A Little PR for PR: A Few Things We Should All Know About Public Relations

A recent Forbes Council article I chanced upon stated that the Public Relations industry hasn’t done good PR for PR. Yes, the pungency of the comment hits hard but anyone with the slightest interest or knowledge in PR will have a hard time denying the statement. In fact, the easiest way to confirm this assertion is to ask some PR people what they do and wait for the feedback. You would discover that only a few people can articulate, in precise terms, the unique service the profession provides. 

A significant number of them will take circuitous paths that lead to no clear destinations of understanding. As far back as the 1970s, Rex Harlow identified more than 400 variations of PR definitions - that's almost half a century ago. Since then, more definitions have been introduced, interrogated and, in some instances, rejected. This impression of incongruities divides scholarly opinions. Watson and Noble (2014) submit that while ‘some commentators see the surfeit of definitions as a weakness of public relations; others appreciate the debate that surrounds them as an indication of vigour in the field’. 

That's certainly a discourse for another day but isn't it curious? The lawyer tells you, in a phrase, that his profession provides legal defence and counsel. The carpenter explains that he builds or repairs wooden structures. The medical doctor proclaims her profession protects and promotes health and wellbeing. Yet, the same degree of specificity isn’t common with PR people. It seems that we are caught in this endless quest to determine the essence of our discipline. 

Having studied for a Degree in PR myself, I have been asked the question more than I can count – What exactly is PR about? Once I have cleared that hurdle, the sub-questions which follow naturally converge on what PR people do and why I chose to study it in the first place even though ‘speaking and writing’ are things that – supposedly – come naturally to me. If you are involved in PR or planning to do so, the chances are pretty high that you have also had to contend with these queries. 

So, to help others grasp the notion of public relations and to give the PR neophytes some ideas for explaining their course of study to their confused parents, curious aunties, cool uncles and fascinated friends, I thought we could do a little PR for PR and learn a thing or two (five actually) about PR. 

First of all, PR is an art. Like PR, there is no universal definition for art but we can glean a lot from its etymology. The term “art” is related to the Latin word “ars” meaning skill or craft. Connecting that to PR, I assert that it is not something that you do by chance. Most people think, albeit erroneously, that 'anyone who speaks well can do PR'. No. Nothing could be further from the truth. It takes skills such as writing, speaking, argumentation, planning, etc. which are honed by practice based on a distinct body of knowledge. 

Also, PR is a science. I will spare you anything elaborate or convoluted. What I mean by science in this context is that PR as a field of inquiry covers knowledge which is susceptible to exact formulation. What we do does not happen by osmosis or chance; we follow patterns of systematic procedures. 

Moreover, PR is essentially persuasion business. Finally. I am sure you were waiting for this. PR does not have a pleasant history. Perhaps, this explains why PR folks are always accused of pushing propaganda. Of course, the meaning of the word has evolved with the march of history but it was a neutral term at the start of the twentieth century. Edward Bernays, sometimes called the father of PR, did not have any problem with the term because he saw it as ‘the conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in a democratic society.’ Whatever, you choose to call it, persuasion or propaganda, the common thread is that PR people are in the business of ‘engineering public consent’ to foster a favourable image for individuals and organizations. Most commonly, this is done through creative storytelling. Not lies. 

What's more? PR is not limited to any specific industry. Conceivably, this is one of the strongest reasons why PR has proven difficult to define. The fact that it cuts across industries means that different practitioners will interpret if from their own perspective. As a profession, it's difficult, if not impossible, to put a scope on PR. So long as a discipline operates in human society and has the need to relate with the public in some way, PR is necessary. So if it's Education, Law, Business, Health, Economics, Cuisine, Fashion, Showbusiness or Sports, you can study PR and create value for yourself in a niche market. 

Finally, PR is life. Everything you do or say is PR. Our relationship with relatives and our conduct in social circles are microcosms of public relations. Whether we know it or not, whether we accept it or not, our actions and inactions create an impression in the minds of those who know us-our publics. These impressions, right or wrong, become a social currency based on which the society transacts business with us. If we have good currency, it becomes our legal tender into favourable places. If our currency is bad, people avoid us like a plague and deny us a place amongst them -either physically or mentally. Think about it. We are all PR people.