An introduction into public relations for people looking to start their career in public relations. Outline: What is PR, Is it for me, Different career options, Public relations in a changing media landscape, PR - hot right now.

1. Alison Owen
Head of PR at BDB
International business-to-business PR specialist
www. bdb.co.uk @bdbmarketing @alisonmowen
Presentation at PRCA ‘Breaking into PR’ conference
11 February 2013
Manchester Metropolitan University

2. Summary
 What is PR – the classic definition
 Different career opportunities
 PR vs advertising
 Is it for me?
 A typical day
 The changing media landscape
 The career choice of the future?

5. What is PR?
 Reputation management
– what you do
– what you say
– what others say about you
 Planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain
goodwill and understanding between an organisation and its
publics
 Presenting a company favourably
– Shaping information
– Targeting
– Engaging relevant audiences

6. Different career opportunities

7. Agency vs in-house
 Agency
– Small business or global network
– Can offer faster promotion than in-house
– Broad spread of clients – across different
sectors
– Variety of work / disciplines
 In-house
– Corporate culture
– Structured career path
– Focused on core sector / related sectors
– Marketing team – may work with an agency

8. Consumer vs B2B
– Consumer (B2C)
– Brand you may have heard of
– Products/services more accessible
– Entry level usually junior
– Media challenges
– Faster pace / project turnover
– Can be more UK-focused
– B2B
– Often more technical
– Can offer better opportunity for
progression
– Media challenges
– Longer term / longer lead times
– Can be more international

9. PR vs advertising
 “News is what somebody somewhere wants to
suppress. Everything else is advertising.” Lord Northcliffe
 Advertising
– Hard-hitting
 Space paid for
 Raising awareness
 Quicker results
 Public relations
– Softer skill
 Editorial space free but earned on merit
 Shaping attitude
 Long term results
 Editorial promotions /
advertorials
– Blurring lines

10. Is it for me?
 Personable
– Build relationships
 Good copywriter
– Variety of material
 Organised
– Good time management / deadlines
 Good memory
– Lots of projects ongoing
– Eye for detail
 Flexible
– Late nights / travel
 Initiative
– Self starter
 Creative
 ‘Passion for PR’

11. Don’t rule it out
 Don’t necessarily need a PR / marketing
communications degree
– Scientists
– Linguists
– Humanities

12. A typical day?
 No such thing!
 Maybe
– Editor ring-round to ‘sell-in’ a story
– Client meeting about a forthcoming event
– Compile and evaluate a clippings report
– Research for a new business pitch
– Attend an exhibition to represent a client
– Take part in a brainstorming session for
future project
– Put together press lists for new product
launch
– Research / draft press release
– ...

13. The changing media landscape

14. Safeguarding reputation
 Transparent environment
– Instant / global
 No reputation is bulletproof
– “When everyone has a blog or Facebook entry,
everyone is a publisher
– “Your reputation is going to get set in stone so
much earlier…a digital fingerprint that never gets
erased”
Thomas Friedman, New York Times

15. How has PR changed?
 New digital channels
– Accelerated pace of working
– Fragmented media
– New skills / tactics
 New influencers
– Engagement

16. It’s all in the story
 Discipline of PR remains the same
 Creating a consistent message thread
– Across fragmented media
 Engages audience
– Relevant message
 Create and protect
corporate reputation
/ brand loyalty

17. The power of social media
 Influence of bloggers

18. The power of social media

19. Headline news

20. Fast growing career choice
 Corporate reputation is critical
– PR is booming
 $10bn business in 2011 1
 Employs 66,000 people worldwide 1
 Growing at 8% pa 1
– PR ranked no 5 “Hot Careers to Watch 2013” 2
1 Holmes Report, 2011
2 prnewsonline, 27 Dec 2012

21. Any questions?