| PR’s
role in brand management
Most companies today are concerned about brand
management. Put simply brand management means
associating positive values with a given brand
– such as trust, integrity, value, etc.
Depending on the brand, it may be promoted as
value for money, premium, exclusive, durable,
strong, etc. Nevertheless, brand management
is not about a simple one-line epithet about
a brand. Rather, it includes many different
ways of distinguishing a brand and positioning
it uniquely in consumer mindsets.
This is where Public Relations enters the fray.
Public Relations is a sophisticated, subtle
way of projecting products and brands into the
consumer mind. The difference between advertising
and PR is that, while advertising relies on
purchased space, PR actually makes news. By
highlighting newsworthy developments, launches
and appointments, a comprehensive PR campaign
will ensure that the client’s brand maintains
a steady presence in various media. Not only
do features, columns and interviews say more
than a two-line ad blurb about a brand, but
genuine news carries more credibility than paid-for-
space, and sets the stage on which other promotional
activities can be conducted.
PR is not necessarily always aimed at the end
consumer or buyer alone. PR plays a key role
in reaching and influencing those whose opinions
influence end users, commonly referred to as
a firm’s stakeholders. A successful campaign
will use a number of ways to identify and reach
key people and interest groups to advance a
company’s brand presence.
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