Will there be a continued need for public relations?
Try to explain your position in around 300 words. Or, you could read others' posts and comment on their analysis. You may or may not agree with them, but you need to explain your own reasons.
PR is a strategic communication process that involves establishing and maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between organizations and the publics. From the past era dominated by traditional media to current times, the PR industry has always played a role of paramount importance. Personally speaking, I believe that PR will continue to prosper.
Were a brand to thrive in the information society, its top priority should focus on creating a positive brand image. Online shopping website Tmall’s practices act as an exemplar. This brand, known for the authenticity of its products, has always maintained harmonious relationships with consumers and the media. For instance, the official Weibo account of Tmall holds lottery draws upon the "618 Discount" and the "Double 11 Festival". Once a consumer forwards the post, he/she would have an opportunity to receive lots of free products. Before long, the post goes viral and attracts thousands of reposts, sometimes even reaching a million reposts in total. By sending free products, Tmall readily strengthens its friendship with cooperating sponsors and inserts its brand image into our lives. Even if it's almost impossible for us to become the lucky winner, we usually tend to search on Tmall for products and finally become loyal customers.
Successful PR also compensates for a brand's accidental loss of reputation and customers. Crisis management clearly showcases the power of PR. For instance, when Facebook got caught in the terrible scandal of personal information leaks, the consequences were catastrophic, including plummeting stock prices and damaged reputation. Nevertheless, Mark Zuckerberg's well-prepared statements and answers at the trial brought the company back to life. He not only delivered a sincere apology, but also came up with concrete methods to alleviate the situation and to address further issues. In a word, Zuckerberg managed to reconstruct a positive perception towards Facebook with superb PR skills. When the reputation of a certain brand begins to go sour, its target audience might withdraw their trust, and its employees might leave to seek better opportunities. PR is the most effective way to pull through these tough times.
However, the PR I mentioned above involves only the moral and appropriate strategies. If leaders of a company use PR to protect themselves from lawsuits or to misinform the public, such PR should be strictly prohibited. We have to draw a line between what can be done and what cannot be done. The PR we need can provide partial truth, but it must never tell harmful lies.