Public Relations Ethics

Presented by
Brett Atwood
The Importance of Ethics
 Complaints About PR
• Misleads the public
• Perpetuates Images Over Reality
• Creates Misinformation
• Creates Barriers to Communication
 Complaints about PR as Marketing
Communication
• Encourages Materialism
• Manipulates People
• Excessive
• Offensive or in Bad Taste; Debases our
Language & Culture
 Complaints about PR as Marketing
Communication
• Deceptive
• May Encourage Harmful Activities
• Contributes to Product Cost
• Reduces Competition; Creates Barriers to
Market Entry
 Benefits of PR
• Advocates Organizational Adjustment &
Adaptation
• Contributes to an Informed Public by Making
All Points of View Known
• Aids in Problem-Solving Processes, including
Conflict Resolution
• Serves a Media Support Function
 Benefits of PR as Marketing
Communication
• Promotes Competition and Makes New Brand
Entry Possible
• Results in Consumer Awareness of Products &
Services
• Supports Media
 What are Ethics?
• Definition: Moral Philosophy, Values; Dealing
with Moral Duty or Obligation
– Conforming to Professional Standards
• Ethics Concern Questions of “Right or Wrong,”
“Fair or Unfair,” “Good or Bad” and/or
“Responsible or Irresponsible”
 What are Ethics?
• Ethical Questions Often Raise Issues Related
to Trust and Reputation
• Questionable Behavior Begs the Question:
“Can I Trust Your Organization at All?”
 What Are Ethics?
• Practitioners Must Balance or Satisfy:
– The Public’s Interest
– Employers’ & Clients’ Expectations
– Professional Code of Ethics
– Their Own Personal Values
 Ethical Considerations
• Many Ethical Dilemmas Concern the Truth
• Personal Ethics Usually Begin Where Laws End
– It May Be Legal, But Is It Ethical?
• If an Action is Legal, Many Practitioners Also
Consider It Ethical
 Legal Challenges
• You will have legal responsibilities in PR
• Overview of things to avoid:
– Political lobbying without disclosing source of
funds
– Engaging in any illegal activity or encouraging your
client to engage in illegal activity
– Disseminating information that is misleading,
untrue or damaging
 Example: Fleishman-Hillard

• PR firm Fleishman-Hillard sued by the city of Los

Angeles for false accounting and over-billing
– Settled for $5.7 million in 2005
 Example: British Airways
• British Airways suspended its head of PR after he
collaborated with other major airline companies to
determine a strategy relating to fuel surcharges
– Several lawsuits have been filed claiming that the airline
colluded with other companies for price fixing
 Example: Shandwick
• An employee of PR firm Shandwick Worldwide
forged the signature of Florida governor Jeb Bush
on a letter opposing an anti-gambling campaign
– The employee Matthew Blair had tried to get approval
first, but was refused
 Example: Procter & Gamble
• There is an investigation of
Procter & Gamble’s Tremor
viral marketing site
• Over 250,000 “opinion leader”
teens use the site
• Debate exists over whether
those teens should disclose
their connection
 Example: Nike
• Nike was sued over false
PR campaign that sought
to dispel reports that it
uses Asian sweatshops
• Suit claimed that Nike
deliberately obscured
several facts as it
mounted a campaign
promoting “corporate
responsibility”
 Example: Nike
• Court found this to be a case of “commercial speech,”
rather than “free speech”
• Thus, since the campaign was commercial, it did not
fall under the First Amendment’s protection of “free
speech”
 Ethical Considerations
• Some Questions to Consider:
– Who are We Trying to Influence and Why?
– What Do We Have to Say or Do to Win Their
Support?
– What are the Possible Positive & Negative Results
of Our Actions?
 Different Ethical Opinions
• A Practitioner’s Job is to Serve as a Client
Mouthpiece Regardless of Personal Views
• I Can Work for Clients/Employers Holding
Opinions at Variance with My Own as Long as
they Don’t Affect My Work
• You Should Quit or Decline Jobs that are
Counter to your Personal Views
 Ethics and PR
• Some PR writers are
accredited members of
the PRSA
• These PR officials will
earn the APR distinction
• If a PR writer is APR
accredited, then they
must adhere to certain
ethical standards
 Code Overview
• They must adhere to the highest standards of
truth
• They must give credit where it is due
• They will not knowingly disseminate false
information
 ADVOCACY

• We serve the public

interest by acting as those
we represent.
• We provide a voice in the
marketplace of ideas that
aid informed public
debate.
 HONESTY

• We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and

truth in advancing the interests of those we represent
and in communicating with the public.
 EXPERTISE
• We acquire and responsibly use specialized
knowledge experience.
• We advance the profession through continued
professional development, research, and education.
• We build mutual understanding, credibility, and
relationships among a wide array of institutions and
audiences.
 INDEPENDENCE
• We provide objective counsel to those we represent.
• We are accountable for our actions.
 LOYALTY
• We are faithful to those we represent, while
honoring our obligation to serve the public interest.
 FAIRNESS
• We deal fairly with clients, employers, competitors,
peers, vendors, the media, and the general public.
• We respect all opinions and support the right of free
expression.
PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Free Flow of Information
– Protecting & Advancing Free Flow of Accurate,
Truthful Information
– Improper to Give a Gift to Journalist to Influence
Coverage or Review
PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Competition
– Promoting Healthy & Fair Competition Among PR
Professionals
– Improper to Give Inside Information to a Firm
Competing for an Organization’s Business
PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Disclosure of Information
– Open Communication Fosters Informed Decision
Making
– Improper to Implement Campaign on Behalf of an
Undisclosed Interest Group
PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Safeguarding Confidences
– Client Trust Requires Protection of Confidential,
Private Information
– Improper to Change Jobs and Use Confidential
Information in a New Position
PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Conflict of Interest
– Avoiding Conflicts of Interest Builds Trust of
Clients, Employers and the Public
– Improper to Fail to Inform Prospective Client That
You Represent a Competitor
PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Enhancing the Profession
– Work to Strengthen the Public’s Trust
– Improper to Promote a Product as Safe When
Evidence Suggests It Is Not
 Other Codes and Policies
• Codes in Advertising:
– American Advertising
Federation
– Assn. of Better Business
Bureaus Int’l
• All ads should be
truthful