Idealistic and conflicted: New portrayals of public relations practitioners in film

•Study analyzed 10 films to see how public relations characters were represented.•Findings were generally consistent with Miller's (1999) study.•This study identified two new portrayals in film: idealistic and conflicted.•Suggestions are offered to help practitioners counteract negative portrayals.

The profession of public relations is often portrayed negatively in popular culture. Cultivation theory suggests that these negative portrayals are likely to affect public perception of the profession. Building on Miller's (1999) study of public relations portrayals in the entertainment media, this study analyzed 10 recent films to determine how public relations characters were represented. The analysis was generally consistent with Miller's finding that archetypical negative stereotypes of public relations professionals abound. The study also identified two new portrayals of the professionals in popular film, idealistic and conflicted. In light of this finding, theoretical and practical suggestions are offered to help public relations practitioners counteract these unflattering portrayals.