Common Sense PR

Spin Can Be Used for Good, not Evil

by Eric Eggertson on January 8th, 2007

Don’t blame spin if someone decides to hide their immoral acts by shaping public perception. Spin is just a tool, used to nudge media and public perception about an issue or event.

Spin, like any other tool, has the potential to be used for good and evil.

Here are five examples that lean toward good, not evil.

1. The Live8 concerts for government action on Africa

Bob Geldof, Bono and a bunch of other rock stars tried to reshape perceptions about the role of western governments in resolving the global poverty imbalance. The issue was government inaction. The event was rock concerts in countries around the world. The spin was to change public expectations about what role G8 leaders should play in addressing the economic imbalance and its effect on African people.

2. Olympics anti-doping crusade

When the World Anti-Doping Agency was formed, Dick Pound acted like a one-person spin machine, trying to toughen the sports world’s attitude to doping by athletes. In particular, he tried to shame professional sports bodies to take a stand against doping and performance-enhancing drugs.

3. Jennifer Aniston as the spurned woman

Whether in high school or international celebrity, there’s a short period after you’ve been dumped when you have carte blanche to portray your actions as noble, and those of your ex as callous and unfair. Unless it’s particularly vindictive, this sort of spin helps people move on from relationships that ended badly.

4. New York City’s anti-crime campaign

For the most part, the campaign allowed beleaguered communities to regain a sense of pride. In a demoralized city, the campaign offered hope. The spin was to get people thinking of crime as something they could affect in their neighbourhood.

5. Your latest sales report, project update or voice mail message

We practice spin every day, emphasizing one aspect of a situation to persuade people about the potential impact of a particular decision. We simplify, exaggerate and put emphasis on something in a way that serves our purposes (and hopefully clarifies the core issues).

See anonymous tech blogger “Rands” on The Truth Versus Spin, arguing that this is just a method of communication, not a descent into hell. He says:

“. . . Spin is art. The ability to elegantly construct complex ideas inside a few simple words is incredibly hard and those who have the ability to do it are to be admired because they are trying to make the world an understandable place.

“As with any skill, there are those who sin with their Spin. They design catchy phrases that stick to anything, but mean nothing. They purposely select or omit facts to construct a delectable lie. I can’t think of good way to quantify Spin other than to say the truth is in the intent. If the person creating Spin believes their simplicity synthesis creates a sincere, factual message then I say trust them.”

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Don’t shy away from spin just because it has a bad reputation. It’s the act of anticipating how an issue will be perceived, and pushing one point of view to make it sound like the obvious solution.

You’ve been doing it for years, every time you subtly (or unsubtly) influence what movie your friends go to, or what movie they watch on a given night.

In public relations, spin can be an effective way of getting in front of an issue. You can get your point of view out there first, or respond to a perception that your organization disagrees with.

And you don’t have to feel dirty, unless the spin you’re practising is deceptive.

Footnote: (Michel Chossudovsky argues the Live8 campaign was a cynical money-making venture that distracted people from the G8 countries’ role in perpetuating poverty.)

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• CBC Radio Show Looks at Politics, PR and Media
• Apply Spin and Wash Thoroughly

Tags: public relations, jennifer aniston, live8, doping, giuliani, evil, good, influence

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POSTED IN: Advocacy, Communication Tactics, Spin