Public Relations, Rewritten

Imagine yourself as the top Public Relations Specialist for your favorite brand. What would you tell someone when they ask you to describe what PR is/does? Now, if that same person asked your colleague, they would receive a completely different answer. Most, if not all, people in the PR realm have their own distinct definitions of what PR entails, depending on their perspective or opinion. This post is no different; it will provide public relations with a new definition created by me, a junior in college currently pursuing a degree in PR. 

Before we get into the definition, let's look at the background that led to today's version of PR. Although the concept of public relations dates back to ancient history, the modern version only emerged in the late 19th century. From the start, many outsiders believed that the only job PR professionals performed was maintaining the image and resolving public problems. Which, technically, isn't incorrect but lacks many features. The whole concept of PR back in the 19th century was noted as a strategy individuals used to counter any negative viewpoints/publicity towards a business; this strategy was labeled "managing communication" (Dewey, 2024). Specialists still use that strategy today, but alongside other procedures to heighten the chance of success. Now, after learning a bit of the background information, it's time to move into modern-day PR. 

Remember your favorite brand from earlier? Whenever you speak highly of it or share it with someone else, that is basically due to public relations. The goal of a PR professional is to encourage consumers or the general public to feel compelled to share their positive opinions about the brand with others. They do so by creating a sense of belonging with the consumer, making them feel heard and valued by the company. The most relevant example of this comes from a brand that created a green owl (Duo) to teach various languages. It probably doesn't even need to be introduced, as people are familiar with it: Duolingo. This brand dominates social media with its humorous posts and constant support from users. Duolingo gets people talking, unlike any other company. Users of the language app are constantly interacting with the brand, encouraging others to download the app, and discussing Duo's antics with friends. What makes this PR so successful is the publicity stunts the app creates. By using relevant topics and the consumers' interests, this company engages in the top pop culture moments, which makes the brand more relevant and buzzworthy (Nguyen, 2025). They also have excellent relationship management, understanding what the users need/want. Everything Duolingo does serves a purpose; users may only believe the posts are meant to be funny, but in reality, they provide valuable business data. 

Often, the actions taken by a public relations specialist go unnoticed by consumers, which is part of the reason people may not have a clear definition of PR. There are so many varying jobs a professional may encounter and complete over a short time span. These jobs may include content creation, event planning, crisis communication, and various other tasks to maintain and manage what people say or feel about the brand. Being a specialist is challenging; their work can get overshadowed by competing brands and fail to gain traction, leading to the need to start a new campaign instead. It is easy to become overwhelmed, and a brand is only as good as the people working behind it. So, to become a great PR professional, candidates must have specific traits such as grit, creativity, resilience, sociability, patience, and be detail-oriented (11 Must-Have PR Skills & Traits for PR Professionals, 2023). Such skills are desired within the PR field, as the day-to-day activity is constantly changing, and they need to be ready to change with it. 

With some new insight into public relations, can you identify how your favorite brand utilizes it? If not, try comparing your brand to Duolingo and look for similarities. Nonetheless, it is time for a new definition of PR.

Public Relations, as defined by me, is a strategic way a brand will use its relationship with the public to create a mutually beneficial connection that fosters trust. Along with this, PR works to sway public opinion towards a positive view of a company, thereby earning complimentary recognition.

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Reference Page

• 11 must-have PR skills & traits for PR professionals. Prowly. (2023, January 1). https://prowly.com/magazine/11-must-have-traits-for-pr-professionals/

• Dewey, J. (2024). Early public relations: Research starters: EBSCO research. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/social-sciences-and-humanities/early-public-relations

• Nguyen, A. (2025, July 30). How Duolingo’s duo became the internet’s favorite (and most unhinged) marketing genius. Fullintel. https://fullintel.com/blog/how-duolingos-duo-became-the-internets-favorite-marketing-genius/#:~:text=In%20the%20world%20of%20social,of%20the%20past%20few%20years.