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The Publics in Public Relations

How publics makes sense for communication objectives.

Cover photo: @jerrysilfwer

tl:dr;
Being focused on earned, shared, and owned media, the PR industry is naturally interested in behaviours; hence, communication professionals typically prefer publics (psychographic segmentation) over target groups (demographic segmentation).

What are โ€˜pubยญlicsโ€™ in pubยญlic relations?

Publics are funยญdaยญmentยญal to the pubยญlic relaยญtions profession. 

But what does this mean exactly?
And why does it matter?

Here we go:

The Publics in Public Relations

Publics are a centยญral comยญponยญent of pubยญlic relaยญtionsโ€‰โ€”โ€‰in fact, the โ€˜Pโ€™ in PR. However, they are often misยญunยญderยญstood or conยญflated with marยญketยญingโ€™s โ€˜tarยญget groupsโ€™.

Hereโ€™s how to define pubยญlics in pubยญlic relations:

Publics = psyยญchoยญgraphยญic segยญments (who) with simยญilยญar comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion behaยญviours (how) formed around speยญcifยญic issues (why) impactยญing a brand (to whom). 1Silfwer, J. (2015, June 11). The Publics in Public Relations. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹-โ€‹rโ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹aโ€‹tโ€‹iโ€‹oโ€‹ns/

Please note:

Psychographic segยญment = simยญilยญarยญitยญies in cogยญnitยญive drivยญing factors such as reasยญonยญing, motivยญaยญtions, attiยญtudes, etc.

Communication behaยญviours = how the pubยญlicโ€™s opinยญion is expressed (choice of mesยญsage, rhetยญorยญicยญal framยญing, and mediยญum type).

Specific issue = determยญined situยญationยญally by a speยญcifยญic social object, often high on the agenda in news media or social media.

Learn more: The Publics in Public Relations

Publics vs Target Groups

In pubยญlic relaยญtions (PR), pubยญlics is a centยญral concept.

But in marยญketยญing conยญtexts, youโ€™ll hear mostly about tarยญget groups or tarยญget audiยญences.

Whatโ€™s the difference?

Target Groups in Marketing

Marketing focuses on tarยญget groups mainly because of the hisยญtorยญicยญal traยญdiยญtion of buyยญing third-party ad space. Ad space sellers preยญferred to describe their typยญicยญal conยญsumers by their demoยญgraphยญic profile.

Some comยญmon demoยญgraphยญic segยญments include:

  • Age. Different age groups often have varyยญing interests, prefยญerยญences, and purยญchasยญing behaยญviours. Advertisers may tarยญget speยญcifยญic age groups, such as chilยญdren, teenยญagers, young adults, middle-aged adults, or seniยญors, to tailยญor their marยญketยญing mesยญsages effectively.
  • Gender. Marketing efforts can be tailored to speยญcifยญic genders, conยญsidยญerยญing the unique prefยญerยญences, needs, and interests of men, women, or non-binยญary individuals.
  • Income. Income levels play a sigยญniยญficยญant role in determยญinยญing an indiยญviduยญalโ€™s purยญchasยญing power and conยญsumpยญtion patยญterns. Advertisers often segยญment their audiยญence based on income brackยญets to ensure their products or serยญvices appeal to the tarยญget marยญketโ€™s finยญanยญcial capabilities.
  • Education. Educational backยญground can influยญence an indiยญviduยญalโ€™s prefยญerยญences, interests, and purยญchasยญing habits. Advertisers may tarยญget audiยญences with varyยญing levels of eduยญcaยญtion, such as high school graduยญates, colยญlege graduยญates, or indiยญviduยญals with postยญgraduยญate degrees.
  • Occupation. Different occuยญpaยญtions may require speยญcifยญic products or serยญvices or influยญence an indiยญviduยญalโ€™s prefยญerยญences and priยญorยญitยญies. Advertisers can tarยญget proยญfesยญsionยญals, blue-colยญlar workยญers, entreยญprenยญeurs, or othยญer occuยญpaยญtionยญal segยญments to cater to their unique needs.
  • Marital/โ€‹family status. Marital and famยญily status, such as single, marยญried, divorced, or widยญowed indiยญviduยญals and famยญilยญies with or without chilยญdren, can sigยญniยญficยญantly impact conยญsumpยญtion patยญterns and priยญorยญitยญies. Advertisers often conยญsider these factors when craftยญing marยญketยญing mesยญsages and tarยญgetยญing speยญcifยญic audiences.
  • Ethnicity/โ€‹culture. Ethnic and culยญturยญal backยญgrounds can influยญence an indiยญviduยญalโ€™s prefยญerยญences, valยญues, and conยญsumpยญtion habits. Advertisers may tailยญor their marยญketยญing efforts to cater to speยญcifยญic ethยญnic or culยญturยญal groups, ensurยญing their mesยญsages resยญonยญate with the tarยญget audiยญenceโ€™s unique experยญiยญences and perspectives.

For ads in traยญdiยญtionยญal mass media, only demoยญgraphยญic data was available.

Publics in Communications

With a primary focus on earned and owned media, it has always been about behaยญviours for the PR industry; thereยญfore, we use pubยญlics (psyยญchoยญgraphยญic segยญmentยญaยญtion) instead.

Publics are situยญationยญal groups that exhibยญit simยญilยญar comยญmuยญnicยญatยญive behaยญviours, and their impact on an organยญisaยญtion is critยญicยญal. These groups, formed by shared conยญcerns or interests, can play a cruยญcial role in shapยญing pubยญlic opinยญion and determยญinยญing the sucยญcess or failยญure of an organยญisaยญtionโ€™s PR efforts. 

Whatโ€™s the difยญferยญence between demoยญgraphยญic segยญmentยญaยญtion (typยญicยญal for marยญketยญing) and psyยญchoยญgraphยญic segยญmentยญaยญtion (typยญicยญal for pubยญlic relations)?

Consider this example:

Imagine two ordinยญary indiยญviduยญals. Letโ€™s call them Ben and Jerry. They both belong to the same demographic:

  • Both are white hetยญeroยญsexuยญal males,
  • both have wives and two children,
  • both grew up in the same neighbourhood,
  • both now live in the same suburb,
  • both have white-colยญlar jobs in the city,
  • both drive hybrid SUVs,
  • both play golf, and
  • both enjoy equal socio-ecoยญnomยญic status.

Demographically, Ben and Jerry seem more or less identicยญal. So, are you likely to reach (and influยญence) both through the same media channels? 

The short answer isโ€‰โ€”โ€‰no.

Ben is hosยญtile towards social media (โ€œItโ€™s a bloody waste of time!โ€) and prefers to read busiยญness newsยญpaยญpers over cofยญfee in the mornยญing. During the day, he listens to pubยญlic radio on his comยญmute to and from work. Ben mostly avoids the interยญnet (โ€œItโ€™s only ads and trollsโ€).

But Jerry thinks (and acts) differently:

Jerry spends his nights in the baseยญment, immersed in a Japanese World of Warcraft guild, colยญlabยญorยญatยญing with memยญbers worldยญwide; heโ€™s a quintยญesยญsenยญtial early adopยญter who streams teleยญviยญsion, listens to podยญcasts, and conยญsumes news via social feeds.

In short: Ben and Jerry are demoยญgraphยญicยญally simยญilยญar but psyยญchoยญgraphยญicยญally difยญferยญent.

  • Tounge in cheek, many PR proยญfesยญsionยญals will say, โ€œAdvertising is the tax you pay for not being remarkยญable.โ€

In pubยญlic relaยญtions, we seek to underยญstand how groups of indiยญviduยญals comยญmuยญnicยญate. This is what matยญters for sucยญcessยญful PR activities.

Learn more: Publics vs Target Groups (to be published)

Seriality: Context Matters

โ€œSerialityโ€ is a concept that emerges from idenยญtity- and social theยญory, parยญticยญuยญlarly in the works of philoยญsophยญers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Iris Marion Young. It refers to how indiยญviduยญals are grouped based on shared charยญacยญterยญistยญicsโ€‰โ€”โ€‰without a strong sense of belongยญing or identity.

Jean-Paul Sartre - Seriality - Publics
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905โ€‰โ€“โ€‰1980). (Credit: Wikipedia.)

Sartre argued that passยญive colยญlectยญives, like people waitยญing at a bus stop, only become actยญive when they recogยญnise shared interests or struggle. Many pubยญlics remain โ€œseriยญalโ€ (inactยญive) until activยญated by conยญtext. 2Sartre, J.-P. (1991). Critique of diaยญlectยญicยญal reasยญon (Vol. 2, Q. Hoare, Trans.; A. Sheridan-Smith, Ed.). Verso. (Original work pubยญlished 1985.) 3Silfwer, J. (2023, October 9). Five Types of Publics. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹fโ€‹iโ€‹vโ€‹eโ€‹-โ€‹tโ€‹yโ€‹pโ€‹eโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹oโ€‹fโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cs/

โ€œSeriality is a key concept in underยญstandยญing the conยญstancy and transยญformยญaยญtion of idenยญtity, parยญticยญuยญlarly in pubยญlic presentยญaยญtions of the self and its online maniยญfestยญaยญtions.โ€
Source: M/โ€‹C Journal 4Marshall, P. (2014). Seriality and Persona. M/โ€‹C Journal, 17, 1โ€‰โ€“โ€‰10. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹5โ€‹2โ€‹0โ€‹4โ€‹/โ€‹mโ€‹cโ€‹jโ€‹.โ€‹802

In Sartreโ€™s existยญenยญtialยญist frameยญwork, seriยญalยญity describes a form of social colยญlectivยญity. According to him, people can be part of a series without necesยญsarยญily sharยญing a uniยญfied group idenยญtity. For example, people waitยญing at a bus stop are conยญnecยญted by their shared situยญation (waitยญing for the bus) but do not necesยญsarยญily form a cohesยญive pubยญlic with a shared idenยญtity. They are sepยญarยญate indiยญviduยญals linked by a comยญmon objectยญive or condition.

Key insights:

  • Context shapes idenยญtity. We donโ€™t form groups in a vacuยญum; our idenยญtitยญies emerge in response to speยญcifยญic hisยญtorยญicยญal, social, and culยญturยญal conยญtexts. For example, the same indiยญviduยญal might see themยญselves as Swedish in Europe but Stockholm-based among Swedes.
  • Shared narยญratยญives creยญate meanยญingยญful groups. Benedict Andersonโ€™s Imagined Communities shows how nations are โ€œimaยญginedโ€ into existยญence via shared storยญies (e.g., media, hisยญtory, myth). Seriality determยญines whethยญer people see themยญselves as โ€œpart of a groupโ€ or just indiยญviduยญals in parยญalยญlel. 5Anderson, B. (2006). Imagined comยญmunitยญies: Reflections on the oriยญgin and spread of nationยญalยญism (Revised ed.). Verso. (Original work pubยญlished 1983)
  • Proximity โ‰  solidยญarยญity. Just because people exist in the same space (a city, comยญpany, or online forยญum) doesnโ€™t mean they see themยญselves as a cohesยญive group. The activยญaยญtion thresholdโ€”how much shared experยญiยญence or conยญflict is needed to solidยญiยญfy group idenยญtityโ€‰โ€”โ€‰depends on context.
  • Media, search engines, and social media algorithms reinยญforce seriยญalยญity. Social media platยญforms curยญate informยญaยญtion flows, subtly creยญatยญing group conยญtexts. The more people interยญact with the same narยญratยญives and react to the same stimยญuli, the stronger the group idenยญtityโ€‰โ€”โ€‰whethยญer or not they are physยญicยญally together.
  • Conflict is a conยญtexยญtuยญal group-maker. War, comยญpetยญiยญtion, or a shared โ€œenemyโ€ quickly transยญforms a seriยญal group into a solยญid one. This is why popยญuยญlists and proยญpaยญganda machines often creยญate a โ€œthreatยญenยญing othยญerโ€ to conยญsolยญidยญate a loosely conยญnecยญted audiยญence into a movement.
  • Structural vs. volยญunยญtary seriยญalยญity. Some group memยญberยญships are imposed by strucยญture (e.g., citยญizens of a counยญtry, tax brackยญets), while othยญers are chosen volยญunยญtarยญily (e.g., subยญculยญtures, fanยญdoms, politยญicยญal moveยญments). The degree of freeยญdom in joinยญing affects how stable or fluยญid a group is.
  • Seriality and organยญisaยญtionยญal behaยญviยญor. Corporations rely on seriยญal workยญers (indiยญviduยญals perยญformยญing tasks in parยญalยญlel) but strive for organยญisaยญtionยญal unity through brandยญing, misยญsion stateยญments, and internยญal culยญture-buildยญing to activยญate a shared identity.
  • Seriality and conยญsumer behaยญviยญor. PR and marยญketยญing proยญfesยญsionยญals use seriยญalยญity prinยญciples to creยญate a sense of triยญbal belongยญing around products (e.g., Apple users, Harley-Davidson riders). By reinยญforยญcing a โ€œwe vs. themโ€ dynamยญic, they turn seriยญal conยญsumers into a loyยญal, engaged public.
  • Crisis reveals hidยญden seriยญalยญity. During regยญuยญlar times, many pubยญlics remain latยญentโ€‰โ€”โ€‰just a colยญlecยญtion of people sharยญing some abstract qualยญity (e.g., citยญizens of a counยญtry). However, in crises (panยญdemยญics, ecoยญnomยญic crashes, cliยญmate disยญasters), latยญent pubยญlics can rapยญidly โ€œactivยญateโ€ into cohesยญive pubยญlics. 6Silfwer, J. (2023, October 9). Five Types of Publics. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹fโ€‹iโ€‹vโ€‹eโ€‹-โ€‹tโ€‹yโ€‹pโ€‹eโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹oโ€‹fโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cs/

Seriality explains why some pubยญlics remain inactยญive and fragยญmenยญted while othยญers sudยญdenly unite and how conยญtext (media, conยญflict, proxยญimยญity, power strucยญtures) determยญines when, how, and why a group idenยญtity โ€œclicksโ€ into place.

Therefore, seriยญalยญity is a way of underยญstandยญing how indiยญviduยญals can belong to colยญlectยญive catยญegorยญies without necesยญsarยญily havยญing a shared demoยญgraphยญic identity.

Learn more: Seriality (Context Matters)

Publics, Stakeholders, and Influencers

While marยญketยญing primarยญily focuses on tarยญget groups (demoยญgraphยญic segยญmentยญaยญtion), pubยญlic relaยญtions is focused on pubยญlics, stakeยญholdยญers, and influยญenยญcers (relaยญtionยญal segยญmentยญaยญtion):

Publics = psyยญchoยญgraphยญic segยญments (who) with simยญilยญar comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion behaยญviours (how) formed around speยญcifยญic issues (why) impactยญing a brand (to whom). 7Silfwer, J. (2015, June 11). The Publics in Public Relations. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹-โ€‹rโ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹aโ€‹tโ€‹iโ€‹oโ€‹ns/

Stakeholders = repยญresยญentยญatยญives of variยญous vesยญted interests dirยญectly or indirยญectly conยญnecยญted to a brand. 8Silfwer, J. (2021, January 5). The Stakeholders in Public Relations. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹sโ€‹tโ€‹aโ€‹kโ€‹eโ€‹hโ€‹oโ€‹lโ€‹dโ€‹eโ€‹rโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹-โ€‹rโ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹aโ€‹tโ€‹iโ€‹oโ€‹ns/

Influencers = indeยญpendยญent conยญtent creยญatยญors with influยญenยญtial platยญforms and folยญlowยญings of potenยญtial importยญance to a brand. 9Silfwer, J. (2020, January 15). The Influencers in Public Relations. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹fโ€‹lโ€‹uโ€‹eโ€‹nโ€‹cโ€‹eโ€‹rโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹-โ€‹rโ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹aโ€‹tโ€‹iโ€‹oโ€‹ns/

Learn more: Publics, Stakeholders, and Influencers (to be published)

John Dewey and the โ€˜Pโ€™ in Public Relations

The term โ€œpubยญlicsโ€ can be traced back to the work of the American psyยญchoยญloยญgist and philoยญsophยญer John Dewey (1859โ€‰โ€“โ€‰1952). 10John Dewey. (2023, March 25). In Wikipedia. https://โ€‹enโ€‹.wikiโ€‹peโ€‹diaโ€‹.org/โ€‹wโ€‹iโ€‹kโ€‹iโ€‹/โ€‹Jโ€‹oโ€‹hโ€‹nโ€‹_โ€‹Dโ€‹eโ€‹wey

877px-John_Dewey_cph.3a51565
John Dewey (Wikipedia).

In his 1927 book, โ€œThe Public and Its Problems,โ€ Dewey conยญcepยญtuยญalยญised pubยญlics as situยญationยญal groups formed in response to shared conยญcerns or issues. He posยญited that these groups emerge when indiยญviduยญals conยญfront a comยญmon probยญlem, recogยญnise its existยญence, and take colยญlectยญive action to address it. 11Dewey, J. (1927). The Public and Its Problems. Athens, Ohio: Swallow Press.

โ€œDeweyโ€™s theยญory of the pubยญlic sphere recogยญnizes mulยญtiple pubยญlics and perยญmeable borยญders between pubยญlic and private, with comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion playยญing a cruยญcial role in pubยญlic formยญaยญtion and re-formยญaยญtion.โ€
Source: Argumentation and Advocacy 12Asen, R. (2003). The Multiple Mr. Dewey: Multiple Publics and Permeable Borders in John Deweyโ€™s Theory of the Public Sphere. Argumentation and Advocacy, 39, 174โ€‰โ€”โ€‰188. โ€ฆ Continue readยญing

Deweyโ€™s forยญmuยญlaยญtion of pubยญlics marked a sigยญniยญficยญant deparยญture from the traยญdiยญtionยญal underยญstandยญing of the โ€œmass pubยญlic,โ€ which assumed a more homoยญgenยญeous and passยญive audience

By highยญlightยญing the situยญationยญal and dynamยญic nature of pubยญlics, Dewey laid the foundยญaยญtion for a more nuanced and adaptยญive approach to underยญstandยญing the comยญplex interยญacยญtions between organยญisaยญtions and their variยญous audiences.

The term pubยญlics has become a cornerยญstone of modยญern pubยญlic relaยญtions and comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion theory.

This underยญstandยญing of pubยญlics as situยญationยญal and ever-chanยญging highยญlighted the need for organยญisaยญtions to remain agile and adaptยญive in their comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion efforts.

By recogยญnising the diverse and situยญationยญal nature of pubยญlics, PR proยญfesยญsionยญals and comยญmuยญnicยญatยญors can betยญter underยญstand the needs and conยญcerns of their variยญous audiยญences, allowยญing them to develยญop more effectยญive comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion strategies. 

โ€œThis recogยญniยญtion of the actยญive and dynamยญic nature of pubยญlics has also influยญenced broadยญer acaยญdemยญic and pubยญlic disยญcourse, highยญlightยญing the importยญance of underยญstandยญing and engaยญging with difยญferยญent groups of people who share comยญmon interests, conยญcerns, or probยญlems.โ€
Source: Contemporary Pragmatism 13Rogers, M. (2010). Introduction: Revisiting The Public and Its Problems. Contemporary Pragmatism, 7, 1โ€‰โ€“โ€‰7. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹1โ€‹6โ€‹3โ€‹/โ€‹1โ€‹8โ€‹7โ€‹5โ€‹8โ€‹185โ€‰โ€“โ€‰90000152

Learn more: John Dewey and the โ€˜Pโ€™ in Public Relations

Naming Publics in Public Relations

Publics are situยญationยญal. They are formed when externยญal factors creยญate them. 14Blumer, H. (1946). The Mass, The Public and Public Opinion. In B. Berelson (Ed.), Reader in Public Opinion and Communication (pp. 45โ€‰โ€“โ€‰50). 2nd ed. New York: Free Press. (Reprinted in 1966).

For instance, if a muniยญcipยญalยญity announces the buildยญing of a new bridge, it might sudยญdenly creยญate sevยญerยญal publics:

  • The Supporters. โ€œWe need a new bridge.โ€
  • The Environmentalists. โ€œA new bridge will disยญturb wildlife.โ€
  • The Preservationists. โ€œThe bridge threatens our heritage.โ€

Where did I get those names from? 

Well, the use of pubยญlics has no strucยญturยญal nomenยญclature. Identifying and namยญing pubยญlics creยญatยญively is part of the fun of using pubยญlics in pubยญlic relations!

Publics: Example of a โ€œPR Personaโ€

Fundamentals

  • PR perยญsona name: โ€œDaveโ€
  • Member of pubยญlic: โ€œConscious Sharersโ€ (approx. size: 35,000 in Sweden)
  • Activation (situยญation): Dave is an envirยญonยญmentยญally conยญscious conยญsumer who reacts to news storยญies about cliยญmate change and susยญtainยญabยญilยญity issues being shared on social media.

Psychographics

  • Values: Sustainability, transยญparยญency in corยญporยญate pracยญtices, comยญmunity involvement.
  • Beliefs: Strongly believes that corยญporยญaยญtions should be accountยญable for their envirยญonยญmentยญal impact.
  • Attitudes: Skeptical of corยญporยญate greยญenยญwashยญing, appreยญciยญatยญive of genuยญine efforts towards sustainability.

Communication Style

  • Active chanยญnels: Frequently uses Facebook, Threads and LinkedIn to share opinยญions and artยญicles about envirยญonยญmentยญal issues. Engages in online forยญums and disยญcusยญsion groups focused on sustainability.
  • Content sharยญing: Prefers sharยญing well-researched artยญicles, infographยญics, and docยญuยญmentยญary videos highยญlightยญing envirยญonยญmentยญal issues and susยญtainยญable practices.
  • Interaction style: Vocal and assertยญive in disยญcusยญsions but open to conยญstructยญive diaยญlogues. Values evidยญence-backed arguยญments and is quick to call out misinformation.

Media Habits

  • News webยญsites: Regularly folยญlow most nationยญal news websites.
  • Podcasts and docยญuยญmentยญarยญies: Listens to podยญcasts on susยญtainยญabยญilยญity and corยญporยญate responsยญibยญilยญity. Watches docยญuยญmentยญarยญies related to envirยญonยญmentยญal issues.
  • Social netยญworks: Daily activยญity on Facebook (espeยญcially in groups), Threads, and LinkedIn. 

Influences

  • Thought leadยญers: Influenced by thought leadยญers in envirยญonยญmentยญal actยญivยญism and corยญporยญate sustainability.
  • Reputable sources: Trusts conยญtent from reputยญable envirยญonยญmentยญal organยญizยญaยญtions and NGOs.

Goals

  • Increase awareยญness: Seeks to spread awareยญness about envirยญonยญmentยญal issues.
  • Influence the agenda: Aims to influยญence othยญers, includยญing corยญporยญaยญtions, to adopt more susยญtainยญable practices.

Challenges

  • Finding informยญaยญtion: Finding credยญible sources of informยญaยญtion amidst the spread of misinformation.
  • Corporate access: Engaging with corยญporยญaยญtions in a way that leads to the type of change they seek.

Learn more: How To Use Personas in PR

Case Study: Global Warmingโ€™s Six Americas

The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication has used quesยญtionยญnaires to surยญvey US attiยญtudes towards globยญal warmยญing. The proยญgram has idenยญtiยญfied six difยญferยญent publics:

  • The Alarmed. They are conยญvinced globยญal warmยญing is hapยญpenยญing, human-caused, and an urgent threat, and they strongly supยญport cliยญmate policies. Most do not know what they or othยญers can do to solve the problem.
  • The Concerned. They think human-caused globยญal warmยญing is hapยญpenยญing and is a severe threat and supยญport cliยญmate policies. However, they tend to believe that cliยญmate impacts are still disยญtant in time and space; thus, cliยญmate change remains a lower-priยญorยญity issue.
  • The Cautious. They havenโ€™t yet decided: Is globยญal warmยญing hapยญpenยญing? Is it human-caused? Is it serious?
  • The Disengaged. They know little about globยญal warmยญing and rarely or nevยญer hear about it in the media.
  • The Doubtful. They do not think globยญal warmยญing is hapยญpenยญing or believe it is a natยญurยญal cycle. They do not think much about the issue or conยญsider it a severe risk.
  • The Dismissive. They believe globยญal warmยญing is not hapยญpenยญing, is human-caused, or is a threat, and most endorse conยญspirยญacy theยญorยญies (e.g., โ€œglobยญal warmยญing is a hoaxโ€).

Understanding difยญferยญent groups based on their perยญcepยญtion of a speยญcifยญic issue provides valuยญable clues on how to best engage with the pubยญlics. 15Global Warmingโ€™s Six Americasโ€‰โ€”โ€‰Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. (2023). Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. โ€ฆ Continue readยญing

The research makes it clear:

You need at least six comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion strategies to sucยญcessยญfully comยญmuยญnicยญate about globยญal warmยญing in the US.

Five Types of Publics

There are plenty of inactยญive pubยญlics around us in sociยญety, just โ€œwaitยญingโ€ for externยญal situยญations to activยญate them and bring them togethยญer in coรถperยญatยญive, comยญmuยญnicยญatยญive behaviours.

However, PR tends to focus on the already activยญated publics:

โ€œBy focusยญing on actยญivยญism and its conยญsequences, recent pubยญlic relaยญtions theยญory has largely ignored inactยญive pubยญlics, that is, stakeยญholdยญer groups that demonยญstrate low levels of knowยญledge and involveยญment in the organยญisaยญtion or its products, serยญvices, canยญdidยญates, or causes, but are importยญant to an organยญisaยญtion.โ€
Source: Public Relations Review 16Hallahan, K. (2000). Inactive pubยญlics: The forยญgotยญten pubยญlics in pubยญlic relaยญtions. Public Relations Review, 26(4), 499โ€‰โ€“โ€‰515. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹1โ€‹6โ€‹/โ€‹Sโ€‹0โ€‹3โ€‹6โ€‹3โ€‹-โ€‹8โ€‹1โ€‹1โ€‹1โ€‹(โ€‹0โ€‹0โ€‹)โ€‹0โ€‹0โ€‹061โ€‰โ€“โ€‰8

Kirk Hallahan, Professor Emeritus, Journalism and Media Communication, Colorado State University, proยญposes five types of pubยญlics based on their knowยญledge and involveยญment: 17Hallahan, K. (2000). Inactive pubยญlics: The forยญgotยญten pubยญlics in pubยญlic relaยญtions. Public Relations Review, 26(4), 499โ€‰โ€“โ€‰515. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹1โ€‹6โ€‹/โ€‹Sโ€‹0โ€‹3โ€‹6โ€‹3โ€‹-โ€‹8โ€‹1โ€‹1โ€‹1โ€‹(โ€‹0โ€‹0โ€‹)โ€‹0โ€‹0โ€‹061โ€‰โ€“โ€‰8

Hallahan sugยญgests a modยญel based on knowยญledge and involvement:

As an organยญisaยญtion tarยญgeted by actยญivยญists, what would be the best issue response? Hallahan proยญposes four prinยญcipยญal response strategies: 18Hallahan, K. (2009, November 19). The Dynamics of Issues Activation and Response: An Issues Processes Model. Journal of Public Relations Research. โ€ฆ Continue readยญing

  • Active pubยญlics: Negotiation.
  • Aroused pubยญlics: Intervention.
  • Aware pubยญlics: Education.
  • Inactive pubยญlics: Prevention.

Learn more: Five Types of Publics

How To Identify (And Measure) Publics

Publics are often segยญmenยญted by identiยญfyยญing and groupยญing existยญing comยญmuยญnicยญatยญive behaยญviours (outยญcomes). While it works for many situยญations, this approach a) focuses on actยญivยญists, b) excludes inactยญive pubยญlics, and c) pushes the PR funcยญtion to be reactยญive. 19Warner, M. (2002). Publics and Counterpublics. Public Culture, 14(1), 49โ€‰โ€“โ€‰90.

A more funยญdaยญmentยญal approach is to focus on psyยญchoยญgraphยญic segยญments (psyยญchoยญloยญgicยญal drivers) instead.

In pracยญtice, this can be done proยญactยญively using quesยญtionยญnaires and ratยญing scales, interยญviews, reports (logs, journยญals, diarยญies etc.), and observations:

Using quesยญtionยญnaires for statยญistยญicยญally relยญevยญant popยญuยญlaยญtion subยญsets, PR proยญfesยญsionยญals can proยญactยญively identiยญfy all types of publics.

Learn more: How To Measure Public Relations

Publics and Ethics

Traditional demoยญgraphยญics (comยญpared to psyยญchoยญgraphยญics) tell us little about how indiยญviduยญals conยญsume their media and communicate.

When a brand is talkยญing to me like Iโ€™m a white male in my early forties, a fathยญer and a husยญband, livยญing in a Scandinavian capยญitยญal, and workยญing in the media industry (all of which is true, by the way)โ€‰โ€”โ€‰I stop listening.

In the eyes of funยญnel funยญdaยญmentยญalยญists, we are demoยญgraphยญic entitยญies stripped of our essence, mere pupยญpets of conยญsumpยญtion with walยญlets in place of hearts.

Iโ€™m not the sum of my socio-ecoยญnomยญic class, my job, age, locยญaยญtion, ethยญniยญcity, sexuยญalยญity, or my gender. Here at the preยญcipยญice of the Electronic Age, we should all refrain from basing corยญporยญate activยญitยญies on demoยญgraphยญic stereotypes.


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1, 7 Silfwer, J. (2015, June 11). The Publics in Public Relations. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹-โ€‹rโ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹aโ€‹tโ€‹iโ€‹oโ€‹ns/
2 Sartre, J.-P. (1991). Critique of diaยญlectยญicยญal reasยญon (Vol. 2, Q. Hoare, Trans.; A. Sheridan-Smith, Ed.). Verso. (Original work pubยญlished 1985.)
3, 6 Silfwer, J. (2023, October 9). Five Types of Publics. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹fโ€‹iโ€‹vโ€‹eโ€‹-โ€‹tโ€‹yโ€‹pโ€‹eโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹oโ€‹fโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cs/
4 Marshall, P. (2014). Seriality and Persona. M/โ€‹C Journal, 17, 1โ€‰โ€“โ€‰10. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹5โ€‹2โ€‹0โ€‹4โ€‹/โ€‹mโ€‹cโ€‹jโ€‹.โ€‹802
5 Anderson, B. (2006). Imagined comยญmunitยญies: Reflections on the oriยญgin and spread of nationยญalยญism (Revised ed.). Verso. (Original work pubยญlished 1983)
8 Silfwer, J. (2021, January 5). The Stakeholders in Public Relations. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹sโ€‹tโ€‹aโ€‹kโ€‹eโ€‹hโ€‹oโ€‹lโ€‹dโ€‹eโ€‹rโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹-โ€‹rโ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹aโ€‹tโ€‹iโ€‹oโ€‹ns/
9 Silfwer, J. (2020, January 15). The Influencers in Public Relations. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹fโ€‹lโ€‹uโ€‹eโ€‹nโ€‹cโ€‹eโ€‹rโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pโ€‹uโ€‹bโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹-โ€‹rโ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹aโ€‹tโ€‹iโ€‹oโ€‹ns/
10 John Dewey. (2023, March 25). In Wikipedia. https://โ€‹enโ€‹.wikiโ€‹peโ€‹diaโ€‹.org/โ€‹wโ€‹iโ€‹kโ€‹iโ€‹/โ€‹Jโ€‹oโ€‹hโ€‹nโ€‹_โ€‹Dโ€‹eโ€‹wey
11 Dewey, J. (1927). The Public and Its Problems. Athens, Ohio: Swallow Press.
12 Asen, R. (2003). The Multiple Mr. Dewey: Multiple Publics and Permeable Borders in John Deweyโ€™s Theory of the Public Sphere. Argumentation and Advocacy, 39, 174โ€‰โ€”โ€‰188. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹8โ€‹0โ€‹/โ€‹0โ€‹0โ€‹0โ€‹2โ€‹8โ€‹5โ€‹3โ€‹3โ€‹.โ€‹2โ€‹0โ€‹0โ€‹3โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹1โ€‹8โ€‹2โ€‹1โ€‹585
13 Rogers, M. (2010). Introduction: Revisiting The Public and Its Problems. Contemporary Pragmatism, 7, 1โ€‰โ€“โ€‰7. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹1โ€‹6โ€‹3โ€‹/โ€‹1โ€‹8โ€‹7โ€‹5โ€‹8โ€‹185โ€‰โ€“โ€‰90000152
14 Blumer, H. (1946). The Mass, The Public and Public Opinion. In B. Berelson (Ed.), Reader in Public Opinion and Communication (pp. 45โ€‰โ€“โ€‰50). 2nd ed. New York: Free Press. (Reprinted in 1966).
15 Global Warmingโ€™s Six Americasโ€‰โ€”โ€‰Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. (2023). Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. https://โ€‹cliโ€‹mateโ€‹comโ€‹muโ€‹nicโ€‹aโ€‹tionโ€‹.yaleโ€‹.edu/โ€‹aโ€‹bโ€‹oโ€‹uโ€‹tโ€‹/โ€‹pโ€‹rโ€‹oโ€‹jโ€‹eโ€‹cโ€‹tโ€‹sโ€‹/โ€‹gโ€‹lโ€‹oโ€‹bโ€‹aโ€‹lโ€‹-โ€‹wโ€‹aโ€‹rโ€‹mโ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹gโ€‹sโ€‹-โ€‹sโ€‹iโ€‹xโ€‹-โ€‹aโ€‹mโ€‹eโ€‹rโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹as/
16, 17 Hallahan, K. (2000). Inactive pubยญlics: The forยญgotยญten pubยญlics in pubยญlic relaยญtions. Public Relations Review, 26(4), 499โ€‰โ€“โ€‰515. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹1โ€‹6โ€‹/โ€‹Sโ€‹0โ€‹3โ€‹6โ€‹3โ€‹-โ€‹8โ€‹1โ€‹1โ€‹1โ€‹(โ€‹0โ€‹0โ€‹)โ€‹0โ€‹0โ€‹061โ€‰โ€“โ€‰8
18 Hallahan, K. (2009, November 19). The Dynamics of Issues Activation and Response: An Issues Processes Model. Journal of Public Relations Research. https://โ€‹wwwโ€‹.tandโ€‹fonโ€‹lineโ€‹.com/โ€‹dโ€‹oโ€‹iโ€‹/โ€‹aโ€‹bโ€‹sโ€‹/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹2โ€‹0โ€‹7โ€‹/โ€‹Sโ€‹1โ€‹5โ€‹3โ€‹2โ€‹7โ€‹5โ€‹4โ€‹Xโ€‹Jโ€‹Pโ€‹Rโ€‹Rโ€‹1โ€‹3โ€‹0โ€‹1_3
19 Warner, M. (2002). Publics and Counterpublics. Public Culture, 14(1), 49โ€‰โ€“โ€‰90.
Jerry Silfwer
Jerry Silfwerhttps://doctorspin.net/
Jerry Silfwer, alias Doctor Spin, is an awarded senior adviser specialising in public relations and digital strategy. Currently CEO at Spin Factory and KIX Communication Index. Before that, he worked at Whispr Group NYC, Springtime PR, and Spotlight PR. Based in Stockholm, Sweden.

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