Photo by Kaitlyn Wynn
Kaitlyn Wynn
How to Turn Obstacles into Opportunities
Public Relations is about more than overcoming obstacles, it is about seeing the opportunity that lies within every campaign. In this article, we will explore how one can take the task of solving a problem and turn it into a chance to better any organization.
Obstacles are defined in Strategic Planning for Public Relations as, "a public relations situation that limits the organization in realizing its mission." Whereas opportunities are defined as, "a public relations situation offering a potential advantage to the organization or its publics." Both of these scenarios on contingent on the situation a company is facing, so let's start there.
Step 1) Analyze the Situation
As a Public Relations professional, one of the first things to do when starting a new campaign or taking on a new client is to analyze the situation in front of you. The author of Strategic Planning for Public Relations states, "Without an early and clear statement of the situation to be addressed, you will not be able to conduct effective research or define the goal of your communication program later in the planning process." What are you trying to accomplish in this campaign? What is stopping the organization from reaching their goals? In order to create a truly effective campaign, you must fully understand the situation and what is needed from you.
Step 2) Find the Opportunity
Once you have determined the situation your client or organization is in, you can begin coming up with solutions. This is where the creativity comes in.
Looking back at the definitions for obstacles and opportunities listed above, we can see that they are really not that different. They both are contingent on a situation and how we, as PR professionals, respond to it. This is where creativity comes in. If there is a situation that is stopping an organization from reaching its mission, is that same situation not potentially offering an opportunity for that organization to stand out, set a precedent, or reinforce its brand? It's all about how you approach the situation at hand and how critically you look for opportunities.
Real-life Scenarios
In 1982, Tylenol, one of the world's leaders in over-the-counter pain relief at the time, had a major crisis on their hands. An unknown individual tampered with a number of Tylenol products, adding a lethal dose of cyanide to the pain-relief capsules (Markel). Seven individuals died as a result. Tylenol not only took immediate action by removing the pain-relievers from shelves and communicating consistently with the public, but they saw an opportunity to set new standards for over-the-counter medicine safety. Tylenol worked with the FDA to create tamper-proof seals on the medicine, which are still in use today. As a result, Tylenol yet again is one of the most trusted brands for pain relief. Read more about this case study here.
Alamy Stock Photo, from nypost.com
References
Headache & pain relief. TYLENOL®. (2023). Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://www.tylenol.com/
Markel, H. (2014, September 29). How the tylenol murders of 1982 changed the way we consume medication. PBS. Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/tylenol-murders-1982
Smith, R. D. (2020). Strategic Planning for Public Relations (6th ed.). Taylor & Francis. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781000201468