COMM 106 – Intro to Public Relations Chapters 2, 3 and 4 Fall 2013 Instructor: Tara Rummell Berson 1

CHAPTER TWO: THE HISTORY AND GROWTH OF PR Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall2-2

The Fathers Of Modern Public Relations Ivy Ledbetter Lee ◦ Entered PR work in 1903 ◦ Based his work on honesty and candor Edward Bernays ◦ Entered the field in 1913 and became the first true “public relations scholar” ◦ Wrote first seminal works in public relations, including “Crystallizing Public Opinion” ◦ Taught the first PR course at NYU in 1923 ◦ Helped pave the way for women in public relations with wife, Doris Fleischman 2-3

CHAPTER 3: COMMUNICATION 4

Goals of Communication To inform To persuade To motivate To build mutual understanding 5

Pat Jackson’s Theory Of Communication Use all standard PR vehicles (like advertising, press releases, word of mouth) to develop awareness of your company Building awareness: At this stage, people begin to develop an opinion about your company, based not just on facts, but on emotion. Developing a latent readiness: This is a trigger with the consumer that makes them want to change their behavior. A triggering event can be natural or planned by you. Triggering event: This is the thinking and investigative phase of behavior phase. At this point, the consumer is seeking facts to support what they believe. Intermediate behavior: The sign of success - the consumer has changed their behavior. Behavioral change: 6

3 “Message” Theories The Content is the Message: the real importance of a communication is what it says, not how it says it. The Medium is the Message: the content of the message is less important than how you hear about it. The Person is the Message: the charismatic appeal of the speaker is the biggest influence. 7

The Content is the Message Accurate and complete content Careful crafting and word choice based on the audience Requires greatest writing skill More often seen in written reports, press releases, PSAs, etc. 8

The Medium is the Message Where the message is read or heard has a direct effect on how it is perceived Depends on the reputation of the medium conveying the message Personal bias is in effect Hardest to control 9

The Man (or Person!) is the Message Charismatic delivery influences people’s perception of the message more than the content or medium Cults of personality arise Strongest “brand” attachment occurs here 10

What biases the receiver of the message? The receiver has biases against certain groups. Knowing this can help you tailor your message. Stereotypes: Use of an iconic symbols common to a group can influence them. A company’s logo can have ramifications with different groups. Symbols: Words hold different meanings for different groups. Tweaking the language can help the message. Semantics: These influence attitudes and actions Peer groups: The power of the media may be the determining factor, especially in politics. Media: 11

Feedback – hearing from the public A communicator must get feedback in order to know what messages are or are not getting through All future communications depend on this. 12

What happens next? It may change attitudes: the best possible outcome, but also the rarest. It may change attitudes: the best possible outcome, but also the rarest. It may crystallize attitudes: you have succeeded in getting people to take actions that they’ve been thinking about taking, but hadn’t done yet. It may crystallize attitudes: you have succeeded in getting people to take actions that they’ve been thinking about taking, but hadn’t done yet. It may create doubt: you have forced a person to modify their point of view, or to question their thinking on a subject It may create doubt: you have forced a person to modify their point of view, or to question their thinking on a subject It may do nothing: sometimes you are just not successful. However, it may be that change will come in time. It may do nothing: sometimes you are just not successful. However, it may be that change will come in time. 13

CHAPTER 4: PUBLIC OPINION 14

FICKLE FINGER OF PUBLIC OPINION The best public relations campaign in the world can’t build trust when reality is destroying it. If your product doesn’t work, or your client is a liar, then no amount of public relations will change that. You must change the “action” before credibility or trust can be built. 15

Public opinion is determined by three major factors: Opinions Actions Attitudes Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4- 16

What are attitudes? Personal - specific to the individual Cultural - environment and lifestyle Educational - the level and quality of a person’s education Familial - what a person has been raised to believe Religious - a person’s belief system Social Class - position within society. Also includes wealth Race - ethnic origin Gender and Sexual Orientation 17

Changing attitudes - Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory: Biological demands Safety and comfort Love and acceptance Esteem, recognition and prestige Self-actualization/self- fulfillment 18

Changing attitudes - The Power of Persuasion People understand things in terms of their own experience People are persuaded by evidence To persuade, you must cite evidence that coincides with people’s own beliefs, emotions and expectations. 19

What kinds of evidence persuades? Good PR programs always start with research: the facts. Facts We can think, but we also respond to emotional appeals. Emotions People respond to personal experiences and stories. Personalizing People want to know, “What’s in it for me?” Appealing to “you” 4-20 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Cantril’s Laws of Public Opinion Opinion is highly sensitive to important events. Opinion is determined more by events than words. At critical times, we are more sensitive to the adequacy of leadership. Once self-interest is involved, opinions are slow to change. People are able to form opinions more easily on goals than on methods to reach those goals. If people in a democracy are provided with education and access to information, public opinion reveals a hard-headed common sense. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4- 21

Managing your client’s image Polishing the image: Credibility is a fragile commodity To maintain and improve public support, your client must have the “implicit trust” of the public Managing reputation: Reputation is gained by what one does, not what one says “Reputation management” or “relationship management” is a growing PR sub-field 22

Tylenol Case Study: Managing Reputation Tylenol’s response is the most notable example of proper public relations practice in the face of crisis 2-23