This is my first published article that I am very, very proud of! It was published on www.behind the spin.com and is on the issue of television glamorising PR!
There is a new hit show on MTV that (as usual) I have become slightly obsessed with. ‘The City’ follows the love, lives and drama of a young girl in New York City. The reason for my new found obsession – this girl happens to be working in Public Relations for one of the hottest New York designers (Diane Von Furstenberg). Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo seem to be able to run the Public Relations department, work at the fashion shows, network and still have time to spend every day shopping and creating drama while wearing 9 inch heels and having perfect hair.
Now, I am not being gullible – this show has ‘ some scenes added for dramatic effect’ but the programme shows the glamorous side of Public Relations- but none of the stress and hard work that needs to be put in to make a campaign successful. Doing my work placement in an award winning Public Relations Agency I have seen firsthand the tension in the air when they are working behind deadline and the pressure that is put on them. On ‘The City’ there seems to be no planning or research – just constant events. Events are more that usually the final tiny part of a carefully put together campaign.
The City is not the only television show that shows Public Relations as a high flying, glamorous career. Absolutely Fabulous shows Eddy as the owner of a Public Relations firm who seems to spend her time jetting off on holiday and drinking champagne at 11o’clock with her plastic surgery obsessed friend. UKTV Gold puts it best- “if you thought PR was all about, champers, parties and free lunches – err…you’d be right. Well if Ab Fab is anything to go by”.
The most famous Public Relations girl (and the person that pops into everyone’s head) is Samantha Jones – from Sex and the City of course! The Public Relations executive manages to bag the client, seal the deal and still be first in line for a new pair of Manolos , and Gucci and Vivienne Westwood seems to be the office uniform.
Obviously ‘The City’ would not be a hit show if it showed Whitney doing the tedious jobs like mailing lists and research but why is it that Public Relations is portrayed as so sexy? The big question is: Does the Public relation industry live up to its glamorous perception?
Laura Silcock from PR and copywriting consultancy Room 53 seems to disagree. ‘No, I wouldn’t describe my job as glamorous. There are certainly aspects of the job that can be glamorous and there are definitely far less enjoyable ways to earn a living, but on a day to day basis it isn’t glamorous for me. Much of PR is a sales job really – I spend a lot of my time on the phones to journalists (some of whom can be quite rude) pitching story ideas. That may not be true for other PR people who work in different industries or with different clients, however. I’m sure some PR people lead very glamorous working lives! I think TV does tend to glamorise PR, but only in the same way that it glamorises other professions. Showing someone spending hours on the phone trying to secure coverage for the launch of a new yogurt wouldn’t make great TV. Showing someone flouncing about at a swanky party wearing a gorgeous dress and looking authoritative with a clip board, however, makes for more pleasant viewing.’ There are very glamorous and rewarding parts to working in Public Relations but there is no way it is all about champagne receptions and meeting with clients in fancy restaurants. The first thing that comes in to the head of the general public when talking about PR is ‘Max Clifford’. The PR guru seems to be responsible for the idea of the glamour behind PR- working with celebs such as Kerry Katona and Jade Goody and handing their press, mixing at all the showbiz parties and his name seems to be mentioned every week in the glossy magazines. David Child , Account Director at Quest PR explains why he thinks PR is shown to be a life of glitz and glamour, ‘The bits of PR that get shown on television are glamorous in the main – partly because most jobs that are on TV appear more glamorous (who wants to watch people doing boring jobs!). Also, PR is pretty complicated to lots of people whereas just showing party invites, guest lists at clubs, celebrity management is more within people’s general understanding of how the industry works. [Before I started working in PR] I suppose my perceptions were quite limited to what I’d heard, seen and read so yes I think I did see it as more glamorous than it is. It’s still a really interesting – and often exciting job – but rarely does it become glamorous.’
It may be the fact that it is such a female- orientated occupation and that is how it is portrayed in real life. Telling someone you are doing a public relations degree, (after you have explained exactly what Public Relations is), usually ends in an ‘oooooh’ or an ‘aaaahh’. People who work in Public Relations need to be confident, charming, intelligent and quick witted. This is because this is the nature of the job- to work in a job where you are trying to build reputation you cannot be shy and retiring. It is also one of the only business based job that is dominated by females so it is perfect for high achievers who don’t want a rewarding and high pressure career but doesn’t want to lose their femininity.
There is nothing wrong with glamorising the Public Relations industry but it would seem that by making it out to be a fun and carefree job it is undermining the hard work, tears and tantrums that go in to making a successful and rewarding campaign.
I remember reading this on Behind the Spin, great article! i think your right about it undermining the profession. Whenever I mention what course I do at uni I either get the knowing ‘ohh’ and awkward stare (which usually means they’re thinking ‘propaganda’) or the ‘wow like Samantha from Sex and the City’!
If only they knew how much hard word really goes into being a PR student!