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Q: PR/comms always used to be about building relationships with the media and with influencers; as client demands have increased, has the industry lost that ability and become too competitive and too task focused?
A: Being competitive and task focused is a good thing. Cannibalising the industry by being negative about each other and delivering poor quality work just to check a box is a problem.
Q: Is fear and/or a lack of understanding or knowledge responsible for the PR/comms industry not fully embracing new digital marketing tools such as Twitter and Facebook? And if so, what are we scared of?
A: Absolutely. One of the main fears I’m concerned with is the ‘name and shame’ culture against comms in general. It’s paralysing many a PR, particularly on Twitter. How can anyone improve their knowledge when there’s zero tolerance for any mistakes?
Q: Digital media is changing the face of the communications industry and yet many CEOs and MDs in PR/comms agencies seem unwilling to learn the evolving skill sets needed to drive the industry forward. Do you feel that the onus is falling on individuals to take personal responsibility for their own learning and development in this area and, if so, is this a good or a bad thing?
A: Even worse, I suspect the onus is not falling on individuals when this is not led by their management team. The communications shift needs to be met with an agency-wide commitment to develop. And I mean every agency.
Q: The ‘new generation’ of PR/comms professionals, which is embracing the social web, appears to be far more collaborative and supportive than the more competitive and guarded old school. Do you feel that a chasm is emerging within the industry between the online community and those who are less progressive? And if so, what are the effects on the industry as a whole?
A: The next generation are speeding ahead as demand for digital increases. By splitting up on the journey we are leaving behind really good non-digital specific skills - like media relations, comms strategy and branding, market analysis, even decent account management – we’re going to need all these people for the road ahead or continue to see disjointed work.
Q: The PR/comms industry has a poor reputation for being ‘spin doctors’ and PR flacks. Who do you feel is best placed to build credibility, educate business owners and consumers, and change this reputation, and how do they go about it?
A: I don’t really take those phrases too seriously. PR/Comms just needs to continue behaving in an ethical and credible way, and promoting each other for great work, not just petty finger pointing when things go wrong. The media industry as a whole needs to accept that PR behaviour is still led by the publications they need to pitch to. For example, as long as the national papers will print surveys as news, PR will keep cranking them out. Why is it solely the PR Industry’s responsibility to change that?
Q: With regard to the competition between PR agencies, specialist digital agencies and full service marketing agencies, how do you think things will play out over the next five or ten years? And what will happen to the PR/comms industry if things don’t change?
A: Good luck to them all. As long as great work is delivered it doesn’t matter who is delivering it. However, if PR continues to let digital and marketing agencies chip away at their comms budgets by not offering digital services, then I think the writing is on the wall...
Keep track of this series of posts on The Flock Facebook page or by following the hashtag #flockfriday on Twitter.
Recent #flockfriday posts: Kerry Gaffney, Chris Hall, Lauren Fernandez
Recent #flockfriday posts: Kerry Gaffney, Chris Hall, Lauren Fernandez
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