Should the traditional news release still be taught to PR students? (4470)

We talked this week about whether or not PR students should still be taught to write a traditional news release. I think they always should for a few reasons.

Understanding inverted pyramid style of writing should be essential for anyone going into any journalism-related field. It’s the most efficient form for news stories. It makes it easy to obtain vital information quickly. PR professionals have to be consummate consumers of news while operating on a stressful, tight schedule. Training on how to look at a news story, most of which are written in inverted pyramid style, helps PR professionals pick out the important details of stories quickly so that they can get through a great deal of news daily.

Also, there is still a strong possibility that reporters would like to use the meat of the news releases for their stories. Most reporters would not admit to the cut-and-paste reporting technique, but I think it happens often. This might be important going into the era of online up-to-the-second news reporting. If a reporter needs a story in a flash and the PR professional has a news release prepared and ready to go public, it would be easy to use it verbatim.

Learning how to write an enticing lead, and how to include the important information without losing the reader by just stating basic facts, is very important for PR students. Granted, as phone and email pitches are becoming the preferred way for reporters to receive news, students still learn the writing flair needed to persuade through writing other kinds of messages. There is finesse, though, in writing a complete news release story. There is an important structure and flow to news release stories that is only learned through practicing writing them.

What university PR programs should do is follow the lead of UNT’s Mayborn School of Journalism. Our PR students have to go through a news reporting and editing class that teaches students what it’s like to be a news reporter. They are assigned to a beat (a certain topic such as crime and safety, arts and entertainment, politics, science, etc.), and have to write real news stories pertaining to that beat. Students work on a deadline and have to interview a minimum of three sources for each story. They learn what life is like for a real reporter. This is invaluable experience for someone going into PR.

Something I would suggest to my PR professor: bring in a news reporter from a major publication as a guest speaker. I know they’re always busy, but a reporter might jump at the chance to teach PR students how not to annoy reporters in the future. Or, if the reporters and editors would go for it, have the PR students spend some time in the newsroom of the school paper. As much as they can, it is important for PR professionals to understand what reporters do.

Classical ethical theories and modern advertising (4470)

We all know what advertising does. It’s meant to win the consumer. Consumers are won by attraction and persuasion. To win the consumer, advertisers either boast the real properties of what’s being sold, or they make fantastical promises about what the product or service will do for anyone who buys it.

Ethical dilemmas arise beginning with what advertising is. It’s a paid means to inform the public of a product or service, and to form the message in a way that persuades individuals to do or buy something. The inherent nature of persuasion is shady. It’s biased, one-sided. Unlike traditional journalism, advertising is meant to do one thing: present the only side of the story in its own interest. Is it ethical to present only one side of a story, or is that considered intentional deception?

This falls into the realm of the ethical theory of egoism. Since advertisers only show the one side of a situation in an organization’s interest, might all advertising be seen as self-serving? In his book “Ethics in Media Communications: Cases and Controversies,” Louis Alvin Day writes, “Morality involves taking into account the interests of others; an entirely selfish person cannot, by definition, make ethical judgments.” Can advertising be classified as entirely self-centered, and therefore unable to be ethical? Possibly, but advertising must exist, and therefore should be subject to applied ethics and handled on a case-by-case basis.

An ad for the American Cancer Society urging women to remember to get mammograms each year; is that self-centered for the organization? Well, yes. And no. This is why advertising has to be examined case by case. This ad is not unethical because it is protected by the theory of utilitarianism. The theory asserts that if the breach of morality is less than the greatest benefit, then the act is ethical. So even if the ad brings in donations for the organization, the greater good of society is served by the medical health issue awareness that the ad brings to the public.

An ad for UNICEF is not considered egoistic because it falls in the category of communitarianism. The ethical theory of communitarism protects ads that support a sense of community, in this case a global one, over the needs of individuals. Although a UNICEF ad will bring money to the organization, it serves the greater good by creating a communal bond. The greater good is served by bringing people together to help those in need.

Another consideration that must be made by advertisers is that of ethical relativism. This is particularly important in a global market. What would be perfectly acceptable content in one country might be offensive in another. The British Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre in the UK banned Tourism Australia’s campaign because of its offensive slogan: “Where the bloody hell are you?” The ethics of whether or not to use that kind of verbiage depend on the region and audience for the ad.

These are the types of ads that are considered ethical in regard to classical ethical theories. The ads that ruin the credibility and reputation of the field of advertising are the ones that are no more than a modern medicine show. A majority of modern ads promise a fantasy outcome to buying the advertised product or service. These ads make such outrageous claims that it’s hard to believe that anyone would fall for them. But they do.

The Axe body spray ads are a prime example of fantasy advertising. The theme of the ad campaign is that Axe products for men, when applied, will attract women. The first ads featured nerdy guys who used Axe products and were subsequently chased and preyed upon by attractive, ravenous women. The ads continue with the theme to this day, although there has been controversy and public debate about the ethical implications of advertising that uses sex to get consumers to buy products. The campaign is purely egoistic, throwing out the ideas of truth and fairness by exploiting consumers with a lie and portraying sexist ideas.

Advertisers these days must also consider social issues. Ads that disregard hot button social issues such as gender stereotyping, child sexualization and eating disorders are considered unethical. In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority banned an ad featuring an anorexic-looking model, calling the ad “socially irresponsible.” Advertisers have a responsibility to heed the research and growing evidence of women’s health problems in correlation to exposure to ads. The psychological problems of poor body image and eating disorders among women have been linked to how women are portrayed in modern advertising.

Advertising is an important and necessary part of life. Consumers rely on different media to bring them information about products and services, and ads are a way of doing just that. Ads will never be perfectly ethical at all times - each one can be argued, no matter how innocuous it might seem. Advertisers themselves are incapable of being perfectly ethical because anything viewed or heard could potentially offend someone somewhere. That sets an impossible standard for moral purity. But individuals in the advertising field can take responsibility for what is conceived and published. That’s the best way to be ethical.

Sources:

“Ethics in Media Communications: Cases and Controversies,” by Louis Alvin Day

“Breast Cancer TV Ad,” Video retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrVTGdNQTqA

“UNICEF: For Every Child,” Video retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPWr6Eg_dC4&feature=autoplay&list=PLB8A59A42D5B08487&lf=results_main&playnext=2

“Brits ban ‘bloody hell’ TV ad,” by Jano Gibson and David Braithwaite via The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/brits-ban-bloody-hell-tv-ad/2006/03/09/1141701625132.html

“Where the bloody hell are you?” Video retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn0lwGk4u9o

“The AXE Effect – Women – Billions,” Video retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9tWZB7OUSU

“Watchdog bans Drop Dead ad featuring skinny model ,” by Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith via Campaign. Retrieved from http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/1103077/Watchdog-bans-Drop-Dead-ad-featuring-skinny-model/

“The Impact of Media Images on Body Image and Behaviors: A Summary of the Scientific Evidence,” Report retrieved from http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/uploads/file/The%20Impact%20of%20Media%20Images%20on%20Body%20Image%20and%20Behaviours%206%20Nov%281%29.pdf

Infants' Tylenol recall handled well (4460)

McNeil Consumer Healthcare announced today a recall of Infants’ Tylenol Oral Suspension, a grape flavored liquid medicine that comes in one-ounce bottles and is accompanied by a plastic dosing syringe. After receiving customer complaints about the functionality of the product, McNeil decided to issue a voluntary recall of over half a million units.

The way the product works is that the medicine bottle itself has a seal at the top into which the dosing syringe is inserted to pull the medicine into the syringe cleanly, without dripping all over the place. The problem that customers were experiencing was that when they inserted the syringe into the seal, the seal itself would break off and fall down into the medicine. The situation was in no way dangerous, just inconvenient.

McNeil made an excellent decision. Even though the problem with the product is not dangerous, the recall boosts the reputation of the Tylenol brand as being dedicated to the satisfaction of its consumers. It sends a message that even a slight irritation customers might experience with a product will not be accepted.

The news of the recall broke a little after noon today, and all the national news outlets have been reporting on it. The company has presented a wealth of information for the public at www.tylenol.com. The news release on the website offers a description of the problem, an apology from the company’s president, contact information and refund information. The news release also contains a link to frequently asked questions and a link to a YouTube video, which demonstrates how to use the product and offers refund information for consumers who experienced problems.

This was handled incredibly well. The New York Times reported that only 17 customers complained before McNeil decided to recall all 574,000 units. That shows a great concern for brand image and customer satisfaction. Not only does the recall itself show a commitment to 100 percent customer satisfaction, but the information presented by the company is comprehensive, transparent and easily navigable.

Good PR.

Sources:

“J & J Consumer Health Unit Recalls Infant Tylenol,” by AP via The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/02/17/business/AP-US-Johnson-Johnson-Infant-Tylenol-Recall.html?_r=1&ref=business

“J & J’s McNeil Unit Recalls Infants’ Tylenol,” by Aaron Smith via CNN Money. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/17/news/companies/tylenol_recall/index.htm?hpt=he_c2

“A Message to Parents and Caregivers From the Makers of Infants’ TYLENOL,” news release via tylenol.com. Retrieved from http://www.tylenol.com/page2.jhtml?id=tylenol/news/subp_tylenol_recall_9.inc

“How to Use Infants’ TYLENOL SimpleMeasure,” video via YouTube TYLENOLOFFICIAL’s Channel. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/tylenol

Waking nightmare: First Tweetchat (4460)

I decided to participate in my first Tweetchat last night. For those of you who don’t know, a Tweetchat is an online discussion of a designated topic at a scheduled meeting time, using the forum of Twitter.

I was mentally unprepared for what was about to ensue.

It was a cold night, so I built a fire, put on some Al Green, poured myself a glass of cabernet and settled into my big, soft suede couch with my laptop on my crossed legs. I was ready for a pleasant discussion.

Then it began.

It started off smoothly enough. Little smiling faces in squares started popping up to join the conversation, introducing themselves with polite and enthusiastic greetings in the area of text beside their photos. This was old hat to them.

I was hesitant at first. I watched for a few minutes, indecisive about whether or not I belonged. But then I started to feel like a creeper, a voyeur - someone on the outside looking in at others who were unaware of my presence. I decided to take the plunge.

One of my classmates was already there. She had made her introduction; a quick sentence about being a college student and that this was her first Tweetchat. In all my glorious awkwardness, I jumped in and said, “I’m like Lindsey.”

No one responded to me.

The number of people joining began to wane, so the moderator started the discussion by throwing out the first question. I don’t remember what it was, because a second later, the question was buried way down in my news feed by fast-moving tweets.

I started to panic.

I have to participate in Tweetchats for a grade in a couple of my classes. I have to join the discussion and save screenshots of people responding to me. My college career flashed before my eyes: “In over your head. Can’t keep up. Won’t pass. Can’t Graduate. Back to waiting tables.”

I pulled myself together and realized that this was just my first attempt and the assignment wasn’t due for six more days. Breathe. Breathe.

I thought to myself, “Screw the assignment. Just use this opportunity to figure this thing out.”

My eyes widened as I frantically tried to keep up with the tweets scrolling at a breakneck pace on the left of my computer screen. I’d be halfway through reading one tweet before it vanished, with a new set of five tweets where it was just a moment ago. I read and read, trying to figure out what was happening in the little snippets of information that I could catch every now and then. Then I realized something: I had no idea what these people were talking about.

The assignment required that we find a Tweetchat that pertained to something in the field of journalism: news, advertising, public relations. My professor had given us a website to go to to find a schedule of journalism Tweetchats. I had accidentally found one that was being held by seasoned news reporters who had started their own online newsrooms. I had no idea what any of them were talking about. I wasn’t supposed to be there.

Then I thought of something my professor had told us the week before. PR professionals have to have the ability to be in a huge room full of experts, on any given topic, and be able to carry on a conversation with each of them.

Sigh.

I hopped in and started asking questions. Then a miracle occurred: people started talking to me. I’d fire something out, then I’d get a reply in my mentions column. It was actually pretty fun. And I learned a lot about the sacrifice that reporters make when they commit themselves to a story that only that reporter wants to tell, and that will take a great deal of time and energy. It was a lesson in principles and determination, and I have a newfound respect for journalists.

But my next Tweetchat is going to pertain to PR. I’m not lazy or this-is-my-field-centric, but I’m still a little scared.

Vassar reacts to acceptance gaffe (4460)

Vassar College mistakenly accepted 76 students on Friday, Jan. 27 because of a computer glitch that misdirected rejected students to an online acceptance letter. Students who had applied for early admission were instructed by the college to check the status of their applications at 4 p.m. to learn their fates. One hundred twenty-two students logged on to find that they had been accepted. Of the 122, 76 were not supposed to have seen an acceptance letter.

Within half an hour, Vassar had caught and corrected the mistake, but only students who happened to log in after the correct letters were in place saw the actual decision of the college. It took several hours for the college to send messages to all applicants that there had been a computer error. For hours, students who had been anxiously waiting by the computer for 4 p.m. to roll around had already been celebrating the good news. Students popped champagne, called family members and ordered Vassar sweatshirts. Students in other countries rejoiced at being accepted to a prestigious American college. About three hours later, they were alerted by the college that there had been a mistake and that they should log in and recheck their statuses.

How crushing. How embarrassing to have to call family members and tell them that you were actually rejected.

Since this happened on a Friday after business hours, Vassar sent out a message that read, “If after checking your decision again you still have questions, please feel free to contact the Admissions Office on Monday morning.”

Bad PR. Dash these kids’ dreams for their futures, then tell them to call when it’s convenient for you. Let them wait out the weekend, confused and upset, before starting a dialogue. Bad PR.

Not only that, but the acceptance letter that all 122 students received told students to withdraw their applications from the other colleges they had applied to -- they were Vassar students now. Luckily, this all took place after other colleges’ business hours, too. Students could have ruined their chances with other colleges.

Jeff Kosmacher, a spokesperson for Vassar, said on Saturday that a message had been sent to the applicants on Friday evening, explaining and apologizing for the mistake.

In a Feb. 1 interview with CNN’s Randi Kaye, David Borus, dean of admission and financial aid, said that Vassar officials had called all of the students to apologize. He said that the students’ application fees would be refunded, and that any students who had withdrawn their applications from other colleges would get the full support and help of Vassar.

My first reaction would be that Vassar should just admit the 76 students who suffered from the college’s mistake. As Borus went on to explain in the interview, though, the college receives over 8,000 applications annually for around 660 places. His reasoning for not accepting students who had not met all the criteria for acceptance was that 76 students out there who do deserve to go to Vassar would miss out. I have to say that I agree with him. However, more should be done to compensate the students who were deceived. An apology and a refund of the $65 application fee is not enough to erase the psychological damage that a young person would endure after having their dream handed to them, just to have it taken away.

No matter what, Vassar made a huge PR mistake in sending a message to students that they could contact the admissions office in two days to ask questions. Vassar officials and employees should have set up a communications center when they discovered the error at 4:30 p.m. that day. Phone calls should have been started immediately and apologies should have been sincere. “It’s not our fault, it was the computer, call us on Monday” is bad PR. The greatest lesson that I’ve learned so far about this profession is that a true, sincere apology goes a long way.

Sources:

“For Some Vassar Applicants, Joy Then Misery as College Corrects Mistake,” by Matt Flegenheimer via The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/education/vassar-applicants-are-mistakenly-told-they-are-accepted.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=vassar&st=cse

“Vassar College Accidentally Accepts Students,” by Jenna Johnson via The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/campus-overload/post/vassar-college-accidentally-accepts-students/2012/01/30/gIQAMou3eQ_blog.html

“After Mistake, a Mea Culpa From Vassar,” by Matt Flegenheimer via The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/nyregion/after-mistake-a-mea-culpa-from-vassar.html

“Vassar College Apologizes for Glitch,” CNN interview. Video retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/02/01/exp-vassar-college-apologizes-for-admissions-mistake.cnn

“Vassar Opts for the One-Way Channel Crisis Response,” by Bill Miltenberg via PR News. Retrieved from http://www.prnewsonline.com/digitalpr/15958.html