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JANUARY 31, 2006

My Public Relations Mentor

My teacher in college "got it."

One of the classes I initially dreaded the most at my alma mater, Auburn University, was Style and Design. I dreaded it not only because I was taking a very full load of classes, but also because he was pushing the limits of traditional teaching.

Early on my professor, Robert French, understood the value and effectiveness of using the Internet as a tool to communicate and learn. He had/has his own blog - infopinions? –and he pushed his students to learn. I now appreciate it.
One of many requirements was writing our own blog. Contributing regularly with thoughtful insight into happenings around the world, including public relations, was part of our final grade. It was a great exercise and is something that I carry with me today.
We were also required to contribute to MarComBlog.com. Robert set up this site and invited several PR Practitioners to post comments on insight and day-to-day work - David Forstrom, Bill French, Guillaume du Gardier,  Josh Hallett, Neville Hobson,  Dee Rambeau, Octavio Rojas, Dale Wolf. Relationships were formed. Thoughtful insight was given. Lessons were learned.

I guess my point is that Robert got it. He understood that the rules for communication were and are continuously changing. He knew that what he was teaching would follow us when we left Auburn and pursued a career. The class was more about learning to communicate outside of what was then deemed normal - a simple press release, a direct mailing, an interview with a television station. He taught us that the rules are in fact changing…something we think a lot about here with New Persuasion.

The Euro RSCG/Columbia study shows

…that more than 51 percent of journalists use blogs regularly, and 28 percent rely on them to help in their day-to-day reporting duties. By contrast, a recent Pew Internet and American Life Project survey showed that just 11 percent of the U.S. population as a whole reads blogs. 

So Robert was/is ahead of his time - he gets it.

Posted by admin on January 31, 2006 at 8:16 AM
in Education, Innovation, Internet

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COMMENT (1)

Well, I don’t know what to say, exactly. Certainly a big ‘ol thank you is in order. So, thank you. You made my day!

Margaret, I’m flattered and appreciative for the kind comments. Nice to know that this is paying off for you and others out there.

We are very proud of you. Always have been, of course, but important to say it again here. I hope the McGinn Group knows how lucky they are to get one of our finest students. Something tells me they do know it.

Thanks again. I had already shared your success with the current students as they begin their blogging activities. So, you are one of their role models.

And, you do realize that you were way ahead of your time, too - right? :o) Take care. All the best.

Posted by: Robert French | February 1, 2006 at 5:58 PM

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