What is Public Relations?

Essay by mommy22University, Bachelor's June 2007

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What is Public Relations?

Erica Clark

Marketing 438

May 15, 2007

What is Public Relations?

In this paper I will be giving several different definitions of Public Relations including my own interpretation. This paper will also examine why there are several different ways one could view PR.

According to Wikipedia Public relations (PR) is: Building sustainable relations with all publics in order to create a positive brand image. There are many goals to be achieved by the practice of public relations, including education, correcting a mistruth, or building or improving an image.

Encyclopedia: public relations

Activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, a public relation is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most favorable light.

DefinePublic Relations defines PR as:

Communication strategies, media relations, writing, Internet and traditional communication outreach and search engine optimization.

In my personal opinion I think of PR as a source of damage control, a method of placing a positive spin on something negative, but I also look at it as a form of positive advertisement for good products.

So why are there so many definitions for public relations? I believe that this is because depending on which side of the fence you happen to be on will reflect how you play the game. For example, Lets take a look at professional players. Professional plays invest in thousands maybe even millions of dollars every year into hiring and retaining a Public Relations consultant, especially the rookie player. Rookies need someone to hype them up within the media. So, therefore the Public Relations consultant will take some of the rookie's positive images and qualities and sell them to companies in...