Twitterview with the public relations man of mystery @PRCog

 

ValerieSimon: Welcome to a special edition of my PR Twitterviews- No CEO tonight; instead the PR world?s man of mystery, @PRCog ! Tonight we will learn more about the enigmatic @PRCog & discuss the upcoming Masquertweet   for those who have not yet RSVP'd for Masquertweet, here is a direct link!  

So let's get started!  Were you on Twitter pre- PRCog? If so, do you actively continue to tweet under your real name?

PRCog:  I was on twitter pre-PRCog. I tweeted during the presidential race quite a bit but didn't want to be 'out there'  too much b/c of client concerns so I always had to bite my tongue a bit.  I don't update that account anymore, ok ... rarely.

ValerieSimon: From@ DanielleCyr What was the impetus for creating the 'cog' character? Similarly, @ssmirnov asks was there a specific event that propelled you to adopt this secret I.D.?

PRCog: Yes - frustration. Anyone that's been a follower for some time knows my bread and butter would be my "Dear Client" or "Dear Journo" tweets. One day I had a particularly bad run and created this account. Did a few "Dear___" tweets, followed a few journos and flacks and forgot about it. A few weeks late I came back and saw that the journos had followed back where they hadn't my 'proper' self. I figured I was onto something though I wasn't and still aren't sure exactly what

ValerieSimon: @kathycash is wondering- Does anyone else at your agency have any idea what you are doing?

PRCog: No. Despite my attitude here I am actually very subtle. I've matched twhirl to GMail, turned off notifications & made  transparent when not active on screen. twhirl's also very small on a large screen. Most in my office do not tweet either so they wouldn't recognize an application if they did happen to see it on screen.

ValerieSimon: The “Dear Client” Tweets you cited are a favorite for followers @ KeithTrivitt asks, “What is your biggest client pet-peeve?”

PRCog: Wow. Good question. Beyond individual items that just bother me, my biggest problem is good, cooperative work. Understanding roles, expectations, strategy and coming to a meeting of the minds on it. We've all had problems due in no small part to a lack of communication/intent - "You wanted me to pitch that...but it was lousy..." "Here, send this to ... our contact list" at 4:45 on a Friday -- and an expectation of front page NYT coverage for a bake sale. Ok, a bit of hyperbole... Indirectly related - understanding the agency. The client is not my HR dept. If I'm out it's not really for the Client to ask  where I am. That's my boss's issue, not theirs. That being said, a client shldn't be expected to rely on a single point of contact at an agency, even if it's the chief. The chief has a personal life as well even if they only show it 2x/year

So. Short answer - Increased and honest communications between Clients and the Agency would go a long way IMHO to making for more productive relationships. #prexaminer 

ValerieSimon:  From @DannyBrown Does having a "secret identity" clash with the transparency model of social media?

PRCog: Good question @dannybrown. Yes, No and Yes and No :) If I were representing clients it likely would (and despite all my praise  for @slacker_radio they aren't a client (though, guys, really...). The only persona I represent is my own- to that end, to be transparent I should be entirely honest, warts and all. Only way to do that is behind this screen. If I had to be accountable to my agency/clients etc. there's no way I would've done/said/expressed half the things I have for better or worse. So transparent - I'm likely the most transp. one here (excluding the other anons). Though that also means the 'real' me will only be revealed to a handful, ever (or until a triggering exit event).

As a few of my blog posts have mentioned (prcog.blogspot.com) there are downsides to having this mask, most specifically meeting with people offline and making real connections. so if an opportunity were to present itself where I could loosen my own security and get to know people I likely would. Too many variables to discuss them all, but simultaneously I'd want to keep this persona alive. The wall would just be shorter between the two.

ValerieSimon: @ssmirnov wants to know how different you are in real life from Cog

PRCog:  Very and not at all. One, literally 1, of my RL friends would believe that I would be part of #Masquertweet. And he was my best man at my wedding. In my real 'persona' I'm actually quite shy around ppl I haven't known for some time and observe. I'm a researcher at heart. Once I get to know someone I poke at them just as I do my people here for their coffee or music choices...all in love of crs So, this is the internal me, just not the one anyone would meet at a meet & greet, drinks or coffee...normally...

ValerieSimon: @PRCog From @rockstarjen (and several others!) What do Mrs. Cog & the coglettes think about your little venture? #prexaminer 

PRCog: Cogette and the lings? The lings are too young thankfully. -ette well, she had some choice words when she found out. It all started so slowly I didn't tell her at first. A few tweets a day...then it snowballed. Finally, I slipped up on a tweet and mentioned something that she might also mention on her real twitter account. So I called her and started with "Don't tweet about ___" I'll tell you why tonight. She went along and then I had to explain, not a fun night (and no, she didn't care about my near constant twitter flirting). She was bothered that I hadn't mentioned it.  It was the usual 'trust' issue, which of course it wasn't, it just built up so slowly it was initially not worth  mentioning, then too big to casually mention Now, while being prohibited from following for security reasons she checks my timeline and pokes at me on email. #prexaminer 

ValerieSimon Don't want to switch the course of discussion, but let’s talk Masquertweet! I’d like to begin with some questions about the relationship between you &co-hosts @aerocles & @prdude? Did youmeet via Twitter?

PRCog: We did. I can't recall how we found each other, but it was certainly via twitter. We've yet to ever meet IRL; I've only meet 5 of my followers ever.

ValerieSimon: @PRCog Thursday you'll be meeting a lot more! Can you share the purpose of Masquertweet? And per @ellenrossano when did Masquertweet go from a "tweetup" for fun, to a sponsored event with a charity link #12for12K

 PRCog: Indeed! A bit overwhelming to think about it really. It all started on a lark. I was on the subway considering my odd situation - meeting great people, in PR and out, but not being able to really connect with them. Of course without the anonymity, I wouldn't have met them at all. So it was a 'better to have loved and lost...' type situation. Anyway, seemed that if the anonymous and semi anonymous could set the terms there'd be some chance of being able to pull something off. Itweeted @aerocles and @prdude to see if they were in and they were. I figured we'd make it a small event w/ just no cameras...then other people picked up on it and we had an RSVP page. by the end of the day, people coming out of the woodwork w/venues and offering to help and by the time I got home that evening I wasn't even quite sure what had happened. It was entirely surreal.

The affiliation with 12for12K came about a few months ago. When we saw the RSVP count go up we realized this many people together in a room could do some good for someone else. We all knew of 12for12K through @rachelakay  @ginalaguardia @arikhanson (I hadn't yet met @dannybrown) and thought they were perfectly positioned for this kind of event. We had our doubts a cold-call to a charity re: a tweetup run by 3 guys, 2 of which can't ID themselves would go very far.

ValerieSimon: For anyone not familiar w/ #12for12k, can I ask @dannybrown or one of the others to jump in w/ a quick overview? It’s a GREAT organization!

dannybrown: #12for12k is simply a call to action using SM for good - 12 diff. charities thru 2009 http://12for12k.org

ValerieSimon: A few more Masquertweet questions before we wrap up. @ellenrossano wants to know who will be live tweeting from Masquertweet?

PRCog: Certainly me :) and I assume anyone else that can be. After a few drinks my typing on the iphone may go south thoughand the aggressive autocorrect may make for some very bizarre tweets.

ValerieSimon: Will you really be at the event as Cog (disguised). Or as yourself and we will simply not know who among us is the real Cog?

PRCog: I considered coming as 'myself' but decided against it. After all this time, even if it's not a 'real' meeting I'd rather meet a few hundred of my favorite people I've never met than let the opportunity pass. I won't give away my costume but I'll be easy to spot. I guarantee (Louisiana accent) it.

ValerieSimon: Any final words on why folks need to be at 49 Grove in NYC Thurs evening for Masquertweet?

PRCog: Pick a reason, any reason:

ValerieSimon: If you want to join in the Masquertweet fun RSVP & get all the details, updates from Cog, etc. @PRCog Thanks so much for sharing the scoop on Masquertweet & revealing a bit more about yourself. Hope everyone enjoyed the chat