The eye of Nicolas

One of the problems that PR has experienced over the recent years, is that information is getting less and less controllable. While Social networks and blogging can be powerful tools to spread a message they also become a threat. In an Information society that’s working both ways, PR people are challenged to get rid of harmful information on the Web. For example, Nicolas Sarkozy’s drunken speech at the G8 press conference wasn’t broadcasted, but still 2 million people manage to see the clip on Youtube.
For this reason, the Elysee has hired Nicolas Princen, to keep an eye on everything and anything happening in the social networks and blogs. He is intended to detect any harmful messages that circulate about the President on the web, and then alarm it back to the Parliament.
The new recruit also has a page on facebook, like many other politicians today. Consequently, this gives a good opportunity to interact directly with voters and conduct a discrete PR-campaign via chats and messages. Not only will it enable promotion for the UMP, but also get a greeter insight of the public opinion about Nicolas Sarkozy and if there is any damaging material published in the social network.
It will not be possible to suppress any messages that circulate on the web; but it will be a way to prepare any possible crisis for the media. Spokesmen get some hours more to practice their speech to save the situation. A speech that may be a little less shaky, a little more credible.

Bad --> Good

Image from Charlie Hebdo

The main mission for people working with Public Relations is to alter negative or neutral attitudes into positive.
"Clients not satisfied" need to become "Clients satisfied". "Sad" turns "happy" and "unaware" becomes "aware".

In the French government In-house PR department, devoted people work assumable around the clock to turn Chaos into Normal.
Here follows some sub-missions to enable such a project


Sarkozy”the unreliable"--> Sarkozy”the implacable"

According to a recent poll, 67 % of the French say "mostly not satisfying" to Sarkozy's first year as president. 59 % think that the year has been a downfall for French. Only 20 % of them were positive to the Sarko's first year of reign. What trick will you poll now Carla?



Chinese boycott of French companies --> Carrefour’s own brand filling up Chinese cupboards.

Internet users strike back on the French protests when the Olympic fire was to be lit in Paris. Some Chinese feel offended by France stand point in the Olympic- matter, and want to take revenge by boycotting French companies. For Carrefour, one of the main targets for the boycott, the near future is looking very unsure. Carrefour is one of the most popular super markets in China, and losing market value would mean a significant loss for the giant. Other companies threatened are Louis Vuitton, Dior and Peugeot.



Discontent among workers ----> people enjoying working in unfair conditions for unfair salary.

Discontent among worker seems to have been a general trend throughout the first year of Nicolas Sarkozy’s regime.
Now, the Minister of national education, Xavier Darcos, suggests a reform to limit the national number of teachers. So once again teachers and students dusted off their revolution flags, grabbed some flyers and formed with the syndicate a powerful strike against the reforms.

The other group to strike is the “sans-papier”, without papers. These are individuals that have worked for France for a longer time but never gotten a legal security from the French government. These are also individuals that have been paying taxes, and that are getting tired of give give give, and never get anything in return.

As Nicolas Sarkozy and Xavier Darcos probably will have a hard time to get people used to the unfair conditions, they need to look for other solutions.

NKM

Not many hours of sleep for the in house-pr team at the French parliament. By a few words,
Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet turned a fairly calm Wednesday night into a political scandal for the UMP’s image. However, her words did not come as a chock to the French people, who many of them shared the same thought. . She said to the French daily Le Monde; “There is a competition of cowardice and inelegance between Jean-Francois, that tries to distract attention to mask the centre problems within the group, and Jean-Louis, that gets pleased if he just assures the minimum." " Il y a un concours de lâcheté et d'inélégance entre Jean-François Copé qui essaie de détourner l'attention pour masquer ses propres difficultés au sein du groupe et Jean-Louis Borloo, qui se contente d'assurer le minimum" She continues ; "I’m tired of being confronted by an armée of cowards "." J'en ai marre d'être confrontée à une armée de lâches", ajoute Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet.
The delegate of ecology is also notably known from her opposition in the OMG discussion. Her name is whispered along the corridors in the House of Parliament, while her actions have fuelled strong emotions among other ministers. To teach her a lesson, her boss Jean-François Copé, decided to go without her to Japan. Clearly, this sets a good example to anyone trying to explore their freedom of speech.As the nomination came yesterday of the new General Secretary, “Nicolas the Saver”, came to calm down angry colleagues, like François Fillon. NKM, faced with loosing the nomination, apologized for the comments she made to the press.

When the government can not even unite itself, who would then reunite the people? The French public loses credibility in their leader, because important political matters get lost in celebrity fluff and parliament drama. However, Sarkozy proved yet again his communication skills, and mediated as a true diplomat between his staff.