Industry media has recently announced that Tesla has closed its entire PR department. Why? Willingness to distance oneself from “intrusive” journalists. If Elon Musk liquidates his press office, is it no longer profitable to invest in PR?
The matter is not so obvious, so it is worth considering what cooperation with a public relations agency can give us and why good relations with the media still do not lose their importance.
Discussion background
Ironically, the PR department at Tesla hasn’t had good press for several years. Journalists complained that the company had not responded to their inquiries for a long time, the department director had not been working there for a year, and no one had replaced him. Although the company has not officially announced this matter, it is said behind the scenes that the PR department at Tesla is no longer there.
What guided Elon in making such a decision?
He believed journalists mistreated his company, so he did not want to provide them with information. You can also think such a recognisable brand does not need additional media support. Of course, there are so many opinions, and we will not be able to see the results of his choice until some time.
However, until we know this, it is worth moving back to our backyard and answering the question: is it still worth cooperating with the media? Or maybe Elon Musk’s strategy would be better?
There is (still) strength in traditional media
Despite the increasing role of social media and influencers, traditional media is not losing its importance and continues to be an opinion-forming medium.
For Europeans, traditional media are still important. Therefore, when creating a communication strategy, it is worth considering contact with journalists and devoting some time to them. It’s a straightforward relationship — if we give something back, we can count on the same in return.
A PR agency is primarily about relationships
Since there is no doubt that journalists are still influential and it is worth being in touch with them, there remains one more important question: how to build and maintain these contacts?
PR is primarily about relations — with clients, journalists, the entire media industry, and each other. Our goal is to establish contact with journalists from various areas and to help each other. We are there when a journalist needs information and when clients need media attention.
We keep track of the world around us and adapt our activities to current events. It is said that PR never sleeps, and there is a grain of truth in it because even when we are not at work, we are looking for inspiration and media opportunities that we will use in the office the next day.
Media is our passion. We have one more advantage — the team that is our superpower. Joint work, brainstorming, strategy development, consultations, and support in crises pay off our actions.
PR is an investment, not a cost
Is it worth collaborating with a PR agency, then? This is a very individual matter that we recommend considering. When deciding on such services, let’s treat them as an investment, not a cost. In the long term, the investment will undoubtedly bring us financial profits, a good reputation, and a recognisable brand.
