JetBlue found itself in a pretty big predicament yesterday when one of their captains emerged from the cockpit mid-air screaming “They are going to take us down!”, had to be restrained and forced an emergency landing.  I can’t even imagine the horror the passengers and crew felt – and was right along with everyone who collectively sighed with relief that no one was hurt.   From a PR perspective, most brands immediately kick into “crisis communications” when something of this caliber happens.  But, I get the sense that wasn’t the case with JetBlue.  I get the sense that they just did what they do really, really well – and they simply communicated.

The first thing I saw was their statement that they quickly shared on their Facebook page.  It was straight-up – and read like a police report.  To me, this showed they were concerned about getting the right story out there.  No spin, just the facts.  They continued to update the statement, as appropriate.    They also took to Twitter, posted the statement and then made it a Promoted Tweet to make sure it stayed at the top of their Twitter page for easy access.    They responded (and continue to respond) to Tweets which mostly either directed people to the statement or thanked them for their support. CEO Dave Barger also talked to the TODAY Show’s Matt Lauer to comment on the situation and to compliment the crew and “customers” on how they handled the situation.  Regarding the captain, he simply said that he was, until now, a consummate professional and is getting “medical help.”

The captain will be suspended and JetBlue has committed to review its procedures, even though they are confident that this is something that couldn’t have been detected.

Not all brands can pull off a seemingly seamless response to a crisis – but one of the biggest things that JetBlue has going for them is their social media presence.  I’ve often used them as an example of how to do social media right – they  are active, engaging, fun, funny and – it turns out – ready to tackle crises head-on.   And thanks to their approach to social media, their fans and followers are now helping them get the word out on what really happened by sharing with their networks.    When consumers start helping preserve your brand’s reputation, you know you’ve done something right.

The US soccer team just failed to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games. Last night they lost a “must-win” game to El Salvador and they will not move to the next round of Olympic qualifying. Considering the progress soccer is making becoming a tier-one sport in America – and the expectations of this team entering the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament – this is very disappointing and a bit of a disgrace.

Somewhat related, I’ve read a few of the soccer blogs and the consistent accompanying image is that of Freddy Adu being consoled by a teammate at the conclusion of the game. While I admire his talent and will never be able to comprehend the challenges he has faced, I can’t help but measure Adu’s performance against all of the hype he received upon his introduction to the world at age 14.   He – and now his underachieving U-23 teammates – remind me of those start-up companies that get all kinds of buzz without having much substance behind them, and then fizzle or get swallowed up well before anything of significance occurs.

I’m from the generation or PR people who watched embellishment become far too common, and most often connected to people, products and services never deserving of the praise. I didn’t even think twice when, as a young professional in one of my first PR gigs, all of my clients were dubbed “world leaders” or the “very best” in their respective categories. At the time it seemed like anything and everything worth promoting needed to be pumped as high as it could go, even if the offering didn’t remotely earn the superlatives.

The more experienced me now counsels start-ups on communicating when appropriate, and doing so wisely. Before those companies can make that “great splash”, they have to be certain that their corporate, product and executive stories are clear, concise and appropriately measured.  They need to ensure that their “elevator pitch” is sensible, that they aren’t making promises that are impossible to keep and that they’re not shilling “vaporware.”  It often goes against the better nature of media producers and consumers, but part of what we must offer clients includes the ability to know when to turn down the hype and even force them to take a few steps back before striking out with “guns a-blazin’.”   The new professionals here at Matter embrace a similar, thoughtful perspective and approach, and it’s given us great credibility with the media we pitch and work with daily.

Anyway, for all the other soccer fanatics and USA apologists, it’s highly likely that I missed the soccer articles over the past few months that gave a realistic, level-headed forecast of our chances to move forward in Olympic qualifying. Instead, I embraced the hype and can’t help but feel a little burned after last night’s loss.  Either way, USA Soccer might want to think about finding a more balanced PR strategy – and perhaps a little late-in-game defense would help, too.

Having left reporting and anchoring behind, I find myself less engaged with the political issues and parties of the day. What is still fascinating from a public relations standpoint is the way politicians (people under self- imposed extreme scrutiny) interact with other people (the scrutinizers… voters, press, employees and even family members).

After a speech on Sunday (see coverage and video from the speech and exchange with the New York Times here), presidential hopeful Rick Santorum got into an exchange with a New York Times reporter about comments on another candidate in the race. In this case what he said isn’t the issue as the message and tone is on-par with the overall tenor of this election cycle. What is truly fascinating is the breakdown in communication that led to the story and lessons from a PR professional’s perspective on how to make the best of this all too human situation.

From Santorum point of view, here’s what is missed by the reader/viewer:

1) Context: With limited time in a newscast or room for a story, there is a limited amount of context that can be provided and most of us didn’t see how Santorum set up his comments nor are we able to see how he followed them up on stage.

2) Exhaustion: Having covered a presidential political campaign for just a couple of weeks I can tell you without a doubt that it is one of the most exhausting endeavors a person can do and it is visually evident with Mr. Santorum

3) Repetition fatigue: A news director once barged into the booth where I had just wrapped a newscast and cursed me out six ways to Sunday for shortening a story and dropping it from the lead. When asked to explain myself, my answer was simple: I had led with the story for 5 hours straight and though it was a big story, I felt it was stale after leading with it for 10 newscasts. The News Directors response has forever stuck with me, “The average radio listener (in 1996) turns on and off the radio 4 times a day and listens for about 23 minutes at a time. We are lucky if they hear one newscast and thrilled if they hear two or three. You may have given that lead story ten times, but the average listener heard it once!” Santorum no doubt has delivered that message on stage dozens of times and perhaps on the fly tweaked the script and adlibbed a bit if for no other reason than for his own sanity. His comment inadvertently leaves out the mention of healthcare when comparing Romney and Obama and context in every breath is crucial when cameras are on.

Lessons learned:

1) Fight repetition fatigue by reminding yourself that you are in-font of a new audience and the message, though potentially wearing, is important enough to end with context each time.

2) DO NOT take the question from the reporter personally… they are doing a job to unravel their perceived version of the truth. If they unravel you in the process they have a better story and remember… they are the ones telling it.

3) During a confrontational interview if you have made your point, remind the reporter POLITELY that you made that point, say it calmly again, thank the reporter for their time and disengage. DO NOT get mad or at least don’t let them see you get mad.

Next suggested steps:

1) Turn the negative into a positive by utilizing the extra attention to further your message

2) Apologize in this case the profanity and for over-reacting to the inadvertent (whether it was or not) mistake by the reporter whose question misquoted you.

3) See #1 again and again and again

From the New York Times’ perspective, covering a campaign is grueling and exhausting work with constant deadlines, travel. There are an endless barrage of interviews with supporters, detractors, pollsters and pundits along the way. There is seldom time to scarf down a sandwich let alone digest all the information swarming around you and to relay it in a new way. It’s important that the company does a better job of helping their reporters battle campaign fatigue or at least remind them to better qualify their questions so they do not break the cardinal rule to not become the story, but report the story. They might offer to interview Santorum again, in a calmer environment, or perhaps even interview the reporter and Santorum together. Since the toothpaste is out of the tube and the reporter can’t put it back in, they might as well seize the opportunity and present a complete and exclusive story.

How would you handle the reaction if you were in Santorum’s PR camp – or the New York Times’?

During an interview, one of the inquiries you can always count on hearing no matter what the position or company is “So, tell me a little more about yourself.” Seems simple enough compared to some of the others questions you may have just fielded, right? Talk about your background, some of your hobbies, what brought you into your field, etc. However, many times employers are left feeling like they haven’t gotten the full picture, that they haven’t really gotten to know you well enough yet. To help fill in the blanks, many companies are now turning to a familiar source: Facebook. More so than that, some interviewers are even asking for Facebook passwords on the spot to look at your profile.

Whether or not you agree with this (it is legal as of now), it could eventually become part of the regular job interview process. In today’s social media driven world, nothing is really kept private and those of us in communication fields like public relations need to pay special attention to what we say at all times. Now while we don’t have to all run and delete our pages, below are some helpful tips to keeping your Facebook personal enough, but most importantly professional.

Maintain Privacy Settings
Whether you are interviewing for a position or you’re currently employed, at some point a company will look up your Facebook profile. Make sure if you haven’t separated your personal and professional posts, you do so as soon as possible by adjusting privacy settings, and even consider making an entirely separate professional account.

If you Have to Question it, Don’t Post it
While social media can be a great outlet for personal expression, not every post is appropriate for your colleagues to see. If you wouldn’t want your Mom to see pictures from this weekend, you certainly don’t want your boss to. This goes for posts too, as while everyone is entitled to their opinion you wouldn’t want to risk possibly offending someone, especially a client.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use Facebook to Your Advantage
Facebook can be a great tool for public relations professionals and their clients. Be sure to “like” your favorite writer, become a “fan” of your favorite publication, or share an interesting article you read. You can help connect to consumers in your clients industries by running contests or fielding questions on their pages. The site was made to help connect us all, so take advantage!

While we’ve certainly all had the phrase “be careful what you put on Facebook” engrained into our brains, let’s remember that it can also be an essential tool for today’s public relations professional! Would you add any tips for keeping Facebook professional? What do you think about employers asking for your password?

I moved to Boston a little over two years ago from a far off desert land with cacti aplenty. People always ask why I decided to leave a perfectly warm locale. I suppose this question is about as equal in logic as, “Why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane?” Both answers are precisely the same: for the thrill.

I moved to Boston for the thrill of entrenching myself in a new culture. The adventure of learning about the landmarks, parks, restaurants, cobblestone streets, beaches that tie together to create a city that is equal parts modern and traditional, liberal and conservative, sophisticated and saucy.

What I didn’t realize when I packed up and moved was that New England’s culture isn’t entirely defined by the places, events and food (though I can’t complain about any of the above). The heart of the culture is its people.

The relationships I’ve formed is the lens through which I view the New England culture. Families are more than tight-knit. They are iron-clad. People are loyal. To their sports teams and to their pizza place.

I’ve not only found this in my personal relationships, but in my relationships at work and the culture that is Matter Communications.

Sure, work is challenging at times (as it should be). There are days you feel like pulling out your hair. Other days you swear that if you hear the words “due ASAP” one more time you might poke your eyes out. But through those times, it certainly helps to work with quality people who are there to listen and support you, and to work for a company that values its employees and strives to maintain a culture that is both challenging and fun.

So perhaps it sounds like I’m drinking the Kool-Aid. Well, I’m not. I’m just drinking the beer from the keg-o-rator and appreciating the people and culture that help affirm that my decision to move across the country was the right one.

Now I’m calling on all of my teammates to comment: why do you love Matter’s culture?

Last week my five-year-old son, William, came up from the playroom, screaming and crying. Inconsolable and loud, he got my attention. He kept it by reporting (through snot and tears and hiccups): “Owen punched me in the face, threw me into the wall, then up the stairs. Then he broke my leg and my arm.”

Noting that Will was walking without a limp and gesturing like a windmill to emphasize his brother’s wrongdoings, I surmised that at least part of this story was fiction. I’ll cut out the next forty five minutes of The Mentalist-type mystery solving I did to summarize: Owen had taken the Wii remote from Will, flung it onto the couch and told Will he was an idiot and no fun.

Why would Will make up something when the reality is bad enough to get Owen in trouble?

Hop now with me to current events…
Mike Daisey reminds me a lot of my five year old. If you haven’t read anything about him, here is a quick summary: he’s performed a one-man monologue “The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs,” an exploration of Apple’s relationship with Chinese factory workers, and subsequently reported as facts what have turned out to be falsehoods about his interviews with workers at a factory in China.
Just like my little boy, Daisey represented his stories as fact, to get attention and justice for real wrongs. But because he made things up, his personal credibility is destroyed. The pity of it is that the facts of what happens in the lives of Chinese factory workers deserve the attention of those of us toting our iPads and iPhones around. Read more about it, and decide for yourself how you feel.
If you have a cause, if you want to make a statement about something, you can’t make up stories and then expect to be taken seriously. And you will probably do your cause more harm than good. It seems so basic. And Mike Daisey’s outraged disbelief at the maelstrom of controversy he’s caused reminds me even more of my little boy. When caught telling tall tales, he defaults to anger too.

The difference is that Will is five, and still growing into his moral code. And it’s my job to help coach him there. So we read ourselves a little Aesop’s Fable, “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”. I would respectfully suggest that Mr. Daisey do the same.

Unless you’re a public relations newbie, you’re probably well aware that there various areas of focus in the PR industry. If your talents are being utilized in-house, then you have the luxury (debatable) of focusing your time and efforts on one industry, but if you work for an agency like Matter, more than likely you’ll work with multiple clients in different industries.

For the sake of your PR career (and life, sanity, health etc.,), it’s wise to try and figure out what area (s) of focus you enjoy working on. Of course, if you’re an intern or in an entry-level PR position, you may not have the liberty to choose your own clients/focus, but it doesn’t mean you can’t begin this wonderful soul-searching process. My PR area of focus was heavily influenced by my personal interests, hobbies, and
long-term career/life goals. Although each individual is different, I think this is a great way to start the thinking process.
Need some help? Below are the top PR concentrations, along with tips on how to determine which focus is right for you!

Consumer/lifestyle: In consumer PR your job is to gain publicity for a particular product or service whether it’s for a company in sports, food, nightlife, alcohol or video games. If you like the possibility of speaking on behalf of a large company, monitoring for industry trends, and speaking directly to the average consumer, you’ll find this industry enjoyable.

Entertainment: Your role is to represent and pitch a celebrity to national and short lead media. This can include clients in fashion, professional sports, music and film. Enjoy reality TV, daytime TV, sports, politics, and celebrity culture? This is definitely for you!

Financial Services: The financial sector has many facets, and can be complex. Here, you’ll mainly focus on providing accurate information to national and trade media. Somewhat technical at times, this industry is for someone that enjoys a regimented schedule, tactical writing and
planning, crisis management.

Healthcare: Since healthcare is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing industries, choosing this area of focus could be great for your career. Healthcare PR reps serve as liaisons between health organizations and non-profits and the mainstream media, and can potentially work on behalf of hospitals, non-profits, government agencies, and pharmaceutical companies. Depending on your client, your role as PR rep can
have a greater meaning (saving lives, helping people in need, etc.), which is always a good thing.

Technology: Your PR role in this industry is really dependent upon your client’s product or service. If you’re a techie and are always excited about the latest and greatest gadgets and tech advancements, you’ll probably be great at tech PR. Just be sure to have some experience with
technical jargon, and stay abreast of all things tech.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.”

I immediately thought of this quote when I agreed to run in the Walt Disney World Wine and Dine Half- Marathon with a couple of friends this coming November. I have to admit that I think it’s pretty cool that this run takes place in the evening and that Mickey and other Disney characters cheer you on at every mile, but my affinity for wine tasting was the real reason I agreed to participate. However, shortly after I signed up, I started to contemplate what I just gotten myself into. The farthest I’ve ever run was a 10K, and that was four years ago. I’m not sure if my two surgically repaired knees will be able to handle the stress of such a grueling race. If I’m going accomplish my goal, I have to begin to prepare for the long road ahead.

Since making the agreement to run a few months ago, I have completely changed my diet and eating habits by snacking on smaller meals that are packed with protein. I researched and purchased new running shoes that were comfortable and supportive for my feet, and I even began occasional acupuncture sessions to alleviate any aches and pains. Most importantly, I talked with family members and friends who have run marathons to help me to create a plan to build my stamina for the upcoming race. This preparation comes to mind because I see parallels in my training for the marathon and how we help our clients achieve success here at Matter Communications.

I participated in a campaign for a client that wanted to make a splash by making eight product announcements at an upcoming conference. This was a critical show that many of our client’s competitors, key media writers and industry analysts were attending. I saw first-hand how my team worked tirelessly to prepare and execute a plan to flawlessly deliver on the days of the conference. Starting six months ahead of time, we worked with our client’s marketing and product teams to establish a strategy and discuss how to make an impact at the show and on the social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. The team drafted variations of press releases to perfect the messaging for the launch of the news, secured 40 meetings with the media, and organized the worldwide team to translate each release into five different languages.

The event resulted in our team generating 405 pieces of coverage with 100 million impressions and 8,701 impressions from our client’s social media page. Surely Benjamin Franklin would have been proud of the preparation that went into this campaign and the incredible results we delivered. Hopefully, similar preparation in my personal life will lead to similar success for me at the half-marathon in November.  Has careful preparation made a difference in a project of yours – or has the lack of preparedness brought home Mr. Franklin’s point to you?

Here at Matter, we find lots of reasons to have fun together.  Writing in a way that helps me avoid a too popular cliché, we work very hard and like to blow off steam as a group.  I’m fully in support of both efforts: working hard and having fun.

To that end, later today I’m joining the smartest and savviest group of PR people anywhere, and a number of our clients, contacts in business, and friends, for the purpose of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.  (Blogger note: We’re meeting at the Port Tavern here in Newburyport – and if you’ve read this in time, you are welcome to join us.)  While not all of what our agency does outside of the office occurs at a local watering hole, today’s celebration is an event where enjoying Irish music and a freshly poured Guinness is as high a priority as the event itself.

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is only one of a number of calendar-related celebrations.  Formally and informally, arranged and not, we try to get together as a group with some regularity. The culture here at Matter is a supportive one, both personally and professionally, and it’s one that embraces growth and new people.  To that end, we’re currently hiring aggressively – we’re a Pacesetter for goodness sake! – and a list of current openings can be found on our careers page.  If you are interested in a rewarding PR agency experience while working with peers who share a common respect and professionalism, and like to have fun, please do check out our listings and let us know if you have skills that apply.

I enjoy the company of the people here at Matter, and they enjoy the company of each other. They admire and respect one another, and I consistently tip my hat to each for their business-driving PR work.  Tonight, however, I’ll tip a beer with the group and celebrate a special day. If you’d like to be part of these celebrations – and the many that happen around here with surreal frequency – be sure to get in touch.

And, here’s something special that will get you in the Irish mood before Saturday.  Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Before the internet was infiltrated with social media networks, celebrities were “untouchable”. They were put on pedestals above us common folk and our ideas about them were conceived purely by what they portrayed on television. Today, thanks to sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, we’ve been exposed to a whole other side to celebrities and quite frankly, I don’t like it.

Here’s why. Following some of my favorite celebrities, namely my favorite musician, has tainted my overall impression of him. Not only do his Tweets have zero substance to them, but he’s among the many that often times just RT urging fans who demand shout outs and birthday wishes. As a diehard fan of this individual (who shall remain nameless simply out of respect), and a PR professional, it makes me feel icky.

So it begs the questions, should celebrities run their own Twitter accounts? On one side, how great is it to know that what is being posted really is coming straight from the source; a glimpse into their “real” world if you will. On the other hand, if what they are posting doesn’t represent them in the best possible light, entrusting in a dedicated social media team to post on their behalf could be the smarter choice.

Don’t get me wrong, not all celebrities need a lesson in social media. A large majority takes to Twitter to interact with their fans in ways that are both creative and commendable (see Ellen DeGeneres and Lady Gaga). But the same cannot be said for many others. And it’s to those individuals that I make this plea: think before you Tweet. Spare yourself preventable embarrassment, or worse, a loss of a fan that once held you in such high regard.

Have a tale to tell about the good, the bad and the ugly of your favorite celebrity on Twitter? Comment on who you love (or hate) to follow.