Man-Up PR People!
PR people whine about not getting respect, they obsess about their miniscule budgets and pay scales and they envy advertising agencies who command the big-dollar creative campaigns. Boo hoo. Call it career envy, call it jealousy, call it whatever you want, we deserve our plight because, well … we’re wussies.
Rather than stand up and fight for what is rightfully ours, PR people are content to remain the red-headed step children of the communications business. The reason the ad guys get the multi-million dollar budgets is because they demand them. They have spent decades convincing clients that ads are more valuable than PR. And we let them. “PR is more effective?” they say. “Prove it.” Well, now it’s our turn: Ads are more effective, you say? Prove that they won’t be zapped off the airwaves by the growing army of Tivos, DVRs and satellite radio systems.
Ad guys are now the ones seeing the value behind what we communication Sherpas have known all along: PR works. Now, suddenly, ad agencies are morphing their offerings, proudly embracing PR strategies and tactics like an older brother taking credit for the younger brother’s yard work. If it didn’t rub me off so much, it would be funny listening to ad guys talk about the value of street teams, viral videos, product placement and immersing client messaging into the social fabric, rather than using ineffective, annoying, screaming commercials. I’m calling you out, ad punks.
Meanwhile, I’ll just sit back here and whine … or drink it.