CHAPTER FIVE – PUBLIC RELATION

DEFINITIONS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

PR is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding
between on organization and its publics.
Public
A group of similar individuals; an assortment of persons having the same interests, problems,
circumstances, goals; it is from such persons that opinion emanates.
Public is a varied creature; it comes in many forms and sizes. Public has a multitude of wants
and desires; it has its likes and dislikes, sometimes, strong likes and strong dislikes.
Employers make for a public and employees another public; the government is a public and
citizens constitute another public, and so on, each of these groups is a public of the sort, tries to
attract a different audience with its own tools and techniques.
Relations
Human wants to create the need to establish relations with one another. The representative wants
of the individuals will profoundly affect their relationship. To understand any relationship,
therefore, one must understand the wants of those involved.
'Relationships are of all possible types. We have relationship by ran-superior to inferior, inferior
to superior, and equal to equal. We have relationship by sentiment-benevolent, Friendly,
suspicious, jealous, hostile.
A relationship may be active, or it may be passive it may be good or it may be bad, or it may be
neutral. At any rate, the relationship is there to be accepted, ignored or altered, as desired.
Communications Tools in PR
The basic goal of public relations is:
 to attract public attention
 win belief
 achieve understanding and
 earn goodwill.
Oral communication, Printed and graphic communication, Print media, Outdoor media
(electronic displays, hoardings, posters), Broadcast media (radio, television, films), and other
media (websites, endorsements, exhibitions) are PR tools used to communicate to the public.
 Oral Communication
Oral communication is an effective PR tool which allows for questions and clarifications.
 Speech and Interview
A good speech helps in effectively communicating to the public. If the speech is delivered
through face to face, it provides an environment for a two-way communication.
Interview is another form of oral communication where you can find one person/group asking
questions and the other answering them. The former is called an interviewer and the latter the
interviewee. In this method, the interviewee gets an opportunity to impress the audience,
fulfilling one of the goals of public relations.
 Printed and Graphic Communication
 Fliers
Single printed sheets of paper that are distributed along with daily newspaper.
Fliers
 represent the simplest and easiest form of information tools used in public relations.
 were the first written material used for public relations
 are unfolded sheets posted on bulletin boards, delivered by mail or distributed by hand
 present a single message rather than a series of separate message units.
 time specific and address a particular event
 serve awareness objectives through information.
 can be made effective by enhancing their visual appeal.
 Brochures
When the message to be conveyed must last longer in the minds of the audience, then one sheet
of information, as in a flier, may not be sufficient. In such a case, a multi-page publication or in
other words, more than one page of printed matter, is produced as a PR tool.
Depending on their size and purpose for which they are developed, they are called leaflets,
folders or pamphlets. All these publications are called brochures.
Brochure is folded sheet of information which can be read like a book and provides information
which is relevant over a longer period of time.
Let us see some examples of brochures.
 Newsletter
 It is a printed publication produced at regular intervals
 It is distributed to a particular audience seeking information.
 It should focus on information relevant to its public or audience
 The content of a newsletter is presented in a writing style that is less formal
For example, a newsletter published by a certain company may consist of information about
activities conducted during a particular period, special achievements, retiring employees, new
entrants etc.
Press Release
A press release is the most important form of written communication used by public relations
professional to announce something to the media. It is mailed, faxed or e-mailed to the media.
The text of the press release is written in the form of a story with an attractive heading so that the
media quickly grasps and circulates the message through newspapers/radio/television/internet.
 Print Media Advertisement
Newspapers and magazines are print media. They consist of textual messages as well as some
visuals or pictures. They are worked out effectively to attract the reader’s attention away from
other competing advertisements. But advertisements appearing in newspapers and magazines are
different in a number of ways.
Newspaper advertising Magazine advertising
Generally in black and white generally in color
Found in various sizes mostly full page
More than one advertisement may be normally only one advertisement is placed on a page
placed on the same page
 Outdoor Media
Huge boards displaying messages (visual messages) on a particular brand of product or service.
This is what is called a hoarding. These days many hoardings are electronically operated
(electronic hoarding) to make them attractive and catch the attention of the viewers.
Likewise, you may have read messages on milk and milk products written on bus panels and on
huge boards at bus terminals, airports and railway stations where a lot of people come together.
These forms of communication are commonly referred to as poster media.
The poster message carries a strong illustration with a meaningful headline. This form of
communication is used to remind the audience about a certain product or idea.
Another form of outdoor medium is huge balloons suspended in the air with a message written
on them. These are hot air balloons which can easily capture the attention of the public and thus
help in public relations.
 Broadcast Media
Radio advertisements which combine music and messages are typical example used for
broadcast PR tools. Similarly, take the case of television. Here, you can see pictures or images as
well as hear a message or music. These images have certain characteristic features. They are seen
to move as well as make sounds, thus creating a huge impact on viewers. Broadcast media offers
possibilities for movement & sound, making it possible to present creative and attractive images.
 Other Forms of Media
 Websites
A website is a collection of web pages and images which is accessible to the public through the
internet. The internet web is the most commonly used form of media for PR. Internet web can
enable quick access to information and services. The internet is thus rapidly changing the way in
which organizations provide services to their public. The information in a website is presented in
an easy and understandable format. Web pages are designed with catchy illustrations to make
them attractive and thereby grab the attention of the public.
 Celebrity Endorsements
A well-known person advertises about a particular brand of product or service through radio or
television. Here, a person who is likeable and familiar to the audience is chosen to describe a
product and to persuade the public to use the product/service.
 Exhibitions
In exhibition several products being displayed and sold in a large space in an open area or in
huge halls. From this, we can say that:
• the exhibits or items displayed leave a lasting impression on the minds of the people
• it involves participation of people on a large scale
• products can be exhibited and demonstrated in a relaxed atmosphere
• exhibitions provide scope for generating business