For decades, MTV carried the anti-establishment banner of Generation-X. From the moment that iconic astronaut planted music television’s logo-bearing flag on the surface of the moon, it was apparent that we were entering a new period in popular culture. Proudly trumpeting in the post-Reaganomics rebellion of the ‘90’s; free of shark-jumping Fonzi’s and Tom Selleck’s mustache, MTV provided a fresh outlet for a nation of youth over-inundated with 80’s camp. Its current incarnation, however, more closely resembles a reality television petri dish comprised of spray tans and barroom brawls and lacking the music that defined the channel since its inception. Is MTV’s abandonment of the platform that carved its unique societal-niche a blatant mistake or a shrewd organizational shift to accommodate the changing of the times?

Regardless of MTV’s previous reputation of non-conformity, it is, and always has been, a business first. The top priority for businesses: relevancy and a steady revenue stream; and unfortunately for nostalgia-addicted individuals like myself, the ‘90s are gone and the channel has adapted itself accordingly. The regrettable side-effect of this format change is an absurdity-overload in the form of matchmaker dating shows and the Jersey Boardwalk; but I digress.

With the popularity of streaming video sites such as YouTube and Vimeo, and a lifetime’s worth of music available online, you can hypothesize that the execs at Viacom were backed into a corner in regards to MTV. To wax nostalgic (once more), in the past, your only options for discovering new artists were the radio and music television. This all changed with the Internet-revolution, and MTV was forced to change with it, or face declining ratings and profits.

From a PR perspective, it was the right-call for the folks at MTV to modify their business-model to match their audience, even at the expense of their initial platform. Their original viewership that grew up on Nirvana’s Nevermind and Lollapalooza has entered the professional-sector, and whether it’s a positive or negative, MTV’s target market relishes programming that hinges on ‘reality.’ At the end of the day, the network is still flourishing and remains a profitable venture.

Remaining relevant and viable requires keeping an ear to the ground in regards to current trends, and as MTV has shown, adjusting your message to fit your audience as it stands is a vital aspect when striving for career longevity and success.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

As the temperature and humidity begin their annual ascent into pressure-cooker territory, in Jupiter, Florida, the Miami Marlins are donning eye-black and dusting off their gloves in preparation for the upcoming season. Hope springs eternal every March, when spring training begins and fans everywhere can rejoice in baseball’s true tabula rasa; where last year’s errors are forgotten, the sting of missed opportunities have long-since softened and excitement surrounds a summer brimming with possibilities. For the Marlins, this involves a monolithic PR and rebranding campaign that began with the shedding of their former ‘Florida’ moniker to assimilate with the local community, and invigorate a lukewarm fan base with historically lethargic leanings regarding the hometown team.

The main focus for the Marlins: get fans in the stands. Sparkling new Marlins Park, the Bentley of ballparks (compared to its ill-equipped predecessor Sun Life Stadium), highlights Miami’s rebranding efforts. Complete with a tropical fish-tank behind home plate and a very ‘Miami’ homerun feature that embodies the art-deco, retro-feel of South Beach, the Marlins are making no bones about their locational roots and culture. Factor in the stadium’s new location in the Miami-Dade area and the ball club has made a long-overdue statement as to their identity: they are not Florida’s team, they are Miami’s team. With 15,000 advance season tickets already sold, the most since 2002, it appears to be working.

Throw into the mix the overhauled uniforms and this past weekend’s FanFest event (which 40,000 attended) and you’ve got extremely overworked public relations and marketing departments. An undertaking this massive requires hardline dedication and leadership, but for Miami, the efforts are already paying off in spades. There is a palpable excitement in the ocean air. Enthusiastic fans are x’ing the days on their calendars until Opening Day. Establishing an identity and motivating the local population has created a feeling of excitement in Miami, and as many fans hope, will translate into marks in the win-column come April.

Local involvement is important in any public relations arena, and speakers, authors and experts will benefit by taking a page out of (pun alert) the Marlins playbook. Engaging with your immediate neighbors and counterparts is one of many steps in generating a backyard-buzz that will create national attention. Immersion in the city’s culture and lifestyle has finally given the South Florida faithful something intrinsically ‘Miami’ to rally behind, and the Marlins’ PR folks have shown the power of utilizing the local identity to their advantage.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

Verbal gaffes can sink your efforts like a lead balloon.  There’s nothing that spells ‘ineptitude’ like misspeak, factually or politically incorrect statements, or as President Barack Obama and French President Nikolas Sarkozy experienced this week – getting caught making disconcerting remarks on a live microphone.   It can take what feels like eons to construct a profitable career and mere seconds to tear it all down.  In the instantaneous information age, maintaining composure and putting your best face forward at all times is paramount.

It seems like yesterday when the world was enthralled with the prospect of a telephone you could take with you, let alone the idea that a phone would contain a camera where photos could be captured and immediately shared via text message and across social media platforms.  These innovations immediately transformed the way we interact, but also allowed for our ‘lesser’ moments to be recorded and distributed in seconds.  The days of the incognito gaffe are over: everything you say and do has the propensity to end up online and potentially ruin you.  Tread lightly.

Rick Perry experienced one of these ‘oops’ moments two days ago during the Republican debates, confusing his own policies and fumbling over his words.  In many pundits’ eyes, this colossal episode of ‘verbal 52 card pick up’ spelled the end of Perry’s nomination run, regardless of any political damage control conducted after the fact.  The video went viral on YouTube and Facebook, generating thousands of hits in a matter of minutes.  Suffice to say; at this point Perry’s political aspirations now look more like the Hindenburg than a viable campaign.

It should go without saying that you should always strive to be on point and maintain your message, but sometimes in an effort to show candor or a moment of confusion, verbal gaffes may occur.  The key is to minimize them and the subsequent fallout which may occur and tarnish what you’ve painstakingly built.  Your name, your brand and your livelihood depend on it.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations