Becca's Blog

As soon as President Bush was re-elected members of his cabinet started resigning. After the first four people started to wonder. I was listening to the radio the other day and they were talking about this. One of the announcers suggested that these “resignations” are suggested by White House officials. It is a little odd that all of these people are resigning. From one point of view it could mean that something big is going to happen and none of these people want to handle it. On the other hand it could be that President Bush has been advised to get new people in the White House to unite public opinion after the doubts of how he handled 9/11. Whatever the reason, it is confusing the public. Telling the public that all of these “resignations” are decided without any encouragement is wrong if that is not the cause. It should be told that they were asked to step down. Lying to the public is only hurting the credibility of the White House…something that the public already questions. Besides isn’t it a little weird that all of these people are resigning for no apparent reason? Who wouldnt want to work for the President of the United States?

In my Case Studies class, we are talking about crisis management. I found an example of how a company did not use a crisis plan and how it made a negative appearance to the public. A tanker spilled 30,000 gallons of oil into the Delaware River. Obviously a big public issue by this accident. But the company responsible, Tsakos, did not even address the public about it. They simply cleaned it up and said they would pay for it. The public is outraged because hundreds of wildlife were killed from the spill. Even though it was probably an accident, there was no statement issued of remorse or even discussing the possible danger that the residents that lived by the river could be in. Not addressing the public is never a good thing. The residents would probably still be angry about the dead wildlife but it would help some to hear the company speak out about it to soften the issue. Just from reading the article, I view this company as not being concerned with the public’s safety or that of wildlife…..in other words negatively. Although this company might not deal with the public in there line of work, it will come back to haunt them later. You should always address the public about any issue that could affect them or thing, such as wildlife, that they find important.

It has been awhile since I have blogged…sorry…I have had a lot going on with school. It’s now time for Christmas once again… decorating and getting together with family. Christmas will be different for those in California. The famous wonderland( was featured on the Today Show) that is put on display by the Aerts every year is not there this year. Some of the neighbors have complained about the amount of traffic that is brought into the neighborhood….it’s so bad they have a security guard directing traffic. Whether or not they should be allowed to disrupt the neighborhood is not what I am questioning. How they responded to these complaints brings about a PR question. For more background on the subject…the Aerts decided not to put up the decorations but display a 10-foot-tall Grinch on their front lawn that points at the neighbors who are doing the complaining. Basically what the Aerts have done is brought themselves down to the level of the neighbors by fighting….obviously they didn’t appreciate the neighbors complaining to the city council so they decided to show them with a Grinch…ha! But in the PR world, there is mud slinging and fighting. Is it not better to continue with your ways and not stoop to the level of the one causing the commotion? Obviously there are several things that the Aerts could have done…compromising…only certain nights the display would be turned on etc… Not only is it not the “right” thing to do but it also takes away from Christmas….just as the Aerts accused their neighbors of doing by complaining. So who is winning here? It appears to me to be no one. The neighbors are still annoyed by the Grinch statue and there is no annual Christmas decorations in the Aerts yard because of their “pouting". So moral of the story….you can never win by slinging mud back at your opponent…choose to stay clean.

On Wednesday, the upper house of the Russian parliament rejected a bill to bann drinking beer in public. According to this article, drinking beer in public is just like drinking a coke in public….very common. You can very easily find someone strolling down the street with a beer in hand or someone on the subway car a little tipsy. But the real kicker was a statement at the end of the article. In September, a bill went into effect that banned showing beer commercials between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. A prohibition on the use of people and animals in beer ads will take effect next year. Does this not seem a little odd? Beer commercials aren’t allowed to be shown during certain hours but you can drink in public and it’s consider normal? What purpose does not showing commercials during certain hours accomplish when you can walk out on the street and see it in person? This is a little backwards to me.

After 9/11, our country has a whole is suppose to be safer. But after reading about the U of GA student who killed himself, I’m questioning that statement. Apparently, the student was so upsest about the re-election of President Bush that he killed himself at the 9/11 site. But what is questionable about it is that he was actually on the site…..which is supposed to have very high security around it. This terrible situation was obviously meant to make a statement about his re-election. But for me it has made the statement of are we really safe? It also again brings into the light of how much our country is divided over the election results. It’s going to prove to be extremely difficult for President Bush to overcome this problem…especially when it’s to the point that people are killing themselves over it.

“I feel like it’s necessary to move an agenda the American people want to move,” with the help of both Republican and Democratic leaders, he added. These are the words of President Bush at his first meeting with the cabinet after being re-elected. My question is this…Will America re-unite after the grueling election campaign? I feel that this campaign was very brutal and there were definite lines drawn as to who was for Kerry and who was for Bush. Now that Bush is re-elected will all of those Kerry supporters eventually support Bush or will they remain anti-Bush? This could become an incredibly hard situation to fight. Kerry supporters were very vocal as to why they didn’t want Bush re-elected. But if America chooses to stay on opposite sides, it will only weaken our country from within and make us more vulnerable to outsiders. I think it will be very interesting to watch and see how President Bush handles this very obvious situation.

This is a new level of crisis management for PR professionals. This article talks about how a company is being blackmailed to pay money or have their reputation ruined. But the terrible twist is that they are being threatened with child pornography. An email containing pornography could be sent out with the company’s name with it. From my PR perspective, I would go public with it immediately and deny any association with it…..even if it hasnt occurred yet. Sure, some people are still going to be angry if it does happen but in this situation, I say it’s better to be proactive than reactive. Read it and tell me what would do….I’m curious for suggestions.

On active voice a fellow blogger posted about Richard Cline’s, Voce president, warnings about the content in blogs. He talks about the importance of not exploiting blogging. We have talked in class how important it is to be careful about what you post….and now another warning that is needed when it comes to blogging for a company. Read it…it’s useful.

With the presidential election approaching quickly, battles lines are being drawn and last minute campaigning is at hand. An article at online-pr.blogspot.com talked about the power of yard signs and bumper stickers. During campaigns, stickers, buttons, fliers etc. are passed out in hopes of gaining a vote. But James commented on how powerful a yard sign or bumper sticker can be. In order for these to be used, the voter has to have made up his/her mind about the election. When these are displayed it tells everyone who they support and they become more of a personal campaign tool. Driving around on Auburn’s campus, hundreds of cars have the “W for President” sticker plastered on the back. When others on the road see this sticker, they either agree or disagree with the owner of the car. It establishes an immediate connection or disconnection. While bumper stickers or yard signs may seem to be a waste of time, they actually may be the most important campaigning tool available. I have to admit I have an automatic impression of someone depending on if they have a Bush/Cheney or Kerry/Edwards sticker. But it is true what James says….people will on put stickers on their cars or signs in their yards if they have truly made up their mind…..and this can be a major tool in persuading undecided voters.

On Foxnews.com there have been daily articles about the shortage of flu vaccines. Today, however, an article talking about the shortage caught my eye. In Minnesota, about 20 people went to a clinic for a flu vaccine, of course there were none, but they didnt go home empty handed. The Fergus Falls clinic began handing out cans of chicken noodle soup and boxes of tissues. It started out as a joke but turned into great PR for the clinic. It made such an impression that Kris Ehresmann, who heads the state’s immunization program, even found out about it. The people who came to the clinic that day didn’t leave in a huff because they couldn’t get a vaccine, they left with a smile on their face from the gift they received…. Even if you can’t give people exactly what they want giving them something never hurts.

How do you keep news from reaching the media before you have the chance to announce it? Jim Horton posted in his blog about one the dangers of leaks and how disappointing it can be when it happens. His suggestion is to just limit the number of people that know the news. But does that really work? I mean sure some people say that they won’t talk about some news but who hasn’t gone against their word before and talked about it anyway? How do you keep those clients whose “big news” gets leaked to the media before the announcement? I’m sure there is a better answer that I just don’t know about because of lack of experience. But what a PR disaster that could be for a company……..no one wants to be represented by your company because some of its employees can’t keep their mouth shut.

Wow this article is heated. It’s talking about the CBS Dan Rather fiasco. Some of Rather’s anchor friends apparently are taking up for him and raging out toward bloggers. Here is a part where a blogger responded to his comments: “Tom Brokaw reads the news, but does he understand it?” Paranzino said in a statement. “Jihad is not Americans demanding reforms from an arrogant and biased media. Jihad is Islamists mowing down children for sport, blowing up families at Tel Aviv cafes, and in case he forgot, terrorists sending jet airliners into the World Trade Center and Pentagon.” Some of the things Brokaw said are pretty daring to say. He is slowly creating a bad image for Rather even if he had nothing to do with it. A possible PR problem?

With the way technology is moving is there going to be any jobs left that still involve personal contact…actually dealing with a human being face to face? You can earn a college degree online, you can buy clothes online, and now you can see a doctor online. There is a service called Ready Access. It’s an online doctor that you can see all day and most of the night. This article on online-pr talks about the burden that it lifts because you don’t have to deal with waiting rooms etc. It does sound appealing but one thing that I didn’t like was this comment “So, he might not be the kindly General Practitioner of old, but his bedside manner was good enough for me. I just needed relief. Good PR comes in many forms. It needn’t always be a smiling face and friendly manner. That’s something we shouldn’t forget.” I do understand that PR comes in many forms but I still think that one to one PR is the best way to go. It may sound like a great thing to many, but I am not a fan.

What is it that is so great about New York. I admit that I have been there and loved it but why is it that everyone thinks that anything from New York is the absolute best. I do think that New York has a lot of great things but it’s not the only place to find good fashion or a good PR company. In Jeremy’s blog he talks about how a company in Denver went all the way to New York to get a PR company to help with national media promotions. Jeremy made a good point by saying that PR programs closer to the area are just as qualified and would know more about the Denver area. It could possibly be that Jeremy is a little offended that his company wasn’t considered for the job but even if that is the case the point he makes is very true. A lot of good PR companies are getting overlooked because of their location. I guess if I had my own PR company it would be frustrating to me too….

I read an article at Businessweek.com recently. I have to admit, I wasn’t crazy about blogging at first. But now that I am beginning to research others blogs, it can be very useful. This article talked about how companies are beginning to blog and their customers are able to communicate with them because of this. It allows the consumers to see that companies really are human and that they talk just like other humans too, despite the confusing babble they can produce. If two companies are in heated competition with each other, if one begins blogging it will put them ahead of the other. It will make the blogging company appear to be more concerned with its consumers and how they feel. Its a great way to get that unreachable edge. Learning how to blog REALLY is important and useful!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spread the News PR is a wonderful website that I found online. It specializes in generating publicity, media exposure and feature placements for innovative businesses, products, inventions & experts. They also offer free publicity consultations to help entrepreneurs see how they can use the ever-expanding media markets to further their business efforts. It’s extremely easy to get signed up for this service. You can also see their current clients that they serve. The only negative thing that I can find about it is its appearance. It’s kinda boring….not very exciting colors…nothing catches your eye. Check it out and see what you think!!!!!!!!

What a disappointment. I just read in Robert French’s blog about the article found on Fanblogs.com. It was talking about a player for Notre Dame who was responsible for the big upset against Michigan. This great player WAS A RECRUIT for Auburn. But because of the fans outlash toward the players during last year’s USC vs Auburn game, he chose Notre Dame. ND fans applauded its team even after getting beaten 31-0 against Florida State and that is what sold him. Auburn fans are very quick to turn against the players if they are doing poorly, well the student fans are. Sitting in the stands this past weekend, I experienced this. Before the big touchdown to win the game, Jason Campbell had a couple of bad throws and everyone in the student section was yelling how bad he was and that we needed a new quarterback. But as soon as he made a good play, he was back in the good graces of the students. These lukewarm fans need to pick whether or not they are an Auburn fan. You are only a true fan if you stick with a team through its losing and winning seasons. Badmouthing and turning against your own team just because of one bad game can obviously cost you a lot. You never know who is watching and how important they may be in the future.

James L. Horton is a senior director at Robert Marston and Associates. He counsels clients in corporate communications and Internet/online public relations. But he has gone a little bit farther. In this day and time Horton realized the opportunity to reach more PR professional with the use of the Internet. Everyone wants it done faster, faster, faster. He developed a website just for that purpose. Online-PR.com is a website to help public relations and marketing professionals serve clients better, faster and less expensively. This website contains PR rsources and links along with media links and references. Its a gold mine for any professional needing information and help quickly. This website is one that I am going to bookmark for future reference, even with school. Its only a button click away.

I have never had a dog of my own before 2 days ago. Right now I’m frustrated. I dont know how to house train a dog. Its almost as if its a game. Whenever I take the dog out she stares at me and tries to go back inside. As soon as we go back inside and I turn my back for 2 seconds, she uses the bathroom in the house. I bought her treats so that when she actually uses the bathroom outside she will get rewarded. But the problem is getting her to actually do it once. I am viewing the value of being able to speak extremely high. Anyone with suggestions….please let me know. Im tired of cleaning up after the dog and its only been 2 days!!!!!!!

I always find it helpful when a PR magazine gives a list of qualities that will be helpful in getting a job. I read about this website on Jessica’s blog. It’s very informative and gives great tips. Im going to keep these 10 qualities in the back of my mind and strive to possess them by the time I graduate.

Courtesy of Buzz Magazine:

1. Communication Skills. Every PR person must make a very professional presentation that is persuasive and yet flexible.

2. People Skills. Advertising and Public Relations like most other marketing careers, requires strong people skills. PR jobs require an individual to work closely with a client base that can be difficult and demanding.

3. Team Player. You must have the ability to work in a team or to perform individual excellence.

4. Excellent copywriting skills. This is a must for Public Relations entry-level job.

5. Competitive. There are many candidates for PR jobs and there are more people than positions. You must be able to work your way from bottom to top. Internships increase the chances of those who pursue careers in public relations.

6. Creative. You must have a creative style when it comes to PR. Creativity will be useful when you apply it to your writing.

7. Hard working. Even though you might be hired to work 40 hours a week you must be prepared to work overtime. You will find yourself trying to meet deadlines for your clients.

8. Patient. Conversing with the media, whether it is pitching a story idea or following up on a release always requires patience. In Public Relations you will be dealing with the media to gain coverage for your client. The media is your key to publicity so you must always stay positive and never get frustrated if things don’t go your way.

9. Experienced. Many firms look for those who come in to their business with more than PR experience. Being well rounded in different areas of this profession can only benefit you and the company. Internships are a great way to start.

10. Work well with others. Public Relations entails working with your clients, co-workers and the media. You must be able to interact with others in order to be successful. If you are shy and do not take criticism very well PR is not the field to pursue.