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What is Public Relations?

Public relations involves the cultivation of favorable relations for organizations and products with its key publics through the use of a variety of communications channels and tools. Traditionally, this meant public relations professionals would work with members of the news media to build a favorable image by publicizing the organization or product through stories in print and broadcast media. But today the role of public relations is much broader and includes:

  • building awareness and a favorable image for a company or client within stories and articles found in relevant media outlets
  • closely monitoring numerous media channels for public comment about a company and its products
  • managing crises that threaten company or product image
  • building goodwill among an organization’s target market through community, philanthropic and special programs and events

In this tutorial most of our focus is on how public relations supports marketing by building product and company image (sometimes referred to as publicity). Yet, it should be noted that there are other stakeholders companies reached via the public relations function, such as employees and non-target market groups. Favorable media coverage about a company or product often reaches these audiences as well and may offer potential benefit to the marketer.

Finally, in most large companies, investor relations (IR) or financial public relations is a specialty in itself guided by specific disclosure regulations. However, coverage of this type of PR will not be provided here.

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19 Comments

  1. Fareeda makes this comment

    January 19, 2012

    Thanks for this wonderful info.

  2. chantel makes this comment

    December 19, 2011

    Thanks for the information, its detailed but helpful.

  3. tari makes this comment

    October 13, 2011

    Thanks for the summarized and detailed info.

  4. aloy makes this comment

    October 04, 2011

    Thanks so much for your help.

  5. Bambur makes this comment

    September 30, 2011

    It's short but helpful.

  6. D.Law makes this comment

    September 20, 2011

    Thanks so much for this tutorial. Now I found the secret of doing my assignments. I really appreciate it.

  7. Maljini makes this comment

    September 04, 2011

    I found lot of information for my assignment and I appreciate you publishing this article. Thanks a lot.

  8. cheng makes this comment

    August 31, 2011

    Great tutorial.

  9. oforiwaa makes this comment

    July 19, 2011

    This is really a good information to all students.

  10. fmbewe makes this comment

    June 02, 2011

    Very helpful and summarized information.

  11. puja makes this comment

    January 02, 2011

    Very helpful information.

  12. parul makes this comment

    October 24, 2010

    This tutorial has really helped me in understanding the concept of public relations.

  13. GUiA makes this comment

    August 31, 2010

    Thanks for the info! I think this could help me a lot on my report. I do find it short but I think it is very understandable and compact though! Thanks again !

  14. Theoneste makes this comment

    June 04, 2010

    This information was so good and short;should be better if you add its deteals.Thanks.

  15. leah makes this comment

    March 19, 2010

    I found this very helpful. Thanks.

  16. Takyiwaa makes this comment

    March 05, 2010

    Its okay but more details should be attach to it.

  17. JUMA makes this comment

    February 05, 2010

    THE INFORMATION IS TOO SHORT

  18. martin makes this comment

    November 03, 2009

    it was helpful

  19. Adam makes this comment

    September 30, 2009

    it is a wonderful write up

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