Bravehearts are leading the march of Real & Scientific PR Measurement

PR Measurement, Data & Analytics is a sea that merges into the ocean of Corporate Brand Reputation Management. It is certainly not equal to the month-end report that we use to showcase our Share of Voice ranks and evaluate tonality, geographic presence, spokesperson visibility, and so on.

Measurement is a huge and complex mesh of assembly line that traverses along the nine cogs of the Communications Chakra – also referred to as Account Planning. To own and leverage measurement, Corporate Communication Clients need to be secure and have clarity, intent, and stamina. In short, one needs to be brave-hearted! The good news is that the count of such Bravehearted clients is increasing gradually.

Why should putting your PR communication initiatives through the scanner of PR measurement and third-party audits demand such immense courage? After all, this journey entails not only the boldness to confront unadorned realities but also the readiness to be appraised based on impartial data. It might even influence performance incentives. Ultimately, it requires a perspective that considers the cost of engaging a measurement partner as an investment rather than a mere expenditure.

Intriguingly, a surge of clients is emerging who ardently believe that their monthly PR communication endeavors should undergo measurement and audits facilitated by an external and neutral entity—someone who grasps the intricacies of the client’s business terrain, the consultancy’s role, and the delicate dynamics of brand communication within the realm of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC).

Recognising that incorporating PR measurement and audits into an organisation’s communication framework necessitates patience, change, and sacrifice is paramount. This journey is anything but effortless.

Drawing from interactions with professionals across the business, a composite of traits and thought processes distinguishes a true braveheart. This individual champions a comprehensive approach where an organisation’s PR communication management aligns with a neutral third-party for measurement and audits:

Distinguishing Brand Presence from Chasing Headlines: These clients recognise that PR surpasses monetary value, emphasising the creation and consolidation of brand acceptance and resilience.

Respecting Distinct Roles and Functions: The value lies in clear role demarcation. C-suite executives establish business and communication objectives, PR consultancies execute strategies, and third-party measurement and audit providers offer unbiased evaluations.

Collaboration over Isolation: The emphasis is on collaboration. All stakeholders—the client, PR consultancy, and measurement provider—work in harmony, not in isolation.

Discerning Tracking from Evaluation: The braveheart discerns the substantial difference between routine PR tracking/monitoring and comprehensive measurement and audits.

Shifting from Advertising Value to Scientific Metrics: Over time, this client dismisses outdated metrics like Equivalent Advertising Values (EAVs) in favor of more precise measurements.

Fortifying Client-Consultancy Relationships: Measurement and audit providers are seen as partners strengthening relationships, not mere auditors.

Promoting Data-Driven Strategy: Clients encourage their PR consultancies to leverage data for research, analysis, and strategic planning.

Evaluation by Neutral Data: Performance assessment hinges on data supplied by neutral third-party measurement and audit services.

Embracing Incentives and Consequences: Bravehearts acknowledge that performance incentives can fluctuate based on impartial data.

Scientific PR for In-House Teams: This approach is seen as the most dependable means of engaging non-PR stakeholders within the organisation.

Challenging conventions, embracing evaluation through neutral third parties, allowing external metrics to shape departmental appraisals, redefining the expectations of PR consultancies—these endeavors exemplify the spirit of a braveheart. Change is arduous, yet the heartening news is the growing ranks of these courageous individuals. Their presence propels the business forward, forging a future that is not only faster but also more vibrant.

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Siddhartha Mukherjee

Siddhartha is the founder of Brand Balance that helps the C-suite & CCO collective optimize its Brand Reputation Management ERPs (efforts, resources & processes) across stakeholders. His professional mission is to establish the Corporate Communications function as the only engine towards brand reputation and valuation success.

Before setting up Brand Balance, a neutral organization, his past 23 years of holistic learning curve includes leadership roles across all the three sides of the industry – corporate communications, communications firms and as a business head of a brand data analytics, audit, research & measurement global behemoth. During spare time, he bikes across the Indian highways, writes articles, consults students & professionals and teaches at media and business schools.