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10-Year Countdown

~ aoster ~ 46 Comments

To put public relations and marketing campaigns in a different perspective, think of what it would be like to work on a more than 10-year campaign for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. That’s exactly what Lauren Lamkin will be doing as the new vice president of communications and public relations for Los Angeles 2028.

We’ve talked about the importance of looking beyond short-term strategy to long-term vision, such as the Rolling Stones and David Beckham campaigns we examined. But 10-year event planning campaigns that take place on a world stage? What does it take? And beyond the host city, there are campaigns taking place for each athlete, each sport, and more.

Based on what you’ve learned from the strategies and campaigns we’ve talked about so far, and this week’s reading on the London 2012 campaign, what do you think it will take to build a successful campaign for the 2028 Olympics? What steps have you observed L.A. doing to date? What about Tokyo as they prepare for the 2020 Summer Games?

And, what’s your favorite Olympic sport? The little girl in me still loves watching the gymnasts and ice skaters and divers, but I’m also a fan of watching some of the less attention-getting sports, like canoe slalom.

What It Takes to Get Noticed in the Book World

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More than 300,000 books are published each year in the U.S. alone. I’m an avid reader and bibliophile (a new book arriving in the mail feels like my birthday—Every. Single. Time.), and I can’t fathom trying to keep up with even a small percentage of the new books being published. As readers, what makes us take notice of a book? And for authors, how do you ensure your book stands out, and is seen and read and talked about?

Think about how you hear about good books: a recommendation from a friend, required reading for a class, a book club, Oprah. What does it take for people to take notice of a book and recommend it to others?

Ask just about any author and they will probably say, “it takes work.” And it takes a strategic public relations and marketing campaign that anchors on content and follow-through. It requires getting your book in front of the right audience groups in as many places as possible: social media campaigns, interviews, book reviews, and more. To accomplish this and build a successful campaign, you must create relevant content and adapt it for a variety of platforms.

Since this week’s news release assignment focused on a book launch, I wanted to share two recent book launch campaigns I’ve been following. Both of these books are from women I follow and admire for how they are leading in their industries. And not only am I excited about their books, but I also love following their launch strategies.

Jaclyn Johnson, the founder of Create & Cultivate, recently launched her first book, WorkParty. The book captures her story and builds on the passion and vision of C&C; she has a built-in audience that is primed and ready to pick up and read this book. Even so, she’s not taking anything for granted and has created a strong strategy that incorporates the best of what she does with her business. From a book tour with special guest speakers to her podcast and social media, she’s getting the word out in a great way. Get a glimpse of her strategy: WorkParty Tour.

Beth Comstock, former vice chair and chief marketing officer at GE, just launched her book, Imagine It Forward: Courage, Creativity, and the Power of Change. She, too, is combining her personal story and more than 30 years of experience to share what she has learned. And similar to Johnson, she’s building a strategic campaign that gets her in front of the right audiences through a variety of platforms, from being interviewed on various podcasts to media interviews, social media, and more. See more of her Imagine It Forward campaign.

Bounce around on their sites and social media to see more of what they are doing. What do you think of these campaigns? Have any book launches caught your attention in the past? What did they do well? What was it about the campaigns that caught your attention?

Also, have any good books to recommend? 😉

 

 

 

 

Just Write

~ aoster ~ 26 Comments

How often do you sit down to work on a project, open up a clean Google doc, and proceed to stare at said Google doc for 10 minutes (or more), not even sure where to begin? It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or have been writing professionally for years—all writers run into this at some point. In fact, I did it just now in starting this blog post.

And the best recommendation I have when you find yourself in that place—just write. Start somewhere. Anywhere. Find the place where you can focus, turn off your phone and email alerts, and just start.

I have number of ideas for what to talk about in this blog this semester, but after reading through your notes from the first week of class and reviewing your news releases, I thought what you might need (or even want) at the start of a new semester are helpful resources to get you in the right frame of mind and ready to write. So, below are a number of articles I hope will help prepare for what lies ahead in PUBR 330. I’ve selected a few that span a variety of topics and tips, from the psychology of creating the best space in which to write to tips for crafting a good headline.

Let me know in the comments which of these are most helpful, or if there are other areas of writing in which you need inspiration. What other topics would you like us to talk about related to PR and writing in this blog this semester?

A Few Writing Resources and Articles to Help You Get Started:

 

Using Words Well in PR

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I had a great conversation with a good friend yesterday. We found ourselves discussing digital campaigns and the perception—or sometimes misperception—of “organic” earned media vs. paid media in an ever-changing, social media influencer-driving content world. We’re bombarded with content daily from brands, businesses, news, and even friends and family. How do we perceive that content and consume it responsibly?

Now, flip that thought. If you’re considering a career in public relations, you will most likely play a part in helping create content for others to consume. You may even find yourself in a role that shapes what audiences and communities think and talk about on a given day. What makes public relations content distinct from other types of content? How do we reach our audiences in an engaging, but also appropriate way?

These are just a few of the things our class will talk about this semester as we dive into learning the various types of content and standards within public relations, practice writing from a public relations perspective, and discuss the importance of ethics within PR strategies and tactics. And throughout the course, we’ll support one another to build each other up as better writers. My hope is that you’ll walk out of class at the end of the semester having grown in your writing abilities and with a clear understanding of PR writing practices.

So, as you prepare to engage in this course I want to leave you with this quote from poet and novelist Margaret Atwood, “A word after a word after a word is power.” Words have power. Words have value. Words can change lives. So how do we use our words well within public relations?

What’s Next?

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As we wrap up our reading in Danny Rogers’ Campaigns That Shook the World, think back to the campaigns we’ve discussed throughout the semester. We’ve examined campaigns spanning four decades, from Margaret Thatcher’s 1978 campaign to Dove’s Real Beauty campaign.

Though each one offered unique strategies and tactics, common themes reemerged time and again. We typically start campaigns at the same place: What are we trying to achieve? Why does it matter? What are our objectives? It’s how we communicate and how we engage our audience that can change as we adapt to new technologies and the trends of the moment.

In his conclusion, Rogers states that “it would be difficult to change the world today with a campaign that didn’t understand and test the boundaries of one-to-one communication and digital sharing.” Testing boundaries. Taking risks. In public relations, we have to continually look forward if we want to remain competitive in the industry and stay engaged with our audiences. Why is it so essential as public relations pros to stay aware of industry trends, including technological advances? What are ways we can do this? And as we look ahead to the future, what trends do you see coming in the field of public relations based on your experience to date?

From Words to Stories

~ aoster ~ 27 Comments

A story is a way to say something that can’t be said any other way. – Flannery O’Connor

In public relations, we discuss the power of words: every piece of writing for PR has a purpose, is part of a broader strategy intended to achieve a goal. Even so, some people are quick to dismiss the impact of a well-written news release or carefully worded Tweet. Yet spend just a little time online and you can prove these assumptions wrong. (This NPR story on cities pitching to Amazon to house their second headquarters, for example.)

Now that we are halfway through the semester in our Writing for Public Relations course, I hope you see more clearly the strategy and intent behind writing multiple pitches and releases. Why I challenge you to focus on improving the power of your words and centering on the primary goal of each piece. Why structure and organization matter.

But understanding the format and purpose is only the beginning. This week we will dive into how you can elevate your creativity within writing for public relations; how each piece is part of a larger story you are telling on behalf of a brand or organization. And I’m not using the term “story” lightly here.

Why do you think “story” is a word often used in marketing and public relations? Why are brands focusing on storytelling through content in all its various forms? I’m not just referring to video storytelling. Take a look at the cities pitching to Amazon example again. How are they using their stories to woo Amazon? What stories—from brands, organizations, nonprofits, individuals—are capturing your attention today and why? Share some of your thoughts below in preparation for our discussion on this topic on Wednesday!

 

Data-Driven Pitches?

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We’ve talked about the importance of understanding who you’re pitching to and why when it comes to sending news releases. For years, public relations professionals have continued to try and identify the best way to pitch reporters. It’s an ongoing challenge, especially considering what works for one may not work for another. One thing everyone agrees on—pitches should be targeted. Personalization matters. No one likes spam.

One PR firm decided to take a new approach—using technology to improve how they pitched journalists. Take a look at this story from NiemanLab about how Upbeat PR is reworking the PR pitch. What do you think? How might this approach help? Any downsides? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Campaigns That Unite

~ aoster ~ 19 Comments

It’s difficult to watch from afar the devastation of recent events, including the series of hurricanes destroying homes, businesses, and cities. Checking in on friends and family who may be impacted. Praying for support and relief.

Yet in the midst of any disaster what impacts me most are the stories of people coming together: Neighbors checking on neighbors. Strangers going above and beyond to rescue those in need. Emergency responders traveling across cities and states to assist.

Humanity steps up during disasters. Unfortunately, some individuals take advantage of these situations—looting, creating false campaigns, starting rumors. Overpowering those are the people who band together to provide assistance and meet needs both short term and long term.

Public relations campaigns become a great way to get the word out on how individuals and groups can help, whether donating money, goods, time, or skills. I’ve seen several campaigns these past few weeks, including five former U.S. presidents uniting to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Harvey and nonprofit organizations like the Humane Society reminding the country how they and others help serve lost and injured animals during natural disasters. Using news media, social media, PSAs, and word of mouth, these campaigns call attention to the needs at hand and give others a means to support in a positive way.

What campaigns have you seen recently that serve the purpose of uniting people toward a cause? What kind of impact do they have? How did the campaign come to your attention? Share your thoughts!

 

A New Semester Begins

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It’s time for a new semester of Writing 3: Public Relations Campaigns! I am excited to introduce a love of writing within this field to a new group of students, many of whom I have had the pleasure of teaching in other classes. (Shout out to #onthePRowl315.) This topic is among my favorites to teach because we get to examine the field on a deeper level through the written word. Plus, we get to talk about campaigns. And I love class discussions about campaigns, whether past or present.

For my students: As we prepare to dive in, what initial questions do you have about writing for public relations? What do you hope to learn more about or improve in your writing? And do you have a favorite public relations campaign that you have followed?

Called to Do More

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As I reflect on our recent discussions, on the numerous things happening in the world, and how to wrap up the end of the semester, this question keeps coming to mind: What are we called to do? As public relations professionals. As students. As teachers. As interns. As Christians. As people.

We can easily get caught up in the creativity and entertainment of PR stunts, YouTube videos, and hashtag campaigns, or in the “who said what?” and “they should have…” of crisis communication.

But what does it truly mean to be a public relations professional in the world today, and looking forward to the future? As our audiences and consumers seek to hold brands and individuals to higher standards, how do help reach those standards as PR pros? How do we approach each task and campaign with a desire to not only represent our brand well, but also our audience?

If you got the call today and accepted a position in public relations, how would you prepare yourself for that role? What lessons would you take from this class and others to set yourself up for success, to best represent your client, your audience, and you?