Public Relations for the Greater Good, Does It Exist?

By: Tess Stevens

The words truth and public relations aren't ususally hand in hand. The biggest issue, in my opinion is the way PR officials are viewed by the public. They are akin to lawyers in the way of trust. The "kill the messenger" mentality mentioned in the Bulldog Reporter article is alive and well today, just look at celebrity PR reps. Whenever a celebrity does something questionable people often blame the representative that gives the information despite the truth. Its kind of a paradox, because as a public relations leason, you're supposed to serve who you work for, and if who you work for is questionable, then the people who consume your information might view you as questionable too.

Delving into the specifics of the Bulldog Reporter article which polled many young and experienced media professionals, it was obvious that most PR Reps do not always agree with their client. It is their job to do what is in their best interest, in the eyes of the public, of course. The people interviewed in this article made it very clear that there is in fact credibility in the industry. There are skeazy reps and there are upstanding reps. Not everything is done for personal gain, and not everything is done with intentions of ruthless pragmatism.

The article, goes on to say that public relations is much more than a tol of marketing. To write professionals off as "yes men", which is the main construct of the article, would discredit them as problem solvers and fixers. PR professionals do a hell of a lot of good. A campaign I came across that really exemplified this was the Stand Up 2 Cancer project.

Charity PR:

These campaigns really get the word out about life threatening diseases and causes that diserve our attention, for instance:  Stand Up 2 Cancer

This PR Campaign enlisted the help of celebrities in good standing with the public like, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Hudson, Denzel Washington, Gwenyth Paltrow and others to spread the message and information provided by the charity. This campaign, was for the greater good and is soley to raise awareness about cancer and its many vestiges.

This is an ethical example of public relations. Its not just gossip columns and celebrities, sleazy corporations and low lifes that recieve public relations assistance, its charities, non-profits and academic offices that need the service of a professional.