Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight
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Social marketing, PR insight & thought leadership - from The PR Coach
Curated by Jeff Domansky
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'Food Babe' Debacle Underscores Crisis of Credibility Surrounding What We Eat

'Food Babe' Debacle Underscores Crisis of Credibility Surrounding What We Eat | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
From www.adweek.com - April 16, 2015 9:58 AM

Gawker recently turned food marketers' heads with a 2,500-word takedown of blogger, dietary guru and anti-GMO activist Vani Hari, aka "Food Babe." Author Yvette d'Entremont, who started a rival blog under the "Science Babe" moniker, asserted that Hari peddles easily disproved pseudoscience designed to frighten people into emptying their pantries of "toxins" and send angry emails to major food conglomerates.


Vani, a New York Times bestselling writer and TV talk show guest, responded with a can't-we-just-be-friends lament before casting d'Entremont as a "biased," pro-pesticide advocate promoting that most unpopular of agricultural villains—Monsanto. She even created a disclaimer for readers who visit her site from links in the Gawker post: "Coming from Gawker? Warning: I believe you should have both sides of the story before you make an informed opinion. Read the other side of the story here."


A larger trend is lurking beneath this spat over digital influence: America is facing a growing crisis of credibility in food labeling. And as consumers struggle to decide whom to trust—passionate bloggers or major food brands—agencies can get caught in the crossfire....

Jeff Domansky's insight:

This food fight is all about credibility, influence and how both sides use misinformation campaigns to take down their opponents.

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PR Professionals Are Not 'Yes Men' When Pressured to Be Unethical, Baylor Study Shows

PR Professionals Are Not 'Yes Men' When Pressured to Be Unethical, Baylor Study Shows | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
From www.baylor.edu - January 19, 2013 8:45 PM

Public relations professionals who have provided ethics counsel to senior management are at least as fervent about serving the public interest -- sometimes even more so -- as they are about their duty to their organizations, according to a Baylor University researcher.

 

A new study of 30 senior public relations professionals, most of whom had served as an "organizational conscience," showed the individuals viewed themselves as an "independent voice" in the organization and not "mired by its perspective or politics," said study author Marlene S. Neill, Ph.D., a lecturer in the department of journalism, public relations and new media in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences....

Jeff Domansky's insight:

One of the most difficult challenges for PR professionals is delivering "bad news" or criticism to senior management or clients. The research study shows that speaking up on sensitive ethical issues requires courage. 

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How To Assure That Your PR Agency Team Acts Ethically | Ken's Views

How To Assure That Your PR Agency Team Acts Ethically | Ken's Views | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
From kensviews.com - July 2, 2012 5:46 PM

There’s been yet another brouhaha about ethics in PR, and rightly so. A staffer at one of Wal*Mart’s public affairs firms got it terribly wrong, posing as a reporter at a “closed” press conference given by a union. And smarter folks than I have weighed in.

 

(Since first publishing this blog, I learned that Wal*Mart fired the public affairs firmed involved.)


Said staffer has since been removed. But it got me thinking about what the agency might have done to prevent this, which certainly would have been in the firm’s and their client’s best interests. Of course one would hope that a PR professional, at any level, knows that pretending to be someone one isn’t, particularly a member of the media, is wrong no matter how you slice it. But what had the firm done to inform its staff of the ethical standards it requires each employee to follow?


Which got me to the bigger question: Are PR firms doing enough to prevent this kind of ethical nightmare?

 

[Great advice for PR agencies from Ken Jacobs - JD]

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A personal view on ethics in public relations | Public relations and managing reputation

A personal view on ethics in public relations | Public relations and managing reputation | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
From craigpearce.info - January 10, 2012 7:18 PM
The primary code of ethics I refer to is my own moral compass. In most cases there is a clear right or wrong way to go about business activity though this too is subjective.

 

Where does PR’s loyalty lie?

 

Because a communicator is employed by an organisation, he or she has first and, arguably, overriding responsibility to them. However, we all live in society and have a broader responsibility, as well. So it’s not a simplistic equation.

 

Truth and honesty are values I hold in high esteem....

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The Most Powerful Word in Public Relations and Journalism

From airfoilpr.typepad.com - September 11, 2011 11:34 PM
Ethics: The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.

 

This small six-letter word packs a whole lot of meaning behind it, particularly in the PR and journalism world....

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Journalism ethics guidelines that PR should consider adopting

Journalism ethics guidelines that PR should consider adopting | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
From www.prdaily.com - April 14, 2014 11:44 PM

The Public Relations Society of America’s ethical guidelines are perhaps the industry’s most widely recognized code for ethics. They cover the necessity for honesty, accuracy, integrity, and confidentiality. The Professional Standards Advisories (PSAs), designed to keep the PRSA code timely, address PR-specific areas and modern practices, including recording conversations, use of interns, video news releases, pay-for-play journalism, and disclosure guidelines. 

Both codes are quite comprehensive and benefit PR agencies and companies when followed. But are they comprehensive enough? Perhaps it’s time for PR to adopt some of journalism’s ethical guidelines. PR inherently serves the public (it’s in the name), and PR practitioners are functioning more as journalists; more PR content is now reaching the public directly without review and without editing by independent journalists. 

With this in mind, we’ve examined some principles from The Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, not (yet) covered in PRSA’s code, that PR pros ought to consider adopting....

Jeff Domansky's insight:

Bill Comcovich opens up a lively debate though some PR purists will take have a bird. 

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Jade Nicole Burman's curator insight, October 16, 2014 8:44 PM

I personally don't agree with this. The CMA code of ethics for pr are thorough enough. They demonstrate honesty, accuracy and integrity and much other things, all of which relate to situations your most likely to be bound in as a pr practitioner. There is a significant difference between journalism and PR, and personally, our code of ethics are just right and cover enough.
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Ethics ‘Month’: Why Not Make It A Lifetime? | Deirdre Breakenridge

Ethics ‘Month’: Why Not Make It A Lifetime? | Deirdre Breakenridge | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
From www.deirdrebreakenridge.com - September 17, 2012 10:48 PM
September is traditionally the time of the year when the Public Relations Society of America observes “Ethics Month,” and PRSA chapters nationwide are encouraged to present special programming.

 

A comprehensive set of resources is available to assist in this effort.

While I support and encourage this educational emphasis, both on a personal and a professional level, I would prefer to see it a year-round, continuous initiative.

 

Here’s my problem…Since when (or better yet, why) has it become necessary to teach/preach/beseech to PR professional that ethical business practice is a “good” thing?

 

[Great question by Kirk Hazlett - JD]

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Lindsay Olson » PR Ethics – an Oxymoron?

Lindsay Olson » PR Ethics – an Oxymoron? | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
From lindsayolson.com - February 16, 2012 10:15 PM

On a special web page devoted to ethics, PRSA has this to say:

 

“The practice of public relations can present unique and challenging ethical issues. At the same time, protecting integrity and the public trust are fundamental to the profession’s role and reputation. Bottom line, successful public relations hinges on the ethics of its practitioners.”

 

With that in mind, consider these situations...

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Will That Be Value or Values with Your PR?

Will That Be Value or Values with Your PR? | Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight | Scoop.it
From www.theprcoach.com - September 21, 2011 7:53 PM
What struck me recently in conversation with a few thoughtful PR pros was that we should be concentrating on adding values as well as value to programs.

 

When you look at a grove of old growth trees do you see value or values? That may define the true PR professional...

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Uh-oh, some PR students think they’re ‘supposed to lie’

From www.prdaily.com - September 8, 2011 11:45 PM
A PR writing teacher uncovered a disturbing trend among the PR industry’s future practitioners. See how schools are tackling the problem.

 

September is PR ethics months. To mark the occasion, the Public Relations Society of America is publishing a series of posts on the ethics and ethics training. Here’s one.

 

It began simply enough: a conversation about ethics with freshman and sophomore university students in my PR writing class.

 

Then, one young woman said that it was OK to be dishonest because “PR people are supposed to lie.” At least six other students nodded their heads in agreement....

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