Definisi PR

Frank Jefkins: Penciptaan pemahaman melalui pengetahuan, dan melalui kegiatan-kegiatan tersebut diharapkan akan muncul suatu dampak, yakni berupa perubahan yang positif.

Scot M. Cutlip, Allen H. Center, Glen M. Broom: Public Relations is the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on whom its success or failure depends.

Onong Uchjana Effendy: Hubungan Masayarakat adalah komunikasi dua arah antara organisasi dengan publik secara timbal balik dalam rangka mendukung fungsi dan tujuan manajemen dengan meningkatkan pembinaan kerjasama dan pemenuhan kepentingan bersama.

The International Public Relations Association: Public Relations is a management function, of a continuing and planned character, through which public and private organizations and institutions seek to win and retain the understanding, sympathy, and support of those with whom they are or may be concerned – by evaluating public opinion about themselves, in order to correlate, as far as possible, their own policies and procedures, to achieve by planned and widespread information more productive co-cooperation and more efficient fulfilment of their common interest.

Rex F. Harlow (definisi kerja resmi IPRA): Public Relations is a distinctive management function which helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance, and cooperation between an organization and its publics; involves the management of problems or issues; helps management to keep informed on and responsive to public opinion; defines and emphasizes the responsibility of management to serve the public interest; helps management keep abreast of and effectively utilize change, serving as an early warning system to help anticipate trends; and uses research and sound and ethical communication techniques as its principal tools.

Philip Kotler: masyarakat (publik) adalah setiap kelompok yang memiliki kepentingan aktual dan potensial atau yang memiliki pengaruh terhadap kemampuan perusahaan untuk mencapai tujuannya.

PR melibatkan berbagai program yang dirancang untuk mempromosikan dan/atau menjaga citra perusahaan atau tiap produknya.