Oct
22
Social media ‘publicity’ cashes up PR, says Ad bigwig
Filed Under Blogs, Internet Public Relations, Online, Public Relations practice, Services, Technology
The Guardian’s Katie Allen reports on Martin Sorrell’s booming endorsement of PR vis-a-vis social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. Unfortunately for PR sophisticates like us, don’t you know, Sorrell still seems to view PR as a ‘publicity-generating function’, albeit now online (cue depressed sigh….)
Sorrell said that companies’ increasing focus on getting into news stories reflected an appetite among web users for (sic getting) “ideas and knowledge” from apparently “independent” sources. Using a PR company to generate more press (sic editorial coverage also helps brands get around social networkers’ typical aversion to adverts, he added.
Sir Martin, head of advertising group WPP added, “Social networking seems to underline the importance of editorial publicity.” And that, before rolling out that hoary old chestnut about the cheap appeal of PR.
PR still has a price advantage over other forms of marketing, according to Sir Martin. “It looks cheaper in terms of absolute levels of spending so it makes people happier.”
A pixelated Sir Martin Sorrell
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[...] However, is that really the relationship between PR and social networking? I think not. And neither does PR Disasters.com, who reviews the article further here. [...]