Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques, Books a la Carte [8 ed.] 0134010493, 9780134010496

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Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques EIGHTH EDITION

Dennis L. Wilcox San Jose State University

Bryan H. Reber University of Georgia

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Editor-in-Chief: Ashley Dodge Managing Editor: Amber Mackey Program Manager: Carly Czech Sponsoring Editor: Priya Christopher Editorial Assistant (Program Support): Casseia Lewis Editorial Assistant (Customer Support): Pauline Kitele Senior Marketing Coordinator: Susan Osterlitz Editorial Project Manager: Mickey Mankus, iEnergizer Aptara®, Ltd. Development Editor: Sue Park, iEnergizer Aptara®, Ltd. Asset Development Project Management: LearningMate Solutions, Ltd. Senior Operations Supervisor: Mary Fischer Operations Specialist: Mary Ann Gloriande Associate Director of Design: Blair Brown Interior Design: Kathryn Foot Cover Director: Maria Lange Cover Project Manager: Heather Marshall, Lumina Datamatics, Inc. Cover Image: SSilver/Fotolia Director of Digital Studio: Sacha Laustsen Digital Studio Project Manager: Liz Roden Hall Full-Service Project Management and Composition: Garima Khosla, iEnergizer Aptara®, Ltd. Printer/Binder: Courier/Kendallville Cover Printer: Courier/Kendallville Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on appropriate page within. Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. For information regarding permissions, request forms, and the appropriate contacts within the Pearson Education Global Rights & Permissions department, please visit www.pearsoned.com/permissions. Many of the designations by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Wilcox, Dennis L.   Public relations writing and media techniques/Dennis L. Wilcox, Bryan H. Reber. —8th edition.   pages cm   Includes index.   ISBN 978-0-13-401049-6—ISBN 0-13-401049-3   1.  Public relations—United States.  2.  Public relations—United States—Authorship.  I.  Reber, Bryan H.  II.  Title.   HM1221.W55 2016  659.20973—dc23 2015011544 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN-10: 0-134-01049-3 ISBN-13: 978-0-134-01049-6

Brief Contents 1 Getting Organized for Writing 

1

2 Becoming a Persuasive Writer

21

3 Finding and Making News

39

4 Working with Journalists and Bloggers

5 Writing the News Release 6 Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches

7 Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds

8 Publicity Photos and Infographics 9 Radio, Television, and Online Video

10 Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts

58 78 97 114 132 150 175

11 Social Media and Mobile Apps 12 Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures

13 Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals

14 Giving Speeches and Presentations

194 212 232 245

15 Organizing Meetings and Events

263

16 Using Direct Mail and Advertising

285

17 Working Within a Legal Framework

18 Planning Programs and Campaigns

19 Measuring Success

302 321 333

iii

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Contents Preface About the Authors

xi xv

1 Getting Organized for Writing

1

1.1: The Framework of Public Relations Writing 1.1.1: Writing Is Only One Component 1.1.2: Writers as Communication Technicians

1 1 2

1.2:

The Public Relations Writer 1.2.1: Objectives 1.2.2: Audiences 1.2.3: Channels

2 3 3 3

1.3:

The Writer’s Basic Tool Kit 1.3.1: Computer and Printer 1.3.2: Dictionary 1.3.3: Encyclopedia 1.3.4: Stylebook 1.3.5: Media Database 1.3.6: Books on Writing

4 4 5 5 6 6 7

1.4: Professional Publications and Other Resources 1.4.1: Magazines and Journals 1.4.2: Newsletters and Blogs 1.4.3: Discussion Groups 1.4.4: Current Events and Trends

8 8 8 9 9

1.5:

Research as a Prelude to Writing 1.5.1: Search Engines 1.5.2: Fact-Checking Websites 1.5.3: Electronic Databases

10 10 11 12

1.6:

Writing Guidelines 1.6.1: Outlining the Purpose 1.6.2: Sentences 1.6.3: Paragraphs 1.6.4: Word Choice 1.6.5: Active Verbs and Present Tense 1.6.6: Imagery

12 12 13 13 13 14 14

1.7:

Errors to Avoid 1.7.1: The Need to Proofread 1.7.2: Gobbledygook and Jargon 1.7.3: Poor Sentence Structure 1.7.4: Wrong Words 1.7.5: Redundancies 1.7.6: Too Many Numbers 1.7.7: Hype 1.7.8: Bias and Stereotypes 1.7.9: Politically Incorrect Language

15 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19

Summary: Getting Organized for Writing

19

2 Becoming a Persuasive Writer

21

2.1: Persuasion and the Art of Communication

21

2.2: The Basics of Communication 2.2.1: The Four Elements of Communication

21 22

2.3:

Theories of Communication 2.3.1: Media Uses and Gratification 2.3.2: Cognitive Dissonance 2.3.3: Agenda Setting 2.3.4: Framing 2.3.5: Diffusion and Adoption 2.3.6: Hierarchy of Needs

22 22 23 24 24 25 25

2.4:

Factors in Persuasive Writing 2.4.1: Audience Analysis 2.4.2: Source Credibility 2.4.3: Appeal to Self-Interest 2.4.4: Clarity of the Message 2.4.5: Timing and Context 2.4.6: Symbols and Slogans 2.4.7: Use of Color 2.4.8: Suggestions for Action

26 27 27 28 29 29 30 30 30

2.5:

Strategies for Persuasive Writing 2.5.1: Drama 2.5.2: Statistics 2.5.3: Surveys and Polls 2.5.4: Examples 2.5.5: Testimonials 2.5.6: Endorsements 2.5.7: Emotional Appeals

30 31 31 32 32 32 32 34

2.6: Persuasive Speaking

34

2.7: Persuasion and Propaganda

35

2.8: The Ethics of Persuasion 2.8.1: Building on the TARES Model

35 36

Summary: Becoming a Persuasive Writer

37

3 Finding and Making News

39

3.1: The Challenge of Making News

39

3.2:

40 40 42 43 43 43 44 44 45

What Makes News 3.2.1: Timeliness 3.2.2: Prominence 3.2.3: Proximity 3.2.4: Significance 3.2.5: Unusualness 3.2.6: Human Interest 3.2.7: Conflict 3.2.8: Newness

v

vi Contents 3.3: How to Find News 3.3.1: Internal News Sources 3.3.2: External News Sources

45 45 46

3.4: How to Find Creative News Opportunities 3.4.1: Creativity: An Essential Skill 3.4.2: The Value of Brainstorming

47 47 48

3.5:

Nine Ways to Create News 3.5.1: Special Events 3.5.2: Contests 3.5.3: Polls and Surveys 3.5.4: Top 10 Lists 3.5.5: Product Demonstrations 3.5.6: Publicity Stunts 3.5.7: Rallies and Protests 3.5.8: Personal Appearances 3.5.9: Awards

50 50 51 52 53 53 54 55 56 56

Summary: Finding and Making News

57

4 Working with Journalists and Bloggers

4.1: The Importance of Media Relations 4.2: The Interdependence of Public Relations and the Media 4.2.1: The Media’s Dependence on Public Relations 4.2.2: Public Relations’ Dependence on the Media

58 58 59 59 60

4.3: Areas of Friction 4.3.1: Complaints about Public Relations Personnel 4.3.2: Complaints about Journalists and Bloggers

61

4.4: Building Working Relationships 4.4.1: Media Relations 101 4.4.2: Media Etiquette

62 63 64

4.5: Media Interviews and Being a Spokesperson

66

4.6: News Conferences 4.6.1: Standard News Conferences 4.6.2: Teleconferences and Webcasts

69 69 71

4.7:

71 71 72 73 74

Media Tours and Other Events 4.7.1: Media Tours 4.7.2: Previews and Parties 4.7.3: Press Junkets 4.7.4: Editorial Board Meetings

4.8: Crisis Communication Summary: Working with Journalists and Bloggers

61 62

74 76

5 Writing the News Release

78

5.1: The Backbone of Publicity Programs

78

5.2: The Value of News Releases

78

5.3: Planning a News Release 5.3.1: Use a Worksheet to Answer Basic Questions

79 80

5.4:

The Basic Components of a News Release 5.4.1: News Release Template 5.4.2: News Release Headline 5.4.3: News Release Dateline 5.4.4: News Release Lead 5.4.5: Body of the Text 5.4.6: Boilerplate Description of the Organization 5.4.7: News Release Contacts

5.5:

81 82 82 84 84 85 86 87

News Release Formats 5.5.1: The Traditional News Release 5.5.2: The Online News Release 5.5.3: The Multimedia News Release 5.5.4: Other News Release Formats

88 88 89 90 94

Summary: Writing the News Release

95

6 Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches

97

6.1: Expanding the Publicity Tool Kit

97

6.2:

97 99 99 99

Fact Sheets 6.2.1: Event or Exhibit Announcements 6.2.2: Company Profiles 6.2.3: Product Specification Sheets

6.3: Media Advisories

101

6.4: Media Kits 6.4.1: The Traditional Media Kit 6.4.2: The Digital Media Kit

103 103 104

6.5:

Pitching a Story 6.5.1: Researching the Publication 6.5.2: The Email Pitch 6.5.3: The Telephone Pitch 6.5.4: The Twitter Pitch 6.5.5: The Follow-Up

105 106 108 111 111 112

Summary: Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches

113

7 Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds

114

7.1: The Value of Features

114

7.2:

115 115 116 116 118 118 119

Types of Features 7.2.1: Case Study 7.2.2: Application and “How-To” Features 7.2.3: Surveys and Research Studies 7.2.4: Backgrounder 7.2.5: Personality Profile 7.2.6: Historical Piece

7.3: Planning a Feature 7.3.1: Ways to Proceed

119 120

7.4:

123 123 123 124 124

The Parts of a Feature 7.4.1: Feature Headline 7.4.2: Feature Lead 7.4.3: Feature Body and Summary 7.4.4: Photos and Graphics

Contents vii

7.5:

Placement Opportunities 7.5.1: Earned Media 7.5.2: Owned Media 7.5.3: Paid Media

7.6: Writing Opinion Pieces 7.6.1: Op-Eds 7.6.2: Letters to the Editor Summary: Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds

8 Publicity Photos and Infographics

125 126 126 126

9.4:

127 127 129

9.5: Online Video

130

132

8.1: The Importance of Visual Content

132

8.2:

133 133 133 135 137 137 138 138

Components of a Good Photo 8.2.1: Technical Quality 8.2.2: Subject Matter 8.2.3: Composition 8.2.4: Action 8.2.5: Scale 8.2.6: Camera Angle 8.2.7: Lighting and Timing

8.3: Working with Photographers and Photo Vendors 8.3.1: Finding Photographers 8.3.2: Contracts 8.3.3: The Photo Session 8.3.4: Finding Stock Photos 8.3.5: Cropping and Retouching 8.3.6: Ethical Considerations

139 139 140 140 140 141 141

8.4: Writing Photo Captions

142

8.5: The Purpose of Infographics

143

8.6:

143 144 145 146

Types of Infographics 8.6.1: Charts 8.6.2: Graphic Interface of Subject Content 8.6.3: Other Kinds of Graphics

8.7: Creating an Infographic

146

8.8: Distributing Photos and Infographics

147

8.9: Maintaining Photo and Art Files

147

Summary: Publicity Photos and Infographics

148

9 Radio, Television, and Online Video 150 9.1: The Reach of Broadcast Media and Online Video

150

9.2:

Radio 9.2.1: 9.2.2: 9.2.3: 9.2.4: 9.2.5: 9.2.6:

Radio News Releases Audio News Releases Radio Public Service Announcements Radio Media Tours Radio Promotions Community Calendars

151 152 153 154 156 157 157

9.3:

Television 9.3.1: Video News Releases 9.3.2: The New Normal: B-Roll Packaging 9.3.3: Video Public Service Announcements 9.3.4: Satellite Media Tours

158 158 161 165 166

Talk Shows and Product Placements 9.4.1: Talk Shows 9.4.2: Magazine Shows 9.4.3: Product Placement

168 168 170 170 171

Summary: Radio, Television, and Online Video

173

10 Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts

175

10.1: The Web: Pervasive in Our Lives

175

10.2: The New Public Relations Paradigm

176

10.3: Websites 10.3.1: Planning an Effective Website 10.3.2: Managing the Website 10.3.3: Making the Site Interactive 10.3.4: Attracting Visitors to Your Site 10.3.5: Tracking Site Visitors

177 178 180 180 181 183

10.4: Writing for the Web 10.4.1: Providing Content for Online Newsrooms

183 185

10.5: Blogs 10.5.1: Types of Blogs

186 187

10.6: Podcasts 10.6.1: Applications of Podcasts 10.6.2: Equipment and Production

191 191 191

Summary: Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts

11 Social Media and Mobile Apps

192

194

11.1: The Tsunami of Social Media

194

11.2: The Use of Social Media in Public Relations

194

11.3: The Continuing Role of Traditional Media

195

11.4:

Social Networks 11.4.1: Facebook: King of the Social Networks 11.4.2: Google+ 11.4.3: LinkedIn: The Professional Network

196 196 197 198

11.5:

Micro-Blogging Sites and Apps 11.5.1: Twitter: Saying It in 140 Characters or Less 11.5.2: Vine 11.5.3: Instagram

198 198 200 200

11.6:

Media Sharing Sites 11.6.1: YouTube: King of Video Clips 11.6.2: Flickr 11.6.3: Pinterest

201 201 204 205

11.7:

The Rising Tide of Mobile Content 11.7.1: An Ocean of Apps 11.7.2: QR Codes: Rich Content a Scan Away 11.7.3: Texting

206 207 208 209

11.8: Wikis Summary: Social Media and Mobile Apps

12 Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures

210 210

212

12.1: Tightening the Writing Focus

212

12.2: The Balancing Act of Editors

212

viii Contents 12.2.1: A Mission Statement Gives Purpose 12.2.2: Making an Article Schedule

213 214

12.3: Intranets

214

12.4: Online Newsletters

215

12.5: The Value of Print Publications

216

12.6:

217 217 218 219 220 220 221 223

Print Newsletters and Magazines 12.6.1: Meeting Audience Interests 12.6.2: Article Headlines 12.6.3: Article Lead Sentences 12.6.4: Periodical Design 12.6.5: Periodical Format 12.6.6: Periodical Layout 12.6.7: Photos and Illustrations

12.7: Brochures 12.7.1: Planning a Brochure 12.7.2: Brochure Format 12.7.3: Writing a Brochure 12.7.4: Brochure Paper 12.7.5: Types of Fonts 12.7.6: Ink and Color 12.7.7: Finding a Printer

223 223 224 224 225 226 226 227

12.8: Annual Reports 12.8.1: Planning and Writing Annual Reports 12.8.2: Trends in Content and Delivery

228 229 229

Summary: Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures

13 Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals

230

232

13.1: Developing Expertise in Business Communication 232 13.2: The Challenge of Communication Overload

233

13.3: Email 13.3.1: Email Purpose 13.3.2: Email Content 13.3.3: Email Format

233 234 234 236

13.4: Memorandums

237

13.5:

Traditional Letters 13.5.1: Purpose of Traditional Letters 13.5.2: Letter Content 13.5.3: Letter Format

238 239 239 239

13.6: Proposals 13.6.1: Purpose of Proposals 13.6.2: Proposal Content and Organization

240 240 240

13.7: Proposals by Public Relations Firms

241

13.8: Briefing and Position Papers

243

Summary: Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals

14 Giving Speeches and

244

14.2.3: Writing the Speech 14.3:

The Basics of Giving a Speech 14.3.1: Coaching Speakers 14.3.2: Structuring the Message for the Ear 14.3.3: Tailoring Remarks to the Audience 14.3.4: Keeping Speeches Timely and Short 14.3.5: Gestures and Eye Contact

254 255 257

14.5: Being a Good Panelist 14.5.1: Panels

258 258

14.6:

Speaker Training and Placement 14.6.1: Executive Training 14.6.2: Speaker’s Bureaus 14.6.3: Placing Speakers 14.6.4: Publicity Opportunities

258 258 259 260 260

Summary: Giving Speeches and Presentations

261

15 Organizing Meetings and Events

263

15.1: A World Filled with Meetings and Events

263

15.2: Staff and Committee Meetings

264

15.3:

265 265 266 267 267 268

Larger Group Meetings 15.3.1: Planning Large Group Meetings 15.3.2: Meeting Space Logistics 15.3.3: Meeting Invitations 15.3.4: Meeting Registration 15.3.5: Meeting Program

15.4: Banquets 15.4.1: Working with Catering Managers 15.4.2: Banquet Logistics and Timing

269 271 271

15.5: Receptions and Cocktail Parties

272

15.6: Conventions 15.6.1: Planning a Convention 15.6.2: Convention Program

272 273 274

15.7: Trade Shows 15.7.1: Exhibit Booths 15.7.2: Newsrooms and Media Relations

275 276 277

15.8: Promotional Events 15.8.1: Using Celebrities to Boost Attendance 15.8.2: Event Planning and Logistics

278 278 279

15.9: Open Houses and Plant Tours

281

Summary: Organizing Meetings and Events

16 Using Direct Mail and Advertising

283

285

16.1: The Business of Direct Mail and Advertising

285 285 286 287 287 287 288

14.1: The Challenge of Public Speaking Engagements

245

14.2: The Basics of Speechwriting 14.2.1: Researching the Audience and Speaker 14.2.2: Defining Goals and Content

246 246 246

16.3: Creating a Direct Mail Package 16.3.1: Mailing Envelope 16.3.2: Direct Mail Letter

245

251 252 252 252 253 253

14.4: Visual Aids for Presentations 14.4.1: PowerPoint 14.4.2: Prezi

16.2: The Basics of Direct Mail 16.2.1: Advantages of Direct Mail 16.2.2: Disadvantages of Direct Mail

Presentations

249

Contents ix



16.3.3: 16.3.4: 16.3.5: 16.3.6:

Direct Mail Brochure Reply Card Return Envelope Gifts

289 289 289 290

16.4: The Basics of Public Relations Advertising 16.4.1: Advantages of Advertising 16.4.2: Disadvantages of Advertising

290 291 291

16.5:

Types of Public Relations Advertising 16.5.1: Image Building 16.5.2: Investor and Financial Relations 16.5.3: Public Service 16.5.4: Advocacy and Issues 16.5.5: Announcements

292 292 293 293 294 294

16.6:

Creating a Print Ad 16.6.1: Ad Headline 16.6.2: Ad Text 16.6.3: Ad Artwork 16.6.4: Ad Layout

295 295 295 295 295

16.7: Working with an Ad Agency

296

16.8: Native Advertising

296

16.9:

Other Advertising Channels 16.9.1: Billboards 16.9.2: Transit Panels 16.9.3: Buttons and Bumper Stickers 16.9.4: Posters 16.9.5: T-Shirts 16.9.6: Promotional Items

297 298 298 298 299 299 299

Summary: Using Direct Mail and Advertising

300

17 Working Within a Legal Framework

302

17.6.2: The Securities and Exchange Commission 316 17.6.3: The Federal Communications Commission 317 17.6.4: The Food and Drug Administration 318 17.7: Working with Lawyers

318

Summary: Working Within a Legal Framework

18 Planning Programs and Campaigns

319

321

18.1: The Value of a Written Plan

321

18.2:

Developing a PR Plan 18.2.1: Identifying the Situation 18.2.2: Gathering Information 18.2.3: Analyzing the Information

321 321 322 323

18.3:

Elements of a PR Plan 18.3.1: The Organization’s Situation 18.3.2: Campaign Objectives 18.3.3: Campaign Audience 18.3.4: Campaign Strategy 18.3.5: Campaign Tactics 18.3.6: Campaign Calendar 18.3.7: Campaign Budget 18.3.8: Campaign Evaluation

323 324 325 327 327 328 329 330 330

18.4: Submitting a Plan for Approval

330

Summary: Planning Programs and Campaigns

332

19 Measuring Success

333

19.1: The Skill of Measurement

333

19.2: The Importance of Measurement 19.2.1: Current Status of Measurement and Evaluation

333

19.3: Measurable Program Objectives

336

19.4: Measuring Production/Distribution

336

19.5:

337 338 338 339 340 340 342

335

17.1: A Sampling of Legal Problems

302

17.2: Libel and Defamation 17.2.1: The Fair Comment Defense 17.2.2: Avoiding Defamation Suits

303 304 304

17.3:

Invasion of Privacy 17.3.1: Employee Newsletters 17.3.2: Photo Releases 17.3.3: Product Publicity and Advertising 17.3.4: Media Inquiries about Employees 17.3.5: Employee Behavior Online

305 305 305 305 306 307

17.4:

Copyright Law 17.4.1: Fair Use versus Infringement 17.4.2: Photography and Artwork 17.4.3: Work for Hire 17.4.4: Use of Online Material

309 310 310 311 311

17.5:

Trademark Law 17.5.1: The Protection of Trademarks 17.5.2: The Problem of Trademark Infringement 17.5.3: Misappropriation of Personality

312 312 313 314

Media Resources 

349

Glossary 

354

Credits 

357

315 315

Index 

363

17.6: Regulatory Agencies 17.6.1: The Federal Trade Commission

Measuring Message Exposure 19.5.1: Media Impressions 19.5.2: Advertising Value Equivalency 19.5.3: Systematic Tracking 19.5.4: Monitoring the Web 19.5.5: Monitoring Social Media 19.5.6: Audience Requests, Costs, and Attendance

19.6: Measuring Audience Awareness

343

19.7: Measuring Audience Attitudes

344

19.8: Measuring Audience Action

344

19.9: Evaluating Newsletters and Brochures 19.9.1: Evaluation Methods

345 345

19.10: Writing a Measurement Report

346

Summary: Measuring Success

347

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Preface

T

he new edition of Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques continues its reputation as the most comprehensive “how-to” text on the market. It will give you a complete tool kit for writing and creating a full range of public relations materials for distribution through traditional media (print, radio, television) and the Internet, including social media. Past editions, and this one is no exception, get high marks from professors and students as an extremely good, user-friendly text written in plain English. It offers common sense advice to students and practitioners about how public relations is practiced in the “real world,” and contains clear, step-by-step guidelines illustrated by multiple examples from actual award-winning public relations programs conducted by many well-known organizations. In addition, it’s the only major PR writing text that provides entire chapters on how to plan meetings and events, compose publicity photos, effectively use infographics, write news features and op-eds, give a presentation, plan an entire public relations program or campaign, and measure the success of a campaign. As one reviewer stated, “Wilcox and Reber are about the best authors out there.” Although the emphasis is on the “nuts and bolts” of effective public relations writing and techniques, the text also provides the conceptual framework and broader context of how the tactics of public relations fit into the entire public relations process—research, planning, communication, and evaluation. The idea is to ensure that you not only know how to write public relations materials, but also understand why they are written from the standpoint of furthering organizational objectives. The many updates, revisions, and additions to this new edition reflect today’s work in public relations. Perhaps the most significant changes in this edition concern the rise of tablets, smartphones, and social media platforms that have significantly changed how public relations writers think and work. Blogs and other social media, such as Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube, have challenged and created new opportunities for public relations practitioners. This edition, more than any other public relations writing text, tells you how to work in the rapidly changing digital environment. It’s more than a textbook; it’s a handy reference book that students will constantly use on their first job and current practitioners will use as an expert resource. As one professor told their students, “This is the one book you should keep. Don’t sell it at the end of the semester.” In sum, this edition is the book that will

become your standard reference source for college and the first years of your career.

New to the Edition The increasing array of available media platforms and channels is a bonanza for public relations specialists but also presents two challenges to today’s students and current practitioners. One challenge is to constantly keep up with the latest developments in mobile devices or new social networking platforms. The second challenge is to understand how all these new communication platforms and channels can be applied in public relations to more effectively communicate with increasingly segmented audiences, across a variety of earned, owned, and paid media. This edition offers new and expanded treatment of numerous topics. Some examples include: • An updated and revised chapter on websites, blogs, and podcasts that includes additional information on the role of online newsrooms on organizational websites (Chapter 10) • A completely new chapter on social media and apps that thoroughly explores how organizations can effectively use social media to increase consumer engagement and brand loyalty (Chapter 11) • Expanded information on how to work with influential bloggers (Chapter 4) • Completely updated stats on the reach and influence of social media (Chapter 11) • Case studies on how major organizations have integrated traditional media and social media in various public relations programs and campaigns (all chapters) • The use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in the writing and formatting of news releases (Chapter 5) • The increased use and popularity of infographics to convey a variety of information that is easily digestible to the public (Chapter 8) • How to measure the effectiveness of social media campaigns (Chapter 19) • The considerations for designing an attractive and interactive website (Chapter 10) • How to prepare and tailor content for distribution in earned, owned, and paid media (all chapters) • The concept of brand journalism and content marketing as a trend in public relations and marketing (Chapter 7)

xi

xii Preface • The components and structure of a multimedia news release and the effectiveness of adding visuals to any news release (Chapters 5, 8) • The elements of a good online newsletter and how to produce a brochure (Chapter 12)

REVEL™ Educational technology designed for the way today’s students read, think, and learn When students are engaged deeply, they learn more effectively and perform better in their courses. This simple fact inspired the creation of REVEL: an immersive learning experience designed for the way today’s students read, think, and learn. Built in collaboration with educators and students nationwide, REVEL is the newest, fully digital way to deliver respected Pearson content. REVEL enlivens course content with media interactives and assessments — integrated directly within the authors’ narrative — that provide opportunities for students to read about and practice course material in tandem. This immersive educational technology boosts student engagement, which leads to better understanding of concepts and improved performance throughout the course. Learn more about REVEL

• Guidelines for Designing a Website (Chapter 10) • How to Increase Website Visitors (Chapter 10) • The 10 Commandments for Writing Web Content (Chapter 10) • How Visitors “Read” a Website (Chapter 10) • The Components of an Online Newsroom (Chapter 10) • The Perfect Blog Post by the Numbers (Chapter 10) • How to Do a Podcast (Chapter 10) • How to Post an Effective Message on Facebook (Chapter 11) • How to Improve Your Tweets (Chapter 11) • How to Use Instagram in Your Organization (Chapter 11) • How to Increase Your Organization’s YouTube Views (Chapter 11) • How to Create Content for Pinterest (Chapter 11) • How to Create and Promote an App (Chapter 11) • Lessons in Good Intranet Design (Chapter 12) • Story Ideas for Employee Periodicals (Chapter 12) • How to Work with Graphic Designers (Chapter 12) • How to Manage Your Email (Chapter 13) • How to Write a Professional Email (Chapter 13)

How-To Checklists for the Aspiring Writer This edition has almost 100 Tips for Success features that offer students checklists on how to prepare various materials and conduct basic media relations techniques. Such checklists provide step-by-step directions and help readers grasp basic concepts that are discussed and elaborated upon in the chapter. The following are a sampling of new and revised Tips for Success, including many that relate to social media, which are part of the new edition: • Websites for Public Relations Organizations (Chapter 1) • Useful Websites for Public Relations Writers (Chapter 1) • Celebrate! It’s National Footwear Care Month (Chapter 3) • The Process of Creating Ideas for a Client (Chapter 3) • How to Make Journalists and Bloggers Happy (Chapter 4) • A Media Relations Checklist (Chapter 4) • The Six Elements of a Pitch (Chapter 6) • Two Services Match Reporter Queries with PR Sources (Chapter 6) • Maximizing Your Feature Content (Chapter 7)

• Wording a Speech (Chapter 14) • Ways to Manage Speech Content (Chapter 14) • Timing Your Speech (Chapter 14) • Avoiding Bad PowerPoint Presentations (Chapter 14) • Profile of an Event Planner (Chapter 15) • Ten Tips for Tweeting @Conferences (Chapter 15) • How to Do Media Relations at a Trade Show (Chapter 15) • Free Online Tools for Analyzing Your Social Media Success (Chapter 19)

New PR Casebooks to Stimulate Interest and Insight Students can better grasp a concept if it is illustrated with a practical example from the “real world.” The extensive use of examples is a highlight of this text in two ways. First, every concept throughout the book is followed by a practical example. Second, a more in-depth summary of a particular campaign is given in a “PR Casebook” that helps students understand how the various techniques of using earned, owned, and paid content complement each other in a campaign. Some new cases include the following:

• Guidelines for Creating an Infographic (Chapter 8)

• The Ice Bucket Challenge Raises $100 Million (Chapter 3)

• Getting Your PSA on the Air (Chapter 9)

• The Wall Street Journal Previews a New Hotel (Chapter 4)

Preface xiii

• Boston Marathon Bombing Makes Hospital a Crisis Center (Chapter 4) • Two Successful Pitches (Chapter 6) • An Airport Food Operator Uses a B-Roll to Announce a New Service (Chapter 9) • Pitching the Airport Food Operator’s B-Roll (Chapter 9) • A Video PSA Warns About the Use of Decorative ­Contact Lenses (Chapter 9) • Coca-Cola Website Sets the Standard for Brand ­Journalism (Chapter 10) • Seattle Police Blog About Marijuana (Chapter 10) • An Oscar Selfie Generates Three Million Retweets (Chapter 11) • Social Media Fuels a Solar Decathlon (Chapter 11) • The RFP Process with Caribou Coffee and Skinnygirl Cocktails (Chapter 13) • Festivals Celebrate Everything from Garlic to Beer (Chapter 15) • U.S. Census Bureau Targets Millennials (Chapter 16) • Legal and Regulatory Bodies Continue to Define Social Media Rules (Chapter 17) • A Frito-Lay Campaign Meets Its Objectives (Chapter 19)

Quotes from Leading Professionals New quotes from leading professionals are highlighted throughout. These short, pithy statements give the essence of a professional’s insights and wisdom on a particular concept or technique. This approach is much more readable than the short narrative or Q&A with a professional featured in some texts.

Organization of the Book The text is written and organized so instructors can easily mix and match chapters that suit their students’ needs. It’s also adaptable for either a semester or quarter course and can even be divided for two courses. Chapter 1 reviews the basic concepts of good writing, errors to avoid, and what resources are needed. Chapter 2 continues with the components of persuasive writing, provides a brief overview of major communication theories, and ends with the ethical responsibilities of the public relations writer. Chapter 3 helps students think strategically and creatively about what makes news. Traditional journalistic values are emphasized, but students are also told how to brainstorm ideas to generate news through special events, contests, and even stunts. Chapter 4 is about how to work with journalists and bloggers to ensure effective media relations. How to communicate during a crisis also is covered.

Chapter 5 thoroughly details the structure and format of the news release. Attention is given to writing and formatting digital news releases, including multimedia releases, that are distributed via email, websites, and electronic services. Chapter 6 continues the process by detailing how to prepare fact sheets, media advisories, and media kits. Particularly valuable is a detailed section on how to “pitch” a story idea to a journalist or a blogger. Chapter 7 focuses on the writing of feature stories, such as personality profiles and product-application stories. The writing of opinion pieces, such as op-eds and letters to the editor, are also discussed. Chapter 8 examines the elements of good publicity photos and infographics, which often make a story more attractive to editors. It also offers suggestions on how to work with photographers, write photo captions, and use infographics to distribute information in a highly attractive visual format. Chapter 9 is about preparing content for radio, television, and online video. The mechanics of video news releases (VNRs) and B-roll packages are explained, as well as how to book guests on talk shows, conduct satellite media tours, and create video stories for YouTube and organizational websites. Chapter 10 is a detailed examination of how to organize and format content for websites, blogs, and podcasts. The chapter ends with a detailed discussion about best practices for organizing and posting content on an organization’s online newsroom. Chapter 11 is about effectively using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest to post content that engages consumers and builds brand loyalty. It ends with a discussion of how today’s messages must be mobile-enabled to accommodate the rising tide of smartphone users, and how apps are now a major factor in the distribution of serviceoriented information. Chapter 12 offers information on how to prepare print and online newsletters, write and design a brochure, and use employee intranets to distribute content. The complex job of writing and organizing an organization’s annual report is also discussed. Chapter 13 offers students tips on email etiquette, how to write a business letter, and how to respond to an organization’s Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking the services of a public relations or consulting firm. Chapter 14 is about how to write and give speeches and presentations. Detailed guidelines for preparing PowerPoint slides are provided. Chapter 15 is about planning meetings and events. Detailed steps are given for organizing a banquet, planning a convention, setting up a trade show, and selecting a celebrity for a promotional event. Chapter 16 is about preparing direct mail pieces, primarily for non-profit organizations, and the key elements of public relations advertising. Other media such as billboards, transit panels, and event T-shirts are discussed.

xiv Preface Chapter 17 provides a legal framework for preparing materials. Attention is given to libel, privacy, copyright, trademarks, and governmental regulatory agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Attention is also given to the legal or career-damaging consequences of posting inappropriate information on organizational or personal social media pages. Chapter 18 presents the essential elements of a public relations campaign, providing the information needed to integrate various strategies and tactics into an effective campaign. The steps for how to write a public relations plan are given. Chapter 19 explores the various ways that the success of a campaign can be measured. A key section of the chapter discusses how social media effectiveness is measured from the standpoint of reach, share of conversation, audience engagement, and how much messages are shared.

Available Instructor Resources The following resources are available for instructors. These can be downloaded at http://www.pearsonhighered. com/irc. Login required.

• PowerPoint—provides a core template of the content covered throughout the text. Can easily be added to customize for your classroom. • Instructor’s Manual—includes a description, in-class discussion questions, and a research assignment for each chapter. • Test Bank—includes additional questions beyond the REVEL in multiple choice and open-ended—short and essay response—formats. • MyTest—an electronic format of the Test Bank to customize in-class tests or quizzes. Visit: http://www. pearsonhighered.com/mytest.

Acknowledgments We would like to thank those who reviewed previous editions and made many suggestions that have been incorporated into this revision: Claire Badaracco, Marquette University; Lora J. DeFore, Mississippi State University; Donn Silvis, California State University, Dominguez Hills; and Brenda J. Wrigley, Michigan State University. And a special thanks to the many educators who provided input for this and prior editions.

About the Authors Dr. Wilcox is professor emeritus of public relations at San Jose State University and former director of the School of Journalism & Mass Communications. He is also the lead author of two other popular textbooks, Public Relations Strategies and Tactics and THINK Public Relations. He is an accredited Dennis L. Wilcox (APR) member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and is also in the organization’s College of Fellows, recognizing his lifelong contributions to the profession. Wilcox is a former chair of the PRSA Educator’s Academy and the public relations division of the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communications (AEJMC). Among his many awards is PRSA’s “Educator of the Year,” the Xifra-Heras Award from the University of Girona (Spain), an award of excellence from the Public Relations Society of India, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Bucharest for his many contributions to global public relations education and to advancing the profession. Wilcox is currently active in the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) and is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society, an organization of senior public relations executives. He now travels extensively as a speaker and consultant in Europe, South America, and Asia. His philosophy, to quote St. Augustine, is “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” He can be reached at [email protected].

Dr. Reber is C. Richard Yarbrough Professor in Crisis Communication Leadership at the University of Georgia, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. He teaches introduction to public relations, management, crisis communication, and writing. On the graduate level, Reber teaches management, Bryan H. Reber persuasion, campaign research, and public opinion. Reber ’s research focuses on public relations theory, practice, pedagogy, and crisis and health communication and has been published in the Journal of Public Relations Research, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Journal of Health Communication, Public Relations Review, and Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, among others. Reber regularly presents his research at national and international academic conferences. He is the co-author of Gaining Inf luence in Public Relations, Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics, 11th ed., and THINK Public Relations. Reber serves on the board of the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations and is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society. He worked for 15 years in public relations at Bethel College, Kansas. He can be reached at [email protected].

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Chapter 1

Getting Organized for Writing Learning Objectives 1.1 Recognize the public relations framework in

which writing plays a role 1.2 Express the objectives, audiences, and the

channels used by the public relations writer 1.3 Describe some of the necessary tools that a

public relations writer needs access to 1.4 Report how the professional writer can use

1.5 Express the different forms of research and

how online resources can assist with public relations writing tasks 1.6 Illustrate the guidelines for public relations

writing 1.7 Analyze the common errors made by the PR

writer and ways to avoid them

industry resources to keep up with developments in the field

1.1:  The Framework of Public Relations Writing 1.1 Recognize the public relations framework in which writing plays a role The focus of this course is on the most visible aspect of public relations—the writing and distribution of messages in a variety of formats to multiple media channels and platforms. To the uninitiated, this activity is the sum and substance of public relations. For them, PR stands for “press release,” which has historically been the most common publicity technique. Because of this, it’s necessary to first establish the framework in which public relations writing takes place.

1.1.1:  Writing Is Only One Component It’s important to realize that the preparation and distribution of messages is only one part of the public relations process. Public relations work is actually composed of four core components: research, planning, communication, and evaluation. Public relations writing is part of the communication component, which only occurs after research has been conducted and extensive planning to formulate the goals and objectives of a campaign has taken place. Planning also involves the selection of audiences to be reached, the key messages to be distributed, and the strategies that should be used to ensure the overall success of the program or campaign. It’s also important to know the difference between strategies and tactics.

1

2  Chapter 1

1.1.2:  Writers as Communication Technicians Public relations writers and media placement specialists are responsible for implementing all of the tactics in a campaign or program. They, by definition, fulfill a “technician” or “tactical” role. They are the “production” staff who write the news releases, formulate the feature stories, produce videos for online distribution, and contact the television show producer to make a “pitch” for the company’s spokesperson to appear as a guest to talk about the organization or the product. It is important to note that a public relations writer usually prepares material for possible use in the news columns of newspapers or on broadcast news and magazine programs. Such placement is called earned media because, unlike advertising that is purchased, public relations materials are only used if journalists and editors decide the information is newsworthy. The role of writer and technician is the standard entrylevel position in public relations, but some in the public relations field have been writers and media relations experts for most of their careers. This is because most positions in public relations at corporations or public relations firms are at the technician or tactical level. A speechwriter or an editor of an employee newsletter, for example, may be a skilled technician by definition, but he or she is also a highly prized professional who receives a good salary because of his or her expertise. There is a distinction, however, between the duties performed by a technician and those of a public relations manager. Professor David Dozier of San Diego State University, who has done considerable research on roles in public relations, says, “Managers make policy decisions and are held accountable for public relations outcomes,” whereas “technicians carry out the low-level mechanics of generating communication products that implement policy decisions made by others.” This is not to say that professional practitioners don’t fulfill both manager and technician roles. A professional may primarily be a manager but also be deeply involved in preparing a media kit or arranging a special event. By the same token, a public relations writer in an organization with limited staffing may primarily be a technician but also be involved in the planning of an entire campaign. The following Tips for Success box outlines additional skills that a public relations writer should possess.

Tips for Success Writing Is One of Six Skills The ability to write is one of the six essential skills for a successful career in public relations. Dennis L. Wilcox, Glen T. Cameron, and Bryan H. Reber summarize the essential skills in the 11th edition of their textbook, Public Relations Strategies & Tactics.

As you can see, the total framework of public relations is much more than just “press releases.” Such materials are important, but they are only one highly visible manifestation of the entire public relations process. With this framework in mind, we begin our discussion about public relations writing and media techniques.

1.2:  The Public Relations Writer 1.2 Express the objectives, audiences, and the channels used by the public relations writer Although the public relations writer and the journalist share a number of common characteristics in their approach to writing, the public relations writer differs in objectives, audiences, and channels.

Getting Organized for Writing 3

key messages about the product and how it can benefit customers?” In the case of a newsletter for an organization, there might be several objectives. Akron Children’s Hospital, for example, started Inside Children as a way of reaching singlefamily households with children and family incomes of $30,000 or more within its 17-county service area. The objectives of the newsletter, published three times a year, were: 1. To generate business by building awareness for various departments and programs. 2. To recruit participants for various pediatric drug and clinical trials. 3. To generate requests for more information from the hospital’s referral telephone line and the website.

1.2.1: Objectives A journalist is usually employed by a news organization to gather, process, and synthesize information for the primary purpose of providing news to the organization’s subscribers, viewers, or listeners. A hallmark of professional reporting is to present information in a fair and balanced manner. The public relations writer, in contrast, is usually employed by an organization that wants to communicate with a variety of audiences, either through the news media or through other channels of communication. These organizations may include corporations, government agencies, environmental groups, labor unions, trade associations, or public relations firms that provide information on behalf of clients. The writer’s purpose is advocacy, not objectivity. The goal is not only to accurately inform but also to persuade and motivate. Edward M. Stanton, former chairman of the Manning, Selvage & Lee public relations firm, once described public relations activity in Public Relations Quarterly as “working with clients on strategy and messages, and then delivering these messages to target audiences in order to persuade them to do something that is beneficial to the client.” “The use of fact and emotion in a story is critical—particularly in public relations. In a world cluttered with messages competing for audience time and attention, our messages and stories require both elements to be effective.” — Kevin Dugan, founder of the Bad Pitch Blog

Professor Robert Heath, co-author of Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations, points out that the role of advocate is a time-honored one. It goes back 2,000 years to Aristotle, who conceptualized the term rhetoric— the ability to determine what needs to be said and how it should be said to achieve desired outcomes. Heath writes that rhetoric “entails the ability and obligation to demonstrate to an audience facts and arguments available to bring insight into an important issue.” Hence, all public relations writing should begin with the question, “How does this help the organization achieve its objectives?” For example, “Does the news release contain the

4. To distribute various parenting and child health materials to interested parents.

1.2.2: Audiences The traditional journalist writes for one audience—readers, listeners, or viewers of the medium for which he or she works. Newspapers, magazines, radio, and television are usually defined as “mass media,” because the audience is very broad and its members have little in common. An extension of the mass media, of course, is online news sites such as the Huffington Post that also serve a broad spectrum of the public. The public relations writer, however, may write for numerous, specialized audiences—employees, community leaders, customers, teenagers, seniors, women, various ethnic and racial groups, travelers, governmental regulatory agencies, investors, farmers, and many others. Effective public relations writing requires careful definition of the audience and its composition so that information can be tailored to its interests and concerns. A public relations writer performs research constantly to determine the audience’s needs, concerns, and interests. Armed with this information, the public relations writer can write a more persuasive message.

1.2.3: Channels Journalists, by nature of their employment, primarily reach their audiences through one channel: the medium that publishes, broadcasts, or posts their work on a news website. The public relations writer, in contrast, is not restricted to any one media platform but will use many channels and media platforms to effectively reach well-defined audiences. Indeed, today’s public relations writer sits at the junction of multiple media platforms that are broadly classified as earned, owned, and paid media. Earned media are defined as stories in the traditional mass media that are selected by gatekeepers such as editors, broadcast producers, and bloggers. The coverage may be based on a news release, a news conference, or an event by an organization, but journalists and editors make the decision whether the information is “newsworthy” and write or produce the actual

4  Chapter 1 story. Thus, this is considered “earned” media because the organization receives publicity without paying for it. Owned media, on the other hand, are media channels owned by the organization. This may include the organization’s website, its Facebook and YouTube page, newsletters, brochures, pamphlets, direct mail, posters, email distribution, podcasts, blogs, and even the organization’s intranet for employees and vendors. Organizations, through their public relations, corporate communications, and marketing departments, not only “own” these channels but also control all content without the filter of traditional media gatekeepers. Paid media are primarily ads in traditional media and on such sites as Google and Facebook. Organizations pay for space on these platforms to distribute their messages about their products and services. Although public relations writers rarely get involved in producing ads, they increasingly are involved in another form of paid media under the rubric of “sponsorship.” In this situation, public relations writers produce feature stories in a journalistic format that are then placed in publications and online news sites after paying a fee to the publisher. In many cases, the publication’s staff will actually write the “sponsored” story. Online news sites such as the Atlantic, Buzzfeed, and the Huffington Post now have a “sponsored” section that supplements their advertising revenue. In most cases, a combination of earned, owned, and paid media is selected to achieve maximum message penetration and understanding. This important concept is illustrated throughout this course by showing how public relations professionals use multiple media platforms for a single project or campaign.

WRITING PROMPT There are several differences in how public relations writers and journalists do their jobs in terms of objectives, audiences, and channels. What do you think is the major difference between a public relations writer and a journalist? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

1.3:  The Writer’s Basic Tool Kit

1.3.1:  Computer and Printer Public relations professionals spend much of their working day in front of a computer. One survey of independent public relations practitioners, many of whom work from home, found that they spend about 70 to 80 percent of their day on the computer doing word processing, surfing the Internet, and sending or responding to emails. A good multifunctional printer is also a necessity because it allows you to print out hard copies of your work for detailed editing, process photos on SD cards, scan documents, and even send faxes. A computer is your single most important piece of equipment as a public relations writer. It enables you to use sophisticated word processing software programs such as Microsoft Office that permit maximum flexibility to write, edit, format, insert artwork, and merge information into a complete document. Other software packages such as Adobe’s Creative Suite enable you to professionally edit photos, create entire brochures, and edit video that can then be posted to the Internet and other social media sites. The type of computer and printer you use depends on your work environment. Public relations writers who are in the same office on a daily basis often use a desktop PC or Mac. Practitioners say there are three primary reasons for using a desktop: 1. Computers and printers in an office are often networked so it’s easier to share software and files and to tap into the organization’s database, which often contains proprietary information. 2. They are more cost effective in terms of having more memory and hard disk space than laptops or tablets.

1.3 Describe some of the necessary tools that a public relations writer needs access to

3. Large monitors and standard keyboards are better suited for writing and editing.

It is essential for the public relations writer to have a workspace that includes a computer and a printer, Internet access, and a reference library.

Others, particularly students and professionals who travel frequently, prefer laptops with standard-sized keyboards because of their portability and flexibility. In

Getting Organized for Writing 5

many cases, professionals have it both ways. They have a laptop that serves as the CPU (central processing unit) that can go on the road with them, but they also use the laptop in the office, connecting it to a standard keyboard and a larger monitor. Standard tablets that offer just virtual keyboards, however, can’t fully replace a laptop or desktop for most professionals. They are getting more writer-friendly but are still unsatisfactory for writing long documents and editing. “Laptops still win for intensive work like creating long documents, or doing anything that requires precision and benefits from a physical keyboard. They also are more compatible with printers and external disks.” — Walter Mossberg, technology editor of The Wall Street Journal

Figure 1.1  Today’s laptops remain the most versatile tool for public relations writers because they are portable, have good memory and storage capacity, good-sized monitors and keyboards, several USB ports, Wi-Fi, and webcams.

Working professionals, recognizing the rapid pace at which new computers and software products come to market, recommend that you buy the most advanced computer and collateral equipment you can possibly afford.

1.3.2: Dictionary The most common reference book is an up-to-date dictionary, and many writers keep a paperback version handy for a fast check instead of going online or bringing up a software version. The best-known dictionary is Merriam-Webster’s collegiate edition that is updated every year with new words reflecting contemporary word usage and popular culture. In its 2014 edition, for example, new words included selfie, hashtag, crowdfunding, paywall, big data, fangirl, fracking, baby bump, cap and trade, gamification, tweep, spoiler alert, unfriend, digital divide, e-waste, and even catfish (a person who sets up a false personal profile on a social networking site for deceptive purposes). Merriam-Webster also offers free use of its general dictionary online.

Another popular choice is the Oxford Pocket Dictionary and Thesaurus, which includes other references such as a handy list of countries and their capital cities. Public relations writers and journalists also like Webster’s New College Dictionary, the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, and the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. According to Ragan.com, a publisher of public relations newsletters, the first two “… not only define, but they also provide an array of useful information: geographic and biographic entries, abbreviations, a list of colleges and universities, measurement conversion tables, foreign words and phrases, forms of address, etc.” The National Geographic’s Compact Atlas of the World is another handy reference book that provides maps as well as the correct spelling of major cities and geographical sites around the world Some specialized online dictionaries include Wordnik, which shows definitions from multiple sources so you can see as many meanings as possible. The Free Dictionary also offers an “Idioms and phrases” tool. Enter a word and you get a list of common phrases in which the word appears. It’s useful for writing headlines or developing a play on words. A number of online resources can help you find the perfect word. The Collins English Dictionary, for example, is a free website that includes a thesaurus with more than 1 million synonyms and antonyms with quotations and translations to other languages. Thsrs is a shorter online thesaurus that allows you to enter long words and receive shorter synonyms. As one writer notes, “It’s especially useful if you want to simplify your writing or shorten a message for Twitter.” WordHippo is unusual because it enables you to search for words under categories such as “rhymes with” and “sentences with,” “adverb for,” and “past tense of.” Another good source, although only available in paperback, is Synonym Finder by J. I. Rodale. It contains more than a million synonyms.

1.3.3: Encyclopedia The world’s largest and most popular general reference source is Wikipedia, which is regularly among the top five visited sites on the Internet with editions in 287 languages and about 500 million visitors a month. The site has 18 million articles, including 4.4 million articles in English. “On any given day, 15% of all Internet users visit Wikipedia, amounting to 495m readers a month.” — The Economist, March 1, 2014

Wikipedia is unique in several ways. First, it is an online encyclopedia that is free. Second, it is crowdsourced; thousands of volunteers post and edit entries. Traditionalists still express some concern about the accuracy of information without the benefit of qualified experts certifying the entries, but Wikipedia has gained stature and greater acceptance as a legitimate source in recent years. A more traditional, authoritative reference is the Encyclopedia

6  Chapter 1 Britannica, which has been published for 245 years; full access to the online version, however, requires an annual subscription fee. Some specialized websites are also encyclopedic in nature. For example, a good source for facts on the world’s nations—their history, people, economy, geography, and communications—is the World Factbook compiled by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The World Factbook website also provides reference tabs that include maps, flags of the world, a political map of the world, standard time zones, and even comparative national statistics. There are also several websites that focus on fact-checking news coverage of current topics, which will be discussed shortly along with other tools for research.

1.3.4: Stylebook Stylebooks enable you, as a public relations writer, to prepare materials in the writing style used by most publications. They cover topics such as capitalization, abbreviations, punctuation, titles, and general word usage. For example, there is a trend to combine words that were once written separately or hyphenated; hence, the proper style is now software, database, lifestyle, teenager, spreadsheet, website, and nonprofit. In terms of journalistic writing, the most widely used stylebook by public relations writers and journalists is the Associated Press Stylebook, available in print form or online. “AP style” is the common standard for writing news releases and other content distributed to traditional media in the United States, such as weekly and daily newspapers. The AP Stylebook is updated and revised on a periodic basis to reflect changes in word usage and when it’s acceptable, for example, to use “CA” or “California” in the body of a news release or a news story. In 2014, the big change that created some controversy was AP’s declaration that “over” was now an acceptable alternative to “more than,” which had been the standard for years. There’s even an AP Stylebook Twitter feed (#APStyle) for instant updates. The following are some recent AP style updates regarding the Internet:

The New York Times Stylebook is also widely used. Writers who cover business or prepare news releases about business topics often use The Wall Street Journal Stylebook. Organizations also develop their own stylebooks for employee publications. You most likely will need to be familiar with several kinds of stylebooks depending on your writing assignment.

1.3.5:  Media Database A major activity of a public relations writer is contacting journalists and sending news releases to the media. It is therefore important to have lists of publications, names of editors, and addresses readily available. Local directories of media outlets are often available from the chamber of commerce, the United Way, or other civic groups. Metropolitan, state, or regional directories also exist.

Getting Organized for Writing 7

Probably the most comprehensive online media database is CisionPoint. It claims to offer 1.6 million media contacts, outlets, and editorial calendar opportunities that are updated 20,000 times on a daily basis. This includes detailed information on (1) all U.S. and worldwide daily newspapers, (2) trade and consumer magazines, (3) news services and syndicates, (4) ethnic newspapers and magazines, (5) college and university student newspapers, and (6) all U.S. and Canadian radio and television stations that provide profiles on news, talk, public affairs, and topical shows. In addition, Cision lists more than 300,000 online news sites and blogs. Cision’s online media database allows a public relations writer to build targeted media lists by beat, market, demographics, media type, country, and audience. The database of editorial calendars, for example, allows you to find out when publications are planning special issues around a holiday, a specific industry, annual product roundups, or major trade shows. Another part of the media database is profiles of editors, journalists, and bloggers. This includes how to contact them, their particular interests, and how to approach them with a story idea. A Cision video demonstrating how the database is used can be found on CisionPoint’s training site.

Figure 1.2  Online media databases provide extensive information on how to reach publications, broadcast outlets, Internet sites, and bloggers, and even detailed profiles of journalists. This example, from CisionPoint, gives details about the Chicago Tribune. Key editors are listed with their phone numbers and email addresses. In addition, a user can use tabs to get more information about bureaus, departments, special sections, and related outlets.

Cision’s recent merger with Vocus, a competing firm, and other acquisitions enable it to offer a wide range of public relations services. Other Cision services include news release distribution; media monitoring for tracking placement of your news releases or other content, as well as tracking media clips generated by your news releases; and media analysis to find out what publications, broadcast outlets, and blogs were most effective for reaching your audience. There are several other media directories. BurrellesLuce, for example, has a comprehensive online media database that includes many of the same services as Cision.

Its media database includes over 76,000 media outlets in North America and 380,000 staff listings with their contact preferences. Media Pro, published by Bulldog Reporter, claims to have the names and profiles of 140,000 journalists at 44,000 “top” newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations, websites, blogs, and trade journals. It also offers subscribers daily pitching tips, which are profiles of journalists in terms of their interests, pet peeves, and how they want to be contacted. Subscriptions to the media databases just mentioned can be expensive. The full range of Cision services can cost up to $10,000 a month. Media Pro charges $1,700 annually for its database. An alternative for freelance writers on a budget, however, is Gebbie’s All-in-One Directory that is available in paperback and online for about $175. It has fewer bells and whistles than a giant such as Cision, but Gebbie’s media base does include 1,400 dailies, 5,700 weeklies, 6,800 FM and 4,000 AM radio stations, 1,400 TV stations, 2,700 magazines, and 168 Hispanic newspapers. The major advantage of online media databases is that they make it easier to build a media distribution list, print labels, and even send news releases by email to selected media, whether they’re trade journals in the plumbing industry, talk radio stations in the top 100 markets, or even all dailies in California.

1.3.6:  Books on Writing There’s any number of books on the art of writing, but several titles are worth noting. The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White is the classic grammar and style text that was first published in 1920 and has been published in numerous editions up to the present day. This somewhat brief book has saved numerous writers from embarrassment over the years. A more modern rendition of Elements of Style is Spunk & Bite: A Writer’s Guide to Bold, Contemporary Style by Arthur Plotnik. He updates many of Strunk and White’s rules for writing with advice and a sense of humor. Another good writer on style and grammar is Diana Hacker, who has written a number of handbooks that are readily available through Amazon.com. Daphne Gray Grant, writing in an article for Ragan. com, recommends several other books for your reference library: • Sin & Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose by Constance Hale, a former editor of Wired magazine. A good resource on today’s grammar and writing with style. • Weinberg on Writing: The Fieldstone Method by Gerald Weinberg. He believes that writing is like building a stone wall; you collect stones (stories) as you go through life and save them for when you need them for building (writing). • The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done by Piers Steel. Written by a

8  Chapter 1 professor of human resources at the University of Calgary, this book gives many useful tips for how to become more productive and overcome “writer’s block.”

Some underlying principles for writing clear and effective prose are also discussed later in Writing Guidelines, along with tips to help you steer clear of common mistakes.

WRITING PROMPT Every public relations writer needs a “tool kit” in terms of equipment and other resources. If you were setting up a home office to be a freelance public relations writer and consultant, what “tools” would you have in your office? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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1.4: Professional Publications and Other Resources 1.4 Report how the professional writer can use industry resources to keep up with developments in the field Your basic tool kit should be supplemented with subscriptions to professional periodicals and newsletters. It is important for the professional writer to keep up with developments in the field and to learn about new techniques that can improve the writing, production, and distribution of public relations material.

1.4.1:  Magazines and Journals PRWeek is the most widely circulated and comprehensive magazine about the public relations field. It covers the entire public relations industry in terms of trends, current issues, major campaigns, and commentary about the use of various strategies and tactics. Other magazines include The Public Relations Strategist and Public Relations Tactics, both

published by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Communication World, published by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), is now only online. Another magazine is the monthly O’Dwyer’s Communications & New Media. In addition to articles about trends and issues in the field, this magazine also carries ads for companies that specialize in services such as news release distribution, media monitoring, photography, podcasts, and video production. The two major scholarly publications in the field are Public Relations Review and the Journal of Public Relations Research, which are published quarterly. Both contain articles, theories, and research studies by academics. A sampling of articles in a recent edition explored everything from what stakeholders like on Facebook to the state of investor relations in the United States. These two journals are available by subscription, but students can usually access them for free through online databases such as Nexis-Lexis or Academic Search Premier at the university library.

1.4.2:  Newsletters and Blogs There are a number of newsletters that cover the public relations industry. Most are available online, but a few such as Jack O’Dwyer’s Newsletter, Bulldog Reporter, PR Reporter, and PR News are also available in print. Ragan Communications publishes daily newsletters such as PR Daily News Feeds and Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Media Post Publications also has a number of newsletters dealing with public relations and marketing. An example is Social Media Marketing Daily. Another good newsletter, which is free, is PRNewser published by Adweek. The Holmes Report is also free and primarily covers international campaigns in public relations and marketing communications. Some of the online news sites and publications mentioned above require paid subscriptions or membership in an organization, but a great deal of current information about public relations practice is also available for free through popular blogs such as PR Squared by Todd Defren, Brian Solis’ blog, A Shel of My Former Self by Shel Holtz, 6AM by Richard Edelman, PRSAY by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and PR Insiders by PR News. Major public relations firms such as Ketchum, Burson Marsteller, and Ogilvy Worldwide also have blogs that provide expert commentary and information, as do vendors such as Business Wire and PRNewswire. You can subscribe to many of these blogs by going to the organization’s website. If you’re looking for specific writing tips, Ann Wylie’s Wylie Communications website has a number of articles in her Writing Tips archive. In addition, there is Copyblogger

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by Brian Clark, The Well-Fed Writer Blog by Peter Bowerman, and Seth Godin’s Blog. As with everything else on the Web, blogs come and go, so it’s a good idea to check with some professionals in the field about current newsletters and blogs focusing on public relations and marketing communications. They can also offer insight into what forums offer the most information and value. Some examples of print and online publications that cover the public relations industry are shown below.

Tips for Success Websites for Public Relations Organizations The websites of public relations organizations and research centers can help you to stay informed about industry news and developments, learn of training and career opportunities, and network with other professionals in the field. Some organizations make their newsletters and blogs, case studies, event calendars, and other online resources freely accessible to nonmembers as well as members. Here are some organizations worth looking into: Arthur W. Page Society  he Arthur W. Page Center at Pennsylvania State T University PR Council  lobal Alliance for Public Relations and Communication G Management Institute for Public Relations (IPR) International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) International Public Relations Association (IPRA) National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)  he Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at the T University of Alabama Public Affairs Council Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)

1.4.3:  Discussion Groups A cheap and efficient form of professional development is available through joining a discussion group. A number of such groups are on LinkedIn, such as Public Relations Professionals, Public Relations and Communication Professionals, Social Media Marketing, and PR News Group. Members solicit feedback from others on various questions and, in many cases, post an article to be shared and discussed by the group. There are many LinkedIn groups on almost every conceivable subject, so you should take time to preview them and then sign-up for those that most interest you. PRSA members can join the organization’s LinkedIn discussion group, in addition to commenting on its PRSAY blog. A number of Twitter chats also enable public relations writers to connect and communicate with other professionals in the field. One primarily for students is #PRStudChat; it brings students, educators, and professionals together on a monthly basis. Other recommended Twitter groups include #Commschat, #PR20Chat, #SoloPR, #Journchat, #MeasurePR, #IMCChat, #u30pro, and a monthly Hispanic PR chat at #HPRChat.

 trategic Communication and Public Relations Center at S the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

1.4.4:  Current Events and Trends Writing often starts with a creative idea and a good understanding of the world around you. Many public relations employers screen job applicants by administering a current events quiz to ascertain their awareness and understanding of today’s news and controversial issues. Employers require outstanding writing skills, but they are also looking for a second dimension in a public relations writer: knowing what to write about. A person who reads newspapers and magazines on a regular basis often gets story ideas for his or her client or employer. Thus, aspiring public relations writers should make it a habit to read the local daily and at least one daily with national circulation. Online dailies include The Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, and Politico. For those who like somewhat offbeat news, Digg is a good choice with five or six short articles posted daily. Some examples are “Here’s

10  Chapter 1 Why the Student Loan Market is Completely Insane” and “What America Thinks of the Minimum Wage.” Print and online editions of the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, or even the Financial Times are good for indepth news analysis and commentary. Weekly news magazines such as Time, Newsweek, and the Economist also provide in-depth coverage of current issues. Nationally syndicated public affairs programs on radio and television are also good sources of current event knowledge and interpretative analysis. National Public Radio (NPR), for example, has extensive news and commentary throughout the day. Many people get all their news and entertainment from television. You should know what is being presented to the public for several reasons. First, media coverage sets the agenda for people’s thinking. Second, watching the national and local news will show you what kinds of stories are used and how they are handled. Other programs, especially talk shows, will teach you what sorts of stories get on the air and indicate the kind of audience that tends to watch such programs. In sum, paying attention to current events and the thoughts of opinion leaders pays several dividends. First, it makes you a well-informed person, and hence more attractive to employers for public relations writing jobs. Second, knowing the public’s concerns helps you construct more salient messages for your target audience. Third, current events and subjects of popular books often provide a “news hook” for obtaining media acceptance of your material. A company making security locks for computer files, for example, was virtually ignored by the media until news stories about hackers breaking into national security systems made national headlines. And publicists for food products have long recognized that information about the health benefits of a product will attract more media attention.

WRITING PROMPT There are multiple resources online that are useful for public relations writers. As an aspiring public relations professional, what online resources do you consider the most valuable to you? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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1.5:  Research as a Prelude to Writing 1.5 Express the different forms of research and how online resources can assist with public relations writing tasks An essential first step to any public relations writing task is gathering relevant information. The process is called research, and it can take many forms.

In some cases, all the facts will be readily available from a client or employer. All you need to do is pick up some background materials, ask a few questions, and start writing. More often than not, however, the information you need to understand the subject thoroughly and write a well-crafted piece requires some digging. Let’s assume you are given the assignment of writing a news release about a new product. One of your first contacts, no doubt, will be the vice president of marketing, who will give you the general details about the price and availability of the product. In order to understand better the benefits or capabilities of the product, however, you may need to interview someone in the company’s research and development (R&D) department who was responsible for developing the product. You may stop there in your inquiries, or you may decide to do some research on the potential market for the product and how you might position the product against the competition. One way to do this is to research competing products on the market to determine why your product is different or better. You may also want to contact some experts in the field by email or telephone to get their assessment. Their comments, if they give permission, could be included in your news release as a form of endorsement for the new product. On another level, you might talk with some consumers to find out what would convince them to try the product. Is it price, convenience, brand reputation, or reliability? Public relations writers are constantly looking up information, whether for a news release or for background on what kinds of issues and trends might affect a current employer or prospective client. Fortunately, a virtual universe of information is available to you at the click of a mouse. Thanks to the information revolution, three valuable resources are available: Internet search engines, factchecking websites, and electronic databases.

1.5.1:  Search Engines “Cheap, fast global communication, online commerce, the ability to find answers to almost any question on the Web using a search engine and the many wonders of the Internet are all underpinned by the widespread availability of inexpensive, powerful PCs.” — The Economist

Search engines make it possible for you to simply type in a keyword or two and click “Go.” Within a few seconds, the computer screen shows all the links that the search engine has found relating to the topic. The hard part is checking out the promising links because the search engine may have found several hundred possibilities. Google is the most widely used online search engine. It processes about 10 billion queries a month. The second

Getting Organized for Writing 11

largest search engine is YouTube, which gets about 1 billion visitors a month. Visitors not only view a lot of cat videos, but they also use YouTube to find instructional videos on everything from how to paint a house to how to install a computer application and cook a turkey. Microsoft’s Bing and Yahoo! each handle about 15 percent of Internet searches. It’s worth noting that the fourth most used search engine in the world is Baidu, which is based in Beijing. Its use will continue to rise as China becomes even more Internet connected. In general, it is a good idea to use several search engines because all of them have different strengths and weaknesses. Peter Meyers, writing in The Wall Street Journal, assessed the most popular search engines. He thought Google was best for news, images, and general Web searches. He noted, “Google has the broadest range of solid tools and did the best job of distinguishing between adsupported results and real ones.” Yahoo!, according to Meyers, excels in its Yellow Pages listings, particularly if you live in a major metropolitan market. Microsoft’s Bing gets high ratings for its stemsearching tool and its automatic searches for all variations of a word. Yahoo! gets more good reviews for  news searches that also look for audio and visual video clips. The most important part of your search for information is choosing the right keywords. You should be as specific as possible to make sure your search terms don’t produce hundreds of listings. Nouns make the best keywords. The Associated Press Stylebook gives these additional tips for online searching.

At times, you may be able to find reliable online information more efficiently by beginning with a specific website rather than a search engine. The Tips for Success provides examples of websites that can be good starting points.

Tips for Success Useful Websites for Public Relations Writers Not everything can be found by just searching on Google. Research is often more effective when using specific websites that contain articles, research studies, and commentary by experts in the field. Here’s a sampling of sites where you can find detailed information:

General Information infoplease: Online almanacs on various topics from business to history and sports. howstuffworks: Descriptions, articles, and photos that show how devices and other things work. ipl2: The Internet Public Library; a University of Michigan site that gives links to all kinds of sources, from dictionaries to writing guides to newspapers.

Subject-Specific PollingReport.com: Compilation of findings from surveys regarding trends in public opinion. THOMAS: Site of the Library of Congress and the starting point for legislative and congressional information. bio.: Backgrounds on current and historical figures. Acronym Finder: Definitions of acronyms, abbreviations, and initials. Salary.com: Salaries in all fields, including public relations.

Public Relations Business Wire, PR Newswire, PRWeb: News releases by company and industry. The Museum of Public Relations: The (online) Museum of Public Relations houses information on early pioneers in the field.

The editors of the Associated Press Stylebook make a final, cautionary point. They say, “Do not mistake the Web for an encyclopedia, and the search engine for a table of contents. The Web is a sprawling databank that’s about one quarter wheat and three-quarters chaff. Any information you find should be assessed with the same care that you use for everything else.”

1.5.2:  Fact-Checking Websites Although a dictionary and an encyclopedia such as Wikipedia are part of your basic tool kit, you should also be aware of other online sites that help public relations writers to check their facts before writing a news release, a feature story, and social media posts. For example, Journalist’s Resource was named the Best Free Reference Website by the

12  Chapter 1 American Library Association. The site searches studies and credible online sources and provides a summary of its findings, including tips for media coverage. Just enter your topic into the search bar or browse past studies to fact-check your topic. Other online resources are PolitiFact and Full Fact. PolitiFact, a project of the Tampa Bay Times, focuses on political news and statements from politicians. The site also has a truth-o-meter that grades political rhetoric and statements on a scale from true to false. Full Fact is an independent fact-checking organization in England (UK) that checks the reliability of data and numbers from published articles. It monitors online news, newspapers, and social media and provides free tools for users to check claims reported by the media. Guides to help you develop your fact-checking skills are also available online. For example, the Data Journalism Handbook is a good guide on how to collect, understand, and present data that may include a lot of numbers.

1.5.3:  Electronic Databases The third valuable research tool, which is often more comprehensive than various websites, is electronic databases that provide in-depth information and full texts of published articles. Many of these databases, such as Lexis/Nexis and Factiva, are available online for a subscription fee, and many public relations firms and corporations subscribe to their services. Another approach is to use your local city or campus library that provides free access to multiple reference databases. One popular database is Academic Search Premier, which provides the full text for almost 5,000 publications, including more than 3,600 academic journals. It is said to be the world’s largest multidisciplinary database. The majority of full-text articles are available as searchable PDFs. A similar database is ABI/Inform Complete. A favorite of public relations writers is ProQuest Newsstand, which contains the full text of U.S. and international news sources in newspaper and periodical formats. Advertising agencies, public relations firms, and marketing departments regularly consult another electronic database, Simmons Study of Media and Markets. It reports research data on lifestyles, media behavior, and brand preferences of the American consumer by gender, age, and household income. Other good sources of demographic information are the Census Bureau website and Data.gov, the U.S. government’s collection of federal, state, and local data. In sum, if you need in-depth information about any topic—from the biography of a business executive to market conditions in Zambia—an electronic database is a good source.

1.6:  Writing Guidelines 1.6 Illustrate the guidelines for public relations writing The ability to write well is essential for work in public relations. Countless client surveys and interviews with public relations employers confirm that good writing is at the top of their list of expectations. J. Ronald Kelly, senior vice president of Cohn & Wolfe public relations, makes the point: The majority of our entry-level work requires good, basic writing skills. I simply do not have the time to teach grammar, spelling, punctuation, subject–verb agreement, and use of active verbs, lead writing, inverted pyramid style, etc. And as you know, time is money in an agency setting. Therefore, I seek graduates who can contribute to the bottom line from the first day. I need people who have good mastery of basic writing skills.

1.6.1:  Outlining the Purpose Before beginning any writing assignment, take the time to ask yourself some key questions. Public relations counselors Kerry Tucker and Doris Derelian suggest six basic questions: 1. What is the desired communication outcome? In other words, what do you want your audience to do or not do? 2. Who is your primary audience? Defining your audience in terms of age, gender, and educational level helps set the framework of the message. 3. What are your primary audience’s needs, concerns, and interests? 4. What is your message? Do you want to inform or persuade? 5. What communication channel is most effective? 6. Who is your most believable spokesperson? Answering these questions goes a long way toward helping you determine the content and structure of your message. Regarding questions 2 and 3, Julie Story Goldsborough, president of a Kansas public relations firm, says, “I try to delve into the minds of the readers. What is the main benefit to them? What do they want to know about the subject?” The next step is to outline question 4 more fully—what is the message? Usually, an outline includes major topics, and minor topics within each major topic. One approach to outlining is to list the major message points as major topics. For example, you might have one to three key points that you want to communicate in a news release or a feature story. Under each of these headings, jot down a list of the facts, statistics, and examples you will give to support the major point.

Getting Organized for Writing 13

Once the objectives and content of the message are determined, the next challenge is to compose a succinct, well-organized document that uses all of the rules of grammar, punctuation, and spelling correctly. Entire books devoted to composition were discussed in Books on Writing, and you should refer to the list of additional Media Resources for the chapter. However, we provide a few general guidelines that you should keep in mind as you prepare to write public relations materials.

1.6.2: Sentences Sentences should be clear and concise. Long, compound sentences slow the reader down and often are difficult to understand. In general, a sentence containing 25 to 30 words is difficult even for a college-educated audience. This does not mean that all sentences should be 8 to 10 words long; you should strive for a variety of lengths, with the average sentence being about 15 to 17 words. In many cases, a complex sentence simply contains more words than necessary. Take this bloated sentence, for example: “They have assisted numerous companies in the development of a system that can be used in the monitoring of their customer service operations.” Revised, this sentence is more concise and easier to understand: “They have helped many companies develop systems for monitoring their customer services operations.” Ragan Communications and other writers have compiled a list of word savers that can help keep sentences concise and on course. When writing or editing copy, what word can you use instead of each phrase shown below? Click each card to see a preferable “word saver.”

1.6.3: Paragraphs Short paragraphs are better than long ones. A review of a daily newspaper shows that the journalistic style is short paragraphs averaging about six to eight typeset lines. Lead paragraphs in news stories are even shorter—about two or three lines. Public relations writing should follow the same guidelines. Short paragraphs give the reader a chance to catch a breath, so to speak, and continue reading. Long paragraphs

not only tax the reader’s concentration but also encourage the reader to “tune out.” Remember that the paragraph on your computer screen is even longer when set in a newspaper column only 2 inches wide. Your 8 lines become 12 lines in a newspaper or magazine. A typical paragraph contains only one basic idea. When another idea is introduced, it is time for a new paragraph. Short, punchy paragraphs are particularly important for online news releases and newsletters. According to a study by Sun Microsystems, it takes 50 percent more time for an individual to read material on a computer screen. Consequently, according to Michael Butzgy, owner of a New York communications firm, people need key information in short, digestible chunks.

1.6.4:  Word Choice College-educated writers often forget that words common to their vocabulary are not readily understood by large segments of the general public. General-circulation newspapers, aware that a large percentage of their readers have not been to college, strive to write news stories at the fourth- to sixth-grade level. If your target audience is the general public, remember that a short word—one with fewer syllables—is more easily understood than a longer one. Communication Briefings gives a list of “stately,” multisyllable words and some shorter, more reader-friendly options, that you can review using the flashcards below. Read the given “stately” word and think of a simpler word that you can use instead. Click the card to see a suggested replacement.

More complex words, of course, can be used if the target audience is well educated. Most readers of The Wall Street Journal, for example, are college graduates, so the writing is more complex than that found in a small-town daily. Also, if the target audience is professionals in a field such as law, education, science, or engineering, the standard for word choice is different. Educators, for example, seem to like elaborate expressions such as “multiethnic individualized learning” or “continuum.”

14  Chapter 1 Scientific writing, too, is loaded with esoteric words. Newspaper editors often complain that they receive news releases from high-technology companies that are so full of jargon that neither they nor their readers can understand them. Of course, if your audience is engineers, you can use specialized words and phrases. Good writing, however, requires that you simplify the message as much as possible.

1.6.5:  Active Verbs and Present Tense Verbs vitalize your writing. Don’t sacrifice verbs by burying the action in nouns or adjectives. You will boost clarity and add vigor to your writing by stripping away excess words around a verb. A sentence using active voice is also more direct and usually shorter than a passive sentence. Here are some examples: How can you revise each of these statements to use active voice?

4.4 million articles in English, but such a number is more understandable if you say that a print version would equal 1,000 volumes and 1.2 billion pages. Imagery can even be used to portray the scope of a construction project. Writing that a large crane will be used to hoist 5,000 pieces of steel into place for a new office building doesn’t conjure up much of an image until you also add that all this steel equals the weight of 28 Boeing 747 airliners or 915 African elephants. One also gets a better understanding of Amazon’s Kindle when a customer is quoted in an ad, “You can carry 1,000 books in there.” The general writing guidelines discussed are summarized along with additional pointers in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success How to Improve Your Writing Writing is hard work. It takes a good understanding of basic English composition, plenty of practice, and a lot of rewriting and editing to produce interesting and readable copy. The following are some good tips adapted from a Ragan.com article by Katie Badeusz.

Use of present tense also improves writing. It is better to write “The copier delivers 100 copies per minute” than to write “The copier will deliver 100 copies per minute.” In most public relations writing, particularly news releases, use present and active tense as much as possible. In quotations, for example, it is better to write “‘We are shipping the copier next month,’ says Rowena Jones, sales manager.” Doesn’t this sound better than “‘The copier will be shipped next month,’ said Rowena Jones, sales manager”?

1.6.6: Imagery Strong visual descriptions are better than generalized statements. Writing that Coca-Cola is sold in many nations or marketed internationally does not have much impact on the reader. A stronger image is created if you write that Coca-Cola is now sold on all continents and is readily available to two-thirds of the earth’s population. Or, as CocaCola stated in a recent annual report to stockholders: “If all the system’s customers lined up along the equator, a thirsty consumer could purchase a Coca-Cola every 16 feet.” Visual descriptions of large numbers can also have more emotional impact. You can write that Wikipedia has

Getting Organized for Writing 15

1.7:  Errors to Avoid 1.7 Analyze the common errors made by the PR writer and ways to avoid them Errors in your writing will brand you as careless, unprofessional, and inconsiderate of your audience. Errors also call into question the credibility of the entire message. Professional writing requires a writer’s total attention to catch any typos or the distribution of dated or incorrect information.

“Employing improper grammar, no matter how good the content, is detrimental to your credibility. Why should I trust a word you write if you don’t know how to write it?” — Jon Gingerich, editor of O’Dwyer’s Newsletter

1.7.1:  The Need to Proofread Credibility is sacrificed when spelling errors and typos appear in public relations materials. It can also be costly.

New York City transit officials, for example, printed 80,000 subway maps before discovering that the maps had the former cost of a one-way ticket ($4.50) instead of the new $5 charge. The cost of reprinting the maps was $250,000. And even the Vatican isn’t infallible. The Italian State mint struck a medal to celebrate the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s papacy with the word “Lesus” instead of “Jesus” stamped on the 6,000 gold, silver, and bronze medals. All of them had to be withdrawn from sale at considerable cost. In another example, Time magazine once printed a cover headline “New Plan for Arms Contol” that required the magazine to spend $100,000 to reprint the cover with the correct word, “Control.” Other typos are less costly but take a toll on the credibility of the message and the reputation of the organization. Delta Airlines, for example, sent out a tweet during the World Cup in Brazil to apologize for using a photo of a giraffe to portray Ghana, which has no giraffes. It compounded the error by writing “We’re sorry for our choice of photo in our precious tweet“ when the writer really meant to say “previous.” Another company made the mistake in a news release by calling an executive the “VP of Eternal Affairs” instead of “Internal Affairs.” The problem of sound-alike words is discussed shortly. Of course, there are always chuckles when someone writes about “pubic relations” instead of “public relations.”

1.7.2:  Gobbledygook and Jargon Every occupation and industry has its own vocabulary. Telephone executives talk about “LATAs” and “attenuation rates.” Cable people talk about “pay-to-basic ratios,” and even public relations professionals talk about “mug shots,” “ANRs,” “VNRs,” “boilerplate,” “deliverables”, and “evergreens.” All too often, businesspeople slip into a pattern of bloated terms, gobbledygook, and clichés. Things don’t get “finished”; they get “finalized.” An event didn’t happen “yesterday”; it occurred “at that point in time.” There are also useless phrases such as “for all intensive purposes,” “thinking outside the box,” “realtime,” and everything being a “groundbreaking” event. The Internet age has also produced its share of buzzwords such as “end users,” “influencers,” “evangelist,” “optimized.” “engagement,” “digital natives,” and “in this space.” Other jargon and buzzwords to avoid are shown in Figure 1.3. All these terms and acronyms may be fine if professionals are talking to each other or sending material to an industry publication, but they should be avoided in news releases and other messages to the public. Public relations consultant Joan Lowery, writing in Communication World, says, “Knowingly or unknowingly, jargon has become the lazy man’s way to avoid wrestling with how

16  Chapter 1

Figure 1.3  Everyone has a tendency to use “buzzwords” that tend to become meaningless through overuse. This infographic from Public Relations Tactics gives a list of words and phrases that you should avoid in your writing.

1.7.3:  Poor Sentence Structure The subject and the words that modify it often become separated in a sentence, causing some confusion about what exactly is being discussed. Here are some examples from news stories: Police will be looking for people driving under the influence of alcohol and distributing pamphlets that spell out the dangers of drunken driving. The proposed budget provides salary increases for faculty and staff performing at a satisfactory level of 2 percent.

Poor sentence structure can also lead to embarrassment. A company newsletter, detailing an employee’s illness, once reported: “Jeff was taken to the hospital with what was thought to be thrombus phlebitis. After spending a restless night with a nurse at the hospital, the results were negative.” Writers must also be careful about creating weak sentences by using unnecessary words. One axiom is to avoid starting sentences with although, while, and whereas. Other words that suck life out of sentences are indeed, in fact, and to be sure. The phrase “seems to be” is also poor because it infers that the writer isn’t quite sure of the facts. Just say it “is.” to communicate clearly, concisely, and with passion to others who may not understand the concepts that some of us live and breathe each day.” She also encourages public relations writers to always ask, “So what?” This forces executives, as well as engineers, to understand that the news release to the daily newspaper should skip all the technical details and concentrate on how the new product benefits the consumer. Broadcast news veteran David Snell adds that public relations writers need to “de-geekify” their superiors. In an article for The Strategist, he writes, “To function with maximum efficiency, the public relations person needs to be the ‘Outsider ’s Insider ’; the person who understands the jargon, but maintains an active memory of the level of ignorance brought with them to the job.” In other words, the public relations writer must always ask the question, “Will someone unfamiliar with this profession or industry be able to easily understand the message?” As a wordsmith, you should also be cautious about the organization’s executives selecting names of projects and programs that could become somewhat embarrassing if the public began using the abbreviation or acronym instead of the full name. You can easily imagine the acronym for Franklin University College of Knowledge or the Flood Assistance Relief Team. Or perhaps the acronym for Sears Home Improvement Training?

1.7.4:  Wrong Words A good writer not only checks spelling, but also verifies the meaning of words. An Associated Press (AP) story once told about a man who had inherited a small scenic railroad from his “descendants,” who had started it in the nineteenth century. The writer meant “ancestors” but used the wrong word. Another publication also used the wrong word when it reported “The iPhone: a High-Tech Coupe for Consumers.” The actual word is “coup.” More mistakes involve the usage of “it’s” and “its,” “effect” and “affect,” or “there” and “their.” A common error is using the pronoun “their” when referring to an impersonal object such as a company. Thus, you need to write “Starbucks announced its (not their) new blend of coffee.” You, however, could use their if you instead refer to individuals, such as “Starbucks executives announced their new blend of coffee.” Sound-alike words often give writers the most trouble. Words that sound alike and are similar in spelling have different meanings. Although it might be somewhat humorous to read that a survey is “chalk full” of information (instead of “chock-full”), a company’s management team is doing some “sole” searching (instead of “soul searching”), or an employee was in a “comma” (instead of a “coma”) after a car accident, such mistakes are the mark of a careless writer.

Getting Organized for Writing 17

Tips for Success What’s in a Word: Do You “Accept” or “Except” the Challenge? The following words are frequently confused and often used incorrectly. Do you know the difference between these similarsounding words? Do a self-test and write a sentence using the correct word.

“very” unique. “Unique,” by definition, means one of a kind; either something is unique or it isn’t. In addition, it’s unnecessary to write such phrases as “the month of September,” “The year 2015,” or even the “City of Denver.” Here’s a list of other redundant phrases to avoid: Advance planning Close proximity Collaborate together Completely unanimous

accept, except

less, fewer

End result

adapt, adept, adopt

lose, loose

Extra bonus

affect, effect

may, might

callow, callous

negligent, negligible

Final outcome

canvas, canvass

peak, peek, pique

compliment, complement

pore, pour

disinterested, uninterested

proceed, precede

dominant, dominate

principal, principle

Positive improvement

desert, dessert

site, cite

New innovation

ensure, insure, assure

stationery, stationary

Serious crisis

farther, further

there, their, they’re

True fact

foreword, forward

precedent, precedence

Unexpected surprise

imply, infer

adverse, averse

implicit, explicit

antidote, anecdote

its, it’s

your, you’re

historic, historical

past, passed

“Use spell-check as a starting point, but never use it as a substitute for a thorough proofreading.“ — Joseph Priest, editor of online communications at Ketchum, New York

Spell-checker software, unfortunately, will not catch any of the errors just described because all the words are spelled correctly. Thus, it’s the responsibility of the writer to know the actual meaning of various sound-alike words and use them properly in a sentence. The second responsibility of the writer is to do a more thorough job of proofreading. Mignon Fogarty, writing in Ragan.com, suggests the following methods: 1. read your work backward, 2. read your work out loud, 3. always read a printed version of your work, and 4. read the copy with a fresh perspective after taking a break.

1.7.5: Redundancies Another major error in writing is redundancy. It is not necessary to use the word “totally” to modify a word such as “destroyed,” or “completely” to modify “demolished.” Many writers also say that something is “somewhat” or

Free gift Major breakthrough Past history

1.7.6:  Too Many Numbers People can digest a few figures but not a mass of statistics. Use numbers sparingly in your writing, and don’t put too many in a single sentence. Avoid such constructions as “During 2015, the corporation acquired 73 companies in 14 nations on five continents to achieve revenue of $14.65 billion, up $3 billion from the $11.65 billion in 2015.” Consider the following tips for using numbers: • Write “$92 million” instead of “92,000,000 dollars.” • Use a comma to separate thousands, such as in 571,200 miles. For millions, use a decimal, such as 38.5 million. • Provide a readily understood comparison. Few people will instantly grasp the size of a new warehouse that is 583 feet long, but they will immediately form an image if you say that it’s about the length of two football fields. • Check your math. The price of something can go up more than 100 percent, but it can never go down more than 100 percent. • Avoid using “over” when referring to an amount even if AP now says it’s OK. The better term is still “more than,” as in “More than 5,000 people attended the event.” • Spell out “percent” instead of using the “%” sign in more formal writing, such as a news release. • Spell out numbers smaller than 10. • Don’t use two numbers next to each other. It’s confusing to read “12 13-year-olds.”

18  Chapter 1 • Never start a sentence with a numeral. Write “Twenty percent of the sales…” instead of “20 percent of the sales.” The Tips for Success lists additional characteristics that readers often find off-putting.

Tips for Success How Dating Advice Can Make You a Better Writer Some of the guidelines for attracting a new love are also applicable for making you a better writer. Lindsey McCaffrey, an Ottawa-based communications/public relations consultant, posted six tips on Ragan.com.

conquest of information.” Other companies often describe their products as “first of its kind,” “unique,” “a major breakthrough,” and even “revolutionary,” which tends to raise suspicion among journalists. Indeed, some buzzwords crop up in news releases so frequently that they become meaningless. Public relations strategist Adam Sherk ran a day’s output of news releases through PRFilter, a website that aggregates news releases, and found that leading was used 776 times and solution was used 622 times. Other words in the top 10 of excessive use were best, innovative, leader, top, unique, great, extensive, and leading provider. In sum, try to be more creative in your writing instead of relying on hype and the standard buzzwords that everyone else is using.

1.7.8:  Bias and Stereotypes

1.7.7: Hype You can ruin the credibility and believability of your message by using exaggerated words and phrases. When Sharp Electronics Corporation introduced a new device, the news release called it “the next true revolution in man’s

Stereotypes often creep in as a writer struggles to describe a situation, group, or person. How often have you seen a writer describe a woman with such adjectives as “pert,” “petite,” “fragile,” “feminine,” “stunning,” “gorgeous,” “statuesque,” or “full-figured”? How about “blonde and blue-eyed”? Would you describe a man as a “muscular, well-built 6-footer with sandy hair and blue eyes”? In general, avoid descriptive terms of beauty or physical attributes and mannerisms whenever possible. In most cases, such descriptions have no bearing on the story and can be considered sexist. For example, one Chicago company was criticized for describing its president in a news release as “a tall, attractive blonde who could easily turn heads on Main Street but is instead turning heads on Wall Street.” You should also avoid any suggestion that all members of any group have the same personal characteristic, be it ambition, laziness, shrewdness, guile, or intelligence.

Getting Organized for Writing 19

Don’t suggest that some characteristic sets an individual apart from a stereotyped norm either. For example, it is inappropriate to write, “John Williams, who is black, was promoted to senior vice president.” Nor would you write, “Linda Gonzales, a U.S. citizen, will serve as assistant treasurer.” In both cases, you are implying that these individuals are exceptions to some norm for their ethnic group. Avoid gender bias by using non-gender-related words. Awareness of the irrelevance of an employee’s gender is why airlines now have “flight attendants” instead of “stewardesses” and why the U.S. Postal Service hires “mail carriers” instead of “mailmen.” It also is unnecessary to write that something is “manmade” when a neutral word such as “synthetic” or “artificial” is just as good. “Employees” is better than “manpower,” and “chairperson” is more acceptable than “chairman.” Some terms may seem difficult to neutralize—“congressperson,” “businessperson,” and “waitperson” don’t exactly trip off the tongue. However, with a little thought, you can come up with appropriate titles, such as “legislator,” “executive,” and “server.” You should avoid messy constructions such as “he/she” or “his/her” that make for difficult reading. Another word can be used in most cases. If you make the noun in question plural, the pronoun “their” or “them” will serve nicely. For example, you can write, “When customers request a brochure, tell them …” In other cases, you can use words such as personnel, staff, employee, worker, person, or practitioner to describe both men and women in the workplace.

1.7.9:  Politically Incorrect Language Beyond avoidance of stereotypes, there is an ongoing controversy about what constitutes “politically correct” (commonly

called “PC”) language. In today’s world of diversity at all levels of national life, there is increased sensitivity about what words and images are used to describe minorities and other groups of people. The terms “handicapped” and “crippled,” for example, are considered insensitive, so such terms as “mobility impaired” or “physically disabled” are now used. As for holidays, most retailers have sales during the “holiday season” to avoid the use of “Christmas,” which may offend non-Christian groups. You must also be sensitive to words describing ethnic groups. Today’s writers use “Asian American” instead of the pejorative “Oriental.” The term “Hispanic” is now common, but “Latino” raises some criticism. Some women say it is sexist because the “o” in Spanish is male. “AfroAmerican” is a generally accepted term but less common than “black,” which is widely accepted by African Americans and the media. Language and its connotations are constantly changing. The public relations writer must be aware of the changes and make decisions based on such factors as sensitivity to the audience, accuracy, and clarity of communication.

WRITING PROMPT This chapter offers a variety of tips to improve your writing skills. What tips were particularly relevant to you in terms of improving your own writing skills? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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Summary: Getting Organized for Writing

20  Chapter 1

SHARED WRITING: GETTING ORGANIZED FOR WRITING Most public relations professionals say good, basic writing skills are essential for anyone considering a career in public relations. How does this square with your pre-conceived ideas of work in public relations? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

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Chapter 1 Quiz: Getting Organized for Writing

Chapter 2

Becoming a Persuasive Writer Learning Objectives 2.1 Retell the history of persuasion and its

relationship to public relations 2.2 Describe the four components of

communication 2.3 Scrutinize different communication theories

and identify how they apply to formulating messages 2.4 Enumerate the eight essential factors to

2.5 Report the different writing strategies to

make any form of writing or message more convincing 2.6 Review successful oral persuasion

techniques 2.7 Describe techniques related to propaganda 2.8 Evaluate the need to weigh the ethics of

persuasion

consider in persuasive writing

2.1:  Persuasion and the Art of Communication 2.1 Retell the history of persuasion and its relationship to public relations In their daily work of crafting messages that will persuade and motivate people, public relations writers are following a tradition that goes back at least 2,000 years. The ancient Greeks made rhetoric, the art of using language effectively and persuasively, part of their educational system. Aristotle, for example, was the first to set down the ideas of ethos, logos, and pathos, which translate roughly as “source credibility,” “logical argument,” and “emotional appeal,” respectively. These three elements of persuasion are still relevant today, and Professor Robert Heath of the University of Houston makes the point that . . . public relations professionals are influential rhetors. They design, place, and repeat messages on behalf of sponsors on an array of topics that shape views of government, charitable organizations, institutions of public education, products and consumerism, capitalism, labor, health, and leisure. These professionals speak, write, and use visual images to discuss topics and take stances on public policies at the local, state, and federal levels.

Indeed, public relations, marketing, and advertising personnel constantly craft messages to change attitudes and opinions, reinforce existing predispositions, and influ-

ence people to buy a product, use a service, or support a worthy cause. Consequently, you need to understand the basic elements of communication and the complex process of how individuals respond to different messages. In an age of information overload, you must constantly analyze public attitudes and shape persuasive, credible messages that cut through the clutter. You need to keep asking questions. How do you appeal to self-interests? Which spokesperson has the most credibility? What information is most salient to the target audience? What is the most effective communication channel? What are my ethical responsibilities as a writer? This chapter summarizes some communication theories applicable to public relations writing and what social science research tells us about the way people receive, interpret, and act on information. It also provides guidelines about how to make your writing—whether it’s on behalf of the Sierra Club or General Electric—more persuasive. Later in the chapter you’ll learn about the ethical guidelines and professional standards that should guide the content of your writing.

2.2:  The Basics of Communication 2.2 Describe the four components of communication To communicate is to make known—to project ideas into the minds of others. This process depends on four basic

21

22  Chapter 2 elements: a sender, a message, a channel, and a receiver. If all these elements are present, there will be communication. Because your purpose is to persuade, you want to communicate your ideas to a particular group of people—those who can help or hinder your organization in attaining its objectives. The basic communication process is summarized in this section from a public relations perspective.

• The characteristics of the audience determine what medium or combination of channels should be used. College-age women use different media than senior citizens. • It is essential to know the format of each medium. Television requires visuals and short soundbites. A website requires strong graphics and interactive links. A tweet is limited to 140 characters, and a Vine video is only six seconds.

Receiver • Messages are most effective when tailored to a specific, well-defined audience that has similar characteristics in terms of gender, age, income, education, etc. • In public relations and marketing, there is no such thing as the “general public.” Instead, there are groups of “publics” that may be defined as customers, suppliers, employees, community leaders, or investors. Each requires different kinds of information about the organization and its products, services, or policies.

2.2.1:  The Four Elements of Communication Sender

2.3:  Theories of Communication

• The sender is the organization that prepares and distributes the message.

2.3 Scrutinize different communication theories and identify how they apply to formulating messages

• Every organization has different publics, divergent interests, and its own values.

There are numerous theories about how messages are conceptualized and how recipients filter and evaluate such messages. The following is a brief summary of several t­heories that you will find most useful in formulating ­messages and understanding how individuals process information.

• A writer must have a thorough knowledge of the organization and its organizational objectives, such as selling a product, providing a service, or educating the public about an issue or cause.

Message • Planning starts with deciding what the key message is and what you want the recipient to think, believe, or do about it. • A thorough knowledge of audience characteristics helps shape a message that is relevant to their interests, desires, and needs. • The message must be clearly expressed and in words that are understandable to the audience. • Benefits to the audience should be the focus, not benefits to the organization.

Channel • Organizations have multiple channels available to them. They may include traditional mass media, websites, social media, brochures, newsletters, videos, and events. Every medium has its advantages and disadvantages.

2.3.1:  Media Uses and Gratification Recipients of communication are not passive couch potatoes. The basic premise of uses and gratification theory is that the communication process is interactive. The communicator wants to inform and, ultimately, motivate ­people to act on the information. Recipients want to be entertained, informed, or alerted to opportunities that can fulfill their needs.

Becoming a Persuasive Writer 23

Thus, people are highly selective about what messages catch their attention and meet their needs. The role of the public relations writer, then, is to tailor messages that are meaningful to the target audience. A good example is how Burson-Marsteller tailored messages on behalf of the National Turkey Federation to generate year-round sales. The public relations firm used a psychographics model developed by SRI International, a research organization. The model, known as VALS, has several lifestyle typologies:

Dissonance can be created in at least three ways. • First, the writer needs to make the public aware that circumstances have changed. Oil companies, for example, say that the era of cheap gasoline is over because members of the rising middle class in such nations as India and China also have cars and are now competing with U.S. drivers for the available supply. • Second, the writer needs to provide information about new developments. Public perceptions about China making unsafe toys changed somewhat when Mattel finally admitted that it recalled 18 million toys because of design flaws, not manufacturing problems. • Third, the writer should use a quote from a respected person that the public trusts. Chevron, for example, attempts to overcome unfavorable public attitudes about its “green” initiatives by getting endorsements from respected leaders in the conservation and environmental movement.

By segmenting the consumer public into these lifestyles, one aspect of Burson-Marsteller’s strategy was the development of specific stories to match the readership demographics of several key magazines. An article placed in True Experience, a publication reaching the “survivors and sustainers” group, was headlined “A Terrific Budget-Stretching Meal” and emphasized bargain cuts of turkey. Better Homes & Gardens was used to reach the “belongers,” with articles that emphasized tradition, such as barbecued turkey as a “summer classic” on the Fourth of July. The “achievers” were reached through Food and Wine and Gourmet magazines, with recipes for turkey salad and turkey tetrazzini. By identifying the magazines that catered to these three lifestyle groups and tailoring the information to fit each magazine’s demographics, Burson-Marsteller was able to send an appropriate message to each audience. The result was increased turkey sales on a year-round basis.

2.3.2:  Cognitive Dissonance People will not believe a message, or act on it, if it is contrary to their predispositions. This is the crux of Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance. In essence, it says that people will not believe a message contrary to their attitudes and existing opinions unless the communicator can introduce information that causes them to question their beliefs.

In many cases, public attitudes can be changed by presenting facts that counter the public’s perceptions. A good example is what happened to the lowly potato when the diet industry demonized the vegetable as a fattening, highcarbohydrate food. One survey, for example, showed that almost 25 percent of female heads of households believed that potatoes were fattening. The U.S. Potato Board and its public relations firm, Fleishman-Hillard, countered this perception by pointing out that potatoes have positive nutritional benefits because they are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, are low in calories, and are sodium free. As a result of the campaign, a positive shift occurred in public perceptions about the potato as a nutritious vegetable, increasing potato consumption. Unfortunately, many other campaigns are not as effective because the message is poorly conceived and written. See the Tips for Success to find out why messages often fail to persuade.

Tips for Success How to Write Content that Persuades Many product news releases and marketing brochures don’t persuade because key elements are missing. Here are seven ways to make content more persuasive:

24  Chapter 2 This is why public relations professionals spend considerable time and energy attempting to influence the media’s “agenda” by providing newsworthy information about an organization. Media coverage of Apple’s latest iPhone and its success in the marketplace not only sets the agenda for what potential customers talk about but also generates even more sales. In sum, Apple’s public relations staff works very hard to influence the media’s agenda so that it will highlight the company’s great products.

2.3.4: Framing

2.3.3:  Agenda Setting An early theory that has generated numerous studies over the years is the concept of agenda setting. In other words, the media’s selection of news stories, their length, and even placement on the front page sets the agenda for public discussion. People tend to talk about what they see or hear on the evening news, their daily newspaper, or a news website. Media, through the selection of stories and headlines, tell the public what to talk about, although not necessarily what to think.

Related to agenda setting is the theory of framing. Historically, the term framing was used to describe how journalists and editors select certain facts, themes, treatments, and even words to “frame” a story in order to generate maximum interest and understanding among readers and viewers. For example, how media frame the debate over health care, immigration reform, fracking, and gun violence plays a major role in public perceptions of the problem. Many people, because they lack specific knowledge and experience about an issue, usually accept the media’s version of reality. Such a situation is part of media dependency theory: the idea that people with little knowledge, no predispositions, or no experience will generally accept what they read or hear about an issue, a product, or a service. Framing theory also applies to public relations because, according to more than one study, about half of the content found in the mass media today is supplied by public relations sources. Indeed, Kirk Hallahan of Colorado State University says that public relations personnel are essentially frame strategists because they construct messages that “focus selectively on key attributes and characteristics of a cause, candidate, product, or service.” This framing, in turn, is echoed in the context and content of stories that the mass media disseminate. “These days, ‘spin’ is more likely to mean ensuring the story is told in a way that’s meaningful to the audience rather than twisting a client’s response to an issue to make them look good.” — Shel Holtz, on his blog, A Shell of My Former Self

The issue of bottled water is a good case study in framing.

Becoming a Persuasive Writer 25

Political candidates, of course, constantly work to frame issues that support their viewpoint and “frame” their opponent as an individual unworthy of the voter’s trust. The national debate about pension reform for public employees is an example of an issue. Advocates for reform frame the issue in the media as one of cutting the high cost of benefits to taxpayers. Unions and their supporters, however, frame the issue in terms of an assault on the rights of employees to participate in collective bargaining and to be fairly compensated.

2.3.5:  Diffusion and Adoption The diffusion theory was developed in the 1930s and expanded on by Professor Everett Rogers of Stanford ­University. It holds that the process of acquiring new ideas has five steps: 1. AWARENESS. The person discovers the idea or ­product. 2. INTEREST. The person tries to get more information. 3. TRIAL. The person tries the idea on others or samples the product. 4. EVALUATION. The person decides whether the idea works for his or her own self-interest. 5. ADOPTION. The person incorporates the idea into his or her opinion or begins to use the product. In this model, the public relations writer is most influential at the awareness and interest stages of the process. People often become aware of a product, service, or idea through traditional mass media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. Indeed, the primary purpose of advertising in the mass media is to create awareness, the first step in moving people toward the purchase of a product or support of an idea. At the interest stage, people seek more detailed information from such sources as pamphlets, brochures, direct mail, videos, meetings, and websites. This is why initial publicity to create awareness often includes an 800 number, a website, or a page on YouTube or Facebook where people can get more information. Family members, peers, and associates become influential in the trial and evaluation stages of the adoption model. Mass media, at this point, serve primarily to reinforce messages and predispositions. A person, however, does not necessarily go through all five stages of adoption with any particular idea or product. A number of factors affect the adoption process. Rogers lists at least five: • RELATIVE ADVANTAGE. Is the idea better than the one it replaces? • COMPATIBILITY. Is the idea consistent with the person’s existing values and needs?

• COMPLEXITY. Is the innovation difficult to understand and use? • TRIALABILITY. Can the innovation be used on a trial basis? • OBSERVABILITY. Are the results of the innovation visible to others? You should be aware of these factors and try to formulate messages that address them. Repeating a message in various ways, reducing its complexity, taking competing messages into account, and structuring the message to the needs of the audience are ways to do this. Another aspect of adoption theory is that some people are predisposed to be innovators and early adopters, whereas others, known as laggards, won’t adopt an idea or product until it is well established. Public relations campaigns often are directed toward the early adopters, also known as influentials or catalysts, to launch a new product. Apple’s introduction of the iPhone and the iPad is an example of successfully reaching early adopters and opinion leaders. Apple’s hardcore fans, dubbed “iCultists,” often stand in line for hours for bragging rights to be the first among their friends to have the device. They, in turn, set the media agenda for extensive “buzz” that encourages the early majority to buy several million more iPhones and iPads.

Figure 2.1  Early adopters, known as iCultists, stand in line for hours to purchase an Apple product. Here, a long queue gathers at the Apple store in Madrid, Spain, to purchase the new iPhone6. Such long lines are the catalyst for extensive media coverage and publicity that create a buzz about a new product, which fuels even more sales to the early majority. In the first 3 days after the iPhone6 launch, about 10 million were sold.

2.3.6:  Hierarchy of Needs The hierarchy of needs theory has been applied in a number of disciplines, including communication. It is based on the work of Abraham H. Maslow, who listed basic human

26  Chapter 2 needs on a scale from basic survival to more complex needs:

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2.4:  Factors in Persuasive Writing 2.4 Enumerate the eight essential factors to consider in persuasive writing Your purpose is to persuade your target audience. Your message may be delivered in one way, a few ways, or many ways. As you work on message content, keep in mind the following concepts: (1) audience analysis; (2) source credibility; (3) appeal to self-interest; (4) clarity of the message; (5) timing and context; (6) symbols, slogans, and acronyms; (7) meaningful use of color; and (8) suggestions for action. The Tips for Success lists the key principles and practices followed by successful persuasive writers and speakers.

Tips for Success The campaign for the National Turkey Federation, mentioned earlier, is a good example of the application of Maslow’s concepts. Low-income people got an economical recipe that satisfied basic physiological needs. However, the fancy recipes in upscale magazines were designed to meet the ego and status needs of people not worried about food costs. Advertising is particularly adept at tapping Maslow’s hierarchy. An ad for a new car, for example, often emphasizes economic, safety, social, and ego needs. For the Baby Boomer who just turned 60, an ad for an expensive sports car often appeals to self-actualization needs. The main point is to understand that your audience is looking for messages that satisfy needs. If you can identify and articulate those needs, you are well on your way to being a persuasive writer. “Communicators must have a thorough understanding of their audiences, and they must stay very current with the media being used by these audiences.” — Jerry Swerling, director of the USC Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center

WRITING PROMPT Review the various communication theories that relate to persuasive writing. Can you give a practical application of a particular theory to how you would write something on behalf of a client or employer? Explain your example.

How to Be a Persuasive Writer and Speaker A number of research studies have contributed to our understanding of the persuasion process. Listed below are key findings that provide insight into how to create and distribute persuasive messages.

Becoming a Persuasive Writer 27

In most cases, the competent communicator acknowledges the existence of both passive and active audiences by preparing a number of messages that vary in content and structure. A daily newspaper may receive an attractive publicity photo with a short caption, whereas a specialized trade publication might get an in-depth news release detailing the product’s features. On another level, a customer assessing the corporate website may review a product or service by clicking on multiple links, including a video presentation. The strategy of developing multiple messages for a variety of media platforms is emphasized throughout this course.

2.4.2:  Source Credibility

2.4.1:  Audience Analysis A message, as already stated, must be compatible with group values and beliefs. People who commute by car, for example, become more interested in carpooling and mass transit when the message points out the increasing cost of gas and how gridlock increases every year. Tapping a group’s attitudes and values in order to structure a meaningful message is called channeling. It is the technique of recognizing a general audience’s beliefs and suggesting a specific course of action related to audience members’ self-interests. In this example, the incentive to participate in carpooling or mass transit offers more motivation than the more abstract concept of saving the environment. Professor emeritus James Grunig of the University of Maryland says audiences can be defined as either passive or active.

A message is more believable to an audience if the source has credibility, which is why writers try to attribute information and quotes to people who are perceived as experts. Indeed, expertise is a key element in credibility. The other two elements are sincerity and charisma. Ideally, a source will have all three attributes. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, was a good example. As CEO before his death in 2011, he was highly credible as an expert on Apple products and considered a high-tech visionary. In countless news articles and speeches, he came across as a personable, laid-back “geek” in a designer T-shirt and jeans who was passionate about the company’s products. Not every company has a Steve Jobs, nor is that necessary. Studies such as the annual Edelman Trust Barometer show that various kinds of individuals have more credibility with the public than others. In its 2015 report, the respondents rated the credibility of various sources as shown in Figure 2.2. In another study conducted by Nielsen research, thirdparty sources were found to be more credible to consumers than branded content or user reviews. Almost 90 percent of consumers seek out content by trusted experts and thirdparty articles when considering a purchase. Another 70 percent like to read product reviews by trusted experts before making a purchase. This is the concept of earned media. An article by an outside expert or a journalist about your product is more credible to the public and consumers. In other words, you need to evaluate the message and the audience to determine the most appropriate spokesperson. For example, if you are writing a news release about a new product for a trade magazine, perhaps the most credible source to quote would be the company’s director of research and development. This person is credible because of his or her specialized knowledge and expertise. If the news release is about a company’s fourth-quarter earnings,

28  Chapter 2

Figure 2.2  Trustworthy Sources of Information Edelman, a global public relations firm, surveyed 33,000 people across the globe for their 2015 Edelman Trust Barometer report. Seventy percent of the respondents consider academic experts to be trustworthy sources of information about companies. SOURCE: Edelman Trust Barometer Executive Summary (2015)

Trustworthy Sources of Information

Academics

70%

53%

Industry analyst

Company technical expert

67%

49%

Regular employee

A person like yourself

63%

43%

CEO

NGO representative

56%

38%

Government official

however, the most credible person to quote in the news release would be a financial or industry analyst. Source credibility also can be hired. The California Strawberry Advisory Board, for example, quotes a home economist in its news releases, and this individual appears on television talk shows to discuss nutrition and demonstrate easy-to-follow strawberry recipes. The audience for these programs, primarily homemakers, not only identifies with the representative but also perceives the spokesperson to be a technical expert.

Celebrities often are used to call attention to a product, service, or cause and attract passive audiences to a message. For instance, Nicole Kidman got $5 million for 2 minutes of airtime endorsing Chanel No. 5. The sponsor’s intent is to associate the person’s popularity with the product and thus give it more “glamour.” This is called transfer and is further discussed in the Endorsements section. Not all celebrities need to be Hollywood stars or even famous athletes. Again, it depends on finding the appropriate, credible spokesperson for the situation. The Kansas City Health Department had a much less glamorous assignment—educating the gay community and sex workers about the risk of syphilis and the availability of free testing. Flo, a local celebrity drag queen, was chosen as a spokesperson because she was widely accepted in the gay and straight communities. According to Fleishman-Hillard, the public relations firm handling the campaign, “She possessed the ability to take sensitive topics, such as syphilis, and motivate people at risk to take action. Her personality and credibility gave far more exposure to the issue than a straight public health message would have received.” Another aspect of source credibility and trust is the medium used. Online search engines and traditional media (newspapers, magazines, radio, TV) have the highest trust among the public with 64 percent and 62 percent ratings, according to the 2015 Edelman Trust Barometer report. This compares with social media at 48 percent and owned media (an ad or a website) at 47 percent. In other words, social media is “cool,” but it still doesn’t beat traditional media as a source of trust. That’s why using traditional media is still an integral part of most public relations programs and campaigns.

WRITING PROMPT Source credibility is an important aspect of writing a persuasive article. Some sources, as the text indicates, are more credible and trustworthy than others. If you were writing a news release about a new app for tablets, what kind of individuals would you quote in the news release? Give reasons for your choice. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

2.4.3:  Appeal to Self-Interest Self-interest was mentioned in connection with both Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and audience analysis. A public relations writer must at all times be aware of what the audience wants to know. Writing publicity for a new food product can serve as an example. A news release to the trade press serving the food industry (grocery stores, suppliers, wholesalers, and distributors) might focus on how the product was developed, distributed, and made available to the

Becoming a Persuasive Writer 29

public, the manufacturer’s pricing policies, or the results of marketing studies that show consumers want the product. This audience is interested in the technical aspects of distribution, pricing, and market niche. You would prepare quite a different news release or feature article for the food section of a daily newspaper. The consumer wants information about the food product’s nutritional value, convenience, and cost and wants to know why the item is superior to similar products. The reader is also looking for menu ideas and recipes that use the product. The specific information desired by audiences often can be associated with one or more of the larger themes listed in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success Appeals That Move People to Act Persuasive messages often include information that appeals to an audience’s self-interest. Here’s a list of persuasive message themes compiled by Professor Charles Marsh at the University of Kansas. Make money

Satisfy curiosity

Save time

Be stylish

More comfort

Satisfy appetite

Be cleaner

Avoid trouble

Gain praise

Be individual

Be loved/accepted

Be safe

More enjoyment

Be secure

Save money

Protect family

Avoid effort

Have beautiful things

Better health

Be like others

Escape pain

Avoid criticism

Be popular

Protect reputation

Keep possessions

Make work easier

2.4.4:  Clarity of the Message Communication, as already stated, does not occur if the audience does not understand your message. It is important to produce messages that match the characteristics of your target audience in content and structure. A bar association once thought it was a great idea to produce a brochure to help motorists understand liability in an accident. However, by the time the committee of lawyers added all the legalese, the brochure became useless as an aid to the general public. One solution to this problem is to copy-test all public relations materials on the target audience. Another solution is to apply readability and comprehension formulas to materials before they are produced and disseminated. Most formulas are based on the number of words per sentence and the number of one-syllable words per 100 words.

In general, standard writing should average about 140 to 150 syllables per 100 words, and the average sentence length should be about 17 words. This is the reading level of newspapers and weekly newsmagazines such as Time. Depending on your audience, even this level of readability may be too complicated for many Americans. It’s estimated that 50 million Americans can only read at the fourth- or fifth-grade level. Organizations such as government agencies and health care plans need to effectively communicate with individuals with a broad range of educational levels, so writers work very hard to use simple words, short sentences, and brief paragraphs. You can easily test the grade level of your writing by using the Flesch-Kincaid readability scale that is built into programs such as Microsoft Word.

2.4.5:  Timing and Context Professional communicators often say that timing is everything. In the earlier example about commuters, it was pointed out that the best time to talk about carpooling and mass transit to owners of sport utility vehicles is when there is a major increase in gas prices. Another good context is when the state highway department releases a study showing that the average commute on a congested highway from point A to point B now takes 20 minutes longer than it did last year. Both of these situations are good examples of keying messages around events and related news stories that provide a context for your message. Your message also must arrive at a time when it is most relevant to the audience. If it is too early, your audience might not be ready to think about it. April is not the time to talk about new facilities at a ski resort, but October might be just right. Cruise ships also distribute news releases and travel features about tropical destinations as the temperature drops in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Information about a new software program for doing taxes is relevant in the weeks before the April 15 deadline, but the news value drops after this date. News about the opening of a new bar with guest bands would get attention from single, young professionals almost any time.

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2.4.6:  Symbols and Slogans The Red Cross (known as the Red Crescent in the Middle East) is well known throughout the world. The name is totally unenlightening, but the symbol is recognized and associated with the care and help given by the organization. Flags are symbols. Smokey the Bear is a symbol. Corporate symbols such as the Nike Swoosh or the Apple logo are instantly recognized on a global scale. You are not likely to produce a symbol that will become world famous, but, if at all possible, you should try to find something graphic that symbolizes a given organization. This is called branding, and corporations often spend millions to establish a symbol that conveys characteristics they want to be perceived with, such as being modern, innovative, dependable, or traditional with a long history. Slogans can be highly persuasive. They state a key concept in a few memorable and easily pronounceable words. The American Revolution had the rallying cry of “No taxation without representation,” and today’s corporations are just as slogan conscious. Nike tells us to “Just Do It” and McDonald’s assures us that “You Deserve a Break Today.” MasterCard talks about things that are “Priceless.” Perhaps one of the most successful slogans of all time is DeBeers’ assurance that “A diamond is forever.” If you can come up with a slogan that expresses the essence of what you are trying to promote, it will help you attain your objective.

2.4.7:  Use of Color Logos, newsletters, brochures, and websites of various organizations also convey an image of an organization through the use of color and graphics. Color, in particular, plays a major role in associating the organization with various emotional attributes such as being warm and fuzzy, bold, solid, dependable, and glamourous. Figure 2.3 lists various colors and what brands use them.

2.4.8:  Suggestions for Action “At the end of the day, regardless of the means by which your message was communicated, did it reach the target audience(s) in an understandable fashion with a clearly expressed call for action?” — Kirk Hazlett, associate professor, Curry College

Persuasive writing must give people information on how to take action, and the suggestions must be feasible. A campaign by a utility provides a good example. If the company really wants people to conserve energy, it must provide them with information about how to do so. The suggestions may be as simple as turning the thermostat down to 68 degrees, wearing sweaters in the house during the winter months, or purchasing a roll of weather stripping to

Figure 2.3  Symbolic Use of Colors by Major Brands Review the attributes associated with each color and think about how they help each brand cultivate a certain image. Then use the Hide All Cells button below the table to quiz yourself. Click the hidden cells to reveal the information and check your answer.

place around the windows and doors. All these suggestions are within the capability of the utility’s customers. However, if the suggestion is to insulate your house thoroughly, this might not be feasible for consumers with limited incomes. In this case, the utility might accompany the suggestion with a special program of interest-free loans or a discount coupon to make it easier for customers to take the recommended action. In this way, the suggestion becomes feasible to thousands of homeowners. Environmental organizations, to use another example, make a point of providing information on how to contact your legislator to support or oppose pending legislation. They provide not only the legislator’s email address but also a sample letter that you can copy or adapt. In many cases, you are encouraged to sign an online petition or post a comment on the official’s Facebook page or Twitter account.

2.5:  Strategies for Persuasive Writing 2.5 Report the different writing strategies to make any form of writing or message more convincing People are motivated by theatrics and a good story. They are moved by bold action and human drama. Your message

Becoming a Persuasive Writer 31

should go beyond cold facts or even eloquent phrases. If you can vividly describe what you are talking about—if you can paint word pictures—your message will be more persuasive.

A number of approaches can make a message more persuasive; many of these have already been discussed. The following is a summary of some additional writing strategies.

2.5.1: Drama Everyone likes a good story. This is often accomplished by graphically illustrating an event or a situation. Newspapers often dramatize a story to boost reader interest. Thus, we read about the daily life of someone with AIDS, the family on welfare who is suffering because of state cuts in spending, or the frustrations of a middle-class family facing eviction from their home because they couldn’t pay the balloon mortgage payments. In the newsroom, this is called humanizing the issue. Drama, or human interest, is also used in public relations. A good example is how Harden & Partners used the human interest element when Covenant House opened in Oakland, California. The basic news was that the nonprofit organization was opening a new multipurpose shelter to serve homeless and at-risk youth in the San Francisco Bay area. Such an announcement lacks drama, but the story became more interesting when a human interest element was added. Journalists were given the names of some Covenant House residents who had agreed to be interviewed. Consequently, a front-page story in the Oakland Tribune started this way: For Marcus, the bed and the hot food he found at Covenant House gave him a chance to rejuvenate and get his

life organized. ‘You can’t think when you are hungry,’ said the 22-year-old Missouri native, one of the dozen or so homeless young people who began staying at the new youth shelter in Jack London Square last week.

Relief organizations, in particular, attempt to humanize problems to galvanize public concern to attract donations. Saying that nearly 2 million people in Sudan’s Darfur region have become homeless doesn’t have the same emotional impact as describing a young mother in a refugee camp sobbing over the lifeless form of her 11-year-old daughter who was raped and then murdered by a Janjaweed militia that also burned down her village. Readers and viewers can identify with the mother’s loss, which graphically illustrates the need for aid. Large numbers alone are impersonal and generate little or no emotional involvement. A more mundane use of dramatizing is the application story that is sent to the trade press. With this technique, sometimes called the case study technique, a manufacturer prepares an article on how an individual or a company is using its product. Honeywell Corporation, for example, provides a number of application stories about how offices and businesses have saved money by installing Honeywell’s temperature-control systems.

WRITING PROMPT The use of drama or human interest is an essential element in persuasive story telling. How would you use this element if you were writing news releases for the following: (1) a non-profit food bank, (2) a group seeking immigration reform, and (3) an over-the-counter drug for allergies? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

2.5.2: Statistics Although numbers can be cold and impersonal, they also can convey objectivity, largeness, and importance in a credible way. For some reason, people are awed by statistics. For example, Toyota, seeking to portray itself as an important contributor to the American economy, once placed ads in major metropolitan dailies that used impressive numbers. One ad stated, “Over the last 5 years Toyota in America has purchased $20 billion in parts and materials from 510 U.S. suppliers. Today, more than half the Toyota vehicles sold in America are built at our plants in Kentucky and California.” Such numbers can be effective, but a writer should use them sparingly. A news release crammed with statistics tends to overwhelm the reader. Consequently, efforts are

32  Chapter 2 often made to dramatize statistics in a way that paints a more vivid picture for readers and viewers. Gun control advocates, for example, say that 13 children are killed daily by guns in the United States—the equivalent of 365 Columbine High School killings each year. Antismoking advocates describe the number of deaths each day attributed to smoking as the equivalent of two loaded 747s crashing every day. On a less horrific note, Kimberly-Clark says it sells 4.5 billion rolls of toilet paper annually—enough to stretch from the earth to the sun. One can also dramatize statistical percentages by putting them in terms that people can readily understand. For example, one MIT professor was quoted as saying, “You can take a flight every day for 21,000 years before you would be statistically likely to be in a fatal plane crash.” Another way to make statistics more interesting and meaningful is to express them in an infographic.

2.5.3:  Surveys and Polls

A public relations writer for a utility company may need to announce changes in billing before the new rates show up on a bill. A common example used in these situations is the cost to the average consumer.

2.5.5: Testimonials

The public and the media express a great deal of interest in what might be called popularity ratings. During a presidential election campaign, various polls and surveys about who is ahead and why seem to dominate coverage. People are also interested in what product ranks number one in cost or satisfaction or what airline is first in service or legroom. Polls and surveys are related to the persuasion technique called the bandwagon. The idea is to show overwhelming support for a particular idea or product by saying that “four out of five doctors recommend . . .” or that “Most voters support  .  .  .” Consequently, everyone should get on the “bandwagon.” Various organizations use polls and surveys as a way of getting media publicity and brand recognition. A mattress company once did a poll on how many people slept in the nude. Gillette launched a campaign urging young men to shave more often by citing an online survey that only 3 percent of women liked scruffy men. The possibilities for using surveys as publicity opportunities are endless.

A testimonial is usually a form of source credibility that comes from individuals who have directly benefited from using a product, program, or service. Thus, a happy consumer is quoted in a news release or an advertisement about how much he or she likes a particular product or service. A university might use favorable quotes from outstanding alumni about the value of their education. A celebrity on a television talk show might say that a particular drug helped her cope with severe migraine headaches. Another form of testimonial is consumer websites such as Trip Advisor or Yelp, where individuals often post favorable comments about restaurants, hotels, and other products or services. Some testimonials are indirect, but powerful. The American Cancer Society may have a woman in her 50s who is dying of lung cancer do a testimonial about the dangers of smoking. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) might feature a medical doctor talking about the effects of three drinks on a driver’s perceptions. Or, it might feature a young woman who is the victim of a drunk driver talking about the many months of hospitalization and plastic surgery that she had to endure.

2.5.4: Examples

2.5.6: Endorsements

A general statement becomes more persuasive when a specific example can clarify and reinforce the core information. A utility company, when announcing a 5 percent rate increase, often clarifies what this means by giving the example that the average consumer will pay about $5 more per month for electricity. The railroad industry, competing with the trucking industry, gives the example that moving freight by train is three times more fuel efficient than using trucks. A school district fighting for more funds could bolster its case by giving examples of overcrowded classrooms, high teacher/student ratios, and poor student achievement compared to wealthier school districts.

The endorsement is a variant of the testimonial. Advocacy on behalf of a product, service, or event is often called third-party endorsement because often there is no personal connection, as in a testimonial, to what is being endorsed. “Popularization happens when you get credible third parties to speak for your brand, and that is something PR can do extremely well.” — Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer of Audi

One form of endorsement is the proclamation by a mayor, governor, or even the president endorsing the celebration of a particular day or week.

Becoming a Persuasive Writer 33

A second kind of endorsement is generated by media. These endorsements can come through editorials, product reviews, surveys, news stories, and even blogs.

­ aylor Swift, whose 1989 album was the only one in 2014 T that exceeded 1 million in sales. She also has multi-million dollar endorsement deals with such companies as Target and Diet Coke. Despite the cost, celebrity endorsements are often used in the marketing world, and athletes are particularly popular. Forbes, for example, rated Tim Tebow (NFL) as the most influential athlete in 2013, but Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt also placed high in the rankings because of their outstanding performances during the 2012 summer Olympics. Figure 2.4 shows Bolt making an unstated endorsement for Aviva at a press conference for the Aviva London Grand Prix.

Figure 2.4 Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt is rated as one of the most wellknown athletes in the world and is actively sought as an endorser of various brands and products. In a press conference, he wears an Aviva polo shirt. Celebrities add glamour and tend to attract readers or viewers who would not ordinarily consider the product or service.

The Nielsen study previously cited also found that 67 percent of consumers agree that an endorsement from an unbiased expert makes them more likely to consider a purchase. Allure’s “endorsement” pays dividends for many companies. Becca, a maker of a high-end crème blush, saw its sales triple after winning an award. The third kind of endorsement is statements by experts, credible organizations, and celebrities; these usually involve payment or some other kind of financial arrangement.

Celebrities, of course, endorse all kinds of products and services for a fee. Indeed, they often make more money in endorsements than from what they actually do for a living. The primary purpose of using celebrity endorsements, as previously noted, is to add glamour and attract passive audiences that ordinarily would not pay attention to information about a particular product or service. But the cost isn’t cheap. In terms of influential musicians, a Forbes survey in 2014 gave first place to Beyoncé Knowles, followed by Rihanna and Katy Perry. Beyoncé made about $120 million in 2013, which included a multi-million dollar endorsement deal with Pepsi. Madonna charged designer Donatella Versace $12 million to endorse a spring collection. The new superstar diva on the block, of course, is

Prestige events and Hollywood celebrities also attract audiences to a message. This is why Samsung chose the 2014 Academy Awards to highlight its smartphones by paying about $20 million for ads during the show and having host Ellen DeGeneres use a Samsung phone to take a “selfie” on stage of her and other stars. The “selfie” went viral within minutes and was retweeted three million times within 24 hours. At one point, according to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung was getting 900 mentions a minute on social media, to say nothing of the extensive coverage in the traditional media. The company’s objective, through what is known as product placement in a program, was to position itself as a lifestyle brand among men and women who take their cues from the world of celebrity. It succeeded far beyond Samsung’s expectations. A new concept is organizations paying celebrities to tweet about a brand or product. Canadian teen singer Justin Bieber told millions of his followers about his

34  Chapter 2 experience flying Air New Zealand and pronounced it a “great airline.” Shaquille O’Neal told his more than 2 million followers about his endorsement deal with Enlyten, an electrolyte strip brand, and continued to tweet about the company along with all the other products he has endorsed.

2.5.7:  Emotional Appeals Persuasive messages often play on our emotions. Fundraising letters from non-profit groups often use this writing device. A good example of emotional storytelling is how the American Red Cross told its story of helping people on a daily basis, not just at the time of a major disaster such as Superstorm Sandy on the East Coast. It distributed 300 “storyteller” kits with a camera and a journal to individuals who had benefited from Red Cross services, and asked them to tell their own stories. The organization received about 250 hours of video, more than 2,500 photos, and about 100 journals that allowed it to create more than 50 videos, ads, and public service announcements (PSAs) of average citizens telling how the Red Cross helped them in a time of need. Their stories were emotional and authentic, which helped the Red Cross to make its case for volunteers, contributions, and blood donors. As a result, traffic to the organization’s website grew, multiple stories about the stories told appeared in the nation’s media, and donations increased. Peggy Dyer, chief marketing officer (CMO) of the Red Cross, wrote in PRWeek, “We created a strong connection with our constituents nationwide and demonstrated the work we do.” “Good copywriters have always known not to think in terms of words alone. Most are taught or teach themselves to think about communication as mixed media and in multiple dimensions. Pictures, symbols, shapes, layouts, and different components such as audio and even video can all contribute to conveying the message.” — Richard Becker in his article, “5 writing myths that are dead wrong,” on Ragan.com

The Red Cross campaign helped galvanize public awareness and donations, but emotional content can also backfire if the appeal is too strong or shocking. It tends to raise people’s ego defenses, and they tune out the unpleasant message. The key is to relieve the stressful situation by providing a happy ending. In the case of an emotional appeal by the ASPCA about a dog, Brutus, practically dying from mistreatment, the dog is successfully rescued and adopted by a loving family. Fear arousal is another form of emotional appeal. Many public service information campaigns use this twostep approach.

1. First, a question is raised. An example is “What would happen if your child were thrown through the windshield in an accident?” or “What would happen to your wife and children if you died of a heart attack?” 2. Second, a relatively simple solution is given to relieve the emotional anxiety. A young mother is told that her baby should always be placed in a secured infant seat. Or, the husband might be encouraged to regularly exercise or even buy more life insurance. Moderate fear arousal, accompanied by a relatively simple suggestion for avoiding the situation, is considered an effective persuasive technique. Psychologists say the most effective emotional appeal is one coupled with facts and figures. The emotional appeal attracts interest, but logical arguments also are needed. Additional tips for appeals or messages delivered in person are discussed in the next section.

2.6:  Persuasive Speaking 2.6 Review successful oral persuasion techniques Psychologists have found that successful speakers (and salespeople) use several persuasion techniques: • YES–YES. Start with points with which the audience agrees to develop a pattern of “yes” answers. Getting agreement to a basic premise often means that the receiver will agree to the logically developed conclusion. • OFFER STRUCTURED CHOICES. Give choices that force the audience to choose between A and B. College officials may ask audiences, “Do you want to raise taxes or raise tuition?” Political candidates ask, “Do you want more free enterprise or government telling you what to do?” • SEEK PARTIAL COMMITMENT. Get a commitment for some action on the part of the receiver. This leaves the door open for commitment to other parts of the proposal at a later date. “You don’t need to decide on the new insurance plan now, but please attend the employee orientation program on Thursday.” • ASK FOR MORE, SETTLE FOR LESS. Submit a complete public relations program to management, but be prepared to compromise by dropping certain parts of the program. It has become almost a cliché that a department asks for a larger budget than it expects to receive. A persuasive speech can be one sided or offer several sides of an issue, depending on the audience. A series of studies by Carl Hovland and his associates at Yale

Becoming a Persuasive Writer 35

c­onducted in the 1950s determined that one-sided speeches were most effective with persons favorable to the message, whereas two-sided speeches were most effective with audiences that might be neutral or opposed to the message.

2.7:   Persuasion and Propaganda 2.7 Describe techniques related to propaganda No discussion of persuasion would be complete without mentioning propaganda and the techniques associated with it. According to Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O’Donnell, in their book Propaganda and Persuasion, “Propaganda is the deliberate and systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.” Its roots go back to the seventeenth century, when the Roman Catholic Church set up the congregatio de propaganda (“congregation for propagating the faith”). The word took on extremely negative connotations in the early twentieth century as a result of World Wars I and II, when competing sides accused each other of using “propaganda” to further their military objectives. Some critics have even argued that propaganda, in the broadest sense of the word, also includes the advertising and public relations activity of such diverse entities as Exxon and the Sierra Club. Social scientists, however, say that the word propaganda should be used only to denote activity that sells a belief system or constitutes political or ideological dogma. Advertising and public relations messages for commercial purposes, however, do use several techniques commonly associated with propaganda. The following are the most common:

Students of public relations should be aware of these techniques to make certain that they don’t intentionally use them to deceive and mislead the public. Ethical responsibilities exist in every form of persuasive communication; guidelines are discussed next.

WRITING PROMPT This section lists some common propaganda techniques that are often used in public relations. As you read news stories about events and issues, can you spot some of these propaganda techniques used by the various groups and individuals that are quoted? Give an example. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

2.8:  The Ethics of Persuasion 2.8 Evaluate the need to weigh the ethics of persuasion Robert Heath, coauthor of Rhetorical and Critical Approaches of Public Relations, writes, “A theme that runs throughout the practice and criticism of public relations is its ability to influence what people think and how they act.” He continues: Even when practitioners’ efforts fail to establish their point of view or to foster the interests of their sponsors

36  Chapter 2 and influence stakeholders, their comments become part of the fabric of thought and over time add to societal beliefs and actions. Practitioners create opinions, reinforce them, or draw on them to advocate new opinions and actions.

To many observers, persuasion is a somewhat unsavory activity that distorts the truth and manipulates ­people. The public distrusts professional “persuaders,” and the media often refer to public relations people and political consultants as “spin doctors.” Yet persuasion is an integral part of society. Everyone uses words and visual symbols to share and evaluate information, shape beliefs, and convince others to do or think things. The ancient Greeks recognized rhetoric, the “science of persuasion,” as worthy of study and an essential part of public discourse. In sum, persuasion is not a nasty concept. It does not have to be manipulative, propagandistic, or full of halftruths. Thomas Collins, manager of public affairs for Mobil Oil Company, sounded this theme when he addressed the annual meeting of the Public Relations Association of Indonesia. He said:

Tips for Success An Ethics Test for Public Relations Writers Persuasive efforts require an ethical framework for decision making. In a Journal of Mass Media Ethics article, Professors Sherry Baker of Brigham Young University and David Martinson of Florida International University have developed a model they call the TARES test. Public relations writers should test their persuasive communication against five basic moral ­principles:

PR counselors must ensure the messages we create, package, and target are efficient and cost-effective, but they must also be believable. This requires that the images we engineer reflect the reality of our clients’ existence. We reject deliberate fabrication because bogus images pollute the public mind and do not serve the public interest and ultimately undermine the trust we seek  .  .  . The essential ingredient underlying any successful relationship is trust.

A large measure of public trust, which Collins just described, comes from telling the truth and distributing accurate information. A core value of the Arthur W. Page Society, a group of senior communication executives, is to tell the truth by providing an accurate picture of the company’s character, ideals, and practice. “What people in PR have to understand is not only do you have the facts on your side, you have to know how to communicate them.” — Peter Pitts, senior vice president of Manning, Selvage, & Lee

The IPRA has a core tenet in its charter that states, “Each member shall refrain from subordinating the truth to other requirements.” And the PRSA states, in part, “We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public.” On a more practical note, PRWeek writer Anita Chabria simply says, “Do make sure your statements are accurate. The press will pick up on even innocent mistakes as potential lies.” An applicable model for ethical persuasion is discussed in the Tips for Success below.

Thus, it can be seen that public relations writers are, by definition, advocates in the marketplace of public opinion. It is their professional and personal responsibility, however, to be persuasive, using techniques that are forthright, truthful, and socially acceptable.

2.8.1:  Building on the TARES Model Professor Richard L. Johannesen of Northern Illinois University lists the following persuasive techniques that should be avoided in persuasive writing and that elaborate on the TARES test.

Becoming a Persuasive Writer 37

It is also clear that as a writer of persuasive messages the public relations writer is more than a technician or a “hired gun.” Responsibility to a client or an employer should never override responsibility to the profession, the law, and the public interest. However, writers often lack the technical and legal expertise to know whether information provided to them is accurate. Robert Heath explains, “In this regard, they are uneasy partners in the public relations process. They are often given information regarding managerial or operating decisions or practices that they are expected to report as though it were true and just.” This does not excuse writers from ethical responsibility. Heath continues: The problem of reporting information that they cannot personally verify does not excuse them from being responsible communicators. Their responsibility is to demand that the most accurate information be provided and the evaluation be the best available.

WRITING PROMPT Public relations writers, by definition, are advocates for a cause, a brand, or a service. Would you agree or disagree that advocacy requires an ethical framework? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

Summary: Becoming a Persuasive Writer

38  Chapter 2

SHARED WRITING: BECOMING A PERSUASIVE WRITER Public relations writers use a variety of techniques to write messages that persuade people to vote for a particular candidate or buy a product or service. To some critics, this translates as manipulation and somewhat dishonest activities. How do you feel about being an advocate for an organization’s brand or point-of-view? Could you be an advocate for any organization, or are there some issues or organizations (such as abortion rights or gun manufacturers) where you would draw the line? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

Post

0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 2 Quiz: Becoming a Persuasive Writer

Chapter 3

Finding and Making News Learning Objectives 3.1 Describe the challenges faced by publicists

in making news 3.2 Analyze the important characteristics of

newsworthy information 3.3 Report the two main sources of gathering

news

3.4a Evaluate the meaning of the term

pseudoevent 3.4b Describe techniques for generating creative

ideas 3.5 Describe the nine different ways of creating

interesting news

3.1:  The Challenge of Making News 3.1 Describe the challenges faced by publicists in making news A major purpose of many public relations programs is to provide information to the traditional and online media in the hope that it will be published, broadcast, or posted. The resulting coverage is called publicity. The public relations writer who writes and places stories in traditional mass media and on websites and social media is commonly referred to as a publicist. Effective publicists need to know three things. First, they must be thoroughly familiar with traditional journalistic news values. Second, they must know where to find news and how to select the angle that will be most interesting to journalists, bloggers, and the public. Third, they must be problem solvers and come up with creative publicity tactics that effectively break through a forest of competing messages. These topics are the subject of this chapter. Indeed, the publicist must navigate at least four obstacles on the way to generating coverage in the news media.

Overcoming these obstacles can be a daunting task for any publicist responsible for informing, persuading, and motivating various audiences on behalf of an employer or client. You can take several steps, however, to make your efforts more effective. These include (1) understanding news values, (2) targeting the right media with your information, (3) thinking continuously about the interests of the readers or listeners, (4) keeping in mind the objectives of

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40  Chapter 3 the client or employer, and (5) exercising creativity in thinking about how to present information that will meet the requirements of media gatekeepers. The value of being able to think creatively cannot be overstated. The Holmes Report partnered with Ketchum, a public relations firm, to survey 600 public relations professionals in 35 nations about the importance of creative thinking to clients and employers. Almost 80 percent of the respondents rated creativity 8 or higher out of 10. How to train yourself to be more creative and how to use brainstorming techniques for ideas is discussed later in the chapter. “Creativity. Readymade stories rarely fall into your lap. A PR professional needs to be able to look for hooks and angles in order to make the story interesting or create a story on their own, such as by creating a campaign/ event/competition etc. to raise interest in the message you want to get across.” — Jessica Prasad, public relations manager at Land Registry, on LinkedIn’s Public Relations Professional group

WRITING PROMPT Experts say today’s public relations writer must be able to produce content in a variety of formats to reach an increasingly segmented audience. Do you agree? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

3.2:  What Makes News 3.2 Analyze the important characteristics of newsworthy information Students in news writing classes are taught the basic components of what constitutes “news.” Publicists must also be familiar with these elements if they are to generate the kind of information that appeals to media gatekeepers. The following is a brief overview of traditional news values from a public relations perspective.

3.2.1: Timeliness Timeliness may be the most important characteristic of news. By definition, news must be current. A publicist can make a story angle timely in four ways. PROVIDE IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION  One way to

make news timely is to announce something when it happens. An organization should contact the media as soon as an event occurs. This might be the announcement of a new CEO, the merger of two companies, the launch of a new product or service, or even the settlement of a labor dispute. Such items are fairly routine and don’t require much creativity, since the emphasis is on providing the basic facts. A delay in conveying this kind of information, however, could result in a news item being rejected as “old news.” RELATE MESSAGES TO BREAKING NEWS  A second

approach is providing information or story ideas that relate to an event or situation that is already being extensively covered by the news media and the topic of public discussion. A good example is how a tax and financial planning firm, Gilman Ciocia, used the U.S. government’s announcement of a tax stimulus package to issue a news release reminding people that they had to complete their tax returns in order to get a rebate check. Even controversy can provide a publicist with a timely opportunity. The Obama administration’s exchange of five Taliban prisoners for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who had been held captive for five years in Afghanistan, was such an opportunity. On behalf of the Republican Party, Capitol Media Partners lined up former members of Bergdahl’s platoon to give interviews and appear on broadcast shows to express their doubts about his capture and whether he had actually gone AWOL. “In the public relations business, the name of the game is finding a hook that links your press release to the news.” — Joshua Harris, reporter for The Wall Street Journal

Another tactic is to relate the organization’s products or services to another event that has public interest. The tax firm H&R Block, for example, received widespread publicity during tax season by issuing an infographic related to the final season premiere of the AMC hit series, Mad Men. It calculated that Don Draper’s 1960s salary was $45,000, but that would translate to over $300,000 today. With his deductions, his federal tax bill would be $13,484. Kimberly-Clark and its public relations firm, Ketchum, also used a national event to publicize its toilet tissue by capitalizing on the effects of America’s potty break during the halftime of the Super Bowl. The company used former player and coach Mike Ditka to be a spokesperson and sponsored an essay contest, “Share Your Cloggiest Moment.” The efforts generated considerable media coverage, and 98 percent of the media placements mentioned that Scott Bath Tissue dissolves four times faster than the leading brand—something to consider for Super Bowl fans racing to the bathroom during the long commercial breaks.

Finding and Making News 41

An organization, however, must be careful not to capitalize on a conflict or natural disaster that is dominating the news. Kenneth Cole, a shoe designer brand, was roundly criticized for insensitivity when its publicist posted a tweet relating to the Egyptian revolution that overthrew the government. The text was “Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit/KCairo-KC.” TAP ONGOING ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES  At other times, a topic or issue generates media and public interest over a period of weeks and months. For example, health care issues continue to hold media interest, so pharmaceutical firms tailor their news releases around the idea that new “wonder drugs” are a cost-effective way to reduce hospital stays. Travel publicists also successfully place articles in travel magazines about how to save money on a European vacation when the dollar sinks to new lows against the Euro. Global warming and environmentalism also get frequent media coverage. First Act, one of the world’s leading makers of musical instruments, successfully placed a story with the Los Angeles Times about its “green guitars” during the annual convention of the International Music Products Association in that city. Indeed, positioning a product as environmentally friendly seems to generate more media coverage. H.J. Heinz Company, for example, switched to a new type of bottle that ordinarily would not generate much media interest. The company, however, positioned the new bottle as more “green” because it used Coke’s plant-bottle technology. As a result, about 260 news articles were generated. RELATE MESSAGES TO NATIONAL HOLIDAYS  A fourth

approach is offering information linked to holidays that are already on the public agenda. Auto clubs and insurance companies, for example, have excellent placement success with articles about safe driving just before the Labor Day and July Fourth holiday weekends, when millions of Americans take to the road. Even April Fool’s Day can be used as a hook. Mr. Handyman International, for example, used the day to send a news release not to be “fooled” by handyman scam artists when hiring professionals to do home improvements. It cautioned homeowners not to fall for such pitches as “I have a special offer that’s good only for today.” Other companies and organizations find Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the winter holidays opportune for promoting their message, services, or products. Here are some examples:

Trade groups and non-profits also designate national days, weeks, and months as a news angle. See the Tips for Success below.

Tips for Success Celebrate! It’s National Footwear Care Month National non-profits and trade groups often designate a day, a week, or even a month to promote a cause, an industry, or even a product. A good example is National Footcare Month promoted, of course, by the footwear industry.

42  Chapter 3 and the media, but an organization can attract media coverage by using less prominent people as well. An immunization clinic for low-income children usually gets first-page coverage if a governor, or even a mayor, pays a visit. A former astronaut or a retired Olympic medalist visiting a local high school also generates media interest. The National Education Association (NEA), shown in Figure 3.1, kicks off its annual Read Across America program every year with prominent individuals such as First Lady Michelle Obama.

Figure 3.1  Many events get good media coverage because prominent people attend them. The National Education Association (NEA) always kicks off its annual Read Across America program with prominent individuals. Here, First Lady Michelle Obama (right) watches the arrival of the Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat character along with Librarian of Congress James Billington (left) and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

3.2.2: Prominence The news media rarely cover the grand opening of a store or anything else unless there is a prominent person with star power involved. For example, a bank might use a music or film celebrity from the 1970s to open a new branch to attract senior citizens as customers. Home Depot got publicity mileage by having Brad Pitt appear at a news conference to talk about the company’s partnership with Pitt and Global Green to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Pepsi also got plenty of publicity for signing Beyonce to a multi-million dollar endorsement contract. Photos of her on Pepsi billboards accompanied many of the news stories. Beauty queens still attract attention too, even in New York City. When the city inaugurated its 311 number to answer citizen questions about such mundane things as how to recycle trash, Miss Universe was enlisted to make a call and ask a question about a swimming pool’s hours of operation. The New York Times carried a photo of the 18-year-old beauty queen from the Dominican Republic talking on the phone and devoted 16 column inches to the new service. The headline: “Miss Universe Dials 311 (Don’t Ask for Her Number).” The presence of movie stars, rock stars, and professional athletes at special events invariably draws crowds

“If a celebrity doesn’t show up to an event or party, what will the media write about?” —Lori Levine, founder of Flying Television, a talent booking and brokering firm

Many events, of course, don’t have the high-priced glamour of Brad Pitt or the high public visibility of a First Lady, but you can still gain from the use of officials and other well-known individuals in quotes and pictures. One common tactic is the award photograph. Organizations often honor prominent individuals, and this attracts media coverage. Even photographs of an organization’s national president giving an award can generate publicity in local media.

Finding and Making News 43

Note that prominence is not restricted to people; it also extends to organizations. Large multinational corporations such as McDonalds and Wal-Mart automatically get more media attention because they control so many resources and affect so many lives. If you work for a smaller, less prominent company, it’s more difficult to generate media coverage.

3.2.3: Proximity Surveys have shown that the news releases most acceptable to media gatekeepers are those with a local angle. These stories, often called hometowners, are custom tailored for an individual’s local newspaper or broadcast station by emphasizing the local angle in the first paragraph of the news release. One study, by Professor Linda Morton at the University of Oklahoma, found that 36 percent of hometown releases from a major university were published as opposed to less than 10 percent of the generalized news releases. Obviously, the local angle has strong news value. Whenever possible, it is important to “localize” information by including local dealers, retailers, and other area representatives in a news release for a particular city. A case in point is the announcement that the Dr Pepper/ Snapple Group pledged $15 million to build or fix 2,000 playgrounds over 3 years. Such an announcement doesn’t generate much interest, but a new playground in a particular town or small city would probably generate considerable coverage in the local media. Today it is easy to localize news releases and to tailor them to specific kinds of media by using software applications that can automatically merge the names of local people into the news release text. An insurance company, for example, may announce that 150 of its agents nationwide qualified for induction into the “Million Dollar Roundtable” in sales. The publicist would localize this event by using software to insert the names of individual agents into the lead paragraph of the news release. Thus, a newspaper editor in Lexington, Kentucky, would receive a news release that begins, “Denise Smith of Lexington, an agent for Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company, has been inducted into the company’s ’Million Dollar Roundtable.’” The names of the other 149 agents, who live elsewhere, would not be mentioned. Another form of localizing is highlighting various aspects of a person’s background in different publications. In the case of Denise Smith, various audiences would be interested in her achievement. For example, the weekly newspaper in the small town where Denise graduated from high school needs a news release that mentions Denise’s parents, her graduation year, and the fact that she was president of the senior class. In contrast, the suburban weekly in Lexington would appreciate a paragraph giving

her business address and noting the fact that she is the past chair of the local planning commission. A trade newspaper covering the insurance industry would be more interested in a news release that details her professional career. In sum, always keep the local angle in mind when you write a news release. This often requires additional research and writing, but the resulting media coverage is worth the effort. As news correspondent Mort Rosenblum once wrote, “A dogfight in Brooklyn is bigger than a revolution in China.”

3.2.4: Significance Any situation or event that can affect a substantial number of people is significant. Global warming continues to be a hot topic, so to speak, but the concept and the scientific debate about the problem are somewhat abstract to the public. Consequently, publicists for environmental groups try to make the topic more significant to the average person by focusing on a popular consumer item. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), for example, points out that consuming bottled water is not environmentally friendly because it takes oil to make all of those plastic bottles and only a quarter of them are ever recycled. The result is about a billion pounds of plastic bottles clogging landfills every year. In addition, the transport of bottled water contributes to greenhouse gases, a major source of global warming. The transport of a case of bottled water from Fiji to Los Angeles, for example, produces about 7 pounds of greenhouse gases on its 5,500-mile ­journey. The major media coverage of the NDRC’s “Think Outside the Bottle” campaign has, of course, become a significant issue for the $11 billion American bottled water industry. Bottlers such as Coca-Cola are publicizing their efforts to make thinner, more ecologically sound plastic bottles, but publicists from manufacturers of tap water filters also are finding renewed media interest in their ­products. In judging significance, you must know not only how many people will be affected but also who will be affected. A major task, of course, is to convince media gatekeepers that the issue, product, or service is significant to their readers, listeners, or viewers. In sum, be prepared when the journalist says, “So what?”

3.2.5: Unusualness Anything out of the ordinary attracts press interest and public attention. The presence of a giant inflated King Kong hugging an office building in Portland to promote the Oregon lottery is certainly unusual. So is a 75-foot birthday cake in the shape of a snake that the San Diego Zoo made to celebrate its 75th year of operation. Even the National Education Association (NEA) got media coverage

44  Chapter 3 for its Read Across America campaign by staging events with a costumed Dr. Seuss character. Many products are pretty ordinary, so it’s always a challenge for a publicist to think of something “unusual” that will attract media interest. Heckel Consumer Adhesives, the parent company of the Duck brand of duct tape, decided on a series of unusual events featuring the tape. One such effort was inviting students to design prom dresses made of duct tape. That led to a duct tape fashion show in New York where all the designer dresses were fashioned out of duct tape. The company also exhibited a giant American flag made entirely of multicolored duct tape in New York on Flag Day. Melanie Amato, director of advertising and research for the Heckel Company, told PRWeek that all Duck brand public relations efforts have to involve four elements the company wants the brand to convey: They have to be fun, they have to project friendliness, they must display resourcefulness, and they have to be imaginative. Such efforts have made the Duck brand the number-one brand in the United States. The opening of a new bank branch also falls into the category of less than exciting news. The typical ribbon cutting won’t cut it, so to speak, so publicists need to be more creative in thinking up something more unusual. Colorado-based Peter Webb Public Relations came up with a winner for Safeway Select Bank in Phoenix with a campaign called “Cold Hard Cash.” The firm capitalized on Phoenix’s high summer heat by creating 10 ice sculptures fashioned into various shapes, such as computer terminals, grocery bags, and dollar signs. Frozen inside each sculpture was a cash prize; $10,000 was divided among the sculptures. More than 400 people registered, and 10 got the chance to melt their ice blocks and take home whatever cash they could get their hands on by rubbing away the ice. The Arizona Republic ran a front-page business story and photo of the event, and the three network affiliates also covered the event.

3.2.6:  Human Interest People like to read about other people. That is why the news media often focus on the lives of the rich and famous and why People, USWeekly, and OK! magazines are such a success. The love lives of movie stars and the antics of rock singers provide constant grist for the tabloids and the mainstream media. Interest in people, however, is not restricted to celebrities. A journalist may focus on the plight of one family on welfare to illustrate the problems of the entire social services system. Television news, which tries to explain complex issues in a minute or two, often uses the vehicle of personalizing an issue by letting one individual or family speak. Indeed, people would rather listen to the problems of a welfare mother in her own words than view a series of

bar charts showing the decline in state and federal funding for social services. Public relations writers and staff also have opportunities to humanize stories. Here are some examples: • A university graduates 10,000 students every spring, but the news release focuses on an 80-year-old grandmother who is graduating with her daughter and her granddaughter. • A company that manufactures a voice-activated cellphone for disabled people prepares a feature article about how the phone helps one disabled Iraq war veteran. • A brilliant research engineer for a computer company is the subject of a company feature story that is sent to the trade press. • A food bank, after getting permission, gives the names of clients to a reporter who wants to interview some of them for a story on how the agency has helped them. • A company that sponsors major track and field events posts videos on its website and YouTube about athletes and their personal stories. • A food and cooking channel is approached to do an interview with a restaurant chef who will demonstrate an easy-to-do recipe for calorie counters.

3.2.7: Conflict When two or more groups advocate different views on a topic of current interest, this creates news. Indeed, reporters often fuel the controversy by quoting one side and then asking the other side for a comment. Organizations get coverage when they state a position or viewpoint regarding a local or even international controversy. Labor disputes between management and employees, for example, are often accompanied by competing media interviews, news releases, and picket lines, as shown in Figure 3.2.

Figure 3.2  Staging public demonstrations is an effective way for groups to publicize their cause, given the inherent news value of conflict. The controversy over fracking brings out supporters on both sides who hold rallies that are well covered by the media, primarily because they are highly visual.

Finding and Making News 45

Organizations, groups, and individuals also receive media coverage for stating various opinions about ongoing controversies such as climate change, same-sex marriage, immigration, universal health care, fracking, and gun control. A good example is the media coverage generated by Target, Chipotle, and Starbucks when they announced a decision to ban guns in their stores. Gun control advocates rejoiced, but gun activists severely criticized the decision, which fueled even more media coverage. In sum, publicists should be aware of ongoing public issues and conflicts to determine if their clients or employers should publicize a particular viewpoint or perspective on the issue. A publicist, however, must first assess whether the particular issue is relevant to the organization. Rising gasoline prices may not be particularly relevant to a chain of restaurants, but they may be highly relevant to delivery services such as UPS, FedEx, or even local pizza parlors that deliver.

uct is the packaging; from an editor’s point of view, that is not “new” enough. High-technology companies have also raised reporter suspicions about new products that often turn out to be what cynical reporters call “vaporware.”

3.2.8: Newness

3.3 Report the two main sources of gathering news

Advertising and marketing people say that the two words they find most useful are “new” and “free.” You will seldom use “free,” but you should constantly search for something “new.” Any news release announcing a new product or service has a good chance of being published if you can convince a journalist that it is truly “new.” Apple’s iPhone and iPad, for example, generated thousands of articles and blog posts when they were introduced. New, updated models of these products, however, receive considerably less media coverage. One innovative way of generating publicity is to invent a new product. Waffles Café in Chicago combined the donut with a deep-friend waffle to make a “wonut,” and daily sales went from 24 to 600 within 2 days after a story appeared in the Chicago Tribune. The owner of the café is now thinking about a new product—a waffle pizza. New uses for old products are the basis of most food publicity. There is nothing new about potatoes, walnuts, yams, or avocados; yet, food editors steadily publish new recipes for these and scores of other foods. A growing trend is relating food to health. James Curry, executive editor of Epicurious, told O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter that he likes food publicists who can relate their products to such buzzwords as “organic,” “clean,” and “sustainable.” Publicists for new products often work to have reviews of the product published in leading publications. A favorable product review by Walt Mossberg in The Wall Street Journal is the Holy Grail for the high-tech consumer goods industry. By the same token, a review or product mention on Epicurious or in Food & Wine is highly sought by the food and restaurant industry. One note of caution: Journalists and bloggers are somewhat distrustful of claims that a product or service is “new.” In many cases, the only thing “new” about a prod-

Now that you understand what constitutes traditional news values, you should have a good framework as you approach the process of finding news.

WRITING PROMPT Why should public relations writers know and understand how to apply traditional news values when they are writing stories and news releases for a client or employer? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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3.3:  How to Find News

3.3.1:  Internal News Sources The first step in finding news is to become totally familiar with the organization. One way to learn about an organization if you are a new employee or it becomes a new client for your public relations firm is to do research. This involves looking at a variety of sources, including the following: • IMPORTANT PAPERS. Policy statements, annual reports, organizational charts, position papers, research reports, market share, sales projections, and biographies of top managers. • PERIODICALS. Current and past issues of employee newsletters and magazines, plus Intranet archives.

46  Chapter 3 • CLIPPING FILES. Published articles and online postings about the organization and the industry. Use Google alerts to compile mentions about the organization or the industry across the spectrum of articles, social media postings, and blogger ­comments. • OTHER MATERIALS. Copies of the organization’s brochures, speeches, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and sales material. Writers working on an organization’s newsletters, intranets, and websites must play the role of roving reporter. Talk to a variety of people, ask a lot of questions, and constantly be on the lookout for something new or different. Most article ideas don’t come to you; you have to seek them out. Most people have no clue whether an event or a situation would be of interest to internal and external audiences, so you must be alert to clues and hints as well as hard facts. A new process or technique may be just business as usual to a production manager, but it might lead you to several possible stories. For example, AlliedSignal received news coverage for a new fiber by pointing out that it could be used in automobile seat belts to slow the movement of a passenger’s upper body in a collision. The company publicist did two things to make this story newsworthy. First, she related the new fiber to a use that the public could readily understand. Second, she arranged and distributed an interesting photo that showed the manufacturing process. A change in work schedules may affect traffic and thus be important to the community. Personnel changes and promotions may be of interest to editors of business and trade papers. A new contract, which means hiring new employees, might be important to the regional economy. By the same token, the loss of a major contract—and its implications for the employees and community—also qualifies as significant news. Another good way to find stories is to attend meetings. It’s not a popular suggestion, but attending staff meetings in various departments will often give you insights about current projects and what is being planned.

3.3.2:  External News Sources Ideas on how to get your organization into the news can come from almost any source. For example, you might attend a Rotary Club meeting and hear a speaker talk about the national need to train more engineers in the computer sciences. That might spur you to investigate how the problem affects your employer or client. This, in turn, might lead to the idea that you could generate some media coverage by telling the media what your company is doing about the problem, such as providing college scholarships

or even recruiting engineers from other nations. Or perhaps you might offer the media an interview with the company president, who can articulate some solutions to the problem. In sum, you must continually train yourself to think about how a newsworthy event or issue relates to your organization or client. An example is what the Department of Child and Family Services of New Hampshire did when the media reported that a newborn baby had been abandoned. The day the story hit, Renee Robertie, communications director of the agency, notified all state dailies, radio stations, and television stations of the options a mother experiencing a crisis pregnancy would have if she were to call Child and Family Services. This got an immediate media response, and there were many stories of the “What a mother can do” type, which prominently featured the agency’s services. Robertie adds, “The key to success is being prepared so when something like this happens, you are able to step in as the voice of authority and provide reporters with good data and soundbites at a moment’s notice.” The family services story is an example of newsjacking. It’s the fine art of taking someone else’s news and piggybacking on its newsworthiness. It also illustrates why public relations writers should be constantly reading about current events in daily newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, and on the Internet. Reading trade publications that cover your employer or client’s industry is another way to become aware of current trends and issues. The Internet, in particular, is a good way to find story ideas. The following sites provide some ways to keep current and find out what topics are trending and of most interest to the public. • GOOGLE ALERTS: A good way to get regular updates on news, information, and discussions about a particular topic sent directly to your inbox. If your employer or client makes craft beers, for example, you might set up alerts for “beer,” “craft brews,” or maybe “hops.” • DIGG: This site aggregates what topics are popular on the Web in terms of what people want to see, read, or share on Facebook and Twitter. This gives you insights on how to relate your product or service to a popular topic. • DELICIOUS: By searching key words, you can read collections of articles on a variety of topics that have been added by various individuals. In sum, it gives you access to everyone’s library. • REDDIT: This is a vast library on a number of topics. It includes articles, YouTube videos, blog posts, and opinion pieces.

Finding and Making News 47

“We have editorial meetings every morning. We look at what everyone is talking about on social media and what’s trending on Twitter.” —Emily Fleischaker, food editor of Buzzfeed, in O’Dwyer’s Newsletter

Another source of story ideas is publications, blogs, and LinkedIn discussion groups covering the public relations industry. They often include content on trends, issues, innovations, and current campaigns that can provide a form of continuing education to improve your skills.

WRITING PROMPT A major challenge for public relations writers is to find news about their employer or client. How would you use internal and external sources to find story ideas about an organization that would be considered “newsworthy”? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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3.4:  How to Find Creative News Opportunities 3.4a Evaluate the meaning of the term pseudoevent

Although the term pseudoevent has a somewhat negative connotation, the main point is that such events are considered legitimate news if they also meet the standards of traditional news values. A news conference by Apple executives announcing a new wearable technology device, for example, may be carefully planned and staged, but it also provides useful information to the media and consumers. A product launch of a new cleaning product from Clorox, in contrast, requires considerable creativity to generate media attention.

3.4b Describe techniques for generating creative ideas There is no hard-and-fast definition of what is news. A Hearst editor once declared, probably with more truth than he realized, “News is what I say it is.” It’s also true that most “news” is created by public relations practitioners who plan activities and events on behalf of an organization to raise the attention needed to inform, persuade, and motivate. Historian Daniel Boorstin even coined the term pseudoevent to describe events and situations that are created primarily for the sake of generating press coverage that, in many cases, also accomplishes the ultimate objective of increasing revenues. Some classic examples of the pseudoevent are the Miss America pageant, the Academy Awards, and the Super Bowl.

3.4.1:  Creativity: An Essential Skill Creativity and vision are essential attributes for work in public relations, but such things are difficult to teach and even more difficult to learn. Hal Lancaster, author of the “Managing Your Career” column in The Wall Street Journal, says creative people share some common traits: “keen powers of observation, a restless curiosity, the ability to identify issues others miss, a talent for generating a large number of ideas, persistent questioning of the norm, and a knack for seeing established structures in new ways.” “PR firms of the future will still need creative people capable of generating brilliant ideas." — Miles Nadal, CEO of MDC Partners

Warren Berger, author of A Most Beautiful Question, believes that our creative ability can be developed by simply training ourselves to ask a lot of “deep, imaginative, and beautiful” questions. On a more pragmatic level, the next Tips for Success provides a structure for creating content ideas for a client or employer.

48  Chapter 3

Tips for Success The Process of Creating Ideas for a Client There are five basic steps for creating stories and other content for an organization.

• Don’t be put off by rules that may not even exist. Don’t limit your thinking. • Get excited about ideas that may change the way you do business. • Inspiration comes easiest to a rested mind. Escape, on occasion, from the daily grind. • Record ideas whenever they occur. • Don’t just look for information and ideas in the “normal” places. • Draw heavily on personal resources—remember the content of your dreams. Your unconscious may sometimes solve your conscious concerns. Other experts have cited any number of ways to foster creativity. Here’s 15 additional things to try: 1. Socialize 2. Read books 3. Collaborate with others 4. Visit exhibitions 5. Watch motivational videos 6. Go to the theatre 7. Eat different cuisine 8. Question things 9. Use sticky notes to jot down random ideas 10. Be curious 11. Keep up with trends 12. Travel 13. Get feedback from peers 14. Break your routine 15. Leave your desk, take a walk

3.4.2:  The Value of Brainstorming

Judith Rich, now a Chicago-based creativity consultant and former vice president of Ketchum, gives some tips for developing your creative instincts. Writing in PRSA’s The Strategist, she offers the following:

A common way that public relations firms generate creative ideas for client campaigns is by conducting brainstorming sessions. There is more to a brainstorming session than just a few people having a bull session with a few beers. Brainstorming, in a more formal sense, has defined procedures and guidelines. The five major guidelines are as follows: • The problem should be stated in a brief sentence at the beginning of the session.

• Look at things with new eyes.

• Criticism of any ideas is not allowed

• Hear with new ears. Listen to the world outside of yourself for a change.

• Freewheeling and wild ideas are welcomed

• Ask questions and start learning from people you might not usually consider as resources.

• Participants should build on the ideas of others

• Stop saying or thinking “No.” Be more open to possibilities. • Keep things in perspective and, at the same time, try to expand your horizons.

• The emphasis is on generating a large number of ideas

“Brainstorming should never be a struggle to find one great idea. It’s about coming up with as many ideas as possible in a short amount of time.” —Sam Harrison, author of IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea

Finding and Making News 49

The structure of an effective brainstorming session is also important. The ideal number of participants, for example, is four to seven, and the session should be no longer than 2 hours. In addition, it’s a good idea to brief participants about the situation or challenge in advance so they can start thinking about creative ideas that could be used in a program or campaign. It’s also recommended that the session take place outside the normal work area and that all participants leave their cellphones and iPads outside the room to avoid any disruptions. Although a conference room at the workplace is often used, many experts recommend that it’s better to have the session “off-campus” at a hotel or similar facility, to further isolate the group from any distractions. There should also be a trained facilitator to ensure that the group stays on track and everyone has an equal chance to express ideas. At the start of a brainstorming session, a facilitator should also lead some “ice-breakers” to get the group in a creative thinking mode. One technique is to have the group think about the average brick and come up with as many uses for the brick as possible in 5 minutes. As Lauren Begley writes on Ragan.com, “Once they hit on the obvious uses like a doorstop or a paperweight, their minds will force them to think about more innovative solutions.” The next step is to have the group focus on the problem or challenge at hand. One way is to have a flip board or whiteboard to write down everyone’s key idea in a few words. Another way is to have participants write their ideas on a Sticky Note and then post them on the wall themselves. The advantage of this method is there’s no waiting for the facilitator to record all the ideas on the whiteboard, and thus less idle time for possible judgment.

As the team reviews all the ideas, as wild as they might be, new ideas that combine and refine the original list are usually generated. At this point, it’s often effective to have everyone write down the three ideas they believe are best, based on feasibility, cost effectiveness, and timeliness. Those ideas receiving the most interest and enthusiasm are

then thoroughly discussed and shaped into a comprehensive campaign. PETCO and Durex provide two examples of how brainstorming can lead to a creative program.

You don’t necessarily need a small group to do brainstorming. One popular method is to simply take a blank sheet of paper and draw a circle in the middle of it with one or two words describing the topic. As you think about other words or topics associated with the main topic, you draw more circles that, in turn, will prompt you to think about other related topics or ideas. This helps you to visualize a number of associated ideas that can then inspire you to create a story, a program, or a campaign. On the other end of the scale, organizations often generate hundreds of creative ideas for a new slogan, logo, or product through crowdsourcing. Mattel, for example, used crowdsourcing to find a new career for Barbie. The Gap solicited ideas for a new logo through crowdsourcing but, in the end, decided to keep its traditional logo.

50  Chapter 3 WRITING PROMPT The creation of public relations campaigns and story ideas is often done through “brainstorming sessions.” How would you organize such a session for the best results? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

3.5:  Nine Ways to Create News 3.5 Describe the nine different ways of creating interesting news You, too, can create news in a variety of ways. The Tips for Success lists 32 methods for generating news that can be applied to any number of topics.

Tips for Success 32 Ways to Create News for Your Organization

The following tactics for making news are also explored in more depth in this section: (1) special events, (2) contests, (3) polls and surveys, (4) top 10 lists, (5) product demonstrations, (6) stunts, (7) rallies and protests, (8) personal appearances, and (9) awards.

3.5.1:  Special Events Any number of events are created or staged to attract media attention and make the public aware of a new product, service, or idea. This goes back to the concept of the “triggering event” that becomes the catalyst for individuals to adopt new ideas or modify their behavior. It is less certain, however, what exactly constitutes a “special event.” Some say that any event that is out of the ordinary is “special,” whereas others say that any event can be “special” if the organizers are particularly creative at organizing it. At times, things that occur on a routine basis can become the focus of media coverage if some creativity is exercised. A new store may quietly open its doors for business, or it can have a “grand opening” with a celebrity cutting the ribbon and a circus in the parking lot. The opening of a new museum or facility usually requires special event planning to ensure attendance and media coverage. The International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina, was opened on the 50th anniversary of the historic event in which four black students sat at a “whites-only” counter in a local Woolworth’s store. The public relations team from RLF Communications 1. organized pre-opening activities with the city and local groups, 2. produced a public service announcement, 3. announced the opening festivities on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, and 4. conducted media tours for journalists. The opening event drew 3,000 spectators and about 200 members of various media. The result was more than 700 broadcast stories and multiple print articles, as well as 11,000 new followers on Facebook. Major long-term campaigns are often launched with an event. Dow Chemical’s campaign to raise public

Finding and Making News 51

a­ wareness about the lack of access to clean water for one billion people started with an event during the start of Earth Week. A 6K run (the average distance many women and children walk each day to fetch water) was held in 200 cities and 81 nations to raise public awareness about the issue and Dow’s water and environmental efforts. In addition, a series of concerts and educational activities complemented the run. The event led to 3,000 media placements in 40 nations, 20,000 tweets, and 40 million Facebook mentions. Anniversaries also are events. Major milestones in the age of a product, an institution, or a service are often a catalyst to generate media coverage. For example: IBM celebrated its 100th anniversary by involving more than 400,000 employees in 170 nations through a series of exhibits, the production of two films and a book about the history of the company, and 3.1 million hours of volunteer service to charitable organizations in employees’ communities. The year-long celebration generated more than 5,000 articles in local media, and IBM gained eight points in brand value. Hershey’s celebrated the 100th anniversary of its Hershey’s Kisses brand at a gala event in which it unveiled the world’s largest piece of chocolate. The 12-foothigh Hershey’s Kiss structure weighing 30,540 pounds was certified by a Guinness Book of Records representative who attended the unveiling.

Coca-Cola didn’t have an anniversary, but it celebrated one. The occasion was the 20th anniversary of the first democratic elections in South Africa when Nelson Mandela was elected president. The election prompted the term, “Rainbow Nation,” so Coca-Cola commissioned a specialty firm to create a rainbow over an office building in Johannesburg using the refraction of sunlight through raindrops. Coca-Cola signage congratulating the country was on the building just below the rainbow. Ford, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, also used a highly visible approach. At the start of the New York International Auto Show, Ford disassembled a bright yellow Mustang, took it to the top of the Empire State Building, and then re-assembled it for an unusual, lofty debut. Not all events, however, need to be so spectacular or expensive. A resort in in Florida celebrated its 75th anniversary by inviting all couples who were married there back for a 3-day celebration. And the Museum of Art in Dallas celebrated its 100th anniversary by keeping the museum open for 100 hours straight, for a series of events happening at all hours of the day. The biggest challenge for any event organizer is not just coming up with a creative idea but also making it work within the confines of a budget. Creating a compelling special event is more art than science. However, reporter Anita Chabria of PRWeek says an event or a publicity stunt should do more than grab media coverage. She writes, “While their wacky or weird

imagery may draw camera crews quicker than an interstate pile-up, the end result is that consumers receive a message about the brand identity.”

3.5.2: Contests The contest is a common device for creating news. In fact, it is often advised that “if all else fails, sponsor a contest.” There are contests of every kind. At the local level, the American Legion sponsors high school essay contests on citizenship, and Ford dealers enthusiastically sponsor safedriving contests for teenagers. There are also numerous Elvis look-alike contests, tractor pulls, beauty pageants, and eating contests. Here are some examples of successful contests: Kimberly-Clark, as a way of promoting its toilet tissue as a tie-in with the Super Bowl (described earlier), sponsored an essay contest on the topic “Share Your Cloggiest Moment.” The winner received $25,000 to “Flush Your Worries Away.” Pepsi, instead of spending $20 million on advertising for the Super Bowl, sponsored an online contest where non-profit organizations who got the most votes received grants ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 for projects. For example, the high school band in Cedar Park, Texas, got $25,000 for new uniforms by getting the town’s residents to vote for the project. Other competitors for grants turned to their personal networks on Facebook and Twitter to gain support, which extended the Pepsi brand. Nikon, seeking to expand its brand reputation in digital video, created an online video contest that encouraged people to submit a short “Day in a Life” themed video. The top 50 videos were then showcased on the Nikon website. PRWeek noted, “A great way to demonstrate the product benefit and generate user content.” The contest generated 2,200 submissions, 500,000 visits to the Nikon website, and more than 7,000 social media followers. Intel has sponsored the annual Intel Science Talent Search competition since 1998 to encourage high school students in the sciences. Forty high school seniors are named as finalists, and the top winner receives a $100,000 scholarship.

Publicists and organizations, however, are warned that sponsoring a contest takes a great deal of planning and legal considerations. “The hardest thing is to convince the media that your contest or sweepstakes is going to deliver real informational interest as opposed to pure commercialism.” — Julie Hall, vice president of Schneider & Associates

David Ward, a reporter for PRWeek, gives these tips:

Do • Get your planning done early. There are a lot of regulations and details.

52  Chapter 3 • Get some well-known celebrities involved to establish credibility and interest with the media. • Think local, especially when you get down to finalists. Most outlets love stories on locals who do well.

Don’t • Go it alone. Hire experts to help you run the contest or sweepstakes. • Worry about the size of the prize. Even million-dollar prizes don’t attract media attention. • Go to media too often unless they are cosponsors. The same outlet won’t cover the launch, the finalists, and the winner. Spread various angles around to various media.

3.5.3:  Polls and Surveys The media seem to be fascinated by polls and surveys of all kinds. Public opinion is highly valued, and much attention is given to what the public thinks about issues, lifestyles, political candidates, product quality, and so on. Author Peter Godwin, writing in The New York Times Magazine, says the public’s fascination with polls and surveys is “a uniquely American trait—a weakness for personal comparative analysis.” He continues, “It’s the reason we devour surveys about success, weight, love, family and happiness. And why not? Political polls tell us only how one candidate is faring against another. Polls about other people’s personal lives let us gauge how we’re faring relative to our friends and neighbors.” Given this media and public interest, many organizations are willing to oblige by conducting polls and surveys on a range of topics. Larry Chiagouris and Ann Middleman, in a Public Relations Quarterly article, say that “publicity-driven research” is one of the most effective ways for an organization to get media coverage and position itself as a market leader. In addition, surveys have high credibility because quantitative data is perceived as accurate. It should be noted, however, that not all surveys are created equal. Online surveys, in particular, are not very reliable and are less acceptable to the media because respondents self-select themselves to participate. Here are some examples of polls and surveys that have generated media coverage:

Nancy Hicks, a senior vice president of Hill & Knowlton, says surveys and polls can be marvelous publicity opportunities if a few guidelines are followed. In an article for PR Tactics, she gives the following suggestions: • THE TOPIC should be timely, have news value, and fit the needs of the organization. • THE RESEARCH FIRM should be one that has credibility with journalists. That’s why many commissioned surveys are done by the Gallup Organization or similar nationally known firms. • THE SURVEY QUESTIONS should be framed to elicit newsworthy findings. Hicks also suggests paying attention to how the material is packaged for the press. “The lead in the news release should feature the most newsworthy findings, not what is of most interest to the sponsoring organization,” says Hicks. Media kits should include background information on the organization and on the research firm, a summary of

Finding and Making News 53

the major research findings, and simple charts and graphs that can be easily reproduced as part of a news story. See the Tips for Success for more information on how to conduct and report the results of a survey or poll.

Tips for Success How to Conduct a Credible Survey A survey of topical interest can generate considerable publicity for an organization. Mark A. Schulman, president of a market research and opinion polling firm in New York, offers some tips in an article for O’Dwyer’s PR Report.

magazines also get into the act by compiling a list of the “Top 10 College Basketball Players” or the “Top 10 Newsmakers” of the year. Briggs & Stratton, a leading manufacturer of lawn mowers and other outdoor power equipment, builds its brand identity with an annual list of the “Top 10 Lawns in America.” And the American Kennel Club gets publicity for announcing the 10 top dog breeds in the United States. There are endless possibilities for top 10 lists. The California Association of Winegrowers issued a news release on Earth Day, for example, giving the “Top 10 Reasons California Wines Are an Eco-Friendly Choice.” A San Francisco public relations firm even got 8 inches in The Wall Street Journal for its “Top 10 Most Humiliating Public Relations Gaffes of the Year.” First place went to the District of Columbia Housing Authority, which issued a news release about a drug bust the night before the raid was planned. The dealers heard about it on the radio and failed to make an appearance.

3.5.5:  Product Demonstrations

3.5.4:  Top 10 Lists A good alternative to polls and surveys is to simply compile a “top 10 list.” Fashion trade groups announce the “Top 10 Best Dressed Women,” and environmental groups compile lists of the “Top 10 Polluters.” Newspapers and

The objective of a product demonstration is to have consumers or media representatives actually see how a product performs. Auto manufacturers do “product demonstrations” by inviting journalists to test-drive a new model. Hotels and resorts invite travel writers to spend a weekend at the facility. Food companies do demonstrations by getting representatives on cooking and home shows. Weber Grills, for example, hires well-known chefs to give tips on talk shows about the proper way to barbecue. A product demonstration can take many forms. PetSmart publicized a grand opening of a store by offering its pet grooming services to some of the local Humane Society’s grubbiest guests and then putting them on display for adoption. It was a win-win situation. The idea clearly demonstrated the value of its grooming services and also placed the new store in a favorable light because of its community outreach. Groupon took another approach. It demonstrated its daily online “deals” by

54  Chapter 3 ­ aving a contest to select an individual who would use h only “Groupons” to travel around the United States for 1 year. Twenty-thousand people entered the contest. On occasion, a product demonstration is built around a social setting or junket. A cosmetic company, Styli-Style, introduced its newly designed flat makeup pencil at a New York champagne bar. It hired a celebrity makeup artist to demonstrate the various colors and to also apply makeup to the various journalists and guests attending the event. And Procter & Gamble introduced its new Head & Shoulders HydraZinc shampoo by taking editors to Arizona, where they could experience the benefits of the zinc-rich desert landscape. Briefings included a celebrity stylist and a P&G research scientist to highlight the benefits of the HydraZinc formula. The result was articles about the new shampoo in such publications as Elle, Shape, and Redbook.

3.5.6:  Publicity Stunts Journalists often disparage publicity stunts, but, if they are highly creative and visual, they often get extensive media coverage. One popular theme is doing something that qualifies for the Guinness World Records. Some examples: • Baskin-Robbins made the world’s largest ice cream cake (5.5 tons) in one of the hottest spots on earth, Dubai, to celebrate International Ice Cream Month. • Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressings sponsored the world’s longest salad bar in New York’s Central Park. It took 17,000 pounds of vegetables to make the salad, which, of course, was topped with Hidden Valley’s Original Ranch dressing. • Kraft Foods’ Oreo brand set a Guinness world record by achieving 114,619 Facebook “likes” to a single posting in a 24-hour period.

Achieving a world record to generate publicity for a brand seems to be popular among corporations. Guinness World Records is actually a business that consults with organizations to figure out what records they can set for their brands and products. The process costs about $5,000 and includes having a judge verify the accomplishment as well as brainstorm other ideas for establishing some sort of world record. Other kinds of stunts can be staged with a bit of creative thinking. A classic example is how the Queensland Tourist Authority (Australia) generated worldwide publicity for months by soliciting applicants for the “Best Job in the World.” It was a six-month stint as a caretaker of an island on the Great Barrier Reef that included a $100,000 salary and a three-bedroom villa with a pool. The “job” attracted 34,000 applicants from practically every nation in the world who auditioned via video clips, which also found their way onto YouTube and other social media sites. The eventual winner, a 34-year-old man from England, kept the publicity going by blogging about his experience,

posting video updates, and conducting media interviews about living in “paradise.” The campaign, which the Queensland Tourist Authority estimated to be worth about $130 million in publicity, was so successful that it received the Grand Prix award in public relations at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes, France. “You need something that is fun and irresistible to get people’s attention.” —Kathy Carliner, senior vice president of Golin Harris

In another example, a German software firm celebrated its listing on the New York Stock Exchange by converting a block of New York’s financial district into a “beach party.” It took 60 tons of sand, 5,000 beach balls, and several volleyball nets to accomplish the transition. Because of the visual element, the company received more extensive coverage than just a short paragraph on the business page. Publicity stunts don’t have to be elaborate or complicated. Amazon, for example, got extensive media coverage in San Francisco by just plunking down a large yellow steel box in a downtown plaza that caused hundreds of onlookers to speculate on what was in it. Turns out that the box publicized the company’s growing stable of delivery lockers where customers could pick up their orders. It also publicized its partner, Nissan, because the mystery box contained a new car that was given away. Greenpeace and other activist groups are also fond of staging publicity stunts because they give a highly visual element to their cause. See the PR Casebook about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a stunt that went viral in a matter of days. Figure 3.3 illustrates the stunt’s visual appeal.

PR Casebook: The Ice Bucket Challenge Raises $100 Million “A great stunt still has the power to penetrate. In fact, through social media, stunts have greater velocity and the ability to demand more attention than ever—as evidenced by the reach of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.” —Howard Rubenstein, president of Rubenstein Associates, a leading public relations firm in New York

A well-conceived stunt can create a massive wave of publicity, and the Ice Bucket Challenge receives the prize for being one of the most successful stunts ever initiated by a non-profit organization. The ALS Association funds research to find treatments and a cure for Lou Gehrig’s disease, which currently afflicts about 30,000 Americans. It developed the idea of the Ice Bucket Challenge as a fund-raising tactic in the summer of 2014. The idea was for individuals supporting ALS to douse themselves with a bucket of ice water and make a donation to ALS. They would post a video of their dousing and then challenge their friends to follow their example within 24 hours.

Finding and Making News 55

The Ice Bucket Challenge became a phenomenon practically overnight. In no time, the highly visible act of getting doused by a bucket of ice water took over Facebook timelines, Twitter, and YouTube, as everyone from corporations to professional sports teams jumped on the bandwagon. The traditional media also extensively covered any number of local dousing events and duly reported the participation of celebrities such as Oprah, Taylor Swift, Bill Gates, and even former president George W. Bush. ALS, which only raised about $20 million in 2013, succeeded beyond its wildest dreams by attracting 1.1 million new donors and raising more than $100 million to fight Lou Gehrig’s disease. Victoria Grantham of RoseComm wrote in PRWeek that the challenge was a brilliant stunt because it (1) was easy for people to participate, (2) was highly visual, (3) made people look good, and (4) occurred in the summer when people wanted to cool off anyway. Figure 3.3 illustrates the critical moment of taking the challenge.

Figure 3.3  The Ice Bucket Challenge on behalf of ALS was a creative tactic that led thousands of individuals to accept the challenge and raise more than $100 million for the organization. Fueling the extensive media coverage were videos and photographs showing various politicians and entertainment celebrities getting doused for a good cause. Taking the challenge was also a popular group activity by many young people, including this group on the Pushkin Embankment in Moscow.

Some publicity stunts, however, are not well received and become public relations blunders. A Swedish underwear company, for example, “love bombed” North Korea with 450 pairs of pink underpants dropped from a hotel balcony, calling them “weapons of mass seduction.” The moniker was inspired by an online contest (mostly with South Koreans voting) that named North Korea as the nation “in most need of love and seduction.” That may be true but critics thought the stunt was insensitive to a highly conservative nation where talking about love and sex is a taboo subject. An Australian sports-betting website was also criticized for being insensitive by launching a hot-air balloon

over Melbourne before the start of the World Cup in Brazil. It was in the shape of Rio’s famous icon, the Christ the Redeemer statue, but it wore a soccer jersey with the firm’s logo and hashtag on it. Many criticized the firm for using a religious figure to promote betting, but the company was unrepentant. A public relations rep was quoted saying, “We realize that people are entitled to their opinions, but from our point of view, we’re talking to the right people and those people have a different opinion.”

3.5.7:  Rallies and Protests A rally or protest generates news because one of the traditional news values, discussed earlier, is conflict. Some rallies involve thousands of protestors, such as a series of rallies throughout the United States to protest proposed legislation restricting the legal status of Hispanic immigrants. On a more modest scale, even a group of local high school students holding a rally protesting the firing of a favorite coach generates media interest. Other groups use demonstrations as a tactic to publicize their cause. The Save Darfur Coalition, for example, organizes small groups of protestors to “picket” the offices of financial institutions and corporations that have investments in Sudan. They carry signs about companies condoning genocide and show graphic photos of victims. Few television stations or newspapers can resist covering such rallies or protest demonstrations, each of which has high news value from the standpoint of human interest and conflict. Moreover, a rally or protest is highly visual, which is ideal for television coverage and newspaper photographs. Although television often gives the impression that demonstrations are somewhat spontaneous events, the reality is that they are usually well planned and organized. The manuals of activist groups, for example, give guidelines on everything from contacting potential participants via an email network to appointing “marshals” who will ensure that the protestors won’t destroy property or unnecessarily provoke police confrontations. The idea is to make a statement, not create a riot that will damage the organization’s cause. When planning a protest or demonstration, the media should be contacted in advance to ensure coverage. More than one rally has been rescheduled to accommodate the media. Prominent people and celebrities, if possible, should be asked to join the march or give a talk at a rally. Prominence, as activists know, is another important news value. On a humorous note, Gillette capitalized on the media’s tendency to cover protests. It organized a fake ­protest movement called the “National Organization of Social Crusaders Repulsed by Unshaven Faces (NoScruf)” to counter the trend of the unshaven look among young men. A group of young women were hired to do a mock demonstration in New York, complete with banners, bullhorns, and fake

56  Chapter 3 underarm hair to give the message, “We won’t shave until you do.” The effect was so real that a CNN producer on his way to work called in a news crew to cover it. See Figure 3.4 for an example of another Gillette publicity stunt.

Figure 3.4  Publicity stunts are primarily created to generate news. A key element is creating a stunt that is highly visual and lends itself to television or YouTube distribution. Gillette, for example, staged an event in New York’s Times Square to promote its new Fusion razor by having future hall of famer pitcher Pedro Martinez (center) congratulate the two winners of the Fusion ProGlide “Ultimate Summer Job” contest.

and vests—garnered prime time in front of the Today show window in New York’s Rockefeller Plaza. Another approach is the media tour. Increasingly, this is done via satellite and the Internet to save travel time and costs. A satellite media tour (SMT) is essentially the process of placing a spokesperson in a television studio and arranging for news anchors around the country to do a short interview via satellite. It is the same process that news programs use to get reports from their correspondents in the field.

3.5.9: Awards Last, but not least, you can create news for your organization by giving and receiving awards. The California Pharmacists Association (CPhA), for example, inducts several outstanding pharmacists into its Hall of Fame every year at its state convention. By honoring these individuals, the organization also creates the opportunity to send a news release to the inductees’ local newspapers, generating even more media coverage. The entertainment industry has numerous annual awards that are nationally televised, such as the country music awards shown in Figure 3.5.

Figure 3.5 

3.5.8:  Personal Appearances Two kinds of personal appearances generate news. The first is the kind where the publicity is incidental to something else. The second is the appearance where the publicity is the only objective. Most typical of the first type is the situation where someone makes a speech to an organization. If the president of the XYZ Company addresses the local chamber of commerce, he will be heard by all who attend the meeting. The audience for the speech, however, may be greatly increased if the media are supplied with copies of the speech, a news release, or several soundbites. As a general rule, every public appearance should be considered an opportunity for news both before and after the event. And, of course, there should always be an effort to get reporters to attend the meeting and get the story themselves. Appearances where publicity is the sole objective take several forms. One is an appearance on a local radio or television talk show. There are numerous opportunities for appearing on such shows. For example, more than 1,000 radio stations (out of 10,000) in the nation now emphasize talk instead of music. Talk shows with a national audience include Meet the Press and the Today show. The American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA), for example, scored a coup by getting on three major television shows in a 3-day period. First was the Late Show with David Letterman, where Sister Carol Anne Corley (“The Tying Nun”) enlightened the host about some of the finer points of the sport. The next morning, two AFFTA representatives—clad in boots, waders,

Awards are often an opportunity to generate publicity for an organization or an industry. That’s why we have the Academy Awards or even the Billboard Music Awards. Here, Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley of the musical group Florida Georgia Line appear with the award for the top country song, “Cruise.”

At the local level, organizations give any number of awards. The YMCA honors the “Outstanding Woman of the Year,” the chamber of commerce names the town’s “Outstanding Business Owner of the Year,” and even the local college honors the “Graduate of the Year” and the “Alumnus of the Year.” If an organization receives an award, that also can generate news. Intel, for example, sent out a news release announcing that it was ranked number one in the “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list by CRO, a magazine for corporate responsibility practitioners.

Finding and Making News 57

At times, however, an award can be more hype than substance. The Hollywood Walk of Fame, sponsored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, is somewhat suspect. The impression is that a celebrity gets a “star” embedded in cement because he or she has achieved something. The reality is that no “star” gets considered unless a film studio agrees to pay $15,000. In other words, the “award” often boils down to being part of a publicity campaign to bolster a star or promote an upcoming movie.

WRITING PROMPT The text gives nine ways to create news, including the use of publicity stunts that are designed primarily to attract media attention. Do some brainstorming and come up with a publicity stunt to introduce a new kind of gluten-free pizza from the Papa John’s pizza chain. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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Summary: Finding and Making News

SHARED WRITING: FINDING AND MAKING NEWS Surveys indicate that the topic of health generates a lot of media and public interest. How could a manufacturer of vacuum cleaners use this “hook” to generate some publicity for the company and its products? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

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0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 3 Quiz: Finding and Making News

Chapter 4

Working with Journalists and Bloggers Learning Objectives 4.1 Analyze the need to have good media

relations to generate the right coverage and publicity 4.2a Scrutinize how most of the media news

come from public relations sources 4.2b Analyze how public relations is dependent

on the media for the distribution of credible news 4.3 Dissect the different areas in which public

relations and media may not be on the same page 4.4 Report the guidelines for effective media

4.5 Review the responsibilities of being the

media spokesperson of a company 4.6 Examine the steps involved in organizing

and conducting a news conference 4.7a Express the purpose and the types of media

tours 4.7b Describe occasions for which previews and

junkets are appropriate 4.7c Express the purpose and protocol for

editorial board meetings 4.8 Review ways to deal with crisis situations

relationships

4.1:  The Importance of Media Relations 4.1 Analyze the need to have good media relations to generate the right coverage and publicity “Media relations is the crux of all PR. It is about getting your clients in—and keeping your clients out of—the press.” — Ray Kerin, executive director of media relations for Merck, as quoted in PRWeek

Media relations is the building of cordial, ongoing relationships with journalists, editors, and bloggers who cover your organization or industry. It’s a major activity in public relations work. Although public relations work now includes many other functions—such as reputation management, communications strategy, community relations, and even crisis management—most surveys show that public relations personnel in organizations and public relations firms spend a large percentage of their time on media relations.

58

A survey by PRWeek, for example, found that media relations were the number one activity performed by corporate public relations departments. Another study by Corporate Communications International (CCI) found that media relations was a key function in 100 percent of the departments surveyed. Similar surveys of public relations firms also show that media relations are a major source of client billings. Indeed, public relations personnel are the primary contact between the organization and the media. Consequently, it is important to discuss the concepts of effective media relations and how to establish a good working relationship with journalists, editors, and bloggers representing traditional mass media and various online news sites. This chapter explores the symbiotic relationship between publicists and journalists from several perspectives. First we explore how publicists and journalists depend on each other. Then we examine various complaints and pet peeves that public relations practitioners and journalists have about each other. The majority of the chapter then addresses how to work cooperatively with the traditional and online media while informing them of

Working with Journalists and Bloggers  59

your organization’s message. We discuss guidelines for giving effective media interviews, organizing news conferences, conducting media tours, and handling crisis situations. By keeping these guidelines in mind, you will be able to build trusting and productive relationships with journalists.

4.2:  The Interdependence of Public Relations and the Media 4.2a Scrutinize how most of the media news come from public relations sources

public relations. One such study goes back to 1973, when L. V. Sigal wrote Reporters and Officials: The Organization and Politics of Newsmaking. He found that almost 60 percent of the front-page stories in the New York Times and the Washington Post came through routine bureaucratic channels, official proceedings, news releases and conferences, and other planned events. Just 25 percent were the products of investigative journalism. Sigal explained, “The reporter cannot depend on legwork alone to satisfy his paper’s insatiable demand for news. He looks to official channels to provide him with newsworthy material day after day.” “In a lot of ways, PR people do the legwork of journalists— feeding them stories and sources, and doing research.” — Sheldon Rampton, research director of PRWatch, as quoted in the New York Times

4.2b Analyze how public relations is dependent on the media for the distribution of credible news A common activity is a spokesperson for an organization meeting with reporters to provide information. In times of a major crisis or controversy, such meetings may occur several times a day.

4.2.1:  The Media’s Dependence on Public Relations The reality of mass communications today is that reporters and editors spend most of their time processing information, not gathering it. And, although many reporters deny it, most of the information that appears in the media comes from public relations sources, which provide a constant stream of news releases, features, planned events, and tips to the media. Even Gary Putka, the Boston bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, once admitted that “a good 50 percent” of the stories in the newspaper come from news releases. A number of surveys and analyses of media content over the years have documented the media’s reliance on

All this amounts to what O. H. Gandy calls “information subsidies” to the press. In his book, Beyond Agenda Setting: Information Subsidies and Public Policy, he explains that material such as news releases constitutes a “subsidy,” because the source “causes it to be made available at something less than the cost a user would face in the absence of a subsidy.” In other words, public relations materials save media the time, money, and effort of gathering their own news. As one editor of the San Jose (CA) Mercury News once said, publicists are the newspaper’s “unpaid reporters.” Today, traditional print and broadcast media have become even more dependent on public relations sources because newsroom staffs have drastically declined in recent years due to major drops in revenue from advertising. The American Society of News Editors reports that the number of reporters and editors has declined 35 percent since 2007, and the Pew Research Center reports that the number of broadcast journalists is now less than half of what it was in the peak employment period during the l980s. One result of fewer journalists in the trenches is more reliance on social media to constantly feed the demand for 24/7 instant news. An ING research survey in 2014, for example, found that 73 percent of journalists use content such as videos and tweets posted by individual consumers or produced by the public relations staff of various organizations.

60  Chapter 4 The following points summarize how public relations personnel help journalists.

that dominate Twitter feeds. HP Labs, for example, found that “ . . . social media behaves as a selective amplifier for the content generated by traditional media.” VALIDATION OF INFORMATION  The media’s power

and influence in a democratic society are based on the idea that reporters and editors serve as independent filters of information. They are generally perceived as more objective than public relations people, who represent a particular client or organization. This is important because the media, by inference, serve as third-party endorsers of your information. “The PR industry has been built on the knowledge that earned media, traditionally the most influential driver of customer behavior, is gold.” — Mark Hampton, CEO of Blanc & Otus, in PRWeek

4.2.2:  Public Relations’ Dependence on the Media The purpose of public relations is to inform, to shape opinions and attitudes, and to motivate. This can be accomplished only if people receive trustworthy messages constantly and consistently. Consequently, just as the media heavily depends on the constant flow of news and information from public relations sources, the public relations industry depends on a variety of independent media channels to (1) efficiently distribute information to millions of people and (2) serve as a third-party endorser by validating the information as trustworthy and newsworthy. EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTION  The traditional media, even in the Internet age, continue to be cost-effective channels of communication. They are the multipliers that enable millions of people to receive a message at the same time. Thousands of newspapers and magazines, plus hundreds of radio, television, and cable outlets, enable the public relations communicator to reach large audiences over a widespread geographical area. The Wall Street Journal, for example, has a daily print and digital circulation of 2.4 million in contrast to a much more fragmented audience using a variety of news websites. The multiplier effect of traditional media is also evident in terms of the Internet. Research shows most blogs draw their primary content from stories in traditional media, and that mainstream media influence topic trends

Media gatekeepers give your information credibility and importance by deciding that it is newsworthy. The information is no longer from your organization, but from the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, or CNN. Indeed, many public relations professionals talk about this as earned media because their message has “earned” the trust of media gatekeepers who publish or broadcast it as “news” at no cost to the organization. Fraser Seitel, writing in O’Dwyer’s magazine, simply says, “Earned media is the most credible format for public relations writers.” It’s wise to keep in mind that blogs often have a major influence on coverage by the mainstream press. In a study conducted by Brodeur and Marketwire, 62 percent of the journalists surveyed said blogs had a significant impact on the “tone of discussion” in news reporting. The same study found that almost 30 percent of the journalists had their own blogs, either a personal one or as part of their job. Another study by the Arketi Group found that almost 60 percent of journalists say they sometimes get story ideas from blogs. According to Aaron Heinrich and Adam Brown of Ketchum, writing in PRSA’s The Strategist, “Creating an outcome favorable to our companies or clients will mean creating a relationship with a blogger or podcaster in the same way we have relationships with members of traditional media.”

WRITING PROMPT In what ways do you think public relations personnel and journalists are dependent on each other to do their jobs? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

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4.3:  Areas of Friction 4.3 Dissect the different areas in which public relations and media may not be on the same page The working relationship between public relations practitioners and journalists, including bloggers who cover specific topics and have a following, is based on mutual cooperation, trust, and respect. That doesn’t mean, however, that the relationship is always smooth and free of friction. As in any relationship, each group has some pet peeves.

tacts with their email and phone numbers. At other times, reporters complain about corporate telephone trees that lead to voice-mail hell, or public relations reps who don’t return calls or respond to an email query in a timely manner. TRASH AND TRINKETS  Journalists tend to resent the gimmicks that often accompany news releases and packets of information known as media kits. T-shirts, coasters, caps, paperweights, pens, and mugs are often sent, but PRWeek columnist Benedict Carver says these items are dull and overdone: “Everyone has 50 mugs and T-shirts.” Most journalists say gimmicks such as a T-shirt or using a small safe with a media kit inside to announce a new cyber-security product are a waste of time and money. Matt Lake, a senior editor at CNET is even blunter: “These things are really stupid.” TAKING “NO” FOR AN ANSWER  Persistence is consid-

ered a plus in the public relations business, but journalists complain that many publicists don’t understand that a lack of response in a timely manner means that they are not interested. They resent being continually contacted about a story idea or having the same news release sent multiple times. GETTING TO THE POINT  Journalists are constantly

working under deadline and don’t have time for long chats and discussion. They get irritated with public relations representatives who can’t get to the point in the first 30 seconds of a phone call or in the first two lines of an email.

Tips for Success 4.3.1:  Complaints about Public Relations Personnel POORLY WRITTEN MATERIAL  Journalists and popular

How to Make Journalists and Bloggers Happy These guidelines can help you to write a news release that is both appreciated and used.

bloggers receive hundreds of news releases every week. A significant percentage of them are poorly written. Often they (1) sound like an ad in paragraph form, (2) contain too much hype with words and phrases such as “revolutionary, “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the art,” (3) include too much jargon, and (4) contain verbose sentences and paragraphs instead of concise, brief information. SHOTGUN DISTRIBUTION  A major sore spot for many

editors, journalists, and bloggers is the large number of news releases they receive that reflect a total ignorance of a publication’s format and content. Many reporters label such news releases as nothing but spam, and some get so irritated that they “blacklist” the senders to block any further messages from them. LACK OF ACCESS  Journalists and bloggers often have difficulty contacting a public relations representative for an organization. Far too many websites don’t provide links to the public relations department or the names of press con-

SOURCE: Adapted from surveys by PRecious and myNEWSdesk, 2014.

62  Chapter 4

4.3.2:  Complaints about Journalists and Bloggers CONSTANT FLUX  There is constant late-breaking news

so journalists and editors are often indecisive as to whether a story about your organization or client will actually be used. Editors or bloggers may agree to use a story but then change their minds if something else comes up that is more interesting. A reporter may even write a story, or a broadcaster interview a source, but space and time limitations often mean that the story will be axed at the last minute. FAILURE TO CONTACT THE ORGANIZATION  Jour-

nalists, in a hurry to meet deadlines, often fail to contact your organization for a fact-check or a comment even though the story is directly related to the organization. Public relations personnel are also annoyed when a reporter calls at the last minute and wants an immediate off-the-cuff statement. Such an approach often forces an organization to decline comment because it can’t give an instant answer. The ING survey already mentioned found that 45 percent of journalists admit to doing less factchecking, and 55 percent tend to rely only on social media for the “facts” even though they also say social media has a “low degree of reliability.” LACK OF PREPARATION  Journalists and bloggers often

fail to do their “homework” on the organization or the industry. This irritates public relations personnel who must bring a journalist up to speed on basic facts readily available on the website. It also annoys executives who are taking their valuable time to sit for an interview, only to have the reporter display a lack of knowledge about the company or industry and an inability to ask intelligent questions. BIAS  Some reporters already have a preconceived

opinion about a story before they even check the facts. Consequently, their line of questioning is merely to reinforce their own predispositions about how the story should be framed. For many journalists, according to the ING survey, a complaint by a consumer on social media gets the story emphasis instead of the organization’s perspective. SENSATIONALISM  Competition among all media is extremely intense; there’s always pressure to attract readers and viewers with stories that simplify complex issues, concentrate on the negative, and emphasize the highly visual aspects of conflict. Consequently, public relations personnel often complain that the protest demonstration or the highly inflammatory rhetoric of criticism often gets more coverage than the countering viewpoint of the organization being attacked. To them, the concept of fairness and balance has been compromised.

ADVERTISING INFLUENCE  Although mainstream news periodicals and daily newspapers generally keep a high wall between the news and advertising department, this is not always the case in the trade press and among specialized magazines. Beauty, fashion, auto, and home decorating magazines, for example, are well known for running fashion layouts and other features that prominently promote their advertisers. A newer form of advertising influence is sponsored content that appears in the same journalistic format as the publication’s regular news and features. Many media outlets, in order to counter the decline in advertising and subscription revenues, now accept payment from an organization to “sponsor” a column or a feature story that is either prepared by the organization’s public relations staff or, in many cases, actually written by the medium’s own staff. This raises troubling questions about the ethics of blurring the line between earned and paid content if it’s not clearly labeled for the average consumer. If the public perceives that news and features can be “bought,” the value of the media as objective, independent sources of information is compromised. NAME CALLING  Many journalists often disdain public relations as just covert advertising, deception, and manipulation. They use the derogatory term “flack” for spokespersons and frame anything that seems to lack sincerity or substance as a “PR gimmick.” Although all occupations have their share of bad apples, including journalism, public relations professionals say that such blanket name calling impedes mutual respect and cooperation. How many journalists, for example, would resent being called a “hack”?

WRITING PROMPT There is often friction between public relations personnel and journalists. How do you think such friction can be minimized, given the various complaints of both groups? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

4.4:  Building Working Relationships 4.4 Report the guidelines for effective media relationships There will always be areas of friction and disagreement between public relations people and journalists, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a solid working relationship

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based on mutual respect for each other’s work. Indeed, one definition of public relations is the building of relationships between the organization and its various publics, including journalists and bloggers. Regular one-on-one contact with members of the media helps an organization accomplish the objectives of increasing visibility, consumer awareness, and sales of services or products. Thus, distributing information and helping reporters get direct answers from news sources are opportunities to develop positive working relationships, as are the more personal press interviews, news conferences, media tours, and other gatherings discussed in this chapter. In all your dealings with the media, remember that you are making an impression that can help you earn respect and trust—or not. The key is preparation. As book author Dick Martin points out, “In dealing with the press, as in any other business dealing, preparation is compulsory.” This section provides tips and techniques to make sure that you and your organization’s executives are prepared to interact with journalists and bloggers.

4.4.1:  Media Relations 101 Many checklists and guidelines for dealing effectively with the media have been compiled. Most of them are well tested and proven, and a list of these commonsense guidelines is provided in the Tips for Success below. You must always remember, however, that there are no ironclad rules. Media people are also individuals to whom a particular approach may or may not be applicable.

Tips for Success A Media Relations Checklist

64  Chapter 4 Building relationships with bloggers, however, takes time because they are more independent and wary of using public relations materials. “Bloggers are not interested in you, your company, or how cool you think you are. They are interested in their readers. Your pitch should be about their audience and how you can bring value to them.” — Lisa Barone, in her blog, Social Media

Here are some more tips to help you.

Tips for Success Working with Bloggers

As previously mentioned, the blogosphere has had a significant impact on traditional media relations. The influence of the blogosphere means that public relations professionals now include key bloggers—citizen journalists as well as journalists who blog on behalf of their publication or news site—in their media relations outreach efforts. IMG, the organizer of New York Fashion Week, is one of a number of organizations that invite bloggers to news conferences and special events. In fact, IMG issues 10 percent of its press credentials to fashion bloggers. Influential bloggers are also finding themselves being courted with the same intensity as regular journalists. The American Petroleum Institute (API), for example, organized teleconference briefing sessions for bloggers covering the petroleum industry on gasoline prices and other oil industry issues. Weber Shandwick works with about 20 food bloggers on behalf of food industry clients. And General Mills invited 30 “mommy” bloggers to its headquarters for a two-day event to bake in Betty Crocker’s kitchen and taste new products. In Ragan’s PR Daily, Kevin Allen summarizes the following tips on working with journalists and bloggers from Nick Kolakowski, a writer for Slashdot:

Shotgun distribution is as annoying to bloggers as it is for journalists who work in print media. Keep the following guidelines in mind when you’re planning on approaching a blogger with a story, and they may be more receptive to future pitches as well.

• Know what type of stories the publication or blog ­covers • Research recent articles by the reporter or blogger • Double-check the spelling of the reporter or blogger’s name • Don’t pitch stories with no news value just because the client asks • Work on developing long-term relationships even if the reporter turns down your latest story idea

4.4.2:  Media Etiquette The points discussed constitute the core of effective media relations, but there is also a basic etiquette that should be observed when dealing with any member of the media. FOLLOW-UP PHONE CALLS  Don’t call a reporter or an

editor and say, “Did you get my news release?” Such an

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inane question is only a weak attempt at making another pitch for its use. Some publicists strongly defend callbacks as an obligation to their employer or client, but surveys show that such calls are a major irritant to journalists. However, if your boss still insists, it’s better to call or email a reporter to offer some new piece of information or a story angle that may not be explicit in the news release. It’s also OK to do a follow-up phone call if you’re offering an exclusive story and you need to know if the reporter is interested before contacting other journalists. RECORDING INTERVIEWS  Many public relations prac-

titioners now routinely record all interviews with reporters to establish a record of what was said. Such documentation is helpful in case you need to request a correction to a misquote or an error in the facts after the story is published or broadcast. It’s important, however, to inform the reporter that a recording is being made and get permission. There are often state laws regarding recording, so practitioners should be familiar with them. OFF-THE-RECORD COMMENTS  Forget it. There is no

such thing in the digital age of smartphones, Twitter, and instant uploads to Facebook or YouTube. Even if a reporter agrees to interview “off the record,” such promises often get overlooked in the scramble to meet a deadline. Never say anything to a reporter, even after the formal interview is ended, that you would not want to see on the evening news or posted on a blog or Twitter. STORY APPROVAL  Journalists have no obligation to

share their story with you before it is published or broadcast, so don’t ask. You may, however, offer to review the accuracy of key facts and quotes to help the reporter write his or her story. Some reporters appreciate the offer, particularly if the topic is complex, but others will decline.

Tips for Success Correcting Errors in News Stories News coverage isn’t always objective, factual, or accurate. Mistakes happen, and it is likely that you or your employer will have complaints on occasion about inaccurate and unfair news coverage. The following are some approaches you can take:

EXCLUSIVES  On occasion, a public relations strategy is

to offer a media outlet the opportunity to be the first with an important story. In general, prestige publications and blogs are approached with exclusives because other media will follow their lead. The key point is that an exclusive should be offered to only one outlet at a time. At times a company may offer more than one exclusive, each about a different aspect of a new product. In such cases, all recipients should be aware of the other exclusive being offered. LUNCH DATES  Don’t invite a reporter to lunch unless the purpose is to discuss a possible story or to give a background briefing on some upcoming event. You need to be well prepared to give concise information and answer questions because reporters don’t have time for idle chitchat and long lunches. It’s also a good idea to have reporters suggest the restaurant and location that is most convenient for them, to avoid any implication that you’re trying to gain favor by taking them to an expensive restaurant. GIFT GIVING  Many organizations give reporters a souvenir for attending a preview or party. However, it is not wise to give expensive gifts because it raises questions of “influence buying.” In any case, the gift should be available

66  Chapter 4 at the door, and reporters should be given the option of taking the gift or bypassing it. Gifts aren’t necessary, but a personal note or card thanking a reporter or blogger for his or her fine work on a particular article or post is always appreciated and a good way of cementing a continuing, positive relationship. “If it’s worth over $20, I can’t accept it. If it’s worth under $20, it’s crap and I don’t want it.” — Associated Press editor responding to a question about receiving gifts from public relations

Figure 4.1  A spokesperson’s life is a series of media interviews. Most interviews are fairly low-key and with one or two reporters. However, when there is widespread media interest, it can become fairly intense as a hoard of journalists ask you blunt questions and multiple camera flashes blind you. Here, publicist Steve Whitmore talks to the press about the arrest of singer Christina Aguilera in Los Angeles on charges of being drunk in public.

PAYOLA  Almost everyone in public relations and the media agrees that bribery is unethical, but variations of the “pay for play” theme are often tried. Anne Taylor Loft, for example, was criticized for offering gift cards to bloggers who posted favorable reviews of its summer collection. In another example, a publicist emailed media that she would be happy to send a $20 gift certificate as a “thank you” for mentioning her client’s new product. Such tactics are tacky and violate the basic rules of effective media relations. Even the FTC has a rule that bloggers must disclose any payments or free products that they write about.

WRITING PROMPT Is it a good idea to include a promotional T-shirt, a coffee mug, or some other “trinket” to a journalist or blogger when you make a pitch for them to cover your company? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

4.5:  Media Interviews and Being a Spokesperson 4.5 Review the responsibilities of being the media spokesperson of a company A major job responsibility in media relations is to be the spokesperson. You are the human face of the organization, the person quoted in the print media or giving the 30-second statement on television. Many media interviews are one-on-one but, at times, you may be speaking before a forest of microphones and cameras, which can be somewhat intimidating (see Figure 4.1). As a spokesperson, you must correctly reflect the official stance of the organization, but this can raise some concerns about professional ethics if you are asked by your employer or client to provide inaccurate or misleading information. The ethics of being a spokesperson are discussed in the PR Casebook.

PR Casebook: The Ethical Dilemma of Being a Spokesperson One duty of public relations practitioners is to serve as the organization’s official spokesperson. What they tell the media is not considered their personal opinion but management’s response or stance on an issue or situation. Lauren Fernandez, a public relations professional who also blogs about the field, says, “As PR professionals, we represent a client, brand, and organization.” The ethical challenge comes, however, when spokespersons are asked to say things on behalf of management that are misleading and even untrue. In such a situation, many practitioners take the approach that they are only the messenger and are not responsible for the accuracy of the message. Public relations staff for Apple, for example, took this approach when CEO Steve Jobs was diagnosed with cancer. The official announcement was that he was taking a 6-month leave of absence to correct a “hormonal imbalance.” The actual fact was that Jobs had secretly flown to Memphis to receive a liver transplant and needed 6 months

Working with Journalists and Bloggers  67

to recover. The company defended its misleading statements about Jobs’ health saying it was a “private matter,” but many stockholders and financial analysts thought it violated the Securities & Exchange Commission’s requirement regarding the full disclosure of any “material information” that directly affects the future of Apple and its stock price. Other practitioners, however, say their own values and credibility are on the line as a spokesperson and it’s unethical to intentionally distribute false or misleading information. Take Peter E. Kauffmann, the communications director and press secretary of New York’s Governor David Paterson. He resigned after the governor was involved in a scandal charging that he used his influence to suppress charges of domestic violence against one of his closest aides. Kauffmann announced that he could no longer “in good conscience” continue to serve because he had come to doubt the truthfulness of what Governor Paterson wanted him to say about the allegations. Several weeks later, the governor’s press secretary, Marissa Shorenstein, also resigned her $154,000 job for the same reasons.

WRITING PROMPT The role of spokesperson raises some ethical questions for you to think about. What would you do as a spokesperson if a client or employer gave you information that you knew was false or misleading? Would you justify your actions by saying that you were only the messenger or would you quit? Is there anything you could do between these two extremes? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

BEING A SPOKESPERSON  There are many tip lists on

how to be a spokesperson, but some points are worth noting here. First, if a reporter calls to request an interview, you should interview the reporter first. Some common questions are: • What topics do you regularly cover and what media outlet employs you? • What is your query or story about? • In what ways can I assist you? • What kinds of information do you need from me or others? • What is your deadline? By asking such questions, you can decide if you are qualified to answer the reporter’s questions or whether someone else in the organization would be a better source. You may also decide that the context of the story is not

appropriate for your organization and decline to be interviewed. For example, the reporter may ask you to comment or speculate on some topic that has no relevant connection to the organization’s policies or products. One danger in a telephone interview is that you may be caught off guard and will not have time to formulate your thoughts. Before you know it, you and the reporter are chatting away like old friends about a number of topics. This is fine, but do remember that your name and a quote will probably appear in the article or as a soundbite on a newscast. It may be used accurately, or it may be completely out of context. The following tips, compiled from a number of sources, give additional advice on how to handle media interviews and also prepare the organization’s executives to be effective spokespersons.

68  Chapter 4 Keep in mind that in today’s world, more casual dress is often the uniform, so an appropriate outfit will depend on the person’s position (computer guru or corporate CEO) and the interview format. If you’re in the entertainment business and appearing on Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, all this advice can be ignored.

Tips for Success Eight Tips for a Spokesperson Have you just become a spokesperson for an organization? Here are some pointers adapted from a Mr. Media Training blog post by Brad Phillips, president of Phillips Media Relations.

Other media training experts have elaborated on this list. One common suggestion is to provide reporters with company background materials in advance. This will help them get facts and names correct. Body language is important. Be confident and relaxed, always look a reporter in the eye, keep your hands open, and smile and lean forward when you’re talking. The idea, says Stephen Rafe of Rapport Communications, is to be assertive and avoid being defensive, passive, submissive, or aggressive. Grooming and dress are also important in a television program or videos posted on organizational websites or even YouTube. Men should wear suits or sports jackets that have muted colors and avoid white shirts or flashy ties. Pale blue, gray, or tan shirts with no noticeable pattern are best. Women should dress conservatively in dresses or suits. Any jewelry that dangles, jingles, or flashes should be avoided, and makeup should be the kind that is normally worn for business. For any television appearance, the producer may suggest some makeup. This should not be resisted; even the nation’s presidents have used it.

WRITING PROMPT A reporter from the local daily is going to interview you about your company’s position on raising the minimum hourly age for workers. What things should you keep in mind as you prepare for this interview? What tips would you also keep in mind as you answer the reporter’s questions? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

Working with Journalists and Bloggers  69

4.6:  News Conferences 4.6 Examine the steps involved in organizing and conducting a news conference A news conference is a setting where many reporters ask questions. It is called by an organization when there is important and significant news to announce, news that will attract major media and public interest.

Figure 4.2  A news conference is held when there is an issue or event of widespread public interest and reporters are seeking clarification or more information. In times of disaster or other crises, spokespersons give “news briefings” on practically an hourly basis. In the case of a corporation announcing a new policy, merger, or new product, news conferences are more formal and planned in advance.

A news conference can be conducted in person or via a teleconference or a webcast, as discussed in the next sections. In any case, keep in mind that spokespeople will need to be able to respond to questions with both poise and appropriate responses. The Tips for Success provides some tips for handling more difficult questions on the fly.

Tips for Success Alternatives to Saying “No Comment” Most media guidelines emphasize that public relations personnel should always be helpful to and cooperative with the media. However, there are times when the best course of action is to not answer a reporter’s question. Instead of saying “no comment,” however, you should explain why you can’t respond to the question.

Bulldog Reporter, a media relations newsletter, gives the following list of instances appropriate for news conferences: • An announcement of considerable importance to a large number of people in the community is to be made. • A matter of public concern needs to be explained. • Reporters have requested access to a key individual, and it is important to give all media equal access to the person. • A new product or an invention in the public interest is to be unveiled, demonstrated, and explained to the media. • A person of importance is coming to town, and there are many media requests for interviews.

4.6.1:  Standard News Conferences

• A complex issue or situation is to be announced, and the media need access to someone who can answer their questions.

The following information is about the planning of a standard news conference. In times of crisis and natural disasters, news conferences are much more informal and held without much advance notice.

In other words, don’t use news conferences to make routine announcements that are self-explanatory and don’t require elaboration. A better approach is to just distribute a news release or post the information on the organization’s website or social media platforms.

SCHEDULING A NEWS CONFERENCE  The news conference should be scheduled at a time that is convenient for the reporters—that is, with an eye on the deadlines of the media represented. In general, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday mornings are best for dailies and broadcast

70  Chapter 4 media. This allows sufficient time for reporters to get stories in the next morning’s daily or on the 6 p.m. news. If the primary audience is the trade press—reporters representing publications in a particular industry—late afternoon news conferences may be more convenient. Avoid weekends, as well as major holidays. Most media operate with skeleton staffs on these days and don’t have the personnel to cover news conferences. Also, avoid news conferences after 5 p.m. Major newspapers and broadcast outlets are unionized, and they prefer not to pay reporters overtime. Another consideration is to schedule the news conference on a day when there are no other major news conferences by other organizations. The Associated Press (AP) bureau in major cities often maintains a “day book” of upcoming events, including news conferences that have already been scheduled.

in the announcement. It is better to invite too many than to omit some who may feel slighted. Invitations take various forms, depending on the event and the creativity of the public relations person.

SELECTING A LOCATION  A location for a news confer-

ence must meet several criteria. If the news conference will also be broadcast live via satellite to reporters in various cities, a satellite distribution firm will send a media advisory. Apple, for example, regularly uses live satellite feeds whenever CEO Tim Cook unveils a new product. Use the telephone or email if the conference is being scheduled on short notice, which often occurs in the wake of a natural disaster. In any case, the invitation should state the time and place, the subject to be discussed, and the names of the principal spokespeople who will attend. Invitations to news conferences about new product launches and other major corporate announcements should be sent 10 to 14 days in advance and be marked “RSVP,” so that you can make an informed estimate regarding the size of the meeting room, the number of media kits needed, and what special equipment will be required. Reporters are notorious for not responding to RSVPs, so it is standard procedure to phone or email them several days before the event and encourage their attendance. HANDLING THE CONFERENCE  It is important that a news

INVITATIONS  The invitation list should include all

reporters and influential bloggers who might be interested

conference be well organized, short, and punctual. It is not a symposium or a seminar. A news conference should run no more than an hour, and statements by spokespeople should be relatively brief, allowing reporters time to ask questions. You should brief your employer or clients on what they are going to say, how they are going to say it, and what visual aids will be used to illustrate their announcement. Reporters should receive copies of the text for each speech and other key materials such as PowerPoint presentations, charts, executive bios, and background materials. These are often given to reporters in the form of a media kit. It’s also important to establish ground rules for the conduct of the news conference. Usually, brief opening statements are made, followed by a Q&A session. If there are many attendees, it might be wise to consider the format

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of one question and follow-up per person. This ensures that more people can ask a question rather than having one or two reporters dominate the session. The other consideration is to keep on track. Reporters often take the opportunity to ask oddball questions that distract from the stated purpose and objectives of the new conference. Coffee, fruit juice, and rolls can be served prior to the opening of a morning news conference. Avoid trying to serve a luncheon or cocktails to reporters attending a news conference. They have deadlines and other assignments and don’t have time to socialize.

A teleconference or Webcast can be effective for several reasons. First, it is a cost-effective way to interact with reporters on a somewhat one-to-one basis. Second, it is convenient for the media. Rather than taking time to travel to and from a news conference, reporters can participate from their desks. Third, conference calls and Webcasts can generate more “attendance” by journalists in other cities. Here are some guidelines for holding a teleconference or Webcast:

AFTER THE CONFERENCE  Immediately after the news

• The teleconference or Webcast should last no more than 45 to 60 minutes.

conference, the spokespeople should remain in the room and be available for any reporters who need one-on-one interviews. This can be done in a quiet corner or in a room adjacent to the site. You should be readily accessible during the remainder of the day in case reporters or bloggers need more information or think of other questions as they prepare their stories. Make sure you know how to reach executives who were part of the presentation, just in case a reporter needs to check a fact or get another quote. It’s also time to “package” the news conference by preparing short video clips for distribution through social media platforms, employee intranets, news websites, blogs, and through a B-roll available via the Internet or satellite to television stations. The extent of the media outreach, however, depends on the nature of the topic and the level of public interest. GM, for example, did extensive “packaging” of the CEO’s news conferences about product defects and the company’s massive recall program.

4.6.2:  Teleconferences and Webcasts A news conference can also be held via phone (teleconference) or video (Webcast). The technology is simple: a speakerphone hookup or a video streamed via the Internet or a satellite dish. According to a survey by the National Investors Relations Institute (NIRI), almost 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies use large-scale conference calls to announce and disseminate quarterly financial results. In addition, NIRI estimates that one in three U.S. businesses uses teleconferences with journalists at least once a month.

• Invite reporters and key bloggers to participate in advance.

• Remember time zones when scheduling such an event.

4.7:  Media Tours and Other Events 4.7a Express the purpose and the types of media tours 4.7b Describe occasions for which previews and junkets are appropriate 4.7c Express the purpose and protocol for editorial board meetings Media tours are popular because an organization’s executive can give personalized interviews with TV news anchors across the country from one location. In late-­ breaking news, TV anchors often do a Skype interview from a person’s desk. In a media tour, however, the organization’s executive will often go to a TV studio that will do a two-way satellite “feed” to the TV station.

4.7.1:  Media Tours An alternative to the news conference, which is held in one location, is the media tour. As in the case of the news conference, many organizations today opt for a teleconference

72  Chapter 4 or Skype interview because of cost effectiveness. A more personal approach is a series of visits to multiple cities and a number of media outlets. Although the ultimate purpose of any media tour is to generate news coverage for the client or employer, there are two kinds of media tours. The first has the immediate objective of generating media coverage. The second is focused on providing background and establishing a working relationship. GENERATING COVERAGE  If the goal is to generate cov-

erage, a spokesperson goes on a media tour and is booked on locally produced broadcast shows in various cities to appear in person or via a satellite media tour. The publicist also will arrange local print media interviews, to capitalize on the idea that a “local” angle often gets more media attention. A good example of how a personalized media tour works is a marketing communications program conducted on behalf of Step Reebok, an adjustable device for step training. The objective was to promote the product and physical fitness in general. Rich Boggs, founder of Sports Step and creator of the adjustable step, was an ideal spokesperson. He went on a 14-city media tour to promote step training and his product. Because physical fitness was topical and trendy, he was able to get on 24 different TV news and talk shows, 4 of which were national. He also gave 21 radio interviews and was the subject of more than 20 newspaper feature articles. The media tour, a key element in an overall marketing communications program, led to a 45 percent increase in sales of Step Reebok. A comparable advertising campaign would have cost almost $750,000. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING  The second purpose of a

media tour is to cultivate relationships with influential members of the media that may result in more continuous coverage over the long term. An organization’s officials visit key editors to acquaint them with the organization and what products or services it provides. This is called a desktop tour in reference to the editor’s or reporter’s desk, but in reality it usually takes place in a conference room or at a local Starbucks. Unlike the first kind of tour, which focuses on the general media, these tours primarily involve publications that cover specific industries. At times, a desktop tour is also used to reach financial analysts who track a specific industry and make stock recommendations. It would be difficult to get representatives from national business and trade publications to visit the offices of a small company. Yet by taking the president, the director of public relations, and perhaps the chief financial officer to the publication in person or via a teleconference, it’s possible to arrange an interactive meeting with the editors. Your presentation may not result in a story immediately, but you will have laid the groundwork for future coverage. THE ROLE OF A PR FIRM  Public relations firms often are

hired to arrange media tours.

Of course, an account executive from the public relations firm goes on the media tour and coordinates all the logistics.

4.7.2:  Previews and Parties Three basic situations warrant a press preview or party: 1. the opening of a new facility, 2. the launch of a new product, and 3. the announcement of a new promotion for an already established product. Journalists are often invited to tour a new facility before it is open to the general public. This allows them to prepare stories that will appear one or two days before the grand opening. From a public relations standpoint, this kind of coverage helps generate public awareness of the new facility and often increases opening-day crowds. Theme park Dollywood, for example, invited the press to preview a new ride called “River Battle” before the ride opened to the public. The invitation, sent to reporters via first-class mail, noted, “Media check-in begins at 9 a.m. at Dollywood’s front gate. Please present this invitation for complimentary parking. Lunch will be served. RSVP by April 4th to [email protected].” Demonstrations of new products also lend themselves to press previews. This is particularly true in high technology, where sophisticated products can be put through their paces by the engineers who developed them. Many companies have a press preview of their products just before a major trade show. The advantage is that reporters from all over the country are already gathered in one place. New campaigns for old products also generate their share of press previews and parties. The Champagne Wine Information Bureau, for example, invited food and wine journalists to a tasting at the Bubble Lounge in New York to kick off Champagne Week, a nationwide promotion. Previews may also include a cocktail party or a dinner. One national company combined a press preview of its new headquarters building with a party that included cocktails and dinner. This kind of event falls into the category of relationship building and networking. It allows company executives to meet reporters in a casual atmosphere. Ultimately, this helps executives feel more relaxed when a reporter they

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already know wants to interview them for a story. Unlike news conferences, press previews are often held after “working hours,” when reporters are not on deadline.

PR Casebook: The Wall Street Journal Previews a New Hotel A targeted preview by a prestige publication can also generate coverage and buzz. Nancy J. Friedman Public Relations was able to convince the editor of the Wall Street Journal’s Off-Duty Section to preview the new Hotel Williamsburg in Brooklyn, by featuring its four cocktail lounges serving the creations of well-known mixologists Alchemy Consulting. The editor attended a tasting of four signature cocktails on the hotel’s rooftop lounge and wrote a half-page story a month before the hotel opened. The story generated strong pre-opening buzz among the Journal’s 1.9 million subscribers and its WSJ online site with 5.7 million monthly visitors.

4.7.3:  Press Junkets A variation on the press preview is the press tour. In the trade, such events are also called junkets. Within the travel and tourism industry, they are called fam trips, which are shorthand for familiarization tour. By whatever name, they usually involve invitations to key reporters, bloggers, and experienced freelance writers for an expense-paid trip to witness an event, view a new product, tour a facility, or visit a resort complex. Figure 4.3 shows a fam trip for a cruise ship line.

Figure 4.3  An important tool in travel promotion is the press junket. Travel writers are taken as guests to inspect a destination such as a resort complex or even a new ship. Royal Caribbean, for example, invited journalists to take a tour and even a short cruise on its new Oasis of the Seas. Many resulting stories focused on the sheer size of the ship—longer than four football fields, with a capacity of 6,300 passengers and 2,100 crew members.

Although all-expense-paid junkets are a well-established practice, journalists remain somewhat divided about the ethics of participating in them. Some feel the acceptance of free trips is a corrupting influence on journalistic freedom. Some large media organizations, such as the New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and USA Today, even have policies against free trips. They see no reason why a reporter has to travel all the way to Iceland for the unveiling of a new underwear line. Other organizations, such as the Chicago Tribune and CNN, will not accept expense-paid trips but will pay a discount “press rate” on airfares and hotel rooms if they think the tour is sufficiently newsworthy. Still other media outlets, smaller and less wealthy, have no qualms whatsoever about accepting free trips. As a consequence, public relations people must carefully consider all aspects of sponsoring a junket and determine whether the cost is justified in terms of potential benefits. One of the most important things to remember, says Andrea Graham in O’Dwyer’s PR Services Report, “is that a sponsored trip is not accepted in exchange for a rave review. It’s simply a means of facilitating a writer ’s research.” In other words, there is no guarantee that a story will be written or that it will be positive. To be effective and generate good media relations, a press tour must be well planned and organized. There must be a legitimate news angle, and it should not be just a vacation with plenty of free food and booze. Lavish entertainment and the giving of expensive gifts are frowned upon in the ethics code of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Arranging media tours and junkets is not as glamorous as many people might think. Your job as a public relations staffer is to take care of virtually everything—airline tickets, press kits, itineraries, hotel rooms, local transportation, event tickets, menus, and even special requests from somewhat jaded journalists who expect first-class treatment. According to Teri Grove, owner of a Denver firm specializing in travel tourism, “Hosting a press trip is

74  Chapter 4 extremely labor intensive, since no detail can be overlooked during the trip, from the moment guests are greeted at the airport to their departure.”

WRITING PROMPT Your company CEO thinks it would be a great idea to introduce a new thermal underwear line in Iceland and invite journalists on a junket to that nation for the event. Is this a good idea? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

rated into future news stories and editorials, or do you want them to write an editorial supporting you? The best approach is to have a well-informed senior person from your organization give the presentation. This may be the company president, but it can also be an expert in a particular field, such as law, accounting, environmental standards, technology, etc., depending on the issue. In general, your role as the public relations person is not to give the presentation but to make arrangements for the meeting, prepare the background materials, and help your spokesperson prepare for it. When meeting with editorial page staff or the publication’s section editors, keep these tips from the experts in mind.

4.7.4:  Editorial Board Meetings The key editors of a newspaper or news website meet on a regular basis to determine news and editorial policy. Your client or employer, on occasion, may wish to meet with them as part of an overall strategy of developing longterm relationships. Joan Stewart, writing in PR Tactics, says there are five reasons for meeting with key editors or the entire editorial board, possibly including the managing editor and the publisher. 1. You want the newspaper’s support for a cause or issue. 2. You’re about to announce a sensitive and possibly controversial news story. Meeting with the board before the story appears gives you a chance to provide background and context, so the publication can do a better job of reporting the story. 3. The newspaper has been printing unfavorable editorials about you, and you want to present your side in hopes it will change its perspective. 4. You feel the newspaper has been treating you unfairly in its news stories, and you’ve gotten nowhere with the reporter or junior editors. 5. You want to introduce your new CEO to the board for a “getting-to-know you” session. In general, you contact the editorial page director (a phone call is best) and request a meeting with the editorial staff. As a follow-up, many editors want a tightly written, one-page letter outlining who you represent, what issues you would like to cover, and why your representatives are the best qualified to discuss the issue. Don’t weigh down your first letter or email with a media kit or other background information. Once you have an appointment, you should develop a message that focuses on three or four key points. You should also decide in advance what you want to accomplish in the meeting. Do you simply want the editors to know about your viewpoint so it can perhaps be incorpo-

Ann Higbee, managing partner at Eric Mower and Associates, sums up the value of editorial boards. She writes, in Public Relations Tactics, “Building good working relationships with the editorial board can help your organization get credit for the positive things it does and lays the groundwork for public understanding in tough times.”

4.8:  Crisis Communication 4.8 Review ways to deal with crisis situations A good working relationship with the media is severely tested in times of crisis. All the rules and guidelines stated previously about working effectively with the press are magnified and intensified when something out of the ordinary occurs and thus becomes extremely newsworthy. There are many dimensions of what constitutes a crisis for a company or an organization. Kathleen Fearn-Banks, in her book Crisis Communications: A Casebook Approach, says, “A crisis is a major occurrence with a potentially negative outcome affecting the organization, company, or industry, as well as its publics, products, services, or good name.”

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Here is a sampling of major crises that have hit various organizations: • Indiana had to deal with extensive negative publicity and a loss in tourism and business after the state legislature passed a controversial religious freedom act that was interpreted by critics as being discriminatory against gays. • GM had to deal with a massive auto recall as a result of not dealing effectively with the ignition flaw in some of its models. • The NFL suffered major reputational damage when it was widely criticized for failing to adequately discipline Ray Rice for domestic violence. • Malaysian Airlines faced a crisis in terms of consumer confidence after Malaysian Flight 370 disappeared without a trace. • The Florida tourist industry faced a major crisis when the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused a massive decline of hotel reservations and tourists in the state.

These situations, no matter what the circumstances, constitute major crises because the reputation of the company, industry, or product is in jeopardy. Economic survival is at stake, and a company can lose millions of dollars overnight if the public perceives that a problem exists. The key to successful dealings with the media during a crisis is to become a credible source of information.

“The level of transparency that a crisis demands since the advent of microblogs and online forums is dramatically greater than before. The more you share information on social networks to build transparency, the better.” — Rriya Ramesh, head of social media practice at CRT/ tanaka, writing in The Ragan Report

These guidelines reflect plain common sense, but when a crisis hits, it is surprising how many organizations go into a defensive mode and try to stonewall the media. Jack-inthe-Box, for example, violated the tenets of crisis communications in the first days of reported food poisonings. The company initially said “no comment” and then waited 3 days to hold a news conference, at which the company president tried to shift the blame to the meatpacking company. A better approach would have been to (1) take responsibility, (2) offer compensation and an apology to the victims, and (3) assure the public that the company was taking steps to ensure that the situation would never happen again. David Vogel, a business professor at the University of California in Berkeley, says, “There are two principles: accept responsibility and take action.” Even if the organization is a victim, such as the Florida tourism industry dealing with BP’s oil spill, it is important to be proactive in terms of what is being done about the problem and to reassure potential tourists about the industry’s efforts to clean up all the beaches to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the public.

PR Casebook: Boston Marathon Bombing Makes Hospital a Crisis Center It was a routine day for Jerry Berger, director of media relations for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He was on the train back home when the news flashed that a deadly bombing at the 116th annual Boston Marathon and a portion of the 264 injured were being transported to his hospital. He rushed back to coordinate the media’s intense interest, but that was only the tip of the iceberg for him and his staff. “Over the course of the time that we were involved, we had more than 1,000 media inquiries.” — Jerry Berger, director of media relations for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

76  Chapter 4 Several days later, police transported the first suspect to the hospital at 1 a.m. He died 15 minutes later, but that night the suspect’s brother was brought to the hospital after being seriously injured during a police dragnet. All of a sudden, there was “satellite farm” of media outside the hospital, and Berger’s staff began working “23-hour days” to cope with media queries about the two suspects and the condition of those injured in the bombing. The hospital also had to communicate via social and mainstream media to the families of bomb victims, and cancel numerous patient appointments for the next day as police and the FBI locked down the entire hospital. The law

enforcement agencies controlled all information about the suspects, but Berger and his staff had to constantly issue bulletins about the condition of the bombing victims, in terms of how many were still critical and so on. There were also many media requests to interview the victims over the next 6 weeks as patients were treated and released, but the hospital refused to grant any such requests because of patient privacy. Summarized from “Code Red: When the Biggest Story in the World Unfolds in Your Lobby” By Kyra Auffermann in The Strategist, Summer 2013.

Summary: Working with Journalists and Bloggers

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Shared Writing: Working with Journalists and Bloggers What causes the most friction between public relations personnel and journalists? Is there a solution? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

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0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 4 Quiz: Working with Journalists and Bloggers

Chapter 5

Writing the News Release Learning Objectives 5.1 Report the challenges to publishing an

effective news release 5.2 Examine the importance of news releases

5.4 Review the seven basic components of a

news release 5.5 Describe the different news release formats

over advertisements 5.3 Review the process of planning for a news

release

5.1:  The Backbone of Publicity Programs 5.1 Report the challenges to publishing an effective news release The news release, traditionally called a press release back in the days when releases were only sent to newspapers, has been a staple of the public relations business for more than a century. Indeed, the basic template used today goes back to l906 when Ivy Lee, a leading pioneer in the development of the public relations field, wrote a “press” release for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Today, the news release (many in the industry still call it a press release) remains an integral part of almost every public relations plan that requires extensive media outreach. There are, however, two sobering facts. First, various studies have found that between 55 and 97 percent of all news releases sent to media outlets are never used. Second, there is massive competition for the attention of reporters and editors. “It’s possible to land a good story via a news release, but it must be very well-written, targeted to the right reporter, sent with a specific story idea via the headline, and you may also have to get lucky.” — Jason Gilbert, senior editor of Yahoo Tech, in a Forbes.com article by Robert Wynne

Feature Photo Services, for example, estimates that daily newspapers receive about 2,000 news releases a day. In addition, many reporters say they receive several hundred on an average day. Many come via snail mail, but the majority is sent via email and electronic distribution ­services such as Business Wire, PR Newswire, and ­Marketwire. Lou ­Hoffman, CEO of the Hoffman Agency, estimates that just

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these three services alone processed almost 650,000 releases in a recent year or about l, 800 releases a day. And to make things even more competitive, a study by Greentarget found that almost 70 percent of journalists spend less than a minute reading a news release if they are interested enough to open it. All other releases are dealt with in less than a second with a click on the delete button. Given the odds, this means you must do three things if your release content is to stand a chance of being read or even published. First, you must follow a standardized format. Second, you must provide information that will interest the audience. And third, your material must be timely. As Wikipedia notes, a news release is “… for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value.” This chapter outlines how to prepare news releases that will meet these criteria. The focus is on describing the various types of information that can be the subject of a news release and outlining the basic components of a news release. In addition, this chapter will show you how to format the standard, traditional news release and how the format is somewhat different for an online news release. A third format is the multimedia news release that embeds photos, video, and social media links in the basic news release. The chapter ends with some new ways that are being used to format and distribute news release information.

5.2:  The Value of News Releases 5.2 Examine the importance of news releases over advertisements So why write a news release? The primary reason, of course, is to help achieve organizational objectives. News

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releases, when they form the basis of stories in the news columns of newspapers and magazines or are part of a TV news hour, create awareness about ideas, situations, services, and products for literally millions of people. A new product on the market, or an appeal for Red Cross blood donations, is brought to the attention of the public. A manufacturer of a potato-chip maker, for example, sold out its entire stock after the New York Times included parts of a news release in an article about new kitchen gadgets.

mainstream media originated with material (including news releases) distributed by public relations practitioners. The website editors were even more shocked to find out that many releases were published verbatim or with only minor changes.

“What’s the purpose of a press release? It’s not to get people to read the press release. It’s to sell a product, stock, or image. A press release is a vehicle to complete that transaction, whatever your campaign may be.” — Sandra Azzollini, Web manager for PR Newswire

Indeed, the humble news release still has value, despite pronouncements by various social media gurus that it is a relic of the stone age and a “dreadful animal that should be put out of its misery” in the age of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and blogs. Even journalists disagree with the latter assessment. Gregg Litman, senior news producer of WCCO-TV, told blogger Arik Hanson, “… We still need information/text to save, forward in office, give to reporters, and use as a reference.” Many public relations practitioners also disagree that the news release is dead.

News releases are also cost effective. Almost any organization, from a garden club to IBM, can create and distribute news releases at nominal cost compared to the cost of buying advertising. There is also the factor of credibility. News releases appear in the news columns of newspapers, and studies consistently show that people consider information in a news story to be much more believable than an advertisement. In one such study, the Wirthlin Group surveyed 1,000 adults. Almost 30 percent of the respondents said that a news article would affect their buying decisions, whereas only 8 percent indicated that an advertisement would. News releases also continue to serve the needs of the media because (1) they are a major information source of story ideas for journalists and bloggers, and (2) they are the basis of many news stories that, in turn, are amplified through blogs, re-tweets, and links via email and social media platforms. In fact, a survey of consumers by Inkhouse and GMI found that the traditional news release was the most trusted source of company-generated news. Sarah Skerik, vice president of content marketing for PR Newswire, makes the following points about its distribution services:

“A recent survey of journalists by Atlanta PR firm Arketi Group found news releases are used by 90 percent of business journalists as sources for story ideas.” — Craig McGuire, PRWeek

WRITING PROMPT It is often claimed that news releases are the backbone of any public relations campaign. Do you agree? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

5.3:  Planning a News Release 5.3 Review the process of planning for a news release It has already been noted that public relations sources account for a large percentage of published and posted news stories. Even the UK website Churnalism. org found that more than half the news reported by

Practically any topic can be the subject of a news release. Some of the most common release topics, according to PRWeb, are (1) announcing a new product or feature, (2) winning an award, (3) hosting a fundraising dinner or

80  Chapter 5 technology seminar, (4) announcing an executive appointment or promotion, (5) acquiring or merging with another company, (6) donating money or services to a charity group, and (7) sharing survey results. The topic is often a given depending on your client or employer, but figuring out the best news angle that will draw the attention of journalists and online readers is a bit more difficult. Mickie Kennedy, president of eReleases, poses some questions that you can ask yourself: • How can I tie my company into current events and other popular news stories? • Is there a new angle on an old story? • Do I have any well-known, respected customers or clients whom I can quote? • Has anyone in the company received a special award? • Are we using any innovative processes or technologies that make us stand out? • What industry trends can be commented on? • Do we have any interesting statistics or case studies? To help you select a news angle, you can also use the Autocomplete tool on the Google News site. It provides the most popular search phrases related to topics or key words that you enter. In this way, you can write a news release that uses key words and phrases that are of most interest to millions of people who do searches on Google. Other tools are Google Trends and Google Adwords. The first step before writing anything, however, is to complete a planning worksheet.

5.3.1:  Use a Worksheet to Answer Basic Questions

• What key messages should this news release highlight? How can they be tailored to the format of a specific publication and its readers? These questions enable you to select and structure the content of a news release from a public relations perspective. The release can still meet the journalistic goal of presenting information objectively and in correct newspaper or broadcast style, but it must also be carefully crafted to include key messages. This kind of planning is the major difference between writing as a journalist and writing as a public relations professional. At the same time, however, you must think like a journalist. Every time journalists receive a news release, they ask themselves “So what?” and “Who cares?” In other words, their primary criterion for using a news release is whether it’s interesting and of benefit to their readers or viewers. They don’t care about your client or employer’s effort to publicize a new product, an award, or even enhance the company’s reputation. Review the six questions in the Tips for Success below to determine if your news release is really newsworthy. In many cases, the answer would be “NO.”

Tips for Success Is Your Release Newsworthy? A news release must be written to help an organization accomplish its objectives, but the effort is often wasted if the information is not interesting or relevant to journalists and their audiences. Susan Young, a producer of a video series about publicity techniques, says public relations writers should ask themselves these six questions:

The news angle and the content of your news release are best defined by completing a planning worksheet before you begin to write. The worksheet should answer the following questions: • What is the subject of the message? What is the specific focus of this release? • Who is this message designed to reach? For example, is it aimed at local citizens, or is it mainly for executives in other companies who read the business page and might order the product? • What is in it for this particular audience? What are the potential benefits and rewards? • What goal is the organization pursuing? What is the organization’s purpose? Is it to increase sales of a product? Position the company as a leader in the field? Show company concern for the environment? • What do you want to achieve with the news release? Is the objective to inform, to change attitudes and behavior, or to increase attendance at a local event?

SOURCE: Young, S. (2011, February 9). “Deciding What’s News: Six Questions to Determine If Your Story Is Newsworthy.” Retrieved from www.getinfrontcommunications.com.

Writing the News Release 81

In terms of format and content, a news release should be the same as a news story. Many of the same rules, including those about news values, still apply. Like a journalist, a public relations writer needs to include the five Ws and one H: who, what, when, where, why, and how. If you have the answers to these questions at your fingertips, you are ready to begin. In addition, you need to be thoroughly familiar with the Associated Press Stylebook. It’s the standard reference for writing news releases because most American newspapers use “AP style” or some variation of it. If a news release conforms to AP style, it makes the work of reporters and editors much easier.

5.4:  The Basic Components of a News Release 5.4 Review the seven basic components of a news release The news release has seven components: (1) release template, (2) headline, (3) dateline, (4) lead paragraph, (5) body of text, (6) boilerplate about the organization, and (7) contacts. See if you can identify which of these components are shown in Figure 5.1.

Figure 5.1  The first page of this news release, distributed by PRNewswire on behalf of Varsity Tutors, shows the basic format and components of an online news release that is emailed to journalists and bloggers. Notice that several links are given in the news release, so a reader can also click on them to look at the organization’s website or directly access the infographic described in the release. Another popular technique is to use bullets for better readability.

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5.4.1:  News Release Template Many organizations use their letterhead or a standard news release template for the first page. The template often gives the name of the organization and its logo, address, telephone number, and website. The name and contact information of the public relations person is also included by various organizations, but the standard today is to list the contact at the end of the news release to ensure that the news release headline gets top billing. In an online news release, for example, the copy above the “fold” (what fills the page on the computer screen) gets the most attention from journalists and search engines. This is related to SEO, or search engine optimization, which will be discussed shortly. The phrase “For Immediate Release” was often used in the past but has now been dropped because it’s not relevant in the digital age of instant 24/7 news. There are times, however, that a writer will request a specific release time, such as “For Release after 1 p.m. on March 31.” This is often done when the release is an advance summary of a speech or an award that will be given the next day. The primary reason is that unplanned things happen. The speaker or award recipient, because of a plane delay or another emergency, may not show up. In such a case, the media would look foolish reporting on a speech or an award that was never given. On occasion, an organization will attempt to “embargo” information about a major new product until a formal announcement at a news conference or a meeting. Apple Inc., for example, often sends advance material to the media but with the understanding that they won’t publish or broadcast it until the official unveiling at Macworld or a similar venue. But, of course, leaks always occur. In general, publicists use the embargo sparingly—usually in the case of announcing a major new product, a merger between two major companies, or a change in executive leadership.

Headlines have to be factual, devoid of hype, and offer something of value or interest to the reader. A good axiom is to always test your proposed headline by the “So what?” and “Who cares?” criteria. If the answer is no one, start over. The format is easier than the writing. In general, news releases should contain a headline of 10 words or less. Other professionals say they should be a maximum of 50 to 70 characters. In either case, make headlines boldface and in a larger font (14 or 16 point) than the text of the news release. Here are some examples: Merck Develops New Drug for Asthma Sufferers Comcast Donates $250,000 to Tornado Relief Efforts Southwest Airlines Names New Vice President of Cargo & Charters ADDING A SUMMARY STATEMENT  Most news

releases today also include a subhead that is also called a summary. It’s basically a synopsis of the information contained in the release. There are two reasons for including a summary in your news release. First, it gives reporters and editors a quick preview of the key information. Second, search engines such as Google or aggregators like Digg often display only the headline, the summary, and a link to the news release, so it’s wise to have the core information summarized for search engine optimization (SEO). This is further explained the Online News Release section.

5.4.2:  News Release Headline Headlines are difficult to write. Some say that the headline takes about 50 percent of the time needed to write a news release because you have to be creative, in a few brief words, to write something that persuades people to continue reading. It’s better, for example, to write “15 Ways to Study for a Test” than have a headline that says, “Research Shows Students Study for Tests in Different Ways.” At the same time, headlines are supposed to give the “bottom line”—the most newsworthy aspect of the story—because surveys show that 8 out of 10 people (including journalists) will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. “On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent 80 cents of your dollar.” — David Ogilvy, a legend in the advertising business

Figure 5.2 shows the content summarized in the subhead of this eBay news release.

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Figure 5.2  News releases often have a major headline followed by a subhead or statement that summarizes the key information so busy journalists and bloggers can immediately assess the news value. Business Wire, a major distributer of news releases, also inserts a key quote from the release into the middle of the page that provides even more information. This release for eBay was distributed in English, Spanish, and Portuguese because it was sent to media in several South American nations.

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5.4.3:  News Release Dateline The dateline appears at the start of the lead paragraph, which is discussed in the next section. The dateline is simply the city where the release originated, in all capital letters, followed by the date. You don’t have to mention the state if a major city such as CHICAGO is used, but the current Associated Press (AP) style for smaller cities is to use state abbreviations instead of the U.S. Post Office designations. For example, a news release might be datelined WABAN, Mass., or IRVINE, Calif. After the name of the city, the date of the release is given. For example, a complete dateline would be as ­follows: ST. LOUIS—Feb. 8, 2015. If a news release is being distributed to other nations, however, it’s wise to use the day first, followed by the month and the year (8 February 2015), which is the pattern used by almost every nation except the United States.

5.4.4:  News Release Lead The most important part of any release is the lead paragraph. In one to three sentences, you must give the reader the basic details of the story or entice the reader to read the second paragraph. Marvin Arth, author of The Newsletter Editor’s Desk Book, says the trick to good lead writing is to focus immediately on the most newsworthy or interesting point and to reserve other details until later in the story. Unfortunately, three common mistakes are often made.

Inexperienced writers, even those not writing a hightech release, often clutter up a lead paragraph with unnecessary words and a tangle of information that is difficult to digest. Here is an example: Evergreen Community College is pleased to announce a Medical Career Education Expo to be held this Saturday, March 29, 2015, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Both Richmond campuses, South Side at 800 Moorehead Park Drive and West End at 2809 Emerywood Parkway, will be participating in this exciting event.

This lead is cluttered in several ways. First, it’s not necessary to give the year; this is assumed. Second, there are unnecessary “hype” words such as “pleased to announce” and “this exciting event.” Third, two locations and addresses are given that would be better placed in a subsequent paragraph. Clutter also occurs when a writer tries to put too many of the five Ws and one H in the lead paragraph. The solution is to put only the most important element of the story in the lead paragraph. The other Ws, or the H, can be woven into the succeeding paragraphs. Here are examples of leads that emphasize only one element: • WHO: Recording artist Lisa Atkinson will lead a singalong and entertain preschool children. • WHAT: “Fire, Earth, and Water,” a major exhibit of pre-Columbian sculpture from the Land Collection, opens Friday. • WHEN: November 15 is the last date for filing claims for flood damage caused by … • WHERE: A golden retriever has won Best of Show honors at the 90th Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show. • WHY: Farnell of Britain will merge with Premier Industrial of Cleveland. The deal, valued at $2.8 billion, is an effort to consolidate the worldwide distribution of electronics equipment. • HOW: Flextime, the system that permits employees to set their own starting and stopping times, has reduced labor turnover at Kellogg Enterprises by . . . TYPES OF LEAD PARAGRAPHS “Aside from the news item itself, the most important parts of a news release are the headline and the first paragraph.” — Ron Consolino, columnist for the Houston Chronicle

Several types of leads are possible: the straight summary lead, the informal lead, and the feature lead. The type of lead used often depends on the subject matter. If you are making an announcement, a straight summary lead is preferred. Here are some examples:

Writing the News Release 85

GENERAL LEAD CHARACTERISTICS  The mechanics of

The second type of lead is the informal lead, which often provides factual information but in a more informal way. Such leads are often used for publicizing community events or reporting the results of surveys, which are timely but not exactly “hard” news.

a lead paragraph are relatively simple. Always keep these guidelines in mind to help readers quickly understand the information: • Use strong declarative sentences. • Use 25 words or less for the first sentence of a lead. • Keep the number of dependent clauses to a minimum. • Never start a lead paragraph with a prepositional phrase such as “At a meeting held …” • Keep the lead paragraph limited to a maximum of three to five lines. • Rewrite any sentence that is more than three lines long.

5.4.5:  Body of the Text “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” — Thomas Jefferson

The third type of lead is the feature lead, which raises the reader’s interest. Essentially, the lead is a “hook” that encourages the reader to read the second paragraph for more information. Feature leads are often used for news releases that are sent to specialized sections of a daily newspaper, such as the travel, auto, lifestyle, and food sections. These news releases are topical but are not as time sensitive as announcement releases. Read the examples and consider how they “hook” the reader.

The journalistic “inverted pyramid” is the template for the body of a news release. Essentially, it means that the most important information is the apex of the pyramid and other information or details are given in descending order of importance. The top of the pyramid is always the lead paragraph, which has just been discussed. The next most-relevant information is placed in the second paragraph, and so on. There are three reasons for using the inverted pyramid structure for a news release: (1) if the editor or reporter doesn’t find something interesting in the first few lines, he or she won’t use the story; (2) editors often cut the bulk of a news release, so it’s wise to have the most important information at the start; and (3) most people only read headlines and perhaps the first paragraph or two of a news story. The inverted pyramid has three parts, says Jeremy Porter, founder of the Journalistics.com blog: PART ONE: The opening paragraph or lead, where you give the “must have” information to convey your key message PART TWO: Additional information that is helpful, but not necessary. This can be information that elaborates on the key message and provides supporting information.

86  Chapter 5 Quotes from an executive are often used; see the Tips for Success to learn how to write such quotes. PART THREE: The least important information that is “nice to have” but not “need to have” stuff.

You should constantly edit your news release to remove excess words and make every word count. Conscientious editing will help you condense inflated sentences. Compare the example of excess verbiage below with the rewrite.

Tips for Success

The new company and its management team has invested a substantial amount of their time and effort in laying the groundwork for the company’s unique value proposition to its potential customer base while setting the stage for developing its brand of products.

How to Write Executive Quotes A standard practice in news release writing is to include quotes. There are four reasons for this: (1) they help differentiate opinions from facts, (2) they often add more context and meaning to what is being announced, (3) they can humanize the story and make it more compelling, and (4) they satisfy the journalistic concept of attribution in a news story.

OR The new company is developing a marketing plan.

Wow!!! It’s no wonder that 90 percent of journalists in one survey say convoluted content is the biggest turn-off when receiving a news release. The vital need to ensure that your copy is free of spelling errors and typos is worth mentioning again. Don’t make the mistake of saying “pubic health” when you mean “public health” or write “bust size doesn’t guarantee success” when you really want to say “but size  .  .  .  .” Jargon and hype phrases such as “worldclass,” “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the-art” should also be avoided.

5.4.6:  Boilerplate Description of the Organization The last part of a news release is a standard paragraph titled “About . . .” that provides basic information about the c­ ompany—just enough to give reporters some idea about the organization’s purpose and size, particularly if the organization is not a household name. This standard paragraph, up to 100 words, is often called boilerplate because the same copy is used as a standard addition to all news releases. Information that can be included in a boilerplate statement is: 1. market position, 2. aspiration, 3. size, 4. scope of business activity, 5. geographic coverage, 6. website, and 7. social media pages. Trademarked products should be noted with a ® or a ™, so journalists are aware of what names must be capitalized. The following are some examples of company boilerplate statements:

Writing the News Release 87

About KFC KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., is the world’s most popular chicken restaurant chain. KFC specializes in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, Kentucky Grilled Chicken® and Extra Crispy™ Tenders, Hot Wings™, Go Cups, Famous Bowls, Pot Pies, freshly made chicken sandwiches, biscuits, and homestyle side items. There are more than 18,000 KFC outlets in more than 115 countries and territories around the world. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum Brands, Inc., Louisville, Ky. (NYSE: YUM). For more information, visit www.kfc.com. Follow KFC on Facebook (www.facebook.com/KFC) and Twitter (www. twitter.com/kfc). About Doritos Doritos tortilla chips is one of the billion-dollar brands that make up Frito-Lay North America, the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of P ­ epsiCo (NYSE:PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. To learn more about the Doritos brand, visit its website at www.doritos.com or on Twitter at www.twitter. com/Doritos or on Facebook at http://www.facebook. com/DoritosUSA.

5.4.7:  News Release Contacts The last item on the news release is the name of a person who can be contacted by journalists and bloggers if they have additional questions. The contact person must be readily available to answer any phone calls or email queries and also be knowledgeable about all aspects of what the news release is about. Reporters get very annoyed when a contact is impossible to reach or doesn’t seem to know anything more than what is already stated in the news release. Many stories, as a result, are never used simply because a reporter couldn’t reach a contact before the publication’s deadline. This example of how a contact should be listed is from the eBay news release shown in Figure 5.2. It lists the company spokesperson, followed by the contact information of the person in the public relations firm that helped prepare the release: eBay, +1 408-250-8644 Johnna Hoff [email protected] Or Edelman for eBay Ray Delgado, +1 786-387-8330 [email protected]

The Tips for Success below summarizes the Do’s and Don’ts of writing an effective news release.

Tips for Success Rules for Writing a News Release All news releases should be “news centered.” Here is a list of guidelines adapted from Schubert Communications, a Pennsylvania public relations firm, and supplemented with other sources.

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Tips for Success A News Release by the Numbers: A Quick Guide Experts recommend that you keep the following numbers in mind when writing a news release: • A news release should focus on only one topic. • Headlines should be a maximum of 65 to 70 characters, or about 8 to 10 words. • Use 25 words or less in the first line of a lead paragraph. • A lead paragraph should be no more than three to five lines.

WRITING PROMPT Ron Consolino, columnist for the Houston Post, says, “Aside from the news item itself, the most important parts of a news release are the headline and the first paragraph.” Having learned about all the basic components of a release, would you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

• Paragraphs in the body of a news release should be three to six lines. • Break up any sentence that runs more than three lines. • The standard paragraph at the end of the release about the organization should be 100 words or less. • An online news release should be 200–250 words or less.

The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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5.5:  News Release Formats 5.5 Describe the different news release formats

5.5.1:  The Traditional News Release The traditional news release, as pointed out at the beginning of the chapter, has been around for more than a century with only minor changes to its original format. This double-spaced, text-only document on 8.5- by 11-inch paper was mailed or faxed to newspapers and broadcast media. Today, they continue to be used by many local organizations and civic clubs but are now generally single spaced and sent by email, although many publications still receive stacks of mailed news releases too. “Journalists, especially those who sit on those panels where they hate on PR people, usually say how much they despise them, but as soon as you speak to them about a news story, they ask ‘Do you have a press release?’” — Jackson Wightman, in a post on PRDaily.com

Margins for a traditional news release are 2 inches from the top of the page and about 1.5 inches from each side and the bottom of the page. If you have a letterhead, start writing copy about 2 inches below it. Some other formatting rules are as follows:

The basic components of a news release remain the same, but the format and length may differ depending on whether it’s text only, multimedia, or social media oriented. The Tips for Success reveals that online news releases are shorter, for example, than ones distributed by first class mail.

• Use 10- or 12-point standard type. Courier and Times Roman are popular fonts because they are easy to read. Avoid “squeezing” copy to fit on one page by reducing the size of type: This is self-defeating. • Don’t split sentences or paragraphs between pages. • Never hyphenate a word at the end of a line. Unjustified right margins are acceptable. • Number the pages of a news release.

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• Place a slug line (a short description) at the top of each page after the first one. This identifies the story in case the pages get separated. • Write “more” at the end of each page if the news release continues. • Use “###” at the end of your news release. This has replaced the old journalistic “-30-”

5.5.2:  The Online News Release The major turning point for the traditional news release format was probably in 1996 when the Internet made news releases available to everyone, not just journalists. As a result, today’s standard is the online news release that can reach virtually anyone via a search engine, a website, or an emailed copy. Figures 5.1 and 5.2 are both examples of online news releases. The basic components of the traditional news release are still present in an online release, but online releases have certain characteristics and guidelines: • Copy is now single spaced instead of double spaced. • The ideal length is 200 to 250 words.

because any characters after that are often cut-off in Google search results. A cruise line, for example, might want to publicize its “eco-friendly” tours, but most people would probably use the term “green cruises” in a search. Therefore, the cruise line should use “green” as a keyword in its news release. Or a university may want to publicize a major fundraising campaign as part of its “University Advancement” activities, but most people don’t use this somewhat jargonized term. So the university should probably just use “fundraising,” “donations,” or “gifts” as a keyword in the news release headline and in the body of the story. The headline might say, “Ohio State Launches Major Fundraising Campaign for Donations.” Anyone using the words “Ohio State” and “Donations” or “Fundraising” would probably come across the news release in a search. “From press materials to the blog posts that we recommend our clients write, we always keep an eye on SEO because Google is the place where everyone starts these days.” — Todd Defren, principal with Boston-based Shift ­Communications

• The emphasis is on brevity, so journalists see the most important information on one screen without having to scroll. • The subject line in the email, instead of the release headline, becomes the most important factor in determining whether a recipient clicks “open” or “delete.” In one study by Greentarget, 80 percent of the journalists say subject lines are the main factor in determining whether to open or delete the release. • Links to the organization’s website or other relevant information are provided. • A quote in larger type is often highlighted in the body of the news release. • Bullets are often used to convey key points. • Never send a release as an attachment. Journalists, because of possible virus infections, rarely open attachments unless they know and trust the source. B. L. Ochman, writing in The Strategist, adds “Write like you have 10 seconds to make a point. Because online, you do.” THE VITAL NEED FOR SEO  News releases distributed

online are only effective, however, if the writer carefully uses what is known as search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. Essentially, SEO is the process of selecting and using keywords for the news release that make the content easily retrievable if a journalist or even a consumer conducts a search on Google, Bing, or Yahoo!. Another SEO tactic is using one or two keywords within the headline and making sure they appear in the first 65–80 characters,

Once you have identified some key words, you need to build them into the news release. Adam Sherk, writing in Ragan’s PR Daily, gives these guidelines:

90  Chapter 5 Title/Headline • Include the main keyword phrase in the title close to the beginning • Reduce unnecessary words to improve keyword weight • Put the most important information first

Subheading/Summary • Include the main keyword phrase or a common variation

First Paragraph • Include the main keyword phrase in the first paragraph, ideally in the first sentence

Rest of Body • Include key words and variations every 100 words • Try to write only 250 to 400 words • Avoid marketing-speak and jargon; keep it simple • If possible, include keywords in executive quotes • Optimize and tag images and multimedia content with links

Links • Link specifically to specific pages on your website, not just the home page • Use only links that are directly relevant; excessive links cause Google to consider the news release as spam Although using keywords or phrases is important, keyword stuffing and excessive links tend to make your news release somewhat convoluted and redundant. Google’s PageRank (who gets listed in the first 10 searches) is now more sophisticated and is better at evaluating quality instead of quantity.

WRITING PROMPT Why is it important to consider SEO (search engine optimization) when you write a news release? What do you think is the most important information about SEO to keep in mind? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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5.5.3:  The Multimedia News Release SEO also plays a major role in the multimedia news release, which was pioneered by the major electronic distribution

services, such as Business Wire, PR Newswire, PRWeb, and Marketwire. Thanks to ever-increasing broadband capability, it’s now possible to embed a news release with highresolution photos/graphics, video, audio components, and PDF files that not only appeal to journalists and editors but also to the general consumer. A multimedia release, for example, will include social media tags, so the content can be circulated through Digg, Technorati, Delicious, and other social bookmarking sites. Doing so helps increase the search engine rankings of the release and drive targeted traffic to the organization’s website. Other links will be to blogs, an organization’s online newsroom, and even a space where readers can post comments about the news release. In other words, the multimedia release has expanded the audience beyond just the traditional media outlets. Figure 5.3 shows an example of a multimedia news release for the fast-food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). Marketwire, in particular, has added services to address social media. According to Craig McGuire in PRWeek, “The service includes social bookmarks and tags, news channel distribution, audio headline summaries, search-engine-friendly permalinks, social video hosting on Photobucket, photo hosting on YouTube, and more.” “Whereas PR professionals used to target journalists to get a story placed, a social media press release is about targeting three different people: journalists, bloggers, and most importantly consumers. It needs to make sense to all of them individually.” — Brian Solis, coauthor of Putting the Public Back into Public Relations MAKING THE MOST OF THE FORMAT  The most desired component of a multimedia release is the inclusion of photos. A Business Wire survey of journalists and editors, for example, found that almost 75 percent wanted photos, followed by graphics (43 percent), infographics (32 percent), and video (27 percent). Another survey by Web Strategy Plus found that almost 75 percent of reporters think news releases should contain images. There are several psychological reasons for adding photos and video to a news release or any other content. Studies show that two-thirds of the population are visual learners, and they don’t retain or respond well to text-only material. A second reason is that up to a third of the population are auditory learners, so podcasts and audio files help the brain process information more effectively. Another study by 3M corporation and the University of Minnesota found that visuals are processed by humans 60,000 times faster than text. In other words, 1 minute of video equates to 1.8 million words because the brain processes images faster than text.

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Figure 5.3  The multimedia news release is often used when a product or brand is the subject. This release, distributed by Business Wire on behalf of KFC, has two images embedded that journalists and bloggers can immediately access and download for possible use with the story. The public is also an audience for a multimedia news release (through search engines such as Google), so Business Wire also provides shortcuts for sharing the news release on various social media platforms.

(continued)

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Figure 5.3  (continued)

There are also practical reasons for using visuals. One goes back to SEO, which has been discussed. Search engines such as Google and Bing give more weight to content with visuals in their page rankings. Other studies also show that multimedia releases are shared more often on social platforms than text-only. In fact, Cisco projects that almost 70 percent of the global internet traffic in 2017 will be made up of consumer video content that no doubt will include a high percentage of visuals that are retweeted and shared via email or various social media platforms. A position paper by Business Wire simply states, “For your news release to both engage users and rank well in search results, it is essential to include relevant, compelling multimedia.” This may be true, but it’s still worth remembering that the vast majority of news releases, even those carried by electronic distribution services, are still text-only releases about mundane activities such as quarterly earnings that don’t require photos, videos, or audio components.

There’s also the issue of cost. Producing and embedding visual and audio elements is labor intensive, to say nothing of distribution. Adding a single photo to a release distributed by Business Wire, for example, can cost up to $500, and the more elements you add, the higher the cost. Consequently, multimedia releases are usually done only when the news release concerns a major new product launch or a major announcement. There’s also some evidence that many journalists just want a text-only release sent in an email. Public relations professionals often prepare an email text version and a multimedia version of the same news release. One firm, for example, distributed a one-page email release that only provided the client’s Web page, where reporters could get information. The second release was formatted, so reporters could click on links to (l) photos and video clips, (2) the client’s YouTube channel, (3) the client’s micro site about the product, (4) the iTunes App Store, and (5) the client’s Facebook page.

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Figure 5.4  This graphic by PRNewswire shows the impact of embedding such visuals as photos, graphics, and video in a multimedia news release. Data compiled by the distribution firm indicates that visuals can generate up to 9.7 times more media pick-up and consumer readership than a textonly news release.

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Tips for Success How to Prepare a Multimedia News Release When preparing a multimedia release, keep in mind that “more” doesn’t always equal “better.” Here are some tips to help you stay focused on your main objective for the release.

WRITING PROMPT Why is the multimedia news release more effective than just a textonly news release? Can you think of a situation where adding visuals or audio would not make the release more effective? Explain. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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5.5.4:  Other News Release Formats The news release continues to be the backbone of most media relations, but it keeps evolving to take advantage of new digital technologies, increased broadband capability, the mobile revolution, and the popularity of social media. The multimedia news release, for example, is now quite common, but organizations are also experimenting with other formats. One approach is the social media release (SMR), which is even more appropriate for social media platforms. Shift Communications and other public relations firms are restructuring the news release to have much shorter text and to include even more audio-visual elements that can be easily downloaded, shared, and even discussed online. The anatomy of Shift’s model is shown below in Figure 5.5.

Figure 5.5  Shift Communications has pioneered the development of the social media news release that can be used across a variety of platforms, including traditional media, websites, and social media networks. The format even includes a section that allows individuals to make a comment and engage in a discussion about the information contained in the news release.

Writing the News Release 95

Other companies, although still using standard news releases, are also experimenting. Amazon’s public relations team, for example, launched the latest Kindle Fire tablet with 14 tweets. Each tweet focused on a different product feature. And Dell used a company blog to announce that it would take Bitcoin payments. “The rise of tweets and even text messages in communication has limited the number of characters used in messages, and it has spurred on a ‘less is more’ way of communication that should also apply to press releases.” — Maggie O’Neil, managing director of Peppercomm, in PRWeek

Other organizations are de-constructing news releases to fit other platforms. One approach is to pin a photo from your news release to your Pinterest board and include relevant tags for users to reference the original news release. Another approach is to also make a video news release and post it to the organization’s YouTube channel. A news

release can also be restructured, be made more conversational, and be considerably shortened to be posted on a Facebook page. Surveys already show that a large percentage of the population (including journalists) is using smartphones to access information and news releases. As a result, news releases are being restructured and re-sized to be much shorter and easily readable on a small screen.

WRITING PROMPT How does a social media news release differ from a traditional or even multimedia release? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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Summary: Writing the News Release

96  Chapter 5 SHARED WRITING: WRITING THE NEWS RELEASE The most important information should be in the lead of a news release. There can, however, be some question about what information is most newsworthy. A company, for example, is planning to announce a $10 million overhaul of the information technology (IT) system at its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. The project will also require the hiring of 150 new IT personnel. If you were writing the lead for this news release for dailies in North Carolina, would you emphasize the $10 million overhaul or the creation of 150 new jobs? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

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0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 5 Quiz: Writing the News Release

Chapter 6

Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches Learning Objectives 6.1 Report four publicity tactics for greater

media coverage 6.2 Describe fact sheets

6.4 Describe different types of media kits 6.5 Analyze the steps of an effective news item

pitch and different formats to use

6.3 Describe media advisories

6.1:  Expanding the Publicity Tool Kit 6.1 Report four publicity tactics for greater media coverage The news release is the backbone of most publicity programs. This chapter explores several other basic publicity tactics that are regularly used to encourage and facilitate media coverage. They include (1) fact sheets, (2) media advisories, (3) media kits, and (4) pitches, which are briefly described below: FACT SHEETS. These are one-page background sheets about an event, a product, or even the organization. They are formatted in outline or bullet form and may be distributed with a news release, be part of a media kit, or be posted on the “about us” section of an organization’s webpage. A fact sheet enables journalists to quickly access basic facts about an organization, a product, or an event. MEDIA ADVISORIES. Often called media alerts, their purpose is to give the basic details (who, what, where, when, why) of an event to encourage media attendance and coverage. Assignment editors use media advisories to assess the newsworthiness of the event and assign staff to attend. MEDIA KITS. This tool is frequently called a press kit. It contains a variety of materials, such as news releases, fact sheets, photos, and short videos that

are often assembled for major events and the introduction of new products/services. The purpose of a media kit is to provide a variety of information in one place for the convenience of journalists and bloggers. THE PITCH. When a public relations person contacts a reporter or blogger on a one-to-one basis to “sell” a story idea, it is called making a pitch. Contact may be made by email, phone, or even Twitter. The purpose of a pitch is to convince a journalist that he or she should write about some “newsworthy” event or development in your organization.

6.2:  Fact Sheets 6.2 Describe fact sheets Fact sheets are essentially “crib sheets” for journalists. If they are writing about a corporation, for example, they may want to include its annual revenues or even the number of its employees. Or perhaps they will want to add the actual weight and size of a new smartphone to their story. Such facts may not be in the news release, but an accompanying fact sheet often serves as a “cheat sheet” giving them instant access to the information. There are three kinds of fact sheets: (1) event or exhibit announcements, (2) company profiles, and (3) product specification sheets. Fact sheets primarily consist of bullet points (as shown in Figure 6.1) or a list of categories on the left side of the

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Figure 6.1  Fact sheets can be compiled on almost any subject. This one posted on Shedd Aquarium's website gives “fast facts” about the institution, so journalists and bloggers can easily check basic facts that could be incorporated into their stories and postings.

Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches 99

page followed by a short answer on the right side of the page. In general, information on a fact sheet should be very concise and easy to review in a few seconds.

• Organization’s full name and headquarters address • Products and services produced • Markets served

6.2.1:  Event or Exhibit Announcements

• Annual revenues

A fact sheet for an upcoming event, exhibit, or even trade show would use boldface headings to give such basic information as:

• Name of CEO

• Name of event • Its sponsor • Location • Date and time • Purpose of event • Expected attendance • List of prominent people on program • Any unusual aspects or visuals that make the event newsworthy The “event” may be a community-wide activity, such as a jazz festival, but it could also be the grand opening of a facility for homeless youth. In another situation, the Field Museum of Chicago prepared a basic fact sheet about the opening of a new exhibit on the evolution of maps through history. The fact sheet gave (1) the dates of the exhibit, (2) the number of maps on display, (3) a short description of some rare maps on exhibit, (4) hours of the exhibit, (5) admission fees, (6) the museum’s address and telephone numbers, and (7) the corporate sponsors. “Fact sheets, background materials, and other supporting documents should be made available in a format that is easy for the journalist to recognize and access.” — Gary Glenn, eNR/NewsWire One

Another Chicago institution, the Shedd Aquarium, included several fact sheets on its website under its “press kits” link. The four fact sheets were (1) an annual summary of outcomes such as 490,000 general admission tickets sold, (2) an overview of the museum’s facilities and current exhibits, (3) the history and architecture of its facility, and (4) the fast facts shown in Figure 6.1. Event or exhibit fact sheets may also include relevant images. For instance, the Monterey Bay Aquarium provided a basic fact sheet on its website that gave a thumbnail paragraph and photo of the various kinds of Jelly Fish that were part of a special exhibition.

6.2.2:  Company Profiles A second kind of fact sheet gives background information about an organization. This is also referred to as a corporate profile. Typical headings may include:

• Stock market ticker or symbol • Number of employees • Position in the industry • Name of public relations person and contact information Of course, organizations vary in how they prepare their profiles. McDonalds, for example, has several short paragraphs in a one-page profile that provides an overview of the company’s extensive operations. The introductory paragraph notes that the fast-food chain serves “70 million customers in over 100 countries each day.” This is followed by other short paragraphs with the sub-heads “Our Strategic Direction,” “Reporting Segments,” and “Restaurant Ownership.” The page also gives links to the company’s current annual report, SEC filings, and Investor Tools. Toshiba takes a different approach. It has a 24-page corporate profile that summarizes its corporate philosophy, its worldwide products and services, company history, and its record of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Most organizations, including Southwest Airlines, have their corporate profile on their website (see Figure 6.2). Another good way to get fast facts about a major organization or company is to view the company’s page on LinkedIn or Yahoo Finance for stock prices over a period of time and recent news stories about the organization.

6.2.3:  Product Specification Sheets The third kind of fact sheet is simply a summary of a product’s characteristics. A fact sheet for a company’s new snack product, for example, might give such details as • nutrition information, • the production process, • pricing, • availability, • convenience, and • how it serves a consumer need. McCormick & Company, a maker of spices and sauces for flavoring, provides a list of ingredients and its nutrition information for every one of its products. Technology companies have more detailed “spec sheets” about new products. Hewlett-Packard (HP), for example, uses this approach when it introduces a new computer or printer.

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Figure 6.2 Southwest Airlines provides a corporate profile on its website that includes everything from the corporate history to the cities served and even “fun facts” about the airline.

WRITING PROMPT A variation on the traditional fact sheet is information presented in a question-and-answer format. This format, often used on websites, is called an FAQ for “frequently asked questions.” HP, for example, supplemented its Internet news release on a new printer with an FAQ that answered typical consumer questions about the new product.

What would you include in a fact sheet about a new craft beer on the market? What kind of “facts” would you include in a fact sheet about a jelly fish exhibit at an aquarium? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches 101

6.3:  Media Advisories 6.3 Describe media advisories Media advisories are also called media alerts because they tell assignment editors about upcoming events that they might be interested in covering from a story, photo, and video perspective. The most effective advisories don’t just announce an upcoming event but also take the time to list possible (1) story angles, (2) interview possibilities, and (3) visual elements that would interest photographers and television crews. A media advisory, unlike an event or exhibit fact sheet that is more generic, is specifically designed to inform journalists and broadcast news editors about the time and location of a specific event in case they want to cover it. The most common format uses short subheads followed by one or two descriptive sentences. A typical one-page advisory might contain most or all of the following elements:

• Date • Headline announcing the event or situation • Contact person’s name, phone, email (can also be listed at end of advisory) • Brief description of the event or story idea • The appropriate five Ws and one H of journalism— who, what, when, where, and why, plus how • Interview opportunities • Visual elements for possible photos and video • Brief paragraph giving background of sponsoring organization Gain, a manufacturer of laundry detergent and softeners, used a typical media advisory, or media alert, to announce the unveiling of an art installation at a Bronx Laundromat and community efforts to brighten up Laundromats throughout New York City. The alert is shown in Figure 6.3.

Figure 6.3  Gain, a maker of laundry detergent and fabric softeners, issued this basic media alert to announce an event at a Laundromat in the Bronx. The advisory, distributed by EON (Enhanced Online News), also included two downloadable visuals. One was the Gain logo and the other was a photo of Latin Billboard nominee, Leslie Grace, as the celebrity attending the event.

102  Chapter 6 Another example of a media alert for an event is the “World’s Longest Salad Bar,” a publicity stunt in New York’s Central Park sponsored by Hidden Valley Ranch dressings. It was written in such a way that local reporters knew the details of “when” and “where,” and television stations in other cities knew how to get video footage and soundbites via satellite. Media alerts are also used to announce the time and location of a scheduled news conference or a visit of a prominent person or government official. When the secretary of the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services visited a clinic in New Orleans, a basic news advisory gave the what, when, and where, as well as the HHS media contact. Increasingly, news conferences are often webcast, so reporters in other cities can “attend” without having to actually travel to the location. That was the case when Foster Farms announced the establishment of a poultry education and research center at Fresno State University, which is distant from the major media outlets of Los Angeles and San Francisco. See Figure 6.4 below.

Figure 6.4  Media alerts are also used to invite journalists and bloggers to attend a web news conference. Fineman Public Relations in San Francisco, on behalf of its client Foster Farms, invited media to participate via webcast because the announcement of a new poultry research center at Fresno State University was not in an area where major media were located.

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For web news conferences, the media advisory lets reporters know how and when they can sign on to the webcast for the event. Advisories also are sent regarding satellite media tours by experts and celebrities. Another kind of media advisory lets reporters and editors know about an interview opportunity. Korbel Champagne Cellars, for example, let journalists know that its “marriage proposal” expert was available for interviews during a 2-week period in July. The “interview opportunity” even suggested five other timely topics that he could discuss. Korbel also sent print media and broadcast stations in the Dallas area an advisory that a Dallas couple was one of the three finalists in its “perfect proposal contest.” Also made available to the press was a photo of the actual marriage proposal on the stage of the Palace Theatre in New York where “Aida” was playing. And finally, the advisory let the editors know that the couple was available for interviews. Although there is the standard format of what, when, where, who, and why in a media alert, the additional information provided depends on the event or announcement.

6.4:  Media Kits 6.4 Describe different types of media kits A media kit, also called a press kit, is usually prepared for major events and new product launches. Its purpose is to give editors and reporters a variety of information and resources that will make it easier for reporters to write about the topic. A basic media kit may include the following items: • a main news release • a news feature story • fact sheets on the product, organization, or event • photos and drawings with captions • biographical material on the senior executive • video clips • contacts for more information, and • links to relevant websites Creating media kits, like many public relations activities, is a team process. It takes writers, photographers, graphic designers, and even videographers.

6.4.1:  The Traditional Media Kit The traditional media kit, before the Internet, consisted of a 9- by 12-inch folder with four sides—a cover, two inside pages (often with pockets to hold news releases, etc., in place), and a back cover displaying the organization’s name, address, and website address. Another common feature was a slot inside to hold the business card of the media contact. Folders could also include slots for CDs. This traditional format allows organizations to provide all the basic information and resources the media might need to cover a topic, as demonstrated by the following examples.

WRITING PROMPT The grand opening of the jelly fish exhibit requires a media advisory to give journalists information about covering the event. Write a description of the “what” and “why” that you might use in an advisory for this event. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

104  Chapter 6 audio, animation, etc.). All this gives the journalist much more flexibility and choice than does the traditional printed kit. Another advantage is that digital media kits expand the potential audience. Traditional media kits were sent only to media outlets. Today’s media kits, if well designed, have the potential of reaching a wider audience of consumers, independent bloggers, online forums, and other websites via social media tags and RSS feeds. “The days of a thousand press kits are gone. Instead, welldesigned online press kits can have an ongoing shelf life with constantly updated content.” — Tom Becktold, senior vice president of Marketing, Business Wire

Traditional printed media kits are still used, but they are rapidly declining in use because organizations find it more cost effective and convenient to distribute the same information solely via CDs, email, flash drives, and online newsrooms. However, pronouncements about the death of media kits in print form, like those condemning traditional news releases, may be somewhat exaggerated. Many journalists still prefer the convenience of scanning a media kit in print form because it’s less hassle and faster than opening up a series of digital files on a flash drive or an organization’s website. Consequently, many organizations and public relations firms continue to produce and distribute both a printed kit and a digital version. A paper media kit is often used for media briefings on the launch of a major new product, the announcement of a merger, or even the opening of a new hotel or restaurant. Fineman Public Relations in San Francisco, for example, prepared a paper media kit for Foster Farms when it announced a new research facility at Fresno State University. Michael Fineman, CEO, explains, “…media had the information already printed out in front of them. This helped lay out the facts and anticipate the most likely questions. We supplemented these materials with flash drives. Media on the tour reviewed the press kits during the 45 minute bus ride. I believe it gave them a solid foundation and jump start on content development.”

6.4.2:  The Digital Media Kit Most organizations today, however, have gone digital with their media kits. Digital media kits, also known as electronic press kits (EPKs), offer several advantages in addition to being cost effective. They are more versatile than traditional printed media kits because they can include multiple pieces of information in a variety of formats (text, video, photo,

Other advantages to digital media kits include (1) storage and filing simplicity, (2) ease in forwarding materials to others, (3) faster access to company or public relations contacts, and (4) elimination of newsroom clutter. Kelly Brooks, marketing communications manager for CocaCola, offers another reason why reporters covering events, such as the Olympics, prefer EPKs. She says, “Reporters would rather use a Web-based tool when it’s convenient for them than lug around a bulky kit.” A digital kit, of course, should have the same components as the traditional print version. Craig McGuire of PRWeek explains, “There should be a well-written, fact-filled description of the subject, as well as product/event sheets, press releases regarding newsworthy items, bios, and backgrounders on key subjects, testimonials, articles from archives, perhaps a calendar or itinerary, and always a contact sheet.” McGuire adds, however, that the major change is how all these materials are presented. Digital kits have the technical capacity to enrich content by offering a gallery of outstanding photos, embedding hyperlinks to websites, or providing video demonstrations of how a product works. Electronic Arts (EA), for example, effectively shows entertainment reporters and editors simulations from its various video games. Movie studios promote new films by providing film clips, interviews with the stars, and production facts. Multiple platforms are used for digital media kits. The California Academy of Sciences, for example, distributed a CD to the media to publicize its “Life: A Cosmic Story” exhibit at its new Morrison Planetarium. The CD contained (1) 16 high-resolution photos, (2) a video trailer with a link to more YouTube videos, (3) a basic news release about the exhibit, and (4) a bio about the director of the planetarium. USB flash drives are now replacing CDs for many organizations, however. HP, for example, used a flash drive to distribute the media kit for a new PC. The thumb-sized drive contained the following items: (l) two news releases, (2) a fact sheet and spec sheet, (3) multiple photos of the new computer from various angles, and (4) a short video with the chief designer describing the innovations built into the computer.

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Both these examples of digital media kits in a physical format are shown below.

Figure 6.5  Today's media kits, also commonly called press kits, are usually in digital format. The California Academy of Sciences used a CD format to distribute a media kit to the press about a new exhibit about foundations of life in the universe. Providing a CD or posting a media kit online is economical and enables multimedia content such as photos, short videos, and links to more information.

An example is the media kit titled “IBM in Africa” that gives extensive background on its operations in Africa. The kit contains the following files: • Summary of business in Africa • Six video interviews with IBM executives in various African nations • News releases related to business in Africa dating back to 2010 • About 100 high-resolution photos (See Figure 6.7 below.) • Media contacts for the press kit • Additional resources (links to Flickr photos and YouTube videos) • PDF documents: IBM backgrounder on business in Africa, historical highlights, and bios of key African IBM executives

Figure 6.7  A photo from IBM's media kit on Business in Africa showing IBM CEO Ginni Rometty announcing a new agreement with the bank of Ghana to provide expertise in technology innovation. A high-resolution copy may be downloaded from the webpage for the online kit.

Figure 6.6  USB flash drives are even more portable and cost efficient than CDs, so many companies such as HP now use this platform for media kits.

WRITING PROMPT What would you include in a media kit about a weekend jazz festival that will be held in the city park? How would you distribute it to the media and also make it available to the public? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

6.5:  Pitching a Story Most savvy organizations also maximize distribution and public accessibility of their media kits by posting them in the news rooms of their website. IBM, for example, has about 20 media kits on its website newsroom with such titles as IBM Mobile First, IBM Cloud Computing, and IBM Smarter Health Care.

6.5 Analyze the steps of an effective news item pitch and different formats to use Public relations personnel spend a lot of time and energy preparing materials such as news releases, fact sheets, and media kits. These efforts, however, don’t amount to much unless they can convince editors or reporters that a particular story is newsworthy and relevant to their readers or viewers.

106  Chapter 6 One approach, of course, is to simply distribute the news release and let nature, so to speak, take its course. Editors, as already noted, review hundreds of news releases and media kits every day and select the few that interest them. A more efficient approach, however, is for publicists to make a pitch directly to a specific reporter or blogger with a newsworthy angle that entices them to write or produce a story about their organization. As you might guess, there is considerable competition to get the attention of an editor, broadcast producer, or a blogger with a large following. A 2014 survey of 500 print and online publications by Fractl (frac.tl), for example, found that writers at some top-tier publications receive more than 38,000 emails a year, and two-thirds of those emails are from people “vying for press attention.” In addition, 40 percent of the journalists receive 20 or more pitches a day in the form of emails, phone calls, and tweets. Only 11 percent of journalists, according to Fractl’s findings, often write a story based on content sent through a pitch. That’s the bad news. The good news is that pitches, like news releases, still generate a large percentage of the stories published or broadcast in the traditional and online media. The leading tech columnist of the New York Times, David Pogue, told Ragan.com that about 60 to 70 percent of his columns came from pitches. However, the rate of rejection still remains quite high. While at the renowned paper, Pogue received about 150 email pitches daily. Some examples of pitches that have generated major media coverage are given later, in the PR Casebook. Given the statistical odds, it is important that you understand the components of an effective pitch that will substantially increase your odds for getting a story published or broadcast. The Tips for Success outlines the key elements of a good pitch.

Tips for Success The Six Elements of a Pitch Melvin Helitzer, author of The Dream Job: Sports Publicity, says a pitch should have the following six elements:

A successful pitch involves three phases: (1) researching the publication, broadcast show, or blog, (2) developing the pitch, and (3) following up.

6.5.1:  Researching the Publication Perhaps the most important step is the first phase—doing your homework. Pitches must be customized to a particular journalist, editor, and publication. There is no such thing as a “one size fits all” pitch that is appropriate for all media. Visa or MasterCard, for example, might pitch to a bride’s magazine a story about the challenges of a young couple combining their finances. In contrast, a story might be pitched to the AARP monthly magazine about how senior citizens can reduce credit card transaction fees while traveling abroad. “Sommeliers make a living pairing wines with foods that bring out the essence of each flavor. PR professionals are no different; we pair our client’s products and services with publications and media outlets that serve a readership who find value in their content. Thus, the trick to a perfect pitch is crafting a message that displays a profound understanding of that publication’s value and their audience’s essence.” — Regine J. Nelson, principal of Allure Marketing ­Communications

Deciding what publication or blog to pitch can be the most challenging aspect of research. If you’re in the food industry, for example, the Cision media database has 2,200 print publications and 4,200 blogs. You have to research which ones have the greatest audience, most influence, and geographical scope that best meets the subject matter and objective of your product or service. Lynn Lipinski, a senior media specialist for GCI public relations in Los Angeles, writes in Public Relations Tactics, “You must… familiarize yourself with the publication’s style, format, readership, deadlines, and regular features. Media guides (such as Cision or Burrelles) can provide the basic information about a publication, but the only way to truly know if it is right for your client is to read it.” Lipinski adds, “Read articles written by the reporter you are pitching. Familiarize yourself with the reporter’s style, interests, background, and regular beat.” A good way to begin your research is to read profiles of journalists and what they write about in media databases. Another approach is to simply visit the website of the publication or broadcast outlet and also Google the names of reporters. This often leads to their LinkedIn page and recent articles and blogs that they have written. Even publications that appear to focus on the same subject matter often don’t have the same audience characteristics. Tripp Whetsell, a New York public relations counselor, writes in Public Relations Tactics, “Even if you’re pitching the same story about prostate cancer to Esquire, Men’s Journal, and GQ, don’t automatically assume that the content is the same just because all three are men’s magazines.” The same

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goes for broadcasting. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, the median age of nightly network and cable news viewers ranges from 53 years for CBS to 42 years for CNN. The audience for the O’Reilly Factor has a median age of 54, whereas the Colbert Report draws viewers with a median age of 33. Blogs also have different audiences and thus should be researched in advance. The Tips for Success gives some good tips about preparing to pitch to bloggers.

Tips for Success How to Successfully Pitch Bloggers In addition to pitching stories to traditional media, a savvy publicist also needs to include independent bloggers in order to reach the widest possible audience. Media databases, such as CisionPoint, track the contact information and coverage areas of bloggers who have gained a national audience. Pitching a blogger, however, has its perils. Unlike members of the traditional media, who just ignore an off-base pitch, bloggers may gleefully post critical comments about the quality of your pitch and even make snide remarks about your intelligence. Consequently, it’s critical to do your homework before you pitch a blogger. Kevin Dugan, cofounder of Bad Pitch Blog, suggests six questions that public relations professionals should ask themselves before aiming a pitch at key bloggers:

Dugan, interviewed by Ragan.com, says building relationships with bloggers comes first and pitching comes second. He even suggests that you develop media contacts on social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook. These sites, Dugan warns, are for building relationships—not making a pitch.

Lipinski urges would-be writers of pitch letters to be aware of current issues, business trends, and societal issues, so they can angle their pitch within the framework of a larger picture. If the company is expanding by purchasing smaller companies, perhaps the story can be pitched from the angle that it’s a case study illustrating the trend of consolidation in a particular industry. “In the end, you’re not going to get coverage unless you’re a match for what the outfit is looking for.” — David Pogue, technology columnist for the New York Times

There’s also the issue of timing. Magazines such as Wine Enthusiast, for example, want pitches about wine, food, and travel 5 months prior to the issue publication date. An influential blog on wine, however, may post an article with only a week’s notice. Editorial calendars can help public relations writers make a timely pitch to a journalist. Newspapers and magazines, in particular, usually post a list of topics and special issues planned for each week or month of the year. A newspaper may have a special section on holiday gift giving in November, so that’s a publicity opportunity for a client or employer to pitch an article about its product as the “perfect gift” for Christmas. By the same token, a travel magazine may be doing a special section on the Caribbean scheduled for January, so a resort in Costa Rica may want to pitch a story about its newly remodeled property. Media databases such as Cision and Burrelles provide compilations of editorial calendars that can be easily accessed with a few clicks. Another good resource is Help a Reporter Out (HARO), which enables journalists to query public relations sources when they need specific information. This service is discussed in the Tips for Success below.

Tips for Success Two Services Match Reporter Queries with PR Sources Not all pitches have to be what salespeople term “cold calls.” On many occasions, journalists are seeking information and names of people to interview for a particular story.

108  Chapter 6 in water, and survive 300-degree heat. Let me know if you’re interested.” Another attention-getting pitch that resulted in a story was, “David, I see you’ve been covering digital cameras a lot. Wondering if you’d be interested in one that shoots underwater and costs less than $100? Press release below. Contact me if you have any questions.” In sum, the first rule of a pitch is brevity—less than a page or a screen. An email pitch has four basic elements: (1) a subject line, (2) the body, (3) a call to action, and (4) the signature. SUBJECT LINE  Probably the most important aspect of the pitch is the subject line. If it doesn’t generate the receiver’s interest and curiosity as they quickly scan hundreds of emails, the pitch is deleted without a second thought. The challenge of coming up with a good subject line requires a lot of creativity on the part of the publicist. Christine Kent, writing in Ragan.com, highlighted several creative subject lines that generated media stories, including these examples:

In sum, knowledge of the publication, the demographics of its audience, and its publishing schedule or plans are crucial to a successful pitch. David Pogue of the New York Times expresses the frustration of many journalists. He told Ragan.com, “I get the idea that a lot of PR people inherit some database and they just blast everything to the whole list and I cannot tell you what a waste of time that is. It just turns the busy journalists against the person, that firm, and that client.”

WRITING PROMPT Why is it necessary to do some research about a publication or broadcast show before writing a pitch to them? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

6.5.2:  The Email Pitch Once you’ve done your research, the next step is to write a succinct, attention-grabbing pitch that can be emailed to a reporter, broadcast producer, or a blogger. Email is the most popular way of pitching a reporter. According to a 2014 survey of 500 journalists by Business Wire, about 70 percent of journalists prefer email pitches that are short and to the point. David Pogue of the New York Times provided Ragan. com some examples of short email pitches. One of his favorites, which resulted in a story, was “David, my client sells a laptop that can be dropped from 6 feet, get dunked

Subject Line

The Story

“Call it a display of Howly Muttrimony sealed with a sniff.”

a dog wedding at a shopping center staged as a benefit for an animal rescue group

“The Man Who Will End iPod Whiplash.”

an engineer who created a new technique for searching music online

“Wearing Prada Can Be the Devil for Your Spine.”

a hospital involved in spinal therapy for women who injured their spines by lugging around ever-larger designer handbags

“Weather to Pack Sunscreen or an Umbrella.”

a new online weather service and its trip planner services

“Veggies for Dessert? Blue Cheese Gelato!!”

new fruit and vegetable flavors for an ice cream store chain

“Billion Dollar Dealmaker.”

a cover story in Forbes magazine about a young estate attorney

Not all subject lines, however, need to be creative and clever. An informative subject line, such as “Free Public Hurricane Seminar Tomorrow Night at Nauticus,” satisfies the keyword requirement and tells the receiver exactly what the story is about. As Margo Mateas, president of the Public Relations Training Company, writes in PR Tactics, “Writing a powerful media pitch doesn’t take a lot of words. It takes a lot of thought and planning. Put your effort into being succinct and concise, and it will pay off.” “Use the subject line to open the door, and the first two or three sentences to kick the door open and get invited in.” — Gordon Deal, host of The Wall Street Journal This Morning broadcast news show BODY  A pitch needs an enticing lead. That means that

you should avoid beginning a pitch with something trite, such as “I’m writing to inquire if you would be

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interested in a story about?...” That’s a good way to turn off an editor. The Ragan Report has published several articles on how to write pitches and create great opening lines. Here are some examples of opening lines that generated media interest: Opening Line

The Story/Pitch

“How many students does it take to change a light bulb?”

a residence hall maintenance program operated by students who receive financial aid

“Would you like to replace your ex-husband with a plant?”

a photographer who is an expert at removing “exes” and other individuals from old photos

“Our CEO ran 16 Boston Marathons...and now he thinks we can walk a mile around the river.”

a CEO leading employees on a daily walk instead of paying for expensive gym memberships or trainers

“You are cordially invited to the Dirtiest Event in Boulder.”

staging a coal-dumping event to show people how much fossil fuel it takes to heat an average house

EXAMPLES OF PITCH LETTERS  The following are two examples of how Mar Junge, CEO of C3PR in Sunnyvale, CA, tailored a pitch letter to two different publications on behalf of client Emergency University after doing some research on the publications.

The slightly “smutty” approach worked; major dailies and television stations covered the coal dumping. “For almost 25 years, Jack Osman has been drinking shots of oil. He also sings songs about such foot-tapping topics as breakfast and grease. And sometimes, just for fun, he cooks down ground beef to find out its fat percentage.”

the availability of a nutrition professor to give media interviews on diet and health

As these examples show, the lead should immediately raise curiosity or get to the point as soon as possible. Here is a letter written by Michael Klepper, owner of a New York public relations firm, that netted eight minutes on NBC’s Today show. Plastics! How can we get rid of them? Some environmentalists say we can’t. Ralph Harding says we can. He is executive vice president of the Society of Plastics Industry. He has just returned from Europe where they easily dispose of plastics in modern incinerators. I’ll call you in a week to see if the Today show would be interested in talking to him.

Personalizing the body of the pitch is also a good idea. Fraser Seitel, writing in O’Dwyer’s magazine, suggests that you should make a reference to a recent story by the journalist or blogger and relate it to the subject of your pitch. You might, for example, write, “I’ve been reading your stories about organic farming and thought you may be interested in how XYZ grocery chair is certifying that the produce it sells is truly organic.” Another tip from Seitel is to use the word “you” as much as possible. Although the content of a pitch letter is somewhat standardized for every media outlet, it’s important to “personalize” the message to each editor or journalist.

CALL TO ACTION  The closing lines of a pitch should try

to make the “sale” by suggesting that your story idea would be beneficial to the audience. For instance, it may provide them with good consumer tips about how to buy a new car or even how to pickle cucumbers. You should also say that you will call them to discuss the story angle and any other ideas they may have for such a story. SIGNATURE  The signature should not only include your

name but also your title, phone number, email, and even Twitter handle. In addition, many publicists also embed links to the organization’s website, blogs, Facebook page, YouTube

110  Chapter 6 channel, and Twitter hashtag. The idea is that the reporter has all the necessary information to check out your pitch.

Tips for Success How to Get Your Pitch Noticed Most surveys show that journalists prefer to be pitched by email, but what steps can you take to ensure that your email pitch is relevant and on target? The following tips are adopted from a post by Jeremy Porter on his blog, Journalistics:

WRITING PROMPT The county labor council is sponsoring a seminar on the issue of raising the minimum federal wage for employees. Company officials, labor activists, and economists will be on various panels. Write a pitch letter to the business editor of the local daily encouraging her to cover the event and write a story. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

PR Casebook: Two Successful Pitches A good, timely pitch often leads to major publicity for a product or service. The competition, however, is somewhat daunting, given that journalists receive about 20 pitches a day and only about 10 percent of the pitches ever result in

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media coverage. You have to be very good, do your homework, and target a specific broadcast program or publication. The following are two pitches that worked.

Campari Gets Six Minutes on CBS Sunday Morning Skyy Spirits of San Francisco wanted to position Campari, an aperitif, as a cultural trend among consumers who were foodies and open to new drinks. Although outlets such as The Food Network and Bon Appetit were natural targets for a story placement, Skyy also wanted to reach a broader national audience, so they choose to target CBS Sunday Morning. The show doesn’t do a lot of food and wine segments, but Skyy and its public relations firm, Hanna Lee Communications, were able to arrange for a CBS reporter to attend events such as the Manhattan Cocktail Classic to show how Campari was trending among bartenders and the cocktail crowd. Skyy also introduced other journalists and CBS reporters to mixologists who provided additional information. The resulting segment, lasting 6 minutes, was a mixologist using Campari to create the Bright Eye, a cocktail invented just for CBS Sunday Morning. The result was increased sales of Campari to distributors and retailers and additional stories in industry newsletters and blogs covering the food/wine industry. The CBS story was a result of long relationship building; it took 9 months from the pitch to the actual production of the CBS segment.

American Council on Exercise Scores on Reuter’s News Service Although the Campari placement took 9 months, a story pitched by the American Council of Exercise took only 4 days to get a story placement. The council and its public relations firm, rbb of Miami, chose Reuters because its stories get picked up by a number of traditional and online news outlets. The council had already established a relationship with a Reuter’s report on other fitness topics, so she was contacted about doing a story relating to other stories in the news about personal training as a hot career option. According to Sandra Fine, VP of rbb, “We pitched the idea, noting how the nationwide obesity epidemic is creating huge opportunities for fitness professionals and how the organization can play a role in making that happen.” One key message was that the American Council on Exercise certified personal trainers to ensure safety and proper training. The result was that more than 30 outlets such as the Chicago Tribune, Yahoo!, Huffington Post, and MSNBC picked up the Reuter’s story. The story not only promoted personal trainers as a high-income career choice but how they could make a positive impact on the battle against obesity.

6.5.3:  The Telephone Pitch Despite the popularity of email, it still remains somewhat impersonal and easy to ignore. Consequently, a case can be made for actually picking up the phone and having a realtime conversation with an editor or journalist. As Susan Balcom Walton and Nick Kalm explain in Public Relations Tactics, “Pitching a story face-to-face, or at least voice-tovoice, can help develop stronger journalist relationships, greater preparation and knowledge of your subject, and greater flexibility during the pitch.” This may be true, but the phone is an intrusive device. The Business Wire survey of journalists found that only 2.2 percent of journalists and bloggers want to be “pitched” by a phone call or a message left on voicemail. In fact, many publicists say that you should never pitch first by phone. They give two reasons. One is that it’s almost impossible to call a reporter at the “right time” because they are always busy working on a story or a deadline. Second, if you do reach them, you’re forcing them to make a snap decision, which is often “no” just to cut the phone call short. Other public relations pros, however, believe a telephone pitch is appropriate if four guidelines are followed: 1. Be totally familiar with what topics the reporter covers on a regular basis, the content of the publication or blog, and the demographics of its audience. 2. Ensure that your call always starts with “Is now a good time,” and “Can I take a minute to tell you about.…” 3. Prepare a brief outline or script of what you will say in the first 30 seconds. You should give your name and organization/client before starting and, in one or two sentences, explain what you are calling about. Get to the point; don’t try to exchange mundane openers such as “How are you today?” or “I was wondering if you would be interested in a story about XYZ’s new widget.” It’s much better to give the story angle up front and why it would be of interest to readers or viewers. 4. Keep any voicemail message to 30 seconds. A busy reporter, if you haven’t made your point by that time, pushes the delete button. Phone calls will be further discussed in the section on how to follow-up a pitch.

6.5.4:  The Twitter Pitch Using Twitter to pitch a journalist or a blogger about a story idea may be “cool,” but it’s not a particularly a good idea. In a 2014 survey of journalists, Business Wire found that only 1 percent of reporters preferred social media posts (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube) as a way to receive a pitch, only slightly higher than getting a text message (0.7 percent).

112  Chapter 6 In addition, pitching a story via a tweet has distinct disadvantages. The major one is that you only have 140 characters to make a coherent pitch, so it requires considerable writing skill to make every word count. According to Paul Bowman, senior editor of Business Wire, “The limited information provided by only giving a link or shortened headline on social media will rarely be enough to draw in a reporter.” Many publicists, however, often use Twitter if they already have a good working relationship with a reporter or blogger and he or she has given permission to reach them via Twitter with story ideas. As one publicist commented in a LinkedIn discussion group, “I’ve pitched several stories via Twitter and Facebook, but only when I’ve had a relationship with the journalist prior to the pitch. It works really well if you can point them to a link where they can see your story ideas, or perhaps a brief YouTube clip with the company’s news.” So how do you develop a relationship? First, you need to do your homework in terms of identifying journalists and bloggers who have a Twitter account and want to be contacted by tweets.

Second, start developing a relationship by following them and commenting on their articles or posts. Once a relationship is established and they are familiar with you, you’re ready to make a pitch. Since a tweet is limited to 140 characters, you should be informal, be brief, and include links to more information or background. “Pitching media on Twitter is like pitching media anywhere else. It’s not easy. It takes research, a smart and relevant pitch, and impeccable PR and writing skills.” — Maya Wasserman, Senior Account Executive at Bailey Gardiner public relations

6.5.5:  The Follow-Up A key component of the pitch is the follow-up. Journalists receive hundreds of pitches, which often include a news release, so it’s not uncommon that most of them get buried in inbox hell. Although the phone call is not recommended for making an initial pitch to a reporter, it’s a common follow-up method after sending a pitch or news release by email.

Things to Remember

Once the pitch or news release is re-sent, many public relations pros recommend re-contacting the reporter within 24 to 48 hours, but others recommend waiting at least a week. In a LinkedIn discussion, one professional noted, “I would suggest a week. That gives them time to review it, discuss it with their higher-ups if there are any. When you call to follow-up, they will be prepared to discuss it one way or another.” Another public relations pro shared a different approach. He says, “Sometimes I’ll follow up with a short tweet mentioning it’s in their inbox, or email them highlighting the one thing that is likely to interest them the most. Then, I stop; I’m done.” The main idea is to not become a stalker; if you don’t get any response on the first effort, don’t keep calling. Reporters and editors can also be quite blunt and tell you in no uncertain terms that they aren’t interested. Or they may be more polite and say they have already done a similar story recently, so they are not interested at the moment. But you can impress them, and even change their minds, if you have done your homework and can say accurately why your story is different from the last three articles about similar subjects. Despite your best efforts, however, you will face rejection on a daily basis. It’s part of the business and you should not take it personally. As one public relations practitioner noted, “A strong backbone is key to surviving the world of PR.” At the same time, as a learning experience, you should take a moment to ask whether your pitch could have been stronger. Does it have too much jargon? Was the pitch too “sales” oriented? Was it focused on the needs of the organization and its audience?

Summary: Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches

SHARED WRITING: PREPARING FACT SHEETS, ADVISORIES, MEDIA KITS, AND PITCHES The Art Institute of Chicago is planning a special exhibit of works from the French impressionist Claude Monet. It’s the first time that such a complete retrospective of his life’s work has been displayed in the United States, thanks to loans from the Louvre in Paris and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. What kinds of material should be included in the media kit for the exhibition? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

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0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 6 Quiz: Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches

Chapter 7

Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds Learning Objectives 7.1 Contrast a feature story with a basic news

release 7.2 Describe six main types of feature stories 7.3a Describe how to assess ideas for features 7.3b Analyze the three main approaches to a

news feature

7.1:  The Value of Features 7.1 Contrast a feature story with a basic news release Perhaps the best way to show the value of news feature stories is to contrast them with basic news releases. The news release emphasizes the timely disclosure of basic information about situations and events. The feature story, in contrast, can provide additional background information, generate human interest, and create understanding in a more creative, entertaining, and imaginative way. It is also less time sensitive and can be used over a longer period than a news release that needs to be used on the day that an event or announcement is made. Consider, for example, the appointment of a new company president. Such news releases often give the basic information in less than 200 words. It will give the new president’s name and perhaps a brief summary of her professional career—all pretty dry, routine stuff. A feature article, however, could give the new president a human dimension. It would focus on her philosophy of management, college experiences, hobbies and interests, and vision of the future. Such an article might run two or three times the length of an average news release. Features are considered “soft news” rather than “hard news.” In journalistic terms, this means that features are not as time sensitive as the “hard” news of quarterly earnings, mergers and acquisitions, contracts, expansions, and layoffs. They entertain, provide background, and give consumer tips. They often show up in the specialty sections of the daily newspaper—entertainment, food, business, real

114

7.4 Identify the main components of a feature

news release and the purpose of each 7.5 Distinguish the different categories of

placement opportunities for feature stories 7.6 Interpret the importance of op-ed articles

and letters to the editor estate, automotive, technology—and most of them originate from public relations sources. Op-eds and letters to the editor, in contrast, appear on a publication’s editorial page and represent the viewpoint of an individual regarding a current controversy or issue. Feature stories come in all sizes and shapes, but all of them have the potential to 1. provide more information to the consumer, 2. give background and context about organizations, 3. provide a behind-the-scenes perspective, 4. give a human dimension to situations and events, and 5. generate publicity for ordinary products and services. Regarding the last point, many products are not particularly newsworthy and would never get coverage if a feature writer didn’t exercise some creativity. Think of the lowly potato.

Indeed, feature materials written in a journalistic format are becoming increasingly popular as a key component of what is described as brand storytelling—great

Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds  115

stories that help create emotional connection with your organization and its products and services. Mike Yamamoto, managing editor of CNET, says, “The future of media is a greater concentration on the feature story as a branding vehicle. The challenge for the media is to capture audiences with a unique presentation of information.”

oped if you hunt for them. Among the most frequently seen features are (1) case studies, (2) application stories, (3) research studies, (4) backgrounders, (5) personality profiles, and (6) historical pieces. These categories are not mutually exclusive, and the lines between them often blur, but some familiarity with them will help you understand the range of possibilities.

“Effective storytelling is not about the brand. The best stories embody the brand, its attitudes and promises. Brands must turn themselves into stories.” — Richard Miller, president of H+K Strategies in UK and Europe

The new interest in feature articles, particularly by marketing and public relations professionals, is based on a number of studies indicating that the effectiveness of traditional advertising has declined with the fragmentation of the traditional media and the rise of the Internet and social networks. In its place is the concept of content marketing, which the Content Marketing Institute describes as “The strategic marketing approach of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience—with the objective of driving profitable customer action.” One way that organizations create relevant content is the development of stories that give consumer tips, which were originally called service journalism. The idea is to demonstrate how a person can use the information to do such things as (1) save time, (2) make more money, (3) save money, or (4) get something free. “What’s in it for me” is the guiding principle. Another term now widely used is branded content, which is content that is created in your brand’s essence without specifically discussing the brand. In other words, the most acceptable content to editors are features written in a journalistic format that only make a brief mention of a product or brand.

WRITING PROMPT What are the advantages of feature articles and content over the standard news release? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

7.2:  Types of Features 7.2 Describe six main types of feature stories There is no formal classification of feature stories and no practical limit to the variety of stories that can be written. Whenever you find something that can be made interesting to some segment of the public, it may be the beginning of a feature. Some ideas are obvious, but many more can be devel-

7.2.1:  Case Study The case study is frequently used in product publicity, particularly as a way to generate publicity for an existing product or to follow-up on the launch of a new product. Case studies often tell how individual customers have benefited from a company’s product or service or how another organization has used the product or service to improve efficiency or profits. In other words, case studies are a form of third-party endorsement or testimonial that helps illustrate the acceptance or popularity of a particular service or product in the marketplace. Organizations providing various services often use the case study feature. Consider the following examples.

116  Chapter 7 “Case studies are an essential aspect of many PR programs, providing rich information on the value and strength of a company’s offering.” — Catherine M. Wolfe, director of marketing services, Toshiba America Medical Systems

Figure 7.1  Food features often include color photos of attractively prepared dishes. McCormick & Company, which makes a variety of spices and sauces, often distributes features and recipes that include its products. One example is its feature on how to assemble and grill a brewpub burger.

A word of caution about case studies: Although most customers and organizations are flattered that you want to use them in a case study about your products and services, you should always ensure that they have given permission and have approved the feature story—in writing.

7.2.2:  Application and “How-To” Features The application story is similar to the case study. The major distinction is that the application story focuses primarily on “how to” use a product or a service in new and innovative ways. The advantage to the organization is that it can show multiple, practical applications of a product or service over a period of time, which generates increased consumer awareness and usage. “A succession of application stories about customers utilizing the same product in different ways can show varied uses for a product or service.” — Donna St. Jean Conti, owner of St. Conti ­Communications

Much food publicity consists of application stories— new recipes or new variations on familiar ones. The food pages of newspapers carry many such features. There’s nothing new about apples, walnuts, beef, or even artichokes, but the producers and distributors of such commodities regularly send the media new recipes and ways of preparing such foods. Most of these features are accompanied by mouthwatering, high-resolution color photos that entice consumers to try the recipes that, in turn, generate sales for the ingredients. A typical food publicity photo is shown in Figure 7.1. Another approach is to give consumers tips and advice that relate to an organization’s products and services. Homewood Suites, for example, issued a feature story titled “Taking Your Kids—and Visiting Colleges.” It was distributed in March by Business Wire just as the “season” started for parents and high school seniors to visit various prospective colleges. The application story was a list of 10 tips by a travel expert for “visiting colleges with your kids.” One tip: “Move on if you arrive on campus and your child refuses to get out of the car.” Giving tips is a frequent format. Gold’s Gym also generates name recognition by sending reporters tips on fitness topics ranging from how to get in shape for bikini season to reducing the “tire” on many middle-aged men. Similarly, Figure 7.2 shows tips by a fitness expert distributed on behalf of Omron Pedometers. The opportunities for offering consumer tips are limited only by the writer’s imagination. An orchid farm issued a

feature story about how men could really impress their significant others by skipping the roses on Valentine’s Day and giving a potted orchid instead. According to the feature, an orchid is really a “babe magnet for the clueless guy.”

7.2.3:  Surveys and Research Studies Surveys and polls, as well as scientific research studies, can provide opportunities for features. This is particularly true if the survey is about some aspect of contemporary lifestyles or a common situation in the workplace. Water Pik, for example, commissioned a research firm to do a “Sexy Smile Survey,” which found that “6 in 10 Americans would be most disturbed by their partner not brushing or flossing his or her teeth for a week, as compared to only 24 percent who would be most perturbed if their significant other passed on wearing deodorant.” Residence Inn, a chain owned by the Marriott ­Corporation, got extensive coverage with a research study about the effects of long business trips on female managers and ­executives. The feature concentrated on the research ­finding that women feel more productive and stimulated by  extended business trips than men, who report feeling lonely and bored. The feature went on to quote p ­ sychologists, female executives, and Residence Inn managers about the

Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds  117

Figure 7.2 

Figure 7.3 

A frequent use of the application story is providing consumer tips. This feature on fitness tips from a celebrity trainer was distributed by North American Précis Syndicate (NAPS) on behalf of Omron, who makes pedometers. Such features, in order to be acceptable to media outlets, must be non-commercial. Omron is mentioned only once in the feature and at the end when its Facebook page is listed.

Here are six steps for structuring a survey feature story from Ann Wylie, a writing coach who also offers writing tips on her website, Wylie Communications.

Figure 7.4  Visa promoted its financial education program by conducting a survey about how much a child gets from the tooth fairy. It maximized the results by providing infographics to summarize key findings, offering a Tooth Fairy app, and linking the survey to a Visa blog, Facebook page, and Twitter chat highlights.

findings of the study. According to Marriott, women now comprise 31 percent of all business travel “roomnights.” Research studies can also have seasonal themes. For example, Yahoo! used St. Patrick’s Day as a news “hook” to distribute its survey of “Alcohol in America.” The survey of 2,000 Americans indicates that the most popular drinking holidays, in descending order, are (1) New Year’s Eve, (2) Christmas, (3) Fourth of July, (4) St. Patrick’s Day, and (5) Thanksgiving. In addition, the most popular drink was red wine, followed by vodka and beer. Figure 7.3 below outlines how to structure a survey story. A good example of a survey feature is the one by Visa, Inc. in Figure 7.4.

118  Chapter 7 In the Visa survey feature, the lead paragraph gives the key findings of the survey. The second paragraph describes the purpose of the study and how it was conducted. The third paragraph provides, in bullet form, other major findings of the survey. The fourth paragraph provides additional information about Visa’s financial education program. Additional details about the size of the sample and the margin of statistical error is given as a footnote at the end of the story.

WRITING PROMPT There are several kinds of features that can be prepared on behalf of an organization. One is reporting the results of a survey, as in the feature from Visa about the Tooth Fairy. How do you assess this feature in terms of human interest and helping Visa publicize its financial education program? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

7.2.4: Backgrounder There are several kinds of backgrounders. One focuses on a problem and how it was solved by an organization or a product. Often there is some historical material and an opportunity for injecting human interest into the story. An example is a story on the reclamation of strip-mined land and how a coal company restored an area to productive use for farming. Another kind of backgrounder explains how a technology or product has evolved over the years. A good example is a feature about the evolution of the Global Positioning System (GPS), which is based on a network of satellites circling the earth. The company that supplies road data to in-car navigation systems is NAVTEQ, which is not exactly a household name. A feature was distributed about how the company generates the data used by MapQuest, Google, and almost all GPS systems. It’s a fascinating story about two-person teams literally driving millions of miles a year recording “navigation attributes.” Cisco Systems, which had developed a new technology for enhancing global teleconferencing, issued a backgrounder on the problems and challenges of creating a global “virtual team” that could meet as if all the team members were in the same room. As the feature states, “Advances in communication technologies have not only created new opportunities to reach new ­m arkets and suppliers, but also a workplace that is

becoming virtual, with team members located around the world.”

7.2.5:  Personality Profile People like to read about people, particularly about celebrities in the entertainment industry or “movers and ­shakers” in business. A review of any magazine newsstand is a graphic confirmation that the “cult of personality” is alive and well. Such personality profiles are highly readable because they “humanize” the celebrity by giving a glimpse of what’s behind the curtain, so to speak. In most cases, these profiles are written by journalists with, quite often, a strong assist from public relations personnel who (1) pitch the idea of a profile, (2) make the star or executive available, (3) provide background information, and (4) even arrange photo shoots. Public relations personnel, however, also write personality profiles about an organization’s employees, executives, and even customers in order to humanize the organization or advance its business objectives. An example is a media kit for Boston Beer Company, producers of the Samuel Adams brand. It includes a two-page, singlespaced profile of its founder, Jim Koch. In it, readers get a sense of Koch’s values and philosophy about making beer. They also learn that he has three degrees from Harvard, taught adventure skills for Outward Bound, and told his dad that he wanted to start a brewery, to which his dad responded, “You’ve done some dumb things in your life, but this is just about the dumbest.” A person doesn’t have to be Boston Beer’s Jim Koch or Apple’s Tim Cook, however, in order to qualify for a personality profile. A more routine writing assignment is to highlight an exceptional employee in the organization’s newsletter or Intranet, such as an employee who became the innovator of a new smartphone app or rose from mailroom clerk to become a key executive in the organization. Customer profiles can also add interest in a product or brand. Would you be interested in reading about a new apartment complex that had built-in storage cabinets? Or would you be more likely to read the story about a young couple who needed an apartment to accommodate the husband’s Star Wars figurine collection and the wife’s painting hobby, and that ended with them selecting the particular apartment complex that had the built-in storage cabinets? Another good example is how Farm Credit highlighted stories of 95 client ranchers and farmers to celebrate its 95th anniversary. One story was about a dairy farmer who used modified equipment because he’s missing both of his arms. Such stories increased traffic on the organization’s website and were also published in such publications as USA Today.

Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds  119

Tips for Success How to Write the Personality Profile Public relations writers are often asked to write a profile of a key executive. The following tips can help enhance your writing of a personality profile:

Historical features are also a staple of tourism publicity. The Alaska Division of Tourism distributes features about the history of the state to encourage visitors. One article was titled, “Following 19th-Century Russians Across Alaska.” The lead paragraph was: “Visitors to Alaska who have forgotten their American history are quickly reminded that the 49th state was once a Russian colony. One reminder is the large number of Russian names sprinkled across the map.” Lowe’s also used a historical theme to celebrate Thomas Edison’s 164th birthday and the invention of the light bulb. The feature made the point that Lowe’s was the first major retailer to offer consumers an LED bulb that will last 22 years—”just long enough to see a baby graduate from college.”

7.3:  Planning a Feature 7.2.6:  Historical Piece Anniversaries, major changes, centennials, and many other events lend themselves to a historical piece. Significant milestones may present an opportunity to report on the history of the organization, its facilities, or some of its people. Stressing the history of an organization lends it an air of stability and permanence. The public can logically deduce that if an organization has lasted “that long,” it must have merit. Planters, for example, used its 100th anniversary to distribute features about the founder of the company, Italian immigrant Amedeo Obici, who started the company to sell fresh roasted peanuts without the shells. The rest is history, so to speak. The Hershey Company celebrated the 100th anniversary of Kisses Chocolates by issuing a feature about the evolution and unique packaging of the product. One doesn’t have to wait for a century, however, before writing a historical feature.

7.3a Describe how to assess ideas for features 7.3b Analyze the three main approaches to a news feature Coming up with a feature idea takes creative and strategic thinking. You should ask yourself three questions before deciding on a topic and what kind of information will be highlighted.

120  Chapter 7

Addressing these three questions can result in a feature that will be relevant over a period of time. A good example is one prepared by CTW for the American Heart Association, which is shown below. The first question is answered by realizing that there’s nothing new about college drinking, so this feature focuses on what researchers have recently found about the health risk of excessive drinking. The focus on college students answers the second question about reaching a particular audience, college students themselves. And in regard to the third question about organizational objectives, the American Heart Association gets its message out about how to avoid getting heart disease. Hard-Core College Drinking Leads to Trouble (290 words) Drinking might be many college students’ rite of passage, but overdoing it is a setup for potential heart disease later in life, says a study reported at an American Heart Association conference.

Good feature writers ask a lot of questions. They need a natural curiosity about how things work and how things are related to each other. If the company has just produced a new video game, for example, you would find out exactly how the game was developed. By asking questions, you might learn that a 19-year-old computer “nerd” invented the game, or that a new technology was used to create “real-life” animated effects. In each case, you have a potential feature. A story about the inventor would make interesting reading, but so would a story about how the new computer technology could be applied in other fields. News events and issues can also trigger ideas for feature stories. If media attention is being given to global warming and greenhouse gasses, perhaps you can develop a feature on how your company is using new technologies to reduce its carbon footprint. The possibilities are limited only by your own imagination and creativity.

7.3.1:  Ways to Proceed Once you have a feature idea, there are three ways you can proceed. The most common approach is to write a general feature and distribute it in much the same way as news releases (by email or by posting it on the organization’s website). In most cases, such features are topic-specific and are sent to the editor in charge of a particular section. A feature on the lowly potato is sent to the food editor, but a

Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds  121

feature on a new smartphone goes to the business or technology editor. A feature on how to have a beautiful green lawn, of course, goes to the garden editor. In a more sophisticated version of this approach, publications in the same circulation area will receive different features and photos about the same subject. This way, editors know the material is somewhat exclusive to them and won’t show up in a competing publication. Today, this idea is further extended by public relations personnel who work to maximize the distribution of a feature across a variety of media platforms, as described in Placement Opportunities and the Tips for Success below.

Tips for Success Maximizing Your Feature Content Good strategists in public relations work very hard to maximize the content of a single feature by using a variety of media platforms and adapting the material to different contexts and uses. The following list of ways to leverage feature content such as profiles, case studies, and application stories is adapted from an article in Public Relations Tactics by Andrea Disario.

3. information placed in a PowerPoint presentation on Slideshare. Public relations experts describe this as the “rule of three.” If you create a piece of content, you should plan to use it on at least three different platforms/channels. In other words, as you plan a feature, think about different ways that the content can be re-packaged to get maximum distribution of your basic story. “Remember you are in the brand-building business, not the content-publishing business, so always guide your content strategy by the light of your brand’s North Star and stay focused on your business purpose.” — Tracy Stokes, a principal analyst at Forrester Research

A second approach is to not write the feature at all. Instead, you give a journalist a story idea that he or she might want to develop on his or her own, by emailing or phoning the person and making a pitch. If the journalist is interested, you can offer to help by sending background information, providing photos and other artwork, and even setting up interviews with potential sources. The advantage of this approach is that the publication’s staff actually writes the story. Once the publication has invested time and money in the story, it is more likely to publish it. The disadvantage is that you can’t always control how the story will be developed and whether it will advance organizational objectives. The third method is to provide the basic information to a feature service that will write, produce, and distribute the feature for you in various media formats. CTW (Content that Works) is one company that provides a variety of feature articles to more than 1,000 newspapers that subscribe to its service. Such features are primarily used in special sections or supplements such as auto, real estate, and food. A typical feature for the auto section is “Pickup sheds pounds but is no lightweight” about the new Ford F-150. Family Features is another major firm that helps clients package tips and recipes that highlight their products or services. One feature giving tips on how to pack for moving was written on behalf of the UPS Store. Figure 7.5 shows a story Family Features wrote about using Johnsonville sausage for appetizers and snacks on Game Day.

WRITING PROMPT

A feature designed for print publication can also be repackaged in several other ways, such as: 1. a longer story with more photos and a video for the organization’s website, 2. an abbreviated version of the feature on a Facebook page, or

Many organizations are now hiring former journalists to produce features in what is called “brand journalism.” Is this a good approach? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

122  Chapter 7

Figure 7.5  Production and distribution services such as Family Features prepare content on behalf of clients in a number of formats. Shown is a cameraready version for the food section of daily newspapers on behalf of Johnsonville, a sausage producer, but the content is also re-formatted for use by bloggers and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds  123

7.4:  The Parts of a Feature

• Travel Insurance Offers Peace of Mind on Family Vacations

7.4 Identify the main components of a feature news release and the purpose of each

• Eight Ways to Break Bad Smartphone Habits

The formatting of a feature is similar to that of a news release. You need an informative, interesting headline to attract the reader, a good lead to entice the reader to read more, facts and quotes in the body, and a closing paragraph. The following sections detail the components of a feature news release. Additional points to keep in mind when writing a feature are given in the Tips for Success.

• Good News for Caffeine Lovers: Study Shows Caffeinated Beverages Hydrate Like Water • New Yahoo Study Shows Americans’ Dependence on Email • Rawlings Offers Expert Tips on Gearing Up for Baseball

An organization may get more media exposure by doing a feature story instead of a straight news release. Fred Ferguson, head of PR Newswire’s Feature News Service, offers the following advice on how to write a feature news release:

The informational headline works well for the results of surveys or when the organization is offering advice and tips (10 tips seem to be the standard) on how to purchase a product, book a cruise, or even improve your wardrobe. Essentially, these headlines make the promise of a “reward” for consumers by helping them save money, buy a good product, achieve better health, or prevent illness. Verizon, for example, got extensive media placements by sending out a news feature offering tips on how to help a child succeed in the classroom. The second kind of headline is one that uses a play on words or a question to raise the curiosity of the editor or the consumer, as in the examples below.

• Grab the editor’s attention with a creative headline that tells the story.

• Work and Money Problems Are One Big Headache (­Tylenol)

• Tell the same story in the first paragraph, which should never be cute, soft, or a question.

• The Good the Bad and the Bubbly—Celebrating Safely (American Academy of Ophthalmology)

• Support the lead with a second paragraph that backs it up and provides attribution. Place the product and service name at the end of the second paragraph so it becomes less advertorial.

• Can Video Games in the Office Make Employees More Productive? (Credit Karma)

• Try to keep all paragraphs under 30 words and to three lines. This makes it easier for editors to cut to fit available space, holds the reader’s attention, and is attractive in most page layouts.

• See Your Way Through the Next Power Outage (a new flashlight)

Tips for Success How to Write a Great Feature Story

• Do not excessively repeat the name of the product or service. It dilutes the value of the story. • Forget superlatives, technobabble, and buzzwords. Instead, tell consumers why they should care. • Never say anything is the first or the best, express an opinion, or make claims unless you directly attribute them to someone else. • Avoid using a self-serving laundry list of products or s­ ervices. • Discard a telephone number acronym in favor of numerals. It makes it easier for consumers to make a telephone call for more information. • Don’t put the corporate name in all capital letters. It violates AP style. • Don’t give a standard paragraph about the organization at the end of the article.

7.4.1:  Feature Headline There are two kinds of headlines that you can use. The first is the informational headline, which gives the crux of the story. Here are some examples:

• Help Your Teen Put His Best Face Forward (a new acne medicine)

Whatever your choice of headline, whether it is an informational one or one that generates curiosity, make sure it grabs the interest of editors and readers. Philips Norelco’s Bodygroom feature, for example, merely stated, “Look Better Naked.” And Banfield Pet Hospital had many more placements via a NewsUSA distribution with a feature titled “Tired of Doggy Breath? Prevention Is Key to Protect Pets from Oral Disease.” Doesn’t that sound more interesting to the average reader than a straight headline announcing “Oral Disease Prevention in Pets”?

7.4.2:  Feature Lead News releases usually have a summary lead that tells the basic facts in a nutshell. The name of the organization is in the lead, and readers will get the key information even if the summary is all they read. In contrast, the purpose of the lead in a news feature story is to attract attention and get the reader interested enough to read the entire article. A good lead requires creativity on the writer’s part because it must intrigue people and appeal to their curiosity. A lead is a promise; it tells people that they will learn something that will be ­beneficial

124  Chapter 7 to them. Here are some creative leads that generate interest, give information, or promise a benefit: Feature Story

Lead

Tips on shopping for power tools from Dremel, a power-tool ­manufacturer

Many home improvement enthusiasts will tell you that new tools are at the top of their wish lists. But for those with little knowledge of power tools, shopping for them can be an intimidating and confusing experience.

The clients of Great Date Now, a matchmaking ­service

More and more men and women, who are regular skiers, are turning to professional matchmakers to find affluent companions who are also skiers.

A “no tools” portable ­basketball hoop stand from Huffy Sports

Tired of staying up all night assembling your kids’ holiday gifts? Does the thought of deciphering lengthy, complicated instructions make your skin crawl? If so, you’re not alone.

Notice that these leads are brief and concise. Most experts recommend a lead paragraph of no more than 30 words. A good lead also focuses on the most unusual part of the story. A lead introducing a machine that builds curbs without forms could start with these words: “The formless curber lays concrete curbs without the use of expensive forms.” This statement is factual and true, but the feature would be much more interesting if it started like this: “It’s just like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube.” The Wall Street Journal, in particular, is famous for using anecdotal leads in its feature stories. See the Tips for Success to read an anecdotal lead for a feature about the nudist resort industry.

Tips for Success How to Personalize a Lead Paragraph The Wall Street Journal is famous for using the anecdotal lead in its page one features, usually in the lower section of the front page. Essentially, an anecdote is a short account of an entertaining or interesting incident experienced by an individual that begins a story about a broader topic, issue, or trend.

7.4.3:  Feature Body and Summary News releases use the inverted pyramid format. They present the most important facts first and elaborate on them in the succeeding paragraphs, within 200 to 400 words total. The feature story, in contrast, doesn’t need to follow the inverted pyramid approach, but it does need to be somewhat concise. Food sections in the newspaper, for example, tend to use features that are 200 to 750 words long. Business Wire recommends a six-paragraph story of 400 words or less. Features distributed by North American Précis Syndicate (NAPS) usually have a length of 250 to 400 words. In other words, less is better. In addition, tips should be in bullet form, not numbered. An example of using bullets is shown in the Visa feature in Figure 7.4 about the tooth fairy. The body of the story essentially delivers the reward promised in the lead, by using such devices as (1) direct quotes, (2) concrete examples, (3) statistics and survey findings, (4) descriptive words that paint mental pictures, and (5) information presented in a conversational and entertaining way. In many cases, the summary is the most important part of the feature. It is often quite brief, but it must be complete and clear. Essentially, it is the core message that the writer wants to leave with the reader. Abundant Forests Alliance, for example, ended a feature on Christmas trees by stating the two key points: Recycle your “real” Christmas tree and make Christmas presents out of this year’s tree by making holiday potpourri or sachets out of the dried needles. It’s also important to provide sources of more information and product information. Abundant Forests added, “For more Green Tips for the holiday, visit www.abundantforests.org.” A feature story on tourist sites in South Carolina ends with “To learn more, visit the website at www. DiscoverSouthCarolina.com.”

7.4.4:  Photos and Graphics A feature story is often accompanied by photos and graphics to give it more appeal. One study, for example, found that Web posts with visuals caused 180 percent more engagement than those with no visuals. Food producers typically send features with mouth-watering color photos of prepared food, such as the juicy hamburger in Figure 7.1. The feature on brides in Figure 7.6 also provides photos that can be downloaded with the story.

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Figure 7.6  A news feature doesn’t need to be long; this one prepared by NAPS distribution services is only 263 words. Key tips are given in bullet form and provide a teaser to encourage people to visit the Party City website for even more tips on how to plan a wedding without breaking the bank. Larger, high-resolution copies of the photos shown in the margin are available as downloads.

products to create wedding invitations and programs, for example, included six photos and even had a space where readers could post comments about the article. Feature stories, like news releases, can also be embedded with a URL and tags to better reach blogs and other online sites such as Facebook.

7.5: Placement Opportunities 7.5 Distinguish the different categories of placement opportunities for feature stories

Media outlets also like infographics, computer-generated artwork that attractively displays simple tables and charts. USA Today pioneered the use of infographics, and newspapers around the nation now use them with great frequency. A key finding of MCI’s “Meetings in America” survey, for example, was chosen by USA Today for its frontpage “USA Snapshot” series. It was a simple bar chart giving the primary reasons why people get stressed about business travel. Leading the list was “time away from family” with 75 percent. The Visa feature on the tooth fairy in Figure 7.4 includes several infographics about the survey results that can be easily downloaded by media outlets to give the story more visibility. Features, like news releases, have also become multimedia in scope. Stories can be illustrated with photos and other visuals, audio, video, or podcasts, which broaden their visibility and online life. Distribution services such as Business Wire, PR Newswire, NAPS, and MarketWire can include all of these add-ons. Photos can also be offered on an organization’s website. An HP feature story on using its applications and

Once your feature is written, your challenge is to figure out what publication or website would be most appropriate for the feature content, given the kind of topics it covers. A media database can help you to research various media outlets. You must also consider the purpose of the feature content in terms of reaching audiences that would be most interested in your product or service. Some brands such as Coca-Cola have a fairly broad audience, but Red Bull is more interested in 18- to 34-year-olds who lead active lifestyles and engage in many recreational sports. Traditional media was originally the primary focus of feature placements, but this has changed somewhat with the rise of the Internet, the fragmentation of mass media, and the disruption of an economic model that primarily relied on advertising as source of income. Today, there are multiple opportunities for the placement of feature content. These media platforms fall into three categories— earned, owned, and paid. The Tips for Success describes how savvy PR professionals can adapt a feature for each.

Tips for Success Maximizing Your Feature Content Good strategists in public relations work very hard to maximize the content of a single feature by using a variety of media platforms and adapting the material to different contexts and uses. The following list of ways to leverage feature content such as profiles, case studies, and application stories is adapted from an article in Public Relations Tactics by Andrea Disario.

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7.5.1:  Earned Media In this category, journalists and editors at newspapers, magazines, broadcast stations, and online news sites select features that they consider newsworthy and of interest to their audience. Your feature in a newspaper’s food or lifestyle section, for example, is selected on its merit and at no cost to your organization. Consequently, the placement is considered “earned” media. The placement of material from a news release is a good example of earned media. Public relations personnel, in particular, work very hard to get earned media. It has considerable value because features published or posted in its news columns are widely perceived by the public and consumers as being more credible and authentic than “owned” or “paid” media. In essence, earned media coverage is a form of third-party endorsement. A Nielsen study commissioned by inPowered, a content marketing company, seems to confirm this. A survey of 900 consumers found that 85 percent of them seek out third-party information when considering a purchase. On average, earned media lifted brand familiarity 88 percent more than owned or paid media and 50 percent more than user reviews. Sarah Skerik, vice president of PRNewswire, wrote on her company’s blog, “Overall, the research showed that earned media—articles from credible journalists—was the only content type to exhibit a strong lift in all three areas of the purchase cycle.”

7.5.2:  Owned Media An organization’s magazine, intranet, website, and e-newsletters are considered “owned” media because the organization controls the format and content. Today, organizations emphasize “storytelling” on these sites as part of their content marketing strategy. This is because multiple studies show that employees, as well as consumers, prefer to read stories about a brand or a product that are written in a journalistic format and style. Consequently, many organizations now hire former journalists and editors to write features and news stories in

what is described as brand journalism–the framing of an organization’s brand or products in the journalistic context of reporting news, trends, and other information. The goal is to attract readership, engagement, and even customer or employee loyalty. Defense contractor Raytheon, for example, hired journalists—not marketers or ad copy writers— to convert its home page to be a news operation. Corinne Kovalsky, Raytheon’s director of digital media, told the Ragan Report, “We’ve got feature stories and trend stories about cool products.” As a result, its Web traffic went up more than 450 percent. Other major corporations have also become virtual media companies by using their websites to provide a combination of feature stories and videos that reinforce their brand. Red Bull, for example, sponsors a number of extreme sports events, so its site has interviews with many of the leading athletes, photo essays, and video clips from various events. Adidas created a mini online documentary series called The Return, which highlighted NBA player Derrick Rose’s recovery from a knee injury. The documentary was posted on its website as well as its YouTube channel and was viewed more than 200,000 times in a 4-month period. And Coca-Cola took the approach of creating an online magazine,Coca-Cola Journey, that has a 50/50 blend of Coke branded features and other stories about lifestyles, health, and self-improvement tips. Many of these features are also posted on the company’s social media platforms. In sum, owned media—if done correctly—can reach a wide audience without the filter of traditional media.

7.5.3:  Paid Media Advertising, of course, is the prime example of paid media but the concept of content marketing has considerably altered the landscape to include what is called native advertising—a form of advertising in which paid or “sponsored” content follows the form of feature stories written in journalistic format. According to MdG Advertising, 70 percent of Internet users want to learn about products through content rather than traditional ads, and 75 percent of publishers now offer some type of native advertising as a source of revenue. There are several levels of native advertising. The most direct method is simply buying space in a publication. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), for example, placed a feature in the Wall Street Journal about the issue of corporate travelers using their own digital devices to make travel arrangements. The newspaper clearly marked the story “Special Advertising Feature.” On a much larger scale, the New York Times occasionally runs an eight-page section titled “Russia Beyond the Headlines” that has all the appearances of a regular newspaper with headlines, various stories, and news in

Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds  127

brief. Again, the newspaper clearly labels the supplement as a “Special Advertising Feature” produced by the Russian Government. A second level of native advertising is employed by news media organizations such as Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, Washington Post Company, and Forbes Media. Each created divisions to write features on behalf of various companies that are then posted on the publisher website. In such a situation, the posts are described as “sponsored” articles because the client not only pays for the writing and placement of the feature on the publication’s website but also approves the content before it is distributed or posted. Forbes, in fact, now makes about 30 percent of its revenue from its “BrandVoice” site. Another type of “sponsorship” is paid co-creation, in which an organization forms a partnership with a publication or broadcast outlet to provide funding for the research and development of stories about a particular topic that the organization or industry believes should be covered more thoroughly. The major difference between this and the native advertising just described is that the media outlet retains editorial control of the content and its presentation. A good example of paid co-creation is a grant by Kaiser Health to PBS to develop a series of stories about recent health care developments and issues. PBS retains editorial control of the content but acknowledges in its broadcasts that the information and research cited has been provided by Kaiser Health in cooperation with PBS. In another example, Purina provided funding to Mashable that produced a story featuring five heartwarming dogs. The increased blurring of lines between what media coverage is being “earned” and what is being “paid” continues to raise some ethical questions about how transparent media outlets are about informing their readers. In many cases, such content is not clearly marked nor separated in any way from the publication’s regular news content. Leading public relations firms such as Edelman Worldwide have gone on record calling for full disclosure. In addition, Edelman believes media buyers for advertising should handle paid or sponsored placements, not public relations personnel who focus on generating “earned” media.

WRITING PROMPT How would you describe the difference between earned, paid, and owned media? Can you give an example of each one? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

7.6:  Writing Opinion Pieces 7.6 Interpret the importance of op-ed articles and letters to the editor Op-eds and letters to the editor are a variation of the feature story. Their primary function is express the viewpoint of organizations, and even individuals, on current events and issues. In many cases, public relations writers are the “ghost writers” for organizational executives who are usually listed as the author of such pieces.

7.6.1: Op-Eds The more intellectual form of the feature story is the op-ed, which literally means “opposite the editorial page.” The concept originated at the New York Times in 1970 and is now used by many major newspapers and online news sites across the country. The purpose of op-ed articles is to present a variety of views on current news events, governmental policies, pending legislation, and social issues. From a public relations standpoint, op-ed pieces provide an excellent opportunity for individuals and organizations to reach an audience of readers who also tend to be opinion leaders or, in the jargon of the industry, “influentials.” Indeed, if an organizational executive wants to become a spokesperson or what is now referred to as a “thought leader” for a particular industry or cause, public relations counsel often recommends writing one or more op-ed pieces. Universities and think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the Hoover Institution also make considerable use of op-ed pieces. The objective is to gain visibility for an institution and establish its experts as “thought leaders” in a particular field. The public relations department of Washington University in St. Louis, for example, got 426 placements in 1 year by sending op-ed articles written by 62 faculty members. The op-ed pages of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Washington Post are the best known and the most prestigious in terms of placement.

128  Chapter 7 They ­regularly carry op-eds written by ambassadors, former presidents, CEOs of major corporations, senators, and a host of other prominent or influential people. The competition is steep; The Wall Street Journal receives about 500 to 700 op-ed articles a month and has space for only a few of them. Your employer or client may not be a former ambassador or a CEO of a global company, but that should not discourage you from submitting op-ed pieces to these newspapers and to local dailies. Editorial page directors are always looking for fresh insights from anyone who has expertise or a new perspective on a particular topic of current public concern. David Shipley, op-ed editor of the New York Times, says it best: “We look for timeliness, ingenuity, strength of argument, freshness of opinion, clear writing, and newsworthiness.” Indeed, op-eds must have a current news angle to fulfill the journalistic requirement of timeliness. Public relations writers often do the initial work of drafting an op-ed for a client or employer. Another way to approach it is to ask a person for notes from a recent speech. Speeches to organizations are often recycled as opeds to newspapers. For more tips on how to write an op-ed, see the Tips for Success below.

Tips for Success How to Write the “Perfect” Op-Ed

In addition, you should not overlook the trade press. Publications and blogs that serve a particular industry or profession also use commentaries and short opinion articles. A company’s head of research or the vice president of human resources might have something to say that would be interesting to the readers of these publications. “The whole point of an Op-Ed is to illuminate the issue in a new way. It isn’t just opinion; it’s an opinion grounded in facts, data, and research.” — Henry Miller, chief operating officer, Goodman Media THE OP-ED FORMAT  Op-eds, by definition, are short

and to the point. The most effective in terms of placement are 400 to 750 words, which are about three to four wordprocessed pages, double-spaced. Various publications establish their own guidelines for length. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution prefers 200 to 600 words, whereas the Washington Post wants submissions of 600 to 700 words. The New York Times suggests 650 words.

Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds  129

Such restrictions in length mean that you must write well in terms of organization and conciseness. The basic structure of an op-ed is as follows: HEADLINE. The writer’s key message or point of view should be expressed in about five or six words. Some sample headlines from a local California daily were “Child hunger related to school performance,” “Bill on genetic product labeling isn’t needed,” and “Civics education, just like democracy, is critical.” Some experts recommend writing the headline first before writing the op-ed; it helps you focus on the main message you want to communicate. LEAD PARAGRAPH. Catch the reader’s attention in the first 35 or 40 words. The lead paragraph in the civics education op-ed, for example, started with the question, “Why should business leaders and innovators care about civics education? After all, consumers don’t need to be voters to engage in the economy. A worker’s aptitude for the job won’t be measured by knowledge of the Constitution.”

The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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7.6.2:  Letters to the Editor The next best thing to an op-ed article is a published letter. Letters to the editor (LTEs) are shorter than op-ed pieces. They focus primarily on rebutting an editorial, clarifying information in a news story or column, or adding information that might not have been included in the original story. And, unlike an op-ed article that is often arranged in advance, letters to the editor are submitted without any prior consultation with editors.

BODY OF TEXT. Write about five or six paragraphs to make a case for your viewpoint. This should include your rationale, facts, statistics, and even quotes from experts. Instead of writing such phrases as “I believe,” write in journalistic third person. CLOSING PARAGRAPH. This is the call for action. In a few sentences, tell readers what you want them to do with the information. In the previouslymentioned op-ed about child hunger, the closing paragraph stated, “It’s time that Silicon Valley invests itself in feeding all the children here who are going to school hungry.” SHORT BIO. Op-eds are by-lined, but a one-sentence bio, usually in italics, is at the end of the article. It usually gives the writer’s name, title, and organization. There are some additional guidelines to keep in mind. As in pitch letters, you need to do some homework on the audience and geographic reach of the targeted publication. It is also wise to read the editorial pages of the publication and find out, either from the newspaper or a media directory, how op-ed submissions are handled. Some editorial page directors prefer an email query outlining the subject of the proposed op-ed piece and the author’s credentials. Others simply want a phone pitch in 60 seconds or less.

WRITING PROMPT Op-eds are a special form of persuasive writing. Review several op-eds that have appeared in the local daily or a national daily such as the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Were they persuasive? What concepts of effective op-ed writing were present?

There is limited space for letters, so you should follow closely any guidelines that the publication has established. Most newspapers and magazines publish these guidelines as

130  Chapter 7 part of an LTE page. The San Jose (CA) Mercury News, for example, has the following policy: “Letters of up to 125 words will be considered for publication. All letters must include a full name, address, and daytime phone number, plus any affiliations that would place your opinion in context.” “Focus on clearly and concisely making a simple point by using examples, anecdotes, and data.” — Chris Birk, director of communications for VA Mortgage Center.com

Many of the op-ed guidelines apply, but here are some that relate directly to letters: • Keep it short. A letter of 200 words or less has a much better chance of being published. • Be temperate and factual. Don’t complain that the original editorial or article was inaccurate or question the author’s integrity. • Identify the subject in the opening paragraph. If your letter is in response to a specific article, refer briefly to the article and the date it appeared. • State the theme of your letter in the second paragraph. Do you agree, disagree, or want to clarify something?

• The next several paragraphs should give your viewpoint, supported by convincing facts, examples, or ­statistics. • Close. The letter should be signed by a high ranking executive of the organization with his or her title, name of organization, and its headquarters location. Telephone and email information should also be provided, so editors can verify the authorship of the letter. In many cases, an organization will also encourage its supporters or donors to write a letter to the editor to promote a cause or issue, or even rebut some unfavorable news coverage.

WRITING PROMPT Think of a news story in the local paper that generated high agreement or opposition on your part. What main points would you make in a letter to the editor that comments on the story? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

Summary: Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds

Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds  131

Shared Writing: Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds BrewHouse, a chain of coffee houses, wants to create more visibility and expand its market. One approach is preparing feature articles that can be distributed to lifestyle and food editors on daily newspapers. Briefly describe three feature story ideas that could be written about BrewHouse and its coffee. A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

Post

0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 7 Quiz: Creating News Features and Op-Eds

Chapter 8

Publicity Photos and Infographics Learning Objectives 8.1 Review the importance of publicity photos

8.6 Describe different types of infographics that

and visual content 8.2 Analyze the aspects that comprise a good

are distributed to the media 8.7 Describe ways of creating colorful

photo 8.3 Review the details that need to be taken

care of while working with photographers and the considerations for using photos

infographics 8.8 Report four different methods of

distributing photos and artwork 8.9 Report the importance of maintaining a

8.4 Examine the nuances of writing good photo

logbook while preserving photo and art files

captions 8.5 Review the usefulness of infographics in the

field of public relations

8.1:  The Importance of Visual Content

than information that is presented with words and numbers alone. The graph below illustrates how much people remember of what they read, hear, and see. How Much Do People Remember?

8.1 Review the importance of publicity photos and visual content

Visuals help with a story. People tend to remember

facts and figures presented in an interesting visual way instead of just reading a bunch of numbers or percentages. Various research studies, for example, have found that people remember auditory and visual information better

132

60%

60 50 % Remembered

Photographs and infographics are important components of the tool kit for public relations writers. They add interest and variety, and they often explain things better than words alone. There’s the old adage that a photo is worth a thousand words, and this is especially true today because research indicates that 65 percent of the public are visual learners. In addition, scientists say visual data is processed 60,000 times faster by the brain than text and, as a result, is more easily understood by the receiver. There are several other reasons why public relations writers should use photographs and infographics as integral parts of news releases, features, and other media such as newsletters, magazines, brochures, and employee intranets:

70

40

30%

30 20

20% 10%

10 0 Read

Hear

See

See, Read, & Hear

How Content Is Absorbed

Journalists are highly visual. They spend three

seconds on average deciding to read or delete a news release, and visuals increase the chances of a reporter t­aking time to

Publicity Photos and Infographics 133

read it. In one survey, 80 percent of reporters said photos and infographics increase the odds of a news release being used. Visuals break through the clutter. Nielsen esti-

mates that there are 27 million pieces of content shared a day. With such competition, public relations writers must increasingly use visual techniques to get the audience’s attention. Visuals are more sharable. Social media users are 40 times more likely to share visual content on social networks than any other content. Infographics, according to some studies, also increase website traffic by 12 percent. Visuals make content more persuasive. One study found that messages with visual content were 17 percent more persuasive than text-only messages.

This chapter explores the elements of a good publicity photo or infographic and explains how to conceptualize, compose, and produce visual content that can stand alone or be part of a news release, a media kit, or a feature. You will learn how to work with professional photographers and graphic artists (as well as photo and graphic vendors), write succinct photo captions, create highly colorful and readable infographics, and gain some insight on how visual content is distributed. The purpose is not to make you a professional photographer or graphic designer but to give you a better working knowledge of how you can incorporate visual content as a strategy to maximize media placements and get more online sharing of your information.

WRITING PROMPT Why is visual content such as photos and infographics so important in the communication process? Do the main points made in this section apply to you personally? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

8.2:  Components of a Good Photo 8.2 Analyze the aspects that comprise a good photo Studies have shown that more people “read” photographs than read articles. The Advertising Research Foundation found that three to four times as many people notice the average one-column photograph as read the average news story. In another study, Professor Wayne Wanta of the University of Missouri found that articles accompanied by photographs are perceived as significantly more important than those without photographs. This also applies to infographics, which will be discussed later in the chapter.

Publicity photos, however, are not published if they are not high resolution and if they do not appeal to media gatekeepers. Although professional photographers should be hired to take the photos, the public relations writer often supervises their work and selects the photos best suited for media use. Therefore, you need to know the following seven aspects of what makes a good publicity photo: technical quality, subject matter, composition, action, scale, camera angle, and lighting and timing. “Motion and still images are valuable. Somebody might not read the story, but they’ll recall the images.” — Amanda Watlington, owner of a marketing consulting firm

8.2.1:  Technical Quality Professionals today use digital cameras, and the traditional process of taking photos on film, developing the film, and making prints has practically disappeared except in art photography. Although the process of taking photos has changed radically, the key elements of a good photo remain the same, and the technical quality of the photo is very important. Indeed, a common complaint of editors is the poor content and technical quality of publicity photos. Editors look for the key elements of good contrast and sharp detail so the photo reproduces well on everything from glossy magazine pages to cheap newsprint. You must also consider that photos are often reduced in size or, on occasion, enlarged when they are published. If they have good resolution to begin with, they will hold their quality. The required resolution for digital photos depends on where they will be used. Online media, for example, are willing to sacrifice quality for the speed of download, so they typically use images at 72 dpi (dots per inch). Print publications, however, require much higher resolution, and 300 dpi is a minimum. Corporate websites and distribution services such as NewsCom and Feature Photo Service now provide downloads of “high-resolution” publicity photos that are in 300-dpi JPEG or GIF format to accommodate the needs of almost any publication—from monthly glossy magazines to small weekly newspapers.

8.2.2:  Subject Matter There is a wide variety of subjects for a publicity photo. On one level, there are somewhat static photos of a new product or the head-and-shoulders shot of a newly promoted executive. On another level, photos are used to document events such as a groundbreaking or a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Trade magazines, weekly newspapers, and organizational newsletters often use the standard “grip and grin” photo of a person receiving an award, a company president turning the first shovel of dirt on the site of a new building, or the traditional “ribbon-cutting” ceremony to

134  Chapter 8 open a new store. These shots have been a traditional staple of publicity photos for years, and there is no evidence that they are going out of fashion even in the digital age. At the same time, you should be aware that such photos can be quite boring, and editors want more unusual or artistic material. Award Photos  In many ways, award photos are somewhat of a cliché, showing the typical “grip and grin” format. It is relatively easy to violate the concepts of newsworthiness, action, and central focus as awardees merely look at the camera while holding their check or trophy. Award photos, however, are a fact of life and still get published in local newspapers and even in national publications if the individuals are celebrities. See Figure 8.1 for a somewhat different award photograph of two University of Rochester students who were winners of an IBM Watson case competition.

Figure 8.1  The routine award photo is usually a person or persons holding a trophy or a plaque and smiling at the camera. IBM, however, took a more creative approach to depict the winners of the IBM Watson case competition. The two students from the Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester are framed between stacks of books and digital media, to represent the considerable library research required for their winning proposal on crisis and disaster management. Credit: Matt Wittmeyer/Feature Photo Service for IBM.

How can you take better award photos?

Small Group Photos  Another guideline to follow in a small group photo is to show activity in a picture: people talking to each other, looking at a display, or shaking hands with a notable person in an informal pose. The people should not be lined up, looking at the camera. The typical publicity photo in Figure 8.2 illustrates the idea of having people actively doing something instead of just looking at the camera.

Figure 8.2  This photo was included in a news release from IBM about a new computer program solution for use by doctors in the oncology field. It is a tightly composed photo showing the head of Thoracic Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the general manager of IBM Watson Solutions actively engaged in reviewing the program on a tablet. Credit: Jon Simon/Feature Photo Service for IBM.

How can you compose small group photos?

Publicity Photos and Infographics 135

Large Group Photos  Organizations love group

Food Photos  Food publicity has its own particular

photos of everyone who attended the seminar or received an outstanding service award. A group photo may be legitimate when you want to give a souvenir of a particular meeting or conference or provide documentation for a specialized publication, such as a fraternal or alumni magazine. However, pictures of this kind should not be sent to general-circulation newspapers and magazines. A better approach, if you want media coverage, is to use the local angle. Take small group photos of individuals from a particular city and send them to local dailies or weeklies.

challenges in terms of making a product look savory in a photo. Some tricks are to use motor oil in place of syrup and mashed potatoes instead of real ice cream, use hair spray on produce, and even use brown shoe polish on raw meat to portray a well-grilled hamburger. See the Tips for Success for more general guidelines about product photos.

Product Photos  Product photos are particularly

challenging in terms of arousing interest. A common approach is to simply show the product, such as a new computer, in a stark background so it is highlighted. Most new product news releases include a photo of the product, but a photo of a new computer or a camera by itself is not very interesting. A better approach that attracts more media interest is to include a human element by having someone actually demonstrating or using the product. For example, Figure 8.3 shows a shopper using a new augmented reality app developed by IBM to receive instant details and promotions in the palm of her hand.

Tips for Success How to Take Product Photos That Get Published Here are some tips for taking photos that put a product in the best light and can be used in multiple contexts.

Figure 8.3  IBM distributed this product photo with a news release about a prototype app that automatically delivers personalized coupons, offers, customer reviews, and product details to smart phones as customers browse store shelves. The photo is tightly composed and shows the app being used in front of a store display. Credit: Jon Simon/Feature Photo Services for IBM.

What’s another common approach?

8.2.3:   Composition We have already discussed ways to compose photographs of groups. Inherent in all this is the concept of keeping the photo simple and uncluttered. A look at the family album will illustrate the point. We have Aunt Minnie and Uncle

136  Chapter 8 Oswald looking like pygmies because the family photographer also wanted to include the entire skyline of New York City. Consequently, Aunt Minnie and Uncle Oswald are about 35 feet from the camera. In most cases, the photographer should move into, not away from, the central focus of the picture. If the purpose is to show a busy executive at his or her desk, the picture should be taken close up so that the subject fills most of it. Sufficient background should be included to provide context, but it is really not necessary to show the entire surface of the desk—including the disarray of papers, picture of spouse and kids, and paperweight from a recent convention. All of this conflicts with what the viewer is supposed to focus on in the picture. Another reason for moving in on the subject and minimizing the background or foreground is to achieve good composition. That picture of Aunt Minnie and Uncle Oswald also shows the Empire State Building growing out of Uncle Oswald’s head.

Figure 8.4  An appealing, well-composed photo focuses on the subject and minimizes the background. This photo was included in a news release about IBM's inventors receiving over 6,000 patents in one year. An inventor is reflected in a new class of ultra-thin materials that can be used in wearable technologies.

Tips for Well-composed Photos

Figure 8.5  The workplace can provide a good setting for creative publicity photos. IBM distributed this photo showing scientists working with an accelerator that is used to examine the internal structure of various materials with atomic resolution.

All this advice is logical, but there may be times when the background plays an important role. If the purpose of the photo is to show someone in his or her work setting, it is important to capture a sense of the person’s environment. A photo of a manager in management information systems, for example, might show him or her surrounded by three or four computers and a stack of printouts. Phil Douglis, a widely known photographic consultant, calls it the “environmental portrait.” He continues, “Such portraits blend posed subjects with their supporting context to symbolize jobs, capture personalities, and ultimately communicate something about them to readers.” A good example is Figure 8.4 that shows an IBM engineer and inventor being reflected in a new class of lightweight semiconductor materials that the corporation has patented. Figure 8.5 is another example of an environmental portrait.

WRITING PROMPT Your organization is having an awards ceremony. How would you compose a photo of two award winners with the president of the organization? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

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8.2.4: Action Action is important because it projects movement and the idea that something is happening right before the reader’s eyes. A picture of someone doing something—talking, gesturing, laughing, running, operating a machine—is more interesting than a picture of a person standing still and looking at the camera. Douglis says, “Interactive exchanges are the most productive form of communication. Photojournalism is an ideal medium for visually expressing how people communicate interactively with each other.” America’s amateur photographers have filled the nation’s family albums with pictures of Aunt Minnie and Uncle Oswald in rigid, formal poses, staring blankly, but a quick look through your daily newspaper will not turn up this kind of shot. Prize-winning news photographs bear out that action and interaction among people are the key elements in successful photography. In other words, take pictures of people doing something or interacting with others—not just staring at the camera. With some thinking, an action photo can be taken of almost any situation. Professional photographers agree, however, that the best “action” photos are taken when the subjects are being spontaneous and are not conscious of the camera. Consequently, photographers will often take multiple shots over a period of several minutes to get the best facial expressions and portrayal of more natural interaction. However, sometimes a straight head-and-shoulders portrait is exactly what is needed. For example, a news release announcing a promotion or the new president of a club or organization is often accompanied by what is referred to as a mug shot. Such photos are used for organizational newsletters and sent to the business section of a local daily for use as a “thumbnail” in a brief paragraph about the individual’s promotion or hiring. You should not conclude, however, that all good pictures must suggest overt action. Some of the greatest photos have been character studies of people whose faces reflected their happiness at having won an award, their intense concentration on a critical issue, or their sorrow at having lost an election. See Figure 8.6 for an example of a character study.

Figure 8.6  This character study of IBM inventor Dr. Dimitri Kanevsky, who has been deaf since the age of three, was distributed by IBM when he was honored at a White House ceremony for his pioneering inventions for the hearing impaired. This included ­developing a real-time transcription system that allows ­hearing-impaired people to participate in conference calls over the Internet. Credit: Jon Simon/Feature Photo Service for IBM

Figure 8.7  Showing scale and size is important in many product publicity photos. The size of Panasonic's 103-inch HD plasma screen is better understood by having a person beside it. The large image, which fills the entire screen, is also attention getting and illustrates a key feature of the product—picture clarity. Credit: Richard B. Levine, Newscom

8.2.5: Scale With inanimate objects, it is important to consider the scale. The picture should contain some element of known size so that the viewer can understand how big or small the object is. With large machines, it is common and effective to place a person in the picture. This helps the viewer estimate the approximate size of the picture’s subject. A good example is the person standing beside Panasonic’s 103-inch high-definition plasma screen in Figure 8.7.

When smaller things are photographed, the scale guide is even more important. This also offers an opportunity to provide drama and adds the news value of novelty. For example, a new computer chip from Intel was photographed beside a penny—and the chip was even a bit

138  Chapter 8 smaller. In another situation, a manufacturer of a flash drive illustrated its capacity by showing a person holding the device, surrounded by a pile of papers and brochures that could be placed on the drive.

8.2.6:  Camera Angle

Figure 8.9  A tilted, upward camera angle is more interesting than a straighton approach. This photo is from a news conference about how IBM ­scientists and National Geographic Kids set a Guinness World Record for the world's smallest magazine cover. About 2,000 of the covers could fit on a grain of salt.

Interest can also be achieved through the use of unusual camera angles. Starbucks illustrated its decision to carry Naked Juice (100 percent juices and smoothies) in its 7,000 outlets using the perspective of the camera inside the refrigeration unit looking out, capturing an employee framed at the door reaching in to get a bottle of the product. (See Figure 8.8 below.)

Figure 8.8  An unusual angle can make even a bottle of fruit juice more interesting. This publicity photo, distributed by the Naked Juice Company, uses a low camera angle to create a point-of-view shot from inside the refrigeration unit. This element of “action” elevates a ho-hum product picture.

8.2.7:  Lighting and Timing Indoor pictures often require more than a flash on a camera. Depending on the subject, a photographer may have to use supplemental lighting to remove or enhance shadows to highlight a key element—a person’s face, a product, or some aspect of the background. Even simple product photos, where the background is plain white or black to ensure that the product stands out, require considerable lighting expertise. Outdoor photos also have their challenges. In general, outdoor pictures taken in the morning or late afternoon are better for contrast than pictures taken at midday. Of course, the photographer can use a flash to lighten dark areas.

Another approach is the extreme close-up that emphasizes shapes and patterns. A photo of a new mainframe computer isn’t very interesting, so it’s important to look at the situation and come up with an interesting angle that makes a better photo. IBM, for example, chose to show the unusual angle of a technician assembling part of a module that was part of the new supercomputer. Some other camera angles commonly used are (1) shooting upward at a tall structure to make it look even taller, (2) taking an aerial shot to give the viewer a chance to see something that might otherwise be unnoticeable, and (3) using a fish-eye lens to capture a 180-degree image. An upward shot of a speaker can also provide a more interesting photo, which is illustrated in Figure 8.9.

Selecting the location or setting of a picture is important if you want good, sharp results. For example, if you know that the people involved will be wearing light colors, you

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should not use a white background. Conversely, don’t select a dark background if your photo subjects will be wearing dark clothing. In both cases, the result will be “floating heads” because the clothing will blend into the background. In all situations, you want to strive for high contrast between the background and the individuals being photographed.

WRITING PROMPT What are the basic components of a good publicity photo? Which criteria do you think are most important, and why? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

rapher’s work, ask to see his or her portfolio. This is important because photographers are skilled at different things. A good portrait photographer, for example, may not be good at photographing special events. A news photographer, by contrast, may be an expert at special events but unable to take good product photographs. In sum, you should find the best photographer for each kind of job. You should always ask a prospective photographer the following two questions before hiring him or her. 1. Can you show me examples of other similar photos you have taken? 2. What contacts do you have with the media and how will you help me distribute the photo once it has been shot? The Tips for Success includes advice that can help you to assess a photographer’s skills and improve your own use of publicity photos.

8.3:  Working with Photographers and Photo Vendors

Tips for Success

8.3 Review the details that need to be taken care of while working with photographers and the considerations for using photos

The following 10 tips were given by three photo experts at a workshop sponsored by MediaLink/WirePix at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The list was originally compiled by Jerry Walker for O'Dwyer's PR Report.

It is important to use a skilled photographer with professional experience. Too many organizations try to cut corners by asking an employee with a point-and-click digital camera or even an iPhone to take pictures. Often, the public relations writer is also asked to take the photos. This may be all right for the company newsletter or intranet, but publicity photos sent to the media must be extremely high quality if they are going to be competitive with the thousands of other photos that are readily available. It will cost more money to hire a professional photographer, but at least you won’t end up with pictures that are dull, poorly composed, and generally unusable. Another reason is that it’s better business practice to use a professional who has formal training in visual communications. He or she is experienced and uses high-quality equipment, which usually produces much better results. Your job, as the public relations professional, is to figure out the purpose of the photograph and its objective. It’s the photographer’s job to figure how to accomplish the objective from a visual perspective.

8.3.1:  Finding Photographers You should have a file of photographers, noting their fees and particular expertise. If you have no such file built up, you might consult colleagues to find out if they can make any recommendations. If you are unfamiliar with a photog-

Photo Advice from the Experts

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8.3.2: Contracts Any agreement with a photographer should be in writing. A written document helps you to avoid misunderstandings about fees, cost of materials, and copyright ownership of the images. A letter of agreement with a photographer should cover the following matters: • What is the photographer’s professional fee for taking pictures? Is it on a project basis or based on an hourly fee? • How are out-of-pocket expenses, such as meals, mileage, lodging, etc., handled while on assignment? Does the photographer get a daily “per diem” (reimbursement rate) or submit receipts? • What will be delivered upon completion of the assignment? Will it be a digital file on CD or a website? • Who will supervise the photographer? Will you or someone else in the organization help the photographer set up shots? • Who will retain the images? Under copyright law, photographers retain ownership unless the signed agreement gives full ownership and control to the organization commissioning the work. • Does the organization have unrestricted use of the photograph, or does it have to get permission from the photographer each time it wants to use the shot? • Can the photographer sell images to outside parties, or does the organization want exclusive use? Ideally, you want to sign agreements with photographers that give unrestricted, exclusive use of all images. But be prepared to pay more for the photographer’s services if that is the case.

8.3.3:   The Photo Session

You will save time and money with regard to the photo session if you plan ahead.

• Make a list of the pictures you want. For pictures of people, arrange for a variety of poses. • Know who you need, where and when you need them, and what props will be required. • Notify people whose pictures are to be taken. Get signed releases for possible use of the photos in news releases, media kits, brochures, and posting on the organization’s website and Intranet. • Be sure that the location for the photo session is available, clean, and orderly. • Consider lighting. Will the photographer have everything needed, or should you make preparations? • Have everyone and everything at the right place at the right time. • Tell the photographer what you need, not how to do the job. It’s also a good idea to let individuals know that a photo shoot takes time; even a photo of an executive may take an hour or so to get the best results.

8.3.4:  Finding Stock Photos Not all of your photography needs require the services of a professional photographer. There are multiple photo sites online that provide a wide variety of “stock” photos for any occasion or situation. A stock photo is primarily a generic picture of such scenes as a shopping mall, a group of people working around a computer, or even a landscape that provides a visual image appropriate for content on owned media such as a blog post, a newsletter, or a brochure. Stock photos, however, are never used as a visual for a news release. One major source of photos is Creative Commons, a non-profit organization that has free-to-use images from a variety of sources, including Google Images, Flickr, and Wikimedia Commons. You can also directly access these websites to find photos, but it’s important to check the criteria for “free-use” (often restricted to only individuals) and what photographer credits are required. Although Creative Commons has the largest collection of free images, you must credit the photos that you use. Possible licensing fees also may apply if you are using the photos for commercial purposes in terms of an organization’s literature and websites. Getty Images has also made its more than 100 years of photos from some of the world’s best photographers available online for free. All an organization needs to do is append a footer at the bottom of the picture with a credit and link to Getty’s licensing page. Note that you can only embed the photo; you can’t download it to your website. Some other popular online sources include the f­ ollowing: • Shutterstock.com: Has stock photography, videos, and even music tracks. Many photos are free, but others (depending on their use) also have a licensing fee.

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A music track for a podcast or video, for example, is about $50. • FreeDigitalPhotos.net: The free photos are small, but larger versions are available for purchase. A credit line to the photographer is required.

strokes, the problem is solved. Indeed, amateur photographers armed with digital cameras and software programs can manipulate and improve the quality of their photos with relative ease. Even expert photographers rely on Photoshop to electronically create the perfect picture.

• Everystockphoto.com: This is a search engine of free photos that come from many sources. Other photos, however, are license-specific depending on the photo’s use. • freeimages: A searchable and categorized gallery of 350,000 stock photos. Downloading requires a sign-up fee, but the users say it’s worth it. • Pixabay: Provides copyright-free images under Creative Commons. You can copy, modify, distribute, and use the images even for commercial purposes. A final cautionary note about licensing and royalty fees: always read the fine print about the use of a photo because not all photos are available for commercial use. Stock photo houses such as those just highlighted often have one-time sign-up or licensing fees for using a photo. On the other hand, many photographers place their work in the public domain, and there is no license or cost to use it. In sum, when searching through photos always read the licensing terms and know what type of copyright the image has.

8.3.5:  Cropping and Retouching In most cases, the quality and composition of photos can be improved through editing. The two primary techniques for editing photos are cropping and retouching. Cropping is editing the photo by cutting off parts of the picture that you don’t want. Eliminating parts of the photo provides a tighter focus on the key elements. A photo of the CEO talking to a major stockholder, for example, may also include the waiter clearing a table at one side. It is relatively easy to “crop out” the waiter and any other surrounding background. In addition, it’s usually a good idea to crop photos from the waist up. No one needs to see the shoes that the person is wearing. The second technique, retouching, is usually done to alter the actual content of the photo. Let’s assume that the photo just mentioned was taken in such a way that a basket of flowers on the stage behind the CEO looks like it is planted on top of his head. In such a situation, cropping may not be the answer because it also would scalp the top  of the CEO’s head. The solution, of course, is to ­simply  eliminate the flowers through “airbrushing,” or digital manipulation. Today, even amateurs can use software such as Adobe Photoshop to crop and retouch photographic images at will. Too much “red eye”? No problem. Is the background a bit dark or the sky not blue enough? With a few key-

8.3.6:  Ethical Considerations Cropping and retouching are common practices in photography, but there are increasing ethical and legal concerns about the boundaries of altering photographic images. An original photograph, for example, can be scanned or downloaded. An editor can then use photo editing software to make any number of alterations. For example, a person’s dark suit can be changed to a light tan, and a shadow on a person’s face can be removed. The editor can also change the background from a plain wall to an oak bookcase or even a desert by merging the photo with another one to make a new photo. Advertising and public relations people often use photo editing tools to enhance the quality of publicity photos. Thus, a company’s board of directors is shown in front of the production line even though the original photo was taken in a studio. Or, a new product is enhanced by blacking out the background and putting more light on the actual product. The examples presented thus far are relatively harmless, but news editors continue to express deep concern about additional liberties that may be taken. A Chinese photographer, for example, received considerable international criticism for taking a photo of China’s new highspeed train to Tibet crossing a trestle, and then doctoring it by adding a herd of rare antelope peacefully grazing nearby. The idea, of course, was to visually show how the train had not disturbed the wildlife habitat. One media critic said, “It’s the perfect propaganda photo.” As a public relations professional, you should be concerned about the digital manipulation of photos. You have a professional responsibility to honor the original photographer’s work and not make alterations that would violate the integrity of the original photo.

142  Chapter 8 “In PR advocacy, you can choose whether to use photographs. If a photo doesn’t meet your needs, don’t use it. But once you decide to use it, don’t alter it.” — Carri Jenkins, director of communications, Brigham Young University

When does a cosmetic correction become a violation of the photographer’s copyright—or even an outright deception? Would you, for example, use a composite photo to show gender and racial diversity in your organization? If an altered photo misleads and deceives the public in a significant way, do not use it.

quickly and stand out amidst a sea of written press releases . . . . Sometimes all it takes to capture the media’s attention is a visually compelling image and a short caption.” Regular captions and PNRs are written in the active, present tense. Don’t write “The park gates were opened by Mayor Jones”; say instead, “Mayor Jones opens the park gates.” Examples

Photo Manipulation Policies

8.4:  Writing Photo Captions 8.4 Examine the nuances of writing good photo captions All photos sent to the media need a caption. This is the brief text under the photo that tells the reader about the picture and its source. The best formula for a caption is to follow the order of who/what, the action taking place, and then when and where. A longer caption would also answer the question “so what?” to provide a context for the situation and why the information should be of interest to the audience. However, a caption is not a description of the photo. Some novice caption writers make the mistake of writing, “Pictured above…” or “This is a picture of…” or “Jane Doe is shown talking to…” Don’t write the obvious; write to provide context and additional information not readily apparent from looking at the picture. Most captions, when they accompany a news release, are two to four lines long. In fact, one study by Gallup Applied Science showed that two-line captions are the most effective. This guideline, however, does not apply to photo news releases. PNRs, as they are called, are simply photos with longer captions that are distributed to the media without any accompanying news release—the caption tells the entire story. According to Deborah S. Hauss, writing in PRWeek, “Photo news releases enable PR pros to get pictures out more

A caption for a head-and-shoulders picture of a person (a mug shot) can be even shorter. The caption may be just the person’s name. For full identification, you can also add the person’s title and company; for example, “Douglas M. Schosser, director of finance, Associated Banc-Corp.” Captions for publicity photos of new products should include a key selling point. For example, the caption for a new Dell PC made the point that the product is primarily designed for medium and small businesses. For the IBM shopping app shown in Figure 8.3, the selling point is that the app is designed “…to close the gap between the wealth of product information on the Internet and traditional retail promotions, transforming marketing offers from an intrusion into a convenient service welcomed by consumers.” There is some argument about stating “from left to right” in a photo caption. To many public relations writers, this seems redundant because people read copy—and probably scan photographs—from left to right anyway. If there are two or three people in the picture, it is assumed that you are identifying them from left to right. You can also indicate identity by the action taking place in the picture— for example, “John Baroni presents Nancy Southwick with a $5,000 scholarship at the annual awards banquet.” In general, the most important person in the photograph should be the first person at the left side of the picture. This ensures that this person is mentioned first in the

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photo caption. The most important person may alternatively be in the center of the picture, surrounded by admirers. In this case, you can write, “Sharon Lewis, the singer, is surrounded by fans after her concert in Denver.” Any reader should be able to figure out which person in the picture is Sharon Lewis. However, the use of “left,” “right,” and “center” is perfectly acceptable if clarity is achieved. Here is the caption used under a photo of the top three winners of Intel’s Science Talent Search competition: First place winner Shivani Sud, 17, of Durham, NC (Center); second place winner Graham Van Schaik, 17, of Columbia, SC (Right); and third place Brian McCarthy, 18, of Hillsboro, OR (Left) celebrate winning the Intel Science Talent Search. Intel Chairman Craig Barnett presented the top winners with college scholarships of $100,000, $75,000, and $50,000, respectively. These top award recipients were chosen from an applicant pool of more than 1,600 American high school seniors.

8.5:  The Purpose of Infographics 8.5 Review the usefulness of infographics in the field of public relations Photographs are not the only art form that you can use for publicity purposes. In recent years there has been a virtual explosion in the use of infographics by public relations writers, journalists, and bloggers. It’s estimated, for example, that the use of visualized information on the Internet has increased 9,000 percent since 2007. An indication of this trend is that infographics shared on Twitter, according to one study, get 830 percent more retweets than photos and articles. The New York Times also now has 40 “graphic” journalists on its staff—another sign of the widespread interest in infographics. The value of visual content was outlined at the beginning of the chapter, but infographics have some additional characteristics that separate them from photos or videos. Infographics are more detailed than photos and convey information more quickly than videos. “They cut straight to the point, simplify complex information, and wow the reader in an instant” says Meryl Serouya in Ragan’s PR Daily. She continues, “They can prove especially powerful in press releases by extending the core message and highlighting the important components to bring the text to life.” Although infographics can be created on almost any topic, writes Serouya, they are most useful when presenting the following types of information: • Survey results that may take longer to explain in a text format

• Statistical data that can cause a reader’s eyes to glaze over and lose interest • Comparison data that can be more effectively portrayed in graphic form • Messages for multilingual audiences that may have limited English • Any other information that just isn’t very sexy without a colorful graphic In other words, the purpose and value of infographics is to (1) convey information in a fun, compelling, and digestible format, (2) provide a call for action on the part of the reader as a result of the information presented, (3) generate brand awareness, and (4) drive coverage in the media and traffic on the Internet and social networks. “You might say infographics are fact sheets on steroids.” — Bill Wagner, senior partner of Image One PR, writing in Public Relations Tactics

8.6:  Types of Infographics 8.6 Describe different types of infographics that are distributed to the media The primary purpose of an infographic is to show percentages or other numbers in a colorful, appealing way that is easily understood by the reader. There are two kinds of infographics. One is the traditional use of charts to show comparable percentages and stats with sectioned circles or bars. The second, which is becoming more popular and widely used thanks to graphics software, is to portray facts and percentages in various graphic interfaces that make them more visually attractive.

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8.6.1: Charts There are three basic types of data charts, and each seems to work best for certain kinds of information.

tions, sales, prices, and periods of time. See Figures 8.12 and 8.13 for examples of creative bar charts.

Pie Chart  A pie chart is a good way to show what part

Figure 8.12  Basic Bar Chart

of a total is used for each of several purposes. An organization may use such a chart to show how a budget or revenues are divided. Figures 8.10 and 8.11 below are variations of the pie chart.

A basic bar chart comparing percentages between categories and a 3-month period.

Figure 8.10  A simple pie chart that shows the percentage as part of the pie representing 100 percent.

Figure 8.13  Creative Bar Chart This is a bar chart, but the designer was more creative in portraying the information and incorporating other data into the mix.

Figure 8.11  A more colorful pie chart created using Microsoft PowerPoint.

Line Graphs  Line graphs are somewhat like bar charts,

Bar Charts  Bar charts are ideal for showing compari-

sons between categories, such as income levels, popula-

but better suited for showing changes over a long period of time. The “trend line” on a line graph, for example, may track sales of a product over a period of time. The left axis of the graph would show the amount of sales in increments of thousands of dollars. The bottom axis usually would show a period of weeks or months. See Figure 8.14 for an example of a line graph.

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Figure 8.14  This line graph shows the progress of IBM’s P-Tech initiative to ­partner with schools to increase student involvement in science, math, and technology. Credit: IBM Corporation

showing a simple bar chart or line graph, an attempt is made to incorporate representations of the subject into the chart. Some examples of these infographics are shown below.

Figure 8.16  Percentages can be portrayed in interesting ways by using some creativity and visual elements to give readers an easy way to understand information.

Figure 8.17  A colorful way of displaying multiple facts and figures is by using good design elements such as contrasting boxes, graphic icons, and highlighted numbers.

8.6.2:  Graphic Interface of Subject Content Today, charts and other stats are being dressed up with graphics to be more appealing and easier to understand. Reading a copy of USA Today makes the point. Instead of

Figure 8.15  Infographics that attractively use graphic icons to represent the subject matter are now extensively used instead of the traditional pie or bar charts.

WRITING PROMPT What kind of infographic would you choose to show the number of international students on your campus and what nations they represent? Describe its main features. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

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8.6.3:  Other Kinds of Graphics Diagrams  Diagrams are most valuable in showing

how something works. How an engine works, how an accessory should be attached, or how a product can be used can all be made clearer with a diagram. In planning diagrams, you should check with the engineers and pretest the final diagram on potential readers for comprehension and understanding. The key to effective artwork, particularly diagrams, is simplicity. Renderings and Scale Models  A rendering is an architect’s drawing that shows how a finished structure will look. Increasingly, such artwork is being produced with computer drawing programs or photo editing software. Photos of scale models are also used to give readers a thorough understanding of what is being built or renovated.

8.7:  Creating an Infographic 8.7 Describe ways of creating colorful infographics Many basic infographics can be formatted on your own computer using Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, or Adobe’s Creative Suite. There are, however, a number of Web-based applications that make it easy to create charts and other infographics. The Reynolds Center at the University of Missouri School of Journalism suggests the following free resources that you can use: • infogr.am: Offers about 30 different chart types, along with a series of pre-made visual themes. • Piktochart: Provides a number of pre-made themes, images, and graphics • Easel.ly: Lets you use a drag-and-drop interface for creating flow charts and diagrams. • Google charts: A chart-building tool for someone who isn’t afraid of coding and likes embeddable graphics with interactivity. • Tableau: A downloadable, Windows-only software program that enables PC users to upload data sets and create visualizations from them

This rendering shows a futuristic greenhouse in a desert.

Both renderings and scale models are widely used in news and feature stories about construction projects. Simple maps showing the location of a construction site or a new freeway ramp, for example, often accompany architectural drawings and photos. The availability of such artwork often makes the difference between a major news story and a brief mention. Line Drawings and Clip Art  Cartoons are a form of line art, but most people think of line art as drawings of symbols, designs, and objects. Adobe’s Creative Suite includes stored clip art and the tools needed to create line drawings. Microsoft Office and Word Works also ­feature clip art. A wide variety of clip art, design templates, and stock photos can be ordered on CD or downloaded from the Internet from sources located with Google Images. Line drawings and clip art are used primarily for organizational advertisements, leaflets, brochures, and newsletters.

Although web-based applications are now readily available, they still don’t replace the value of using professional graphic artists and illustrators to produce the type of well-designed, colorful infographics that you need for wide distribution to the media and social networks. It’s a very competitive world, and mediocre infographics don’t make it to first base with journalists and bloggers. When creating your own infographic or working with a graphic artist, you should consider the following Tips for Success guidelines.

Tips for Success Guidelines for Creating an Infographic

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WRITING PROMPT What do you think makes a good infographic?

to never send an attachment (photos or anything else) to an editor unless you are specifically asked to do so. The proliferation of viruses means that no editor will open an attachment unless he or she personally knows and trusts you. Another approach is to use an electronic distribution service such as Business Wire, PRNewswire, Market Wire, or Feature Photo Service. Editors receive daily feeds from these services that let them know what’s being distributed and, with a few clicks, can download any story or related artwork to their computers. In many cases, photos and infographics are embedded in the news release, so editors can preview a thumbnail. If they like it, they can download a high-resolution copy with a few clicks. These distribution services also archive past stories, photos, and other images. This makes it easy for an editor to review all of the news releases and photos that Intel, for example, has distributed over a period of several years. Newscom is a particularly valuable resource; it maintains a searchable database of over 20 million images, graphics, and text from more than 100 photo agencies, wire services, and freelance photographers. Access to Newscom, however, is restricted to registered users, and licensing fees are usually required. Distribution, of course, also occurs online via social networking sites such as Facebook. It is important to tag photos and infographics (as well as news releases) with keywords, so search engines can index them. Also keep in mind the following points: Tips for Online Distribution

The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

8.8:  Distributing Photos and Infographics 8.8 Report four different methods of distributing photos and artwork Digital technology makes it relatively easy to distribute photos and infographics. Before the digital revolution, the traditional approach was to submit photos on 35mm slides or even on glossy paper. Today, several approaches are used. The first approach is to simply send a news release or advisory to journalists or editors with a link to a website where they can download photos or infographics. An editor, for example, may just want to preview thumbnails and then select a specific photo. The main point to remember is

8.9:  Maintaining Photo and Art Files 8.9 Report the importance of maintaining a logbook while preserving photo and art files A properly indexed photo and infographic file folder or database is a necessity. Without this, digital images or

148  Chapter 8 a­ rtwork can be inaccessible for future use. The long-term employee who knows where everything is located and can remember the situation will eventually retire or take another job. In other words, don’t rely on the collective memory of individuals to keep track of photos and infographics or other visual images such as diagrams, renderings, etc. Digital photos and infographics should be stored on the organization’s file server with readily identifiable tags. Corporate files may be identified by names such as “J. Jones, Chairman,” or topical areas such as “Employee Recognition Banquet,” “Grand Opening of Lansing Store,” or “Scale Model of Springfield Office Bldg.” It is important to place all pertinent data about photos in the file or a logbook. This may include

1. the date of the event; 2. when the photo was taken; 3. the location; 4. releases from people portrayed; 5. complete names and titles of people shown; and 6. the name and address of the photographer, including any restrictions on the use of the picture. Infographics must also be dated, and any information about the context or the graphic designer who created it should be on file. A good filing system will help you avoid the embarrassment of using outdated photos and infographics.

Summary: Publicity Photos and Infographics

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Shared Writing: Publicity Photos and Infographics Studies show that photos and infographics are now very popular with the media and the public. Why do you think they are so popular? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

Post

0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 8 Quiz: Publicity Photos and ­Infographics

Chapter 9

Radio, Television, and Online Video Learning Objectives 9.1 Recognize the broad penetration of

broadcasting 9.2a Recognize the power of radio 9.2b Describe the formats for radio news releases

and public service announcements 9.3a Report five approaches to getting news on

local television

9.3c Describe how to conduct a satellite

media tour 9.4 Examine other placement opportunities in

broadcasting 9.5 Review the salient features of owned

media and online videos in raising brand visibility

9.3b Describe the format and production of

video content

9.1:  The Reach of Broadcast Media and Online Video 9.1 Recognize the broad penetration of broadcasting Radio, television, and online video offer many opportunities for organizations that want to effectively reach both mass and specialized audiences. Radio, for example, is an integral part of daily life for most Americans. More than 90 percent of teenage and adult Americans listen to radio every week, and the average listening time, according to Nielsen research, is 2.46 hours daily through stand-alone radios, car radios, satellite radio, or other mobile devices. Television, of course, gets the most viewing time, even in the Internet age. Americans watched traditional, live TV an average of 155 hours a month, or about 5 hours a day and also spent an additional 14 hours a month on timeshifted (recorded) TV in the first months of 2014. This, according to Nielsen research, compares with a monthly average of about 34 hours that individuals spent using their smartphone apps and the Internet for other activities. Figure 9.1 shows this information as the average hours per day that are spent using different devices. TV continues to thrive because it has also adapted to the Internet age; many people now watch TV shows on their tablet, smartphone, or other mobile device. Online

150

video is also a popular medium in its own right, as organizations produce and distribute their own content to websites and social media networks as well as traditional broadcast outlets. Many organizations, for example, now have their own channel on YouTube, the second largest Internet search engine after Google. YouTube has more than a billion unique visitors each month, and the average viewer spends 15 minutes daily on the site. The mind-blowing stat is that users, including organizations of all types, upload 48 hours of video every minute on YouTube. Working with radio and television stations, as well as producing online video content, requires the public relations writer to use different skills than writing a traditional news release or a media advisory. In radio, you have to write copy for the ear that requires more conversational language. Television and online video, on the other hand, require you not only to think about dialogue but also be somewhat of a playwright, to visualize scenes and what a viewer will see on the screen. This chapter explains how to produce news releases and public service announcements (PSAs) for radio and television stations, work with videographers and ­production companies to produce B-roll packages and conduct radio and televised satellite media tours. You will also learn how to book an organization’s executives or a celebrity on a talk show and obtain publicity for products in TV shows and

Radio, Television, and Online Video  151

Figure 9.1   Hours Americans Spend on Electronic Media per Day Source: Nielsen Research, January 2014.

Live TV

5.04 hours

Radio

2.46 hours

Smartphone

1.07 hours

Internet on a PC

1.01 hours

Timeshifted TV

0.32 hours

Game console

0.12 hours

DVD/Blu Ray

0.09 hours

Multimedia device

0.02 hours

10.13 hours

Total Media

movies. The chapter ends with a discussion about the skills you need to produce and distribute online video clips and stories on behalf of your organization or client.

9.2: Radio 9.2a Recognize the power of radio 9.2b Describe the formats for radio news releases and public service announcements Radio lacks the glamour of television and the appeal of the Internet, but it’s a cost-effective way to reach large numbers of people in various age, ethnic, and income groups. A study by Edison Media Research, for example, found that college graduates aged 25 to 54 listen to the radio almost 16 hours a week. Radio is particularly strong among Hispanics, the largest and fastest growing minority in the United States; families tune in an average of 24 hours a week. The primary advantage of radio is that it can be heard almost anywhere. It is the only mass medium that can reach millions of Americans as they commute to and from work in their cars or on mass transit. In addition, the miracle of the transistor brings radio to mail carriers on their routes, carpenters on construction sites, homeowners pulling weeds in their gardens, and exercise enthusiasts working out at a gym or jogging. “Radio’s power comes from its accessibility. People can listen to radio in almost any location—at home, the car, or work—and it remains a free medium for users.” — David Beasley, marketing manager at News ­Generation, a public relations firm specializing in radio

Approximately 13,500 radio stations are on the air in the United States, ranging from low-powered outlets oper-

ated by volunteers to large metropolitan stations audible for hundreds of miles. In addition, radio stations are increasing their audience reach through the Internet. An estimated 2,000 stations now have an Internet presence, and many are concurrently broadcasting and webcasting their programming. The station’s format often determines the nature of the audience. There are “top 40” stations for  teenagers, all-news stations for commuters, classical ­stations that appeal to an older and better-educated group, and stations that play “adult contemporary” for aging baby boomers. One popular format is “country,” which reaches a variety of age and occupational groups. A public relations practitioner should study each station’s format and submit material suitable to it. There is little sense in sending information about senior citizen recreation programs to the news director of a hard rock FM station with an audience made up primarily of teenagers. You can determine the demographics of a station by consulting media directories or by contacting the station’s advertising and marketing department. One common source of advertising rates and demographic data is published by Standard Rate and Data Services. See Figure 9.2 for an example of a typical broadcast listing from Cision’s online database.

WRITING PROMPT Why are radio and television, even in the Internet age, still important tools in public relations to reach a broad audience? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

152  Chapter 9

Figure 9.2  Publicists have more success placing materials on the radio or television if they know the format and demographics of the station and have a list of editors’ telephone numbers or email addresses. Armed with such information, the publicist can tailor the material and also find out exactly who should be contacted directly. This is an excerpt of the ABC Television Network listing from a Cision media database. Such databases also let publicists know how the station prefers to receive information.

9.2.1:  Radio News Releases Although radio station staffs often find themselves rewriting print releases to conform to broadcast style, the most effective approach is to send news releases that are formatted for the medium. Radio is based on sound, and every radio release must be written so that it can be easily read by an announcer and clearly understood by a listener. Format  There are several major differences between a

radio release and a news release prepared for print media. Although the basic identifying information is the same (letterhead, contact, subject), the standard practice is to write a radio release using all uppercase letters in a double-spaced format. You also need to give the length of the radio release. For example, “RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT: 30” or “RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT: 60” indicates that the announcement will take 30 or 60 seconds to read. The timing is vital because broadcasters must fit their messages into a rigid time frame that is measured down to the second. Most announcers read at a speed of 150 to 160 words per minute. Because word lengths vary, it is not feasible to set exact word counts for any length of message. Instead, the general practice for estimating reading time is to use an approximate line count. With a word processor set for 60 spaces per line, you will get the following time lengths: 2 lines = 10 seconds (about 25 words) 5 lines = 20 seconds (about 50 words) 8 lines = 30 seconds (about 75 words) 16 lines = 60 seconds (about 150 words)

Here is an example of a 60-second radio news release distributed by North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS) for Weber Grills. RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT: 60 THE BIG BOOK OF BURGERS (163 words) MAY IS NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH AND IN HONOR OF ONE OF AMERICA’S GREATEST CULINARY CREATIONS, WEBER GRILLS HAS RELEASED THEIR FIRST COOKBOOK DEDICATED TO CELEBRATING THE BELOVED BURGER. WEBER’S BIG BOOK OF BURGERS FEATURES 160 RECIPES USING INGREDIENTS FOR EVERY TASTE— FROM CLASSIC BEEF, TO CHICKEN, PORK, LAMB, FISH, AND EVEN VEGGIES. TAKE YOUR BURGER TO A NEW DESTINATION THIS SUMMER WITH WEBER’S CAROLINA PORK BARBECUE BURGERS OR TRY THE MOUTH WATERING CHEDDAR STUFFEED BURGERS WITH CHOPPED ONIONS NEXT TIME YOU FIRE UP THE GRILL. WEBER’S BIG BOOK OF BURGERS IS THE ULTIMATE START-TO-FINISH APPROACH TO HOSTING A COOKOUT—WITH FUN TAKES ON OTHER BACKYARD CLASSICS—INCLUDING SAUSAGES AND HOT DOGS. TRY THE SPICY BUFFALO HOT DOGS WITH CELERY RELISH AND BLUE CHEESE OR THE SWEET AND SAVORY MAPLE AND HARD CIDER BRAISED BRATS TO REALLY KICK START YOUR NEXT COOKOUT. CELEBRATE NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH AND GET YOUR SUMMER STARTED TODAY WITH WEBER’S BIG BOOK OF BURGERS. AVAILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD.

Radio, Television, and Online Video  153

There are also differences in writing style. A news release for print uses standard English grammar and punctuation. In a radio release, a more conversational style is used, and the emphasis is on strong, short sentences. In fact, you can even write radio copy using incomplete or partial sentences, as you would do in a normal conversation. This allows the announcer to draw a breath between thoughts and the listener to follow what is being said. An average sentence length of 10 words is a good goal. More tips on writing a radio news release are provided in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success How to Write a Radio News Release Follow these guidelines to write a news release that works as a script for radio broadcasts.

9.2.2:  Audio News Releases The Weber Grill release just mentioned is an example of a script sent to a radio station, so an announcer can read it on the air. Another approach, however, is to provide an audio recording of a news release or feature to the station. An audio news release, commonly called an ANR, can take two forms. One simple approach is to hire a person with a good radio voice to record the entire announcement; he or she may or may not be identified by name. This, in the trade, is called an actuality. The second approach is a bit more complex, but relatively easy to do. In this instance, you use an announcer but also include a soundbite from a satisfied customer, a celebrity, or a company spokesperson. This approach is better than a straight announcement because the message comes from a “real person” rather than a nameless announcer. These combination announcements are also more acceptable to stations because local staff can elect to use the whole recorded announcement or take the role of announcer and use just the soundbite. Use  The use of audio news releases is increasingly popu-

lar with radio stations because of cost-cutting and staff cuts. Jack Trammell, president of VNR-1 Communications, conducted a survey of radio stations and found that 83 percent of the newsrooms use radio news releases. Thirty-four percent say RNRs give them ideas for local stories. The editors look for regional interest (34 percent), health information (23 percent), and financial news (11 percent). They also like tech stories, business trends, children’s issues, politics, seasonal stories, agriculture, and local interest issues. Most distribution firms also monitor usage of ANRs and other mentions of a client on radio and television talk shows and news programs. Thanks to sophisticated software monitoring programs, they can compile a detailed report within 24 hours of something being aired. By using estimated audience figures from Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron) ratings, public relations professionals can then calculate how many listeners were exposed to the message. Format  The preferred length for an ANR is 60 seconds, Source: News Broadcast Network, New York

WRITING PROMPT In what ways is the writing of a radio news release different than writing a standard news release for print publications? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

including a soundbite of 20 seconds or less. It is advisable to accompany any sound content with a complete script of the tape. This enables the news director to judge the value of the recording without listening to it. The guidelines for formatting an ANR script are the same as for a radio news release script, with one difference: the text read by the announcer and the text of the soundbite are distinguished by identifying each speaker. You can preface each paragraph with “(ANNOUNCER)” or the name of the person providing the soundbite, accordingly. For example, an announcer may introduce a soundbite from a company spokesperson with, “JOHN DOE OF TOYS INC. EXPLAINS.” In the script, the text of

154  Chapter 9 the following soundbite would then begin with the label “(JOHN DOE).” Tone  Another consideration is matching the tone of the

script to the nature of the subject. An ANR promoting a fun and oddball event, such as Hidden Valley Ranch’s “World’s Longest Salad Bar” event in New York City’s Central Park, is written in a somewhat breezy manner. Organizations announcing new products, however, tend to be more lowkey and play it straight. The American Psychological Association (APA), for example, used ANRs to highlight the various topics of research papers at its annual convention. About 25 researchers were selected to give soundbites on topics that would be of interest to the general public. Topics included stopping brain cell loss, violence in video games, differences between men and women, high school hazing, substance abuse, and childhood mental health. The ANRs were targeted to news talk and adult consumer stations, and they reached an audience of more than 20 million listeners on a budget of only $10,000. Production  Every ANR starts with a carefully writ-

ten and accurately timed script. The next step is to record the spoken words. In doing this, it is imperative to control the quality of the sound. A few large organizations have complete facilities for this; some get help from moonlighting station employees, but most organizations use a professional recording service. Either way, producing ANRs is somewhat of a bargain compared to producing materials for television. Ford, for example, spent $3,500 for a news release on battery recycling as part of Earth Day festivities. It got 624 broadcasts and reached more than 5 million people with the message. The production of a video news release (VNR), in comparison, probably would have cost about $20,000. Delivery  Once the ANR has been produced, the public

relations professional must notify the station’s news department that an ANR is available. You need to give the subject of the release and tell editors how to retrieve it. VNR-1 Communications, in a survey of 305 news-talk stations, found that almost 75 percent of respondents preferred to receive email notification about ANRs. Despite the cost effectiveness, you should still be selective and notify only stations that have an interest in using such material. Radio releases, like news releases, should not be shotgunned to every radio station. In terms of actually receiving the ANR, a DWJ Television survey found that the same percentage of the radio news directors preferred to receive actualities by phone. An organization can set up a dedicated phone line that has recordings of various news releases or it can contract with an organization such as Strauss Radio Strategies, which will set up and maintain an actuality line for its clients.

Another method of delivery is via satellite or the Internet. Strauss Radio Strategies, for example, also has the ability to deliver an ANR to more than 3,000 ABC-affiliated radio stations throughout the United States via a satellite network. A CD can also be mailed to stations, along with a script, but this only works if the “news” is not particularly time sensitive.

9.2.3:  Radio Public Service Announcements Public service announcements are another category of material that public relations writers prepare for radio stations. A public service announcement (PSA) is defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as an unpaid announcement that promotes the programs of government or non-profit agencies or that serves the public interest. In general, broadcasters provide airtime to charitable and civic organizations, although there is no longer any legal requirement that they do so. Thus, a PSA may be a message from the American Heart Association about the necessity of regular exercise or an appeal from a civic club for teacher volunteers in a literacy project. Profit-making organizations do not qualify for “free” PSAs despite the “public service” nature of their messages, but an informational campaign by a trade group or industryfunded foundation may qualify. For example, the Homeownership Preservation Foundation used radio PSAs to reach homeowners worried about possible foreclosures. To get the attention of public service directors at radio stations, the PSA package mimicked the stamped “past due” and “foreclosed” notices on late bills. As a result, the PSAs aired 42,000 times on stations nationwide, reaching an audience of 59 million. The foundation received more than 28,400 phone calls and more than 36,700 website hits. A more typical radio PSA is the one shown below from the U.S. government’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This example has particular relevance for college students. BETTER SLEEP TIPS (60 SECONDS) STUDENTS AND OTHER NIGHT OWLS MAY APPRECIATE THESE EYE-OPENING HINTS FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION ON HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP. FIRST, AVOID STIMULANTS SUCH AS CAFFEINE AND NICOTINE. THE EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE IN COFFEE, COLAS, TEAS, AND CHOCOLATE CAN TAKE AS LONG AS EIGHT HOURS TO WEAR OFF FULLY. NEXT, HAVE A GOOD SLEEP ENVIRONMENT. GET RID OF ANYTHING THAT MIGHT DISTRACT YOU FROM YOUR SLEEP, SUCH AS NOISES OR BRIGHT LIGHTS. STICK TO A SLEEP SCHEDULE. GO TO BED AND WAKE UP AT THE SAME TIME EACH DAY, EVEN ON THE WEEKENDS. AVOID PULLING ALL-NIGHTERS

Radio, Television, and Online Video  155

TO STUDY. YOU’LL LEARN MORE IF YOU STUDY A LITTLE EACH DAY INSTEAD. FINALLY, SEE YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU STILL HAVE TROUBLE SLEEPING. INSUFFICIENT SLEEP IS ASSOCIATED WITH A NUMBER OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS, INCLUDING OBESITY AND DEPRESSION. SLEEP DEPRIVATION CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING ON MAKING DECISIONS. YOUNG PEOPLE WHO DON’T GET ENOUGH SLEEP RISK CAR CRASHES, POOR GRADES AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, AND PROBLEMS WITH FRIENDS, FELLOW STUDENTS, AND ADULTS. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ONLINE AT C-D-C-DOT-GOV.

“In PSAs, speak to the common man. . . . Make it as simple as possible.” — Christiane Arbesu, vice president of production, MultiVu

Unlike with ANRs, the standard practice is to submit multiple PSAs on the same subject in various lengths. The idea is to give the station announcer flexibility in using a particular length to fill a particular time slot throughout the day. Here are some examples of varying lengths that were distributed by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases: 10 Seconds PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES THIS FLU SEASON. MORE INFLUENZA VACCINE IS AVAILABLE THAN EVER BEFORE. TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR NOW ABOUT IMMUNIZATION. A MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 20 Seconds THE NATION’S LEADING HEALTH EXPERTS ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO REDUCE THEIR RISK FOR INFLUENZA INFECTION TO GET VACCINATED THIS SEASON AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MORE INFLUENZA VACCINE IS AVAILABLE THAN EVER BEFORE. TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT IMMUNIZATION FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES. A MESSAGE FROM (STATION) AND THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Use  Almost any topic or issue can be the subject of a

PSA. However, stations seem to be more receptive to particular topics. A survey of radio station public affairs directors by WestGlen Communications found that local community issues and events were most likely to receive airtime, followed by children’s issues. The respondents also expressed a preference for PSAs involving health and safety, service organizations, breast cancer, and other cancers. The majority of respondents also prefer PSAs that include a local phone number rather than a national tollfree number. Because of this preference, many national groups, including the American Cancer Society and the American Red Cross, have a policy of distributing scripts to chapters that can be localized. Other studies have shown that an organization needs to provide helpful information in a PSA and not make a direct pitch for money. Radio stations tend to shun PSAs that ask people for money directly. Radio PSA Format  PSAs, like radio news releases, are usually written in uppercase and double-spaced. They can be 60, 30, 20, 15, or 10 seconds long. The most popular PSA length, according to a survey of stations conducted by Atlanta-based News Generation, is between 15 and 30 seconds. Sixty percent of the respondents use this length; less than 20 percent use 60-second PSAs.

30 Seconds THE NATION’S LEADING HEALTH EXPERTS ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO REDUCE THEIR RISK FOR INFLUENZA INFECTION TO GET VACCINATED THIS SEASON, EVEN IF INFLUENZA HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED IN THE AREA. MORE INFLUENZA VACCINE IS AVAILABLE THIS SEASON THAN EVER BEFORE. CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR OR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO GET YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES VACCINATED. A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE FROM (STATION) AND THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Adding Sound  An announcer reading a script is OK, but writing in sound effects can make a radio PSA more interesting. Many PSAs have background music. A second approach is to include sound effects that reinforce the theme and subject matter. Here are the short and long versions of a PSA from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that include sound effects: Script (:30):

MUSIC UP AND UNDER. Special effects: PERSON WITH SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND COUGHING UNDER AND THROUGHOUT.

156  Chapter 9 Announcer: Are you always looking for places to stop and rest because you’re short of breath, wheezing or coughing? Who wants to live like that? See your doctor for a simple breathing test to find out if it’s COPD, a serious lung disease. With treatment, soon you could be living more and stopping less. Announcer: Visit copd.nhlbi.nih.gov. A message from the U.S. Department of Health and ­ uman Services H Script (:60):

from a website. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute mailed CDs of recorded announcements in both English and Spanish to stations. They also included a basic fact sheet giving more detail about the topics presented in the PSAs. In many cases, scripts are also included for the convenience of station personnel. The Tips for Success provides additional information that can help ensure your PSA gets used.

Tips for Success Getting Your PSA on the Air

MUSIC UP AND UNDER.

Phil Rabin, writing in PRWeek, gives some tips for successful PSAs—whether they are for radio or television.

Special effects: PERSON WITH SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND COUGHING UNDER AND THROUGHOUT. Announcer: The bench at the corner bus stop. That little settee by the beauty parlor. When your lungs can’t get much air, you don’t have the energy to walk far. So all over town, from the grocery store to the bank lobby, you’ve mapped out places where you can stop and catch your breath. Who wants to live like that? If you have a chronic cough, wheezing or often feel short of breath, see your doctor and find out if it’s COPD. With a simple breathing test called spirometry, your doctor can tell you for sure. The sooner you know, the sooner you can start breathing better. And living more. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to spend more time doing the things you love and less time looking for a bench, settee, or chair? Learn More. Breathe Better at copd.nhlbi.nih.gov. A message from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Radio PSA Production  Most PSA scripts are mailed or emailed to the station’s director of public or community affairs. The scripts allow station announcers to make selections and to read them on the air. Many stations also have a website that includes a PSA template local organizations can just fill in with answers to the standard questions of who, what, when, where, and why. This is particularly helpful when local organizations are announcing community events, such as festivals, 5K runs, and so on. A more sophisticated approach is to record your PSAs, particularly those with music and sound effects, and use a good production house to make copies that can be distributed on CDs or a dedicated phone line or downloaded

Another tip is to send your PSAs to the station 3 or 4 weeks before you want them to air. This gives time for distribution and for the station to evaluate what PSAs they will use from the stacks of CDs that often pile up in the office of the public affairs director. Experts also recommend that the best time to submit PSAs is in January. In contrast, the 4 months leading up to Christmas are very advertising intensive, so stations use fewer PSAs.

9.2.4:  Radio Media Tours Another approach in radio is the radio media tour (RMT). Essentially, this can be described as a spokesperson conducting a series of round-the-country, one-on-one interviews from one central location. The publicist pre-books telephone interviews with DJs, news directors, or talk show hosts around the country, and the personality simply gives telephonic interviews, which are recorded for later use or broadcast live.

Radio, Television, and Online Video  157

A radio talk show host conducts a phone interview with a spokesperson for an organization. Radio media tours are an effective and economical way for public relations personnel to give one-to-one interviews across the country.

A good example of an effective RMT is one organized by Strauss Radio Strategies for the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) to discuss child health care issues. The president of CDF and four family spokespersons conducted 14 radio interviews over a period of several hours and reached an estimated audience of 6 million listeners. According to Strauss, this represented 150 airtime minutes; comparable advertising costs would have been more than $300,000. Television media tours, known as satellite media tours (SMTs), will be discussed in the next section.

9.2.5:  Radio Promotions Public relations representatives for non-profit organizations, record companies, concert promoters, and community events committees often generate publicity and exposure through radio promotions. Promotions are beneficial to both the station and the outside organization. For example, a concert promoter may arrange with a radio station’s disc jockey to award tickets to every 10th listener who calls the station and correctly answers a trivia question on the air. Prize giveaways tend to increase the number of listeners, and the concert promoter gets publicity. A non-profit group sponsoring a fundraising festival may make arrangements for a radio station (or a television station) to cosponsor the event as part of the station’s own promotional activities. This means that the station will actively promote the festival on the air through public service announcements and disc jockey chatter between songs. The arrangements may also call for a popular disc jockey to broadcast live from the festival and give away T-shirts with the station’s logo on them. This, too, is good

promotion for the station and often attracts people to the fundraising event because the disc jockey is a well-known personality. It is a win-win situation for both the station and the non-profit group. Organizations that have a creative idea can often get publicity by providing newscasters and disc jockeys with something unusual to talk about. A public relations firm for Burger King, for example, came up with the idea of introducing the fast-food chain’s new Breakfast Buddy sandwich by delivering the sandwiches to morning radio DJs live on the air. The announcers were asked to sample them and ask listeners to call in and win a free phone call to their “best buddy” anywhere in the United States. One delivery resulted in a 10-minute interview on one major New York show; in all, the promotion secured time on 150 stations and more than 391 minutes of announcer endorsements. If you are handling an event or a cause that is suitable for this type of promotion, contact the director of promotions or marketing for the radio or television station. If the station is interested, negotiate the terms of the sponsorship. For example, the station may promise to air a specified number of announcements for the event in return for being listed in the organization’s news releases, programs, and print advertising as a sponsor of the event.

9.2.6:  Community Calendars Civic clubs and other community groups can publicize upcoming events by sending short announcements to local broadcast outlets. Radio stations, in particular, operate community calendars as a service to their listeners. To be used, however, the event must be open to the public and of general interest. A meeting of the local automobile dealers’ association doesn’t qualify, but a forum on the global economy sponsored by the local chapter of the World Affairs Council would be acceptable. Radio stations serving specialized audiences have variations on the community calendar. For example, a classical radio station might have an “arts calendar” that would list upcoming plays, musicals, and art shows. By the same token, a rock music station might have a “concert calendar” that lists upcoming rock concerts. You write a calendar announcement in much the same way as you write a media advisory. The announcement should be to the point. It should give the name of the event, the sponsoring organization, the date and time, location, cost, a telephone number that listeners can call for more information, and the organization’s website address. In general, community calendar items should be sent to the station via email or fax at least 3 weeks in advance.

158  Chapter 9 relations materials at the local level. Here are five approaches to getting your news story on local television.

9.3: Television 9.3a Report five approaches to getting news on local television 9.3b Describe the format and production of video content 9.3c Describe how to conduct a satellite media tour It has already been noted that individuals spend more time watching television than any other media. Nielsen Research, for example, found that Americans spend about 10 hours a day with electronic media, and TV takes up half of the total (see Figure 9.1 ). In addition, 55 percent of Americans use TV as their main source of news for current events, according to the Pew Research Center. The highest percent of those viewers watch local news, with network news a close second. Other studies have found that traditional media, including television, are the major driver of consumer traffic to websites. “The traditional media is always going to be on the menu. The trick is trying to maximize impact with new media tools.” — Joe Case, public relations officer for Nationwide

Visual appeal is what separates television from the other traditional media. The combination of color, movement, sound, and sight on a large flat-panel screen in your own living room is hard to resist. No wonder the medium is a major platform for reaching millions of people at the same time. In 2014, for example, more than 110 million watched the Super Bowl. On any given day, however, more than 100 million Americans watch television, with Sundays being the most popular with 125 million viewers, according to Nielsen research. The lowest day is Friday, with an average of 107 million viewers. There are almost as many television stations (1,500) in the United States as there are daily newspapers, and there are numerous opportunities for the placement of public

9.3.1:  Video News Releases Essentially, a VNR is like a media kit prepared for print publications. It has various components that provide the television journalist with everything he or she needs to produce a television news story. So what exactly constitutes a VNR package? MultiVu, a video production firm, gives these four components: • A 90-second news report with voice-over narration on an audio channel separate from that containing soundbites and natural sound. • A B-roll. This is up to 10 minutes of video, without narration, giving a television station maximum flexibility to add its own narration or use just a portion of the footage as part of a news segment. • Clear identification of the video source. • A script, information about spokespeople, media contacts, and story background information provided electronically. VNRs are not cheap. A typical VNR, says one producer, costs a minimum of $20,000 to $50,000 for production and

Radio, Television, and Online Video  159

distribution. Costs vary, however, depending on the number of location shots, special effects, and staff required to produce a high-quality tape that meets broadcast standards. The production of VNRs can more easily be justified, however, if there is potential for national distribution and multiple pickups by television stations and cable systems. Increasingly, costs are also justified because a VNR package can be reformatted for an organization’s website, be part of a multimedia news release, and be posted on the organization’s YouTube channel or Facebook page. “Today’s VNRs are much more than just broadcast placement tools. They are being targeted to a variety of audiences through Web syndication, strategic placements in broadcast cable, and site-based media in retail outlets and hospitals.” — Tim Bahr, managing director, MultiVu

Because of the cost, you must carefully analyze the newsworthiness of your information and consider whether the topic lends itself to a fast-paced, action-oriented visual presentation. If you have nothing to show except talking heads or graphs and charts, you should think twice about producing a VNR. You should also consider whether the information will be current and newsworthy by the time one can be produced. On the average, it takes 4 to 6 weeks to script, produce, and distribute a high-quality VNR. In a crisis situation or for a fast-breaking news event, however, VNRs can be produced in a matter of hours or days. VNR Format  Writing a script for a VNR is a bit more complicated than writing one for an ANR because you also have to visualize the scene, much like a playwright or a screenwriter. Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is to view the script of a VNR that was prepared by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In the “Birdsafe” VNR script below, the text in all capital letters shows the audio script of the narrator, Denny Behir. The script also shows interview sound bites from Lori, Bob, and Jo. STORY : BIRDSAFE Air Date: For Immediate Release Length: 2:37 Suggested Intro: THE FALL BIRD MIGRATION JUST RECENTLY ENDED, AND WITH IT THE FALL BIRDSAFE-LIGHTS MONITORING PROGRAM, A PROGRAM CREATED TO MAKE THE TRIP SAFER FOR BIRDS. FOR THE FIRST TIME THE NUMBER OF BIRDS THAT DIDN’T MAKE IT IS BEING DOCUMENTED. DENNY BEHR HAS MORE OF THE STORY. Roll Package WHEN YOU LAY THEM OUT ON A TABLE, THE NUMBER OF BIRDS KILLED FROM CRASHING INTO

BUILDINGS, IS STAGGERING. WARBLERS AND SPARROWS, CHICKADEES AND RUBYCROWNED KINGLETS 01:04:16 NATS push milkweed plant out of the way THIS IS THE FIRST FALL THEY’VE BEEN COLLECTED. 01:07:40 LORI “. . . this is the fourth junco I’ve found this week. . .” LORI NAUMANN, FROM THE DNR’S NONGAME WILDLIFE PROGRAM, IS MONITORING THE OUTSIDE OF THE DNR AND PCA BUILDINGS IN THE TWIN CITIES, FOR INJURED OR DEAD BIRDS. IT’S PART OF THE NATIONAL BIRDSAFE-LIGHTS OUT PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF BIRDS KILLED DURING MIGRATION. SHE’S ONE OF THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO REGULARLY WALK ROUTES SEARCHING FOR FALLEN BIRDS. 01:11:18 LORI “. . . this side of the building we tend to find in the early fall migration because these windows here are directly facing north, where the birds are coming from . . .” OWNERS OF TALL BUILDINGS IN THE TWIN CITIES WERE ASKED TO TURN THEIR BUILDING LIGHTS OUT AT NIGHT DURING MIGRATION PERIODS. BIRDS ARE OFTEN ATTRACTED TO THE LIGHTS, AND THEN THEY COLLIDE WITH BUILDINGS. BUT NIGHTTIME COLLISIONS ARE ONLY PART OF THE PROBLEM. 01:34:12 LORI “. . . most of the birds that hit our building are hitting during the day because our building isn’t tall enough to be, to attract the birds because of light . . . also, our building does not leave our lights on at night . . .” SOME 250 SPECIES OF BIRDS MIGRATE THROUGH THE TWIN CITIES EVERY YEAR. NAUMANN COLLECTED NEARLY THIRTY BIRDS IN A ONE-MONTH PERIOD ALONE THIS FALL. 01:29:32 LORI “ . . . we’ve got Tennessee Warblers, morning warblers . . .” EVENTUALLY, THE BIRDS COME HERE, TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S BELL MUSEUM COLLECTION ROOM. BOB ZINK IS THE BIRD CURATOR FOR THE MUSEUM. 02:18:50 BOB “. . . what we would like to do is have some understanding of the kinds of birds that we find, the numbers of each individual species and we’d like to do that in a systematic way . . . IN THE PREP LAB AT THE ‘U’ THIS DAY IS JOANNA ECKLES, CREDITED BY SOME AS BEING THE ONE WHO GOT THE BIRDSAFE/LIGHTS OUT PROGRAM STARTED IN THE TWIN CITIES. 04:13:32 JO “. . . what we’re doing is taking birds that have been dropped off by volunteers that have walked the different routes in either Minneapolis or St. Paul, and we’re just physically getting their information entered into one database . . .

160  Chapter 9 IN THE END, EVERYONE INVOLVED WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 04:10:45 JO “. . . make some kind of an impact with building planners and architects, so at least the problem is something they know about in planning buildings . . .” I’M DENNY BEHR, FOR THE MINNESOTA DNR. Suggested tag: OTHER PARTNERS IN THE BIRDSAFE-LIGHTS OUT PROGRAM INCLUDE AUDUBON MINNESOTA, THE WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER, AND BIRD CONSERVATION MINNESOTA. THE BIRDSAFELIGHTS OUT PROGRAM WILL BE REPEATED IN THE SPRING, AND CONTINUE ANNUALLY. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BIRDSAFE-LIGHTS OUT GO TO http://www.audubon.org/­chapter/mn/mn AND CLICK ON “LESS LIGHT, MORE BIRDS.” Considerations for VNR Scripts  Another

approach is to prepare a script using two columns. The left column lists the visual elements of the script. The right one shows the narration and soundbites that are coordinated with the visual elements. The following excerpt from a script from the College of American Pathologists follows this format: VIDEO

AUDIO

Soundbite: Nora Bowers/ Cervical Cancer Survivor

“When I was diagnosed with ­cervical ­cancer, I was scared, I was overwhelmed, and my immediate reaction was worst case.”

B-roll of Nora doing activities at her home

37-year-old Nora Bowers, a teacher and mother of two, was diagnosed with ­cervical cancer in her late twenties, ­requiring her and her family to make prompt decisions regarding her health.

Soundbite: Nora Bowers

“After I received my diagnosis of cervical cancer I was overwhelmed with research that I was doing, that my family was doing . . . I didn’t know which information I could trust or believe in, and I didn’t know what to do.”

B-roll of a pathologist performing cervical ­cancer tests in ­laboratory

Pathologists, the physicians who actually identify and diagnose cervical cancer and other diseases recognize this.

This Tips for Success on the jargon used for writing a video script also demonstrates some camera directions and visual elements that the writer may specify.

Tips for Success The Jargon of Writing for Video Do you know where your SOT is? Do you need a CU or a V/O for your script? The video industry has its own vocabulary, and you should be familiar with it when writing storyboards and scripts. Here are a few of the most common terms:

Producing a VNR  Although public relations writers

can easily handle the job of writing radio news releases and doing basic announcements for local TV stations, the production of a video news release is another matter. The entire process is highly technical, requiring trained professionals and sophisticated equipment. Consequently, the public relations writer serves primarily as an idea creator and a facilitator. The public relations professional may come up with the idea, write a rough script (storyboard) outlining the visual and audio elements, and make arrangements for a  video production and distribution service to produce the video. Such firms are listed in the Yellow Pages under “Video” and “Television.” The advertisements in the ­public relations trade press such as PRWeek and O’Dwyer’s PR Report are also good sources. It is important to keep in mind that the video producer follows the basic storyboard (outline of who and what should be included) to achieve the organizational ­objective but will usually shoot many minutes of scenes and ­interviews that will be edited to make a 90-second finished product. Consequently, it is not necessary to write a prepared script for everyone who appears on video. It is better, and more natural, to have them talk informally in front of the camera and then use the best soundbite. Here are some additional tips for producing VNRs that best meet the needs of TV news directors.

Radio, Television, and Online Video  161

Given the criticism, however, video production firms have increasingly moved to just producing B-roll packages on behalf of clients. Such packages provide plenty of video files and soundbites but are not formally scripted into a complete story. This allows television news staffs to easily pick and choose material to produce their own stories. One example is a B-roll package done by the Hoffman Agency, a public relations firm headquartered in San Jose, CA. They produced a B-roll to demonstrate how a new surveillance product produced by Sony and A4S Security could withstand extreme conditions, providing video coverage even after the detonation of a bomb in a bus or a building. The B-roll showed a bus being blown up with 10 pounds of explosives and the surveillance device recording the interior of the bus during the explosion. Such dramatic video, accompanied by soundbites from company executives and government officials, was a hit with local and network television news directors. The PR Casebook discusses another Hoffman Agency B-roll, about an airport restaurant operator’s introduction of iPads that travelers could use to order food.

9.3.2:  The New Normal: B-Roll Packaging It has already been mentioned that a VNR package should include up to 10 minutes of B-roll—additional, unnarrated video that television staff can use for repackaging a story. In fact, television news directors today generally prefer B-roll packages that include soundbites instead of fully scripted VNRs. Even the term “video news release” seems to have fallen into disfavor according to Brian Schwartz, a former executive of Medialink, a producer of such material. One reason is that VNRs have come under fire in recent years because television stations often used them without attribution. Watchdog groups complained to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that stations, using video content without attributing the source, were presenting “fake news.” The Center for Media and Democracy, for example, conducted a 6-month probe and found that 46 stations in 22 states aired unsourced video material supplied by VNR production firms on behalf of clients. The controversy over television’s use of VNRs also put the spotlight on the public relations industry. The issue was whether public relations firms and the VNR producers are adequately labeling VNR packages to identify the sponsor or client. There was also criticism that “reporters” appearing in a VNR just said, “This is Nancy Williams, reporting from New York” and didn’t add the line, “on behalf of X Company.” As a consequence, the National Association of Broadcast Communicators (NABC) issued new standards for disclosure and transparency.

PR Casebook: An Airport Food Operator Uses a B-Roll to Announce a New Service OTG, a food and beverage operator with more than 150 restaurants in 10 airports, had a big announcement to make. It was deploying more than 7,000 new iPads at three airports that were interactive menus for the restaurants and could also be used by travelers for personal use. A major part of the announcement was the use of a B-roll, which was produced by Sheri Baer of the Hoffman Agency in San Jose, CA. The outreach plan included pitching the B-roll as supporting visuals for CEO interview segments on the financial business networks, and targeting local stations in the three major city airports that would be the first to have the iPads installed. The B-roll was also crafted into a video for the OTG website. Below is the outline of the script showing the B-roll’s content and timing: ### OTG iPad Deployment Transforms Airport Experience for Travelers Story Background OTG is announcing the deployment of more than 7,000 new iPads at three major airports (LaGuardia, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Toronto Pearson) over the next 18 months to give travelers a new level of access to tech amenities and high-quality food at the gates. In one of the largest deployments of iPads for free public use in the world, OTG is investing more than $10 million in technology alone.

162  Chapter 9 Combined with its many renovated chef-driven restaurants, OTG has set its sights on dramatically improving the quality of experience for travelers at the airport. B-Roll Rundown

03:25 Voice of: Sean Aziz OTG Director of Communications • So when you arrive to your seat at the gate, you have iPads, outlets, and when you select the iPad, you have  an immediate array of options, custom apps where you can search the web, check the news, play a game and order food. (:15)

00:37 OTG Gate Experience 02:09 OTG iPad Demo 04:58 OTG Chef-Driven Restaurants 06:16 Traveler Interviews 00:37 OTG Gate Experience LaGuardia Airport Terminal D New York

• The menu is a picture menu, so it provides vivid detail of what the options look like. And it’s segmented by categories, so breakfast, cocktail, Bruschetta, Panini, whatever it is, you can have it brought right to your seat. (:17)

The OTG experience combines the best possible consumer-friendly technology with high-quality food and a comfortable environment. OTG’s chef-driven restaurants and newly renovated seating areas at the gates offer free access to new iPads and power outlets.

• Another great thing about this iPad is this custom browser. By selecting Internet, you can search the Web for free. A number of pre-loaded sites are on here or you can go to Google and do an open search and browse anywhere on the Web. (:16)

08:50 Interview Rick Blatstein, OTG CEO

• Business travelers ­Terminal D

walking

through

LaGuardia

• Travelers seated at counter using iPads and eating • Establishing shot of renovated seating area at LaGuardia Terminal D • Husband and wife seated across from each other using iPads • Tighter scrolling shot of menu options

• So usually the first step is you want to find out about your flight. And from here, this is linked with the Delta system, so you can see what flights are flying out of this terminal. So you scroll down. Say you’re flying to Ft. Lauderdale. It gives you the flight number, the departure time, status, local weather, and boarding time. And it will keep an automatic running ticker throughout your time on the iPad and it will let you know if there are any gate changes. (:31)

• Server delivering menu selections to travelers at the gate

04:58 OTG Chef-Driven Restaurants

• Man and woman using iPads with Bar Brace in ­background

OTG is an award-winning airport food and beverage operator with more than 150 restaurants and eateries in ten airports. Entrees are prepared to order by OTG’s top chefs, inspired by the local market and the latest food trends. Recognized for exceptional customer focus and innovation, OTG is one of the largest privately held airport food operators in the U.S.

• Matching tight shot of woman’s iPad screen • Reverse matching angle of woman using iPad • Tight of Google Maps screen shot on iPad • Girl focused intently while using iPad • Young woman using iPad in seating area • Matching reverse shot of young woman playing checkers on iPad

LaGuardia Airport, New York

• Tight Crust restaurant sign • Diners and interior ambiance of Crust restaurant

• Husband, wife and daughter using iPads in renovated seating area

• Bisoux restaurant tables and ambiance

• Behind shoulder of woman using iPad across from pilot

• Tight matching shot of Bisoux menu

02:09 OTG iPad Demo

• Travelers at Bisoux bar with phone plugged into ­power outlet

Thanks to OTG’s custom application suite, travelers can enjoy the personal experience of the new iPad in a public space. In addition to ordering food and drinks with an easy-to-use picture menu, travelers can log into their Facebook, Twitter and email accounts, check their flight status, play games and watch the news. • Tight shot of iPad screen sequences, starting with “You made it. Relax. Check your flight status.” • Tighter shot of iPad screen sequence including checking flight, browsing through food and drink selections, ordering Panini sandwich, checking out and swiping credit card.

• Medium shot Bisoux menu with travelers walking by

• Matching tight shot of phone plugged into power ­outlet • Rack focus of family eating in Bisoux restaurant with power outlet in foreground • Bar Brace establishing shot with selection of Panini sandwiches and wine • Traveler sitting in Bar Brace booth using iPad to check flight • Tighter matching screen shot showing flight and weather • Reverse angle of traveler using iPad

Radio, Television, and Online Video  163

06:16 Traveler Interviews

08:50 Rick Blatstein

06:21 Michael McKenna

OTG CEO

Richmond, Virginia

• The ultimate goal here is to create the desire for customers to want to have this in airports all around the world. (:08)

• I tweeted a little bit on the iPad and I sent a text to my daughter and I said Terminal D at LaGuardia is now instantly my favorite terminal in America. (:09) • It’s accessible right? It’s nice to give people something to play with while they’re waiting, and you give them a chance to do a little work without cranking open their computers and I’ve seen kids floating around it too. I think it’s going to be great for little kids. (:14) 06:52 Jessica Issiac Auburn, Alabama • I was really surprised. I was like I’ve never been in an airport that’s this technologically advanced. And I was like, cool, I don’t have to sit here and just look around. I have something to do while I’m waiting. (:14) • (On accessibility of power outlets) That’s what I was looking for. I was sitting there texting so I’m glad there’s a plug right next to my iPad. (:06) 07:22 Bill Gedney East Haven, Connecticut • It’s a lot nicer than it used to be here. Basically you couldn’t find a seat, you couldn’t find anywhere to plug in anything and you couldn’t really have room to work, so this is great. (:09) 07:39 Gina Chaney Naples, Florida • It was really nice. I walked in, it’s really nicely laid out as far as lots of room. I could sit down and I didn’t feel crowded. And then I started looking at this (gestures to iPad). It’s just a really nice way to order food or surf the Internet, without having to get your big heavy laptop out. It’s just a nice addition to the airport. (:21) 08:07 Jordan Ghoreishi Atlanta, Georgia • We decided just to sit up here and mess with an iPad, and I thought it was just like really controlled, you couldn’t do much, but you can get on the Internet, I’m on my college website right now looking at the different majors and trying to get onto my Georgia Southern website and everything. It’s really cool, it’s neat and it helps pass time for sure. (:14) • Yea, technology these days is just soaring. It’s awesome! (:04) 08:35 Christine Utz New York, NY • It’s nice that they pull all this in and that the seating is different than a normal airport. You know usually it’s just the long rows of those ugly chairs. (:12)

• 80% of all the seats in the hold room have a place to plug in and charge, it has your iPad, it has service, it has retail, it’s a fun experience. (:09) • (On making iPad use free) Why not? Why not let them use it? If we can’t entice them, to have something to eat or something to drink, or have a little retail, etc. if we can’t entice them to do that, then shame on us. (:10) • What’s happened to revenue is by delivering the full OTG experience with chef-driven restaurants, with food halls, innovative hold rooms, we have the highest spend ever in the history of the industry. The highest spend per enplanement, enplanement is people getting on a plane. We do that not with high prices. We do that with street pricing. (:19) • Our technologies in our iPads are truly spectacular. Our suite of apps that were developed for us which we spent millions of dollars developing really cater to our customers and continue to evolve. It’s put together with our customers in mind, what their wants are, what their needs are, what their desires are. (:20) • For the traveler on a short connection, the iPad will count down how much time you have left before your flight and let you know what you can order and get it quickly. If you have a little longer time, the iPad will let you know that also and you can get a full meal, you can get some cocktails, you can get some things to go. It’ll really tailor it to whatever you would like it to be. (:23)

PR Casebook: Pitching the Airport Food Operator’s B-Roll Producing the B-roll, however, was just one part of the ­process for Baer. She also had to successfully promote the B-roll and pitch the story to financial network bookers and television news assignment editors. An example is her opening pitch to KMSP (Fox 9 News) in Minneapolis. Baer’s first email to the assignment editor was conversational and set the stage. She began, Got some very visual news coming SOON to an airport near you, as in Minneapolis-St. Paul. The travel experience at MSP is about the change dramatically, and here’s the opportunity to give your viewers a sneak peek into what’s coming next.

164  Chapter 9 Her second paragraph builds on establishing a common bond. Baer writes, I’m sure you can relate (as can KMSP-TV viewers) to the typical airport gate experience—cramped, uncomfortable seating, limited power supply, wilted salads and prepackaged sandwiches. Boring and tiresome, if not outright unpleasant.

She then describes OTG’s deployment of iPads and how air travelers can order food directly delivered to the gate, and ends her email with the following statement: For a better sense of the visuals, you can check out a short video we crafted from the B-roll here: https://vimeo. com/43401421. The password is OTG. I’ll also paste a few sample images below. . . .

Figure 9.3   Attractive virtual menus are displayed on iPads deployed by OTG that give air travelers the opportunity to have fresh food delivered to them at the gate. Sheri Baer of Hoffman Agency sent a similar photo with her pitch for the OTG B-roll.

The next day Baer followed up with another email to the KMSP news director. It said, in part, Just following up on the story we told you about yesterday. I’m pasting the press release immediately below. It includes a link to Broadcast-Quality B-roll footage”. . . (link is provided for easy click-on). “At that link, you’ll find different formats available for easy download. I’m also attaching a hard copy of the B-roll run-down and transcript for reference. What you see in the footage shot at LaGuardia Airport is similar to what you can ­expect to see at MSP starting in August, so this is the chance to give your viewers a preview.

The result of the B-roll initiative: Hoffman secured coverage on CNN, Bloomberg TV, CNBC, and numerous local TV outlets through the various stages of the campaign. The Bloomberg online segment was titled “Free IPad Use at Major Airports.”

B-Roll Delivery and Use  Digital files of professional-quality videos are substantial in size. To share your B-roll, the last thing you want to do is attach the file to an email. Delivery  Email advisories are usually sent to televi-

sion stations notifying them that a VNR or a B-roll package is available via a satellite link or as a download from the website of a distribution firm. Web downloads can also be used for what is known as stock footage—standard video shots of a company’s production line, headquarters, or activities that the station can store until the company is in the news. Then, as the anchor gives the news, the viewer sees the stock footage on the screen. A news story about an electric power plant, for example, may use stock footage from the utility company showing interior scenes of the facility. Use  B-roll packages, in particular, are widely used by television stations and cable systems in smaller markets where stations have limited news staff. A survey by WestGlen Communications, for example, found that 90  percent of TV stations regularly use outside-­ produced video for newscasts. This optimistic statistic, however, is tempered by the reality that TV stations today receive so many video clips that only a few will ever be used. A survey by KEF Media Associates in Atlanta, for example, found that almost 90 percent of the local TV newscasts in the top 100 markets devoted less than 5 ­percent of their airtime to VNR or B-roll material. In a 44-minute news hour (allowing for advertising), that represents only 2 or 3 minutes. At the same time, some stations in top markets receive more than 100 pitches a week, which illustrates the stiff competition and long odds of any video being used. Consequently, many public relations practitioners worry about the cost and whether the potential audience reached is worth the investment. Far too many VNRs and B-rolls never get used, and even a popular one may only get 40 to 50 station airings with an audience of 2 to 3 million people. Before deciding to produce a VNR or B-roll, you should first assess the following factors:

1. the news value of the topic, 2. whether the topic lends itself to a visual treatment, 3. whether it can be recycled for use in social networking sites and blogs, and 4. whether this is a cost-effective method of reaching your target audience. A better approach, for example, could be satellite media tours, which will be discussed shortly.

Radio, Television, and Online Video  165

WRITING PROMPT What’s the difference between preparing a video news release and a B-roll? Why are B-rolls becoming the more popular standard? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Figure 9.4   This is a television script for a feature distributed by North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS) on behalf of Ronald McDonald House Charities. Including soundbites from several persons gives the feature more variety and interest. In many television PSAs, a celebrity is used as a spokesperson to attract audience interest.

Submit

9.3.3:  Video Public Service Announcements Television stations, like radio stations, broadcast public service announcements (PSAs) on behalf of governmental agencies, community organizations, and charitable groups as a public service. In fact, a survey by News Broadcast Network found that the typical TV station runs an average of 137 PSAs per week as part of its commitment to public service. Most PSAs, however, are broadcast in non-primetime hours such as late evening or the early morning hours when the station has fewer paid commercial ads. Many of the guidelines for radio PSAs, which were discussed previously, apply to television PSAs. They must be short, to the point, and professionally produced. Television is different, however, in that both audio and visual elements must be present. Thus, the soundbites or actualities must have someone with not only a good voice but also an attractive appearance. As a result, many television PSAs use a well-recognized celebrity or spokesperson. Here are some examples: The White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault stacked the “1 is 2 Many” PSA with celebrities such as Daniel Craig, Seth Meyers, Steve Carrell, and Benicio Del Toro. Del Toro tells viewers, “If she doesn’t consent—or if she can’t consent—it’s rape, it’s assault, it’s a crime, it’s wrong.” Toyota, in partnership with the National Audubon Society, also used Modern Family star Nolan Gould and actress Danielle Soibelman to share helpful hints on how to clean up after yourself at the seashore. Instead of delivering the info straight, they presented suggestions through the lens of a budding teen romance. North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS) distributed a 60-second PSA on behalf of Ronald McDonald House Charities, using former model Cindy Crawford. See Figure 9.4 to view the script and how it’s formatted.

Some PSAs get considerable airtime. A series of PSAs on anxiety disorders got more than 100,000 airplays. A Salvation Army PSA series reached more than 43 million Americans. The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) reported a 400 percent increase in calls

to its hotline in the 2–3 days following a PSA featuring TV star Laura San Giacomo. The Internet, of course, has opened up new opportunities for video PSAs. The Ad Council, which produces many PSAs on behalf of national and international charitable organizations, also posts them on more than a dozen new media streams. An Ad Council PSA, featuring Mark Zupan, a member of the U.S. Paralympic rugby team, received 700 television airings, as well as 6,500 YouTube views. The next PR Casebook discusses a video PSA campaign by an ophthalmology group about the dangers of decorative lenses.

PR Casebook: A Video PSA Warns About the Use of Decorative Contact Lenses Although decorative contact lenses are popular with Twilight, Lady Gaga, and Avatar fans, the American Academy

166  Chapter 9 of Ophthalmology (AAO) wanted to warn people that nonprescription decorative contacts can cause blindness.

the country could interview the spokesperson on a one-onone basis. For busy executives, the satellite was a time-­ efficient way of giving interviews. All they had to do was visit a corporate or commercial television studio near their office. Today, the SMT is a staple of public relations and the television industry. One-on-one interviews, as well as news conferences via satellite, are widely used. In fact, a survey by WestGlen Communications found that nearly 85 percent of the nation’s television stations participate in satellite tours, including stations in the top 10 markets. Reporters like SMTs because they can ask their own questions and get an exclusive interview with a source anywhere in the world. This is in contrast to the VNR, which is a set piece, much like an ordinary news release.

Tips for Success The organization’s public relations and marketing team produced two “This is your brain on drugs”-style video PSAs. A 30-second video was for teens and a 90-second video was for parents. They then sent news releases to all major media with links to the two PSAs and supplemented the videos as follows:

Guidelines for a Successful SMT Anecdotal evidence indicates that four out of five pitched satellite media tours don’t get aired. You can increase the odds if you follow these “do’s” and “don’ts” compiled by PRWeek:

• Created Q&As and talking points for spokespeople and developed FAQs for media • Drafted social media posts to doctors and for AAO staff to use on Twitter and Facebook pages • Produced downloadable posters for doctor’s offices • Created a promotional tool kit for doctors that included news release templates, social media posts, and a PowerPoint presentation for community groups. • Wrote Facebook and Yahoo ad campaigns targeted at teens • Posted decorative lens-focused information on the Academy’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

As a result, visits to the Academy’s EyeSmart website increased more than 50 percent. Media coverage was also extensive. More than 1,500 stories appeared in the print media and there were 100 TV segments. A radio media tour secured 40 radio interviews that aired almost 200 times.

9.3.4:  Satellite Media Tours The television equivalent of the radio media tour (RMT) is the satellite media tour (SMT). This is essentially a series of prebooked, one-on-one interviews from a fixed location via satellite with a series of television journalists and, sometimes, talk show hosts. The SMT concept started in the mid-1980s when companies began to put their CEOs in front of a television camera. The public relations staff would line up reporters in advance to interview the spokesperson via satellite feed during allotted time frames and, in this way, television journalists across

Formats  The easiest way to do an SMT is simply to

make an articulate spokesperson available for an interview. Celebrities are always popular, but an organization can also use articulate experts in its subject area. Essentially, the spokesperson sits in a chair or at a desk in front of a televi-

Radio, Television, and Online Video  167

sion camera. Viewers usually see the local news anchor asking questions and the spokesperson on a newsroom monitor, via satellite, answering them in much the same way that anchors talk with reporters at the scene of an event. Basically, the format is two talking heads —the news anchor and the spokesperson. An example of such an SMT is one done by Best Buy on “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving when stores are jammed with shoppers. Best Buy enlisted pop commentator Mo Rocca to add some lighthearted humor to the frantic day, and partnered him with a personable Best Buy employee who was knowledgeable about electronic products and what was “hot” that season. In the space of 3 hours, the pair gave 23 media interviews to television stations across the country. Although “talking heads,” as they are known in the industry, are often used for SMTs, today’s most successful SMTs are more interactive and dynamic. As Sally Jewett, president of On-The-Scene Productions, told PRWeek, “It’s important to offer reporters something beyond the talking head, especially since competition is increasing as more firms realize the benefits of SMTs.” One approach is to integrate additional video into the SMT. Video clips of an event or activity can run while the spokesperson talks off-screen. For example, Abbott Labs hired Simon Productions to do an SMT on a new product for diabetics. While the spokesperson was talking about the new product, Simon showed people using it, being checked out by a doctor, and eating the “wrong” foods. At times, an SMT is also coordinated with the release of a VNR or B-roll package about the same topic. In a survey of television news directors, WestGlen Communications found that almost 95 percent prefer that video clips accompany the interview. “Stations like to put together a background piece to air prior to the interview,” says Annette Minkalis, senior vice president of WestGlen’s broadcast department. She adds, “Many stations prefer B-roll and a hard copy summary 3–4 days in advance of the tour. Having footage in advance, as opposed to having it fed during the interview, gives stations time to prepare the story, especially in a live interview.” Production  Another popular approach to SMTs is

to get out of the television studio and do them on location. Harley Davidson took this approach for its celebration of its 110th anniversary by having Bill Davidson, great grandson of the company’s co-founder, conduct an SMT on a motorcycle. While riding on the bike, he conducted about 25 media interviews that highlighted all the new features on the year ’s new models. In another example, the Hawaii Tourism Board targeted television stations in New England on a cold winter day with an SMT originating from Hawaii ’s sunny and attractive beaches.

Organizing an SMT from a remote location, however, does involve more planning. Producers suggest you keep the following points in mind.

Another aspect to consider is whether the SMT has enough news value to justify its cost. In general, a basic SMT costs $10,000 to $25,000. The Best Buy SMT cost $40,000, but it also included the cost of celebrity talent. If it is done outside a television studio, costs can rise substantially, depending on the location and logistics involved. “At the SMT you have an attractive, knowledgeable talent and high-quality broadcast equipment. Use it to create an exciting, well-produced webisode that can be featured on your own microsite.” — Douglas Simon, CEO of DS Productions

Given the cost, many organizations try to get maximum benefit by posting interviews on their website, ­producing audio and video podcasts, syndicating segments to YouTube and other viral news sites, embedding an interview in a multimedia news release, and even doing a webcast. Bev Yehuda, vice president of MultiVu, adds, “With your spokesperson already in a TV studio, it’s easy to initiate an Internet connection and produce a video webcast.” News Feeds  A variation on the SMT is a news feed that

provides video and soundbites of an event to TV stations across the country via satellite. The news feed may be live from the actual event as it is taking place (real time), or it could be video shot at an event, edited, and then made available as a package. In either case, the sponsoring organization hires a production firm to record the event. DWJ Television, for example, was hired by Christie’s to cover the auction of 56 outfits worn by women at Academy Award ceremonies. DWJ engineers managed everything from setting up cameras and lighting to troubleshooting problems for crews during the auction. The event, which benefited the American Foundation for AIDS Research, was made available in real time to ­television stations around the country and the world via

168  Chapter 9 satellite. Stations could air the whole auction, or simply make a video clip for use in later newscasts. Stations in 9 of the top 10 markets used the news feed, which reached almost 12 million viewers.

WRITING PROMPT What are the advantages of a satellite media tour? What is the format of such a tour? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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9.4:  Talk Shows and Product Placements 9.4 Examine other placement opportunities in broadcasting So far in this chapter we have concentrated on how to prepare and generate timely material for newscasts. Here we will present an overview of other placement opportunities in broadcasting, from getting people booked to appear on talk shows to having a popular sitcom use your ­employer’s or client’s product on the show. In these cases, your contact is no longer the news department, but rather the directors and producers of various specialty features and shows. Your most valuable communication tools are the telephone and the persuasive pitch letter. Before using guest appearances or product placements, however, it is necessary to do your homework. You must be familiar with a show’s format and content, as well as the type of audience that it reaches. You can obtain this information in several ways. One method is to study the station and descriptions of its shows in a broadcast database. Directory listings can tell you program format, types of material used, and the name of the director or producer. See Figure 9.2 for an example of a television network listing. A second approach is to watch the program or feature and study the format. In the case of a talk or interview show, what is the style of the moderator or host? What kinds of topics are discussed? How important is the personality or prominence of the guest? How long is the show or segment? Does the show lend itself to demonstrations and visual aids? The answers to such questions will help you tailor your phone calls and pitch letters to achieve maximum results.

9.4.1:  Talk Shows Radio and television talk shows have been a staple of broadcasting for many years. KABC in Los Angeles started the trend in 1960, when it became the first radio station in the

country to convert to an all-news-and-talk format. Today, more than 1,100 radio stations have adopted the format. Other stations, of course, also include talk shows as part of their programming. In fact, it is estimated that there are now more than 5,000 radio talk shows in the United States. The same growth rate applies to television. Seven years after KABC started the talk show format, Phil Donahue began his TV talk show. Today, there are multiple nationally syndicated talk shows and a countless number of locally produced shows. Until mid-2011, when the Oprah Winfrey Show ended, it attracted a daily audience of about 8 million. On the network level, three shows are the Holy Grail for publicists: NBC’s Today, ABC’s Good Morning America, and CBS’s Early Show. Collectively, these three shows draw about 14 million viewers between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. every weekday. As PRWeek says, “there’s simply no better way to hit millions of consumers in one shot.”

Figure 9.5   A television talk show is usually an informal setting and a chat between the moderator host and a guest. Robin Roberts interviews Pierce Brosman on ABC’s Good Morning America about his new movie, The November Man. A clip from the movie was also shown, which is why a studio’s public relations staff works hard to place the film’s major actors on major programs like Good Morning America or the David Letterman Show. The late-night shows, in particular, are primarily promotions for a musician’s concert tour or a forthcoming film.

The advantage of these talk shows is the opportunity to tell your views directly to the American public without the filter of journalists and editors interpreting and deciding what is newsworthy. Another advantage is the opportunity to be on the air for longer than the traditional 15-second soundbite in a news program. You may never have the opportunity to book a guest on the Today show, but you should be aware of such shows and their ability to reach large audiences. Talk shows and public affairs programs on local radio and television stations, as well as a proliferation of cable channels, provide excellent placement opportunities for organizational spokespersons talking on any number of topics.

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When thinking about placement on a radio or television talk show, remember that your topic and spokesperson should be a good match for the show’s format and audience. Depending on the situation, an appearance on a particular show may or may not be worth pursuing.

blance to their publicist’s pitch. Barbara Hoffman, producer of Doctor to Doctor, told O’Dwyer’s PR Newsletter that the best pitches come from publicists whose “clients are always exactly what they say they are, always prepared, interesting, on time, and always have something unusual or cutting edge to offer my program.” “We expect our hosts (spokespersons) to be able to put the products in a newsworthy context and answer unexpected questions.” — Michael Friedman, executive vice president of DWJ Television

See the Tips for Success for more on what makes a good talk show guest and how to prepare spokespeople for giving media interviews.

Tips for Success How to Conduct an Interview on a TV Talk Show Experts recommend a number of techniques for guests on television talk shows. Public relations professionals preparing spokespersons for an interview should share the following recommendations; many are also applicable for radio talk shows.

After you have done your homework on the format of the desired talk show, contact the show’s producer or associate producer. If it is a network or nationally syndicated show, the contact person may be the “talent coordinator” or “talent executive.” Whatever the title, these people are known in the broadcasting industry as bookers because they are responsible for booking a constant supply of timely guests for a show. You can place a phone call briefly outlining the qualifications of your proposed speaker and why the person would be a timely guest, or you can send an email to convince the producer to book the guest. In general, talk shows book guests 3–4 weeks ahead of time. Unless a topic or a person is extremely timely or controversial, it is rare for a booking to occur on 1 or 2 days’ notice. Keep this in mind as you plan talk show appearances as part of an overall public relations plan. In many cases, the booker will ask for video clips of the spokesperson on previous TV shows and even newspaper clips relating to past interviews. Remember, the more you know about the format and the audience of the show, the better you can tailor a persuasive pitch. It’s also important to be honest about your spokesperson’s expertise and personality. According to Marsha Friedman of Event Management Services in Clearwater, Florida, which specializes in booking guests, talk show producers complain that guests often bear little resem-

170  Chapter 9 On occasion, it’s possible that a local television station will let you create your own talk show. Rex Healthcare did just that in Raleigh, North Carolina, by creating a monthly medical call-in TV show titled Rex on Call. The show, which featured doctors and medical researchers as guests, had a mix of health advice and took “house calls” from interested viewers. Additional viewers were reached through archived Web episodes available on the company’s website.

often negotiated by product publicists and talent agencies. This is really nothing new. IPRA Frontline reports, “In the early 1900s, Henry Ford had an affinity for Hollywood and perhaps it is no coincidence that his Model T’s were the predominant vehicle appearing in pictures of that era.” The current popularity of product placements, however, is due to the success of placements in E.T. and the James Bond film series. The Case of E.T.

WRITING PROMPT What are the characteristics of a good spokesperson on a television talk show? Is it possible to be both a good spokesperson and an entertaining guest? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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The James Bond Films

9.4.2:  Magazine Shows A magazine show has a somewhat different format than a talk show, where a host interviews various guests. A magazine show, in contrast, may feature five or six stories about various issues and topics that usually include video clips and reporting by the station’s news staff. Depending on the program, they can be human-interest features or in-depth investigative stories on contemporary issues such as the high cost of medical care or the plight of the homeless in major cities. CBS’s 60 Minutes is an example of a magazine show. On the local level, there are many human-interest magazine shows. A sampling of magazine shows in one large city featured such subjects as a 1-pound baby who survived, a treatment for anorexia nervosa, a couple who started a successful cookie company, remedies for back pain, tips on dog training, the science of karate, blue-collar job stress, and the work habits of a successful author. Most, if not all, of these features came about as the result of someone making a pitch to the show’s producers. The objective of the segment, at least from the perspective of the people featured, is exposure and the generation of new business. The tips on dog training, for example, featured a local breeder who also operated a dog obedience school. The karate expert ran a martial arts academy.

9.4.3:  Product Placement Television’s dramatic and comedy shows, as well as the film industry, are good vehicles for promoting a company’s products and services. It is not a coincidence that the hero of a detective series drives a Lexus sports coupe or that a United Airlines plane is shown taking off or landing. Such product tie-ins to a show, also called plugs or plants, are

“In the U.S., product placement in films and television has never been more widespread, accounting for $3.61 billion, or half, of global spending.” — David Gelles and Tim Bradshaw, reporters for the Financial Times

Clothing manufacturers and retailers are particularly active in product placements because studies show that today’s young people get most of their fashion ideas from watching television shows. This is why upscale retailers were eager, and paid large fees, for the main characters in Sex in the City to be seen using their clothes, handbags, jewelry, and shoes. Coca-Cola, of course, has long been associated with American Idol, to the point that the backdrop is Coca-Cola red and all the judges sip Coke from branded cups. Apple has been especially prolific in product placement. Its products have appeared in more than a third of all number one films at the box office for the past 10 years. Many major brands pay millions of dollars to have their branded products in a high-profile television series or a major film, but not all product placements are in that league. A low-profile item such as a bottle of wine or a bag of chips in a scene may only cost samples of the product to the production crew and actors for daily use or for a party. Hotels and resorts also garner exposure in location scenes if they are willing to feed the crew and provide complimentary rooms. It’s a cost-effective investment in publicity. O’Dwyer’s Newsletter quotes Frank Zazza of iTVX productions

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s­ aying that a 20-second product placement on Desperate Housewives would be worth about $400,000, about the same as a 30-second commercial on the show. Game shows provide an even better investment. In one episode of The Price Is Right, one prize was a tent, a camp table with chairs, and a lantern. The donated equipment cost ­Coleman about $250. You should always be alert to opportunities for publicity on television programs and upcoming movies. If the company’s product or service lends itself to a particular program, contact the show’s producer directly or through an agent who specializes in matching company products with the show’s needs. If you are dealing with a national television show or a film studio, you particularly need the services of a product placement firm located in Hollywood or New York. At last count, there were about 50 agencies engaged in this booming specialty area.

Tips for Success Guidelines for Product Placement on Your Favorite TV Show Product placement in films and television shows is a specialty function that blurs the lines between marketing and public relations. Financial Times reporters David Gelles and Tim Bradshaw provide some basic tips for placements that are wellreceived and effective.

ety of non-profit and special interest groups. Many social and health organizations also lobby the producers of daytime soap operas to write scripts where major characters deal with cancer, diabetes, drug abuse, alcoholism, and an assortment of other problems. The idea is to educate the public about a social issue or a health problem in a popular television show or a movie. Someone once said, “It’s like hiding the aspirin in the ice cream.” Even the federal government works with popular television programs to write scripts that deal with the dangers and prevention of drug abuse. Remember, however, that you can only suggest themes and ideas to show producers and scriptwriters. They retain the creative independence to determine how they will write a scene.

WRITING PROMPT Your client is the manufacturer of designer sun glasses. Do some thinking about popular television shows. Which ones, in your mind, offer a good possibility for doing a product placement in the script? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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9.5:  Online Video 9.5 Review the salient features of owned media and online videos in raising brand visibility

Issue Placement  A logical extension of product placements is convincing popular television programs to write an issue or cause into their scripts. Writers for issueoriented shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, CSI, and Law & Order are constantly bombarded with requests from a vari-

Although television still accounts for more hours of viewing on a daily basis (5 hours), online video produced and distributed by any number of organizations is steadily increasing in viewership and influence. The Wall Street Journal, for example, reported in early 2014 that Americans are now watching about 25 minutes of video daily, which has doubled over the past 4 years. And Cisco estimates that online video will increase to 56 percent of Internet traffic by 2017. In 2014, Netflix alone accounted for 28 percent of peak Internet traffic while YouTube accounted for almost 17 percent. Online video has several advantages over traditional television and cable networks. One is that the content is categorized as “owned” media, which means that organizations control the content and distribution. Unlike VNRs or B-rolls that are selected and edited by media gatekeepers such as radio and television news directors, a video can be posted on an organization’s website or on YouTube without any outside intervention. It’s another example of the axiom that every organization is now a publisher.

172  Chapter 9 Another advantage of online video is that it enjoys longevity. Placement on radio or television is only short-term and part of a news cycle. Online video, on the other hand, can be available on a website or YouTube for weeks or even months. Video is particularly popular on social networks. In one study, online video was second only to photos in terms of driving the most engagement and sharing on social networks. Another study found that 90 percent of online shoppers said they found videos helpful in making purchase decisions. In addition to YouTube, video clips can also be posted on Vimeo, Vine, Instagram, and other social media platforms. “YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. Its results also show up in Google, which owns it, so it makes a tremendous amount of sense for organizations to have addresses there.” — Shel Holtz, Holtz Communication + Technology

The result is organizations embracing online video in a big way. Intel, for example, has a library of about 2,700 videos posted on its YouTube channel, where customers and others can search for interesting footage. Most of the videos are 4 to 6 minutes long and are part of its visual life campaign showing how Intel helps people. One 6-minute video featured two Chinese wedding photographers. On Harley-Davidson’s YouTube channel, a video details the brand devotion of the Latino bikers who call themselves “Harlistas.” Meanwhile, on the channel for the U.S. Navy Seals, you can learn how to tone your body through a Navy SEAL workout. Many organizations are now producing online videos of 2 to 6 minutes that feature human-interest stories about their brand, activities, and projects. Here are some more examples:

The key to a successful video is to make sure that it tells an interesting story and doesn’t become just another ad. That calls for a lot of creativity. Disney Parks, for example, got high viewership by showing footage of a visit by Darth Vader, who rides in a teacup, visits Cinderella’s castle, and complains about his inability to get into a “Star Wars” theme ride. Hyundai used some “dudes” who find a magic wand and conjure up a car for a wild night on the town. Amy Paquette, senior manager of global social media strategy for Cisco, says it best: “The broader goal of the YouTube portal remains telling the company’s stories, not just promoting it.” Producing Online Videos  Major organizations hire teams of writers, graphic artists, and videographers to manage their YouTube presence and do such tasks as filming, editing, tagging, promoting, and uploading. Smaller organizations, lacking such staffs, often outsource video projects to production companies. Jocelyn Broder, vice president of Robin Tracy Public Relations, gives some tips for creating an effective online video that gets viewership:

• KEEP IT REAL. Don’t overscript, use real people, and don’t overproduce it. • KEEP IT GENUINE. Don’t try to trick people or lie because they will figure it out. • MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH. Few things spread as fast as humor online, especially if you can hit the “bored at work” crowd. • KEEP IT SHORT. The shorter and more to the point the better; 3 minutes is a good rule of thumb. • MAKE THEM FEEL GOOD. If you make viewers smile, they will be more likely to spread the video. • MAKE IT ORIGINAL. If it’s not 100 percent original, execute better. • LET IT SPREAD ON ITS OWN MERIT. Don’t push too hard or pay to spread it; it doesn’t work. • GET INFLUENCERS TO LIKE IT. Send the video to people who have large followings on Twitter or blogs; if they like it, they will share it. • USE CATS. If all else fails, use cats in your video. For some reason, cats almost always go viral. Not all videos, however, require professional videographers and costly production. Today’s generation records videos on smartphones and compact camcorders that are

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often uploaded to company intranets as part of an organization’s employee communications strategy. The Tips for Success gives some pointers on how you can improve your video skills.

Tips for Success How to Produce a Good Video Not all videos need to be flawless, but you can improve the quality of them by following some basic guidelines. Matt Wilson of Ragan.com and other video experts have come up with some tips on how to avoid major gaffes.

WRITING PROMPT Do you think consumers and the general public actually view the videos that organizations place on their websites and YouTube? If an organization wants to produce online videos, what advice would you give to them? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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Summary: Radio, Television, and Online Video

174  Chapter 9

Shared Writing: Radio, Television, and Online Video Red Bull, the energy drink, is a client of your public relations firm. What TV entertainment programs might be good outlets for product placements? Recommend some popular shows and suggest how Red Bull could be used in the script or in a particular scene. A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

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0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 9 Quiz: Radio, Television, and ­Online Video

Chapter 10

Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts Learning Objectives 10.1 10.2 10.3

Report the exponential growth of the Internet and World Wide Web

10.4a Report the general guidelines for writing

Summarize the differences between traditional and new media

10.4b Describe the purpose and components of an

Report some of the winning characteristics of websites that help to achieve organizational goals

10.5

Review the utility of different types of blogs

10.6

Describe podcasts and their uses

10.1:  The Web: Pervasive in Our Lives 10.1  R  eport the exponential growth of the Internet and World Wide Web The World Wide Web celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2014 without much fanfare. For those who have never known daily life without it, it’s difficult to realize that it was a revolutionary development that transformed the media almost as much as the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in the 1400s. For centuries, the owners and publishers of newspapers, magazines, and books controlled the flow of information. In the 20th century, broadcasters joined their ranks as gatekeepers who decided what content would be produced and distributed to the public. Control was still highly centralized; only a few could afford to start a newspaper or station, and professional editors and journalists filtered and selected what they considered “newsworthy.” All this began to change in 1989 when Sir Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web. He and other early Web pioneers ushered in the “democratization of information” because anyone with a computer could become his or her own publisher and literally reach millions of people without having to go through the traditional mass media. Indeed, the Internet today makes it possible to have (1) widespread broadband; (2) cheap/free, easy-to-use online publishing tools; (3) instant distribution channels such as social networks and e-mail, (4) mobile devices such as smartphones, and (5) new public relations paradigms.

web content online newsroom

For clarification, however, it should be noted that Internet and World Wide Web are not interchangeable words. The Internet is essentially a giant network of hardware and computers around the world that make it possible for you to send an email to anyone in the world. The World Wide Web, on the other hand, is what allows you to use browsers such as Google to access websites or webpages. In other words, the World Wide Web is the portion of the Internet that makes it possible for public relations writers to communicate with the public through websites, online newsrooms, blogs, and podcasts. The astounding growth of the Internet and the World Wide Web is old news, and any figures given today are out of date almost before they are published. Nevertheless, some 2014 stats provide a base point for understanding the extent of this continued growth, as Internet connectivity becomes—like electricity—less visible but increasingly essential to our daily lives.

175

176  Chapter 10

This chapter explores the important role of the World Wide Web as a major communications tool in today’s public relations work. Its primary focus is how websites, blogs, and podcasts are created, with various examples of how organizations have successfully used them in their communications strategy. The chapter will also give you the necessary understanding and skill to organize a website, provide content for online newsrooms, create an effective blog, and conduct a podcast.

10.2:  The New Public Relations Paradigm 10.2  S  ummarize the differences between traditional and new media The World Wide Web is now the major source of news and information for millions of Americans. Its exponential growth is due, in large part, to its unique characteristics, which can be better understood by comparing the Web with traditional mass media. The information below is adapted from a chart prepared by Kevin Kawamoto of the University of Washington for a Freedom Forum seminar on technology.

Traditional Media versus the Web Traditional Mass Media

New Media

Geographically constrained: Media geared to geographic markets or regional audience share; market specific.

Distance insensitive: Media geared toward needs, wants, and interests, regardless of physical location of the user; topic specific.

Hierarchical: News and information pass through a vertical hierarchy of gatekeeping and successive editing.

Flattened: News and information have the potential to spread horizontally, from nonprofessionals to other nonprofessionals.

Traditional Mass Media

New Media

Unidirectional: Dissemination of news and information is generally one-way, with restricted feedback mechanisms.

Interactive: Feedback is immediate and often uncensored or modified; discussions and debate rather than editorials and opinions.

Space/time constraints: Newspapers are limited by space; radio and TV by time.

Less space/time constraints: Information is stored digitally; hypertext (text documents with links) allows large volumes of info to be “layered” one atop another.

Professional communicators: Trained journalists, reporters, and experts tend to qualify as traditional media personnel.

Amateurs/nonprofessionals: Anyone with requisite resources can publish on the Web, even amateur and untrained communicators.

High access costs: Cost of starting a newspaper, radio, or TV station is prohibitive for most people.

Low access costs: Cost of electronic publishing/broadcasting on the Internet is much more affordable.

General interest: Many mainstream mass media target large audiences and thus offer broad coverage.

Customized: With fewer space/ time restraints and market concerns, new media can “narrowcast” in depth to personal interests.

Linearity of content: News and information are organized in logical, linear order; news hierarchy.

Nonlinearity of content: News and information are linked and can be navigated by interest and intuition, not just by a particular logic or order.

Feedback: Letters to the editor, phone calls; slow, effort heavy, moderated and edited; time/space limited.

Feedback: Email, posting to online discussion groups; comparatively simple and effortless; often unedited, unmoderated.

Ad-driven: Need to deliver big audiences to advertisers to generate high ad revenues; mass appeal.

Diverse funding sources: While advertising is increasing, other sources permit more diverse content; small audiences OK.

Institution-bound: Many traditional media are produced by large corporations with centralized structure.

Decentralized: Technology allows production and dissemination of news and information to be “grass-roots efforts.”

Fixed format: Content is produced, disseminated, and somewhat “fixed” in place and time.

Flexible format: Content is constantly changing, updated, corrected, and revised; in addition, multiple forms of media can be integrated in one multimedia service.

News, values, journalistic standards: Content produced and evaluated by conventional norms and ethics.

Formative standards: Norms and values obscure; content produced and evaluated on its own merit and credibility.

These major characteristics of the Web enable public relations people to do a better job of distributing content in a variety of formats.

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PR Casebook: Coca-Cola Website Sets the Standard for Brand Journalism

WRITING PROMPT One result of the Internet and the World Wide Web, many say, is that they have “democratized information.” In your own words, describe what you think people mean when they use this phrase. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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10.3: Websites 10.3  R  eport some of the winning characteristics of websites that help to achieve organizational goals The most visible aspect of the World Wide Web is websites. From a public relations standpoint, websites are literally a digital distribution system. Organizations, for example, use their websites to market products and services and post news releases, corporate backgrounders, product information, position papers, feature stories, and even photos of key executives or plant locations.

An outstanding example is Coca-Cola Journey (www. coca-colacompany.com), which draws 33 million visitors a month.

Coca-Cola re-launched its corporate website as Coca-Cola Journey in 2012 as a key strategy to develop brand loyalty among its key audience, millennials. It was basically an e-magazine that featured a variety of articles about lifestyle and culture and, of course, feature articles related to CocaCola as a worldwide brand. Its concept of “brand journalism” was that young adults would be attracted to the site because it offers a variety of interesting stories about everything from how to select an office chair to an employee whose passion is skydiving. In 2013, for example, Journey published more than 2,000 stories and more than 10,000 videos. Most of the content is branded, but about a third of the stories have no explicit connection to Coca-Cola. Journey’s senior editor, Jay Moye, told Ragan.com, “The strategy here is about authenticity and credibility. We want to be seen as a credible resource for fun, smart content. We realized early on that if we published Coca-Cola in every headline, we’d be talking to ourselves.” “People need to be at the heart of your stories. People want to read a story that makes them connect with, again, a personality instead of a product.” — Jay Moye, senior editor of Coca-Cola’s website, ­Journey

But the Coca-Cola brand gets considerable attention in other ways. One Journey story described climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa by the “Coca-Cola route.” A popular video that first appeared on Journey was a Coca-Cola machine in a Pakistani mall displaying a message, “Make a friend in India” and an identical machine in New Delhi saying “Make a friend in Pakistan.” The two nations have been enemies for years, but Coke got ordinary Indians and Pakistanis to wave at each other via cameras, flash peace symbols, and toast each other with a Coke. The company didn’t issue a news release about its “Small World Machines” campaign in India and Pakistan, yet the video got 2.2 million views on YouTube in the first week it was posted. Journey has a staff of six full-time content creators, of which two are dedicated to Journey’s editorial content and publishing. “We think of ourselves as journalists, and Coke is our beat,” Ashley Brown, group director of digital communications and social media, told Ragan’s Daily Headlines. The formula seems to work. The website averages 33 million visitors daily, who spend an average of almost 5 minutes reading various articles. In 2015, CocaCola plans to extend Journey to 30 nations in 12 languages. It should be noted that Journey is only one of Coca-Cola’s

178  Chapter 10 websites; there are others that are more promotional and market-oriented.

Figure 10.1  The homepage of the Journey website is appropriately called the “front page” in the top menu.

new products and improving the in-store experience, and ways to be involved in the community. The site is modeled as a social network where users can post comments on each other’s ideas. • Red Bull builds brand identity and loyalty by emphasizing its sponsorship of sporting events such as motorcycle contests over rough terrain or surfing exhibitions. Extensive feature stories, interviews with athletes, photos, and videos appeal to its primary audience of active, athletic consumers.

WRITING PROMPT Organizational websites have evolved over the years to include what is called “brand journalism” and “content marketing.” Review the Coca-Cola Journey and Red Bull websites as examples. Do you like the format and content? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit A SAMPLING OF ORGANIZATIONAL WEBSITES  Not

every organization has the creativity, budget, and commitment to brand journalism as Coca-Cola, but they also strive to accomplish organizational objectives. The following is a representative sample of how various organizations are using their websites. • The Federal Express website, FedEx, makes it easy for customers to track shipments or locate a FedEx office by keying in a zip code or address. There is also a link to the FedEx newsroom for journalists. • Bridgestone America has a site devoted to its Teens Drive Smart program. It includes blogs for teens and parents, content for teachers, and a downloadable safe-driving contract to facilitate dialogue between parents and teens. • L. L. Bean provides a history of the company and offers outdoor adventure tours for everything from biking to fly casting, in addition to providing a catalog of its products. • Westchester Medical Center posts a virtual encyclopedia of disease and health care information that is freely available to the public. The site also establishes Westchester as a premier medical center by describing its multiple clients and medical services. • Rutherford Hill winery in California gives a video tour of the winery. • IBM highlights its activities on various continents. One segment on Africa, for example, provides pdfs of case studies and short video clips. • Starbucks has My Starbucks Idea on which customers and employees “Share, Vote, Discuss, See” ideas for

10.3.1:  Planning an Effective Website The varieties of websites just described have one thing in common. They are the virtual front door of an organization and form the visitor’s first impression. Depending on whether the door is solid, stately, colorful, or somewhat ramshackle, the visitor takes less than 10 seconds to make a decision about opening it or moving on to a more ­attractive “door.” For this reason, considerable attention is given to web design, so a site can compete with the organization’s competition and the thousands of other webpages that are readily accessible with the click of a mouse. The idea is to create a website that is attractive, is easy to navigate, and offers information relevant to the site’s ­purpose and audience. OBJECTIVES AND AUDIENCE  In most cases, an organization wants a website to accomplish multiple objectives. Marketing is the most common objective. Indeed, the vast majority of websites in today’s world are dedicated to e-commerce. Websites with a strong marketing emphasis may have several main sections that feature information about the organization and its reputation for service and reliability, a list of product lines, technical support available to customers, instructions on how to order products or services, and details on the various services available. The same site may also provide background information about the organization, inform the public about its community involvement and philanthropy, and enhance product identity and loyalty through brand journalism efforts such as features, photos, and videos. The Coca-Cola and Red Bull websites are good examples.

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Figure 10.2  The Starbucks.com website has a pull-down menu of anchor links that expand on a major subject area. This shows the pull-down menu for the major topic “responsibility” that gives more links about the company’s involvement with such areas as the community, ethical sourcing, and the environment.

A preliminary step before creating a website is to spend some time thinking about your potential audience and its particular needs. It is one thing to decide what the organization wants to accomplish; it is quite another thing to place yourself in the minds of the audience and figure out how they will use your website. Are they accessing your site to find a particular product? Are they primarily investors who are looking for financial information? Or are they looking for employment information? Focus groups, personal interviews, and surveys often answer these questions and can help you design a userfriendly site. The San Diego Convention Center (SDCC), for example, redesigned its website by forming a customer advisory board of 28 clients that used the facility. Focus group research was conducted to find out what they wanted to see in an updated website. According to PRWeek, “The Customer Advisory Board feedback enabled SDCC to jettison a great deal of the clutter that plagues many sites and focus on exactly what the target audience wanted. Gone were dense copy and hard-to-navigate pages, replaced by hot links to key portions of the site.” SITE ORGANIZATION AND MENUS  The SDCC example makes the point that a good website should not be a virtual catalogue of multiple topics that just clutters up the site and makes it difficult to navigate. In most cases, the axiom that less is best is a good guide. It also pays to research current trends in website design and conduct some audience research through advisory panels or focus groups to determine the needs of your primary audience.

Starbucks is a good example of today’s trend toward home pages that have a minimum of words on a background of several vibrant colors. At the top of the page, however, are six links to major subject areas: coffee, menu, coffee houses, responsibility, card, and shop. By clicking on one of these subjects, you navigate to a new page with links to additional information about subtopics, or you can simply mouse over the subject text to see these topics appear in a list. For example, under the “coffee” link is a list of all of Starbucks’ coffees, as well as such subjects as “how to brew a perfect cup of coffee” and “ethical sourcing.” The “responsibility” tab (see Figure 10.2) gives you a list of Starbuck community projects, its contribution to the environment, and the company’s Global Responsibility Report. Any one of the topics in Starbucks’ pull-down (or “drop-down”) lists can be accessed with a single click. The idea is that it takes only two clicks for a viewer to access any specific subject. Such easy navigation is the hallmark of a good website. OTHER DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS  Forrester Research says there are four main reasons why visitors return to a particular website. First and foremost is high-quality content. Then, in descending order, are ease of use, download speed, and frequent updates. As discussed, a visitor’s ability to find the content he or she needs is influenced by the site’s organization, navigation options, and functionality. The readability of a site, in terms of layout and overall “look and feel,” can also influence the user’s experience. The Tips for Success ­summarizes

180  Chapter 10 some design guidelines from Jakob Nielsen, an Internet consultant, that can enhance the usability of a site.

Tips for Success Guidelines for Designing a Website • Place your organization’s name and logo on every page. • Provide a “search” tab or function if the site has more than 100 pages. • Write straightforward and simple headlines and page titles that clearly explain what the page is about. These should also make sense when read out of context in a search engine results listing. • Structure the page to facilitate scanning large chunks of text in a single glance. For example, use groupings and subheadings to break a long list into several smaller units. • Don’t cram everything about a product or topic into a single page. Use hyperlinks (such as a “Read more” or “Continued” link) to structure the content into a starting page that provides an overview and several secondary pages that each focus on a specific topic. • Use product photos, but avoid pages with lots of photos. Instead, have a small photo on each of the individual product pages and give the viewer the option of enlarging it for more detail. • Use descriptive link titles to provide users with a preview of where each link will take them before they have clicked on it. • Do the same as everybody else. If most big websites do something in a certain way, then follow along because users will expect things to work the same way on your site. • Test your design with real users as a reality check. People do things in odd and unexpected ways, so even the most carefully planned project can be improved by usability testing.

Most organizations hire professional web designers to develop their website and ensure they are optimized for search engines such as Google. If you are working with a local business or non-profit, you can use resources such as WordPress, Strikingly, or Squarespace that offer a variety of webpage templates. Some sites, such as Club Runner and Squarespace, even serve as hosts of your website. Basic templates are often free or low cost, but more sophisticated templates with enhancements cost more.

10.3.2:  Managing the Website It has already been pointed out that an organizational website must serve multiple audiences. Consequently, the overall responsibility of managing the website should lie with the corporate communications department, which is concerned about the needs of multiple stakeholders. One

survey of corporate communications and public relations executives by the Institute for Public Relations, for example, found that 70 percent of the respondents believed that an organization’s communications/public relations staff should manage and control all content on the website. The reality, however, is that a successful website takes the input and knowledge of several departments. The information technology (IT) staff, for example, has the technical expertise to create a website. In addition, the marketing department also plays a major role, to ensure that the website includes the necessary information and links for purchasing the organization’s products and serv­ ices. Consequently, the practical solution is a team approach, where representatives from various departments collaborate. The advantage of cross-functional teams is that various members bring different strengths to the table. IT can provide the technical know-how, public relations can share expertise on the formation of messages for various audiences, and marketing can communicate the consumer services available through the site. Even human resources, as a team member, can contribute ideas on how to facilitate and process employment inquiries.

10.3.3:  Making the Site Interactive A unique characteristic of the Web, which traditional mass media do not offer, is interactivity between the sender and the receiver. One aspect of interactivity is the “pull” concept. On the Web, you actively search for sites that can answer your specific questions, and at each website you visit, you also actively “pull” information from the various pages and links provided. In other words, you are constantly interacting with a site and “pulling” the information most relevant to you. You have total control over what information you call up and how deeply you want to delve into a subject. In contrast, traditional mass media—radio, TV, newspapers, magazines—”push” information by delivering it to you without your active participation. The “push” concept is also illustrated by news releases that are automatically sent to media and “spam” email messages sent to you. Another dimension of interactivity is the ability of a person to engage in a dialogue with an organization. Many websites, for example, encourage comments and questions by providing a “contact us” link that a user can click on to send a message. According to a study by Jamie Guillory of Cornell University and S. Shyam Sundar of Pennsylvania State University, an interactive website also enhances users’ perceptions of the organization’s reputation. In a Journal of Public Relations article, Guillory and Sundar conclude, “The fact that higher interactivity Websites are associated with more positive organization perception is important to organizations and PR practitioners with

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l­imited time and funds to invest in recruiting and other activities involving stakeholders.” One successful application of this two-way dialogue is the website of the Broward County Public Schools in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The school board was working on two new policies, and it realized that not everyone could attend meetings to discuss the proposals. Therefore, the decision was made to post the policy drafts on the board’s website and allow the public to email their comments and views. Dozens of email messages were received, and the suggestions were used to revise the policies. Unfortunately, true interactivity and encouragement of feedback is more buzz than reality on many websites. According to reporter Thomas E. Weber of The Wall Street Journal, “Many big companies invite a dialogue with consumers at their Internet outposts but are ill-prepared to keep up their end of the conversation.” He explains: The Wall Street Journal zapped email inquiries to two dozen major corporate websites with email capabilities and found many of them decidedly speechless. Nine never responded. Two took 3 weeks to transmit a reply while others sent stock responses that failed to address the query. Only three companies adequately answered within a day.

A delayed response to an email query, or no response at all, damages an organization’s reputation and credibility. Ideally, an email query should be answered by an organization within 24 hours. Although it is good public relations to solicit feedback from the public, you should think twice about providing email response forms on your website if the organization isn’t capable of handling the queries. Book author Diane Witmer sums it up best: “Double check that the client’s staff is both prepared and able to respond quickly to email messages. If the client fails to meet the expectations of Internet users through slow or inadequate responses, the website is likely to be more harmful than helpful to the client’s reputation.”

10.3.4:  Attracting Visitors to Your Site A cliché about attracting interest is, “If we build it, they will come.” If you want to attract visitors, however, you need to do much more than “build” a website. The basic principles of webpage design have already been discussed, but it’s also important to think about content and how information is displayed on the site. Professional web designers can do much to design the look and feel of a site, but public relations personnel are the ones that give the site relevance. They provide the content that attracts visitors and holds their attention. The Tips for Success discusses different strategies for bringing more visitors to your website.

Tips for Success How to Increase Website Visitors A website’s content, design, cross-platform promotion, and readability on different devices can influence the amount of traffic it receives. To attract first-time and repeat visitors to your organization’s website, consider the following tips.

182  Chapter 10 You also have to give a lot of directional signage, so people can find your website. The two major “directional” signs are hyperlinks and search engines. Most people find websites by following links, from either other websites or search engines. In fact, one study by the Georgia Institute of Technology found that 85 percent of people begin their online research by using a browser. HYPERLINKS  According to Joe Dysart, a writer for Pub-

lic Relations Tactics, “One of the Web’s most powerful promotional tools is also one of its most basic: the hyperlink.” In other words, sites that have a lot of links with other sites tend to get more visitors.

ADVERTISING  Another method of attracting visitors, of

SEARCH ENGINES  The essential key to the vast, sprawl-

ing universe called the Web is a search engine. Of the multiple search engines available, the major one is Google, with Yahoo! and Bing in a distant second and third place. In Public Relations Tactics, Fredrick Marchini reports that, “According to IMT Strategies, search engines create more awareness about websites than all advertising combined, including banner, newspaper, television, and radio placements.” Search engines play a large role in our daily lives for two reasons. First, most of us begin online research by typing in a few words and seeing the list of sites Google or another engine generates. Second, more than one study has shown that the average Internet user limits his or her search to the first 10 citations. In other words, if your site is one of the top 10 search results listed (or mentioned in one of these sites)—as opposed to being the 154th site on a 27-page list—you get much greater visibility and traffic. So how do you get into the top 10?

course, is a traditional advertising campaign. PepsiCo, for example, combined online, offline, and mobile media ads to promote its “Crash the Super Bowl” consumer-generated advertising for Doritos and Pepsi Max.

WRITING PROMPT You are charged with revamping your company’s home page to be more modern and “cool.” What would you do in terms of design, content, and even navigation? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

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10.3.5:  Tracking Site Visitors An important part of site maintenance is tracking visitors to your site. Management, given its investment, wants to know if the site is actually working. In other words, how well is it fulfilling its objectives? Is it generating sales leads? Is it selling products and services? Is it helping the organization establish brand identity? Are journalists actually using it to write stories? Fortunately, the digital revolution allows quick and tangible ways to monitor traffic on any website. A number of different measurement terms are used, and it is easy to confuse the exact meaning of each. One such term is hit. When the Canadian Tourism Commission launched its website, ThisIsOurVancouver. com, to battle an image problem after post–Stanley Cup rioting, it generated more than 14,000 hits, or visits, in just 10 days. Some websites report much more remarkable numbers of hits. Victoria’s Secret, for example, reported that its online lingerie fashion show got 5 million hits an hour. Most of those hits didn’t turn into viewers, however, because the servers were only configured to handle 250,000 to 500,000 simultaneous viewers. Two other often-used terms are page view or page impression. These terms are interchangeable and they refer to the number of times a page is pulled up. Unlike a “hit,” one completed visit equals one page view. For example, the Canadian Tourism site’s 14,000 hits translated to about 20,000 page views. The term unique visitor occasionally is used. It basically means first-time visitors to a site. Paul Baudisch of Circle. com says it is a good metric for tracking the number of viewers, whereas the number of page views is better for tracking brand awareness. Armed with an understanding of these basic terms, a public relations practitioner can track various dimensions of website usage. Each individual page within a website, for example, can be tracked for first-time visitors, return visitors, and the length of time a viewer stays on a particular page. This gives you an indication of what information on your website attracts the most viewers, and it also may indicate what pages should be revised or dropped.

10.4:  Writing for the Web 10.4a  R  eport the general guidelines for writing web content 10.4b  D  escribe the purpose and components of an online newsroom Public relations writers must master a variety of writing styles and formats that are appropriate to the platform being used. In the previous sections you learned how a website is designed and organized for maximum effectiveness, in

terms of being easy to navigate, interactive, and attracting visitors. It’s now important to further discuss how public relations writers should prepare the content for a website. Two basic concepts are important when writing for the Web. First, there is a fundamental difference between how people read online and how they read printed documents. According to a study by Sun Microsystems, it takes 50 percent longer for an individual to read material on a computer screen. As a consequence, 80 percent of online readers scan text instead of reading word-by-word. “The simple truth is that people read differently on a computer screen than they do on a piece of paper. Not only do computer monitors make it difficult to read for long periods of time, but people who use the Web tend to be especially impatient, looking for information they want as quickly as possible” says Mickie Kennedy, founder and president of eReleases. The guidelines in the following Tips for Success are adapted from Kennedy’s 10 commandments for writing for the Web.

Tips for Success The 10 Commandments for Writing Web Content Here are 10 general rules that you should keep in mind when writing text for the Web.

184  Chapter 10 ­ ebsite a claustrophobic ‘filled-up’ look that discourages w visitors from remaining.” The Tips for Success below summarizes what eye-tracking research further suggests about making online content readable.

Tips for Success How Visitors “Read” a Website NONLINEAR WRITING  The second main concept in

writing for the Web is that the writer needs to know the basic difference between linear and nonlinear styles of writing. Printed material usually follows a linear progression: a person is meant to read straight through an article, from the beginning to the end. With nonlinear material, items can be selected and read out of order, just as with notecards out of a stack. Online reading, say the experts, is nonlinear: people seek out particular “notecards” about an organization, a product, or a service. One person clicks the tab for price and availability of a product, whereas another clicks for more information about how to use the product in a specific situation. This technique is called branching. Michael Butzgy, owner of Atomic Rom Productions in Cary, North Carolina, explains in Communication World, “Branching allows you to send users in specific directions. The basic idea behind branching is to eliminate the need for viewers to scroll down a long linear document.” Helen L. Mitternight, owner of a communications firm in Annandale, Virginia, explains nonlinear writing in yet another Communication World article:

Multiple eye-tracking studies have been conducted about how consumers look at a webpage. The research provides some insights on how to design a website and write content for it. The following list of findings is adapted from an article by Neil Patel in Ragan.com.

Think of it as writing in chunks, with each idea or information contained in each “chunk” (or component of your writing) complete unto itself. Identify elements of your writing that contain a single unit of information and recast it into a “chunk” that can both stand alone and work with the rest of your online piece. And, even more than most writing, shorter is better. Documents written for the Web should be 50 percent shorter than their print counterparts, according to the Sun Microsystems study.

How short is “short”? Many experts say sentences should be fewer than 20 words long and a paragraph should have only two or three sentences. An entire topic  should be covered in two or three paragraphs, or about the length of one screen. This approach recognizes the fact that people scan material and dislike scrolling to view other links to the topic. According to Communication Briefings, another tip is to limit line length to fewer than 60 characters. It further states, “Long text lines are hard to read and give your

All too often, websites violate many of these guidelines because public relations writers don’t understand the medium and simply post printed materials to a webpage without making any changes. At the very least, a public relations writer should edit articles, brochures, and handbooks into bite-sized chunks, so the online reader isn’t faced with constant scrolling. One relatively simple approach is to give the reader an executive summary of the

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material—in one screen or less—and then provide a link to the entire document if it isn’t too long. The ideal approach, of course, is to convert the entire document to nonlinear style and make it more digestible through graphics and links. A company’s annual report, for example, would get virtually no readership on a webpage if it was a replica of the 36-page printed version. However, news releases and media advisories posted to websites tend to be full-text files because they are relatively short and reporters often download and save them for quick referral while they are working on a story.

10.4.1:  Providing Content for Online Newsrooms 10.4b  D  escribe the purpose and components of an online newsroom The websites of most organizations, particularly the Fortune 500 companies, have a “newsroom” or “pressroom” to post the organization’s news releases, videos, photos, and other background information. A 2014 Business Wire survey of journalists confirmed that the online newsroom is the major destination for journalists after the organization’s home page. About 90 percent of journalists still find the traditional news release as the most desired type of content, but 60 percent also said they were also receptive to brand-written articles along with general news announcements in online newsrooms. The Business Wire survey also found that journalists use online newsrooms to find late-breaking news when an organization is involved in a crisis or has made a significant announcement regarding its management or acquisition by another company. They also use online newsrooms to get media contact information (80 percent), fact sheets (70 percent), photos and infographics (63 percent), and executive biographies (52 percent). Journalists and bloggers who cover specific industries or companies often sign up for email alerts and RSS feeds because information is then automatically forwarded to them for their review. It saves them the trouble of taking the time to do their own searches and access multiple websites. Online newsrooms are particularly important when there’s a crisis and a need to rapidly disseminate information to the media and other important publics, such as employees, investors, and members of the community. A TEKgroup survey indicated that more than 90 percent of the journalists thought it was important to be able to access an online newsroom during a crisis. There’s the expectation, however, that the organization will provide up-to-date and relevant information throughout a crisis. Indeed, one complaint about online newsrooms is that the information is not frequently updated. A website that never changes, quips John Gerstner of IntranetInsider.com, is a “cobweb.”

“I find sites that are organized both by release date and by topical information are the easiest to navigate. The quicker I can find the information I need, the quicker I’ll be able to turn the story around. It’s always helpful to have a point person’s contact information available for brief follow-up questions.” — A journalist quoted in the TEKgroup survey

The online newsroom, in addition to distributors such as Business Wire, is now the major source of information for the media and the public. According to NetMarketing, companies are sending out fewer media kits and getting fewer phone inquiries as a result of putting material on their websites. As Rick Rudman, president of Capital Hill Software, told Public Relations Tactics, “The days of just posting press releases on your website are gone. Today, journalists, investors, all audiences expect to find media kits, photos, annual reports, and multimedia presentations about your organization at your press center.” “The core audience for an organization’s newsroom includes shareholders, business partners, customers, donors and volunteers in nonprofits, employees, and the media.” — David Henderson, author of Making News in the Digital Era A TYPICAL ONLINE NEWSROOM  IBM and Starbucks

provide two good examples of online newsrooms. IBM’s newsroom has links to news releases, press kits, photos and video clips (image gallery), executive biographies, backgrounders, and media contacts. A screen shot of the Starbucks newsroom is shown in Figure 10.3.

Figure 10.3  Most corporations have a “newsroom” as part of their website. With a few clicks, a journalist doing research can access everything from the organization’s executive profiles to the most recent news releases. This figure shows a page from Starbucks’ newsroom.

A good online newsroom, according to surveys, should provide a link to personnel in media relations who can answer questions from reporters. The Tips for Success box includes additional pointers for making an online newsroom helpful and user-friendly.

186  Chapter 10

Tips for Success The Components of an Online Newsroom An organization’s online newsroom needs well-organized and searchable content that is readily accessible to journalists, bloggers, editors, and producers. Various experts have suggested the following guidelines.

WRITING PROMPT Why are online newsrooms on an organization’s website so important in today’s world? Describe what should be available in an online newsroom. Would you include a link to individuals in the public relations department? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

10.5: Blogs 10.5  Review the utility of different types of blogs Blogs, dating back to the 1990s, have become mainstream in terms of numbers and influence. In the beginning, they were called “weblogs” because they were created by individuals who wanted to post their musings and opinions on various subjects. Today, the abbreviated term “blog” is commonly used, and it’s estimated that about 175,000 are added to the Internet on a daily basis. Although the vast majority of blogs are still the province of individuals who post primarily for the benefit of friends and family, they are also widely recognized by public relations personnel as an extremely cost-effective way to reach large numbers of people in a format that is more informal and conversational. The format and writing style make them attractive for several reasons: • Almost anyone can create a blog with open-source software. A blog is ideal for a small business as well as a large company.

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• Start-up costs are often minimal. • The format and writing are informal, which can give an organization a friendly, youthful, human face. • Links can be made to other blogs and webpages. • Readers can post comments directly on the blog. • Material can be updated and changed instantly. • Extensive uses of syndication technologies allow aggregation of information from hundreds of blogs at once. An organization can immediately assess what customers and various publics are saying about it. • A blog gives an organization an outlet to participate in the online dialogue already going on among other blogs and message boards. • Blogs allow organizations to post their own points of view unfettered by the editing process of the traditional media. Susan Balcom Walton, writing in Public Relations ­Tactics, says organizations start blogs for four reasons: • To achieve real-time communication with key ­stakeholders • To enable passionate, knowledgeable people (employees, executives, customers) to talk about the organization, its products, and services • To foster conversation among audiences with an affinity for or connection with the organization • To facilitate more interactive communication and encourage audience feedback

10.5.1:  Types of Blogs Public relations writers are usually involved in three kinds of blogs: corporate or organizational blogs, employee blogs, and third-party blogs.

Implicit in Walton’s list is the concept that the informal format of a blog gives organizations, particularly large ones, more human characteristics. A research study about corporate blogs by Hyojung Park and Glen Cameron in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, for example, found that “Blogs with first person narratives appeared to create a more personal and sociable atmosphere for blog visitors than did those devoid of personal stories and thoughts.” In addition, other studies have found that journalists regularly read blogs for story ideas, and blogs by highly credible individuals often influence media coverage. Blogs come in all sizes and formats, but the Tips for Success below gives a profile of the “perfect” blog post.

Tips for Success The Perfect Blog Post by the Numbers Blogpros.com, a consulting firm that conducts digital campaigns for clients, analyzed 100 high-ranking blog posts and calculated the averages for each of the following elements:

ORGANIZATIONAL BLOGS  A corporate blog is usually written by an executive and represents the official voice of the organization. In many cases, someone in the public relations department actually writes the blog for the executive. Some corporate blogs are now even being outsourced to public relations firms, but critics say this is a guaranteed way to ensure that the blog is somewhat artificial and full of “execu-babble” instead of reflecting the writing style and personality of the executive.

188  Chapter 10 Larry Genkin, publisher of Blogger and Podcaster magazine, gives a good description of what a corporate blog should be. He says: In its best incarnation, corporations will use blogs to become more transparent to their customers, partners, and internally. By encouraging employees to speak their minds, companies will be able to demonstrate their heart and character. Not an easy trick for a faceless entity. This will facilitate stronger relationships and act as ‘grease in the gears’ of a business operation.

Although all corporate blogs should provide the opportunity for the public to post comments, it’s also important to provide useful and informative information that the audience can use. This was the approach Ford & Harrison, a national labor and employment law firm, took when it started a blog to address workplace issues from a legal perspective. The blog, called “That’s What She Said,” used graphics and humor to explore situations in terms of how much the behavior of the blog’s main character would cost companies to defend in real-life lawsuits. This showcased the firm’s legal expertise in a userfriendly way. “Nobody cares about your products and services. They care about themselves and solving problems. Your online content needs to be less egotistical and more helpful.” — David Meerman Scott, author of The New Rules for Marketing & PR

Public relations firm Ketchum Communications has a daily blog that features postings by various staffers that highlights their expertise. A sample blog post is shown in Figure 10.4.

Figure 10.4  In this Ketchum Blog posting, Sue Maloney, director of strategic & creative planning, writes about ways to be more creative. One of her first tips is to start a “good idea” file to save cool ideas/articles you come across. Another tip is to be a local tourist. She recommends, “Visit nearby landmarks, tourist destinations, local museums or art galleries for creative inspiration.”

Although customer relations and loyalty for organizations such as Southwest greatly benefit from blogs, a blog isn’t a good fit for every organization. In fact, less than a third of the Fortune 500 companies in 2014 had a corporate blog. Specialty retailers and food consumer product companies had the largest percentage of corporate blogs (44 and 31 percent) while banks, utility companies, and mining companies had the lowest number. As Ben King noted in a Financial Times article, “The rapid, spontaneous back and forth discourse of the blogosphere is not an easy fit with the slow, cautious approach favored by most corporate marketing departments.” In other words, organizations must realize that a blog is not just another form of online advertising where the message is controlled; it’s an open forum where both positive and negative comments may be posted. Michael Wiley, director of new media for GM, told PRWeek, “To me, this is what separates blogging from the rest of the Web.”

WRITING PROMPT What makes a good blog for an organization? Do you think all organizations should have a blog? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

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PR Casebook: Seattle Police Blog About Marijuana How do you educate citizens about the recreational use of marijuana? That was the challenge of the Seattle Police Department when Washington State voted to legalize the possession and recreational use of the substance. The idea was to inform citizens about the specifics of the legislation in a way that would encourage voluntary compliance with the regulations. The police department decided that official and long explanations would not resonate with the public, so the approach was to package the information in an entertaining way. One approach was a blog titled “Marijwhatnow?” which spelled out the legal changes in a humorous tone. The blog posts received almost 500,000 page views. In addition, the department launched Operation Orange Fingers: they distributed 1,000 bags of Doritos with an educational safety message attached. It also used the @SeattlePD Twitter account to distribute news and answer questions about the new law.

EMPLOYEE BLOGS  Many organizations also encourage their employees to blog. Sun Microsystems, for example, has more than 4,000 employee blogs, accounting for about 15 percent of its workforce. More than half of them, according to the company, are “super-technical” and “project-oriented,” which only appeal to fellow computer programmers and engineers. Others, such as those written by the CEO and managers in human resources and marketing, are more general in subject matter. Even the company’s legal counsel blogs. He opened a recent post with “I really dislike the word compliance” and went on to explain why. Many organizations are uncomfortable with employee blogs because they are concerned about liability or the possibility that proprietary information will be released. Other companies, those that have a more open system of communication and management, believe employee blogs are great sources of feedback, ideas, and employee engagement. There are also potential legal ramifications of making online comments or blog posts regarding your employer. Whether the comments are on an employee blog or on a personal blog or a social networking page, it is prudent to think about potential consequences before you write. Companies do establish some guidelines for employee blogs. Cisco, for example, tells employees: “If you comment on any aspect of the company’s business...you must clearly identify yourself as a Cisco employee in your postings and include a disclaimer that the views are your own and not those of Cisco.” Dell also expects employees to identify themselves if they do any sort of blogging, social networking, Wikipedia entry editing, or other online a­ ctivities

related to or on behalf of the company. See the Tips for Success for IBM’s list of guidelines for employees participating in blogs and other social media.

Tips for Success IBM’s Guidelines for Employee Blogs IBM encourages its employees to participate in blogs and other social media. It has generated a list of 10 guidelines that has evolved over several years.

Steve Cody, managing director of Peppercom, a public relations firm, adds several additional important points for employee or client blogs: • Be transparent about any former, current, or prospective clients being mentioned in the blog. • Respond in a timely manner to individuals who post comments, whether they are pro, con, or indifferent.

190  Chapter 10 • Generate as much original material as possible instead of just commenting on current news events. • Only link to blog sites that are relevant to your post. • Make sure readers know that the blog represents your views and not necessarily those of your employer or client.

WRITING PROMPT Many organizations encourage employees to write blogs about their work and issues facing the organization or industry. Other organizations discourage employee blogs because they are concerned about risks such as the disclosure of proprietary information. What is your opinion? Should an organization encourage employees to have blogs? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit THIRD-PARTY BLOGS  In addition to operating their own blogs and providing guidelines for employee blogs, organizations must also monitor and respond to the postings on other blog sites. The products and services of organizations are particularly vulnerable to attack and criticism by bloggers, and an unfavorable mention is often multiplied by links to other blogs and search engine indexing. Roy Vaughn, chair of the PRSA counselor’s academy, explains. “Web empowerment has made the consumer king, and it has also made long-standing corporate and individual reputations extremely vulnerable. With Web 2.0, reputations can be made or broken in a nanosecond.” A good example is the 10-day blogstorm that overtook Kryptonite Company, a manufacturer of bike locks. A consumer complaint was posted to bike forums and blogs that a Bic pen could be used to open a Kryptonite lock. Two days later, videos showing how to pick the lock were posted on blogs. Three days later, the New York Times and AP reported the story, and it was picked up by the mainstream media. Four days after that, the company was forced to announce a free product exchange that cost $10 million. Dell has also experienced the wrath of bloggers about its customer service. The negative posts caused sales to decline, but it was a good lesson. Today, according to the New York Times, “It’s nearly impossible to find a story or blog entry about Dell that isn’t accompanied by a comment from the company.” Darren Katz, writing in O’Dwyer’s PR Report, makes the point that “By engaging in online dialogue, companies are showing their customers that they care about their opinions, value their respect, and plan to rightfully earn their repeat business.” Consequently, it’s the responsibility of the public relations department to monitor third-

party blogs and even rogue websites that look like your website but are often launched by critics or organizations that use a variation of your brand name to sell their own products. A list of blogs that are widely followed by professionals in your industry should be made, and blog search engines such as Technorati and Google Blog Search can be helpful. You should also establish relationships with the most relevant and influential bloggers who are talking about your company. Rick Wion, interactive media director of Golin Harris, told Susan Walton in Public Relations Tactics, “Treat them the same as you would any other journalist. In most cases, they will appreciate the recognition. By providing materials directly in a manner that is helpful to bloggers, you can build positive relationships quickly.” A good example is how Weber Shandwick works with about 20 influential food bloggers on behalf of its food industry clients. The public relations firm regularly monitors their posts to find out what they are saying and which “hot button” issues are being discussed. This, in turn, allows the firm to build relationships with the bloggers and offer information that they can use in their blogs. Morton Salt also included bloggers into its 100th anniversary celebration of the Morton Salt Girl—the little girl with her yellow dress and umbrella that has been on its product since 1914. A component of the campaign was 100 parties in 100 cities hosted by bloggers in their homes. Each host received a party kit in the shape of a branded, oversized salt container full of games, decorations, recipes, and Morton Salt products (see Figure 10.5 below). The bloggers, in turn, posted party photos on their sites and social media networks. Photos tagged with #mortonsaltgirl100 also were fed into the Morton Salt Girl site.

Figure 10.5  Morton Salt celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Morton Salt Girl logo by arranging for bloggers in 100 cities to have a party for her. Each host received an oversized salt container that included games, coupons, and product samples.

Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 191

10.6: Podcasts 10.6  Describe podcasts and their uses Podcasting was once described by a public relations expert as “radio on steroids.” A more standard definition is provided by Wikipedia: “A podcast is a digital medium that consists of an episodic series of audio, video, digital radio, PDF, or ePub files subscribed to and downloaded through web syndication or streamed on-line to a computer or mobile device. The word is a neologism and portmanteau derived from ‘broadcast’ and ‘pod’ from the success of the iPod.” In other words, a podcast is an audio or video file that can be delivered to users via computers, MP3 players, tablets, and even smartphones. So who came up with the word podcast, which the Oxford American Dictionary once designated as the Word of the Year? According to OneUpWeb, a firm specializing in making podcasts for clients, podcast comes from “pod” as in Apple’s iPod, and “cast” from “broadcast,” meaning to transmit for general or public use. Today, iTunes has more than 250,000 different podcasts available for downloading. Podcasts have many of the traditional advantages of radio. Sharon McIntosh, director of global internal communications for PepsiCo, told the Ragan Report, “The podcast as a channel has great advantages. The main one is that employees can listen whenever they want. They can download the podcast to their iPods and listen to it on travel, while they are in the field, or driving. They can multitask.” Like radio programs, podcasts are: 1. COST-EFFECTIVE. An audio format requires minimum equipment and production. 2. EASY TO ACCESS. Podcasts are available 24/7 as a download or already stored on your device. 3. PORTABLE. As already mentioned, you can listen to a podcast while driving to work or hiking down a mountain trail. Podcasts also have three additional advantages over radio. 1. A podcast can be longer and more-depth than a radio news release or even a short interview on a talk show. 2. They have longevity in that a podcast or a series of them can remain readily available for weeks or even months because the topics are more general and less time-sensitive. 3. Podcasts are in the category of “owned” media, so organizations have total control over the production and distribution.

10.6.1:  Applications of Podcasts Organizations produce podcasts for a variety of purposes. Many companies, such as PepsiCo, include podcasts in their employee communications strategy. The public

r­ elations staff produces a roughly 7-minute audio podcast of four or five interesting questions and answers with company executives and various topic experts. Most podcasts on iTunes, however, are produced by organizations in order to offer “how-to” consumer tips about using their products, to enhance a brand by giving other advice and information, and to conduct and share interviews with experts on various topics of public interest. Here are some examples of how organizations used podcasts for these and other purposes: Whirlpool produces a podcast series titled “American Family.” Topics range from advice and discussion about traveling with kids to weight loss, stroke in women, and even snowmobiling safety. Whirlpool, as a policy, never discusses its products within the show, limiting mention of the company to the beginning and end of each transmission. The idea is to build customer loyalty and connect with women, the primary audience of Whirlpool. Disney uses podcasts to promote its resorts. The short podcasts range in length from just over 1 minute to about 30 minutes and include music, behind-the-scenes looks at new attractions, and coverage of special park events. The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania produces podcasts that primarily feature insights from professors regarding current trends and issues. Greater Rochester Enterprise repackages its hourlong “Eyes on the Future” radio broadcasts as podcasts that area business people can access anytime. Purina, the pet food manufacturer, has a video podcast series offering advice to pet owners. Its introduction of the series on its website gives the essence of its content: “Is it unusual for a cat to use the toilet? Is your dog bored out of its skull? Can cats and dogs suffer from heart attacks? Get answers to these questions and more in season two of Animal Advice, where veterinarians field questions from pet lovers like you.” Some sample titles in the series were “Animal Safety during the Summer Months” and “Itching Dogs and Cats.”

There’s even podcasts catering to public relations professionals. Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson produce a weekly podcast titled “For Immediate Release” that covers issues and trends in the field, includes interviews with public relations experts, and even does book reviews. Another podcast series is “inside PR” that is also available through iTunes. Joe Thornley, Martin Waxman, and Gini Dietrich talk about everything from crisis communications to reputation management and social media.

10.6.2:  Equipment and Production The equipment for producing an audio podcast is relatively simple. All you need is a computer, a decent microphone, and editing software. Audacity and GarageBand are free, but many organizations also use Adobe Audition, despite its licensing fee. You also need access to a Web server where

192  Chapter 10 you can store files in an online folder, and a website or a blog that users can access to download the podcast. The hard part is creating a podcast that is interesting and relevant to the target audience. A podcast is not an infomercial, nor do you make a good one by simply reading a news release or an executive’s speech into the microphone. Like radio, a podcast must be informal and conversational. Some guidelines for producing a podcast are provided in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success How to Do a Podcast • KEEP IT SHORT. The ideal length is 10 to 20 minutes. Anything longer begins to lose the audience. • PROVIDE RELEVANT MATERIAL. Focus more on topics and issues related to your organization or field, instead of talking about the wonders of your product or service. • USE SEVERAL STORIES OR SEGMENTS. A 3- or 4-minute interview with an executive is better than a 20-minute one. Also, no one wants to hear an announcer or host talk for 20 minutes. • DON’T USE A SCRIPT. A podcast should be informal and conversational. It loses vitality if it comes across as a scripted presentation. • USE A CHARISMATIC HOST. Select an announcer or host with a strong, animated voice and presence that won’t put the audience to sleep.

• THINK ABOUT THE TITLE. Select a name for your podcast that matches the content. Remember that users and online podcast directories usually search for a topic, not a brand name. • ALLOW FOR FEEDBACK. Be sure to include an email address or website in every podcast, so listeners can respond to the content. • Create an RSS feed for your podcast. News feeds are automatically generated if you use blog software, which also facilitates comments and feedback. • ESTABLISH A REGULAR RELEASE SCHEDULE. Produce podcasts regularly, so dedicated listeners can count on having new material. Most experts say a podcast should be produced at least once a week. • MAKE ITS EXISTENCE KNOWN. Drive traffic to your podcast by using other communication vehicles, such as your website, newsletters, social networks, blogs, direct mail, and advertising. Get listed on various podcast directories, such as Apple’s iTunes.

WRITING PROMPT Do you think producing audio and video podcasts is a good public relations tactic for an organization? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

Summary: Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts

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Shared Writing: Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts The owner of a craft beer brewery, Firestone, is thinking about starting a blog to increase public awareness of the beer and generate brand loyalty. He also wants to position himself as an expert on the art of brewing craft beers. He asks your advice on what kinds of topics would be of interest to potential customers. Give this some thought to come up with a possible name for the blog and suggestions for how to promote it. A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

Post

0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 10 Quiz: Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts

Chapter 11

Social Media and Mobile Apps Learning Objectives 11.1

Review the exponential growth in the social media

11.5

Describe the different formats and approaches to micro-blogging

11.2

Analyze the importance of social media in public relations

11.6

Describe the different media sharing sites and their uses

11.3

Report the continued importance of the traditional media

11.7

Express how advances in mobile technology have opened up a world of opportunities

11.4

Express the different forms and uses of social networks

11.8

Review the role of wikis in public relations work

11.1:  The Tsunami of Social Media 11.1  Review the exponential growth in the social media The rapid growth of social media in the last decade has been what many public relations professionals describe as a major revolution in how public relations is practiced. Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge succinctly make the point in the title of their book, Putting the Public Back in Public Relations: How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR. The traditional public relations model was based on distribution of information through mass media that was primarily one-way communication without much feedback from the audience. Today, social media allows public relations personnel to engage audiences in a conversation through online communities. Indeed, the Merriam-Webster definition of social media is “forms of electronic communication (as web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos).” Today, social media has become the #1 activity on the Web, with the estimate that there are now more than 2 billion social media users with a global penetration of almost 30 percent of the world’s population. According to statistics compiled by Go-Globe, a Singapore logo and Web design company, social networking also accounts for almost 30 percent of all time spent online. Making all this possible, of course, is the advent of mobile devices that have made the Web easily accessible to everyone from the teenager in Akron to the driver of the ox

194

cart in India. It’s estimated that there are 7.3 billion mobile devices in a world of only 7 billion people. Various research studies also find that the average mobile user in the United States spends almost 3 hours a day on a smartphones and other mobile device, such as an iPad and other tablet. This chapter will acquaint you with how public relations professionals have adopted social media strategies and tactics into their daily work. The following sections will describe the major social media networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and address how to use them in a public relations program or campaign. The pros and cons of each platform are discussed, and numerous examples of actual campaigns are given. You will also gain an understanding of why it’s necessary for organizations to have mobile-enabled content and create any number of apps.

11.2:  The Use of Social Media in Public Relations 11.2  A  nalyze the importance of social media in public relations The tidal wave of social media networking that has become an integral part of daily life has also changed the landscape of public relations practice in three ways: INTERACTIVE ENGAGEMENT.  Listening and two-

way dialogue are the basis of today’s practice. According to the Institute for Public Relations (IPR), “Social media has ­provided an opportunity to truly put the public back into public relations by providing a

Social Media and Mobile Apps 195

­ echanism for o m ­ rganizations to engage in real-time, one-on-one conversations with ­stakeholders.” GREATER TRANSPARENCY.  Organizations must

perform and behave in a more responsible manner because society expects greater transparency and accountability. Communication must be more authentic and credible in a world where information and rumor can go viral in a matter of minutes. TOTAL INTEGRATION.  Social media is now fully

integrated as a major tactic in almost every public relations program or campaign. Individuals who are specialists in social media and digital media management are now members of any public relations team planning a campaign.

YouTube

1.0

Video uploaded on YouTube

billion

306 hours of content

Google+

Google searches

540

4.19 million

million

Every Minute of the Day

Tweets sent

433,000

Monthly Active Users

Instagram 300

Apps downloaded from iTunes 50,200

Pins added to Pinterest Vines uploaded 450

Vine

284 Twitter

ion

3,400

n illio

11.3:  The Continuing Role of Traditional Media

billion

ill

Submit

600,000

67,000

7m 18

The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Photos uploaded

1.35

40

What do you think is the major strength of using social media in a public relations campaign? Explain

Facebook Logins on Facebook

70 temred users

WRITING PROMPT

Social Media Use

million s registered user

Indeed, a study by ING Group found that 80 percent of public relations professionals believe that the industry can no longer operate without using social media. More than 75 percent of the professionals surveyed also say that social media is important to their daily performance. In another study by D S Simon Productions, it was found that 92 percent of journalists mine social media for story ideas. And in a marketing industry report, more than 90 percent of marketers say social media is important for their business.

SOURCES: “Monthly Active Users” data compiled by The Social Media Hat, “Every Minute of the Day”’ data compiled by TechSpartan.co.uk.

regis

“We use tools based on their strengths, and each of the entries in the social media space offers its own strengths and weaknesses, possibilities and limitations.” — Shel Holtz, social media guru at an IABC workshop

Figure 11.1 

LinkedIn

Pinterest

nels continue to play an integral role in the social media universe in two important ways. First, traditional mass media still receives the lion’s share of mentions on social media, according to a study from Digimind, a social media analytics firm. It found that due to their credibility, 72 percent of the sources cited on social media are “old” media while only 28 percent of the mentions come from other social networks. The New York Times tops the list with 26 percent of the social media mentions. Second, another value-added aspect of traditional media content is that it drives people to the Internet. BIGresearch, for example, found that the top three media for triggering online searches were (1) magazines, (2) articles about consumer products, and (3) TV. Even bloggers seem to rely on traditional media for information and ideas. The Center for Media Research, for example, found that conventional forms of media often triggered bloggers’ Internet searches, with magazines (cited by 51 percent of respondents) ranked the highest. Other sources of ideas, in descending order of influence, were broadcast TV, cable TV, face-to-face communication, and newspapers.

11.3  R  eport the continued importance of the traditional media Before beginning an in-depth discussion of the different social media platforms and how they are used by public relations professionals, here are some 2014 factoids about (1) the number of estimated social media users and (2) how much content is generated every minute of the day. All these factoids are very impressive, but students should not assume that the world of social media has ­completely replaced traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. These media chan-

In other words, public relations professionals need to understand that traditional media and social media are not

196  Chapter 11 mutually exclusive categories. Most public relations programs include both in the media mix. Michael Lissauer, ­executive vice president of marketing for Business Wire, says it best in an op-ed for PRWeek. He writes, “Traditional media is alive and well and, frankly, it goes hand-in-hand with the online community.” He also quotes a study from the Online Publishers Association, which found, “The power of the Web is strong, especially when combined with other media.” Now that the symbiotic relationship between traditional and social media is established, the following sections explore the various platforms of social media and how they are used in public relations to achieve organizational objectives. Although there is much convergence in terms of how each platform is used, they can be placed in three categories: Social Networking

Micro-Blogging

Media Sharing

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Google+

Vine

Flickr

LinkedIn

Instagram

Pinterest

WRITING PROMPT In what ways is social media somewhat dependent on traditional mass media? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

11.4:  Social Networks 11.4  E  xpress the different forms and uses of social networks Each of the major social networks discussed in this s­ ection– Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn–offers opportunities to develop the social media profile of an organization with key publics who may be members.

11.4.1:  Facebook: King of the Social Networks With 1.3 billion registered users, Facebook is clearly the largest social network in the world. In fact, 75 percent of Facebook users are located outside the United States. During the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, for example, Facebook tallied 200 million posts, shares, comments, and likes from 66 million users during the games. Brazil, of course, accounted for a large percentage of that activity, with 16 million Brazilians generating 52 million interactions on Facebook. On any given day, 65 percent of Facebook’s monthly active users log in and spend an average of 18 minutes per visit. And one study even found that 28 percent of the users aged 18–34 check Facebook before they even get out of bed in the morning. Go-Globe in Singapore, previously mentioned, even calculated that “39,757 years of our time is collectively spent on Facebook in a single day.” And most of that time is spent viewing photos. According to Mashable, photos are now included in 75 percent of the posts on Facebook. The popularity of Facebook has been noted by advertising, marketing, and public relations professionals. Advertising Age’s top 100 advertisers, for example, have Facebook pages and see the site as an excellent opportunity to make “friends” in several ways. Marketing and public relations personnel believe networking sites are vital for (1) gaining consumer insights, (2) building brand awareness, and (3) creating customer loyalty, according to a survey of executives by TNS media intelligence/Cymfony. Facebook is particularly well-suited for accomplishing these objectives because the postings by an organization are more informal and conversational, which makes the organization seem more human. Content on an organization’s website, on the other hand, is much more formal in presentation because it projects the organization’s “official” voice and desired image. USING FACEBOOK IN A CAMPAIGN  Facebook is a par-

ticularly good platform for public relations campaigns by national brands such as restaurant chains, hotels, soda drinks, and snack foods. It’s a cost-effective way of reaching thousands of followers (even millions) with articles, promotions, and contests that encourage loyalty and purchase of the product. A Facebook campaign probably isn’t very effective with baby boomers and seniors, but if the primary audience is millennials (18 to 34), Facebook can be quite effective. Taco Bell and Frito-Lay are good examples of companies using Facebook as the foundation of a campaign. Taco Bell

Social Media and Mobile Apps 197 Frito-Lay

Achieving such major engagement, however, takes a great deal of thought and creativity because the public relations professional has to shape messages that are relevant and interesting to the demographics and lifestyle of the company’s “friends.” This often requires techniques such as humor, short video clips, music, contests, and audience participation, as demonstrated by the following Facebook campaigns for Yoplait and Coors. Yoplait

WRITING PROMPT How can an organization use its Facebook page as part of its public relations and marketing outreach?

Coors

The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

11.4.2: Google+

Although companies often use Facebook for promotions and contests relating to a particular campaign, many organizations also have a Facebook page to provide basic information and to increase public awareness of its services. Springfield Clinic in Illinois, for example, has a Facebook page that encourages consumers to interact with the page. The clinic posts a new article every morning that deals with such topics as the latest medical news, background information on current issues in the health industry, and new scientific studies. The page was named the best on Facebook in a recent year by Ragan’s PR Daily.

Tips for Success How to Post an Effective Message on Facebook Several studies have indicated the following signposts for an effective post:

An upcoming competitor to Facebook is Google+, which was launched in 2011. Statistics vary on its user base. According to Google, the site had 1 billion registered users in 2014, but that is no doubt inflated by the fact that anyone using Gmail, other Google apps, and YouTube is invited to activate a free Google+ social networking account to integrate their online activities. Other social media analytic firms have estimated that there are about 350 million active users, which is more than Twitter. Organizations and individuals use Google+ to post comments, photos, and infographics, and to take advantage of its video chat service. About 50 percent of the Fortune 100 companies have a presence on the site, and one major reason is that the site has the full search engine support of Google. In other words, postings on Google+ boost search engine optimization in terms of your content coming up first on Google searches. Marketing professionals, in particular, like Google+ because its broad range of apps and services tend to provide more information on its users’ habits and interests than Facebook. A study by Forrester Research also found that posts by major brands generated nearly as much engagement per follower as their Facebook posts.

198  Chapter 11 Kevin Allen of IBMCloud comments on Google+ in Ragan’s PR Daily, says “It’s not our most impressive venue, that’s for sure, but it costs us nothing to cross post the same content to our Facebook page, meaning it’s not a big investment for us.”

11.4.3:  LinkedIn: The Professional Network This social networking website primarily connects individuals in professional occupations. LinkedIn has about 300 million users from around the world, about a third of whom live in the United States. Most organizations have a page on LinkedIn where they post a variety of information about the organization, including job openings. As of 2014, LinkedIn had more than 3 million business pages covering more than a million products and services. It’s a good source for the public and the media to access in-depth information about a particular organization or a product or service. The site works on several levels. First, it allows individuals to connect with other professionals in their occupational field or area of interest. There are also more than 1 million interest groups, and a study by DegreeQuery.com found that users join an average of seven groups. There are several hundred groups in the public relations and marketing communications field that individuals can join to get information and exchange ideas. Individuals and organizations often use discussion groups to post essays and articles about current issues and trends relating to the profession or the field. Typical articles posted on the Social Media Marketing discussion group are “Some Tips to Help Your Twitter Activity,” “The Science of Social Selling,” and “Get More Visibility With Improved Quality Content.” Indeed, LinkedIn is considered by many public relations professionals as the best social network platform for posting “thought leadership” essays on current issues and trends in a field or profession. Such postings are usually written by an organizational executive or an independent consultant to showcase their expertise, become known as a “thought leader” in the field, and perhaps generate some new business. On another level, LinkedIn has become a major resource for finding a job and advancing career opportunities. It’s a site where users post their profiles, their updated resumes, and even recommendations from work colleagues and former employers. Public relations specialists can search for a job several ways. They can search by job position (account executive for a public relations firm, for example) or they can also research the hundreds of organizations that have pages on LinkedIn to find out about the organization and what jobs are currently available. According to DegreeQuery.com, 36 million millennials (15 to 34) and 36 million current and recent college students have profiles, including their CVs, on LinkedIn.

11.5:  Micro-Blogging Sites and Apps 11.5  D  escribe the different formats and approaches to micro-blogging Micro-blogging sites such as Twitter, Vine, Instagram, and the increasingly popular Snapchat are essentially a mini version of a blog. Wikipedia defines micro-blogging as users exchanging small elements of content such as short texts, images, and video links. The major micro-blogging site with the most users is Twitter.

11.5.1:  Twitter: Saying It in 140 Characters or Less Twitter, a social networking and microblogging site launched in 2006, had about 300 million active users worldwide by its eighth birthday. It has grown rapidly if the number of tweets sent daily is any indication: 50 million tweets a day in 2010 jumped to 500 million a day by 2014. During the 2014 World Cup competition in Brazil, for example, 32 million tweets were posted by soccer fans from around the world. Corporations have also embraced Twitter as an effective public relations tool. A 2014 survey by Simply Measured and Interbrand found that 98 percent of the world’s top brands now have one or more Twitter accounts, and almost 80 percent of them tweet one to six times daily. The content includes micro news releases, updates on an evolving situation or crisis, story pitches to a journalist, and offers of discounts on goods and services. According to the Interbrand survey, 70 percent of the top brands have more than 100,000 followers. Southwest Airlines has more than a million followers and Coca-Cola has about 300,000.

Social Media and Mobile Apps 199

Organizations use Twitter primarily to boost awareness and enhance visibility on social networks. A study by Mashable and Statista found that 80 percent of companies use Twitter to increase brand awareness. Almost 60 percent said Twitter helped drive traffic to their other web pages, and 55 percent said tweeting helped engage existing customers. “Being accessible, humanizing our social channels and joining these conversations is a way for people on Twitter to become more familiar and more excited about our company.” — Linda Boff, head of global brand marketing for GE

Twitter is Web-based, so its major advantage over texting is that posts are now indexed by Google and readily available to anyone with Internet access. Twitter, as it matures, is getting more robust. A tweet can now provide easy links to documents, websites, photos, and videos. In 2013, the site began to introduce new apps such as Vine, which allows a user to post a six-second video. McDonald’s, for example, used Vine to promote its new menu item, Fish McBites. There is also convergence with mobile apps. One creative use was Tweet-aBeer at the Southwest by Southwest Interactive Festival (SXSW), which enabled users to buy someone a beer via Twitter. The idea was the brainchild of Waggener Edstrom, a public relations firm that wanted to show off its digital capabilities.

PR Casebook: An Oscar Selfie Generates Three Million Retweets The word “selfie” became a popular word in 2014 as practically everyone held up their smartphones, took photos of themselves and friends, and immediately uploaded them to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. The most famous “selfie” of 2014 was the one taken at the Academy Awards gala. Bradley Cooper snapped a selfie on a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 showing a bevy of Hollywood celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey behind him. The photo shown in Figure 11.2 immediately went viral and generated 3 million retweets in the first 24 hours.

Figure 11.2  Ellen DeGeneres, the host of the 2014 Oscars, posted this group selfie to her Twitter account.

In addition, Samsung was getting 900 mentions a minute on social media during and just after the awards show according to Kontera, a company that tracks content on social media sites. The mainstream print and broadcast media also picked up the selfie and devoted considerable coverage to the event, proving once again that celebrity content attracts readers and viewers. Samsung, a sponsor of the Academy Awards, spent about $20 million on its sponsorship, but it’s estimated by public relations experts that it received about $1 billion in “earned” media coverage. In sum, Samsung gets the Oscar in the category of “best public relations and marketing.” SAMPLE USES OF TWITTER  Here are some examples of

how organizations and their public relations staffs use Twitter: • Qwest Communications, a telecommunications company, uses the username @TalkToQwest to handle customer questions, concerns, and complaints. • Clorox used the hashtag #ickies in a campaign to generate conversations among parents about daily messes, or “ick,” that they have to deal with. • AeroSystems used Twitter to give employees, the public, and the media status reports after a tornado caused considerable damage at its corporate headquarters. • The Phoenix Suns, as well as other professional sports teams, use team and player tweets to update fans and build brand loyalty. Video clips from games are also posted using Vine, a Twitter app. • Krazy Glue conducted a contest (#KrazyBigFix) asking users to submit photos and videos of how they used the product to repair something. • The Los Angeles Fire Department tweets updates about California wildfires.

Public relations writers have to keep their company’s 140-character tweets meaningful to consumers in order to maintain Twitter loyalty. Public Relations Tactics reported that people quit following brands on Twitter for the following reasons: 53 percent said content became repetitive or boring, 41 percent said tweets became too marketing oriented, 39 percent felt the posts were too frequent, and 27 percent quit because they didn’t think the company offered enough deals through its Twitter feed. Among the goals of tweet writers are to get their messages retweeted. Dan Zarrella, author of The Social Media Marketing Book told Public Relations Tactics that 70  percent of retweets contain a link. To increase your chances of having your tweet retweeted, Zarrella suggests using nouns and third-person verbs. He says, “Highly retweetable headlines talk about someone or something doing something. A headline should never talk about all the things you did yesterday and how you did them, as past-tense verbs and adverbs both lead to far fewer retweets.” For more guidelines, see the Tips for Success on the next page.

200  Chapter 11

Tips for Success How to Improve Your Tweets Social Media Marketing and other social networking firms have compiled the following suggestions for Twitter users:

11.5.2: Vine Related to the discussion about Twitter is its video app, Vine, which was launched in 2013. Within a year, according to ComScore, overall traffic reached 22 million unique visitors a month. Vine allows users to compile and share a 6-second video that runs on a continuous loop and often has the quality of an animated gif image. It initially became popular with kids doing home videos, comedians, and Hollywood studios promoting a film. Today, many large organizations are using Vine to build brand awareness. GE, for example, posted a series of videos to showcase its technology using the hashtag, “#6SecondScience.” One that got 227,000 views showed how color moved through liquids such as a saucer of milk and dish soap. In another situation, Taco Bell posted a Vine video for the launch of its new Cool Ranch Doritos. Vine, like YouTube, now has channels and a searchable website that no doubt will make it more useful to organizations and visitors. You can also share your Vine videos via Twitter, Facebook, or a blog post.

WRITING PROMPT How can Twitter be used by organizations as a public relations tactic? What about Vine? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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11.5.3: Instagram Flickr is considered the king of photo-sharing sites, but the ambitious prince is Instagram, an app that was launched in 2010. Acquired by Facebook in 2012, it rapidly grew to more than 200 million registered users by 2014. According to Go Globe Singapore, 5 million images are uploaded daily on Instagram. As of 2014, this totals about 20 billion photos uploaded since its founding. Instagram is essentially a free photo-sharing, videosharing, and social networking tool that is designed to be used with a mobile device. The primary selling point is that it enables users to take pictures on their smartphones, apply digital filters to them, and then share them on a variety of social networks such as Facebook or Twitter. In fact, one survey by All Things D found that U.S. teenagers preferred Instagram over Twitter and Facebook, and all smartphone users were spending more time on Instagram than Twitter. The survey noted, “This is indicative of a broader shift toward visual content in digital space.”

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“It has become the most powerful social media platform for visual-based branding.” — Scott Galloway, founder of fashion house L2, about the impact of Instagram in a Financial Times article

From a public relations standpoint, various brands are opening accounts to post photos, videos, and infographics that can be easily accessed by the public via smartphones, tablets, and regular PCs. Although Instagram started out as a mobile application, it has also added web-based profiles, expanding the service to the largerscreen Web.

Carlsberg’s initiative is based on data compiled by several monitoring firms that show that 90 percent of Instagram’s users are 35 or younger, and 70 percent are female. Given the demographics, top users of Instagram have been companies such as MTV, Starbucks, and Nike. Other brands with a broader audience, such as American Express and fashion house Michael Kors, have also started to use Instagram. According to Cotton Delo, writing in Advertising Age, brands are “. . . intrigued by the prospect of having a place to showcase their content in one place and possibly to direct users there from other media.” Despite the square format imposed by Instagram, the general guidelines for producing excellent photos still apply. Remember to (1) avoid wasted space, (2) keep the subject in focus, (3) look for balance, (4) use the right light, and (5) use interesting angles. Professional-quality images also can be taken with a regular camera, transferred to a mobile device, and then uploaded to Instagram, rather than relying on your device’s camera and installed photoediting apps. Using Instagram for advancing organizational objectives, however, does require some extra guidelines. These are outlined in the following Tips for Success.

Tips for Success How to Use Instagram in Your Organization Here are some suggestions to help you make the most of I nstagram’s format and cultivate your organization’s ­ brand ­visually.

11.6:  Media Sharing Sites 11.6  D  escribe the different media sharing sites and their uses The Web offers a cornucopia of websites, social media, and apps that overflow from desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones. Literally billions of shared videos, photos, and shared posts are available at one’s fingertips.

11.6.1:  YouTube: King of Video ­Clips YouTube gets more than 4 billion views a day, and it is second only to Google in the number of searches it processes. According to data from Nielsen, more than 150 million people watch an average of 4 hours of online videos in a

202  Chapter 11 typical week. In terms of the sites watched, the Socially Aware Blog says that in a single month, YouTube averages 3 hours compared to Hulu and Tudou with 2.5 hours. Of course, Netflix is the feature film king, with users watching it for 10 hours monthly. The popularity of online video is not lost on organizations who want to reach and influence audiences. It’s estimated, for example, that 80 percent of companies now use online video content in their marketing programs. Various studies have also found that the majority of consumers will spend at least 2 minutes watching a video about a product, and they are more likely to buy a product after seeing a video than those who haven’t. Fullscreen, a social media consulting firm, says the top 100 global brands published 258,000 videos on YouTube between 2009 and 2014, and fans have uploaded more than 40 million brand videos. Marketing specialist Chris Sturk offers six ways to use YouTube for public relations: 1. Use YouTube to kick off a campaign. 2. Respond to a crisis by putting a face on and giving a personal touch to the response. 3. Identify audiences through the social connections created by YouTube viewers. 4. Get the attention of journalists and bloggers. 5. Measure your success by using YouTube tools to determine how many views were generated from what regions of the globe. 6. Customize YouTube profile pages to raise awareness of your organization. About 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute of the day, so public relations professionals must be creative thinkers and produce engaging content. David Murdico, writing in Ragan’s PR Daily, points out that “Everyone is watching video. You need to be making ads, promos, branded entertainment, Web series, video blogs, funny viral videos, videos of your cat, your dog, your cat riding your dog—whatever style and format that best reaches your customers.” The Tips for Success lists other suggestions to help attract an audience for videos on YouTube.

Tips for Success How to Increase Your Organization’s YouTube Views With all the different videos competing for attention on YouTube, how can you entice target audiences to check out what your organization’s videos have to offer?

The vast majority of YouTube videos are posted by individuals, but organizations have also established their own YouTube channels and have upgraded their websites to include more video content as part of their marketing and public relations outreach. Research firms such as Nielsen/NetRatings have found that the 35 to 64 age group constitutes about 50 percent of YouTube’s audience. Another large audience is college students; research shows that 95 percent of them regularly view videos online. One campaign that no doubt appealed to college students was Jelly Belly’s introduction of a draft beer-flavored jelly-bean on St. Patrick’s Day. The company posted behind-the-scenes YouTube videos that included Jelly Belly recipes to create a beer cocktail. Tomi Holt, director of communications for Jelly Belly, told PRWeek that the beer-flavored jelly bean tapped into the craze for craft beers and “brought a lot of new fans to the brand.” The draft-beer jelly beans sold out in 5 days as a result of the YouTube videos, which were also highlighted by broadcast news outlets. SAMPLE USES OF YOUTUBE.  Humor and parody are

often used to attract viewers. H&R Block, for example, used a fictional oddball character to talk about the joys of online tax preparation and spoof popular YouTube shorts, such as the precision treadmill routine team. Smirnoff launched a new iced tea malt beverage on YouTube by showing three blond men in polo shirts at a yacht club

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Figure 11.3  Jelly Belly makes 100 flavors of jelly beans. Behind-the-scenes videos on YouTube helped its new flavor, draft-beer jelly beans, to sell out in the first 5 days of its release. The new flavor debuted just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

publicity when it became a smash hit on iTunes, and Carroll made guest appearances on every major television network. All this, of course, ignited a firestorm on social networks as hundreds of individuals also shared their unsatisfactory experiences with United. In another incident, two bored employees of a Domino’s Pizza franchise in North Carolina decided to post on YouTube a video of them making a truly obnoxious sandwich that violated all health standards. The video went viral, and it took weeks for the company to restore its reputation for serving quality food. YouTube played a positive role in the Department of Energy’s Decathlon, however, which is highlighted in the next PR Casebook.

WRITING PROMPT Many organizations now have their own YouTube channels. What can an organization do to attract viewers to its playlist?

r­ apping lines such as, “Straight outta Cape Cod, we are keepin’ it real.” It worked because the parody of uppercrust white men rapping isn’t typical rap imagery. “Embrace online video and watch how creative, genuine, and cool content becomes incredibly viral. Words can carry the message just so far, but video is an opportunity to showcase the product while entertaining viewers.” — Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge, authors of ­Putting the Public Back in Public Relations

However, not all YouTube videos have to be humorous and entertaining in order to be successful. The United Steelworkers, during a strike against Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., posted a 30-second video spot on YouTube that showed a photo montage of auto accidents. As a sport-­ utility vehicle flips over, a question appears on-screen: “What tires do you plan to buy?” Less startling but just as effective is a series of videos by Cisco Systems about cities of the future, such as Songdo, South Korea. The video series was distributed on Cisco’s YouTube channel, its online newsroom, and via Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The videos had more than 61,000 views and were shared more than 100,000 times via social channels. It’s not exactly a “Gangnam Style” viral video with 1 billion views, but Cisco did position itself as an innovative technology company with a vision for the future. On occasion, a YouTube video posted by a third party can do considerable damage to a corporate reputation. United Airlines found this out after refusing to compensate Canadian musician Dave Carroll, when baggage handlers broke his guitar. He composed a song, “United Breaks ­Guitars,” and posted a music video on YouTube. It became a hit and was played more than 3.5 million times over the next several months. This success garnered even more

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PR Casebook: Social Media Fuels a Solar Decathlon The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) wanted to promote energy-efficient housing, but how do you design a public relations campaign to make the message newsworthy and mentioned on social media networks?

The answer is a Solar Decathlon: a biennial competition between college teams from the United States and abroad to build the most attractive, energy-efficient, and affordable house. Instead of just submitting a model or a blueprint, however, the teams actually design and build model homes that are exhibited in a single location over a

204  Chapter 11 two-week period. One such competition, for example, was held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Not everybody, of course, could visit Washington to tour the houses, so DOE and its public relations firm, Stratacomm, took a variety of steps to ensure that the public and Solar Decathlon fans from around the world could experience the competition online. The college teams were encouraged to have their own Facebook pages, blogs, and YouTube videos to tell about their house project and as well as their own personal stories. As a result, more than 1,000 posts appeared on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr in the eight months before the live house display in Washington. Promotional efforts during the competition included the following: • QR codes and Foursquare check-ins were introduced throughout the Solar Village. • TweetChats and media webcasts were organized to let online audiences see and talk to student contestants and DOE reps.

6 billion photos and has more than 50 million registered users, according to Wikipedia. For smartphone users, there’s even an official Flickr app. Ann Smarty, writing in The Ragan Report, says, “It is a place for people to show off their work, and it’s probably the most popular photo site on the Web. It has plenty of professional portfolios, amateur albums, and even a Creative Commons item you can use freely for personal or commercial purposes—with proper credit, of course.” In other words, public relations professionals use Flickr in two ways: first, to find photos and even video clips they can use on an employer’s websites and social network pages; and second, to make photos available for possible use by other bloggers and individuals who post photos on their own sites. Organizations may also post photos in more than 60 user groups that help gain visibility for the organization. What can you put on Flickr?

• Captioned photos were posted daily in Facebook, Flickr, newswires, and the DOE website, SolarDecathlon.gov. • Student teams were asked to shoot video and create computer-animated walkthroughs of their houses. • An overview video and an online virtual tour of each house were posted to DOE’s YouTube channel and its website. • An online newsroom was established, and a media guide featuring tips for reporters on what to cover was made available. Thanks to the extensive social media outreach, the Solar Decathlon achieved considerable visibility and engagement. Measurable Results

Many public relations professionals even prefer Flickr over Facebook for posting photos. Kate Potter of Hughes Public Relations, in a blog post, cites seven reasons: 1. The Picnik editing tools in Flickr are easy to use. 2. Photos can be tagged with the location where they were taken. 3. A Flickr photostream can be searched using keywords or location. 4. Photos are saved at high resolution. 5. Photos can be exported to Snapfish, a photo printing website. 6. Facebook limits access to “friends,” but Flickr does not. 7. Statistics are available for each photo, allowing you to identify which was most viewed.

11.6.2: Flickr Flickr is the oldest photo sharing site. It was launched in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo a year later. It now hosts about

Flickr discourages photos that are too commercial in terms of displaying a product or service, but there are more creative ways for organizations to use Flickr. The Monterey Aquarium, for example, encourages the posting of photos taken by visitors at the facility. It even sponsored a photo contest in connection with World Ocean Day. The Aquarium’s public relations staff also monitors blogs, and if someone posts a good photo from an exhibit,

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they ask the individual to also post it on the Flickr site. Ken Peterson, communications director, told Ragan.com, “We’ve let some people know that we’re interested in using their photos on the aquarium Web site or in other vehicles. That creates great word of mouth, since the photographer will likely tell his or her friends to visit the aquarium Web site—or Flickr group—and see the photo on display.” Consider these additional examples of how organizations use Flickr as a public relations tactic. Sample Uses of Flickr

visuals serve as links back to the webpage where each image or video was found, so using Pinterest increases traffic back to the organization’s sites. Another good reason for public relations personnel to use Pinterest is that the average user spends slightly more than 14 minutes per visit. By its fourth birthday, the site had 70 million active users and 500,000 active business accounts. According to the site, 80 percent of its users are women, and the Pew Research Center even reported that one-third of the women in the United States use Pinterest. This demographic, of course, has made Pinterest an excellent public relations opportunity for non-profits and companies in the fashion, food, health, and travel industry that have ample opportunity for presenting visual content. A good example of using Pinterest is Walmart. Andrea Thomas, senior vice president of sustainability, told Ragan’s PR Daily, “Pinterest appeals to our customers who use the social media platforms to find and collect creative recipes, tips, and how-dos, helping their families save money and live better.” “Pinterest is a visually rich site that lets its members upload their favorite fashion photographs, recipes, and decorating tips that they then can share with other users.” — Christine Haughney, reporting in the New York Times SAMPLE USES OF PINTEREST.  The following are some

examples of how organizations are using Pinterest boards as a virtual storefront for their activities and concerns: • Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta “live-pinned” photographs about a bridal show, which was re-pinned by hundreds of fans.

These examples make the strong point that social media sites such as Flickr can be used for public relations purposes only if the focus is on generating participation and involvement on the part of consumers and the general public. In all these programs, the organization was basically a facilitator, connecting people to people.

11.6.3: Pinterest The fastest growing photo-sharing site is Pinterest, which was launched in 2010. It’s primarily a site for individuals and organizations to bookmark and share online photos, but also includes a wider variety of content such as infographics, videos, user-uploaded photos, and recipes that can be easily “re-pinned” by individuals or shared via their own websites, blogs, and social media profiles. The major public relations value of Pinterest is its integration with social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In addition, the various topic boards and brand pages can be easily accessed via a Pinterest app available on iPhones and Android devices. Most pinned

• General Electric (GE) created boards with the theme of “Badass machines” that creatively depicts the massive gas-fired turbines and intricate jet engines the company builds. • L.L. Bean has boards that reinforce its reputation as a lifestyle brand. Some of its boards are “Boots,” “Camping,” and “Woodland Creatures.” In 2014, it was the most followed brand on Pinterest with 5.5 million followers. • Whole Foods created several Pinterest boards with such topics as urban farming and do-it-yourself projects using household items. The grocery store chain has also posted recipes that has driven traffic to its website, WholeFoodsMarket.com. • Beauty product line Elizabeth Arden supported it longtime charity partner Look Good Feel Better through a campaign, Pin It to Give It, in which each “repin” generated one product donation to cancer patients. • The National Wildlife Federation has more than 20 boards on Pinterest, including its “Shop NWF”, “#Squirrels4Good,” and “Wild Crafts & Recipes.” • Greenpeace has a number of boards on Pinterest dealing with the environment, global warming, and protection of endangered species, such as whales.

206  Chapter 11 The Tips for Success provides some general pointers for creating and making the most of visual content on Pinterest.

Tips for Success How to Create Content for Pinterest Here is a compilation of suggestions made by public relations and social media experts about how organizations should use Pinterest:

11.7:  The Rising Tide of Mobile Content 11.7  E  xpress how advances in mobile technology have opened up a world of opportunities The tsunami of social media is also a major contributor to the rising tide of mobile devices and mobile-enabled content. Indeed, it’s estimated that there are now 7.3 billion mobile devices worldwide. Smartphones are the most visible manifestation of the mobile world, and industry research studies report that the U.S. smartphone penetration reached 60 percent in 2014. “We’re really in a connected world. Our smartphone is not only the first thing we turn to the morning, but the last thing we check at night.” — Mary Gorges, creative communications manager at Cisco Systems, writing in the Ragan Report

Other studies have found that the average American spends 2.38 hours daily on a mobile device, which is almost 900 hours or 36 days a year. The pervasive use of smartphones, iPads, and other tablets has practically revolutionized how we access information and conduct our social life. The average person, according to one study, looks at his or her phone 150 times a day. Another somewhat humorous survey found that 75 percent of Americans used their mobile device while sitting on the toilet. All this has led Amriss, a software and mobile app development firm, to announce “It’s an App World, the Web Just Lives in it.” Indeed, most studies show that smartphones and tablets have now replaced PCs as the most common device for Web access. Social media networks, in particular, are now primarily accessed through mobile phones instead of desktops, as the following data from comScore indicates (see Figure 11.4).

Figure 11.4  SOURCE: comScore, “U.S. Share of Time Spent on Social Networks between Platforms” U.S. Social Media Use via Desktop and Mobile 100%

99%

98% 92% 86% 74%

WRITING PROMPT

68%

A large bookstore in San Francisco is thinking about posting some boards on Pinterest. Do some brainstorming. What kind of visual content could the bookstore post on a board? 32%

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26% 14% 8% 2%

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Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

1% LinkedIn

Desktop Users

Pinterest

Mobile Users

Vine

0% Snapchat

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Such findings amplify the point that millions of consumers (and journalists) now use their smartphones and tablets as their primary source of news and information. In one Pew Research Center study, more than 60 percent of U.S. respondents get news from their phones weekly; 36 percent get news from their phone daily. This means that public relations specialists need to master the art of crafting mobile-friendly content in order to effectively reach consumers and other audiences. As previously discussed, organizations have already discovered the value of using various social media networks to reach smartphone users. They are now recognizing that websites, news releases, and other materials must also be optimized for viewing on mobile devices. As Professor Gary Kebbel of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln notes, “You don’t create a mobile site by building a website and accessing it from your phone. You lose audience if your story, photo, or video is written and produced for the Web, and viewed on a phone.” In other words, the standard website designed for viewing on a desktop or laptop computer screen needs to be supplemented by a mobile phone and tablet version. These smaller devices call for content that is much shorter and includes only the information that a person on the go would like to see. This approach is also applicable to news releases. McCormick & Company, for example, prepares news releases and recipes for standard Web distribution, but also re-formats them into short, narrow columns that fit a smartphone screen. Organizations are also actively producing apps and using QR codes specifically designed for smartphones and tablets, which will be discussed next.

WRITING PROMPT Mobile devices such as smartphones have now become the major way to access the Web and various apps. In what ways do you think this will affect the type of content produced by public relations personnel, in addition to how the content will be formatted? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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11.7.1:  An Ocean of Apps Back in the old days, the basic cell phone was a relatively simple device. It enabled people to call their friends from practically any location, or even to send them a text message. Today’s smartphone is less of a telephone than a small computer that allows users to download videos, surf the Internet at will, receive emails, post comments on blogs, and receive an extensive array of mobile-enabled content. Mobile phones

are also increasingly being used as virtual credit cards to pay bills and withdraw cash, as files that store a person’s medical records, and even as a form of money that allows users to make a purchase by waving the phone over a scanner. What makes all this possible are various computer applications, which are now just called apps. In fact, research by analytics firm Flurry found that U.S. consumers now spend 80 percent of their daily time on smartphones and tablets just using various apps provided by any number of app developers and organizations. 10 Most Popular Apps in the United States

The number of apps keeps multiplying. By mid-2014, there were about 2 million apps available for downloading from Apple’s App Store and Google Play. And one estimate says that about 40 billion apps are downloaded worldwide very year. Increasingly, public relations professionals are using apps to reach audiences and provide information that they can use. In general, the best app advances a brand by providing useful, objective information without being too commercial. A good example is Kraft’s Food Assistant app that provides a variety of recipes that, of course, include Kraft products. The app is available for use on iPhones, Android tablets, and Kindle Fire. “For an app to be successful, it must solve a problem in a way that makes life easier.” — Sam Weston, vice president of Huge, in PRWeek

An app, as in the case of Kraft, must reinforce the brand in terms of informing or entertaining its key customers. Akron Children’s Hospital, for example, created an app called “Care4Kids,” which helped parents find

208  Chapter 11 l­ocations, contact the hospital, and get essential care tips for their children. Kendall-Jackson winery, on the other hand, needed to expand its market to the 25 to 40 age group. It developed a mobile app, “K-J Recommends,” that pairs wines with food as well as mood, social situations, and even the color of the table setting. On a more entertaining side, the pet food manufacturer Friskies offered a “Catify App” which enables users to insert their own facial photo into cat templates and see themselves in cat form. Friskies also offers a variety of other apps for cats and humans, including a game, “You vs. Cat.” The following are some other examples of organizations creating apps as part of their public relations outreach: Additional Examples

• Make the app intuitive and easy to navigate. • Create a colorful, eye-catching icon for the app • Make sure the app is optimized for the app store • Provide content that empowers the user to interact with the app • Publicize the app through email lists, the organization’s website, social networks, and mainstream media. • Continue to promote the app on a regular basis.

WRITING PROMPT In what ways can organizations develop apps that are useful to consumers and, at the same time, promote their brand and its products? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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11.7.2:  QR Codes: Rich Content a Scan Away

Creating an app, however, is only one part of the process. As Sam Weston, vice president of Huge, notes in PRWeek, “. . . the organization must also promote and market the app to generate a user base.” Brigham Hospital, for example, promoted its app through an article in the hospital’s weekly print and online edition, placed signs throughout the hospital, put flyers in waiting rooms, and posted a link to the app on its website. The Trust for the National Mall, on the other hand, had to reach a broader audience. It posted notices on its Facebook and Twitter pages, created a short video on Vimeo, and used the hashtag #WW11AppWednesday to showcase different features of the app each week.

Tips for Success How to Create and Promote an App • Be clear about why the organization needs an app • Understand your target audience. What kind of mobile devices will they use?

Quick response codes, known as QR, are two-dimensional matrix bar codes that serve as URLs to connect mobile users with an organization’s website and any number of apps. The idea is that the consumer or a journalist can easily use their smartphone or tablet camera to access additional information in the form of articles, videos, and photos about an organization, a product, or an event. The ability to readily access and download information is particularly attractive to journalists who are often out of the office. Consequently, media relations specialists often embed QR codes in flyers, media kits, annual reports, brochures, news releases, and even pitches to journalists via a tweet or an email. By scanning a QR code on a mobileenabled device, both journalists and consumers can access a variety of content.

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QR codes can be used in a variety of ways, and some organizations are quite innovative in their use. The Sandy Springs (Georgia) fire department, for example, used QR codes in a campaign to get more citizens trained in CPR. It printed a QR code on business cards that were given out at meetings, school visits, and other speaking engagements. The QR code enabled individuals to access video and guidelines on how to recognize and treat sudden cardiac arrest. Deputy Fire Chief Dennis Ham told Ragan.com, “We’ve leveraged that technology to educate 10,000 people in Sandy Springs in CPR.” The city of Cupertino (California) has even placed QR codes on the trees in its parks, so visitors can use an Apple app to get information about the name and background of a particular tree. And the Sonoma County Transit Authority (California) has a large QR sign outside the local airport, so travelers can check local bus schedules. In another application, Heinz Ketchup put QR codes on its bottles to promote the Wounded Warrior Project. For each scan that prompts a user to send a thank-you note to military service personnel, Heinz donates a $1 to Wounded Warrior. In this way, more than $200,000 was raised. Magazine ads and articles also have embedded QR codes, so readers can easily access additional information and visual content. QR codes played a major role, for example, in a Gillette campaign for a new razor designed to remove hair from all parts of a man’s body. The ad, of course, featured model Kate Upton in a swimsuit, sitting on a beach lounge chair. Upton was asked how she liked her boyfriend’s body styled. A thought bubble contained a QR code that took the reader to a short video of Upton answering this and other questions. Her verdict: it was very important for him to groom “down there.”

11.7.3: Texting Sending text messages via a mobile phone is now pervasive and universal. In fact, the public relations agency Ruder Finn reports that 62 percent of U.S. mobile phone users use their phones to instant message or text. The advantage, according to Text Marketer, is that practically 100 percent of text messages get read as opposed to only 22 percent of emails. According to the Ruder Finn survey, 58 percent of cell phone users use their phones to forward email, and 45 percent use their phones to post comments on social networking sites. Text messaging is particularly popular among Americans in the 18 to 29 age group. RunText reported that 95 percent of cell phone users in that age range send and receive text messages. According to Nielsen, the average U.S. teenager sends about 3,000 text messages a month. Organizations and public relations staffs use texting to reach employees, customers, and key publics. Shel Holtz, a

social media expert, told Ragan.com that there are three levels of texting for organizations. Texting Everyone

Texting Subscribers

Single Texts

A good example of an organization using texting as a communication tool is the South Dakota Office of Tourism. Skiers visiting the state can sign up to receive daily text message alerts about snowfall and weather conditions. Email alerts to subscribers were already being used, but sending messages directly to cell phones seemed to be more logical in terms of accessibility. Wanda Goodman, public relations manager at the tourism office, told Ragan.com, “It adds a level of convenience for travelers and builds another level of connectivity with potential visitors to the state.” Randi Schmelzer, writing in PRWeek, gives three key points that should be kept in mind about texting: • Text messaging is an immediate, cost-effective way for public relations professionals to communicate with a variety of publics. • Texting should involve timely and actionable information. • Text recipients should have the ability to opt in or out; otherwise, messages are little more than spam.

210  Chapter 11 Non-profits, in particular, have effectively used text messaging for providing information and fundraising. Lifeline, a British non-profit that provides drug and alcohol services, sends a weekly inspirational quote via text message that has helped the agency maintain regular contact with its clients. A texting program also raised millions for Haiti earthquake relief by enabling Americans to dial 90999 and automatically donate $10 to the Red Cross, with the donation billed to their cell phone accounts. Other health agencies, such as Planned Parenthood, have successfully used SMS to communicate one-on-one with teenagers who text questions relating to sexual health.

11.8: Wikis 11.8  Review the role of wikis in public relations work Collaboration between individuals working on a particular project can be facilitated by wikis. Basically, a wiki is a collection of webpages that enables anyone who accesses it to provide input and even modify the content. The popular Wikipedia is the best-known wiki, with hundreds of individuals volunteering to create and edit its millions of entries. Ward Cunningham, co-author of The Wiki Way: Quick Collaboration on the Web, describes the essence of wikis as follows: • They invite all users to edit any page within the website, using a basic Web browser. • They promote meaningful topic associations between different pages. • They involve visitors in an ongoing process of creation and collaboration.

General Motors created a wiki site for its employees and customers as part of its centennial celebration. It encouraged individuals to contribute first-person experiences relating to the company’s history via stories, images, video, and audio. The advantage of the wiki was that individuals could comment on other contributions, correct inaccurate information, and even add supplemental information regarding their experiences and viewpoints. GM originally considered the standard coffee table book outlining the company’s history, but company spokesperson Scot Keller told MediaPost, “We felt that a more social, more inclusive approach was appropriate, and the story is best told not by the corporation or media but by men and women who were there.” As a spin-off, GM planned to package various stories and materials for distribution to other social networking communities and websites. Wikis also are used by public relations departments and firms to keep employees and clients up to date on schedules and plans for executing campaigns. Joel Postman, executive vice president of Eastwick Communications, told Ragan. com that the firm’s wiki “allows almost everyone in the agency to set up a well-organized, attractive, customized workspace for any number of tasks. Some of the more popular uses of the wiki are for event management, document version control, and maintenance of standardized documents like client ‘boilerplate’ and executive bios.” An example is how Eastwick used its wiki to plan a media preview for its client, Fujitsu. Every related document was kept on the wiki, including executive speeches and presentations, FAQs, bios, and the schedule. Staffers at Fujitsu could access the wiki to add their feedback on the site, and Postman said that the wiki reduced email traffic by almost 40 percent. It also reduced paper use by about 15 percent.

Summary: Social Media and Mobile Apps

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SHARED WRITING: SOCIAL MEDIA AND MOBILE APPS What do you think the impact of social media has been on how public relations is practiced today? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

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Chapter 11 Quiz: Social Media and ­Mobile Apps

Chapter 12

Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures Learning Objectives 12.1

Express the need for developing expertise in tightening the writing focus to meet different objectives

12.5

Examine reasons as to why the print media is still relevant

12.6

Describe the purpose, content, and design of newsletters and magazines

12.2

Analyze the responsibilities of being a good editor

12.7

12.3

Explain how intranets aid communication within an organization

Explain how and why brochures are printed

12.8

Describe the utility and characteristics of annual reports for companies

12.4

Compare online newsletters with print publications

12.1:  Tightening the Writing Focus 12.1 Express the need for developing expertise in tightening the writing focus to meet different objectives This chapter explores writing for diverse media—intranets, newsletters, and brochures—to address the needs of narrower audiences. This calls for an understanding of specialized media, such as intranets, for having the mindset of an editor, and for developing expertise in tightening writing focus to meet the needs of specific stakeholders such as employees, investors, donors, and current and prospective customers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that public relations specialists often write press releases and prepare information for the media, but the BLS also describes public relations’ job as to “help clients communicate effectively . . ., help maintain their organization’s corporate image and identity.” The BLS job description also mentions the need to be able to draft speeches, plan and arrange interviews, and coordinate the various communications elements of an organization, such as advertising and marketing, with the public relations function. In this chapter, you will discover how public relations practitioners must make editorial decisions about content,

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particularly in internal communication media. You will also learn about writing for intranet content, for print and online newsletters, and for brochures and annual reports. Finally, we will address design, layout, and graphic considerations for these media.

12.2:  The Balancing Act of Editors 12.2 Analyze the responsibilities of being a good editor Editing an owned publication or digital medium has been described as something of a high-wire act. You must produce a newsletter, brochure, or intranet content that advances and promotes management’s organizational objectives and, at the same time, provides information that isn’t boring to the audience. In addition, you have a responsibility to serve the interests of the employees or other constituents. No matter the medium, if you are selecting content and emphasis for a regularly scheduled communication product, be it newsletter or intranet, you are serving as an editor. There is also the issue of editorial freedom. Many editors, particularly former journalists, think that they should have the right to decide what stories will be covered and in what context. At the same time, management wants to

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exercise its rights as “publisher.” Charlotte Forbes, a management consultant, sums up the management perspective. She told PRWeek, “Corporations need to think of a newsletter as something that can inform, educate, and hopefully drive action, as opposed to being a reporter of facts, after the fact.” This sentiment applies to brochure and intranet content, too. Indeed, editors need to balance the needs of management, the interests of readers, and their own journalistic standards. Some never do solve the dilemma and stick to folksy stories that please many and offend none. Actually, the balancing act can be done if the editor is able to understand that all three are interrelated. Take company strategies and goals. These are usually based on broad concepts such as human resources, corporate image, business expansion, competitiveness, productivity, marketing, and economic development. Communication goals should be based on corporate goals, so the editor may decide to support the goal of increased competitiveness by publishing at least six stories during the year about the organization’s market share and what factors are involved in making the organization more competitive. These stories, if done well, should also interest employees because they are concerned about job security and making sure that the company remains competitive. If the company is successful, it could also mean bonuses and higher pay. Even if management has set broad or specific goals for the year, it is usually the editor who decides how the intranet, brochure, or newsletter can support each goal. In this case, the editor can choose any number of journalistic treatments, including the angle of what’s in it for employees. Stories about competitiveness don’t have to be propaganda. They can be written with the same degree of objectivity as any article in an independent publication.

12.2.1:  A Mission Statement Gives Purpose The best editors, the ones who regularly win awards, particularly for publications such as newsletters or organizational magazines, seem to understand the purpose of their publication and the interests of their readers. One technique is to develop a concise, simple mission statement of approximately 25 words that helps both editors and management understand the purpose of the publication. The mission of Natural History, the magazine of the American Museum of Natural History, is remarkably simple: “Natural History’s mission is to promote understanding and appreciation of the world around us.” Mission statements range in length and detail. The ideal statement should cover the publication’s general content, its audience, and its strategic role. The mission of AramcoWorld, a bimonthly magazine published by energy company Saudi Aramco, is to increase

cross-cultural understanding. The editors also place the following statement in the magazine’s masthead: “We distribute AramcoWorld to increase cross-cultural understanding by broadening knowledge of the histories, culture and geography of the Arab and Muslim worlds and their global contacts.” In the issue shown in Figure 12.1, the lead article is about Asmir Begovic, who migrated to the United Kingdom at age 3 and became a top soccer goalie. He returned to Bosnia to play for the country in the World Cup.

Figure 12.1  This cover features a lead article about Asmir Begovic, a top soccer goalie who migrated to the United Kingdom at age 3 and returned to Bosnia to play in the World Cup. (Photo portrait by Haris Memija)

Figure 12.2  Sky is a high-quality company publication that is available online, in airline seatback pockets, and by home delivery. The well-designed, four-color magazine features articles about travel, cuisine, personalities and trends.

214  Chapter 12 Another example of a premier corporate publication is Sky, the in-flight magazine of Delta Airlines shown in Figure 12.2. Promoted as the “most-read onboard lifestyle magazine,” Delta Sky features articles on travel, food, business, lifestyle, celebrities and more. Delta is not only interested in entertaining customers who are flying on the airline, but the company is also interested in highlighting cities to which Delta flies. The magazine is offered in digital form in addition to the print edition found in each seat pocket on each Delta flight. In fact, you can subscribe to the magazine and get home delivery of the print edition. The online edition offers “extras” including videos, slideshows and city guides.

WRITING PROMPT Why is the role of the editor of an organizational publication described as a balancing act? How would you develop and use a mission statement to maintain balance in an organizational publication? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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12.2.2:  Making an Article Schedule It is also a good idea to prepare an annual editorial plan, sometimes called an editorial calendar. An editorial plan is essentially a schedule of topics or articles you plan to cover over the course of a year. Michelle Linn of Content Marketing Institute says you need to map out what kind of articles and other material you will prepare for the entire year. This will enable you to develop story ideas that complement the organization’s objectives for the year. “Track key dates such as events, holidays or other things that may impact which content you want to share when. If you have an international audience, include holidays in the various countries you serve as well.” “A long-term editorial plan establishes and maintains a stable, interactive relationship with users, and allows advertisers to place ads against relevant content,” Scott Deutrom, former head of online sales at Sky Media, told Media Week. When Executive Flight Guide was launched, it included a 16-page section titled “Frequent Flyer.” Charlene Seoane, publisher of “Frequent Flyer,” told PRWeek that the magazine’s editorial plan would include topics for themed issues, guest articles, regional profiles, columns such as “on the road with” a frequent flyer and “guilty pleasures” on the road, and sections focusing on women travelers, security topics, and fitness and lifestyle. Of course, when Seoane and her staff put together their editorial plan, the various components might be assigned to certain months.

For example, an “on the road with” feature story might focus on a corporate traveler vacationing with family in July, whereas the feature might normally focus on corporate travelers in global business cities. Editorial plans are relevant for public relations writers in two ways. First, they enable the editor of an employeefocused medium to plan which important upcoming events will be covered in specific issues or during specific time frames, and thus ensure that all aspects of the organization get coverage during the year. Second, an editorial plan for a consumer or trade publication enables you to pitch story ideas that are relevant to the content or theme of a particular issue. Now that you have developed the mindset of an editor, let’s apply it to the media that are the focus of this chapter—intranets, newsletters, and brochures.

12.3: Intranets 12.3 Explain how intranets aid communication within an organization Many corporations use some form of intranet to communicate with their employees. Essentially, an intranet works on the same principles as the Internet, but it is a private network within an organization for the exclusive use of employees and perhaps some other audiences, such as suppliers. Because they are closed systems and the technical standards are set by the organization, intranets are able to provide more sophisticated electronic content, such as work collaboration features that are unique to the needs of the organization. Intranets are primarily a daily newsletter or bulletin board that provides information about policies, news events, and general announcements. Consequently, most news items are brief and somewhat conversational. Longer news stories are highlighted on the home page, but an employee usually clicks a link to read the entire story. Organizations are also mobile-enabling their intranets, so employees can access them anywhere from smartphones, tablets, or other mobile devices. Microsoft, for example, has an intranet portal dubbed MSW, for Microsoft Web. To keep content current and appealing, Microsoft’s intranet features a mix of information from external news sites, blogs, and user-submitted photos. MSW is an extremely efficient way to reach Microsoft’s 90,000 employees in 190 countries. And Microsoft employees seem to like it. Microsoft reports 110,000 unique visitors to MSW each month, making 5 million page views. The executive communications section on the intranet is among the most popular sections, Microsoft’s Christine Bennett told The Ragan Report. MSW communicators might package video of a town hall meeting with a link to a pertinent blog and a form to submit questions to the CEO.

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Figure 12.3  Many organizations rely on dedicated in-house websites or intranets. ExpressJet is a regional airline providing service for Delta, United, and other airlines. As such, ExpressJet has a broadly distributed workforce. It relies heavily on its intranet to communicate with its scattered employees. ExpressJet’s intranet home page is a typical format for most large organizations.

employees surveyed said they contribute to the intranet conversation or content at least once a month.

WRITING PROMPT How is intranet content different from that of a printed employee newsletter? Give an example to illustrate the difference. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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12.4:  Online Newsletters 12.4 Compare online newsletters with print publications

SAMPLE INTRANET FEATURES  An especially appealing aspect of an intranet is its potential for collaboration and social networking. REI, a retailer specializing in outdoor gear and equipment, was “shackled by email,” according to Diana Kowalsky, REI’s internal communications manager. REI communicators relied on monthly email newsletters to reach employees. But many employees, especially those who worked in the retail stores, didn’t have company email accounts and were therefore bypassed. REI developed an intranet they labeled “Around the Campfire.” It gave every employee access to internal information when they simply entered the login they used to get employee discounts. The REI intranet allows any employee to read and comment and contribute to corporate information. REI Director of Corporate Communications Libby Catalinich told The Ragan Report that “Around the Campfire” allows executives to “have a more candid and less guarded conversation with people,” since they know they are communicating only with REI employees. Many intranets offer some version of a collaboration feature like “Around the Campfire.” Such sharing features of an intranet can connect employees in far-flung branches to those in the organization’s headquarters, providing an easy solution for global companies. A study by Prescient Digital Media found that 76 percent of the companies it surveyed used instant messaging on their intranets. Threequarters used blogs and about two-thirds have wikis, discussion forums, and user comments. However, there’s room for improving intranets, according to the study. Only 19 percent of the organizations surveyed rated their social intranet tools as good or very good. On the positive side, about 70 percent of

Many organizations supplement their print publications with online newsletters. These are also known as e-zines, and their primary advantage is the instant dissemination of information. The main distribution method for newsletters is through e-mail to those that have “subscribed” to receive it. The e-mail list for charitable groups is usually everyone who has made a donation and provided an email address to the organization. An example of an online newsletter published by the The National Geographic Society is shown in Figure 12.4 below.

Figure 12.4  National Geographic Society newsletters feature excellent photo­ graphy of places and people from around the world.

216  Chapter 12 Unlike print publications that go through a number of production steps that are addressed later in the chapter, editors of an e-zine do everything on the computer. With one mouse click, the newsletter is instantly sent via email or an organization’s intranet to everyone on the “subscriber” list. The second advantage is cost. An average printed newsletter might cost $1 or more per individual copy plus postage, whereas an e-zine typically costs less than 10 cents per “copy.” An online newsletter, however, should not just be a replica of the printed newsletter in digital form. The home page, or cover, of an online newsletter should be formatted to provide some photos and give a brief description of stories that a reader can access with a click. In general, the stories are much shorter than found in a print publication, so readers can read them within one screen, with no scrolling. Online publications also have a more informal writing style than regular print publications. You can be more conversational and use less formal English than is expected in print. This is not to say, however, that you can forget about crafting well-written sentences. Every word, particularly in a short story, still counts, so it’s important to keep sentences short and to the point. The Tips for Success gives some guidelines for Intranet page design, which can be applied to most online publications.

Tips for Success Lessons in Good Intranet Design Writing copy for an intranet or online newsletters requires the same journalistic skills as writing for a traditional newsletter. Toby Ward, founder and CEO of Prescient Digital Media, offers eight tips in The Ragan Report for presenting your stories and announcements in an intranet format.

12.5:  The Value of Print Publications 12.5 Examine reasons as to why the print media is still relevant Although organizations frequently use communication vehicles such as intranets and email to communicate to

employees, most professional communicators agree with Mark Twain, who once said, “The reports of my death are highly exaggerated.” Indeed, newsletters and magazines in print form—as well as brochures in countless formats— are still alive and well in the digital era. In fact, the highestcirculation magazine in the United States—AARP The Magazine, a bimonthly produced by the American Association of Retired People (AARP) for its members—has a circulation of 22 million. In 2014, digital editions of all magazines increased 37 percent but still only represented 3.5 percent of total magazine circulation, according to The Alliance for Audited Media. The Corporate Executive Board Company reported that 74 percent of its member companies, which include 90 percent of the Fortune 500, have employee newsletters. Of those newsletters, 4 percent publish in print only, 35 percent publish in print and online, and 61 percent publish online only. CEB concluded, “[I]t’s unlikely that the newsletter will become obsolete. Companies with a lot of nonwired employees (manufacturing companies, energy companies, logistics companies, etc. whose employees don’t sit at a desk all day) will likely keep their newsletters, as they’ll never be able to rely on intranet.” Printed publications will continue to be produced for several reasons. Many organizations, for example, still find them to be the most efficient method of reaching their entire workforce. This is particularly true of many companies that have field staff and plant workers who have limited access to electronic communications via computer or smartphone. Walgreen’s World magazine, for example, must be in print form because the majority of the company’s 251,000 employees work in the stores rather than at a desk. Readership studies have shown that 65 percent of these employees read the magazine during their 15-minute breaks or on their 30-minute lunch hour. Crystal McKinsey, founder and CEO of the integrated marketing communications firm McKinsey Development, said that despite the predominance of digital communication and the evolution of print communication, print is still an essential part of most communication campaigns. “You can touch it, feel it, distribute it and share it in a way that is more tangible than digital outreach,” she told Connect Daily magazine in 2014. “The key to successful print inclusion in marketing plans today is creativity,” McKinsey said. “Print pieces that are unique, interesting, and on brand with the rest of your integrated plan are more likely to gain response. Instead of sending out a direct mail piece with push messaging, consider mailing an invitation to visit a personalized URL that hosts content enticing enough to inspire the next user action, for example.” One advantage of a print publication is its portability. Employees can easily pass the publication or brochure around to their family and friends in almost any situation, and a magazine often has a shelf life for long periods of

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time as it sits on the family coffee table or in the doctor’s waiting room. The look and feel of print publications, coupled with the content, also make a powerful, positive impression on clients, prospective customers, and opinion leaders. In other words, a well-designed and well-written publication conveys the image that the organization is highly successful, well managed, and a market leader. Although it is clear that print publications are not “obsolete,” or doomed to extinction anytime soon, they are changing to accommodate digital technologies. Email, mobile apps, text messages, and the aforementioned company intranet are excellent channels for giving late-­ breaking news and daily updates, but newsletters and magazines are better vehicles for in-depth analysis and feature articles that can point to supplemental online resources. Print publications play an important role in driving readers to content on the Web. A print story might give the highlights of the CEO’s speech, but the story can also direct readers to the website, where interested individuals can view the entire speech or video excerpts. In the same vein, a story on employee benefits can provide links to more detailed information. Thus, the “traditional” media and the “new” media continue to complement each other and have an interactive relationship. This means that the editors of these publications have several roles to play.

WRITING PROMPT In today’s world filled with mobile digital devices, is there still a role for print publications? If so, how? If not, why not and what replaces them? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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12.6:  Print Newsletters and Magazines 12.6 Describe the purpose, content, and design of newsletters and magazines The content of periodicals, in broad terms, is news and information. That is why many of these publications are called newsletters—they essentially are messages from the organization to various publics who want news and information. Civic and professional groups use newsletters to inform their members of upcoming meetings and events. Non-profit organizations send donors and prospective contributors information about their programs and needs and recognize the efforts of current volunteers. Magazines concentrate on in-depth stories about people and industry trends. Stories, unlike the shorter articles

found in newsletters and newspapers, are much longer and tend to be more thoroughly researched. In sum, you have the option of the standard newsletter, the magapaper, or the magazine. It all depends on the purpose of the publication, the kind of messages you want to send, and the target audience. A good example is the Inside Children’s newsletter from Akron Children’s Hospital: Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio won a 2013 PRSA Bronze Anvil for its Inside Children’s, a quarterly newsletter aimed at the hospital’s health care consumers. The hospital identified the target audience for the newsletter as households in a 19-county region of northeastern Ohio, with children ages 17 and under and a household income of $30,000 or more. The content of the newsletter included articles on parenting, health concerns of teenagers, health tips from local experts and, of course, children’s health.

Budget is also a major consideration. Newsletters can be a cost-effective way to reach publics and shape opinion. The Akron Children’s Hospital newsletter cost about 31 cents apiece to produce, which includes content creation, printing, and mailing. Each issue was sent to 270,000 households. The hospital measured health care consumer awareness and hospital preference. Ninety-eight percent of those surveyed were aware of Children’s Hospital; 50 percent preferred Children’s Hospital to others in the area for treatment of minor illness or injury.

12.6.1:  Meeting Audience Interests Every sponsored periodical is unique, but some general guidelines can be applied. Jennifer Benz, CEO of Benz Communications, a human resources communication firm in San Francisco, told Business.com, “Company newsletters are most successful when they are about what matters to employees—not what matters to the company.” So, what do employees want? An article in the Ragan Report suggests that employee newsletters should focus on staff needs, not the agenda of organization executives. Chris Close of the firm Jones Lang LaSalle, told Ragan Report that “soft” content is important in addition to content that is strictly business. “We see the most success with content that meets the ‘what’s in it for me’ standard, as well as with content that is a unique story or drives a discussion on an issue that people are interested in,” Close said.

Tips for Success Story Ideas for Internal Newsletters Employee newsletters carry a variety of news stories and features. Here are some ideas for your newsletter or company magazine.

218  Chapter 12 person engagement. Avoid photos that focus on someone sitting behind a desk or speaking behind a podium. • ENGAGE READERS. One way to do this, the experts said, is to invite people to “weigh in” or “join the conversation.” Make these invitations front and center by including them in headlines. The goal is to prompt discussion among readers and between employees and management. • KEEP DRY BUSINESS CONTENT TO A MINIMUM. Because readers scan newsletter material, if they’re not drawn in by interesting and not overly technical content, they will blast right past it. • KEEP IT BRIEF. Employees won’t take time to read long stories and, even if they try, the nature of most workplaces is that they are full of interruptions. Once interrupted, an employee is unlikely to go back and finish an article unless it is remarkably compelling. • MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE. Package this content in an attractive, eye-appealing form. Strong design and layout techniques are discussed later.

12.6.2:  Article Headlines

Jakob Nielsen reported in a blog post that people spend, on average, 51 seconds reading a newsletter. Only 19 percent read the complete newsletter. About one-third of readers pay attention to the introduction of a newsletter. But there are techniques you can use to enhance reader attention: • Keep articles relatively short for maximum interest. If USA Today can summarize a world crisis in four paragraphs, you can cover the company picnic in the same amount of space. • Use headlines that are active and give information, not just labels such as “Company Picnic” or “New Vice President.” (Article headlines are further discussed in the next section.) Ragan Report quoted four internal communication experts who recommend the following rules for creating newsletters that employees will actually read. These rules apply not only to employee newsletters, but to newsletters generally: • STAY AWAY FROM BORING PHOTOS. Photos should show an active environment and some kind of person-to-

Writing good headlines takes practice. The headline is an important component of any story for two reasons: (1) it attracts a reader to the article and (2) it’s often the only thing they will read. According to Communication Briefs, 70 to 90 percent of readers look at headlines. Subheads attract 60 to 90 percent of the readers, and photos also rank high, with the same percentage. About 40 to 70 percent will read a lead paragraph, but only 5 to 10 percent of the potential readers read the text of a story. In today’s culture of information overload, headlines are the real verbal workhorses of effective communication. “The better the headline, the better your odds of beating the average and getting what you’ve written read by a larger percentage of people.” —Brian Clark, founder of Copy-blogger newsletter

There are several rules or guidelines for writing a good headline. Mark Ragan, in Ragan.com, writes “Headlines should answer the questions: Why should I care? Why should I spend my time reading this article? How have you, the writer, helped me do my job?” He lists five basic rules: • Use strong, active verbs. • Readers want to know “What’s in it for me?” so use that angle in the headline. • Avoid acronyms; they slow down the readers and tax their brains. • Use how-to headlines to help readers remember the key points. • When appropriate, speak to readers informally by using “we” or “you.”

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The major mistake headline writers make is using headlines that are labels and don’t say anything. Ragan gives the example of a headline from a major insurance company newsletter. It said, “Regional Structure and Focus Strengthened.” Ragan, after reading the story and finding out what was actually being said, changed the headline to: “How Restructuring Will Change Our Lives.” Here are several other revised headlines from Ragan’s story, with the rewritten headline shown in boldface type: UNICARE educates Kmart employees about insurance options How We Matter: Our lower premiums helped Kmart’s laid-off workers E-Learning providing benefits on several Xcel Energy fronts Online learning can cut your training time in half

Figure 12.5 gives some headlines from various newsletters and magazines.

You should also note that there are two styles of formatting. One format is known as downstyle because only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized, just as in a sentence. The more traditional style is to capitalize all major words in the headline. For example, “GM to Build Diesel Engines in Thailand.” In the downstyle format, this would be, “GM to build diesel engines in Thailand.” In general, article posts online use downstyle heads. When writing headlines that require two or more lines, you should avoid splitting ideas between lines. Here is one humorous example: Pastor Leaves for Good Friday Services at Prison

After writing a headline, it is always a good idea to review it for context, use of the correct word, and whether it conveys the right impression. Here are several somewhat humorous headlines found in the nation’s newspapers by the Columbia Journalism Review: • Professor’s death won’t interrupt classes

Figure 12.5  Most people read headlines, but rarely entire articles. Therefore, it is crucial for headlines to convey a key message. Here are some sample headlines from various publications. Notice that kicker heads and secondary headlines combine to give the essence of the story. They also are written in active, present tense.

• Bullying session to be rescheduled • Elderly Woman Found Using GPS • Man falls hard on first date but will recover • Girls’ schools still offering ‘something special’—Head • Harrisburg man killed when deer crashes his motorcycle • Police: Middletown Man Hides Crack in his Buttocks

Writing headlines requires that you know the width of the space allocated for each headline. In computer layout it is easy to set the margins and keystroke the headline you want. If it doesn’t fit the space allocated to it in your mock-up or layout, you can easily enlarge or reduce it until it fits. Selection of type fonts will be discussed shortly.

12.6.3:  Article Lead Sentences

Notice the variety of styles, the use of smaller explanatory heads, and the active voice. A secondary headline in smaller type, following the main headline, is often helpful to give a key point for just the headline reader. The secondary headline is also often used in news releases.

The most important element, after the headline, is the lead sentence or paragraph. All too often, the lead sentence or paragraph turns off readers by being vague, mundane, and a tired old cliché. Examples are “It’s spring—a time of renewal— when the snow melts and the flowers bloom,” or “A handful of member cooperatives are conducting public hearings that comply with provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2016.” Contrast these leads with leads found in the mainstream press, where they either arouse reader interest or state the essence of the story. A curiosity or human-interest lead from the New York Times about a trend in retail window dressing, for example, was “‘One size fits all’ no longer applies to mannequins.” Other stories require a straight news lead that tells readers the crux of the story without having to read much further. An example from The Wall Street Journal is “General Motors said it will invest $445

220  Chapter 12 million to build a diesel engine plant in Thailand and upgrade an existing assembly facility.” Jim Yisela, writing for Ragan.com, believes that leads should do one or more of the following: • GO FOR ONE SENTENCE. Move the reader into the next paragraph for more information.

Figure 12.6  The 12-page newsletter of Guide Dogs for the Blind is a quarterly publication mailed to donors, volunteers, and clients. Stories are short, and multiple color photos describe the organization’s activities and projects. The cover story in this issue was about a couple that donates their time to raise puppies that will eventually be placed as a companion for a blind person.

• KEEP IT SHORT. One- or two-word openings can have punch. • TELL A STORY. An anecdote can set a tone and draw in the reader. • TEASE THE READER. Pique the reader’s curiosity. • MAKE NEWS VIVID. Use strong verbs to provide information that matters.

WRITING PROMPT What is the difference in purpose between a headline and a lead sentence? What written elements are different? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

12.6.4:  Periodical Design More than one communications expert has pointed out that a publication’s design should reinforce the content and also reflect the organization’s personality. The idea is that content and design should work together to achieve a complete message. Consequently, periodicals have distinct “personalities” that reflect their organizations. Guide Dog News, the newsletter of Guide Dogs for the Blind, features stories about people and their guide dogs, naturally, but it also highlights donors, fundraising events, and reports about research into eye diseases. The color layout includes simple, sans serif headline and body type, and lots of large photographs. The publication projects the warmth and friendliness of a program that connects blind people and companion guide dogs. (See Figure 12.6.) In contrast, Merchant Connect, published by Wells Fargo Bank, is a colorful quarterly email newsletter with simple headlines, lots of white space—even between paragraphs of body copy—one photo per page, and color headlines. Merchant Connect is aimed at the commercial business clientele of the bank. The content includes jargon that is useful in the business and banking worlds, but it would hold little meaning or interest for lay readers. It thereby reflects the nature of the financial industry. Here are some tips on how to design a story as a complete “package” of text and images.

Tips for Success Story Packaging Tips Jim Ylisela, writing for The Ragan Report, offered the following ideas for putting together a story package.

12.6.5:  Periodical Format Newsletters are easy to produce, are cost-effective, and can reach any number of small, specialized audiences. Computer software such as Microsoft Word makes it possible for almost anyone to produce a simple newsletter with

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mastheads, a two- or three-column format, and clip art or scanned photos. In fact, Microsoft Office offers newsletter templates, as does Google Docs. Apple even has a business application for newsletter templates that can be downloaded from iTunes. The use of desktop publishing software such as Adobe Creative Suite will be discussed shortly. The most popular format for a print newsletter is ­letter-size, 8.5 by 11 inches. Organizations from large corporations to the local garden club use two- to four-page newsletters to reach employees, customers, and members. Although this format is workable, it has greater design limitations than the larger tabloid format, which is 11 by 17 inches. This format, often called a magapaper, allows a great deal of flexibility in design and can incorporate more graphic elements.

12.6.6:  Periodical Layout Layout is a plan showing the arrangement of the material in the publication—the size and location of such items as stories, regularly appearing columns, headlines, photographs, and artwork. There is no exact rule for any of these items. The most important stories, of course, should be placed on the front page. If a story is fairly long, it can be continued on a later page. This offers two advantages. First, you can give several stories visibility on the cover if you continue stories on other pages. Second, continuing a story on an inside page encourages the reader to go beyond the first page. Another rule of thumb is to place important stories on the inside right page of a publication because this is where people look first when they turn the page. Most periodicals have a layout that is somewhat standardized, so that each issue of the publication has the same look and feel. This is called a template. A template starts with the masthead, or the name of the publication. It is always in the same type font and has the same graphics. Other items that may remain the same in every issue are the location of the major story on the front page, boxes giving a list of stories inside the issue, or the placement of a standard column or update of late-breaking news items. The idea behind a template is that the readers rapidly learn where to find specific kinds of information in the publication. Readers of Time magazine, for example, know that the first pages are briefings from the week’s news and the section titled “Culture” appears at the end of the issue. Although the basic layout of a periodical should be the same from issue to issue, each issue will vary, depending on the length of the articles, the availability of good illustrations, and the relative importance of the stories. Keep the following ideas in mind as you do the layout for a newsletter or magazine:

• Use white space. Don’t think you need stories or illustrations covering every single part of the page. • Vary paragraph length. If your copy looks as dense and forbidding as the Great Wall of China, your readers will be intimidated. Make paragraphs seven lines long or less to create even more white space. • Break up longer stories with boldface subheads. • Create bulleted lists. Any sentence containing a sequence of three or more items is a good list candidate. Listing also frees up more white space. • Use only two or three typefaces, to give consistency to your periodical. The variety comes in using different type sizes, not a different type family. • Inside pages should balance one another. If you use a strong graphic on one page, you should balance it with a large headline or a graphic on the facing page. The Tips for Success summarizes these concepts and offers additional pointers.

Tips for Success How to Create Great Publications Newsletters and brochures should be designed to convey information in an attractive, uncluttered way. Here are some general guidelines.

222  Chapter 12 Microsoft Publisher or Apple Pages gives you increased capability to design newsletters, brochures, and banners using an extensive library of layout templates and clip art. Although desktop publishing has made it possible for public relations writers to do their own layouts and to prepare materials in a more attractive manner, experts caution that you need more than writing skills. You also need design and layout skills to come up with a layout that meets professional standards. As one public relations practitioner observed, “These skills are not necessarily found in a single person under normal circumstances.” Consequently, public relations writers often work closely with professional designers who are responsible for putting all the components of a publication together. Good communication and understanding between an editor or writer and the designer are important. The following are some tips when working with designers.

Tips for Success LAYOUT METHODS AND TOOLS   The traditional method of layout, which is still helpful in this digital age, is to work with a blank template and sketch out where stories, headlines, and artwork will be placed. This method helps you conceptualize the entire issue and how the various stories you have planned might be incorporated. This can be done with a sheet of paper and a pencil, or you can call up the template on the computer and sketch out the contents electronically. Desktop publishing is a term sometimes used for computer-assisted publication design. The term layout is really more accurate than publishing because software programs don’t “publish” anything; what they do is allow a person to develop electronic files that can be saved in PDF or another commonly accepted format and transmitted to a commercial printer. When these files are linked together they provide the text, artwork, photos, and design of your publication. Publishing software allows you to manipulate text and artwork in a number of ways. You can (1) draw an illustration and then reduce or enlarge it, (2) use different type fonts and sizes, (3) vary column widths, (4) shade or screen backgrounds, (5) add borders around copy, (6) import graphics and photos from other sources, and (7) print out camera-ready pages that can be photocopied or printed on an offset press. Several levels of publishing software are available. They range from the very basic level, Microsoft Word or Apple’s iWork word processing program templates, to Adobe’s Creative Suite or Creative Cloud (which include InDesign) at the more sophisticated end of the spectrum. In between,

How to Work with Graphic Designers Designer Jessie Ford says a graphic designer should be an integral member of the public relations team. She offered these tips in Ragan’s Daily Headlines: What seems “quick and easy” may not necessarily be so.

Focus on your communication objective and audience.

Communicate specific needs.

Keep copy edits to a minimum.

Talk the talk.

Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures  223 Ford writes, “Understanding and respecting what a designer does, the time and effort that goes into what they do, and speaking (just a little bit) of his or her language will result in a better quality end product, which will only make both of you happy.” Heather Burns, a communications consultant, gives several other suggestions for developing a good writer/designer relationship in an interview to Ragan.com:

scanner to import it into your computer. (Be certain not to violate copyright laws.) A better use of scanners is to import graphic designs commissioned by the organization.

• Include the designer at the beginning of the content development process, so there is an understanding of the entire production process and what kinds of stories are being planned.

Writing brochures, like producing newsletters and magazines, requires the coordination of several elements. These include message content, selection of type, graphics, layout, and design. It also requires working with designers and printers. Brochures are often called booklets, pamphlets, or leaflets, depending on their size and content. A pamphlet or booklet, for example, is characterized by a book-like format and multiple pages. An example is the corporate annual report, required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is discussed shortly. A leaflet, however, is often described as a single sheet of paper printed on both sides and folded into three panels. There are also handbills and flyers, which are printed on one side only and are often found on bulletin boards and a surprising number of utility poles. For the purposes of this section, however, the term brochure will be used. Brochures are used primarily to give basic information about an organization, a product, or a service. Organizations mail them or hand them out to potential customers, place them in information racks, hand them out at conferences, and generally distribute them to anyone who might be interested. Whenever an organization needs to explain something to a large number of people—be they employees, constituents, or customers—a brochure is the way to do it.

• Discuss the publication’s purpose, strategy, and target audience so the designer has a framework in which to work. • Write creative and interesting copy. Burns says, “If the writer gives the designer something fun to read, it’s a lot easier for the designer to design something fun to look at.” • Don’t confuse effective design with creative design. A design may be very creative from an artistic standpoint but not very effective if words get lost and readers can’t easily find the information they want.

12.6.7:  Photos and Illustrations All publications need strong graphic elements to attract a visual generation of readers. Photos must be tightly composed or cropped for impact, and a good photo should be used in as large a format as possible. A common criticism of organizational periodicals is that they use tiny photos awash in a sea of type. Another major complaint is dull and boring pictures. There are three types of photos that show up on a regular basis in club and business newsletters, but should be avoided as much as possible. • THE AWARD. This is the “grip and grin” photo of two people shaking hands, jointly holding a giant check, or holding a trophy or a plaque and smiling at the camera. • THE POLICE LINE-UP. Five or six people standing in a line and staring at the camera with their hands at their sides or even worse, using them as a fig leaf to cover their crotch. • PRETEND WORK. Two or more people looking intently at a computer or a machine, pretending they are actually using it as part of their work assignment. In general, the best order is photo, headline, and text. Never place a photo at the bottom of the story. Justin Allen, writing for Ragan.com, makes another suggestion: “For every photo of execs shaking hands at expensive dinners and parties, include three photos of ‘regular’ workers hard at work.” Computer-generated graphics and imported clip art are commonly used in periodicals. Clip art is available in Microsoft Office, on CDs, or through Google Images or other websites, such as iStockphoto. In addition, if you see something in another publication or book, you can use a

12.7: Brochures 12.7 Explain how and why brochures are printed

12.7.1:  Planning a Brochure The first step in planning a brochure is to determine its objective. Such items are always prepared to reach a specific audience and to accomplish a definite purpose, so the following questions should be asked: • Who are you trying to influence and why? Be as specific as possible in identifying who you must reach. • What do you want the piece to do? Be clear about the desired effect. Do you want to impress, entertain, sell, inform, or educate? • What kind of piece do you need to get your message across? Should it be a simple flyer, a pocket-sized brochure, a cheaply produced leaflet for widespread public distribution, or an expensive four-color brochure for only key customers or opinion leaders? Factors such as budget, number of copies needed, and distribution method must be considered. In addition, you

224  Chapter 12 should think about the method of printing. There are ­various levels of printing quality that you can use, depending on the answers to the above three questions. • BASIC. Flyers, simple business forms, and onecolor leaflets can be produced economically at copy centers in office supply stores or standalone ­locations such as  Kinko’s. The large, high-speed photocopying machines quickly produce large numbers of copies. • GOOD. Materials that have strong colors, photos, infographics, and other design elements need exact alignment or registration of graphic elements. A fullservice printing shop is best for the production of brochures and newsletters. • PREMIUM. Expensive, specialty paper and high-end graphic elements are used to produce invitations and other materials for prestige charitable fundraisers and corporate events. This also requires a full-service printer or publishing company.

12.7.2:  Brochure Format Before deciding on the format of print materials, get samples of items like those you want to produce. Note how they were done, and be guided by them. There are several basic formats, which have already been mentioned. The most basic brochure is six or eight panels, folded, which is illustrated in Figure 12.7.

Figure 12.7  These diagrams show how a single piece of paper, printed on both sides, can be folded into four, six, or eight panels (or pages). Each panel has its own number. The circled “1” is the cover, and the “2” is the reverse panel.

Brochures with multiple pages, however, need to be bound. The binding may be saddle-stitched, which means the pages are stapled together on the centerfold. Magazines such as Time, for example, are usually bound in this way. If the booklet is large, it may be stapled on the side (sidestitched) or spiral-bound. Another alternative is perfect binding, which is a glued binding with the brochure cover wrapped around the binding. Magazines such as Cosmopolitan are perfect bound. PREPARING A LAYOUT  The layout is the plan for the finished piece. It may be rough or comprehensive, but it must be accurate enough for the designer who assembles the parts to do exactly what you want. One approach is to make a dummy—a blank-paper mock-up of the finished product. It should be made of the paper to be used in the printed piece and should be the same size. If the piece is to be a booklet, the dummy should be stapled just as the finished booklet will be. If it is to be a brochure, the dummy should be folded the same way. A shortcut, of course, is to do just a computer-generated layout. With the dummy in hand, you can now plan where everything is to go. For a leaflet, the layout will be ­complete—it will indicate what is to go on each page. For a small booklet, the layout will also be complete, but if there are many pages, you will need to design only the cover and sample pages of the body. The layout also indicates both type and illustrations. Thus, a page layout might show various blocks of copy, headlines, and the location of illustrations for that page. For very simple jobs, you may make the layout yourself; however, most printers are able and willing to do this for you, especially on big jobs.

12.7.3:  Writing a Brochure Once you have a general idea of what format you will use to communicate with your audience, you need to think about how that format will shape your writing. If you decide that a simple flyer is needed, you will have to be concise. Flyers, for example, contain the basic five Ws and one H—and not much more because the type must be large and the space (usually 8.5 by 11-inches) is limited. However, a simple brochure that has three to six panels folded to a pocket-sized format (4 by 9 inches) or that will be mailed in a standard number 10 business envelope can contain more detailed information. Whatever the format, you should keep it in mind as you write copy. The most common mistake of novice public relations writers is to write more than the proposed format can accommodate. A second major mistake is to try to cram everything in by reducing type size or margins instead of editing, thus creating a mass of dense type that nobody wants to read. Indeed, the most difficult concept to learn is

Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures  225

that less is best. Copy should be short and should have plenty of white space around it. This means ample margins, space between major subsections, and room for graphics. The concepts of good writing are the same for brochures. Short, declarative sentences are better than compound sentences. Short paragraphs are better than long ones. Major points should be placed in bulleted lists or under subheads. If statistics are used, try to portray them as an infographic. It is always a good idea to pretest brochure copy on members of the target audience to be sure that it is understandable and that you have included all the necessary information. RESEARCHING BROCHURE CONTENT  Gathering information for use in a leaflet or brochure may involve anything from asking a few questions to conducting a major survey. In most cases, the needed information can be found within the organization. Keeping in mind the subject and purpose of the proposed publication, start by talking to the people in the organization who know the most about the subject. Tell them what you want to accomplish, and ask for information that will enable you to prepare a clear explanation of the subject. Often, all the information needed can be obtained from one source. A good way to decide what to include in a brochure is to put yourself in the position of a member of the prospective audience. Ask every question that this person might have about the subject. The answers can constitute sections of the publication. You can even use the questions as subheads. Many successful brochures consist entirely of Q&As.

a range of weights within these classes. Usually, the heavier the paper within a class, the more it costs. Thus a 100-pound cover is more expensive than a 50-pound cover. These weights are based on the actual weight of 500 sheets of that paper in the standard sheet size. For your purposes, you need only remember that heavier paper (the higher the number) is bulkier, stronger, and more expensive. The intended use will guide you in selecting the weight of paper. A simple one-page flyer might be printed on 20- or 24-pound bond, which is the typical weight used in office copy machines and letterhead. If you want it to be more substantial, you could use a 65-pound paper, which is more common for direct mail pieces or postcards. Brochures are usually printed on fairly substantial paper. This makes them look more impressive and last longer. You must consider, however, the total bulk of the item. Brochures on thick paper are more expensive to mail, and the paper doesn’t fold very well in a brochure that has several panels. There are seven types of paper, according to Media Distribution Services (MDS), that you are most likely to use:

PUTTING IT TOGETHER  Brochures vary so widely that

no general guide is applicable. Each has a different audience, a different purpose, and a different format. It is imperative, however, to use words that your readers will understand. If you have to explain a technical topic, check with the experts once you have put the explanation into everyday English to be sure you’ve got it right. For any but the briefest publications, you will also need to prepare an outline. This should cover all the main points to be included, and it should list the illustrations to be used. As you write and plan the layout of the publication, remember to include visual variety in your pages. Illustrations, blocks of copy, and headlines not only serve the direct purpose of communication but can also make the pages attractive and interesting. Some writers recommend preparing a complete layout before starting to write. Others prefer to develop the layout after the writing is finished. A practical compromise is to prepare a rough layout before writing and then revise it as the writing progresses.

12.7.4:  Brochure Paper The weight of the paper may range from very light (such as bond) to very heavy (such as cover stock). There is also

There are a number of variations on these basic types, and printers have entire shelves of paper samples from a wide range of manufacturers. Printers are experienced in what papers work best for various jobs, and you should ask them for their recommendations. Paper usually represents 35 to 50 percent of the printing cost for most jobs, so you should take care in selecting paper that is appropriate to your budget and needs. Another option is recycled paper. Increasingly, organizations are using such paper for newsletters, stationery, office forms, and brochures. In fact, one survey of public relations people indicated that 90 percent had selected recycled paper for printing documents. The main reason for selecting recycled paper was concern for

226  Chapter 12 the environment. A large percentage of respondents also thought that it benefited the organization’s image.

12.7.5:  Types of Fonts There are several ways in which to classify type, but the simplest is to organize the various faces into three groups: serif, sans serif, and decorative. • Serif types, such as Times Roman, Caslon, or Century Schoolbook, are the most readable because the serifs help guide the eye along the lines of type. • Sans serif types, such as Helvetica or Arial, are popular. Some of the earlier types in this group were hard to read in body copy but quite satisfactory in headlines. The newer designs seem to work well for text copy, too. • Decorative typefaces, such as Script and Old English, should be used with great care. They look elegant on certificates and invitations, but they should not be used for large blocks of text. Only use them when the importance of design exceeds that of legibility.

Figure 12.8  A selection of serif, sans serif, and decorative fonts. Many other fonts are included with Microsoft Word, Adobe Creative Suite, and other programs, but you can also buy a license to use a font from an online source such as Typekit or Fonts.com. Serif types

Sans serif types

Decorative typefaces

Times Roman

Helvetica

Script

Caslon

Arial

Old English

Times New Roman

Verdana

Brush Up

Century Schoolbook

Trade Gothic

Bauhaus 93

Georgia

Metros

Rosewood

Palatino

Museo Sans Rounded

Giddyup

FONT FAMILIES  Microsoft Word has a variety of type choices and variations. Among the possibilities are Times New Roman, Arial, Century Schoolbook, Bauhaus 93, Georgia, Verdana, Century Gothic, and Palatino. A large number of decorative typefaces are available that have shading, stripes, and ultramodern designs, and new typefaces are constantly being introduced. For example, in an article titled “Four Typography Trends for 2014,” Maryam Taheri wrote that handwritten fonts such as Brush Up and Goodfy would increase in popularity. Taheri also predicted an increase in the use of flat design type such as Metros, more mixing of type fonts, and use of bigger fonts. One note of caution: People often are so impressed with the variety of typestyles available that they try to use too many in a given publication. Novice enthusiasts tend to go overboard, and the result is a mishmash of conflicting styles that almost guarantees reader confusion.

PRINTERS’ MEASUREMENTS  The beauty of computer programs such as Microsoft Word is that they offer a variety of fonts that are scalable to any size. In computer layout, you can select one font family and size for the headline and another type and size for the body text. If a headline or text copy doesn’t quite fit the layout, a few clicks of the mouse will reduce it until it fits. Of course, you have to consider readability, which is discussed shortly. We are so used to just clicking on a type size such as 14, 16, 24, 36, etc., that some historical background is needed. Printers have always measured type size in points; long ago, the standard was 72 points to the inch. In other words, a 72-point headline is 1-inch high. A 36-point headline is ½-inch high. And, of course, copy set in 18-point type is ¼-inch high. Many printers still measure the length of a typeset line by picas. There are 6 picas to an inch, so a 24-pica line is 4 inches wide. Note, however, that many experts say column widths should be no more than 12 to 14 picas and no fewer than 8 picas. Picas are also used to measure the depth of a block of copy. Thus, a story that is 42 picas deep will measure 7 inches. Computer software has eliminated the need to be totally conversant in points and picas, but you should be familiar with the terms and what they mean when you are talking with a printer. READABILITY  Legibility is affected by the typeface. Times Roman is more legible than Old English. Readability is affected by the legibility of the type and by letter spacing, line spacing, the length of the lines, the color of paper and ink, the kind of paper, and the total amount of reading matter involved. A brochure could be effective with headlines in 18- or 24-point Times Roman, but using this size type for body text in a 16-page booklet would not work. The only purpose for printing anything is to get it read. Accordingly, any print material should be planned with readability in mind. Select a legible type and, if necessary, use letter spacing to spread headlines. Use line spacing to improve the readability of lowercase body copy. Keep the length of lines short enough that each can be read as one unit. As a general rule, try to use type no smaller than 10 point for text copy. If your target audience is over 50 years old, you should probably use 12-point, or even 14-point, type.

12.7.6:  Ink and Color Technological advances in printing now make it easy and economical to use color in all kinds of publications. The use of color, either by choosing colored paper or various inks, not only makes the publications more attractive, but studies also show that it improves reader comprehension and willingness to read the material.

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In many respects, color also conveys the image and values of the organization. If the organization is somewhat conservative and traditional, it’s best to stick with soft pastels and earth colors. Graphic Designer Mario Garcia, for example, used champagne and sky blue shades when he redesigned The Wall Street Journal. This approach also is more pleasing to an older and more traditional audience, which the newspaper serves. In contrast, USA Today, with a younger audience and considerable reliance on newsstand sales, uses a lot of bright colors throughout its pages to attract readers. “The color is the first thing people notice when a publication lands on their desk. People attach meaning to the publication based on the colors they see.” — Mario Garcia, graphic designer, to Public Relations Tactics

Cultural considerations also play into color choice, according to Bill Weger of Image One PR. He wrote in Public Relations Tactics to consider these issues when making color choices: 1. Is your communication local or global? 2. What is the culture of your audience? 3. What are the meanings of colors and symbols? 4. Are there positive or negative attitudes linked to certain colors? 5. Are you taking into consideration the needs of visually impaired audience members? Weger’s notes on the cultural impact or significance of different colors are shown in Table 12.1.

Table 12.1  The Meaning of Colors in Different Cultures Color

Cultural Meaning

Red

It means good luck in China. It communicates beauty in Russia.

Yellow

It represents courage or nobility in Japan.

Orange

It is considered regal in the Netherlands. In Hinduism it is sacred and auspicious.

Blue

It is linked to mourning in Mexico.

Green

It is the national color of Ireland.

White

It is a color of mourning in China and Japan.

Color can be used in photos, graphics, headlines, background screens (text boxes), and even body type. Black, however, is the most often used color for body text in newsletters, magazines, and brochures. There are two reasons for this. First, black provides the strongest and clearest contrast on white or pastel paper. In other words, black type is much easier to read than text in hot pink or another vivid color. Second, printers typically have presses set up for black ink, so the cost is less than that for using multiple colors.

With any ink, however, you must consider the color of the paper on which it will be printed. No color will read well against a dark-colored stock. Black ink on dark green paper, for example, makes the copy almost impossible to read and causes eye strain. Consequently, the best choice is white paper or something in a pastel or neutral shade. Listen to the advice of your designer and printer. They are much more knowledgeable about how inks and paper go together for maximum effectiveness and readability. A printer’s input is particularly important if you plan to use full-color photography.

12.7.7:  Finding a Printer A variety of printers and printing processes are found in every city. You should meet with several of them to discuss your particular needs and their capabilities. Look at samples of their work. Find out what various services cost. It is particularly important to find out what software publishing programs they use and what format is preferred for submission of copy and artwork. Most printed pieces are designed using programs in Adobe Creative Cloud, such as InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. The page layout program QuarkXPress is still used by a handful of designers today, but the Adobe products control the lion’s share of the market. Almost all commercial printers can print from high-resolution PDF files. Talk to your printer to make sure you are supplying the files needed to print your document successfully. Remember that printers want to help you, but you have to provide them the correct files. Don’t be afraid to ask question. All printing today is digital in that printing plates are made directly from computer files, but the term “digital printing” has another meaning, too. Some printers have invested in professional digital printers, which are more like photocopiers or laser printers than like traditional offset printing presses. Digital printing does not use printing plates. There is some loss of fine detail in digital printing, but for some projects the results are good enough. For example, consider digital printing if you need several versions or a relatively small number of printed pieces, such as a business card with different images or names. Digital printing costs more than offset printing per piece, but there is no set up cost in digital printing and the turn-around time is faster. You should get bids from several printers to get the most value for your money. In order to give you a cost estimate, printers will ask you to give them all the specifications of the publication you are planning. See the Tips for Success for a list of the “specs” that printers will need.

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Tips for Success How Much Will It Cost? Printers need detailed specifications before they can tell you how much your publication will cost.

WRITING PROMPT This is a writing course, but basic graphic design principles are introduced because it’s important for PR writers to understand them. What design principles do you need to develop familiarity with and why? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

12.8:  Annual Reports 12.8 Describe the utility and characteristics of annual reports for companies The most expensive and time-consuming publication prepared by an organization is the annual report. Although it is called a “report,” it really is a major brochure complete with photos, charts, text, and color that can run up to 100 pages. Much of the information in such a report is mandated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a way to ensure corporate accountability to shareholders. All this legal

and financial material, of course, is a fairly dry accounting of how the company did in a previous year, so corporate annual reports often use bar graphs, pie charts, and color to make the report readable and interesting to the average reader. Many companies also use the annual report as a marketing tool to build stockholder loyalty, attract new investors, recruit employees, recognize current employees, and even increase their customer base. As Bob Butter, president of Veritas Communications Advisors, told PRWeek, “The annual report is still a company’s most rounded corporate capability presentation.” If you work on an annual report, you’ll primarily be involved with the nonfinancial part. The report may consist largely of tables, but it is more interesting if it contains items such as a letter from the CEO or details about the products or services and the people who make or perform them. The report might also include information on new product innovations, expansion into new markets, and how the corporation is engaging in social responsibility and environmental matters. Another approach is what might be called “storytelling”: incorporating short features about employees and their work or customers who have benefited from the organization’s products and services. One of Johnson & Johnson’s annual reports, for example, humanized the company by linking products to researchers who developed them or to consumers who benefited from them. For its 2013 annual report, UPS set the tone for its narrative in the message to investors from the chairman and CEO D. Scott Davis. The theme “We’re just getting started” ran across the top of the page in bold type. Davis’ message then read, in part, “So while UPS has been helping connect businesses with their customers for more than 100 years, I believe we’re just getting started.” This theme also was reflected on the opening page of the annual report, which gave a visual preview of the details to come in the 136-page booklet. (To see how the financial success and operational highlights were presented in both numeric and visual form, use the Pressroom link on UPS.com to locate and view the report online.) Most annual reports are still prepared in print form and mailed to investors and stockholders, but printed reports are quickly being overshadowed by online PDFs and interactive versions of the same material. Traditionally, companies were required by the SEC to automatically mail the annual report to all stockholders, which may be several million for some corporations, such as GM. But in 2008, the SEC ruled that corporations are required to mail reports only to those stockholders who request one. The change in requirements was, in part, due to the widespread availability of the annual report on an organization’s website. REPORTING TO DIFFERENT PUBLICS  The readers of annual reports are of two sorts: the nonexpert individual and the sophisticated financial analyst. The amateur is

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interested mainly in the quality of the management, earnings, dividends, stock appreciation, and the outlook for the industry. The experts—who advise investors or manage large holdings—want much more information, which they feed into their computers. This difference in information needs presents the organization with a problem. A few hundred people want great masses of data, whereas thousands don’t want the details. A common solution is to design an annual report that gives the financial highlights in easy-to-read charts and graphs at the beginning of the report. This section is, in fact, often labeled “Financial Highlights.” Pfizer, a pharmaceutical firm, took this approach in its 2013 report. The corporation posted an interactive, magazine-style online report with high-end graphic design and a PDF outlining financial details on its website. The colorful online version offered only the very most basic information in a highly visual format. A dense, black-and-white SEC form 10-K version without illustrations provided all the elements required by analysts and regulators. Coca-Cola took a similar track, even referring to the 10-K version as the “annual report” and the visual highlights version as the “annual review.” Coca-Cola’s Annual Review was dominated by photographs and infographics in an interactive, animated HTML format.

12.8.1:  Planning and Writing Annual Reports An annual report usually covers every aspect of the organization. Consequently, every department head may want input, and each may have different ideas. The task of the public relations people involved is to coordinate, plan, consult, write, design, and produce the report. Tact, perseverance, and determination to get the job done are essential. In fact, Ragan Research notes that “The majority of editors, with the most crucial print document that their organizations put out, dread annual report time like the flu season.” Work on the report may start 6 months before the date of issue. A first step is to establish a budget. Glossy, fourcolor reports can be expensive, so it is important to know how many copies you will need. With a budget established, you can start planning the report. First, you should look at the last report; compare it with those of other organizations—especially those in the same industry; criticize it; think of ways to make it more informative, more understandable, and more useful. One useful tool is focus groups with analysts and stockholders to find out what they want to see in your upcoming annual report. When you have enough information, you can start consulting with key executives and establishing a theme for the report. Basically, the objective is to inform, but a theme makes the report more interesting and focused. Usually, it focuses on some aspect of the business that the

company wants to showcase that particular year. The theme of many corporate annual reports, after the Enron scandal and intense public scrutiny of executive misdoing, was corporate responsibility and accountability. Other examples of themes include the following: • “I fight, I thrive, I investigate, I collaborate, I bounce back, I own it, I contribute” (Pfizer, with an employee illustrating each of the “I” statements) • “Relentless Forward Motion” (General Motors) • “Milestones and Momentum” (Harley-Davidson) • “Reasons to Believe” (Coca-Cola)

When the theme is established, it is time to think of design—how the report will look, what will be included, how the various elements will be treated. Design, to a large degree, depends on what the corporation wants to communicate. If it wants to project an image of success and dominance in the marketplace, the report may be a dazzling display of glossy paper, color, and state-of-the-art graphics. However, if the company did not do so well the previous year, the presentation might be more low key, so stockholders don’t think the company is wasting money. Beth Haiken, vice president at the PMI Group, says it best in a PRWeek interview: “In a good year, more color, photos, or unique design features won’t seem out of place. In a bad year, lean and clean is best.”

12.8.2:  Trends in Content and Delivery Annual reports change with the times. They are considered the most important single document a public company can produce, so a great amount of attention is given to content, graphics, and overall design. The objective is to ensure that the annual report reflects corporate culture and external economic conditions. Several key themes in corporate annual reports are apparent: • CANDOR AND FRANKNESS. Global competition has caused the shrinkage of corporate profits and major dislocations in many industries. Consequently, many corporations are more candid in their annual reports. Johnson & Johnson, for example, once told annual report readers that the past year “. . . will be remembered as a year in which our company was severely tested on numerous fronts.” • CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. All corporations are under intense public scrutiny because of major scandals in financial reporting and executives receiving benefits in the millions of dollars. Consequently, many companies are being more transparent in their annual reports.

230  Chapter 12 • WEBSITES. As previously mentioned, most companies now make their annual reports, often with video excerpts from the annual meeting, available online. Digital versions of the annual report often focus on testimonies or input from employees and customers. One advantage of the online version is savings on postage and paper costs, but this doesn’t mean that the print version is going entirely out of fashion.

many organizations use recycled paper and soybased inks for annual reports. In addition, annual reports are becoming shorter, saving more trees. • CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR). The public now expects corporations to be good citizens and to make a contribution to society. Consequently, corporations now include a summary of their CSR activities in their annual reports or even take the step of producing another major brochure that exclusively focuses on CSR. • GLOBAL APPROACH. Corporations now have global operations, and the annual report functions as a capabilities brochure that markets a company on a worldwide scale. Some companies even translate parts of their annual report into several languages. The chairman’s letter in Nike’s annual report was translated into French, Spanish, and Chinese.

Figure 12.10 

• MORE EMPHASIS ON MARKETING. Today, the annual report is also used as a marketing tool to increase consumer loyalty and build the company’s image. General Motors, for example, featured a glossy color picture of its “World-Class Lineup” of automobiles in its annual report.

Some corporations produce both corporate social responsibility and sustainability reports. Coca-Cola because of its dependence on the natural resource of water for its products, produces a sustainability report to provide stories about how it is giving back to the communities in which it operates.

• READABILITY. Annual reports are becoming more magazine-like, with summary headlines, easy-tounderstand charts and graphs, simple question-andanswer sections, and more storytelling about employees, customers, and how the organization is making a contribution to a better world. This reflects the growing trend of distributing the annual report to a variety of publics—customers, current and prospective employees, suppliers, community opinion leaders, and others. • ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY. In an effort to portray themselves as environmentally conscious,

Summary: Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures

Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures  231

SHARED WRITING: INTRANETS, NEWSLETTERS, AND BROCHURES You have just been hired as the managing editor of a new monthly magazine for the local college. The audience for the magazine will be alumni, donors, community leaders, faculty, and staff. The college has budgeted for a print publication but is asking for your recommendation on whether an online format might be a better alternative. Based on the given information, which format would you suggest? Why? If you could ask only one question before recommending a format, what would it be? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

Post

0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 12 Quiz: Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures

Chapter 13

Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals Learning Objectives 13.1

Review five points to ensure that messages are effective and appropriate

13.5

Review the usage of business letters by organizations

13.2

Recognize the challenge posed by competing demands on public attention

13.6

Explain the use and content of proposals for managing public relations programs

13.3

Report the uses of email for organizations and characteristics of professional email

13.7

Report the basic sections of a typical public relations proposal for obtaining new business

13.4

Review the usage of memorandums in organizations

13.8

Review the purpose and tips for writing a position or briefing paper

13.1:  Developing Expertise in Business Communication 13.1 Review five points to ensure that messages are effective and appropriate Public relations personnel spend a large percentage of their working day engaging in interpersonal communications. They are constantly sending, receiving, and replying to email, texting, summarizing the results of client or management meetings, answering voicemail, sending memos to colleagues, writing proposals, and preparing position papers. All this takes organization, efficiency, and communication skills. This chapter will acquaint you with these nitty-gritty “chores” that a public relations writer must do on a daily basis. Composing, writing, and distributing an email or a memo isn’t rocket science or even very glamorous, but it’s amazing that many individuals have never been taught about formatting such material in a professional way. You will learn about effective subject heads for emails and the proper etiquette for sending them. In addition, you will learn how to compose succinct memos that are actually read, and how to write an effective business letter. Finally, you will learn how to develop a communication proposal as a means of generating work for an agency or achieving support from superiors.

232

The challenge of writing effective emails, memos, and letters is best expressed by Richard E. Neff, a consultant in Belgium, who writes in Communication World, “Writers waste too much time producing texts that waste even more time for readers.” The solution, he says, is to “write smart, simple, and short.” “When people write letters and reports that are clear enough and simple enough and accurate enough and short enough—the time it saves the reader is immense.” — Richard Neff in Communication World

To be sure that your messages are pertinent and wellreceived, consider the following:

Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals  233

Extreme Networks conducted a global survey and found that the average employee uses three to four types of messaging media each day. Email was dominant with 99 percent citing its use; 92 percent cited telephones; 87 percent cited text messaging; and others cited Skype and Facetime as up-and-coming communication channels in the workplace.

WRITING PROMPT What is information overload? How, if at all, do you experience and manage it? Do you contribute to the information overload of others? If so, how? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

13.3: Email These general guidelines are helpful in all communications, but in this chapter we will discuss the specific techniques of how to write emails, memos, letters, and proposals in an efficient and professional manner.

13.2:  The Challenge of Communication Overload 13.2 Recognize the challenge posed by competing demands on public attention Information overload is a fact of life in today’s world. We’re constantly bombarded with information on a daily basis. The contents of the traditional mass media are consumed by millions of people every day, and they are now supplemented by the blizzard of information on the Web. In fact, a business data firm, Domo, notes that for every minute of the day, • email users send 204 million messages, • YouTube users upload 72 hours of new video, • Facebook users share 2,460,000 pieces of content, and • Twitter users send 277,000 tweets. Public relations writers contribute substantially to the information clutter by communicating every day through email, social media, memos, letters, phone calls, and face-to-face communications. Networking company

13.3 Report the uses of email for organizations and characteristics of professional email Electronic mail (email) inboxes are getting filled at an astounding rate. In 2014, about 196 billion messages were sent to 2.9 billion email accounts each day – that’s 71 trillion messages each year. About 109 billion of those daily emails went to business accounts, according to research by the Radicati Group, a London-based market research firm. The research also showed that the average number of corporate emails sent and received per person on a daily basis was 121. In another study, it was found that individuals spend about 30 minutes daily reading email on their computers or smartphones. “72% of email users check their inboxes 6 or more times each day.” — Edifice Computing and Technology Solutions

By 2018, the volume of emails is expected to increase to 140 per person per day. It is not only the volume that’s a problem, but also the fact that senders want instant gratification via quick responses. A quarter of respondents in one study expected answers to their emails within an hour. A third expected a response within 2 hours. A dictum in public relations is that organizations should respond to customer emails within 24 hours. Monica Seely, author of “Brilliant Email,” told the Financial Times that companies are losing 20 days per person because of poor email management. Some of her recommendations for managing your email are provided in the Tips for Success.

234  Chapter 13

Tips for Success How to Manage Your Email 1. Allocate 10 to 15 minutes daily to organize your inbox. 2. Create folders for email categories. 3. After an email is 2 weeks old, it should go into an “old email” folder and eventually be discarded.

4. Don’t copy lots of people on your emails. The more copies you send out, the more replies you are inviting.

Experts say, however, that the growth in the number of emails organizations must deal with is slowing compared to a decade or so ago, in large part because of other technologies such as instant messaging and social networks. The Radicati Group notes that mobile instant messaging (IM) use has grown substantially in the business sector. “This is due to the fact that IM use in the workplace can be tightly monitored and controlled by IT and users are expected to use it much in the same way they use email,” according to the Radicati Group report. Despite the concerns of productivity experts like Seely and a rise in IM, email no doubt will continue to thrive because of its multiple advantages for cost-effective communication on a global scale. As a professional communicator, however, you need to recognize its limitations and to use it efficiently to get your message through the thick forest of information clutter. In many situations, you should bypass email by using instant or text messaging, Twitter, wikis, and RSS feeds.

13.3.1:  Email Purpose In the business world, email is primarily an informal memo system intended for quick communication. According to a survey of communicators in Fortune 500 corporations, email (1) reduces the cost of employee communications, (2) increases the distribution of messages to more employees, (3) flattens the corporate hierarchy, and (4) speeds decision making. Email has other advantages. It is a good way for public relations writers to send media advisories and news releases to the media, disseminate employee newsletters, and even visit with colleagues around the world. Email is also effective from the standpoint of (1) being available to colleagues, the media, and other publics; (2) distributing documents for reviewing or editing; and 3) distributing e-newsletters to people who sign up to receive such information through their email. Email has downsides, too. Technological failures can make emailed communications vulnerable to data loss, but the more pressing issue is that private conversations and

proprietary material can be exposed to the world by clever computer hackers. Email’s accessibility can be a disadvantage when one considers that a hard copy of a communication is shared directly between a sender and recipient. While hard copies can be stolen and disseminated, they are generally less vulnerable than electronic copies accessed by hackers or forwarded to the press by disgruntled employees. Lastly, emails can be perceived as emotionless and thereby open to inaccurate inference and interpretation. Email is not suitable for all person-to-person communications. At times, it is best to send a more formal letter on organizational stationery, as discussed in the Traditional Letters section. A job recommendation or a letter to an unhappy customer makes a better impression on paper than in an email message, which seems less official and permanent. Also, experts say that email should never be a substitute for face-to-face communication. More than two-thirds of the respondents in a Rogen International survey say that face-to-face communication is the preferred channel of communication for delivering important information. The study notes, “The good and the bad should be delivered face-to face: Seventy-one percent preferred good news to be delivered that way, as did 81 percent for bad news.” According to PR Reporter, Similarly, face-to-face should be used for discussing issues of workplace performance or personal confrontation. When it comes to job performance, employees need to be able to probe for answers and clarify responses, which are lost in email dialogue. For other discussions around potential conflicts or misunderstandings, face-toface is crucial because email messages can be misunderstood; readers can perceive angry tones, abrupt manners, and even humor incorrectly.

In other words, you should think of email as one of your communication tools—but not the only one. Email is a somewhat sterile, mechanistic form of interpersonal communication that can convey routine information very well, but you should also make the time to use the telephone and talk face-to-face with colleagues and clients. Organizations are also increasingly using wikis and other online collaboration and project management tools, such as Google Drive and shared calendars for group editing, scheduling, and overall logistics, rather than email.

13.3.2:  Email Content Both style and substance are important to effective email. Tim Berry, founder and president of Palo Alto Software, makes the point succinctly, “Even with the ‘e’ in front of it, it’s still mail. It is your business communication.” In other words, you can be somewhat informal in an email message, but that does not mean you can be sloppy about grammar, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure.

Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals  235

It also means that you need to think twice about writing something that would be embarrassing to you if the sender decided to forward it to others. “Although one can be quite informal in a personal conversation or even in a meeting, you never know where an email will end up. Make sure it represents you as you want to be seen. Every written communication should be flawless and represent your best work.” — Michael Hattersley, writing in Public Relations Tactics

The Tips for Success provides some general guidelines for writing and sending a professional, effective email.

Tips for Success How to Write a Professional Email Also keep in mind that no email message is secure or confidential. If you are using email at your place of work, be aware that management has the ability and legal right to read your email messages even if you erase them. More than one employee has been fired for posting messages that have included crude jokes about ethnic minorities and negative comments about supervisors. Newer kinds of surveillance software can log all your keystrokes even if you don’t send a message or if you erase that rant about your “stupid” boss. If you work for a government organization, email messages can be requested through the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA). Even your personal email can be accessed as evidence in a legal action. EMAIL ETIQUETTE  Everyone knows how to send an

email. All you have to do is sit down in front of the computer, connect to the Internet, and start typing. Right? Although this method may be all right for quick notes among friends, you should be aware that everyone is getting flooded with emails, and your missive is one of many that appear in an inbox. Consequently, it is important to know some techniques that can improve the readership of your email. It’s also necessary to be familiar with email etiquette among busy professionals.

Tips for Success Mind Your Email Manners Jocelyn K. Glei is editor-in-chief and director at 99U, a website devoted to delivering “the action-oriented insights that you didn’t get in school, highlighting real-world best practices for making ideas happen.” In a blog post, Glei addressed “Email Etiquette for the Super-Busy” with the following “action-oriented insights” and recommendations. • BREVITY MATTERS. Glei writes that email authors should aim to keep emails to one sentence whenever

236  Chapter 13 possible. For example, when working out simple logistics, clarifying a point, seeking confirmation or acknowledging receipt of information. • GET THE ASSIGNMENTS UP FRONT. Rather than opening with a summary of a meeting or a conversation, get right to the action steps. What do you expect from the reader or readers? • USE NUMBERS. If you have a series of questions or points to be made, break them out with numbers or bullets. • WHAT’S NEXT? Suggest a direction. Rather than “running something by” an executive, say what steps you would take. This limits the back and forth because preliminary next steps have been recommended. • DEADLINES ARE OUR FRIENDS. Most busy people welcome deadlines as a means of prioritizing their to-do list. • IDENTIFY NON-ACTION EMAILS. Glei says in their office they use “FYI” on emails that contain information but no action items. The label provides a quick winnowing mechanism. • GIVE A RESPONSE TIMEFRAME. If you can’t get a complete response back quickly, shoot back an email providing the timeframe in which you’ll reply—a day, a week, a month… • THANKS ARE UNNECESSARY. When endeavoring to de-clutter inboxes, eliminate the one-word “thanks” emails. Don’t view it as rude ingratitude. Glei writes, “At this juncture, we’re all probably more grateful for one less email.” • IT’S UNWISE TO SEND ANGRY EMAILS. If you have a bone to pick, do it in person or by phone. While writing an angry email may be therapeutic, it seldom does anything to solve a problem and can often escalate it. • DON’T “REPLY ALL.” If you are responding to an email that was sent to a group, respond only to the sender unless asked to do otherwise. He or she can forward it to the group if it’s perceived to be relevant.

If you need a decision or response, say so. The subject line, in this case, might say, “Your plans for attending Spring Concert?” or even “You’re invited to a Spring Concert on May 5.” When you provide context and more description, the recipient knows exactly what is being discussed or requested. A report by the Center for Media Research noted, “Though the research showed that, overall, shorter subject lines correlate with higher open rates and click rates, subject line word order, word choice, and brand and audience awareness are also critical success factors.” Brian Clark, founder of Copyblogger Media, suggests following a “Four U” approach to writing subject lines. Ask yourself: 1. Is the message Useful to the target reader? 2. Is the subject line Ultra-specific? 3. Is the message Unique? 4. Is the message Urgent? If so, does the subject line reflect that? SALUTATION  An email is somewhat informal, so it is

unnecessary to include the sender’s full name, title, organization, and address as you would in a business letter. It is also unnecessary to say, “Dear . . .” Just begin with the person’s first name. There is some debate, however, about using first names of people you haven’t met. Many people are put off by an email that assumes a familiarity that doesn’t exist. You need to exercise some judgment when choosing your greeting. If the email is business oriented, such as to a customer, you might use a more formal designation, such as “Hello, Ms. Smith.” You can also say “Dear Ms. Smith,” but that term doesn’t quite fit the format of an email, which is more like a memo. If the email is being distributed to a group, use an opener such as “Team” or “Colleagues.” FIRST SENTENCE OR OPENING PARAGRAPH  Get to

13.3.3:  Email Format Like a written letter, an email has specific parts. Five common elements in a business email are the subject line, salutation, opening, body, and closing. Each of these elements pose specific writing challenges. SUBJECT LINE  An email format, after the address, includes a subject line. This is the opportunity to say succinctly what the message is about. The growing reliance on mobile devices for accessing email only increases the importance of concise subject lines. Think of the subject line as a form of headline. If you are announcing an event, don’t just write something like “Spring Concert” as your subject. You have about 40 characters to give more detail. For example, you might say “Tickets Available for May 5 Concert.”

the “bottom line” right away, so the recipient knows immediately what the key message is and what you want him or her to do with it. Avoid starting email messages with such phrases as “I wanted to inform you . . . .” Some experts suggest starting and ending with references to “you” or “we”—“you requested,” “last time we talked,” “you need to know.” If you have action steps, communicate them early in the email. A busy reader may not make it to the bottom of your email. BODY OF MESSAGE  Think of an email as a memo, which is discussed in the next section. Most experts say the best email messages are short. How short? A good rule of thumb is one screen. That is about 20 to 25 lines, single-spaced. But one expert says to try to limit emails to a single line, especially if you’re addressing super busy executives. It is also recommended that there be no more than 65 characters per

Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals  237

line. Others recommend that you keep the length of lines even shorter because people can read material faster in a narrow column (left half of page) than as an entire screen of type. Many email programs will flow text based on the size of the window unless you specifically set margins. Ultimately, use your own good judgment when applying these “rules.” Their appropriateness may vary based on message, recipient, and situation. When appropriate, you can use boldfacing, underlining, and bullets to highlight key pieces of information as you would in a news release or a media advisory. The idea is to help the viewer scan the message for the important points. As previously noted, don’t use ALL CAPITAL letters, however. It is also a good idea to include other email addresses or websites, so a viewer can easily click on them to get more information.

schedule or cancel a meeting, remind, report, praise, caution, state a policy, or perform any other function that requires a written message. Many public relations firms require staff to write a memo whenever there is a client meeting, or even a telephone conversation because it creates a record and “paper trail” of what was discussed and what decisions were made. It should be noted, however, that hard copies of memos are often distributed even if they were sent via email. The reason is that people don’t always pay close attention to the multiple emails they receive, and they often overlook or unintentionally delete some before they are read. Consequently, many organizations continue to distribute and retain hard copies of their most important memos even if they are sent via email.

CLOSING  Sign off with a brief word such as “Regards,” “Best,” or even “Cheers.” You can also use the standard closing “Sincerely” if you’re so inclined. Include your name, title, organization, email, phone and fax numbers, and Twitter handle in a standard signature. This enables the recipient to contact you directly if he or she wants additional information. It is also a handy reference for the recipient.

The subject line, as in email messages, should state exactly what the memo is about. If it is about a meeting, the subject line should state: “Department meeting on Thursday at 3 p.m.” If it is a summary of decisions made at a meeting, you could use: “Decisions made at November 15 staff meeting.” The first sentence or paragraph of a memo should contain the key message that would be of most interest to the reader. All too often, first sentences don’t provide any meaningful information. Communication Briefings asked readers to choose the best opening statement for a memo. Which one of the choices below would you choose?

WRITING PROMPT This chapter provided a number of suggestions about how to write and format emails. Explain which guidelines you find most relevant and will incorporate into your future emails. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

13.4: Memorandums 13.4 Review the usage of memorandums in organizations A memorandum—memo for short—is a brief written message, usually a page or less in length, that is intended for internal distribution. In the past, it was photocopied and distributed to employees through the organization’s mail system. Today, the standard method of delivery is email for most routine memos. On occasion, however, memos are still distributed in hard copy if they contain important information about employee benefits, major changes in policy, or other kinds of information that an individual should retain for his or her records. PURPOSE  Like an email, a memo can serve almost any

communication purpose. It can ask for information, supply information, confirm a verbal exchange, ask for a meeting,

CONTENT  A memo should be specific and to the point.

1.

“Kevin Donaldson and I recommend that we cancel the Carstairs account.”

2.

“Kevin Donaldson and I met yesterday to discuss the Carstairs account.”

3.

“Kevin Donaldson and I recommend that we cancel the Carstairs account for these reasons.”

4.

“I’ve been asked to reply to your request for more information on the Carstairs account.”

5.

“You’ll be glad to know that we finally got the results on the Carstairs account.”

Both 1 and 3 are better than the other choices because they are specific about a course of action. Number 3 is the preferred choice because it includes “for these reasons”—a phrase that introduces an explanation. All the others are too vague and don’t give the reader much useful information. FORMAT  Every memo should contain five elements:

(1) date, (2) to, (3) from, (4) subject, and (5) message. This format should be used in email and hard copy memos. Here is an example of a simple memo: Monday, May 1 To:

Public Relations Committee

From:

Susan Parker

Subject:

Meeting on Monday, May 15

238  Chapter 13 We will meet in the conference room from 3 to 4 p.m. to discuss how to publicize and promote the company’s annual employee picnic. The president wants to encourage the families of all employees to attend, so please come prepared to offer your ideas and suggestions on how to promote attendance.

These recommendations are based on a paper format; email memos differ because the date, sender, and recipient are embedded in most email messages.

13.5:  Traditional Letters 13.5 Review the usage of business letters by organizations Many college students, used to the informality of email, have no idea how to compose a business letter. A business letter, actually printed on paper and sent via the postal service, requires a more systematic approach to writing and formatting a message. It is written primarily to individuals when a more “official” or formal response is required. Job applicants, for example, make a much better impression with prospective employers by sending a handwritten thank-you note instead of an email or text message thanking the employer for the interview. As Max Kalehoff, senior vice president of marketing for SocialCode, says, “If well-­written, a handwritten letter can deliver extraordinary impact.” Public relations professor Kevin Brett, however, argues in his “(Almost) Daily Brett Blog” that handwritten thankyou notes are passé at best, and ineffective at worst. He warns that a handwritten thank-you note sent by postal service runs the risk of being lost or overlooked or sending the hiring manager the message that you are out of date. Brett writes, “A professionally written, relatively concise email to the hiring manager can properly express your sentiments and reinforce your interest in the job. Sending a terse text… runs the risk of coming across as flippant and not doing the job.” He also notes the potential for sending a thank you via a medium such as LinkedIn. Whether you decide to send a handwritten note or one via email or LinkedIn, the key is to take the time to thoughtfully compose your message. As a public relations writer, you will write two kinds of letters. One is the single, personal letter to a specific individual. This is the most personal form of letter writing because a one-to-one dialogue is established between the sender and the recipient. A letter is perceived as more permanent than email and often serves as an official record of a dialogue involving employment, an issue about company policy, or even an answer to a consumer complaint. The second kind of letter is less personal because it is often a form letter about a specific situation sent to large numbers of people, such as stockholders, customers, or even residents of a city. These form letters might be considered

direct mail, but they go beyond the common description of direct mail as a form of advertising to announce a recall, sell goods or services, or even to solicit funds for a charitable organization. Form letters, often written by public relations staff and signed by the head of the organization, usually give background or an update on a situation affecting the organization and a particular public. A good example is a form letter sent to owners of GM vehicles to apologize for an ignition problem resulting in a major recall, and signed by the president of General Motors. The president reassured owners that the company was dedicated to fixing the problem and that ensuring the safety of its vehicles was a primary concern. A copy of the letter was also published as an ad in various publications. Whether you are writing a personalized letter or a form letter, the Tips for Success gives some general guidelines about their purpose, content, and format.

Tips for Success How to Write Effective Letters Efficiently A personal letter is a labor-intensive effort. Here are some ways to increase your efficiency and still keep the personal touch.

Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals  239

13.5.1:  Purpose of Traditional Letters A letter may be used to give information, to ask for information, to motivate, to answer complaints, to soothe or arouse, to warn, to admit, or to deny. In short, a letter can carry any sort of message that requires a written record. It is a substitute for personal conversation, although it is not as friendly as face-to-face conversation. It does have the advantage, however, of allowing the writer to get facts in order, develop a logical and persuasive approach, and phrase the message carefully to accomplish a specific purpose. Answering a complaint letter is a good example. The specific purpose is to satisfy the customer and retain his or her product loyalty. Although many organizations use standard form letters to answer customer complaints, a more personal approach that specifically deals with the complaint is usually more effective. This is not to say that every letter must be written from scratch. There are often key “boilerplate” sentences and paragraphs that can be used or modified that fit the situation. Most letters, for example, will include language (1) thanking the customer for writing, (2) apologizing for any inconvenience, and (3) explaining how the product will be replaced or providing a coupon for future purchases.

WRITING PROMPT What kinds of letters do public relations practitioners write? When would you use a traditional letter versus an email in a professional setting? Why? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

13.5.2:  Letter Content The most important part of any letter is the first paragraph. It should concisely state the purpose of the letter or tell the reader the “bottom line,” so the reader knows immediately the objective of the letter. Think of it as akin to a lead paragraph in a news release. From a writing perspective, a declarative statement is best. Instead of writing, “I am writing you to let you know that our company will be contacting you in the near future about your concerns regarding product reliability,” you can simply say, “A company representative will contact you about our product reliability.” The second and succeeding paragraphs can elaborate on the details and give relevant information. The final paragraph should summarize key details, or let the recipient know you will telephone if something needs to be resolved through conversation.

Writing a business letter requires clear thought and thorough editing to reduce wordiness. Every time you use the word “I” to start a thought, think about how to remove it. At the same time, take every opportunity to use the word “you” in a letter. It places the focus on the receiver and his or her needs instead of those of the sender. The tone of a letter is another important consideration. Readers don’t like to be scolded, chastised, or pacified. Try to write positive statements instead of negative ones. Instead of saying, “You didn’t follow up with the client,” it is better to say, “You need to improve your follow-up with the client.” If you are apologizing for something, say so. Don’t just say “I’m sorry…” Be specific in your apology.

13.5.3:  Letter Format As a general rule, letters should be written on standard business stationery. The letterhead should have the name, address, and telephone number of the organization. Additional information can include the sender’s email address and Twitter handle, and the organization’s website. Letters should always be word-processed. Usually they are single-spaced. Each paragraph should be indicated, either by indention or by a line space. One page is the preferred length. A two-page letter is acceptable but, if the letter runs longer than that, consider putting the material in another format, such as a brochure that is included with the letter. “If you can’t get your point across in one page, you probably haven’t done enough preparatory work.” — Communication Briefings

The date the letter was written should be at the top left on the letterhead. Next comes the full name, title, and complete address of the recipient. It is formatted in the same way as an address on an envelope. The next element is the salutation or greeting. The usual approach is to write “Dear Mr. —” or “Dear Ms. —.” You should not use a first name, such as “Dear Susan,” in a greeting unless the person already knows you. On occasion, you will need to write a letter to an organization on some routine matter and you won’t know the name of the recipient. This often occurs when you are requesting information or inquiring about a billing. In this instance, a good approach is to put your letter in the form of a memo. For example, a letter about a bill might be addressed, “To: Manager, Accounting Department.” The body of the letter should be about four or five paragraphs. It’s wise to use short sentences and keep every paragraph to about four or five sentences. One common problem for inexperienced writers is writing compound sentences that get quite convoluted and difficult to understand. Closing a letter is easy: You can write “Yours truly,” or “Sincerely.” Then leave a few lines for your signature, followed by your typed name. You can also add your

240  Chapter 13 direct phone line or email address, so the recipient can easily contact you. There is one more crucial step. Once you have the final draft, use a spelling and grammar checker to correct any errors. You also need to personally proofread your letter because a spell-checker program doesn’t catch wrong words that are spelled correctly. You may want to write “site” but write “cite” instead. Another common homophone error is replacing “there” for “their.” A computer spell-check won’t help you out in those instances. Sending a letter with obvious mistakes is sloppy and unprofessional. Many employers, for example, automatically discard any letter or résumé from a job applicant that has grammar or spelling errors.

13.6: Proposals 13.6 Explain the use and content of proposals for managing public relations programs Proposals are a management technique to pitch new services, programs, or policies. Any number of outside suppliers and vendors write proposals to provide goods and services to an organization. Non-profit organizations also regularly write grant proposals to foundations and other funding organizations. As a public relations writer, you should be familiar with how to organize and write a proposal for at least two purposes: 1. to present a new public relations initiative to management for approval, and 2. to help the organization or client get support or funds from other organizations or groups. Staff members at public relations firms are constantly writing proposals to get new business, and that particular area will be discussed in the next section.

13.6.1:  Purpose of Proposals The purpose of a proposal is to get something accomplished—to persuade management to approve and authorize some important action that will have a long-lasting effect on the organization or its people or generate new business. By putting the proposal in writing, you let the recipient know exactly what is proposed, what decisions are called for, and what the consequences may be. A verbal proposal may be tossed around, discussed briefly, and then discarded. In contrast, when the idea is in writing and presented formally, it forces management to make a decision. Before writing a proposal, author Randall Majors says you should ask yourself questions like these: • What is the purpose of the proposal? • Who will read the proposal?

• What are the pertinent interests and values of the readers? • What specific action can be taken on the basis of the proposal? • What situation or problem does the proposal address? • What is the history of the situation? • How much and what kinds of information will make the proposal persuasive? • What format is most effective for the proposal? • How formal in format, tone, and style should the proposal be?

13.6.2:  Proposal Content and Organization A proposal may be presented in a few pages or multiple pages, depending on the size of the organization and the scope of the proposal. Communication Briefings suggests that proposals are more compelling if the writer includes four major components: • SHOW A NEED. Tailor the opening to your readers’ needs. If you are seeking funds for a special event, for example, tell how such an event will enhance the organization’s reputation, improve employee morale, or increase customer loyalty. • SATISFY THE NEED. Suggest how the event would be organized to meet the needs of the audience and the organization. • SHOW BENEFITS. Stress how the event would improve employee morale, increase media coverage, or improve reputation among key publics. • CALL FOR ACTION. Ask for a decision. Be specific about the resources and budget that you require to execute the project. “Make sure your proposal answers these basic questions: ‘Why should my audience members care?’ and ‘What’s in it for them?’” — Communication Briefings

An informal proposal, one that is project oriented, might include the four components listed above in the following organizational structure: • INTRODUCTION. State the purpose of the proposal. • BODY. Provide background to the problem situation, criteria for a solution, the proposed solution, a schedule for implementation, personnel assignments, budget, and some background on the proposal’s authors. • CONCLUSION. Request approval or the signing of a contract. • TRANSMITTAL. Summarize (in a memo, letter, or foreword) why the proposal is being made.

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In a more formal proposal, these four areas may be extended as follows: • COVER PAGE. The title of the project, date of submission, and either the department or individuals making the submission. The cover page may also include an eye-catching image such as the organization’s logo. • TABLE OF CONTENTS. A list of all items in the proposal. • TABLES AND EXHIBITS. A list of illustrative elements and where they can be found. • SUMMARY. A condensation of the proposal, which gives readers the basic information and enables them to appraise the idea before they go on to the details. • INTRODUCTION. The scope, the approach, how information was obtained and evaluated, and limitations and problems to help the reader understand the idea and weigh its impact. • BODY. A complete, detailed statement of what is proposed. • RECOMMENDATION. A clear, concise statement of what is suggested and how it is to be implemented. • EXHIBITS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY. Items substantiating the statements in the proposal and assuring the readers that the proposal is based on thorough study of the problem or the opportunity. The Foundation Center says that typical fundraising proposals include (1) an executive summary, (2) a statement of need, (3) a project description, (4) a budget, (5) organization information, and (6) a conclusion.

large number of agencies. After that process is finished, typically two to four agencies are selected to complete a request for proposal, or RFP. In other cases, a potential client will issue an RFP and circulate it directly to several public relations firms. Trade publications such as PRWeek or Jack O’Dwyer’s Newsletter or even websites—including The RFP Database—regularly list RFPs. The Colorado Wine Industry Development Board provides an example of the RFP process. The board issued an RFP asking a PR firm to develop a 1-year campaign employing social media, public relations, media tours, events, and advertising. Colorado ranks 20th among U.S. states for wine production, and the board wanted to get that message out. The target audience was in-state and national wine consumers. The budget was $200,000. An RFP—especially those that come from government entities—may have quite specific requirements that bidding agencies must meet. A typical public relations proposal might include the following sections: 1. the background and capabilities of the firm 2. the client’s situation 3. goals and objectives of the proposed program 4. key messages 5. basic strategies and tactics 6. general timeline of activities 7. proposed budget 8. how success will be measured 9. a description of the team that will handle the account

WRITING PROMPT What is the importance of a written proposal in public relations? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

13.7:  Proposals by Public Relations Firms 13.7 Report the basic sections of a typical public relations proposal for obtaining new business Public relations firms usually get new business through the preparation of a proposal offering services to an organization. This process through which agencies vie for new business is often two-tiered. First a company looking for a public relations agency will examine the expertise of a

10. a summary of why the firm should be selected to implement the program Many organizations, before asking for an RFP, will narrow their list of possible providers by first issuing a request for information (RFI), also known as a request for credentials (RFC). This asks public relations firms to provide information about their capabilities, experience, and expertise. A public relations firm should respond to an RFI by giving the following types of information: (1) number of employees, (2) standing in the industry, (3) range of resources, (4) primary areas of expertise, (5) current clients, (6) examples of successful campaigns in the same field or industry, and (7) unique characteristics of the firm that differentiate it from other firms. When a public relations firm is asked to prepare a proposal for service, this will usually include going through the written proposal in a somewhat formal presentation to the client. The presentation enables the firm to project its enthusiasm for the project, make a persuasive case for its recommendations, and answer any concerns or questions.

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Figure 13.1 

Figure 13.2 

A proposal usually includes a somewhat formal presentation to management to enable a joint discussion of the ideas presented and answer any concerns or questions. The public relations and marketing team of the Belgrade (Serbia) Beer Fest are shown here making a presentation to the city council to get approval for their plans and budget.

Caribou Coffee locations include this kiosk at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

Figure 13.3  Bethenny Frankel, the founder of Skinnygirl, promotes her new line of wines at the Philadelphia Flower Show.

Seeking out and responding to RFPs is a common way PR agencies build their business. There are several moving parts and considerations to make when developing an RFP—both from the side of the prospective client who is floating the RFP and from the side of the agency who is making a proposal—as shown by the PR Casebook on RFPs from Skinnygirl Cocktails and Caribou Coffee.

WRITING PROMPT How does a proposal differ for a PR agency versus a corporate PR department? If you had to write a proposal in response to an RFP, how would you decide what to include? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

PR Casebook: The RFP Process with Caribou Coffee and Skinnygirl Cocktails Caribou Coffee is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It has about 500 company-owned coffee shops and many more owned by franchisees across the United States and abroad. Caribou prides itself on good deeds and great coffee. Skinnygirl Cocktails began as Skinnygirl Margarita and led to a “cocktail revolution” with their low-calorie, ready-toserve cocktails, as they say on their website. Bethenny Frankel, seen in Figure 13.3, started Skinnygirl, but then it was

acquired by Beam, the spirits company. Skinnygirl prides itself on being “a fresh, modern, new-school way for you to cocktail, socialize, and live your life,” according to its website.

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What Caribou and Skinnygirl had in common, beyond being beverage powerhouses, was the need for a new public relations agency. Each extended a request for proposal, or RFP. Each had specific needs. Caribou Coffee wanted help with media relations, event marketing, and consumer engagement, according to PRWeek. Skinnygirl wanted to grow its global footprint with the help of a PR program. Following the RFP, Skinnygirl Cocktails selected Coyne Public Relations as its agency of record. Caribou Coffee selected Exponent Public Relations. Skinnygirl Cocktails reportedly liked Coyne for its creativity. Caribou Coffee thought Exponent could help them use PR to drive sales. In each case, PRWeek reported that five agency staffers were assigned to their new client. Interestingly, when Caribou’s previous agency of record saw the RFP, they decided not to bid for the business. Their expertise didn’t align with Caribou’s evolving needs, they thought. And while Coyne won the Skinnygirl Cocktails contract, they reported that they would work closely with Skinnygirl’s other agency partners—an ad agency, media buying firm, social media company, and digital agency. As you can see, there are several moving parts and considerations to make when developing an RFP—both from the side of the prospective client who is floating the RFP and from the side of the agency who is making a proposal. But it’s a common way PR agencies build their business.

“A white paper is not—and should not be—an overt marketing vehicle for the company.” — Joel Postman, former EVP of Eastwick Communications

Indeed, the four reasons for writing and distributing a position or briefing paper are: 1. providing talking points when executives and public relations personnel talk to the media, 2. advancing an organization’s perspective on a trend or issue, 3. using the papers as a marketing tool to promote products and services, and 4. establishing the organization as a “thought leader” in the industry. Some tips for writing a position or briefing paper are listed in the Tips for Success below.

Tips for Success How to Write a Position or Briefing Paper • On a cover page, use a title that tells exactly what the paper is about.

13.8:  Briefing and Position Papers 13.8 Review the purpose and tips for writing a position or briefing paper Organizations, on occasion, prepare a report about an issue relating to the organization or the industry. Such reports are called white papers, briefing papers, or position statements and may be aimed at journalists, others in the industry, opinion leaders, or even consumers. IBM, for example, has issued several papers on the increased use of “Big Data” by business and industry and the growth of mobile communications, both areas of the company’s products and services. Public relations firms and vendors in the industry also issue a variety of background papers on various trends and issues in the field related to their services. Edelman Worldwide, for example, issued a background paper about the increased convergence of traditional and digital media as a way of promoting its services. Business Wire, a major distributor of news releases, issued “A Guide to Press Release Optimization.” Another example is Cision, which publishes media databases and provides monitoring services. It issued a paper titled “Staying Afloat in a Sea of Social Media: An Intelligent Approach to Managing and Monitoring Social Media.”

• Keep it short. A position paper should be five pages or less. If the paper is 10 pages or more, use a table of contents or an index. • Include an “executive summary” at the beginning of the paper, which is a succinct summary of the report’s findings or recommendations. It enables busy readers to rapidly understand the crux of the position paper. • Place any supporting materials or exhibits in an appendix at the end of the report. • Use subheads, boldface, or underlining throughout the paper to break up blocks of copy. • Use simple graphs, bar charts, and pie charts to present key statistical information. • Use pull-out quotes from key executives or experts to highlight key messages. • Be concise. Don’t use excessive words. Check for repetitious information. • Check for clarity. Is it clear what you want to say or communicate? • Avoid overt marketing and promotion for the organization’s services or products. • Give appropriate websites and other sources for readers who want more information on the topic. • Post the position paper on your website and make it printer friendly.

Summary: Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals

SHARED WRITING: WRITING EMAIL, MEMOS, AND PROPOSALS Date rape has become a major issue on college campuses across the country. The vice president of student affairs at your school has issued a RFP requesting proposals from student organizations regarding a program to increase awareness of 1) date rape prevention guidelines and 2) how to report violators on campus. Your PRSSA chapter has decided to respond to the RFP. What specific actions would you recommend in your proposal? Why? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

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0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 13 Quiz: Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals

Chapter 14

Giving Speeches and Presentations Learning Objectives 14.1

Recognize the importance of speechwriting and presentations in public relations

14.5

Express panels as an interactive form of communicating organizational messages

14.2

Describe the three broad components of effective speechwriting

14.6

14.3

Report the guidelines for giving an effective speech

Examine the need to develop and promote effective speakers as one of the key actionables of any organization

14.4

Recognize the importance of visual aids to enhance a speaker’s effectiveness

14.1:  The Challenge of Public Speaking Engagements 14.1 Recognize the importance of speechwriting and presentations in public relations Speakers and audiences are a fundamental part of human communication around the world. An executive of Ruder Finn, a public relations firm, once estimated that—in the United States alone—companies, organizations, and clubs convene more than a million meetings daily, all of them focusing on speakers in seemingly endless succession. Ted Sorensen, speechwriter for President John F. Kennedy, once explained the power of a speech: “The right speech on the right topic delivered by the right speaker in the right way at the right moment … can ignite a fire, change men’s minds, open their eyes, alter their votes, bring hope to their lives, and, in all these ways, change the world.” While most of us will not write speeches that “change the world” like Sorensen did, the power of the spoken word in public relations is nonetheless clear. Speechwriting and presentations are important tools in public relations to reach key publics on an interpersonal level. Such activities are being given even more emphasis today as organizations strive to enhance their reputations, build

brand awareness, convey a commitment to transparency, and portray responsibility to society. Michael Witkoski, writing in Public Relations Tactics, notes, “It’s easy to understand the demand for good speechwriting. More than ever, we recognize the importance of giving large organizations a human face, desirably a face that is trustworthy, competent, friendly, and coherent.” Online file-sharing service Dropbox, for example, wanted to maintain and expand trust for the site, so it arranged for its executives to speak at 14 top-tier industry events. During your career, you will be asked to write speeches for executives; prepare visual aids, such as PowerPoint or Prezi presentations; conduct speaker training; get executives on the agenda of important conferences; organize speaker’s bureaus; and publicize speeches. You might even give a few speeches and presentations yourself. This chapter will give you the basics of doing all of these activities.

WRITING PROMPT Do you have a favorite politician? If so, what makes her or him your favorite? What speaking characteristics contribute to your opinion? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

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14.2:  The Basics of Speechwriting 14.2 Describe the three broad components of effective speechwriting To write an effective speech, you must consider many of the same factors as when writing a message to be communicated or delivered via another method. The main considerations are as follows: • the author, • the speaker, • the goals and content of the speech, and • your ultimate objective, or what effect you want the speech to have on the audience.

• Attendees will have divergent familiarity with information technology, so the speech will need to reflect middleof-the-road language and illustrations. • English is the official language of the conference but the second language of most attendees. The speech must employ simple sentence structure and basic word choice. Colloquialisms, contractions, and U.S.-centric language should be avoided.

You also need to learn everything you can about the speaker, so you can write a speech that is natural and seems like it comes directly from the speaker. Listen to the speaker talk—to other groups, to subordinates, to you. See how his or her mind works, what word phrases are favored, and what kinds of opinions are expressed. In addition to listening, it is also a good idea to go over material that the client has written or material written by others that the client admires in terms of style and method of presentation. Sometimes the writer will know the speaker well, which makes the task of writing in the speaker’s voice a bit easier. Award-winning speechwriter Brenda Jones understood the style and personality of Congressman John Lewis as she prepared for him to deliver the keynote for the 60th anniversary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation: Because my boss is a trained minister, he likes to discuss philosophy . . . to prick an individual’s conscience and inspire them to do what is right.

14.2.2:  Defining Goals and Content

14.2.1:  Researching the Audience and Speaker If you are given a speechwriting assignment, the first step is to find out everything possible about the audience. Who? Where? When? How many people? What time of day? What’s the purpose of the meeting? The length of the speech? The purpose of the talk? Who are the other speakers on the program? To find answers to these questions, you should talk with the organizers of the event or meeting. Don’t accept vague answers; keep asking follow-up questions until you have a complete picture of who the audience is, what they expect to hear, and their probable background knowledge. A good example of defining the audience is when an EDS corporate executive was asked to give the keynote address about emerging information technologies for a meeting of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce of Latin America in Lima, Peru. Beth Pedison, executive speechwriter of EDS, analyzed the intended audience as follows: • There will be 400 Latin American and Caribbean business executives, government leaders, and Chamber of Commerce representatives.

“The executives I write for are busy. They speak often, they’re traveling and running a business—making sure that we have time to sit down with them and understand their point of view and what they’d like to accomplish is always a challenge.” — Pete Weissman, speechwriter, in The Strategist

Ideally, a writer should have lengthy conversations with the speaker before beginning to write a rough draft of the talk. In a conversational setting, you and the speaker should discuss the speech in terms of objective, approach, strategy, points to emphasize, scope, and facts or anecdotes the speaker would like to include. Admittedly, this isn’t always easy. Edelman SVP Tim Schellhardt warns in The Ragan Report, “Do not imagine that you will get to speak to that CEO at length, spend plenty of time capturing his or her voice perfectly or make the speech topic come so alive that the CEO basks in loud applause.” But Schellhardt does urge research into the audience and speaker so that a ghostwritten speech rings true. (Ghostwriting tips will be addressed shortly.) This is how Marie L. Lerch, director of public relations and communication for Booz Allen & Hamilton, described her work with the company’s chairman for a diversity awards speech to company employees: The central message, “Do the Right Thing,” has been Mr.  Stasior’s core theme throughout his tenure as

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c­ hairman. I worked with him to adapt that theme to the issue of diversity; researched quotes and other materials that would add color and emphasis to the message; and interviewed him to flesh out his ideas and words on the subject. With notes and research in hand, I developed a first draft of the speech, which Mr. Stasior and I revised together into its final form . . . .

Indeed, before you start writing a speech, you should have a thorough understanding of three aspects of the speech—the objective, the key message, and the strategy/ approach to the content. Know Your Objective  Knowing your objective is the most important requirement of all. There is no point in making a speech unless it accomplishes something. In preparing a speech, the first step is to determine what you want the audience to know or do. What attitude or opinion do you want the audience to have after listening to the speech? A speech may inform, persuade, activate, or celebrate. It may also amuse or entertain. That particular kind of speech will not be considered here, but this does not rule out the use of some humor in the other kinds of speeches.

Events such as grand openings, anniversaries, and retirements usually have friendly, receptive audiences. In such cases, you can be more emotional and get away with some platitudes, which will probably be warmly received. When you prepare such a speech, however, keep it brief. Five minutes should be ample because you are probably one of many speakers.

What is the speech supposed to accomplish? What facts, attitude, or opinion should the audience have when the speech is concluded? Is the objective to inform, persuade, activate, or commemorate? This is a start, but objectives are usually stated in more specific terms. When Doug McMillon, the President and CEO of Walmart, gave a major presentation to the company’s investors, the speech had three objectives: (1) outline Walmart’s growth strategy; (2) detail plans to invest in new capabilities to make the customer experience more appealing; and (3) show how Walmart is positioned to meet the needs of an ever-evolving customer base. Key Messages  Objectives provide the framework of a speech, but they must be supported by key messages that are emphasized throughout the speech. A speech can have only one key message, or it may have two or three. The major point is that people hear a speech and can remember only two or three points. Rob Biesenbach, writing in Public Relations Tactics, noted that Apple’s Steve Jobs was known for keeping his speeches to three points. “It’s the way our brains work,” Beisenbach wrote. “We can grasp only a handful of ideas at a time.” Consequently, as a speechwriter, you want to ensure that your audience remembers what you believe is most important in terms of organizational objectives. Focusing on key messages helps. Strategy  This can be described as the setting and tone of the speech. President Ronald Reagan was known to use a speech’s setting to help make his point. Perhaps the most famous example was in 1987 when Reagan was speaking in what was then West Berlin. The setting was in front of the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall, separating East (Communist) and West (Democratic) Berlin. In this setting Reagan urged Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to “Tear down this wall.” Historians often credit this speech with bringing an end to the Cold War. The tone of a speech, or the speaker’s viewpoint and attitude toward the topic, depends on the audience being addressed. A friendly audience may appreciate a one-sided talk, with no attempt to present another side of an issue. For example, a politician at a fundraising dinner of supporters does not bother to give the opposition’s views. Many speaking engagements, however, take place before neutral audiences (Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, and any number of other civic or professional organizations) where the audience may have mixed views or even a lack of knowledge about the topic. In this case, it’s wise to take a more objective approach and give an overview of the various viewpoints. The speech can still advocate a particular position, but the audience will appreciate the fact that you have included other points of view.

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President Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate

President Ronald Reagan addressed the Cold War during a 1987 speech in West Germany. Source: ITN Source

From the standpoint of persuasion, you also have more control over how the opposition view is expressed if you say it instead of waiting for an audience member to bring it up. By including an opposing viewpoint and acknowledging its validity, you can neutralize the audience’s opposition to your perspective. You can also choose how you frame the opposing point of view, and present it in a way that helps your own argument. Hostile or unfriendly audiences present the greatest challenge. They are already predisposed against what you say, and they tend to reject anything that does not reinforce their opinions. There’s an old saying, “Don’t confuse me with the facts—my mind is already made up.” The best approach is to find some common ground with the audience. This technique lets the audience know that the speaker shares or at least understands some of their concerns. The next PR Casebook demonstrates how one speechwriter distilled multiple objectives into three key messages.

WRITING PROMPT Imagine you are writing a speech for the president of your university student government to give to a group of university alumni. How would you decide what the president should say? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

PR Casebook: A Systematic Approach to Speechwriting Writing a speech for someone requires the writer to understand the intended audience, the objectives of the speech, and the key messages that must be delivered. Melissa Brown, a freelance speechwriter in St. Joseph, Michigan, compiled the following outline in consultation with her client. THE ASSIGNMENT: Write a speech for the president of the Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA) on the topic, “The Changing Challenges Facing the Food Industry.” THE AUDIENCE: The International Food and Lifestyles Media Conference, Cincinnati. SPEECH OBJECTIVES: • Give food writers useful, research-based information on the lifestyles of American consumers, thus positioning GMA as a good source of statistics/­information. • Neutralize misinformation presented by opponents of biotechnologically developed food products, ­presenting the industry’s side of the story and exposing the lack of credentials of a major voice in the opposition. • Provide information on the good work the industry has accomplished in addressing environmental issues, particularly packaging and solid waste.

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• Demonstrate to GMA board that GMA is speaking out on the issues that affect their businesses. • Frame the arguments other food industry spokespeople can use in other opportunities, within their companies and with the press.

KEY MESSAGES: • The profile and purchasing habits of the American consumer have changed significantly. • We enjoy the safest and most abundant food supply in the world, despite what you hear from a small but vocal group of opponents. • The grocery industry has surpassed government regulations and everyone’s expectations in the rapid progress made on environmental issues.

14.2.3:  Writing the Speech Writing the speech is a multistep process involving a finely honed outline and several drafts. Outline  After gathering the material you need, you must prepare an outline. The outline for a speech has three main parts: the opening, the body, and the closing.

can remember. A vague generality has little or no chance of being understood, let alone remembered. The speech must be built around specific ideas phrased in clear and memorable language. A vague statement—for example, “We ought to do something about gun control”—has no chance of being effective. If it was more specific—“We should ban all handguns and make it an offense to be in possession of one”—it would offer the audience an idea that is definite and understandable. In most cases, the person who is asked to speak is perceived as an expert on a given subject. Consequently, the audience wants the benefit of that person’s thinking and analysis. Listeners don’t want platitudes or statements that are self-evident. An economist should offer more than the flat statement that the economy is in trouble; he or she should explain why it is in trouble and what the solution might be. In short, you should not introduce a problem without also introducing a solution. Additional guidelines to help you develop and flesh out the outline of a speech are listed in the Tips for Success below.

Tips for Success Keep Your Audience in Mind People are more receptive to messages that clearly relate to them. Here are some tips to help you ensure that audiences feel the speaker is talking to them rather than at them, about something they value.

The opening is the part of the speech that must get the audience’s attention, establish empathy, and signpost to the conclusion. In the opening, it is wise to tell the audience what the topic is, why it is important to them, and the direction you plan to take in addressing it. The body of the speech presents the evidence that leads to the conclusion. The outline should list all the key points. In this section, you will use quotes from experts in the field, facts and figures, and examples that drive home your point. The conclusion summarizes the evidence, pointing out what it means to the audience. The outline should be submitted to the speaker, and, once it has been approved, you can go on to the next step. Give Specifics  People remember only a small part of

what they hear. As you outline the key points of a speech, you must therefore make sure that they hear things they

250  Chapter 14 Word Selection  Remember, a speaker talks to listeners, not at them. Your choice of words can either electrify an audience or put it to sleep. Biesenbach says a speech is a special communication medium because the speaker is live, in 3-D. In person, it’s easier to convey emotion and feed off the audience’s energy. “All of that is vastly different from what you can accomplish in a memo, an online chat, or even a Skype session or Google Hangout,” Biesenbach wrote. With all these advantages there’s still the issue, as someone once said, that “The best idea in the world isn’t worth a damn if it cannot be expressed well.” The Tips for Success provides some guidelines to help with wording when you write the final version of a speech.

Tips for Success Wording a Speech How messages are phrased can influence the audience’s receptiveness to both the information and the speaker. The following tips can help you to word speeches in a way that increases their effectiveness.

WRITING PROMPT Why is word choice in speechwriting important? What are some word choice rules you would apply when writing a speech? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit Drafts of a Speech  After developing an outline, the

next step is to write a rough draft for the speaker. Keep in mind the time constraints on the speech. If the speech is supposed to be about 20 minutes, your draft should be about 2,500 words—or 10 pages, double-spaced. It takes about 2 minutes to read a page to an audience, so a 10-minute talk would only be about five double-spaced pages. The speaker should use this draft to add new thoughts, cross out copy that doesn’t seem to fit, and rewrite sentences to reflect his or her vocabulary and speaking style. Remember, the speech should reflect the speaker ’s thoughts and personality. Don’t feel rejected if the first, second, or even third draft comes back in tatters. It is only through this process that the speech becomes a natural expression of the speaker’s personality. For Reagan’s “tear down this wall” speech,

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the president was making changes to the speech in the limousine on the way to the event. In fact, it was in the limo that he decided to leave the famous phrase in the speech, despite pleas from the U.S. State Department to leave it out because it was too strong, too controversial. The give and take between speechwriter and speaker is the ideal process. The most successful speakers take the time to work with their speechwriters. Unfortunately, too many executives fail to understand this simple concept. The Tips for Success suggests some ways to focus speech content and keep it focused throughout revisions.

Tips for Success Ways to Manage Speech Content Speechwriter Rob Biesenbach offers readers of Public Relations Tactics some suggestions for focusing speech content.

14.3:  The Basics of Giving a Speech 14.3 Report the guidelines for giving an effective speech Writing a speech focuses almost exclusively on content. Giving a speech is all about delivery. You can have a wonderful script, but the words are enriched and become more powerful in the hands of an excellent speaker. Speechwriter Pete Weissman, writing in The Strategist, says the four key elements of any public speaking equation are audience,

message, media, and the speaker. Consequently, it is important to know some techniques for giving an effective speech. In addition, you will occasionally be asked to be an emcee or to introduce a speaker at a meeting or gathering. This is also a speech, which requires thought and preparation in order to be as brief as possible. A good introduction, for example, should be between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. The Tips for Success provides some guidelines for introducing a speaker.

Tips for Success How to Introduce a Speaker Introducing a speaker serves two primary purposes, according to Mitchell Friedman, a San Francisco public relations counselor and speech trainer. “First,” he says, “it functions as a transition from one part of the program to another. Second, your introduction offers valuable cues to the audience as far as what they should expect from the speaker and the topic.”

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14.3.1:  Coaching Speakers In addition to writing the speech, there may be a need for coaching. Whether the speech is memorized, partially read, or read entirely, it should be rehearsed enough times for the speaker to become familiar with it and to permit improvements in its delivery. Tone of voice, emphasis given to certain words or phrases, pauses, gestures, speed—all are important. Even the best speakers rehearse their speeches. Nancy Duarte, CEO of presentation and speaker training firm Duarte, has been called one of today’s greatest speakers. In preparing for one of her TED talks, Duarte spent 18 hours rehearsing. She said less experienced speakers might need more practice. Some speakers prefer to have certain phrases underlined and to have detailed cues in the script, such as “pause,” “look at audience,” and “pound on lectern.” Others don’t want such cues. It is purely a matter of individual preference. Format is also a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer double-spacing; others want triple-spacing. A few like to have the speech typed entirely in capital letters, but most prefer the normal upper- and lowercase format that is used to present most material that is to be read aloud. Some speakers like to have capital letters used in the words that are to be stressed. All of these formats are acceptable. You simply need to know and adapt to your speaker’s preferences. The speaker should be sufficiently familiar with the note cards or prepared text to be able to edit the speech down on short notice. Such advance thinking is particularly important for a speaker at a luncheon meeting. All too often, the meal is served late or the group takes an excessive amount of time discussing internal matters or making general announcements, leaving the speaker far less time than originally planned. The same thing can happen at an evening banquet. The awards ceremony takes longer than expected, and the speaker is introduced at 9:15 p.m., 3 hours after everyone has sat down to dinner. In this instance, the greatest applause is for the person who realizes the hour and makes a 5-minute speech.

14.3.2:  Structuring the Message for the Ear Typically a speaker has only one chance to get a speech right—the few minutes during which the speaker is presenting it. There is no chance to go back, no time to let it slowly digest, no opportunity for clarification. The message must get across now or never. You may be an accomplished writer, but you must realize that speaking is something else again. Speechwriter and language expert William Safire once wrote that he

never used the word “pith” in a speech. He explained, “It sounds like a vulgar word being spoken with a lisp.” American trial lawyer and raconteur Louis Nizer summarized how public speaking differs from writing as follows: “The words may be the same, but the grammar, rhetoric, and phrasing are different. It is a different mode of expression—a different language.” — Attorney Louis Nizer

One major difference is that you have to build up to a major point and prepare the audience for what is coming. The lead of a written story attempts to say everything in about 15 to 25 words right at the beginning. If a speaker used the same form, most of the audience probably wouldn’t hear it. When a speaker begins to talk, the audience is still settling down—so the first few words are often devoted to setting the stage: thanking the host, making a humorous comment, or saying how nice it is to be there. You should also be aware that people’s minds wander. As your speech progresses, you must restate basic points and summarize your general message. David Kusnet, former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton, enlists a platitude of the speaking circuit to make his point on Ragan.com: “You need to follow the old rule: ‘Tell ’em what you’re going to tell ’em; then tell ’em; then tell ’em what you told ’em.’” In this way, an audience is given a series of guideposts as they listen to the talk. Some concepts used by writers are, of course, transferable to speaking. The words you use should be clear, concise, short, and definite. Use words that specify, explain, and paint pictures for the audience. In addition, avoid delivering a speech in a monotone voice. That puts audiences to sleep.

14.3.3:  Tailoring Remarks to the Audience Because every speech is aimed at a specific audience, you must know as much as possible about yours. Who are they? Such factors as age, occupation, gender, religion, race, education, intelligence, vocabulary, residence, interests, attitudes, group memberships, knowledge, politics, and income may bear on what they will find interesting. But you must also keep in mind that, in today’s 24/7 Internet world, a speech may travel beyond its present audience. Professional speechwriter Pete Weismann put it this way in The Strategist: Another challenge is the number of audiences that will hear a speech. It’s not just the 300 or 400 people in a ballroom at a New York hotel. It’s basically everyone with an Internet connection. So, the speaker and the speechwriter need to think about how that message will be perceived from Beijing to Bombay. The barriers around an audience no longer exist. You have to be mindful of how your message will be perceived by other cultures and perspectives.

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Of course, it remains key to prepare for your primary audience while keeping unintended audiences in mind. A talk before a professional group can also end up being more relevant if you prepare for it by doing some audience analysis and basic research. Talk to members of the profession. Get an idea of the issues or problems they face. If you don’t know anyone in the profession, at least read five or six issues of the group’s professional journal or visit its website. This will give you some insight and perhaps even provide you with some quotations from leaders in the field. In summary, most audiences have a core of common interests; this should help you prepare a speech that will appeal to them. A talk to the stockholders of a corporation should be considerably different from one to employees or to a consumer group. See the Tips for Success in the Writing the Speech section for more tips on tailoring your message for the audience.

Tips for Success Timing Your Speech The popular TED conference series has accustomed audiences to 18- to 20-minute presentations of “ideas worth spreading.” But in the era of TED talks, is there an ideal speech length? Research by Maureen Murphy at the University of North Texas suggests that 20 minutes is an ideal length for a presentation. Here are some considerations based on Murphy’s research:

14.3.4:  Keeping Speeches Timely and Short Regardless of the nature and the objective of a speech, it must be interesting now. It must include up-to-date facts and information; don’t talk about a situation that is no longer current or has no immediate interest for the audience. If the topic is an old one, it is imperative that you talk about it in a new way. For example, everyone knows that dinosaurs are extinct, but their demise retains current interest as scientists argue over the reasons for it. If the speech is one of several in a general program, it is wise to learn what others will be talking about. This will provide a context for your talk and add interest by reference to the other topics and speakers. It will also help you avoid saying the same thing as other speakers. Another dimension of timeliness is the length of the speech. In general, shorter is better. For a luncheon meeting, the talk should be about 20 minutes long. As previously mentioned, this is about 10 pages, double-spaced. It is a typical practice in many organizations to put the speaker on after a half-hour of organizational announcements and committee reports. The time of day is very important. A morning speech generally finds the audience most alert and receptive. At the end of the afternoon, with the cocktail hour only minutes away, a speaker is at an extreme disadvantage. The latter situation calls for more skill on the part of the speaker; he or she must be more enthusiastic, more forceful, and more attention-getting than his or her morning counterpart. The guidelines generally refer to run-of-the-mill luncheon and dinner meetings. If you are giving a major speech at a conference, you often have 30 to 60 minutes to present.

14.3.5:  Gestures and Eye Contact Gestures, posture, and eye contact can make or break a speech. One classic study by Dr. Albert Mehrabian in the 1960s found that 93 percent of all communication occurs not through words, but through vocal and nonverbal performance, such as gestures, posture, and attire. In other words, gestures play a major role in establishing credibility. Gestures should agree with the vocal message to be effective. If you are making a major point, you might raise your hand for emphasis. Other experts say that you can “reach out” to an audience by extending your arms outward with the palms up. See the photo of President Barack Obama (Figure 14.1) for an example of how a successful speaker uses gestures. Nervous gestures, however, are distracting to the audience. Don’t play with your hair, fiddle with a pen, fondle your necklace or tie, or keep moving your leg or foot. Remember your facial expression; smile at the audience, express interest and attention instead of boredom. Audiences pick up on nonverbal cues and assess the speaker accordingly. Posture is also a gesture. Speakers should stand straight up, leaning slightly forward. Don’t hunch over the podium; it conveys a lack of passion for the subject and implies that you are not completely certain of what you are saying.

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Figure 14.1  The art of public speaking requires the speaker to be animated, enthusiastic, and use gestures to make an important point. Here, President Barack Obama illustrates the effectiveness of combining powerful words and actions.

WRITING PROMPT Nonverbal communication may be at least as important as the verbal content of a speech. What role does nonverbal communication play and how would you try to manage it? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

Eye contact is crucial. Don’t read a speech with your eyes glued to the lectern or keep looking at the screen behind you with your PowerPoint slide. It is important to look up at the audience and establish eye contact. Experts recommend that you look at specific people in the audience to keep you from superficially gazing over the heads of the audience. Eye contact, according to research studies, is the major factor that establishes a speaker’s rapport and credibility with an audience.

Tips for Success Nonverbal Communication Speaks Volumes Just as you learned in elementary school, actions speak at least as loud as, if not louder than, words. A speaker doesn’t communicate to an audience with voice alone. The audience also receives a great deal of nonverbal communication from the speaker.

14.4:  Visual Aids for Presentations 14.4 Recognize the importance of visual aids to enhance a speaker’s effectiveness The chapter so far has focused on the techniques of writing and giving a speech or presentation. We now turn our attention to the use of visual aids to enhance and improve the speaker’s effectiveness. First, it is commonly recognized that visual aids can enhance learning, productivity, and message absorption. Consider the following findings: • Sight accounts for 83 percent of what we learn. • When a visual is combined with a voice, retention increases by 50 percent. • Color increases a viewer’s tendency to act on the information by 26 percent. • Use of video increases retention by 50 percent and accelerates buying decisions by 72 percent. • The time required to present a concept can be reduced by up to 40 percent with visuals. Research at the Wharton School of Business also shows the benefits of visual aids. Studies found that audience members perceived presenters who used visuals as more effective than those who did not. In addition, almost twothirds of those who were shown visuals were able to make a decision right after the presentation. Using visuals also cut meeting time by 24 percent. This is not to say that every speech or presentation requires a visual aid. In many cases, such as a banquet or a formal meeting, the speaker uses no visual aids. Nor does the president of the United States need them when presenting

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the annual State of the Union Address to Congress. More often than not, however, most of us find ourselves giving presentations to a variety of audiences who need visual aids to keep their attention as well as to increase their retention of the information. It is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each visual aid technique to determine what will be the most effective in a given situation. Indeed, visual aids are planned for a specific situation and audience. If you are giving a workshop or seminar where the objective is to inform and educate an audience, a PowerPoint presentation may be the best approach. If, however, you are conducting a brainstorming session where audience interactivity is the objective, perhaps an easel with a blank pad of paper to record ideas is the only visual aid required.

Figure 14.2  IBM used infographics in this PowerPoint slide to communicate the attitudes of Information Technologists in Africa.

14.4.1: PowerPoint Microsoft launched the leading presentation software PowerPoint more than 25 years ago. Now it has an estimated 95 percent of the presentation software market. Despite its ubiquity, or perhaps because of it, PowerPoint is derided. “Death by PowerPoint” is a critique that has become common in board (or “bored”) rooms. ­“PowerPoint—despite being as dull as a stack of phone directories, as relentless as a headache, and as pious as a preacher—has still managed to become the primary mould into which presentations are now ’poured,’” wrote Daphne Gray-Grant in The Ragan Report. Today PowerPoint has been installed on 1 billion computers. Microsoft estimates there are about 500 million ­PowerPoint users in the world, and about 30 million presentations are given every day. In fact, about 1 million presentations are going on somewhere in the world as you are reading this. You won’t be surprised that an estimated 6 million teachers worldwide use PowerPoint for classroom ­lectures. Such a robust market has generated some imitators. Despite its detractors, communication blogger Shel Holtz argues that PowerPoint’s darker image simply means “people need to be taught the right and wrong uses of PowerPoint.” In short, PowerPoint and similar presentation programs are useful tools as long as they’re used correctly. Most users like PowerPoint because it allows you to make relatively attractive slides of information by simply following the directions and using any number of available templates. By clicking on a variety of options, an individual can write the title and body text in a variety of fonts, select background and text colors, add photos and clip art, and even do multicolored charts and graphs. Experienced users may also add sound clips, animation, and video files to their slide presentations. Infographics are often used as PowerPoint slides. A good example is the chart from IBM about its African operations that was part of a PowerPoint presentation (see Figure 14.2).

Composing and Formatting PowerPoints 

Whichever medium you use to share your presentation, there are some rules about the composition of a PowerPoint slide that you should keep in mind. One key rule is not to make your slide too detailed or cluttered with too much clip art or fancy borders. Another

256  Chapter 14 common mistake is to include too much copy. Peter Nolan, writing in Public Relations Tactics, says, “The last thing any presenter wants is to have the audience reading a heavy text slide rather than paying attention to what is being said. Presentation slides should support the speaker with a few key words or easily understood graphics.” A good antidote to Nolan’s concern is the four-by-four rule: Use no more than four bullets, and no more than four or five words for each bullet. Some experts advise that there should be no more than 10 lines of copy on a slide; others say no more than 20 words. Still others, such as Seth Godin, suggest no more than 6 words. (See the Tips for Success for additional recommendations from Godin.)

Tips for Success Avoiding Bad PowerPoint Presentations Seth Godin, in his e-book “Really Bad PowerPoint (and how to avoid it),” takes an aggressive approach to PowerPoint rules. Here are his five rules “to create amazing PowerPoint presentations.”

consideration. PowerPoint has hundreds of colors available in its palette, but that doesn’t mean you have to use all of them. Multiple colors for the background and the text only distract the audience and give the impression of an incoherent presentation. It also leads to a common complaint about PowerPoint presentations—people spend too much time focusing on how the slides look and not enough time focusing on the message and messenger. In other words, keep it simple. You should use clear, bold fonts for colors that contrast with the background. As for background, dark blues convey a corporate feel, greens work well when feedback is desired, and reds motivate the audience to action. Yellows and purples are not recommended for most business presentations. In general, black is the best color for text, but remember the contrast rule. Black type on a dark blue or red background won’t be readable. Other experts simply recommend that you use earth tones and middle-range colors for a slide’s background so there is maximum contrast between the color of the text (black or another dark color) and the background. Several examples of basic PowerPoint layouts and the effective use of color are shown in Figure 14.3.

Figure 14.3  PowerPoint slides are the workhorse of the speech and presentation circuit. Here are three slides that illustrate recommendations for slide content and design.

This is not to say that every slide should look like the previous one; that gets boring. Transitional slides, from one topic or major point to another, may only consist of one or two words or perhaps an image. In general, remember the motto about text—less is better. Some experts recommend photos; they are more interesting and emotive than standard clip art. A standard rule is a minimum of 24- to 28-point type for all words. Anything smaller will be difficult to see from the back of the room. Also, be aware that you should have at least a 2-inch margin around any copy. PowerPoint has text boxes, which help the amateur format the right amount of space around the text. Color is also an important

Creating Effective PowerPoints  Ethos3, a pres-

entation design firm, gives some additional tips for those who have mastered the basic elements of a PowerPoint: • Choose a font that is easy-to-see on a projector screen. A 3-inch letter is readable from 30 feet. • Use sans serif typeface for text. Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri are the easiest to read.

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• To open hyperlinks without moving the cursor in front of the audience, press Tab to your link, then enter. • PowerPoint 2010 edition and later can make a video file of your presentation. Click file, Save, and Send, the Create a Video.

zooming technologies such as Prezi provide a real alternative to slide-based presentations. Other presentation tools are identified in the Tips for Success.

• Embed music by selecting your song, using Insert on the slide, and then the Fading tool to adjust the volume.

Tips for Success

• Review your slides for consistency by previewing the thumbnail versions within the Slide Sorter view.

Presentation Tools Beyond PowerPoint

• Print handouts of slides in Print Preview. Select Print, What, then select Handout Layout for 3 slides per page. • For business presentations, stick to the minimal PowerPoint animations: Appear, Fade, Wipe, and Zoom.

Blogger Sharon Hurley Hall, writing in The Ragan Report, provided a list of free tools to enhance your presentations. Because these tools are in constant flux, some may no longer be available while others may be newly available.

• Align your copy left or right for easier readability. Art Samansky, president of a public affairs consultancy, makes another comment about the use of PowerPoint in presentations. His advice: “Slides, like a magician’s wand, are only a prop. You are the act. If you are merely reciting the material on the slides, you might as well email your audience a copy and save all precious time and travel expenses.” Put another way, don’t read your slides to the audience. When Dave Paradi of Think Outside the Slide asked survey respondents what annoyed them most about presentations, 74 percent said presenters who read from the slides. Slides should only provide a track or outline of key points you want to elaborate upon to the audience.

14.4.2: Prezi While PowerPoint is the unassailable king of presentation software, there are alternatives that are growing in popularity, such as Prezi and Keynote. Unlike PowerPoint and its slide-based model, Prezi is a zooming presentation technology. Prezi presentations, or Prezis, are nonlinear “concept maps” that can be navigated in any order. PowerPoint slideshows are linear: one slide must follow another. Like PowerPoint slides, Prezis can be created and downloaded on a medium such as a flash drive and loaded onto a computer, or they can be stored and played directly from Prezi.com if a room has Internet access. Prezi was founded in Budapest in April 2009 and moved to San Francisco in November 2009. One technology blogger wrote, “For PowerPoint haters, Prezi surely offers hope . . . . Prezi differs radically from PowerPoint in that it requires an alternative mental model: Information is displayed in a nonlinear fashion.” Critics and fans alike note that Prezi is more difficult to use than PowerPoint because you begin with a “blank canvas” rather than slide templates, and its zooming nature can lead overzealous adopters to almost give audience members vertigo. While adoption is comparatively modest, for design savvy presenters who want to stand out from the crowd,

WRITING PROMPT Do you think visual aids matter in public speaking? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

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14.5:  Being a Good Panelist 14.5 Express panels as an interactive form of communicating organizational messages A speech is controlled by the speaker. He or she knows what is going to be said. The subject matter is complete and well organized. The speech has been well rehearsed, and the speaker has polished his or her remarks to give a solo performance without interruption. The environment changes, however, when the speaker participates in activities such as panels and media interviews. Here someone else is directing the action, and a speaker’s comments can’t always be scripted in advance. Even so, these opportunities are valuable aids to public communication and should be used whenever possible.

giving long-winded answers. Furthermore, such behavior has the tendency to alienate audience members. The key to a good panel, however, is an effective moderator. He or she must control the panel by policing the time that a person takes to give an opening statement, politely cutting off or redirecting rambling answers to a single question, and making sure all panelists have an equal opportunity to express their views.

14.6:  Speaker Training and Placement 14.6 Examine the need to develop and promote effective speakers as one of the key actionables of any organization Giving talks and speeches is an important part of an organization’s outreach to its key publics. A talk by an executive or an employee is a highly personal form of communication and adds a human dimension to any organization. It’s a form of face-to-face communication, and it offers the chance for interaction between the speaker and the audience. Speech giving should be an integral part of an organization’s overall public relations program. Indeed, public relations personnel are often involved in training speakers and seeking appropriate forums where key publics can be reached.

14.5.1: Panels Panels are good vehicles for getting audience involvement, and they are a standard feature at most conventions. A panel usually consists of a moderator and several people, each of whom makes a brief opening statement 5 to 7 minutes in length. The rest of the time is spent on answering questions from the audience. The moderator may solicit audience questions in several ways. One common method, if the audience is relatively small, is simply to recognize people who stand up and ask a question. In larger audiences, a portable microphone may be brought to the audience member so everyone can hear the question. Other methods include having the audience submit questions on distributed forms, on the host’s website, or via Twitter. The moderator then goes through the written questions and tries to select those that would be of most interest to the audience. Individual panelists are asked to respond to or comment on questions, or the question may be addressed to the entire panel. In either case, it is your responsibility as a panelist to give a short answer (1 minute or less) so that other panelists will also have an opportunity to comment. It is unfair for any panelist to monopolize the forum by

14.6.1:  Executive Training Today, the public is demanding more open disclosure and accountability from organizations, which are forcing many executives to take the speaker’s platform and become company spokespersons. PR Reporter, in one survey of executives, found that more than half spend 10 hours or more each month meeting with outside groups. In addition, the majority average 20 speeches a year, about two-thirds spend

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time on press conferences, and another third appear on TV. A study by global PR agency Burson-Marsteller found that CEOs of large companies are asked to speak to external audiences more than three times a week, on average. As a consequence, more executives are taking courses designed to improve their public speaking skills. The rush into speech training for executives has created a major boom for consultants who train employees at all levels to represent their firms in public forums or media interviews. Because the costs of such training sessions often run into thousands of dollars, however, organizations with limited budgets may not be able to afford them. Therefore, the public relations department is often given the responsibility of training executives in giving speeches and media interviews. Speech training can be divided into two parts: what to say and how to say it. Public relations personnel are most effective at helping crystallize messages. Both you and the speaker should review the context of the speech from the standpoint of location, expected audience, and what information would be interesting to them. Another consideration is what you want to say that will advance organizational objectives—to position the organization or industry as a leader, to plant the perception that the organization is successful, or maybe to show that the organization is environmentally conscious and a good community citizen. All speeches should have one to three key messages. In regard to delivering these messages, video recordings are often made to help an executive see how he or she comes across giving a speech. Video is a powerful educational tool that almost always has more impact than telling a person how to give an effective speech. There are entire courses and many textbooks on how to give a speech. The ideal speaker is one who knows about the subject, whose voice and appearance will make a good impression, and who is comfortable standing in front of an audience. Public relations manager Charlene Jacobs, writing in Public Relations Tactics, offered the following tips on training spokespersons for interviews.

14.6.2:  Speaker’s Bureaus Top executives aren’t the only ones who give speeches. Many organizations effectively use technical experts, middle managers, and even rank-and-file employees on a systematic basis to extend the organization’s outreach to potential customers, the industry, and the community. Steve Markman, head of a conference and management firm, makes the case in an article for Public Relations Tactics. He writes: Companies need to expose their expertise and technologies to prospective customers and clients. What is a proven method of accomplishing this objective? Speaking at public forums produced by other organizations—at conferences, seminars, and forums held by independent event organizations, associations, professional and industry trade groups, and academic institutions and think tanks. There is much evidence that speaking at public forums often results in the attainment of business, by providing increased awareness of the company in general and specific subjects in particular, to an audience of potential customers or clients.

In every organization, there are individuals who are capable of giving speeches and presentations. In many cases, it is part of their job description. Members of the technical staff, for example, are often asked by professional groups to share their research or talk about the development of a particular product. In other situations, a community group may want a general talk about how the company is dealing with a sluggish economy. One way of systematically organizing a company’s outreach is to set up a speaker’s bureau, which is typically located in public relations or corporate communications. This is more than just a list of employees who are willing to speak. It is also a center that trains speakers; produces supporting audiovisual aids; and even develops key messages about the organization, product, or service that should be included in any presentation. Ideally, a speaker’s bureau will have a list of employees who are expert on a variety of subjects. A person in finance may be an expert on worker’s compensation, and an engineer in product development may have expertise with lasers. Markman warns, however, that a speech or presentation to a group should avoid being a “sales pitch.” He says, “A

260  Chapter 14 ­ resentation that turns out to be a sales pitch will ensure low p evaluations by the audience and a one-way ticket home . . . .”

14.6.3:  Placing Speakers Once executives and employees have been trained, your job is finding opportunities for them to speak. An organization usually publicizes the availability of speakers by preparing a simple pamphlet or brochure and sending it to various clubs and organizations in the community that regularly use speakers. The public relations department regularly fields calls from organizations that need speakers on select topics. Once a speaker has been booked, the public relations professional usually handles all the logistical details. He or she briefs the speaker on (1) the size and composition of the audience, (2) the location, (3) availability of audiovisual equipment, (4) the projected length of the presentation, (5) directions to the meeting, and (6) primary organizational contacts. The placement of the organization’s top executives, however, tends to be more strategic than placement of other employee speakers. Top executives often get more requests for speeches than they can ever fulfill, so the problem is selecting a few of the most promising invitations that are extended. The criteria, at this point, become somewhat pragmatic and cold-hearted. Public relations staff is charged with screening the invitations on the basis of such factors as the venue, the nature of the group, the size of the audience, and whether the audience is an important public to the organization. If most or all of these factors are positive, the executive will generally consent to give a speech. Sample Screening Criteria

before prestigious audiences that can help establish the executive as the spokesperson for the industry. In this situation, you contact the desired organization to offer the services of a speaker on a particular topic. One of the most difficult jobs in any club is that of program director, and most welcome any suggestions that make their lives easier. Burson-Marsteller recently compiled the 10 top-valued podiums for CEOs. The top five corporate conferences, in descending order, are sponsored by The World Economic Forum, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, and the World Business Forum.

14.6.4:  Publicity Opportunities The number of people a speech or a presentation reaches can be substantially increased through publicity. Before the Event  Whenever anyone from your

organization speaks in public, you should notify the appropriate media in advance. This often takes the form of a media advisory, which is essentially an alert of the time, place, and substance of an event. An advisory is simply a short note that gives the speaker’s name and title, the speech title, and details about time and place. In a brief sentence or two, describe why the speech is important and of interest to the medium’s audience. If it is available and it is a major policy speech, you can also send an advance copy of the speech to selected reporters. Make sure the editors or journalists realize they should not report the speech until after it is given. This request to the media is called an “embargo,” and it is often invoked in the case of an important speech being delivered at a specific time. If the speech is a major event, you will also make arrangements with a vendor to do a live webcast of the speech, so reporters and others not attending the event can view it in “real time.” You may also make arrangements for the speech to be video recorded. Reporters attending the speech should be seated near the podium, and arrangements should be made for accommodating photographers and television camera technicians. Reporters should also be provided with a media kit that gives the background of the organization and the speaker and a copy of the speech. After the Event  After a speech is given, you must

prepare news releases about what was said so that the speech can be reported in appropriate publications. Video clips must be sent to television stations via the Internet or satellite, and radio stations must receive audio clips.

At other times, public relations managers are proactive in seeking placement opportunities. If the CEO wants to become a leader in the industry, for example, the public relations staff actively seeks out speech opportunities

Repurposing a Speech  The audience reach of a speech is multiplied many times when a news release is distributed that summarizes the speaker’s key message. A speech news release follows many of the same structural guidelines as a standard news release, but there are some specific concepts that you should keep in mind.

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The Tips for Success offers guidelines for converting a speech into a news release.

Tips for Success The Speech as News Release “The key to writing stories about speeches is to summarize the speech or to present one or two key points in the lead sentence,” says Douglas Starr, a professor emeritus of journalism and public relations at Texas A&M University. In an article for Public Relations Tactics, Starr says a speech news release should follow a particular format.

A speech also can be shortened and excerpted as a possible op-ed article in newspapers or trade publications. Reprints, or excerpts of the speech, also can be posted on the organization’s websites or sent through an organization’s intranet to employees. An example is the keynote address that AMD president Hector Ruiz gave at Comdex, a major trade show for the high-technology industry. This was a major platform for AMD and Ruiz to establish leadership in the industry, so the company spent considerable time and effort to ensure that the speech got wide coverage and distribution. The company arranged for a webcast at the time of the speech, but it also placed the speech on the AMD website for later viewing. The webpage also included a photo of Ruiz giving the speech and a short summary of the key points. In addition, there were links to “Read a transcript of the keynote address” and “Read what they’re saying,” which displayed press comments on the speech. If a speech is particularly important, it can be printed as a brochure and mailed to selected opinion leaders. You can also ask a member of the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate to insert the speech into the Congressional Record.

Summary: Giving Speeches and Presentations

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Shared Writing: Giving Speeches and Presentations Think about a recent speech or lecture you heard. What was the subject of the presentation? Was it appropriate for a college audience? Why or why not? Describe the presenter’s body language and how it affected the presentation either positively or negatively. Could the speech have been improved? If so, how? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

Post

0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 14 Quiz: Giving Speeches and Presentations

Chapter 15

Organizing Meetings and Events Learning Objectives 15.1

Recognize that meetings and events are important public relations tools

15.2

Express guidelines for holding effective staff or committee meetings

15.3

Describe the different components of planning and conducting group meetings

15.8a Examine the planning for promotional

Describe banquets and key things to keep in mind while arranging them

15.8b Analyze the role that celebrities play

15.5

Review major considerations for receptions and cocktail parties

15.9

15.6

Report the purpose of holding conventions and key logistics for planning

15.4

15.1:  A World Filled with Meetings and Events 15.1 Recognize that meetings and events are important public relations tools It’s been estimated that more than 25 million workplace meetings are held every day in the United States, and that doesn’t even include the millions of other daily events such as banquets, cocktail parties, receptions, and professional seminars that bring people together. Meetings and events are vital public relations tools because they bring people together face-to-face, in real time. In this era of virtual communication and information overload, there is still a basic human need to gather, socialize, and be part of a group activity. Individuals attending a meeting or event use all five of their senses—hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste—so they become more emotionally involved in the process. Marketing and public relations professionals, for example, often use events to foster more brand awareness and loyalty. Meetings and events come in all shapes and sizes. A committee meeting of a civic club or an office staff may only include

15.7a Describe trade shows 15.7b Examine booths, pressrooms, and media

relations as the three main aspects of participating in trade shows events in promotional activities Describe open houses and plant tours and their logistics

four or five people. Corporate seminars may be for 50 to 250 people. At the other end of the scale is a trade show, such as the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which attracts 130,000 attendees over a 3-day period. Promotional events to launch a new product or to increase brand awareness of a current product or service are also done on a frequent basis. Riesling & Co., for example, promoted the wines of Germany by putting a wine bar on wheels and hosted a series of tastings and consumer dinners from Florida to New York. “Events deliver face time between consumers and brands. They also introduce consumers to new products.” —Yung Moon, associate publisher of Self magazine, as reported in PRWeek

However, effective meetings and events don’t just happen. Detailed planning and logistics are essential to ensure that defined objectives are achieved, whether you’re organizing a committee meeting or a national conference. This chapter discusses various types of meetings and events that require attention to detail and good communication skills. You will learn how to organize productive staff meetings, plan banquets for hundreds of attendees, keep people sober and happy at a cocktail party, handle the logistics of a convention, entice the media to visit your booth at a trade show,

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264  Chapter 15 ­ andle celebrity appearances at a promotional event, and calh culate the number of portable potties needed for a community-wide open house. Cost is always a major consideration in the planning of any event, and this chapter also provides guidelines on how to do cost estimates and prepare a budget. Public relations personnel are often involved in the planning and execution of meetings and events as part of a program or campaign, but many individuals primarily work as professional event planners. The Tips for Success gives an insight to working in the wonderful world of event planning.

Tips for Success Profile of an Event Planner Many students, particularly women, perceive event planning as a somewhat fun and even a glamorous career. Unfortunately the perception often doesn’t match reality. Some occupation studies, for example, have ranked event coordinator as one of the top five most stressful jobs, just below being in the military.

15.2:  Staff and Committee Meetings 15.2 Express guidelines for holding effective staff or committee meetings Staff and committee meetings are part of any organization, from the local garden club to the multinational corporation. Indeed, through such meetings, employees or group members have a chance to express their views and participate in decision making. There are two major complaints about meetings: They are time consuming, and they are often ineffective. Fuze, a video conferencing supplier, compiled data from a variety of sources and found that 15 percent of an organization’s collective time was spent in unproductive meetings, and the annual cost of such meetings in the United States was $37 billion annually. It was also estimated that middle managers spent 35 percent of their time in meetings and that upper management spent 50 percent of their time attending meetings. To add insult to injury, executives felt that almost 70 percent of the meetings they attended failed to get anything accomplished. In another study, the Wharton Center for Applied Research found that about 30 percent of these meeting could have been better handled through one-on-one talks, by phone, or via email. The behavior of those attending a meeting is also a factor leading to less-than-successful outcomes. A 2014 Gallup survey of the workplace found that more than 90 percent of those attending a meeting are multitasking and not really paying attention to the business at hand. Almost 70 percent are reading their email, 50 percent are doing other work, 45 percent are eating, and another 45 percent are talking to each other. That’s why many organizations, in order to counter such distractions, have ruled that all mobile devices must be turned off during the meeting. Something like the Old West days when saloons ordered cowboys to check their guns before entering the bar. All this is not to say that meetings should be banned. It does say, however, that meetings should be held only if other communication channels are not appropriate for accomplishing the purpose of the meeting. “Is this meeting really necessary?” is always a good question to ask before scheduling a meeting. If the answer is “yes,” consider the following guidelines for having an effective staff or committee meeting: • LIMIT ATTENDANCE. Only those who are directly involved should be invited. • DISTRIBUTE THE AGENDA AND OTHER MATERIALS IN ADVANCE. Let people know what will be discussed or decided, so they can think about the

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Figure 15.1 A round table arrangement promotes interactive discussion and ­decision making. The leader of a staff meeting should have an action-oriented agenda, have a set time limit for the meeting, and strive for group consensus, so decisions can be made and implemented.

15.3:  Larger Group Meetings 15.3 Describe the different components of planning and conducting group meetings Having meetings seems to be part of human nature. There are literally thousands of civic clubs, professional societies, trade associations, and hobby groups that have meetings that attract millions of people every year. In addition, many of these organizations sponsor workshops and seminars on a regular basis. The following guidelines are applicable for planning and staging a wide variety of business-oriented events.

issues before the meeting. Experts recommend that you prioritize the agenda and plan to cover only two or three items. • USE A ROUND TABLE. Everyone has equal positional status and equal access to each other. The next best alternative is a square table. • SET A TIME LIMIT. The agenda should clearly state the beginning and ending time of the meeting, so people can plan their day. A meeting should run a maximum of 60 to 90 minutes. The longer the meeting runs, the less effective it is. • MANAGE THE MEETING. The chairperson must make sure the meeting stays on track. Do not allow an individual or the group to go off on tangents. • BUDGET TIME. Set a time limit for discussion of a specific agenda item. Do not spend an excessive amount of time on an item that shortchanges other items on the agenda. • KNOW ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER. It may be unnecessary in an informal, friendly meeting, but knowledge of parliamentary procedure is helpful to manage discussion and conclude it with a vote. • CLOSE WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW. At the end of the meeting, summarize what has been accomplished, what will be done, and who will do it. Remember that meetings are held to make decisions, not just to discuss things. • DISTRIBUTE A SUMMARY MEMO. The chair or secretary should distribute a summary of the meeting within a day after the meeting. This helps remind people what was decided.

15.3.1:  Planning Large Group Meetings The size and purpose of the meeting dictate the plan. Every plan must consider these questions: How many will attend? Who will attend? When and where will it be held? How long will it last? Who will speak? What topics will be covered? What facilities will be needed? Who will run it? What is its purpose? How do we get people to attend? A checklist for planning a club meeting is provided in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success How to Plan a Meeting Every meeting requires its own specialized checklist, but here is a general “to-do” list for a local dinner meeting of a service club or professional association.

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15.3.2:  Meeting Space Logistics Location  If the meeting is to be held on the premises of the organization, the room can be reserved by contacting whoever is responsible for such arrangements. If the meeting is to be held at some outside location, you will have to talk to the person in charge. In a hotel or restaurant, that person is the catering manager. In a school, it may be the principal; in a church, the minister or priest. The meeting room must be the right size for the expected audience. If it is too large, the audience will feel that the meeting has failed to draw the expected attendance. If it is too small, the audience will be uncomfortable. Most hotels have a number of meeting rooms ranging in size from small to very large. If you hold your meeting in a hotel or in a restaurant with many banquet rooms, make sure your meeting is listed on a board or sign, so guests know where to find the meeting. Seating  A variety of seating arrangements can be used, depending on the purpose of the meeting. A monthly club meeting, for example, often features a luncheon or dinner. In this case, attendees are usually seated at round tables of six or eight, where they first have a meal and then listen to a speaker. Seminars, designed primarily for listening, usually have what is called “theater” seating. Rows of seats are set up, all facing the speakers. Such meetings may be held in theaters or auditoriums, as shown in Figure 15.2.

Figure 15.2  Corporate meetings and conferences are a way of life. The typical setup is an auditorium where attendees sit in theater-style seats and a speaker uses a podium on the stage. Large video monitors project PowerPoint slides.

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A workshop or a small seminar may use what is called “lunchroom” seating. This uses long tables with chairs on one side so that attendees can take notes or set up laptop computers. Occasionally, large meetings are broken into discussion groups. Typically, the audience starts in one large room, where a speaker gives information and states a problem. The audience then moves into another room, or set of rooms, where round tables seating 8 or 10 people are available. A discussion leader is designated for each table. After the problem has been discussed, the leaders gather the opinions and the audience returns to the first room, where reports from each group are given to the entire assembly. Facilities  A small meeting may not need much in the way of facilities, whereas a large and formal one may require a considerable amount of equipment and furnishings. Following are things that should be considered—and supplied if needed. You should check everything an hour or two before the meeting.

• MEETING IDENTIFICATION. Is it posted on the bulletin board near the building entrance? Are directional signs needed? • LIGHTING. Is it adequate? Can it be controlled? Where are the controls? Who will handle them? • SCREEN OR MONITORS. Are they large enough for the size of the audience? • PROJECTORS AND VIDEO EQUIPMENT. Are they hooked up and working? Whom do you contact at the facility if you have technical difficulties? • SEATING AND TABLES. Are there enough seats for the audience you are expecting? Are they arranged properly? • SPEAKER’S PODIUM. Is it positioned properly? What about a reading light? Is there a PA system? Is it working? • WI-FI. Can the room’s wireless network support all the users who may be tweeting, checking their messages, or downloading material from various websites? • CHARGING STATIONS. It’s impractical to provide electrical outlets for all attendees in a meeting room, but “charging stations” are often provided in the foyer of the room.

invitation list for a meeting or special event includes individuals who may or may not be affiliated with the organization or individual hosting the event. In this case, invitations should be sent by mail, email, or an online invitation service, depending on the nature of the event. An invite to an informal cocktail party or reception, for example, may be conveyed through an online invitation service. Mailed invitations, however, are required for banquets, major fundraisers, and even weddings. A good example of a mailed invitation is one by History San Jose, shown in Figure 15.3. The invitation should tell the time, day, date, place (including the name of the room), purpose, highlights of the program (including names of speakers), and a way for the person to RSVP. This may be a telephone number, an email address, a reply card mailed back to the event’s organizers, or even an online registration service that handles everything from making the reservation to processing the credit card information to pay for the event. (Using an online reservation service for conferences and conventions is discussed in the Convention Attendance section.) A map showing the location and parking facilities is advisable if the facility is large or not widely known. Invitations, whatever the distribution method, should be sent 3 to 6 weeks before the meeting or event, so invitees can fit it into their schedules. A major stress for event planners, however, is that invitees often don’t RSVP in a timely manner. Ellen Byron, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, wrote about the problem: “Even the calmest of organizers say they are increasingly frazzled over the bad manners of guests who don’t comply with the request to ‘répondez s’il vous plaît’. Tardy responses or none at all create a ripple effect of party problems, including last minute haranguing by the host, overwhelmed party spaces, and food shortages.” To avoid such problems, event planners must spend considerable time contacting invitees by phone and email to get a reply. According to the Emily Post Institute, “Ask directly and keep it simple and light. If an invitee hedges their reply, set a new deadline for them.”

15.3.4:  Meeting Registration

15.3.3:  Meeting Invitations

If everyone knows everyone else, registration can be somewhat informal. In the case of a civic club that holds regular monthly meetings, the arrivals often sign in on a plain sheet of paper, and no one checks the membership roster. If the group is large, however, it is customary to have a registration desk or table at the entrance. Here the names of arrivals are checked against lists of those who have registered for the event and, in many cases, paid for it.

Members of clubs are usually notified somewhat informally through the organization’s newsletter, webpage, or group e-mail. It gets more complicated, however, when the

Greeting  A representative of the sponsoring organization should be at the entrance of the room. If the number attending is not too large, a personal welcome is in order.

• WATER AND GLASSES. For speakers? For audience? • AUDIENCE AND SPEAKER AIDS. Are there programs or agendas? Will there be notepaper, pencils, and handout materials? • NAME TAGS. For speakers? For all attendees?

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Figure 15.3  Invitations to banquets and fundraising events are usually sent by mail and have reply cards that collect such vital information as names, mailing addresses, email addresses, and credit card information. This invitation from History San Jose (CA) is well organized and provides all the information necessary about the event. The reply card, not shown, provided space for ordering an individual ticket or an entire table ($1,750), and the opportunity to either pay by check or credit card. Registrants were reminded, “Payment must accompany the reservation card.”

When hundreds of people are expected, this isn’t possible, but the chairperson should greet the audience in his or her opening remarks. Name Tags  Name tags are a good idea at almost any meeting. You should use label-making software to prepare name tags for everyone with advance reservations. Names should be printed in bold, large block letters so that they can be read easily from a distance of 4 feet. If the person’s affiliation is used, this can be in smaller bold letters. For people showing up without advance registration, you can have felt-tip pens available for on-the-spot name tags. However, a nice touch is to have someone at the registration desk make these tags so that they look neat and consistent. Most tags are self-adhesive. Plastic badges with clamps or a chain are popular for large meetings such as conventions. A higher-tech name tag has magnetic clips. These tags are relatively expensive, however, so it’s better to use them at smaller events where guests can be asked to return them for future use.

15.3.5:  Meeting Program At any meeting, the word “program” has two meanings. It is what goes on at the meeting, and it is the printed listing of what goes on. The meeting must have a purpose. To serve that purpose, it is necessary to have a chairperson who controls and directs the meeting, introduces the speakers, and keeps discussions from wandering. It is necessary to have speakers who will inform, persuade, or motivate the listeners to take action. The printed program that is handed out to the audience in a workshop or seminar tells them what is going to happen, when, and where. It lists all the speakers, the time they will speak, coffee breaks, lunch breaks, and any other facts attendees should know about the meeting. Because speakers may have last-minute changes in their plans, the programs should not be printed until the last possible moment. An innovative way of giving a summary of the program is to have a plastic holder for the name tag that is large enough to have a condensed schedule inserted behind the attendee’s name. Speakers  Speakers should be selected early—several months in advance, if possible. They should be chosen because of their expertise, their crowd-drawing capacity, and their speaking ability. It is a good idea to listen to any prospective speaker before tendering an invitation, or at least to discuss your intention with someone who has heard the person speak before. Many prominent people are not effective speakers. When a speaker has agreed to give a talk, it is essential to make sure that he or she has all the information needed to prepare remarks and get to the meeting. Barbara Nichols, owner of a hospitality management firm in New York City,

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gave this comprehensive checklist to Meeting News regarding what speakers should be told about your meeting: • The meeting’s sponsor and who is expected to attend • Meeting purpose and objectives

­ anquets, planners say it’s essential that you have confirmed b and paid reservations in advance through the RSVP process.

15.4: Banquets

• Presentation location, including meeting room, date, and hour

15.4 Describe banquets and key things to keep in mind while arranging them

• Topic and length of presentation

Banquets, by definition, are fairly large and formal dinner functions. They are held to honor an individual, raise money for a charitable organization, or celebrate an event, such as an organization’s anniversary. A banquet or even a reception may have 100 or 1,000 people in attendance, and staging a successful one takes a great deal of planning. The budget, in particular, needs close attention. A banquet coordinator has to consider such costs as (1) food, (2) room rental, (3) bartenders, (4) decorations and table centerpieces, (5) audiovisual requirements, (6) speaker fees, (7) entertainment, (8) photographers, (9) invitations, (10) tickets, and (11) marketing and promotion. All of these components, of course, must be factored into establishing the per-ticket cost of the event. You are not just paying $75 to $175 for the traditional rubber chicken dinner, but for the total cost of staging the event. If the purpose is to raise money for a worthy charitable organization or a political candidate, tickets might go for $200 or more. The actual price, of course, depends on how fancy the banquet is and how much you are paying for a speaker. See the Tips for Success for a checklist on how to prepare a budget for a banquet or other special events.

• Anticipated size of the audience • Session format, including length of time allowed for audience questions • Names of those sharing the platform, if any, and their topics • Name of person who will make the introductions • Speaker fee or honorarium • Travel and housing arrangements • Meeting room setup and staging information • Audiovisual equipment needed • Dress code (business attire, resort wear, black tie) • Request to speaker for presentation outline, handout material • Signed release to record or videotape the remarks • Arrangements for spouse, if invited Meals  Club meetings and workshops often occur at a mealtime. In fact, many meetings include breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Early morning breakfast meetings have the advantage of attracting people who cannot take the time during the day to attend such functions. A full breakfast, served buffet style, is a popular choice because it allows people to select what they normally eat for breakfast. People attending a half-day or full-day workshop often partake of a self-served continental breakfast—rolls, juice, and coffee—during the registration period just prior to the start of the meeting. Luncheons are either sit-down affairs with a fixed menu or buffets. A 30- to 45-minute cocktail period may precede a luncheon, usually during registration, as guests arrive. A good schedule for a typical luncheon is registration, 11:30; luncheon, noon; adjournment, 1:30. In rare instances, the adjournment can be as late as 2 p.m., but it should never be later than that. Dinner meetings are handled in much the same way as luncheons. A typical schedule is registration and cocktails, 6 p.m.; dinner, 7 p.m.; speaker, 8 p.m.; adjournment, between 8:30 and 9 p.m. Speakers should talk for about 20 minutes. You will need to have an accurate count of people who will attend a meal function. The hotel or restaurant facility needs a count at least 24 hours in advance to prepare the food and set up table service. The standard practice is for the organization to guarantee a certain number of meals, plus or minus 10 percent. If fewer attendees than guaranteed show up, you still pay for all the meals. For sit-down dinners such as

Tips for Success Making a Budget for a Banquet All events have two sides of the ledger: costs and revenues. It is important to prepare a detailed budget, so you know exactly how much an event will cost. This will enable you to also figure out how much you will need to charge, so you at least break even. The following are some of the items that you need to consider.

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Featuring a well-known personality as a banquet speaker usually helps ticket sales, but it also is a major expense in your budget. Karen Kendig, president of the Speaker’s Network, told Public Relations Tactics that the going rate is $3,000 to $10,000 for “bread-and-butter” ­business-type talks, and $15,000 or more for motivational speakers and lesser-known entertainment and political personalities. A number of firms, such as the Washington Speaker’s Bureau in Alexandria, Virginia, and the Harry Walker Agency in New York, represent celebrity speakers who have fees ranging from $5,000 to $100,000+. Such fees cannot be fully absorbed in the cost of an individual ticket so, in addition to sending out individual invitations, there usually is a committee that personally asks corporations and other businesses to sponsor the event or buy a table for employees, clients, or friends. A corporate table of eight, for example, may go for $25,000 or more, depending on the prestige and purpose of the event. The inside details of an upscale charity event in New York are outlined in the following PR Casebook.

PR Casebook: The Nitty-Gritty of a Fundraising Gala The New York Women’s Foundation hosted its first autumn benefit in midtown Manhattan, according to New York Times writer Laura Lipton. The organizers considered

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time, place, menu, centerpieces, entertainment, guest list, seating arrangement, and so much more. “To produce the few hours of gaiety, five chairwomen and a brigade of ­behind-the-scenes workers had spent months vetting every detail, from the hors d’oeuvres to the guests of honor. Such considerations are crucial for a gala to succeed amid scores of other parties, all for organizations seeking benefactors for their good works,” Lipton wrote. The chairwomen set a budget of $175,000 and a theme of “Stepping Out and Stepping Up.” They hired CMI Event Planning and Fundraising to handle the details of invitations and catering contracts, and help the chairwomen keep on top of other details and logistics. Cathy McNamara of CMI told Lipton, “We’re the professional nags.” One of the chairwomen described how she spent Labor Day writing personal notes in 70 to 100 invitations. “‘The New York Women’s Foundation is extremely important to me. Please help support these extraordinary women,’” she said she wrote. “Then I might put, ‘Say hi to your husband’ or ‘Hope you’re well.’” The foundation guaranteed 300 guests for the caterer, with an upper end of 350. As the event drew nearer, the chairwomen met to test and select appetizers (the mini hamburgers), select floral arrangements (coppery bowls were selected, but woven green reeds in one arrangement were rejected), and choose napkin colors (olive green was given the nod). Lipton described the evening of the benefit: “At Gotham Hall, a grand, lofty space that was once the headquarters of a bank, guests sipped martinis and applauded the speeches. A mambo performance by a dozen school-age dancers momentarily transfixed the room.” While the competition among benefits is strong and the economy in which this event found itself was weak, the organizers counted it as a success when 280 guests contributed $675,000 to the foundation through the event.

15.4.1:  Working with Catering Managers When organizing a banquet, you usually contact the catering or banquet manager of the restaurant or hotel at least 3 or 4 months before your event. He or she will discuss menus, room facilities, availability of space, and a host of other items with you to determine exactly what you need. Hotels and restaurants have special menus for banquets, which are often subject to some negotiation. If you plan a banquet during the week, for example, the restaurant or hotel might be willing to give you more favorable rates because weeknights aren’t ordinarily booked. However, if you insist on having a banquet on Friday or Saturday night—which is the most popular time—you can expect to pay full rates.

A banquet usually has a fixed menu, but you must also make a vegetarian dish available to those who request it. In general, a meat entree is chicken, fish, or beef. Pork may be objectionable on religious grounds. Offering the choice of two entrees requires the extra work of providing coded tickets for the waiters, and the hotel or restaurant may charge more for the meal. Get the catering manager’s advice before ordering multiple entrees. When figuring food costs, many amateur planners often forget about tax and gratuity, which can add 25 percent or more to any final bill. That $25 chicken dinner on the menu is really $32 if tax and gratuity are added. In addition, there are corkage fees if you provide your own liquor or wine. In many establishments, corkage fees are set rather high to discourage you from bringing your own refreshments. At one banquet, for example, the organizers thought it was a great coup to have the wine donated, only to find out that the hotel charged a corkage fee of $20 per bottle.

15.4.2:  Banquet Logistics and Timing Organizing a banquet requires considerable logistics, timing, and teamwork. First, you have to establish a timeline for the entire process—from the contacting of catering managers to lining up a speaker and sending out invitations. Second, you need a detailed timeline for the several days leading up to the day of the event, to ensure that everything is in place. Third, you should have a timeline for the event itself so that it begins and ends at a reasonable time. A good example of timing for the night of an awards banquet is shown in Figure 15.4. In addition, you need to work out the logistics to ensure that registration lines are kept to a minimum and that everyone is assigned to a table. Table numbers must be highly visible. If the group is particularly large (1,000 or more), you should provide a large seating chart, so people can locate where they are sitting. Another more personalized approach is to have staff inside the hall directing people to their seats.

WRITING PROMPT The College of Education on your campus is sponsoring a banquet to honor outstanding alumni. Write a detailed list of everything that must be done by the planning committee to ensure that this event is a successful one. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

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Figure 15.4  This is a timeline prepared by the organizers of an awards banquet. Copies are distributed to the master of ceremonies and those ­scheduled to speak, so they know exactly how long their introductions and short speeches should be, in order to keep the proceedings on schedule. To keep the audience engaged, banquets must be fastpaced and always end at a reasonable time. CONSERVATION AWARDS BANQUET JW MARRIOTT HOTEL WASHINGTON, DC WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 Crew Agenda 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Program agenda review – participants and staff only. Live run-through of C. Ghylin's remarks. (Grand Ballroom)

5:00 – 6:00

Private pre-reception for honorees, judges, Chevron staff. Honoree photo session including E. Zern and J. Sullivan. (Suite 1231)

6:30 – 7:15

Greetings and reception, open bar. Photo opportunities available. (Grand Ballroom Foyer)

7:15 – 7:30

Close bar, enter Grand Ballroom.

7:30 – 7:35

C. Ghylin: Welcome and opening remarks.

7:30 – 8:20

Dinner served.

8:20 – 8:25

C. Ghylin: Introduces special guests at head table, introduces E. Zern.

8:25 – 8:30

E. Zern: Welcome, honoree toast, introduces judges, completes remarks.

8:30 – 8:35

C. Ghylin: Introduces J. Sullivan.

8:35 – 8:45

J. Sullivan: Remarks.

8:45 – 8:50

C. Ghylin: Introduces slide presentation.

8:50 – 9:25

Slide presentation. (C. Ghylin remains at podium) (a) Introduces/explains honoree category; (b) Comments on professionals. Introduces/explains honoree category. (c) Comments on citizens. Introduces/explains organizations' honoree category.

9:25 – 9:40

C. Ghylin: Comments on organizations. Invites J. Sullivan and E. Zern for plaque presentation. Plaque presentation.

9:40 – 9:45

C. Ghylin: Final remarks.

9:45 p.m.

America the Beautiful.

15.5:  Receptions and Cocktail Parties 15.5 Review major considerations for receptions and cocktail parties Banquets are often preceded by a “cocktail hour” before people sit down for dinner. A reception, however, is a stand-alone event primarily organized for people to talk and “network” over drinks and appetizers. It’s a cost-effective way to celebrate an organization’s or individual’s achievement, to introduce a new chief executive to the employees and the community, or simply to allow college alumni to get together. In any event, the focus is on interaction, not speeches. If there is a ceremony or speech, it should last a maximum of 5 to 10 minutes. A reception can last up to 2 hours, and the typical format is a large room where most people will stand instead of sit. This facilitates social interaction and allows people to move freely around the room. Such gatherings, like any other event, require advance planning and logistics. It is important, for example, that food be served in the form of appetizers, sandwiches, cheese trays, nuts, and

chips. People get hungry, and food helps offset some of the effects of drinking. The bar is the centerpiece of any reception, but you should make sure there are plenty of nonalcoholic beverages available, too. Urns of coffee, punch, and tea should be readily available in other locations around the room. “Don’t make a lengthy presentation part of an event. You’ll lose the attendees’ attention.” —Erica Iacono, reporter for PRWeek

There are two kinds of cocktail parties. One is the nohost bar, which means that guests buy their own drinks and the host provides the room, any decorations, and the appetizers. A variation on the no-host bar is to provide attendees one or two drink coupons, but they buy any additional refreshments. Most receptions, however, have a hosted bar, meaning that drinks are free. This is the norm when an organization is having a cocktail party or reception for journalists, customers, or community leaders. A reception, like a meal function, requires you to talk with the catering manager to order finger food and vegetable or cheese trays. If you have a reception over the traditional dinner hour, you should also order heavier hors d’oeuvres such as shrimp, sausages, or even petite lamb chops because many attendees will also make it their dinner. As a rule of thumb, there should be one bartender per 75 people. For large events, bars are situated in several locations around the room to disperse the crowd and shorten lines. It is also important to find out how the facility will bill you for beverages consumed. If the arrangement is by the bottle, this often leads to the problem of bartenders being very generous in pouring drinks because more empty bottles means higher profits for the caterer. Starting a cocktail party is easy—just open the bar at the announced time. Closing a party is not so easy. The only practical way is to close the bar. The invitation may indicate a definite time for the reception to end, but don’t rely on this. A vocal announcement will do the job. The smoothest way is to say, “The bar will close in 10 minutes.” This gives guests a chance to get one more drink.

15.6: Conventions 15.6 Report the purpose of holding conventions and key logistics for planning A convention or a conference is a series of meetings, usually spread over 2 or more days. The purpose is to gather and exchange information, meet other people with similar interests, discuss and act on common problems, and enjoy recreation and social networking. Most conventions are held by national membership groups and trade associations such as the Public Relations

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Society of America (PRSA) or even the National Association of Realtors. Because the membership is widespread, a convention is nearly always “out of town” for many attendees, so convention arrangements must give consideration to this.

The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center hosts more than 1,000 events annually, including many conventions and trade shows that can accommodate up to 20,000 attendees on any given day. Such convention centers, found in most major cities, offer everything from beverage and food service to state-of-the-art lighting and sound for concerts.

15.6.1:  Planning a Convention It is necessary to begin planning far in advance of the actual event. Planning for even the smallest convention should start months before the scheduled date; for large national conventions, it may begin several years ahead and require hundreds or thousands of hours of work. The main components in planning a convention are (1) timing, (2) location, (3) facilities, (4) exhibits, (5) program, (6) recreation, (7) attendance, and (8) administration. There’s an entire industry of specialists in event planning, which may appeal to you as a career. Timing  Timing must be convenient for the people who are expected to attend. Avoid peak work periods. Summer vacation is appropriate for educators, and after harvest is suitable for farmers. Preholiday periods are bad for retailers, and midwinter is probably a poor time in the northern United States but may be very good in the South. Here, as in every area dealing with the public, it is imperative to know your audience and to plan for their convenience. Location  As real estate agents say, “it’s location, location, location.” A national convention can be anywhere in the country, but one in Fairbanks, Alaska, would probably not be well attended. A convention in Las Vegas or New Orleans could be a great success because the glamour of the location might outweigh the cost and time of travel. Many organizations rotate their conventions from one part of the state, region, or country to another to equalize travel burdens.

Another factor in choosing a location is the availability of accommodations. A suitable number of rooms must be available to house the attendees. In addition, enough meeting rooms of the right size must also be available. Timing enters into this because many such accommodations are booked months, or even years, in advance. Large cities usually have large convention facilities and numerous hotels, but early reservations are necessary for such popular cities as San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and San Diego. Once a tentative location has been selected, you must find out if the convention can be handled at the time chosen. Early action on this can forestall later changes. Be sure to get a definite price on guest rooms as well as meeting rooms. Small conventions are often held in resorts, but accessibility is a factor. If the visitors have to change airlines several times or if the location is difficult to reach by car or a shuttle bus, the glamour may fail to compensate for the inconvenience. Convention Facilities  For every meeting or ses-

sion of the convention, it is necessary to have a room of the right size and the equipment needed for whatever is to occur in that room. The convention might start with a general meeting in a large ballroom, where seating is theater fashion and the equipment consists of a public address system and a speaker’s platform with large video monitors. After opening remarks, the convention might break into smaller groups that meet in different rooms with widely varying facilities. Your responsibility is to ensure that the presenter in these sessions has the equipment needed. One speaker may require a computer projector and wireless access to the Internet. Another may just need a pad of paper on an easel, while someone else needs a DVD player. In one room the speaker may request round table seating, while another presenter wants theater seating. To get everything right, you must know exactly what is to happen, who is going to participate, and when. Event planners today must also ensure that any facility, whether it’s a hotel or a convention center, has sufficient bandwidth to handle large groups of people all accessing the Internet at the same time. A large percentage of attendees, while listening to speakers, are also checking their email, surfing the Web, and tweeting about what is being said. Brad Weaber, the executive vice president for event services at Smith Bucklin, told the New York Times, “Today, you can’t not have full connectivity for your attendees or they won’t come.” Twitter, in particular, is popular among the younger generation of convention attendees. They tweet to share what they have learned, quote keynote speakers, discuss and connect with other attendees, and give feedback to the event’s organizers. At many conferences, monitors are

274  Chapter 15 even set-up, so the entire audience can see tweets as they are posted. The Tips for Success gives some guidelines for tweeting at a conference.

Tips for Success Ten Tips for Tweeting @ Conferences EasyBib, a software firm specializing in education, gives some guidelines for tweeting at a conference.

Exhibits  The makers and sellers of supplies and equipment that are used by people attending conventions frequently want to show their wares. This means that the conference manager must provide space suitable for that purpose. Most large convention centers have facilities that can accommodate anything from books to bulldozers. There is a charge for the use of these rooms, and the exhibitors pay for the space they use. The exhibit hall may be in the hotel where the convention is being held or in a separate building. For example, McCormick Place is an enormous building on the Chicago lakefront. It is an easy taxi trip from the Loop, where conventions are usually based and where the visitors sleep. Eating facilities, ranging from hot dog stands to elaborate dining rooms, are to be found in almost any such building. Exhibits are covered in more detail in the discussion on Exhibit Booths for trade shows.

15.6.2:  Convention Program A convention program usually has a basic theme. Aside from transacting the necessary organizational business,

most of the speeches and other sessions will be devoted to various aspects of the theme. Themes can range from the specific, such as “New Developments in AIDS Research,” to the more general, as in “Quality Management and Productivity.” Some groups use an even broader theme, such as “Connections” or “At the Crossroads.” With a theme chosen, the developer of the program looks for prominent speakers who have something significant to say on a particular topic. In addition, there may be a need for discussions, workshops, and other sessions focusing on particular aspects of the general theme. Large conventions often schedule different sessions at the same time, and attendees choose which session they prefer to attend. The printed program for the convention is a schedule. It tells the exact room, time, topic, and speakers for every session. Large, bulky programs may look impressive, but they are cumbersome to carry and expensive to produce. A better approach is to design a program schedule small enough to fit in a pocket or handbag. Another innovative approach is to have an oversized plastic name tag that includes a condensed timeline of events that is placed behind the person’s name. In recent years, the traditional printed program has gone digital. Organizers are now using apps to list all the program details, so attendees can conveniently access all the information they need via their smartphones or tablets. Flash drives and microsites are also used to distribute information about sessions, special events, speaker bios, PowerPoint presentations, and even lists of restaurants near the convention center. “While participants are sitting in a classroom, they can scroll through updates and Twitter feeds to find out what else is going on in other sessions.” —Greg Lorentz, CEO of Meeting Professionals International, on the use of apps and mobile devices at conventions and trade shows in a New York Times article.

It is important to realize, however, that not all convention attendees have gone digital and not everyone has a smartphone or a tablet. Consequently, it’s still prudent to make summarized versions of program details in hard copy for those who want them. Recreation  Recreation is a feature of practically all conventions. This may range from informal get-togethers to formal dances, cocktail parties, golf tournaments, sightseeing tours, and shopping. Sometimes recreational events are planned to coincide with regular program sessions. These are patronized by spouses and by delegates who would rather relax than listen to a speaker. Evening receptions and dinners at interesting venues such as an art gallery or museum are often planned for both attendees and their significant others. Convention Attendance  Getting people to attend a convention requires two things: (1) an appealing program and (2) a concerted effort to persuade members

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to attend. Announcements and invitations should go out several months in advance to allow attendees to make travel plans. A second and even a third mailing or email blast is often done in the weeks preceding the convention. Reply forms should be provided, accompanied by online hotel reservation forms. Many corporations and organizations now use specialty firms such as Cvent that prepare digital invitations and provide event management tools. The Tips for Success discusses the use of online reservation services.

“Even if you add every conceivable extra to your stack of online invitations, the cost of each remains tiny, measured in nickels, while the unit price of printed counterparts is often measured in dollars.” — Randall Stross, writing in the New York Times

Tips for Success

Although email invitations are economical and efficient, they are most appropriate for business-related meetings and events. It’s still considered tacky to send an email invitation to your wedding or to a major fundraising dinner for a community cause. In these instances, mailed invitations and replies are the norm. If you use a mailed invitation, you can still provide an email address or phone number for people to respond if they don’t want to fill out the reply card.

Online Invites Make It Easy to RSVP

Administration  Managing a convention is a strenu-

The digital age has made event planning more precise. A number of companies now offer event planners the ability to send invitations via the Internet and to track response rates.

ous job. The organization’s staff is likely to see very little of the program and spend considerable time just dealing with the various logistical issues and glitches that occur on a daily basis when managing any large event. Among the things that must be done are arranging for buses to convey delegates from the airport to the convention (if it is in a remote location) and to take them on tours. Meeting speakers and getting them to the right place at the right time is another task. People arriving at the convention in a large city must be met, registered, and provided with all the essentials (name tags, programs, and any other needed materials). Special arrangements also need to be made for the media. A small convention may interest only a few people from trade publications, but larger conventions may draw attention from the major media outlets. In this case, a newsroom should be set up with telephones, computers, Internet access, tables, and other needed equipment, as discussed in the next section. A refreshment area is also a good idea.

15.7:  Trade Shows 15.7a Describe trade shows 15.7b Examine booths, pressrooms, and media relations as the three main aspects of participating in trade shows Trade shows are the ultimate marketing event. According to Tradeshow Week magazine, about 6,000 trade shows are held annually in the United States. They range in size from more than 100,000 attendees to those in very specialized industries that attract fewer than 1,000 attendees. It is estimated that about 65 million people attend trade shows on an annual basis. “For people to pay attention at a trade show, you need real news.” —David Rich, senior vice president of the George P. Johnson marketing company, as reported in PRWeek

276  Chapter 15 A trade show differs from a convention in terms of its primary focus. Conventions tend to focus on speakers, professional workshops, and continuing education, while trade shows are primarily a showcase for companies exhibiting their new products and services. The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association, is a good example of a trade show. The show, open only to industry professionals, is held in the Las Vegas Convention Center every January. At the 2015 CES, about 3,600 companies showed their new consumer products, taking up over 2 million square feet of exhibit space. (See Figure 15.5.)

Figure 15.5  Trade shows attract millions of people annually. They provide an opportunity to see new products from a number of companies, ­generate sales leads, and attract media coverage. The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is the largest tech trade show held in the U.S. Attendance at the 2015 CES was almost 177,000, a new record.

15.7.1:  Exhibit Booths Although food and entertainment costs are high, the major expense at a trade show is the exhibit booth. At national trade shows, it is not unusual for a basic booth to start at $50,000, including design, construction, transportation, and space rental fees. Larger, more elaborate booths can easily cost between $500,000 and $1 million. Any booth or exhibit should be designed for maximum visibility. Experts say you have about 10 seconds to attract a visitor as he or she walks down an aisle of booths. Consequently, companies try to out dazzle each other in booth designs. Another tactic that attracts attention, of course, is to have a celebrity. Intel, for example, hired soccer star Mia Hamm to demonstrate features of its new processors by working out on an Intel-equipped fitness machine. Polaroid did one better by appointing Lady Gaga a creative director and having her demonstrate some of the company’s new imaging products at its booth on the first day of CES. Her appearance, of course, stole the show and generated reams of media coverage for Polaroid (see Figure 15.6).

Figure 15.6  Companies compete to attract visitors to their trade show booths, and Polaroid pulled out all the stops by having Lady Gaga appear to demonstrate products at the CES meeting in Las Vegas. The ­company stole the show on opening day and generated ­considerable media coverage.

For exhibitors, the CES event is the coming-out party for many new products such as advanced 4K televisions, tablets, smartphones, and hundreds of other high-tech gizmos. The 2015 show was primarily about the coming era of the Internet of Things. Many companies exhibited smarthome products, such as connected refrigerators that would let you know when you were out of beer while you were at the supermarket. Another gadget was a smartphone-­ connected outdoor grill that could send users a message when it was time to flip the burgers. Another trade show that is open to the general public and perhaps more familiar is Comic-Con, which is held in numerous cities. The largest one takes place in San Diego every year and attracts more than 100,000 attendees who are pop-culture fans of comic books, sci-fi/fantasy films and television shows, video games, and collectible comic cards. In 2014, the trade show celebrated the 75th anniversary of Batman’s comic book debut. Marvel also showed up with almost the entire cast of Avengers: Age of Ultron, who of course appeared on various panels and gave media interviews.

Not every company has the resources to hire Lady Gaga, but here are some points to keep in mind if you get involved in planning an exhibit booth: • Select the appropriate trade shows that have the best potential for developing contacts and generating future sales. • Start planning and developing your exhibit 6 to 12 months in advance. Exhibit designers and builders need time to develop a booth.

Organizing Meetingsand Events  277

• Make the display or booth visually attractive. Use bright colors, large signs, and working models of products. • Think about putting action in your display. Have a video or slide presentation running all the time. • Use involvement techniques. Have a contest or raffle in which visitors can win a prize. An exhibitor at one show even offered free foot massages. • Give people an opportunity to operate equipment or do something. • Have knowledgeable, personable representatives on duty to answer questions and collect visitor business cards for follow-up. • Offer useful souvenirs, often called “swag.” A key chain, a shopping bag, a luggage tag, or even a copy of a popular newspaper or magazine will attract traffic. • Promote your exhibit in advance. Send announcements to potential customers and media kits to selected journalists and influential bloggers 4 to 6 weeks before the trade show. Most organizations feel that the large investment in a booth at a trade show is worthwhile for two reasons. First, a trade show facilitates one-on-one communication with potential customers and helps generate sales leads. It also attracts many journalists, so it is easier and more efficient to provide press materials, arrange one-on-one interviews, and demonstrate what makes the product worth a story. Second, a booth allows an exhibitor to demonstrate how its products differ from the competition. This is more effective than just sending prospects a color brochure. It also is more cost-effective than making individual sales calls. Hospitality Suites  Hospitality suites are an adjunct to the exhibit booth. Organizations use them to entertain key prospects, give more in-depth presentations, and talk about business deals. The idea is that serious customers will stay in a hospitality suite long enough to hear an entire presentation, whereas they are likely to stop at an exhibit hall booth for only a few minutes. Although goodwill can be gained from free concerts and cocktail parties, the primary purpose of a hospitality suite is to generate leads that ultimately result in product sales.

WRITING PROMPT Many companies participate in trade shows to market their goods and services. Travel trade shows, in particular, give cities and other destinations an opportunity to promote visitors. You work for the Key West (Florida) visitors and convention bureau and will have a booth at a national convention of college students. Give your ideas for how to create a booth that would promote Key West as a spring-break destination. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

15.7.2:  Newsrooms and Media Relations Trade shows such as CES and MacWorld attract many journalists. About a thousand reporters, for example, descend on MacWorld every year. Consequently, every trade show has a newsroom or “pressroom” where the various exhibitors distribute media kits (now mostly on flash drives) and other information to journalists. Newsrooms typically have phone, fax, and Internet facilities for reporters and bloggers to file stories back to their employers. An important part of your job is to personally contact journalists several weeks before a trade show to offer product briefings and one-on-one interviews with key executives. The competition is intense, so you have to be creative in pitching your ideas and showing why your company’s products or services merit the journalist’s time when multiple other companies are also pitching them. If you can arrange as many preshow interviews and briefings as possible, you are more likely to be effective and successful. A survey by Access Communications, for example, found that more than 90 percent of journalists assigned to a trade show want to hear about the company and product news before the show even starts. Michael Young, senior vice president of Access, told PRWeek, “Journalists have limited bandwidth at the show. They can only do so much, so they want to know what the news is before getting there.” In other words, your media relations work starts before the show; it continues throughout the show; and then you have to do follow-up with reporters to provide additional information.

Tips for Success How to Do Media Relations at a Trade Show Sarah Skerik, director of trade show markets for PR Newswire, provides some additional tips for working with the media during a trade show:

278  Chapter 15

15.8:  Promotional Events 15.8a Examine the planning for promotional events 15.8b Analyze the role that celebrities play in promotional activities “Events bring you face-to-face with your customer and can often serve as qualifying tools in reaching decision makers. Most often, the individuals that attend events are there by choice.” —Jennifer Collins, Event Planning Group, as quoted in PRWeek

Promotional events are planned primarily to launch a new product, increase organizational visibility, make friends, and raise money for a charitable cause. They also include the category of event sponsorship in which a corporation becomes a sponsor of a major event such as the Olympics, a country music festival, or even the Avon Cancer Walk. Such sponsorships are a strategic decision by the corporation based on a number of factors, as discussed in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success Corporate Sponsorships Require Strategic Thinking Many corporations, in order to cut through the media clutter and establish brand identity, sponsor any number of events that, in turn, are covered by the media. In North America alone, about $10 billion is spent by corporations on sponsorship of various events. According to the Economist, about two-thirds of this total is sponsorship fees for sporting events.

The one essential skill for organizing promotional events is creativity. In every city, multiple “ho-hum” events compete for media attention and attendance, so it behooves you to come up with something “different” that creates buzz and interest. Grand openings of stores or hotels, for example, can be pretty dull and generate a collective yawn from almost every journalist in town, let alone all the chamber of commerce types that attend such functions. So how do you come up with something new and different for the same old thing? First, you throw out the old idea of having a ribbon cutting. Second, you start thinking about a theme or idea that fits the situation and is out of the ordinary. The reopening of the Morgan Hotel in San Antonio is a good example. The hotel featured a new restaurant named Oro (meaning “gold” in Spanish), so the theme for the opening night reception was gold—complete with gold flowers, gold curtains, and even bikini-clad women who were coated with gold paint and served as living mannequins.

15.8.1:  Using Celebrities to Boost Attendance You can also increase attendance at a promotional event by using a television or film personality. The creative part is figuring out which personality fits the particular product or situation. A national conference on aging for policymakers, government officials, and health care experts attracted

Organizing Meetingsand Events  279

attendees because former senator and astronaut John Glenn was a major speaker. Unilever wanted to reach a Hispanic audience through a series of events promoting its Suave and Caress brands, so it tapped famous stylists Leonardo Rocco and Fernando Navarro, who gave hair and beauty advice to women attending the events. The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer uses actress Reese Witherspoon as its global ambassador. Witherspoon participates in many of the walks in major cities, such as the one shown in Figure 15.7.

Figure 15.7  The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is a promotional event that takes place primarily in multiple U.S. cities, but this photo shows an Avon walk taking place in Prague. Among the goals of these walks is to attract media coverage for the cause. Planning such walks and getting city permits require considerable advance planning.

assistants, hairstylists, valets, and other accompanying personnel. Such arrangements can greatly increase your costs, even if the celebrity is “free.” One source for finding celebrities for promotional events is the Celebrity Source. It matches requests with the 4,500 names in its database and handles all the details of negotiating fees, expenses, and transportation logistics for your organization. The value of a firm such as Celebrity Source or Celebrity Access is that it has regular contact with a celebrity’s business agent and publicist. An organization trying to figure out whom to contact for a particular celebrity, let alone how, may have less success. On its website, Celebrity Source gives some tips on what the firm needs to know in order to select the right celebrity for your event. The following is a good checklist for you if you are thinking about using a celebrity: • What exactly do you want the celebrity to do? • Whom do you want to appeal to by having a celebrity? Is it the public, the media, or the sponsors? • What do you want to accomplish by having a celebrity participate? Sell tickets or add glamour? • What are the demographics of your audience or attendees? • What is your budget? • What is the maximum that you’re willing to spend for the right celebrity? • Are you prepared to pay for first-class expenses for the celebrity and at least one staff person?

A celebrity, or “personality” as such a person is called in the trade, is not exactly the most creative solution to every situation, but it’s a time-honored way to increase the odds that the media will cover your event because “prominence” is considered a basic news value. A personality, however, can be a major budget item. Stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Lopez, and Jon Stewart typically charge $100,000 for an appearance. If you don’t have that kind of budget, you’ll have to make do with what the business calls the “up and coming” or the “down and going.” Claire Atkinson, writing in PRWeek, explains: For $5,000 to $10,000, you’ll get young TV stars. For $10,000, you can get Ivana Trump to open your restaurant. The cost of a personal appearance by Shirley MacLaine is $50,000. Members of the cast of Friends charge $25,000. Supermodels Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell command between $10,000 and $15,000 per appearance. And soap opera stars tend to get between $5,000 and $10,000, as do lesser TV stars. . . .

On occasion, if the event is for a charity that the celebrity supports as a personal cause, he or she will reduce or waive an appearance fee. You should note, however, that the organization is often expected to pay for the celebrity’s transportation (first-class, of course), hotel suite, and room service. In addition, an organization also pays the cost of

• Do you have access to any perks or gifts that will help motivate the celebrity to say “yes”?

WRITING PROMPT Hiring a celebrity to attend a promotion event often attracts greater attendance. What kind of celebrity would you use for the following promotional events: (1) the opening of a new supermarket, (2) the launch of a new smartphone, and (3) the opening of a new, upscale disco club and bar? Explain your choices. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

15.8.2:  Event Planning and Logistics You should be concerned about traffic flow, adequate restroom facilities, signage, and security. Professionally trained security personnel should also be arranged to handle crowd control, protect celebrities or government officials from being hassled, and make sure no other disruptions occur that would mar the event. Apple, for example, experienced security and crowd control problems in Beijing when it offered the iPad2 at its local store. People lined up for hours to purchase the new

280  Chapter 15 product, but scalpers tried to break the line and Apple decided to close the store. The people in line were outraged, and a melee started that caused injuries to a number of people. “Security at public events is a significant aspect that should get as much attention as lighting, sound, or signage.” —Matt Glass, managing partner at Eventage, as reported in PRWeek

Liability insurance is a necessity, too. Any public event sponsored by an organization should be insured, just in case there is an accident and a subsequent lawsuit charging negligence. If your organization doesn’t already have a blanket liability policy, you should get one for the event. Charitable organizations also need liability insurance if they are running an event to raise money. This is particularly relevant if your organization is sponsoring an event that requires physical exertion, such as a 10K run, a bicycle race, or even a hot-air balloon race. Participants should sign a release form that protects the organization if someone suffers a heart attack or another kind of accident. One organization, which was sponsoring a 5K “fun run,” had all participants sign a statement that read, in part: “I know that a road race is a potentially hazardous activity. . . . I assume all risk associated with running in this event, including, but not limited to, falls, contact with other participants, the effects of the weather, including high heat/ or humidity, traffic and the conditions of the road.” Promotional events that use public streets and parks also need permits from various city departments. If you are sponsoring a run, you need to get a permit from the police or public safety department to block off streets, and you need to hire off-duty police to handle traffic control. Permits for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, for example, are arranged months in advance because there are many requests for “runs” and cities have imposed a limit on how many will be permitted each year. A food event, such as a chili cook-off or a German “Oktoberfest,” requires permits from the public health department and, if liquor is served, a permit from the state alcohol board. If the event is held inside a building, a permit is often required from the fire inspector. You must also deal with the logistics of arranging cleanup, providing basic services such as water and medical aid, registering craft and food vendors, and posting signs. Promotion of an event can often be accomplished by having a radio station or local newspaper cosponsor the event.

PR Casebook: Festivals Celebrate Everything from Garlic to Beer Hundreds of towns and cities around the world sponsor festivals as a way to promote themselves, provide entertainment

for local citizens, attract tourists, and often raise money for various local charities. The planning and implementation of a festival require event planners to be experts in logistics and the ability to manage a thousand details. The following is a snapshot of two annual festivals.

The Gilroy Garlic Festival The farming community of Gilroy, California, is primarily known as the major producer of garlic in the United States. This spawned the idea of having an annual Garlic Festival where everything from garlic fries to garlic ice cream would be served. Read more.

Figure 15.8  A chef prepares garlic for a dish at an outdoor booth in Gourmet Alley, a main draw of the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

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Belgrade Beer Fest A major event that promotes Serbia as a nation worth visiting is the Belgrade Beer Fest. This 5-day festival attracts 500,000 visitors to drink 50 different brands of beer and listen to popular bands from the Balkans and is also popular with locals as a form of entertainment in the hot days of August. Planning for the annual event is a year-round process in terms of signing contracts with bands, negotiating with breweries for exhibit space, vetting food vendors, preparing promotional materials and news releases, and dealing with such logistics as the number of portable potties needed for all those beer drinkers. Read more.

Open houses are customarily one-day affairs. Attendance is usually by invitation, but in other instances the event is announced in the media, and anyone who chooses to attend may do so. If you’re having a community open house, you also have to think about entertainment and activities for the attendees. Many plants offer tours daily or regularly while the plant is in operation. These tours are most common among producers of consumer goods such as beer, wine, food products, clothing, and small appliances. The daily tours are geared to handle only a few people at any one time, whereas open houses generally have a large number of guests and normal operations are not feasible during the tour. For an open house or a plant tour to present the organization in the best light, it must be carefully planned, thoroughly explained, and smoothly conducted. The visitors must understand what they are seeing. This requires careful routing, control to prevent congestion, signs, and guides. All employees who will be present should understand the purpose of the event and be coached in their duties. There are three major factors to consider when planning an open house: • DAY AND HOUR. The time must be convenient for both the organization and the guests.

Figure 15.9  The Belgrade Beer Fest draws crowds to Usce Park for both the beer and the live musical performances.

• GUESTS. These may be families of employees, customers, representatives of the community, suppliers and competitors, reporters, or others whose goodwill is desirable. • PUBLICITY AND INVITATIONS. These materials should be distributed at least a month before the event. If a plant tour is offered on a daily basis, the availability of the tour should be announced by signs near the plant and possibly by advertising or publicity. For any open house or plant tour, consider the following points: • VEHICLES. Parking must be available, and there should be a map on the invitation showing how to get there and where to park.

15.9:  Open Houses and Plant Tours 15.9 Describe open houses and plant tours and their logistics Open houses and plant tours are another kind of special event. They are conducted primarily to develop favorable public opinion about an organization. Generally, they show the facilities where the organization does its work and, in the case of plant tours, how the work is done. A factory might have a plant tour to show how it turns raw materials into finished products. A hospital open house could show its emergency facilities, diagnostic equipment, operating rooms, and patient rooms.

• RECEPTION. A representative of the organization should meet and greet all arriving guests. If guests are important people, they should meet the top officials of the organization. • RESTROOMS. If you are expecting a large crowd, arrange for portable toilets to supplement the regular facilities that are available for the public. The American Restroom Association recommends that there be one portable potty for every 300 people, but portable potty companies often recommend at least four potties for a four-hour event with 500 people attending. More potties are needed, however, if alcoholic beverages are served. • SAFETY. Hazards should be conspicuously marked and well lighted. Dangerous equipment should be barricaded.

282  Chapter 15 • ROUTING. Routes should be well marked and logical (in a factory, the route should go from raw materials through production steps to the finished product). A map should be given to each visitor if the route is long or complicated. • GUIDES. Tours should be led by trained guides who have a thorough knowledge of the organization and can explain in detail what visitors are seeing on the tour. • EXPLANATION. Signs, charts, and diagrams may be necessary at any point to supplement the words of the guides. The guides must be coached to say exactly what the public should be told. Many experts can’t explain what they do, so a prepared explanation is necessary. • HOUSEKEEPING AND ATTIRE. The premises should be as clean as possible. Attire should be clean and appropriate. A punch press operator doesn’t wear a necktie, but his overalls need not be greasy. • EMERGENCIES. Accidents or illness may occur. All employees should know what to do and how to request appropriate medical assistance. An open house requires an event planner to take an additional series of steps, which are noted in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success How to Plan an Open House Here is a general “to-do” list for planning and conducting a successful open house.

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WRITING PROMPT Your public relations firm has moved to a new, expanded office space and wants to announce the move by having an open house for clients, prospective clients, and members of the public relations community. You are charged with planning the open house that will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Prepare a “to-do” list of the preparations needed to ensure a successful open house. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

Summary: Organizing Meetings and Events

284  Chapter 15 Shared Writing: Organizing Meetings and Events With everyone now constantly communicating on their smartphones, why are meetings and events still important for human interaction and socialization? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

Post

0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 15 Quiz: Organizing Meetings and Events

Chapter 16

Using Direct Mail and Advertising Learning Objectives 16.1

Evaluate the relevance of direct mail and advertising to public relations work

16.6

Identify the main components of a print advertisement

16.2

Describe the advantages and the disadvantages of direct mail

16.7

Report some of the things to keep in mind when working with an advertising agency

16.3

Express the basic components of a direct mail package

16.8

Describe the role of native advertising and main concerns regarding its use

16.4

Report the basic objectives of public relations advertising and its pros and cons

16.9

Report the characteristics of certain other advertising channels

16.5

Analyze the five basic types of public relations advertising

16.1:  The Business of Direct Mail and Advertising 16.1 Evaluate the relevance of direct mail and advertising to public relations work Direct mail and advertising are frequently combined with public relations strategies and tactics to develop what are called “360-degree campaigns,” in marketing parlance. Public relations writers will always contribute to such campaigns and therefore need to know the writing basics involved with these media. Direct mail and advertising are also big business. Companies spend around $45 billion on direct mail marketing each year in the United States alone, according to Statistica. com. Spending on advertising reaches almost $600 billion each year globally, according to AdWeek. Of that amount, about $190 billion is spent in the United States. By way of comparison, PRWeek says the top 10 public relations firms worldwide earned an estimated $4.3 billion globally in 2014. To participate fully in these affiliated business communication industries, public relations writers need to understand the business and tactics of direct mail and advertising. In this chapter you will learn how to create the components of a direct mail package, how to create

content for a print advertisement, how to work with advertising agencies, and how to use non-print ad formats to promote your organization.

16.2:  The Basics of Direct Mail 16.2 Describe the advantages and the disadvantages of direct mail Letters and accompanying material mailed to large groups of people is a form of marketing called direct mail. Although many consumers and the media often refer to it as junk mail, it has a long history. According to Media Distribution Services, one of the first examples of “direct mail” was in 1744, when Benjamin Franklin mailed a list of books for sale to a selected list of prospects. Not exactly Amazon.com, but a start. Since then, the use of direct mail to sell ideas, goods, and services has skyrocketed. Billions of direct mail pieces are produced each year in the United States, primarily to sell products and solicit donations for a variety of charities. Indeed, according to some estimates, the average person receives 40 pounds, or about 830 pieces, of direct mail annually or 16 pieces a week. For every 16 pieces of direct

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286  Chapter 16 mail received, the average person gets 1 piece of personal or business mail. In fact, the U.S. Post Office processes 262 million pieces of direct mail each day. The Post Office says 48 percent of the mail it delivers is direct mail. Although the major use of direct mail is to sell goods and services, it also is an effective public relations tool. Direct mail, for example, is used by political candidates to inform voters about issues and also to ask for their votes. It is used by charitable groups to educate the public about various social issues and diseases and to solicit contributions. It is used by cultural organizations to announce a concert series or new exhibition or to seek volunteers. “Direct mail has maintained its large ad share even with the introduction of new, fast-growing ad markets such as the Internet.” — Center for Media Research

Corporations often use direct mail to notify consumers about a product recall, inform investors about a merger or acquisition, or apologize about poor service or shoddy goods. Community groups use direct mail to let their members and other interested people know about forthcoming events or their stand on important issues. In other words, whenever a number of people can be identified as a key public, it is logical to reach them with direct mail. While we will discuss direct mail as primarily a print product, it is important to recognize that direct mail tactics are also combined with or applied to email. Oftentimes, direct marketing is used as a synonym for direct mail. In fact, Direct Marketing News reported, “Response increases across the board when direct mail and email are combined in a multichannel campaign.”

16.2.1:  Advantages of Direct Mail Direct mail is a controlled or owned communication medium, just like newsletters, brochures, and websites. It allows you to have total control over the format, wording, and timing of a message to audiences as broad or narrow as you wish. Indeed, the three major advantages of direct mail are (1) the ability to target your communication to specific individuals, (2) personalization, and (3) cost effectiveness. TARGETED AUDIENCE  An appropriate mailing list is the

key to using direct mail as an effective public relations tool. At the most basic level, a mailing list may be a compilation of an organization’s members, past contributors, employees, or customers. Organizations compile mailing lists on all sorts of audiences. In public relations, for example, you may compile a mailing list of community leaders or civic organizations. You can also rent mailing lists from some membership organizations and media outlets. If you want to send a ­letter to all dentists in your area, you might contact the ­American Dental Association. If your purpose is to reach affluent or brand-conscious individuals, it would be logical to rent a list of BMW and Mercedes-Benz owners from the state depart-

ment of motor vehicles. You can also rent the subscription lists of various newspapers and magazines if you feel that the demographics of the subscribers fit your particular purpose. For about $70, for example, DirectMail.com will provide a list of 1,000 new home owners. DirectMail.com also provides services such as inserting direct mail contents into envelopes and mailing up to 3 million of pieces of direct mail per day. The reason to rent rather than buy and own a list is that you know that the list is up-to-date and that constant updating is left to someone else. Advances in marketing research, including demographics and psychographics, make it possible to reach almost anyone with scientific precision. Thanks to vast data-collection and data-crunching networks, it is now possible to order mailing lists based on people’s spending habits, charitable contributions, and even their favorite beer. Every time you purchase groceries with a store discount card, buy a book from Amazon.com, conduct a search on Google, or order something from a catalog, your name and address go into a marketing database that is often sold to other organizations. PERSONALIZATION  Direct mail, more than any other controlled or mass medium, is highly personalized. It comes in an envelope addressed to the recipient and often begins with a personalized greeting such as “Dear Jennifer.” In addition, through computer software, the name of the person can be inserted throughout the letter. Specialized paragraphs can also be inserted in the direct mail letter to acknowledge past charitable contributions or refer to localized information or contacts. The technology, which will be discussed shortly, also allows handwritten signatures and notes to make the basic “form” letter as personable as possible. COST  Direct mail, according to Media Distribution Ser-

vices, is relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of magazine ads and broadcast commercials. Typically, a rented list of consumers costs about $49 for 1,000 names, or 4.9 cents per name, according to DirectMail.com. You can get these names and addresses on labels or, more commonly, receive a digital file that can be used to computerprint them directly on mailing envelopes. Direct mail is cost-efficient from a production standpoint. In many cases, non-profits prepare donation requests using one color (usually black for highest readability), with perhaps a second color for emphasis of key points. Forprofit organizations, on the other hand, often send out thousands of full-color brochures with elaborate graphics. Postage is another consideration. First class is the most expensive, but it is more reliable and timely than the cheaper third class (often called “standard mail”). First class also ensures that mail is forwarded or returned ­without additional cost to the sender. Non-profit postage rates, available to qualified organizations, are the cheapest. You can cut postage costs by presorting letters by zip code and mailing at least 200 pieces at one time.

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16.2.2:  Disadvantages of Direct Mail The major disadvantage of direct mail is its image as “junk mail.” All such mail, whether it is a first-class letter from a political party or a flyer from the local pizza parlor, is put into the same category of “useless” information that just clutters up a person’s mailbox. Indeed, Direct Mail Information Service estimates that about three-quarters of direct mail is opened and about two-thirds of recipients read the contents. Even when it is opened, it is estimated that only 1 or 2 percent of the recipients will act on the message. Despite such odds, U.S. consumers purchased $94 billion worth of merchandise in a recent year by responding to direct mail sales pitches. Studies show that, on average, every dollar spent on direct mail advertising brings in $12 in sales—a return more than twice that generated by a television ad. Non-profit agencies that rely on direct mail for much of their fundraising also say that the ROI (return on investment) makes direct mail a major component of their communication strategy. INFORMATION OVERLOAD  As already mentioned, the average person receives more than 800 pieces of direct mail annually. Although it is argued that a person reads direct mail in isolation from other messages and distractions, there is still the problem of clutter and the inability of people to cope with so many pieces of mail that clutter their mailboxes on a daily basis. Consequently, it is important to know how to write and format a direct mail piece that gets opened, read, and acted upon.

WRITING PROMPT What are some of the most significant advantages and disadvantages of direct mail? Do you think direct mail is an effective public relations tool? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

16.3:  Creating a Direct Mail Package 16.3 Express the basic components of a direct mail package The direct mail package has five basic components: (1) mailing envelope, (2) letter, (3) basic brochure, (4) reply card, and (5) return envelope. On occasion, a sixth component is added—”gifts” such as address labels, greeting cards, and even calendars that are designed to entice a person to open the envelope and at least read the message.

16.3.1:  Mailing Envelope The envelope is the headline of a direct mail package, because it is the first thing the recipient sees. If this doesn’t attract the reader’s interest, a person will not “read on” by opening the envelope. One study found, for example, that 60 to 90 percent of recipients make a subconscious judgment about a direct mail piece within 90 seconds of viewing it. According to Media Distribution Services, there are several ways to make an envelope attractive and appealing. It can be visually enhanced through the creative use of paper stock, windows, tabs, teasers, and other design options. Heavy, glossy paper can give the envelope the appearance of value and importance. Windows can provide teasers and other information that cater to the question, “Why should I open this?” Sometimes, envelopes carry a preview of what’s inside. UNICEF New Zealand, in one of its holiday fundraising letters, used a knitted envelope. The award-­winning campaign was promoting giving gifts from UNICEF instead of another of Granny’s knitted sweaters. Of course, not all envelopes tease so unconventionally or so expensively. The Sierra Club often simply marks its envelopes “Urgent” in big, red letters. Organizations sometimes resort to trickery. They make the envelope look like it is an official letter from a government agency or there is the misleading teaser that you are the winner of a large prize. In general, public relations writers should avoid using teasers and envelope designs that mislead readers or cause mistaken impressions. This causes credibility problems and may border on being unethical. Your direct mail envelope should always have the name of the organization and the return address in the upper-left corner. Teasers should provide honest information. Research has also found that a regular stamp is better than metered postage at getting attention, and a ­commemorative stamp is the most effective. Such stamps make the direct mail envelope look more important. Of course, a name and address printed on the envelope is better than an adhesive label. And a handwritten name and address is better yet. Another suggestion is to make

288  Chapter 16 the envelope an unusual size—not the usual number 10 business envelope.

16.3.2:  Direct Mail Letter For maximum effectiveness, the cover letter should be addressed to one person and start with a personal greeting, “Dear Ms. Smith.” Some letters skip the personal salutation and just use a headline that will grab the reader’s attention. A headline or a first paragraph is the most-read part of a letter, so it must be crafted to arouse the reader’s interest. Some studies show that it takes a reader about 1 to 3 seconds to decide whether to read on or pitch the letter in the trash. As you develop the content of your letter, keep in mind the elements of the acronym AIDA—Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. Your task is first to get and hold your audience’s attention, then tell why the issue you’re writing about matters to them. Once that task is achieved, you need to engage their desire to act on their interest. Most importantly, perhaps, is that you provide a specific action and an easy way to achieve it. Additional information on how to write a fundraising letter is provided in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success How to Write a Fundraising Letter A large percentage of fundraising for charitable institutions is conducted through direct mail. The purpose of the letter, of course, is to elicit a response—a donation. Writers of fundraising letters have learned to use the following approaches.

HEADLINES AND FIRST PARAGRAPHS  A sales pitch

for a product or service often has a headline that emphasizes a free gift or the promise of saving money. Non-profit groups and public action groups, however, often state the need in a headline. The National Resources Defense

­ ouncil, for example, used a headline in red that said, C “Stop Big Oil’s Attack on the Arctic Refuge . . . And ­Alaska’s Imperiled Polar Bears.” The headline on a fundraising letter for a breast cancer marathon simply implored, “Please help me raise funds to finish breast cancer.” You can use a straight lead for the beginning paragraph, or a human-interest angle. The straight lead is to the point. The Sierra Club began one letter from the executive director with the following: “I am writing to ask for your immediate help to ensure victory for the most ambitious government plan to protect endangered wilderness in our nation’s history—the Wild Forest Protection Plan.” Strong emotional appeals are also used. Human Rights Watch started one letter with the sentence, “Imagine the brutality of being raped and seeking help through your government and the only response is silence.” The first page of the Greenpeace fund-raising letter shown in Figure 16.1 begins with an appeal that humanizes polar bears.

Figure 16.1  Direct mail is a major tool for fundraising by non-profits. This letter by Greenpeace follows some of the standard guidelines for a fundraising letter. There’s a photo of a polar bear and her cub, “Greenpeace” in a second color, a personalized greeting, the use of several fonts, bold-face type that humanizes the plight of the polar bear as a result of climate change, and a request for action (a donation) on the part of the recipient.

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TYPEFACE AND LENGTH  Most direct mail letters are

written on the organization’s letter-size stationery. There is no rule about length, but experts recommend a maximum of two to four pages. A typewriter-style font for the text, such as Courier, makes the letter appear more personal than a fancier typeface. Several tactics are used to make the letter easy to use. One is short sentences and paragraphs. Another is putting key words and phrases in boldface or even larger type. In the example from Greenpeace (see Figure 16.1), notice the use of bold type and italic type to emphasize parts of the letter. Some organizations emphasize key messages with a yellow highlighter, red ink, or underlining. POSTSCRIPT  The most effective direct mail letters always end with a postscript, or P.S. Many experts say this is the second most-read part of a letter, after the headline and beginning paragraph. It gives the writer an opportunity to restate the benefits or make a final pitch for support. ASPCA ended a fundraising letter with this postscript: I have enclosed your special ASPCA pet tag just for you. Please let me know that it has arrived in good condition by returning the enclosed form to me today. When you do, please send along an additional gift if you possibly can. Remember, your support is saving animals’ lives!

16.3.3:  Direct Mail Brochure Brochures are frequently inserted into direct mail packages. Typically, the brochure describes a product, service, organization, or company. It supports the mailing’s offer, adding credibility to the overall message. An effective brochure must be brief but at the same time provide useful information. A brochure insert for the Environmental Defense Action Fund, for example, gave “20 Simple Steps to Fight Global Warming.” Here are some ways to increase interest in a brochure: • RECOMMENDATIONS OR EVIDENCE. Use personal testimonies or statistics to support your perspective. These may be listed together or sprinkled throughout the brochure. • Q&A. A question-and-answer format is informal and easy to follow. Keep questions and answers short. Make sure they seem natural and address issues of potential importance to the reader. • WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? Use lists of benefits highlighted by visuals such as bullets or graphic numerals. • COLORS AND CHOICE. Provide prospective customers or supporters with a list of their options, whether it’s product models or services. Research has shown that adding color to a brochure dramatically increases reader response. • COMPARATIVE TABLES. Provide a visual that outlines benefits of your product, service, or issue compared to others.

• PULL QUOTES. Lift out text both visually and by size to make a key point. These items may or may not be actual “quotes.” Most brochures used in direct mail are designed to fit into a standard number 10 business envelope. This means the brochure should be about 4 by 9 inches in overall dimension and contain just four or six panels.

16.3.4:  Reply Card If you want a response from the reader, the best way to get it is to provide a reply card. The card, printed on indexcard stock, so it is more rigid, should contain all the information you and the reader require to process an acceptance to attend an event, make a pledge to the organization, or order merchandise. Additional care should be used to prepare the reply form printed on the card. Exactly what information do you need to process the reply? Typical reply cards provide spaces for the respondent to give his or her name, address, city, and zip code. In addition, you may want the person’s telephone number and email address. This information is valuable for updating lists for future mailings to the same people. If the person is making a charitable donation or buying a product, you need to provide categories for payment by either check or credit card. If a secure online payment option is available, that should be noted in the letter and brochure. The credit card information you need is 1. the type of credit card, 2. the name of the person listed on the credit card, 3. the card number, and 4. the expiration date. It is important to ensure that the space allowed is large enough to accommodate the requested information. A short line may not be sufficient for a person to write his or her complete address clearly. In general, reply cards should be at least 4 by 6 inches, and many of them are 4 by 8 inches.

16.3.5:  Return Envelope Although reply cards can offer a self-addressed return address on the reverse side, an envelope with a return address is usually provided. This ensures privacy, and an envelope is definitely needed if you are requesting a check or credit card information. Commercial operations often provide a postage-paid envelope, but non-profits generally ask respondents to provide their own postage. This reduces costs, and more money can be spent on the cause itself. A non-profit may provide a postage-paid envelope but encourage supporters in the letter to help defray costs by covering the postage-paid designation with a stamp, thereby avoiding the mailing cost for the organization.

290  Chapter 16 The Tips for Success give some additional direct mail guidelines.

Tips for Success How to Do a Direct Mail Package Here are several techniques that have proven effective in direct mail over the years.

­ eople will make a contribution out of “guilt” or even p “gratitude.” In fact, there is some evidence that such “gifts” can increase the ire of individuals, because they don’t like charitable causes spending so much money on direct mail—money that could go to the cause itself. Oxfam, the humanitarian aid agency, took this tack on one mailing. The beginning of the letter announced the following in big, bold letters: Enclosed: No address labels to use, No calendars to look at, No petitions to sign, and No pictures of starving children. What you will find is a straightforward case for one of the most effective humanitarian aid agencies anywhere in the world.

16.4:  The Basics of Public Relations Advertising 16.4 Report the basic objectives of public relations advertising and its pros and cons

16.3.6: Gifts Many non-profit and charitable organizations use direct mail packages that include a gift of some kind. The most common gifts are address labels, greeting cards, calendars, and tote bags. As noted earlier, the ASPCA included a pet tag to appeal to its publics. The theory is that the inclusion of such material cuts through all the competing solicitations and gives the person a “reward” for opening the envelope. The inclusion of such items, however, considerably raises the cost of direct mail, and it’s no guarantee that

The American Marketing Association defines advertising as “the placement of announcements and persuasive messages in time or space purchased in any of the mass media.” Melvin DeFleur and Everett Dennis, authors of the classic textbook Understanding Mass Media, go even further and state, “Advertising tries to inform consumers about a particular product and to persuade them to make a particular decision—usually the decision to buy the product.” They are describing the most common forms of advertising—national consumer advertising (the ad in Time magazine about a new car model) and retail advertising (the ad in the local paper telling you where to buy the car). In public relations and marketing, advertising is in the category of “paid media” (as opposed to earned media and owned media) because organizations or their advertising agencies create the ad and purchase media space for it. However, advertising can serve other purposes besides just persuading people to buy a product or service. Todd Hunt and Brent Ruben, authors of Mass Communication: Producers and Consumers, say other purposes of advertising might be to build consumer trust in an organization (institutional advertising), to create favorable opinions and attitudes (goodwill or public service advertising), or to motivate people to support a cause or a political candidate (issue or political advertising). These kinds of advertising can be placed under the umbrella of public relations advertising. In fact, the American National Advertisers and Publishers Information Bureau once suggested several characteristics that distinguish public relations advertising. The following list uses the word “company,” but the concept is applicable to any

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organization, including non-profits, trade groups, and ­special-interest groups. “Public relations advertising” must: • Educate or inform the public regarding the company’s policies, functions, facilities, objectives, ideals, and standards. • Create a climate of favorable opinion about the company by stressing the competence of the company’s management, accumulated scientific knowledge, manufacturing skills, technological progress, and contribution to social advancement and public welfare. • Build up the investment qualities of the company’s securities or improve the financial structure of the company. • Sell the company as a good place in which to work, often in a way designed to appeal to recent college graduates or people with certain skills. In other words, public relations advertising does not sell goods or services directly. Instead, its primary purpose is to inform, educate, and create a favorable climate of public support that allows an organization to succeed in its organizational objectives. Of course, an indirect by-­product of this may be the selling of goods and services.

16.4.1:  Advantages of Advertising Advertising, like direct mail, is paid and controlled mass communication. This means that the organization completely bypasses the newsroom gatekeepers and places its messages, exactly as written and formatted, with the medium’s advertising department. Thus, a primary reason for using advertising as a communications tool is that control of the message remains with the sender. Some other advantages of advertising are its selectivity and the advertiser’s control of the impact and timing.

about subject A before you say anything about subject B, but if a gatekeeper changes the order or eliminates one story, the sequence is destroyed. With advertising, however, you can be sure that your message is reproduced in the exact words you choose and in the sequence you have planned. IMPACT  With advertising, you can make your messages as big, frequent, and powerful as you choose. Media gatekeepers, by definition, are looking for newsworthy, timely material. An organization, however, might want to send a message to a large audience that doesn’t meet the standards of traditional news values. The editor may discard your information or run it in a brief story buried on page 9. With advertising, however, you can have a much larger impact by simply buying the entire page. TIMING  If timing is an important factor, advertising can guarantee that your message will be timely. Prompt response to a public issue, a fixed sequence of messages, continuity of communication—all can be maintained through advertising. To the gatekeeper, your message may be just as usable on Tuesday as on Friday; but for your purpose, Tuesday may be a day too early and Friday is too late. You can’t be sure about the timing unless you pay for it.

16.4.2:  Disadvantages of Advertising Although institutional advertising can be effective in getting key messages to specific audiences, there are some disadvantages. COST  Paid space is expensive. Ads in multiple media, which are necessary for message penetration, can cost thousands of dollars in the trade (or business-to-business) press and millions in the consumer press. The following table gives some recent examples:

AUDIENCE SELECTION  Specific audiences can be

reached with advertising messages on the basis of such variables as location, age, income, and lifestyle. This is done by closely studying the consumer demographics of newspapers, magazines, websites, and broadcast programming. A luxury goods manufacturer, for example, might advertise in magazines such as the New Yorker and National Geographic, which have highly educated and affluent readers. The neighborhood deli, however, might advertise only in the local weekly that serves the immediate area. Online ads provide an additional means of targeting your audience, either nationally or locally.

Table 16.1  The Cost of Traditional Advertising Medium

Media Platform

Cost

TELEVISION 30 seconds of airtime

Super Bowl

$4.5 million

Academy Awards

$1.9 million

Sunday Night Football

$570,000

Modern Family

$257,000

Family Guy

$223,000

Scandal

$200,000

Wall Street Journal Magazine U.S. edition

$167,000

PRINT One page of space

MESSAGE CONTROL  Gatekeepers frequently alter or

truncate the news or features they receive. Sometimes the changes do little harm, but occasionally the changes ruin an idea or eliminate an important point. Your communications plan may involve informing the public

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is, I don’t know which half.” — John Wanamaker, founder of department store chain bearing his name

292  Chapter 16 The high cost of buying space or airtime for advertising has led many companies to shift more of their ­marketing communications budgets to the Internet, product publicity, and direct mail. Online ads often are paid for per “click through,” which can be more cost efficient. But online ads may not create the same level of awareness that traditional mainstream media ad buys might. See the Tips for Success below for some guidelines for creating an effective online ad.

appears in the news columns or on broadcast news shows. The public perceives that news reports have more credibility because journalists, who are independent of the organization, have evaluated the information on the basis of truth and accuracy. Indeed, a widely perceived value of publicity is the concept that a third party, the medium, has endorsed the information by printing or broadcasting it. Advertisements have no such third-party endorsement, because anyone with enough money can place an advertisement, provided it meets the acceptance standards of the medium.

Tips for Success Effective Online Ad Elements Internet advertising reached about $50 billion in 2014. The biggest chunk of internet advertising went to search-based ads (39 percent), followed by mobile ads (23 percent), and banner ads (17 percent). Electronic media experts suggest these 10 tips for successful online ads.

WRITING PROMPT What different roles do paid, earned, and owned media play in public relations? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

16.5:  Types of Public Relations Advertising 16.5 Analyze the five basic types of public relations advertising The majority of public relations advertising is done in magazines, with television and newspapers in second and third place, respectively. The advantage of magazines is a highly defined readership in terms of income, education, occupation, and specific interests. A growing source for public relations advertising placement is online news media. Native advertising is paid placement of editorial content within a website. There are several types of public relations advertising. At times, the distinctions between categories can become blurred; however, for the purposes of this discussion, we will deal with five basic types: 1. image building, 2. investor and financial relations programs, 3. public service messages, 4. advocacy, and 5. announcements. CREDIBILITY  Public relations executives are fond of say-

ing, “Advertising raises awareness, but publicity published as news stories creates credibility.” Because they are controlled messages, advertisements are generally less believable than publicity that

16.5.1:  Image Building The purpose of image-building advertising is to strengthen an organization’s reputation, change or reinforce public perceptions, and create a favorable climate for selling the

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organization’s goods and services. Non-profits and civic groups also engage in image advertising. A good example of an image-building campaign is ­Toyota’s TeenDrive365, which projects its image as an ­automotive manufacturer concerned about safe driving education. One magazine ad addressed to parents showed a child playing with a toy car in a dining room, to stress the need to emphasize safety to new drivers. Consumers can learn more about the Toyota image-building campaign from the TeenDrive365 information on Toyota’s main website. The energy company Chevron often runs advertisements that are image-oriented rather than product- or service-oriented. One ad from the We Agree campaign featured a photograph of a teen-aged boy and and declared Chevron’s support for local schools in the headline. The headline was followed by signatures of the president and CEO of a non-profit organization called “Project Lead the Way” and the vice president of human resources for Chevron. Another “We Agree” ad is shown in Figure 16.2.

Figure 16.2  Organizations such as manufacturing or energy companies often use image-building advertising to inform consumers and community members of policies and activities. This ad from Chevron announces the company’s devotion to the communities in which it operates.

16.5.2:  Investor and Financial Relations A different type of public relations advertising is targeted to the financial community—individual and institutional investors, stock analysts, investment bankers, and stockholders. Such advertising often has the objective of informing and reassuring investors that the company is well managed, is worthy of investment, and has bright prospects for the future. Financial advertising is used extensively during proxy fights for control of companies, when a company is undergoing some major reorganization, or when a company believes it is being unfairly attacked by consumer groups or regulatory agencies. A variety of these ads appear in financial publications, notably The Wall Street Journal. Taco Bell took out print ads in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal when the company was named in a lawsuit alleging its products were not as advertised. The headline read “Thank you for suing us,” using humor to get the reader’s attention. The copy went on to reveal the restaurant’s “secret” recipe for its beef taco filling, as evidence to back up its claim. When the suit was dropped, the restaurant chain ran another full-page ad in national newspapers. This time the headline read, “Would it kill you to say you’re sorry?” The copy assured investors and consumers that Taco Bell had not changed its recipe in response to the lawsuit. Other forms of financial advertising are somewhat routine. You can use an ad to announce a new corporate name, the acquisition of another company, or a new CEO. Such ads help fulfill SEC requirements for full and timely disclosure. Releasing news to the media may be adequate, but many corporations also use advertising to ensure wide distribution.

16.5.3:  Public Service Public service advertisements provide information, raise awareness about social issues, and give how-to suggestions. A number of non-profit and charitable organizations, as well as governmental agencies, use such advertising for public education. Table 16.2 lists some examples of public service campaigns by governmental agencies and nonprofits and sponsored by the Ad Council. The Council, in cooperation with volunteer advertising agencies, prepared ads for these groups as a public service. The Ad Council often prepares ads for newspapers and magazines, TV stations, radio stations, transit signage, and social media. (Go to AdCouncil.org to see a full list of their current campaigns.) The website for the food safety campaign described in Table 16.2 is shown in Figure 16.3.

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Table 16.2  Public Service Campaigns Sponsored by the Ad Council

Sponsored Organization(s) U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration The Dollar General ­Literacy Foundation

Ad Campaign Goals • To educate U.S. citizens about how to handle food safely • The Food Safe Families campaign focuses on four safe food-handling behaviors • Direct people to www.FoodSafety.gov • To encourage literacy and education through a campaign about high school equivalency degrees • A public service announcement directs people to FinishYourDiploma.org.

AdoptUSKids, U.S. ­Children’s Bureau (Dept. of Health and Human Services) American Heart ­Association

• To encourage adoption from foster care • In 2014, PSAs raised awareness of the need for families to adopt siblings • To educate women that heart disease and strokes are the cause of death for one in three women each year • Direct people to GoRedforWomen.org

United Negro College Fund

• To raise awareness about Historically Black Colleges and Universities • Has used the slogan “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste” since 1972

Figure 16.3  The Ad Council partnered with several government agencies to promote food safety. This website is only one of the elements of the campaign.

Corporations also do public service kinds of advertising to generate goodwill. In most cases, it is related to their products and services. For example: • The Pacific Gas & Electric Company provides information on public safety and emergency preparedness. • The Coca-Cola Company focuses on obesity education. • Microsoft combined efforts with StopThinkConnect.org to provide tips about online security.

16.5.4:  Advocacy and Issues Although it can be argued that advocacy is an element in all public relations advertising—whether it’s the American

Cancer Society telling you to stop smoking or a company telling you it’s all right to buy its stock—the term “­advocacy advertising” has a more exact meaning. It usually means advertising to motivate voters, to influence government policy, or to put pressure on elected officials. A good example is the campaign by the Humane Society of the United States to put public and legislative pressure on the Canadian government to stop the killing of baby seals for their fur. Allstate Insurance has also run a series of advocacy ads that call for more legislation to curb the dangerous driving habits of teenagers. The company would like to see legislation banning anyone under the age of 18 from using cell phones or any text-messaging device while driving. In addition, the insurance company advocates graduated driver licensing laws that place limitations on new drivers. The headline of one Allstate ad noted that two-thirds of teens said they text while driving and warned, “Some of Them Will Never Be Heard From Again,” given that car crashes kill more American teens than anything else. The ad then urged readers to contact their congressional representatives and to ask them to support the STANDUP Act. The ad closed with the directive: “Go to allstate. com/STANDUP.”

16.5.5: Announcements Announcements can be used for any number of situations. The primary purpose is to inform the public promptly about something that might interest them. This might be recalling a product, apologizing for a failure of service, announcing a community event, or even expressing sympathy to the families who lost loved ones in a plane crash. Here are some other examples of announcement ads: • Taco Bell reassures customers that its meat is 100 percent USDA-inspected following the filing of a class action lawsuit. • State Farm Insurance tells residents of a disaster area how to file claims. • The High Museum of Art in Atlanta announces a special exhibition of the work of Salvador Dali. • Doctors Without Borders announces a program to support doctors traveling to Africa to treat Ebola.

WRITING PROMPT Explain the difference between public relations advertising and marketing advertising. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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16.6:  Creating a Print Ad 16.6 Identify the main components of a print advertisement Print advertisements have several key elements: the headline, text, artwork, and layout. Like when writing for VNRs and PSAs, you have to write copy for the ear, keep it short, and adopt a conversational style. For television, you need strong graphic elements.

major points. Sentences should be short and punchy and use active voice. A declarative sentence is much better than one that includes a dependent or an independent clause. The copy should evoke emotion, provide information of value to the reader, and suggest a way that the reader can act on the information. You might include a toll-free telephone number, an email address, or the URL of the organization’s website. A review of the ads featured in this chapter, such as Figure 16.2, will give you some idea about copywriting.

16.6.3:  Ad Artwork

16.6.1:  Ad Headline Advertising expert John Caplets says, “The headline is the most important element in most ads—and the best headlines appeal to the reader’s self-interest or give news.” Headlines should be specific about a benefit, or they can be teasers that arouse interest. Here is a headline about a specific program: “The Phoenix Mutual Insurance Retirement Income Plan.”

Caplets thought this was all right, but he created a headline that sold much more successfully. An illustration of a smiling senior citizen fishing in a mountain stream accompanied the following, more appealing headline: “To Men Who Want to Quit Work Some Day.”

Caplets offers the following suggestions for writing an advertising headline: • Include the interests of the audience. • Use words such as “introducing,” “announcing,” “new,” or “now” to give the headline a newsworthy appeal. • Avoid witty or cute headlines unless they include reader interest and appear newsy. • Present the headline positively. Don’t say “Our competitors can’t match our service” when you can say, “Our service surpasses that of our competitors.”

16.6.2:  Ad Text The headline is followed by one or several copy blocks. These are sentences and short paragraphs that inform and persuade. In general, copy should be limited to one or two

An ad can consist of just a headline and copy, but the most effective ones usually have a strong graphic element. This may be a striking photo, a line drawing, or a computergenerated design. Visual elements play a crucial role in motivating a reader to even look at the ad. Artwork and graphics are doubly important if the ad is on the Internet. In this case, text is secondary and graphics are primary. When developing advertising for websites remember that graphics can’t be too complex because of possible downloading problems, but the ad does need to be interactive, with elements such as “click here” buttons to involve the reader.

16.6.4:  Ad Layout The headline, copy, and graphic elements need to be integrated into an attractive, easy-to-read advertisement. A layout can be a mock-up of the planned ad, or it can be a detailed comprehensive that includes the actual type and artwork that will be used. In general, avoid all-capital letters or large blocks of copy. Use serif type for body copy, avoid large blocks of reverse type (white on dark color), and use plenty of white space. Additional guidelines are provided in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success Getting the Most from Your Ads A successful advertisement grabs the reader’s attention. To create an effective print ad, keep the following tips in mind. • BUSY LAYOUTS OFTEN PULL BETTER THAN NEAT ONES. One split-run test showed busy layouts outpull neat ones by 14 percent. • VARY SHAPES, SIZES, AND COLORS. People will get bored, and turn the page, if there is no variety. • COLOR WILL ATTRACT ATTENTION. Although it may not be cost effective, consider using color when the product itself demands it. • PUTTING SOMETHING ODD INTO A PICTURE WILL ATTRACT ATTENTION. David Ogilvy’s iconic Hathaway Shirts campaign used a model with an eye patch. That odd little detail made the campaign a classic.

296  Chapter 16 • TOO MANY EXTRANEOUS PROPS DIVERT ATTENTION. A curtain material company ran an ad with a cute teddy bear in it. The company got more calls asking about the bear than it did about its product. • PHOTOGRAPHS ARE MORE CONVINCING THAN DRAWN ILLUSTRATIONS. Photos can increase responses by more than 50 percent. • BEFORE-AND-AFTER PICTURES ARE VERY PERSUASIVE. The technique is a great way to show the benefit of your product.

16.7:  Working with an Ad Agency 16.7 Report some of the things to keep in mind when working with an advertising agency Most public relations advertising is prepared with the assistance of an advertising agency. The agency has employees who are experts in all phases of creating the ads and purchasing space in the selected media. In an integrated marketing communications campaign, personnel from a public relations firm and an advertising agency often work together on a campaign. The Weber Shandwick public relations firm, for example, works with ad agency Lowe Campbell Ewald on the Great American Milk Drive for the Milk Processor Education Program, the National Dairy Council, and Feeding America. In addition, FleishmanHillard public relations worked on a Connecticut Office of Tourism campaign with Adams & Knight advertising. Ketchum public relations worked with DDB to develop a campaign to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Morton Salt Girl. The key to a successful relationship is keeping the communication channels as open as possible. Sara Calabro, a writer for PRWeek, gives some pointers for working with an ad agency: • Do clarify the respective responsibilities of each agency from the outset and communicate openly and frequently throughout the campaign. • Do always view an integrated account from the perspective of how public relations can complement advertising and vice versa. • Do consider the compatibility of team members’ personalities when selecting a partner agency.

16.8:  Native Advertising 16.8 Describe the role of native advertising and main concerns regarding its use Native advertising is a form of advertising spawned by the combination of digital media and publishers’ needs to

­ enerate advertising income in unconventional ways. g Native advertising, also known as sponsored content, branded content, or sponsored journalism, is content that is written by public relations professionals and placed among news ­content—for a price. For decades “advertorials” have existed in print publications. Native advertising is today’s online version of the tactic. Print advertorials were content written by public relations professionals and published in newspapers and magazines as paid content. Oftentimes advertorials appeared in special advertising sections of a publication where they were not directly adjacent to news copy, but they were presented as editorial content rather than advertising. POPULARITY  The growth of digital media has provided

a new opportunity for paid placement of promotional editorial copy. In 2013, $1.5 billion was spent on native advertising, compared to $8.6 billion spent on banner advertisements. Experts predict native advertising will be a $3.1 billion industry in 2017. The practice is widespread among well-respected news media such as Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Slate, The Atlantic, BuzzFeed, and even the Associated Press. Forbes has a formal arrangement wherein a completely separate newsroom is set up for the magazine’s native advertising program, “BrandVoice.” Lewis DVorkin, Forbes Media’s chief product officer, told PRWeek that there is a trend among advertisers to create their own content for Forbes to host on and in its various media. PLACEMENT  Traditional news media are not the only

sources for native advertising placement. Sharethrough is a software company, and there are several, that provides products to place in-feed native ads in social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Tumblr. Native advertising offers an opportunity for public relations professionals. Since the content is supposed to mimic regular news editorial content, the news writing skills of public relations come into play. Native advertising provides the advantage of targeting potential customers or other stakeholders on their favorite platforms. Public relations firm Edelman released a special report titled, “Sponsored Content: A broader relationship with the U.S. news media.” In its report, Edelman noted that paid syndication was the most commonly seen native advertising. “Here sponsored posts, articles, videos, slideshows and information graphics from corporations appear within the news section,” the report noted. Toyota, ­Cadillac, and Boeing are among the major corporations that regularly run paid-syndicated posts on Slate, NBC News, The Atlantic, Gawker Media and others, according to the Edelman report.

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Figure 16.4  Sharethrough.com helps clients insert native advertising in online feeds. This illustration from Sharethrough shows how the native advertising appears on a cell phone screen.

j­ournalism industries about the ethics involved in native advertising, most respondents to the PRWeek survey said  they were open to reading sponsored content. In fact, they thought it was helpful to the overall news ­c onsumption experience. According to these survey respondents, native advertising is relevant when it meets these conditions: 1. the content is relevant to the reader, 2. the brand is relevant to the reader, 3. the reader trusts the brand, 4. the native advertising or sponsored content is relevant to the medium, and 5. the brand is perceived as an authority on the topic being “reported.”

WRITING PROMPT Native advertising has become increasingly present in a variety of media. What is native advertising? Where and how do you experience it? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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ISSUES WITH NATIVE ADVERTISING  PRWeek

c­ onducted a survey to examine the attitudes of news ­c onsumers to native advertising. Despite an ongoing debate within the public relations, advertising, and

There are a variety of concerns about native advertising. The federal body charged with protecting consumers—the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)—is watching native advertising carefully to be sure it doesn’t mislead consumers. In fact, the FTC has held seminars with public relations professionals and journalists to discuss the pros and cons of the tactic. Some public relations practitioners voice concern about native advertising eroding the credibility of earned media (public relations’ bread and butter). Anna Keeve, a senior program manager at Stalwart Communications in San Diego, wrote in PR News, “A new business model is afoot that threatens not only objectivity in reporting and publishing, but also the opportunities for earned media.” Public relations expert Fraser Seitel offered advice in O’Dwyer’s to public relations professionals who produce native advertising. He wrote that it is important to understand that native advertising isn’t objective news. To be most effective, Seitel noted, native advertising has to be placed in the appropriate context, echoing the findings of the PRWeek survey. Use native advertising to “pitch” products and services to consumers but stay away from the hard sell. Seitel also wrote that native advertising was a good place to acknowledge the good deeds of a corporation, given that—in his opinion—such news is seldom covered by journalists.

16.9:  Other Advertising Channels 16.9 Report the characteristics of certain other advertising channels Other forms of advertising that can be used as a tactic in a public relations program are (1) billboards, (2) transit panels, (3) buttons and bumper stickers, (4) posters, (5) T-shirts, and (6) promotional items.

298  Chapter 16 their own communities was an important tactic for us,” Gimbel said. The winning University of Georgia campaign was called “iCount” and asked the university’s hometown, Athens, this question: “Is your silence worth $1,697?” The dollar amount referred to the amount of federal funding lost locally for each person who didn’t participate in the Census. All three campaigns targeted non-English-speaking groups—Latinos in Georgia, Latinos and Vietnamese in New Orleans, and Portuguese in Rhode Island—which required translating campaign materials into the languages of these publics. The University of Georgia team also won a PRSA Silver Anvil for its campaign.

16.9.1: Billboards The next PR Casebook discusses how the U.S. Census Bureau employed nontraditional advertising techniques— those not involving mass media—to reach university students. The creative output of public relations students included application of some nontraditional forms of advertising, including some listed above.

PR Casebook: U.S. Census Bureau Targets Millennials The U.S. Census Bureau is charged with counting every citizen once a decade. During the 2010 Census, the government turned to the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and its annual Bateman Case Study Competition for help in counting college students. According to Philip Volmar, writing in Public Relations Tactics, “One of the nation’s most transient populations is college students, and the Bureau lists these mobile Millennials as part of its ‘hard-to-count’ category because students are often moving or too distracted with schoolwork to fill out the Census form.” Teams from the University of Georgia, Loyola University, and Roger Williams University came in first, second, and third, respectively, in the competition. Each team developed ways to raise awareness among college students about the importance of being counted. They used handbills, yard signs, logos on milk cartons, and public service announcements—all tactics that fall broadly into the public relations advertising category. “We saw the incredible potential in PR students to develop campaigns that not only reach students, but also their communities at large,” Stacy Gimbel, a public affairs specialist for the Bureau, told Public Relations Tactics. “Working with college students to share our message with

Most outdoor advertising consists of paper sheets pasted on a wooden or metal background. The 24-sheet poster is standard, but there are also painted billboards, which use no paper. Outdoor advertising reaches large audiences in brief exposures. Accordingly, advertising for this medium must be eye-catching and use few words. Ten words is a rule-of-thumb limit for outdoor copy. When design and copy are approved, the individual sheets that make up the whole advertisement are printed and then pasted to the billboard. Location is vital in this medium—and prices are based on the traffic that is exposed to the site. Occasionally, nonprofit organizations can obtain free or heavily discounted usage of outdoor space that is temporarily unsold. Displays are usually scheduled in monthly units, and occasionally there are gaps in the schedules, which may lead to discounted rates.

16.9.2:  Transit Panels This category includes the small posters placed in subway and commuter rail stations, the cards used in buses and rail cars, the highly visual ads often seen at bus stops, and the large ads on the sides and backs of buses. All types of transit advertising require eye-catching graphics, but the copy can be longer than for outdoor posters. The person waiting for a train or holding a strap or a bar on a bus or rail car has some time to absorb a message. Cards in transit vehicles often carry coupons or tear-off notes allowing readers to ask for more information or respond to some sort of offer.

16.9.3:  Buttons and Bumper Stickers Buttons are widely used in political campaigns and at special events. They are also useful in fundraising, when they

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are distributed to people who make donations. In San Francisco one year, money was raised for the ballet by selling “SOB” (“Save Our Ballet”) buttons to pedestrians in the downtown area. In general, buttons have a short life span. They are worn by convention delegates or by sales representatives during a trade show. Buttons are sometimes sold at events as a wearable “ticket” to demonstrate that you’ve paid an entry fee or that you support the sponsoring cause. Outside of these areas, people don’t generally wear buttons unless they are highly committed to a particular cause. Bumper stickers are another specialty item. They are often used to support political candidates and social issues, but they can also be used to promote a special event or a scenic attraction or membership in an organization. Magnetic bumper stickers are a popular alternative to adhesive ones because they don’t mar the finish on a car.

16.9.4: Posters Posters are used in a variety of settings to create awareness and remind people of something. Many companies use posters on bulletin boards to remind employees about basic company policies, benefits, and safety precautions. Government agencies often use posters as part of public information campaigns about preventing AIDS, getting flu shots, or having pets neutered. Museum exhibits and art shows lend themselves to poster treatments. The poster, often a piece of art itself, can promote attendance and can also be sold as a souvenir of the show. To be effective, a poster must be attractively designed and have strong visual elements. It should be relatively large, convey only one basic idea, and use only a few words to relate basic information. A poster is a very small billboard. Posters, if done properly, can be expensive to design and produce. Therefore, you need to assess how the posters will be used and displayed. Costs can be controlled, often by buying ready-to-use posters from printers and having the organization’s name or logo imprinted on them. Local chapters of national organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, also get posters from the national organization that can easily be localized.

16.9.5: T-Shirts T-shirts have been described as “walking billboards,” and some people, including sociologists, lament the fact that people are so materialistic that they willingly become walking ads for products, services, and social or political issues. Why people do this remains unknown, but the fact is that they do spend their own money to

advertise things with which they may or may not have any direct connection. Because so many people are willing to serve as billboards, you may find an opportunity to use this medium, which is particularly convenient for causes such as environmental protection. Often such groups make sizable incomes from the sale of T-shirts. Corporations don’t usually sell T-shirts, but they do distribute them to attendees at conferences, sales meetings, picnics, sponsored activities such as sports events, and events at other venues. In these situations, the T-shirts contribute to a feeling of belonging to a team. Almost every town and city in America has at least one shop where you can order T-shirts. You can specify just about anything you can imagine—slogans, corporate logos, symbols, and so on. The process is simple and fast, and the costs are low. At some time, almost any organization may find T-shirts useful.

16.9.6:  Promotional Items An inexpensive item with the organization’s logo or name on it often accompanies public relations events. Angela West, public relations manager for the Promotional Products Association International, writes in Public Relations Tactics, “Whether you’re conducting a media relations program, staging a press conference, or hosting a special event, promotional products are a valuable public relations tool.” Promotional items may include pens, coffee mugs, key chains, paperweights, mouse pads, flash drives, vinyl briefcases, plaques, and even T-shirts. An organization may include such an item in a media kit although most reporters complain they have enough pens and coffee mugs to last a lifetime. At other times, promotional items are made available at press parties and trade shows. The main consideration, says West, is choosing products that bear a natural relationship to the product, service, or message being promoted. A press kit for the Kansas Wheat Commission, for example, might include a cookbook with wheat-based recipes together with an apron and press release about commission activities.

WRITING PROMPT Imagine you are trying to promote an event on campus. Which of the “other” advertising channels discussed in this chapter, from billboards to small promotional items, would you use? Why? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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Summary: Using Direct Mail and Advertising

Using Direct Mail and Advertising  301

SHARED WRITING: USING DIRECT MAIL AND ADVERTISING Some people say that in today’s marketing environment the line between public relations and advertising is blurring. Describe a piece of public relations advertising. Why do you think it was public relations and not marketing advertising? Where does native advertising fit in—is it public relations or marketing or something else? Why?

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Chapter 16 Quiz: Using Direct Mail and Advertising

Chapter 17

Working Within a Legal Framework Learning Objectives 17.1

Recognize the need for public relations writers to be compliant with the law

17.4

Analyze how public relations writers can comply with copyright laws

17.2

Recognize the basis for libel and defamation lawsuits and how they can be avoided

17.5

Express the need for public relations writers to be cognizant of how trademarks are protected by law

17.6

Report the guidelines established by the four federal regulatory agencies

17.7

Identify six guidelines to ensure smooth relations between the legal and public relations functions

17.3a Examine how invasion of privacy is a

serious concern for public relations writers and staff 17.3b Describe means of safeguarding against

invasions of privacy

17.1:  A Sampling of Legal Problems 17.1 Recognize the need for public relations writers to be compliant with the law Public relations writers, once they have mastered the basics of persuasive writing, also have the responsibility to work within the law. You must understand basic legal concepts that provide a framework for all your writing. A false product claim in a news release or the unauthorized use of a celebrity’s photograph can lead to costly lawsuits for you and your employer or client. Here’s a sampling of recent government regulatory agency cases and lawsuits that involved public relations materials and the work of PR practitioners:

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area of liability is called conspiracy. You can be named as a coconspirator with other organizational officials if you: • Participate in an illegal action such as bribing a government official or covering up information of vital interest to the public health and safety • Counsel and guide the policy behind an illegal action • Take a major personal part in the illegal action • Help establish a “front group” whereby the connection to the public relations firm or its clients is kept hidden • Cooperate in any other way to further an illegal action These five concepts also apply to public relations firms that create, produce, and distribute materials on behalf of clients. The courts have ruled on more than one occasion that public relations firms cannot hide behind the defense of “the client told me to do it.” Public relations firms have a legal responsibility to practice “due diligence” in the type of information and documentation supplied by a client. Regulatory agencies such as the FTC have the power under the Lanham Act to file charges against public relations firms that distribute false and misleading information.

17.2:  Libel and Defamation 17.2 Recognize the basis for libel and defamation lawsuits and how they can be avoided According to the AP Stylebook, “Libel is injury to reputation. Words, pictures or cartoons that expose a person to public hatred, shame, disgrace or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person are libelous.” Traditionally, the term libel was a printed falsehood and slander involved an oral communication, such as a speech or a broadcast mention. Today, however, the courts often use defamation as a collective term that involves comments made in the traditional media or even on social media. Juries award defamation damages to the extent that the following four points can be proved by the injured party: 1. the statement was published to others by print or broadcast; These examples provide some idea of the legal pitfalls that a public relations practitioner may encounter, and that will be discussed in this chapter. Many of the charges were eventually dismissed or settled out of court, but the organizations paid dearly for the adverse publicity and the expense of defending themselves. The goal, of course, is to understand the law well enough to avoid these types of situations in the first place. Public relations personnel must be aware that they can be held legally liable if they provide advice concerning or tacitly support a client or employer’s illegal activity. This

2. the plaintiff was identified or is identifiable; 3. there was actual injury in the form of monetary losses, impairment of reputation, humiliation, or mental anguish and suffering; and 4. the publisher of the statement was malicious or ­negligent. In one case, for example, a former employee of J. Walter Thompson advertising agency filed a $20 million ­defamation lawsuit after an agency news release said she was “let go” because of financial irregularities in the department she headed. The lawsuit was dismissed

304  Chapter 17 because she could not prove that the agency acted in a “grossly irresponsible manner.” With public figures—people in government, politics, and entertainment—the test is whether the publisher of the statement knew that it was false or had a reckless disregard for its truth. Corporations, for the most part, are also considered “public figures” because they offer products and services for purchase and comment by consumers. Consequently, corporations have little recourse when an activist group says a company is a major polluter, a consumer affairs reporter says a product is a “rip-off,” or consumers pan a restaurant on Yelp! Such statements are in the realm of fair comment, which is discussed next.

17.2.1:  The Fair Comment Defense A possible lawsuit provides a warning of what can happen, but this does not mean that an organization has to avoid statements of fact or opinion in public relations materials. Truth is the traditional defense against libel charges, but opinions also have a degree of legal protection under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects the freedom of speech. This legal concept is known as fair comment privilege. This defense, for example, explains why theater and music reviewers can skewer a play or concert with impunity. It also means that mainstream journalists and even bloggers are protected when they write or post comments blasting a company’s policy or products even if they have some of the facts wrong. As already stated, when individuals and companies voluntarily display their wares to the public for sale or consumption, they have no real recourse against criticism done with honest intention and lack of malicious intent. Fair comment also protects the critical comments of organizational executives, which may be included in a news release or as the result of a media interview. In one case, the owner of the New York Yankees was sued for libel by an umpire when a news release from the team called him a “scab” who “had it in” for the Yankees and ­“misjudged” plays. A lower court awarded the umpire libel damages, but a higher court overturned the judgment by ruling that the comments in the news release constituted protected statements of opinion. If you ever have occasion to write a news release that makes critical comments about another individual or organization, you can use the fair comment defense. However, experts recommend that you take several precautionary measures, as follows: • Accompany opinion statements with the facts on which the opinions are based. • Clearly identify statements as opinions by using quote marks and attributing them to a particular individual.

• Review the context of the language surrounding expressions of opinion, for possible defamation.

17.2.2:  Avoiding Defamation Suits A lawsuit is always expensive and often damages an organization’s reputation even if the lawsuit is dismissed, so it’s always wise to carefully consider your choice of words. Words have denotative and connotative meanings. In either case, an executive can invite a lawsuit by simply calling the leaders of a labor union a “bunch of crooks using Nazi tactics” during a labor dispute. Or an executive might call a news reporter “a pimp for all environmental groups.” Such language, although highly quotable and colorful, can provoke legal retaliation. In situations involving personnel, organizations often avoid potential lawsuits by saying that an employee left “for personal reasons” or to “pursue other interests,” even if the real reason was incompetence or a record of sexual harassment. The main reason for using fairly innocuous language is that the individual usually hasn’t been formally charged or convicted in a court of law. It’s also a good idea to avoid unflattering comments or accusations about the competition’s products or services. Although comparative advertising is the norm in the United States, a company must walk a narrow line between comparison and “trade libel” or “product disparagement.” Statements should be truthful, with factual evidence and scientific demonstration available to substantiate them. Companies often charge competitors with overstepping the boundary between legitimate, factual comparison and defamation. The dispute between Subway and Quiznos demonstrates the dangers of an ad campaign based on user-generated content: Subway sued Quiznos because it sponsored a contest for the best homemade video showing why Quiznos sandwiches are superior to Subway’s. The winning video showed a race between two wagons. The Quiznos wagon, in the form of a meaty sandwich, blasted smoke at the plain-looking Subway car, causing it to crash in defeat. The ad’s creator got $10,000, and the video was shown on the Internet as well as on a giant screen in Times Square. Subway claimed that the video and others entered in the contest made “false statements” and depicted Subway in a “disparaging manner.” Quiznos, of course, claimed that it was not legally liable for the content of a contest entry.

An organization, however, can offer the opinion that a particular product or service is the “best” or “a revolutionary development” if the context clearly shows that the communication is a statement of opinion attributed to someone. Then it is classified as “puffery” and doesn’t require factual evidence, according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines.

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WRITING PROMPT You’re the public relations practitioner in a digital media startup–a highly competitive market. Your boss has been denigrating the ­competition. Your unpleasant task is to inform your boss about how to avoid defaming the competition. What do you tell the boss? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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may invade the privacy of employees. Although a mention that Joe Smith collects baseball caps or that Mary Worth is now a great-grandmother may sound completely innocent, the individuals involved—for any number of reasons— might consider the information a violation of their privacy. The situation could be further compounded into possible defamation by “cutesy” editorial asides in poor taste. In sum, one should avoid anything that might embarrass or subject an employee to ridicule by fellow employees. Here are some guidelines to remember when writing about employee activities: • Keep the focus on organization-related activities.

17.3:  Invasion of Privacy

• Have employees submit personal stories or notes in writing, giving permission for them to be used or quoted.

17.3a  E  xamine how invasion of privacy is a serious concern for public relations writers and staff

• Double-check all information for accuracy.

17.3b  D  escribe means of safeguarding against invasions of privacy Invasion of privacy “n. the intrusion into the personal life of another, without just cause, which can give the person whose privacy has been invaded a right to bring a lawsuit for damages against the person or entity that intruded.” — Gerald and Kathleen Hill, The People’s Law Dictionary

One area of possible liability and potential lawsuits is an organization’s treatment of its employees or customers with regards to privacy. Public relations writers and staff are vulnerable to litigation on the basis of an invasion of privacy, in at least five areas: • Employee newsletters • Photo releases • Product publicity and advertising • Media inquiries about employees • Employee blogs

17.3.1:  Employee Newsletters It is no longer true, if it ever was, that an organization has an unlimited right to publicize the activities of its employees. In fact, Morton J. Simon, a Philadelphia lawyer and author of the classic Public Relations Law, wrote, “It should not be assumed that a person’s status as an employee waives his right to privacy.” Today, Simon’s comment is still correct. A company newsletter or magazine does not enjoy the same First Amendment protection that the news media enjoy when they claim “newsworthiness” and “public interest.” A number of court cases have shown that company newsletters are considered commercial tools of trade. This distinction doesn’t impede the effectiveness of newsletters, but it does indicate that editors should try to keep employee stories organization-oriented. Indeed, many lawsuits and complaints are generated by references that

• Ask: “Will this embarrass anyone or cause someone to be the butt of jokes?” • Don’t rely on secondhand information; confirm the facts with the person involved. • Don’t include racial or ethnic designations of employees in any articles.

17.3.2:  Photo Releases Ordinarily, a public relations practitioner doesn’t need a signed release form if a person gives implied consent by posing for a picture and is told how it will be used. This is particularly true for “news” photographs published in internal newsletters or posted on the organization’s intranet. Public relations departments, however, should take the precautions of 1. filing all photographs, 2. dating them, and 3. giving the context of the situation. This can help prevent the use of old photos that could embarrass employees or subject them to ridicule. In other cases, it also precludes using photographs of persons who are no longer employed or have died. This method also helps to ensure that a photo taken for the employee newsletter isn’t used in an advertisement. If a photo of an employee or customer is used in product publicity, sales brochures, or advertisements, the standard practice is to obtain a signed release, getting the explicit consent of the subject in the photo to use her or his image in particular ways.

17.3.3:  Product Publicity and Advertising As already noted, an organization must have a signed release on file if it wants to use the photographs or comments of employees and other individuals in product

306  Chapter 17 ­ ublicity, sales brochures, and advertising. An added prep caution is to give some financial compensation to make a more binding contract. Facebook unfortunately learned this lesson the hard way. The social network used pictures of millions of Facebook users in “Sponsored Story” advertisements. Facebook was accused of using the names, photographs, and identities of these users to advertise products without the users’ consent. When Facebook users “liked” certain content, the social network created an ad displaying the names and photos of those users, implying endorsement of the product. The plaintiffs maintained that no one had requested permission to use their names and photos in advertisements. Facebook settled the lawsuit for $20 million. Facebook is only one example of brands showcasing and reusing customer photos and videos on websites and social networks. Such user-generated content, however, requires companies to put in place customer permissions to avoid lawsuits. If a brand is sponsoring a contest that involves submission of photos, essays, and videos by customers, the best approach is to have entrants check a box that they understand and agree that the organization can reuse their content for public relations and marketing purposes. In another situation, Walmart was accused of using an employee’s photograph in an advertisement to promote the opening of a new store. The employee had previously given consent to use the photograph in another context but after the employee was fired, Walmart used the photograph in a different context and attributed a quote to the employee that he had not made. The employee won the lawsuit and was paid $15,000 by Walmart. These actions are called misappropriation of personality, which is discussed later in this chapter. “If I used my mother in an ad, I’d get her permission— and I almost trust her 100-percent.” — Jerry Della Femina, advertising executive

Written permission also should be obtained if the e­ mployee’s photograph is to appear in sales brochures or even in the corporate annual report. This rule also applies to other situations. A graduate of Lafayette College sued the college for using a photo of his mother and him at graduation ceremonies, without their permission, in a financial aid brochure.

17.3.4:  Media Inquiries about Employees Because press inquiries have the potential of invading an employee’s right of privacy, public relations personnel should follow basic guidelines as to what information will be provided on the employee’s behalf. In general, employers should give a news reporter only basic information about their employees. Use the following flashcards to be sure you know what information should and shouldn’t be provided to the media.

Decide whether each type of information can be provided to the media without violating the employee’s privacy. Click the card to check your answer.

If a reporter does seek any of this information, you can handle the request in several ways, depending on the nature of the story. First, you can volunteer to contact the employee and explain that a reporter would like to speak with him or her. If the employee agrees to speak with the reporter, this absolves the company of responsibility. Second, many organizations do provide additional information to a reporter if it is included on an optional biographical sheet that the employee has filled out. In most cases, the form clearly states that the organization may use any of the information in answering press inquiries or writing its own news releases. A typical biographical form may have sections in which the employee can list such things as memberships in community organizations, professional affiliations, educational background, past titles and positions, and even special achievements. This sheet should not be confused with the person’s official employment application, which must remain confidential. It’s also important to keep bio sheets up to date; one compiled by an employee 5 years ago may be hopelessly out of date.

WRITING PROMPT You work in media relations for a company. A local reporter sends you an urgent email to tell you that one of the company’s employees has just been named “Citizen of the Year” by the chamber of commerce. She’s on deadline and wants you to give her as much information as possible about the employee’s position, home address, marital status, number of children, hobbies, and so on, so she can write a good profile of this outstanding citizen. What, if any, information will you give her? Draft an email response to the reporter. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

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17.3.5:  Employee Behavior Online SOCIAL MEDIA  Many organizations now encourage

employees to have a blog or other social media presence as a way of fostering online discussion and obtaining informal feedback from the public. In some large companies, even top executives have a blog or Twitter account, although public relations professionals often do most of the actual writing for blog posts. In most cases, blogs and Twitter account pages are clearly identified with the creator and give information (and images) about the employer. As John Elasser, editor of Public Relations Tactics, says, “Some of that content may be innocuous; other types may be embarrassing or come back to haunt the company in litigation.” Consequently, organizations should have guidelines for what rank-and-file employees, as well as public relations writers, can and cannot say in their blog posts, tweets, or even their Facebook pages. One consideration is the protection of proprietary information such as financial data, marketing strategies, legal proceedings, or impending changes in executive personnel. Google, for example, fired an employee blogger for leaking information about an impending raise in salaries for all employees. Employees are also discouraged from talking about fellow colleagues or making comments about supervisors and executives. Such postings can invade the privacy of other employees and even lead to lawsuits if someone feels that he or she has been ridiculed or defamed in some way. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, for example, has a number of regulations protecting employees against discrimination in terms of religion, ethnic background, gender, and even their English skills. Employee statements on their own personal blogs or Facebook also have legal ramifications, which are discussed in the Tips for Success below.

Tips for Success Can Facebook Get You Fired? All employees should realize that they can get fired for (1) sharing inappropriate comments via the organization’s email system, (2) surfing the Internet at work, and (3) even criticizing their boss on their own Facebook page.

If employees mention the company in any way on a blog or other social media, most organizational policies require them to reveal their affiliation to ensure transparency. But most also have rules about appropriate social media content. Walmart, for example, has a policy that states, “In any and all interactions make sure that you don’t share confidential or private information about the Company’s business operations, products, services, or customers; respect financial disclosure laws; and do not say you speak for the Company without express written authorization from the Company to do so.” “If someone is a fisherman and they want to talk about fly fishing outside of work, that’s not our business. But if someone is going to talk about notebooks, they have to say they are from Dell.” — Bob Pearson, vice president of Dell Computers ORGANIZATIONAL EMAIL  A number of court decisions have reinforced the right of employers to read employee emails. Pillsbury, for example, fired a worker for calling management a bunch of “back-stabbing bastards” in an email to a fellow employee. Other employers have successfully fired workers who used company email for:

• making racial slurs • harassing fellow workers • sharing off-color jokes • revealing proprietary information, such as trade secrets, to outsiders In other words, you should assume that any emails you write at work are subject to monitoring and that you can be fired for violating company guidelines.

308  Chapter 17 SURFING THE NET  Surfing the Internet at work for per-

sonal reasons can also get you fired. Employers, of course, are concerned about the loss in productivity when ­employees watch YouTube videos, update their Facebook page, and make bids on eBay. Employees surfing porn sites also pose a possible liability problem if other employees are offended and file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The PR Casebook discusses recent legal actions related to employee activity on social media.

PR Casebook: Legal and Regulatory Bodies Continue to Define Social Media Rules The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been active in trying to bring some clarity to rules for social media use by employees. The NLRB works to support employee rights. These cases help define the rules for employers. Phillip Gordon and Lauren Woon of the Littler Mendelson law firm provide some tips about employer social media policies based on recent NLRB cases. 1. Employers have limited ability to protect confidential information. A case against a Hooters franchise was based on the employer’s social media policy, which read, in part: [t]he unauthorized dispersal of sensitive Company operating materials or information to any unauthorized person or party [might result in discipline up to, and including immediate termination.] This includes, but is not limited to, recipes, policies, procedures, financial information, manuals or any other information in part or in whole as contained in any Company records.

A judge found that the rules were unlawfully broad because employees might be led to believe that the policy prohibited them from discussing wages or conditions of employment with nonemployees. Additionally, the language didn’t provide any exceptions for legally protected speech or activities. 2. Employers should avoid broad restrictions on social media posts. A case against Lily Transportation addressed policies that provide broad restrictions on what employees can post about their employer online. The Lily Transportation policy stated: [E]mployees would be well advised to refrain from posting information or comments about [the ­company], the [company’s] clients, [the company’s] employees or  employees’ work that have not been approved by [the company] on the internet . . . . [The company] will use every means available under the law to hold persons accountable for disparaging, negative, false or misleading information or comments involving [the

company] or [the company’s] employees and associates on the internet . . .

The NLRB said these policies were “impermissibly overbroad” because: • They didn’t adequately specify what types of information employees couldn’t post; • They didn’t adequately differentiate information employees were prohibited from posting and protected speech; • They didn’t provide “appropriate,” “professional,” “respectful,” or “unfavorable” examples of social media content. In short, employers can’t simply ban negative comments about their organization or set totally subjective standards. 3. Employers can’t require “respectful” posts. In the Hooters case the employer fired a server, in part, for “posting disparaging comments about coworkers and managers on social media.” The employer said the behavior violated the company’s insubordination rule, which prohibited “insubordination to a manager or lack of respect and cooperation with fellow employees or guests.” The court said the rule was subjective because it didn’t adequately define “insubordination,” “lack of respect” or “cooperation.” Another problem is that there wasn’t any description of what was or wasn’t uncooperative behavior. 4. Employers can’t prohibit posts that “negatively affect” them. Laurus Technical Institute had a “No Gossip Policy” that came under fire. The policy prohibited “gossip about the company, an employee, or customer” and defined “gossip” broadly to include: (a) “[n]egative or untrue or disparaging comments” about others, (b) “repeating information that can injure a person,” and (c) “repeating a rumor about another person.” The NLRB said the language was overly broad and ambiguous and that it might keep employees from complaining about terms or conditions of employment. Employer Takeaways 1. Social media law is still constantly changing. This means that employers need to keep apprised of changes and check their social media policies with legal counsel on a regular basis. 2. Social media policies need to be specific and easily understandable. What is allowed and not allowed on social media should not be subjective. 3. Consider whether social media policies could be interpreted as designed to keep employees from talking about wages and other workplace employment matters. 4. Use examples and define limits when establishing social media policies for things like being “­respectful.”

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5. If a social media policy references something like nondisclosure of confidential information that is discussed in more detail elsewhere in an employee handbook, then the specific citation for the detailed policy should be noted in the social media policy section.

17.4:  Copyright Law 17.4 Analyze how public relations writers can comply with copyright laws Should a news release be copyrighted? What about a corporate annual report? Can a Pearls Before Swine comic strip be featured in the company magazine without obtaining permission from the strip’s creator? What about reprinting or even photocopying an article from Fortune magazine and distributing it to the company’s sales staff? Are government reports copyrighted? What about posting a video clip from Comedy Central on YouTube? What constitutes copyright infringement? These are just some of the bothersome questions that a public relations writer should be able to answer. Knowledge of copyright law is important from two perspectives: (1) what organizational materials should be copyrighted and (2) how to correctly utilize the copyrighted materials of others. In very simple terms, copyright means protection of a creative work from unauthorized use. U.S. copyright law states: “Copyright protection subsists…in the original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression now known or later developed.” The word authorship is defined in seven categories: 1. literary works; 2. musical works; 3. dramatic works; 4. pantomimes and choreographic works; 5. pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works; 6. motion pictures; and 7. sound recordings. The word fixed means that the work is sufficiently permanent or stable to permit it to be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated. Thus, a copyright does not protect ideas, but only the specific ways in which those ideas are expressed. An idea for promoting a product, for example, cannot be copyrighted—but brochures, drawings, news features, animated cartoons, display booths, photographs, audio and video recordings, corporate symbols, slogans, and the like that express a particular idea can be copyrighted. Under current law, a work is automatically copyrighted the moment it is “fixed” in tangible form—whether on paper or stored in a computer. Although such a “work” doesn’t have to carry a notice of copyright, many organiza-

tions take the extra precaution of using the copyright ­symbol—the letter “c” in a circle (©)—followed by the word copyright and the year of copyright, to discourage unauthorized use. A more formal step is official registration with the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress. Registration isn’t necessary for copyright protection, but it is often helpful in a court case against unauthorized use by others. A copyright, under current U.S. law, protects original material for the life of the creator plus 70 years for individual works and 95 years from publication for copyrights held by corporations. This is often called the “Mickey Mouse” law because Walt Disney Corporation lobbied Congress to extend copyright protection of its Mickey Mouse character that was due to expire. The list of guidelines in the Tips for Success below can help you sort out various copyright issues.

Tips for Success How to Use Copyrighted Material All major public relations materials (brochures, annual reports, photos, videos, position papers, and the like) should be copyrighted, if only to prevent unauthorized use by competitors. Additionally, keep the following guidelines in mind when reproducing or redistributing materials.

310  Chapter 17 can scan the Internet and find the exact sentence or paragraph that the student copied and pasted into a paper. “… 85 percent of the cases of plagiarism that we see are straight copies from the Internet—a student uses the Internet like a 1.5 billion-page cut-and-paste encyclopedia.” — Turnitin founder John Barrie in The Wall Street Journal

Most universities have very strong rules about plagiarism, and it is not uncommon for students to receive an “F” in a course for plagiarism. In the business world, stealing someone else’s words and expression of thought is called theft of intellectual property and employees, including CEOs, are fired. In sum, don’t use “cut and paste” as a substitute for producing your own work. If someone’s sentence or paragraph is really great, at least put it in quotes and give proper attribution.

Not all materials, however, have copyright protection. Some material is considered to be in the public domain because of its age. Many literary classics and the works of great composers, such as Chopin, can be used without violating copyright. Materials produced by the federal government can also be used freely, but there are some guidelines regarding their use that are discussed further in the next section.

17.4.1:  Fair Use versus Infringement Public relations writers are in the business of gathering information from a variety of sources, so it is important to know where fair use ends and infringement begins. This also applies to plagiarism. PLAGIARISM  Copyright infringement and plagiarism

differ. You may be guilty of copyright infringement even if you attribute the materials and give the source but don’t get permission from the author or publisher to reproduce the materials. In the case of plagiarism, the author makes no attempt to attribute the information at all. As the guide for Hamilton College says, “Plagiarism is a form of fraud. You plagiarize if you present other writer’s words or ideas as your own.” Maurice Isserman, writing in the Chronicle of Higher Education, explains, “Plagiarism substitutes someone else’s prowess as explanation for your own efforts.” At its most basic level, plagiarism is using sentences and paragraphs from someone else’s work without attribution or quote marks. The Internet has increased the problems of plagiarism because it is quite easy for anyone, from students to college presidents, to cut and paste entire paragraphs (or even pages) into a term paper or speech and claim them as their own creation. Of course, getting away with it has become more difficult because of sophisticated tools such as Turnitin, which

FAIR USE  Fair use means that part of a copyrighted article can be quoted directly, but the quoted material must be brief in relation to the length of the original work. It may be, for example, only one paragraph from a 750-word article and up to 300 words from a longer article or book chapter. Complete attribution of the source must be given regardless of the length of a quotation. In the case of using a source or a quote in an ad or promotional brochure, it’s necessary for the original source to approve the quote and the context in which it’s used. The copyright law does allow limited copying of a work for fair uses such as criticism, comment, or research. If an organization wants to reprint multiple copies of a newspaper or magazine article, however, a licensing fee must be paid directly to the publisher or through the Copyright Clearing Center. The Wall Street Journal, for example, has a whole Dow Jones Reprints department that arranges reprints that can be used in print, email, or PDF formats. Government documents, as already noted, are in the public domain. Public relations personnel, under the fair use doctrine, can freely use quotations and statistics from a government document. Care must be exercised, however, to ensure that the material is in the correct context and not misleading. The most common problem occurs when an organization uses a government report as a form of endorsement for its services or products. An airline, for example, might cite a government study showing that its on-time arrivals are the best in the industry, but neglect to state the basis of comparison or other mediating factors.

17.4.2:  Photography and Artwork The Web is now a vast repository of photos and, because public relations personnel use even more images in their content, it’s quite easy for them to just search Google, rightclick on a photo or illustration, and insert it into their Facebook page or blog. The only problem is that many of those photos are copyrighted and require permission and even a

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licensing fee in order to use them in a public relations program or campaign. Copyright law clearly protects freelance and commercial photographers who retain ownership of their work. In other words, a customer who buys a copyrighted photo owns the item itself, but not the right to make additional copies. That right remains with the photographer unless it’s transferred in writing to the individual or organization that has bought the photograph. Freelance photographers generally charge for a picture on the basis of its use. If it is used only once, perhaps for an e-newsletter, the fee is low. If, however, the company wants to use the picture in the corporate annual report or on the company calendar, the fee may be considerably higher. Consequently it is important for a public relations person to tell the photographer exactly how the picture will be used. Arrangements and fees then can be determined for (1) one-time use, (2) unlimited use, or (3) the payment of royalties every time the picture is used. Computer manipulation of an original artwork can also violate copyright. A photo distribution agency successfully sued Newsday for unauthorized use of a color image after the newspaper altered the agency’s original picture and claimed it as its own photo. In another situation, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame filed a copyright suit against a freelance photographer who snapped a picture of the unique building at sunset and sold posters of his work without paying a licensing fee. In sum, public relations personnel must be diligent about ensuring they have authorization to use a specific photograph. One approach is to purchase photos from a free stock image website or collection. Some sites charge a subscription fee that allows unlimited downloading of images. You can also search for images under the “Creative Commons License,” which has images that the photographer has released for common use. In all cases, you should give credit to the photographer or source of the image.

17.4.3:  Work for Hire Copyright automatically belongs to the creator of the work, but the “work for hire” concept provides a notable exception. If you create a work as an employee of an organization, the copyright belongs to the organization. In other words, all those wonderful news releases and brochures that you write and produce on the job belong to your employer. It gets a bit more complicated, however, when an organization outsources work to a freelancer, such as the writing of a brochure or a feature story. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that freelance writers retain ownership of their work and that purchasers of it simply gain a “license” to reproduce the copyrighted work. In other words, a freelancer commissioned to write an article for the company magazine or a feature distributed to the media can also use the same

information to sell articles to other publications. That’s why it’s important for public relations staffs to negotiate contracts with freelancers. Writers may agree to assign all copyright rights to the work they have been hired to do or they may give permission only for a specific one-time use.

17.4.4:  Use of Online Material The same rules apply to cyberspace as to more earthbound methods of expressing and disseminating ideas. Original materials in digital form are still protected by copyright, and fair use guidelines apply for materials disseminated online. An organization, for example, may receive digital copies of media stories about the organization as a way to track its publicity efforts, but it can’t automatically distribute a published article on its own website or intranet without permission from the publication where the article appeared. In many cases, the monitoring service arranges for such permissions. An organization’s public relations staff members, as already mentioned, can also be liable for copyright infringement if they upload a copyrighted photo or cartoon to the organization’s website or other sites as part of a media kit or a feature news story. The following are some examples of copyright owners monitoring the Internet for possible infringement: • Dutton Children’s Books threatened a lawsuit against a New Mexico State University student for using Winnie the Pooh illustrations on his home page. • Paramount Pictures sent warning letters to Star Trek fans for posting photos from the TV series on various Internet sites. • Corbis Corporation, which has millions of photos for licensing or purchase, threatened legal action against a retirement community for using a photo of an elderly couple on its website without paying the licensing fee.

In all cases, it is the obligation of the staff to determine conditions of use and whether a licensing fee should be paid. The legal aspects are somewhat related to the concept of misappropriation of personality that is discussed under trademarks.

WRITING PROMPT Rosanna’s, a chain of coffee shops, wants to launch a marketing and public relations program to promote its brand. Some ideas include the following: (1) establish a website that would include photos of celebrities drinking a cup of coffee; (2) develop a series of ads showing customers in store locations enjoying a cup of coffee; and (3) post reprints of articles that have been written about the company on its website. What are the legal concerns surrounding each of these activities? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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17.5:  Trademark Law 17.5 Express the need for public relations writers to be cognizant of how trademarks are protected by law What do the names Bubble Wrap, Cheetos, Dockers, eBay, Filet-O-Fish, LEGO, LILLY PULITZER, M&M’S, Q-tips, Ray-Ban, Tabasco, Velcro, Weedwacker, Xbox, and even Zippo have in common? Or what about “A diamond is forever” or “Just do it”? They are all registered trademarks protected by law. Public relations writers must know how to use trademarks in their writing. Failure to properly use a trademark frequently causes legal problems. A trademark is a word, symbol, or slogan, used singly or in combination, that identifies a product’s origin. According to Susan L. Cohen, writing in Editor & Publisher’s annual trademark supplement, “It also serves as an indicator of quality, a kind of shorthand for consumers to use in recognizing goods in a complex marketplace.” Research indicates, for example, that a majority of Americans say brand quality takes precedence over price considerations. The concept of a trademark is nothing new. The ancient Egyptians carved marks into the stones of the pyramids, and the craftsmen of the Middle Ages used guild marks to identify the source and quality of products. What is new, however, is the proliferation of trademarks and service marks in modern society. Coca-Cola, Google, and Microsoft are some of the world’s most recognized brands, but they are only some of more than 1 million active trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

trademark for which registration is pending. An example is 3M™ Post-it® Notes. • A service mark is like a trademark, but it designates a service rather than a product, or is a logo. An “sm” in small capitals in a circle is the symbol for a registered service mark. • If registration for a service mark is pending, “sm” should be used without the circle. These symbols are used in advertising, product labeling, news releases, company brochures, and so on, to let the public and competitors know that a name, slogan, or symbol is protected by law. Many news releases, for example, include a standard statement at the end that gives a brief description of the company and its trademarks. Here is one example: “Teva®, Simple®, and UGG® are registered trademarks of Deckers Outdoor Corporation.”

17.5.1:  The Protection of Trademarks

Use the flashcards to quiz yourself on what each symbol represents.

The three basic guidelines for using trademarks are as follows:

Public relations writers play an important role in protecting the trademarks of their employers. As a professional, you will be expected to safeguard trademarks and respect other organizational trademarks in the following ways.

• Trademarks are proper adjectives and should be capitalized and followed by a generic noun or phrase. For example, Kleenex tissues or Band-Aid bandages. • Trademarks should not be pluralized or used in the possessive form. Saying “American Express’s credit card” is improper. • Trademarks are never verbs. Saying “The client FedExed the package” violates the rule.

To protect your organization’s trademark: • Ensure that company trademarks are capitalized and used properly in all organizational literature and graphics. Lax supervision can cause loss of trademark protection.

In addition, organizations take the step of designating brand names and slogans with various marks.

• Distribute trademark guidelines to editors and reporters and place advertisements in trade publications.

• The registered trademark symbol is a superscript, small capital “r” in a circle: ®. “Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office” and “Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.” may also be used.

• Educate employees as to what the organization’s trademarks are and how to use them correctly.

• A superscript “tm” in small capital letters indicates a trademark that isn’t registered. It represents a company’s common-law claim to a right of trademark or a

• Monitor the mass media and news websites to make certain that trademarks are used correctly. If they are not, send a gentle reminder. • Monitor publications to ensure that other organizations are not infringing on a registered trademark. If

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they are, the company’s legal department should protest with letters and threats of possible lawsuits. • Make sure the trademark is actually being used. The law no longer permits an organization to hold a name in reserve. To respect others’ trademarks: • Ensure that the trademarks of other organizations are correctly used and properly noted. A good source is the International Trademark Association; it has a directory of more than 3,000 trademarks and service marks with their generic terms. The International Trademark Association also provides a helpful “Guide to Proper Trademark Use for Media, Internet and Publishing Professionals” on its website. TRADEMARKED OR GENERIC?  An example of an

advertisement placed to remind others of your trademark is the Kleenex tissues ad that appeared in an issue of the Columbia Journalism Review (see Figure 17.1).

Figure 17.1  Brand names in news releases usually include trademark symbols to remind journalists that they should capitalize the first letter of the product or service in any article. The letter “R” with a circle around it indicates that Kleenex is a registered trademark that is always capitalized and spelled in a specific way.

Organizations adamantly insist on the proper use of trademarks in order to avoid the problem of having a name or slogan become generic. Or, to put it another way, a brand name may become a common noun through general public use. Some trade names that have become generic or are popularly used as generic names include app, aspirin, thermos, touchtone, cornflakes, nylon, cellophane, yo-yo, and zipper. This means that any company can use these names to describe a product. An additional list of trademarked brands is provided in the Tips for Success.

Tips for Success Trademarks Require a Capital Letter Trademarked names are like proper nouns: They are capitalized and should be followed by a generic noun or phrase. The International Trademark Association (INTA) also recommends that trademarks should never be pluralized, used in possessive form, or used as verbs. Currently, more than 700,000 trademarks are registered with the U.S. government. Here is a sampling of trademarks that are often assumed to be generic words: Absolut

MapQuest

Baggies

Muzak

Band-Aid

Nerds

Big Mac

NutraSweet

Chap Stick

Off!

Day-Timer

Pampers

DeskJet

Popsicle

Express Mail

Realtor

Frisbee

Rolodex

Fossil

Scotch tape

Gatorade

Shout

Handi Wipes

Spandex

HANDYCAM

StairMaster

Hula Hoop

Swoosh

iCloud

Teflon

iTunes

U-Haul

Jaws of Life

WebCrawler

Jell-O

Windex

Kool-Aid

Yahoo!

SOURCE: International Trademark Association, www.inta.org

17.5.2:  The Problem of Trademark Infringement There are thousands of companies offering a multitude of products and services, so finding a trademark that is not already in use is extremely difficult. The task is even more frustrating if a company wants to use a trademark on an international level.

314  Chapter 17 The complexity of finding a new name, coupled with the attempts of many to capitalize on an already known trade name, has spawned a number of legal battles and lawsuits claiming trademark infringement. Here are some examples: • Entrepreneur magazine was awarded $337,000 in court damages after filing a trademark infringement lawsuit against a public relations firm that changed its name to “EntrepreneurPR.” • Best Buy, which has trademarked “The Geek Squad,” sued its online rival Newegg.com for using the term “Geek On” in its advertising. It also threatened to sue a Wisconsin priest for putting a “God Squad” sign on his car. • IKEA filed a cease-and-desist order against IKEA fan site IKEAHacking.net. The fan site gave tips on how to alter, that is “hack,” IKEA furniture to alternative uses. IKEA said the website name infringed on its trademark by misusing the company name. The company later reconsidered, presumably thinking that the hacking site might actually contribute to increased sales. • Under Armour sued Nike for using the phrase “I Will” in some of its advertising. Under Armour had trademarked and used the two-word phrase in many marketing campaigns. Eventually the two sportswear giants settled the case out of court. • Facebook filed an infringement lawsuit against start-up PlaceBook (a travel research and booking site), which forced the site to change its name. PlaceBook is now TripTrace, and the new website is still in development. • Anheuser-Busch filed a trademark infringement suit against a North Carolina college student for producing and selling T-shirts that said “Nags Head, NC—King of Beaches” and “This Beach is for You.” • Blue Sphere Inc. filed suit against Taylor Swift and American Greetings for use of the phrase “Lucky 13” on Swift-branded clothing and an American Greetings/Swift sweepstakes contest. Blue Sphere Inc., a regional clothing producer, had previously trademarked and used the phrase “Lucky 13”.

In all of these cases, organizations claimed that their registered trademarks were being improperly exploited by others for commercial or organizational purposes. Sports franchises are particularly protective of their trademarks. Teams in the National Football League and the National Basketball Association earn more than $3 billion annually just selling licensed merchandise. Major college teams also rake in millions of dollars annually by licensing their logos to be placed on everything from beer mugs to T-shirts. Perhaps the most zealously guarded and expensive sports trademark is the Olympic rings. Companies pay up to $100 million for the right to use the Olympic symbol in their marketing and public relations efforts. The five rings featured in the logos for all Olympic Games are shown in Figure 17.2.

Figure 17.2  The Olympic rings logo is one of the world’s most recognized brands. It is trademarked by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and cannot be used without paying hefty licensing fees. The logo for the 2014 Sochi Olympics is also trademarked and can only be used by official sponsors, who pay up to $100 million in licensing fees.

Here are the major guidelines that the courts use when considering cases of trademark infringement: • Has the defendant used a name as a way of capitalizing on the reputation of another organization’s ­trademark—and does the defendant benefit from the original organization’s investment in popularizing its trademark? • Is there an intent (real or otherwise) to create confusion in the public mind? Is there intent to imply a connection between the defendant’s product and the item identified by trademark? • How similar are the two organizations? Are they providing the same kinds of products or services? • Has the original organization actively protected the trademark by publicizing it and by actually continuing to use it in connection with its products or services? • Is the trademark unique? A company with a trademark that merely describes a common product might be in trouble.

17.5.3: Misappropriation of Personality Another form of trademark infringement can result from the unauthorized use of well-known entertainers, professional athletes, and other public figures in an organization’s publicity and advertising materials. A photo of a rock star or movie star might make a company’s brochure or newsletter more interesting, but the courts call it misappropriation of personality if permission and licensing fees have not been negotiated. Deceased celebrities also are protected. To use a likeness or actual photo of a personality such as Michael

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J­ ackson, Marilyn Monroe, or even Princess Diana, the user must pay a licensing fee to an agent representing the ­family, studio, or estate of the deceased. The estate of Michael Jackson, for example, generates about $150 million annually, and the estate of Peanuts comic strip creator Charles Schulz collects about $25 million annually. Even celebrities like Elvis ($55 million), Marilyn Monroe ($27 million), and Albert Einstein ($10 million) generate remarkable income for their estates. In sum, you need to be familiar with what might be considered trademark infringement. Don’t use stock photos of living or dead personalities or a Dilbert or Peanuts comic strip unless you have arranged permission and, in many cases, paid a licensing fee. Also, be cautious about using a known slogan as the basis for coming up with a similar slogan. One non-profit was sued by the International Olympic Committee for having a “Reading Olympics.”

17.6:  Regulatory Agencies 17.6 Report the guidelines established by the four federal regulatory agencies The promotion of products and services, whether through advertising, product publicity, or other techniques, is not protected by the First Amendment. Instead, the courts have traditionally ruled that such activities fall under the doctrine of commercial speech. This means that messages can be regulated by state or federal agencies in the interest of public health, safety, and consumer protection. Public relations writers involved in product publicity and the distribution of financial information should be aware of guidelines established by four federal agencies: 1. the Federal Trade Commission, 2. the Securities and Exchange Commission, 3. the Federal Communications Commission, and 4. the Food and Drug Administration.

17.6.1:  The Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ensures that advertisements are not deceptive or misleading. The agency also has jurisdiction over product news releases and other forms of product publicity, such as videos, brochures, websites, and social media posts. In 2014, for example, the FTC sued Pure Green Coffee for using websites designed to look like legitimate consumer news sites; the sites made false claims about the product and posted fake consumer testimonials.

The FTC considers advertisements and product publicity materials as vehicles of commercial trade—and therefore subject to regulation. In fact, Section 43(a) of the Lanham Act makes it clear that anyone is subject to liability if that person participates in the making or dissemination of a false and misleading representation in any advertising or promotional material. This includes advertising and public relations firms (and their personnel), which also can be held liable for writing, producing, and distributing product publicity materials on behalf of clients. “There is a trend toward potential claims, including PR firms, for their role in disseminating a message that is misleading or . . . has omitted material facts.” — Michael Lasky, partner in the New York law firm of Davis & Gilbert

The prospect of liability for communicating false or misleading information has led many public relations firms to sign contracts with clients that stipulate that the client, not the PR firm, is legally responsible for any information about their products and services that may be distributed by the firm. Despite such agreements, however, the FTC contends that public relations firms can still be held liable for disseminating client messages if there is a justifiable reason for them to suspect the client may be misleading the public, either through distortion or by leaving out important information. Ethically, a public relations professional should ensure that a client’s claims can be substantiated and there’s statistical evidence to support any claims. Gene Grabowski, senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications, told PRWeek, “We can serve as a check for the client. And we consider that part of our job because as a communicator, you can easily get into competitive entanglements or litigious issues.” FTC investigators are always on the lookout for unsubstantiated claims and various forms of misleading or deceptive information. Some of the common words in promotional materials that trigger FTC interest include authentic, certified, cure, custom-made, environmentally friendly, free, germ-free, new, natural, unbreakable, perfect, first-class, exclusive, and reliable. In recent years, the agency has also turned its attention to companies promoting their products as “green, “organic,” or “eco-friendly.” According to James Kohm, associate director of FTC’s enforcement division, there has been a “tsunami of green marketing claims” for all kinds of products that has confused and frustrated consumers. As a result, the FTC guidelines now say companies must provide facts and data to substantiate any “green” product claims in ads, product news releases, and on packaging. See the Tips for Success on the next page for additional guidelines on writing product news releases.

316  Chapter 17

Tips for Success FTC Guidelines for Publicizing Products The following guidelines, adapted from regulations of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), should be taken into account when writing product publicity materials:

“Marketers have an obligation and responsibility to the public—and to their clients and employers—to ensure they provide the most trustful and accurate information, regardless of the medium or presentation materials used.” — PRSA position statement on FTC’s environmental marketing guidelines

In 2013 the FTC distributed new rules for disclosures on digital media. In a document titled “.com Disclosures: How to make effective disclosures in digital advertising,” the FTC said that disclosures have to be “clear and conspicuous.” Among the guidelines are: • Disclosures must be close in proximity to the “triggering claim.” • Disclosures must be adaptable between devices. They must work the same on a phone screen as on a tablet screen. • If using a hyperlink to make a disclosure, the link has to be obvious and labeled in a way that conveys its importance. • Avoid requiring consumers to scroll to get to a disclosure. • Keep up with research about where consumers do and don’t look on a screen. • Disclosures must be made before a consumer makes a buying decision. • Disclosures shouldn’t be hidden in places like “terms of use.” • Size, color, and graphics should be used to prominently display disclosures. • Disclosures should be made in common, understandable language.

GUIDELINES FOR ENDORSEMENTS AND DISCLOSURES  The FTC is constantly adjusting its guidelines to

adapt to changing media environments and promotional tactics. In 2010, the FTC expanded its guidelines for using testimonials and endorsements. Celebrities who endorse products on television talk shows, or even social media sites (such as Facebook or Twitter), for example, must now disclose that they’re being paid to do so. In addition, they can be fined by the FTC for making false or unsubstantiated claims during a product pitch. Bloggers and public relations firms are also under the FTC microscope. Bloggers who endorse a product or service must disclose whether they received cash, free products, or other in-kind payments to review the product and endorse it. According to Andrew Goldstein, writing in O’Dwyer’s, “If these disclosures are not made, the post is considered to be deceptive and false or misleading. In addition, the FTC has specified that its guidelines apply not only to the provider of the product or services…but also to the advertising or PR agency that was responsible for the endorsements.”

WRITING PROMPT The vice president of marketing for a microbrewery wants to jump on the “green” bandwagon, so he suggests that you write a news release proclaiming that all ingredients in the beer come from organic growers. He also says that the company’s beer is the only one on the market that uses organic ingredients. Before you write the release, what questions would you ask him? How would you write a release that would satisfy FTC guidelines? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

17.6.2:  The Securities and Exchange Commission Company megamergers, stock offerings in new companies, and major financial scandals have made the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) practically a household name. This federal agency closely monitors the

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financial affairs of publicly traded companies and protects the interests of stockholders. SEC guidelines on public disclosure and insider trading are particularly relevant to corporate public relations staff members who must meet the requirements. The distribution of misleading information or failure to make a timely disclosure of material information may be the basis of liability under the SEC code. A company may even be liable if it satisfies regulations by getting information out but conveys crucial information in a vague way or buries it deep in the news release. The SEC has volumes of regulations, but there are three basic concepts that you should remember:

As a result of such cases, writers of financial news releases must also avoid such practices as: • Unrealistic sales and earnings reports • Glowing descriptions of products in the experimental stage • Announcements of possible mergers or takeovers that are only in the speculation stage • Free trips for business reporters and offers of stock to financial analysts and editors of financial newsletters • Omission of unfavorable news and developments • Leaks of information to selected outsiders and financial columnists • Dissemination of false rumors about a competitor’s financial health The SEC also has regulations supporting the use of “plain English” in prospectuses and other financial documents. Companies and financial firms are supposed to make information understandable to the average investor by removing sentences littered with lawyerisms such as aforementioned, hereby, therewith, whereas, and hereinafter. More information about SEC guidelines and the agency publication, A Plain English Handbook: How to Create Clear SEC Disclosure Documents, can be accessed at SEC.gov. A key SEC regulation is the Fair Disclosure regulation (known as Reg FD). Although SEC regulations already mandated “material disclosure” of information that could affect the price of stock, this regulation expands the concept by requiring publicly-traded companies to broadly disseminate “material” information via news releases, webcasts, or SEC filings. According to the SEC, Reg FD ensures that all investors, not just brokerage firms and analysts, will receive financial information from a company at the same time. Schering-Plough, a drug maker, was fined $1 million by the SEC because the company disclosed “material nonpublic information” to analysts and portfolio managers without making the same information available to the public.

17.6.3:  The Federal Communications Commission The courts are increasingly applying the mosaic doctrine to financial information. A court may examine all information released by a company, including news releases, to determine whether, taken as a whole, they create an “overall misleading” impression. In Cytryn v. Cook (1990), a U.S. District Court ruled that the proper test of a company’s adequate financial disclosure was not the literal truth of each positive statement, but the overall misleading impression that it combined to create in the eyes of potential investors.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provides licenses to radio and television stations, allocates frequencies, and ensures that the public airwaves are used in the public interest. On occasion, the commission’s policies and procedures directly impact the work of public relations personnel and writers who produce and distribute video news releases (VNRs) and B-roll packages on behalf of employers and clients. According to FCC rules, broadcasters must disclose to viewers the origin of material produced by the government or corporations when the material runs on the public

318  Chapter 17 a­ irways. FCC Commissioner Jonathan Edelstein told the Washington Post, “We have a responsibility to tell broadcasters they have to let people know where the material is coming from. Viewers are hoodwinked into thinking it’s really a news story when it might be from the government or a big corporation trying to influence the way they think.” The failure of a news announcer to identify the source of a VNR or a video clip on the air is one issue, but another issue involves what is known as pay-for-play, which is also against FCC guidelines. In one instance, toy manufacturers paid up to $11,000 to be part of a series of back-toschool news features that aired in 10 major U.S. cities. According to the Los Angeles Times, the segments featured a “toy expert” who was paid to promote the toys. Many of the stations using the “news features” failed to identify them as paid promotions. The FCC only regulates and fines stations for engaging in pay-for-play tactics and failing to identify the source of video clips in news programs. However, public relations professionals must also ensure that their employers and clients don’t participate in or initiate “pay-for-play” strategies.

prescription drugs have major FDA curbs on advertising and promotion, the drug companies try to sidestep the regulations by publicizing diseases. For example, Allergan, a health care company that specializes in ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, sponsors the website MyDryEyes.com. The website suggests several ways to manage Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome, including artificial tears and prescription medicines. The company also happens to manufacture REFRESH Brand Lubricant Eye Drops and RESTASIS, a drug that helps increase tear production. Another public relations approach that has come under increased FDA scrutiny is the placement of celebrities on television talk shows who are being paid by drug companies to mention the name of a particular drug while they talk about their recovery from cancer, a heart attack, or depression. Some programs, such as the Today show, have now banned such guests.

17.6.4:  The Food and Drug Administration

17.7 Identify six guidelines to ensure smooth relations between the legal and public relations functions

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the advertising and promotion of prescription drugs, over-thecounter medicines, and cosmetics. Under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, any “person” (which includes advertising and public relations firms) who “causes the misbranding” of products through the dissemination of false and misleading information may be liable. The FDA has specific guidelines for video, audio, and print news releases on health care topics. First, the release must provide “fair balance” by telling consumers about the risks as well as the benefits of the drug or treatment. Second, the writer must be clear about the limitations of a particular drug or treatment, for example, that it might not help people with certain conditions. Third, a news release or media kit should be accompanied by supplementary product sheets or brochures that give full prescribing information. “Always minimize the risk of handing over a communication that could result in regulatory action by scrutinizing not only what is being said, but how it is said, how it is presented and what, in the end, is the total picture.” — Mark Senak, senior vice president of Fleischman Hillard’s health care practice

The Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP) resides within the FDA and has the primary responsibility for ensuring that promotion is true and balanced. Previously, the OPDP was called the Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications. Because

17.7:  Working with Lawyers You now have an overview of how various laws and government regulations affect your work as a public relations writer and specialist. A basic knowledge of the law should help you do your work in a responsible and appropriate manner, but you also should realize that a smattering of knowledge can be dangerous. Laws and regulations can be complex. You are not a trained attorney, so you should consult lawyers who are qualified to answer specialized questions regarding libel, copyright, trademarks, government regulation, and invasion of privacy. Your organization’s legal staff or outside experts on retainer are good sources of information. At the same time, remember that lawyers can tell you about the law, but they should not tell you what to say or how to say it. They are legal experts, but not experts on effective writing and communication. They don’t understand that the media want information now or that “no comment” is perceived as a guilty plea in the court of public opinion. Indeed, a major area of friction can be the clash between the legal and public relations departments. Lawyers generally prefer to say little or nothing in most situations, whereas the public relations staff perceives its role as providing a steady flow of information and news about the organization to multiple publics. The result is often a never-ending tug-of-war. At the same time, it is essential that the legal and public relations staffs cooperate in the best interests of the organization. Great care must be taken in releasing information about litigation, labor negotiations, complex financial

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transactions, product recalls, and plant accidents. ­ umerous laws and regulations, to say nothing of liability N considerations, affect what should or should not be said. Out-of-court settlements, for example, often stipulate that the amount of the settlement will not be publicly disclosed. This is why it is often important to work with legal staff to draft news releases that provide information but keep within the bounds of any legal constraints. Your relations with legal counsel will be more pleasant and more productive if you keep abreast of new developments. To do this, you should maintain a file of newspaper, magazine, and online articles that report on legal developments and decisions relating to public relations. This might include new regulatory guidelines, consent decrees, libel awards, trademark infringement suits, product recalls, and court decisions on employee privacy. Trade publications or online newsletters are a good source of legal news that is of particular relevance to public relations.

The following guidelines can go a long way in ensuring cooperation and mutual respect between the legal and public relations functions: • Each department should have a written definition of its responsibilities. • The heads of both departments should be equal in rank and should report to the organization’s chief executive officer or executive vice president. • Both departments should be represented on key committees. • The legal counsel should keep the public relations staff up to date on legal problems involving the organization. • The public relations staff should keep the legal staff up to date on public issues and media concerns that will require an organizational response. • The departments should regard each other as allies, not opponents.

Summary: Working Within a Legal Framework

320  Chapter 17 SHARED WRITING: WORKING WITHIN A LEGAL FRAMEWORK You work for a company that is experiencing a downturn in its stock price. The company president suggests the stock could go up if you write a news release about a new, highly advanced product. The Research and Development (R&D) department, however, says the product is only in the prototype stage and may not be available for another year. Does writing and distributing the news release your boss wants violate any SEC rules? Explain your reasoning. A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

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Chapter 17 Quiz: Working Within a Legal Framework

Chapter 18

Planning Programs and Campaigns Learning Objectives 18.1

Report a written plan to be imperative to ensure the effectiveness of any campaign

18.3

Classify the eight elements that should be incorporated into a campaign plan

18.2

Scrutinize the initial steps of developing a plan for a campaign

18.4

Express the importance of ensuring the soundness of any campaign plan before submitting it for approval

18.1:  The Value of a Written Plan 18.1 Report a written plan to be imperative to ensure the effectiveness of any campaign The primary focus of this course has been on the tactical aspects of public relations—news releases, feature story placements, publicity photos, video clips, online newsrooms, satellite media tours, media relations, newsletters, speeches, and so on—that require considerable writing skill and creativity. After mastering multiple “media techniques,” it is important to understand the key concepts of campaign management and public relations programming. Basically, we are now talking about the coordination of multiple “tactics” as part of an overall program to achieve organizational objectives. A written plan is imperative for any public relations campaign. It improves the campaign’s effectiveness. By using multiple communication tools together, you ensure a greater overall impact. Put another way, a plan is a blueprint. It explains the situation, analyzes what can be done about it, outlines strategies and tactics, provides a timeline of activities, and tells how the results will be evaluated. Laurie Wilson, author of Strategic Communications Planning for Effective Public Relations and Marketing, offers some insight about the relationship of a program plan to the actual process of writing and distributing materials to key audiences. She says: Each communication tactic is planned before it is created. The copy outline requires for each communication tactic the identification of the key public, the desired action by the public to contribute to the accomplishment of the plan’s objectives, and the message to be sent to that public

to motivate its action. Each of these elements draws the information as it is specified in the strategic plan.

This chapter provides a brief overview of how to write a comprehensive public relations program. With this skill, you will become much more than a public relations writer—you will also become a public relations manager.

18.2:  Developing a PR Plan 18.2 Scrutinize the initial steps of developing a plan for a campaign The first step in developing a plan is to consult with the client or your management. This serves two purposes. First, it gets these people involved. Second, it is likely to give you the basic information you need to start making a plan.

18.2.1:  Identifying the Situation In talking with the people who will pay for the campaign, you strive to identify the problems and opportunities

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322  Chapter 18 confronting the organization. In some cases, these will be apparent to all. At other times, one party will have ideas that have not occurred to the other. Out of this discussion should be an agreement as to the general nature of the situation and a preliminary establishment of the campaign’s objectives. All of this, of course, is subject to change when more information is gathered. “PR planning is a bona fide social science that distinguishes strategic PR from the seat-of-the-pants practice of which many in the field are often guilty.” —Fraser Seitel, author of The Practice of Public Relations

A good example of the value of planning and research is poultry producer Foster Farms. Since its founding in 1939, Foster Farms has been dedicated to humane treatment of its poultry. But the top-10 producer took that devotion a step farther recently and made all its facilities compliant to rigorous American Humane Association (AHA) standards. Because the poultry industry has been under fire by activist groups such as PETA for the inhumane treatment of animals, the AHA designation gave Foster Farms a competitive advantage. But consumers didn’t know it, and Foster Farms wanted to change that situation. The objective of the campaign was to inform consumers on the West Coast, where Foster Farms was dominant, of the AHA certification of all its facilities, use the certification as a differentiator from competitors and as further justification of Foster Farms as a premium-priced brand, and to raise the bar for humane treatment of animals in the entire poultry producing industry. The campaign succeeded because it was based on sound research and analysis.

18.2.2:  Gathering Information Figure 18.1  Planning a public relations program requires brainstorming sessions like this one, at which participants share and discuss information about the characteristics of the audience. They then work to come up with innovative and creative tactics that will accomplish the ­organization’s objectives.

You cannot know too much about the subject you intend to promote. Don’t be satisfied with a cursory investigation—dig and keep on digging until you have the whole story. There are several sources from which you can get the facts and figures that will enable you to plan an effective campaign: • THE ORGANIZATION. Much basic information should be available from within the organization. Ask for marketing research that has been conducted about the product or service. Talk to sales representatives who deal with customers. Get an overall picture of the organization’s successes and failures. Find out why things have happened or how they have been done. • OUTSIDE REFERENCES. Go through all the information in your files. Consult other files. Use libraries and online databases. • PRIOR CASE STUDIES. Review the experiences of others in similar situations. Read any case histories you can find. The trade press is a good source. Both PRSA and PRWeek make available case studies of award-winning campaigns. • ANALYSIS OF COMMUNICATIONS. Field reports from representatives of the organization, inquiries on telephone hotlines, consumer comments from online review sites, and consumer complaints should be checked and studied. • BRAINSTORMING. Get a group of colleagues together to kick around ideas and suggestions. Many of the ideas won’t be practical or realistic, but some may contain the kernel of a creative idea that can be further developed into a strategy. A typical brainstorming session among colleagues is shown in Figure 18.1. • FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS. Assemble a group of people who are representative of the audience you want to reach. These interviews are not quantitative research, but they may point to a need for detailed research in a specific area. • SURVEYS. In many situations, you will need to conduct a survey to ascertain the attitudes and perceptions of target audiences. Doing a survey takes a lot of time and money. If the organization does not have the relevant data on hand, you must either do the survey yourself or use a survey research firm. • MEDIA DATABASES. To plan your tactics, you need to know which channels of communication will be most efficient. A number of media directories, including Cision and BurrellesLuce, provide profiles of various media outlets and their audiences. • DEMOGRAPHICS. The Statistical Abstracts of the United States, the American Demographics section of AdAge. com, and the comprehensive Simmons National ­Consumer Studies at Experian.com provide insights into the characteristics of an audience. Simmons, in particular,

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will give you detailed information on consumer buying habits and consumers’ major sources of information. Another good resource is surveys by various organizations about lifestyles, public opinion, and consumer behavior. Many of these survey results are posted on websites and reported in the media.

WRITING PROMPT You have been hired to develop a plan for an ice cream store in your college town. Where would you turn to do research as you gather information to begin to develop the plan? Why? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

18.2.3:  Analyzing the Information After gathering all pertinent information and perhaps conducting a survey or several focus groups, your job is to analyze all the facts and ideas. You must consider the reliability of what you have found. If there are contradictions, you must eliminate erroneous elements and confirm the credibility of what remains. Now, with reliable information in hand, you can start to draw conclusions. The situation, with its problems and opportunities, and the reason for it should be apparent. The objectives should be obvious, and the strategy, after careful thought, should start to take form. “Before goals and tactics are drafted, PR Directors must thoroughly understand their organization’s business plan.” —David B. Oates, principal at Stalwart Communications, San Diego

At this point, you should prepare an outline of your findings and discuss them with management or the client. You can say, “These are the facts that I have, this is the situation as I see it, these are the objectives I think we should select, and this is the strategy I suggest.” This discussion may result in an approval in principle. If it does, you can start writing a program or campaign plan that will outline the strategies and tactics required to address the problem or opportunity.

18.3:  Elements of a PR Plan 18.3 Classify the eight elements that should be incorporated into a campaign plan There is some variation regarding the elements of a basic program or campaign plan. Organizations designate these elements in different ways, combining or dividing them as seems appropriate. Nevertheless, any good plan will cover eight elements: (1) situation, (2) objectives, (3) audience,

(4) strategy, (5) tactics, (6) calendar (or timing), (7) budget, and (8) evaluation. These elements are described in the following sections and summarized in the Tips for Success below.

Tips for Success Components of a Public Relations Plan A basic public relations plan is a blueprint of what you want to do and how you will accomplish your task. Such a plan, be it a brief outline or a comprehensive document, will enable you and your client or employer to make sure that all elements have been properly considered, evaluated, and coordinated for maximum effectiveness.

324  Chapter 18 tant part of the plan. Unless a client or management is convinced that a campaign is necessary, it is not likely to approve spending money on it. A need often is a remedial situation. For example: • General Motors, after a recall of 2.5 million vehicles with faulty ignition switches, had to restore public confidence about its commitment to driver safety and transparent communication.

Of course, there are variations of styles for plans. Patrick Williams, writing in The Ragan Report, suggests another way of organizing in a 13-step planning model. In his model, Williams emphasizes the importance of examining both internal and external environments, narrowing the scope of the plan by rank-ordering issues by importance, assigning personnel and non-personnel resources in the plan, identifying potential barriers to success, and developing contingencies to work around those barriers. Williams’s 13 planning steps are as follows: 1. Identify the goals of your organization or client. 2. Identify the way you will measure success in meeting those goals. 3. Do a SWOT analysis—Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats—by examining both the internal and external (such as the competition) environments. 4. Based on the SWOT analysis, identify issues to be addressed. 5. Link communications issues and organizational goals. 6. Rank-order issues by importance and focus on the most important three or four. 7. Identify your public’s needs. 8. Translate issues into messages. Williams gives this example: “Employee understanding of their complete benefits package in discussion with their supervisors and supported by an interactive website will result in a measurable increase in employee retention rates.” 9. Identify appropriate tactics to address the issues and goals. 10. Assign staff responsibilities for each tactic. 11. Identify internal and external resources that can help move the plan forward.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had to regain public trust after it initially assured the public that the first case of Ebola to occur in the United States was under control. It quickly became apparent that the Texas hospital handling the case was ill-prepared. Both the CDC and the hospital had to actively campaign to convince patients that proper treatment protocols were now in place. • Domino’s Pizza had to regain the confidence of its customers after two employees in North Carolina, as a prank, posted a YouTube video showing them making a pizza with unsanitary ingredients.

Most public relations situations, however, are not problems that must be solved in a hurry. Instead, they are opportunities for an organization to increase public awareness, advance its reputation, or attract new customers or clients. Here are some examples: • Lay’s snack foods celebrated its 75th anniversary in the United States with a social media campaign to attract young adults to its brand by sponsoring an online contest to develop a new potato chip flavor. • Airbnb, an accommodations booking website, increased brand awareness with a campaign to “pay it forward.” The #OneLessStranger campaign offered 100,000 customers $10 to do a random act of kindness for a stranger. The campaign was designed to focus on hospitality to a stranger—the core of Airbnb’s business. • The Seattle, Washington, Police Department launched a campaign shortly before a new law came into effect, to make citizens more aware of the details of the city’s newly approved initiative making it legal for adults to possess marijuana and use it for recreational purposes. • McCormick & Company launched a multiple social media initiative to increase use of its various spices and rubs during the summer grilling season.

The PR Casebook describes another Lay’s campaign to build its profile and brand acceptance among a key public.

12. Identify internal and external barriers to success. 13. Based on your analysis of allies and barriers, plan contingency tactics should the unexpected occur.

18.3.1:  The Organization’s Situation An organization’s situation can be determined by summarizing the organization’s relations with its public or publics. This tells why the program is needed and points out the need or the opportunity. This may be the most impor-

PR Casebook: Lay’s Defines “All-Natural” and Sets Guinness World Record on Facebook A public relations plan contains eight basic elements. The following is an outline of a plan that Frito-Lay North America,

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working with Ketchum, implemented using expert testimonials, a Times Square promotion, and social media to reach Generation X parents (aged 34–45). The innovative campaign received a Silver Anvil award from PRSA.

Situation Nutritionists and consumers are skeptical of “all natural” products. Nutritionists are wary because the term is not defined, and therefore not regulated, by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Consumers think all-natural products are less flavorful. Before Lay’s announced that half its products would be all natural, they had to deal with these perceptions. Lay’s decided that it could expand awareness of its definition of “all natural” by drawing back the curtain on its state-of-the-art research and development kitchen at its headquarters in Texas.

Objectives • Get 80 percent of nutrition influencers to support Lay’s all-natural products. • Generate 325 million media impressions. • Create value as shared information, as evidenced by Top 10 status on Digg or similar news aggregators. • Prevent decrease in demand of all-natural products as a result of the announcement. • Generate an “iconic” result that can be used to differentiate the campaign.

Research By examining case studies of previous campaigns, the team learned that consumers had to be convinced that there was no loss in flavor or product sales would suffer. Focus groups with nutrition influencers showed they were cautious about anything that was labeled “all natural.” ­Experience in media relations confirmed a need for a highly trained media spokesperson, preferably a credible chef.

Target Audience The primary target audience was determined to be Generation X parents, ages 34 to 45, in households with a median income of $51,000. The target is a heavy Internet user for shopping, looking up recipes, and making travel plans. Additionally, they are snackers who want to be healthy eaters. The secondary audience was defined as health and nutrition influencers. These influencers could provide expert third-party endorsement of Lay’s definition of “all natural.”

Strategy The strategy was to roll the campaign out in three phases: 1. introduce nutrition influencers and media to chefs who will demonstrate the use of all-natural products,

2. announce the new all-natural product recipes via highprofile media coverage, and 3. recreate the Lay’s “Flavor Kitchen” atop a Times Square billboard, to drive additional media coverage and support a Facebook campaign.

Tactics  To meet the objectives, Ketchum and Lay’s implemented several tactics. • Arranged for a chef to meet with supermarket-­ registered dieticians to explain the new products. • Sent a mailing to journalists, bloggers, and health professionals to provide product information and to invite them to talk with Lay’s chefs and dieticians about the new products. • Secured exclusive stories in USA Today and placed advertising in the Wall Street Journal to promote the new products just as they hit store shelves. • Produced and broadcasted cooking demonstrations on a live-streaming video billboard in Times Square for a week. The demonstration content was repurposed and promoted through traditional and social media. • Conducted a Satellite Media Tour with a “Top Chef” host promoting the products. • Coordinated a New York Times exclusive, which told about the launch and the “Flavor Kitchen.” • Used Frito-Lay’s Facebook page as a hub for recipes, cooking demonstration webisodes, and a sweepstakes contest.

Evaluation All objectives were met or exceeded: • 85 percent of influencers supported the “all natural” effort. • The campaign generated 784 million media impressions, exceeding the goal by 141 percent. Ninety-nine percent of the coverage was positive. • The Facebook page received 1,571,161 “likes” in a single day, setting a Guinness World Record for “Most Facebook Fans in 24 hours.” • Sales objectives were met.

18.3.2:  Campaign Objectives Neither employers nor clients are likely to approve a campaign without clear objectives. Many campaigns will have two or three objectives, but others might have just one objective. The key, however, is to thoroughly understand what you are trying to accomplish. It’s also important that you don’t confuse objectives with the “means” rather than the “end.” Novices, for

326  Chapter 18 example, often set an objective such as “Generate publicity for the new product.” Publicity, however, is not an end in itself. The real objective is to create awareness among consumers about the availability of the new product and to motivate them to purchase it. There are basically two kinds of objectives: informational and motivational. Informational Objectives  A large percentage of

public relations plans are designed primarily to increase awareness of an issue, an event, or a product. Here are some informational objectives: • To inform people about the nutritional benefits of eating strawberries • To tell people that cigarette smoking is a major cause of cancer • To generate awareness about a new computer tablet on the market • To inform the public that water conservation is needed

Informational objectives are legitimate and are used by virtually every public relations firm and department. It is extremely difficult, however, to measure how much “awareness” was attained unless before-and-after surveys are done—and these are expensive and time consuming. In addition, awareness doesn’t equal action. Consumers may become aware of your new product but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will buy it. Motivational Objectives  Motivational objectives

are more ambitious and also more difficult to achieve. However, they are easier to measure. Basically, you want to change attitudes and opinions with the idea of modifying behavior. Some motivational objectives might be:

objectives must be within the power of the campaign alone to attain. Sometimes the unwary set objectives such as “to increase sales,” without realizing that sales also may be affected by the quality of the product, packaging, pricing, merchandising, advertising, sales promotion, display, competitive activity, and so on. In establishing objectives, you must state exactly what you want the audience to know (a new product is now on the market), to believe (it will cut utility bills), and to do (ask for a demonstration). Objectives must be measurable. At some point the people who pay for the campaign are likely to ask, “What did you accomplish?” Many practitioners rely on general feedback—random comments and isolated examples that indicate public reaction. True professionals give facts and figures. At this point you must start thinking about setting objectives that can be measured with figures. In an informational campaign, it is easy to state an objective such as: “To increase the number of people who believe that carpooling is a good way to save energy.” A motivational objective in this situation could be “To increase the number of people who use carpooling.” However, it would be far better to put it this way: “To increase carpooling by 50 percent.” As you think about these numerical goals, you should realize that there must be a base point for such measurements. To know how many people have been convinced by your campaign, you must consult public opinion surveys about public attitudes toward carpooling and then do additional surveys after the campaign to see if there has been any change. See the Tips for Success on how public relations campaigns often assist an organization’s marketing efforts.

• To increase the consumption of “healthy” foods, such as strawberries

Tips for Success

• To reduce cigarette smoking

How Public Relations Helps Fulfill Marketing Objectives

• To increase the sales of the new tablet computer • To reduce the amount of water used in a household

Notice that motivational objectives are more “bottomline oriented.” The effectiveness of the public relations plan is based on making something happen, whether increasing sales or demonstrably changing public support for some issue. By contrast, informational objectives merely inform or educate people. Take the informational objective of making people aware of cigarette smoking as a major cause of cancer. This might be achieved, but people who are “informed” and “aware” often continue to smoke. A better gauge of the American Cancer Society’s success in its efforts would be an actual increase in the number of people who have stopped smoking or a decline in cigarette sales. Measurable Objectives  In setting any objective, you must be sure that it is realistic and achievable. Furthermore,

Here’s a list of ways in which efforts to inform, persuade, or motivate people can also contribute to increased sales of a product or service. A public relations program, particularly product publicity, can make a substantial contribution to fulfilling an organization’s marketing plan.

Planning Programs and Campaigns  327

audience might be parents who drive their children to school. FUNDRAISING WITH LEMONADE STANDS. Sunkist sponsored a program encouraging kids to have a lemonade stand during the summer months to raise money for charity. Its primary audience for the campaign was women aged 25 to 35 with families, because they usually supervised the activities of their children and were more inclined than men to support community activities.

WRITING PROMPT What is the difference between informational and motivational objectives? Is one harder than the other to achieve? Why or why not? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

18.3.3:  Campaign Audience Public relations programs should be directed toward specific and defined audiences or publics. If you define the audience as the “general public,” you are not doing your homework. In public relations, there is no such thing as a “general public.” In most cases, you are looking for specific audiences within a “general public.” Take, for example, Frito-Lay’s campaign for its “all-natural” products. The primary target public was parents but not just any parents. Lay’s wanted to target parents ages 34 to 45. In addition, they wanted the target public to have a specific median household income, and psychographic characteristics including interests, attitudes and opinions, and purchasing behaviors were defined. Some target publics are identified by the topic itself. An example is an Ohio vaccination program for children under the age of 2. The primary audience for the message was parents with young children. A secondary audience was pregnant women. This knowledge should provide guidance on the selection of strategies and tactics that would primarily reach these defined audiences. Here are two more examples of objectives for which you can define the audience more precisely than saying “the general public.” INCREASING THE USE OF CARPOOLING. The ­primary audience for a message on carpooling during rush hours is people who drive to work. A secondary

Another common mistake is defining the mass media as an audience. In 9 out of 10 cases, media serve as channels to reach the audiences that you want to inform, persuade, or motivate. On occasion, in programs that seek to change how mass media presents an organization or an issue, editors and reporters can become a primary “public” or audience. Gaining a thorough understanding of your primary and secondary audiences, which are directly related to accomplishing your objectives, is the only way that you can formulate successful strategies and tactics.

18.3.4:  Campaign Strategy The “strategy” is the broad concept on which the campaign will be based. Firms have different models for developing strategy. Shift Communications, for example, uses what it calls the DAIS system.

D A I S

Data Analysis Insight Strategy

The first step to strategy development, according to Shift, is high-quality, reliable Data. The second step is Analysis of that data, which allows you to answer “What happened?” The third step is Insight—determining not only what happened, but why it happened and what could be done differently. The final step in the Shift process is developing Strategy. In any campaign, strategy must be keyed directly to the objective, and it must be formed with a thorough knowledge of what the primary audiences perceive as relevant and in their self-interest. Ohio’s previously-mentioned vaccination program for children, for example, was based on the idea that parents love their children and want them to be healthy. Thus, the strategy was to tell parents how important vaccinations are in keeping their children out of danger. In fact, the theme

328  Chapter 18 of the campaign became “Project L.O.V.E.” with the subhead “Love Our Kids Vaccination Project.”

• Booklets mailed to every new mother explaining vaccination and the schedule of shots

“A PR campaign or program is a series of coordinated, unified activities and messages, driven by a single strategy, delivered to relevant publics by a variety of means.” —Doug Newsom and Jim Haynes, authors of Public Relations Writing

• Letters to doctors reminding them to ask about vaccinations when a child has a checkup

The program to increase carpooling was based on research showing that commuters were interested in saving time and money. Thus, the strategy was to show how people using designated carpool lanes could cut time off their commute. A second strategy was to show how much money a carpooler would save annually in gasoline, car insurance, and maintenance costs. One of the strategies for Sunkist’s lemonade fundraising program was to use a country music artist as a spokesperson to generate awareness about the program, build relationships with key supermarket retailers, and generate stories in local media about kids setting up lemonade stands in the community to raise money for charity. These examples illustrate two basic concepts about strategy. 1. First, the strategy must reflect the audience’s selfinterests. 2. Second, the strategy must be expressed in simple terms as a key selling proposition. It must be reiterated throughout the campaign in various ways, but the concept should remain clear and simple. Every campaign has one to three key messages, which are expressed in every activity—whether it’s a news release, a feature article, a media interview, or a promotional event. Indeed, one of the criteria for an effective public relations program is whether the audience was exposed to your key copy points and absorbed them. One way of determining this is a content analysis of media mentions, which will be discussed along with the evaluation of a public relations plan.

18.3.5:  Campaign Tactics This is the “how-to-do-it” portion of the plan. In public relations, it often is called the “execution” part of the plan. Tactics are the actual materials that are produced in a public relations campaign by one or several public relations writers. The children’s vaccination project, for example, used a variety of tactics, including: • Posters in child-care centers and doctors’ offices • PSAs on radio stations that had audiences of childbearing age • Articles in newspapers and magazines catering to parents • Pamphlets sent to child-care service providers

• Corporate and hospital sponsorship of two-week-long “Shots for Tots” promotional events • Endorsements by government leaders and child-care experts • Information advertisements in community newspapers • Stories about the L.O.V.E. Project on television and in the city’s daily newspaper The campaign on carpooling also used a variety of tactics. One tactic was to enlist the support of drive-time DJs on popular radio stations, who promoted carpooling as part of their early-morning and late-afternoon banter between songs. Billboards along major highways were a supporting tactic. There was also a concentrated effort to distribute posters and pamphlets that businesses could post and distribute to employees. Editors of employee newsletters and magazines were given background information on carpooling for possible stories. Another successful tactic was the compilation of a kit for employers telling them how to organize carpools for their employees. The Sunkist lemonade-stand fundraising campaign used the following tactics: • A kick-off concert in Nashville • Heartwarming feature stories about kids and their lemonade stands raising money for charity • Distribution of a media kit to food editors • Distribution of camera-ready features about the program and tips on how kids can set up a lemonade stand • An appearance by the country music singer at the Little League Baseball world series for a barbecue and concert • A partnership with supermarket chain Harris Teeter to do a promotion about the program in all 400 of its stores. Holly Potter, vice president at Kaiser Permanente, made several tactical suggestions in The Strategist regarding the addition of social media to public relations campaigns. She suggests monitoring social media, so you know what’s being said about you before you develop a tactical program. “Social media activities need to be firmly rooted in an understanding of pre-existing conversations,” Potter wrote. She also notes that there’s a misconception that social media is free or cheap for organizations. It is not. “Social media strategies are extremely resource intensive— human resources, that is,” she wrote. This is because of the need to monitor and respond on a 24/7 basis. “Today, our clients clamor for a blog, a Facebook page, a YouTube channel, or a Twitter handle, convinced that they hold the solution to their problem. Yet the faulty logic still

Planning Programs and Campaigns  329

holds true. An individual tactic—no matter how popular— cannot substitute for a solid PR strategy.” —Holly Potter, vice president of public relations for Kaiser Permanente

Finally, Potter notes, social media tactics need to be field-tested. Know how your target audience will engage with any new platform you begin to use, she advised.

18.3.6:  Campaign Calendar Three aspects of timing must be considered: 1. when the campaign is to be conducted, 2. the sequence of activities, and 3. the reach and frequency of the message. General Timing  A campaign must be timely; it must

be conducted when the key messages mean the most to the intended audience. Some subjects are seasonal; hence publicists release information on strawberries in May and June, when a crop comes to market. A software program on doing your own taxes attracts the most audience interest in February and March, just before the April 15th deadline. At times, the environmental context is important. A campaign on carpooling might be more successful if it follows a price increase in gasoline or a government agency report that traffic congestion has reached gridlock proportions. A charitable campaign to provide for the homeless is more effective if the local newspaper has just run a fivepart series on the human dimensions of the problem. Other kinds of campaigns are less dependent on seasonal or environmental context. The L.O.V.E. vaccination program, a Red Cross drive for blood donations, and even the selling of a new smartphone upgrade could be done almost any time during the year. The pre-Christmas season, however, is a favorite time for companies to introduce new consumer products. Schedule of Activities  The second aspect of timing is the scheduling of activities during a campaign. A typical pattern is to have a concentrated effort at the beginning of a campaign when a number of activities are implemented. This is the launch phase of an idea or concept and, much like a rocket, it takes a concentration of power just to break the awareness barrier. After the campaign has achieved orbit, however, it takes less energy, and fewer activities are needed to maintain momentum. You must also think about advance planning. Monthly publications, for example, often need information at least six to eight weeks before an issue. If you want something in the August issue, you have to think about placing it in May or June. A popular talk show may work on a schedule that books guests three or four months in advance. A brochure may be needed on March 29, but you must start the brochure long before that date. To determine the starting

date, you must know every step in the production process and how long it will take. The main idea is that you must constantly think ahead to make things happen in the appropriate sequence. This activity, as well as the scheduling of other public relations tactics, should not be trusted to your memory or to jottings on your desk calendar. It is important that the entire public relations team working on the program has a single source of information, such as a wiki or shared online calendar, for the schedule of the entire campaign. The easiest way to keep everything on schedule is to prepare a working calendar or schedule of deadlines and responsibilities for detailed planning and internal use. The time frame for the brochure example mentioned earlier might be determined using a schedule like the one shown in Table 18.1.

Table 18.1  Sample Brochure Development Schedule Activity

Date Due

Responsibility

Outline brochure

January 11

J. Ross, G. Jones

Write copy

January 18

J. Ross

Photos and artwork

January 25

A. Peck and N. Lopez

Design and layout

February 8

A. Peck and N. Lopez

Final client approval

February 15

B. Boss

Printer prep and proofs

February 28

Ace Printers. G. Jones, supervising

Printing and binding

March 10

Ace Printers. G. Jones, supervising

Delivery

March 15

United Parcel Service. G. Jones, supervising

Other entries in this kind of table format might be preparing news releases, drafting speeches, writing pitch letters, scheduling spokespeople on radio talk shows, arranging media tours, and commissioning a camera-ready feature article. You can also map activities by listing the activities at the left of a chart, with days or weeks across the top. Lines or bars show graphically when various steps are being worked on. This is often called a Gantt chart; an example is shown in Figure 18.2.

Figure 18.2  Planning requires precision scheduling. This is a simplified Gantt chart showing the various activities and tactics in a public relations program. Some tactics, such as social media, are ongoing; others are phased in during the campaign. Sample Gantt Chart for Six-Month Program January Mobile App Satellite Media Tour News Releases Special Events YouTube Facebook Twitter Evaluation

February

March

April

May

June

330  Chapter 18 The main idea is that you should have a systematic means of tracking activities throughout the public relations program, so everything stays on schedule. If a brochure or a media kit is delayed, it can delay other activities, such as a media tour or a news conference, that are dependent on having the materials available. All activities in a public relations program are interrelated for maximum effectiveness. Messaging Timeline  The third element of calendar-

ing is a timeline that ensures that the message reaches every possible audience and the message is repeated frequently. Reach is the number of different people exposed to a single message. Frequency is the number and pattern of messages presented to a particular public in a given amount of time. In a Gantt chart, for example, multiple news releases about the same subject, but perhaps different angles, will be done throughout the campaign and listed as separate items on the timeline.

18.3.7:  Campaign Budget A budget can be divided into two categories: staff time and out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses. Staff and administrative time usually takes the lion’s share of any public relations budget. In a $100,000 campaign done by a public relations firm, for example, 70 percent or more will go to salaries and administrative fees. A public relations firm has different hourly rates for the level of personnel involved. The head of the agency, who would oversee the account, might bill at $250 per hour. The account supervisor might bill at $175 per hour, and the account executive at $130 per hour. Account coordinators, those who do a lot of the clerical work, might bill at $90 per hour. A public relations firm, when submitting a plan, has usually constructed a budget based on the number of estimated staff hours it will take to implement a plan. The other part of the budget is out-of-pocket expenses, which includes payments to various vendors for such things as printing, postage, graphics, video production, travel, phone charges, photocopying, and so on. You can do a reasonable job of estimating out-ofpocket expenses by making a few phone calls. You would call a printer, for example, to get an estimate of how much 10,000 copies of a pamphlet would cost. If you are doing a media tour, you would decide what cities would be visited and then find out the cost of airline fares, hotels, meals, and ground transportation costs. The Internal Revenue Service even has a guide to daily living expenses in major cities around the world. One method of doing a budget is to use two columns. The left column, for example, will give the staff cost for writing a pamphlet or compiling a media kit. The right column will give the actual OOP costs for having the pamphlet or the media kit designed, printed, and delivered. Internal public relations departments, where the staff is already on the payroll, often compile only the OOP expenses.

Budgets should also have a line item for contingencies— that is, unexpected expenses. In general, allow about 10 percent of the budget for contingencies.

18.3.8:  Campaign Evaluation Evaluation refers directly back to your stated objectives: It is the process by which you determine whether you have met your objectives. If you have an informational objective, such as increasing awareness, a common procedure is to show placements in key publications and broadcast stations that reached the intended audience. Related to this is a content analysis of whether the news coverage included your key messages. A more scientific approach is to do a benchmark study of audience knowledge and perceptions before and after the campaign. In many cases, “before” activity has already been documented through marketing studies, so all you have to do is a post-campaign survey. Motivational objectives, such as increased market share or sales, are much easier to determine. The Ohio campaign had the objective of increasing vaccinations— and it succeeded by raising the vaccination rate by 117 percent in public clinics over a 2-year period. A campaign by Ketchum on behalf of prune producers caused a 4 percent increase in sales after several years of decline. Increased sales, however, may be the result of other factors, such as the economy, the additional use of advertising, or a reduction in prices. Because of this, it is often wise to limit your objectives to something that can be related directly to your activities. For example, you might get feature placements in various magazines that also give a website for more information. Success could then be declared when there have been 50,000 visitors to the site.

WRITING PROMPT Consider the eight components of a public relations plan. Which two do you think would be particularly important? Why? Which two do you think would be hardest to complete? Why? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

18.4:  Submitting a Plan for Approval 18.4 Express the importance of ensuring the soundness of any campaign plan before submitting it for approval The 8 Elements of a Campaign Plan 1. Situation 2. Objectives 3. Audience

Planning Programs and Campaigns  331

4. Strategy 5. Tactics 6. Calendar (timing) 7. Budget 8. Evaluation Once you have developed the eight elements of your plan, they become the sections in a written plan submitted to management or a client for approval. Here’s the general organization of a public relations plan: • Title page (date, program name, client or organization, and team members) • Executive summary (overview of the plan) • Table of contents (name and page number of each section) • Statement of principles (the planner’s approach to the situation, for example, integration with marketing, alignment of campaign with overall organizational goals, etc.) • Capabilities of the team or public relations firm submitting the plan • The eight sections of the program plan, from situation to evaluation • Conclusion (summary of why this is the best plan and request for approval) Before you submit your written plan to a client or management for final approval, you should review it with a critical eye. You might even ask some knowledgeable person whose opinion you respect to read the plan and then discuss it with you. Check these points: • Is the situation clearly stated? • Is the audience the right one? Is it clearly defined? • Are the objectives attainable and measurable? • Is the strategy logical and effective? • Is the message persuasive and memorable? • Are the tactics sound and effective? • Is the timing right? • Are the costs reasonable and justified? • Will the proposed evaluation really measure the results? • Does the evaluation link to objectives? • Is the plan practical and appropriate? • Is the plan logical, strong, and clearly written? • Should any additions or deletions be made? In addition to these suggestions, the next Tips for Success provides a thumbnail of what makes a winning campaign.

Tips for Success Do You Have a Winning Campaign? There are thousands of public relations campaigns every year. Some fail, some are moderately successful, and some achieve

outstanding success. Each year, hundreds of these campaigns are submitted for the Public Relations Society of ­America’s Silver Anvil award, which recognizes the very best in public relations planning and implementation. Of these, about 45 are chosen for excellence.

332  Chapter 18 Your responsibility is to make the proposed plan as sound as you can make it, based on your professional expertise. You should remember, however, that any plan is a work in progress, and your client or management may suggest changes. They may not think a particular idea is very good, or they may decide to reduce the cost by eliminating a component. In many cases, such feedback from the client or management sharpens and improves the plan. At other times, if you think the proposed changes would seriously impact the effectiveness of the plan, you have to express your rationale in a diplomatic manner and persuade them that your initial idea is the better one.

WRITING PROMPT You have written a plan to propose a new program that will increase the budget of the public relations department by 25 percent. Before you submit the plan, you take one last hard look to make sure everything is in order. What details are you reviewing? What questions are you asking yourself? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

Summary: Planning Programs and Campaigns

Shared Writing: Planning Programs and Campaigsns Washington state has made it legal for adults to possess and use marijuana for recreational purposes. The Seattle Police Department launched a campaign shortly before the newly-approved initiative came into effect, to make citizens more aware of the details of the regulations. Who is the target public for this campaign and how would you reach them? A minimum number of characters is required to post and earn points. After posting, your response can be viewed by your class and instructor, and you can participate in the class discussion.

Post

0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 18 Quiz: Planning Programs and Campaigns

Chapter 19

Measuring Success Learning Objectives 19.1

Express the importance of measuring the effectiveness of any public relations program or campaign

19.2a Express measurement to be the final step in

19.6

Report different methods of measuring audience awareness in a public relations program

19.7

Use benchmark studies to measure change in audience attitude as a result of a program

19.8

Express the ability to influence audience action as the goal of any public relations effort

19.9

Describe four ways of auditing newsletters and brochures

any public relations program 19.2b Compare the different levels of

measurement 19.3

Examine the need for measurable objectives in any program

19.4

Investigate how measurement of production or distribution is not meaningful

19.5

Survey how message exposure can be used to evaluate public relations programs

19.1:  The Skill of Measurement 19.1 Express the importance of measuring the effectiveness of any public relations program or campaign The bottom line for every public relations program or campaign is whether the strategies and tactics accomplish organizational objectives. This may be an increase in sales, new customers, and brand recognition for a corporation, but perhaps an increase in donations and public awareness of service for a non-profit organization. In other words, did all the public relations activity “move the needle” in some way? Today, with tight budgets and organizational executives demanding more results from their public relations and marketing departments in terms of return on investment (ROI), it’s imperative that public relations personnel also master the skills required for measuring the success of their efforts. According to survey findings by the PR Academy in the UK, “Measurement replaces digital as PR professionals’ greatest training need.” In the survey, about 50 percent of PR students also surveyed acknowledged a

19.10 Report points to consider while writing a

measurement report at the end of campaign skills gap in knowing how to use metrics and analytics to measure success. This chapter tries to address that measurement skills gap for practitioners and students, by giving a summary of the most widely used methods for evaluating public relations efforts. These include the measurement of (1) content creation, (2) message exposure, (3) audience awareness, (4) audience attitudes, and (5) audience action. Supplemental activities—such as monitoring social media, communication audits, and event evaluation—also are discussed. In most cases, a skilled practitioner will use a combination of methods to evaluate the effectiveness of a program.

19.2:  The Importance of Measurement 19.2a  E  xpress measurement to be the final step in any public relations program 19.2b  Compare the different levels of measurement The final step in any public relations program or campaign is measurement and evaluation of what was

333

334  Chapter 19 achieved: what was done, how well it was done, and what good it did. Bill Margaritis, senior vice president of worldwide communications for FedEx, told PRWeek, “Measurement helps us prioritize and execute our programs; it’s a road map to our activities. It also helps build alignment with business objectives, and gives executive management a sense of confidence that we are using a quantifiable process in which to invest our money and time.” You Mon Tsang, CEO of the measurement firm Biz360, is blunter about the need for evaluation. He is quoted in PRWeek, saying, “It’s almost inconceivable to invest money in a significant program like communications without understanding the results. How would any other department justify its investments without understanding what they are getting out of it?”

e­ xposure, accurate dissemination of the message, acceptance of the message, attitude change, and changes in overt behavior. You can track message exposure and dissemination by counting the number of print and broadcast stories in the traditional media, counting the number of blog postings, and monitoring the chatter on social media networks, but you also need to analyze the content of the published article or post to determine if key messages were included. Indeed, a common approach to judging the success of a campaign is to assess whether there is an increase in public “awareness” about the key message being disseminated. This approach, however, often stops at tracking the output of public relations staffs instead of the outcomes that result from their work. Tudor Williams, writing in the online newsletter NetGain, explains:

“Measurement is a process that requires you to compare results against something—either with your competition or with your results over time. You note the change, analyze the reasons, and improve your program accordingly.” — Katie Paine, president of KDPaine & Partners, a ­measurement firm

For many years, organizations were content to measure the outputs of communication, how many newsletters were published, how many ‘impressions’ or column inches were created, or the size of the audience reached. But in a world where accountability matters, it is the outcomes that are important, the extent to which we were successful in achieving our goal. The output is but the means to achieve successful outcomes, not success itself.

Another important reason for conducting measurement and evaluation, and perhaps the most compelling argument, is that clients and management are demanding more accountability. Today’s public relations programs are highly sophisticated and expensive, so organizations want to be sure that they are getting good value for their money. In addition, public relations personnel often compete with advertising and marketing for their operating budget, so it is important to document how public relations activity is a cost-effective use of funds. Consequently, here are some general questions that you should honestly ask yourself upon completing a public relations program: • Was the program or activity adequately planned? • Did recipients of the message understand it? • How could the program strategy have been more effective? • Were all primary and secondary audiences reached? • Was the desired organizational objective achieved? • What unforeseen circumstances affected the success of the program or activity? • Did the program or activity stay within the budget? • What steps can be taken to improve the success of similar future activities? Answering these questions requires a mix of measurement methods, many borrowed from advertising and marketing, to provide complete evaluations. To evaluate a public relations program fully, you must use more ­systematic research methods to document message

Williams, when he discusses outcomes, is talking about a higher level of measurement that focuses on the effects of news releases, brochures, newsletters, websites, and social media networks. His comments are reinforced by a PRWeek survey in which more than half of the respondents said they used “outcomes” measurement to evaluate changes in attitudes and behavior, and considered it to be their most valuable form of measurement. It’s ironic, however, that other surveys show that public relations personnel still use “media mentions” (clippings) as their most frequent measurement method. The Tips for Success shows how public relations professionals rank the effectiveness of various measurement methods.

Tips for Success Effectiveness of Measurement Tools Benchpoint, a measurement firm, conducted a global survey of public relations and communications professionals for the first European Measurement Summit in Berlin. The respondents, coming primarily from Europe and the United States, ranked the effectiveness of the measurement tools they use to monitor the public relations initiatives in their firms and departments. As illustrated in Figure 19.1, respondents ranked “clippings” first in effectiveness but using advertising equivalency ranked eleventh.

Measuring Success 335

Selected data from the Benchpoint survey conducted for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) and the Institute for Public Relations (IPR). The survey also showed that 70% of respondents believe that measurement is an important part of public relations work. 80 70 60

Percent

50

Clippings Media evaluation tools Opinion surveys Benchmarking Focus groups

40 30 20 10

Internal reviews Online opinion surveys Reputation index Blog measures Dashboards Advertising value equivalency (AVE) League tables

0

WRITING PROMPT Why is measuring the success of a public relations campaign or program so important? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

19.2.1:  Current Status of Measurement and Evaluation Public relations professionals have made considerable progress in evaluation and measurement, the ability to tell clients and employers exactly what has been accomplished. Sophisticated software programs and techniques are being used, including computerized news clip analysis, survey sampling, quasi-experimental studies in which the audience is divided into groups that see different aspects of a public relations campaign and attempts to correlate efforts directly with sales. Today, the trend toward more systematic evaluation is well established. Katherine Paine, founder of her own public relations measurement firm, says that the percentage of a public relations budget devoted to measurement and evaluation was about 1 percent in the 1990s, but is now closer to 5 percent. A 2010 study by the USC Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center found about the same percentage; the average corporation devotes only 4 to 5 percent of its total public relations budget to evaluation and measurement. Advocates say measurement should be at least 10 percent of budget, because there is constant pressure on public relations departments to justify their budgets and prove their value to the bottom line.

“You have to budget for measurement up front. Not on the back. How much? Figure 5 percent of your total PR spend, including fees and pass-through costs.” — David Rockland, managing director of research for Ketchum

Some practitioners maintain that public relations is more art than science and is thus extremely difficult to measure. Walter K. Lindenmann, a former senior vice president and director of research at Ketchum, takes a more optimistic view. He wrote in Public Relations Quarterly: “Let’s get something straight right off the bat. First, it is possible to measure public relations effectiveness… Second, measuring public relations effectiveness does not have to be either unbelievably expensive or laboriously time-consuming.” The Institute for Public Relations (IPR) also takes the view that public relations effectiveness can be systematically evaluated. The IPR Measurement Commission has developed a notable library of research and guidelines about measurement over the past 20 years, with papers available free on its website, InstituteforPR.org. The institute’s slogan captures the essence of its mission: “The science beneath the art of public relations.” Lindenmann suggests that public relations personnel use a mix of evaluation techniques, many adapted from advertising and marketing, to provide more complete evaluation. In addition, he notes that there are at least three levels of measurement and evaluation, as shown in Figure 19.2.

Figure 19.2  There are three levels of public relations measurement. The most basic is measuring media placements. At the second level, there is more concern about comprehension and retention of the message on the part of the audience. At the advanced level, the emphasis is on opinion and behavior change. Each level requires different measurement tools.

PU B L I C RE L AT I O NS E FF EC T IV EN E SS YA R D S T I C K

Figure 19.1 

ADVANCED Measuring Behavior Change Attitude Change Opinion Change Level #3 INTERMEDIATE Measuring Retention Comprehension Awareness Reception Level #2 BASIC Measuring Targeted Audiences Impressions Media Placements Level #1

336  Chapter 19 On the most basic level are compilations of message distribution and media placement. The second level, which requires more sophisticated techniques, deals with the measurement of audience awareness, comprehension, and retention of the message. The most advanced level is the measurement of changes in attitudes, opinions, and behavior.

19.3:  Measurable Program Objectives 19.3 Examine the need for measurable objectives in any program Before any public relations program can be properly evaluated, it is important to have a clearly established set of measurable objectives. These must be part of the program plan. To develop such objectives, keep the following points in mind: 1. A public relations objective has to directly relate to the organization’s objectives. These might be increased sales or donations, increased stock price, reduction of employee turnover, positioning the organization as a “thought leader” in the industry, or even increasing brand loyalty through websites and social media platforms. 2. Both public relations staff and management should agree on the criteria that will be used to evaluate success in attaining the objectives for a particular program or campaign. Does the client or employer want to evaluate the program based on the number of media mentions, or want you to show that you actually increased sales or market share? A frank discussion about objectives and client or management expectations—before a program is launched—can make a big difference in how you structure your campaign to achieve specific outcomes. 3. Don’t wait until the end of a public relations program to determine how it will be evaluated. Albert L. Schweitzer of FleishmanHillard public relations in St. Louis makes the following point: “Evaluating impact/ results starts in the planning stage. You break down the problems into measurable goals and objectives, then after implementing the program, you measure the results against goals.” 4. Remember that objectives must be specific and measurable. You should always ask yourself what method will be used to measure this objective. Will you conduct a survey of customers or rely on the dashboards provided by various social media platforms to identify your share of the conversation on each? The International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) says a good objective should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time Specific.

In other words, it’s not wise to have nonspecific objectives that you will be unable to measure at the end of your program. “Increase awareness of product X,” for example, is not a measurable objective because it lacks two basic elements: (1) a change in something concrete, and (2) a timeframe. Thus, a much better—and more measurable— objective would be “Increase awareness of Product X from 25 percent to 50 percent by the end of 2016.” It should be noted that any measurement of “awareness,” however, requires scientific sampling of consumers before the campaign and after the campaign. This is more difficult than just measuring “exposure” to the message, which is discussed later in the chapter.

WRITING PROMPT The company is launching a new tablet. Write three public relations objectives for this campaign that meet the criterion of being realistic and measurable. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

Submit

19.4: Measuring Production/Distribution 19.4 Investigate how measurement of production or distribution is not meaningful One elementary form of evaluation is simply to give your client or employer a count of how many news releases, feature stories, photos, and tweets were produced in a given time period. This approach is the classic example of documenting an individual’s or department’s “output.” This kind of measurement is supposed to give management an idea of your productivity. However, this approach is not very meaningful, because it emphasizes quantity instead of quality. It also encourages the public relations writer to send out more news releases than necessary, including many that are worthless as news, in an attempt to meet some arbitrary quota. In many cases, it’s better to skip writing the 15 routine news releases and spend the same amount of time pitching a story to a major blogger or publication that reaches your primary customers or audience. Closely aligned to the production of materials is their dissemination. Thus, it may be reported that a news release was sent to “977 daily newspapers, 700 weekly newspapers, and 111 trade publications.” Such figures are useful in terms of tabulating how widely a news release or feature is distributed, but sending out vast quantities of news

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releases just to impress management with big numbers doesn’t fool anyone. Large mailings are not just the fault of publicists. Many organizations, including far too many public relations firms, think sending a news release is a relatively cheap proposition involving only postage or a group email. Why not do a blanket mailing to increase the odds that the material will be used? Such mass mailings really irritate journalists, who then form the impression that public relations people are basically incompetent. As a professional public relations practitioner, you should document distribution but not succumb to sending out reams of news releases or spam just to impress the boss or the client. A better approach is to use targeted mailings that generate a high percentage of media placements.

19.5:  Measuring Message Exposure 19.5 Survey how message exposure can be used to evaluate public relations programs The most common way of evaluating public relations programs is to compile and count the resulting print stories and broadcast mentions, and count the number of visitors to your website. In fact, PRWeek surveyed public relations firms and found that a large percentage primarily used media mentions as their major tool to evaluate program success although the trend is to use additional metrics beyond “exposure.” Monitoring services can be hired to review large numbers of print and online publications. They digitally “clip” all the articles/mentions about your client or employer. Major firms that offer such services include Cision, BurrellesLuce, Vocus, Meltwater, and Factiva. Major newswires such as Business Wire and PRNewswire also offer services that monitor print media, online publications, and thousands of blogs. VMS, a video monitoring service, covers all 210 U.S. television markets. Clients can be notified within minutes of a television news story and even view the video clip. Most major services offer customers any number of ways to slice, dice, and compile media mentions according to their needs and budget. They can provide clients with tabulations listing the name of the publication/program, date, frequency, and circulation/viewership. Clients can also have the monitoring service evaluate clips on such variables as article word count, advertising cost (or value) equivalent, audience, editorial slant of the article, subject, number of keyword mentions, type of article, byline, and how an organization’s overall mentions compare with those of major competitors. Other aspects of media analysis will be discussed shortly. The main purpose of compiling media mentions is to find out if your material was used by the media. It gives the organization a way to determine if the public was

exposed to its message. Miller High Life, for example, reported that it generated more than 5,000 newspaper, television, radio, and online stories about its 1-second ad during the Super Bowl on local NBC affiliates. In addition, the Miller High Life website attracted 500,000 visitors, and more than 3 million people viewed YouTube videos about the unusual commercial. The volume of media mentions is still a popular statistic among public relations firms and clients, but its importance and value are declining as a meaningful measurement of campaign effectiveness. Today, public relations managers and senior management are placing more emphasis on who is reached and what they do with the message. The PR Casebook discusses how a campaign for Frito-Lay was evaluated in terms of media and social network placements.

PR Casebook: A Frito-Lay Campaign Meets Its Objectives Campaigns are evaluated on the basis of how well they achieve their objectives within a specific timeframe. Ketchum, a major public relations firm, had 6 months to conduct a campaign for Frito-Lay, which was introducing a new product line of SmartFood snacks for women. Research had found that women feel guilty about eating chips, so the new line was designed for the “conflicted pleasure seeker” who wanted both pleasure and wellness. The following is a summary of how each of the campaign objectives was evaluated.

Executive Summary In 6 months, the program generated 195+ million positive media impressions, more than doubling the goal, with 100 percent key message penetration.

Objectives Introduce Campaign’s Sharable Entertaining Content for Women • 32 posts on online entertainment sites, including E! and People • 23 campaign-focused stories in news outlets, including Ad Week and Fast Company • Roundups on CNN’s Morning News and a Better TV syndicated segment about companies targeting women Forge a Relationship with the Target and Let Her Know Frito-Lay “Gets” Her • 73 posts from women bloggers about the screening event and campaign • 65 additional posts about webisodes

338  Chapter 19 Stimulate Waves of Positive Conversations and Recommendations Woman-to-Woman • Real-time, positive conversations about the campaign and new products • 250+ tweets from Twitter members • 5,000+ @AWomansWorld Twitter followers Raise Awareness that Frito-Lay Has New Products Just for Her • 20 publications positively reviewed SmartFood • Life & Style, OK!, and In Touch mentioned Baked! Lay’s and Flat Earth • Good Morning America featured SmartFood in two segments about best snacks for women. Business Goals • Snack aisle trips went up 1.8 percent among women. • SmartFood earned $3.8 million by the end of the year.

19.5.1:  Media Impressions Another popular way of measuring output is to compile the circulation of the publications where your news release, feature story, interview, or product mention appeared. In the case of a broadcast mention on a radio program or television show, you use the audited average number of listeners or viewers for that particular show. This is known as compiling gross impressions, media impressions, or just impressions. Geri Mazur, director of research for Porter Novelli International, told PRWeek, “At a most basic level, clients expected to know how many impressions or how many bodies their message touched.” For example, if a story about an organization appears in a local daily with a circulation of 130,000, the number of media impressions is 130,000. A story appearing in 15 or 20 publications can easily generate several million media impressions. Korbel Champagne Cellars, for example, generated about 1,000 media placements with its “perfect marriage proposal” contest. A total of about 90 million impressions was calculated by adding up the circulation of each publication and the viewing audience of various broadcast programs. The Frito-Lay campaign discussed in the previous PR Casebook produced over 195 million media impressions that were positive responses. Total media impressions are used in advertising and publicity to illustrate the penetration of a particular message. However, high numbers of media impressions only report total circulation and the potential audience size, not how many people actually read, heard, or viewed that particular story. In other words, impressions do not equal awareness. This needs to be measured using the other research tools that will be discussed.

19.5.2:  Advertising Value Equivalency The numbers game is also played by converting stories in the news columns or on broadcast news and talk shows into the equivalent of advertising costs. For example, a 10-inch story in the local daily would be worth the same as an ad of the same size. And a 30-second story on a TV newscast would be worth an ad of the same length. Some practitioners like the concept of advertising value equivalency (AVE) because it is a form of return on investment (ROI). It shows management that the public relations staff is earning its salary by generating more “income” than it costs to pay the staff’s salary. Mark Scott of HomeBanc Mortgage Company told PRWeek, for example, that AVE helps him “justify his PR budget to the CEO and head of marketing.” The ad equivalency of HomeBanc’s news coverage one year was $810,000, using a metric supplied by Burrelle’s Information Services. According to Scott, salaries and expenses were about $200,000, so “the ROI is about four times the expense—and that looks pretty good to the corporate bean counters.” Some public relations practitioners even multiply the AVE figures, rationalizing that publicity is worth more than advertising because it is more credible and influential. In general, three is a common multiplier. If such a factor was applied to HomeBanc’s $810,000, it would mean that the news coverage was worth about $2.4 million. More recently, photos of President Obama visiting a pub and drinking a Guinness beer during a trip to Ireland were touted by a publicist in the United Kingdom as being worth $32 million in worldwide publicity for stout beer. And publicists have estimated that Samsung got a billion dollars-worth of publicity from sponsoring the Oscars once a celebrity selfie from the event went viral. The concept of using AVE and exercises in multiplication, however, is condemned by most professional public relations groups, including the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Global Alliance of national public relations groups, the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), and the Institute for Public Relations (IPR). In a policy paper, the IPR called the use of multipliers “unethical, dishonest, and not at all supported by the research literature.” The Barcelona Principles, a document approved by 200 delegates from 35 nations, also declared that AVE’s should not be used to measure the effectiveness of a public relations campaign. “The PR practitioner who says, ‘We got 500 hits, which generated 250 million impressions with an AVE of $2 million!’ is a thing of the past.” — Andre Manning, head of global communications, Royal Philips Electronics

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Indeed, the whole idea of advertising equivalency is highly suspect, because you are comparing apples and oranges. Consider the following points.

19.5.3:  Systematic Tracking Measuring the volume of media mentions is a start, but a more systematic content analysis can now be done thanks to various software programs. In addition to getting the traditional information about a publication’s name, date, frequency, and circulation, it is now possible to do a more complete analysis of news coverage. BurrellesLuce, for example, offers media analysis that includes 1. article size compared to available space in the ­publication; 2. whether the article was positive, negative, or neutral; 3. mention of key messages, products, brands, and competitors; 4. the number of keyword mentions; 5. the type of article; 6. the byline of the article; 7. degree of coverage in top markets; and 8. coverage by region. Other services, such as Factiva, Vocus, Biz360, and CARMA, offer similar media analysis capabilities. Such detailed analysis is a good diagnostic tool to tabulate details about the coverage and what audiences were exposed to it. You might find out, for example, that your new product or policy is getting a lot of negative news coverage. Or you may find out that only newspapers in the West are using the information, leaving other key markets without any penetration. See Figure 19.3 for a chart summarizing editorial slant.

Figure 19.3  Thanks to software programs, media mentions can be analyzed on multiple levels—by region, page, mention of key messages, type of article, etc. This chart summarizes the news slant of all your coverage by the total circulation of the publications where stories appeared. As the chart shows, a large percentage of the stories were positive.

WRITING PROMPT Why is the concept of advertising value equivalency (AVE) a poor way to measure the success of a campaign? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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340  Chapter 19 A systematic analysis may also show that 45 percent of your company’s news releases are management and personnel stories, but that these releases account for only 5 percent of the stories published about the company. By contrast, stories about new product developments may constitute only 10 percent of the news releases but account for 90 percent of the press coverage. Given these data, a logical step might be to send out fewer personnel stories and more product development articles. A systematic tracking system also identifies which publications receiving the news releases are using them. Your mailing list may include 500 different periodicals, but by the end of a 12-month period you may find that only half of these used your releases in any way. Given this information, you would be wise to prune your mailing list. Computer analysis of media mentions also is a valuable way to determine whether key messages are being included in print and broadcast stories.

19.5.4:  Monitoring the Web Measuring the reach and effectiveness of your messages on the Web is getting more sophisticated by the month. One earlier approach was the cyberspace version of media impressions: the number of people potentially reached via the organization’s webpage. Each instance of a person accessing a site can now be classified as a unique visitor (a first-time visitor to the site), a return visitor, or a mobile visitor. In a national campaign to increase awareness of autism, for example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 540,000 unique visitors and more than 50,000 materials downloaded from its website. Even a campaign by the National Potato Board did pretty well. Its Mr. Potato Head site attracted almost 10,000 visitors who spent an average of 5.5 minutes at the site, reviewing an average of 6.6 pages about the health benefits of potatoes. Blogs, social media sites, and online publications can also be monitored using the metric of site visits, but such data is less valuable than knowing about the content and tone of what is being said. Consequently, public relations professionals use free online sites such as Technorati, Google Alerts, and Google Analytics to compile mentions regarding their organization or client. WEBSITES  Google Analytics, in particular, is widely used because it has a number of built-in metrics that need no customization. Unique Visitors (users), for example, gives the number of people who are stopping by your website for the first time. If new visitors aren’t increasing over time, it’s a strong signal that an organization’s website should be revamped or redesigned. The metric of Visits (sessions) may be even more important. The process of cultivating brand loyalty and trust is based on creating valuable content on a regular basis that keeps people coming back to your site.

The number of Mobile Visitors is also tracked by Google Analytics because an increasing percentage of all website traffic comes from people using smartphones and other mobile devices. Consequently, it’s a strong signal that organizations must ensure that website content and apps are mobile-enabled to run on both Apple and Android platforms. Another built-in metric is Social Network Referrals. It’s important to know how many people are sharing an organization’s content because it constitutes earned media. According to Chel Wolverton, a senior marketing analyst at Shift Communications, “That’s why measuring social media traffic to your digital properties is an important first step in understanding how well your PR is working.”

19.5.5:  Monitoring Social Media Many major corporations, such as AT&T, have created their own monitoring systems or applications to track what comments are being made and shared about the company on social media networks. According to Larry Solomon, senior vice president of corporate communications for AT&T, “The beauty is that it gives us a better understanding of conversations taking place on a grand scale as well as with individuals. We are able to address individual needs while being able to take in the overall conversation taking place across many different platforms.” Figure 19.4 shows AT&T’s social media monitoring room.

Figure 19.4  AT&T is among many major corporations that have established “dashboards” to track the company’s profile on social media networks. These tools enable the company to gather and analyze real-time data and measurements such as what topics have been “trending” over the last 6 hours in different markets.

Similar metrics of measurement are also readily available and free at social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. There’s Facebook Insights, for example, which gives you information about a specific post’s success, pinpointing customers’ response to particular types of content. Twitter’s analytics has a whole suite of tools to give organizations (particularly advertisers) more data by which to measure the effectiveness of their tweets. More advanced monitoring now includes the number of people who expand a tweet to get an embedded photo or video, in addition to the numbers of retweets and hashtag clicks.

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YouTube also provides metrics that go beyond just the number of viewers and how many times a video was downloaded. A feature called YouTube Analytics gives account holders who have uploaded videos to the site a range of statistics, charts, and maps about their audience. The data available through Analytics include age, gender, and geographic location, as well as the identities of the Internet sites that viewers came from and where they went after watching the video. Tracy Chan, then the product manager of Insight (an earlier version of Analytics) told the Los Angeles Times, “Marketers and advertisers use the data to decide how to target their next round of ads or where bands should tour.” He was referring to Weezer, an alternative rock band, which found out that 2.2 million people watched its ­YouTube video and that 65 percent of the audience was men under age 18 and between the ages of 35 and 45. You can also track exposure to your message and who found it compelling enough to pass it on to others through bookmarking sites such as Digg and Delicious. There are a number of free social media analytic tools that slice and dice the metrics of websites and social media sites, and a selection of them are listed in the following Tips for Success.

Tips for Success Free Online Tools for Analyzing Your Social Media Success The following sites offer basic analytics for free, but many also offer more detailed and customized analytics for paying customers. • Buffer Major engagement stats for every update posted on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. • Followerwonk Shows detailed breakdown of your Twitter followers and activity. • ViralWoot A Pinterest tool that shows new followers, new repins, and new “likes.” • Iconosquare An Instagram tool that includes a userfriendly Instagram analytics section that shows big-picture views of posts, “likes,” comments, and followers. • Collecto Another site for Instagram stats. It offers an overview of main engagement stats and a view of the most “liked” photos. • quintly Analytics for Facebook pages, offering stats on main engagement metrics such as “likes” and comments. • Tailwind Pinterest analytics gives you insight into what boards are most popular with users. • Keyhole Offers statistics on the popularity and success of a branded hashtag. • Klout Analyzes your profile among various social media platforms and scores your influence in social media on a scale from 0 to 100. Organizations often select celebrities as endorsers and spokespersons based on their Klout scores.

• My Top Tweet A metric that shows you the top 10 tweets of any Twitter user. • HowSociable Enter a brand name and the metrics will indicate its social media score on Facebook, Twitter, ­YouTube, and LinkedIn. SOURCE: Adapted from an article by Kevan Lee titled “19 free social media analytics tools” retrieved from www.ragan.com, (2015, January 8).

ADDITIONAL ANALYTIC TOOLS  For a fee, companies

such as PageLever, Agility, or a score of other commercial providers will also monitor the entire Internet for you and give you a daily report. Salesforce Social Studio is a good example of a comprehensive social media marketing and monitoring service. According to its website, it monitors more than 650 million public sites and sources including blogs, forums, online news publications, public photos, videos, and every tweet. In addition, its “dashboard” approach can give a client instant information about a variety of metrics: • Overviews of the brand in terms of the number of posts, the opinions expressed, and the brand’s share of the conversation about a particular topic or issue. • The current perception of the organization and its products or services and a tracking of perceptions over a year’s time. • Identification of influential people in the brand’s industry, in terms of who’s talking about the brand online and who their followers are.

Figure 19.5  The Salesforce Social Studio, formerly called Radian6, metrics are provided via a dashboard interface. This sample Social Studio dashboard shows the metrics of monitoring social media mentions about the 2014 World Cup. Part of the analytics is showing the percentage of favorable “sentiment” about the event. SOURCE: Salesforce Social Studio, http://www.salesforce.com/marketingcloud/features/social-media-marketing/

342  Chapter 19 “Measurement has become more sophisticated. You can now measure share of voice, share of mind, and even understand impact of product sales.” — Jim Tsokamos, president of the Americas for MS&L Group

One metric is called the “conversation index,” which is the ratio between blog posts and comments. It helps measure whether a blogger is doing a lot of writing with very little response on the part of readers or whether the audience is engaged and contributing to the conversation. Obviously, blogs that generate a lot of “conversation” are more important to organizations in terms of feedback and dialogue. Another widely used social media management tool is Hootsuite. Its freemium model with Free, Pro, and Enterprise offerings helps organizations manage their social media presence across multiple social networks in terms of planning campaigns and measuring their coverage and impact on various social media platforms.

Tips for Success How to Measure the Impact of Social Media Katie Paine, CEO of KDPaine & Partners and a pioneer in public relations measurement, wrote in The Ragan Report, “Measurement is not counting. Or monitoring. It is not the number of followers, friends, rankings, or scores.” Instead, she wrote in PRWeek that better evaluation of social media impact can be achieved by calculating the percentage increase for a number of other factors.

Figure 19.6  Shown above is a sample Hootsuite analytics report that profiles an organization’s presence on Facebook.

WRITING PROMPT How can one measure the penetration and impact of social media messages? What measurements are often used?

Hootsuite is also a good resource for students because it has a “Hootsuite University” in which students get 90 days of free access. They can access a library of case studies, take tutorials on how to monitor social media sites, and even earn a certificate of completion that often impresses potential employers looking for job applicants with social media savvy. In sum, there are a number of analytic tools for measuring the impact of social media. The key point is that the large amount of data generated by analytics isn’t very helpful unless the data is analyzed to 1. generate insights that help you measure success and 2. figure out how you might do things differently next time, to ensure greater success. The Tips for Success gives some additional guidelines about the kinds of social media data that are fundamental to PR measurement.

The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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19.5.6:  Audience Requests, Costs, and Attendance There are several ways to measure the reach and effectiveness of your messages through offline means. REQUESTS AND 800 NUMBERS  Another measure of

media exposure is to compile the number of requests for more information. A story in a newspaper or an appearance of a spokesperson on a broadcast show often provides the impetus for driving people to a website to download more information, request a brochure, or even order the product.

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In many cases, a toll-free 800 number is provided. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, through Fleischman-Hillard, conducted a public information campaign about thyroid disorders and got 10,000 requests for its “Thyroid Neck Check” brochures. In addition, the organization’s website increased its “hits” from 4,000 to 12,000 immediately after the launch of the information campaign. The readership of product publicity features is often monitored by offering readers an opportunity to call or go online to get more information. In this way, for example, Air New Zealand has measured the value of sending travel features to daily newspapers throughout the United States. Such monitoring often shows top management that product publicity generates more sales leads than straight advertising. COST PER PERSON  The cost of reaching each person in

the audience often is calculated as part of the evaluation process. The technique is commonly used in advertising in order to place costs in perspective. Although a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl cost $4.5 million in 2015, most advertisers believe it is worth the price because an audience of more than 100 million is reached for about four cents per household. This is a relatively good bargain, even if several million viewers probably visited the bathroom while the commercial played. Cost-effectiveness, as this technique is known, also is used in public relations. Cost per thousand (CPM) is calculated by taking the total number of media impressions and dividing it by the cost of the publicity program. Skytel, for example, spent $400,000 to publicize a new product and obtained 52 million impressions, so they spent about seven-tenths of a cent per impression. You can do the same thing for events, brochures, and newsletters. Nike produced a sports video for $50,000 but reached 150,000 high school students, for a per-person cost of 30 cents. EVENT ATTENDANCE  Speeches, meetings, presenta-

tions, tours, grand openings, and other such activities have one important thing in common: They all involve audiences who are exposed to a message. A first step in evaluating these activities is to count the number of people who come to an event. Port Discovery, a new children’s museum in Baltimore, conducted a public relations program to let citizens know about its grand opening. Thanks to the efforts of its public relations firm, Trahan, Burden & Charles, Inc., almost 9,000 people visited the museum in its first week—double the number expected. Although numbers are impressive, you also can measure audience attitudes by observation and surveys. A standing ovation at the end of a speech, spontaneous applause, and complimentary remarks as people leave, even the “feel” of the audience as expressed in smiles and the

i­ntangible air of satisfaction that can permeate a group of people, will give you an idea as to the success of an event. A more scientific method is the survey. People leaving an event can be asked what they think in a 30-second interview. At a meeting, attendees can be asked to fill out a short questionnaire or answer a short email questionnaire after the event. A simple form might ask respondents to give their opinion on (1) the location, (2) the cost, (3) the facilities, (4) the program, (5) individual speakers, (6) how they learned about the event, and (7) suggestions for future events.

19.6:  Measuring Audience Awareness 19.6 Report different methods of measuring audience awareness in a public relations program Audience exposure to a message, as just reviewed, depends primarily on whether the media and other sites distributed the message with some degree of accuracy. Audience awareness, however, is somewhat more complicated to measure because you have to find out how many people actually read or viewed the message and, to a degree, remembered it. Indeed, most public relations campaigns have the primary objective of creating awareness among key publics. The tools of survey research are needed to determine how much public awareness there is about a new product or service and what people remember about it. Such research, for example, found that Apple achieved a phenomenal 99 percent public awareness about its new iPhone before it was even available for purchase. A good case study of measuring audience awareness is a public relations program conducted by Washington Mutual, a Seattle-based financial services institution. Washington Mutual had become one of the largest banks in California through acquisitions, but was entering the market with virtually no name recognition. It hired ­Rogers & Associates to conduct a program using the ­introduction of the newly-designed $20 bill as the centerpiece. The idea was to give 20 consumers in seven major markets a chance to enter a wind cube filled with the new $20 bills, and give them 20 seconds to grab as many of the swirling bills as they could. Shortly after this event, a survey was conducted that showed that 80 percent of consumers surveyed in new markets were familiar with the Washington Mutual name. This percentage was up from virtually zero name recognition a month before the promotional event.

Another way of measuring audience awareness and comprehension is the day-after recall. Under this method, participants are asked to view a specific television program or read a particular news story, and are then interviewed on the following day to learn what messages they remembered.

344  Chapter 19 Ketchum, on behalf of the California Prune Board, used this technique to determine if a 15-city media tour was conveying the key message that prunes are a highfiber food source. Forty women in Detroit were asked to watch a program on which a prune board spokesperson would appear. The next day, they were asked what they remembered about the program. Ninety-three percent remembered the spokesperson, and 65 percent, unaided, named prunes as a source of high fiber.

19.7:  Measuring Audience Attitudes 19.7 Use benchmark studies to measure change in audience attitude as a result of a program Closely related to audience awareness and understanding of a message is whether the audience actually changes its attitudes and opinions about the product, service, or idea. One way to measure changes in attitude is to sample the opinions of the target audience before and after the campaign. This means conducting benchmark studies— studies that graphically show percentage differences in attitudes as a result of increased information and persuasion. Of course, a number of possible intervening variables may also account for changes in attitudes, but a statistical analysis of variance can help pinpoint to what degree the attitude change is attributable to your efforts. Sears, for example, used a benchmark study to prove that its efforts at getting a positive story about the company on The Oprah Winfrey Show actually increased sales and influenced consumer attitudes. With the help of Delahaye/Medialink, Sears gauged the attitudes of consumers before and after they saw Oprah Winfrey announce the retailer’s donation of $20,000worth of Christmas gifts to families in need. Following the show, according to a monograph published by Lawrence Ragan Communications, “a measurement survey showed a fivefold increase in perceptions that Sears does good things for the community and the environment. The respondents who said they agreed with the statement, ‘Sears is a quality company’ increased from 58 to 65 percent.” In addition, consumers expressing intent to shop at Sears increased from 59 to 70 percent, and estimated spending levels rose 39 percent per shopper, or about $13 million in incremental sales.

Such companies as ExxonMobil, General Electric, and Wal-Mart regularly use benchmark surveys to measure their reputation on a continuing basis. Surveys showed, for example, that Microsoft’s corporate reputation dropped after the U.S. Justice Department filed an antitrust suit against the company. As a result, Microsoft considerably beefed up its public relations efforts, and Bill Gates

announced the formation of the Gates Foundation, now the largest foundation in the world. Benchmarking showed that the image of Microsoft improved among the public despite the antitrust case against it. “The capability to comprehensively monitor global media coverage is a strategy large companies need to protect reputation and shareholder value.” — Ad copy from Factiva (Dow Jones & Reuters), a media monitoring company

Benchmark surveys are only one way to measure attitudes and opinions. You can also do evaluations on a less sophisticated level by keeping a record of telephone calls and emails received from customers. This is very important in the area of consumer affairs. If a pattern can be ascertained, it often tells the company that a particular product or service is generating many questions and complaints. Armed with such knowledge, the organization can take steps to solve the problem and maintain customer loyalty.

WRITING PROMPT How would you measure a change in audience attitudes and opinions? You can use the Microsoft example to come up with possible survey questions and suggest an alternative to conducting a survey. The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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19.8:  Measuring Audience Action 19.8 Express the ability to influence audience action as the goal of any public relations effort The ultimate objective of any public relations effort, as has been pointed out, is to accomplish organizational objectives. David Dozier of San Diego State University says it succinctly: “The outcome of a successful public relations program is not a hefty stack of news stories . . . . Communication is important only in the effects it achieves among publics.” In other words, you should never say that the objective is to generate publicity. This is simply a tactic to achieve a specific outcome. Greenpeace’s objective, for example, is not to get publicity, but to motivate the public to (1) become aware of environmental problems, (2) understand the consequences of not doing anything about them, (3) form attitudes and opinions favorable to conservation, and (4) take some action, such as writing elected officials or even sending a donation to Greenpeace. Changing audience behavior or motivating them to purchase a product or service is difficult to accomplish

Measuring Success 345

through public relations efforts, because people are complex and make decisions on the basis of many factors. At the same time, however, audience action is relatively easy to measure. For businesses, all you have to do is look at sales figures or increase in market share. A campaign that measured audience action was one for Hungry Jack instant potatoes, pancake mixes, and syrups. The objective of the public relations firm, Carmichael Lynch Spong, was to increase the brand equity of Hungry Jack by sponsoring a national contest, “Who Is Your Hungry Jack?” The program, conducted mostly through radio promotions, had a goal of 10,000 entries and received more than twice that—22,000 people entered to be selected as hardworking, dependable, and adventurous “Hungry Jacks.” In addition, the contest promotion helped increase market share between 10 and 20 points in targeted markets. Following the campaign launch, there was a 23 percent sales increase in instant potatoes and a 9 percent sales increase for pancake mixes.

The ballot box also can provide convincing proof of a campaign’s success. In one example, Beaufort County in South Carolina needed to raise funds to improve a local highway. The county had a bond referendum to vote on a 1 percent sales tax that would raise $40 million over 2 years. There was strong opposition to the sales tax, so the local citizens’ committee supporting the measure hired a public relations firm to conduct a campaign to persuade the voters. The theme “Vote Yes, Highway 170, the Wait Is Killing Us,” was used and a series of activities was organized. This included forming a grassroots coalition with speaker events and letter writing, recruiting third-party endorsements, and getting media support. The result: The bond issue passed with 58 percent of the vote.

WRITING PROMPT How would you measure audience action such as purchasing a product or voting for a candidate? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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19.9: Evaluating Newsletters and Brochures 19.9 Describe four ways of auditing newsletters and brochures If you are an editor of a newsletter or an employee intranet it is wise to evaluate its readership on an annual basis. This

will help you ascertain reader perceptions of layout and design, the balance of stories, kinds of stories that have high reader interest, additional topics that could be covered, the publication’s credibility, and whether the publication is actually meeting organizational objectives. Systematic evaluation, it should be emphasized, is not based on whether all the print copies are distributed or picked up, or the number of people who simply accessed the company’s online newsletters. This is much like saying that the news release was published in the newspaper. Neither observation tells you anything about what the audience actually read, retained, or acted on. For instance, if all newsletters or printed materials disappear from the racks in a few days, it may simply mean that the janitorial staff is efficient. The following discussion focuses on periodical publications for employees or members of an organization, but the same methods can be used to evaluate leaflets, booklets, and brochures distributed to external publics. Informal questioning of readers, monitoring of email, and requests for more information can all show whether the material is being read or needs improvement.

19.9.1:  Evaluation Methods There are a number of ways in which a newsletter, newspaper, or magazine can be audited. These include content analysis, readership interest surveys, readership recall of articles actually read, application of readability formulas, and use of advisory boards or focus interview groups. CONTENT ANALYSIS  Select a representative sample of

past issues and categorize the stories under general headings. You may wish to cover such subjects as management announcements, new product developments, new personnel and retirements, employee hobbies and interests, corporate finances, news of departments and divisions, and job-related information. A systematic analysis of the type previously discussed will quickly tell you if you are devoting too much space, perhaps unintentionally, to management or even to news of a particular division at the expense of other operations. For example, you may think that you have a lot of articles about employee personnel policies and job advancement opportunities, only to find, on analysis, that less than 10 percent of the publication is devoted to such information. By analyzing organizational objectives, doing a content analysis, and surveying reader interests, you may come to the conclusion that the publication could be improved. READERSHIP INTEREST SURVEYS  The purpose of readership surveys is to obtain employee feedback on the types of stories they read and what they think of the publication. Such surveys can be done online, but the wisdom of doing so depends on the organization and whether its employees have regular access to the Web.

346  Chapter 19 These are relatively simple surveys that can be posted for employees on an organization’s intranet, or to a wider audience using a Facebook page or a full-service Web survey company. A cheaper approach is to use a free online service, such as SurveyMonkey. You can provide a list of topics or statements and have employees mark each one as “very important,” “somewhat important,” or “not important.” Another rating method is to have them select a number from 1 through 5 to show the degree of agreement with a statement. A readership interest survey becomes even more valuable if you can compare it to a content analysis of your publication. Substantial differences are a signal to change the editorial content of your publication. ARTICLE RECALL  The best kind of readership survey is done when you or other interviewers sit down with a sampling of employees to find out what they have actually read in the latest issue of the publication. Employees are shown the publication page by page and asked to indicate the articles they have read. As a check on the tendency for employees to tell you that they have read the publication from cover to cover (often called a “courtesy bias”), you also ask them how much of the article they read and what the article was about. The resulting marked copies of the publication are then content-analyzed to determine what kinds of articles have the most readership. The method just described is much more accurate than a questionnaire asking employees to tell you how much of the publication they read. You do not get accurate data when you ask questions such as, “What percentage of the newsletter do you read? All of it? Most of it? Some of it?” In this case, employees know that the company expects them to read the publication, so you get a preponderance of answers at the high end of the scale. Very few people will want to admit that they don’t read it at all. ADVISORY BOARDS AND FOCUS GROUPS  Periodic

feedback and evaluation can be obtained by organizing an employee advisory board that meets several times a year to discuss the direction and content of your publication. Between meetings, members of the advisory board would also be able to relay employee comments and concerns to the editor. This is a useful technique in that it expands the editor ’s network of feedback and solicits comments that employees may be hesitant to offer the editor face to face. A variation of the advisory board is to periodically organize several focus groups where a diverse group of employees talk about what kinds of information and stories would help them do their jobs more effectively. The purpose is to share information, generate new ideas, and work to make the publication more valuable as an instrument for obtaining organizational objectives.

WRITING PROMPT What techniques are used to measure the readership of a publication or an intranet site? Which do you think would be most effective for each, and why? The response entered here will appear in the performance dashboard and can be viewed by your instructor.

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19.10:  Writing a Measurement Report 19.10 Report points to consider while writing a measurement report at the end of campaign When you have finished evaluating a campaign, you must report the results to management. In some cases, it may be necessary to report on individual events or activities immediately after they have occurred. At other times, an annual evaluation report is done at the time next year’s budget is being reviewed. Whatever the case, it’s your opportunity to convince management that what you have done is worthwhile and your forthcoming activities deserve funding. To prepare the report, you should refer to the original campaign or program plan and state what you accomplished under each heading. Answer the following questions: • SITUATION. Was the situation properly appraised? While the program was under way, did you learn anything that forced changes? What happened, and what did you do? • AUDIENCE. Was it properly identified? How effectively did you reach the audience in terms of numbers, response, and feedback? • OBJECTIVES. Did you achieve what you planned to achieve? Provide figures. You should have set numerical goals; now tell how well you did in reaching them. • STRATEGY. Did it work? Did you have to modify it? Should it be continued or changed? • TACTICS. Did all the tools accomplish what they were supposed to accomplish? Were changes made? Why? Here again you can give numbers: news items published, feature stories published, printed items distributed, response of readers or viewers, TV and radio appearances, and so on. • TIMING. Was everything done at the right time? Should changes be made next year? • COSTS. Did you stay within the budget? If not, why not? This is the point at which you set the stage for the next budget, and perhaps explain why more money would have permitted greater accomplishments.

Summary: Measuring Success

348  Chapter 19 SHARED WRITING: MEASURING SUCCESS Michele’s Yogurt has just spent $100,000 with your public relations firm to launch and promote its new line of low calorie Greek yogurt. The company, of course, wants to know if your efforts were successful. What evaluation metrics would you use to show the company that it received good value for its expenditure?

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Chapter 19 Quiz: Measuring Success

Media Resources Chapter 1 Allen, K. (2014, March 18). Fifteen of the most avoidable language errors. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Associated Press Stylebook. (2014). New York, NY: Associated Press. Brockway, L. (2014, May 20). Nine sources to help you find that perfect word. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Brockway, L. (2014, June 11). 36 redundant phrases to eliminate from your writing. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Comcowich, W. (2014, March 17). Resources to help you fact-check like a journalist. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Dietrich, G. (2013, April). Top 20 buzzwords PR pros use. The Ragan Report, 16.

O’Brien, T. (2014, February). Assessing readability: With low literacy on the rise, what if they can’t read. Public Relations Tactics, 114–115. Perloff, R. (2013). The dynamics of persuasion: Communication and attitudes in the 21st century (5th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. Silverman, D. (2013, October). Ethical challenges for new PR professionals. Public Relations Tactics, 19. Vranica, S. (2014, March 3). Behind the preplanned Oscar selfie: Samsung’s ad strategy. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from www.wsj.com Wylie, A. (2013, June). Cut it down: Readers skip long paragraphs. Public Relations Tactics, 7.

Chapter 3

Gray-Grant, D. (2014, March 21). The five best writing books no one ever told you about. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Bad publicity: Better to be reviled than ignored. (2011, February 26). The Economist, 70.

Hanson, A. (2014, March 20). Why Digg is a must-read for PR pros. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Begley, L. (2013, September 25). 5 ice-breakers for your next brainstorming session. Ragan’s PR Daily News. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com

Kennedy, M. (2012, December). Twenty redundant phrases to eliminate from your writing. The Ragan Report, 8. Mallon, S. (2013, March 18). A dozen online resources for writers. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com McClellan, L. (2014, July 7). 25 editing tips for your writer’s toolbox. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Mickel, B. (2014, September 2). 25 ways to tighten your writing. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Moser, M. (2014, June 9). Ten guidelines for writing numbers and numerals. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Berger, W. (2014). A more beautiful question: The power of inquiry to spark breakthrough. London, UK: Bloomsbury. Brockway, L. (2014, April 29). Finding content when it’s scarce. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Dietrich, G. (2013, May). 4 ways to find fresh content ideas. Ragan Report, 3. Garcia, T. (2015, April 27). 3 tips for executing a great stunt. PRNewser. Retrieved from www.adweek.com/prnewser

The future of Wikipedia: WikiPeaks? (2014, March 1). The Economist, 60.

Gray-Grant, D. (2013, July 18). 7 ways to help your creativity soar. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Vittorioso, S. (2014, April 1). Writers: 25 tips for using AP style this spring. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Han, M. (2015, January 21). 5 ways to come up with great PR ideas. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com

Winchel, B. (2015, January 13). 5 AP style rules PR pros should follow. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Harper, J. (2012, November). Phoning it in: 5 ways to plan and pitch your survey results. Public Relations Tactics, 12.

Wood, S. P. (2014, August 20). The 25 (other) PR Blogs you should bookmark today. PRNewser. Retrieved from www.adweek.com/ prnewser

Lawrence, A. (2014, March 4). 6 ways to analyze your creative ideas. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Working, R. (2012, November). Eight terms that suck the life out of your writing. The Ragan Report, 3–4.

Chapter 2 Becker, R. (2014, June 2). Five writing myths that are dead wrong. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

McKinlay, D., & Walton, S. (2012, Spring). The creativity crisis: Fostering a more creative approach to public relations. The Strategist, 13–15. Murray, B. (2014, April 22). 7 tips for effective brainstorming. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Round round get around: Ford Mustang, at 50, climbs the Empire State Building. (2014, April 17). The Wall Street Journal, B3.

Braud, G. (2014, February). Rethink your writing: 3 ways to make your words resonate with your audiences. Public Relations Tactics, 14.

Sudhaman, A. (2013, December). 2013 creativity study: PR industry must prove creative value to business. Holmes Report. Retrieved from www.holmesreport.com

Dyer, P. (2013, July). Emotional storytelling adds personal touch to Red Cross fundraising efforts. PRWeek, 12.

Taylor Herring Public Relations. (2009, January). Top 50 PR stunts. Retrieved from www.taylorherring.com/blog

Edelman. (2015). Edelman trust barometer executive summary. Retrieved from www.edelman.com

Trader, J. (2013, January). Stumped for new content ideas? 5 tips. Ragan Report, 7–8.

Jowlett, G.S., & O’Donnell, V. (2011). Propaganda and persuasion (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Chapter 4

Larson, C.U. (2013). Persuasion, reception, and responsibility (13th ed.). Independence, KY: Cengage.

Allen, K. (2014, July 24). How not to annoy journalists. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com

Miller, P. (2013, September). How reading picture books can help you write better corporate messages. Ragan Report, 5-7.

Auffermann, K. (2013, Summer). Code red: When the biggest story in the world unfolds in your lobby. Strategist, 26–27.

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350  Media Resources Coffee, P. (2014, November 4). 25 things journalists think you should stop doing right now. PRNewser. Retrieved from www.adweek. com/prnewser Cross, A. (2014, April 29). A PR pro’s 10-point media relations checklist. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Demerjian, A. (2014, April 17). 5 things bloggers love (and 5 they hate). Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Duffy, V. (2014, May 1). What we do that annoys PR pros. Retrieved from www.rtnda.org Garrett, M. (2014, April 30). Spring refresher: 10 media relations does and don’ts. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Opperman, S. (2012, November). Modern messaging: Persuasive media relations in the digital age. Public Relations Tactics, 15. Phillips, B. (2014, February 28). 5 C’s of crisis communications. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Rudawsky, G. (2011, August 15). 7 valuable resources the PR industry provides journalists. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Scudder, V. (2012, November). Don’t wing it: Media training is necessary for today’s leaders. Public Relations Tactics, 14. Seitel, F. (2014, April). The media of PR: Paid vs owned vs. earned. O’Dwyer’s, 30.

Chapter 5 Allen, K. (2014, March 28). Studies: Digital media thriving, but press releases still most trusted. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www. prdaily.com Brockway, L. (2011, August 19). 4 ways to improve quotes in press releases. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Coffee, P. (2014, July 17). Study: Journalists spend less than one minute reading each press release. PRNewser. Retrieved from http:// www.adweek.com/prnewser/ Egan, J. (2014, July 9). 12 tips for producing a killer news release. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Espana, A. (2015, April 16). A 5-step process to guarantee a rock-solid media list. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www. prdaily.com Gaylord, B. (2012, October). 8 corporate statements rewritten for clarity. The Ragan Report, 5–6. Godlash, F. (2014). A guide to press release optimization.Business Wire Guidance Report. Retrieved from www.businesswire.com Godlash, F. (2014, April 14). It’s science! How sensory preferences impact the ROI of the press release. Retrieved from www.commpro.biz Kennedy, M. (2014, March). What’s the perfect press release headline? Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Kennedy, M. (2014, May 5). 7 important benefits of press release distribution. Retrieved from www.erelease.com

Piombino, K. (2014, June 17). Increase your press release’s visibility up to 5,000 percent. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Sherman, S. (2014, July 26). Planning the evolution of press releases. PRWeek. Retrieved from www.prweek.us.com Sherk, A. (2012, February). How to write press releases that Google will love. The Ragan Report, 17–18. Working, R. (2014, March 18). 7 tips for writing a killer press release. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Wylie, A. (2012, December). Lead on: Write better release openers. Public Relations Tactics, 5. Wynne, R. (2014, February 24). What journalists really think of your press release. Forbes. Retrieved from www.forbes.com/sites

Chapter 6 Kennedy, M. (2012, July 26). 10 tips to write the perfect email pitch. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/ Libert, K. (2014, August 8). Pitching tips from 500 publishers. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Morgan, C. (2014, April 7). The art of the perfect follow-up. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/ Schuman, M. (2014, March 28). 4 ways email pitches are like movie trailers. Ragan’s PR Extra. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Scott, D. (2013, July). The 10 best ways to pitch a blogger. Ragan Report, 24. Seitel, F. (2014, August). E-mail pitch perfect. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 50. Seitel, F. (2013, September). Perfecting the perfect pitch. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 24. Silfwer, L. (2014, March 3). How to pitch a TV news reporter. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Wood, S. (2014, April 2). 5 things to never say during a media pitch. PRNewser. Retrieved from www.adweek.com/prnewser/ Wood, S. (2014, August 26). 5 ways to ensure that the phone pitch doesn’t die. PRNewser. Retrieved from www.adweek.com/ prnewser/ Working, R. (2013, July). 20 words and phrases that will doom your pitch. Ragan Report, 21.

Chapter 7 Brito, M. (2013, February). Why Coca-Cola, Red Bull are leading media companies. Ragan Report, 12. Brown, A. (2014, January). Coca-Cola’s new journey focuses on storytelling. PRWeek, 23. Desai, N. (2014, August 11). Sponsored content and disclosure: When the cat should leave the bag. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com

Kennedy, M. (2013, July). 6 ways to beef up your boilerplate. The Ragan Report, 20.

Disario, A. (2014, February). Breathing life into profiles: 5 steps for finding and writing exciting personal stories. Public Relations Tactics, 18.

Kennedy, M. (2014, August 1). Finding the best angle for your press release. Retrieved from www.ereleases.com

Dupont, S. (2013, August). Branded content should be the core of your PR strategy. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 22–23.

Luttrell, R. (2013, March). Press pass: 5 questions to ask when writing news releases. Public Relations Tactics, 14.

Gable, T. (2014, February). Delivering on the promise: 6 steps to building brands with great stories and memorable content. Public Relations Tactics, 12.

Morgan, C. (2014, June). Clearing up the mystery: Does Google allow links in press releases? Public Relations Tactics, 8. Overfors, M. (2012, February). Write better news releases: 6 common mistakes and how to avoid (or fix) them. Public Relations Tactics, 10. Payton, S. (2014, June 9). 5 tips to make your press release stand out.Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com

Gagilano, L. (2014, August). Smarter, not harder: Marrying content creation. Public Relations Tactics, 13. Jeffery, J. (2013, February). Articulate your message: Op-ed placements offer tactical edge for PR pros. Public Relations Tactics, 15. Pasquinucci, R. (2013, February). Lather-rinse-repeat: 4 ways to make routine stories interesting. Public Relations Tactics, 20.

Media Resources 351 Pirozzolo, D. (2013, February). Crafting a compelling narrative: How storytelling can bring your PR efforts to life. Public Relations Tactics, 17.

Piombino, K. (2014, April 11). Infographic: Why visual content is better than text. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Scott, D. (2013, August). Brand journalism boosts Web traffic by 451 percent. Ragan Report, 8–9.

Red Bull builds media empire. (2014, June 16). O’Dwyer’s Newsletter, 4.

Seitel, F. (2014, January). Why sponsored content is here to stay. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 44.

Segal, D. (2014, May 4). The great unwatched: Online video ads are supposed to be a marketer’s dream. Instead, many get lost in an unruly maze. New York Times, B1, 6.

Stokes, T. (2013, May). How branded content can help reach consumers. PRWeek, 16.

Shout Communications. (2014). Maximising coverage on television, radio, and online [Guide]. Retrieved from www.shoutcommuncations.co.uk

Working, R. (2014, November 20). 9 tips for placing that op-ed your CEO wants you to write. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com

Simon, D., & Claudio, J. (2014, April). A new, strategic approach to video content. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 25.

Wylie, A. (2014, July). 5 tips for tip sheets: How to make the most of your how-to-stories. Public Relations Tactics, 7. Wylie, A. (2014, August). Survey the scene: How to organize research stories. Public Relations Tactics, 7.

Chapter 8 Carrington, M. (2014, April 4). 7 top tips for successful infographics. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Junker, D. (2012, February). A picture is worth a thousand words: The importance of writing strong captions. Public Relations Tactics, 16. Kennedy, M. (2011, October 13). How to create compelling, sharable infographics. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Kolodziei, C. (2014, August 19). A picture is worth a thousand words…even in mobile messaging. Social Media Daily. Retrieved from www.mediapost.com Pajaron, T. (2015, March 23). Why and how communicators should create infographics. Ragan.com Extra. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Piombino, K. (2014, April 23). How to avoid copyright trouble when using online images. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Seiter, C. (2014, July 22). The ultimate guide to free images. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Wagner, B. (2014, March). Using infographics to communicate health disparities. Public Relations Tactics, 9.

Spark, D. (2014, August 19). 20 ideas for your next corporate video. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/ Stein, L. (2013, October). Harley comes together with fans, media, for anniversary. PRWeek, 13. Witt, B. (2014, August). Understanding B-roll. Retrieved from www.shoutcommunications.co.uk/blogs Working, R. (2014, May 7). 8 tips for creating videos people will watch. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/

Chapter 10 Egan, J. (2014, April 15). 13 tips for starting a blog and keeping it going. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Gonzalez, M. (2014, April 25). How to make blog posts SEO friendly. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Guillory, J., & Sundar, S. (2014). How does site interactivity affect our perceptions of an organization? Journal of Public Relations Research, 26, 44–61. Heaton, C. (2010, November 22). 50 ways to get your site noticed. Retrieved from http://net.tutsplus.com Kennedy, M. (2010, November 30). The 10 commandments of writing Web content. Retrieved from www.ereleases.com Krol, K. (2013, 2013, May). 7 signs you’re a bad blogger—and how to get better. Ragan Report, 29–30.

Ward, D. (212, June). Infographics are becoming a major story in journalism. PRWeek, 21.

Loechner, J. (2014, September 3). Fortune 500 blogs validate social media presence. Research Brief: Center for Media Research. Retrieved from www.mediapost.com

Wilson, M. (2012, July 2). 25 guidelines for great visual communication. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Miller, L. (2010, August). PepsiCo has found the perfect podcast formula. Ragan Report, 28–30.

Chapter 9

Nowlin, A. (2014, April 29). Promote your blog with these 11 tools. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/

Alfred, G. (2014, August 8). 10 tips for flawless interviews. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/ Beltrone, G. (2014, May 9). GE travels the world to show the very human side of its cutting-edge tech. AdWeek. Retrieved from www. adweek.com Bernheimer, M. (2014, August). Social media video: Do it right when you do it yourself. Public Relations Tactics, 8. Bianca, M. (2014, August). The reality of television: Successfully working with production companies. Public Relations Tactics, 19. Braud, G. (2014, March). 8 little considerations that make a big difference in your corporate video. Public Relations Tactics, 12. Haynes, K. (2014, May 28). Thinking like a journalist: Media relations tip to maximize broadcast PR coverage [Blog post]. Retrieved from www.shoutcommunications.com

Park, H., & Cameron, G. (2014). Keeping it real: Exploring the roles of conversational human voice and source credibility in crisis communication via blogs. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 91(3), 487–507. Patel, N. (2014, April 30). 8 takeaways from eye-tracking studies. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Piombino, K. (2014, December 19). Infographic: What you need to know about podcasts. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Siemasko, E. (2013, August). 7 company blogs that build community. Ragan Report, 23–25. Tadena, N. (2014, April 16). Agencies model newsrooms for real-time marketing.The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from blogs.wsj.com TEKGROUP. (2015, February 15). 2015 Online newsroom survey report. Retrieved from www.tekgroup.com

Loechner, J. (2014, March 11). Traditional TV viewing still way ahead of internet and mobile. Research Brief: Center for Media Research. Retrieved from www.mediapost.com

Vincx, F. (2014, August 13). 8 simple but effective tips for improving an online newsroom. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www. prdaily.com

Monllos, K. (2014, April 30). Celebrities join White House PSA against sexual assault ‘Help her. Never blame her.’ Retrieved from www.adfreak.com

Wilson, M. (2014, August l9). Survey: Websites, online newsrooms most valuable to reporters. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/

352  Media Resources Winchel, B. (2014, November l4). 5 branding lessons from Coca-Cola Journey’s second anniversary. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Weston, S. (2013, October). How can mobile apps evolve to remain an effective tool for brand building? PRWeek, 47.

Woodall, I. (2014, August). Delivering news the media can use. Public Relations Tactics, 8.

Worthham, J. (2014, May 4). Six seconds of loopy creativity, and millions of fans. New York Times, BU3.

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Allen, K. (2013, March 6). Mind-boggling facts about one day on the Internet. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Fort, J. (2013, March 20). Graphic designer: 5 tips for working with me. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ ragansdaily/

Allen, K. (2014, April 15). 7 statistics that can raise your Facebook engagement. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Ayers, A. (2013, July). 5 mistakes to avoid on Pinterest. The Ragan Report, 25. Brown, M. (2013, April 9). Four things to know about having a social media career. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Bullas, J. (2014, December 4). Study: How the top 100 brands use Twitter. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ ragansdaily/ Caro, T. (2012, June). How can Pinterest, Instagram, and such platforms raise brands’ consumer profile? PRWeek, 51–52. Coffee, P. (2013, February 15). 10 great apps for PR professionals. PRNewser. Retrieved from www.adweek.com/prnewser/ Corbin, J. (2012, October). How can brands, agencies, and developers create apps that will satisfy customers? PRWeek, 51–52. Gellman, L. (2014, March 26). Social-media coaches spring up to combat bad buzz. The Wall Street Journal, B6. Gorges, M. (2013, March). Why employee communications may be mobile in two years. The Ragan Report, 12. Haughney, C. (2014, September 22). Publications see Pinterests as key ally. New York Times, A5–6. Jacques, A. (2014, March). Brands do grow on vines. Public Relations Tactics, 13. Jacques, A. (2012, May). Parlaying Pinterest: What you need to know about using a virtual pinboard. Public Relations Tactics, 10. Jeng, R. (2014, May 19). A quick guide to YouTube optimization. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/ Kaluza, C. (2013, Fall). The explosion of mobile audiences. The Strategist, 6–8. Malnik, J. (2013, April 10). QR codes: The biggest missed opportunity? Retrieved from www.ragan.com Mireles, A. (2014, July 31). Pinning for PR: 3 successful Pinterest campaigns. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Mollica, J. (2015, January). Here’s to better social in 2015: Five ways to improve online. Public Relations Tactics, 14. Nichols, L. (2014, June). Jelly Belly fans quench their thirst with draft beer-flavored candies. PRWeek, 45. Paton, E. and Kuehler, H. (2014, May 3). How Instagram is snapping up marketing cash. Financial Times, 9. Piombino, K. (3013, March 7). Infographic: Ten ways to get more followers on Pinterest. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Piombino, K. (2013, April 9). Infographic: An inside look at companies ‘social media teams. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Sebastian, M. (2013, March 29). Eye-opening stats reveal the extent of our smartphone dependency. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Sebastian, M. (2012, September 26). Tweets that will incite a PR firestorm. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Smarty, A. (2012, October). Five ways to increase your brand’s visibility on Flickr. The Ragan Report, 8-9. Topper, H. (2013, August). Responding to negative feedback on your social networking sites. Public Relations Tactics, 18.

Freed, E. (2014, August 19). 25 creative ways to launch your intranet. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Gnau, T. (2013, June). 5 reasons to use video to reach your employees. Ragan Report, 17. Harrison, A. (2012, November). 5 steps to employee engagement: Improving your goals for organizational success. Public Relations Tactics. Retrieved from www.prsa.org Haysom, S. (2012, November). Five tips to design a corporate, but fun intranet. The Ragan Report, 13. Radick, S. (2011, January 1). The power of social networks: Reviving the intranet. Public Relations Tactics. Retrieved from www.prsa.org Weger, B. (2013, October). Colors and culture: Points to consider. Public Relations Tactics, 18. Wilson, M. (2013, July). What employees really want to reach in newsletters. The Ragan Report, 15–16. Wilson, M. (2013, September). Employees don’t like their social intranet, study says. The Ragan Report, 20–21. Wylie, A. (2013, August). 7 ways to activate your release headlines. Public Relations Tactics. Retrieved from www.prsa.org

Chapter 13 Carr, D. (2014, June 30). For email, a death greatly exaggerated. New York Times, B1, 3. Glei, J. (2011, January 11).Email etiquette for the super busy. Retrieved from http://the99percent.com/tips Munroe, T. (2014, May 1). Check these boxes before issuing your RFP. PRNewser. Retrieved from www.adweek.com/prnewser/ Nichols, L. (2014, March 13). WHO group releases RFP in preparation for global forum. Retrieved from www.PRWeek.com Piombino, K. (2014, September 9). Infographic: Signs people still love email. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ ragansdaily/ Seitel, F. (2011, July). Six rules for internal memos.O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 32. Sung, K-H & Kim, S. (2014). I want to be your friend: The effects of organizations’ interpersonal approaches on social networking sites. Journal of Public Relations Research 26(3). Todd, V. (2014) Public relations supervisors and Millennial entrylevel practitioners rate entry-level job skills and professional characteristics. Public Relations Review. Van Rijn, J. (2014, December). The ultimate mobile email statistics overview. Retrieved from www.emailmonday.com

Chapter 14 Graveline, D. (2015, January 2). 8 presentation slides to delete right now. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/ Gray-Grant, D. (2012, March). PowerPoint: 5 techniques to interest and hold your audience. The Ragan Report, 31–32. Graveline, D. (2015, January 2). 8 presentation slides to delete right now. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ ragansdaily/

Media Resources 353 Piombino, K. (2012, February). Top three PowerPoint annoyances revealed in a new survey. The Ragan Report, 32.

Myers, C. (2013, September 16). Free speech v. social media: Is your policy legal? Retrieved from www.instituteforpr.org

Pringle, S. (2014, April 28). 5 storytelling techniques the best presenters use. Ragan.com Extra. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Myers, C. (2014, February 24). #Disclosure: New FTC social media guidelines for PR. Retrieved from www.instituteforpr.org

Reynolds, J. (2014, July 30). 12 most basic speaking mistakes that crumble seasoned presenters. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Myers, C. (2014, September). The new water cooler: Implications for practitioners concerning the NLRB’s stance on social media and worker’s rights. Public Relations Review 40(3), 547–555.

Spaeth, M. (2015, February 5). 10 rules to follow for powerful presentations. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Thomas, J. (2012, May). The 10 most important lessons for speakers. The Ragan Report, 26–27.

Chapter 15 Allen, J. (2009). Event planning: The ultimate guide to successful meetings, corporate events, fundraising galas, conferences, and conventions. New York, NY: Wiley. Bouzeos, D. (2014, April 17). 10 tips for using a celebrity spokesperson. Ragan.com Extra. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Byron, E. (2014, December 14). Please, pretty please. RSVP. Wall Street Journal, D1, 4. Event Planners Association (www.eventplannersassociation.com) Fern, L. (2013). Event planning business. Gilkie Publishing. Freeman, E. (2014, March 3). 8 ways to rise above conference clutter. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com Rusli, E. and MacMillan, D. (2014, March 7). At SXSW, some avoid circus. The Wall Street Journal, B6.

Penn, C. (2015, January 14). Copyright 101: Basics of avoiding content marketing lawsuits. Retrieved from www.shiftcomm.com

Chapter 18 Hendrix, J., & Hayes, D. (2012). Public relations cases (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Kiefaber, D. (2014, February 7). Lay’s asks for potato-chip flavors again, gets some super revolting ideas. AdWeek. Retrieved from www.adweek.com Potter, H. (2010, Summer). Integrating social media into PR plans. The Strategist, 40–41. Smith, R. (2012). Strategic planning for public relations (4th ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Wilcox, D., Cameron, G., & Reber, B. (2014). Public relations: Strategies and tactics (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Wilson, L., & Ogden, J. (2008). Strategic program planning for effective public relations campaigns (4th ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt.

Chapter 19

Sharkey, J. (2012, April 24). The trade show updated: A shift at conventions: Less high living, more Wi-Fi. New York Times, B9.

Crawford, J. (2014, March 4). What now for PR measurement. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com

Shellenbarger, S. (2014, December 3). Stop wasting everyone’s time: Meetings and email kill hours, but you can identify the worse offenders. The Wall Street Journal, D1, 3.

Geddes, D. (2014, May 1). Measurement standards: Present, future and meaning. Institute for Public Relations. Retrieved from www. instituteforpr.org

Chapter 16

Hall, S. (2013, April). 16 alternatives to Google Analytics. The Ragan Report, 1–21.

Bradley, D. (2014, February). Blurring the lines. PRWeek, 32–33. Dvorkin, L. (2013, July 22). Inside Forbes: It’s fight night. PR firms take on ad agencies over native advertising. Forbes. Retrieved from www.forbes.com Edelman Berland and Interactive Advertising Bureau. (2014, September). Readers game for most sponsored content. PRWeek, 9.

Lee, K. (2015, January 8). 19 free social media analytics tools. Retrieved from www.ragan.com Manning, A., & Rockland, D. (2011, Spring). Understanding the Barcelona principles (measurement). The Strategist, 30–31. Morgan, C. (2014, March 24). How to move PR beyond the AVE. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.prdaily.com

Chapter 17

Paine, K. (2015, January 12). 10 PR measurement predictions for 2015. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Aguilar, C. (2014, June 13). How to keep repurposed content out of legal hot water. Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Rockland, D. (2015, January). Measurement year in review: A look back and a look ahead.” Public Relations Tactics, 7.

Federico, N. (2014, July 17). Can that corporate blog post get you in legal trouble? Retrieved from www.ragan.com

Seda, R. (2013, July). 4 free Instagram measurement tools. The Ragan Report, 29.

Gordon, P., & Woon, L. (2014, July 23). Six recent NRLB cases provide further insight on structuring employers’ social media policies. Retrieved from www.Littler.com

Stacks, D., & Michaelson, D. (2010) A practitioner’s guide to public relations research, measurement, and evaluation. Barnes & Noble Nook.

Hazley, G. (2014, June). FTC sues coffee extract marketers over fake news. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 9.

Wilcox, A. (2014, April 8). The beginner’s guide to measuring social media ROI. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan. com/ragansdaily/

International Trademark Association. (2012). Guide to proper trademark use for media, Internet and publishing professionals. Retrieved from www.inta.org

Wilson, M. (2014, July 14). Twitter’s updated analytics dashboard offers broader engagement data. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/

Kupferschmid, K. (2014, April). Companies must adhere to copyright laws or face the consequences. PRWeek, 17.

Wolverton, C. (2014, March 3). Google Analytics 101: 5 Metrics for public relations. Retrieved from www.shiftcomm.com

McCauley, K. (2013, September). Judge dismisses defamation charge against PR firm, ESPN. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 9.

Working, R. (2013, July). 90 percent of PR pros measure Facebook, Twitter. The Ragan Report, 17–19.

Glossary Actuality  A recorded statement by an identified person used in a radio newscast. See Soundbite.

Cropping  The editing of photographs by cutting off portions of the original.

Advertising value equivalency (AVE)  Converting news articles to how much it would cost to advertise in the same space.

Desktop tour  A series of meetings at the desks of editors and reporters at various media outlets for the purpose of building a relationship.

App (application)  Commonly used term for an application on a mobile-enabled device. Application story  In feature writing, a story that tells how to use a new product or how to use a familiar product in a new way. Similar to a case study. Audio news release (ANR)  News release distributed to radio stations via CD, telephone, or website. Backgrounder  A compilation of information about an organization, a problem, a situation, an event, or a major development. It is given to media to provide a factual basis for news to be published or broadcast. Benchmark studies  Surveys of public attitudes and opinions before and after a public relations campaign. Blog  A website maintained by an individual or an organization to post comments, link to other sites, and engage in dialogue with readers. Boilerplate  A standard paragraph at the end of a news release that provides basic information about an organization or company, including products or services, trademarks, stock symbols and URLs. Booker  The contact person for a broadcast talk show who is responsible for arranging guests. Brainstorming  Sessions designed to generate creative ideas in which the participants are encouraged to express any idea that comes to mind. Brand storytelling  Feature articles about the benefits, history, or interesting characteristics of a product or service. Also called brand journalism. Branding  The use of symbols to market organizations or products. B-roll  Only the video portion of a tape, without an announcer. It may include additional soundbites that broadcast editors may include in a newscast. Camera-ready  News releases and features already formatted in column format for print media.. Editors insert the material into the layout and prepare the page for offset printing. Camera-ready copy also is called a repro proof. Caption  The brief text under a photo that informs the reader about the picture and its source. Case study  In feature writing, a story that demonstrates the value of a product or service by detailing how it works and by providing specific examples that are often supported with statistics or customer testimonials. Channeling  The use of a group’s attitudes and values in order to create a meaningful message. Clip art  Line art and other graphic designs that can be used in public relations materials. Clip art is available on CD and online. Corporate profile(s)  A fact sheet that focuses exclusively on an organization’s identity, particularly its nature and objectives, main business activity, size, market position, revenues, products, and key executives.

354

Earned media  Refers to story placements in the media that public relations sources “earned” because they were newsworthy. The contrast is “paid media,” which is advertising. Editorial calendar  A listing of topics and special issues that a periodical will feature throughout the year. Frequently called an editorial plan. Email  Electronic mail. Personal messages to individual receivers transmitted on the Internet. Evergreen  A news release or feature that has no particular time element. The subject matter can be used by media outlets at almost any time. E-zines  Electronic newsletters distributed via the Internet or organizational intranets. Sometimes called E-pubs. Fact sheet  A brief outline of who, what, when, where, why, and how. Sent to journalists so they have a quick review of basic information. Fair comment privilege  A legal concept derived from the First Amendment right to freedom of speech that allows for the public airing of opinion. To protect against libel, however, experts suggest that (1) opinion statements be accompanied by the facts on which the opinions are based; (2) opinion statements be clearly labeled as such; and (3) the context of the language surrounding the expressions of opinion be reviewed for possible libel implications. Fam trip  Familiarization trip. Refers to journalists who go on a trip at the invitation of an organization to become acquainted with a situation, product, or service. FAQs (frequently asked questions)  A variation on the traditional fact sheet in which information is presented in a question-andanswer format. Often used on organizational websites. Feature story  A story, generally longer than a news release, that focuses on a human interest or provides background about a service or product in an entertaining way. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)  A federal regulatory agency that scrutinizes product advertising and publicity for fairness and accuracy. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  A federal regulatory agency that oversees the advertising and promotion of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and cosmetics. Hashtag  On social media sites such as Twitter, a word or phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign (#) that is used to identify messages on a specific topic. Historical piece  In feature writing, a story that stresses the continuity between past and present to garner reader interest. Hits  A term used in relationship to the number of people that click on a particular page on the World Wide Web. Hometowners  Stories custom-tailored to a particular newspaper or broadcast station by focusing on the local angle in the first paragraph of the news release. Hype  Exaggerated publicity about a product, service, or celebrity. Often characterized by flowery adjectives and inflated claims.

Glossary 355 Hypertext  Text containing links (known as hyperlinks) to other digital documents and websites. Implied consent  The unwritten and unstated consent employees give their employers to use their photographs in such items as the employee newsmagazine and newsletters. Implied consent does not extend to advertising or promotion, which requires written consent.

Native advertising  A form of advertising in which paid or “sponsored” content follows the form of feature stories written in journalistic format. News release  A news story prepared by an organization and sent to media outlets. Also called a press release. Op-ed  Opposite the editorial page. A page that contains the views and opinions of individuals who are not on the staff of the newspaper.

Impressions  Relates to the circulation of a publication or the audience size of a particular radio or television program. If a story or ad appears in a newspaper with a circulation of 100,000, this constitutes 100,000 impressions. Also see Page impression.

Owned media  Media channels owned by an organization, such as its website, Facebook and YouTube pages, newsletters, brochures, pamphlets, direct mail, posters, email distribution, podcasts, blogs, and intranet for employees and vendors.

Infographics  Computer-generated artwork used to display major facts and statistics visually, typically in the form of a graphic interface of tables, charts or graphs, simple images, and color.

Paid co-creation  An organization provides a grant for a media outlet to develop stories on a particular subject.

Intranet  A private network within an organization for the exclusive use of employees. Intranets are based on the same principles as the Internet.

Paid media  Primarily ads that organizations pay to place in traditional and online media, to distribute their messages about their products and services.

IT  An acronym for information technology, which encompasses hardware, software, and how computer systems operate.

Page impression  The number of times a webpage is pulled up by individuals. The term is used in relation to tracking “traffic” on the Internet.

JPEG  An acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group, which deals with a common method to compress photos and send them via the Internet.

Pay for play  Payment in the form of providing a media outlet cash, advertising placements, or products in exchange for news coverage.

Junket  A common term for when journalists go on a trip to visit a site such as a manufacturing facility to see a new product, or to attend an out-of-town promotion for a new product or service Lead  The first sentence or paragraph of a news release or feature story. Letter to the editor (LTE)  A concise letter intended to rebut an editorial, clarify information mentioned in a news story or column, or add information that might not have been included in an original story.

Perfect-bound  Refers to a glued binding where the magazine or brochure cover is wrapped around the binding. Personality profile  In feature writing, a story that focuses on a person of public interest to stimulate reader awareness of that person and/or the organization, product, or service the person represents. Photo news release (PNR)  A photograph with a long caption beneath it that tells an entire story. Pica  A printer’s term for measuring the length of typeset lines. There are 6 picas to the inch.

Listserv  An Internet site that automatically emails messages to individuals who subscribe to the service.

Pitch  Jargon for making an appeal to an editor or journalist to do a story on your product or service.

Magapaper  An organizational publication that has a newspaper-type layout but incorporates the design elements of a magazine.

Plagiarism  A form of theft in which an author appropriates the writing or ideas of another author and claims them as his or her own.

Masthead  The place on the layout of a newsletter, newspaper, or magazine where the name of the publication appears. This is usually at the top of the first page.

Plugs  Refers to mentions of organizations, products, and services in movies and broadcast entertainment shows.

Media advisory  A notification to assignment editors informing them of a newsworthy event that could lend itself to photo or video coverage. Also called media alert. Media gatekeepers  The people within media who decide what information is newsworthy and what is not. Factors that influence the final decisions of media gatekeepers include timeliness, prominence, proximity, significance, unusualness, human interest, conflict, and newness. Media channel  A broad term that is often used to describe whether a message is being distributed through traditional mass media, social media, or an organization’s website. Media kit  A packet of materials distributed by mail, CD, or online to media outlets that contains news releases, photos, backgrounders, and fact sheets about a new product or service. Media platform  A specific site such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube. Misappropriation of personality  The use of a person’s image, particularly that of a popular personality, without permission. Mission statement  A brief statement of purpose for a newsletter or magazine. Mug shot  A slang term for a head-and-shoulders photo of an individual.

Podcast  An audio or video program that can be downloaded from the Internet or an app store (such as iTunes) via a smartphone or other mobile device, or received via an RSS feed. Press kit  See Media kit. Press release  See News release. Product tie-in  The appearance of a branded product or service in a movie or TV series as part of a contracted agreement between the organization and the producers. Such a contract may call for the organization to actively promote the movie or TV series in its product advertising. PSA (public service announcement)  These short messages, usually by a non-profit agency or governmental agency, are used on radio and television stations as a public service at no charge. Pseudoevent  A term coined by historian Daniel Boorstin to describe events and situations staged primarily for the sake of generating press coverage and media interest. Public service announcement  See PSA. Publics  The potential or actual audiences for any given public relations message. Often defined by income, age, gender, race, geography, or psychographic characteristics. QR code.  Quick-response codes, known as QR, are two-dimensional matrix bar codes that serve as URLs to connect mobile users with an organization’s website and any number of apps.

356 Glossary R&D  Acronym for Research and Development. Radio media tour (RMT)  A spokesperson conducting a series of interviews with various broadcast outlets from a central location.

Soundbite  A statement or quote from an individual, which is inserted into audio and video news releases.

Research study  In feature writing, a story that uses information derived from surveys, polls, or scientific studies to garner reader interest and to demonstrate the value of a product or service.

Speaker’s bureau  An organization’s effort to provide spokespersons to civic clubs and other organizations at no cost. Commercial speaker’s bureaus serve as agents to book celebrity speakers who charge for an appearance.

Retouching  The alteration of a photograph by the traditional means of airbrushing or, more frequently now, by the electronic manipulation of a digital image.

Spokesperson  A term commonly used in the media to describe a public relations person who provides information or a quote in a news article.

Return on investment (ROI)  A comparison of total costs to reach an audience divided by the amount of business that is generated.

Sponsored content  Stories prepared by public relations personnel in journalistic format, but payment is made to the publication or news site to distribute it. A form of paid media.

RFP (request for proposal)  Organizations seeking public relations assistance often issue an RFP requesting public relations firms to prepare a proposal outlining their recommendations and capabilities. RSS  Acronym for real simple syndication. Materials are aggregated according to subscriber interests and sent directly to their computers. Saddle-stitched  Refers to the binding of a magazine, where the pages are stapled together at the centerfold. Satellite media tour  A media event that involves arranging for news anchors around the country to interview a spokesperson in a television studio via satellite. Search engines  Software programs that allow users to search for topically identified resources and information on the Internet. Popular examples include Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)  A federal regulatory agency that requires that any information affecting the value of a security be made known to the owners and to the SEC. SEO (search engine optimization)  Refers to the selection of keywords that search engines such as Google would index in terms of a particular topic. Service journalism  The practice of publishing “news you can use,” for example, stories featuring consumer tips, professional advice, etc. SMT (satellite media tour)  A media event that involves arranging for news anchors around the country to interview a spokesperson in a television studio via satellite.

Stakeholders  The groups impacted by an organization’s decisions. These potentially include employees, consumers, neighbors, suppliers, environmental groups, and investors. Stock footage  Standard video shots of an organization’s production line, headquarters, and activities that a television station can store until the company is in the news. Stock photo  A previously-taken photo of a general subject that is available from a photo vendor for use in a variety of situations. Storyboard  A written outline of an audio or video news release. For video, a description of scenes, plus dialogue, is prepared. Talking head  Refers to a television broadcast or a video news release in which the screen is dominated by a person who is talking. Template  The standardized format of a newsletter or magazine, so each issue has the same look and feel. Third-party endorsement  Advocacy on behalf of a product, service, or event by a person or organization without a personal connection to what is being endorsed. Video news release (VNR)  A short publicity piece formatted for immediate use by a television station. Webcasting  The delivery of a broadcast (live or delayed) over the Internet. When it is done in real time, it is also called streaming.

Snail mail  First-class mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

White paper  An organization’s analysis of a particular issue or the potential of a market for a specific product or service. Other terms used are briefing paper and position statement.

Social media  Online networks that allow people to share opinions and perspectives with each other.

Wiki  An interactive website that allows multiple persons to access content, make changes, and edit each other’s input.

Credits Chapter 1  Haymarket Media, Inc.; Stanca Sanda/Alamy; Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock; Baranq/Shutterstock; Trekandshoot/ Shutterstock; Maxx-Studio/Shutterstock; Pixsooz/Shutterstock; IQoncept/Shutterstock; Source: Dozier,D.M.(1992).The organizational roles of communications and public relations practitioners. InJ. E. Grunig (Ed.), Excellence in public relations and communication management (pp. 71–94).Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.; Source: Edward M. Stanton, Public Relations Quarterly; Source: Kevin Dugan, “Lasting impact: Storytelling makes messages memorable”, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Robert Heath, Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations, Taylor & Francis, 2009.; Source: Walter Mossberg, “Picking Out a Laptop in the Brave, New World of Tablets” Allthings D, April, 20, 2011.; Source: “Writers: What’s on your bookshelf?”, Ragan.com, October 20, 2009.; Source: “The Future of Wikipedia: WikiPeaks?” (2014, March 1). The Economist, 60.; Source: “The dream of the personal computer”, The Economist, Jul 27, 2006.; Source: Peter Meyers, “Of the Search-Engine Standouts, Which Make for Smoothest Surf?”, The Wall Street Journal.; Kelly, J. (1995, Winter). Public Relations Quarterly. Cohn & Wolfe.; Source: Julie Story Goldsborough, president of a Kansas public relations firm; Source: Coca-Cola, Annual Report; Source: Jon Gingerich, “Watch your grammar! 20 writing tips for PR pros”, O’Dwyer’s.; Source: Joan Lowery, “Cut the jar gon: It has become a public relations nighmare leading to misinformation, disinformation and misunderstanding by journalists, customers and the public”, Communication World.; Source: David Snell, The Strategist; Source: Joseph Priest, editor of online communications at Ketchum; Source: Based on Lindsey McCaffrey, Ragan.com; Source: Associated Press Stylebook (2014). New York: Associated Press.; Source: Adapted from a Ragan.com article by Katie Badeusz; Source: CisionPoint; Source: Public Relations Tactics (c) PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA (2000); Source: http://www.ragan.com/Main/Home. aspx; Source: The Creative Group © Public Relations Society of America (2015); Dennis L. Wilcox, Glen T. Cameron, and Bryan H. Reber. 2014. Public Relations Strategies & Tactics. Pearson Education; Darrell Christian; Sally Jacobson; David Minthorn. 2012. The Associated Press Stylebook & Briefing on Media Law, 2012. Basic Books.; Norm Goldstein. 2007. The Associated Press Stylebook & Briefing on Media Law. Basic Books.; Brockway, L. (2014, June 11). “36 redundant phrases to eliminate from your writing.” Retrieved from Ragan’s PR Daily, www.ragan.com.; Kennedy, M. (2012, December). “Twenty redundant phrases to eliminate from your writing.” The Ragan Report,; Data from Daphne Gray Grant, “The five best writing books no one ever told you about.” Ragan.com. Mar. 21, 2014.; Communication Briefings; Data from Katie Badeusz, “12 tips to improve corporate writing,” Ragan.com, Feb. 5, 2010. Chapter 2  Juan Carlos Hidalgo/EFE/Newscom; Paul Redding/ ZUMA Press/Newscom; Pio3/Shutterstock; Camilo Torres/ Shutterstock; Justasc/Shutterstock; Korn/Shutterstock; ArtFamily/ Shutterstock; GVictoria/Shutterstock; Source: Robert Heath, Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations, Taylor & Francis, 2009.; Source: Kirk Hallahan, Colorado State University; Source: Shel Holtz, “Ten Ways PR and Marketing Are Every Bit As Powerful As Trusted Peers ”, Holtz Communications + Technology.; Source: Jerry Swerling, director of the USC Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center.; Source: Based on Edelman Trust Barometer Executive Summary (2014); Source: Fleishman-Hillard, a public relations firm; Source: McDonald’s advertising slogan; Source: Kirk Hazlett, “The Rising Ranks of Earned Media”, PRSAY, March 4, 2011; Source: Barbara Grady, “Homeless young adults find haven”, Oakland Tribune.; Source: Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer of

Audi; Source: Becker, R. (2014, June 2). “Five writing myths that are dead wrong.” Retrieved from www.ragan.com.; Source: Jowlett, G.S., & O’Donnell, V. (2011). Propaganda and Persuasion (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.; Source: Robert Heath, Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations, Taylor & Francis, 2009.; Thomas Collins. Proceedings from the Public Relations Association of Indonesia, 1992.; Source: Peter Pitts, senior vice president of Manning, Selvage, & Lee; Source: IPRA; Source: PRSA Code of Ethics (c) PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA (2000); Source: Anita Chabria, “PR Technique: Celebrities & Law Stars in scrapes: litigation PR for celebs”, PRWeek, May 20, 2002.; Source: Richard L. Johannesen, Ethics in Human Communication, (Ohio : Merrill), 1975.; Source: Based on Professor Everett Rogers, Stanford University; Source: Based on the work of Abraham H. Maslow; Source: Based on Professor James Grunig, University of Maryland; Source: Marsh, C. (l992, September). “Fly too close to the sun.” Communication World, 24.; Source: Nike Slogan; Source: CocaCola advertising slogan; Source: De Beers advertising slogan; Katie Badeusz, “Twelve Tips to Improve Corporate Writing,” Ragan.com, Mar. 26, 2008.; Data from Sherry Baker, David L. Martinson. “The TARES Test: Five Principles for Ethical Persuasion.” Journal of Mass Media Ethics. Volume 16, Issue 2-3, 2001, pp. 148–175. Chapter 3  Mike Theiler/Newscom; Hill Street Photos/Newscom; Fernando Leon/Newscom; Newscom; Rachel Megawhat/Alamy; ITAR-TASS Photo Agency/Alamy; Bork/Shutterstock; Everett Collection/Shutterstock; Pressmaster/Shutterstock; Jessica Prasad, public relations manager at Land Registry, on LinkedIn’s Public Relations Professional group.; Source: Joshua Harris, reporter for The Wall Street Journal; Source: Lori Levine; Source: Mort Rosenblum; Source: Renee Robertie; Source: Emily Fleischaker as quoted in Jon Gingerich, “Top chefs, timely trends make today’s food news” O’Dwyer’s, march, 2013.; Source: Hal Lancaster, “Stretching The Limits”, Chicago Tribune, December 28, 1997.; Source: Miles Nadal, “Talent will still drive tomorrow’s PR agency” PRWeek, May 01, 2010.; Source: Based on Judith Rich, The Strategist.; Source: Lauren Begley, “5 ice-breakers for your next brainstorming session”, PR Daily, September 25, 2013.; Source: Sam Harrison, “Be Inspired to Innovate”, Communication World, 2009.; Source: Elizabeth S. Mitchell, “Not Sure What to Do in the Dark During Earth Hour? Durex has a Suggestion”, PRNewser, March 20, 2014.; Source: Anita Chabria; Source: Julie Hall as quoted in David Ward, “Sweepstakes: Designing a contest to win media attention”, PRWeek, June 06, 2005.; Source: Peter Godwin, “Happily Ever After 7/25/99”, The New York Times Magazine, Jul 27, 1999; Source: Love (and Sex) in the Age of Social Media, Havas PR.; Hicks, N. ( 1994, November). Transforming surveys into news. Public Relations Tactics. New York: Public Relations Society of America.; Source: Based on Mark A. Schulman, O’Dwyer’s PR Report.; Source: Kathy Carliner, senior vice president of Golin Harris; Source: Howard Rubenstein, “The Power of a Stunt”, The New York Times Magazine, Aug. 15, 2014.; Source: Victoria Grantham, PRWeek; Source: Audrey Knoth, vice president at Pennsylvania-based Goldman & Associates.; Source: Based on David Ward, “Sweepstakes: Designing a contest to win media attention”, PR Week, June 06, 2005.; Source: Durex ad campaign Chapter 4  Splash News/Newscom; Newscom; Agencia el Universal/Newscom; Wellphoto/Shutterstock; Mopic/Shutterstock; Imagesolutions/Shutterstock; Claudia veja/Shutterstock; Source: Ray Kerin, executive director of media relations for Merck, as quoted in PRWeek; Source: Sheldon Rampton as quoted in Andrew Adam Newman, “ Things Turn Ugly in the ‘Hacks vs. Flacks’ War”, he New York Times Magazine, November 5, 2007.; Source: Oscar H. Gandy,

357

358 Credits Beyond Agenda Setting, Ablex Publishing Company, 1982.; Source: Based on Gil Rudawsky, Ragan’s PR Daily; Source: Sitaram Asur, “Trends in Social Media : Persistence and Decay” HP Labs.; Source: “Master Class: How do you integrate paid and earned social media efforts most seamlessly?” PRWeek, December 01, 2010.; Source: Seitel, F. (2014, April). “The media of PR: paid vs owned vs. earned.” O’Dwyer’s, 30.; Source: Aaron Heinrich and Adam Brown of Ketchum, The Strategist.; Source: Benedict Carver, PRWeek columnist; Source: Matt Lake; Source: Dick Martin; Source: Lisa Barone, “5 Dos & Donts For Getting Blog Coverage”, Jun 30, 2010.; Source: Brad Phillips, “Nine Things New Spokespersons Need To Know”, Mr. Media Training, February 22, 2011.; Source: Lauren Fernandez, “Are PR Pros Entitled to an Opinion?”, July 29, 2009.; Source: Brad Phillips, “Nine Things New Spokespersons Need To Know”, Mr. Media Training, February 22, 2011.; Source: Andrea Graham, O’Dwyer’s.; Source: Teri Grove; Source: Based on Joan Stewart, PR Tactics; Source: Ann Higbee, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Based on Nick Kolakowski as quoted in Kevin Allen, “How not to annoy journalists”, PR Daily, July 24, 2014; Source: Kathleen Fearn-Banks, Crisis communications : a casebook approach, (Mahwah, N.J. : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), 1996.; Source: Jerry Berger as quoted in Kyra Auffermann, “Code Red: When the ‘Biggest Story in the World’ Unfolds in Your Lobby” The Strategist.; Source: Priya Ramesh, “The 10 commandments of social media crisis management”, Ragan. com, December 15, 2010; Source: David Vogel; Source: Leon V Sigal, Reporters and officials: the organization and politics of newsmaking. Lexington, Mass., D.C. Heath, 1973.; Source: Adapted from survey by PRecious and myNEWSdesk, 2014.; Source: Fraser Seitel; Source: Based on Bulldog Reporter, a media relations newsletter; Source: Based on Betsy Goldberg of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Based on Summarized from “Code Red: When the Biggest Story in the World Unfolds in Your Lobby” By Kyra Auffermann in The Strategist, Summer 2013. Chapter 5  Sean Nel/ Shutterstock; Source: Jason Gilbert as quoted in Wynne, R. (2014, February 24). “What Journalists Really Think of Your Press Release.” Retrieved from www.forbes.com/sites.; Source: Wikia; Source: Sandra Azzollini as quoted in Sarah Skerik, “Ditch the Press Release? Not So Fast.”, PRNewswire.; Source: Based on Sandra Azzollini as quoted in Sarah Skerik, “Ditch the Press Release? Not So Fast.”, PRNewswire.; Source: Craig McGuire, “Keeping your press releases relevant” PR Week, February 04, 2008.; Source: Gregg Litmanas quoted in Arik Hanson, “Is the press release *really* dead?”, ACH Communications; Galant. G. (2014, June 9). The End of the Press Release.” PR Daily (www.ragan.com).; Source: Young, S. (2011, February 9). “Deciding What’s News: Six Questions to Determine If Your Story Is Newsworthy.” Retrieved from www. getinfrontcommunications.com.; Source: David Ogilvy, Confessions of an Advertising Man, Atheneum, 1963.; Source: “ eBay Arrives in Latin America ”, Business Wire.; Porter, J. (2011, March 20). “Eight Tips for Writing News Releases that Journalists Read.” www.ragan.com.; Source: Ron Consolino, columnist for the Houston Chronicle; Source: Thomas Jefferson; Source: Lauren Edwards, “How to write quotations for press releases”, HR Communication, March 29, 2010.; Source: Palo Alto, “HP Introduces SkyRoom: Powerful and Affordable Videoconferencing for Businesses”, hp, Sept. 22, 2009.; Source: Hava Jeroslow as quoted in Sherman, S. (2014, July 26). “Planning the evolution of press releases.” Retrieved from PRWeek, www.prweek. us.com.; Source: “ Campbell Soup Company and Social Reality Help Feed Hungry Americans ”, Business Wire, May 10, 2011 08:38; Source: Jenn Riggle, “People Are Talking In Press Releases, But Is Anyone Listening?”, The Buzz Bin.; Source: Jackson Wightman, “7 gripes about the press release—from someone who writes them”, PR Daily, March 2, 2011.; Source: B. L. Ochman, The Strategist; Source: Todd Defren, principal with Boston-based Shift Communications; Source: Based on Adam Sherk, Ragan’s PR Daily.; Source: Craig McGuire, “Keeping your press releases relevant” PR Week, February 04, 2008.; Source: Brian Solis as quoted in Lou Dubois, “How to Write a Social Media Press Release”, Inc.; Godlash, F. (2014). “A Guide to Press Release Optimization.” Retrieved from www.businesswire.com.;

Source: Maggie O’Neil as quoted in Sarah Shearman “Planning the evolution of press releases” PR Week, July 25, 2014.; Source: Based on About KFC; Source: About Doritos; Source: “Anatomy of a College Dorm Room” with New Infographic ”, PRNewswire.; Source: “ eBay Arrives in Latin America ”, Business Wire.; Source: “ KFC Fuels America with $5 Fill-Up Meals ”Business Wire.; Source: PR Newswire, 2012 Web Analytics; Source: SHIFT Communications, Inc.; Frito-Lay North America/PepsiCo; Data from Jenn Riggle, “Are executive quotes killing press releases?” Ragan’s Health Care Communication News, Nov. 19, 2010. Chapter 6  California Academy of Sciences; Hewlett-Packard Company; IBM Corporation; Source: Gary Glenn, eNR/NewsWire One, Electronic press kits, best podcast content, and more; Source: Long Beach Pride: AHF Brings Artist Eryn Woods, HIV Testing to Festival by Long Beach--(Business Wire)--AIDS Healthcare Foundation; Source: Wendy Hawkins, executive director of the Intel Foundation. Media Alert: Young Innovators Take Center Stage at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair - 1,700 High School Students Compete for More than US$5M in Los Angeles, May 16, 2014,; Source: Michael Fineman, CEO; Source: Tom Becktold senior vice president of marketing, Business Wire. Targeting Englishspeaking media, planning VNRs, more; Source: Kelly Brooks, marketing communications manager for Coca-Cola; Source: Craig McGuire of PRWeek. The new, lightweight press kit - Many press kits have gone virtual, measured in bytes, not pages. Craig McGuire discovers what to include, May 15, 2006; Source: Melvin Helitzer, The Dream Job: Sports Publicity (Ohio University Sports Press, 2000); Lipinski L. (1997, April). “Successfully Pitching a Story to the Media.” Public Relations Tactics, 20.; Source: Tripp Whetsell, a New York public relations counselor, writes in Public Relations Tactics; Source: David Pogue, technology columnist for the New York Times. Keys to pitching him and other journalists - via PRDaily; Source: Regine J. Nelson, principal of Allure Marketing Communications, The Art of Pitching to the Media; Source: David Pogue of the New York Times, How to pitch The Times’ David Pogue, January 25, 2011; Source: David Pogue of the New York Times, How to pitch The Times’ David Pogue, January 25, 2011; Source: Margo Mateas, president of the Public Relations Training Company, writes in PR Tactics, The Media Relations Maven: Your attention please, February 8, 2008.; Source: Gordon Deal, host of The Wall Street Journal This Morning broadcast news show. How to Pitch Your News Story to The Wall Street Journal; Source: Michael Klepper, owner of a New York public relations firm, that netted 8 minutes on NBC’s Today show. The Windup... And The Pitch; Source: Fraser Seitel, writing in O’Dwyer’s magazine; Source: Sandra Fine, VP of rbb. Critical Hit: Ace pitch shows personal benefits of fitness training, December 01, 2012; Source: Susan Balcom Walton and Nick Kalm explain in Public Relations Tactics; Source: Paul Bowman, senior editor of Business Wire. The Role of Social Media in Today’s Newsroom posted on Aug 26, 2014 in Public Relations, Social Media PR; Source: Maya Wasserman, senior account executive at Bailey Gardiner public relations. Pitching on Twitter? Try these 8 tactics to entice the media, December 21, 2010.; Source: Based on Kevin Dugan, co-founder of Bad Pitch Blog (www.bad pitch. blogspot.com); Source: Wood, S. (2014, April 2). “5 Things to Never Say During a Media Pitch.” Retrieved from PRNewser, www. mediabistro.com; Source: Morgan, C. (2014, April 7). “The art of the perfect follow-up.” Retrieved from Ragan’s Daily Headlines, www. ragan.com.; Source: Based on Christine Kent, writing in Ragan.com; Source: Fact sheets of Shedd Aquarium’s website; Source: Screenshot of EON: Enhanced Online News; Source: Screenshot of Foster Farms; Data from Kent, Christine. “Eight pitches that caught reporters’ attention.” Ragan.com, Jul. 6, 2009. http://www.ragan.com/Main/ Articles/Eight_pitches_that_caught_reporters_attention_38255.aspx; Data from Jeremy Porter, “13 Ways to Keep Your Pitch From Getting Deleted,” Journalistics.com, Dec. 3, 2010. http://blog.journalistics. com/2010/13-ways-to-keep-your-pitches-from-getting-deleted/ Chapter 7  Jocic/Shutterstock; Jakub Krechowicz/Shutterstock; Source: Richard Miller, president of H+K Strategies in UK and

Credits 359 Europe.; Source: Mike Yamamoto, managing editor of CNET; Source: Adapted from an article in Public Relations Tactics by Andrea Disario.; Source: Concept of content marketing, by Content Marketing Institute; Stokes, T. (2013, May). “How branded content can help reach consumers.” PRWeek, 16.; Source: Marine Mom to Celebrate Mother’s Day from Afghanistan on Skype on 05/02/2014 in Play Blog by Shana Pearlman.; Source: Catherine M. Wolfe, director of marketing services, Toshiba America Medical Systems; Source: Donna St. Jean Conti, owner of St. Conti Communications; Source: A Healthy Smile Can Be Key To A Healthy Relationship. www.waterpik.com.; Source: Esther Shein, Making the Virtual Team Real, April 02, 2008; Source: The Humble Peanut Has History as Essential Food, Bloomberg L.P.; Source: Following 19th-Century Russians Across Alaska; Source: Based on Fred Ferguson, head of PR Newswire’s Feature News Service (www.prnewswire.com); Source: Sarah Skerik, vice president of PRNewswire; Source: Corinne Kovalsky, Raytheon’s director of digital media. How Raytheon implemented a brand journalism approach to content marketing on April 10, 2013.; Source: David Shipley, op-ed editor of the New York Times, And Now a Word From Op-Ed Published: February 1, 2004.; Source: Henry Miller, chief operating officer, Goodman Media quoted in Making sure that your opinion is noted on April 02, 2007.; Source: Our Graduates’ Jobs Record Is Good, Updated Sept. 11, 2014.; Source: How to have your say, San Jose Mercury News; Source: Chris Birk, director of communications for VA Mortgage Center.com; Source: Based on www.WylieComm.com; Source: Visa Inc. The “Visa Inc. Survey: Tooth Fairy Tightens Purse Strings” Work is being used with permission. Permission to use does not constitute endorsement of products or services. Any other use is expressly prohibited.; Douglas Belkin. May 2, 2011. Wearing Only a Smile, Nudists Seek Out the Young and the Naked: Changing the Demographic Is a Tough Sell; A Bare-It-All Dinner Party. Wall Street Journal.; Ann Wylie; Data from Ragan.com; Content That Works for the AHA Chapter 8  Jonathan Kirn/Newscom; Matt Wittmeyer/Feature Photo Service for IBM; Jon Simon/Feature Photo Service for IBM; Jon Simon/Feature Photo Service for IBM; Desy; Jon Simon/Feature Photo Service for IBM; Johnny Bivera/Feature Photo Service; Yoshikazu Tsuno/Getty Images; Jon Simon/Feature Photo Service for IBM; Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock; StudioSmart/Shutterstock; ladimir Gjorgiev/Shutterstock; 123rf; Photobank gallery/ Shutterstock; Source: Amanda Watlington, owner of a marketing consulting firm; Source: Suzanne Salvo, owner of Salvo Photography; Source: Douglis, Philip N., “The Environmental Portrait: Blending Subject and Context to Communicate ”, Communication World , Vol. 14, No. 6 , June-July 1997.; Source: Douglis, Philip N., “The Environmental Portrait: Blending Subject and Context to Communicate ”, Communication World , Vol. 14, No. 6 , June-July 1997.; Source: Carri Jenkins, director of communications, Brigham Young University; Source: Susan Balcom Walton, Brigham Young University; Source: Debra S. Hauss, PR TECHNIQUE: PNRs - How to get the most from your PNRs. A picture is worth a thousand words. So for your next product promotion or event, why not use a photograph instead of a written press release? Debra S Hauss explains how to capture the perfect PNR, August 23, 1999.; Source: IBM Corporations; Source: Intel Corporation; Source: Meryl Serouya, “Infographics as press releases: 3 beautiful examples”. Ragan’s PR Daily, March 11, 2014; Source: Based on Meryl Serouya, “Infographics as press releases: 3 beautiful examples”. Ragan’s PR Daily, March 11, 2014; Source: Bill Wagner, senior partner of Image One PR, writing in Public Relations Tactics.; Source: Based on Reuben Stern, “Futures Lab update #24: Free infographics tools and innovation rain forests ”, rji Donald W.Reynolds Journalism Institute, August 27, 2013.; Source: Jerry Walker for O’Dwyer’s PR Report, June 13, 2001; Source: IBM Corporations; Source: IBM Corporations; Source: IBM Corporations; Source: IBM Corporations; Source: IBM Corporations; Source: IBM Corporations; Source: IBM Corporations; Source: IBM Corporations Chapter 9  Newscom; AP Images; Sheri Baer/Hoffman Agency; Source: David Beasley, marketing manager at News Generation, a

public relations firm specializing in radio; Source: Distributed by North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS); Source: Based on Jack Trammell, president of VNR-1 Communications; Source: U.S. government’s Centers for Disease Control; Source: Christiane Arbesu, vice president of production, MultiVu; Source: Courtesy of National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (www.nfid.org).; Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, U.S. Depart. of Health and Human Services; http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/copd/ campaign-materials/pub/PlacesToRest_30.mp3; Source: Joe Case, public relations officer for Nationwide; Source: Tim Bahr, managing director, MultiVu; Source: Benicio Del Toro; Source: Sally Jewett, quoted in Debra S. Hauss, “Beaming PR direct to your audience More and more organizations”. PR Week, December 07, 1998; Source: Annette Minkalis, senior vice president of WestGlen’s broadcast department; Source: Douglas Simon, CEO of DS Productions; Source: Bev Yehuda, vice president of MultiVu; Source: Melanie Shortman, PR Technique: Get on a morning show, and you’ll rise and shine; Source: Michael Friedman, executive vice president of DWJ Television; Source: IPRA Frontline; Source: David Gelles and Tim Bradshaw, “When props pay for production” Financial Times, February 28, 2011 .; Source: Shel Holtz, Holtz Communication + Technology, quoted in Ragan’s PR Daily.; Source: Amy Paquette, senior manager of global social media strategy for Cisco, quoted in “Brands use YouTube to create a storytelling presence …”, Ragan’s PR Daily.; Source: Jocelyn Broder, vice president of Robin Tracy Public Relations; Source: Nielsen Research, January 2014; Source: Cision USA; Source: Data from the News Broadcast Network, New York; Source: Phil Rabin, PRWeek; Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; Source: College of American Pathologists; Source: Sheri Baer, Hoffman Agency; Source: Sheri Baer, Hoffman Agency; Source: Based on “The American Academy of Ophthalmology warns teens that decorative contacts damage eyesight” Ragan’s PR Daily; Source: PR TECHNIQUE: Satellite media tours - Action stations: getting SMTson air. PR Week, February 04, 2002; Source: Based on David Gelles and Tim Bradshaw, “When props pay for production” Financial Times, February 28, 2011. Chapter 10  Morton Salt, Inc. Reprinted with permission from Morton Salt, Inc.; Ronstik/Shutterstock; Vladru/Shutterstock; Source: Jay Moye, senior editor of Coca-Cola’s website, Journey, quoted in, Winchel, B. (2014, November l4). “5 branding lessons from Coca-Cola Journey’s second anniversary.” Retrieved from www.ragan.com; Source: Ashley Brown, group director of digital communications and social media, Ragan’s Daily Headlines.; Source: PRWeek; Source: Guillory, J. and Sundar, S. (2014). “How Does Site Interactivity Affect Our Perceptions of an Organization?” Journal of Public Relations Research, (26) 44–61.; Source: Thomas E. Weber, “Simplest E-Mail Queries Confound Companies”. The Wall Street Journal, Oct. 21, 1996.; Source: Thomas E. Weber, “Simplest E-Mail Queries Confound Companies”. The Wall Street Journal, Oct. 21, 1996.; Source: Diane Witmer; Source: Joe Dysart a writer for Public Relations Tactics; Source: Fredrick Marchini, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Aleksandra Todorova, “PR Technique: Brand-building: Getting listed on a search engine”, PR Week, September 09, 2002.; Source: Kennedy, M. (2010, November 30). “The 10 Commandments of Writing Web Content.” Retrieved from www.ereleases.com.; Source: Michael Butzgy, owner of Atomic Rom Productions, Communication World; Source: Jeff Herrington, “Bells and whistles are OK, but facts are better.” Communication World, Mar 1. 1999. http://www. thefreelibrary.com/ Bells+and+whistles+are+OK%2c+but+facts+are+better.-a054260071.; Source: Helen L. Mitternight, “Winning the hearts - or at least the eyes - of the online audience.”, Communication World.; Source: Communication Briefings; Source: A journalist quoted in the TEKgroup survey; Source: Rick Rudman, president of Capital Hill Software, Public Relations Tactics.; Source: David Henderson, author of Making News in the Digital Era, quoted in Ryan Zuk, “Online newsrooms in the digital era”, Public Relations Tactics, May 3, 2010.; Source: Susan Balcom Walton, “Balance in the blogosphere: Managing responsiveness and responsibility”, Public Relations Tactics, October

360 Credits 30, 2007.; Source: Park, H. and Cameron, G. (2014). “Keeping it Real: Exploring the Roles of Conversational Human Voice and Source Credibility in Crisis Communication via Blogs.” Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 91 (3), 487–507.; Source: Larry Genkin, quoted in Kevin J. Allen, “Social media’s new (print) magazine”, Ragan’s Health Care Communication News, November 30, 2007.; Source: Ketchum Blog. http://blog.ketchum.com/; Source: David Meerman Scott, World Wide Rave: Creating Triggers that Get Millions of People to Spread Your Ideas and Share Your Stories, John Wiley & Sons.; Source: Ben King, “A company voice true and clear”, Financial Times, April 11, 2006.; Source: “The “C” word ”, Oracle; Source: Cisco’s Internet Postings Policy, Cisco Blog; Source: Based on Steve Cody, managing director of Peppercom; Source: Roy Vaughn, “Seize the day: Dynamics that will raise the profile of public relations in 2007”, Public Relations Tactics, January 8, 2007.; Source: Ben Worthen, “Dell, by Going Click for Click With Web Posters, Ensured Bloggers Saw Its New Red Mini Laptop”, The Wall Sreet Journal, June 3, 2008.; Source: Darren Katz, O’Dwyer’s PR Report; Source: Susan Balcom Walton, “Balance in the blogosphere: Managing responsiveness and responsibility”, Public Relations Tactics, October 30, 2007.; Wikipedia; Source: Sharon McIntosh, quoted in Miller, L. (2010, August). “PepsiCo has found the perfect podcast formula.” Ragan Report, 28–30.; Source: Michael Wiley, director of new media for GM in PR Week.; Source: Wikipedia; Source: Adapted from a chart prepared by Kevin Kawamoto of the University of Hawaii at Manoa; Source: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/; Source: www. starbucks.com; Source: Jakob Nielsen, “10 Good Deeds in Web Design”, Nielsen Norman Group, October 3, 1999. Copyright Nielsen Norman Group, www.nngroup.com.; Source: Mickie Kennedy, founder and president of eReleases, “The 10 Commandments of Writing Web Content”, e.releases; Source: Patel, N. (2014, April 30). “8 takeaways from eye-tracking studies.” Retrieved from www.ragan. com.; Source: Starbucks Newsroom; Source: “What Makes The Perfect Blog Post [Infographic]”, Blogpros.com.; Source: Southwest Airlines’ blog “Nuts About Southwest”; Source: IBM Social Computing Guidelines Chapter 11  Courtesy of Jelly Belly Candy Company - Draft beer Jelly Belly beans; Colin Underhill/Alamy; INSTAGRAM/UPI/ Newscom; U.S. Department of Energy; Luba V Nel/Shutterstock; Yulia M/Shutterstock; Angela Waye/Shutterstock; Source: By permission from Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition © 2015 by Merriam-Webster, Inc. (www.Merriam-Webster. com).; Source: Institute for Public Relations; Source: Shel Holtz, social media guru at an IABC workshop.; Source: Michael Lissauer, “PR must adapt to social media era”, PR Week, December 04, 2006; Source: “Social Media Addiction - Statistics and Trends”, GO-Globe; Source: Kevin Allen, “Why Google+ still has a ton of value for marketers” Ragan’s PR Daily; Source: Linda Boff, head of global brand marketing for GE, quoted in Georgia Wells, “Advertisers Use Social Media to Promote Brands in Real Time”, The Wall Street Journal, March 23, 2014.; Source: Dan Zarrella, “Here’s Hard Data for Headlines that Spread on Twitter; Source: Coca-Cola; Source: Justine Sacco, a senior corporate communications director for IAC; Source: AllThingsD.com; Source: Scott Galloway quoted in, “Fashion world sashays to Instagram for brand-building”, The Financial Times, May 2, 2014; Source: Cotton Delo, “Brands Show Early Enthusiasm for Instagram Web Profiles” Ad Age, November 15, 2012.; Source: Based on Chris Sturk; Source: David Murdico, “12 great benefits of video marketing” ragan.com, April 12, 2013.; Source: Tomi Holt, quoted in Nichols, L. (2014, June). “Jelly Belly fans quench their thirst with draft beerflavored candies.” PRWeek, 45.; Source: Smirnoff; Source: Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge, authors of Putting the Public Back in Public Relations. N.J. : FT Press, 2009.; Source: Smarty, A. (2012, October). Five ways to increase your brand’s visibility on Flickr. The Ragan Report, 8–9.; Source: David Rosen, director of the CorporateFinancial Communication practice at Burson-Marsteller; Source: Based on Kate Potter of Hughes Public Relations; Source: Ken Peterson, quoted in Christine Kent, “The dos and don’ts of using Flickr for PR”, ragan’s Health Care Communication Newa; Source:

Rotary International News; Source: Andrea Thomas, Ragan’s PR Daily; Source: Christine Haughney, “Publications See Pinterest as Key Ally”, The New York Times Sept, 21, 2014.; Source: Courtesy of Greenpeace; Source: Gorges, M, “90 percent of young people wake up with their smartphones”, Ragan’s PR Daily, December 24, 2012.; Source: Amriss; Source: Gary Kebbel, “Mobile journalism: It’s not the web only smaller” in Bits and Bytes by Gary Kebbel, April 7, 2013; Source: Weston, S. (2013, October). “How can mobile apps evolve to remain an effective tool for brand building? PRWeek, 47.; Source: Sam Weston, vice president of Huge, quoted in Jason Mandell, “How can mobile apps evolve to remain an effective tool for brand building?”, PRWeek, October 01, 2013.; Source: Dennis Ham quoted in “QR codes breathe life into Sandy Springs’ CPR campaign”, Ragan’s PR Daily.; Source: Gillette ad campaign; Source: “Text messages help tourism pros reach a mobile audience”, Ragan’s PR Daily.; Source: Randi Schmelzer, “Texting helps PR pros maintain a message’s impact”, PR Week.; Source: Based on Ward Cunningham; Source: Scot Keller, MediaPost; Source: Joel Postman, executive vice president of Eastwick Communications, Ragan.com; Source:Data taken from two online images: “Social Media Active Users 2014” (http://www. thesocialmediahat.com/sites/default/files/Social-Media-ActiveUsers.png), “In an Internet Minute” (http://www.techspartan.co.uk/ assets/tech-spartan-60-seconds.png); Source: Taco Bell Facebook page; Source: Springfield Clinic Facebook page; Source: Based on “The U.S. Department of Energy and Stratacomm shine light on international, energy-efficient house-building contest”, Ragan’s PR Daily,; Source: Based on Adam Lella, “Users Engage with Major Social Networks Predominantly via Mobile”, comScore; http://www. comscore.com/Insights/Data-Mine/ Users-Engage-with-Major-Social-Networks-Predominantly-viaMobile Chapter 12  Delta Airlines; Guide Dogs for the Blind; Coca-Cola; Aramco; Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Source: Charlotte Forbes, quoted in Matthew Creamer, “PR Technique: Inside story: The role of employee newsletters”, PR Week, August 04, 2003.; Source: From Natural History’s advertising media kit; Source: Saudi Aramco World, Goal; Source: Michelle Linn, “How to Put Together an Editorial Calendar for Content Marketing”, Content Marketing Institute, August 16, 2010.; Source: Scott Deutrom, Media Week; Source: Libby Catalinich, REI Director of Corporate Communications, Ragan Report; Source: Mark Twain; Source: The Corporate Executive Board Company; Source: Crystal McKinsey, quoted in Lorrie Bryan, “The Intimacy of Print”, Connect Daily magazine, 2014; Source: Jennifer Benz, CEO of Benz Communications in Business.com; Source: Mark Ragan, “How to write headlines that scream ‘Read me!’”, Ragan’s Healthcare Communication News, April 23, 2010.; Source: Based on Ragan Report; Source: Based on Mark Ragan, “How to write headlines that scream ‘Read me!’”, Ragan’s Healthcare Communication News, April 23, 2010.; Source: Brian Clark, “Writing Headlines That Get Results”, Copyblogger; Source: Columbia Journalism Review; Source: Stephanie Clifford, “Stores Demand Mannequins With Personality (Heads Optional)”, The New York Times, June 15, 2011.; Source: Phisanu Phromchanya, James Hookway, “GM to Build Diesel Engines in Thailand”, The Wall Street Journal, Aug. 14, 2008.; Source: Based on, “Wanted: One great first sentence”, Ragan’s HR Communication, April 21, 2010.; Source: Justin Allen as quoted in, “Six ways to improve your internal publication”, Ragn’s HR Communication, November 29, 2007.; Source: Based on Media Distribution Services; Source: Mario Garcia quoted in Erik Battenberg, “Flashback: Design guru tells all — tips for publication redesigns”, Public Relations Tactics, December 4, 2006.; Source: Based on Bill Weger, “Colors and Culture: Points to Consider”, Public Relations Tactics, October 1, 2013.; Source: Bob Butter quoted in Weidlich, Thom, “Annual Reports - Financial follies shake annual reports. Enron and the recession have changed the usual approach to annual reports. Thom Weidlich takes a look at what should and shouldn’t be included.” PR Week, May 27, 2002.; Source: 2013 UPS annual report; Source: “Annual report angst: What makes editors despair?”, Ragan’s HR Communication; Source: Pfizer Theme; Source: General Motors

Credits 361 Theme; Source: Harley-Davidson Theme; Source: Coca-Cola Theme; Source: Beth Haiken, vice president at the PMI Group quoted in Craig McGuire, “Looking at more than just the numbers”, PR Week, February 18, 2008.; Source: Johnson & Johnson, 2010 Annual Report; Source: ExpressJet Airlines, Inc.; Source: National Geographic; Source: Based on Toby Ward, founder and CEO of Prescient Digital Media, The Ragan Report.; Source: Based on Communication Briefings; Source: Guide Dogs for the Blind; Source: Based on The Ragan Report by Jim Ylisela; Source: Based on Jessie Ford , “Graphic designer: 5 tips for working with me”, Ragn’s PR Daily, September 13, 2012.; Source: Based on “Design for nondesigners: 10 dos and don’ts”, Ragn’s HR Communication, May 29, 2008.; Source: Based on Bill Weger, “Colors and Culture: Points to Consider”, Public Relations Tactics, October 1, 2013.; Source: Coca-Cola Sustainability Report Chapter 13  Nenad Aksic; Jeff Greenberg 6 of 6/Alamy; infuspa-05/ William T. Wade Jr/INFphoto.com/Newscom; Source: Neff, Richard E., “CEOs Want Information, Not Just Words: So ... Write Smart, Simple and Short”, Communication World , Vol. 14, No. 5 , AprilMay 1997; Source: Neff, Richard E., “CEOs Want Information, Not Just Words: So . . . Write Smart, Simple and Short”, Communication World , Vol. 14, No. 5 , April-May 1997; Source: Edifice Computing and Technology Solutions; Source: Email Statistics Report, 2014–2018, The Radicati Group; “Check Your E-Mail, Please.” PR Reporter, Nov. 4, 2002, pages 1–2.; Source: Michael Hattersley, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Michael Hattersley, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Jack Loechner, “Line Length Matters”, Center for Media Research, January 23, 2009.; Source: Brian Clark, “Four U” approach to writing subject lines.; Source: Communication Briefings; Source: Max Kalehoff, “Handwritten Letters Work BECAUSE Digital Communications Don’t” MediaPost; Source: Kevin Brett, “The “Wisdom” of HandWritten Thank You Notes to 21st Century Hiring Managers”, DailyBrett Blog, June 4, 2014; Source: Communication Briefings; Source: Randall Majors; Source: Communication Briefings; Source: Communication Briefings; Source: Skinnygirl Cocktails; Source: Joel Postman, EVP of Eastwick Communications.; Source: Based on Glei, J. (2011, January 11). “Email Etiquette for the Super Busy.” Retrieved from http://the99percent.com/tips. Chapter 14  Paul Sakuma/AP Images; Seth Godin; Denniro/ Shutterstock; Halfpoint/Shutterstock; Source: Ted Sorensen, Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History, HarperCollins, 2008.; Source: Michael Witkoski, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Beth Pedison, executive speechwriter of EDS; Source: Brenda Jones; Source: Edelman SVP, Tim Schellhardt in The Ragan Report; Source: Marie L. Lerch, director of public relations and communication for Booz Allen & Hamilton; Source: Pete Weismann, quoted in Amy Jacques, “ Writing For Leaders”, The Strategist; Source: Rob Biesenbach, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Rob Cottingham in Ragan.com; Source: Rob Biesenbach, “How to Cut the Fat From Your Speech: 7 Tips”, March 11, 2014; Source: William Safire, Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History. W. W. Norton & Company, 1992.; Source: Louis Nizer, American lawyer and raconteur; Source: David Kusnet, “Ten Speechwriting Tips”, Ragan.com.; Source: Pete Weismann, quoted in Amy Jacques, “ Writing For Leaders”, The Strategist; Source: GrayGrant, D. (2012, March). “PowerPoint: 5 tech-niques to interest and hold your audience.” The Ragan Report, 31–32.; Source: Shel Holtz, Communication blogger; Source: Peter Nolan in Public Relations Tactics; Source: Based on Seth Godin, “Really Bad PowerPoint (and how to avoid it)”; Source: Seth Godin, “Really Bad PowerPoint (and how to avoid it)”; Source: Based on Scott Schwertly, “33 PowerPoint Tips in 140 characters or Less” Ethos3, August 15th, 2014.; Source: Art Samansky, “A succcessful Presentation: Simple, short and a valueadded speaker”, Business Wire Newsletter, January 2003.; Source: Based on Charlene Jacobs in Public Relations Tactics; Source: Steve Markman, “ Speaking Engagements For Executives ”, Public Relations Tactics, May 2002.; Source: Steve Markman, “ Speaking Engagements For Executives ”, Public Relations Tactics, May 2002.; Source: Ron Kirkpatrick, “Strategic speechwriting in eight hours ”, Ragan’s HR Communication; Source: Douglas Perret Starr, Working

the Story: A Guide to Reporting and News Writing for Journalists and Public Relations Professionals, Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.; Source: Douglas Perret Starr in Public Relations Tactics, quoted in Douglas Perret Starr, Working the Story: A Guide to Reporting and News Writing for Journalists and Public Relations Professionals, Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.; Source: Susan Jones, president of XYZ Corporation; Source: Melissa Brown; Source: Based on Rob Biesenbach in Public Relations Tactics; Source: Based on Mitchell Friedman, a San Francisco public relations counselor and speech trainer; Source: Data from Jack Pyle,” Boost your credibility as a leader”, PR Reporter; Source: IBM Corporations; Source: Based on Sharon Hurley Hall, “19 Free Presentation Tools to Wow Your Audience”. Chapter 15  Robyn Beck/Newscom; AJM/AAD/starmaxinc.com/ Newscom; History San Jose; Gilroy Garlic Festival; Belgrade Cultural Network; Eric Engman/Fairbanks Daily News-Miner/ZUMApress/ Newscom; Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock; PacificCoastNews/Newscom; Photobank gallery/Shutterstock; Coleman Yuen/Pearson Education Asia Ltd; Source: Yung Moon, “Magazine-driven gatherings make fitness a day in the park” PR Week, October 12, 2007; Source: Byron, E. (2014, December 14). “Please, Pretty Please. RSVP.” Wall Street Journal, D1, 4.; Source: Emily Post Institute; Source: Barbara Nichols, Meeting News; Source: Erica Iacono, reporter for PRWeek; Source: Brad Weaber, quoted in Sharkey, J. (2012, April 24). “The Trade Show Updated: A Shift at Conventions: Less High Living, More Wi-Fi.” New York Times, B9.; Source: Greg Lorentz, quoted in Martha C. White, “Lightening the Paper Load”, The New York Times, May 9, 2011.; Source: Randall Stross, “They’re Not Waiting for an Invitation to Evite’s Party”, The New York Times, March 20, 2010.; Source: David Ward, “Taking full advantage of trade shows”, PR Week, December 10, 2007.; Source: Michael Young quoted in Andrew Gordon, “Access survey highlights journalists’ needs for CES” PR Week, December 28, 2005.; Source: Jennifer Collins, PR Week; Source: Claire Atkinson, PR Week; Source: Frequently Asked Question, The Celebrity Source; Source: Matt Glass quoted in Beth Krietsch, “How blogs benefit clients, radio news releases, more”, PR Week, March 04, 2008.; Source: running4free.com; Source: Dejan Grastic, general manager of the Belgrade Cultural Network; Source: Based on Quickmobile; Source: Invitation from History San Jose (CA); Source: Laura Lipton,” Benefit Season: What Goes On Behind a Scene”, The New York Times, October 3, 2008.; Source: Imagine Easy Solutions - EasyBib.com.; Source: Sarah Skerik, director of trade show markets for PR Newswire Chapter 16  Chevron Corporation; Mark Hayes/Shutterstock; Marekuliasz/Shutterstock; IQoncept/Shutterstock; Source: Center for Media Research; Source: “Making direct mail and e-mail work together”, Direct Marketing News, March 17, 2010.; Source: Natural Resources Defense Council; Source: Human Rights Watch; Source: ASPCA; Johnson, Ashley. Using Direct Mail and Advertising. 9 April 2014. Prezi.; Source: Oxfam International; Source: American Marketing Association; Source: Melvin DeFleur and Everett Dennis; Source: Melvin DeFleur and Everett Dennis; Source: John Wanamaker. Quoted in David Ogilvy’s Confessions of an Advertising Man, Atheneum, 1963.; Source: Chevron Ad Campaign; Source: United Negro College Fund slogan; Source: John Caples, Tested Advertising Methods, Prentice Hall, 1997; Source: John Caples, Making Ads Pay: Timeless Tips for Successful Copywriting, Courier Corporation, 2011.; Source: Based on Sara Calabro in PRWeek; Source: “Sponsored Content: A broader relationship with the U.S. news media.”, edelman.com; Source: Anna Keeve, Source: “PR Insider: The Rise of Hidden Paid Content”; Source: Philip Volmar, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Stacy Gimbel, Public Relations Tactics; Source: The University of Georgia; Source: Angela West, Public Relations Tactics; Source: “Taco bell® asks attorneys: would it kill you to say you’re sorry?”, Taco Bell; Source: Greenpeace; Source: Data from “Internet Advertising Tips.” MediaCollege.com. http://www.mediacollege. com/internet/promotion/advertising-tips.html.; Source: Chevron Ad Campaign; Source: FoodSafety.gov; Source: Data from Communication Briefings; Source: Sharethrough.com; Source: Based on Philip Volmar,

362 Credits Public Relations Tactics; Stacy Gimbel, Public Relations Tactics; The University of Georgia Chapter 17  Kleenex; EMPICS Sport/PA/AP Images; Source: Norm Goldstein, The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual. The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, Basic Books.; Source: Gerald and Kathleen Hill, The People’s Law Dictionary, Fine Communications.; Source: Morton J. Simon; Source: Jerry Della Femina, advertising executive; Source: John Elasser, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Stephanie Chen, “Can Facebook get you fired? Playing it safe in the social media world”, CNN, November 10, 2010; Source: Walmart’s Social Media Guidelines; Source: Bob Pearson, vice presi-dent of Dell Computers. Quoted in “Companies learn risks of employee blogs”, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Based on Gordon, P & Woon, L. (2014, July 23). “Six recent NRLB cases provide further insight on structuring employers’ social media policies,” Retrieved from www.Littler.com.; Source: U.S. copyright law; Source: The Hamilton College Style Sheet, “ Avoiding Plagiarism”.; Source: Maurice Isserman, “Plagiarism: A Lie of the Mind,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2 May 2003.; Source: Turnitin founder John Barrie, quoted in Brad Reagan, “Citing Sources”, The Wall Street Journal, Sept. 16, 2002.; Source: Susan L. Cohen, Editor & Publisher; Source: Michael Lasky, “ Bringing practices in line with the law”, PR Week, February 28, 2005; Source: Gene Grabowski, quoted in Chris Daniels, “Recent lawsuit sheds light on agency liability”, PRWeek, April 15, 2011.; Source: Andrew Goldstein, “PR Firm Held Liable for Product Reviews it Posted on iTunes”, O’Dwyer’s.; Source: Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), statement on FTC’s environmental marketing guidelines; Source: Based on “.com Disclosures: How to make effective disclosures in digital advertising,” , Federal Trade Commission, March, 2013; Source: Jonathan Edelstein, quoted in Frank Ahrens, “Broadcasters Must Reveal Video Clips’ Sources, FCC Says”, The Washington Post, April 14, 2005.; Source: Mark Senak, “FDA increases PhRMA communications scrutiny”, O’Dwyer’s.; Source: Kleenex ad in Columbia Journalism Review © Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, inc. Reprinted with permission.; Source: International Trademark Association, www.inta.org; Source: Federal Trade Commission Chapter 18  Pressmaster/Shutterstock; Wavebreakmedia/ Shutterstock; Source: Wilson, L., and Ogden, J. (2008). Strategic Program Planning for Effective Public Relations Campaigns, 4th edition. Dubuque: Kendall-Hunt.; Source: Fraser Seitel, author of The Practice of Public Relations; Source: David B. Oates, Bonus Online Tactics Column: Measuring the value of public relations: Tying efforts to business goals, Public Relations Tactics, August 1, 2006.; Source: Based on “How to write a strategic communications plan”, Ragan’s HR Communication, July 8, 2010.; Source: Doug Newsom and Jim Haynes, “Writing the PR plan: Defining success for your organization”, Public Relations Tactics, 2008.; Source: Potter, H. (2010, Summer). “Integrating Social Media into PR Plans.” The Strategist, 40–41.; Source: © Pearson Education, Inc.; Source: Based on Frito-Lay

North America, working with Ketchum; Source: Based on Shift Communications; Source: Based on Catherine Ahles and Courtney Botsworth ( Florida International University) Chapter 19  Courtesy of AT&T Intellectual Property; Source: Jonathan Tilley, “Measurement replaces digital as PR professionals’ greatest training need”, PR Week, March 03, 2014.; Source: Bill Margaritis, senior vice president of worldwide communications for FedEx, PRWeek; Source: You Mon Tsang, CEO of the measurement firm Biz360, quoted in PRWeek; Source: Katie Paine, “Stop confusing ROI with results, and measurement with counting”, Ragan’s Healthcare Communication News, October 4, 2010.; Source: Tudor Williams, NetGain; Source: Manning, A., and Rockland, D. (2011, Spring). “Understanding the Barcelona Principles (Measurement).” The Strategist, 30–31.; Source: Walter K. Lindenmann, “ An ‘effectiveness yardstick’ to measure public relations success.”, Public Relations Quarterly, March 22, 1993; Source: Slogan of Institute for Public Relations; Source: Albert L. Schweitzer of Fleishman-Hillard public relations in St. Louis; Source: Geri Mazur, director of research for Porter Novelli International, PRWeek; Source: Mark Scott of HomeBanc Mortgage Company, quoted in Julia Hood, MEASURING UP: Measurement and evaluation have never been soimportant to PR. And that’s where industry consensus ends. Julia Hoodreports on options and attitudes”, PRWeek, April 01, 2002.; Source: Mark Scott of HomeBanc Mortgage Company,; Source: David Rockland and Andre Manning, “Understanding the Barcelona Principles”, Public Relations Strategist, March 21, 2011; Source: Wolverton, C. (2014, March 3). “Google Analytics 101: 5 Metrics for Public Relations.” Retrieved from www.shiftcomm.com; Source: Larry Solomon, senior vice president of corporate communications for AT&T; Source: Wilson, M. (2014, July 14). “Twitter’s updated analytics dashboard offers broader engagement data.” Ragan’s Daily Headlines, www.ragan.com.; Source: Tracy Chan, quoted in Michelle Quinn, “YouTube puts demographic feedback to work,” Los Angeles Times, June 4, 2008.; Source: http://www.exacttarget.com/products/social-mediamarketing/radian6; Source: Jim Tsokamos, president of the Americas for MS&L Group; Source: Lawrence Ragan Communications.; Source: Ad copy from Factiva (Dow Jones & Reuters), a media monitoring company; Source: David Dozier of San Diego State University; Source: Based on a 2009 survey by BenchPoint, www.benchpoint.com; Source: © Pearson Education, Inc.; Source: © Pearson Education, Inc.; Source: Adapted from an article by Kevan Lee titled “19 free social media analytics tools” retrieved from www.ragan.com, (2015, January 8).; Source: http://www.exacttarget.com/sites/exacttarget/files/styles/ half_retina/public/screenshot-social-socialsales.jpg?itok=E6rns2yq; Source: Hootsuite Pro; Source: Katie Paine, CEO of KDPaine & Partners in The Ragan Report; “Master Class: What metrics are most important when measuring social media efforts?, ” PRWeek, March 01, 2010.; Source: Katie Paine, CEO of KDPaine & Partners in The Ragan Report; “Master Class: What metrics are most important when measuring social media efforts?, ” PRWeek, March 01, 2010.

Index 60 Minutes, 170 A4S Security, 161 Abbott Labs, 167 ABI/Inform Complete, 12 Abundant Forests Alliance, 124 Academic Search Premier, 8, 12 Academy Awards, 33, 47, 199 Achievers, 23 Active audience, 27 Active verbs, 14 Actuality, 153–154 Ad agencies, working with, 296 Ad Council, 165, 293–294 Adobe Creative Suite, 221 Advertising, 285, 338 advantages and disadvantages of, 291–292 audiences for, 291 billboards, 298 buttons and bumper stickers, 298–299 cost of, 291–292 credibility, 292 defined, 290 impact of, 291 influence of message of, 291 posters, 299 promotional products, 299 purposes of, 290 timing of, 291 transit panels, 298 on t-shirts, 299 types of, 292–294 of websites, 182, 292 Advertising Research Foundation, 133 Advertising value equivalency (AVE), 338–339 Advocacy and issue advertising, 294 Air New Zealand, 34, 343 Akron Children’s Hospital 3, 207, 217 Alaska Division of Tourism, 119 Allen, Justin, 223 AlliedSignal, 46 Allure magazine, 33 Amato, Melanie, 44 AMD, 261 American Academy of Ophthalmology, 123 American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, 343 American Association of Retired People, 216 American Cancer Society, 32, 155, 299, 326 American Dental Association, 286 American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA), 56 American Heart Association, 120, 154, 294t American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5 American Idol, 170 American Kennel Club, 53 American Legion, 51 American Library Association (ALA) award, 12 American Petroleum Institute (API), 64

American Psychological Association (APA), 154 American Revolution, 30 Anheuser-Busch, 314 Anne Taylor Loft, 66 Annual reports, 228–230 content and delivery, 229–230 planning and writing, 228 Apple I work, 348 Apple iTunes Store, and podcasts, 331, 333 Apple Pages, 222 Apple Computer, 24–25, 27, 30, 45, 47, 66–67, 70, 82, 118, 170, 191–192, 209, 221–222, 247, 279–280, 340, 343 product placement, 170 Application story, 116 Apps, 194–210 Arbitron ratings, 153 Aristotle 3, 21 Arizona Republic, 44 Arketi Group, 60, 79 Arth, Marvin, 84 Arthur W. Page Society, 9, 36 Associated Press (AP), 16, 70, 84, 296 Associated Press Stylebook and Briefings on Media Law, 6, 11, 81 Atkinson, Claire, 279 Atlanta City Chamber of Commerce, 70 Audience analysis benchmark studies, 344 for persuasive writing, 27 See also Measurement Audio news release, 153–154 delivery, 154 format, 153–154 production, 154 use, 153 Authorship, 309 Autism Speaks, 340 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, 279–280 Awards, 56–57 Backgrounders, 104, 115, 118, 177, 185 Baidu, 11 Baker, Sherry, 36 Bandwagon, 32, 35, 55 Banfield Pet Hospital, 123 Banquets costs, 270 logistics and timing, 271 tips, 269–270 working with catering ­managers, 271 Bar chart, 144 Barrie, John, 310 Baskin-Robbins, 54 Bateman Case Study Competition, 298 Bath, Scott, 40 Baudisch, Paul, 183 Beaufort County, 345 Becca, 33 Belgrade (Serbia) Beer Fest, 281 Belongers, 23 Benchmark studies, 330 BenchPoint, 334 Bennett, Christine, 214 Best Buy, 167 trademark issues, 314 Bias, avoiding, 18–19

Bieber, Justin, 33 Billington, James, 42 Bing, 11, 89, 92, 182 Biz360, 334, 339 Bloggers, working with, 64 Blogs, 175, 186 corporate blogs, 187–188 employee blogs, 189–190 pitching to, 107 third party blogs, 190 tips for writing, 187, 189 BMW, 86 Body of email, 236–237 of a feature, 124 of news release, 85–86 Boggs, Rich, 72 Boilerplate, 86–87 Bookers, 169 Booklets. See Brochures. Boorstin, Daniel, 47 Borders, 222, 255, 294 Boston Beer Company, 118 BP, 112, 75 Bradshaw, Tim, 170–171 Brainstorming, 48–50 Branding, 30 Briggs & Stratton, 53 Brochures cost of design of, 228 format of, 224 ink and color choice for, 226–227 layout for, 224 paper choice for, 225–226 planning for, 223–224 printing of, 227 research for, 225 tips for putting together, 225 typeface for, 226 writing for, 224–225 See also Print Publications B-roll, 71, 150, 158, 160–161 Brookings Institute, 127 Brooks, Kelly, 104 Broward County Public Schools, 181 Brown, Melissa, 248 Brown, Adam, 60 Bulldog Reporter, 7–8, 69 Burger King, 157 Burns, Heather, 223 Burrelles, 7, 106–107 BurrellesLuce, 322, 337, 339 Burson-Marsteller, 23, 259–260 Business Wire, 8, 11, 78, 90–92, 104, 108, 111–112, 116, 124–125, 147, 185, 196, 243, 337 Butter, Bob, 228 Butterball Turkey, 62 Butzgy, Michael, 13, 184 California Academy of Sciences, 104–105 California Association of Winegrowers, 53 California Pharmacists Association (CPhA), 56 California Prune Board, 344 California Strawberry Advisory Board, 28

Camera-ready, features, 328–329 Canadian Tourism Commission, 183 Caplet, John, 295 Captions, photo, 142–143 CARMA, 339 Carmichael Lynch Spong, 345 Carver, Benedict, 61 Case study technique, 31 Case study, 115–116 Cat in the Hat, 42 Catalysts, 25 Celebrity Access, 279 Celebrity Source, 279 Centers for Disease Control, 154, 324, 340 Chabria, Anita, 36, 51 Champagne Wine Information Bureau, 72 Chan, Tracy, 341 Chanel No. 5, 28 Channel, of communication, 234 Channeling, 27 Charts, 144–145 Chevron, 23 Chevron, advertising, 293 Chiagouris, Larry, 52 Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), 157 Chopin, 310 Christie’s, 167 Churnalism.org, 79 Cisco Systems, 92, 118, 171–172, 189, 203 employee blogs, 189 Cision, 7, 106–107, 151–152, 243, 322, 337 white paper, 243 CisionPoint, 7, 107 Clip art, 146 Clorox, 47, 199 CMI Event Planning and Fundraising, 271 Coca-Cola, 14, 43, 51, 104, 125–126, 170,177–178, 198, 229, 294, 312 annual report, 229 product placement, 170 Cocktail parties, 272 Cody, Steve, 189 Cognitive dissonance theory, 23 Cohen, Susan, L., 312 Collins, Thomas, 36 Comdex, 261 Communication theories of, 22–26 Communication Briefings, 13, 184, 237, 240 Communication Briefings, 13, 184, 237, 239–240 Communication World, 8, 15, 184 Community calendars, 157–158 Company profiles, 99 Computers choosing, 4–5 components, 5 cost, 4 importance of, 4 comScore Video Matrix, 206 Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 5 Conflict in news, 44 Conspiracy, 303 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), 263, 276

363

364 Index Contact information, in news release, 82 Contests, 51–52 Contract, with photographer, 140 Conventions administration, 275 attendance, 274–275 exhibits, 274 facilities, 273–274 location, 273 program, 274–275 recreation, 274 timing, 273 Copyright, 309–311 of art and photography, 310–311 defined, 309 fair use versus infringement, 310 online material, 311 tips for, 309 work for hire, 311 Copyright Clearing Center, 310 Copyright Office of the Library of Congress, 309 Corbis Corporation, 311 Corley, Carol Ann, 56 Corporate Communications International (CCI), 58 Corporate profiles. See company profiles Corporate social responsibility (CSR), 230 Cosmopolitan magazine, 224 Cost per thousand (CPM), 343 Council of American Survey Research, 78 Courtesy bias, 346 Covenant House, 31 Coyne Public Relations, 243 Crisis communication, media relations, 74–76 CRO, 56 Cropping, of photos, 141 Cunningham, Ward, 210 Cury, James, 45 cvent, 275 Cytryn v. Cook, 317 The Daily, 9 Daily Beast, 9 Databases electronic, 12 for research, 11 Dateline, of news release, 81 Dean, Billy, 482 DeBeer’s, slogan of, 30 Deckers Outdoor Corporation, 312 Defamation, 303–304 DeFleur, Melvin, 290 Delahaye/Medialink, 344 Delicious, 46, 90, 341 Dell, 204 employee blogs, 189 third party blogs, 190 Delta, 15, 214–215 Dennis, Everett, 290 Department of Child and Family Services of New Hampshire, 46 Derelian, Doris, 12 Desktop publishing, 221–222 Desktop tour, 72 Deutrom, Scott, 214 Diagrams, 146 Diffusion and adoption, 25–26 Digg, 9, 82, 90, 325, 341 Digital press kit. See also Electronic press kit (EPK), 97, 104–105

Direct mail advantages and disadvantages of, 286–287 audiences of, 286 brochures in, 289 costs of, 286 creating packages for, 287–290 gifts in, 290 information overload from, 287 personalization of, 286 purposes of, 286 reply card in, 289 return envelope in, 289–290 tips on, 290 Direct mail letter envelope for, 287–288 headline and lead paragraph of, 288 post script of, 289 tips for writing, 288 typeface and length, 289 Disney Parks, video, 172 Disney, podcasts, 191 District of Columbia Housing Authority, 53 Ditka, Mike, 40 Dollywood, 72 Domino’s Pizza, 203, 324 Donahue, Phil, 168 Donatella Versace, 33 Donovan, Ryan, 208 Douglis, Phil, 136–137 Dow Chemicals, 50 Downstyle, 219 Dozier, David, 344 Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group, 43 Drama, in persuasive writing, 31 Dremel, 124 Due diligence, 303 Duncan, Arne, 42 Dutton Children’s Books, 311 Dysart, Joe, 182 Early majority, 25 Early Show, 168 Earned media 126 Eastwick, 210 Economist, 10 Edelman Trust Barometer, 27–28 Edelman Worldwide, 127, 243 Edelman, Richard, 8 blog, 8 Edelstein, Jonathan, 318 Editorial board, meetings with, 74 reasons for, 74 tips for, 74 value of, 74 Editorial calendars, 7, 107, 214 Editorial plans, 214 Edwards, Lauren, 130 Elasser, John, 307 Electronic Arts (EA), 104 Electronic press kit. See also Digital press kit, 104 Email (electronic mail), 233–237 body of, 236–237 closing, 237 content, 234–235 first sentence or paragraph, 236 news distribution, 108–110 purpose, 234 subject lines of, 236 salutations, 236 tips, 234–236 Email advisories, for VNRs, 164 Emotional Appeals, in persuasive writing, 34

Employee blogs, 189 privacy issues of 189 Employee newsletters, privacy issues of, 217 Endorsements celebrity, 33 in persuasive writing, 32–34 Enlyten, 34 Enron Corporation, 229 Entrepreneur magazine, 314 Environmental Defense Action Fund, 289 Ethical considerations, in photo retouching, 141–142 Ethos, 21 European Measurement Summit, 334 Evaluation. See Measurement Event or exhibit announcements, 99 Events banquets, 269–271 cocktail parties, 272 conventions, 272–275 corporate sponsorships, 278 invitations, online, 275 open houses, 281–282 plant tours, 281–282 promotional, 278–282 receptions, 272 trade shows, 275–277 value of, 263 Evergreens, 15 Exclusives, offering, 65 Executive Flight Guide, 214 Executive quotes, tips for, 86 Exhibits at conventions, 273–274 at tradeshows, 276 ExxonMobil, 344 e-zines, 215 Facebook Insights, 340 Facebook, 4, 8, 25, 30, 46, 50–51, 54–55, 65, 79, 87, 92, 109, 111–112, 121, 125, 147, 159, 162, 166, 194, 196–197, 200, 203–204, 208, 233, 296, 306–308, 314, 316, 324–325, 340, 346 and employees, 307 infringement issues, 314 Fact sheets defined, 97 types and examples of, 97–100 Factiva, 12, 337, 339 Fair comment privilege, 304 Fair Disclosure Regulation (Reg FD), 317 Fam (familiarization) trips, 73 Family Features Editorial Syndicates, 265, 268 Family Features, 121–122 Fear arousal, 34 Fearn-Banks, Kathleen, 74 Feature Photo Service, 78, 133, 147 Feature placement firms, 125 Feature story body, 124 contrasted with news releases, 165 defined, 114 examples of, , 125 headline of, 123 lead of, 123–124 parts of, 123–125 photos and graphics in, 124–125 placement of, 125–127 planning of, 119–121 summary of, 124 tips for writing, 123, 125–126

types of, 115–119 value of, 114–115 Federal Communication Commission (FCC), 154, 161, 317–318 Federal Express, website, 178 Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 315–316 Feeding America, 296 Ferguson, Fred, 123 Fernandez, Lauren, 66 Festinger, Leon, 23 Field Museum of Chicago, fact sheet, 99 media kit, 103–104 Financial Times, 10, 127 First Act, 41 First Amendment, 304–305, 315 Fixed, 176 Flash, 274 Fleishman-Hillard, 23, 28 Flickr, 204–205 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 318 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 318 Forbes, Charlotte, 213 Ford, use of audio news release, 153 Ford & Harrison, 188 Ford Motor Co., 51, 154 Foundation Center, 241 Frame strategist, 24 Framing, 24–25 Franklin, Benjamin, 285 Frequency, 330 Friedman, Marsha, 169 Friedman, Mitchell, 169, 251 Frito-Lay, 87, 196, 324–325, 327, 337–338 Fujitsu, 210 Gallup Applied Science, 142 Gandy, O. H., 59 Gantt chart, 329 Garcia, Mario, 227 Gates Foundation, 344 Gelles, David, 170–171 General Electric, 21, 205, 344 General Mills, 64 General Motors (GM), 219, 229 annual reports, 230 wiki use, 210 Genkin, Larry, 188 Gerstner, John, 185 Gillette, 32, 55–56, 209 Gilman Ciocia, 40 Gimbel, Stacy, 298 Global Green, 42 Global Positioning System (GPS), 118 Gobbledygook, 15–16 Gold’s Gym, 116 Goldsborough, Julie Story, 12 Goldstein, Andrew, 316 Good Morning America, 168 Goodman, Wanda, 209 Google Adwords, 80 Google Alerts, 46, 340 Google Analytics, 340 Google Blog Search, 190 Google Images, 140, 146, 223 Google Search, 89, 197 Google Trends, 80 Google, 4, 10–11, 82, 89–90, 92, 106, 118, 150, 172, 175, 180, 182, 221, 286, 310, 312 employee blogs, 307 on Twitter, 199 Grabowski, Gene, 315 Graham, Andrea, 73 Graphs, 159, 228–230, 243, 255

Index 365 Great Date Now, 124 Greenpeace, 54, 205, 288 Grey’s Anatomy, 171 Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA), 248 Gross impressions, 338 Group meetings facilities, 267 greetings for, 267–268 invitation, 267 location, 266 meals, 269 name tags, 268 programs, 268–269 registration for, 267–268 seating, 266–267 speakers for, 268–269 Groupon, 53–54 Grove, Teri, 73 Grunig, James, 27 Guide Dog News, 220 Guide Dogs for the Blind, 220 Guinness Book of World Records, 51 H.J. Heinz Company, 41 Haiken, Beth, 229 Hall, Julie, 51 Hallahan, Kirk, 24 Hamm, Mia, 276 Hanson, Arik, 79 Harden & Partners, 31 Harley-Davidson, 229 online video, 172 Harry Walker Agency, 270 Hattersley, Michael, 235 Hauss, Deborah S., 142 Hawaii Tourism Board, 167 Headline of feature, 123 of news release, 82 Heath, Robert, 3, 21, 35, 37 Heckel Consumer Adhesives, 44 Heinrich, Aaron, 60 Helitzer, Melvin, 106 Help a Reporter Out (HARO), 107 Hewlett-Packard (HP), 60, 100, 125 electronic media kits, 104 fact sheet, 99 Hicks, Nancy, 52 Hidden Valley Ranch, 54 audio news release, 154 media alert, 102 Hierarchy of needs, 25–26 Higbee, Ann, 74 High Museum of Art, 294 Hispanic PRWire, 9 Historical piece, 119 History San Jose (CA), 267–268 Hit, of a website, 183 Hoffman agency, 78, 161, 164 Hoffman, Barbara, 169 Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, 57 Hollywood Walk of Fame, 57 Holtz, Shel, 8, 24, 172, 191, 195, 209, 255 Home Depot, 42 Homeownership Preservation Foundation, 154 Hometowners, 43 Homewood Suites, 116 Honeywell Corporation, 31 Hoover Institution, 127 Hosted bar, 272 Hovland, Carl, 34 HP Labs, 60 Huffington Post, 3–4, 9, 127, 296 pitch, 111

Huffy Sports Company, 124 Human interest stories, 172 Human Rights Watch, direct mail, 288 Humanizing the issue, 31 Hungry Jack, 345 Hunt, Todd, 290 Hype, avoiding, 18 Hyperlinks, 182 Hyundai, video, 172 IBM, 51, 79, 105, 134–135, 137–138, 142, 145 employee blog guidelines, 189 website, 178 Illustrator, 227 Image building, 292–293 Imagery, 14 IMG, 64 Implied consent, 305 Impressions, 317 Influentials, 25 Infographics, 143–147 Informal lead, 84–85 Innovators, 25 Inside Children 3, 217 Intel, 51, 56, 137, 143, 147, 276 online video, 172 Intel’s Science Talent Search, 143 International Advertising Festival, 54 International Association of Business Communication (IABC), 8 International Civil Rights Center & Museum, 50 International Music Products Association, 41 International Olympic Committee (IOC), 314–315 International Trademark Association, 313 Internet prevalence of, 175 See also World Wide Web Interviews, press preparing for, 66–68 tips, 68 Intranets, 214–215 Invasion of privacy employee blogs, 307 employee newsletters, 305 media inquiries about employees, 306 photo releases, 305 product publicity and advertizing, 305–306 Inverted pyramid structure, 85 Investor and financial relations advertising, 293 iPad 25, 45, 49, 161–164, 194, 206, 279 iPhone, 16, 24–25, 45, 139, 205, 207, 343 IPRA, 9, 36, 170, 338 Isserman, Maurice, 310 Issue placement, 171 Issues and Trends, 10, 191, 198 iStockphoto, 223 J. Walter Thompson, 303 Jack O’Dwyer’s Newsletter, 8 Jacobs, Charlene, 259 James Bond films, 170 Jargon, 15–16 Jewett, Sally, 167 Jobs, Steve, 27, 66 Johnson & Johnson, annual report, 228–229 Jones, Brenda, 246 Journal of Public Relations Research, 8 Journalism, correcting errors in, 65

Journalists, working with, 58–76 Jowett, Garth, S., 35 Junk mail. See Direct mail Junkets, 73–74 ethical issues of, 73–74

Litman, Gregg, 79 Logos, 21 Los Angeles Fire Department, 199 Lowe’s, 119 Lunch dates, with journalists, 65

Kalehoff, Max, 238 Kalm, Nick, 111 Kansas City Health Department, 28 Kansas Wheat Commission, 299 Katz, Darren, 190 Kauffmann, Peter E., 67 Kawamoto, Kevin, 176 Keller, Scott, 210 Kendig, Karen, 270 Kennedy, Mickie, 80, 183 Kenneth Cole, 41 Ketchum, 8, 40, 48, 188, 296, 325, 330, 337, 344 Key selling proposition, 328 Kidman, Nicole, 28 Kimberly-Clark, 32, 40, 151 King, Ben, 188 Klepper, Michael, 109 Koch, Jim, 118 Kohm, James, 315 Korbel Champagne Cellars, 103, 338 Kraft Foods, 54 Kryptonite Company 190

Madonna, 33 Magapaper, 217, 221 Magazine shows, 170 Magazines, 8, 217–223 format, 220–221 placement of feature in, 125–127 See also Print Publications Majors, Randall, 240 Marchini, Fredrick, 182 Margaritis, Bill, 334 Marketwire, 60, 78, 90, 125 Markman, Steve, 259 Marriott Corporation, 116 Martin, Dick, 63 Martinez, Pedro, 56 Martinson, David, 36 Maslow, Abraham H., 25–26, 28 Master Card slogan of, 30 Masthead, 213 Mateas, Margo, 108 Mattel, 23, 49 McCaffrey, Lindsey, 18 McCormick & Company, 116, 324 fact sheet, 99 news release, 207 McCormick Place, 274 McGuire, Craig, 79, 90, 104 McNamara, Cathy, 271 Measurement advertising value equivalency, 338–339 advisory boards and focus groups, 346 of article recall, 346 of audience action, 344–345 of audience attitudes, 344 of audience awareness, 343–344 content analysis, 345 of cost per person, 343 establishing objectives, 336 of event attendance, 343 importance of, 333–336 of the Internet, 340 levels of, 333–334 of media impressions, 338 of message exposure, 337 of newsletters and brochures, 345–346 of production and distribution, 336–337 purposes of, 336 readership surveys, 345–346 requests and 800 numbers, 342–343 of social media, 340–342 systematic tracking, 339–340 tools, 334 writing, 346 Media advisory (media alert), 101–103 examples of, 101–102 Media alerts. See Media advisory Media databases, 6–7, 322 Media distribution services, 225, 285–287 Media gatekeepers, 60 Media impression, 338 Media kits compiling, 103–105 defined, 103 electronic, 104–105 examples of, 105

L.L. Bean, website, 178 Lady Gaga, 165, 276 Laggards, 25 Lake, Matt, 61 Lancaster, Hal, 47 Lanham Act, 303, 315 Late Show with David Letterman, 56 Law & Order, 171 Lawrence Ragan Communication, 344 Lead paragraph errors in, 84 of feature, 123–124 guidelines for, 85 of news release, 84–85 types of, 84–85 Lead sentence, of email, 236 Leaflets. See Brochures Lee, Ivy, 78 Legal issues avoiding, 304 conspiracy, 303 copyright, 309–311 defamation, 303–304 examples of, 302–303 invasion of privacy, 305–308 libel, 303–304 regulatory agencies, 315–318 trademark infringement, 312–315 working with lawyers, 318–319 Lerch, Marie L., 246 Letter of agreement, with photographer, 140 Letterhead, of news release, 152 Letters content, 239 format, 239–240 purpose, 239 tips, 238 types, 238 Letters to the editor (LTEs), 129–130 Lexis/Nexis, 8, 12 Libel, 303–304 Line drawings, 146 LinkedIn, 9 Lipinski, Lynn, 106–107 Lipton, Laura, 270 Lissauer, Michael, 196

366 Index See also Press kits Media relations areas of friction, 61–62 checklist for, 63–64 in crisis situations, 74–76 editorial board meetings, 74 etiquette for, 64–66 fam trips, 73 importance of, 58–59 junkets, 73–74 media tours, 71–72 as mutual dependency, 59–60 news conferences, 69–71 press interviews, 66–68 previews and parties, 72–73 at trade shows, 277 Media tour, 71–72 described, 71–72 to generate coverage, 72 as a relationship builder, 72 PR role in, 72 Meet the Press, 56 Meetings characteristics of group, 265–269 planning for, 265–266 shortcomings of, 264 staff and committee, 264–265 value of, 263 Mehrabian, Albert, 253 Memoranda (memos) content, 237 format, 237–238 purpose, 237 Message, of communication, 22 Messages clarity, 29 persuasive themes, 29 Meyers, Peter, 11 Mickey Mouse Law, 309 Microsoft MSW, 214 Microsoft Office, 4, 146, 221 Microsoft Publisher, 222 Microsoft search engine (MSN), 11 Microsoft Word, 29, 220, 222, 226 Microsoft, 11, 214, 312, 344 Middleman, Ann, 52 Miller High Life, 337 Minkalis, Annette, 167 Misappropriation of personality, 306, 314–315 Miss America, 47 Miss Universe, 42 Mission statements, 213–214 Mitternight, Helen L., 184 Mobile applications, news distributions, 207–208, 340 Mobile media, 182 Morgan Hotel, 278 Morton, Linda, 43 Mossberg, Walt, 5, 45 Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), 32 MTV, 201 Multimedia news release, 90–95 example of, 91–93 tips for creating, 94 MultiVu, 155, 158–159, 167 Naked Juice, 138 National Association of Broadcast Communicators, 161 National Association of Realtors, 273 National Education Association (NEA), 42–43 National Football League, 314

National Foundation for Infectious Disease, use of PSAs, 155 National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, use of PSAs, 155 National Investors Relations Institute (NIRI), 71 National Labor Relations Board, 308 National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), 165 National Potato Board, 340 National Public Radio (NPR), 10 National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 43 National Turkey Federation, 23, 26 Neff, Richard E., 232 New York Fashion Week, 64 New York Times Stylebook, 6 New York Times, 10, 42, 59–60, 73, 79, 106–108, 126–129, 143, 190, 195, 219, 270, 273,293, 325 New York Women’s Foundation, 270–271 New York Yankees, 304 Newegg, 314 News creating, 50–57 external sources, 46–47 internal sources, 45–46 News conferences, 63–64 appropriateness, 69 handling, 70–71 invitations, 70 location for, 70 post conference, 71 scheduling, 69–70 teleconferences, 71 webcasts, 71 News feature. See Feature story News feeds, 167–168 News release audio, 153–154 body of, 85–86 contact information on, 87 dateline of, 84 headline of, 82 importance of, 78–79 lead paragraph of, 84–85 letterhead of, 82 multimedia, 90–92 newsworthiness, 80 organization description in, 86–87 online, 89–90 parts of, 80 planning, 79–81 speeches as, 261 about speaking engagement, 261 tips for writing, 80, 86–87, 94 types of, 88–95 value of, 78–79 video (VNR), 158–161 NewsCom, 133, 147 Newsday, legal issues, 311 Newsletters, 8, 217–223 format, 220–221 online, 215–216 tips, 217–218 See also Print Publications Newsmagazines, as a source, 8 Newspapers as source for current events, 9–10 See also Print Publications NewsUSA, 123 Newsweek, 10 Newswires, 204, 337 Nichols, Barbara, 268 Nielsen, Jakob, 218

Nike, 201, 314, 343 annual report, 230 cost per person advertising, 343 slogan of, 30 swoosh of, 30 Nikon, 51 Nizer, Louis, 252 No-host bar, 272 Nolan, Pter, 256 North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS), 117, 124, 152 PSA use, 165 Numbers, guidelines for using, 17–18 O’Donnell, Victoria, 35 O’Dwyer’s Communications and New Media, 8 O’Dwyer’s, 316 Oakland Tribune, 31 Obama, Barack, 40, 253–254, 338 Obama, Michelle, 42 Obici, Amedeo, 119 Ochman, B. L., 89 Ogilvy PR Worldwide, 8 OneUpWeb, 191 Online news release 13, 78, 81–82 Online newsrooms, 185–186 Online video, 150–151, 171–173 tips for, 173 Op-ed columns, 127–129, 261 format of, 128 placement of, 127–128 purpose and motivation of, 127 tips for writing, 127–128 Open houses, 281–282 Oprah Winfrey Show, 344 Oxfam, 290 Oxford Pocket Dictionary and Thesaurus, 5 Pacific Gas & Electric Company, 294 Page impression, 183 Page view, 183 Paid media, 4, 126–127 Paine, Katie, 334, 342 Pamphlets. See Brochures Panasonic, 137 Paper folds of, 224 types of, 225–226 Paquette, Amy, 172 Paragraphs, guidelines for writing, 13–14 Paramount Pictures, 311 Parties for the press, 72–73 PartyLine, 254 Passive audience, 28, 33 Pathos, 21 Pay-for-play, 318 Payola, 66 Pedison, Beth, 246 PepsiCo, 87, 182, 199 Personal appearances, 56 Personality profiles, 115, 118 Persuasion communication and, 21–22 ethics of, 35–36 and propaganda, 35 rhetoric, 21 techniques of, 36–37 Persuasive speaking, 34–35 tips for, 26–27 Persuasive Writing audience analysis for, 27 content and structure of, 30–34 examples in, 32

as spur to action, 30 tips for, 26–27 types of appeals, 28–29 PETCO, 49 Peter Webb Public Relations, 44 PetSmart, 53 Pew Research Center, 59, 107, 158, 205, 207 Philips Norelco, 123 Photo news release (PNR), 142 Photo releases, 305 Photo session planning, 140 Photography captions, 142–143 cropping and retouching, 141 distribution of, 147 in feature articles, 124–125 keeping files of, 147–148 outdoor, 138 See also Publicity photos PhotoShop, 141, 227 Picas, 226 Pie chart, 144 Pilsbury, 279 Pitch, 97 Pitchmaking, 105–112 to bloggers, 107 by email, 108–110 follow-up to, 112 opening lines in, 108–109 researching for, 106–108 by telephone, 111 tips for, 110 using Twitter, 111–112 Pitt, Brad, 42, 68, 199 Plagiarism, 310 Plain folks, propaganda technique, 35 Plans, in public relations audience, 327 budget, 330 components of, 323–324 evaluation of, 330 importance of, 321 information analysis, 323 information gathering, 322–323 information objectives of, 326 marketing objective, role in, 326–327 motivational objectives, 326 objectives, 325–327 situation of, 324 strategy in, 327–328 submission of, 330–332 tactics in, 325, 328–329 timing in, 329–330 written, 321 Plant tours, 281–282 Planters, 119 Plugs, 170 Podcasts, 175–192 Pogue, David, 106–108 Polaroid, 276 Politically correct language (PC), 19 Politico, 9 Polls, 32 Port Discovery, 343 Porter Novelli, 338 Porter, Jeremy, 85, 110 Position papers. See White papers Post-it Notes, 312 Postman, Joel, 210, 243 Potter, Kate, 204 PowerPoint (Microsoft), 46, 70, 121, 144, 146, 245, 254–257, 266, 274 PR Daily News Feeds, 8 PR News Group, 9 PR News, 8

Index 367 PR Newswire, 78–79, 90, 123, 125, 277 PR Reporter, 8, 234 PR Writer. See Publicist Present tense, 14 Press kits, 99 compiling, 103–105 defined, 103 electronic, 104–105 examples of, 103–104 See also Media kits Press Release. See News release Pressroom, 185, 228, 275, 277 Previews for press, 72–73 Prezi, 245, 257 Print ads artwork, 295 headlines, 295 layout, 295 text, 295 tips for, 295–296 Print publications audience interests, 217–218 design, 220 editorial plan for, 214 format, 220–221 headlines, 218–219 layout, 221–222 lead sentences, 219–220 mission statement for, 213–214 photos and illustrations, 223 tips, 221–222 value of, 216–217 See also Brochures; Magazines; Newsletters; Newspapers PRNewswire, 8, 81, 93, 126, 147, 337 Procter & Gamble, 54 Product demonstrations, 53–54 Product placement, 33, 170–171 history of, 170 tips for, 171 Product specification sheets, 99–100 Prominence, 42–43 Promise, 123–124, 157, 288 Promotional events, 278–283 celebrities, use of, 278–279 planning and logistics, 279–281 Propaganda and Persuasion, 35 Proposals for features, 120–121 purpose, 240 organization, 240–241 from public relations firms, 241–242 ProQuest Newsstand, 12 Protests, 55–56 Proximity, 43 PRWeb, 11, 79, 90 PRWeek, 8, 34, 36, 44, 51, 55, 58, 60–61, 90, 104, 142, 160, 166–168, 179, 188, 196, 202, 208–209, 213–214, 228–229, 241, 243, 278–280, 285, 296–297, 315, 322, 334, 337–338 Pseudoevent, 47 Public domain, 141, 310 Public Relations components, 1 definition, 63 evaluation of, 333–346 framework, 1–2 legal issues in, 302–319 planning for, 321–332 Public Relations Association of Indonesia, 36 Public Relations Quarterly, 3, 52, 335 Public Relations Review, 8 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), 8–9, 73, 331, 338

Public Relations Strategist, 8, 18 Public Relations Tactics, 8, 16, 74, 106, 111, 121, 125, 143, 182, 185, 187, 190, 199 Public service advertising, 290 Public service announcement (PSA), 154–156 characteristics of, 154 defined, 154 distribution of, 156 effectiveness of, 154 format of, 155 production of, 156 sound added to, 155 for television, 165 tips for producing, 156 use of, 156 Publicist, 10, 39 audience of, 3 media gatekeeper, 40 objectives of, 3 skills of, 2 Publicity photos action in, 137 camera angles for, 138 captions for, 142–143 composition of, 135–136 cropping and retouching of, 141 distribution of, 147 ethical considerations regarding, 141–142 finding photographers for, 139 importance of, 133 lighting and timing of, 138–139 photo session for, 140 scale of, 137–138 subject matter of, 133–135 technical quality of, 133 tips for shooting, 135, 139 Publicity, 39 brainstorming, 48–49 conflict in, 44–45 contests, 51–52 creating news, 50–57 human interest, 44 newness of, 45 obstacles to, 39–40 prominence of, 42–43 proximity of, 43 significance of, 43 special Events, 50–51 stunts, 54 timeliness of, 40–41 Publics, 22 Purina, 127, 191 Putka, Gary, 59 Queensland Tourist Authority, 54 Query, for feature story, 114–115 Quick response codes (QR codes), 208 Quiznos, 304 Rabin, Phil, 156 Radio audio news release for (ANRs), 153–154 audience of, 151 community calendars on, 157–158 importance of, 151 news release for (RNRs), 152–153 promotion on, 157 public service announcements on, 154–156 Radio media tours (RMT), 156–157 Radio news release (RNR), 152–153 tips for writing, 153 Rafe, Stephen, 68

Ragan Report, 109, 126, 191, 204, 206, 21218, 220, 246, 255, 257, 424, 342 Ragan, Mark, 218 Ragan.com, 5, 7, 14, 17, 34, 49, 106–108, 173, 177, 184, 207, 209–210, 218, 220, 223, 252 Ragan’s Daily Headlines, 8, 177, 222 Rallies, 55–56 Read Across America, 42, 44 Reber, Bryan, 2 Receiver, of communication, 22 Receptions, 272 Red Crescent, 30 Red Cross, 30, 34, 79 Redundancy, 17 References, 4–10 blogs, 8–9 dictionary, 5 discussion groups, 9 encyclopedia, 5–6 media directories, 6–7 professional publications, 7–8 stylebook, 6 Regulatory agencies Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 297, 304, 315–316 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 316–317 Federal Communication Commission (FCC), 317–318 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 318 Renderings, 146 Reporter Connection, 157 Request for information (RFI), 241 Requests for proposals (RFP), 241 Rescigno, Richard, 154, 157 Research, 1, 10–12 electronic databases, 12 search engines, 10–11 studies, 116–118 types, 10–12 Retouching, of photos, 141 Return on investment (ROI), 287 Rex Healthcare, 170 Rex on Call, 170 Rhetoric 3, Rhetorical and Critical Approaches, 35 Rich, Judith, 48 Robertie, Renee, 46 Rocca, Mo, 167 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, copyright issues, 311 Rogers & Associates, 343 Rogers, Everett, 25 Ronald McDonald House Charities, 165 Royal Caribbean, 73 Ruben, Brent, 290 Rudman, Rick, 185 Ruiz, Hector, 261 Safeway Select Bank, 44 Salutations, of email, 236 Salvation Army, PSA use, 165 Samansky, Art, 257 San Diego Convention Center, 179 San Diego Zoo, 43 San Giacomo, Laura, 165 Satellite media tours (SMT), 150, 157, 164 content of, 167–168 cost of, 167 format of, 166–167 origin of, 166 tips for producing, 166 Saudi Aramco, 213 Save Darfur Coalition, 55

Scale models, 146 Schering-Plough, 317 Schmelzer, Randy, 209 Schneider Associates, 51 Schubert Communications, 87 Schulman, Mark A., 53 Schweitzer, Albert L., 336 Scott, Mark, 338 Search engine optimization (SEO), 82, 197 need for, 89 Search engine, 1011 Sears, 16, 344 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 99, 223, 228, 293, 316–317 Self-interest, appeals to, 21 Sender, of communication, 22 Sentences guidelines for writing, 13 poor structure, 16 Seoane, Charlene, 214 Service journalism, 115 Sex in the City, 170 Shaquille O’Neal, 34 Shedd Aquarium 99 fact sheet, 98 Shipley, David, 128 Shorenstein, Marissa, 67 Sierra Club, 21 direct mail, 287–288 Sigal, L. V., 59 Significance, 43 Silver Anvil Award, 325 Simmons Study of Media and Markets, 12 Simon, Morton, J., 305 Slander, 303 Slogans, 30 SmartFood, 337–338 Smirnoff, product placement, 202 Smokey the Bear, 30 Snail mail, 78 Social Media blogs, 186–190 defined, 194 Facebook, 196–197 Flickr, 204–205 real simple syndication (RSS), 234 texting, 209–210 Twitter, 198–199 value of, 194 wikis, 210 YouTube, 201–204 Social media release (SMR). See multimedia news release Society of Professional Journalists, ethics code, 73 Sonoma County Airport Express, 209 Sony, 161 Soundbite, 22, 153 Source credibility, 27–28 South Dakota Office of Tourism, 209 Southwest Airlines, 82, 99–100 use of Twitter, 198 SPEAK model, 254 Speakers, 252 introducing, 251 placement of, 260 researching, 246 training of, 258–261 Speakers’ bureaus, 259 Special events, 50–51 Speeches audiences of, 246 brevity of, 253 coaching and rehearsal of, 252

368 Index Speeches (Continued) drafting of, 250–251 introducing speakers, 251 message of, 247 news releases about, 261 objective of, 247 outline of, 249 panels, 258 publicity before, 260–261 settings for, 249 strategy of, 247–248 types of, 251 visual aids for, 254–257 word choice for, 250 Speechmaking brevity of, 253 focusing on audience, 252–253 focusing on objectives, 252–253 focusing on specifics, 249 gestures and eye contact, 253–254 SPEAK model for, 254 structuring the message, 252 Speechwriting demand for, 245 groundwork for, 246–248 process of, 249–251 researching the audience and speaker, 246 Spelling, 16 Spin doctors, 36 Spokesperson, 66–67 Spokesperson, 67–68 ethics of, 66–67 tips, 68 SRI International, 23 Staff and committee meetings, 264–265 Standard Rate and Data Services, 151 Stanton, Edward, 3 Starbucks, 72, 138 website, 178–179 State Farm Insurance, 294 Statistics, 31–32 Step Reebok, 72 Stereotypes, avoiding, 19 Stewart, Joan, 74, 279 Stock footage, for VNRs, 164 Storyboard, for VNRs, 160 Stratacomm, 204 The Strategist, 16, 48, 60, 76, 89, 246, 251–252, 328 Strategy 3, 23, 27 Strauss Radio Strategies, 154 Structure, of news release, 80 Stunts, publicity, 54 Sturk, Chris, 202 Styli-Style, 54 Subheads, 101, 218, 221, 225, 243 Subject lines, of email pitches, 108 of emails, 236 Subway, 304 Summary lead, 84, 123

Sun Microsystems, 13, 183–184, 189 Sunkist, 327–328 Super Bowl, 40, 47, 51, 158, 182 Surveys, 52–53 conducting, 53 online, 52 persuasive use of, 32 for research, 116–117 Survivors, 23 Sustainers, 23 Symbols, 30 Taco Bell, 196, 200, 293–294 Talk shows, 56, 168–170 advantages, 168 guests on, 169 product placement on, 168–169 tips for appearances on, 169–170 Talking heads, 159, 167 Technorati, 90, 190, 340 TEKgroup International, 186 Teleconferences, 71 Telephone pitch, 111 Television magazine shows on, 170 prevalence of, 158 public service announcements on, 165 satellite media tours on, 166–168 soundbites for, 22 talk shows on, 168–170 video news releases (VNRs) for, 158–161 Template, 82, 221 Testimonials in persuasive writing, 32 propaganda, 35 Texting, 209–210 Third-party endorsement, 32 Time magazine, 10, 29 layout, 221 Timeliness, 41–43 Today show, 56, 109 Top ten lists, 53 Toyota, 31, 165, 293 Trade Shows, 275–277 exhibit booths, 276–277 hospitality suites, 277 pressrooms and media relations, 277 Trademarks capitalization of, 313 defined, 312 genericization of, 313 infringement of, 313–314 misappropriation of personality, 314–315 protection of, 312–313 of sports teams, 314 Traditional media, continuing role of, 195–196 Traditional news release, 88–89 Trahan, Burden & Charles, 343

Trammell, Jack, 153 Transfer, propaganda technique 35 Trip Advisor, 32 Tsang, You Mon, 334 Tucker, Kerry, 12 Tumblr, 296 Turnitin, 310 Twain, Mark, 216 Twitter, 5–6, 30, 46, 50, 55, 60, 65, 79, 143, 194, 198–199 chats, 9 groups, 9 pitches, 111–112 tips for, 199 UNICEF, 287 United States Census Bureau, 298 United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), 307–308 United States Navy Seals, online video, 172 United States Potato Board, 23 direct mail, 340 United Way of America, 6 Unique visitor, 150, 183, 200, 214, 340 Unusualness, 43–44 UPS, 45, 121, 228 Uses and gratification theory 22 VALS, 23 Vaughn, Roy, 190 Victoria’s Secret website visitors, 183 Video clips, 11, 54, 71, 92, 103, 126, 151, 164, 167, 169–170, 172, 185, 197, 201–203, 260, 318, 321 Video news release (VNR), 95, 158–161, 317 components 158 costs, 158–159 format, 159 production, 160 tips for creating, 160 Visual aids, for speeches, 70, 254–257 VMS, 337 Vocus, 7, 337, 339 Vogel, David, 75 Volmar, Phillip, 298 Walt Disney Corporation, 309 Walker, Jerry, 139 The Wallstreet Journal, 10 Wall Street Journal Stylebook, 6 Wal-Mart, 43, 344 Walton, Susan Balcom, 111, 187, 190 Wanta, Wayne, 133 Ward, David, 51 Ward, Toby, 216 Washington Mutual, 343 Washington University, 127 Wasserman, Maya, 112 Water Pik, 116

Webcasting, 151 Webcasts, 71 Weber Grills, 53, 152–153 Weber Shandwick, 64, 190, 296 Weber, Thomas E., 181 Websites, 6–7, 9 attracting visitors to, 181–182 effective building of, 178–180 interactive elements of, 180–181 organizational use of, 177 for research, 9, 11 tips for, 180–181, 183 tracking visitors to, 183 writing for, 183–186 Webster’s New College Dictionary, 5 Weissman, Pete, 246, 251 Wells Fargo, 220 West, Angela, 299 Westchester Medical Center, website, 178 Whetsell, Tripp, 106 White papers, 243 Whitmore, Steve, 66 Whole Foods, 205 Wikipedia, 5, 11, 14, 78, 189, 191, 198, 204, 210 Wikis, 210 Wiley, Michael, 188 Williams, Tudor, 334 Wilson, Laurie, 321 Wilson, Matt, 173 Wion, Rick, 190 Wirthlin Group, 79 Witkoski, Michael, 245 Witmer, Diane F., 181 Word choice, 13–14 Word Works, 146 Wordpress, 180 Words choice of, 13–14, 16–17 commonly confused, 17 World magazine, 216 role of, 2 Writing avoiding errors in, 15–18 focus of, 12–13 preparing for, 4–8 purpose of, 12–13 tips for, 14–15, 18 Yahoo!, 11, 89, 111, 117, 182, 313 Yamamoto, Mike, 115 Yehuda, Bev, 167 YELP, 32, 304 Ylisela, Jim, 220 YMCA, 56 Young, Michael, 277 YouTube Insight, 341 YouTube, 308–309, 324, 328, 337, 341 Zarrella, Dan, 199 Zazza, Frank, 170 Zupan, Mark, 165