President Obama's PR—is it working in his favor?

I’m sure all of you have seen President Barack Obama every where from cable television to the internet. Whether it was an appearance on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, an appearance on ESPN, to his weekly addresses to the nation, President Obama is continuing his phenomenal PR (even after the campaign) in order to help keep the nation informed on our financial crisis(s) as well as putting in a significant effort in maintaining his positive ratings among Americans. Everyone knows his number one priority is promoting and selling the stimulus bill … what other way to do so then to go to cable shows that millions of the average American watches and tell them about it? Spectators say that president Obama’s aggressive PR campaign seems to be aimed at making the president more human, as he communicates straightforwardly to the American public about the pros and cons of our rugged economy and the stimulus package.

Along with the President being on his “PR grind,” his wife, Michelle Obama has easily been seen on several magazine covers and has appeared on several talk shows to help promote the positive image of her family, particularly her husband and his decisions with the economy. The Obama’s are flooding the mass media every which way you look with positive images and messages to the public in hopes that the nation will support them and help them make the “change” in our nation and the world that President Obama originally campaigned on.

But is the bold decision to be in the nations faces so often a good idea, or is he overexposing himself and wearing the nation down? It seems like the far right conservative blogs and commentators think he’s not doing such a hot job, but let’s be honest; will Republicans and all the Fox News junkies ever be happy with President Obama and his decisions? Most likely NOT! I think President Obama is genius for some how managing all of our countries trying issues (everything from the drug war in Mexico, to America’s current recession to fighting the war on terror). I would love to hear your thoughts on our president and how he’s done thus far….
-- Samantha Savory

You Can't Control Everything

I was having a conversation with my friend the other day about the Rihanna/Chris Brown situation. In particular we were discussing how all of the sponsorships that Chris Brown had, have been taken off the air. Brown had numerous commercials and was the spokesperson for brands like Double Mint Gum; but after his most recent run in with the law and the impending trial he is facing, his spots were quickly removed from the air and he no longer does press for this company or any of the others he represented. This brought me to the topic for this blog, spokespersons. According to “Strategic Planning for Public Relations” by Ronald D. Smith, there are three categories of rhetoric. One of those categories is Ethos. Ethos is persuasion based on the character of the person delivering the message. It’s also based upon how the audience perceives the speaker and it can be divided into three C’s:

1. Credibility- the power to inspire belief.
2. Charisma- having a magnetic appeal (also thought of as charm or “swagger”).
3. Control- the spokesperson’s command over the audience.

Now, as we all know Chris Brown at one point in time had all of these qualities, making him an excellent spokesperson. Unfortunately for him, when the news broke about his alleged altercation with Rihanna, he lost at least two of these things. His charisma seems to have stayed in tact. He hasn’t made any real public appearances since the incident, but once someone has charisma, it’s pretty hard to lose. His control however has suffered. Many are unwilling to acknowledge him because of recent events and therefore he lacks any command over an audience. Lastly, and most importantly in this case, his credibility has taken a huge hit. Once a clean faced, young man with a bright future and loads of talent, Brown is now thought of in a far more negative light. He has lost that credibility that made him such a noteworthy performer and celebrity spokesperson and once credibility is lost it is nearly impossible to get it back.

So this brings me to my main point. When you are an established PR professional and you are given the task to choose a spokesperson, remember, that even though they may seem ideal for your company, they are human beings and ultimately their actions are out of your control. The best you can do is choose someone who fits your company’s image the best and be prepared to do any kind of damage control that comes around if it doesn’t work out. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Talk to you later.

--Porsche

T.I.'s Road to Redemtion

Everyone is aware of how poignant and popular reality shows are. I personally think 98% of the reality shows on cable television are nonsense and diminish brain cells (except for Jon & Kate Plus 8 and Making The Band on MTV! Lol) but of all the reality shows that I have flipped through on TV lately, T.I.’s Road To Redemption seems to be the most purposeful and honest. The MTV reality series follows hip-hop artist T.I., also known as Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr., as he mentors troubled teens before he faces formal sentencing on weapons charges on March 27.

After T.I. was arrested for firearms possession, the hip-hop artist agreed to complete 1000 hours of community service in exchange for a reduction in his potential 30-year prison sentence. So now the singer (who is currently out on bond and monitored at all times) offers tough love as he shows disobedient kids some of the very real negative -- and often fatal -- consequences of dealing drugs, joining gangs, and breaking the law. Meanwhile, T.I. offers his personal insights about his own life and the mistakes he's made as he counts down the days to his own incarceration.

T.I. has encountered a lot of negative publicity within the past year due to his run in with the law, and doing this reality show helps inform his public about the circumstances of his legal situation as well as possibly swaying the legal system into giving him less, or maybe no time in prison. Some spectators say they feel as if the show is just a publicity stunt intended only to score points with the legal system, but I disagree. Even if those are his main intentions (which I wouldn’t be mad at him for...because let’s be honest, who wants to go to prison?) behind the reality show, T.I. seems to have sincere intentions to help other young men and women avoid the same problems that he is currently facing. I’m sure the show is making a major difference in some young teenager’s lives, which hopefully in the long run, will prevent them from going to prison or getting killed like so many other young juvenile delinquents.

In the first episode of “T.I.’s Road to Redemption”, T.I. sits down in a room by himself with a camera and tells the camera exactly what happened that night he got caught with machine guns, along with other types of guns, and tells his side of the story. T.I.’s honesty and openness helps viewers understand his situation better while filtering out the media. From a public relations stand point, I think the TV show was a great idea as far as improving his self image with fans, haters and of course, the legal system.

The show portrays T.I.’s reality of his legal circumstances and shows that T.I. truly understands that he has done wrong, has changed his ways, and now is trying to help other young juveniles change their negative lifestyles. T.I. is taking the negative situation that he put himself into, and turning it into a positive situation by giving young troubled teens insight, wisdom and courage to change their lives for the better. The series shows that people who come from a life of crime can make their lives morally and legally “right” and change for the better.

Personal PR is all about conveying a message, and what better way to convey a message than through national television? Everyone watches TV and I personally think, besides the internet, it’s the best way to get a message out to a target public. T.I. should have done this show a long time ago. Any other celebrities that have “run-ins” with the law should talk to T.I. and take a few notes.

- Samantha Savory

What’s the Difference Between Public Relations and Marketing?

During spring break at my friend Aisha’s going-away party in Atlanta, I had the chance to have an interesting conversation with Aisha’s cousin who was a 20 something going on 30-year-old marketing businessman. We talked about his career in marketing for a U.S. government firm in Afghanistan and how being in the U.S. services can enlighten you in ways that you’ve never imagined. He suggested to Aisha that she learn the language of the land to survive and to have great credentials.


After the talk about being safe and how to work your way up the ladder in different businesses, he and I got into a conversation about my career of being a full-time student. I didn’t know that he was in marketing until he asked me what field I would soon be working in. When I told him PR, a smile as wide as Kool-Aid Man’s appeared across his face. He quickly replied, “I’m in marketing.” Then he proceeded to ask me what the difference between PR and marking was and which of the two is most important. I didn’t want to go into a drawn out conversation over PR vs. marketing and which one is better. I simply replied that PR practitioners are there to deliver a corporation’s messages to its publics (customers, stakeholders, employees, partners, media, etc.) and vice versa, and marketers create relationships that hold value with the corporation’s target audience in order to offer a product at a quality and price better than competitors'.


We discussed some different responsibilities that each position held in diverse business fields. The conversation lingered in my mind the whole night. A few days later, while doing some homework for my advertising class, I stumbled across a picture on the internet that explained everything that he and I discussed in four pictures.


Though at times there may be rivalry between the two, PR and marketing are two communications that compliment each other well and are very important to a business. Understanding the two is pertinent to a company’s survival as well as in the lives of individuals according to the picture from an Ads of the World blog.

Click Image to Enlarge
(Picture- http://adsoftheworld.com/blog/ivan/2007/apr/11/the_difference_between_marketing_pr_advertising_and_branding)

-Armegan

Advantages: Social Media and PR

It has been said that if public relations is to move forward with the times, practitioners should be prepared to become as familiar with new technologies as possible. Now, this may sound like common sense to most students studying public relations because we are part of the “technologically savvy”. We understand blogs, social networking sites (like MySpace and Facebook) and we get the whole “YouTube” thing.

Now what I find that we tend to overlook because of our knowledge of modern technology, is how it can be used to benefit us in a work environment. We should not only become familiar and comfortable using technology for public relations purposes; we should also understand that this technology is becoming undisputable as the leading means to deliver a message. According to PR News Online, there are a few key reasons why social media is important to the field of public relations. Here are some of the advantages listed regarding social media and public relations:

1. Stickier than traditional media: By stickier it is meant that social media has the “potential to attract and hold the attention of a vast demographic of people who have grown numb to more traditional forms of marketing and advertising.”

2. Viral Nature: Now, we understand what it means to “go viral”. Simply put, it’s when something spreads from one place to another, quickly. Social media has tremendous viral capacity. It can reach wide audiences in a short amount of time.

3. Interactivity: People love to be entertained and we are so over stimulated that when an opportunity arises to become active participants in the news or information we receive, most of us jump on that opportunity. The same can be said for social media in which organizations can now communicate and get immediate feedback from their public. This enables the two-way communication that is so vital to public relations practitioners.

It’s important that we keep these advantages in mind when we enter the workforce. It is more competitive than ever out there and we need to stay ahead of the competition. That can be best achieved by applying all of the knowledge you’ve acquired while in school and putting it into action; but also by being creative in your approach to each situation and keeping an open mind when it comes to how social media can be used for you and your organization. So, what do you think? Are there other advantages when it comes to social media and its use in PR? Love to hear your thoughts. Have a great spring break and be safe out there.

--- Porsche

"Optimizing Your Public Relations with Social Media"
http://www.prnewsonline.com/Assets/File/whitepapers/socialmediawp.pdf

Photo from http://mcintranet.musc.edu/bin/b/j/womanusingcomputer.jpg

Oakland City Officials Need More Public Relations

(Picture from: http://basementelevation.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/ba-bartshoot_fun_0499631920.jpg)


Many of you have heard about the young black man who was shot in the back while lying face down on the ground by an Oakland, Calif., transit police officer. If you have been under a rock and haven’t heard, On New Year’s Day a fight broke out among some young men riding in a Bay Area Rapid Transit train. Transit police arrived on the scene to settle the altercation, handcuffing young men who were believed to have been involved and placing them on the ground. It seems as if 22-year-old Oscar Grant III was cooperating with police while sitting on the ground when all of a sudden two officers forced him down onto his stomach, one officer with his knee to Oscar’s neck and the other on top of him trying to pull Oscar’s arms behind his back. Oscar’s friends (some of whom were even sitting next to him on the ground), bystanders (both on and outside of the train) and even transit officers were shocked when 27-year-old officer Johannes Mehserle stood up from being on top of Oscar and shot him in his back.

Oscar’s death has caused many riots on Oakland’s streets as well as in the BART station. One concern that many of the Oakland citizens have is the disconnection between them and their city officials. Mayor Ron V. Dellums was slow responding about this tragic event. The main reason why he “reached out” to the city was reportedly to get people to stop protesting in the streets. Mayor Dellums appeared at a riot in downtown Oakland only to be brushed off and ignored by citizens because of his lack of credibility. Citizens are pointing the finger at city officials because they are never seen and only come out to address the public when tragic events like this take place.

Oakland city officials like many other cities, have some work to do in the PR department. It is unbelievable that mayors and city councilmen can get away with not communicating with their publics. Things such as town meetings and forums should be provided to citizens so that they may express their needs and wants for the city.

In your opinion, what are some things that Oakland city officials can do to regain their credibility with citizens?

(Picture from: http://www.bendib.com/black/1-15-Oscar-Grant-III.jpg)

-Armegan Anderson

Kanye West's personal PR

(Picture of Kanye West from Vh1 Storyteller's: http://www.vh1.com/)


Kanye West's personal blog: http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/

I am an avid music lover...one of my favorite types of music is hip hop. Within the hip hop community, Kanye West, a mult-million album selling rapper from Chicago, Ill. ranks in my top five favorite rappers. West is a genius when it comes to music...and he's an even bigger genius when it comes to his own personal PR. West has taken control of his own publicity by eliminating the filtering that the media does by creating his own media outlet better known as his blog. On his personal blog, West discusses all different types of issues ranging from his favorite architecture in London to why he does some of the outrageous things that he does. Whenever there is a rumor about West, he has the capability of going directly to his target audience, his fans and others that care enough to go to his site, and addressing the rumors head on. Many other artists in the hip hop world have jumped on the social media bandwagon and gotten their own blog where they post daily or weekly podcast or videos, but West was one of the first.

Another part of West's attempt to communicate with his audience in an effort to help his self image was to perform on Vh1's Storytellers, where he performed and in between each song, gave a description of what the song was about as well as anything else that was on his mind. Kanye got an hour and a half to sing, rap and say almost whatever he liked, and he is one of the few smart musicians that have taken advantage of this Vh1 opportunity. Besides West appearing on Vh1’s Storyteller’s, he promoted his appearance on Vh1 on his blog.

Another smart aspect to Kanye’s personal PR is the availability to make one click on a link on his personal blog that will allow you to buy any of his albums online. West is taking full advantage of all his social media resources and that, along with his gift in music, is the reason that he is so famous and successful.

I think that Kanye West is an excellent example of framing his own image through all outlets of media whether it be social media (on his blog) or on national television or radio. West even posts his own press releases about his upcoming albums, concerts, as well as posts related to how his personal life and image is displayed in the mass media. West doesn't have to pay thousands of dollars to myspace or MTV.com to promote his latest album or most recent controversy; he can just post about it on his website (which receives hundreds of thousands of hits each day).

If PR students can learn anything about PR, social media, or framing, they can learn it from Kanye West! West’s message comes directly from him and goes directly to his target audience, eliminating any filtering or spin! Kanye seems to understand the importance of conducting his own PR through social media!

-- Samantha Savory

Doesn't It Just Grind Your Gears

On Friday of this week, I was having a conversation with a friend of mine who is a business major here at FAMU. One minute we were talking about shoes and the next thing I knew I was being dragged into a discussion about the differences between publicity and advertising. Now what my friend (who will remain anonymous) insisted (with great vigor and conviction if I do say so myself) was that they basically served the same function and that in her opinion the two were interchangeable. She also stated that if she had to choose one or the other, she would choose advertising.

Now, I generally try to refrain from allowing people to get me riled up. I don't want to be unnecessarily confrontational or use colorful epitaphs unless warranted, but these comments annoyed me to no end (and you, who will remain nameless, know that they did). So, instead of giving in to my hot tempered nature, I remained calm and put my litigation skills to good use (I was formerly a pre-law student). I stated in a very conversational tone, the main characteristics the differentiated these two disciplines. Those characteristics are as follows:


Characteristics of Advertising:
1. Create a “Big Bang”
2. Visual
3. Reach Mass Audience
4. Promote New Lines and Extensions
5. Likes Old Names

Characteristics of Publicity
1. Use of Slow Buildup
2. Verbal
3. Reach Targeted Audience
4. Favor New Brands
5. Likes New Names


I closed my argument by quoting Ronald Smith saying that, “Publicity lights the fire and advertising fans the flames.” What became a heated debate was quickly quelled and I came out victorious. That is to say, when I was finished with my side of the debate, there was no rebuttal. So, what do you think? Are the two interchangeable or are there distinct differences that you can see? Or, you can riddle me this… have you ever had an argument with someone about the relevance of PR and PR related activities? Doesn’t it just grind your gears? Well, that’s all for me folks. Take care and have a wonderful week.

--Porsche