Fitzgerald is tied with Orwell as my favorite author, so it makes sense that The Great Gatsby is well-worn on my bookshelf. By the time it was assigned as reading in 10th grade, I had read it more times than I could count. Fitzgerald’s way of describing Gatsby made me want to be a writer.
Theres a quote in Chapter 3 that starts off as: “He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor.”
So how can that apply to the field of public relations?
Easy. That one quote (in it’s entirety, I cut it) encapsulates how Gatsby is perceived by the outside world – and one he uses to portray the hope and imagination he has. Gatsby had a rare focus that enabled him to concentrate solely on the person in front of him. The best PR professionals are the ones that can do that while juggling multiple clients. Sure, Fitzgerald slowly deconstructs that persona as we head toward Chapter 8 and Gatsby’s death. That doesn’t mean it isn’t still there.
In agency life, you focus on a variety of clients and projects. The ones that keep the business? They are able to put 100 percent of their energy into the task at hand, while also making sure that all the others are getting the same attention. In the Gatsby world, they can walk in a room full of society and make each one feel as the sole focus when spoken to. Time management is key in this field, and something that many might struggle with. Clients deserve the attention as if they are the only ones in the room. Their message, their vision is the forefront.
So what type of early Gatsby tactics do you utilize in daily PR professional life? Why do you think it’s beneficial to treat every project and client in that manner?
