Campaign development

1. Testing the brief through independent research should help to clarify the situation before a strategic approach is considered. Independent research on product sectors or interest areas may be obtained from independent research organizations such as Mintel^*, and forecasting or trend information is available from organizations such as The Henley Centre. Focus groups may be used for qualitative analysis, and one’s own straw polls or ‘dipstick’ research may also be carried out to test the validity of the brief or a general approach.

2. A simple starting point for developing a situation analysis is a careful examination of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the product and/or organization – SWOT analysis. Think of this analysis as the ‘balance sheet’ of the proposition from which the key messages and a strategic approach may begin to be developed. In developing a strategy and/or an approach, keep it as simple as possible and consider not just the current status, but also the future direction of the organization and/or its product.

Diagnosing the solution

	Current		Future
Reality	Where are we?	Management of change →	Where do we want to be?
	↑ Current perceptual gap ↓		no gap
Image	How are we seen?	Comms* →	How we want to be seen?

Once the overall approach is determined, shape the campaign by brainstorming tactics which best support the strategy in a creative but practical way and, where possible, support tactical recommendations with facts, e.g. market research, forecasts, trends, logistical research etc.

There is an old saying that no idea is new. Indeed, many tools of the trade using public relations in the marketing mix are employed over and over again, camouflaged under different creative themes, with different media and with varying spin-off activity. The aim should be to determine which combination of tools and creative executions will deliver the most impact, i.e. meet or exceed the objectives set in the first place.

Marketing challenges come in all shapes and sizes. Traditionally, public relations has been used to hype new products, events and new developments. However, today’s marketing professional is more sophisticated and has come to realize that PR can do much more than create a flurry of editorial coverage resulting in increased awareness and share of voice. Public relations in the marketing mix is becoming an increasingly sophisticated tool which, in a measured approach, can be used to steer public opinion over time to re-position the image of an organization, build interest in or even create a pre-disposition to purchase a product, or stimulate word-of-mouth.

The role of public relations in the marketing mix continues to grow as its cost-effectiveness and ability to deliver measureable impact increases. PR still is used in traditional ways, such as providing a big bang^** for a new product launch, but public relations practitioners increasingly are accountable for delivering results.