Branding with Public Relations - by Debbie Ong

Over the years of its growth, the public relations field is consistently known as something else less flattering. Then again, how can the public ever put good faith in the industry when the so-called practitioners themselves are misrepresenting their own image? Of course the public eye would judge otherwise. It is, after all, what they see.

These misconstrued perceptions place a great barrier on what the industry truly stands for. Good looks, good language and good communication skills aside, public relation practitioners are brand representatives that work to uphold the image of the brand; whether it is for internal purposes or for external clients. They are the brand consultants that take on a myriad of duties to ensure the success of the brand image.

Many do not comprehend the significance of public relations to their organizations. The power that the industry is able to generate is often undermined due to the traditional dominance of advertising and also the above misperceptions. These parties do not realize that public relation practitioners can elevate the visibility of a brand in the public’s eye with their expertise in media and communication.

A range of elements make up the public relations package, covering both verbal and written communication strategies. The elements include:

a) Press kits & releases
b) Talks
c) Newsletters
d) Sponsorships & partnerships
e) Charity efforts
f) Publications
g) Networks & associations.

The following entries will discuss the implication of each element to the industry and how the brand image benefits from the services. For now, let me just leave you with a quote to ponder upon: “Public relations means telling the truth and working ethically – even when all the media wants is headlines and all the public wants is scapegoats. Public relations fail when there is no integrity” (Viv Segal, MD of Sefin Marketing, Houston).