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