1. Public relations

2. Public s Present and prospective customers Current and lapsed customers General public Investors/shareholders Suppliers Distributors Legislators/regulators/ government Pressure groups Local community The media Competitors Financial institutions Publics

3. Role of PR Building an organisation’s positive image Help draw attention to new products & make advertising campaigns more effective Counter bad publicity Motivate employees and attract suitable employees

4. Product/marketing PR Aims to encourage purchase and consumer satisfaction through credible communications of information and impressions (Harris, 1993) Actively encourages sales Focuses on company products and brands Audience mostly consists of existing and potential customers, distributors Responsibility of marketing manager

5. Corporate PR A management function that seeks to identify, establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships between an organisation and its publics (Cutlip et al, 1985) Not directly involved in product brand promotion From a broad business perspective Varied audience Responsibility of corporate communications director

6. Media relations Distribution of real and accurate news Careful construction of the press release: –important information at beginning –wide margins for note-taking –highlight key messages with bullet points –no longer than two pages –inclusion of contact details –relevant to the readership of the medium –written in the language and style of the intended media –avoids unnecessary technical jargon

7. Distribution in each contact’s preferred form Personalisation of press release for each media contact Respect deadlines of media contacts Adhere to photographic style guidelines for each publication Understand media contacts and the areas that interest them Complement media contact’s own resources

8. Public relations tools in-house advisory service involvement in local community activities voluntary contributions to deserving causes entertainment plant tours speeches/seminar presentations lobbying trade association activities company newsletters and magazines product placement competitions organisational advertising publicity

9. Organisational advertising/corporate advertising patronage ads public position ads public information ads public perception advertising public service advertisements

10. Publicity subtle, low-pressure promotion technique non-personal communication about an organisation or its products that is transmitted through a mass medium in the form of news but is not paid for by the organisation (Skinner, 1990)

11. Functions of publicity increase awareness of a firm’s product or brand maintain a desired level of positive visibility without the expense of an ongoing advertising campaign complement or enhance the impact of recent advertising or SP campaign acquire mass media space for banned products or brands launch a new product create, revitalise or change corporate image overcome a negative image

12. Costs of publicity preparation time to research and write press releases photography press conferences event organisation entertainment of media contacts PR agency fees administration costs

13. Publicity vs advertising informative vs persuasive presented as news greater credibility time or space not paid for placements are not repeated editors usually edit publicity items messages tend to be more subdued => greater credibility no choice over positioning of publicity item cannot be scheduled in advance the item will be rated based on the vehicle in which it appears speedier, more direct response expected

14. Evaluating publicity results number of column inches about the company length of time given over to publicity in broadcast media cost that would be incurred if equivalent space or time was purchased positioning of the articles in the medium number of times company name or brand name is mentioned whether name is mentioned in a good or bad context extent of articles quality of media vehicle

15. Handling a crisis Don’t discourage coverage of negative events Ban the phrase no comment Do not ask reporters to kill a story ---> suspicions Appoint an articulate, eloquent person to handle the media Appoint someone to liaise with other publics who will need informing Honesty is the best policy