Public Relations is not just for multi-million dollar corporations and celebrities anymore. More and more these days private parties such as individuals that are suddenly thrust under public scrutiny have been hiring professionals to handle their images. I recently read an article from the Scottish press about a couple whose
young daughter suddenly went missing. After many results free searches along with some circumstantial evidence along the way, suspicion turned towards the parents. So, the couple turned to a PR executive who they hired full-time to become their spokesman. Since the arrival of said spokesman, many articles in local papers have been published depicting the parents as innocent victims going through a rough time as opposed to the negative criminal image the press had promoted before.
This is not a new idea by any stretch- celebrities have been hiring personal publicists for years, however I think in the future it may become an issue of ethics. It's kind of a scary thought that any individual who is say. . . in a bit of legal trouble can just hire a publicist and totally change public opinion regarding their innocence. And clearly this could in turn influence a jury. We don't know whether or not this couple actually had anything to do with their daughter's disappearance, but what if they did? Convincing the public at large that one is innocent bodes well for them obviously, but how much justice is served if we don't let the evidence decide? How long before we start providing image control in addition to representation for those charged with serious crimes?
