Public Relations
Public relations departments may perform any or all of the following functions:
Press relations or press agency: Creating and placing newsworthy information in the news media to attract attention to a person, product, or service.
Product publicity: Publicising specific products.
Public affairs: Building and maintaining national or local community relations.
Lobbying: Building and maintaining relations with legislators and government officials to influence legislation and regulation.
Investor relations: Maintaining relationships with shareholders and others in the financial community.
Development: Public relations with donors or members of nonprofit organisations to gain financial or volunteer support.
Public relations is used to promote products, people, places, ideas, activities, organisations, and even nations.

The Role and Impact of Public Relations
Public relations can have a strong impact on public awareness at a much lower cost than advertising can. The company does not pay for the space or time in the media. If the company develops an interesting story or event, it could be picked up by several different media, having the same effect as advertising that would cost millions of dollars. Importantly though, it has more credibility than advertising. However, public relations is sometimes described as a marketing ‘stepchild’ because of its often limited and scattered use.

Major Public Relations Tools
Public relations uses several tools:

News
Speeches
Special events
Written materials
Audiovisual materials
Corporate identity materials
Public service activities Management should set PR objectives, choose the PR messages and vehicles, implement the PR plan, and evaluate the results.

The Role and Impact of Public Relations
Public relations can have a strong impact on public awareness at a much lower cost than advertising can. The company does not pay for the space or time in the media. If the company develops an interesting story or event, it could be picked up by several different media, having the same effect as advertising that would cost millions of dollars. Importantly though, it has more credibility than advertising. It is used for creating and maintaining good relations with shareholders, stakeholders, employees, media, government agencies and ……
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Public Relations?
Advantages
Creation of Credibility
Creation of significant