Comments on: Not Everyone is as Amazing as Jason Calacanis

By: Brain Surgery (and Other PR Blog Jots « Media Bullseye – A New Media and Communications Magazine)

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:09:59 +0000

[...] Brain Surgery Perkett PRsuasion Christine Perkett and Fred Han offer up one of the better responses I’ve seen to Jason Calcanis’ now infamous “fire your PR firm” post (including the point that he never actually said to fire your PR firm). They point to the biggest issue with Jason’s advice–even if PR could be a DIY project, who on Earth has the time for that? Let alone big CEOs. They relent that PR may not be brain surgery in terms of skills, it can take just as much time. “It is a combination of common sense, passion, intuition and awareness. (Just as some athletes play but don’t excel, not all PR practitioners possess these attributes.) It is also very much about time. The biggest problem with PR is that PR firms try to squeeze higher profit margins by pressuring executives to do as much as possible in as little time as possible – hence the off-target pitches and other seemingly “lazy” tactics. PR practitioners don’t take the time to read enough, relate enough or participate enough because of the pressures from clients and agency leaders around billable time.” [...]

By: The Article I Want to Read on PR : PerkettPRsuasion – The PerkettPR Blog

The Article I Want to Read on PR : PerkettPRsuasion – The PerkettPR Blog — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:29:41 +0000

[...] or firm that has to promote completely new concepts and companies, vs one that works for say, Facebook or Microsoft. And let’s see what else PR executives do besides [...]

By: Links de Quinta #8 | Peixe Fresco

Links de Quinta #8 | Peixe Fresco — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:06:01 +0000

[...] Not Everyone is as Amazing as Jason Calacanis – Surgiu na blogosfera de PR* americana esta semana mais uma daquelas intermináveis discussões “contratar ou não contratar PR, eis a questão.” Mas Christine Perkett se saiu muito bem neste artigo, utilizando os próprios argumentos que Jason Calacanis usou para pregar a demissão das agências, a favor delas. Basicamente, tudo o que uma agência de PR faz, o próprio executivo pode fazer. Só que Calacanis se esqueceu que um CEO não tem tempo e conhecimento do meio para fazer direito. Todd Defren também escreveu um post sobre o assunto, mas ele deixou o próprio cliente contar por quê contratar a agência! [...]

By: O'Dwyer's Blog: Covering PR, public affairs, marketing and the world of communications.

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:03:19 +0000

‘Fire Your PR Firm’ Post is Latest in Line of Industry Attacks…

Beating up on PR has become a bona fide media trend, whether it’s Gene Weingarten of the Washington Post calling PR pros “desperate dillweeds” or another journalist taking to the Internet to assail the entire industry because of a ragged few, the pr…

By: Ike

Ike — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:36:44 +0000

Christine, the fact is Jason’s ideas about PR will never stand on their own.

He has a platform earned through other accomplishments that affords him the luxury of opining about things, and people feel as though they have to listen to him. Kinda like Mark Cuban.

Calacanis is great at telling other people how they can be Calacanis, but at the end of the day I’d rather be Ike.

By: Alli {Mrs. Fussypants}

Alli {Mrs. Fussypants} — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:25:12 +0000

I was previously clueless about the PR backlash. Why would we as bloggers and publishers not love our fellow PR peeps?

Great insight.
Thank you!

By: zoe

zoe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:23:32 +0000

best line: “…he seems to be the exception, not the rule”

a good leader does what they’re good at and hires people more amazing than him/her to do everything else.

By: Scott Hepburn

Scott Hepburn — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:20:28 +0000

Thanks for the post, CP. Jason delivers plenty of value in his blog and Twitter musings, but it’s nice to see a well-written counterpoint, too.

I couldn’t agree more with your points about the amount of time and work that go into PR. Small companies — especially start-ups — don’t have time to run around and do their own PR. They want someone who can simplify their lives.

Some of Jason’s suggestions were great ideas. The headline, though, smacks too much of linkbait. We’re all guilty of it from time to time. Hey, it obviously worked, right?

By: Dee Stewart

Dee Stewart — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:13:56 +0000

I agree with WendyB as I am a journalist and have a small very tight niche PR firm. In this economy more journalists are dipping their toes in PR. We understand what media needs, because we are also members.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:57:45 +0000

Good post. I read Jason’s post and was hoping that someone would put some coherent thoughts together about why that is a flawed theory. PR, when executed well, allows the CEO time (and money)to manage the company and execute the business initiatives. Being on both the agency side and now an in-house marketing/communications manager, I realize how much a good PR firm can help an organization

By: Tamara Gruber

Tamara Gruber — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:25:18 +0000

Christine, great post. I’m tired of PR backlash. As a marketing consultant, investment in PR is many times my first and only recommendation for start ups. As you said, some CEOs can “be the brand” but others need help and extra hands to convey the passion they feel into market relevance. I’m glad your firm has been recognized as one of the good guys.

By: Tish Grier

Tish Grier — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:06:52 +0000

Nice post, Christine! When I read Jason’s post, I thought the same thing–business folks may not have the time to do the kinds of public relations that Jason finds the time to do. IMO, it’s easy to say that it’s easy to do it yourself if you are in a field like tech where many social media tools connect back to it (and if your businesses are related in some way to social media.)

But that’s not the case for most businesses–and many business owners find that they need time to learn new technologies. Time they simply do not have.

Good PR folks are genuine and not smarmy when they are doing the work for someone. That probably comes most when the p.r. folks speak on behalf of clients they relate to and believe in. A “natural” voice comes out when both you and the client are on the same page (that’s a lesson I learned.) That’s probably what’s different between new p.r. and “traditional” p.r.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:05:57 +0000

I believe it’s a matter of concentrating on what you are best at and what you love. I’m starting my own company in order that I can do both of those things. If I hated to do the PR role, then why would I want to force myself to when I can hire somebody else to do it?

I’ve been to conventions where Calacanis is present, and I sure wouldn’t want to be anything like him. People love to hate him. If that’s “good PR” then he can have it.

By: WendyB

WendyB — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:56:13 +0000

Impressively written PerkettPR team. Right on the money. I’d also like to second your statement about how tired the belief that ‘journalists hate PR people.” I was educated as and now work as both a journalist (by night) and a PR person (by day). And, while I often develop my own story ideas, I always call my PR contacts when I need credible sources.

By: Christine Perkett

Christine Perkett — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:11:47 +0000

Well said, Peggy. Thanks so much for reading!

By: Peggy Dolane

Peggy Dolane — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:09:55 +0000

Excellent summary of the value of PR firms — Yes you could probably do it yourself, but can you afford to?

By: Christine Perkett

Christine Perkett — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:51:46 +0000

David – perhaps a little *too* thorough but clearly I feel some passion for the subject. Thank you for reading and commenting.

Swar thanks so much for reading and commenting as well.

By: David Weiner, PR Newswire

David Weiner, PR Newswire — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:53:49 +0000

This is a terrific post, Christine. Thank you very much for being so thorough and direct.

By: swar

swar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:29:45 +0000

wow. really good to read this post.