Tales from The Dark Side

Originally posted to the SCPRSA's Palmetto Practitioner blog Sept. 19, 2013:

It first hit me a few months ago when I was scanning resumes for entry-level hires and realized that I have T-shirts older than most of the candidates: I've been doing this a long, long time.

Longevity is not necessarily an asset in a profession undergoing the kind of radical evolution we're seeing in public relations. New skills and methods can be harder to adopt for numbskulls like me whose careers have been defined by applying the same basic principles to a wide range of circumstances and achieving successful outcomes.

But longevity does offer perspective, and that perspective has come in handy now that I've moved over to The Dark Side. You see, a few months ago our agency, Erwin Penland, unbundled its PR department and embedded its PR professionals into various account teams to provide more seamless, comprehensive thinking and solutions to its clients. After twentysomething years focusing primarily on public relations -- albeit mostly in an integrated communications environment -- I'm now a group account director responsible for determining strategy and managing execution across the full spectrum of communications disciplines.

In this new role I've gained a completely new appreciation for where PR stands in today's communications mix. And from where I stand, it seems so-called marketing guru Al Ries was only half right when he predicted the fall of advertising and the rise of PR more than a decade ago. Because if advertising is dead, then so is public relations.

Now before you burn me at the stake for such heresy, hear me out. I believe there has never been a greater need, nor more opportunities, for PR professionals to help organizations change people's beliefs and behaviors. I just think that labels like "public relations" and "advertising" are irrelevant in an age when innovation and resourcefulness are significantly more valuable than discipline-specific expertise.

Public relations is essentially the vocational equivalent of the art of storytelling. As professionals we're trained to forge meaningful connections with our audiences, whether it's fellow employees, opposition groups, government overseers or consumers at large. In today's integrated ecosystem, I believe PR professionals are uniquely qualified to not just have a role, but to lead those efforts by harnessing the vast array of communications tools available . . . and by helping invent new ones.

Upon hearing about my new role at Erwin Penland, a colleague asked me the other day how I felt about leaving PR at this stage of my career. "Leave PR?" I asked. "I'm helping to redefine it."

Are you?

Do You Have Digital Tourette's?

So you think you're a social media maven. You've got a Twitter account. And a Facebook page. Maybe even a blog. But having a social media presence is only half the story.

I'm amazed by the number of people -- and especially the number of companies and other organizations -- that think social media is just another channel for pushing out the same information they disseminate via more traditional means. Using social media for one-way communication is like watching TV with the sound turned off . . . you're only tapping half of the medium.

I call it Digital Tourette's: repetitive, involuntary expressions devoid of any external context. Tweeting random bits of information. Using Facebook as an online press room. Operating a blog that doesn't encourage -- or even allow -- readers to post comments.

For decades PR professionals have chased the Holy Grail of true two-way communication with their target audiences. That day is here now, but the uninitiated -- or just plain chicken -- are applying the same old rules to these powerful new tools.

Let's put an end to Digital Tourette's. Let's put the social back in social media.

Why My 8-Year-Old Should Be Running Toyota

So my 8-year-old son, Adam, comes up from the basement the other day with a sheepish look on his face. "What's up?" I asked as he fidgeted nervously in front of me.

"Well, the DVD player kinda stopped working," he stammered while avoiding any eye contact.

"Really?" I said. "Just stopped working, out of the blue?"

Now, a year ago under these same circumstances, Adam would have hemmed and hawed, giving up only as much information as needed so as not to incriminate himself. But over time he's come to learn that, no matter what he's done, he'll be in far more trouble if he tries to hide it instead of taking responsibility for his actions.

Which makes me wonder why the leaders of Toyota haven't figured out what my 8-year-old has already mastered. I understand the lawyers' imperative of minimizing liability by not admitting fault. But not disclosing the true scope of problem that's already the subject of intense public scrutiny is just throwing gasoline on a raging fire.

There are dozens of examples of organizations that have gained public empathy and support by disclosing the the full extent of a problem at the earliest opportunity. Mistakes happen, and sometimes companies are as innocent as the eventual victims of those very mistakes. But the public -- and an increasingly zealous media -- won't forgive painstakingly selective disclosures aimed at minimizing potential damage in the courtroom.

Tell it. Tell it fast. And tell it all. It ain't rocket science. Just ask my 8-year-old son.

Tim Tebow: Brand Evangelist or Marketing Pariah?

In the interest of full disclosure, since the day I first set foot on the campus of the University of Florida I've been a huge Gator fan. Rabid, even. But I'm putting those feelings aside to take an objective look at the emerging PR controversy centered around Gator poster boy Tim Tebow.

For the uninitiated, Tebow is not only a champion quarterback, but a son of missionaries who wears his faith on his sleeve (and his eye black), goes to hospitals to pray with sick kids and visits prisons to turn hardened criminals into believers. A charismatic leader blessed with raw athleticism, he recently finished his college career and now has his sights set on disproving the popular theory that he's ill suited to be an NFL quarterback, despite his talents and accomplishments.

But Tebow's made even more news this week for appearing in a commercial scheduled to air during this year's Super Bowl. Filmed on behalf of conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, the ad is expected to tell recount how Tebow's mother, Pam, rejected doctors' advice that she get an abortion when she fell ill during a mission to the Philippines while she was pregnant with Tim.

Critics -- of which Tebow has always had his share -- have assailed his participating in the ad, especially women's groups that likely have no idea of Tebow's faith-based track record. Even sports pundits are questioning whether Tebow will damage his marketability -- and his prospects in the upcoming NFL draft -- by aligning with such a polarizing issue.

What can marketers learn from this episode? To me, it's a classic case of being true to one's brand. Tebow has always said he believed he was blessed with his athletic and other gifts to provide a platform for his pro-Christian message. Regardless of your stance on the issues at hand, you've got to admire the kid's sincerity and conviction.

The NFL has its share of bible thumpers, and I doubt Tebow's devout faith will hamper his draft prospects as much as his awkward passing technique might. As for his marketability, let's face it: on the heels of the Tiger Woods controversy, the sports world could use a squeaky-clean spokesman. The NBA can have its gun-toting Gilbert Arenas . . . me, I'll take Touchdown Timmy.

Gullibility and the Case for Monitoring Social Media

They say no good deed goes unpunished. I'm sure that's just how the folks at American Airlines are feeling these days after being victimized by a hoax on Twitter related to the tragic earthquake in Haiti.

The airline has an admirable record of stepping up in the face of disasters around the world, and this time was no different: American flew several planes loaded with relief supplies to Haiti within 48 hours of the event. The company even offered bonus miles to members of its frequent flier program for making donations to the American Red Cross's relief efforts.

But American suddenly found itself on the defensive when someone falsely tweeted that the airline would fly any doctor or nurse free of charge to Haiti to join in humanitarian efforts there. The hoax spread like wildfire on Twitter and elsewhere, even slipping into the Twitter stream of The New York Times social media editor Jennifer Preston. Similarly false stories about UPS and JetBlue soon emerged.

It's not even worth trying to imagine what would compel someone to put out this kind of misleading information in the first place . . . the world is full of creeps, and social media allows them to wield an amazing amount of influence. But I do believe there are two powerful lessons to be learned here.

First, if you're a corporate communicator and your organization isn't monitoring social media channels in real time, 24/7, what the heck are you waiting for? Your company's reputation is one inventive crackpot away from being possibly damaged beyond repair. Kudos to American, UPS and JetBlue for not only being aware of the misinformation being spread, but for setting the record straight swiftly and decisively.

Second, since diligent fact-checking exists only among traditional media (except The New York Times, apparently), we should all remember the lack of transparency that exists in the social arena. I predict that one day marketplace demands will forge the creation of a "truth engine" of sorts that will vet the accuracy of social media content. Until then it's Caveat Avis: Let the Tweeter Beware.

Too Little, Too Late for Big Mac?

Judging by this blog, there certainly doesn't seem to be any shortage of PR crises in the world of sports. But today's news that home-run slugger Mark McGwire finally admitted to using steroids may be particularly noteworthy in determining the statute of limitations for other disgraced champions.

Traditional crisis communications theory calls for managing the court of public opinion as diligently as the court of law. For years McGwire ignored this tenet, particularly in 2005 when he refused to discuss any possible steroid use during sworn testimony before a Congressional subcommittee.

While refusing to implicate himself allowed McGwire to steer clear of perjury charges -- unlike Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, who are widely believed to have lied to government officials in denying steroid use -- Big Mac's public image (and Hall of Fame prospects) were hopelessly tainted by his skirting of the issue.

Now, on the eve of his return to baseball as hitting instructor for the team with which he accomplished his amazing feats, the St. Louis Cardinals, McGwire has finally come clean. The question is, will it be too late to salvage his reputation?

I always wondered why baseball players of McGwire's era didn't simply own up to their actions. Steroid use was not illegal, nor was it in violation of the sport's own code of conduct at the time. Those who have fessed up have largely been forgiven by both the public and the pundits.

Conventional wisdom in crisis management consists of three imperatives: Tell it, tell it all, and tell it fast. McGwire's 2-for-3 performance equates to a .667 batting average . . . Hall of Fame numbers to be sure.

Waiting for Tiger

As a golf enthusiast and PR pro, I'm doubly eager to see how the Tiger Woods saga will unfold over the next few months. While the PGA Tour won't be the same without everyone gunning for arguably the greatest golfer to ever play the game, I'm more curious to see how the fallen hero will seek to repair his image off the golf course.

I applaud Tiger for making it his top priority to repair the damage in his family . . . if that's even possible. But his choice to go into hiding instead of confronting his situation in a more complete and forthright manner is troubling evidence of the "above-it-all" arrogance that helped land him in hot water in the first place.

My question is, why aren't Tiger's advisers providing him with more effective counsel during this tragic episode? His painstakingly crafted mea culpas, placed in the secure domain of his personal Website, fall far short of the honest acknowledgment his sponsors and supporters deserve.

Let's face it: Tiger's star power is such that he could command any public forum, under the most favorable terms, for his "come clean" interview. A guest spot on Oprah would go a long way toward restoring his integrity, with little threat of the kind of questioning a more cutthroat interviewer might employ.

Instead, Tiger continues to exhibit the stubborn behavior personified by Kevin Costner's Roy McAvoy in the movie "Tin Cup." Struggling on the fringes of golf for over a decade, McAvoy amazingly needs only to par the final hole to win the U.S. Open and the woman of his dreams. Instead of playing safe by laying up on the long par 5, he goes for the green in two, putting five shots in the water before miraculously holing out for a scorecard-bloating 12.

My advice to Tiger: put the 3 wood back in the bag, lay up, and get on with the business of winning golf tournaments.