It's the Message, Not the Medium
Listen to some of the cynics --- those who believe that "PR" will wither in the face of direct, corporate-to-consumer conversations --- and you'd quickly get the impression that "issuing (lame) press releases" is all that PR people do.
But as I noted in the Comments field under Robert French's excellent post, "Blogs are Soma to So Many:"
When did this question of Press Releases "versus" Blogs become an EITHER/OR proposition?
Can't we agree that for some companies, for some reasons, blogs are preferable; but that for some companies, for some reasons, "press releases" (and other PR "stuff") might be preferable?
It's a WORLD WIDE WEB, a global communications opportunity, which to me implies that there are probably many potential means to approach similar challenges.
One thing that few people mention: whether you choose to use Blogs or Press Releases, if no one is listening in the first place, then no one is gonna give a rat's ass about your news (or your conversational skills). If you're running Widgets Inc. --- i.e., a company no one has ever heard of --- then using JUST press releases or JUST a blog (or both!) won't get your voice heard.
One of the benefits of Public Relations is the outreach to influencers --- whose advocacy, in turn, leads to the cultivation of audiences who subscribe to the company blog and/or to the company's future press releases.
Did you note that last sentence? I said "and/or," not "either/or."
While we're at it, what else do PR pros do?
Beyond the basics that that the cynics seem to completely dismiss (speaking engagements, award submissions, competitive monitoring, etc.), what about strategy?
Part of the PR pro's role is to successfully convince a CEO or marketer that they need to stop drinking their own Kool-Aid: a good PR person can provide a shot of real-world advice on "the message" that will ultimately make it more palatable to consumer audiences.
Ironically, it's often the so-called spinmeisters who are running herd on the marketers, insisting on greater levels of authenticity!
"Messaging" is not about "obfuscation" or "spin," ultimately it's about telling the truth in a way that makes sense to the right people. Whether those truths are communicated via blog or press release? Really --- who cares??
Tags: robert+french, stowe+boyd, pr+2.0, public+relations, blogging, marketing, social+media, social+media+news+release
Subscribe by Email
View on mobile phone
Click here for my LinkedIn profile
Comments
"Ironically, it's often the so-called spinmeisters who are running herd on the marketers, insisting on greater levels of authenticity!"
This is the key element that the "just blog it" set is missing, Todd. Frankly, the vast majority of company communications are far less credible, readable and transparent BEFORE (good) PR folks get their hands on them. But imagine if a blog from an exec - writing without any input or counsel from his/her communications experts - was the only means of a company communicating with its stakeholders... Yikes. (There are, of course, exceptions in the form of excellent business and operational managers that are also expert communicators.)
Now, I'll admit that the end result is rarely perfect, but that's generally because there are some fights even the best PR folks just don't/can't win.
Posted by: Jesse Ciccone | February 27, 2007 08:54 AM
Todd,
Your words are music to my ears. I suspect this press release vs. blogging "discussion" is not genuine intellectual discourse, but a power grab to push traditional marketers to the sideline.
Ultimately, blogging is good for traditional marketing and press releases in that it will, far from kill them, make them stronger (I encourage you to check out my recent blog, "Coming Resilience of Traditional Marketing"). Blogs vs. Press Releases--a subject of much blogosphere chatter--is not a subject of importance to experienced marketers.
Rather, blogs, press releases and what's the right mix for your company is today's essential topic for all practicing marketers. During this period of change and experimentation, the right mix will be debated within the industry for some time.
Marcel.
Posted by: Marcel Goldstein | February 27, 2007 11:45 AM
Thanks, Todd. I responded, too, with another post.
I fear that no matter how much we ask for balance the enthusiasm of the evangelists will win out.
And trying to get some of them to see PR as something beyond press agentry, seems a likewise futile cause.
But, I'm not giving up.
Posted by: Robert French | February 27, 2007 10:29 PM