FEATUREPR’s greatest ‘tricks’ revealedThe marketing arena can easily be <strong>com</strong>pared to a three-ringcircus. A few clowns, a few death-defying leaps and a ringleaderwho’s expected to single-handedly bring it all together. Of course,we can’t forget the one person everyone expects to see — thegreat magician, shrouded in mystery, quite dramatic and neverwithout ability to manifest greatness from thin air at the drop ofa hat.By Allison BrinkmanSo, in a recent RFP, when the <strong>com</strong>panyasked what PR “tricks” ouragency had up our sleeves, I cameto the stunning realization that there reallyare people out there who expect publicrelations <strong>pr</strong>ofessionals to yield resultsnothing short of magical.Believe me, if this were possible, allPR <strong>pr</strong>actitioners would operate from thebeach. Clients could check in at thesmoothie stand every so often; we couldwave our wands a couple times a day forgood measure.That sounds much more attractive thanfighting winter rush-hour traffic inCincinnati, but if you want to know thereal secret about PR that everybody onthe inside wants you to know, here it is:journalistic perspective. A good agency<strong>pr</strong>actitioner is able to objectively look ata <strong>com</strong>pany and see which messages willbest strike a chord and motivate <strong>pr</strong>ospectsto action, and how these ideas can beapplied to trends in media or pop culture.The <strong>pr</strong>oblem is, <strong>com</strong>panies have thetendency to be<strong>com</strong>e so wrapped up intheir own mission statements and etherealideals that they fail to see how theycould be using their strengths to capitalizeon current trends. This is why we sooften see epically long releases about abusiness offering the triumvirate of theobvious: quality, service and value.These same <strong>com</strong>panies also wonderwhy they aren’t achieving the desiredresults. The difference must be that wand.And for my Next Trick: Getting thatstory in the paper!Even some of our most well intentionedclients sometimes forget that wecan’t get every story placed every time.It’s been said that if placements were thateasy to attain, all you’d read about wouldbe PR firms. And it’s true — you’ll neverfind an industry of <strong>com</strong>panies moreenraptured with declaring their love ofthemselves. If there really were a magicPR “trick,” you can bet you’d be hearingabout it everywhere.Magic implies illusion and deception,and at the end of the day, wouldn’t your<strong>com</strong>pany rather be recognized for somethingyou know a lot about over somethingthat was concocted just to get you inthe paper? No magic wand. No smokeand mirrors. And absolutely no tricks.Just a good eye, a little tenacity and a passionfor news.You see, there is no “trick” to goodpublic relations. It takes consistency, hardwork and a little flair.Allison Brinkman is Public RelationsManager of the Eisen Marketing Groupin Cincinnati. PR BriefsPETA TARGETS RINGLING BROS.People for the Ethical Treatment of Animalsplans to educate the winning PR firm in thepitch for the six-figure Ringling Bros. andBarnum & Bailey Circus account that "it's intheir best PR interest" to cancel the deal, DavidPearle, senior media coordinator toldO'Dwyer's.That doesn't sit well with FeldEntertainment, parent <strong>com</strong>pany of RinglingBros. Steve Payne, VP-corporate <strong>com</strong>municationsat Feld, called PETA's move an "absurdattempt to impose themselves" into the PRselection <strong>pr</strong>ocess."We have received excellent <strong>pr</strong>oposals froma number of quality firms that have done theirown due diligence on PETA," he said. None ofthose firms have quit the <strong>com</strong>petitive pitch,Payne told O'Dwyer's.According to Pearle's e-mail, PETA plans toshare "backstage video footage showingRingling trainers beating elephants, behindthe-scenesphotos showing the inherent crueltiesinvolved in training baby elephants."PETA has already sent emails to CEOs of topfirms calling Ringling Bros "a PR nightmarewaiting to happen."Executive VP Tracy Reiman is quoted as saying:"There's not a PR team in the world that isslick enough" to over<strong>com</strong>e the various allegedabuses by Ringling "all for the sake of a fewcheap tricks."Ringling refutes charges of animal abuse. Itoperates a conservation center for elephants,animals that it refers to as "pampered performers"that star in the "greatest show on Earth."26JUNE 2010 WWW.ODWYERPR.COM
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