Transform Public Perceptions of Public Relations
There is much misunderstanding surrounding the practice of public relations (PR). This document aims to educate the public about PR—or, in essence, to advocate for the public relations profession itself. When executed effectively, PR is the most credible, impactful, and enduring method for communicating about businesses, causes, candidates, issues, or products. It’s the most constructive way to manage a crisis, uphold a reputation, or dispel myths and misinformation. The intertwining of marketing and PR is a common practice; whether promoting Dow Chemical or Dairy Queen, there is always a public relations strategy that fits the goal.
Given the complexity of the field, this document will evolve and expand to offer comprehensive background information on PR practices, alongside contemporary examples of both successful public relations efforts and notable failures. Some case studies will originate from my personal experience, though names will be changed to protect the innocent—and mostly, to protect myself.
Beyond Free Advertising
Public relations is often misconceived as “free advertising.” It is neither free publicity nor mere “spin doctoring,” “flack-catching,” or “schmoozing.” A public relations professional is not simply a “fixer,” “mouthpiece,” or “propagandist.” Instead, PR practitioners advocate for two-way communication between organizations and their stakeholders through publicly accessible mediums. They frequently utilize various news outlets to convey messages to a broad audience.
PR professionals often serve as the sole channel through which private organizations can express their perspectives on various issues. Moreover, they usually possess a keen awareness of factors that could positively or negatively impact their organizations. Public relations is fundamentally about fostering and sustaining long-term relationships with media, stakeholders, customers, shareholders, and elected officials—essentially anyone who has a vested interest in an organization’s success.
Understanding the Public Relations Spectrum
The individuals working in the PR industry are often our neighbors who care about their communities—seeking safe homes, unpolluted air and water, clean-burning fuels, available food, and reliable electricity. Most understand that private enterprises, manufacturing plants, refineries, hospitals, and other organizations derive their license to operate from the public. This “public” includes local residents, customers, suppliers, regulatory officials, and anyone with interest in a specific organization’s success. These stakeholders are not faceless, greedy raiders profiting at the expense of overworked and underpaid employees.
Championing the Underdog
Why do public relations professionals do what they do? Personally, I have a soft spot for underdogs and feel righteous indignation in the face of injustice stemming from poor reporting, ineffective message management, or bias rooted in prejudice. Sometimes, it feels as though private businesses are the underdogs in this narrative. I believe that business often receives disproportionately negative media coverage, while activists, environmental advocates, and even neighbors tend to receive the benefit of the doubt.
From the start of my career forty years ago to the present, businesses and industries have frequently been portrayed as the “bad guys.” But why is that?
Perceptions of Wealth
Leaders in private industry typically earn substantial incomes, which can lead to suspicion and resentment. Comments like “How did (fill in the blank) amass such wealth?” circulate frequently, with the insinuation that anyone with wealth must have either stolen or cheated their way to riches. This irrational stance reflects an inherent emotional bias and presents challenges for PR professionals, as these prejudices are often projected onto the organizations they represent.
Many wealthy individuals (and the businesses they own or operate) contribute significantly to the erosion of their collective reputations. Surveys consistently depict the American public as distrustful of corporate entities, with corporations increasingly seen as suspicious and untrustworthy. Although this trend is not new, it has notably intensified in recent years due to various factors, including corporate layoffs, ethical scandals, rising essential goods prices, and public resentment over CEO compensation.
Public trust dropped significantly following the December 2024 murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, with only 68% of respondents indicating that the act was unacceptable, highlighting a troubling societal attitude.
As indicated in the latest Edelman Trust Barometer, 40% of respondents expressed approval of “hostile activism” to instigate change within institutions. This trend is particularly pronounced among younger demographics, with 53% of individuals aged 18 to 34 endorsing such actions. These numbers decline with age, but among older respondents, 26% still approve of aggressive activism. This includes behaviors like online harassment, intentional disinformation campaigns, and even acts of violence.
Indeed, a 2023 Pew Research study revealed that 72% of Americans believe large corporations wield too much political influence, while 69% assert they prioritize profits over public welfare. Coupled with wage stagnation and exorbitant CEO pay, it is not surprising that the public perceives large businesses as self-serving entities with little accountability.
So, what can public relations do to amend this perception? Quite a bit.
Action Steps for Business Reputation Restoration
Restoring the reputation of businesses is a long-term commitment that requires immediate action. Here are initial steps to undertake:
1. Define Your Desired Reputation: Envision what you want the media and stakeholders to believe about your organization in an ideal world. Document this vision—it will serve as the strategic goal for your public relations campaign.
2. Assess Current Reality: Evaluate the contrast between your desired reputation and the current public perception. This can be accomplished through various assessment methods, primarily surveys. A wealth of online resources is available to guide reputation surveys.
3. Identify Gaps: Compare the survey results with your ideal reputation. Identify areas needing improvement and allocate resources accordingly—these will be your priority focuses.
4. Craft Key Messages: Based on your findings, develop key messages that will serve as the foundation of your public relations campaign.
5. Identify Target Audience: Determine who needs to receive your key messages. Who will benefit from or resonate with the narrative you wish to convey?
6. Choose Communication Channels: Based on your audience analysis, identify the most effective ways to reach them. What do they read, listen to, or watch for news and information?
7. Content Production Strategy: Plan how your PR team will generate content tailored to the channels identified in step six.
8. Create an Editorial Calendar: Draft a schedule for content release, detailing timing, themes, and other crucial elements related to your messaging strategy.
9. Monitor and Evaluate: Disseminate the content through the chosen channels and assess the outcomes. Did your messages get published? Where? Did you receive interview requests, or was the response lackluster? Analyze the reasons behind the outcomes to refine your approach.
10. Continuous Adjustment: Use your observations to adjust your strategy as necessary and persist in your efforts to promote your desired reputation.
Final Recommendations:
1. Clarify Your Voice and Tone: Ensure that the language throughout the piece is clear and professional while also being accessible. Remove clichés and overly casual expressions to maintain credibility.
2. Structure and Flow: Consider organizing the content with clearer headings or bullet points to make it more digestible. This would help readers follow the argument more effectively.
3. Use of Data and Citing Sources: Where statistical or survey data is mentioned, consider including citations to establish credibility and support for your claims.
4. Avoid Overly Lengthy Sections: Some paragraphs are quite dense. Aim for brevity and clarity, breaking up longer sections into smaller, more focused paragraphs.
5. Proofreading for Grammar and Style: Conduct a thorough proofreading session to catch any grammatical errors and ensure consistency in style throughout the document.
About Harold Nicoll
Harold Nicoll has forty years of experience in public relations, marketing communications, issues management, crisis media planning/training and internal employee/change communications. He spent his career at The Dow Chemical Company and worked on issue teams, specialty chemical marketing, was the global research and development communicator and global sustainable development communicator. His video series and commemorative films earned three Telly Awards. Harold also received many awards and recognition for public relations and advertising for Dow. Harold has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Houston and a master of arts degree in strategic public relations from The George Washington University. His websites are: https://media-public-relations.com and https://swampbutt.com.