Why does the dog wag its tail?
Because it is smarter than the tail.
If the tail were smarter, it would wag the dog.
(Larry Beinhart. Wagging the Dog: A Novel)
On the pages of VO, materials have already been published several times that tell how PR technologies affect the masses. Yes, but what is the place and role of PR activities in the communication process? In what forms of communication practices are "public relations" capable of deforming, reforming and, at times, transforming both the information environment around us and the very nature of the interaction of the communicants in it. First of all, it should be said that PR is precisely the system of communication practices, which includes absolutely everything: the appearance of the TV announcer, and his sincere or firm voice, and the general direction of the entire flow of information. That is, how, what and in what form to write and, accordingly, what to write about (and what to show) does not need to be at all.
Of course, you've all seen this poster …
The phenomena of communicative activity were examined by the famous American researcher and theorist in the field of information issues James Grunig, who identified four main models of PR practices. Its model is accepted today by specialists all over the world, and there are four communication models in it, both asymmetric and symmetric.
The first model, PR in the form of manipulation and propaganda, has been known for a very long time. A good example of such a model today is advertising that stimulates the sale of goods, etc. It is an asymmetric model and is limited to one-way communication with the public. At the same time, some people, with the help of informational pressure, try to attract the attention of the audience and get the necessary actions from it. The recipient of information in this model is a passive object, and the objectivity of the transmitted data does not matter ("the planet Nibiru flies to Earth and will soon collide with us!"). After all, the purpose of such communication is the attention of the public.
Here we should digress a little and ask readers about people with what level of education most often become victims of deception by gypsies? Do you think the ones with the lowest level of education? But no! The Ministry of Internal Affairs data suggests otherwise! More often people come across with an unfinished higher! And the highest! And why? But because they heard about telepathy, telekinesis, mesmerism, hypnosis and … they were also brought up. But some semi-literate girl from Tmutarakan (and there were such in the past, and now they are) does not know this, but her mother told her - "the gypsies are deceiving, it will do - tell me, go to …!" She does so, and how can such a fool be deceived? Whereas the “educated” have the first thought - “what if, right?”, “What if Nibiru still falls ?!” For this "what if?" they are being caught! And gypsies, and … "catchers of souls" with a university degree! Although such work also levels out many ethical aspects of the informational impact on society. That is, the main tools of this model are propaganda and agitation. They are often confused, like damask and Damascus steel, but it is actually very easy to distinguish them. Propaganda addresses the general, and agitation addresses the particular! For example, "Long live freedom, equality and fraternity!" (the slogan of the Great French Revolution) is propaganda. "Vote for the friend of the people Jean-Paul Marat - the true defender of the disadvantaged!" Is agitation. Or: "Wash your hands before eating!" - promotion of healthy lifestyles. "Wash your hands before eating with Soup!" - agitation.
Now let's turn to the second model of PR-practice "according to Grunig" - informing the public. The main idea here is not to get publicity or in advertising, but to give the population as much truthful and accurate information as possible. But the flow of information remains asymmetric, one-way. This PR model is used today by government bodies, public and political organizations, associations, and non-profit structures. At the same time, the subjects of informing themselves decide what information the public needs to know. And here a lot depends on their honesty and decency, professional skill and … money! However, there are also some pitfalls here. Much can be done with simple information. Watch the feature film "Cheating or the Tail Wagging the Dog" and … you will get a comprehensive understanding of how this information can be carried out in the interests of the "public"!
The third model is two-way asymmetric communication. How to understand this? And so! PR work is carried out taking into account the study of target audiences and their reactions to this or that information. There is a positive reaction or it is expected - we give information. The reaction is negative - we do not give! That is, this model has feedback (opinion polls, focus groups, interviews), but all this is needed only in order to plan an effective PR campaign, get the support of key public groups and … siphon money out of it and get support! Watch a very interesting American film "Kate and Leo" in this regard and you will clearly see how this is done. In this case, public relations are used to convince or force the public to agree with the views of the organization or structure, and not vice versa. This PR model is usually used by commercial structures, but the state does not shun it either.
As you can see, this model is based on the fact that the source of information, that is, the subject realizes the need to take into account the opinion of the environment and its influence on the interests of the organization. Therefore, in this case, PR is being transformed from propaganda into more or less socially responsible communicative activity. That is, it is still better than just propaganda, agitation and "informing", since all this is simply imposed on people without taking into account their interests. Man's craving for knowledge and novelty is exploited!
"A hat and glasses means a spy!" 1954 poster
The two-way symmetric communication model is the most advanced, complex, efficient and expensive today. The institution or organization in this case is trying to establish partnerships with the public, mutually acceptable for both. And the goal of PR is aimed at achieving mutual understanding between the leadership of the organization and the public, which has an impact on the organization. In this case, the organization as a source, and the public as a recipient of information cannot be considered, since an equal dialogue is established between them. We can say that there is room for deception here too. Yes, it always exists, but people who notice such a deception very soon (or not soon, but sooner or later) will stop trusting such an organization, and it will lose not only their credit, but also money, and without them, nowhere!
Here, both sides of the communication process should be perceived as groups that reach mutual understanding and can effectively interact. Even if they don't love each other. Let's say you have matches, and I have boxes. We can hate each other as much as we want, but we will light a fire only together. This means that the task of a professional PR man is to find such points of contact or even create them artificially. True, according to Grunig, this model is rarely dominant due to the need for a continuous search for a compromise. Due to this, the efficiency of information interaction between the public and PR-actors is significantly reduced. In addition, most people are not very smart and educated and therefore prefer “quick”, “simple” and “effective”, in their everyday opinion, solutions.
All four of these models are implemented within the framework of selected strategies, and there are only two of them. Rational (subject) strategy of PR practice appeals to the mind of the potential audience, and provides arguments that should inform and convince opponents. In them, the subjects clothe their arguments not only in verbal form, but also for the sake of clarity, use drawings or graphs that can strengthen and reinforce the impression of what has been said.
Diagram of the process of informational influence on the audience.
Emotional (associative) PR-practice strategies address feelings, memories (and time erases bad memories, but retains good ones in memory!), Emotions, the subconscious; they affect people through the association of ideas. A favorite tactical technique, in this case, is a graphic image (drawing, symbol), and even great importance is given to the color scheme. For example: a fat-bellied bourgeois in a black top hat, and a slender worker in a red Budenovka, a "wrecker" of the 30s, always wearing a hat and glasses and with a "brush" mustache (the ideal image in the cinema is the artist M. Gluzsky!). Sometimes in PR activities both of these strategies are used simultaneously, which are applied to different audiences.
"The scoundrel is visible at once!" M. Gluzsky in the film "The Last Inch".
According to the way of expression, PR-practices are divided into "hard" and "soft". A "hard-hitting" PR campaign has short-term goals - to influence the public in such a way as to bring it to immediate action through flashy and externally targeted events. A “soft” PR campaign aims not only to provide information about a particular project, but also to create a favorable atmosphere around it. Most often, this is achieved by emotional impact, symbolism, deep motives that affect feelings. Such a PR campaign is designed for a medium term.
In any case, you should always remember that the audience's reaction to information is non-linear: it passes through the thresholds of perception and saturation, so the PR man should organize his work so that his campaign is between them, in the zone of the highest efficiency, and not beyond the saturation threshold. In this case, his efforts will be in vain, and the money will be wasted. There is even a precisely measured number of "picture" impressions that arouses interest and trust. Then - the "sign" changes!
Well, the best example of all of the above can be the election campaign of V. V. Zhirinovsky, carried out in the early 2000s under the slogan "We are for the poor, we are for the Russians!" Probably someone even remembers these huge billboards that filled the whole country? Then I immediately asked my students who studied PR: "Will someone vote for him under such a slogan?" Among 50 people, there were no volunteers! Then I proposed to interview 10 people each and find out their opinion about this slogan, and whether they would vote for the Liberal Democratic Party. It turned out that there are very few of them! Moreover, one of the "activists" was an unemployed young man who said: "Zhirik is a cool dude!"
However, the elections showed that he overcame the 5% barrier and remained in the Duma. This means one thing: a study was conducted that showed that there is a target audience (CA), which will "lead" to this slogan and provide one more term. But since it is small, then its "needs and aspirations" can then be ignored! And then there will be a new target audience, a new slogan will be created for it, addressed to the senses, and … a new term of stay will be ensured. Great, isn't it?
