Activism

Activism and the Development of Public Relations

Activism has been one of the catalysts for the development of public relations throughout the field's history. Timothy Coombs and Sherry Holladay (2012) suggested that activist organizations were using public relations techniques before the inception of what might be considered corporate public relations.

In the late 19th century, progressive and populist groups in the United States sought to limit the power and scope of monopolistic organizations. The press, partially prompted by activists, sought to reveal problematic conditions caused by corporate practices. Groups seeking reforms pressured organizations through either direct confrontation or increased government regulation. In response, corporations hired the first public relations counselors to tell the organization's story. For example, Ivy Lee was hired by the Rockefeller family to help craft responses to labor activism.

During the 1950s and 1960s, American corporations were again forced to respond to a wave of activism. A number of significant activist movements reached their peak of influence and public attention, including women's rights, civil rights, consumer safety, environmentalism, and the anti-Vietnam War protests. Corporations turned to public relations professionals to anticipate problematic situations and to engage in public debate with activists. Scholars and practitioners alike began to examine the development of activist organizations and the tactics they employed. Activists, as well, began to notice the need for a more sophisticated approach to communicating both with supporters and opponents. For example, Saul Alinsky's 1971 book, Rules for Radicals, offered practical communication suggestions for activists.

In the first part of the 21st century, activism took several forms. Many of the reforms sought by 1960s activists were enacted into law or regulation, spawning government agencies, such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency. However, activists continue to raise issues and monitor the performance of these government agencies. Activism is embraced by a variety of publics with a sometimes dizzying range of agendas. In the United States, the most notable among these are the Tea Party and Occupy movements. Today, there is such a broad range of empowered activist groups that virtually no corporate decision can be made without taking into account the likely reaction of at least one special interest group.

As with most other communication functions, mobile digital technology and social media have revolutionized activism. Activists use Twitter and text messages to organize collective action. This trend has necessitated an increasingly sophisticated response on the part of organizations engaged by activists. According to excellence theory (Grunig, 1992), activism is so closely linked to important developments in public relations that it is now seen as one of the preconditions for the presence of public relations programs.

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