Projector Notes for PR Class

7/30/2019 Projector Notes for PR Class

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Projector notes for PR class

DONT make the media your primary means of communicating on pending or

current litigation in progress. Journalists are not a reliable means of ensuring

that your key audiences receive your messages, nor is it a reporters job to make

sure everything you think is important gets to the right people.

DO communicate directly with your important audiences, internally and

externally, to ensure they have the information you want them to have about

matters being tried in the media.

DO consider the option of informing certain key audiences of the probability of

media coverage on a legal matter before it appears in the press.

DO remember that employees are a critical audience all employees are PR

representatives for the organization whether you want them to be or not.

DO integrate legal and PR strategy, because youll be educating the jury pool

while also minimizing damage that could occur to your organization in the short-

term, even if you win the legal case in the long-term.

DO explore the use of publicity about generic or related issues relevant to your

particular case or client as a legitimate means of bringing attention to issues that

might result in pre-trial settlements, or to develop similar examples to illustrate

the issues in your case.

DONT say no comment if you havent had a chance to review the case. Say Id

very much like to comment on this as soon as Ive read whats been filed. If

appropriate, add: I still dont have a copy of it myself, could you fax or email one

over?

DO tell journalists that you want to respect their deadlines, but would appreciate

their respecting your need to have the information you need to make an

intelligent response.


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DONT attack the media. Ever. Neither directly, nor in communication with

other audiences, because it will get back to them. The media can hurt you more

than you can hurt them. Most media outlets LOVE being sued or threatened, it

sells more papers or air time.

DONT judge the impact of media coverage by the sensationalism of headlines or

length of news coverage. Ask your important audiences, internal and external,

how THEY are reacting to the coverage in some cases, youll find they dont

believe it!

DO consider becoming your own publisher, using the Internet to post your

perspective on issues of public concern IF the general public is, in fact, an

important audience for you. Or even on a password-protected website for

selected audiences that are important to you.

DONT assume that you know how to talk to reporters about negative news just

because youre skilled at good news interviews get media trained.

DO establish both internal and external rumor control systems to short-circuit

rumors early on, before they do too much damage.

You have sent out your news release. Now what? Get back to what you do best?

Take a walk? Sit by the phone and wait? Most people who dont have a public

relations person in their company, or dont use a PR advisor or agency often

make the mistake of thinking that just because the news release went out that it

will get picked up.

It might if the news is compelling, or it aligns with other stories like it in news

cycle, and/or you have some history with the news organizations that you sent

the release to. In my career Ive met many people who have let a release fly but

never once made a callback to follow up. Media Relations are all about

following up, but there are some basic rules to follow when making The Call.
http://www.mediasavantcom.com/http://www.mediasavantcom.com/


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Rule 1

Never call and ask if the news release was received. What you are really calling

about is why your story is important or plays off something making headlines

that day. Or your story has a strong local angle to something occurring nationally

or internationally.

Rule 2

Be succinct. If youre lucky enough to get someone live on the phone, you have

precious seconds to convince the other party that it merits their attention and

coverage. Create a script if you need to that includes your key message. Rehearse.

Call a colleague and practice it. But sound natural and not like youre reading the

ingredients off a can of soup.

Rule 3

Put on your Telemarketer Hat. The next time an annoying telemarketer calls you,

rather than saying, No thank you, you idiot, you are calling me during dinner yet

again and there are laws to prevent these calls if only I wasnt so lazy to call the

number and be registered as part of the no-call zone, I would not have to listen toyour sorry spiel, you must be really hard up for work, or lazier than I am.

Goodbye! Instead, listen to how they pitch whatever it is theyre selling, a

politician, a new product, or service. Whatever it is, most likely the person has

their message down and is ready to engage.

Rule 4

Set a callback limit. As a general rule I go by the three strikes and youre out limit meaning, Ive tried three times and left three messages. Depending on the

client or the urgency, I may not leave a message at all but just keep calling until I

get a live one on the line. If Im using email, once or twice is enough. If I havent

made my case but feel I really need to push and this story is really worth being


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told by a TV station or section of the newspaper Ill keep trying and maybe

reposition my pitch.

Rule 5

Be discreet. Theres a fine line between being persistent and being a pest. It

doesnt take much to land on somebodys black list if youve breached their

tolerance level or filled up their email with the same message over and over again.

To paraphrase the great Joe South song, walk a mile in their shoes, and make

The Call confidently, expecting only good results.

Heres how the best communications teams do it.

Know your media

Identify which media and individual journalists are important to you and

your public audiences local, regional, national, specialist and BAME

press.

Focus on the councils key messages and target key media on the issues

that are relevant to their readers.

Develop an excellent relationship with key journalists this will help you

build trust, float ideas, better understand what stories interest them and

find out how they want to receive press releases and briefings.

Be helpful be prepared to give a local comment on national stories.

Plan ahead

Develop one positive story a week that affects real people.

Encourage services to tell you their successes.

Create a forward planning media calendar to ensure there are no internal

clashes, that you are prepared for potentially negative stories and that you

have a full programme of positive stories.
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Develop key facts around particular services or corporate priorities to

ensure that you always have up-to-date information to share with

journalists.

Engage interest

Be creative think of unusual visual stories for photographers and TV

cameras and interesting sound environments for radio interviews and

features.

Bring your press releases to life by finding the human interest, for

example, if youre opening a new service or launching a new strategy, find

some residents who can talk about what they or the community will get out

of it.

Run media campaigns

Create ongoing campaigns with a number of media 'hooks', rather than just one-

off stories. Media campaigns can also be used as part of a wider PR or

'marcomms' marketing and communications campaign to soften the blow or

change public perceptions on difficult decisions the council has to take for

example, a rise in council tax or cuts in services.

e-communications and new media

Many councils are embracing developments in e-communications and new media

as part of their communications mix to engage with their residents and

stakeholders. Its as important to set 'specific, measurable, actionable, relevant

and timely' (SMART) objectives for this approach as it is for more conventional

media tools. Ideas include:

using YouTube for example, Somerset County Council has launched its

own YouTube channel to show people the variety of services it provides,

and Cambridgeshire County Council used it to appeal for new councillors


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using the website to get across important news quickly to a large number

of people this came into its own during the recent snow storms, when

several councils used the website to update parents on school closures

using social network sites for example, Babergh District Council used

Twitter to announce that refuse collections had been cancelled due to

extreme weather conditions

using the website to create a shared experience for example, Lichfield

District Council used Twitter to appeal for local photographs during the

snow storms and then used them to create a special 'snow section' on the

councils website

SMS text messaging in campaigns targeted at young people

video news releases and audio sound clips for local broadcasters, to

encourage them to cover stories they are unable to attend

blogging

even councillors are getting in on the act, with a rise in the number who

tweet.

Take one look around these days and whether in the coffee shop, online or in lineat the grocery store, almost everyone is buzzing about social media and blogs,

about how individuals, brands, products and companies can and should be

promoting themselves through social media. What does it all mean, though, and

how does one get started? Is social media the death of PR or is it a complement?

Are blogs easy to pitch and approach or are there rules to play by?

Social Media As a Communication Vehicle

Social media as a concept is big and it's growing larger by the moment. Before

companies begin to think about replacing their public relations programs,

however, they should bear in mind that it's just one other vehicle to reach the

media and a core target audience.


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While most experts would agree that organizations of all sizes need a social media

component to be successful, very little of social media is customer-facing so it

likely won't atrract new business for clients. That said, many analysts, press and

others follow companies - or get their information on companies - only via social

media.

In fact, look around and some industry analysts will admit they follow the

companies they are interested in on Twitter or blogs. That's why for many

companies, news on their technologies, products or services can be make or break

on these social media sites.

How Journalists Use Social Media

In her recent Mashable.com article, "How Journalists are Using Social Media for

Real Results," author Brenna Ehrlich speaks with Brian Dresher, manager of

social media and digital partnerships at USA Today, who notes that Twitter is an

excellent source for journalists looking for leads.

According to Dresher, ...the most vital [aspect of the] tool is the engagement

with the audience. To not participate in conversations that are taking place or to

avoid monitoring trends is going to result in lost opportunities. [By keeping up

with Twitter], journalists are able to take a trend they first spot on Twitter and

the real-time Internet and continue to develop it in more detail.

The Value of Blogs

Blogs also hold great value in the social media spectrum, and they integrate nicely

into a PR program. While a company may only get a minor response when its

offerings are mentioned by leading bloggers, it can still be a feather in the cap.

The problem becomes, then, gaining the attention of blogs as most do not want to

be pitched and many will not accept press releases from companies.
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What's a company to do? Find a few blogs that are spot-on in terms of audience,

then subscribe to them and comment on relevant posts under a client's name.

Like with any form of traditional media, an organization can't be self-

promotional but it's a good way to get a company's name out there, by conveying

thought leadership while supporting a favorite blogger.

How to Begin a Social Media Campaign

The long-term goal of any social media compaign is to create an online social

community where like-minded individuals can meet to debate and discuss ideas,

products, services, etc. After all, consumers and prospective clients would rather

hear from actual users or prospective users than from a company who will likely

omit some of the worts of its offerings. In the short term, though, here's where

companies can start:

1. Set up a Twitter and Facebook account for the company. Anything that is

proactively issued - including awards, press releases, thought leadership and

speaking engagements - should be mentioned on these sites.

2. Identify the top five blogs that cover a company's industry. Follow these blogs,

monitor for key words and regularly provide intelligence on the current buzz.

3. Create a Facebook fan page for the company's technology. Actively recruit

people in the field who are using or beta testing offerings and encourage these

people to become fans and make comments.

The Bottom Line on Social Media

Social media marketing is more than blogger relations but it's a start. In thewords of Geoff Livingston, who runs The Buzz Bin, which provides points of view

on integrated communications, too much of today's social media promotion

focuses on blogger relations tactics instead of true Word of Mouth.


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Livingston advises PR and blogger relations professionals to polish up their

networking skills in addition to their pitching skills. Instead of just trying to get

coverage and impressions, social media stewards need to focus on how they can

fit into the community and deliver value.

A media policy is essential to maximising all media opportunities for any type

of business, even if you are working from home. The following is an example of a

media policy which you can use for your business. It should be treated as one of

your key policies/procedures.

Example media policy

All media calls are to be treated as important calls and we must ensure that we

respond to the journalists enquiry and/or interview request in a timely and

informative way.

It is important not to respond to any questions on the initial call.

The person taking the call should say:

Im not the best person to talk to, but I will organise for the right person to call

you back. OR

I am not an expert in this area, but I can get someone to call you back.

For spokespeople I am in a meeting at the moment, but will call you back as

soon as possible

The person taking the call must ask:

What is your name?

What publication are you calling from?

When is your deadline?

What information are you looking for or what is the topic of the interview?

What is your phone number?


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Once you have this information, tell the journalist that a spokesperson will call

them back before their deadline.

If you cant locate a spokesperson, contact your PR consultant (provide the

number in the policy).

If you cant locate a spokesperson or your PR consultant before the deadline time,

call the journalist back and explain the situation, saying that a spokesperson will

call as soon as possible. Do not to do the interview yourself.

Before the official spokespeople undertake the interview they should: Review key messages

Write out a game plan what do you want to get across to the journalist?

If possible, find out the journalist background and personality.

Tips for dealing with the media

Working with the media is an important part of life for many organisations. Its essential to forge astrong relationship of mutual respect. The media comes in for a lot of bad press, some of whichmay be deserved, but much of which certainly is not.

Remember a few basic rules.

When a journalist seeks an interview, do not be afraid to ask what topicsthey would like to cover. Don't think your refusal to respond will kill a negative story. Your choiceconsists in whether the story appears with or without your side of it, notwhether the story appears at all. That choice belongs to the editor. As a general rule, delete the phrase "No Comment" from your vocabulary. Behonest and civil in your dealings with the media. If you can't comment,explain why. Avoid yes/no answers. Besides being incommunicative, you may sounddefensive.

Use common, everyday words which are readily understood. Avoid jargon. The media love "quotable quotes" - sayings or comments which stand out fortheir originality, simplicity, and strength - so quote them! Say it with feeling, passion and commitment. Don't assume that the journalist necessarily knows all about your business,organisation or sport. Never provide false information. If you don't know the answer to a question,explain to the journalist that you will get back to them later with theanswer. It is much better to be honest than offer misleading information.


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Interviews by telephone are common among radio and print media. One problem,however, is determining when the interview begins. Assume that as soon asthe journalist introduces themselves that the interview has started. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not illegal to record what someone sayson the telephone. Most journalists will tell you if they are recording aconversation, but are not obliged to do so. Make sure any correspondence contains all your contact information, so ifthe journalist does want to follow up your release/call/email, he/she knows howto get hold of you. Don't constantly ring/email/fax reporters to check they received yourrelease, especially NOT near deadline time (for a morning newspaper, this islate afternoon/evening, for a nightly news bulletin, this is lateafternoon).

Types of Interview

There are many different TV and radio interview formats, each with it's own style andtechniques. When you are asked to attend an interview make sure you know which format is

to be used so you know what to expect. Some of the more common formats (and mediajargon) are:

In the studio (one-to-one or part of a panel)

You are actually there and can see who youre talking to; it could be recorded but may be liveand is likely to be shown as live. No rehearsal no editing no chance for a second try.

TV Remote booth (down-the-line)

They can see you, they can see the interviewer, but you just get to sit and look at a camerasometimes with an earpiece to listen to the other end.

Radio telephone interview

No one can see anyone, but while the interviewer is in his or her studio you could be in yourkitchen.

Mobile Location unit (outside broadcast)

Could be TV or Radio but it is all a bit ad hoc as everyone involved is away from base

Being door stepped

Quite nasty this. Could involve you talking through a letterbox or being pursued down the

street.

TV and radio phone-ins

Usually a more relaxed and informal chat but occasionally there will be unplanned and difficultquestions thrown in when you are off your guard.

Press conference


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Usually where you invite them. It will be more on your terms and you will have prepared yourmessage well beforehand.

Being Prepared

For all the different types of interviews, it is essential that you know what you want to say and

spend some time getting your messages clear in your mind. Because of the time restrictionand pressure of giving media interviews, try to restrict yourself to three main messages,

removing all extraneous and unwanted material so you are left with a headline sentence or'sound-bite' for each message. A sound bite is a quotable quote: brief, self-contained, phrasedin everyday language, and should be colourful or metaphorical, passionate or energetic. Beingroughly five seconds long, it will need to be clear, concise and punchy.

Think of yourself as doing the journalist's work for them. When you have a couple of soundbites ready - ones that you know you want people to hear or read the journalist just has toextract them from everything else you've said and you've done the job.

Media - "Dos and Don'ts"

For Dealingwith theMedia

1. Do be proactive in your dealings with the news media.

Identify three news operations you plan to work

with.

Introduce yourself and your organization.

Find out if there is a specific contact

person/person.

2. Do be aware of lead times.

Call when you are beginning your planning.

3. Do send (fax if possible) your announcement to

appropriate news media.

Determine the size of your audience (local,

state wide)

4. Don't send out your news release and forget

about it.

Follow up quickly. Call within a day to make

sure the announcement was received.

5. Don't call an editor or reporter when they are on

a deadline.

When calling, ask the reporter if they have time


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to talk.

6. Do be available when a reporter calls.

7. Do tell the news media why your release is

important to their readers and viewers.

If a photo opportunity is involved, tell the media

dates and times the event will occur. Be prepared

to give accurate directions to the facility.

What do

the media

want?

Newspapers and magazines, radio and television companies, receive a vastquantity of material every day of the year. It comes in many different forms.

These include announcements from companies, government departments,

research institutes and other bodies; material from national and

international news agencies (Reuters, for example); and releases from

public relations firms representing their clients' interests. The lay media also

gain ideas from specialised publications . Sheer pressure on space and

broadcasting time means that journalists can use only a tiny proportion of

the information they receive through these various channels. How, then, do

they choose what to cover?

Journalists and their 'gate-keepers' are receptive to novelty. Significant

developments in science and technology for example, major advances in

the treatment of a particular disease provide many examples of such

novelty. As well as developments with concrete applications now or in the

future, the media report discoveries that are simply inherently interesting.

So while much "normal research" goes unreported, developments with

practical implications for, say, medicine or agriculture will attract journalistic

attention. The same is true of discoveries that are counter-intuitive or have

an element of the unexpected.

The general media also feed off each other to a surprising degree, and they

work to unwritten menus of topics that appeal to them at any one time.

Stories about environmental pollution, for example, may be keenly sought

this year but may be less popular with journalists and their editors next year.In engaging the interest of the media, it is helpful to be aware of what

subjects are currently favoured on their agenda. Some of the most skil lful

initiatives in "placing" stories in the media are taken by people who see

opportunities for providing new angles on stories that are already running

strongly.

There is fierce competition within the media. Newspapers, for example,


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compete for readers and for advertising revenue. Nevertheless, their

science correspondents often work closely together, attending many of the

same conferences and discussing what they are planning to report. Many

journalists also have an appetite for occasional "exclusive" stories which, if

they are considered to be sufficiently important, their competitors will then

have to follow up.

Packaging

Informationfor

the media

We frequently have to interact with members of the media - whether

it is newspapers, or radio and TV personnel or other electronic and

online media. It may be necessary to highlight an issue that is being

advocated, or bring media focus to a controversial issue etc.

The key to courting the media is the message - of packaging the

issue or blight or action in a way that will attract the attention of the

media, and as an extension its readers, listeners and viewers.

Here is a quick set of guidelines that help in grabbing the attention. It

is very broad based, and of course, depends on the actual message

being transmitted - but it gives an idea of the direction that has to be

taken:

Use wordpicturesthat describethe situation.For example, use

comparative ratios like 'three times around the earth' or 'no.

of soccer fields'. That is, use measures that are familiar andcan be easily visualized or shocked into realization ('equal to

three trips to the moon').

Emphasizethe additionalfeatures,effects, benefits, or advantages.

What are the interlinkages with other issues or problems?

How can communities benefit from the action you are

taking?

Don't overdoit. Present the plain facts, in a clear and simple

outline. Don't assume that journalists know a lot about the

topic or issue you are dealing with. Provide a 'handle' with

which the story or byline can be built.

Workat the appropriatescale.Clearly understand the scaleof

the problem or issue and work with the media that bestaddresses that scale. Global/transboundary issues with the

appropriate global media, a local river environment problem

with the local media.

Stressthe humanangle.What ever the issue you are

presenting, stress on the human angle - either as the culprits

or as the victims. What have humans been doing (or not

doing) to result in the situation?

Cultivatein-housespokespersons. In order to maintain a


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consistent and constant relationship, and to present a

message properly, cultivate in-house spokespersons who

are comfortable in a public situation and can present a

viewpoint clearly and coherently.

Createa trendpiece.Why should you be the person advocating

the issue or problem? Under what authority or experience

are you making the stand? What other similar initiatives, jobs

or projects have you handled?

Use outsideexpertise.Bring in independent experts and

important personalities to highlight and substantiate your

point or issue.

Admitthingsyou are not doingIn order not to create a

misunderstood situation that may affect future dealings,

admit things you are not doing (yet), or not doing right.

Be persistent. Keep the media personnel informed - of

breaking issues, progress made and other pertinent details

in order to maintain interest.

Tips for HandlingReporters

People who probably never thought they would be giving an

interview to a news reporter, may someday soon find themselves

facing a camera and microphone or a phone call from a print

journalist on deadline. Before you gulp and say no comment, a

request for an interview is not always indicative or adversarial or

negative circumstances. Even in what may be a crisis situation for

you, the media offers the opportunity to reach a vast audience with

your own words and images.

Dont use jargon. Every industry or profession has its ownunique language. Remember who your targeted audience is,

and communicate in language they will understand. Your

audience may not understand about risk assessment or cost

benefit analysis or regulatory relief legislation, but they do

understand issues that hit them personally.

Dont say no comment. It implies confirmation of the

question. Commissioner Smith says you discriminated

against Mr. Jones. You reply, No comment. The audience

interprets that as guilt or a cover-up. The rule of thumb for

responding is to explain why you cant respond and then

offer other useful information. I cant respond directly to that

because it would violate my tenants right to privacy (or

whatever the reason is); however, what I can tell you is that

we have an outstanding public record in this area that were

proud of, and our clients tell us that theyre very satisfied with

our responsiveness and attention to their needs.

Be pro-active. Just responding to queries isnt enough.

Suggest story ideas to reporters. Help them understand the

issues and how they affect the interests of the general

public.


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Be careful of how you use numbers. They are confusing to

the listener unless you help the audience to understand what

the numbers mean. Why are the numbers significant? Is it a

trend? Are things better or worse? Use an analogy to help

the listener grasp the significance of the numbers.

Be relentlessly and aggressively positive about your position.

Its easy to fall into a defensive position. Your job is to use

the media opportunity to sell your position or ideas -- not

apologize for them!

Look at the question as a jumping-off point, not as a set of

limiting parameters. Most people only answer the question.

They dont see the question as an opportunity to articulate

an agenda.

Tell anecdotes. Since the beginning of time, the most

effective communicators have been storytellers. Learn how

to illustrate your point with an example or anecdote which

helps the listener to visualize and empathize with your

position. Help the listener to identify with your anecdote.

Use your clients as testimonials. Look outside you own

organization for third party validation. These testimonials

broaden your group of trained spokespersons. Trained and

well-briefed individuals who can give compelling interviews

should be promoted to the media as industry experts

capable of discussing a wide range of timely topics. Although

they may be called on by the media to respond to a specific

issue, such as a proposed change in a local ordinance, the

well-trained spokesperson also promotes the

professionalism and role of the community.

The care andfeeding of themedia

Dealing with the media doesnt have to be a painful process. Often

theyre not sure of the subject matter and may feel as intimidated as

you are!

Here are a few tips:

Designate someone to act as the media spokesperson.

That may be the Board Chairperson, Director, a principal or

some other administrator. This step does not always have to

be taken, but its a good idea if the issue is sensitive or

controversial and you want one person who can deal with

the issues. Choose someone who is well-spoken and knows

the facts but speaks in laymans terms. This person does not

have to be the top person in charge; the position is not

necessarily the most important criterion.

When dealing with the media, youll have to answer the

basics: Who; what; when; where; why; and how.

Be prepared! Know your facts.

Try to familiarize yourself with the publication or show youll


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be on.

When talking to the media, tell only what you want the

interviewer to know.

Take time to think of your answers. Dont rush to speak and

then regret what youve said. Be careful what you say, and

remember that EVERYTHING you say can be used.

Going off the record is NOT recommended. Its dangerous

and there arent any guarantees. Simply say, No, Im not

comfortable with that.

Dont be defensive or nasty. Be friendly to the media.

If possible, try to get to know media people before a crisis

situation occurs. Perhaps call and suggest a positive story

idea you think would highlight your school or division. On a

slow news day, this might be appreciated. WARNING: Dont

bother the media incessantly.

Dont lie or bend the truth; it will come back to haunt you.

Dont say no comment. Its OK to say, "Im not sure how to

answer that.

Offer documents, charts or other background information if

necessary.

Talk to the reporter, not the camera.

Dont say anything you dont want printed, heard or seen.

Dont do an interview unless you feel comfortable with the

issues and you know the facts. If you are not expressing the

official (board) view, say so. Make it clear if its your personal

point of view.

Before the interview, try to think of some difficult questions

and what youd answer to them.

Express yourself concisely and avoid jargon. Youre talking

to ordinary people! Talk plainly and candidly. Dont bend the

truth or try to mislead the reporter. If you dont know theanswer, dont fabricate or guess. Say you dont know, and

offer to find out the information. If youre not sure about the

question, say so.

Be sincere about how you feel. If it upsets you, or you feel

happy about it, or youre frustrated, you can say that.

Be courteous and diplomatic. Suggest that the reporter call

later for clarification if needed.

Listen to the questions! Make sure you answer them. You

can add other information you think is important later.

Smile! Relax!

Media - Steps to

Getting the MostOut of the Media

1. Develop a media resource inventory.

2. Design an overall media plan.

o Outline how your organization can benefit the media

resource and vice versa.


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o Decide what types of coverage will you be interested

in (e.g. talk shows or features stories on a news

program).

3. Make contact with the right people.

o Designate a media specialist(s) in your coalition who

will be the main contact person(s) for your coalition.

o Find out who are the key people in Radio/TV and

Newspaper.

o Write a letter of introduction.

4. Keep an organized record of all contact and coverage.

o Keep a record of all media contacts in your

community.

Media - Media

Opportunities

Television Airtime Opportunities

Public Service Opportunities Public Service Announcements (PSAs) - Many stations

broadcast PSAs for non-profit community organizations

Community Calendar Announcements -Stations maintain a

special time slot in which community groups can publicize

the date, time and location for specific events

Editorial Opportunities

Community Viewpoint Editorials - Opinion messages

delivered by members of the community on issues of public

concern may be broadcast under different titles, such as

"Point of View" or "Free Speech Message".

Management Editorials - A station may regularly take publicstands on community issues, and broadcast management

editorials. Sometimes these positions can be influenced by

members of the community.

News and Public Affairs Opportunities

Daily News Programs - Coverage of your event or coalition

in the news can bring broad exposure and interest. Many TV

stations broadcast four or five news programs a day.

Weekly Public Affairs Interview Programs - These generally

focus on one news issue. It is easy to gain access, but small

audience.

Entertainment Programming Opportunities

Entertainment Talk Programs - These offer a mix of light and

serious topics and guests. They can help generate a broad

interest and can be easy to access.

Entertainment Magazine Programs - Some stations produce

weekly or nightly magazine programs that present reports on

local community life. Usually these are light and entertaining,


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but they sometimes touch on issues of local importance.

Radio Airtime Opportunities

Public Service Airtime

Public Service Announcements (PSAs) - Stations will

produce and/or broadcast public service announcements for

non-profit agencies.

Management Editorials - Some stations take public positions

on issues of community importance. You can either get the

manager to deliver an editorial on your cause or let a

spokesperson from your coalition deliver one.

Community Calendar - Like TV Stations, most radio stations

will accept announcements of upcoming community events.

News and Public Affairs

Daily News Reports - Radio stations with an all-news format

offer the most opportunities, but most stations at least

broadcast short news reports throughout the day.

Weekly Public Affairs Programs - These programs are

usually in one-on-one or group interview format. They are

generally broadcast early or late, to a small audience.

Special Programs - Stations with an all-news format may

produce special half-hour or longer reports at regular

intervals.

Entertainment Programming

Disc Jockey Shows - Some DJs have guests on their shows,

or may incorporate promotional messages and activities in

their show if they believe in your cause.

Call-In Shows - Call-in hosts can give excellent exposure to

any cause they find intriguing, especially if the host invites a

member of your coalition to be interviewed on the air.

Special Remote Broadcasts - Some stations frequently

broadcast "on location" at shopping malls, community

centers, and can promote special community events by

broadcasting live from the location of the event.

Newspaper Opportunities

News and News Features

News Stories - Have on hand names of editors and reporters

for fast coverage of your coalition events.

Feature Stories - In-depth stories may appear in weekly or

daily papers.

Special Series - Daily newspapers are often on the lookout

for appropriate subjects for multi-part special reports, which

they often promote heavily.

Specialized Sections - If special sections such as Business,

Food or Health provide appropriate settings for your

information, keep names of their editors handy. Thy may

accept features or regular columns for your coalition if they


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are of a high quality.

Editorial Coverage

Newspaper Editorial - Editorial writers may be willing to

endorse community-wide events or campaigns. On other

occasions, they may provide space for interested parties to

present rebuttals to positions the paper has taken.

Guest Opinion - Daily and weekly papers may accept guest

columns on matters of local concern.

Columns - Some newspaper columnists reach a wide and

loyal readership.

Letters to the Editor - Careful and restrained use of letters to

the editor can bring issues alive in a community, rebut

negative forces and provide a vehicle for thanking those who

have helped in your cause.

Community Service Space - Newspapers often devote space

regularly to news of local non-profit organizations. Although

these pages many not have wide readership, they can help

your keep your coalition in the public eye and provide a good

way of bestowing public recognition on hard-working staff

and volunteers.

Community Calendars - These will offer free listings of

upcoming coalition events.

Community News - Many papers have sections giving news

of meetings, appointments, past events or future plans.

Dealing with

journalists

Journalists, and certainly those dealing with news, are invariably in ahurry. For those working in newspapers and broadcasting, this haste

is entirely genuine. They may well be pursuing several stories in a

single day, against the clock. But rapidity is also built into the media

culture, so that anything (an interview, a photograph...) tends to be

wanted instantly.

There are also more practical considerations if your story or

message is to appear in the media when you want it too and if at all.

Newspapers usually have two internal news conferences to

determine what will be in the paper the next day. If a press release

misses the early evening conference, your story is unlikely to make it

to print the next day unless it really is important. The best time of the

day to contact a news desk is early to mid morning, yet this may not

be suitable for an evening paper or a lunchtime radio or television

news bulletin. The shelf life of a story is also painfully short: a long

term research project releases its result on a Friday afternoon; by the

time of the next possible major news outlet on Monday, it will be

considered old news and unlikely to get a place in the schedule.

Afternoon press conferences are not a good way of getting

communications into the media, and especially not on a Friday.

In reality, while journalists greatly appreciate an immediate response,


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it is perfectly reasonable that anyone approached by a reporter

should ask for time to consider the request and how to respond.

If a journalist approaches you, in person or by telephone, make sure

from the outset that you really understand what they want, what

publication or programme they represent and how they propose to

use any comments you make. In the case of radio and television, you

should find out whether a proposed interview will be live or recorded,what is the format of the programme and who else will be taking part.

Even if you are satisfied on these points, you may want to collect

your thoughts. Ask the caller to ring back in 20-30 minutes.

Alternatively, say that you will return the call but be absolutely sure

that you do so. During the interim, you can also consult colleagues.

Press officers in companies, universities and elsewhere can also be

invaluable in providing guidance about particular journalists,

publications and programmes and their past track-record.

In the long-term, some people find it mutually rewarding to become

acquainted with individual journalists who deal with scientific issues,

whether nationally or locally. While this should certainly not provide

automatic channels through which to gain media publicity, suchrelationships can be of value to both parties and increase mutual

confidence.

Checklist for

Media Campaigns

More than 1 month prior to campaign*

Organize media lists: contact names, titles, address, phone.

Develop media campaign strategies: message, target

audience, media to use, alternative media ideas, partners,

events, etc.

4 - 8 weeks prior to campaign*

Call media to update contact list and alert them about

upcoming campaign.

Write press releases, media advisory, psa's, other materials

2-6 weeks prior*

Send press releases and public service announcements to

media. (note: if mailing to a monthly publication, such as

organizational newsletters or magazines, send press release

at least 4 weeks in advance of publication)

1-4 weeks prior*

Send media advisory to request coverage for specific events.

Flyers, posters, and other alternative media distributed.

1 week prior

Follow-up phone calls to media about press releases and

media advisories

* The earlier the better!


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Journalists are still sought after by PR agencies for their industry contacts and their

ability to place stories, but some journalists have a hard time making the leap to the dark

side.

Here are some of the reasons why and a few pointers to help you make the leap:

Writing a press release is different from writing a news story. Yes, a press

release has many of the elements of a news story, but it needs to be considerably

shorter. Long and bloated press releases get deleted. Reporters who are used to

banging out 1,200-word articles might have a hard time dealing with these newrestrictions. Also, a press release has to portray the client in the best light.

Reporters are used to quoting people verbatim. A good PR person learns how to

pick and shape the quotes to make his client shine. PR practioners also have to

master the art of pitch writing. Many PR reps are finding that harried reporters donot have the time to wade through a press release. They just want the nugget of

the story, and they will go from there.

Wardrobe. This is a touchy subject, but I have noticed that many reporters,

especially the male ones, are very casual dressers. This may be due to their

finances or the casual nature of many newsrooms. PR requires a more polishedimage. A PR representative is going to be meeting with CEOs who expect his

counsel. He is also expected to be the face of an organization when talking to the

media. This means you have to look professional, and a sharp business wardrobe

helps convey that image.

Communications skills. It is ironic, but some reporters have very poor

communications skills. I dont know if this has to do with the nature of their job,which is high stress and requires them to be on deadline all the time, but many

reporters come across as gruff. They are also used to demanding information in aconfrontational way. PR requires its practioners to have more personable skills

when they are dealing with clients and members of the media. Pitching story ideas

to the media is a lot like sales and, in my opinion, sales is an area most reportersare not comfortable with.

Ability to provide counsel. People hire a PR company, not just to write press

releases and get media attention, but also to give them counsel during a time ofcrisis and input on marketing strategies. The job duties of a PR professional

include designing strategic press campaigns that meet and support client

objectives, creating strategies to deal with PR crises and crafting officialstatements for the media.

PR is more than writing press releases. When I was a reporter, my job involved

writing the story and getting it in on deadline. And providing there werent any

errors, once I turned it in on time, my job was done. But in PR there is a lot moreto do than just writing the press release. The press release itself may often have to

be rewritten and edited several times. Once its completed you still have to create

a list of targeted media contacts, distribute the press release, pitch it, and follow


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up with phone calls to see if they plan to publish your story. And after that you

still have to track the story down and make sure your client gets a copy of it.

These tasks require patience and tenacity.

5. Programming and design We all need an understanding of web programming so we

can communicate with programmers to get what we need to build a web site andcontribute/edit and customize content. It would be ideal to know some coding ourselves,

but a lot can be said about having someone who is truly skilled take the lead. As blogplatforms continue to evolve and become easier to use, we still need to have an

understanding to communicate changes or the ability to make tweaks and changes on our

own.

6. Working knowledge of social media distribution platforms - For all of the great

elements of social media, one drawback is that the social web has many gather places. I

am sure you could name 10 sites right off the top of your head. It has become

burdensome to push content onto so many sites. Thankfully, applications for social media

publishing continue to evolve and distribution platforms like Shoutlet are coming to theforefront to help communications pros distribute content across many channels (email,

Twitter, Facebook, widgets, etc.) instantaneously. We all need to know how to use thesetools because they put the true power of the social web at our fingertips.

7. Video creative direction, writing and production - The social web is fueled by

engaging and relevant content. One of the most attractive forms of that content is video.

The caveat within this element that is interesting is that video for the social web needs tobe very good, but it does not have to be great. Frankly, the slicker the video looks the less

authentic it feels and the less accepted it will be in the social web. Because of this, we

dont need to be super-duper Grade-A class video producers, but we need to be pretty

good. There are many programs out there that make video production relatively easy.You might want to look into these, because its more likely than not that you will need to

produce a web video before the end of the year.

8. Community gardening Many people refer to this as community management, but afriend of mine recently shared with me that he doesnt think we can fully manage a

community. I liked what he had to say. If you think about it, the masses probably dont

want to be managed. In this, a PR pro needs to be able to help grow a community andfoster activity and conversation within it.

9. Walking the talk - There are many lessons that can only be learned within the art of

social public relations by doing it for yourself. There is no better teacher than personal

experience. If we arent out there writing blogs, doing podcast/videocasts and growing acommunity for ourselves or our own agencies/companies, all we can do is talk. And how

far will that get us? If we are doing all of these things, we are learning every day and

those learnings can then be used to drive strategy for our clients and others.
http://shoutlet.com/http://shoutlet.com/


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10. Proving Return on Investment This is an area that I will leave for Sara Meaney to

handle as the Left Brain of Comet Branding. All though Im not fully a numbers person, I

do understand and value how important they are. If we cant prove to our clients that theprograms we are running for them are worth it, then its not worth a heck of a lot. We

have to show proof, proof, proof and more proof.

The challenges for communicators are:

PR and corporate communications are "behind the curve" on social

media; slower to adopt more technologically complicated tools

The need to change PR and corporate communications from

broadcast machine to community participation

Greater importance for ethics, CSR and sustainability

More and complex demands for communication from 'internal

audiences'

Need culturally-sensitive communication in a changing world

Getting to and operating at C-Level

Give proof of PR and corporate communication's contributions to

strategy development and realization

Future communicators also need to:

Be flexible communicators, capable of adapting quickly (eg. new

media)

Able to interpret changes and trends in communication practices

and technology; guide implementation, but not necessarily as acommunication technologist.

Have broader analytical and critical thinking skills

Become closer to trends and policy-making, especially on

CSR/sustainability; often actively participating in the discourse

Possess a more inter-disciplinary set of competencies so they can

act as advisors with equal standing to senior colleagues in otherfunctions

Have negotiation and relationship-building and management skills

Coaching and mentor senior management to communicate, manage

relationships and deal with changing demands

A study to test these propositions is under way among senior communicators in North America, Europe andother markets. It will report in early 2010. The research is made possible by a grant from Coca-Cola to theInstitute for Public Relations.

Case studies:

An in-flight wedding, a star-studded entourage, and plenty of Vegas style

how else do you help a provocative airline take flight?

Virgin America gets off the ground with a dramatic entrance.


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After several years of negotiating with federal regulators, Virgin America finally

earned its wings in 2007 as the newest U.S. carrier. In true Virgin style, they wanted

to celebrate with a series of high-profile events that would capture the interest of

Americas jet set. To help get the party started, they called on Ogilvy PR for a

strategy that would position Virgin America in a class of its own.

Like almost all other Virgin-branded companies, Virgin America was interested in

selling its image as much as it is service. Recognized and revered for its provocative

blend of quality, fun, and style, Ogilvy PR planned to exploit the power and

mystique of the Virgin brand - and its founder Sir Richard Branson - to help Virgin

America take flight. To celebrate its first San Francisco to Las Vegas departure, the

team devised a Vegas show-stopping event, complete with personalized

experiences, luxury amenities, celebrity guests, and the unmistakable Virgin

personality.

In three short weeks, a series of point-to-point parties, events, and stunts were

planned that put Sir Richard Branson at the center of action. It started in San

Francisco, with a lavishly staged send-off where Branson carried Kyla Ebbert, once

bumped from a Southwest Airlines flight for inappropriate attire, on board and

welcomed her with open arms. In flight, the billionaire, ordained as a minister,

performed a wedding ceremony in the aisle. After a Vegas-style reception upon

arrival at the airport - complete with show tunes, champagne and Elvis - the

entourage continued to the Wynn Resort for a VIP celebration at Tryst that includedthe cast of Showtime's hit series, Dexter, as well as a celebrity poker game hosted

by World Series of Poker champ Jamie Gold. Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra,

Lauren Conrad, and Audrina Partridge were also part of the excitement.

The party paid off. The campaign generated more than 3,600 broadcast and print

hits including Martha Stewart, Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, San Francisco Chronicle

and Fox News. Thousands of Internet news hits and blog conversations talked about

the event including TMZ.com, Us Weekly, People.com, Perez Hilton, E! News, and

more. From what the team could capture, it generated at least 97 millionimpressions with an ad value equivalency of 3 million (and rising).

How can bloggers bring a new brand message to consumers?


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In 2007, Louis Vuitton asked Ogilvy PR's Digital Influence team in Paris to generate

positive word of mouth about the brand among online influencers. The campaign

needed to be focused and efficient, because it would not be supported by global

marketing nor a traditional public relations launch.

Ogilvy PR decided to use the launch of the new French Louis Vuitton web site

(featuring Andr Agassi and Stefi Graff) to start a conversation among relevant

online influencers. We had three major goals in doing so: to drive users to Louis

Vuitton's site via organic search; to lead them to associate the brand with high

quality and emotional values; and to gather verbal testimonials and "buzz" for the

website, which would in turn generate further interest in Louis Vuitton among key

audiences including the media and affluent consumers.

Because the Ogilvy-designed website was already very strong, we recommended

letting it stand on its own. To increase visits and get people talking, we gave

exclusive access to the entire site to forty French bloggers specializing in Fashion,

Trends and Communication one week before its launch and asked them to provide

feedback that could be integrated into the website before the launch.

326 emails exchanges, countless phone calls, and 28 informal interviews later, we

received a flood of positive feedback, including 35 posts in highly influential blogs

featuring 100% positive and enthusiastic coverage of the site.

Our organic search results improved as well, with the blog posts that resulted from

our outreach consistently appearing in the top 20 results for branded and

campaign-relevant terms.

How do you conquer the fashion scene?

In July 2008, the German capital was completely seized by the worlds fashion

scene. Attracted by the Berlin Fashion Week, designers, models, celebrities and

fashionistas from all over the world celebrated in Berlin. No doubt, that style icon

Motorola was not only part of this summers highlight but initiated the hottest event

in town!


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cpz Ogilvy Public Relations was asked to draw the publics attention to Motorolas

high class activity that took place around the Berlin Fashion Week. The main

objective was to link Motorola credibly with the fashion scene and to build trustful

relationships with Germanys leading fashion and lifestyle journalists. In addition, it

was all about pushing the coverage of Motorolas new mobiles MOTORAZR2 V8 RoseGold, MOTORAZR V9 Tin Silver as fashion accessories.

To position the brand in this uniquely fashionable surrounding, Motorola played a

central role in three consecutive steps for selected opinion leaders of the fashion

and design scene. The must-join event started with an exclusive, privately-held

dinner for invited journalists in Berlins famous restaurant Guy. During the dinner,

Motorolas new mobiles were presented before every journalist received a Motorola

phone as a give away. All in all, eight of the most important German lifestyle and

tech journalists joined the dinner.

Subsequently, Motorola was impressively integrated into the catwalk show of the

designer duo Unrath & Strano. More than 1.000 VIPs, celebrities, designers and key

fashion media joined the show that did not only integrate tailor-made MOTO-outfits

but also featured the latest mobiles MOTORAZR2 V8 Rose Gold and the

MOTORAZR2 V9 Tin Silver.

As the evenings final highlight, Motorola invited the party people to the premier of

MOTOROLA STYLE NIGHT in Berlins famous club WEEKEND an all night long party

format to celebrate fashion and lifestyle. In the forefront, several media co-

operations secured attention for the event. Users of the online lifestyle platform of

Vanity Fair and listeners of Radio Energy, for example, had the chance to win 3x

MOTORAZR2 V8 Rose Gold and tickets for the MOTOROLA STYLE NIGHT. All in all,

more than 800 fashion victims such as designers Unrath & Strano and Michael

Michalsky as well as TV presenter Ross Antony joined the party and agreed that the

MOTOROLA STYLE NIGHT was the highlight of the Berlin Fashion Week 2008.

But can a PR agency really rescue a country from global condemnation or obscurity?

Arun Sudhaman and Kate Magee ofPRWeek.com have asked six comms experts

about the challenges faced by six nation brands: USA, India, China, UK, South Africa

and Dubai.
http://www.pwreek.com/http://www.pwreek.com/


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. USA

Marian Salzman, President, Euro RSCG Worldwide PR

BACK STORY: In my mind, 2 October was the day the world realised the United

States was no longer the dominant power. When Chicago lost its bid for the 2016

Olympics, it was a reality check and a reflection of larger issues. It made me wonder,

what will this mean for American bravado? Well, American bravado is one reason for

the image problems we have today. Global confidence in our country has been

climbing since President Obama took office, but so far we only seem to have elected

a new account manager for Brand USA.

PR CHALLENGES: The main ones are unwelcome involvement in the Middle East,

faltering financial markets and slow movement on climate change. Wed need to

juggle a mind-boggling abundance of topics in devising a strategic PR plan for Brand

USA. The first phase must be about diplomacy and governmental communications,

both internal and external. And Americans need to invest more in the global

community. Worldwide confidence in Brand USA must continue to rise.

SUGGESTED STRATEGY: Government The President should call on private-sector

talent to develop a campaign strategy for public diplomacy, Keith Reinhard,

president of Business for Diplomatic Action and chairman emeritus of DDB

Worldwide, suggested to me. Start a national tourism board to draw foreigners to the

real US, not just major attractions. Explain climate justice. Offer transparent

messaging beginning locally, with sensitivity training by expats to Americans

about attainable dreams, so we Yankees can understand why were considered

insensitive. People Through an integrated public/private programme, launch a social

media and school-based campaign to show Americans what the rest of the world

thinks is a solid meal, a nice home, a fun weekend and the meaning of justice.

Called Make an Acquaintance, it should teach us to put ourselves in other peoples

shoes. The American way isnt the Western way, let alone the global way. Once we

learn more, well likely use our wealth and know-how to be a force for doing good. To

measure our success, various polls will show how were doing. Theres also the age-

old anecdotal survey of momentum: Do more people want their children to marry

Americans? It would be the true measure of our worth.

2. INDIA


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Ashwani Singla, Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Burson-Marsteller

BACK STORY: Since 2003, India has been a resurgent economy. A number of

acquisitions of international brands such as Tetley, Corus and Jaguar have

happened since then. Before that, the country was insular, and poverty was the

predominant perception. Prior to Resurgent India, there were two phases of the

brands evolution: Colonial India, which remained the land of the snake charmer,

and Independent India agrarian, austere and largely socialist.

PR CHALLENGES:The natural reaction to a growing economic power is fear and

scepticism. Suddenly there is a perception of arrogance, and a backlash against

outsourcing services. There is coherence in terms of the overall brand goals, but

perhaps the government does not do an effective job of communicating that.

SUGGESTED STRATEGY: Brand India should strive to be a soft power with a focus

on equitable and measured growth and diversity. It must balance economic power

with deft yet firm geopolitics. It needs more co-ordinated action in terms of public

diplomacy. We are a large investment market when you look at trade as an

instrument of policy, there is an opportunity. We need to upgrade the tourism

infrastructure and the facilities. If we do that, we can create a vibrant tourism

market. The international diaspora also has a tremendous role to play in advocating

the brand and attracting investment. Ideally, the country needs to emulate its key

role model, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, by being confident of its expertise, fiercely

competitive, yet a picture of dignity and humility. Displays of arrogance will invite

suspicion. The countrys cultural strengths should also be leveraged, particularly

given the way they have been adopted into international fashion and cinema.

Slumdog Millionaire should not be taken as a representation of India but it is a story

of triumph. The real measure of success for brand Incredible India would be how

Indians in general are valued and welcomed around the world while India takes its

place as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

3. CHINA

Christoper Graves, CEO, Ogilvy PR & Scott Kronick, President, Ogilvy PR China

BACK STORY: Many saw the 2008 Olympics as Chinas coming out party. Viewers

marvelled at the precision and co-ordination on a massive scale. And while that mass

precision and physical prowess of Chinese medal winners may have played into the


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stereotype of a faceless, disciplined China, the creativity of the opening and closing

ceremonies and of the edgy, playful architecture of the Birds Nest and Water Cube

were the game changers.

PR CHALLENGES: Nation brands struggle with overturning outdated, negative

images, or reputations created through fear and ignorance. China suffers from both

in parts of the West in particular, where it is often seen as a threat to economic

security and Western power, an irresponsible, polluting, grow-at-any-cost emerging

superpower sucking up the planets resources.

SUGGESTED STRATEGY: First, foster and promote soft power engagement, export

and exchange of contemporary art and architecture. At times satirical, humorous or

haunting, Chinese contemporary art is stealing the limelight at auctions around the

world. Second, reduce demonization of a faceless country by fostering warmth and

understanding via exchanges of students, thinkers and artists. Personal experience is

the best remedy for overturning unfair stereotyping. Create friendly faces of China

ambassadors to appear regularly in Western media. Measure success by media

appearances and perception research. Third, for foreign direct investment and

portfolio investment, craft a narrative of a land that is forging world-changing

technologies through leap-frogging and not copying. China, according to author Tom

Friedman, will lead in cleantech and climate-friendly advances. Surprising? Surely.

Believable? No not without proof-point stories, which do exist from the BYD

electric auto to the Broad Air Conditioning breakthrough that reduces energyconsumption by two-thirds. Measure success by increased investment flows. Fourth,

for tourism branding, China must avoid equating development with uniformity.

Tourists will cherish the differences between Yunnan and Pudong. Measure success

by tourist arrivals and by positive word-of-mouth and social media mentions.

4. UK

Matt Neale, Co-MD Europe, Golin Harris

BACK STORY: One could write an essay here so lets just focus on two metrics;

political power and cultural clout. When I started as a graduate trainee at Shandwick

in 1997, Vanity Fair proclaimed London to be the hippest place on the planet. Cool

Britannia reigned on a wave of patriotic enlightenment. Noels Union Jack guitar

adorned magazine covers around the world and Blair had put Britain back on the

political map. Despite Iraq, we persuaded the world to bring the Olympics to Britain,


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causing the French to ask: Why doesnt the world like us? Fast-forward to 2009: the

Gallaghers have split up and Gordon Brown finds securing a meeting with Obama

harder than an 8pm table at The Ivy. Has anything gone wrong?

PR CHALLENGES: After emailing my fellow MDs around the world, consulting with

FutureBrand and even poking around on Radian 6, two key insights keep showing up.

Firstly that we are politically seen as followers, not leaders, and secondly that our

creative industries define our national brand. The two biggest stories that have

dominated foreign media this year are Susan Boyle and MPs expenses. Culturally, we

can still occasionally capture the worlds imagination. Politically we have some work

to do. We also need to move out of Americas shadow. The brand goal for Britain is to

be the number one country known for independent thought, international power and

creative excellence.

SUGGESTED STRATEGY: Focus on three things and communicate them

relentlessly: the British sense of fair play, a strong international power and

reinforcing our reputation as a cultural world leader. To do this, we should use the

Olympics as a single platform to re-enforce our brand, much as Germany did with the

World Cup in 2006. Ask Britains Got Talent to choose the line-up for the opening of

the Games, with The Rolling Stones headlining. Hold a young persons peace summit

in London before the Games begin. This activity would be measured by: Moving one

place up the most visited country index, from sixth to fifth Securing more inward

investment growth in 2010 than our European neighbours Tony Blair becomingpresident of Europe Britain winning the 2018 World Cup bid.

5. SOUTH AFRICA

Lucien Vallun, MD, Fleishman-Hillard London

BACK STORY: It is inevitable that countries that have transformed on the scale

South Africa has over the past two decades will have undergone reputational stress.

Change is stressful and seldom uneventful. Issues such as the high incidence of crime

and the errant behaviour of its neighbour Zimbabwe have tarnished the reputation of

the region. However, as the host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup next June, this is the

countrys best opportunity yet to raise its profile to new heights by encouraging as

many foreign tourists as possible to visit its shores. A carefully crafted and well

resourced global initiative to achieve this needs to be launched as a matter of

urgency and the South African government needs to take the lead.


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PR CHALLENGES: I am concerned at the apparent absence of an integrated,

strategically driven national communications initiative that addresses the above

question credibly and convincingly. The vast scale of this initiative demands input

from both the public and private sectors, but it is the government that must act as

the catalyst in mobilising a public/private partnership to achieve this. The unity andsense of purpose that would be reflected would be essential to ensuring all South

Africans act as ambassadors for their country and that overwhelmingly good news

emanates from within its borders.

SUGGESTED STRATEGY: The campaign should focus on two of South Africas

greatest assets: its natural beauty and the warmth and hospitality of its people. Few

visitors return unimpressed by these virtues and most extol them far and wide. The

campaign also needs to reassure the world that South Africa will be ready for the

tournament, and publicise the enormous infrastructural development taking place.Success will be easily measurable in terms of packed football stadiums, crowded

hotels, tourist resorts and public transport, and the boost to the domestic economy.

Most of all, it will be reflected in the positive reputational equity generated by staging

a successful global event. The time to act is now.

6. DUBAI

Dave Robinson, CEO Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Hill & Knowlton

BACK STORY: A year ago Dubai was at the centre of the shifting global economy.

A year on and this Gulf emirate has been battered by the tsunami of the downturn

with a real estate crash, large-scale debt and negative coverage across the front

pages. Nemesis for the hubris of years gone by, perhaps, but Dubais reputation was

built through great PR and it will be rebuilt through great PR again.

PR CHALLENGES: Restoring trust, re-establishing credibility and building on the

learnings from the global crisis are imperative in the reconstruction of Dubais

reputation. While it would be naive to say PR alone will see Dubais phoenix rise from

the flames of the crisis and it will rise it will certainly contribute a great deal to the

speed of Dubais return to greatness. The newly created Dubai Media Affairs Office

now sits at the heart of the citys administration and co-ordinates messaging, media

response and media outreach. This will be a key step forward in re-engaging

audiences internationally, as well as supporting other entities to do the same.

Dubais engagement with audiences will need to move on from a tendency towards a


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transactional approach to relationship-based engagement that will build knowledge,

understanding and support.

SUGGESTED STRATEGY: International media outreach needs to be balanced with

discreet campaigns to key stakeholders for Dubai in the financial, political and

business communities. Geographically the focus should be on key European markets,

the US, the Sub-Continent to a degree, and key markets in Asia. In terms of support,

Dubai already has a roster of international PR agencies working for both the Dubai

Media Affairs Office and other Dubai government entities charged with representing

the emirate. Success should be measured through media sentiment and opinion-

former tracking, as well as tracking campaigns alongside indices such as FDI inflows,

bank lending, tourism inflow and so on. And in the face of some of the juvenile Dubai

bashing in the UK media in particular, just some old-fashioned good coverage would

be welcome.

Were often asked, Are you a PR agency or a Social Media agency? We

suggest that thats immaterial. We do both. The disciplines are merging.

SHIFT offers a hybrid approach in which a Facebook Group Admin is treated

with the same respect and thoughtfulness as a New York Times reporter. It

makes a difference.

How about a case study to illustrate how PR and Social Media can work

in tandem?

On June 23, 2009, online homegoods service Alice.comofficially went live and

before long ranked as among one of SHIFTs favoriteand most successful launches.

Alice.com is the fourth start-up cofounders Marc McGuire and Brian Wiegand created

together. Having had great success with their last venture,Jellyfish.com which

sold to Microsoft after little more than a year we determined to make Alice.com an

even greater triumph for the young entrepreneurs.

Adopting the Forrester POST Methodology for our planning purposes, SHIFT first

advised McGuire and Wiegand to build a community of loyalists; in this case, we all

agreed to target mom- and frugal bloggers, whose input during the pre-launch phase

would help bring improvements, attention and grassroots credibility to the service.
http://www.alice.com/http://www.alice.com/http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2009/06/let-me-use-ithttp://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2009/06/let-me-use-ithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish.comhttp://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/2007/12/the-post-method.htmlhttp://www.alice.com/http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2009/06/let-me-use-ithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish.comhttp://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/2007/12/the-post-method.html


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Understanding the reach and influence mombloggers have achieved over the past

few years, SHIFT worked with our internal Alice.com contact, the inimitable Rebecca

Thorman (@modite), to send invitations to several pre-identified bloggers, offering

early trial of the site and inviting honest feedback.

The Alice team also offered extra discounts and coupons to select bloggers, so they

could extend incentives to their readers to try the service.

Finally, SHIFT consulted on a series of contests and giveaways via Twitter, which

continued on a weekly basis.

On the traditional media front, SHIFT accompanied the Alice co-founders on a press

tour the week before the launch, briefing tier-one targets such the New York Times,

BusinessWeek, Financial Times and Reuters. The journalists published their stories

the day of the launch, along with hundreds of blogger loyalists causing a media

storm online, in print, in blogs, and on Twitter.

In one week, Alice received 110 pieces of unique coverage and nearly 70,000

tweets. As of this writing, Alice also garnered nearly 70 broadcast hits in local

markets such as CBS Boston, NBC Phoenix and ABC Philadelphia. Better yet, national

broadcast coverage included segments on CNN, the TODAY Show and Rachael Ray!

In early June, the pre-launch Alice.com site had 170,000 site visits before anyone

could even use the service. At launch time in July, Alice.coms traffic jumped to

nearly 400,000 site visits. Today, according to Compete.com, Alice.com

boasted over 2.5M visits as of October 2009.

Alice does not invest in advertising this was all grassroots Social Media and PR

efforts, operating in tandem against a carefully orchestrated plan.

Note how the shape of this launch mapped to the Awareness Scale discussed last

month. A grassroots Social Media effort significantly boosted and subsequently

amplified the success of the mainstream media effort, which fed back into the

netroots. Moving into the future, as revenues and strategy allow, Alice.com might

consider an advertising strategy to solidify and defend their lead in consumers

minds.
http://modite.com/http://modite.com/http://twitter.com/moditehttp://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2009/11/the-awareness-scale-how-social-media-pr-advertising-now-work-togetherhttp://modite.com/http://modite.com/http://twitter.com/moditehttp://www.pr-squared.com/index.php/2009/11/the-awareness-scale-how-social-media-pr-advertising-now-work-together


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Its not eitherPR orSocial Media or Advertising. Its a continuum. Its all of the

above. Its about force multipliers. The successful plan requires a host of partners,

skillsets and of course, savvy and trusting clients like the folks at Alice.com.

Projector Notes for PR Class

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