Message from the president
I’m so pleased this month to have our PRSA Chapter working closely with the Alaska Chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA), for the meeting we had together for a combined luncheon at the Dena’ina Center to hear PRSA member Joette Storm speak on a topic that is key to the success of marketers and PR practitioners alike: ethics. AMA and PRSA have similar codes of ethics to which their members agree to adhere. These codes of ethics provide great value to our members as indicators to the business community and the general public of the professionalism they can expect from of our member practitioners.
While the two organizations share many overlapping interests, they are also most certainly separate and unique fields. It’s really no surprise, however, that the public and often our employers get the two disciplines confused. PRSA has adopted the following definition of public relations: “Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.” AMA defines Marketing as “the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
In a recent issue of Public Relations Tactics, a supervisor in a large PR department wrote to John Guiniven, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA and the writer for Tactics’ “Ask the Professor” column, about his concern over the fact that his 50-person PR department was about to be placed, organizationally, under the marketing department.
As he built a case against combining Marketing and PR, Guiniven asserts that the concepts of competition and opposition are largely what set the disciplines apart from one another. “In a competitive situation, goals on both sides of the table are likely the same, which is not the case if the person on the other side of the table is an opponent, not a competitor. Marketing professionals tend to rely exclusively on competitive solutions,” Guiniven said.
Guiniven uses an example of two soft drink companies vying to install vending machines in schools. The affiliated school boards were dealing with groups concerned with child obesity and environmental issues they associated with offering soda in schools. While the goal of those groups was simply to keep the vending machines out of the schools, the soft drink companies continued to tweak their offers believing marketing could win over not only the school board but also the opponents.
PRSA Board member David Imre, APR, principal of Baltimore-based Imre Communications, says, “Marketing is transaction related. While public relations can be part of a marketing strategy, it has a much larger responsibility within the organization… It has dotted-line relationships to assist in planning and executing activities in most, if not all, functions.” Public relations may be the only function in an organization that interfaces with all stakeholders and works (or at least should work) with essentially every other department within an organization in some substantive way.
There’s no doubt that we share many similarities with our marketing counterparts – most importantly that we all desire the positive impression or response of our publics. Marketing and PR work as excellent compliments to one another and often rely on one another. This month, as AMA and PRSA work together, highlighting some of the similarities between marketing and public relations, let’s also remember to embrace the differences that encourage us to collaborate in the workplace, building on each disciplines’ successes to achieve organizational goals.
Cheers to PRSA Alaska Chapter members, PR practitioners in general and our peers in marketing.
Best regards,
Amy Burnett, President, PRSA Alaska Chapter
Ethics question of the month
Ethical practice is the most important obligation of a PRSA member. We view the member code of ethics as a model for other professions, organizations, and professionals.
You work in a corporate communications division for a manufacturer. Management decides the company needs a new, fresh logo. As a member of the team assigned this task, you are asked to propose three concepts. You do research on the Internet and identify three promising ideas. How can you ethically use research as inspiration for a creative idea? Which code provision of the PRSA Code of Ethics best applies to this situation?
Hint: Review the PRSA Code of Ethics on line at http://www.prsa.org/aboutUs/ethics/preamble_en.html
(see bottom of newsletter for answer)
PRSA Alaska Chapter mentoring program
The PRSA Alaska Chapter Mentoring Program successfully kicked off this month with ten public relations professionals matched together. Mentoring match Amy Slinker, left, and Hannah Roerick completed the Gold Nugget Triathlon together May 17 in Chugiak. When Slinker and Roerick aren’t swimming, biking, and running, they each handle public relations and marketing for companies in the design and construction industry. Slinker works for Anchorage commercial real estate developer Pfeffer Development and Roerick is with engineering firm Michael L. Foster & Associates, Inc. in Eagle River. The Mentor program is a new membership benefit the Alaska Chapter is offering this year.
$1,500 available to Alaska PR students
Applications are now available for the Len McLean Public Relations Scholarship offered annually by the Alaska Chapter. The scholarship is named for Len McLean, one of the founders of the Alaska Chapter and a leader in the profession in Alaska during the 1970s and 1980s. Open to residents of Alaska studying public relations at accredited institutions, the deadline to apply for the $1,500 scholarship is June 1. Click here for the application and more information.
New: Hardship Plan for renewing members who are unemployed
This plan — whereby qualified members receive a one-time reduction in their National dues — has been announced to members who are unemployed, are up for renewal, and have been members for five or more years. Click to read the terms of the plan. Since April 1, at least 15 members have taken advantage of the plan.
May - June Membership Promotion
National is waiving the $65 initiation fee for prospects who join and mention the promotion code. New members pay $225 for their National dues; Chapter dues are an additional $30. To join online, visit http://www.prsa.org/membership/staysmart. Use the promotion code SPRING2009 to secure your savings. FOR MORE INFORMATION: PRSA Member Services (212) 460-1400.
Value for Members
- Next FREE Webinar:
- Proving and Improving PR’s Value and ROI, was available live on Tues., May 5, but is still available in the archives.
- New and enhanced programs for members:
- New: Insurance for members and their families, or their businesses.
- New: FedEx shipping. (Replaces the DHL offer.)
- New: Avis and Budget car rental.
- Office products from Office Depot.
- Bank of America credit card which benefits the PRSA Foundation.
Details of these programs are in MemberNet under ‘Member Benefits’.
- The Jobcenter offers two new features: Job Mentor and Ask the Experts (courtesy of College of Fellows). Refer to the Career Resources section of Jobcenter.
- PRSA National LinkedIn group, for members only, now with nearly 3,000 participants.
- PR QuickStart, free Web-based training for new professionals, created in partnership with PRSA’s Counselors Academy and the Council of Public Relations Firms.
- PR Journal, an online publication that showcases original communications research of PRSA members, further extending the industry knowledge base.
Group Memberships - Who’s new? Who renewed?
Groups of 8 or more individuals receive special rates on dues when they join, as well as receiving all member benefits; a few individuals in the group may be current members rolled in to the group. Group memberships are transferrable (not available for memberships purchased individually), a plus for the organization, along with a single invoice for the group. Contact Malia Moore for more information (212-460-1473). Got a group of less than 5? Let’s talk!
Renew with the Quarterly Payment Plan
Members can renew with quarterly payments - click for details. To sign up, members should contact Jackie.gonsalves@prsa.org or call her at 212-460-1492. The option is not available through online renewal. It’s also not available for new members, only renewing members.
April Alaska Chapter board meeting notes
The board met on April 30, 2009 to discussing planning for future luncheon programs, among many other topics.
Emily Ford reported on her on-going campaign to seek sponsors for our luncheons. These sponsors often ensure that our chapter can offer programs affordably. She discussed broadening the offering of benefits to sponsors and expanding the period of sponsorship. The board will hear more on this effort at the next meeting. Members with ideas of possible sponsors should contact Emily at emily@anchoragechamber.org
Nance Larsen reported that we have a new group of members pursuing their accreditation in public relations. The chapter will supplement the on-line self-study course with classes on key parts of the required materials to help candidates be successful. Members who are interested in learning about the benefits of accreditation can find a great deal of information on the PRSA national Web site at www.prsa.org. or can contact Nance Larsen (Nance.Larsen@ustravel.us)
Other topics at the meeting included the possibility of revitilizing the PRSSA (student chapter of the PRSA) at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The board also received an update on the new mentorship program. More work will follow in the next month on this program. Both are part of the chapter’s efforts to provide education, support and networking opportunities for members.
The group also discussed next year’s Aurora Awards. Members are urged to contact Liz Lynch (Elizabeth.Lynch@bp.com to get involved in the program. The awards program offers valuable experience and can expand your professional network through event planning, judging the awards of the New Mexico Chapter and following up with public relations for our chapter. If these are experiences you’d like to add to your résumé, here’s a wonderful opportunity to learn and be of great help to your chapter.
The board also was pleased to recommend one of our chapter members as a candidate for the PRSA College of Fellows. Our small chapter currently has six such senior practitioners, a large number for a chapter of our size. Our current candidate’s background professionally and as a community volunteer make this person an exemplary candidate for the PRSA’s highest level of recognition. The application process for the college of fellows is a confidential one, but you should look for an update on the success of our applicant in the coming months.
Submitted by Julie G. Pollock, APR
Chapter Secretary
Members are invited to attend board meetings. The board ordinarily meets the last Thursday of each month. The Rasmuson Foundation board room is located on the 4th floor of the Wells Fargo Bldg., 301 West Northern Lights Blvd., Anchorage.
PRSA Alaska Chapter on Facebook
The PRSA Alaska Chapter has a new page on Facebook. The new page will push events and content onto fan's pages, and is a better option for the chapter. You can find it by searching "Alaska Chapter Public Relations Society of America" or follow this link.
Answer to ethics question of the month: Disclosure of Information
Most logos, names, design elements are adaptations of thoughts and ideas seen somewhere else.
Using any visual design element exactly as it exists elsewhere is not ethical or legal. Adapting a style or approach is generally acceptable as long as it is changed enough to be unique. For example, a type treatment, color application or illustrative style from an existing logo might be modified and adapted to stand as a unique identity for a business with a different name and mission. The end result must represent the client with its own unique identity.
Before the Internet existed, designers and “creatives” relied on the legal industry to do trademark checks when developing logos. Today, the Internet provides fast preliminary and comprehensive access to vast amounts of information and increases the success of generating original ideas.
Source: Public Relations Society of America web site