Author Archives: World PR Forum

Have we found the ‘Higgs Boson’ of public relations in our advances measuring value?

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The International Coalition for Public Relations Research Standards was formed earlier this year to create a broad platform of standards and best practices for public relations research, measurement and evaluation.

In an afternoon session on day two of the World Public Relations Forum, join John Croll, the chief executive of Sentia Media, and John Paluszek, the senior counsel of Ketchum and immediate past chair of Global Alliance, Michael Ziviani, the founder and chief executive of Precise Value and Kieran Moore, the chief executive of Ogilvy PR Australia as they present and explain the latest developments of these standards.

Hear more from John Paluszek about this crucial session for all PR and communication practitioners:

“ ‘Highly elusive, but existentially necessary’. That’s both the ‘Higgs Boson’ and public relations measurement of results. OK, a little hyperbole there. But still …”

“Like ‘Higgs’, public relations measurement has been pursued by experts for decades. Also like ‘Higgs’, public relations measurement can give ‘mass’, or heft, to all the elements of our practice. One more thing: Both explorations have been conducted with a variety of concepts and approaches. “

“Now, as with the pursuit of the ‘Higgs’, there may be the coalescence approaches in public relations measurement—mainly, the development of standards. And just in time, because many of the organizations that we work for are demanding better empirical evidence that their commitments are getting the results they need.”

“Not that these clients and organizations don’t respect public relations and our contributions to organizational success. With increasingly regularity, they are elevating the function in management, increasing expenditures and placing more value on organizational reputation and brand (our turf).”

“This high-importance subject will be examined at the Melbourne World Public Relations Forum in mid-November. But it’s only one of many program elements that are attracting registrants from around the world. That’s why I’m anxious to be there.”
—John Paluszek

More information can be found at www.worldprforum.com or the World Public Relations Forum can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.

Communication without borders…or marketplace competition

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When it comes to sharing information about global public relations, standards and best practices, it’s great that typical marketplace “competition” borders can be put aside.

Katie Sheppet, account executive at Edelman Melbourne, conducts an atypical PR Conversations tête-à-tête with John Paluszek of Ketchum (USA) and immediate past chair of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management, a featured speaker at this year’s World Public Relations Forum (WPRF).

“Evidence: About 5,000 companies have signed on to the United Nations Global Compact, in which they pledge to operate in concert with the Compact’s 10 principles clustering in environment, human rights, labor rights and anti-corruption. And the related new trend to companies regarding “integrated reporting” is an obvious public relations “sweet spot.””

“In order to achieve global consistency of messages and outcomes, many top corporate communication officers must organize, coordinate, motivate and reward hundreds of employees spread all over the globe.”

Check out the full interview which was first published on PR Conversations here.

Exploring the new world of consumer communication at the World PR Forum

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Consumer and lifestyle brands: from fast moving to the slow movement.

In an afternoon session on day one of the World Public Relations Forum, top professional consumer communicators will dissect the new environment of consumer behaviour.

Join Samantha Allen, the agency director at Liquid Ideas, and Andrew Ure, the managing director of OgilvyEarth Ogilvy Public Relations, as they look into the future at that role communicators will be playing to influence consumers.

Consumer behaviour has changed dramatically over the past five years. With new online and mobile app technology, the collapse of traditional consumer buying priorities, coupled with the evolution of the new global consumer has created a new world for consumer communication.

Consumer brand loyalty can be built up and demolished in a heartbeat forcing companies to have intimate, meaningful and honest contact with their customers through a number of ‘touch points’ frequently.

How professional communicators operate and provide counsel in this new environment where communication has no borders requires new tactics, strategies and a constant eye on the brand reputation.

“As the architects and communicators of brands big and small, we are all irreversibly immersed in the ever-increasing worlds our consumers inhabit. Our always-on consumers demand always-on brands, and in turn, as communicators we strive daily to see around corners, with a relentless curiosity and eye for the new. For every trend, there is a counter-trend and for every truism there are endless exceptions.  In many ways the new era of consumer communications demands the old skills of listening, of striving for insight, of influence and of creativity – but recrafted in richly nuanced ways that inspire and connect with the micro and macro consumer groups of today and beyond.  What a fascinating time to work in our profession!” said Samantha.

Samantha’s global experience spans Sydney, London, New York and San Francisco, all with a focus on accountable, insight-driven ideas that influence consumer behaviours.  She recently joined Liquid Ideas to help lead the business through its evolution as Australia’s largest, fastest-growing PR and communications agency, working with Singapore Airlines, Carlton United Breweries, Kelloggs, Destination NSW and Kraft.

Andrew has over a decade of experience in strategy and communications in both the public and private sectors, with a particular focus on sustainability, climate change and community relations. Before joining OgilvyEarth, he spent eight years with the Australian Government, where he led negotiations for Australia in UN climate talks and chaired a working group of the Kyoto Protocol.

More information can be found at www.worldprforum.com or the World Public Relations Forum can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.

Paull Young: Two Words that Describe PR?

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Named 2011’s industry ‘Rising Star’ by the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation, the Director of Digital at charity: water, Paull Young describes public relations with two words.

Paull Young: Two Words that Describe PR? from Hunting With Pixels on Vimeo.

Previously Paull has led award winning campaigns for 500 clients including Graco, Kohler, Telstra and Citrix as the Senior Account Director at Converseon, an Award winning international social media agency.

He also initiated Australia’s third PR and Marketing Blog “Young PR” in 2006 and is now an influential blogger at paullyoung.com. His work has been featured on FOX News, the Wall Street Journal, Sydney Morning Herald, CNN.com, NY1 and the Australian Financial Review.

The World Public Relations Forum can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.

Video Interview: Daniel Tisch – Chair, Global Alliance for PR & Communication Management

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This time next month the World PR Forum will hit Melbourne.

Convened by the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and hosted by hosted by the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA), the forum will take place over three days from November 18-20 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. 

Central to the forum will be the Global Alliance’s Melbourne Mandate for Global Communication, which aims to build an international consensus on a new “mandate” for the organizational and societal value of public relations and communication management.

I recently caught up on Skype with Global Alliance chair, Daniel Tisch, to chat all things:
  • World PR Forum,
  • the Melbourne Mandate,
  • ‘communication without borders’ (the forum’s theme)…

… and ending with a brief discussion on social media and how it’s changed the modern day public relations practitioner, and why the skills of the PR generalist are still relevant today.

See the original post on Trevor Young’s official blog.

Who ever said PR was immoral?

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Often when I tell non-industry people that I work in public relations and communications, their immediate response is, “Oh, so you’re a spin doctor!” I attempt to energetically explain exactly what it is that I and colleagues in the industry do – sometimes it works and my listener takes a step back to understand, but often the cynical ones don’t.

Before working in the industry, I’ll admit I had only a vague understanding of what PR practitioners do and didn’t hold them in very high regard. And yes, my opinion has definitely changed.

During the past few years, I’ve attended numerous industry events and met countless people who work in PR both in Australia and abroad. It always strikes me how passionate the majority of these people are about what they do and above all – how important professional integrity and being honest in their job is to them.

Whenever I meet someone new from the industry now, I always make a point of finding out about whether they believe in the company and clients they work for, and only very rarely do I get a lukewarm response. Often, they are picky about who they will get involved with, and it usually comes down to whether they believe in what the organisation or company does and stands for.

There’s something slightly noble about bringing groups of people together, creating networks and connections, helping to find and share stories with the world and assist a business or organisation in achieving its goals. In my (slightly idealistic) mind, a good PR practitioner and communicator will help make the world a better place.

Sure, the garden of PR doesn’t contain only roses. There are nasty affairs which PR departments don’t handle very well (think the recent Coles $1 milk controversy in Australia recently) and it’s only logical that these incidents cause people to be distrustful of the profession. There are some shady practices (think buying ‘likes’ on Facebook and fake tweets), pushy agencies, incidents of ‘spin’ and dishonesty – but these sorts of problems exist in every profession known to humans.

Being a very young profession in an increasingly cynical world inevitably means that PR will come under fire. But as the world also becomes more savvy and connected through social media and rapidly developing technology, there is also vast opportunity for it to affirm its position as a reputation builder and minder, the increasingly important link between organisations and their informed stakeholders and messenger of good, true stories (people see through most things these days).

And perhaps – just perhaps – public relations needs to go on some reputation-building campaigns of its own so that people don’t just think we’re immoral spin doctors.

Slavica Habjanovic is the External Communications Advisor at international design practice HASSELL. Currently based in Melbourne, she completed her Bachelor of English/Sociology at the University of Zagreb followed by a Master in Publishing/Communications at the University of Melbourne. Previous roles in her career include having worked as a translator, journalist and film festival director. A PRIA member, Slavica also currently works in her spare time as an editor at the weekly Croatian Herald newspaper. She is particularly interested in digital strategy, the changing role of the media and PR for the arts and hospitality industries.

John Pauluszek is motivated by the role PR plays in global understanding

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John Pauluszek talks about what gets him out of bed in the morning.

John Pauluszek: What drives your career? from Hunting With Pixels on Vimeo.

John L. Paluszek is Senior Counsel at Ketchum (New York and Washington D.C.) specializing in reputation management and corporate responsibility.

He is immediate past chair of The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management; liaison to the United Nations for the Global Alliance and the Public Relations Society of America; and a member of The Commission on Public Relations Education.

More information can be found www.worldprforum.com or the World Public Relations Forum can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Hear John Pauluszek’s view on communicating without borders

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John Pauluszek explores the World PR Forum’s theme, communication without borders.

John Pauluszek: Communication Without Borders. What does this mean to you? from Hunting With Pixels on Vimeo.

John L. Paluszek is Senior Counsel at Ketchum (New York and Washington D.C.) specializing in reputation management and corporate responsibility.

He is  immediate past chair of The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management; liaison to the United Nations for the Global Alliance and the Public Relations Society of America; and a member of  The Commission on Public Relations Education.

More information can be found www.worldprforum.com or the World Public Relations Forum can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.

 

World PR Forum focuses in on stakeholder communication

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Stakeholder-centred communication in global organisations—Monday 19 November 2012

The first day of the business program at the 2012 World PR Forum will include a close look at stakeholder centred communication in global organisations.

Facilitated by Jean Valin, the session will include Allianz’s Director of Group Communications, Emilo Galli Zugaro, Phillips’ Andre Manning, Ketchum’s John Paluszek and Maria Cristina Milano from Enel Group. The panel will discuss a GA report on excellence in corporate public relations entitled “Who has seen the future? ” which will be released right after the panel session. The panel will explore the characteristics of nine companies and more specifically how the modern communicative organisation places the stakeholders at the hub rather than at the spokes of their communication efforts and how this involves more listening than talking.

The results of the study will contrast and compare how each company has tackled the many challenges of today’s social media dominated environment including how to align communications activities across continents, how CSR is a ‘way of life ‘ in successful organisations. Moreover, it will explore the critical role played by an open and transparent corporate culture in achieving goals and objectives and facilitate change.

With less than two months until the World PR Forum, it is shaping up to be an impressive event with 700 delegates from 24 nations and all continents already registered.

More information can be found at www.worldprforum.com or the World Public Relations Forum can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.