Tuesday, March 16, 2010

HOT from KOCH: EKC Reflects on the Changing Landscape of the PR World

Once upon a time, "public relations" was the relationship between an editor and a publicist. Success was synonymous with talent, or at least noteworthiness. Exposure meant catching the eyes of a small and elite group of gatekeepers. If you were an actor hoping to make it big, your success depended on the perfect combination of hard work, connections and the right look. Meanwhile, a fashion designer's publicist had to be cozy with the people at Conde Nast, because a spread in Vogue was the only way to get international recognition.

But today, the playing field has expanded from a sandbox to a football stadium. An unknown young professional can be propelled to reality show superstardom literally overnight. A middle school student can become a global fashion authority. The world's fascination with media and celebrity is at an all time high, and there's no shortage of channels for people to get their fix.

On one hand, new media has given people and brands unprecedented access to worldwide exposure; on the other, it is becoming increasingly difficult for brands to be recognized and taken seriously in the age of information overload. It now takes an army to do what a single publicist used to be able to do. Firms now have staff whose sole job is to manage clients' Twitter accounts (there are even entire agencies that just do Twitter!). It's not surprising that the world is taking such an interest in what goes on behind the scenes of a PR machine-- take the huge success of Bravo's Kell on Earth (and we hear there's a similar show in the works at another major network).

In any case, there's no denying that a PR practitioner's job is now more exciting, demanding and all-encompassing than ever before. Having to keep up with the pace and constantly adapt to the changing landscape is definitely a challenge, but a welcomed one. We can't wait to see how our field --and the world-- will continue to transform over the course of the new decade!

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