Q. What’s the difference between a squirrel and a rat?
A. PR.
So the joke goes.
Many of our companies have reduced PR to handing over an oversized cheque or having their Managing Director pose for a photo op painting a children’s home. That’s not PR, that’s paid advertising camouflaged as doing good. And of course companies get some value from this, but if they did it right it would be better for the community they serve and improve their own ROI.
Take for example steelband sponsorship. For too many sponsors it’s about ticking the box and buying their way to corporate heaven. Cheques are written and t-shirts and signage printed but there is very little engagement between company and band. The result is tons of logos in the community and not enough enlightenment. What if the HR Director in the company coached the band’s management on teamwork and accountability?
Logos are hollow without adding some heart.
