Stories and Strategies for Public Relations and Marketing
I always hated the term "Public Relations." It always sounded so greasy and salesy to me. Years later I realize the concept of "relating to the public" is simply communication. It's in every facet of our daily lives. And if the ability to cooperate is what makes us distinctly different as humans, it's the ability to communicate that facilitates this.
Public Relations is ultimately one of the most expressly human aspects of life.
Across the landscape of global communication, the role of Public Relations (PR) has become increasingly pivotal. As a profession, Public Relations stands at the crossroads of information dissemination and perception management, embodying the complex interplay between organizations, media, and the public. At its core, Public Relations is about forging connections, a mission that has elevated it to a thriving profession in our modern society.
Public Relations professionals harness a diverse toolkit of strategies to navigate this multifaceted domain. Their expertise spans across marketing, government relations, media relations, crisis management, and stakeholder engagement. Each of these elements serves as a cornerstone in the foundation of Public Relations, contributing to its stature and effectiveness. Marketing initiatives, for example, are not just about promoting products or services but about storytelling that resonates with audiences on a personal level. Government and media relations are about establishing trust and transparency, ensuring that communications are both reliable and beneficial to the public interest.
Crisis management and stakeholder engagement further illustrate the crucial roles played by Public Relations experts. In times of crisis, these professionals are the architects of strategies that protect and rehabilitate an organization's image. Through stakeholder engagement, they build and maintain relationships that are essential for mutual understanding and support. This comprehensive approach to communication underscores the versatility and indispensability of Public Relations in today's world.
The tangible outputs have impacts. Press releases earn widespread media placement, websites and social media campaigns captivate and influence, short-form videos seize our attention, and podcasts linger in our memory—all these are manifestations of the influence Public Relations has on our collective consciousness. These tools and platforms are meticulously crafted to shape perceptions, drive narratives, and inspire action. They demonstrate the profound ability of Public Relations to mold public discourse and interaction.
At the forefront of these endeavors stand the Public Relations professionals, whose skills in understanding, influencing, informing, and inspiring are unparalleled. Their work is not just about conveying messages but about creating dialogue, fostering understanding, and building bridges between entities and individuals. Through strategic planning, creative execution, and ethical practice, they navigate the complexities of public discourse, ensuring that their organizations or clients are not only heard but also understood and appreciated.
Stories and Strategies for Public Relations and Marketing
Making Communications More Accessible
This Spring the PRCA (Public Relations and Communications Association) updated its Guidelines for Accessible Communications. They provide more detail on video and animated graphics, thoughtful use of language and representation, and hosting of physical and virtual events.
We talk about making our processes and materials more accessible and at times we even take steps on a specific project to make sure they are. But accessibility is seldom a core value that is delivered on. And yet the numbers of people impacted are staggering globally:
- Over 400 million people have severe hearing loss
- Nearly 300 million people are visually impaired
- Nearly 200 million people have cognitive disability
- People with disabilities make up 15% of the World’s population
- People with disabilities control nearly $13 Trillion worth of buying power
Understanding the importance of accessible communications will force us as communications professionals to pay greater attention to engaging people with disabilities in our processes and materials. And accessible communication benefits all audiences, making information clear, direct, and easy to understand.
Guest: George Coleman, CEO, Current Global
Link to Current Global’s Making communications accessible by design
Link to the PRCA Accessible Communications Guidelines
George loves telling stories. Big, tall or short. He’s been doing it for more than 25 years for some of the world’s most iconic brands. He started his career as an electronics engineer, but craved a more creative canvas, and made the leap into marketing communications. Following a stint at the BBC, he joined his first PR agency and the rest, as they say, is LinkedIn profile history.
He founded Interpublic Group agency Creation in 2011 and served as global president, before teaming up with Current Marketing to form Current Global in 2019.
Outside of work he’s often found in his vegetable patch or brewing beer. He’s also a film fanatic, collects original cinema posters and has a cat called Butch Cassidy and a dog called Sundance.
Email George: gcoleman@currentglobal.com
Connect with George on Twitter @theprmonkey
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