What is PR?
By Dennette Bennett
Remember back in school when parents would come into your classroom and talk about their careers. We heard about doctors, lawyers, business owners, chefs, even fashion designers. One career you never really heard about; Public Relations.
So what even is Public relations? Well, let me introduce myself…
My name is PR, short for Public Relations, and sometimes I feel a bit left out and forgotten. Let’s be real, I am probably one of the most important professions in the world yet most people never know what I even do or why I am so useful to all industries.
You may not realize it but everywhere you go, you see me. PR is in your grocery markets, book stores and all over the news. From headlines to commercials, the substance is all based on content created by PR professionals. I am one of the most versatile professions out there, crafting the messages the public sees without ever being seen or heard.
So let’s break down what PR even does:
Secure media placement for news releases
Present the message brands would like conveyed to their consumers
Coordinate publicity with its industry cousin; advertising
Create and maintain a favorable image publicity
Defuse impact of negative incidents
Appropriately handle emergency and crisis situations
Most importantly, I always work to leverage an opportunity to ultimately provide a newsworthy angle to put the client at hand in a better light.
Everyone and everything can always benefit from brand management. The idea is to generate publicity and buzz to foster a favorable image and make the brands outcomes possible like
You may ask, “why do you think that you’re all that and a bag of chips?” Well friend, a lot of companies/people just simply would not exist without me. It’s my job to relay the correct information to the public while building a brand’s reputation. Each and every one of those large corporations that you know and love, use me as a conduit between the consumer and their company. This ensures that they are reaching their market effectively and accurately. So, I manage the reputation of the brand by promoting and enhancing its message ensuring that it is not misconstrued or misunderstood. I also help increase brand credibility. It is my job to create a trustworthy relationship with my clients and their consumer or fans.
Still don’t understand? Do you remember the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign? The promotion involved Coca-Cola using 250 of the most common names to personalize its cans. Well, it was a huge success. Coca-Cola shared a personalized brand experience with its consumers across the globe. It reached people all over the world, becoming one of the greatest communications campaigns. I accomplished two things with this campaign: Coca-Cola was trending worldwide and consumers interacted with the products. This resulted in significant PR hits worldwide, millions of mentions and pictures shared on social media. I think I deserve some well-deserved bragging rights after that one.
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I also offer many job opportunities as well. You can do anything with me, ranging from an HR recruiter at an international Public Relations firm to Kim Kardashian’s next publicist. The world is your oyster with me by your side.
So next time you are thinking about what your next career move is, be sure to throw your good ole’ friend PR into the mix. I think I’d be a pretty good contender.
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About The Author:
Dennette Bennett is an intern at Diana Bassett Public Relations. She currently studies at Hofstra University, pursuing a B.A. in Public Relations and Dance, and is graduating in December 2020. DBPR has given her the opportunity to expand her knowledge about the PR profession through hands-on experience and amazing mentorship.
