Like many, I caught wind of this news from several posts on Twitter.
Yes, it appears that Kim Kardashian will be doing a reality showing the “ins-and-outs” of Public Relations.
I looked at the tweets circulating, sighed and continued with my real, day-to-day PR tasks. I hadn’t given it another thought until I saw Shel Holtz’ piece “Will the public relations profession allow Kim Kardashian to define it?”
In his post, Shel made a special call that really got me thinking:
“So here’s my call to action for IABC, PRSA and all the other organizations that represent tens of thousands of hard-working practitioners of public relations and communications.
Get together. Pool your resources. And produce a Web video documentary series that follows a mid-sized PR agency as it engages in its real work. (Top-of-my-head suggestions: SHIFT Communications, Voce Communications, Thornley-Fallis,Converseon, Dix & Eaton).
Or pick a different agency each week. Or have each episode focus on a different dimension of PR, like product PR, crisis communications, media relations, communication research, CSR, internal communications and so on. You could pick agencies of different sizes to highlight each discipline, including the big boys (Fleishman, H&K, Burson, Edelman), mid-sized, small and even independent practitioners.”
My immediate thoughts were that something like this would never happen. I mean honestly, what would that look like? Could these groups come together and agree on how the industry should be depicted? Would anyone really watch?
Things weren’t looking good to me until I asked that last question. I thought about what would actually make people watch, what people really NEEDED to see.
In the end, I don’t think people need to know “the ins-and-outs” of what we do as PR professionals. They don’t necessarily need to know how we do it, BUT they do need to see and understand the VALUE we provide, and the many great causes and issues we help champion.
I think as public relations professionals, we can definitely benefit from learning the “ins-and-outs” of what we do as PR professionals. I have a strong curiosity about the work of others in this diverse field. I was inspired to create my video podcast series, Conversations in Public Relations, after speaking to many interns (some of which I hired) who desired to know what it was really like to work in public relations (in an agency, for a nonprofit, for the govt, etc.) Through interviews with communicators from all disciplines and at all levels in their careers, from APCO CEO Margery Kraus to Fletcher Prince intern Kristen Powers, I try to portray the many facets of the profession, as it was in the past, the present, and as it is emerging and changing. More than 50 episodes are live, with 6 more interviews on schedule next week. Please check it out on Facebook, YouTube, iTunes, and WordPress. Thanks!
Thanks for commenting Mary. As PR pros, I definitely think WE can benefit from learnings the “ins-and-outs” of the different roles in the industry, but this show is for the general public. I’m not sure that this is something the general public needs to see…and I doubt that it will make interesting programming.
I do, however, think there’s some value in doing a show that promotes causes, the work PR pros do to make sure they get the attention they deserve and overall value provided.
I don’t watch reality TV shows, so I don’t even know who Kim Kardashian is and why she feels qualified to comment on PR. Seriously. Nor do I care what she has to say about it. Celebrities who think they are smart when they are stupid completely bore me. We all see through their little facades.
Hi Lisa,
I do watch a few reality shows (The Real World aka The Most Scripted Imitation of the World), but that’s just for entertainment.
I don’t want to comment on Kim’s intelligence because she did manage to ink the deal, but Shel’s statement about who gets to define the industry made me think about how we (the professionals and the industry organizations) have not effectively presented ourselves, neither in “reality” programming nor any other entertainment vehicle.
As someone who has worked in two of the top ten agencies in the U.S., as well as some small PR and mixed ad/event/pr shops, I can truthfully say that there are some basic commonalities in PR at different levels. There is, however, a great deal of difference over the broad spectrum of our profession.
I truly doubt that any one individual can do justice to the breadth and depth of knowlege we command, let alone do so on the somewhat limited medium of a reality TV show.
I think 30 Something tried something like this in a fictional setting and completely ridiculed the advertising agency business. Do we really want the public, our clients target, to see how we deal with them on a macro and micro scale?
Someone once said there are two things you never want to see being made; sausage and laws. I think we can add PR to that saying without a doubt.
Thanks for the comment Jim. I’m on the still on the fence about this. As I mentioned in the post, I don’t think we need to show all the “ins-and-outs” but I do think that there’s an opportunity to show our value, particularly how hard we work to create that value.
I didn’t mean to sound harsh to Kardashian or reality TV. They serve a purpose, mostly entertainment for the masses.
Often Hollywood takes a dim view of any profession. We already saw the slimy Nick Nailor in “Thank You for Smoking.” The guy was willing to do literally anything to help the tobacco companies. I just hope that this show, if it even appears, doesn’t focus on the seedy side, but all the good people who do PR and don’t think of it as merely “spin.”
Yes, while funny, Thank You for Smoking was not the industry’s best moment. I hope that they avoid “spin” as well.
Being a current student studying Public Relations, I often become the butt of jokes. I doubt anyone commenting has seen Bruno, but in this movie the “PR girls” were depicted as dumb blondes. On other reality shows, such as The Hills…or anything really…the “PR Girl” seems to be an airhead. I understand that they needed a celeb for the association-factor, but they could have someone more qualified. Perhaps a celeb publicist? Or maybe three or four different types of PR people, from corporate to boutique?
Also with the popularity of the show “Mad Men”, I think a show about PR would be a hit.
I haven’t seen Bruno yet, but I’ll get around to it. Ali G is still my favorite of his characters. The Mad Men concept is interesting. (Confession: I don’t watch it, but I know several people who do). I think part of the allure is that it’s a period piece, but I do think something could be done for PR.