COMM11110 - Blog Post 3 - The public relations campaign - evaluation

Public relations activities when well conceived and well executed are remarkably powerful marketing tools (Newlin 1991). Therefore, it is important to evaluate a campaign to ensure that the goals and outcomes have been achieved, but they are not the only targets that can be evaluated. Initially public relations practitioners relied on clip counting and cost per impression numbers to prove that the campaign had an impact. However, moving forward organisation’s were interested in the impact of the public relations campaign on the audience: the attitudes and behaviour of consumers (Pinkleton, Austin & Dixon 1999). On a higher level of evaluation, its important to determine if the audience actually understood and became aware of the message.

Other key aspects to consider in the evaluation and measurement process are: audience awareness, attitudes and actions. By evaluating and understanding these key aspects, it creates a huge amount of knowledge that will assist in further campaigns (Newlin 1991).  

The first aspect is audience awareness, which entails consumer groups actually receiving the message directed to them, and if it was understood and retained.

The second aspect is audience attitude. This aspect is closely related to audience awareness, however more emphasis is based around the consumer’s attitude and opinion before, during and after the public relations campaign.

The third aspect is audience action. The ultimate objective is to accomplish the objectives. Public relations efforts are evaluated on how well they helped the organisation achieve its objectives (Wilcox, Cameron, Reber & Shin 2013).

It is essential that an organisation and public relations practitioners achieve success through their campaigns. Although they may achieve their objectives, it is important to highly prioritise the effect that the campaign has on their consumers. After all, it is the consumers that you want to have the affect on, as they have the power to buy or use the product or service.

References 

Newlin, P. 1991,' A public relations measurement and evaluation model that finds the movement of the needle,' Public Relations Quarterly, v. 36, no. 1

Pinkleton, B., Austin, E., & Dixon, A. 1999,' Orientations in public relations research and campaign evaluation,' Journal of Marketing Communications, v. 5

Wilcox, D., Cameron, G., Reber, B & Shin, J. 2013, Think Public Relations, Pearson Education, New Jersey