Global WPRF TV with Paull Young: Communicating Without Borders. What does this mean to you?

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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 what communication without borders means to him.

Paull Young: Communicating Without Borders. What does this mean to you? 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.

World PR Forum Guest Post: Communication without borders

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The 2012 World Public Relations Forum theme, “communication without borders”, is symbolic in that it celebrates the dissolution of geographic, intercultural and metaphoric barriers to communication. It reflects not only the global nature of the forum, but of communication today, which is constantly evolving, due mostly to new media.

Historically, borders were associated with expeditions. The forum’s theme reflects this idea of the exploration of the unknown, the quest towards the new frontier, and eventually, the discovery. While the forum’s theme obviously acknowledges the demise of traditional borders, an auxiliary significance lies in its salute to the new challenges we face as we find ourselves exploring new territory.

However, to say there has been a breakdown of communication borders is not to imply that the same can be said of the new complexities. The increasingly global nature of our profession calls for new methods, research and ideas, along with fresh thinking and innovation. In the lead-up to the forum, for example, I wrote about new privacy obligations directly affecting Australian PR practitioners – just one of the many new considerations global communication brings. As an industry, we have seen a growing realignment from print to online, mobile and social media.

We have had to stay ahead of the developments and tools that are changing daily, tracking commentary, success and developments with new metrics all the while.

And while we have more opportunities, we also have more chances for disaster. Brands risk new threats like negative viral messaging, fragmentation and online “trolls”. And although audiences are indeed more global and accessible, they are also more savvy, skeptical and cynical, thinking more critically and questioning information given to them.

So while the theme of the forum certainly positions public relations as a global profession, I suggest its intention is not to imply that we have in any way realised seamless global communication free from any borders, nor solved the challenges this revolution creates. On the contrary, the forum’s theme reminds us that with every new communication opportunity comes a new border – a new frontier.

While technological development has weakened other sectors, for us it actually reinforces the need for public relations. The fundamentals are now more important than ever: understanding the client’s business, good service, the value of research and a nexus with the audience. We need to ensure in a global profession that we do not just broadcast, disseminate and distribute, rather narrowcast or target our communications with good strategy.

Despite the prospect of a challenge, public relations practitioners certainly are a resilient, resourceful and adaptive bunch of problem solvers. As we continue navigating the globe, I suggest our exploration across borders could be best summarised by the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of an expedition: “a journey undertaken by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially that of exploration, research, or war”. And it is we who have the privilege and the challenge of being on the front line.

By Patrick MacDonald

Applicants for this year’s Ian Robertson Award for Queensland’s new or emerging public relations professional of the year were asked to submit a written piece on the theme for this year’s World Public Relations Forum, “communication without borders”.

After an in-person interview process with the judging panel, Patrick MacDonald, a Senior Account Executive from Cole Lawson Communications in Brisbane, was recently announced as this year’s winner and will be heading to the forum as part of his prize. This is the written component of his winning entry.

By Jove, it works!

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—Toni Muzi Falconi

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is how little our professional community is conscious and aware of the power of public relations (for the good and for the bad). We often complain that our profession is not sufficiently valued by our stakeholders, yet we are shocked when we experience that what we have to offer actually works (again, both for the good and for the bad).

Back in 1963, I was at 3M headquarters in St. Paul for a meeting of all international PR professionals. In walks just-retired, legendary founder William McKnight who asks, “John, who are all these guys here?” Senior Vice President of PR Worldwide, John Verstraete, replies, “These are all our PR people from around the world”. McKnight responds, “Well, I have one piece of advice for each of you: besides doing your good work for us, you should really focus on a world program of PR for PR in order to improve your license to operate.”

I am sure we all have scores of such memories. Eight years ago, Harold Burson spoke at an ICCO conference in Delhi and pleaded all professional associations to embark on a concerted global PR for PR program.

This is the challenge that the Global Alliance (67 associations from as many countries) accepted in 2009 following the approval of the Stockholm Accords program. Aware that many of us were ashamed of even calling the Accords effort a PR for PR program (as if this was less than appropriate), we decided to call the Accords a “brief” instead.

Personally, I attribute our hesitancy in coming to grips with the strong and often negative impact our profession bears on society and organizations to a number of intellectual and conceptual weaknesses. The first two that come to mind are:

  1. It was only in 1996 in Lisbon (34 years following the code of Athens) that the code provision by which PR remunerations and bonuses were barred from being linked to results was eliminated. This was relevant for all who believe that evaluation and measurement are an embedded part of the public relations process.
  2. We continue to this day to resist public regulation of our activities in protection of the public interest from the outside and have very ineffective, if any, implementation of our codes of conduct.

What I hope to be able to do—with the invaluable assistance of five excellent presenters—on Monday 19 November at 3:45 pm in room 312 at the World Public Relations Forum, is to prove that a number of individuals, consultancies, companies, associations and universities from all continents have indeed accepted the challenge by interpreting and adapting that brief to the public relations infrastructures of their territories. They have implemented the Accords and by Jove, it worked! Some examples include:

  • The Italian tourism industry was the focus of a 14 month programmed and concerted outreach effort by Ferpi (the Italian Federation of Public Relations). Very recent results of a survey conducted by the industry amongst its own leadership showed that 86.7% of the 276 respondents claimed that the quality of relationships is essential for the growth and competitiveness of the tourism industry. To enhance the quality of these relationships, 57% believe that specific professional competencies are essential and 35% very important. They also attributed a 4.41 value (ranging from 0 to 5, with 5 being most valuable) to communication and relationship governance professional competency. Amongst the many professional roles attributed to the public relations profession the highest ranking is “to position tourism back into the country’s political agenda” (with a value of 4.37), followed by “promoting the offer to the market” (4.33), and “facilitating interactions with tourists before, during and after their experience” (4.32). While the first deals mostly with advocacy and public affairs, the second and third deal more with our consolidated practices. But listen: integrating internal and external outreach and facilitating the governance of relationships within the industry both came well before increasing media output and publicity!
  • The Moldovan government is actively working to adapt and adopt recommendations from a research effort by an NYU Masters in Public Relations and Corporate Communication thesis dedicated to the Stockholm Accords. Based on the idea that the out-flow of Moldovan migrants is likely to continue in the future, public relations plays a crucial role in establishing and maintaining a process aimed at successfully managing these relationships. The process, centered on the idea that Moldovan migrants should be seen as an internal stakeholder, recognizes: (a) Moldovan migrants as a part of the network society; (b) Moldovan migrants have extensive value networks, both in Moldova and their host countries, and these networks can be used to gather and disseminate information; (c) Moldovan migrants are poised to be used as brand ambassadors that, when prompted, can act as advocates to internal and external publics.
  • It is impossible to measure this at a global level, but we have evidence of at least 100 theses and research projects from graduate and undergraduate students dedicated to the Accords from the UK, South Africa, USA, Sweden and Italy alone.
  • In South African universities the concept of stakeholder relationship management has restructured curricula, while the role of stakeholder relations officer has become significant in those 400 corporations listed in the Johannesburg exchange and need now to either comply or explain their integrated reporting procedures.

I sincerely hope that this effort, while coherently incorporating into the Accords the second phase of the GA project (the Melbourne Mandate, which will deal with organizational DNA, listening culture and our responsibilities to ourselves, our profession, our clients, our employers and society), will continue this implementation process. Because it is up to us—not anyone else—to shape the future of our profession.

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

About Toni Muzi Falconi
Toni Muzi Falconi, founding chair of the Global Alliance (2002-2003), is an Italian public relations professional and educator. He has 52 years of professional experience in various corporations (Exxon/Eni, 3M Company, Fabbri publishers) and consultancies (MF Communication, SCR, Shandwick, On-Off Interactive Solutions, Methodos).

He also has 20 years of teaching experience with IULM, Universities of Udine, of Bologna, Lumsa, Luiss, La Sapienza, New York. He coordinated the conception, process, editing, launch and implementation of the Stockholm Accords (www.stockholmaccords.org) for the GA from 2009 to the present day, and will be facilitating a session (Monday 19 at 3.45 room 213) titled ‘The Stockholm Accords: Achievements and challenges since 2010’ where five accords implementation cases will be presented by as many presenters from New York, Pretoria, Auckland, Toronto and Modena.

Global WPRF TV with Michael Sheldrick: How would you describe the World PR Forum?

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As a campaigner, commentator, blogger and speaker on global issues, Michael Sheldrick describes why the World PR Forum is significant.

How would you describe the World PR Forum? from Hunting With Pixels on Vimeo.

He is currently the Manager of Global Policy and Campaigns at the Global Poverty Project and a Fellow with the UWA Religion and Globalisation Initiative. One of Michael’s latest achievements is being recognized as one of Western Australia’s 50 Best and Brightest by The Sunday Times.

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

Melbourne Mandate 2012

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Melbourne Mandate 2012. from Hunting With Pixels on Vimeo.

Features:
Professor Jim Macnamara, Professor of Public Communication, UTS
Adrian Cropley, Director of Cropley Communications
Chris Gray, Managing Director of ICON International Communications

Visit melbournemandate.globalalliancepr.org
for more information about the Melbourne Mandate.

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

 

Industry leaders exploring the ‘new world’ at the World PR Forum

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Communication and connecting in digital and social spaces

The growth of social media as a core communication and PR platform is transforming traditional public relations and communication. With the explosion in online influencers, bloggers and social media and mobile platforms, are strategies and techniques developed for ‘old world’ PR going the way of dinosaurs?

IMPACT Communications Australia’s Director, Allison Lee, Bite Communications’ Roger Marshall and Young and Well CRC’s Chief Executive Officer, Associate Professor Jane Burns will explore the challenges of building brands and creating communities in this brave new world.

Facilitated by Joanne Painter from Icon PR, this session will discuss topics including:

  • Beyond Facebook and Twitter—what are the new and emerging social media platforms for PR and communications?
  • Mobile technology and apps—the new frontier • Making the global connection—why we should care about what people say about them in social media
  • Controlling the message v free engagement—getting the mix right
  • How social media is changing the rules of engagement—and how to use this to your advantage
  • How technology is being used to enhance and support communities—where are the opportunities?
  • What does the future look like for professional communicators re: skills and knowledge gaps?

“Navigating the brave new world of social media is one of the biggest challenges facing PR professionals today,” said Joanne Painter of the session. “While the early adopters have evolved their PR strategies to embrace new social platforms, others find Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms risky and confusing. In this session some of Australia’s leading thinkers and digital PR practitioners discuss the opportunities, risks and rewards of social and digital PR,” Joanne said.

Allison Lee is the founder and director of IMPACT Communications Australia, an award-winning PR agency. With more than 15 years’ experience in public relations, Allison has worked in issues management, consumer promotion, and public affairs. She is a fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Australia and regular judge of its Golden Target Awards.

Roger Marshall is the Managing Director, Asia – South and Technology Lead, Asia Pacific for Bite Communications Australia. He drives overall strategy and direction, business development and growth, and resource management. Roger integrates digital and traditional communication tools around content and online/offline communities and grows regional business opportunities to take clients where they want to be.

Associate Professor Jane Burns is the Chief Executive Officer of the Young and Well CRC. The establishment of the Young and Well CRC is a culmination of Jane’s work in suicide and depression prevention over the last decade which has focused on international and national partnerships with academic, government, corporate, philanthropic, not-for-profit and community sectors.

Joanne Painter is the founder and Managing Director of icon.pr, an award-winning digital PR agency and recent PRIA Golden Target award winner in social media communications. A former Fairfax journalist and pioneer of digital PR, Joanne leads strategy development and campaign execution for icon’s rapidly growing client roster spanning Government, Corporate, B2B and NFP clients. She also works closely with icon’s sister agency Icon.Inc where she advises on social media and digital strategy, information architecture, user engagement and online communities.

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

 

Social Media Knowlegde: Dan Kuseta interviews Edelman’s Digital Lead, Alex Lefley

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This November some of the world’s most renowned PR professionals will be descending on Melbourne for the World PR Forum.

The two day event will be a mix of panel discussions, talks and plenty of networking opportunities. Keynote speakers include Richard Edelman, Elizabeth Linder from Facebook and Brian Giessen, director at Social@Oglivy.

Alex Lefley from Edelman Australia, who will be present at the event, says that the worlds of PR and social are intertwined.

“PR and social are more interlinked than ever. At Edelman we talk about transmedia storytelling. Traditional media, hybrid sites, your own offering and social. It’s how you use all these together to tell a story.”

Lefley says the event is important because it brings the world of PR closer to Australia.

“Two of the last Cannes Lions have been won by an Australian campaign for a local product. We have some of the best creatives in the world here. The forum is an opportunity to hear from some of the thought leaders in the field.”

And of course, the chance for networking.

“When you get 700 PR’s in a room, there’s going to be some card swapping.”

The World PR Forum is on November 18 – 20 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. For more information and to book tickets visit worldprforum.com.

Posted By: Dan Kuseta on Social Media Knowlegde.

As public communication changes, how should public relations change?

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In a world where citizens, consumers, shareholders and stakeholders walk around with global publishing power in their pockets, how does the role of public relations change – and what is the profession’s value to organizations, and to society?

That’s the question the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management is trying to answer in a process called the Melbourne Mandate, named for the site of the upcoming World Public Relations Forum. The GA’s members – the world’s major PR and communications professional associations – are exploring three critical roles for PR: (1) the definition of organizational character and values; (2) the building of a culture of listening and engagement; and (3) the fulfillment of responsibility in all its dimensions – personal, professional, corporate and societal.

While these roles are not new, they take new shape and new urgency thanks to several interconnected trends:

  • the unprecedented shift in communication power from organizations to their audiences, thanks to the mass access to information and social networks;
  • the changes in our expectations of corporations, governments and institutions, particularly following the global financial crisis and its economic, fiscal and social consequences;
  • the advances in corporate governance and reporting, and the shared desire of investors and stakeholders alike for a more integrated view of an organization’s strategy, operations and performance – one that integrates both financial and non-financial measures;
  • the steady rise of intangibles such as reputation and brand in an organization’s valuation; and
  • the growing conviction among leaders that strong stakeholder relationships – built on strong communication – can both lower risk and maximize opportunity.

Following a global survey of its members and four months of online collaboration between practitioners and academics around the world, the GA released the draft text of the Melbourne Mandate for public comment this week. It reflects various arguments:

  • An organization’s character (as distinct from its reputation, is defined by others) consists of three critical strands: values, leadership and culture. PR’s role is not only to help define an organization’s character and values, but also to protect these assets by communicating authentically and ensuring that stated values actually guide the organization’s decisions and actions.
  • Listening is critical to both managing risk and seizing opportunity. It depends on having the right research methodologies in place, and involving both employees and external stakeholders in a two-way engagement process. Truly effective listening and engagement imply a duty to communicate sound reasons to stakeholders when their expectations cannot be met.
  • Responsibility starts with an understanding that an organization’s very license to operate depends on the value it creates for all stakeholders, and for society at large. It’s also a delicate balancing act, because each of us has both personal and professional responsibilities, and responsibilities to our organizations and to society at large. This is a rich topic with many complex dimensions, including ethics, transparency, accountability, sustainability and continuous learning.

The Melbourne Mandate builds on the Global Alliance’s 2010 advocacy platform, the Stockholm Accords, which defined the attributes of the ‘communicative organization’ and the value of PR in governance, management, sustainability and internal and external communication.

After the Melbourne Mandate is debated by delegates to the World Public Relations Forum on November 19th and 20th, the GA aims for it to be a tool professionals around the world can use to advocate the role of public relations and communication in their organizations and communities.

It’s clear that communication is changing the world – and transforming public expectations of organizations. Does public relations need a new mandate as a result? That’s a question worth answering – and a debate worth having.

Daniel Tisch, APR, Fellow CPRS

Chair, Global Alliance

This was originally posted on October 29, 2012 by Daniel Tisch on the Global Alliance Website

Global WPRF TV with John L. Paluszek: What is Social Media?

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John L. Paluszek is Senior Counsel at Ketchum (New York and Washington D.C.) specialising 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. Today he talks about the change of public relations.

John Pauluszek: Social Media from Hunting With Pixels on Vimeo.

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

Global WPRF TV with Paull Young: What is Social Media?

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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 about the development of social media.

Paull Young: What is Social Media? 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.