Modern marketers are often faced with a number of tricky challenges when navigating through our information-drenched world. Getting their message across digitally is about perfecting the balance between relevant communication and brand building! On one hand, social media poses as a boon for brands who are looking to make their entry into an already populated market or even for established companies who are keen on re-branding their logos, products and services. But a mistake that marketers often end up making is presenting consumers with an overload of information that isn’t always relevant to their needs.
This brings us to understand that brand building, especially in the 21st century is not just about communicating with consumers, but also making a solid effort to gain their trust and sustain their interest along the way. Fortunately, public relations offers exactly that, and modern day marketers will benefit by giving equal weightage to both their digital media and their brand building strategy. While some brands may have an in-house PR team, others may outsource their PR efforts. Either way, there are a few secrets behind why PR and brand building are a match made in heaven!
PR Builds Credibility & Trust
As per a 2018 global report by the ‘Trust Working Group’, people’s trust in the advertising industry has declined to 25% from the earlier 46% it enjoyed in 1992. This harsh decline is a testament to the fact that audiences tend to view advertising efforts with a certain level of distrust. Therefore, brands that are looking to establish themselves within a target market must first learn to communicate authentically and genuinely with their audience. Fortunately, PR opens up a number of doors by enabling brands to have a two-way conversation with their audience. This not only fuels transparency between brands and consumers, but also gives way to building brand credibility and trust!
PR Helps Drive Engagement
In 2021, it is extremely crucial for brands to not only engage with their audience, but to also stand out from the crowd. PR, as a brand building strategy allows brands to engage with consumers via a multitude of communication mediums, such as radio, newspaper advertisements, Social Media and trade journals. As opposed to a one-way communication approach that the advertising industry can tend to have, PR offers the opportunity for brands to connect with people by inviting feedback and having informal conversations across a variety of platforms.
PR Drives Strategy Development
In the past, PR played an ancillary role in brand building efforts, however in the 21st century, it has actually led the efforts on ground for strategy development as well. Here’s an interesting example: - In 2019, American Fast-Food giant Taco Bell wanted to generate consumer interest and decided to undertake a fun PR activity. The brand temporarily took over a resort in Palm Springs, California and converted it into a themed Taco Bell! The catch? It offered consumers an unlimited supply of tacos while staying at the resort. Within a span of 2 minutes, the entire hotel was booked with rooms starting at $169 only! Stunts like these are proof that even an entrenched brand like Taco Bell needs to use innovative PR efforts to drive strategy. Similarly, marketers must realize that using PR helps them generate interest, create a brand identity, and identify pain points if any.
In 2021, public relations and brand building cannot be viewed singularly. Rather, they must be utilized in conjunction by modern marketers while building a brand. This fantastic combination not only promotes brand visibility, but also ensures that their communication efforts reach the right audience!
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