Public relations today: same old, same old…

Public relations today: same old, same old…

Philippe Caillet

Philippe Caillet

We have all heard people saying that PR has been “turned upside down” by social media or that traditional PR is dead. But, is it?

Since the very beginning, the aim of Public Relations has been to manage reputation of an individual or an organisation. Has the goal changed? No, it is still very much the same.

That said, one thing has indeed changed: the tools. It is just like how PR has evolved with new technologies; when the telephone became widely spread, when the fax arrived in every office or when computers and email quickened the exchange of information (do you remember the time when PRs would hand write envelopes to send press releases?). This is why, today, any PR professional has to integrate social media into its portfolio of tools - just like they did for all the previous technologies - and decide whether or not it is the right communication channel for their tactics.

Yes, social media has transformed reputation management. The influence hubs have shifted away from traditional media and the information lifecycle is shorter than ever. Take, for example, the speed at which Google’s leaked financial results were commented on this week. This is now a real-time process and this is where PR consultants can have their say, especially as the core of their skills is handling the media.

So, what does that mean for agencies today? Tune in, turn on or drop out! Accept that technology changes, but keep on doing the same job - managing the perception consumers have of their clients, as we have done for almost two centuries.

Share this story:

Read more from the blog

Resolutions
Blog

Creating realistic resolutions that stick

We’ve reached that time of year where everyone is just about focussed on the new year ahead, already thinking about their New Year’s resolutions in the hope that this is the year they’ll be able to stick to them longer than a few weeks. We hear the phrase, ‘New year, new me’, as we make […] ...Read more

Claire Walker
Claire Walker
chatbot
Blog

“Can I just speak to a real person, please?” - the rebrand of the chatbot

How many times have we uttered these words in defeat during the festive season? After hours of trying to decrypt the magic combination of ‘yesses’ and ‘nos’ in a chatbot window while online shopping, desperately trying to reach the inbox of a human employee. Well, if you believe the AI industry’s announcements, come the new […] ...Read more

Lottie Bulmer
Lottie Bulmer
Blog

The rise of the tech “LinkedInfluencer”

LinkedIn turned twenty years old in 2023 and has undergone much transformation within its two decades. Once purely a place to find and list jobs, as well as connect with peers, the platform has morphed into something more akin to Instagram, or Facebook. It’s no longer just a professional networking site, but a social media […] ...Read more

Rebecca Graham
Rebecca Graham

Add a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Is it time to shape your reputation?

We operate in London, Paris and Munich, and have a network of like-minded partners across the globe.

Get in touch

Sign up to Spark, our newsletter

Receive thought pieces from our leadership team, views on the news, tool of the month and light relief for comms folk

You can unsubscribe at any time, please read our privacy policy for more information