Which term describes a type of public relations that involves the free mention of a product or company in the media?

• A. Public relations
• B. Publicity
• C. Public recreation
• D. Quick-service restaurant (QSR)

Answer: (B)

Publicity is the unpaid or earned media exposure a product or company gets in the news, food critics, blogs, or other outlets. It’s a specific aspect of public relations focused on generating third‑party mentions rather than paid advertising. Because the media coverage comes from an outside source, it often carries more credibility with audiences.

Public relations, in contrast, is the broader practice of managing an organization’s image, relationships, and communications across many activities, not just media mentions. The other choices—the idea of public recreation or a quick-service restaurant—don’t relate to the concept of media coverage at all.

So, the term that describes free mentions in the media is publicity.