Public Relations can be a vast and confusing field – even to us professionals who work in this very industry each and every day. What is Public Relations, or more importantly, what isn’t? Rather than dig into the deep history, which you can Google online anyways, I thought I’d share six fun facts about things you likely didn’t know about Public Relations. In doing so, I hope you learn a little bit more about the industry and understand how communication is woven into quite literally everything we do.
The Public Relations industry is credited as being 100 years old, but public influence and communications management goes back as far as ancient civilizations.
Some of the most historical figures earned their success by being influential communicators. Really, even today’s current leaders – whether that be in government, business, nonprofit, entertainment or some other industry – have risen to the top through public influence. We are always using PR tactics to communicate with one another (and to essentially get what we want) in our daily lives, we just often don’t think about it that way.
There are 7,000 Public Relations firms in the United States alone.
I don’t know about you, but that number is a lot bigger than I expected. From PR powerhouses that occupy several floors in a skyscraper, to a sole proprietor working from home, Public Relations professionals are often right around your corner. This is all the more reason to seek out their expertise to make the most of your communication efforts!
Public Relations is not a 9-5 job; it’s 24/7.
Though we mostly try and set reasonable “office hours,” we really know that when a task needs done – even if that’s at 2am – we’re going to hop online and do the job. Especially when it comes to crisis management, certain things simply cannot wait until the next business day. The media never sleeps and neither do PR professionals (though we do nap, sometimes).
An estimated 275,200 are employed in PR, but 34% may retire in 4-7 years.
The Public Relations industry fuels a lot of jobs! Just as quickly as colleges and universities are pouring out fresh talent, older professionals are also looking to retire from the game. Furthermore, the growing importance of Public Relations in nearly everything we do, creates a growing need for even more qualified communicators. The bottom line is that PR can be a very rewarding (and lucrative) career to those with both passion and talent. Don’t be afraid to jump in!
Social media press releases didn’t exist until the early 2000’s.
The Public Relations industry has vastly changed as technology has evolved. Before there was Facebook (Was there ever such a time?!), there was no need for the social media press release. Before email, press releases were faxed and before fax machines, press releases were delivered by pony express (I’m kidding, but you get my point). With every new advancement of technology, us PR professionals have to keep close tabs on how this will impact our industry.
The FedEx logo has won 40 design awards and was ranked as one of the eight best logos in the last 35 years.
What this fun fact really tells us is that simplicity and consistency is the key to creating a successful brand. People make Public Relations (and marketing and advertising, for that matter) far more complicated and overwhelming than it needs to be. Stick with your gut reaction and go with what makes you feel good. After all, Public Relations is really about how you make your public feel.
Do you have some other fun facts to share about the Public Relations industry? Join in the conversation by commenting below!
