Titles of public relations professionals and the functions they
oversee are changing across America, though at an incremental rate.
In corporations, the term "public relations" is becoming less common.
In its place are terms such as "corporate communications" and
"corporate relations." For positions with a heavy media focus, the
term "media relations" appears to be gaining ground.
At most PR agencies, the change in titles has to do more with
hierarchical titles, than with the name of function, per se. The
traditional account executive/account supervisor/vice president
progression of job titles appears to be holding its own today,
although staff titles are changing at some of the larger firms and at
firms with a high-tech specialization.
PR On The Wane?
Dennis Signorovitch, vice president of public affairs at Allied
Signal Aerospace, Torrance, Calif., is among those executives who have
seen a shift away from public relations in job titles and department
titles at corporations. "There seems to be a waning of the use of the
public relations term," he said. "Even on the agency side, you'll
find a lot of titles like corporate communications and corporate image
consulting."
Backing up Signorovitch's point, the world's largest PR firm,
Burson-Marsteller, refers to itself as a "perception management" firm.
"I'm certain that the title of public relations is one that is
being used less, because it connotes perhaps something narrower than
corporate communications or than corporate relations--or even than
public affairs," said Matt Gonring, vice president of corporate
communications at USG Corp., Chicago.
Among terms for corporate titles that seem to be on the rise are
"corporate relations" and "integrated communications," he added.
Coors Brewing Co. is one of the major U.S. corporations which no
longer uses the term public relations in any titles. Among the titles
at the Golden, Colo.-based company covering public relations
responsibilities are "corporate relations" and "corporate
communications," said Nancy Bartley, communications manager.
Marketing is receiving increased emphasis from a communications
standpoint at Coors. Two new classes of communications positions at
the brewer show how the communications emphasis at many corporations
is beginning to focus on marketing. Newly created "marketing
communications" and "distributor and sales communication" jobs put a
stronger focus on marketing than was possible when some of these
responsibilities were handled by the corporate communications
department, said Bartley.
New Agency Titles
While the title trend at corporations has been characterized
mostly by its turn away from the term "public relations," there appear
to be two trends at agencies.
One is the adding of titles to make it easier to promote
individuals. "I think I've seen agencies create more job titles [e.g.
senior account supervisor] in order to give their employees...an
increase in title more
quickly," said Ted Chaloner, of Boston-based PR executive recruiting
firm.
Chaloner Associates Inc.
The other trend is the adoption of titles that evolved first in
management consulting and other professional service businesses, such
as law and accounting firms.
For example, "managing director" is becoming popular at top 10 PR
firms, particularly those with British ownership (Burson-Marsteller,
Hill and Knowlton and Shandwick). Many high-tech and boutique firms
are oting for the titles of "associate" or "principal" for mid- and
high-level staffers. These terms also are common in management
consulting and other professional firms.
Using these titles, PR agencies are better able to position
themselves as consultants, "rather than as transactional people"
carrying out narrow tactical tasks, said Sharon Voros, vice president
of corporate communications at PR executive recruiting firm Paul Ray
Berndtson, Fort Worth, Texas.
But at many small- and mid-sized PR firms, the traditional title
structure remains intact. The standard account executive/account
supervisor/vice president model works well at his 25-person firm, said
Hal Dash, president of Cerrell Associates Inc., Los Angeles.
(Allied Signal, 310/323-9500; USG, 312/606-4000; Coors,
303/279-6565; Chaloner, 617/451-5170; Paul Ray Berndtson,
817/334-0500; Cerrell, 213/466-3445)