The "Terrible Twins"

In the preceding discussion of some of the ways in which a business enterprise can influence public opinion by employing public-relations techniques, mention was made of the matter of ill-will. Ill-will, which may be defined as an unfavorable or downright unfriendly public attitude, can be a serious obstacle to the development of a successful business. Not only can it retard a concern's sales, but it can also do serious harm to a concern's relations with its stockholders, its employees, its "plant neighbors," its suppliers, and with those branches and agencies of government with which the concern must come into contact.

Almost equally serious is apathy on the part of the public or, in other words, public indifference. In the case of two competing enterprises, for example, the public's patronage and the public's moral support-if there is ever need for moral support-will go to that enterprise which has aroused the public's interest and is the beneficiary to some degree, no matter how slight, of a favorable public opinion.

It is with these "Terrible Twins," and indifference, that the public-relations worker is most frequently called upon to deal. Among his most important tasks are those of converting into good-will, and of changing indifference into friendly and sympathetic understanding. In seeking means to handle these "Terrible Twins," he learns early in his career that both ill-will and indifference stem from public ignorance; from public unawareness of the truth.

Telling the story

Reference has already been made to the fact that the chain-store industry has won a great deal of public support by giving good values over the counter. The point has also been made that certain of the chains have strengthened their public-relations position still further by other means less tangible. An outstanding example of such means is provided by the A & P's "Chicken of Tomorrow" contest which has been previously described.

When A & P came under attack in the Federal courts on the charge of establishing and maintaining a monopoly, it took its case to the public by means of an advertising campaign in the newspapers. Because of its public-relations efforts, A & P was in a position to feel fairly certain that what it had to say would not fall on deaf or indifferent ears. In other words, A & P believed that it would bring results to buy newspaper space to tell its story, just as many other enterprises have done under a wide variety of circumstances at other times for defensive purposes as well as otherwise.

It is this sort of thing that the public-relations worker does most of the time. He tells the story. He seeks to convert into good-will and, at least in some measure, to eliminate public ignorance of matters which affect his company.

The public-relations worker is more likely to be successful at a task if the story he has to tell is good; if it is true, credible and publicly acceptable; and if its telling will reflect credit upon its sources. Furthermore, he must be sincere, and, in most cases, he can do this only if he has participated in the story's making; only if he has "sat in" and offered counsel while policies that would affect the public were being formulated, and while methods that would implement those policies were being devised. Just as no amount of high pressure advertising can save an unworthy product, so no amount of persuasion under the guise of public relations can transform into something socially desirable an unworthy line of corporate conduct.

“Product" advertising

If a concern regards public relations as encompassing and directing all the functions of advertising, this concern's public-relations worker has the task of conveying ideas by means of words and pictures, with space in publications or time on the air for which the company pays. To this task, the public-relations worker must apply those principles of psychology which, operating at a distance, mold opinions and induce action. He must produce advertising copy and layouts which attract attention. He must make his advertising believable. It must persuade. If he is selling a product, his message must create desire, it must convince the reader, and finally, it must move the reader to take definite action to satisfy his desire.

"Selling" the company

Sometimes, so-called "product" advertising goes even further. Sometimes, it serves to "sell" not only the product but also the institution behind the product, or the dealers by whom the product is dispensed.

For example, the AC Spark Plug Division of General Motors, in a magazine advertisement designed to sell oil filters for automotive vehicles, warns against the dangers of dirty oil and urges "dirt-proofing" by means of AC filter elements. The copy concludes: "You'll save oil, fuel, and repair bills. You can get this vital protection where you see the boy-and-girl poster or the AC Service Dealer Sign."

Another device frequently employed to upbuild and maintain a company's reputation is the use of a slogan, as illustrated by Squibb's term "priceless ingredient." Still another device is the introduction of a sentence or phrase into "product copy," indicating a company's age or its standing in its industry. For instance, in an advertisement to sell Walk-Over shoes, the Geo. E. Keith Company in 1949 "signed off" with this line below the company's name: "75 years of fine craftsmanship, 1874 to 1949."

"Straight institutional" advertising

A third general classification of advertising is "straight institutional" advertising. Here the purpose is to sell the product only indirectly, by conveying directly some idea about the company itself. Perhaps an announcement is made that a company is getting ready to put out a line of new or different products, or perhaps a statement is issued outlining a company's position on some controversial issue, such as A & P's newspaper advertising about the Federal charges against it.

For these purposes, paid-for "straight institutional" advertising offers certain inherent advantages. It says exactly what the company wants to say. Furthermore, it leaves nothing to chance, and it appears where and when the company wants it to appear.

As with "product" advertising, "straight institutional" advertising must present its case clearly and logically. It must persuade and convince. On controversial issues particularly, it must exercise restraint. It should avoid name-calling, and shun even the appearance of shouting at the top of its voice. Appealing to reason and to the public's sense of fairness, it should present its case calmly and in the light of logic. As does "product" advertising, "straight institutional" advertising serves a definite purpose. It likewise seeks to induce action, even though the action on the reader's part may be nothing more than the forming of a new and more intelligent opinion.

Conveying ideas through personal contacts

Ideas can be conveyed by means of personal contacts with persons of influence, as well as by the use of advertising copy. For example, in a community where a plant is located, the plant manager may give a talk to the Rotary Club about what his company has done to eliminate smoke, fumes and dust, and to cease polluting nearby streams. On some other occasion, a vice president of the company may address regional meetings of wholesalers and retailers, or the man in charge of research may read a paper before a society of scientists.

At another time, the president of the company may make a speech before a national convention of business men, or he may participate in a radio forum or panel on some matter of public interest on which he is qualified to speak. Or the company's consultant on home economics may address a gathering of home economics teachers. In fact, before their very eyes, she may take the company's products as ingredients and whip up a delicious dessert. On still another occasion, the sales department, in collaboration with the engineering department, may set up a company booth at an industrial exposition and pass out samples and literature, as well as carrying on a word-of-mouth selling talk, to visiting purchasing agents. Such activities as these are valuable means of conveying ideas, particularly if the company's representatives at all times are courteous in their public contacts and are trained to handle difficult situations with diplomacy.

All of these activities, and many more like them, fall within the public-relations sphere. These "extracurricular" activities are often initiated and arranged by the public-relations worker. If, for instance, some company representative is to give an address, it is usual for the public-relations worker to write the speech in collaboration with the prospective speaker. In fact, the public-relations worker may do even more than that, as will be pointed out a little later on. Thus, a company establishes direct contacts with key persons. By so doing, it makes friends and influences people, thereby creating good-will, understanding and approval which enhance the company's reputation and its sales.

"Making" news

When speeches are arranged to convey ideas to key persons through personal contacts, this serves also to "make news." The result is that arrangements can be made so that these ideas will be conveyed to a much larger group of persons than those who came in direct contact with the speaker. How this works may be seen from the following illustration.

The president of a company is scheduled to make an address at the convention of the Association of National Advertisers. This address will be made in the ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York, before fifteen-hundred men and women who will hear his words through the medium of ordinary sound waves. This audience will represent a very small percentage of the country's population. Nevertheless, it will be relatively large for a direct audience and it will consist of important people. Because of this fact, and because of the standing of the Association and the place in which the convention is being held, the meeting will "make" news.

This will make it possible for the public-relations worker, in advance of the company president's address, to make certain preparatory arrangements so that the speaker's discourse, if it is sufficiently important, will go out over a nation-wide radio hook-up to three to five million listeners. Furthermore, thanks to such agencies as the Associated Press, the United Press, and the International News Service, the company president's speech, in digested form, will appear in the next morning's newspapers from coast to coast.

The mechanics of such news-disseminating facilities as those of the Associated Press, the United Press, and the International News Service, as well as the mechanics of radio and television, will be discussed in more detail later on. For the present, it is sufficient to note that national, regional and local facilities for the dissemination of information are not only available, but that they function with amazing smoothness and effectiveness. The public-relations worker who uses his company, its officers, its research, or even its products in such a way that he "makes" news, and then makes that news available to key newsmen, need worry but little about such news being made known to the world.

The White House press conference

Every week, at the White House, the President of the United States holds what is called a press conference. At this conference, he meets the White House correspondents and answers their questions. Incidentally, the President knows that by tradition they never will quote him directly by setting his words in quotation marks, unless he gives them permission. Often-and from the standpoint of public relations, this point is noteworthy -the President uses his weekly press conference as the means of issuing some important announcement. Mimeographed copies of the announcement are prepared in advance by his press secretary, and the President hands these copies to the correspondents. Then, on a "cue line" from one of the correspondents, "Thank you, Mr. President," the conference is ended, and the newsmen bolt to their telephones.

Business use of the press conference

Similarly, in the general and non-political practice of public relations, the press conference has become recognized as a convenient and effective means of making news available. For example, a company has an announcement to issue-an announcement of public interest. Perhaps the company has merged with another, or plans to build a new plant, or has established a foundation for research. Perhaps its technicians have come up with a discovery that will contribute to nutrition or, by helping combat disease, prolong human life.

The public-relations worker sets the stage for the announcement. In collaboration with the top management, he writes the statement to be made by the president of the company. For the convenience of the newsmen, he also writes a news release, using the president's statement as a basis. He may also prepare a document, called a "background memorandum" which tells the story in greater detail. Finally, the public-relations worker has mimeographed copies made of these writings.

Then, the time having been set, the public-relations worker invites the newsmen to the president's office or, if it is more convenient for the newsmen, to some central meeting place, such as a suite in a hotel or club. If the announcement is of particular importance, the public-relations worker makes an effort to invite everybody who might be interested, including representatives of the wire services, of the local newspapers, and possibly, of radio and television.

At the press conference, the president of the company talks to the newsmen. He invites their questions, and he answers them frankly. Finally, as the conference draws to a close, the public-relations worker sees to it that every newsman present is provided with copies of the news release and background memorandum to carry away with him. In addition, if the event lends itself to picture treatment, the public-relations worker comes up with a stack of glossy prints.

Illustrations of public-relations news items

For "making" news, the opportunities and possibilities are almost unlimited, and the public-relations worker keeps constantly on the lookout for them. Some of the means of "making" news the public-relations worker originates; others he finds in existence and proceeds to develop them. The influence of the practice of public relations on certain news items may be seen by "reading between the lines." Such items are illustrated by the following:

• A distilling company reveals that one of the byproducts of its operation has been found by its research department to be a live-stock feed, more nutritious than the original grain.
• A company engaged for years in the manufacture of farming machinery is to bring out a line of household refrigerators.
• An automobile manufacturer asks his dealers to report sharp practices. (This item appeared in the days when cars were scarce and black markets flourished.)
• A railroad "unveils" an ultra-modern, ultra- streamlined, ultra-everything dining car.
• A steel company is at work on a new, lighter, and more efficient iron lung.
• A company which manufactures explosives is awarded a plaque for an employees' safety record that surpasses the average record of even chemical concerns not engaged in making explosives.
• An airline announces a new, low-cost flight to the Far East.

With these instances as clues, the student of public relations can improve his knowledge of the subject by learning to pick out items in his morning newspaper, which reflect the practice of public relations. For everywhere, public relations is being practiced. It is being practiced, as the student will discover, with enterprise and imagination, and at all times with a consciousness of social obligations.

Public relations in the small community

The process of "making" news not only functions on a broad-scale basis but it also functions in smaller areas. Consider, for example, the situation of a local plant-a plant of "absentee" ownership. For years, the plant may have offended the dictates of good manners and good taste. Or, as is more likely, the community may have merely developed a feeling that the plant was remote and apart from local interests. Whatever the cause, neither the plant management nor the company which owns the plant finds that it is well liked.

As a means of improving this situation, the company turns the problem over to a public-relations worker. The technique which he uses has already been pointed out in this Text. He sees to it that the people of the community are told the truth, that they are informed of the good things the company is doing. Through the media of communication within the community, he brings the light from under the bushel. If there are real reasons for community dissatisfaction, he seeks to have the causes of complaint corrected. He says to the local plant management which has held itself aloof from the community's life: "Get into things. Prove that you are good citizens and good neighbors."

Civic activities of the local plant manager

As a result of the advice given by the public-relations worker on how to contribute to better public relations, the local plant manager joins the Rotary Club. The manager assures the Club's president that, if he is appointed on a committee, he will work. Furthermore, he looks around for ways in which his company, as well as he as an individual, can contribute to the community's comfort and welfare, and help make the community a better place in which to live. He volunteers to serve-and he does serve-in community campaigns for the Red Cross, the Community Chest, the Boy Scouts.

Meanwhile, despite all these outside activities, the plant manager never neglects his relations with his employees. For their use, convenience and comfort, he provides an ample car-parking lot, which is as close as possible to the factory gates and may be even inside the gates. He provides facilities for the employee's recreation, and perhaps donates the trophies for the bowling tournaments and the plant baseball leagues.

A busy man? Of course, he is busy! But he is having the time of his life! He is forming precious friendships. He feels that he "belongs." Moreover, in the eyes of the people of the community, he is revealing himself for what he is-an able executive, a fair, considerate, and sympathetic employer, and, besides all that, a citizen and a neighbor of which the community can be proud. As the community's people appraise this man, and accept him, so they appraise and accept the company he represents.

As with a business "absently" owned, so it is with a business that is locally owned. Corporate goodwill and corporate good reputation usually rest upon the behavior of those persons who manage the corporation, personify its aims and ideals, and handle day-to-day dealings with those whose needs, desires and feelings are affected by the corporation's activities.

Public relations at work

As previously brought out, public relations is visible in almost everything that comes to a person's attention through the media of public information. In this connection, it is interesting to speculate on the influence of public relations on a typical day's news. It is not necessary to analyze a whole newspaper; consideration of the front page is sufficient, such as the front page of the New York Herald Tribune on a day chosen at random, say January 11, 1950.

Reading from left to right, and from the top of the page down, the first news item is that Prime Minister Atlee of Great Britain announces a general election for Britain, by means of a "statement from his office at 10 Downing Street." No doubt his press secretary handled this statement; saw that it was placed in the right hands and strategically timed; perhaps the secretary did the actual writing of the statement.

There is then a story on the sensational comeback, after a serious accident, of the golfing star, Ben Hogan, playing in the $15,000 Los Angeles Open Tournament. It may be taken for granted that a publicity man made the arrangements for the sports writers and radio people to cover the tournament and write the advance stories. Back further, however, there was evidently a public-relations idea. Originally, most winter tournaments of this kind were organized to point up the fact that in Los Angeles, and in other places of pleasant winter climate, folks comfortably play golf when many of the nation's courses are frozen, if not snow-covered. The contests and the publicity given them thus advertise indirectly the advantage of living in the localities in which they are held. Directly, they serve to draw some patronage for the transportation and resort people.

Next on the page is the beginning of a series of articles by one of the newspaper's writers on the impact of hidden taxes on the ordinary individual. It is likely that these articles were suggested by the public-relations department of one of the business men's associations which are trying to have the tax burden lightened. In any event, it is probable that the writer got his information through extensive consultation with publicity representatives of associations, government departments, and possibly individual businesses also.

The article which follows states that Mayor O'Dwyer appoints a commission, issues a directive, and gives his attention to other specified matters. There is little question that this news was provided by a secretary accustomed to dealing with the City Hall reporters.

The previous day's developments of the Hiss trial are next reported, and this is the only story on the page which does not obviously have a public-relations angle. When the ensuing article states that Governor Dewey signs a bill and issues a "memorandum" concerning it, the assumption is warranted that this news was obtained 1 through the help of someone adept at dealing with the press.

A shipment of arms to Formosa brings statements from two government departments in Washington and from the Chinese Embassy. Such statements are known to newspapermen as "handouts" and are publicity releases in fact.

The next news item is that Secretary of Defense Johnson holds a press conference to defend the budget proposed for the national military establishment in the new fiscal year. The press, radio, newsreel and television arrangements made for this conference are so elaborate, with many separate statements being issued, that the Herald Tribune is moved to devote a separate story to them. In this story, the secretary is reported as saying that the number of people engaged in public-relations work for the armed services around Washington has been cut from 493 to 233 since he took office less than a year ago.

There is then a news item about Russia repeating the walk-out act at a United Nations meeting. The source of this item is obvious, since U. N. has a permanent and sizeable public-relations staff to make press and radio arrangements, and to help tell the story of what this organization is doing.

Following that item, it is reported that a Congressional Hearing on the China policy is held behind closed doors, but Senator Connally, assuming the public-relations role for his committee, holds a press conference to brief the Capitol reporters on what goes on.

There is another daily story on the water shortage in New York. This news comes largely from two press conferences held by representatives of the City's Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity.

Page one of the newspaper gives the big news of the day-news that is reported by staff men in person because of its relatively great importance. On the inside pages, there is many a story which the newspaper obtains simply from information supplied through public-relations sources, and reaching the newspaper by mail, messenger or wire.

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