CHAPTER 4 The Public Relations Function

Learning outcomes
 Define PR and the various publics
 Describe the role and place of PR in the organisation
 Highlight the differences between marketing and PR and
how they are linked
 Discuss the functions and characteristics of PR
 Discuss the rolls of PR
 Explain the difference between traditional and online PR
 Distinguish between controlled and uncontrolled media
 Compare and explain the different forms of media
 Discuss the purpose of PR in society
 Describe what successful PR entails.
Have you heard about this case from 2018? What started as an incident that
could seriously ruin KFC’s reputation, was answered by their Public
Relations team as (see next slide)…
WATCH KFC VIDEO
 The bright red advertisement
showed an empty bucket with
the chain's initials scrambled to
say "FCK" on it, alongside an
apology.

"A chicken restaurant without

any chicken. It's not ideal. Huge
apologies to our customers,
especially those who traveled
out of their way to find we were
closed. An endless thanks to
our KFC team members and our
franchise partners for working
tirelessly to improve the
situation. It’s been a hell of a
week, but we’re making
progress, and every day more
and more fresh chicken is
delivered to our restaurants.
Thank you for bearing with us.”
Remember the Facebook data leak scandal?
This is how Facebook chose to respond.
Definition of PR
 The public’s perception of an individual or organisations,
whether correct or incorrect is important.
 The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) - as
an organisation’s efforts to win the cooperation of
groups of people’ and its purpose is to help ‘an
organisation and its publics adapt mutually to one
another.
 the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa
(PRISA) - ‘relationships with publics’ and defines it as
‘the distinctive management function which
establishes and maintains mutual communication,
understanding, acceptance and cooperation between
an organisation and its publics’.
Definition of PR

 … focuses on long-term patterns of

interaction between an organisation and
all of its various publics, both supportive
and non-supportive’ while seeking ‘to
enhance these relationships and
generating mutual understanding, goodwill
and support
 The different types of publics

Publics

External public
Internal public  Consumers
• Inside the business –  Financial institutions
supervisors, managers, clerks
board of directors and  Suppliers
shareholders  Government
• Determines whether the  Local communities
company meets its objectives
or not  Media
The PR bridge
Why PR?
 NO business can succeed without its public’
support = PR IS VITAL
 Indicate what you stand for, focus
more on the positives than the
negatives
Role of PR in an Organisation
 Conventional = Ensure positive relations
between organisation + stakeholders by
having effective comm. strategies and
channels in place
 Today = Function expected to support
Integrated Marketing Communication
strategies.
 PR function key responsibilities:
 Promoting products, brands, services
 Cultivating + communicating positive
organisational image to publics
Marketing & PR

Marketing versus PR

 PR = building goodwill + corporate

image + relationships with
stakeholders / publics
 Marketing = attracts, sustains and

meets consumer needs.

Characteristics of PR – What
makes PR PR?
 Constantly changing: Maintaining and building
relationships…continual transformation, adjust,
adapt., etc.

 Requires logical analysis: Problem solutions

require investigation and critical analysis
of situations.
 Requires strategy: Objective setting with
time and resource constraints in mind to
solve problems
Characteristics of PR – What
makes PR PR?
 Relies on implementation + execution:
Proactivity and strategies needed to
meet stakeholders and public’ needs
 Requires performance assessment
and control measures: Critical evaluation
of performance against objectives
 Requires flexibility: Execution of strategy
should allow for adjustment…
need satisfaction
Functions of Public
Relations
Research
Management
Planning
& advising

Media
Training relations &
placement

Functions

Speaking Organising

Production Writing

Editing
 Functions of PR
◻Research – Information gathering of issues,
monitoring, assessment of effectiveness
◻Planning + Advising – Determining needs, etc. +

Collaboration with mgt and customers + problem

solving
◻Media relations and placement – booking +

productions + replies, etc.

◻Organising – Events like conferences, open house

days, fundraising, etc.

◻Writing – Content and correspondence
Functions of PR

◻Editing – All communication (internal + external)

◻Production – Of communication (all aspects +

challenging)
◻Speaking – Create communication, public

speaking/arrange speaker, implementation and

evaluation
◻Training – Prepare executives, develop service

staff
◻Management – Personnel, budget, action

plans
Tools of PR

Media Corporate
relations Publications image

Corporate Sponsorship Promotional

advertising & events activities

Crisis
management Lobbying Networking
Tools & Techniques of PR
 1. Media relations
 The responsibility of facilitating media relations remains one of
the most crucial aspects of the PR function.
 Ensuring good relations with the public is a never-ending
obligation that must be managed sustainably over the
long term, not only when positive publicity is required.
 Media ‘gatekeepers’ see themselves as acting on behalf of the
public or audience.
MEDIA RELATIONS
Tools and Techniques of PR
 2. Publications
 Planning, generating and producing internal and
external publications
 successful communication programmes are based
on the balanced use of both written and spoken
word.
 This equilibrium again depends on availability,
immediacy and the importance of the message.
 Internal publications, which mainly consist of communications
to employees, include staff newsletters, letters from
management, memos and employee manuals, whereas
external publications include annual reports, newsletters and
industry opinions.
 EXTERNAL

INTERNAL PUBLICATIONS
Tools and Techniques of PR
 3. Corporate image
 The net result of the combined experiences,
impressions, beliefs, feelings and knowledge people
have about a company and this process begins with
corporate branding.
 PR officers must be aware that anything that
represents the company and what it does or does
not stand for and what is does or does not do will
either support or break down this image.
CORPORATE IMAGE: Think about
the business examples on this slide.
How do they differ and in which
aspects are they the same? Is the
corporate image of Google more or
less formal than that of Toyota, for
example?
Tools and Techniques of PR
 4. Corporate advertising
 Involves using advertising in a PR role when an
organisation is unhappy with what is being said about
it in the editorial sections of the media or when the
organisation wants to add its voice to a specific
cause.
 There are three types of corporate advertising:
 General corporate advertising entails strengthening
the organisation’s image in the eyes of the public.
 Investor and financial relations advertising refers to
positively enhancing the corporate brand in the eyes of
the financial community through the presentation of
detailed summaries of financial results.
 Advocacy, or publicised support for a particular issue, is a
controversial type of corporate advertising because it
Tools and Techniques of PR
5.Sponsorship and events
Organisations are finding sponsorship
of sports, arts and cultural events and
the association of their brands with
such events to be extremely beneficial
as a tool for integrated marketing
communication.
Identify the sponsor(s) in
each photo.
Tools and Techniques of PR
 6. Promotional activities
 Promotional activities such as conferences,
teleconferences, exhibitions, direct mail and other
special events are considered high profile and
media sensitive.
 PR officers understand the importance of these
activities and therefore will spend a lot of time and
effort on planning and organising them.
 These events also require specialised skills and
knowledge, which can be provided by other
professionals in the fields of accounting, graphic
design and marketing.
EXHIBITIONS
Tools and Techniques of PR
 7. Crisis management
 Despite the fact that PR practitioners cannot always
predict the occurrence or time of a crisis situation,
they are able to anticipate that disasters can occur.
 In order to be prepared for dealing with issues or
problems that can have a huge impact on the image
or operations of an organisation, issue management
 ‘the proactive process of anticipating, identifying,
evaluating and responding to public policy issues
that affect organisations and their publics’
Tools and Techniques of PR
 8. Lobbying
 Lobbying, ‘the specialist part of PR that builds and
maintains relations with the government primarily for the
purpose of influencing legislation and regulation’, plays
an important role in the function of PR.
 9. Networking
 Building relations with influential people in different
levels of industries and structures is extremely beneficial
to PR practitioners.
 Networks consist of groups of people with different
backgrounds who exchange information, experience
and contacts for professional of social purpose.
Media used for PR

Traditional Online

 For example  For example

Traditional mass media for PR
 Broadcast media
 Public service radio
 e.g Ukhozi FM, RSG etc.
 Commercial radio
 Algoa FM, Kaya FM, OFM
etc.
 Community radio
 Serve geographic areas,
embedded at local level
Traditional mass media for PR
 Broadcast media - radio

 Advantages
 It is an instantaneous medium: immediate
announcements and listeners are aware of the
message.
 It requires neither literacy nor electricity
 It is a portable medium: people can listen to their
favourite radio stations virtually anywhere.
 It can reach people of different ethnic groups
and languages
 It creates mental imagery: be creative use
their imagination
 In comparison to other media, it is a less
expensive medium
Traditional mass media for PR
 Broadcast media - radio
 Disadvantages
 There is no possibility for the consumer to refer to
the message, in comparison to print media, where
consumers can go back to a specific article that is
published in a magazine or newspaper.
 Because it is limited to audio only, radio offers no visual
appeal to audiences.
Traditional mass media for PR
 Broadcast media - radio
 Disadvantages
 As with television advertising, radio listeners reduce
their exposure to advertising content through advertising
avoidance, and advertisers struggle to retain listeners’
attention.
 People experience a sense of clutter because of the
number of competitive advertising messages aired,
and listeners have the option to change radio stations
to avoid radio advertising messages = overwhelm
Traditional mass media for PR
 Broadcast media
 Television
 SABC
 DSTV
Traditional mass media for PR
 Broadcast media - television

 Advantages
 Creativity and impact - messages should be intriguing as well
as intrusive to attract attention from the specific target market.
 Coverage and cost - Large and diverse audiences can be
reached in a cost-effective manner.
 Captivity and attention - With the amount of clutter and
overwhelming mass media spam make sure to keep the
audience’s attention.
Traditional mass media for PR
 Broadcast media - television

 Advantages
 Difficulty avoiding advertisements - They have intrusion value
audience’s perception without permission, and the audience
has no option but to pay attention.
 Selectivity and flexibility - With the growth of television
channels and more data available regarding target market
information, linking specific messages to specific channels, time
slots, geographical areas, and so on.
Traditional mass media for PR
 Broadcast media - television

 Disadvantages
 Costs - very expensive because of the very high production and
airtime costs.
 Lack of selectivity - Although selectivity can be an advantage of
television media, it can also be considered a disadvantage. PR
practitioners who want to address niche markets might find that
television is not the most appropriate media vehicle to get the
intended message across.
 Clutter - As with radio, television messages are in a constant
battle
to break through the clutter.
Traditional mass media for PR
 Broadcast media - television

 Disadvantages
 Limited viewer attention - Can avoid commercials more easily, by
fast-forwarding through commercials or muting the television while
the message is being conveyed.
 Distrust and negative evaluation - can be seen as intrusive,
persuasive, uninformative and too repetitive, resulting in distrust
and negative evaluation.
Traditional mass media for PR
 Print media
 Newspapers
 Timeframe
 Daily, weekly, monthly
 News 24 = daily or Sunday Times =
weekly

 Demographic distribution
 Focus more on Language

 Geographic distribution
 Available only in specific area
Traditional mass media for PR
 Print media – newspapers
 Advantages
 Less expensive
 Can add advertisement and reach wider audience
 Can target a specific region or target market
 Photographs and captions can be placed

 Disadvantages
 Information ages quickly
 Only selected audience
 Numerous advertisers – reduce impact of adverts
 Quality cannot be good
Traditional mass media for PR
 Print media
 Magazines
 Consumer
 Sold for
entertai
nment
&
informa
tion
 E.g
Men’s
Health,
Garden
&
Home
Traditional mass media for PR
 Print media - Magazines
 Advantages
 Specific,directed to a target audience
 Quality of paper and printing = high quality
reproduction
 Level of prestige provided to advertisements

 Disadvantages
 More expensive, more specific it is
 Advertising can be costly
 Advertising can become cluttered
 Increase cost in of production of magazine
influences frequency
Traditional mass media for PR
 Support media
 Outdoor advertising
 Cost-effective,
elusive
consumers can be
targeted
Traditional mass media for PR
 Support media
 Transit advertising
 High visibility of products on a daily
basis
 Make it difficult to ignore, like TV or radio
Traditional mass media for PR
 Support media
 In-store media
 Inform,remind and
persuade customers to
make a purchase
while they are
shopping.
Traditional mass media for PR
 Support media
 Directory advertising
 Yellow pages, Brabys
Traditional mass media for PR
 Support media
 Oramedia (folk media)
 Used to
communicate to rural
publics, people from
different ethnic groups,
cultures, languages & lives
beyond the reach of mass
media.
 E.g. puppet shows,
poetry & music festivals,
political rallies etc.
 Not often used
Traditional mass media for PR
 Internal media
 used within an organisation
(between management & employees)
 Can improve success of organisation

 3 tools can be used:

 In-person communication e.g. meetings,
grapevine etc.
 Printed communication e.g. notice boards, internal
newsletters etc.
 Information-technology based
communication e.g. email, social networking etc.
Media used for PR

Traditional Online

 For example  For example

Online media for PR
 Websites & Online media rooms

 Aim of website = build relationships with

stakeholders once they visit the website
 Online media room = a specific section on
organisation's website to communicate with the media
 Press/news releases
 Executive biographies & Photo’s
 PR practitioner contact details
 Both should be kept up to date with
relevant information
Online media for PR
 Email
 Advantages
 Easy to manage
 Fast delivery
 Low-cost
 Filtering is hassle free
 Secure and reliable
transmission
Online media for PR
 E-newsletters
 Used to inform,
entertain or persuade
stakeholders about
specific topics or issues.
 Same as
printed newsletter, but
send by means of an
email or website
Online media for PR
 E-newsletters
 Advantages:
 Lower cost
 Personalised information
 Easy to measure
 Interactivity
 Efficient communication
 Global reach
 Respond quickly
 Fast communication
Online media for PR
 Online influencers
 Academics, industry
analyst, professional
advisers, celebrities,
YouTubers and Bloggers
 Companies target
influencers to spread to
message – influencer
marketing
Online media for PR
 Online influencers
 How???
 To influencers – market
your brand to them
 Through influencers –
use them to increase
brand awareness
 With influencers – turn
them into advocates,
may speak for your
brand without asking
them
Online media for PR
 Social media
 Social media encourages users to share, not to
purchase a product or not subscribe to a newsletter.
 It’s about building a trusting relationship
Online media for PR
 Social media

 Can’t use all forms should focus on the

types most relevant to organisation.
 E.g.
 Social networks
 Blogs
 Microblogs
 Discussion forums
Online media for PR
 Social media
 Social networks
 create public or
semi-public profile within a
restricted system, connect
with users they have
connection with and
navigate profiles of their
connections and others
within this restricted areas.
Online media for PR
 Social media
 Media sharing
 Allow photo, audio and video sharing
 Best example is Youtube
 Can be used by PR practitioners in the following
ways:
 Announcements
 Respond to a crisis
 Extend your brand
 Customer testimonials
 Tutorials – how to videos
Online media for PR
 Social media
 Blogs
 Is like an online diary, but readers
can leave comments on a topic
 e.g. personal blogs, corporate blogs or
news blogs
 4 ways blogs can be used in marketing &
PR
 to spread news
 monitor what is said about your company
 to take part in conversations
 to contribute own content
Online media for PR
 Social media

 Microblogs
 same as blogs, but differs in the length of the post
 2 ways in which microblogs can be
used PR practitioners
 to see what people are saying about
you and your competitors
 to start a conversation by setting up a profile and
starting
to post
KFC #addhope
Online media for PR
 Social media

 Discussion forums
 internet-based sites that usually centre
around a specific topic and provide a platform for
users to post questions
 response can be immediate or over a long
period of time or never
 e.g. Google groups, Yahoo groups or Facebook
groups
Online media for PR
 Search engine
optimisation (SEO)

 Preparing
your website in
such a way that it
is more likely to
be selected by the
popular search
engines
Online media for PR
 Real Simple Syndication (RSS)

a system which enables readers of blogs or

websites to subscribe to their favourite sites, and
it informs them of new content
 used in 2-ways by PR-practitioners:
 Distributing information
 Gathering information
Online media for PR
 Online press releases

 Same purpose as offline press releases

 Writing style differs
 Can be done by an individual, whole
department or outside organisations specialising
in online PR
e.g. PR Newswires, PRWeb, Business Wire and
PR.com
Online media for PR
 Social media monitoring
 Anapplication to monitor conversations on the
Internet that include your company or brand

 Shouldnot just monitor, should also act on the

information gathered
 Canbe used for reporting, research & decision-
making

 Canuse Radian, Meltwater Buzz & Brandwatch

as online monitoring tools
Difference between traditional & online
media (from online media viewpoint)
Availability of the • All stakeholders are informed about news at the same time, use
message different online platforms

Reaching the target • Niche targeting, message targeted at a specific market

• Send directly to audiences
market

Availability • Online media is always available (24/7/365)

Measurability • All info can be measured

Cost • Cost are reduced and large target markets can be reached

• Traditional media = one-way media

Conversation • Online = conversation with stakeholders and responds immediately

• Online information can be changed easily, optimized for search

Smart content engine, made interactive and linked
Controlled & uncontrolled media
Controlled Uncontrolled
 Message is controlled by PR  PR practitioner or message developer
practitioner or message developer DOES NOT have direct influence on
 Control WHAT is said, How it is said, message
WHEN it is said, PLACEMENT of the  E.g. PR releases, publicity, news,
message & FORMAT of the message stories or photo’s
 E.g. leaflets, brochures, emails,  NOT PAID for and seen as more
websites & corporate print material creditworthy
 Paid by the communicator

 Social media can be considered controlled &

uncontrolled
 Business control what is posted on e.g. Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram etc., but cannot control responses of consumers
Different forms of media

Market a New media Media Others are Used in a

product channels consumers invited to negative
created by create or place way by
org to existing content by consumers
Org owns market media org owning of
effort or 3rd their created the media competitors
party products / that
services consumers
share
PR within the organisation
 Success of PR as a management
tool depends on the following:
 Participation and commitment of
management
 Competency of PR practitioners
 Centralisation of policymaking
 2-way communication between
internal & external publics
 co-ordination of planning & executing
strategy to meet agreed-upon objectives
Public relations in society

 PR can be viewed in a negative way

= influencing public opinion to benefit
organisation

 If used in an ethical way PR can contribute

to better understanding between groups and
institutions = benefit & place in society
Successful public relations
 For PR to be successful it
needs to comply to:

 Communication should be
honest
 Success of the program
should be monitored
 PR should be run on
ethical business principles
 PR officers and managers
must be efficient