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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Terminology/ Glossary - Public Relations

General terms used in Public Relations

1. B2B – Public relation marketing communication dedicated to providing information resources between businesses includes professional services, training, human resources and office supplies.
2. B2C – As B2B, But between businesses and the consumer.
3. Community relations – Corporate social outreach programmes designed to build relations and foster understanding of the role of the business to neighbours in the local community.
4. Consultancy – Externally hired public relation services, either an individual consultant or a public relation consultancy.
5. Corporate communications – Public relations for a corporation integrated as part of the company’s strategic objectives.
6. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – CSR makes companies responsible for their use of resources, both environmentally and socially. The role of public relations in CSR strategies is to communicate effectively to build corporate accountability and transparency.
7. Crisis Management – Having a plan in place that can be effectively auctioned when something goes wrong for an organisation.
8. E-PR/Online PR – Communicating over the web and using new technology to effectively communicate with stakeholders.
9. Evaluation – Measuring the impact of a public relation campaign.
10. In-House – Staff within a company or organisation responsible for public relation function.
11. Internal Communications – Organisational use of process communication to help achieve corporate objectives includes employee and stakeholder communications.
12. Media Relations – Dealing with and building up good working relationships with Journalists from the broadcast and print media.
13. Press kit – A branded pack handed out to the media by an organisation. It normally contains background materials, photographs, illustration and news releases.
14. Press office – A press office handles all media inquiries and putout all company messages, or press releases – to the media on the behalf of the organisation.
15. Proposal – Document outlining a proposed PR campaign to an existing or potential client.
16. Publics – These are audiences that are important to the organisation. They include customers – existing and potential; employees and management; investors; media; government; suppliers; opinion formers.
17. Public affairs – The process of communicating an organisation’s point of view on issues or causes to political audiences.
18. Reach – the reach of a PR campaign is the total number of people within your target audience that may see your message, Often referred to as coverage.
19. Research – Finding out background information about a company, product or person to assist with a public relations campaign.
20. ROI – Return on investment. A measure of budget spent to a campaign, versus the income generated through the activity.
21. Viral campaigning – A communications campaign which is designed to exploit the potential of the internet to spread messages rapidly. The audience is encouraged to pass a message on to all their email contact.

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