“While social media revolutionized the way we communicate, we must not underestimate the power and credibility that traditional media relations provides,” said Jennifer Risi, Managing Director, Ogilvy Media Influence and Head of Media Relations, North America. “The results give a clear indication of the critical role that public relations – and earned media in particular – has to play within the integrated marketing model. With earned media serving as one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to build trust, organizations are increasingly using this channel to build brand equity, grow sales and drive market share.”
Some key findings from our survey include:
- 44% of respondents believe that today’s campaigns require traditional, social and paid media.
- Almost half of respondents (47%) view earned media as most influential medium for driving purchasing decisions and business outcomes.
- Traditional media [newspapers/wires/magazines] are the most trusted source of news, followed by influencer-driven news. Company-driven news ranked as the least influential across the board.
- Majority of journalists surveyed (65%) agree or strongly agree that the more the media covers a brand, the more credible the brand appears. That said, journalists also caution that too much coverage can be a sign of trouble.
