Online Public Relations Thoughts

Tis the season for Nobel awards, the ultimate publicity for the advance of "physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, peace, and economics."  Scientists, writers and laborers in the trenches gain the highest nod of the value of their work and are feted internationally.  The awards are given in rich ceremony and recipients deliver a lecture on their fields and their meaning. There is no greater honor for those who receive it and they are set apart instantly in their professions.  It is not so much the money that comes with the award but the recognition.  Winners are elevated above their peers and cited as leaders and inventors of their fields.  It demonstrates the value of publicity when done right.  

The Supreme Court is staring a new year with cases designed to fill out its previous rulings.  It will tackle several hot-button issues on which it has already ruled but which need clarification.  The message it will be sending to America is that it is a conservative court ready to roll back decisions taken by earlier, more moderate justices.  While some of the public likes what the Court is doing, most do not.  It will be an interesting term in that regard.

Government shutdowns resolve nothing but inconvenience everyone. It looks like we're in for another one.  The message they send to the public is that politicians can't resolve their differences although they were elected to do just that.  It is a statement of futility.  The problem this time lies with the Republicans who cannot marshal support from breakaway dissidents.  One wonders how citizens will respond to it in the next election.  

When does artistic minimalism become fraud?  Apparently when you do this.  A Danish court has mandated that the artist pay back the money he was given for the work.  That seems right.  Art should have some craft skills associated with it, and this artist used none of them.  It would be no different if a novelist submitted a blank page for publication and claimed it art.  

 A result of hype in the business world.  Another reason why it is better to be transparent and stick to facts in communications.  

President Biden is about to do what no other president has done -- walk a picket line.  He is all-in with the United Auto Workers in their effort to increase compensation and preserve jobs.  Biden has proclaimed himself the champion of the middle class and this is his way of showing it.  No matter that he will lose management by appearing on the line.  He is placing his bet on UAW votes.  There are more line workers than managers.  Still, it is a risky bit of communication that could come back to bite him.  Only time will tell.  

A new AP-NORC poll shows Americans are changing their opinions about man-made climate change -- slowly.  While Democrats overwhelmingly believe in it, Republicans are still divided and there are still an abundance of deniers.  The cause for the change has been extreme heat, flooding and fires that affected the United States this past summer.  People are believing it because they are experiencing it.  All the scientific papers and communications of decades were for naught until the public was in climate change.  In other words, citizens were told but they ignored the evidence until they saw it for themselves. That doesn't say much for effective communications.