Have you debated the merits of having your public relations and advertising agencies work together on your brand's behalf? Have you tried it in the past, but found the results less than satisfactory? Or are you thinking of venturing into this new territory, but are unsure how to proceed?
Too often, public relations and advertising teams work separately on the same brand, never having the chance to share thoughts, strategies and information. The result can be disparate messages for the same product - a dangerous situation in an already cluttered marketplace. Given that public relations and advertising are trying to reach all or some of the same audiences, imagine the kinds of synergies that might arise if their expertise were combined.
You may find that hiring separate public relations and advertising agencies - versus hiring a company that has both in its fold - adds dimension and depth to your program. Bringing together new faces and personalities can strike a creative spark, bringing your product to a level that it otherwise might not have reached. Regardless of whether the agencies are affiliated, however, bringing your public relations and advertising teams together can produce results that are much greater than the sum of the parts.
Recognizing Agency Expertise
The first step to bringing your advertising and public relations teams together is to understand what each team brings in terms of experience and capabilities. There will be a number of activities that clearly fall into the realm of either advertising or public relations. For example, the advertising team will be creating much of your imagery - such as advertising and direct mail - while the public relations team will develop a program of media events and third-party partnerships.
Collaborating on 'Gray' Areas
But there are many "gray areas" that either agency could handle, or that would benefit from a collaborative effort. Consider its potential. Areas where your teams can work particularly effectively together include product positioning and message development, issues and crises communications, and market research and product naming.
It is important that the client take the lead when making decisions about how the advertising and public relations teams will work together. The decisions will not always be clear-cut. Projects such as Web site development, internal communications and medical meeting support may be seen by both teams as their domain. When it comes to these gray areas, how do you decide which team will get the assignment?
- Know your objectives. Have an idea of what you're looking for, but also keep an open mind about the breadth of tactical approaches that you can use to your advantage.
- Know what each agency wants to do. Ask open-ended questions, such as, "What do you do well?" The teams' replies will help you determine assignments. For example, if one team cites Web site development as a strength but doesn't mention media outreach, chances are your Web site is better off with that team. Meanwhile, media outreach may be better off with a team that specifically cites that ability.
- Look at the bottom line. Only after the above steps have been taken should you evaluate each team based on price. Going through all of these steps can help eliminate hidden costs, and help ensure you have distributed the assignments in an optimal way.
Moving forward
Once you have your teams in place, a few simple rules can help ensure that your project will run smoothly and successfully:
1. Establish a communications pathway. Put a system in place at the start of a program that clearly lays out each team's responsibilities, and in cases of collaboration, which agency will take the lead. This avoids mixed messages and miscommunications that can contaminate a campaign. This policy worked quite successfully for Edelman Healthcare and the advertising agency Abelson Taylor, who collaborated from start to finish on a pharmaceutical launch campaign. The early synergy led to strong client/agency relationships, and set the stage for uniform understanding of the product throughout the campaign.
2. Demand trust. It is vital that each team respect and have trust in its counterpart. When turf concerns are properly managed, great things can happen. "It is important that everyone remembers why they are at the table: to advance the client's product in the marketplace," says Dale Taylor, president and CEO of Abelson Taylor.
3. Share information. Make it clear that your advertising and public relations teams should be sharing information as it is gathered. This can include the current marketing and medical thinking and shifts in brand direction. This not only will ensure that your messages are consistent and accurate, it also will foster a trusting relationship between the teams.
4. Ensure that your system encourages personal relationships. A good business relationship still depends on personal chemistry. If the PR and advertising teams are going to work together successfully, one or two people from each firm should be designated liaisons to foster relations on a personal level.
Nancy Turett is President of Consumer and Healthcare, New York, at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide (212/704-8195). Her co-author for this month's column, Joan Spivak, is Executive VP and Managing Director, Life Sciences, The Americas, for Edelman Healthcare Worldwide (212/704-8184).