Public Relations (PR) is the set of techniques and strategies related to managing how information about an individual or company is disseminated to the public, especially the media. Its primary goals are to disseminate important company news or events, maintain a brand image, and put a positive spin on negative events to minimize their fallout. PR may occur in the form of a company press release, news conference, interviews with journalists, social media posting, or other venues. Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics. At its core, public relations is about influencing, engaging, and building a relationship with key stakeholders across numerous platforms in order to:
- Protect, enhance or build reputations through the media, social media, or self-produced communications.
- Manage how others see and feel about a person, brand, or company.
- Maintain or cultivate public image and/or respond to public discourse.
Public relations is an industry unto itself, but any attempt to portray oneself in a certain way to others can be considered a form of public relations.
