Debunking myths about PR - the role of PR in marketing

published 2004

Here are some common myths about the role of PR in relation to marketing.

Myth: PR is less certain than advertising. With advertising we know what we get from the start.

If you are viewing PR as solely media-related that’s partially true. With advertising you have guaranteed placement, you know how much it will cost and you know how many will see your message. But certainty of outputs doesn’t mean that your audience will absorb the message. If you were to use PR and it were to generate editorial coverage there’s plenty of research to show it will be more believable than your advertising and have probably 3-4 times the impact with consumers. And it will come at a much lower ‘bang for buck’. Surely these days it’s more important to think about how many different ways you can reach your consumer. So can you afford not to look at whether PR might be able to create media publicity for you?

Myth: PR’s role is pretty much limited to using the media or holding events.

Wrong. Using media or holding an event are simply tactics that are often used. However PR’s primary task is to reach opinion formers and influencers who views/opinions are important to your consumers. PR’s task is to make sure that the environment is as right as possible for the mainstream and traditional marketing tools such as advertising and POS to work. Equate PR with the Indian scouts that used to range far and wide beyond the main body of US cavalry. Part of their job was defensive - to make sure the cavalry weren’t ambushed. But the other part was offensive - to try and find opportunities to surprise their opponents. Marketers these days can ill afford to go into battle without PR on their flanks.

Myth: The opportunities to use PR in marketing are limited.

Not so. PR is now used across the board. Internationally PR budgets at the biggest FMCG marketers have increased exponentially over the last five years. And PR has evolved to be a key marketing tool in the B2B sector. It’s now routine to include a PR agency along with your advertising agency - either as a permanent part of the marketing team for ongoing brand support or for special launches and new product introductions.

Myth: PR should be bought in when we’ve decided our launch strategy.

PR is often The Launch Strategy. In fact the most potent use of PR is before the advertising so that any news value is exploited prior to advertising. That’s also the time to work with the influencers and opinion formers. There’s plenty of examples showing the power of PR in launching products - including Microsoft Windows 2000 to Coca Cola’s new vanilla flavour. And this has been the central theme of a best selling book by Al Ries and Jack Trout called  The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR

Myth: PR is impossible to measure

The measurement of PR results has been an issue for many companies over the years. PR is not like advertising and should not be measured in terms of the dollar value of the space/time gained. For most companies today, PR is far more strategic in its planning and its execution. PR therefore should be measured strategically against business or communication goals. If you’re only measuring PR for coverage, then maybe you need to think about ‘how’ and ‘why’ you are using it in the first place.

Note: The author of this article - Grant Common - is a Sydney-based independent advisor who works with PR Managers to help them get the best out of their PR Departments and/or their PR agencies. He also blogs regularly on PR topics.