What is Public Relations?

Public Relations, in one form or another, is all around us every day. It’s used to influence changes in behaviour and beliefs in target publics (stakeholders) by most organisations. But how much do those who use it, and those influenced by it, understand what it actually is?

Most people who’ve heard of or seen the term ‘Public Relations’ or ‘PR’, often in the news, have an understanding of what they think it is.

But, for various reasons, what they understand is usually either wrong or, at best, only a partial picture.

What they typically have in mind is two things:

1. Sending a News Release to the Media

Typically an announcement of news for use as a News item by media, sometimes issued ahead of time under an embargo for publication after that day and time. 

This is still referred to by many people, including many Public Relations practitioners, by the anachronistic term ‘Press Release’, which derives from Public Relations’ roots in the early 20th Century where printed daily, weekly and monthly publications were the dominant mass medium for communicating news.

Public Relations bodies now teach that this medium should be referred to as a ‘News Release’ because that best reflects its purpose – releasing news about the organisation.

This activity is now referred to as Media Relations and is still a major tool of Public Relations, but far from the only one (more of that in a later blog).

2. The ‘PR person’

Someone like Malcolm Tucker in The Thick Of It, Edina Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous or Siobhan Sharpe from Twenty Twelve and W1A. Someone who uses news releases and other PR tools to create a flattering or false narrative about their client – often referred to as ‘spin’ – to their stakeholders via the media.

Reality

Thankfully, the reality of best practice Public Relations is more complex, largely different and ethically sound.

The definition of Public Relations used by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR): is this (with my emphasis in bold):

Reputation

As the definition says, reputation is at the heart of PR. 

As the CIPR goes on to say:

If you think about how you engage with companies and other organisations yourself, you can see the truth in that. 

If you need something fixed and you don’t have an existing supplier, what do you do? You’ll look for someone or a company with a good reputation in that – perhaps by asking friends or family or reading reviews of those you find online.

Actions and reputation

As the CIPR’s definition goes on to say, there’s a clear link between what you, or your brand or organisation, do and say and the reputation you gain as result.

The CIPR doesn’t rank each of the contributing factors to your reputation, but it’s clear to me they are in this order because of which ones your publics will pay most attention to and be influenced by: 1) What you do; 2) What others say about you; 3) What you say.

So the notion that you can do what you like but Public Relations will help you gain, retain or recover a good reputation regardless is false – actions have reputational consequences.

And sometimes no amount of PR can fix it. Tony Langham, CEO of Lansons, put it this way in his session at the CIPR National Conference 2019: “You can't talk your way out of a problem you behaved your way into.”

Aims of PR

Referring back to the CIPR definition again, Public Relations has “the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding.”

Notice in that, PR is about a two-way communication with key audiences (those who can affect your perception) - trying to gain their support by influencing what they think and do.

Note also, PR is “planned and sustained”, so a one-off or annual news release to the local paper is unlikely to achieve those goals of a positive relationship based on mutual understanding.

The value of PR

So what is the value of using Public Relations? One final time, I’ll refer back to what the CIPR says:

That final quote refers to the other major alternative definition of Public Relations put forward by academics in the field – that, at top level, Public Relations is about actively managing stakeholder relationships and managing your reputation is part of that.

Whichever definition you feel chimes strongest with what your organisation needs, the activities undertaken are the same.

In a world where competition for business and resources is once again very challenging for all organisations, managing and influencing your reputation and stakeholders is proving to be a critical strategic and tactical area you need to consider and invest in.

Can you afford not to use best practice Public Relations to effectively manage your reputation into a strategic intangible asset and source of competitive advantage?

© Alan S. Morrison, 2025

March 2025