"You've got to find some way of saying it without saying it." -- Duke Ellington

PR, buzz, hype , spin (doctors), etc, etc, are all words that are definitely out right now.  They've all become associated with the negative side of "milking" media to further one's selfish goals; whether a government, a corporation or an individual.  It is perceived as the masking of reality, especially by the technology-enabled teens and young-adults of today.  PR as it was/is taught in b-schools and we know it today is part of outdated model of communications.  This model is centralized, with a hub from which a single, tightly-controlled message is projected.  Anybody remember 1984, by George Orwell?

What has made the old model old, is precisely technology.  Today, anyone can see right through the spin and the buzz.  Technology today is as widely available and easy to use/enjoy as a Pepsi.  This has levelled the playing field and is starting to make the world a more transparent and honest place.   It makes anyone with £1 in their pocket a potential communicator, editor, investigator and potential endorser on the internet.

In a world of personal disbelief, nothing goes further than the endorsement of others.  However, given the dispbelief you will need a huge number of endorsers to your cause, your brand or yourself...

The question is, taking into account Duke's quote at the beginning, how can I get others to talk for me?  It's about open-sourcing yourself.  Let others define what you (your cause) are and what you could be.  After all, the creativity of millions on-line is probably just a bit greater than your own.

Please join us July 17-21, 2006 for a blog program: PR is Getting Personal, with discussion leaders Joost van de Loo, Clo Willaerts and Dana Gornitzki

ABOUT THE TOPIC:
In today's networked world it is no longer a winning strategy to have a safe job and to trust in the authority of your company. Positions change quickly; your manager can become a freelancer, your supplier can be your client the next month.  Commercial communication is more and more becoming the ongoing dialogue between individuals that the Cluetrain Manifesto predicted. Direct-to-consumer PR is only a small element of this pattern.

As a result, personal reputation is now one of our most precious assets. Successful professionals do everything to be seen as trusted networking hubs. How will this change PR? Will our press releases become more 'fair and balanced'? How do we need to adapt our thinking?

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION LEADERS:
Joost van de Loo is a Marketing Strategist, who joined communication consultancy ZN following a career in journalism and marketing. He has a Master of Arts degree in International Journalism from the City University of London, and a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Delft University of Technology. In addition to work at ZN he currently sets up Distinct News International, a company that produces multi-media packaged television news features from India and China. He also consults for ETV and writes for UK-based Diplo magazine. Joost has worked for BBC Four television, the Amsterdam Weekly, Dynamic Zone, and KPN Mobile.

Clo Willaerts is marketing manager of Belgacom Skynet and an avid blogger.

Dana Gornitzki is a Canadian transplant currently living in London, England. A journalist and media expert, Dana's experience has covered the world of print, online and broadcast. From working with film festivals and inside a major public broadcaster to working with emerging brands, Dana's work has a focus of social interactions and its impact on the here and now. Currently, she is exploring the mobile space and is interested in that medium's far-reaching effects from social communities to advertising and consumption habits.