Tiger Dissappears

Does an 800-pound gorilla leave a shadow ?

Accenture, the global consulting firm announced this week it had the perfect plan for solving its current public relations problem, i.e., commercials, ads, billboards, posters, etc. touting its close and paid association with the world's most recognizable professional athlete, Tiger Woods. The plan, undoubtedly cooked up over several high priced meetings between management and corporate PR consultants, is a simple one...eradicate the cheating philanderer from our corporate life and pretend he doesn't exist! I can't imagine the number of high-priced hours that were charged against this winner.

Accenture, as if Tiger Woods Were Never There

How exactly...by removing the "Tiger brand" from all advertising, web sites, posters, internal displays, T-shirts, caps, tchotchkes...and, I assume from all jokes around the water cooler or board room table.

"The company's advertising campaign is about "high performance" and Mr. Woods 'just wasn't a metaphor for high performance anymore,' a spokesperson for Accenture said." Really? Juggling thirteen plus affairs while being married... and winning Athlete of the Decade, might cause some to doubt that, but that's fodder for others to debate.

Ironically, Accenture's Orwellian decision has caused even more focus to be put on the company's decision making and not for its decisiveness, but for its silliness and perceived pettiness. Rather than suffer a little self-effacing embarrassment, stand by their original decision, or at least judiciously move to a new marketing strategy, Accenture has chosen to come across as humorless, self-righteous, and a shade petty. Just the traits we all want in our high-priced corporate consultants, I guess.


For the record, I'm one of those naysayers that actually do believe that Mr. Woods' does not have a "public obligation" to come clean...to open his broken personal life to the public hordes that may or may not have purchased consulting services, a watch, a Buick (which he obviously doesn't drive personally) or a razor because of his face and scripted word. Mr. Woods is one hell of a golfer, arguably the best that ever lived...and as a golfing role model with his picture perfect swing, power, and single-minded on-course competitive intensity, he should be admired and imitated...and well-paid as a professional athlete. If these same attributes...some God-given but most learned through hours and years of practice...also attract advertisers, PR-types, corporate hanger-ons, fawning sports writers, and yes, beautiful adoring women...does that present an obligation for him to "go public" with an explanation or act of contrition so all can feel better about their own foolishness. The corporate sponsors and their PR minions are no different than the women that threw themselves in front of him...hanging out with Tiger so they can feel better about themselves and maybe add a little value to their lives (products, services, etc. etc.) They all got something in return.

The only people that Mr. Woods has an obligation to are himself and his family...and maybe his golf game that brought him the fame in the first place. The rest of us self-righteous souls need to get back to work.

Failing Up

Some of our best and the brightest…

The monthly jobless report came out again this week and the picture was bleak enough to flatten the earlier upward movement of the markets. Double-digit unemployment…ten point two percent…not since Reagan was well into his second year had we had this many of our citizens standing in line or looking for jobs. And many of those standing outside looking in are us…journalists, agency types, marcom pros, PR practitioners, and even whole small firms just not able to withstand the tightened or withdrawn budgets or credit squeeze. And while I’m enough of an optimist to believe that I see a faint glow at the end of this nightmarish tunnel, it still is a personal tragedy for those directly among the “jobless.”

But then I read a piece in the Sunday NY Times and was reminded again that sometimes real positive growth comes from being forced to re-evaluate our circumstances of employment…nice way of saying, “being canned.” Or, as the Times puts it, “The Benefit of a Boot Out the Door.” In the column, Jeffrey Katzenberg, elaborates on how his forced departure from Disney “fueled him to get on…etc.” Hey, I recognize that most of us that get laid off or fired, do so without the warm fuzzies of a Disney multimillion-dollar severance package to help us cope. But the point that being fired, whether from a seven-figure position or twelve-buck an hour job, is not necessarily always a bad thing…and good things can actually come of it.

Before someone out there says, “sure, easy for Mr. CEO to say,” it’s best for me to come clean. I’ve been fired, terminated, laid off, and generally just jobless on not just a couple of occasions, but several. And I’d like to believe that each time I’ve learned something about myself, and others. I also learned that losing your job whether self inflicted or not, is only failure if you fail to grow from it. I had a boss once, a man that had started three companies with the first two ending upside down…the third, highly successful. He believed strongly that only those that have tasted failure were worthy of employment consideration. His reasoning was that sooner or later most of us will stumble and fall, and he wanted to surround himself with those that had that out of their system and had grown accordingly.


I’m not sure I would go that far, but I certainly understand his thinking. My hobby is motorcycling and I must admit I prefer riding with those that have respect for the inherent dangers of the sport and ride accordingly. And more often than not, this respect is gained through a close call or even an accident…’going down’ as we say. The same can be said for a business enterprise…be it a news organization, corporation, or agency. Having a couple of close calls or even a job loss on your resume’ can be a positive…if you can demonstrate how you’ve grown from the experience and gained respect for the warning signs moving forward.

Yes, some may skate through life perfectly attuned to success and never be bothered with life’s annoying little stumbles…never being tested by a touch or two of failure and self-doubt. But come on, how many people really fit this description, and those that do…do you really trust them…or even like them? Me…I prefer to see a few scars on my associates and employees. To me, these are by far the best and the brightest.

No such thing as a free lunch…or free PR

It’s always amazing to me that even the most knowledgeable people associated with the marketing industry seem to periodically fall into the semantics trap of referring to public relations, publicity, press coverage…call it what you may…by preceding it with the adjective, “free.” As in “no cost.” Even veteran New York Times columnist, Stuart Elliot trips occasionally...A Deluge by NBC to Promote Leno's New Show.

The thought that the vast $10 million that NBC supposedly has squandered on pushing this rehash of Leno’s later night persona into primetime, strictly on paid advertising…with not a penny going to secure the publicity bonanza of magazine covers on Parade, TV Guide, and Time, is laughable. Why, those cover stories came about without a penny of cost…strictly because the editorial sides decided entirely on their own that Jay Leno and NBC were newsworthy. Right! And of course all the PR hacks in the background, either hired agency hands or internal NBC publicity staffers, that have toiled away behind the scenes for months making sure all the details were covered, did so for no pay. Right!

The false and silly declaration that all advertising and direct marketing is paid for in real dollars, but that publicity campaigns and PR (good and bad) is free is yet another reason that PR doesn’t really get its rightful due in the marketing mix. How can a marketing and communication discipline as important as PR ever get to sit at the table with its more expensive cousins, if it is forever referred to as something that “just happens” spontaneously, like a miraculous conception? Never mind how this perception affects budgeting priorities and allocation. Does the image of short sticks and suckling toward the far end of the sow come to mind?

I’m also not going to let my fellow professional (as in…paid) PR practitioners off the hook easily on this costly misrepresentation…particularly those in traditional pay-by-the hour agencies. By lumping all services including media outreach under a single, but ever expanding fee, the individual tactical processes, like great media placements, i.e., magazine covers, are demeaned. “Hey, that cover just happened as part of our overall ‘consulting services’…like, it was free. Pay by the hour or monthly for our consulting and messaging expertise, and get all that other stuff for nothing.” Really? How much better to break out the real effort of making that magazine cover happen…and charge accordingly.

Nothing easy or free about it.

Welcoming the New and Improving the Old

It’s time for us PR types do what we supposedly do best…just spin, baby, spin.

“Enough of the negatives…can’t you and all the other bloggers say anything positive for a change?”

As we all look forward to the last quarter of an absolutely dreadful economic year and summer winds to an end, isn’t it time we all took a little accounting of the good, even great things, that have happened over the last few months or year…and give it our best spin.

On a macro level, this country has made some incredible strides.We’ve elected our first African American president who seems to be young enough and hip enough to connect with most Americans, even those that may not agree with all his policies.We’re recognizing the major problems of the country…the endless wars, healthcare, the housing and credit crisis…even if we aren’t yet at solutions.That will come.The positive is a universal recognition of the problems and airing the grievances. We’re all Americans and we’re all patriotic. And we always eventually figure a way to meet somewhere toward the middle to move forward. Are we better off than last year at this time? Not necessarily…but do we feel better about progress toward solutions? I, and a lot of others do.

What about all this business and social technology that seems to be causing such consternation…will it cost me my daily newspaper, my job, my very sanity as I try to keep up? Yes, it could, and much more.Is that all bad? No (well, not sure on the sanity issue…) There are some real positives to be taken from our rapid march to an all-digital world. We are far more cognizant of our neighbor next door as well as across the globe. We know more about what they’re thinking, how it might affect us personally or professionally, and we know it almost instantly.We can communicate in a nanosecond what used to take us hours or days. And in spite of all the inane and silly tweets, texts, posts to the contrary, this is a good thing. Ask the paramedic or even your CFO if they’d prefer the old way…no way.

But one of the real positives of what’s new is how it affects what’s old…. like responsibility. Not only do fresh ideas and fresh technology offer obvious advances in that which they replace, but they also offer the opportunity to reevaluate that which is indirectly affected, and how to make it better. If we now have the capability of communicating what we are doing instantly to a million “followers” and “fans,” should we not also consider now what it is we’re communicating…and more importantly the positive effect that communication might impart?Cool, huh.

Where do we PR types fit in this new world? Well, we get to live in it and enjoy it, and experience it… and we get to use the new stuff; and we get to do what we do best… tell others about it.The possibilities are endless… and that’s the biggest positive of all.

Not Charging By The Hour Doesn’t Make Time Worthless

PR recessionary lesson No. 1…save the baby!

You know, as long as we’re stuck in this nasty quagmire of a recession there are a number of lessons to be learned while we all wait (and hopefully work) for the promised turn-around. The first of which is how we keep from devaluing time when we have more of it on our hands. This seems to be a particular trait of larger enterprises where being busy or at least the appearance of being busy was prized and rewarded with ever increasing promotions and escalating salaries. But as the economy has soured and marketing or PR salaries have gone south or disappeared altogether, we have a new phenomenon emerging….doing more for less on the inside of an enterprise…and doing more for nothing on the outside. The attitude seems to be that “if I have to work harder for less, than you, Mr. PR vendor, must work for even less and perhaps nothing until you have proved your value. Since you’re not charging me by the hour, then your time must be free…” Really? I don’t think so.

Granted, this recession is driving many of the bad compensation practices and PR-types cultivated during the boom into the waste basket they deserve…however isn’t there an old saying about babies and bath water that should apply here?

Sure, budgets have disappeared or tightened, and the competition to hold existing business and to secure new accounts is far more competitive than ever. And, traditional PR agencies are even (God forbid) ever so slightly experimenting with performance-based compensation to keep those elevators rising. But does shifting away from exorbitant hourly fees or being more creatively competitive in proposals mean that the time still expended has lost all value? Even if such value is translated only in respect for the time spent. Exactly when did dollars charged equate to respect given? Where is it written or taught that when one does not charge incrementally for something, than the cumulative effort has no value…particularly if it is as a result of a plea for assistance?

We’ll continue to utilize all our experience and put forth our most creative, and therefore most competitive thinking to both sign and launch our clients toward success. If these tough times didn’t call for it, then our respect for our own professionalism as well as our client’s business would require it. What we ask in return is not an hourly stipend but that the prospects and clients respond in a timely manner and participate in the process. Respect our time as they ask us to respect theirs.

We all know that a long-standing truism in this business is that when a prospect or client wants something, it’s always with a yesterday deadline. And, when the agency needs something in return, yesterday deadlines become a few days. Ok, understood. It’s part of the game and we’ve all played it. But, hey…a little respect for our time here…even if we’re not charging you by the hour.

Reflections on the First Blog

“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.


We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…”


Thomas Jefferson, et. al. – July 4, 1776


Enough said.

Words of Wisdom

The commencement address for PR grads…

It’s been over forty years since I was preparing for my “orals” at the University of Kansas... in the dark ages of a collegiate post graduate education we were required to undergo both a written and oral exam for graduation…and I still remember sweating out the possible questions that I might have to answer ‘face-to-face” from my professors. Ironically, after these all-to-brief four decades, I only remember one question, delivered straight to the heart by my professor of ethics… “Grove, with all your journalistic education over the last six years, why would you possibly want to become a flack?”

Interesting question…particularly given the reasonably high level of esteem that PR was held in those days. We were actually taught, for example, that another definition for the acronym, “PR,” was performance and recognition, and that journalism and the newsworthiness should be the basis for PR coverage. “Spin” was of course reserved for records (remember those round pieces of vinyl with a hole in the center?) and “counselors” were for legal advice or career guidance.

My professor may have been simply trying to warn me, though. Manipulation of the media had been going on for decades of course, and shortly thereafter, we all lost our PR naïveté’ and learned of “spin” in the worst way during the war in Southeast Asia. But at that time and even today, I continue to believe that it’s not necessary to practice or make a career in PR by having to sink to that level. PR is no different than other professions where tough choices must be made daily to keep focused on what is right and not what is expeditious…what serves your client and yourself with the greatest respect, not gratuitousness. And to do so in a partnership with the media, not as an antagonist.

Granted, today’s media megasphere is vastly different than the simple printed black and white and analog broadcast world of the late sixties. But isn’t today’s electronic, satellite transmission, Internet enabled social media-crazed global communications world really just an extension of that simpler time? Has the very essence of news, including business news, changed along with the speed in which it is transmitted? Will there be any less of a demand to compromise journalistic as well as ethical principles for short term benefits simply because terms are becoming shorter by the day? Because enterprises are now global (and called “enterprises”) rather than regional or national companies, has it made them any less in need of recognition for good performance? The answer is no… and when the PR class of 2049 graduates, my bet is it will still be no.

My response, by the way, to my professor, was simple… "I didn’t plan on becoming one.” Still don’t.

The Current State of American Business…

It’s called ‘hide and seek’

One of the truly great things about the Internet, and specifically the social media revolution, is the instant sharing of imaginative pieces that you wished you had created yourself. Pieces that express your sentiments, but written or produced with talent beyond our own. This week, two such rolled across my computer screen, that when their vastly different content is combined, eloquently state the real problem with American business today. No, I’m not speaking of recessionary pressures, bankruptcies, or even bailout phobia. I’m talking about timidity and price respect.

Mike Hegedus, the former CNBC correspondent and now media consultant, writes in his blog this week, “This timidity is in full blossom now thanks to the current uber recession.” He goes on to surmise that it’s not just the tightening of budgets, but the simple act of making the decisions to spend what is left that is the real problem. Hear! Hear! As the head of a Pay-for-Performance PR firm that oozes value and accountability compared to the traditional hourly fee model, I can’t begin to state the days and weeks we’ve spent waiting for companies to “meet to discuss,” to “get their ducks in a row,” to “pass this around the management team,” etc. etc. If anyone thinks that the most elusive thing in business today is a profit, you’re wrong…it’s a decision.

As a small business owner, I have complete empathy and respect for the process of expenditure evaluation and prioritizing those services that will provide the greatest return. But I also recognize something my wise grandmother (aren’t they all…) used to say, “you actually going to get something done today, or just sit around and think about it?”

But once that rare decision to move forward is finally made…then comes the real fun…”let’s see if we can squeeze even more out of that tightened marketing or PR budget…let’s make a deal.”
This YouTube piece would be hilarious if not so true.



Has this ugly recession driven companies to the point of treating vendors like used car dealers? Of trying to squeeze and manipulate pricing…often even after the service has been provided? And we in the PR industry are even more vulnerable to this practice because of the subjectivity of the product…and the vagaries of those aforementioned hourly fees.

Yes, I understand the need to derive the most value for least outlay. But if a PR company has actually delivered a tangible result as specified and agreed, not just an invoice for hours in trying to achieve the result, then respect the pricing and don’t ask us to choose what may be behind door number three.

Social Media’s Influence Over PR…

The old chicken and egg conundrum

There is not a moment in my professional life these days that I am not faced with how important social media now is to the planning and execution of any program that dares to call itself, public relations. While that may well be true given that both clients and practitioners are demanding its inclusion in all RFP’s and resulting proposals, it’s being done so with or without much knowledge as to exactly what it is, how it works, or most importantly…what it accomplishes.

Well ok, if that’s what the clients want then those of us on the agency side will be happy to oblige. After all, we’ve heard about it for at least nine months now and it’s been covered in hundreds of “how to” books, and corporate CEO’s refer to it almost offhandedly as an extension of their dependence on their Blackberries. It’s not only the flavor of the year, but apparently may linger now that Oprah, Ashton, and even the Obama administration is utilizing it to readjust our dependence on prosperity to, well…less prosperity.

And while I find it amazing that this demand and fulfillment (at least in the proposal stage) continues to expand at cyber-speed it seems, I also am curious as to how this all started to have such industry significance in such a short period of time. Was it literally someone in the media, a young reporter perhaps used to conversing over the internet rather than over a water cooler or expensive lunch, that first suggested he be pitched via a crowd of his ‘friends and followers’ instead of directly. Or was it some industrious agency type that first realized that this same reporter is probably joining some of these online social communities for personal reasons, and therefore a wandering, open, and vulnerable target for his pitch. Or perhaps it was nothing more a chance meeting online between like minded souls…the reporter doing research, the PR person fishing, and a couple of shareholders and customers ranting or praising, finding themselves in a room together, all listening and talking at the same time… eureka, a new form of communication is born.

And of course, once it was determined that not only reporters and producers communicate and socialize on the Net, but our clients’ customers and stakeholders do the same, often at the same time, that “social media relations” as a brand new PR practice was born. Like much of PR, it’s a little subjective and usually difficult to describe why it’s important beyond, “everyone is doing it.” That’s ok as well. We’ll soon enough all get around to thoroughly understanding social media and its execution in a well structured public relations program. However, measuring its tangible benefits and developing fair compensation may take a little longer. Let’s hope this happens before we aging PR types have to face the next all important thing.

Did PR Kill the American Press?

You are what you eat…

Recently I noticed an article in "The Columbia Journalism Review” expounding on the theory that newspapers can only blame themselves for their imminent demise…and that blame lies with their preoccupation of “chasing the false idols of fame and fortune.” The article goes on to define this “chase” as public relations…and furthermore it states that even while chasing good PR, newspapers have fallen victim to becoming nothing more than shills (my word, not theirs) for PR professionals. That’s it, my fellow PR pros, we’re to blame. We’re killing the American Press.


Well, well, well…so many things wrong with this thesis from this prestigious publication that it’s difficult to summarize them all. Let me try just a couple…

First and foremost to define “chasing false idols of fame and fortune” as public relations is so odd as to be laughable. Newspapers in this country may well have decided that winning awards was important both for its readership as well as its business side, but only a first year journalism student not listening in class would refer to that as “public relations.” As far as “reporters making television appearances”…huh? The few reporters I see on the air tend to be connected to and reporting on a big story (that’s called journalism.) Does the author actually believe that with TV air time so precious even for their very own TV reporters, that broadcasters would relinquish it to a newspaper to promote it’s own? Not.

And the idea that public relations is creating the news everyday for America’s newspapers…and not the editorial staffs, who are preoccupied with advancement up the ranks rather than news gathering…well, we in the PR ranks should be so lucky. Blaming PR however ill defined, for newspapers’ diminishing size, circulation, and influence, is simplistic, and frankly beneath such a prestigious publication. An added insult is the article’s contention that are not enough good reporters with “expertise’ at the bottom rung and therefore newspapers are easy prey for the evil PR types waiting to infiltrate with “worst of all, snappy comments by spokesmen or experts.” Oh God, not that!

If ever an article deserved to be given a toss to the proverbial ‘round file’ or at minimum, a hearty, “Give me a break!” it’s this one. The real reasons for the American newspaper’s demise is both economic and technological and to a great degree, demographic. The Columbia Journalism Review may not be aware, but newspapers and all of journalism share a mutually beneficial and synergistic relationship with the PR profession. We need each other and depend on each other. We share our people and background, we share a desire to maintain journalistic integrity, i.e., news must be news worthy, and we share a distribution system for our product.

PR kill the press? Give me a break!

PR Street Smarts…

J-Schools are booming but is the PR curriculum keeping pace?

Recently Forbes.com published a "story” on the irony of while newspapers and magazines are going under at an unprecedented rate, enrollment in journalism schools around this country is at an all-time high. The crux of the article being that these advancing hordes of would-be journalists have little to look forward to in the way of meaningful employment after college other than less than desirable journalistic exercises such as Cat Fancy magazine or even teaching in this current recession. Although one can’t help but assume that Cat Fancy, teaching, or even Forbes.com might be very desirable given the current job market.

Nothing of course was said about those journalism grads that might be considering a career in public relations…and probably for good reason. If, as the article states, that 5,000 journalists have lost their newspaper jobs last year, then it’s probably a good bet that dramatically more PR types also took a job hit in 2008. And if any of those incoming journalism students wish to consider a job in PR right out of college, beware, you’ve got two big mountains to climb.

First and foremost is obviously the extremely limited number of entry-level jobs available. Secondly and maybe as important, is the limited and non-essential pabulum being dished out as the PR major in most journalism schools. Based on my experience in both guest lecturing and in hiring interns, public relations is still considered the unwanted stepchild in most j-school curriculum's at worst, or based on the out-dated traditional model of press releases and mass communication theory at best. Neither prepares graduating students even remotely for the fast-paced media relations driven world of entry-level PR. Way too much time is spent on how to write a good press release (which may be the ultimate oxymoron in journalism) than how to spot and understand “soft news angles” and how to turn them into a meaningful and influential pitch with a reporter or producer. A good PR school teaches how to write journalistically…a great PR school teaches how to understand the news, what makes a great story…and how to “sell” that story.

I understand there may not be a way of “teaching” all the skills and experience needed to be effective immediately, that much of what we exercise daily in our jobs is derived from learning as we go…watching, learning, practicing…developing news “street smarts.” But if J-schools are booming and as flush as mentioned, why not take those select few students inclined toward PR, and provide a learning and experience framework that will provide some of those street smarts within or even outside the classroom?

It might actually allow them to be the exception…a college grad with a job. I know we’d be interested.

Reflections from abroad…

Not much has changed, but nice to have a fresh perspective

I’ve been out of the country for the last several weeks and probably not so remarkably, little has changed in the macro world of economic stress, political turmoil, or surprisingly that it will get better “eventually.” And while the majority in this country continues to be optimistic that there is movement toward the better, the journey might be longer than first anticipated. Fair enough.

Not necessarily the case in the micro world of public relations and accelerated communications, however. Even a few short weeks can and has seen even more of a rush to embrace new technologies and communication forms, ala Twitter, Facebook, et. al. And while I find it ironic that these new forms of staying in touch and hoped for influence are being touted in a time when the biggest business story is the saving of an old rust-belt manufacturing industry wrapped around 100 year-old technology, I understand the need, if not always the importance, of instant communication even of the trivial…and will address it in future blog posts. (Sorry… 322 characters…way beyond my limit.)

This particular post however is devoted to short notes of reflection on an amazing trip half way around the world among people, who while certainly dependent on the global economy, approach life from quite different perspectives.

• Natural selection isn’t just a theory, it’s a fact…and it’s natural, and ok.
• Self-sustainability is relative, but achievable.
• All of us should travel and experience other cultures at every opportunity…and at the very least should encourage our children to do so, early and often. I recommend as a high schoolgraduation present…a backpack, a journal, and one-way ticket overseas, any direction.
• All politics are tribal by circumstance and personal by nature.
• Contributing does not mean giving money nor proselytizing…it’s listening and understanding and if appropriate, teaching.
• Friendship is the most inexpensive yet expansive gift any of us can share…here or abroad.

Next week, back to the alliterate and trivial tworld of tweets, twitter, and why what you’re doing right now, can actually be important.

Recession being blamed on “Public Relations” ? We wish we were that important...

As the economy worsens and it begins to affect each of us personally, we begin the very human process of finger pointing and blame gaming. Lately the focus of some of that blame has been leveled at our own profession…public relations. Guess who’s to blame for the recession? It rhymes with ‘shublic belations’

I’ve had a few good rants myself on the subject. But to be fair, my criticisms have not been at the profession overall, but at certain practices and firms that seem determined to black all of our eyes. And there lies a bigger problem for some of us that practice PR a little differently…that is, smartly, honestly and fairly.

In the meantime, headlines continue to be made by not only the extravagant hiring of PR firms, like AIG running amuck, to the City of Chicago’s recent firing of PR firms. Bad PR forces City Hall to cancel contracts

Let’s be clear…PR did not cause this recession and PR is not extending it. And here’s an even bigger blow to the PR blogosphere…we’re important, but not that important in the grand scheme of world geopolitics and geo-economics to be having a significant impact one way or another. That is not to say, we’re not an easy target. We are. And that’s our own fault. PR’s job and those of us who have been proud to practice it for a living over the years, is to facilitate information, to assist in communicating, and at times to educate…and in so doing, to often influence those to whom we’re communicating. We’re our clients’ storytellers when they have things of significance to tell. But we should never be their shills nor their “spinmeisters” and we should never ever become the story itself. And most importantly, when a client asks us to tell a story that in the best case is of little or no news value or worst case, is disingenuous or misleading, we should be honest and give them the best of professional advice…no.

But the most egregious of PR practices and the single greatest target of criticism during an economic downturn is the size of many of the large firms’ fees and the lack of accountability in how the traditional PR world is compensated. Inflated hourly fees for highly subjective and non-tangible results deserve the criticism…and I personally hope the outrage continues.

We as a country and as an economy will weather this crisis, bad as it is and bad as it may yet become. And while keeping our individual and professional roles in some humble and realistic perspective, we as PR practitioners can help and make a difference. How…by demanding that PR go beyond the image of high priced counselors to a more equitable compensation system based on fair pay for tangible performance.

How many PR consultants does it take to change a… Oops! Right joke, wrong profession

AIG PR firms now up to four… and AIG CEO on Today Show just does “ok.”

Sometimes it’s really hard to keep reading the depressing headlines in this lurching economy. Oh, I don’t mean the those headlines declaring the unemployment rate has hit a twenty-five year low…or that the U.S. is now facing a trillion dollar plus deficit…or you’re your neighbor may lose his job and his home…and even Bernie Madhoff may have to give up his penthouse (God forbid.) No, I’m talking about the sad state of the public relations profession that in spite of itself, can’t seem to get it’s act together and get some good press. (Or as we prefer to call it…Ink.)

AIG, the insurance giant with the largest hand out (literally and figuratively) has decided that it simply must have additional help in spinning it’s story to an even greater number of audiences, and of course, in so doing, spend even more of our tax dollars. AIG’s actions remind me of the old adage about the lone man in a lifeboat that assumed the more people he added, the better it would float. See “AIG's dizzying PR binge ”

And what’s even more depressing is that with all these supposed heavy hitters with the astronomical hourly fees in the AIG line up, one good media trainer can’t be found to provide some sage advice and counsel to their client’s CEO before making an appearance on the Today Show? I know that Tom Cruse might disagree, but Matt Lauer isn’t exactly Mike Wallace. Some where, some how, buried within Kekst & Co., Hill and Knowlton, or Burson-Marsteller is a media specialist at a zillion dollars an hour to rehearse CEO Liddy to ward off those tricky Lauer zingers. AIG CEO draws mixed review on Today. Of course, an even more important question might be, why the Today Show?

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My preference would have been to have Liddy’s butt grilled by Congress as to why AIG is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on PR firms’ hourly fees to make excuses rather than humbly and diligently fix the problem.

As a point of full disclosure and a nod to the late Senator Bensten, I know Kekst & Co and Burson-Marsteller, I’ve worked with and for both, and they’re friends of mine…or at least the founders. Both however, along with Hill and Knowlton, the other PR counsels of record, and an enormous internal PR group, should not be above the criticism from the rest of us in the PR profession any more than AIG should be exempt from the wrath of Congress or the tax payers for wasting extremely valuable dollars to benefit the elite few over the many. Yes, AIG, could use and needs professional PR assistance…obviously. But exactly how many very expensive “suits” does it take to give a few solid pieces of common sense advice, to write a non-nonsense annual report, to tell this client to be humble, work hard, react truthfully and openly when asked, but keep a low profile and until you’ve earned back the public’s trust?

The answer evidently is the same number as it takes some to change a light bulb...

Smaller independent PR firms…surviving the unsurvivable…

At the risk of being labeled with the new, old buzzword…dare I say, “socialist”…I actually believe that the new administration is doing everything it can with the knowledge and skills it has available to it, to push, drag, cajole this economy back to a level of respectability. But I also know that if we sit, wait, and expect the newly elected folks in Washington, D.C. to do all the heavy lifting than economic failure is a certainty. This is particularly true in the entrepreneurial and small business sector of this country…dare I say, “capitalist?” ( see WSJ article “Entrepreneurs Can Lead Us Out of the Crisis”)

We in the public relations business that are proud to be considered smaller non-traditional and boutique PR firms, certainly fit within that sector. Most of us have built our businesses and practices, large and small, through innovation, a fierce independence , and an awful lot of hard work over more trial and error than any of us wish to remember. Ok, not all. There are the “lemmings” in the world of boutique PR just like everywhere that believe duplication of the big old boys is the greatest form flattery and quickest path to PR riches….an oxymoron if ever there was one. There is a reason that our, not their, client rosters are most often weighted heavily with entrepreneurs and start-ups beyond smaller budgets. There is a kinship and an understanding of what drives these young companies as well as the processes needed to reach and convince their audiences that “different is good.”

So what can those of us that have taken more of an entrepreneurial PR path be doing to survive and maybe even grow during these days before we all begin to see some light over the horizon? First and foremost, recognize and remind ourselves that two of things that got us here are key to our survival…innovation and a smaller more flexible size. We’re built to adapt and move quickly to rapid shifts on both a macro and micro economic level. We’re the sailing sloop darting amongst the waves compared to the mega tanker with all its bloated weight charging headlong to an unseen reef.

At the risk of offending my fellow PR firms with my audacity and even possibly strengthening my competition, here are a few specific tips that this smaller size and flexibility allow…

1. Realize and accept that your clients and everyone’s interest and focus is totally on efficiency and accountability… and savings. Be prepared to demonstrate value in the form of real price/performance for your fees. Time to drop the B.S.
2. Listen to them and be prepared to adapt if necessary. Again…listen to the client. It’s a buyers market.
3. Shore up what you do best and make sure your current clients are highly serviced (extremely important).
   
4. But honestly analyze where there may be weaknesses in your firm and form alliances to offset these. There are other complimentary firms…advertising, marcom, web design, social media…also in the same slowing predicament. It is much less cost intensive to form a complimentary alliance to compliment your strengths than investing in new people and infrastructure.
   
5. Market yourselves aggressively with the tools and expertise at hand: publicity and the Internet.
   
6. Stay alert to the market. Keep listening to the client marketplace and stay flexible.

Lastly, keep the faith… and keep moving forward. We entrepreneurs have been through tough times before.

Much ado about nothing. Seriously... nothing.

Too much PR spin about nothing…way too much.

Where exactly does it say, and in what great volume of proper human conduct, let alone some PR book of knowledge, that every thing written or visually presented absolutely must be given its fifteen minutes of fame?

I recently read two different pieces on two completely separate “news items” that made me aware all over again that not everything is worth my time of reflection let alone your time. But for the sake of discussion, I’ll discount that to another five or ten minutes. The first was the hoopla generated over a rather badly drawn political cartoon in the New York Post last week attempting to humorously tie together stimulus packages and dead chimps…and the second was a book review in USA Today on a new PR tome titled, “PR: A Persuasive Industry” . The former received considerable coverage over several days on national television while the latter was relegated to an interior page of the newspaper. Both however, suffer from the same identical maladies. First, the subjects of the criticism, a cartoon and a book, are inferior examples of their breed…and second, the criticism itself is ineptly presented.

Starting in reverse order, all of the critical comments pro and con surrounding the cartoon focused on the issue of suspect racism in it’s content by the media and the talking heads who were determined to take advantage of the potential controversy of the perceived subject. Give me a break! First and foremost, it was a stupid political cartoon, by an institution protected under the 1st Amendment for two hundred years. But more to my point, it wasn’t even close to being a good political cartoon…it was in fact, a badly conceived and drawn cartoon, not worthy of publication, let alone comment, based on its lack of aesthetics and humor alone.

The second example personally caused me more discomfort because it delves into a profession (Public Relations) and a skill (reporting and smart writing) I hold with some esteem. If the reviewer, Seth Brown, doesn’t do his research or write any more skillfully than is presented in this “review” than he should be eternally grateful for every check he receives while masquerading as a writer…. "Public relations doesn’t have great PR.” Wow…that’s insightful! “Perhaps the most alluring thing about being a PR consultant is that no formal training is required: no certification, no universally acknowledged test, no courses offered at many prestigious universities…” Really? Someone better tell that to the Northwestern’s, Boston University’s Cal State’s, KU’s or the PRSA.

The book itself as quoted in his review sounds a bit sophomoric and defensive…. "There is much more gray than black and white in the field of PR ethics.” Duh! The authors define PR according to Mr. Brown, as “the planned persuasion of people to behave in ways that further a sponsor’s objectives.” Makes us sound like ad agencies for breakfast cereal on Saturday morning TV.

But Mr. Brown does end well…”If you’re looking for a book to conclusively answer your PR questions, keep looking.” Hear, hear. (In difference to full disclosure, I have not read it, only Mr. Brown’s review, which does not make me want to spend the money or time to do so.)

Sometimes, some things just simply do not require nor deserve their fifteen minutes of fame nor to be reviewed. These people, these things, these attempts at art, at communication or aggrandizement are just inept. And that’s ok. Try again.

Sorry, Andy Warhol.

The new PR economy…let’s make a deal

I was recently in a luggage specialty store shopping for a rolling carry-on (one of the greatest inventions of the latter half of the 20th century…should any of us have thought of it first, we’d never be laboring in the PR mineshaft again.) As I asked the store clerk about various brands and sizes, I was struck by his not only giving me this information, but his insistence on disclosing the discounted price for each as well. I inquired as to why; and he said, “no one is paying retail any more, so why chance losing the sale. Better to cut to the chase.”

Indeed. Are we are all looking to play “Let’s Make a Deal” in our daily lives these days, even when it comes to PR?

The evidence is certainly pointing in that direction particularly in light of the fact that money is harder to come by (unless of course you’re a major financial institution) and therefore each dollar must stretch further in spreading your good word. The good news, if there is any, appears to be that the need and desire for PR is staying strong to a degree because of the recession, i.e., PR is often considered a credible promotion tool of lesser cost than advertising. Advertising Age magazine recently stated…“While the recession showed its teeth in December—the U.S. economy shed 577,000 jobs—the public relations industry added 1,200 jobs. Meanwhile, advertising and media companies eliminated 18,700 jobs in December. Ad and media industry job losses total 65,100 since the recession began” according to the publication.

And while PR is demonstrating a resurgence in attractiveness in these tough times, (if not in quality…please refer to my earlier rants on the PR’s wastefulness of the media’s time on Blago, Jessica, et. al.) the industry’s costs of providing it’s services are seeing a downward pressure commiserate with it’s increase in need. In many cases this is absolutely justified and is a natural reaction to years of bloated hourly fees and retainers. But I believe it is more than a natural pushback to traditional PR firm’s charging for their own self-designated importance than their client’s actual needs. This drive for a “deal” when discussing PR compensation is becoming part of the fabric of the recession itself. “Everyone is dealing these days, from auto dealerships and luggage stores to the government itself…so why not PR?”

It’s a valid question and is particularly relevant given the often abstract and obtuse nature of the service our industry provides. Thank goodness that there continue to be enough media left to receive our outreach, and we still seem to be a better “deal” than wasteful advertising. And those of us that have been preaching accountability while being compensated under a “pay-for-performance” structure all along, it’s even smugly gratifying to see clients demanding more “value” for their tightening budgets. But we can’t get too complacent congratulating ourselves with how much better our accountability factor is over those fat hourly fee folks. Value as it’s now being defined in recessionary terms means less cost but with the same service/result.

“Pay-for performance” PR may have to make a few deals of its own to survive.

Quality journalism is a two-way street…historically speaking

Recently the New York Times ran a story , “When the News Wasn’t New” that a current exhibit at the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capital Hill demonstrates there has been cynicism about the art and science of gathering and reporting of news and opinion since the professions’ erstwhile “official” beginnings some 360 years ago in England. It seems that much of the criticism at that long ago time was centered upon, “no wisdom…just much posturing and gossip.”

It goes on to state that, “It is strange to think that the genetic code of modern journalistic culture was laid down four centuries ago in England, mixing hype and high seriousness, incorporating battles over press freedoms, suffused with a spirit of competition and a need for marketing. The newspaper, we also see, evolved as the creator and mirror of its public.” (Nothing mentioned about public relations in this exhibit, but alas you just know there were PR-types in tights, floppy hats, and quill pens pushing that “hype” referred to above. But more on that later.)

Somewhere I hear that oft-used and much abused cliché… The more things change, the more they stay the same

Except the profession is in real danger this time of folding in upon itself, as it undergoes its latest metamorphosis from tangible printed page to a digital social digest due to dramatically changing technology and a younger audience eager to embrace it. Coupled with a crippling economy, these forces are driving the business side of journalism to dictate the quality of its product like never before in the 360-year history. While the conflict of cost versus editorial quality is as old as the profession itself (or any other for that matter,) the wholesale whittling down of both staff and infrastructure has definitely given rise to a much weaker editorial product.

There are those on the shadier side of the PR profession that look at this as a good thing, not a problem…believing that since those inside the media are weaker and the news holes to be filled, larger, the opportunity to gain coverage of clients, deserving or not, has increased exponentially. The rest of us (with whom I prefer to number myself) however, recognize this means we must work ever harder, and in tandem with the media to see that our clients’ stories fit the new and different demands of those on the media side grappling with these changes while still trying to be journalistically sound.

The media has a responsibility as well, in spite of its economic and transition woes. Those on the editorial side that truly care about their profession need to stay vigilant and proactive in preserving quality and integrity in their gathering and reporting. The good editors, reporters and producers that survive (and we all know who they are…or should be) must not let themselves be replaced by expeditious ineptitude under the guise of budget efficiency…i.e., laziness and penny pinching.

How can we help keep them employed and working with us, not against us? Deliver them real news story ideas and pitches that demonstrate understanding and respect of the media for which they work…not tripe and puffery. Bring them news that can be conveniently researched and reported…i.e., make them look good to their boss. In return, let them know (politely, of course…hey, it’s still the media) when they don’t show you similar professionalism and respect in their reporting or broadcast. Demand the same standards from them as they expect from us…solid homework, grasping of the facts, and an intelligent presentation.

With a little work and mutual respect, who knows…maybe we’ll both be around for another few hundred years…but I’m glad we lost the tights!

Five points CEO’s could learn from the new communicator-in-chief

The upcoming presidential inauguration signifies more than just a dramatic change in the politics of the administrations or the direction this country will be turning towards. If the transition period has been any indication, it also signifies an equally significant shift in how communications will be handled moving forward. Nearly thirty years ago, Ronald Reagan was hailed as the great communicator in the manner in which he shaped his words utilizing his training as an actor, but also in the way he was able to relate those words directly to the American public through a medium he was intimately familiar with…television.

On January 20 we are about to greet another ‘great communicator’ that knows not only how to shape his words as an obviously talented orator, but also knows how to use the media to transmit those words for the greatest impact. Only President Obama doesn’t limit himself to television nor try to circumvent any other media in the process. He seems, at least at this very early point in our relationship with him, that he understands the value of consistently good communications and not just the importance of periodic media outreach.

Oh, that all of our CEO clients should understand that axiom…that serving one’s (or company’s) self-interest lies in serving the needs of others…and no, not their shareholders, the media.

With my apologies to the new president and his administration, I’d like to suggest there are five key points of their communications strategy as it appears to relate to the media that the vast majority of CEO’s could benefit to learn and practice.

• Run a tight ship…but an open one. Make sure you’ve done your homework and have your facts straight and a firm communications strategy in place…then encourage open communications to the media.
• Be straightforward in your dealings with the media. Don’t try to outsmart or be in any way disingenuous, i.e., don’t be sneaky, unavailable or lie.
• Don’t be afraid of your competition. The media looks most favorable on those that are willing to mention or show respect to their competitors when necessary.
• Respect the media’s needs, deadlines…and even shortcomings. CEO’s that demonstrate an understanding and respect for the job the media is charged with completing will most often gain a mutual respect in return…even when both sides may not always deserve it.
• If mistakes are made (and they will be) go back to point one…be open about it. Admit the mistake and provide the correction and explanation…and move on. If the other four points have been consistently adhered to, the media will as well.
  

Media job cuts can offer opportunity for PR pros, but be prepared for some flak....

Most of the following I must credit to its original author, a friend and associate of mine here at INK inc, and one of the best PR pitchmen in the business, Gary Hanauer. Gary’s analysis and conclusion in a recent company memo is so solid, I thought it worth sharing the best of it…

“ It was a horrendous day at Forbes, with editorial layoffs being announced by Steve Forbes today, and writers grieving over their fellow "family members" being let go. Some were good, promising writers, according to one of my buddies, who survived. Apparently 19 were fired from the magazine and web in the wake of Forbes deciding to merge those two operations. Supposedly, none were senior level people. Forbes editor Bill Baldwin and Forbes.com editor Paul Maidment are now coeditors of the combined unit. Time magazine recently went through the same process.

Gawker says 17 were from the print side, "chiefly those with the longest tenure and the highest salaries," which kind of conflicts with the idea that none were senior level folks. The two from the web were recent hires. Most of the junior reporters who served as fact checkers are long gone. Forbes is also rumored to be moving from its fancy 60 Fifth Avenue digs to Forbes.com's dumpier newsroom at 90 Fifth Avenue so that Forbes can sell the old place. But it's a very bad time to be selling real estate, so the move is still undecided.

What does this mean for us old PR types? I've been around the block for a while and have discovered some tricks that work. And since placements are the lifeblood of the PR business and the only way we get paid at INK, I wanted to pass along what may sound like a new perspective to some and an "old hat" to others.

Believe it or not, with a little bit of attitude adjustment, what's happening at Forbes and elsewhere could mean more (media placements) for our clients!

Why? Because we're pros who don't dilly dally around and waste the time of reporters.

Think about it… with fewer reporters, the ones who are surviving are busier. Who will they be more inclined to turn to for help? To us. The pros like ourselves, who know how to come to them with timely, well thought out pitches that stand out from the crowd. And, the pros who are willing to go the extra mile to think of the "big picture" and to think "out of the box" to get the job done.

Obviously, we should always put our own client and their story forward first. But we should be willing to occasionally pitch a broader story that yes includes our client, but also includes mentioning the names of additional sources beyond the client, even at the risk of mentioning a few of the client's competitors, if it would help you sell a trend or other story and achieve the publicity our client wants.

That isn't how most agencies work, which is why their attempts to achieve publicity at top tier media often flop. They’re thinking like PR people, not the reporters and editors they’re trying to influence."

"In other words, now more than ever, we need to put on the "eyeglasses" of the reporter and try to think like them. What are the tools the reporter will need to get the job done right away? What are the ingredients?

Our job has grown. It's no longer good enough to just give a reporter a lead and a source, and to consider our work done. To move our idea from being merely another interesting pitch to one a reporter will actually use and build a story around, we need to, during the first conversation, tell the person we are pitching why they should do the story "now," when our client is available, who else they could or should interview beyond our client, and how you, as the reporter's new best friend, can send them all the information that's needed to proceed. If that sounds like P.R. 101, but if so, it’s been forgotten.

Additionally, many PR people pitch a story without saying why it must be done either now or soon. And they don't go beyond mentioning the client's name or beyond suggesting the CEO is an interviewee. If so, they’ve only done half their job…which is my point.

My advice about pitching the bigger story, even involving competitors, may sound counterintuitive, but in an age when reporters don't have the time to do much homework and at a time when a sophisticated reporter is going to have to gather this information anyway, my view is that we should be maximizing our chances for success in any way we can, as well as speeding the story from the idea stage to fruition".

And good advice it is, Gary.