Public Relations: What Is It Good For?
Public Relations, when handled correctly, can be a great marketing tool. It’s about getting the word out; letting people know who you are and what you have to offer them. In American entertainment and news, we have seen both good PR campaigns and bad ones (or in some cases, horrible ones!). It’s important to remember that any press is not always good press – keeping your image intact and making sure that your PR campaign is being handled in a positive and fresh way can be difficult, but Fusion Group USA can help you make it a success.
Regardless of the size of your market, whether you’re in Grand Junction or Phoenix, having a successful PR presence in the market can help generate a buzz for your business. After all, PR has been around for a very long time and for some, has been quite successful. Let’s take a look at some of the moments in history, outlined in Meltwater’s “The History of Public Relations”, when PR proved successful!
50 B.C. – Julius Caesar, trying to gain political momentum, writes an autobiography publicizing his military victories to prove to the Romans that he would make an excellent leader. He was successful in gaining political power due to his exploits, but not so successful at hanging on to that power – he was assassinated and the Republic of Rome descended into chaos.
394 A.D. – The Western Roman Empire was in the throws of a full-fledged PR campaign when St. Augustine became the “PR director” for the imperial court. He made regular updates and speeches and continued the spread of propaganda throughout the empire.
1770s – Americans are becoming increasingly frustrated with the unfair rule of the British, and Thomas Paine publishes The American Crisis, a simple pamphlet presenting the case against the British. His main goal was to convince Americans fighting for Washington to continue the good fight, giving them a call-to-action.
1880s – Legendary for his crazy circus, P.T. Barnum launched his ingenious PR campaign to attract more customers by creating whimsical and graphic posters. He also hired people specifically to get the word out to newspapers so that people were aware of when his circus would be in town.
1930s – De Beers, famous for their high-quality diamonds, begins advertising using their motto, “A Diamond is Forever.” Diamonds soon became an indicator of romantic love between a man and a woman, and De Beers successfully created a social standard worldwide.
2014 – Coca Cola starts printing 250 of the most popular first names for teens and Millennials on their 20-oz. bottles. This ingenious move created a PR buzz around the world and many people rushed to stores and gas stations everywhere searching for their name.
The list goes on and on, and there are numerous examples of PR successes, and blunders, throughout the years. However, historically when PR is done right it can prove highly successful in generating interest and buzz around a certain individual, topic, or business. It helped Caesar gain political power, Americans continue the struggle for independence, and De Beers launch a slogan that changed romance forever.
If you’re thinking about starting a PR campaign to increase your customer base and let people know about your brand and business but you’re not sure how, Fusion Group USA can help you out. Making sure you put your best foot forward is essential and a few services that Fusion Group provides to ensure this include: social media networking, newsletter writing and distribution, crisis communication and management, and strategic communications planning. Creating a positive and effective PR campaign can be a powerful marketing tool for your business, so let Fusion Group USA make sure it’s done right.
Make sure that you’re one of the successes, and not one of the blunders – start a positive and successful PR campaign today! Give us a call or use the contact form on our website to get in touch with Fusion Group USA.
