Not so long ago, an ambitious young woman decided to start a PR (Public Relations) agency. Knowing that PR can make, save or damage a company’s reputation, she had no reasons to believe that her pioneer work in that city would bear fruit. But she was mistaken. Local firms, including some large companies which already had problems with negative publicity, didn’t see PR services as necessary, making it hard for a new PR agency to thrive. These companies may not have recognised the power of PR, but big players – like Coca-Cola or Nike – did and used it to their advantage.
The US Institute of Public Relations defines PR as ‘the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics’. In the process of informing the publics of any changes and moves of a company or an organisation, its PR tries to create and maintain a positive public image and rectify any failures or mistakes. While multinationals usually have their own PR or communications departments, smaller companies often hire specialised PR agencies. But PR is not to be found in the corporate sector only – government bodies, trade associations, unions, non-governmental organisations and, of course politicians, all carry out PR activities. These include submitting to editors of trade publications informative articles covering their industry or business in general, exhibiting at trade shows and speaking at industry conferences, preparing press kits and press releases, networking, helping local communities, etc.
Let us take a closer look at one of the above mentioned big players – Coca-Cola. At the dawn of a new millennium, Coca-Cola’s dominant position in the world beverage market seemed beyond question. And then in 1999, hundreds of people in Belgium and France became ill after drinking Coke. PR was not quick to react, waiting for the results of an investigation. They did, however, publish a number of full-page advertisements in European newspapers, claiming that the quality of Coke was unaffected. It was only a semi-success. But when the investigation proved that it was the cans that were contaminated and not the drink itself, Coca-Cola organised a spectacular public relations campaign, offering a free one-and-a-half litre bottle of Coke to every Belgium’s citizen. Its reputation was restored and Coke was back in shops. This is a good example of PR in a crisis situation.
