Introductory Scenario: 
     Introductory Scenario: 
     Bring on the Buzz
     Bring on the Buzz
     Procter & Gamble creates buzz for 
     Charmin
     • Enjoy the Go! Campaign
     • A dozen support agencies 
     involved
     • Created on site “go teams” who 
     greeted visitors but were also 
     screened for social media skills
     • Celebrities get into the act 
     • Sponsor a Broadway show and 
     get news media involved—TV, 
     newspaper, blogs
      Public Relations
      Public Relations
      The marketing and management 
      communications process to foster 
      goodwill between a firm and its 
      constituents:
      •
       Customers
      •
       Stockholders
      •
       Suppliers
      •
       Employees
      •
       Government entities
      •
       General public
       A New Era for Public Relations?
       A New Era for Public Relations?
       Firms are using PR in new and different 
       ways to create visibility and image for a 
       brand by getting people to “talk” about 
       the brand.
       BUT…
       • PR is NOT the tool for establishing brands in 
        the market. 
       • PR lacks the strategic control needed to 
        establish a brand within the segment in the 
        manner desired by a firm.
       • It is true that corporate execs want more 
        “action” and visibility from promotion.  PR is 
        now more prominent in many IBP campaigns 
        as consumer tire of mass media advertising.
       • Good PR can create a positive social 
        “epidemic.”
          The cellular phone
          The cellular phone
         industry has had to
          industry has had to
             combat the bad
             combat the bad
                  “PR” from 
                   “PR” from 
                  distracted
                  distracted
           driving incidents 
            driving incidents 
                                                                                n
                                                                                o
                                                                                i
              related to cell                                                   t
               related to cell                                                  a
                                                                                r
                                                                                o
                                                                                p
                                                                                r
                                                                                o
                                                                                C
                     phone                                                       
                      phone                                                     A
                                                                                R
                                                                                B
                                                                                A
                                                                                J
           use while driving.                                                    
           use while driving.                                                   0
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              ©2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
              Public Relations and Damage 
              Public Relations and Damage 
              Control 
              Control 
              •   Intel—Caused its own PR crisis by 
                  not responding to concerns about 
                  the performance of the Pentium 
                  chip.
              •   Taco Bell and the PR “curse” of 
                  social networking.
              •   Walmart in nearly constant damage 
                  control.
              •   But, companies need to learn to 
                  handle bad news.