I found this article on Bizcommunity and absolutely agree with the notion. PR is not a stand alone medium but needs to form part of the integrated Marketing campaign a company runs for a product or brand. Gone are the days of “Spray and Pray” Press Releases people!!!

Livewired PR, a multi-award winning, strategic public relations company believes there are huge opportunities for PR companies to closely integrate their offerings with the entire marketing mix.

Says Janine Lloyd, Livewired PR Managing Director, “Our PR campaigns are amplified substantially when the entire marketing team works closely together to achieve the client’s objectives. Often our PR team has come up with ideas which extend the marketing concept further, making the entire campaign far more powerful.”

“Marketing communications disciplines work better in harmony than in isolation. Their sum is greater than their parts especially when they speak consistently with one voice all the time, every time.”

Livewired PR has grown significantly due to its incorporation into the ForeBrands Integrated Marketing Communications Group and has seen first-hand the power of Public Relations working in close alignment with the entire marketing Mix. In 2010, Livewired secured brands Pringles, Duracell, Kodak, Braun and more recently Old Spice.

“In the FMCG space when you can align your PR strategies with digital, experiential and promotions, advertising, point-of-sale, in one synergistic force, the exponential returns we get on campaigns are phenomenal,” says Lloyd. “For example, when Pringles wanted to launch the new flavor-packed Extreme range, we collectively developed an integrated campaign titled Express Yourself! The campaign integrated across digital (consumer’s giving their most Extreme expression), experiential activations at bars, nightclubs and campuses, heavily supported by Public Relations, Point-of-sale and social media. The campaign was one of the most successful launches globally from a PR, experiential and social media perspective.”

“The future for PR companies lie in their ability to seamlessly work within the integrated marketing model and collectively contribute significantly to their client’s success,” concludes Lloyd.

Source: http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/423/59011.html