The role of the PR consultant in today's advertising landscape

An interview by the NRC with Karen Nelson-Field, an Australian professor specialising in marketing and advertising, tells us that the initial effect of ads is drifting further away. Advertising is primarily designed to influence consumer buying behaviour. Nelson-Field explains that the dwindling effect is due to the information overload of recent years, which has made us all less susceptible to advertising. At least, in terms of our buying habits. Consider Coca Cola's recent ad blunder in Amsterdam-Zuid. The banner surely provoked a reaction, but whether it made us buy more Cola is debatable.

Transparency

Everyone wants attention. More than ever, we are buried in so-called earned, owned and paid media. The media and advertising worlds are increasingly merging. Everything is adapted to consumers' needs. We get to see messages that we almost think are written especially for us, while the bulk of the population does not even know that a new form of journalism has emerged.

Intelligence Barometer

We all want to be the best, fastest and biggest. But to what extent do these superlatives affect our transparency? According to Karen Nelson-Field, just that is a problem. Mega-companies like Google and Facebook often give a distorted view of reality when it comes to ads. Not only do companies write the 'better, faster and bigger' story, consumers are (unknowingly) guilty of it too. Tons of information is collected in our right-hand pocket, so why not make use of it? A kind of FOMO(fear of missing out) has developed around news. These days, your news consumption is seen as an intelligence barometer. After all, what if you missed something your colleagues are fiercely discussing over lunch? The small screen is increasingly becoming the corridor of our lives, so it makes sense that, as a brand, you want to reach your potential consumer in that way.

Role of the PR consultant

Now the question arises: how do you reach those people through their preferred media channels? What is their favourite media channel in the first place? That's where the role of the PR consultant comes in. He is going to connect your information with your target audience, through relevant news channels. The PR consultant also knows perfectly how best to 'touch' the reader and consumer. What are the do's and don'ts? In what way can you captivate him or her the most? You want to position yourself as an expert within your domain to really mean something to your target group.