In Response to Melissa Moriwaki

Do you think the best kind of social media to use depends on what industry you are in?

Yes, I definitely think it matters what industry you are in in order to use a social media properly. Although most social media are the same, some vary amongst gender, age, etc. Therefore in order to be able to have a social media work in favor of your company/industry there needs to be knowledge as to what the social media will offer and how that can be used to help your company/industry. Social media like Pinterest or Tumbler are generally stirred to women; as it appeals to various aspects like clothing, the home, cooking, etc. If you are trying to appeal to both women and men these may not be the way to go. However, Facebook and Twitter are both social medias that don't appeal to just one type of person. These sites are made for the general population to use. Due to this fact, these two sites would be best to use if you are trying to get "the word" out about an event, promotions and other various things.

Have you been drawn to look at certain companies purely from their exposure on social media sites?

Can a T-Shirt Save the World?

Do you think a partnership with Product (RED) can improve Gap's image? Is it a sign that they are making a commitment to corporate social responsibility or do you agree with critics who say their involvement is an attempt to spit-shine the company's image while continuing to do business as usual?

When I first thought about this, I thought of course Gap's image will improve with this newly found partnership. However, after looking into this partnership it seems as though only a portion of the proceeds from the shirts go to The Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. By having a variety of celebrities promoting the shirt, Product (RED) is able to get the word out through a large demographic. People will be willing to buy the shirt if one of their 'idols' is promoting it; which is not a bad marketing outlook. However, when people are willing to buy a product that benefits those in need they want to know that their money will go to where it rightfully deserves to go to. When Gap takes a portion of those proceeds to benefit that of their own company, it proves that they are trying to spit-shine their company. Cutting a portion for the sake of the company will cause people to be reluctant to buy the shirt and therefore these people will look elsewhere to benefit those in need where they know their money will be put to good use.
It seems as though if Gap truly wanted to help those in need and to improve their company, they need to re-evaluate their corporate social responsibility. Gap needs to show that when supporting a cause its for the cause and not a promotional technique to bring in a larger profit for the company.

What do you think Gap could do to improve their company's image and how could they generate a profit without taking a portion from a good cause?