The importance of editorial "earned media"

A weird term that has cropped up recently is "earned media", by which advertisers mean editorial content and public relations. A joint research study from Synaptic Digital and Kantar Video, reported by MediaPost, seems to say that brand messages from advertisers resonate best with consumers when packaged in newsworthy, informative formats rather than a straight-ahead paid ads (note that the research focusses on TV).  Perhaps "earned media" is the new term for "advertorial".  Hard to say.

The research asked 1,800 respondents to look at messages about a major American automotive brand, the messages being provided in a variety of ways and the results were measured against brand awareness, perceived favourability and persuasiveness. The study found that as consumers concentrate more on a purchasing decision (or to use the ineffable phrase "move through the sales funnel") brand ads work best when augmented by earned and paid content. In other words, being associated with editorial and public relations messages.

Women are able to piece together messages delivered via brand advertising and newsy formats. Those score significantly higher on brand metrics than any one format, while men are influenced by earned media, or public relations, and little else, according to the study findings.

Marketing publisher unveils plans for 100th anniversary celebration in 2008

A sneak preview of the 100th anniversary celebrations of Marketing magazine is provided in a brief videotaped interview between Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Chris Loudon and Joseph Thornley of Thornley Fallis Public Relations. It was taped after a meeting of the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF) and is on the Thornley Fallis website.

In January 2008, Marketing will begin a series of 20 articles covering the history of marketing, advertising and media in Canada. The series will culminate in November with a special 100th anniversary issue in which 100 of Canada’s marketing movers and shakers will be asked to look ahead at where they see our industry going in the future.

The anniversary will also bring Canadian marketers together in Toronto for the inaugural Marketing Week. For three days in November, the marketing industry will be invited to participate in a conference featuring a program of Canada’s best marketing speakers, panels and workshops. The centrepiece of the Week will be an event combining the Digital Media Awards, the Marketing Innovation Awards, and the Marque Awards along with a party to celebrate Marketing Mag’s 100 year history.

Loudon also said that the magazine will pay more attention to public relations in future. (Readers here will recall that not long ago the chair of the CCPRF wrote an open letter calling for a boycott of Marketing because it was perceived to be giving short shrift to P.R. Clearly, Loudon, recently elevated to Publisher, is clearly mending fences.)

Chair of PR industry association slams Marketing magazine for ignoring it

The chair of the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF) has written a highly critical letter to Marketing magazine about its perceived failure to adequately cover the public relations field; and has published the letter itself when Marketing apparently didn't do so.

Marketing is a biweekly trade title published by Rogers Publishing Limited and which positions itself as Canada's only fully-paid,national publication "dedicated to the businesses of marketing, advertising and media." It has a circulation of about 12,000 paid across Canada and a readership of 75,000 and publishes a paid, daily e-letter as well as the print magazine.

Pat MacNamara, president of Apex Public Relations, says "PR is an essential and growing part of the marketing mix, yet Marketing Magazine has done little to recognize the increasing importance of this discipline." The letter goes on to say that the recent redesign of the magazine held out hope for improvement of coverage, but there has been a "continued lack of focus" on PR in favour of advertising agencies.

What is even more discouraging is that your “special issue” Public Relations Resource Book provides absolutely no unbiased editorial content, and is ultimately a collection of advertorials funded by the mandatory purchase of an accompanying advertisement....

The nature of our business is to earn the trust of journalists and provide them with background information and spokespeople in the development of their stories. In other words, we earn coverage, not pay for it. Your PR Resource guide’s departure from a journalistic approach and coverage of our industry is very disappointing. While advertorials are a legitimate method of promotion, and one often used by PR professionals, it should not be the sole vehicle for coverage of our industry in Marketing.

According to your marketing materials, your advertorial approach is actually “a unique opportunity to highlight what sets your business apart from the rest of the pack.” In other words, it’s okay for PR professionals and groups to pay for and write our own articles (even though it compromises our professional ethics), while you’re busy providing free, journalistic coverage to the rest of the marketing industry.

MacNamara said that Apex has withdrawn its own ad. "I hope others in our industry follow suit."

David Jones, Senior VP of public relations firm Fleishman Hillard, uses his blog to wade in:

Pat has a point, Marketing does a terrible job of profiling the PR industry and focuses almost exclusively on the ad agencies. I don’t think the competition, Strategy Magazine, does a much better job.

I like that Pat has put her money where her mouth is by withdrawing her ad in the annual PR listings. Tough talk, backed up by action and amplified in this new world of self-publishing. People are talking about social media being the death of trade mags anyway.