3 PR lessons from ‘Inside Out’

The 2015 Pixar release is also loaded with PR lessons.

Riley’s emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust—help her respond to various situations and guide her toward maturity via her “Islands of Personality.” When she moves away from her childhood home, all of them (particularly Joy) learn that the only way to grow is to let go of old ideals and accept change.

Let’s focus on Joy and Sadness, two of my favorite characters. Between them I noticed a few valuable lessons, for both personal and professional growth:

1. Mistakes don’t have to be your downfall. Joy is always set on making sure Riley finds a way to turn her negative experiences into good memories. No matter what happens, she’s always looking to the bright side and trying to persuade the other emotions to see it with her.

As a business owner, you’re going to make mistakes in trying to publicize your business. Though some missteps can cause a lot of damage, there are very few that will be your doom. Take a deep breath, remember that you and your team are only human, and make sure not to repeat those mistakes. They can only ruin your brand if you let them.