Our client, Moddest Co., is the definition of a small business. Run by the owner from her home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Moddest Co. uses locally, ethically, and sustainably sourced materials to create dog leashes from recycled billboard ads. Modest Co. is hoping to expand their product line and create a sense of community that comes with their products, thus enabling the client to break into a saturated market and compete with other boutiques- as well as international brands. This project must help Moddest Co. increase their recognition and sales. By achieving these objectives, we can help Moddest Co. reach its larger, long-term goal of building a community that cares about the environment. Click to view Scribd Document
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As you have gathered from my previous posts and the other pages on this website, I am a pretty active student journalist. This year, I took on the role of News Editor for GVSU’s student newspaper, the Lanthorn. While the job is rewarding, fun and great on a resume, it’s definitely a lot to keep up with. Every week I am responsible for generating 10-12 story ideas, then helping my team write the stories, edit and post them online. It’s a job with a lot of moving parts that is at times hard to manage. But the most unmanageable part? My inbox. Believe me, I need all the story ideas I can get, but my email is flooded every day with hundreds of press releases I don’t care about and probably won’t read. Sometimes I wake up at 8 am with 10 email notifications, and sometimes I get woken up to them in the middle of the night. It’s not unusual for me to spend 45 minutes paging through my inbox as I search for a story that matters at GVSU. Studying PR has me thinking differently about this issue than I would have before taking CAP 220. What is it about a press release that actually catches my interest? How did the Lanthorn news email even end up on these mailing lists? As an editor for a student newspaper, I am primarily interested in local news and news that is of interest to college students- sometimes that means on campus, sometimes its news about Grand Rapids and every once in a while it’s about something in the state of Michigan that I can localize. As with any news story or blog post, a press release has to grab my attention and provide the information I need right away. This typically starts in the subject line before the email is even open on my screen, but maybe there is also an eye-catching graphic or statistic, or I have had luck getting in touch with the organization in the past. Ultimately, I as a journalist look for something that is marketable. Studying both journalism and PR has taught me that the purpose of a press release is to serve the organization it is about. When I see a press release, I am more concerned with the part of the story I am not being told, and if that is worth reporting on. A 2018 survey of 500 journalists showed that 53% of US-based journalists don’t rely on press releases at all, and only 3% worldwide said they relied on them heavily. As a journalist, this makes sense to me, and as a PR practitioner, this makes me wonder about alternatives to the press release. It’s an interesting turning point in PR, as Ivy Lee’s press release in 1905 is said to be the ‘starting point of modern public relations.’The internet and social media have made it so easy to create discourse and gather a multitude of perspectives in the comments section of any post, but a press release is so one sided. When we share news online, we are interested in stories that will engage readers and lead them to read more on our website.
The same approach is being adopted by PR practitioners. Sharing information that would traditionally be included in a press release can be presented in a blog post, on social media or as a pitch emailed directly to a reporter who would be interested. These alternatives meet journalists where they are and are more likely to find those who are interested in a specific topic. As a PR professional, journalist or day-to-day smartphone owner, consider where you encounter the most news and information you trust; these are the places we need to place our content. Think about how much research you do before going out to dinner with a group of friends- what are the restaurant’s hours, do they take reservations, are there gluten-free options on the menu? If you were to head out with a group of 10 people at midnight, would you be likely to find a place to get gluten-free pizza by chance? No! Imagine being tasked with creating a PR campaign for a local restaurant chain- you would want to know as much as you possibly could about them before heading out in the dark hoping to meet their goals.
For me, research has always had an academic and scientific connotation. When I hear the word, I have violent flashbacks to a 30-page research paper I had to write in AP English Literature during high school. (Yeah, *shivers*) I picture a big stack of papers, trips to the library, and a headache from scouring online databases. This kind of research always made me feel like I had something to prove, rather than something of value to provide to others. Last year, I took a class about research in advertising- and it was a lot different. The research we were doing was intended to help create something new and impactful, not just to show what I know. While the information we found still came from scholarly journals and studies, we were using it to expand our knowledge, not just prove what we already knew. That’s exactly why research is essential in PR. You could be working with an incredible client, for an incredible cause, or with a cool product. But if you don’t know anything about the company, its goals, its publics, or what makes its product unique, your campaign will not be successful. Research eliminates doubt and can answer important questions in the early planning stage of a campaign, like your client’s reputation and who is/is not interested in a product. This is all information that can be gathered through varying degrees of research. I’m not just spitballing when I say that research in PR is different- attitudes towards research in the field, and who does it, is different from traditional research. An important 1988 study that “surveyed 945 practitioners in the US and concluded that ‘most public relations research was casual and informal, rather than scientific and precise’ and that ‘most public relations research today is done by individuals trained in public relations rather than by individuals trained as researchers.’” This is not to say that the kind of reasearch we do in PR isn't extremely valuble, accurate or "scientific." However, the nature of the field is often more concerned with public attitudes and perceptions of a brand or cause than quantitative data. It’s about what that data represents, rather than the exact numbers. Research is also important for evaluating and establishing KPI. This was something I was curious about- I never have been a numbers person, and being new to the field, I didn’t know how one would go about setting KPI expectations. Of course, it’s just another important role of research in PR. This is such an essential part of PR and early decision-making in a campaign, and research is key to setting achievable goals, as well as reaching them. We often lose sight of the role research plays in our day-to-day lives- be it in the activities we will be doing or the advertisements we see on the side of the road. When we limit our definition of research, we limit our final product. In PR, research is part of the creative process, and allows us to not only learn, but to create something unique and has an impact on the public. Considering the definition, value and breadth of an education in public relationsOn the first day of class, we were asked if public relations is a one- or two-way flow of information. I took a gamble and said one, which was wrong. I was wrong because I don’t really know anything about PR yet, I don’t feel like I could answer questions about PR, let alone go out into the world and “do” PR. Nevertheless, I am excited to be the person that can. This uncertainty is a new feeling for me, and I don’t like it. I’ve always been someone who identifies with what they are doing, strongly. I could talk for hours about the first amendment, the article I’m in the middle of writing, environmental issues, or ways to become more sustainable. I am passionate about being a high-achieving student, an advocate for environmental issues, and a journalist, and I feel that those roles are what make me who I am. When it comes to PR, I still feel uncertain about my future in the industry, but I am starting to understand the value of learning about the field and developing the skills of a PR professional. I was drawn to minor in advertising and PR at Grand Valley because I am fascinated by the power communication and language have to influence people and events. As a journalist, I’m chronicling decisions people make and the impact they have on others and the world around us. In journalism, you’re not supposed to include your own opinion or persuade someone to think a certain way. My understanding is that in PR, you are supposed to use language and communication to influence a public: to bring people to a particular conclusion, make them feel a certain way, or drive them to make a certain decision. It’s interesting to me that the same tools can be used to achieve different goals but also work together to share information. It’s important to recognize the impact you can make working in a communications field like advertising or PR. PR stands out to me specifically because of the two-way flow of communication it facilitates. Unlike advertising, PR invites a dynamic response to feedback from the public. This is incredibly valuable- as a communicator of any kind. Something that I feel strongly about is that my career will allow me to make a difference. When I was younger, I thought that meant changing the world and winning a bunch of awards. The older I get, the more I realize there are so many other ways to make a difference. This week, I reflected on the potential I have to make a difference as a PR professional- empowering a client by helping them grow their dream business or working with a nonprofit organization on a cause I am passionate about. The Moddest Co. campaign that we will be working on in class is super exciting to me because it’s a business I could see myself supporting- woman-owned, ethically sourced, with a goal of reducing waste. This is the kind of client I would love to have the opportunity to work for in my career. PR is one of the fastest-growing fields today, and as environmental impact and sustainability continue to become a concern for large companies as well as individuals, I know that my skill set will be valuable. In fact, the demand for environmental public relations specialists is expected to grow by 12% over the next ten years, but the number could increase as public interest and environmental issues continue to grow. Finding a job is a huge source of anxiety for me as a student, so it's reassuring to know I have these options. However, I know that my first job out of college isn’t necessarily going to be the perfect fit. Heck, a study in 2013 found that only 27% of college graduates work a job closely related to their major! Ultimately, the skills I take away from my coursework will benefit me much more than a specific degree. I can see applying what I learn in a PR course to work as a journalist or environmental activist- two positions where one must communicate to the public, and most importantly, listen to their response. To my fellow PR students and professionals- I'm curious to hear about a time when what you learned from the PR world came in handy in another part of your life! Was it clear to you that it came from a class or work experience, or just who you are as a communicator? In the here and now, I am so excited (and admittedly a little scared) to put my skills to the test on a campaign. I know that my perceptions of the field are going to change, and I hope that through that process, I can begin to visualize a career in PR and learn more about the industry. Ultimately, I know that the communications skills I develop in my PR in my courses will be valuable in any career I may end up in down the road. Categories |