The Four Corners report that aired last Monday (11th May) was a well overdue expose of NRL players, managers and administrators behaving badly. A full transcript of the show can be found here. It makes compelling reading and the courage showed by the women who came forward to be interviewed is to be commended.
But that’s when social media steps up to the plate and shows us the ugly face of Australia with a hate group created on Facebook directed at one of the women who was interviewed on the show. If it hasn’t been pulled already, the link is here.
Whatever your views on Ms Palavi’s dating habits, this is a major issue for any social media platform. The fact that Facebook has allowed a hate group like this to be set up – despite it being reported – is irresponsible. It is simply personal vilification and the group’s followers should take a moment to consider the seriousness of supporting it.
This highlights my concern about social media forums. While they can share valuable ideas and knowledge, they also provide a very prominent forum for the ugly side of our society. Through the flimsy defence of humour on sites like Facebook or YouTube serious issues are being trivialised which is impacting on what people consider acceptable behaviour in society.
Rape, sexual harassment or verbal abuse of women leading to trauma are criminal offenses. Harassing someone who has given evidence to police andmedia (an NRL whistleblower for want of a better term) about these sorts of incidents is akin to aiding and abetting criminal activity – or being part of the “bad NRL culture” cheer squad at best.
The harassment of women in any form should be discouraged – especially on social media forums like Facebook. I commend the efforts of groups like White Ribbon who actively campaign to address male attitudes regarding violence toward women.
However when 113 people can sign up for groups like the one mentioned above, it shows we still have a long way to go.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Why PR agencies should not guarantee media results
Sally Romano, founder and principal of Publicity Queen, has defended her offer to guarantee media results for clients in a letter to the editor of B&T Magazine (17 April).
She wants to remove the financial risk for clients and portrays those who don’t as defensive PR purists without any “brio”. Sally has certainly achieved some good publicity by challenging the established PR Code of Ethics and the professionalism of the PR industry.
To respond to Sally's letter, let me offer the following:
#1: Any agency can guarantee media results for clients. They buy an ad. It’s commonly called advertising (or advertorials).
#2: If a PR person guarantees the same outcome from a journalist interaction, it devalues the credibility and integrity of the journalist and the editorial they produce.
Let’s take Sally’s client X who wants some coverage on new product Y. Sally guarantees the result and pitches the story to a journalist who has written on that issue in the past. In receiving that pitch, the journalist must realise that Sally thinks she’s on a sure thing for a story on product Y (they read B&T, Sally).
I don’t know too many journalists who appreciate being known as a PR patsy so I’m not sure how that improves Sally’s relations with journalists. And if the journalist does write something on Sally’s client, irrespective of the news value, how will he or she be viewed by their colleagues. A sell out or simply a PR stooge?
They’re damned if they do and she’s damned if they don’t.
Sally, the editorial independence of journalists is critical to maintain the integrity of the news and is the underlying reason why people read their stories. That’s why PR people and the brands they represent are so keen to gain coverage through media relations.
As soon as you start guaranteeing results, the perception of independence breaks down and the news value of the editorial that is produced is no more than an ad. Media relations then turns into media buying.
What happens then Sally? Your guaranteed media relations puts you up against media buyers who can offer those 'ads' to your clients more cheaply, more often and in a better position. It's just not PR.
So if that means the PR industry lacks “brio”, then I’m happy to settle for “adagio” any day.
Yours sincerely,
Anthony.
She wants to remove the financial risk for clients and portrays those who don’t as defensive PR purists without any “brio”. Sally has certainly achieved some good publicity by challenging the established PR Code of Ethics and the professionalism of the PR industry.
To respond to Sally's letter, let me offer the following:
#1: Any agency can guarantee media results for clients. They buy an ad. It’s commonly called advertising (or advertorials).
#2: If a PR person guarantees the same outcome from a journalist interaction, it devalues the credibility and integrity of the journalist and the editorial they produce.
Let’s take Sally’s client X who wants some coverage on new product Y. Sally guarantees the result and pitches the story to a journalist who has written on that issue in the past. In receiving that pitch, the journalist must realise that Sally thinks she’s on a sure thing for a story on product Y (they read B&T, Sally).
I don’t know too many journalists who appreciate being known as a PR patsy so I’m not sure how that improves Sally’s relations with journalists. And if the journalist does write something on Sally’s client, irrespective of the news value, how will he or she be viewed by their colleagues. A sell out or simply a PR stooge?
They’re damned if they do and she’s damned if they don’t.
Sally, the editorial independence of journalists is critical to maintain the integrity of the news and is the underlying reason why people read their stories. That’s why PR people and the brands they represent are so keen to gain coverage through media relations.
As soon as you start guaranteeing results, the perception of independence breaks down and the news value of the editorial that is produced is no more than an ad. Media relations then turns into media buying.
What happens then Sally? Your guaranteed media relations puts you up against media buyers who can offer those 'ads' to your clients more cheaply, more often and in a better position. It's just not PR.
So if that means the PR industry lacks “brio”, then I’m happy to settle for “adagio” any day.
Yours sincerely,
Anthony.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Will 2009 be the Year of the Fake Viral
First Tourism Queensland and the tattoo and now the Youtube girl with a jacket story http://tiny.cc/E7kwg have been revealed as fakes. Let's give the ad agencies who came up with them a hand, 10/10 for creativity. But seriously, 0/10 for authenticity. Did they actually think beyond the execution to what the audience reaction would be if their lies were exposed? News media don't appreciate being misled. Denying you knew anything about it is cowardly. And what does that exposure do for trust in the brand they represent?
Hiring actresses and having agency staff film fake tattoo parlours showcase all the hallmarks of why ad creatives don't get social media. Let's call these efforts the "reality" TV show approach. It's entertainment designed to gain maximum exposure in the various news mediums. Fake is ok because we aren't really hurting anyone, right?? Wrong.
Real everyday Joe's and Joanne's are reading these stories and believing them. They are being reported in mainstream press. When it's proven to be false, the brand connection is instantly severed. The trust is gone. And I'm sure the integrity of the news agency also fades slightly but that's another issue.
So consider a different approach. Tourism Qld promotes the video of an actual entry. The clothing label finds a real girl looking for a real boy (plenty of those out there). The stories are followed to a happy conclusion. The brand behind the campaign is revealed as part of the narrative. And a relationship between brand and audience begins. The hard marketing campaign can then laud that Jack and Jill wore this apparel on their first date. Almost a Carrie and Milano Blahnik moment or was that Jimmy Choo...
Certainly saves you the cost of an actress.
Hiring actresses and having agency staff film fake tattoo parlours showcase all the hallmarks of why ad creatives don't get social media. Let's call these efforts the "reality" TV show approach. It's entertainment designed to gain maximum exposure in the various news mediums. Fake is ok because we aren't really hurting anyone, right?? Wrong.
Real everyday Joe's and Joanne's are reading these stories and believing them. They are being reported in mainstream press. When it's proven to be false, the brand connection is instantly severed. The trust is gone. And I'm sure the integrity of the news agency also fades slightly but that's another issue.
So consider a different approach. Tourism Qld promotes the video of an actual entry. The clothing label finds a real girl looking for a real boy (plenty of those out there). The stories are followed to a happy conclusion. The brand behind the campaign is revealed as part of the narrative. And a relationship between brand and audience begins. The hard marketing campaign can then laud that Jack and Jill wore this apparel on their first date. Almost a Carrie and Milano Blahnik moment or was that Jimmy Choo...
Certainly saves you the cost of an actress.
Monday, August 4, 2008
A question of ethics
They say that the first three paragraphs of any story decides whether it is read or not. Let us test the theory. Fellow public relations practitioners, there are enemies among us. They are damaging our occupation’s reputation. And they are being protected by inertia.
In a new business meeting recently, I was asked by the MD whether we would accept payment based on the number of stories published - a fair though naive question from someone unaware of the PRIA’s Code of Ethics. The final five words of his sentence however turned naïvety into concern, “like our current PR agency.”
Perhaps the agency was unaware of the Code? No. It is an agency that is both a member of the Registered Consultancy Group and employs individual PRIA members. Ahh, you seem more interested now but the third paragraph’s end draws near. The agency concerned will remain anonymous, for now. But they can take heart that it inspired this piece. Please read on…
Let’s not kid ourselves. The reality of the PR industry in Australia is that it is a tough neighbourhood. When you have a concentrated number of small businesses (<50 employees) fighting it out for the relative scraps that drop from corporate Australia’s table, there is no room for niceties.
Business is hard competition and should not be lessened or mediocrity will be our fate. The point of this post is improvement not restriction.
We must evolve as an industry to escape this dirt floor scuffle. If we value our role and firmly believe that communications is as important as we tell our clients then we should set our sights higher. To no less than a profession. And this is all about ethics. Or more importantly, enforceable ethics.
For without ethics, we are little more than well dressed beggars in the business world. Condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past 100 years of PR practice and continue to quietly accept ridicule from journalists and other professionals alike.
However it’s not just our own timetable of evolution with which we should be concerned. The true influence of PR will eventually prick the social consciousness. ‘When’ not ‘if’ it does and we don’t have our colloquial ‘shit in one sock’ then regulation will be forced upon us. Just ask any US accountant about Sarbanes Oxley.
Some self-realisation also needs to occur. We must be proud to be more than just toothbrush marketers. Our collective body of work seriously impacts the perceptions of just about every Australian every day. These are perceptions that decide which drug to prescribe a seriously ill patient, the fortunes of any listed company on the ASX, the ultimate success of the next multi-millionaire entrepreneur and even who will govern us.
So how do we evolve?
My hope is that this piece in some way sparks a revolution.
Our existing body, the PRIA, has neither the funds nor time nor legal precedent to go after the enemies amongst us. That is not the immediate answer.
As individuals, none of us have the time to solve the problem alone. But if enough of us care and are willing to be involved then we can progress this passion to more than a few words on a page. All that is required is a group of the brightest practitioners to discuss, debate and ultimately publish how we can move our industry into the ranks of professionals.
So to the agency that sells its ethics for a mere $1500 project – you have your bag of silver. Enjoy it now because you will not be welcome in the professional world.
To the rest of us who thirst for professional status and fairly earned recognition as a valued, responsible and respected occupation, I encourage you to add your comments below.
Your feedback (whatever the flavour) is warmly welcomed.
In a new business meeting recently, I was asked by the MD whether we would accept payment based on the number of stories published - a fair though naive question from someone unaware of the PRIA’s Code of Ethics. The final five words of his sentence however turned naïvety into concern, “like our current PR agency.”
Perhaps the agency was unaware of the Code? No. It is an agency that is both a member of the Registered Consultancy Group and employs individual PRIA members. Ahh, you seem more interested now but the third paragraph’s end draws near. The agency concerned will remain anonymous, for now. But they can take heart that it inspired this piece. Please read on…
Let’s not kid ourselves. The reality of the PR industry in Australia is that it is a tough neighbourhood. When you have a concentrated number of small businesses (<50 employees) fighting it out for the relative scraps that drop from corporate Australia’s table, there is no room for niceties.
Business is hard competition and should not be lessened or mediocrity will be our fate. The point of this post is improvement not restriction.
We must evolve as an industry to escape this dirt floor scuffle. If we value our role and firmly believe that communications is as important as we tell our clients then we should set our sights higher. To no less than a profession. And this is all about ethics. Or more importantly, enforceable ethics.
For without ethics, we are little more than well dressed beggars in the business world. Condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past 100 years of PR practice and continue to quietly accept ridicule from journalists and other professionals alike.
However it’s not just our own timetable of evolution with which we should be concerned. The true influence of PR will eventually prick the social consciousness. ‘When’ not ‘if’ it does and we don’t have our colloquial ‘shit in one sock’ then regulation will be forced upon us. Just ask any US accountant about Sarbanes Oxley.
Some self-realisation also needs to occur. We must be proud to be more than just toothbrush marketers. Our collective body of work seriously impacts the perceptions of just about every Australian every day. These are perceptions that decide which drug to prescribe a seriously ill patient, the fortunes of any listed company on the ASX, the ultimate success of the next multi-millionaire entrepreneur and even who will govern us.
So how do we evolve?
My hope is that this piece in some way sparks a revolution.
Our existing body, the PRIA, has neither the funds nor time nor legal precedent to go after the enemies amongst us. That is not the immediate answer.
As individuals, none of us have the time to solve the problem alone. But if enough of us care and are willing to be involved then we can progress this passion to more than a few words on a page. All that is required is a group of the brightest practitioners to discuss, debate and ultimately publish how we can move our industry into the ranks of professionals.
So to the agency that sells its ethics for a mere $1500 project – you have your bag of silver. Enjoy it now because you will not be welcome in the professional world.
To the rest of us who thirst for professional status and fairly earned recognition as a valued, responsible and respected occupation, I encourage you to add your comments below.
Your feedback (whatever the flavour) is warmly welcomed.
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