TV Access - Public Service Announcements

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The most important finding from Edelman's fourth semiannual Trust Barometer Survey of 850 U.S. and European opinion leaders is that individuals are eight times more likely to believe information that they get from articles or news coverage than information in corporate or product advertising. This may not be surprising to PR practitioners, but it does make us wonder why so many corporations, particularly those facing credibility issues, still spend a high percentage of their resources on advertising. Building successful companies and brands isn't about selling. It's about building trust and understanding through open, interactive and information-rich relationships. That's the domain of public relations – and that is the challenge and opportunity for the profession. How can the PR industry gain the upper hand on advertising and seize the opportunity to yield greater influence in the executive suite? Following are some recommendations for your consideration. In the face of a seemingly endless series of corporate scandals, trust in U.S. business increased to 48 percent from 41 percent just six months earlier. Although more needs to be done, business, legislative, market and regulatory leaders in the United States assumed responsibility, acted quickly, sought solutions and instituted new controls such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. U.S. trust in government fell from a post-Sept. 11, 2001, high of 48% in January 2002 to 39% in Winter 2003. Strengthen Corporate Reputation Because It Matters to Products and Services. Americans value a good corporate reputation. It plays a large role in their opinion of a company's products and services, and makes them more willing to pay a premium for them, especially if the company is well-regarded for labor and environmental practices. This means that companies need to find meaningful connections between the corporation and its products and services, and must keep the company's reputation consistent from market to market. More companies must engage in an array of stakeholders-consumers, regulators, legislators, media, analysts, academics and so on – and build solid relationships with them. Business today is everybody's business and the companies that develop open, interactive and information-rich relationships with each of these influence groups will win.

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