This is not public relations
26 09 2007Mark Borkowski recently shared tales of stupid PR practices - which are further evidenced in the INQ guide to the baleful side of PR bunnies - although I should warn you that the view of someone who ”was a PR for a year in 1976″ ought to make you cry. [thanks to Judy Gombita for the link]
Neither of these examples reflect the way that I have ever worked in public relations, nor the understanding of those I meet who are commitment to best practice by signing up for the CIPR Advanced Certificate or Diploma.
The young undergraduates starting several years’ of study on PR degree courses aren’t looking to become experts in sloppy practices - and this sort of behaviour isn’t what they’ll learn in Universities. Unfortunately, it is how they are made to behave in the press release factories that are masquerading as PR consultancies in many cases.
Poor practices are unacceptable when there is plenty of information about the value of solid, professional public relations.
It depresses me to know there are those out there who insult clients, journalists and themselves in this way. Seriously, if you aren’t committed to doing a better job - please go and find something else to do with your life. Public relations doesn’t need you.
A friend who works at H&K advised me that “puppy mills” are out there, and I think calling this practice PR is a mistake. Could regulation solve this, is it necessary?
Good post.
-Michael
I’m not sure that regulation would solve the problem - but I definitely think we owe it to the newbies to address this. I am bemused to constantly see discussion regarding recruitment of non-PR grads into consultancies (eg http://reichcomm.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/09/pr—-a-matter-.html). The argument is that any graduate is as good as any other - I wonder if this is because PR graduates (certainly those we teach in Bournemouth Uni) know they are capable of doing more than spamming journalists - and that the practice is wrong.