I received an email today – actually it was the offer of a lifetime more than a junk mail, offering me 500 business cards for $5.
Side bar-->>1 cent per first impression isn’t bad I reckon, but then would I feel comfortable having 1 cent represent me to a potential client or colleague?
Anyway, it got me thinking of what job description I would put onto a potential business card. What is it that a PR professional does? For the next few minutes I pondered what tasks I had been set during this placement and what we, as a team, had actually been achieved. So let’s see, there was:
- Environmental scanning
- Competitor analysis
- Press releases
- Partner liaison
- Internal communication about our office move
- Preparing office move materials
- Daily emails on the office move
- Presents for the office move
- Gimmicky celebratory stuff for the office move
And so on with the office move – which got me thinking of why it is the job description of the PR professional to serve the purpose of promoting essential and unavoidable office happenings such as moving offices?
What is it about the PR function that requires us to add pomp and ceremony to rather mundane things or events? Event planning aside, I would like some discussion on the inherent spin characteristics that this profession has inbuilt into it.
Researching, forecasting and discussion with stakeholders I get, ordering 200 logoed pens and yoyos for an exhibition hasn’t struck me as a sensible or realistic way of achieving our missions, values or business goals.
There has been a common thread through all of the PR units taught at CBS regarding the business basis (PR moving away from intangible promotion and spin); yet in practice the PR department in many organisations spend a lot of time and money acting as the feel good center of the firm. 5 year plans one day, ordering yoyos for promotion packs the next.
However, Grunig points out that symbolic images as well as business substance is important within the PR function. Furthermore, why would it be detraction to a firm and its brand if marketing material such as note pads, banners and even a contemporary premises looks the part. As long as there is substance (a proper plan executed by the right staff) then looking and feeling professional is an important pursuit and one that benefits the whole team.
