What does PR do for marketing - and can it be measured?

Advertising and public relations are major elements of their marketing mix for many businesses. Provided that advertising agents are properly briefed, it is possible to have advertising plans which are in part at least, measurable in their results. But what about public relations (PR)? How does PR fit into the marketing mix? What does PR contribute to the overall output from marketing?

 

Public relations is an expensive business and by its nature is not fully controllable. With advertising, money buys media space and broadcast airtime, but with PR, the investment is not so certain in its outcome. Time and money may be spent in producing press releases, but with no guarantee that any of them will find their way onto the printed page, television, radio or any other form of mass media.

 

However, the right story can incite interest and be reported worldwide, but whether it is the right story is decided upon by editors of the media, not by the marketing manager from the originating business. The story that results may be of interest to the media, but may be to the detriment of the business. While perhaps it may be said in celebrity circles that all publicity is good publicity that is certainly not the case in the world of business, where bad publicity can have a seriously damaging effect sales and income.