PR Industry Paper
This paper describes the influences of public relations on my life, discusses the evolution of the role of public relations using a favorite brand, and includes information about an interview I conducted with a public relations professional working in the industry to understand the role and duties.
Introduction
In a world that is filled with a multitude of brands combatting with each other for economic success and market dominance, public relations is what makes a certain company stand out. From mastering the strategies of social media, to targeting a specific audience, to prioritizing the people who work and invest in the company, there are various roles that make a PR team influential and indestructible. PR has affected our lives in ways we don’t recognize and the important communication that occurs behind the scenes is the reason why we appreciate specific brands.
Part 1: The Influences of Public Relations on my Life
I first became aware of public relations in seventh grade when I took a media literacy course. During this course, we watched numerous films that promoted certain brands using product placement and even created our own social media accounts for products that we invented. I began to develop an interest for social media during my adolescent years and enjoyed posting photos on my photography account on Instagram. Public relations has influenced me regarding the products that I buy. Recently, I have been drawn to buying clothes from Reformation, which is a sustainable clothing brand that uses high quality fabrics as well as creating new pieces from recycled clothing. Their branding has made their company appealing specifically because of their aesthetic website and that their entire campaign is about being eco-friendly (Reformation, n.d.).
One of the most prominent properties of PR is crisis management. A company can have an incredible branding team and extensive research to back up the purpose of their product, but if something detrimental happens to their business and they don’t have a strong crisis management team, the company’s product and reputation will never recover. The Tylenol Crisis case is always at the forefront of my mind because of how quickly Johnson & Johnson took charge when a problem arose with their packaging. In 1982, packages of Tylenol Extra-Strength on shelves were opened and laced with cyanide capsules and then later resealed by an unknown perpetrator. Seven people died after consuming the capsules and immediately, Johnson & Johnson and their PR agency, Burston-Marsteller, worked to avert the crisis. Immediately, the two companies halted the production and advertising of Tylenol and demonstrated that “they were not willing to risk the public’s safety, even if it cost the company millions of dollars” (Page & Parnell, 2021). Johnson & Johnson also created a new triple-safety-seal packaging which made customers feel more comfortable about purchasing Tylenol (Page & Parnell, 2021).
As I enter the public relations field, I believe that one of my strongest skills will be my creativity. I enjoy art and creating ideas without any limitations and I also like generating witty catch phrases and taglines. After taking COM 117 last semester, I learned how to implement my creativity into editing videos and formulating intriguing storylines. I also have a passion for writing and I find it fascinating how the organization of words can foster interest in a message or product. However, I believe that I can improve on my public speaking. It is simple to read off an index card, however, persuasive public speaking includes using convincing hand gestures and an emotive tone of voice. I am hoping that my public speaking skills will appear more natural and convincing in the future.
Part 2: Evolution of PR
Public Relations has an extensive history deriving from events like the Boston Tea Party, which convinced people to support the American Revolution, the rise of press agents who helped promote companies and products and P.T. Barnum’s publicity stunts which were press events created to garner news coverage. During the 19th century, PR professionals like Ida Wells and John Muir began to take on social issues that contributed to the start of the modern era of PR. Figures like Ivy Lee and George Parker were trailblazers in modern public relations by creating one of the first PR firms in New York and a successful campaign for the Pennsylvania Railroad in support of the 5% rate hike. Edward Bernays, known as the father of PR, was the first to integrate social science into public relations and to recognize the importance of having a target audience. During the 1960s, PR came of age specifically due to advances in technology and growth of the media. Now, strategic PR is prominent in society and success is derived from working with the public and generating awareness through media coverage (Page & Parnell, 2021).
Reformation, a sustainable clothing brand, uses PR skillfully and wisely to promote their company. I first discovered this brand while watching TikTok and was drawn to eventually learn more about the store on their website. Reformation’s presence in the media allows them to effectively reach their target audience which are young to middle-aged women who are active on social media. With the modernization of PR, more companies are incorporating corporate social responsibility to prioritize people, the planet and profit. Since 2015, Reformation focuses on being an eco friendly company and introduced Carbon is Canceled in 2019 which is a program that allows customers to “reduce or offset their personal carbon footprints” (Marquis, 2021). Reformation also has a sustainable apparel factory in Los Angeles and invests in infrastructure that is efficient, eco friendly and is powered by renewable energy. Reformation also makes sure to prioritize the people that contribute to their brand and pays every single worker a living wage along with providing them with opportunities to learn and grow (Marquis, 2021). Reformation uses PR to its benefit by following Rex Harlow’s definition of PR and “defines and emphasizes the responsibility of management to serve the public interest” (Page & Parnell, 2021). It is evident that they do not prioritize profit and selflessly revolve their purpose around values that people care about, such as saving the planet. They manage their company in a way that appeals to not only their clients, but also to those who work for them.
In the future, I believe that diversity and inclusion will be more prevalent. Consumers of companies around the world are from various different backgrounds and there is a need for diversity in the workplace to reflect the heterogeneity in society. Currently, 9.9% of advertising, marketing and PR jobs in the United States are held by African Americans and 13.6% are held by Hispanics or Latinos (Page & Parnell, 2021). Companies like PRSA and the PR Council believe that success comes from hiring people that reflect the entire population.
Part 3: Interview a PR Professional
I chose to interview Claire Strother, who is an account coordinator for Imagine PR, a New York-based PR firm that specializes in hospitality and travel. Strother describes her role as being the voice of the people that she represents in the media. She mentions that she typically “handles pitches, press releases and day-to-day contact with clients” (Strother, 2024). Strother majored in communications with a specialization in PR at the College of Charleston. She was also a creative operations assistant for BCW Global Communications Industry. She mentions taking various social media and public speaking courses which led her to become extremely fascinated with the social aspect of PR. For the specific area of travel PR, Strother states that it is vital to have “good communication and writing skills” especially for writing press releases for clients (Strother, 2024).
In an article highlighted on Imagine PR’s website, Strother and her company used strong communication skills to “create a stronger media presence in the American market for the micro-destination of Niseko Village” in Japan, which is home to a luxury hotel. Through various press trips and thoughtful pitching, Imagine PR formulated around 200 significant media placements in outlets like Vogue, the New York Post and Bloomberg (Imagine PR, n.d.). Strother mentions that her favorite parts of her job are the people that she works with and the communication that comes with the position. She claims that she feels like a leader in her profession and enjoys the fast-paced nature of PR as a whole (Strother, 2024).
Conclusion
I believe that values and skills of public relations are relevant in various aspects of the real world beyond the communications field. PR emphasizes the importance of building trust and forming fortified relationships which can be applied both in the workplace and outside the corporate world. The evolution of public relations and the various roles that exist within the PR realm demonstrate the field’s ever-changing nature. I look forward to continuing my PR career in the upcoming years and plan to apply the knowledge that I have learned this semester into my future endeavors.
Word Count: 1435
PR News Story
This news story contains information about a real event on campus that I attended as a reporter. It contains information about Phi Hoops, a philanthropy event for the Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority.
The Scoop on Phi Hoops: Basketball for a Cause
By Alexa Caplan
Syracuse, N.Y., April 14, 2024 — The Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority of Syracuse University organized Phi Hoops on April 10, 2024 to raise money to support the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Over 30 teams among various Greek life organizations showed up to the basketball courts near the Women’s Building with contagious energy and determination to win the competition. The philanthropy event was organized as a basketball tournament with separate brackets for the girls teams and the boys teams. The event was a huge success and raised over $2,000 to donate to EGPAF.
The event began with all of the members of Alpha Epsilon Phi setting up the tournament. To run the tournament, the girls volunteered to either coach a team, referee a game, or even play on the AEPhi team. Phi Hoops received numerous sponsorships from brands like Wilson, Body Armor and Red Bull that provided basketballs for the games and beverages for attendees to enjoy. Local small businesses also showed up to support the event. Champs and Scholars sold Syracuse apparel and Ali Baba and Skippy’s served delicious mediterranean food and ice cream from their trucks.
The games began with an vibrant start as the sorority teams faced off for round one at 5:30 p.m. Each game lasted seven minutes and each team was battling for the winning title. The event was filled with spirit as sounds of whistles blowing, booming cheers and music from the DJ booth could be heard all around campus.
After putting up a great fight, Tri Delta won the girls bracket at 6:30 p.m. At the same time, the boys bracket began and all of the fraternity teams played with intensity and enthusiasm. Various fraternities were so passionate about the philanthropy event that they decided to enter more than one team from each house into the competition, in support of donating money to EGPAF. Despite the sudden temperature drop and rainfall that occurred later in the evening, the boys continued to uphold the same energy that they possessed at the beginning of the event. At the end of Phi Hoops, Psi Upsilon was declared champions of the boys bracket.
Logan Keyes, vice president of philanthropy for AEPhi, reflects on the success of the event and mentions that “this year’s Phi Hoops had the largest turnout since we first began this annual event.” She also believes “it made a larger impact being a philanthropy event with a charity in mind so that people were able to come together while supporting an amazing cause.”
According to the national AEPhi website, EGPAF has been one of AEPhi’s national philanthropies since 2000 and was founded by an AEPhi alumna, Elizabeth Meyer Glaser, after she discovered that she and her two children, Ariel and Jake, were infected with HIV from a blood transfusion. Chapters all over the nation host events to not only raise money for this foundation, but to also educate their campus communities about the issues that young people face with HIV and AIDS. The Iota chapter of Alpha Epsilon Phi has proudly supported EGPAF for numerous years.
Overall, the success of Phi Hoops allowed members of AEPhi to demonstrate to the Syracuse community the beneficial impact of philanthropic events. The saying, “it takes a village to raise a child,” is pertinent to this event. Thanks to the spirited participation of numerous fraternities and sororities, EGPAF is able to conduct medical research to find a cure for pediatric HIV and allow children to live happier and healthier lives.
PR News Release
For this assignment, we were given the opportunity to choose our favorite company and invent a new product or service to announce in a one-page news release. For my news release, I chose Chobani as my brand and invented a new frozen yogurt pop-up shop called Frobani.
