SHARED RESOURCES - PR & MARKETING
Putting PR and Marketing in One Organizational Box
Spells Approaching Disaster.
A disturbing organizational trend is to combine the functions of Public Relations and Marketing under singular leadership. There is no denying that both are functions critical to the future of every organization. For every organization, the integration of public relations and marketing services is a must. However integrating both functions is a bust.
Justifying the combination of these functions comes under the guise of, "They do the same thing", or "we can save money on staff salaries" or a host of other human resource euphemisms. The underlying problem is most organizational decision-makers cannot clearly define the ultimate outcomes of either function.
Let's first agree on a general definition for both functions. I have long practiced public relations defined as "a planned management function to influence opinion and behavior through good corporate character and responsible performance, based upon research and mutually satisfactory two-way communication."1
Marketing is the process of determining the needs and wants of consumers then providing the products and services they will be willing to pay for.
True enough; both functions often use the same tactics, targeted research and creative strategy. Both may use similar channels to communicate - the media, advertising, the web, direct mail and direct contact. But, any organizational chart that combines the functions diminishes the criticality of each to the future of the organization. Combined functions will reduce the ability of each to provide value to the organization.
When both disciplines are practiced appropriately, the outcomes are as different as reputation and bottom-line. Reputations and bottom-lines are assets of any organization.
It is my opinion that those responsible for each of the functions must report directly to the president of an organization. PR should not report to Marketing, Marketing should not report to PR and neither should report to Legal.
Working synergistically but with differing missions.
However, both functions must normally work synergistically. Think of public relations as the farmer who tills the rich fields (uses public relations and reputation management) to plant the seeds of produce his experience tells him will meet the needs and wants of buyers (marketing).
As our society becomes more knowledgeable more quickly, we see the increased scrutiny of an organization's overall core values. The public no longer accepts environmental plunder to justify corporate behemoths. Indiscreet executive actions are not viewed as acceptable. Selling inferior products won't last.
An organization's reputation, maintained and groomed by public relations, is an asset worth protecting like any manufacturing trade secret. The need for the public relations function to have the direct attention of an organization's leadership is greatest during long-term visioning exercises and prior to or during a crisis. During these times what a public relations executive counsels may contradict that of marketing counsel.
Marketing and public relations must frequently work well together on specific activities. Marketing's introduction of a new product can benefit from a well-planned media campaign. What marketing brings to the marketplace should not contradict what that marketplace will accept from this organization. Public relations should ensure the event and the newly introduced product are credible products for that organization and media contacts must reinforce the underlying strengths and virtues of the organization.
It is a matter of expected outcomes. Public relations must nurture and protect the organization's reputation; marketing ensures the future of the organization by selecting the products or services that provide a consistent source of revenue.
Public relations counselors, inside and consulting to an organization, must make it clear that both functions are necessary for a healthy organization. Both functions need the direct attention and commitment from leadership unfiltered by needless layers of administration.
1 Cutlip, Center & Broom “Effective Public Relations”
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