Marketing communication: principles and practice

PUBLIC RELATIONS AS IMPRESSION
MANAGEMENT
Self-presentation, the attempt at conveying information to others in order
to influence, always presents an ‘edited’ version of the personality to a
particular audience. 
Most people rely on opinion leaders, experts, and ‘popularizers’ (?) for
information and advice about a corporation, since information emanating
I D E N T I T Y
,
I M A G E
,
A N D R E P U T A T I O N
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directly may be difficult to understand or too extensive or technical, or it may
be deliberately incomplete. Bromley (1993) describes public relations as
the corporate equivalent of impression management.
As we will see in chapter seventeen, we need to consider the ethics of
impression management. The motivation behind it 
may
be immoral, since
it may be intended to mislead and deceive, e.g. lying to gain personal
advantage. But, of course, most self-presentation behaviour is not intended
to deceive but to increase the likelihood of success in some endeavour. Belief
in (rather than pretence of belief) and action (rather than pretence of action)
in accordance with the desired public image, in order to protect or enhance
reputation, is what discriminates ethical from unethical behaviour. 
Reflexive impression management is behaviour that aims to change the
impression we have of ourselves (self-image) to bring it closer to our ideal
self. Management to improve the public image of a corporation – its
reputation – requires more than simply using public relations techniques to
change public opinion. The nature of the corporation and its individual
members must be changed. Change is organizational policy, and practices,
social skills training, alteration of ethos, and perhaps even identity may be
required. Awareness of a disparity between self-image and public image often
provides a signal that action is needed to remedy the situation.
Impression management may be:
•
promotional
: to consolidate or enhance social standing, aspirations and
achievements or the benefits we can provide for others because of our
abilities and circumstance
•
defensive
: positive or negative response to threats to a reputation
Impression management may call for forceful action to maintain credibility
and may require substantial shifts in behaviour. The adoption of methods
used to enhance corporate reputation may require the corporation to engage
in activities and relationships that go well beyond the core functions of
producing goods and services:
• visual identification
• policy statements
• public relations activities: including charitable donations, sponsorship,
competitions, exhibitions, lobbying, etc.
• personal impression management
• bathing in ‘reflected glory’
• avoidance of ‘guilt by association’
• derogation and denigration of competitors
External audience reactions may reveal whether the reputation is enhanced
or not by a particular method of promotion used, while internal audience
reactions may reveal whether the image being promoted is in the best interests
of organizational morale.
While impression management is immediate and tactical (‘putting on an
act’), reputation management is pre-planned and strategic (long term) in