I am a student of Public Relations and Marketing in Scotland, day in and day out I work with Scottish issues and I am heavily involved in the political scene in Scotland – however something I can’t escape is the brand of America.

Now I’ll be clear, when I say “the brand of America” I’m not referring to Jersey Shore and Big Macs. What I refer to is the pull America has as a nation. A nation built on immigration and integration – eventually. Around this time last year I visited one of the top Public Relations firms in America with my Scottish college that firm was 5WPR. Now to say I was impressed is an understatement; I was overwhelmed.

I had never experienced America really in person and only had TV shows to go on, but the design of the offices, the friendly nature of the staff and the knowledge of the impressive character who showed us around. Juda Engelmayer was clearly one of the best in the Public Relations industry and he in the matter of minutes had us all open jawed at his prowess and the popularity of 5WPR as a firm.

Now whilst studying in Scotland it seems we cannot escape PR cases from the states. It seems clear to many of us, that the most exciting PR industry is present in America – now of course our home country has many different clients – but what really gets our blood pumping is America. America has such an array of sectors within PR and is at the frontier, yet again in the Public Relations industry. The key advances are being made in America, the biggest cases develop there and of course – the biggest array of skilled PR professionals is there.

I am now in my 3^rd year of study and it is clear to me, I want to work in America – to pursue that American dream, the “dream” that was surely one of the biggest PR scores for a country, ever.  Why though? Besides the fact that every day in university we are given case studies of American firms, we are told to look at firms like 5WPR and Weber Shandwick for the right way of doing things? Well to put it quite simply – it’s the brand.

Every PR expert knows about branding and attempts not to be pulled in – but America, you have pulled many of us in. In fact I can assure you almost every PR student I have spoken to looks at America in awe and aspires to make it there.

Sure there would be differences, sure it would be a challenge and sure it would be galling; but surely as someone who works in PR that is qualities that should be there anyway? The willingness to overcome challenges, that sheer passion for your industry – and of course networking and taking advice from professionals like Ronn, buying his book (which is better than most textbooks I’ve read recently) and subscribing to his videos.

Dear America, you have one student here – the most influential PR student in Scotland according to the Behind the Spin blog, run by the Chartered institute of Public Relations in the UK and he has fallen for you.

How have you fallen for the brand of America? How do you think it could be improved?

–

Thanks, Kenneth Murray – @Kenny_murray

Guest post to Ronn Torossian blog on Ronntorossian.com

Mama, don’t take my Kodachrome, by Juda Engelmayer, SVP, 5WPR

“When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school It’s a wonder I can think at all, and though my lack of education hasn’t hurt me none, I can read the writing on the wall.”

These words, iconic and now ironic were made famous by the great duo Simon and Garfunkel at a time when the orange boxed Kodakchrome was as common as the iPod is today.  The Eastman Kodak Company, however, failed to read the writing on the wall.  The iPod, for its part, made Sony’s reigning portable music box known as the “Walkman” obsolete, but unlike Sony, which maintained its edge with other devices, Kodak failed to adapt.

The company — whose name was until only a short time ago as synonymous of the camera industry as Band Aid still is to the adhesive bandage business— was so comfortable being on top, its corporate culture could not see beyond it own greatness to plan for leaner times.

As digital imagery entered the market and the megapixel count rose to such a point that the silver coated cellulose acetate strips have gone the way of the muscle car’s carburetors, leaving it for enthusiasts and pedants, Kodak, which based its growth on the sale of cheap cameras and mass quantities of consumables such as its film, developing chemicals and photo paper, lost its market share.

Remarkably, though, the technology may be different, but the ingredients are similar and Kodak was poised for evolution.  Anyone who ever tore apart an old floppy disk knows that the memory mechanism was little more than a thin sheet of plastic.  Kodak presumably had access to the raw materials, much like the plastic film it made, but lacked the foresight to simply add an additional assembly line, if not change some out completely.

So what happened?

Kodak became complacent, hoisted on its powerful name and unwilling to see the world change around it.  Its leadership failed to predict the coming storm.  Other companies that were never before in the photography business saw an opportunity to not only create cameras that rivaled the best Kodak could develop, but to create a whole new industry.  There are the high capacity memory cards that can hold more images on a thumbnail sized device than 1000 rolls of Kodak’s top consumable films, and there is a massive network of photo sharing and editing options available online in Cyberspace.

Instead of seeing that people would now be sharing their children’s portraits on Smartphones rather than wallet sized paper photos, Kodak was still pushing the old standards.  While the family portraits on office desks across the world were being viewed on multi-picture digital photo screens, Kodak was still hawking paper fitted to cheap wooden frames.

By the time it bought its way onto the Internet with its Kodak Gallery, it was behind countless others, priced at the higher ends, and offered little communal interactivity.

The field of public relations is not so dissimilar to products that are inadaptable.  It was not long ago when the Big networks were the only news in town and the print publications ruled the news landscape.  Public Relation Firms founded in the glory days of Walter Cronkite’s recitation of the news, which felt blogs, podcasts and Huffington Post were not as “authoritative” as what they believed were the standards of news media, are likely not around today to complain about the fast pace of innovation.

Innovation and evolution are both key characteristics of companies that want to grow and meet the demands of a new era.  Technology has moved fast since the dawn of the personal computer in the early Nineteen Eighties, and it has changed the way just about everything is done today.  From manufacturing, to marketing, to the speed that information flows, complacency is not a choice a company can make anymore.  The big three American Automakers learned the hard way that resting on laurels was a recipe for failure when they lost ground to the new, less expensive and better quality foreign manufacturers.

As Kodak is looking down the gullet of obsolescence and worthlessness, companies and corporate leaders can use it as a valuable learning tool.

In the late Seventies my uncle had a cartoon hanging on his bathroom wall that I always found interesting, but I never really contextualized it until the news that the giant of Eastman Kodak was falling.  It was a drawing of a roadside with tire tracks running through a broken outhouse and a caption that read, “Technology in of itself was not the juggernaut of our destruction.  Our machines did not just lead us down the road to perdition.  They merely rolled over us as we squatted by the roadside.”

The writing is on the wall.  Don’t let it happen to you!

This was a special guest blog post to the blog of Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR

Have been neglecting my blog but have a lot of other places where information is available if you’d like information on Ronn Torossian and 5WPR.

I have been posting regular op-eds to Business Insider and welcome your feedback there: Business Insider by Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian featured on American Morning discussing crisis PR and Herman Cain.  Watch it at: YouTube Video, also a recent video about Justin Bieber’s crisis PR response.

• Quoted in USA Today Ronn Torossian talks about Kim Kardashian wedding.
• Good Morning America about Netflix.
• On Gayle King about Blackberry.

If you haven’t yet bought my book “For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations”, its now an Amazon PR best selling book.

Stay Connected with Ronn Torossian

Facebook Ronn Torossian
Twitter @Rtorossian5wpr
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Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a leading NY PR firm.

Ronn Torossian has recently become a contributor to Business Insider, and I welcome your thoughts and feedback there at:

http://www.businessinsider.com/author/ronn-torossian

A column I posted there today had my summer reading which I wanted to share:

• “Reputation Rules: Strategies for Building Your Company’s Most Valuable Asset” by Daniel Diermeier – Book spoke about the vast importance of reputation and is vital reading for anyone wanting to work at a PR Agency, marketing or I believe any business.  Just great reading.
• “The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine” by Michael Lewis – Great business book with a unique vantage point on who – and the personalities – responsible for much of the recent financial and economic crisis in the world.
• “Confessions of an Advertising Man” by advertising legend David Ogilvy – which I read at least 1x a year and always enjoy it.  A must read.

Am super excited about the release in in mid-October of my 1^st book, “For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations”, which is available for pre-order at BN.com and elsewhere: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-immediate-release-ronn-torossian/1102047620

Owning a NY PR Firm its necessary to always be reading and I enjoy it.

Ronn Torossian is the CEO of 5WPR, a Top 25 U.S. PR Agency.

Thought this story would interest readers of my blog…

Read the full article at:  http://www.pamil-visions.net/ronn-torossian-of-5wpr/229441/

Everything PR News had the privilege this morning to interview one of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs and PR professionals, 5W Public Relations’ President and CEO, Ronn Torossian. As the news of markets falling, despots being deposed, and celebrities realities reach us on various media, we talked with Ronn about the state of public relations today, and about his take, as one of the world’s great crisis doctors.

The Value of Mercury

By way of a short introduction, for the budding PR or marketer out there, who has been trapped beneath the proverbial rock, Ronn Torossian is a figure in the industry of particular influence, but even more interestingly, a bit of a paradigm disturbance when compared to other lofty communications gurus.  Ronn founded 5WPR back in 2003, and has since steered the company to become one of the top 25 PR agencies in the United States.

This mercuric growth is a direct result of not only Torossian’s skill, but a sometimes overlooked factor the reader may denote in this interview – his crystal clarity on the realities of PR, the dividing line between passion and practicality. The end result looks a great deal like transparency. But, let’s get down to PR today.

Q & A & More

The line of questioning I put to Ronn basically trended toward a schedule of current events, for Ronn’s clarification on PR now – his upcoming book being a part of this “state of PR” conversation too, so we start there.

EPR News – Ronn, your new book, For Immediate Release , is out in October, there’s not doubt readers can glean vast insight into PR concepts within the pages (based on the overview), but it begs the question; “How viable is DIY PR if people take your book in this frame?Ronn T. -  My new book, For Immediate Release, will tell many stories and teach vital lessons about the importance of Public Relations & marketing, for any size business – large or small.  PR shapes minds – creates impressions, and doesn’t receive enough value, attention or budget from businesses. I hope my book will help continue the entire PR industry to grow. That said, if one reads a book by a brilliant lawyer, they won’t become the world’s greatest lawyer, nor if they read one of Ogilvy’s books will they be able to build a legendary advertising business – and so, PR is not a DIY industry either.

EPR News – After the Tiger Woods press conference in February of last year, you called the much maligned golfer “a disgrace” – referring to his believability. For the budding (or experienced) PR, how important would you say such skills as body language training, and presentation, vocal coaching are?

Ronn T. -   Media training is vital for anyone conducting interviews, especially during crisis PR situations. We have had clients work with psychiatrists, acting coaches, and stylists – and it’s something I expect will grow in coming years as image and believability become even more important. Everything from clothing to manner and tone of speech effects how believability and trustworthy anyone is – and whether it’s Tiger Woods or a political candidate, a CEO or retail store owner, body language training, and presentation, amongst other factors, are vital.

EPR News – In a recent Business Insider article you discuss the death and legacy of Amy Winehouse, the dynamic of celebrity, alluding to that razor blade we all ride, where basically ethics and truth collide. Where is the line Ronn? In the end, where do you draw the line between PR and family – as you suggest in the article?

Ronn T. – In reference to that Business Insider article, as a PR Agency owner I was deeply touched during a recent visit to Disney with my young children to see a ride featuring Michael Jackson – Michael Jackson, a man widely considered to be a child molester has a ride at Disney? Sickness. The media creates role models, and I simply believe as a father exactly what NBA legend Charles Barkley said in his famous Nike commercials: “I am not a role model. I am not paid to be a role model. Parents should be role models. Just because I can dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.” As marketers we create brands, and I do so on a daily basis for many celebrities – and will continue to do so – but parents should set values in homes.

EPR News – Is Gaddafi that line in the sand for Ronn Torossian?

Ronn T. – Everyone has to have their own red line in terms of who they will or will not represent.  My firm has never shied away from controversial clients and this has served us well, as we have built 1 of the 25 largest PR firms in the US largely on this premise. We were named to the INC 500 list of fastest growing American companies, and have received many other accolades. Would we represent Gadaffi if approached and asked? Of course not… but have we represented people I haven’t agreed with? The answer is a resounding, Yes.  I am a registered Republican – have we worked for Democrats? Yes, of course, and will many more times.  Every company has to have their own ethics and values systems – and while it’s not something I want to share here in this venue, we have our own red lines.

EPR News – From your position as head of one of the world’s most powerful PR firms, how are social media and digital communications affecting other huge firms?

Ronn T. – Digital media has completely changed the Public Relations industry, and will continue to.  Everyone today with access to Facebook and Twitter is in the PR and media business these days – they can create trends, news and build (or break brands).  It’s fascinating, and terrifying all at the same time. We have many clients spending huge sums of money on digital media and some who are much more hesitant – in the next 3-5 years I believe digital media will continue to see major growth for the PR Agency business.

On this note, a particular area in which my agency has seen tremendous growth is SEO/Online Reputation Management.  By virtue of PR’s ability to create content – both traditional and self-created media – there is a tremendously unique opportunity to shape search engine results.  Everything indicates our growth, the industry’s growth in this area, will continue.

EPR News –   Do you think PR has changed for the better with the advent of online PR? Or, has this opened a can of worms for those NOT in the know?

Ronn T. – The PR industry is always fun, exciting and challenging.  Many firms have grown because of the new Online PR world – but I have also seen a great many in the US, and worldwide, suffer tremendously because of their lack of ability to keep up.  This is an industry which requires constant energy, constant movement, and constant strength to succeed and win.  It’s not easy, and without consistently learning and evolving, Public Relations professionals cannot succeed.  5WPR continues to experience growth, and we expect the next few years to be tremendous for our business. We are always hiring, and seeking new opportunities.

Real Clear, Real Tough Communication

I sought Ronn Torossian out for our first industry leader interview on the all new EPR, for a couple of reasons. First, having followed Torossian for a couple of years now via his Facebook and other SM postings, he clearly represents what I would call “a new breed” of communicators. Well, the stereotype is not all together new, but our position as digital evangelists, clearly identifies Torossian as “edgy” – or let’s just say a clear pied piper for 21st Century branding. Torossian is the personification of what the New York Times called; “the consummate scrappy publicist,” – the quintessential New York stereotype of Edward Bernays himself. The bottom line here? There’s just something super credible about Torossian.

Secondly, and finally, my own theories and dogma about communication (nay all of it, politics to pencils) is, there’s no time to waste getting down to brass tacks. The world has shrunk to the point now where BS and even bullets scarcely work any more. As human beings, we have to communicate better, or else. To be blunt, Torossian seems like the kind of guy who can pull this off – and with successful results. I am not talking about some BS artist lobbying another BS artist in Washington, to BS us. For those who believe the Great Recession of 2008 is actually the Greatest Depression in history – the world needs straight talkers. This is not to say things cannot get real “delicate” – but you get my meaning, I hope – we are in a crisis, and Torossian is the Charles Barkley of crisis management.

We would like to thank Ronn for taking time from his busy schedule to speak to our readership. Over the next couple of weeks, EPR will speak with many of the world’s most influential communicators. In this way, we can do our little part to bring the conversation along. Thank you too, for taking your time to read the new Everything PR News.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR