THE ROLE OF SOCIAL PUBLICS IN MARKETING

The Role of Social Publics in Marketing

Abstract

This essay examines about the role of social publics in marketing and its need for the autonomy to reach its full potential. The research identifies that the public relation in marketing must retain its own identity while working with an aspect of marketing. Public relations cannot be practiced strategically if the practitioner not given the ear of top marketers. Being part of the marketer or head strategist of an agency requires the practitioner to enact the role.

Table of Contents

Abstractii

Introduction1

Literature Review1

Background or Integrated marketing communication1

Relationship Marketing2

The need for credibility2

Public Relations Provides the Glue2

Measuring the effectiveness of Public Relations3

Research Questions4

Theoretical Considerations4

Excellence in Public Relations4

Collaborative Societal Culture5

Methodology5

Research Design6

Rationale for a Qualitative Study6

Limitations, Assumptions and Suggestion for Future Research6

Impact of the Study7

Conclusion8

The Role of Social Publics in Marketing

Introduction

The world's leading companies like Pfizer, IBM, McDonalds, they are using social publics relation to make their messages and marketing strategies more vibrant, power and persuasion. More important of them is that there companies are constantly using integrated marketing communication methods such as marketing, advertising, social publics relation, etc. Thomas Harris termed social publics as the value added public relation which explains it to be more than just a relationship building tool, rather than sales. He further exclaimed that public relation builds credibility, and effectively reaches the target audience. This essay will explore the role of public relations in an integrated marketing communication program.

Literature Review

Background or Integrated marketing communication

Integrated marking communication became a marketing concept of the 1990s (Harris. p. 55). Public relations practitioners are seizing the opportunity that integration has to offer to make a difference where it counts most, the bottom line of the companies' financial success.

Integrated marketing communications is not a new concept. Many professionals working in public relations and marketing have claimed that marketers are wasting too much time and money on advertising, public relations and promotion programs that poorly coordinated (Henry, 1995). They further attest that the methods used separately were counterproductive and causing consumers too much confusion (Caywood, 1997).

When buying products, customers want reliable information before making a purchase that information must come from a credible source. Public relations enable that to happen.

Relationship Marketing

As marketers and customers learn more about each other through different forms of two-way communication system, integration of marketing communication will become natural in the coming age of one-on-one or relationship marketing; communication will become the essential ingredient in building and maintaining relationships. If marketer and customer do not communicate in both directions, the relationship will fail and the customer will drift away.

The need for credibility

Harris CEO, said that “the increasing fragmentation of traditional mass media, the rising cost of advertising, and growing consumer sophistication have muck public relations a key part of the marketing mix (1995, p. 55).” The credibility of public relations needed to reach today's increasingly skeptical consumers because they are finding advertising messages less credible. Seven our often respondents of a recent survey conducted by video Storyboard Tests said they believe few, if any, of the ads ...