...Fortunately despite this game-change, some fundamentals remain. Such as the ever-increasing need and value in having a strong ‘hook’. The centre piece of any PR story worth its salt, the hook is designed to appeal to consumers’ interests and identity, and encourage them to spread the video/article/photo/tweet/post to their networks, and their networks and their networks. Otherwise, just like offering a journalist a story without an angle, it will see as much airtime as a has-been pop star. And it’s because of this ‘hook’ that I think it’s an interesting time to be in public relations.
What has been a PR staple ever since it made its debut in the early 1900s, appears to have gone marketing mainstream. In fact, it was Jim Paul, EVP of Weber Shandwick who said at a recent Holmes Report round-table event among ex-marketers and advertisers, “Whatever we used to do was to get attention; we didn’t think about who was going to cover it! Who cares about who covers it, it’s a great idea! Well, that’s not the world we live in: It’s now come up with a great idea that also has a hook that people will carry and get out there and get impressions. So that battle between “great idea” and “we have a job to do” is something I definitely need to get up to speed with.”
Touché! This is both thrilling and terrifying for PR. Thrilling because its appears as if its bread and butter has reached a tipping point; terrifying because creating relevant, engaging and compelling content is no longer just its domain; it’s everyone’s within the marketing mix. The opportunity this creates, or challenge depending on how one views it, is for PR to integrate its best practice, through-the-line, so that a sharable story which strongly resonates with its audience is at the heart of the next ‘The Big Idea’....
An interesting POV on impact of social media on PR and business.