What an ‘interconnected’ approach to PR looks like in 2021

Many agencies claim to be integrated but continue to struggle at reaching consumers across media in a way that drives results.

Today, integration is basic table stakes. Oh, you can do creative and PR and brand planning? OK—great. In reality, that’s what a client is told in a pitch and it usually appears on a slide about a holding company’s vast network that can bring a 360˚ approach to their business.

We all know that, in reality, the holding company’s different groups are still very siloed. How often does PR get stuck activating on an idea or plan they had little insight into developing? How often do PR and media pros sit down and come up with mutually beneficial ideas together? And bring in analytics? And creative?

Interconnected vs. integrated

Integration is simply making sure everyone is vaguely activating on the same message. Interconnection is acting in concert. In fact, it’s coming together to create a plan that conforms to consumer behavior

What do I mean? Consumers don’t robotically lift up their mobiles and think, “Now I am consuming a message on my mobile phone” and then, “Now I am sitting at my desk consuming messages on my laptop computer.” People aren’t robots, but agencies often still work with that approach.