Public Relations Topics

• adrenaline junkies
• nascar dads
• effective public relations
• lotus press
• soccer moms
• beneficial relationships
• political opponents
• worldwide audience
• pr practitioners
• creative presentation
• building relationships
• mutual interests
• management function
• organizational goals
• spin doctor
• integrated communications
• relationship management
• mutual understanding
• commentators
• constituents

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Public Relations, Public Relations

Heath, Encyclopedia of Public Relations). Essentially it is a management function that focuses on two-way communication and fostering of mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and its publics.

Phillips explored this concept in his paper Towards relationship management: Public relations at the core of organisational development in 2006 which lists a range of academics and practitioners who support this view.

The task of public relations is: To achieve mutual understanding and to establish beneficial relationships, between the organisation and its publics and environment, through two-way communication.

An effective public relations plan for an organization is developed to communicate a message that coincides with organizational goals and seeks to benefit mutual interests whenever possible Levy, Stuart (2007) Public Relations and Integrated Communications, Lotus Press.

It can be a general, nationwide or worldwide audience, but it is more often a segment of a population. Marketers often refer to economy-driven "demographics," such as "white males 18-49," but in public relations an audience is more fluid, being whoever someone wants to reach. For example, recent political audiences include "soccer moms" and "NASCAR dads." There is also a psychographic grouping based on fitness level, eating preferences, "adrenaline junkies,"etc..

While traditional public relations may also rely on creative presentation of the facts, "spin" often, though not always, implies disingenuous, deceptive and/or highly manipulative tactics. Politicians are often accused of spin by commentators and political opponents, when they produce a counter argument or position. In the modern world, most PR practitioners are discouraged to use spin because it is fundamentally counterproductive to the industry's ultimate goal of building relationships with constituents.

It is the PR equivalent of calling a writer a "hack". Perhaps the most well-known person in the UK often described as a "spin doctor" is Alastair Campbell, who was involved with Tony Blair's public relations between 1994 and 2003, and also played a controversial role as press relations officer to the British and Irish Lions rugby union side during their 2005 tour of New Zealand.

Persuasion, advocacy, and education are instruments through which individuals and organizations are entitled to express themselves in a free society, and many public relations practitioners are engaged in practices that are widely considered as beneficial, such as publicizing scientific research, promoting charities, raising awareness of public health concerns and other issues in civil society.

Source: Wikipedia > Public Relations