CampusIntel

The Scenario: An employee is needed as a new and exciting product needs promotion. The employer debates long and hard whether it should be a marketing specialist or a public relations practioner. He then debates if he should hire both, because one may not be enough, but that causes him to wonder if they would work independently or if they would collaborate. Not only that, but he is hesitant as he also believes they may get in each other’s way and interfere with each other’s work.

This circumstance has become predominant within today’s society. In fact, it has been stated that marketing and PR are so close, that they often become allies on the battlefield of customers minds. However, it has also been stated that the lines that differentiate between marketing and public relations have blurred or even have disappeared completely.

In order to answer the questions posed within the scenario, it is important to have a strong grasp of what marketing and public relations actually entails. To begin, it is clear that marketing aims at an exchange, usually one that involves money. More specifically, Webster’s dictionary has further associated it as a function that “identifies consumes needs and wants and offers products and services to satisfy those demands.”  Marketing focuses upon gratifying these needs, which, in turn, produces some kind of transaction that delivers those products and services in exchange for something of value.

Conversely, it is this notion of exchange that allows marketing to distinguish itself from public relations. In effect, public relations has been associated with measuring awareness, controlling reputation damage and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships. Evidently, none of these objectives are directly linked to sales.

One could conclude that marketing is focused on a demand for a product and on promoting sales and encouraging consumers, whereas PR aims to create a positive image of an organization. My question now is, upon hearing these definitions, is it safe to conclude that marketing focuses on exchange relationships with one public, while public relations covers a broad range of relationships with numerous audiences?

 It should also be indicated that the agendas of public relations and marketing are different. For example, marketing is interested in the market, or more specifically in transactions between consumers, while public relations is interested in relationships. What is important about this distinction is that, in many cases, good public relations will create a healthy environment for marketing, and thus, good transactions. Therefore, it is as though PR is almost being used as a management function.

Furthermore, through contrasting them once more, one is able to recognize that marketing adds value by increasing profits whereas public relations adds value by decreasing the expenses that are necessary when issues are ignored. Therefore, this concludes how they work best when they are treated as distinct management functions.

I believe they would work well as a team because both marketing and public relations are very similar in structure. For instance, they both have an aim on identifying audiences, segmenting those audiences and are focused on setting objectives. In order to achieve their goals, organizations should make use of both functions. Both marketing and public relations adds its own special, but complimentary, contributions to building and maintaining the relationships necessary for an organization to thrive. For this reason, I believe an organization can’t get by without using both. In fact, as marketing and public relations become more aggressive and communicate with more publics, they often end up talking to the same publics!

Well that’s all for now. Off to marketing class… oh wait… or is it public relations?

P.S. Who would you hire?

As a public relations student I’ve analyzed many of the major occurrences in today’s society pretty harshly. I strongly believe that many people and organizations (Tiger Woods for one) fail to effectively deal with their publics or their audiences. However, Barack Obama is currently the exception. (How many times have we heard that throughout the past couple years?).

Merely a few days ago, word was announced that the President’s annual speech would be aired on January 25^th and February 2^nd. Although, January 25^th coincided with American Idol (that show is STILL on?!), the major problem occurred as February 2^nd was supposed to be the series premier of the final season (the sixth) of Lost.

People were going nuts! Twitter and Facebook pages filled up with comments from tons and tons of people indicating their complete devastation regarding the fact that they would have to wait 7 more days (oh no!) to find out what happened to Jack, Kate, Lock and the many other characters they had grown to love.

Nonetheless, a few days later, Barack Obama took time to overlook the issues surrounding the economy, forgot about the 2826255 issues concerning Iraq and the ongoing war, and pondered about the scenario… and decided to postpone his speech. 

Although different televisions clips, radio announcements and websites are currently indicating a multitude of different information, the last statement confirmed is that Obama will be postponing his speech until another day in the near future – BUT it will not be held on the second of February.

There is no doubt that this was a great move on Obama’s behalf. His Twitter account was being filled with millions of comments about viewers’ disappointment of the original proclamation that they would have to wait. However, now he is only receiving positive feedback. For instance, co-creator and executive producer, Damon Lindelof, upon hearing about the recent update, tweeted, “Groundhog Day is OURS!” and preceded to ask his followers to  tweet your thanks to @BarackObama.

Although I feel the President (and his PR staff) handled the situation wonderfully, I am still weary on the situation itself. What is the world coming to? We are going to postpone a presidential speech so we do not have to wait…7 days… to see a television show?
 
I do understand that all of those involved with the show would be affected if it was postponed. Since the middle of November, I do not believe any of us can admit to watching television for more than ten minutes without seeing the promos for Lost’s first episode… and the words February 2^nd attached.

Overall, I’m still iffy on the whole scenario but it definitely announces to the world how effective social media has become within today’s society. It also exemplifies how on the ball Obama is and how much he cares about his target audience. He is well-aware that many of the people that believed in him (and evidently voted for him) are also the same people that wish to watch Lost. For this reason, he communicated perfectively – effectively and without hassle.

Overall, one can indicate that belief in Obama is not “Lost.” Oh, and to all of you ‘Lost’ watchers…. Enjoy your show…. On February 2^nd!

Throughout the past few decades it has become a well-known fact that women get paid less than their male counterparts and have limited job opportunities in industries that primarily employ men.  The field of sports public relations has been a male-dominated industry for years, and until recently, women were laughed at when they showed interest in covering sports. From gaining access to gaining respect, women have had to overcome many obstacles while attempting to represent athletes and sports teams throughout North America. Women’s subordination in regards to the sports industry is a large problem in the public relations realm and nowhere is this more evident than in the field of baseball.

It has been stated that millions of people spend hours viewing, participating in, and avidly discussing sports.  To those people, women are non-existent in positions of authority.  In fact, a survey conducted in 2001 found that females hold just twenty-two percent of sports information and sports PR positions. What I feel is unjust is the fact that despite the dramatic increase in the number of young women participating in sports, there is not a corresponding number of women taking on the media aspect.

On the other hand, scholars, such as Zena Burgess believes that no longer is sports writing the exclusive domain of males, as the present appears to hold promise for women sports reporters. On that note, however, I feel should it should be debated whether these women, who appear to be breaking through, are being granted the same amount of power, authority or respect.  

For example, through analyzing the situation that occurred to female baseball reporter, Melissa Ludtke, one is able to recognize that although she was able to emerge into the sports PR field, there were still complications.  During the World’s Series in 1977, when the New York Yankees played the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ludtke was denied access to power and authority because she was restricted to access the players in the locker rooms. Although it was commonplace for a male reporter to enter and interview the baseball players immediately after the game, Ludtke was denied this power due to the fact that she was female.  

More importantly I also feel the statement that women in the field have been able to overcome their obstacles should be challenged as I believe that within many male-dominated professions, it only appears that women have surmounted as females have learned to succeed by utilizing their strengths through playing on their common stereotypes.  For instance, this can be observed through analyzing another female baseball reporter, Erin Andrews.  Upon evaluating her professional career, one can see that she has surpassed what has been declared by many scholars as the ‘glass ceiling’ and has found herself obtaining a job that has been reserved predominantly for men.

That being said, however, I still debate whether Andrews has actually overcome barriers as the media merely declares her as a ’sexy woman with a microphone.’ She is not being identified by her reporting skills in the way that successful male baseball reporters, such as Tommy Hutton or Gary Thorne would be. One can understand this more clearly though analyzing Mike Nadel’s comments on Andrews, as he declares that she is “a babe who clearly isn’t afraid to flaunt it, and who saunters around the visiting clubhouse, flirting from one player to another.”  This notion has allowed me to contest why Andrew’s and many other female reporters believe they must portray themselves as simply a sex symbol.  It’s evident that Andrews has enough qualifications and experience that she would get plenty of interviews and attention no matter what she looked like.  Another question that arises is whether Andrews brought it upon herself by wearing short dresses or if the male-dominated society created this culture.

Interestingly, it should be established that Andrews is not the exception, but the standard, as upon observing other women reporters similar problems occur.  Alex J. Robinson, a female reporter for, ‘In the Action Seat,’ interviewed Alex Rios, the right-fielder for the Toronto Blue Jays.  The interview took place after a game in which he went 4-for-5, which included hitting a pair of homeruns.  However, instead of discussing the great game that he played or enquiring how he was so successful at the plate, Robinson asked Rios unusual questions, including, “Is it hard being so beautiful?,” “Would Alex Rios rather wake up with no toes, or no hair?” and “If you were a pork-chop what kind of sauce would you cover yourself in?” Evidently, this depiction plays on the fact that men believe that women do not care about baseball and sports and would rather talk about one’s appearance or life preferences. Unfortunately, I have found that there are many other current examples of female reporters who have had to diminish their authority and power in hopes to have a memorable interview with a great baseball player.

I also believe that problems occur because of the belief that the sports PR field is inadequate for women as it has been declared as a time-intensive, week-end hours, deadline oriented, and never-see-daylight type of job. This notion emphasizes women’s stereotypes as it focuses on society’s depiction of women through their traditional sex roles, being caregivers, mothers and nurturers.  Additionally, time becomes a crucial element in considering why women have not gained entrance, as workers in the field, especially baseball, are known to work late hours and will always be outside the home due to constant travelling.

Mary Jo Haverbeck, a female sports writer for Penn State University’s baseball team also agrees that the field has become completely male-centered. She has been quoted stating that somebody has to break the glass ceiling to assist females who want to get into the sports profession as the numbers aren’t getting any higher for females as male athletic directors like to hire males so no one is reaching out to bring females in.  

That being said, as a female who hopes to someday become a sport writer or reporter, I can only hope that women’s opportunities are only going to get better. Let’s hope they stop striking out and hit a homerun!