Magic of PR

Modern world of marketing is full of innovative techniques, better understanding of human psychology and tough competition. Long gone are the days when marketers had limited options of showcasing the brand offering and establish brand credibility.

Pakistani marketing scene has also picked up tremendous pace after the rapid growth in the telecom sector, now the case studies have shifted from the classic beverage companies and multinational FMCG giants to unusual scenarios being created every marketing day.
The basic idea is always to develop a solid platform to base the communication onslaught. However, building brand credibility is a long and steady process and it usually become a test of patience rather than employing fast reacting marketing gimmicks in certain cases. What needs to be highlighted at this stage is that by creating a timely hype or “fads” as some might refer to is not going to last in the longer run. For a brand to continuously grow and expand, building credibility is the key to success.

Under-line Problem:

Al-Ries debates in his book “The fall of advertising and the rise of PR” of the possibility that PR has phased out advertising in the new era of marketing. One can either agree to the phenomena or might reject it based on his own experience and understanding but what one can’t ignore to notice in every successful brand is that PR, BTL and ATL cumulatively play their parts.
A lot of Pakistani brand faces the issue of building credibility and gaining trust of their target market. The usual solution we apply? Put all our eggs in the ATL Basket and start pushing the message across as aggressively as possible. The result is as expected: short term sales, zero customer retention and eventually the brand phases out.
Factors Responsible for the Problem:
If we take a closer look in to what goes wrong where when the communication fails and the brand seize to exist we might come to the conclusion that the brand failed to create the connection with the target market. Remember, it’s always the brand reputation which pays off eventually.
The pressure that modern day brand team or marketing manager faces is both internal and external. The management wishes to attain high profits in the first year, whereas the consumers crave for ultimate satisfaction and maximum value for money. This leads to unplanned campaigns and waste of resources which we hear and see all year round.

What Needs to Be Done:

For a new brand to acquire its place and position in the market that is already stuffed with both local and international brands fighting for every single percentage of the market pie, the only safe bet is to go slow, position itself out of direct competition, build the factor of association around and save guard its essence and roots.
By effectively planning the PR game, the brand can guarantee itself longer run advantages and a more comprehensive stance in the market. The solution is pretty simple and logical, the more trust worthy a brand is the more favorable response it can generate from the target market.
Point to note in this regard is that effectively employing PR is always a long and cumbersome process and it needs constant governance, if the direction is continuously tweaked and tuned the results can be without any doubts, simply amazing.
Tricky Traps to Watch Out For:

Big Events:

Publicists love big events. Events are a great way for them to charge off a ton of hours coordinating, arranging and staffing an event. And, unlike other PR activities, events have a clear feeling of success - the CEO can walk around, see the milling crowds all happily nibbling on jumbo shrimps, get slapped on the back by all of the other corporate executives as they congratulate themselves on a successful turnout, and feel "now here's a PR expenditure that finally delivered." But did it? The key isn't in the attendance, it's in the press coverage afterwards, and more importantly, in the sales that did or didn't result from the activity.

Sponsorships:

Sponsorships strike to the heart of many managers - it's a great way to give back to the community, to get your name out there for the society at large. But again, does it result in increased sales?
Remember, simple exposure of your brand name does nothing unless it's connected with powerful positioning that sets you apart from your competition. Your company’s logo printed on a 30X45 ft event backdrop and event itineraries among 28 other sponsors nobody bothers to remember at as they walk out of the event. If you want to sponsor local events because they're a way to build support for your company in your community, go ahead and do so.

Spin:

Give them news! Then your releases will get printed! Don't waste your time or money with the other stuff. Those were the exact sentences of the media manager I used to hear when I was working very closely with one of Pakistan’s most successful and leading PR agency.
See, the understanding of the media manager was very accurate. The difference alone is the objective. His is to get the news print, the brand’s to gain maximum exposure. By sending out undifferentiated media releases, be prepared to sit on a non-effective PR Campaign.
Creating Expensive Media kits and Give-Away:
Give expensive give-away to the invited media at the Press Conference or Seminars and you’ll get what you need is a very common perception. Ironically, in a lot of cases it is true as well. My question, where are the economies of scale now? I am sure if the team tries to find just hard enough, you will have plenty of economically effective, great looking options for give-away.

Safety Measures:

Handling the PR is an extensive topic but loosely it is based on the following key principles.
The effect of media coverage is cumulative and long term.
Media coverage is most effective in creating awareness and setting the agenda.
Effective media relation is based on an intimate knowledge of the media and how they operate.
Familiarize yourself with the Pakistani media scenario.
The dos and don’ts of media world
Create yourself a steady environment to exercise total control over the PR activities.
The focus should remain on the positivism because the PR tool can also prove to be lethal against the brand if handled improperly.

Conclusion:

The Pakistani marketing scenario is as fierce as ever, brands are dumping resources in the race to lead like anything. For a smart marketer to cut his way through the crowds is only to look out for unique ideas and non-traditional approaches. PR across the globe has a great presence. Brands like Microsoft Windows, The Body Shop, Star bucks are just a few case studies to quote.
The author sincerely believes that PR can do a lot for the local brands as well. The only thing which remains is the point in time where Pakistani brands and their custodians fully start realizing the true potential of these tools.