It’s been more than a few years since many of us sat in college and university PR classes to learn about Edward Bernays, AP Style and the use of media relations as the primary tool to reach key audiences.
But it might not be such a crazy idea for practitioners at all experience levels to hear what incoming PR students are learning. After all, if a 22-year-old new employee pitches your CEO or CMO about owned media or native advertising in the context of PR, could you confidently jump into the fray?
It’s with those issues in mind — PR’s relevancy in a changing marketing and media landscape — that we visited Lynn Appelbaum, Professor of Public Relations and Advertising/PR program director at The City College of New York and a former NBC and university PR pro.
“It’s incumbent upon PR professionals to stay in touch with the trends that are changing every day. What’s hot now, what’s relevant now, what’s changing now, is going to be a completely different picture from what’s happening a month, two months, three months from now.”
Viewing Appelbaum’s comments on mega agencies like Edelman and Ketchum adding advertising into the PR mix, and hearing her tips on staying current, should give comfort to many veteran PR execs who routinely read TechCrunch and who know how to use Vine.
Those who had to consult Google or Wikipedia while viewing the video may want to register for Appelbaum’s fall PR classes.
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