Barcelona Principles

1. Importance of Goal Setting and Measurement

Firstly, communication campaign goals should be clearly identified. This principle argues for the goals to also be as quantifiable as possible to facilitate measurement. The measurement identified should address what impact is expected on stakeholders. Critics have questioned the assumption of quantitative measurement's superiority over qualitative, which is equally and, in some schools, more commonly used in academic communication research. This principle and the role of qualitative elements are built on subsequent principles.

2. Media Measurement Requires Quantity and Quality

This principle develops the first principle and acknowledges that some measurement approaches record relevant data (i.e., the numerical scoring or counting of clippings or impressions) but do not adequately account for measurement impact in more qualitative terms, such as tone, credibility, source, and media outlet. This principle therefore suggests building on the first principle and recognizing the nuance of media impact.

3. AVEs Are Not the Value of Public Relations

The powerful message and the most reported outcome of the Barcelona conference and the subsequent principles was the confident statement recorded in the third principle that AVEs do not measure the work of public relations. At the conference 92% of delegates agreed with this principle statement. The gap and the challenge, of course, have been to identify what the alternatives are to AVEs. This debate continues and has been reflected in practitioner, academic, and online debates.

4. Social Media Can and Should Be Measured

This principle argues that organizations need clearly defined goals and outcomes for social media. As with traditional media, evaluating quality and quantity is critical. Media content analysis should be supplemented by Web and search analytics, sales and customer relationship management (CRM) data, survey data, and other methods. In addition, the Principles claim that given the scale and volume of social media, technology-assisted analysis may be necessary. Measurement of social media must focus on conversations and communities, not “coverage.” Finally, understanding reach and influence is important, but existing sources are not acceptable, transparent, or consistent enough to be reliable. The suggestion is that experimentation and testing are keys to success.

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