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North Road Communications: A New Addition to the Red Foxes PRSSA Chapter By Erica Jordan
Inside This Issue: Page 2 The new definition of public relations brings clarity to the industry Page 3 A review of ABC’s crisis PR themed drama— Scandal Pages 4 & 5 Meet the 2012-2013 Executive Board! Page 7 Paula Deen’s buttercoated publicity crisis Page 9 Pinterest—exploring the latest trend in social media Page 10 KONY 2012—From going viral to downward spiral
College is a place to learn. It is a place to discover new things about ourselves, and specifically to realize skills within each of us that we may not have ever known we possessed. That is precisely what the founding members of our student-run public relations firm, North Road Communications, hope to bring to their members and their clients. The firm stimulates learning through the principles of “doing” and “helping.” This is to ensure that members of the firm get hands-on experiences with real clients to aid them in their process of learning about the public relations industry. The firm started last semester and was inspired by a PR capping project created by a 2011 graduate. Charlotte Catania took on the position of firm director with the help and guidance of PRSSA Faculty Advisor Jennie Donohue, and started accepting applications for firm members. From that point, the firm met once a week to develop a vision statement, brainstorm clientele options, and promote the firm throughout the community.
Assistant Firm Director Deanna Morosoff, Firm Director Charlotte Catania and Account Representative Kate Hardcastle assisted their client at the Red Cross Fire and Ice Gala event earlier this
North Road Communications was ready to get started when the Mid-Hudson Chapter of the American Red Cross reached out and expressed an interest in using the firm to help plan and promote events. The events include its annual gala held in March and golf tournament scheduled for June. Members in the firm had the opportunity to visit their client’s office this semester and work on community outreach projects, such as making follow-up calls to generate registration for the gala. The firm hopes to work with the Mid-Hudson Chapter of the American Red Cross again in the future.
Next semester, the firm is bringing on two new clients, both well established nonprofit organizations based in Dutchess County. The clients are looking for community outreach and promotion services. They hope that the firm can make their messages and services more cohesive and apparent to the community. New firm members for the 2012-2013 academic year have been accepted through an application process, and the firm hopes to expand in the future. If interested in applying for a position within the firm, please email northroadcomm@gmail.com for more information.
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PRSA adapts definition of PR to reflect current trends By Kate Hardcastle If you were to ask ten PR professionals what exactly the term “public relations” means, it is likely that you would get ten different answers. For a profession that businesses spend billions of dollars on each year, there is remarkably little understanding of what the field of public relations exactly is. The definition has continued to change and evolve alongside the changing roles and technological advances of
the public relations industry. The earliest definitions included press agentry and publicity, while more modern definitions emphasize the concepts of engagement and relationship building. Last year, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) jumpstarted an international campaign to modernize and clarify the ambiguous definition of “public relations”. Over a two-week span they received more than 1,000 submissions in
response to their call. After nearly a year of research, PRSA announced the winning definition, which states:
tion adopted in 1982 by the PRSA National Assembly, this new definition is a step in the right direction.
“Public Relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics”
However, beauty may always be in the eye of the beholder. With numerous practice areas and a continually evolving communication field, the definition of “public relations” may be one that is forever changing and unique to each individual in the PR industry. Source: prsa.org
Simple and straightforward, this definition focuses on the core concepts that all PR professionals strive for. Replacing an earlier defini-
PR textbook author Fraser Seitel brings text to life; speaks to PRSSA members about industry trends
Seitel followed his presentation with lunch and a discussion among the Chapter’s e-board.
By Traci Baydala “Public Relations has never been so powerful or more valuable,” declared Fraser Seitel, president of Emerald Partners Communication Firm and successful author. He has
written The Practice of Public Relations, which is currently used by many PR students for their classes. Last month, students had the pleasure of hearing Seitel’s thought-provoking advice and background in public relations.
R.A.C.E was the first skill set Seitel taught to his listeners. This acronym stands for research, action, communication and evaluation. With this mindset, students gained a better understanding of how to solve crises in a company or industry. Seitel emphasized research for handling a crisis; he even joked that “you can’t put perfume on a skunk,” meaning if you do not research the problem or company you will not know the appropriate course of action that should be taken to fix it. Students also learned the essential attitudinal abilities they must comprehend to be a success-
ful public relations practitioner. Seitel expressed that you must have a yearning to communicate with your company’s publics, as well as being their biggest advocate. In addition, counseling the organization in proper ethical procedure was stressed. “You want to be accepted and respected,” Seitel jokingly said while conveying the importance of credibility in a company. The final guidelines provided for students were to put humanity first and maintain a positive attitude. “All you have is your integrity”, was the last thought students were left with.
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ABC’s newest drama provides salacious PR insight By Jennifer Laski Trading three million dollars for an ambassador’s kidnapped baby might seem a little extreme for a crisis management firm to deal with, but in ABC’s new show, Scandal, that is exactly how the public relations agency is introduced. Former White House Communications Director Olivia Pope, has recently left the president’s service to start her own crisis management firm, Olivia Pope and Associates. Olivia Pope and Associates deals with solving the problems and making their clients’ issues disappear entirely. They do not operate under the law, but rather work beside it, using their connections and knowledge to blackmail or bribe police and security guards to give them access to confidential material or more time to help a client’s case before they get involved. Shonda Rhimes, creator of Scandal, had a major
source of inspiration when writing this series. She collaborated with Judy Smith, a Washington-based crisis manager, who has worked on dozens of high profile
a crisis, even if the solution is not favored by her clients. However, the show dramatizes the situations that Olivia Pope and Associates are placed in. Like any other
Hit TV producer Shonda Rhimes drew inspiration for her latest show from political crisis expert Judy Smith.
cases from Monica Lewinsky’s sex scandal with President Clinton to the aftermath of the BP oil spill. Smith, who is now a coproducer on the show, provided Rhimes with extensive explanations of how she does her job and deals with
Email: prssa.marist@gmail.com Twitter: @MaristPRSSA
TV show, the problems and situations shown need to be exaggerated and hyped up so that people keep watching. Smith would not give Rhimes any stories that did not have some hint of possibility and truth behind them.
This show displays the part of politics that is hiding behind the curtains and cameras. Behind every politician and president is a crisis manager, cleaning up their messes and scandals quickly and silently. Scandal does an excellent job of representing the PR industry, and more specifically the crisis management industry. The episode showed the endless hours a PR specialist has to put in to deal with multiple problems and it showed the difficulty of balancing their work lives with their personal lives, which almost none of them have. The show also displayed the resilience a crisis management specialist must have. No matter how tough or hopeless the situation got, Olivia Pope never gave up. I give this show an A, and I will definitely keep watching to see what Olivia Pope and Associates has to deal with next.
Blog: www.maristredfoxes prssa.blogspot.com Flickr: Marist Red Foxes PRSSA
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After a competitive election process and weeks of training and transitioning, the 2012-2013 executive board is ready to hit the ground running for an exciting year ahead. See below to find out a little bit more about all of our new members!
Deanna Morosoff National Delegate Class Year: 2013 Hometown: North Babylon, N.Y. Favorite TV Show: Mad Men Favorite Movie: (500) Days of Summer Why PR? I've been around PR all my life and always had an interest in the field. I love the relationship building part of it and, believe it or not, the writing!
Meredith Lowe Public Relations Director Class Year: 2013 Hometown: Suffield, C.T. Past Leadership Experience: Swim coach, instructor and lifeguard with 5 years experience Internship Experience: An online fashion publishing company called Sheerluxe in London, England Favorite Thing About Marist: The beautiful Hudson River
Julie Moller Firm Director Class Year: 2013 Hometown: Greenlawn, N.Y. Past Leadership Experience: Vice President, Communications Arts Society Favorite Book: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson Favorite Thing About Marist: Marist Beach
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Erica Conover Vice President (President-elect) Class Year: 2014 Hometown: East Haddam, C.T. Why PR? I love the fast pace high energy environment and working with people. Internship Experience: None yet, but I will be interning with Clear Channel Communications doing event planning and promotions this summer. Favorite Food: Grilled Cheese
Jackie Mucilli VP of Chapter Development Class Year: 2014 Hometown: Amsterdam, N.Y. Why PR? Great way to combine creativity and intelligence! Internship Experience: Nickelodeon Ad Sales and VH1 PR/ Press Favorite Book: A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Elizabeth Odachowski Historian Class Year: 2014 Hometown: Malverne, N.Y. Favorite Movie: The Notebook Top 3 Hobbies/Interests: Fashion, Photography, Cooking Favorite Food: Any type of seafood
Shane Kelly Treasurer Class Year: 2013 Hometown: Greenwich, C.T. Favorite TV Show: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Top 3 Hobbies/Interests: Rugby, Cooking, Boating If you were an animal, what would you be? Great white shark
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By Elizabeth Odachowski The Red F o x e s Chapter of PRSSA is having a busy semester! Elections were held in March for nine executive board positions, giving the current and new board the chance to transition smoothly into the upcoming school year. With meetings and events each Wednesday, members have had plenty of opportunities to get involved and learn more about the world of public relations. On April 4, Marist alumnus, Justin Meise spoke to the Chapter. Meise is currently the principal at River Communications, a financial and professional services public relations firm. At a time during the semester when students are applying for jobs and internships, Meise stressed that they must be hungry, humble and smart candidates! He suggested students demonstrate enthusiasm in their interviews and a willingness to try new things and work their way up the corporate ladder. After an exciting semeseter, we’re busy planning for next year’s events. Be sure to check our blog, and Twitter page for updates throughout the summer!
Letter from the President
As my 4 years at Marist College are rapidly winding down, I can confidently say that PRSSA has been a supplement to my undergraduate degree. I was able to network with professionals, learn about the public relations industry with a hands-on organization, but the best thing I got out of PRSSA was the leadership training. If you know me, you know that I have a type-A personality. I always like to have my hands in everything and be aware of what is happening in the organization. During my junior year, this was extremely overwhelming because it is simply impossible for a single person to juggle the responsibilities of nine separate positions. Through many discussions with Professor Donohue and Professor Van Dyke, I was able to get the proper leadership training to enhance our Chapter. My favorite word for this year is “delegation.” Before, I would take on all responsibili-
ties and not let anyone perform their duties because I felt that if I just did it, it would be easier for everyone. That was definitely not the case. This year, I typically plan out everything that must be done for an event to be successful. I figure out which things on my “to-do” list fall under each position and then contact each respective executive board member with their tasks and deadlines. I encourage them to keep me in the loop but also to tackle obstacles on their own and consult me when necessary. I feel I have been an open-book with my executive board members because I also encourage them to text me, rather than just depending on email. This allows us to talk informally and do quick check-ins. For delegation to be successful, leaders need to believe in their team members. Sometimes it is hard to let other people do things because you worry they may not do it right, but if you give proper direction, it will be done perfectly! Giving your executive board members clear instructions and expectations is a reflection of your leadership and their ability to get the job done well. I have built great relationships with my executive boards because they understand their responsibilities and I have faith in them to perform well. Last but not least, it is important to always maintain professionalism and respect one another. Nothing is ever
going to run smoothly (we work in PR for goodness sake!) and the blame game is the last thing you want to do. Those responsible simply need to admit they made a mistake and rectify it. This will earn you more respect than if you tried blaming it on someone else. For those of you that are not in a direct leadership position, take note of executive board members. Offer to help them with their responsibilities and volunteer on our committees. This gives you great experience and you end up learning about different positions doing this, which can lead to you becoming an executive board member. This Chapter is filled with opportunities that will give you valuable leadership skills. When you are searching for internships or jobs, employers look for leadership experience so it will help you stand out from the crowd. Congratulations to the new executive board members for the 20122013 year! I think our incoming president, Michael Bernardini, is lucky to have such motivated members on his board and thank you to the 2011-2012 board for all your hard work this year. The Chapter would not be where it is today without everyone’s leadership and dedication. Sincerely,
Chapter President Class of 2012
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From Southern sensation to down-home diva: Recent spotlight is deep-frying Paula Deen’s reputation By Deanna Morosoff Anyone who knows Paula Deen knows her for her deep-fried, buttery, Southern-style cooking. That is until recently. Over the past several months Paula Deen’s image has shifted from a lovable Southern chef to another celebrity with questionable antics. The PR crisis began when Paula Deen announced that she had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The media and the public immediately attributed the diagnosis
As articles about dieting and healthy eating circulate the papers and the Internet, Paula Deen’s lack of concern for her cooking techniques and how it was negatively affecting her health was distasteful. After a bit of negative attention, Deen signed on with the diabetes drug Victoza, and vowed to create and cook a lighter and healthier menu. It seemed that things were looking up for Deen…but not for long. In early March, Paula Deen, her brother and her companies were sued for
Paula Deen took to The TODAY Show to announce her diabetes diagnosis, despite being aware of it for nearly three years.
to the way she cooks and eats. Paula Deen’s image only got worse when it was revealed that she had known about the diagnosis for three years and had done nothing about it.
racial slurs and for creating a violent and unpleasant work environment at Uncle Bubba’s Seafood and Oyster House, of which she and her brother are co-owners. Deen’s
Saturday Night Live’s Kristen Wiig mocked Paula Deen in a Weekend Update segment last month.
representatives claimed that the allegations are false. In the midst of a PR crisis that is threatening Paula Deen’s image, many wonder how she can bounce back. Is “restoring” her image really the way to go? Perhaps Paula Deen needs to address changes she is making in her personal life to regain the respect of her fans. The road to recovery from a public relations crisis is never easy. However, if Paula Deen is honest with her fans and is true to herself, I believe she will be able to renew her image. It is important for Paula Deen to begin making smarter and healthier decisions in her professional and personal life, and that she starts the process NOW.
How can Paula Deen recapture the relationship she once had with fans and foodies? 1. Address the allegations and lawsuit at hand and admit to any faults or wrongdoings. 2. Apologize to fans and be open and honest about the controversies. 3. Continue to endorse the diabetes drug Victoza and promote healthy living. 4. Revamp the menu and address lighter and healthier cooking options.
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From Red Fox to Bronx Bomber: Lauren Moran shares her success story in sports PR with students By Kara Sienkiewicz Recently, Marist alumnae Lauren Moran came to speak to members of PRSSA about how she got her foot in the door in the sports world. Moran is the current Senior Coordinator of Media Relations for the New York Yankees. Before working for the Yankees she admitted that she knew little to nothing about baseball or sports in general. She had never watched a Yankees game or even knew anything that the sport entailed. However, in 2005 her eyes were opened to a whole new world. She had gone on a tour of Yankee Stadium and was given a copy of their popular media guide for the season. She asked if they offered internships, and to her surprise, they did.
Following an interview with the Yankees for one of their internship positions, Moran was notified that she did not receive the position. However, she was asked to come in and help out with the 2006 postseason and then on opening day the following spring. They consistently asked her to come back and soon she was faced with a life-changing choice—take a full-time job offer with IBM or stay with the Yankees. She strongly considered the position, but her love of working with the Yankees grew. She took the gamble and decided to stay at the Yankees to see where the team could take her. The gamble proved to be the best decision and worked out in her favor. She was offered a full-time job by the Yankees in the Media
Relations department. On a day to day basis, Moran organizes statistics, oversees press releases and coordinates interviews and events all under strict time constraints. Moran made sure to point out that her job may be fun, but it is not always easy. She works grueling hours that do not allow her to leave Yankee Stadium some days until well after 11 p.m. She informed the Chapter, “If you get an opportunity, take it, because it is much easier to move around in sports once you have your foot in the door.” In addition to the discussion, Moran also brought media guides, press releases and game notes to show the actual products of her hard work. She also talked
about a special Yankees event known as HOPE Week, which stands for Helping Others Persevere and Excel. Moran explained that HOPE Week is when the Yankees reach out to families or groups who deserve attention and media recognition for an event that has happened in their lives. The stories she shared were touching because they portrayed how one small act can make an impact in a life of suffering and hardship. It was evident that Lauren Moran loves her job and that a passion for baseball has grown since working with the Yankees. She took a risk, but in the end it paid off. Moran concluded by saying that “gambles do not always pay off, but in my situation they did and I am very thankful for that.”
How “pinterested” are you? The latest trend in social media By Kerianne Baylor Pinterest has recently hit the scene as a new, fast growing social media site with a whopping eighteen million unique visitors per month, with women amassing almost eighty percent of these visitors. Essentially, Pinterest explains itself as “a virtual pinboard to organize and share the things you love.” It is a visual site with lots of pictures that you can ‘pin’ on your own pinboards;
it started out catering to design, fashion and lifestyle, but has since grown to include several more categories. Its users can follow others to get product information, find out about new products and seek advice and recommendations that they can then share, comment on and repin. Pinterest offers young PR professionals another media channel to express themselves by building their per-
sonal brand via an upcoming social media site. Pinboards entitled ‘Bucket List’ or ‘My Favorite Things’ offer viewers, or even prospective employers, a sense of what the user is passionate about. As far as brands seeking consumer awareness and engagement, Pinterest offers a specific target gender, for now at least, as well as specialized sectors including the following: lifestyle, fitness, weddings, décor, food &
drink, beauty, fashion, etc. Consumer brands, even any brand that is aesthetically pleasing via pictures, are utilizing this new media channel to extend their influence while also building relationships. If you have yet to visit and become addicted to Pinterest, please do; you just have to request an invite. Once you’re hooked, it’s all pins from there. “Happy Pinning!”—as Ben & the Pinterest team say.
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Hunger Games Mania: Marketing goes beyond District 12 to take media world by storm By Marguerite Pinheiro At this point, if a person claims to have never heard of The Hunger Games, it can be assumed that they have been living under a rock for the past few months. The Hunger Games has surpassed all expectations, and as an avid fan, I can hardly say this comes as a surprise. While the book itself has proved extremely popular, it was the excitement stoked in large part by the extensive public relations and marketing efforts surrounding the movie premiere that really had everyone buzzing. At the outset, it should be noted that the media coverage surrounding the movie has been nothing short of monumental with numerous properties both on television and radio as well as in print featuring interviews with the stars. Currently, the movie has made about over $600 million in global ticket sales. While the film studio, Lionsgate, did leverage many of the traditional movie-based media platforms – television-based trailers, print ads and outof-home displays - it has been the cleverly conceived public-relations inspired viral campaign and other non-traditional extensions that have really
Between toys, clothing and even a nail polish line, The Hunger Games has proven a global marketing success—recently topping $600 million globally.
elevated the buzz surrounding the premiere. From a Hunger Games nail polish line to a mall tour that included a book signing by the actors, the campaign has been anything but traditional. I became involved when I took a quiz on Facebook and was placed into District 12 in Panem. In essence, I had participated unknowingly in their viral campaign, which began with a hashtag at the end of their trailer and led people to investigate both Twitter and Facebook to get more information. From then on, I received both emails and Facebook notifications regarding the upcoming Hunger Games (premiere
of the movie) and the opportunity to get my “district pass expedited” or “vote for district mayors.” The company effectively accomplished making viewers believe that they were in fact a part of the games. This is perhaps the most influential and successful aspect of the campaign due to the level of intrigue and interaction it provides. A music-based extension includes what has been named Billboard’s top selling soundtrack. Additionally, the movie is all over Pinterest, a relatively new but extremely successful social media website. One of the actresses in the movie, Wil-
low Shields, took over M Magazine’s Twitter account and answered fans’ questions for over an hour and a fashion blog featuring movie-inspired clothing has emerged in response to fan interest. Whether it is the suggestion of a shirt and skirt combo to represent “the girl on fire” or jewelry displaying the allpowerful mockingjay, designers are confident that their products will sell. All of what I have outlined here is just a sampling of the myriad marketing extensions involved in the promotion of this movie. The Hunger Games has forever rewritten the book on how to successfully promote feature films.
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KONY 2012—How the campaign went from triumph to travesty By Meredith Lowe By now, KONY 2012 is somewhat of household name when it comes to social media. The viral phenomenon hit the web in March promoting the end to war lord Joseph Kony’s reign in Africa. Invisible Children started a movement that exploded onto every Facebook and Twitter newsfeed. The original YouTube video, KONY 2012, gathered over 100 million views in the first week alone. At the time, the buzz around this campaign was all anyone could talk about. However, in less than two months, the attitude towards KONY 2012 has drastically changed.
The proof of the campaign’s downfall is in the numbers. After two weeks, the second video by Invisible Children, KONY 2012: Part II-Beyond Famous, has less than two million views. Compared to the original, the success is dismal and has sparked some questions of whether the KONY 2012 campaign will last. The Cover the Night event held around the world on April 20 was supposed to be a crucial and triumphant day for Invisible Children’s cause. Yet, according to Mashable.com, Twitter mentions on the day of the event prove otherwise. The rate of tweets and mentions on Cover the Night cannot compare to the
amount of attention Invisible Children received in early March. In fact, the most popular days for the KONY 2012 campaign on Twitter were the first days of the KONY 2012 video release and the unforgettable drunken outburst from Invisible Children Director Jason Russell. Along with the Russell debacle, the organization has had several criticisms regarding their finances and overall goals for the fight against Joseph Kony. From a PR standpoint, the viral campaign only worked for a short time. Yes, they had great success and people around the world recognize their campaign, but are
they actually standing behind it? As we all know, social media trends come and go. Users tend to have a short attention span when it comes to trends due to how fickle they really are; viewers lost attention by the call to action two months after the first video’s release. I think there are other more traditional ways of gaining viewers’ attention. Television spots on major news channels, magazine articles and even country wide tours could gain campaign followers. I guess time will tell if Invisible Children will succeed in their fight. For now, it may not be wise to put all their eggs in one social media basket.
PRSSA Conference Advises to Read a Hard Copy (Gasp!) By Julie Moller “Buy yourself a hard copy of The New York Times.” This is a lesson that was drilled into my head at the Back to Basics regional PRSSA conference, hosted by Hofstra University. Generationally, we have moved away from traditional forms of news in favor of more fast-paced mediums. Though these forms are valuable and convenient at times, they are not the only outlets we must focus on. If you plan to succeed in this ever-changing business, keep yourself informed. One way to do that is to occasionally unplug from
social media and read the hard copy of The New York Times.
social media with the basics and crisis management.
This sentiment was shared among many of the professionals with whom I spoke with at the conference. This three-day conference included a variety of sessions, including panelists from Ketchum, Hunter PR, the New York Giants, the FBI and journalists from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Attendees were exposed to professionals’ perspectives on a variety of topics including crafting the perfect pitch, the value of integrated marketing, balancing
Perhaps the most informative session of the weekend, however, was the lecture given by The Practice of Public Relations author, Fraser Seitel. Not only did he encourage us to become news junkies, he also encouraged us to become leaders. Seitel said, “No matter the state of the economy, this profession has increased in prominence and power.” With power, comes responsibility. Seitel provided some of the requisites for
leadership in the 21st Century: 1. PR Leadership must begin with action. If the performance is lousy, you can’t communicate. 2. You’re going to have to take risks. PR is a field that is easy to get lost in, so you have to speak up. Have an attitude. 3. Show people you are creative. Anyone can write or talk to the media, but we have to do it better. This is our specialty. 4. PR leadership depends on humility and humanity. Always think in terms of the people.