Friday, July 14, 2023

Choose A Human Writer, Not AI


AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is being touted by some as the answer to all our problems. 

But like past years' fads, like expensive NFT cartoons and graphics, AI has problems of its own, and rushing to ditch humans in favor of machines in all fields make no sense.  

A New York lawyer last week was duped by ChatGPT and is now facing legal sanctions,  after he used  the AI model for research, insisting he didn’t realize it could lie. 

"New York aviation lawyer Steven Schwartz may face professional sanctions after a legal brief he submitted was discovered to be full of “bogus judicial decisions” and fake quotes authored by AI language model ChatGPT, according to court records published last week." Reports the BBC.

"Schwartz told the court in an affidavit on Thursday that he was using ChatGPT for legal research for the first time when he put it to work drafting the ten-page brief he hoped would convince Manhattan Federal Judge P. Kevin Castel not to dismiss a case he was advocating. He explained that he 'therefore was unaware of the possibility that its content could be false.'

It turned out that every case cited in the AI program-generated brief was fake, entirely made up by the program. 

AI-written pieces have come under scrutiny lately. But most articles about it have been glowing and optimistic about how AI and various Chat bots can help humanity. 

There are a few obvious ways In which it seems AI could be very useful. In space exploration,  over 5500 new exoplanets have been discovered in the past decades by large telescopes that have been put into orbit around the earth. Sifting Through all the data that they have collected may take decades, but using AI has greatly sped out the process. 

AI-run rockets making journeys of thousands of years may make more sense than humans, when it's time to visit another solar system.

When such superhuman tasks aren't required, however, we should keep humans employed. While more training in some fields,  like law, may be required, this attorney's experience is a lesson on overreliance on AI.

Putting millions of future attorneys and paralegals  out of work is not good for society or that profession. One can see an early backlash to relying on machines in the growing unease with "self check outs" at Walmarts and other retailers. Doctors that rely on AI and not  human experience can be envisioned making horrific mistakes in the future.

Doing away with article writers seems like a logical step to some,  but a recent Wall Street Journal article noted that while some AI articles presented to a publisher of a retirement magazine contain no grammatical mistakes, most devolved into gibberish and "nonsense," and were sifted out by the publisher. 

One suspects that news editors are doing the same thing. Professors also warn of this threat, but have sifted out plagiarism for decades.

By Stephen Abbott of Abbott Media Group

[AI was NOT used to write this article.]

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

When Parties Screw Up.. the Latest Example

Political parties,  just like candidates, need to always take care to use public events to build their images, and avoid negative stereotypes about them that could be used by opponents.  For Democrats,  the attack by the GOP that they, deep down, really HATE America, is one they need to be fighting, not reinforcing.  

But in Arizona,  the Pema County Dems this week advertised a July 4 rally in a city park  to protest the overturning of Unlimited Baby Abotions and Legalized Race discrimination in higher education by the US Supreme Court. But the wording of the flyer and name of the event,  "F**k the Fouth" said too much about their real feelings of America. 

The AZ Republican Party and even the AZ Democrats condemned the event poster, tho Dems said the event's orananizers' "anger" about the decisions was justified.

The unaltered tweet, shown below,  was deleted after it hit the media

Similarly, last year, Democrats trashed America in an Orlando, Florida city newsletter meant to discuss Fourth of July events.



Wednesday, January 4, 2023

New Roles For the Old News Release

 



Long gone are the days of your PR firm or your own organization simply sending out a press release to the local TV and print media, sitting back, and thinking that the job of promoting product, service, or individual has been completed.

That's because the news media are no longer the sole audience of the news release; and understanding this new truth is vital to keeping this communications tool fresh.

Stephen Abbott of Abbott Media Group is skilled in using tried and true tools and techniques such as the news release, but putting them to work in new ways.

AMG understands that news releases today can play several functions in the promotions process,. Releases sent to the media aren't necessarily to ensure immediate coverage. In fact, it's unrealistic to assume that everything sent will be published.

In Abbott's political campaigns, frequent releases have served the purpose of showing that a campaign is active, has hired staff, is raising money, is engaging with voters, and is seriously contesting the race. 

From these roles, it becomes clear that releases from political campaigns have several audiences. 

It's not just local news media, which may or may not be covering local politics, but also political leaders, local business leaders, elected officials, and of course, voters, especially those who are engaged in the process early on. 

Sometimes several releases, specifically targeted to these Publics, make more sense than a single, standard release.

Releases written for business can play a similar role by simply reminding local news media and others that the business is active in the community and open for business.

Releases sent to internal Publics - sush as repeat, regular clients - also have a reassuring effect, and can communicate best practices within a business organization, as well as communicating new policies and procedures to everyone, not just to a select few.

Effective internal Communications  like this can also build a sense of rapport and togetherness within organizations,  reduce gossip and misunderstandings, as well as lower employee turnover.

They can also be employed to convey the new or long-held mission and vision of a group or company. 

These reminders, written in news-worthy, fresh ways, help solidify the reputation of the group or company within a community, and help clarify the purposes towards which they're striving. They can also clear up misconceptions that could damage reputations or cloud the purpose of a company in the public's perception in the long term.

News releases, of course, continue to fill the traditional role of introducing new products and services to current and future clients and customers. 

They still must primarily be sharing something NEW, and be News Worthy in order to be considered for print and digital distribution. 

But they also can demonstrate to clients that a business has the expertise in the field in which they operate, and that they are capable of bringing the latest technology and techniques to bear on their behalf.

Frequent news releases posted on a company or campaign website are an easy way to provide fresh content for visitors. Web content that is frequently changing and updated ranks higher in searches, and encourages future traffic to the site.

Finally, news releases can play a vital role in conveying to relevant Publics within the community that a business is engaging actively with it, playing a positive role by giving back through charitable giving and social involvement. 

This has the effect of building positive feelings towards the business, enhancing its reputation and making future business transactions with them more likely.

AMG and Stephen Abbott understand how to fully employ all the aspects of news releases, and use them to the fullest effect on behalf of clients. 

Contact AMG today for more information. 772-261-1173.

Monday, January 2, 2023

Objections to PR Spending Answered [Abbott Media Group]

 

"I can't afford public relations to build my company's reputation." Really? If you aren't building a reputation, customers won't view your company as reputable, and will visit your competitors. You are either losing or gaining a good reputation every single day. Guess what's happening to your business if you are ignoring it?

"Money is tight. There's a recession coming." Money will get even tighter if your customers stop using your products or services because they don't know how they will benefit from using them or they don't grow to like your company.

"PR isn't effective." it may seem that way in the very beginning, but even short-term PR campaigns can reap great benefits by changing perceptions of your company or the services that it offers. 

"the PR people on the internet promised to get my name in the paper a few times for a flat fee."  Public relations, when done right, isn't just an ad or mention placement service. Anyone with media contacts can get you into Dog Journal or a community shopper or other irrelevant media that won't drive sales, and PR is meant to be a long-term relationship in which the professional gets to know your business and its needs.

"We tried public relations once, but they charged too much and it wasn't effective." The fact that you overpaid, probably for people who were new to the profession, doesn't mean you should judge an entire field on one bad experience. Generally, you get what you pay for. But there are some people who price gouge in every field, whether it's your mechanic, a hospital, or a fancy restaurant. You wouldn't hopefully judge all mechanics, hospitals and restaurants based on those bad experiences. And it's hard to believe anyone would say,  "I tried a mechanic once, but they charged too much. I'm never going back to one."

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Race Car Driver's Tweet illustrates Huge #PRFAIL

Oscar Piastri, a reserve driver with the Formula 1 team F1 Alpine, put out a statement on Twitter yesterday noting a substantial disagreement with the team's news release: "I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year." His tweet caused a bit of a storm on Twitter among the racing community.

It turns out that Piastri was hoping to sign with the McLaren racing team in 2023, although that, too, has not been finalized or formally announced. 

The episode shows a remarkable lack of communication in public relations finesse on the part of the team and the driver. 

And the News Release itself is an embarrassment to the team and a huge Public Relations FAIL. PR professionals must double and triple check all facts before placing them in print and releasing them to the media like this was done. 

The miscommunication here boggles the mind. How difficult would it have been to speak to the driver himself, and ask if negotiations had been completed and a deal has been signed for his continued participation on the team as the main driver next year?

Thursday, March 10, 2022

TV Heart Attacks Give Peloton Heart Palpitations [Abbott Media Group Blog]


Two TV shows featuring regular characters having heart attacks while using a Peloton exercise bike are giving the bike company heart palpitations.

Viewers were shocked when, during the premiere of HBO’s Max’s Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That, series regular “Mr. Big” (Chris Noth) had a heart attack on his Peloton. Turns out, the company not only knew about the product placement, but actively participated in the show featuring it.

But in January, the company got an unexpected jolt when yet another show featured a heart attack, this time, Showtime’s hit, Billions, portrayed longtime character Mike Wagner (David Costabile) as having a heart attack while using the bike.

The company released a statement on twitter saying they had nothing to do with THIS placement and didn’t approve its name or product’s use in the show.

“We get TV shows want to include @onepeloton to get people talking, but to be clear, we did *not* agree for our brand or IP to be used on @SHO_Billions or provide any equipment, As the show itself points out, cardio-vascular exercise helps people lead long, happy lives.”

As a popular appliance and icon of the pandemic age, the Peloton bike is surely well known enough to merit use and even ridicule in popular American culture.

But this wasn’t the first time the brand has had a PR crisis on its hands.

Most of us first learned of the bike through its infamous 2019 TV ad in which a rather thin, attractive young woman receives a Peloton bike as a Christmas gift from her husband,  making a video for hi in which she had a pained look on her face. The ad prompted many to question whether such a “gift” from a man would be inappropriate or even insulting.  

The resulting near-endless analysis of the ad was a PR disaster for the company, who had hoped for a more painless and positive launch.

The recent features the product has received are not *positive* either, but also not entirely negative.
The company’s response was quick and appropriate, and most people will understand that the product doesn’t have this effect on ALL of its users. Still, one doesn’t ever want your exercise product attached to the concept of a heart attack, or any other medical emergency.

Unlike Mr. Big, the company will survive this.

Monday, October 25, 2021

New Roles For the Old News Release [Abbott Media Group]



Long gone are the days of your PR firm or your own organization simply sending out a press release to the local TV and print media, sitting back, and thinking that the job of promoting product, service, or individual has been completed.

That's because the news media are no longer the sole audience of the news release; and understanding this new truth is vital to keeping this communications tool fresh.

Stephen Abbott of Abbott Media Group is skilled in using tried and true tools and techniques such as the news release, but putting them to work in new ways.

AMG understands that news releases today can play several functions in the promotions process,. Releases sent to the media aren't necessarily to ensure immediate coverage. In fact, it's unrealistic to assume that everything sent will be published.

In Abbott's political campaigns, frequent releases have served the purpose of showing that a campaign is active, has hired staff, is raising money, is engaging with voters, and is seriously contesting the race. 

From these roles, it becomes clear that releases from political campaigns have several audiences. 

It's not just local news media, which may or may not be covering local politics, but also political leaders, local business leaders, elected officials, and of course, voters, especially those who are engaged in the process early on. 

Sometimes several releases, specifically targeted to these Publics, make more sense than a single, standard release.

Releases written for business can play a similar role by simply reminding local news media and others that the business is active in the community and open for business.

Releases sent to internal Publics - sush as repeat, regular clients - also have a reassuring effect, and can communicate best practices within a business organization, as well as communicating new policies and procedures to everyone, not just to a select few.

Effective internal Communications  like this can also build a sense of rapport and togetherness within organizations,  reduce gossip and misunderstandings, as well as lower employee turnover.

They can also be employed to convey the new or long-held mission and vision of a group or company. 

These reminders, written in news-worthy, fresh ways, help solidify the reputation of the group or company within a community, and help clarify the purposes towards which they're striving. They can also clear up misconceptions that could damage reputations or cloud the purpose of a company in the public's perception in the long term.

News releases, of course, continue to fill the traditional role of introducing new products and services to current and future clients and customers. 

They still must primarily be sharing something NEW, and be News Worthy in order to be considered for print and digital distribution. 

But they also can demonstrate to clients that a business has the expertise in the field in which they operate, and that they are capable of bringing the latest technology and techniques to bear on their behalf.

Frequent news releases posted on a company or campaign website are an easy way to provide fresh content for visitors. Web content that is frequently changing and updated ranks higher in searches, and encourages future traffic to the site.

Finally, news releases can play a vital role in conveying to relevant Publics within the community that a business is engaging actively with it, playing a positive role by giving back through charitable giving and social involvement. 

This has the effect of building positive feelings towards the business, enhancing its reputation and making future business transactions with them more likely.

AMG and Stephen Abbott understand how to fully employ all the aspects of news releases, and use them to the fullest effect on behalf of clients. 

Contact AMG today for more information. www.abbottmediagroup.com.