{"id":958,"date":"2020-09-01T10:56:03","date_gmt":"2020-09-01T03:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clara.ly-le.info\/blog\/?p=958"},"modified":"2020-10-02T12:39:36","modified_gmt":"2020-10-02T05:39:36","slug":"pr-equals-advertising-pr-is-a-non-essential-profession-what-does-pr-do-exactly-and-is-it-essential-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clara.ly-le.info\/blog\/index.php\/2020\/09\/01\/pr-equals-advertising-pr-is-a-non-essential-profession-what-does-pr-do-exactly-and-is-it-essential-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"What does PR do exactly, and is it essential?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Singaporean newspaper The Strait Times recently completed a survey on people\u2019s perception of essential jobs. The result shows that public relations (PR)<\/a> was ranked third in the top 5 of non-essential jobs, only after artist and telemarketer. Social media manager, a branch within the PR profession, wasn\u2019t viewed any more favorably as the job also showed up in the list of \u2018Jobs I don\u2019t want to do.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Widely perceived as a glamorous profession that demands practitioners to be graceful communicators and networking experts, and even sometimes as \u2018manipulators\u2019 of the public\u2019s narratives \u2013 then why is PR viewed so critically through the eyes of Singaporeans? Would the same survey result hold true to the Vietnamese public? And how can PR practitioners \u2018save\u2019 the reputation of their own profession and demonstrate the value of PR to the public?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Public understanding of PR in Vietnam: Doesn\u2019t go further than some mild interest of the young generation; very few actually understand the career\u2019s true nature.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    In recent years, PR and marcom career paths are very trendy among young people in Vietnam. The profession is often praised for its dynamic and creative working environment, accompanied by opportunities for international exposure. According to a 2019 report from the Center of Manpower Needs Forecasting and Labor Market Information in Ho Chi Minh City (FALMI), from the 2015 to 2020-2025 period, communications\/advertising\/marketing are the career tracks that attract the most labor. Vietnamese students are fascinated by the ideal image that the media and universities have created for their PR & communications programs. But after graduating and entering the labor market, very few students can accurately define PR. What kind of jobs does this profession entail? What is its role? And what are the fundamental differences between doing in-house PR vs. in an agency?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So would this survey result apply to the Vietnamese people? The answer would possibly be as follows: If asked whether they want to pursue a career in PR, a majority of young people would give it a nod simply because PR is \u2018in\u2019 these years. But if you ask the adults who have been working and trying out several different professions, their answers would likely be similar to Singaporeans\u2019 that PR is a non-essential job, since most have no idea about the precise role of PR and what it does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. \u201cWhat is PR?\u201d – Defining \u2018Public Relations\u2019 and correcting common misconceptions<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Most people misunderstand PR. They often assume that it\u2019s a branch of marketing or clump it with advertising altogether. In public forums, the media, or casual conversations, people often say: \u201cThis person\/company is \u2018PR\u2019-ing themselves.\u201d When the term \u2018PR\u2019 is used in this sense, its meaning equals \u2018advertising.\u2019 However, PR itself is not <\/em>entirely synonymous with advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The textbook definition of \u2018public relations\u2019 is the management of images, reputation and the public\u2019s perception <\/strong><\/em>of an individual or brand. The word \u2018public<\/a>\u2019 in \u2018public relations\u2019 already depicts that the job involves working with different groups of \u2018target public.\u2019 The most common \u2018groups of public\u2019 include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n