Organizational Settings inPublic Relations

Presented byBrett Atwood

“A Seat at the Table”

• PR practitioners can function at many levels within an organization– Most effective to have direct line to top executives• “A seat at the table” = high-level input to strategic

decisons

– Can be internal vs. external to a company

How Does an Organization View PR?

• Some companies are proactive in embracing PR– In some organizations, PR execs rank high on the

org chart• Some reluctantly embrace PR after some form

of crisis– Layoffs– Legal troubles– Customer backlash

PR & Top Management

• PR is a management function – whether an organization recognizes that or not– Examples:• Perrier product contamination crisis• BP Gulf oil spill• TEPCO response to nuclear disaster in Japan• Johnson & Johnson Tylenol product tampering crisis

Perrier Product Contamination

BP Oil Spill Crisis

TEPCO Nuclear Disaster

Johnson & Johnson Tylenol Poisoning

Outside Counsel vs. Internal Staff

• Organizations may decide to use internal, full-time PR staff or use external agencies– There are pros and cons to each

In-House vs. Agency

• Knowledge about Organization– In-House: Stronger knowledge – Agency: Needs to Learn

In-House vs. Agency

• Organizational Credibility (Can Vary)– In-House: Can be good since they are already a

known entity and part of the existing team– Agency: Outsiders might be seen as “experts”

In-House vs. Agency

• Objectivity– In-House: Often lacks objectivity– Agency: Provides a “fresh” look• Less biased in communication• May be more audience-oriented• May have new ideas and insights

In-House vs. Agency

• Range of Skills/Resources/Contacts– In-House: More Limited– Agency: More Broad

In-House vs. Agency

• Flexibility– In-House: Less Flexible– Agency: More Flexible

In-House vs. Agency

• Costs– In-House: More Cost Effective for Routine Work– Agency: More Cost Effective for Non-Routine Work

In-House vs. Agency

• Agency Fees Can Vary– Monthly Retainer (Fixed Cost per hour/Services)– Minimum Retainer (for Overhead and Admin

Expenses) plus Actual Costs– Hourly Fees plus Out-of-Pocket Expenses– Fixed Project Fees

Pros of Using a Large PR Firm

• Pros– Depth of Experience– Broad Range of Expertise & Resources– Geographic Reach– Investment in Talent

Cons of Using a Large PR Firm

• Cons– Profit-Driven– Junior Staffers Often Do Legwork– Formulaic Approaches– You’ll Be One of Many Clients Competing for their

Attention

Evolution of PR in Organizations

Entry Level Skills• Writing Press

Releases and Newsletters

• Support for Human Resources department

Critical Thinking and Specialized Skills• Strategic Consulting

of Execs• Crisis Management• Maintaining Complex

Relationships with Multiple Publics

Evolution of your Career

• When you start out, you’ll likely do many “entry level” skill-based tasks– Press release writing– Assistance with event planning– Social media

Evolution of your Career

• As you advance in your career, you will get more leadership and/or management opportunities– More integration into key business decisions– Must be 100% reliable and disciplined to succeed– Work is evaluated based on quantitative outcome

more than emotions/gut feeling