Doggie justice.

Yesterday in New Jersey, Michael Vick gave an anti-dogfighting lecture to a group of young people at the Boys and Girls Club of Newark on behalf of the Humane Society. It was open to the media, resulting in a story at the top of The Star-Ledger’s state section. Beneath the headline is a photo of Vick speaking beside a Humane Society banner that reads: END DOGFIGHTING.

A basic job of public relations is to obtain positive news coverage for clients, and I’m guessing that the Humane Society counts this as a “good clip.”

But I see it and I cringe for them.

The Humane Society’s overriding message is one of compassion for abused or neglected animals.  As such, there is simply no reconciling the image of Vick, someone convicted of animal cruelty, with an organization whose mission is to prevent it.

It’s just not going to work, folks.

The place of the Humane Society is not with the likes of Michael Vick.  Their place is with the victims of Michael Vick.

The long-term goal of public relations is not won by counting clips. It’s won by transmitting a consistent message and a clear meaning.   The recipients of the message can either agree or disagree with it, vote for the candidate or not, buy the product or decide it’s not right for them. But if you’ve informed people and left them with a clear meaning, you’ve done your job.

The Humane Society needs to stop counting clips and get back to a place of message-integrity and purity of intent.

And that means getting away from Michael Vick.

Photo from Creative Commons courtesy of nineball2727.