Public Relations - Coursework Example

?Topic: Public Relations Introduction: In the present competitive world of business and relations, public relations (PR) are considered as a significant factor affecting the performance of the organizations. This has led to the increasing practice of strategic PR internal and external to an organization. It has been observed that communication managers capable of using different tools suitably budgeted have greater support from their teams and enjoy enhanced PR practice. The strategic policies of PR determine controlling measures devising successful results (Austin & Pinkleton, 2006, pp.1-2). This particular study focuses on the strategic PR practice as a measure in the Department of Transport in London intending to implement campaigns addressing road accident deaths. Strategic PR: A Theoretical Background: The need for PR arises from the various problems that might arise in an organization in dealing with the PR and understanding of the organizational activities. Community relations are extremely necessary in this context. The practitioners of PR encounter various problems that require the need for strategic management. The primary role of PR practice is to manage and develop the different relations in association with an organization. This may include relation with the employees, with the general public and with any stakeholder of the organization. It has been observed through earlier studies that the usefulness of the PR is not clearly understood by the managers and that a strategic and planned technique is required in order to solve the problems. With time, the research and understanding have led to successful understanding of strategic PR practice. Now, organizations are more involved with the incorporation of the PR measures and enhancing successful relationships (Austin & Pinkleton, 2006, pp.2-7). Strategic PR Need in London: The Problem Study: The city of London has records of several cases of road deaths resulting from driving under the influence of drinking or drugs. Records from the Transport of London reflect that in the year 2009, 184 road deaths took place which was less than the 204 figure of the previous year. The cases of injuries reflected a fall from 3526 in 2008 to 3227 in the year 2009 (Lydall, 2010). Thus although there might be a decline in the records of the road deaths in the city, yet the number seems to be high that requires sufficient measures to curtail the effects of drinking and drugs to take the toll on human lives. Particularly during occasions, the intake of alcohol and drugs increase creating more difficult situations to be handled. Thus based on the nature of this problem, the Department of Transport (DoT) in London requires taking measures appropriate to the needs in solving the issues and preventing such road deaths in the city. Concerned Objectives: The DoT has seriously taken up the concerns of preventing road deaths in London. As the Director of Communication at the DoT, I have plans to set up a PR firm to design and implement a public information campaign prior to the festival of Christmas and address the issues of road deaths occurring as a result of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The HM treasury has agreed to provide a budget of ?2m for the purpose. I plan to utilize the amount in involving start-up agencies to set up for the account of Dot. The purpose of choosing start-up agencies is to restrict the excess expenditure of funds. The agencies selected are mostly comprised of postgraduates who have recently majored in the strategic communication management. The startup agencies have been selected such that the objectives are fulfilled through specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound manner. The four agencies I plan to invite are: (i) Broadgate Mainland, (ii) Diffusion PR and Communications Ltd, (iii) Startup PR, and (iv) Parys Communication. A Brief Overview: Broadgate Mainland: It is a UK based multiple awards winning independent PR agency performing their activities in several areas of PR development. The team working consists of employees from different ages and backgrounds in communication management. The organization deals with development of new strategies for PR and communication campaigns and makes use of all opportunities available to the team. (Broadgate Mainland, 2011). Diffusion PR and Communications Ltd.: It is a PR and communications consultancy having a team of young dedicated professionals and focused on providing effective communication strategy in the development of PR. They value their customers to a great extent and communicate to them online and offline to share their views and opinions. Their main focus is on developing the connection between the customers and the brands (Our Approach,n.d.). Startup PR: Startup PR provides their services at affordable charges and involves a team of professionals varying in ages working towards understanding businesses and planning effective designs of PR campaigns. They intend to provide their customers with big coverage and have gained several clients over the years. They have close contacts with media that provide the customers with effective publicity (We Are Startup PR, n.d.). Parys Communications: It is based in London and provides with PR services consultancy thus assisting in formation of creative campaigns. They offer services in different sectors focusing on communication solutions. Their work is based on the demands of the customers and the team consists of both young and old professionals working cooperatively providing high value to them (About Parys, n.d.). The Agencies and the Relation with Elements of PR Campaign Models: The startup agencies are determined to take on the “big player” high-spend / high cost agencies and demonstrate that it is possible to run profitable and ethical enterprises. They are determined to “out-think” the big, established players in the league table of top agencies. The success of the above mentioned PR agencies as can be realized from their activities can be attributed to the elements of the PR campaign planning. These elements include planning for objectives, preparing for making all valid information to be made available to the media through press releases as well as publications through the print media and television coverage, providing the public with fact sheets, making surveys on campaign policies as well as involved in management of crisis (Elements of a PR plan, n.d., pp.5-14). These elements are the essentials contributing in the successful implementation of PR campaigns by the agencies. Theory Underpinning Public Information Campaigns: It is necessary for public information campaigns to understand the behavior of people. The theories explaining such changes in behavior and the probable solutions include the Theory of Reasoned Action, Social Cognitive Theory, those that focus on why people behave the way they do. The influence of the media on the thinking of people is explained by the Agenda Setting theory. Other theories dealing with the preferences of people and media issues are Framing and Priming (Building Our Understanding: Key Concepts of Evaluation Applying Theory in the Evaluation of Communication Campaigns, n.d.). Thus, appropriate theories need to be followed by the agencies in order to successfully plan and implement PR campaigns. Mass Communication Theory and Campaign Objectives: The Normative theory explains how a media should participate in the realization of social values among the population (Baran & Davis, 2011, p.14). This theory can be associated with mass communication and hence take an active part in the PR campaign formulation by the active participation of the PR agencies. Thus the basis of this theory can contribute to the objectives of the PR campaigns. Conclusion: It can be understood from the above study that the startup agencies would be suitable for the concerned PR campaigns based on the underpinning theories and following the essential elements of the PR campaign planning. A proper plan based on such factors might enable the prevention of the road deaths as taken into concern in the city of London during the festive season. References 1) About Parys (n.d.), Parys, available at: http://www.parys.com/about (accessed on October 30, 2011) 2) Austin, E.W. & Pinkleton, B.E. (2006), Strategic public relations management: planning and managing effective communication programs, London: Routledge 3) Baran, S.J. & D.K. Davis (2011), Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future, Connecticut: Cengage Learning 4) Broadgate Mainland (2011). Broadgate Mainland, available at: http://www.broadgatemainland.com/ (accessed on October 30, 2011) 5) Building Our Understanding: Key Concepts of Evaluation Applying Theory in the Evaluation of Communication Campaigns, (n.d.), CDC, available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthycommunitiesprogram/tools/pdf/apply_theory.pdf (accessed on October 30, 2011) 6) Elements of a PR Plan (n.d.), Grow Our Region, available at: http://www.growourregion.ca/images/file/Communications_Plan/elementsofaPRplan.pdf (accessed on October 30, 2011) 7) Lydall, R. (June 18, 2010). Road deaths in London fall by 10 percent, London Evening Standard, available at: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23846561-road-deaths-in-london-fall-by-10-per-cent.do (accessed on October 30, 2011) 8) Our Approach (n.d.), Diffusion PR, available at: http://www.diffusionpr.com/approach/ (accessed on October 30, 2011) 9) We Are Startup PR (n.d.), Startuppr, available at: http://www.startuppr.co.uk/index/ (accessed on October 30, 2011) Read More