THE MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION OF PR COMMUNICATION Open Access THE MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION OF PR COMMUNICATION Dalibor Jakus Public Relations Specialist, Zagreb, Croatia [email protected] 10.14611/minib.30.12.2018.17 Summary The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the importance of evaluation and measurement as a vital field of public relations campaigns. The author gives an insight into the existing literature relevant to the measurement approaches and evaluation of Public Relations programs. This paper also presents the advantages and disadvantages of three different models of measurement and evaluation of PR communication - AVEs, Barcelona Principles and AMEC's (2015) new Integrated Evaluation framework. The author suggest that measurement and evaluation programs must be part of communication strategy but also it has to have a model, matrix or guideline for analysing and measuring PR effectiveness within an organisation and the targeted audience it is aiming to reach. Keywords: measurement, evaluation, public relations, PR communications, Barcelona Principles, AVEs, AMEC's integrated evaluation framework www.minib.pl 138 The measurement and evaluation of pr communication Introduction Measurement and evaluation have been and still are an evolving component of public relations communications. The professional organizations alike have placed increasing emphasis on measurement and evaluation in an effort to transition the public relations profession away from an intuitive art form toward greater reliance on scientific methodologies that are both valid and reliable (AMEC, 2015; IPR, 2015). Therefore, measurement and evaluation is an imperative that transcends borders and specialisms. Various authors developed evaluation models for public relations and applied different research methods in those models (McNamara, 2006; Cutlip et al., 2000; Watson, 1999; Lindenmann, 1993). Not only do these models serve for the better understanding of public relations value but they also meant to be used in PR practice. From the perspective of strategic communication, methodology for measurement is often grounded on management by objectives (Drucker, 1954). Every measure should be taken with regard to the objectives of the PR campaign. Success is determined through measurement of results and achievement of objectives. Nevertheless, evaluation is made to be consistent and to be a part of every step on the way. Public relations measurement and evaluation There is no question that demand for accountability is growing in all marketing disciplines, including public relations. Clients want to measure public relations programs in order to gain insights that will enable them to refine and improve programs, to assess cost effectiveness of different approaches, and to assure a good return on these investments. In concert with growing demand, public relations measurement and evaluation is growing in sophistication. Today, there is recognition that public relations programs can be measured and that there is value in doing so. Industry research suggests that the most common public relations measurement technique currently being used is www.minib.pl 140 MINIB, 2018, Vol. 30, Issue 4, p. 137–156 media analysis, assessing the quantity and quality of media coverage. Thanks to innovation in public relations measurement methods and to learning from other marketing disciplines, marketing and public relations executives now see potential to move beyond emphasis on measuring public relations outputs to increasingly measuring its effects. Basically, it is any and all research designed to determine the relative effectiveness or value of what is done in public relations. In the short-term, PR measurement and evaluation involves assessing the success or failure of specific PR programs, strategies, activities or tactics by measuring the outputs, outtakes and/or outcomes of those programs against a predetermined set of objectives. In the long-term, PR measurement and evaluation involves assessing the success or failure of much broader PR efforts that have as their aim seeking to improve and enhance the relationships that organizations maintain with key constituents. More specifically, PR measurement is a way of giving a result a precise dimension, generally by comparison to some standard or baseline and usually is done in a quantifiable or numerical manner. That is, when we measure outputs, outtakes and outcomes, we usually come up with a precise measure — a numbers; for example. PR evaluation determines the value or importance of a PR program or effort, usually through appraisal or comparison with a predetermined set of organization goals and objectives. PR evaluation is somewhat more subjective in nature, or softer, than PR measurement, involving a greater amount of interpretation and judgment calls. Interest in public relations measurement and evaluation has surged in recent years, as the public relations field has grown in size and sophistication, and as those who practice in the field have found themselves more often than ever being asked to be accountable for what they do. Who is responsible for measuring the effectiveness? According to the marketing executives surveyed by PR Week and Millward Brown (2017), responsibility for measuring the effectiveness of marketing disciplines is more likely to reside with direct marketing 141 www.minib.pl The measurement and evaluation of pr communication (46.4%) and advertising (31.3%) than with public relations (15%) departments. Because there may be sensitivities among professionals related to sharing data internally — or sharing research costs and methods — public relations professionals should be advocates for measurement without necessarily seeking to control or lead the process. In organizations where the public relations and research professionals do not normally work together, public relations professionals should seek out executives responsible for research related to the brands, products or services on which they work. Market research or customer analytics may be a centralized or decentralized function, so the best place for public relations executives to turn to identify potential research collaborators would be the chief marketing officer or top marketing executive. Different Perspectives RESEARCH PROFESSIONALS z May have access to sales data or other evidence of results z Are knowledgeable about a range of marketing research and evaluation methods z Are often aware of and/or involved in research to measure other marketing disciplines z Can assure research is conducted according to industry standards z Understand the limitations of various measurement methods PUBLIC RELATIONS PROFESSIONALS z Are advocates for public relations measurement and evaluation z Can set realistic expectations for performance based on knowledge of the public relations discipline z Design public relations programs to achieve specific outcomes z Are familiar with methods for public relations research and evaluation z Can help interpret research findings and their implications for public relations www.minib.pl 142 MINIB, 2018, Vol. 30, Issue 4, p. 137–156 Measurement should always be considered at the outset of a public relations program, not at its conclusion. By focusing on measurement in the planning phase, public relations executives can set measurable objectives to influence sales and design the public relations program to achieve those objectives. The idea of Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) not showing the real value of public relations? Likely et al. (2006, as cited in Macnamara, 2014, p. 19) point out several methods used in contemporary PR practice: z Return on impressions (ROI) — the approach assumes that a certain number of impressions in the media will raise awareness and that it will affect the attitudes and behaviours of one part of targeted audiences; z Return on media impact (ROMI) — compares media coverage data with sales results over a longer period of time to recognize cause and effect; z Return on target investment (ROTI) — uses survey research before and after media exposure for measurement of awareness and buying intentions; z Return on earned media (ROEM) — the approach is based on advertising value equivalency (AVE), a comparison of gained media coverage and publicity with advertisements. Some of these approaches were criticized for not showing the real value of public relations, as is often the case with the AVE method. The idea of Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) has been around for many years. It has generated much debate in the Public Relations industry, with this debate focusing on both its reliability and validity. Many people are attracted to it because it appears able to put a money value on media coverage and, by extension, allows media relations people to compare their results with advertising. (Jeffries, 2003) 143 www.minib.pl The measurement and evaluation of pr communication AVEs are calculated by measuring the column inches (in the case of print), or seconds (in the case of broadcast media) and multiplying these figures by the respective medium's advertising rates (per inch or per second). The resulting number is what it would have cost to place an advertisement of that size in that medium. By assessing all of your media coverage in this way, and aggregating all such calculations, you can assign an overall AVE to your coverage within a certain time period. Calculating AVEs is not a problem in itself-its problems stem from what it is called and how it is used. Calling it an "advertising