Free webinar: How the new FTC regulations affect online promotions

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released new guidelines last year that could impact your social media work depending on the type of organization/business you work for or represent. PR pros Brian Solis and Sarah Evans are teaming up with Ted Murphy, principle at IZEA, and Mary Engle, the associate director at the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, for the webinar panel, “FTC Regulations and Me,” this Friday from 1 to 2 p.m. CST.

The event is free.

See details and register at Sarah Evans' blog.

Meet SA's Newest News Anchor

Local CBS affiliate, KENS5, introduced its newest news team member, Jeff Vaughn, on January 11 with his first on-air newscast. Much was made of the new anchor joining the team, as he replaced long-time on-air personality Chris Marrou. Jeff has inserted himself firmly into the San Antonio community, visiting favorite local restaurants with his wife and getting a quick education on San Antonio politics, traffic and weather.

Social Media Breakfast San Antonio has invited Jeff to speak at the February breakfast due to his early and consistent involvement in social media. Jeff can be found on Twitter at @JeffVaughn, on Facebook at his public Fan Page, and on his personal site, Jeff Vaughn Media.

Jeff will speak about how social media has changed the way his industry works. He says social media is changing the landscape of news delivery in so many ways. Journalists are now using avenues like Twitter and Facebook as sources for stories, but there also is another layer. Whereas before the relationship you had with a reporter was based on watching , listening or reading - it's now become a two-way conversation. Reporters are interacting directly with their audience, and it's having a significant impact on the development of the story as well as on how the audience interprets it. To quote a Twitter friend of mine, "News is no longer at 5, 6, and 10, IT'S NOW. "

What: February Social Media Breakfast San Antonio with Jeff Vaughn, KENS5 Weekday Evening Anchor
When: Wednesday, February 17, 2010; networking 7:30 a.m.; presentation at 8 a.m.
Where: Absolutely Everything Catering, 3915 San Pedro 78212
Who: Anyone intested in social media and local/national news delivery
How: Go to the Social Media Breakfast SA Invite to register for the breakfast

Sonic are you out there?

As my Twitter followers and Facebook friends know, over the last few weeks I have been posting photos and updates about the taxes charged on soft drinks at Sonic, my favorite source of Coca-Cola. Since they make the best in town, I frequent different locations when I'm out and about. One day, I noticed a difference in the taxes I was being charged. And not a little difference. In some locations, the tax on a medium drink is one cent. In other locations, it's a whopping 12 cents.

I have two theories about why this may be the case. One was suggested by one of my Twitter followers that the difference is due to the various tax rates of the municipalities in the San Antonio area. And the one-cent tax was not technically located in San Antonio.

My other theory is that managers of local Sonics may be confused about which specific tax codes apply to certain foods and other products. I don't know that. I'm not a tax expert. But 12 cents for a $1.49 coke is a heck of a lot.

Strangely, with all my tweets and posts and Twitpics, I haven't heard anything from Sonic. I have mentioned their name quite frequently, and others have responded to my tweets and we've had dialogues online about it. But Sonic isn't there.

At a professional development session over a year ago, I happened to meet a couple of the PR folk from Sonic. They seemed to be on top of things. But if they were monitoring online conversations at all over the last two months, they would have noticed San Antonio.

Granted, I have not created any kind of crisis for Sonic. In fact, if anybody deserves criticism, it could be the taxing entities of San Antonio and area towns. But Sonic has certainly missed an opportunity.

One of the best pay-offs to companies who use social media is the chance to engage with their fans and to support their fans to be brand ambassadors. But Sonic missed the boat. They missed an opportunity to engage with fans here and to build their customer base. So this leaves me with the question: Sonic are you out there?

Now about your broken straw supplier…