Publicity and Public
Relations
Objective: Introducing publicity and public relations. In the
end of this week, students will understand the importance of
publicity in marketing tourism and hospitality products.
Public Relations
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Building good relations with the company’s
various public’s by obtaining favourable
publicity, building up a good “corporate image”
and handling or heading off unfavourable
rumors, stories and events.
Hilton International defines PR as “the process
by which we create a positive image and
customer preference through third-party
endorsement.”
Advantages
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low cost
effective because they are not seen as
commercial messages
credibility
prestige and impressiveness of mass-media
coverage
added excitement and dramatization
maintenance of “public” presence
Disadvantages
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difficult to arrange consistently
lack of control
Publicity
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It is a direct function of PR.
It is the task of getting editorial and news space
as opposed to paid space in print and broadcast
media to promote a product, service or a
company.
Key Characteristics of PR and
Publicity
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Message credibility
No direct media costs
Loss of control over publication
Loss of control of content
Loss of control of timing
Major Activities of PR Departments
Press relations: The aim is to place newsworthy
information into the news media to attract attention.
It is credible since most consumers view it as thirdparty information. E.g. A positive write-up of a
resturant in the newspaper.
 Product publicity: It involves various efforts to
publisize specfic or new products such as a food
festival, a newly renovated hotel or a nonfat desserts
have potential for publicity.
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Lobbying: It involves dealing with legislators and
government officials to promote or defeat legislation
and regulation.
 Counseling: It involves advising management about
public issues and company positions and image.
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Major Public Relations Tools
News: PR people find or create favourable news
about the company and its products or people.
Sometimes news stories occur naturally, and
sometimes the PR person suggests events or
activities (e.g. X conference, Miss World…) that
would create news.
 Speeches: company executives answer the questions
from the media or give talks at trade associations or
sales meetings.
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Special events: ranging from news conferences,
receptions, press tours (fam trips), grand
openings… to reach and interest target publics.
 Written materials: include press release, annual
reports, brochures, articles, company newsletters,
magazines… to reach and influence the target
markets.
 Audiovisual materials: such as films, video- and
audiocassettes…
 Corporate-identity materials: help to create a
corporate identity that the public immediately
recognizes such as logos, stationery, brochures,
signs, business forms, business cards, buildings,
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uniforms, company cars and trucks become
marketing tools when they are attractive,
distinctive, and memorable.
 Public-service activities: companies can also
improve their goodwill by contributing money
and time to public-service activities. E.g. giving
donations to street children.
Publics
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The organizations publics can be broken down
into two as;
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External;
Media: TV, radio and press
 Public: local communities, general public
 Government: local, regional, national authorities
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Internal
Internal stakeholders: shareholders, banks, boards of
trustees
 Internal representatives: staff, trade union reps
 Internal commercial: suppliers, intermediaries, customers
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The Role of PR
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The role of PR and publicity is larger than
advertising.
There are two types of reasons to engage in PR;
Reactive – crises management
 Proactive
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In tourism and hospitality, the use of “press
kits” are increasing to pull travel writers. In case
of internal stakeholders, newsletters are often
used.
PR Opportunities for the Hospitality
Industry
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Individual properties; stories in the hotel
Build PR around the owner/operator
Build PR around location
Build PR around a product or service; a drink, a
dessert, a bar and grill, a special entree, fireplace
in the guest rooms, even ducks in the pond, etc.
Sources
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McCabe, S. (2009). Marketing Communications in
Tourism and Hospitality: Concepts, Strategies and
Cases. Butterworth-Heinemann: Oxford.
Kotler, P.; Bowen, J. and Makens, J. (1999). Marketing
for Hospitality and Tourism (2nd ed.). Prentice Hall:
New Jersey.
Kotler, P.; Bowen, J. and Makens, J. (2010). Marketing
for Hospitality and Tourism (5th ed.). Prentice Hall:
New Jersey.
Kotler, P. and Armstrong, G. (2010) Principles of
Marketing (13th ed.). Prentice Hall: New Jersey.