Kevin DeSoto, Former PR Exec, Crosses Over To The Good Side

Can you ever trust a PR person? If he's working pro bono and has only six weeks of unemployment to his name, then the answer is probably 'yes.'

After Kevin DeSoto, 41, was laid off after a 20-year career in PR and marketing -- an industry which is sometimes cynically referred to as "the dark side" -- he began using his social media savvy to help others... for free.

Some of his ventures have been high-profile, such as campaigning for the release of Euna Lee and Laura Ling, the two Current TV journalists held hostage in North Korea, while others have gone unsung, like helping a musician friend nab a contract with Kirstie Alley, who used Twitter to take recommendations for songs used on her show, "Kirstie Alley's Big Life".

These days he juggles projects like a campaign for the kidnapped US hikers in Iran, and promoting one of his favorite products: Heather Harvey's Measure Up bowls which aim to combat obesity.

DeSoto doesn't get paid by his "clients" and is trying not to worry too much about his dwindling unemployment benefits or reliance on his wife's income. Since leaving the corporate world, the former camera marketer says he has focused on "going back to the basics of true, honest PR and marketing," which may sound oxymoronic but after being "burned" in the corporate world, DeSoto says he is confident his good deeds will pay off some day.

"I struggle with being optimistic about this sometimes, but I have a strong conviction that if you do the right thing, it will pay off some day. Good things can happen when you give your time, skills and resources to help someone with asking for anything in return."

"Everyone's so concerned about the almighty dollar and what's in it for them, that I don't think they realize the payback of assisting others," he says. "We don't live in a world which promotes doing the right thing. But I think there's a lightbulb being turned on these days."

Click here to learn more about Kevin DeSoto.

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Comments

[heather65]

10:25 AM on 11/10/2010

kudos, kevin.
i hope you and your family have continued success.

[Kevin DeSoto]

09:41 AM on 11/19/2010

thank you heather :) means alot.

[Daria Boissonnas]

12:28 AM on 10/10/2010

Thank you for modeling giving when so many of us are habitually oriented towards getting. All I hear in marketing is -- how much can you GET in revenues? The correct answer is how much can you give for your expenses?

[Kevin DeSoto]

01:14 PM on 10/12/2010

AWESOME Daria - simply awesome thinking.... Never give up.
Pay It Forward.

[Ty Downing]

09:33 AM on 09/30/2010

Kevin, absolutely amazing article. I have heard about your social media efforts for over a year now, and it's refreshing you took life by the horns, not the other way around. Because you have adopted a listen, engage, and become an advocate mentality, you have been, and will be successful!
Keep up the good work, don't let "nay-sayers" get you down, and take care of your beautiful wife!

[KevinDeSoto]

11:00 AM on 09/30/2010

Thank you Ty. Much success to you as well. It is all about heart & ethics.

[Jason Greenwood]

10:55 AM on 09/29/2010

Most PR professionals I know do pro bono work as a matter of course in our careers, and it doesn’t take a sudden job loss to make that happen. On the whole as a profession we’re not unethical shills for nasty corporations that rape the environment or bilk taxpayers. No, most of us work for non-profits, hospitals, social causes and responsible companies. Yes, by telling our client’s story we help sell products and services–but that makes us a vital part of capitalism, not Lords of the Sith.

There are bad players in every profession–whether it be PR, journalism, law, medicine or even blogging. Tarring everyone with the same “dark side” brush isn’t fair or responsible.
More: http://www.alexgpr.com/2010/09/huffington-post-blogger-insults-pr-professionals/

[KevinDeSoto]

11:31 AM on 09/29/2010

Hey Jason :)
Interesting view on the article's title.
I noticed you did not include a link to the article in your post.

Enjoy your day & best always,
Kevin

[dkeogh]

08:39 AM on 09/29/2010

i think its good to see someone helping and not focusing on the almighty dollar , gees we get a guy trying to do the right thing and still the cynics are whining....give the guy a break - hes doing something positive to help others ..

[KevinDeSoto]

09:02 AM on 09/29/2010

dkeogh-

I quote a friend of mine on facebook who wrote:
"I dream of the idea of responsible marketing. Not the “green” responsible marketing, but of a marketing practice accepted by professionals that doesn’t frame the conversation to the benefit of the provider, but instead the consumer; where products aren’t developed purely for profit, but instead for the betterment of the purchaser." ~justin webb

I have to agree with him :)

[mjeffn]

03:57 AM on 09/29/2010

I don't buy it. It seems like what he is selling is only marginally related to what he is actually doing.

[KevinDeSoto]

08:32 AM on 09/29/2010

The interesting thing is, Im not selling anything-I was approached by HP. Just told my story and shared my experiences in hopes it would encourage others who are facing similar circumstances. Here is the story- nothing more and nothing less.
http://kevindesoto.amplify.com/2010/09/21/d-day/

[dkeogh]

08:40 AM on 09/29/2010

go for it Kevin - i for one see a good side to you and appluad your efforts

[cragusa]

01:20 AM on 09/29/2010

Unemployed guy gets an article about what a good human being he is (at least for the moment)... this should help his resume when he goes back to PRing for tobacco companies or North Korea. Does anyone else see this as a PR campaign for himself????

[NearlyNormalWarren]

08:34 AM on 09/29/2010

There is far too much pessimism ... this post being just one example. It just might be that he found standard PR work didn't sit well with his conscience. Perhaps this exposure will help him find a job with a non-profit ... a cut in salary but a job he can feel good about .. right livelihood.

[KevinDeSoto]

08:59 AM on 09/29/2010

i have to agree about the pessimism. but - then, everyone is allowed opinions.
my marketing and pr work in the past allowed me to help other companies grow.
we need good PR & Marketing people in the world. I just do not believe in forcing it down peoples throat or guilt people into buying something or believing in something they dont want, need or is untrue.

[KevinDeSoto]

08:36 AM on 09/29/2010

Cragusa-
Like I have shared with others- I put all to read my story in hopes it would encourage others facing difficult circumstances. When I was initially contacted by HP several months ago- I thought wow- maybe my story can help others.

As for working for a tobacco company & North Korea- Im not quite sure I understand- since I never worked for such.

Here is the initial story just in case you missed it. have a great day.

http://kevindesoto.amplify.com/2010/09/21/d-day/

[CraigVale]

07:30 PM on 09/28/2010

The only thing I came away with from this story is that he has a stunningly beautiful wife ! It may account for his good outlook despite what has befallen him. She looks like she could brighten anyones' day!

[ma2566]

03:44 AM on 09/29/2010

i'd knock that down a notch to "above average". this guy's altruistic exploits are also just around "above average." nothing earth shaking. he got a big break with this high profile article. it seems Arianna is the true charitable one here.

[Abena in Africa]

05:01 AM on 09/29/2010

I agree!

[Danny Sherwood]

07:24 PM on 09/28/2010

Best of luck to you Kevin to make the world a better place.

[Lowell Thompson]

05:59 PM on 09/28/2010

Huh?

Question: How much "good pr" was this guy doing before he lost his "bad pr" job?

I can't believe HuffPost is running this blatantly self-serving PR campaign as news.

What is he, Arianna's nephew?

http://buythecover.com

[KevinDeSoto]

06:19 PM on 09/28/2010

arianna's nephew- thats a good one. you made me laugh.

actually lowell- have been working with various companies throughout my career & also volunteer as well.

i think the point is- that people can still do good things despite bad things happening & do good things for others in the process of re-building.

thank you for your comments-

[Lowell Thompson]

08:03 AM on 09/29/2010

Kevin,

Good answer. Good luck.

http://buythecover.com

BTW: You got a very cute wife.

[Sharman Lawson]

09:33 AM on 09/29/2010

Kevin,

I love your story, and that you are not just sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. You are doing things and still learning. That says alot about you. People are miserable and hate to see someone else happy. They love complaining and being around complainers. Stay away from "stinking thinkers." Additionally, inspite of these negative HP replies, your responses are professional, straight forward, and matter of fact.

Please stay encourage knowing you "reap what you sow." Your harvest will come soon.

[Cheryl Phillips]

05:10 PM on 09/28/2010

Great piece, Kevin!

[KevinDeSoto]

05:22 PM on 09/28/2010

Thanks Cheryl- appreciate it. :)

[WorldGoneWild]

04:29 PM on 09/28/2010

Anyone who helps others who are more or less fortunate then the people they work for is alright in my book. Good job Kevin.

[KevinDeSoto]

04:47 PM on 09/28/2010

thank you WorldGoneWild :)

[Van Ness]

05:41 PM on 09/28/2010

No Thank you Sir! It really warms my heart to read about people like you. Keep up the good work and know that the majority of us supports you wholeheartedly.

[j-tho]

04:17 PM on 09/28/2010

as a pr exec with a 35-year career, is strongly object to the premise of this headline. there is *nothing* sleazy or otherwise "bad" about TRUE pr. it's simply about communicating information to the public. it's not like being on the "dark side". please, let's not be childish.

[PC Contrarian]

06:01 PM on 09/28/2010

What, objecting to a left wing stereotype?
Watch out; you could be accused of being a racist, or a teabagger.

[dontpanic1]

04:17 PM on 09/28/2010

Nice looking couple.

[KevinDeSoto]

05:28 PM on 09/28/2010

ha- thanks. she is definitely- me not so much.

[Spikepine]

06:33 PM on 09/28/2010

I pray that God will bless you with whatever job your heart desires and that your salary will increase 100 fold above your last salary. God bless you and your family.

[Yalegirl03]

04:17 PM on 09/28/2010

I don't understand the negativity here. I think it is admirable that he is using this period to do good work. It is better than doing nothing for others during his time of unemployment. I was unemployed for a year after my firm downsized and only did pro bono work and tutoring sporadically during that time. Applying for jobs and feeling rather sorry for myself took up the other time. Now that I am working again, back in the non-profit sector at a job I am loving, I regret not having the wherewithal to make the most of my time to do a lot of good like Mr. DeSoto.

[KevinDeSoto]

04:50 PM on 09/28/2010

The one thing all of us have is our time. What we choose to do with that time when we find we have a little more of it due to unforeseen or foreseen circumstances is what matters :)
Thanks Yalegirl03