Chapter 13

Public Relations, Influencer

Marketing, Social Media, and

Corporate Advertising

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1. Discuss the role of public relations as part of a

strategy for integrated marketing communication

(IMC).

2. Identify the objectives and tools of public

relations.

3. Describe basic strategies for PR activities.

4. Summarize how companies use influencer

marketing programs.

5. Describe how marketers use social media to

promote brands.

6. Discuss the applications and objectives of

corporate advertising.

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Public Relations

• Public relations focuses on communications that can foster goodwill between a firm

and constituent groups such as:

• Customers

• Stockholders

• Employees

• Government entities

• The general public

• Businesses use PR activities to highlight positive events associated with the

organization and to engage in damage control when adversity strikes.

• Public relations has entered a new era, as changing corporate demands and new

techniques have fostered a bolder, more aggressive role for PR in IMC campaigns.

• Increasingly sophisticated and connected consumers are talking to each

other more and more about brands.

• The consumer is increasingly in control.

• Marketers are just now realizing how to manage friend/family

recommendations, especially in the online world.

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PR Objectives

• An active PR effort can serve many objectives, such as

• Promoting goodwill

• Promoting a product or service

• Preparing internal communications

• Counteracting negative publicity

• Lobbying

• Giving advice and counsel

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PR Objectives, Continued

• The primary tools of public relations are:

• Press releases

• Feature stories

• Company newsletters

• Interviews and press conferences

• Sponsored events

• Publicity

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PR Objectives, Continued

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PR Strategies

• There are two main PR strategies:

• Proactive public relations strategy—seeks to publicize a company and its

brands, and takes an offensive rather than defensive posture in the public relations

process

• public relations audit: identifies the firm’s characteristics or aspects of its

activities that are positive and newsworthy

• public relations plan: identifies the objectives and activities related to the firm’s

PR communications

• Reactive public relations strategy—focuses on problems to be solved rather

than on opportunities, and requires a company to take defensive measures

• public relations audit: audit prepared for the proactive strategy helps a firm

prepare its reactive strategy. The information in the audit helps the company

issue public statements based on current and accurate data.

• identification of vulnerabilities: if aspects of a firm’s operations are vulnerable to

criticism then the PR function needs to be prepared to discuss these issues.

• Public relations must be part of an integrated effort to communicate with audiences. If

the PR component is not recognized as a component of the overall communication

effort, misinformation or disinformation may compromise other marketing

communications efforts.

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PR Strategies, Continued

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Exhibit 13.1 Components of a PR Plan

PR Strategies, Continued

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Influencer Marketing

• Given that consumers are predisposed to talk about brands and that what they say

is vital to the well-being of those brands, it is no surprise that marketers are

pursuing strategies to influence the conversation.

• Influencer marketing refers to tools and techniques directed at driving positive

word-of-mouth about a brand.

• Professional Influencer Programs:

• must be handled with great care

• require a long-term commitment

• focus is on communicating up-to-date data and important brand

benefits

• Peer-to-Peer Influencer Programs:

• objective is to give people something fun and provocative to talk about

• use connector databases

• In both types of program, the marketer is challenged to give the influencers a

meaningful or provocative topic that they will want to talk about.

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Influencer Marketing, Continued

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Exhibit 13.2 Five “T”s of Peer-to-Peer Influence

Social Media

• Social media are websites where users create and share information. Examples

include:

• social-networking sites

• business-networking sites

• works-sharing sites

• blogs

• microblogging (Twitter)

• To engage in brand communication via social media, marketers need to enter a

community conversation that includes listening as well as transmitting messages.

• Marketers can shape conversations by:

• creating venues

• seeking feedback

• providing valued information

• crafting messages that are simple enough to convey accurately

• Often, marketers’ use of social media is aimed at creating buzz and stimulating

viral marketing.

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Social Media, Continued

Exhibit 13.3 New Brand Relationships with Social Media

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Corporate Advertising

• Corporate advertising, rather than supporting an organization’s specific brands,

aims to build the general reputation of the organization in the eyes of key

constituents.

• Corporate advertising objectives include:

• enhancing the firm’s image

• improving employee morale/attracting new employees

• communicate brands’ views on social, political, or environmental issues

• better positioning against competitors

• playing a role in overall IMC strategy

• Corporate ad campaigns may take the form of:

• image advertising

• advocacy advertising

• cause-related advertising

• Green marketing underlies many of a brand’s advertising campaigns.

• Corporate ad campaigns are most effective when they appear authentic.

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Corporate Advertising, Continued

Exhibit 13.4 Varieties of Corporate Advertising

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