PR Works: The Zen of Optimism

As the 2008 political campaigns continue, we can expect candidates to increasingly adopt a message of optimism. Economic factors are beginning to drive up the cost of energy and food. Optimism is necessary to allay fears that would lead to reduced consumer spending and investment. While the problems are real, a can-do attitude will play a role in solving them.

“Americans are, by their nature, an optimistic people,” says public relations counselor Alan Caruba, “and anyone engaged in any activity, business or non-profit, will benefit from communicating optimism.”

At a time when consumers are demonstrating concerns about the economy, “public relations offers the best way to communicate reasons to feel confident about a product or service. Advertising is more costly in that it requires the purchase of time for broadcasting or space in publications. In addition, there’s the cost of preparing the advertisements.”

“Public relations,” says Caruba, “functions in the world of ideas. It’s about influencing choices and decisions. Done well and done consistently, its impact creates a positive feeling about products or services, helping to initiate action the serves anyone utilizing it.”

A public relations counselor since the 1970s when he left a career in journalism to enter the profession, Caruba has worked across a broad spectrum of American industries and professions. “PR is essentially about two things; packaging and disseminating information. In that regard, those two skills apply to every enterprise and activity.”

“At the heart of every public relations campaign is a sense of optimism,” says Caruba. “PR is often about something new being introduced, but it can also provide useful information about all manner of topics that keep them before the public, influencing lifestyle and other decisions. It is frequently tied to seasonal events, holidays, and breaking news that reflects the value of a product or service.”

“At its heart is the public relations professional’s keen sense of the public’s mood and concerns,” says Caruba, who specializes in public policy issues. “There are so many complex issues and events that people have to grapple with and so little time to sort them out, that public relations plays an essential role by providing essential insights and information.”

“The good news is that the Internet has become a major factor, often driving the news that appears in the mainstream media,” says Caruba, but there are also countless media outlets with which to gain attention.”

“In difficult or challenging times,” says Caruba, “maintaining an optimistic and positive message will prove valuable in both the long and short term.”

A weekly columnist, Caruba’s commentaries on a broad range of topics are posted on dozens of national and international news and opinion websites and on many blogs as well. Several million visitors to the Web read his commentaries every week.

The Caruba Organization, headquartered in South Orange, NJ, has received many awards over the years. It maintains The National Anxiety Center, a clearinghouse for information about “scare campaigns” designed to influence public opinion and policy, and is home as well to Caruba’s monthly report on new fiction and non-fiction, Bookviews.com.

A longtime member of the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the National Association of Science Writers, Caruba utilizes his journalism skills to serve the needs of a wide range of clients.