Random musings from some weekend reading:

• Of course at the Oscars and at other celebrity events, brands will pay celebrities for associations.  “There’s a hugely evolved culture of paying to wear clothes and product. Some actresses sign four-event contracts to wear designers, with giant perks and huge money,” says a Hollywood insider.  It’s quite true that those who know won’t speak specifics – but it absolutely does happen. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/a67a61c0-5c87-11e1-8f1f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1nM9zqvGG
• Richard Edelman is one of the few big PR Agency CEO’s who gets it – and I found this article from an India paper to be a great read. “I differ with the traditional view of public relations as image and message manager. Smart PR is sitting at a table in the C-Suite advising a company what the policy for the firm should be. When you have the appropriate policy, the communication follows. There has too often been a divide between what you do and say. And it is not good enough any more to say smart words. You have to have smart deeds. The big difference in the post-2008 world is that trust in business has fallen substantially.” http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/today-public-approval-is-central-to-business-richard-edelman/465636/
• Even the normally reclusive private equity industry now understands that everyone today is in the world of public relations – “The Private Equity Growth Capital Council released a video detailing Blackstone Group’s purchase of The Detroit Medical Center in 2010 through platform company Vanguard Health Systems Inc. and the firm’s subsequent $850 million investment to fund capital improvements. The video and attached press release said the investment is expected to create about 5,000 construction jobs, as well as have a “lasting impact on the city of Detroit.” The video is part of a series of steps PR firms are taking for the private equity industry as part of a campaign known as “Private Equity at Work.” http://blogs.wsj.com/privateequity/2012/02/24/private-equity%E2%80%99s-lobbying-group-goes-viral-to-stem-attacks/

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a leading US PR Agency.

Spent nearly half of this week ensuring that a certain issue wouldn’t appear in the media for a  client of my crisis PR agency, and happily I can report – nothing was published. As such, I thought to share an excerpt from my new PR book: “For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations”:

Life Happens: Manage Crises Immediately: Problems Ain’t Going Away on Their Own,

and You Can’t Outwork Them – “There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” —Henry Kissinger

Working in PR is often like working the ER night shift on a 100-degree summer weekend. You never know what’s going to happen next. Product recall. Sexual harassment. Not wanting to rat to the police. Involvement in a shooting. Bankruptcy. Corporate merger. Affair with a secretary. Fraud. Government investigation. Protests at corporate headquarters. We have worked through all of these situations and more with our clients. I’ve helped major corporations, small businesses, and celebrities get through a fair number of troubling times, from financial scandals at a Fortune 100 company, to countless indictments and accusations, to arrests at New Jersey construction companies, to trials and legal proceedings for celebrities like Lil’ Kim, as well as average Joes.

One key lesson learned from these experiences is that even though there are times when you can get away with burying your head in the sand, a crisis that brings media attention isn’t one of

them. Drop what you’re doing and address crisis situations as they happen; it’s impossible to sit behind a computer and “outwork” catastrophes. Your entire business, or your whole life, can be changed by one article or one rumor, true or untrue. And that can leave a permanent negative hit to your company’s reputation. The old scandal may appear at the top of your Google search results for a very long time; even if you use a great search engine optimization campaign, bad news can be found, and will forever live online. Worried? You should be.

“It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” —Warren Buffett, investor

Ronn Torossian is the CEO of 5WPR, a crisis PR firm.

Over the weekend I had a chance to reflect upon my Friday. As people often ask what a day looks like in running a PR agency, thought to write about it. Tiring, exhausting and great all at the same time.

Started early with a 530 AM job, bike and light lifting – followed by 8AM midtown breakfast with the premier US NY Russian attorney, Edward Mermelstein.  Ed’s a client and friend we have worked for many years – and always enjoy hearing his take on the world.

• Had a 930 AM strategy meeting with a client, followed instantly by a client conference call with my team
• Quick internal meeting followed by returning 2 calls – 1 new business call (scheduled a meeting for next week), and returned a call to a Reporter
• The afternoon saw a 30 minute break to return emails, catch my breath, and before I turned around it was time for a internal staff meeting with 1 of my teams
• Had a new business meeting end of day – and then more returning emails, calls to Mark Birnbaum of EMM Group about an upcoming event for a client, Elie Hirschfeld about a recent media story, and the like.

Its always something different – moving fast and making it happen.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Truth is, ‘positive thinking’ is immediately associated with the ‘self-help’ shelf in your closest Barnes & Noble, but it is much more practical than you might think. My experience in business, and in life makes me more confident on how positive thinking can get you where you want to go.

It is said on Sir. David Ogilvy that during the early days of founding the legendary Ogilvy ad agency he’d go in the office and ask: “Well? Did Coca Cola call already?” Every single morning. Until they actually did. Coincidence? You may think so, but owning a Public Relations agency, I can testify: positive thinking integrated into our lives can make a difference.

Here are 5 suggestions:

1)      The power of imagination. It is taken for granted, not fully utilized and seldom used to leverage one’s professional direction. The truth is imagination is the very first –and very far- achievement towards where you want to get. It could be picturing yourself with a new client, picturing your new office, imagining a media coverage piece on recent major achievements of yours. Anything you picture on a daily basis consistently can materialize physically.

2)      Act as if you already possess what you want. Sometimes we hold back on actions or emotions just because we “aren’t there yet.” A simple tip: Pretend you are there and you’ll find yourself happier, and more fulfilled with what you are currently doing.

3)      Communicate positively.  People are often skeptic of their abilities, and great PR people (and generally business people) recognize that passion is key. It is crucial not only to be passionate about your own job, but on the brand, firm, personality you’re representing. Your positive passion on a product can radiate far, and will be genuinely reflected in your media pitches, releases and placements.

4)      What you give out is what comes back. You claim you can’t do something? It’s certainly harder if you don’t try. Express positive outcomes to ideas, initiatives and efforts. Don’t look for why it WOULDN’T work. It is well reflected in the methods of professional brainstorming. You do not rule out ANYTHING that is brought up. Apply it to something in your life.

5)      Communicate. Yes, it’s a funny tip to offer communicators and public relations practitioners but it’s easily forgotten and is being deserted. Pitching the media? Connect over the phone. Following up? Give ‘em a call! When we express ourselves verbally (and positively) we attract better results. Less space for gaps in mutual understanding, and better personal relationships.

5 basic tips for the Public Relations practitioner and beginning positive-thinkers, but if applied daily it can be life changing.

Ronn Torossian is president and CEO of 5WPR, one of the 25 largest independent PR firms in the U.S. Named one of the top “40 Under 40″ by PR Week & Advertising Age, Torossian was a semi-finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.  His PR Book “For Immediate Release. Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations” is available at bookstores nationwide.

• Who’s a bigger Public Relations genius than Sacha Baron Cohen ? (or who has created more PR nightmares for certain folks than his character Ali G ?) Never one to miss a marketing opportunity, Cohen is hoping to attend the Oscars playing the Admiral General Aladeen – the character he will be playing in his new movie The Dictator – and folks are worried about what sort of publicity stunt he’ll pull off when there.   He’s succeeded in the past – At the MTV Movie Awards in 2009 in character as the gay fashion reporter Bruno he was lowered from the ceiling and landed on Eminem’s face.  His new movie comes out in March and one wonders what he’s got planned for viewers. I for one as a huge Cohen fan cant wait. More at: http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Sacha-Baron-Cohen-Get-Away-With-Publicity-Stunt-Oscars-29572.html )

• The talk of the boxing world is a brawl which occurred between heavyweights David Haye and Dereck Chisora – and whether it was a publicity stunt to generate interest in a potential fight between them. One was arrested, and the other is being sought by police.  The promoter Frank Warren says its hogwash to suggest that it was a publicity stunt: “I would say they [those suggesting it was a stunt] were total idiots. I’m sure if you think somebody wants to do a stunt like that – to get hit with a bottle, to wind up in a Munich police station … You’ve just got to be a complete moron to come up with a suggestion like that,” Warren told Sky Sports News.

All press is not good press – and I cant believe that this was staged… More for review at: http://www.espn.co.uk/boxing/sport/story/136983.html

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a leading Public Relations Agency.