Historical references

In a constantly changing world, characterized by expansionism, diversity, interleaving on a socio-

economic level and, also, by instability, disputes or conflict states, a complex of methods and
techniques regarding image management and the success of different organization’s activities
imposes itself. Such an approach is sustained by the constant need of individualization, of placing
one’s self as high as possible on the society-scale. We are taking into consideration the existence
of one of the management’s roles that is based on a continuous and systematic research and
development of understanding, sympathy and support of entities that the organization makes
contact with. Therefore, we are referring to the general concept of Public Relations (PR).

In 1802, Thomas Jefferson (former president of the United States) introduced the notion of “public
relations”, while addressing the American Congress. But its founding father is considered to be Ivy
Lee, whom, in 1906, created in New York the first “International Cabinet for Public Relations”.
Since acquiring and transmitting general interest information became an objective necessity,
industrial and economical entities, charitable foundations, hospitals, research centers, universities
and soon began to call on this “cabinet” more and more often. At the same time, an American
consultant for business and governmental activities, Edward L. Bernays (1891-1995) is the one
who introduces the notion of “PR counseling”, encouraging the rise of Public Relations as
profession.

World War II and the following period helped the development of PR since it was considered to be
of general interest by gathering numerous businessmen who wanted to attract and maintain their
customers. For example, through PR, the authorities convinced the public of the right-fullness of
the United States decision of engaging war with Germany and its allies Japan and Italy. PR grew
constantly after 1945, not only in the United States, but also in Europe as well (France, Holland,
Belgium, the United Kingdom, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Germany and so on), since the
expansion of global commerce and the need for conflict solving made them necessary on wide
areas. Great industrial units and merchants developed “PR information and communication
departments” under the pressure of social development and the need for public information
diversification.

Hence, one can say that, during the last decades, PR have become essential for the modern
world, the technological and scientific expansion, the high interdependence of an ever more
complex society, causing major social, economical and political transformations that the
organizations must face, in their continuous struggle for market supremacy, customers, members
and followers.

Coordinates of the present time

The basic principles of public relations, based on theoretical accumulation and practical
experience, were synthesized through conscious, planed and sustained effort. The intentional
character of public relations, of attempting to influence, to win the trust of its target, to transmit the
information and to receive a favorable response from that target based on limited resources, both
financial and human, imposes the unanimous compliance to the principle of presenting one’s
achievements, be it person or organization, as they are, without any exaggeration or
inadvertences.
Communication within an organization, both ways between managers and employees constitutes
an important part in Public Relations research. This type of communication helps provide a better
understanding and execution of the jobs demands as well as the settlement of the staff’s
demands.

Whether it is present in the private or public areas, PR contributes not only to the good of the
organization, but also to the general public’s interest.

In other words, the interest of the organization might be aligned to the problems and desires of its
public. The trust in the organization’s offer, in the quality of its employees will eventually change
into support and sympathy towards the organizations’ actions and when these actions have a
target translated into profit, into facilitating the access to the necessary financial capital.
Sometimes certain organizations are involved in crisis situations, because they limit themselves to
react to what happens to them and are not aware of the fact that, regardless of their purpose, their
field of activity and the trust that they have is essential.

The main competitors of the contemporary world understood that by using PR, they can adjust or
change for the better, in both the public interest as well as their own, those aspects of their
behavior that have a special social significance: permanent contact with the public by direct
contact or by mail, communication with the mass-media, the active involvement into the
community’s concerns, the events, fund-raising activities or lobbying (certain actions that have the
purpose of influencing governmental decisions through different means of pressure and
persuasion). Especially the non-governmental organizations may face a situation where an
increasing percentage of the public wants more information than the already classical
advertisements. People need to be explained rather than to simply being sold product, an image
or an idea. Such public’s trust is won by sustained long-term actions, by the constant use of PR
techniques and instruments.

Regardless of this, most specific actions leave the impression that all the PR does is transmitting
message. In fact, just as important is the feedback from the public. This has the general purpose
of measuring the efficiency of the organization’s attempt to communicate. It can be measured if
these messages have had a favorable result, if so, how can it be maintained or, if not, what can be
done to improve the situation.

Modern communication technologies make possible multiple ways of expressing a message,

supports and ways to make PR possible by implementing interactive links between different levels
of society. Seen from this point of view, a modern society could not function without PR. It is
considered that the constant development of organizations (even their survival) depends entirely
on the ability of PR specialists to manage their public image.

WHAT ARE PUBLIC RELATIONS?

Every company needs to do some kind of PR, whether it’s creating a brand identity, maintaining
corporate relationships, media relations or any of the other tasks that fall under the category of
public relations. So, what is PR and what do PR professionals really do? Public relations is the
process of sharing information on behalf of a company or person in order to build relationships
and influence public perception. Public relations specialists will use a variety of mediums to
create and disseminate information for a person or company. They often work hand in hand with
marketing, communications, or advertising departments to accomplish their goals.
PR can also be used as a tool to complete many kinds of business goals and tasks such as
creating brand awareness, crisis management, product integration, event management, and
more.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public Relations is one of the most effective ways to build on marketing strategies and create a
solid online reputation. Companies that are investing a tremendous amount of time and effort into
staying on top of their PR strategies, and they’re seeing even larger returns with better ROI.
Public relations are about sending the right messages to the right place and the right people,
creating a stronger brand reputation. PR agencies work alongside their clients to help them
achieve this and promote them within their clients industries. PR is an area that can transform the
future and profitability of a business. Used properly, PR can give a company the ability to
overcome almost any obstacle it may face. This is some of what makes PR so essential.

5 WAYS PR IS SHAPING THE MARKETING WORLD

Public Relations Increases Brand Credibility

Whatever the industry, trust plays a monumental role when it comes to determining the success
of a business. Without trust, a business leaves potential sales on the table. To bridge that trust-
gap between a business and its would-be clients or customers, the business can hire someone in
public relations.
The expert works on increasing their credibility within their given industry and increasing their
overall reputation. This is often done through thought leadership pieces, influencer connections
and networking strategies.

Increase Profits, Sales and Leads With PR

PR isn’t complete without marketing. A company that enhances its reputation through a range of
unique PR practices makes it likely that new potential customers will find their way right to its
door. Customers and clients will have more options to connect with the company through its
business stories and press releases.

PR agencies make that possible by helping organizations to craft the right messages to resonate
with their target customers in impactful ways. In the end, that means bigger profits.

PR Changes the Way People Think About a Business

The online world allows people to say whatever they want about a business, true or not, with the
business being able to do very little about it. A large number of businesses get a bad reputation
without doing anything to deserve it, while other businesses are not within easy online reach of
their intended markets. Both circumstances are hardly ideal.

The most effective way to fix that is through PR campaigns. PR support and the right campaigns
increase awareness for a brand while maintaining a positive and consumer-resonant image.

Audiences are also more likely to listen to a message coming from an objective source, as
opposed to paid-for advertising. By leveraging their connections with influencers, PR agencies
can gain trust for a company.

PR Enhances Online Presence

Everyone is digitally connected in today’s world, and PR helps companies to create a strong
online presence that is highly visible to their target audience. PR agencies provide businesses
with support and guidance to help them market themselves online while being constantly ready to
 step in when a disaster occurs or something threatens to damage the image the company has
been building.

PR experts can identify the best channels and influencers to spread a company’s message to the
right people, and they can use their experience and industry connections to maximize reach.
Press releases, social media and influencer connections with promotional content-publishing sites
are some of the tools that PR companies use to help their clients to strengthen their brand image
and increase their profitability. Plus, they are tools that can also be used to overcome challenges
that may threaten a company’s success.

With the right PR company assisting them, brands of today have a much higher chance of
reaching the right audience effectively.

PR Communicates Social Values

Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the values of brands that they shop from.
Employing a diverse workforce, women’s rights, and sustainability are just a few of the many
values that consumers say will make them more likely to purchase from a brand.

PR specialists are responsible for communicating a company’s values and building trust with
consumers and their audience. Recent polls show that more than half of consumers are more
likely to shop from a brand that they believe practices empathy.
While having a great product or service is important to generate sales, a brand’s image and
public perception are key to growing a successful business and maintaining a loyal customer
base.

Note

 Shapes public opinion

 Supports business objectives
 Establishes strong relationships with stakeholders
 Increases brand credibility
 Increases profits, sales, and leads
 Changes the way people think about a business
 Enhances online presence

The Function of Public Relations

In 1982, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) adopted the following definition of public
relations that helps identify its purpose: “Public relations help an organization and its publics adapt
mutually to each other.”Public Relations Society of America (2009b). In its “Official Statement on
Public Relations,” PRSA goes on to clarify the function of public relations:
  Public relations helps our complex, pluralistic society to reach decisions and function more
effectively by contributing to mutual understanding among groups and institutions. It serves
to bring private and public policies into harmony.
 Public relations serves a wide variety of institutions in society such as businesses, trade
unions, government agencies, voluntary associations, foundations, hospitals, schools,
colleges and religious institutions. To achieve their goals, these institutions must develop
effective relationships with many different audiences or publics such as employees,
members, customers, local communities, shareholders and other institutions, and with
society at large.
 The managements of institutions need to understand the attitudes and values of their
publics in order to achieve institutional goals. The goals themselves are shaped by the
external environment. The public relations practitioner acts as a counselor to management
and as a mediator, helping to translate private aims into reasonable, publicly acceptable
policy and action. Public Relations Society of America (2009a).

As such, the public relations field has grown to encompass the building of important relationships
between an organization and its key publics through its actions and its communication. This
perspective defines the field as a management function and offers insight into the roles and
responsibilities of public relations professionals. The PRSA definition, however, is not perfect: A
main weakness of that definition is that it requires public relations “to bring private and public
policies into harmony.”Public Relations Society of America (2009b). In reality, we know that the
relationships an organization has with all of its publics cannot always be harmonious. Further, that
definition obligates us to act in the best interest of both the organization and its publics, which
could be logically impossible if those interests are diametrically opposed. A few examples would
be class action litigation, boycotts, and oppositional research and lobbying; despite the negative
nature of those relationships, they still require public relations management and communication.

The unique management function of public relations is critical to the success of any organization
that engages people in its operation, whether they are shareholders, employees, or customers.
Although many people think of publicity as the sole purpose of public relations, this text will help
you understand that publicity is a sub function of the overall purpose of public relations and should
not be confused with the broader function.

Types of Public Relations

Public relations are often divided into different agencies or departments. Each department is
specifically suited to handle a specific aspect below:

 Media relations are the emphasis of forging a strong relationship with public media
organizations. A media relations team often works directly with external media by directly
delivering them company news, providing validated content sources, and being accessible
for public comment on other news stories.

 Production relations are closely related to the direct operations of a company. This
department supports broad marketing plans and is often related to specific, one-time
endeavors such as the launch of a new product, a special campaign, or management of a
major product change.

 Investor relations are the oversight of the relationship between the company and
its investors. This aspect of public relations handles investor events, oversees the
communication of the release of financial reports, and handles the complaints of investors.

 Internal relations are the public relations branch between a company and its employees.
Internal relations pertain to counseling employees, ensuring all workers are satisfied with
their working conditions, and mediating issues internally to avoid public disclosure of
dissatisfaction.

 Government relations are the connection between a company and related governing
bodies. Some public relations departments want to forge a strong relationship to provide
feedback to politicians sway decision-makers to act in specific ways, and ensure fair
treatment of the company's clients.

 Community relations are public relations focused on brand and reputation within a specific
community. The community could be physical (i.e. a specific city) or non-physical (i.e. the
dog-owner community). This branch of public relations keys in on the social niche of the
community to align itself with its members.

 Customer relations are the bridge that connects the company and its customers. Public
relations often involve handling key relationships, conducting market research,
understanding the priorities of its customers, and addressing major concerns.

Many public companies have a separate investor relations (IR) department for
dealing with communications to shareholders and analysts.
Public Relations vs. Other Departments

Public relations may overlap or be confused with other similar departments. Here's an overview
how PR may or may not relate to marketing, advertising, or communications.

Public Relations vs. Marketing

Marketing is sometimes more squarely focused on driving sales, promoting products or services,
and ensuring financial success. Meanwhile, public relations are sometimes more focused on
managing the reputation of a company or brand.

Both departments may embark on very similar types of activities. For instance, both may interact
with customers to garner feedback. From a more direct marketing lens, this information is used to
better understand sales trends, product demands, and ways to generate more sales. From a
more direct public relations lens, this information is used to understand customer satisfaction,
ensure customers are happy, and make sure any dissatisfaction is managed quickly.

Public Relations vs. Advertising

Advertising is the act of garnering public attention, often through the use of various types of
media. A company may want to advertise to promote a product, announce expansion into a new
market for a growth company, or reveal pricing changes.

While advertising is the intentional act of trying to be in the spotlight, public relations is a more
strategic and thoughtful approach about how a company should be interacting with internal and
external stakeholders. Sometimes, it may be in the company's best interest in "lay low" and
strengthen its relationship with the public by not being front and center.

Public Relations vs. Communications

Public relations and communications are heavily intertwined. Both involve portraying information
outwardly in hopes of creating a brand, image, or relationship that fosters value. Communications
may be a separate department within a company solely responsible for written or verbal
comments issued internally or externally.

One potential difference between public relations and communications is the exchange of
information. Sometimes, public relations is a one-way channel that imposes information in an
attempt to have a more favorable public image. Communications may be more rooted in the two-
way functionality of receiving feedback and making changes based on information collected. In
general, most companies will see overlap between public relations and communications.

Working in Public Relations

A career in public relations has no defined career path. An individual can obtain a degree in a
number of different fields such as public relations, communications, marketing, journalism,
broadcasting, or political science.

Professionals in PR must have soft skills including strong written and oral communication skills,
the ability to solve problems, and the ability to think critically and creatively.

A career in public relations can take many different turns. Some aspects of public relations
emphasize digital media; potential careers include content creators, social media managers, or
digital artists. Individuals can specialize in an industry (i.e. finance) to emphasize working
between a company and its investors. Individuals interested in working for nonprofit organizations
may find the branch of fundraising overlaps many aspects of public relations.

Public Relations in Practice

PR also involves managing a company's reputation in the eyes of its customers. In a 2012 PR
crisis, restaurant chain Chick-fil-A was forced to issue emergency statements with respect to its
stance on same-sex marriage after a Chick-fil-A executive publicly came out against marriage
equality. The statement stressed the company's "biblically-based principles" and its belief in
treating "every person with honor, dignity, and respect."2 It was an example of how companies
must exercise good PR. Most major companies have a PR department or utilize the services of
an outside firm.

A company often has multiple publics to impress. Internally, a company will want to present itself
as competently operated to its investors and biggest shareholders, which can involve arranging
product demonstrations or other events directed towards shareholders.

This can involve reassuring customers during a crisis, such as when Target ( TGT) offered an
$18.5 million settlement to its customers following a 2013 credit card hack in an attempt to restore
good faith or the promotion of a lifestyle that would make the company's product or service
attractive.4 The Company also generates PR to attract investors. In this respect, good PR is
especially important for startups or rapidly expanding companies.

What Is the Primary Role of Public Relations?

Public relations often boil down maintaining the image of a company, individual, or brand. Public
relations create media, connect with external media, craft public opinion, and ensure customers
have a positive disposition towards the company's brand.

What Skills Do You Need for PR?

Public relation specialists often have strong communication skills. Their role is to absorb
information, process how it may impact a company's image, and how to externally communicate
to shift this image. Public relation specialists often forge relationships with many different types of
people including key customers, government officials, and external media.

Why Is Public Relations Important?

Customers make decisions for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is the relationship
they feel they have with a company. If a company has a negative image or is ensnarled in a
controversial public issue, a customer may no longer feel as connected with the brand, image,
and product. Public relations often manage this brand and ensure customers, employees,
investors, and other external parties have a positive disposition to continue involvement with the
company.

Who Uses Public Relations?

Public relations are useful for any party that wants to have a positive public imagine. Most often,
corporations and publicly traded companies will embark on public relations. A company may have
a different public relations team or public relations strategy for specific brands or products. Also,
individuals such as celebrities or high net worth individuals may have private public relation
teams. These teams are used to maintain a positive public image as well as handle media
requests.

Communication and management through Public Relations

PR helps managers to be aware of attitudes and behaviors and, also, to make the right decisions.
On the other hand, PR informs the public about organization’s specific character, about
employee’s quality, about the services that the organization provides and about its objectives.
Therefore, in order to perform this two-ways communication, PR is based on the insurance of the
public perception of the organization as a whole, through the establishment and safeguarding of
certain principles referring to:

• The organization’s brand and logos;

• The earnestness and eagerness of serving customers and / or contracting partners;

• The involving in different events;

• The compliance with assumed obligations through contracts or partnerships;

• The quality of issued documents (structural and imaging);

• The behavior of the organization’s representatives towards the public;

• The continuity of the communication process between managing units and executive ones;

• The assurance of permanent, favorable contact with different organizations (national and, if
needed, international) as well as the mass-media (local, regional, national or even international);

• Different lobby activities, that are favorable to the organization.

As previously demonstrated, the key element is “trust” which, from an imaging point of view
represents the sheer essence of PR and through which, by certain means and methods, the
identity of the organization is imposed. From the partner’s point of view, the identity will generate
appreciation towards the organization’s staff, products and services.

As a part of managing any activity, PR analyzes the public’s response and establishes
communication instruments to gain the trust of the public.

PR will have an important role in increasing sales profits, establishing an organization’s

notoriousness and emphasizing the positive effect of the organization’s long-term preoccupations.

In effect, each type of organization, even its main objective is raising profit or not, feels the need of
communicating with certain groups of people who will eventually have an influence on its future.

PR is used in different areas and helps develop the capacity to resist in unwanted situations. And
if the process of PR is based on good moral values and executed in a correct form, it can
contribute to the avoidance of public mistrust and even consolidate that trust.
The special interest shown towards this activity, which is of great importance to communication
and modern management, is present in the most different areas: politics, industry, tourism,
insurance, education, health etc.

In the business area, given the condition of an ever growing competition, that requires a thorough
knowledge of the market, of potential customers, as well as earning their trust, most organizations
admit the fact that advertising, as a traditional form of promoting a good or service, cannot be
regarded anymore as the only answer to the ever-growing problem of sustaining and developing of
production and commercial activities.

Additionally, in the international affairs area, PR have the means to avoiding or controlling the
conflicts that may appear between the expanding organization and interest groups present on
foreign markets. This type of conflicts takes place especially when the foreign company buys a
local firm or place an investment in a factory, moments when it may come up against local public
opinion. Although, the positive role of foreign investments in other countries is well known, the PR
department of the organization must strive to develop the image of the company that of a “good
citizen” within the local public and groups of interest. Furthermore, the target of the products that
are made by applying new technologies are ever better-informed customers, who are able of
having very high standards towards quality, reliability and durability. As a response, manufacturers
and merchants became more aggressive in promoting and distributing their goods by growing
closer to the customers or users, through PR, the staying exhibitions and demonstrations, on-line
sales etc.

In the political area we are witnesses to an expansion of democracy over dictatorship and so, to
an increase in political parties, in claimants of political leaderships, especially in recently
democratized states. But, in order to convince the body of electors to grant you their vote, a series
of sustained PR activities are necessary: the definition and support of a candidate’s in public
image, direct contacts between political leaders and citizens, speeches, interviews, the
organization of entertainment shows, the distribution of printed materials etc.

Major changes take place in other areas as well (education, tourism, finance-banks, social
services etc.), in order to stimulate the targeted public to use the various services at their disposal
on a long-term basis.

Functional structures

In order to properly manage PR actions, current organizations are more and more concerned in
establishing a communication system through which to be aware of the demands of those on
which they depend, which they influence through their decisions and how to respond to their
demands. This system includes PR specialists integrated in internal departments or from outside
the organization.

The PR specialist must have serious knowledge of communication techniques. An essential

quality of such a person would be the knowledge to listen. He must make himself understood
when communicating with someone within of from outside the organization, without being
influenced by factors regarding the dialogue partner.

Interviews and polls regarding the role and the place that the specialist has in an organization lead
to the sketching of some of its roles:

• Technician: he is involved in technical aspects of communication (he draws up press releases,

speeches, organizes press conferences etc.);
• Expert: defines the problem, develops the PR program and takes responsibility for the success or
the failure;

• Communication supporter: he manages the information flow between the organization and its
public, removing possible obstacles and keeping the communication channels open;

• Involved in problem solving: helps manager apply the same process of management in PR as in
other organizational problems. Hence PR becomes a team effort insured by the entire managing
team in collaboration with PR manager.

A thorough understanding of the organization’s activity in order to capitalize its results and to
emphasize its value, the support of the management’s overall policy, the granting of consultancy
regarding future orientation of the company, these are also a PR specialist’s concerns. He is
unable to issue a quick solution to the problems since he needs to take the time to fully
understand the organization’s history, to understand the causes and to issue solutions to a given
problem or problems.

Most of the big companies or organizations today have their own PR department and have the
huge advantage of having specialists within the organization who have a thorough knowledge and
understanding of the specific problems and the factors that influence the organization resulted
from the environment. Another huge advantage of having such a department consists of the fact
that the PR specialists may notice a communication or image crisis from its incipient stages, hence
giving the opportunity for a swift intervention in order to correct that crisis.

On an organizational level a PR department’s role is materialized in:

- The assurance of good communication between management units and the company’s public;

- Counseling given to managing units and internal communication coordination;

- The issuing and execution of PR programs, evaluating such programs;

- To setup events in which the organization takes part;- to monitor and to keep a good relation with
the mass-media;

- To anticipate public opinions’ reaction and to analyze its feed-back;

- To manage the crisis situations from communicating perspective.

The PR management is organized according to the environment in which the organization must
develop its activity, to the organization’s objectives, budget and size. Generally, the PR’s
department organizational chart (regardless of its size) contains the following positions:

- The head of the PR department: he plans and runs the PR programs and provides consultancy
for the organization’s managers;

- Communication specialists: they tend to the elaboration and presentation of the messages (press
releases, letters, statements, activity reports, newsletter etc.); there can be media specialists as
well (that insure a good communication with the press), specialists that create and develop events
or represent the organization on certain occasions and develop opportunities for organizational
communication.
Great PR departments can be divided into specialized sections that tend to the relations with: the
media, the investors, the customers, government agencies, community, staff etc. By the nature of
their activity, the heads of PR departments tend to be strategic communication managers rather
than communication technicians.PR departments have different names: in the U.S. the most
common term is that of “Corporate Communication” or “Communication”; in Romania are used
names like:“PR department”, “Communication department” or “Image Department”. There are
departments in which are engaged over200 people, but an average figure is that of 10 specialists
in a single department.

The main reason for using an independent PR agency is the opportunity of an outside analysis
and an impartial point of view. As far as independent specialists are concerned, certain
organizational behavioral errors are evident and the process of communication with the managing
unit is clearer.

Other advantages to using independent PR agencies: up to date contact with leaders of the
moment, including members of the mass media; the credibility of the agency that can be
transferred to the organization.

These agencies have a wide array of services, such as:

- Planning, implementing and evaluation of PR campaigns;

- Counseling provided for the managers of an organization regarding internal communication and
increasing the employees motivation and loyalty;

- Providing training seminars in PR for the managing units or other members of the organization;

- Preparation of printed materials (catalogues, booklets, flyers, press releases) or audio-visual

ones;

- Management of the organization’s relationship with mass-media (press-conferences, interviews,

openings, press visits) or of the special events (anniversaries, commemorations, symposiums,
seminars etc.);

- Development of advertising strategies for certain products and / or services;

- providing specialized PR services for different areas of activity (finance-banks, politics, tourism,
lobby, fund raising etc.);

- Management of crisis situations.

The general trends of PR agencies are to extend their area of influence, to specialize on certain
types of actions to expand their services by surpassing the domain’s specific area. The reason for
this is, without a doubt, every agency’s wish to survive in the highly competitive market.

By data analysis from the last decade we can state that PR are very important, the scientific and
technological development, the unprecedented evolution of an ever more complex world inflicting
major social, economical and political changes that an organization must face in its continuing
struggle for customers, followers, members and markets. The essence of this evolution is
represented by a new means of communication, which gives the power to the individuals,
redesigns one’s abilities to find a conversation partner, attracts information and spreads
experiences.

In conclusion, the new approaches on PR impose the taking into consideration of interpersonal
communication as well as the technologically mediated one, of the instruments and techniques
that emphasize the use of digital television, satellite radio and Internet. At the same time, the
combination between PR activities and advertising ones is imposed, since advertising has gained
a huge importance during the economical and social development and has transformed into a
distinct and very important activity of the modern world.