The Magical PR Question

tl:dr;

In PR, the battle for attention is fierce. The magical PR question highlights the need for a winning strategy to gain enough momentum to make a difference.

Your PR strategy should answer one simple question:

The magical PR question: Do we know how to win and defeat our competitors?

If your PR strategy fails to answer this question in the affirmative, it also fails to provide a roadmap to success. Winning is a culture and a structural asset.

“Competitiveness is derived from permanent infrastructural characteristics of organizational design, rather than just relying on temporary strategic assets.”
Source: Strategic Change ¹Connor, T. (2007). A consideration of strategic assets and the organizational sources of competitiveness. Strategic Change, 16, 127 – 136. https://doi.org/10.1002/JSC.789

How To Create a PR Strategy - Spinning Top - Doctor Spin - The PR Blog — Spin for the win. (Photo: Jerry Silfwer)

Is winning that important?

Yes, in competitive environments and changing societies, winning is sometimes the only way to keep up.

The Red Queen effect (mental model). This metaphor originates from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass. It describes a situation in which one must continuously adapt, evolve, and work to maintain one’s position. In the story, the Red Queen is a character who explains to Alice that in their world, running as fast as one can is necessary just to stay in the same place. The metaphor is often used in the context of businesses that need to innovate constantly to stay competitive, highlighting the relentless pressure to adapt in dynamic environments where stagnation can mean falling behind. ²Red Queen hypothesis. (2023, November 27). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Queen_hypothesis ³Carroll, L. (2006). Through the looking-glass, and what Alice found there (R. D. Martin, Ed.). Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1871.)

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Understanding How To Win

The magical PR question demands a deep understanding of what makes your organisation unique — and how it can be leveraged in your public relations efforts.

“Brand identity and brand image are essential ingredients of strong brands, and congruence between the two can enhance brand loyalty and adapt to changing communication environments.”
Source: Journal of Brand Management ⁴Nandan, S. (2005). An exploration of the brand identity – brand image linkage: A communications perspective. Journal of Brand Management, 12, 264 – 278. https://doi.org/10.1057/PALGRAVE.BM.2540222

It’s not just about having a PR strategy; it’s about having a strategy that clearly and effectively will:

Focus your PR strategy. The magical PR question keeps your strategy laser-focused on what truly matters — differentiating your brand in the market.
Drive creative solutions. The magical PR question pushes you to think creatively and innovatively about capturing and retaining public interest.
Build trust and support. “Taking a stand” long-term for a specific strategic PR position ensures that your efforts are not just about grabbing short-term attention but building lasting relationships with your audience.

Your Long-Term Safeguard

A PR strategy that fails to answer this fundamental question is like a ship without a rudder, drifting aimlessly.

Such PR strategies often result in the following:

Wasted PR resources. Without a clear direction, resources may be squandered on ineffective tactics.
Diminished PR impact. The lack of a unique guiding principle can lead to campaigns that fail to resonate with the target audience.
Lost PR opportunities. In the wired world of PR, failing to stand out means missed opportunities to connect with and influence your audience.

Get Your PR Strategy Right

The magical PR question isn’t just a question; it’s a litmus test for the effectiveness of your public relations efforts. It compels you to think critically about your strategy and its ability to position your organisation as a leader in the battle for attention, trust, and support.

Understand your PR positioning. Deeply analyse what sets your organisation apart from the competition. What do you offer that no one else does?
Know your brand audience. Understand your audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points. How can your unique value meet these needs?
Innovate and experiment. Don’t be afraid to try new PR tactics or approaches that align with the Magical PR Strategy Question and your Core Message.
Measure and adapt. Continuously measure the effectiveness of your PR strategy and be willing to adapt based on feedback and results.

Good Strategy, Bad Strategy

“Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters” by Richard Rumelt is a significant work in strategic planning and management. The book, published in 2011, clearly distinguishes between what constitutes a good strategy and what falls into the category of a bad strategy. ⁵Rumelt, R. P. (2011). Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters. Crown Business.

“A good strategy honestly acknowledges the challenges being faced and provides an approach to overcoming them.”
Source: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters ⁶Rumelt, R. P. (2011). Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters. Crown Business.

Here’s a summary of the book’s key concepts:

Defining strategy. Rumelt defines strategy as a coherent set of analyses, concepts, policies, arguments, and actions that respond to a high-stakes challenge. He emphasizes that a good strategy is not just ambitious goals or visionary planning; it focuses energy and resources on how to win.
The kernel of good strategy. According to Rumelt, a good strategy has a simple structure he calls the “kernel,” consisting of three parts: a diagnosis that defines the nature of the challenge, a guiding policy for dealing with the challenge, and a set of coherent actions designed to carry out the guiding policy.
Identifying bad strategy. Rumelt identifies the hallmarks of bad strategy, which include platitudes and corporate cringe (jargon and buzzwords), failure to face the challenge of how to win, mistaking goals for strategy, and bad strategic objectives. He argues that bad strategy is not simply the absence of a good strategy but a series of misguided approaches.
The role of leadership: The author stresses the importance of leadership in strategy formulation. A good strategist must identify and focus on critical issues, make tough choices, and engage the entire organisation in a strategy that works in the real world.
Implementing strategy. The book provides insights into crafting and implementing a strategy, emphasising the need for clear thinking, insightful diagnosis, and decisive actions.

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Annotations[+]

Annotations
1	Connor, T. (2007). A consideration of strategic assets and the organizational sources of competitiveness. Strategic Change, 16, 127 – 136. https://doi.org/10.1002/JSC.789
2	Red Queen hypothesis. (2023, November 27). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Queen_hypothesis
3	Carroll, L. (2006). Through the looking-glass, and what Alice found there (R. D. Martin, Ed.). Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1871.)
4	Nandan, S. (2005). An exploration of the brand identity – brand image linkage: A communications perspective. Journal of Brand Management, 12, 264 – 278. https://doi.org/10.1057/PALGRAVE.BM.2540222
5, 6	Rumelt, R. P. (2011). Good Strategy, Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters. Crown Business.

The Magical PR Question

All brands need a clear differentiation to win.

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