A song about public relations?

It’s true, there is a song about public relations. Needless to say the lyrics are not flattering; however, they are consistent with the dominant view of the public relations field (i.e. publicists). I was introduced to the lyrics of this song a few years ago, but never thought much of it till today. Turns out this song was actually written to coincide with the book Don’t Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk. As per the Amazon book description, “…It’s the story of Norman Paperman, a New York City press agent who, facing the onset of middle age, runs away to a Caribbean island to reinvent himself as a hotel keeper” (para. 2). The novel was originally published in 1965, and then republished in 1992.

According to Herman Wouk biography page “Don’t Stop the Carnival, published in 1965, is an extravaganza of life on a Caribbean island, which tells some grim truths of politics and race under the surface of fun. A few years ago the novel took on another form when Wouk wrote the libretto of a musical version in collaboration with Jimmy Buffett, the show’s composer and lyricist. Don’t Stop the Carnival had its premiere at the Coconut Grove Theatre in Miami, where enthusiastic audiences caused the original run to be extended by several months” (para. 9). Buffett bought the rights to Don’t Stop the Carnival in 1996.

Amazon reviewers say you won’t understand the song till you read the book. Guess I’ll have to put this book on my “to-read” list for the summer. Maybe then I’ll have a better outlook on the lyrics of this song…maybe.

Listen to the lyrics and tell me what you think?

-Urkovia

Final topic of the week

Image courtesy of Microsoft Office free images

 

We have covered a lot of ground this semester. What was most important or beneficial to you? Provide the top five things you learned in Intro to Public Relations this semester, but don’t just provide a list of items– be creative! Some additional presentation methods include embedding a PowerPoint slide deck (SlideShare is an option), using pictures/images to denote each item, creating a podcast, etc.

Topics of the Week #6

Courtesy of Microsoft images

Discuss three (or more) things you have done to secure a job in public relations and three (or more) things you must do.

OR

Review a current entry-level public relations job announcement. According to the announcement, what are some public relations pieces you must be able to write (eg. fact sheets, press releases, feature stories, etc.). Which of the identified pieces have you had experience writing and which do you need additional experience writing? How will you gain this experience prior to completing your degree?

“Scandal”: Is it good for public relations education?

Yesterday, April 5, ABC debuted a new original series titled “Scandal.” If you missed the first episode you can watch it online on ABC’s website, but check out the trailer below. The release of this show circulated throughout the public relations community, and for good reasons. The series “Scandal” is based around the inner workings of a crisis management firm. Of course the actors are not portrayed as public relations practitioners but are former lawyers who now focus on the client issues and nothing else. Okay, we’ll take it.

Although in its first season, what does this show mean for public relations education, if it means anything at all. It’s the first time a television show focuses on an aspect of public relations beyond the traditional event planners and publicists (ie. Kell on Earth, My Fair Wedding, PR Girls, etc.). If I’m wrong in this assessment, please let me know. But here are some takeaways from the launch of the series that I think should be highlighted in regards to teaching public relations.

• Importance of research– In the first episode you hear the main character, played by Kerry Washington, continuously state “I need more” in regards to the issue at hand.

• Diversity–Granted,there are only two African-American characters with respect to the firm; however, the lead role is played by an African-American female.

• Relationship building– Throughout the series you see the characters rely on their established relationships with the media, authority figures, etc. I don’t agree with all the tactics, but it is Hollywood and you have to make it good.

• Work ethics– I must admit I enjoy the mantra “We are gladiators in suits.” This statement says a lot about how they perceive themselves and even how they are perceived.

• Strategic thinking– Again, I may not agree with all the tactics used in the television series, however, there were instances in which the crisis management team was strategic with regards to when they approached individuals, where they approached them, who communicated the message, and how the message should be communicated. There were also instances when you saw strategic thinking in regards to data collection.

• Niche market– Due to the plethora of shows portraying public relations as all glitz and glam many students (and several adults) perceive the field as something anyone can do. Even in many job situations the lines are blurred between public relations, advertising, and marketing. Although we could debate that fact, the point is public relations is a niche market, just as crisis management is a niche market. If you don’t think public relations is a niche market, talk with individuals who have practiced in any of the aforementioned industries and they will tell you there are some stark differences.

I know the aforementioned list are things discussed in most, if not all, public relations programs, yet it is nice to see this angle of public relations playing on a large screen than some of the previously mentioned shows.  Students are visually oriented (along with the rest of us), but at least this series goes beyond the typically party and glam aspect that has been pushed in mainstream as a public relations practitioners job. (Sidebar: Those people are publicists, not practitioners.) Maybe in the future I will be able to credit this series to some of the influx in students desiring to study public relations, as oppose to the show Sex and the City.

I did not touch on the cons of this show in regards to public relations education, so do chime in. What are the cons of this show in regards to public relations education?

If you are interested in learning about the inspiration for this series, read more in The Washington Post Entertainment section. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Share your thoughts.

Urkovia

Topic(s) of the Week–#5

Image courtesy of Istockphoto

Think about an event you have attended in the last 30 days that promoted diversity. How did you find out about the event (i.e. poster, Facebook, word of mouth, newsletter, etc.)? Why did  you attend? Can you identify aspects of traditional public relations that was used or should have been used to increase success of the event?

OR

Lets talk about your blog. How did  you devise your blog name? Who is the target audience for your blog? What are the popular forms of communication among your identified audience (i.e. word of mouth, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)? Is your blog connected to, or do you post your links, on any social media platform beyond wordpress to generate buzz? Why or why not?

Topic(s) of the week– #4

Image courtesy of Microsoft office images

Discuss an organizations current conflict situation. Is their response appropriate? What should they continue to do, or not do?

      OR

Discuss the portrayal of public relations in mass media. Are the images helpful or hurtful to the field? Can/should these images be changed?

PR reminders from blog spam e-mail

Since I began my blogging journey one thing I could always count on was spammers. Sadly. Yet the increase or decrease of spam comments served as a reminder about my blogging activity— no post, no spam; lots of posts, lots of spam. But lately, blog spammers are not just posting in the comments section, they are e-mailing me. Yes, an e-mail. On top of it all, not only do I receive blog spam e-mail asking to advertise on my blog, but I also receive blog spam e-mail intended for my colleague blog. Really spammers, are we just that lazy?

At first I thought it was a fluke, but then I received blog spam e-mails intended for my colleague on multiple occasions. But I’m not going to beat up on the people sending the unwanted e-mails (and comments at times). Instead below are three basic public relations reminders (key word: reminders) from this fiasco. (Sidebar: I am NOT endorsing spam as a form of public relations.)

• Get the name right: Public relations 101. The best way to build a rapport with someone is to be able to address them by name. Of course seeing or communicating with the individual on multiple occasions helps. If you are not good with names there are several tricks that you can use. Just find one that works for you. This rule also applies to other aspects of public relations, such as writing client materials.

• Consistency: There are several cliches regarding consistency. One of my favorites is “how you practice is how you play.” In the end you are known by the work you produce. If you are good in your field, people will know. If you are not, people will know. Of course everything you do may not be a success, but as they say “actions speak louder than words.” Knowing what to expect from an individual can be a key reason to work or not work with someone. 

• Be human: One of my colleagues is a stickler about the need for people to use salutations, especially with respect to e-mail communications. As they say, follow the golden rule “treat people how you wish to be treated.” But in some instances the platinum rule applies: “Treat the person how THEY want to be treated.” Regardless the premise is the same, address the person. It goes back to building a rapport with someone. It is okay to show your personality, but just know the rules of your environment.

What would you add? What are other basic lessons we are reminded of when spammers flood our inbox?

Thoughts?

Urkovia