PR in Activist Organizations: Can you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar?

Kasia Krok

What do activists and public relations practitioners (PRPs) have in common? The answer is “quite a lot” according to recent research such as studies by Reyes (2018)or Brooks, Wakefield and Plowman (2018). After all, the raison d’être of both is to represent a client or a cause. Once we reconcile these two as akin, the question becomes: how should PRPs in activist organizations represent their clients and/or causes?In answering this, two general strategies can be used to open the conversation: confrontational and prosocial. In layman’s terms, a PRP must ask themselves: do you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar?

A confrontational (vinegar) approach to public relations in activist organizations has certainly received the most attention. For many of us, it is a familiar form of activism that might incur images of angry activists stomping and shouting for their cause. In broad terms, it can be understood as the purposeful creation of conflict as the most effective way to gain power and establish legitimacy.In practice, PRPs are reduced to mere spokespersons and there is little potential for long-term and strategic application. 

On the contrary, is the prosocial (honey) approach whereby the objective is to lift and assist those who are not in a position to adequately improve their lives.In practice, it involves the building and maintaining of relationships with stakeholders with long-term goals. PRPs in this role connect with their stakeholders – such as public, volunteers, employees and donors – through negotiation to achieve mutually beneficial agreements. The creation of a space (physical or virtual) for such negotiation is crucial. A prosocial organization should attempt to capitalize on community events, interactive media and newsletters. I’d like to illustrate this approach with an example from my personal experience at World Press Photo Foundation (WPPF) – a Dutch non-profit. 

Briefly, WPPF’s objective is to challenge status quo through visual journalism. The topics are constantly changing but always centered on the values of diversity and press freedom. In terms of creating a space, WPPF is most well-known for their annual and travelling exhibition. Furthermore, WPPF hosts special exhibitions, seminars and lectures for their key stakeholders. Finally, they create a strong presence with a webpage and yearbook. Although they hold a global vision, they are successful in creating a community that engages employees, donors and audiences. In this case, it could be said that a prosocial approach works from the bottom-up. Essentially, the honey approach seeks to create a climate for the cause to succeed rather than have a direct and immediate impact on policy. 

Of course, there is no one-size-fits-allfor a public relations approach in an activist organization and a confrontational approach cannot be completely dismissed. There are ample and unique considerations for activist organizations: audience, timing, funding, objectives and the specific cause. However, I believe the prosocial approach to hold a more nuanced and unrealized potential. In answering our original question: activist organizations could catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. 

For PRPs in the field, there is little existing research to base the foundational groundwork upon. As such, I would like to propose two steps for advancing the field. Firstly, it is of essence that we reconcile PRPs and activist as akin. In doing so, we can advance the constrained role of PRPs as mere spokespersons. PRPs in activist organizations have the capacity to build and nurture relationships with key stakeholders. Secondly, we must move away from the notion of activism as inherently confrontational. A prosocial approach will allow PRPs to adapt a more strategic and professional approach to activism. 

About the Author 

Katarzyna Krok is a Master’s candidate at the University of Amsterdam and Exhibitions Intern at World Press Photo Foundation. She is an activist herself for climate change, food security and reducing plastic waste. Her research interests are focused on the not-for-profit sector, legitimacy and corporate activism.