South Africa, October 13, 2017 Over a decade ago most marketing executives were excused for disregarding Public Relations and subscribing to the notion of “paying for advertising and praying for free publicity”. To them Public Relations was a function earmarked for crisis management and, occasionally, seen as ad hoc to their activities or part of CSI. Yet the backlash currently faced by KPMG over its “rogue unit” report is a stern reminder that this function is the one that sets the image of the company. Public Relations is, first and foremost, about the public and it is an opportunity for a business and a brand to reinforce its message in different mediums by keeping up with the trends whilst protecting and enhancing its reputation. This field is ever changing and it should be an integral part of the decision-making processes and align to long-term objectives, help prevent the current Public Relations crisis and reality faced by some companies globally. ...