The problem with PR is that everyone thinks they can do it. To an outsider who sees the way PR is portrayed on TV, a PRO’s job is to wine, dine and spin. Gina Sharp, PR director at agency White Label Media, says that not all the stereotypes are insulting, for example she thinks being called a “spin doctor” is a flattering comparison: “Our profession generally works ridiculously long hours (with some handling the pressure better than others).”
Despite this, Sharp believes a better comparison is with refereeing: “I would rather compare the PR and marketing profession with referees. The game we preside over is the battle of ideas. A good referee has a light touch, and remains in control of the game without being too fussy. A bad referee blows his own whistle too much and draws too much attention. The fans soon recognise that he's trying to make a name for himself. A good referee lets the game flow, brings the most out of the players and is hardly noticed. I'll leave it up to you to decide which refereeing types are in marketing, and which in PR.”
Those who have no dealings with PR can be forgiven for misunderstanding the industry. But too often, it is clients who make unattainable demands and fail to appreciate hard-working PROs. Rassami Hok Ljunberg, director of PR agency Rassami, says this is partly because of how PR is evolving: “The job of the PR is definitely changing. Some clients are stuck in the old ways of the world, and don't get the digital side of things, however other clients are solely interested in the web traffic and back-links and couldn't care less if you secured them coverage in The Economist, or the like, if it doesn't get them the website traffic they desire. To them PR and issuing a press release is seen as pressing the button on increasing web traffic, and when that fails to materialise, even if an article or mention is secured in Reuters, Bloomberg or Newsweek, they are sorely disappointed and question the value, work and cost, as well as results of PR.”
Julia Ruane, director of agency ChiCho Marketing, agrees that PR is changing so fast that the pressures on PROs are immense: “PR used to be a whole heap of fun. It was about face-to-face relationships and a closely guarded contact book. Now, it's more like advertising – being creative so that we can reach a far wider group of people. It's no longer about a few key contacts, but instead about being respected and trusted by a few thousand. We now have more in common with the other marketing disciplines than ever before.”
Today’s PRO needs to be multi-skilled, hard-working and resilient. Resilient because a lot of their skills and hard work are not appreciated by those outside of PR and marketing, and sometimes, by those inside too. The question is, who’s fault is this?
Case study
Simon Turton, owner of agency Opera PR, describes a recent experience that illustrates how there are misconceptions about PR work:
“Earlier this year I was exhibiting at a trade show – aimed at anyone involved in property development – and during the day I was approached by a franchisee of a national service company. We got talking and after explaining what we did he told me that he didn't need any PR. Just as he started walking off, he said he was looking at starting an e-newsletter for his trade customers. I quickly explained that we did offer such a service, from designing suitable templates, to writing the copy, sorting out images and distributing the newsletter to his target database.
“We since met and we were subsequently appointed to look after the production and distribution of his email newsletter, a first for this national company no less. The reality is that producing newsletters, however distributed, constitutes PR and yet this new client initially believed he had no use for our services. We need to ensure that PR agencies properly demonstrate what they do. PR has never stood for press release, but I think this perception is still with us. PR people need to "own" communications and start to take control and influence a company's marketing and advertising activity, otherwise we will continue to have a silo mentality in which PR does its bit, marketing goes off at various tangents and advertising carries on thinking that it rules the roost.”
Do publicists such as Max Clifford give PR a bad name?
Anne Massey, editorial consultancy proprietor:
“What’s wrong with Max Clifford? Seems to me he does what he does very well. Think Ab Fab did far more damage to the PR image – chauffeur-driven, pissed air-heads appearing at work only a few hours a day and assisted by moronic fashion victims – don’t recognise any of that!”
David Alexander, managing director of agency Calacus Public Relations:
“PR is associated with spin, unfortunately, rather than the great work practitioners do strategically to help brands. We’re not seen as creative as advertising or marketing, but perhaps we need to be more assertive as an industry about the benefits we bring to clients.”
Written by Daney Parker
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