Hello, did you decide which animal you are or are you still having a ponder? Here’s our guide to help make up your mind.

Armadillo

There’s no doubt about it, armadillos are tough cookies. That hard shell means they are more than equipped to deal with whatever comes their way. And yes they might have short legs but boy can they run fast! If you’re an armadillo you are confident in yourself and what you stand for. You fiercely protect your reputation and everyone is ‘on brand’. Your customers are not just your bread and butter, but your advocates and foot soldiers. Crisis, what crisis? You eat trouble for breakfast.

Top tips
There’s a softer side to every business and it’s important to reveal this from time to time. Over controlling brands can come across as stiff and fail to engage new audiences. If you focus too much on reactive PR you will miss the opportunities to influence the narrative. Inject creativity, personality and the human touch into your PR and you will go even further.

Panda

Everyone would love to hug a panda but first you’ve got to find one. Pandas are naturally shy animals and prefer to stay away from the limelight, they genuinely don’t realise how cute they are. If you’re a panda you’re more than happy just as you are and don’t see the need to rock the boat. Keeping your head down and doing your thing suits you fine thank you very much. After all, what’s not to like about being ‘liked’.

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Staying ‘on your toes’ is the secret for many a successful business. No one, however unique their business is immune from competition. Imagine what would you do if the same business opened up next door to you and do it now! Think about diversifying, develop some new PR channels, boost your media profile and grow your customer base. Keep pushing yourself to the next level. Being liked is ok but being in demand is survival.

Meerkat

You’re taking a look at the world around you but often retreat back to home ground. There’s safety in what you know, your territory and team around you. Meerkats, however, display a natural curiosity. They sense there are PR opportunities out there, but they’re less sure how to take advantage of them. They’re beginning to realise they’ll need to put their head above the parapet to make their way in the world.

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Make the most of your natural resources, your skills and differences and take some achievable first steps. Identify your main PR objectives and any barriers to getting the results you need for your company. Discuss ideas with your colleagues so that everyone feels part of the process. Getting buy-in early on will be key to your success.

Peacock

Come on let me see you shake that tail feather. Yes that’s you. You’re a peacock and we’re pretty sure you know it. You take pride in the product or service and shout it from the rooftops. You’re quick to capitalise on opportunities, forging new partnerships to build on your success. There’s no way you are going to be just one of the crowd. Colourful and creative are your trademarks and you don’t mind taking a few risks along the way. PR knows no bounds for you and you’ll use every trick at your disposal.

Top tips
Strut your stuff as much as you want but make sure there’s always substance behind it. Being caught out will damage trust in your company, possibly with fatal results. There’s a lot to be said for rewriting the script but your service to customers comes first. Be prepared if times get tough with robust stakeholder engagement and crisis planning and don’t forget your internal culture must match your external persona.

Whatever your animal instincts, it’s always important to identify your blind spots and how you can improve your company’s PR strategy. No one’s perfect but everyone will benefit from good public relations and this will always pay dividends. Not sure where to start? Start by talking to us.