Blog Post #4

This week, we were asked to read the blogs of other students in the PRR 332 course. Although my blog has been focusing mainly on the Public Relations research strategies of major fashion corporations, I wanted to venture out this week and read a few blogs that look at other facets of Public Relations.


The first blog I looked at was written by Kevin Nestico, a classmate. Titled Sports PR: Fitness and Supplement Industry, Kevin's blog focuses on the PR research and tactics "fitness and supplement companies use to promote their latest, cutting-edge product to put you over the top of the competition for a better body". I thought that this blog would be interesting to read, as I have absolutely zero background knowledge of the subject. The blog entry that I felt was most interesting and controversial was his second post, Research Ethics: Are they Forgotten?. Kevin looks at several different supplements and how their advertising and labels can be misleading- one such product claims to gain the user 14 lbs of muscle in only two weeks, something Kevin points out as being clearly misleading and untrue. Yet these companies still print information such as this and get away with doing so, conning people into buying their products, without giving any solid research to prove their claims are true. I never thought that supplement companies would be able to get away with providing misleading information without being regulated by the FDA, but I was proved wrong, as it happens everyday. Additionally, Kevin points out that the problem has been getting progressively worse. I really enjoyed reading his blog, seeing as I know now the truth behind the seemingly perfect fitness and supplement industry.


The second blog I looked at was classmate Blaine Dulkerian's blog, E. PR, which looks at Public Relations in the entertainment industry. In her first posting, Blaine asked her readers to think about one question, which was 'what would entertainment even be without PR?'. This question really got me thinking, seeing as so much of the entertainment industry is focused on Public Relations. If a celebrity doesn't have a driven and successful PR team standing behind them, there's almost a 100% chance that they will either fall out of the limelight, or when faced with scandal, never be able to recover their reputation. Celebrities like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan are great examples of this, for obvious reasons. In her second post, Blaine looks at Lady Gaga's controversial Video Music Awards dress- which was entirely made of meat. Blaine points out that "celebrities care more about getting noticed in the media to gain more fame" (as Gaga faced extreme scrutiny from some media outlets and PETA), rather than maintain professional relationships with Public Relations practitioners. I fully agree with this statement, as it seems like the entertainment industry is an 'every man for himself' type of world. I thought Blaine's blog was very interesting and different, and it made me take on the entertainment industry from a different perspective, and not just at face value.

Reading the blogs of other students has really helped me think of new ideas to talk about in my own blog. Looking at Public Relations from someone else's perspective is helpful, and can be a great source of knowledge if you are ever faced with a Public Relations crisis in the future.

Blog Post #3

For fashion corporations and retailers that wish to remain relevant to their clients, evaluating and using their research results is key. Research can be conducted for these companies through various outlets, such as customer satisfaction surveys and most recently, researching feedback provided by consumers via social media. Presently, most corporations have established profiles on social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook, where consumers can leave their thoughts, critiques and opinions.

It is up to the company however to take this feedback and use it to aid their research- what their clients like, dislike, want and need in accordance to their products. One company who actively and effectively researched their customers wants and used the research to benefit their company was clothing retailer Anne Taylor LOFT. This past June, the clothier published catologue photos to their Facebook profile of a new item for purchase- silk cargo pants, as featured on a tall, blonde, and impossibly skinny model. Clients reacted on Facebook automatically, posting comments declaring that- although the pants were nice, they would look ridiculous on anyone other than a size 2.

LOFT's model in 'controversial' silk cargo pants

The Public Relations department at Anne Taylor researched these claims and in less than 24 hours responded to the concerned public via Facebook. They photographed three women from within their very own offices in the cargo pants to prove that women of any size could wear them in a flattering way. Because the company replied so quickly and in such a creative way, the apprehensive clients were very impressed, and Anne Taylor gained even more publicity for using research and social media effectively, as they received positive coverage from various media outlets.

LOFT employees

I think that this is a great example of how fashion corporations can show that they are listening to their clients and their needs and requests. Social media is an advanced and effective way to use research and figure out how it can benefit their organization in the long run. Examples such as the Anne Taylor LOFT situation prove how imperative it is for companies to use their research from Public Relations and apply it to their business practices in order to be successful.

Fashion Ethics- Treatment of Garment Workers

Did you know that almost three quarters of the world’s clothing exports are made in developing countries? In Bangladesh, 80% of the economy is dependent on the fashion industry- however, the majority of the country’s garment workers still receive less than half of our minimum wage, even though the price of basic necessities, such as food, continues to rise in their country. Garment workers in all countries work strenuous hours, usually going for whole days without breaks. They suffer verbal and physical abuse at the hands of their supervisors, and even so are never quite sure about the security of their job.

Many of today’s most popular fashion brands and designers claim to be humanitarians, donating millions of dollars a year to various charities and constantly holding fundraisers, among other acts of giving. That being said, how do they ethically stand for the poor treatment of the individuals actually making the products that bear their brand name?

While there has been a recent rise in globally aware companies such as fashion label Edun, who just showed a collection at Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week, the demand for companies who support proper work ethics and payment for their overseas workers needs to increase dramatically.

Blog's Focus...

This semester, I would like to take a look at a different fashion corporation each week who has made recent headlines due to their PR tactics. There are the success stories, like that of J. Crew, which in less than five years has used PR and marketing strategies to extensively broaden their clientele and elevate their reputation to one of the most respected brands in the United States. J. Crew’s public relations department has brought the company to middle America- by booking the Creative Director as a guest on Oprah- while also maintaining its appeal to the upper class with monthly mentions in Vogue. Among other topics, I will be researching how this company, and others like it, used Public Relations to their benefit and maintained high sales numbers in the suffering economy.

I will also be investigating those companies who, due to their lack of PR and poor crisis management, have seen their popularity decrease wildly, such as American Apparel. Only a few years ago, American Apparel saw its sales soaring as they gained positive publicity due to their high wage payment to workers and for staying a United States based company while their competition was outsourcing due to lower costs. However, due to the lack of Public Relations concerning the inability of the company to control the CEO’s erratic behavior and antics in the press, American Apparel has been steadily garnering negative publicity. As a result, it is predicted that sometime before the end of 2010, the once extremely popular clothing company will be forced to declare bankruptcy. I have always wondered how American Apparel’s public relations department did not recognize the issue and neutralize the situation. This is one question that I will attempt to answer in this blog.

I look forward to researching the strategies and tactics of these corporations and how they have either gained or failed in recent years.