely successful. They completely deserve it.

Had to share this!! So so true!! I'm so going to go find somebody to play rock, paper, scissors with now!!

The X-Factor.....

Finally justice has been done and Daniel has been voted off the x-factor... I was really beginning to worry that he might keep surviving each week and in doing so sacrifice one of my favourites. Personally I don’t see why they put him through in the first place as the judges, namely Louis and Simon, never had anything nice to say to him. He is too old-fashioned and even if he had won, he most certainly would have flopped in the charts.

I was glad to see Rachel in the bottom 2 too. She really does my head in. At first I actually really liked her but come on get over your whole big sob story and move on. Everyone else has. The auditions are the place for sob stories not the live shows pet! I feel that the judges pity her and put her through even though so far she hasn’t, in my opinion, shown any real talent. I have a sneaking suspicion that she actually may be a man?!?!?

Speaking of talent I have to mention Diana Vickers. If this girl doesn’t win then I will never watch x-factor again... (Ok, maybe that’s a bit extreme but I will be very very angry...) what talent!! I've never heard a voice like hers. She is such a unique individual and she deserves to win 100%. Anyone who thinks that she cheated last week is just pathetic. The poor girl had laryngitis and couldn’t even speak...This girl has amazing talent and is such a breath of fresh air. DIANA ALL THE WAY!!!!!!