LECTURE 1
PUBLIC RELATIONS, WHAT IS IT?
Public relations = managing of communication of an organization, e.g., negotiation of point of views and
bridging interest (Gruning)
Main differences rely in the dialog between marketing and PR. With public relations, you present your view,
and you reply to the reaction of it.
Public relations = the development of relationships to help communicate about an organization an issue, a
person or a product (Gordon)
Public relations = management of mutual understanding between an organization and its publics (Cutlip)
Examples
Mark Rutte having an interview with a television interview.
The news, press releases, press conferences, interaction with an organization etc.
It is also fun stuff, like documentaries of Harry and Meghan on Netflix.
IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGIES
Organizations
Organizations is a term that we will use a lot.
Organizations complies a broader range of institutions than ‘firm’ or ‘company’
- When we talk of companies we discuss commercial entities
- Organization implies a number of other institutions that don’t necessarily sell something but…
COURSE OVERVIEW
30 multiple choice questions + 2 open questions
3 assignments, 35% totaal (10% - 15% - 10%), alles moet voldoende zijn + examen van 65%.
Themes
Crisis communication
Media-effects
Corporate Social Responsibility
Social media
Internal communication
LECTURE 2
TOPICS COVERED IN THIS SESSION
1. When (and how?) should a company apologize for a crisis?
, 2. Can brand image help with crises?
3. In terms of crisis communication, are all social media the same?
4. How should racism-fueled crisis be managed?
WHEN TO SAY SORRY
Apologies from companies, celebrities, athletes have become extremely common. However, they are not
always appropriate, nor always the best way out of a crisis.
WHEN IS IT BEST (FOR AN ORGANIZATION) TO OFFER AN APOLOGY?
An old school view of Public Relations considered apologies only necessary when there was wrongdoing from
an organization (e.g., Volkswagen).
Nowadays, apologies are much more common. Some evidence suggests that apologies have a positive effect to
the handling of all crises.
LEE & ATKINSON, 2019
Can the framing of an apology make consumers more likely to buy a product? Or to talk negatively
about a brand online?
Does the involvement of consumers in a crisis matter in how they evaluate an organization
Is a specific type of brand more resistant to crises?
CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT
The degree to which stakeholders are involved in an organization* influences the way they processes
information about a crisis (and therefore how positively/negatively they are like to judge the organization).
*they care about it, they are interested, etc.
REMEMBER ELM?
,MESSAGE APPEAL
Message appeals types include:
1. The content style within the message and
2. The presentation format of a message
, Emotional apologies
Informational apologies
BRAND IMAGE
Certain characteristics of a brand image can be processed differently by consumers.
PUBLIC RELATIONS, WHAT IS IT?
Public relations = managing of communication of an organization, e.g., negotiation of point of views and
bridging interest (Gruning)
Main differences rely in the dialog between marketing and PR. With public relations, you present your view,
and you reply to the reaction of it.
Public relations = the development of relationships to help communicate about an organization an issue, a
person or a product (Gordon)
Public relations = management of mutual understanding between an organization and its publics (Cutlip)
Examples
Mark Rutte having an interview with a television interview.
The news, press releases, press conferences, interaction with an organization etc.
It is also fun stuff, like documentaries of Harry and Meghan on Netflix.
IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGIES
Organizations
Organizations is a term that we will use a lot.
Organizations complies a broader range of institutions than ‘firm’ or ‘company’
- When we talk of companies we discuss commercial entities
- Organization implies a number of other institutions that don’t necessarily sell something but…
COURSE OVERVIEW
30 multiple choice questions + 2 open questions
3 assignments, 35% totaal (10% - 15% - 10%), alles moet voldoende zijn + examen van 65%.
Themes
Crisis communication
Media-effects
Corporate Social Responsibility
Social media
Internal communication
LECTURE 2
TOPICS COVERED IN THIS SESSION
1. When (and how?) should a company apologize for a crisis?
, 2. Can brand image help with crises?
3. In terms of crisis communication, are all social media the same?
4. How should racism-fueled crisis be managed?
WHEN TO SAY SORRY
Apologies from companies, celebrities, athletes have become extremely common. However, they are not
always appropriate, nor always the best way out of a crisis.
WHEN IS IT BEST (FOR AN ORGANIZATION) TO OFFER AN APOLOGY?
An old school view of Public Relations considered apologies only necessary when there was wrongdoing from
an organization (e.g., Volkswagen).
Nowadays, apologies are much more common. Some evidence suggests that apologies have a positive effect to
the handling of all crises.
LEE & ATKINSON, 2019
Can the framing of an apology make consumers more likely to buy a product? Or to talk negatively
about a brand online?
Does the involvement of consumers in a crisis matter in how they evaluate an organization
Is a specific type of brand more resistant to crises?
CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT
The degree to which stakeholders are involved in an organization* influences the way they processes
information about a crisis (and therefore how positively/negatively they are like to judge the organization).
*they care about it, they are interested, etc.
REMEMBER ELM?
,MESSAGE APPEAL
Message appeals types include:
1. The content style within the message and
2. The presentation format of a message
, Emotional apologies
Informational apologies
BRAND IMAGE
Certain characteristics of a brand image can be processed differently by consumers.
