How effective are the world’s leading public relations firms at promoting and managing their own brands?
Dow Jones has measured the media coverage of PR firms both globally and in the U.S., compiling a list of the large and midsize firms that generated the most media attention during 2010. Worldwide, Hill & Knowlton and Frank Public Relations drew top media coverage volume for large and midsize agencies, respectively. In the U.S., Hill & Knowlton and Allison & Partners topped the respective lists (see the charts below for the full U.S. results).
PR News asked some of the top PR media hounds about their strategies behind this outreach, and what types of stories resonate best with the media. Not surprisingly, thought leadership is a major part of their efforts, and it isn’t just client wins that garner the most media attention.
SHOW PR’S VALUE
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| Which PR agencies practice the media relations strategies they preach to their clients? To find out, Dow Jones tracked print mentions of large- and medium-size agencies in 2010. Source: Dow Jones |
“A significant part of our 2010 campaign was providing experts to talk to various topics, as we feel there is a great value in providing reporters perspectives for issues relevant to their industry beats,” says Lori Robinson, H&K’s SVP and director of marketing, and the one most responsible for U.S. media outreach. “We found that our greatest success was where we provided quality insights.”
However, that strategy can be problematic, continues Robinson. “The hardest pitch is for categories where there are numerous experts who are offering up their opinions,” she says.
SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE
At Allison & Partners, Lauren Selikoff, chief marketing officer, finds that new client wins are the easiest stories to pitch. “PR pros are a competitive bunch, and we love to know who won what,” says Selikoff.
It’s the stories that don’t fit neatly into a particular “bucket” that are problematic, she says. “Almost every account in our agency has a cross office/cross practice team that brings different strategies to the table, so it’s often challenging to peg something as a ‘consumer story’ or a ‘technology story,’” says Selikoff.
Social media, although widely covered, can also be challenging to pitch, continues Selikoff. “We integrate social media into each and every account, it can be challenging for us pull the ‘social media’ story from a fully integrated effort,” she says.
It’s social media outreach that has proven successful for Makovsky + Company. According to Ken Makovsky, president of the agency, its blogs have been picked up by major media outlets, including Chief Executive magazine. “We place a great deal of importance on thought leadership, content that adds real value for our audience,” says Makovsky. “More informative pieces, rather than transactional stories —account wins, new hires—draw the most attention.”
Putting PR media coverage in perspective, Robinson says it’s best to walk the talk. “Think about what you would tell a client to do, and then adopt that strategy for your agency.” Words of wisdom, indeed. PRN
CONTACT:
Lori Robinson, [email protected]; Lauren Selikoff, [email protected]; Ken Makovsky, [email protected].