DEFINITION

PUBLIC RELATIONS is the dimension of communication which is specifically concerned with

establishing and enhancing goodwill between an organization and the various publics with which
it seeks to communicate.
It’s integrated with advertising, sales promotion and so on.
The definition of The Institute of PR
«The deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding
between an organization and its publics.»

Specific functions relating to PR

(due to the PR Society of America)
Anticipating, analyzing and interpreting public opinion, attitudes and issues which might impact,
for good or ill, on the operations and plans of the organization.
Counseling management at all levels with regard to policy decisions, courses of action and
communication.
Researching, conducting and evaluating, on a continuing basis, programmes of action and
communication to achieve informed public understanding necessary for the success of the
organization's aims.
Planning and implementing the organization's efforts to influence or change public policy.
Managing the resources needed to perform the functions of public relations.

The difference between PR and publicity

PUBLICITY may be any form of information from an outside source used by the news
media. It is largely uncontrollable. Although much of public relations is concerned with the
gaining of publicity, not all publicity derives from public relations. The responsibility of public
relations is to create and influence publicity in such a way as to have a positive impact on the
company for which the activity is undertaken.

A COMPARISON BETWEEN PR AND ADVERTISING

The goals of advertising and PR are somewhat different. The primary goal of advertising,
as we have already seen, is to inform and persuade consumers in relation to a specific product
offering. The primary goal of PR is to establish goodwill, and to develop favourable attitudes and
an understanding of the organization and its products or services.
A major distinction between advertising and PR is the credibility of the alternative
routes to message delivery. Advertising is inherently based upon the self-interest of the
organization placing it and paying for the exposure. The consequence is that it is approached with
a greater degree of scrutiny and is often discounted by the reader or viewer. PR messages, appear
as editorial content within a newspaper, magazine or television segment and are often seen as
'independent' of the company which originated them. The consequence is that PR stories are less
likely to be viewed cynically and are likely to be more acceptable to the intended public.

Some advantages of PR

The nature of the media vehicle can actually enhance the value of a PR message. If the vehicle
inherently has a high degree of credibility, then the messages it conveys will tend to be viewed in
a similar light. If, for example, a charitable activity is featured prominently within a national TV
news programme, that activity effectively receives the 'endorsement' of the television station.

Advertising and PR have similar high costs but…Advertising has costs of media space or airtime,
together with production costs, and they are high while PR messages are not required direct
media cost to the company which originated them.

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SHORTCOMINGS ASSOCIATED WITH PR.
Uncontrollability:
Media determines whether the message will appear at all and, if so, in what form. There is
certainly no guarantee that the message will appear in its original form. Often, the medium will
modify the story even to the point of changing the intention of the message, and this is entirely
outside the control of the company.
Too long way to achieve target audience:
Again, unlike advertising, which seeks to communicate directly with the desired target
audience, PR must appeal to at least two audiences. In order for the story to receive any form of
exposure, it must first motivate the recipient within the media organization in which it is hoped
that the message will appear. Only if it achieves this goal will a message in any form actually be
seen.

BENEFITS OF PR
PR has a greater degree of credibility.
Whilst a consumer may choose to ignore a paid-for message initiated by a company, he or she
may actively seek information which derives from a public relations source.
Public relations can address issues outside conventional marketing.
For example, it might seek to communicate specific company values to interest or activist
groups in order to ensure their understanding of the company role; it might seek to persuade
potential investors or analysts of the current and future prospects of the organization and so on.
PR may be the only cost-effective means of reaching some audiences.
PR can be used to reach small, discrete audiences both effectively and cost-efficiently. Small
retail outlets can often gain coverage in local newspapers for a new opening or some other
activity which is likely to arouse local interest.
PR can be used to publicize a company's name and reputation.
This is clearly seen at times of awards when companies can make themselves known using
national and local media.
PR agencies produce printed materials to inform society about the company.
These will include such items as brochures and booklets, specific reports on topics of wider
interest, together with in-house periodicals focusing on issues of relevance to the company and
its, publics.
PR involve the creation of special events
To provide a vehicle for direct communication to others, or through those third parties to
wider audiences.

OBJECTIVES OF PR

Increase awareness of the company;

Increase awareness of the brands or services provided by the organization;
Reinforce the business objectives of the organization;
Identify and explain company policy;
Provide a focus of attention on those issues which are important to the company;
Encourage external debate on those issues;
Help to change opinions to those which are favourable to the organization;
Assist the process of changing attitudes towards the organization and its operations;
Create positive attitudes towards the company's products and services;

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Help in the building of the reputation of an organization;
Motivate staff and enhance the recruitment process;
Help restore the credibility of a company, particularly after some specific crisis;
Reinforce the marketing and sales efforts;
Build upon or change purchasing behaviour.

AREAS IN WHICH PR CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTION BRAND STRATEGY

(due to Peter Gummer)

Topicality - linking the product with news events as they occur. For example, a survivor on a
recent attempt to climb Mount Everest stated that he owed his survival to a Mars Bar. A PR
campaign ensured that this fact received widespread publicity in many of the most important
media outlets.
Credibility - PR offers the implied endorsement of a third party commentator.
Involvement - creating interactive opportunities.

The functions of public relations

Opinion forming Development of opinions concerning governmental policies, the activities of
companies and organizations, and other aspects beyond the nature of the products and services
which those companies produce.
Counselling senior management All aspects of internal and external actions of companies are
likely to have an impact on the public perceptions of their organizations.
Liaison with public officials Maintaining close and realistic relationships with local and central
government officials and other regulatory bodies is a key dimension of positive public relations.
Communications policies Public relations is a key management function which, potentially, can
influence all aspects of the organization's internal and external communications.
Community relations Company can be: an employer, and the source of local income and wealth,
the source of a variety of community benefits, the user of a variety of resources, which may affect
community life.
In-house activities The role of public relations will be to explain and secure support for the
variety of management decisions which will be taken
Product or service publicity The external perception of public relations is its involvement with the
creation of publicity for the products and services which the company provides.
Financial activity Public relations can ensure that the financial sector is provided with relevant
and appropriate information upon which to base their judgments.
Media relations The appearance of positive publicity for a company or organization is a result of
carefully nurtured relationships between the various media and the company over a long period of
time.
Event management Events are used to create positive relationships between the company and one
or more of its target audiences.
Business sponsorship Creating business sponsorships which serve to associate the company with
some specific activity, designed to enhance the image associations of the organization.

The 'publics' of public relations

Employees and potential employees
Shareholders and investors
Suppliers to the company

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Distributors of the company's products and services
Buyers and consumers
The local community
The national community
Opinion formers
The media - local, national and international

Programme planning

Situational analysis
Determination of objectives
Identification of target publics
Choice of PR strategy
Budget definition
Development of programme components
Programme implementation
Evaluation and feedback

Evaluating of public relations

It is important to recognize the fact that PR rarely exists in isolation of other marketing
communications activities.
Possible areas for measurement are as follows:
Shifts in awareness;
Shifts in attitudes towards the company or organization;
Growth in enquiries;
Reduction in level of complaints;
Improvement in share price;
Volume of coverage in target media.
James Swinehart (1979) suggests that in order to evaluate the achievements of a PR programme,
five areas of questioning should be applied to the objectives:
What is the content of the objective?
What is the target population?
When should the intended change occur?
Are the intended changes unitary or multiple?
How much effect is desired?

The tools of public relations

Public relations achieves its goals through the use of a variety of different tools and approaches.
The press release;
The exclusive story;
Interviews;
Press conferences;
By-lined article;
Speeches;
Writing new releases, reports, booklets, speeches, trade and general magazine articles, film
sequences, radio and television copy, production information and technical material;
Editing employee publications, newsletters, annual reports and other management
communications for internal and external audiences;
Placing client or employer news and features with media editors;

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Promoting through special events, such as press parties, open houses, anniversaries, award
programmes and institutional films;
Speaking and preparing speeches for others;
Producing brochures, booklets, special reports and house periodicals;
Developing overall PR programmes;
Publicizing a company's name and reputation.
* Advertorials
'Advertorials - The Reader's Perspective'
An advertorial is a combination of advertisement and editorial, paid for by the advertiser and
appearing to look like editorial from the newspaper. Such activities must be flagged with the
word 'advertisement'.
Their success depends on:
the relevance of the product to the reader;
the fit with the motivations for magazine purchase;
the product category relevance;
the fit with the editorial style, content and image of the magazine;
the balance between information and selling;
the visual appeal.

* Infomercials
Infomercials = information + commercial

These extend the premise of the advertorial into the television medium.
By apparently presenting a television programme, the consumer may be deluded into thinking
that the message is independent of the manufacturer who funds it.

Corporate PR Objectives
Establishing dialogue with target audiences
Ensuring consistency between company activities and external attitudes
(a need to change, or at least to update, public perceptions of an organization )
Adding to brand values(consumers also want to hear about how companies operate and what
values guide their business decisions )
Responding to crisis situations(the relationship between an organization and its publics at times
of crisis )
Promoting goods and services (to highlight public awareness of specific products and services or
to extend their usage by consumers)