Experience PR

I took a little break from the blog last week during my spring break trip to China… limited Internet access up on the Great Wall for those of you who haven’t been there yet, although I did see a guy on his cell phone. Technology creeps me out a little these days.

 My trip was amazing, although the jet-lag is killing me. While I don’t recommend flying to the other side of the world for as few as 10 days, there are many businessmen and PR professionals who do just that. Despite my complaining, I hope that’s me someday.

If you’ve checked out my ‘About’ page, you know I love to travel, and if you’ve been reading my blog, you know I love public relations. Although I’m not yet sure how I’m personally going to make those two things work together for me, it’s more than possible in today’s global community.

While international traveling may not be every public relations student’s cup of tea, it’s almost impossible to ignore the need for a broader understanding of other cultures. As I mentioned before, Richard Edelman, president and CEO of Edelman Worldwide Public Relations, recommended learning another language or taking advantage of travel opportunities in order to set yourself apart from other well-qualifies public relations soon-to-be professionals when I heard him speak.

My classmate and friend Holly Mueller focuses her blog, Mundo PR, on this very topic, discussing the importance of cultural awareness for public relations professionals developing trans-continental campaigns, or even campaigns within one country that will reach individuals of different backgrounds. A key to defining and understanding key publics is to know what cultural beliefs and customs affect the way they think and how they might respond to certain situations.

There are tons of differences between cultures. I was recently reminded of that fact the first time I walked into a four-star public bathroom in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Language is probably the most obvious challenge, especially for anyone in a communications major, and I know I’ve been putting off becoming fluent in another language for about five years now. I spoke with Gary Wells, senior managing director for media relations and global communications at Dix & Eaton, about helpful skills for a student interested in international public relations, and while he agreed that travel experience and a desire to learn about new cultures can provide real leverage, it’s more important to understand how effective PR practices can be applied to different situations and different cultures.

Despite all of the differences, similarities between cultures abound.

A recent article in PR Tactics and the Strategist Online discussed Middle Eastern journalists’ frustration with being bombarded by press releases from PR folk. According to the article 70 percent of the journalists claim to delete e-mails from public relations agencies without reading them.

Good writing, strong strategies and tactics, and effective media relations are all practices we’re taught in class that can be used no matter what country our future corporation, agency or client calls home.