Public Relations: Then and Now by Geoff Lancaster

PR in the UK began as a Government information and propaganda machine during World War One and was then used more extensively in World War Two.

Industry showed little interest in PR as a commercial communications tool until after 1945, but thereafter its use increased rapidly over the next 30 years in a sort of PR explosion. PR's relatively poor image over these 30 years has been a result of amateurish practitioners. In the 1970s the PR profession was referred to by derogatory terms such as the 'gin and tonic brigade'. People who made up this 'brigade' often carried considerable social influence and were able to 'open doors' because they had the right connections. Their main function seemed to be the 'wining and dining' of important clients. The situation changed a great deal in the late 1990s and now PR professionals are trained in the art of communications management. Unfortunately the profession still operates under its earlier shadow.

Public relations has now spread throughout industry and commerce. At first, full time PR appointments were less common than the use of the services of a PR consultant. Because of this slow internal adoption of professional PR practitioners by industry and commerce, external public relations firms quickly developed, many of them lacking skilled staff of sufficient expertise, but merely taking advantage of and exploiting the 'boom' in the PR profession.

This phenomenon is common; it happened at the end of the 1980s when 'total quality management' was the latest 'fad' and many became experts in the art of TQM virtually 'overnight'. Consequently, because of the hasty expansion of PR firms, the poor reputation of PR among journalists, businessmen, politicians and the general public that persists today, can be traced back to this period of uncontrolled growth.

In the last 20 years, however, many PR agencies have built reputations for highly marketing orientated practices. Many of these firms tend to specialise in consumer PR, trade relations, corporate PR, financial, industrial, service and technical PR. A number of firms are now offering PR services for 'not for profit' organisations such as charities and politics.

From the mid 1970's onwards a change developed in the role and perceived value of PR, leading to a growth in this form of communication, which has continued right up to the present day. Explanations for the upsurge in public relations activity are many and varied. Many in the industry identify the late 1970s recession as a major turning point. Companies were keen to reduce costs in order to stay in business.

As often happens in times of economic downturn, managers of many firms look to marketing budgets as a 'first strike' and regard marketing expenditure as a 'luxury' and a cost rather than a necessary investment. Many managers found that PR, with a much broader base and cost effectiveness, would be preferable to maintaining a conventional advertising budget.

The 'cost saving' aspect of public relations is certainly one of the major reasons for the growth of its popularity. Other factors include the increasing complexity of the business world that has produced a need for more complex communications to get the commercial or corporate message across.

Another possible factor is the growth of fast-developing new business sectors such as information technology, financial services, travel and leisure which has led to a 'new breed' of marketing manager who appreciates the value of PR as a communications tool. A further factor is recognition by management, especially those working in business to business marketing, of the importance of creating and maintaining 'relationships' with a wide range of people and groups.

There has been recognition for a number of years that in industrial and organisational marketing situations there are complex buyer-seller interactions involved in the marketing process. Some of these take place in the 'official' marketing channels of communications e.g. between the sales person and the official buyer or at least the purchasing team or committee within the buying organisation. However, interactions also take place on a less formal basis, amongst technical personnel from both the marketing and buying firms.

It was recognised that these informal buyer seller interactions were just as important as the more formal contacts and that these too had to be managed and not left to chance. The recognition that organisational or business to business marketing involved an often complex web of formal and informal, but no less important, commercial interactions has become known as the 'interactive approach', and was basically the precursor to what today is often referred to as the 'relationship marketing approach'. Of course, throughout its development as a marketing communications 'tool' PR has always been first and foremost an instrument for establishing, crystallising, cementing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with various groups of people or 'publics'.

It is, therefore, no surprise that as the recognition of the importance of the interactive and relationship driven nature of modern marketing practice became accepted and practised by firms, the adoption of public relations as a key marketing communications tool also grew in stature and importance, particularly in the area of corporate communications.

Professor Geoff Lancaster is Chairman of the Durham Associates Group Ltd, County Durham, UK. He is also holder of the Queen's Award for Export Achievement. www.da-group.co.uk