Lecture #1
 List
5 ways fashion public relations is
used today.
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Allows us to see the
evolution of the profession
and direction it is headed .
Allows us to analyze
situations and make critical
decisions.
Helps us understand the
writing techniques used by
fashion PR professionals.
Gives us an understanding
of how to effectively use
social media in PR
campaigns
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Helps us understand how
our role as the PR
professional works with the
rest of the organization.
Allows awareness of the
issues and concerns of
consumers, media,
communities, and
employees.
Helps us understand the
research that is needed for
planning a successful
campaign.
Allows us to make ethical
decisions that will impact
public opinion .
 Public
relations is a multibillion dollar
business in the U.S. alone.
 There are over 158,000 practicing
professionals in the U.S.
 According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the profession is projected to
increase faster than all other professions
through the end of this year (2012).
 The profession has grown throughout the
world, as well
 According
to 1000 executives who were
interviewed, they stated that PR is an
essential element of their organization
because their PR professionals were able
to raise awareness about important
issues that the public might not have
otherwise known about.
There are approximately 250 colleges and
universities in the U.S. that offer public relations
sequences or degree programs.
 The number of undergraduate students in the
U.S. studying PR is estimated to be over 20,000.
 There are a growing number of colleges and
universities offering courses in fashion PR and
courses related to the subject.
 In many journalism programs, PR is ranking first
and second in enrollment.
 The profession is expected to thrive because
organizations are becoming more interested in
communicating their stories.
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 There
are many different definitions of
what PR actually is.
 PR is often confused or associated with
Advertising and Marketing.
 Public Relations- a planned process to
influence public opinion, through sound
character and proper performance,
based on mutually satisfactory two-way
communication.
 Public
Relations Society of America (PRSA)
defines PR as- helping an organization and
its public adapt mutually to each other.
 Advertising-the act or practice of calling
attention to a product, service or need by
paid announcements in different media. Is
often controlled (time, place, frequency)
 Marketing- the activity, set of institutions,
and process of creating, communicating,
delivering and exchanging offerings that
have value. Focus on the “4 P’s,” Product,
Place, Price, Promotion
 Public
relations also includes the
functions of research, planning,
communications dialogue, and evaluation
 The process of influencing public opinion
often follows the R.A.C.E. method in PR
 R- researching attitudes about an issue
 A- action that needs to be taken by the
client in the public’s interest
 E- evaluate the communication to see if
opinion has changed
 The
role of the public relations
professional is changing.
 It was once a role of promoting and
“soothing” the organization.
 Today, the role has changed. It is
becoming increasingly important for the
professional to be involved with their
organization’s publics so that it can report
to upper-level management in order to
make crucial business decisions.
 If
public relations want to serve the
organization well, it must report to top
management.
 In order for public relations to work,
advice to management must be unfiltered
and uncensored.
 That means at times serving as a lonely
voice and rejecting management’s
decisions.
 Honest
 Openness
 Fairness
 Continuous Two-Way
 Environmental
Communication
Research and Evaluation
 Organizations
deliver a public relations
program with every phone call, email,
letter, and face-to-face conversation.
 The PR professional must deliver
philosophies, policies, programs, and
practices decided by management to the
public.
 On the other hand, the professional must
convey attitudes of the public to their
managers.
 The
PR department can only succeed
when it has access to management.
 The PR department in any organization
should have the ability to counsel
management.
 It is the responsibility of the PR
professional to communicate
management’s ideas accurately and
openly to the public.
 Interpreting
the public’s needs to
management means determining what
the public really thinks about the
organization and letting them know.
 Getting in tune with your public and
actively engaging in two-way
communication makes it possible to
report accurately to management.
 Internal-
these are the individuals that
management must deal with directly in
various levels of subordinates.
 Management must also be able to deal
with them as cross-relationships arise
when subordinates interact with each
other.
 External- management must deal with a
system of outside individuals, that they
cannot directly enforce.
INTERNAL
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Managers/Supervisors
Stockholders
Board of Directors
Sales/ Clerks
Maintenance Personnel
Interns
Employees
EXTERNAL
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Media
Interest Groups
Suppliers
Competitors
Communities
Consumers
Investors
Unions
Government Regulators
Models
Designers
Stylists
Artists/Celebrities
Editors
 The
PR professional serves as the
mediator between the client and public
 A public arises when:
• A group of people face a similar indeterminate
situation
• Realizes what is indeterminate and problematic
in that situation
• Organizes to do something about that problem
More Specifically to PR a public is a group of
people with a stake in an issue, organization, or
idea.
 Primary
Public- are those who can most
help or hinder the organization’s effort
 Secondary
Public- less important to the
organization’s effort
 Marginal
Public- least important to the
organization’s effort
 Traditional
Public- Employees and
current customers
 Future
Public- current students who could
become employees, and prospective
customers- usually come from minorities
 Proponents-
communication that
reinforces beliefs
 Opponents-
Strong, persuasive
communication in order to change
opinions
 Uncommitted-
communication used to
sway a prospective public in the
direction of your organization
 Actualizers-
those with the most wealth
and power
 Fulfilleds- have high resources and are
principle-oriented professionals or
retirees
 Believers- Fulfilleds without the
resources
 Achievers- have high resources and are
status oriented
 Strivers-
lack the resources of Achievers
but are equally status oriented
 Experiencers- high resources, action
oriented, and are disposed toward taking
risks
 Makers- action oriented but have low
resources
 Strugglers- have the lowest resources
 Marketing
and advertising promote a
product or service, whereas PR promotes
an entire organization
 Writing- fundamental PR skill; news
releases, speeches, brochures, and
advertisements
 Media Relations- dealing with the press
is frontline for professionals
 Planning- special events, media events,
management functions
 Counseling-
dealing with management
and its interaction with publics
 Researching- attitudes and opinions that
influence behavior and beliefs
 Publicity- often seen as the “only”
function of the professional, not the case,
yet is important
 Marketing Communications- creating
brochures, sales literature, meeting
displays and promotions
 Community
Relations- putting forth the
organizations messages and images
within the community
 Consumer Relations- interacting with
consumers through written and verbal
communication
 Employee Relations- communicating with
all important internal publics of the
organization
 Investor
Relations- for public companies,
communicating with stockholders and
those who advise them.
 Social
Media Interface- creating what is
often the organization’s principle
interface with the public
 For
decades PR has been highly
associated with spin
 Spin- the distinctive interpretation of an
issue or action to sway public opinion,
often by putting a positive slant on a
negative issue.
 Often uses distortion or lying to hide
what really happened.
 In PR, once you tell a lie you will never
gain back your trust.
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Diverse Experience
Performance
Communication Skills
Strong Relationship
Building Skills
Proactive and Passionate
Team Player
Likeable/ Personable
Knowledge of both PR
and fashion industries
Willing to Take Risks
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Communications
knowledge
Technological
Knowledge- social media
Current Events
Knowledge
Business Knowledge
Management Knowledge
Advocacy
Counseling Oriented
Ethical
Optimistic
Brand Ambassador
 Social Media Specialist
 Recruiter
 Communications
Director/Executive
 Social Responsibility
Director
 Label/Brand PR
Account Director
 Researcher
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Crisis Task Force
 Special Events
Promoter/Designer
 Fashion Show
Coordinator
 Media Relations
Specialist
 Customer
Relations/Service
 Any other Suggestions?
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 PR
is heavily influenced by public
opinion
 PR helps management make sound
decisions
 PR plans should be implemented based
on two-way communication between
management, the professional, and the
public
 PR professionals should never tell a lie in
order to save their credibility.
 Seitel, F.P. (2011). The
Practice of Public
Relations. Prentice Hall: Boston.
 Sherman, G.J., &
Perlman, S.S. (2010).
Fashion Public Relations. Fairchild Books:
New York.