The coming synthesis of marketing and PR comms
Since our founding integrated communication has been a hallmark of Emergent’s belief system. The truth is, for many brands genuine integration between brand strategy and PR has long been aspirational more than a reality. That’s about to change in 2024 because the path to being seen and heard is getting more complex with an ever more skeptical, risk averse and distracted consumer.
Simply stated, how a brand is positioned, packaged and presented (its purpose and differentiation) will have profound impact on the ability of communications to do the job of building business growth, advocacy and ambassadorship. This works optimally when one integrated team with demonstrated capability in both camps works to add value and blend the two.
- On the horizon: broader recognition that optimal brand strategy and the reality of how that manifests in all aspects of go-to-market decisions, is directly influential to the relevance and effectiveness of PR communication in earned, owned and social channels.
Structurally this means the silos of separation must disappear. An important call to action given what we’ve seen in an all-too-tactical view (or absence) of any PR roleplay in brand strategy creation work. Emergent’s mission is to break down this barrier by delivering competence in strategic planning and translating that insight into refined PR and content creation.
Guidance:
- Seek evidence from your marketing PR partners of their knowledge and ability to contribute to brand strategy refinement.
- Blend consumer behavior insight, how the brand story is packaged and presented, with comms designed to verify and validate what you want consumers and stakeholders to believe.
- Focus KPIs on outcomes in earned, owned and social channels. Specifically, your ability to influence consumer trust and successfully convey your brand’s purpose and belief system.
True integrated marketing communications is not only an outcome – it is a process requiring a mix of brains in both disciplines to tackle your most important challenges and goals in the year ahead. The result: greater effectiveness and bankable outcomes from your marketing investments.
If you would like to know more about how this works, use the link below to ask questions.
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Bob Wheatley is the CEO of Chicago-based Emergent, The Healthy Living Agency. Traditional brand marketing often sidesteps more human qualities that can help consumers form an emotional bond. Yet brands yearn for authentic engagement, trust and a lasting relationship with their customers. Emergent helps brands erase ineffective self-promotion and replace it with clarity, honesty and deeper meaning in their customer relationships and communication. For more information, contact [email protected] and follow on Twitter @BobWheatley.