'Public Relations' may be a relative newcomer in the New Europe, even if many of the techniques associated with it have long been embedded in existing cultures. What is clear is that, however recent their origins, the new PR industries across the region are now growing rapidly. The latest techniques in PR are needed not just for domestic commercial reasons, or to further public policy and political goals, but to meet new international demands.
New European markets are receiving unprecedented amounts of foreign investment and companies from the New Europe are increasingly becoming players in their own right in the global marketplace. The emergence of major new European brands will demand strong cross-border PR support. High-profile international events and activities impose demands but also create PR opportunities: for example in 2008 Slovenia became the first country from the region to hold the EU Presidency, and the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Estonia and Bulgaria are all due to follow in the next ten years. The Eurovision Song Contest is increasingly hosted in the region – it took place in the Serbian capital Belgrade in 2008. The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be held in Sochi on Russia's Black Sea coast in 2014. With their high PR content these occasions are pointers to an exciting but challenging future.
This book is an essential read for anyone interested in Public Relations in the New Europe. Combining the latest in Public Relations theory with practical guidance on how to plan and structure a PR campaign and top tips on how to undertake successful PR work, this book is also full of fascinating case histories from many parts of the New Europe.