What is Public Relations? and other FAQs

So...What is PR?
Well good question!

Not least because there is no single definition of Public Relations, in fact there are hundreds!  PR encompasses many different areas and comes under the guises of innumerable job titles. From communications to media relations, from publicist to spin doctor.

My understanding of it is this... It is all about managing reputation and influencing the opinions of others in order to either protect or promote your company or cause.


What is the difference between PR and Advertising?


In short advertising is paid for, it's what you say about yourself. PR is what others say about you. People are more likely to trust the recommendation of a friend or the endorsement of a celebrity than anything else.


What is involved in PR?


Public Relations is often about creating a story and getting it into the media. Through the use of publicity stunts, celebrity/third party endorsement, surveys, competitions, charitable tie ins, humour and above all....a good picture!

It is also about keeping bad news out of the papers, or at least knowing how to lessen its impact.


What different areas of PR are there?


PR, whether we recognise it or not, is an important part of our everyday lives. Much of PR work is about trying to get positive stories about your client into the news and therefore the industry has strong links with journalism.

Areas of employment within PR include Sports, Celebrity and Entertainment, Public Affairs, Political, Consumer, Corporate Communications, Healthcare, Fashion, Third Sector (Charities) and Digital PR (although this final example is increasingly becoming an integrated part of all areas of campaigning).

PR can either be done In-house by a communications department within a company, or on a consultancy basis by outside firms.


PR... Is it evil?


Well, no. Public Relations has in the past gained a bad reputation for propaganda and spin. But initially it was an industry with grew to protect businesses and individuals during the growth of journalism in the early 20th century. To give them the opportunity to have a say and put their side of the story forward.

Studying PR gives you the opportunity to discuss the various legal, ethical and moral questions that arise from working within the PR industry and discuss issues such as the right to privacy and whether or not lying in sometimes a necessity!


Where can I find out more?


Perry recommends you read, PR - A Persuasive Industry? Spin, PR and the Shaping of the Modern Media, by Trevor Morris and Simon Goldsworthy. They are lecturers on the Westminster University course, with lots of experience in the industry. The book gives you a good overview, but there are, of course, many others!