Publicity is Priceless but Unpredictable

Publicity is a subset of public relations, which includes employee, investor and community relations; corporate communications; and other situations involving an organization’s communications with its publics. Publicity refers to those situations when the company, product or service receives a free mention or more in editorial content, whether it is a product review, an interview with an executive, or an event announcement. It differs from other marketing options such as advertising or direct mail in that marketers don’t – and can’t – pay for it. Because the company doesn’t purchase it, the company can’t control it, either, but because of the implied editorial endorsement that comes from this free media exposure, publicity is a powerful element of the marketing mix.

Princess Lines’ introduction of a new liner, the Royal Princess, offers a good example of how publicity can support an advertising campaign. Because of its innovative design and size, the Royal Princess received substantial news media coverage, especially in travel and leisure magazines. This type of exposure rarely happens serendipitously and is instead the result of a well-thought out and carefully executed publicity plan coordinated by a company’s public relations department. The public relations team works closely with the marketing group to make certain that the publicity campaign incorporates key brand messages and is timed to yield the maximum impact. Often, the goal is to maximize the number of impressions on a consumer in a specific time period so the publicity efforts dovetail with advertising, direct mail, and other marketing tactics.

It is important to note that publicity in global markets is as unpredictable as publicity in U.S. markets. A marketer will never know for sure if the product or service will receive exposure and will never be able to control the exposure received. Journalists might interview a competitor for an article about the product category or even make an error.

This lack of control frustrates many marketers who like to orchestrate what is said about their products – as well as where and when. Those who can see past the unpredictability to the value of the credibility that comes from a media mention, however, know that publicity is an essential and affordable component of a complete marketing plan.

Of course not all publicity is good publicity. Sometime an unpleasant development can put a company in a position to be defensive. More often than not, these situations are centered around a perception that a particular company is not a good corporate citizen in the region where it is doing business.

One classic and well-known example is Nestle’s promotion of infant formula in developing countries where breast milk is a more sensible approach for mothers there, since it costs nothing and is thought to provide the baby with extra health benefits. Another is the global perception that Union Carbide didn’t respond appropriately in the Bhopal industrial disaster.

If not handled properly – in a timely and honest manner – crisis situations can have a long-lasting negative publicity impact. Nestle endured a multi-year international boycott of its products resulting from public perception related to its marketing efforts in Third World countries.