Unit 1 Public Relations Management Part 2

Excessive publicity sometimes produces a reverse reaction – sympathy for the underdog. People sometimes don’t want to go where everybody goes. And yet monolithic reputations (one company outshining all others) are possible. They are achieved by staying close to the ground. A company can stay in touch with the public at large by getting constant feedback from its publics. This is done through surveys and questionnaires, as also through “casual” talk and by listening to casual remarks. Some film-makers arrange for a pre-release show and watch the facial expressions of the spectators as they leave the theatre. Good face-readers and listeners are an asset to a feedback campaign. Just as a company uses celebrity endorsements (support of famous persons) as a tool of advertisements, it does well to listen to disinterested intellectuals who may not be celebrities. Because of their superior intellect and dispassion, they can mouth an opinion that may be of lasting value. At the same time, an ignored warning from this precious minority can be a sign of decline of a company. Publishers get their books read by such disinterested intellectuals for a frank and balanced opinion. PR and Media: Media planning is truly a specialist job today. From hoardings at busy suburban railway stations like CST or Church gate, daily seen by lakhs of commuters, to internet – deep inside the computer tube, there are too many media today. But audio-visual media maintain their primacy. The tools of public relations are: 1. TV: Here your skill in PR is seen in the programmes your sponsor and in the decorum of your presentations. The TV announcer’s voice is often more effective to drive home your slogan than the paid artist or the celebrity 2. Print media – newspapers and magazines: While ads do their work, good PR lies in contributing useful scholarly articles to appropriate magazines and newspapers. An article on motivation or on economy by a company’s chairman would do much to enhance its image. Then there are interviews, panel discussions, etc. in which top executives can take part. 3. Films: Films about a company’s working and its unusual activity (e.g. oil exploration, disease control) can be used for fostering public relations. These films can be shown at customers’ meets, exhibitions, press meets, in-house get-togethers, etc. 4. Literature: Brochures, information booklets, leaflets etc. are specially devised literature for imagebuilding. They can be coupled with calendars, lists of holidays, useful telephone numbers, etc. 5. Direct mail: Some banks send birthday greetings to their customers. Similarly, season’s greetings, sympathy cards, invitations etc. can be used as a bridge to reach a company’s established as well as new clients.6. Internet: Internet is an ever-expanding medium with unexplored possibilities. It is also a’ very effective tool for reaching special interest groups who would be visiting certain sites or using certain features of internet (like email). 7. Radio: The Radio, an audio device, has certain advantages over the TV. It can play in the background without involving the eye. Its importance needs to be properly rated, since it is a highly under rated medium in today’s India. Executives have an extra opportunity of reaching rural audiences by giving radio talks in regional languages. Agricultural products can be popularized by effective use of the radio. 8. Oral communication and stage manners: This is not the least device of public relations. Customers see employees’ dresses and manners with some attention. Consider a savings account clerk in a bank. Customers have to stand and wait in front of him/her. They get ample time to watch the functionaries. All personnel who have to deal with the public need to be trained groomed and counseled from the PR angle. In conferences, press meets and public appearances, executives are judged by their courtesy, stage manners and gift of the gab. A systematic development of personality is needed. Also, sometimes a subject expert may not be a good speaker or a presentable person. What a mistake it is in such cases to project him as the company’s spokesperson! It is better to impart the expertise to a proficient communicator and use him for presentations. Definition of public relations Public relations activities are planned and sustained to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organization and its publics. Generally there is not one single accepted definition of public relations. Instead, there are many ways to define it. Some of these are given below. Ivy Lee and Edwards Louis Bernays established the first definition of public relations in the early 1900s which states it as ‘a management function, which tabulates public attitudes, defines the policies, procedures, and interests of an organization… followed by executing a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance’. Entrepreneur.com defines public relations purely in terms of publicity work, describing PR as ‘Using the news or business press to carry positive stories about your company or your products; cultivating a good relationship with local press representatives’. According to Kent State University, public relations activity is ‘the strategic management of communication and relationships between organizations and their key publics’. The latest definition of public relations has been given by the Public Relations Society of America in 2012 which states as ‘Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics’. In many cases, the chief duty of the public relations professional is to draft press releases, which are sent to targeted members of the media. But to limit the scope of the public relations definition to publicity alone would be to underestimate the growing influence and reach of PR. Nature of PR activities A positive public image is the result of carefully planned media placement, interview publishing, press release composition, online reputation management, social media campaign management, and many other public relations factors. Public relations success requires a deep understanding of the interests and concerns of each of the organization’s many publics. The public relations professional must know how to effectively address those concerns using the most powerful tool of the PR which is the publicity. The three general kinds of PR work are publicity, event management and publication design as described below. The products are intended to influence public opinion and are designed to promote and protect the image and the 0products of the organization. • Publicity – It is communication written and produced by public relations professionals intended to create a favorable public image for the organization. Publicity usually takes the form of text, audio and video news releases about the organization distributed to newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, Internet sites and other forms of media. While there may be production costs, the organization does not pay a fee for placement of the information in media. This is called free media. Publicity efforts might also include persuasive interpersonal communication, such as email and other forms of personal messaging, telephone calls, visits and meals. • Event management – It is the conception, creation, development, scheduling, arrangement, logistical coordination, talent sourcing, production, promotion and execution of events such as product launches, press conferences, corporate meetings, educational conferences, road shows, grand opening events, award ceremonies, launch parties, festivals, games and a variety of meetings. Such managed events are intended to accomplish the desire of the organization to generate goodwill. • Publication design – It involves conception, writing, layout and production of a wide variety of presentation media including promotional, sales and image building materials such as catalogs, brochures, manuals, flyers, newspapers, videos, DVD covers, podcasts, film credits, stage props, websites, logotypes, and branded packaging etc. These public relations efforts by the organization are intended to promote goodwill with various publics, including the general public, the community, customers, consumers, employees, management, government officials, stockholders, suppliers, opinion leaders and others. Roles of public relations management Public relations can and should make an important contribution in helping to form an organization’s ideas about what it is, what it should do and what its publics want and expect from it. • Communication management – A fundamental technique used in public relations is to identify the target audience and to tailor messages to be relevant to each audience. The public relations role calls for developing communications objectives that are consistent with the organization’s overall objectives. As two-way communicators, public relations professionals interact directly with key publics, relaying the resulting information (with recommendations) to other members of the management team. • Crisis management – Public relations establishes methods and policies to be used when the operations of the organization become involved in an emergency affecting the public. This includes policies and procedures for the distribution of information to employees, media, government and other key publics. • Issues management – This involves identifying problems, issues and trends relevant to the organization and then developing and executing a program to deal with them. This also includes the study of public policy matters of concern to the organization. • PR in marketing management – PR role in marketing management includes product publicity, product placement, third party endorsement, use of spokespersons, participation in trade exhibitions, and cause related marketing. • Relationship management – This involves the role of public relations in identifying key publics and establishing strategies for building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with those publics. • Reputation or image management – The planning and implementing of policies, procedures and strategies that demonstrate the commitment of the organization to public and social re sponsibility, ethical behaviour, corporate identity and reputation with key publics. • Resource management – Public relations management of human and financial resources revolves around setting objectives, planning, budgeting, recruiting and hiring PR employees and administering of these resources. • Risk management – As preventive PR, this role involves making the organization recognize areas of potential danger so that needed changes can be made before potential dangers develop into crises. • Strategic management – Acting as a counselor, the PR professional helps the management team in developing sound policies that are in the best interests of the public as well as the organization. The PR professional integrates an understanding of the concerns and attitudes of key publics into the organization’s managerial decision making process. Public relations professionals present the face of an organization usually to articulate its objectives and official views on issues of relevance, primarily to the media. Public relations activity contributes to the way an organization is perceived by influencing the media and maintaining relationships with stakeholders. The possibilities of success of public relations efforts enhances if public relations professionals work with and answer to senior management and deal directly with the critical external and internal publics on which an organization depends. Emergence of PR Public Relations in India: Introduction The India Economy Reform in 1991 opened the door of LPG i.e. Liberalization, Privatization, and Globalization. That was the period when PR got its rightful place in India. The emergence of multi-national corporations in the early 1990s, an increase of foreign direct investment and the deregulation of industries, has made market competitive and businesses felt to build their reputation. Those who were new entrants, keen to create their identity and image and those who have been existing long, started focusing to build their repute. This led to the beginning of PR and advertising agencies in the country. PR in India – The Pre- Independence Period:The growth of PR as a profession in India is a very debatable topic. Many scholars have analyzed the historical evolution and growth of PR in India from the varied perspective for instance:J.M. Kaul chronicles four stages of historical evolution of PR – Early Stage, The stage of Conscious PR; the third stage of PR and finally professionalism in PR. Another author Rahul Jain, in his paper ‘PR Landscape’ published by ‘Global Alliance for PR and Communication Management’ for information only categorized PR in 3 broad phases – propaganda, publicity and public information. During the struggle of the freedom movement, the political leaders used the different forums to disseminate information and appeal to common masses to participate in the freedom movement. Mass Media especially newspapers played a great role in creating national enthusiasm among Indians. The British Government in 1921 established a Central Publicity Board to function as a bridge between government and the media. The nomenclature of Central Publicity Board got changed in 1923 as the Directorate of Public Instruction and in 1939, it became the Directorate of Information and Broadcasting. It is believed that Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) opened their public relations department in 1943 in Bombay (now in Mumbai). It also started a monthly publication next year for employee communication. Some also believe that systematic function of PR started with the Indian Railways. The reason for building the railways, carrying raw materials from one part of the country to another seems to be a riskier affair, therefore, they started using promotional messages for passengers inside the train to recover the cost. PR in India – Post Independence:India opted for mixed economy model post-independence. The government gave lots of preference to Public sector organization. This led to the start of Industrial Policy Resolution of 1948 and followed by Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956. The Government implemented policies based on import substitution industrialization and advocated a mixed economy where the government-controlled public sector was expected to co-exist with the private sector. A decision at the top government level was taken around that time that all the central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) that now number about 250 would have a public relations department headed by a professional. It was also conveyed to the public sector chiefs that for informing and motivating the employees, every public sector undertaking under the Central government would bring out a house journal for employee communication. When we look at the media scene in India from its Independence time until the 70s when many public sector companies were being set up, the television and radio were under the government control. Now with more than 350 news channels in the private sector also, Doordarshan competes with them but at the same time reflects government’s perspective rather than being an independent news broadcaster. All India Radio still has the monopoly on the news. The print media has always been independent and vibrant and continues to be so. Efforts at gagging the print media from time to time have not really succeeded. Professionalism in PR:The establishment of Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) in the 1970s gave a huge impetus to the public relations industry. As we mentioned in the introduction that reform in the Indian economy in the 1990s gave the entrance to many MNCs to come in India which led companies to focus on their reputation and building a positive image. That was the time when many PR and advertising companies started getting set up to help companies to hang of the situation, finding the strategy to deal with difficult times, and responding to criticism from adversary groups etc. Current State of PR in India:Public relation is a thriving profession in India. There are hundreds of large and small PR consultancies in the country, employing thousands of practitioners. Most comp anies in private sector and almost all companies in the public sector have public relations departments. According to a survey conducted by the Associated Chamber of commerce and Industry in India (Assocham, 2012), the PR industry in India is growing at an annual rate of 32 percent. Many believe the definition of traditional PR has undergone a change. PR in its new avatar not just encompasses media relations and employee communication, but is used increasingly for strategic communication, brand building, customer relations, and crisis management. From an executive function, PR is now becoming a part of the high-level management job touching upon the core values of an organization. PR in India is fast emerging as an institution especially with its growing acceptance as a skilled and specialized profession. Reasons for Emerging International Public Relations: Introduction: IPR is undergoing major changes in its purview. In the 1960s, John Hill was the one who conceptualized the first international public relations office. After two decades, international public relations was defined as: – ‘’the planned, and organized effort of a company, institution, or government to establish mutually beneficial relations with the public of other nations. (Wilcox 1989). In the 20th Century, both perceptions and practices relating to international public relations changed dramatically. Newson (2000) explains the term as:“The globalization of news media, the unification of the world’s economy and the emergence of multinational companies have helped to expand this area of public relations. International public relations is not today limited businesses because many non-profit organizations and associations are included in its scope. The reasons for emerging International Public Relations are as follows:- 1. Integrated and independent economy: – 1. The concept of free trade policy, single market, and fewer investment barriers have connected countries globally. Therefore, the existence of multinational negotiations among nations, 2. GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), the international organizations to monitor an develop international trade and monitory system, World Trade Organizations, International Monetary Fund and World Bank are few entities to represent the trend of the world economy. But,3. the open door of other countries to enter into foreign markets has also developed lots of complications in economic environment related to employee, clients and political and economic factors as well. This resulted in the organization to consider 4. public relations counselor more seriously. It is imperative for an organization who do business across the sphere because they help an organization, individual, social organization to deal with absentee ownership, handle sensitive matter related with cultures of other peoples, combat ethnic and religious hatred of centuries. 5.Today, the government also employ PR practitioners to win the world support for their foreign policy goals, promote tourism and establish nation’s identity in the world community. 2. New Communication Technologies:1.Today, the world is full of information thanks to the availability of various sources of electronic media and sites at an exponential rate. The internet, satellites, supersonic jet travel gives lots of accessibility to people to get inform and aware. New communication technologies have given lots of benefit to PR professionals too in their work, content, flatten the organizational structure and more connect with the public. Brian Solis is a PR consultant and avid blogger who offers advice for PR firms eager to tap into social media. Solis emphasizes that social media represents more of a sociological change than a technical one. This generation prizes honesty, engagement, and transparency over anything else. For a company to get its message to an online community, it must join that community. And not as a spectator, but as a passionate participant; a real fan. Utilizing emerging digital platforms yields measurable Marketing PR results, which is the underlying goal for every client. History & Development of public relations The Beginnings of PR While the idea of using communications to influence and maintain a positive reputation has been around for centuries, public relations as a profession is something that is relatively new in comparison to some of the world’s oldest professions such as the lawyer or the physician. The origins of public relations can be traced all the way to Ancient Greece, where Classical philosophers like Plato and Aristotle wrote on the art of rhetoric to aid public speakers in their persuasion of the people. It can also be seen in the British abolitionist movement in the late 17th Century, where books, leaflets and lectures were presented to sway public opinion towards abolishing global slave trade. Although this is where the foundation of PR lies, it was the dawn of mass communication at the turn of the 20th Century that led to the birth of the public relations industry as we know it today. Ivy Lee and the history of PR Ivy Lee is one of the two men thought to be the forefather of contemporary public relations. Like many modern PRs, Lee began his career as a journalist, reporting for several New York based newspapers including the New York Times, the New York American and the New York World. It was when Lee advised the American industrialist John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his company Standard Oil in 1903 that many believe marked the birth of public relations as a professional practice. The Rockefeller family and Standard Oil had been experiencing a poor public image following their reaction to a series of strikes in their coal mines. Lee encouraged Rockefeller to visit these mines and interact with the miners. This act boosted his reputation amongst the mine workers, and improved public perception of Standard Oil. Lee was also behind what is thought to be the first ever press release, after a major rail crash in Atlantic City in 1906. Lee was sought out by Pennsylvania Railroad, the company who owned the railway line on which the crash occurred. Positive that only Lee could help them salvage their reputation, they employed him to manage the aftermath of the terrible crash. Lee’s response was to invite press to view the crash site itself, and to offer them select information and details of the crash. This kind of crisis management resulted in positive coverage of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which favoured the way that Pennsylvania Railroad responded to the crash. Edward Bernays: the founder of public relations Opinions on who is the true founder of public relations is currently divided, and there are many who surmise that it was Edward Bernays, who history should view as the forefather of modern day public relations. Bernays, who was born in Austria but moved to the USA with his family as a child, was the nephew of the pioneering psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. It was his uncle’s theories on behavioural psychology that informed many of Bernays’ public relations strategies. Bernays believed that political propaganda utilised by governments to influence public opinion during the Second World War could be used by corporations to influence public behaviour in a more subtle form. Bernays is notable for approaching the topic of public relations as a science, and for uniting Freud’s theories on psychoanalysis with other sociological theories to develop his pioneering public relations methods. Bernays is attributed to refining the art of the press release and developing much of the early theory on public relations, most notably his ground breaking 1923 book Crystalizing Public Opinion. It is with great admiration that we look at these two men who shaped the PR industry into what it is today. Their stories are remarkable, and certainly something that any budding PR professional must familiarise themselves with. PR Then and Now: The Evolution of Public Relations Public Relations (PR) is often regarded as a relatively modern profession, only emerging in the past few decades. However, the reality is that PR dates back as far as the ancient civilizations with Julius Caesar, and Cleopatra as the earliest figures of public relations in history. These practitioners had relished a massive PR success without the Internet or any technology at their disposal. PR in its earliest forms is all about press releases. Today, it has now rapidly transformed to include social media and other modern platforms to adapt to the fast-changing society. PR agencies are consistently finding new ways to establish connections to clients while the consumer base is becoming smarter and more involved.