Page 649 - Encyclopedia of Business and Finance

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Publicity

PRSA members are committed to ethical practices. The cific goals. Publicity can help a company accomplish
code is designed as a guide for PRSA members to carry many of its goals. Effective publicity can increase sales,
out their ethical responsibilities. bring more customers into a store, and clarify misconcep-
tions. Companies must pick and choose which events
SEE ALSO Communications in Business; Customer Ser- deserve media coverage in order to avoid “overkill.” Not
vice; Publicity
everything needs full-scale media attention—only events
that are most newsworthy and important.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Marconi, Joe (2004). Public relations: The complete guide. Mason,
OH: South-Western. CRISIS PREVENTION AND
RESPONSE
Newsom, Doug, Turk, Judy V., and Kruckeberg, Dean (2004).
This is PR: The realities of public relations (8th ed.). Belmont, Negative publicity can be the result of a mishandled crisis.
CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Anticipating crises and having a solid crisis plan in place,
Public Relations Society of America. (n.d.). About public rela- however, can save a company from potentially disastrous
tions: Official PRSA definition. Retrieved November 21, situations and enhance its image. A company must first
2005, from http://www.prsa.org/_Resources/Profession understand the different types of potential crises that
Public Relations Society of America. (n.d.). PRSA member code exist, avoid common mistakes when handling crises, and
of ethics. Retrieved November 21, 2005, from be proactive when dealing with a crisis.
http://www.prsa.org/_About/ethics
The February 5, 2001, article Can Firestone Get Back
on the Road? in the Brand Debate section of the brand-
channel.com Web site points out that the rise of the Inter-
Jensen J. Zhao
net has made it possible for bad news to travel fast,
making it more difficult for companies to react quickly
when a crisis strikes. Online discussion groups and chat
PUBLICITY rooms can spread worldwide bad publicity for a company
within minutes. Moreover, consumers have become more
The Publicity Handbook: How to Maximize Publicity for
skeptical and less trusting than they were even a decade
Products, Services, and Organizations, by David Yale, ago and no longer easily buy into the “spin” tactics used
explains that supplying information that is factual, inter-
by companies in time of crisis. Ratings wars have caused
esting, and newsworthy to media not controlled by one-
the media to adopt more sensationalized methods of
self is publicity. The media involved can take a variety of
reporting and be always ready to pour more fuel on the
forms, including magazines, newspapers, radio, television, fire.
and trade journals. The Random House Handbook of Busi-
The three major types of potential crises are immedi-
ness Terms defines publicity as “information designed to ate, emerging, and sustained. An unexpected event, such
appear in any medium of communication for the purpose as a terrorist attack, is an immediate crisis, and does not
of keeping the name of a person or company before the allow for research and planning. There should be a general
public or of creating public interest in their activities” consensus among key management on how to react in
(Nisberg, 1988, p. 229).
these situations in order to avoid confusion, delay, or
Publicity is usually generated from an organization’s argument. Emerging crises, such as employee dissatisfac-
public relations department and its goal is to gain media tion, low morale, or sexual harassment, allow for more
coverage. Newsworthy events receiving publicity include research and planning. Management should take correc-
ground-breaking ceremonies, press conferences, organized tive action before these issues become critical. Despite the
protests, and ceremonial appointments. Successful public- best efforts by management, sustained crises can persist
ity occurs when an organization has a carefully designed for months or even years. These types of crises can result
publicity plan, which includes crisis control methods. from media rumors or speculation. Once a company or
Media gatekeepers favor publicity events that provide organization has identified the type of crisis, specific
opportunities for photos and video or sound recordings methods should be put into place to control unfavorable
and effectively communicate the source’s intended mes- publicity.
sage. With effective damage-control methods, any type of
Ethical performance helps a company prevent or publicity can be an advantage for an organization. All
counteract negative publicity and gives a company, organ- organizations should have a crisis management team
ization, or individual a competitive edge in gaining air- (CMT) whose job is to anticipate crises and be ready to
time or space in publications. In order to gain publicity, a respond to the worst by upholding the image and reputa-
company or individual must have clearly defined and spe- tion of the company if a crisis situation arises. Companies

626 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION