The following post is in response to the following blog by Karel Mc Intosh
http://www.caribbeanprblog.com/2007/10/pr-model-or-pr-professional-do-you-have.html
Karel talks about a conversation she had on Facebook about the PR profession. She was compelled to reply to a person about having being told he/she had a “look” for the PR industry.
-Her reply is great. PR does not require a “look.”
I agree, but there are certain tools PR professionals use in the field that could be seen glamorous but are really more under the radar than people outside the profession understand. You don’t have to be pretty to work in PR.
People only see the tools, not the talent and intelligence it takes to be in the business. I can't help but think that the PR profession has been glamorized and beautified by the reality TV world. Remember that show on MTV called PR Girls? It followed around 6, very young and very attractive PR women while they worked in the Hollywood scene. They were only shown planning parties for P Diddy and driving around in their BMWs.
Because of shows like this, I feel it is pretty obvious why some people (probably a younger demographic who watch shows like PR Girls) associate PR to pretty people.
There may be some pretty people in the business, but they didn’t get into the profession because they are attractive. The skills that it takes to survive in the PR world have nothing to do being pretty- quite the opposite. PR is about behind the scenes, the down and dirty, strategic hard work.
If you are thinking about getting into PR because someone told you that you have the “look,” think again.
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2 comments:
I definitely agree with your post. The misconceptions about our field are vast, and I think PR Girls had something to do with it. I hate that people think I'm not as intelligent as they are simply because I'm not pre-med.
In my school's PR department, we have a running joke that we are the "real PR girls" and we do everything we can to prove that we are an industry to take seriously.
I look forward to reading more of your posts!
Meg Roberts
University of South Florida
Thanks for your comment Meg!
It's a bit upsetting to be so invlolved and interested in a great profession, and then have so many negative connotations surrounding it, all due to a silly reality TV show. I thought of another factor that could lead to negative perceptions- how about Samantha, from Sex and the City? She reached an even larger audience and gave them the idea that PR is all about representing movie stars and afternoon delight.
I think that there have been other professions that have experienced the same frustrations, like The Apprentice. The link seems to be TV. Sad, right? Please keep doing what you can to prove the industry is more than what you see on TV! I'm starting to read your posts and will comment soon!
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