Video Use in Public Relations - Research Paper Example

Video Use in Public Relations Name Institution: Date: Introduction The globalization process has over the years changed the market structures and operations in the global industry. In this regard, organizations and institutions increasingly use new approaches and processes in a bid to increase their influence in the global market platform. The influence has emerged because of the establishment of the balanced scorecard evaluation tool in business performance. Organizations have resulted to seeking both financial and non-financial market gains, a contrast to traditional approaches that relied on financial gains only. In order to achieve financial gains, the concept of public relations has increasingly grown in institutions (Gregory, 2010). Public relations enhance increased market success through increased business reputation enhancement as a result of positive society perception on business ventures. With increased market competition, organizations have resulted to increased public relation tools such as videos. This research literature review seeks to investigate on a research problem on the nature and extent to which use of videos enhances organizational public relations. As such, the literature review seeks to fill the existing literature gap on video application in PR management. Consequently, it adopts a research purpose to establish the associated challenges on video usage in PR in order to enhance their increased successful application on PR. Videos Application Videos are visual images presentations accompanied by sound. Video use has been on the rise in a number of industries such as teaching and marketing in business. However, the concept of videos application to organizational PR strategies is an emerging but growing business concept. Theoretically, Cruz-Cunha, Carvalho and Tavares (2011) argued that due to the application of both sound and visual aspect, videos serve as an imperative tool in external organizational communication. The authors developed a model that the application of videos enhanced increased understanding and retention rates. As enumerated, public relations is an ideal tool adopted in enhancing increased organizational market influence (Stacks & Michaelson, 2010). In this case, the organizations adopt public relations strategies such as video footage use as marketing tools for the corporations. Waters and Jones (2011) conducted a study to evaluate the influence of video usage in public relations. The study perceived video use as an ideal marketing tool. In its analysis, the study reviewed the implications of public relation videos in facilitating organizational market positioning and branding. It revealed that organizations in the industry acquired an increased organizational identity because of increased public relations activities. The study explored non-profit organizations suggested that the use of YouTube videos enhanced not only organizational branding but also identity development. Consequently, the study concluded that the use of videos in public relations and promotional activities was a viable and imperative marketing tool that promoted organizational consumer market perception levels as well as increased branding and identity development in the market. Organizational branding involves the establishment of a market position while a brand signifies the name or symbol by which the organization and its products are recognized by in the market. This argument can be verified through a series of similar studies. In a similar study, Harmon and White (2001) evaluated the relationship between video usage in public relations and the creation and development of synergy between organizations and the environment and the customer base in the industry. The study hypothesized that use of videos was an imperative tool in enhancing the establishment of customer links. The study argued that through the visual effects, relationships with customers were built better and faster than with print media. In its analysis, the study adopted a case study of the military organizations. In this case, it reviewed the implications of military video games developed and availed to the public by the military. In its analysis, the study revealed that the adoption and increased playing of the games enhanced the establishment of a link between the military and the society. Games create an avenue through which the civilian society is absorbed and incorporated into the military world. As such, Harmon and White (2001) argued that the society felt as part of the military fraternity. Consequently, the study revealed that through the development and increased games popularity, the societal attitude towards the military changed. In particular, it revealed that respondents participating in the games reported an increased positive perception on the military tan peers who had no access or interest in the games. The studies suggested that, it is apparent that the use of videos in public relations influences and influences the societal and business environment perception change. This is evidenced based on the public’s perception on PR as a marketing tool. In this regard, the public perceives public relations, as an organizational marketing tool success on the establishment of a positive perception. Modern marketing principles seek to establish and enhance organizational reputation in order to guarantee long-term organizational benefits. Consequently, reputation and perception enhancement forms a core principle in the industry performance process. Further, through the incorporation of these principles, organizations establish themselves in the market leading to increased strategic performance. A study by Owen and Karrh (1996) on the implications of video footage use on public relations on the customer base sought to establish if video footage use had any differential implications on the audience attitudes towards an institution as well as that of increased recall rates. On its part, the study suggested that the videos enhanced an increased positive attitude as well as increased recall rates in the industry. Similarly, a study by Machill, Beiler and Schmutz (2006) established that the use of videos influenced the nature and extent of communicated message reception rates as it implicated on the psychological message retention capability. The study explored the influence of videos on the reception of scientific data. The study suggested that the adoption and use of videos enhanced increased content reception of scientific information rather than through the print media. Consequently, the study argued that through video use in organizational communication, there was increased understanding in the industry. The study suggested that increased public understanding of the organizational operations was attained using videos as a communication tool in the market. The study findings suggested that increased use of videos for press releases and as a form of communication to the public, organizations enhanced an increased societal understanding of business environment and operations, as well as positive reception of public data offered through the organizational external communication process. This can be further evidenced through the perception of PR as n advertisement avenue. Further, Machill, Beiler and Schmutz (2006) adopted a review of advertisements in the industry. It evaluated a comparison of advertisements carried out by agents and those of video footage developed by the organizational managements. The study suggested that respondents had an increased recall rate for the direct video footage than the agents aided advertisements. Moreover, the respondents changed their perceived attitudes towards such organizations, with such organizations acquiring an increased positive perception over peers. Consequently, the study concluded that the use of video footage as a news enhancement tools facilitated increased organizational reputation and customer relationships development. It argued that the video footages provided an increased direct relationship between the organization and its customer base in the market. Consequently, the study findings could be ascertained by a similar study conducted by Ranker (2008). In this case, the study sought to establish the extent to which public relations aspects in the industry resulted to increased societal understanding and cohesion. On its part, the study hypothesized that increased public relations and video usage increased social cohesion ad integration. In its analysis, the study utilized a market study population sample the Dominican Republic culture. In this case, the study argued that through increased utilization of videos in marketing resulted to increased social relationships between organizations and the society. This can be argued to be a corporate social responsibility program in the industry. Consequently, this increases the organizational probability for increased social interaction with the immediate environment as a result of mutual understanding between the organization and the society. Through social events facilitated and sponsored by organizations video recording and subsequent sharing, there are increased social integration instances in the industry. In addition to increased societal understanding, PR has a diversified application of video use in public relations, Meisel (1998) conducted a study to evaluate the application of videos as a public relations tool in the teaching industry. The results suggested that videos could be applied in enhancing teaching and learning not only in learning institutions but also in enhancing the passing of public policies as a tool of public sensitization programs enhancement. It argued that through increased adoption of videos public relations tool in teaching. As already discussed in the analysis, use of videos increases the overall recall rates. Therefore, formulating and teaching of public policies sensitization using videos serves as an ideal public training tool for increased overall societal performance. This study was specifically developed based on an empirical study o tutors teaching students. In this regard, it is apparent that the overall organizational structures are based on the principals of collective societal support in the market. Therefore, through the use f videos in public relations, collective societal integration that incorporates increased society understanding and appreciation of diversities, and understanding is enhanced. Trends As already established the adoption and use of videos as a public rations enhancement tools across the industries has increased and grown in popularity over the years. Video in PR usage has been specifically motivated and fueled by the increased use of internet and the World Wide Web usage (Styles & Tennyson, 2007). The internet has played an increased role in enhancing public relations. The World Wide Web channel is used both a video production avenue as well a transmission tool. On one hand, Haig (2001) stated that the World Wide Web enhances the development and production videos. The World Wide Web provides a convenient, efficient and cost effective video production avenue. On the other hand, a study on public relations developed by Foo and Siu (1997) established that the World Wide Web enhances the sharing of the developed public relations videos. Through the World Wide Web and internet, it is possible for public relation analysts to transmit videos from one geographic location to the other. Therefore, through the adoption of these approaches, public relations have increased in popularity because of increased market information process. Consequently, the development of online platforms and the subsequent development of video player software compatible with the online websites, public relations use of videos has continuously increased over the years. Moreover, it application and success rates have subsequently increased in the modern public relations developments. With respect to the above, a case study to demonstrate the role of World Wide Web in enhancing increased use of videos in public relations can be cited in the works of White and Raman (1999). In the study, the authors developed a population sample from website developers. The study explored the current and future expected designs in website development had any contributions with regard to increased video usage in public relations. As such, it sought to establish the expert opinions of the respective website developers. In this regard, the developers argued that increased web site usage has been a major contributor towards the establishment and increased usage of videos in public relations by practitioners. In essence, the developers argued that the avenue provides a direct relationship with the audience as well as increased market success rates due to cost effectiveness in the message and information delivery. In addition, a study by Rheingold and Howard (2008) developed an emerging trend in the incorporation of youths in public relations and video use. The study suggested that the use of videos online enhanced the capturing of the new technology generation that is hedged on videos and online communication channels. As such, through use of online videos as a public relations tool, public relation practitioners achieve an increased audience base as they face and capture the youthful population that forms a critical component and section of the overall societal population. These suggested conclusions were in congruence with subsequent studies on youths and public relations such as that developed by Gentile (2009). Challenges Despite the increased usage and merits of the adoption of videos in facilitating increased public relations activities, the strategy faces an increased share of challenges. One among them is video production quality. A study by Austin, Pinkleton and Fujioka (1999) evaluated the implication of video production quality in enhancing public relations objectives achievement. The results showed that the video quality highly influenced the created implications on the society perception on an organization’s operations. Poorly developed videos had minimal and even negative organizational perception on the society. Moreover, an additional challenge to the use of videos as a public relations enhancement tool is in its application ethics. The strategy lacks a governing regulatory framework through which it can be applied. Consequently, it has resulted and been subjected to increased use of unethical practices such as information exaggeration. This challenge is evident in a study by Freeman and Chapman (2007) that argued that tobacco selling was a major ethical public relations challenge on the limits and nature of products and services that qualify for such publicity. Therefore, video advertisements on the content faced ethical justification challenges in their broadcasting. Research Questions Based on this literature review, a number of issues emerge that warrant a research study. In this case, questions as listed below emerge. Does the use of videos enhance increased public relations activities positive public perception? Are the current trends such as social media development a threat or growth opportunity to the use of videos in public relations? What are the respondents perceive limits in the utilization of videos in public relations? References Austin, E, Pinkleton, B, & Fujioka, Y (1999). Assessing Prosocial Message Effectiveness: Effects of Message Quality, Production Quality, and Persuasiveness. Journal of Health Communication. 4(3), 195-210 Cruz-Cunha, M. M., Carvalho, V. H., & Tavares, P. C. A. (2011). Business, technological, and social dimensions of computer games: Multidisciplinary developments. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Foo, S., & Siu, C. H. (1997). System architectural design for delivering video mail over the world-wide-web. Journal of Computer Science and Technology, 12(4), 372-384. Freeman, B., & Chapman, S. (2007). Is “YouTube” telling or selling you something? Tobacco content on the YouTube video-sharing website. Tobacco Control. 16(3), 207-210 Gentile, D. (2009). Pathological Video-Game Use Among Youth Ages 8 to 18 A National Study. Psychological science, 20(5), 594-602. Gregory, A. (2010). Planning and managing public relations campaigns: A strategic approach. London: Kogan Page Haig, M. (2001). E-PR: The essential guide to public relations on the Internet. London: Kogan Page. Harmon, M. D., & White, C. (2001). How television news programs use video news releases. Public Relations Review, 27(2), 213-222 Machill, M., Beiler, M., & Schmutz, J. (2006). The Influence Of Video News Releases On The Topics Reported In Science Journalism. Journalism Studies. 7(6), 869-888 Meisel S, (1998) "Video types: considerations for effective use of video in teaching and training", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 17 Issue: 4, pp.251 – 258 Owen, A. R., & Karrh, J. A. (1996). Video news releases: Effects on viewer recall and attitudes. Public Relations Review. 22(4), 369-378 Ranker, J. (2008). Making Meaning on the Screen: Digital Video Production about the Dominican Republic. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 51(5).410-422 Rheingold, Howard. “Using Participatory Media and Public Voice to Encourage Civic Engagement." Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth. Edited by W. Lance Bennett. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008. 97–118 Stacks, D. W., & Michaelson, D. (2010). A practitioner's guide to public relations research, measurement and evaluation. New York, N.Y: Business Expert Press. Retrieved from Styles, A. K., & Tennyson, M. (2007). The Accessibility of Financial Reporting Of U.S. Municipalities on the Internet. Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, 19(1), 56-92 Waters, R. D., & Jones, P. M. (2011). Using Video to Build an Organization's Identity and Brand: A Content Analysis of Nonprofit Organizations' YouTube Videos. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing. 23(3), 248-268 White, C., & Raman, N. (1999). The World Wide Web as a public relations medium: the use of research, planning, and evaluation in web site development. Public Relations Review. 25 (4), 405-419 Read More