The Public Relations Blog

When you're comparing two PR firms' offerings, be careful not to confuse price with the value of their service.

Background

The potential for public relations to create positive social change would prove its worth in 1971 when administrative leaders within the U.S. Department of Transportation sought to replace car seatbelts with air bags in all new vehicles starting in 1974. The controversial move lay with the fact that although seatbelts had saved thousands of lives, they remained very unpopular with American consumers, the majority simply refusing to wear them. The solution, some claimed, would come from eliminating seatbelts entirely, and in their place installing the newer, less irritating airbag technology. This decision would be supported despite reservations from auto industry manufacturers that airbags came with several drawbacks, including potential injury to children, damage to ear drums as a result of the explosive noise and their tendency to distract drivers attempting to navigate through accidents.

In Oprah’s final episode, she was asked if there was a common thread throughout her 25 years on air. As she reflected on decades of interactions and interviews, she distilled it down to one thing all of her guests shared:

Background

Serial innovator and entrepreneur Wayne Beckley had stumbled across what he felt was a revolutionary take on a cosmetic skin product: grape seed-based moisturisers. Research suggested that the antioxidants present within grape seeds are 50 times more powerful than vitamin E and 25 times more powerful than vitamin C in protecting and rejuvenating skin. Aptly named Merlot and marketed as a cutting-edge solution to the aging process, Beckley’s science-backed product had him optimistic about his chances of success. Initial results, however, would prove disappointing. Despite the favorable research, no one was purchasing Merlot Skincare Products and, to his disbelief, Beckley began to receive phone calls from store managers asking him to remove his “unsellable product” from store shelves.

Background

During the early 1980s, Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) Tylenol suffered a catastrophic setback due to product tampering that resulted in the deaths of seven people. News of bottles being laced with cyanide quickly spread, creating a nationwide panic that was expected to cause irreparable damage to the brand’s image. Many experts assumed nothing could be done to repair the injury done to J&J’s most profitable product. However, the pharmaceutical company would embark on a public relations and media relations strategy that not only minimized reputational harm, but also led to sales rebounding to pre-crisis levels.

PR Success Stories: Headblade

Background

Faced with the onset of baldness from an early age, Todd Greene realized he had two options: either spend a lifetime using hair products, or shave. Choosing the latter, he soon realized the cumbersome unsuitability of traditional razors when used on one’s head. Todd sensed an opportunity and designed “HeadBlade,” the world’s first razor to sit comfortably under the hand, created specifically for head-shaving. However, to Todd’s disappointment, big companies such as Gillette and Schick were unmoved by his invention.

When I’m not toiling away in front of the computer, I love to plan future vacations that hopefully won’t be too far in the future. Almost every week I pray that there’s one on the horizon, even if it’s just a short weekend jaunt.

Background

Victoria Knight-McDowell, a 2nd grade school teacher had developed a blend of 17 herbs infused with zinc, amino acids, vitamins A, C and E, and marketed it as a natural preventive and cure for the common cold. In an effort to gain greater publicity for their product, Airborne, Victoria and her husband relied primarily on utilizing the general public’s approval and affection to spread knowledge of the brand.

Background

Charlie Lubin’s decision to utilize the power of public relations in promoting his baking company, Sara Lee, is perhaps one of the best examples of how a PR agency’s creativity can turn a small startup into a nationally recognized, multi-million-dollar corporation. Founded in 1949, Sara Lee’s unique concept lay in creating cheesecakes with real butter and extra eggs, a stark contrast to the typical industry practice of the day. Charging 79 cents per cake, Lubin had customers paying more than double the price of his competition. Chicagoans didn't mind, it seemed, as Sara Lee's cakes increasingly became a city-wide sensation. Seeing the full potential of his cakes, Lubin decided to implement a national expansion. His only roadblock was his financial inability to pay for a costly advertising campaign.

Anticipating a specific public relations crisis isn’t always possible. Unanticipated crises pop up on social media so often (and spread so fast) that companies can find themselves in deep trouble even when they did the right thing.