Page 32 - PR Communication Age January-June2020

company's many stakeholders. The public relations profes- reporters, and they don't focus on attractive paid promo-
sional must know how to effectively address those concerns tions. They rather promote the brand by using editorial
using the most powerful tool of the public relations trade, content appearing on magazines, newspapers, news chan-
which is publicity. nels, websites, blogs, and TV programs.
Within public relations there are several strategies for you
Edward Louis Bernays, established the first definition of communicating with the public, including:
public relations in the early 1900s as follows: "a manage- 1. Media relations - working with and through media
ment function, which tabulates public attitudes, defines the outlets to share news and information about your busi-
policies, procedures and interests of an organization... fol- ness, its products and services.
lowed by executing a program of action to earn public un- 2. Sponsorships - providing financial support for an
derstanding and acceptance." According to him, the public event, team, or organization in exchange for recogni-
relations counsel is the agent working with both modern tion.
media of communications and group formations of society
in order to provide ideas to the public's consciousness.

Furthermore, PR counselor is also concerned with ideolo-
gies and courses of actions as well as material goods and
services and public utilities and industrial associations and
large trade groups for which it secures popular support. In
1948, historian Eric Goldman noted that the definition of
public relations in Webster's would be "disputed by both
practitioners and critics in the field." Public relation is thus
not a phenomenon of the 20th century, but rather has all
these historical roots. The main objective of public relations
is to maintain a positive reputation of the brand and main-
tain a strategic relationship with the public, prospective cus-
tomers, partners, investors, employees and other stake-
FIGURE 5: COMMON PARAPHERNALIA OF PUBLIC
holders who leads to a positive image of the brand and RELATIONS
makes it seem honest, successful, important, and relevant.
3. Internal communications - communicating with em-
ployees and vendors using tools like newsletters, social
media, and town meetings, to keep them informed re-
garding important company business.
4. Special events - hosting or supporting public events
that heighten awareness of your business.
5. Tradeshows - attending conferences, workshops, and
expositions with a goal of increasing awareness of your
company and its offerings.
6. Premiums - producing products featuring the
company's name or logo to be given to the public.
7. Social media - managing outgoing and incoming mes-
FIGURE 4: FACETS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
sages via blogs, Face book, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest,
Public relations are different from advertising. Public rela- and Instagram with a goal of increasing awareness and
tions agencies don't buy ads, they don't write stories for positive perceptions.

"Energy doesn't lie, what you attract is who you are."

32 PR COMMUNICATION AGE January - June 2020