In my last blog, I had declared Harwood as the focus of my research paper. Over the last week, I have begun the task of finding articles that relate specifically to Harwood’s plight. Although my pile is not very big, I do feel that I have enough good background information to give me a good start.
This week is the start of my interview process. I have compiled a brief list of questions to ask the mayors of Harwood and Reiles Acres. The interview will range from questions about their emotions during Flood Fight 2009 to questions about how well they feel now looking back on how they handled the situation.
Another aspect that will play a major role in my paper is the communications done at the school level. From Superintendent Dana Diesel Wallace to Harwood Elementary Principal Jerry Barnum, information was flying constantly in every direction.
It seemed that everyday there was something new to e-mail to the media, or an updated message to post on the website. There were always telephone calls to make to the Harwood and Reiles Acres parents about what the current and future plans were for their students. There were also a lot of calls to take from those same parents; concerns about their child being away from home and the parents having to evacuate without them, concerns about washed out roads and the safety of their children on bus routes, and of course questions about having to make up those days that they kept their children home from school.
My final planned aspect (who knows, inspiration may strike in these last few days) is about the “survivors.” I know that is a rather dramatic term, but for what some of those people have gone through, I could not think of a more encompassing word. I hope to be able to get interview time with some of the residents that live north of town. I think their impressions of how well their officials handled this crisis are much more valuable than mine, as an outsider looking in.
That is what I have fleshed out so far. If anyone has any advice about obvious aspects that I missed, let me know!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Flood of 2009 - Harwood
I chose to write my research paper on the ongoing flooding situation in Harwood, North Dakota. As I live in West Fargo, I was untouched by the flooding because of the safety provided by the Sheyenne Diversion. However, I work for West Fargo Schools, of which Harwood is a part.
Over the last month, we have moved the students of Harwood Elementary School into the city of West Fargo twice. With all the rural road closings, our staff, students, and our buses were unable to get to the school. In the interest of continuing their education, we found alternate spaces for them at the Community Center and one of our other elementary schools, Westside.
All of the Harwood and Reiles Acres families were true champions when it came to moving the students back and forth. There were only three families that actually withdrew their children from the West Fargo school system and enrolled them where flooding was not an issue.
Beyond the school closing, the city was affected by numerous other things caused by flooding. Harwood is a very rural area, and as such, does not have lift station capacity to handle all the water that is up there. Harwood residents have been living with water restrictions for some time now.
Some residents have been completely cut off from the rest of the city. The only way to and from their home is by boat or chest-high waders. There was a picture on the front page of the Forum a few weeks back of one of our staff members wading through deep water with a laundry basket in her arms. She was on her way to work and then to a friend’s house to wash her family’s clothing.
One of the biggest challenges the small town of Harwood has faced through this whole ordeal is basically a debate on who claims them. Harwood is a city in its own right, and has a mayor and a city council. However, the city of Fargo did a lot of their flood preparations and the city of West Fargo dealt with their students. Harwood was pulled between the two larger cities, and sometimes got lost in the shuffle when it came to media attention.
I believe I will have my work cut out for me in researching the flood at Harwood, as coverage of that area was often rolled into the larger coverage of the metro area. Interviews with the mayor and the citizens of Harwood will probably be the best way for me to get the answers I seek.
Over the last month, we have moved the students of Harwood Elementary School into the city of West Fargo twice. With all the rural road closings, our staff, students, and our buses were unable to get to the school. In the interest of continuing their education, we found alternate spaces for them at the Community Center and one of our other elementary schools, Westside.
All of the Harwood and Reiles Acres families were true champions when it came to moving the students back and forth. There were only three families that actually withdrew their children from the West Fargo school system and enrolled them where flooding was not an issue.
Beyond the school closing, the city was affected by numerous other things caused by flooding. Harwood is a very rural area, and as such, does not have lift station capacity to handle all the water that is up there. Harwood residents have been living with water restrictions for some time now.
Some residents have been completely cut off from the rest of the city. The only way to and from their home is by boat or chest-high waders. There was a picture on the front page of the Forum a few weeks back of one of our staff members wading through deep water with a laundry basket in her arms. She was on her way to work and then to a friend’s house to wash her family’s clothing.
One of the biggest challenges the small town of Harwood has faced through this whole ordeal is basically a debate on who claims them. Harwood is a city in its own right, and has a mayor and a city council. However, the city of Fargo did a lot of their flood preparations and the city of West Fargo dealt with their students. Harwood was pulled between the two larger cities, and sometimes got lost in the shuffle when it came to media attention.
I believe I will have my work cut out for me in researching the flood at Harwood, as coverage of that area was often rolled into the larger coverage of the metro area. Interviews with the mayor and the citizens of Harwood will probably be the best way for me to get the answers I seek.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Red Lake Falls Remembrances
In March 2005, tragedy struck the small town of Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. Jeffrey Weise fatally shot his grandfather, his grandfather’s girlfriend, and seven people at the school before turning the gun on himself. Seven other students were injured in Weise’s shooting spree. This incident was touted by some as being the worst school shooting since Columbine in 1999.
Upon investigation of what made Weise tick, it was discovered that he was an avid poster to a neo-Nazi website, where he referred to himself as the Angel of Death. He had been removed from the regular school setting because of a policy violation, and was placed in the homebound program. Weise was also taking Prozac to combat his depression. However, no one thought he was capable of such violent acts, and no one saw this incident coming.
But Weise was capable, and he did carry out the worst school shooting in six years. He also changed the entire Red Lake Nation with those ten fatal shots. Media descended on the reservation within hours and camped out for several days, disturbing the community that was once so quiet.
Just hours after the incident, neighboring Beltrami County offered to support the Red Lake Nation in whatever ways they could. They provided law enforcement, social service support and trauma counseling services. Minnesota US Attorney Tom Heffelfinger commended the school for having put good security measures in place and for having practiced for an event like a shooting.
Minnesota law was changed after Columbine to require such crisis management plans. The MN statute stated that every school board must adopt a district crisis management policy by July 1, 2000. The policy needed to address the process of handling potential violent and/or crisis situations arising within the district. Each school was then expected to practice the plan, so they would know how to initiate it in the event of a real crisis. Red Lake Falls hired Burnsville, Minnesota, based company MacNeil Environmental to create their crisis plan.
After the March 2005 shooting, lawsuits were filed against MacNeil Environmental. The lawsuits stated that MacNeil was supposed to help Red Lake Falls implement a five-year program starting in fall 2001 to provide a crisis management plan, train school officials and evaluate the school's security weaknesses. The lawsuits also alleged that MacNeil Environmental wasn't qualified to create an emergency plan for the Red Lake School District and that it failed to follow through on developing and implementing crisis plans. The lawsuits claimed MacNeil failed to develop a plan as recommended by the U.S. Department of Education and instead provided the school district with plans that were confusing and contained conflicting directions for staff.
It took until September 2008 for the families of victims and survivors to reach a settlement with MacNeil. The judge overseeing the civil suit was charged with dividing up the $1.5 million settlement in October 2008.
Long story short, even when you have a crisis plan in place, things can still go wrong. As unfortunate as it is to say, the worst school shooting since Columbine quickly turned into the biggest cluster EVER. Yes, people grieved for those individuals that lost their lives or were wounded, but the nation was more concerned with following the lawsuit proceedings.
Upon investigation of what made Weise tick, it was discovered that he was an avid poster to a neo-Nazi website, where he referred to himself as the Angel of Death. He had been removed from the regular school setting because of a policy violation, and was placed in the homebound program. Weise was also taking Prozac to combat his depression. However, no one thought he was capable of such violent acts, and no one saw this incident coming.
But Weise was capable, and he did carry out the worst school shooting in six years. He also changed the entire Red Lake Nation with those ten fatal shots. Media descended on the reservation within hours and camped out for several days, disturbing the community that was once so quiet.
Just hours after the incident, neighboring Beltrami County offered to support the Red Lake Nation in whatever ways they could. They provided law enforcement, social service support and trauma counseling services. Minnesota US Attorney Tom Heffelfinger commended the school for having put good security measures in place and for having practiced for an event like a shooting.
Minnesota law was changed after Columbine to require such crisis management plans. The MN statute stated that every school board must adopt a district crisis management policy by July 1, 2000. The policy needed to address the process of handling potential violent and/or crisis situations arising within the district. Each school was then expected to practice the plan, so they would know how to initiate it in the event of a real crisis. Red Lake Falls hired Burnsville, Minnesota, based company MacNeil Environmental to create their crisis plan.
After the March 2005 shooting, lawsuits were filed against MacNeil Environmental. The lawsuits stated that MacNeil was supposed to help Red Lake Falls implement a five-year program starting in fall 2001 to provide a crisis management plan, train school officials and evaluate the school's security weaknesses. The lawsuits also alleged that MacNeil Environmental wasn't qualified to create an emergency plan for the Red Lake School District and that it failed to follow through on developing and implementing crisis plans. The lawsuits claimed MacNeil failed to develop a plan as recommended by the U.S. Department of Education and instead provided the school district with plans that were confusing and contained conflicting directions for staff.
It took until September 2008 for the families of victims and survivors to reach a settlement with MacNeil. The judge overseeing the civil suit was charged with dividing up the $1.5 million settlement in October 2008.
Long story short, even when you have a crisis plan in place, things can still go wrong. As unfortunate as it is to say, the worst school shooting since Columbine quickly turned into the biggest cluster EVER. Yes, people grieved for those individuals that lost their lives or were wounded, but the nation was more concerned with following the lawsuit proceedings.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Total Confidence = Total Increase in Sales (My Opinion)
Looking back at all the blogs I’ve done this semester, I see quite a few that have to do with money or other financial issues. True to what appears to be my form, I have another financial-type article to wow (or bore) everyone with this week.
This weekend, I watched Chevrolet’s newest PR push, and boy is it a good one! They are following in the footsteps of another major car dealer (I believe it’s Hyundai) by offering an amped up finance package. As a born and bred Chevy fan, I have to say that Chevy’s Total Confidence package does exactly what the name suggests: gives the buyer absolute confidence that investing their money with Chevrolet is a wise choice.
The first two branches of this package consist of a fully backed transferable warranty with roadside assistance and a complimentary year of OnStar service. Yes, both features come standard with most new cars these days, but it is still worth mentioning. In these times of uncertainty, vehicle owners like to know that they are protected while they’re at home or on the road.
The third and fourth branches of this package are what make it truly special. The third branch is Vehicle Value Protection, where Chevy will protect your new vehicle’s retail value when you decide to trade in for your next Chevy vehicle. The final branch is Payment Protection, where Chevy will make your payments (up to $500/month) up to nine months if you lose your job.
Now tell me, how much more confident would this package make you, the car buyer feel? If I was in the market for a new vehicle, I would definitely be looking at Chevrolet first. If the unspeakable would happen and I lost my job, I would have to give back my vehicle, then how would I get a new job? By offering Payment Protection, Chevy is giving me a way to get back on my feet, which is a nice thing for a car company to do.
With the negative press that the GM Corporation received after giving fired CEO Rick Wagoner a $20 million severance package, this is exactly what is needed. They say that good news travels quickly, so hopefully news of the Total Confidence package can overtake the Wagoner scandal.
This weekend, I watched Chevrolet’s newest PR push, and boy is it a good one! They are following in the footsteps of another major car dealer (I believe it’s Hyundai) by offering an amped up finance package. As a born and bred Chevy fan, I have to say that Chevy’s Total Confidence package does exactly what the name suggests: gives the buyer absolute confidence that investing their money with Chevrolet is a wise choice.
The first two branches of this package consist of a fully backed transferable warranty with roadside assistance and a complimentary year of OnStar service. Yes, both features come standard with most new cars these days, but it is still worth mentioning. In these times of uncertainty, vehicle owners like to know that they are protected while they’re at home or on the road.
The third and fourth branches of this package are what make it truly special. The third branch is Vehicle Value Protection, where Chevy will protect your new vehicle’s retail value when you decide to trade in for your next Chevy vehicle. The final branch is Payment Protection, where Chevy will make your payments (up to $500/month) up to nine months if you lose your job.
Now tell me, how much more confident would this package make you, the car buyer feel? If I was in the market for a new vehicle, I would definitely be looking at Chevrolet first. If the unspeakable would happen and I lost my job, I would have to give back my vehicle, then how would I get a new job? By offering Payment Protection, Chevy is giving me a way to get back on my feet, which is a nice thing for a car company to do.
With the negative press that the GM Corporation received after giving fired CEO Rick Wagoner a $20 million severance package, this is exactly what is needed. They say that good news travels quickly, so hopefully news of the Total Confidence package can overtake the Wagoner scandal.
Monday, March 30, 2009
The Answer to Everyone's Money Woes is Wal-Mart
Several months ago, there were people left in the United States that felt the economic downturn was a fluke. Certainly there were people in the state of North Dakota that felt we were unaffected by it. More recently, however, it has become apparent that even the Podunk towns of North Dakota are feeling the crunch.
Everyone knows that when times get tough, every family cuts things from their budget. They trade in nice dinners out for quick dinners that come in a paper sack. New jeans come from Gordmans or Kohls, rather than The Buckle or Gap. People change hair salons, mechanic shops, even doctors in some extreme cases. These are all changes that seem normal and expected when the economy takes a turn for the worse.
A change that isn’t “normal” and certainly was not expected has to do with where people buy their toiletries: those things like paper towels, toilet paper, soap and shampoo, and pet food; and their groceries. During the last quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, Target stores across the nation have seen a marked decline in patronage, while Wal-Mart stores are reveling in 4% increases.
Why, do you ask? It’s because Wal-Mart has long marketed themselves as a discount store, a store where everything costs less. Their newest advertising campaigns are no different.
We’ve all seen the commercials where the lady saves over $700 a year by purchasing her weekly groceries (milk, eggs, cheese, potato chips, etc.) at Wal-Mart. How enticing is an ad like that to a family that is barely scraping by?
Or what about the ads where the parent is able to prepare their child for school by getting them a quality laptop and “cool” clothes at prices that don’t break the family bank? We all know how important it is as a teenager to feel that you belong.
For my home, I do the majority of my shopping at Wal-Mart and have realized significant savings over the last year or so.
I think Wal-Mart has done some great ads over the years. If you ever want to know what issue was considered a hot topic in a particular year, check out what type of ads Wal-Mart was running. Their advertising team has always been responsive to what the country is talking about. They have run the gamut from going green to saving the average family thousands each year. Even though they are a huge corporation, Wal-Mart does well appealing to people from all walks of life.
Because last week was the week we were supposed to discuss advertisements, I want to clarify that Wal-Mart is not only successful because of their advertising campaigns. They are successful because they are a well-rounded company that cares. In 2006, Wal-Mart was named the largest corporate donor of cash, giving over $272 million to charities across the globe. They hold annual fundraisers to raise money for school supplies for children in need. They have even co-oped with the Children's Miracle Network. How can any good American not love a store that does all this and still saves us money?!
Everyone knows that when times get tough, every family cuts things from their budget. They trade in nice dinners out for quick dinners that come in a paper sack. New jeans come from Gordmans or Kohls, rather than The Buckle or Gap. People change hair salons, mechanic shops, even doctors in some extreme cases. These are all changes that seem normal and expected when the economy takes a turn for the worse.
A change that isn’t “normal” and certainly was not expected has to do with where people buy their toiletries: those things like paper towels, toilet paper, soap and shampoo, and pet food; and their groceries. During the last quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, Target stores across the nation have seen a marked decline in patronage, while Wal-Mart stores are reveling in 4% increases.
Why, do you ask? It’s because Wal-Mart has long marketed themselves as a discount store, a store where everything costs less. Their newest advertising campaigns are no different.
We’ve all seen the commercials where the lady saves over $700 a year by purchasing her weekly groceries (milk, eggs, cheese, potato chips, etc.) at Wal-Mart. How enticing is an ad like that to a family that is barely scraping by?
Or what about the ads where the parent is able to prepare their child for school by getting them a quality laptop and “cool” clothes at prices that don’t break the family bank? We all know how important it is as a teenager to feel that you belong.
For my home, I do the majority of my shopping at Wal-Mart and have realized significant savings over the last year or so.
I think Wal-Mart has done some great ads over the years. If you ever want to know what issue was considered a hot topic in a particular year, check out what type of ads Wal-Mart was running. Their advertising team has always been responsive to what the country is talking about. They have run the gamut from going green to saving the average family thousands each year. Even though they are a huge corporation, Wal-Mart does well appealing to people from all walks of life.
Because last week was the week we were supposed to discuss advertisements, I want to clarify that Wal-Mart is not only successful because of their advertising campaigns. They are successful because they are a well-rounded company that cares. In 2006, Wal-Mart was named the largest corporate donor of cash, giving over $272 million to charities across the globe. They hold annual fundraisers to raise money for school supplies for children in need. They have even co-oped with the Children's Miracle Network. How can any good American not love a store that does all this and still saves us money?!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Bad, The Good, & Nothing In-Between
Three long days ago, I sat down and read Shannon’s blog assignment. Immediately, an example of an ineffective, irritating ad came to mind. Now, after the last few days, I also have an extremely effective ad that I wish to address.
First, the ineffective ad…
Over the last month or so, I have started looking on Geico as an ineffective advertiser. In the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that I am a Geico customer because they offered me the lowest rate eight long years ago when I got my license. By no stretch of the imagination, however, am I a supporter of their current advertising campaign.
People tend to equate the quality of a company’s ads with the quality of the product they sell or the services they provide. I’m sure many of us have seen good quality advertisements and now associate that company with quality, even if we’ve never been there. The same is true with poor advertisements; the consumer sees a poor quality commercial and assumes that the company is poorly managed.
When you see a stack of money with a pair of googly eyes on the top of it, what does that say to you? To me, it smacks of cheapness. Even though I tell myself that Geico is a fine company, I still cringe whenever I hear their new jingle come on the TV.
This is certainly something to keep in mind if any of us choose to become advertising executives for companies both large and small. It is important to make sure that your ad portrays the message you want portrayed about your company.
Next, the effective ad…
Even though this isn’t a true advertisement, it has certainly played the part well. All of you know about the flood we’re fighting here in the Red River Valley. With the ever-increasing river crest, the need for volunteer sandbaggers has increased exponentially. For the last four nights, I have been out volunteering, and the sheer number of people there with me is just amazing.
The metro area sent out a call via every radio and television station in the area, and the public responded to this very real cry for help. To me, this is a perfect example of what makes an advertisement effective: the human connection. People are more apt to remember a product, service, or plea for help if they are able to make that connection.
We are all out there volunteering because we have seen the destruction that Mother Nature can bring, and we all want to do anything and everything we can to alleviate this batch.
Before I stop for this week, I just want to send out my own plea for help. If you haven’t gone out and volunteered yet, do so soon! Everyone’s help is so crucial in our area’s time of need. For those of you that have volunteered or have plans to do so, thank you so much!!
First, the ineffective ad…
Over the last month or so, I have started looking on Geico as an ineffective advertiser. In the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that I am a Geico customer because they offered me the lowest rate eight long years ago when I got my license. By no stretch of the imagination, however, am I a supporter of their current advertising campaign.
People tend to equate the quality of a company’s ads with the quality of the product they sell or the services they provide. I’m sure many of us have seen good quality advertisements and now associate that company with quality, even if we’ve never been there. The same is true with poor advertisements; the consumer sees a poor quality commercial and assumes that the company is poorly managed.
When you see a stack of money with a pair of googly eyes on the top of it, what does that say to you? To me, it smacks of cheapness. Even though I tell myself that Geico is a fine company, I still cringe whenever I hear their new jingle come on the TV.
This is certainly something to keep in mind if any of us choose to become advertising executives for companies both large and small. It is important to make sure that your ad portrays the message you want portrayed about your company.
Next, the effective ad…
Even though this isn’t a true advertisement, it has certainly played the part well. All of you know about the flood we’re fighting here in the Red River Valley. With the ever-increasing river crest, the need for volunteer sandbaggers has increased exponentially. For the last four nights, I have been out volunteering, and the sheer number of people there with me is just amazing.
The metro area sent out a call via every radio and television station in the area, and the public responded to this very real cry for help. To me, this is a perfect example of what makes an advertisement effective: the human connection. People are more apt to remember a product, service, or plea for help if they are able to make that connection.
We are all out there volunteering because we have seen the destruction that Mother Nature can bring, and we all want to do anything and everything we can to alleviate this batch.
Before I stop for this week, I just want to send out my own plea for help. If you haven’t gone out and volunteered yet, do so soon! Everyone’s help is so crucial in our area’s time of need. For those of you that have volunteered or have plans to do so, thank you so much!!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Increased Premiums, Incentive Trips, New CEO
I know many of you are probably aware of what happened yesterday at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. Their board voted to replace President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Unhjem. This move came after BCBS made the front page of the Forum last week for sending their employees to the Cayman Islands.
If there has been one thing that has happened locally during this semester that can be considered a PR nightmare, I have to say this one takes the cake. Being associated with BCBS is going to be extremely controversial and difficult over the next few months as they try to recoup the area’s trust and respect.
Before I go any further, I would like to say that I know Mr. Unhjem; I work closely with him on many United Way projects. I cannot imagine him doing anything that would jeopardize the respect and trust that the public holds for BCBS. So, if I seem to be a little irritated that they fired him, please let my above statement speak to that emotion!
This whole thing goes back to 1986, when BCBS sent board members on an all expenses paid retreat to a posh resort. They received flak back then for using policyholders’ money to fund something that could have been held in state.
Now, 23 years later, BCBS is back under the microscope for sending top-performing employees to the Cayman Islands. It has been reported that $250,000 was budgeted for that trip, even though there have been rumblings about the need to increase policyholders’ premiums.
Let’s face it; we all know what a stupid mistake this was. You cannot tell your policyholders that their insurance company is going to come up short at the end of the year so they need to increase their premiums AND then send people on vacation! No matter which way you crunch the numbers, it just doesn’t compute.
The icing on this financial mess is Mr. Unhjem’s salary, a whopping $664,000 a year (coincidently, what Mr. Unhjem made in 2005 is the same amount that BCBS raised during their United Way campaign in 2007-08). In this difficult economy, I am sure this number also played a big part in the board’s decision to let him go. If Executive Vice President Tim Huckle will step up and do the job for the interim, BCBS can save some money.
As I said before, the next few months will be hard going for BCBS. They will be looking for a new President and CEO, working on a campaign to raise premiums, and trying to regain the trust and respect of the area. Sounds like a pretty hefty PR package to deal with by January 2010. Unfortunately for them, they will be doing all this hard work without the hopes of an all expenses paid trip at the end of it all!
If there has been one thing that has happened locally during this semester that can be considered a PR nightmare, I have to say this one takes the cake. Being associated with BCBS is going to be extremely controversial and difficult over the next few months as they try to recoup the area’s trust and respect.
Before I go any further, I would like to say that I know Mr. Unhjem; I work closely with him on many United Way projects. I cannot imagine him doing anything that would jeopardize the respect and trust that the public holds for BCBS. So, if I seem to be a little irritated that they fired him, please let my above statement speak to that emotion!
This whole thing goes back to 1986, when BCBS sent board members on an all expenses paid retreat to a posh resort. They received flak back then for using policyholders’ money to fund something that could have been held in state.
Now, 23 years later, BCBS is back under the microscope for sending top-performing employees to the Cayman Islands. It has been reported that $250,000 was budgeted for that trip, even though there have been rumblings about the need to increase policyholders’ premiums.
Let’s face it; we all know what a stupid mistake this was. You cannot tell your policyholders that their insurance company is going to come up short at the end of the year so they need to increase their premiums AND then send people on vacation! No matter which way you crunch the numbers, it just doesn’t compute.
The icing on this financial mess is Mr. Unhjem’s salary, a whopping $664,000 a year (coincidently, what Mr. Unhjem made in 2005 is the same amount that BCBS raised during their United Way campaign in 2007-08). In this difficult economy, I am sure this number also played a big part in the board’s decision to let him go. If Executive Vice President Tim Huckle will step up and do the job for the interim, BCBS can save some money.
As I said before, the next few months will be hard going for BCBS. They will be looking for a new President and CEO, working on a campaign to raise premiums, and trying to regain the trust and respect of the area. Sounds like a pretty hefty PR package to deal with by January 2010. Unfortunately for them, they will be doing all this hard work without the hopes of an all expenses paid trip at the end of it all!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Can you eat PR on that diet?
My blog topic this week is a testament to how much importance society places on appearances. I open up my internet at home, and MSN is my homepage. One of the biggest boxes on the page is talking about 70 Years of Style Icons. Of course I cannot help myself, and I click on the darn thing…
A whole new world opened up for me with that one click of my mouse button! There were links to articles about dieting, hairstyles, fads and trends, the best and worst sex advice, and many other things that everyone apparently needs to know about.
The one that caught my eye was the article on the 7 Decades of Wacky Dieting Trends. It amazed me that people have been advertising and marketing diet trends for the last 70 years. If that is true, how is it also true that America is at its highest obesity ever? Something just doesn’t compute…
I believe that this phenomenon is all tied up in a tangled PR circle. Celebrities began hiring PR representatives to get their names and faces out to the public. When that happened, the public realized that they wanted to look like Heather Locklear and Faith Hill: tall, skinny, and confident. Dieting companies like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and hundreds of others were born.
The PR reps for those companies in turn hire those celebrities to promote their product, thus giving it credibility. People purchase them and try them for a time, only to realize that they will never look like Shania Twain or Brooke Shields. That is where the continued rise of obesity comes in.
But, I have not forgotten about all those new diet or exercise companies that keep popping up on my television night after night. You see, those companies are getting smarter, and are refining the way they promote their product or service.
Nutrisystem is a great example. They know that the people of today are leading much busier lives than prior generations did. Promoting the ease of their product (it’s delivered right to your door, it is real food, there are no meetings to attend) was the smartest PR move they ever could have made. Using Nutrisystem could take longer to achieve results, but people aren’t going to care as long as it is easy to do.
I think PR is important in many industries, but especially in those where there is so much competition. The diet and exercise industry is a prime example of that. Those companies need to be at the top of their game at all times, otherwise they will lose their market share to the company that sells itself the best to busy families.
A whole new world opened up for me with that one click of my mouse button! There were links to articles about dieting, hairstyles, fads and trends, the best and worst sex advice, and many other things that everyone apparently needs to know about.
The one that caught my eye was the article on the 7 Decades of Wacky Dieting Trends. It amazed me that people have been advertising and marketing diet trends for the last 70 years. If that is true, how is it also true that America is at its highest obesity ever? Something just doesn’t compute…
I believe that this phenomenon is all tied up in a tangled PR circle. Celebrities began hiring PR representatives to get their names and faces out to the public. When that happened, the public realized that they wanted to look like Heather Locklear and Faith Hill: tall, skinny, and confident. Dieting companies like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and hundreds of others were born.
The PR reps for those companies in turn hire those celebrities to promote their product, thus giving it credibility. People purchase them and try them for a time, only to realize that they will never look like Shania Twain or Brooke Shields. That is where the continued rise of obesity comes in.
But, I have not forgotten about all those new diet or exercise companies that keep popping up on my television night after night. You see, those companies are getting smarter, and are refining the way they promote their product or service.
Nutrisystem is a great example. They know that the people of today are leading much busier lives than prior generations did. Promoting the ease of their product (it’s delivered right to your door, it is real food, there are no meetings to attend) was the smartest PR move they ever could have made. Using Nutrisystem could take longer to achieve results, but people aren’t going to care as long as it is easy to do.
I think PR is important in many industries, but especially in those where there is so much competition. The diet and exercise industry is a prime example of that. Those companies need to be at the top of their game at all times, otherwise they will lose their market share to the company that sells itself the best to busy families.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
California - The Sunshine State or the Pot State?
I’m sure almost everyone has heard about the dire situation that the state of California finds itself in. Their budget is sitting in limbo right now with a $42 billion gap and no way to close it. Thousands of ideas and proposals have flooded the governor’s office, but there is one that keeps coming out on top.
Most people refer to this solution as a sin tax, which is a tax added to those items (alcohol or tobacco) that are deemed vices and unnecessary. Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed an increase in taxes on alcohol and Assemblyman Tom Torklakson proposed an increase in taxes for cigarettes.
Now, it has come to light that if California would decide to legalize marijuana and then tax it heavily, the state could quickly close their budgetary gap. The marijuana crops grown in California equal $13.8 billion annually and approximately 14.5 million Americans use marijuana monthly.
If marijuana were to become legalized, the state could collect taxes on all that marijuana that is currently being sold in the underground market. It would also save the state the money they are spending on prosecuting those people that are using, selling, or growing marijuana illegally.
This is what the public relations world refers to as a hot button topic. On the one hand, the state is thinking creatively to decrease their budget deficit, which is great. On the other hand, they are thinking about legalizing a substance that was long ago determined to be detrimental to the growth of society.
The state’s public relations department will have to give this topic a lot of consideration before picking a way to support this. Remember, the goal of PR is to always portray your organization (or in this case, the state) in the most favorable light while still relaying all information correctly.
No matter which way you cut it, this is going to be a hard battle to fight. There are many pros and cons from each side, and many details that need to be worked out before a decision is made. It will certainly be an interesting legislative session in the state of California, and I’m sure the PR reps and the media will be happy to keep us informed.
Most people refer to this solution as a sin tax, which is a tax added to those items (alcohol or tobacco) that are deemed vices and unnecessary. Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed an increase in taxes on alcohol and Assemblyman Tom Torklakson proposed an increase in taxes for cigarettes.
Now, it has come to light that if California would decide to legalize marijuana and then tax it heavily, the state could quickly close their budgetary gap. The marijuana crops grown in California equal $13.8 billion annually and approximately 14.5 million Americans use marijuana monthly.
If marijuana were to become legalized, the state could collect taxes on all that marijuana that is currently being sold in the underground market. It would also save the state the money they are spending on prosecuting those people that are using, selling, or growing marijuana illegally.
This is what the public relations world refers to as a hot button topic. On the one hand, the state is thinking creatively to decrease their budget deficit, which is great. On the other hand, they are thinking about legalizing a substance that was long ago determined to be detrimental to the growth of society.
The state’s public relations department will have to give this topic a lot of consideration before picking a way to support this. Remember, the goal of PR is to always portray your organization (or in this case, the state) in the most favorable light while still relaying all information correctly.
No matter which way you cut it, this is going to be a hard battle to fight. There are many pros and cons from each side, and many details that need to be worked out before a decision is made. It will certainly be an interesting legislative session in the state of California, and I’m sure the PR reps and the media will be happy to keep us informed.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
$1 Starbucks
When I was scanning the MSN home page just now, I almost tipped my drink into my lap. Under the “Money” section of MSN, there was a link that alluded to $1 coffee at Starbucks. After righting my cup, I had to learn more.
I thought that it must be a joke; Starbucks has never offered any drink for less than $2.50. I have to add that spending that $2.50 does not get you a soy mocha latte; it gets you a hot chocolate or a regular coffee. If they are offering coffee for $1, there must be something seriously wrong.
It seems that not even the coffee giants of the world are immune from a recession-like economy. Even though we have seen the effects locally (the closing of several FM Starbucks locations) I don’t know that the international Starbucks had quite felt the pinch.
CEO Howard Schultz has been quoted as saying that consumers want fewer material goods and more quality of life experiences. He has also said that once the recession passes, people are more apt to remain with their newfound frugality, rather than revert to their old, more expensive, habits.
Now, we all know that corporations don’t do things out of the goodness of their hearts. There is usually an ulterior motive behind their Good Samaritan actions. This transformation of Starbucks is no exception.
This move will allow Starbucks to increase its share of the instant coffee market. Another type of coffee gives them more shelf space at the grocery stores. A new product to promote is more media time on the airwaves that can be credited to something other than wasting money in tight times. Offering a more affordable product opens up doors to a whole new audience that they weren’t reaching before by offering their coffees for $2.50 or more.
I have to applaud the PR department of Starbucks on this one. Even though this whole switch is to help stabilize their position in the stock market, they come out smelling like roses. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry on the street will be so grateful to Starbucks for recognizing their needs and offering a line of quality coffee that they can afford.
This is definitely what Dr. Vanhorn and our text calls telling the truth while portraying your company in the most favorable light possible. Starbucks’ PR reps, if this was a college course, you would be getting a big fat A+!
I thought that it must be a joke; Starbucks has never offered any drink for less than $2.50. I have to add that spending that $2.50 does not get you a soy mocha latte; it gets you a hot chocolate or a regular coffee. If they are offering coffee for $1, there must be something seriously wrong.
It seems that not even the coffee giants of the world are immune from a recession-like economy. Even though we have seen the effects locally (the closing of several FM Starbucks locations) I don’t know that the international Starbucks had quite felt the pinch.
CEO Howard Schultz has been quoted as saying that consumers want fewer material goods and more quality of life experiences. He has also said that once the recession passes, people are more apt to remain with their newfound frugality, rather than revert to their old, more expensive, habits.
Now, we all know that corporations don’t do things out of the goodness of their hearts. There is usually an ulterior motive behind their Good Samaritan actions. This transformation of Starbucks is no exception.
This move will allow Starbucks to increase its share of the instant coffee market. Another type of coffee gives them more shelf space at the grocery stores. A new product to promote is more media time on the airwaves that can be credited to something other than wasting money in tight times. Offering a more affordable product opens up doors to a whole new audience that they weren’t reaching before by offering their coffees for $2.50 or more.
I have to applaud the PR department of Starbucks on this one. Even though this whole switch is to help stabilize their position in the stock market, they come out smelling like roses. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry on the street will be so grateful to Starbucks for recognizing their needs and offering a line of quality coffee that they can afford.
This is definitely what Dr. Vanhorn and our text calls telling the truth while portraying your company in the most favorable light possible. Starbucks’ PR reps, if this was a college course, you would be getting a big fat A+!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Football's Losing Favre?!?
I don’t believe it; I truly don’t believe it.
No, really; I just cannot believe that Brett Favre is retiring! For someone like me who does not like sports, that name sure rings a bell…
Oh yeah, he’s the guy from last year that said he was retiring. Then we heard about him every other day because he wanted to be released from his contract. Then it turned out that he really wasn’t retiring, he just wanted to go play for a different team.
Talk about a real-life soap opera! I cannot imagine the upheaval that his family has gone through in the last two years. Moving across the country, making new friends, and learning to play with a new team must have kept them all pretty busy and stressed out.
I have to say that working for Favre is not something I would enjoy. I am sure the pay is great, but I like change and variety. I would hate having to tell the same story two years in a row. Do you think when Favre announced his plans to retire in 2009, did his publicist just have to reach into his/her file cabinet and pull out the binder from 2008?
For someone that doesn’t like to put forth a lot of effort, this would have been a great gig. Just white out where it said Packers and insert the word Jets and you’re basically done. Change a few other small details and you’ve got yourself a five-minute press release.
Okay, perhaps I’m being pretty tough on the guy. It does sound like he truly plans to retire this time. His paperwork has even been filed with the NFL, which was not done last season. He was even quoted as saying, “I really felt like it was time,” when asked if this was the real deal.
This is just another example of how even the best of publicists must be prepared for their employers to wreak havoc on their carefully ordered plan. Favre’s publicist probably had no idea he did not really plan to retire at the end of last season; they were just doing their job by getting the news out there for the fans. Then they looked like liars, which just reaffirmed what a lot of the general public feels about this field anyway.
Take heart, faithful publicist. It looks like this is the real deal this time!
No, really; I just cannot believe that Brett Favre is retiring! For someone like me who does not like sports, that name sure rings a bell…
Oh yeah, he’s the guy from last year that said he was retiring. Then we heard about him every other day because he wanted to be released from his contract. Then it turned out that he really wasn’t retiring, he just wanted to go play for a different team.
Talk about a real-life soap opera! I cannot imagine the upheaval that his family has gone through in the last two years. Moving across the country, making new friends, and learning to play with a new team must have kept them all pretty busy and stressed out.
I have to say that working for Favre is not something I would enjoy. I am sure the pay is great, but I like change and variety. I would hate having to tell the same story two years in a row. Do you think when Favre announced his plans to retire in 2009, did his publicist just have to reach into his/her file cabinet and pull out the binder from 2008?
For someone that doesn’t like to put forth a lot of effort, this would have been a great gig. Just white out where it said Packers and insert the word Jets and you’re basically done. Change a few other small details and you’ve got yourself a five-minute press release.
Okay, perhaps I’m being pretty tough on the guy. It does sound like he truly plans to retire this time. His paperwork has even been filed with the NFL, which was not done last season. He was even quoted as saying, “I really felt like it was time,” when asked if this was the real deal.
This is just another example of how even the best of publicists must be prepared for their employers to wreak havoc on their carefully ordered plan. Favre’s publicist probably had no idea he did not really plan to retire at the end of last season; they were just doing their job by getting the news out there for the fans. Then they looked like liars, which just reaffirmed what a lot of the general public feels about this field anyway.
Take heart, faithful publicist. It looks like this is the real deal this time!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Nanny or Publicist? Every Mom's Dilemma!
A loving husband/wife, two and one half children, a furry dog named Mylo, a little house in the suburbs with a white picket fence, and two compact cars equals the average household of the United States. For some, being average is just not acceptable.
Nadya Suleman, with her 14 children, is one of those people. Through her publicist Joann Killeen (who I will get to in a minute), Nadya is described as a smart, articulate, college-educated woman. Nadya’s publicist says that her client has always wanted a large family, and that she is working toward a master’s degree in counseling. She already holds a bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent development.
This lady has a publicist?!? Besides the obvious shock that a virtually unknown woman has a publicist, this fact also triggers a couple other questions in my mind.
With 14 kids to feed, clothe, and shelter, how the heck is she paying for a publicist? I guess she is really pinning her hopes on someone to offer her a book deal or for a well-paying talk show to start pounding her door down.
How does the same person go from not wanting her name released to anybody to needing a publicist to coordinate all the stuff she has going on? Obviously there were reasons in the beginning when she asked to remain anonymous; what happened there? I know everyone is entitled to change their mind, but this is like going from lavender to lime green for a wedding color!
This just goes to show that the PR field offers limitless opportunities for immersion in the job market. If you decide to throw your hat into the PR ring, you are entering into one of the vastest job markets the world has to offer. You can work for a multi-billion dollar corporation like Microsoft, with a non-profit like the United Way, for a public or private school or university system, for a celebrity, or for the person next door.
Nadya Suleman, with her 14 children, is one of those people. Through her publicist Joann Killeen (who I will get to in a minute), Nadya is described as a smart, articulate, college-educated woman. Nadya’s publicist says that her client has always wanted a large family, and that she is working toward a master’s degree in counseling. She already holds a bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent development.
This lady has a publicist?!? Besides the obvious shock that a virtually unknown woman has a publicist, this fact also triggers a couple other questions in my mind.
With 14 kids to feed, clothe, and shelter, how the heck is she paying for a publicist? I guess she is really pinning her hopes on someone to offer her a book deal or for a well-paying talk show to start pounding her door down.
How does the same person go from not wanting her name released to anybody to needing a publicist to coordinate all the stuff she has going on? Obviously there were reasons in the beginning when she asked to remain anonymous; what happened there? I know everyone is entitled to change their mind, but this is like going from lavender to lime green for a wedding color!
This just goes to show that the PR field offers limitless opportunities for immersion in the job market. If you decide to throw your hat into the PR ring, you are entering into one of the vastest job markets the world has to offer. You can work for a multi-billion dollar corporation like Microsoft, with a non-profit like the United Way, for a public or private school or university system, for a celebrity, or for the person next door.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Dirty Politicians = PR Fodder
I have to be brutally honest here: I am so sick of dirty politicians that I could almost scream. It seems that for the last two years all we have seen or heard about is the seedy side of politics. We have run the gamut from soliciting bathroom sex to selling Senate seats to accepting money from questionable sources.
The most noteworthy of these dirty politicians has been Rod Blagojevich, the impeached governor of Illinois. He came under fire in December 2008 for trying to put a price on the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. He was also charged with conspiring to sell his own office several different times.
In January 2009 Blagojevich was impeached by a 114-1 vote, making this the first time such action has been taken against the governor of Illinois. His impeachment trial will begin on January 26, and is already slated to be aired on several major stations.
Over the last two months, even though no one can pronounce it, the name Blagojevich is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. How could it not be when it is everywhere you look? Blagojevich is on a self-proclaimed media blitz that includes interviews on The View, The Today Show, Larry King Live, and Good Morning America.
Through it all, Blagojevich has proclaimed his innocence. He has stated several times that “private conversations” he had were taken out of context. “You figure your home is a sanctified place and you’re allowed to have private conversations,” he is quoted as saying recently.
If you Live Search the phrase “Blagojevich media blitz” you will come up with 79,700 results. Surprisingly the first few pages that I looked through were all relevant to my topic and were all from fairly credible sources.
I bring this up because it is a testament to Blagojevich’s PR team. Even though things are looking pretty bad for their employer, they are still kicking butt and getting their side of the story out there. They are keeping his name in the forefront of everyone’s mind, and as a result, having to deal with the occasional accusation about their motives.
The Blagojevich case is a great eye opener for everyone in the PR field as well as for those that are thinking of or working toward a career in this field. Always research the company or person you will be working for and learn what you can about the reputation the company or the individual has before accepting a job offer. Declining a good paying job because the employer has morals that do not match your own is much better than neglecting your morals to keep that good paying job.
The most noteworthy of these dirty politicians has been Rod Blagojevich, the impeached governor of Illinois. He came under fire in December 2008 for trying to put a price on the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. He was also charged with conspiring to sell his own office several different times.
In January 2009 Blagojevich was impeached by a 114-1 vote, making this the first time such action has been taken against the governor of Illinois. His impeachment trial will begin on January 26, and is already slated to be aired on several major stations.
Over the last two months, even though no one can pronounce it, the name Blagojevich is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. How could it not be when it is everywhere you look? Blagojevich is on a self-proclaimed media blitz that includes interviews on The View, The Today Show, Larry King Live, and Good Morning America.
Through it all, Blagojevich has proclaimed his innocence. He has stated several times that “private conversations” he had were taken out of context. “You figure your home is a sanctified place and you’re allowed to have private conversations,” he is quoted as saying recently.
If you Live Search the phrase “Blagojevich media blitz” you will come up with 79,700 results. Surprisingly the first few pages that I looked through were all relevant to my topic and were all from fairly credible sources.
I bring this up because it is a testament to Blagojevich’s PR team. Even though things are looking pretty bad for their employer, they are still kicking butt and getting their side of the story out there. They are keeping his name in the forefront of everyone’s mind, and as a result, having to deal with the occasional accusation about their motives.
The Blagojevich case is a great eye opener for everyone in the PR field as well as for those that are thinking of or working toward a career in this field. Always research the company or person you will be working for and learn what you can about the reputation the company or the individual has before accepting a job offer. Declining a good paying job because the employer has morals that do not match your own is much better than neglecting your morals to keep that good paying job.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Public Relations Meets the President
On no other day is public relations so closely linked to the presidential circle than on Inauguration Day. The Inauguration of President Barack Obama on January 20, 2009, was no exception. Come to think of it, the five days prior to January 20 were not an exception either.
I find it somewhat amusing that this country is going through a recessional period, but we still have millions of dollars to welcome our new President into office. I ask you, what would have been wrong with just swearing Obama in on the National Mall and throwing one inaugural ball in his honor? Was it really necessary to hold 20 press conferences and 11 balls for the guy?
If you are a public relations specialist for the presidential team, you bet it is necessary! Inauguration Day is your bread and butter; it is what you’ve lived for since hitting the campaign trail with Obama almost a year ago.
All the speculation about what Michelle Obama would be wearing; all the insider information on what moving day in the White House looks like; the well planted “leaks” about the note that incumbent George W. Bush left for Obama in his desk; they are all carefully orchestrated to catch readers’ attention.
If you were to Live Search “Inauguration Day 2009,” thousands of links come up. The majority of those have to do with events that were coordinated throughout the day. There was the church service this morning, the actual swearing in at the National Mall, coffee with the Bush family, the limo ride, and appearances at several inaugural balls; all of which was hyped to the fullest.
The number of articles already written about this day, the hundreds that are still to come, and all the links popping up left and right are the proof that Obama’s PR team is a keeper. Without their organization, flair, know-how, and downright doggedness, this day would not be so well publicized.
Good journalism comes from good internal PR, no matter what topic is being discussed. It is our job as PR specialists to make the right things important. By that, I mean that if we place more importance on the attire of the President and First Lady than on what his inaugural address addressed, we have not done our job properly. Once the public’s attentions shift, it is difficult to get them back on track.
The PR team for Inauguration 2009 gets two thumbs up in my book. They helped to orchestrate one of the biggest days in the history of this country, and besides Senator Kennedy suffering a seizure at lunch, it went off without a hitch.
I find it somewhat amusing that this country is going through a recessional period, but we still have millions of dollars to welcome our new President into office. I ask you, what would have been wrong with just swearing Obama in on the National Mall and throwing one inaugural ball in his honor? Was it really necessary to hold 20 press conferences and 11 balls for the guy?
If you are a public relations specialist for the presidential team, you bet it is necessary! Inauguration Day is your bread and butter; it is what you’ve lived for since hitting the campaign trail with Obama almost a year ago.
All the speculation about what Michelle Obama would be wearing; all the insider information on what moving day in the White House looks like; the well planted “leaks” about the note that incumbent George W. Bush left for Obama in his desk; they are all carefully orchestrated to catch readers’ attention.
If you were to Live Search “Inauguration Day 2009,” thousands of links come up. The majority of those have to do with events that were coordinated throughout the day. There was the church service this morning, the actual swearing in at the National Mall, coffee with the Bush family, the limo ride, and appearances at several inaugural balls; all of which was hyped to the fullest.
The number of articles already written about this day, the hundreds that are still to come, and all the links popping up left and right are the proof that Obama’s PR team is a keeper. Without their organization, flair, know-how, and downright doggedness, this day would not be so well publicized.
Good journalism comes from good internal PR, no matter what topic is being discussed. It is our job as PR specialists to make the right things important. By that, I mean that if we place more importance on the attire of the President and First Lady than on what his inaugural address addressed, we have not done our job properly. Once the public’s attentions shift, it is difficult to get them back on track.
The PR team for Inauguration 2009 gets two thumbs up in my book. They helped to orchestrate one of the biggest days in the history of this country, and besides Senator Kennedy suffering a seizure at lunch, it went off without a hitch.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Golden Opportunities for PR Specialists
If I asked for a show of hands on how many people watch the Golden Globes religiously every year, I would guess more hands would be up than down. Why? The Golden Globes, and other similar award shows, are the most publicized events of the year.
No matter where you live or what you do in your spare time, you have heard of the Golden Globes, the Emmys, and/or the Grammys. Entertainment News reported that last year, over 20 million viewers flipped their channels to watch at least part of the award show. Another 1/2 million viewers watched the announcement of the winning names on E! the following day.
This astonishing number begs the question "Why do so many people watch these events?" The answer is remarkably simple: the public relations that surround these gala award shows are huge. It takes a team of hundreds all year to plan, coordinate, book, publicize, and pull off these huge shows.
Working in the PR department of any of these events entails quite a bit of differentiated work, I’m sure. PR reps for these huge events must work day and night up until the big event, just to verify that everything goes off without a hitch.
There would be the planning side of things, where the PR rep must act as an event planner. A venue must be selected and all details ironed out with that venue. A menu is selected, seating charts written out, and security hired, to name a few of those details.
The press side of things is where the meat of the job always occurs. Every time a new category’s nominees are confirmed, press releases must go out. Each time a presenter is secured, a brief has to be written. Good working relations must be maintained with all the major television networks, radio stations, and newspapers that cover the event.
All of that hard, continuous work leads up to the success of some of the "biggest nights on television" each year. Although working for big gala events like the Grammys is every publicist's daydream, there are thousands of other opportunities for PR specialists in our world today. There are over 200,000 PR specialists working in the market right now.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of public relations specialists is expected to grow by 18%, much faster than the average. The BLS website also states that the need for good public relations in an increasingly competitive business environment should spur demand in all types and sizes of organizations.
This is good news for people that are just getting started on their career. If they keep dreaming about doing the PR for a major event like the Emmys, the Grammys, or even the Golden Globes, they have a great shot at succeeding.
No matter where you live or what you do in your spare time, you have heard of the Golden Globes, the Emmys, and/or the Grammys. Entertainment News reported that last year, over 20 million viewers flipped their channels to watch at least part of the award show. Another 1/2 million viewers watched the announcement of the winning names on E! the following day.
This astonishing number begs the question "Why do so many people watch these events?" The answer is remarkably simple: the public relations that surround these gala award shows are huge. It takes a team of hundreds all year to plan, coordinate, book, publicize, and pull off these huge shows.
Working in the PR department of any of these events entails quite a bit of differentiated work, I’m sure. PR reps for these huge events must work day and night up until the big event, just to verify that everything goes off without a hitch.
There would be the planning side of things, where the PR rep must act as an event planner. A venue must be selected and all details ironed out with that venue. A menu is selected, seating charts written out, and security hired, to name a few of those details.
The press side of things is where the meat of the job always occurs. Every time a new category’s nominees are confirmed, press releases must go out. Each time a presenter is secured, a brief has to be written. Good working relations must be maintained with all the major television networks, radio stations, and newspapers that cover the event.
All of that hard, continuous work leads up to the success of some of the "biggest nights on television" each year. Although working for big gala events like the Grammys is every publicist's daydream, there are thousands of other opportunities for PR specialists in our world today. There are over 200,000 PR specialists working in the market right now.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of public relations specialists is expected to grow by 18%, much faster than the average. The BLS website also states that the need for good public relations in an increasingly competitive business environment should spur demand in all types and sizes of organizations.
This is good news for people that are just getting started on their career. If they keep dreaming about doing the PR for a major event like the Emmys, the Grammys, or even the Golden Globes, they have a great shot at succeeding.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
