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Public relations is a term many people seem to understand, but has a few misconceptions or myths surrounding the industry. Here are five myths about public relations that may clarify any misunderstandings someone may have.
- All publicity is good publicity.
While it is generally seen as a good thing to be covered in the news, there are instances where publicity can hinder a brand’s reputation. The saying that “there is no such thing as bad publicity” is untrue, as there are many examples from popular companies that have had a weakened reputation from what was said in the news. One notorious example is BP after the massive oil spill in 2010. The company and the crisis were covered constantly because of their unstable crisis communication plan. As a result of this, consumers were less inclined to support or buy from BP. For an example of crisis communications done right, read the Tylenol case study.
2. PR is the same thing as advertising.
Public relations and advertising have similar concepts and can overlap in certain areas; however, they cannot be classified as the same thing. Advertising is simply paying to promote a company through visual and audible content. Public relations is about two-way communications and relationships with target audiences. Public relations professionals pitch stories, promote specific events or people, and generate research for clients, in addition to promoting visual/audible content.
3. PR is a nine-to-five job.
Scheduling for workers in the public relations industry depends on the work setting – corporate versus agency. However, employees in both would agree that work sometimes comes at various times. Oftentimes there are specific needs or events that occur outside of the 9-5 range that influence one’s work schedule. Crises can require work to happen at 3 a.m., or emergency coverage may be needed after work. Either way, those in public relations should understand that their schedule is subject to change.
4. People in PR use their friends in journalism.
Oftentimes people in public relations take classes in college or are within the same groups as those within journalism. This being said, it sometimes can be a convenient way for public relations professionals to get their story covered. However, pitching a story to just any journalist is not a strategic way to ensure coverage. It is necessary to research journalists prior to pitching a release to lead to a bigger chance of success. While a friend in journalism may happen to be the perfect person to pitch to, it is not strategic or effective to pitch to a friend just because they are a journalist. To read more about how public relations professionals can develop relationships with journalists, click here.
5. PR is at fault when coverage is bad.
Public relations professionals have control over what they pitch and who they pitch it to, however the story that the journalist completes is not always what the public relations person intended. Clutchpr.com wrote, “We have no control over the tone of the coverage. Our goal is to make sure that the journalist is covering/reviewing your project. What they write is their opinion not ours.” This means that since the journalist has the option to include their opinion, it may shift the outlook of said story. In addition to this, journalists do not send out a copy of the story prior to publishing, making it necessary for public relations professionals to generate a well-written and thorough pitch.
In all, public relations is a broader concept than people make it out to be. These five myths hopefully cleared up any common misconceptions people may have about public relations professionals and their day-to-day work.