The main difference between a press office and strategic communication lies in their function. A press office primarily manages an organisation’s relationship with the media. Strategic communication, however, operates at an earlier stage: it establishes the positioning, the messages, the target audiences and the criteria that determine what to communicate, how, when and through which channels.
Therefore, these are not two alternatives or two conflicting models. The press office is a tool that can form part of a broader strategic communication system. The difference seems simple, but it changes the way we understand communication: it involves moving from asking ‘How do we communicate this?’ to first asking ‘What position do we want to establish, and what do we need to communicate to achieve it?’.
What is a press office and what is strategic communication?
What is a press office and what are its functions?
A press office is primarily responsible for managing a company’s relations with the media. Its work is closely linked to current affairs: it identifies what might be of interest to journalists, prepares the necessary materials and interviews, and brings the organisation’s activities to the attention of the media.
What is strategic communication?
Strategic communication does not begin by asking what to publish, what press release to send out or what campaign to launch. It starts earlier, with other questions: what should the organisation stand for? What do we want our audiences to understand? What messages do we need to convey? What risks are there? What issues do we want to take the lead on? The tools are then selected on that basis. At Incógnito, we also approach this in terms of public positioning and building legitimacy.
In some cases, these tools will be media relations. In others, they will involve in-house content, internal communications, events, digital channels, a spokesperson strategy, or a combination of different disciplines. The tools thus cease to dictate communication and instead serve a strategy.
Key differences between a press office and strategic communications
The difference between a press office and a strategic communications department lies not only in the tasks each carries out, but also in the level at which they operate.
The press office:
- Manages relations with journalists and the media.
- Identify opportunities for information.
- It produces and distributes press materials.
- Manages press interviews and enquiries.
- It is closely linked to current affairs.
- Bring the organisation’s activities into the media spotlight.
Strategic communication:
- Define the position the organisation wishes to establish.
- Set priorities, messages and areas of focus.
- Identify audiences, risks and scenarios.
- It aims to align the organisation around a coherent framework.
- It brings together different disciplines and channels.
- It sets out criteria for deciding what to communicate, how and when.
We can summarise the difference in a single sentence: the press office manages relations with the media, whilst strategic communication sets out the framework within which decisions are made on how to utilise those relations.
This does not mean that the press office is solely a reactive function. Effective media management can also anticipate issues, identify opportunities and actively shape the news agenda.
An example: the same situation, two approaches
Let’s imagine that a company is entering a new market. From a perspective focused on media coverage, the challenge might be put as follows: we have something new. How do we get the media to talk about it?
From a strategic perspective, the first question would be different: this decision changes our company. What do we want it to mean for our audiences, and what position do we want to build on this basis?
Next come the tactical decisions: do we need media coverage? Which spokesperson should explain it? What messages need to be conveyed? Should we also focus on our own content, internal communications, events or digital channels?
The tools used may even be the same. What changes is the criteria for deciding when, how and for what purpose to use them.
How the press office and strategic communications work together
Strategic communication does not replace the press office. Rather, it places it within a broader framework of corporate communication, in which strategy, messaging, crisis management and support all form part of the same capability. Media relations can be a key tool for building an organisation’s public standing, just as corporate content, events, social media and digital positioning can be.
Our approach is based precisely on this integration: the various service modules are presented as parts of an integrated communication system rather than as separate tasks.
Therefore, the question should not be whether we need a press office or a strategic communications department, but rather what we want to achieve as an organisation and what role the media should play within that strategy.
From generating impact to building brand positioning
The difference is also evident in how we assess whether the communication has been successful. From a media perspective, it makes sense to analyse the reach achieved, the relevance of the media outlets reached, the interviews conducted or the impact of a particular initiative. However, the strategy requires us to consider other questions as well. Is there a recognisable stance? Do successive actions reinforce the same ideas? Is there consistency between the various spokespersons and channels?
Strategic communication thus broadens our perspective. The aim is not merely to generate visibility, but to decide what that visibility should mean.
The reason is that an organisation can feature frequently and yet still fail to establish a clear position. This is similar to the argument we put forward in ‘Posting frequently does not build authority’: appearing often is not the same as being recognised as an authority.
Frequently asked questions about press offices and strategic communications
What does a press office do?
A press office manages an organisation’s relations with journalists and the media. Its responsibilities include identifying news opportunities, producing press materials, arranging interviews, responding to media enquiries and supporting the preparation of spokespeople.
Can a company have a press office without a communications strategy?
Yes. But having the ability to engage with the media does not guarantee that there is a common framework defining the organisation’s positioning, messages and priorities. Visibility can be achieved without every media appearance contributing to the development of a coherent position.
Does strategic communication replace the press office?
No. Strategic communication establishes a broader framework within which media relations can play a key role. Rather than replacing the press office, it complements it and provides it with direction.
From the press office to the communications system
The difference between a press office and strategic communications is not a matter of choosing one or the other. It is a matter of understanding the role of each.
Media relations enable organisations to convey messages to the media and maintain a professional dialogue with journalists. The strategy determines the position the organisation wishes to establish, the messages required to underpin it, and how the various departments must coordinate their efforts to move towards that position. And that decision ultimately rests with senior management: communication is a management function, not a service that is only activated when there is news.
When such a framework is in place, the press office ceases to function as an isolated tool and becomes part of a system. That is the real change: moving from simply communicating actions to building a position.