Coming from the BU COM school of thought, where public relations is considered an independent discipline yet an essential part of the IMC strategic process, we were trained to approach our chosen profession as an art, a science, and a business.
In theory, PR is historically one of the most fluid and ever-evolving communication processes. In practice, synchronizing the art/science/business elements is what makes a practitioner’s effort successful, or not. From launch campaigns that are well thought out, to crisis management plans, to creating powerful messages, communicating rebrandings, hosting press events, or simply spicing up a bland press release, all three elements play a significant role in unifying the PR process.
This probably sounds a little too text-bookish, and I’m fondly reminded about my days at BU debating with my colleagues about PR and IMC. What can I say? I am on a challenging career mission to educate as many people as possible about the realities of PR with the ultimate goal to overthrow its misconceptions that make this profession one of the most misunderstood out there!
Tags: bu com, pr and IMC, pr misconceptions, the pr process
Interesting approach on this… certainly PR is a field that’s taken a lot of beating, but without it, we wouldn’t have anyone who could make news. It’s good to know there are pros out there who take their practice seriously as lighthearded as it is made out to be by the world. I like your blog, though i read more than i comment!
I also read much more than I comment, and I do feed myself a lot from the expertise in this blog. I am only entering the Hospitality business and it seems to me that those who value PR as a unique tool are usually those who benefit from an independant PR service. Many hotels pretend that they include PR in their IMC techniques, but never really give it a thought separately. Will they ever acknowledge the efficiency of Public Relations in their business?