General Mills - Marketing Communications Intern
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
OLSON Promotes duo to Group Media Directors
OLSON has promoted two associate media directors, Steve Lynch and Stephanie Thompson, to group directors of the agency’s media discipline.
 |
| Here is a picture of the two of them. |
Thompson came to OLSON in 2008 from Carmichael Lynch and before that, Martin Williams, and has led media efforts for OLSON clients including Northwestern Mutual, KraftMaid Cabinetry, Country Inns & Suites by Carlson and Discover Boating. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Duluth, holds degrees in organizational management and marketing, and serves as alumni association marketing chair for the UMD Labovitz School of Business and Economics.
Lynch and Thompson and their department have been recognized with national awards including Effies and a Creative Media Award finalist for Creative Use of Newspaper. And, in an environment where “flat is the new up,” OLSON has been up, thanks in part to the work of these two and their group. In fact, media has experienced 1,600 percent in billings growth in the last five years.
“What makes these two great is that they’re the ultimate yin and yang, which means they’re perfect to serve together as media group directors,” says Kevin DiLorenzo, president and CEO, OLSON. “Stephanie and Steve balance each other with how they work, think and lead their team— and that’s important with the wide variety of programs we manage in our media department each day.”
Read the Twin Cities Business Journal article here.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Discover Boating gets on onboard with OLSON
Discover Boating announces its selection of OLSON as agency of record for the relaunch of the national consumer marketing campaign for the recreational boating industry in U.S. and Canada. It’s OLSON’s first major new business win since acquiring OLSONdenali in June. The agency will handle a mix of traditional and non-traditional marketing— including digital and response-oriented marketing.
The agency was selected by a special task force comprised of industry representatives from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA) and Sail America. Jones Lundin Beals conducted the national search.
Discover Boating promotes the boating lifestyle to key target audiences throughout the year. The program was built on the foundation that boating helps you connect with the people you care about and disconnect from stresses on land.
“OLSON is a first-class agency that will help the recreational boating industry ramp up our national marketing efforts,” says Carl Blackwell, chief marketing officer for NMMA and Discover Boating. “OLSON’s experience and understanding of our industry made them the best fit for helping us enhance Discover Boating’s broad-based community engagement and brand-building needs to ultimately grow boating.”
“Speaking to communities is our sweet spot, and working with Discover Boating provides a great opportunity for OLSON to flex our brand-building muscles,” says Kevin DiLorenzo, CEO, OLSON. We’re looking forward to working together to grow this business.”
Discover Boating is a national awareness campaign developed by the recreational boating industry in the U.S. and Canada and managed by the industry’s trade group, the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Discover Boating programs focus on improving the boating experience and building interest in recreational boating by providing a resource for Americans to explore the benefits, affordability and accessibility of the boating lifestyle. To find out more, visit DiscoverBoating.com.
Friday, August 27, 2010
RMPR Promotes Amanda Draxton and Laura Griffith
Risdall McKinney Public Relations (RMPR) today announced that Amanda Draxton and Laura Griffith each have been promoted to senior account executive.
“Over the past several years, Amanda and Laura have gained experience, confidence and expertise at managing and implementing integrated PR programs with kudos from coworkers and clients alike,” said Rose McKinney, APR, president of Risdall McKinney Public Relations.
Since joining RMPR in May 2007, Draxton has worked on a variety of consumer and business-to-business accounts, including Premier Mounts, Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board, Archway, Twin Cities Originals, Mall of America and many more. In addition, she coordinated RMPR’s updated website and has been a point person for agency media relations. Draxton also has provided pro bono efforts for the Ramsey County Library and Rotary Club. She is the incoming co-chair of the PRSA Minnesota Classics awards committee.
Griffith, who joined RMPR full time in May 2008 after serving as an intern at the agency, has played a key role on Smith System, Hearing Components, GoGirl and several other accounts. In addition, she has provided pro bono work for Baby Angels Foundation, coordinated the agency’s numerous PR award submissions and contributed to several integrated new business pitches. Griffith currently serves on the PRSA Minnesota programming committee.
Draxton received a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of St. Thomas. Griffith graduated from the University of Minnesota with two bachelor’s degrees – one in strategic communications and another in communication studies.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Leading Online Marketing Agency, aimClear, names Jalivay as Director, Plans Minneapolis / St. Paul Office
Kathy Jalivay, respected Twin Cities marketing & public relations executive, brings her expertise to online marketing agency-thought leader, aimClear. Jalivay joins the Duluth-based agency to head a new Twin Cities office and serve aimClear's burgeoning roster of international B2B and B2C clients.
aimClear, an internationally recognized online marketing agency with its corporate office in Duluth, Minnesota, has Named Kathy Jalivay as director. Jalivay will report directly to aimClear founder and president, Marty Weintraub. With the addition of Jalivay, aimClear plans to open a new Twin Cities office.
Jalivay has over 24 years of marketing experience and a proven track record in strategically defining and implementing opportunities which lead to brand-success. She has a talent for creating synergy between campaign elements, the team and her clients which leads to effective execution.
“I am thrilled to be working with such a talented group of marketers, led by someone whom I believe is one of the best online marketers on the planet,” said Jalivay. “This is a great opportunity to bring aimClear's expertise to marketing directors around the world, helping them bridge the traditional marketing mix to marketing's future. I expect great success, not only for our clients but for myself.”
Jalivay continued onto say that, aimClear has serious passion and already provides best-in-class SEO, Pay Per Click, PR, reputation management and social media services and that the company brings keen insight, unmatched strategic wit and tactical perspective to elevate client-brands.
"Kathy Jalivay is a consummate public relations and marketing professional, street wise, savvy and beloved by her clients. She adds a new dimension to aimClear's rapidly expanding team of specialized online marketers," said Marty Weintraub.
Jalivay joins aimClear from LaBreche, a Twin Cities-based, public relations and marketing communications firm. As a director at LaBreche she was responsible for working with clients on their strategic marketing communications plans and insuring successful implementation across all disciplines.
Landree Joins Maccabbee Group Public Relations
Caroline Landree, formerly an Account Executive with Edelman Public Relations in Chicago, has joined Minneapolis-based Maccabee Group Public Relations as its new Account Executive.
Landree brings to Maccabee Group clients her experience working at Edelman on Pfizer’s Prevnar and Prevnar 13 and AstraZeneca’s Symbicort products, along with healthcare client PassportMD. Prior to working at Edelman, Landree was a PR intern with the Chicago office of Weber Shandwick Worldwide and the St. Louis, Missouri-based PR agency The Hauser Group, where she worked on projects for the American Lung Association, St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership and Delta Dental of Missouri.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
MWMC - Networking Happy Hour
Minnesota Women in Marketing and Communications(MWMC) - September 8, 6:00 pm–8:00 pm
- Location: Sweeney’s Saloon | 96 North Dale Street, St. Paul Google Map »
- Non-members are welcome at this event.
- There is no charge for this event.
Event Information
Join us for this fun, free event to kick off our event year. Here’s your chance to meet new people and catch up with friends. You’ll also learn about what MWMC can do for you, and find out about exciting upcoming events, including Trish Santini at the Guthrie and Angela Chambliss from Best Buy’s WOLF program. We’ll also talk about membership, mentoring and more!
FREE for members and non-members. Appetizers included; cash bar.
We look forward to seeing you!
www.mnwc.org
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Her Brand Matters: Creating Brands that Resonate
Minnesota Women in Marketing Communications (MWMC) announces Renita Van Dusen of Affina to speak at the first Learning Lunch of the 2010-2011 programming season on Tuesday, September 21 at the University of St. Thomas (Minneapolis Campus).
Whether you're confined by a tight budget or have a team of maxed resources, now is the time to engage yourself in efforts to improve next year's branding strategy. Through case studies and practical applications, learn three key insights from Van Dusen into creating a brand that resonates. You will discover not only how to engage the women in your audience but also how to find out who YOUR target audience is and HOW to reach them in your branding strategy – even on a small budget.
Renita Van Dusen, founder and CEO of the strategic branding and design firm, Affina, is an expert and national speaker on marketing to women.
Event Information
Tuesday, September 21
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
University of St. Thomas (Minneapolis Campus)
Opus Hall Room 201 | 1000 LaSalle Ave. | Minneapolis, MN 55403
Visit www.mnwc.org to register.
Cost:
$28 Members
$58 Non-members
$18 Students
Monday, August 23, 2010
LaBreche adds three new clients
LaBreche announced today that three new clients have joined its roster: PLATO Learning, Bioenergy, Inc. and Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center (GPTRAC).
LaBreche is providing PR services for PLATO Learning based in Bloomington. PLATO Learning is a leading provider of education technology solutions for kindergarten through adult learners, offering curricula for reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies and life and job skills. PLATO Learning’s innovative curriculum and interactive instruction solutions help educators effectively integrate the traditional and virtual learning environment. The company’s research-based model of student achievement and industry-leading professional services support continuous school improvement and help to ensure that all learners achieve academic success. The company has been at the forefront of educational technology for almost 50 years.
Also, LaBreche is coordinating PR initiatives for Bioenergy, Inc. based in Minneapolis. Bioenergy, Inc. is an integrated biotechnology company developing products that restore energy and improve the body’s response to metabolic stress using ribose. Ribose helps to regenerate energy when tissues are stressed, such as in cardiovascular diseases, or for healthy people, provides needed energy reflected in less fatigue and greater exercise performance and recovery. Bioenergy, Inc. develops and commercializes various ribose-based products from nutraceuticals to medical foods to pharmaceuticals. The company’s pharmaceutical division centers on the use of ribose in chronic diseases, such as heart disease, and its cutting-edge cell technology solutions are designed to improve transfusable blood products.
In addition, Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center (GPTRAC) signed on for an awareness campaign with LaBreche. GPTRAC is housed at the University of Minnesota in the Institute for Health Informatics. The center is supported by a grant from the federal Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, Health Resources Services Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services. GPTRAC assists both rural and urban health care facilities, providers and organizations within Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota in order to better utilize and implement telehealth technology. GPTRAC is a resource for those looking to develop telehealth applications, projects and programs within their health care organizations.
Social CRM: A New Realm of B2B Engagement
Is your organization using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media sites to its advantage?
On Thursday, September 16, 2010, the Minnesota chapter of the Business Marketing Association (BMA-Minnesota) will explore how B2B companies can manage their social relationships by employing Social CRM and how Social CRM can create a unique opportunity for businesses to engage, differentiate, innovate, and grow.
The session will be led by Eric Scheel, co-founder and CTO of Reside. Scheel has years of experience in strategic design and implementation and is a nationally-renowned expert on building and integrating applications on the Force.com platform.
Scheel will teach attendees how to:
- Define and apply Social CRM for B2B organizations
- Engage, differentiate, innovate, and grow within Social CRM
- Sort through the FICO (formerly Fair Isaac) B2B community
- Generate powerful results through sales and marketing collaboration
Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010
Time: 7:30 a.m. Registration and breakfast
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Presentation
Location:
Minneapolis Golf Club
2001 Flag Ave. South
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Directions
Cost: Members $30 / Non Members $45
Register by: September 13, 2010
Register Now
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
South by Southwest - Support Panels from Minnesota
The biggest and arguably, the most energetic and well-known conference in the interactive marketing industry, South by Southwest Interactive, brings together more than 10,000 like-minded professionals to Austin, Texas for five days for the opportunity to share ideas, experiences, and yes ... a good time.
While opening day of the 2011 conference isn't until March 11, preparations to fill the programming slate are well underway. Last week, the SXSW PanelPicker went live. This online voting system gives the public a chance to vote "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to the more than 2,300 proposals being considered. The voting round is the second round of the process, and accounts for 30% of the decision to accept a proposal (40% is by the advisory boards in the first round, and the remaining 30% is determined by SXSW in the final round).
What does all of this have to do with PR professionals in Minnesota, you ask?
Well, several things ...
First, whether you are attending, or are even aware of the South by Southwest Interactive conference, it's important for PR pros to keep their perspectives broad, and be aware of the trends being presented at conferences such as these.
Second, voting is open to EVERYONE. You don't need to be a past or future attendee, or even an "interactive" professional. You just need to have an opinion and be willing to share it.
Last, but definitely not least, there are some whip-smart folks from right here in your community who are vying for a presentation slot, and they could really use your support.
Are you ready to help get some Minnesotans on the bill of this internationally renowned conference?
To get you started, I've begun to compile a list of Minnesotans with proposals in the PanelPicker:
Note - In order to prevent fraudulent voting, you do need to create an account. It doesn't take long or require a lot of info, and you won't be placed on any mailing lists.
Sheetal Dube, Evantage Consulting
Steve Bendt, Best Buy
(post update, 8/20/2010) "Creative Alternatives: What if we Reinvented Healthcare Today?"
Robert Fabricant, frog design and Doug Powell, Schwartz Powell Design
Nancy Lyons and Meghan Wilker, The Geek Girls Guide
Jennifer Kane, Kane Consulting
(post update 8/26/2010): "Healthy Privacy: Can Health Insurance Companies Be Social?"
Tammy Young, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
(post update 8/20/2010) "Human Centered Journalism: Changing news with Design Thinking"
Andrew Haeg, Public Insight Network
John Bernier, Best Buy
Kristina Halvorson, Brain Traffic
(post update, 8/20/2010) "RDFa, Microdata, Microformats: Gateway Drugs to Semantic Web"
Jay Myers, BestBuy.com
Greg Swan, PerfectPorridge.com (Greg also has a proposal for consideration in SXSW Music.)
(post update, 8/23/2010) "The Value of Personal Health Social Networks"
Sona Mehring, CringBridge.org
Fred Beecher, Evantage Consulting
Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. on August 27 - so, be sure to cast your votes before then. What other suggestions do you have? Please feel free to add to this list in the comments.
Kary Delaria is Vice President of Kane Consulting, a social media marketing and PR agency specializing in social media analysis, strategy, integration and measurement. You can contact her via email, Kary@KaneConsulting.biz or @KaryD on Twitter.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Olson promotes Dengerud (again)
Louise Dengerud was just promoted a little more than a year ago from associate account director to account director at OLSON. Now she has been elevated again, to group account director, in recognition of her showstopping efforts and innovative strategy for key clients, including Target. She has been at the agency for more than four years.
“Louise has proven her worth time and again — she doesn’t leave a meeting without something new added to her to-do list. She’s emerging as one of the most accomplished and effective leaders at OLSON, and she does it so fashionably,” says Kevin DiLorenzo, president and CEO, OLSON. “Louise has helped build a fantastic team and runs it with great efficiency and flair. She continues to rise to the occasion with every project, and she always gets it all done.”
A look at an up-and-comer: Sarah Anderson
1. Tell me about the jobs that you held while at the University of Minnesota.
StudyBlue network.
Before this, I was a local titleholder with the Miss America Organization. This opportunity was instrumental in developing me not only as a strategic communicator, but also as a young woman of character. I created and executed a campaign advocating for character education in high school students, travelling over 25,000 miles on a public speaking tour. With this position, I gained experience in media relations, community relations, and event planning.
2. Which accomplishment in your professional career are you most proud of and why?
My highest measurable accomplishment occurred during my time with StudyBlue, when I recruited over 2,500 students to join the network within 8 months while managing a 20-credit schedule. This busy schedule gave me the perfect opportunity to strengthen my abilities to problem solve, think creatively, and take initiative. Being the first and only representative on campus also taught me the value of a can-do attitude and pioneering spirit. It also made me hungry for collaboration.
3. How did your education from the University of Minnesota prepare you for a public relations career?
I love that my University of Minnesota education has provided me with knowledge of theory, writing, campaign work--essentials I'll need to know as a professional. Everyday, I learn from some of the sharpest
thinkers in the industry. Many of my professors bring in professionals to speak industry wisdom to the class. I must say, my most prized lessons have come from mentor relationships I've cultivated using the resources of my professors. Because of these connections, my U of M education has not only prepared me for a great public relations career, but also set it into action.
4. How is your job search going?
Thank you for asking! I've enjoyed digging into the Twin Cities business community--there's so many great people who have helped me understand its intricacies along the way. LeeAnn Rasachak (@UptownGirlMpls), Arik Hanson (@arikhanson), Allison Janney (@allisonjanney), and Katie Schutrop (@kshoop), to name a few. Publicly, I thank you all for answering my questions and appealing to my curiosity.
I'm currently looking for internship experience. Intern-seekers: I am resourceful, responsible, quick to listen, and eager to learn. Pile that on top of my previously-mentioned U of M education, and you just may have
found your all-star intern that comes with zero fine print.
5. What would be the optimal employment opportunity for you?
Beyond college, I'm looking to start with an agency/company that values honesty, service, and strategic development. I believe these three values hold power to recruit the best teams and attract the best clients. I want to be a part of a company that casts big vision and creates meaningful culture.
With a cherry on top: Fast-paced, collaborative, creative, related to food and/or nutrition, driven and passionate culture. Tweet @sarahjander to suggest a company that fits these criterion!
6. What advice do you have for fellow job seekers?
20-somethings like top-5 lists, so here we go.
- 1. Get a professional mentor. I know we younglings like to think we know everything, but we don't. We need to learn from those ahead of us professionally.
- Develop your strengths. Take the StrengthsFinder test! (www.strengthsfinder.com). If you know your strengths, you'll be able to develop and market yourself with clarity. You need to know yourself before you can.
- Read blogs, news-sites, do your research. This three-part piece of advice is jam-packed with work. It's worth it! Check out what your potential employers are writing about, and become an expert in those areas. Research companies and agencies to figure out what you want.
- Blog. Establish your writing online so you have a nice, plump record of your work when you need to reference it to someone.
- Be who you say you are.
E-mail: ande8818@umn.edu
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sarahjander
LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjander
Blog: www.downwriteprtalk.wordpress.com
Twitter: @sarahjander
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Popular Front Develops International Presence
Popular Front, a Minneapolis based interactive agency, has been enlisted to lead both national marketing strategy and technical product development efforts for Chinese Cubes. The Taipei based company has developed a language learning tool which features components of augmented reality and real-time computer aided feedback. The product is scheduled to be launched in the U.S. in early 2011.
Popular Front President, Jason Ulrich, says, “Agency expertise in the kids and entertainment categories in addition to experience with new product launches is something Chinese Cubes looked for in a partner. Popular Front has a strong history in all of these areas, and our team is committed to ensuring Chinese Cubes make a successful transition to the U.S. market. This is a great opportunity to showcase both our strategic planning capabilities and the depth of our development team.”
Five Minutes with a Legend: James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, CCEP (Part II)
In this, the second of two parts of our interview with Jim Lukaszewski, he discusses his books, advice to practitioners and his take on the role of PR in society.
1. Of the dozen or so books you've written, which is the most important? Why?
In 1992, I published a book (just 44 pages) called Influencing Public Attitudes: Strategies to Reduce the Media's Power. The concepts were about communicating directly to those whose lives and circumstances we affected, changed, or were damaged rather than through the news media. While that book never used the word "victims," I was essentially saying that what matters most, what is ethically required first, is to deal with the victims we create or whose lives we are going to change. Today, with the Web and new media, you might read this book and say, "So, what's new?" My insight was less about the future and more about how to honorably and effectively manage present problems directly rather than through the news media. It was a novel idea at the time. Even with today's incredibly helpful technologies, we're still learning how to communicate directly, effectively.
The book, now out of print, originally sold for $14.95. You can occasionally find a copy on eBay for $75 or for $54 on Amazon. I'm not sure exactly what that means except that neither the publisher nor I are getting any royalties.
2. Your latest book, Why Should The Boss Listen To You? The Seven Disciplines of the Trusted Strategic Advisor (Jossey-Bass, 2008), is a business book rather than a communications book. Why did you write it? What did you hope to accomplish?
Yes, it is a business book, but it is actually all about communication -- the personal communication, strategies and philosophies of the strategic advisor and those they advise. The publisher originally wanted me to make it a leadership book, but I was more interested in helping those who want to be near and helpful to leaders rather than be leaders themselves. The reason is very practical. There are 10, 100, maybe 1,000 times the number of advisors as there are CEOs and practicing leaders. Also, there is very little written about the job of the number two person, or the significant advisor.
One of the more unusual aspects of my practice has been the opportunity to observe advisors and practitioners from all staff, external and operational functions, and analyze the work of these individuals for my clients. Like most things in life, successful advisors exhibit patterns of behavior, thinking and action that, if noticed, explored and explained, can be used to help and teach others. This book is an example of what I've been doing and continue to do throughout my professional life. I am an observer, a teacher, a coach and an ethical and ideological compass for those leaders who need or want to explore these things.
 |
| James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, CCEP |
The website came about because our two sons, Chuck and James, from the time they were teenagers, were really into anything to do with computers and especially the emerging phenomenon of the World Wide Web. Our site went up in 1997, and we wanted to use the URL 911.com. At that time, completely numeric URLs were prohibited. That's why it's e911.com. The "e" is for emergency. As they were building our site, Chuck and Jim were inventing eWatch, the first Internet monitoring service. They later sold that company, and it is still operating.
The purpose of e911 has always been to make my writings, publications and other content available to the widest possible audiences. The site has a second URL, www.crisismanagementuniversity.com. It's only in recent years that the cost of maintaining a website has forced us to monetize much of the content. However, a visitor can generally download a copy of anything for free, so long as it is for personal use. Even today, if a college professor calls and wants to use an item of mine in class and it is available on our website, we suggest that each student download a single personal copy. My philosophy is that if what I do is truly valuable, it won't do anyone any good if it sits on a disk somewhere, on a shelf, in my computer, or just in my brain.
4. What advice would you give to the new practitioner, even the mid-career practitioner about enhancing their professional lives?
First, go into government if you can, even if it's just a couple years, wherever you can find a spot. Through a fortuitous accident, great good luck and Metro State, I got an internship in the office of former Gov. Wendell R. Anderson (D-Minn.) as a part-time deputy press secretary. I was 31 at the time and, therefore, one of the oldest interns around. I was, in fact, called "the old guy." It was priceless experience. Government in America, at any level, is a miracle and a marvel you really want to understand from the inside out. Some of the greatest lessons about advising other people, resolving contentious situations and dealing effectively with leaders and high ego personalities came from my few years in government service.
America is a commercial democracy rather than a government-driven society. Knowing how government works, at whatever level, can be extremely valuable as a professional credential.
Second, be curious, a lifelong learner, a good question asker and assumption challenger. Most mistakes and bad decisions happen because people who know better look the other way, and fail to challenge or question what are, in hindsight, often really stupid decisions. And recognize that the moment you hear the words "Do whatever it takes," you can reliably forecast that someone will be doing something unethical, illegal, or at best unnecessary, sometimes criminal, at the expense of others.
Third, develop a personal code of honor. Write it down, think and talk it through, then live by it. Benjamin Franklin had his 13 virtues: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity...then later, after being accused of arrogance, he added #13: humility. Thirteen is a lot. There were only 10 Commandments. Start with a handful and build out from there. Live up to them, with them, and through them every day. Most successful advisors and consultants have something like this that they can talk about. They worked hard to define themselves so they can help others define themselves.
5. What is the most frequent question you're asked to respond to by practitioners?
That question is, "Will I have to bide my time, and look like you (I'm 68 this month), to gain access to the C-suite and have the influence you appear to have?" Early in my New York experience, I wound up working on Wall Street for a couple years. I was 44 at the time. The first thing you realize about Wall Street is that while the fat cats get in the headlines because of their big bonuses and arrogant behavior, the place is actually run by people well under the age of 30. They are far less visible "fat kittens" and as arrogant as their seniors. These are very smart people and what really matters is what comes out of their mouths, based on what they know rather than their age, gender, or emotional intensity. I haven't been on Wall Street daily for many years, but I can tell you reliably that the access, influence and acceptance of advice, counsel and ideas from these very smart young people holds true today. It holds true in public relations, too.
6. What should PR be doing to enhance its relevance, importance and influence in our society?
First, in this age of new media, dying media, and new media behaviors, public relations should take a very powerful monitoring role of all that media does. While our country owes much of its success to maintaining and protecting a robust and free news media, the explosive access to communication platforms by so many, so easily has changed the rules. The public should have the benefit of informed independent commentary, analysis, and assessment of journalistic processes, practices and behaviors. The serious decline in public respect and confidence for traditional journalism can only be remedied, if that is even possible, with independent, highly trustworthy, direct and credible oversight.
In an era where everyone is a journalist, one of the greatest services we can provide is some independent discussion, validation and constructive criticism. This is especially important since some of the most tangible and visible byproducts of new media are contention, confrontation, bullying and fabrication.
Second, public relations needs to put media relations in the context of everything our profession provides and our clients expect. Media relations is a fraction of current public relations practice. We are still far too dominated by who reporters are and what they do every day. Yes, media relations matters, but as the ability to identify specific individuals as targets for messages and information, and the ability to actually deliver specific, highly targeted, very appropriate information directly, increases every day, the need to participate in broad brush, shotgun-like, inefficient, often seriously inaccurate information approaches declines.
Third, America is experiencing a privacy crisis. If you doubt this, here is a recent comment from Google CEO Eric Schmidt in The Wall Street Journal: because of the information Google has collected about you, "We know roughly who you are, roughly what you care about, roughly who your friends are, and also generally where you are within a very few inches." The founding fathers made some interesting assumptions, perhaps, about each one of us having a zone of privacy, but just the opposite is occurring. In our Constitution, privacy is only explicitly guaranteed to criminals, or suspected criminals, through the Fifth Amendment.
New media operatives, operating as journalists, rip away the assumed privacy for anyone they target. The agitation for digital health records storage, the insatiable appetite for data by global aggregators, and the attempt to profile every one of us as individual market targets for sales to strangers for everyone's benefit but our own, needs powerful controls, restrictions and oversight. It may be a pipe dream, but America needs a simple, sensible, constructive, individual privacy strategy built into our Constitution. One crucial, potential force in our society that's capable of thinking this through and advocating a doable rational approach are the professionals who do the communicating every day. Privacy is a human right. We should be able to control much of our own destiny, and have the affirmative option of giving or sharing, rather than being hapless, helpless victims of anyone who can access the Web, public and private records, or who can, without any controls or oversight, expropriate our privacy, and therefore, our individual independence.
This rush to expose and share has become so stupid that an advocate of this mindless collection of information on each of us is now recommending that everyone place to change their names around the age of 18 to separate themselves from anything that might be on the Web or available in databases prior to that time, and do that time and again as one's life progresses.
If only the founding fathers had expanded our national aspirations by a single concept, then it would have been life, liberty, privacy, and the pursuit of happiness. Our lives would be very different.
-- Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC / Risdall McKinney Public Relations
Read part one of this interview here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)