12.9 Public Relations Helps Build Goodwill

Public relations plays a crucial role in shaping a company's image and relationships. It manages reputation, builds credibility, and complements other promotional efforts through strategic communication with various stakeholders. PR departments handle media relations, product publicity, and crisis management.

Buzz marketing generates excitement and conversation around a brand, leveraging word-of-mouth promotion and social influence. Tactics include guerrilla marketing, influencer partnerships, and experiential campaigns. While cost-effective and potentially powerful, buzz marketing requires careful planning to avoid negative outcomes.

The Role of Public Relations in Promotional Strategy

Contribution of public relations

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• Manages company's reputation and relationships with various stakeholders (customers, employees, investors, media, general public)
• Shapes public perception through communication channels (press releases, media interviews, social media, events)
• Enhances company's credibility and trustworthiness by building positive media relationships and promoting transparency
• Complements other promotional mix elements (advertising, sales promotion) with a subtle, organic approach that reinforces key messages and brand values
• Builds and maintains a positive brand image through consistent messaging and storytelling

Functions of PR departments

• Press relations manages relationships with journalists and media outlets (media relations)
  • Writes and distributes press releases
  • Arranges interviews and media appearances
  • Monitors media coverage and sentiment
• Product publicity generates positive media coverage for company's products or services
  • Organizes product launches and events
  • Provides product samples and information to journalists and influencers
  • Leverages user-generated content and testimonials
• Crisis management prepares for and responds to negative events or publicity (crisis communication)
  • Develops crisis communication plans
  • Monitors potential issues and risks
  • Provides timely and transparent communication during a crisis
  • Works to minimize damage to company's reputation

Corporate Social Responsibility and Stakeholder Engagement

• Develops and implements corporate social responsibility initiatives
• Engages with various stakeholders to build trust and foster positive relationships
• Communicates company's ethical practices and sustainability efforts
• Encourages brand advocacy through meaningful community involvement

Buzz Marketing in Modern Promotional Efforts

Role of buzz marketing

• Generates excitement and conversation around a product, service, or brand
  • Encourages word-of-mouth promotion and viral sharing
  • Leverages power of social influence and peer recommendations
• Buzz marketing tactics include
  • Guerrilla marketing with unconventional, creative, and often low-cost promotional activities (flash mobs, street art)
  • Influencer marketing partners with social media influencers to promote products or services (sponsored posts, product reviews)
  • Experiential marketing creates immersive, memorable experiences that engage consumers (pop-up shops, interactive installations)
• Benefits of buzz marketing
  • Increases brand awareness and reaches new audiences
  • Generates authentic and credible endorsements from consumers
  • Can be more cost-effective than traditional advertising (TV commercials, print ads)
• Challenges of buzz marketing
  • Requires careful planning and execution to ensure a positive outcome
  • Can be difficult to control direction and intensity of buzz
  • Negative buzz can spread quickly and damage brand's reputation (product failures, controversial statements)