A Public Relations Measurement and Evaluation expert, Philip Odiakose has advised Public Relations practitioners on the need to make Return on Objective (ROO) their priority, instead of the much-favoured Return on Investment (ROI), to avert misplaced expectations.
Odiakose, who is the Chief Media Analyst at P+ Measurement Services, believed ROI could only be relevant for PR campaigns, where sales remain the primary focus; since PR practitioners on such project cannot work alone, but collaborate with Sales, Finance and Marketing.
He believed one of the fundamental mistakes, usually committed by many PR practitioners, is attempting to justify PR’s success, using ROI, without understanding the financial principles behind it.
The P+ Measurement boss defined ROI as a financial metric that calculates the profitability of an investment by using the formula: ROI (%) = (Net Profit / Cost of Investment) x 100, adding that this could be needed for PR professionals, aiming to showcase ROI, and align media metrics with revenue generation.
Odiakose, however argued that PR, in most cases, is not a direct sales function, using ROI as a blanket metric, he said, could lead to misinterpretation and misplaced expectations.
Citing AMEC’s Barcelona Principles, which emphasize outcome-based measurement over outdated methods, to justify his position, Odiakose encouraged PR professionals to focus on measurable objectives rather than ‘vanity metrics’ like Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE).
He identified one of the most misleading approaches in PR measurement as relying on AVE to demonstrate ROI, describing it as similar to ‘measuring the quality of a meal based solely on the price of its ingredients’.
“Just because a dish contains expensive components does not mean it tastes good or satisfies the customer,” he added.
According to him, while AVE assigns a monetary value to media coverage based on ad rates, it fails to measure the true impact, sentiment, or effectiveness of PR efforts.
He therefore argued that presenting AVE as ROI, by a PR practitioner, is essentially equating visibility with tangible business outcomes, which, he argued, remains a flawed and outdated perspective.
Odiakose stressed the need to always measure relevant things, such as: impact, sentiment, engagement, and business outcomes, rather than placing a fictitious monetary value on earned media.
“PR’s role is often about shaping perception, building credibility, and enhancing reputation , elements that do not always have an immediate or direct financial impact.
“ROO provides a structured framework for evaluating PR performance based on predefined, measurable objectives. By aligning PR efforts with specific business goals , be it increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, improving customer sentiment, or strengthening stakeholder relationships , PR professionals can provide meaningful insights without force-fitting sales metrics where they do not belong,” he stated.
The PR Measurement expert added that PR would only demonstrate true ROI, when necessary, by integrating seamlessly with Sales, Finance and Marketing; since Marketing, he argued, provides valuable insights into lead generation; while Sales tracks conversions; and Finance ensures financial accountability.
He therefore charged practitioners to embrace continuous learning, engage in industry conversations, and challenge outdated measurement methods; since PR measurement is not static, but evolving with trends, technology, and business needs.
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