Some stories making the rounds regarding Public Relations:

I recently visited Atlantic City and have to say it’s truly an awfully unattractive, gross city.  While Atlantic City’s marketing alliance has apparently hired the world’s largest Public Relations Firm to “help revitalize the town’s tourism image”, not sure with what’s now in place they can succeed. Good PR can’t help a bad product.

In another case of the product has to be good for PR to work, apparently Montreal’s Olympic Stadium is universally perceived of as “a dark, empty place.” This weekend, a section caved-in of an “underground parking garage near the stadium” – and once again, if the product is bad, Public Relations can’t solve it all.

One often wonders if professional athletes realize that the spotlight is always shining on them – for example, Ndamukong Suh, an All-Pro NFL Player who has been previously voted “the dirtiest player” in the NFL by a poll of his fellow players. Despite that, he has endorsement deals, including Subway– so one may think with a questionable reputation he’d be upset (or at least pretend to be upset) when caught driving 91 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone. But instead, he tweeted “”Love the HATE, please keep it coming!! #PDXNEWS #ESPN No insurance?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA #toofunny.”

And as The Detroit News reminds us he stomped a player and denied it during a nationally televised Thanksgiving game, and has been involved in “two potentially serious traffic accidents — one in Portland last December during his suspension when he crashed into a tree, a drinking fountain and a light pole with three passengers in the car; and one when he was still at Nebraska when he caromed an SUV off three parked cars.” One may say this is a man who has a need for a crisis PR Agency at his disposal, and should be quiet and apologetic rather than brash and aggressive. I’d say this is a man likely to have more problems.

Ronn Torossian

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Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.