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Fusion Final Post

Fusion Final Post

By Arieh Levi, 2010 Spring Intern

Before I start, I’d just like to thank the entire Fusion NY crew for hosting me for five weeks. I could not have asked for a more informative and comfortable internship, and after speaking to some of my friends on their internships, I know I got lucky.

Over the course of my five weeks at Fusion, I learned quite a bit. Whether it was on the differences between PR and advertising, or on social networking in the PR world, I can honestly say that I leave Fusion now with a hefty knowledge of PR and its inner workings. In this final post, then, I’d like to point out three ideas I learned at Fusion.

1. PR is not easy

In a recent survey conducted by CareerCast.com, PR was ranked as the eighth most stressful job in America. I get that. The hours are long, the competition is fierce, the industry is in a near-constant amorphous state – and I haven’t even mentioned the clients yet. The clients are difficult – if nigh impossible – to deal with, for a number of reasons – perhaps most important of which are the difficulties in communication between the client and the firm. PR is hard.

2. PR is not advertising

The differences are vast, but the most important difference I’ve found between the two is the difference in consumer perception. PR works much of the time behind-the-scenes, very rarely proving obvious or easily found. Advertising, on the other hand, must deal with the fact that the consumer knows the ad agency is selling something. In order to dispel the persona of shameless merchant, ad agencies must work to give a different identity to the company, based on an ad theme. In my opinion, this, then, is the main difference.

3. Social Networking has transformed PR

Last, but most certainly not least, is the impact that social networking has had on PR. In essence, the ideas of social networking – fast information, “blurbs,” constant motion, public opinion – have transformed PR from being primarily focused on traditional media to being focused on the internet realm even more so. (On this note, it is not just social networking that has morphed the industry, but the Internet as a whole.) Social networking has caused sluggish PR firms to adapt – and quickly.

Listed above are some ideas about PR that I found to be most important, but there is so much more. Interning at Fusion truly broadened my horizons, giving me experiences in the workplace that I never could have imagined receiving as a senior in high school.

So, for the last time,
Signing off,
Arieh Levi.

Thank you Fusion! You have been warm, welcoming, and informative when it mattered most!

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