Corporate communication and public relations

The essentials

Corporate communication is the management of all communication by an organisation — with its own employees (internal) and with outside groups such as customers, shareholders, the media, the government and the community (external). Its purpose is to build a favourable reputation and support the organisation's goals.

Public relations (PR) is a planned and continuous effort to create and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics (the groups that affect or are affected by it). PR relies largely on earned attention and credibility rather than paid space.

Key points

• Internal communication tools: notice boards, circulars, newsletters, intranet, meetings, emails.
• Directions of formal communication: downward (manager to staff), upward (staff to manager), horizontal (between peers); grapevine is informal communication.
• External PR tools: press releases, press conferences, media interviews, events, exhibitions, sponsorships, websites and social media, annual reports, corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.
• Advertising is paid and the sponsor controls the message; publicity is unpaid coverage, where the media controls the message.
• Corporate identity: how an organisation presents itself (logo, colours, name); corporate image: how the public actually sees it.
• Crisis communication: quick, honest and consistent messages through a spokesperson during an emergency.
• PR process: research → planning → communication (action) → evaluation.
• Careers: PR officer, corporate communication manager, media relations executive, event manager, content writer.

Exam tips

Identify whether a situation is internal or external communication, and whether the coverage is paid or earned.

Common mistakes

Treating PR and advertising as the same; advertising buys space, PR earns trust and coverage.