You are not alone Public Relations

1. You are not alone Public Relations • By the end of this session you should • Understand how Public Relations are different from, but related to, marketing • Realise how and why Public Relations matters • Be aware of practical matters related to writing press release statements

2. Plan • Why promote? • What promotional ‘tools’ are available and how does this fit with marketing and planning? • What exactly is Public Relations? How does this fit with advertising? Strengths and differences of each. • What is the role and scope of public relations?

3. What exactly is PR? How does this fit with advertising? ADVERTISING = What a company says about itself PUBLIC RELATIONS = What others say about the company (or the management of reputation) PR- ‘Public Relations is about reputation- the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you. PR practise is the discipline which looks after reputation with the aim of earning understanding and supporting and influencing opinion and behaviours’ What are the differences? Strengths and differences of each.

4. What does the style convey?

5. What does the style convey? • Who is the audience? • Are you interested? • What would make you interested?

6. What does this say about the company? An advertising agency is handing out free posters of supermodel Heidi Klum to prevent her German fans tearing them from billboards. BBC, 22 May 2003 H&M swimwear ad

7. With Orange Student,communicate even more with your friends Student is valid for 12 months at a time and can easily be renewed using our online form. We will of course remind you to do this in good time. Your application must therefore be accompanied by a valid apprentice or student ID card, or in the case of minors, by an identity card. Student is then valid for 12 months, after which it must be renewed. We will of course remind you to do this in good time.

8. Images and messages need constant refreshing. It’s obvious with adverts. But you need to keep other stakeholders regularly briefed too. Public relations keep you in the public eye, in the right way.

9. Advertising Broader audiences Costly Specific messages Function: to close a deal awareness of new products awareness of established products controlled and consistent messages Public Relations Specific target audiences Free?! Impartial = greater weight Function: educate create and change opinions create and maintain opinions and goodwill makes the most of news opportunities Advertising & Public Relations

10. Why promote? • To reach customers who may not be direct customers and have an interest indirectly but hard sell approaches might not be so relevant • To establish a relationship and a dialogue • Communicate ideas effectively to key audiences • To enable a business to be more competitive • Look at the first two example - press releases. How do these achieve the 4 aims here. • Work in twos - Make some notes on them

11. Promotion as part of a bigger picture… Product / Service Place The Marketing Mix Promotion Price

12. Role and Scopeof Public Relations • You can gain credibility through 3rd party endorsement • Increase a market environment • Increase visibility of share of voice • Inform/ educate the consumer • Influence the trade/ b2b • Support a sales force • Harness influential people/ opinion formers • Extend promotions • Support advertising • Exploit sponsorship • Manage issues GOODWILL SUPPORT BRAND A PUBLIC PERSONALITY

13. Promotional ‘tools’ - available to use SALES PROMOTION ADVERTISING INTERNET DIRECT MARKETING PUBLIC RELATIONS Editorial / press releases Exhibitions Publications Sponsorship Word of Mouth Events

14. Why use press releases Objectives and role • Inform • Remind • Persuade • Educate • Create awareness of a product/ service • Create and maintain a brand personality • Stimulate trial • Position products in people’s minds • Correct misconceptions in order to develop competitive advantage….

15. Who do you target? Customers - existing and prospective Investors Suppliers Employees Media Government Pressure groups Competitors

16. Uses of Press Releases Reactive Or Proactive • What is the status of the next two press releases in the pack. Are they ahead of the game?

17. Groups of 4 • Select one of the other press releases • Imagine you are employed for 3 months to promote the product / service • What are you going to do? • What are your criteria for focusing on a particular PR approach? Editorial / pressreleases Exhibitions Publications Sponsorship Events Word of Mouth

18. Do you do your own Public Relations?PR Companies We guarantee to get your story in the media • Media contacts • Awareness of opportunities • Experience • Costs

19. Follow up Chase up different the styles of Public Relations. Key questions: • Costs • Lead time to prepare • Who would it reach Editorial / pressreleases Exhibitions Publications Sponsorship Events Word of Mouth

20. PR follow up texts Bell, E. (ed) (2004) The Guardian Media Guide, London: Atlantic Books Genasi, C., (2003) Winning Reputations, London, Hampshire: Palgrave Green, A. (2003) Creativity in Public Relations (2nd ed) London: Kogan Page Henslowe (2002) Public Relations — a Practical Guide to the Basics, London: Kogan Page. Keeble, R. (2001) The Newspapers Handbook, Oxford: Routledge L’Etang, J. (2003) Public Relations in Britain, A History of Professional Practice in the 20th Century, New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates McKay, J. (2000) The Magazines Handbook, Oxford: Routledge Pringle, H. (2004) Celebrity Sells, New York: J Wiley Tench, R. and Yeomans, L. (2006) Exploring Public Relations, London: Pearson Education Theaker, A. (2001) The Public Relations Handbook, Oxford: Routledge PR Week

21. Reflection • What else do I need to know about Public Relations? • In order to write a press release I would need to … • In order to decide whether a PR campaign would focus on press releases, trade magazines, publications, exhibitions …. I would need to be fully aware of …