"Disruptive PR" or Headline Hijacking?

Sometimes the PR industry is its own worst enemy. As we clamor for the vaunted "seat at the table" that signifies respect for our craft and its contributions, we're too often held back by the non-strategic stunts that unfortunately define our profession in the eyes of many outsiders.

That's why I cringed when I read the PR Week article lauding Dr Pepper's "disruptive PR" efforts, which included bidding on eBay for a spot in someone's wedding. The idea is to spot a news story as it's emerging on the Web, force your way into it, then hope to reap the rewards as word spreads to a larger audience.

Sometimes you hit a home run, like when the bride-to-be mentioned Dr Pepper's offer on Good Morning America and Today. And sometimes you strike out, like when Guns N' Roses lead man Axl Rose threatened to sue because Dr Pepper was unable to deliver on its unauthorized promise to give fans a free soda if the band released its long-awaited album "Chinese Democracy."

The general approach behind "disruptive PR" isn't new at all . . . PR was founded on the idea of tying clients into breaking news and broad trends. The difference here is the lack of relevance: I mean, what the heck does Dr Pepper have to gain from being affilliated with someone's wedding?

This "any publicity is good publicity" approach devalues PR as a strategic discipline. Where do you draw the line? Would paying O.J. 10 grand to wear your logo during his next court appearance be deemed the next great PR coup? I'd like to think our profession is smarter and more creative than that.

Silence Speaks Volumes in Digital Age

I was tied up in meetings this morning when the news broke about Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest on corruption charges.

But apparently I wasn't the last hear about it. That distinction may belong to the governor's spoksesperson, Lucio Guerrero, who responded to press inquiries by saying, "Haven't heard anything -- you are first to call."

In this age of instant information, such a response is beyond mind-boggling. Even before mainstream media were reporting the day's events, blogs like The Smoking Gun and Gapers Block were spreading the news based only on heresay and rumor. By the time the U.S. Attorney's office held its press conference at 11 a.m. Central, word had spread all over the globe . . . and still no comment from the Governor's office.

Now, Blago may be guilty as hell, as the evidence disclosed thus far might suggest. Regardless, this episode demonstrates the critical importance of harnassing the power of digital media to get your message out in the wake of a crisis. 'Cause these days, the news waits for no one.

Welcome to Public Re(ve)lations

A few weeks ago I was visiting family after the unfortunate passing of my uncle in New York. It was the first time I'd seen them since I started my new job in September as Director of Public Relations for MARC USA, a leading independent, integrated marketing firm.

Invariably the polite small talk would lead to questions about my new position. And once again I encountered glazed looks in the eyes of people when I tried to explain what the heck I do for a living.

It's been that way throughout my 21-year PR career, though it was a little easier in the early days. Back in the late '80s and early '90s, when Al Gore was still perfecting the Internet, I could simply say my job was to get clients free coverage in the news media. An overly simplistic explanation, to be sure, but one that would at least be met with an accepting head nod.

These days there's no such simple answer. While Webster's definition of PR as "building understanding and goodwill" remains timeless, the methods by which PR pros accomplish that goal, and the challenges they face in doing so, are more varied than ever.

This blog hopes to chronicle the evolving role of the PR profession in the increasingly complex world of integrated communications. Expect to see firsthand accounts, secondhand observations and, hopefully, third-party commentary on the good, the bad and the "decide for yourself" in PR and its sibling disciplines.

I'll try to be thorough and accurate in what I report, but I expect many of my posts to be opinions and you might not always agree. That's good, and I hope you'll feel obliged to post a response with your point of view. Because, after all, it's about building understanding and goodwill, right?