How PR Can Cut Through Mass Market Cynicism

PR that’s done just for the sake of 'doing PR' is doomed to fail. Everyone, it seems, needs to be an expert in analysing communications because of the mass explosion of information available. Coupled with today’s skepticism of modern society, you have a very difficult communications environment for any business or organisation. 

Today's audiences are quick to identify what they perceive as 'spin'. Their level of awareness is heightened by the social web. And they will quickly spot manipulation or superficiality. They sniff out and shatter smoke and mirrors. PR initiatives that trigger such alarms will fail. They’ll do your brand, your credibility and your reputation more harm than good in the long run. So, in today’s world, overcoming audience cynicism is a hurdle you have to overcome in order to communicate effectively. And slicing through the clutter is another hurdle to overcome. 

There’s too much information, and too many messages are competing for the attention of audiences with very specific interests and attitudes, and little patience to wade through it all. The public and the media are inundated with information. They have little time to discern who to trust, what products to buy or what services meet their needs. 

PR for show, rather than for a sincere desire to be understood, will be seen as a facade created to gloss over a problem or miscast a version of the truth. Public Relations programs carelessly directed at a mass audience – or not directed at the specific audiences you need to reach – will be lost. Responsible, thoughtful action underlies all credible PR activity. No PR programme, no matter how clever, compelling or brilliantly executed, can create depth for the superficial or cloak failure with success. 

Spin and the Nature of Reputation

Having a reputation for insincerity or for ‘spin’ is very dangerous for organisations. Reputation is king. Why? Not least because customers are drawn to those companies with a positive reputation for product and service quality. And these customers can become advocates and are willing to pay a premium for products or services. Reputation can bolster employee morale and performance, making a company a magnet for talented staff. It can provide a competitive advantage by allowing a company to build relationships with influencers and local communities, which makes it easier to do business in a community. 

That's why at BOTTLE we have a reputation management programme that helps our clients to create a lasting impression through strategic PR programs that sustain, build or change perceptions. It's focused on uncovering what’s different and relevant to the audiences that matter, and building upon company strengths to form the building blocks of reputation.
Put quite simply, if PR doesn’t deliver a credible, different and proof-backed message to the audiences that need and want to hear it, it will fail.

by Claire Cairns, CEO