R.A.C.E. Model, Brand Management and More

Tonight, we'll break into our four teams to begin our preliminary discussion about our client:  "Home Green Home" (HGH) and to look at how they are capitalizing on the good PR of the "Green/Organic" Movement." Since our first step is always RESEARCH, your teams will be tasked with examining the website, reviewing stories written about HGH and reporting out to the rest of the class, particularly how you feel your particular area (Research, Social Media, On-line Strategies, Community Affairs) can be used to best advantage in growing and further fortifying the "HGH" brand. Any student with a Park Card, without a laptop tonight will be able to use one of the computer labs, and you should be able to use Rooms 270 or 275 for computer access.

It's important to remember that PR practitioners typically use the R.A.C.E. model (Research, Action, Communication and Evaluation) in their campaign work. A lovely extension of this, the "Race with Grace" (TM)
model is a nice place to begin. Start talking with one another about R.A.C.E., working in teams, your own personal strengths and challenges, approaches and more.

After an icebreaker exercise, you'll elect:  a Team Captain (a liaison between your team, client and supervisor/professor), a note taker and a timekeeper. These are all important positions as they will ensure efficiency in the limited time busy people, students and professionals often have. You'll spend much of the class speaking to the issue of the "HGH" brand. After spending about half the class time on this important research, I'll ask each team to report out.

Some considerations:
As we've discussed previously, there's no such thing as a valid social media strategy without proper brand identity. As many of you know in working in your teams and with your three clients, you  must first have a clear understanding of what the business stands for- and overall, what the overall brand promise is.

Just as you wouldn't begin a print campaign without a clear statement and appropriate research, the same process holds true for any integrated marketing communication and/or PR strategy integration either in print, TV, radio or online publishing, advertising, etc. Consistent messaging between Facebook, tumblr, Twitter and the web are what your clients and their consumers expect. So, too, is understanding tone and logo usage across the spectrum of your marketing communications efforts.

As visitors discover what your business has to offer, they begin to explore your online presence (web, blog, Facebook, tweets, video, etc.)  It is hoped that after this exploration, they build affinity with your product and/or services. From this you work hard to ensure that this enjoyment leads to sales and opportunity for further engagement. From there you continue to build the brand promise through quality customer service and attention to detail.

Finally, take a look at this neat article on "12 Steps to Building a Successful PR Campaign."   between now and next week. And don't forget to try to stop in and see "HGH" on the Commons before we meet again, if possible.

Looking forward to tonight!

Professor Berry

Tomorrow's Class

February 22 and March 1,

Dear Students,

Since I was out sick last week with that awful stomach bug, my recovery time was slow. Over the weekend, I also lost my voice, so I was unable to record the February 22 lecture as planned. However, I'm hopeful to be able to do that tonight OR just offer a lecture tomorrow that includes some of the highlights, as well as post the notes to Blackboard.  Never fear, all will be well and we'll get caught up together, I promise.

Here's what the homework was for 2/22. Read ―PR Practices‖ Case 4.4., 4.5 and 4.6. Read Friedman Chapter 11: ‗How Companies Cope.‖ Write up and submit answers to questions 1-4 at the end of Case 4.4. Be prepared to discuss questions at the end of Cases 4.5 & 4.6.  Thanks to those of you who already submitted the work by e-mail. If you haven't already e-mailed your assignment, you can wait until tomorrow evening to hand it in.

And here's the homework reading that's due tomorrow. Just a reminder that it's always best to keep up with the reading no matter what, so you don't fall behind. Read Friedman 12 & 14: ―Globalization of the Local,‖ and ―What Happens When We All Have Dog‘s Hearing?‖ Gladwell‘s ―What the Dog Saw,‖ Preface & ―The Pitchman.‖ Review Class Blog for Applicable Homework.

Since we've had a lot of reading, what I'd like to do is to use the beginning of class to talk about your teams, since we lost last week to a full class of team discussions and meetings. Then I'll do an overview, brief lecture about "The Unflat World, Tipping Points and Dogs:  Implications for PR."  And by tomorrow, I'll have sent you a PPT, reviewed all your work and sent your team information.

Whew! That's a lot, but we can do it!

Yours sincerely,
Professor Berry

The Global Village, Egypt & Social Media, NIMBY Syndrome and More

Dear Class,

Tonight, we'll open with discussion on the unrest in the Middle East- in the wake of Egypt's change in government. First, we'll look what leading communicators in PR at Ketchum are saying about "the global village." Then, we'll view a clip that takes a 'nuanced" view of the role of social media in the recent Egyptian "people's revolution" as reported by NPR news and on their blog  Then, we'll analyze Malcolm Gladwell's argument that "the revolution won't be tweeted."

We'll then move to a discussion of "Nuclear Waste, Communities & Crisis for Companies: Challenges for PR Practitioners," as we examine cases you were asked to be ready to analyze in class. In furthering our on-going conversations on how PR people can deal with crisis, we'll examine 10 popular strategies used by celebrity publicists to bring their clients back from the wake of disaster. Most specifically, the "keys to a comeback" are typically:  Winning, Apologizing and Garnering Sympathy.

Finally, we'll break into (4) small teams that will be the groups that will be devising a concrete PR program and plan of action for Home Green Home throughout this semester.

It promises to be a big night!

See you later,
Professor Berry :)

Propaganda, Peace, Flat Worlds and More

"If you can use propaganda for war, you can use it for peace," Edward Bernays. Tonight, we'll look at a a video featuring Edward Bernays, which shows how he took his Uncle Sigmund Freud's ideas in order to manipulate the public mindset related to purchasing power, among other things. In the short film, we're hear how Bernays was "the first person to take his ideas about human beings and use them to manipulate (us) into wanting things we didn't need by linking mass-produced goods to our unconscious desires." Out of this came a new idea of how to "control the masses"- a beginning of the all-consuming self that has dominated the world in terms of advertising, marketing and PR campaigns to date. Here's Bernays in his own words re: his infamous tobacco campaign.

After discussing these fascinating ideas related to manipulation, propaganda and PR, we'll move to a discussion about "Mad Men," which we held from last week's discussion, so that we'd have the full class present. Although a fictional character, we'll explore what "Don Draper" might have in common with Mr. Bernays. Then, we'll discuss "The Flat World and Employee Relations." We'll round out class with discussions of the cases in Chapter 3 on Southwest Airlines, ASA (Atlantic Southeast Airlines) and Kodak.  And of course, we HAVE to talk about SOCIAL MEDIA and Egypt and more.

Wow! Can't wait.

Yours truly,
Professor Berry

Homework for February 1

Now here's a way to start the semester off with a big hit. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know about "Mad Men," now in its fourth season on AMC. The show is driven by the passion, ego, talent and mistakes of its central character- advertising creative director, Don Draper, played by Jon Hamm.

1) First, we'll watch Episode 1 from Season 4 of Mad Men called "Public Relations" 
 You can buy it and download it from Amazon or I-Tunes or Watch it here for free "Public Relations" lands us in Thanksgiving of 1964, with a country, an ad agency and a protagonist all in midst of transformation. Sterling Cooper Draper Price (SCDP) has just moved into a new office at the start of Season 4.

2) Prepare to discuss the numerous implications, ironies, misnomers and "truths" about PR based on your critical analysis of this episode. In particular, let's begin by examining modesty or even "false modesty."

Type up your answers to all of the questions posed below on a single sheet of paper and turn it in next week in class.


In our work in PR, we'll often run into people who are reluctant to "talk about themselves, or worse, 'brag.' How can this impede the work of PR professionals?  How does Don do initial harm to the agency by not offering details about 'what makes him tick' to Advertising Age?  How did Don fail to capitalize on his success with Glo-Coat in his first failed interview? Why did Roger Sterling consider this interview a failed 'advertising' for the firm? In the end, is public relations only about perception? Review the Sugarberry Ham PR stunt that Peggy and Pete decide to engage in. What are the implications- both positive and negative for the agency? Is Don's behavior with prospective client Jantzen another stunt as well? Why or why not?


Reviewer Luke De Smet writes:  "through conventional methods, SCDP can't compete with the Y&Rs of the world, yet Pete assuredly claims, "creatively Y&R's not capable of living in this neighborhood," because of the simple fact that Don doesn't work there. Out of necessity Don will have to become the public face of his agency, and to so he will have to be something that he is not." Do you agree or not? If so, why? If not, why not? Explain.

How does Don Draper's character end this episode? Has he turned around his thinking that "his work speaks for itself?" Why or why not. Discuss the presumed PR implications for the agency based on the second interview.


2)  Please review the following links and other sources re: these recent PR challenges for organizations, businesses and politicians. Be prepared to discuss the finer points in class discussion.

Goldman Sachs PR Fiasco with Facebook

Rep. Giffords Shooting: PR Crisis for Palin?

Social Media Can't Be Erased in Palin Case


Looking forward to lively and insightful discussions!

Professor Berry

Welcome!

Dear Public Relations Mavens, Students, Advocates and other PR Junkies, 

Welcome to my blog that's been created just for you. Within the coming weeks and months, you're invited to post comments, share information and links to your favorite PR sites, blogs and more. In fact, I hope this will inspire you to blog, share the link to your own blog and more. The world of PR- full of adventure, scandal, social media trendsetting and more- will be explored right here, as well as some nifty (did I really just use the word 'nifty?) assignments that I'm giving to my very advanced and talented graduate PR students enrolled at Ithaca College.

So, what are you waiting for? Get blogging, writing and commenting!

Best,
Michelle