Reflection

Over the semester I have become more aware of PR issues by reading PR blogs and reading the news. It is interesting to see the different ways that companies have decided to deal with certain issues, if they even deal with them at all.

Blogs seem to be crucial in the success of some companies. It is a way to communicate with the public in a faster, cheaper and more efficient way. A company can find out what people think of their brand, image or reputation with the simple click of a button. They are able to see if the messages they are trying to convey are being received in the same way.

I am still trying to figure out what area of PR that I want to get into, so it has not necessarily changed my carrer plans, but it has definitely opened my eyes to new possiblities. It has also made me more aware of what is going on with the web and how to be a part of it. I will definitely pay closer attention to blogs and what they have to say.

The Publicist

I have always admired Elliot Mintz, the publicist of Paris Hilton. He had shielded her from the comments by other people. He had a really tough job but he did it incredibly good. However, no matter how good he is, Paris will still be going to jail for 45 days.

It’s an old axiom in PR that you have to love your client and you got the feeling that Mintz did. He was willing to stretch language to its farthest reaches to spin Paris as a little Miss Understood Heiress. See GlossLip for Mintz’s greatest hits.

It is Paris' over fault for ignoring the law. She shouldn't blame Mintz and should be thankful for what he did for her so far!

Source: PR Blog News

Social media meetup

John Furrier, founder and CEO of PodTech.net, will speak at the next Third Thursday meetup on May 17 in Palo Alto. His topic: The Newsroom of the Future.

With the arrival of social media, both media companies and businesses are rethinking the way they manage news-gathering and distribution. But how do businesses manage that well-known mainstay -- the "pressroom" at industry events and conferences? Furrier will talk about how smart companies are reinventing the pressroom with state-of-the-art technologies, combined with social intelligence.

Third Thursday is a meetup for Bay Area PR and marketing folks who are interested in sharing and learning about the practical applications of social media in business. It's co-sponsored by the Social Media Club and the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR), and held on the third Thursday of the month.

Seating is limited at this event, and you have to be a member (or the guest of a member) to attend. If you're interested, please let me know ASAP and I'll add you as my guest.

Paris Hilton is going to jail

Paris Hilton, the 26 year-old hotel heiress is sentenced to 45 days of jail time.

Hilton is set to start her sentence on June 5th of this summer. The incident that apparently spurred on prosecutors occurred Jan. 22, when Hilton was cited for speeding in her Bentley, a violation of her no-plea on the DUI case, and for driving with a suspended license.

Paris is a walking PR case. The 6th season of The Simple Life is favorably watched, her CD released late last summer, the sex tape, and her notorious partying habits make her a strong figure in the celebrity world. She is constantly in trouble, or constantly at the hotest L.A. nightclubs.

Now Paris's Hiltons PR strategy is avoidance. Her publicist, Dan Flores, is the mastermind behind her crazy life. Flores has recently pulled Paris from numerous appearances. She was set to appear on: Live! with Regis & Kelly, TRL Live, CBS and the Late Show with David Letterman. However, her recent DUI charge has silenced her and kept her in celebrity hiding.

Fox officials are upset that Klores has steadfastly refused to take their calls about the situation, while their show The Simple Life is begining to air.

Letterman has begun to half-heartedly attack Flores for "his incompetence." He is offended that Paris is not allowed to come on his show.

"He's some kind of PR guy, and I believe for a time, lost his license to practice PR in this country, and he was running all his PR operations out of Mexico," Letterman joked on his show Monday night.

While Paris is painting her nails in jail, Flores will need the time to rethink Paris' public relations tactics for Hollywood.

Take a Lesson in PR from China

I came across an article in Newsweek that I thought was really interesting. It was mainly about China learning the value of good PR and is beating the United States at its own game. It went further to discuss how PR is increasingly blending with international politics.

For example, early this month, Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Russia for a three-day visit. This is remarkable because not too long ago, Chinese leaders rarely left home. Now, Russia has declared 2007 the "Year of China," and plans to hold hundreds of China related business, educational and sport events in the upcoming months. In addition, Hu along with Russian President Vladimir Putin both pledged to build a series of cooperative energy projects.

A major public opinion poll last year found that most ordinary Russians now think China has "a positive impact on the world" and the United States has a negative one. We have to stop and really think of how others around the world now view the United States before we get a really tarnished image that may not be salvageable.

I'll leave you with one quote that really stuck out when reading the article:

"Ordinary people across the planet now view China more warmly than they do the United States. Polls taken by the Program on International Policy Attitudes and the BBC show that majorities of people in most countries today consider China to be a more positive influence and less of a threat to international peace than the United States is."

More on PR analysis

Many thanks to Carol Welsh of Cisco Systems for coming in to our class this week to talk about PR assessment and analysis.

A student in Rob Barlow's section of PR 191 asked Welsh to recommend a book on public relations analysis. She wrote:

"I did some digging and have found Don Stacks' book. It was published in 2002, but the concepts are very current. Also below are some of the 'professional' reviews of the book, courtesy of Amazon."

Primer of Public Relations Research
by Don W. Stacks (2002)

"This book will undoubtedly make a major contribution to public relations research education. Its clarity and breadth of scope make it equally appropriate for undergraduates preparing to enter the job market, graduate students in master's or doctoral programs, and working professionals seeking greater research application ability. Unusually well written and easy to understand, the book serves the multiple knowledge needs that we confront in public relations education."--Melvin L. Sharpe, College of Communication, Information, and Media, Ball State University

"Many public relations practitioners avoid using research in their day-to-day work. There are several excuses: good research takes time and money; some practitioners want to avoid accountability for what they do and how they do it; and the way many of us learned research methods in college made the subject seem boring, difficult, and tedious. In this book, Don Stacks shoots down nearly every excuse for not using research, showing how it can be accessible, affordable, and even fun. In his usual engaging style, Stacks gives practitioners a better understanding of what research is and how it can help them."--John W. Felton, President and CEO, Institute for Public Relations

It sounds like an excellent resource.

Orioles PR stunt

Pitcher Curt Schilling of the Baltimore Orioles has caused a stir in the world of baseball and PR. The controversy began when the team played the Red Sox in a 2004 game.

The pitcher had what looked like a bloody sock on his foot. The pitcher claimed it was from loose stiches he recieved on his ankle. But now the truth is revealed. The sock was actually painted.

The charge that Schilling faked the bloody sock has been made before, including in GQ magazine, which cited an anonymous Red Sox player as its source.

"It (the sock) was painted,"Gary Thorne said to analyst Jim Palmer during the broadcast. "It was painted. Doug Mirabelli confessed up to it after. It was all for PR (public relations)."

Later in the broadcast, Thorne, who also works for ESPN, confirmed Mirabelli told him of the "painted sock" in a earlier conversation. However, later Mirabelli told The Boston Globe that Thorne’s quote was a "straight lie."

However, Schilling has denied the claims about the sock being painted. He reported that he had surgery on the same ankle after the Orioles losing season to repair torn ligaments.

It may take DNA experts to finally settle the rumors surrounding Curt Schilling famous bloody sock.

A publicity stunt? Or just false information? Well either way people became interested in the Orioles for the rest of that season. The bloody sock is still talked about to this day. Bloody or paint, eveyone is interested and watching them.

Cause-related marketing

When I saw these signs in the Aveda story window in the mall the other day, I was reminded of Myra, Lina and Gabriela's presentation on cause-related marketing.

My question to you is this: Do you think this cause is a good match for Aveda? Do you think this campaign is likely to win customer loyalty or new customers for the company? Why or why not?

The campaign is also featured on the Aveda website. Check it out and leave me a comment telling me what you think.

Social media meetup

How Storytelling is (Still) Critical to Communications in the Blogosphere -- that's the topic of the next Third Thursday meetup, a group which focuses on social media in marketing and public relations.

Guest speakers include Elisa Camahort, a co-founder of BlogHer, and marketing exec Kathy Klotz-Guest. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 19, in Palo Alto. For details, see me...or check out the group's meetup web page.

Sanjaya...a form of persuasive PR?

Some people love Sanjaya Malakar....Simon and others do not. Is he ruining the heart of American Idol? Does his hair keep him in the runnings? Is this a PR stunt?

It's no suprise that millions of preteen girls have fallen in love with American Idol's Sanjaya. He seems sweet, innocent and always suprises us with his crazy hair. Some are amazed that he's gotten so far in the competition. People are getting a big kick out of voting for him. Howard Stern is fueling the fire, the radio talk host has been suporting votefortheworst.com, a web site that encourages people to support Sanjaya.

What is controversy about what's keeping Sanjaya on the show? The attention has extended to his hair, which is styled in wacky ways every show. He knows that his hair causes reactions. But is it his hair or his voice that is keeping him on the show?

Well, even if he does't end up the next American Idol, he maybe already a winner. He will likely get a record deal, and has already been approached by Suave hair products.

Is this a small form if persuasive PR? I believe so, he is keeping the audience entertained and attentive becuase of his hair and personality. I believe this guy has the right idea. He may not have the best voice, but he sure has an agenda that is keeping him in the game.

5 networking tips

Networking has become a skill that must be mastered to enhance and prepare yourself for future career advances. However, according to Penelope Trunk, networking doesn't have to be a daunting task.

Trunk claims that "today's careers are made and broken by one's ability to network." In the article, The Brazen Careerist, she gives five reasons why networking can be a handy and useful tool.

#1: You dont have to be a manipulator.

As a practicer of PR we can find it useful to network in a sense that we can find out what people need and if we can assist them. People who are poor at networking often think you have to manipulate people to get what you want. These are the same people who often fail at office politics because they fail to understand that office politics is about being nice. Networking can be viewed as helping to add value to others lives.

#2: Dont think you have to be clever of funny.

Networking is again about finding what othesrs need and if you can help. So when it comes time to network you dont need a clever line, really you just need to be nice. You can be brilliant..but unappraochable, funny...but overwhelming, so just being nice helps say "I am a good listener and I am safe to talk to." This approach can be extremely useful while networking. Many people work to find a connection between other people, you can be that person that everyone thought was respectful, reliant and polite. Asking others open-ended questions will help you realize what other people are interested in.

#3: You don't have to network when your job-hunting.

Networking is something you do when you're feeling great about your work. After all, who wants to network with someone who either hates her job or doesn't have one? When networking you can search for friends...not like 2500 Myspace friends, but a small group that you can rely on or discuss ideas and interests with. These people will have other people in their network, and if a time comes that you do need a job, these people can help guide you.

#4: You don't always have to be agreeable.

Working to make a connection is important, but like any relationship there will be topics and issues where you dont agree. Discussing them is fine, but its how you treat the disagreement and continue working on the friendship.

#5: You don't have to get off the sofa.

Blogging; an incredible effective and efficient networking tool for professionals. Blogging is a way to connect with people who would most likely ignore you. For example, companies like Yahoo! and Sun have thousands of blogging employees, and CEOs of small startups often blog as well.

Liz Strauss explains on The Blog Herald that many bloggers focus primarily on building relationships. So find people you admire who blog, and start reading their blog every day. Leave intelligent comments. Most bloggers know the people who leave thoughtful comments on a regular basis. And bloggers like to help people in their blog community.

So as Trunk has described for us, networking does not have to be a scary task. It is a opportunity in which we can build friends while relaxing on the sofa. Sounds like fun.

Will your RESUME get you....or lose you the job?

As we continue our quest for a dipolma we must complete our resume for our future employers. However, a recent article had made me wary of what or how I had typed up my resume. The article written by the specialized staffing firm Robert Half International gave some important details to look closely at.

Many times resumes have small typos such as "I often use a laptap." A recent survey showed that 84 percent of executives polled said that it takes just one or two typographical errors in a resume to remove a candidate from consideration for a job opening.

This shows how your potential employer will pay close attention to your resume, and how closely you pay attention to your own resume. Hiring managers often have dozens of resumes to review and appreciate being able to scan them quickly. If you include unnecessary information -- such as your hobbies, marital status or personal trivia -- potential employers may simply bypass your application. Omit details that don't directly demonstrate how you can benefit the employer, and tailor your resume to be appropriate to the position and the company.

The article mentioned that sharing too many secrets is overwhelming and actually frowned upon. Limit interests, you do not need to indicate that you enjoy running, cooking, writing, wondering, skipping and puzzles. As an potential employee you need to show your best attributes. You employer does not need to know that you can say your ABC's backwards in less than 10 seconds.

When you conduct a resume, your are writing a professional document that is going to be read and tagged to yourself. Show your best side, do not be over casual. Use professional language, your not hanging with your pals and you need to address is in an adult manner.

All in all, you need to proof read your resume carefully, and write and conduct yourself in a professional manner which will enforce your capabilities and your potential.

You Tube and PR

If PR firms company become partner with You tube, the PR events can be broadcast in the Internet. There is a new concept, right? However, it has pros and cons:

Pros

• Repeatable
  
• Target-oriented
  
• Large reach
  
• Creative
  
• Innovative
  

Cons:

• Lower credibility(advertisement-like)
• Expensive
• Risky (new concept)
• Difficult to distinguish real-and-fake
  

You Tube have already has numerous partnership such as CBS, BBC and Universal Music Group etc. But they are mostly broadcasting company, there is not any PR firms temporary. Therefore, it is worth trying as it is valuable market strategy. Since public relations need always follow the trend of world.

Viacom to sue You Tube

Recent news posted on msn.com states that Viacom will be suing You Tube for $1 billion due to infringement issues. This lawsuit will be the first attack on the new video sharing site.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that media companies should become used to working with You Tube.com and other online sharing sites.

However, Viacom is going to be charging the Google-based site for showing over 160,000 videos without permission.

"Their business model, which is based on building traffic and selling advertising off of unlicensed content, is clearly illegal and is in obvious conflict with copyright laws," Viacom said.

YouTube.com is a popular site featuring numerous videos from student videos to banned advertisements that were once shown during super bowl half-times.

So far Google spokesperson has made a claim that Viacom has yet to appraoch them with the infringement suit.

The problem with YouTube, Viacom and the other big media players say, is that it will pull copyright clips only after its been asked to do so, putting the burden of policing content on the copyright holders and allowing users to re-post illegal copies as soon as they are removed.

This is another example where crisis management is needed to help minimize the situation. Both companies risk losing credibility.

The New Rules of PR

PRWebs CEO and founder David McInnis is set to host a free webinar featuring David Meerman Scott, author of the "New Rules of PR" forcusing on how to create a press release strategy for reaching buyers directly.

Davids ebook offers PR professionals the tools they need to survive in today's world of social media. David McInnis, Founder and CEO of PRWeb said "This webinar provides professionals the opportunity to discuss 'The New Rules of PR' directly with David and further develop strategies and tips to create an effective press release."

This ebook has become a must have guide for PR practioners. David Meerman Scott is an online thought leadership strategist. The programs he has developed have won numerous awards and are responsible for selling over one billion dollars in products and services worldwide. His work is highly used throught the field of public relations.

Scotts other book "The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly" will be published around June 2007. Leaving PR practioners looking forward to his future work, hoping for more insight and professional tips to succeed in the field.

The content of the New Rules of PR will benefit many people in the field of PR and will serve as a tool to students learning the ways and rules of public relations.

Pitching to the Media

When writing to the media, according the Bulldog Reporter, it is important to keep 5 factors in mind.

1. The quality of the story. Wherever you go and whichever media you pitch to, a good story sells. It is important to fashion your story on relevancy, topicality, and potentially how useful the story will be to the pr world.

2. Create a relationship with journalists. A positive relationship with a practicing journalist may open doors for you. Please note; that relationships alone do not always work. Mixing relationships to where you abuse the journalist and expect him/her to print your piece every time can cause backfire. Mixing personal relationship and work relations can cause issues.

3. Knowing what journalists write about. Know their style of writing, and also analyze their angles of stories. Read up on issues the journalist recently wrote about, notice if there is a theme in their writing? Respecting and realizing a journalists style and interest may help when writing your piece. Keeping your story within the flow of the journalists norm will aid in your story running.

4. Industry knowledge. When we write a new story many times the journalist already knows. Thats often because we dont analyze or interept industry developments.

5. Media lists. Updating media lists can be borish. A PR professional should have a media list consisting of particular beats, weekday and weekend editions, all newspapers, and all cities. This extensive media list can help you when your story does not hit in your local paper. You will have other options to execute your pitch to.

These factors are a great PR strategy. These factors will aid you in successfully pitching your story.

The end of press release?

The blog that I was reading was called "The press release is wriggling part I" from the website site http://www.prblognews.com/

People were discussing whether press release should exist or not. Some journalists believed that press release should end.

There were also some discussions about what should be replace with if press release is dead.

There were alot of different opinions about press release in this blog, which is very useful.