Foriegn Policy PR issues

So, yesterday, I was watching the news, as I often do. The current story was about the war in Iraq and terrorism in general. As I watched it, I thought about all the things I have heard about the war and terrorism and U.S. Policies, and I contemplated how I could see this terrorism problem being solved.
Of course, being a P.R. Major, I had to look at it from a PR Perspective. Because that is essentially what I see this war to be. I say that because no amount of military might or troops can stop determined minds, unless, of course, all the determined minds are killed. We learned that in Vietnam, and currently, in the ongoing conflict in Iraq. So, in the face of the continued threat of terrorism and extremism, and in the face of a war that has lasted for more than half a decade, what steps should the U.S. take to win the minds of the people away from terrorism and extremism in the middle east?

Mandla Deskins

Attack of the Snuggie

So I’m going to make this post on a lighter note since spring break is coming up and I know you’re tired of thinking about anything too complicated.

So here I go, have any of you ever seen those Snuggie commercials? You know the oversized blanket that has sleeves? Well if you haven’t, here is the link check it out, http://video.aol.com/video-detail/snuggie-commercial/1451114745. The advertisement shows people enjoying their Snuggie at sporting events, reading on their coach, or even just walking around the house. The commercial has been acknowledged as being extremely corny. There have been many parodies all over YouTube, including the “Cult of Snuggie”. Over 4 million Snuggies have been sold since they went on sale this past August. It has been said that it’s not even the actual commercial that is producing sales of the Snuggie, but instead it is all of the jokes about the commercials that’s getting them sold. Even Jay Leno has made fun of the blanket saying, “Why not just put your robe backwards?” Ellen Degeneres wore one during her show. USA Today has a quote from Scott Boilen, president and CEO of Allstar Products Group of Hawthorne, N.Y., who conceived and markets the China-made Snuggie saying that, "Every once in a while, a product transcends advertising to become part of pop culture." There are nearly 250 Facebook groups on the Snuggie. One fan group has nearly 6,000 members.

Okay, now that you know what I’m talking about, my question for you is do you believe that all publicity is good publicity? Apparently, in this instance, it is. There are more spoofs about this blanket than there are raves praising it. Do you think this applies to all products trying to be sold? Is this just a fluke? Did you like the commercial? Personally, I found it hilarious.

Well that’s it.


Talk to you later!
Kiah

http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2009-01-27-snuggie_N.htm

What's Next?

As the reality of the economic crisis this country is in hits me, I have been left wondering what next? As a soon to be college graduate I have been wondering what will happen when I enter the real world. As a PR Practitioner will there be jobs available for me when I enter the work force or has our industry taken a hit like many other industries throughout the country. I plan to continue my education after graduating but what about my peers who have to enter the work force? Will they be able to find gainful employment that will support a new graduate? What are your plans after graduation and do you have similar feelings as mine? Please chime in I am interested to see how others feel.

-Nicole Jackson

A bill that will decide our politcal landscape

In his first weeks in office, President Obama has put together a stimulus package that is set to be a PR disaster for some, and a PR milestone for others--no matter whether the economy picks up or sinks further. After passing through the senate and the house of representatives with virtually no Republican support (only three republicans in the house of representatives supported the package), the implications of the package and its passage on congress and the white house are sure to be serious. On one hand, if the economy shapes up in the next year or so, Pres. Obama will be a hero, and the backlash against republicans who did not support the bill could be huge. On the flip side, if the economy continues downhill, the democrats may lose control of congress in the next set of elections. I'm sure that PR people for both sides have already prepared a crisis plan for both scenarios.

My question is, as a PR person for a republican who voted against the stimulus package, how would you advise the senator or Representative to save face? And on what about for the democrats or the president?
Mandla Deskins

Who owns the content on your Facebook page?

Questions were recently raised when users of Facebook were curious about who controls the information shared on the social networking website, which now has 175 million users worldwide. Facebook discreetly updated its terms of use recently. After the update, tens of thousands of Facebook users joined groups protesting the new update fearing that Facebook now owned all of the user’s information. In an attempt to calm their users, Facebook greeted them with a sign-in message Wednesday morning stating they will be following their old terms of use policies. Facebook also stated it doesn’t claim to own your photos or any content on your site. The site created a group called “Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities”, which was meant to let users share their input. Lastly, Facebook has issued an apology for any confusion that this might have caused.

So I pose one question to you, how do you feel about this situation?

To see a full article click the link below:
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090218/ap_on_hi_te/facebook_sharing


Talk to you soon!
Kiah

Communication Can Prevent Tragedy

Continental Airlines is currently in a position where they can be totally honest and forthright or they can be partially honest. After 50 people were killed in a plane crash less than a week ago it seems as though Continental would be very honest instead they are siding with the actions of their pilot. Although the actions of the Continental pilot were within the legal confines of the techniques used by Continental, they were not correct for the specific situation. The major issue is a communications issue. The two organizations that regulate airlines the NTSB and the FAA have slightly differing opinions. They have slightly differing opinions on how pilots should handle icing and whether they should navigate manually or by using auto pilot. This is a crucial difference that could have possibly prevented a tragedy. As PR practitioners and communications specialists it is part of our responsibility to make sure that communication is not a barrier in organizations we work for. Perhaps had the regulations been more clearly defined and outlined this tragedy may not have happened.
-Nicole Jackson

Appalling Behavior

After pictures of 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Athlete Michael Phelps surfaced showing him smoking marijuana, Subway decided to accept his apology and keep him in their plans for their new advertisement campaign of “Fresh Celebrities.” Other celebrities included in that advertising campaign include Ryan Howard, Chris Long and Reggie Bush.

Instead of taking Phelps out of their plans, Subway has decided to postpone the advertisement scheduled to be aired early of 2009. Phelps also had an endorsement deal with Kellogg but the company cited his “recent behavior” as being “inconsistent” with Kellogg’s image and decided to drop him from any advertisements.

Another celebrity, Chris Brown, is faced with having his ties cut from companies such as Wrigley’s. Chris Brown is under investigation for battery. His girlfriend, Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty, was named as the battery victim. A 911 call this past Sunday morning brought L.A. police officers to the scene of the alleged assault. Brown, with his attorney present, turned himself in to L.A.’s Wilkshire police station. He was charged with making criminal threats and was released after posting a $50,000 bond. He will be going to court March 5 to face the charges.

With these recent high profile incidents, I pose a couple of questions for you. As a PR professional, if you were a publicist for Chris Brown or Michael Phelps, what would you suggest for them to do? Also, if you were doing PR for Subway or Wrigley’s, how would you have handled these situations?

Talk to you soon,
Kiah

Public relations vs. Spinning

As a PR professional I have come to realize that many people have a misconception of our profession. People that do not understand what PR is may think that we simply “spin” negative stories about our companies/organizations. PR practitioners that are not properly trained or that participate in unethical practices can be seen as “spinners.” Spinning brings up the issue of ethics within our profession. Public relations adheres to a code of ethics much like other professions. Below you will find the Public Relations Society of America code of ethics. This code of ethics lists core values that are at the heart of our profession. Although many people make mistakes and have moments of weakness, it is important to be aware for the ethical dilemmas that you may encounter if you have such moments. What do you see as a serious ethical dilemma within our profession?Advocacy We serve the public interest by acting as responsible advocates for those we represent. We provide a voice in the marketplace of ideas, facts, and viewpoints to aid informed public debate. Honesty We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public. Expertise We acquire and responsibly use specialized knowledge and experience. We advance the profession through continued professional development, research, and education. We build mutual understanding, credibility, and relationships among a wide array of institutions and audiences. Independence We provide objective counsel to those we represent. We are accountable for our actions. Loyalty We are faithful to those we represent, while honoring our obligation to serve the public interest. Fairness We deal fairly with clients, employers, competitors, peers, vendors, the media, and the general public. We respect all opinions and support the right of free expression.(This information was taken from the PRSA website. This code of ethics was not created by me but by PRSA. This information can be obtained at http://www.prsa.org/aboutUs/ethics/preamble_en.html)

-Nicole Jackson

Personal Public Relations

As a PR professional, we are often taught about how to create positive public opinion for an organization or a company. We know that you must present the organization in a positive way so that public will respond positively to your goals. In one of my classes my professor is adamant about us being mindful of our "personal PR". She tells us to act as if we are trying to influence public opinion about ourselves all the time. According to her, your appearance, your posture, the way you speak and the way you carry yourself. All of this has bearing on the public’s opinion of you.

Now, I understood where she was coming from but I wasn't sure how important this "personal PR" was. So, I did an experiment. I walked around for a whole day with my pants sagging all the way below my buttocks. It was a very interesting experience.

First of all, the first place that I stopped publicly with my pants sagging was a gas station. After I paid for my gas and was walking to my car, I was approached by another patron asking if I wanted to buy some weed. Not saying that this couldn't happen anyway, but I am certain that my personal PR created a more comfortable environment for him to ask me. The second place I went was Wal-Mart. This was a very uncomfortable experience, because older people looked at me with such disdain that I found myself pulling my pants up. Needless to say the experiment ended there.

I guess this story is just to tell you how your "personal PR" creates perception and behavior of the public that you come in contact with, so just be mindful. You should ask yourself if you want to be viewed as someone who wants to buy weed or get respect from those who have similar views to your current and future professors and the people who will and have signed your paychecks.

Obama's Mistake

I was reading an article on www.cnn.com about how President Barack Obama admitted he was wrong in his decision to select Tom Daschle as his Health and Human Services Secretary.

Daschle withdrew on Tuesday when it was discovered he failed to pay taxes in the past. There were errors which included falsely reporting $15,000 in charitable donations and failing to list $80,000 in lobbing income. Daschle said that it was a paperwork error.

Critics are questioning Obama’s call for a culture change in Washington. Obama was quoted saying: "Ultimately, I campaigned on changing Washington and bottom-up politics," Obama said. "And I don't want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards -- one for powerful people and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes."

I personally don’t see why Obama is apologizing for Daschle. It was Daschle’s fault for being negligent and making false claims. I understand it was Obama’s decision to appoint Daschle has his Health and Human Services Secretary but I don’t see this as being Obama’s fault.

Do you think this was Obama mistake? Do you think that Daschle’s tax problems sent a message that the more powerful are treated differently than average people? What would you have done in this situation?

To see the full story, follow this link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/03/obama.daschle/index.html


Talk to you guys later!

Kiah

Landing the Perfect Internship

Landing the perfect internship is not only a luxury but it has become a necessity for many students. Although many students dream of landing their dream internship, only a few are fortunate enough to land what one would call a dream internship. However landing an internship that is well suited for you and is productive is probably a more realistic goal. Below are issues that you may encounter when trying to land your dream internship, there are also helpful solutions to these issues.

1. Location, Location, Location
Many students believe that if you are not in a major city you cannot have meaningful internship. This is very far from the truth. More so than the location of your internship, it is important to make sure that the company/organization you will be interning with is a good personal fit. I would also suggest making sure that the company you intern with ahs aspects of their intern program that are important to you.

2. Paid vs. Unpaid
When should you take an unpaid internship? This is a question that only you can answer just because an internship is paid/unpaid does not mean that you will do any more or less work than with the other. There are several factors that should be considered before making a decision as to whether you can take an unpaid internship. These are factors that can vary drastically from person to person.

3. First Impression
Before receiving an interview with a company/organization, the first impression of you often comes from your resume and cover letter. This is an element that can either push you forward or stop you dead in your tracks. Before sending a resume off to companies, ask a professor or someone professional to look over your resume. Having a second opinion may stop you from turning in a resume that has careless errors or is worded in a confusing way.

I hope that this blog post was helpful in some way. Good luck finding the perfect internship. Remember that universities have a wealth of resources when it comes to internships and jobs. If you are a FAMU student, register for internship and job information at www.famusjgc-oip.com.