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PR is not an illusion... or is it?

Sep 30, 2019

Spin doctors.

No description of public relations upsets me more.

Merriam-Webster defines an illusion as:

1    a (1): a misleading image presented to the vision : OPTICAL ILLUSION

         (2): something that deceives or misleads intellectually

      b (1): perception of something objectively existing in such a way as to cause misinterpretation of its actual nature

         (2): HALLUCINATION

         (3): a pattern capable of reversible perspective

2    a (1): the state or fact of being intellectually deceived or misled : MISAPPREHENSION

         (2): an instance of such deception

      b (1): obsolete : the action of deceiving

There's this common notion of PR people as illusionists -- that we put lipstick on a pig, if you will. Hugh Jackman aside, The Greatest Showman and our P.T. Barnum roots don't do us any favors here.

And yet this notion actually goes against everything ethical PR practitioners stand for. We are the truth tellers and those who shine a light on the dark spots and deceptions.

So this month, enter the realm of illusion with us, where we'll entertain, delight, and pull back the curtain to show you just how transparent real PR is.

Tags: public relations, ethics, Strategy, spin