Elise S. Mitchell, APR Fellow PRSA

CEO, Mitchell Communications Group

CEO, Dentsu Aegis Public Relations Network

Don’t Blink The Rapidly Changing Role of Public Relations in a Convergent World

@elisemitch

Don’t Blink Key Trends Driving Change @elisemitch

• The speed and volume of information flow • Managing the digital revolution and rise of

social media • Demand for metrics-driven decision-making • Growing complexity, fragmentation of

audiences, channels, platforms

“I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”

― Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Don’t Blink Key Trends Driving Change

@elisemitch

• Convergence • Technology • Data • Global vs local • Evolution of content

Don’t Blink Trend #1: Convergence

@elisemitch

• Cultures • Media • Technology and lifestyle • Marketing communications

disciplines

Don’t Blink Trend #1: Convergence @elisemitch

How PR can lead through convergence: • Manage for 360 brand visibility • Collaborate, don’t duplicate • See opportunities for impact

Don’t Blink Trend #2: Technology

• Hardware, software

• Mobile

o More than 50% of Americans have a smart phone

o 80 percent of Millennials sleep with their phones next to their beds

o 4 out of 5 consumers uses a smartphone when they shop

o $1.1 billion in mobile payments are made DAILY

o The average American spends 3.3 hours a day on a smart phone (including 75% of Americans bring their phones to the bathroom)

@elisemitch

How is PR positioned to leverage technology?

Don’t Blink Trend #2: Technology

PR can lead in: • Utilizing technology-based solutions,

products

• Navigating privacy issues

• Managing the “always-on” status of hyper-connectivity

• Opting in/opting out

• Demonstrating how technology can drive the greater good

o Cannes PR Lions example: Samsung Maestros Academy

@elisemitch

Don’t Blink Trend #3: Data

Too much can be as limiting as too little. What do you really need? Types of data: • Who is your audience? • What do they think? • Usage data • Competitive data • Trends research

How is PR positioned to leverage data?

@elisemitch

Don’t Blink Trend #3: Data

PR can lead through insights-driven strategy if we:

• Hire it

• Train for it

• Integrate it into our work flow

• Understand it’s the cost of doing business

@elisemitch

Don’t Blink Trend #4: Globalization vs localization

Globalization: A driving force

• Desire for efficiency and consistency

• Scale: A tipping point in a 24/7/365 world

• Reputation risk

• The problem: If you only focus on being global, you risk losing touch with local

How is PR positioned to balance/global local?

@elisemitch

Don’t Blink Trend #4: Globalization vs localization

PR can balance global/local through: • We are reputation architects: Arthur Page Society

white paper “Building Belief”

• Personalization: a magic touch point

• Examples: Shareacoke.com, Oreo 3D printer, Mitchell Communications Group’s InRoads process

• Local sourcing, local pride

o Cannes PR Lions example: Inakadate “Rice Code”

@elisemitch

Don’t Blink Trend #5: Content evolution

Content creation, consumption and distribution is rapidly growing and changing.

• Quality not quantity – consumers want content that is relevant, resonates, inspires

• Content is becoming liquid

• Who creates content is shifting

• The democratization of creativity

@elisemitch

How is PR positioned to leverage the content evolution?

Don’t Blink Trend #5: Content evolution

PR can lead in content if we:

• Find and tell powerful stories

• Use authenticity to give content credibility

• Use data to track engagements, tone, response

• Move from one-way storytelling to dynamic storytelling – “happy hacking”

• Embrace content marketing as a holistic discipline

• Have a point of view and share it boldly

o Cannes PR Lions example: Chipotle “Scarecrow”

@elisemitch

Thank you! Elise S. Mitchell, APR Fellow PRSA @elisemitch elise@mitchcommgroup.com 479-443-4673