Advice from the PR Pros: John Reed

The Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication has conducted oral history interviews with dozens of the nation’s most influential public relations practitioners. The Page Center website features a vast collection of transcripts and videos of these interviews. On this blog, we will highlight some of the advice given by professionals on attaining positions in the field of public relations.

John Reed, a pioneer in the development of international public relations, began his career following military duty in Korea and Japan and work with the United States Information Service, USIS, (known domestically as USIA). His initial position in international PR occurred in 1960, when he joined the reorganized Olin Mathieson Corporation. After a variety of similar positions with other international companies, he opened Consultants in Public Relations, SA, (CPRSA) in Geneva.

His first client was Johnson and Johnson. After several years, he joined Control Data Corporation as vice president of public relations, but also continued his consultancy in Switzerland. Reed’s career has spanned a wide variety of influence in public relations, covering international work in government, industry, consultancy and teaching. Reed, a recipient of multiple awards and honors throughout his lifetime, continues to travel the world extensively.

Global PR begins by asking ‘Why?’

“The task is to persuade people to do something. And the best way to persuade them is by understanding and making friends with, and using the channels that they find that they open naturally.”

“In the case of Korea for example, when I first went to Korea, the Koreans had been speaking Japanese for 50 years with an occupation power. They were yearning to speak Korean.”

“Everybody knew the Koreans spoke Japanese. And so they came in, speaking Japanese. I found out the first day the Koreans didn’t want to speak Japanese. That was what the occupying power head kept them submerged under for 50 years.”

“It quickly became obvious to me that we didn’t want to be speaking Japanese to Koreans. We want to speak Korean to Koreans.”

“[A] Good PR person will be someone who is very curious about things. Who wants to learn? Why did she do that? Why did he do that? Why do people do that?”

“Why is this? Why is that? That’s the thing that I think helps make great PR people. Because if you understand why they do that, then you know how to alter to change it.”

“I think that PR is dealing with the real heart and soul of human beings. I don’t think there can be anything more exciting than that. Those who see that and who sense that have a great pleasure in following the path of this career of PR.”