"The Business Case for Public Relations(TM)," an Industry Advocacy Campaign, Aims to Inform Perceptions of Public Relations' Roles and Value
NEW YORK, NY, Oct. 28, 2009 (Marketwire) --
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 10/28/09 -- The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has launched an advocacy campaign for the public relations industry, which is intended to foster more accurate and better-informed perceptions surrounding the value and roles of public relations.
The goal of "The Business Case for Public Relations" is to drive industry recognition and growth by helping professionals in the field educate key stakeholders about public relations' functions and outcomes, demonstrate its strategic value and enhance its reputation. The program's framework was created with the help of public relations industry leaders, including representatives of APCO Worldwide, Boston University College of Communication, Cooper-Katz, Edelman, GolinHarris, Hill & Knowlton, Ketchum, MWW Group and Wachovia.
"Public relations is more important than ever before, given the explosion of consumer engagement through new and social media, the collapse of reputation and trust in major institutions and the evolving needs and concerns of corporate CEOs," said Michael G. Cherenson, APR, PRSA 2009 chair and CEO. "Yet, our industry continues to suffer criticism at the hands of individuals who do not understand the practice and application of public relations, or who perpetuate common misperceptions, such as maintaining that public relations is not measurable, or that publicity is the full extent of what public relations professionals do."
A wide array of PRSA resources is available under "The Business Case for Public Relations" banner. The resources include suggested message points to help change entrenched attitudes and perceptions of public relations, and articles on communicating with clients or senior management about the value and benefits of public relations, organized into three categories: "Convincing the CEO," "Communicating the Value of Public Relations" and "Public Relations' Advantages vs. Other Marketing and Communications Vehicles."
Also included is a database of measurement resources, categorized by industry and practice area, that offers practical guidance for demonstrating the value of communications programs. Plus, PRSA is enhancing its Professional Development opportunities and aligning them with topics and resources correlated to The Business Case.
