The Media Missed the Point… Again

By: Miriam Fry

There are many opinions in the world about what PR really is, and what PR professionals do on a daily basis. While PR professionals are not evasive about their job duties and generally do not leave room for interpretation, mainstream media outlets are known to cast stones and write PR off as a pointless field. Many newspapers, broadcast news stations and other sectors of the media do not seem to value PR’s real contributions to society.

Keith Trivitt, author of the blog PRBreakfastClub, illustrates this point beautifully with his post “The Media is Missing the Real Story of PR.” Trivitt references a New York Times article that ran Sunday titled “When Publicists Say ‘Shh!’” Before even delving into it, the title alone is enough to make PR practitioners cringe.

First, the Times article concerns celebrity PR which, in actuality, is only a small portion of the industry. Second, the article describes celebrities, namely Charlie Sheen and R&B singer Chris Brown, who do not seem to trust or value their publicists’ advice. Both celebrities have had episodes of rage and violence that put them in a negative light. The article reports that many celebrities’ press agents have tried to silence their clients in an attempt to rehabilitate their images . . . but why should the PR industry as a whole be bashed because a few publicists have celebrity clients who can’t control their images?

For what it’s worth, PR is about putting your best foot forward. But if your client is always putting his foot in his mouth, what is a publicist to do?

The New York Times reporter missed the point on what PR is. Trivitt’s blog notes some positive PR facts that deserve more media coverage, the most important one being the positive role that PR plays in cities’ economic recoveries.

“New York City alone is home to more than 1,000 PR firms that contribute well north of $1 billion annually to the city’s economy,” Trivitt wrote. That is refreshing to hear in a time when economists say that the U.S. is in the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. Trivitt also notes, in spite of a faltering economy, annual spending in the PR industry is on the rise.

Trivitt’s blog does a great job of pointing out what the mainstream media is missing when it reports on PR. Although inevitable articles about outraged celebrities won’t do the PR industry justice, one can only hope that the mainstream media will start to get the point. After all, we can help them put their best foot forward.

A Royal PR Opportunity

By Amanda Coppock

Once upon a time there was a beautiful brunette commoner who went to St. Andrew’s University and caught the eye of a prince. After a long courtship the prince finally proposed to the beautiful commoner and the wedding preparation commenced. It’s a story little girls dream of their whole lives, and for the public relations practitioner, it has become a story that can be used to their advantage.

A royal wedding is always an event to capture the public’s eye, but this wedding has done so even more than in the past. The last royal wedding happened in July of 1981. There were no iPhone apps, no Internet, no DVRs and even VCRs were relatively new. To watch The Royal Wedding of 1981, everyone had to wake up early in the morning to view it. Thirty years later, we can DVR it or even watch it live on the YouTube channel—no T.V. required.

Television was the primary medium for the commoners who wanted to follow the details of Charles and Diana’s Royal Wedding. Today, we have many media channels to follow the story of William and Kate. The official website of the Royal Wedding is complete with a videos from the Royal Channel on YouTube, social media feeds and a blog of recent news. In the iPhone app store there are nearly 60 apps pertaining to the Royal Wedding. If Charles and Diana felt that they were very much in the public eye, William and Kate must feel that their lives are completely transparent.

Like all media today, an integral part of The Royal Wedding is consumer interactivity. No longer is media just television coverage. The Royal Wedding YouTube channel invites us to upload video messages to Kate and William and to sign the digital guestbook. In addition to traditional media buzz around the day, like TLC’s Royal Wedding Week and the Lifetime movie William and Kate, many brands have also taken advantage of The Royal Wedding.

Within a day of the engagement announcement, UK’s The Guardian published an article titled, “The royal wedding PR goldrush,” that discusses how PR folks were already using The Royal Wedding to create excitement. Sealy created a special Crown Jewel bed, VisitBritain created a royal wedding itinerary and everything Kate wears sells out. Positioning items and services around an event as prominent as The Royal Wedding automatically gives the PR professional’s client newsworthiness.

Something about a royal wedding captures our attention and gives us the desire to want to be a part of the big day. With the products that have been positioned around the wedding and the interactivity that technology allows today, even the most common of commoners can become involved. Just as media is no longer something to be consumed passively, the Royal Wedding is no longer an event to simply be watched. It is amazing what 30 years can change for the monarchy and how easy it is for Americans to become a part of their nuptials.

A Hole In Southwest’s Image?

By Marissa Stabler

I boarded the plane for my last trip to Dallas before my big post-graduation move (road-trip style) next month. Two energetic flight attendants made colorful remarks over the PA system. I took to my iPhone and tweeted how I would miss Southwest’s friendly customer service.

As the airplane ascended, I calmly read April’s issue of Spirit Magazine  (by the way, I never realized what an impact eggs have had on cultures), blissfully unaware that a Southwest jet had made an emergency landing less than an hour earlier  in Yuma, Ariz.

On April 1, a gaping 5-foot hole ruptured in the roof of Southwest Airlines Flight 812,  sucking out breathable oxygen, when the plane suffered an explosive decompression at 34,000 feet. The pilots made a rapid descent to a lower altitude with breathable air, and eventually made a safe landing. There were no reported customer injuries. A flight attendant, however, suffered a minor injury.

Southwest responded by grounding 79 Boeing 737-300 airplanes (like Flight 812) for inspection within seven hours of the incident.

“I was not going to fly those airplanes until we understood better why that happened or did an inspection to assure ourselves we didn’t have other airplanes with that [problem],” Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said. “My main concern was safety and customer service.”

Southwest issued a public statement within an hour after the plane landed in Yuma, and communicated with passengers via email and text messages, informing them whether their flights had been canceled over the weekend due to the groundings. The airline also kept customers informed through its Facebook page, Twitter and corporate blog several times a day as new information became available.

So, the question is, will the “hole incident” cause lasting harm to Southwest Airlines’ image?

Probably not.

Just like the hole in the roof of its aircraft, any damage to Southwest’s image will likely be repaired quickly on account of the airline’s swift handling of the situation and its favorable reputation.

“There was nothing Southwest failed to do or did improperly,” said Robert Mann Jr., an aviation consultant in Port Washington, N.Y. “This was something no one had seen before.”

Industry analysts say the airline has a solid overall maintenance program, and Southwest has maintained an outstanding safety record with no in-flight fatalities.

Above all, Southwest’s image will survive the incident because it has built a reputation as an airline that cares. The carrier is well-known for its low fares and warm customer service. Where else are you going to get endless Diet Cokes and salted peanuts, and have information serenaded to you in-flight — all for one of the cheapest air fares available?

Customer care is absolute in Southwest’s mission: dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.

This customer service has even flown into the realm of social media. Last month, TIME picked the 140 Best Twitter Feeds. Southwest (@southwestair) was deemed as “one of the few airlines getting it right on Twitter” (JetBlue also made the cut) for its interactive tweets that do an “admirable job helping road warriors do everything from rebook a flight to locate their frequent-flyer rewards.”

“Unless something else happens, [the incident] will be forgotten pretty quickly,” aviation consultant Michael Boyd said. “Southwest has too much of a reputation as an airline that takes care of people.”

Boyd appears to be right. Less than a month after Flight 812 made its emergency landing, Southwest customers took to the carrier’s Facebook page and expressed their gratitude for being an airline that goes the extra mile.

Without a word of complaint — Southwest, you go and top yourself — sending out a LUV voucher just cause we were stuck on the tarmac for a bit of time … and not because of anything you really did — just the silly storm. That’s what I call customer service. Thanks!!!

I ♥ you guys. I had my first Southwest experience this week and it was fantastic. Never did I think I could come to love an airline. Keep it up!

Southwest has the best customer service ever. We were three hours delayed out of LAX yesterday and wouldn’t make it back home because we’d miss our connecting flight. We’d have to spend the time at the Houston Airport (me and my two youngest daughters). William O. at the desk at LAX worked with me and routed me through St. Louis, where… we could stay with family overnight. He worked magic to get us on a full direct flight leaving in 30 minutes and then got us out of a direct flight out of St. Louis. We even got to have dinner with my parents last night. Yeah SW. It could have been a disaster, but it was a nice “extra” vacation day instead.

When I boarded my Southwest flight four days after the hole, I was just as calm as I was when I read “Which Came First?” (the chicken or the egg), partially because of the completed safety inspections, and partially because of the stand-up comedian/peanut provider/flight attendant manning the PA system.

Also published on PROpenMic.

BP’s Perfect Storm, One Year Later

By: Miriam Fry

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which has been recorded as the largest oil spill in U.S. history. The scope of damage from this spill surpassed even the Exxon-Valdez spill of 1989. The minute Transocean’s oil rig exploded, BP had a PR challenge on hand. Has BP conquered it?

If having an estimated 172 million gallons of oil gushing into the Gulf with your company’s name on it isn’t enough of a PR blunder to overcome, BP had an increasingly difficult time capping the well, and 11 employees, who were working on the rig, died when it exploded. Each of these events serves as a substantial PR challenge, but when all three are combined, the situation becomes a perfect storm of PR challenges.

From July to August 2010, BP tripled its advertising budget to $93 million in an attempt to recover its ruined reputation. Investing in PR was a major financial decision for BP, but did it work?

Well, it will take more than a year to tell, but overall, BP appears to be committed to letting Gulf Coast residents know that the company takes full responsibility for what happened, along with government mandates … what more can BP be expected to do?

The PR campaign consists of traditional news releases, a new website tab titled “Gulf of Mexico Restoration” and financial statements. Perhaps the most direct tactic was the hiring of unemployed residents from Baldwin and Mobile counties in south Alabama to help with the cleanup process.

In addition, the company utilized traditional social media with Twitter, Facebook and a YouTube Channel, all of which increased transparency. The YouTube videos address the situation from the residents’ points of view and are titled “Voices from the Gulf.” The most recent video features Bryan and Brook Zar, owners of Restaurant des Families in Crown Point, La.

Bryan Zar notes that “[BP] stuck by the region, and kept our communities working.” The video points out that the Zars were not compensated for their appearance, ensuring that there is no speculation that BP paid actors to imitate Gulf Coast residents. BP was able to catch candid accounts of what residents thought, which is invaluable to its PR efforts.

As today’s anniversary approached, BP released a video titled “A Year of Change” to illustrate what the company has been doing for the residents of the Gulf Coast. The video begins with an apology from Bob Dudley, the new CEO of BP, in which he says BP “is committed to earning your trust back.” The video details what happened on April 20, 2010, when the rig exploded, as well as every effort to cap it for the three months that followed. The cleanup process is also featured with a tug-on-heart strings as we see pelicans being bathed to rid them of oil.

The video is seemingly transparent, detailed and honest — three words that all PR practitioners value in their work.

The $93 million dollar investment in BP’s PR was just the beginning of its reputation makeover. It has made its message known, and it has opened itself up to not only residents of the Gulf Coast, but the entire country.

What do you think of BP’s PR tactics?

Please Don’t Go: Fans and Team Relocation

By Wesley Vaughn

Professional sports teams can unite a city. They can bring sadness or jubilation, and they can represent a city in their style of play. They can even pleasantly distract a city from its own harsh realities.

But, they can also move. In effect, teams can divorce cities to move in with a prettier, more financially accommodating city.

Across the country, fans have shared the heartbreak of team relocation. It first began when the Baltimore Colts infamously packed up and left the city during the night for Indianapolis. The footage of their Mayflower moving trucks remains synonymous with relocation.

Short of lying down in front of those trucks, fans can do little to prevent the inevitable agony. However, diehard fans have organized to demonstrate their passion for their team. They have adopted – knowingly or unknowingly – public relations tactics in their efforts.

In 2008, the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City and renamed to become the Thunder. The long legal process of relocation provided the time for Sonic fans to create Save Our Sonics, an organization dedicated to keeping the team in Seattle. Probably the most effective response to team relocation, Save Our Sonics became the advocacy group for disgruntled Seattle fans.

There have been many relocations in professional sports, but none drew the same prolonged ire as the one in Seattle. Not only was the city losing a team it had been the home of since 1967, it was the victim of corporate greed. The betrayal began when hometown Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sold the team to an Oklahoma City-based investment group in 2006.

Save Our Sonics had one objective: prevent the team from leaving. It set forth strategies and tactics that included the following:
•    Talk with local and state politicians
•    Seek support from local businesses
•    Ensure fan support remains high
•    Reach out to media in the region
•    Request assistance from non-fans
•    Communicate with the NBA Board of Governors

Though the group ultimately failed, it indirectly targeted NBA owners who may move their teams in the future.

Save Our Sonics was grassroots public relations at its finest and was a refreshing reminder that public relations does not always consist of a large corporation promoting itself with some charity event or big announcement. It was the embodiment of a city’s support for a team that it did not want to lose.

Currently, the NBA’s Sacramento Kings are in the process of moving to nearby Anaheim. Sacramento fans organized Here We Stay last fall to prevent just that. Although it has not been as organized as Save Our Sonics, it modeled itself after the Seattle effort.

Brian Robinson, co-founder of Save Our Sonics, even gave advice to the group in a video for The Sacramento Bee. He especially stressed the importance of building a strong coalition of local businesses to support the construction of a new arena.

In the age of online connectedness, these movements are easier to organize and grow. Both professional sports team owners and fans must recognize the opportunity for such groups to form and the effect they can have. Public relations practitioners must recognize that passion is just as important as a well-written press release.

Making a Pointe

By: Katherine Baker

In the recent film “Black Swan,” Natalie Portman stars as the ballerina in a production of “Swan Lake.” Portman won the Oscar for best actress for her performance, in which she did most of the dancing.

Recently though, Sarah Lane, Portman’s dance double, made claims that Portman only danced in 5 percent of the shots on screen and that she danced for 95 percent of the dance scenes.

However, Entertainment Weekly published a statement from the film’s director, Darren Aronofsky, defending Portman, which stated that she danced in about 80 percent of the shots, or 90 percent of the movie if you factor in duration.

“There are 139 dance shots in the film. 111 are Natalie Portman untouched. 28 are her dance double Sarah Lane. If you do the math that’s 80 [percent] Natalie Portman,” Aronofsky said.

In public relations, a practitioner represents his company much like a director represents his movie. As PR people, if a problem comes our way, it is crucial to take initiative and be the one that tackles the problem.

Aronofsky assumed the role of a great PR practitioner.

He went directly to the source, Entertainment Weekly, and set the record straight. No if, ands or buts. I don’t think there will be much more questioning about how many scenes Portman danced.

When a reliable source, such as a director or PR professional, cuts to the chase and sets the public straight, it is very powerful and can change the public’s opinion for the better.

Mila Kunis, Portman’s co-star in “Black Swan,” is quoted in another Entertainment Weekly article stating that Portman is honest about how much footwork she was and was not able to do.

“Natalie danced her a–- off,” Kunis said. “I think it’s unfortunate that this is coming out and taking attention away from [the praise] Natalie deserved and got.”

Having other people in your cast, or on your PR team, back you up when a crisis occurs is also a great and effective way to clear up any confusion.

The director and cast members of “Black Swan” know how to take care of business not only in the ballet world, but in the PR world as well.

In his closing remarks, Aronofsky told Entertainment Weekly, “And to be clear Natalie did dance on pointe in pointe shoes. If you look at the final shot of the opening prologue, which lasts 85 seconds, and was danced completely by Natalie, she exits the scene on pointe. That is completely her without any digital magic.

“I am responding to this to put this to rest and to defend my actor. Natalie sweated long and hard to deliver a great physical and emotional performance. And I don’t want anyone to think that’s not her they are watching. It is.”

Way to make a “pointe” of setting the story straight, Aronofsky.

Does Calvin Klein know PR? Part Two

By Aman Judge

Calvin Klein officially kicked off its CK One campaign on March 1, but has it really utilized the campaign to its full advantage?

CK One is a campaign meant to attract the younger consumer to the Calvin Klein brand. Although there has been an increase in sales, Calvin Klein has yet to really engage its public to build a better relationship with the consumer.

As noted in my previous blog post, CK One is trying to engage its consumers by interacting with them through different social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and the company’s website. This engagement allows for Calvin Klein to create more of a two-way communication with consumers, especially those of the younger generation.

Calvin Klein set its goals high. With a campaign such as CK One, social media does play a big role, but how you utilize social media plays an even bigger role. #CKOne is Calvin Klein’s source of feedback for the CK One brand on Twitter. CK One also has its own page on Facebook, but it’s hosted through the Calvin Klein page. On both sites Calvin Klein doesn’t take full advantage of this use of social media.

Setting up these accounts is one thing, but utilizing them correctly is another. On the Twitter feed for #CKOne, Calvin Klein has its own CK One models promoting the brand. Although there is reaction from the public, it is usually comments on the brand itself. There are no probing questions that allow for consumers to reply with tweets, nor are there really any ways for its staff to engage with consumers. Rather, the CKOne hashtag consists of people talking about the campaign and prompting consumers to visit the website without real engagement between consumer and company. There is a lack of two-way communication.

The Facebook page is even worse. The Calvin Klein Facebook page has all of the posts for the CK One brand. I wasn’t sure if this was on purpose because Calvin Klein is still the parent brand, and CK One is a new, but separate, brand. The CK One Facebook app page has posts on it, but they are posted sparingly, so sparingly that there are only five posts.

One form of engagement between the consumer and CK One is through the CK One website. CK One posts statuses on Facebook and Twitter that direct you back to the website. For example, one post prompts younger consumers to post a video telling about their secret crush.

This seems too regulatory, but it is still engaging with the consumer. There are two drawbacks to this. 1.) You must sign in to post or view videos and 2.) There is no real feedback. While providing a way for consumers to engage, the website doesn’t offer two-way communication with the brand itself.

If you go through the effort of utilizing social media platforms, remember to be strategic. CK One’s failure to establish two-way communication serves as a lesson to PR practitioners.

*Edited version of a blog orginally posted on PROpenMic.

Conquer the Chaos: Three Stress-Busting Tips

By Elizabeth Howell

Attention PR junkies, it’s time to stop squeezing that tiny foam replica of planet Earth. There are rational strategies to manage the mania that is public relations.

In an earlier post featured by Platform Magazine, PR = Satisfaction > Stress, Laura Rabushka brought to light that while public relations is a field that ranks high in satisfaction and flexibility, it is also highly stressful. Consequently, the position of public relations officer ranked as the eighth most stressful job of 2010 in a study conducted by CareerCast.com.

Who took home the prize for most stressful job of 2010? Firefighters. While these heroes put their lives in danger every day, it is arguable that PR representatives get put in some very heated situations of their own.

So, what can you do about it?

Richard Carlson, author of the national bestselling Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series, provides 100 “simple ways to minimize stress and conflict while bringing out the best in yourself and others” in his book Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work.

I was required to read this book for my public relations campaigns class at The University of Alabama. I found Carlson’s wisdom to be extremely applicable to the challenges my group has faced thus far in planning our campaign. My favorite thing about Carlson’s guide to a calmer and more balanced work ethic is that he is up front in letting his readers know that there is no magic button for a peaceful workplace. The change must first come from within. By being proactive and following Carlson’s advice, I have seen results in both my productivity and morale.

Try my top three picks from Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work to conquer the stress in your professional life:

1. Don’t Dramatize the Deadlines

PR professionals are constantly working under deadlines. Timing is key in this profession. Missing a deadline on a press release could keep your organization from being featured by top media sources. There goes your buzz . . . and possibly your job.

Fortunately, this tip teaches us to make the most of deadlines.

Carlson believes that usually the deadline is not the sole factor in the creation of stress.

“It has been my experience that complaining about deadlines, even if the complaints are justified, takes an enormous amount of mental energy, and more important to deadlines, time,” Carlson wrote. “The turmoil you go through commiserating with others or simply within your own head isn’t worth it. The added obsessive thinking about deadlines creates its own anxiety.”

Carlson suggests working toward your goal without the interference of negative mental energy. He advises, “See if you can notice how often you tend to worry, fret or complain about deadlines. Then, try to catch yourself in the act of doing so. When you do, gently remind yourself that your energy would be better spent else where.”

2. Make Peace With Chaos

Public relations is a whirlwind profession. Anything can happen at any time. Professionals have to decide how they will approach chaotic situations, which are bound to occur.

Carlson wrote, “I have learned to accept chaos as an inevitable part of life. I still don’t like it, and I do everything I can to avoid it and keep it to a minimum. Yet, by surrendering to it I have made peace with the fact that chaos is inevitable.”

3. Stop Anticipating Tiredness

Traveling for speaking engagements and promotional events, late hours in the office and the constant connection to the job through technology may leave public relations officers anticipating they will be tired each morning and dreading the slim amount sleep they will be receiving. It’s time to make some changes before stress begins to haunt your dreams.

Carlson advises, “Clearly, everyone needs a certain degree of rest. I’ve read a few articles suggesting that many, if not most of us, don’t get enough sleep. And if you’re tired, the best possible solution would probably be to try to get more sleep. . . . One thing I try never to do is to discuss my lack of sleep with other people. I’ve learned that when I do, I always feel more tired as a result.”

So, the next time you’re stressed and begin to contemplate calling your guru or doing child’s pose on your lunch break, remember “don’t sweat the small stuff at work.”

Judge a Book by its Cover

By Katy Echols

As the semester draws to a close, students are looking to what lies ahead. As they move on to various jobs, armed with vast knowledge and training, students often rely on their degrees to represent their qualifications. But is that all there is? Is an impressive resume enough to get the job? Arguably, no.

To get the part, you have to play the part. To play the part, you have to look the part.

Dress matters. It is one of the most tangible ways you can express your interest and ability. Dressing well shows you take your career seriously. If you look like a highly trained and successful professional, you will be treated as such.

Even before you sit down for your interview, your potential employer has a first impression of you, which can matter much more than your credentials. Author Malcolm Gladwell explains in his book Blink that a person usually forms an opinion of someone during the first two seconds of meeting them. And often, that initial two-second judgment is more accurate than opinions derived from lengthy analyses.

In those first two seconds, a potential employer will not see a piece of paper detailing how qualified you are. He will see you. So you have to show him how qualified you are through your appearance.

As PR professionals, we are in the business of impressions. It’s our job to make a good impression for our client with the public so that relationships can be formed. The same goes for us as individuals. We have to make a good impression so that relationship building opportunities arise. We have to present ourselves in the best light possible.

Additionally, we have the responsibility of representing our clients. When others meet us, we are not only making an impression of ourselves, but also of the company we represent. With that responsibility in mind, it’s crucial to set that impression up for success. In other words, it’s crucial to dress for success.

Here are some tips on how to dress for success:

• When in doubt, overdress. Every company’s culture will be different. Some will expect more formal attire, while others will accept casual dress. It’s important to do some research ahead of time. Sometimes it’s hard to determine a company’s standard, but as a general rule, it’s always better to be overdressed rather than underdressed.

• Quality over quantity. It’s better to have a few quality pieces rather than several cheap ones. Investing in some expensive basics will give you a more “expensive” look, a more successful look. Wearing a suit that is fake and lacking in quality associates you with those attributes. Not a great idea.

• Stick to the basics. Choose basic pieces and use accessories to showcase your personality. You can always show your personality and style, but do so thoughtfully. Bags, shoes, ties, cufflinks and jewelry are a great way to show off who you are while remaining professional.

• Don’t be stinky. Obviously, take a shower. Perhaps not so obviously, don’t overdo your perfume or cologne. Dousing yourself detracts from yourself. Don’t allow something as simple as fragrance to distract those around you. Many people are allergic to certain perfumes – don’t risk an awkward situation.

For Women
Stick with a well-tailored skirt or pant suit. Colors like black, navy or charcoal are best. If you wear a skirt, it should at least come to your knees, but can be longer. Err on the side of Amish rather than stripper. Also, when wearing a skirt you should wear pantyhose. Nude color or black is acceptable. Don’t be that girl with super tan legs and white arms, it’s obvious and tacky. Low-heeled shoes are a must. Shoes are a great way to express yourself with style and color, but 5-inch stilettos are a no-no. This is work, not a night club. For your own benefit, you should also consider the comfort level. Tops should be well tailored and not over-the-top (pun intended) in color or style. Avoid anything too low cut or tight. Again, err on the side of conservative rather than risqué.

For Men
A well-tailored suit in black, navy or charcoal will do the trick. Grooming is more important than you think. A nice haircut, shaven face and clean nails can go a long way to make an impression. It’s all about the subtleties. Ties, pocket squares and cufflinks are a good way to be expressive, but don’t go over the top. A note on ties: remember that one size does not fit all. Consider proportions when choosing ties: a tie size should be proportionate to the suit size, which is dependent on the man’s frame, and the dress shirt’s collar type.

Business Casual
The standard for what is appropriate casual wear will change from company to company. The slight nuances and limitations can be gleaned after working somewhere for a while. However, until you know, overdress. In the meantime, here is the dressier side of business casual. Khaki pants or dark slacks paired with a long-sleeved button-down is a safe bet for both men and women. Even when dressing casually, having everything clean, well-tailored and ironed is important to looking professional. In some cases, polo shirts for men and sweaters for women are appropriate.

Recently, there has been debate whether businesses are becoming too casual. Mary Harris, a business etiquette consultant, agrees that they are.

“Our culture has gotten so relaxed that casual to many [people] means what you would wear around the house on a Saturday,” said Harris. “It’s gotten lost that the meaning is still professional but somewhat relaxed.”

As attire has grown increasingly casual, so has behavior. The two go hand in hand. A study cited in Entrepreneur indicated that 44 percent of surveyed companies noticed an increase in employee absenteeism and tardiness when casual dress policies were introduced. Casual dress is having a negative effect on productivity.

Formality is slowly slipping away, as formal titles are no longer used, profanity is increasingly common and taboo topics are no longer taboo. This trend needs to be reversed. Bear this in mind when you have casual dress days. Don’t allow the laid back clothing to translate into your work. Define the line of professionalism and stay within that boundary.

Your clothing speaks volumes about who you are. In the PR industry, image is especially emphasized, so taking time to present yourself in the best light is important. Putting in that extra effort can give you an advantage over the competition. Despite the adage warning not to, people do judge a book by its cover.

What does your cover say about what’s in you?

Trust and Public Relations: The Unstoppable Duo

By Libby Page

As PR professionals, our job is to create relationships with clients, publics and media outlets. This relationship can only succeed if trust is gained. Therefore, we must strive to achieve the understanding of those around us.

Like many other trends, trust is constantly changing. It is important to research the themes related to trust in order to serve your publics effectively. Edelman, a global public relations firm, leads the field in research on trust. For the past 11 years, Edelman has released the Trust Barometer, an annual survey that measures attitudes about trust in 23 different countries.

In a video featured on the Edelman website, president and CEO Richard Edelman discusses the key findings from the 2011 Trust Barometer. After watching the video, I believe these four key findings are beneficial tools for PR professionals and corporations.

1. Social Responsibility

Over the past few years, a growing concentration on philanthropy and charitable giving has taken place in corporate America. Instead of purely focusing on maximizing profits, companies are beginning to give back to the community. As PR professionals, we need to focus on this trend when dealing with clientele. With great profits comes great responsibility. PR professionals should encourage campaigns that highlight corporate citizenship.

Starbucks Coffee is an example of a corporation that includes social responsibility in its business model. Through community service, ethical sourcing and environmental wellness, Starbucks successfully combines profitability with social benefit. Since Starbucks contributes minimal amounts of its budget to advertising, it is obvious that social responsibility serves as an effective PR tactic and business model.

2. Multiple Channels, Multiple Voices

In America, the public has grown increasingly skeptical of media outlets. According to Richard Edelman, a message must be repeated up to 10 times in order for someone to believe it. When facing a lack of trust, Edelman suggests using multiple channels and multiple voices.

With this in mind, PR professionals should work toward an integrated message across several mediums. Edelman names four types of media in the video: mainstream media, new media, social media and owned media. An effective campaign should utilize all four media outlets while delivering a unified message.

Additionally, PR professionals should encourage their clients to have multiple spokespeople. Trust is more likely gained if a company appears open and honest on all fronts.

3. Authority from Corporate Leadership

With increased skepticism, it shouldn’t be surprising that Americans want to see authority and accountability from corporate leadership. As PR students and professionals, we know that accountability and honesty are important during times of crisis. Instead of waiting for an emergency, corporate leaders should be constantly striving to lead their industry in a promising direction. Edelman describes business leaders as “private sector diplomats.” In other words, business leaders should be working with the government and the community to benefit their industry.

For example, Starbucks utilizes ethically traded coffee in order to encourage healthy lifestyles for farmers. To create trust with the public, corporate leaders need to show concern for the overall industry, not just their business. By advocating fair trade, Starbucks has set a standard for the coffee industry.

4. Trust Leads to Benefits

Most importantly, trust creates tangible benefits for both the corporation and the public. Partaking in dishonest or unethical activities only leads to barriers.

PR professionals should present trust as an essential element of any campaign when speaking with clientele. Trust is not only a strength in personal relationships, but it is also a part of a proven business model that guarantees success and achievement.

What role do you think trust plays in a corporation’s success?

Do you agree with the key findings of Edelman’s Trust Barometer?