PR people often say that others don’t really understand what they do. This can make it difficult to explain the value of PR, even if this is clear to us.
It seems that many think of comms people as publicity agents. Media commentators regularly describe PR as a media-serving function. Our industry isn’t great at explaining its purpose, who it serves and how it does it.
This struck me in recent online exchanges following comments I shared from 2022 about Bristol’s political tensions.
Leave aside the irony of such questions coming from anonymous accounts. The comments made me consider whether I could do more to explain who my team supports and why it matters. So, here goes.
It’s useful to get it off my chest. I hope it’s helpful to others who don’t understand the role PR can play on many distinct levels.
Positive value of PR
I set up Distinctive in 2022 to support organisations that need and truly value excellent communications.
We are proud of our clients and selective about who we work with. It matters to us that clients share our values and treat us with respect. We also value work that makes a positive difference – whether that’s creating homes, jobs or social impact. Our website lists our clients – which include local authorities, charities, family-owned businesses and universities – and our work with them.
Our team is professionally accredited, and we sign up to our industry body’s code of conduct, which sets guidance on areas including integrity, transparency and conflict of interest. More importantly, we are proud of the impact this work has, for our clients and in communities in which we live and work. Some examples of this include:
- Community engagement on one of the South West’s most high profile proposed developments at Gravity in Somerset. With a high profile occupier secured for the site, this project is set to create thousands of high quality jobs near where my children go to school here in the South West.
- Consulting local people on proposals to provide a new development of 100% affordable, highly sustainable homes in Mid Devon.
- Advising on and supporting communications on the merger of two Bristol housing associations, which unlocked major investment in better services and building hundreds of affordable homes.
- Supporting local cultural attractions with affordable, high-quality design-led campaigns.
- Helping family-owned businesses communicate with the media and stakeholders during times of change.
- Our small team volunteered several days of their time to support good causes this year. These include support for Underfall Yard as it recovers from last year’s fire and Bristol’s Just Transition climate campaign.
- Before this, our pro bono support helped raise more than £200,000 for communities affected by lockdown and thousands of schoolchildren affected by holiday hunger.
Supporting the South West’s success
Together, this work helped unlock hundreds of millions in investment, created jobs and bring much needed high-quality homes to our region. It’s helped great businesses to grow and hopefully made lives a bit better for many people. This is a great achievement for a small team that’s navigating political, technological and economic turbulence.
Talking and listening to people is a big part of our work. So, to those who want to understand what we do: I’m happy to meet for a coffee and explain it. It would be good to put a face to the @handle.
I look forward to adding to these achievements. I’m forever grateful to friends and clients who have confidence in us, and colleagues and partners who work with me.