Explain Marketing Public Relations. What are common Public Relation tools?

Marketing Public Relations (MPR) –
In the past Public Relations was not considered as part of marketing function. PR supported the organisation in maintaining its reputation and good attitude with the publics. It was not much concerned about the public’s viewpoint. We can say that PR is not dependent on Marketing but Marketing is incomplete without PR. This concept gave rise to Marketing Public Relations (MPR) to support corporate or product promotion as well as image making. MPR serves the marketing department by helping it achieve the marketing goals.

Marketing Public Relations not only does publicity but also assists in many different tasks. Professor Kotler gives the list of these tasks –

• Assisting in the launch of new products.

• Assisting in repositioning of matured products.

• Building interest in a product category.

• Influencing certain target groups- sales team, etc.

• Building the corporate image in a way that reflects favourably on its products.

Following functions are also performed by MPR-
• Strategies involving products or people that have encountered problems and unfavourable image.

• Support other promotion tools and reduce the overall costs.

• Work on creating the most suitable PR message and tool.

• Executing the PR through proper planning and control.

• Serves as advisory as well as warning system to the management.

Public Relations tools –
Companies use variety of tools for their public relations activity-

1. Press Releases – a press release is released by the organisation to promote the organisation, a product, or a person. The PR team personally works on the news story to create a positive image. Writing article for the editorial page in a newspaper or a magazine – guest editorial, letters to the editor, etc. These can be in audio or audio-visual mode as well for radio and TV broadcasting.

2. Organisations publications – Annual reports, brochures, articles, newsletters, magazines, etc. It is not necessary that this material will get picked up by communication media like newspapers, etc. Public relations team personally create these materials for the organisation.

3. Organising events – Organising news conference, seminars, trade shows, competitions, etc. that will reach the masses.

4. Sponsorship – Sponsoring sports, cultural programs, music competitions, educational workshop, or other events that are followed by majority of the audience. The organisation pays a fee to have its name associated with such programs.

5. Product placements – Placing a company’s product on Television shows, movies, special events, video games, or book is product placement. On various reality TV shows one can see the judges consuming different types of colas with company’s names distinctly visible, giving away Kitkat, etc. at kids shows.

6. Speeches – Executives from the organisation often address media or give talks at various shows like trade shows, discussion forums, etc. This builds the company’s image and value.

7. Cause-related marketing/ Public-Service activities – Contributing to marathon events, blood donation events, raising awareness about breast cancer, AIDS, etc. For example, the leading news channel NDTV often invests and carries full day coverage of awareness about building toilets, etc. in rural schools. Celebrities are often invited to visit one of these schools and share their views.

8. Social media marketing and blogging – In today’s times where the people spend on an average 3 hours on the internet, reaching them through social media and blogs becomes important for an organisation. It helps organisations to reach directly with the audience – consumers, investors, dealers, media, prospective buyers, etc.