Thought Bubble
I recently picked up Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “The Tipping Point,” written a decade or so ago about how “little things can make a big difference,” or essentially – how seeds of ideas become full-blown trends.
When the book was first published in 2000, we were just starting to see social media becoming a trend unto itself. In the late-90s it started with blogging, as people started to express themselves both personally and journalistically in a shiny, new and engaging platform. Less than a decade later, Facebook and Twitter took the social media world by storm, bringing an even more micro-personal and instantaneous nature to social networking. Now we’re watching it again with Pinterest – a trend spreading so fast that it is literally redefining “word of mouth” as I write.
Meredith muses about starting out in the PR industry and asks – what was your first job like, how did you get there and what advice do you have for students entering the workforce this summer?
As I was conducting my daily ritual of reading The New York Times yesterday morning, I stumbled across an Op-Ed piece that got me thinking – and it’s clear that I wasn’t the only one.
The letter, or rather, the treatise, has already garnered significant attention. “Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs” was written by a seasoned Goldman executive who had risen through the ranks of the firm for over a decade. The reasons for (and particularly the method of) his departure may seem over-dramatic or inconsequential to some. Yet they are – or rather, should be – an important reminder that it’s not just all about the work that we do (whether as investment bankers, PR professionals, or as hairdressers or massage therapists) but also the context in which we do it – and attitudes of those around us.
In public relations and marketing, the use of third-party spokespeople – and more specifically celebrity spokespeople – has become commonplace. Whether it's Michael Phelps for Subway or Kim Kardashian for Sketchers, brands make significant investments in celebrity endorsements with the hope that their buy-in on a product or service will equal the buy-in of millions or even billions of consumers in the U.S. and around the world.
As you may have seen in recent news coverage, it was revealed that Food Network celebrity chef Paula Deen has been battling Type 2 diabetes since 2008. On the heels of this revelation, she and her two sons were announced as the new spokespeople for pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk's diabetes treatment Victoza.
If you're familiar with Mrs. Deen's cooking shows, you know her food is quintessential southern-style cooking – and there is nothing low fat about it. As a born and raised Georgia girl myself, I can appreciate the deliciousness of a good 'ole fashion southern meal. However, the issue that many people have with this is clear. Deen is now getting paid a substantial amount of money to be the spokesperson for a diabetes medication, yet has been promoting unhealthy eating habits that are proven to contribute to this disease for her nearly 25-year-long career.
For the most part, Public Relations plays a ‘behind-the-scenes’ role — promoting, driving visibility and managing the reputation of companies and brands. It is rare that we, the PR folks, are in the media spotlight. Sometimes, when we are it is not for good reason. This was the case for Ocean Marketing’s Paul Christoforo, the former representative for N-Control's Avenger controller attachment who also doubled as their customer service agent. He was recently entangled in a hostile email exchange with an N-Control customer, Dave, that went viral after it was posted on the Penny Arcade blog.