A defining moment for public relations

Guest post by Terry Flynn, PhD, APR, FCPRS

Setting the stage for a defining moment for public relations
Over the past few weeks, hundreds of public relations professionals were engaged in the Public Relations Society of America-led initiative to “redefine” public relations. This program, which includes the support of various public relations organizations—such as the International Association [...]

Arthur Yann: public relations in a fishbowl

An in-depth interview with the gent practising PR for the world’s largest organization of public relations professionals.
There’s an irony that public relations as a discipline struggles to manage the industry’s reputation. Why do you think this is the case?
There’s some truth to the “shoemaker’s children” analogy, but the root causes go well beyond that.
For one [...]

PR crisis case studies in real time

Open any public relations textbook and the section on crisis management will include examples of how organisations have demonstrated “best” or “worst” practice. And, it’s not just the textbooks, as recent incidents have seen plenty of advice from PR “experts” through online and social media.

Arresting consequences of life with the Thought Police

The story concerning the man who joked on Twitter and subsequently found himself under arrest caught my eye yesterday, particularly after the story a couple of months ago involving the US police officer who ordered a showbiz agent to send a tweet.

Transforming a Fly into an Elephant: our Russian Colleagues have an Official Hymn! While CIPR in the UK grants Chartered Status to 25 professionals

….And it’s true, my friend, we can even do miracles,
create a legend; turn a fairy-tale into reality,
transform a fly into an elephant, a donkey – into a camel,
and throw the negative into the dust of a street…

Difference between King III and King II Reports on Governance

The King Report on Governance for South Africa 2009 and the King Code of Governance Principles (King III) plus the Practice Notes that support it, were released at the beginning of September. According to Toni Muzi Falconi, “it constitutes a dramatic acceleration of the growth of our profession. Can we now prove to be up [...]

On Berlusconi again: when advertising and information find a synthesis and fiction becomes the only reality

Some of my international friends and colleagues have been probing me in these weeks to try and rationalise, from a communicational perspective, what is going on in my country.
A country which sees a priapist Premier, I wouldn’t say merrily… but certainly successfully, thrive through a national as well as global, ongoing now for months day-in-day-out [...]

How frequent, honest communication translates to trust in corporations and leadership

2009 Edelman Trust Barometer Executive Summary
“An adherence to transparency is at the core of each of Public Engagement’s pillars. Organizations must be forthright and honest in their actions and communications. When problems arise within companies, stakeholders need to see senior executives take a visible lead in acknowledging errors, correcting mistakes, and working with employees to [...]

A RESET of our profession? Takeaways from Global PR directors of General Electric, Pfizer, Mastercard, Kodak, Bausch and Lomb, Swiss RE, Viacom

The day after Pfizer announced it would ensure free medicines to laid-off and non insured workers for one year, Ray Kerins, head of global pr for the big pharma company (‘we are 50 bl. dollar start up company’ he says…) told an attentive audience of colleagues representing agencies from all over the world, that the [...]

The Crisis. What else? Jean Pierre Beaudoin: social networks rather than storing oil and sugar.

Is public opinion, like the mythic Penelope, undoing in the night of the crisis what it reluctantly had accepted to weave in the light of growth? Has public opinion thus unmasked the cupidity of the princes who were waiting for the woven fabric to become the new masters? Where is Ulysses? And will he return [...]

Next Page »