You can use it as a tactic in achieving your goals, but it is only one weapon in your arsenal. To understand this, we can just look at some of the major public issues that have captured people's attention in the past year or so. And both sides on any issues are using public relations to inform you, to persuade you and to influence you. I'll bet you may not always be aware of PR when you see it. But it's there.
Smoking Take the battle over smoking in public places.
This is just the latest round in a contest that has been waged for more than a generation. Smoking ads have been banned from TV and radio since before most of you were born. Nonetheless, through public relations, the battle rages in the media, in the classroom and in the halls of government. He used the media as a weapon against the company. The company showed the media and the country the safety and tampering precautions they take.