PR Lessons from Kony 2012

Over the past week one global campaign has solidified what we all have come to accept: social media has the unparalleled ability to harness people power across the world. The KONY2012 campaign, which is essentially about drumming up the support of Americans for the arrest of African warlord Joseph Kony, has spread across the world.


While the initial thirty minute video raised awareness about the situation in Uganda, subsequent information has sought to deny that the situation still exists to the extent shown in the film which was shot in 2003. Among the onslaught of detractors have been those who criticized the ethics, mission and management of Invisible Children suggesting that the campaign is about oil exploration rather than war and violence against children.







It's easy to take a polarized view of the situation: a noble non-profit seeking to right injustices versus a capitalist-driven thirst for another nation's treasure. But the campaign and the responses which are following should serve as a lesson for, PR practitioners, businesses and non-profits. The film impresses upon us how social and political issues in one part of the world can be brought to the attention of people thousand of miles away.

As public relations practitioners it is unlikely that we will ever have as dramatic a subject as children being dragged from their beds and forced to become killers but there's a lot to said for being passionate about a cause and having the skills and resources to devise a campaign which is so attention-grabbing. Subject matter aside, one of the most compelling aspects of the Invisible Children video is the actual production. The videography stands out and the emotional appeals are effective.

However, the responses to the film and campaign are the other side of the coin. The LA Times  notes that this situation is demonstrating that "digital media attention can be a double-edged sword".

"It certainly hits at the strength and the weakness of new media," said communications professor Barbie Zelizer, a fellow with the Stanford Center for Advanced Study who studies news images in the world's crisis regions.
"They are undeniably faster, but they are also undeniably less reliable. It's great when things go fast and they are correct. It's not great when they go fast and they are not correct," she says in the LA Times article.

As time goes on, reactions may get even more attention than the original video. This too is a lesson for those thinking about undertaking social media campaigns. If your argument or proposition isn't sound (and maybe even if it is), it is likely that critics will air their views...loudly. And there is little you can do about it.

PR Practitioner Extraordinaire?

It is now accepted that social media has changed the way individuals relate to each other as well as the way organizations can communicate with their publics. Information can be shared across the globe within seconds and it’s not uncommon for people to get impatient or even agitated when information isn’t quickly forthcoming.

This puts pressure on public relations practitioners to distribute accurate information in a very short space of time. If they don’t, rumours and biased stories can spread like wildfire via twitter, facebook and instant messaging applications.

But let’s be fair. The buck very often does not stop at the PR official. They usually have to wait for someone higher up the corporate latter to first recognize or agree that information need to be shared. Even when this is accomplished, getting a CEO to handover this information in a timely manner can be another challenge. Then there’s the issue of making it available in multiple formats so all relevant consumers can be reached.

Top official buy-in was a challenge even when “timely” meant in time for the next day’s newspaper publication. Now that almost instant communication is demanded, the need for PR practitioners to be included in the dominant coalition has never been more clear. This would speed up the time in which information can be prepared and distributed.

The uploading of information online may also require practitioners to be skillful at various technological applications. Consumers don’t necessarily want to read drawn out press releases. They may prefer a podcast or a video; maybe even a real-time chat with a company representative. It is for this reason that Key suggests that suggests the need for a new kind of PR agency which brings together the best minds from traditional PR sectors, content development, technology and others.

Are PR organizations moving towards diversifying their staff complement? Or are traditional practitioners being asked to perform new roles for which they may be under-prepared?