Be Ready for the War of Words

While most young professionals today cannot begin to fathom the experience of practicing public relations in the midst of a war, Dan Edelman’s firsthand experience fighting the “war of words” is something that every PR pros needs to be able to do day in and day out.

In chapter 2 “Bylines and Battlefields,” Wisner discusses Dan’s time during World War II working with a crew of German-speaking analysts to document the propaganda the Germans were producing.  Dan Edelman’s job was of the upmost importance as he and his fellow service men worked to counteract the false words and “convince the enemy to surrender” (Wisner 19).

So what does fighting a war of words have to do with public relations today? A lot!

Even though PR practitioners for a given company are not looking to have the competition give in and agree with everything your brand has to say, they are looking for the truth.

 We now live in a world where everyone and anyone can share their ideas and feelings about a company and garner attention from it, no matter how true or false the assertion may be.  The digital world of Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other mediums allow misinformation to spread and at a rapid and real-time pace. As Dan Edelman strived to counteract the false words that were being shared at war by the Germans, PR practitioners always need to have their eyes and ears open to be conscious of what people are saying about your brand or product.

 While the end result of wining a war is not at stake in the daily work of Public Relations, PR pros should always remember that the media landscape of today is allowing for uncontrolled conversations that deserve constant attention and also reaction to tell your brands story.

Lisa Rodriguez is a senior at DePaul University studying Public Relations and Sociology. She was recently hired on at GolinHarris as a Media Associate. Lisa can be reached at lisa.rodriguez823@gmail.com or follow her at @lrodriguez823.