First agreed in 2010, updated five years later, then updated again in 2020, the Barcelona Principles represent the first global standard for measurement of Public Relations.
They form part of a move forward over recent years towards widespread use of PR evaluation.
The benefit and the problem of the Barcelona Principles is that they are pitched strategically. Yet their purpose is to standardise PR campaigns which are measured in the outcomes of myriad tactical outputs.
There is global industry agreement that an agreed level of standards - such as the seven principles - is desirable.
Yet the practicalities and challenges of measuring outcomes in individualised campaigns means that there remains no ubiquitous standard benchmark for success or failure. AVEs no longer count.
A design for PR planning
There are various frameworks available to use for strategic planning of campaigns.
1284 tends to use the OASIS favoured by the UK Government Communications Service but others such as the AMEC model also exist. They both reflect the Barcelona Principles.
These frameworks are the product of much research and debate over PR evaluation over recent decades.
However, uptake of systematic and formal evaluation among practitioners has remained relatively low.
Barcelona Principles 3.0 (2020 version)
- Setting SMART goals is an absolute prerequisite to communications planning, measurement, and evaluation
Why? Because clear objectives - aligned with client business plans - put measurement, benchmarking and outcomes at the centre of the campaign.
- Measurement and evaluation should identify outputs, outcomes, and potential impact.
Why? Because PR is often easier to measure in terms of outputs than outcomes. What have those column inches actually changed?
- Outcomes and impact should be identified for stakeholders, society, and the organisation.
Why? Because the model needs to be inclusive of organisations and campaigns that are not necessarily profit-driven.
- Communication measurement and evaluation should include both qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Why? Because it’s important to quantify campaign outcomes but also understand how messages are received and interpreted.
- AVEs are not the value of communication.
Why? Because they have been agreed to be an unreliable and blunt measure.
- Holistic communication measurement and evaluation includes all relevant online and offline channels.
Why? Because the fragmentation of modern comms means all channels must be considered: earned, owned, shared or paid.
- Communication measurement and evaluation are rooted in integrity and transparency to drive learning and insights.
Why? Because there are also ethical and regulatory considerations. Measurement is about learning and reapplying insight - and that requires transparency with the client.
What it means for your campaign
PR professionals need clear understanding of the impact their campaigns and strategies have for their clients. To do so they require reliable metrics.
However, the Barcelona Principles don’t consider the vast diversity of communication activities that exist today. They may not be applicable to all types of communication strategies.
Furthermore, they don’t provide any advice on how best to build evaluation processes to make meaningful decisions from gathered data.
So, there is value in using the Barcelona Principles - and frameworks thereof - for forming PR campaigns that can be evaluated at each stage.
But it still remains necessary to supplement with agreed additional measurements and insights on an individualised campaign basis.
That doesn’t make for a one-size-fits-all evaluation model. But it does mean that clients should look beyond AVEs for their reporting.
