information:highlighting
Social and digital

During the 1990s specialties for communicating to certain audiences and within certain market segments emerged, such as investor relations or technology PR. New internet technology and social media websites effected PR strategies and tactics. In April 1999, four managers from IBM, Sun Microsystems, National Public Radio and Linux Journal created " The Cluetrain Manifesto." The Manifesto established 95 theses about the way social media and internet technologies were going to change business. It concluded that markets had become "smarter and faster than most companies," because stakeholders were getting information from each other. The Manifesto "created a storm" with strong detractors and supporters. That same year, Seth Godin published a book on permission marketing, which advocated against advertising and in favor of marketing that is useful and educational. While initially controversial, by 2006 it became commonly accepted that social media had an important role in public relations.