Madden Mischief

Working in or with a PR firm can truly become an extension of yourself, your company or brand and depending on how good the PR, that extension can be straight, crooked or contradictory to a position you proclaimed in the past out loud. 

The trends that I see in my profession today are attractive but a bit worrisome.  The most thrilling part is crisis management with all the crisis happening today. 

Then there are some worrisome signs, such as some newsmakers one day praising freedom of speech, then on another day urging it be irradicated, even punished if they don’t like what it’s telling, even jokingly on late night television.   

Another problem is too many publicists fail to communicate clearly or effectively.

I see young interns today sometimes tweeting nonsensical, spur of the moment, off-the-cuff messages, or texts posturing as intelligent or insightful, but they’re not. 

I wonder sometimes what’s happening to impressive writing, eloquent speech, to expressing ideas and worthy concepts brilliantly?  Seldom do I see a draft press release that couldn’t stand some polishing, repairs, or even a complete overhaul. 

Also, we’re all too hooked on the medium instead of the message.

Has AI become like our cell phones, an addictive crutch or cane to help us along the communications trail more swiftly, yet sometimes maybe a might too quick on the draw?  I see too many good ideas fired at media in choppy bits and pieces, autonomous phrases or texts that get just as suddenly shot down, the solid ones along with the sleazy. 

And don’t get me started on politics, the mean jabs those on the left or right take at one another, all the fake news and untimely rhetoric, and lately insensitive jokes in ballistic standups becoming overnight PR lethal.

What industry opportunities are out there in PR today?  Plenty!

If practiced properly, public relations can save the soul of our society from falling into an abyss of clutter culture, a cacophony of propaganda and righteous rhetoric, and from boring political correctness to late-night comedians joking about “fire” causing panic from a TV theater, even one not so crowded.

Much of PR now comes with left or right bias, commentary that either confirms or confuses people, combined with Twitter attacks, social media slurs and ever breaking news filtering down from so-called authoritative sources at lofty levels.

Still effective PR can do more than just make positive impressions about people and products. If done properly, it can present news, ideas and concepts clearly and responsibly, factually and impactfully in an engaging, inspiring way, but not always in just 140 characters.

Effective PR can help clients arrive at sound decisions, make lasting impressions by implementing smart, coherent strategies, well spelled out before spewed into that forest of current event trees and activities that masquerade as “breaking news.”

Oh, and btw, news media hosts, PLEASE give me a break from that overworked expression “BREAKING NEWS!”  How about breaking that habit of slinging that slogan around so much at your already headline inebriated viewers! 

And guests on news shows, I beg you to cease saying “thanks for having me,” that tired, sycophantic expression which sounds like your brown-nosing as no one ever invites you anywhere, let alone on a newscast by his or her majesty on royal TV.

Sincere PR builds deserving reputations, helps brands stand up for something meaningful and noteworthy, which truly means a lot in these blowhard days. 

There’s no sounder cause than staying true to something sincere and solid, that resonates longer than a 15- or 30-second TV spot, tweet or post on social media, or heaven-help us, a jackhammer pounding away posts or kibitzers taking joy rides on TikTok.

What’s soon next for the PR Business?

We’re going to see more strategic alliances among PR firms, ad agencies and with digital and mobile marketing firms and experts in cyber security. Expect also to see former political office holders with media contacts still on unburned bridges.

Besides seeing PR helping businesses improve and protect their websites against hackers, we see public relations responding more effectively to a cacophony of crisis before they cause serious reputational harm and unrepairable damage.

From where do we see more success coming in PR?

At TransMedia Group, we’re believers in globalism. Today PR firms must be multilingual like us and able to serve clients worldwide as our firm does, as globally is where we see the growth.

Once I traveled to Moscow from where I brought back business and to Australia  to introduce a client presenting his film at the Sidney Opera House.

Over the years, TransMedia Group personnel have served many international clients from a brave hospital in Israel, Meir Medical Center, to news events in Latin America. Ole!

What’s the ultimate benefit of being a PR client?

The ultimate benefit from PR we want to see is the positive effect it has on a client’s bottom line.

If PR services don’t positively affect and bolster their clients’ bottom line, they’re not earning their fee and skating on thin ice, which we’re loathe to do in this mounting heat from global warming, for which our firm has created a character to fight it called Planetary Lifeguard.

Sure, publicity is impressive and ego stroking, but is it driving their clients’ sales? Contributing to their profitability? Winning more respect and appreciation for their brands?  That’s the ultimate barometer; that’s the benefit PR must deliver.

That’s the story, my friends, and we’re sticking to it as long as we’re in—what’s that stuff we do? Public Relations! 

It’s the one field that if done right will keep our society intact, our businesses thriving and our country, the greatest in the world, growing ever stronger.  

Tom Madden has written books about his role in the PR world, starting with Spin Man all about the topsy-turvy world of public relations he entered when he left NBC.  Madden’s publicity has helped many entrepreneurs to prosper, including some who started working out of their garages preparing and selling products his PR would make famous making their owners become billionaires.  Today, the president of TransMedia Group is Madden’s resourceful daughter Adrienne Mazzone.  Meanwhile, still CEO, her dad is ever polishing news releases she gives him to make even shinier.