PR definitions – PR Conversations

February 23, 2012June 28, 2020 PR Nexus

Public relations as a promotional industry

It is hard not to believe the PRSA’S #prdefined initiative has resulted in three proposed definitions supporting public relations as a profession. Any reference to persuasive or promotional aspects of the occupation have been filtered out in preference to the more status-oriented relationship perspective of PR. The end result will have an aspirational feel good factor, but will it reflect the reality of the experiences of many practitioners? Possibly even more important, the tendency to...

August 18, 2011June 28, 2020 PR Axis

Constructing the Organizational Narrative: PR definition in the making

There’s an insidious, four-letter word that continues to haunt and largely define the public relations industry (at least in the public’s estimation): Spin. We know this. We fight it. But a big part of the problem is that the average person still does not know what it is we do. For that matter, some practitioners appear confused, limiting PR to media relations and/or publicity. Perhaps even more dangerous, the remit of PR is restricted to...