by Meredith Clements

Deciding whether to pursue a master’s degree or enter the PR field may be a simple one for some, but to others, the sense of confusion and internal turmoil is overwhelming.

In this article, I present both PR paths by dissecting the decision-making process and its aftermath. An interview with Courtney Wilborn, business specialist for PPT Solutions, provides a further examination of the M.A. route and its effects on her career.

The basis of the decision
In the highly competitive global market we live and work in, it is necessary that you, as a PR professional, are experienced with current topics and trends. The key to PR practitioner success is communication and information. If you gained these traits and understand the ongoing process through your classes and internships, then you may choose the immediate work path. If you feel you have more to study and want to explore PR practices in depth, then a master’s degree could be your best fit.

The relationship between clients and consumers is excitingly complex. So complex, that it is something to be studied and something to experience first-hand.

Which to choose? There is no right or wrong, simply a personal decision that will customize your future in public relations. So let’s jump on in and soak up the informative subject of master’s degree program vs. going straight into PR practice.

Getting an M.A. in PR
There are two options under this category. You may take part in a two-year thesis program or choose a one-year professional program. The main difference of the options is the length and the focus.

The two-year program allows the student to concentrate her focus on either public relations or advertising, and the one-year degree blends the two. Courtney Wilborn, business specialist for PPT Solutions, a graduate of the University of Alabama, chose to get her master’s degree before beginning her career.

During my interview with Wilborn, I found out how planning and academic drive got her where she is today. Wilborn decided at an early age to put herself on a public relations fast track. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, Wilborn chose to pursue the one-year master’s program.

“With each class, I learned to write concisely, and I mastered the art of ‘show don’t tell.’ I sharpened my ability to think strategically.”

The job world is competitive. Being well qualified and prepared places you ahead of the masses. Getting a master’s displays your commitment to the PR field in that you are willing to further explore theory and persuasion in order to become a skilled contributor.

The decision is made, but how do I get in?
Requirements for admission vary depending on the institution you wish to attend. Private schools may include certain items such as a writing sample or an extra reference, yet many state schools have a standard set of requirements.

This includes an application along with a small fee and three letters of recommendation (they prefer these to be written by past professors, but if you have a boss from you job or the head of an organization you volunteered for, feel free to make this one of the letters). It is best to choose people you are confident in and with whom you have a close academic relationship.

The next requirement is a letter of intent. It is best to include your career goals and why you would like to attend graduate school. It is helpful to incorporate certain aspects unique to the institution. This shows that you have taken the time to research their program.

Now that the paperwork is done, it’s time to hit the books. The GRE (graduate records exam) is a standard test that every applicant must take in order to gain admittance. Brush up on your vocabulary, reading comprehension and mathematics, and the exam should go smoothly.

Going straight into the field
So you decided to go for it – look out real world, here you come. For some of us, getting a job straight from college is an opportunity for a fist-hand “learn as you go” experience. Others hit the ground running, and do not look back. Many are able to do so through internships.

Courtney Wilborn opted to build her resume with on campus involvement. Creating press releases, media kits or SWOT analysis in and outside the classroom will not only impress potential employers, it will aid you in the future.

Now, it is time for the blunt, undeniable breakdown. School takes time and costs money. Money is rather difficult to come about. Loans take time to pay off – time you could have spent working in the first place. Who can deny this? Some argue that the end result is worth the financial turmoil, yet to many, it is simply not worth it.

In the fast-paced, global society we reside (and hopefully will work) in, interviews may be conducted via e-mail or phone. Through an intense examination of company Web sites, a Google search of the interviewer, lists of potential questions and brainstorming possible pitches, you could land your dream job.

The more realistic mentality of beginning a career at an early age can be advantageous due to diligence. The respect for the concept of working your way up goes a long way in the workforce. If you can take direction, learn quickly and demonstrate talent, it is likely that you could be in the same position the Masters student is once he/she enters the field.

The decision is made, but which organization to work for?
After perfecting your resume, you are confident in your job candidacy and ready to begin. But where do you send your resume?

In today’s economy, our society has developed the “lucky to have a job” mentality. Generations before us shared this viewpoint. For a while, however, we had broken away from the corporate ruling and placed importance on family and work environment. There is no harm in simply being happy for what you have, yet it is important to find a job you enjoy.

The luxury of a strong economy may not be around the corner, but entering the work force doing something you despise may be detrimental in the long run. So, before you find yourself taking pre-planned pictures following your commencement ceremony, do a little research.

Organizational environments and requirements vary depending on the job. For example, working within a major marketing firm can differ from a small, nonprofit job in that you may be in a large group divided into teams rather than a small team consisting of a few co-workers. Big businesses have thicker budgets, yet a small business may allow you to have more control on the spending.

Courtney Wilborn began her job at PPT Solutions one week after finishing school and has remained a satisfied employee ever since. Entering the field through a positive work experience is valuable when forming your future career goals. Through our communication, it is clear that she and PPT Solutions share a mutual respect.

Which path fits my needs?
No two resumes are alike. Similarly, no two bosses are the same. Potential bosses’ opinions on the master’s vs. straight into field subject vary just as much as an perplexed college student’s view.

Getting a master’s vs. immediate field work varies among individuals, yet no matter which path you choose, there is a common trait that potential bosses agree upon and look for: eagerness.

If you are continuing with school, you ought to be passionate about furthering your education. Wilborn spoke of her academic passion during her studies. She found the amount of theoretical study was intriguing.

After Wilborn was hired, her boss told her he was not too keen on the idea of hiring someone with little experience. However, it was her early-age drive and eagerness that convinced him of her qualifications.

If you are entering the job world, then do so with enthusiasm. Research all types of organizations, and decide where your PR abilities should be utilized. Internships and part-time jobs are a productive way to stretch your sea legs in this large, ever changing marketplace.

The question posed in the heading of this section cannot be answered by anyone but the individual doing the asking. There is no debate, only a decision that varies between individuals. It is up to us, as public relations students, to plan our personal career paths. Once customized, your PR path will prove successful following your commitment to eagerness and drive. In this discussion of master’s vs. immediate work, there is no better direction; each route demonstrates a contribution to the public relations field.

Sources:
www.gradschools.com/Subject/Advertising-and-Public-Relations/8.html
www.apr.ua.edu
www.pptsinc.com

by Jessica Ayers

Nike entered the new millennium with a brand portfolio that any company would envy and spokespersons of the likes of Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Roger Federer and others who, in 2000, were at the top of their game or climbing to the height of their legendary status.

Having dealt with corporate responsibility issues in the previous decade and continuing to enforce high labor standards and increased monitoring, Nike could go nowhere but up. And the company reached for the stars. Literally.

Phil Knight told the world on CNBC’s special “Inside Nike” that he doesn’t “believe in advertising.” On that foundation, Nike has implemented campaigns throughout the company’s history that combine public relations, marketing and advertising. However, per Knight’s request, “it doesn’t look like advertising” (Inside Nike).

The cornerstones of these campaigns have been Nike’s athlete brand ambassadors. The following are two of the campaigns that have set Nike apart since 2000.

"Become Legendary"
Legendary is one of the only words that can be used to describe basketball great Michael Jordan. Nike launched the “Become Legendary” campaign in January 2008 to coincide with the release of the Air Jordan XX3 in the same year.

The campaign features a series of television ads airing for the first time during significant professional sporting events. The ads were called “It’s Not About the Shoes,” “Look Me In the Eyes,” “Clocktower,” and “Maybe It Was My Fault.”

According to a Nike press release, “‘BECOME LEGENDARY’ is intended to inspire consumers to exceed expectations, challenge conventional views of sportsmanship and explain that greatness is attainable. Using evocative imagery, the ad campaign animates the Jordan Brand core truths - Authentic, Uncompromised, Earned, and Inspirational - which speak directly to the brand pillars derived by Michael Jordan's personal values and philosophy for success” (“Jordan Brand Unveils ‘BECOME LEGENDARY’ New Brand Campaign in Celebration of Air Jordan Legacy”).

"Let Me Play" and support for female athletes
Nike published the original “Let Me Play” ad in 1995, publicizing the benefits of organized sports for women and girls. In 2007, Nike responded to Don Imus’s derogatory comments regarding Rutgers’ female basketball players by launching a campaign touting the accomplishments of famous female athletes like Serena Williams and Mia Hamm, among others.

To prove the company’s commitment to the advancement of female athletes, Nike started the Let Me Play Fund with $425,000 to issue grants for equipment and uniforms for girls’ sports teams (Howard).

"Nike+"
"Nike+" is less of a campaign and more of a technology meant to create a new lifestyle for consumers, or simply make it easier. Nike+ technology includes a chip inserted into Nike+ running shoes that communicates with the runner’s iPod or Nike+ SportBand, tracking mileage, pace and other training variables important to serious athletes and fun for casual athletes. The data can then be uploaded to the Nike+ Web site. Here comes the fun part.

The Nike+ Web site is a social network that allows users to log their workout information and share it with other users, as well as setting goals while connecting with an online network of cheerleaders. Empowered with a means of tracking progress and maintaining accountability, consumers interact with Nike on a regular basis.

Nike used this technology to put on the Nike Human Race 10k on Aug. 31, 2008, holding 10k races in 25 cities, but allowing anyone to register and log their run on the Nike+ Web site.

The message
Of course Nike is in the business of selling products and making money, but the message in each campaign is meant to empower the consumer. By empowering the consumer, Nike builds an undeniably positive relationship with its number one public.

The timing
The planning of the release of each campaign has been impeccable. Whether honoring the accomplishments of a world-renowned athlete, responding to a negative situation in the public eye or capitalizing on the growth of social media, Nike has been able to key into what people were already thinking about, making the message more effective.

The consumer-orientation
Nike knows its audience. The company’s message is effective because it builds effective relationships with its consumers. Consumers identify a message that inspires them to respond to or act on an issue already on their radar, and Nike garners instant interaction with the public, whether a sale is made or not. Once the relationship is built, a sale is probably inevitable.

Nike is the relationship king of the corporate world, and the rest of the decade should bring more good PR out of Beaverton, Ore.


Sources:

Howard, Theresa. "Nike Serves Up New Ads Supporting Women." USA Today 27 Aug. 2007. Money. 8 Dec. 2008 <http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/adtrack/2007-08-26-ad-track-williams_N.htm>.

“Inside Nike”. CNBC. <http://insidenike.cnbc.com>.

“Jordan Brand Unveils ‘BECOME LEGENDARY’ New Brand Campaign in Celebration of Air Jordan Legacy”. All Business. 8 Jan. 2008. 8 Dec. 2008. <http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/marketing-techniques/6598934-1.html>

Nike.com

by Whitney Taylor

The PR world is changing at the speed of light, and with these new changes come new priorities. Now, in addition to writing news releases, organizing press conferences, creating innovative PR campaigns, blogging, “tweeting” on Twitter, dealing with crisis management and maintaining brand image, add something else to the to-do list (as if it was not long enough, already). PR practitioners, put on a pot of 100 percent organic Fair Trade coffee and take some notes with your eco-friendly pen made of 65 percent corn — it’s time to go green.

Every PR client has its reasons for going green. Some choose to respect the environment by necessity, some for the sake of being trendy and, for others, it has always been an integral part of their corporate culture. Regardless of the reason, many PR professionals are now being presented with the daunting task of not only maintaining a reputable brand image, but an eco-friendly one, as well.

“Ecomagination”
General Electric has led the world with ground-breaking ideas. From Thomas Edison’s (GE’s founder) invention of the light bulb to the development of the first X-ray machine, GE has been considered a leader in inventions and technological breakthroughs. However, in recent years, environmentalists would argue otherwise, which led to the creation of GE’s multi-million dollar PR campaign, “Ecomagination.”

This eco-friendly campaign largely stemmed from what Forbes magazine describes as GE’s largest sin: “legally dumping 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls into the Hudson River over several decades, until these chemicals were banned in 1977.”

According to GE’s Ecomagination Web site, GE’s goals are to now “meet customer demand for more energy-efficient products” and “invest in innovative solutions to environmental challenges.” These goals, among many, include the cleanup of the Hudson River, the creation of a line of Ecomagination products for the home and the development of eco-friendly products focusing upon water, transportation, lighting and energy. Since 2006, GE has sold more than $12 billion of Ecomagination products with a goal to reach $25 billion in revenue by 2010.

On “Target” with the trends
The mass retailer Target has invested millions of dollars to create the latest trends at an affordable price. In the past, this has included teaming up with top designers, such as Isaac Mizrahi and Cynthia Rowley, to create low-cost designs for less. It comes as no surprise that Target jumped on the green bandwagon, as well, by partnering up with eco-fashion designer Rogan Gregory to create an eco-collection of environmentally friendly pieces made from organic cotton. In addition, Target has teamed up with Together.com, which works with big businesses and the government to help solve climate change, to create green products for the home that will reduce one’s carbon footprint.

The “Whole” package
While many companies have developed green campaigns to refine brand image or attract additional target audiences, some companies were founded with environmentally friendly goals from the start.

Whole Foods, the world’s leader in natural and organic foods and America’s first national certified organic grocer, made a “commitment to sustainable agriculture” from the get-go by selling food only in its purest state and pledging to employ people passionate about food and the planet. Whole Foods sells local farmers’ produce, sets food quality standards and educates its customers about food safety and trends through Web site features, podcasts and blogs.

And although Whole Foods is maintaining a “natural” image, it is doing so at a high price. While many companies, such as Target and GE, feature a certain line of products or just one eco-friendly collection, everything in Whole Foods stores is completely natural and in its most pure state. Instead of it being a green PR campaign, it’s a way of life.

However, while its desire for excellence is impressive, Whole Foods’ PR battles lie in trying to attract customers to spend in its stores, especially during an economic crisis. According to The New York Times, Whole Foods’ stock has dropped more than 70 percent since its peak in 2006. While Whole Foods promotes green lifestyles with ease, the real PR challenge is convincing customers that Whole Foods is both eco-friendly and economically friendly.

Despite tough economic times, customers, companies and PR practitioners alike are recognizing the advantages to going green. Eco-friendly PR campaigns are more than just promoting shampoo bars made from yucca root or reducing carbon emissions. They are about educating the public about protecting the environment and promoting healthier lifestyles. Eco-friendly views challenge PR professionals daily and have become not only brand image boosters, but, in many cases, a requirement.

Additional Sources:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/10/mirel.php

by Molly McPherson

The world is smaller now as War of the Worlds becomes war of the Web. Social media has created a "media of the masses," where everyone has the power to make and be the news on a daily basis. With more than 13 to 14 million active blogs (according to BusinessWeek), everyone is more accessible as people all over the world voice their thoughts and opinions to the global audience. The Web is proving to be the final frontier for fields related to communication, such as advertising, telecommunication and, of course, public relations. Who’s keeping up with the trend? What is the effect on public relations? How can you get involved?

Politics & product placement

Social media’s pervasion of society has yielded social media success to groups involved in varying fields, from politics to products.

In the political arena, this past election brought the world into the social media century as candidates used this new media to get their message out. Barack Obama rocked this trend by using Twitter, YouTube, blogs and even Facebook and MySpace to talk to constituents over video, find their concerns with the contacts on networks and send out his message of change by using the changing media trend.

While other candidates like McCain fell behind in social media, other lesser known candidates like Ron Paul used social media as well to get the best coverage for smallest cost. Paul used YouTube and other media to get his message out, but his use of social media took a different approach. Liberty Political Advertising kept Ron Paul on YouTube, Google and blogs by creating the Ron Paul Blimp Web site, where people could donate to keep his message flying. One testimonial from a constituent proves the effect of social media:

"Wow, when I saw the blimp I thought "Ron Who?" I decided I needed to take the advice on the blimp and look him up on Google. So far I am totally amazed. This appears to be the candidate I was waiting for all my life, and a blimp told me about it," Kristen Henders, a constituent from Maryland said.

The Web has created a new breed of gatekeepers as people read more blogs, so many public relations, marketing and advertising campaigns cater to influential bloggers instead of worrying with costly commercials or press releases that may or may not be used.

For instance, Pepsi’s new design was part of a campaign where the company sent boxes of empty Pepsi cans with older designs and full Pepsi cans with the new design to the top 25 most influential social media users. This campaign was cheap as Pepsi only paid for the cans and postage and got back huge response as the bloggers discussed the new design on their sites, getting instant customer feedback and product buzz.

Social media & the PR process

For the field of public relations, the four-step process of public relations has been updated to include social media to help in public relations campaigns. Social media enables public relations to communicate with accessible priority publics, manage a company’s image, effectively manage crises and more on a much broader scale! Here’s a look at social media’s modification of the four-step public relations process to a practitioner:

1. Research
-Read blogs related to your priority publics to know their thoughts and opinions.
-Establish relationships with leaders in your publics’ fields by commenting on blogs, tweeting with them on Twitter and following their online identity.

2. Planning
-Look at your company’s online image through its Web site and check the information’s timeliness.
-Create ways for people to interact with your company online through Twitter, YouTube and social networks and manage these accounts to let your publics know they can reach you.
-Consistently follow blogs of influential social media users so you have a personal connection if you want to do a social media release with their help.

3. Implementation
-Create a social media release or Twitpitch to influential social media users.
-Let your publics know of your new campaign from your different accounts and be accessible and responsive for their feedback.

4. Evaluation
-Conduct online surveys that are easier for your publics to respond to.
-React quickly when they respond; Immediate feedback is a blessing and a curse, so be prepared.

Tips of the trade

Social media provides great opportunity to public relations practitioners as everyone is on the World Wide Web. The best thing for people to do to keep up is get involved and test it for themselves. Read blogs, Twitter feeds and online magazines and newspapers to keep up with the latest information on the Internet for the news and for social media tips. Attend Webinars or Web conferences about social media to help with any gray areas. Learn from the best by looking at how top companies are using social media. Finally, get out there and create your own online identity on Twitter and blog sites to become a part of the social media century for yourself.

For a more in-depth perspective of social media's impact on the practice of public relations and specific tools, be sure to read "Social Media in Our Changing World: The Tools."

by Martha Griffith

Viral, a history
Merriam-Webster still defines "viral" the same way it has since the word appeared in its dictionary in 1937. It is an adjective meaning "of, relating to, or caused by a virus as in a viral infection." Even the Oxford English Dictionary (the world of definitions and usage histories that word lovers think of when they think of heaven) has only a draft addition from September 2006, for the adjective "viral" describing it as "Chiefly Marketing. Of, designating, or involving the rapid spread of information (esp. about a product or service) amongst customers by word of mouth, e-mail, etc. to go viral: to propagate in such a manner; to (be) spread widely and rapidly."

The OED tells us that the earliest recorded use of this new definition of viral was in September 1989, appearing in PC User magazine. It was not until 1998 when the Washington Post used the "viral campaigns" term to refer to tactics in which the consumer becomes the transmitter. Since then it has exploded. Viral is for many marketing, advertising and public relations strategies the ultimate goal.

A firm's perspective
To find out more about a firm's perspective on "going viral," I asked Edelman Senior Account Executive Jennifer Hudson and Digital Vice President Dave Coustan, both of the Atlanta office, for their thoughts.

"We often describe 'viral' as an outcome and not a strategy," Coustan and Hudson said. It is important to make sure "a piece of media is as easy as possible to share, remix and experience in multiple contexts." But even with all this, there is no guarantee that information will actually be shared. It is up to each individual receiver to decide if it is "useful, entertaining or enlightening" enough to pass on.

Interdisciplinary medium with an opportunity for PR
Because of its rapid development and power to encompass several disciplines, viral is not just a marketing term, an advertising term or even a public relations term. Viral refers to them all, serving to further confuse those who cannot separate the fields in the first place. But for practitioners of all, it can give a unique opportunity for collaboration on a larger goal that can be set up through a holistic PR campaign.

Coustan and Hudson emphasized the importance of looking at communications as a whole, making sure each element works together with the others and fits within the larger strategy saying, "Public engagement is by nature interdisciplinary."

In his blog, Richard Edelman shared advice from Jeff Levick, vice president of industry development and marketing, Americas for Google. Number one on the list was that "Nowadays companies could care less about which firm (PR versus advertising versus direct) provides what function — whichever has the idea and ability to execute can get the order. This is a real opportunity for PR firms."

Showing that all ideas, including viral, are anyone's game should motivate public relations practitioners to utilize it more when appropriate, educators to incorporate it into their curriculum and students to take the initiative to learn more about it in order to make themselves more marketable upon graduation.

Public relations is about two-way communication, and viral campaign elements are just another way to engage audiences, Coustan and Hudson say.

Viral knowledge and personal marketability

Becoming familiar with social media tools that can be utilized in viral campaign elements is beneficial when interviewing with companies, Coustan and Hudson noted. You don't have to utilize all of them, however; just be sure to know about them.

Sources:

Dave Coustan (dave.coustan@edelman.com), Digital Vice-President, Edelman Atlanta

Jennifer Hudson (Jennifer.Hudson@edelman.com), Senior Account Executive, Edelman Atlanta

by Stephanie Summer

Weddings, birthday parties, formal dinners — planning events such as these does not even begin to describe a public relations job. Although many people think event planning is public relations, it is not. Planning an event is only one part of the job and the key is that it is part of a much bigger plan.

The campaign begins
In the world of PR, the campaign is implemented after a long amount of time is spent on research of an organization and its surroundings. The campaign contains the steps for the intended outcome, such as increasing awareness of an organization or its product.

In an article about public relations, “It’s not just party planning,” writer Jean M. McLean says it “is steeped in analytical thought.” She also concludes from University of Alabama associate professor and director of the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations Dr. Karla Gower that “PR practitioners research organizations’ internal and external publics, clarify communication objectives and set communication strategies for each group they serve within the organization and without.”

Event planning is an effective way to use promotion, but it takes more than sending invitations, hanging up fliers, booking a location and budgeting. While all these aspects are part of an event, the main purpose of it has to be strategically brainstormed because it’s not about simply “throwing a party.”

In an online article, “All About Public Relations,” Pari Noskin Taichert discusses her PR role in a Art-Dessert Night event for her daughter’s school. Taichert points out some important PR parts of planning the event: defining the goal, audience and media. She also discusses partnership, which creates a collaborative event that can develop positive, long-term relationships.

No stranger to collaborative events, Dr. Hank Lazer, University of Alabama associate provost for academic affairs and executive director of the Creative Campus Initiative (an organization at UA that sponsors cultural art events) said, “Creative Campus tries to take a comprehensive, fresh approach by seeking creative ways to break out of the customary ways to present an event. It may mean seeking links and partnerships with various groups or departments on and off campus or linking the event to social activities.”

Creative Campus puts emphasis on the fact that it does not simply plan events, it encourages its employees and participants to take part in a bigger plan. Lazer said, “It may also mean thinking about ways of gathering assessment data for future projects.” The initiative is to continue to connect students to the cultural arts, not to plan events.

The PR aspect takes additional steps

- After completing a situation analysis, professionals focus on the purpose of the event according to the intended outcome of the campaign.
- Keeping the purpose in mind, they think about the target audience.
- Collaboration with other organizations is helpful depending on the type of event.
- The image of the overall outcome must be presented in the event itself: type of location and space, entertainment, flier or invitation, food and beverage, lighting and sound equipment (not a theme necessarily, but a way to engage the audience).
- After everything is planned, the event itself must be promoted.
- Use of social media: twitter, facebook, e-mail and blogs
- Personal calls or e-mails are good for select contacts.
- When using media, PR professionals keep in mind why this event will be beneficial for the organization and the target audience.
- Surveys or questionnaires are important uses for feedback because the event’s success must be measured.

The purpose of the event versus the planner
Now, most people could perform the tasks above, but does a person without PR skills know what a situation analysis consists of and the additional steps to take after the event has taken place? The purpose of an event must not only be implemented during the planning, but considered afterward as well. Public relations takes the additional steps because the overall plan is different than the plan for an event, such as a wedding.

Event planning is sometimes offered as a degree or course in college. In 2006, UA offered an interim term class on wedding planning. The students learned about the decision-making and problem-solving process utilized to design and execute a wedding event.

Courses in public relations do not contain event planning. The creative brainstorming and problem-solving techniques are applied to a different matter, rather than the event itself. It takes the basic event planning by storm and gives it a purpose rather than simply putting on a successful event. Of course, the key is to be successful, but one must also focus on what that success will bring to the organization and the long-term effects of the campaign.

PR uses events to connect communities in hopes to build relationships with the target audience. It is more than just getting a lot of people to come to an event. There are also surveys that must be done, not only according to the number of attendance, but also their thoughts on the purpose of the event.

The understatement of the century
Public relations is event planning. This statement is certainly not true. If public relations is event planning, why is event planning offered as a separate course or degree at some colleges?

Wedding and party planners have a completely different outlook on events compared to PR professionals. Simply stated, event planners focus on the basic steps and the short-term effects of one event, while public relations focuses on the outcome of the event according to the purpose of the campaign and its long-term effects on its internal and external audiences.

Eiler Communications’ Web site shows a chart of the parts of public relations with the headers “positioning,” “professional writing,” “media relations,” “corporate communication” and “periodic events.” Event planning is the last category under periodic events, which indicates it is only one part of a big process.

The Plank Center describes the education of a University of Alabama public relations student: “the core curriculum for undergraduate majors includes courses in mass communication, communication research, news reporting and editing, strategic writing, visual design, management, and media and campaign planning, among others.” Event planning does not have prominence in the study of public relations … it is only a small part of it.

by Kristin McDonald

Your job shouldn’t feel like work; it should be fun and rewarding. So before you begin the job search process, you should know what you want. The field of public relations offers a variety of jobs in three basic institutions: corporations, agencies and nonprofit organizations. Each of these three areas appeals to different types of people with diverse personalities, preferences and range of interests. Each area is individualistic. All three types of public relations connect under the umbrella of reputation management and communication, but each type has its own persona, requirements and goals. While the end result is the same — getting a job in the PR field — the means to which the end is achieved can vary based on where you work.

In the process of learning the basics of public relations practice throughout your education, you also learn about the job search process. While the article “Finding a Job 101” discusses practical tips for finding a job, this article can help you find a job that you love and that fits your personality best. Public relations offers its professionals unlimited opportunities to apply their skills and personalities to their job, so take advantage of the variety this field offers and find a job that fits you.

I gathered the following information from André Taylor and Stephen Bradley while attending the Agency vs. Corporate vs. Nonprofit session at The University of Alabama's PR Day on Nov. 6, 2008.

Corporate Public Relations

Structure embodies this type of public relations. In corporate PR, professionals are usually responsible for one or two specific tasks. For example, your job might specifically entail working on the company newsletter. Expectations would be clearly defined and, typically, there would be no surprises. Corporate PR is also considered the best paid public relations position. Entry-level jobs are estimated to earn between $27,000-$35,000.

One of the disadvantages to working within a company's public relations department is lack of variety. Your client will always be the company, and your responsibility will always be promoting the company. Also, freedom in decision-making can be stifled in corporate PR. Decisions must be made that benefit not only the company, but also take into account the opinion of your boss and his boss. Everyone is not always as savvy in public relations as you are, and their decisions will not always be in the best interest of the company and its image. However, in order to keep your job, you must learn to compromise between their opinions and your own.

Agency Public Relations

Working within an agency is very different and more complex than working within a corporation. Agency PR is often associated with issues management. This type of public relations can work with government and politics to persuade a person for or against taking an action to help the client. An agency's focus is on serving the client and providing any kind of service necessary to help the client. The kinds of projects and work involved with agencies will vary day to day based on the current clients and their needs. The agency is continually changing to better serve the client and working efficiently to keep the client satisfied.

One difficult aspect for agencies is maintaining clientele. Constant turnover characterizes agencies. An agency is always gaining new clients with new problems and losing old clients after their work is complete. And unlike in corporate and nonprofit PR, finding clients is up to the agency itself.

Nonprofit Public Relations

The award for most challenging and smallest budget goes to nonprofit public relations jobs. In this job, professionals must get creative with ways to effectively and cost-efficiently promote their organizations. Usually, the public relations department for a nonprofit organization is very small; therefore, everyone is involved in all aspects of the communication plan. When taking a job in the nonprofit sector, be prepared to work in a variety of areas including advertising, event planning, marketing, design and writing.

Public relations professionals working with nonprofits will most likely be paid less than both corporate and agency public relations professionals. However, most people in nonprofit PR are passionate about the cause their organization supports and are able to see the tangible results of their work.

Get Ahead

After you work hard to find the job you love, remember to work hard to get that job. Employers seeks employees with sharp verbal and writing skills, so make sure to keep learning and improving. Your portfolio demonstrates your abilities, so always keep it updated with your best work. Get to know the business you are working for and start learning how your target audience views your company. And always be conscious that as a representative of a company, your reputation affects its reputation. And lastly, take leadership opportunities when they come your way. The employee who comes to work a little earlier, leaves a little later and works a little harder will make the best impression.

Choose wisely when deciding where to take a job. Just because most job titles include the words "public relations" or "communications" doesn't mean each job includes the same type of work or environment. Pick a public relations job that will allow you become the person you want to be instead of letting a job determine who you will become. If you find a job that you love, your job will no longer be work; it will be fun.

Sources
André Taylor, VP (ret.) of Communications, Alabama Gas Corporation
Stephen Bradley, President, Stephen Bradley & Associates LLC

by Miranda Harbin

There are tons of Web sites, books and even blogs on etiquette. However, it seems like with growing technology fewer people are putting these etiquette lessons into action.

For instance, I recently had a professor tell us about an incident when a student walked into her office while she was on the phone and stared her down until she finished.

In our fast-paced, mobile society it seems that we are losing sight of the personal connection that we receive communicating with each other face to face.  While social media is a growing channel for public relations, it is important that we remember how to conduct ourselves in face-to-face encounters with our peers, as well as professionals.

For most students, the first opportunity they have to impress a potential employer is through a cover letter or resume.  However, if students advance to the next level of the process, it will require either a phone or face-to-face interview.

Phone etiquette

Due to both time and geographic restraints, many employers now conduct phone interviews as opposed to a face-to-face meeting for the first interview.

Blame Internet instant messaging or text messaging, but current college students and recent college graduates are not as familiar with using the phone as say graduates from 10 years ago.

Where does this put the preceding phone generation? Behind the desk that will make a hiring decision.

Phone tips (taken from www.salary.com) :

• Have a plan of what you are going to talk about prior to making the call.

• Decide what you will do if the person you are calling is not available, i.e., leave a message or call back later. (Don’t forget to send a thank-you card to everyone you speak to, even secretaries and assistants. After all, they are the gatekeepers.)

• Remove yourself from all distractions before placing the call. Turn off the radio, television and computer.

• Focus on what the other person is saying, taking notes if necessary. Don’t make a lot of shuffling noises while on the phone — it will make the other person wonder if you are listening to them.

• Do not eat or chew while on the phone, because the phone amplifies the sound.

• Remember to smile. While the person on the other end may not be able to see your face, they can hear a smile in your voice.

• Keep your umm's, uhh's and like's to a minimum. Try to keep answers to questions as clear and concise as possible.

Personal etiquette

Regardless of the context of the first interview, eventually one will meet his or her potential employer face to face.

While everyone says that first impressions are lasting impressions and often those first impressions are made through e-mails or phone calls, it is still important to impress during the first face-to-face meeting.

This is your opportunity to prove that you are not reading from notes over the phone and that you have written your own cover letter. 

According to Peter Post, “Your skills will get your in door; your people skills are what can seal the deal.”

Here are some tips for business etiquette:
• Arrive 15 minutes early for interviews and meetings. This initiative shows that you value your client or prospective employer’s time.

• Put a smile on your face before the elevator doors open and keep it there until you leave.

• Make an attempt to remember names of those people you meet. You never know when you may need to contact them with questions or concerns.

• Get a business card from key acquaintances — you will want to e-mail or send them a thank-you card later. This way you will have access to the information without having to look it up or calling the office. It shows that you are invested in the person and what they have to say.

• Think of questions that you could be asked prior to interview. Also, think of questions that you can ask about the specific job position or of the general activities of the office. This shows that you are thoughtful of their business practice and you have a vested interest in what they are doing.

• Remember to wear an appropriate suit and be neat in your appearance. You are not going to a club or party, so dress to impress. Check out the Platform Blog to see what not to wear.

• The handwritten thank-you note is vastly becoming a lost art. Most people would tell you to always send one. However, you should judge your audience and chose which form of communication — handwritten or e-mail — best suits them.

Just a few general pointers:
• When you are attending a telecast of an event, even though you are not in the same room as the speaker and they cannot hear you, you should conduct yourself in the same manner that you would if you were sitting in the primary audience.

• Never bring food to a meeting or an event, even if there are several hundred attendees, and believe you will just fit in.

• Business casual can be a dangerous. Make sure your clothes are office appropriate. According to a recent ABC News article, which cited a CareerBuilder.com survey, 35 percent of the 2800 companies surveyed have had to send an employee home to change clothes.

• If you do land a job, always dress better than your client. Be prepared for unexpected client visits. Remember in public relations firms you bill by the hour, and you don’t want the client to think you are slumming around in sweatpants while you are charging them.

• Please don't suffocate your co-workers, clients or potential employers! Easy on the perfume or cologne. Not only do some people have allergies, but it isn't attractive to leave a scent when leaving a room.

A resume chocked full of wonderful skills and activities may not be able to survive a etiquette faux pas. It is important that you understand the type of environment that you are entering. Oftentimes this information will shed light on how you should dress and conduct yourself in interviews and meetings. By researching a company or agency’s Web site you can find key information about the “style” in which they conduct their business. Best of luck!

Think you are up to speed on etiquette? Check out the USA Today’s talking etiquette quiz to find out! http://www.usatoday.com/img/content/flash/getiquettequiz/flash.htm

The Emily Post Institute is a great resource for everything about etiquette. Especially check out Peter Post’s Business Etiquette section, as well as Lizzie Post’s College and Beyond section. After all, who better to coach you on etiquette than Emily Post’s family! www.emilypost.com

by Jessica Ayers

Successes, failures and successes
In the first article of this series, we left Nike growing at an unprecedented pace in organizational size, sales and market share at the end of the 1970s. By the early 1980s, the company went public and passed Adidas to claim the position of the top sports apparel company in the industry (Locke, 2002). The next 20 years would bring more growth and incredible success, but not without encountering serious failure.

Success
After the initial move past Adidas, Nike slipped from the top of the industry in the mid-1980s as a result of underestimating the growing popularity of aerobics. It did not take long, however, for the company to regain the number one spot.

Nike gambled on a young rookie basketball player from The University of North Carolina in 1985, pinning on Michael Jordan the hopes of the company’s line of basketball shoes. His success along with the impact of the new Air Max line of shoes and its commercial featuring the song “Revolution” by the Beatles catapulted Nike back to the top of the sports apparel world.

Another gamble on cross training shoes, a two-sport athlete named Bo Jackson and the slogan “Just Do It” also paid off in a big way in the second half of the 1980s.

In the 1990s Nike opened a new world headquarters in Portland, Ore., as well as a new shopping experience called Niketown. The company focused more on soccer, golf and cycling in this decade, again taking chances on unproven athletes Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. By the end of the 1990s, Nike sponsored the Brazilian national soccer team and U.S. men’s and women’s national soccer teams (Nike.com).

Failure and success
Unfortunately, not everything was coming up roses for Nike. In the 1990s, human rights activists fiercely attacked Nike for its human rights abuses in foreign production factories. The accusations were printed in mass media across the United States, including The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Foreign Affairs and The Economist (Locke, 2002).

Allegations included lower than minimum wage payments to workers, child labor, forced labor, poor working conditions and verbal abuse.

Nike suffered from these blows, losing contracts and its good rapport with many consumers. Initially the company denied responsibility for the shortcomings, saying that the factories were run by independent contractors and therefore were not employees of Nike.

In 1992, the company took a step to remedy the problem by creating a code of conduct to be displayed in each factory. The response escalated from there when the company raised the minimum age of workers to 18 in footwear factories and 16 in all other factories. The company also required factories to meet U.S. labor standards and increase wages, among other improvements (Locke, 2002).

PR in Success
Nike’s success was very public. The more successful the company was, the more pervasive the company became.

Nike moved from track and running shoes to basketball, cross training, golf, soccer and cycling products in these two decades. Each time focus shifted to a new sport, Nike signed a new athlete – or team of athletes – to signify the company’s entrance into the market in a big way.

Allowing professional athletes to be the spokespersons for the company gave Nike a sort of superpower mystique, as well as credibility in the eyes of consumers.

Success in PR
No company wants to be faced with the accusations with which Nike was hit in the 1990s. However, Nike overcame this challenge using simple PR techniques:

1. Admit Responsibility
Although initially denying fault for the abuses occurring in its factories, Nike earned credibility and sowed the seeds of a reputation of social responsibility with CEO Phil Knight’s admission of guilt:

“The Nike product has become synonymous with slave wages, forced overtime and arbitrary abuse” (Locke).

2. Fix the Problem
Nike initially addressed those grievances specifically mentioned by attackers: child labor, health and safety standards and wage issues. However, Nike did not stop there.

The company created a Labor Practices department and the Nike Environmental Action Team, now covered by the Corporate Responsibility and Compliance Department. The company also placed employees responsible for ensuring the quality of working conditions at each factory. All new personnel involved in the maintenance of these factories go through training in all areas of Nike’s corporate responsibility standards and are present in the factories daily. Factories are now also audited and inspected by outside organizations.

Nike became a founding member of the Global Alliance for Workers and Communities, and became a member of the Fair Labor Association.

These solutions to corporate responsibility problems showed the public Nike’s commitment to being the top company in the sports apparel industry in ethics and in sales and market share.

3. Manage the Message
Throughout the campaign to rebuild Nike’s image, CEO Phil Knight was a visible primary spokesperson. For a company whose main spokespersons were professional athletes, to have someone at the head of the organization deliver the company’s message of responsibility and change was significant.

After the initial apology, the message was not one of remorse or of lighthearted delusion, but one of positive action. Nike even invited British documentary cameras into one of its Vietnamese factories (Haig 91).

4. See the Message Through
Since these first scandals and attacks, Nike has demonstrated a long-term commitment to corporate responsibility.

To this day Nike makes factory audits available online at Nike.com, as well as the most current version of the Code of Conduct and list of factories.

Through numerous programs addressing the grievances in working conditions and creating opportunities for people around the world to better their situations, the company has become the gold standard of responsible outsourcing and philanthropic programming.

What’s next
Nike is the gold standard of corporate responsibility and the leading, most pervasive sports apparel company in the industry. In the third and final installment of this series, Nike capitalizes on technology and mass media globalization.

 
Sources
Nike.com

Haig, M. Brand Royalty. Sterling, Va.: Kogan Page Limited, 2004.

Locke, R. M. (2002, July). The promise and perils of globalization: The case of Nike. MIT Working Paper IPC-02-007.