By now almost everyone has heard of Ferguson, Missouri, and taken the opportunity to speak about their views on the death of Michael Brown. Opinions of the trial aside, public relations has played a huge role in the outcome of public interest in Ferguson. Public relations specialist Devin James went to Ferguson, Missouri to aid in the improvement of the image of the city after the killing of Michael Brown. His services were being paid for by the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. However, when it became public knowledge that James was convicted of reckless homicide after fatally shooting an unarmed man in 2006, he and his public relations team, Devin James Group, were fired. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, James said that he shot Rodney Steward in self-defense during a robbery attempt that took place 10 years ago. Unlike St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, Ferguson mayor James Knowles III did know about James’s past before hiring him. James says that he would continue to work with Ferguson pro bono telling St. Louis Post-Dispatch, ““The initial conversations were about the unrest in the African American community. They started as 'Devin, you’re black. You have a background that lends itself to being able to relate to some of the people. We think this case would be a good fit for you.' " So why is this important to public relations? It’s simple: your image affects the image of your clients. When working with clients it is important to have them completely informed about anything that sheds a bad light on your image. This will ensure that you and your client are being honest with one other and nothing from your past will come back to haunt you. Since James's prior conviction was made public it will be now be harder for James to be hired because he was not honest with his clients. Honesty allows for public relations practitioners to do their jobs to the fullest without upsetting clients or butting heads with the clients. There’s a lot going on in Ferguson, Missouri and there is a lot that is related to public relations that we can learn from like the story of Devin James.
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It’s the holiday season which means two things to many major businesses: increase sales and customer loyalty! According to the American Research Group, Inc., the average household will spend an estimated $861 this holiday season. While that may seem like a large sum of money, businesses are determined to get the most from you. The holiday season is one of the biggest spending-times in America so companies have to step up their game. They start doing things to catch people’s attention, to make the company more likeable, and to make people want to purchase their good or service. It may turn into a dog-eat-dog competition, but here are some businesses that are doing it right: WestJet Airlines
the company. The goodwill for the company rose, profits increased, and even more flights were being scheduled with them than ever before! The Salvation Army Everyone has seen the classic red pot and heard the ringing of bells in front of their local businesses. Every year around this time, the Salvation Army sets up across America to help raise money for different charities that support children, adults and families. This year they have released a new series of commercials on TV. Each one is unique, connecting to a different part of their audience. From all ages to ethnicities, the Salvation Army wants everyone to know they can make a difference. As you can see, these two companies are on top of their game. They have managed to not just stir up your warm-and-fuzzy feelings about the holidays but simultaneously boost their popularity with costumers. The way these companies advertise their names makes us realize just how much of a gift they really are to us! Edited by Katharina Elberti, Webmaster and Editor-in-Chief 2014-2015 |
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