Are there any “digital natives” in public relations?

I’m not surprised to see public relations students in the US are unfamiliar with the world of Web 2.0 – as it reflects my own experiences in the UK.  So, is it a myth that those under the age of 25 are naturally conversant with the world of online social media?  They are definitely familiar with computer games and mobile telephones, but beyond being able to Google, I’ve found little understanding, even of blogs, among most young PRs.

Mind you, I’ve been informed twice this week that the media increasingly want press releases sent by post to avoid spam emails. 

Golden days of automotive public relations

A couple of years ago, I began researching the history of public relations in the UK automotive industry – something that doesn’t exist despite the volumes of print on marques, cars and even the indutry itself.  I gave a brief paper at a CIPR conference – managing to cover the the first decade from 1895-1905, with particular focus on the 1,000 Mile Trial - which remains a masterclass in changing attitudes of constituents from government to the general public. 

I wish I had the time to really dedicate to this topic – but know there will be a special place for Lady Docker.  The 1950s reflected glamour in a post-war era – an exiting time when Bob Sicot created the international press launch for Renault that still pretty much follows his format today (even though times have changed).  How exotic it was to fly to the south of France.  But Lady Docker was something else – the chairman’s wife, with mad ideas that even Max Clifford would be proud of today.

 

The Docker Daimler’s were extravagent in the extreme – and one is coming up for auction at Bonhams in London on 4 December – the 1955 Golden Zebra.  The pictures have to be seen to be believed.  It has been beautifully restored – including the gold plate and (I hate to say it) South African zebra seat-covers (Bonham’s report: Lady Docker was particularly proud of the zebra skin upholstery. When asked ‘Why zebra?’ she famously replied with a flippancy that would have made Marie Antionette blush: ‘Because mink is too hot to sit on.’ )  Fortunately laws prevent the recreation of the original elephant ivory dashboard. 

Expected to sell for £120,000 – compared to the original £12,000 (which was many times the value of the average semi-detached house at the time).  It was shocking in the 1950s – and really remains so today – and although the decadence captured headlines of the day, it quickly saw the millionaire Sir Bernard Docker ousted from the company. 

Is rhetoric wrong?

A rhetorical perspective of public relations often involves critical analysis of the words we carefully craft - but are we as crafty in forming meaningful messages as the critics claim? 

Being able to write persuasive prose, successful speeches and headline grabbing press releases is at the heart of what many in public relations would consider to be their role.  At the next session of the CIPR Advanced Certificate and Diploma qualifications, our students will consider communications and persuasive theories as well as looking at the importance of building relationships.  I anticipate a lively debate when we analyse the published materials of BP as a case study. 

A recent analysis by Surma (in L’Etang and Pieczka’s Public Relations: Critical Debates and Contemporary Practice) undertakes an analysis of Nike’s 2001 social responsibility report finding the company more “self-serving” than “other-oriented”, defensive and interested more in the “discourse of marketing” than the “discourse of ethics”.  I’ve been involved in producing such material myself in the past, but was never conscious of creating manipulative materials.  So if public relations practitioners are “guilty” of rhetoric in our work, should we be more conscious of this, or is it an inevitable aspect of PR’s partisan role?

Does public relations need to party?

Tonight and tomorrow, I have professional parties to attend as the pre-Christmas “season” begins for me.  Tonight we’re combining our CIPR Wessex committee meeting with a meal in Winchester, whilst tomorrow is glam frocks and penguin suits (which are so this year) at the Guild of Motoring Writers annual dinner at the RAC Club in Pall Mall.  (And I’ve been invited to Kia’s media/PR party in London on Thursday if I can squeeze it in.)

In Jacqui L’Etang’s Public Relations in Britain – she is scathing of “fleshpots and undue influence” in the history of PR, criticising former IPR fellow and president of the 1950s, Maurice Buckmaster in particular (who was head of the special operations executive ‘F’ section in WWII, director of PR at Ford and then aptly represented the French champagne industry). 

Personally, I believe that networking is a vital aspect of public relations – in building relationships, keeping up with what’s going on, f2f communications or just having fun.  I’m actually quoted in Andy Green’s Effective Communications Skills book as championing “schmoozing”. 

Should corporate blogs exclude PR?

Should employee – and executive – blogs exclude public relations?  Interesting post by Chris Anderson (author of the Long Tail) on how blogging has inverted corporate norms, particularly shifting from secrecy to transparency as a default communications mode.

He states that employee bloggers are increasingly trusted to blog without “PR review” and that there is a new “radical transparency” in some companies including early product development discussions, CEO venting and management in public.

Clearly the public relations function, cannot (and I believe should not) seek to control all communications from employees (from blogs to presentations to chats in the pub).  But there has to be a role for ensuring conversations do not overstep the mark and cause either legal or other crisis for which PR will be expected to pick up the pieces.  PR must be seen as the experts regarding employee blogging and other communications by employees – by opening up debate internally on strategies, skills training (whilst not impacting on employees’ original voices) and ensuring awareness of how online issues can quickly become corporate crisis.

Blogging may be no different to executives being able to speak off the cuff at other times and openness is to be applauded.  But this doesn’t mean to say they don’t need PR counsel to avoid faux pas which frequently bring down those who speak injudiciously in public.  The trail of celebrities who then call their PRs to get them out of trouble should be avoided by company personnel.

Media luddites remain despite increase in broadband take-up

Public relations communicators will be interested in Antony Mayfield’s report of Government statistics showing 75% of internet connections in September were via broadband.  However, an email received today from a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers complaining about a 12 minute download of a 4.2mB photo attachment on a press release he received (not sent by me or a member of MIPAA) highlights that even this increasing figure means 1 in 4 people aren’t on broadband yet.

It remains poor PR practice to spam email journalists (this story about Shell V-Power diesel sent by PR agency JCPR was not even relevant for the target’s classic car publication). 

Mind you, in the latest newsletter from the Guild, one member bemoans the use of email for press launch invitations claiming they get filtered as spam.  His only solution to this (as apparently it would be impractical to add key contacts to his email address book approved list) was for PRs to ring round journalists or use post. 

Although public relations practitioners shouldn’t assume media contacts are tech-literature, surely working journalists need to get more ahead in the use of technology.

Public relations in 2020

Predicting how public relations would have changed by 2020 was the final task of the CIPR Diploma group I taught at Cardiff on Saturday.  Using a traffic light approach of what will have stopped, what will change and what will start, based on existing trends - the guys identified the following:

• In the face of increased activitism and more demands on public relations, we might be less responsive to all audiences and make greater use of technology for routine, technician level matters

• If diversity of society continues to increase, rather than being able to address everyone as individuals, we may need to look for commonalities or universal truths that relate to everyone, but more multi-lingual communications would be evident with politically correct language increasingly mainstream

• Greater demand for responsibility, combined with more connected publics, will see it harder for organisations to hide bad practice and behavioural standards (both voluntary and legally required) will increase

• A more strategic role for public relations was envisaged with an enhanced need to anticipate change and develop adaptive strategies

• This role will need to offer ethical counsel, and be skilled in mediating relationships, including more consultation via online media

• Specialist teams working within PR that provided 24:7 global monitoring and rapid response were predicted

• PR would be a more pervasive skill used by a greater range of bodies, including individuals and currently marginalised communities

• Finally, the guys felt professional qualifications and being accredited to a body such as the Chartered Institute of Public Relations was inevitable

 Nothing too radical, but certainly challenging the current view of many in PR who are stuck in the timewarp of distributing press releases and linear planning.  What do you think is likely to face us in 2020?

Public relations and pumpkin pie

Great reminder of why in public relations, there are never really any days off on Seth Godin’s blog - it shouldn’t have been difficult to predict that airports in the US would be busy for Thanksgiving.  JetBlue (an airline with a positive reputation) coped with confidence, empathy, competence and kindness – having talented staff on hand who had anticipated what is needed to make things go smoothly, despite increased security checks.  Godin reports the end result was: fast lines, happy employees, loyal customers.

The government security bureaucrats obviously have a different culture – and reputation.  What’s their problem – cake and pie apparently.  America no longer cares about Mom and her pumpkin pie.  More than symbolically, home-baked cake was confiscated and thrown out.   Similarly, common sense was lacking as Godin himself was forced to throw out a bottle of gel – which the label said contained 5 ounces (more than allowed) although the bottle was nearly empty.  The message conveyed is one of lack of care and no flexibility. 

I had a similar experience flying the other week from Bournemouth to Girona with Ryanair – there was a real sense of “jobsworth” among those scanning bags.  Everyone had to take their shoes off – even babies.  This is not a high risk flight – most of us had paid under £1 for our ticket (exc taxes) and Bournemouth is wrinkly town rather than a hotbed of activism.  There were no smiles and the atmosphere was like I imagine flying in communist Russia used to be.

Clearly the authorities in the UK and US want you to feel afraid and unable to say anything.  Everyone is treated as a potential terrorist rather than using the goodwill of the public to help in this global fight against a minority who wish to harm us – yes, we are the ones most at threat here.   

As Seth stated: “No Cake! Is this the sort of government we want? We deserve? We should pay for?”  He claims the government needs a new story – and claims this is a marketing failure.  It is really a leadership failure as most crisis originate with senior management – but marketing and public relations need to get them to understand the impact of their policies. 

Those who lack the inspiration and vision to tackle terrorism beyond attempting to prevent the very freedoms we are supposed to be protecting are deadbananas.  The millions of us who form the sensible society need to join Godin and get our voices heard – be greenbananas who can see a way for society to adapt to the new threats without losing the ability to fly with cake. 

Thank you

Happy Thanksgiving – not something we celebrate in the UK, but I thought it a good time to think about thanking my “founding fathers” – those who have helped me in life professionally in my public relations career and privately.

Professionally – I thank various people I consider to be my unofficial mentors: Gethin Bradley (also my avuncular), Andy Green, Tony Spalding, Alison Theaker and Alan Powell.  Other people are helpful sounding boards (or just crazy friends), such as Ruth Sparkes, Caroline Wilson, James Petre (and his team at CIPR), Shane Minnett, Paul Nieuwenhuis, John Kendall.  Then there are all my friends and colleagues in the world of motoring public relations and journalism – too many to mention.  Former bosses, notably the late Brian Llewelyn who gave me my first break into PR at Peugeot and the team at National Breakdown who were tough Yorkshire taskmasters.  Linda Peerless – a super lady, who would have loved the opportunities of blogging and social media, if cancer hadn’t take her much too early.  The much-missed Alan Rawel of CIPR was another inspiration, particularly of diplomacy and just quietly getting things done.  I’ve learned a lot from anyone I’ve ever worked with (both good and bad) and also the hundreds of students of public relations who frequently offer me a new perspective for looking at the profession.

Personally – I have parents from heaven (as a friend once dubbed them) who live too far away (half way up the Pyranees) but are always with me, my nephew (who has coped with a lot in his 23 years and remains my “little boy”), my brother (who has transformed from an irritating sibling to someone I am very proud of), Andy (who brings so much to my life), and my neighbours (there when either I or my dogs and cat need a friend) – and many friends who also fit into this category but are mentioned above.

Yes, I know it is rather a poor Oscar speech, but once in a while it is nice to stop and count your blessings in life – so thanks to everyone who has ever taken the time to participate in my life and let me into theirs.  Please join me in thanking your “founding fathers”.

What wouldn’t I do for PR and more?

Ellee Seymour has tagged me on her post to list 10 things I’d never do – so I thought I’d answer this professionally and personally.  My 10 public relations no-no’s are:

1. Lie – I could never be a celebrity publicist as I think honesty is an essential part of my own reputation

2. Break a promise – when I tell you I’ll do something, I’m as good as my word (and if for some reason I can’t deliver as promised, I’ll tell you so immediately)

3. Get drunk on duty – I can never understand anyone who sees free booze as an invitation to get blathered

4. Steal someone else’s ideas – I believe you should always give credit when its due and it will come back to you

5. Abandon a friend (or client) – if you need someone in a crisis, I’m your woman

6. Work without clearly defined “roles and responsibilities” – I believe its fair to everyone if you set out at the start the exact parameters of a project

7. Put up with bad debt – big organisations are the worst, and some are on my blacklist – why should little me paying my way help their corporate cashflow?

8. Work for morons or people I didn’t like – life is just too short

9. Hold anyone down – I believe in promoting talent, so if I work with you and you’re good, I’ll tell the world like your personal PR

10. Play snakes and ladders - you meet everyone twice, once on the way up and again on the way down (I’ve met too many prima donnas who forget this)

My personal top 10 things I’d never do are:

1. Take drugs – apart from the odd glass of alcohol, as I believe you can get the best high on a clear head

2. Steal – I work hard for everything I have in life, and would never take something that belonged to anyone else without their permission

3. Sing in public – I’d make a marvellous X-Factor outtake

4. Say no to a good opportunity – you never know what’s around the corner and where an interesting suggestion could lead

5. Live without music and lyrics – even if I can only play them in my head

6. Knowingly discriminate against anyone on grounds other than that they are proven to be an idiot!

7. Give up my personal, private, favourite pleasures

8. Go a day without reading – even if just a cereal packet

9. Stop having good – and rubbish – ideas

10. Deliberately let someone down if I could possibly help it – and there are a few very special people for whom I’d do anything, no matter what, even if it hurt

What would you never do?