A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words. Cliché, but true . . . Especially in the PR World

Photography can have either a positive or a negative value in the media. We have all seen the photo of Michael Jackson dangling his baby over the railing at the complete dismay of his admiring public or Britney Spears driving with her baby in her lap. Both images quickly spread like a raging fire through newspapers, magazines weeklies and – without a single printed word – the reputations of both Michael and Brittany were permanently lowered a notch or two. Britney immediately became seen as a bad, unsafe mother who was not capable of caring for her child. Not only was Michael Jackson’s parenting called into question, but his sanity as well.

We have looked at the negative side of photography in media, but there is also a positive side. If a corporate CEO or the President of the United States wants to improve their public opinion, they will often stage “photo ops” of positive things. The CEO of Habitat for Humanity might be photographed while starting a new project or breaking ground. President Bush might be pictured doing regular every day things such as fishing, golfing, or throwing the first pitch at a baseball game. A carefully staged shot can redirect the public’s interest. In the world of PR it is essential that photography be a large part of any PR program or campaign.

When the public sees pictures of well-known icons, it makes more of a lasting impression on us than words. In many cases, photography speaks entirely for itself. No caption, no matter how well written, could change the image of Michael Jackson dangling his baby. It absolutely speaks for itself. As well, the image of Nelson Mandela and de Klerk shaking hands as they received the Nobel Peace prize in 1993 requires no words.

As we have seen, pictures can be used to create positive images for icons or companies but at the same time, they can also produce negative images. Part of the goal of PR is to help maintain companies’ reputation. Pictures are another great way to get a positive message about your company out to public.