Of Image, Perception and Reputation

There are three key elements that are central to most PR campaigns, and they are: Image, Perception and Reputation. These days it is not uncommon for people (some PR practitioners included) to use these terms interchangeably, almost as if they are synonymous.

Well, the semantic lines may sometimes appear blurred, but in the context of the Public Relations profession the three words do not mean the same thing. Every brand possesses a bit of these three attributes, and how well they are managed (or the lack of it thereof) to a large extent determines how far a brand will go in achieving success in the market place, or in the minds (and hearts) of its ‘publics’.

#1 – Image

Put very simply, your image is who, and what, you say you are. It is how you present yourself, both in terms of your physical manifestations, behavior, and the projections and claims that you make about yourself. Your image invariably evokes certain kinds of reactions in the minds and hearts of the people to whom you manifest, or are presented. Reactions to your image may be positive (leading to acceptance or goodwill) or negative (evoking resentment or rejection), depending on a variety of factors.

You have full control over your image. In summary, your image is your brand!

#2 – Perception

Perception is the other end of the spectrum from image. It is how people see you, what they think of you, the way they react to the image that you project. People’s perception of you may be positive, negative, or anywhere in between. Usually there are several other extraneous factors  (beyond just your image or communication) that help to shape or influence perception, and this should not be surprising, given the increasingly connected and information-driven world we live in today.

It is often said in PR that: Perception is Reality. What this means is that a person’s perception about a brand – regardless of what drives that perception - is his reality about it. It is real and personal to him and invariably shapes the way he reacts to that  brand. People warm up to a brand that they perceive positively.

Perception may be latent, or expressed.

#3 – Reputation

When people externalize their perception about a brand, whether publicly or in private forums, it becomes the reputation of that brand. In other words, your reputation is an aggregation of what people are saying – or writing - about you, based on information available to them, or on the perception they have formed about you. It goes without saying therefore, that an overwhelmingly positive perception about a brand will invariably build a good reputation for it, and vice versa.

Word-of-mouth tends to be very effective in building and gauging reputation.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, it should be noted that the end-game of most PR activities in support of brands is to achieve a congruence of image, perception and reputation. In other words, to see that the brand’s image is rightfully perceived by its ‘publics’, ultimately leading to the desired reputation.

Happy and successful is the brand for whom there is a harmonious alignment of the image it projects, the perception it evokes and the reputation it eventually acquires. It should be noted however, that these factors are not mutually exclusive, neither are they finite in scope. For as long as the brand exists, they will invariably always be Work In Progress, responding to the dynamics of the market, the ever-changing demands of the consumer and the evolution of the brand itself.

But the key learning for us as PR practitioners is that, concerning the brands that we work for,  we should never allow any of these elements to develop by default, or by happenstance.

They must be carefully and professionally managed at every stage.