Chapter one went over the overview of public relations. The book discussed the creation of public relations and its need in the business world today. People’s public images are constantly being sent and received by outsiders. A good example of this, as the book points out (page 2), is Osama bin Laden. After 9/11 he was seen as a terrorist and a man full of extreme ideas. As we all know he has been in hiding since the attacks, however he conquered the “comeback” and has turned his image into “ideologist and civilian leader” (page 2).
Bin Laden’s change in public relations was accessed through Marson’s R.A.C.E (page 5). By researching attitudes about himself Bin Laden was able to change the public’s opinion about him. Bin Laden also took action by changing his appearance from a forceful terrorist to a common Afghanistan man, making him appear more peaceful. After removing himself from communications with the Americans, Bin Laden re-introduced himself to the American public via internet posts. Finally the evaluation on Bin Laden has been staged and opinion’s have been changed.
Being a business major the relation between management and the public has changed my perception of business transactions. Seeing how management must install the same principles of good public relations, ethics, truth, and credibility (page 15). Without these components the public cannot create a competitive advantage through price, service, and product. If a company maintains its ethics the service of the company increases by creating a relationship based on something the client and company have in common. If a company is not truthful the demand of a product will fall, an example of this is Nike. When the news first broke out that Nike used child labor to create their sneakers, the company saw a decrease in demand. Now, the company is in good standings and their product is in high demand. Without credibility the price of a company can be compromised. A good example would be a car dealership. Why would one customer be willing to pay a higher price than another customer. If the customer who paid high that another the credibility of the company is shot. So the idea of ethics, truth, and credibility making good public relations, also makes good business.
All reading notes and quotes come from The Practice of Public Relations by Fraser P. Seitel, the eleventh edition. The book can be purchased at Amazon.com for $130.68.
This image is from Amazon.com
I think it is important to see the relationship between PR and organizations/the business world and how without PR, businessed would not be as successful.
The comment about anyone being able to see your comments and ideas in the media is very true. The world is a “global village” that no matter who you are, you can have a say in something somewhere -even if you are a terrorist.
However, reading this post made me realize that communication needs to be used responsibly. Laden used it to persuade and sway -or “SPIN” – when it should have been used to show the truth.
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