Transcript What is public awareness?

Introduction to public
communications
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
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Public communications
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Process of informing people about an
organisation and its activities
Basic form:
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Producing and distributing regular reports
Also, efforts to:
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Get media coverage
Influence policymakers’ decisions
Maintain good corporate reputation in eyes of
stakeholders: government, donors, partners,
clients, other publics…
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
2
Other names for public communications
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Public awareness (NGOs, government
institutions)
Public relations (private sector)
Communication publique (French)
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
3
Aim of public communications
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To maintain and improve understanding and
cooperation…
between the organisation and its most
relevant publics
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General understanding and cooperation
And for specific purposes
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
4
Organisational image
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Project positive image of the organisation
Image = perception of org by various publics
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Publics in contact with org via personal
interaction, media, word of mouth
Outside perception not always accurate
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Perception creates the image
Publics see image “reality”
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
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Why is a positive image useful?
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To enhance org’s relationships with outsiders
To enhance relations with staff
To improve org’s financial prospects and
partnerships
To improve how well the organisation
performs
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
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Types of health and nutrition
organisations
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Ministries of health
Medical organisations
Schools, universities, educational
organisations
Research institutes
Development NGOs
Others…
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
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Improving understanding
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Many publics do not understand what the org
does
Much work is technical or scientific
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So much public awareness describes work so it is
easy to understand
Form and purpose of public awareness
programme varies from one organisation to
the next
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
8
Why public communications?
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Org needs government support and funding
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Org obliged to inform donors, clients, partners,
taxpayers and public
Org needs feedback to focus work and stay relevant
to clients’ needs
Many orgs accused of leaving their work “on the
shelf”
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Public awareness important for fund-raising and support
from government, the community and other important
groups
Public awareness helps outsiders hear about this work
Inform (potential) partners of org’s work
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Strengthens networking and potential for collaboration
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
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Marketing
Advertising
Lobbying
Advocacy
Public
awareness
Communication
Journalism
Mobilization
Education
Scientific
communication
Extension
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
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Other forms of organisational
communication (1)
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Extension and training
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Lobbying and advocacy
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Inform and educate people about health and
nutrition issues, and gain feedback about work the
org should do
Convince government and parliament to change
laws
Influence public opinion about an issue
Fundraising
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Raise money
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
11
Other forms of organisational
communication (2)
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Marketing and advertising
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Internal communication
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Inform staff
Ensure staff involvement in decisions
Scientific and technical communication
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Persuade people to buy products and services
Communicate research findings
Networking
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Exchange info and coordinate activities with partners
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
12
This week’s programme
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5-day workshop will not turn you into a professional
public communications practitioner
Degree in public relations = 2-3 years
This week:
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Expose you to the what, why and how of public awareness
Learn tricks of the trade of presenting yourself and your
organisation to the public
Learn from each other’s experience… good and bad
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
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Organizational communication
Clients
Incoming
information
Organization
Peers
Policymakers
Paul Mundy and Bob Huggan
www.mamud.com
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