Owning a Public Relations firm, a fundamental concept often ignored in our industry is the old concept of K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

Reading the papers this morning, we learn that for the first time ever, in anticipation of the Super Bowl, the National Football League (NFL) opened up media day to fans.  For only $25 fans could attend media day, sit in seats close to the field, eavesdrop via headsets they were provided and observe the interaction between players, coaches and media on a 1^st hand basis.

Big kudos to the NFL for this easy and great idea – It allows fans to feel more connected to the players (at an affordable price rather than the staggering ticket prices for the big game), and there’s very little downside for the NFL.  It’s a great simple idea, and in a world so open because of all the media outlets which exist, this is a great sports PR move by the NFL. It’s a win for all involved.

As an attendee, Mike Galford was quoted in countless newswires saying: “We’re the social media generation. We’re not going to wait for the media to tell us what happened on media day. We’re going to see it for ourselves. This is awesome.”

I agree – Kudos to the NFL.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Everyone talks about a defining moment in their lives – I vividly remember in my 9^th grade Junior High school public school class in the Bronx a teacher calmly, and clearly explaining to me – in front of the whole class how I’d never be anything in life and should recognize it now.  When I cursed her repeatedly with 4 letter words, I was sent to the Principal’s office.  When the school called my mom to tell her I’d been kicked out of class, she asked me why, and when I explained, she let the school know I was right.  And I was.

Words matter – and last night when I spoke at New York University in front of a Masters class, where “For Immediate Release” by Ronn Torossian is required reading, I thought of that teacher.

If you can’t fly then run.

If you can’t run then walk.

If you can’t walk then crawl.

But whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.

Onwards and upwards – To see some of the video footage of Ronn Torossian speaking at NYU please go to the 5WPR Youtube Channel.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

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

Some interesting recent stories wanted to share regarding the Public Relations industry:

• A retort from Peter Himler to Mark Cuban’s article: “Never Hire A PR Firm”: http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterhimler/2012/01/16/pr-for-startups-deconstructed/

• “Survey of worldwide boutique public relations agencies predict moderate to high growth for their businesses in 2012, and nearly half see social media as the major trend impacting communications in 2012.” http://www.techjournalsouth.com/2012/01/boutique-pr-firms-see-moderate-growth-ahead/

– 5WPR wont quite qualify as a boutique – but we certainly see 2012 as being a growth year (YTD up almost 20% over last year)

• Public Relations experts criticize Carnival Cruise lines: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/19/us-carnival-idUSTRE80I02P20120119

Ronn Torossian, CEO, 5WPR

“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

10 rules for success in Public Relations:

1. Attention is the most valuable form of currency in PR and marketing. Getting the right attention must be done strategically and consistently.

2. Digital media and self-created content give everyone a voice. For good and for bad, self-created content is tremendously important—and realize with today’s media world everyone’s opinion counts. Blog, comment, and join

the conversation when it suits your purposes and goals.

3. PR works best with evolution rather than revolution. If you gradually take two steps forward, you might fall back a step. That’s okay. It’s easier to recover from one step backward than it is if you hurry and take four steps at once and then another four. You might trip and fall three or six steps behind—

It’s much harder to get back up to speed from that point.

4. PR has been and will always be about building relationships. In an earlier era, you needed only to worry about a few beat reporters, gossip columnists, or talk show hosts. Today it’s also about knowing bloggers, Twitter communities, influential Diggers, Facebook groups, or other collectives.

5. Everyone loves a great storyteller—become one. Your story is your ticket to people’s hearts and minds. A great story can motivate a person to go from passive to participant. Participate in media training and then rehearse and

prepare. It matters.

6. Write well. Understand the value of communicating properly, particularly in press releases, because they will often be used verbatim as news stories—it’s called “churnalism.” Yes, there’s a name for it now.

7. Gossip is information delivered personally. Make it work for you and not against you. Think strategically: how can you use what you hear to do better, be better, and serve better?

8. Success and media attention come with a price; learn to accept it and adapt accordingly.

9. Don’t try to be something you’re not: authenticity may mean saying no to opportunities that may not fit your brand or work against your core mission and values. Politicians need 51 percent of a market to succeed; brands can

win with a much smaller market share and become very successful.

10. Don’t expect privacy. Privacy doesn’t exist in today’s open

social media world. If you post something on Facebook, employees, clients, and the media can see it.

Writing my book was a major accomplishment of which I am very proud and I hope many more read it. The book can be bought at www.forimmediatereleasebook.com, or any major book website or bookstore.

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