PR vs....PR? (and Other PR Blog Jots)

Seriously?
Silicon Alley Insider
Ah, the effects of Chris Anderson’s very public rant against PR continue to spread. To say that the PR industry could use a little PR sounds like a silly cliché, but it has never been more true, particularly with two firms going at each other like kids on a school yard. Peter Kafka lists a string of emails between PR pro Steve Blinn and various staffers from Ronn Torossian’s 5WPR. 5W was listed several times on Chris’s blacklist, while Blinn avoided the public flogging. He’s now trying to use that fact to nab some clients. The result? A decidedly immature back and forth that leaves most any rational, thinking person shaking their head at how grown men (and professionals!) can behave. “But now Chris' stunt has led to something with grave consequences: A catfight between rival PR shops! Yesterday, SAI contributor Steve Blinn noted that his company wasn't on Chris' blacklist, and promptly bragged about it via emails -- some sent to clients of rival companies. One of them, Ronn Torossian's 5WPR, is retaliating by trying to nab Steve's clients and his employees.”

Considering Twitter for Business
Conversation Agent
Should your company be on Twitter? After reading the hilarious post from Vaspers the Grate on 7 Reasons Not to Twitter (in which he refers to the tool as a “rushing river of brevities,” which really is a most apt description as I’ve read), Valeria Maltoni offers up all the reasons why you should be Twittering. She compares Twitter to an advisory council, giving you instant feedback and ideas whenever you need them. Building on Vaspers’ list, she offers a positive take on each and why it might be helpful to business. “Relative anonymity may be good for business, especially to build relationships on a peer level -- no baggage good or bad, just two people having a conversation. Sometimes the brand stands in the way of innovation. If you're curious about this, or have examples to offer, I'd love to hear your take.”

The Timeless Art of Deception
Communications Overtones
Following the recent California wildfires, Kami Huyse printed a great op-ed in the Daily Dog regarding the different approaches used by the communications teams at both the Red Cross and FEMA. She notes that the former experimented in news and innovative ways to communicate vital information to interested stakeholders, while the latter attempted to deceive and manipulate. Kami rightly points out that there seems to be a growing divide between PR pros who aim to deceive and serve only the images of their clients, and those who are interested in a bigger conversation and imaginative, innovative communications.  “I used the Red Cross and FEMA as my examples, but the more broad point was that as communicators we are increasingly faced with the choice to either build new bridges with people or work to deceive them.  Some even call this deception an art, but I think true art is working to find the place where the interests of an organization and its communities intersect.”