***** 1. What role should public relations play in integrated marketing communications and why?

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***** Executive Summary The multifaceted nature of public relations in engaging an organisation in two-way communications with all of its publics ensures that its role in integrated marketing communications (IMC) is one of variety and strategic leadership and one that makes use of all of its skills. It is also an advantageous perspective from which to analyse the abilities of public relations (PR) to communicate with an organisations publics in an efficient and costeffective manner, especially when compared to the traditional marketing mix.

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Contents 1. Introduction 2. A definition of integrated marketing communications 3. The role of public relations in the marketing mix 4. Where does public relations sit within IMC? 5. Cost considerations of IMC 6. An organisation and its publics 7. The benefits of public relations in IMC a. Credibility b. Reach c. Creativity 8. Conclusions 9. Recommendations 10. Appendix 1 11. Bibliography

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Introduction How PR fits into the theory of IMC, and which skills and functions of PR are transferred for use within IMC, are mirror images of PR as a whole. This appraisal of the role of PR in IMC will demonstrate the inherent value of the everyday skills of PR and the broad extent to which they can be applied in IMC to achieve communication and bottom line objectives. Definition of Integrated Marketing Communications IMC is a concept of marketing communications planning that represents the added value of a comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communications disciplines general advertising, direct response, sales promotion, and public relations and combines these disciplines to provide clarity, consistency, and maximum communication impact. (Caywood et al. 1991, cited in Caywood 1997:xiv). The key word in this definition and others across the spectrum of IMC scholars appears to be communication. A term very much associated with the strategic function of public relations (PR); as per Harlows 1976 definition of PR which highlights the effort of PR strategy to achieve mutually beneficial lines of communication between an organisation and its publics (Tench & Yeomans, 1996:4). It would seem that the role of PR in the overall IMC mix is one of generous proportions. The role of public relations in the marketing mix The dominance of advertising is over...public relations is quietly becoming the most powerful marketing communications tool. (Kotler et al. 2008:761). This reflection of the contribution of PR to the marketing mix is one which highlights the elements of the PR function that are winning customers and retaining consumers in ways that advertising or direct marketing cannot. Kotler et al. (2008) particularly highlight the credibility factor of PR and its ability to reach non-sales oriented audiences. In also reflecting on its under-use in the marketing mix they imply that IMC may be a greater platform within which PR can shine. Furthermore, examining marketing communications beyond the four Ps of the marketing mix, and rather as an integrated method of communication pulling on all the best skills of the individual disciplines, reinforces how PRs role goes far beyond that of one-way information communication and publicity as put forward by Cole (2004).
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***** This concept it further demonstrated by Schultz et al. (1992) as put forward by Baker (2000). Their suggestion to a shift from the four Ps to the four Cs sees PRs role in the fourth P of Promotion rise from one-way publicity elements to the two-way field of Communications. (See Appendix 1). PRs role in IMC under the remit of Communications enables it to work to its fullest potential and in accordance with the definitions of PR set out by Harlow and the CIPR as well as the methodology of two-way symmetrical communication set out by Grunig and Hunt (1994). This is exemplary of the Kotler quote above and how in utilising its communications skills, PR can lead the way in IMC. Where does public relations sit within IMC? Integrated marketing communications...will permit PR to take the leadership role it deserves based upon the range and depth of the field, its attention to multiple stakeholder groups, and its experience and strength using communication as an important management tool. (Caywood, 1997:xiv) The fundamental nature of PR to communicate with all an organisations publics, from the CEO to employees and potential and current customers provides a thoroughly strong footing for its role in IMC. Its understanding of wants and needs as well monitoring of factors that may affect how an organisation functions, markets itself, or may indeed cause an organisation to change, means that PR is perhaps best positioned to lead the strategic IMC function. Furthermore, the desire to follow models such as that of two-way symmetry presented by Grunig and Hunt (1994) demonstrates that PR could ensure effective communication within and across the various disciplines involved in IMC. Cost considerations of IMC The move to IMC has been accelerated by the need for companies to do a more effective, more cost-efficient job than ever before to survive in the increasingly competitive worldwide marketplace. (Caywood, 1997:92) Considering this quote and that PR essentially costs nothing, other than overheads, to perform its function, there is no doubt that PRs role in IMC especially if it has a prominent role will enable an organisation to better engage its publics and at a fraction of the cost;

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***** especially when compared to using the separate elements of marketing, advertising and public relations for the same purpose. An organisation and its publics PR can play an important strategic role in managing organisational relationships with external and internal stakeholder groups whose support may be crucial to organisational success. (Kitchen & de Pelsmacker, 2004:80). The concept of building and maintaining relationships through two-way communication is one only associated with PR. Both marketing and advertising, with their aims to target the end consumer, are involved to all intent and purpose in one-way communication of information. The advantage for PR, in the context of IMC, is that it is best placed to sensitize the company to the concerns and interests of all the companys stakeholders...identifying issues and interpreting changes (Harris, 1999:23). PR is, therefore, vital to ensuring that IMC strategy and that of the organisation continues to meet the requirements of all organisational publics and creates a continuum of communication between them. The benefits of public relations in IMC When the functional areas of a public relations department are integrated, all of the companys communications resonate among all of it publics. (Caywood, 1997:418). This reflects the far reaching nature of PRs communication skills and the value of its ability to build relationships with a number of publics on the behalf of the organisation. Hence its invaluable role in any IMC function. The following elements and results of PR efforts further demonstrate the value it brings to IMC. Credibility

As identified by Harris (1999:233), when a consumer gains interest in a product, service or brand through an editorial mention the message sticks. This stickiness is the result of third party endorsement by a publication or broadcaster, which makes the concept more believable and attractive than if it only reaches the consumer via an advertising or sales message. PR is the only element of IMC that can stimulate such stickiness for an organisation.
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***** Reach

PR has the ability to target a broader range of publics than advertising because it does not cost anymore, than additional time, to distribute key messages to 100 or 150 different media outlets, for example. While there is the associated problem of greater wastage; more chances for the organisational message to reach its audiences are created. Therefore, PR has the broadest reach of any of the IMC elements and could have a greater impact on response or sales. Moreover, as Yaverbaum (2006:21) notes the better your PR visibility, the more your other marketing communications efforts will pull in responses. Creativity

Whatever the core message of an IMC campaign, part of the PR toolkit is the ability to sell-in the message in a creative fashion that entices the writer or editor of the target publication or broadcast. Being forced to tell your product story in a more engaging manner (Yaverbaum, 2006:314) creates greater opportunity for the message to be picked up both by the third party media and the reader or listener. Although PR lacks complete control over how exactly the message is conveyed and when, because of the involvement of a third party, its strength is having established relationships with media producers to tell the story to in the first place. This in turn improves the chances of the message reaching the wider, more easily believing audiences. Conclusions The combined skills of PR and the credibility it achieves and attracts set it apart from the functions of marketing and advertising in the marketing mix. This ensures that its role in IMC is one of invaluable proportions making use of established relationships, breadth of reach and credibility to support the overall IMC strategy and enhance the one-way communications of its parallel skills marketing and advertising. Recommendations It is clear that the intrinsic communication element of PR lends itself to the ideology of IMC in adding value and providing maximum communication impact. PRs ability to reach a broader range of publics than its fellow marketing communication tools and similarly to keep abreast of environmental issues and changes that may affect overall organisational strategy puts PR in a prominent position within IMC. The PR toolkit of skills should be harnessed by IMC practitioners in order to achieve strategic and bottom line objectives.

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Appendix 1 The 4Cs framework (Tench & Yeoman, 2006:512, adapted from Fill 2002)

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Bibliography Baker, M J (2002) The Marketing Book (5th ed.), Butterworth-Heinemann Brannan, T (1995) A Practical Guide to Integrated Marketing Communications (2nd ed.), Kogan Page Caywood, C L (1997) The Handbook of Strategic Public Relations & Integrated Communications, McGraw Hill Professional Cole, G A (2004) Management Theory and Practice (6th ed.), Thomson Learning Harris, T L (1999) Value-added Public Relations, McGraw-Hill Professional Heath, R L & Vasquez, G M (ed.) (2001) Handbook of Public Relations, Sage Kitchen, PJ & de Pelsmacker, P (2004) Integrated Marketing Communications, Routledge Kotler, P et al. (2008) Principles of Marketing (5th ed.), Pearson Education Ltd. Lancaster, G et al. (2002) Essentials of Marketing, McGraw Hill Oliver, S (2004 ) Handbook of Corporate Communication and Public Relations: Pure and Applied, Routledge Oliver, S (2008) Public Relations Strategy (2nd ed.), Kogan Page Tench & Yeomans (2006) Exploring Public Relations, FT Prentice Hall Theaker, A (2004) The Public Relations Handbook (2nd ed.), Routledge Yaverbaum, et al. (2006) Public Relations for Dummies (2nd ed.), Wiley Publishing Inc. Yeshin, T & Chartered Institute of Marketing (1998) Integrated Marketing Communications: The Holistic Approach, Butterworth-Heinemann Online Top 50 consumer consultancies, PR Week, Alex Black 8 April 2008 http://www.prweek.com/uk/home/article/808106/ News Analysis: MTV bids to close generation gap, PR Week, Adam Hill 21 March 2007 http://www.prweek.com/uk/search/article/644926/NEWS-ANALYSIS-MTV-bids-closegeneration-gap/ Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications

http://jimc.medill.northwestern.edu/JIMCWebsite/site.htm

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