PR Nation

This week, another PR Nation young pro, Zane Landin, contributes his perspective on the topic of Hispanics in our industry. Is the PR business doing a good job of recruiting and promoting Hispanic practitioners? Zane examines the progress and the possibilities with Stephen Chavez, CEO of Chavez PR in the greater Los Angeles area, and an adjunct professor at the University of La Verne, in La Verne, California.

Also, the crew discusses the debate over vaccine selfies, Burger King’s disastrous tweet, and Buckingham Palace’s handling of racist criticisms. They also prepare for a cicada (bug) invasion and wonder why people would eat them.  One thing we know – they are not on the menu for vegetarians like Sarah!

Links:

Cicadas Coming to U.S. East Coast This Spring

To selfie or not to selfie? Why the joy of getting vaccinated is drawing backlash

Thoughts & Prayers To Whoever Runs Burger King’s Twitter & Has To Clean This Mess Up

Royal response fails to end anger over Meghan racism claims

Contributor: Zane Landin

Guest: Stephen Chavez

Hispanic Public Relations Association

PR Nation website

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter

NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars on February 18th. But even before that historic moment, audiences were engaging with the mission, signing up to send their name on a microchip to the red planet, taking pics with the lander in a virtual photo booth, and making plans to watch the landing live on social media and other NASA-owned channels. The mission is a PR bonanza for America’s space agency.

So how does NASA do it? And what lessons can other PR pros learn from the agency’s Mars PR work? Marketing expert and space junkie David Meerman Scott joins Robert to answer those questions.

Also, the crew debates the White House proposal to charge reporters for their COVID tests, and campaigns for rock group Iron Maiden, Sarah’s favorite band on this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2021 Induction Fan ballot.

Links:

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2021 Induction Fan Ballot

White House and press are at odds over plan to charge reporters for coronavirus testing

BBC apologizes for interview with man impersonating US senator Cory Booker

Guest: David Meerman Scott

Amazon: Marketing the Moon

Mars 2020 Mission Perseverance Rover website

Apollo Press Kits website

PR Nation website

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter

Today, young PR pro and PR Nation contributor Michaela Lewin tackles two topics important to practitioners today – mentorships and diversity. In her second conversation for the podcast, Michaela discusses the importance of PR mentors and explores diversity issues facing our business. Her guest is her mentor, Lauren Brooks, the Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Kettering College in Dayton, OH.

Also, the team gives a Clubhouse update, while Editor Tim points out how much PR the social audio app has received from the podcast!

Links:

Contributor: Michaela Lewin

Guest: Lauren Brooks

Harvard Business Review: PR Agencies Need to Be More Diverse and Inclusive. Here’s How to Start.

Hold the PRess Petition

Hold the PRess Instagram Page

PR Nation website

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter

Clubhouse is the new audio-only social media app causing quite a stir all over the internet. It’s been around for almost a year but only recently have most people discovered it.

Clubhouse is an invitation-only platform where people on the inside can wander virtual hallways, popping in and out of rooms filled with groups of members from around the world having live conversations about all kinds of topics.

Can Clubhouse be used as a PR tool? Robert visits with ADWEEK’s social media reporter, Scott Nover, and social media influencer Giselle Ugarte about Clubhouse as a PR tool.

Links:

Guest: Giselle Ugarte

Guest: Scott Nover

Even in COVID-19, Journalists Seek Brief, Relevant Pitches

Will Clubhouse be the next social media platform for marketers?

PR Nation website

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter

One of the biggest PR challenges during the pandemic has been event planning. Many events that worked in person are not translating well on Zoom. The result has been fewer registrations and less audience engagement. Recently, students at Boston University’s PR Lab held a virtual all-night event for charity, and their results were more than impressive. How did they do it? This week, Sarah asks PR Lab leaders Rachel Rubinstein and Remy Frohman about their approach and the results that followed.

The crew welcomes new cast mate Rachel Derby, and considers a new set of PR’s hottest questions in another round of Take 3. Also, we lose Sarah for a moment, as she disappears during the recording session. Find out where she went!

Links:

White House Reporters: Biden Team Wanted Our Questions in Advance

White House punts question on the Space Force’s future

No 10 pulls “sexist” Covid ad showing all chores done by women

Guest: Rachel Rubinstein

Guest: Remy Frohman

PR Nation website

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter

As chaotic as the last four years were under former President Trump, is there anything PR pros can learn from the experience? We ask longtime public affairs pro George Franklin what public relations people should take away, or leave behind, from the previous Administration. Franklin, the author of three books about his craft, chats with Robert in an interview recorded on Inauguration Day.

Also, the crew talks about astrology, hints at a new member of the team set to join the cast next week, and handles three hot PR issues. 

Links:

Budweiser to skip Super Bowl ads, donate to coronavirus vaccination awareness instead

After she faces the nation on CBS, PR tips for Dr. BIrx

An American Sign Language interpreter will now appear at all White House press briefings

Robert’s Blog: Don’t Tweet on the Toilet

Guest: George Franklin

Amazon: Raisin Bran and Other Cereal Wars

Amazon: So You Think You Want To Run For Congress

Amazon: Incentives - The Holy Water of Free Enterprise

PR Nation website

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter

What does it take to get an audience to pay attention these days? Screaming? Shouting? Using the F-word?

In normal times, the answer might be none of the above. But these are not normal times. And a campaign created by a group of PR students at Boston University is no normal campaign.

Why? Because the F-word is the first word in a tagline aimed at students who might otherwise blow off COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

Robert caught up with B-U Master’s graduate Hailey McKee, a member of the team that came up with a vulgar anti-COVID campaign that is turning heads.

Also, the team weighs in on whether it’s a good idea to pitch stories on Inauguration Day, a suggestion that top Biden Administration officials should dump their Twitter accounts, and the new president’s PR performance in his first few days on the job.

When it comes to the answers to the questions, Sarah and Tim say it all depends!

Links:

PR News - An Inauguration Day Conundrum: to Pitch or Not to Pitch

Contributor: Paula Chirinos

Contributor: Zane Landin

Guest: Hailey McKee

F*CK IT Won’t Cut It Campaign Website

F*CK IT Won’t Cut It Podcast Page

PR Nation website

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter

PR Nation wraps up its first season as America’s PR Podcast with a holiday sing-along. Robert and Sarah treat listeners to their rendition of the holiday classic “12 Days of Christmas” with a version written just for PR pros everywhere.

Robert also talks about the future of PR and advice for PR students with Gemma Puglisi, a 2020 inductee into the PRSA National Capital Chapter’s Hall of Fame. And Summer’s debut on the big stage is revealed.

In case you want to join in from your car, bedroom, or kitchen, we’re also including here the lyrics to the song!

“12 Days of PR Christmas” by Robert Johnson

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: A mult box with a mic tree.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Two network hits and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Four photo ops, three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Five PR plans, four photo ops, three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Six heads a-talking, five PR plans, four photo ops, three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Seven journos tweeting, six heads a-talking, five PR plans, four photo ops, three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Eight flacks a-spinning, seven journos tweeting, six heads a-talking, five PR plans, four photo ops, three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Nine cameras rolling, eight flacks a-spinning, seven journos tweeting, six heads a-talking, five PR plans, four photo ops, three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Ten press releases, nine cameras rolling, eight flacks a-spinning, seven journos tweeting, six heads a-talking, five PR plans, four photo ops, three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Eleven op-eds published, ten press releases, nine cameras rolling, eight flacks a-spinning, seven journos tweeting, six heads a-talking, five PR plans, four photo ops, three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: Twelve statements issued, eleven op-eds published, ten press releases, nine cameras rolling, eight flacks a-spinning, seven journos tweeting, six heads a-talking, five PR plans, four photo ops, three podcasts, two network hits, and a mult box with a mic tree.

Links:

Guest: Gemma Puglisi

PR Nation website

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter

Have you ever lied about pitching the media? Our guest says he did when he was younger and working for a big global PR firm. Ed Zitron is the CEO of E-Z PR, a firm that handles media relations for tech clients. He’s also the author of a PR book called “This is how you pitch – How to kick ass in your first years of PR.” Robert caught up with Ed for a conversation about the PR business. Right from the start, Ed tells it like it is, so brace yourself for a conversation that’s so hot it could melt your mobile device! 

Also, New Pros Contributor Michaela Lewin debuts with tips for PR students still hunting for a spring internship. Her guest, PR prof Natalia Lopez-Thismon, from Southern Adventist University, tells you what you need to know to land a gig in the new year.

And with a snowstorm hitting the east coast this week, the crew blames the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual learning tools for the end of everyone’s favorite school holiday, the snow day.

Links:

Guest: Ed Zitron

Amazon: This is How You Pitch

New Pros Contributor: Michaela Lewin

Guest: Natalia Lopez-Thismon

PR Nation website

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter

Is it time for you to become your own PR Boss? Maybe you’re tired of working for a PR agency or in-house for an organization. Perhaps you’ve lost your job due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Whatever the reason, if you’re thinking now might be the right time to work for yourself, then you’ll want to hear Sarah’s conversation with Michelle Garrett, a freelance PR pro since 1999. Garrett manages a weekly Twitter chat for freelancers, #FreelanceChat, and joins the show to tell you how to make the move into freelance PR.

Also, New Pros contributor Pooja Kamat makes her debut from the United Kingdom with a conversation about personal brands. Tony Byng, Director of Student Education of Marketing at the Leeds University Business School, joins Pooja to talk about the importance of personal brands, why you need one, how to start one, and if you have one already, how to make it better!

Links:

PR Nation website

Guest: Michelle Garrett

New Pros Contributor (UK): Pooja Kamat

Guest: Tony Byng

O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter