Best of Links #7: A Modern Definition of Public Relations Via PRSA

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build relationships, definition of public relations, PR professional, PR undergraduate, PRSA, public relations, social media

“Like art and beauty, perhaps the definition of public relations really is in the eye of the beholder.” –Gerard F. Corbett, CEO of PRSA

With winter term coming to an end, I felt that my last Best of Links post should summarize what I have learned throughout this term; a newfound definition of PR. Thanks to PRSA, we really do have a new definition to work with. Whether you are a PR undergraduate or a PR professional, chances are, you have been asked this question more than once: “So, what is PR?.”

This answer has changed more times than I can count on two hands in the four short years of my undergraduate career. Behold the new, modern definition that PRSA has so kindly made for us slightly confused undergraduates:

“Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”

I have seen the definition of public relations change so rapidly due to one major component: social media. No longer to PR professionals just have to worry about personal, real-time relationships between organizations and their clients. Over the past five years, PR has become highly integrated with social media, exploding into cyber space and causing a whole separate list of responsibilities. Representing an individual or a brand online is world’s apart from maintaining images and relationships offline. An entirely new set of rules comes about when business, designers, celebrities, etc. launch their own social media accounts and begin generating content online. Instead of the audience being confined to certain demographics, online content is available to everyone on the worldwide web. That’s a whole lot of people to keep track of (about 2.6 million to be exact)!

It’s no wonder that the definition of public relations is consistently vulnerable to change;  “This is really a beginning, not an ending. The discussion is a work in progress, and we’ve laid the groundwork for future debate.“.

Learn how you can continue the discussion here.

Fashion’s Darkest Secret: How “Talent Wrangling” is Cheapening the Industry

Tags

Celebrity, fashion PR, Fashion show, front row, Nicole Farhi, talent wrangling

An article from the Vancouver Sun caught my attention this week, leaving me slightly befuddled with an aspect of the fashion world that I have so long admired. French-born, London-based designer, Nicole Farhi, has recently opened up about an ugly realm of the industry often referred to as “talent wrangling,” the act of designers paying celebrities large sums of money to sit front row at their fashion shows. While the article does not name specific designers (an insider explains that would be “professional suicide”), the London couturier reveals the hush-hush tactic that has become increasingly frequent over the past three years, explaining in her interview that “It is so unprofessional. I have never paid a celebrity and I will never do it. It’s stupid. What do they show you in the papers after a fashion show? Not the clothes, but the celebrities who are being paid to sit at the show.”

Some wonder if this is a new public relations tactic. As stated in the article, “Knowing that they can generate publicity by having a star photographed on the front row of a show, some fashion houses or their public relations agents will pay tens of thousands of dollars for an appearance.” This sounds oddly familiar to the uproar generated from “celebrity ghost tweets,” or in other words, celebrities paying managers or social media agents to update tweets and other social media outlets to fans under the celebrity’s name.

After Farhi spoke out about the taboo celebrity pay-outs, several other professionals in the fashion industry came forth as well. One of these professionals was Emma Whitehair, a London native and public relations consultant, expressed that “there need to be more designers like Nicole Farhi who are not paying so-called talent to come to sit on the front row.” One is left to wonder if these major stars photographed sitting front row are genuinely interested in the fashion, or if they are really getting paid $100,000 and up to sit and watch models strut down the runway.

Best of Links #6: All About the Nails, CND Gives Fashion Week a Social Media Facelift

Tags

CND, Creative Nail Design, Facebook, infographic, Instagram, MBFW, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, nails, Pinterest, PR, public relations, Red Door Interactive, social media, Vlog

For this week’s Best of Links, I wanted to share this bit of news regarding social media’s influence on this year’s semi-annual Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. The article, “Integrative Marketing: A Key Trend During New York Fashion Week,” talks about the increasing trend of designer nails on MBFW runways. These manicures are taking social media by storm as Creative Nail Design (CND) has teamed up with Red Door Interactive to launch a campaign celebrating CND’s 15th anniversary during MBFW. The campaign streams real-time backstage access and makes it available to the public through various social media outlets such as Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. CND also keeps a daily Vlog throughout fashion week with snapshots and posts on the latest happenings behind the scenes. Talk about a company that is in touch with social media!

This year, CND has focused their efforts greatly in the integration of Pinterest and Instagram. Crosby Noricks, director of social media for Red Door Interactive, explains: “Looking at Instagram or Pinterest, a popular share is often a new manicure, and the more creative the better! CND works directly with designers to develop custom looks each season and the results are always stunning, beyond the typical runway coverage, so we wanted to share our own nail close ups.” Uploading close-ups of these designer nails to social media outlets that excel in content-sharing, specifically Pinterest and Instagram, is a smart PR tactic for the two companies. Both CND and Red Door Interactive are thereby connecting themselves with fashion week and major designers, drawing attention to designer’s collections, meanwhile drawing attention to their own brand as well.

CND created this infographic to show the evolution of the history of nails–who knew a manicure had so much influence?! The company also offered a daily give-away to all their Facebook fans during MBFW for submitting their favorite nail design. This allows fans to feel involved, which is extremely important as Noricks shares: “In the fashion industry, much like many other markets, consumers are looking to feel a personal connection with the brands they love.”

With that being said, here are some of my favorite designs from this year’s fashion week:

Dior Launches Online Magazine in Hopes of Repairing Tarnished Image

Tags

brand building, brand image, Dior, DiorMag, fashion week, John Galliano, live stream, Natalie Portman

As Dior awaits the appointment of a new creative director after the termination of John Galliano last February, the company broke news this Wednesday of the highly anticipated launch of a new online magazine, DiorMag.com. The online publication plans to enter daily updates on the company’s various enterprises. The site went live with eight initial articles, one of these announced Dior’s plans to live stream (and live tweet) the brand’s Fall 2012 ready-to-wear collection during Paris Fashion Week via style blogger Susie Bubble. 

The company seems to be making an effort to put the pieces back together after Galliano’s infamous anti-Semitic slurs last year. The racist remarks were greatly detrimental to the brand Dior had worked to build up for so many decades. Natalie Portman, one of the many stars whom boycotted the brand last year after Galliano’s rant, recently appeared at the 2012 Academy Awards in vintage Dior Couture, clearly acknowledging the company’s efforts to repair the damage. An article written by the Washington Post stated, “as the industry and onlookers await the appointment of Dior’s new creative director, we can only hope the house learned the hard lessons of an increasingly digital world before they embraced it.”

DiorMag hopes to showcase campaigns, designs, and collections in an interactive way to bring their audience closer. This way, if Dior were to be faced with a crisis again, they would have a more effective way of reaching their public. When discussing how the Galliano scandal was spread mainly across social media platforms, one reporter notes that it is “all the more intriguing that Dior is working to harness the mediums which help publicize its famed designer’s offenses. We will have to wait and see whether behind-the-scenes clips of commercials and archival photos can help the brand recover its glossy, elegant image.” The future of Dior largely lies in the hands of this new medium. This online magazine can prove to be a great form of advertisement and brand loyalty, but the company must maintain an acute sense of whom is regulating the content and what exactly is being put out there in order to avoid future conflict.

Best of Links #5: Pinterest i.e. Digital Crack

Tags

brand loyalty, brand recognition, creativity, fashion, interactive, pin, Pinterest, Washington Post

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud upon reading this week’s Best of Links article: “Addicted to a Website Called Pinterest: Digital Crack for Women.” I am far too familiar with this so-called “digital crack.” Pinterest is quickly becoming a source of creativity and reference for women nation-wide, allowing users to create idea boards and “pin” a variety of tutorials, crafts, fashion pieces, etc. to appropriate categories. Creating a Pinterest account also allows you to follow friends and other active Pinterest users, “re-pinning” or “liking” the content they upload and saving it for a rainy day.

As you can see, my obsession has gotten a little out of hand: http://pinterest.com/bgarratt/

In this article in the Washington Post, columnist Petula Dvorak tells us a touching story of a mother of two who used the crafty site to keep track of her “mommy ideas.” This woman, Susan Nieber, had been diagnosed with a fatal form of breast cancer at 34, and Pinterest was a way for her to document her favorite places, products, things to do, and things she still wants to do. Nieber left behind over 7,000 followers after her passing, yet Pinterest provided some kind of coping mechanism to her loved ones, feeling as if they were still connected to her through her thoughts and passions.

Pinterest has done wonders in the fashion industry, providing a strong platform for the introduction of new designers and trends, and allows users to mass “re-pin” their favorite things, increasing brand recognition and loyalty. Many well established companies such as Nordstrom and J. Crew are gaining a large following to their Pinterest pages, and brands are beginning to use the interactive site to keep audiences updated on the latest trends, events, special offers and more. It will be interesting to see how Pinterest evolves as thousands of users are added every day. This medium could be an extremely powerful tool for PR connoisseurs of companies both small and large. Happy pinning!

Best of Links #4: LINsanity

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brand building, Gunn, Jeremy Lin, Linsanity, New York Knicks, Palo Alto, PALY

I need to take a break from my usual fashion pr musings to discuss something of great importance. This baller requires no introduction. Yes, I am talking about the rising star that is Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks. In only four games, Lin has become a household name worldwide, leading his team to the top and setting records along the way.

*cough*trader*cough*

I take particular interest to this “Linsanity” because as a matter of fact, Lin and I attended the same junior high growing up in Palo Alto. When it came to high school, we could hardly contain our excitement knowing that Lin would show up at Gunn High School, a school long-known for their terrible athletic program, and flip the school’s reputation upside down just in time for us to bask in the glory of defeat. Lin knew all too well that his athletic career would suffer at Gunn, and made the wise choice to move across town and attend our rival high school, Palo Alto High, a.k.a. PALY. Cue the “TRAITOR! TRAITOR! TRAITOR!” chants for the next four years coming from our student section at every rival game. Well Jeremy, I am (finally) no longer bitter, and I have a feeling I speak for the entire student body when I say that.

The Best of Links article for this week caught my eye: “What Jeremy Lin Can Teach Us About Branding.” Lin has single-handedly created a brand around his name faster than the NBA could mass-produce enough #17 jerseys, and is taking the world by storm. This inspirational, cinderella-esque story can be related to any type of situation where an individual has put years of painstaking effort into something without getting very far, then suddenly something clicks, and boom.

If I can take anything away from Lin’s whirlwind fairy tale, it may be the cheesiest thing I have ever written, but I mean every word of it: never. give. up. The PR industry can be rough and quite unglamorous at times, working late nights and weekends meanwhile making a less-than-liveable salary. The most important thing to remember is that you will get out just as much as you put in; hard work never goes unnoticed. It took Lin close to 17 years of blood, sweat and tears before he was given his big break, but now the entire world can reflect back on his days at JLS Middle School, the only 6th grader who could ever sink his 3-pointers. What we do today will matter somewhere down the road, so put everything you have into right now.

I cannot wait to see what this PA native has next up his sleeve. Keep it up J, you’re LINspiring! (so punny, I know.)

Best of Links #3: Fashion Your Way to the Top

Tags

desire to learn, Dream Intern, fashion PR, hands on experience, Intern Queen, learn, PR Daily, public relations

As I sit here on this lazy Sunday morning, habitually browsing InternQueen.com for dream internships, it’s only fitting that my article for this week’s Best of Links is titled “10 Ways to be a Dream PR Intern.” This piece from the PR Daily had some interesting insight to offer: “When you’re in college, nobody tells you how to be an intern. That’s too bad. Because once you land your internship, your employer wants you to act like one,” explains writer, Jessica Levco.

In today’s cut-throat realm of employment, internships are no longer an option. Before they hire you, employers need to know that you have the proper toolkit to carry out your job effectively; hands-on experience in your given industry, strong work examples, practice with crisis management and conflict negotiation, and excellent people skills.

Take a moment to read the article on how to take your internship to the next level, hopefully connecting you with valuable industry professionals to help you along your way. I believe the most important thing to take away from this is to always maintain your desire to learn. There is bound to be a task you do not know how to complete or a skill you have not yet acquired, but asking for help and working hard to improve your skills is the most important characteristic to portray to your employer as well as your future employers. The desire to learn will never expire; there is something to take away from each and every day, so go ahead, take a moment and appreciate the infinite unknowns that are waiting to be discovered.

Khaos for the Calabasas Clan: Is the Fall of the Kardashian Empire Near?

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Building a brand, fashion PR, Kardashian, Kardashian Empire, PETA, Skechers, transparency

Kardashian Khaos, the name of the Kardashian’s most recently installed boutique in Las Vegas, seems rather ironic with all the negative hype the family has recieved over the past several months. I am the first to admit that I am a Kardashian faithful, spending hours and hours watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians marathons on E! (and yes I have already seen every episode at least four times). Despite my loyalty to America’s love-to-hate family, I can’t ignore the influx of bad press the media is delivering regarding the effects of the family’s personal lives on the Kardashian brand.

The Kardashian Empire is primarily focused on two categories; reality television and fashion. The three oldest sisters, Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney, currently have their own fashion line in Sears stores across the nation, as well as a high end boutique chain, D-A-S-H, and the previously mentioned Las Vegas store, Kardashian Khaos. These are just a few of the countless business endeavors that members of the Kardashian family have embarked on. We can learn a great deal about how to build a brand from these Calabasas natives, but now it seems we are learning all to well how to destroy such a well-built brand.

Let’s focus on the most talked about Kardashian: Kim. Say what you want about the girl, but there’s no denying that the fashion icon has a thick skin. Kim is no stranger to criticism from the press, however when her recent August 2011 marriage to baller Kris Humphries abruptly ended in 72 days, the media went into a fury. There is no doubt that the Kardashian PR team had a BIG job to do here–the public felt tricked, a dangerous line to walk on in the public relations industry. Kardashian fans were outraged at the divorce, after investing a large amount of their time, and for some extreme fans, emotion into the family over the years, the the wedding special aired in a two-part special on E! was highly anticipated by fans across the world. Now cue the PR nightmare…

Kim Kardashian became the easiest target in Hollywood. Following the late November divorce, PETA slammed Kim after a paparazzi snapped a shot of the socialite wearing a fur coat; Kim had turned out to support sister Khloe at the launch of her own PETA campaign just weeks before. PETA Senior Vice President, Lisa Lange, explained in an interview: ‘Kim knows that animals on fur farms are beaten, electrocuted, and often skinned alive. We’ve explained it to her, and she’s watched a video expose that was filmed inside fur farms. When Kim is ready to put an end to her relationship with fur, PETA will be happy to take her discards and donate them to the homeless.” This creates an issue with transparency; the star is promoting extremely conflicting matters that are detrimental to her brand.

Soon after the PETA scandal, Kim was faced with yet another humiliating case. On February 6, 2012, Skechers shoe company announced that Kim Kardashian would be replaced with a bulldog for their upcoming annual Superbowl commercial…yes, a dog. Ouch Kimmie, that’s gotta leave a mark. The shoe company felt that the reality star suddenly generated far too much unwanted press, and the advertisement would be more effective and understood if they avoided the Kardashian star altogether.

Now the question stands, how long will Kim have to deal with this PR fiasco? And how will this affect sales and popularity of the Kardashian Empire’s various business endeavors? As of now, Kim and her team are dealing with these events the best way possible. More than anything, the public appreciates an apology. When a company or a brand takes a step in the wrong direction, whether small or large, the most important thing to do is acknowledge the mistake, and sincerely apologize. Furthermore, Kim’s team needs to focus on the positive aspects of the business, engaging audiences through social media and appearances. I have nothing but faith and hope that the Kardashian Empire will pick up the pieces and continue to create affordable fashion and entertainment for years to come.

Best of Links #2: The Not-So-Fabulous Life of PR Girls

Happy Sunday! If you read my first post, you’ll know that I, too, was once one of those believers in reality television and all things glamorous in the often misunderstood PR industry. Afterall, who wouldn’t love to run their own agency in NYC like our favorite Sex and the City gal, miss Samantha Jones? Or magically land an internship at Teen Vogue with your future best friend like LC and Whit? Well, a girl can still dream.

For this week’s Best of Links, I couldn’t pass up this article: “Glamour? Ha! The Realities of Entertainment and Fashion PR.” This piece in the PR Daily reveals what many of us choose to forget when applying for our degree in public relations: this is a dog eat dog world. If you were hoping to get into PR for the glamour, free gifts and a chance to meet the stars, the door is over there. Lorra M. Brown, author of the article, gives us a reality check with 5 key messages:

1. Attention to detail is crucial.
2. You must take pride in your work.
3. You need to understand budget implications.
4. You are never off duty or a guest at your own events.
5. Rubbing shoulders with celebrities and industry types isn’t always fun.

Here’s my take on these:

1. For once, being a perfectionist in this industry is a plus?!
2. If I remember one thing I learned from the kindergarten playground: Confidence is key. Surprisingly, what you picked up at the schoolyard will take you a long way in the professional world.
3. Stick to the money you DO have. Otherwise you will likely find your whole month’s paycheck going to the unnecessarily extravagant, gold plated invitations you ordered for the 500 person event.
4. First thing that came to mind: Hills Season 4. Heidi gets wasted at her own Bolthouse event. Way to go, H. This might be the easiest and most pathetic way to kiss your job goodbye.
5. Celebrities are celebrities because their personalities stand out from us “normal people.” Therefore, it is inevitable that you will come into contact with a few less-than-desirable starlet or hot shot. Bite your lip, do your job, and laugh about it with your pals once off the job (note: this does not mean gossip to your co-workers after the event, friends vs. work friends–keep ’em straight).
   

   FYI Heidi, vodka sodas and walkie talkies never mix well.

While this all sounds depressing enough to turn a PR hopeful running the opposite direction, I like to stay hopeful with some of my greatest role models in the industry (i.e. NYC pr girls, Oscar pr girl, the list goes on…). One of my favorite inspirations who I have yet to mention is Aliza Licht, a.k.a. The Real DKNY Girl. This awe-inspiring PR professional documents her life in NYC as Donna Karan’s head PR affiliate. Take a moment to watch this video about what Licht’s job really entails. No sugar-coating, yet somehow this PR maven inspires us and teaches us to learn how to love the daily grit of the job.

NYC PR Girls Show Us How It’s Done

Tags

fashion PR, NYC pr girls, pitch, public relations, social media, twitter

As a soon-to-be graduate with a public relations degree under my belt, and a keen eye for anything and everything fashion related, it’s only natural that I keep up to date with every single fashion blog available to me on the worldwide web. One in particular has grown close to my heart over the past year because of its witty posts, charming photos, and helpful tips to further my knowledge as a PR professional. Behold, NYC PR Girls.

Documenting the lives of two twenty-something PR graduates living in New York City, pursuing their careers as professionals working for PR agencies, the blog updates daily and has acquired a tremendous number of followers. I like to think of the blog as my own little PR bible. The NYC PR girls, Meg and Adrianna, provide significant insight into what it’s really like to work for a PR agency, showing both the good and the ugly. One of my favorite posts is “PR Twitter Tips: 2011 in Review,” discussing the ins and outs of public relations within social media. Here are the tips:

1. Always follow up with contacts-check in, Say hello. Even a few sentences in an email. Dont ever NOT deliver. If u say something, DO IT!

2. Always L.E.A.D., meaning, “Listen, Experience, Ask, and Dare.”

3. “It’s PR not ER, you are not in charge of peoples lives. The sun will come up tomorrow.”

4. Develop a relationship with and use your LOCAL media outlets!

5. The key to being prepared is having a solution before having the problem.

6. Always include your contact information. If you can’t be contacted you will lose opportunities.

7. Before you can have social media be beneficial for a client, you must thoroughly explain the benefits to your client!

8. If your going to send out an email, make sure the subject is eye catching & the 1st few lines offer a reason to read on.

9. It’s not WHAT you pitch, it’s HOW you pitch.

The girls compiled this list from a number of twitter personalities, crediting each person in the article that can be found here. Cheers to you, NYC PR Girls, keep up the great work!