Public relations isn't a game, though many companies like to play pretend involved. (There is so much more to PR than simply sending out a press release, which is where this "play pretend" analogy comes from.) It is, however, a contest. Though you can stay internal and look only at your numbers, it's also important to know how you're doing in comparison to your competitors. (If you're not looking at your own numbers, though, and only concerned with replicating what your competition does, you're also bound to be unsuccessful.)