macnamara

DIVERSITY IN PR

An International Perspective

1st floor, 87-97 Regent St

Chippendale, NSW, 2008

Australia

Fax: 61 2 9698 1032

Tel: 61 2 9698 1033E-mail: [email protected] Incorporating: CARMA International (Asia Pacific) Pty Limited MASS Software MASS Communication Consulting

Priority Issues Priority Issues in Public Relationsin Public Relations

Jim Macnamara

BA, MA, FPRIA, AFAMI, CPM



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The pillar of our societies



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Communication

The pillar of our societies



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Communication

Easier said than done



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PR Industry Priorities

In 1992, measurement was not on the PR industry’s radar

Views were: “PR is intangible” “PR can’t be measured” “PR is about image” “PR is ‘feel good’” “PR is publicity”



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PR Industry Priorities



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PR Industry Accountability

Any publicity is good

publicity

Trust me. I’m a

communicator.



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PR Research & Evaluation

International Public Relations Association (IPRA) study 1994 found: Only 14-18% on average do evaluation

Research Finding USA Australia SouthAfrica

IPRAmembers

Evaluation recognised asnecessary

75.9% 90% 89.1% 89.8%

Frequently undertakeresearch aimed at evaluating

16% 14% 25.4% 18.6%



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PR Research & Evaluation

2001 Media Relations Reality Check, Internet survey of 4,200 members of PRSA, USA

Press clips & ‘gut feel’ most used

tools for planning & evaluation

Less than 25% use surveys or focus

groups



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Reasons for Lack of Research

Media Relations Reality Check Internet survey of 4,200 members of PRSA,

USA, 2001

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Too expensive Not wanted Too timeintensive

Don't knowhow

Concernedabout results

WHY PR PRACTITIONERS DON'T DO RESEARCH



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Reasons for Lack of Research

58% 45%43% 43%

27%

6%

Lack ofmoney

Lack ofdemand

Lack of time

Lack ofknowledge

Client/Orgconstraint

Other

Survey by Institute of Public Relations & PR Consultants Association, UK, 2001



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Do clients want it?



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Do clients want it?

“Measure results” was equal fastest growing criteria listed by clients as important in PR Up 9% in two years Listed as a top criteria by more than one-third of PR users

Important in PR 2000 1998 % Change

Overall quality of work 72% 73% -1%Quality of account team 69% 65 +4%Client service 68% 64% +4%Meets deadlines, keeps promises 66% 68% -2%Attention to detail 53% 51% +2%Creativity 53% 44% +9%Honest accurate billing 52% 48% +4%Quality of writing 49% 46% +3%Knowledge of my industry 46% 43% +3%Media placement 45% 42% +2%Chemistry 44% 38% +6%Strategic counsel 40% 42% -2%Measures results 35% 26% +9%

Harris/Impulse Public Relations Clients Survey of 4,200 Fortune 500 marcoms managers, USA, 2000



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2001 US Clients Survey

PR Firm Performance in Key Areas (All Firms Combined) 2001 2000 %

ChangeAccessibility of account team 86% 84% 2%Chemistry 75% 74% 1%Client service 72% 73% -1%Quality of my account team 70% 73% -3%Quality of management 68% 69% -1%Overall quality of their work 67% 70% -3%Full service capabilities 66% 65% 1%Practice areas match our needs 66% 66% 0%Meets deadlines, keeps promises 65% 66% -1%Knowledge of my industry 64% 63% 1%Involve senior management in my account 63% 67% -4%Fast turnaround on deliverables 60% 62% -2%Access to influential people 59% 53% 6%Stability of staff 59% 54% 5%Strategic counsel 59% 57% 2%Thorough/attention to detail 58% 58% 0%Honest, accurate billing 55% 58% -3%Quality of writing 52% 49% 3%Specialized services we need 51% 46% 5%Creativity 51% 50% 1%Media placement 45% 50% -5%Research capabilities 44% 37% 7%Fair and equitable compensation 37% 42% -5%Measures results 35% 39% -4%International capabilities 33% 30% 3%Internet capabilities 33% 31% 2%

Harris/Impulse Public Relations Clients Survey of 3,452 Fortune 500 marcoms managers, USA, 2001



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2000 UK Marketing Survey

Significant dissatisfaction with PR reporting and evaluation

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Public Relations

Direct Marketing

Sales Promotion

Advertising

% SATISFIED WITH EVALUATION(Marketing Directors, UK, Dec 2000)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Public Relations

Direct Marketing

Sales Promotion

Advertising

% SATISFIED WITH EVALUATION(Marketing Directors, UK, Dec 2000)

Survey of Marketing Directors, Test Research, UK, 2000

67%

68%

65%

28%



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2002 Company CEO Views

42% of company directors said they would spend more on PR if they could be more confident of its effectiveness

Consensus Research International, telephone survey of 109 company directors incl. 50 CEO

(UK) August, 2002



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A Few Truisms

It is an age of accountability Best Practice Benchmarking KPIs & KRAs Balanced Score Card

Management are bottom-line focussed & numeric The ‘Language of the Dominant Coalition’ is numbers

Demand for measurement is growing in the wake of: Recession Enron, Worldcom, etc Increasing regulation Consumer cynicism



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Communication =

“Taking responsibility for how your messages are received”

Research answers these questions …

Message Media Receipt Retain ImpACT

? ? ? ?? ? ? ?

Understand



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Other Barriers – or Excuses?

Too expensive? Too time intensive? Too hard?

Cutlip’s PII Model

IMPACT

IMPLEMENTATION

PREPARATIONAdequacy of background information base for designing program

Appropriateness of message and activity content

Quality of messages and activity presentation

Number of messages sent to media and activities designed

Number of messages placed and activities implemented

Number who receive messages and activities

Number who attend to messages and activities

Number who learn message content

Number who change opinions

Number who change attitudes

Number who behave as desired

Number who repeat behaviour

Social and Cultural Change

IMPACT

IMPLEMENTATION

PREPARATIONAdequacy of background information base for designing program

Appropriateness of message and activity content

Quality of messages and activity presentation

Number of messages sent to media and activities designed

Number of messages placed and activities implemented

Number who receive messages and activities

Number who attend to messages and activities

Number who learn message content

Number who change opinions

Number who change attitudes

Number who behave as desired

Number who repeat behaviour

Social and Cultural Change

PII Model of Evaluation by Cutlip, Center & Broom, 1993

Lindenmann’s ‘Yardstick’ Model

ADVANCED

INTERMEDIATE

OUTPUT

Measuring:

Behaviour change

Attitude change

Opinion change

Measuring:RetentionComprehensionAwarenessReception

Measuring:

Target audience reach

Impressions

Media placement

LEVEL 3

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 1

Watson’s Continuing Model

Dr Tom Watson, 1999

Watson/Noble ‘Unified Model’

INPUT STAGEPlanning & Preparation

OUTPUT STAGEMessages & Targets

IMPACT STAGEAwareness & Information

EFFECT STAGEMotivation & Behaviour

Tactical feedback

Management feedback

1.

2.

3.

4.

IPR PRE Process

the PRE

process

AuditWhere are we now?

SettingobjectivesWhere do we want to be?

Strategy& plan

How do weget there?

Ongoingmeasurement

Are we getting there?

Results &evaluation

How didwe do?

the PRE

process

AuditWhere are we now?

SettingobjectivesWhere do we want to be?

Strategy& plan

How do weget there?

Ongoingmeasurement

Are we getting there?

Results &evaluation

How didwe do?

UK Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Research & Evaluation Toolkit, 2001

‘Pyramid Model’ of PR Research

OUTCOMES(Functional & organisational evaluation)

OUTPUTS(Process & programevaluation)

INPUTS(Formativeresearch)

Copyright J im R. Macnamara 1992 & 2001

Number who . change ..…..……………………………………………….. Quantitative surveys (large scale structured)behaviour …...…………………………………………….. Sales; Voting results; Adoption rates; Observation

Number who ….. changeattitudes ……….…………………………………………… Focus groups; Surveys (targeted) (eg Customer, Employee

Number who understand messages..……………………………… Focus groups; Interviews; Complaint decline; ExperimentsNumber who retain messages …….………………………………… Interviews; Focus groups; Mini-surveys; Experiments

Number who consider messages ……....….. ………………………… Response mechanisms (1800, coupons); InquiriesNumber & type of messages reaching target audience ……………………… Media Content Analysis; Communication Audits

Number of messages in the media ……………..….`…………………… Media Monitoring (clippings, tapes, transcripts)Number who received messages ………………...……………………….. Circulations; Event attendances; Web visits & downloads

Number of messages sent …………………………………..……………….. Distribution statistics; Web pages posted

Quality of message presentation …………………………………………………. Expert analysis; Peer review; Feedback; Awards

Appropriateness of message content …………………………………….………….. Feedback; Readability tests (eg. Fog, Flesch); Pre-testing

Appropriateness of the medium selected ………………………………………….…….. Case studies; Feedback; Interviews; Pre-testing (eg. PDFs)

How does target audience prefer to receive information? …………….…………..……… Academic papers; Feedback; Interviews; Focus groupsWhat does target audience know, think, feel? What do they need/want? ………………… Observations; Secondary data; Advisory groups; Chat rooms


& online forums; Databases (eg. Customer complaints)

or Shareholder Satisfaction); Reputation studies

Applicable Methodologies:

OUTCOMES(Functional & organisational evaluation)

OUTPUTS(Process & programevaluation)

INPUTS(Formativeresearch)

Copyright J im R. Macnamara 1992 & 2001

Number who . change ..…..……………………………………………….. Quantitative surveys (large scale structured)behaviour …...…………………………………………….. Sales; Voting results; Adoption rates; Observation

Number who ….. changeattitudes ……….…………………………………………… Focus groups; Surveys (targeted) (eg Customer, Employee

Number who understand messages..……………………………… Focus groups; Interviews; Complaint decline; ExperimentsNumber who retain messages …….………………………………… Interviews; Focus groups; Mini-surveys; Experiments

Number who consider messages ……....….. ………………………… Response mechanisms (1800, coupons); InquiriesNumber & type of messages reaching target audience ……………………… Media Content Analysis; Communication Audits

Number of messages in the media ……………..….`…………………… Media Monitoring (clippings, tapes, transcripts)Number who received messages ………………...……………………….. Circulations; Event attendances; Web visits & downloads

Number of messages sent …………………………………..……………….. Distribution statistics; Web pages posted

Quality of message presentation …………………………………………………. Expert analysis; Peer review; Feedback; Awards

Appropriateness of message content …………………………………….………….. Feedback; Readability tests (eg. Fog, Flesch); Pre-testing

Appropriateness of the medium selected ………………………………………….…….. Case studies; Feedback; Interviews; Pre-testing (eg. PDFs)

How does target audience prefer to receive information? …………….…………..……… Academic papers; Feedback; Interviews; Focus groupsWhat does target audience know, think, feel? What do they need/want? ………………… Observations; Secondary data; Advisory groups; Chat rooms


& online forums; Databases (eg. Customer complaints)

or Shareholder Satisfaction); Reputation studies

Applicable Methodologies:

OUTCOMES

OUTPUTS

INPUTS

EXAMPLES:- Story list & copy for newsletter- Information for news release- Speaker list & program for event- Design & contents for Web site

EXAMPLES:- Newsletter printed- Publicity gained- Event held- Web site posted

(A)(B)(C)

(A) Behaviour changed(B) Attitude changed(C) Awareness increased

Copyright Jim R. Macnamara

No cost Low cost

‘Top 10’ PR Research Tools

Surveys Interviews (self administered) Feedback forms/mini surveys (eg.

at events, in publications)

Media Content Analysis (incl. DIY software programs)

Web analysis of visits & info downloads

Response mechanisms (1800 numbers; competitions, etc)

Pre-testing (eg focus gps, PDFs) Case studies Consultative or advisory groups Secondary data (existing research)

‘TOP 10’ RESEARCHMETHODOLOGIES:



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Vast quantities of research

available on the Web

- often FREE



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Case Studies

Award winning campaigns Often documented in

detail as examples of Best Practice

Can provide important planning info on strategies that work Eg. product recall

strategies, crisis communication, etc



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Case studies of

all types are free on the Web



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Consultancy & Advisory Groups Utilise existing groups; or Establish groups for dialogue

They provide a forum for identifying information needs, media preferences, etc

Also provide direct feedback at little or no cost



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PRE-TESTING of

brochures, newsletters,

etc can be done with PDFs



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Response Mechanisms

1800 numbers Coupons, fax-back forms Competitions for reader or viewer entry Quizzes



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Increases in visits &

downloads of info can be tracked

Dates

Web Analysisto track inquiries,

info downloads, etc

Consider specific URLs for PR



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Media Content Analysis



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Media Analysis?

Clippings are quantitative, not qualitative: Include neutral & negative coverage Include competitor & opposition coverage Sometimes in unimportant or irrelevant media, etc

What impacts your target audiences are: Leading/dominant positive & negatives messages ‘Share of voice’ compared with competitors & opponents Total audience reached (‘Impressions’ / ‘Opportunities to

See’) Reaching specific targets (audiences or markets) Trends over time (ie. repetition and consistency)

COMauditCOMauditVersion 2.0

Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP

®COMauditCOMauditVersion 2.0

Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP

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Part of a specialist suite of PR & communication research tools …

Jim R. Macnamara

UK199499-8797-01

US$495once only

price

US$495once only

price



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xxx



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Interviews & Surveys

Interviews can be low-cost DIY Surveys can measure:

Awareness Attitudes Needs

• What do they want to know? Preferences

• How do they want to receive it? Changes in awareness or attitude

• Before & after for benchmarking

Events, publications, employee communication, etc

Available at low cost – 10 PROforma survey questionnaires

on MASS COMaudit®)

COMauditCOMauditVersion 2.0

Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP

®COMauditCOMauditVersion 2.0

Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP

®



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Even FREE public domain surveys available



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Shared & Omnibus Surveys

Include PR questions in market, brand & customer research Q. What sources of information do you rely on for

information? Rank• Ads, editorial articles, Web, etc

Q. What messages do you recall about the brand • Ad imagery, facts, testimonials, experiences such as

events, etc



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PR Research

Is possible at low cost & even no cost And takes little time for basic planning and evaluation



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The Real Barriers to Measurement

PR has been/is process & outputs focussed; lack of strategic commitment to outcomes Information dissemination Focus on quantitative measures – eg. clippings Using ‘bad science’ measures such as AVEs

Lack of SMART objectives Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely

Lack of knowledge of research Lack of a research culture in PR Reliance on experience & ‘gut feel’



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To NOT do measurement …

Is not communicating As there is no evidence of impact or outcomes

Is irresponsible Investors’ and taxpayers’ funds are spent without

accountability

Is possibly unethical?



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The Key to the Future

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? Corporate Citizenship? Reputation management? These also are

processes and outputs Not an end in themselves

What is the OUTCOME all companies & organisations seek

??



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Sustainability

Corporate sustainability Organisational sustainability Government sustainability National sustainability Economic sustainability Environmental sustainability Human sustainability



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Public Relations

Builds mutual understanding with communities Enhances relationships Maintains ‘permission to operate’

These are valuable & indispensible contributions to businesses, organisations & governments



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PR Measurement

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Awareness ofrestructure

Supportrestructure

Prefer newstructure to old

RESTRUCTURE COMMUNICATION 2000-2001

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Conclusions – Call to Action

International intellectual leadership by IPRA National PR bodies should make research &

evaluation a top priority in training Educators should increase focus on

research in PR & communication courses Practitioners need to rise to the challenge

To be COMMUNICATORS Achieving demonstrable OUTCOMES

FREE info & paper

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macnamara

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