PRRM
Lecture 1:
Both the Groupwork assignment grade (on average)
AND the Final exam grade have to be at least 5.5.
*Check out sense making theory*
After completion of the course, you should know more about the theories, strategies,
instruments and effects of PR & Reputation Management.
*Describe the interplay of media, organizations, publics.
*Develop PR-strategies and reflect on their effects.
*Know the instruments of PR and their specific field of application.
Public Relations - Some definitions:
*Management of Communication of the Organization, e.g., negotiation on points of view &
bridging interests. (Grunig)
*Management of a mutual understanding between an organization and its publics. (Cutlip)
*The development of relationships to help communicate about an organization, an issue, a
person or a product. (Gordon)
If you go back to the book you will find the following definition:
Public Relations defines the function or activity that aims to establish and protect the reputation
of a company or brand, and to create mutual understanding between the organization and the
segments of the public with whom it needs to communicate. (Cornelissen, 2017)
Reputation – a key word!
,*Reputation is the overall assessment of an organization by its stakeholders. (van Riel &
Fombrun, 2007)
*It represents the emotional reaction (good, bad, weak or strong) of customers, investors,
employees, & public. (Fombrun, 1996)
*It encompasses dimensions, such as product quality, innovation, investment value, people
management and responsibility.
(Tesla and Elon Musk`s reputation after support of Donald Trump)
Reputations is how we feel about something. It is a long-lasting feeling towards a person of
organization. It is much harder to affect/change than your attitude for example.
Corporate communication is a management function that offers a framework for the effective
coordination of all internal and external communication with the overall purpose of establishing
and maintaining favorable reputations with stakeholder groups upon which the organization
is dependent. (Cornelissen, 2017)
Why its relevant?
Public reputations is the glue.
Why do people put so much effort in their public relations? Because public relations will help to
create the relationships and mutual understanding between the different parts here above ^. But
why is it relevant?
,A little history of public relations:
Public Relations have always existed somewhat informally: they have a role in capturing the
attention of the public and mobilizing citizens. It is not a surprise that some of the oldest PR
material we have today is connected to political propaganda, or recruitment for wars.
In the early 1900s, with the Industrial Revolution, and the development of advertisement as a
structured concept, Public Relations became more formalized.
In 1900 the Publicity Bureau is founded in Boston. Meanwhile, similar institutions begin to
appear in the UK.
Edward Bernays: father of public reputations (nephew of Freud) made public relations what
it is today.
• Considered to be the founding father of Public Relations as a discipline
• Was the nephew of Freud and deeply influenced by his theories about the subconscious
• Introduced the concept of the focus group and worked with tobacco brands and other
controversial products
Most famous work Bacon & Eggs
"When Bernays was asked by the Beechnut Hacking Company to improve its bacon sales, he
devised a campaign to turn bacon and eggs into the quintessential American breakfast.
First, he surveyed a group of medical professionals to get their recommendations that people eat
hearty, nutritious breakfasts. Then, he sent the survey results to 5,000 physicians, along with
publicity touting bacon and eggs as a nutritious breakfast."
Torches of Liberty
"One of Bernays’ legendary publicity stunts occurred in 1929 when he persuaded a group of
NYC debutantes to march down Fifth Avenue in the Easter Parade, openly smoking cigarettes.
At the time, smoking was considered unfeminine and inappropriate for women with any social
standing. Only prostitutes smoked cigarettes in public. He sent photographs of the event, which
he dubbed the “torches of liberty contingent”, to newspapers, implying that the young women’s
lighting-up was a statement of rebellion against the norms of a male- dominated society.
What Bernays did not say was that he had been paid by the American Tobacco Company to find
a way to help break the taboo against female smoking. The campaign had its desired effect."
, Public relations in the 1980´s
• Restructuring trend: all activities within an organization evaluated on the basis of what they
contribute to the organization.
• Communication professionals are consolidated in PR departments and procedures (e.g.,
Communication guidelines) are established for the whole organization.
Public relations in the 1990´s
• Strategic Positioning: organizations use PR as a way to achieve a competitive corporate
identity.
• Communication professionals have the role to shape an organization’s brand, which can be
conveniently “positioned” within the minds of stakeholders.
Public relations in the 2000´s
• Stakeholder Engagement: thanks to new media, stakeholders become real participants in an
organization’s public relations.
• Old principles of strategic communication still apply, but the relationship with stakeholders
becomes a dialogue rather than a one-directional communication.
Lecture 1:
Both the Groupwork assignment grade (on average)
AND the Final exam grade have to be at least 5.5.
*Check out sense making theory*
After completion of the course, you should know more about the theories, strategies,
instruments and effects of PR & Reputation Management.
*Describe the interplay of media, organizations, publics.
*Develop PR-strategies and reflect on their effects.
*Know the instruments of PR and their specific field of application.
Public Relations - Some definitions:
*Management of Communication of the Organization, e.g., negotiation on points of view &
bridging interests. (Grunig)
*Management of a mutual understanding between an organization and its publics. (Cutlip)
*The development of relationships to help communicate about an organization, an issue, a
person or a product. (Gordon)
If you go back to the book you will find the following definition:
Public Relations defines the function or activity that aims to establish and protect the reputation
of a company or brand, and to create mutual understanding between the organization and the
segments of the public with whom it needs to communicate. (Cornelissen, 2017)
Reputation – a key word!
,*Reputation is the overall assessment of an organization by its stakeholders. (van Riel &
Fombrun, 2007)
*It represents the emotional reaction (good, bad, weak or strong) of customers, investors,
employees, & public. (Fombrun, 1996)
*It encompasses dimensions, such as product quality, innovation, investment value, people
management and responsibility.
(Tesla and Elon Musk`s reputation after support of Donald Trump)
Reputations is how we feel about something. It is a long-lasting feeling towards a person of
organization. It is much harder to affect/change than your attitude for example.
Corporate communication is a management function that offers a framework for the effective
coordination of all internal and external communication with the overall purpose of establishing
and maintaining favorable reputations with stakeholder groups upon which the organization
is dependent. (Cornelissen, 2017)
Why its relevant?
Public reputations is the glue.
Why do people put so much effort in their public relations? Because public relations will help to
create the relationships and mutual understanding between the different parts here above ^. But
why is it relevant?
,A little history of public relations:
Public Relations have always existed somewhat informally: they have a role in capturing the
attention of the public and mobilizing citizens. It is not a surprise that some of the oldest PR
material we have today is connected to political propaganda, or recruitment for wars.
In the early 1900s, with the Industrial Revolution, and the development of advertisement as a
structured concept, Public Relations became more formalized.
In 1900 the Publicity Bureau is founded in Boston. Meanwhile, similar institutions begin to
appear in the UK.
Edward Bernays: father of public reputations (nephew of Freud) made public relations what
it is today.
• Considered to be the founding father of Public Relations as a discipline
• Was the nephew of Freud and deeply influenced by his theories about the subconscious
• Introduced the concept of the focus group and worked with tobacco brands and other
controversial products
Most famous work Bacon & Eggs
"When Bernays was asked by the Beechnut Hacking Company to improve its bacon sales, he
devised a campaign to turn bacon and eggs into the quintessential American breakfast.
First, he surveyed a group of medical professionals to get their recommendations that people eat
hearty, nutritious breakfasts. Then, he sent the survey results to 5,000 physicians, along with
publicity touting bacon and eggs as a nutritious breakfast."
Torches of Liberty
"One of Bernays’ legendary publicity stunts occurred in 1929 when he persuaded a group of
NYC debutantes to march down Fifth Avenue in the Easter Parade, openly smoking cigarettes.
At the time, smoking was considered unfeminine and inappropriate for women with any social
standing. Only prostitutes smoked cigarettes in public. He sent photographs of the event, which
he dubbed the “torches of liberty contingent”, to newspapers, implying that the young women’s
lighting-up was a statement of rebellion against the norms of a male- dominated society.
What Bernays did not say was that he had been paid by the American Tobacco Company to find
a way to help break the taboo against female smoking. The campaign had its desired effect."
, Public relations in the 1980´s
• Restructuring trend: all activities within an organization evaluated on the basis of what they
contribute to the organization.
• Communication professionals are consolidated in PR departments and procedures (e.g.,
Communication guidelines) are established for the whole organization.
Public relations in the 1990´s
• Strategic Positioning: organizations use PR as a way to achieve a competitive corporate
identity.
• Communication professionals have the role to shape an organization’s brand, which can be
conveniently “positioned” within the minds of stakeholders.
Public relations in the 2000´s
• Stakeholder Engagement: thanks to new media, stakeholders become real participants in an
organization’s public relations.
• Old principles of strategic communication still apply, but the relationship with stakeholders
becomes a dialogue rather than a one-directional communication.
