At the beginning of the year, Advertising Age(1) predicted that public relations would be among the bright spots in 2009.  B2B Magazine similarly claimed that business-to-business marketers were increasingly turning to public relations even as overall budgets are being reduced.

So, why would these two venerable trade publications tout the relative strength of public relations versus the other marketing disciplines they cover?  While its star has been ascending for some time, this moment in time has created perhaps public relations' greatest opportunity to shine. "For business, public relations is an increasingly vital marketing tool—especially as traditional forms of advertising struggle to catch consumers' attention." The Economist (2)

That observation from The Economist was supported in part by a landmark study conducted by marketing giant Procter & Gamble in 2005.  When P&G employed a marketing mix model for six brands over a one to three year period, it found:

• PR drives sales, often on a par with advertising;
• PR delivers stellar ROI (275%), much greater than advertising;
• PR Provides a halo effect over other marketing tactics.

P&G is not the only company singing the praises of public relations. In a 2006 survey of marketers conducted by The Association of National Advertisers (ANA), public relations ranked number one in terms of its overall value to the enterprise.

In today's communications environment, defined by a shrinking ‘traditional' media and a proliferation of digital platforms and social media (interchangeable terms these days), characteristics that have always been a part of the DNA of public relations firms — speed, reach, market intelligence, stakeholder engagement and storytelling (meaning a vivid explanation of a point of view) — are essential for businesses that want to succeed.