#ILovePRPeople
As a part of my glamorous, coveted job, I am in contact with about 100 PR representatives per day. OK, maybe five, but still. While most of them are pleasant and send me food on a regular basis, I’ve had my share of traumatising experiences that I can’t seem shake out of my pretty head. I’m not just talking about PR people exclusively — the young(er) generation of office workers can also drive office aunties like me up the wall.
Here are my top 10 PR traumas.
1. A new girl at a PR firm bombarded me with 10 non-stop (missed) calls as I was driving to the appointment. (In case you’re wondering, the appointment had been confirmed — and I wasn’t late.) When I got there, she said she’d just called to ask if I was driving or taking a taxi. Shouldn’t you have figured that out after a few unanswered calls? 2. I asked for an image. She sent me a 15KB image. I asked for a larger one. She sent me a 1MB image — it was same 15KB image, with added white space. 3. I wrote about a new shop. The PR girl called to complain that I had published incorrect information. I had written that the shop “had a brand new concept”, and she argued that the brand wasn’t new. I said it’s an expression meaning the concept was very new. She angrily replied that her brand had been around for years. I hung up. 4. Don’t get me started on unfinished emails that make no sense. For example, “Dear Khun Napamon, we’re opening a new one. Regards, Nong Poy.” This is not Twitter — you’re allowed to communicate with me using more than 140 characters. 5. PR people who expect me to see into the future and tell them when I will run a story, how long that story will be and what I will write about. Before the event or interview has taken place. 6. Those who email me 100MB attachments. In one email. 7. PR reps for restaurants who eat the food I am supposed to review. I was once reviewing an afternoon tea set, which came with one scone. The PR guy pointed at the scone, told me it was very delicious — and ate it. 8. Restaurant PR reps who don’t eat, but don’t leave the table. They just sort of stare as the food makes its way into my mouth, asking me after every bite how it tastes. Oh no, not awkward at all... 9. PR reps who won’t take “no” for an answer. On one occasion, I said I couldn’t attend an event because I had to go to a funeral. She said, “Oh, that’s not going to bring him back! Come on, my party is more fun!”
10. Those who start their email to me with, “Dear The Nation”.
As I said, not all PR people are so bad. Many of them are unbelievably nice and understanding. Some have even become my good friends. I realise that PR is a field that requires superior interpersonal skills, and not everyone has it in them to be nice to everyone every day (I definitely don’t). Some of the examples I use actually involved PR reps that I usually find very likeable. Everyone makes mistakes — that’s completely understandable. (And even more so when the mistakes are mine.)
But if you dare eat the food I’m about to eat? Well, we need to talk.