Introducing Public Relations is your guide to the basics of public relations: where it came from, what it means and what issues the industry faces today. It takes readers from the origins of PR all the way to the newest theoretical debates, explaining along the way the changes and development of the role of the PR practitioner. With interviews and 'day in the life' examples from a wide range of professionals in the industry students will learn what PR practitioners do, what they think and how the industry really works. Putting the student first, this book: Gives a grounded, critical coverage of the history and theory of PR, so students understand not just the what but the how and why Covers all aspects of PR in practice, from in-house and consultancies to government, sport, NGO and corporate PR Packs each chapter with case studies, anecdotes from the field and career advice from expert PR professionals Helps easy revision with exercises, summaries and checklist. Highly accessible and engaging, there is no better headstart to understanding what PR is all about. It is the perfect text for any students encountering public relations theory and practice for the first time.

Table of Contents:
PART ONE: PUBLIC RELATIONS IN THEORY Introducing the Theory Chapter 1: The Origins of Public Relations Public Relations: One or Many Definitions? Where PR Comes From and Why History Matters The Early Years: Ivy Lee and Edward Bernays International Growth The History of PR in the UK Theory: Why Some Campaigns Work and Some Don′t Communication Theory Laswell′s Communication Model Linear Model Two-Step Communication Model Mass Audience Target Audience Publics The Four Models of Grunig and Hunt The Press Agentry/Publicity Model The Public Information Model The Two-Way Asymmetric Model The Two-Way Symmetric Model The Excellence Project Chapter 2: Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations - Similarities and Differences Explored and Explained Why Marketing Matters Market-Led Companies Product-Led Companies The Marketing Mix Social Marketing New Forms of Marketing Advertising: Good or Evil? How is PR Different to Advertising? Advertising Agents and PR Consultants Marketing PR Chapter 3: Reputation Management What is a Good Reputation? The Relationship between PR and Reputation Advocating Reputation Management Acquiring a Good Reputation Factors Involved in Developing Good Reputation Online Reputation Management Against Reputation Management A ′Wrong′ Industry: How an Industry′s Reputation Affects Businesses Chapter 4: Crisis Management - Public Relations Centre Stage What Is a Crisis? The Crisis Communication Plan The Plan The Management Team The Communication Process The Post-Crisis Evaluation Handling a Crisis The 2005 London Bombings The Buncefield Fire Issues Management Chapter 5: Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics Front Organisations Why Ethics is Becoming More Important to PR Advocacy and the Adviser-Client Relationship Does PR Corrupt the Media? The Ethics of Individuals Codes and Conducts The Ethics of Businesses Four Traditions Moral Evaluations Ethics and the Multinational Company Business is Business: Is CSR Welcome at All? Business is Business: Is it Worth the Hype? Social Corporate Responsibility Environmental Corporate Responsibility Sustainable Objectives Is Corporate Social Responsibility Just PR in Disguise? Delivering CSR PART TWO: PUBLIC RELATIONS IN PRACTICE Chapter 6: Introducing the Practice Public Relations Practice in the UK The Business of PR The People in PR Recruiting and Keeping Staff Chapter 7: Public Relations In-House Who Does What? The PR Practitioner as Gatekeeper Comparing In-House and External Consultants Internal Communications Organizational Culture: Who Are ′the Company′? Channels of Communication Measuring the Effect of Communications Chapter 8: Public Relations Consultancies Types of Consultancy Categories of Consultancy ′Agency′ or ′Consultancy′: Does it Matter? Professionalisation of the Industry Services Offered by Consultancies Winning New Business The Brief The Pitch Managing the Account: Who Does What? Client Satisfaction Over-Servicing Charging Chapter 9: Strategy, Research, Measurement and Evaluation Structuring a PR Programme Research Defining PR Problems and Issues SWOT and PEST Analyses Strategy Measurement and Evaluation Pseudo-Measurement Opportunities to See (OTS) Advertising Value Equivalence (AVE) Payment by Results (PBR) Electronic Evaluation Chapter 10: Putting Effective PR Campaigns into Practice Tactics: The Building Blocks of PR Campaigns Journalists and Public Relations: Hacks and Flacks Media Relations in the PR Campaign Writing the News Release Distributing the News Release Targeting the Right People Managing the Data Ensuring Media Coverage Dealing with the Media The Features List Media Training Press Conferences Electronic Channels of Communication Online Media Blogs: Are They the Future of PR? Events Chapter 11: Corporate Communications and Financial PR What Is Corporate Communications? The History of Financial PR Financial PR Consultancies Financial Calendar Work Profit Warnings and the Unexpected Investor Relations Initial Public Offerings Financial Audiences Analysts The Financial Media Chapter 12: Government and the Public Sector Social Marketing Government Communications Local Government Restricting or Helping? Public Sector PR as Gatekeeper Central Government Communication Spin How Political Parties are Changing Political Communication Political Lobbying The Origins of Lobbying Lobbying Companies Is Lobbying Effective? Is Lobbying Ethical? Chapter 13: From Charities to Celebrities - The Variety and Diversity of PR Practice Charities and Campaigning Organisations How Charities Campaign Celebrities Sport Sponsorship Media Relations in Sport Channels of Communication Community Relations in Sport Chapter 14: Where PR (and You) Can Go Next The Changing PR Landscape Industry Challenges and Opportunities Getting Started in PR