The Not-So Top 10 PR Plays of the Semester

Public Relations has its ups and downs, just like anything in life. However, this semester there have been some disasters that had some PR representatives contemplating early retirement. It is my pleasure to bring you the “Not-So Top Ten PR Plays of the Semester.”

10. The number ten PR disaster is in regard to President Obama’s recent press conference that had people tagging it as, “the worst press conference—ever. And I don’t just mean for Obama. I mean for any president.” Luckily for President Obama he has plenty more opportunities to prove these critics wrong. I have a feeling people will forgive and forget this slip up.

9. Our next Not-So Top 10 contender is the HP scandal. Whether or not the sexual harassment allegations against Mark Hurd are true, it sure earned a lot of publicity for both HP and their CEO, or should I say former CEO. When it was all said and done, HP didn’t come out and fire Hurd, but after a nice talk and a big write-off check, Hurd willingly ended his employment with the company.

8. Coming in at number eight is The Gaps failed attempt to redesign their logo. Critics were relentless saying, “looks like something that costs $17 from an old Microsoft Word clipart gallery.” After endless criticism, Gap decided to give the new logo the boot, happily reinstating the old design.

7. The lucky number seven spot goes to the Toyota recall. After more than eight million vehicles recalled, and costs totaling in the billions, this spot is well deserved. However, I find it a little ironic that Toyota has adapted their new slogan, “Toyota keep moving forward,” seeing as forward was the only direction over 8 million people were headed.

6. BP Oil Company deservingly slides in at number six. There is not a PR professional in the world that can help BP through this one. Luckily for them, they realized their image was so far gone that they decided to face the issue head on admitting to the carelessness of the company.

5. The number five spot is awarded to the very friendly staff of the Transportation Security Administration. More and more sexual harassment cases have been arising regarding new airport security measures. If groping passengers ensures security than I guess the TSA staff is doing their job.

4. PR disaster number four is KFC’s controversial advertising technique. KFC caught the attention of feminist nationwide after using the backside of college-aged to endorse their bunless double down sandwhiches. In situations like this, one can only wonder where KFC’s PR representative was when their marketing decisions were being finalized.

3. Jet Blue flies in at the number three spot on this countdown. The airline made headlines after flight attendant Steven Slater quit his job in style. Slater announced his resignition over the plane’s loudspeaker, and then grabbed a beer before exiting the plane via the emergency chute. It’s safe to say the company didn’t have a contingency plan preparing them for a situation like this. Jet Blue may have taken a hit by this publicity stunt, but Steven Slater will go down in history as “the man” by job haters worldwide.

2. Jet Blue had no control over their PR disaster, but what excuse did Blue Waters Group and the South Bend school district have? Blue Waters Group was responsible for the South Bend school districts billboard that read, “15 best things about our pubic schools.” I guess both parties forgot to proofread the project before it appeared on State Road 23 in Florida last September.

1. The number one PR disaster of the semester goes to Ochocinco and his sexy attempt to do good. Although his intentions were charitable, his plan to raise money for Feed the Children backlashed when the number given on the back of his OchocincO’s cereal boxes was a direct line to a not-so charitable sex line.

It’s been said that all press is good press, but I’m not sure any of these contenders on “The Not-So Top 10 PR Plays of the Semester” will attest to that. 

Self-representation: a lesson in controlling the controllables

You are your biggest advocate. It’s a scary thought, but someone will always be judging everything you say and do. The good new, however, is this—you have complete control over yourself! No one can better represent you than you can, so take pride in yourself—if you don’t, than who will?

Here are some useful tips to take into consideration the next time you find yourself doubting your greatness.

First of all, dress to impress. Confidence comes easy when you look good. Whether you are interviewing for a job, meeting your girlfriend/boyfriend’s family, or simply picking up some groceries take pride in what you wear. Appearance is the easiest thing to judge.

Secondly, think before you speak. 7% of what people think of others is based off of what they say. Treat every conversation like it’s your last, this way you will chose your words wisely and with a purpose.

It’s not only about what you say, but it’s also about how you say it. Speak with energy and kindness. Nothing puts people off more than a harsh voice. You might be saying very important things, but people will tune out if your tone is too harsh.

Another important thing to remember is to be aware of your body. If you look uncomfortable than other people will become uncomfortable. Carry yourself with confidence; people will only notice your flaws if you draw attention too them, so don’t try to cover them up with an awkward pose.

One sure way of making a good impression is by becoming more personal with people. Address people by their first name. People like being singled out when they are being spoken to. It is also important to be an active listener. Don’t just listen to what a person is saying, but engage it the conversation. Ask them questions about what they are talking about. Focus in on them and make them feel important.

This last thing should go without being said, but be on time. Tardiness is annoying, and it makes the worst first impression. If you want people to respect you, than you have to respect their time and schedule. Every minute you are late is a minute they could be doing something better.

All of these things will help you market yourself a little better. It is almost impossible to please everyone, but confidence is key—as long as you are confident in yourself, than it shouldn’t matter what anyone else thinks. 

Fired over Facebook? It happens more than you think

Facebook is used to stay connected with new and old friends through wall posts, pictures, and instant chat. However, what they don’t tell you when you sign-up is that this all too personal social networking site can get you canned in the click of a mouse.

Users of Facebook can attest that Facebook is a necessary evil. People just simply can’t get enough of all the website has to offer. On Facebook, the sky is the limit, and there is nothing stopping you from posting that profane status, or that not-so appropriate picture. Think twice before you update your page because people are getting fired for their Facebook activity.

New England Patriots cheerleader Caitlin Davis was fired after being tagged in inappropriate pictures. The Patriots were disgusted by the distasteful behavior displayed by Davis, and they gave her the boot.

Another user was fired after she called in sick for work but was later caught surfing the web. I think it’s safe to bet that she wishes she would have blocked her Facebook chat for the day—no virtual conversation is worth getting canned for.

This last case of Facebook firing is a bit careless. If you plan on bashing your job, co-workers, customers, or boss you should probably make sure that you aren’t friends with any of them. A woman was fired after posting a very unfriendly status about her boss—the only problem was that she and him were Facebook friends, oops. Although I don’t recommend posting anything about work on your social-networking page, if you do, you might want to make sure it’s a little more HR friendly.

It is not just obvious things, like the three situations above, that get people fired. Companies are turned off by people who are overly opinionated with their posts, by people who cannot write well, and by the things people are interested in. You might think your Facebook page is nothing to be ashamed of, but you might want to think again. If you have any information on your page that you would be embarrassed to say, or show in a corporate meeting, than you might want to consider taking it off the web.

To tweet or not to tweet: That is the question

Twitter is a social-networking website that enables users to “tweet” 140 characters or less updating followers on anything and everything their hearts desire. Twitter was started in 2006 and has continually gained popularity since then.

Twitter first gained popularity when celebrities such as Kanye West, P. Diddy and Miley Cyrus logged themselves onto the web. Fans began following their favorite celebrities, and this social-networking site took off from there.

Although being the most followed person on Twitter is quite the accomplishment, Lady GaGa, this social-networking site has some beneficial uses beyond an ego boosting popularity contest.

Despite what many Twitter skeptics believed, Twitter has continued to grow since it began in 2006. Corporations, non-profit organizations and business people all the like have been logging onto Twitter as a way of recruiting new employees, reaching out to a larger market, and advertising their products/company.

So if you are like me, and have yet to hop on the tweeting bandwagon, than you might be wondering why should I start tweeting now?

1. Twitter can help you build your professional network. Corporations have joined Twitter as a recruitment tool. Follow various companies in the industry you are looking to go into—not only will they be impressed that you have been following them, but intelligent tweets are eye catching and they may be enough to get you noticed.
2. Twitter helps you stay informed. If some one would have told Ben Franklin that one day people would be using a social-media network on the Internet to keep up with their current events he would have laughed them right out of his office. However, Twitter allows people to follow the world. It has become a convenient way for people to keep up with politics, travel, the economy, and everything else the conventional newspaper covers. Twitter allows you to obtain more personal information regarding businesses you might be interested in. 
3. Twitter allows you to personally connect with a company or employer. Although every HR manager is taught from day one to never let their personal interests get in the way of the hiring process, it is hard to remove personal bias when making final decisions. Twitter can help you recognize some common interests you might have with an employer you are looking to work for—mentioning these commonalities will only help you during the interview process, and they might even land you that perfect job. 

Although I have not began tweeting just yet, that is not to say it won’t happen soon. In the dilemma of-- to tweet or not to tweet, I choose tweet. As long as you tweet intelligently, it can do you no harm.