The Thomas L. Harris/Impulse Research Public Relations survey for 1998 again points to the variety of disciplines - from media training to labor relations - being spearheaded by communicators. The chart below shows where resources are being allocated:
| PR Work Done In-House vs. Assigned to Agencies | ||||
|
|
|
Agency | In-House |
% Cos. that perform this work |
| 1 | Media training | 69% | 31% | 82% |
| 2 | Primary research | 57% | 43% | 73% |
| 3 | Graphic design | 52% | 48% | 76% |
| 4 | International PR | 44% | 56% | 54% |
| 5 | Media relations | 43% | 57% | 93% |
| 6 | Consumer marketing | 41% | 59% | 65% |
| 7 | Special events | 40% | 60% | 84% |
| 8 | Measurement of results | 39% | 61% | 71% |
| 9 | Sports/entertainment marketing | 38% | 62% | 33% |
| 10 | Strategic counsel | 37% | 63% | 84% |
| 11 | Secondary research | 36% | 64% | 72% |
| 12 | Ethnic marketing | 34% | 66% | 31% |
| 13 | Reputation management | 31% | 69% | 66% |
| 14 | Crisis management | 29% | 71% | 81% |
| 15 | Online communications | 26% | 74% | 76% |
| Source: Thomas L. Harris/Impulse Research | ||||
On the Radar Screen
Post Headline Hits the Mark On Lewinsky's Lamenting
The New York Post had one of the best headlines -"Monica has no choice but to spin and bear it" - in its Sept. 16 issue and the prose that accompanied the piece was equally as cheeky. In fact, it also included some advice from PR pro Frank Mankiewicz, who recommended, "Get married, change your name, move to the suburbs and put on 30 pounds." His other star advice? "Take the veil, become a nun."
We doubt, however, that the Catholic Church is calling anytime soon.
Arthur Page Society Conference Takes a Poke at Big Government
The IRS is still reeling from the blow it took when congressional hearings looked into the federal body's modus operandi of auditing Americans. Now, the Arthur W. Page Society takes on, during its annual conference Oct. 4-6 in Naples, Fla., how the federal government affects American business. The swank venue, the Ritz Carlton, and big names like Larry Speakes, Howard Baker and James Carville are part of the draw. Reservations can be made through the hotel, 941/598-3300 or the society; call Ann McDonald, 212/287-4259.
Trends & Ideas
More reason for your CEO to be to-the-point in front of the TV strobes: A survey by Restivo Communications, Augusta, Ga., shows that the average sound bite on network news is under eight seconds. There are several exceptions, including National Public Radio and CNN, but still the pithier, the better. (Restivo, 706/854-1350)
On another note, the Clinton/Lewinsky tryst has been parsed from every angle and the notion that the media's been too long (and too much) in overdrive has been tossed around a lot, but The Freedom Forum and Newseum is trying to put the debate to rest. Findings from a "Media Studies Center" poll conducted Aug. 18-23 reveals that 62 percent of the media coverage has been fair, but 62 percent think the story is overcovered. (FreedomForum.org)
Business Moves
- Hitting the pinnacle: Gerhart L. Klein, executive VP of Marlton, N.J.-based Anne Klein & Associates, starts his two-year term as president of Pinnacle Worldwide Inc., an international network of independent PR firms. (Anne Klein, 609/988-6560)
- BM change at the top: Ken Rietz, global practice chair for public affairs for Burson-Marsteller, was named CEO for Europe, replacing Ferry de Bakker, who moved on to head the firm's Asian practice. John Smith, who was serving as interim CEO, resumes his role as head of BM's healthcare practice. (BM, 212/614-4082)
- PR conglomerate GCI Group, New York, opens a new office in Warsaw, Poland, and becomes the 43rd worldwide office for the company. The new office is headed by Magdalena Marzec-Mroz. (GCI, 212/546-1617)
- Marketing solutions contender Snyder Communications, Inc., Bethesda, Md., acquires MKM Marketing, GmbH, a leading German pharmaceutical marketing organization. (Snyder, 301/571-6270)