Larry's Blog

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Tell it first, tell it fast, tell it all, tell it yourself. Penn State’s latent responses and passive approach to its horrendous scandal should be a lesson to every organization — no matter how small or large the crisis.

Here is advice from an Associated Press story that hit the wire on July 14, 2012 under Bree Fowler’s byline and from a July 13, 2012 story in the Courier-Post under Joe Cooney’s byline. Once you read those reactions, there is a quote from the July 18, 2012 The Inquirer. It comes from Penn State president Rodney Erickson. It’s what should have been said first. Please keep reading.

 

Finally Penn State says something:

“Our hearts remain heavy and we are deeply ashamed,” Trustee Ken Frazier said in a statement.

As painful as this was — and it was a body blow of mass proportions — it was probably the best thing they could do,” says Peter Shankman, a vice president at the public relations firm Vocus Inc. “By issuing the report they’re doing what they haven’t in 15 years. People can’t start to heal until they start doing the right thing.”

“Penn State needs to take responsibility, apologize, be honest and show compassion,” says Elizabeth Lampert, who runs her own PR firm in Alamo, Calif. “With those herculean tasks accomplished, they can begin to rebuild, but this scandal will never be ‘behind’ them.”

Stan Steinreich, CEO of Steinreich Communications Group in Fort Lee, Bergen County, says that in situations like this, it’s important to tell the truth, which is what Penn State officials should have done instead of initially attempting a cover-up

“This will be studied for a long time by those in the industry as one of the worst PR catastrophes of all time, in terms of spiraling out of control,” Steinreich says. “I think that there is always a time where a corporation or an individual has to stand up and take the fire. Continuing to circle the wagons like Penn State (did) doesn’t help.”

Mark Conrad, a law and ethics professor at Fordham University in New York, says university officials need to formulate a plan that sets forth sweeping changes, including stronger controls over the university’s athletic programs, especially football.

And in order to restore trust, a better system needs to be created for reporting violations, Conrad believes.

Gene Grabowski, executive vice president of Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington, D.C.-based crisis communications firm that has advised universities and Fortune 100 companies, says Penn State’s plan must show a commitment to change, even if that inflicts pain on Penn Staters who feel they’ve done nothing wrong.

“It’s not about punishing the guilty at this point,” Grabowski says. “It’s about demonstrating a commitment to a new way of doing business that the university now has to do. And some sacrifice must be made, and sometimes the innocent suffer. There must be a sacrificial lamb here.”

“It is…reasonable to conclude that in order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity the most powerful leaders at Penn State University…repeatedly concealed facts relating to Sandusky’s child abuse from the authorities, the board of trustees, the Penn State community and the public at large,” said former FBI director Louis Freeh in his 267-page report.

“The ‘bad publicity’ comment goes right to my inner core as a Penn State alum and one who works in the [public relations] field,” said Jeff Jubelirer, a crisis management expert in Philadelphia.

“It’s just so sad. If they had not worried about the publicity and dealt with the problem right away, this tragedy could have been averted.

“There were consistent signs that (Sandusky) was trouble, and the top brass didn’t deal with it aggressively,” added Jubelirer. “The fact that they didn’t deal with the situation is mind-blowing.”

Whether

or not the tarnish can ever be erased is hard to determine, said Rowan University’s Larry Litwin, an associate professor of public relations.

“The entire situation is appalling,” said Litwin, author of a book on crisis management.

“There is a difference between being unethical and breaking the law,” said Litwin, noting that Penn State failed to adhere to The Clery Act, a 1990 law that requires public disclosure of crimes on American campuses.

“Penn State did both! They will forever be known as the university that covered up this horrendous crime. I truly believe their reputation is years and years away from being repaired — if it can ever be repaired.”

Both Jubelirer and Litwin added

that in the midst of all scandal there might be something good to come from it.

“If there is any silver lining in this very dark cloud, it is that it’s hoped now that any organization that deals with children should know what to do. I hope they will look for the warning signs and take action.

“That might be the only good news of this sordid affair.”

Now that President Erickson quote: “This is arguably one of the worst scandals that a university could have to deal with,” he said. “We will have to deal with it at the outset. We’ll have to take responsibility, be accountable to put the appropriate changes into place, and then we’ll have to demonstrate by our actions every day that we are the world-class university that we’ve long been.” [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

Dr. Erickson            [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

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Multi-talented Nora Ephron passed away last week. Many aspects of her life are worth noting because she was – among other things – a great writer.

Here are a few highlights taken from her obits and from The Philadelphia Inquirer column written by Karen Heller and carried on July 1.

Ephron was born on May 19, 1941, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the eldest of four sisters, all of whom became writers. That was no surprise; writing was the family business. Her father, Henry, and her mother, the former Phoebe Wolkind, were Hollywood screenwriters who wrote, among other films, “Carousel,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and “Captain Newman, M.D.”

For my Rowan University writing students:

The eldest of four children, Ephron was born in New York to screenwriters Harry and Phoebe Ephron, who moved to Beverly Hills, Calif., when she was 4 years old. Words, words, words were the air she breathed. Regular visitors included “Casablanca” co-writer Julius J. Epstein, “Sunset Boulevard” collaborator Charles Brackett, and the team of Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, who worked on “The Thin Man” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

“Everything is copy,” her mother once said, and she and her father proved it by turning the college-age Nora into a character in a play, later a movie, “Take Her, She’s Mine.” The lesson was not lost on Ms. Ephron, who seldom wrote about her own children but could make sparkling copy out of almost anything else: the wrinkles on her neck, her apartment, cabbage strudel, Teflon pans and the tastelessness of egg-white omelets.

In her commencement address in 1996 at Wellesley, from which she graduated in 1962, she advised, “Maybe young women don’t wonder whether they can have it all any longer, but in case any of you are wondering, of course you can have it all. What are you going to do? Everything is my guess.

“It will be a little messy, but embrace the mess. It will be complicated, but rejoice in the complications. It will not be anything like what you think it will be like, but surprises are good for you. And don’t be frightened: You can always change your mind. I know: I’ve had four careers and three husbands.”

And there it is, perfect Nora: insight, humor, self-deprecation, intelligence.

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Larry Litwin’s response below:

Combining advertising and public relations courses

Where I teach there is some interest (driven by the department chair and interim dean, who are advertising people) in combining the principles of advertising and principles of public relations classes into one class. This is due to a belief by the advertising faculty that advertising and public relations are so thoroughly integrated as to no longer need separate classes. The other PR faculty members and I (in the minority) feel this would limit the survey of material in an introductory PR class, eliminating many topics that are the foundation of the profession. We’ve even received feedback from James Grunig that this is a bad idea, because while PR and advertising frequently work together, they are separate, distinct disciplines that should be taught separately.

Thoughts?

This is PRSA’s Discussion Forum begun on June 6, 2012. Below are many of the responses. It’s well worth a read. I view it as the future of our professions — public relations, advertising, marketing, IMC and the related fields.  [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

Combining advertising and public relations courses
Posted June 6, 2012 at 6:23 p.m. 

Where I teach there is some interest (driven by the department chair and interim dean, who are advertising people) in combining the principles of advertising and principles of public relations classes into one class. This is due to a belief by the advertising faculty that advertising and public relations are so thoroughly integrated as to no longer need separate classes. The other PR faculty members and I (in the minority) feel this would limit the survey of material in an introductory PR class, eliminating many topics that are the foundation of the profession. We’ve even received feedback from James Grunig that this is a bad idea, because while PR and advertising frequently work together, they are separate, distinct disciplines that should be taught separately.

Thoughts?

I fully favor combining public relations and advertising as a major…called…Strategic Communication. However, the two introduction courses must be kept independent. While the two disciplines have similarities, students are not mature enough to compartmentalize and time would not permit going into the depth needed to prepare students for their future profession. 6/7/12

 

6/8/12

I have had a chance to read the responses and have completed the Fullerton survey. While this may be self-serving, I’d be remiss if I did not mention it. I have authored a book — for both professionals and as a text — that combines public relations and advertising. It is in many colleges. Its 17 chapters (550+ pages) include a chapter on advertising that covers much of what a public relations strategic advisor should know about advertising. It retails for under $39.95 and is available for about $30 to students. I mention the book (The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbook) only because one of the responses brought up the topic. Please check it out at www.larrylitwin.com. Much of the royalties (limited as they are) go to Rowan’s PRSSA chapter. By the way…this is an excellent dialogue.

 

6/14/12

 

Response to Denise is right on. Student maturity is key. I am teaching two summer public relations writing courses. As with almost every course, there is a true bell curve — this one dealing with maturity, which is directly tied to work ethic. Results (grades) are exponential — work ethic is related to maturity, which is related to experience, which leads to better learning, which leads to better grades. This is nothing new to those of us who practice our crafts (strategic communication and teaching, which I refer to as edutainment). Thanks for this dialog. As said earlier, I usually do not get involved. This one has been valuable.

 

Combining advertising and public relations courses
Posted June 6, 2012 at 6:23 p.m.

Where I teach there is some interest (driven by the department chair and interim dean, who are advertising people) in combining the principles of advertising and principles of public relations classes into one class. This is due to a belief by the advertising faculty that advertising and public relations are so thoroughly integrated as to no longer need separate classes. The other PR faculty members and I (in the minority) feel this would limit the survey of material in an introductory PR class, eliminating many topics that are the foundation of the profession. We’ve even received feedback from James Grunig that this is a bad idea, because while PR and advertising frequently work together, they are separate, distinct disciplines that should be taught separately.

Thoughts?

Samra Jones Bufkins, MJ, APR
Lecturer, Strategic Communications
Mayborn School of Journalism
University of North Texas

Combining advertising and public relations courses
Posted June 6, 2012 at 6:35 p.m.

Pepperdine has been doing this for several years, and we’re changing back to separate introductory courses for public relations and advertising. Formal and informal assessment showed that student learning outcomes for both major areas were not being met with a combined course.

Denise P. Ferguson, Ph.D., APR

RE: Combining advertising and PR courses
Posted June 7, 2012 at 7:55 a.m.

Thank you–Denise–I think it’s interesting that Pepperdine has reversed this practice. Are you aware of any other universities that have experienced this? And Larry–that’s exactly what our major is called–strategic communications. I appreciate your input as we put some serious thought into this important matter.

Samra Jones Bufkins, MJ, APR
Lecturer, Strategic Communications
Mayborn School of Journalism
University of North Texas

RE: Combining intro adv and PR courses
Posted June 8, 2012 at 9:16 a.m.

Dr. Rita Colistra within our P.I. Reed School of Journalism has created a good Intro to Strategic Communication course for our current Adv/PR (soon to be strategic comm.) majors. She was admittedly disappointed with the available intro texts when she first piloted the class a couple of years ago, so she did a lot of research, worked with both advertising and PR faculty, and pulled together a lot of resources and info/examples to better integrate info about the two fields on her own. (I told her that as soon as she gets tenure, she must write the book!) If anyone is interested in what she’s developed, I know she would be happy to share.

RE: Intro Strategic Com Courses
Posted June 11, 2012 at 12:36 p.m.

I developed an introductory strategic communication course for our new program at High Point University. I share everyone’s frustration with the lack of a text that addresses Ad, PR and social. When I began my search I found that most intro PR books included a few paragraphs about Ad and then dismissed it as something other than PR. Most Ad books devote an entire chapter to PR, but tend to focus on publicity. There are many topics that can be comdined and actually strengthened, e.g., audience analysis, history, ethics, campaigns, etc. I’ve had to rely on several books to cover the topics that I thought are important to intro students. Ultimately, this meant “killing your children” and eliminating topics that I felt were really important in an intro PR course.

In addition to the intro course, we’ve also converged much of the strategic communication curriculum. Courses in cases, research and campaigns all include both
Ad and PR content. We still have separate courses for PR writing, Ad copywriting and layout and, starting this Fall, social media.

John R. Luecke, APR

RE: Combining ad & public relations courses
Posted June 12, 2012 at 5:26 p.m.

Thank you for everyone’s input. We seem to have reached a workable compromise. We’ll develop an intro to strategic communications course with half being taught by an advertising prof and half being taught by a PR prof. The advertising folks are content with that approach, and will most likely drop their current advertising principles course out of the requirements. We’ve stood our ground based largely on comments here and on LinkedIn, and are going to be able to keep our principles of PR course, although we’re re-naming it. This should give our pre-major students a thorough overview of the complexity of the field of public relations before they delve into their major skills and strategy courses. Thank you so much for your guidance. And, because our beginning advertising courses are frequently taken as electives by English, merchandising and marketing majors, this will expose them to the field of public relations as well.

Samra Jones Bufkins, MJ, APR
Lecturer, Strategic Communications
Mayborn School of Journalism
University of North Texas

Combining courses – no choice!
Posted June 12, 2012 at 8:09 p.m.

If for NO OTHER REASON, the budget situation (especially at the state colleges and universities) will dictate that we must combine curriculum (here and elsewhere) within the COMM disciplines. We have no other options. As you know, there’s been a budget bloodbath in the Calif State System, and the worst is yet to come. Other states are in a similar situation. The old guard faculty are going to scream bloody murder- but the silos have got to come down. We have got to become more efficient – and that means consolidation, merger, streamlining. The silos will have to come down. We will have no choice.

6/12/12

Combining advertising and public relations courses
Posted June 12, 2012 at 8:17 p.m.

I agree with those who are saying the silos must come down; integration is happening in the professions and we must adapt our curriculum to prepare future professionals. In my earlier post, I said that we are going back to separate introductory advertising and public relations courses (we have majors in both areas) for a number of reasons. Where we are doing more intentional integrating is at the upper level, where we have a new course in advertising and public relations strategies and tactics, focusing on digital, and we have IMC projects in other upper level courses. That way, we can build a community and establish foundational understanding of the fields, and then demonstrate how they work together in settings where students can apply the knowledge and skills they’ve gained.

Denise P. Ferguson, Ph.D., APR

6/13/12

Denise–we have a number of integrated, upper level courses as well, but wanted to keep the fundamentals courses separate so as not to confuse kids about the skills needed as well as some of the concepts. When we get into integrated courses we run into writing issues, which is why we’re keeping our writing courses separate until the students develop the writing maturity to adapt their writing styles.

Samra Jones Bufkins, MJ, APR
Lecturer, Strategic Communications
Mayborn School of Journalism
University of North Texas

 

For the past 5 years, I have combined PR and Advertising concentrators in a senior capstone course we call EXPECT (experiential learning). PR and AD students are combined into 4- and 3-person teams and partnered with pre-selected, vetted clients from the Salem, Mass. community — nonprofits, government agencies, and for-profit entrepreneurial businesses. We assess client perceptions student professional behaviors and skills. Students and clients and professors sign a contract specifying the student teams’ tasks intended to help the clients accomplish their objectives. Students meet with clients once a week and check in via email, Skype, and Google+hangout. Students evaluate themselves and each other three times during the semester. The final week is given over to student teams presenting their work to clients and the plenary sessions of the students in all four sections of PR and Advertising — social media, Web pages, press releases, event staffing, video/YouTubes, ads, posters, pitches and publicity.

I created the program, which the university reported to the Board of Higher Ed of Mass. as one of the university’s distinguished programs. I co-teach EXPECT each spring semester with my advertising colleague, Assoc. Professor Rebecca Hains.

Robert E. Brown
Professor, Communications
Salem State University
Salem, MA 01970
@gatheringlight
978 542 6463

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On May 6, I was honored to present Rowan University Senior Colleen Kebles with the “Litwin Family Gold Medallion for Outstanding Strategic Writing.”  Here is my introduction:

Before making the presentation, I would like to recognize a previous medallion recipient and past PRSSA president, Rosie Braude. In fact, Rosie is our ONLY

two-time medallion winner…one as an undergraduate and one as a graduate student. Rosie chaired National Conference in 2007 and was Outstanding Chapter president in 2008 – truly my right arm in every way.

Nancy, my sisters Janice and Eileen…and I are thrilled to present this year’s Litwin Family Medallion for “Outstanding Strategic Writing” to a student who not only meets all of the criteria but far exceeds them…

Grade Point Average = 3.9

• She has extensive Community, College and

University service and…

• “Outstanding, persuasive, strategic and

objective-oriented writing that drives audiences to the desired “Call to Action.”

In a nut graph, this medallion recognizes THEeee “Outstanding Strategic Writer” among all seniors.

It’s worth noting…I did not judge. Those who did…pointed out that while all those considered had excellent credentials, our recipient…to quote the judges…blew everyone else away.

Our recipient…among her other contributions…has been serving as the Disney internship campus rep for the past two years. I have been honored to work with her. So, this is truly a magical moment in her life.

Please join me in congratulating the 2012… Litwin Family Medallion Recipient…Colleen Kebles.

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