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.
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