Publicity is an effective non-personal promotional tool which has very high credibility.

It is any non-paid mention of an organisation and its products in the mass media like newspapers, journals, radio, T.V., etc. Any organisation can come to the attention of the public by doing something which is newsworthy. 

For example. Tata Motors got wide publicity when it introduced the cost effective Nano Car. The unique features of the car were highlighted in every media, both in and outside the country . Similarly, a company can get coverage in the news media by sponsoring some sports or cultural event. It need not pay anything to the media for publicity, but has to supply the necessary information to the media.

Publicity has the following salient features :

• Publicity’ is a non-paid form of dissemination of some important information. It does not involve any direct payment as in the case of advertisement. 

• It is a non-personal form of communication by the media. 

• It does not have any sponsor as the information is passed on to the general public as a news item.