The role of public relations in the marketing mix
Stated simply, the discipline of marketing is getting the right products (goods or services) in the right quantity at the right place at the right time – and making a profit out of the operation. So, what role does public relations play in the marketing operation? Separating out the marketing mix into its various components, a generally accepted definition is ‘the four Ps’ – product, price, place and promotion.
THE 4 P’s | |||
the right | at the right | in the right | with the right |
PRODUCT | PRICE | PLACE | PROMOTION |
physical product + total package, e.g.:
| pricing strategies:
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|
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The role of public relations in the marketing mix is simple: communicate key messages to defined target audiences within the marketing chain to influence purchasing decisions. The same could be said of all marketing communications disciplines. The difference is one of third party endorsement. For example, if advertising is what a company says about itself, then public relations is what others say about the company. The difference between advertising and public relations lies between paying for media space versus the use of editorial with implied third party endorsement to inform and persuade. Of course public relations is much more than media relations and has a broader role than marketing communications.
Public relations can also be described as the management of reputation. A useful short summary of public relations which is recognized by the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) underlines this notion:
Public relations is about reputation – the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you… Public relations practice is the discipline which looks after reputation with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour.
A more specific explanation of public relations in a broader context is provided in a report developed for the Department of Trade and Industry:
Inasmuch as reputation affects marketing, public relations has a key part to play in the marketing mix. It also can have a crucial role in communicating an organization’s corporate objectives to key audiences and may form an integral part of the management function, enhancing internal (employee) and external relationships. Good PR thus can make a significant contribution to a company’s competitiveness and overall market position.
According to the Henley Centre*, word-of-mouth constitutes one of the top three most common client concerns, with the power of retailer and own label brands, and customer loyalty and retention, coming first and second respectively.
Word-of-mouth can make or break a brand as evidenced by the marketing crises of recent history – Hoover* is an obvious example. Public relations can assist in such cases by helping to shape the messages to be carried by word-of-mouth.
Gaining credibility through third party endorsement, public relations can:
create a market environment;
increase visibility and/or share of voice;
inform/educate the consumer;
influence the trade;
support a salesforce;
harness influentials/opinion formers;
extend promotions;
hype advertising;
exploit sponsorship;
manage issues;
contain crises.
Any combination of these aims can be tackled through marketing communications public relations, but one must first understand the objectives of the organization marketing the product.
- Ильина о.К., Тычинский а.А.
- Предисловие
- Методическая записка
- Content
- Marketing communication
- The role of public relations in the marketing mix
- Public relations planning in the marketing mix
- Marketing integration
- Campaign development
- Diagnosing the solution
- Product launches
- Improving brand equity
- Public Relations in the future marketing mix
- Step-by step planning process
- Exercises
- I. Discuss the following questions.
- II. Say what the following refer to in the text of the article under the headlines:
- Marketing integration
- III. Match the following definitions with the word-combinations below.
- IV. Complete the words.
- Internal communication
- Why communicate?
- What do people want to know?
- Some communication techniques
- Communication and leadership: the bp Oil experience
- Background
- Preparing the ground
- Creating the right attitude
- 1 The right attitude (see Figure 2.2)
- Attitude Technique Talent
- 2 The communication road map
- 3 The good communicator
- 4 The head office communication forum
- The virtuous circle
- Link with human resources
- Where is bp Oil now?
- Exercises
- II. Say what the following refer to in the text of the article under the headlines:
- IX. Translate the following text from Russian into English.
- (Виктория Чупровская. Внутренний pr способен решить коммуникативные проблемы в компании. Www.Prlink.Ru)
- Сommunity relations
- Background
- What is community relations?
- Why bother?
- Methods used in a community relations programme
- One piece in the jigsaw
- Research
- Strategic objectives
- Project selection criteria
- A sponsorship example
- Donations policy
- How can the project be developed?
- Measurement and evaluation criteria
- Business benefits of the programme
- Employee participation in the community involvement programme
- Why bother involving your employees?
- How do you know that the programme is a success?
- Internationalising the programme
- Future developments
- Conclusion
- Exercises
- I. Discuss the following questions.
- II. Say what the following refer to in the text of the article under the headlines:
- IV. Complete the words.
- V. Translate the following word-combinations from Russian into English consulting the article.
- Financial public relations
- How do you define financial public relations?
- The basic task
- Corporate public relations
- What contribution does financial public relations make to the success of a company?
- What are the rules that govern financial public relations?
- Why has this business become such a major industry?
- Investor relations – Is it public?
- Coordination and consistency
- A time to speak and time to remain silent
- How does it fit in with other areas of public relations?
- In-house or consultancy?
- Vickers plc – a very brief case study
- Conclusion
- A checklist
- Exercises
- Corporate public relations
- Vickers plc – a very brief case study
- VIII. Translate the following text from English into Russian.
- IX. Translate the following text from Russian into English.
- X. Summarize the article “Financial Public Relations”.
- XI. Solve the following pr problem.
- Local government and government relations
- Why central and local government matter
- Effective public affairs
- Defining public affairs
- Central and local government
- Government
- Members
- Local government
- Gaining access
- Case studies
- Bail Bandits – a campaign to change the law
- The execution
- Trident – battle of the dockyards
- Key points
- Exercises
- Business to business public relations by Nigel Lawrence
- The customer rules
- How do you know it works?
- The trade press
- Getting it right
- Being prepared
- Getting the good news across
- Joining forces
- Conclusion
- Exercises
- II. Say what the following refer to in the text of the article under the headlines:
- Public relations for non-commercial organizations
- The mission
- Not-for-profit pr
- The public presence
- Partnership – the sum is greater …
- Provision of services
- Involvement of interested parties
- Case studies – the human face
- Aims, objectives and realization
- Checklist for a successful campaign
- Exercises
- II. Say what the following refer to in the text of the article under the headlines:
- Involvement of interested parties
- III. Match the following definitions with the word-combinations below.
- VI. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English using active vocabulary.
- VII. Translate the following text from English into Russian.
- Sponsorship
- Definition of sponsorship
- What makes a successful sponsorship?
- Do’s and don’ts of sponsorship
- The sponsorship package
- Sponsorship package checklist
- The public relations agency agenda
- Exercises
- II. Say what the following refer to in the text of the article under the headlines:
- The sponsorship package
- III. Match the following definitions with the word-combinations below.
- IV. Complete the words.
- V. Translate the following word-combinations from Russian into English consulting the article.
- Environmental public relations
- Be aware of public concerns
- Chemicals industry – in the limelight
- The Rhône-Poulenc initiative
- Changing public perceptions
- Putting the case for recycling
- Looking to the future
- Exercises
- II. Say what the following refer to in the text of the article under the headlines:
- III. Match the following definitions with the word-combinations below.
- IV. Complete the words.
- (Dorothy Seed. Global warming changes attitudes to nuclear power / Behind The SpinPublic Relations. Http://publicsphere.Typepad.Com/behindthespin/2006/11)
- Glossary a