PR News This Week

Lots going on this week! The HP ethics crisis, aftermath of the e.coli spinach fiasco and plus-size models on the runway in Paris. Oh, and a little career advice thrown in for good measure.

The news today, of course is that Patricia Dunn and three others were charged in federal court with four felony counts, including using fraud to obtain confidential information from a public utility, unauthorized access to computer data, identity theft and conspiracy to commit those crimes. Penalties could include prison time and fines.

In spinach news, the California Farm Bureau and the Alliance for Food and Farming are talking about how to regain the public trust now that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the green light for spinach consumption. Interestingly, Dole hasn’t issued anything new since September 15.

In class on Wednesday, we talked a lot about how phenomena in popular culture can be used to show mass communication and public relations theory in practice. One of the examples we talked about as social learning theory in practice is the use of “larger” runway models in haute couture fashion shows. Madrid, for example, banned too skinny models in September. Yesterday, the Jean Paul Gaultier show featured a size 20 model (via PR. Differently).

Social Learning Theory says that we, as humans, are terrific observers. We observe when behaviors are rewarded or punished by role models and through that observation we vicariously try out new behaviors. Certainly many young women look to runway models as supermodels – and when their “model-rexic” physique is rewarded – those same women may try to immitate. Will Madrid’s regulations or Gaultier’s statement (or stunt?) change anything?

Finally… for those who’ve decided PR is your bag, baby – take a listen to the InsidePR Podcast about agency vs. corporate for those first steps outside the hallowed halls of the ivory tower.