Pepper Spray and the Power of Imagery

I was driving by the "Occupy Denver" folks recently near the state capitol. 20 people at most, looking worse for the wear, sitting around without a sign or message in sight. A blight on an otherwise beautiful location in Denver.

So how does a movement with no motion stay in the news?

Imagery. Has anyone NOT seen the protesters pepper sprayed in California. A surreal set of videos and pictures as a campus police office calmly walked back and forth like he was fumigating a garden.

The incident was followed by satiric images like this one posted all across Social Media.

So a movement that isn't moving anywhere, with no discernible focus stays in the news, like the folks I saw sitting along Broadway in Denver.

So what do we learn from all this? The power of imagery. Pictures are worth a thousand words, video even more. One can of pepper spray sustains a movement with no perceived motion.

Visual inertia: The perception of something not moving, to be doing just the opposite.

Brian Olson

Conversation Starters Public Relations

In Flanders Fields

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
 
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lt. Col. McCrae died of pneumonia while on active duty in 1918. No poem or story better captures the spirit and importance of this day.

Wings over the Rockies to honor Tuskegee Airmen

Before we had a Black-American President, before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's there were the Tuskegee Airmen. A highly decorated group of pilots in World War II.

There were/are a lot of decorated pilots in WWII. But this group is special. They were black, putting their lives on the line for liberties they were denied back home. The names they were called back then are no longer fit for any conversation. Their story cannot be told enough. They cannot be honored enough.

I urge you to visit their website. Often. In WWII, the military was segregated. Soldiers of color were often assigned to menial duties in labor battalions or other support positions. Then came the great experiment. President Roosevelt, anticipating we would enter the war knew there would be a huge demand for pilots. So civilian pilot training programs were set up all over the country including the Tuskegee Institute, a black college founded in Alabama in 1881 by Booker T. Washington. Tuskegee graduated its first pilot in 1940. More followed, eventually becoming the 332nd fighter Group.

The rest as they say, is history. For a generation thrice-removed from WWII, you have to understand the incredible racism and discrimination that existed then. But despite enormous opposition and bigotry, not the least of which was the thought that blacks weren't capable of flying in combat, the Tuskegee Airmen flying as the 332nd Fighter Group went on to become one of the most decorated units in the war.

According to the National Museum of the Air Force, "When the war in Europe ended, the 332nd Fighter Group had shot down 112 enemy aircraft and destroyed another 150 on the ground. Also, they knocked out more than 600 railroad cars, and sank one destroyer and 40 boats and barges. Their losses included approximately 150 killed in combat or in accidents. During the war, Tuskegee had trained 992 pilots and sent 450 overseas. By any measure, the Tuskegee experiment was a resounding success."

Saturday November 19, Wings over the Rockies Air and Space Museum honors these extraordinary pilots and human beings at their Spreading Wings Gala. As a side-note, Colorado is home to the greatest number of surviving members of the 332nd.

The Tuskegee Airmen are also the subject of the upcoming major motion picture "Red Tails" starring Cuba Gooding Jr. who will be in attendance at the gala. Yet another reason to attend! 

Gala truly describes the annual Spreading Wings Event. Here are highlights from last year's gala honoring Apollo 17 Astronaut Gene Cernan, the last human to walk on the moon.


You can be part of a true historical moment by attending the gala. I hope to see you on the 19th.


Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant
Conversation Starters Public Relations

"Occupy" Movement proof 1st Amendment is alive and well.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

"There's battle lines being drawn, nobody's right if everbody's wrong. Young people speakin' their minds, gettin' so much resistance from behind ..." -For What It's Worth-Buffalo Springfield

Nothing so far in the "Occupy" movement has reached the level of what so many of us witnessed in the 60's and thank goodness. It was too often bloody and deadly. But what started out as a gathering on Wall Street has spread to Main Street. Many pundits criticize the protesters for not having a "message." It's not about a message, it's about them being pissed off. Either political party that seeks to align themselves with these folks does so at their own peril. Our political parties are why they're pissed off in the first place. They're also mad at Wall Street, Banks and Corporations. Are they right? Depends on one's point of view.

The point here is not whether we agree or disagree with the protest, but that we can do either.

It's not only young people speakin' their mind, it's people of all ages and backgrounds. Here in Denver they've gathered around the Capitol area. A tent city was set up as people exercised their freedom of speech. But both the Governor and the Mayor realized that free speech only goes so far. The park was just that, a park. Not a campground. So they were kicked out. A handful were arrested.

At no time was their right to free speech stopped. Just keep it on the sidewalk and off the street. Free speech only goes to the point where it doesn't infringe on the rights of others, like people trying to use that street to get to work.

There's no small irony seeing how many people in the crowd were using digital cameras and cell phones, products of the very system they're protesting. And of course, when the media shows up, things get loud and "visual." Social Media is keeping the protesters who claim not to be organized, very organized. Again, all protected by free speech. They couldn't do that in China. No Facebook or Twitter there. China frowns on protest.

There's also the cost to consider.  Police over-time, the impact of pulling officers from other duties to keep things under control just to name a few. Costs payed for by "We the people." But should we put a price tag on something that is supposed to be priceless?

Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the "Occupy" movement, let's embrace the fact that they have a right to express themselves. People are paying attention to their "non-message." These folks are young and old, professional and unemployed, poor and affluent.

The same kind of mix that makes up the fabric of this nation. They carry signs saying they're the 99%. That also depends one's point of view. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Regardless if you're part of 1% or 99%, everyone has the right to speak their mind.

Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant
Conversation Starters Public Relations

Facebook Changes: It pays, to pay attention.

Wow, if anyone is left on this planet who doubted the power and impact of Facebook, all they needed to see was the mix of curiosity to plain outrage over recent changes made to the social media engine, with more changes to come.

Topping the list is privacy fears. Fair enough. But keep in mind, Facebook is an opt-in thing. It's free and it's important to realize that with any kind of social media, what you post can and will be held against you. There's an old saying in PR; "If you don't want to be quoted, don't say it." You can replace "post" for "say" in this age. But again, privacy groups continue to be concerned.

One new feature coming soon to your Facebook page, if it hasn't already is something called Timeline. 


Yep, everything you've ever posted on Facebook from the day you first signed up. The good news is you can go in an clean up ill-advised posts done when under the influence of emotion, alcohol or both. At least Facebook claims you can.

When it comes to all these changes I'm just as confused as you are. But then I do my homework. For the impact on my business I look no further than Heather Lutze and her great company, the Findability Group. What you don't know about social media can hurt you. So know as much as you can.

Facebook used to be just a simple and fun way to keep up with family and friends. It's morphed into a sophisticated source of information about you, and for others to find out about you. The current issue of Bloomberg Business week has this article about how political campaigns will be seeking you out, then targeting you based on your interests, friends and posts. You can log off, but you can't hide.

With all these changes come all sorts of scammers and mischief makers. A rash of posts, cut and pasted over and over again claimed Facebook was going to start charging if you didn't opt-out. All false of course, but most folks are trusting in nature and want to share both good and bad news, regardless of it's true or not. The great thing about social media is, everyone has access to it. The bad thing about social media is everyone has access to it.

So, take some time to do a little house cleaning on your Facebook page. You can organize friends and family into lists and adjust security settings to protect yourself. Facebook is becoming more complicated. You owe it to yourself and your personal well-being to keep up with those changes.

All this said, Facebook remains a remarkable, powerful and innovative way to keep in touch, or to market yourself.

And all THAT said, Google+ traffic is surging. It's now wide open for use by everyone and offers some very cool options. I've been checking it out and will write about it more in another blog. Do we need ANOTHER social media site? Well, that's up to consumers. As always, competition is a good thing.

Again, just remember and always be aware that once you post something online, it's out there. Forever. Back in a very analog time, President Ronald Reagan famously said, "Trust but verify." It applies to our ever growing digital world today.

Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant

Conversation Starters Public Relations

9/11. Remember? Yes. Holiday? No.

This Sunday we mark the 10 year anniversary of the attack on America. Planes became missiles as thousands died at the hands of terrorists. We'll never be the same again. Ever.

There are more than a few people who think that 9/11 should become a national holiday, like Martin Luther King Day.

I disagree.

MLK deserves to be honored and remembered. But the national holiday in his name is only celebrated by some, not all. Federal and State employees get the day off, most schools are closed. Malls are busy, movie theaters are full. But most folks head off to work. Martin Luther King was all about all people having equal opportunity to do just that. Not just some.

MLK day has always seemed to me a wasted opportunity. Schools are closed. Why? Wouldn't this be a great day for this generation of students to look back and study what Dr. King and countless thousands risked their lives for? A day to watch his famous speech at the Lincoln Monument, arguably one of the best delivered and impactful speeches in our nation's history. To talk about it, analyze it and learn more about all that led up to that speech.

I fear that if one was to walk into a classroom and ask students who Rosa Parks was, most wouldn't know about a lady who by refusing to give up her seat, allowed everyone eventually to have a seat.

Instead we simply waste a valuable educational opportunity.

IF, there were to become a 9/11 holiday, some but not all would have the day off. Malls would be busy, theaters full. The rest would head off to work.

We must and always remember 9/11 and remember the lives lost, the heroics of those who rushed towards the carnage instead of away from it, the impact of that day on our nation today.

It seems to me that both days should be seen as opportunities to unite this divided nation. Another holiday will accomplish just the opposite.

Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant
Conversation Starters Public Relations

Raising the bar on Dumb in Washington DC and Austin, TX.

Good morning, two stories have me scratching my head and wondering why people who should know better, just act stupid.

1. The President's latest jobs plan and the announcement thereof. Anticipation has been building for weeks. The President wanted to announce it before a joint session of Congress next Wednesday, September 7th. Fair enough but it's the same night as the GOP presidential debate at the Reagan Library.  The White House of course, knew this all along.

Speaker John Boehner officially gets to decide who speaks in the House of Representatives, although as a rule, you don't turn down the President of the United States. But the President put Speaker Boehner in a bad spot, who in turn asked the President to address Congress, and oh yeah, "We the people" on the 8th instead. It's my House and I'll cry if I want to.

Late night night it was announced the President will now deliver his speech on the 8th. All this creates another issue, the 8th is the opening night of the NFL season. Green Bay vs New Orleans. Cheese, Gumbo and rotten politics. Pass the Tums please. The White House says the speech will end before the scheduled kick-off, my guess without enough time for a response from the GOP.

Frankly, the GOP should have agreed to Wednesday, then just backed up the debate until after the speech. What an opportunity! Run clips from the speech, then have the GOP have at it. Don't like the President's plan? Then tell us how you'd do better.  I think we'd be well served by this sort of thing.

But no, cheap political partisanship by both sides is once again put ahead of the best interests of us folks who live on Main Street, USA and who of course, pay the bills. Wasn't August wonderful? September and beyond, not so much.

Shameful.

2. Let move on to college football. Earlier this year, the University of Texas announced an exclusive broadcast partnership with ESPN to create the Longhorn Network. All orange all the time. Great expectations Texas-style. This disclaimer: I'm a proud Longhorn Dad and we've lived in Texas twice. Everything is bigger in Texas, especially football. We heart the 'Horns.

All good right? Nope, quite the opposite. The season opener has Texas hosting Rice at Austin. Broadcast rights are exclusively on the Longhorn Network. One problem. As of now, other than a few tiny cable outlets, no major satellite or cable provider has reached an agreement to carry the network. Not even in Austin.

So we have a television network that makes it impossible to watch the team it was designed to cover.

LHN and ESPN are demanding lower tier coverage on all carriers and want (according to one report) 40 cents per subscriber whether or not they actually want to watch LHN. When you have companies like DISH Network or Time-Warner, you have customer bases of tens of millions of people and, well, you do the math. Those costs have to be passed on to those customers. But who cares about them?

So here we sit on Thursday morning, game day is two days away and it's quite possible most Texas fans around the country won't be able to watch their team on TV, since TV was invented.

LHN is urging fans to put pressure on the program providers. Flood the phone lines and their social media pages demanding they carry LHN! It hasn't worked.

Come on Texas. Put your money where your swagger is and while you're at it, put your fans first. If LHN is so good, offer it up to carriers at no charge and go out and sell advertising to pay for your $300 million investment. As an aside, most start up networks actually pay carriers to be included on their channel line-ups.

So here we sit, stuck in the middle again. In Washington, the people's needs are put last. In Austin, the fans needs are put last.

It's wrong, but sadly these days, business as usual.

Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant
Conversation Starters Public Relations