PR x9 more effective than advertising: time for marketers to rethink budget priorities
The evidence is clear: PR delivers greater customer engagement and bottom line results than advertising. So why are brands and businesses spending more of their budgets on advertising formats that perform poorly in comparison?
There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that many marketing teams may be misallocating their budgets – potentially costing them significant returns. Despite research showing that public relations (PR) delivers up to nine times the return on investment (ROI) compared to advertising, UK businesses continue to pour the majority of their marketing spend into ads.
According to Nielsen data, PR outperforms advertising in ROI by a factor of nine. Yet, while UK firms spend an estimated £36 billion annually on advertising, only £4-5 billion is directed toward PR. This disparity, it seems, is rooted not in strategy but in habit.
“Advertising is easy to measure,” says Clearly’s founder and MD, Paul MacKenzie-Cummins. “Clicks, conversions, and impressions offer instant gratification. PR, on the other hand, is more nuanced—it’s about earned attention, not paid exposure.”
So, what is happening.
Adman Rory Sutherland, vice chairman of the Ogilvy & Mather group of companies, said:
“Although you may think that people instinctively want to make the best possible decision, there is a stronger force that animates business decision-making: the desire not to get blamed or fired.”
This insight reflects how habitual decision-making in business often stems from risk aversion rather than strategic thinking – especially relevant when discussing why marketers stick with familiar but less effective tactics like over-investing in advertising.
This reliance on advertising stems from its perceived measurability. Marketers can track performance in real time, adjusting campaigns on the fly. PR, by contrast, has traditionally been harder to quantify.
However, that’s changing. Modern PR metrics now include media mentions, audience reach, brand authority, website traffic, and even sales consolidation when a prospect cites media coverage as a reason for engaging with a brand.
“PR influences decision-making in ways advertising can’t. It builds credibility and trust through storytelling, which is far more persuasive than transactional messaging.”
Paul MacKenzie-Cummins
Nowhere is this more evident than in the Baton of Hope PR campaign that Clearly PR launched and ran. The Baton of Hope is a mental health initiative that gained widespread media coverage over a six-month period. Its success illustrates how a compelling story can reach far beyond the limitations of a paid ad budget.
In the summer of 2023, a new charity focused on raising awareness and expanding conversations around suicide and mental health was launched.
The stories we heard from people who were either bereaved by suicide or had experienced mental ill health were turned into highly emotive stories that were as tragic as they were compelling. From a PR perspective, each one was exceptionally powerful in enabling us to communicate the charity’s objectives through national and regional media.
The impact of the stories we told was extraordinary. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described the campaign as the most important mental health initiative the country has ever seen. The media were just as supportive. Indeed, the stories we told and shared featured in more than 370 media outlets, including BBC News, BBC Breakfast, Radio 2, Radio 5, Sky News, and Channel 5 News.
With lead generation, client retention, and brand awareness topping marketers’ priority lists, the current overreliance on advertising may be undermining these goals. PR, by contrast, offers a more sustainable and cost-effective path to achieving them.
As the marketing landscape evolves, experts are calling for a shift in mindset. “It’s time to break the cycle,” says Paul. “Marketers must challenge outdated habits and embrace the channels that truly drive growth.”
For businesses looking to maximise ROI and build lasting brand equity, the message is clear: it may be time to rethink the marketing mix – and give PR the seat at the table it deserves.
Get in touch if you want to storytell your way to PR success.
