Something we've observed at PR News in recent years: We don't see "PR" in job titles quite as often as we used to. One reason may be that so few communicators today are restricted to traditional PR functions like media relations and crisis management. In 2017 they are tasked with so much more, from content creation and social media management to email marketing and brand development.
We asked PR News' Twitter audience to let us know if their titles reflect this trend. Some respondents said they've seen a shift toward "marketing," "digital" and "social" in their own titles and in those of their peers, while others see "communications" as the broad umbrella under which PR functions live in 2017. One respondent has even experimented with plugging in and removing "marketing" from his title to aid in client list building.
Additionally, a few respondents stressed the importance of "owning" PR in 2017 by sticking with their PR titles.
Some of your initial thoughts are below:
@PRNews It's evolved. "Communications" has recently enveloped it in a broad sense. But every org defines it differently anyway.
— Eric M. Gewirtz (@ericgewiz)
My thoughts? PR may need its own PR. Often seen as an older way of doing things.
— Maree Jones (@mareejones)
@PRNews I've seen "Communications" and "Marketing Communications." I find them more accurate, honestly - PR is much more than just media relations.
— Dan Jensen (@dansjensen)
@taylorjvandyke @PRNews Completely understand-I only recently removed marketing from mine. It helped with signing on clients in my 1st few yrs of going #solopr
— Teague Branding (@TeagueBranding)
@PRNews Our firm has a team of communications strategists!
— Olivia Adams (@OliviaAdamsPR)
@PRNews I still believe PR titles are common, but now there are many alternatives like social strategists, digital content, etc.
— Sarah Miller (@sarahmillerpr)
@PRNews Communications, IMC, media, digital are more common. Also seen a few fluffier ones like storyteller.
— Jesse Ghiorzi (@jesseghiorzi)
@PRNews Basically [insert wide subset of PR industry] + specialist = job title.
— Lori Lawson (@L_x_3)
We followed up by asking the PR News community: Should communicators drop the "PR" from their titles to project a more modern skill set? Or do communicators need to give the role of PR some positive publicity by continuing to include it in their titles? Be sure to tweet your ideas to @PRNews—we'll retweet our favorites.