kathryn’s blog

A recent article posted in PR Week by Tonya Garcia addresses the rising influence online information is having in the media. In the article, Garcia sites a study by Bulldog Reporter that shows reporters are becoming increasingly dependent on online sources of information such as blogs, RSS feeds, Internet and online newsrooms.

The survey was the first ever of its kind. It was conducted in early October. Data was collected from 2,046 respondents. The respondents were composed of editors, editorial staff and reporters.

The survey showed various statistics of how often journalists visit online information and social media sites. As a testament to the rapid growth of social media, only 14 percent of entertainment journalists reported never visiting social media sites.

I think that this survey should speak loudly to public relations practitioners. It is apparent that PR professionals must specify the information they send to journalists. It should not only be held to journalistic standards, but it also must be categorized so that it is easily searchable.

Public relations has kept up with the rapidly changing times by adopting social media as a new, key form of communication. I think that it is important to realize that public relations is not the only profession that has had to make changes to keep up with the times. As the article says, deadlines have become tighter for journalists. By providing relevant information and using online sources to streamline that information we are helping journalists make those deadlines.

On Oct. 29, 2007 Alexandra Bruell published an article in PR Week addressing the recent fake FEMA news conference. FEMA attempted to respond to the California wildfires by holding a last-minute news conference. However, no reporters showed up to the conference. The agency then provided its own stand-ins to ask questions for a video feed. To read the article click here.  

Never mind the fact that FEMA’s actions ended up causing more damage to its already wounded reputation. My immediate reaction to the situation is to wonder what PR practitioner thought that this would be a good idea? It is common sense, in my opinion, that a deceptive act of communicating to the public is a bad idea. However, when you consult the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Member Code of Ethics you must realize that what FEMA did is not just stupid, it’s ethically wrong.

 The code says that one of the core values of the public relations profession is honesty. While FEMA later admitted to providing stand-ins, the initial act was deceptive. By initially deceiving the public FEMA’s integrity in the communication process is now under scrutiny. After FEMA’s considered inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina, further scrutiny of the agency is the last thing it needs.  

I am sure that if FEMA had the opportunity to do it all over again, it would. I think the best way FEMA could have responded to the situation is released a press statement at the news conference and left it at that. I do however credit FEMA for admitting its fault once confronted. Though its honesty to the public was untimely, given the circumstances I think that admitting its fault and apologizing for it was the best thing to do.

Nothing is permanent in the world of PR. In an article published in PR Week Michael Bush examines the ever-changing world of public relations. Kleenex brand made an abrupt change in PR services for its 2008 Olympics program. Click here to read the article.

Kleenex’s corporation chose to hand the program over to Taylor. Ketchum previously ran two award-winning programs for Kleenex’s sponsorship of both the 2006 and 2004 Olympics. However, the corporation chose to make a change for the 2008 Olympic sponsorship.

Kleenex’s corporate communications company, Kimberly-Clark Co., released information stating that Taylor beat out several other agencies for this project. This instance of abrupt change stresses how fragile relationships between businesses are. Ketchum must not have expected Kleenex’s desire for change, and it therefore let an important client slip away.

This leaves me with the belief that nothing in the world of public relations is concrete. Change is inevitable and can be unexpected. I believe that that is what makes this such an interesting and amusing profession. You have to not only be ready for any and everything, but also be prepared for change.

In a recent article published in PR Week, Michael Bush reports on Chrysler’s recently launched social media site. A strike over labor outsourcing and health benefit issues was held by some 40,000 Chrysler employees, allowing Chrysler to utilize social media.

Chrysler launched Chryslerlabortalks07.com in July. It was originally created to feature video and audio interviews with the company’s executives discussing company issues. Chrysler planned to use the site as a tool to allow journalists, the public and employees get information on the company quickly. However, when the company realized its employees were striking managers turned to the social media site as a means of communication. It was uploaded with information and announcements on the strike, followed by a “report back to work” announcement once an agreement was settled.

Chrysler’s social media site brought constantly updated information not only to employees and their families, but also to journalists world wide. I am impressed that Chrysler included a social media site in its PR plan.  However, while Chrysler has caught on to the importance of social media the company was notably aware that others have not. Therefore, the company used a number of communication divisions including answering phone calls, correcting bloggers and releasing statements.

I think that this proves that the rest of the world is slowly becoming aware of social media and its benefits. These things that we are learning in class are leaking out and people are benefitting from it. I have often wondered why the idea of social media has not caught on faster. While its benefits are obvious to PR practitioners, I believe it can assist with numerous other professions. If you are a business man you do not have to stay in the office to do work. Technology and social media combined can bring you information poolside.

The idea of using a social media site to communicate to the community as well as the media seems so simple. Once the rest of the world realizes the importance and influence social media has, situations such as the one Chrysler faced will become much easier to handle.
 

In a recent article published in PR Week by Aarti Shah, Verizon Wireless admitted to making a mistake after rejecting an abortion rights group’s request to use the company’s text messaging service for its outreach. Verizon initially declined the request, but did not expect the controversy that followed. The controversy then generated news coverage in both the press and blogs.

I believe that Verizon’s situation can be classified as a crisis of reputation. Verizon’s denial of the pro-choice group’s request caused close scrutiny and possibly jeopardized Verizon’s image in the press. However, I do believe that Verizon took appropriate and timely steps in communicating the crisis to the public.

I think that it was beneficial to Verizon to respond so quickly. The fact that the company closely monitors news coverage and inquiries and has a spokesperson that will communicate to both the media and the public demonstrates Verizon’s preparedness. Verizon’s honesty with the situation and taking responsibility for their actions allowed its message to be accepted by the public. Verizon not only responded by apologizing and taking ownership in its actions, but also promised corrective action in reviewing and correcting its processes. Had the company tried to make excuses or justify its response I do not think that the public would have received it as well.

With all of the jobs that PR practitioners do, crisis management and communication is one that often slips my mind. However, it is incredibly important to respond and recover when an organization is faced with a situation similar to that which Verizon faced.

Ford Motor Company has launched its 2007 “Warriors in Pink” campaign in an effort to target different audiences about breast cancer awareness. Ford enlisted the help of PR partner Hill & Knowlton Irvine and ad shop JWT Detroit. The campaign is designed to reach a younger audience, as well as to target African-American and Hispanic communities. The campaign is to launch in October, breast cancer awareness month. Click here to read the article.

Ford tagged American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson as the face of the campaign. She is featured in both PSA’s and print ads. Furthermore, the campaign has arranged for an episode of Deal or No Deal to air in dedication to breast cancer awareness. Other efforts to target a younger audience include launching a MySpace page where people can share breast cancer stories.

I agree with a breast cancer campaign that targets a younger, more diverse audience. However, I think that Ford could take their campaign a step further and explore different means of reaching their target audience. Ford has publicized that they want to target African-American and Hispanic communities, however I find it difficult to see how members of these communities will be able to relate to Kelly Clarkson.

Dedicating an episode of Deal or No Deal to the “Warriors in Pink” is a clever idea. Nevertheless, it is only one episode and it will be difficult for Ford to measure its effectiveness in reaching its target audience.

I think that initiating a MySpace page is an excellent way for Ford to reach a younger audience. It allows younger viewers to be included in the campaign. It is also very affective because people feel at ease communicating through a medium that they are familiar with. The MySpace page will be an effective way to get the word out to today’s youth. 

I believe that these are all good ideas, but I think that Ford should explore different facets of this campaign. The MySpace page is a good way to contact younger audiences. But the campaign is not specifically directed toward its other proposed target audiences. I believe that Ford should consider using other resources to reach a more explicit audience.
 

A recent article published in PR Week addresses the risks that can come with social media. While the benefits of using social media are undeniable there are certain unavoidable risks. The article mentions social networks such as Facebook and MySpace and the potential risk that may come with using these mediums. The risk arises when companies interact with the site and then find controversial material posted in correlation to their name. Recently, protests arose when a group on Facebook degraded Islam.

While it is a risk I agree with Frank Shaw,the EVP at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, that it is a low risk. I don’t think that an ad running on the same page as a controversial group will necessarily become linked to the controversy. Social networks are chock-full of controversy and advertisers will be hard pressed to find a site to advertise on that is free of disagreement.

I don’t think that the rules of traditional advertising can be carried over to social networks. When advertising on mediums such as Facebook the advertiser is not allowed to have complete control over placement. Therefore, they cannot be held responsible for what ends up being located next to the ad. On-line placement of an ad should not insinuate a relationship between the ad and Web page.

I believe that this is a small risk to take when you consider the freedoms and opportunities that lie in social networking. The marketing opportunities, online branding and social interaction outweigh the possible chance of angering a handful of readers.
 

A recent news article published in PR Week describes the efforts manufacturers of the microwave popcorn company Pop Weaver took in assuring customers their product was safe. A recent report related an ingredient in the popcorn called diacetyl to a serious lung cancer. The company brought in the PR firm Young & Laramore to use media relations in handling the situation.

This article interested me not only because I enjoy popcorn, and any rumor of its having a negative effect on my health is worth noting, but also because of the way Young & Laramore plans on handling the situation. The obvious first reaction is to reach out to media contacts to inform them that the popcorn company has already switched away from using diacetyl. What was interesting to me was when Cathy Yingling, the managing director for the PR firm, said that the next phase was to contact bloggers.

Bloggers and the online community have become an entirely separate public to address. Media, customers and manufacturers are all important publics to contact in an instance like this, but the online world has recently climbed to a much higher level of importance. People in the media will discuss and pass on information of the popcorn issue, but online the communication travels at a much faster pace and carries a much heavier load of information.

Addressing the bloggers is an important step in assuring consumers their popcorn is safe “because obviously there’s a lot of chatter out there online,” says Yingling. Had I not browsed PR Week online I never would have been exposed to this story. In today’s society if you want to keep up you have to stay connected.

However, the task that lies before Young & Laramore is controlling the temperamental bloggers and what they are saying. How do you reach millions of bloggers in millions of different locations and get them to not only listen to you, but also to believe you, especially when the Internet’s reliability can be so questionable?

It is amazing to me how such a small act of PR can have such huge repercussions. It is so simple yet at the same time we are slow to catch on. As passengers sat delayed on the runway for hours on end with nothing to occupy their time, Delta decided to distract their attention from the delay by occupying their stomachs.

It seems like such an obvious solution, only nobody has thought of it yet. By buying pizza for their passengers Delta was not only buying their loyalty but also publicity. Who knew that the act of buying pizza for a group of people would make it to the New York Times?

I enjoy hearing things like this because it makes me realize how common and basic PR can be. If you think about it, food is a very useful tool. As the article mentions, little league coaches have known about the power pizza can hold over a group of people for years. I see it all of the time when various clubs on campus use food to draw in membership. I must admit that I am a member of several organizations because free food was offered at the informational meeting.

While Public Relations has broadened its scope to include online videos, blogs and press releases I think that it is important that we don’t forget about the basics. Small gestures that are unexpected can be incredibly appreciated and well publicized. The Delta passengers were most likely hoping for an extra miniature bag of peanuts, but when pizza was delivered their faith and belief in Delta was expanded.

Read this story here.

Robert Stephens, the founder of Geek Squad, shared his personal views and strategies to marketing and branding his company in a speech he gave in London. Stephens built both the company and the brand that he aimed to promote. It is very impressive that Stephens managed to build and advertise his company without a PR or marketing firm. I found several aspects of his marketing plan particularly interesting.

Stephens was not just consumed with selling his company and making money. He began by building an image. I found it interesting that he was inspired by other companies when it came to building a Geek Squad identity, for example modeling his uniform after the pictures he saw of men working at NASA. I have always believed that image is the most important aspect when it comes to selling something. People have to believe in what they see before they take action, and by promoting an image that is less intimidating and more comedic it eased people when it came to calling the Geek Squad for help.

Another thing that Stephens said that I found interesting was his idea of “starving the customer.” Upon first hearing this I was confused because wouldn’t you want to give the customer a buffet of items and ideas to choose from? But when I thought about it some more I realized that what Stephens meant was to make the customer’s realize that they were starving for what he was selling. Once his customers were aware that they needed his help, Stephens and his company was there to feed them.

I believe that Stephens is an excellent role model to anyone who is stepping out into the real world with empty pockets. His story is one that should inspire those that find themselves in his position to think clearly and to do the work. Another important aspect of Geek Squad’s success is the loyalty within the company. Stephens has developed such pride and integrity in his employees that they created their own initiation of taking new driver’s license pictures in their uniforms. The connection among employees and pride in their work is visible to the customer. This allows the customer to not only trust the brand, but to feel comfortable using it. I believe that this is ultimately the secret behind Stephens’ success. To watch his speech click here.