Why PR Agencies should not ‘judge’ their own case —Expert

The consensus among members of any society, community or group is that to ensure fairness and level-playing field, no individual, or group, within such group, should assume the role of a prosecutor, and at the same time, a judge, in a case involving such individual. And, the practice of Public Relations may not be an exemption.

However, an advocate of Media Monitoring, PR Measurement and Evaluation in Nigeria, Philip Odiakose, has raised concerns about a common trend in PR practice, where agencies now evaluate their own work.

Odiakose, who is also the Chief Media Analyst at P+ Measurement Services, in a paper tagged: “Are PR Agencies playing judge and Jury? The Risk Your Brands Can’t Afford”, warned that while such practice may appear convenient and cost-effective for clients on the surface, it is however fraught with potential bias and subjectivity, ultimately undermining the integrity of performance evaluation.

According to him, the core function of any PR effort is to establish credibility and trust with audiences, stakeholders, and the public; but, definitely, not assessing own performance, since objectivity may be a major issue.

Quoting the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC), Odiakose argued that one of the fundamental principles of PR measurement remains transparency and independence. He added that for any organisation to fully understand the effectiveness of its media outreach, a third-party evaluation is, therefore, necessary.

“Agencies are naturally inclined to showcase their successes and minimize their shortcomings. When PR agencies judge their own work, it is difficult to escape the influence of self-preservation, and reports may end up highlighting metrics that paint a favorable picture while neglecting areas where improvement is needed,” he added.

Highlighting the importance of objective PR Measurement, Odiakose believed to ensure a fair and accurate evaluation of PR performance, brands must engage independent PR measurement agencies; since such firms bring an external, unbiased perspective, using data-driven methodologies to assess media coverage, sentiment, and performance.

Since they have no stake in the outcome of the campaigns they evaluate, independent firms, he stated, are able to provide clients with honest, and unfiltered analysis, because objectivity is key to identifying blind spots and improving future strategies, he argued.

Moreover, Odiakose noted, objective PR measurement helps brands make better-informed decisions about where to allocate resources.

By relying on impartial data, companies can adjust their messaging, target the right audiences, and invest in campaigns that truly resonate with stakeholders, thereby ensuring that PR strategies are rooted in reality rather than wishful thinking.

The P+Measurement Services boss, therefore, believed that independent PR measurement has become, not only a best practice but also a necessity for brands looking to establish long-term credibility and trust, with their audiences.

He argued that the complexities of modern media landscapes, demand sophisticated services and methodologies to accurately assess the effectiveness of PR campaigns, which only independent consultancies are better positioned to provide.

Akin Adewakun