| There are many of us running back and forth from the | | | | it, share it. |
| edge to the center who would love to drop "2.0" from | | | | In this regard, the principles and philosophies of PR 2.0 |
| the new evolution of PR. Hey, it's even the name of | | | | (originally) are truly different and noteworthy when |
| this blog, and has been for years, but there’s a | | | | compared to what we practice in traditional Public |
| reason I haven’t changed the name yet. | | | | Relations and what we’re taught in school – |
| The subject itself is a catalyst for healthy, informative, | | | | although there are some fantastic people out there |
| and motivating conversations. | | | | working to change this, Jay Rosen, Dr. Kaye |
| I was reminded of this as good friend Kami Huyse | | | | Sweetser, and Robert French, just to name a few. |
| shouted on Twitter recently, "I hate PR 2.0 I HATE PR | | | | There's a balance between old, proven, and what's |
| 2.0. I can't say it any louder, you get my drift. Come on | | | | new that we must equally embrace in order to be |
| folks, we aren't software developers here." | | | | successful and effective. |
| The irony is that when I first started using the term in | | | | What’s undeniable is that the Web has created |
| the mid-to-late 90s during the Web 1.0 era, it was | | | | and forced new channels for the distribution of |
| indeed inspired by software development. To reach a | | | | information “at,” “to” and “between” |
| state of “2.0” after releasing the first iteration of | | | | people. It changed everything. It’s forcing traditional |
| software is a momentous step – a proof point that | | | | media to evolve. It’s creating an entirely new set of |
| we’re on the right track, but that by listening to | | | | influencers with a completely different mechanism for |
| customers and also innovating, you could constantly | | | | collecting and sharing information, and is also reforming |
| release a better product. | | | | the daily routines of how people discover and |
| And she’s not the only one talking about the | | | | contribute content. |
| so-called PR 2.0 contingent. | | | | The debate surrounding the “name” for this |
| Noted PR fortuneteller, Amanda Chapel, captured it so | | | | renaissance is insignificant and is a distraction from the |
| eloquently, “History won't be kind to PR 2.0, i.e. a | | | | more important parade of new and renewed ideas, |
| moment in time when infatuation with tools replaced | | | | strategies, and practices that help companies tell their |
| understanding of communications.” | | | | story more effectively, genuinely, and convincingly. |
| It’s clear that there are those who want to help | | | | People will align with the moniker they believe in as long |
| and those who want to cash in. I’m in the help | | | | as it all nets to the same thing at the end of the day. |
| category; so let’s do something about it. | | | | His isn’t about the critics or those who believe |
| Regardless of terminology let’s just say that there | | | | they’re above the rest of us, or even the |
| are those who believe… | | | | enthusiasts who are overly passionate about the tools |
| PR 2.0 = Good Public Relations, i.e. effective | | | | they use for sharing content in Social Media Marketing, |
| communications.* | | | | this is about those who are learning, and more |
| Yep, that’s a footnote. | | | | importantly, who want to learn about how PR can |
| *In a perfect world, it is what PR should be and | | | | change for the better. |
| should’ve been all along, but it isn’t. | | | | It’s not the tools. It’s the communicator. |
| Somewhere along the way, PR lost its way and | | | | It’s not the story; it’s the personalization and the |
| created a new “sub” standard for what should | | | | targeted benefits and value proposition that compel |
| have been one of the most respected positions within | | | | someone to not only listen, but respond. |
| business marketing. Words such as shill, spin, sales, BS, | | | | Let’s help those millions of Public Relations |
| bluff, exaggeration, arrogant, sensationalist, and | | | | professionals and students who are just now, or soon |
| oblivious, have become synonymous with this once | | | | will be, introduced to the new world of communications |
| golden profession. While the majority of the PR | | | | many of us have already been navigating for years. |
| industry truly believed they were doing the right thing, | | | | They’re embracing the new school of PR as a |
| the truth is that it took the Internet to expose our | | | | personal responsibility and commitment to make things |
| weaknesses and most importantly, it provided the | | | | better. |
| infrastructure for us to learn from our mistakes publicly. | | | | New PR is only new until it’s not, and quite honestly, |
| The reinvention of public relations was sparked ten | | | | everything simply folds back into Public Relations. |
| years ago and it's just now gaining momentum. | | | | Until we can get the rest of the world on the same |
| 1. PR as an industry is in dire need of evolution in order | | | | page however, New PR deserves its own attention in |
| to not only stay relevant, but also prove that in the | | | | order to help those looking to learn and understand |
| social economy, it can be one of the most effective | | | | where they need to be. |
| forms of marketing that cultivates customers, | | | | PR 2.0, New PR, Online PR, Social Media Marketing, |
| ambassadors, and enthusiasts. | | | | Conversational Marketing, Influencer Relations, |
| 2. Social Media is not New PR. It is a classification of | | | | Relationship Marketing, Community Marketing, |
| “socialized” media and it is inspiring new PR, but | | | | whatever we call it, there’s no denying it is |
| they are not one in the same. | | | | representative of a shift in communications. It’s |
| 3. Darwinism will weed out those who don’t get it | | | | migrating from a broadcast mechanism to a hybrid |
| as well as those who pretend to get it (even if they | | | | assembly of traditional PR combined with web-savvy, |
| don’t realize they don’t get it). | | | | social-awareness, intelligence, and a real understanding |
| | | | | of markets. |
| | | | | These more enlightened communicators get it and can |
| There’s a tremendous amount of confusion within | | | | effectively ignite relationships with people directly |
| the globally distributed halls of PR, and instead of | | | | (conversations) and through peer-to-peer influence. |
| debating and focusing our energies on 1.0 vs. 2.0, we | | | | One-to-many PR does not dissipate either; it becomes |
| should be working together to help people make the | | | | more targeted and informative. |
| migration to new methodologies, strategies, and | | | | For over ten years, we have had the ability and the |
| showcase the tools to participate. | | | | privilege to virtually communicate directly with people, |
| The divide between those who do get it and the | | | | complementing our traditional channels of influencer |
| people that don’t is oceanic. Equally, there are | | | | relations. |
| veterans and opportunistic marketers who | | | | The difference though, is that we’re required to |
| “believe” they get it, but actually don’t and | | | | participate in a more informed and intelligent way. |
| are actively pushing this substandard, naïve, or | | | | It’s quite simply the minimum ante to jump in. |
| manipulative form of person-to-person | | | | Unfortunately, however, many communications |
| marketing…and they too must also learn. | | | | professionals are merely using the same old tools and |
| Narrowing that chasm is a personal objective for me. | | | | strategies to reach a very sophisticated group of |
| Here’s how I defined it years ago: | | | | consumers. |
| PR 2.0 was born through the analysis of how the | | | | It’s not just about “finally” getting on Twitter, |
| Web and multimedia were redefining PR and | | | | blogging, podcasting, creating profiles on social |
| marketing communications, while also creating a new | | | | networks, putting videos on YouTube or uploading |
| toolkit to reinvent how companies communicate with | | | | artwork on Flickr. These tools will come and go. It’s |
| influencers and directly with people. | | | | about what you do with them to create mutually |
| It is a chance to not only work with traditional | | | | benefitial relationships within each online community. |
| journalists and analysts, but also reach out to a new | | | | Be the person you want to inspire. |
| set of influencers, customers and peers. | | | | It all comes down to social sciences and the |
| No BS, no hype, just an understanding of markets, the | | | | understanding, that New PR and Social Media |
| needs of people, and how to reach them at the street | | | | Marketing is guided by sociology. The study and |
| level – without insulting everyone along the way. PR | | | | observation of online cultures, their interactivity, and the |
| is evolving into a hybrid of communications, evangelism, | | | | humanization of what it is we’re hoping to carry |
| and web marketing strung together by the teachings | | | | into these important communities will by default, |
| and benefits of sociology and psychology. | | | | improve the foundation for forging successful and |
| Obviously, the Web matured over the years. You | | | | mutually beneficial relationships. That’s where it all |
| could have simply subbed “multimedia” with | | | | starts. Spin, hyperbole, messages, pitches, blasts, and |
| “new media” several years ago and most | | | | voicemails have no place in the new world of |
| recently, “Social Media.” Yet they’re all still | | | | communications. |
| relevant. | | | | Think intelligently. |
| The classification was simply a reference for | | | | Whether we’re talking about traditional PR or new |
| reflection, inspiration, and education. | | | | PR, it was and is still rooted in relationships. |
| Let me be clearer. | | | | Online and offline PR require strategies that were |
| PR 2.0 is the understanding and practice that | | | | supposed to be part of PR all along (know what |
| communications is a two-way process and | | | | you’re talking about and to whom your talking, who |
| incorporates the tools, principles, strategies, and | | | | what you represent and why it matters to the people |
| philosophies for reaching, engaging, guiding, influencing, | | | | you’re trying to reach). |
| and helping people directly in addition to the traditional | | | | In my opinion, there is no such thing as PR 2.0 as a |
| cycle of PR influence. | | | | practice. It is simply a game-changing mantra. But, if 2.0 |
| Social Media, the interactivity of the Web, and the rise | | | | is a mantra for evolution and change, then yes, it |
| of democratized content indeed represents a | | | | implies that there was, and still is, a traditional way of |
| much-needed reinvigoration for a tired and complacent | | | | looking at things. |
| industry. | | | | Whether you subscribe to the label is moot. If you |
| The only reason I run spend my free time writing about | | | | believe in the reinvention of a more socially conscious, |
| this is to spotlight the ongoing evolution of marketing to | | | | informed, and relationship-driven form of public relations, |
| bring things from the edge to the center so we can all | | | | then that’s all that matters. Call it whatever you |
| learn and grow together. It’s also one of the | | | | want, just as long as you contribute value to the |
| reasons I joined Chris Heuer and a group of other | | | | evolution instead of stealing from it. |
| pioneers to co-found The Social Media Club. If you get | | | | So, what are we going to do about it? |