Public Relations may have been given a bad rep in the past as most members of the public only notice it when someone is on TV explaining that their actions are not to blame for something. It’s perceived by many as being something of a dark art.
In reality however, public relations is not any of these things. It only defines the way in which we manage our messages to the wider world. It is not something that is used only in times of crisis, but instead should be something that amplifies good actions and provide consumer-relevant information.
Still, there remains a disconnect between brands and their interests and those of consumers (and ‘news consumers’) that has distorted the relationship somewhat between the PR pro of the past and what it takes to achieve connectivity with today’s audiences.
New Decade, New Era, New PR
PR is now a well-placed industry to support tech-savvy and hyper-personalized messaging in the digital age. It’s a two-sided deal now, a discipline built on beneficial bilateral relationships between agencies, clients, media and online opinion writers, and media pros focused on specific industries, and ultimately, audiences. Hence today’s Integrated PR.
The industry has moved well past media relations and press releases. The newly held belief in the ever-evolving PESO model sees PR strategy implementation now covering every element of brand growth via connectivity to ever possible permutation of expanding communication avenues – specifically Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned. An excellent strategy covers all of them.
Only a great PR partner is properly able to leverage each to the correct degree, and achieve what is ultimately the original aim (even, as it was, ‘back in the day’) – to bring your client’s relevancy to all relevant markets, and to contribute to the client’s success.
