Herrroo guys... So in my Public Relations class we were discussing what the general public thinks about PR people/Public Relations and what it accomplishes. We came up with a general consensus that most people think negatively about Public Relations...

We were told to ask around with our friends and family and see what they think about Public Relations and what it accomplishes, and I figured that this would be a good place to ask around.

So what do you guys think? Help a sister out!

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

Do what you got to do.

Really, I think PR is kind of pointless in most scenarios. It doesn't matter what is said from a certain camp; whatever information is out there and however it has already been presented is what influences what people think. PR is usually reactive, and as such the public has already been swayed in another direction by the time it is utilized, for the most part. I'm referring specifically to PR in crises, which I know is only one function, but that's how it's most visibly experienced by the American public.

As far as simply keeping up a good rapport in general, yeah, I think PR is really useful and a good thing.

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Miles to go before I sleep

‎"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
-Khalil Gibran

PR is damage control and tax write-offs, and is viewed as such.

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It's a double edged sword.

When something is viewed negatively unfairly, a good PR firm can do a good job helping to restore that person's good name. However, if the negative viewpoint is deserved, a PR firm can mitigate the overall damage with their spin.

As PR firms get better, it's getting harder to see past the spin to see the truth. That fact leads to the overall negative opinion of public relations I think.

I shared an office with a PR firm for many years and I'm friends with several PR professionals so I know the gig fairly well.

I would say most folks don't really have a clue about what PR firms actually do and if they did their opinion of the profession would probably go even lower
Protecting an image or spinning a message is what most people think of but that's only the most basic form of PR and not the bulk of what they do.

Go pick up a magazine...most any magazine...find an article about a place, a resort, a chef, a book, damn near anything and I can 100% guarantee you that piece was actively promoted or even partially written by a PR firm.
Most travel and food magazines are basically giant advertisements no matter how genuine an article may read, if it contains positive information about a company or a product, it was placed there by a PR firm.

The same thing rings true for TV. If you're watching the travel channel and they have a show about the 10 best places to ride a lama, you can bet money the #1 if not the top 5 places were "suggested" by their respective PR firms.

This is the bulk of what PR firms do. Call up media outlets and suggest stories about how awesome their clients are.
The media in turn gets a no-brainer story handed to them on a platter which they'll bite on 90% of the time.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Thanks guys... I agree that it can sometimes be pointless when it's being used as "damage control"... It can be hard to sway the public's opinion when there is a crisis.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

Very true... While I've never worked in a PR department before, I'm somewhat familiar with it because my dad has been in advertising since I was born, so I can relate to what you're talking about.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

Everyone makes very good points here for you fly.
All I can add is that PR is critical for the development of a business, support for government projects and of course, damage control when things don't go right.

Honesty is the best PR tool in my opinion.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Thanks for your input, everyone... You helped me out a lot!

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo