PR Lessons cc: Tim Riggins

Posted: January 16, 2015, 11:57 a.m.
by Rachel Uniatowski.

“Friday Night Lights” is a show about a football-crazed town in Texas with a lot of heart and soul. From high school football to family, the show has taught us a ton of valuable lessons — even in public relations.

As each season progressed, the more I saw that each character related to different aspects of the public relations world we work in. Here are a few lessons we can learn from the characters on this Southern football show.

Be ready for game-changers
Jason Street, QB1 for the Dillon Panthers, was going to be the top-recruited player in his class right before he got tackled during a game and became paralyzed. In public relations we are constantly blindsided, just like Jason Street was. Whether your client wants to go a different direction or a reporter doesn’t run the story you’ve pitched to them, you must be ready to conquer it all.

Stay loyal to your client
In the words of Tim Riggins, “Texas forever.” We all know the bromance Riggins had with Texas. It was a love-hate relationship, but in the end he stayed faithful. Always stay loyal to your client through the good and the bad. Your client is the QB1 to your offense; stick with them and you’ll come out as national champions.

Always support your team
It’s no secret that Tami Taylor got dealt the short end of the stick throughout the series, but that never stopped her from supporting her husband and students. The same goes for your colleagues. Always give support to your co-workers; it goes a long way in the success of your team. Be a team player, and you will succeed.

Stick to your ethics
We all remember the predicament that Landry Clark found himself in, where he ultimately questioned his morals because of a girl. Getting caught in a situation that brings your ethics into question is bound to happen at least once in your public relations career. Just remember: When in doubt, stick to your morals. In the public relations world, ethics are everything and you never want to ruin a relationship between yourself and your career.

“Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose”
The infamous quote from Coach Eric Taylor. “Clear eyes” means you have plain sight of what you envision for your client. “Full hearts” means you have a heart full of love for both your team and your client. And you “can’t lose” if you live, breathe and eat public relations.