What Now?

How Use of Language in PR Began

Language can be manipulated to get the publics to have a specific reaction to a message. PR professionals have Ivy Ledbetter Lee to thank for this tactic. (Drilled, 2023).

The Pennsylvania Railroad Company Crash happened while Lee was working for the company. The crash was caused when not enough employees were working. When addressing this, Lee claimed that the PRC was adding “extra” employees, rather than hiring the correct amount of employees.

By changing the language, the public got the idea that the company was going above and beyond to prevent another crash, but in reality they were doing the bare minimum. Lee utilized wording to get the reaction he wanted and needed from the public.

Unethical, Illegal or Both?

Changing the wording and language to get the desired reaction can be unethical. Though confusing people to get a specific reaction is smart, it can be questionable.

The Public Relations Council code of ethics and principles and the PRSA code of ethics both include lists of values PR professionals should have (Moore, 2024). Professionals are encouraged to stay ethical and have morals, but sometimes those can be tested.

The FTC Act protects the public from actions that are unfair and deceptive. When companies are not careful with their wording, the FTC can take legal action on the companies or individuals (Federal Trade Commission).

Current Example: GrubHub

Grubhub. (n.d.). Grubhub logo [Logo]. Grubhub. https://www.grubhub.com/

The Federal Trade Commission recently took action on Grubhub for releasing misleading information about pricing, restaurants that Grubhub works with and driver pay (Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, 2025).

Grubhub was listing deals that included “free delivery” or “$0 delivery,” but when customers were checking out, they saw extra fees. The company also listed restaurants on the website that were not affiliated with Grubhub. Finally, Grubhub encouraged people to sign up to become drivers with inaccurate pay. The company claimed drivers could earn $40 hourly, but did not address that most drivers make around $10 hourly.

The result was a $25 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. The company also has to be more transparent and clear with fees, stop listing restaurants that are not involved with Grubhub on its website and communicate with customers (Burt, 2024).

Being Careful With Language

When this tactic was first utilized by Lee, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company did not face legal repercussions for their statement. Lee changed the language, but did not violate the law.

Grubhub attempted to utilize wording to its advantage, but took it too far. The wording was misleading and inaccurate, which violated the FTC Act.

Using language to change the publics understanding can be very beneficial for companies and individuals if used correctly. When it is taken too far it is not only unethical, but also violates the law.

References:

Burt, K. (2024, December 17). Grubhub to pay $25 million in FTC settlement over harmful practices against diners, workers. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/17/grubhub-ftc-settlement-harmful-practices-diners-workers.html

Cox, J.M.B.P.C.M.F.M.G.C.A.A. E. (2024). Public Relations. Cognella, Inc.. https://ou-bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/844161A

DAD, T. K. (Acting, & Nguyen, S. T. (2024, April 3). Federal Trade Commission act. Federal Trade Commission. https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/federal-trade-commission-act

Drilled “The Oil-Nazi-Propeganda Triangle,” Drilled Media, 2020 https://drilled.media/podcasts/drilled/3/drilleds02-e02 

Grubhub. (n.d.). Grubhub logo [Logo]. Grubhub. https://www.grubhub.com/

Stay advised: 2025, issue 4. Davis Wright Tremaine. (2025, February 12). https://www.dwt.com/insights/2025/02/stay-advised-brand-protection-february-12#one