"Change your stakeholders perceptions,
and you can alter their actions.."

If you have used Public Relations before, you might want to judge our effectiveness on column inches of editorial versus what our fee might have bought in advertising or direct mail.

That is OK with us, because if your product can stand the heat, then we are confident of delivering the goods (whether it is simply increased sales, a higher brand awareness or improved product differentiation).

If you are new to the concept and still not that convinced, we would like to throw in some other things that PR can do that pure advertising cannot. For instance, the way that you can use it as a tool to harness trends and events to create leverage...

...so as to shift public perceptions of you, your company, your product or your service.

This way, you can build the customer loyalty you need to offset price cuts (and preserve margins?). Or call the shots by setting a standard against which others have to measure up. And it is ideal for getting across complex messages, because when presented as unbiased editorial, these tend to have far more credibility than if packaged as part of a paid-for advert.

What it can do is make the job of your sales force easier, and help cement relationships between you and your stakeholders. For now, and for the future.

The Small Print...

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design, text and custom images. July 2005, Aardvark Associates. 
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Aardvark Associates, 3 Beach Rd.  W. Bexington, Dorchester, DT2 9DF, UNITED KINGDOM,
tel. +44 (0)1308 897 911,  e-mail info@aardvarkpr.co.uk
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Material provided on this site is by way of information only, and should  not be interpreted as containing contractural or performance guarantees. Aardvark Associates will not accept liability for damages or loss, consequential or otherwise, caused as a result of any errors of fact, statement of opinion or omissions, whether attributable to Aardvark or the original source material provider. All links off this site are provided as a service to visitors; Aardvark accepts no liability nor provides any guarantee, rating or endorsement as to the quality or otherwise of their content, their propensity to offend, or their conformity with UK or EU law.
Other Aardvarks -
Aardvark Associates is a privately-owned public relations practice, not linked in any way to any other enterprise incorporating the words 'aardvark' or 'associates' in its trading name.

To use public relations or - PR as it sometimes called - effectively, public relations needs to be fully integrated into a markeging strategy. Public relations or PR must be undertaken with regard to the company or organisation's mission statement, which in turn should define objectives, policies and ethics. Public relations or PR undertaken against a backdrop of environmental factors - which can range from environmentally-friendly products, environmentally-friendly manufacturing, and environmentally-friendly buildings and working conditions - needs to consider both the actual benefits to the environment as it does the added value to be had by being seen to be a green organisation. So, public relations or PR actually goes hand in hand with actual committment to the environment, as it does in winning the hearts and minds of stakeholders who need to be convinced that the organisation is doing its bit to save the planet. A skilled PR or public relations consultant or consultancy, will be able to undertake a media audit of their client's business and working practice, and identify which areas of environmental best practice can be fruitfully used to engender favourable exposure for the client within the media. At the same time - since the PR consultant, public relations specialist or practice should understand how journalists and media personnel will work - the PR or public relations function will be able to advise on how best to deal with facts that do not necessarily portray a client's operations to advantage. This can range from damage limitation and crisis management at one extreme, to providing input and advice on how best environmental practice can be achieved, and on the most suitable way of presenting any shortcomings to the media or journalistic community. Because of the way that all levels of commercial activity have become increasingly subject to political factors, the PR or public relations activity must sometimes be expanded to encompass parliamentary lobbying or public affairs. Enterprises of a certain size need to participate in the political process, to avoid other vested interests - which can just as easily be competitors for funds or markets as they can pressure groups - distorting the information flows that Government receive. Parliamentary lobbying or public affairs then is no longer a luxury, but an activity that needs to be included within the strategic planning function.