Week 15 Blogging

Advertising vs. Public Relations

The terms advertising and public relations are though of as synonymous terms by many people outside of both professions. Although both professions share some attributes, Advertising and PR are both, at times, worlds apart.

The definition for PR, given in the text book, is:

"The management of relationships between an organization and the publics that can affect its success."

The definition of advertising is:

"The process of creating and sending a persuasive message through controlled media, which allows the sender, for a price, to dictate message, placement, and frequency."

Advertising basically allows a company more freedom to say what they want, because, after all, they are paying for the message to be sent out.

PR is more news based, less hype. Many PR professionals are trying to get free publicity, which is completely opposite from advertising.

PR professionals are the link between a company and the media.

Advertising is a way of getting a companies name into the public.

These are just a few of the differences between the two. Hopefully people will continue to learn the differences between the two.

Here's a link about 10 differences between the two.

Brandon Brooks

Week 13 Blogging

Cultural Issues and Public Relations

Chapter 14 was one of the more eye catching chapters in the book. It changed my perspective about how differently we have to treat different cultures when dealing in business.

One of the more interesting parts of this chapter was the bullet points on page 460, which gave some demographics that were startling. I encourage everyone to look over that before continuing to read.

The most interesting things brought up by this chart is how small a slice of the world America really is. Although, most of the time we Americans feel like the center of the universe.

The bullet points explained if the world was a 100 person village, only 9 would speak English, 7 would own a computer, 20 would earn less than a dollar a day, and, the most startling figure, 17 would not be able to read or write.

This chart just gives so much information about how little are culture is in terms of the world. Doing international business, under our policies and attitudes about culture could ruin a business.

It's just interesting to think that no matter how important we think America is in the world it's only similar to a fraction of the world. We are so unique and lucky and many of us take that for granted.

It is up to us, as future professionals, to make sure and learn as much as we can about other cultures so that we can be successful in a global market place.

Brandon Brooks

Week 12 Blogging

Embedded Journalists: Real News or Public Relations

American troops having embedded journalists traveling with them during overseas conflicts has become quite the norm for news organizations. However, is it really news? Is it public relations?

The case study found in Chapter 12 doesnt really give a definite opinion on the topic and I'm not sure that I have one either. I feel that it's extremely hard to come down on either side of this issue.

I feel the positives of embedded journalism are:

1. Shows people watching the news what is going on in the war.

2. Keeps us more interested in the daily happenings of our country's troops.

3. Makes us, as citizens, feel that we're actually getting a real view of what's going on in these conflicts.

Some of the negatives, from my perspective:

1. To narrow a view of the war/conflict. We might see one embedded journalist report something and think that's the case for the whole war/conflict, when in actuality that might be an isolated incident.

2. The reporters might grown to close to the troops they are embedded with and not offer balanced journalism in all cases, in order to protect the troops they have grown close with.

Although I have only listed a few positives and negatives regarding embedded journalists, there are many more points for both sides of the issue.

Although I think some of the negatives are very bad, I would hate to think that not having the reporters there would be better for us as citizens. Having the reporters around at least gives us some view, other than that of the government, that is a little more impartial.

Also, here is an interesting link to a story about embedded journalists.

Brandon Brooks

Week 11 Blogging

PR Finally Gets Some Respect

The case study found in Chapter eight was one that really caught my interest. The study, which dealt with Boeing's move from Seatle to Chicago, shows one of the few times that public relations officials have received credit, as opposed to criticism.

The PR profession seems to be full of stories where companies fail, such as the American Red Cross case study, and the Edelman Worldwide "flogging" scandal. However, PR practitioners rarely get credit when they do something right.

It's similar to a offensive lineman in football, no one really cares, or talks about the positive things these players do on a regular basis. But, once one of them gives up a sack or doesn't block well enought it's all over the news and sports page.

The point is that PR professionals across the world are doing wonderful things, like setting up business continutity plans, getting information out about charaties and public works projects. Yet, the general public rarely gives them credit, becuase it's not flashy like advertising or marketing.

This example of Boeing's PR professionals being praised is one of only a few times where the people that work hard to make their companies better finally get the credit they deserve.

Brandon Brooks

Week 11 Blogging

Uses & Gratifications Theory

The uses & gratifications theory is one of the most interesting thories, in my opinion, found in this book.

The definition of Uses and Gratifications Theory, according to the text book, is:

"The belief that people have the power to pick and choose the mass media channels that, in turn, influence their actions."

According to this theory, basically, the public will seek out a media source that best fulfils their needs.

This is very interesting to me and I find it to be very true becuase of the massive amount of media outlets that we have to chose from. We walk around everyday and are bombarded by numerous sources of media: broadcast radio, satelite radio, newspapers, magazines, cable tv, satelite tv, internet, etc.. And to top it all off we're always connected. We can even recieve news on our cell phones.

All of that connection and media allows us, as consumers and members of the general public, to chose what best suits our needs. I am more apt to get my news from sources like radio and the internet than my grandmother, who might get her news from the newspaper and cable television.

It all varies based on demographics. We're not all programmed the same way. Therefore, trying to fit us all into one category, which previous theories of mass communication did, we are now thought of as more individualistic. And that's definately a step in the right direction.

Brandon Brooks

Week 10 Blogging

Information Sheet for Pandemic Media Kit

SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY MATRIX PANDEMIC & EMERGENCY PLANNING
RESOURCE LIST

The following should provide you with definitions for terms that are heard when discussing a pandemic and also a few places where more information can be found on the topic.

Pandemic- Pandemic is defined as a disease that is prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world.

Quarantine – Quarantine is defined as a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.

Isolation – Isolation is defined as the complete separation from others of a person suffering from

contagious or infectious disease.

www.pandemicflu.gov – This page contains information about federal, state, local, business, individual, etc. planning about what to do, and what’s being done, in the case of a possible pandemic flu.

www.hhs.gov – This page is for the Department of Health and Human Services, and contains information on their pandemic influenza plan.

www.cdc.gov – This is the page for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This site offers valuable information on how to control and stop the spread of certain sicknesses.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/pandemicflu/ - This page contains a copy for the national implementation plan for pandemic influenza.

Brandon Brooks

Week 9 Blogging

Fact Sheet for Business Continuity

SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY MATRIX PANDEMIC & EMERGENCY PLANNING
FACT SHEET

1. Employees should enable direct deposit for payroll into their personal bank accounts.

2. Lists of team leaders, managers, and other necessary employees are to be found on the company’s employee website.

3. Employees that are essential to the company, who can work remotely, will be set up to do so by the company’s technology department as soon as possible.

4. Glass enclosures will be erected for employees that need to be in direct contact with customers.

5. Sick leave days will not be detracted from employees that are working remotely.

6. Employees that aren’t sick, yet aren’t coming into the office due to mandatory quarantining, will not be charged with sick leave days.

7. The company’s health insurance provider will be contacted and any vaccines or medicines that can be administered at the workplace will be done so at a discounted rate.

8. Classes on health safety and keeping germs from spreading will be mandatory for all employees that don’t work remotely.

9. Lists of employees, and their contact information, will be sent to all employees at their company e-mail address.

Brandon Brooks

Week 8 Blogging

The Art of Flogging

Flogging, which is described in the article as :

"Flog, a play on words to demarcate the fuzzy line between the fake (paid-for) and real posts out there in the unruly blogosphere."

The idea that Wal-Mart, or their PR Firm Edelman Worldwide, had people pose as real consumers and blog for them is outright wrong.

There is no two ways about it.

But, should we really expect anything better from Wal-Mart? A company who have been known to drive out local owned businesses and treat their employees poorly, for years.

I have come to think of Wal-Mart as the greedy "Mr. Scrooge" type of corporate America. Always wanting more and giving less.

You can say what you want about this particular instance being their PR firm, which it most certainly was. However, I would'nt say that this same company would do this for all their clients.

It seems to me, and this is only my personal opinion, that the corporate environment of Wal-Mart lends themselves to practices such as flogging.

In my mind, I hold both Wal-Mart and Edelman Worldwide equally responsible for this happening.

Although I have refused to shop at Wal-Mart for years, this act by their PR firm only goes to strengthen my view on their company.

I hope that the act of flogging doesn't became a mainstay in the American market, since many people my age are cynical enough about American corporations as is.

Brandon