50 Years Forward

Last night, Newhouse students met with public relations big shots Aaron Hugo, Executive Vice President & Owner of Pinckney Hugo Group; Chuck Beeler, Director of PR at Eric Mower and Associates; and Anthony W. D'Angelo, APR, PRSA Chair, Director of Communications Management, and Professor, to celebrate PRSSA's 50 year anniversary. It was a night full of thought-provoking discussion about the transformation of the industry over the last half century.

I found that time, creativity, and delivery were the most significant changes mentioned by the panelists. I know you're probably wondering what does that means, but I can guarantee these changes will seem simple after I break it down.

Chuck Beeler, Eric Mower

Time

Beeler was the first to jump into the discussion, emphasizing the importance of time. He confessed, "Everything is so pressed and moves in an instant. Now we have no time. It's hard to take a moment and truly think." If you think about technology and how quickly we are able to communicate with one another, this makes sense. A crisis or something big in general can happen at any moment; either way, a response is critical. D'Angelo agreed with Beeler, explaining that the number of people who can express their opinions on important matters has increased due to social media, so timing is even more important. In a world full of endless opinions and more information than we've ever imagined, the ability to strategize quickly, come up with ideas efficiently, and respond to the public in a timely manner are essential.

Creativity

Aaron Hugo, Pinckney Hugo Group

Hugo stressed the importance of creativity, sharing that it's the biggest thing he looks for in employees. In agency work, practitioners work in either creative or account—over the years, the line between the two have blurred, making it even more important. Hugo said, "PR is creative. Media buying is creative. You need a creative pitch and creative vehicles for platforms to get content out. Its not like it used to be, where you just call someone and everything is taken care of. You need to do the work, plan it, and you better have a good idea." Writing is also another area where practitioners must be creative. Hugo made a great point, explaining that the press release used to be a structured piece that had an intro, middle, and end, whereas nowadays they need to be captivating and unique to grab the readers attention.

Delivery

Delivery is the most evolved in comparison to the other elements of public relations that have changed over the years. With new technologies, social media applications, and an overall more interconnected world, the way practitioners communicate with the public has changed drastically. The idea of the 9 to 5 p.m. job that ceases to exist when you leave the office is unfortunately long gone. People can text, tweet, and direct message from practically everywhere. Everything from the pitch to your client to how you reach out to the public has become a creative process that conveys a message that the target audience will understand and enjoy. It also needs to be done in a timely manner, no later than its due. In the fast-paced world of 2018, time management and quick thinking are the only ways to succeed in PR.

PR is evolving and will continue to change as more technologies are created. As practitioners, it is important to understand the many platforms your publics are using and how it is influencing the sharing of news. To keep up with the industry, continue to read and listen to advice from leaders in PR. Good luck and happy communicating!

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