Economic downturn a boon for PR?

This interesting article comes from PR Week . . .

A recent New York Times article about Super Bowl advertising discussed how the bleak economic climate might make high-priced ads and media deals reflect negatively on a company. Like with the Super Bowl, retailers jump start the holiday season with bold and splashy marketing campaigns. This year, some companies are thinking twice about spending bookoo bucks on advertising to hard-hit customers.

With new marketing efforts being hard to justify, public relations is a wise alternative to building lasting relationships with consumers. While consumers may see typical advertising campaigns as insensitive, public relations can place a message in the right context and deliver it in a way that is sensitive to consumers and the economy.



This year, companies that are looking to balance a strong marketing push with a sensitive appeal are relying more heavily on public relations tactics. Some examples:



1. Gap - Web site section features videos of celebrities performing remixed holiday songs



2. Sears - donating $1 to Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit that works to repair homes for low-income Americans, for every gift card purchased



3. Best Buy - launched a holiday campaign - "You, happier," - that focuses on value in terms of price and customer service (FYI - this campaign doesn't seem to be working very well, as Tasha spent a very frustrating two hours on the phone with them this morning b/c they screwed up one of her holiday orders)



4. OfficeMax - hosting its Elf Yourself viral video holiday effort. The site received more than 193 million visits in six weeks last year



~ Nicole