Online PR
Lecture 1
PR
- Information that is not directly about the products and services
- ‘About us’ page
Defining PR
PR is the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences,
counseling organization leaders and implementing programs of action that will serve both
the organizations and the public interest.
The management of communication between an organization and its publics.
“an organization’s managed communications behavior”
PR is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and
support and influencing opinion and behavior. It is the planned and sustained effort to
establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organization and its
publics.
Reputation = the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.
Five core concepts that help to define PR:
Management function
Two-way communication
Planned activity
Research-based social science
Socially responsible
And what about reputation?
The beliefs and opinions someone have about another person, organization or object
Identity & image (see figures below)
Reputation = foundation on which an organization builds
,History of PR:
Pamphlets (17th – 18th Century)
Telegraphs or newspapers, beginning of industrialization (19th Century)
Documents of the first modern PR (20th Century)
Edward Bernays he was the first one who used the name ‘Public Relations’ (20th
century)
Entwined with social, economic and political developments
Key date: 1984 study Grunig & Hunt
The four public relations models:
Press agentry/public model
Public information
Two-way asymmetric
Two-way symmetric models
PR today
,The organization Channels Publics (stakeholders)
These come in all shapes Also known as platforms Vary depending on the
and sizes: vary depending on what you organization and what you
- Private sector are trying to achieve. want to achieve
- Public sector - Owned Media - Employees
- Third sector (website or blog) - Suppliers
- Earned Media - Partners
Conducted by in-house (newspaper, TV) - Distributors
, teams. Sometimes with PR - Shared Media (social - Investors
agency or freelance support networks) - Donors
- Paid media - Political audiences,
(sponsored posts) decision makers and
- Sponsorships opinion formers
- Face-to-face - Media and other
- Photography commentators
- Moving images - On-line influencers
- Print - Customers
- Events The list is endless
- Exhibitions
Most are interconnected
and interrelated
A: Corporate advertising = advertising by a firm where the company, rather than its
products or services is emphasized
B: Direct marketing = direct communication via post, telephone or email to customers and
prospects and sales promotions such as tactics to engage the customer, including
discounting, coupons, guarantees, free gifts, competitions, vouchers, demonstrations and
bonus commission
C: Distribution, logistics, pricing and product development
D: Corporate PR = PR activities towards corporate stakeholders, which excludes customers
and prospects in the market; includes issues management, community relations, investor
relations, media relations, international communication and public affairs.
E: Marketing PR includes product publicity and sponsorship
F: Mass media advertising = advertising aimed at increasing awareness, favour or sales of a
company’s products or services.