Midterm Flashcards
Publics
Groups of people with shared interests, either have an effect on the organization, are effected by the organizaion, or both
General public
A non-specific term that can refer to everyone in the world
Organization
A group of people organized in pursuit of a mission
NGO
Non-governmental organization, a group of people serving humanitarian functions and encouraging political participation
Public Relations
Management of communication between an organization and its publics, or the strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics
Issue
an important topic of problem that is open for debate, discussion, or advocacy
Activists
a group of two or more individuals who organize in order to influence another public through action
Issues management
Systematic process whereby organizations work to identify and resolve issues before they become crises
Crisis communication
Deals with undetected problems and sudden crises
Community relations
Efforts made by an organization to build strong relationships with members of the immediate community
Community consultation
when an organization seeks input from community members who may be impacted by any decisions or actions taken by that organization
Government relations
specialized branch of public relations that helps organizations form better relationships with governments at all levels
Public affairs
broader practice of PR that also deals with the public and special interest groups
Crowdsourced public relations definition
Strategic communication management of relationships between an organization and its diverse publics to:
- achieve mutual understanding
- realize organizational goals
- serve the public interest
Spin
disingenuous strategic communication involving skewed presentation of information
Integrated communication
Communicating with publics consistently across organizational functions (PR, advertising, marketing, and customer service)
Distributed public relations
Intentional practice of sharing public relations responsibilities among a broad cross-section of an organization’s members or employeees, particularly in an online context
Deontological ethics
System of decision-making that focuses on the moral principles of duty and rules
Examples of public relations in history
Religion (change behaviour)
Education/nonprofit/reform
Politics/government
Common motivations for strategic communication in history
Pursuit of recruitment, legitimacy, agitation, advocacy, profit
Grunig and Hunt’s Four Models of Public Relations
Publicity/press agentry: one-way from organization to publics with little concern for accuracy
Public information: one-way with truthful information
Two-way asymmetrical: two-way but unbalanced to pursuade publics to change
Two-way symmetrical: two-way balanced, organization just as likely to change
Technological/digital convergence
Information of various forms (sound, text, images, data) are digitized, affording communication across common media
Black box fallacy
False notion that most human communication needs will eventually be satisfied with a single device
Cultural convergence
Various forms of culture are exchanged, combined, converted, and adapted, a phenomenon which has been accelerated with the growth of digital media
Cultural hegemony
imposition of social, political, economic ideals on subordinate groups in society
Participatory culture
private citizens and publics are as likely to produce and share as they are to consume
Economic convergence
various media organizations and functions are merged under a single ownership structure
Professional convergence
various functions of professional communication such as publicity, advertising, online services, and marketing are combined to improve strategy
Market skimming
Marketing strategy, starts with higher prices for early adopters then lowers prices later to a broader consumer base when competitors enter the market
Marketing mix
Combination of product, place, price, and promotion strategies in support of profitable exchange
Integrated marketing communication
Strategic coordination of communication functions such as marketing, advertising, and publicity to achieve a consistent concept in consumers’ minds
___ should replace “product” in the marketing mix
Consumer wants and needs
___ should replace “place” in the marketing mix
Convenience to buy
___ should replace “promotion” in the marketing mix
Communication
___ should replace “price” in the marketing mix
Cost to satisfy wants and needs
Content marketing
Development and sharing of media content to appeal to consumers as an indirect marketing strategy (consumers are drawn primarily to media content instead of directly to the product)
Inbound marketing
marketing strategy that focuses on tactics for attracting customers with useful, entertaining, or valuable information that consumers find online
Advertising + calculating advertising value
media space purchased by sponsors to persuade audiences, reach measured by CPM (cost per thousand), CTR (click through rate), and AVE (advertising value equivalency compared to editorial coverage)
Analytics
researching online data to identify meaningful patterns (Strat Comm: how web traffic leads to behavioural results such as sharing info or making purchases)
Distinguish public relations from advertising and marketing
PR focuses on the overall relationship between the whole organization and many of its publics, meanwhile advertising targets audiences to buy an offering as a means to an end (sales)
Third-party credibility
Assumption that information delivered from an independent source is seen as more objective and believable than information from a source with interest in persuasion
PR’s role in the free flow of information in scoeity
PR advocates for organizations in the marketplace of ideas
Participatory media
Media in which publics actively participate in producing and sharing content
Relational maintenance strategies
Ways of building and sustaining mutually beneficial relatinoships between organizations and publics (ex. positivity, openness, assurances, social networking, sharing tasks)
Exchange relationships
Each party gives benefits to the other with the expectation of receiving comparable benefits in return
Communal relationships
Each party gives benefits to the other and a primary motivation for each is the other’s benefit
News-Driven Relationships: Steps to gain access to coverage
Pitching, consider newsworthiness, emphathize with reporters, make yourself useful
Newsworthiness
Timeliness, proximity, conflict/controversy, human interest, relevance
Media catching
when journalists post queries online inviting PR people or others with relevant information or expertise to respond
Story placement
the outcome of a successful pitch, a story involving the PR person’s organization or client is covered in the news media
Networking relationships
Attending networking events
Commerce-driven relationships
B2C, B2B, employee relations, investor (financial) relations
Issues-driven relationships
non-profit organizations, government agencies
Lobbying
working to influence the decisions of government officials on matters of legislation (a form of advocacy)
Government relations
management of relationships between an organization and government officials who formulate and execute public policy
Corporate social responsibility
Companies’ commitment of resources to benefit the welfare of their workforce, local communities, society at large, and the environment (strategy for balancing interests of diverse publics through stakeholder analysis)
RACE Cycle
Research, Action planning, Commmunication, Evaluation
Formative research + types
Conducted at the beginning of the planning process or during the implementation of a plan
Types: Benchmarking (setting a point for comparison with eventual results), and Evaluation
Summative Research
Conducted at the end of a compaign or program to determine the extent that objectives and goals were met
Situation analysis
A report analyzing the internal and external environment of an organization and its publics at the start of a campaign or problem
SWOT Analysis
Description of discussion of an organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats
Constraint vs. Problem recognition
Problem: Recognize they are affected by a problem in their environment
Constraint: When people detect a problem in their environment but perceive obstacles that limit their behavior to do anything about it
Latent vs Aware vs Active publics
Latent: affected by a problem but don’t realize it
Aware: recognize that they are effected by a problem in their environment
Active: behave and communicate actively in response to a problem
Quantitative research methods
Surveys, experiments (treatment and control group), content analysis, A/B testing
Qualitative research methods
Interviews, focus groups, direct observation (non-participant and participant), secondary (previously reported findings), primary (collecting new findings), formal, informal
Utilitarianism
principle that the most ethical course of action is the one that maximizes good and minimizes harm for people
Reliability vs Validity of a research technique
Reliability: consistency and precision of a research technique (does the reseach product the same or comparable results in repeated trials)
Validity: accuracy of the technique (are you measuring what you think you’re measuring?)
Planning
forethought about goals and objectives and the strategies and tactics needed to achieve them
Tactical vs Strategic decision-making
Tactical: Daily management and communication tactics implemented without consideration of strategy
Strategic: decisions made with the mindfulness of the objectives, goals and massion of the organization
Tactics
specific actions taken and items produced in PR
Objectives
Statements that indicate specific outcomes desired
Media planning
choosing media channels to achieve strategic communication goals and objectives, drives advertising purchases
Programmatic media buying
preprogrammed to purchase advertising when certain criteria set by buyers (marketers) and sellers (media) are met through real-time bidding
Guide for Ethical Decision-Making
- Define the specific issue/conflict
- Identify internal/external factors
- Identify key values
- Identify the parties involved
- Select ethical principles
- Make a decision and justify it
Consequentialism
results-based system of ethics that holds that the best ethical decision is the one leading to the best outcomes
SMART objectives
Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound
Outputs vs outcomes vs impacts
Outputs: tangible effects of what PR people DO
Outcomes: results of that work, what is ACCOMPLISHED
Impacts: broadest, furthest-reaching results of PR
3 key categories of PR budget items
Personnel, administrative costs/supplies, media
PR Goals in the Public vs Private sector
Public: focus on targeting high-risk publics, growing use of strategic social media, use and evaluate performance indicators
Pricate: make PR into a strategic corporate function, combine PR (earned public) and Marketing (paid consumer)
Pressures facing PR professionals
low public trust, facts no longer matter, public expects to be consulter, mass capmaigns are less effective in the age of media bubbles, ethically balancing loyalties
Profile of today’s PR professional
Strategic, systemic, horizontal, creative thinker
Examples of communications objectives
Raise awareness (cognitive, perception)
Reinforce/change attitudes and behaviours (sentimental)
Build relationships (behavioral)
Principled PR management
Authenticity
Transparency
Listening
Proactive
Management
Practicing Principled PR
Tell the truth, prove it with action
Conduct PR as if the whole company depends on it
Remain calm, patient, and good-humored
Media as an agenda-setter
May not be successful in telling people what to think, but stunningly successful in telling its readers what is important to think about
Types of Risk Communication (Hazard + Outrage)
Public Relations = High Hazard + Low Outrage
Stakeholder Relations = Moderate Hazard + Modterate Outrage
Outrage Management = Low Hazard + High Outrage
Crisis Communication = High Hizard + High Outrage
Professional Communications Associations
CPRS: Canadian Public Relations Society
IABC: Internationanl Association of Business Communicators
Advocacy
Public promotion of cause, idea, policy. Associated with a campaign.
Flash mob
A group of people plans and executes a surprise public event or performance usually organized online and unanticipated by those not participating
News release
A statement of news produced and distributed on behalf of an organization to make information public
Objectivity
being free from the influence of personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts
Organic search results
generated because of their relevance to search terms and not from paid placement
Organic flows of information
those that occur independently of any attempt by a PR agency to shape the quantity or type of information
Propaganda
spread of information used to promote a particular point of view (intent to manipulate - by commission or omission)
White vs black propaganda
White: truthful and factual information supporting an agenda
Black: creating or spreading information that falsely claims to come from a source that is not the actual source
Psuedo-event
organized primarily for generating media coverage rather than engaging the public
Status conferral
media paying attention to individuals and groups, therefore enhanding their authority with them
Ex. selection of spokespeople for campaigns as a critical and strategic decision
Lee’s journalistic approach
Accuracy, Authenticity, and Interest
Most important word in PR
Trust (how to build it and not lost it)
4 Key outcomes of Good Organization
Control mutuality
Trust
Satisfaction
Commitment
Internal vs External Public
groups of people with shared interests within/outside an organization (external either has an effect or is affected by the organization)
Kathleen Kelly’s Four R’s of Donor Stewardship
Reciprocity
Responsibility
Reporting
Relationship nurturing
Overview of McGuire’s heirarchy of outcomes
Key Levels of Audience Engagement
Tuning In –> Acting –> Proselytizing (promoting/advocating)
Mission statement vs. Problem/opportunity statement
Mission: formal statement of an organization’s steady enduring purpose
Problem/opportunity: a concise written summary of situation explaining the main reason for a PR program or campaign
Using McGuire’s Heirarchy of Effects for Planning
- Helps you avoid mistakes
- Helps you identify objectives
- Serves as a reminder to be realistic about expected outcomes
Order of Timelines in a PR Campaign
Formative research
Client/management meetings
Action/communication tasks
Production of media/communication materials
Events
Evaluation
Purpose of timelines
determines when to spend resources (time and money) and on what
