The Real Deal...Public Opinion, PR, Advertising
Published by Harvey Radin at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 Harvey Radin
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this ebook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Introduction
Profound, entertaining, even irreverent observations. A quick read loaded with the insights you need to jumpstart your career in PR and mass communication. Written by a veteran corporate communications executive most recently featured in Business Insider and American Banker.
As a communications executive for multinational firms, Harvey Radin was responsible for PR, media relations and crisis communications management during his corporate career in Los Angeles, London, New York and San Francisco.
He influenced opinion of such serious issues as financial privacy, bank fees, the ATM surcharge, and corporate mergers and acquisitions. And is known for stepping out of corporate character. Like the time he stuffed a VW Beetle full of bankers in his "How Many Bankers will it Take?" event, his company's attempt to break a world record held by British university students.
Chapter 1: National Image Funk
Is America having a self-image crisis?
Americans have traditionally seen themselves as self reliant, tough and resilient. American pioneers settled uncharted territories, changed the course of history in the aftermath of the Second World War...manufactured goods, developed innovative services and built complex infrastructure, the nation's railroads, highways, bridges, dams and much more. Americans see themselves at the very top, as citizens of the world's leading, premier nation.
So then...what's going on today? What's driving the national mood shift?
Is the nation in a funk because of the stubbornly shaky economy? Anxiety about un- and under-employment? The rising number of home foreclosures? The current state of big business and government? Is greed weighing on Americans' self image?
"We have become a nation of almost unimaginable greed," observed a New York Times reader in the 'Comments' section of a Bob Herbert column. Another reader commented: "Even during the hardest times, Americans built things and this country moved forward. Not anymore."
What can be done to encourage Americans to feel good, once again? What can be done to revive American spirit?
Better behavior by elected officials might help. But equally important, if not more so, the major banks and Wall Street firms that are being blamed for causing the Great Recession can play the most important role in fixing the nation's deteriorating self image. They can reverse increasingly negative perception of big business. If the financial industry has the will to support enterprise. To channel financial resources in support of human and business enterprise and commerce.
Leaders in business and government must find ways to reverse a growing cynicism that is becoming more pronounced in America and elsewhere throughout the world. For businesses, generating strong earnings growth is critically important. There's no denying that. But leaders in business need to expand their thinking beyond revenue. They need to use their growing power and influence in support of commerce.
Business leaders need to be more honest with themselves. By honestly assessing the value and the quality of their company's products and services. They need to fight the temptation to take shortcuts...to deliver less for more, less product and less service at a higher price. Somehow, the marriage between quality, craftsmanship and revenue must be reinstated. The sanctity of this marriage is in serious jeopardy.
When you consider this, along with annoying bickering and posturing by politicians, you can appreciate why big business, government and various institutions are held in such low esteem.
Chapter 2: Here's an example of what we mean...
More auto manufacturers are rolling out hybrid and fully electric cars. This is important, considering the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Using green technology in the development of various products is extremely important.
Now, we're not auto industry experts...in particular, when it comes to knowing the costs associated with building automobiles. But, why is it that green, energy-efficient cars generally are priced higher, compared to standard, gas-guzzling vehicles? If a company sees value in green technology, shouldn't the company -- or companies -- also focus on strategies for bringing value pricing to the equation? If more people can afford to buy energy-efficient cars and other products, the greater the value proposition.
Imagine the positive impact on public opinion of auto makers, if they are seen to be supporting a critically important societal need, not only through development of needed technology, but through their approach to pricing, as well.
If we have the knowhow and technology to achieve initiatives as complex as flying astronauts to outer space, why can't automakers develop energy-efficient cars, priced more competitively for consumers?
Chapter 3: And...more examples
Businesses aren't hiring very much. And many businesses, rather than focusing on the needs of employees, are reducing benefits or eliminating benefits altogether by reducing full-time staff. Workers are deeply concerned about job security. So right now, business owners and managers hold the advantage over workers who are under a lot of pressure and are feeling vulnerable.
Various food product companies are not filling containers on supermarket shelves with the amount of food consumers are led to believe they're buying. Instead, companies are finding 'creative' ways to repackage products...putting less product in containers that appear to be the same size. Selling less product for the same price is becoming an increasingly accepted practice. Other businesses are not adding value to consumer services, but they are adding fees. In particular, airlines and financial firms. Various credit card issuers are not doing everything they can to help consumers manage debt. But they are stuffing mailboxes with credit card offers.
In the public sector, many Republicans, Democrats and Tea Partiers are not addressing important needs through constructive, honest debate. But they are bickering.
All of this is a drag on the nation's mood and self image at a time when we need to be strong, productive and positive.
Chapter 4: Brave American soldiers; Palin riding tandem on a hog
Visual images can strongly influence public perception of individuals and events. For example, during the 2011 Memorial Day Weekend, there were touching scenes of American flags being placed at soldiers' gravesites. And powerful scenes of the most recent Medal of Honor recipient and the brave soldiers he served with in Afghanistan. There were also compelling scenes of soldiers' profound courage as they faced intense, withering rifle fire in Afghanistan battle zones.
How did these Memorial Day scenes compare, for example, to scenes of Sarah Palin riding tandem on a motorcycle in the Rolling Thunder ride-along...saying on Fox News, "I love that smell of emissions," as she donned "sunglasses and a skull-cap style black helmet."
If you're Sarah Palin's PR counselor, what would you say when she tells you: I'm planning to ride in Rolling Thunder?
Chapter 5: Dig Often...Dig Deep
Surprises all around. For example, when the HP CEO stepped down because of a sexual harassment claim. When the athletic departments of several major universities were under investigation for alleged rules violations. And the list goes on with frequent revelations and investigations impacting businesses, elected officials and so many others in public life. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Charlie Sheen. The former head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, for allegedly sexually assaulting a New York hotel maid, and Tiger Woods' televised mea culpa.
The point is...surprises should not be happening in the first place. Not if you dig deep and dig often into the operations of your business, your university, your personal life, etc. Anticipating potentially controversial developments must be an ongoing, top priority. This may not be easy or pleasing, but it's critically important. Anticipating situations and developing a range of scenarios, strategies and messages to address whatever might occur. Naturally, the best scenario is having no skeletons whatsoever in any closets. But how can you be sure without close monitoring?
What would you do, as a PR counselor? Would you do everything possible to encourage your client to dig often and dig deep? Would you have the courage to do that? If your job security might be at risk?
And the answer is...Yep, you need to do that. Of course, with thought and planning to maintain good client relations. You want your clients to appreciate why it's so important to anticipate all that is good, and potentially bad and ugly.
Chapter 6: Nice try...however!!
It's kind of amusing...the companies and industries that are trying to publicize and advertise their way out of trouble.
As consumers were paying extremely high gas prices during Spring 2011, one of the big oil companies was running its "We're on the driver's side" advertising campaign. Featuring funny little visuals, for example, a young mom, dad and little kid on a driving vacation, with the child asking lots of questions beginning with the word...'Why?'
In the ad, the oil company has a clever way for parents to avoid the hassle of answering so many 'why' questions, a small device called "The Why Stopper," with pre-recorded 'why' questions and 'because' answers. Another ad in the series shows a guy in his car who has been pulled over by a police officer. The driver activates a similar recording device, but this time with 'humorous' excuses drivers use to avoid getting a ticket. For example, the recorded voice says something like: "My right foot really is made of lead." The driver is claiming to have a lead foot. Another recorded message, in an attempt to distract the police officer from writing a ticket, says something along the lines of: "There is a tornado approaching right behind you."
The ad campaign was an attempt to position the oil company as being "on the driver's side." Even though gas prices, at the time, were negatively impacting consumers, putting a drag on the economy and generating negative news about consumers paying a high price to fill their cars with gasoline, as oil companies were reporting record profits.
Around the same time, Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus wrote about another oil company's "We Agree" ads, in which the company was taking "credit for reinvesting over $7 billion into the state (of California).
"'Oil companies should put their profits to good use,' the company declares in recent newspapers ads," Lazarus wrote. "The ads go on to say that 'California's economy needs energy to grow. And we're providing it. Reinvesting over $7 billion into the state over the past 5 years. Bringing new energy to the market, helping support thousands of jobs, and boosting small businesses. We're making every penny count."
Lazarus went on to raise questions about how the oil company was reinvesting the $7 billion in the state. "Was it in building new facilities and creating jobs? Was it in developing alternative energy sources? Investing in solar companies?" Lazarus asked what the company had "actually done to put its profits to good use."
And a company spokesman emailed back: ..."the $7 billion cited in the 'We Agree' ads represents our combined capital investments in our business between 2005 and 2009. The majority of those investments went to expanding and maintaining our major business assets in California, including oil and natural gas production in the San Joaquin Valley, as well as our manufacturing centers in El Segundo and Richmond. It also includes smaller capital investments in our technology and service businesses in California."
Lazarus went on to report that he had gone online to see if he could find more information about the oil company pumping billions of dollars into state oil and gas facilities. "All I found were plans for a major expansion of the company's refinery in Richmond, across the bay from San Francisco. But that project came to a halt in 2009 when the California 1st District Court of Appeal ruled that"... the company "had botched its environmental impact report. The project remains in limbo...The clear implication of the ads is that"...the company "believes it has a responsibility to spend its massive profits on good works. Examples of this might include hefty investments in green energy and technology, contributions to schools, social programs and other community resources, even support for the arts," said Lazarus. "Maintaining and expanding existing facilities, giving your workers a steady paycheck and paying your taxes -- these don't seem to be examples of a company that's going above and beyond the call of corporate duty...if you're going to spend millions of dollars on an ad campaign centered on being a sensitive and socially conscious member of society, you'd better have the goods to back it up."
While the oil company advertising was underway, big banks were holding outreach events for troubled homeowners desperately seeking mortgage loan modifications to avoid losing their homes through foreclosure. But, media coverage of the events fell short of the banks' expectations.
For example, these excerpts from a Charlotte Observer article: "While consumer advocates...press banks to do more for borrowers, some are skeptical of the bank-sponsored events. Diane Thompson of the National Consumer Law Center said the workshops tend to be long on promises and short on results. 'A lot of people come out. It gets people's hopes up. It's good PR for the banks,' Thompson said. "'But the follow-through is inadequate...Bank resources would be better spent processing modification applications they have already received...You shouldn't have to take a day off and show up at an event to get more promises,'" she said.
Interesting, isn't it? A big oil company using humor in its advertising, with the main message for consumers..."We're on the driver's side." And another oil company saying in its advertising that "oil companies should put their profits to good use," an advertising theme that generated negative commentary in a major daily newspaper. While big banks reaching out to homeowners facing foreclosure were getting some publicity about their events, but publicity tinged with negative commentary.
If you're a PR advisor for big oil companies or big banks, do you advise your executive leaders to pursue such advertising and PR strategies?
Or, do you suggest something different? You need to dig often and deep to closely evaluate business operations before you publicize or advertise your company.
Chapter 7: Cue the tears
Prominent people caught in the headlights doing the hanky-panky! And the mea culpa.
Eliot Spitzer a while ago. And more recently, Tiger Woods, John Edwards, John Ensign and Anthony Weiner.
On camera during their respective news conferences, they all do what is becoming so predictable. They apologize to their families and to everyone who put their trust in them, their constituents...all their fans. They try desperately to control their emotions, but of course they seem to lose it at the right moment. Cue the tears.