How Technology has Changed the Work of Communicators and the Training they Need

                                                             PR in a Digital World

          Social media has indeed broadened an organization’s accessibility, but it hasn’t come without challenges. Public relations officials must be very diligent in the way that they communicate with outsiders of the organization. Before social media, any outside communication was left strictly to a PR representative. Now outsiders have the ability to use social media to reach out to senior managers in an attempt at avoiding the middle man and that leaves them vulnerable to misrepresentation. This could happen anytime a senior manager interacted with stakeholders, the media, and the public. In terms of accessibility, Microsoft, along with other brands like Nike, offers a support system on Twitter that consumers can ask for feedback on and have responses. “I feel it’s a fantastic way of using social to both deliver customer service and drive brand loyalty, though it obviously requires a huge investment in staff and training” (Moth, 2013).

          With the acceleration of smart phone and smart devices along with self or real time reporting, PR managers have to educate and monitor everyone in an organization and develop crisis communication plans if a negative, embarrassing, or completely wrong piece of news goes viral through social media. There must be training done for all employees on the uses of social media in relation to internal conflicts as well as maintaining a positive online brand image that is a good reflection on the company. Employees must know not to speak about company relations on social media and to leave that up to the professional in charge.

           From seeing the powerful and immediate impact that Twitter can bring, leads to a 2011 example between then Pittsburgh Steelers football player Rashard Mendenhall and Hanesbrand, Inc. Hanesbrands and Mendenhall were in a talent agreement at the time of the tweets as Mendenhall was under an endorsement contract with them. Mendenhall had been on record prior to this specific incident stating that he uses Twitter to “be himself, to express his opinions, and to foster debate on controversial and non-controversial issues” but after issuing a “series of tweets concerning the public celebrations of Osama bin Laden’s death” (Chaney & Liebler, 2014), Hanesbrands, Inc. decided to terminate his exclusive endorsement contract. A few of the tweets read: “What kind of person celebrates death? It’s amazing how people can HATE a man they never even heard speak. We’ve only heard one side… For those of you who said we want to see Bin Laden burn in hell and piss on his ashes, I ask how would God feel about your heart? There is not an ignorant bone in my body. I just encourage you to #think… We’ll never know what really happened.  I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style” (Chaney & Liebler, 2014). Hanesbrand viewed these tweets as causing a public outrage or scandal, and per their contract where it stated that if Mendenhall commits or becomes involved in a public dispute, scandal, or insults the public or any protected class, then termination will take effect. Hanesbrand released a statement afterwards that elaborated on their view of Mendenhall’s breach of the morals clause in which they stated that their company supports the armed forces and the decisions of America in response to the terror attacks. Although they stated that they respected Mendenhall’s right to express his thoughts, those thoughts did indeed violate their contract. The ethical implication here is that while people do have the freedom of speech listed in our constitution, they still have to abide by the rules and guidelines set forth by their employers. 

Rashard Mendenhall Tweet 1
Rashard Mendenhall Tweet 2
Rashard Mendenhall Tweet 3

Rashard did make a small attempt at saving face and furthering his own PR through these tweets shortly after:

Rashard Mendenhall Tweet 4
Rashard Mendenhall Tweet 5


But shortly after those, on that same day, this tweet came out:

Rashard Mendenhall Tweet 6

Possibly a jab at Hanesbrand?

Reference:

Liebler, R., & Chaney, K. (2014). Here We Are Now, Entertain Us: Defining the Line Between Personal and Professional Context on Social Media. Pace Law Review, 35(1), 398-545.

Moth, B. D. (2013). How Microsoft uses Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google. Retrieved October 11, 2016, from https://econsultancy.com/blog/62485-how-microsoft-uses-facebook-twitter-pinterest-and-googlehttps://econsultancy.com/blog/62485-how-microsoft-uses-facebook-twitter-pinterest-and-google