By Rodger Roeser
While in Cleveland recently I heard a band called Turning Force that has a tune called "Set Your Mother on Fire." It is a rocking, poignant romp that basically makes the point
that our politicians and entertainers are so unethical that they would literally do anything to get noticed - even setting their mothers on fire. The lyrics include:
"Told what to think by talking heads on TV. They take away a mind of our own/The opiates are injected as we become numb and they won't leave our children alone."
We are paid to be masters of promoting and creating foofaraw - much ado about nothing - in our corporations, our entertainment and -- worst of all - our politics. How then,
with such pervasiveness of these tactics and the need to constantly find ways to secure publicity, can real professionals set themselves apart from this mentality - which, in the
long term, not only will hurt you, but also your brand and your client.
Oddly, it is what good PR pros do. We have a widget, and it's our job to come up with creative ways to promote it and -- we hope - to create an emotional tie. Unfortunately,
for too many, it does not take into account long-term credibility, trading that instead for blind passion and questionable ethics. We sacrifice long-term gains to secure success
in the here and now. Successful brands know better.
Lesson One: Always take into account long-term credibility and the intended long-term emotional impact of any communication. What may succeed as a brilliant publicity
stunt today may truly lead to the death of the brand and a trip to the unemployment line tomorrow. If you constantly push the credibility line, eventually you'll have no
journalists with whom to work.
From Terrell Owens and his Sharpie to Janet Jackson and her infamous "wardrobe malfunction," one could reasonably argue: That's great PR. But the "shock bar" continues to get
higher and higher. Much dignity has been lost and, sadly, "we" and our journalist brethren have caused this. Ironically, in an overcluttered media environment, we are tasked with
finding ways to cut through that very clutter. Such overt hyperbole - and the ability to budget a louder shout than anyone else - has lent itself to the spotlight. The shouting
only will get louder and louder, until no one hears anything. Not every release needs to go on the wire, not everything is worthy of media attention. Use those tools selectively
and, instead, try Leads on ProfNet, for example, or Op-Eds on a national scale.
Lesson Two: The truth shall set you free. Although in advertising there is a tradition of pushing the envelope and spinning the truth, PR can be just as guilty. Find the
reality, have some "journalistic integrity" to seek out realities that differentiate your product or service or personality, and push that fact.
All too often, PR execs take what they're told about a product or service instead of finding out why it matters to a consumer -- and what fact or truth will motivate a consumer
and, possibly, the media. As we know, not every piece of public relations has to have media implications.
Sports and entertainment is one place where gossip and publicity stunts have been part of the landscape for decades. Unfortunately, such success has caused an enormous
spillover to the political arena, where we see blind passion, spinmeistering, grandstanding and hidden agendas driving the so-called "PR" of our elected servants. There always
will be those who must cross the line constantly to solidify their 15 minutes - but, again, good marketing executives protect the longevity of their brand much more steadfastly.
Lesson Three: Get to the core goal, and find innovative ways to promote it. That's not to say that publicity stunts are dead - they are alive and well. They can and should
be fun and -- most important -- consistent with the brand. If budgeting and time are put behind a creative promotion that drives the core goal and strengthens the long-term
emotional connection of the target audience to the brand, then the stunt is well-done. Don't do it for publicity. Do it for the brand.
The literally millions and millions of dollars that are being thrown at obfuscation and blind passion -- and both sides of aisle share the blame -- is shameful.
Anyone actually looking to convey relevant issues must be hard-pressed to believe anything that comes from either side - and it continues to polarize an already polarized
nation. Opinion blends into fact, and it just keeps getting louder. When did getting to the truth in a glorified job interview become so difficult? Truth and credibility have been
permanently damaged.
Politicians and entertainers have become darlings of the media, all three of which we influence. Prepping your client by advising him or her of the Sharpie strategy or to say
blatant untruths over and over again until the public becomes desensitized to what is real is the sinister side to our profession.
We must be diligent in our ethics and our messaging, and we must understand that with great power comes great responsibility. It is a challenge to walk away from instant
gratification but, with some creativity and conviction, pros can distinguish themselves from the cultural morass, rather than feeding it.
Rodger Roeser, APR, is vice president of Cincinnati-based PR firm Justice & Young Public Relations. He can be reached at 513.388.4706, [email protected]