Some interesting articles which I thought were worth presenting to readers of my blog and are suggested reading

• “12 publicity “hooks” to promote your products” – I agree, gimmicks work…

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505183_162-57424966-10391735/12-publicity-hooks-to-promote-your-products/

• Pippa Middleton hired a crisis PR agency – The only surprise is it seems this is the 1^st time she has consulted a Public Relations expert – can that really be the case after so much attention?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/9248338/Pippa-Middleton-picks-PR-professional.html

• Australian media reports that journalists will soon be outnumbered by PR pros

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/journos-face-being-outnumbered-by-merchants-of-spin/story-e6frg996-1226348193567

• 9 tips for handling a crisis on Twitter:

http://www.prnewsonline.com/watercooler/9-Tips-for-Handling-a-Crisis-on-Twitter_16420.html

As always, I welcome your feedback.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

More than a month ago Greg Smith slammed Goldman Sachs in his high-profile public resignation letter. Since then its been continual crisis management for the investment firm.  The job of their crisis PR team wont be getting easier anytime soon – In the newest scandal to hit Goldman Sachs, Prosecutors have started a new insider trading probe against a current employee of the firm.  Combine that with the upcoming insider trading set to start May 21 for former Goldman Sachs Group director Rajat Gupta and it ain’t looking too pretty.

The Goldman Sachs brand is continually being chipped away at and it is very harmful to “Brand Goldman Sachs.” Liken it to a boxer who is continually taking body blows in the midst of a fight – how many bodyblows can Goldman Sachs stand before it does real damage ? Publics need to know that Goldman Sachs is secure – and that these negatives are isolated, and these continued negative occurrences damage the Goldman Sachs institution.

Google Goldman Sachs – On page 1 & 2, 30% of the entrees are negative. A very negative reflection of one of the world’s largest financial institution – and proof that Goldman better immediately get to work on managing their online reputation. Goldman Sachs has to realize there are two courts involved when it comes to crisis PR: the court of law and the court of public opinion (think Casey Anthony, who may have been found “not guilty” in a court of law but is certainly guilty in the court of public opinion). Both courts matter immensely.

Brand Goldman Sachs is being defined by courts and negative op-eds in high-profile papers. Goldman has a real problem – The legal system at odds with the media system; court proceedings are, by design, long, complicated, and tedious. And media goes on and people form opinions from media (which demands immediacy). Customers, employees, and others are following the media and forming opinions.

Goldman Sachs is facing a court of public opinion which is immediate and viral. Reporters, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, 24/7 cable news, search engine results, etc., aren’t waiting for the next investigation of Goldman Sachs – they are making decisions now.  One of the world’s largest financial institutions – so talented and amazing in so many areas needs to handle their public relations with the same efforts as it handles money.

On May 21, 2010 Lloyd Blankfein said in a public address: “We did a good job managing risk; we did a less good job managing our reputation.” Smart people usually learn from their mistakes – clearly that isn’t the case here as the Goldman Sachs brand doesn’t have a communications plan – and needs a crisis PR Agency asap.

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a leading NY PR Agency.  He is also author of “For Immediate Release”, a best-selling PR book.

2 interesting articles I came across this weekend I wanted to share:

• Interesting read from The Washington Post:

Ozzie Guillen story – Suspension is over but the Public Relations crisis may continue: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/ozzie-guillens-suspension-is-over-but-the-public-relations-crisis-may-continue/2012/04/19/gIQAmJYETT_story.html

• The world’s largest PR agency issued their annual global trust survey – a great read for anyone in publicity and especially anyone who works at a crisis PR firm – http://trust.edelman.com/

Always appreciate your feedback on twitter and on facebook.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Ze’ev Jabotinsky, a great Jewish leader had the following great quote:  “A newspaper is a grand thing,” Jabotinsky wrote in 1932. “There is no labor of higher worth than that of the journalist, whether he writes instructional articles or reports on a robbery that took place yesterday in the slums. Like the function of the blood circulating through the body, or like the function of commerce in the international market, so is the function of journalism in the realm of the spirit…Who were the first to teach us to always interfere in matters that are not ours, to judge people and nations, even though we were never chosen for the position of judge? The work of the publicist is a legacy from the Prophets of Israel…Our passion is to speak, to proclaim—“Shouting” is what the same audience calls it, ‘we have no need for words, give us actions.’ One thing that audience forgets is that speech is also an action – Perhaps the most authentic of all other actions. Cities have been destroyed, and more will fall, but what was shouted in the wilderness thousands of years ago is alive and still relevant. The world was created by the Word. The world will be mended by the Article.” Ze’ev Jabotinsky was a journalist who published many articles and books.

“Publicity geniuses are different from you and me. They have the stomach for it. This temperamental combination of imperviousness and egomania that allows them, compels them, to dominate the media . . . means, too, that they dominate reality, that’s their world and we just . . . well you know.” Michael Wolff, writing in Vanity Fair

“The public relations warriors fought and lost Monte Carlo’s Battle of the Magazine Covers.” John Vinocur

“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” Malcolm X

I love quotes and found these on media and public relations to be thought provoking and interesting.

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

Some recent media coverage on the Public Relations industry which I found interesting:

• Carl Icahn, the legendary business investor is trying to buy a company and in doing so has blasted the company’s “PR Machine and Board.” He goes on to say – “I tell you this not to boast but in the hope that you will take very seriously what I have to say about CVR and ignore the distortions disseminated by CVR and its PR firm.” http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2012/03/19/carl-icahn-cvr-energy-is-distorting-the-facts/
  • What a badge of honor for the PR firm.  They are pushing their clients’ interest so aggressively that Icahn, who is opposed to their current client is upset. It’s a major compliment and I say kudos to whoever is representing CVR.
• The Wayne, NJ School system has hired a public relations firm “to better expedite and facilitate all of its media inquiries” for the grand total of $2,500 per month for a 3 month period – And that’s worthy of a feature story in the Bergen Record? If one extra teacher is recruited, if one extra positive story placed which results in additional government funding (or a private donation), if say 100 less complaints come from parents because a PR pro communicated properly is that not money well spent ? Why is it that hiring accountants, lawyers, and other professional service executives is OK but PR is always the evil step-child? Tired of it – and over $2,500 per month?
  • Although I must say it’s rather ironic that the Chairman of the PRSA is the one being questioned in the media as he was hired by the Wayne School District. The PRSA has been clapping themselves on the back about all of their work defining public relations, and as I have written “I think PRSA and the other organizations advocating for PR should be speaking to potential clients for our industry rather than taking 1,447 votes from people who work at PR Agencies, or 947 definitions from PR firm staffers.”
• Good read in the Miami Herald on how small business owners can “get free online publicity” - http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/18/2696816/10-tools-to-help-small-business.html

Ronn Torossian

5WPR