“Public relations… that’s like advertising, right?”
Well, not exactly.
More times than not, people seem to associate public relations with advertising, which isn’t completely wrong, but it’s an incomplete description of public relations and it doesn’t do the practice justice.
Public relations allows for creativity, strategic thinking and an honest desire to ethically improve a business. It’s a cost-effective method of reaching your target audience, and it creates opportunities that advertising alone cannot create.
We love PR because it’s about companies making a positive impact in society, and earning media exposure. Any company can buy advertising space, but doing something truly impactful and having a journalist choose to cover your story is far more rewarding. It develops an image for a company, but it’s an image the company has earned.
Having this type of third-party endorsement is greater than an advertisement, because it provides the public with information needed to make informed choices about your company. It doesn’t manipulate information, or twist a situation to make it seem like it’s something it isn’t. Third-party endorsement presents the facts to the audience, and it allows your company to gain the recognition it deserves.
In the same sense, PR promotes transparency and honesty, because the last thing any company wants is to find itself amidst a crisis as a result of “spinning” or withholding information. Practitioners have an opportunity to help an organization grow and operate ethically, and all of us here at MCCI take pride in keeping the practice ethical.
Creating this sense of goodwill among stakeholders also has a tendency to spread. In a world where information can go viral and end up halfway around the globe in a matter of minutes, news of a company’s actions can travel fast. This creates numerous opportunities for a business to create the image it wants by simply being responsible and ethically serving its community.
Can advertising play a role in public relations? Sure it can, but it’s far more powerful when paired with PR efforts. We love PR for many reasons, but particularly because it’s motivation for a business to be actively involved in the community it serves.
You should love PR too! It has been said that public relations is “doing something good and getting credit for it.” This definition is a simplistic, yet accurate, way to view the practice.
Looking to expand your company, gain the trust of your stakeholders and improve the impact you make in the community? We’re here to help! Look no further than PR with MCCI. Check out our Public & Media Relations page to learn more.
