Saturday, March 28, 2009

Taking Public Relations Global

By: Ashley Mistretta


I decided to talk about global PR. As everyone probably already knows, international communication is increasing for public relation practitioners. This is a great opportunity for companies and organizations to be able to use technology to its highest potential. People who are PR practitioners now have the capability to help their companies build relationships over seas. One company I found online is called LEWIS PR. This is a global public relations firm that works with leading brands and in a very busy industry all across the world. This company has successfully learned how to take a brand and communicate it effectively all over the world.

Global public relation organizations do need to have a consistent message, but that does not mean the same message is sent to all the countries involved. The practitioner needs to cultivate a message that is molded to appeal to the target audience. This is an important piece of information to grasp. Not all regions are homogenous, and organizations have to try and work around this fact. One way of communicating a message could be alright in some parts of the world, where as, it could be an entirely offensive way to communicate in another. It is vital to research and know about the country and its culture.

Although this idea of global PR is mostly a positive aspect, these practitioners need to understand how to communicate with other cultures. It can be a tricky situation because certain countries could be offended by specific means of communication. Global organizations need to be able to comprehend that, certain gestures and words could be odious in different places. In order for global PR to succeed, practitioners need to recognize and respect other cultures ways of communicating. This will allow a good interaction between companies in opposite countries.

Other things to think about with global PR are to remember the challenges when it comes to logistics, language and culture. There are also time differences to think about as well. There are many issues to think about when taking an organization global, but once the motion is in set, there are many benefits that outweigh the risks. With the great use of technology, people and organizations are able to learn faster, communicate quicker and adapt to other cultures.




2 comments:

FARA said...

I addressed a similar issue regarding global marketing in the PR profession. I feel strongly about the promotion of diversity and fostering growth. Especially when it comes to strategic planning and communication strategies with a consistent message.

Kylie said...

Ashley,
I really enjoyed your post on global public relations. I definitely think this is an area which many companies should look into, especially with all the new social medias it would be every easy to build oversea relationships. I also agree with your idea that a company should have a consistent message. As you said these messages do not have to be the same but they should be consistent so that potential customers have some way to identify with the company.