Top Four Assumptions About Publicists And The PR Industry
PR is like this mysterious industry where no one really knows what you do.
It’s like when I’m introduced to someone who tells me they’re in IT.
“Uh, well, you know I fuse together RC-45’s, crimping systems, and some days I re-wire hard drives…”
My eyes glaze over, my mind starts to drift and I begin to think about the lifespan of an ant – and wonder why they march in a line everywhere they go?
And where ARE they going anyway?
Before I know it, I haven’t retained a bees dick of any information Mr. IT Professional just said, because I couldn’t understand the lingo they’re throwin’ at me.
I guess it’s the same for PR.
Which is perhaps why there are so many assumptions about both publicists and the wider PR industry as a whole.
But here’s the truth.
It’s part art, part science.
Not science, science, you guys, but a kind of science.
And it’s probably not what you think.
Fast-paced and all consuming, PR is not for the faint-hearted – or for those who hate rejection (And let me tell you, there’s a TONNE of rejection juice getting around).
So, I thought it would be FUN to share four of the more common assumptions I have personally received over the last 13 years in the industry. (Wow, did I just say this is my idea of fun? Someone come and kidnap me stat please – girlfriend needs a break).
I’ve been thrown some corkers in my time.
Let’s get into it.
Assumption #1
“You just do long lunches and drink champagne, right?”
Fuck yeah we do! We long lunch every Friday and get absolutely shit-faced while creating the next big campaign.
Said no publicist ever.
Despite what we share on social media, no, we don’t just shot back oysters (#ew) and guzzle down champers at long lunches, and pose in front of flower walls with the hashtag #Vibes
Sure, there are some great events we get to attend, but ultimately? We’re working.
And the boss – or client – is always watching.
Assumption #2
“Ooo yeah. PR. So you’re like that Roxy bird?”
I suppose there’s a little bit of Roxy in what I do from a skillset perspective, but overall? Nope, I’m not like Roxy Jacenko.
Although, I would walk on hot coals to have her Hermes Birkin collection.
That handbag collection is a thing of beauty.
Assumption #3
“You just sit on social media all day”
There is an element of truth to this.
As much as it kills me to admit. I do have my finger on the pulse in terms of social media, and that’s because so many of our clients strategies rely heavily on social media as a communications channel.
I have to know what’s going on, otherwise I’m as useless as tits on a bull. Social media management can be a full time job and in some PR agencies, that’s all some publicists are responsible for.
Yep – some people get paid to purely sit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all day.
It’s a wacky world we live in.
Assumption #4
“PR just means you get people on the news”
Correct, yes we do.
But that ‘traditional’ style of PR, (ie. exclusively dealing with media outlets, pitching stories, or managing press conferences or media calls) is actually only a part of what we do.
PR is much, much more these days.
Our skillsets as expert communicators are used for a wide variety of tasks. Sure, we can make you or your business look like a yummy snack that the media will eat up, but we can also build customer loyalty through our knowledge of consumer behaviour, oversee all messaging on digital comms, broker collaboration deals, negotiate ambassadorships, craft internal stakeholder communication, create messaging and blend each key message into their rightful touch points for maximum exposure and lasting impact.
So when people boil down what we do to simply, “oh, you just get people in the news,” yeah… it makes me want to sigh dramatically, neck my champagne, slam the glass down and exit stage left.
So what do you think? Clear as mud?
Till next week, stay wild!
