Posted on Classic PR Conversations PR Motion

Engaging (and grilling) the social side of James Grunig

NOTE: Originally published on October 15, 2008. Toni Muzi Falconi writes:  Regular readers of this blog are aware of my long-term, personal relationship with the Grunigs, yet I confess surprise when I read Jim Grunig’s first comment on this earlier blog post. As one might expect, the whole PR Conversations’ co-bloggers group—from Canada to New Zealand, South Africa to Portugal, Italy to England and Austria—agreed that it would be very interesting for all the readers...

Posted on Current PR Conversations PR Mediums PR Motion

Keeping silent – PR lessons for evaluating purpose and influence

There probably couldn’t be two more contrasting campaigns being talked about in one week than the 30th anniversary Nike’s Dream Crazy commercial fronted by Colin Kaepernick and the single Listerine sponsored post by Instagram ‘influencer’ Scarlett Dixon. What they have in common is controversy. This is not uncommon as a marketing strategy – for instance, it has been used deliberately by the likes of Ryanair and Protein World in recent years. Controversy as a marketing strategy...

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 Mediums

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...

Posted on PR Nexus Seasoned Posts

A journey to Mars: how planet PR used to be

One discussion theme emerging at PR Conversations during 2011 has been the role of women in public relations.  Although PR has become a feminised occupation since the 1990s, many issues remain such as salary differentials, dominance of men in senior positions and 90% female intake on undergraduate degree courses, which we’ve debated in one post or another. As this is the traditional time of year for looking backwards, I’m not talking about these current debates,...

Posted on PR Vision

Mentoring, networking and innovation: a prescription for the 21st century

Mentoring, networking and innovation: a prescription for the 21st century, is a co-authored guest post by Alan Berkson and Fred McClimans History is filled with examples of linkages between networking, mentoring and innovation, but over the centuries the “knowledge acquisition ecosystem” has changed considerably. There was a time when this process was slow and rooted in tacit knowledge, but as the needs and wants of society progressed and evolved, the process became more refined—moving faster—and...

Posted on PR Mediums

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...

Posted on PR Sphere PRoust Questionnaire

PRoust Questionnaire: Peter V. Stanton

The PRoust Questionnaire provides a quick insight into a public relations practitioner’s interests and point of view, as well as their professional beliefs and values. If you are not familiar with the original 19th-century Proust Questionnaire, please see details at the end of this post. 1. What is your most striking characteristic as a PR practitioner? The belief that I set and adhere to a high ethical standard. 2. What is your principal fault as...

Posted on PR Axis

Barcelona 1 – Evaluation 0?

This month saw another cross-border event, with the agreement and publication of the "Barcelona Declaration of Research Principles" at the 2nd European Summit on Measurement. Five global bodies and 200 delegates from 33 countries all voted overwhelmingly to adopt a set of basic principles.