Ok, so I don't speak latin and totally just made that up. But after reading about the Mercury employee that posed as a journalist at an event seemingly to provide intel back to Walmart, it reminds me that PR should really be Perspicuus Refero (my version of transparent storytelling). That's right, just because we have become known for our positioning and "spin", doesn't mean that truth shouldn't be at the core of everything we do. The sad part is, this isn't the first kind of story that's marred our profession and it won't be the last.
Here's my take on things:
- If you can't be honest and transparent you likely aren't working for the right company/person or doing the right thing. As much as we often have incredible insights into the different departments across an organization, we aren't the CIA. If it's a covert operation that requires you to lie, it's probably reputation suicide and you shouldn't do it.
- I've heard of similar situations and for some reason it's always the naive junior employee that seems to have been running around rampant with no guidance and subsequently gets fired with their former employer having no knowledge of their goings on. While I can't comment on this situation specifically, my response is "Balls!" A junior employee likely isn't this creative or independent enough to make this kind of decision. I just don't buy it.
Good PR focuses on building credibility and that is always based on the truth. If you have to hide something, fight the urge people and instead fix the problem. Do the right thing. Help change your organization to act better, be better, do better. After all, if you do no evil there won't be any evil to see, hear or speak of.
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