Experienced communications and public relations professionals are conditioned to see every possible angle, every potential pitfall and every possible outcome in any given strategy. We’re hard-wired to anticipate how something could be interpreted through the eyes of another. It’s the crux on what traditional public relations was built on — the media pitch.
Traditionally, our success depended upon our ability to predict and negate objections, concerns, or questions raised by a journalist — anything that could possibly stand in the way of getting coverage. We navigated the waters, predicted the follow up questions and lined up all the information to ensure the pitch was as fail proof as possible. We did our best to ensure the end result: favourable and credible media coverage.
But, as public relations has evolved and PR practitioners increasingly sit at the “integrated” table, this predictive nature could be doing us a disservice. Too often it’s perceived as negativity and it kills off ideas before they can ever go anywhere.
I’ve seen first-hand how the raising of red flags can be a buzz kill. It easily turns a conversation into all the things we can’t do, all the ways that someone could object, instead of ideating on what might be interesting, new or never done before. That’s not to say there isn’t a need for vetting ideas for potential problems (we have a whole sub-set of issues management specialists reserved for those groups who don’t) but, it has a time and a place. We need to add some optimism in our voice and our minds when we ask ourselves “what’s the worst that can happen?” We need to embrace the concept of acceptable risk.
Innovation comes with no guarantees. I’m sure the design team at Starbucks did not anticipate the backlash over its latest Christmas cup, and who wouldn’t have liked to be in the boardrooms of McDonalds as they debated the risks involved in their “Our Food. Your Questions.” campaign. The point is that some things that shouldn’t be a problem are, and some things that should never work, do. As professionals hired to provide counsel, strategy and ideas it’s our job to think through potential pitfalls and weigh the risk against the outcome. Will a tried and tested campaign accomplish our communications objectives? Will it reach our target audience and change their minds or influence their behaviour? Or, do we need to go a bit further to generate awareness and do something different to stand out? The benefits of working with the predictive thinkers of PR is not only are they able to see the risks, they can actually help insulate and protect against them.
I believe that is where this thinking has its real value. It’s not just in highlighting the problems. It’s in weighing the significance of them and delivering solutions to overcome them before they happen. It’s this thinking that helps convince clients, CMOs and lawyers to green light programs. It’s this thinking that separates the strong from the weak and delivers campaigns that grow organically beyond the original parameters and deliver true value for the organizations behind them and the public they serve.
There’s no greater partner in launching groundbreaking work than an experienced communicator with a true understanding of the levers of public relations. We are uniquely positioned to elevate campaign insights and deliver integrated programs, provided we use our power for good and not evil.
Here’s a path for success:
Separate ideation from evaluation
Spend some time thinking of ideas without judgment. Don’t evaluate or quash a line of thinking. Even if you know the tactic or campaign is too risky or will never fly. It may lead to something that will.
Evaluate the risk
Imagine the worst. What could happen and what would you do if it did? Can you devise effective strategies to handle any backlash or negative perceptions with your audiences or internal stakeholders?
Pitch the package
Use your evaluation to your advantage. Pitch both the creative idea and how you’d address the risks you’ve identified. Knowing that you’ve thought through all angles will make it easier for everyone involved to make an informed decision.
Jennifer Shah is senior vice-president and partner, digital and marketing communications at FleishmanHillard in Toronto
