Posted on PR Motion

Critique or criticism – thoughts on PR academic conferences

This Summer, academics have travelled across Europe chasing the conference season. For Toni Muzi Falconi, the journey started with the Bledcom 20th anniversary symposium in Slovenia, followed by a political PR post-conference after the ICA conference in London, and then the International History of PR conference in Bournemouth (IHPRC). I caught up with Toni in Bournemouth – where we were both presenting – for his thoughts on the ‘season’. As well as IHPRC, I’m participating in the...

Posted on PR Motion

We need bigger ambitions in public relations

Last year I wrote about ‘excellence‘ suggesting that PR needs to stretch beyond specified performance standards or comparative pre-eminence. I’ve been thinking about this during my recent hours spent marking student work – and when looking at the winners of various PR industry awards.  My conclusion is that I’d like to see much bigger ambitions than I currently see in most such work. Abandon grading One idea is to abandon all percentage marks or grades...

Posted on PR Motion

Public relations – career agency or apathy?

In 2011, I asked Do you know where you’re going to? in relation to careers in public relations. Beyond the individual career context, this question continues to have relevance for organizations and the wider occupation. Within the wider occupation, debate is often over whether PR is a profession or a craft.  However, each has specific career implications, which are rarely considered.  Ironically both concepts date to the Middle Ages – a profession being an occupation...

Posted on PR Motion

Fifty shades of PR

What shade of PR do you practice? I believe that “PR is what PR does” which offers a broad perspective encompassing many shades. In a recent PR Conversations post, Fraser Likely, said he didn’t “do” PR. Rather he advises on the management of PR functions. This is a shade of PR. Similarly, the Melbourne Mandate indicates a shade: “The mandate of public relations is to build and sustain strong relationships between an organisation and its...

Posted on PR Motion

Making public relations history

“Any fool can make history, but it takes a genius to write it”, according to Oscar Wilde. Those of us assembling in Bournemouth for the third International History of Public Relations Conference can debate this view after two days of illuminating presentations on the history of our field. We should also remember another Wilde quote: “Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth...

Posted on PR Motion

Looking for excellence in public relations

What exactly does ‘excellence’ mean in public relations? Is it something to be achieved by anyone following a particular approach (as implied by the Model of Excellence), or demonstrated by those recognised by the industry (such as winners of the CIPR Excellence Awards)? My dictionary equates the term with ‘extremely good’ or ‘pre-eminent; which are different things. The former suggests excellence is a performance standard – a level to be reached that is probably acknowledged...

Posted on PR Motion

Career moves in public relations: Climbing ladders, revolving doors and musical chairs

Are you looking for a career move or new opportunity in public relations? Judging by my own observations of the use of hashtag #PRjob on Twitter, there are plenty of opportunities around for a change of direction, as well as work placement and first jobs. What isn’t clear is how these jobs differ, if at all, from those traditionally offered in public relations. The classic Dozier & Broom model proposes practitioners occupy technician or management...

Posted on PR Motion

Public diplomacy: a higher calling for public relations

Public diplomacy: a higher calling for public relations Guest post by John Paluszek, APR, Fellow PRSA It is not hyperbolic to say it: Public relations professionals now have an epic opportunity to serve the global society and thereby win new appreciation of our profession. In fact, some are already well into that mission. Let’s quickly examine the case for this admittedly bold assertion. The “case” is a continuum, ranging from Harold Burson talking to the...

Posted on PR Motion Seasoned Posts

Do you know where you’re going to? Public relations career advice

What was your route into public relations?  In 1943, Averill Broughton (a public relations and advertising executive with his own firm) interviewed leading PR executives for his book, Careers in Public Relations: The new profession. He observed that these successful practitioners had: “backed into the field, as it were, by accident, and sat down. Afterwards it seemed natural enough, and their preliminary experience seemed as though it created public relations opportunity later” Has much changed...

Posted on PR Motion

Relationship advice for PR practitioners

Relationships are in the DNA of PR – in fact, the name itself indicates the function manages relations with publics.  But the priority in PR practice is largely on writing skills rather than interpersonal ones; whilst although academic definitions and literature highlight two-way communications, they largely omit what is required to build and maintain mutually beneficial relationships. Most of the focus on communications skills is still primarily on an ability to write.  Even here, the...