Public Relations – PR

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is an approach to brand communications where the different modes work together to create an experience for the customer. Its goal is to make all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing, personal selling, online communications and social media work together.

Three Pillars of IMC Marketing: the process of researching, creating, refining, and promoting a product or service - and distributing that product or service to targeted consumers. 8

Three Pillars of IMC: Advertising: the use of controlled media in an attempt to influence the actions of targeted publics. A paid form of communication. 7

Three Pillars of IMC Public relations: the values-driven management of relationships between an organization and the publics that can affect its success. A non-paid form of communication. 9

What is “Public Relations?” Term first used by US President Thomas Jefferson in address to Congress in 1807

A Definition of PR “Public Relations is a management function which tabulates public attitudes, defines the policies, procedures and interest of an organization followed by executing a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance.” – Edward Bernays, early PR theorist

A Definition of PR PR involves a variety of programmes designed to promote or protect a company’s image or its individual products

Definitions of PR ‘the management of communication between an organization and its publics’ (Grunig & Hunt, Managing public relations,1984) ‘using communication to adapt relationships between organizations and their publics’ (Carl H. Botan “International public relations: Critique and reformulation” in Public Relations Review, Vol. 18, No. 2, 1992: 149-152) ‘historically, most PR has been weak propaganda’ (Kevin Moloney, Rethinking PR: The Spin and the Substance, 2000)

Purpose of PR: to generate support, to generate trust, to enhance reputation, to maximise material or other benefits through generating a more conducive social environment

Applications of PR Crisis management Reputation management Investor relations and labour relations

Functions of PR Promoting goodwill Promoting product, service, corporate image Establish corporate communications Lobbying Counteracting negative publicity

Objectives of PR Management Assist in the launch of products/company Assist in repositioning a mature product Building interest in a product category Influencing specific target groups Countering negative publicity Building corporate image that rubs off onto its products

Advantages of PR Very credible and inexpensive PR can hold down promotion costs

Disadvantages of PR Difficult to quantify PR benefits Lack of control ‘Smart’ management required

Doing Public Relations Six main functions: Writing and editing Media relations Special events Research Community and consumer relations Government relations and lobbying

Uses of PR Customer complaints and redressal: It is an opportunity to cement relations with the customer Very important in the service and hospitality industry 2. Combating rumours / falsehoods: Confront and disclose facts in leading media Give the positive side of the story Capitalise on rumour to your benefit Rumour can be dismissed as ridiculous

How do PR people get their job done? By cultivating relations with media and leveraging that when required, By communication what is newsworthy and which media would be glad to carry, Credibility of media as an unbiased reporter must be maintained. They have their own editorial policies where all such information is suitably edited before it goes on print.

Survey about PR Surveyed 1,705 PR professionals: 25% admit to lying on the job 39% say they had exaggerated the truth 44% are uncertain of the ethics of a task they are required to perform 60% say their work has been compromised by being told to lie.

PR vs. Advertising Advertising is a non-personal form of promotion that is delivered through selected media outlets that, under most circumstances, require the marketer to pay for message placement.

PR vs. Advertising (Cost) Advertising is EXPENSIVE; PR is essentially NO-COST

Example Non-profits—support of fund-raising and participation Politicians—attract votes; raise money; support policies

Forms of PR Press conferences Meetings

Main tool of PR The Press Release: Written statement distributed to the media Fundamental tool of public relations Must be newsworthy Used properly, extremely effective

Press Release Format Who is sending the message / contact information The words “For Immediate Release” and the date A headline or title

Example Carefully selected key words Choose words with proper connotation Attractiveness Proper headlines Text links Landing pages

Spin and “Spin Doctors” Selectively presenting facts and quotes to support one’s position (“cherry picking”) Non-denial denial Phrasing in a way that assumes unproven truths Euphemisms to disguise or promote one’s agenda Ambiguity

Playing Up Weaknesses “Any publicity is good publicity” Chicken of the Sea “Is this chicken, what I have, or is this fish? I know it’s tuna, but it says, “Chicken by the Sea.” Liquid Ice “Is it really liquid, or is it ice?”

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about at all. The Public Relations Secret – Think Like a Reporter!!!

Thank you. 1