The public has had several days to digest the news that Brewers left-fielder, Ryan Braun, became the first player to successfully appeal a Major League Baseball positive drug test. To date, Braun emphatically reiterated his innocence in a press conference… Read More »When it absolutely has to be there in 44 hours – a missed PR opportunity
You’ve heard the phrase “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say it at all.”
Most of us were taught that lesson before kindergarten, but it escaped some people who hide behind screen names and spew mean-spirited comments on social media pages. Among those frequently targeted are public personalities including professional athletes and media.
While the majorities mind their manners, others who post to social media sites, as sports radio host Dan Patrick says, flex their “digital beer muscles.” You’ve seen (or been) that person. Someone has a couple of cocktails and the ensuing buzz induces liquid courage to say something you regret a day later. People who wish harm to others on social media can’t take it back. It’s online forever. Some, I’m sadly to say, don’t care.
Public trash talk isn’t new
Have we become a more cynical society? I don’t think so (although San Francisco 49ers’ Kyle Williams, who after miscues during a game that could propel his team to the Super Bowl, received Twitter death threats after his team lost to the Giants, might disagree). People have long lashed out, with horrifying and sometimes threatening words. They just did it differently. Personal attacks were unleashed via snail mail, phone calls and lest we forget what still fuels many rants: talk radio. Today, all it takes is the click of a computer key and vitriol is spread among thousands, even millions. It wasn’t right in the past, and it certainly isn’t acceptable to those of us who appreciate others’ thoughts and opinions, now.
Social media is still a great communications tool
If social media users behave so badly, you might think that I steer clients away from using the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and the rest. Not a chance! I maintain that social media, when used productively and purposefully, is the best way to communicate with audiences, build and enhance brands, establish and reengage with like-minded professionals and read quick takes from others, than anything we’ve had in the past.
Read More »When social media is cruel, keep communication lines open
As we work on a fresh version of this blog, we offer a story off the publicity path. PUBLISIDE has become friendly with some information-dishing inanimate objects lately (no, we don’t need professional help — Cleatus the Robot from NFL… Read More »Snow measurement tool is more than just a stick in the mud
Sports, among other things, can serve as a respite for fans to forget about ills in the world. This week, the wicked face that stared us from our computer and television screens came from the world of sports. As a… Read More »Whatever Penn State did with its PR efforts, do the opposite
This is one of those posts in which I emphasize to people to do as I suggest, not as I do. Just WRITE! (And produce video, too.) I haven’t written in awhile. My focus has been on client projects, but… Read More »I’ve got some catching up to do!
Then there’s LeBron. He needs no last name. His basketball career has been documented since puberty. And that’s probably why he says and does things at which we can only shake our heads. Did he physically hurt anyone? No. Did he commit a crime? No. Did he make people mad? Yes…a few (million).
Public relations is ongoing and not necessarily political. In these days of multi-media, you’ve got show a genuine heart.