{"id":5357,"date":"2024-03-13T12:35:16","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T11:35:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ctakomunikacije.hr\/?p=5357"},"modified":"2025-08-28T15:23:38","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T13:23:38","slug":"public-relations-lessons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ctakomunikacije.hr\/en\/public-relations-lessons\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Relations Lessons: How We Messed Up So You Would Not Have to"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2018Assumption is the mother of all misunderstandings\u2019, is a more polite version of one of the first PR lessons I learned in my early days as a trainee at CTA komunikacije<\/a>. However, over the years of working with clients and associates on really diverse projects, there have been a few situations that I always like to remember because they have turned into great learning opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of them shook me to my core at the time, while some made me laugh \u2013 just this morning. So here is how \u2018we\u2019 messed up, so you do not have to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ma\u017eurani\u0107a square \u2013 but which Ma\u017eurani\u0107 does it gets its name from?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the centre of Zagreb there is Ma\u017eurani\u0107a trg (Ma\u017eurani\u0107a square, genitive plural in Croatian), referring to three Ma\u017eurani\u0107s: Antun, Ivan and Vladimir. However, as a young lady from Samobor, a short check of Ma\u017eurani\u0107a Square did not seem controversial at all at the time, although it gave partially accurate information and provided only the middle Ma\u017eurani\u0107 at that location. I added that address to the invitation to the media, and it was only after talking to one of the press crews at the location that I noticed my error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, Mr. Ivan Ma\u017eurani\u0107 has only one square in Zagreb, and that is the one in the company of the remaining, unjustly omitted two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short lesson: always check the address and time more than once, even if it seems correct at first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019The famous\u2019 Ivana Ma\u017eurani\u0107a square\/ Trg Ivana Ma\u017eurani\u0107a<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Line\u2019 on a white background<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If a misunderstanding must happen, it is best to let it happen while it is still on an internal level. As an agency that does many creative projects, we communicate with graphic designers on a daily basis. On one occasion, we were creating visuals for a pharmacy newsletter for the pharmaceutical industry, and the client was looking for something really simple: a line display on a white background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was clear to both the client and us that this was one entire line of products, but since its branding contains characteristic wavy graphics, it was logical for our designers to do something completely different. So, we literally got our line on a white background and laughed about it for the following days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Creative work with designers<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Always give yourself a little more time<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Schedules, protocols, timetables \u2013 all these are tools in the service of the best possible organization of events. The coherence of the various parts of the program will ensure that everything runs smoothly, that there are no crowds, waiting, as well as that everyone arrives on time. Until it happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, despite all the extra “time bubbles”, the guests will significantly shorten their speeches, and the catering will get stuck in traffic after being generally delayed due to a previous engagement for which you are not responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lesson in public relations is this: if you were counting on the “what if”, you will experience exactly what happened to us, the last lid of the pan on the burner will lift exactly at the time of the last applause. The door is opening, and you are wiping a tiny drop of sweat from your forehead and continue on your way towards new victories with a smile on your face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Excerpt from the comic \u2018This is fine\u2019, source: K. C. Greene, <\/em>Gunshow Comic<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Detailed communication with photographers and cameramen<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You doing fieldwork alone for the first time is always an immensely important experience. In my own case, it was about setting up Christmas tree of love and togetherness<\/a> in Europski trg in Zagreb back in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the culmination of a wonderful humanitarian Christmas story, and my task was to coordinate the Association, the protocol of the then mayor of Zagreb and the photographer. The event went great, and then the real work began: sending a press release and accompanying photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Christmas tree of love and togetherness<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It turned out that, following the logic of the tall tree, almost all the photos with it are vertical \u2013 and the logic of the medium and the cover photos requires the latter. Fortunately, the photographer was still with us and took a few new horizontal shots \u2013 but the grumbling and amazed looks of the gathered crowd of people were no longer there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lesson learned, and as a result, a small guide for communicating events and sending press releases was created, which we still have on our server for younger colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EOD or whatever that means<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ok, I \u2018borrowed\u2019 the last item, but it will serve as a great example of using various abbreviations in internal communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have people of different generations, with different levels of digital literacy or simply different professional orientations working in organizations. Something you take for granted is not logical to them at all or is not part of everyday terminology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch a popular TikTok video below in which an employee uses the abbreviation EOD (End of Day or “until the end of the day”) and misinterprets as the End of December. Whether it was a sketch or a real situation, the message is the same: leave nothing to someone else’s interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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@briankearneyy<\/a>

#duet<\/a> with @Lisa Beasley #endofdecember<\/a> #corporateerin<\/a> #workhumor<\/a> #freebrian<\/a> #wfh<\/a> #meetings<\/a> #coworkers<\/a> <\/p> \u266c original sound – Brian<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote>