Public Relations and Politics:The Image Industries

Chapter OutlineHistoryIndustryControversies

Public relations is ▪ The art or science of establishing & promoting a favorable

relationship with the public. Public relations is different from advertising.

How are these two things different?

Public relations & advertising▪ Are persuasive endeavors & work together in integrated marketing

Internal publics ▪ Those within the client’s organization

Includes employees, stockholders, and members.

Precursors of Public Relations People have always had opinions and others have always tried

to influence those opinions.

Ancient Greeks ▪ Hired Sophists to help fight their verbal battles in public forums.

Precursors of Public Relations▪ Ancient rulers ▪ Used spies to keep in touch w/public opinion & spread favorable rumors

▪ Most U.S. settlers were indifferent to American independence. ▪ Patriots used PR techniques, such as the Boston Tea Party to gain support

for the war.

Quick-witted people from sideshow barkers to Broadway press agents ▪ Worked to generate publicity for their clients.

Dramatic means they used was known as hype.▪ P.T. Barnum planted stories filled with lies about his attractions, ▪ Named his circus “The Greatest Show on Earth.”

▪ What are recent examples of “HYPE”?

▪ In the 1800s, public relations techniques were used by ▪ Land speculators & railroads to entice people west.

▪ Railroads encouraged the westward migration

A popular eatery that you enjoy has caused numerous people to get sick, Local authorities say its due to

undercooked or tainted meat This has resulted in the death of two

children Would you still eat there? Why/Why Not

What would have to happen in order for you to go back or continue eating at the restaurant?

Public Relations As a Profession Ivy Ledbetter Lee ▪ The father of the modern public relations industry. ▪ A former newspaperman, he was hired in 1906 to rebuild the tarnished

images of U.S. coal mine owners, including John D. Rockefeller. Lee believed that the goal of public relations was not to fool or

ignore the public.▪ Often credited with being the originator of modern crisis communications

The FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” Program ▪ Started off as a reporter’s request to name their most-wanted fugitives.

Subsequent positive publicity after the story culminated into the “List.”

Today, countries with expanding economies such as Korea and some countries of the former Soviet union, ▪ Hire PR firms to improve the perception that international investors

have of them.

After September 11th, 2001 attacks on the U.S. ▪ U.S. set up media to sway anti-U.S. sentiment in Arab media:▪ “Al Hurra” is a slickly produced Arab-language cable television network.▪ Radio Sawa is an Arab-language radio service.▪ Radio Farda is a Farsi-language radio service.▪ Hi Magazine is a geared towards Iraqi elites.

After poisoned Tylenol capsules in 1982, ▪ President of Johnson & Johnson & company execs had a teleconference

600 reporters in 30 cities ▪ Let company explain the precautions Johnson & Johnson made to

protect consumers.

News reports indicate that there is a spike in muggings and assaults at the local community college You find out several students were robbed

at gunpoint after an evening class You are in charge of developing a solution

to this problem and calming community outcry

What are some things that you can do?

PR Strategies News management techniques include:▪ Publicity stunts ▪ To create human-interest stories,

▪ News hooks ▪ To interest media in information clients want to publicize,

▪ Leaks ▪ To test public reaction to a major policy

▪ Exclusives ▪ Interview with one news outlet to increase the impact of publicity.

Crisis management ▪ The action used to repair a client’s public image following an emergency

Toyota Safety Recall (2013) Idea Baby Bath Seat recall (2013) Whole foods cheese recall (2013) Companies use PR agencies ▪ To calm the public and restore trust in their products/services▪ What companies is currently working to repair their tarnished image?

Lobbying ▪ Attempt to influence the voting of legislators. ▪ Name comes from PR reps speaking to lawmakers in lobbies

outside hearing rooms.▪ Companies spend millions of dollars in lobbying efforts.▪ Multi-million dollar associations are set up for influencing how

laws are written.

You are the account executive in charge of a new account The client wants to generate a buzz for

their new shoe line You don’t have enough money to run

ANY ads What are some things you can do to get

the word out?

Public Relations Tools VNRs have become controversial in recent years, ▪ Often called Fake News, when used without attribution.▪ Used by news organizations to increase content▪ Without added cost

The Ethics of PR Tactics PR professionals & journalists have a “love-hate” relationship. ▪ Neither respects the other’s job yet they need each other.

Journalists call PR people “spin doctors and “flacks,” ▪ Derives from the term for WW II anti-aircraft fire.

Spin ▪ Providing an interpretation of an event or campaign▪ Persuading public opinion in favor or against an

organization or public figure

The Ethics of PR Tactics To some, spinning▪ Is the practice of twisting the truth so that what is said puts the best possible

face on the facts. ▪ Critics feel that most spinning is a type of lying, or a half-truth at best

“The Big Lie”▪ When people state something they know to be untrue and stick to it▪ In spite of all evidence in the hopes that the press and public will become

confused by the issue and forget about it.

Greenwashing Covering up environmental problems caused by the client ▪ By associating that client with beneficial environmental actions.

Many critics believe that freebies▪ Including junkets, meals, and gifts designed to curry favor with reporters

and magazine writers, amount to bribes.