Just as the definition of public relations and the roles PR people play in this day in age are ever-changing, so has my personal definition changed from the beginning of my semester to the end. When first starting my public relations class and trying to define public relations, I was searching for a specific sentence that would be able to wrap-up what PR is. I discussed how hard it is to explain to relatives what public relations is and it is not easy to quantify. I had hoped to gain a specific definition during my journey through this course that I could use when asked to explain public relations. Instead, I realized this is impossible and that this is one of the coolest things about this field.
Through research, I found firms and sites are constantly searching for a way to define this thing that is PR. A blog from marketer, Heidi Cohen, gathered 31 definitions of public relations from experienced PR practicioners. When reading through these definitions from experienced professionals in the field, I found them all to be varied and different. While they all were unique, there were commonalities among the majority. Many of them contained some sort of emphasis on the use digital media and on forming personal relationships.
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) attempted to define the field in 2012. They led an international effort to modernize the definition of public relations and. after initiating a crowdsourcing campaign and vote, came up with the following definition:
““Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”
This definition succeeds in being simple and succinct, however, I do not feel it properly encompasses what PR is. Through my journey through the semester as a PR student and through doing research of my own, I have found quantifiying and fully encompassing the field of Public Relations is near impossible. That is one of the things I, and many professionals love about the field. Sure, you may not always be recognized for all that you do “behind the scenes,” but the results themselves and the excitement of an ever-changing environment are the rewarding parts. PR is so multifaceted and dynamic that this semester did not narrow the field down for me, it broadened my definition and opened my eyes to components I had not previously considered. There is a social media component, a personal component, an appearance component, a crisis management component, among many others. I learned there is nothing I would rather be a part of. After all, what other field can be professionally defined in at least 31 ways?!
XOXO
Average Student
References
Cohen, H. (2011, Mar 8). 31 public relations definitions. Retrieved from:http://heidicohen.com/public-relations-definition/
What is public relations. (N.d.) Retrieved fromhttp://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/PublicRelationsDefined/#.U0xonLG-2So
Life of a PR student 