PR Agencies Move With The Times

In an episode of the British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, booze-guzzling PR maven Edina Monsoon’s daughter declares she has no idea what her mother actually does for a living.

Edina, also unsure of what she actually does, responds, “I PR … Things! … People! Places! Concepts! … I PR them!”

Edina may be a fictional TV character, but she is not alone. Many people are unaware of the essence of public relations and the role it plays in the global marketplace.

 

PR has always involved much more than promoting clients and events, writing press releases and communicating with journalists. PR professionals work with organizations and individuals to create brands that resonate with specific audiences, and then build on those brands to increase awareness and grow clients’ businesses.

However, since the above-mentioned episode of Absolutely Fabulous first aired in 1995, PR has undergone a significant transformation. Online, mobile and digital technology have created instantaneous, 24/7 forums for communication, and PR agencies, like companies in all industries, are moving with the times in order to endure.

As a result, the PR agencies of 2013 offer different services than the PR agencies of even five years ago. PR firms that do not offer video production, digital and social media marketing, and other services in addition to conventional public relations will struggle to remain competitive and relevant.

PR Pros Become Quarterbacks

Brands today require a thorough, all-encompassing communication strategy to monitor a greater number of communication channels and initiatives than ever before. Organizations must not only have visually appealing and informative websites, but also need to engage with their audiences via e-mail updates, blogs and social media. Clients also need search engine optimization (SEO), assistance with video production and distribution, and more to make sure consistent messages are disseminated across all channels.

Given these extensive communication strategy requirements, it makes sense for clients to work with one-stop-shop agencies. Since a PR firm is already familiar with a client’s story, vision, spokespeople, and communication objectives, it is the best partner to create consistent messages across every channel and engage the influencers most important to that client.

In this sense, PR professionals have become the quarterbacks of their clients’ brand management and communication initiatives. PR executives need to be in the loop regarding a client’s business decisions — and have access to top management — in order to implement successful strategies for communicating developments and what they mean for a client’s constituencies going forward.

Today’s market requires PR agencies to help clients achieve success by executing multi-layered communication strategies. Unless PR agencies act as fully engaged partners that offer far more than traditional PR services, they will not survive. Edina Monsoon’s understanding of PR was insufficient in 1995, and it will not do in 2013 either.