Guilty Unless Proven...Attractive?

Last week, Wednesday, June 18, 2014, Jeremy Meeks was arrested on five weapon charges and one gang charge. The Stockton Police Department posted his mug shot, along with three others also arrested, on their Facebook page to inform their publics. The last thing they expected to do was catapult Meeks into Internet stardom.

The Internet population erupted upon seeing this criminal’s mug shot, creating memes, fan pages and even the hashtag #FreeJeremyMeeks. What about this man created such a viral sensation; enough for him to have over 200,000 likes on Facebook and approximately $4,000 (and rising) worth of donations towards his bail? He has good looks.

Donned the “handsome felon,” Meeks has stolen hearts of women across the nation. The media is swooning over him, relentlessly addressing his “icy” eyes and “chiseled features.” Modeling agencies have made statements, discussing potential modeling jobs for Armani and Versace for up to $30,000 a month.

While the media buzz circled around the convicted felon, Kyle Carpenter received a Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry for his displayed courage when serving as an automatic rifleman in Iraq in 2010. He shielded a fellow Marine from an enemy hand grenade, suffering catastrophic injuries from his eyes down.

This is a prime example of how distorted the media can be. Rather than celebrate a courageous American hero, we are more interested in a convict who happens to be attractive. Although not all media outlets covered Meeks’ story, and Kyle Carpenter was featured in various articles, it is interesting to see what media outlets prioritize as breaking news. In addition, because Meeks’ fame was triggered by social media rather than traditional, it seems as if we as media consumers are more interested in appearance rather than character. Not only does this instance generate the question of what media outlets find more newsworthy, but it also inquires what stories we find more interesting.

Below is a link to the original Facebook post from the Stockton Police Department, as well as links to his Facebook fan page and articles on both Meeks and Carpenter.

https://www.facebook.com/stocktonpolicedepartment/photos/pb.205951982834067.-2207520000.1403891179./626455670783694/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/JeremyMeeksDreamyMcMugShot

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/20/us/marine-cpl-william-kyle-carpenter-receives-medal-of-honor.html?_r=0

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Tyler Cameron. 

Los Angeles: The City of Dreams, Hope and The Ultimate Facade

Whether looking to make it big, meet the most famous celebrities or vacation on the beautiful West Coast beaches, Los Angeles has been a prime destination for young faces to find a home for a week or for life. For over a hundred years LA has been known as the hometown of the rich and famous, where big dreams come true and life is unlike anywhere else. However, this dreamy idea of a fantasy-like world ends as you walk off your plane at LAX.

Recently, I took a trip to California to explore a new and unfamiliar place, in hopes of finding a place I might want to call home in my post-grad years. I would not say that I was surprised, but rather disappointed at how different the city is compared to what is portrayed in the news and media. Most of Los Angeles is made up of smaller towns, many of which are not much better than the surrounding areas of our beloved Temple University. The “LA” that we know and admire through the media makes up a very small percentage of the entire city, hidden away in the hills, trying to stay away from the average lifestyle of the real Los Angeles.

There’s a lot that PR professionals can learn from the media’s depiction of LA. By bringing forth the assets of a city, tourists from all around the world come to visit the city that offers them fame, fortune and a chance to fulfill their dreams. However, as a consumer, it is important to understand all of LA, not just the glamourized Hollywood and Beverly Hills area. By researching ahead of time and making a plan, I was able to see the highlights of LA in one day. Had I planned the whole vacation in LA, I would have been incredibly disappointed in the lack of activities the city offered aside from the cliché celebrity tours and bus rides. So the next time you’re planning a vacation to an esteemed city, remember to find out what the city actually has to offer, not just what the media taught you. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Hiya Ray. 

Media Training 101: Tips on Teaching Your Client

Advocacy. Advocacy. Advocacy.  It's PR 101, it's what we do for our clients and it's what is engraved into our brains from the start.  Part of advocating for your client or your company can be media training. Media training is simply preparing your client for press conferences, interviews, TV appearances, etc. It's a daunting task because no matter how prepared you and your client can be, the media can always throw in a question or comment that you didn't expect. It is our job to make sure the client is prepared for that.

Start off the media training with something fun and engaging. 

Pretend you're the reporter and ask them really hard questions. Chances are they'll freeze up (that's why you're in the position of training them, after all). This will show the importance of what they're about to listen to and experience.

Keep your client's personality in mind.

If they're generally a formal person from a suit-and-tie company, they might not be comfortable loosening up in a conversational situation with a reporter. Practice makes perfect and the more you help your client embrace relaxation, the better they will do in the interview. Cool, calm and collected is a really overused saying for a reason.

Don't use jargon.

Whether we realize it or not, our field is littered with jargon that no one else understand. Clients don't know what editorial and impressions mean so there's no use in talking about it during your training. Keep it short and simple and easy for them to understand so they stay in full focus during your presentation.

Focus on the mission statement.

It's the core of their business and something that they should know inside and out. By incorporating something that they are already comfortable with and making it the base of the training it will help them adjust better.

Wrap it up by reiterating why media training matters.

You can repeat your initial interview exercise and watch them be amazed with the progress they made in a few short hours. End with key takeaways that are most important for them to remember. Always offer yourself up for additional help outside of the training session.

As PR professionals we are supposed to be media aficionados. Sometimes these skills can get in the way of seeing how other people are going to feel if they're talking to a reporter. Put yourself in your client's shoes and make sure to talk to them that way. You're helping them with their skills and cultivating your relationship with them, all in one.

 

What's Your Social Media Personality?

This is a little bit like the quizzes you find in the back of a Seventeen Magazine. What kind of social media personality are YOU? Check all that apply.

PR Daily posted this infographic that breaks down the type of people who are using social media, and it's pretty spot-on.

Most PR students and professionals (myself included) would most likely fall under the "Ultras" category.  We love our social media and we're proud of it and we might even find ourselves getting a little antsy when we can't check it several times a day.

However, there are definitely some classifications that aspiring PR pros don't want to fall under.

• The Peacocks

It's great to have a lot of followers, but social media isn't a popularity contest. If most of your audience is people that have no relevance to what you're saying, you might as well be talking to yourself

• The Ranters

Sometimes it's hard to contain our opinions, especially on hot-button issues. It's in our PR nature to want to respond right away. It's okay to speak your mind, as well as it's well thought out and appropriate. Ranting is never encouraged.

• The Ghosts

What good do anonymous or "fake" profiles do you? If no one knows who you are you can't gain much credibility. Online safety shouldn't be taken lightly but as long as you're smart about what you put out there, you can still be honest about who you are.

So, which social media personality are you? Are you a cross between a few or a completely new breed? We want to know!

How To Deal With Rejection

Learning how to take rejection well is a skill every aspiring public relations professional needs to know. Having "thick skin" is a much sough after trait in this industry. Not being offered a job, being continuously shot down by the media and being critiqued by colleagues and clients can be really tough to handle. In the end however, it is just part of the job. It often makes it difficult to stay positive when there is an abundance of negativity floating around.

Here are some tips to handle criticism and deal with rejection:

• Roll with the punches. It’s important to keep going. Negative things happen. It’s normal. Don’t get discouraged.
• Listen to constructive criticism. Take the feedback seriously even if it is not what you want to hear. You may miss out on an opportunity to better yourself.
• Remember it’s business, not personal. Never take anything personally, at the end of the day you and your colleagues are trying to do what is best for the client. 
• Learn from your mistakes. Grow from your experiences and become a better PR professional because of it.
• Use it to fuel you. Fix your mistakes, take better action and prove your abilities. Push yourself!

How else do you stay motivated? We want to know!