Pepsi Seeks Serious Journalists and Students Alike

Check this out. This week on The Hobson and Holtz report I was turned on to the newest workings at PepsiCo. They’re hiring, which could be news in and of itself give the “current economic times” as the catch phrase goes.  But what’s more interesting really is what they’re hiring for.  They want nine social media gurus on board to help make Internet Week synonamous with social media. They’re going to do this by handing out, essentially, journalistic assignments, everything to “panels to parties” as Holtz puts it, and sending out their gurus to get the story.  They’re to come back with pictures, videos, blog posts, and carefully crafted, witty Twitter Tweets to describe what’s happening in New York.  All the content will be uploaded on the PepsiCo network and targeted towards making Internet Week the hippest spot for the social media inclined New Yorker. Cool right?

Holtz questions whether this is going to be beneficial and interesting or create more paid for drivel in the social media world. Utlimately, though, he concludes that the jury is out and that we’ll have to keep our eyes open to  see how it goes.

What do I think? I think it’s a cool idea. Of course I do though, I’m not a journalist who feels like my integrity is being squashed by a recession that has my balls in a vice grip while I grit my teeth and blog (said as a dirty 4 letter word) about the party the big corporation is “forcing” (and paying) me to go to.  I’m a communicator that is thrilled to see corporations reaching out to my generation in a way that is so totally appropriate.  Of course I care about the integrity of the information. Is it possible that this could all turn out to be a sham and Pepsi hires 9 monkeys to write exactly what they want? Absolutely. But I hope not, because that would defeat the whole purpose of wanting to become aligned with social media. The point is honesty that gives the audience the opportunity to weigh in (a fancy way of saying transparent two way communication I suppose).

Anyways, what are your thoughts? Great potential or potential drivel?