Public Relations And Marketing Communications [New, Revised, Expanded, Special Edition]

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

[NEW, REVISED, EXPANDED, SPECIAL EDITION]

PREFACE

This book is written for the public relations and marketing professionals, who need an in-depth study of their field of work, and the student who is preparing for the LCCI exams in Public Relations and/or Marketing, the CAM Foundation (UK) exams, or the Chartered Institute of Marketing exams.

The book is the result of several courses on Public Relations taught by the author, for students sitting the Communication Studies exams which are recognized by the CAM Foundation as one of the entry requirements for professional membership.

Public Relations and Marketing Communications are interesting and practicable subjects. In this book, the author has included a number of interesting examples which the reader should be able to identify with.

For this edition, some updating has been carried out and additional materials have been included.

Wishing all readers a fruitful study of the techniques and ideas presented in the book. 

Kerwin Mathew, Ph.D., CPM

CONTENTS

1.   Introduction To Public Relations

2.   The Ethics Of Public Relations

3.   Public Relations Within Organizations

4.   The Publics Of Public Relations

5.   Government Public Relations Officers And Government Public Relations

6.   The Press And Press Officers

7.   Counselling And Counselling Services

8.   Advertising And Advertising Agencies

9.   Publicity For The Service Industries

10. Publicity For Products

11. Personal Publicity

12. Media Planning And Media Plan Execution

13. Basic Media

14. Composite Media

15. Planning Public Relations Campaigns

16. Measuring Communication Effectiveness

17. Public Relations And The Law

18. Epilogue

Appendix [Example Of A Public Relations Plan]: Public Relations Plan Of Ace Meat Market

1  INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS

What Is Public Relations?

Public relations consists of all communications with all the people with whom an organization has contact. It is a two-way communication process between the person who wants to communicate a message and the person to whom the message is conveyed.

The Institute of Public Relations’ (IPR) definition of public relations is as follows: THE DELIBERATE, PLANNED AND SUSTAINED EFFORT TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING.

Edward Bernays calls it: ENGINEERING OF CONSENT.

The objects and aims of public relations are to:

* Achieve good will

* Safeguard reputation

* Promote understanding

* Inform, educate or create awareness

A well-planned public relations programme normally includes the following four steps:

* Fact-finding and feedback

* Planning and programming

* Action and communication

* Evaluation

Public Relations Activities

Those engaged in public relations work generally perform several functions. They monitor public opinion and analyze an organization's relationships with its publics, such as employees, shareholders, students, government, press, et al.. What is publics? Publics may be defined as a group of people with a common interest.

The History Of Public Relations

Public relations as a recognized vocation dates back to the 19th. century. Although the term public opinion was not coined until the 18th. century, the force of opinion was recognized in ancient times. Greek theorists studied the importance of the public will, and the urban culture of the Roman Empire gave scope to the opinion process.

In probably the first systematic effort by an American institution to raise funds, Harvard College in 1641 sent three preachers to England on a begging mission. Columbia College became perhaps the first institution to issue a press release when it sent out an announcement of its commencement in 1758.

The campaign led by Alexander Hamilton to win adoption of the Constitution was one of the most skillful and important examples of public relations activities. The American historian Allan Nevins described the propaganda effort of Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay as history’s finest public relations job.

The political conflicts of the 1830s produced a pioneer in public relations, Amos Kendall. President Jackson, lacking formal education in political or social philosophy, needed Kendall, a communications specialist, to convey his ideas to Congress and the country. Today the president's or political candidate's press secretary epitomizes the emergence of public relations as an influential force in public information and political systems.

In the United States, the excesses of large corporations, railroads, banks, utilities, and other businesses in the late 19th. and early 20th. centuries brought exposure by muckrakers and attacks by political leaders. These attacks brought about a popular revolt against businesses and led to increased government regulation. Corporate leaders long accustomed to secrecy and characterized by a public be damned philosophy, were forced into the public forum. Consequently, they began hiring publicists to defend them in an effort to head off more restrictive legislation. For example, American railroads retained the Publicity Bureau in 1906 in an unsuccessful effort to block regulatory legislation supported by President Theodore Roosevelt. From that day on, business corporations have relied on public relations expertise to communicate with employees, stockholders, communities in which plants are situated, customers, investors, and governmental agencies, and to deal with the news media that keep business under public scrutiny.

2  THE ETHICS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

In public relations (PR), it pays to be honest. A business is more likely to succeed if it is trusted. PR will not work unless it is believed. Factual information has to be presented as objectively as possible. As in the other professions, the public relations officer (PRO) has to show professionalism in his job, and he has to adhere to a code of ethics. The various PR professional bodies have their respective codes of conduct.

The following is the IPR Code of Professional Conduct.

CLAUSE l: STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

A member shall have a positive duty to observe the highest standards in the practice of public relations. Furthermore a member has the personal responsibility at all times to deal fairly and honestly with his client, employer and employees, past or present, with fellow members, with the media of communication and, above all else, with the public.

The PRO should be trustworthy - he should respect public standards and interests.

CLAUSE 2: DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION

A member shall have a positive duty at all times to respect the truth and in this regard not to disseminate false or misleading information knowingly or recklessly and to use proper care to avoid doing so inadvertently.

The PR practitioner should pass on accurate information to his publics and should always speak the truth.

CLAUSE 3: MEDIA OF COMMUNICATION

A member shall not engage in any practice which tends to corrupt the integrity of the media of communication.

The PR practitioner should not buy editorial space by making some form of payment to the press.

CLAUSE 4: UNDISCLOSED INTERESTS 

A member shall have the duty to ensure that the actual interest of any organization with which he may be professionally concerned is adequately declared.

One should not use a special name to hide one’s real identity if one is the real sponsor. For example, if a garment manufacturer sets up a National Garment Advisory Centre and did not reveal the name of the company sponsoring it, a false impression that it is an independent or official advisory bureau which gives impartial advice about all makes of garment could be created.

CLAUSE 5: CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

"A member shall not disclose (except upon the order of a court of competent jurisdiction) or make use of information given or obtained in confidence from his employer, or client, past or

present, for personal gain or otherwise." 

The PR practitioner should be discreet with information and at all times respect confidences, even when he may no longer be working for his employer or client.

CLAUSE 6: CONFLICT OF INTEREST

A member shall not represent conflicting interests but may represent competing interests with the express consent of the parties concerned.

There is no rule that members may not represent conflicting or competing interests, only that they may not do so without the consent of those concerned, after full disclosure of the facts.

CLAUSE 7: DISCLOSURE OF BENEFICIAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS

A member with a beneficial interest in or from an organisation shall not recommend the use of that organisation, nor make use of its service on behalf of his client or employer, without declaring his interest.

This clause is an extension of Clause 6. If, for instance, a consultant has an associated graphic design studio or photographic or model agency, or if he is privately a partner in a printing or

catering concern, though there is nothing wrong in the member having such an outside interest, it is improper for him to use it or recommend its use without, firstly, disclosure of the interest and

secondly, the client's (or employer's, if he is employed as a public relations officer) specific agreement.

CLAUSE 8: PAYMENT CONTINGENT UPON ACHIEVEMENTS

A member shall not negotiate or agree terms with a prospective employer or client on the basis of payment contingent upon specific future public relations achievements.

A public relations consultant should not be paid on a payment by result basis. He should be remunerated strictly for his skills and for performing a stipulated task.

CLAUSE 9: REWARDS TO HOLDERS OF PUBLIC OFFICE

A member shall not, with intent to further his interests (or those of his client or employer), offer or give any reward to a person holding public office if such action is inconsistent with the public interest.

Public relations practitioners are citizens before they are public relations practitioners and should not improperly make use of the services of a public office-holder.

CLAUSE l0: EMPLOYMENT OF HOLDERS OF PUBLIC OFFICE

"A member who employs or is responsible for employing or recruiting a member of either House of Parliament, a member of the European Parliament or a person elected to public office,

whether in a consultative or executive capacity, shall disclose this fact and also the object and nature of the employment to the Executive Director of the Institute who shall enter it in a register

kept for the purpose. A member of the Institute who himself falls  into any of these categories shall be directly responsible for disclosing or causing to be disclosed to the Executive Director the same information as may relate to himself. (The register referred to in this clause shall be open to public inspection at the offices of the Institute during office hours.)"

An Institute member who employs or retains a Member of Parliament, of either House, should register the fact formally with the Institute. An Institute member who is himself an MP or peer

should disclose the fact that he is an MP or peer to the Institute.

CLAUSE 11: INJURY TO OTHER MEMBERS

A member shall not maliciously injure the professional reputation of another member.

It is improper to injure the professional reputation or practice of a member, though the temptation provided by competition between consultants is likely to be there.

CLAUSE 12: INSTRUCTION OF OTHERS

A member shall not knowingly cause or permit another person or organisation to act in a manner inconsistent with this Code or be a party to such action.

This clause is an important safeguard to professional standards. No member can excuse breaches of the Code by pleading that they were committed by, for instance, a member of his staff, who might not be a member and by reason of his subordinate position might in any case be under pressure to comply with his client's instructions.

CLAUSE 13: REPUTATION OF THE PROFESSION

A member shall not conduct himself in a manner which is or is likely to be detrimental to the reputation of the Institute or the profession of public relations.

This clause is aimed at protecting the profession and the Institute in all matters which, not part of public relations practice, reflect on their collective good name.

CLAUSE 14: UPHOLDING THE CODE

"A member shall uphold this Code, shall cooperate with fellow members in so doing and in enforcing decisions on any matter arising from its application. If a member has reason to believe

that another member has been engaged in practices which may be in breach of this Code, it shall be his duty first to inform the member concerned and then to inform the Institute if these

practices do not cease. It is the duty of all members to assist the Institute to implement this Code, and the Institute will support any member so doing."

This clause requires Institute members to uphold the Code, and, as a duty, to help the Institute to deal with possible breaches. The Institute does not possess the powers of a court of law, and must depend on the cooperation of everyone concerned when disciplinary proceedings have to be taken.

CLAUSE 15: OTHER PROFESSIONS

A member shall, when working in association with other professionals, respect the codes of other professions and shall not knowingly be party to any breach of such codes.

This clause stipulates that the public relations practitioner should understand and respect the code of ethics applicable to a client or employer who is a member of one of the established professions. For example, doctors and architects, according to the Code of Conduct of their respective professional bodies, are not supposed to advertise their services, and any public relations practitioner acting on their behalf or advising them should understand this point and ensure that the Code of Conduct is not breached, in this aspect, as well as in all the other aspects, while carrying out his public relations activities.

CLAUSE 16: PROFESSIONAL UPDATING

A member shall be expected to be aware of, understand and observe this Code, any amendments to it and any other codes which shall be incorporated into this Code and to remain up-to-date with the content and recommendations of any guidance or practice papers as may be issued by the institute and shall have a duty to take all reasonable steps to conform to good practice as expressed in such guidance or practice papers.

The public relations practitioner should be up-to-date with changes, if any, in the IPR Code of Professional Conduct.

CLAUSE 17: INTERPRETINC THE CODE

In the interpretation of this Code, the Law of England shall apply.

The interpretation of the IPR Code of Professional Conduct should be carried out with consideration to English law.

3  PUBLIC RELATIONS WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS

Public relations is among the newer functions of management. It is a rather general function, unlike the more specialized functions of the lawyer, accountant, engineer or doctor.

Public relations is recognized as an essential ingredient for a successful commercial and a successful non-profit making enterprise.

It has now become the vital part of the communication process, which is indispensable to the workings of our economy and our social and governmental institutions.

The number of persons actively engaged in public relations work today has been increasing at a progressive rate.

Many corporate public relations departments are located at company headquarters, though quite a number are also located in subsidiary companies, in the home country and overseas, and in local or regional offices.

However, many smaller companies still rely on other departments, such as advertising, sales, industrial relations, and personnel, to handle their public relations as an additional assignment. The obvious disadvantage of this arrangement is that public relations normally gets second consideration and hence cannot function with full effectiveness.

On the other hand, this approach often is a prelude to the establishment of a full-fledged public relations department.

Yet another practice, which is fairly widespread among organizations, is to retain outside counsel or consultants on a continuing or special assignment basis as an adjunct to, or as a substitute for, an internal public relations department.

The Responsibility Of Public Relations Staff

The public relations staff is responsible for planning public relations activities, producing communications media and aiding and advising line executives in carrying out their public relations responsibilities. It has administrative responsibility for public relations, it co-ordinates and unifies functions, eliminates duplication of activities, ensures well-balanced programmes, and provides for specialized skills essential for the production of communication materials.

What does the public