PC's PR

Does anyone else think that this commercial is offensive to the Public Relations industry?

I’m sure you can tell by the phrasing of the question that I believe it is completely offensive. It gives the impression that all PR is good for is spin.

I remember my first PR class. The professor asked us, “What is PR? What do PR people do?” While some smart-mouths who had no interest in the profession said things like, “cover up for ENRON” or “lie,” I knew it was something different.

My professor confirmed that it was different, PR isn’t about making things sound better or spinning or lying. It’s about telling the truth and doing it in the best, most professional way possible. This is not what the commercial portrays.

This commercial is a step backward in the PR world. It portrays PR people as liars and spin artists who create their own truths, truths that are only beneficial to their clients.

Maybe I just have a very young perspective on PR. As a new professional, it is a bit hard for me to believe that everyone isn’t working as hard as I am, or that not everyone has the same set of values. But I am going to go with what I believe and what I was taught, PR is about telling the truth, not spin.