Public Relations Vs Strategic Communications: 7 Similarities

Public Relations and Strategic Communications have a lot in common despite being uniquely distinct fields.

In this article, we run through 7 similarities.

1. Media Relations & Strategy – Both PR and Comms are actively invoved in media. PR manages relationships with media practitioners, platforms and institutions. Engages with media personalities, entrepreneurs and influencers. Both PR and Communications professionals develop media strategies and plans; issue press releases etc. The major distinction being that Media Relations Specialists, an arm of PR manage personal relationships with media practitioners. Personal engagement and interaction is an integral PR requirement. Corporate Communications professionals in the B2B space tend to focus on the communications aspects of Media Relations and ignore the PR element i.e. Media Hostings, Press seats at company events; background briefings; invite to company events.
2. Messaging – Both PR and Communications handle messaging in different forms. PR handles press kits, writes press releases, produces publications, writes social media copy, email campaigns etc. Communications also handles messaging but on a much wider scale because it writes for both and internal audience. Communications is also expected to be responsible for maintaining an ever-green communications messaging framework for the business on all things pertaining to the Brand. While PR messaging is likely to be campaign-driven; corporate communications is expected to maintain oversight of all communications – including stories or statements that are not likely to be every published but are kept in place until when needed.
3. Strategies and Plans – Both PR and Communications have strategies and plan. Every PR campaign should have an overarching strategy and a plan and it follows the same pattern as a communications strategy i.e. Objectives, outcomes, audience, message, platform, spokesperson, time/sequence, KPI etc. The differences lie in the nature of activities within the strategy. PR will focus more on relationships, experiences, engagement, promotion and publicity while Communications will focus more on how to influence and persuage through messaging. PR will focus on the active/doing components and Comms will focus on what is being said to whom, why, when and how. And ensuring the message is well received.
4. Advertising and publicity and promotions – Public Relations and Communications work on advertising, publicity and promotions. PR focuses more on traditional, outdoor, experiential elements and also includes protocol and influencer relationships. Both work on the digital aspects of advertising. Communications is likely to focus  more on organic promotion on social media. Communications develops and nurtures the Brand voice while PR uses the voice to build trust and manage reputation in the real world. Communications nurtures online presence and relatability while PR provides validation for the online voice.
5. Campaigns and events – PR and Comms both handle campaigns and events. Communications handles the messaging elements and online communication and content creation; PR works on the delivery of the messaging in public events in person, and all public gatherings delivered as part of the program. PR is fully responsible for delivery of in-person events and ensures that guest experience aligns with the campaign strategy. Communications supports with the overrarching messaging and overall strategy for the campaign in collaboration with PR.
6. Issues & Crisis management – Both are involved in crisis management but in different ways. PR assists with managing stakeholder relationships and providing assurance during crisis periods. PR also assists with advise on how best to manage complex stakeholder relationships over this period but Communications must advise on the messaging elements i.e. language, tone; ensuring that the right chord is struck and that what is communicated is in line with the overall corporate strategy. And that the concerns of all stakeholders are factored into the response strategy. Crisis Communication is a core speciality for the Communications practise. In crisis management; a strategic communications approach must take pre-eminence.
7. Brand Building &  Marketing – PR and Comms work together to build Brand equity and reputation. Communications comes up with a holistic strategy with core PR elements. Both work together to ensure that what the Brand says matches up with how it relates with key stakeholders, customers and in society. Communications builds trust through targeted messaging, amplification of brand stories and impact storytelling. PR provides life to those stories by managing external relationships well.

Both PR and Communications collaborate equally in Marketing. This is probably the field of the practise where the level of collaboration is almost equal. In retail, marketing communications is as intense as marketing PR. Messaging quantity and quality is very deep and robust and there are regular market activations delivering in person customer events at retail outlets, special events, competitions, outdoor campaigns, sponsorships, community programs etc. Both work together to bring the Brand and its products to the customers and the communities they serve. Communications targets online communities. Public Relations targets the physical communities, traditional media audiences and other special interest groups e.g. products distributors etc.

Sola Abulu & Associates (SA&A) is a strategy and communications training and consulting firm dedicated to enabling businesses, brands and institutions to achieve their desired objectives through strategic communications, organizational effectiveness and reputation risk management.

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