Change Is Good – Why We Changed MRP

MRP

MR²P (Media Relations Rating Points) was created by Canadian PR professionals for the PR industry as a strategy to measure the effectiveness of PR campaigns. The system showcases both quantitative and qualitative results of traditional earned media in Canada. MRP (now Media Rating Points) has continued to evolve as a multi-dimensional measurement strategy and standard, steered by the CPRS – Canadian Public Relations Society measurement committee and cited alongside the Barcelona Principles (voluntary guidelines from the AMEC — International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication)

As news media and communications strategies evolve, the industry has called for a cohesive measurement standard that extends beyond classic PR measurement to reach organizations, governments, companies, and brands alike. Recently, the Barcelona Principles stressed the importance of integrated communications and that measurement must be integrated across geographies, methods (quantitative and qualitative), and channels (including paid, earned, owned, and shared media tactics).

Barcelona Principles:

1. Goalsetting and measurement are fundamental to communication and public relations.
2. Measuring communication outcomes is recommended versus only measuring outputs.
3. The effect on organizational performance can and should be measured where possible.
4. Measurement and evaluation require both qualitative and quantitative methods.
5. The AVE metric (Ad Value Equivalencies) is not the value of communications.
6. Social media can and should be measured consistently with other media channels.
7. Measurement and evaluation should be transparent, consistent and valid.

Relying on these widely accepted guidelines and the counsel of the CPRS measurement committee, Fifth Story has committed to improve and evolve the MRP platform to reflect the ever-changing landscape in measuring beyond earned media.

We listened and heard:

Fifth Story has applied client feedback to help develop the MRP 3.0 platform and to reinvent a focus on measurement.

Clients wanted:

• Easier media search — MRP 3.0 has it
• Ability to favourite media for easy access — MRP 3.0 has it
• Ability to bulk upload media coverage — MRP 3.0 has it
• To identify PESO (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned) initiatives — MRP 3.0 has it
• More custom criteria options — MRP 3.0 has it
• Flexible in grid editing — MRP 3.0 has it
• Make current reports prominent — MRP 3.0 has it
• Easy access to the knowledge base — MRP 3.0 has it
• Ability to weight MRP criteria based on importance — MRP 3.0 has it
• Presentation-ready reports — MRP 3.0 has it

Measure consistently across channels

“Social media can and should be measured consistently with other media channels.”

While cross-channel campaigns may use different voices, continuity remains paramount in your messaging to remain focused on your objectives.

Measuring consistently doesn’t necessarily mean that you are obligated to combine coverage from all channels into the same report, nor that these channels should be prioritized in the same way.

Using consistent MRP quality criteria when evaluating multi-platform campaigns will ensure that you end up with results worthy of comparison.

A word about PESO

“Measurement and evaluation should be transparent, consistent and valid”

As the media industry evolves and the strict line between editorial and paid advertisements become blurred, it is left up to you to evaluate and decide the media mix that makes most sense for your brand.

MRP prompts you to identify the type of media coverage — whether that’s paid, earned, shared, or owned. Transparent reporting achieves clarity, offering access to more information so people can see what is going on and why.

When leveraging a PESO strategy we classify each tactic as follows:

Earned

MRP classifies earned media as unpaid editorial or influencer coverage. Earned coverage can be found on traditional media, websites, or social channels where the brand/company does not pay for or own the content. Unpaid customer-generated content like comments and reviews should also be classified as Earned.

Earned media does not include paid or sponsored posts, segments, or sections (i.e. Globe partner content, Buzzfeed sponsored posts, sponsored blog posts, YouTube paid endorsements, etc.)

Paid

In the past paid media was more recognizable, isolated to interruptive commercials or print ads. Product placements, paid sponsorships (not obviously labeled or declared), native advertising, paid influencers, etc. make it harder to spot paid content in today’s market.

Paid media can appear in social, digital, print, TV, and radio coverage where the message is controlled, partially controlled, or inspired by the advertiser or their financial support. Examples include sponsored sections, advertorials, partner content, paid endorsements, sponsored posts, segments, product placement, etc.

Owned Media

Brands are increasingly behaving like publishers. Media, content, and assets that the brand controls like websites, blogs, newsletters, and brand social media accounts should be classified as Owned.

Shared Media

Shared media is best illustrated when consumers are working with/against a brand to create and spread the brand’s content across social channels. Paid, Earned, and Owned content can inspire Shared media, while Shared media can inspire Earned media.

Change is the only consistent in the world and with the ever-changing media, marketing, and PR landscapes, MRP will now be positioned to move with the changes. We are excited about the new MRP platform and future development.