In Defense of Public Relations

It’s raining DUDES! Literally. If this were a sociological experiment, I will have to conclude that men are a lot less bashful than women in promoting themselves. The sheer volume of self-promotional pitches I received from PR Dudes for this list versus the 10 Hottest PR Chicks list is about 3 to 1.

Thankfully, I had help from the PR Dudes Selection Team, which is composed of trusted PR dudes and dudettes. With their assistance, I was able to trim down the number to ten. Again, this is  purely a subjective selection process and there’s no science behind it. But judging from last year’s inaugural list, and seeing what all of them have accomplished over the past year, there may be some merit to how I choose the PR dudes on this list.

Basically, there were two requirements that I followed.  First, the dude MUST be in PR.  If the selection team and I can’t determine immediately from the dude’s Twitter profile and tweets if they’re in PR, they’re disqualified.

Second, we disqualified any self-proclaimed gurus, experts, rock stars and cyborgs (that means you @thePRguycom). So don’t complain if you don’t find the Brian Solises of the world on this list. Besides, how many of you really get a reply from someone with that many followers? And honestly, they could care less about some cheeky list of PR dudes.

There are obviously other factors that were considered for being a PR dude with the smoothest moves and I’m not talking about their lack of body hair. And in the interest of full disclosure, there are a couple of dudes on this list whom I’ve met in real life. Whether they know my true ID or not, I can’t say. And no, my “real” self isn’t on this list either, that would be what I call a douchebag move. For the record though, many of you follow me as me on Twitter.

So without further delay, here are this year’s 10 PR Dudes with the Smoothest Moves on Twitter & Real Life (in alphabetical order):

1. His real name alone is smooth. L.A. Jones is a seasoned PR veteran whose helping Detroit get back to its former glory by supporting the PR for the Detroit Chamber of Commerce.  He worked on a statewide project called Intern in Michigan, which connected Michigan companies with college students. He’s managed major press events and has strong media relations skills. Currently based in Detroit, L.A. came from Baltimore and worked at Engagement Marketing, an African-American focused PR and advertising agency. (That sentence alone had three major U.S. cities in it). Recent smooth move tweet.

2. Chris Hayes (not be confused with this Chris Hayes) is one of two dudes on this list I’ve met in real life.  He doesn’t tweet much about PR, but if you meet him in real life, you know he’s got the goods. He’s the quintessential PR Dude since he rather give his clients all the glory and stay behind the scenes. He’s done PR for big brands (P&G products) and entertainment companies (Miramax). Just discovered from his new Twitter profile that he’s planning on learning everything he can about the NHL. Trust me, in a year’s time he’ll know everything about it. Btw, he’s also Mr. NBA and loves golf. Recent smooth move tweet.

3. He goes by the handle @EvilPRGuy and yes, he is evil, but not in a satanic way. In fact, he’s been generous to non-profits that help veterans.  Rumored to have gotten into a bar room brawl and putting away a bottle of the finest scotch at the same time, and showing up the next day for a major client presentation sharp as a tact. Tremors were felt in California a few weeks ago as soon as he stepped out of the plane. The dude says his “bad news” and my guess is that’s the kind of pitches he dishes out. Don’t mess with him though or your might find yourself in the prison museum his brother runs in Philly. His name is Michael Dolan, but I’ll always call him the EvilPRGuy. Recent smooth move tweet.

4. Eric Berto is @geekgiant. He may be a giant (I think he’s about 6’5 and that’s when he’s sitting down ) but he’s no geek (in the definition Anthony Michael Hall portrayed in 16 candles.) although this tweet he sent out today might change your mind about his ‘geekiness’ level. [C'mon people help him find a softball team to join.] Eric is no stranger to PR, he’s represented a large technology company out of Redmond, Wash. Oh and congratulate him, he and his better half are expecting. I’m not sure why this hasn’t been national news since the baby is already tweeting while still in the womb. Recent smooth move tweet.

5. I’ve just been recently introduced to Jason Mollica’s tweets and blog recently.  All I can say is he’s “ballsy” for questioning the wisdom of PR industry hall of famer Peter Shankman in a blog post. I respect any dude who’s passionate about his opinions on PR and I’m guessing Shankman feels the same. Besides, I’m not sure if there were some behind the scenes campaigning going on to get Jas on this list since he received the most nominations from dudes and dudettes or he might just be that popular. Besides, the entire selection team thought Jas is a pretty smooth name. Recent smooth move tweet.

6. The second Jason on this list. Jason Chupick would’ve made last year’s list if he were working in PR not just blogging about it. You know him as the dude that founded and blogs on PR Newser, but from what I’ve gathered he’s now also working at PR maven Dorothy Crenshaw‘s newly established agency, Crenshaw Communications. He carries the title Media Director and oversees the media strategy at the firm according to his bio. But his Twitter profile says he’s a freelance PR consultant so I apologize to Jason for any inaccuracies here. Recent smooth move tweet.

7. Jeff Espo is the PR dude behind Vistaprint. Half of those reading this likely had some printing job done from there. I know we’ve used Vistaprint at our firm and PR Dudette even had her business cards printed there.  Jeff’s a beer connoisseur and even brews beer at home. That hobby alone gets him on this list. I’ve also enjoyed his recent blog posts about Tiger Woods. He’s one of a few dudes on this list that I engage with on a regular basis about a variety of topics. Recent smooth move tweet.

8. The PR dudettes on the selection team voted Mike Schaffer the cutie of the group. It’s that sparkling smile, that boyish look, that angelic face that can do no wrong. Hey, I didn’t say that, they did.  Why he changed his avatar with Capt. Awesome‘s T-Shirt only he knows.  Besides being named on this list, his other major accomplishment was coming in second in FishbowlDC’s “Hottest Publicist” contest.  Besides his looks, he’s got a heart to help other PR pros get a job in this economy. He’s been active promoting HAPPO (Help a PR Pro Out).  Recent smooth move tweet.

9. This dude needs no introduction and the only other dude on the list I’ve met in real life. You could even say he inspired me to get on Twitter, but he didn’t know that. You see this dude on CNN and other major news networks talking about PR issues from the Toyota recall to Tiger Woods’ image.  If you’re in PR and don’t know @skydiver, you’re living under a rock or might not be in PR at all. In my intro, I said there are no self-proclaimed gurus, experts, rock stars, etc. on this list, and Peter Shankman is NOT one of those. He’s the most popular of the dudes on here (if you go by the number of Twitter followers), but unlike others of the same caliber, Peter actually showed interest in being on this list. He actually sent an email and requested politely and humorously to be considered. Something I totally wasn’t expecting. In any case, I don’t have to run through Peter’s accomplishments. We all know HARO (Help A Reporter Out), which actually inspired HAPPO (mentioned above) and founder of Geek Factory. Recent smooth move tweet.

10. John Sternal is another one I exchange tweets with on a regular basis. Rumored to be working on his golf game to get in the PGA Tour in the future. He’s based out of South Florida so he can play golf year round. He’s also a generous dude. I heard he gave a free ticket to the Masters to Arik Hanson.  Known for co-creating #smbizchat, John has one of the nicest Twitter personalities. His focus is to help small businesses get the media attention they deserve and he even shares some trade secrets like how to get an editorial in the newspaper. But we won’t take that against him. Besides, we all know “newspapers are dead.” I’m quoting. Who said that? Most recent smooth move tweet.

So there you have it. This year’s list of PR Dudes with the Smoothest Moves on Twitter and Real Life. For the PR dudes who didn’t make it on this year’s list, there’s always next year. I appreciate the pitches and follow-ups. It’s fun to play reporter once a year. It’s an empowering position to be in, but would never trade places. I LOVE PR!

Oh how time flies! It’s been a year since I posted the inaugural list of the ten hottest PR chick pics on twitter and I guess with this second edition, the list now becomes a tradition unlike any other.

I did make a few adjustments to the selection process. Instead of me being the sole judge on who makes the hot list, I brought in a committee of PR experts dudes to assist in the selection. For their own safety, they shall remain anonymous although a couple of them probably wouldn’t mind getting whipped by the ladies who didn’t make the cut.  In addition, a number of the sizzling yet smart PR ladies here made it because they pitched themselves and their pitches were on fire.

Unlike last year, this year’s crop of smokiness included a review of their last 10 tweets at the time of this writing (hey, it’s a top ten list) and whether those tweets brought some value to the PR profession. Of course, all of these ladies have engaged me on Twitter, which helped dwindle down the list. And none, I hope, know my true ID.  Yes, it’s still a subjective process, but just like PR, I never claimed this to be an exact science. I’ve also excluded those that were on the list last year not because they lost their sizzle, but because there are many PR chicks on Twitter.

Before you proceed to scroll down this post to see who’s in, I’d like all of you to know that I  have the highest respect for the women on this list. Our industry is composed of a majority of women and many whom I’ve worked with and currently work with are smart, creative, and dare I say it, attractive. I don’t believe anyone working in PR should be judged by their looks and/or physical attributes, but by what value they add to the table. But let’s be honest, there are those who have both (unfortunately, not me–you’ve all seen my pic).  On another note, I don’t refer to any woman as “chick” and never tell them their “hot” unless I’m referring to the weather.

So without further drivel from me, whether you love it or hate it (do let me know in the comments section), here’s this year’s prdude’s list of The Ten Hottest PR Chicks Based on Their Pics and Tweets (not in any order):

1. Julie Perry is the Social Media Director for BLASTMediaPR and has a very interesting background. Yes, she has thousands of followers on Twitter and she’s also the author of the book, “The Insiders’ Guide to Becoming a Yacht Stewardess Confessions from My Years Afloat with the Rich and Famous.” Not sure if she rubbed elbows with the likes of Robin Leach or has ever been on, God forbid, Tiger Woods’ yacht, Privacy. And even though she’s an Android fan [check out her bio here] and what looks to be a typo in the title of her book (shouldn’t the apostrophe be before the ‘s’ if it’s a one insider’s perspective?], Perry makes the list for being “Little Miss Chaterer.” Blast-est tweet from the last ten here.

2. If the movie, Miss Congeniality, had a prequel, Kate Ottavio would be a shoo-in to play the young Sandra Bullock. Her road to PR included years in beauty pageantry as a contestant, and from what I gather from her tweets, as an adviser today for young ladies who want to compete in a beauty (and brains) competition.  She’d also win the Miss Patient prize if there is one in a beauty pageant because she should’ve been on last year’s list. See what a year of waiting does. She’s accomplished so much in that time frame, the least of which is being one of the founding members of the hottest PR blog today, PR Breakfast Club. Beautiful-’est’ tweet from the last ten here.

3. Stephanie Smirnov is probably the most powerful PR chick on this list. She heads up one of the most successful consumer PR firms in the country. If you haven’t heard of DeVries (pronounced De-Vrees not to be confused with DeVry), you haven’t been in PR long enough or you’re not in PR at all. She’s proud of her Russian heritage and sources say she may have been rooting for the Russian hockey team during the last Winter Olympics. She’s proudest being e a mom. Combining her PR profession and mommy duties, an interesting and entertaining hybrid blog was born, check out PR Mama. Mammochka tweet from the last ten here.

4. Don’t let the pink fool you…according to the first slide on J Public Relations’ web site. The only agency to make it on this list. Why? Well, because this and this. I’m sure JPR supports the Susan G. Komen Foundation too, not just because of its company colors, but because its entire team is female. Of course, it also made the list because the agency boasts that it  has won many awards. The fact that the firm has someone named Jamie Lynn Sigler and Sarah Evans [no, not that Sarah Evans who was on last year's list] managing the firm had nothing to do with it. I do wonder how an entertainment reporter reacts when getting a call that starts like this, “Hi, this is Jamie Lynn Sigler, I’m calling for…” Pink-est tweet from the last ten here.

5. Gail Sideman is the consummate publicist with a strong background in sports.  She’s been seen hanging out with some famous folks like James Brown, not the Godfather of Soul, but the CBS Sports broadcaster. She stays on the SIDElines and gives all her clients the glory. She engages everyone on Twitter that’s why a majority of her tweets from my observation are @replies. She’s creative at how she uses the SIDE part of her name (check out her web site). It’s SIDE this, and SIDE that. From this SIDE, it all works seamlessly together. She’s obviously no SIDE dish. SIDE-tweet from the last ten here.

6. Katherine Barna describes herself as “just a city girl figuring it out as I go.” Well, whatever ‘IT’ is, she’s got plenty of ‘IT.’ Kath, as she’s called by friends on Twitter, has found a little space to fill. She may have a little space to herself, but she’s got a big  job working as a publicist for Newsweek.  Yes that news magazine that we, PR dudes and dudettes, want to get our client in at least once in our career even if circulation has been cut in half (more on this here). I’m sure with Kath’s PR skills, she’s helped get circulation back up if that falls under her responsibility.  Space-filled tweet from the last ten here.

7. A Minnesotan that recently graduated at Florida Gulf Coast University who is now working in New York City, Abby Schoffman is hungry to learn more about PR (based on her tweets) and calls herself a social media enthusiast. Thank goodness, she didn’t write guru or expert. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made this list no matter how hot she is on her pic or in real life.  I don’t know much about her except that selection committee members who’ve met her are adamant she be on this list. I hope to get to know her more on Twitter in the future. Tweet why she belongs on list from last ten here.

8. Yes, Kellye is spelled with a ‘y’ and ‘e.’ Not spelled with an ‘i’ or just ‘y.’ Now that I’ve cleared up that it isn’t a typo, KellyE Crane has single-handedly changed the lives of solo PR pros for the better with #solopr and Solo PR Linked In group. One of the challenges faced by solo PR pros is not having a team to brainstorm ideas or share resources with.  Thanks to Kellye, they are now able to do so.  The Solo-ist tweet from the last ten here.

9. I have a lot of faith in Jessica Randazza who has taken on the task of changing the world, not just the PR world, but the entire planet. That’s a thousand times more challenging than what I’m trying to do [check this blog's tagline].  Her blog is a mishmash of all things PR, branding, social media and life. Based from what I’ve read, she likely hails from Seattle, where Starbucks is headquartered, but is a lover of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, which is not available in Seattle. Thankfully, she’s now in New York City, where there’s Dunkin’ Donuts every few blocks.

10. The PR Tweeter crowd has spoken. Filling in the 10th and final slot is Tiffany Winbush. It was a close race between her and @SashaHalima to the end. Both are amazing young ladies who’ve accomplished so much at such a young age (not that I know how old they are–just taking an educated guess here) so kudos to them and their loyal followers. I’m sure none of them voted multiple times (hey, we live in the American Idol age).  Tiffany, who received 50 percent of the vote, has amazing credentials  (based on her Linked In profile) and runs a blog, Women Making Moves, that is devoted to the accomplishments of women. I’m thinking she should feature herself on her blog since she is one woman who is making moves (dudes, in your dreams, get your minds out of the gutter).  Tweet that moved the needle here.

The fabulous final five also included @missusP @rochelleveturis @FLASHrelations. All five were nominated among many to become on of the Ten Hottest PR Chicks Based on Their Pics and Tweets (2nd Ed.)  Final results here.

Calling all PR Dudes on Twitter: If you think you’re a PR Dude with the Smoothest Moves (on Twitter), feel free to pitch yourself as long as you weren’t on the last year’s list. Please send pitches to prdude@indefenseofpr.com.  Post slated for Friday, April 30.

Disclaimer: Any similarities of descriptions to anyone living or dead is not intended and must be taken with a large dose of humor.

[From original post: 10.]Don’t act so surprised.  Haven’t you heard crowdsourcing is the ‘hot’ buzzword of the season?!?  We live in a social media world so the last, but not least PR chick to grace this list, will be your choice. Simply send your suggestions in the comments section of this post or tweet me @prdude.  The PR Dudes selection committee will collect and select five of the ‘hottest’ PR chicks you suggest, then we’ll open the floor for a vote. There are only two rules to follow when nominating: 1) Nominee must be a woman or at least looks like a woman working in PR and 2) She must have a Twitter handle.