Seriously, let's put this in perspective. What exactly does an internal research person do at a PR agency? And why would a client care?

There are a few possibilities:

• Scientifically measure program results, i.e. you implemented some tactic, so is it working and was it worth it? Sounds good but this is quite rare. Clients just don't want to pay for measurement, scientific or otherwise. And certainly the margins are too thin today for an agency to provide this service gratis. Bottom line: if the silly measurement "methodology" we've been using seemed to suffice, why actually get "scientific" and upset the applecart. Exactness has never been all that friendly to PR.
• Pre-release message testing, i.e. craft a few brand messages and make sure that they resonate with various target audiences using focus groups and such. Also a good idea. But this isn't advertising. In advertising, one can use more complicated messages because of some semblance of control. In PR there is very little control so messages tend to be more basic. You can't justify focus groups to test basic messages. "So Bob... do you think 'clean' describes the soap well?"
• Identifying market opportunities. Definitely! I just don't know how one would price this as it's sporadic by nature. It is kind of the entrepreneurial side of research. In the context of PR where the general client expectation is a steady 20 lbs. of press clippings per month, I just don't know how/where it fits. On the other hand, if an agency did this on spec, they could earn their yearly fees in the clients eyes with just one good break. But it's a gamble and I just don't see Marcia Silverman (Ogilvy PR CEO) spending a lot of time in Atlantic City. Maybe on one of the senior day trips.
• Provide analysis of foreign and domestic public policy environments. Sure, on a client strategy level, but in the area of PR? Is the CEO of Consolidated Fuzz really going to pick up the phone and call his PR account rep and ask, "So Jenny, do you think we should get into diapers and what obstacles might we face in Poland?" Seriously, when it comes to more general global communications counsel, I am sure the client would rely on the agency's Warsaw office. Right? I mean, that's why they hired a "global" firm.

No. That's not it. I've obviously over thought this. It's really in the first four lines of the announcement: Scott will help them look good in new business and she'll help enhance account strategy and programming. She's going to help ground some of what they are doing in a little reality. That makes sense. Okay, now we're getting somewhere.

With regard to new business, you come in there with a shit load of graphs and such and you're looking pretty smart. It's the look women love and men admire. Think of the Scare Crow in the Wizard of Oz with his new diploma. You start spouting the square root of the hypotenuse triangle, well the value of that just cannot be measured. Seriously, it's as simple as this: it's all about domain knowledge, facility and enthusiasm. I mean, do you want to sit by a true fan at the Cubs game or some tourist schlub?

Alright, how about the "planning" part? The planning part is really an offshoot of its advertising big brother. It's also British. I may have mentioned that at one point I worked for Saatchi & Saatchi in London. Those guys don't take a poop without the research.

The problem with PR Research for planning is that it comes with a bias. This is bad, much like why you want independent research from your financial guy. See, numbers are funny. They're especially funny in the hands of those that want to sell you something. Keep in mind, the nature of PR is not about facts that come together to make a story; it's a business of making stories and then looking for supportive facts. Here, I've got an idea; let's justify it. Or more specifically, I think you need to give me more money; let me prove it to ya.

Obviously, I am not a big fan of research "divisions" in a PR firm. I had a boss once that hit the nail on the head: from a client perspective, you're either telling him what he already knows or telling him what he doesn't not want to hear. Research is always the first thing that gets fired.

All to say, good luck Dr. Jenny. I hope it goes well. I understand that geriatric care can be very rewarding. I think you've got a clean up in room 427.

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