The PR Department... A thing of the past?

Currently, the economy is not at its best. This may be the most obvious declaration you have read in quite some time. Our daily activities consist of eating, sleeping, working and being reminded of how the economy is ruining our lives. However, there are underlying aspects to this statement that some may fail to initially recognize. One of which is local outsourcing. The job market relies heavily on the economy, and in times such as these, we are seeing shifts in the common practices of big business. 

When a company’s budget gets tight, it is no secret that the public relations and advertising department is the first to get the ax. As PR students and practitioners working in the industry, it is important to be aware of potential cutbacks and actions companies take throughout the aftermath. 
The Turner Broadcasting Company in Atlanta, Ga., has recently had to trim down their amount of employees. Being the successful mega-business that they are, Turner acknowledged that though the payroll was getting shorter, they still had to produce the same end results. Here enter syndication and outsourcing. 

Among others, Career Sports and Entertainment was hired by Turner to create quality results equal to in-house production. Career is a private marketing agency in Atlanta, Ga., located literally down the road from the broadcasting company. 

Hiring private PR, talent and/or production firms to do the work, pay the workers, package the results and deliver it to your door is more cost efficient than in-house labor. Turner has inadvertently presented some of their staff with two options: either do the work of two to three people or accept the act of outsourcing. 

The efficient practice of outsourcing is nothing new. Since the Industrial Revolution, we have been searching for ways to raise productivity and profit.

However, we normally equate the topic with the global market, not the local business down the street. This traditional view of international outsourcing has shielded our eyes from local practices that, eventually, may affect your company and more importantly, your job. 

Our present economy has led people to worry about their livelihoods by the masses. Outsourcing is not the most frightening practice we are experiencing, but it adds discomfort and confusion to stressful times. 

The ideal situation would be to keep every employee on staff and hire private firms when projects call for collaboration or specific talents. Except, things are not looking so ideal in the big business world, and realistic adjustments are being implemented. 

Whether I am a 22-year-old PR student, eager to enter the job market, or a 46-year-old company MVP, the current job cuts cause one to question her occupational future. 
Will the company PR/Advertising department become a thing of the past, leaving private PR firms to reap the benefits? Or, will outsourcing plateau and become a steady, healthy practice?

-Meredith C. 

Celebrities Fight For A Cause

Celebrities define our culture. You buy a certain style of dress, brand of jeans, type of video game or cup of coffee because the celebrity you admire the most purchases that same kind. They serve not only as entertainers, but also as opinion leaders. Whether you agree with their views or not, chances are that you know what your favorite celebrities stand for and what they want to see accomplished. But their influence extends far past the realms of fashion, entertainment and politics.

In recent years, a new trend has emerged among celebrities: philanthropy. Celebrities have started using their wealth, influence and resources to fight for a cause. By channeling their energy toward a certain issue and supporting that cause, celebrities give the organization they stand for free publicity and PR. Their influence makes the cause they believe in popular within our culture, and thus they raise awareness and support just by joining the fight.

Over the past ten years, the following non-profit organizations and campaigns have emerged as some of the most popular among teenagers and young adults. And part of the reason for their popularity is celebrity endorsements and involvement.

TOMS shoes

This organization abides by the one for one idea. That is, for each pair of shoes that you purchase, TOMS will donate a pair to a child in need. Started by Blake Mycoskie in May 2006, TOMS has given 10,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina and 50,000 pairs of shoes to children in South Africa. And helping Mycoskie to spur on this cause and complete its mission is the band, Hanson. They realized that their music, vision and a willingness to get involved could help promote TOMS. Hanson informed their fans about TOMSshoes and encouraged them to get involved.

Other celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel, Tobey Maguire, Lindsay Lohan and Brittany Murphy have been spotted wearing TOMS. By wearing these shoes, celebrities raise awareness for the cause and drive up demand for the product. These shoes, made of rubber and canvas, look like the opposite of what our culture considers high fashion. But because celebrities sport these shoes, TOMS have become the new look.

LiveStrong

In 1997 after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, Lance Armstrong founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation to equip cancer patients with the knowledge and confidence to become cancer survivors, not cancer victims. In 2005, Armstrong launched his famous LiveStrong wristband campaign to raise money and awareness for his foundation. The phrase “LiveStrong” is inscribed on a yellow wristband and sold all over the world. These wristbands have become widely-used for supporting other organizations and non-profits as well a new fashion trend among young adults. His innovation has encouraged cancer patients to keep on fighting and created new ways for other groups to promote their mission and raise money.

We All Have AIDS…If One of Us Does.

This slogan was coined to unite the plethora of HIV/AIDS organizations into a community with a single message. The We All Have AIDScampaign calls for an end to the HIV/AIDS stigma. “It is a powerful display of the unity and solidarity we all share with the 40 million men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS around the world.”

This campaign, launched on World AIDS Day in 2005 by Kenneth Cole, featured t-shirts (as worn by actor T.R. Knight) and advertisements appearing in over 200 magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, The Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune. The campaign features celebrities such as Richard Gere, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Hanks, Alicia Keys, Will Smith and Rosie O’Donnell. Without Cole’s connections and influence, this campaign might not have been possible.

Celebrities have always provided our society with gossip, laughter, fashion, style, music, movies, television, speeches and award shows. And now we can add service to the list. Celebrities serve our culture by being a driving force behind non-profit organizations and campaigns. Celebrities first entertained our world, and now they are changing our world.

Kristin McDonald