Industry changes affect public relations employment

Industry changes affect public relations employment

Katlin Francis

April 12, 2010

Public relations is not an isolated field encapsulated in a bubble. Even the slightest market trends and changes can drastically affect a PR campaign. For instance, the current fad is corporate responsibility and going green. If a small change can alter strategies and tactics think of the larger changes. Current legislature is making big changes and deserves watchful public relations attention. The new health care reforms will result in an influx of stimulus dollars. This one example can spell the end of one public relation's practitioner's job and the beginning of a new job opening.

In the economic downturn every one wants job security, this is no different in public relations and a developing trend is fluid employment changes. While reading the news is already a PR necessity, keeping tabs on changes coming from the White House will give a prepared practitioner a much needed edge in the marketplace. By surveying the political scene a well informed practitioner will be ready if their job is about to be dissolved or the opportunity for new and better employment arises.

Public relations industries need to follow the money in order to avoid becoming extinct and continue evolving. Technology plays and important factor in keeping up on industry trends. The growth and development of social media is heralded as the newest public relations and advertising necessity. Clients want to stay fresh in the minds of their target audiences and need public relation practitioners familiar with the newest technological trends and techniques such as viral videos which are impossible to promise.

image created in Photoshop by Katlin Francis

Come Fly With Me

By Rachel Forsyth

Whenever I think of industries that must always have savvy public relations departments, I always think of the airline and tourism industries. Throughout the years, these industries have faced many challenges including 9/11 fears of flying, new necessary paperwork and paying for baggage. In all of these areas, there is a continuously evolving need for public relations to keep their customers and employees aware, safe and happy.

The fear of flying after September 11th, 2001 was a major test on the airline industries and tourism public relations departments. With American’s given images and a million reasons not to fly, how do they instill faith back into their patrons? According to PRWeek, the answer is Patriotism. Patriotism became and still is a major tactic for public relations departments when instilling faith to fly and travel.

The United States Department of Homeland Security’s custom and border protection launched a public relations campaign last fall surrounding new required travel documents. According to Travel Pulse, this Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative goes into effect June 1, 2009. This initiative provides the Custom and Border Protection the opportunity to put their best public relations foot forward in the launch of a new website, media advertisements, public service announcements and many other tactics in their outreach campaign.

Public relations departments have also faced new challenges as the airlines have increased ticket prices and checked baggage fees. According to the Providence Journal, Southwest Airlines provides the best rates by only charging for the third checked bag. American Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways charge for the first bag. There is definitely a double edge sword in the airline industry: increasing profit or make the customer happy?

I personally find these industries to be extremely fascinating. Airline travel and tourism is an imporant part of our economy, which is definitely a contemporary public relations issue.