BECAUSE of the wide reach, faster time and lesser and even free cost of using digital media to convey their messages about their institutions and products or services to their general and target publics, companies have been devoting more attention and resources to online PR and advertising and less and less to traditional media.
The increasing shift from traditional news to digital media has affected the profitability and even viability of print, TV and radio organizations which, for the longest of time in the past, were the only “game in town”, so to speak. But should the shift to digital continue to grow at the expense and eventual devolution of the traditional?
Red flags re digital media
IN a recent message to members of the International Public Relations Association (Ipra), Ipra President Bart de Vries raised some red flags about the supposed vaunted effectiveness of digital media as a communications tool for companies. De Vries wondered if “we shouldn’t be a little wearier of its [digital media’s] supposed results”.
He observed: “There is hardly a PR campaign, which doesn’t target social media—understandably, of course—while more than a few bypass traditional news media almost completely. Online reach has become a catchall for the justification of the chosen strategy and tactics. But again, what does ‘reach’ mean in this regard?”
He admitted the reach in terms of traditional news media may also be an “abstract” result, proving yet little in terms of effect on awareness or behavior. But he argued that editorial context offered more credibility than so many of the blogsites, the reputation and reliability of which are open to question.
Lots of metrics, but little results
DE Vries pointed out that he saw “a lot of metrics in the reporting of PR campaigns, but disappointingly little of actual results. Social media is such a crowded place, with such an intense noise level, where only a few manage to rise above”.
He cited as examples of this retreat from use of digital media the fact that the global giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) scrapped €85 million from its online advertising budget. Its major competitor Unilever took the trend even a step further and cut its online budget by 59 percent.
Two of P&G’s directors told the Wall Street Journal in an interview they lost confidence in the effectiveness of digital advertising because, in spite of spending significantly less in this area, sales for P&G in the affected product categories did not decline at all.
Embroiled in controversy
ONLINE advertising, de Vries said, has been embroiled in controversy for some time. Too often, major advertisers find out—sometimes alerted by special-interest groups—that they are, in fact, supporting disturbing content on questionable, if not downright extremist, sites through banners and pop-ups. An advertising boycott on YouTube by major advertisers saw Google losing 5 percent of its North American online-advertising income in a short time.
While he believes in the use of so-called influencers, de Vries also looked askance at the “sheer magnitude” in the number of such influencers online, to the “point of disbelief”.
“Online advocates may argue that these decisions by P&G and Unilever were not or could not have been taken solely with the loss of confidence on online effectiveness in mind. Communicators must be with their content where users are. Any casual observer in public transportation will notice the omnipotence of smartphones keeping commuters more engrossed than their fellow travelers,” he further stated.
“I am not even mildly suggesting we should forget about social in PR campaigns and programs,” de Vries wrote in his message. “But there are reasons to question the overwhelming prevalence of online media in communication campaigns.”
“So is it time to reappraise traditional news media in PR?” he asked.
Comments and suggestions
THE Ipra head said he welcomed PR practitioners and other communications professionals to give their ideas, dispute or experience in relation to this certainly important issue affecting the PR profession in the short and longer term.
For my part, my suggestions are as follows:
- To come out with a carefully thought-out and appropriate mix of use of digital media for PR and advertising, depending on the nature and objectives of the company one is working for or has as a client.
- To continue making full use of traditional media for PR publicity and events coverage (which does not entail as much cost as advertising). Their reach may be small compared to that of digital media, but they are deemed more credible and most of their readers are literate people who not only have their own views and positions on various matters and issues, but a good number of whom are also opinion leaders. A big plus is most, if not all, of these traditional media have their digital outlets as well, so it’s a case of hitting two birds with one stone.
- The use of digital media to show videos of examples of a company’s advocacy or do-good projects, done in a dramatic and heartwarming way to which sentimental Filipinos respond positively, can have a lot of impact in improving its image as a caring and socially responsible company. And if these videos go “viral”, as the ones I am referring to have gone, the extra enormous exposure is a big bonus, indeed.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the Ipra, the premier association for senior professionals around the world. Rene Nieva is the chairman and CEO of Perceptions Inc.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.