PR & marketing: the implications from Al Ries’ book

published  2002

Traditionally, most Australian marketers have had exposure to PR through using it as part of a major product launch.  In these cases, the PR role has usually been to engender excitement and media coverage.

But internationally, PR has assumed a greater role in marketing.  This has been highlighted by veteran writer Al Ries, who championed ‘positioning’ many years ago.

His latest book, ‘The Death of Advertising and the Rise of PR’ (by Al Ries and Laura Ries, published by Harper Business), is becoming a ‘must read’ for marketers.

Here are some of his quotes:

• “Advertising cannot start a fire.  It can only fan a fire after it has been started”.

• “If you can’t win the media battle, you can’t win the marketing battle”.

• “The big bang approach might be a good idea for an ad campaign, but it’s a poor strategy for getting into the human mind.  You don’t hammer an idea into a mind, you let it seep in”.

• “The harder an advertisement tries to force its way into the mind, the less likely it will accomplish its objective”.

• “Brand building takes place inside the prospect’s mind.  And only the media have the credibility to plant a new idea in the mind”.

• “The theme of an advertising program should repeat the perceptions created in the mind of the prospect by the PR program”.

• “Advertising has lost its power to put a new name into the mind.  Advertising has no credibility with consumers, who are increasingly skeptical of its claims and whenever possible are inclined to reject its messages.  To get something going from nothing, you need the validity that only third-party endorsements can bring”.

• “There are many disadvantages to PR.  You can’t control the content, you can’t control the timing and you can’t control the visual appearance of your message.  You can’t even be sure that any of your messages will be delivered.  But the one advantage of PR makes up for all the disadvantages.  PR has credibility, advertising does not”.

These are memorable quotes. But it must be noted that the examples used by Ries include Starbucks, Viagra, Amazon, Microsoft and Virgin.  While they’re hardly typical of the products that marketing, brand and product managers in Australia have to work with day-in day-out, they are still great examples of how PR has played a key role in, and even led, marketing campaigns.

So what do the majority of marketing people in Australia have to do if Al Ries’ predictions and comments are correct?

In our view marketers need:

• To have a PR resource and capability as an ongoing part of their marketing team. Marketing PR is becoming a potent force in day-to-day marketing.  It’s no longer a discretionary item - it has moved to being a ‘must have’.  And because it’s new to most marketers, they need someone who can think in PR terms for them.
• To think beyond the ‘big bang’ approach which many are trained to do (especially in FMCG).  While PR has a role in the ‘big bang’ approach, its more potent role is in the gradual release, cumulative build-up and maintenance of an ongoing ‘share of voice’.
• To recognise that communicating to prospects is more than simply delivering brand propositions. Increasingly these won’t reach, or be understood by, prospects unless they are part of a bigger story. That’s the task of PR - to create the perceptions and environment in which the advertising can be more effective.
• To understand the vital importance of ‘influencers’ in today’s marketing communication chain.  An influencer is a person with the power to sway or affect attitude or behaviour based on their prestige, ability or position. Reaching those who influence end users is a key task of PR. And marketers ignore influencers at their peril!
• To consider the psychographic not just the demographic characteristics of prospects. Traditionally marketers use advertising to target on the basis of demographics.  Increasingly marketers in the US are using PR to reach people according to their psychographics - personality traits, type of lifestyle, values, their role in the community, etc. 
• To overcome their desire to control what’s said or conveyed at every ‘touchpoint’ between a company or brand and its audience.  PR works best in an open-ended environment, which means that outputs can’t be guaranteed.  But as Al Ries says, that’s what makes PR so much more credible when it delivers.
• To plan in longer timeframes.  Many brand/product managers are pressured to measure all marketing inputs on results of actions planned only a quarter ahead.  PR often needs a longer timeframe.
• To understand that in today’s environment it’s necessary to win your share of voice in unpaid media.  With the proliferation of media there’s only so much that can be bought through an advertising schedule.  It’s the role of PR to ensure that your product/brand/company gets its share of editorial coverage devoted to your category or sector.

So what’s the moral of the story?

In today’s tough competitive environment, marketers need to use every weapon in the armory.  The challenge is for marketers to ‘think outside the square’ and use their advertising and PR in a complementary way. 

In doing so they must recognise that they are separate disciplines that work differently.  Each must be given the freedom to work by the marketer.

One American commentator recently summed up how ‘Power Brands’ have had to ‘connect’ with their users and prospects over the years.  His summation was:

• In the 80s, brands had to brag
• In the 90s, brands had to continuously prove themselves
• Today, brands must connect to lifestyle/image/group/cause.

This is why Al Ries, and others, see PR as a brand-building discipline that will become as important to marketers as advertising has traditionally been.

But in order for PR to play its role, those in marketing positions have to change or modify how they currently use communication tools to fulfil their role.

The author of this article - Grant Common - is a Sydney-based independent advisor who helps PR Managers get the best out of their PR Departments and/or PR agency. He also blogs regularly on topics similar to this.