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Public Opinion. Lecture #5. In Class Assignment #2. Name 5 things that influence a fashion brand’s public opinion. Public Opinion. Suffering a loss of public opinion is not a small issue No individual or organization can suffer to tarnish their reputation - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Lecture #5
Public Opinion
In Class Assignment #2 Name 5 things that influence a fashion
brand’s public opinion
Public Opinion Suffering a loss of public opinion is not a small issue
No individual or organization can suffer to tarnish their reputation
A negative public opinion can result in a loss of prestige and/or business
The way customers, vendors, suppliers, retailers, the media, and the community perceive the brand has an effect on the organization
In most cases this leads to a loss of $$$$
Public Opinion Public- a group of individuals who share a
common interest in a specific subject Opinion- the expression of an attitude on a
particular topic, when attitudes become strong enough they surface as an opinion, when opinions become strong enough they lead to verbal or behavioral actions
Attitudes Opinions Actions Public Opinion- the compilation of many
individual opinions on a particular issue that affects a group– a consensus
Public Opinion The best PR campaigns in the world
cannot be built if reality is destroying it It is difficult to change individuals’
minds. It is even harder to move them away
once they have formed an opinion Most PR programs are meant to
Persuade individuals to change their minds Crystallize uninformed or undeveloped
opinions Reinforce existing opinions
What is an Attitude? We all have one, but what are they? Attitudes are evaluations that we make
about specific problems or issues They are positive, negative, or
nonexistent; for something, against something, or neutral
Attitudes and behaviors are both situational-- influenced by specific issues in specific situations
When others with similar attitudes reach similar opinions, public opinion is born
How Are Attitudes Developed?
Personal- physical and emotional; size, age, social status Cultural- Rural and Urban, North and South Educational- an individual’s level of education alters their
attitude about specific issues or events Familial- we acquire our parents’ tastes, biases, and
political views Religion- allows us to form attitudes about specific topics Social Class- when status changes, so does attitude Race Friends Celebrities and Community Leaders The Product
Changing Attitudes It is very hard to change the minds of
individuals who strongly support or oppose an issue or individual
This is why those in the middle, or who remain neutral to an issue or individual are important to shaping public opinion.
Those in the middle are usually the easiest to sway one way or another, because typically these individuals are passive or indifferent.
Changing Attitudes Cognitive dissonance- the idea that individuals
avoid information that is dissonant or opposes their own points of view, and they tend to seek out information that supports their attitudes
Social Judgment- individuals may have a range of opinions on a certain subject, anchored by a clear attitude
While it is hard to change individuals’ positions, communicators can work to modify an individual’s opinion
Motivating Attitude Change Motivation is key to changing anyone’s attitude from
latent to aware and finally active Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs helps us understand
what motivates us: Psychological Needs- food, water, sleep Safety Needs- security, protection Love Needs- love, belonging, affection Esteem Needs- recognition and prestige Self-Actualization- becoming what is capable of
becoming
According to Maslow, all 5 lead to motivation
Power of Persuasion Perhaps the most powerful tool for influencing
public opinion is persuasion Persuasion- getting another person to do something
through advice, reasoning, or arm-twisting A person may be in two minds in order to be
persuaded to believe in a particular position or take a specific action. Systematic- an individual who has carefully considered
an argument Heuristic- an individual who has skimmed the surface
and not really focusing on the intricacies of a particular position
Power of Persuasion Everyone is persuaded by different
things, making it difficult for PR professionals to persuade individuals
People understand things in terms of their own experience
If you want to persuade someone, you must cite evidence that coincides with their own beliefs, emotions, and expectations
Types of Evidence Facts- indisputable, a good PR professional always
starts with research
Emotions- people respond to emotional appeal
Personalizing- people respond to personal experience
Appealing to “you”- what is in it for me? It is always important to think in terms of what will appeal to the audience when trying to persuade
Influencing Public Opinion Public opinion is a lot easier to measure
than it is to influence The opinions being changed of modified
must be identified and understood Target publics must be clear PR professional must have a sharp focus
of the “laws” that govern public opinion
Influencing Public Opinion Highly sensitive to important events Generally determined by events more than words In critical times, individuals become more sensitive to
the adequacy of their leadership– if they have confidence in it they are willing to assign more responsibility, if they lack confidence, they are less tolerant
Once self-interest is involved, opinions are hard to change
People have more opinions and are able to form opinions on goals more easily than on methods of reaching goals
Image and Public Opinion Organizations and individuals in the
spotlight must understand that credibility is crucial to gaining public support.
In order to earn and keep that support, they must operate with the trust of the public in mind
Those concerned with public opinion are focused on managing their reputation
Image and Public Opinion Reputation is based on what one does, not on what
one says and is present throughout our lives. Many PR firms have introduced reputation
management divisions, and have even called themselves reputations managers
Relationship management aligns communications with an organization or individual’s character and actions
Create recognition, credibility, and trust among constituents
Managing reputation is a front-line responsibility of public relations
Image and Public Relations There is the image that the brand tries
to build There is the image that the media
portrays of the brand The image the society itself thrusts upon
the brand Together they all shape the composite of
the brand In fashion, PR is usually responsible for
shaping public opinion through unpaid media exposure opportunities
The Media and Public Opinion
PR aims to control the image projected in the media and community
What the media says about the company and what the community thinks are both concerns of the PR professional
It is important that an organization obtains a favorably public opinion because when a consumer has to decide between an organization and its competitor, the consumer usually goes with the company who has the best public opinion
Public Opinion and the Organization
Public opinion is responsible for the success and failure of an organization or individual.
It can directly or subliminally affect the buying habits of the organization’s potential consumers.
Because individuals have different attitudes toward issues it makes the task of managing public opinion difficult for the PR professional
Public Opinion and the Organization
If your organization sells furs and leathers, you may offend a group that does not support animal products. You may also alienate the group that desires the products if you do not carry these products
Similarly, if word gets out that your organization uses sweatshop conditions in it manufacturing processes, the attitudes of your consumers may range from being deeply upset to not caring much at all.
This shows how PR professionals struggle to appeal to its consumers, while also remaining ethical
Public Relations Shaping Image
If you do not have a public image, the public will be happy to create on for you. No image = Bad Image
When advertising and promotional efforts are properly used with PR, organizations can proactively shape public opinion of a brand.
Products that uphold the promises that are made to consumers help shape a positive image.
Media and Shaping Image Must take a proactive approach to soliciting
media coverage. Must conduct research Must build relationships- have the right contacts
for the right story Send story ideas to media personnel that cover
topics related to your idea Keep the ideas newsworthy, concise, and follow
up after the press release is sent Working with the media is the only way they will
help shape your organization’s opinion
Shaping Image by Word of Mouth
Create a buzz- individuals pay attention to the buzz
When you combine communications, with press releases, community activities, and marketing with the objective of getting the word out about the brand, you create excitement in the community about the brand.
These activities give life to the brand. Getting involved in the community and events is
a great way to start the buzz and ensure success of a word-of-mouth campaign.
Shaping Image With Ethics Unethical behavior of an organizations
will most likely have negative repercussions.
Developing ethical standards and adhering to those standards can help positively shape the image of an organization and its brands.
Final Thoughts Public opinion is a series of developing attitudes and
opinions into behaviors There are a series of elements that help individuals
shape their attitudes Community, media, word of mouth, vendors,
suppliers, consumers, and employee all help or hurt public opinion.
Once your organization has a negative public opinion it is difficult to change.
You can create a positive public opinion by acting ethically, being honest, delivering quality products, and remaining credible.
References
Seitel, F.P. (2011). The Practice of Public Relations. Prentice Hall: Boston.
Sherman, G.J., & Perlman, S.S. (2010). Fashion Public Relations. Fairchild Books: New York.