Rethinking Reputation: How PR Trumps Marketing and Advertising in the New Media World

From BP’s oil spill to Anthony Weiner’s Twitpic snafu, public relations failures are all around us. How to avoid them? Public relations consultant Seitel (The Practice of Public Relations) and corporate communications expert Doorley demonstrate how people and companies have successfully used PR to accomplish great things or to destroy themselves, and how readers can learn to use this powerful force for good. Claiming grandiosely that “public relations is the most powerful force in modern society,” the authors examine success stories from Johnson & Johnson and others, and PR disasters, such as John Edwards’s affair, and how those reputations could have been protected. Some (though not enough) analysis is done on strategy: pick the high or low road and stick to it; plan soon and plan thoroughly. Since PR is globally replacing advertising as the “go to” promotional strategy for individuals and organizations, it’s undoubtedly important to understand. Unfortunately, this slim study pretty much stops at “PR is important”—a good start, but not fully developed. Agent: Andrew Wylie, Wylie Agency. (Aug.)