PR Practitioners: If Your Client Is Unethical, Are You?

09 Jul 2009

9 Jul, 2009 Ethics

I recently saw a terrific article in Tactics by John Guiniven, who is an associate professor of corporate communications at James Madison University. In it, he poses the question, “If your client is unethical, are you?”

It’s a terrific question on many levels. For example, you can tell a lot about an agency by looking at its client roster.

Guiniven, however, discusses the dangers of a PR agency being tarred with the same brush as a client who is under scrutiny.

We’ve seen quite of a bit of that lately, whether it was the agency that offered support to the Octomom or those consulting, post-trauma, with AIG or GM.

Some agencies specialize in jumping into these controversial situations because of their crisis management expertise. Others are already on board and quite possibly clueless when the shizzle hits the fan. Then, there are those that are well aware of their clients’ misdeeds and turn a blind eye or attempt to “spin” them.

If you are in the latter two categories, you always have the option of walking away. Then again, if you have a great relationship with your client, you may want to help them.

So, in answer to John’s question, “If your client is unethical, are you?” I say not necessarily. If, however, you are aware of your client’s faults and you deliberately guild the lily with the public, your ethical compass is most definitely askew.