Public relations plays a central, strategic role in corporate communications. Quite simply, it helps companies reach the minds and hearts of target consumers in a way that marketing and advertising can’t.

Gaining Mindshare

Public relations allows companies to regain a share of voice–and a share of mind–in a message-satiated society. As mass marketing and advertising lose cost-effectiveness, PR can help companies rediscover the power of news, events, and community outreach.

It is always a challenge, even if a company is well established, to keep it in the public eye. Public relations is designed to do just that–to keep a company’s name and offer fresh and credible

AHC defines public relations as the strategic management of relations for a client among its various audiences, including consumers, the press, shareholders, employees, suppliers, and the greater community. AHC’s public relations programs create high visibility and a positive perception, and direct public opinion toward the point of view of its clients.

Each company has its own identity, or brand. Brand identity is one of a company’s most important assets. Marketing helps to build brand identity. Public relations helps to build brand credibility.

PR can also help build a company’s reputation or influence the target audience’s perceptions. Public relations can foster new relationships with valuable stakeholders, and maintain and enhance the reputations with stakeholders and audiences who are familiar with the organization.

Public relations works best when it is integrated with marketing communications. The benefits of synergy are then acquired–the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

When all brand and corporate messages are strategically coordinated, the effect is greater than when advertising, sales promotion, marketing, or PR are planned and executed independently, with each area competing for budgets, and, in some cases, sending out conflicting messages.

One aspect of PR is media relations, the practice of securing the interest of journalists in news about a company or organization. By providing timely press releases and interesting, accurate background information to editors and reporters, AHC can help shape a story and influence the public to view a product or an idea in a certain way.

Here are some of the strategic uses for PR in integrated programs:

• Build market place excitement before advertising breaks
• Drive communications programs when there is no advertising
• Bring advertising to life and extend promotional programs
• Build personal relationships with consumers
• Influence opinion-makers and other influentials
• Communicate new product benefits
• Demonstrate a company’s outreach to the community
• Build consumer trust