South Africa, July 17 -- If the PR profession has indeed entered a new epoch, then the profession must pose a more rigorous inquiry: Are we still defining success through measurement tools that have become obsolete?

Return on Impact

Over my career, I have witnessed the industry move beyond Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) after recognising that earned media could not be adequately represented by the cost of paid advertising.

More substantive metrics emerged, including engagement, sentiment, and increasingly, Return on Investment (ROI). Collectively, these have helped position communication as a strategic business function rather than a mere auxiliary service.

This progression has been significant. However, it has also exposed a dis...