The Forgotten Publics in Public Relations (Inactive Publics)

Inactive Publics: The Forgotten Publics in Public Relations *Kirk Hallahan

ABSTRACT:

In recent years, public relations theory has focused mostly on publics that are interested in and concerned about the activities of organizations. Largely overlooked is the importance of groups that have only minimal motivation, ability, or opportunity to know about, talk about, or participate in efforts to influence the policies or practices of organizations. These forgotten constituencies can be referred to as inactive publics.  

A quite different set of assumptions. They are:

1. It assumes that not all public relations activities necessarily revolve around issues, disputes, or conflicts.
2. Many organizational–public relationships can operate at an extremely low level.
3. The prospect of establishing and maintaining minimal relationships with inactive publics pose a set of communication challenges that are quite different from interactions with highly active publics.

DEFINING INACTIVE PUBLICS

What defines inactive publics? An inactive public is theoretically the opposite of an active public. An analysis of the behavioral literature suggests that two criteria are paramount in understanding the behaviors of individuals and the groups they comprise: the knowledge that individuals and groups hold about a particular topic and their involvement in the topic.

The logical extension of this approach is to suggest a five-cell model that differentiates groups.

	Low Involvement	High Involvement
Low Knowledge	Aware Publics	Active Publics
High Knowledge	Inactive Publics	Aroused Publics

No Knowledge/No Involvement :

	Non-Publics

 

Figure Five Publics Model Based On Knowledge And Involvement.

Exhibiting different combinations of high and low involvement and high and low knowledge, plus a provision for groups that exhibit virtually no knowledge nor involvement. Significantly, this model builds up previous theorizing about publics in political science and extends and refines J. Grunig’s classification scheme for publics.

Inactive publics are conceptualized here as groups composed of individuals who, as a whole, possess comparatively low levels of knowledge about an organization and low levels of involvement in its operations. Knowledge and involvement similarly can be operationalized in terms of the products, services, candidates, or causes provided or represented by an organization.

Inactive publics generally are organization stakeholders who might or might not recognize the consequences for them of an organization’s actions. As a whole, members of inactive publics might be satisfied with the relationship that exists between them and an organization because the relationship meets their needs. Alternatively, members of inactive publics might believe it is not worthwhile to challenge the relationship or might take the relationship for granted without much consideration. Yet others might take a fatalistic position that nothing can be done to alter the situation.

This teory a challenges contemporary thinking about public relations by reminding theorists and researchers about inactive publics, a category of publics that have been largely ignored in the literature. Inactive publics need to be understood better because of the large numbers of people they often represent and the emphasis placed on them in many public relations campaigns as organizations strive to influence the way inactive publics buy, invest, donate, work, and vote. Inactive publics, as a group, are important, long-term constituents for many organizations, which are desperately seeking ways to do a better job of communicating with them.

This article has identified two of the most critical variables that also merit greater theoretical attention from the field. The degree to which an individual or group is involved or perceives that an organization is relevant to them personally is a critical factor in determining the degree to which people are motivated to attend to or respond to an organization’s public relations efforts.

The model presented here contributes to that discussion by suggesting that advocacy might be especially valuable, to the extent that a particular public is less active, that is, less involved and less knowledgeable, in a particular topic or issue.

RELATE THE TEORY TO A CONSUMER PRODUCT IN THE MARKET

This is example of product that using teory in form Inactive Publics.

First encountered Nokia one of which made known through advertising is slogan "Connecting People".  When cell phones first serve the needs of consumers, so feels that the technology Nokia is helpful. But the slogan is now facing a challenge when so many mobile phone brand on the market, while mobile phone penetration has reached up to the villages.

Then, what is the meaning of "Connecting People"? 

What's the difference connected with Nokia and a mobile phone from another vendor.

 

        Andrea Facchini, Marketing Director of Nokia Indonesia aware of these challenges. "The meaning of connecting has now evolved. Past connections than “through calls or text messages”, but now changing, connecting means ”connected to the internet”.

 

       internet connection that has now been much needed, making people able to build networks in social media activities like chatting on a cell phone without restriction. Therefore, Facchini revealed that NOKIA seeks asserts the slogan "connecting people" in a new sense.

Lets take a look this picture below: 

          Nokia’s have commitment to bring the best service and attractive. easily accessible and relevant to consumers of NOKIA.  Andrea Facchini, Director Marketing Nokia Indonesia said the evidence that effort is the launch of the Nokia Break Free, services one focus is to connect users via chat application.

       A great selection of chat applications on the Ovi Store. For example Whatsapp Messenger, smartphone messaging application using a 3G or WiFi connection that can send messages, pictures, audio and video messages as easily as air-sms.

         Break Free service is concerned the younger generation. "They are very concerned with how much I pay. Therefore Nokia also understand. All these services are cheap and very affordable.