What Is the Role of New Media in Public Relations Campaign - Essay Example

AR Public Relations 9/15 What is the role of new media in public relation campaign? Public relations is the maintains of the bilateral relations, which are usually among people, or in the company, association, or individual consider in the eyes in different areas (Dave Ross). We can define new media as an activity of interaction that is used in different ways of the modern new media such as Internet; texts messaging; facebook; social networking; and other aspects of communications. This essay will demonstrate challenging of new media that will illustrate positive and negative sides; limitation of new media; online communication and advertising (Jane & Clara 2000). As we defined the new media in the previous paragraph as a process of communication, organization, or the dissemination of information through newspapers; Internet; or other methods. So the challenge that we are facing nowadays is a modern means of changing. Challenge of new media has many different aspects, however we will consider three different categories such as, Environment; transmission; format; Hardware and software. First of all Environment challenging, the perfect way to deliver information to the end users is required to have the latest software and hardware to deliver information clearly. The challenge that we have is how to deliver information and their influences in different places to our end- users. Secondly Transmission, Renaissance communications technology are gradually evolved, the cost is declining sharply, and more opportunities are available to us and most of us use the information to transfer information to external audiences (end users).. Thirdly Format, new format are being developed by some leading companies so that the ability to deliver information and see the new environment is made easy. Furthermore, public relation would like to pave out a way for our generation so that information is delivered perfectly. The difficultly we face is to re-consider the formation of formats in our needs. There are restrictions in the new media, and the impact of the power of information in crises. It is here now, I refer to the booze pages of swans and lies, which may affect the structures of power in the new media (Guy Gabriel). We will need to consider the traditional media, because of the new limitations that the new media is providing. It has several aspects which need to be analyzed: first of all, that media now has reached its peak and is touching the masses of this world. Secondly, the sensitivity of the information in the media has reached its peak too. Thirdly, new devices being introduced in the market are also giving a way for public relation campaign to strive. New Media is playing a great role in affecting the overall aspect of Public Relation campaigns. These campaigns basically do not revolve around the concept of advertising as considered by many. It has a whole lot of things which need to be considered above advertising. Media strategy, corporate social responsibility and relationship marketing are some aspects of these campaigns which are not involved in marketing aspects. It is because of these aspects that public relation campaigns get successful (Jane & Clara 2000; Nicholas & Beer 2008). These campaigns also help to framework new policies which help an organization to come closer to the public and work in the manner which is required by the public. These policies should involve such aspects that the public accepts them in an ethical framework without any objection. It is through these campaigns that direct messages are delivered to the public as per their will of acceptance. Media has to play a pivotal role in the framing up of policies, coalition, strategy, marketing, corporate social responsibilities and other aspects of public relation campaigns. New media is giving a way to the public relation officers to broaden their aspects and include other factors too (Sandra 2007; Shin 1995). New media here refers to the totally new features of marketing which include social networks, mobile phones, and emails. This new media can either help to bring a positive impact on the public relation campaign or can also bring a negative effect. Advertising are basically paid forms of publicity options whereas public relation campaigns are legitimate which at times do not require any form of payment. Therefore these campaigns are trusted upon more by the individuals because they bring a broader aspect of the services or goods that the organization is offering. It is not biased in ways that advertising can be and hence these campaigns are presumably more effective. Here is where the role of new media is most effective for these campaigns. Networking sites such as facebook and myspace can be very useful when promoting campaigns. It is currently being used many companies to promote their campaigns and it is found that these companies are quite successful. Not only this it is also seen that video sharing websites such as Youtube can be very effective when promoting for the public relations of a company. New media is accessible to billions of people and public relation campaigns can take benefit of this very fact. News in these kinds of mediums spreads like a viral and this is what the organizations can take benefit of (Sandra 2007; Macnamara 1993; Heath 2001). When organizing a campaign it is seen that the organization takes the favor of excellent critics so that these critics can promote the product or service for the company. Once on a social networking site a billion users can access that campaign and this can prove to be very fruitful for the company. In other words new media is providing a new medium for the campaigns to be promoted. Previously traditional media has this role but gradually it is seen that traditional media has been dropped off whilst the new media is being used widely. New media gives many options to the public relations officer through which they can promote their organization. Musicians and stars can also be hired by these public relations officer for the promotional packages. These stars can then come on to the social networks or video sharing websites to promote products and services. The most important feature of new media is that it is interactive (Sandra 2007; Parsons 2008). This is a very important reason for companies to adopt new media for promotional packages. An interactive session can prove to be fruitful for both the public relation officer and the consumer. It can help both to interact with each other so that they can clear out any misconception. Hence new media is providing an interactive coverage for the public relation campaigns which can be very helpful to improve the image of an organization. New media in comparison with the traditional media is a cost effective way as it does not cost much. Videos on Youtube can be uploaded without any charge. It is seen that many products and services are being promoted through these videos before they are even launched in the market. Designing videos for video sharing sites is a much easier task then to create videos for means such as television. As the campaigns can be free of cost it is also easy for the public relation officer to aware the viewers about everything that revolves around the product or service (Coombs & Holladay 2007). Moreover this can help to ensure that the corporate social responsibility of the company is not played with by other competitors. In other words new media is providing a way for the public relation campaigns through which they can produce unbiased videos of products and services. The company can get personal with the consumers by sharing much information on the social networking sites which can give them a whole image about the product and organization. Blogs are another way through which the companies can promote themselves. Nowadays it is seen that many companies do have their own blogs on which the customers leave their remarks. This can leave a positive impact on the new consumers as they would be tempted by good remarks by other individuals. Online chats are also designed through this new media and this again can help the organization to directly contact their customers. It would help to create a two way communication between the organization and the customers. In other words it would remove the barriers of communication of the public relation officer and the consumer. Creating a good public relation campaign requires all these factors to be noted and even if one of them fails the other might make up to it (Nicholas & Beer 2008; Bronstein et al 2006; Heath 2001; Sandra 2007). It is also argued by many that new media is limiting the original aspects of public relation campaigns in real world. The roots of public relation campaigns lie in unbiased works which are targeted to improve public relations with the company. This can be played with when it comes to the aspects of new media. As new media is a cheap source of campaign competitors of one company can easily figure out a way through which they can disrupt the campaign of others. At times the new media can disrupt the image of the company if the campaigns are not much worked upon by the company. The consumers may misjudge the campaigns and this can put the image of the company in jeopardy (Sandra 2007). New media is still not accessible to many individuals living in this world. This is a drawback for public relation campaigns which would be aired on the new media. The campaigns would only be targeting individuals who have access to the new media. Ones who do not have access to new media would be left and this would create a difference. The public relation campaign targeted on a specific group of members of the society would not be able to thrive only because of this factor. Hence it can be said that new media is only limited to certain individuals living in this world. Public relation campaigns should therefore also use forms of traditional media to promote their product and services if they have to become successful (Shin 1995). It is seen that public relation campaigns are an attempt to remove the barriers between the consumers and public relation officer. Its aim is to provide an unbiased report to the consumers unlike advertisements. It is through new media that all this aspects can become true enough. Although new media has its own drawbacks when it comes to public relation campaigns, for now it is the most effective way to attract consumers towards the products (Jane & Clara 2000). References Johnston, Jane, and Clara Zawawi. 2000. Public relations: theory and practice. St Leonards, NSW.: Allen & Unwin. Coombs, W. T., & Holladay, S. J. (2007). Its not just PR: Public relations in society. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub. Gane, Nicholas, and David Beer. 2008. New media. Oxford: Berg. Shin, Mee Ae. 1995. New media: how do advertising, marketing, promotion, and public relations directors view new media. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1995. Parsons, Patricia J. 2008. Ethics in Public Relation: A Guide to Best Practice. London: Kogan Page. http://www.UCM.eblib.com/EBLWeb/patron?target=patron&extendedid=P_408687_0&. Duhé Sandra C. 2007. New media and public relations. New York: Peter Lang. Macnamara, Jim R. 1993. Public relations & the media: a new influence in "agenda-setting" and content. Thesis (M.A.)--Deakin University, Victoria, 1993. Heath, Robert L., and Gabriel Vasquez. 2001. Handbook of public relations. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications. Fitzpatrick, Kathy, and Carolyn Bronstein. 2006. Ethics in public relations: responsible advocacy. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications. Read More