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Approximately 70% of marketing and communications leaders say their role is a mix of both functions, according to new survey results from Muck Rack, the Public Relations Management (PRM) platform that enables organisations to build relationships with the media, manage crisis risk and demonstrate PR’s impact on business outcomes.
In Muck Rack’s inaugural State of Marketing and PR Leadership report, a comprehensive survey involving 193 marketing and communications professionals at the director level or above, insights into the dynamic landscape of leadership in these fields were unveiled. Notably, 44% of these leaders revealed that they report directly to the CEO.
While the survey disclosed shared objectives among marketing and communications leaders—such as expanding reach and bolstering market presence—it also underscored nuanced differences in their focal points. Communication and marketing communication (marcom) leaders place a premium on nurturing media relationships, whereas marketing leaders express heightened concern for the scrutiny and evaluation of their impact.
Internal communications have become increasingly crucial in organisations, particularly over the past few years. Muck Rack’s survey found that human resources or another non-marketing function (38%) and communications (37%) leaders are most likely to oversee the function.
“This data shows that communications and marketing leaders don’t have clearly defined roles in many organisations,” says Gregory Galant, cofounder and CEO of Muck Rack.
“While there will always be overlap, especially when it comes to brand management, fostering media relationships, storytelling, and spotting risks are skills that require the expertise of a seasoned communications professional. Businesses looking to grow market share should consider investing in building successful communications and marketing teams that partner closely on brand initiatives, but operate separately under two distinct leaders,” Galant adds.
Marketing (42%) and marcom (49%) leaders are more optimistic about the potential increase in their 2024 budgets. However, most communications leaders expect their budgets to stay the same.
Effective collaboration stands as a vital factor in the triumph of independent operations within marketing and communications teams. Regular cross-functional collaboration, marked by weekly meetings, highlights the essential partnership required between these two domains.
Distinct success metrics take precedence for marketing and communications leaders. Marketing leaders prioritise lead generation, followed by sales, web traffic, and conversion rate. Conversely, communications leaders concentrate on metrics such as the number of stories placed, key message pull-through, and reach/impressions. Marcom leaders place value on lead generation, web traffic, and social media engagement, alongside metrics like stories placed, reach, and the impact on the website.
