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Submissions Open for ‘Public Relations Defined’ Initiative

Posted by David Rickey in October 30th 2011  
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Thanks for taking a moment to participate in the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)’s “Public Relations Defined” initiative.

While PRSA is leading the charge in developing a modern definition of public relations, the eventual outcome will not be exclusively “ours.”

One of the reasons our profession struggles with the question, “What is PR?” is that existing definitions tend to reflect the nuances of the professional or academic niche from which they originate, while giving short-shrift to the commonalities that bind us all. You can read some of the other challenges of achieving consensus on a “de-facto” definition here, and get a sense for the many different definitions that currently exist here.

Our goal is that the modern definition developed through this process will be owned by you and by countless other public relations professionals. And by our partners in allied associations, who participated in our “Definition Summit” in September. And by academics and text book authors. And by the media.

If you’d like to own part of the modern definition of public relations (and we hope you do), here’s how you can get involved.

Modernizing the Definition of Public Relations

You will find a submission form on this website, the idea for which originated at our summit meeting. Some of the “standard” definitions of marketing and advertising the group collectively liked had the following basic elements: they [DO WHAT] with/for [WHOM] to [DO WHAT] for [WHAT PURPOSE]. The group thought it best to adopt a similar approach for a modern definition of public relations.

Submit Your Definition of Public Relations Here

So consider this your invitation to get involved. Enter the words and phrases that represent your definition of public relations in the submission form. When you hit submit, an updated word cloud will appear, to give you a sense of what the larger community is thinking.

Submissions will be accepted through Friday, Dec. 2, 2011. All submissions are and will remain anonymous, and no personally identifiable information will be disclosed or used by PRSA or third-parties. (See blog policy here.)

Once submissions have closed, a PRSA Definition Task Force will evaluate the final word-cloud results and craft three possible definitions, based on the results. Those definitions then will be presented to the profession for a vote on PRSA.org, and PRSA (and, we hope, others) will formally adopt the “winning” definition and use it in all communications moving forward.

Thanks again for being a part of this initiative. We look forward to arriving at wherever the submissions lead us, and appreciate your participation.

Please feel free to add your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below and chat online using the hashtag #PRDefined.

Suggested Tweet: #PRSA is modernizing the definition of #PR. Add your definition here: http://bit.ly/PRDefined #PRDefined

David Rickey, APR, is chair of PRSA’s Definition of Public Relations Task Force and will begin service on the PRSA’s Board of Directors in 2012.

under: Public Relations Defined Initiatve
Tags: #PRDefined, definition of PR, definition of public relations, PR, PRSA, public relations, value of PR, what is PR?
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Related Post

  • Public Relations Defined: A Modern Definition for the New Era of Public Relations (April 11th, 2012)
  • Embracing Change: Reactions to the New Definition of Public Relations (March 12th, 2012)
  • A Modern Definition of Public Relations (March 1st, 2012)
  • #PRDefined Update: Winning Definition Coming Soon! (February 27th, 2012)
  • #PRDefined Update: Public Vote Opens Feb. 13 (February 9th, 2012)
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Newer Comments  →
  • Marketing Sociologist

    My definition of “social media” – We were a public relations or advertising
    agency in 2010. We couldn’t sell ads or
    place stories in newspapers. So we became Internet “experts” (we know how to
    send a tweet and open a Facebook page). We have no idea how to program in any
    language. Have no idea what the difference between HTML and HTML5 are and don’t
    have any clue on how to do a mobile app.

  • Mcfarlandpr

    The APR process provides a timeless definition: it is the management function that identifies, builds and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization’s stakeholders, and vice versa. That covers every aspect of an organization, goes beyond the tunnel vision of messaging and tactics, crosses PR subdisciplines, and hits at the core of sustainable business. Definition modernization–done!

  • Nancy Syzdek

    With all due respect to PRSA’s distinguished chair and esteemed board, I’m not sure that crowdsourcing the definition of our industry is the best approach. Unfortunately, I share Rosanna’s challenge in explaining my work to my parents (who still believe that any woman in the workplace is really a secretary in disguise). However, the best definition of our work comes from the quality of the work that we do and the results we deliver. I fear that going through this exercise will only pull our association apart over semantics when we need to to be pulling together. 

    That said, relationships are at the very core of everything we do. Regardless of the evolution of our tactics and technology, every strategy and objective is to build and support a relationship between an organization and its stakeholders. I agree with Mcfarlandpr’s assertion that definition given in the the APR process remains timeless and reflective of our industry today and the industry we anticipate tomorrow. 

  • Nancy Syzdek

    With all due respect to PRSA’s distinguished chair and esteemed board, I’m not sure that crowdsourcing the definition of our industry is the best approach. Unfortunately, I share Rosanna’s challenge in explaining my work to my parents (who still believe that any woman in the workplace is really a secretary in disguise). However, the best definition of our work comes from the quality of the work that we do and the results we deliver. I fear that going through this exercise will only pull our association apart over semantics when we need to to be pulling together. 

    That said, relationships are at the very core of everything we do. Regardless of the evolution of our tactics and technology, every strategy and objective is to build and support a relationship between an organization and its stakeholders. I agree with Mcfarlandpr’s assertion that definition given in the the APR process remains timeless and reflective of our industry today and the industry we anticipate tomorrow. 

  • Spike Jones

    This won’t fit into the entry blanks, but here is a working definition: It’s no longer public relations. It’s public relationships.

  • Spike Jones

    This won’t fit into the entry blanks, but here is a working definition: It’s no longer public relations. It’s public relationships.

  • Guest

    I don’t mean to be negative, but our industry is a very creative one, and I need a more flexible submission form! Does this form make it easier to tabulate responses? If so I understand, but let’s allow for more text…. and multiple definitions of what we do. We do some things for journalists (write bylined articles) and some things for potential customers….

  • Jim Tabaczynski

    I have encountered two good definitions of PR in my 30+ years in the profession.  The first was in a magazine article.  At first, I was stunned by its simplicity and assumed that it was too simple, too narrow.  However, the more I thought about it, I felt that it could apply across the board.  “Public relations is doing good and getting credit for it.”  The second definition I heard in graduate school.  It’s a bit more practical and functional.  My professor said:  “Public relations is knowing what to say; when  to say it; how to say it; where to say it; to whom to say it; and, just as important, knowing when to shut up.”

  • Philip Sheldrake

    +1

  • Guest

    We may be overthinking finding a “new” definition of PR. Suggest still keeping it simple even in the new social media environment. Here’s a suggestion:

    “Public Relations role is to find creative ways for companies and organizations to clearly and honestly communicate their purpose and activities to audiences of interest and to facilitate, as necessary, a mutually beneficial dialogue with those audiences in various ways.”

    Hopefully, this will help parents, relatives and others understand what we do. A few examples following the definition would be useful too. 

  • PR guy

    Brilliant. Crowd source for ideas on the future of our industry… starting Nov 20 and running through Dec 2, i.e. over the midst of a national holiday! And, of course, using a MadLibs-style form that allows for NO creativity! Total PRSA failure.

  • Pingback: November 21, 2011 | Converged Technologies()

  • Gnosis Arts

    Interesting to me that the term “Organization” is the most central to the definitions submitted thus far. What does this mean?

  • Gnosis Arts

    +2

  • Pingback: ¿Hay que redefinir el concepto de relaciones públicas? | Comunicación (política) y Relaciones Públicas()

  • Keith Trivitt

    Thanks for submitting your definition of public relations. We appreciate you being a part of the global initiative to modernize the definition of public relations. 

    We’ll be sure to collect this, along with the data from the submission form, when we begin the process of developing the three draft definitions of public relations that we will then put up for a public vote before the profession. Keith Trivitt
    PRSA

  • Keith Trivitt

    Thanks for the feedback. Please feel free to submit a more detailed definition of public relations here in the comments and we’ll collect that, along with the more than 600 definitions we have received via the submission form. 

    Keith Trivitt
    PRSA

  • Soulati

    I embarked on this exact adventure in late March 2011. A culmination of some 15 blog posts with global interaction brought us a definition that more or less earned consensus. That result is here, “We’ve Defined PR, By Jove!” at http://soulati.com/blog/weve-defined-pr-by-jove for anyone wanting to see our journey. Keith, you were actively engaged; thanks for that.

  • Pingback: We're Defining PR Again | Soulati - 'TUDE!()

  • Keith Trivitt

    Thanks for sharing, Jayme. Quite an extensive list of definitions and industry input you have gathered. And, yes, I distinctly remember the conversation being quite interesting and excellent in terms of getting PR professionals to think about their role beyond our own walls. 

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