Will the Sr. Executive General VP Please Stand Up?

"But she's a vice president," a company marketing manager gasps. "So I just assumed she was senior enough to handle this. You mean she's just a few years out of college, and probably hasn't faced this sort of issue before?"

Yup, yes, you got it, and double-yes. That's exactly the case. Welcome to PR agency title inflation.

Sure, exaggerated titles in agencies have always been the norm, and generally overlooked by those in the know. Anyone who can go from "intern" to "account executive" overnight isn't an executive, but it sure looks good on a proposal or business card (and makes clients feel... for a moment... as if the trembling person across the table may just a bit less green).

So the saying goes, you can't be a vice president at a major firm without at least five years experience (yes, a whopping five years... maybe four if you show promise!).

But lately, it seems, titles are growing more and more disproportionate to actual expertise. What is a general manager when there are multiple GMs in an office? Does a senior vice president trump an executive vice president? How about the managing director title for the Brit you lured in -- equivalent to a GM, or below the junior partner?

I'm now waiting for what's to come... workgroup president, associate chief listener, senior equity partner, and I-Only-Show-At-Pitches-So-Don't-Expect-To-See-Me-Again-Owner/Player/Manager.

Title inflation is a fact of agency life. But, if you're bestowed with one of these monikers, or are responsible for handing them out like candy to needy employees at every turn, ask yourself now and again if you may not be drawing snickers (or worse, creating false confidence) beyond your agency's walls.

PRWeek Awards Finalists - Compliments to My Team

PRWeek (the U.S. edition) has announced the finalists for its 2010 awards. Among this distinguished group is my team at Bausch + Lomb, in the In-House PR Team of the Year category. We're in good company, competing against Ford Motor Company, Virgin America, Cisco, and Scholastic.

Congratulations to all the finalists, and we look forward to seeing you on March 11 in New York as the winners are announced.

Ragan.com Profiles B&L Communications Team

Ragan.com today profiled the Bausch & Lomb communications team, a pleasant outcome of a few passing remarks that I made while speaking at the PRSA Conference a few weeks ago. I'm fortunate to have the best team in the industry!

Click here for the full story.

A Success Story 60 Years in the Making: Ad Council of Rochester

On Dec. 2, 1949, the annual Rochester (N.Y.) Advertising Dinner honored Waldo "Pete" Potter, Eastman Kodak Company's director of advertising. During his remarks that evening, Mr. Potter suggested that in light of the work being done by the national Ad Council, there might be the opportunity to do something similar in Rochester. He asked the group to take up that charge, and the organization was incorporated the next year.

Tomorrow morning, 60 years to the day of its conception, the Ad Council of Rochester will kick off a year of reflection and outreach with a professional development session (which I have the honor of conducting) as well as a celebration of all it's done in the region over six decades.

This non-profit organization is like no other in the U.S. -- it is not part of the national Ad Council, and only focuses on programs in the greater Rochester region. It's built on a "pay it forward" model -- communications professionals, media outlets and businesses all come together to strengthen non-profits and in doing so, strengthen the entire community.

If you've been among the thousands of Ad Council of Rochester volunteers, drop me a note, and we'll make sure you're listed during the 60th year festivities. If you're a lapsed volunteer or a interested in making a difference using your professional skills, click here to become involved.

Thomson Reuters Wire Service Poses Challenges

Earlier this week, vendors serving the public relations industry were stacked side-by-side in the PRSA Conference exhibit hall in San Diego. Among them were some familiar names in the news industry -- the AP, Dow Jones and Thomson Reuters.

AP was serving up access to its extensive photo database, and Dow Jones its research and database services... pretty common fare, with no raised eyebrows. However, a slug on the Thomson Reuters pop-up sign drew my eye... "news wire."

The esteemed Reuters news wire, right, served by (usually) objective journalists spanning the globe? Not quite.

A few weeks ago, Thomson Reuters acquired Hugin Group B.V., a provider of news distribution services. Yes, Thomson Reuters has entered the paid wire service market, up against the likes of PR Newswire, BusinessWire, Market Wire, et al.

Out of sheer curiosity, I asked a couple of Thomson employees how the company plans to avoid consumer confusion between its editorial and paid services. For now, paid distribution will continue to carry the Hugin brand. The team didn't know how a transition to the Thomson Reuters brand would occur, or when for that matter.

Will Hugin's new parent preserve the original but less well-known brand? Will it christen its newly-acquired wire service with the Thomson brand? Or will the lure of the Reuters brand be too strong to ignore, drawing customers but confusing readers in the process?

Herein lies a branding and transparency challenge that will be fascinating to watch play out.

The Wah-Wah Pedal of PR

About 15 years ago, I was working for Yamaha Corporation as a PR consultant, fresh out of college. No, not the Yamaha motorcycle guys (the "cool" Yamaha), but the music products firm -- guitars, pianos, CD-R drives, computer speakers, etc. As we drove down a street together in Las Vegas, headed for another day at an industry trade show, my client -- Gerry Tschetter, a veteran of the music industry -- shared a story.

Have you ever listened to early 70s rock, and noticed the use of the wah-wah pedal in every guitar solo (and I mean every one)? It seems that when the wah-wah pedal was introduced, everyone rushed out to buy one, and not sure of how to use it appropriately, included it in every single song for the next two or three years.

"Heck, you couldn't even have a guitarist get through 'Happy Birthday' without some wah-wah," recounted Gerry. "But in time, musicians figured it out, and applied it where it was needed. We became more enamored with the music once again as opposed to a pseudo-musical tool."

As I walked the Marriott in San Diego today, comparing the '09 PRSA International Conference to Detroit in '08, I'm starting to hear a bit less social media wah-wah. Oh sure, there are pockets where the guys and gals are screaming for their social media rock stars, who are (over)using wah-wah to the hilt. But then there are also those among us who have eased off that pedal a bit... a cool pedal indeed, but one -- when used a bit more judiciously -- carries more oomph and wow.

And that's music to my ears.

The Business Case for Public Relations

What is the business case for public relations? I'd have to believe there's a strong one, or we'd all be without a career. Perhaps it's more in the articulation of it...

Join an industry panel (including me) on Monday, Nov. 9 from 10:15 - 11:30 a.m. at the PRSA International Conference as we take a deeper look at how the industry can help itself.

Working at the Speed of New

In this age of always-on, "gimme more" communication, the 24-hour news cycle has given way to the 24-second tweet cycle.

I'll be sharing ways to conquer and survive this environment at the 2009 PRSA International Conference in San Diego this coming Sunday.

You can download a PDF of the slides here.

Why?

Why? It's a simple question, and one I've asked daily (if not hourly) since I could speak, and thank my parents for always encouraging me to find the answers.

So I ask it now... why start a blog in a crowded field of sometimes pruning, status-seeking self-proclaimed pundits who speak, publish and shout endlessly about the communications and public affairs professions?

To stimulate debate. To foster critical thinking. To offer alternative viewpoints. To ask my colleagues, my friends, and my peers to engage. And of course to have some fun.

Welcome to PR Schism!