Nov 22, 2010
George Bush Is Not Good At Public Speaking
Nov 12, 2010
Sumptuous Spam for the Swanky Show-Boaters
Crisis struck Carnival. The well-known cruise line had a mishap when the engine room fell victim to a fire, damaging the switchboard that generates electricity throughout the ship, including the propulsion motors. The massive ship carrying more than 4,000 people was left wafting helplessly in the middle of the Pacific. I bet the heads of the PR team were spinning.
Besides relentless and original puns (the poor ship had to be named Splendor), the media has flooded with reports of irate passengers. While they have every right to grind their gears, the complaining is getting a little ridiculous. There were even pictures of people with t-shirts that read “Next Stop, Daily Show.” Obnoxious. I understand the passengers were expecting a splendid vacation (see. I’m one of them now) and wound up in mayhem: No electricity, limited toilets, and a mass of people that probably smell, but couldn’t there be worse situations to be stranded? You’re on a cruise, with the people you love, on an ocean, with a…questionable…food supply, but a food supply nonetheless! Not to mention a casino open for the taking, and the cruise line is offering full refunds and reimbursements of travel costs (including free hotel and flights), plus a free cruise in the future.
The PR for Carnival is doing impressively well, contacting the media in a timely manner, not projecting any of the blame to anyone else, staying hip with Facebook and Twitter as a “push” medium. Any “pull” information Carnival receives at this point in time will be formerly established grievances.
The cause of the fire is still unreported, leaving everyone wondering if it was negligence or freak accident. These things happen, and you must be prepared. The fault obviously lies on the design engineers, as every operational detail should not rest on a single electrical board. Seeing as we’re beyond that, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it now, we must focus on the PR. I congratulate their efforts and calming manner. Some criticize for not showing enough empathy, rather too many facts, and I couldn’t disagree more; offering too much empathy risks vulnerability to mass slander. In fact, they’re executing the route publicists should be taking so we can finally steer away from a negative connotation. We don’t spin, we present facts and Carnival has honored that.
Nov 5, 2010
Nostaligia for the Physical World
As an impressionable student preparing to thrust myself into the scary world of professionalism, I find the timing of my transformation somewhat interesting. Publicists are raving about the perks and benefits this progressive technological era has bestowed upon us, and undoubtedly there is a silver lining to be seen. Twitter, blogs, other social media and online newsrooms are more prominent and accessible than ever, allowing us to be lazier—as pejorative as that may seem—and more expansive. The American Dream right? It’s simple cost-benefit analysis.
Sadly, I cannot ignore my compulsion to seek out the underlying cynicism in things; there seems to be a hesitant suspicion rising in the pith of my optimism. We are standing on the frontier of this amazing technology advancement, at an inconvenient age. We’re not growing up with these innovations embedded in our green field of knowledge, like the astounding elementary virtuosos replacing cursive writing with iPods; and we don’t really have time to learn the basic fundamentals that perfected the art of publicity in ancient times of yore. There’s no time for prodigal lectures over the form of networking and personal relationships, or the other grinds of former (respectable) ways of the field. Social media is the future, and we’re riding that wave hard. While that’s cute and interesting, there has to be subsequent effects to our society and their interpersonal relationships. The information age has drawn an ironic social paradox: We’re clearly more globally connected, but undeniably becoming more isolated.
Shamelessly, I have no problem admitting the vision-blurring fear I have of talking in front of people, or on the phone. While this is confusing for some, it’s beyond confounding for me that this is even an issue. I used to have no problem approaching anyone, anytime, and making an instant connection. I could stand in front of a crowd with ease and speak fluidly about whatever need be. Phone conversations were of second nature, at 14 I figured out how to get incoming calls at red-eye hours without waking up my parents (MovieFone for hours + call waiting= no ringing). Suddenly, about three years ago, I’m unrecognizable to me. Public speaking has caused me to black out, I avoid phone calls like gas station bathrooms, and my confidence is partially subsiding. Concurrently, my texting skills are superior, I feel like Twitter is my new pet, and I put the art of e-mailing into submission. I get it…it’s ironic that I’m in PR and have these weird phobias. But trust me, this is a newfound thing. Are the rippling tides of modern media swelling into a wave gone rogue?
If it only took about three years for a stubborn, haughty, secure woman (ehh, or girl) to lose her bearings, what are these children going to grow up like? What is the future of PR? Will commentary be through text? Will interviews be conducted through Facebook chat? Are bosses going to promote and terminate people over Twitter? Our interpersonal relationships have been beaten against the wall. There are definitely studies showing increased in engagement through new classroom lessons over social media, but who’s surprised? This is a tool we use(d) recreationally, outside of the classroom. It’s as though we’re teaching the theory of Family Guy, or "strategic party demeanor"…ooh man, did I strike gold?
Fumbling with a glass of wine and words on the tip of my tongue, I found myself conversing with a stranger at a jazz bar. She is a communications major, something that always raised my ears; perhaps because I have no idea what lies in the future of a communications major, as painfully obvious as it may sound. She plans to pursue PR. Whaaat? Hey, no, that’s mine and you can’t just come around here pirating that from me! I picked her brain about what she studies. Apparently, it’s the other pole end of my profession. She learns how to speak to authority, how to finagle her words into getting what she wants, how to speak to media and large crowds…I stood there mouth gaping. I was so jealous! Maybe it would have been more conducive to study communications rather than PR…...no…. I renounce that! I love writing, and I undyingly appreciate the things I’ve learned in the journalism department. My inner snob is on her knees in desperate hopes that this department retains its distinguished identity, and doesn’t fall victim to the oppressive social media…producing a line of muted, oblivious, isolated texting prodigies.