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 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

APR 415 Online Magazine Writing and Editing is a course offered in the public relations department at The University of Alabama. Qualified UA public relations students can become a part of the Platform Online Magazine student-run editorial team that produces this online magazine and blog. Or other PR students, educators and practitioners can contribute articles and blog comments. For those interested, please watch this video for more information.

by Brandi King

Times are getting tough. The U.S. economy is facing increasing unemployment rates, rising food and energy costs, falling stock prices and the housing market slump. So what does the struggling economy mean for public relations?

Shrinking budgets
With the downward turn in the economy, many companies are beginning to feel the need to tighten their budgets. Generally, the PR department is of the first areas to feel the budget cut. Since public relations does not necessarily create profit, businesses may not view the PR function as important as other areas. Ironically, in times of crisis, such as the economic downturn, public relations is especially important. The current condition of the economy makes it increasingly important for public relations professionals to present sound and strong images for companies.

So with smaller budgets, PR pros must know how get more bang for their buck or in other words do more for less. Luckily, public relations can be very cost efficient. Tools such as the traditional news release, blogs, message boards, forums and editorials offer inexpensive ways to effectively communicate with key publics.

Changing messages
The struggling economy also brings the challenge of being perceptive of the concerns, attitudes and behaviors of target audiences. According to the U.S. Consumer Confidence Index, economic optimism expressed by consumers is at a 16-year low. Since the American public’s confidence has been shaken, it is important to understand what information is important to disseminate to the public.

Companies are now changing their messages to address the economic concerns of the public. Energy companies such as Alabama Power Company and Tampa Energy Company (TECO) have launched energy efficiency programs to help combat the increase in rates. TECO recently implemented two programs to aid its customers with the rate increases, the Energy Planner program and the Low Income program. Like TECO, Alabama Power Company implemented programs to easy the transition of the increase in rates. Along with these programs, Alabama Power Company change their advertising featuring the animated birds, Ben and Mickey, to advertising featuring company employees discussing how customers can save on energy costs. The new campaign will have a more serious tone, said Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman. More companies, like TECO and Alabama Power, are opting for a more serious tone to mirror the gravity of the economic slump.

In “The Agency Business — Consumer practices must find value in messaging,” Beth Krietsch states that value is the key message these days. Given the down economy, consumers are looking for value. Consumers may find value in the ability to save time or money. Offering an added incentive such as TECO’s Energy Planner program helps to add value to a product or service.

Opportunities
The economic condition can actually provide opportunities for the PR profession.
•    Boost brand loyalty
In a time of economic uncertainty, public relations professionals have the opportunity to show their publics that the public can depend on their brand and company. According to Maria Kalligeros, EVP and consumer practice director at CRT/tanaka, PR efforts should address today’s reality. Kalligeros goes on to say, “Authenticity, reality, trust. Brands that can convey those values to consumers are going to win in a time of contracted spending.”

•    Prove the value of PR
This time is the prime opportunity to “prove the value of PR to the companies we serve,” says Shannon Troughton, VP of PR at WellPoint. It’s difficult to prove the value of PR. But when the times are difficult such as this, PR is most valuable.

•    Learn from experience
The down economy can also serve as a learning tool for PR pros.  This is an opportunity to develop a crisis management plan and allows for professionals to be better prepared in similar situations.

The struggling economy poses many challenges to the PR profession. It is important for public relations to make the most of tough times. The key to making it through the tough times is to present a strong front and keep publics informed with accurate and helpful information.

Sources

http://www.conference-board.org/economics/ConsumerConfidence.cfm http://www.prweekus.com/Down-economy-is-PRs-time-to-shine/article/119385/ www.tampaelectric.com
www.alabamapower.com
http://margaretal.com/images/Ala%20Power.jpg

by Jacob Summers

"Those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth. And let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyrannies. Absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed."

--C.S. Lewis

Making a profit, turning a dime and bringing home the bacon are not concepts without merit—many of us desire to be rich, powerful, influential and famous in some form or another.  As such, businesses and individuals seek to do so through creation of a product or service that has a very real value to its consumers—media, clothing, food, social aid - and usually do a job that merits the pay at the end of the day.  But at some point, in order to attain most or all of the above stated desires, and not just earn an income, we must compromise, change and be willing to sacrifice for future gain. Few have put it better than Charles Dubois:

"The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."

My point is not a moral tirade, though it can be taken that way.  My point is not a command, though it should be.  My point is not a common practice... though it is becoming that way.

What my point is... is a suggestion for the future—because some companies are already evolving and are enjoying the fruits of their labors while the rest of us do things the way we always have.  What I refer to is the up and coming new concept of freeware and the emphasis on customer service.

For now, I will use examples taken from the video gaming industry.

Here, some companies, after years of creating games and selling them to consumers for exorbitant costs, are now giving them away.  Perfecting the practice of key-coding (a code that must be entered during game installation to finish installing the product), some are now simply providing the file to those who register on their site and create a user name.  After years of profits, the companies now look to the consumers and hand over their prodigy with trust and hope—hope that customers will, in fact, buy it and love it. 

This has nothing to do with the economy, mind you... just trust.  Vendors are now beginning to follow the business model recent recording artists have followed.  These practices involve giving the product away, and depending on the hype it will generate to bring profit back in—and looking for main streams of revenue elsewhere.

Recording artists now let their songs go downloaded free of charge, which consequently cuts production costs, and instead earn their income through concerts.

Not all venues can practice this.  But video gaming company Three Rings, under the valiant direction of CEO Daniel James, has blazed a trail for the video gaming industry.

In article recently published to Penny-Arcade, a gamer—based blog and Web comic Web site, James puts it best:

"The business model of putting bits in a box and charging to experience said tasty bits is forever broken. Furthermore, to prevent the copying of bits is futile and ultimately destructive to the goal of any modern digital business, which is to conscript enthusiastic 'users', and from them, customers."

Here, James is clearly referring to the arbitrarily high costs of video game software that prohibits the loyal gamers from being bigger fans.  He goes on to explain what motivates this impetus for change.

"Our mission at Three Rings is to create an emotional connection with players. We want to become one of the ten places you go on the interwebs. We want to be on your Chrome start page. We want you to dream of puzzley pieces and Pirates (or Zombies). If some folks would like to give us some money, that'd be great too."

At first, this practice may sound crazy.  Our economics model here in the U.S. is that of capitalism, with the success of one company built off strategic practices and the failures of other companies—and as such, our PR efforts, while benevolent, are focused competitively.

However, this change in economic policy may also spell a radical new style of PR effort, similar to the methods required with a nonprofit organization—all focus to the customer and little focus to the competition—because when the product offered is free and the emphasis is on getting the customer just what they need out of this product... the competition is suddenly much less... competitive.

James had this to say:

"The cheddary 'Free to Play' is not just a cheesy marketing slogan, but a shift in assumptions; it costs approaching nothing to give away some bits, or let people play Puzzle Pirates for free. Every player, free or paid, adds value to the community and excitement for other players. Free players are the content, context and society that encourages a small fraction of the audience to willingly pay more than enough to subsidize the rest.

"'Not fair', the vendor of music or packaged software cries. Well, tough... Nobody added your business to the list of protected species, despite what your lobbyists and lawyers say. Find a business model that's actually appropriate to the 21st century, and perhaps scale back your expectations of vast profits accordingly (oh, and fire some lawyers and lobbyists, too, please). For example, as some musicians have done by returning to live performance as their main source of revenue."

James is right - and as we continue to progress our PR tactics into the 21st century, freeware and its implications for profit must figure in.

-----
External Sites:
Three Rings
Penny-Arcade

by Meredith Clements

Every four years, a president is elected. For years, candidates and their campaign team plan and prepare for their public debut. Months of campaigning go by, a candidate is elected and the journey either ceases or begins.
   
The public has given much attention to this year’s presidential race since its beginning, yet eyes are fixed upon recent additives and events that have shaped this election. Yes, the obvious reason for this unique attentiveness from our nation is the fact that, for the first time, our presidential ticket includes two minority candidates. Yet, is there more beyond the obvious? Well, if you are a PR practitioner working on these campaigns, you would hope most people would answer no.
     
The truth is, that while the candidates themselves are making history, the public relations being used to back these chosen people is equally exceptional. This election’s political PR blends Hollywood glamour and respectable humility.
   
Conventions

Memorable PR elements of the election include the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and the Republic National Convention (RNC). Election decisions heavily rely on the media and its powerful influence over Americans. Our culture has grown to expect a “political show” and is not satisfied until the “lights, camera, action” appeal is met.
   
During the month of May 1832, Baltimore, Md., hosted the first democratic and republican conventions. Over these 176 years, we have experienced a shift in acceptance. There have been previous attempts to break the aged, Caucasian mold, yet no one has come as far as democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
   
Minority impact
   
Palin officially joined the race during the second day of the Republican National Convention (RNC), where she accepted her nomination and delivered a speech so powerful, it gained the entire nation’s attention, regardless of political affiliation. Palin’s speech took on a life of its own, snowballing into what we now call the “Palin Effect.”
   
Julia Baird of NEWSWEEK wrote, “Women are flocking to her, cheering her can-do attitude.” Baird believes this is the first presidential race in which women are pleased with the “super mom” image Palin portrays (http://www.newsweek.com/id/158893).
   
A major factor of the “Palin Effect” is her style. Her fashionable glasses are a new addition to political public relations. Never before has the public shown such attention to a candidate’s ability to accessorize. During her debut at the RNC, Palin created a signature style with these frames. According to Bruce Horovitz of USA TODAY, the Palin frame could have a serious effect on the vision-care market. Dealers around the country are calling eye wear company Italee demanding similar frames (http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-09-03-palin-glasses_N.htm).
   
Baird also noted the NEWSWEEK Poll’s shift towards McCain among white women. Following Palin’s nomination, McCain led Obama by 53 to 37 percent. Baird went on to remind readers of the possibility for a PR burnout.
   
 “Polls are notoriously unreliable and subject to quick fluctuations. [Palin] has received far less media scrutiny than other candidates,” Baird wrote.
   
Logos

The DNC and RNC’s logos have caused quite a stir among the political community. People have expressed mixed opinions regarding both the republican and democratic logos. Both take on a new approach than in previous years, yet drastically vary.
   
I decided to further explore the logo discussion by examining each logo for the image that it was. I did so by conducting brief interviews with various students at the University of Alabama. I asked the interviewee which logo he/she preferred. This question attempted to eliminate politics from the equation and simply focus on image preference.
   
Once the interviewee responded in favor of a logo, I asked why he/she chose the image. Lastly, I asked his/her political affiliation, thus re-entering politics into the circumstances to see if the first answer correlated with the last.

   
The findings of this interview demonstrated the difficulties of public relations at its finest. While the DNC logo was more popular due to its mountainous background and color scheme, neither party’s logo pleased the people as a whole.
   
Some students preferred their opposite party’s logo due to color, simplicity, text or creativity. Other students preferred a logo, yet had trouble explaining the logic behind their reasoning.
   
These interviews suggest that political public relations may be more difficult than the average American believes. The field of PR has the ability to adapt, and in a race such as this, fresh tactics are imperative. The 2008 presidential election has utilized both subtle and dramatic PR strategies as unique as the competing candidates.

by Jacob Summers

“No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.”
—Helmuth von Moltke

These words, while slightly more aggressive than the field of PR is normally perceived as being, ring true for the practice of PR nonetheless.

Many companies, agencies and corporations—whether PR-based or just in possession of a PR department—ace the struggle of staying alive and growing in today’s competitive world, where so many large and small businesses are also struggling to make a name for themselves. Add to this the compounded struggle of everything these entities do being caught on camera, recorder or cell phone, and many CEOs, CFOs, managers, trainers and consultants find themselves scrambling for the right PR plan to save them.

The problem is … many don’t have one. They have emergency plans for the day, week or month, but few have a sustainable framework in which to make their decisions or on which to lean back when something unpredictable arises.

Now, no PR plan is perfect—you cannot plan for every contingency, and even if you did have a plan, it would be foolish to just play by that. PR must be adaptable and actively changing in order to progress and evolve. However, having no plan is like hitting the open sea without a chart, compass or means of communication. Sure, things might be interesting for a while, but eventually you’re going to drown, starve or have to give up and come back … if you can find your way.

Let’s look to examples of how this affects the current practice of PR. Typing a search in Google for failed long-term PR plans is pointless, as it will turn up just about every company, so let’s take a look at a success story.

http://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/1996Q1/silicone10.html

Here, the Center for Media and Democracy explores a PR company that manages to create a positive reputation for breast implant companies in both the public’s eyes and in the courts. In this case, through the collaborative efforts of Burson-Marsteller and its subsidiary, Gold & Liebengood, as well as the firms of Kent & O’Connor, along with Black, Manafort, Stone & Kelly, Dow and plastic surgeons managed to pull through the PR debacle in several ways:

• Responsibility was taken for those patients who had suffered medical side effects of breast implant surgery.

• Grassroots efforts were used to poll public opinion on the subject of breast augmentation.

• In order to continue to keep the field of breast augmentation afloat, during the trial period, the PR practitioners also built the case that breast augmentation, while perceived to be superficial and harmful by many, can be used to help patients who have suffered from breast cancer.

This is just one example of how PR plans that combine short-term goals with long-term goals and a plan can form a framework that will last.

So what all is involved in an effective long-term plan? It’s different for each company, but some rules apply universally:

• First, remember the four-step communication process. Many companies, agencies and fields fail in remembering the basic framework for any effective PR plan: research, planning, communication and evaluation.

• Research: Many companies in today’s marketplace of ideas, products and services fail to remember to do their homework, and this is critical. Just because news is 24/7 doesn’t mean you don’t have time to do your homework first. Better five minutes late than five years sorry.

• Planning: Any idea, product or service can only be made better by proper planning, which involves taking in as many viable sources as possible without hitting information overload. And key to planning is ensuring that, just as with research, the proper amount of time is taken. In this stage, it is crucial to understand where the current plan fits into the bigger picture—long-term planning.

• Communication: Communication is key in the PR field—communication with clients, customers, media and within the organization. No matter how strong your current or long-term plans are, they cannot be executed if only a few individuals have the necessary information.

• Evaluation: Ensure that once each step, sale or acquisition of your company is executed, you learn what you can from the faults and failings of the plan, to apply to future endeavors, and how well it fit into your bigger picture.

• Second, continue to set up contacts, no matter how far along you are in the game. Even if you’re a 30-year-old company, it never hurts to continue to send someone to new events and opportunities with other PR practitioners or other companies. In this way, should things go negatively, your contact pool is extensive, reaching the greatest audience possible with accurate, current information, and your pool of resources is much greater. This works for both the companies themselves and for individual PR practitioners, on a grassroots level. Many companies believe their reputation or global multimedia will send the right message, whereas the intimate, personal interaction of a PR practitioner, a handshake at community events, networking conferences and grand openings are what stick with people best.

• Third, think three steps ahead, plan three steps ahead. It never hurts to be over-prepared, unless you are far understaffed. In this way, you have a plan for the current timing of things, as expected, on which to fall back, and should something arise, you have time to develop a new, more appropriate plan. You’re not forced to adapt when your competition rolls out something new—because you most likely have your own plan with new and brilliant strategies, and are not scrambling to reinvent the wheel.

• Fourth, don’t expend your resources too early … or ever. Often, many companies pool a large amount of resources to plug into one PR campaign—in terms of money, time and other commodities. While it is important to give each project proper attention, an intentional conservation of funds and other resources for future projects and emergencies is just as important.

Ultimately, the success or failure of a company is in the effort behind the branding—a combination of advertising and public relations. The way to approach this planning begins with how the company treats its customers, and continues with the attitude of the company towards where it seeks to be in 10 to 15 years: does the assumed model work, or or is it better to adapt to the times and never rest? The answer lies with constantly adapting—setting up not a long-term battle plan, but a long-term framework in which to work.

For more useful information and tips on how to properly plan for the future, here are some sites of note:

Suite101.com

Raving Fans

Realtor.org

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