Transcript Public Relations and Human Rights

“Public Relations” and Human Rights
Kali Hunter
Public Relations
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Public Relations
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Activities that promote a favorable relationship between a company
and its customers; used to influence the press to promote a
favorable image of a company & its products/services
Build goodwill with a company's various publics (consumers,
employees, government officials, stockholders, suppliers)
a promotion intended to create goodwill for a person or
institution
Commonly associated with the private sector – other areas?
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Entertainment, state & federal government, social issues, non-profit
organizations, and yes, human rights…
TRUST?
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The public considers “PR people” spin doctors that are
the opposite of trustful or truthful resources. We distract,
interrupt, bait or persuade, anything but trustworthy
professionals.
But PR people are only as successful as they are
trustworthy…
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Reporters, clients, communication channels, gatekeepers
Is this public perception really a case of “shooting the
messenger”?
Maybe a misunderstanding of what PR people do…
Public Relations Strategic Communication
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Public relations is more then creating a favorable
image
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Generating news coverage – telling public what’s out there
Connecting with interested and/or effected audiences
Promotion of social issues while increasing bottom line (CSR)
Public relations is getting some public relations
Strategic Communication (2008)
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Communicating a concept, process or data that satisfies a longterm strategic goal of an private or public organization, government
or person.
Using techniques & technology
Technology and Techniques
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Newspapers (media calls, pitching ideas, monitoring)
Radio (media calls, story submissions, monitoring)
TV (media calls, story submission/pitch, monitoring)
Magazines (story submission, monitoring)
ENGAGEMENT – immediate two way communication
Internet (submit/monitor, engagement)
Mobile (direct channel, engagement – developing)
Social Media (engagement, monitoring, direct channel)
Ipad, Kindle, Nook (direct channel, engagement)
What does this have to do with
HUMAN RIGHTS?
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Campaigns and advocacy – more of a role in campaigning
Strategic communication has a direct relationship with
specific human rights issues AND the organizations that
research, promote and advocate on behalf of those issues.
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Specific Human Rights*
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Generating awareness, engagement, grassroots efforts, donations
Organizations (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch)
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Generating awareness, maintaining public image and authority (i.e. genocide
example), donations, relationship with governments and necessary officials
Going forward…
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Breakthrough
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Social Media
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How social media is currently being used
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Possible concerns with using social media
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The future
Breakthrough
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According to their website, Breakthrough is an innovative,
international human rights organization using the power of
popular culture, media, and community mobilization
to transform public attitudes and advance equality, justice,
and dignity in India and the United States.
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Sexuality and HIV/AIDS
Violence Against Women
Race and Immigrant Rights
Human Rights
Religion and Peace
Breakthrough
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Create positive social change by...
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Enabling public dialogue about complex issues
Giving a voice to those who are often left out of the
conversation
Transforming attitudes and celebrating diversity
Empowering youth to create change
Supporters include
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The Ford Foundation
Google
Ogilvy & Mather
U.S. Human Rights Fund
Breakthrough Strategic Communication
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Interactive, well organized - http://www.breakthrough.tv/
Learn (information),
Educate (provides materials)
Event information
Publishes reports and evaluations (traditional)
SHOP (sell merchandise and multimedia products to
further the message and impact) and BLOG
Breakthrough Visa Gift Card – donations/awareness
Sample Programs
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Bell Bajao: Ring the Bell – calls on men and boys to take a
stand and speak out to ensure women are living free from
violence. (Campaign was award-winning) video
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ICED - I Can End Deportation – a videogame that lets
players step into the shoes of an immigrant and see how
unfair U.S. immigration laws deny due process and violate
human rights.
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Is this Justice? – raises awareness about stigma and
discrimination faced by women living with HIV/AIDS; awardwinning Public Service Announcements
Breakthrough Social Media
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“To advance human rights requires the capacity to innovate
tactics and combine them to create strategies as
comprehensive as the problems we face.” (executive
director of the Center for Victims Torture)
Empowering people, engagement, facilitate and monitor
discussion about organization and/or issues
Twitter - @breakthrough
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/LetsBreakthrough
Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/user/LetsBreakthrough
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
YouTube
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Umbrella term that defines activities that integrate
technology, social interaction and the creation of words,
pictures, videos and audio.
All of the conversations occurring online and now mobile
Entertainment, advertising, promotions, socializing,
networking, discussion, monitoring…
Engagement tool – way to have a two-way street of
communication
3 out of 4 people use social media platform technology
93% of users believe organizations should have a social
media presence. (Cone)
Keys to Social Media
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Consistency
Define social media voice
Engagement
Monitoring
Multi-platform
Circle and connect to different social media platforms
Verify verify verify
Punctuation, grammar, spelling
Think about your audience
Evaluation
How is it being used??
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Amnesty - http://www.amnesty.org/
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Facebook
Twitter
Flickr
YouTube
Human Rights Watch - http://www.hrw.org/
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Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Both have a significant presence – addressing current issues and
engaging with people (85%)
Amnesty Facebook
Amnesty Twitter
Amnesty YouTube
Amnesty Flickr
Human Rights Watch Facebook
Human Rights Watch Twitter
Human Rights Watch YouTube
Concerns about Social Media & Human Rights
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Open to everyone, scope, cheap, effective – used by terrorists
and others, the people/governments/organizations who are
violating human rights
User generated content increases the viral abilities of the
internet, especially on social media platforms
Examples:
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“Death to Gays” Facebook page in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia
“Based on the facts, there was no Holocaust” note
“Romanians out of Italy” Facebook pages in 2008
Burning the Koran YouTube video
“Dark Cincinnati” Blog highlight African American crimes
“Support Bin Laden” Facebook page
The Future
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Still getting people to “buy into” the idea of social media
and other technology driven tactics to promote and
advocate for human rights nationally and internationally
New Tactics in Human Rights
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https://www.newtactics.org/
Forum for education and information – discussion among
human rights professionals to get ideas, share experiences and
talk about the effectiveness
LEARN – BUILD – SHARE