Public Relations- More than Spin

Maura Anderson
ma857214@ohio.edu

The public relations profession has a bit of its own PR problem. As an aspiring public relations professional, I admit I am often upset by the way public relations is construed, especially when even our class readings refer to PR professionals as disillusioned journalists who abandoned their noble cause for money and less "substantial" storytelling techniques. This is representative of the common misconception that public relations professionals serve their own brands' interests first, and the public last. This logic is inherently flawed. Every brand in the world, be it a Fortune 500 giant or a small non-profit, exists to solve some sort of problem for people. As such, the public must always be our number one priority.

Popular media often portray PR practitioners as the conniving Samantha Joneses and scandal-spinning Olivia Popes of the world, when in reality, public relations is about building meaningful, truthful connections with the public. (Check out this blog our classmate Jacob Sherer wrote for more on that.)

Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope on Scandal

Public relations professionals must be scrappy, exuberant individuals, so it is typically not even in their nature to act as cover-up artists. They have a huge responsibility to always abide by ethical standards, especially in the promotion of their brands. The journalistic values of truth, transparency, and accountability are just as (if not more) important in public relations, because there is always so much at stake. This includes protecting public interest, maintaining loyalty and responsibility to the client/brand, and abiding by the strict laws of advertising and marketing to the masses.

Given their size and budget, brands have just as much power as news outlets in shaping public opinion and sharing information, so it is in their best interest to be truthful and fair. Therefore, public relations and advertising is a massive, crucial component of mass media. These brands shape our culture and habits, so they have a responsibility to do that in a way that is transparent and beneficial to the public. The Baylor study shows that public relations professionals understand this role, and work very hard to do it justice.

The very first point in the PRSA Code of Ethics is advocacy, which says that public relations professionals must serve the public by being a responsible voice in the marketplace of ideas, which aids public debate and choice. They also have the responsibility of balancing loyalty to their client and loyalty to the public. The easiest way for a public relations professional to build credibility is to be honest and independent while promoting free expression of truth and opinions and building positive media relationships. I've learned that the best method to solve a crisis is preventing one in the first place, so adding unethical choices to the crisis mix doesn't make sense. The truth will always get out, especially in this day and age, so it is better for it to come from brands firsthand with well-prepared messaging.

Public Relations Society of America logo

This all sounds like a lot of scary legal and moral obligation, but making ethical decisions in public relations is often as simple as following a gut feeling. In this video, Peter Stanton of Stanton Communications shares some tips for new professionals:

• Ask about ethics policies in your job interview. 
• Look for opt-out policies in agency work.
• Develop your own personal ethical standards.
• Know your worth and capabilities.
• Don't settle for a job with bad company culture and poor management. 
• Most importantly, don't be afraid to SPEAK UP. 

Public relations professionals are an incredibly important resource for both the public and their respective brands, so ensuring that your PR work is ethical and truthful should always be the top priority.