PUBLIC PUBLIC RELATIONS RELATIONS PRINCIPLESPRINCIPLES

Seminar-Workshop on “Managing Crisis Seminar-Workshop on “Managing Crisis and Events As Public Relations and Events As Public Relations

Strategies”, July 2008, Butuan CityStrategies”, July 2008, Butuan CitySponsored by Phil. Assoc. of Water Sponsored by Phil. Assoc. of Water

DistrictsDistricts

Here are the day’s headlines: Cases Here are the day’s headlines: Cases when image gets hurt when image gets hurt

(names of institutions withheld)(names of institutions withheld)

CUARTO O CUATRO? – SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS ALIVE!CUARTO O CUATRO? – SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS ALIVE!

WOWOWEE STAMPEDE KILLS 73 WOWOWEE STAMPEDE KILLS 73

HAIR GROWER CAUSES CANCERHAIR GROWER CAUSES CANCER

HELLO GARCI, GOODBYE ATE GLOHELLO GARCI, GOODBYE ATE GLO

2 2 STANCESSTANCES

Fire-fighting ApproachImage disaster Image disaster image builder image builder

(re-active)(re-active)

Fire-preventing Approach

Pro-activePro-active Anticipate image Anticipate image disastersdisasters

Public Relations protects image of

organizations from any further harm,in order to

foster goodwill

PRPR is defined as is defined as “management “management function which function which evaluatesevaluates public public

attitudes, attitudes, identifiesidentifies policies and procedures policies and procedures

of an organization with public of an organization with public interest, and interest, and executesexecutes a a

communication program to earn communication program to earn public understandingpublic understanding and and

acceptanceacceptance””

P – erformance (deed) + R – ecognition (interpretation of deed) === Public AttitudePublic Attitude

SOUND PR PRACTICESOUND PR PRACTICE 

    1) Research-listening (fact-finding process – What’s our problem?)

2) Planning-decision making (chart a course of action– What can we do?)

3) Communication (planning/execution of programs – What we did and why?)

4) Evaluation (impact of PR – How did we

fare?)

CORPORATE IMAGECORPORATE IMAGE is earned is earned

reputation based on public’s reputation based on public’s knowledge knowledge

and perception of the performance and perception of the performance and and

behavior of an organizationbehavior of an organization

CORPORATE IDENTITY acts as a symbol acts as a symbol

by which the organization can be by which the organization can be easily easily

remembered and services associated, remembered and services associated, using a distinctive mark, logo or using a distinctive mark, logo or

sloganslogan

TWO TYPES OF IMAGETWO TYPES OF IMAGE  

      * * Real image – held by actual Real image – held by actual audiences and other groupsaudiences and other groups

      * Ideal image – held by * Ideal image – held by

organization organization what it wants what it wants its public to thinkits public to think

PROFIT VERSUS PROFIT VERSUS IMAGEIMAGE 1)1) Think only of profit, cast away image, Think only of profit, cast away image,

the business collapses!the business collapses!

2) Think and take care of image, profit 2) Think and take care of image, profit follows!follows!

Case History: The Tylenol (Killer in Pain Case History: The Tylenol (Killer in Pain Killer)Killer)

The Birch Tree (Deadly The Birch Tree (Deadly Milk)Milk)

STAKEHOLDERS' STAKEHOLDERS' CONCEPTCONCEPT

Image rests on the concept of social Image rests on the concept of social responsibility with various responsibility with various

stakeholders, parties with interest in stakeholders, parties with interest in the organization, its policies and the organization, its policies and

decisions.decisions.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES OF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYSOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Profit-maximizing (19Profit-maximizing (19thth century, Adam Smith, century, Adam Smith, for economic motives)for economic motives)WE TEACH FOR THE MONEY!WE TEACH FOR THE MONEY!

Trusteeship management (1920s-1930s, Trusteeship management (1920s-1930s, beyond profit, concerns with only welfare of beyond profit, concerns with only welfare of society and the business is sacrificed) society and the business is sacrificed)

WE ONLY PRODUCE SCHOLARS, STOP WE ONLY PRODUCE SCHOLARS, STOP MEDIOCRE SCHOOLS!MEDIOCRE SCHOOLS!

Enlightened self-interest (1950s in uplifting Enlightened self-interest (1950s in uplifting the quality of life, consider both profit and the quality of life, consider both profit and image. image.

WE EARN WHILE YOU LEARN!WE EARN WHILE YOU LEARN!

STAKEHOLDERS' STAKEHOLDERS' CONCEPTCONCEPT

No organization exists for its own sake. Outside its fold are the many facets of responsibilities..

ORG.

Parents

Community

Investors

Stockholders

Employees

Industry

Students

Teachers

Government

PR PATHWAYSPR PATHWAYS Fallacy of Publicity (“praise Fallacy of Publicity (“praise

release/the hound”release/the hound” Fallacy of the Dammed (“to hell with Fallacy of the Dammed (“to hell with

public interest”)public interest”) Fallacy of Silence (“the sound of Fallacy of Silence (“the sound of

silence”, unheralded good works”)silence”, unheralded good works”) Good Performance is Publicly Good Performance is Publicly

Appreciated (“the hen cackles”)Appreciated (“the hen cackles”)

CORPORATE SELF-DEFENSE CORPORATE SELF-DEFENSE AGAINST IMAGE DISASTERSAGAINST IMAGE DISASTERS

Use widespread and mainstream Use widespread and mainstream media to refute any adverse claims.media to refute any adverse claims.

Take a sniper's approach to the Take a sniper's approach to the problem – one shot, one kill but move problem – one shot, one kill but move on.on.

Take the blitz approach – fast action Take the blitz approach – fast action until critics run out of energyuntil critics run out of energy

Fight back with humor – this weakens Fight back with humor – this weakens the image attackersthe image attackers

CORPORATE SELF-DEFENSECORPORATE SELF-DEFENSE Initiate immediate and thorough audit Initiate immediate and thorough audit

of organization (fact – finding).of organization (fact – finding). Notify employees on events/situations Notify employees on events/situations

which they may have heard – which they may have heard – employees can also be good and employees can also be good and reliable source.reliable source.

Launch a positive PR campaign – Launch a positive PR campaign – positive attributes of organization; positive attributes of organization; “answer accusations by not answering”“answer accusations by not answering”

Clean the house – fire incompetent and Clean the house – fire incompetent and bad employees guilty of image bad employees guilty of image disastersdisasters

ESTABLISH RAPPORT ESTABLISH RAPPORT WITH MEDIAWITH MEDIA

Respond quickly to media Respond quickly to media calls/reportscalls/reports

Answer media by not answering.Answer media by not answering. Never provoke/antagonize mediaNever provoke/antagonize media Prepare for media interviewsPrepare for media interviews Maintain on-going Maintain on-going

relationship/friendshiprelationship/friendship Show transparencyShow transparency Know media standardsKnow media standards

PR MEDIA AND PR MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

1)  Leaflets and flyers1)  Leaflets and flyers2)  Press releases2)  Press releases3)  Media coverages 3)  Media coverages 4) Ads/promo materials4) Ads/promo materials5)  Plugs and PSAs5)  Plugs and PSAs6)  Souvenir programs6)  Souvenir programs7)  Testimonies and linkages7)  Testimonies and linkages

PR PLANPR PLAN

overall plan and design serving overall plan and design serving as blueprint of action to run the as blueprint of action to run the organization’s PR programs and organization’s PR programs and activitiesactivities

PR PLAN Components:PR PLAN Components: Problem identification and analysisProblem identification and analysis – this is – this is

part of the audit conducted during the part of the audit conducted during the management survey, an assessment of management survey, an assessment of the communication problems and needsthe communication problems and needs

RationaleRationale – justification for planning, – justification for planning, identifying key points of attacking the identifying key points of attacking the problem identifiedproblem identified

Formulation of PR objectivesFormulation of PR objectives – what the – what the organization intends or wants to organization intends or wants to accomplish in terms of PR and accomplish in terms of PR and communication functions communication functions

PR programPR program, communication projects, , communication projects, communication activitiescommunication activities

Strategic CommunicationStrategic Communication – the management – the management of people, messages, technologies to run of people, messages, technologies to run the organization smoothlythe organization smoothly

capabilities and key resource areas capabilities and key resource areas (KRAs) of organization(KRAs) of organization

PR PLAN ComponentsPR PLAN Componentsmessage management/classificationmessage management/classification message channelmessage channel message contentmessage content message audiencemessage audience message effectmessage effect media analysismedia analysis audience analysisaudience analysisGantt ChartingGantt Charting – timetable of communication – timetable of communication

activitiesactivitiesLine-Item BudgetLine-Item Budget – the financial requirements of the – the financial requirements of the

communication programs and activitiescommunication programs and activities personal services (PS)personal services (PS) maintenance and operating (MOE)maintenance and operating (MOE) capital outlay (CO)capital outlay (CO) miscellaneous/sundry (MS)miscellaneous/sundry (MS)Communication matrix planningCommunication matrix planning – a web of ideas – a web of ideas

arranged in a systematic manner to highlight the arranged in a systematic manner to highlight the various communication programs, projects and various communication programs, projects and activitiesactivities

PR…THE CHANGING ERASPR…THE CHANGING ERAS

1 - 1 - Publicity Era (1800s)Publicity Era (1800s) Focus: Dissemination and attention-Focus: Dissemination and attention-

getting getting Nature of Communication: One-way Nature of Communication: One-way Research: Little Research: Little Current Use: Entertainment, Sports, Current Use: Entertainment, Sports,

Marketing Marketing 2 - 2 - Information Era (early 1900s)Information Era (early 1900s) Focus: Honest & accurate dissemination Focus: Honest & accurate dissemination

of info of info Nature of Communication: One-way Nature of Communication: One-way Research: Readability, ComprehensionResearch: Readability, Comprehension Current Use: Government, Nonprofit Current Use: Government, Nonprofit

organizations, Business organizationorganizations, Business organization

PR…THE CHANGING ERASPR…THE CHANGING ERAS3 - 3 - Advocacy Era (mid 1900s)Advocacy Era (mid 1900s) Focus: Modify attitudes & influence behavior Focus: Modify attitudes & influence behavior Nature of Communication: Two-way Nature of Communication: Two-way Research: Attitude & opinion Research: Attitude & opinion Current Use: Competitive business Current Use: Competitive business

organizations, causes & movements organizations, causes & movements 4 - 4 - Relationship Era (late 1900s and beyond)Relationship Era (late 1900s and beyond) Focus: Mutual understanding & conflict Focus: Mutual understanding & conflict

resolution resolution Nature of Communication: Two-way Nature of Communication: Two-way Research: Perception, values Research: Perception, values Current Use: Regulated business, Current Use: Regulated business,

government, nonprofit organizations, social government, nonprofit organizations, social movements movements

PR IN DIGITAL AGEPR IN DIGITAL AGE

web has created a wealth of web has created a wealth of tools for targeting PR tools for targeting PR messagesmessages

electronic PR/online PRelectronic PR/online PR

PR WEARS A NEW FACEPR WEARS A NEW FACE online versions of printonline versions of print search engines search engines bulletin boards for queriesbulletin boards for queries online news sites for optimized online news sites for optimized

press releasespress releases publications’ beat listpublications’ beat list online newslettersonline newsletters freelance or syndicated web freelance or syndicated web

sitessites electronic contacts and electronic contacts and

databasesdatabases

PR TRENDS ONLINEPR TRENDS ONLINEstay relevant in an online 24/7 and 365 days stay relevant in an online 24/7 and 365 days per year worldper year world

increase of blogsincrease of blogs – can create influence – can create influence and create opinionsand create opinions

content trumps sourcecontent trumps source - less concerned - less concerned about source, more on contentabout source, more on content

portability of video contentportability of video content – movies and – movies and videos can now be downloaded at users’ videos can now be downloaded at users’ convenience with impactconvenience with impact

more noisemore noise – more outlets for crafting – more outlets for crafting messages thru video, e-mail, audio messages thru video, e-mail, audio phone, print etc.phone, print etc.

more accountabilitymore accountability – smart e-promoters – smart e-promoters measure business outcomes, when measure business outcomes, when publicity can move markets and change publicity can move markets and change mindsminds

Trends In Public RelationsTrends In Public RelationsAt the beginning of the 21st At the beginning of the 21st Century, public relations is evolving Century, public relations is evolving in several ways:in several ways:

... from ... from manipulation manipulation toto adaptation adaptation ... from... from program program toto process process ... from... from external external toto internal internal ... from... from technician technician toto manager manager ... from... from firefighting firefighting toto fire prevention fire prevention ... from... from mass media mass media toto targeted targeted

mediamedia ... from... from isolation isolation toto integration integration