Turning Something Bad into Oppertunity

When a majority of his staff left to form their own firm, Edelman knew he had turn bad news into good news fast. As a true PR professional would, he was the first to get the news of what had happened out into the media and took the opportunity to hire fresh new talent who would be able to help grow the company. He also saw it as an opportunity to branch out and gain clients that were outside of Chicago as a means to strengthen the firm. The steps that he took can be applied to any PR crisis. When encountering a crisis it is most important to figure out a way to turn the most negative aspects into positive ones. Turning things that can hinder you into new opportunities for improvement. It would be easy in this situation to feel overwhelmed and throw in the towel but, instead Edelman took the opportunity to turn things around and improve his business. Taking what he learned from the negative he was able to gingerly pick a talented and loyal staff who he could rely on. In addition to that he saw how important it was to have strong roots. By feeling like he was threatened, he realized he needed to strengthen the company and that called for expanding which ultimately helped the growth into a new globally known firm.

Edelman: Transforming The Way We Think

At our visit to Edelman, we were able to visit Dan's office. With everything left untouched, it was easy to envision him sitting there helping shape the agency to what it would become today. Edelman has always been a pioneer in the public relations field, but it hasn't always been easy. As with every new endeavor, plans didn't always go accordingly. It took Dan multiple tries and a few bad partnerships before he was able to establish Edelman in Asia. One thing that stood out was Dan's persistent commitment to make it happen, regardless of the continuous failures. Too often do people give up the moment things get hard. It was inspiring to see that with commitment to a goal you can accomplish it. 

Edelman over the course of its existence is known for being innovative. We can see this with Dan's pioneer into the public relations field with television, and later with Richard and the Internet. Both times they have taken risks, and both times they have succeeded. One takeaway from Richard's efforts with helping to launch computers and the Internet is to always pursue new ventures even if the payoff initially isn't big. It could be the smaller ventures, like starting a company website like Richard did, that could leave you ahead of the competition, and a leader in the field. 

During our visit, Rick Murray, President of Edelman Chicago, explained Edelman's approach of expanding their agency, telling us they like to acquire smaller firms to incorporate. By keeping the company debt free they are able to take new risks, and have leeway room should something go south. The key is knowing when you can afford the risks, and having a backup plan if the risk doesn't go your way. 

I think Michael Deaver put it best when he said, "Know who you are. Be open and transparent. Be ready for change. These three values easily describe Edelman today. We are on the verge of something great." This perfectly describes not only Edelman but also the public relations field as a whole. Be ready, PR is about to take flight.  

Desire’ Knorr is currently a senior at DePaul University. She will receive a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising and a minor in Marketing in Fall 2013. She is currently interning with Molise PR and can be reached at dknorr4@gmail.com or followed at @dknorr4.

Learning About Edelman from Rick Murray

On May 22,2013 our PRAD class visited the Edelman agency. Rick Murray, President, Edelman Chicago gave our class a breaking through PR lecture of what its like to work for Edelman.

The Highlights of Working for Edelman:

-Edelman is the best place to work in marketing and media- adverting. According to Rick Murray.

-Edelman has different focuses that all contribute to the final product (outcome), Those areas that Edelman focuses on are: Diversified business,Consumer brands, Tourism & Lifestyle, Business Industrial, Technology and financial series. These selected areas of business make Edelman different from other agencies.

-Not many agencies can say that they are independent and   STILL family owned. I learned that Edelman profited 13-14% during the recent recession, which show that Edelman is currently in no debt, because they are independent, and everything is paid in cash. This would be a palce to work for because that shows with more money Edelman can disperse their money to new positions.

-It was very interesting to hear Rick Murray state their strengths and weakness of Edelman. There has not been many agency visits that I have visited that openly give out that information. The strengths of Edelman are: The pay very close attention to their clients by meeting every need of the client first and scoring high on Chicago Customer Review with an 8.69. Rick Murray said the weaknesses of Edelman were there wasn't much stragety and creativity, to overcome there weakness Edelman will try to involve a more tactful way to be more creative interaction with their clients.

Lastly, It is important to keep a notebook handy when working for Edelman because  it helps keep a log of ideas, and a space for creativity.

Utilizing Your Past Experiences

Sometimes it is difficult to get past your own personal ethics, preferences and ideologies in order to serve a client to the best of your abilities. Especially while working at an agency, not every client is going to be one which you personally support 100% or stand behind. While it is important to not abandon your personal ethics, it is also important to keep your client happy. I was very impressed when I read about Edelman representing LDS. He devised a plan to open it up and better connect with its members through media and community events. When the president, Gordon Hinckley asked Edelman how he felt about representing LDS as a Jewish man, Edelman said "My grandfather was a rabbi, and my father was a religious scholar. I’ve long seen our religions as kindred souls, having to wage the same battles over intolerance and misperception. As a Jewish man, I would be honored to fight those battles alongside you". I found this inspirational because I think that it truly important to utilize your past experiences in a way that helps you instead of hinders you. It is easy to consider your past experiences as something to differentiate yourself from other people. In this situation, Edelman could have said that him being Jewish meant he was ethically obligated to not represent LDS or not treat it with as much care as other campaigns. Instead he talked about how they were similar and how they faught the same fights. Utilizing your past experiences to bring you closer to a client could help you do a better job on a campaign.

Toward a Greater Good

On September 11, 2001 our country was changed forever.  We had been attacked on our own soil, and nothing seemed normal anymore.  In the wake of the attack, companies had to halt operations and change their strategies.  Edelman did just this, and public relations was changed forever.

  

The day after the attacks, Richard and Pam Talbot issued a memo to all staff that outlined their views on how Edelman employees should proceed with their P.R. work in the short term. What really struck a chord with me is that they told their employees to avoid “activities that are opportunistic and exploitative.”  While it would have been easy to use the media’s preoccupation as an opportunity to release and hide bad news, Edelman didn't do that.

Instead, Richard Edelman urged new campaigns to focus on relevancy to  society as a whole, not just the commercial world.  He said "Employees and customers was business processes that are sustainable and reflect the highest ethical standard.  Your philosophy should be clear; this is a time when living corporate values is paramount."  More than ten years later, living corporate values are still paramount.  Now more than ever, corporate social responsibility is no longer a temporary fix to a crisis, and it is not optional.  Spawned from a national crisis, this shift to campaigns that embody a greater humanitarianism would become the future model for PR.  

These days, having high production value advertising and a celebrity spokesperson isn't enough to win the hearts and loyalty of consumers--you must be doing more.  Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has grown so much in the past ten years that entire units and chapters in textbooks are devoted to it.  Edelman pioneered this shift and has continued to champion the field with campaigns such as ToGetHerThere--a campaign supporting girls as leaders for the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

Sally McBratney is currently a junior at DePaul University majoring in Public Relations/Advertising with a minor in Studio Art.  You can contact her at sallymcbratney@gmail.com

The Legacy Lives On

Photo credit: www.edelmandigital.com

        Through reading Edelman and the Rise of Public Relations, my knowledge on the history of this industry has grown significantly. Dan Edelman has forever impacted the public relations world by setting the bar high and paving the way for others. Edelman began as a small office in Chicago has expanded into the leading agency in the world. In early 2011, Edelman also became the largest firm in the world, with revenues of over a half-billion dollars. I am incredibly impressed with the ambition, dedication and commitment that Dan Edelman had in creating Edelman. It was not always easy, but he stuck with it and made something truly spectacular. 

         In my opinion, Dan Edelman has a legacy that will live on for many years to come. When the agency celebrated it's 60th anniversary this past October, Richard Edelman came to Chicago to for a lunch and tele-conference that included staff members from all over the world. Richard said, "My father developed a set of operating principles for the firm... Hire the best talent, and retain them by giving them the chance to be entrepreneurial... Expand in new markets by reinvestng all of your earnings each year.... Never take on debt... Remain independent and family owned, so that you serve no one's interest but those of your clients. And for 60 years these principles have not changed.... Today, with 65 offices, 4,500 employees and $637 millon in revenue, we are the world's largest P.R. firm thanks to Dan's foundational values." (pg.122) The key takeaway here is to stick to what you know is right. Follow your head AND your heart. You can't be successful if you don't stand by what you believe in.  If Dan Edelman has not stuck to his core values throughout his agency's growth, they wouldn't have been the powerful and accomplished agency that they are today. Dan was optimistic and excited to take on new opportunities and challenges. He cared about being the best, not only the biggest. He wanted to gain clients but also retain one's that they already had. He wanted to give clients the best service possible. 

        Last week my class went to Edelman and met with Edelman's Chicago President, Rick Murray. One can tell just from listening to Rick for a few minutes the amount of respect and admiration that he had for Dan. He showed great joy in sharing his own "Dan stories" with us and reminiscing with our professor, Ron Culp. Before our visit ended, we had the chance to see Dan's office. It was truly amazing to have read this book and then to be standing where this great man sat and made many decisions about this growing agency. His office is covered in pictures, awards and other mementos that were important to him. His belongings have not been touched, it is as if he was in the office just yesterday. I will always admire and respect this amazing man. 

Christina O'Connell is currently a senior at DePaul University. She will receive a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising and a minor in Marketing in June of 2013. She is very active in DePaul's PRSSA chapter. Christina is the former VP of Advocacy, Diversity, and Philanthropy, as well as the former VP of Special Events. She has held four internships during her time at DePaul and is a member of the Delta Gamma fraternity. You can reach Christina at coconnell20@comcast.net. 

Smartest Business Decision

Photo Credit: www.odwyerpr.com

Throughout "Edelman: and the Rise of Public Relations", we read a great amount about Dan and Ruth's relationship and their relationship with their family. The Edelman clan have a family bond that many families would envy.

"Behind every successful man, there stands a great woman." 

While back in New York, Dan's parents were very concerned as to whom Dan would marry. They would right him letters. His father wrote him,  "In the case of marriage, the 'sine qua non' for future stability is an initial respect for the girl's personal charms, attributes, her character, her capabilities, her upbringing, and her background...Any marked deficiency in these elements which tends to negate the initial respect for one's mate is a danger signal. It's not just a matter of money and furniture." While his mother would write letters such as, "Danny dear I desire very much to come and visit with you, but we must avoid long discussions about your girlfriend...You know very well how I feel about the matter. I don't see how a fellow like you can be willing to settle in so modest a fashion." Selig and Selma Edelman had already been able to discourage Dan from marrying once, but they weren't going to be able to do it again.

Living in Chicago, Dan took full advantage of the single life. He dated here and there in search for his "one". Ruth, was from  Racine, Wisconsin. After attending the University of Wisconsin and not having any luck finding a mate, she moved to Chicago. They had a few dates, and while Dan was still in the dating pool, Ruth knew that after those dates she really liked him and was going to have to work to win him over. 

Despite Dan's approval, Dan and Ruth got married in a small ceremony in Ruth's hometown of Racine. She hasn't left his side since. She hosted parties at her house and invited important people that Dan could eventually make business with. Although she didn't have a desk at the office, she worked very hard for the company by putting her children in boarding schools, giving them tutors, and having them participate in outdoor activities. She knew they would be the future of the company. 

In today's society, it is hard to have a relationship, let alone maintain one. Work has taken up the majority of people's time and finding the one has become much more difficult. Dan and Ruth's relationship is one to aspire to be. They work well together, one always helping the other out in good times and in bad. We as young professionals need to remember that work can be satisfying, but it is much more satisfying when you have someone to share it with.

Gabriela Padilla is a senior at DePaul University graduating this June with a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising. She currently works as the social media manager for a non-profit called HACE (Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement) and is a consumer insights contractor for The Home Depot while holding an associates position at ZARA retail. You can reach her at gabrielahpadilla@gmail.com or follow her Twitter @gabshpadilla.