Introduction
This paper seeks to critically analyse the role of Public Relations in the promotional mix, a descriptive illustration describing the Public Relation activities of GE General Electric at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be carried out for further evaluation
The promotional mix element is part of the wider marketing mix and provides communication with the desired customer group to which an arsenal of mechanism can be deployed. Generally, promotion aim to make a target market aware of a product offering, develop a long term relationship with the customer and create and stimulate demand, and one mechanism geared towards generating such stimuli is Public Relation.
Public relations involves the cultivation of favourable relations for organizations and products with its key publics through the use of a variety of communications channels and tools, the process looks to place information in the media (without purchasing advertising space and is defined by the Institute of Public Relation as: The deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish mutual understanding between an organization and its publics. The public relations industry is most prominently separated into two camps - in-house and agency and almost any organization that has a stake in how it is portrayed in the public arena employs some level of public relations. Public relations involve a sustained attempt to develop an institution reputation through the use of the key tools outlined below.
? Media Relations
? Media Tours
? Newsletters
? Special Events
? Speaking Engagements
? Sponsorships
? Employee Relations< ...