Kevin Stack
COM110
Public Relations
Public relations all around us, you can find it on any television channel available, in movies, on the radio, and even lurking in a couple of magazines and newspapers. People usually associate Public Relations with publicity, however, Public Relations is far more than that. Publicity is the practice of getting people or products mentioned in the news and entertainment media in order to get members of the public interested in them (turow). Public Relations in a perfect world is the communication of factual instances involving people, places, things, and actions to the general public using the events that transpired to persuade them. Some lesser known forms of Public Relations can deal with the spinning of negative or positive events and displaying them in different lights this can be as “damage control” or “spinning” (www.prsa.org).
The History of Public Relations dates back to the beginning of civilization, but the earliest documented form of Public Relations was found by archeologists in Iran, as a farm bulletin displaying different, possibly more effective techniques for farming (cutlip). Since the beginning of time people have been selling and trading tangible items in order to make capital. Because of this, people began selling ideas and although it was usually for capital, it was not always the case. A great deal of influence was made on the literate population through writings, speeches, and any other forms of communication that cold be received. This influence was even more powerful when the source of the communication was the only source available and was believed to be “credible”. Although the information was not always factual, people were more likely to believe it and thus changing them to think however they are intended to think. Critical thinkers have changed this by asking questions, learning the truth and spreading the information that the public should be receiving, and making laws and standards concerning the uses and users of Public Relations (cutlip). Another Early Examples would be in military reports that Roman Generals such as Julius Caesar sent to the Roman Senate (bates).
Early examples of Public Relations in America date back to 1588, A Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia, by: John White was a look into exactly what the title suggests, early Virginia. Other U.S Advertising and Public Relations firms began to develop in the late nineteenths and early twentieth centuries. This was a period in which both Advertising and Public Relations were very useful and almost vital to the every day person. By the time of the American Revolution, anti-British Colonists participated in The Boston Tea Party. The Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773 when a group of angry colonists boarded three ships and destroyed there entire cargo of tea by dumping it into the harbor. This act gained much public attention and spread the word to other people who understood and related to their cause (bates). People found these acts or demonstrations to be a powerful way to stir emotions and recruit people who were in their same line of thinking. Also, early writers such as Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine, and Abigail Adams, displayed The Boston Massacre in a very Anti-British perspective by using the term Massacre (cutlip). When you hear the word massacre you associate whatever comes before or after it with death, blood, battle, war, and violence, which automatically makes you feel sympathetic for the colonists.
There are many events from the early twentieth century to the present that have been used in public relations for the better or worse. Over time people have found that the most successful strategy for Public Relations is to tell the truth because it will surface one way or another, to do the right thing so that the public has less of a negative view, and to learn from history and mistakes of others (www.prsa.com). Early Public Relations leaders were known as “Counselors” who could help guide the public images of large corporations in ways that could satisfy management of corporations, companies, leaders etc…(www.prsa.org). With the growth of companies and industries in America, many public relations disasters were encountered. Early examples were: Railroad firms and Utility Companies like AT&T and Consolidated Edison hired counselors to portray them as concerned corporate citizens who were thinking in ways that would please the mass appeal. Another famous event was The Publicity Bureau’s success in defeating President Theodore Roosevelt’s proposition of a law that would stop the abuses of power by railroad companies. This was done by “counselors” who were paid to persuade the public opinion in form of articles written in favor of the railroads (bates.) Although dishonest and unethical, these practices were common and effective, but did not last very long.
One of the first individuals to bring dignity, honesty, and ethics into the world of Public Relations was Ivy Lee. In 1906 Lee convinced the heads of the Pennsylvania Railroad to “come clean” to journalists about mistakes on their part the led to a rail accident (bates). Lee also published “The Statement of Principles” in 1906. The main message of this was to supply the press and public of the United States accurate information on the dealings of companies and leaders who were running their country. Lee’s ideas and writings proved to be an ultimate case of “Do what is not by my actions, but of my words”. During his employment by John Rockefeller, Lee was to bring Rockefeller into a favoring light after Standard Oil had supposedly hired goons to kill workers and laborers that were striking, and attempting to organize workers for there cause(bates). Lee also inadvertently aligned himself with Hitler and Nazi Germany by ending war reparations from Germany to re-stabilize the national depression prior to World War II (cutlip). After this, people criticized not only lee, but the whole Public Relations business (http://www.lib.uwo.ca/business/bernays..html). He was famous for saying “Truth is relative” and that it depends on the receiver’s perspective, and that “our job should be providers of information and not purveyors of publicity”. His view was that a Public Relations Counselor was to lead general audiences to see the truth from the client’s perspective. An example of this approach that was successful was Edward Bernay’s decision to persuade children to like soap and find fun in the process of being hygienic and clean. The company Proctor and Gamble asked him to increase American Families use of Ivory Soap. He then promotes soap sculpture contests in schools which give kids the general feeling that soap can be fun and inviting (http://www.lib.uwo.ca/business/bernays.html).
Ivy Lee and his writings changed the way that not only Public Relations counselors think but the public as well. During the Great Depression, large companies that in a way were useless, hired Public Relations consultants to help turn the public image of them into a positive one. The main goal was to find a target audience aka the people who would be receiving the message. This was done by using what the majority of the target audience thought, and what their opinions on certain matters were. For example, if the audience was female the advertisement or message would receive greater attention and appeal if it was geared towards women. Any and all attributes were used in this now people are categorized as numbers and how much money they make only to sell a product. Some of the famous agencies that helped do this were Carl Byoir and Associates and Hill and Knowlton are still around today (turow). Two different types of Public relations fields were one that worked as consultants who were not permanent but brought in to change the view or image of a company/organization. The second type which was more common worked for large private organizations or Government agencies. The titles of some of the counselors were press officer, Public Relations specialist, or communications manager (bates). During the 1960’s it was a time of change, reform, and consumer anger. Books like “Unsafe at any Speed” by Ralph Nader were published that revealed safety problems in a popular Chevrolet car that almost caused GM to go under (turow).
Not all Public Relations companies do the same thing though some help clients with any area of communication from speaking on TV and in front of large groups, to explaining actions taken by the client in order to justify them to the public. They also help develop strategies for gaining public interest or appeal and use tactics to enable these strategies (bates). Many issues in business are solely based on communication and advertising. All of these must be studied and found to be tactical and in favor of the company’s positive image to the public before being revealed to the public (www.prsa.org)
A very monumental part of Public Relations is known as Crisis Management or Damage Control. Crisis Management is acts taken by Public Relations counselors to respond to the public if something unseen and very detrimental to a company’s image happens. An example of good crisis management would be in 1982 when Burson-Marsteller’s job as a Public Relations firm was to take the blame off of Tylenol which was believed to be used to kill several people in Chicago. Burson-Marsteller was successful in this because at all times throughout the trial they were very clear that its client had America’s best interests in mind and would ensure the safety of Tylenol (bates). Another example of an attempt to avoid a crisis by the use of Public Relations was the Columbine tragedy. The school shooting that was an absolute disaster was earth shattering and portrayed on such a level that it was very real and upsetting for parents and schools across the Nation. Public Relations only goal in this case was to illustrate the facts about the aggressors in the situation and every detail in the situation itself. This was important because while at the same time trying to ease the fear of Americans by using stories that paint the killers in very psychologically unhealthy forms. An example of this would be to blame the increased violence in the media, as an answer:
“[Media violence] is not the major factor, dysfunctional families, psychiatric problems, substance abuse all play roles in anarchy.” However, according to Sissela Bok, author of “Mayhem: Violence as the Public Entertainment”,. No one asks whether heart disease is caused by fatty foods, cholesterol, and lack of exercise. We know that it is all these things together. What we can do is address as many of these things as possible.”
Both of these attempts forget about the principles of playing the blame game which always leads to bad public Relations (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4990167). Although not all Public Relations was damage control or to put a positive spin on an otherwise negative event, they mostly were.
The development of the Public Relations field was inevitable because of the need by public and private organizations to control their environment. Their environment includes the press, the consumers, and anyone able to listen and make an informed decision. It is an integral part of any civilized society. Public Relations have existed since the beginning of civilization and will survive to see the end, every aspect of it is continually evolving hopefully for the better, and giving the public the information that they may or may not have been meant to receive.
Biliography
“To Inform & Persuade, Public Relations from the Dawn of Civilization”
by: Don Bates
“Media Today”
by: John Turow
“The Unseen Power: Public Relations a History”
by:Scott Cutlip
“Mayhem: Violence as the Public Entertainment”
by: Sissela Bok
“Forgiveness not Needed, says Klebold’s Parents”. 29 April 2005.
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4990167/print/1/displaymode/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4990167.html