Alumni Spotlight: Jeanie Davey

Our alumni are pretty cool, in fact, some might say ice cool. Jeanie Davey (KLN ‘17), Marketing Specialist at Rita’s Franchise company is no exception. Through determination, motivation and adaptability, Davey is proof that good things come to those who work hard.

A journalism turned Strategic Communication major, Davey joined Temple PRSSA at the end of her sophomore year for the same reason many of us did, to join a community of students who enjoy public relations. The reason she joined Temple PRSSA eventually turned into her favorite memory of PRSSA - meeting other people in the same field as she fueled her desire to want to help others out and contribute to the continuous support system that the organization provides.

Serving as Vice President of Public Relations for Temple PRSSA and overseeing the Newsletter Committee during her senior year - which is now called the Digital Committee, Davey credits her leadership roles for teaching her how to work with others and come together to achieve a common goal. The rebranding of the newsletter committee to the digital committee, leads to a piece of advice Davey shared, “I’ve learned since graduating with my major, it’s that we are becoming a more social media-focused society Overall, digital is taking over, and that’s something that anyone in the communications field should be mindful of.” As a digital marketing specialist, Davey is constantly adapting to the best social media techniques and learning what works best for Rita’s.

On campus, Davey took advantage of her membership by attending panels the chapter worked hard to organize for its members, participating in the fun accolades the chapter awarded to members and even a photo shoot that was held to update the chapter’s website. Aside from taking full advantage of her membership on campus, Davey also took advantage of the numerous off-campus events offered to PRSSA members by attending multiple PPRA events throughout Philadelphia to network and meet with professionals and students who had similar career interests.

Since graduating from Temple in 2017, Davey has been working in the digital marketing field with experience in both agency and corporate sectors. In her free time, Davey freelances as a photographer and videographer and continues to stay in touch with the friends she made during her time as a Temple Owl. Although it’s impossible to go back in time, when asked if she could give any advice to her college self, Davey said, “enjoy every moment - college goes by way too fast. At the end of the day, you will receive a degree and eventually find a job, so try to be more in the present!”

This blog post was written by Allison Eckel, Director of Social Media.

Alumni Spotlight: Lauren Marhefka

Arriving at Temple as a transfer student, Lauren Marhefka (’18) had not yet found her niche in public relations and was looking to learn more. “At the time, I was really struggling with transferring to Temple and was still not entirely sure what PR really meant or encompassed. I heard about PRSSA and PRowl through classroom visits and immediately both sounded like great opportunities to learn more about the field outside of the classroom and from peers who were in the same situation I was!”

After joining the organizations, Marhefka continued to get more involved, attending events such as PPRA’s Careers 101 and PRSSA’s TU Invitational. She also landed several internships with Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Philadelphia Union, Philadelphia Eagles and Wells Fargo Center. As she gained more work and leadership experience, she also gained connections with her peers. Some of her favorite memories from her time in PRSSA include all the times other members came to her for advice about her experience, how to network and prepare for interviews, and other help. “Those little moments solidified that joining PRSSA was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. The first day I walked into a PRSSA meeting, I had no clue what I was doing, what to expect or what I could learn. In a very short amount of time, people were looking to me as a source of help and advice, and that proved to me that I was growing as a person and professional and that PRSSA really was teaching me everything it possibly could.”

After graduation, Marhefka packed her bags and headed for Florida, where she landed a job in her dream industry: sports marketing. She now works as the Marketing Coordinator at Spectra Venue Management for the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center at Florida State University. She accredits much of her success today to her leadership positions in college. In PRowl Public Relations, she worked her way up from being an account associate to the Director of Finance her senior year, as well as Director of Fundraising in PRSSA. “Serving on the e-board for both PRSSA and Prowl is one of the main reasons I am able to successfully run an entire marketing department for a major collegiate sports arena by myself. I have the confidence to know I can perform to the best of my ability and put my best work forward.”

Since working in the industry, Marhefka has noticed the field has been heavily influenced by social media. “Being in the sports and entertainment industry especially, social media drives everything for us from ticket sales to monthly metrics and more. It keeps our business booming and so when something goes wrong, chaos breaks out.” Because social media platforms have been known to crash, they can be a risky method for sales and outreach. “You may think you know how to use social media for business but once in the position, it is an entirely different ballpark.” For current students, Marhefka suggests taking Temple’s class on social media marketing to stay ahead of the curve when entering the industry as a professional.

Another piece of advice she has for students is to not be afraid of the ride life puts you on. “You might not fully understand it at the time, but embrace it and learn from it. Never did I expect myself to change my major, transfer to Temple, or end up in Florida fresh out college. However, I would not be the person and professional I am today without every twist, turn and change that came my way. Things might not always go according to your plan but there is still going to be something you can learn from it.”

She also has plans to continue her education in the future. She will be returning to Philadelphia to pursue her master’s degree in Sport Business through Temple’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management. PRSSA is lucky to have another alumna return to the nest, and Marhefka wants members to feel free to reach out to her for advice about networking, interviews, the sports and entertainment industry, or to make another connection!

This blog post was written by Peyton Pflug, Secretary.

Horror and 21st Century Marketing Techniques in Jordan Peele’s “Us”

I’ve never understood the obsession with horror films. What could possess people to choose to sit down for over an hour to be scared and possibly traumatized? So you can imagine my surprise when I saw the first promotional trailer for US and was hooked the moment the opening shot began with a slowed and chilling version of Luniz's “I Got 5 On It."

Since the trailer dropped last Christmas I’ve been patiently waiting for the film's release. “Us” is Jordan Peele’s highly anticipated follow up to his 2016 Oscar-winning Get Out. Us follows Adelaide, her husband, son and daughter on an average vacation to the beach but she soon observes a series of strange coincidences causing her to fear disaster. Her worst fears are confirmed when a masked family attacks in the night. I won't spoil anything but I’d really recommend going to see Us in theaters.

From what I've witnessed marketing for the film has been rather understated compared to many other big budget films released this year. The movie only had two trailers; the original released on Christmas day and a follow up released on February 3, 2019, account for the majority of the film's marketing. A large aspect of the marketing for Us rested on the laurels of Jordan Peele and the scorching hot success of Get Out. Make no mistake, the anticipation for this film has been palpable for months but whether it can be attributed to marketing strategy, Jordan Peele's name, the power of Twitter or a star like Lupita Nyong’o is uncertain.

Jordan Peele’s name may have been the most powerful marketing tool in the Us promotion. The Us film posters highlight Jordan Peele and his award-winning film Get Out. Jordan Peele has been compared to likes of Alfred Hitchcock so who can blame them for strengthening the film with his name. When you’ve got an immensely successful, critically acclaimed film such as Get Out you don’t need to spend outrageous amounts of money on marketing. If you’re Jordan Peele or someone in casting, you cast an actress whose guaranteed to draw an audience like Lupita Nyong’o.

The glamour of the red carpet press junket lives on thanks to Lupita Nyong’o and her frighteningly gorgeous red carpet looks. Lupita Nyong’o is the lead actress on Us, her first lead role despite being an Oscar-winning actress and starring in huge franchises such as Star Wars. The press junket for most films is the same beautiful, or not so beautiful red carpet gown or well-tailored tuxedo. Her astonishingly beautiful, yet equally terrifying, red carpets have certainly served to better market the film and keep us excited!

This blog post was written by Thatcher Williams, Director of Public Relations.