Pink Lemonade Cupcakes!

Here is a recipe video that I made for my Digital Storytelling class. It’s about how to make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes! I mean, who doesn’t love cupcakes? They’re delicious– especially these ones! They are a very fun and tasty treat for the upcoming spring and summer months. I even recorded a cheery little ukulele tune for some easy listening. Enjoy!

If you’re curious (or hungry) here is the recipe!

Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1/3 c. thawed frozen lemonade concentrate
1/4 c. milk
Pink food coloring

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pan with liners. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites and lemonade concentrate. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and milk.
3. Add enough food coloring to turn the batter a bright shade of pink.
4. Scoop batter into liners (fill about three-fourths full). Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting and sprinkles.

Adapted from: Sweet Cheeks in the Kitchen

Dexter Morning Routine.

For my digital storytelling class this semester, we had to recreate the opening sequence to Digital Kitchen‘s, Emmy Award winning main title “Killer Breakfast” from Showtime’s Dexter. This was quite a challenging and time consuming project. However, my group and I got an excellent opportunity to work on building our filming skills! My teacher was highly correct though–this project did take precise video capturing and editing, specific angles and shots to capture moods, creative problem solving, and close team collaboration. It was well worth the effort though. Anyways, hope you enjoy it! I would love to hear what you think, and answer any questions you may have about our process of filming.

Internship Wrap-Up!

This semester is coming to a close and the Christmas season is upon us!  Here are some notes about what I worked on during my internship at The Center for Consumer Research over the past couple of months.

Paper.li

   I go through our Paper.li weekly to update it for the CCR.  The Paper.li is our digital weekly newsletter that we send out to our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn followers.  Under “Editor’s Note” it lists our mission statement, and our hopes for Saint Joseph’s University Center for Consumer Research:  ”The Center for Consumer Research at Saint Joseph’s University is a place in which ground-breaking research, seminars, and other projects help forward-thinking organizations better understand the evolving needs and concerns of consumers.”  The content of this newsletter is important because it lets our viewers, and possible researchers, know that we are up to date with what is happening in the world of marketing and social media.  Here is a screenshot of one of our issues, but you can read our latest issue here.

Twitter

    Each week, I have been slowly working on growing the CCR’s Twitter following. The target audience I’m trying to network with is: marketers, social media managers, and individuals, as well as organizations that are employing strategies for content marketing. The process takes a lot of careful sifting because I try to keep the Twitter feed for the CCR professional. This makes it easier to find the latest news articles concerning social media and marketing. In addition to working on keeping the Twitter account updated, the CCR is looking to utilize Kickstarter in future research plans, and we believe that by building our professional Twitter following, we could find the most suitable supporters.

Facebook

     Our Facebook Page has seemed to hit a lull.  While our Twitter and LinkedIn accounts are more for a professional audience, our Facebook page is for a student audience.  We want potential and current students of SJU to see what marketing research we are doing, and what information we think is relevant to share in the world of marketing and social media.  However, another benefit to having a Facebook page is being able to stay in touch with SJU Alumni.  If they see what we are doing, and like it, maybe they would be interested in doing research with us, or assist one of our current professors in their marketing research.  I think that our Facebook page could use more focus after our other social media accounts gain momentum.

Website

     I work on updating the CCR’s website through Webeddit.  I have worked on renaming and reorganizing the tabs. I have also refreshed them all with current content, and deleted old and irrelevant content.  There are some new photographs on the website, updated Bios about the CCR’s Research Fellows, and also a “Research Opportunities” Tab that is meant to interest potential researchers.  It is our hope that by seeing what our current staff is researching, that prospective researchers would want to join it and be a part of it.  One of our Research Fellows, Dr. Burkhalter, is currently working a project that examines Celebrity Tweets, Branding, Advertising, and Endorsement– and the impact that this has on Twitter users as consumers.  This specific tab on the website will be updated on a rolling basis– meaning that as marketing professors or professionals send us research that they would like us to publish and/or endorse– we will publish it on our page.  It is crucial to keep this website page updated, along with all of our other social media platforms, so that viewers know that we care about giving them accurate and updated information. There are now multiple social media buttons linked throughout the website so that our viewers can find them instantly.  We want them to know that we take the time to show them, and to tell them, what we are all about– and it is our hope that they will want to reciprocate.

 

New Intern

     During the last week of classes, our new intern came into the CCR.  We told her what we have been doing this past semester, and told her our potential future plans for the CCR.  We told her what our potential target audience was for our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.  We showed her a couple issues of our Paper.li, as well as the Fall 2012 Newsletter we released highlighting the Research Fellows work, and briefly told her about the PAMA event that was postponed to Spring 2013.  Originally, my sister and I were suppose to attend some of these marketing seminars and create a new video to feature on the website, that highlighted new features happening in the marketing world, and within Philadelphia.  Our big Alumni event this fall was Hawktoberfest, and any upcoming alumni events in the spring will surely be beneficial for not only boosting people’s interest in the CCR, but also the upcoming PAMA event.  This internship gave me some good insight into the world of marketing, branding, and advertising.  It also taught me the importance of how language is used over social media, as well as how valuable connections are made.  As I delve further into the world of digital technology, I hope to effectively apply successful social media strategies in whatever I do.

Hawks Fly Together.

This past weekend was St. Joe’s huge autumn alumni event, Hawktoberfest!  It was a lovely fall day, and it was so sweet seeing all of the proud alumni come back to campus with their families.  I guess Hawks can fly together as well. My sister and I arrived early to check in for the event, as well as to set up.  We ran the table for the Center for Consumer Research next to some other tables with information on things like APEX, Grad Programs, 1851 Records, etc.  We chatted with alumni about our Research Fellows current research, handed out the newsletter, as well as flyers for our Certificate in Marketing Excellence program–which is sponsored through PAMA.

 ”The Certificate Program offers in-depth, hands-on sessions to marketers, who have responsibilities for strategic or tactical execution of an organization’s products and services, to master the components that go into effective strategic planning.”  

Former students of the university were intrigued by this program, and excited to hear that they were eligible for a discount.  Our pens that double as a stylus for iPhones and iPads were also a big success.  Some people even stopped by our table because they saw our tweets about them–the power of social media!  They told us that these pens were innovative and incredibly convenient, so we were more than happy to offer them as many as they like (we have plenty!).  Father Gillespie also stopped by our table to hear what was new in the HSB and the CCR’s marketing research!

 

Did I mention we handed out home made chocolate chip cookies?

Check out our Facebook and/or Twitter page for some more information!

An Autumn Weekend of: Hawktoberfest.

        These past few weeks, I have been working and interviewing professors in the Marketing Department.  Right now, we currently have two official “Research Fellows” for the Center for Consumer Research.  They are, Dr. Allan, and Dr. Burkhalter.  Dr. Allan specializes in Media, Marketing, and Music and its advertising. While Dr. Burkhalter focuses on the knowledge of niche markets and researches new media and nontraditional marketing practices, such as brand  placement.

       For the CCR it is my responsibility to publish, spread, and represent their current research accurately.  I’m working on establishing our social media sites in hopes that students and professionals of the university and the Philadelphia area will become interested in the research and maybe consider being a part of it.  I am working on updating their bios, as well as creating new tabs for the website to represent their research.  I think that overall some content on the website needs to be updated and refreshed.  During this process, I am also adding in social media buttons, and trying to work on adding a live Twitter feed to the website.  I think that this will give the site a more personal and connected feel with the community at large.

       Our Research Fellows have a lot of projects in the works.  I worked on condensing their abstracts a bit, and put together a newsletter to distribute during Saint Joe’s big alumni event, Hawktoberfest.  It is this Saturday, October 13, and will feature various departments and organizations connecting and reconnecting with proud Saint Joe’s Hawks.

       During the event, my sister and I will be handing out the newsletters with some other small give-aways, such as: pens that double as a stylus for iPhones, iPads, etc, and offering our guests treats.  We will be discussing the center and current research projects, as well as handing out business cards of the Director (Dr. Solomon) and Assistant Director (Dr. Wood) of the CCR.  I think that this event will be a great opportunity to get our name out there and meet interested individuals, as well as some future potential clients.  It is also our hope that they will check out our social media pages and increase our internet traffic.  It is surely going to be a beautiful autumn day to be on Hawkhill!

       Attached is a copy of the Fall 2012 newsletter that my sister and I made about the CCR and our current Research Fellows.  Explore some of their current research projects if you want!

View this document on Scribd

Saint Joseph’s University Center for Consumer Research

I just started as a social media intern for my University’s Center for Consumer Research this Fall!

Their mission:

 The Center for Consumer Research is a place in which ground-breaking research, seminars, and other projects will help forward-thinking organizations better understand the evolving needs and concerns of consumers.

The Center is relatively new, so I’m working with a couple of advisors/professors to work on establishing it more on campus and around the Philadelphia area. We would ultimately like to reach out to more marketing professionals, alumni, and rising alumni in the area to tell them what the CCR is all about. I’m currently working with my sister (who is the other intern) to set up a Twitter, a Facebook page, and a Digital Newsletter, as well as work on their Linkedin page. We’re working on refining the content posted on these social media sites and working on targeting a specific audience.  There is a lot on the horizon, and we hope to make the CCR a success! We’ve been interviewing professors about their research and plan to update the website with some new tabs, new social media buttons, and overall fresh material.  We will also be at an upcoming alumni event, and plan to shoot some new videos for the center at some upcoming seminar sessions. I’ll be posting updates on my blog as they come!

Self-Releasing Albums, Digital Downloading, And Radiohead.

With digital media taking the world by storm, new methods of recording, producing, distributing, and releasing music have risen out of the cemetery’s of yesterday’s tunes.  In my final project for my Communication Ethics class, I chose to examine all of the different avenues that are opening up in the world of music as well as the shifting musical trends in retail.

(I apologize in advance for the plethora of rhetorical questions I’m about to throw your way).

How are musicians adapting to the times?  Why are they splitting from their major labels?  How are they bringing in profit in this digital age? How do you listen to music? What’s your favorite way to listen to music? What does it mean to independently release something? Could your album make it? Maybe not, but Radiohead’s 2007 release of In Rainbows did.

It was a digital download, and listeners got to name their own price.  Thom Yorke of Radiohead stated, “In terms of digital income, we’ve made more money out of this record (In Rainbows) than out of all the other Radiohead albums put together…It’s partly due to the fact that EMI wasn’t giving us any money for digital sales. All the contracts signed in a certain era have none of that stuff…Don’t sign a huge record contract that strips you of all your digital rights, so that when you do sell something on iTunes you get absolutely zero…” Read an amazing analysis of Radiohead’s accomplishment with their digital self-release here. (If you’re musically nerdy like me, you’ll fly through this.  It’s incredible).

By the way, just a little fun fact.  I listened to In Rainbows as well as a bunch of other good Radiohead stuff while working on this presentation and blog post.

Digital downloading is increasing and album sales are decreasing (sigh), BUT concert sales are increasing (yay!), and Vinyl is making a comeback!!!!! ( Look, I used FIVE “!”s can’t you tell how excited all of this makes me, of how excited music makes me?!)  I also give some Vinyl specs from Record Store Day this year (April 21, 2012) that I found online. In my presentation, I discuss all of these changes happening in music, but assure you that one thing will never change.

People will always want their music, whether it be on a record, a cassette tape, a CD, an iPod, or through a computer.

The bottom line is, that if you are a true music lover you will choose the path that you want, and you will listen to your music no matter what.

I had to split the file into two parts for it to upload properly, so be sure to check out both! Also, my cool animations didn’t show up when I uploaded these? [womp, womp]

My apologies, I’ll work on fixing them!  If you have any idea of how to help me fix them, just let me know!

<div style=”width:425px” id=”__ss_12747702″> <strong style=”display:block;margin:12px 0 4px”><a href=”http://www.slideshare.net/kwsipio/music-digitization-katharine-sipio-part-1&#8243; title=”Music digitization katharine sipio part 1″ target=”_blank”>Music digitization katharine sipio part 1</a></strong> <div style=”padding:5px 0 12px”> View more <a href=”http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint&#8221; target=”_blank”>PowerPoint</a> from <a href=”http://www.slideshare.net/kwsipio&#8221; target=”_blank”>kwsipio</a> </div> </div>

<div style=”width:425px” id=”__ss_12747706″> <strong style=”display:block;margin:12px 0 4px”><a href=”http://www.slideshare.net/kwsipio/music-digitization-katharine-sipio-part-2&#8243; title=”Music digitization katharine sipio part 2″ target=”_blank”>Music digitization katharine sipio part 2</a></strong> <div style=”padding:5px 0 12px”> View more <a href=”http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint&#8221; target=”_blank”>PowerPoint</a> from <a href=”http://www.slideshare.net/kwsipio&#8221; target=”_blank”>kwsipio</a> </div> </div>

If you’re you interested in self-releasing an album check this out:
http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/an-introduction-to-the-self-released-album/

and make sure to read this more cautious approach of self-releasing an album here:
http://www.musicglobalization.com/2009/12/4-dangers-of-self-released-album.html