Public relations can be tricky to understand. Some people equate the work with marketing, and others have a misconception of what the responsibility and purpose of a PR team is. Many people just assume that PR is meant to keep audiences happy. Here's why that is not the case.
PR aims to improve a brand's public image. It includes using PR tools to communicate with stakeholders about the organisation.
While its goal is to build positive stakeholder relationships, you cannot out-PR negative events or unethical tactics. And luckily, you don't have to!
The PR team is not directly responsible for audiences' satisfaction but rather communicating about the things that impact their perception of the brand.
media update's Joreke Kleynhans explains why trying to satisfy audiences through PR is not only wrong but also not the point.
The True Purpose of PR
The true purpose of PR is to frame the brand's image. It is about writing and sharing stories surrounding the organisation's operations and growth.
PR should inform stakeholders of the things that are relevant to them in a transparent way. A good PR pro should garner attention for the right reasons and tactfully handle negative publicity.
Characteristics of a great PR campaign include:
These imply that sometimes people will have to hear something they don't want to. But if the criteria are met and the communication is informative, the goal has still been achieved.
The Ethical Implications of People-Pleasing PR
A PR campaign's ethics become concerning when the motivation behind it is no longer informing stakeholders.
When a brand tries to please its audience with PR instead of with operations and initiatives, its PR is automatically required to be dishonest to a certain extent. That can mean full-on spinning a story or just adjusting a few aspects to make it more palatable to an audience.
PR has never had to keep audiences happy because that responsibility falls on the organisation's operational section. They need to take action to increase consumer and audience satisfaction with the brand. The PR's responsibility is simply to communicate it.
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Are you struggling to decide which PR route to take? Read our article about In-house Versus Agency PR.
*Image courtesy of Canva