Utilisation de spécialistes des relations publiques pour gérer la communication entre différents types d'organisations

The Rise of PR

Using Public Relations professionals to manage communication between various types of organizations is

not new: countries, governments, NGOs, sports teams, the entertainment industry and companies regularly

use the services of financial PRs to keep business reporters informed and updated, product and service PRs

to make a product or service known and crisis PRs to counter negative publicity and enhance the image of

an organization. Today however the field is expanding and encroaching on the terrain once the domain of

advertising.

Basically they both have the same goal and the line between the two has blurred, so it may be worthwhile

to point out a few facts. The term public relations was invented to protect the profession from the negative

implications of the word propaganda. Edward Bernays, the nephew of Freud, opened the first Public Relations

firm in 1919. PR professionals must be sharp and skilled in written and oral communication and in the art

of “spin”, meaning the twist they give to their presentation to communicate their client’s position and facts.

They must choose the right moment to present them, be able to enhance the company’s image, distract from

negative publicity or misbehavior, and select the appropriate facts and quotes that support a specific point

of view and position. PRs particularly talented in spin are called spin doctors. And nowadays they must also

be skilled in IT and social media.

The PR specialist selects a target audience which may be consumers worldwide, or a segment of the

population: shareholders who invest in the company or stakeholders who can be ordinary consumers

interested in the reliability of the products, or those of a particular age group, social category or mindset.

The PR experts then communicate to the targeted audience in various ways. Traditionally PR firms

have used the written press, books and the media both in direct and indirect ways, lobby groups which

directly address the public, as well as front groups that mask their purpose and support base, and “Meet and

Greet”*. They also create events and publicity stunts, join TV and radio Talk Shows circuits in which spokespersons

and clients are interviewed and answer the public’s questions.

Yet despite these clever tactics, PR used to play a relatively minor role in companies. Nowadays, however, the

profession is in the midst of a boom and there is a demand for PR personnel. According to Richard Edelman,

the CEO of the world’s biggest

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