The New PR

While reading David Meerman Scott's book "The New Rules of Marketing & PR"  for a class I took last semester, I learned that the Internet has made public relations public again after years of exclusively focusing on the different media outlets. Blogs, videos and online pressrooms let organizations/companies communicate with the public directly. The use of the Internet is very effective for smaller companies and for new ventures. 

Unlike the old days, the Internet has created an opportunity to reach niche buyers directly with targeted messages that are way cheaper than big-budget advertising. Of course, megabrands with a broad audience can still benefit from advertising, but even those companies have used the Internet to reach consumers directly. We all remember the Dorito's superbowl commercial where the little boy slapped his mother's admirer, and I am pretty sure that for a while when we saw a bag of Dorito's, we quickly remembered the ad and giggled. Frito-Lay does not depend on television alone, they use social media as do other companies. 

The point is this: Public relations has changed, and to be successful, one must understand the new rules.This book was a great tool to use and understanding it helped me earn an A in the course. As we know, though, education is not always limited to the classroom. 

As humans, we learn every day. A friend of mine, Arielle Scott, has taught me just how much PR has changed. She is a "youth digital strategist," and she studies youth trends and culture online. Her job is to help companies understand how to join in on them. She recently started working for a company called GenJuice, which just finished a tour to encourage, mobilize and connect over 1,300 young people across the nation to start companies and equip them with the resources they need to succeed. Why was she picked to work with GenJuice? Because she is a digital strategist, of course! The technology-meets-youth culture is demanding and it provides exciting and innovative projects, opportunities and challenges.