Corporate Communications

Assessing PR Models Within Organisations - delivery, positioning, strategy

published 2004

Harold Burson, one of the international doyen’s of public relations, once succinctly summed up the progression of PR as a business tool used by organisations as follows:

• At first, it was:
  “Here’s the message, go deliver it”
  
• Then it became:
  “What should the message be?”
  
• Today, more and more, it’s:
  “What should we do?”

In the last 20 years there’s been an exponential explosion in the use of PR by organisations in Australia.  Thousands of graduates have emerged from our universities with degrees in PR or communications.  This has corresponded with organisations deciding that they needed a PR or communication capability.

But where, on Harold Burson’s model, are most organisations in Australia in their use of public relations?  Are they really using PR to its fullest?  Or have the PR staff, or the PR agency, simply become another process?

Here’s a simple ‘tongue-in cheek’ - checklist based on Harold Burson’s three-stage analysis to help you recognise where PR might be in your organisation:

PR Delivery Model

“Let’s get in front of as many people as possible.”

The ‘learner’ phase for PR.  It’s probably where 60% of Australian PR is focused - it should be only 20%.  It’s often seen as the more frivolous end of PR.

At this level PR is largely ad hoc and is all about outputs - writing/distributing press releases, helping ‘launch’ new products, organising functions and events, producing attractive giveaways.

PR success is judged on activity and quantity - how many press releases were distributed, how many clips were obtained, how many brochures were handed out, how many people attended the function or event.

PR staff attributes - bright, bubbly personalities and good with people.  And always being ‘SO busy’.

At this level, management largely views PR as a people resource - akin to the promotions department of days gone by. 

Biggest challenge for those involved - getting off the ‘activity = success’ treadmill that’s driven by the insatiable demand for more media coverage.  The desired action is to get management to think about prioritising particular audiences.

What needs to be done? Move PR up the value chain.  Start asking - what is PR contributing to the business, what messages is it delivering, how is it supporting the marketing or corporate positioning?  And what audiences should we be delivering to?

PR Positioning Model

“It’s what we say, to whom that’s important.”

This is where PR is taken seriously as a business tool - to support the brand or the corporate reputation.

This is how 60% of PR should be conducted - regrettably the figure in Australia is probably closer to 30%.

At this level PR is probably aligned with a marketing or business plan.

PR contributes to positioning, audience identification and messaging.  Research of key audience attitudes and/or using research from the marketing department becomes an essential ingredient in the PR mix.

There’s still lots of room for creativity at this level - but it is more targeted and with a clearer raison d’etre

Results or outcomes are more precise - and measureable.  They are about achieving outcomes - lifting awareness, changing behaviours, managing issues, handling crises, achieving Government consents.  Media remains important, but the measurement of success is more on delivery of messages to the right audience than sheer volume of coverage.

PR staff need to contribute analytical and strategic attributes - and be able to sit at the same table as key management.

The biggest challenge for those involved? Convincing management that, given the resources (people and/or budget), PR can do even more than they think. 

What needs to be done?  Make PR more accountable by being focused more on delivering measurable results to specified audiences and quantifying the value that PR brings to the organisation.

PR Strategic Model

“It’s what we decide to do - or not do - that’s important.  Implementation is secondary.”

This is Burson’s - ‘what should we do’ scenario.   Probably only 10% of Australian PR is currently at this level - over time it will rise, but probably only to 20%.

At this level, PR is part of the key decision-making forum of the organisation.  It’s about issues that have the potential to severely impact on the organisation.

For BHP some years back it would have been - do we develop the OK Tedi mine knowing the potential environmental and people issues that could develop?  Then at a later stage it would have related to whether BHP should cut its losses and decide to withdraw - and if so on what basis?

For James Hardie the PR input would have been at the fundamental stage of deciding to make structural changes and establish the Trust; then throughout the subsequent issues and fall-out as they developed.

For a multi-national, PR input could relate to whether to keep a manufacturing base in Australia and how to handle that issue - and the likely consequences of a withdrawal decision with the State or Federal Government.

At this level PR’s contribution largely speaks for itself.  It becomes one of the key inputs - along with legal and accounting.

Consider the table below, see which PR maturity model best reflects your PR efforts, and think about who you can raise the importance of and contribution of PR in your organisation.

Here’s another way of quickly understanding the relationship between the three PR Models and how much they actually contribute to the business. 

Note: The author of this article is a senior Sydney-based independent corporate PR consultant who advises, coaches and mentors PR Managers and undertakes PR audits of PR Department structures and activities as well as helping review or select PR agencies. As well he provides specialist corporate PR and communications advice where issues or change are impacting on an organisation. He also blogs regularly on PR and communications topics similar to those in this article.