Public Relations: An Introduction PDF

Public Relations: An introduction  Who is this guy? Joel Funk, 39, Cheyenne Graduated from East High in Cheyenne, LCCC and UW Master’s in communication Former news reporter and editor Now working in Marketing & Communications at LCCC as a marketing specialist Loves music, m...

Public Relations: An introduction  Who is this guy? Joel Funk, 39, Cheyenne Graduated from East High in Cheyenne, LCCC and UW Master’s in communication Former news reporter and editor Now working in Marketing & Communications at LCCC as a marketing specialist Loves music, movies, And who are you??? If you’re comfortable doing so, let’s go around the room and tell me Name Pronouns, if you’d like to share (you can notify me privately if you prefer) Major Your aspiration post-graduation, if you know Your favorite animal, musician/band, or movie, or any other interesting tidbit about yourself or your summer I’m sorry :( we have to take attendance I’m afraid we’ll have to do this in every course session due to the attendance policy. Things to know about me I’m pretty easy-going and I’m happy to answer questions. Life happens, I get that, but I like to stick to deadlines. Please communicate with me if you have something standing in the way of meeting our academic obligations before deadlines pass. I’m harder to convince afterward. Nothing I’m doing here is meant to be busy work — I genuinely believe what we’re doing will help you get a job and excel in your career. I will press you for participation sometimes; I don’t mean to make anyone uncomfortable. I just think class is more fun and we learn more when students participate. If participation in a classroom setting makes you uncomfortable, feel free to tell me and I’ll accommodate — no worries. Let’s go over the syllabus What exactly are we talking about? Just off the top of your head – no wrong answers – what is public relations? What is an example, real or imagined, of an execution of public relations?  Crowdsourced definition – “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics” What exactly Public – group of people who share common interests in a are we talking particular situation about? General public – everyone So, what does a PR professional do? Product Launches Crisis Communication Community Engagement Media Relations PR appears in many areas of our lives Government/Political Advocacy: Engages in PR to communicate policies, manage public perception, and build trust with voters. Nonprofits: Use PR to raise awareness, attract donors, and advocate for causes. Healthcare: PR is crucial for managing patient communication, public health campaigns, and crisis situations. Education: Schools and universities use PR to promote programs, manage reputations, and engage with students and alumni. Entertainment: PR helps manage the public image of celebrities, promote events, and handle media relations Common elements of PR PR is research-based PR is a management function PR is socially responsible PR involves two-way PR now is associated with communication branding PR is a planned activity Common elements of PR Engagement: Active participation and interaction with the target audience to foster a connection and encourage dialogue. Transparency: Openness and honesty in communications, allowing the public to see the processes and decisions of an organization. Trust: The foundation of any successful PR strategy, built over time through consistent, reliable, and truthful communications. Reputation Management: The process of shaping and maintaining the public's perception of an organization. Common elements of PR Crisis Management: Strategies and actions taken to address and mitigate the impact of negative events or situations on an organization's reputation. Brand Identity: The visual, verbal, and emotional attributes that define how an organization presents itself to the public. Media Relations: The practice of building and maintaining relationships with journalists and media outlets to secure positive coverage. Common elements of PR Message Consistency: Ensuring that all communications are aligned with the organization's values and goals, providing a unified voice. Stakeholder Communication: Engaging with all parties who have an interest in the organization, including employees, customers, investors, and the community. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Activities and communications that demonstrate an organization's commitment to ethical practices and contributing to the community. Common elements of PR Influence: The ability to shape public perception and opinion through strategic communications and messaging. Two-Way Communication: The practice of not only sending messages to the public but also listening to feedback and responding appropriately. Ethics: Adhering to moral principles in all PR activities, ensuring honesty, fairness, and respect for all stakeholders. One more thing: the 90-10 rule Arthur Page, a groundbreaking innovator in PR, said 90% of good public relations should be determined by what an organization does, and about 10% by what they say. You can have a brand that says one thing, but your organization’s actions say another thing, which ultimately is detriment to your organization and the public. The book uses the example of BP attempting to rebrand as environmentally conscious while not changing its mineral exploration What about politics and political campaigns? Image Management: PR plays a crucial role in shaping the public image of politicians and political parties, helping to craft messages that resonate with voters. Crisis Communication: During scandals or controversies, PR professionals manage the narrative to minimize damage and maintain public trust. Public Opinion: PR strategies are used to influence and gauge public opinion on policies, candidates, and political issues. Campaign Strategy: Political campaigns rely heavily on PR to manage media relations, create compelling narratives, and ensure consistent messaging across all platforms. Would you say a political campaign is a PR exercise? On one hand, they are; political campaigns utilize PR strategies like media relations, messaging, and crisis management to influence public perception, making them a specialized form of public relations. But, there are differences; Political campaigns are often more focused on short-term persuasion and partisan goals, differing from traditional PR's emphasis on long-term relationship-building and broader audience engagement. An example of something in Laramie UniWyo Federal Credit Union attempts to foster strong community involvement through active engagement in local events, sponsorships, partnerships, and philanthropic efforts. For example: Every time a Cowboy basketball player sinks a free throw, we donate $10 to a Wyoming nonprofit. Scholarships, social media, presence at community events – it’s all PR Why would a credit union go through this? Strengthens Brand Presence: Enhances visibility and recognition within the local community. Builds Trust: Fosters positive relationships with local stakeholders, ensuring long-term customer loyalty. Supports Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Demonstrates commitment to the well-being and development of the community. Why would a credit union go through this? Reputation Management: Enhances the organization’s reputation through active engagement in local events, sponsorships, and philanthropic efforts. Stakeholder Communication: Engages with the community, reinforcing relationships and aligning with PR strategies focused on engagement and CSR. Ultimately, it’s a business decision. A real-world example: Meta and harm to teens Meta failed to address harm to teens, according to whistleblower Arturo Bejar. In 2023, he testified before the U.S. Senate, saying, "I observed new features being developed in response to public outcry, which were, in reality, kind of a placebo," Bejar said during his testimony. "A safety feature in name only to placate the press and regulators." Meta’s whistleblower Bejar’s Warning: In 2021, he informed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about significant safety gaps on Meta’s platforms, particularly Instagram, where young users, including his daughter, faced severe harassment that went largely unaddressed by Meta’s automated systems. Specific Concerns: Bejar highlighted that one in eight users under 16 had experienced unwanted sexual advances in the past week. Meta’s systems often ignored such reports or deemed them non-violative of platform rules. Meta’s whistleblower Proposed Solutions: Bejar urged Meta to shift focus from rules-based policing to addressing negative user experiences, collecting data on harmful behaviors, and encouraging better user conduct. He called for a cultural change within the company. Meta’s Response: Although Meta claimed to be addressing these concerns, Bejar's proposals were met with limited action. The company launched some safety features but largely maintained its reliance on automated enforcement and narrow content rules. Meta’s whistleblower Continued Issues: Two years later, many of the problems Bejar identified remained unresolved. Despite some efforts, new safety concerns emerged, leading Bejar to collaborate with external authorities, including state attorneys general and Congress. Whistleblower Context: Bejar’s final attempts to share his findings coincided with whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony, further complicating Meta’s internal and public relations challenges. Remember our concepts? Engagement Media Relations Transparency Message Consistency Trust Stakeholder Communication Reputation Management Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Crisis Management Influence Brand Identity Two-Way Communication Ethics How do these PR concepts apply to Meta? Transparency: Bejar’s account underscores a lack of transparency in Meta’s handling of harmful content, which is critical for maintaining public trust. Crisis Management: Meta’s response to these issues illustrates the company’s approach to managing potential PR crises, which appears reactive rather than proactive. Trust and Reputation Management: Meta’s failure to address these safety concerns effectively damages its reputation and erodes trust How do these PR concepts apply to Meta? Ethical Responsibility: The situation highlights the ethical obligations companies have in protecting their users, a core principle in public relations. Stakeholder Communication: Bejar’s appeals to Meta’s leadership emphasize the importance of internal communication and aligning corporate actions with user expectations. Anything else? What is propaganda? Is that PR? Both involve strategic communication aimed at influencing public opinion. Utilize similar tools such as media, messaging, and persuasive techniques to shape perceptions. Can be used to achieve specific goals, such as promoting a cause, product, or idea. The differences between PR and propaganda Intent: Propaganda: Often manipulative, focusing on persuasion through distortion or omission of facts. Public Relations: Aims to build mutual understanding with transparency and ethics. Ethics: Perception: Propaganda: May use biased or misleading information. Propaganda: Viewed negatively due to associations with Public Relations: Emphasizes honesty, transparency, and manipulation. accountability. Public Relations: Generally seen as a legitimate practice for maintaining a positive image. What is the difference between PR and marketing? Marketing: The process of identifying, anticipating, and satisfying customer needs through the promotion, pricing, and distribution of products or services to achieve organizational goals. Public Relations: The strategic management of communication and relationships between an organization and its stakeholders to build a positive reputation and foster mutual Blurring lines between PR, marketing Integrated Strategies: PR and marketing increasingly overlap as both aim to build brand awareness, engage customers, and drive sales. Content Marketing: PR now often involves creating branded content that serves both promotional and reputational goals, such as blog posts, videos, and social media. Social Media: Platforms like Twitter and Instagram merge PR’s focus on communication with marketing’s goal of engagement and conversion. Brand Storytelling: Both disciplines collaborate to create consistent brand narratives that resonate with audiences across multiple channels. How it used to be Distinct Roles: PR focused on managing an organization’s reputation and relationships, while marketing was centered on promoting products and driving sales. Separate Channels: PR primarily used press releases, media relations, and events, while marketing relied on advertising, direct mail, and promotions. Limited Interaction: PR and marketing operated in silos, with minimal overlap or collaboration between the two disciplines. Longer Communication Cycles: PR and marketing campaigns were less immediate, with slower feedback loops and less emphasis on real-time Circumstances leading to blurring of lines Digital Transformation: The rise of social media and online platforms has created channels where PR and marketing efforts naturally converge. Consumer Expectations: Modern consumers demand transparency, authenticity, and engagement, requiring coordinated PR and marketing strategies to meet these needs. Real-Time Communication: The speed of information flow in today’s world necessitates quick, integrated responses that blend PR’s communication focus with marketing’s promotional goals. What consumers expect Brand Loyalty: Consumers are more likely to support brands they perceive as ethical, blending PR’s focus on reputation with marketing’s role in driving purchases. Integrated Messaging: To meet consumer demand for transparency and authenticity, companies now combine PR and marketing efforts to create unified, value-driven What about, say, transparency? Ideally, as PR and marketing blend, there ideally would still be a focus on: Unified Messaging Building Trust Consumer Expectations Crisis Prevention But is that really the case in marketing? Is it always the case in public relations? Different perspectives on transparency Marketing: Transparency is often focused on product information, pricing, and ethical practices to build consumer trust and drive sales. The emphasis is on clarity and honesty in what is being sold. Public Relations: Transparency extends to organizational behavior, crisis communication, and stakeholder relationships. PR requires a broader and deeper level of openness, encompassing both internal and external communications. Key Distinction: While both fields value transparency, PR often demands a more comprehensive and proactive approach to maintain long-term trust Does marketing always value transparency? Not Always: Marketing sometimes prioritizes persuasive messaging over full transparency, focusing on highlighting benefits while downplaying or omitting less favorable aspects. Selective Disclosure: Marketers may choose to emphasize certain product features or create aspirational messaging that can blur the line between transparency and persuasion. Contrast with PR: Unlike PR, which often requires full transparency to maintain trust and credibility, marketing can sometimes walk a fine line between being transparent and crafting a more controlled Do public relations strategies always prioritize transparency? Ideal vs. Reality: While transparency is a core value in PR, it’s not always fully practiced. Crisis Situations: In crises, PR professionals might withhold certain details to control the narrative or prevent further damage, balancing transparency with strategic communication. Ethical Dilemmas: PR professionals often face ethical decisions about how much information to disclose, aiming to Final thoughts before we dive into the semester We have a pretty steady stream of Our guest speakers will be fantastic and assignments each week. If anything is some of my most impactful experiences unclear to you about how to proceed, during my education came from talking please reach out. It will be busy, so ask with industry professionals – take sooner than later to ensure a smooth advantage of these opportunities and semester. participate! I am going to focus on student Let’s enjoy this. Life is short and college engagement during class sessions, so courses don’t have to be a boring or we’ll have discussions, activites, and undesirable part of our day. The more you exercises in class to keep things put in, the more you’ll get out of this. I am interesting and help us learn what a daily here to help. job in PR is all about.