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Transparent Swede filmmaker Fredrik-David vs. aggressive Dole-Goliath PR

An exclusive interview with Swedish documentary filmmaker, Fredrik Gertten, about his 2009 BANANAS! film and his currently screening (at film festivals around the world) Big Boys Gone Bananas!* documentary. In particular, we talk about Dole’s aggressive corporate public relations and media campaign, which worked to prevent WG Film’s BANANAS! documentary from screening in the USA on multiple fronts (including Swedish media). “In 2009, Fredrik Gertten’s documentary, BANANAS!, chronicling a lawsuit against controversial food giant Dole...

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Closing the door on the gatekeeper role in PR

At a Sustainable Conversations event earlier this week (organised by Kantar Media), I started to think about the impact on both public relations and journalism of ongoing communications changes. In particular, it is clear neither occupation can maintain their traditionally exclusive roles as ‘gatekeepers’ in filtering and controlling the flow of information that is communicated to publics. With anyone and everyone potentially able to express an opinion and be listened to, many of the taken-for-granted...

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Occupy Next (CBC Radio documentary)

New CBC Radio documentary: Occupy Next We’re interrupting our regularly scheduled PR Conversations programming to tell you the exciting news that that Ira Basen has another documentary, airing on Sunday, April 1st (no joke) on The Sunday Edition. I asked Ira to tell me what this one was about: “Occupy Next looks first at the rather extraordinary impact the Occupy movement has had on American politics and culture in its first six months. It then...

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Pink Ribbons, Inc. — Rage against the marketing machine’s "shiny, pink success story"

A “conversational” documentary film review by Judy Gombita and Madeline Lunney Question 13 of our PRoust Questionnaire: “Has a novel, film, play or other work of fiction ever influenced you as a PR practitioner?” Answer: Pink Ribbons, Inc. In early January, we were invited to a private screening of the National Film Board’s feature documentary, Pink Ribbons, Inc. (which premiered at TIFF 2011), directed by Léa Pool and produced by Ravida Din (NFB executive producer,...

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A defining moment for public relations

By Terry Flynn, PhD, APR, FCPRS Setting the stage for a defining moment for public relations Over the past few weeks, hundreds of public relations professionals were engaged in the Public Relations Society of America-led initiative to “redefine” public relations. This program, which includes the support of various public relations organizations—such as the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), the UK’s Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Global Alliance for Public Relations and...

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A mediated dissertation on crisis coverage

Traditional news vs. social media: what’s different? Guest post by Bob Conrad, PhD, APR Picking a dissertation topic is not for the faint of heart or the unprepared. Narrowing an issue into components and sub-components involves, first, picking a topic, then exploring what others have researched in that area and, finally, finding your own niche. Crisis communications, social media and higher-education leadership were my interest areas, and it literally took years to find a topic...

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Super-sized sound bites regarding the Arab Awakening

What makes for a great sound bite from a thought leader or information researcher, gatherer or curator is the ability to distill or crystallize a bigger concept or original observation into a compelling, usually short (and easily remembered) weaving of words. Although it’s true that great sound bites can be (and often are) researched and crafted (can we say “media relations training?”), generally it’s the sound bites that appear to emerge thoughtfully, yet spontaneously—following the...

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A private viewing inside the Museum of Public Relations

Guest interview by Toni Muzi Falconi with founder of the fascinating non-profit venture, the Museum of Public Relations (http://www.prmuseum.com) Shelley Spector. 1. Why did you decide to establish the PR museum? I had toyed with the idea for some time, but the impetus to set it up was getting to know Eddie Bernays, who offered his full endorsement and sponsorship of the project. We met in the late eighties when we were both lecturing at...

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What do digital immigrants really know about social media? Part II

This second part of a conversation about the role of social media in PR moves on to reflect on the practices of organisations and their representatives in this ever changing terrain. Heather Yaxley and Judy Gombita share their views and offer some cautionary advice. Judy Gombita The previous post referenced the Pew Internet “Generations Online” report; this time let’s look at the Edelman Trust Barometer 2011. From the Edelman January 25, 2011, news release, “Skepticism...

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A cautionary conversation about PR and social media, part I

With Twitter recently turning five years old, PR Conversations feels it’s time to consider whether it – and other social media platforms – are now serious channels for public relations. Judy Gombita and Heather Yaxley share their views in a two-part blog post. We’re in agreement that 2011 is definitely the year when there will be a tipping point with organizations taking a more serious look at social media, across the generations. This view appears...