The backers say the programme will provide an alternative but recognised path into an industry dominated by graduates. The qualifications that can be achieved through the scheme will be equivalent to a foundation degree. Up to 600 apprenticeship roles will be created over a three-year period.

Francis Ingham, chief executive of the PRCA, said: ‘The PR industry contributes £7.5 billion per year to the UK economy. It’s about time we had an apprenticeship scheme to ensure a steady stream of high calibre candidates for our industry.’

The apprenticeship is designed for young people who want to pursue a career in PR but do not wish to pursue a degree course. The aim is to attract a fresh and diverse audience, and it is hoped that the apprenticeships will begin by September next year.

John Hayes, UK Government skills minister, said: ‘The Government is putting apprenticeships on a level with academic study, enabling young people to gain degree level qualifications while earning a wage and learning a trade.’

Academic qualifications body Edexcel and the CfA, an apprenticeships framework company, will also be involved in the development of the programme.

PR practitioners know more than most people how important reputation is, and I believe it should be a priority for the sake of trust and credibility. This bad reputation has been around since the very beginning of the industry’s existence and you could argue that the blame is to be shared by the industry itself as well as the media.

Fiction isn’t fact

With news media using negative connotations such as ‘spin’ and ‘PR ploy’ the public will naturally be affected accordingly. If your closest link to PR is what you read in the news then why would you trust the so called ‘spin doctors’ that do PR for international dictators, publish fake blogs in favour of superstores, cover up corporate gaffes, and spin political messages? And since fictional and non-fictional TV entertainment such as ‘AbFab’ and ‘The Spin Crowd’ present PR practitioners as rather unprofessional and slightly hysterical the portrayal of the industry is highly unfortunate.

I know, and people working in PR know, that there is so much more to public relations than what is being shown through popular culture, but does the general public know that? I am not so sure.

I think the reason why people may doubt our career choice is because of the fact that they might not be entirely sure of what we do. I have encountered this doubt numerous times, even within my own family with my mum being rather sceptical.

The devil’s work

Tove Nordstrom

A Swedish copywriter who is an old friend of my (slightly aggressively) left-wing and feminist mum finds my choice of career highly amusing and couldn’t help asking me at his house-warming party a few months back: “Does your mother know you work for the devil?” Now, he works himself in the communications industry and he absolutely loves provoking my mum so it was meant to be a joke, but you see my point.

I usually manage to somewhat change people’s perceptions by explaining the good uses of PR and highlighting the importance of communication within democratic societies, but the twisted perception amongst the general public is worrying.

Mainly in relation to the industry’s credibility in terms of public influence and organisational decision-making, but also in regards to recruitment and performance since episodes of ‘The Spin Crowd’ might put distorted views of professionalism in the minds of potential recruits. Mark Borkowski writes in his blog how The Spin Crowd represents ‘the old cliché of what PR is supposed to be about’ so there are certainly some unfair portrayals coming through via popular culture.

I do realise I am starting to sound rather pessimistic. This is not my intention, because I am actually optimistic about the industry’s future as well as mine. Graduation is approaching rapidly for all third year PR students and it is high time to consider possibilities, but also to contemplate aspirations.

Why did I want to pursue a career in public relations in the first place? What type of PR practitioner do I want to be? What organisation or agency would I really like to work for? I believe that questions like these are truly important in order to establish a sense of professionalism but also to develop a passion.

A passion for a brand, for storytelling, for digital media, or perhaps for a good cause in need of communication strategies. Genuine passion for what you do shines through and it could be an essential quality when communicating a message in order to make the receivers trust, value, and be encouraged of what you have to say.

Twestival goes local

An inspiring and topical example is Twestival which is happening for the fourth time on March 24^th 2011 worldwide when it will be delivering local organising fundraising events for local charities. A simple and experimental initiative by Amanda Rose and friends grew into this fascinating event that has connected people all over the world with the aim of raising money for an immense number of causes worldwide.

This year Twestival is going local which means that small local charities that normally might struggle with getting noticed will be able to benefit from the engagement and mass-communication that happens through Twestival.

The visible passion and commitment is crucial to an initiative like Twestival in order to make online as well as offline action happen. And it shows how powerful well-targeted communication can be, even if it is being done in no more than 140 characters.

Doing PR for a good cause does not mean you necessarily need to save the world through your work, it can also be about encouraging transparency in corporate businesses, promoting creativity in the digital world, or even providing communication tools for people in remote parts of society.

There are evidently positive aspects of the PR industry and as graduates we will have the chance to practise these, and to show a sceptical public that there is more to public relations than spin, cover-ups, and desperate publicity stunts in Hollywood.

The content of this new textbook is very informative whilst being easy for students to understand. This makes the book worthwhile to read if you are a marketing professional, a PR professional or a university student.

The authors are all highly experienced in the fields of marketing, communications and PR. Maria Hopwood, a senior lecturer in public relations at Leeds Metropolitan University, is also an editorial board member of Public Relations Review and the International Journal of Sport Communication.

Paul Kitchin lectures in Sport Management at the University of Ulster, whilst also working as deputy editor for the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship and serving on the editorial board for the International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing.

James Skinner is an Associate Professor in Sport Management at Griffith University in Australia. He publishes in leading sport management journals and along with his co-authors is a member of the editorial board for the International Journal of Sport Communication.

The book and its content have been carefully written to illustrate the changing world that of sport public relations. Some key themes that are apparent just from the contents page are the depth that the book goes into, for example the role of PR in sport is shown from the fans, the club and the players perspective.

The book is written from an international viewpoint. Some key international case studies that I found were useful and relevant to the modern day are the case study looking at a social media experiment involving the NFL franchise, Indianapolis Colts. This case study explores the benefits of using Web 2.0. Another interesting case study looks at a PR crises over the years within American sport, the study picks out three major crises:

1. The positive testing of anabolic steroids by a Major League Baseball player
2. Kobe Bryant’s rape allegations
3. Ray Lewis’s murder allegations

This case study looks at the techniques used to calm the media storm following these crises. The book is very up to date surrounding newer technologies. Along with the recent technology trends, the book also looks at recent scandals and issues such as the recent problems in international cricket.

‘Sport Public Relations and Communication’ is a fresh and relevant take on the role of PR and communication within contemporary sport. This book provides a wealth of in-depth examples from a variety of sporting nations.

The book draws on a wide variety of sources, some coming from Dr Jacquie L’Etang at the University of Stirling and Professor David Shilbury at Deakin University, Australia.

The only criticism I have of the book, is that there is a lack of diagrams of theoretical models, which makes it very wordy.

To summarise, this book is an essential resource and I’d recommend it to anyone with an interest in communications, PR and marketing in sport. The case studies in the book are relevant to the modern day world and provide an insight into the professional world of sport.

Reviewed by Joe Mirtaheri (a Sports Marketing and PR student taught by Maria Hopwood at Leeds Metropolitan University)

http://whoisprkarl.blogspot.com/

The Award is intended for those interested in a career in PR, be they students, or entering from other fields, such as journalism, and is particularly useful for anyone whose degree discipline lies outside of public relations, media or communications.

My own degree is in English Literature and Religious Studies, which – while useful, being both creative and analytical, and encompassing knowledge of other cultures – is hardly amongst the most commonly requested subjects by agencies or companies. However, this is where the Foundation Award comes in.

While it will undoubtedly prove unnecessary for those enrolled on CIPR-approved degree programmes, the course has for me been invaluable in gaining solid, fundamental knowledge of the industry.

At just over £600, it can, at first glance, appear a little pricey. However, after completing it, the Award is undeniably money well spent.

Course content

The Award is a three-day intensive crash course in all the essentials of the industry: from developing practical writing skills, to learning about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and crisis management. It also explores media relations; the CIPR’s code of conduct and ethics; takes in a brief history of PR from Edwards Bernays through to Max Clifford and current CIPR president Paul Mylrea; and the role of photography in the media.

The course is unique in that each class of students brings their own different ideas and opinions to the course, coming to the forefront in group activities: when it comes to brainstorming case studies, everyone has their own enthusiasm and humour to contribute, which really enhances your overall learning experience. It is undoubtedly a cliché when it comes to PR, but it really is the people who make it what it is.

This also includes the tutors – who prove approachable and happy to answer your every question, regardless of how big, small – or in my case, obvious – it is, also on hand to supply help, if needed, via email.

Only one topic struck me as odd in its absence, given the ways in which it has revolutionised how we communicate, and that is social media. The course could perhaps, in future, incorporate a stronger element on the topic, exploring the influence of Twitter and Facebook, considering that they have now – perhaps sadly? – become a staple in most PR campaigns. However, the CIPR is savvy enough to keep evolving, so it will only be so long now until the syllabus incorporates the topic.

Assessment

It was only when it came to discussing the exam that we all felt a little nervous. It consists of three parts: Part A – a report on number of studied PR topics, including CSR and crisis management; Part B – an essay question, arguing both for and against a claim; and Part C – a press release. But after just three (albeit thorough) days, was this enough to pass the exam?

Exam day itself wasn’t without its hitches, including my laptop crashing and the internet refusing to connect, but within minutes, City Lit – one of the venues for the Award – had emailed me a copy of the paper as a back-up.

However, all was well when a month or so later, I was overjoyed to receive the email saying: “Congratulations! You have passed the CIPR Foundation Award in Public Relations … with a Merit grade …”.

The course has proven even more informative in that, for me, it has solidified the thoughts I had prior to enrolling on the course: that I want definitely to pursue a career in public relations.

Here is how the Award can benefit you:

1. It is a nationally – and internationally – industry recognised qualification

It is equivalent to a vocational A-Level or NVQ3, and is registered as Level 3 on the NQF (National Qualification Framework).

2. It increases your employability

The Award looks great on your CV. It also demonstrates to employers that you have dedicated both your time, and money, to gaining sound, academic knowledge of your industry – that you are taking your career seriously. Plus, if your degree is PR-free, then it will also give you valuable material to discuss in interviews.

It shows a commitment to investing in yourself. Employers, after all, will only invest in new graduates if we illustrate that we are willing to invest in ourselves.

3. Networking

Your time on the course is a great opportunity to meet new people in the field: from those at the beginning of their careers (like me); those with more experience, working in PR or related sectors (enrolled on the course by employers, for example); and the tutors – experienced practitioners themselves – who each have their own unique insight to add from personal experiences.

The course is in itself a chance to network, and our class was exchanging email addresses within minutes. So be sure to add your fellow students on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

My advice to anyone contemplating enrolling on the CIPR Foundation Award is to not hesitate, as I really could not recommend it more highly.

It is a strong, instant knowledge platform on which to build further PR experience and education, including the CIPR’s subsequent qualification, the Advanced Certificate (which I myself hope to enrol on sometime soon).

Have you completed the CIPR Foundation Award or another professional course? Leave your feedback below.

The Communicative Relations Awards from PR Professionals (The CRAPPs) have been launched to celebrate the special relationship between the media and public relations professionals.

To celebrate the relationship between journalists, bloggers and PRs, www.theCRAPPs.com has been launched by 10 Yetis PR Agency, in association with Daryl Willcox Publishing, the company behind Response Source, FeaturesExec and SourceWire.

The light-hearted awards are split into three steps:

1.       Nominations – open until 30^th November 2010

2.       Voting – open from 1^st December until 14^th December 2010

3.       Results – will be released 15^th December

There are five personal award categories, and one group award.

Categories are as follows:

1.       The journalist that makes you feel warm and furry on the inside

2.       The ‘most likely to tell you to sling your hook’ award

3.       The ‘best blogger’ PR award

4.       Least twattish Twitterer – the must follow journo

5.       Journalist you’d most like to bring to the dark side (employ as a PR)

6.       Most approachable national newspaper

Nominators can tweet their nominations, and nominate as many times per category as they wish. The ten most nominated names will be shortlisted for step two on Wednesday 1^st December, where voters will get the chance to vote for their favourite per category. Final results will be made public in time for Christmas, on Wednesday 15^th December.

Rich Leigh, account director at 10 Yetis PR Agency, had the following to say, “We wanted to have a bit of fun in the run-up to Christmas, and what better way than to make light of such a hugely contentious issue as media relations?

“The public relations calendar is already full of awards, but the difference here is recognising the relationship between journalists and PRs in a way that hasn’t ever been done before, whilst having a laugh at the same time. Knowing some journalists, being the recipient of the PR-voted ‘most likely to tell you to sling your hook’ award would be the perfect way to kick off Christmas!”

Daryl Willcox, chairman of Daryl Willcox Publishing, said of his company’s involvement in the awards, “As a provider of services that help PR professionals and journalists connect with each other we couldn’t resist being involved in these awards and look forward to the nominations and votes rolling in.

“Journalists and PRs may not always see eye to eye, but with the festive season fast approaching I’m sure hatchets can be buried momentarily as PRs doff their respective hats in the direction of the media.”

The CRAPPs can be found on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thecrapps

It is a timeless and sobering message about an industry frequently hampered by egos and tarnished by greed. As a Spurs fan it is impossible not to absorb his wisdom.

Donna Cullen is Spurs’ executive director with responsibility for communications and like everyone else at White Hart Lane, keeps Bill Nicholson’s ethos central to all her operations.

She is acutely aware of the demands of the modern, media savvy Spurs fan, and with echoes of Bill’s famous quote tells me, “The supporters are the most important stakeholder at our club, they have our upmost respect.”

Cullen says that the Spurs board operate with the belief that they will never truly own the club, stating proudly, “Spurs will always belong to the fans.”

That notion shapes the refreshing manner in which Tottenham Hotspur chooses to communicate.

If the fans are the heartbeat of Tottenham Hotspur, then the communications team is the conscience.

As a result, Cullen knows that it is paramount for the supporters to receive the latest, and of course most accurate news, first. She upholds an unwavering focus on maintaining an ongoing dialogue and accountability at all times, because the way in which supporters view the ownership of football clubs has come full circle.

Honest dialogue with supporters

Cullen explains that, “The need for regular and honest dialogue is essential. Supporters now want to know about the business side of their club also – twenty years ago, less even, that wasn’t the case.”

One of the biggest and most decorated football clubs in Europe, Tottenham Hotspur has responsibilities that extend far outside their football remit. The ‘Tottenham Hotspur Foundation’ for example, is the club’s vehicle for corporate responsibility.

It isn’t flimsy, good-on-paper PR by any stretch. It is instead dedicated example setting roll your sleeves up and make a difference PR.

That approach is something Cullen deeply values: “We have millions of supporters so we are an excellent conduit for getting a message out.” That then, in essence, is the modern day arm of football PR. Nicholson might well approve.

“Perversely addictive and uniquely challenging” are the words used by Cullen to describe her feeling towards football. I will second that.

Ups and downs at Bournemouth

Niall Malone: student, fan, employee

In my two seasons as press officer at AFC Bournemouth, the club went into (and thanks to a takeover came out of) administration and a transfer embargo.

They dismissed two managers and appointed a fans’ favourite, but rookie, manager Eddie Howe. The club also rebranded its commercial image, released legendary centre forward Steve Fletcher, survived relegation from League Two on the last home game of one season and gained promotion to League One the next.

Stressful moments were plentiful, dull ones less so. All things considered though, there isn’t one single episode I wouldn’t relive.

Cliché as it sounds, the idiosyncrasies of football tear up most rulebooks, mine included, and I am without doubt richer for the experience.

Even at League Two level, the potential football has to engage the public is substantial. It should come as no surprise then that on a grander scale, the World Cup is the planet’s most watched sporting spectacle.

The greatest show on earth

There are few occasions that offer the almost universal appeal of this month-long tournament. Points of engagement for retailers, sponsors and their communication teams are both significant and plentiful; electronics, food and drink, clothing, the list goes on. For example, ‘The British Beer and Pub Association’ estimated that three million people attended pubs and clubs for England’s final group game, while Sainsbury’s and Tesco also reported a surge in sales of World Cup themed merchandise. It isn’t coincidence either.

Marketing teams push their creative boundaries to drive sales, and in public relations it is important to be adaptable throughout a tournament famed for the unpredictable. Carling, for example, are running a series of ‘live’ adverts that air with the final score just seconds after the game has finished. The brewer has recorded over four hundred different scoreline combinations to ensure every eventuality is covered! Sensibly, both McDonalds and Carlsberg also have flexible marketing initiatives that they can tailor according to England’s progress.

The most successful campaigns are the ones that begin prior to the tournament. Once the competition begins, few messages break through the noise of the event itself.

Take for example, Nike’s “Write the future” campaign which debuted during the Champions League final, an entire month before the World Cup’s opening match. A report by market research company Neilsen claimed that Nike’s campaign has had twice as many references related to the World Cup than its rival and official World Cup partner, Adidas. Nike’s success is thanks in no small part to interaction with the fans.

The advent of social media has turned everyone into a pundit and Nike have capitalised on this by offering supporters the chance to send a fifty seven character message to a player of their choice, these notes then being displayed on big screens in the South African host cities.

This is the first World Cup ever to be held in Africa so unsurprisingly interest is high, very high. An estimated three thousand journalists and fifteen thousand radio and TV personnel are expected to frequent the press boxes and media centres of South Africa’s ten host stadiums.

The logistics of managing the demands and intrigue of the media masses is immense.  FIFA employ seven senior media managers and forty four press officers to ensure everyone, within reason, gets what they came for. The Football Association assume a similarly robust stance. The England squad are flanked by four senior media personnel. Adrian Bevington, the FA’s communications director, oversees their operations. A number of press officers and operations executives complete the rest of England’s second most important squad.

The FA’s PR strategy

For the most part the FA has succeeded in portraying a warm, football focused image. Proactively, pre tournament preparations were good. An excellent high altitude training facility in Austria was secured and from there the squad moved to a world class leisure complex in Rustenberg. This base camp allowed for engagement with the public, notably a visit to a local orphanage and free entry to a warm up game for ten thousand local children.

Reactively, they ensured stability by confirming that manger Fabio Capello would remain in charge after the World Cup, following intense speculation linking him with Inter Milan. They also moved quickly to apologise in the wake of Rooney’s rant after the Algeria game. Moreover, an open approach to rumours of dressing room unrest helped to quash most of that speculation. We may never know if there was mutiny in the training camp, but the constant stream of senior players (armed with a consistent message) at press conferences served to reassure all stakeholders.

I tend to agree with the old adage that it’s the performances on the pitch that will leave the lasting impression on your audience.

Indeed history dictates that a poor showing at a big tournament leads to a comprehensive and unrelenting attack on not just the team but the entire organisation they represent.

The reality is that football is now a business and a big one at that. Shrewd operators and expert tacticians are necessary throughout a football club – and not just in the dressing room.

Niall Malone is a PR student at Bournemouth University, currently on placement at The Football Foundation. He has previously held customer care, marketing and media and communication positions at Tottenham Hotspur FC, AFC Bournemouth, The Vancouver Whitecaps FC and at Deltatre Media.

Tara Cronin

Manchester student Tara Cronin has been voted the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) National Student Representative of the Year 2010. Tara, who is studying for an MSc in International Public Relations at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, beat off competition from 18 fellow students from around the UK to win the award. 

Every year the CIPR appoints student representatives who work with each regional committee and compete for the title of CIPR Student Representative of the Year. As part of the accolade, Tara has won a one-year paid placement with BioMed Central in London, an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher, which has pioneered the open access publishing model working with Matt McKay – one of the UK’s first Chartered Practitioners – during her placement year. 

Commenting on the award Dave Sanders, Chair of the CIPR North West committee, said: “I can’t congratulate Tara enough on this tremendous achievement.  She’s worked hard this year, attended the committee meetings and really made the most of the opportunities presented to her. I know she’ll go on and do the same during her placement year and her subsequent career.” 

On receiving the award Tara said: “I was appointed student representative of the CIPR North West in September 2009 after being elected by my classmates. 

Michael White

“To prove I was Student of the Year I had a range of tasks to perform, including promoting student membership to course members and liaising with the North West CIPR group. I am also responsible for organising a student event that aims to provide me with the practical knowledge and skills required in events management. 

“The coming year will, no doubt, be a busy one, full of great learning potential. This is an amazing opportunity that will present many challenges to enjoy. I am really looking forward to meeting and working with the BioMed Central team.” 

Congratulations must also go to Michael White who was this year’s runner up for the title. Mike also did a fantastic job as rep, regularly securing media coverage, attended CIPR group meetings and also held a social media conference which saw over 60 delegates in attendance. Michael is now about to begin a one year placement at Microsoft.

Absolutely laborious

My days of thinking that being in PR was like Eddy from Absolutely Fabulous are long gone…. but secretly I still long for some of this.

Carly Smith

Swishing around from one party to the next, working the room and talking to famous people who all want you to represent them.  The uniform would be a pencil skirt and shirt, hair up in a chignon and a pair of glasses perched on my nose.

Sadly this isn’t true. Parts of my dream may overlap with the reality as I do get to speak to interesting people and I do get to attend parties and functions – but the amount of work that goes into it wasn’t portrayed in the programme.

It always amazes me how every news story, person in the public eye or business shows the potential for PR to play a positive role. Only this week Max Clifford has made a comment on what he thinks that Sarah Ferguson should do after her latest ‘Andrew Scandal’.

Kerry Katona has turned her life around – ditched the old boyfriend, lost weight, started a new career and moved house – due to the use of a good ‘manager’. My money is that her new manager has had some PR training. The fact that she was nearly bankrupt and had admitted to taking cocaine has now been forgotten as stories of her dramatic weight loss, make over and new mansion fill the papers.

So what is PR?

Andy Green, author, partner in Green PR and creativity entrepreneur states: “PR is about getting you the word of mouth you deserve.” I agree with this, especially the words ‘you deserve’.

Many entrepreneurs work for years on a project and never seem to get anywhere. If PR can equip them with tools to get their message out there and ‘show off’ their work then it can only be positive.

Jane Crofts, a PR lecturer at the University of Lincoln with extensive experience within the PR industry, thinks that: ‘PR does what it says on the tin – it builds relationships with people to make things happen, prevent problems and create positive interest. It’s about telling stories and creating ‘organisational narrative’ to use some jargon and it’s about leadership at all levels, not sitting back and waiting for the inevitable stasis.’

In time like these when the country is emerging from a deep recession it is easy for businesses to sit and let other factors take over. PR enables companies to get out there and do something for themselves.

PR to me – well it is my life. This sounds a bit sad admittedly but I would bet that most people in the industry never switch off from work. I live and breathe PR and I certainly wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mutually beneficial relationships

Successful PR for me is like giving out rose tinted glasses to the public and equipping them with positive information before they look at your product or the person you represent. There is also the task of limiting the amount of bad information that is revealed. Whilst carrying out these tasks you make contact with a lot of people, these relationships have to be kept mutually beneficial or at least seem that way.

So when someone asks me in an interview, ‘what is PR?’, I think I will be able to answer…

Carly Smith is a student at the University of Lincoln currently working at Shooting Star PR on its ‘Rising Stars’ placement scheme

If you want to see more from the scamps @10Yetis then why not have a look at their YouTube channel

10 Yetis also offer the days news in pill form, with their “Daily Headlines” mailing list.  If you like to be added to the mailing list then please  email emmak@10yetis.co.uk

The event in Leeds city centre will be led by the national Time to Change team and is the latest strand of the Leeds campaign, ‘balls to stigma’, aiming to reduce stigma around men’s mental health. Mind** research shows that men can struggle with being open about mental health issues and are less likely to seek help than women.

People in Leeds are being asked to join celebrities like Frank Bruno, Gok Wan, Trisha Goddard, Mel C and Amanda Lamb in helping to end mental health prejudice by attending a special visual pledge event on Briggate, Leeds. The Lord Mayor, Councillor Judith Elliott; National Director at Time to Change, Sue Baker and Men’s Health Professor, Alan White will be expressing their support for the campaign at the event.

The fun-filled day will feature the chance to add your pledge and photo on the spot to a giant mosaic pledge board or make a video pledge. There will also be a football challenge activity facilitated by Leeds United Football in the Community, with players from the Leeds United Ability Counts Programme. They will be showcasing their footballing techniques and encouraging members of the public to get involved. There will also be a chance to win your very own signed Leeds United football shirt.

Whether you pledge to support a friend or family member who has a mental health problem, speak out about your own experiences of mental health problems, or pledge to attend a Time to Get Moving event in October, just come down and get pledging!

Chris Butler, Chief Executive at Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our Trust is determined to combat the stigma experienced by people with mental health problems, and it is great to continue our work with the national campaign team at Time to Change. This event will really help to drive home the damaging effects of stigma and will encourage the local community to pledge their support for the campaign.”

Time to Change is England’s biggest and most ambitious programme to end mental health discrimination. The campaign is run by leading mental health charities Mind and Rethink, and backed by £16 million from the Big Lottery Fund and £4 million from Comic Relief.

Sue Baker, National Director at Time to Change said: “Leeds has always been a great supporter of Time to Change and we are thrilled so many local organisations and representatives are making a pledge to end mental health prejudice. I am looking forward to seeing the people of Leeds also make their pledge to stamp out stigma at Wednesday’s event, where Time to Change will be coordinating a giant live pledge board that everyone is invited to get involved in.

“The public’s support combined with endorsements from celebrities like Frank Bruno, Trisha Goddard, Ruby Wax, Gok Wan and Patsy Palmer, who have all made a Time to Change pledge, will go a long way to bringing about positive change to attitudes towards mental health problems.”

Almost 5,000 people across England have already pledged to do their bit to help end mental health prejudice at www.time-to-change.org.uk and now people in Leeds are being given the opportunity to get behind the campaign.
So far, celebrity pledges have included:

Frank Bruno said: “As a boxer, you can always see the opponent you’re fighting. Mental health problems, and people’s narrow-mindedness about them, are not so easy to see. That’s why I pledge to support Time to Change – to help make this issue visible and something we can all fight together.”

Gok Wan said: “I’m pledging my support to Time to Change, because it’s time we all understood more about mental health problems and how we can support friends and family.”

To find out more about the ‘balls to stigma’ local campaign go to www.stopstigma-leeds.com

The Eclat team (From left to right) Laura Miller, Lauren Burke, Lydia Cambata and Kimberley Toulson

The annual competition, launched 16 years ago, offers students the opportunity to showcase their professional abilities in a competitive board room environment whilst also identifying the PR talent of the future. Over 50 public relations students from Leeds Metropolitan were provided with the brief for one of Grayling’s current clients; the task was to create a strategic PR plan to establish the client brand at a national level.

After a competitive pitch at the University, four teams were short listed and invited to Grayling’s Leeds office to pitch in front of a panel of judges including Grayling Divisional Director, Justin McKeown, and Leeds Metropolitan’s Senior Lecturer in PR and Marketing, Shirley Beresford. The standard was so high, two teams shared the prize – Stark PR, comprising of Amanda Fox, Lauren Foster, Alice Harper, Adam Lewis 22 from Manchester and Gwen Youlden 22 from Lichfield, and Lauren Burke 22 from Chester-Le-Street, Lydia Cambata 22 from Hitchin, Kimberley Toulson 22 from Congleton and Laura Miller 22 from Epworth from Eclat.

Leeds Metropolitan PR alumnus Justin McKeown said: “This year’s competition was one of the most aggressive yet, hence Grayling being unable to pick only one winning team. All the teams were noted as having performed exceptionally well in this ‘real life’ competition with ‘real’ clients and ‘real’ situations.”

The Stark Team (From left to right) Adam Lewis, Lauren Foster, Amanda Fox, Alice Harper, Justin McKeown from Grayling and Gwen Youlden.

The winners will be presented with their £1,000 prize at the Leeds Metropolitan Business School graduation ceremony this summer.

Lecturer Shirley Beresford said: “Grayling’s sponsorship of the student competitive pitch prize is vitally important to the reputation of the PR degree, preparing our students for their entrance into the PR industry. In the increasingly competitive world of work, ongoing employer collaborations and relationships of this type are crucial when equipping our PR students with the experience and skills that will set them apart from others in their career. We are enormously grateful for Grayling’s support for the young PR professionals of the future.”

Amanda Fox of Stark PR said: “We are all thrilled to have won the pitch against such tough opposition. Competing in a real pitch situation was the perfect opportunity to showcase our progression throughout the course in preparation for our transition into full time employment. We’d all like to thank both Leeds Metropolitan and Grayling for providing us with such a fantastic project!”

10 Yetis is an award winning consumer PR agency based in Gloucester that counts leading national brands such as MyVoucherCodes, IKEA, TotalJobs, Tweetminster and Just-Eat.co.uk amongst its current and former clientele.  10 Yetis are particularly student and graduate friendly, in that contrary to common industry standards, PR internships at the agency are paid, and the team have recently started to create short videos with a view to giving tips to people starting out in the PR and media world. 

Rich Leigh, Account Manager at 10 Yetis said: “Being aware of the headlines is much more than just being able to ace the pub quiz, or irritate your mates with constant updates as to what’s going on in the world.

“The media agenda is constantly changing, and the modern PRO needs to change with it.  Piggybacking on news stories is one of the best ways to provide journalists with topical additions to current stories, especially if you can quickly gather a survey-led reaction on behalf of your client.

“If putting together a survey isn’t possible or perhaps necessary, always send a short reactive statement if you have a client that relates to a current story, as there’s a chance your client’s voice will be added to the debate.  If nothing else, it makes you look on the ball and who knows, you could soon be shaping some of those headlines.”

Here is an example taken from today’s headlines:

The Guardian 

Headline: Deadline day for Tory deal – Clegg has given himself until the end of the day to make a decision on whether to back Labour or the Conservatives, with Clegg said to be surprised by Cameron’s flexibility. 

Sub1: Brown waits for Birnam Wood to advance on No 10 – Like the embattled Scottish King (Macbeth) holed up in his castle, watching Birnam Wood march on Dunsinane, Brown sat in No 10 knowing that, a few yards away, enemy forces were gathered, preparing to combine and seize his crown. 

The Metro 

Headline: Power pact with save economy – Getting the economy back on track will be at “the heart” of any power-sharing deal revealed the Liberal Democrats yesterday. 

Sub1: A blue team wins outright – Chelsea beat Wigan 8-0 to win the Premier League title, with Didier Drogba scoring a hat-trick. 

The Daily Telegraph 

Headline: A nation in limbo – The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats sought last night to reassure the financial markets that they were close to agreeing an economic deal that would allow David Cameron to take power. 

Sub1: Cameron’s PR coup to wrong-foot Labour – The full extent of David Cameron’s audacity is beginning to emerge. 

Sub2: Taxpayers face £10bn euro bail-out after Darling caves in – Alistair Darling has caved in to a demand that British taxpayers underwrite at least £10billion of debt held by other European governments a finance ministers met to discuss an even bigger bailout for the euro. 

If you like to be added to the mailing list then please  email emmak@10yetis.co.uk

Also watch out for the next 10Yetis ”ten second tips” video which Behind the Spin will be featuring in our careers section, but if you just can’t wait, why not subscibe to the 10 Yetis Youtube Channel.

The creative networking site has organised an evening where budding creative individuals, both in and out of the industry can mingle on Monday 10^th May at The Orange Studio, and sample some examples of the creative work that takes place in Birmingham.

Not only will there be a complementary drink on arrival and nibbles to munch on, but more importantly it is Media Talent Banks second venture of offline events to help network students, graduates and professionals who are part of the ever-growing creative sector in the countries second biggest city.

The progress of MTB has come from a group of four final year Media and Communication students from Birmingham City University.  As part of their final year project, they have taken on MTB to improve the usage and success after a decline in members.  The students specialise in Public Relations and Web Design and have set up a PR and Web company called Trinket Creative, Media Talent Bank being the main client to take on.

The site is such a valuable tool for both students and potential employers to find creative groups or individuals whether it is for help on a project, a work placement opportunity or even a job offer. The aim of the project is to bring together online and offline promotion in order to generate more interest for the website resulting in an increase of interest and interaction between creatives and professionals.

The main objectives are to increase the members of the site, re-launch the website and improve the reputation, as over recent months members seem to have lost interest and are not utilising the site to its full potential.

One of the main aims is to incorporate both the online and offline forms of promotion. In March, Media Talent Bank held its first workshop event for students.  The topic was on social media and how it is used in the creative sector in Birmingham.  There were various guest speakers, none other than Pete Ashton, a social media whizz came to speak about his experience of using it to promote himself and how successful it has been.

This workshop was the first of many which will have different themes and will be open to members of the site to attend and to help them with their success in the creative industry.

Media Talent Bank is a creative network giving the opportunity for people, whether they are students, graduates or employers from the creative sector to upload a profile along with their CV and example of their work so that professionals can access it.  The aim is to network creative individuals in Birmingham and open opportunities for them from a week’s work experience to a full-time job.

The website includes a blog which Trinket Creative is updating regularly with upcoming events or points of interest for all you creative beans out there. There are pages for job adverts, work placement opportunities, updates of recent work from the members, the ability to search for profiles in a specific specialism from Web design through to Film, and much more.

In celebration of the talented members on the website and display what the site can do, the networking evening will be a great chance to see what the creative sector is capable and the talent that is out there.  Members of the site will be showcasing their work to potential employers and other people in the creative industry.  To keep up to date with Media Talent Bank news and further information about upcoming events, please follow Media Talent Bank @mediatalentbank and Trinket Creative @trinketcreative.

If you would like to join us on Monday 10^th May 2010 between 6.30pm-9.30pm to share the creative works from the Midlands, please email trinketcreative@googlemail.com to book your place.

Visit www.mediatalentbank.co.uk to find out further information from the blog.

The Schmoo team

Two recent graduates from Leeds University are launching a new yoghurt lassi drink called Schmoo.  Not only are both the managing directors recent graduates, but the Public Relations team behind the consumer launch are five PR students from Leeds Metropolitan University. 

Schmoo, which is based on a traditional Indian recipe will come in three flavours, strawberry, mango and vanilla.  It will be launched across 60 Tesco stores in Yorkshire, Greather Manchester and Lancashire. 

The collaboration of recent graduates and current students came about when Laurence Nair-Price, the MD of Schmoo, read about the recent appointment of the Ptarmigan Academy, which is made up of five Leeds Met PR students who are mentored by professionals from Leeds based PR consultancy Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger.  The Ptarmigan Academy includes Adam Burns, Clare Callery, Lois Ackerely, Katherine Hesselby and Steph Hoy.

The PR students have launched a social media campaign as part of their consumer launch.  The “Join the Schmoovement” campaign involves ten Schmoo ambassadors from around the north of England, all running their own campaigns to try to encourage people to join the Schmoovement and buy a Schmoo from their designated stall.  The winner, who will receive an around the world ticket for one,  will be decided by who sells the most Schmoo and who produces the most creative campaign. 

Adam Burns from the Ptarmigan Academy said:  “Being part of the academy we get the chance to work on live projects for real clients, which is fantastic experience for us.  The Schmoo team have allowed us to be creative and we hope that our campaign will make Schmoo a success.” 

The drink is made using 100 per cent pure ingredients, including fresh yoghurt and fruit.  Schmoo does not contain any preservatives and is one of the freshest label drinks on the market.   A lassi drink is traditionally served after a curry to sooth the heat, but the Schmoo is a healthy twist on the usually sugar filled lassi and contains 30% of a person’s recommended intake of calcium. 

Miss Hadfield, 25, said: “I always enjoyed a lassi in Indian restaurants and realised it hadn’t reached its potential as a product.  We set about making a brand that could bring lassi to the mainstream and we are confident Schmoo will be loved by many” . 

“There are a lot of exotic berries and new flavours out there at the moment but we are returning to the basics, which I think is a good thing.”
 
Schmoo comes in three exciting flavours, mango, strawberry and vanilla and will be on offer for just £1 in Tesco stores from the 27^th of April. 

If you are interested in becoming a Schmoo ambassador then please email.  enquiries@schmoolassi.co.uk 

 You can also “Join the Schmoovement” by following @schmoolassi on Twitter or by becoming a fan of the Facebook page Love Schmoo.  

Oana Jinga of Birmingham City University

We all agree on PR being an industry that emphasises freedom of speech, democracy and limited censorship. It needs diversity to be born and permanent resources to survive and grow.

It is more than obvious then, that in a communist country, PR in the way we understand it today would be a failure and moreover an actual crime, as the Government is the only one to dictate what is good and what is bad for the population.  But what happens to a country when it finally frees itself from all the restrictions and local shops start to display on their shelves more than one brand of sugar, milk or soap?

It took Romania almost 10 years to understand the value of PR in a modern, democratic society, but in 2010 we can proudly say they have a growing industry of “communication” and also, an education system for public relations.

Mihaela Nita, or Mili as she likes to be known, is a third year student at the University of Bucharest, specialising in Public Relations and Communication.  Being on her final year she decided to share and analyse some of her experience with PR, hoping that in this way, she could understand more of it herself.

I only waited for Mili for five minutes. She doesn’t have a habit of arriving late, but sometimes combining leisure activities with work with full-time education may lead to a certain compromise, placing one of them lower on the daily planner. She seems fresh, colourful, red-haired with green eyes, contrasting with the dirty traces of snow on the pavement and the gloomy atmosphere on this cold December day.  We decide for a coffee on the same street as the University of Bucharest, a friendly and familiar place packed with loud students.  She is still a bit confused about my wish to interview her but as we discuss the topic she smiles and admits she might not be very accurate in answering as she is barely an apprentice in the Romanian PR.

“I was born in the middle of the mountains in an extremely dull town.  Thank God for the library, the playhouse and the Internet. In the universe I created for myself I felt I had a very effervescent life: I befriended Marquez, Cortazar, Ezra Pound, I stared at contemporary versions of Shakespeare… and I started a blog.”

That is how she begins to tell us about her love story with communication: with words and inspiration.  When I ask her why she chose PR she goes straight for the answer:  “To be honest, like almost every teenager I longed to live the “copywriter” dream: ideas popping out of my head whenever, people worshipping me, crazy ads and glam actors.”  However, it was not Sex and the City’s Samantha that made her take a life changing decision as she admits that after doing some research and reading a few books:  “I came down to earth (it didn’t hurt). I fell in love with branding, and Public Relations amongst it – and our relationship is pragmatic and sure-footed.”

It was then time to leave mum and dad and head for the big city, where higher education and strong work field provided the perfect environment for a PR fresher. “As soon as I moved to Bucharest I tried to make up for the lack of dynamism of my home town, so I meddled in everything… I joined a PR student association, I went to every little conference on Marcomm, I wrote for a site on a daily basis and then I got a job as PR assistant in a lovely company.”

Although she became a workaholic and she loves everything about her job, she wants to keep her options open. “If it hadn’t been PR, it would have been journalism or any sort of writing. I can’t imagine myself outside witty words and good causes.”  She is determined to stick to the creative industries, but from time to time she’d like to take some breaks and do “crazy” things. “I have friends who at 30 decided to study philosophy, giving up the bright career in banking and friends who went on a long Balcanic trip to listen to music and dance.”  Street artists like Katie Sokoler inspire her.

I am sure many Media and Communications students in the UK are curious about how PR is taught in other countries, but Romania is completely different, its study methods seem to puzzle some. Mili tries to explain the confusion by telling me something about the course she is on:

“In Romania there is practically no undergraduate course which focuses exclusively on PR, we also have modules in Anthropology, Mass media, Law, Semiotics, Philosophy etc. Although at first it may seem that these lectures have little in common, at the end of the year they all come together into a unifying concept.  This means that my uni helped me broaden my perspectives to the extent that I don’t see PR as solely a technical domain.  In order to be a good PR person, it is not enough to know the meaning of terms such as BTL, pitch, WoM etc; it is important that one has interest and skills as diverse as possible.”

Assignments are not that different, it is their number that counts as in Romania. A student has an average of six exams each winter or summer, adding to a number of diverse projects, from research work to planning and creative pieces. However, the fact that modules are strictly separated in lectures and workshops helps the student become more familiar with the tasks and understand the teacher’s demands.  “While during courses we are overwhelmed by the amount of academic information with a lot of googling to do afterwards, the workshops are more laid back and personal.  Most after-school projects are not only about interaction, but they also need a lot of research and creativity.  For instance, I loved it when we had to think about a branding campaign for our Uni, or the time we went into city or national branding.”

Many students in Romania don’t have the privilege to be part of the world of work at such early stages but Mili has been with her company since her fresher’s year.  It wasn’t easy in the beginning but she never gave up despite the fact that sometimes coursework and office requirements exhausted her. After two years of experiencing the industry she can confidently talk about it, trying to describe it.

“PR received its biggest boost from the growth of CSR activities in Romania. However, we are just starting and there is still room to grow.  Let me mention some good things: the amount of sites on Romanian PR, the awards, the student associations on PR, the numerous conferences.  Of course, many people who are not related to the field still  think of PR as  purely customer service.”

Mili considers that the PR industry in Romania has been till recently the unwanted sibling.  Advertising was all it took to make a product gain the trust of the consumer in this fast developing society that finally had a free market, liberated from all political constraints.

The international experience seems to be top priority for all students, but it is a must for the ones studying such new and dynamic courses as media and PR.

Many choose the Erasmus programs and leave their country for one or two semesters, returning to finish their initial course.  Others consider that the most valuable part is the postgraduate phase and go for an international MA or PhD diploma.  Even though factors like money, love and family are between her and her dream of being an international student, Mili says she would love to get a master’s degree outside the country.

“Berlin sounds good! Oh, but London too!  The Netherlands doesn’t scare me and neither does France.”  However, when it comes to work, things don’t seem that easy anymore:  “I’m sceptical about working in PR in another country, because it would take me some time to know and understand my target audience.  PR sometimes speaks a universal language (the language of doing things well), but that isn’t a general rule.”

Although I wanted to know a lot more about her, I knew Mili had to go to an “Imagology” lecture. However, I couldn’t give up before she told me how she sees the whole PR drama after three years of Uni and two years as PR assistant and what would she tell a prospective student. She paused and then said:

“I would just recommend all students to read everything that comes to hand and not necessarily just on PR.” Before anything else, a very good knowledge of the world is the key to success.

The ‘social media is a fad’ idea seems to have gone out of the proverbial window. Indeed, PR has become amongst the first of the service industries to jump on the social media bandwagon and take ownership of it.

There seem to be countless specialist online, digital and social media agencies cropping up, but an increasing number of more traditional agencies seem to be getting  in on the action too, offering  services along the lines of ‘online PR and social media initiatives,’ ‘social media campaigns,’ and ‘digital media.’

Despite this, the suggestion to integrate social media into PR continues to receive a mixture of reactions from clients and industry leaders. PRs are frequently coming up against clients who still question the return on investment of social media and whether there’s any point in engaging in it at all.  A comment on The Independent’s recent feature on the future of the PR industry reinforces this:

PRs should fear this: Journalists are decreasing, but this is precisely why PRs are becoming redundant too. Without journalism and the magazines that support them PRs lose not only a channel but the notion of control. Who needs expensive PR people to post a few tweets?

New discipline, or just more media?

It seems that there is a noticeable split developing within the industry between those who think that the practice of PR is having to shift completely, and those who think that ultimately the role of PR is the same since the web 2.0 boom.

Evan Davis (photo: bowbrick on Flickr)

A recent BBC Radio 4 debate hosted by Evan Davis saw some of the industry’s top practitioners at loggerheads over the state of the PR industry. Julia Hobsbawm (Sarah Brown’s former business partner) maintained that there has been a movement on from the common definition, “the use of third party endorsement to inform and persuade” to a new culture of engagement, where the public can now “answer back” in a way that was not previously possible. This, she argued, means that the PR discipline is having to become more specialised to cater for increasingly fragmented audiences forming via social networks.

Lord Tim Bell of Chime Communications hit back at this idea arguing that there’s a danger that people are rebranding the industry which is ultimately the same. He posed the question, is there actually any difference between so called engagement and relations? The role of PR, he purported, is the same, there are just ‘more media’ through which to communicate with target audiences.

Brands beware

As this debate about the future of the PR industry rumbles on, it seems that the potential and very real threats of social media to brands have not been realised, and in many cases are being ignored. Waiting around to see what might happen to your brand via social media is not worth the risk.

There are now countless examples of social media being used badly or not at all in the wake of a crisis, and in many of these cases this has caused irreversible damage to a brand’s reputation. The danger is that companies will hold the attitude that social media is easy and it’s not worth investing money into “just a few tweets.” But ultimately the aims of PR remain the same.

Social networks are now undeniably part of the mainstream media, and do add to the ways in which key messages can be communicated to the public.

The recent Paperchase plagiarism ‘Twitterstorm’ is a prime example of how ignoring social media can be detrimental to a brand’s reputation. Once the blogosphere got wind that a small independent artist’s work had allegedly been “badly traced” and printed onto Paperchase products being sold in its stores and online, the backlash began.

The allegations had gone viral, so Paperchase’s people were forced to think fast and attempt to neutralise the situation as best as possible. Misguidedly, they posted a statement on their website denying the whole thing, and ensuring visitors that they were looking into it. Paperchase’s absence on Twitter and lack of immediacy became all the more apparent as a barrage of tweets, retweets and blog posts laid into the company.

This YouTube video shows the escalation of the issue on Twitter.

Don't mess with Twitter

The artist concerned, known as Hidden Eloise, blogged and tweeted every detail of the saga and it seemed that Paperchase’s voice could scarcely be heard above the negative internet noise.

Whereas in the past a large company such as Paperchase would probably have been able to cover up and divert media attention away from this issue, ultimately they were overwhelmed by the power of social media chatter. Despite the fact the Paperchase hastily created their own Twitter page FromPaperchase, it seemed that it was too little too late for the company.

This is also an example of a social media storm crossing over into traditional media as a number of national newspapers also covered the story.

Arguably, this is not something that a communications novice could have salvaged in “a few tweets”. All brands should take heed of this, along with the countless other examples, and ensure that social media is taken on board and incorporated into a new or existing crisis management pack.

It should be a sobering thought to any brand that your consumers can have such a powerful and potentially detrimental impact as this. Social media is enabling individuals to draw power from each other meaning consumers are looking to each other to get the things they want, rather than to organisations or institutions.  What’s more, the fact that social media is causing audiences to become increasingly fragmented is posing a threat to large mainstream brands that sell to mass audiences. Smaller ventures can now directly access niche networks.

Social media is undoubtedly here to stay, and now is the time to embrace it, or at the very least monitor what is being said about your brand before having to dig yourself out of a very deep hole.

Burns, 23, is a second year PR student at Leeds Metropolitan University and also manages the PR department for the Leeds Met Students’ Union.

He takes over from Laura Smith, last year’s news editor.

” This is a fantastic opportunity for me to broaden my skills, whilst also providing me with a chance to develop my network with other students and PR practitioners” Burns said.

Burns can be contacted via email (news@behindthespin.com).

Would you want to sleep in a muddy field, share portaloos with strangers, and not wash for six days? Well me and 170,000 other people did at this year’s Glastonbury festival.

So dominant in the UK festival market for the past 40 years, how did Michael Eavis recover from last year’s ‘disastrous’ event to produce a sell out festival this time round?

Could it have been the surprise success of Jay-Z, the unlikely headline act of 2008, the impressive and varied headliners they recruited for 2009 or ground-0breaking public relations?

As a Glastonbury virgin and a PR graduate I would love to say it was the latter, but I don’t think it was. There were no huge stunts, few cleverly targeted stories, but that is the beauty of Glastonbury. They don’t need to promote it too hard, it really does speak for itself.

I don’t think there’s a PR stunt impressive enough to make me want to spend six days in a tent without a shower, but you can’t argue with good old fashioned word of mouth.

Personally I know lots of people who have been before but I don’t know anyone who didn’t enjoy it. The aspect of Glastonbury that makes people go back year after year and recommend it to their friends is great event management.

In terms of the more classic idea of public relations on the run up to the event there are countless stories in the media from what the weather will be like in the newspapers, the bands that will be performing in the music magazines and what people will be wearing in the fashion magazines.

As much as this promotes the festival it doesn’t drive people to buy the tickets, as in this year’s case they had already sold out by the time of the media publicity.

What I personally believe to be the main driving force encouraging festival goers to Glastonbury is the holy grail of all PR campaigns – impartial BBC coverage.

The BBC’s live coverage and highlights is a powerful promotional tool. Even those who weren’t lucky enough were able to experience the acts live could watch the performers on TV. But it’s not the same as being there.

Being able to get a taster session of the event is a great publicity trick, showing people what they are missing. I watched last year’s coverage with pure jealousy; all my friends were there and I wasn’t so the BBC coverage convinced me to go this year.

However once at Glastonbury it is a public relations and promotional minefield. From the Orange Chill and Charge tent to the Greenpeace Police patrolling the camp sites, it is awash of organisations communicating with a huge cross section of the population. From the hippies who have been to every festival since 1970 to families with their babies in oversized headphones to wannabe rock stars or just your average music lover, organisations can have their pick of these captive audiences.

PR or no PR I honestly think Glastonbury will continue to be successful, now it has become an institution. Journalists will always write about the festival, whether or not a press office issues a release for the simple fact that people are interested in it.

Photos by the author

Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo seem able to run the public relations department, work at the fashion shows, network – and still have time to spend time each day shopping and creating drama while wearing 9 inch heels and having perfect hair.

Now, I am not being gullible – this show has some scenes added for dramatic effect but the programme does depict the glamorous side of Public Relations – with none of the stress and hard work that needs to be put in to make a campaign successful.

Doing my work placement in an award winning Public Relations agency, I have seen first hand the tension in the air when working against a deadline and the pressure is on.

Whereas on The City there seems to be no planning or research – just constant events. Aren’t events usually the final tiny part of a carefully put together campaign?

The City is not the only television show that has public relations as a high flying, glamorous career.

Absolutely Fabulous showed Eddy as the owner of a Public Relations firm who seemed to spend her time jetting off on holiday and drinking champagne at 11 o’clock with her plastic surgery obsessed friend. UKTV Gold puts it best- “if you thought PR was all about champers, parties and free lunches – err…you’d be right. Well if Ab Fab is anything to go by”.

The most famous public relations character on TV drama – and the person who first pops into everyone’s head – is Samantha Jones from Sex and the City. This public relations executive manages to bag the client, seal the deal and still be first in line for a new pair of Manolos while and Gucci and Vivienne Westwood seem to be her office uniform.

Obviously The City would not be a hit show if it showed Whitney doing the tedious jobs like creating mailing lists and doing research but why is it that public relations is portrayed as so sexy? Can the public relations industry live up to this glamorous representation?

Laura Silcock from PR and copywriting consultancy Room 53 thinks not. ‘No, I wouldn’t describe my job as glamorous. There are certainly aspects of the job that can be glamorous and there are definitely far less enjoyable ways to earn a living, but on a day to day basis it isn’t glamorous for me.

‘Much of PR is a sales job really – I spend a lot of my time on the phone to journalists (some of whom can be quite rude) pitching story ideas. That may not be true for other PR people who work in different industries or with different clients. I’m sure some PR people lead very glamorous working lives!  But I think TV does tend to glamorise PR, but only in the same way that it glamorises other professions too.

‘Showing someone spending hours on the phone trying to secure coverage for the launch of a new yoghurt wouldn’t make great TV. Showing someone flouncing about at a swanky party wearing a gorgeous dress and looking authoritative with a clipboard makes for more exciting viewing.’

There are very glamorous and rewarding parts to working in public relations but there is no way it is all about champagne receptions and meeting with clients in fancy restaurants. The first name that comes in to the head of the general public when thinking about PR is Max Clifford.

The PR guru seems partly responsible for the connection of PR and celebrity – working with the likes of Kerry Katona and Jade Goody and handling their press, mixing at all the showbiz parties, and with his name mentioned seemingly every week in the glossy magazines.

David Child , account director at Quest PR explains why he thinks PR is shown to be a life of glitz and glamour: ‘The bits of PR that get shown on television are glamorous in the main – partly because most jobs that are on TV appear more glamorous (who wants to watch people doing boring jobs!).

Also, PR is pretty complicated to most people whereas just showing party invites, guest lists at clubs, and celebrity management is closer to most people’s general understanding of how the industry works.

‘[Before I started working in PR] I suppose my perceptions were quite limited to what I’d heard, seen and read so, yes, I think I did see it as more glamorous than it is. It’s still a really interesting – and often exciting – job, but rarely does it become glamorous.’

It may be the fact that it’s such a female-orientated occupation and that is how it is portrayed in real life. Telling someone you are doing a public relations degree (after you have explained exactly what public relations is) usually brings an ‘oooooh’ or an ‘aaaahh’.

People who work in public relations need to be confident, charming, intelligent and quick witted. That’s because this is the nature of the job; if you’re trying to build reputations you can’t be shy and retiring. It is also one of the only areas in business that is dominated by females so it’s perfect for high achievers who want a rewarding and high pressure career but don’t want to lose their femininity.

There is nothing wrong with glamorising the public relations industry but it would seem that making it out to be a fun and carefree job undermines the hard work, tears and tantrums that go into making a successful campaign.

Photo shows Glam on the Rocks party by Kid Paparazzi (via Flickr)

Last summer’s headlines featured record breaking fuel prices instead of soaring temperatures; autumn saw speculation on the costs of starting university, now proving too much for many while you could only pitch journalists stories on how to have an economical Christmas in the months leading up to the holiday season.

The recession was perhaps inevitable, and cutbacks in everyday personal and professional lives are unavoidable. The government is telling us to spend our way through the recession and companies are offering money-saving tips and ways to make our salary go further, but what about those who don’t yet have a secure income, and aren’t looking at gaining one in the near future? 2008 saw yet another high number of students graduating with fantastic results, but what use are hard-earned degrees if the country has no graduate jobs to offer?

So how is PR fitting into this? Some say that the industry will continue to demand new employees. But then again, we are talking about an industry that exists to put a positive spin on most situations, or at least to draw attention away from a negative one. Is that what PR has done for its own profession?

It’s true that PR could benefit from cutbacks to traditional advertising budgets, but the big picture looks rather less optimistic.

Every week sees a new announcement of redundancies, with the PR industry being no exception. PR Week ran a front page column listing the latest cutbacks in employees from well-established agencies recently, and a Bellwether report describing how business budgets are highlighting the suffering of PR: “Hardest hit were the budgets for ‘all other’, which includes PR, and the media category”.

Views of PR’s fate across the profession vary, from in-house having better prospects than agency, the public sector better than private, and companies having an excuse to downsize without criticism.

One opinion apparent at London agency, Edelman, is that bigger is better. An agency representing organisations from technology, consumer and financial sectors should be suffering, but staff say they’re ‘not feeling the credit crunch like other companies’, with their graduate scheme running as normal with no changes to recruitment levels.

The problem here is not recession, but the competition. All PR students know the industry is a tough and competitive one, with not just PR graduates applying for PR jobs. Students in PR, Marketing, Journalism and English, to name a few, are all competing for jobs that aren’t there, some who are still career-hunting after graduating a number of years ago.

This proves the importance of having a clear sense of direction about your career, before it begins. Completing your degree, going travelling and coming back and taking a year or two to decide what to do with your life is no longer an option. Students now have to know where they are heading and how to get there. Juggling university work with CV-boosting experience can be a struggle, but is now essential if a degree is to appear worthwhile to a financially-challenged industry.

While the opinion of some top professionals is still that of ‘if you’re good at what you do, you will succeed’, this is not being reflected in recruitment figures. Individuals who have never taken a sick-day in their life are now finding themselves staying at home with little more to do than worry over their finances while finding work even outside the industry is proving impossible.

The government is looking at ways to help and the idea of a placement scheme is being discussed. The scheme would encourage businesses to offer three month unpaid placements to graduates who need to build vital experience. Helpful for some, perhaps, but the idea of working full-time, unpaid, is not an appealing one, which is why academics are stressing the importance of combining placements with university, to save doing so as a graduate with no student loan to fall back on.

The economy is going to be far from stable for a number of years to come, with reports of a further downturn in the next year and the possibility of a recovery being apparent no sooner than the 2030s being broadcast across the media. Graduates can’t wait until then to begin a career, and while many already established professionals are setting up on their own, students unfortunately lack the experience and confidence to be able to pursue this route.

“promote yourself through your blog, Twitter activity and networking. You are more likely to succeed if companies recognise your name, no matter how the industry is doing.”

PR professionals are all offering the same advice to students hoping to begin a career during these financially unstable times: promote yourself through your blog, Twitter activity and networking. You are more likely to succeed if companies recognise your name, no matter how the industry is doing.

Photo Credit: Victoria Louise Crampton, Flickr