The trip was satisfying and eventful. For a company such as this one that serves people in several areas of the country, nothing compares to being “on the ground.” The PR manager and I were able to meet with the people instrumental in working on critical issues relevant to the lives of members in those markets.

I appreciated hearing directly from a variety of executives and staff members about their communications needs. I was also pleased to have the opportunity to introduce myself as a resource for them to tap as they work to convey messages to their diverse audiences.

Being there also gave me unique insights into the audiences we were trying to reach. If I hadn’t traveled to the various communities, my perception of the lifestyle and quality of life would not have been as accurate. I wouldn’t, for example, know what an assisted living facility looks, feels or smells like. I wouldn’t understand the barriers people there face every day when they don’t speak or read English, or can’t read at all.

I came back to work enlightened and energized. The experience reinforced for me the immense value of human-to-human interaction and cultural immersion in gaining the nuanced insights I need to do my job well. Obvious, perhaps, but important to remember in this age of technologically powered communications.

When we depend too much on smartphones and emails, sometimes the very things we need to know can get lost in translation.

She had been feeling dizzy, and then started to develop vision problems. When she stumbled down the stairs in our home, I knew something was very wrong. I took her to the pediatrician, who ordered a CT scan. As we came back home and walked through the door afterward, the phone was ringing.

It was the doctor saying my daughter had a highly malignant brain tumor.

My world was turned inside out as the doctor calmly yet firmly gave me instructions: tell your daughter the news right now, call your husband at work and tell him to come home as quickly as possible, and then go immediately to the pediatric emergency room at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Tonight. I hung up the phone and sank to my knees.

At that moment, something inside me gave way and separated from me, lost forever. I knew that the life I knew before was gone and that my life from that point on would be spent fighting for my daughter’s life and, perhaps, coming to terms with her death. The feeling was visceral; a mother’s ultimate pain.

Since that autumn evening, I’ve thought a lot about the power of communication and how a few words can alter our perceptions – of others, ourselves and even life itself. Words, language and thoughts can change the world. They can lift up and they can destroy.

Nothing takes away the life-altering feeling of being told your child will probably die soon. Although my reality is mercifully much different than the nightmare I thought it would be (my daughter has a venous cavernous malformation or cavernoma that bled and caused her symptoms), I am changed, and the way I hear, process and convey information is different. I’m more careful in my word choices, and more skeptical of information I receive.

What have you experienced that prompted you to ponder the awesome — and sometimes awful — power of words?

Rupert Murdoch

There are some people who believe the only truly pure news is the weather forecast.

How ironic it is that forecasting the weather used to be more about entertainment than news. Consider that Diane Sawyer was referred to as a “weather bunny” back in the days she worked as a forecaster at a TV station in Kentucky.

With the advent of Doppler radar, forecasting the weather went from iffy suggestion (“you might want to grab your umbrella on the way out the door today”) to life-saving directive (“a Category 5 hurricane will make landfall on the Outer Banks by midnight tonight”).

As media mogul Rupert Murdoch weathers his own storm today, appearing before the British Parliament to defend his tabloids’ alleged illegal tactics, I was again reminded of the current nature of the news, and how it has become more about titillation than information.

Some believe the News of the World scandal is a sad commentary on the failure of corporate leaders to keep a tighter rein on the actions of their employees.  But as a PR person, I am prompted to consider just how low so-called journalists can go in pursuit of the next big headline.

For some, it’s all about the race to the bottom. When did bribing police and hacking personal phone lines become acceptable journalistic practices?  In today’s tough economic times, perhaps these journalists thought their jobs depended on uncovering and reporting – by any means possible – the most salacious and shocking stories. Grieving families of terror victims and murdered children be damned.

Or maybe it’s just always been this way – the muckrakers (in the original sense of the term) vs. the scandal-mongers.

As media continues to morph on a daily basis, many are predicting the death of journalism. Yet there is still cause for optimism. Blogger Lauren Rae Orsini, an unabashedly dedicated young journalist, puts it this way: “I worry that a lot of young journalists have given up because they don’t see the opportunity that still exists, even as the state of the media changes. My story is the reminder that many of us need. Journalism jobs are dead. Journalism opportunities are everywhere.”

She continues, “In 2011, there are so many ways a young woman can use her journalism degree. She simply needs to look outside of the box of ‘traditional’ journalism jobs and not wait for The New York Times to hire her when she can become a fully realized journalist on her own.”

For Orsini, “the tenets of journalism that I learned in school have remained my life philosophy: Be curious. Be honest. Be bold.”

Perhaps she could teach Murdoch and his minions a thing or two.

Let me explain.

As a kid growing up in suburban New Jersey I’d heard about Space Farms and had always longed to visit. Friends who’d trekked to rural Sussex – which is 90 minutes from NYC – talked about the bears, snakes, tigers, and llamas that they’d seen and in some cases touched. (Llamas were and are my most favorite animal thanks to the book “Is Your Mama a Llama?”) Though I never actually made it to Space Farms as a child, I did get my chance when we won the business, as you can see. (That’s me + Tiny Tim.)

What we immediately learned about the brand is that my reaction’s not unique. Lots of people who grew up in the area know the name and have positive memories of the place, which was founded by Ralph and Elizabeth Space during the Great Depression, and is now being run by the fourth generation of family members.

In our work for Space Farms over the last couple months we’ve aimed to tap into these good feelings, and re-introduce old visitors to the attraction as adults so they’ll come back. We’re encouraging these folks and other influencers to spread the word about the unique rustic charm of the experience through traditional media and social media – Space Farms has an active Facebook page with thousands of followers and we’ve done targeted blogger outreach.

There are a lot of brands – Radio Flyer, Stride Rite, and Colorforms – that have strong connections to fans who grew up with them. It’s a good position to be in since those fans, who now have children of their own, are typically eager to share the experiences of their youth with their kids – a point made in this recent New York Times article.

The key for brands like these is they need to remind old loyalists they’re still around and make themselves relevant again – sometimes by embracing fans through new platforms, or by injecting new life into a vintage product. Colorforms, for example, is re-releasing an old favorite: a Michael Jackson dress up set; while Stride Rite has cultivated more than 90,000 fans on Facebook.

Nostalgia’s a strong motivator. As a child, I always wanted to kiss a llama. Check.

Many times I’ve sat in my car in my driveway, waiting to turn off the engine so I could hear the last bit of some fascinating or heart-tugging feature, usually on NPR. Those types of stories have been dubbed “driveway stories” to describe any authentic, well-told narrative that grabs your attention and won’t let go.

To me, telling such compelling stories is really what public relations is all about. Good PR people connect with and captivate their audience, turning storytelling into an art form.

One person who truly understood the value of good PR was William Donald Schaefer. Schaefer, the former Baltimore mayor and Maryland governor and comptroller credited with revitalizing Baltimore with his “do-it-now” work ethic, passed away last week at age 89.  Throughout his life, Schaefer worked tirelessly to promote the city he loved.  He wanted everyone to see his hometown as he saw it:  not as a laughing stock, but as a unique and delightful place to live, work and visit that ranked among the nation’s best.

An example of his PR prowess occurred back in 1981, when Schaefer famously followed through on his promise to jump into the seal tank at the National Aquarium if the new harbor attraction he spearheaded didn’t open on time. Behind the scenes, he dreaded donning the old-fashioned bathing suit and straw boater hat for fear he’d look like an idiot, or worse, make Baltimore look ridiculous in the process.  But jump in he did, holding an inflatable rubber duck. The rest, as they say, is history. He caught the attention of the nation and was subsequently featured in Esquire magazine as “the best mayor in America.” 

As the city says goodbye to Schaefer this week, The Baltimore Sun quoted many notable Baltimoreans who reflected on their feelings about the legendary figure’s impact. 

A former client of mine, Bronwyn Mayden, who worked for Schaefer when he was mayor and now serves as assistant dean of continuing professional education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, commented on Schaefer’s devotion to Baltimore, saying, “His heart was in the city.”

Baltimore filmmaker John Waters, an adept storyteller in his own right, summed up Schaefer’s keen understanding of the value of telling Baltimore’s story this way: “He was always great to me, even when everybody else thought my movies were obscene. He used to say, ‘I don’t care what they are, just keep making them.’”

“I think it was just to keep the name of Baltimore out there,” Waters said.

Schaefer’s legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of the thousands of people he touched during his lifetime. But more importantly, perhaps, is his achievement of telling Baltimore’s story with genuine pride, passion and love, as only he could.

The term “press release” bothers me.

Historically, I’m told, “press release” referred to the targeting of news to newspapers, while “news release” encompasses all forms of media. I know it’s the perpetually idealistic (read: hard-headed) journalism student in me, but in my mind, a press release implies that the issuer is just out to get “ink,” news value be damned. I prefer the term “news release” because it conveys the loftier goal of providing information that is genuinely valuable to the intended audience.

You’ll be happy to know I’m not as much of a stickler on this issue anymore. I guess I’ve softened a bit, and using the term “press release” is not as angst-ridden for me as it used to be.

A trivial point? Perhaps. But semantics aside, I always keep in mind the higher purpose of a release so I’m sure to serve my clients well. That means constantly asking, “What’s the news?”

We live in a world teeming with information and countless channels for delivering it. The cliché of “cutting through the clutter” was never more accurate than it is today because there really is much more clutter than ever before. And cutting through it is getting ever tougher with each new blog, Twitter and Facebook.

Add to the mix the fact that many people can now read releases verbatim via online news databases that grab, cut and paste the releases directly from newswire feeds. It can be easy to fall into the trap of relying on such regurgitation and writing releases only for prospective customers (not to mention the SEO gods), forgetting authentic news value altogether.

Telling the client’s story well is one part of my job. But perhaps an even more important duty is to help identify, package and deliver the message in a way that truly serves the information needs of the target audience.

How do you define what’s news release-worthy?

Memoirs are flying off shelves. Social networking sites are more popular than coffee shops. Reality TV continues to reel in giant audiences. We’re living in an era of revelation. People are longing to connect, identify, relate. Personal stories have always attracted audiences’ attention, but they seem to have more pull now than ever before.

As communicators we’re always in search of a compelling narrative, but sometimes when charged with telling a business story, we overlook the personal piece. Used strategically though, the human element can be one of our most powerful tools.

I was reminded of this recently when a client of ours, Lisa Welchman, shared a story about her childhood aspiration to become a dancer. Her instructor told her she’d never make it as a professional ballerina. She was devastated, but her father’s subsequent advice, “start your own dance company,” set her on the path to becoming a successful entrepreneur. We were moved by the story. Even though we were charged with promoting Lisa’s business – she’s a pioneer in web operations management, working on with clients like the U.N. and Harvard – we decided to spend some time pitching a profile. When the New York Times business section feature showcasing Lisa’s personal approach ran, we saw that the story resonated with readers as much as it had with us. People reached out to Lisa to tell her how inspired they were, and buzz about the article spread online.

When another client of ours was appointed to the CEO position at an advertising agency, her remarkable work-life juggle – she’s the mother of two young children (one with severe disabilities) – made her personal narrative irresistible. Who doesn’t want to know how a successful leader can manage all that? We discussed the approach with her and decided to pursue her story in the form of a personal essay. A moving, beautifully written piece in which she explores her struggles with compartmentalizing work and home life will publish on Babble later this month.

We desire to see others in an authentic way and we’re drawn to stories with a protagonist and an idiosyncratic human struggle. A person and their work are often inextricably linked, and a leader’s perspective and personal history runs through the spine of whatever they do. Lance Armstrong knows this. His memoirs further established him as an icon, extended his reach and helped turn his LiveStrong Foundation into a meaningful brand. President Obama too had more than one revealing book out as he began his meteoric rise. While personal revelation is often uncomfortable and is sometimes risky, the pay off – a human, memorable, relatable story – can be significant.

Having been judged by my peers for being fat and knowing the extreme pain and torment harsh words, silent stares and hushed snickers cause, I make it a habit to keep my mouth shut when it comes to others’ weight.

So, was I offended this week when I read Maura Kelly’s blog post (that ignited a firestorm) for Marie Claire “Should “Fatties” Get a Room? (Even on TV?)?” Nope. Do I agree with her opinion? Not at all.

As of this writing, Kelly’s post has over 2,500 comments, hundreds of bloggers have written about her and the Today Show did a segment on the post (according to the show, both Kelly and Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles declined to appear on the program).

Editors at Marie Claire have provided Kelly with a platform to engage readers, be snarky and draw visitors to the site, day after day. She’s doing a damn good job. Just about the entire Internet is talking about her and Marie Claire was a trending topic on Twitter.

I was surprised to hear that Coles and Kelly turned down an appearance on the Today Show. Both had released statements about the controversial post – why not take the opportunity to further explain what Marie Claire was trying to achieve with the piece that was sure to upset its primarily female audience. The biggest question I have is why did an editor assign a story about a television show to a writer who, according to Kelly’s post a) is “not much of a TV person” and b) never saw the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly? I’m left wondering more about the journalistic integrity of the magazine than Kelly’s issue with overweight people kissing or watching “a very, very fat person simply walk across a room.”

I’m glad Marie Claire is willing to publish controversial articles and doesn’t feel the need to overly censor its writers. I support Kelly and her right to voice her opinion under the First Amendment. Personally, I would rather disagree with someone than never hear his or her take.

And to all of the people who were offended by Kelly’s post, remember: “When people attack you, you always have to remember that a lot of what others say about you has a lot more to do with them than you.” – Hillary Rodham Clinton (Thanks to my colleague Lisa for posting this quote on her Facebook page.)

]]> http://prose-blog.com/image-management/like-it-or-not-the-first-amendment-also-applies-to-the-word-%e2%80%9cfatties%e2%80%9d/feed/ http://prose-blog.com/social-networking/it%e2%80%99s-a-bird-it%e2%80%99s-a-plane-it%e2%80%99s-a-flight-attendant/ http://prose-blog.com/social-networking/it%e2%80%99s-a-bird-it%e2%80%99s-a-plane-it%e2%80%99s-a-flight-attendant/#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:28:31 +0000 jennifer http://prose-blog.com/?p=953 Seasoned JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater made headlines around the globe last week when he lost his cool, cursed out a passenger and exited an aircraft by deploying its escape slide – with a beverage cart beer in hand. 

It seemed everyone wanted to share their POV on the “take this job and shove it” moment. News reports included comment from Slater, the self-proclaimed “bag Nazi,” his ex-wife, passengers on Flight 1052. Even Nancy Grace had an opinion on the dramatic job exit. But I haven’t heard much from JetBlue.  

A post on Blue Tales from August 11 states:

While we can’t discuss the details of what is an ongoing investigation, plenty of others have already formed opinions on the matter. Like, the entire Internet. (The reason we’re not commenting is that we respect the privacy of the individual. People can speak on their own behalf; we won’t do it for them.)

This is understandable. But JetBlue is a company with a strong social media presence. Perhaps the co-tweeters could send messages other than stating they can’t comment on ongoing investigations? Maybe something a little more creative, like: “Our emergency slides are tested regularly” with a link to relevant news coverage?  Though, this is probably easier said than done, as legal issues are undoubtedly at play.

The buzz surrounding the Slater incident is huge. This could be carpe diem moment for JetBlue. The company could embrace the Slater-related publicity and remind the public why JetBlue has hundreds of thousands of brand ambassadors -including great customer service, an engaging online presence, the most leg room in coach, and an outstanding safety record.

In the past, JetBlue has been a company with personality and strong customer interactions. Just because Slater left everyone wondering WTH, JetBlue corporate shouldn’t do the same.

Back in the 70s, my friends used to come over and watch in awe as I played games on our family’s little Mac with the cute multi-colored apple logo on the monitor.

My father was a successful computer scientist and programmer with NASA and NOAA, and so we were the first ones in our neighborhood to have a home computer.

Dad died more than 27 years ago. He had always advised me never to socialize with the people I work with; he believed people should keep their private life separate from their professional life. So I often wonder what this early adopter of computer technology would think about the cultural phenomenon that is social networking.

Many people thrive on putting their daily activities and innermost thoughts out there for the world (or at least their friends or followers) to see. Chances are good that a friend-of-a-friend is the friend of a co-worker, so it’s common sense to think twice before posting pictures of yourself getting your drink on or tweeting about how much you cannot stand your job.

Those of us in the public relations profession have always had rules about separating one’s personal and professional lives, especially when counseling C-level execs. We advise clients to think carefully before firing off a letter to the editor that’s based on personal opinion, since their position may be taken as representative of their company’s stance on a particular issue. Sometimes the two don’t match up, and that could be problematic.

Is that limiting free speech? To some degree, I suppose it is. But it’s worth the time to thoughtfully consider ways to express personal views that don’t cross the boundaries between home life and work life.

Now that the means to communicate quickly, easily and broadly have increased so dramatically, it’s more important than ever to think twice before posting your answer to the question: “What’s on your mind?”