Difference between Advertisement and Public Relations

One of the most important and most often used tools that business concerns employ is advertising. It is used to convey messages to targeted audiences. Advertising can be extremely costly to employ. The process of conveying messages to an audience which may be composed of present or prospective customers through a single medium or multiple mediums is called a campaign. 

On the other side the main role of public relations is to increase interest and awareness of the audience that you have targeted. This process or campaign as it is also called does not necessarily try to convince or persuade them to purchase the product. The public relations plan seeks to increase awareness and create a positive image of the company through messages that educate and provide information.

A combination of the two methods is generally regarded as most effective. A marketing strategy that is an incorporation of the two methods to produce the desired results would be the ideal process. Although advertising requires a bigger budget public relations is often considered to be the larger scale operation because advertising deals only with marketing and sales while public relations encompasses the total communications activity of the entire organisation.

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Public Relations Campaign

An integral part of any public relations effort is PR campaign. PR campaign can be defined as a comprehensive strategy that consists of a series of PR messages in a variety of media centering on a single idea or theme. A campaign informs the public about change within the company or builds awareness of business to potential customers.

PR campaign is the execution of the final product of research, brainstorming, and creativity. As such, PR campaign needs to be researched, focused and realistic. During a campaign, the PR team should get ready with press releases, news stories, and strategies. Traditional media as well as the online media, social media sites such as Twitter, and Facebook will be handy in disseminating information.

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Roles and Qualities of Public Relations Officer

A public relations officer plays many important roles in the planning and implementation of publicity and goodwill campaigns for the organisations. The following are some of the crucial roles played by the public relation officers.

1.       Advisory role

Public relation officer advice the management on internal and external issues that may affect the goodwill and reputation of the organisation.

2.      Conducting surveys

Surveys are conducted by the public relations department on a regular basis, to identify the problems within the organisation and to assess the opinions of its employees and general public.

3.      Building and maintaining contacts

The public relations officers develop connections with important personalities and other organisations with decision making powers. This helps in popularizing the image of the organisation. Building relations with opinion makers like media and politicians is a part of this practice.

4.      Preparing press releases and reports

It is the duty of the public relation officer to prepare press releases and other reports on behalf of the organisation. Reports include articles, survey results and product information. Preparation of press releases comprises of other functions like organizing press conferences and other functions for media personnel.

5.      Editing and publishing booklets, brochures, magazines

In most of the organisations the duties of editing and publishing the printed material is performed by the public relations department.

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External Tools of Public Relations

External tools comprise of outdoor publicity media, broadcasting and print media, and other mass media. The goals and objectives of the organisation define the type of media to be adopted. The public relations officers play crucial role in deciding the media and methods of disseminating information.

1.       Press

Print media have a wide reach in the general public. Any literate person can depend on print media for information. It helps the public relation departments to connect with a large group of people. Effective public relation through print media can boom up the image of the organisation in the general public. Newspaper is widely used by public, private and government authorities to disseminate the information to the public. It is a cost effective method with maximum outcome.

2.      Radio

Radio is the most popular medium in the country. It can reach both urban and rural communities. Even an illiterate person can consume information from radio. It is a personal medium and creates great impact on the audience. Public relation practitioners can effectively use radio to influence the public. Radio programs like industrial and business news, discussions, surveys etc. can be utilized by the public relation practitioners. Apart from this sponsoring popular programs also will help in creating goodwill for the company.

3.      Television

Television is a highly persuasive and popular medium. It provides a larger platform for publicity through its audio visual features. Public relation officers can effectively use television for spreading the information about the organisation. Television publicity includes sponsoring popular programs, news and short documentaries about the organisation, analytical surveys, talks, discussions, interviews, etc. Corporate videos are also a part of television publicity.

4.      Films

Films and other videos create great impact on the viewers. Many documentaries were made during the Second World War to propagate the ideologies of Nazi Germany. Night and Fog was one of the most popular documentary films which emphasized on Hitler’s propaganda. Such methods are still being used by nation leaders and business men to create an identity in the public. Business corporations also use films for the popularity of their organisation.

5.      Traditional media

The traditional Media have played a very important role in solving several emotional problems. In the developing countries where illiteracy is wide-spread and communications scanty, the folk media assume greater importance. In India music, dance, drama have always played an important role in combating destructive elements and in harmonizing emotional outbursts relating to caste, creed, religion and language issues.

6.      Magazines

Magazines are an important medium for product news, feature stories and pictorial publicity. Business magazines are widely used by organisations to disseminate information on their new schemes and products. It is also being used to emboss the image of the organisation.

7.      Outdoor media

Bill boards, hoardings, flex boards and posters are the popular outdoor media. The messages and images displayed on an outdoor media are large and noticeable. They are attractive, huge and colourful and they can display the messages round the clock. They are placed along the roads and in every corner of the streets.

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Internal Tools of Public Relations

Internal tools

Internal tools are used for communication within the organisation. It usually comprises of printed materials and meetings conducted to collect the opinion of the employees, on the working conditions and other facilities provided by the organisation.

1.       House Journal

House journals are magazines produced by the organisation to inform its employees and shareholders, about the company and its new policies or innovations. It is a link between the organisation management and employees. It creates a communication platform for the organisation, its employees and shareholders to share thoughts and opinions on various issues concerning the organisation. House journals are more useful for large, multinational companies, as it bridges the gap between the employees at various locations.

The house journals are edited and published by the public relations department of the organisation. In order to establish a fare communication link, it must be attractive and interesting to the reader. The format of a house journal varies from a newsletter to a booklet. The final authority to approve the contents and form of a house journal is the organisation management.

2.      Annual report

Annual report comprises of the details of policies and working strategies adopted by the organisation. It also includes the reports and analysis on the sales, profit and other outcomes. An annual report is usually drafted by the public relations officers of the organisation.

3.      Meetings

Meetings are very essential for an organisation. Meetings can be of different types based on the importance of the topic to be briefed. Whether it is an all staff meeting or meeting of department heads, it creates a better communication link between the employees. Meetings are usually conducted to collect the opinions of the employees on various policies and schemes adopted by the organisation.

4.      Printed literature

The newsletters, leaflets, brochures, posters etc., published and distributed by the public relations departments is an effective tool for internal communication. Various events and other details of the organisation are easily communicated through various printed literature.

5.      Bulletin boards

It is an oldest method of internal communication in an organisation. Bulletin boards are used to inform the employees and other stakeholders.

6.      Direct mail

It is a list of mailing address of important personalities. Brochures, house journals and newsletters can be easily mailed to these important people through direct mail system.

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What are the functions of Public Relations?

Public relation functions are categorized by the methods implemented to appeal and develop relation with the public. The following are some of the competency functions of public relations.

1.       Community relations

An organisation’s planned, active and continuing participation with and within a community, to maintain and enhance its environment, to the benefit of both the organisation and the community is called community relations.

2.      Employee relations

Employee Relations deals with the employees of an organisation. This can include team building, employee empowerment and the maintenance of employee goodwill. The image and reputation of a company among its employees is also another responsibility of public relations in its function of employee relations.

3.      Media Relations

Media relations involve setting up and maintaining a professional and mutually beneficial working relationship with reporters and media personnel. It is commonly performed when seeking publicity or responding to reporters’ questions. Media relations are developed by becoming a credible source and as a provider of factual, expert information.

4.      Product public relations

The role played by PR when a new product is introduced in the market is crucial for creating awareness and differentiating the product in the public’s eyes from other similar products. It is also used for improving the product visibility of an existing product.

5.      Crisis communications

Public relation officers provide honest and accurate information when an accident or mishap happens. It can reduce the uncertainties created by the event in the employees. Public relations play major role in the events of natural disasters, management wrongdoings, bankruptcies and product failures.

6.      Government relations

It is the communications with legislatures and government agencies on behalf of an organisation. It includes influencing legislation that can be hindrances to the proper operation of the company. Public relations in politics may have to stage debates and seminars for government officials.

7.      Financial Relations

Financial relations involve communication with the wide variety of individuals and groups that the company deals with in the course of its operations. This includes the stockholders and investors and many other individuals.

Apart from these, there are also four other functions performed by the public relation officers. They are:

1.       Fact finding

Fact finding is the collection of data on the attitude of people towards the company. This help to identify the problems faced by the company and find its strength and weaknesses. It is the first step towards forming objectives, identifying target audience and creating PR strategies.

2.      Planning

Planning involves the setting of company goals and finding ways to achieve them. It defines the target audience and methods adopted for communicating with them. The means of communication, financial requirements and manpower needed for this process is decided in this stage.

3.      Communication

After the plans are well defined, the next step is to communicate and implement them to the stakeholders. Effective communication and implementation of plans will give good results.

4.      Evaluation and Research

Evaluation of the outcomes of the plans is very much important in public relation process. It helps to rectify the errors and introduce better communication strategies.153

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Public Relations in India

Public relations began in India in the early 1990's. India came with many advantages in the scenario of public relations. The consistent and high growth rate of the economy made India a notable area for public relations companies. 

By the early 1990's, after the opening up of the Indian economy, several public relations agencies, notably Perfect Relations, 20:20 MSL, Text 100 and Genesis started with a core focus on public relations alone. This decade also saw the advent of Indian IPO (initial public offerings) agencies like Ad factors PR began to offer PR services free along with their IPO services. These recent past b2p (business to people) relations have been emerging as a best public relations practice in Chennai.

In 2012, the public relations market has slowed down due to the overcrowding of the market. The recession of 2008 &2009 gave birth to another terminology in India called regional public relations. India and similar paced economies have become favoured destinations for global public relations firms keen to extract their share of growth from this market. In 2012, the PR market has slowed down due to the overcrowding of the market with too many fighting for too few.

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History of Public Relations

The formal practice of what is now commonly referred to as public relations dates to the early 20th century. Most historians believe public relations became established first in the US by Ivy Lee or Edward Bernays, and then spread internationally. Many American companies with PR departments spread the practice to Europe when they created European subsidiaries as a result of the Marshall plan. The second half of the twentieth century is considered the professional development building era of public relations. Trade associations, PR news magazines, international PR agencies, and academic principles for the profession were established.

Public relations became a profession in 1903 as Ivy Lee undertook to advise John D. Rockefeller on how to conduct his public relations. Rockefeller owned coal mines and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Miners were on strike and the railroad hushed up the facts when its trains were involved with accidents. Lee advised Rockefeller to visit the coal mines and talk to the miners. Rockefeller spent time listening to the complaints of the miners, improved their conditions, danced with their wives, and became a hero to the miners. Public relations took the next step toward professionalism in 1918 as Edward Bernays advised the President of the new country of Czechoslovakia to announce independence on a Monday, rather than on a Sunday to get maximum press coverage. In 1923, Bernays published Crystallizing Public Opinion, in which he established several public relations principles.

During the 1990s specialties for communicating to certain audiences and within certain market segments emerged, such as investor relations or technology PR. New internet technology and social media websites effected PR strategies and tactics.

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What is Public Relations?

Public relations, is a planned process to influence public opinion, through sound character and proper performance, based on mutually satisfactory two-way communication. It is the practice of managing the flow of information between an individual or an organisation and the public. The aim of public relations by a company often is to persuade the public, investors, partners, employees, and other stakeholders to maintain a certain point of view about it, its leadership, products, or of political decisions. It is corporate shield that the company can wear which would protect the company during adverse times. Public relations can also be defined simply as the practice of managing communication between an organisation and its public.

The aim of public relations is to inform the public, prospective customers, investors, partners, employees, and other stakeholders and ultimately persuade them to maintain a certain view about the organisation, its leadership, products, or of political decisions. Public relations professionals typically work for PR and marketing firms, businesses and companies, government, government agencies, and public officials as PIO, and nongovernmental organisations and non-profit organisations.

• Definitions

Public relations are a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organisations and their public. – Public Relations Society of America

It is a management function, which tabulates public attitudes, defines the policies, procedures, and interests of an organisation, followed by executing a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance. – Ivy Lee and Edward Louis Bernays

The art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counselling organisational leaders, and implementing planned programs of action, which will serve both the organisation and the public interest. - World Assembly of Public Relations Associations, 1978

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What is an Advertising Agency?

An advertising agency is a firm that performs every kind of works related to advertising and marketing. It is a service based business dedicated to creating, planning, and handling advertising for its clients. 

An ad agency creates new promotional ideas, designs print, radio, television, and internet advertisements, books advertisement space and time, plans and conducts advertising campaigns, commissions research and surveys, and provides other such services that help a client in entering and succeeding in a chosen market.

The first acknowledged advertising agency in the world was William Taylor in 1786. Some of the major ad agencies in India are Ogilvy and Mather, Mudra Communications, JWT, McCann Erickson India, etc.

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Effects of Advertising on Children

The impact of advertising on children, either directly or indirectly continues to arouse a considerable amount of controversy all over the world. One of the most emotionally charged allegation against advertising is that it is harmful to children who are regarded as immature and totally gullible.

On the other hand, advertisers argue that the primary goal of advertising is to inform child audiences that will widen their range of choice in particular market rather than ending up with purchasing unwanted products. Moreover, today’s children have grown up with television and internet and they have learned to cope with these equipment. The anxiety is on the part of parents/grandparents/teachers/religious leaders for whom television or Internet are relatively new media.

The arguments against advertising to children usually claim that advertisement creates artificial demands from children which parents are reluctant to gratify. This will create additional family tensions. The specific arguments against ad are the following:

·         Television commercial suggests to children that without the product, they are inferior

·         Children between 4 -7 years cannot tell fact from fantasy from an advertisement

·         Advertisement make children nag their parents and this creates artificial demands

·         Advertisements encourages children to buy things which are too costly for the parents

·         Children in advertisements sometimes set a bad example

·         Junk foods, such as pizzas, burgers and soft drinks, are heavily promoted during children’s TV viewing time. This develops a craving for fatty, sugary and fast foods in kids, thereby affecting their health adversely.

·         Many advertisements include dangerous stunts, which can be performed only by experts

·         Even though the commercials broadcast the statutory warnings with the ad, the kids often try to imitate the stunts at home, with fatal results

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Mass media and Advertisements

After the upheaval and widespread of the mass media, the companies have naturally used this means of communications to let a large number of people know about their products. After this the complexities of advertising methods and techniques have advanced. This resulted in the turning luxuries into necessities and intentional creation of needs and consumerism.

The new media gradually surpassed the traditional media as the audience shifted from television and newspaper to the internet for information and entertainment. The new media is a major mass media because of its ability to reach larger audiences for less money.

Advertising spend more money on various media. In the present time the favourite media are the T. V., the press, and posters along with radio and film. These have widest coverage. However other advertising media like posters, direct mail, transit media and electric and neon signs are by favoured a few top advertisers.

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Elements of an Advertising Copy

1. Powerful headline

The headline of an advertising copy is said to be the most important element. The headline of an advertisement will normally present a selling idea or will lead people to read of the advertisement.

2. Sub-head

Sometimes important facts may have to be conveyed to the reader and it may require more space than what should be ideally used for the headline. In order to give prominence to such formation it can be put in smaller type than the headline, known as a subhead.

3. Body Copy

The body copy refers to the text in the advertisement which contains details regarding the functions of the product/service and its benefits. The body copy can be short or long depending on how much information the company is willing to tell the reader.

4. Captions

Captions are the small units of type used with illustrations, coupons and special offers. These are generally less important than the main selling points of the advertisement in the body copy and are usually set in type sizes smaller than the text.

5. Blurb

A blurb or a balloon is a display arrangement where the words appear to be coming from the mouth of one of the characters illustrated in the advertisement.

6. Boxes and Panels

Boxes or panels are, in fact, captions placed in special display positions so as to get greater attention. A box is a caption that has been lined on all sides and singled out from the rest of the copy. Boxes and panels are generally used in advertisements containing features such as coupons, special offers and consumer contests.

7. Slogans, Logo Types and Signatures

A slogan may refer, for instance, to the age of the advertiser’s firm, meant for inclusion in every advertisement. A symbol of the company name, seal or trademark is called logotype and is a typical feature of most advertisements. It is also referred to as signature, indicating identification of the company or the brand, address, phone numbers, websites etc.

8. Strap line

A ‘strap line’ or ‘tag line’ usually appears underneath the logo. The strap line summarizes the product’s benefits in a memorable way. Strap lines often make good headlines because they summarize a major benefit in a pithy way.

9. Extras

Some print ads may have additional special elements such as an attached business reply envelope, tear-out portion with a coupon, tip sheet, product sample.

10. Logo

A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises; organizations etc. to aid and promote instant public recognition. Logos are either purely graphic (symbols/icons) or are composed of the name of the organization. Examples of well-known logotypes are the striped IBM design and Coca-Cola written in flowing red script. It is also referred to as trademark or brand.

11. Illustration

An illustration is visualization such as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or decorate textual information by providing a visual representation.

12. Jingle

A jingle is a memorable short tune with a lyric broadcast used in radio and television commercials, which are usually intended to convey an advertising slogan. They are also used for radio station, television channel and program identification purposes. The main role of an advertising slogan or radio jingle is to create an identity for the brand.

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Principles of Advertisement

The basic principle of advertising is identification of market and spreading the word.

1.       Identification of brands

Products, services and ideas are sold through businesses that are differentiated by their brand identities. Brand identity is communicated to the public via advertising. Consumers build emotional relationships with certain brands with which they become increasingly familiar through the years, through advertising.

2.      Disseminating information

Advertising supplies the necessary information to consumers so that they know what is available and where to buy it. It broadcasts information on products, services and ideas sold on the open market through a variety of media portals. It reveals the special features being sold, what color and size the product is and which stores carry it.

3.      Persuasion

Persuasion is the core mission of advertising. Powerful, visual advertising presentations compel consumers to purchase goods, services and ideas as a way to achieve emotional fulfillment. Advertising tells you how the product, service or idea you are considering will improve your life.

4.      Pricing

Advertising displays consumer goods with competitive prices relative to the current market, thus educating consumers about what things should cost. Advertising lets you know what the competition is doing, when the next sale is, and how you can receive the latest coupon or rebate and seeks to assure you that you are receiving the best value for your money.

5.      Creating demand

The demand generated by advertising, public relations, and sales promotion pulls the goods or services through channels of distribution. One of the powerful functions of advertising is to generate consumer demand for specific products, services and ideas through ad campaigns that target the audiences that are most likely to buy them. Products, services and concepts are sold in volume, according to the consumer demand for them.

6.      Meets competition

The advertisements are also made to face to competition. Under competitive conditions, advertisement helps to build up brand image and brand loyalty and when customers have developed brand loyalty, be-comes difficult for the middlemen to change it.

7.      Enhancing goodwill

Large scale advertising is often undertaken with the objective of creating or enhancing the goodwill of the advertising company. This, in turn, increases the market receptiveness of the company’s product and helps the salesmen to win customers easily.

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What are the major types of Advertisements

There are many classifications for advertising on the basis of business concerns, media and marketing strategies. These are some of the common types of advertising:

1.       Product Advertising

Product advertising communicates the features and benefits of a product to customers. Companies use product advertising when they want to launch new products, announce changes to existing products or increase sales of those products. Product advertisements must reflect the interests of the target audience. An advertiser developing a campaign for a food product would create messages and select media that appeal to a wide consumer audience. A campaign for a business product, such as a machine tool, would use media that appeal to different groups influencing the decision to buy, including plant managers, production engineers and finance directors.

2.      Broadcast Advertising

Broadcast advertising is popular all around the world. It consists of television, radio, or Internet advertising. The ads on the television have a large audience and are very popular. The cost of the advertisement depends on the length of the ad and the time at which the ad would be appearing. The prime time ads would be more costly than the regular ones. Radio advertising is not what it used to be after the advent of television and Internet, but still there is specific audience for the radio ads too. The radio jingles are quite popular in sections of society and help to sell the products.

3.      Direct Response Advertising

Direct-response advertising is a method of direct marketing whereby a product is promoted through an advertisement that lets the customer purchase directly from the manufacturer. Direct response advertising has become very popular in recent years owing primarily to changing life-styles. The convenience of shopping through the mail or by telephone has led to the tremendous increase in direct-response advertising

4.      Online Advertising

Online advertising is a form of promotion that uses the Internet and World Wide Web for delivering marketing messages to attract customers. Online ads are delivered by an ad server. Examples of online advertising include contextual ads that appear on search engine results pages, banner ads, in pay per click text ads, rich media ads, Social network advertising, online classified advertising, advertising networks and e-mail marketing, including e-mail spam.

5.      Outdoor Advertising

Outdoor advertising makes use of different tools to gain customer’s attention. The billboards, kiosks, and events and trade shows are an effective way to convey the message of the company. The billboards are present all around the city but the content should be such that it attracts the attention of the customer. The kiosks are an easy outlet of the products and serve as information outlets for the people too. Organizing events such as trade fairs and exhibitions for promotion of the product or service also in a way advertises the product. Therefore, outdoor advertising is an effective advertising tool.

6.      Covert Advertising

It is a form of indirect advertising through media. There is no actual ad, just the mention of the product in the movie. Actors using certain product like I phone, Ray-Ban, Yamaha bike, etc are examples for covert advertising. It is also known as product placement or in-film advertisement.

7.      Public Service Advertising

Public service advertising or PSAs are advertisements for the public causes. There are lots of important matters such as AIDS, social integrity, energy conservation, illiteracy, pollution, poverty and so on all of which need more awareness as far as general public is concerned. PSA’s are not aimed at financial gains. This type of advertising has gained much importance in recent times and is an effective tool to convey the message.

8.     Print Advertising

The print media has been used for advertising since long. The newspapers and magazines are quite popular modes of advertising for different companies all over the world. Using the print media, the com-panies can also promote their products through brochures and fliers. The newspaper and magazines sell the advertising space and the cost depends on several factors. The quantity of space, the page of the publication, and the type of paper decide the cost of the advertisement. So an ad on the front page would be costlier than on inside pages. Similarly an ad in the glossy supplement of the paper would be more expensive than in a mediocre quality paper.

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