Public RelationsCEDRICK ABADINES

The practice of public relations is not what it used to be.

Short History

of Public Relatio

ns

Ancient Beginnings• ROSETTA STONE • JULIUS CAESAR

THE MIDDLE AGES

THE BEGINNINGS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN OTHER NATIONS• Germany• Great Britain• Australia• Taiwan• Philippines• Spain• Russian Federation

WESTWARD EXPANSION

A Short History of Public Relations

THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IS PROBABLY AN OLD AS HUMAN COMMUNICATIONS ITSELF. IN MANY ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS, SUCH AS THOSE OF BABYLONIA, GREECE AND ROME, PEOPLE WERE PERSUADED TO ACCEPT THE AUTHORITY OF GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION THROUGH COMMON PUBLIC RELATIONS TECHNIQUES, INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION, SPEECHES, ART, LITERATURE, STAGED EVENTS, PUBLICITY, AND OTHER SUCH DEVICES. NONE OF THESE ENDEAVORS WERE CALLED PUBLIC RELATIONS OF COURSE, BUT THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT WERE OFTEN THE SAME AS TODAY’S MODERN PRACTICE.

Ancient BeginningsIt has often been said that the Rosetta Stone, which provided the key to modern understanding of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, was basically a publicity release touting the pharaoh’s accomplishments. Similarly, the ancient Olympic Games and promotional techniques to enhance the aura of athletes as heroes in much the same way as the 2008 Beijing summer games. Even in speech writing in Plato’s time was similar to speech writing today. The speechwriter must know the composition of audience, never talk down in it, and impart information that is credible and persuasive.

ROSETTA

STONE •The Rosetta Stone is one of the most important

objects in the British Museum as it holds the key to understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs An inscribed stone found

near Rosetta on the western mouth of the Nile in 1799.Its text is written in three scripts: hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek.The deciphering of the hieroglyphs by Jean-François Champollion in 1822 led to the interpretation of many other early records of Egyptian civilization– a script made up of small pictures that was used originally in ancient Egypt for religious texts.

In the past, great care and effort went into crafting messages and pitch development.

For example, when Julius Caesar wrote his compelling pitch in 50 B.C., his vivid portrayal of military exploits convinced the people of Rome that he was the best candidate to be head of state.

JULIUS CAESAR

Was probably the 1st politician to publish a book, Commentaries, which he used to further his ambitions to become Emperor of the

Roman Empire.

He also organized elaborate parades whenever he returned from successful battle to polish his image as an outstanding

commander and leader.

After he became consul in 9 B.C., he had clerks made a record of senatorial and other public proceedings and post them on walls throughout the city. Those “Daily Doings” were probably one of

the world’s first newspapers.

Of course, Caesar’s activities got more space than his rivals.

THE MIDDL

E AGES

The Roman Catholic Church

was a major practitioner of public relations throughout the Middle Ages.

Pope Urban II persuaded

thousands of followers to serve

God and gain forgiveness of their sins by engaging in the Holy Crusades

against the Muslims.

Six centuries later, the church was

among the first to use the word

propaganda, with the establishment by Pope Gregory XV of the College of Propaganda to supervise foreign missions and train

priests to propagate the

faith.

THE BEGINNINGS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN OTHER NATIONS

The British Scholar J. A. R Pimlott once wrote, “Public relations is not a peculiarly American

phenomenon, but it has nowhere flourished as in the United States.

Nowhere else is it so widely practiced, so lucrative, so pretentious, so respectable and disreputable,

so widely suspected, and so extravagantly extolled.”

It’s so important to realize, however, that other nations have their own histories:

Germany• Mid-century: railroads and other large

business enterprises began publicity efforts.

• Alfred Krupp, founded the Krupp Company, the premier industrial firm and eventually the base of the Nazi war power, wrote in 1866 :We think…it is time that authoritative reports concerning factory matters, in accordance with the facts should be propagated on a regular basis through newspaper reports which serve an enlightened public.”

Great Britain• The Marconi Company – world leader in wireless

telegraphy established a department in 1910 to distribute news releases about its achievements and operations.

• 1911 – The first government public relations campaign has launched by the Insurance Commission to explain the benefits of the National Insurance Act.

• 1919 - The Air Ministry appointed the first government press officer.

• 1920 – Sir Basil Clarke, selected by Ministry of Health, a former Reuters correspondent, as Director of Information

• 1922 – Government launched the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) as a way to communicate British values and viewpoints to its colonies and other nations.

Great Britain• Professional public relations counseling for business

was introduced in the country in 1924, when Sir Basil Clarke, a former government press officer, established a firm in London. His first client, a dairy group; he promoted the idea of milk pasteurization, an innovation that had met with some resistance from the public.

• A year later, Sir John Elliott was reported as public relations officer of the Southern Railway Company.

Australia• Public relation in Australia largely consisted of

publicity efforts until after World War II.• When US Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrived

after his escape from Corregidor in 1942, he introduced the term public relations, and with a highly skilled staff, demonstrated numerous ways of promoting his image and the war effort.

• 1960: The Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) was formed Notable practitioners have included George Fitzpatrick, credited with being the First Australian to conduct public relations, and Eric White, who according to one source, “virtually created the public relations industry” in Australia. As early as 1960’s, White oversaw extension of his firm to the Pacific Rim countries.

Taiwan• Government was the first entity to utilize

public relations tactics. • 1950’s: government used public relations to

conduct “nation building”.• Several government information offices

were formed to release government news to the public. The Public Relations Foundation, a professional body of practitioners, was established in 1956.

• 1958: group announced policy for government agencies and private organizations to promote public relations. One of the organization’s vehicle is Public Relations Magazine, which is used to promote professionalism in the field.

Philippines• The Public Relations industry in the Philippines was transplanted from the West in the 1940’s. In fact, the country is considered the “Pacific birthplace of public relations: US Amy public information officers regularly issued news releases to the Philippine press during World War II.

• After war, the concept spread to local business and the Business Writers Association of the Philippines was organized to promote the idea of corporate social responsibility.

• Notable of the early Filipino pioneers is PETE TEODORO. He was public relations director of Elizalde & Company, a paint manufacturer, and is credited with undertaking the first organized public relations campaign to generate goodwill and business from local contractors and architects.

• 1966 – The San Miguel Corporation established the first public relations department.

Spain• The growth of public relations in Spain

started in the 1950s and paralleled political, economic, and media developments in Spain. An advertising agency, Danis Advertising of Barcelona, launched a public relations campaign in 1955 to build community ,goodwill for a corporate client and its product. One of the directors of that campaign, Joaquin Maestre, started his own public relations firm in 960.

• According to one historian, the advent of public relations consultancies, “marked the beginning of a ‘dynamic consumer market’ for public relations services, which led to setting up the first public relations agencies as a direct response to the market demand for services.”

Russian Federation

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, ushered in the free-

market economy and democratic reforms that caused the rapid growth of the public relations

field in government and private business. With the new openness, global companies began selling

products and services in the new Russia with the assistance of

Western-style advertising, public relations, and promotion.

In addition, the Russian companies began to understand

the importance of publicizing their products and services.

Before that time, most “public relations” was conducted by the government. In the mid 1990s, a

Russian association of public relations professionals was

organized to promote standards and provide continuing

education. Most observers think the public relations industry will

continue to expand as the economy grows.

WESTWARD EXPANSION

Throughout the 19thcentury, publicity and promotion helped to populate the western United States. Land speculators distributed

pamphlets and publicity that described almost every community as the “garden spot of the West’ which one critic of the time called

“downright puffery, full of exaggerated statements, and high wrought and false-colored descriptions.” One brochure about

Nebraska for example, described the territory as the :Gulf stream of migration… bounded on the north by the ‘Aurora Borealis’ and on the south by the Day of Judgment. Other brochures were more

down-to-earth, describing the fertile land, the abundant water, and the opportunity to build a fortune.

Westward Expansion•AMERICAN RAILROADS, IN PARTICULAR, USED EXTENSIVE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PRESS AGENCY TO ATTRACT SETTLERS AND EXPAND OPERATIONS. ANDY PIASECKI ONCE SAID: THE EXPANSION OF THE RAILROADS WAS DEPENDENT ON PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION. THE PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION PAID OFF. HE NOTED: DURING THE 1870S AND THE 1880S, THE RAILROADS ATTRACTED SOMETHING LIKE 4.5 MILLION PEOPLE TO THE MIDWESTERN STATES, AND THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT THERE OF ALMOST 2 MILLION FARMS. NONE OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED WITHOUT C+OMPLEX COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES CLOSELY LINKED TO BUSINESS OBJECTIVES.

If you dig deep enough, you’ll find some interesting clues from the past that mirror what an effective public relations strategy should look like today.

Below are five essentials to successful public relations efforts that began in ancient times:

1. Establishing your point of view.

2. Delivering persuasive communications.

3. Communicating through storytelling.

4. Dodging the spin zone.

5. Getting intimate with your target audience.

Establishing your point of view.

TODAY, WE DEFINE A POINT OF VIEW AS AN OUTLOOK OR WAY OF THINKING.

WE MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT WITH THE INCREASING NUMBER OF HIGHLY-CIRCULATED NEWS PUBLICATIONS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEDIA INCLUSION ARE EVERYWHERE, AND AUDIENCES ARE EVERYWHERE.

TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ENVIRONMENT, YOU MUST HAVE A POINT OF VIEW THAT SPEAKS TO MULTIPLE MEDIA TARGETS ACROSS A VARIETY OF DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL OUTLETS. THE SOPHISTS CERTAINLY HAD A DISTINCT POINT OF VIEW ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES FACING MANKIND.

Today, your stance on important issues and challenges affecting your industry is critical. It sets the tone for every media opportunity, speaking engagement and self-authored publication. After time, it becomes infused with your brand.

Delivering persuasive communications.

Perhaps one of the biggest difficulties afflicting today’s marketer is the inability to persuade. Aristotle was a master of persuasive communications, particularly in his ability to develop compelling arguments. Every message succeeds by its ability to inspire devotion in others.

From the dawn of language to today’s ultra-fast technology culture, words have always mattered. Today, many public relations professionals have replaced persuasive arguments with messages that go to everyone but reach no one. We have the ability to change the entire mood of a nation through words. They are powerful and often misused.

Communicating through storytelling.

JULIUS CAESAR CREATED THE FIRST PUBLIC NEWSLETTER FOR CITIZENS THAT FEATURED FASCINATING STORIES ABOUT HIS MILITARY AND POLITICAL VICTORIES.

IN PETER GUBER'S BOOK, "TELL TO WIN," HE DISCUSSES HOW STORYTELLING WILL ALWAYS BE ABOUT OOHS AND AHS, NOT ZEROES AND ONES.

ACCORDING TO GRUBER, STORIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IGNITERS OF ACTION, MOVING PEOPLE TO DO THINGS.

Only recently has it become clear that purposeful stories—those created with a specific mission in mind—are absolutely essential in persuading others to support a vision, dream or cause.

Dodging the spin zone.In the 3rd Century B.C., Socrates believed that communications should be based on true accounts.

Whether it’s rising competition for content placement or yoga-like flexibility with truth-bending tactics, public relations experts are often forced into a dark corner between authenticity and fabrication.

Today, traditional “spin doctoring” is being

eviscerated by a more open and transparent approach

to marketing aimed at building trust in an

increasingly complex digital world. If you lie, you will be found out. Establishing an environment of open public feedback and response is

the new evolution of public relations

Getting intimate with your target audience. Ptahhotep, an ancient Egyptian official and author, believed in targeting the specific interests of the audience.

Today, that translates into understanding your media channel’s target readership.

The reality is that a large percentage of your media coverage may have little value to the end user, because it’s more promotional than it is helpful

Whether the goal is to be a part of a dialogue that potential customers are reading or to deliver a more controlled message through a third party publication, you must know your target in an intimate way.

Through the course of time and with the advent of sophisticated online communications, one

thing remains certain: We can all learn a thing or two from the past. When it comes to public

relations, it’s more important than ever that we reach back before we pull forward.

Public RelationsTHE END