PUBLIC RELATIONS
2017
Objec3ve/s • Define Public rela3ons • Explain the different defini3ons of Public rela3ons • Iden3fy and discuss the characteris3cs of Public Rela3ons • Explain the importance/value of Public Rela3ons for the
organiza3on and society
WHAT IS PUBLIC RELATIONS?
• Different definitions from:
– different PR institutes
– PR practitioners
– Organizations
– publics
What is PR? • How one answers this question will provide focus,
direction and purpose • Understanding of what PR is will determine its
contribution towards organizational effectiveness. • Caution: avoid the trap of defining PR by its
products or outputs instead of defining PR by its purpose.
• Communication related activities are important for PR- focus should be on the purpose of using communication activities.
Misconceptions • Public relations is a synonym for propaganda,
manipulation and even lying • Particularly for special interests such as
corporations and politicians
Defini3ons of Public Rela3ons
• Interna3onal Public Rela3ons Associa3on (IPRA) • Public rela3ons is the:
o Art and science of analyzing trends, predic3ng their consequences, counseling the leaders for ac3on which will serve both the organiza3on and the public interest
… • Public Rela3ons Society of America (PRSA) • Public Rela3ons is a:
o Strategic communica3on process that builds mutually beneficial rela3onships between organiza3ons and publics
…. • The Bri3sh Ins3tute of Public Rela3ons (IPR) • Public rela3ons is:
o About reputa3on-‐ the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you. It is a discipline that looks aXer reputa3on with the aim of earning understanding and support, and influencing opinion and behavior.
… • Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa(PRISA) • Public Relations is the:
– Deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between the organization and its publics, both internally and externally. (old definition)
… o New PRISA definition: – PR is the management, through communication,
of perceptions and strategic relationships between an organization and its internal and external stakeholders.
… • Most used or widely cited definition of Public
Relations: • PR is the “management of communication between
an organization and its publics (Grunig & Hunt 1948)
Characteris3cs of Public Rela3ons
• Deliberate • Planned • Sustained effort • Public interest • Problem-solving • Analytic in nature (Research) • Two-way communication • Requires evaluation • Involves writing • Management function
PR is concerned with: • Building and maintaining relationships with specific
groups in society o Organizations cannot survive on their own.
• Managing communication programs that will promote mutual understanding and trust.
• Public relationships or relationships with various publics.
• Strategic relationships (built over time through actions and words). Such relations offer something of value to each participant
Discussion • What is the value/function of Public
Relations for organizations and society?
Value/Function of PR • Pr must provide value for the organization. • Important to ensure PR activities are linked to the
mission of the organization. • PR practitioner must know the mission and support
it through PR activities
For the organization… • Awareness and information- uses publicity and
promotion to raise awareness and aid sales. o Useful information for decision making
• Organization motivation-internal motivation builds relations to foster morale , team work and productivity and corporate culture
• Issue anticipation-through environmental scanning
and connections with publics to provide an early warning system of potential problems
… • Opportunity identification-research to identify new
markets, products , methods
• Crisis management-crisis management plan to minimize the harm on the organizations reputation
• Overcoming executive isolation –interacts with management so that appropriate decisions are made
… • Change agentry- use communication activities to
assist with change within or without organizations to minimize resistance and promote a smooth transition
• Social responsibility-help organization to act responsible ...environment issues, workplaces and philanthropy
• Influencing public policy- lobby relevant people gain acceptance for its activities or products and remove political barriers
• Pr activities and the ‘double bottom-line’- economic gain and positive social impact.
For the Society… � Serves public interests- speaks for the public to organizations
and for organizations to the publics � Focus on society in the broadest sense (work in the greater
interest of society, rather than interests of the organization only.)
� Fulfill its social responsibility role- activate organization's social conscience (raise issues and concerns and remind management of ethical responsibilities.)
� Improves professional conduct-abide by ethical standards � PR provides useful information to people about various aspects
of their lives.
Communica3on in PR • Communica3on process • What is communica3on? • What are the elements of the communica3on process?
… • Sender • encoding • Message • Channel • decoding • Receiver • Feedback • context
… • Seven Cs of Communica3on
o credibility o Context o Content o Clarity o Con3nuity and consistency o Channels o Capability of the audience
Barriers to communica3on • What are the barriers to effec3ve communica3on? • What are the strategies for effec3ve communica3on?
… • Informa3on needs to create an impact in the minds of
customers ( for brand posi3oning/authority) • Message should/must reach the receiver in its correct form • Effec3ve communica3on will enable recipients to respond
appropriately and give necessary feedback
… • Therefore PR is a prac3ce linked to communica3on between
an organiza3on and its relevant publics. • Defini3ons may vary but that should encourage us to be
constantly thinking about what we do, what we say and why we pursue par3cular ac3vi3es in the Public Rela3ons profession.
Class activity • PR and related activities • Discuss the differences and similarities between PR
and the following communication activities: o Journalism o Advertising o marketing
PR and related ac3vi3es • Public Relations and Marketing • Public Relations and Advertising • Public Relations and Journalism • To understand the differences or similarities:
o Scope o Objectives o Channel o Audience
… � Journalism � for a mass audience � Is about facts and truth � Has an impersonal
message � Uses various and
diverse sources of information
� Portrays both positive and negative stories
� PR � Is for a targeted
audience � Is about reputation
management � Has a personal
message � Portrays an individual
or client in a positive light
� Organization/individual is the main source of information
… • Advertising
o to persuade an audience to take action with respect to a product/event
o Paid form of communication/controlled medium
o Uses mass media to reach a large audience
o Advert shows the relevance of product
• Public Relations o All about image
building o Highlights the
achievements of an organization
o Has a strategy of building confidence
o Advertising can be used by PR for promotions and special events
… • Marketing
o Focuses on increasing customers and sales
o Examines the need for a product or service and the form it will be best received.
o Ensures that product and service is designed to meet customer needs (packing/distribution)
o Can use PR as tool for marketing a product
o Values understanding of key publics (segments publics)
o Focuses on the bottom-line
• Public relations o More similarities than
differences between PR and marketing
o About convincing people
o Getting people to believe in an organization or individual
o Values understanding of key publics (segments publics)
o Enhances organization’s reputation
Integrated Marketing Communication
• Blending of the two functions: PR and marketing o Both use the same communication tactics
• Advertising, celebrity endorsements and sponsorships
• Challenge to this approach o Need to produce profit (relationships may come second) o Executive isolation
• PR needs to maintain its independence within an organization
Other related ac3vi3es • Press agentry- plan/stage activities to
attract attention • Promotion- to get support or endorsement
for a person, product or organization • Publicity- giving out information through
various media (news about an organization or individual)
• Public affairs- relations with external publics (commonly used in government)
… • Research: foundation for good PR strategy
(identifies publics and their opinions towards the organization/individual)
• Advocacy-speaks for organization or individual in the court of public opinion
• Merchandising-concerned with presentation (packaging of a product)
• Graphics: ensures the use of visually appealing and user-friendly PR presentations
Principles governing Public Relations Practice
• Public relations deals with facts not fiction
• Public relations is public, not personal, service
• Public relations practitioners must be able to say ‘no’ to a client or a deceptive program
• Public relations practitioners must never lie to and through the media, either outright or by implication
• Public relations practitioner, probably, was the original ombudsman/woman
… • Public relations cannot afford to be a guessing game
• In public relations, intuition is not enough
• Public relations requires multidisciplinary applications
• Public relations practitioner should always be alert (not taken by surprise)
• Public relations practitioner is measured by one standard: ethical performance
Areas of specializa3on � As a prospective PR practitioner, you may
work in the following areas � PR industry � Government � Financial Public Relations or Investor relations � International PR for organizations � Educational PR � Research-Trend analysis � Sports � Fundraising/donor PR � Non-profit organizations
Reference list • Du Plessis, D. (2000). Introduction to Public Relations and
Advertising. Cape Town: Juta • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrTta8pRIOg • Newsom, et al (2010). This is PR: The Realities of Public
Relations. (10th Ed). USA: Wadsworth • Skinner, et al (2007). Handbook of Public Relations. (8th
Ed). Cape Town: Oxford University Press • Swann, P. (2010). Cases in Public Relations Management.
New York: Routledge • www.managementstudyguide.com/public-relations.htm • Wilcox, D. L., & Cameron, G. T. (2014). Public relations:
strategies and tactics (10th ed.). USA: Pearson Allyn & Bacon