North star office products

Guerrilla PR- Chapter One

THE NATURE OF MEDIAThirty years ago, Marshall				"public relations" and "publicity" are
McCluhan, the father of modern				used interchangeably.

communications, wrote the immortal words,				They shouldn't be. Publicity is only one
"The medium is the message."				manifestation of P.R.-specifically,

Today I would amend that to, "The medium				achieving notoriety through accumulated
is the media." Our civilization is				press exposure. A publicist knows

utterly dominated by the force of media.				newspapers, magazines, and TV talk shows.
After our own families, no influence				Public Relations is much more

holds greater sway in shaping the text of				than that. The Public Relations expert is as
our being than do the media that				well versed in human nature as in

cloak us like an electronic membrane.We				editorial and sound bytes.P.R. can be as
all think of ourselves as unique, unlike any				macro as a campaign to persuade foreign
person past or present.				governments so buy

Indeed, what gives human life its divine				U.S. soybeans, or as micro as a warm
spark is the distinct quality of every				handshake. The notion that P.R. is

individual. Yet in many ways we are all				simply a matter of mailing press releases
the same. The task of market				is nuttier than a squirrel's

analysts, pollsters, and demographers is				breakfast. As producer, manager, and
to identify those characteristics we				publicist Jay Bernstein says, "P.R. is

share, and group us accordingly. If you				getting a front table at the right
are in your early forties, male,				restaurant, getting you invited to the right

Caucasian, a father of two, earn $50,000				party, and getting into first class with
or more, and listen to a Top 40				a tourist ticket."A man who has greatly
				affected my thinking, the esteemed business
radio station, there are total strangers				author
out there who know an awful lot about
				and lecturer Tom Peters, tells the story
you.That's because they understand a lot				of a visit to a neighborhood
about your upbringing. They know
				convenience store. "American Express was
you watched "The Mickey Mouse Club" in the				being a little user-unfriendly,"
fifties, "The Man From
				Tom recalls, "and it took a good three
U.N.C.L.E." in the sixties, "Saturday Night				minutes for my AMEX card to clear.
Live" in the seventies, became
				When it finally did, the cashier bagged my
environmentally conscious in the eighties,				purchase, and as I turned to go
and were probably sorry ABC
				reached into a jar of two-cent
canceled "Thirtysomething" in the nineties.				foil-wrapped mints. He pulled one out,
They've got your number because
				dropped it in my bag, and said, 'The
they understand the role the media have				delay you experienced was inexcusable.
played in your life from the moment
				I apologize and hope it doesn't happen
you Boomed as a Baby.Today, in America, we				again. Come back soon.' For two
tune in to over 9,000 commercial radio
stations, 1,100				cents, he bought my loyalty for
				life."This story is about one small business
television stations, 11,000 periodicals, and				owner and only one customer, but it's
over 11,000 newspapers with a
				a perfect example of good P.R. But what
combined circulation of nearly seventy				about bad P.R.? I doubt there's
million. These are the sources of our
				anyone on the scene who has mastered that
opinions on everything from nuclear				dubious craft better than
disarmament to Madonna's love life.
				sometime-billionaire Donald Trump. This
Nobody likes to be told what to think,				is a man who has lost control of
but all of us, every single day, are told
				his own gilded ship. His lurid
precisely what to think about.As Anthony				infidelities, his profligate spending, his
Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson show in their
insightful book, Age of				precipitous fall from fortune, and, worst
				of all, his attempt to exploit the
Propaganda, the mass media are most
effective in terms of persuading the				Mike Tyson rape tragedy to promote a
				prize fight, collectively paint a portrait
public for two primary reasons. First,
they teach new behavior and, second,				of a thoroughly vulgar mind.The Donald
				doesn't care what you say about him, as long
they let us know that certain behaviors				as you spell his
are legitimate and appropriate. So, if
				name right. True, whenever he opens his
the media are encouraging certain buying				mouth or makes a move, the press is
patterns, fashion trends, modes of
				all over him. But his massive celebrity has
thinking, the unstated message we receive				made him only a famous fool. You
is "It's okay for me to like that,
				are not likely to achieve the degree of fame
do that, feel that." In this way, our				that Mr. Trump has, but, given
culture evolves, is accelerated, and
				his shameful image, I would congratulate you
disseminated.Like the transcontinental				on that.P.R. VS. MARKETINGWith Guerrilla P.R.
railroad of the last century, the media link				(and P.R. in general), you do not tell the
every				public that your

city, gully, farmhouse, and mountaintop in				new digital fish cleaner is the greatest
North America. Regionalism is				invention since the dawn of time. You

fading. The American accent is more				could easily do that in an ad. Your goal is
uniform; our penchant for migration				to lead people to draw that same

and blending in is like the smoothing out				conclusion for themselves. Otherwise, you're
of a great national blanket. We are				engaging in good old-fashioned-

fast becoming one.A common grammatical				or is it new-fashioned?-marketing
error occurs when people say "The media is"				strategy.Companies often relegate public
rather				relations to their marketing departments.

than "The media are" ("media" being the				That might make sense from a corporate
plural of medium"). Yet I sense				point of view, but there's a distinct

people who say "the media is" are on to				difference between P.R. and marketing. Going
something. They perceive the many				back to the "science vs. art"

arms of the media-TV, newspapers, radio,				analogy, whereas P.R. is the art, marketing
etc.-as part of one monstrously				is the science.Bob Serling, President of the
				Stratford Marketing Group, an L.A.-based
monolithic creature. The media are "one"
too.Consider "Baby Jessica" McClure, for whom				marketing firm, has written, "Marketing
my firm donated public				is everything you do to make sure

relations services. Jessica was the toddler				your customers find out about, and buy,
from Midland, Texas, who fell down				your products and services." That's

a narrow pipe in her backyard in 1987. For				a tall order, and to go about filling it,
thirty-six hours, America was				marketing executives lug around a

mesmerized by press coverage of her				hefty bag of tricks.To a large degree,
rescue. Acting as a concerned				they rely on surveys, demographic analyses
				and
neighbor, the media conveyed Jessica's
light to the nation. The private agony				established sales and advertising
				procedures to accomplish their goals. But
of the McClure family became the anguish
of all America.Think of it: the temporary				in Public Relations, intangibles play a
suffering of one "insignificant" little				far greater role. How do you measure a
girl stopped
				feeling? It's not easy, but in P.R. we
the world's most powerful country dead in				trade in the realm of feelings every day.
its tracks. (Then, to canonize the
				We may use the media as the vehicle, but
experience, the TV movie version of				the landscape we traverse is
Jessica's story made it to the small
				contoured by human emotion.Marketing
screen within a year.)Without those cameras				often goes hand-in-hand with advertising. The
there to catch it, and those TV stations to				undeniable
broadcast
				advantage with advertising is that the
it, Baby Jessica's ordeal would have made				advertiser retains full control. He
absolutely no impact on anyone
				knows exactly what his message will say
other than her family and those who saved				and precisely when it will be seen.
her. Because of the media, all of
				But remember this little fact of life:
America for two days became part of				most top ad agencies consider a 1-2
Jessica's family.CONTRACTION AND
EXPANSIONJournalists and talk-show hosts like				percent response rate a triumph. That's
to claim they're in the information				all it takes to make them happy.

business or the news business. But you know				And, like it or not, most people don't
and I know they're in the				take ads as seriously as advertisers

money business just like everyone else.				would like. Everybody knows they're
Because practically all media are				bought and paid for.I prefer the odds with
				major media exposure. True, you do lose a
privately held profit-making ventures,				large
they behave much like any other
				measure of control, and you never know
enterprise, looking for ways to increase				for sure when or how your message
the bottom line.To do that they must expand
their consumer base, that is, their audience.				will be conveyed. But the public is far
				likelier to accept what it gleans from

They must give the customer what he or				the news media over what it sees in
she wants. So if your local news				commercials. If Dan Rather says a new

station runs a few too many five-part				sports shoe is a daring innovation,
specials on the illicit sex lives of nuns				people will give that more credence than

during "Sweeps Month," remember they're				if company spokesman Bo Jackson says it.
only trying to please the viewers.Creating a				The news, indeed the truth, is
successful product means citizens may not
always get the				what Dan Rather says it is.So who tells Dan
				Rather what's news? The media like to boast
information they need. A Harvard				they rely on
researcher found the average network
				ace newsgathering staffs; but in fact they
sound byte from presidential campaigns				depend a great deal on public
dropped from 41.5 seconds per
				relations people. That doesn't mean the
broadcast in 1968 to just under 10 seconds				journalists of America are saps.
in 1988. That translates into
				They're just looking for good stories. A
roughly sixteen words a night with which to				hungry reporter and a smart publicist
make up our minds on who
				is a match made in heaven, and it's been
should run the country. We absorb more				that way since the dawn of the
information, yet understand less
				Communication Age.FROM THE GUERRILLA P.R.
than ever before.This is a logical				FILEIn Amarillo, Texas, you'll find the Big
consequence of big media. Their existence				Texan Steak Ranch, where the owner
depends on
				issues the following challenge:If you can
keeping the audience tuned in. If TV				eat a seventy-two-ounce steak in an hour, you
station "A" covers candidate "B"				get it free. News of

droning on about farm subsidies, most of the				the deal traveled far and wide, even to the
audience will probably switch to				skies where I first read about it in

station "C" running a story about the stray				an airline magazine.GLORY DAYS: THE FOUNDING
cat raised by an affectionate pig.				OF THE P.R. INDUSTRYThe public relations
				industry flourished with the growth of
Station "A" would be wise to ditch candidate				twentieth-century
"B" and send a crew out to film
				mass media, although sensitivity to public
Porky and Tabby.Along with this contraction				opinion on the part of public figures
of information is a parallel expansion of
media.				is nothing new. Even Abraham Lincoln got
				into the act, declaring once, "What
Because social scientists have us so
precisely categorized, outlets targeted to				kills a skunk is the publicity it gives
				itself." The fathers of modern P.R. knew

specific groups flourish. Lear's caters to				the value of simple images to convey
mature, high-income women.				powerful messages.Edward Bernays, founder of
				modern P.R., defined his mission as the
Details appeals to middle-income,
fast-tracker men. Essence aims for black				engineering of consent. He was a nephew
				of Sigmund Freud, and he strikes
women.Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul, and
Mary, tells a great story in his stage show				me as having been just as perceptive
				about human nature as his esteemed

to illustrate how narrowly focused we've				uncle. Bernays displayed a genius for
become as a society. In the 1940s				concocting indelible images, something

and 1950s we had the all-encompassing Life				good P.R. campaigns require. In one early
magazine. Then, we cropped our				triumph, he arranged for young

vision down to People magazine in the				debutantes to smoke Lucky Strikes while
seventies (all of Life wasn't good				strolling in New York's 1929 Easter

enough anymore). Things tightened up even				Parade. What Bernays sold to the press as
more with Us. Now we have Self.				a bold political statement on

Somewhere, there's just gotta be a				women's rights was no more than a gimmick
magazine just for you. I can just imagine				to sell cigarettes.Pioneers like publicist
				film producer A.C. Lyles set the pace for
it: on sale now, "Fred Morganstern				generations
Monthly."Not only do we see more media
outlets, but the flow of information has				of publicists to follow. Another innovator,
				Ivy Hill, is often credited with
likewise increased dramatically the past
few years. Fax machines, cellular				inventing the press release. Hill believed
				telling the "truth" in journalistic
phones, modems, fiber-optic cables, Low
Power TV, satellite down-links, all				fashion would help shape public opinion. He
				sensed editors would not
have reshaped the way we get our
information, when we get it, and what we				dismiss press releases as ads, but rather
				would perceive their real news
do with it.During China's "Goddess of
Democracy" protests in 1989, the students				value. He was right.The publicist's ability
				to appeal to newspapers proved invaluable to
kept in touch with the outside world via				captains
fax. Instantly, China seemed to leap
				of industry seeking to shore up their
forward from feudal empire to modern nation.				images. Back in the 1920s, Hill
Vietnam was the first "we'll be
				masterminded industrialist John D.
right back after these messages" war. As				Rockefeller's much-ridiculed habit of
napalm rained down on the jungle,
				handing out dimes to every child he met.
we saw it live as it happened. We had no				Ridiculous but effective in its time.
time to process information or
				(Imagine T.Boone Pickens trying that
analyze events as we were barraged by them.				today.)Occasionally, clients got less than
Because of improved				they bargained for. In the late 1950s, the

communications, the Gulf War had the same
effect, only with infinitely more				Ford Motor Company hired P.R. trail-blazer
				Ben Sonnenberg to help overcome
drama.The media may have accelerated the
process of dissemination, but as we				the negative fallout from the Edsel
				fiasco. He charged Ford $50,000 for a
found out in the days of the first
supersonic jets, breaking the sound barrier				foolproof P.R. plan, and after three days
				submitted it in person. Sonnenberg
did not, as some scientists feared, cause
planes to disintegrate. Likewise,				looked the breathless executives in the
				eye and intoned, "Do nothing." With
instant news did not cause us to
psychologically disintegrate.There's no way				that, the dapper publicist pocketed his
to assess what this means to society. To be				check and walked out, much to the
carpet-bombed
				slack-jawed shock of the Ford brain
by information must have far-reaching				trust.Even nations sometimes need help.
consequences to our civilization, but				During the 1970s, Argentina developed a

that's for future observers to sort out.				little P.R. problem when its government
Today, we face an intimidating media-				kidnapped and murdered thousands

driven culture. Anyone looking to succeed in				of its own citizens. Buenos Aires hired
business must first master the				the high-powered U.S. firm of Burson-

fundamentals of navigating the media. To				Marsteller to tidy things up. For a cool
reach customers, donors, or				$1,000,000, the firm launched an

investors-to reach the public-one must				extensive campaign involving
rely on the media as the prime				opinion-makers from around the world: a

intermediary. The methodology to achieve				stream of press releases stressed, among
this is known as Public Relations.THE NATURE				other things, the Argentine
OF PUBLIC RELATIONSHalf the world is composed
of people who have something to say				regime's record in fighting terrorism.
				Sometimes the truth can be stretched
and can't, and the other half who have
nothing to say and keep on saying it.--				until it tears itself in half.I don't wish
Robert FrostI'm often asked whether public				to give the impression that P.R. is strictly
relations is a science or an art. That's a				a polite version of

				lying. That's not the case. As I said, P.R.
valid question. In science, two plus two				is gift-wrapping. Whether delivered
equals four. It will always equal four
				in fancy or plain paper, truth is truth, and
whether added by a Republican from Iowa, a				the public ultimately comprehends
shaman from New Guinea, or an
				it. The trick is packaging the truth on your
alien from Planet X. However, in public				own terms.How often have you read about a big
relations, two plus two may equal four.				movie star storming off the set of a film

It may equal five. It may equal zero today				because of "creative differences" with the
and fifty tomorrow.Public relations is an				director? We all know the two
art.Like an art, there are rules of form,
proven techniques, and standards of				egomaniacs probably hated each other's guts.
				But if the papers printed that,
excellence. But, overall, it's a
mercurial enterprise, where instinct is as				we'd perceive the situation very
				differently. By our soft-pedaling the row
legitimate as convention.Public relations				with
was once defined as the ability to provide
the answers before				words like "creative differences," the movie
				star's reputation remains intact,
the public knows enough to ask the
questions. Another P.R. pundit once				even though intuition tells us he's
				"difficult."MORE THAN ONE PUBLICThus far,
stated, "We don't persuade people. We				when referring to the public, I've
simply offer them reasons to				generalized to mean the

persuade themselves." I define what I do				population at large: We the People. The
as gift-wrapping. If you package a				sophisticated modern art of P.R.

bracelet in a Tiffany box, it will have a				encompasses many more "publics" than
higher perceived value than if				that. In fact, selective targeting is a

presented in a K Mart box. Same bracelet,				primary tactic in sound P.R. strategies.
different perception.PERCEPTION IS REALITYDon				As you will see, bigger is not always
Burr, former CEO of People Express Airlines,
once said, "In the airline				better.Depending on the goals, a publicist
				could target any one of various business,
industry, if passengers see coffee stains on
the food tray, they assume the				consumer, or governmental communities. An
				investor seeking financial backing
engine maintenance isn't done right." That
may seem irrational, but in this				aims for the financial press and relevant
				trade publications. A rock musician
game, perception, not the objective truth,
matters most.How one comprehends given				zeroes in on the local music rags. A
information is all-important in public				lobbyist might need nothing more than a
relations.
				friendly article in the Washington Post, a
For decades, baby harp seals were bludgeoned				retailer only the residents of his
to death by fur hunters, but
				immediate neighborhood.Though I've found a
until the public saw the cute little				few clients easily dazzled by quantity, in
critters up close and personal and				P.R. quality is

perceived the hunt as unacceptable, the				what really counts. A seven-inch stack of
problem didn't exist. Before that, it				press clippings means nothing unless

was a matter of trappers preserving their				the objectives of the campaign have been
hardy way of life. The seals				met. The scrapbook makes a great

ultimately hired the better				Mother's Day gift, but I'd rather see my
publicist.This also works in negative ways.				clients' careers advanced in the
The congressional check-bouncing scandal
				right direction.Figuring out which public to
was a case in which individual				reach is one of the most critical decisions a
congressmen's visibility skyrocketed, while

				publicist makes. My orientation-and, I
their credibility plummeted. The Tobacco				hope, yours-is geared toward the
Institute, a Washington-based
				most significant audience vis-Ã -vis
lobbying and P.R. outfit, spends its time				your objectives, which is not necessarily
and money claiming cigarettes are
				the widest. You may want to target the
okay. Nothing they do or say will ever				people you buy from, the people you
make that true, but they may go a long
				hope to sell to, the people you work for,
way in changing public perception of				the people that work for you, and so
their product. A few years ago they
				on. It's a big world full of little
sponsored subliminally that no-smoking				worlds when you look closely.In most cases I
regulations infringe on our basic				spell out precisely who and what I'm going
				after, and then
liberties. How's that for a P.R.
stretch?Ultimately, the goal of any public				proceed aggressively. Don't go for the moon
relations campaign is to either reorient,				all at once. Set a goal, achieve

or solidify, perception of a product,				it, then build on that base. Any good
client, policy, or event. From there,				planner knows the advantages of

nature takes its course. If the public				thinking three steps ahead while proceeding
perceives the product as good, the movie				one step at a time.FROM THE GUERRILLA P.R.
				FILEThe history-making August 1991 revolution
star as sexy, the pet rock as indispensable,				in the former Soviet Union
then the public will fork over its
				began when then-president Mikhail
money. As the brilliant business author Dr.				Gorbachev left Moscow for a vacation on
Judith Bardwick explained, "To be
				the Crimean Sea. Because the whole affair
perceived as visible increasingly means one				had a happy ending, everybody
is perceived as successful."Some may charge
that stressing perception as reality is				laughed when, only a few days later, the
tantamount to				president of an outdoor billboard

sanctioning falsehood. I disagree. As the				company in Detroit ran a series of large
great historian Max Dimont argued,				ads all over town reading: "Welcome

it didn't matter if Moses really did have				Back, Gorby! Next Time Vacation in
a chat with the Lord up on Mount				Michigan."MICHAEL LEVINE'S TEN COMMANDMENTS
				FOR DEALING WITH MEDIANever be boring.
Sinai or not. What matters is that the				Never!Know your subject thoroughly.Know the
Jewish people believed it and carved				media you contact. Read the paper, watch the
				newscast.Cover you bases.Don't just take
their unique place in world civilizations				"yes" for an answer. Follow up, follow
because of it. Perception became				through.Never feel satisfied.Always maintain
				your composure.Think several moves ahead.Be
reality.Likewise, on a more mundane scale,				persistent, but move on when you're convinced
one will succeed in a P.R. campaign only				you're getting nowhere.Remember, this
				isn't brain surgery. Don't take yourself too
if the perception fostered truly resonates				seriously (like too
with the public. I do not believe
				many publicists I know). Have fun.Michael
people are easily duped. You may try				Levine is the founder of the prominent public
everything in your bag of tricks to get				relations firm Levine

the public to see things your way. You'll				Communications Office, based in Los Angeles.
pull it off only if the perception you				He is the author of Guerrilla PR,

seek to convey fits the reality of the				7 Life Lessons from Noah's Ark: How to
public, the reality of the times. As				Survive a Flood in Your Own
				Life.GuerrillaPR.net is a resource for people
Pretkanis and Eronson argue, credibility				that want to get famous in the media,
today is manufactured, and not
				without going broke.
earned.P.R. OR PUBLICITY?Often, the terms

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Everything about office supplies and products

Guerrilla PR- Chapter One