Laughable Public Relations?

 Check out the YouTube PR campaign aiming to give accountants in Hong Kong an identity makeover . Their PR advisors must be having a laugh??? This stands as much chance of changing their image as Mickey Mouse socks and a funny Christmas tie.

Puritanical Public Relations

PR messages seem to be all about fear campaigns, imposing penalties for “inappropriate” behaviour and doom laden forecasts at the moment.  This shows a poor understanding of human psychology – which ought to be a core skill of the effective PR practitioner.  It’s all stick and no carrot – which is scientifically shown to lead to learned helplessness or resistance. 

Update: Proving there’s no reward for good behaviour – What Car? reports that even though carbon dioxide emissions from cars have reduced, the government will still be beating on the motorist over this issue.  No credit ever goes to the industry or car users for addressing environmental concerns – come on media, praise where it is due.

Whether communicating about the environment, politically correct use of language, safety or security, PR practitioners seem to be supporting a depressive strategy that is unlikely to be engaging hearts or minds. But that doesn’t seem to matter since coercion and bullying tactics prevail.  Legal constraints, taxation and denying the alternative voice are the only tools being used to influence or persuade.  In fact, the PR message seems to be that members of society needs to be controlled like herded sheep.  Yes, we’ll undertake some consultation exercises – just so the people feel involved.   If life is to be about living under puritanical conditions of privation and state interference, enjoy your pleasures whilst you can.  Whether you like a little drink now and then, or enjoy the feel of the open road, let alone a bacon buttie, your days are numbered.  It’s all guilt trips and scare tactics.   

Where’s the creativity and serious debate PR guys?  Can we not engage in robust discussion on topics any more?  Anyone questioning the “inevitability” of environmental catastrophe is labelled a “denier”.  The media view is that marketing and PR are bad – unless practised by government or NGOs.  An injection communications model is assumed for advertising where we lose our ability to reason in the face of those promoting chocolate or “healthy” breakfast cereals.  And then the authorities use the same techniques for ludicrous campaigns to reduce consumption of drugs and alcohol.   

Advertising clearly doesn’t work – well, then let’s ban whatever it is we object to.  And there are activists eager to ban just about everything, hurling insulting labels at those who oppose them. We demand social responsibility for organisations and standards of openness and transparency that are never shown by those planning the attacks on our “bad” behaviour.  

In fact, they manage to get the media and others to do their job.  Let’s all buy into superficial schemes such as carbon offsetting to cancel out environmental damage. Let’s force individuals to recycle their rubbish, without tackling packaging production beyond another trading scheme.Unless the people at the top start treating citizens as intelligent and a real part of the solution, it will be more doom and gloom pedalled by the PR practitioners.  It is time for PR practitioners to tell bosses and the media that they need to lead by encouragement – offer reward for good behaviour, praise for inventions that deliver genuine benefits, interest in initiatives that are exciting and beautiful, and stop simply spinning statistics of failure and criticism. This is a fabulous planet which of course needs protection from stupid humans – but that doesn’t mean PR needs to adopt sackcloth and ashes to save it.

Public Relations practitioners need to value their own reputation

Reputation is what others say about you when you’re not around – so it is vitally important in public relations to manage your own reputation ahead of any client. Something not all PR practitioners understand.  Ellee Seymour links to a local spat in the CIPR East Anglia region where one consultancy, War, (which seems actually to be an advertising agency) has apparently spat out its dummy over not being shortlisted in every category of the PRIDE Awards that it had entered. 

In the blogosphere it is now all too easy to see what others are saying behind your back – in this case, justifably so.  Less pleasant is a website where puerile, anonymous bullies are posting nasty comments about those working in PR and journalism in the motor industry.  I won’t give this site the benefit of a link, but the personal comments that have been posted are offensive, upsetting and potentially libellous.  In the case of a number of young women, the comments are of a sexual nature – and given that they are made by supposed journalists this is disturbing as you don’t want to know that people are thinking of you like that when you are doing your best to help them.  Of course, once the industry finds out who these slugs really are, their own reputations will see them ostracised from launches and car loans.

PRs should hear this business perspective on the benefits of ‘new philanthropy’

I heard this great discussion on corporate responsibility on BBC Radio 4 programme The Bottom Line yesterday. Looking at ‘new philanthropy’ it discussed how modern altruism is “more about business than charity”. Participants in the debate include Sir Richard Branson (Chairman of the Virgin Group), Mike Lynch (Chief Executive of Autonomy), Doug Richard (Chairman of Library House and founder of Hotxt) and Robin Wight (Co-chairman of WCRS). Fascinating for anyone in public relations as it highlights views by CEOs on this vital topic.

To clog or not to clog, that’s PR’s question

Criticising the presence of public relations in developing corporate blogs (clogs), Richard Rothstein writes: “Word of mouth information is personal endorsement spread by independent individuals we trust, as opposed to paid spokespersons. Buzz originates with individuals who speak from the heart. And most importantly, the true power and influence of word of mouth and buzz is that they are “earned” not sponsored.”

This in undoubtedly true – but what people choose to “buzz” about is as likely to relate to the actions of organisations as anything else.  The adage is that “bad buzz” about negative customer experiences spreads quickly and widely.

Andy Green believes PR should be redefined, putting corporate memes (buzzable messages) at the heart of its responsibilities: ‘Public relations is about creating sustainable added value for an organisation’s reputation by managing its brand, actions, memes and networking’

Of course clogs differ from personal blogs in their remit to communicate about, or specifically promote, an organisation, but what is the matter with that?  Most bloggers have a personal agenda.  Aren’t organisations as entitled to speak from the heart and gain the trust of their publics as any individual?  Provided the clog is open and transparent about its roots, then it is the duty of PR to manage the memes and engage with public networks.

Public Relations must be honest and open

Yet more controversy about the practice of PR with the Guardian’s exposure that a new pan-European campaign group Cancer United  is solely funded by drug giant, Roche with its PR firm Weber Shandwick acting as the group’s secretariat.  This ”support” is mentioned on the campaign site, but it smacks of Bernay’s Impropaganda rather than open and transparent campaigning.

In contrast, the fight to save Britain’s post offices by the National Federation of SubPostmasters is quite open about its purpose and has built a coalition of support from others who share this aim – from Citizens Advice and Help the Aged to 400 members of parliament.

Despite supporting the WOMMA code of ethics PR firm Edelman forgot the rule of openness in designing a pan-US tour for Working Families for Wal-Mart. The apology of Richard Edelman says it all: trust is not negotiable.

Maybe it is the presence of external PR consultancies that raises cynicism about the motives of organisations, but if PR is to be trusted, by organisations, the media and wider society, it has to ensure the mantra of honest and open communications is not only said, but practised.

History matters to Public Relations

What is the story of PR in 2006?  Take part in the History Matters  project on Tuesday 17 October and ensure that the profession of public relations is recorded as part of this magnificent diary of real life on one day. 

Perhaps the debate about whether PR is a management or technical function, engaged in the online world or busy organising parties, ethical public service or manipulative misinformation could be addressed if we all recorded our actions and thoughts within this project. 

Looking back at the history of PR is fascinating – I always include video of Edward Bernays from the BBC “Century of the Self” series in the sessions I lead for anyone studying the CIPR qualifications.  I have seen the film almost 100 times – and will watch it 6 times in the next 2 weeks as I use it in seminars for 1st year undergraduates at Bournemouth University.  It never fails to amaze, horrify and interest modern PR students to see how so many of the things we do today were developed a century ago. 

But it is difficult to tell whether this brilliant television programme is reflective of PR’s influence in reality – as it is edited with a clear narrative around the Freud family.  And, much of the history of PR is US-centric, which ignores how mass communications developed in the UK, Europe and elsewhere.  Jacquie L’Etang has recorded an excellent history of professional PR practice in the UK – but there is still too little record of the lives and function of the thousands of PR practitioners; publicists, propagandists, craftsmen, corporate champions and pioneering women. 

I have a record of one such man, Bob Sicot, who created the modern car launch for Renault in the 1950s; which I would like to publish with his permission.  A few years ago I began a project to document the history of motor industry PR – and discovered some fascinating people from the early 1900s.  It was a delight to see the professional skills evident in the 1000 Mile Trial and the work of Claude Johnson.  I hope to find time to continue this project as the role of automotive PR in the last century has not been recorded, despite the many books written on motoring, cars and the impact on society. 

But how marvellous it would be for those who follow in our footsteps to get a glimpse of how we spend our days – so please take a few minutes on Tuesday and record your life in PR for history’s sake.

Warning to public relations regarding “green” claims

The Advertising Standards Authority has warned companies not to make grandiose claims  about environmental credentials which cannot be scientifically substantiated.  The particular case relates to tree-planting schemes, as carbon offsetting is this year’s simplistic solution to corporate social responsibility.

When will PR practitioners realise, CSR requires strategic not tactical foundations?  Promoting carbon offsetting schemes is poor public relations – about wanting to look good rather than being good.  Presented as win-win solutions, organisations – and their customers – buy into an environmental “exchange relationship” with Mother Nature, based on a simplistic mathematical equation. 

In particular, the major carbon offset companies have been busy promoting guilt free motoring where, for less than the price of a tank of fuel, you can neutralise your carbon emissions thanks to some tree planting or other initiative, largely in the 3rd world (adding in another layer of feel good motivation).  Lex Vehicle Leasing is one of the latest automotive companies to promote “peace of mind” to “environmentally conscious drivers and businesses” with its Carbon Neutral Driving Scheme .  But they are not alone – even the Guild of Motoring Writers has a carbon offset partnership.

But at last, the simplistic argument is being challenged – not least because those behind the conscience-salving schemes are raking it in big time.  The Guardian claims the market for carbon offsetting will top £300m within 3 years – with trading amounting to £60m globally this year, up from £20m in 2005.  The campaign group Fern is also highlighting shortcomings in the carbon offset solution.

If PR practitioners seriously want to help organisations gain a reputation as credible corporate citizens, they need to understand we need a “communal relationship” with the planet; where there isn’t always an easy or painless short term payback.  In his latest book, Andy Green says values are what you believe in even when they hurt - this is never more true than when communicating social responsibility.

Public Relations should support journalistic freedom

Public Relations should support calls by Sam Brook for better recognition of the value of journalistic freedom, which he links into a piece in today’s Guardian on the need to protect freedom of expression.

Too often, PR appears to be seeking to control or restrict the media, instead of recognising its importance in creating the type of open society in which the aims of public relations can be best achieved.  If we truly believe in the importance of dialogue over rhetoric, debate over propaganda, we must get behind Brook’s calls for ”a new social contract – a commitment to training and high standards, (and) best editorial practise”. 

We don’t need media which simply reproduces press releases, relies on partisan PRs rather than checking facts, or is subject to manipulation or intimidation for access.  Rather public relations can only manage a positive reputation for itself and those it represents by working with media as equal partners; interested in communicating accurately and fairly with the publics we wish to reach. 

The return of the PR stunt

The tradition of great PR stunts is evident when watching DJ Matt McAllister bulk up to wear 155 t-shirts  setting a Guinness World Record on YouTube.   Nearly at the half-million viewing figure, this is great promotion of Matt’s 99.9 KTYD’s Early Show in Santa Barbara.  Imaginative stunts are rarely seen today, but maybe social network media is the natural home for the skills honed by mastros such as Jim Moran. If the public relations community could come up with this type of creativity online rather than focusing on how to manipulate or defeat social networking, we might all have a lot more fun.