If there’s one story you should read this month, this should be it.
It’s a short story from Atlantic Monthly and it’s absolute hilarious.
The story concerns PR guy, “Rick Renard” and his work in lobbying for an American Pope.
“Monsignor Murphy had told me over the phone to go in the back way. I was tempted to say something, but didn’t. I tell my graduate students, “Don’t tease the client about sex scandals until you’ve established a good working relationship.”
Recommended reading…
That’s according to Hollywood muppet Joel Schumacher in advance publicity (oh the irony) for his movie “Phone Booth”. Ah yes, from the mouth of the ignorant comes ignorance.
Joel has about as much idea about PR as I do about directing large budget movies, so I guess I am qualified to say that all Hollywood film directors are overpaid, alcoholic, lying philanderers? No probably not.
His latest movie’s main character is a PR person who doesn’t use an office but walks the sidewalks with his assistant and a cell phone. That certainly sounds like my working day.
The quote itself comes from a smug article in the Toronto Star penned by self acclaimed ‘flack’ John Karastamatis.
It is a truly pathetic article, Mr. (he’s a man, that’s an important point as we’ll discover later) Karastamatis states that he’s not offended by being labelled a liar, “because it’s a clich� What? Well I’m offended, not by the term ‘liar’ but by his ignorance.
Poor Karastamatis is something of a campaigner, who was “berated by other publicists” for telling the world at large the truth about PR. Whose version of the truth was that?
“I have never known my fellow flacks be so passionate about something (okay, maybe the new pair of shoes they bought on sale at Holt Renfrew).”
He’s witty too eh?
He continues: “It was astonishing these women (and they are mostly women) would actually think what we do is anything more than a glorified sales job.”
This is before he gets started on Corporate PR people, who, according to Karastamatis, are “a more lethal branch of the practice”.
There is a disturbing trend among some practitioners of trying to promote themselves by degrading their fellow professionals. I am not sure why this attitude exists, but it’s clearly not professional. I’ve yet to see a doctor come out and say, “Most other doctors will kill you, I on the other hand know what I’m doing.”
Mr. Karastamatis obviously missed the “PR 101” class where we all found out what the ‘P’ and the ‘R’ of PR stand for. Here’s a hint for him, the P doesn’t stand for Press.
Public Relations is a diverse profession that employs hundreds of thousands of hard-working professional people in all walks of life. While the media and entertainment is part of it, it’s a small minority. Like any profession, some practitioners may lie, but that doesn’t mean everyone does. Most PR people I have known over fourteen years are ethical and professional.
What this article does show is that the barriers to becoming a practitioner are too low. When uninformed, amatuers like Karastamatis start to talk like they know any more than would fit on a postage stamp, it’s time to up the ant�/FONT>
Can anyone recommend a decent beginner’s course for him?
Rant over.
I’d never post something here that I didn’t try myself.
Have you got loads of floppy disks sitting around gathering dust?
How about transforming them into the Starship Enterprise?
Here’s a link to the instructions.
The link has been so popular it’s only available in Google’s cache and by the way watch the sharp edges!
Warning: The end product may differ subtly from the picture shown.
Canada’s Globe and Mail have a story on how the war is affecting Public Relations.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution takes a look at the PR problems facing Delta as it gives raises to it’s executives while cutting services and jobs.
Meanwhile the Birmingham News reports that the Birmingham Water Works Board can’t show exactly how the $1.9 million spent on PR was “used”.
The Register has a very interesting story on Googlewashing.
What is Googlewashing?
It describes a new phenomenon whereby search results on Google can be influenced by a disproportionately small number of influential parties, in this case bloggers.
This is a very important illustration of why the online environment offers some different challenges in communicating effectively.
Google is the de facto research portal for the Internet. Yes there are other search engines and directories, but Google is by far the most popular.
Now, if the prominent ranking for a particular search term has more to do with what bloggers have written about it, rather than what publications have written about it, then there is new tactical section in your PR plan.
Bloggers are not journalists, but it would seem they do have a role to play in online promotion.
A quote from John Tudor:
Strategic Marketing Montreal have an article on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and why it must be tightly integrated with a whole suite of other online promotion activites to succeed.
Recently a new firm eponymously named SEO-PR has been launched to tackle this very issue.
While I completely agree that SEO is part of an integrated campaign, let’s take it on its own for a moment.
Are you familiar with SEO? Is it something you offer your clients or employer?
As the online environment becomes more important in the communications mix, it’s vital that you understand the role of these new techniques. Whether you outsource to firms such as SEO-PR or develop the expertise in your team, SEO is yet another element in the toolbox. Research it and practice it.
In my personal opinion, I think it’s important that before you outsource it, that you get a good understanding of how it works. Only that way will you understand it’s potential.
RELATED LINKS: SEO Introduction | SEO Tips | Guide to SEO
The LexisNexis newsletter, The Scoop, has a beginner’s guide to technology jargon for PR people in their latest issue. Although not very comprehensive, it’s a start.
However, if you come across a new technology term Whatis.com is probably the best port of call.
eBay has something for everyone. You don’t believe me? Well what about the ultimate home for a Star Trek fanatic.
On eBay right now, for the princely sum of $2,000,000 you can purchase a one bedroom appartment that has been modeled on the interior of the Starship Enterprise. If you don’t believe me check it out. Thanks to Karlin for the link.
Business 2.0 talks with Al Ries, Harry Beckwith and Simon Anholt about how well the Pentagon’s PR campaign in going.
Murphy's Law 