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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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 11 Social Media and Mobile Apps 194

2 Becoming a Persuasive Writer 21 12 Intranets, Newsletters,

and Brochures 212
3 Finding and Making News 39
13 Writing Email, Memos,
4 Working with Journalists and Proposals 232
and Bloggers 58
14 Giving Speeches and
5 Writing the News Release 78 Presentations 245

6 Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, 15 Organizing Meetings and Events 263

Media Kits, and Pitches 97
16 Using Direct Mail and Advertising 285
7 Creating Feature Content
and Op-Eds 114 17 Working Within a Legal
Framework 302
8 Publicity Photos and Infographics 132
18 Planning Programs and
9 Radio, Television, and Campaigns 321
Online Video 150
19 Measuring Success 333
10 Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 175

iii
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Contents
Preface
About the Authors
xi
xv
2 Becoming a Persuasive Writer 21
2.1: Persuasion and the Art of Communication 21
1 Getting Organized for Writing 1 2.2: The Basics of Communication 21
2.2.1: The Four Elements of Communication 22
1.1: The Framework of Public Relations Writing 1
1.1.1: Writing Is Only One Component 1 2.3: Theories of Communication 22
1.1.2: Writers as Communication Technicians 2 2.3.1: Media Uses and Gratification 22
2.3.2: Cognitive Dissonance 23
1.2: The Public Relations Writer 2
2.3.3: Agenda Setting 24
1.2.1: Objectives 3
2.3.4: Framing 24
1.2.2: Audiences 3
2.3.5: Diffusion and Adoption 25
1.2.3: Channels 3
2.3.6: Hierarchy of Needs 25
1.3: The Writer’s Basic Tool Kit 4
2.4: Factors in Persuasive Writing 26
1.3.1: Computer and Printer 4
2.4.1: Audience Analysis 27
1.3.2: Dictionary 5
2.4.2: Source Credibility 27
1.3.3: Encyclopedia 5
2.4.3: Appeal to Self-Interest 28
1.3.4: Stylebook 6
2.4.4: Clarity of the Message 29
1.3.5: Media Database 6
2.4.5: Timing and Context 29
1.3.6: Books on Writing 7
2.4.6: Symbols and Slogans 30
1.4: Professional Publications and
2.4.7: Use of Color 30
Other Resources 8
2.4.8: Suggestions for Action 30
1.4.1: Magazines and Journals 8
1.4.2: Newsletters and Blogs 8 2.5: Strategies for Persuasive Writing 30
1.4.3: Discussion Groups 9 2.5.1: Drama 31
1.4.4: Current Events and Trends 9 2.5.2: Statistics 31
2.5.3: Surveys and Polls 32
1.5: Research as a Prelude to Writing 10
2.5.4: Examples 32
1.5.1: Search Engines 10
2.5.5: Testimonials 32
1.5.2: Fact-Checking Websites 11
2.5.6: Endorsements 32
1.5.3: Electronic Databases 12
2.5.7: Emotional Appeals 34
1.6: Writing Guidelines 12
2.6: Persuasive Speaking 34
1.6.1: Outlining the Purpose 12
1.6.2: Sentences 13 2.7: Persuasion and Propaganda 35
1.6.3: Paragraphs 13 2.8: The Ethics of Persuasion 35
1.6.4: Word Choice 13 2.8.1: Building on the TARES Model 36
1.6.5: Active Verbs and Present Tense 14 Summary: Becoming a Persuasive Writer 37

1.6.6: Imagery
1.7: Errors to Avoid
14
15
3 Finding and Making News 39
1.7.1: The Need to Proofread 15 3.1: The Challenge of Making News 39
1.7.2: Gobbledygook and Jargon 15 3.2: What Makes News 40
1.7.3: Poor Sentence Structure 16 3.2.1: Timeliness 40
1.7.4: Wrong Words 16 3.2.2: Prominence 42
1.7.5: Redundancies 17 3.2.3: Proximity 43
1.7.6: Too Many Numbers 17 3.2.4: Significance 43
1.7.7: Hype 18 3.2.5: Unusualness 43
1.7.8: Bias and Stereotypes 18 3.2.6: Human Interest 44
1.7.9: Politically Incorrect Language 19 3.2.7: Conflict 44
Summary: Getting Organized for Writing 19 3.2.8: Newness 45

v
vi Contents

3.3: How to Find News 45 5.4: The Basic Components of a News Release 81
3.3.1: Internal News Sources 45 5.4.1: News Release Template 82
3.3.2: External News Sources 46 5.4.2: News Release Headline 82
3.4: How to Find Creative News Opportunities 47 5.4.3: News Release Dateline 84
3.4.1: Creativity: An Essential Skill 47 5.4.4: News Release Lead 84
3.4.2: The Value of Brainstorming 48 5.4.5: Body of the Text 85
3.5: Nine Ways to Create News 50 5.4.6: Boilerplate Description of the
3.5.1: Special Events 50 Organization 86
3.5.2: Contests 51 5.4.7: News Release Contacts 87
3.5.3: Polls and Surveys 52 5.5: News Release Formats 88
3.5.4: Top 10 Lists 53 5.5.1: The Traditional News Release 88
3.5.5: Product Demonstrations 53 5.5.2: The Online News Release 89
3.5.6: Publicity Stunts 54 5.5.3: The Multimedia News Release 90
3.5.7: Rallies and Protests 55 5.5.4: Other News Release Formats 94
3.5.8: Personal Appearances 56 Summary: Writing the News Release 95

6
3.5.9: Awards 56
Summary: Finding and Making News 57
Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories,
Media Kits, and Pitches 97
4 Working with Journalists 6.1: Expanding the Publicity Tool Kit 97
and Bloggers 58 6.2: Fact Sheets 97
4.1: The Importance of Media Relations 58 6.2.1: Event or Exhibit Announcements 99
6.2.2: Company Profiles 99
4.2: The Interdependence of Public Relations
and the Media 59 6.2.3: Product Specification Sheets 99
4.2.1: The Media’s Dependence on 6.3: Media Advisories 101
Public Relations 59 6.4: Media Kits 103
4.2.2: Public Relations’ Dependence on 6.4.1: The Traditional Media Kit 103
the Media 60 6.4.2: The Digital Media Kit 104
4.3: Areas of Friction 61 6.5: Pitching a Story 105
4.3.1: Complaints about Public Relations 6.5.1: Researching the Publication 106
Personnel 61 6.5.2: The Email Pitch 108
4.3.2: Complaints about Journalists 6.5.3: The Telephone Pitch 111
and Bloggers 62
6.5.4: The Twitter Pitch 111
4.4: Building Working Relationships 62
6.5.5: The Follow-Up 112
4.4.1: Media Relations 101 63
Summary: Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories,
4.4.2: Media Etiquette 64 Media Kits, and Pitches 113
4.5: Media Interviews and Being a Spokesperson 66
4.6: News Conferences 69 7 Creating Feature Content
4.6.1: Standard News Conferences 69 and Op-Eds 114
4.6.2: Teleconferences and Webcasts 71
7.1: The Value of Features 114
4.7: Media Tours and Other Events 71
7.2: Types of Features 115
4.7.1: Media Tours 71
7.2.1: Case Study 115
4.7.2: Previews and Parties 72
7.2.2: Application and “How-To” Features 116
4.7.3: Press Junkets 73
7.2.3: Surveys and Research Studies 116
4.7.4: Editorial Board Meetings 74
7.2.4: Backgrounder 118
4.8: Crisis Communication 74
7.2.5: Personality Profile 118
Summary: Working with Journalists and Bloggers 76
7.2.6: Historical Piece 119

5 Writing the News Release 78

7.3: Planning a Feature
7.3.1: Ways to Proceed
119
120
5.1: The Backbone of Publicity Programs 78 7.4: The Parts of a Feature 123
5.2: The Value of News Releases 78 7.4.1: Feature Headline 123
5.3: Planning a News Release 79 7.4.2: Feature Lead 123
5.3.1: Use a Worksheet to Answer 7.4.3: Feature Body and Summary 124
Basic Questions 80 7.4.4: Photos and Graphics 124
 Contents vii

7.5: Placement Opportunities 125 9.4: Talk Shows and Product Placements 168
7.5.1: Earned Media 126 9.4.1: Talk Shows 168
7.5.2: Owned Media 126 9.4.2: Magazine Shows 170
7.5.3: Paid Media 126 9.4.3: Product Placement 170
7.6: Writing Opinion Pieces 127 9.5: Online Video 171
7.6.1: Op-Eds 127 Summary: Radio, Television, and Online Video 173
7.6.2: Letters to the Editor 129
Summary: Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds 130 10 Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 175

8 Publicity Photos and Infographics 132 10.1: The Web: Pervasive in Our Lives 175
10.2: The New Public Relations Paradigm 176
8.1: The Importance of Visual Content 132 10.3: Websites 177
8.2: Components of a Good Photo 133 10.3.1: Planning an Effective Website 178
8.2.1: Technical Quality 133 10.3.2: Managing the Website 180
8.2.2: Subject Matter 133 10.3.3: Making the Site Interactive 180
8.2.3: Composition 135 10.3.4: Attracting Visitors to Your Site 181
8.2.4: Action 137 10.3.5: Tracking Site Visitors 183
8.2.5: Scale 137 10.4: Writing for the Web 183
8.2.6: Camera Angle 138 10.4.1: Providing Content for Online Newsrooms 185
8.2.7: Lighting and Timing 138
10.5: Blogs 186
8.3: Working with Photographers 10.5.1: Types of Blogs 187
and Photo Vendors 139
10.6: Podcasts 191
8.3.1: Finding Photographers 139
10.6.1: Applications of Podcasts 191
8.3.2: Contracts 140
10.6.2: Equipment and Production 191
8.3.3: The Photo Session 140
Summary: Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 192
8.3.4: Finding Stock Photos 140
8.3.5: Cropping and Retouching 141 11 Social Media and Mobile Apps 194
8.3.6: Ethical Considerations 141
8.4: Writing Photo Captions 142 11.1: The Tsunami of Social Media 194
8.5: The Purpose of Infographics 143 11.2: The Use of Social Media in Public Relations 194
8.6: Types of Infographics 143 11.3: The Continuing Role of Traditional Media 195
8.6.1: Charts 144 11.4: Social Networks 196
8.6.2: Graphic Interface of Subject Content 145 11.4.1: Facebook: King of the Social Networks 196
8.6.3: Other Kinds of Graphics 146 11.4.2: Google+ 197
8.7: Creating an Infographic 146 11.4.3: LinkedIn: The Professional Network 198
8.8: Distributing Photos and Infographics 147 11.5: Micro-Blogging Sites and Apps 198
11.5.1: Twitter: Saying It in 140 Characters or Less 198
8.9: Maintaining Photo and Art Files 147
11.5.2: Vine 200
Summary: Publicity Photos and Infographics 148
11.5.3: Instagram 200
9 Radio, Television, and Online Video 150 11.6: Media Sharing Sites 201
11.6.1: YouTube: King of Video Clips 201
9.1: The Reach of Broadcast Media and
11.6.2: Flickr 204
Online Video 150
11.6.3: Pinterest 205
9.2: Radio 151
11.7: The Rising Tide of Mobile Content 206
9.2.1: Radio News Releases 152
11.7.1: An Ocean of Apps 207
9.2.2: Audio News Releases 153
11.7.2: QR Codes: Rich Content a Scan Away 208
9.2.3: Radio Public Service Announcements 154
11.7.3: Texting 209
9.2.4: Radio Media Tours 156
9.2.5: Radio Promotions 157 11.8: Wikis 210
9.2.6: Community Calendars 157 Summary: Social Media and Mobile Apps 210

9.3: Television
9.3.1: Video News Releases
158
158
12 Intranets, Newsletters, and
9.3.2: The New Normal: B-Roll Packaging 161
Brochures 212
9.3.3: Video Public Service Announcements 165 12.1: Tightening the Writing Focus 212
9.3.4: Satellite Media Tours 166 12.2: The Balancing Act of Editors 212
viii Contents

12.2.1: A Mission Statement Gives Purpose 213 14.2.3: Writing the Speech 249
12.2.2: Making an Article Schedule 214 14.3: The Basics of Giving a Speech 251
12.3: Intranets 214 14.3.1: Coaching Speakers 252
12.4: Online Newsletters 215 14.3.2: Structuring the Message for the Ear 252
12.5: The Value of Print Publications 216 14.3.3: Tailoring Remarks to the Audience 252
12.6: Print Newsletters and Magazines 217 14.3.4: Keeping Speeches Timely and Short 253
12.6.1: Meeting Audience Interests 217 14.3.5: Gestures and Eye Contact 253
12.6.2: Article Headlines 218 14.4: Visual Aids for Presentations 254
12.6.3: Article Lead Sentences 219 14.4.1: PowerPoint 255
12.6.4: Periodical Design 220 14.4.2: Prezi 257
12.6.5: Periodical Format 220 14.5: Being a Good Panelist 258
12.6.6: Periodical Layout 221 14.5.1: Panels 258
12.6.7: Photos and Illustrations 223 14.6: Speaker Training and Placement 258
12.7: Brochures 223 14.6.1: Executive Training 258
12.7.1: Planning a Brochure 223 14.6.2: Speaker’s Bureaus 259
12.7.2: Brochure Format 224 14.6.3: Placing Speakers 260
12.7.3: Writing a Brochure 224 14.6.4: Publicity Opportunities 260
12.7.4: Brochure Paper 225 Summary: Giving Speeches and Presentations 261
12.7.5: Types of Fonts 226
12.7.6: Ink and Color 226 15 Organizing Meetings and Events 263
12.7.7: Finding a Printer 227
15.1: A World Filled with Meetings and Events 263
12.8: Annual Reports 228
15.2: Staff and Committee Meetings 264
12.8.1: Planning and Writing Annual Reports 229
15.3: Larger Group Meetings 265
12.8.2: Trends in Content and Delivery 229
15.3.1: Planning Large Group Meetings 265
Summary: Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures 230
15.3.2: Meeting Space Logistics 266

13 Writing Email, Memos, 15.3.3: Meeting Invitations

15.3.4: Meeting Registration
267
267
and Proposals 232
15.3.5: Meeting Program 268
13.1: Developing Expertise in Business Communication 232 15.4: Banquets 269
13.2: The Challenge of Communication Overload 233 15.4.1: Working with Catering Managers 271
13.3: Email 233 15.4.2: Banquet Logistics and Timing 271
13.3.1: Email Purpose 234 15.5: Receptions and Cocktail Parties 272
13.3.2: Email Content 234 15.6: Conventions 272
13.3.3: Email Format 236 15.6.1: Planning a Convention 273
13.4: Memorandums 237 15.6.2: Convention Program 274
13.5: Traditional Letters 238 15.7: Trade Shows 275
13.5.1: Purpose of Traditional Letters 239 15.7.1: Exhibit Booths 276
13.5.2: Letter Content 239 15.7.2: Newsrooms and Media Relations 277
13.5.3: Letter Format 239 15.8: Promotional Events 278
13.6: Proposals 240 15.8.1: Using Celebrities to Boost Attendance 278
13.6.1: Purpose of Proposals 240 15.8.2: Event Planning and Logistics 279
13.6.2: Proposal Content and Organization 240 15.9: Open Houses and Plant Tours 281
13.7: Proposals by Public Relations Firms 241 Summary: Organizing Meetings and Events 283
13.8: Briefing and Position Papers 243
Summary: Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals 244 16 Using Direct Mail and Advertising 285

14 Giving Speeches and

16.1: The Business of Direct Mail and Advertising
16.2: The Basics of Direct Mail
285
285
Presentations 245 16.2.1: Advantages of Direct Mail 286
14.1: The Challenge of Public Speaking Engagements 245 16.2.2: Disadvantages of Direct Mail 287
14.2: The Basics of Speechwriting 246 16.3: Creating a Direct Mail Package 287
14.2.1: Researching the Audience and Speaker 246 16.3.1: Mailing Envelope 287
14.2.2: Defining Goals and Content 246 16.3.2: Direct Mail Letter 288
 Contents ix

16.3.3: Direct Mail Brochure 289 17.6.2: The Securities and Exchange Commission 316
16.3.4: Reply Card 289 17.6.3: The Federal Communications Commission 317
16.3.5: Return Envelope 289 17.6.4: The Food and Drug Administration 318
16.3.6: Gifts 290 17.7: Working with Lawyers 318
16.4: The Basics of Public Relations Advertising 290 Summary: Working Within a Legal Framework 319
16.4.1: Advantages of Advertising 291
16.4.2: Disadvantages of Advertising 291 18 Planning Programs and Campaigns 321
16.5: Types of Public Relations Advertising 292 18.1: The Value of a Written Plan 321
16.5.1: Image Building 292 18.2: Developing a PR Plan 321
16.5.2: Investor and Financial Relations 293 18.2.1: Identifying the Situation 321
16.5.3: Public Service 293 18.2.2: Gathering Information 322
16.5.4: Advocacy and Issues 294 18.2.3: Analyzing the Information 323
16.5.5: Announcements 294
18.3: Elements of a PR Plan 323
16.6: Creating a Print Ad 295 18.3.1: The Organization’s Situation 324
16.6.1: Ad Headline 295 18.3.2: Campaign Objectives 325
16.6.2: Ad Text 295 18.3.3: Campaign Audience 327
16.6.3: Ad Artwork 295 18.3.4: Campaign Strategy 327
16.6.4: Ad Layout 295 18.3.5: Campaign Tactics 328
16.7: Working with an Ad Agency 296 18.3.6: Campaign Calendar 329
16.8: Native Advertising 296 18.3.7: Campaign Budget 330
16.9: Other Advertising Channels 297 18.3.8: Campaign Evaluation 330
16.9.1: Billboards 298 18.4: Submitting a Plan for Approval 330
16.9.2: Transit Panels 298 Summary: Planning Programs and Campaigns 332
16.9.3: Buttons and Bumper Stickers 298
16.9.4: Posters 299 19 Measuring Success 333
16.9.5: T-Shirts 299
19.1: The Skill of Measurement 333
16.9.6: Promotional Items 299
19.2: The Importance of Measurement 333
Summary: Using Direct Mail and Advertising 300
19.2.1: Current Status of Measurement
17 Working Within a Legal
and Evaluation 335
19.3: Measurable Program Objectives 336
Framework 302
19.4: Measuring Production/Distribution 336
17.1: A Sampling of Legal Problems 302 19.5: Measuring Message Exposure 337
17.2: Libel and Defamation 303 19.5.1: Media Impressions 338
17.2.1: The Fair Comment Defense 304 19.5.2: Advertising Value Equivalency 338
17.2.2: Avoiding Defamation Suits 304 19.5.3: Systematic Tracking 339
17.3: Invasion of Privacy 305 19.5.4: Monitoring the Web 340
17.3.1: Employee Newsletters 305 19.5.5: Monitoring Social Media 340
17.3.2: Photo Releases 305 19.5.6: Audience Requests, Costs, and Attendance 342
17.3.3: Product Publicity and Advertising 305 19.6: Measuring Audience Awareness 343
17.3.4: Media Inquiries about Employees 306 19.7: Measuring Audience Attitudes 344
17.3.5: Employee Behavior Online 307 19.8: Measuring Audience Action 344
17.4: Copyright Law 309 19.9: Evaluating Newsletters and Brochures 345
17.4.1: Fair Use versus Infringement 310 19.9.1: Evaluation Methods 345
17.4.2: Photography and Artwork 310
19.10: Writing a Measurement Report 346
17.4.3: Work for Hire 311
Summary: Measuring Success 347
17.4.4: Use of Online Material 311
17.5: Trademark Law 312 Media Resources  349
17.5.1: The Protection of Trademarks 312
17.5.2: The Problem of Trademark Infringement 313
Glossary  354
17.5.3: Misappropriation of Personality 314 Credits  357
17.6: Regulatory Agencies 315 Index  363
17.6.1: The Federal Trade Commission 315
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Preface
T
he new edition of Public Relations Writing and Me-
dia 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 com-
mon sense advice to students and practitioners about how
public relations is practiced in the “real world,” and con-
tains clear, step-by-step guidelines illustrated by multiple
examples from actual award-winning public relations pro-
grams conducted by many well-known organizations.
In addition, it’s the only major PR writing text that pro-
vides 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 mea-
sure 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 con-
text of how the tactics of public relations fit into the entire
public relations process—research, planning, communi-
cation, 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. Per-
haps the most significant changes in this edition concern
the rise of tablets, smartphones, and social media plat-
forms 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 chang-
ing 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 ex-
pert 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 cur-
rent 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 ef-
fectively communicate with increasingly segmented audi-
ences, across a variety of earned, owned, and paid media.
This edition offers new and expanded treatment of nu-
merous 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 web-
sites (Chapter 10)
• A completely new chapter on social media and apps
that thoroughly explores how organizations can effec-
tively use social media to increase consumer engage-
ment 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 inte-
grated 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 cam-
paigns (Chapter 19)
• The considerations for designing an attractive and in-
teractive 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)
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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 mate-
rials and conduct basic media relations techniques. Such
checklists provide step-by-step directions and help read-
ers 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 (Chap-
ter 3)
• The Process of Creating Ideas for a Client (Chapter 3)
• How to Make Journalists and Bloggers Happy (Chap-
ter 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)
• Guidelines for Creating an Infographic (Chapter 8)
• Getting Your PSA on the Air (Chapter 9)
• 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 (Chap-
ter 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)
• 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 (Chap-
ter 15)
• Free Online Tools for Analyzing Your Social Media Suc-
cess (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:
• The Ice Bucket Challenge Raises $100 Million (Chapter 3)
• The Wall Street Journal Previews a New Hotel (Chapter 4)

• 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 read-
able 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, pro-
vides a brief overview of major communication theories,
and ends with the ethical responsibilities of the public rela-
tions writer.
Chapter 3 helps students think strategically and cre-
atively 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.
Preface xiii
Chapter 5 thoroughly details the structure and for-
mat of the news release. Attention is given to writing
and formatting digital news releases, including multime-
dia releases, that are distributed via email, websites, and
electronic services. Chapter 6 continues the process by de-
tailing 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 sto-
ries. The writing of opinion pieces, such as op-eds and let-
ters 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 photogra-
phers, write photo captions, and use infographics to dis-
tribute 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 organiza-
tional websites.
Chapter 10 is a detailed examination of how to orga-
nize 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 organi-
zation’s online newsroom. Chapter 11 is about effectively
using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, and Pinterest to post content that engages con-
sumers and builds brand loyalty. It ends with a discussion
of how today’s messages must be mobile-enabled to ac-
commodate the rising tide of smartphone users, and how
apps are now a major factor in the distribution of service-
oriented information.
Chapter 12 offers information on how to prepare
print and online newsletters, write and design a bro-
chure, and use employee intranets to distribute content.
The complex job of writing and organizing an organiza-
tion’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 rela-
tions 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 plan-
ning 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 ele-
ments 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 pub-
lic 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 conver-
sation, 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 cus-
tomize in-class tests or quizzes. Visit: http://www.
pearsonhighered.com/mytest.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank those who reviewed previous edi-
tions and made many suggestions that have been incor-
porated 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 Dr. Reber is C. Richard
emeritus of public rela- Yarbrough Professor in
tions at San Jose State Uni- Crisis Communication
versity and former director Leadership at the Uni-
of the School of Journalism versity of Georgia, Grady
& Mass Communications. College of Journalism and
He is also the lead author Mass Communication.
of two other popular text- He teaches introduction
books, Public Relations to public relations, man-
Strategies and Tactics and agement, crisis commu-
THINK Public Relations. nication, and writing. On
He is an accredited the graduate level, Reber
Dennis L. Wilcox
(APR) member of the Bryan H. Reber teaches management,
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and is also in persuasion, campaign re-
the organization’s College of Fellows, recognizing his life- search, and public opinion.
long contributions to the profession. Wilcox is a former Reber ’s research focuses on public relations theory,
chair of the PRSA Educator’s Academy and the public rela- practice, pedagogy, and crisis and health communi-
tions division of the Association for Education in Journal- cation and has been published in the Journal of Public
ism & Mass Communications (AEJMC). Among his many Relations Research, Journalism and Mass Communication
awards is PRSA’s “Educator of the Year,” the Xifra-Heras Quarterly, Journal of Health Communication, Public Rela-
Award from the University of Girona (Spain), an award of tions Review, and Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic
excellence from the Public Relations Society of India, and Media, among others.
an honorary doctorate from the University of Bucharest for Reber regularly presents his research at national and
his many contributions to global public relations education international academic conferences. He is the co-author
and to advancing the profession. of Gaining Inf luence in Public Relations, Public Relations:
Wilcox is currently active in the International Public Strategies and Tactics, 11th ed., and THINK Public Rela-
Relations Association (IPRA) and is a member of the Ar- tions. Reber serves on the board of the Plank Center for
thur W. Page Society, an organization of senior public rela- Leadership in Public Relations and is a member of the
tions executives. He now travels extensively as a speaker Arthur W. Page Society. He worked for 15 years in public
and consultant in Europe, South America, and Asia. His relations at Bethel College, Kansas. He can be reached at
philosophy, to quote St. Augustine, is “The world is a reber@uga.edu.
book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” He
can be reached at dennis.wilcox@sjsu.edu.

xv
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Chapter 1
Getting Organized for Writing
Learning Objectives
1.1 Recognize the public relations framework in 1.5 Express the different forms of research and
which writing plays a role how online resources can assist with public
relations writing tasks
1.2 Express the objectives, audiences, and the
channels used by the public relations writer 1.6 Illustrate the guidelines for public relations
writing
1.3 Describe some of the necessary tools that a
public relations writer needs access to 1.7 Analyze the common errors made by the PR
writer and ways to avoid them
1.4 Report how the professional writer can use
industry resources to keep up with
developments in the field

1.1: The Framework of 1.1.1: Writing Is Only One

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 com-
mon publicity technique. Because of this, it’s necessary to
first establish the framework in which public relations
writing takes place.
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 com-
ponents: research, planning, communication, and evaluation.
Public relations writing is part of the communication compo-
nent, 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 “tacti-
cal” 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 usu-
ally prepares material for possible use in the news columns
of newspapers or on broadcast news and magazine pro-
grams. Such placement is called earned media because,
unlike advertising that is purchased, public relations materi-
als are only used if journalists and editors decide the infor-
mation is newsworthy.
The role of writer and technician is the standard entry-
level position in public relations, but some in the public rela-
tions 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 per-
formed by a technician and those of a public relations man-
ager. Professor David Dozier of San Diego State University,
who has done considerable research on roles in public rela-
tions, says, “Managers make policy decisions and are held
accountable for public relations outcomes,” whereas “techni-
cians carry out the low-level mechanics of generating com-
munication products that implement policy decisions made
by others.”
This is not to say that professional practitioners don’t ful- As you can see, the total framework of public relations
fill both manager and technician roles. A professional may is much more than just “press releases.” Such materials are
primarily be a manager but also be deeply involved in pre- important, but they are only one highly visible manifesta-
paring a media kit or arranging a special event. By the same tion of the entire public relations process. With this frame-
token, a public relations writer in an organization with lim- work in mind, we begin our discussion about public
ited staffing may primarily be a technician but also be relations writing and media techniques.
involved in the planning of an entire campaign. The follow-
ing Tips for Success box outlines additional skills that a public
relations writer should possess. 1.2: The Public Relations
Writer
Tips for Success 1.2 Express the objectives, audiences, and the channels
used by the public relations writer
Writing Is One of Six Skills
The ability to write is one of the six essential skills for a success- Although the public relations writer and the journalist
ful career in public relations. Dennis L. Wilcox, Glen T. Cameron, share a number of common characteristics in their approach
and Bryan H. Reber summarize the essential skills in the 11th to writing, the public relations writer differs in objectives,
edition of their textbook, Public Relations Strategies & Tactics. audiences, and channels.

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 subscrib-
ers, viewers, or listeners. A hallmark of professional report-
ing 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 organiza-
tions may include corporations, government agencies, envi-
ronmental 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 per-
suade them to do something that is beneficial to the client.”
“The use of fact and emotion in a story is critical—particu-
larly in public relations. In a world cluttered with messag-
es competing for audience time and attention, our mes-
sages 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 demon-
strate 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
Getting Organized for Writing 3
key messages about the product and how it can benefit cus-
tomers?” 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 single-
family households with children and family incomes of
$30,000 or more within its 17-county service area. The objec-
tives of the newsletter, published three times a year, were:
1. To generate business by building awareness for vari-
ous 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.
4. To distribute various parenting and child health mate-
rials 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 Huff-
ington 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 eth-
nic and racial groups, travelers, governmental regulatory
agencies, investors, farmers, and many others. Effective pub-
lic relations writing requires careful definition of the audi-
ence and its composition so that information can be tailored
to its interests and concerns. A public relations writer per-
forms 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 pub-
lishes, 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 junc-
tion 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 jour-
nalists and editors make the decision whether the informa-
tion 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 organiza-
tion’s website, its Facebook and YouTube page, newslet-
ters, 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 chan-
nels but also control all content without the filter of tradi-
tional 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 rela-
tions 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 fea-
ture 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 “spon-
sored” section that supplements their advertising revenue.
In most cases, a combination of earned, owned, and
paid media is selected to achieve maximum message pen-
etration 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 jour-
nalists 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 Describe some of the necessary tools that a public
relations writer needs access to
It is essential for the public relations writer to have a work-
space that includes a computer and a printer, Internet
access, and a reference library.
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 edit-
ing, 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 informa-
tion into a complete document. Other software packages
such as Adobe’s Creative Suite enable you to profession-
ally 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 net-
worked so it’s easier to share software and files and to
tap into the organization’s database, which often con-
tains proprietary information.
2. They are more cost effective in terms of having more
memory and hard disk space than laptops or tablets.
3. Large monitors and standard keyboards are better
suited for writing and editing.
Others, particularly students and professionals who
travel frequently, prefer laptops with standard-sized
keyboards because of their portability and flexibility. In

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 vir-
tual 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 mar-
ket, 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 diction-
ary, and many writers keep a paperback version handy for
a fast check instead of going online or bringing up a soft-
ware version. The best-known dictionary is Merriam-Web-
ster’s collegiate edition that is updated every year with
new words reflecting contemporary word usage and popu-
lar culture. In its 2014 edition, for example, new words
included selfie, hashtag, crowdfunding, paywall, big data, fan-
girl, 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.
Getting Organized for Writing 5
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 rela-
tions writers and journalists also like Webster’s New College
Dictionary, the American Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language, and the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Accord-
ing to Ragan.com, a publisher of public relations newslet-
ters, 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 use-
ful if you want to simplify your writing or shorten a mes-
sage 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 mil-
lion articles, including 4.4 million articles in English.
“On any given day, 15% of all Internet users visit Wikipe-
dia, 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 crowd-
sourced; thousands of volunteers post and edit entries. Tra-
ditionalists still express some concern about the accuracy
of information without the benefit of qualified experts cer-
tifying 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, punc-
tuation, 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, data-
base, 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 accepta-
ble, for example, to use “CA” or “California” in the body of a
news release or a news story. In 2014, the big change that cre-
ated 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 The New York Times Stylebook is also widely used. Writ-
are some recent AP style updates regarding the Internet: ers 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. Metro-
politan, state, or regional directories also exist.

Probably the most comprehensive online media data-
base is CisionPoint. It claims to offer 1.6 million media con-
tacts, 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 rela-
tions 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 inter-
ests, 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 Cision-
Point, 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 pub-
lic relations services. Other Cision services include news
release distribution; media monitoring for tracking place-
ment of your news releases or other content, as well as track-
ing 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. Burrelles-
Luce, for example, has a comprehensive online media
database that includes many of the same services as Cision.
Getting Organized for Writing 7
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 sta-
tions, websites, blogs, and trade journals. It also offers sub-
scribers 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 week-
lies, 6,800 FM and 4,000 AM radio stations, 1,400 TV sta-
tions, 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 sev-
eral 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 embarrass-
ment over the years. A more modern rendition of Elements
of Style is Spunk & Bite: A Writer’s Guide to Bold, Contempo-
rary 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 refer-
ence library:
• Sin & Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose by Con-
stance 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 Cal-
gary, this book gives many useful tips for how to become
more productive and overcome “writer’s block.”
Some underlying principles for writing clear and effec-
tive 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.
Submit
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 subscrip-
tions 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 tech-
niques that can improve the writing, production, and dis-
tribution 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 Interna-
tional Association of Business Communicators (IABC), is
now only online.
Another magazine is the monthly O’Dwyer’s Communi-
cations & 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 every-
thing 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 uni-
versity 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 men-
tioned 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 ven-
dors such as Business Wire and PRNewswire. You can
subscribe to many of these blogs by going to the organiza-
tion’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

by Brian Clark, The Well-Fed Writer Blog by Peter Bower-
man, 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 indus-
try are shown below.
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 Profes-
sionals, Social Media Marketing, and PR News Group. Mem-
bers solicit feedback from others on various questions
and, in many cases, post an article to be shared and dis-
cussed 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 profession-
als 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.
Getting Organized for Writing 9
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 organiza-
tions make their newsletters and blogs, case studies, event cal-
endars, 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)
 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 under-
standing of the world around you. Many public relations
employers screen job applicants by administering a current
events quiz to ascertain their awareness and understand-
ing of today’s news and controversial issues. Employers
require outstanding writing skills, but they are also look-
ing for a second dimension in a public relations writer:
knowing what to write about. A person who reads news-
papers 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 some-
what 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 in-
depth news analysis and commentary. Weekly news maga-
zines 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 attrac-
tive 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 sys-
tems made national headlines. And publicists for food prod-
ucts 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.
Submit
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 con-
tacts, 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 compet-
ing products on the market to determine why your prod-
uct is different or better. You may also want to contact some
experts in the field by email or telephone to get their assess-
ment. 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 uni-
verse of information is available to you at the click of a
mouse. Thanks to the information revolution, three valu-
able resources are available: Internet search engines, fact-
checking 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 Inter-
net 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

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 Inter-
net 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 Jour-
nal, 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 ad-
supported 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 stem-
searching 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.
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.”
Getting Organized for Writing 11
At times, you may be able to find reliable online
information more efficiently by beginning with a spe-
cific 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.
1.5.2: Fact-Checking Websites
Although a dictionary and an encyclopedia such as Wikipe-
dia 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 inde-
pendent 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 com-
prehensive than various websites, is electronic databases
that provide in-depth information and full texts of pub-
lished 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 refer-
ence databases.
One popular database is Academic Search Premier,
which provides the full text for almost 5,000 publica-
tions, including more than 3,600 academic journals. It
is said to be the world’s largest multidisciplinary data-
base. The majority of full-text articles are available as
searchable PDFs. A similar database is ABI/Inform Com-
plete. A favorite of public relations writers is ProQuest
Newsstand, which contains the full text of U.S. and
international news sources in newspaper and periodi-
cal formats.
Advertising agencies, public relations firms, and
marketing departments regularly consult another elec-
tronic 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 demo-
graphic 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 mar-
ket 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 rela-
tions. 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 pres-
ident 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 counse-
lors 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 audi-
ence 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 Golds-
borough, 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.

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 gram-
mar, punctuation, and spelling correctly. Entire books
devoted to composition were discussed in Books on Writ-
ing, and you should refer to the list of additional Media
Resources for the chapter. However, we provide a few gen-
eral guidelines that you should keep in mind as you pre-
pare 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 monitor-
ing of their customer service operations.” Revised, this
sentence is more concise and easier to understand: “They
have helped many companies develop systems for moni-
toring their customer services operations.”
Ragan Communications and other writers have com-
piled 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 guide-
lines. Short paragraphs give the reader a chance to catch a
breath, so to speak, and continue reading. Long paragraphs
Getting Organized for Writing 13
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 news-
paper 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 informa-
tion 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 news-
papers, 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 eas-
ily 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 sug-
gested 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 stand-
ard 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 bury-
ing 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 Ama-
zon’s Kindle when a customer is quoted in an ad, “You can
carry 1,000 books in there.”
The general writing guidelines discussed are summa-
rized 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 fol-
lowing 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 quota-
tions, 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 state-
ments. 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 avail-
able to two-thirds of the earth’s population. Or, as Coca-
Cola 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

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, unpro-
fessional, and inconsiderate of your audience. Errors
also call into question the credibility of the entire mes-
sage. Professional writing requires a writer’s total atten-
tion 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.
Getting Organized for Writing 15
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 med-
als. All of them had to be withdrawn from sale at consider-
able 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 credi-
bility of the message and the reputation of the organiza-
tion. 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 com-
pounded 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 mis-
take 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 “attenua-
tion 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,” “real-
time,” and everything being a “groundbreaking” event.
The Internet age has also produced its share of buzzwords
such as “end users,” “influencers,” “evangelist,” “opti-
mized.” “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 profes-
sionals 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 rela-
tions 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.
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 pub-
lic relations writers need to “de-geekify” their superi-
ors. 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 mem-
ory 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?
1.7.3: Poor Sentence Structure
The subject and the words that modify it often become sep-
arated 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 influ-
ence 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 embarrass-
ment. A company newsletter, detailing an employee’s ill-
ness, once reported: “Jeff was taken to the hospital with
what was thought to be thrombus phlebitis. After spend-
ing a restless night with a nurse at the hospital, the results
were negative.”
Writers must also be careful about creating weak sen-
tences 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.”
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 nine-
teenth 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 trou-
ble. 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 informa-
tion (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

“very” unique. “Unique,” by definition, means one of a

Tips for Success kind; either something is unique or it isn’t. In addition, it’s
unnecessary to write such phrases as “the month of Sep-
What’s in a Word: Do You “Accept” tember,” “The year 2015,” or even the “City of Denver.”
Here’s a list of other redundant phrases to avoid:
or “Except” the Challenge?
The following words are frequently confused and often used Advance planning
incorrectly. Do you know the difference between these similar- Close proximity
sounding words? Do a self-test and write a sentence using the Collaborate together
correct word.
Completely unanimous
accept, except less, fewer End result
adapt, adept, adopt lose, loose Extra bonus
affect, effect may, might
Final outcome
callow, callous negligent, negligible
Free gift
canvas, canvass peak, peek, pique
Major breakthrough
compliment, complement pore, pour
Past history
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
1.7.6: Too Many Numbers
historic, historical past, passed 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
“Use spell-check as a starting point, but never use it as a
nations on five continents to achieve revenue of $14.65 bil-
substitute for a thorough proofreading.“
lion, up $3 billion from the $11.65 billion in 2015.” Consider
— Joseph Priest, editor of online communications at
the following tips for using numbers:
Ketchum, New York
• Write “$92 million” instead of “92,000,000 dollars.”
Spell-checker software, unfortunately, will not catch
any of the errors just described because all the words are • Use a comma to separate thousands, such as in 571,200
spelled correctly. Thus, it’s the responsibility of the writer miles. For millions, use a decimal, such as 38.5 million.
to know the actual meaning of various sound-alike words • Provide a readily understood comparison. Few people
and use them properly in a sentence. The second responsi- will instantly grasp the size of a new warehouse that is
bility of the writer is to do a more thorough job of proof- 583 feet long, but they will immediately form an image
reading. Mignon Fogarty, writing in Ragan.com, suggests if you say that it’s about the length of two football
the following methods: fields.
• Check your math. The price of something can go up
1. read your work backward,
more than 100 percent, but it can never go down more
2. read your work out loud,
than 100 percent.
3. always read a printed version of your work, and
• Avoid using “over” when referring to an amount even
4. read the copy with a fresh perspective after taking a if AP now says it’s OK. The better term is still “more
break. than,” as in “More than 5,000 people attended the
event.”
1.7.5: Redundancies • Spell out “percent” instead of using the “%” sign in
Another major error in writing is redundancy. It is not nec- more formal writing, such as a news release.
essary to use the word “totally” to modify a word such as • Spell out numbers smaller than 10.
“destroyed,” or “completely” to modify “demolished.” • Don’t use two numbers next to each other. It’s confus-
Many writers also say that something is “somewhat” or ing 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 appli-
cable for making you a better writer. Lindsey McCaffrey, an
Ottawa-based communications/public relations consultant,
posted six tips on Ragan.com.
1.7.7: Hype
You can ruin the credibility and believability of your mes-
sage 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
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 buz-
zwords that everyone else is using.
1.7.8: Bias and Stereotypes
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 phys-
ical attributes and mannerisms whenever possible. In
most cases, such descriptions have no bearing on the
story and can be considered sexist. For example, one Chi-
cago 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 mem-
bers of any group have the same personal characteristic, be
it ambition, laziness, shrewdness, guile, or intelligence.

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 indi-
viduals 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. “Employ-
ees” is better than “manpower,” and “chairperson” is more
acceptable than “chairman.” Some terms may seem diffi-
cult to neutralize—“congressperson,” “businessperson,”
and “waitperson” don’t exactly trip off the tongue. How-
ever, with a little thought, you can come up with appropri-
ate 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 bro-
chure, 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 contro-
versy about what constitutes “politically correct” (commonly
Summary: Getting Organized for Writing
Getting Organized for Writing 19
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 “crip-
pled,” 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. “Afro-
American” is a generally accepted term but less common
than “black,” which is widely accepted by African Ameri-
cans 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.
Submit
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?

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to post and earn points. After posting, your
response can be viewed by your class and
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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
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 follow-
ing 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 sys-
tem. 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 gov-
ernment, 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-
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
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 chan-
nel? What are my ethical responsibilities as a writer?
This chapter summarizes some communication theo-
ries 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 guide-
lines about how to make your writing—whether it’s on
behalf of the Sierra Club or General Electric—more persua-
sive. 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 commu-
nicate 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 summa-
rized in this section from a public relations perspective.
2.2.1: The Four Elements of
Communication
Sender
• The sender is the organization that prepares and dis-
tributes the message.
• Every organization has different publics, divergent
interests, and its own values.
• 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 inter-
ests, 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 bene-
fits 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.
• 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. Tel-
evision requires visuals and short soundbites. A web-
site 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, suppli-
ers, employees, community leaders, or investors. Each
requires different kinds of information about the
organization and its products, services, or policies.
2.3: Theories of
Communication
2.3 Scrutinize different communication theories and
identify how they apply to formulating messages
There are numerous theories about how messages are con-
ceptualized and how recipients filter and evaluate such mes-
sages. The following is a brief summary of several t­heories
that you will find most useful in formulating ­messages and
understanding how individuals process information.
2.3.1: Media Uses and Gratification
Recipients of communication are not passive couch pota-
toes. The basic premise of uses and gratification theory is
that the communication process is interactive. The com-
municator 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.

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:
By segmenting the consumer public into these lifestyles,
one aspect of Burson-Marsteller’s strategy was the develop-
ment of specific stories to match the readership demograph-
ics of several key magazines. An article placed in True
Experience, a publication reaching the “survivors and sus-
tainers” 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 maga-
zines, 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 con-
trary 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 communi-
cator can introduce information that causes them to ques-
tion their beliefs.
Becoming a Persuasive Writer 23
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 exam-
ple, 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 envi-
ronmental movement.
In many cases, public attitudes can be changed by pre-
senting 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, high-
carbohydrate 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 cam-
paign, a positive shift occurred in public perceptions about
the potato as a nutritious vegetable, increasing potato con-
sumption. 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
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 dis-
cussion. People tend to talk about what they see or hear on
the evening news, their daily newspaper, or a news web-
site. Media, through the selection of stories and headlines,
tell the public what to talk about, although not necessarily
what to think.
This is why public relations professionals spend con-
siderable 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
Related to agenda setting is the theory of framing. Histori-
cally, 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 maxi-
mum interest and understanding among readers and view-
ers. 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 experi-
ence about an issue, usually accept the media’s version of
reality. Such a situation is part of media dependency the-
ory: the idea that people with little knowledge, no predis-
positions, 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 Colo-
rado State University says that public relations personnel
are essentially frame strategists because they construct mes-
sages that “focus selectively on key attributes and charac-
teristics 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.

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, how-
ever, 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 influ-
ential 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 newspa-
pers, 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 pur-
chase of a product or support of an idea.
At the interest stage, people seek more detailed infor-
mation from such sources as pamphlets, brochures, direct
mail, videos, meetings, and websites. This is why initial
publicity to create awareness often includes an 800 num-
ber, a website, or a page on YouTube or Facebook where
people can get more information.
Family members, peers, and associates become influ-
ential in the trial and evaluation stages of the adoption
model. Mass media, at this point, serve primarily to rein-
force 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 per-
son’s existing values and needs?
Becoming a Persuasive Writer 25
• COMPLEXITY. Is the innovation difficult to under-
stand 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 formu-
late 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 opin-
ion 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 encour-
ages 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 pur-
chase 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 num-
ber 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

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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 credi-
bility; (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,
How to Be a Persuasive Writer and
mentioned earlier, is a good example of the application of Speaker
Maslow’s concepts. Low-income people got an economical A number of research studies have contributed to our under-
recipe that satisfied basic physiological needs. However, standing of the persuasion process. Listed below are key find-
the fancy recipes in upscale magazines were designed to ings that provide insight into how to create and distribute
meet the ego and status needs of people not worried about persuasive messages.
food costs.
Advertising is particularly adept at tapping Maslow’s
hierarchy. An ad for a new car, for example, often empha-
sizes 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 articu-
late those needs, you are well on your way to being a per-
suasive 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.

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 audi-
ence members’ self-interests. In this example, the incen-
tive 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.
Becoming a Persuasive Writer 27
In most cases, the competent communicator acknowl-
edges 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 cus-
tomer assessing the corporate website may review a prod-
uct 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
A message is more believable to an audience if the source
has credibility, which is why writers try to attribute infor-
mation 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 vision-
ary. 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 neces-
sary. Studies such as the annual Edelman Trust Barometer
show that various kinds of individuals have more credibil-
ity 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, third-
party 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 third-
party 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 spokesper-
son. For example, if you are writing a news release about a
new product for a trade magazine, perhaps the most cred-
ible 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

Celebrities often are used to call attention to a product,

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
service, or cause and attract passive audiences to a mes-
sage. For instance, Nicole Kidman got $5 million for 2 min-
utes of airtime endorsing Chanel No. 5. The sponsor’s
intent is to associate the person’s popularity with the prod-
uct 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 appro-

70% 53%
Industry priate, credible spokesperson for the situation. The Kansas
Academics
analyst City Health Department had a much less glamorous
assignment—educating the gay community and sex work-
ers 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
67% 49%
Company Regular
technical expert employee and straight communities. According to Fleishman-Hillard,
the public relations firm handling the campaign, “She pos-
sessed 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
63% 43%
A person like
CEO straight public health message would have received.”
yourself
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,
56% 38%
NGO Government
representative official 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
however, the most credible person to quote in the news of trust. That’s why using traditional media is still an integral
release would be a financial or industry analyst. part of most public relations programs and campaigns.
Source credibility also can be hired. The California
Strawberry Advisory Board, for example, quotes a home
WRITING PROMPT
economist in its news releases, and this individual appears
Source credibility is an important aspect of writing a persuasive arti-
on television talk shows to discuss nutrition and demon-
cle. Some sources, as the text indicates, are more credible and trust-
strate easy-to-follow strawberry recipes. The audience for worthy than others. If you were writing a news release about a new
these programs, primarily homemakers, not only identifies app for tablets, what kind of individuals would you quote in the news
with the representative but also perceives the spokesper- release? Give reasons for your choice.

son to be a technical expert.

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2.4.3: Appeal to Self-Interest

Self-interest was mentioned in connection with both
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and audience analysis. A pub-
lic 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 prod-
uct 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 distri-
bution, pricing, and market niche.
You would prepare quite a different news release or fea-
ture article for the food section of a daily newspaper. The
consumer wants information about the food product’s nutri-
tional 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.
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 readabil-
ity may be too complicated for many Americans. It’s esti-
mated that 50 million Americans can only read at the
fourth- or fifth-grade level. Organizations such as govern-
ment agencies and health care plans need to effectively com-
municate 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.

Tips for Success 2.4.5: Timing and Context

Appeals That Move People to Act Professional communicators often say that timing is every-
thing. In the earlier example about commuters, it was
Persuasive messages often include information that appeals to
an audience’s self-interest. Here’s a list of persuasive message
pointed out that the best time to talk about carpooling and
themes compiled by Professor Charles Marsh at the University mass transit to owners of sport utility vehicles is when
of Kansas. there is a major increase in gas prices. Another good con-
text is when the state highway department releases a study
Make money Satisfy curiosity
showing that the average commute on a congested high-
Save time Be stylish
way from point A to point B now takes 20 minutes longer
More comfort Satisfy appetite
than it did last year. Both of these situations are good
Be cleaner Avoid trouble examples of keying messages around events and related
Gain praise Be individual news stories that provide a context for your message.
Be loved/accepted Be safe Your message also must arrive at a time when it is most
More enjoyment Be secure relevant to the audience. If it is too early, your audience
Save money Protect family might not be ready to think about it. April is not the time to
Avoid effort Have beautiful things talk about new facilities at a ski resort, but October might be
Better health Be like others just right. Cruise ships also distribute news releases and
Escape pain Avoid criticism travel features about tropical destinations as the tempera-
Be popular Protect reputation ture drops in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Informa-
Keep possessions Make work easier tion 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
2.4.4: Clarity of the Message of a new bar with guest bands would get attention from sin-
gle, young professionals almost any time.
Communication, as already stated, does not occur if the
audience does not understand your message. It is impor-
tant 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 law-
yers 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 solu-
tion 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 sen-
tence and the number of one-syllable words per 100 words.
30 Chapter 2

2.4.6: Symbols and Slogans Figure 2.3 Symbolic Use of Colors by Major Brands
The Red Cross (known as the Red Crescent in the Middle Review the attributes associated with each color and think about
how they help each brand cultivate a certain image. Then use the
East) is well known throughout the world. The name is
Hide All Cells button below the table to quiz yourself. Click the hid-
totally unenlightening, but the symbol is recognized and den cells to reveal the information and check your answer.
associated with the care and help given by the organiza-
tion. Flags are symbols. Smokey the Bear is a symbol. Cor-
porate 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 mil-
lions to establish a symbol that conveys characteristics they
want to be perceived with, such as being modern, innova-
tive, 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 cor-
porations 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 dia-
mond 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.
place around the windows and doors. All these sugges-
2.4.7: Use of Color tions are within the capability of the utility’s customers.
However, if the suggestion is to insulate your house
Logos, newsletters, brochures, and websites of various
thoroughly, this might not be feasible for consumers with
organizations also convey an image of an organization
limited incomes. In this case, the utility might accompany
through the use of color and graphics. Color, in particular,
the suggestion with a special program of interest-free loans
plays a major role in associating the organization with var-
or a discount coupon to make it easier for customers to
ious emotional attributes such as being warm and fuzzy,
take the recommended action. In this way, the suggestion
bold, solid, dependable, and glamourous. Figure 2.3 lists
becomes feasible to thousands of homeowners.
various colors and what brands use them.
Environmental organizations, to use another example,
make a point of providing information on how to contact
2.4.8: Suggestions for Action your legislator to support or oppose pending legislation.
“At the end of the day, regardless of the means by which They provide not only the legislator’s email address but also
your message was communicated, did it reach the target a sample letter that you can copy or adapt. In many cases,
audience(s) in an understandable fashion with a clearly you are encouraged to sign an online petition or post a com-
expressed call for action?” ment on the official’s Facebook page or Twitter account.
— Kirk Hazlett, associate professor, Curry College

Persuasive writing must give people information on how

to take action, and the suggestions must be feasible. A cam-
paign 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 sugges-
tions may be as simple as turning the thermostat down to
68 degrees, wearing sweaters in the house during the win-
ter months, or purchasing a roll of weather stripping to
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

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 dis-
cussed. 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. Newspa-
pers 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 fac-
ing 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 rela-
tions. 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. Conse-
quently, a front-page story in the Oakland Tribune started
this way:
For Marcus, the bed and the hot food he found at Cove-
nant House gave him a chance to rejuvenate and get his
Becoming a Persuasive Writer 31
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 human-
ize problems to galvanize public concern to attract dona-
tions. 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 Honey-
well’s temperature-control systems.
WRITING PROMPT
The use of drama or human interest is an essential element in per-
suasive 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 statis-
tics. For example, Toyota, seeking to portray itself as an
important contributor to the American economy, once
placed ads in major metropolitan dailies that used impres-
sive 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 Col-
umbine High School killings each year. Antismoking advo-
cates 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 put-
ting 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 mean-
ingful is to express them in an infographic.
2.5.3: Surveys and Polls
The public and the media express a great deal of interest in
what might be called popularity ratings. During a presiden-
tial 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 tech-
nique called the bandwagon. The idea is to show over-
whelming 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 mat-
tress 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.
2.5.4: Examples
A general statement becomes more persuasive when a spe-
cific 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 bol-
ster its case by giving examples of overcrowded class-
rooms, high teacher/student ratios, and poor student
achievement compared to wealthier school districts.
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
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 con-
sumer 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.
2.5.6: Endorsements
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 par-
ties 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 cele-
bration of a particular day or week.

A second kind of endorsement is generated by media.
These endorsements can come through editorials, product
reviews, surveys, news stories, and even blogs.
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 pur-
chase. 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 finan-
cial 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 liv-
ing. 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 infor-
mation about a particular product or service. But the cost
isn’t cheap. In terms of influential musicians, a Forbes sur-
vey in 2014 gave first place to Beyoncé Knowles, followed
by Rihanna and Katy Perry. Beyoncé made about $120 mil-
lion in 2013, which included a multi-million dollar endorse-
ment deal with Pepsi. Madonna charged designer
Donatella Versace $12 million to endorse a spring collec-
tion. The new superstar diva on the block, of course, is
Becoming a Persuasive Writer 33
­ 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 well-
known 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.
Prestige events and Hollywood celebrities also
attract audiences to a message. This is why Samsung
chose the 2014 Academy Awards to highlight its smart-
phones 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 re-
tweeted 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 prod-
ucts he has endorsed.
2.5.7: Emotional Appeals
Persuasive messages often play on our emotions. Fund-
raising 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 individu-
als 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, con-
tributions, and blood donors. As a result, traffic to the
organization’s website grew, multiple stories about the sto-
ries 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 con-
nection with our constituents nationwide and demon-
strated 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 unpleas-
ant 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 two-
step approach.
1. First, a question is raised. An example is “What would
happen if your child were thrown through the wind-
shield 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 per-
son 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 audi-
ence agrees to develop a pattern of “yes” answers.
Getting agreement to a basic premise often means
that the receiver will agree to the logically devel-
oped 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, “Prop-
aganda 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 cen-
tury, when the Roman Catholic Church set up the congrega-
tio 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 “propa- Students of public relations should be aware of these
ganda” to further their military objectives. techniques to make certain that they don’t intentionally
Some critics have even argued that propaganda, in the use them to deceive and mislead the public. Ethical respon-
broadest sense of the word, also includes the advertising sibilities exist in every form of persuasive communication;
and public relations activity of such diverse entities as guidelines are discussed next.
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 WRITING PROMPT
ideological dogma. Advertising and public relations mes- This section lists some common propaganda techniques that are often
sages for commercial purposes, however, do use several used in public relations. As you read news stories about events and
issues, can you spot some of these propaganda techniques used by
techniques commonly associated with propaganda. The the various groups and individuals that are quoted? Give an example.
following are the most common:
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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 influ-
ence 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, rein-
Tips for Success
force them, or draw on them to advocate new opinions
and actions.
An Ethics Test for Public
Relations Writers
To many observers, persuasion is a somewhat unsa-
Persuasive efforts require an ethical framework for decision
vory activity that distorts the truth and manipulates
making. In a Journal of Mass Media Ethics article, Professors
­people. The public distrusts professional “persuaders,”
Sherry Baker of Brigham Young University and David Martin-
and the media often refer to public relations people and son of Florida International University have developed a model
political consultants as “spin doctors.” Yet persuasion is an they call the TARES test. Public relations writers should test
integral part of society. Everyone uses words and visual their persuasive communication against five basic moral
symbols to share and evaluate information, shape beliefs, ­principles:
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 half-
truths. 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 Indo-
nesia. He said:
PR counselors must ensure the messages we create, pack-
age, 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 pol-
lute the public mind and do not serve the public interest
and ultimately undermine the trust we seek . . . The
essential ingredient underlying any successful relation-
ship 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 com-
pany’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
Thus, it can be seen that public relations writers are, by
The IPRA has a core tenet in its charter that states,
definition, advocates in the marketplace of public opinion.
“Each member shall refrain from subordinating the truth
It is their professional and personal responsibility, how-
to other requirements.” And the PRSA states, in part, “We
ever, to be persuasive, using techniques that are forthright,
adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in
truthful, and socially acceptable.
advancing the interests of those we represent and in com-
municating with the public.” On a more practical note,
PRWeek writer Anita Chabria simply says, “Do make sure 2.8.1: Building on the TARES Model
your statements are accurate. The press will pick up on Professor Richard L. Johannesen of Northern Illinois Uni-
even innocent mistakes as potential lies.” versity lists the following persuasive techniques that
An applicable model for ethical persuasion is dis- should be avoided in persuasive writing and that elaborate
cussed in the Tips for Success below. 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 responsibil-
ity. 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 mes-
sages 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 3.4a Evaluate the meaning of the term
in making news pseudoevent
3.2 Analyze the important characteristics of 3.4b Describe techniques for generating creative
newsworthy information ideas
3.3 Report the two main sources of gathering 3.5 Describe the nine different ways of creating
news 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 jour-
nalistic 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 obsta-
cles 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 infor-
mation, (3) thinking continuously about the interests of the
readers or listeners, (4) keeping in mind the objectives of

39
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 profes-
sionals in 35 nations about the importance of creative think-
ing 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 brainstorm-
ing 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 Reg-
istry, 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 com-
ponents 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 val-
ues 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 hap-
pens. 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 crea-
tivity, 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 discus-
sion. A good example is how a tax and financial planning
firm, Gilman Ciocia, used the U.S. government’s announce-
ment 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 inter-
views 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 public-
ity 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 cover-
age, 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 capi-

talize 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 col-
lection 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 inter-
est over a period of weeks and months. For example, health
care issues continue to hold media interest, so pharmaceuti-
cal 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 fre-
quent 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 Trade groups and non-profits also designate national
Association in that city. Indeed, positioning a product as days, weeks, and months as a news angle. See the Tips for
environmentally friendly seems to generate more media cov- Success below.
erage. 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.
Tips for Success
RELATE MESSAGES TO NATIONAL HOLIDAYS A fourth
approach is offering information linked to holidays that are Celebrate! It’s National Footwear
already on the public agenda. Auto clubs and insurance com- Care Month
panies, for example, have excellent placement success with National non-profits and trade groups often designate a day, a
articles about safe driving just before the Labor Day and July week, or even a month to promote a cause, an industry, or
Fourth holiday weekends, when millions of Americans take even a product. A good example is National Footcare Month
to the road. Even April Fool’s Day can be used as a hook. Mr. promoted, of course, by the footwear industry.
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 cau-
tioned 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 pro-
moting their message, services, or products. Here are
some examples:
42 Chapter 3

and the media, but an organization can attract media cov-

erage by using less prominent people as well. An immuni-
zation 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 Fig-
ure 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 Hurri-
cane 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. “If a celebrity doesn’t show up to an event or party, what
Beauty queens still attract attention too, even in New will the media write about?”
—Lori Levine, founder of Flying Television, a talent
York City. When the city inaugurated its 311 number to
booking and brokering firm
answer citizen questions about such mundane things as
how to recycle trash, Miss Universe was enlisted to make a Many events, of course, don’t have the high-priced
call and ask a question about a swimming pool’s hours of glamour of Brad Pitt or the high public visibility of a First
operation. The New York Times carried a photo of the Lady, but you can still gain from the use of officials and
18-year-old beauty queen from the Dominican Republic other well-known individuals in quotes and pictures.
talking on the phone and devoted 16 column inches to the One common tactic is the award photograph. Organiza-
new service. The headline: “Miss Universe Dials 311 (Don’t tions often honor prominent individuals, and this attracts
Ask for Her Number).” media coverage. Even photographs of an organization’s
The presence of movie stars, rock stars, and profes- national president giving an award can generate publicity
sional athletes at special events invariably draws crowds in local media.
 Finding and Making News 43

Note that prominence is not restricted to people; it her business address and noting the fact that she is the past
also extends to organizations. Large multinational corpo- chair of the local planning commission. A trade newspaper
rations such as McDonalds and Wal-Mart automatically covering the insurance industry would be more interested
get more media attention because they control so many in a news release that details her professional career.
resources and affect so many lives. If you work for a In sum, always keep the local angle in mind when you
smaller, less prominent company, it’s more difficult to gen- write a news release. This often requires additional research
erate media coverage. 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
3.2.3: Proximity in China.”
Surveys have shown that the news releases most accepta-
ble to media gatekeepers are those with a local angle. 3.2.4: Significance
These stories, often called hometowners, are custom tai-
Any situation or event that can affect a substantial number
lored for an individual’s local newspaper or broadcast sta-
of people is significant. Global warming continues to be a
tion by emphasizing the local angle in the first paragraph
hot topic, so to speak, but the concept and the scientific
of the news release. One study, by Professor Linda Morton
debate about the problem are somewhat abstract to the
at the University of Oklahoma, found that 36 percent of
public. Consequently, publicists for environmental groups
hometown releases from a major university were pub-
try to make the topic more significant to the average per-
lished as opposed to less than 10 percent of the general-
son by focusing on a popular consumer item.
ized news releases.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), for
Obviously, the local angle has strong news value.
example, points out that consuming bottled water is not
Whenever possible, it is important to “localize” informa-
environmentally friendly because it takes oil to make all
tion by including local dealers, retailers, and other area
of those plastic bottles and only a quarter of them are ever
representatives in a news release for a particular city. A
recycled. The result is about a billion pounds of plastic
case in point is the announcement that the Dr Pepper/
bottles clogging landfills every year. In addition, the
Snapple Group pledged $15 million to build or fix 2,000
transport of bottled water contributes to greenhouse
playgrounds over 3 years. Such an announcement doesn’t
gases, a major source of global warming. The transport of
generate much interest, but a new playground in a particu-
a case of bottled water from Fiji to Los Angeles, for exam-
lar town or small city would probably generate considera-
ple, produces about 7 pounds of greenhouse gases on its
ble coverage in the local media.
5,500-mile ­journey.
Today it is easy to localize news releases and to tailor
The major media coverage of the NDRC’s “Think
them to specific kinds of media by using software applica-
Outside the Bottle” campaign has, of course, become a
tions that can automatically merge the names of local peo-
significant issue for the $11 billion American bottled
ple into the news release text. An insurance company, for
water industry. Bottlers such as Coca-Cola are publicizing
example, may announce that 150 of its agents nationwide
their efforts to make thinner, more ecologically sound
qualified for induction into the “Million Dollar Roundta-
plastic bottles, but publicists from manufacturers of tap
ble” in sales. The publicist would localize this event by
water filters also are finding renewed media interest in
using software to insert the names of individual agents
their ­products.
into the lead paragraph of the news release. Thus, a news-
In judging significance, you must know not only how
paper editor in Lexington, Kentucky, would receive a news
many people will be affected but also who will be affected.
release that begins, “Denise Smith of Lexington, an agent
A major task, of course, is to convince media gatekeepers
for Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company, has been
that the issue, product, or service is significant to their
inducted into the company’s ’Million Dollar Roundtable.’”
readers, listeners, or viewers. In sum, be prepared when
The names of the other 149 agents, who live elsewhere,
the journalist says, “So what?”
would not be mentioned.
Another form of localizing is highlighting various
aspects of a person’s background in different publications. 3.2.5: Unusualness
In the case of Denise Smith, various audiences would be Anything out of the ordinary attracts press interest and
interested in her achievement. For example, the weekly public attention. The presence of a giant inflated King
newspaper in the small town where Denise graduated Kong hugging an office building in Portland to promote
from high school needs a news release that mentions Den- the Oregon lottery is certainly unusual. So is a 75-foot
ise’s parents, her graduation year, and the fact that she was birthday cake in the shape of a snake that the San Diego
president of the senior class. In contrast, the suburban Zoo made to celebrate its 75th year of operation. Even the
weekly in Lexington would appreciate a paragraph giving National Education Association (NEA) got media coverage
44 Chapter 3

for its Read Across America campaign by staging events bar charts showing the decline in state and federal funding
with a costumed Dr. Seuss character. for social services.
Many products are pretty ordinary, so it’s always a Public relations writers and staff also have opportuni-
challenge for a publicist to think of something “unusual” ties to humanize stories. Here are some examples:
that will attract media interest. Heckel Consumer Adhe-
• A university graduates 10,000 students every spring,
sives, the parent company of the Duck brand of duct tape, but the news release focuses on an 80-year-old grand-
decided on a series of unusual events featuring the tape. mother who is graduating with her daughter and her
One such effort was inviting students to design prom granddaughter.
dresses made of duct tape. That led to a duct tape fashion • A company that manufactures a voice-activated cell-
show in New York where all the designer dresses were phone for disabled people prepares a feature article about
fashioned out of duct tape. The company also exhibited a how the phone helps one disabled Iraq war veteran.
giant American flag made entirely of multicolored duct • A brilliant research engineer for a computer company
tape in New York on Flag Day. is the subject of a company feature story that is sent to
Melanie Amato, director of advertising and research for the trade press.
the Heckel Company, told PRWeek that all Duck brand public • A food bank, after getting permission, gives the names
relations efforts have to involve four elements the company of clients to a reporter who wants to interview some of
wants the brand to convey: They have to be fun, they have to them for a story on how the agency has helped them.
project friendliness, they must display resourcefulness, and • A company that sponsors major track and field events
they have to be imaginative. Such efforts have made the posts videos on its website and YouTube about athletes
Duck brand the number-one brand in the United States. and their personal stories.
The opening of a new bank branch also falls into the • A food and cooking channel is approached to do an
category of less than exciting news. The typical ribbon cut- interview with a restaurant chef who will demonstrate
ting won’t cut it, so to speak, so publicists need to be more an easy-to-do recipe for calorie counters.
creative in thinking up something more unusual. Colo-
rado-based Peter Webb Public Relations came up with a 3.2.7: Conflict
winner for Safeway Select Bank in Phoenix with a cam-
When two or more groups advocate different views on a
paign called “Cold Hard Cash.”
topic of current interest, this creates news. Indeed, report-
The firm capitalized on Phoenix’s high summer heat
ers often fuel the controversy by quoting one side and then
by creating 10 ice sculptures fashioned into various shapes,
asking the other side for a comment.
such as computer terminals, grocery bags, and dollar signs.
Organizations get coverage when they state a position or
Frozen inside each sculpture was a cash prize; $10,000 was
viewpoint regarding a local or even international controversy.
divided among the sculptures. More than 400 people regis-
Labor disputes between management and employees, for
tered, and 10 got the chance to melt their ice blocks and
example, are often accompanied by competing media inter-
take home whatever cash they could get their hands on by
views, news releases, and picket lines, as shown in Figure 3.2.
rubbing away the ice. The Arizona Republic ran a front-page
business story and photo of the event, and the three net-
work affiliates also covered the event. 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
3.2.6: Human Interest over fracking brings out supporters on both sides who hold rallies that
are well covered by the media, primarily because they are highly visual.
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 celebri-
ties. A journalist may focus on the plight of one family on
welfare to illustrate the problems of the entire social ser-
vices system. Television news, which tries to explain com-
plex 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
 Finding and Making News 45

Organizations, groups, and individuals also receive uct is the packaging; from an editor’s point of view, that is
media coverage for stating various opinions about ongoing not “new” enough. High-technology companies have also
controversies such as climate change, same-sex marriage, raised reporter suspicions about new products that often
immigration, universal health care, fracking, and gun con- turn out to be what cynical reporters call “vaporware.”
trol. A good example is the media coverage generated by
Target, Chipotle, and Starbucks when they announced a WRITING PROMPT
decision to ban guns in their stores. Gun control advocates
Why should public relations writers know and understand how to
rejoiced, but gun activists severely criticized the decision, apply traditional news values when they are writing stories and news
which fueled even more media coverage. releases for a client or employer?
In sum, publicists should be aware of ongoing public
issues and conflicts to determine if their clients or employers The response entered here will appear in
the performance dashboard and can be viewed
should publicize a particular viewpoint or perspective on by your instructor.
the issue. A publicist, however, must first assess whether the
particular issue is relevant to the organization. Rising gaso- Submit
line prices may not be particularly relevant to a chain of res-
taurants, but they may be highly relevant to delivery services
such as UPS, FedEx, or even local pizza parlors that deliver.
3.3: How to Find News
3.2.8: Newness 3.3 Report the two main sources of gathering news
Advertising and marketing people say that the two words Now that you understand what constitutes traditional
they find most useful are “new” and “free.” You will sel- news values, you should have a good framework as you
dom use “free,” but you should constantly search for approach the process of finding news.
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 arti-
cles and blog posts when they were introduced. New,
updated models of these products, however, receive con-
siderably 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 3.3.1: Internal News Sources
publicists who can relate their products to such buzzwords
The first step in finding news is to become totally familiar
as “organic,” “clean,” and “sustainable.”
with the organization. One way to learn about an organiza-
Publicists for new products often work to have reviews
tion if you are a new employee or it becomes a new client for
of the product published in leading publications. A favora-
your public relations firm is to do research. This involves
ble product review by Walt Mossberg in The Wall Street
looking at a variety of sources, including the following:
Journal is the Holy Grail for the high-tech consumer goods
industry. By the same token, a review or product mention • IMPORTANT PAPERS. Policy statements, annual
on Epicurious or in Food & Wine is highly sought by the reports, organizational charts, position papers,
food and restaurant industry. research reports, market share, sales projections, and
One note of caution: Journalists and bloggers are biographies of top managers.
somewhat distrustful of claims that a product or service is • PERIODICALS. Current and past issues of employee
“new.” In many cases, the only thing “new” about a prod- 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, vid-
eos, 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 dif-
ferent. 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 news-
worthy. 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 man-
ufacturing 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 prob-
lem affects your employer or client. This, in turn, might
lead to the idea that you could generate some media cover-
age 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 per-
haps you might offer the media an interview with the com-
pany 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 direc-
tor of the agency, notified all state dailies, radio stations,
and television stations of the options a mother experienc-
ing 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 pro-
vide reporters with good data and soundbites at a
moment’s notice.”
The family services story is an example of newsjack-
ing. 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 read-
ing about current events in daily newspapers, maga-
zines, radio, TV, and on the Internet. Reading trade
publications that cover your employer or client’s indus-
try 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 cur-
rent 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.
Submit
3.4: How to Find Creative
News Opportunities
3.4a Evaluate the meaning of the term pseudoevent
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 practition-
ers who plan activities and events on behalf of an organi-
zation to raise the attention needed to inform, persuade,
and motivate.
Historian Daniel Boorstin even coined the term pseudo-
event to describe events and situations that are created pri-
marily for the sake of generating press coverage that, in
many cases, also accomplishes the ultimate objective of
increasing revenues. Some classic examples of the pseudo-
event are the Miss America pageant, the Academy Awards,
and the Super Bowl.
Although the term pseudoevent has a somewhat nega-
tive 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 consum-
ers. A product launch of a new cleaning product from
Clorox, in contrast, requires considerable creativity to gen-
erate media attention.
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 Jour-
nal, says creative people share some common traits:
“keen powers of observation, a restless curiosity, the abil-
ity 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 sim-
ply 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 con-
tent 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 con-
tent for an organization.
Judith Rich, now a Chicago-based creativity consult-
ant and former vice president of Ketchum, gives some tips
for developing your creative instincts. Writing in PRSA’s
The Strategist, she offers the following:
• Look at things with new eyes.
• Hear with new ears. Listen to the world outside of
yourself for a change.
• Ask questions and start learning from people you
might not usually consider as resources.
• Stop saying or thinking “No.” Be more open to possi-
bilities.
• Keep things in perspective and, at the same time, try to
expand your horizons.
• 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 “nor-
mal” places.
• Draw heavily on personal resources—remember the
content of your dreams. Your unconscious may some-
times 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
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. Brain-
storming, 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.
• Criticism of any ideas is not allowed
• Freewheeling and wild ideas are welcomed
• The emphasis is on generating a large number of ideas
• Participants should build on the ideas of others
“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 then thoroughly discussed and shaped into a comprehen-
also important. The ideal number of participants, for exam- sive campaign.
ple, is four to seven, and the session should be no longer PETCO and Durex provide two examples of how
than 2 hours. In addition, it’s a good idea to brief partici- brainstorming can lead to a creative program.
pants 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 recom-
mend 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 prob-
lem 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.

You don’t necessarily need a small group to do brain-

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
storming. 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 visu-
alize 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 gen-
erate 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 The following tactics for making news are also
News explored in more depth in this section: (1) special events,
(2) contests, (3) polls and surveys, (4) top 10 lists, (5) prod-
3.5 Describe the nine different ways of creating uct demonstrations, (6) stunts, (7) rallies and protests,
interesting news (8) personal appearances, and (9) awards.
You, too, can create news in a variety of ways. The Tips for
Success lists 32 methods for generating news that can be 3.5.1: Special Events
applied to any number of topics.
Any number of events are created or staged to attract
media attention and make the public aware of a new prod-
uct, service, or idea. This goes back to the concept of the
“triggering event” that becomes the catalyst for individu-
Tips for Success als to adopt new ideas or modify their behavior.
It is less certain, however, what exactly constitutes a
32 Ways to Create News for Your “special event.” Some say that any event that is out of the
Organization 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 cre-
ativity 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 stu-
dents 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 lo-
cal groups,
2. produced a public service announcement,
3. announced the opening festivities on Twitter, Face-
book, 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

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 cata-
lyst 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’ commu-
nities. 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 un-
veiled the world’s largest piece of chocolate. The 12-foot-
high 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 Man-
dela 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 cele-
brate the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, also used a
highly visible approach. At the start of the New York Inter-
national 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 anniver-
sary 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
Finding and Making News 51
imagery may draw camera crews quicker than an inter-
state 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 safe-
driving 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 digi-
tal 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 informa-
tional 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 regula-
tions 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 sur-
veys is “a uniquely American trait—a weakness for per-
sonal 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 rela-
tive to our friends and neighbors.”
Given this media and public interest, many organi-
zations 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
Nancy Hicks, a senior vice president of Hill & Knowl-
that “publicity-driven research” is one of the most effec-
ton, says surveys and polls can be marvelous publicity
tive ways for an organization to get media coverage and
opportunities if a few guidelines are followed. In an article
position itself as a market leader. In addition, surveys
for PR Tactics, she gives the following suggestions:
have high credibility because quantitative data is per-
ceived as accurate. It should be noted, however, that not • THE TOPIC should be timely, have news value, and
all surveys are created equal. Online surveys, in par- fit the needs of the organization.
ticular, are not very reliable and are less acceptable to • THE RESEARCH FIRM should be one that has credi-
the media because respondents self-select themselves bility with journalists. That’s why many commis-
to participate. sioned surveys are done by the Gallup Organization or
Here are some examples of polls and surveys that have similar nationally known firms.
generated media coverage: • THE SURVEY QUESTIONS should be framed to
elicit newsworthy findings.

Hicks also suggests paying attention to how the mate-

rial 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

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.
3.5.4: Top 10 Lists
A good alternative to polls and surveys is to simply com-
pile 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
Finding and Making News 53
magazines also get into the act by compiling a list of the
“Top 10 College Basketball Players” or the “Top 10 News-
makers” of the year. Briggs & Stratton, a leading manufac-
turer 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 Cali-
fornia Association of Winegrowers issued a news release
on Earth Day, for example, giving the “Top 10 Reasons Cal-
ifornia Wines Are an Eco-Friendly Choice.” A San Fran-
cisco public relations firm even got 8 inches in The Wall
Street Journal for its “Top 10 Most Humiliating Public Rela-
tions 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
The objective of a product demonstration is to have con-
sumers or media representatives actually see how a prod-
uct 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 dis-
play 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 posting video updates, and conducting media interviews
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 & Shoul-
ders 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 post-
ing 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 crea-
tive thinking. A classic example is how the Queensland
Tourist Authority (Australia) generated worldwide public-
ity 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,
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 Interna-
tional 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 volley-
ball 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 compli-
cated. 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 onlook-
ers to speculate on what was in it. Turns out that the box
publicized the company’s growing stable of delivery lock-
ers 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 Chal-
lenge, 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 pub-
licity, 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 chal-
lenge their friends to follow their example within 24 hours.

The Ice Bucket Challenge became a phenomenon prac-
tically overnight. In no time, the highly visible act of getting
doused by a bucket of ice water took over Facebook time-
lines, 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, suc-
ceeded 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 illus-
trates 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 under-
wear company, for example, “love bombed” North Korea
with 450 pairs of pink underpants dropped from a hotel bal-
cony, calling them “weapons of mass seduction.” The moni-
ker 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 crit-
ics 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 criti-
cized for being insensitive by launching a hot-air balloon
Finding and Making News 55
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 tradi-
tional news values, discussed earlier, is conflict. Some ral-
lies involve thousands of protestors, such as a series of
rallies throughout the United States to protest proposed
legislation restricting the legal status of Hispanic immi-
grants. 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 publi-
cize their cause. The Save Darfur Coalition, for example,
organizes small groups of protestors to “picket” the offices
of financial institutions and corporations that have invest-
ments in Sudan. They carry signs about companies con-
doning genocide and show graphic photos of victims.
Few television stations or newspapers can resist cover-
ing 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 dem-
onstrations are somewhat spontaneous events, the reality is
that they are usually well planned and organized. The manu-
als of activist groups, for example, give guidelines on every-
thing 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. Promi-
nence, 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 Cru-
saders 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.
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 tel-
evision 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 get-
ting 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 morn-
ing, two AFFTA representatives—clad in boots, waders,
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 inter-
view 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 organiza-
tion by giving and receiving awards. The California Phar-
macists 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
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.

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.
Summary: Finding and Making News
Finding and Making News 57
WRITING PROMPT
The text gives nine ways to create news, including the use of public-
ity 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.
Submit
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 clean-
ers 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.
Post 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
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 rela-
tionships with journalists, editors, and bloggers who cover
your organization or industry. It’s a major activity in pub-
lic relations work. Although public relations work now
includes many other functions—such as reputation man-
agement, 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
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
A survey by PRWeek, for example, found that media
relations were the number one activity performed by cor-
porate 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 blog-
gers representing traditional mass media and various
online news sites.
This chapter explores the symbiotic relationship
between publicists and journalists from several perspec-
tives. First we explore how publicists and journalists
depend on each other. Then we examine various com-
plaints 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

your organization’s message. We discuss guidelines for
giving effective media interviews, organizing news con-
ferences, 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
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 sev-
eral times a day.
4.2.1: The Media’s Dependence on
Public Relations
The reality of mass communications today is that report-
ers and editors spend most of their time processing infor-
mation, 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 con-
stant 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
Working with Journalists and Bloggers 59
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 Wash-
ington 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
All this amounts to what O. H. Gandy calls “informa-
tion subsidies” to the press. In his book, Beyond Agenda Set-
ting: 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 some-
thing 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 con-
tent such as videos and tweets posted by individual con-
sumers or produced by the public relations staff of
various organizations.
60 Chapter 4
The following points summarize how public relations
personnel help journalists.
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 mes-
sages 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 mil-
lions 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 mil-
lion in contrast to a much more fragmented audience using
a variety of news websites.
The multiplier effect of traditional media is also evi-
dent 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
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 fil-
ters 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
Media gatekeepers give your information credibil-
ity 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 tradi-
tional 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

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 practi-
tioners and journalists, including bloggers who cover spe-
cific 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.
4.3.1: Complaints about Public
Relations Personnel
POORLY WRITTEN MATERIAL Journalists and popular
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 “revolution-
ary, “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the art,” (3) include too
much jargon, and (4) contain verbose sentences and para-
graphs 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 fur-
ther 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-
Working with Journalists and Bloggers 61
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 gim-
micks 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 col-
umnist Benedict Carver says these items are dull and over-
done: “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 inter-
ested. 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 sec-
onds of a phone call or in the first two lines of an email.
Tips for Success
How to Make Journalists and
Bloggers Happy
These guidelines can help you to write a news release that is
both appreciated and used.
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 fact-
checking, 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 intelli-
gent 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 organiza-
tion’s perspective.
SENSATIONALISM Competition among all media is
extremely intense; there’s always pressure to attract read-
ers and viewers with stories that simplify complex issues,
concentrate on the negative, and emphasize the highly vis-
ual aspects of conflict. Consequently, public relations per-
sonnel often complain that the protest demonstration or
the highly inflammatory rhetoric of criticism often gets
more coverage than the countering viewpoint of the organ-
ization 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 promi-
nently 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 out-
lets, in order to counter the decline in advertising and
subscription revenues, now accept payment from an organ-
ization 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 per-
ceives 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 manipu-
lation. They use the derogatory term “flack” for spokesper-
sons 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 jour-
nalists, for example, would resent being called a “hack”?
WRITING PROMPT
There is often friction between public relations personnel and jour-
nalists. 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
 Working with Journalists and Bloggers 63

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, includ-
ing 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 ser-
vices or products. Thus, distributing information and help-
ing reporters get direct answers from news sources are
opportunities to develop positive working relationships,
as are the more personal press interviews, news confer-
ences, 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 busi-
ness dealing, preparation is compulsory.” This section pro-
vides 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 guide-
lines 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 par-
ticular 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
Shotgun distribution is as annoying to bloggers as it is for
journalists who work in print media. Keep the following guide-
lines in mind when you’re planning on approaching a blogger
with a story, and they may be more receptive to future pitches
As previously mentioned, the blogosphere has had as well.
a significant impact on traditional media relations. The
influence of the blogosphere means that public relations
professionals now include key bloggers—citizen jour-
nalists as well as journalists who blog on behalf of their
publication or news site—in their media relations out-
reach 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, organ-
ized 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 Gen-
eral Mills invited 30 “mommy” bloggers to its headquar-
ters 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 fol-
lowing tips on working with journalists and bloggers from
Nick Kolakowski, a writer for Slashdot:

• 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
4.4.2: Media Etiquette
name The points discussed constitute the core of effective media
• Don’t pitch stories with no news value just because the relations, but there is also a basic etiquette that should be
client asks observed when dealing with any member of the media.

• Work on developing long-term relationships even if FOLLOW-UP PHONE CALLS Don’t call a reporter or an
the reporter turns down your latest story idea editor and say, “Did you get my news release?” Such an
 Working with Journalists and Bloggers 65

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 exclu-
sive story and you need to know if the reporter is inter-
ested 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 mis-
quote 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 broad-
cast, 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, par-
ticularly if the topic is complex, but others will decline.
Tips for Success
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

Correcting Errors in News Stories
the purpose is to discuss a possible story or to give a
News coverage isn’t always objective, factual, or accurate. Mis-
background briefing on some upcoming event. You need
takes happen, and it is likely that you or your employer will have
to be well prepared to give concise information and
complaints on occasion about inaccurate and unfair news cov-
answer questions because reporters don’t have time for
erage. The following are some approaches you can take:
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 expen-
sive restaurant.

GIFT GIVING Many organizations give reporters a sou-

venir 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-sec-
ond statement on television. Many media interviews are
one-on-one but, at times, you may be speaking before a for-
est of microphones and cameras, which can be somewhat
intimidating (see Figure 4.1).
As a spokesperson, you must correctly reflect the offi-
cial stance of the organization, but this can raise some con-
cerns 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 dis-
cussed 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 me-
dia is not considered their personal opinion but manage-
ment’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 spokes-
persons 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 exam-
ple, took this approach when CEO Steve Jobs was diag-
nosed 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 state-
ments about Jobs’ health saying it was a “private matter,”
but many stockholders and financial analysts thought it
violated the Securities & Exchange Commission’s require-
ment regarding the full disclosure of any “material infor-
mation” 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 Pater-
son. He resigned after the governor was involved in a scan-
dal charging that he used his influence to suppress charges
of domestic violence against one of his closest aides. Kauff-
mann announced that he could no longer “in good con-
science” 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 gover-
nor’s press secretary, Marissa Shorenstein, also resigned
her $154,000 job for the same reasons.
appropriate for your organization and decline to be inter-
viewed. For example, the reporter may ask you to com-
ment 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 top-
ics. 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 com-
pletely 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.

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 mislead-
ing? 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 not-
ing 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
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 impor-
tant. 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 Rap-
port Communications, is to be assertive and avoid being
defensive, passive, submissive, or aggressive.
Grooming and dress are also important in a television WRITING PROMPT
program or videos posted on organizational websites or A reporter from the local daily is going to interview you about your
even YouTube. Men should wear suits or sports jackets that company’s position on raising the minimum hourly age for workers.
What things should you keep in mind as you prepare for this inter-
have muted colors and avoid white shirts or flashy ties. view? What tips would you also keep in mind as you answer the
Pale blue, gray, or tan shirts with no noticeable pattern are reporter’s questions?
best. Women should dress conservatively in dresses or
suits. Any jewelry that dangles, jingles, or flashes should The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
be avoided, and makeup should be the kind that is nor-
your instructor.
mally worn for business. For any television appearance,
the producer may suggest some makeup. This should not
Submit
be resisted; even the nation’s presidents have used it.
 Working with Journalists and Bloggers 69

4.6: News Conferences A news conference can be conducted in person or via a

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.
teleconference or a webcast, as discussed in the next sec-
tions. 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 person-
nel 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 confer-
ences:

• 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 4.6.1: Standard News Conferences
are many media requests for interviews. The following information is about the planning of a stand-
• A complex issue or situation is to be announced, and ard news conference. In times of crisis and natural disas-
the media need access to someone who can answer ters, news conferences are much more informal and held
their questions. without much advance notice.
In other words, don’t use news conferences to make SCHEDULING A NEWS CONFERENCE The news con-
routine announcements that are self-explanatory and don’t ference should be scheduled at a time that is convenient for
require elaboration. A better approach is to just distribute a the reporters—that is, with an eye on the deadlines of the
news release or post the information on the organization’s media represented. In general, Tuesday, Wednesday, or
website or social media platforms. Thursday mornings are best for dailies and broadcast
70 Chapter 4
media. This allows sufficient time for reporters to get sto-
ries in the next morning’s daily or on the 6 p.m. news. If the
primary audience is the trade press—reporters represent-
ing 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 broad-
cast 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 Asso-
ciated Press (AP) bureau in major cities often maintains a
“day book” of upcoming events, including news confer-
ences that have already been scheduled.
SELECTING A LOCATION A location for a news confer-
ence must meet several criteria.
INVITATIONS The invitation list should include all
reporters and influential bloggers who might be interested
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.
If the news conference will also be broadcast live via sat-
ellite 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 regard-
ing 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
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 vis-
ual 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
 Working with Journalists and Bloggers 71

of one question and follow-up per person. This ensures A teleconference or Webcast can be effective for several
that more people can ask a question rather than having one reasons. First, it is a cost-effective way to interact with
or two reporters dominate the session. The other consider- reporters on a somewhat one-to-one basis. Second, it is
ation is to keep on track. Reporters often take the opportu- convenient for the media. Rather than taking time to travel
nity to ask oddball questions that distract from the stated to and from a news conference, reporters can participate
purpose and objectives of the new conference. from their desks. Third, conference calls and Webcasts can
Coffee, fruit juice, and rolls can be served prior to the generate more “attendance” by journalists in other cities.
opening of a morning news conference. Avoid trying to Here are some guidelines for holding a teleconference
serve a luncheon or cocktails to reporters attending a news or Webcast:
conference. They have deadlines and other assignments
• Invite reporters and key bloggers to participate in
and don’t have time to socialize.
advance.
AFTER THE CONFERENCE Immediately after the news • The teleconference or Webcast should last no more
conference, the spokespeople should remain in the room than 45 to 60 minutes.
and be available for any reporters who need one-on-one • Remember time zones when scheduling such an event.
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 pre- 4.7: Media Tours and
pare their stories. Make sure you know how to reach exec-
utives who were part of the presentation, just in case a
Other Events
reporter needs to check a fact or get another quote. 4.7a Express the purpose and the types of media tours
It’s also time to “package” the news conference by pre-
paring short video clips for distribution through social 4.7b Describe occasions for which previews and junkets
media platforms, employee intranets, news websites, are appropriate
blogs, and through a B-roll available via the Internet or sat-
4.7c Express the purpose and protocol for editorial
ellite to television stations. The extent of the media out-
board meetings
reach, however, depends on the nature of the topic and the
level of public interest. GM, for example, did extensive Media tours are popular because an organization’s execu-
“packaging” of the CEO’s news conferences about product tive can give personalized interviews with TV news
defects and the company’s massive recall program. anchors across the country from one location. In late-­
breaking news, TV anchors often do a Skype interview
4.6.2: Teleconferences and Webcasts from a person’s desk. In a media tour, however, the organi-
zation’s executive will often go to a TV studio that will do
A news conference can also be held via phone (teleconfer-
a two-way satellite “feed” to the TV station.
ence) 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.

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 con-
ference, 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 work-
ing 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
Of course, an account executive from the public rela-
in person or via a satellite media tour. The publicist also will
tions firm goes on the media tour and coordinates all the
arrange local print media interviews, to capitalize on the idea
logistics.
that a “local” angle often gets more media attention.
A good example of how a personalized media tour 4.7.2: Previews and Parties
works is a marketing communications program conducted
on behalf of Step Reebok, an adjustable device for step Three basic situations warrant a press preview or party:
training. The objective was to promote the product and 1. the opening of a new facility,
physical fitness in general. Rich Boggs, founder of Sports 2. the launch of a new product, and
Step and creator of the adjustable step, was an ideal spokes-
3. the announcement of a new promotion for an already
person. He went on a 14-city media tour to promote step
established product.
training and his product. Because physical fitness was top-
ical and trendy, he was able to get on 24 different TV news Journalists are often invited to tour a new facility before it
and talk shows, 4 of which were national. He also gave 21 is open to the general public. This allows them to prepare sto-
radio interviews and was the subject of more than 20 news- ries that will appear one or two days before the grand open-
paper feature articles. The media tour, a key element in an ing. From a public relations standpoint, this kind of coverage
overall marketing communications program, led to a 45 helps generate public awareness of the new facility and often
percent increase in sales of Step Reebok. A comparable increases opening-day crowds. Theme park Dollywood, for
advertising campaign would have cost almost $750,000. example, invited the press to preview a new ride called “River
Battle” before the ride opened to the public. The invitation,
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING The second purpose of a
sent to reporters via first-class mail, noted, “Media check-in
media tour is to cultivate relationships with influential
begins at 9 a.m. at Dollywood’s front gate. Please present this
members of the media that may result in more continuous
invitation for complimentary parking. Lunch will be served.
coverage over the long term. An organization’s officials
RSVP by April 4th to dollywoodsvp@dollywood.com.”
visit key editors to acquaint them with the organization
Demonstrations of new products also lend themselves
and what products or services it provides. This is called a
to press previews. This is particularly true in high technol-
desktop tour in reference to the editor’s or reporter’s desk,
ogy, where sophisticated products can be put through their
but in reality it usually takes place in a conference room or
paces by the engineers who developed them. Many com-
at a local Starbucks. Unlike the first kind of tour, which
panies have a press preview of their products just before a
focuses on the general media, these tours primarily involve
major trade show. The advantage is that reporters from all
publications that cover specific industries. At times, a desk-
over the country are already gathered in one place. New
top tour is also used to reach financial analysts who track a
campaigns for old products also generate their share of
specific industry and make stock recommendations.
press previews and parties. The Champagne Wine Infor-
It would be difficult to get representatives from national
mation Bureau, for example, invited food and wine jour-
business and trade publications to visit the offices of a small
nalists to a tasting at the Bubble Lounge in New York to
company. Yet by taking the president, the director of public
kick off Champagne Week, a nationwide promotion.
relations, and perhaps the chief financial officer to the pub-
Previews may also include a cocktail party or a dinner.
lication in person or via a teleconference, it’s possible to
One national company combined a press preview of its new
arrange an interactive meeting with the editors. Your pres-
headquarters building with a party that included cocktails
entation may not result in a story immediately, but you will
and dinner. This kind of event falls into the category of rela-
have laid the groundwork for future coverage.
tionship building and networking. It allows company exec-
THE ROLE OF A PR FIRM Public relations firms often are utives to meet reporters in a casual atmosphere. Ultimately,
hired to arrange media tours. this helps executives feel more relaxed when a reporter they

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 gener-
ate 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 cock-
tails on the hotel’s rooftop lounge and wrote a half-page
story a month before the hotel opened. The story gener-
ated strong pre-opening buzz among the Journal’s 1.9 mil-
lion 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 pas-
sengers and 2,100 crew members.
Working with Journalists and Bloggers 73
Although all-expense-paid junkets are a well-estab-
lished practice, journalists remain somewhat divided
about the ethics of participating in them. Some feel the
acceptance of free trips is a corrupting influence on jour-
nalistic 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 suffi-
ciently newsworthy. Still other media outlets, smaller and
less wealthy, have no qualms whatsoever about accepting
free trips.
As a consequence, public relations people must care-
fully consider all aspects of sponsoring a junket and deter-
mine 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 Profes-
sional Journalists (SPJ) and the Public Relations Society of
America (PRSA).
Arranging media tours and junkets is not as glamor-
ous as many people might think. Your job as a public rela-
tions staffer is to take care of virtually everything—airline
tickets, press kits, itineraries, hotel rooms, local transporta-
tion, event tickets, menus, and even special requests from
somewhat jaded journalists who expect first-class treat-
ment. 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 over-
looked 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 jun-
ket 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, environmen-
tal 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 publi-
cation’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 long-
term relationships.
Joan Stewart, writing in PR Tactics, says there are five
reasons for meeting with key editors or the entire edito-
rial 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 con-
troversial news story. Meeting with the board before
the story appears gives you a chance to provide back-
ground and context, so the publication can do a better
job of reporting the story.
3. The newspaper has been printing unfavorable editori-
als 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 back-
ground 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 accom-
plish 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 organ-
ization 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 ordi-
nary 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.”

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 legis-
lature 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 disci-
pline 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 com-
pany, industry, or product is in jeopardy. Economic sur-
vival 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.
Working with Journalists and Bloggers 75
“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-in-
the-Box, for example, violated the tenets of crisis communi-
cations 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 pres-
ident 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 organi-
zation 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 reas-
sure 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 rela-
tions 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 in-
tense 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
Summary: Working with Journalists and Bloggers
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.
 Working with Journalists and Bloggers 77

Shared Writing: Working with

Journalists and Bloggers
What causes the most friction between public relations personnel
and journalists? Is there a solution?

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to post and earn points. After posting, your
response can be viewed by your class and
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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
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 major-
ity 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
78
5.4 Review the seven basic components of a
news release
5.5 Describe the different news release formats
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 min-
ute 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 for-
mat. Second, you must provide information that will inter-
est 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 vari-
ous 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 for-
mat the standard, traditional news release and how the for-
mat 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

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, ser-
vices, 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 man-
ufacturer 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.
“What’s the purpose of a press release? It’s not to get peo-
ple to read the press release. It’s to sell a product, stock, or
image. A press release is a vehicle to complete that trans-
action, whatever your campaign may be.”
— Sandra Azzollini, Web manager for PR Newswire
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 credi-
bility. News releases appear in the news columns of news-
papers, 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 buy-
ing 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 Ink-
house 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 distri-
bution services:
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
Writing the News Release 79
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.
“A recent survey of journalists by Atlanta PR firm Arketi
Group found news releases are used by 90 percent of busi-
ness journalists as sources for story ideas.”
— Craig McGuire, PRWeek
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, Face-
book, 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 report-
ers, and use as a reference.” Many public relations practi-
tioners also disagree that the news release is dead.
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
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 appoint-
ment 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 cli-
ents 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
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 fol-
lowing questions:
• What key messages should this news release high-
light? How can they be tailored to the format of a spe-
cific publication and its readers?
These questions enable you to select and structure the
content of a news release from a public relations perspec-
tive. The release can still meet the journalistic goal of pre-
senting 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 jour-
nalist. 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 accom-
plish its objectives, but the effort is often wasted if the informa-
tion 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:

• 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 execu-
tives 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 SOURCE: Young, S. (2011, February 9). “Deciding What’s News: Six
Questions to Determine If Your Story Is Newsworthy.” Retrieved from
the objective to inform, to change attitudes and behav- www.getinfrontcommunications.com.
ior, or to increase attendance at a local event?
 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,
5.4: The Basic Components
including those about news values, still apply. Like a jour-
nalist, a public relations writer needs to include the five Ws
of a News Release
and one H: who, what, when, where, why, and how. If you 5.4 Review the seven basic components of a news
have the answers to these questions at your fingertips, you release
are ready to begin. In addition, you need to be thoroughly The news release has seven components: (1) release template,
familiar with the Associated Press Stylebook. It’s the standard (2) headline, (3) dateline, (4) lead paragraph, (5) body of text,
reference for writing news releases because most American (6) boilerplate about the organization, and (7) contacts.
newspapers use “AP style” or some variation of it. If a See if you can identify which of these components are
news release conforms to AP style, it makes the work of shown in Figure 5.1.
reporters and editors much easier.

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 on-
line 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.
82 Chapter 5

5.4.1: News Release Template Headlines have to be factual, devoid of hype, and
offer something of value or interest to the reader. A good
Many organizations use their letterhead or a standard news
axiom is to always test your proposed headline by the “So
release template for the first page. The template often gives
what?” and “Who cares?” criteria. If the answer is no one,
the name of the organization and its logo, address, telephone
start over.
number, and website. The name and contact information of
The format is easier than the writing. In general, news
the public relations person is also included by various
releases should contain a headline of 10 words or less.
organizations, but the standard today is to list the contact at
Other professionals say they should be a maximum of 50 to
the end of the news release to ensure that the news release
70 characters. In either case, make headlines boldface and
headline gets top billing. In an online news release, for
in a larger font (14 or 16 point) than the text of the news
example, the copy above the “fold” (what fills the page on
release. Here are some examples:
the computer screen) gets the most attention from journal-
ists and search engines. This is related to SEO, or search Merck Develops New Drug for Asthma Sufferers
engine optimization, which will be discussed shortly. Comcast Donates $250,000 to Tornado Relief Efforts
The phrase “For Immediate Release” was often used in Southwest Airlines Names New Vice President of Cargo
the past but has now been dropped because it’s not rele- & Charters
vant in the digital age of instant 24/7 news. There are
ADDING A SUMMARY STATEMENT Most news
times, however, that a writer will request a specific release
releases today also include a subhead that is also called a
time, such as “For Release after 1 p.m. on March 31.” This
summary. It’s basically a synopsis of the information con-
is often done when the release is an advance summary of a
tained in the release. There are two reasons for including a
speech or an award that will be given the next day. The
summary in your news release. First, it gives reporters and
primary reason is that unplanned things happen. The
editors a quick preview of the key information. Second,
speaker or award recipient, because of a plane delay or
search engines such as Google or aggregators like Digg
another emergency, may not show up. In such a case, the
often display only the headline, the summary, and a link to
media would look foolish reporting on a speech or an
the news release, so it’s wise to have the core information
award that was never given.
summarized for search engine optimization (SEO). This is
On occasion, an organization will attempt to “embargo”
further explained the Online News Release section.
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.

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 read-
ing. It’s better, for example, to write “15 Ways to Study for a
Test” than have a headline that says, “Research Shows Stu-
dents 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 head-
line as read the body copy. When you have written your
headline, you have spent 80 cents of your dollar.” Figure 5.2 shows the content summarized in the sub-
— David Ogilvy, a legend in the advertising business head of this eBay news release.
 Writing the News Release 83

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.
84 Chapter 5
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 sim-
ply the city where the release originated, in all capital let-
ters, followed by the date. You don’t have to mention the
state if a major city such as CHICAGO is used, but the cur-
rent Associated Press (AP) style for smaller cities is to use
state abbreviations instead of the U.S. Post Office designa-
tions. 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 para-
graph. 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 News-
letter Editor’s Desk Book, says the trick to good lead writ-
ing 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 high-
tech release, often clutter up a lead paragraph with unnec-
essary 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 partici-
pating in this exciting event.
This lead is cluttered in several ways. First, it’s not nec-
essary 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 subse-
quent paragraph.
Clutter also occurs when a writer tries to put too many
of the five Ws and one H in the lead paragraph. The solu-
tion 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 sing-
along 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 bil-
lion, is an effort to consolidate the worldwide distri-
bution 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 sum-
mary lead is preferred. Here are some examples:

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.
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 sec-
tions. These news releases are topical but are not as time
sensitive as announcement releases.
Read the examples and consider how they “hook” the
reader.
Writing the News Release 85
GENERAL LEAD CHARACTERISTICS The mechanics of
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 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 para-
graph, 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 infor-
mation 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.
Tips for Success
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 differenti-
ate 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.
You should constantly edit your news release to
remove excess words and make every word count. Consci-
entious editing will help you condense inflated sentences.
Compare the example of excess verbiage below with
the rewrite.
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.
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 “world-
class,” “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 state-
ment 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
Tips for Success
specializes in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, Ken-
tucky Grilled Chicken® and Extra Crispy™ Tenders,
Rules for Writing a News Release
Hot Wings™, Go Cups, Famous Bowls, Pot Pies, All news releases should be “news centered.” Here is a list of
freshly made chicken sandwiches, biscuits, and home- guidelines adapted from Schubert Communications, a Pennsyl-
style side items. There are more than 18,000 KFC out- vania public relations firm, and supplemented with other sources.
lets 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 Face-
book (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 web-
site 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 que-
ries 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 sim-
ply 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 com-
pany 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
jhoff@eBay.com

Or

Edelman for eBay

Ray Delgado, +1 786-387-8330
reynaldo.delgado@edelman.com

The Tips for Success below summarizes the Do’s and

Don’ts of writing an effective news release.
88 Chapter 5
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 state-
ment? Why or why not?
The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.
Submit
5.5: News Release
Formats
5.5 Describe the different news release formats
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 ori-
ented. The Tips for Success reveals that online news
releases are shorter, for example, than ones distributed by
first class mail.
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.
• 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.
5.5.1: The Traditional News Release
The traditional news release, as pointed out at the begin-
ning 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 for-
matting rules are as follows:
• 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. Unjusti-
fied right margins are acceptable.
• Number the pages of a news release.
 Writing the News Release 89

• Place a slug line (a short description) at the top of each because any characters after that are often cut-off in Google
page after the first one. This identifies the story in case search results.
the pages get separated. A cruise line, for example, might want to publicize
• Write “more” at the end of each page if the news its “eco-friendly” tours, but most people would probably
release continues. use the term “green cruises” in a search. Therefore, the
• Use “###” at the end of your news release. This has cruise line should use “green” as a keyword in its news
replaced the old journalistic “-30-” release. Or a university may want to publicize a major
fundraising campaign as part of its “University Advance-
ment” activities, but most people don’t use this some-
5.5.2: The Online News Release what jargonized term. So the university should probably
The major turning point for the traditional news release just use “fundraising,” “donations,” or “gifts” as a key-
format was probably in 1996 when the Internet made news word in the news release headline and in the body of the
releases available to everyone, not just journalists. As a story. The headline might say, “Ohio State Launches
result, today’s standard is the online news release that can Major Fundraising Campaign for Donations.” Anyone
reach virtually anyone via a search engine, a website, or an using the words “Ohio State” and “Donations” or “Fund-
emailed copy. Figures 5.1 and 5.2 are both examples of raising” would probably come across the news release in
online news releases. a search.
The basic components of the traditional news release “From press materials to the blog posts that we recom-
are still present in an online release, but online releases mend our clients write, we always keep an eye on SEO
have certain characteristics and guidelines: because Google is the place where everyone starts these
days.”
• Copy is now single spaced instead of double spaced.
— Todd Defren, principal with Boston-based Shift
• The ideal length is 200 to 250 words. ­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 deter-
mining whether a recipient clicks “open” or “delete.”
In one study by Greentarget, 80 percent of the journal-
ists 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 attach-
ments 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 con-
ducts a search on Google, Bing, or Yahoo!. Another SEO Once you have identified some key words, you need to
tactic is using one or two keywords within the headline build them into the news release. Adam Sherk, writing in
and making sure they appear in the first 65–80 characters, 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 vari-
ation
First Paragraph
• Include the main keyword phrase in the first para-
graph, 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. Goog-
le’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.
Submit
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 capabil-
ity, it’s now possible to embed a news release with high-
resolution 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 web-
site. Other links will be to blogs, an organization’s online
newsroom, and even a space where readers can post com-
ments about the news release. In other words, the multime-
dia 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 summa-
ries, 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 edi-
tors, 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 popu-
lation 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 pro-
cesses images faster than text.
 Writing the News Release 91

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)
92 Chapter 5
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 re-
tweeted 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 rele-
vant, 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 noth-
ing of distribution. Adding a single photo to a release dis-
tributed 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 evi-
dence 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) pho-
tos 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.
 Writing the News Release 93

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 text-
only news release.
94 Chapter 5

WRITING PROMPT
Tips for Success Why is the multimedia news release more effective than just a text-
only news release? Can you think of a situation where adding visuals
How to Prepare a Multimedia News or audio would not make the release more effective? Explain.

Release The response entered here will appear in the

When preparing a multimedia release, keep in mind that performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.
“more” doesn’t always equal “better.” Here are some tips to
help you stay focused on your main objective for the release.
Submit

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, includ-
ing 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.

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 communi-
cation has limited the number of characters used in mes-
sages, and it has spurred on a ‘less is more’ way of com-
munication 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 rel-
evant 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
Summary: Writing the News Release
Writing the News Release 95
release can also be restructured, be made more conversa-
tional, 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.
Submit
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 informa-
tion 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.

Post 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
6.3 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 pro-
grams. 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 organiza-
tion. 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 journal-
ists 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 attend-
ance and coverage. Assignment editors use media ad-
visories 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
6.4 Describe different types of media kits
6.5 Analyze the steps of an effective news item
pitch and different formats to use
are often assembled for major events and the intro-
duction 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 develop-
ment 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 announce-
ments, (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
97
98 Chapter 6

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.

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.
6.2.1: Event or Exhibit
Announcements
A fact sheet for an upcoming event, exhibit, or even trade
show would use boldface headings to give such basic
information as:
• 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 situ-
ation, the Field Museum of Chicago prepared a basic
fact sheet about the opening of a new exhibit on the evo-
lution of maps through history. The fact sheet gave (1)
the dates of the exhibit, (2) the number of maps on dis-
play, (3) a short description of some rare maps on exhibit,
(4) hours of the exhibit, (5) admission fees, (6) the muse-
um’s address and telephone numbers, and (7) the corpo-
rate 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 sum-
mary of outcomes such as 490,000 general admission tick-
ets sold, (2) an overview of the museum’s facilities and
current exhibits, (3) the history and architecture of its facil-
ity, 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 pro-
vided a basic fact sheet on its website that gave a thumb-
nail 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:
Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches 99
• Organization’s full name and headquarters address
• Products and services produced
• Markets served
• Annual revenues
• Stock market ticker or symbol
• Number of employees
• Name of CEO
• 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 over-
view of the company’s extensive operations. The introduc-
tory 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 Inves-
tor Tools.
Toshiba takes a different approach. It has a 24-page
corporate profile that summarizes its corporate philoso-
phy, its worldwide products and services, company his-
tory, 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.
100 Chapter 6

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.

A variation on the traditional fact sheet is informa-
tion presented in a question-and-answer format. This for-
mat, often used on websites, is called an FAQ for
“frequently asked questions.” HP, for example, supple-
mented its Internet news release on a new printer with an
FAQ that answered typical consumer questions about the
new product.
WRITING PROMPT
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.
Submit
 Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches 101

6.3: Media Advisories • Date

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 per-
spective. 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 ele-
ments 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 advi-
sory might contain most or all of the following elements:
• 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 soften-
ers, used a typical media advisory, or media alert, to
announce the unveiling of an art installation at a Bronx Laun-
dromat 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 loca-
tion 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.
 Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches 103

For web news conferences, the media advisory lets

reporters know how and when they can sign on to the
6.4: Media Kits
webcast for the event. Advisories also are sent regarding 6.4 Describe different types of media kits
satellite media tours by experts and celebrities.
A media kit, also called a press kit, is usually prepared for
Another kind of media advisory lets reporters and
major events and new product launches. Its purpose is to give
editors know about an interview opportunity. Korbel
editors and reporters a variety of information and resources
Champagne Cellars, for example, let journalists know that
that will make it easier for reporters to write about the topic.
its “marriage proposal” expert was available for inter-
A basic media kit may include the following items:
views during a 2-week period in July. The “interview
opportunity” even suggested five other timely topics that • a main news release
he could discuss. Korbel also sent print media and broad- • a news feature story
cast stations in the Dallas area an advisory that a Dallas • fact sheets on the product, organization, or event
couple was one of the three finalists in its “perfect pro-
• photos and drawings with captions
posal contest.” Also made available to the press was a
• biographical material on the senior executive
photo of the actual marriage proposal on the stage of the
Palace Theatre in New York where “Aida” was playing. • video clips
And finally, the advisory let the editors know that the couple • contacts for more information, and
was available for interviews. • links to relevant websites
Although there is the standard format of what, when,
Creating media kits, like many public relations activi-
where, who, and why in a media alert, the additional infor-
ties, is a team process. It takes writers, photographers,
mation provided depends on the event or announcement.
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 fea-
ture 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 pro-
vide all the basic information and resources the media
might need to cover a topic, as demonstrated by the fol-
lowing 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
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 jour-
nalists still prefer the convenience of scanning a media kit
in print form because it’s less hassle and faster than open-
ing up a series of digital files on a flash drive or an organi-
zation’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 Univer-
sity. 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 ques-
tions. 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,
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, well-
designed online press kits can have an ongoing shelf life
with constantly updated content.”
— Tom Becktold, senior vice president of Marketing,
Business Wire
Other advantages to digital media kits include (1) stor-
age 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 Coca-
Cola, 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 compo-
nents 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 back-
grounders 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 enter-
tainment reporters and editors simulations from its vari-
ous video games. Movie studios promote new films by
providing film clips, interviews with the stars, and pro-
duction 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.

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.
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.
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.
Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches 105
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 You-
Tube 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-resolu-
tion copy may be downloaded from the webpage for the online kit.
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
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. Edi-
tors, 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 pro-
duce 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 addi-
tion, 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 gener-
ated 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 pub-
lished 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) research-
ing the publication, broadcast show, or blog, (2) develop-
ing 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 maga-
zine a story about the challenges of a young couple combin-
ing 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 reader-
ship who find value in their content. Thus, the trick to
a perfect pitch is crafting a message that displays a pro-
found 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, for-
mat, 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. Famil-
iarize 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 sub-
ject matter often don’t have the same audience characteris-
tics. 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

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 pub-
licist 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 mem-
bers 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, co-
founder of Bad Pitch Blog, suggests six questions that pub-
lic relations professionals should ask themselves before
aiming a pitch at key bloggers:
Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches 107
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 network-
ing 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 pur-
chasing 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 maga-
zines, in particular, usually post a list of topics and special
issues planned for each week or month of the year. A news-
paper 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 “per-
fect gift” for Christmas. By the same token, a travel maga-
zine 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 informa-
tion. 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 hun-
dreds 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, includ-
ing these examples:

In sum, knowledge of the publication, the demograph- Subject Line The Story
ics of its audience, and its publishing schedule or plans are “Call it a display of Howly Mut- a dog wedding at a shopping center
crucial to a successful pitch. David Pogue of the New York trimony sealed with a sniff.” staged as a benefit for an animal
rescue group
Times expresses the frustration of many journalists. He told
“The Man Who Will End iPod an engineer who created a new
Ragan.com, “I get the idea that a lot of PR people inherit
Whiplash.” technique for searching music online
some database and they just blast everything to the whole
“Wearing Prada Can Be the Devil a hospital involved in spinal therapy
list and I cannot tell you what a waste of time that is. It just for Your Spine.” for women who injured their spines
turns the busy journalists against the person, that firm, and by lugging around ever-larger
designer handbags
that client.”
“Weather to Pack Sunscreen or a new online weather service and its
an Umbrella.” trip planner services
WRITING PROMPT “Veggies for Dessert? Blue new fruit and vegetable flavors for
Why is it necessary to do some research about a publication or Cheese Gelato!!” an ice cream store chain
broadcast show before writing a pitch to them? “Billion Dollar Dealmaker.” a cover story in Forbes magazine
about a young estate attorney
The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.
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,”
Submit
satisfies the keyword requirement and tells the receiver
exactly what the story is about. As Margo Mateas, presi-
dent of the Public Relations Training Company, writes in
6.5.2: The Email Pitch PR Tactics, “Writing a powerful media pitch doesn’t take
Once you’ve done your research, the next step is to write a a lot of words. It takes a lot of thought and planning. Put
succinct, attention-grabbing pitch that can be emailed to a your effort into being succinct and concise, and it will
reporter, broadcast producer, or a blogger. Email is the pay off.”
most popular way of pitching a reporter. According to a “Use the subject line to open the door, and the first two or
2014 survey of 500 journalists by Business Wire, about 70 three sentences to kick the door open and get invited in.”
percent of journalists prefer email pitches that are short — Gordon Deal, host of The Wall Street Journal This Morning
and to the point. broadcast news show
David Pogue of the New York Times provided Ragan.
com some examples of short email pitches. One of his BODY A pitch needs an enticing lead. That means that
favorites, which resulted in a story, was “David, my client you should avoid beginning a pitch with something
sells a laptop that can be dropped from 6 feet, get dunked trite, such as “I’m writing to inquire if you would be
 Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches 109

interested in a story about?...” That’s a good way to turn EXAMPLES OF PITCH LETTERS The following are two
off an editor. examples of how Mar Junge, CEO of C3PR in Sunnyvale, CA, tailored
a pitch letter to two different publications on behalf of client Emer-
The Ragan Report has published several articles on how
gency University after doing some research on the publications.
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?”
“Would you like to replace your
ex-husband with a plant?”
“Our CEO ran 16 Boston Mara-
thons...and now he thinks we
can walk a mile around the river.”
“You are cordially invited to the
Dirtiest Event in Boulder.”
a residence hall maintenance pro-
gram operated by students who
receive financial aid
a photographer who is an expert at
removing “exes” and other individu-
als from old photos
a CEO leading employees on a daily
walk instead of paying for expensive
gym memberships or trainers
staging a coal-dumping event to
show people how much fossil fuel it
takes to heat an average house

The slightly “smutty” approach

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

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 plas-
tics 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 jour-
nalist 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 “per-
sonalize” 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.

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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

media coverage. You have to be very good, do your home-
work, and target a specific broadcast program or publica-
tion. 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 nation-
al 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 Commu-
nications, 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 informa-
tion. The resulting segment, lasting 6 minutes, was a mix-
ologist 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 sto-
ries 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 con-
tacted about doing a story relating to other stories in the
news about personal training as a hot career option. Accord-
ing 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 organi-
zation can play a role in making that happen.” One key
message was that the American Council on Exercise certi-
fied personal trainers to ensure safety and proper training.
The result was that more than 30 outlets such as the Chi-
cago 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.
Preparing Fact Sheets, Advisories, Media Kits, and Pitches 111
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 real-
time 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-to-
voice, 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 tele-
phone pitch is appropriate if four guidelines are followed:
1. Be totally familiar with what topics the reporter cov-
ers 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 disad-
vantages. 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 pro-
vided 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 com-
mented in a LinkedIn discussion group, “I’ve pitched sev-
eral 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 any-
where else. It’s not easy. It takes research, a smart and rel-
evant 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 sug-
gest 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 dif-
ferent from the last three articles about similar subjects.
Despite your best efforts, however, you will face rejec-
tion on a daily basis. It’s part of the business and you
should not take it personally. As one public relations prac-
titioner 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.

Post 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 7.4 Identify the main components of a feature
release news release and the purpose of each
7.2 Describe six main types of feature stories 7.5 Distinguish the different categories of
placement opportunities for feature stories
7.3a Describe how to assess ideas for features
7.6 Interpret the importance of op-ed articles
7.3b Analyze the three main approaches to a
and letters to the editor
news feature

7.1: The Value of Features estate, automotive, technology—and most of them origi-
nate from public relations sources. Op-eds and letters to
7.1 Contrast a feature story with a basic news release the editor, in contrast, appear on a publication’s editorial
page and represent the viewpoint of an individual regard-
Perhaps the best way to show the value of news feature
ing a current controversy or issue.
stories is to contrast them with basic news releases. The
Feature stories come in all sizes and shapes, but all of
news release emphasizes the timely disclosure of basic
them have the potential to
information about situations and events. The feature story,
in contrast, can provide additional background informa- 1. provide more information to the consumer,
tion, generate human interest, and create understanding in 2. give background and context about organizations,
a more creative, entertaining, and imaginative way. It is 3. provide a behind-the-scenes perspective,
also less time sensitive and can be used over a longer
4. give a human dimension to situations and events, and
period than a news release that needs to be used on the day
5. generate publicity for ordinary products and services.
that an event or announcement is made.
Consider, for example, the appointment of a new com- Regarding the last point, many products are not par-
pany president. Such news releases often give the basic ticularly newsworthy and would never get coverage if a
information in less than 200 words. It will give the new feature writer didn’t exercise some creativity. Think of the
president’s name and perhaps a brief summary of her pro- lowly potato.
fessional career—all pretty dry, routine stuff. A feature arti-
cle, however, could give the new president a human
dimension. It would focus on her philosophy of manage-
ment, 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 earn-
ings, mergers and acquisitions, contracts, expansions, and
layoffs. They entertain, provide background, and give con- Indeed, feature materials written in a journalistic for-
sumer tips. They often show up in the specialty sections of mat are becoming increasingly popular as a key compo-
the daily newspaper—entertainment, food, business, real nent of what is described as brand storytelling—great

114
 Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds 115

stories that help create emotional connection with your oped if you hunt for them. Among the most frequently seen
organization and its products and services. Mike Yama- features are (1) case studies, (2) application stories, (3) research
moto, managing editor of CNET, says, “The future of studies, (4) backgrounders, (5) personality profiles, and (6)
media is a greater concentration on the feature story as a historical pieces. These categories are not mutually exclusive,
branding vehicle. The challenge for the media is to capture and the lines between them often blur, but some familiarity
audiences with a unique presentation of information.” with them will help you understand the range of possibilities.
“Effective storytelling is not about the brand. The best sto-
ries 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 tradi-
tional 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 7.2.1: Case Study
driving profitable customer action.” The case study is frequently used in product publicity, par-
One way that organizations create relevant content is ticularly as a way to generate publicity for an existing
the development of stories that give consumer tips, which product or to follow-up on the launch of a new product.
were originally called service journalism. The idea is to dem- Case studies often tell how individual customers have ben-
onstrate how a person can use the information to do such efited from a company’s product or service or how another
things as (1) save time, (2) make more money, (3) save organization has used the product or service to improve
money, or (4) get something free. “What’s in it for me” is efficiency or profits. In other words, case studies are a form
the guiding principle. Another term now widely used is of third-party endorsement or testimonial that helps illus-
branded content, which is content that is created in your trate the acceptance or popularity of a particular service or
brand’s essence without specifically discussing the brand. product in the marketplace.
In other words, the most acceptable content to editors are Organizations providing various services often use the
features written in a journalistic format that only make a case study feature. Consider the following examples.
brief mention of a product or brand.

WRITING PROMPT
What are the advantages of feature articles and content over the
standard news release?

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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 fea-
ture. Some ideas are obvious, but many more can be devel-
116 Chapter 7

“Case studies are an essential aspect of many PR pro-

grams, 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 innova-
tive ways. The advantage to the organization is that it can
show multiple, practical applications of a product or ser-
vice over a period of time, which generates increased con-
sumer awareness and usage.
“A succession of application stories about customers uti-
lizing 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 noth-
ing new about apples, walnuts, beef, or even artichokes, but
the producers and distributors of such commodities regu- feature story about how men could really impress their sig-
larly send the media new recipes and ways of preparing such nificant others by skipping the roses on Valentine’s Day and
foods. Most of these features are accompanied by mouth- giving a potted orchid instead. According to the feature, an
watering, high-resolution color photos that entice consumers orchid is really a “babe magnet for the clueless guy.”
to try the recipes that, in turn, generate sales for the ingredi-
ents. A typical food publicity photo is shown in Figure 7.1. 7.2.3: Surveys and Research Studies
Another approach is to give consumers tips and advice Surveys and polls, as well as scientific research studies,
that relate to an organization’s products and services. can provide opportunities for features. This is particularly
Homewood Suites, for example, issued a feature story true if the survey is about some aspect of contemporary
titled “Taking Your Kids—and Visiting Colleges.” It was lifestyles or a common situation in the workplace. Water
distributed in March by Business Wire just as the “season” Pik, for example, commissioned a research firm to do a
started for parents and high school seniors to visit various “Sexy Smile Survey,” which found that “6 in 10 Americans
prospective colleges. The application story was a list of 10 would be most disturbed by their partner not brushing or
tips by a travel expert for “visiting colleges with your flossing his or her teeth for a week, as compared to only 24
kids.” One tip: “Move on if you arrive on campus and your percent who would be most perturbed if their significant
child refuses to get out of the car.” other passed on wearing deodorant.”
Giving tips is a frequent format. Gold’s Gym also gen- Residence Inn, a chain owned by the Marriott
erates name recognition by sending reporters tips on fit- ­Corporation, got extensive coverage with a research study
ness topics ranging from how to get in shape for bikini about the effects of long business trips on female managers
season to reducing the “tire” on many middle-aged men. and ­executives. The feature concentrated on the research
Similarly, Figure 7.2 shows tips by a fitness expert distrib- ­finding that women feel more productive and stimulated
uted on behalf of Omron Pedometers. by extended business trips than men, who report feeling
The opportunities for offering consumer tips are limited lonely and bored. The feature went on to quote p
­ sychologists,
only by the writer’s imagination. An orchid farm issued a 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. Here are six steps for structuring a survey feature story from Ann
This feature on fitness tips from a celebrity trainer was distributed by Wylie, a writing coach who also offers writing tips on her website,
North American Précis Syndicate (NAPS) on behalf of Omron, who Wylie Communications.
makes pedometers. Such features, in order to be acceptable to me-
dia outlets, must be non-commercial. Omron is mentioned only once
in the feature and at the end when its Facebook page is listed.

Figure 7.4
Visa promoted its financial education program by conducting a sur-
vey 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 drink-
ing 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 con-
ducted. The third paragraph provides, in bullet form, other
major findings of the survey. The fourth paragraph pro-
vides additional information about Visa’s financial educa-
tion program. Additional details about the size of the
sample and the margin of statistical error is given as a foot-
note 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 fea-
ture in terms of human interest and helping Visa publicize its finan-
cial 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 tech-
nology 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 sup-
plies 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 sys-
tems. It’s a fascinating story about two-person teams
literally driving millions of miles a year recording “nav-
igation attributes.”
Cisco Systems, which had developed a new tech-
nology for enhancing global teleconferencing, issued a
backgrounder on the problems and challenges of creat-
ing 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 celeb-
rities 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 availa-
ble, (3) provide background information, and (4) even
arrange photo shoots.
Public relations personnel, however, also write per-
sonality profiles about an organization’s employees, execu-
tives, and even customers in order to humanize the
organization or advance its business objectives. An exam-
ple is a media kit for Boston Beer Company, producers of
the Samuel Adams brand. It includes a two-page, single-
spaced 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 per-
sonality 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 mail-
room 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 stor-
age cabinets?
Another good example is how Farm Credit high-
lighted 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 organiza-
tion’s website and were also published in such publica-
tions 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

7.3a Describe how to assess ideas for features
7.2.6: Historical Piece
7.3b Analyze the three main approaches to a news
Anniversaries, major changes, centennials, and many other
feature
events lend themselves to a historical piece. Significant
milestones may present an opportunity to report on the Coming up with a feature idea takes creative and strategic
history of the organization, its facilities, or some of its peo- thinking. You should ask yourself three questions before
ple. Stressing the history of an organization lends it an air deciding on a topic and what kind of information will
of stability and permanence. The public can logically be highlighted.
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, Ital-
ian immigrant Amedeo Obici, who started the company to
sell fresh roasted peanuts without the shells. The rest is his-
tory, 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.
120 Chapter 7
Addressing these three questions can result in a fea-
ture 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 col-
lege 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 sec-
ond question about reaching a particular audience, college
students themselves. And in regard to the third question
about organizational objectives, the American Heart Asso-
ciation 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 Asso-
ciation 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 poten-
tial feature. A story about the inventor would make inter-
esting 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 fea-
ture 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

feature on a new smartphone goes to the business or tech-
nology 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, pub-
lications in the same circulation area will receive different
features and photos about the same subject. This way, edi-
tors 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 fea-
ture 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 plat-
forms 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.
A feature designed for print publication can also be re-
packaged 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
Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds 121
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 organ-
izational objectives.
The third method is to provide the basic information
to a feature service that will write, produce, and distrib-
ute 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
Many organizations are now hiring former journalists to produce fea-
tures 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 camera-
ready 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.

7.4: The Parts of a Feature
7.4 Identify the main components of a feature news
release and the purpose of each
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 para-
graph. 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.
Tips for Success
How to Write a Great Feature Story
An organization may get more media exposure by doing a fea-
ture story instead of a straight news release. Fred Ferguson,
head of PR Newswire’s Feature News Service, offers the fol-
lowing advice on how to write a feature news release:
• Grab the editor’s attention with a creative headline that
tells the story.
• Tell the same story in the first paragraph, which should
never be cute, soft, or a question.
• Support the lead with a second paragraph that backs it
up and provides attribution. Place the product and ser-
vice name at the end of the second paragraph so it
becomes less advertorial.
• 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.
• Do not excessively repeat the name of the product or ser-
vice. 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 numer-
als. 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 vio-
lates 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:
Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds 123
• Travel Insurance Offers Peace of Mind on Family
Vacations
• Eight Ways to Break Bad Smartphone Habits
• Good News for Caffeine Lovers: Study Shows Caffein-
ated Beverages Hydrate Like Water
• New Yahoo Study Shows Americans’ Dependence on
Email
• Rawlings Offers Expert Tips on Gearing Up for Baseball
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 prod-
uct, book a cruise, or even improve your wardrobe. Essen-
tially, 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.
• Work and Money Problems Are One Big Headache
(­Tylenol)
• The Good the Bad and the Bubbly—Celebrating Safely
(American Academy of Ophthalmology)
• Can Video Games in the Office Make Employees More
Productive? (Credit Karma)
• Help Your Teen Put His Best Face Forward (a new acne
medicine)
• See Your Way Through the Next Power Outage (a new
flashlight)
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 fea-
ture 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 crea-
tivity 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 inter-
est, give information, or promise a benefit:
Feature Story Lead
Tips on shopping for Many home improvement enthusiasts will
power tools from Dremel, tell you that new tools are at the top of their
a power-tool wish lists. But for those with little knowledge
­manufacturer of power tools, shopping for them can be
an intimidating and confusing experience.
The clients of Great Date More and more men and women, who are
Now, a matchmaking regular skiers, are turning to professional
­service matchmakers to find affluent companions
who are also skiers.
A “no tools” portable Tired of staying up all night assembling your
­basketball hoop stand kids’ holiday gifts? Does the thought of
from Huffy Sports deciphering lengthy, complicated instruc-
tions 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 enter-
taining 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 pre-
sent 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 For-
ests 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 informa-
tion and product information. Abundant Forests added,
“For more Green Tips for the holiday, visit www.abundant-
forests.org.” A feature story on tourist sites in South Caro-
lina 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 graph-
ics 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 pho-
tos that can be downloaded with the story.
 Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds 125

products to create wedding invitations and programs, for

Figure 7.6
example, included six photos and even had a space where
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 readers could post comments about the article. Feature
form and provide a teaser to encourage people to visit the Party City stories, like news releases, can also be embedded with a
website for even more tips on how to plan a wedding without break- URL and tags to better reach blogs and other online sites
ing the bank. Larger, high-resolution copies of the photos shown in
the margin are available as downloads.
such as Facebook.

7.5: Placement
Opportunities
7.5 Distinguish the different categories of placement
opportunities for feature stories
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 life-
styles 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 con-
tent. 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.
Media outlets also like infographics, computer-gener-
ated 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
Tips for Success
frequency. A key finding of MCI’s “Meetings in America”
Maximizing Your Feature Content
survey, for example, was chosen by USA Today for its front-
Good strategists in public relations work very hard to maximize
page “USA Snapshot” series. It was a simple bar chart giv-
the content of a single feature by using a variety of media plat-
ing the primary reasons why people get stressed about
forms and adapting the material to different contexts and uses.
business travel. Leading the list was “time away from fam-
The following list of ways to leverage feature content such as
ily” with 75 percent. The Visa feature on the tooth fairy in profiles, case studies, and application stories is adapted from
Figure 7.4 includes several infographics about the survey an article in Public Relations Tactics by Andrea Disario.
results that can be easily downloaded by media outlets to
give the story more visibility.
Features, like news releases, have also become multi-
media 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 web-
site. An HP feature story on using its applications and
126 Chapter 7
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 life-
style 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 con-
tent 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 journal-
ists—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-news-
letters are considered “owned” media because the organi-
zation controls the format and content. Today, organizations
emphasize “storytelling” on these sites as part of their con-
tent 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 jour-
nalistic 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 exam-
ple, 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 audi-
ence 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 “spon-
sored” 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 publica-
tion. 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 supple-

ment as a “Special Advertising Feature” produced by the
7.6: Writing Opinion Pieces
Russian Government. 7.6 Interpret the importance of op-ed articles and
A second level of native advertising is employed by letters to the editor
news media organizations such as Buzzfeed, Huffington
Op-eds and letters to the editor are a variation of the fea-
Post, Washington Post Company, and Forbes Media. Each
ture story. Their primary function is express the viewpoint
created divisions to write features on behalf of various
of organizations, and even individuals, on current events
companies that are then posted on the publisher website.
and issues. In many cases, public relations writers are the
In such a situation, the posts are described as “sponsored”
“ghost writers” for organizational executives who are usu-
articles because the client not only pays for the writing and
ally listed as the author of such pieces.
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 publi-
cation 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 sto-
ries about recent health care developments and issues.
PBS retains editorial control of the content but acknowl-
edges in its broadcasts that the information and research 7.6.1: Op-Eds
cited has been provided by Kaiser Health in cooperation The more intellectual form of the feature story is the op-ed,
with PBS. In another example, Purina provided funding which literally means “opposite the editorial page.” The
to Mashable that produced a story featuring five heart- concept originated at the New York Times in 1970 and is
warming dogs. now used by many major newspapers and online news
The increased blurring of lines between what media sites across the country. The purpose of op-ed articles is to
coverage is being “earned” and what is being “paid” con- present a variety of views on current news events, govern-
tinues to raise some ethical questions about how trans- mental policies, pending legislation, and social issues.
parent media outlets are about informing their readers. In From a public relations standpoint, op-ed pieces pro-
many cases, such content is not clearly marked nor sepa- vide an excellent opportunity for individuals and organi-
rated in any way from the publication’s regular news con- zations to reach an audience of readers who also tend to be
tent. Leading public relations firms such as Edelman opinion leaders or, in the jargon of the industry, “influen-
Worldwide have gone on record calling for full disclo- tials.” Indeed, if an organizational executive wants to
sure. In addition, Edelman believes media buyers for become a spokesperson or what is now referred to as a
advertising should handle paid or sponsored placements, “thought leader” for a particular industry or cause, public
not public relations personnel who focus on generating relations counsel often recommends writing one or more
“earned” media. op-ed pieces.
Universities and think tanks such as the Brookings
Institution and the Hoover Institution also make consider-
WRITING PROMPT able use of op-ed pieces. The objective is to gain visibility
How would you describe the difference between earned, paid, and for an institution and establish its experts as “thought lead-
owned media? Can you give an example of each one? ers” in a particular field. The public relations department
of Washington University in St. Louis, for example, got 426
The response entered here will appear in the placements in 1 year by sending op-ed articles written by
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
62 faculty members.
your instructor.
The op-ed pages of the New York Times, Wall Street
Journal, Financial Times, and Washington Post are the best
Submit
known and the most prestigious in terms of placement.
128 Chapter 7

They ­regularly carry op-eds written by ambassadors, for-

mer presidents, CEOs of major corporations, senators, and
a host of other prominent or influential people. The com-
petition 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 ambas-
sador 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 cur-
rent public concern. David Shipley, op-ed editor of the
New York Times, says it best: “We look for timeliness, inge-
nuity, 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 op-
eds 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 arti-
cles. 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 word-
processed pages, double-spaced. Various publications
establish their own guidelines for length. The Atlanta Jour-
nal 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

The response entered here will appear in the
well in terms of organization and conciseness. The basic performance dashboard and can be viewed by
structure of an op-ed is as follows: your instructor.

HEADLINE. The writer’s key message or point of

Submit
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 7.6.2: Letters to the Editor
“Civics education, just like democracy, is critical.” The next best thing to an op-ed article is a published letter.
Some experts recommend writing the headline first be- Letters to the editor (LTEs) are shorter than op-ed pieces.
fore writing the op-ed; it helps you focus on the main They focus primarily on rebutting an editorial, clarifying
message you want to communicate. information in a news story or column, or adding informa-
LEAD PARAGRAPH. Catch the reader’s attention tion that might not have been included in the original story.
in the first 35 or 40 words. The lead paragraph in the And, unlike an op-ed article that is often arranged in
civics education op-ed, for example, started with the advance, letters to the editor are submitted without any
question, “Why should business leaders and innova- prior consultation with editors.
tors 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.”
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 ac-
tion. In a few sentences, tell readers what you want
them to do with the information. In the previously-
mentioned 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 usu-
ally 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 publica-
tion. It is also wise to read the editorial pages of the publi-
cation and find out, either from the newspaper or a media
directory, how op-ed submissions are handled. Some edi-
torial page directors prefer an email query outlining the
subject of the proposed op-ed piece and the author’s cre-
dentials. 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 There is limited space for letters, so you should follow
such as the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Were
they persuasive? What concepts of effective op-ed writing closely any guidelines that the publication has established.
were present? 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 Mort-
gage 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?
Summary: Creating Feature Content and Op-Eds
• 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 pro-
vided, 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 pro-
mote 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 agree-
ment 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
 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 visi-
bility 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 are distributed to the media
8.2 Analyze the aspects that comprise a good 8.7 Describe ways of creating colorful
photo infographics
8.3 Review the details that need to be taken 8.8 Report four different methods of
care of while working with photographers distributing photos and artwork
and the considerations for using photos
8.9 Report the importance of maintaining a
8.4 Examine the nuances of writing good photo logbook while preserving photo and
captions art files
8.5 Review the usefulness of infographics in the
field of public relations

8.1: The Importance of than information that is presented with words and num-
bers alone. The graph below illustrates how much people
Visual Content remember of what they read, hear, and see.
How Much Do People Remember?
8.1 Review the importance of publicity photos and
70
visual content 60%
Photographs and infographics are important components 60
of the tool kit for public relations writers. They add interest
and variety, and they often explain things better than 50
% Remembered

words alone. There’s the old adage that a photo is worth a

thousand words, and this is especially true today because 40
30%
research indicates that 65 percent of the public are visual
30
learners. In addition, scientists say visual data is processed 20%
60,000 times faster by the brain than text and, as a result, is
20
more easily understood by the receiver. 10%
There are several other reasons why public relations 10
writers should use photographs and infographics as integral
parts of news releases, features, and other media such as 0
newsletters, magazines, brochures, and employee intranets: Read Hear See See, Read,
& Hear
Visuals help with a story. People tend to remember How Content Is Absorbed
facts and figures presented in an interesting visual way
instead of just reading a bunch of numbers or percentages. Journalists are highly visual. They spend three
Various research studies, for example, have found that seconds on average deciding to read or delete a news release,
people remember auditory and visual information better and visuals increase the chances of a reporter t­aking time to
132

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 increas-
ingly 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 net-
works 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 incorpo-
rate visual content as a strategy to maximize media place-
ments 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 sec-
tion 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 Uni-
versity of Missouri found that articles accompanied by
photographs are perceived as significantly more important
than those without photographs. This also applies to info-
graphics, which will be discussed later in the chapter.
Publicity Photos and Infographics 133
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: tech-
nical 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 distri-
bution services such as NewsCom and Feature Photo Ser-
vice now provide downloads of “high-resolution” publicity
photos that are in 300-dpi JPEG or GIF format to accom-
modate 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 execu-
tive. On another level, photos are used to document events
such as a groundbreaking or a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Trade magazines, weekly newspapers, and organiza-
tional newsletters often use the standard “grip and grin”
photo of a person receiving an award, a company presi-
dent 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 sta- How can you take better award photos?
ple 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 news-
worthiness, 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 pub-
lished in local newspapers and even in national publica-
Small Group Photos Another guideline to follow in a
tions if the individuals are celebrities. See Figure 8.1 for a
small group photo is to show activity in a picture: people talk-
somewhat different award photograph of two University
ing to each other, looking at a display, or shaking hands with
of Rochester students who were winners of an IBM Watson
a notable person in an informal pose. The people should not
case competition.
be lined up, looking at the camera. The typical publicity photo
in Figure 8.2 illustrates the idea of having people actively
Figure 8.1 doing something instead of just looking at the camera.
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 Wat- Figure 8.2
son case competition. The two students from the Simon Graduate This photo was included in a news release from IBM about a new
School of Business at the University of Rochester are framed be- computer program solution for use by doctors in the oncology field.
tween stacks of books and digital media, to represent the consider- It is a tightly composed photo showing the head of Thoracic Oncol-
able library research required for their winning proposal on crisis and ogy at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the general
disaster management. manager of IBM Watson Solutions actively engaged in reviewing the
Credit: Matt Wittmeyer/Feature Photo Service for IBM. 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 challenges in terms of making a product look savory in a
received an outstanding service award. A group photo photo. Some tricks are to use motor oil in place of syrup
may be legitimate when you want to give a souvenir of a and mashed potatoes instead of real ice cream, use hair
particular meeting or conference or provide documenta- spray on produce, and even use brown shoe polish on raw
tion for a specialized publication, such as a fraternal or meat to portray a well-grilled hamburger.
alumni magazine. However, pictures of this kind should See the Tips for Success for more general guidelines
not be sent to general-circulation newspapers and maga- about product photos.
zines. A better approach, if you want media coverage, is
to use the local angle. Take small group photos of indi-
viduals from a particular city and send them to local dai-
lies or weeklies.
Tips for Success
Product Photos Product photos are particularly How to Take Product Photos That
challenging in terms of arousing interest. A common Get Published
approach is to simply show the product, such as a new Here are some tips for taking photos that put a product in the
computer, in a stark background so it is highlighted. best light and can be used in multiple contexts.
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 ele-
ment by having someone actually demonstrating or
using the product. For example, Figure 8.3 shows a shop-
per using a new augmented reality app developed by
IBM to receive instant details and promotions in the palm
of her hand.

Figure 8.3
IBM distributed this product photo with a news release about a pro-
totype app that automatically delivers personalized coupons, offers,
customer reviews, and product details to smart phones as custom-
ers 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 photogra-

Figure 8.4
pher also wanted to include the entire skyline of New York
An appealing, well-composed photo focuses on the subject and
City. Consequently, Aunt Minnie and Uncle Oswald are minimizes the background. This photo was included in a news re-
about 35 feet from the camera. lease about IBM's inventors receiving over 6,000 patents in one year.
In most cases, the photographer should move into, not An inventor is reflected in a new class of ultra-thin materials that can
be used in wearable technologies.
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 con-
text, 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 conven-
tion. 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 mini-
mizing 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.

Tips for Well-composed Photos

Figure 8.5
The workplace can provide a good setting for creative publicity pho-
tos. 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 environ-
ment. 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 WRITING PROMPT
Douglis, a widely known photographic consultant, calls it
Your organization is having an awards ceremony. How would you
the “environmental portrait.” He continues, “Such por- compose a photo of two award winners with the president of
traits blend posed subjects with their supporting context to the organization?
symbolize jobs, capture personalities, and ultimately com-
municate something about them to readers.” A good exam- The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
ple is Figure 8.4 that shows an IBM engineer and inventor
your instructor.
being reflected in a new class of lightweight semiconductor
materials that the corporation has patented. Figure 8.5 is
Submit
another example of an environmental portrait.
 Publicity Photos and Infographics 137

8.2.4: Action Figure 8.6

Action is important because it projects movement and the This character study of IBM inventor Dr. Dimitri Kanevsky,
who has been deaf since the age of three, was distributed by
idea that something is happening right before the reader’s
IBM when he was honored at a White House ceremony for
eyes. A picture of someone doing something—talking, his pioneering inventions for the hearing impaired. This in-
gesturing, laughing, running, operating a machine—is cluded ­developing a real-time transcription system that allows
more interesting than a picture of a person standing still ­hearing-impaired people to participate in conference calls over
the Internet.
and looking at the camera. Douglis says, “Interactive
Credit: Jon Simon/Feature Photo Service for IBM
exchanges are the most productive form of communica-
tion. 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 Figure 8.7
of the camera. Consequently, photographers will often Showing scale and size is important in many product publicity
take multiple shots over a period of several minutes to photos. The size of Panasonic's 103-inch HD plasma screen is better
get the best facial expressions and portrayal of more nat- understood by having a person beside it. The large image, which
fills the entire screen, is also attention getting and illustrates a key
ural interaction. feature of the product—picture clarity.
However, sometimes a straight head-and-shoulders
Credit: Richard B. Levine, Newscom
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 organi-
zational 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 pic-
tures must suggest overt action. Some of the greatest pho-
tos 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.

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 effec- When smaller things are photographed, the scale
tive to place a person in the picture. This helps the viewer guide is even more important. This also offers an opportu-
estimate the approximate size of the picture’s subject. A nity to provide drama and adds the news value of novelty.
good example is the person standing beside Panasonic’s For example, a new computer chip from Intel was photo-
103-inch high-definition plasma screen in Figure 8.7. graphed beside a penny—and the chip was even a bit
138 Chapter 8

smaller. In another situation, a manufacturer of a flash

Figure 8.9
drive illustrated its capacity by showing a person holding
A tilted, upward camera angle is more interesting than a straight-
the device, surrounded by a pile of papers and brochures on approach. This photo is from a news conference about how
that could be placed on the drive. 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.
8.2.6: Camera Angle
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 prod-
uct. (See Figure 8.8 below.)

Figure 8.8
An unusual angle can make even a bottle of fruit juice more interest-
ing. 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 empha-

sizes 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 unno-
ticeable, and (3) using a fish-eye lens to capture a
180-degree image. An upward shot of a speaker can also Selecting the location or setting of a picture is important
provide a more interesting photo, which is illustrated if you want good, sharp results. For example, if you know
in Figure 8.9. that the people involved will be wearing light colors, you
 Publicity Photos and Infographics 139

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.
rapher’s work, ask to see his or her portfolio. This is impor-
tant because photographers are skilled at different things.
A good portrait photographer, for example, may not
be good at photographing special events. A news photog-
rapher, 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
Submit
to assess a photographer’s skills and improve your own
use of publicity photos.

8.3: Working with

Photographers and Photo Tips for Success
Vendors Photo Advice from the Experts
The following 10 tips were given by three photo experts at a
8.3 Review the details that need to be taken care of
workshop sponsored by MediaLink/WirePix at the National
while working with photographers and the
Press Club in Washington, D.C. The list was originally com-
considerations for using photos piled by Jerry Walker for O'Dwyer's PR Report.
It is important to use a skilled photographer with profes-
sional experience. Too many organizations try to cut cor-
ners by asking an employee with a point-and-click digital
camera or even an iPhone to take pictures. Often, the pub-
lic 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 thou-
sands of other photos that are readily available.
It will cost more money to hire a professional photog-
rapher, 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 profes-
sional 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 pur-
pose of the photograph and its objective. It’s the photogra-
pher’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-
140 Chapter 8
8.3.2: Contracts
Any agreement with a photographer should be in writing.
A written document helps you to avoid misunderstand-
ings 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, mile-
age, lodging, etc., handled while on assignment? Does
the photographer get a daily “per diem” (reimburse-
ment rate) or submit receipts?
• What will be delivered upon completion of the assign-
ment? 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 photogra-
pher 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 photogra-
phers that give unrestricted, exclusive use of all images.
But be prepared to pay more for the photographer’s ser-
vices 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 avail-
able, clean, and orderly.
• Consider lighting. Will the photographer have every-
thing 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 pic-
ture of such scenes as a shopping mall, a group of people
working around a computer, or even a landscape that pro-
vides 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 crite-
ria 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 pur-
poses 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 avail-
able 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 oth-
ers (depending on their use) also have a licensing fee.

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.
• 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 Crea-
tive 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 rela-
tively easy to “crop out” the waiter and any other sur-
rounding 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-
Publicity Photos and Infographics 141
strokes, the problem is solved. Indeed, amateur photogra-
phers armed with digital cameras and software programs
can manipulate and improve the quality of their photos
with relative ease. Even expert photographers rely on Pho-
toshop to electronically create the perfect picture.
8.3.6: Ethical Considerations
Cropping and retouching are common practices in photog-
raphy, but there are increasing ethical and legal concerns
about the boundaries of altering photographic images. An
original photograph, for example, can be scanned or down-
loaded. 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 pho-
tos. 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 black-
ing out the background and putting more light on the
actual product.
The examples presented thus far are relatively harm-
less, but news editors continue to express deep concern
about additional liberties that may be taken. A Chinese
photographer, for example, received considerable interna-
tional criticism for taking a photo of China’s new high-
speed 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 con-
cerned about the digital manipulation of photos. You have
a professional responsibility to honor the original photog-
rapher’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 photo-
graphs. 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 decep-
tion? 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 sig-
nificant way, do not use it.
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 ques-
tion “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 cap-
tion tells the entire story.
According to Deborah S. Hauss, writing in PRWeek,
“Photo news releases enable PR pros to get pictures out more
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
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 cap-
tion 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 sell-
ing point is that the app is designed “…to close the gap
between the wealth of product information on the Inter-
net and traditional retail promotions, transforming mar-
keting 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 photo-
graph should be the first person at the left side of the pic-
ture. This ensures that this person is mentioned first in the
 Publicity Photos and Infographics 143

photo caption. The most important person may alterna-
tively be in the center of the picture, surrounded by admir-
ers. 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 pic-
ture is Sharon Lewis.
However, the use of “left,” “right,” and “center” is per-
fectly acceptable if clarity is achieved. Here is the caption
used under a photo of the top three winners of Intel’s Sci-
ence 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 recipi-
ents were chosen from an applicant pool of more than
1,600 American high school seniors.
• Statistical data that can cause a reader’s eyes to glaze
over and lose interest
• Comparison data that can be more effectively por-
trayed 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) gen-
erate 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

8.5: The Purpose of 8.6: Types of Infographics

Infographics 8.6 Describe different types of infographics that are
distributed to the media
8.5 Review the usefulness of infographics in the field
The primary purpose of an infographic is to show percent-
of public relations
ages or other numbers in a colorful, appealing way that is
Photographs are not the only art form that you can use for easily understood by the reader. There are two kinds of
publicity purposes. In recent years there has been a virtual infographics. One is the traditional use of charts to show
explosion in the use of infographics by public relations comparable percentages and stats with sectioned circles or
writers, journalists, and bloggers. It’s estimated, for exam- bars. The second, which is becoming more popular and
ple, that the use of visualized information on the Internet widely used thanks to graphics software, is to portray facts
has increased 9,000 percent since 2007. An indication of and percentages in various graphic interfaces that make
this trend is that infographics shared on Twitter, according them more visually attractive.
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 begin-
ning of the chapter, but infographics have some addi-
tional 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 espe-
cially 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 present-
ing the following types of information:

• Survey results that may take longer to explain in a text

format
144 Chapter 8
8.6.1: Charts
There are three basic types of data charts, and each seems
to work best for certain kinds of information.
Pie Chart A pie chart is a good way to show what part
of a total is used for each of several purposes. An organiza-
tion may use such a chart to show how a budget or reve-
nues are divided. Figures 8.10 and 8.11 below are variations
of the pie chart.
Figure 8.10
A simple pie chart that shows the percentage as part of the pie
representing 100 percent.
Figure 8.11
A more colorful pie chart created using Microsoft PowerPoint.
Bar Charts Bar charts are ideal for showing compari-
sons between categories, such as income levels, popula-
tions, sales, prices, and periods of time. See Figures 8.12
and 8.13 for examples of creative bar charts.
Figure 8.12 Basic Bar Chart
A basic bar chart comparing percentages between categories and a
3-month period.
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.
Line Graphs Line graphs are somewhat like bar charts,
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.
 Publicity Photos and Infographics 145

showing a simple bar chart or line graph, an attempt is made

Figure 8.14
to incorporate representations of the subject into the chart.
This line graph shows the progress of IBM’s P-Tech initiative to
­partner with schools to increase student involvement in science, Some examples of these infographics are shown below.
math, and technology.
Credit: IBM Corporation Figure 8.16
Percentages can be portrayed in interesting ways by using some
creativity and visual elements to give readers an easy way to under-
stand 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 repre-
sent? Describe its main features.

The response entered here will appear in the

performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.

Submit
146 Chapter 8
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 engi-
neers 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 struc-
ture will look. Increasingly, such artwork is being pro-
duced 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.
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. Sim-
ple maps showing the location of a construction site or a
new freeway ramp, for example, often accompany archi-
tectural drawings and photos. The availability of such art-
work 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 tem-
plates, and stock photos can be ordered on CD or down-
loaded from the Internet from sources located with
Google Images. Line drawings and clip art are used pri-
marily for organizational advertisements, leaflets, bro-
chures, and newsletters.
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
Although web-based applications are now readily
available, they still don’t replace the value of using profes-
sional 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
 Publicity Photos and Infographics 147

to never send an attachment (photos or anything else) to an

editor unless you are specifically asked to do so. The prolif-
eration of viruses means that no editor will open an attach-
ment 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, how-
ever, 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:
WRITING PROMPT
What do you think makes a good infographic?
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 8.9: Maintaining Photo
slides or even on glossy paper. Today, several approaches
are used. and Art Files
The first approach is to simply send a news release or
8.9 Report the importance of maintaining a logbook
advisory to journalists or editors with a link to a website
while preserving photo and art files
where they can download photos or infographics. An edi-
tor, for example, may just want to preview thumbnails and A properly indexed photo and infographic file folder or
then select a specific photo. The main point to remember is database is a necessity. Without this, digital images or
148 Chapter 8

a­ rtwork can be inaccessible for future use. The long-term 1. the date of the event;
employee who knows where everything is located and can 2. when the photo was taken;
remember the situation will eventually retire or take another 3. the location;
job. In other words, don’t rely on the collective memory of
4. releases from people portrayed;
individuals to keep track of photos and infographics or
5. complete names and titles of people shown; and
other visual images such as diagrams, renderings, etc.
Digital photos and infographics should be stored on 6. the name and address of the photographer, including
the organization’s file server with readily identifiable tags. any restrictions on the use of the picture.
Corporate files may be identified by names such as “J. Infographics must also be dated, and any informa-
Jones, Chairman,” or topical areas such as “Employee Rec- tion about the context or the graphic designer who cre-
ognition Banquet,” “Grand Opening of Lansing Store,” or ated it should be on file. A good filing system will help
“Scale Model of Springfield Office Bldg.” you avoid the embarrassment of using outdated photos
It is important to place all pertinent data about photos and infographics.
in the file or a logbook. This may include

Summary: Publicity Photos and Infographics

 Publicity Photos and Infographics 149

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
9.3b 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 opportuni-
ties 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 time-
shifted (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
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
video is also a popular medium in its own right, as organi-
zations produce and distribute their own content to web-
sites 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. Televi-
sion 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 tel-
evision 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

Figure 9.1 Hours Americans Spend on Electronic Media per Day
Source: Nielsen Research, January 2014.
Live TV
Radio
Smartphone
Internet on a PC
Timeshifted TV
Game console
DVD/Blu Ray
Multimedia device
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 num-
bers 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 Hispan-
ics, 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 mira-
cle of the transistor brings radio to mail carriers on their
routes, carpenters on construction sites, homeowners pull-
ing weeds in their gardens, and exercise enthusiasts work-
ing 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-
Radio, Television, and Online Video 151
5.04 hours
2.46 hours
1.07 hours
1.01 hours
0.32 hours
0.12 hours
0.09 hours
0.02 hours
10.13 hours
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 sta-
tion’s format and submit material suitable to it. There is
little sense in sending information about senior citizen rec-
reation 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 con-
sulting media directories or by contacting the station’s
advertising and marketing department. One common
source of advertising rates and demographic data is pub-
lished 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 ex-
actly 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
distributed by North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS)
Although radio station staffs often find themselves rewrit-
for Weber Grills.
ing print releases to conform to broadcast style, the most
effective approach is to send news releases that are format-
ted 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 (let-
terhead, 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
RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT: 60
THE BIG BOOK OF BURGERS (163 words)
MAY IS NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH AND IN
HONOR OF ONE OF AMERICA’S GREATEST CULI-
NARY CREATIONS, WEBER GRILLS HAS RELEASED
THEIR FIRST COOKBOOK DEDICATED TO CELEBRAT-
ING 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 ULTI-
MATE START-TO-FINISH APPROACH TO HOSTING
A COOKOUT—WITH FUN TAKES ON OTHER BACK-
YARD 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.

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 lis-
tener 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.
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
Radio, Television, and Online Video 153
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 rela-
tively 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 per-
cent of the newsrooms use radio news releases. Thirty-four
percent say RNRs give them ideas for local stories. The edi-
tors look for regional interest (34 percent), health informa-
tion (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 soft-
ware 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,
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 differ-
ence: 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 low-
key 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, differ-
ences between men and women, high school hazing, sub-
stance 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 lis-
teners 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 moonlight-
ing station employees, but most organizations use a profes-
sional 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 recy-
cling 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 compari-
son, 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 sta-
tions, found that almost 75 percent of respondents pre-
ferred 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 Tele-
vision 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 Inter-
net. Strauss Radio Strategies, for example, also has the abil-
ity 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 sta-
tions. 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 industry-
funded foundation may qualify. For example, the Home-
ownership 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 APPRECI-
ATE THESE EYE-OPENING HINTS FROM THE CENT-
ERS 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 COF-
FEE, 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

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 AS-
SOCIATED WITH A NUMBER OF CHRONIC CONDI-
TIONS, INCLUDING OBESITY AND DEPRESSION.
SLEEP DEPRIVATION CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY CON-
CENTRATING ON MAKING DECISIONS. YOUNG
PEOPLE WHO DON’T GET ENOUGH SLEEP RISK CAR
CRASHES, POOR GRADES AND SCHOOL PERFOR-
MANCE, AND PROBLEMS WITH FRIENDS, FELLOW
STUDENTS, AND ADULTS.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE ONLINE AT C-D-C-DOT-GOV.
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 toll-
free 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 sec-
onds. Sixty percent of the respondents use this length; less
than 20 percent use 60-second PSAs.
Radio, Television, and Online Video 155
“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 par-
ticular length to fill a particular time slot throughout the day.
Here are some examples of varying lengths that were distrib-
uted by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases:
10 Seconds
PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES THIS
FLU SEASON. MORE INFLUENZA VACCINE IS AVAILA-
BLE 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 EN-
COURAGE 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 NA-
TIONAL FOUNDATION FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
30 Seconds
THE NATION’S LEADING HEALTH EXPERTS EN-
COURAGE 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 FOUNDA-
TION 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 ver-
sions 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: from a website. The National Foundation for Infectious

Are you always looking for places to stop and rest be- Diseases and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
cause you’re short of breath, wheezing or coughing? Who mailed CDs of recorded announcements in both English
wants to live like that? and Spanish to stations. They also included a basic fact
See your doctor for a simple breathing test to find out if it’s sheet giving more detail about the topics presented in the
COPD, a serious lung disease. With treatment, soon you PSAs. In many cases, scripts are also included for the con-
could be living more and stopping less. venience of station personnel.
Announcer: The Tips for Success provides additional information
that can help ensure your PSA gets used.
Visit copd.nhlbi.nih.gov.
A message from the U.S. Department of Health and
­ uman Services
H
Script (:60):
Tips for Success
Getting Your PSA on the Air
Phil Rabin, writing in PRWeek, gives some tips for successful
MUSIC UP AND UNDER. 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, Another tip is to send your PSAs to the station 3 or 4
or chair? weeks before you want them to air. This gives time for distribu-
tion and for the station to evaluate what PSAs they will use
Learn More. Breathe Better at copd.nhlbi.nih.gov.
from the stacks of CDs that often pile up in the office of the
A message from the U.S. Department of Health and Hu- public affairs director.
man Services Experts also recommend that the best time to submit
PSAs is in January. In contrast, the 4 months leading up to
Radio PSA Production  Most PSA scripts are
Christmas are very advertising intensive, so stations use fewer
mailed or emailed to the station’s director of public or
PSAs.
community affairs. The scripts allow station announcers
to make selections and to read them on the air. Many sta-
tions also have a website that includes a PSA template
local organizations can just fill in with answers to the 9.2.4: Radio Media Tours
standard questions of who, what, when, where, and why. Another approach in radio is the radio media tour (RMT).
This is particularly helpful when local organizations are Essentially, this can be described as a spokesperson con-
announcing community events, such as festivals, 5K runs, ducting a series of round-the-country, one-on-one inter-
and so on. views from one central location. The publicist pre-books
A more sophisticated approach is to record your PSAs, telephone interviews with DJs, news directors, or talk
particularly those with music and sound effects, and use a show hosts around the country, and the personality simply
good production house to make copies that can be distrib- gives telephonic interviews, which are recorded for later
uted on CDs or a dedicated phone line or downloaded use or broadcast live.

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 organ-
ized 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 air-
time 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 organiza-
tions, record companies, concert promoters, and commu-
nity 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 cor-
rectly 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 televi-
sion 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 pub-
lic 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
Radio, Television, and Online Video 157
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 morn-
ing 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 suita-
ble for this type of promotion, contact the director of
promotions or marketing for the radio or television sta-
tion. 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 auto-
mobile 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 com-
munity 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 announce-
ment 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 tradi-
tional 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, move-
ment, 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 Sun-
days 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 sound-
bites and natural sound.
• A B-roll. This is up to 10 minutes of video, without nar-
ration, 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 con-
tacts, 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

distribution. Costs vary, however, depending on the num-
ber of location shots, special effects, and staff required to
produce a high-quality tape that meets broadcast stand-
ards. 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 organiza-
tion’s YouTube channel or Facebook page.
“Today’s VNRs are much more than just broadcast place-
ment tools. They are being targeted to a variety of audi-
ences 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 Minne-
sota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
In the “Birdsafe” VNR script below, the text in all capi-
tal 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 MONI-
TORING 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
Radio, Television, and Online Video 159
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 OUT-
SIDE 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, morn-
ing warblers . . .”
EVENTUALLY, THE BIRDS COME HERE, TO THE UNI-
VERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S BELL MUSEUM COLLEC-
TION 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 num-
bers 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 dif-
ferent 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 build-
ing 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 BIRDSAFE-
LIGHTS 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/ “When I was diagnosed with ­cervical ­cancer,
Cervical Cancer Survivor I was scared, I was overwhelmed, and my
immediate reaction was worst case.”
B-roll of Nora doing 37-year-old Nora Bowers, a teacher and
activities at her home mother of two, was diagnosed with ­cervical
cancer in her late twenties, ­requiring her and
her family to make prompt decisions regard-
ing 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 Pathologists, the physicians who actually
performing cervical identify and diagnose cervical cancer and
­cancer tests in other diseases recognize this.
­laboratory
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 profes-
sionals 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 pro-
ducer 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.

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, unnar-
rated 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 Democ-
racy, 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 conse-
quence, the National Association of Broadcast Commu-
nicators (NABC) issued new standards for disclosure
and transparency.
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 sur-
veillance product produced by Sony and A4S Security
could withstand extreme conditions, providing video cov-
erage 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 record-
ing the interior of the bus during the explosion. Such dra-
matic 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.
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 res-
taurants 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 sup-
porting visuals for CEO interview segments on the finan-
cial 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 Experi-
ence for Travelers
Story Background
OTG is announcing the deployment of more than 7,000
new iPads at three major airports (LaGuardia, Minneapo-
lis-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 de-
ployments 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 restau-
rants, OTG has set its sights on dramatically improving
the quality of experience for travelers at the airport.
B-Roll Rundown
00:37 OTG Gate Experience
02:09 OTG iPad Demo
04:58 OTG Chef-Driven Restaurants
06:16 Traveler Interviews
08:50 Interview Rick Blatstein, OTG CEO
00:37 OTG Gate Experience LaGuardia Airport Termi-
nal D New York
The OTG experience combines the best possible consum-
er-friendly technology with high-quality food and a com-
fortable environment. OTG’s chef-driven restaurants and
newly renovated seating areas at the gates offer free ac-
cess to new iPads and power outlets.
• Business travelers walking through LaGuardia
­Terminal D
• Travelers seated at counter using iPads and eating
• Establishing shot of renovated seating area at LaGuar-
dia Terminal D
• Husband and wife seated across from each other using
iPads
• Tighter scrolling shot of menu options
• Server delivering menu selections to travelers at the
gate
• Man and woman using iPads with Bar Brace in
­background
• 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 check-
ers on iPad
• Husband, wife and daughter using iPads in renovated
seating area
• Behind shoulder of woman using iPad across from pilot
02:09 OTG iPad Demo
Thanks to OTG’s custom application suite, travelers can
enjoy the personal experience of the new iPad in a pub-
lic 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 check-
ing flight, browsing through food and drink selections,
ordering Panini sandwich, checking out and swiping
credit card.
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)
• The menu is a picture menu, so it provides vivid detail
of what the options look like. And it’s segmented by cat-
egories, so breakfast, cocktail, Bruschetta, Panini, what-
ever it is, you can have it brought right to your seat. (:17)
• 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)
• 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 de-
parture time, status, local weather, and boarding time.
And it will keep an automatic running ticker through-
out your time on the iPad and it will let you know if
there are any gate changes. (:31)
04:58 OTG Chef-Driven Restaurants
LaGuardia Airport, New York
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 in-
novation, OTG is one of the largest privately held airport
food operators in the U.S.
• Tight Crust restaurant sign
• Diners and interior ambiance of Crust restaurant
• Bisoux restaurant tables and ambiance
• Medium shot Bisoux menu with travelers walking by
• Tight matching shot of Bisoux menu
• Travelers at Bisoux bar with phone plugged into ­power
outlet
• 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

06:16 Traveler Interviews
06:21 Michael McKenna
Richmond, Virginia
• 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 in-
stantly 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 look-
ing 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 (ges-
tures 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 air-
port. (: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 web-
site 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 awe-
some! (: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)
Radio, Television, and Online Video 163
08:50 Rick Blatstein
OTG CEO
• The ultimate goal here is to create the desire for cus-
tomers to want to have this in airports all around the
world. (:08)
• 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 get-
ting 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 ca-
ter 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 experi-
ence 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 com-
mon 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 pre-
packaged sandwiches. Boring and tiresome, if not out-
right 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 yester-
day. 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 cov-
erage 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 profes-
sional-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 pack-
age 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, headquar-
ters, or activities that the station can store until the com-
pany 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 rep-
resents only 2 or 3 minutes. At the same time, some sta-
tions 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 mil-
lion 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 Figure 9.4

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.
This is a television script for a feature distributed by North Ameri-
can Precis Syndicate (NAPS) on behalf of Ronald McDonald House
Charities. Including soundbites from several persons gives the fea-
ture 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-prime-
time 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. Televi-
sion is different, however, in that both audio and visual ele-
ments 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 to its hotline in the 2–3 days following a PSA featuring TV
Sexual Assault stacked the “1 is 2 Many” PSA with celeb- star Laura San Giacomo.
rities such as Daniel Craig, Seth Meyers, Steve Carrell, The Internet, of course, has opened up new opportuni-
and Benicio Del Toro. Del Toro tells viewers, “If she ties for video PSAs. The Ad Council, which produces many
doesn’t consent—or if she can’t consent—it’s rape, it’s PSAs on behalf of national and international charitable
assault, it’s a crime, it’s wrong.”
organizations, also posts them on more than a dozen new
Toyota, in partnership with the National Audubon
media streams. An Ad Council PSA, featuring Mark Zupan,
Society, also used Modern Family star Nolan Gould and ac-
a member of the U.S. Paralympic rugby team, received 700
tress Danielle Soibelman to share helpful hints on how to
clean up after yourself at the seashore. Instead of deliver- television airings, as well as 6,500 YouTube views.
ing the info straight, they presented suggestions through The next PR Casebook discusses a video PSA cam-
the lens of a budding teen romance. paign by an ophthalmology group about the dangers of
North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS) distributed decorative lenses.
a 60-second PSA on behalf of Ronald McDonald House
Charities, using former model Cindy Crawford. See Fig-
ure 9.4 to view the script and how it’s formatted.
PR Casebook: A Video PSA
Some PSAs get considerable airtime. A series of PSAs
on anxiety disorders got more than 100,000 airplays. A Sal-
Warns About the Use of
vation Army PSA series reached more than 43 million Decorative Contact Lenses
Americans. The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Although decorative contact lenses are popular with Twi-
Syndrome (NOFAS) reported a 400 percent increase in calls light, Lady Gaga, and Avatar fans, the American Academy
166 Chapter 9

of Ophthalmology (AAO) wanted to warn people that non-
prescription decorative contacts can cause blindness.
the country could interview the spokesperson on a one-on-
one 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 per-
cent of the nation’s television stations participate in satel-
lite tours, including stations in the top 10 markets.
Reporters like SMTs because they can ask their own ques-
tions and get an exclusive interview with a source any-
where 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 Guidelines for a Successful SMT
video PSAs. A 30-second video was for teens and a 90-sec- Anecdotal evidence indicates that four out of five pitched sat-
ond video was for parents. They then sent news releases to ellite media tours don’t get aired. You can increase the odds if
all major media with links to the two PSAs and supple- you follow these “do’s” and “don’ts” compiled by PRWeek:
mented the videos as follows:
• 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 Power-
Point presentation for community groups.
• Wrote Facebook and Yahoo ad campaigns targeted at teens
• Posted decorative lens-focused information on the Acad-
emy’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, some-
times, talk show hosts.
The SMT concept started in the mid-1980s when compa- Formats  The easiest way to do an SMT is simply to
nies began to put their CEOs in front of a television camera. make an articulate spokesperson available for an interview.
The public relations staff would line up reporters in advance Celebrities are always popular, but an organization can also
to interview the spokesperson via satellite feed during allot- use articulate experts in its subject area. Essentially, the
ted time frames and, in this way, television journalists across spokesperson sits in a chair or at a desk in front of a televi-

sion camera. Viewers usually see the local news anchor ask-
ing 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 sur-
vey of television news directors, WestGlen Communica-
tions 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 loca-
tion. Harley Davidson took this approach for its cele-
bration 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.
Radio, Television, and Online Video 167
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 substan-
tially, 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 maxi-
mum benefit by posting interviews on their website,
­producing audio and video podcasts, syndicating segments
to YouTube and other viral news sites, embedding an inter-
view in a multimedia news release, and even doing a web-
cast. Bev Yehuda, vice president of MultiVu, adds, “With
your spokesperson already in a TV studio, it’s easy to initi-
ate 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 pro-
duction firm to record the event. DWJ Television, for exam-
ple, 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 cam-
eras 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 for-
mat of such a tour?
The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.
Submit
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 pre-
pare 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 depart-
ment, but rather the directors and producers of various spe-
cialty features and shows. Your most valuable communication
tools are the telephone and the persuasive pitch letter.
Before using guest appearances or product place-
ments, 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 broad-
casting 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 multi-
ple 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 audi-
ence 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. Col-
lectively, these three shows draw about 14 million view-
ers between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. every weekday. As PRWeek
says, “there’s simply no better way to hit millions of con-
sumers 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 inter-
views 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 decid-
ing what is newsworthy. Another advantage is the oppor-
tunity 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 sta-
tions, as well as a proliferation of cable channels, provide
excellent placement opportunities for organizational
spokespersons talking on any number of topics.
 Radio, Television, and Online Video 169

When thinking about placement on a radio or televi-
sion talk show, remember that your topic and spokesper-
son 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, pro-
ducer 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 unex-
pected 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 tel-
evision talk shows. Public relations professionals preparing
spokespersons for an interview should share the following rec-
ommendations; 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 asso-
ciate 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 qualifi-
cations of your proposed speaker and why the person
would be a timely guest, or you can send an email to con-
vince 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 newspa-
per 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 spokesper-
son’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 sta-
tion will let you create your own talk show. Rex Health-
care 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, how-
ever, 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.

The James Bond Films

Submit

9.4.2: Magazine Shows

A magazine show has a somewhat different format than a
talk show, where a host interviews various guests. A maga-
zine show, in contrast, may feature five or six stories about
various issues and topics that usually include video clips and
“In the U.S., product placement in films and television has
reporting by the station’s news staff. Depending on the pro- never been more widespread, accounting for $3.61 billion,
gram, they can be human-interest features or in-depth inves- or half, of global spending.”
tigative stories on contemporary issues such as the high cost — David Gelles and Tim Bradshaw, reporters for the
of medical care or the plight of the homeless in major cities. Financial Times
CBS’s 60 Minutes is an example of a magazine show.
Clothing manufacturers and retailers are particularly
On the local level, there are many human-interest
active in product placements because studies show that
magazine shows. A sampling of magazine shows in one
today’s young people get most of their fashion ideas from
large city featured such subjects as a 1-pound baby who
watching television shows. This is why upscale retailers
survived, a treatment for anorexia nervosa, a couple who
were eager, and paid large fees, for the main characters in
started a successful cookie company, remedies for back
Sex in the City to be seen using their clothes, handbags, jew-
pain, tips on dog training, the science of karate, blue-collar
elry, and shoes. Coca-Cola, of course, has long been associ-
job stress, and the work habits of a successful author.
ated with American Idol, to the point that the backdrop is
Most, if not all, of these features came about as the
Coca-Cola red and all the judges sip Coke from branded
result of someone making a pitch to the show’s producers.
cups. Apple has been especially prolific in product place-
The objective of the segment, at least from the perspective
ment. Its products have appeared in more than a third of
of the people featured, is exposure and the generation of
all number one films at the box office for the past 10 years.
new business. The tips on dog training, for example, fea-
Many major brands pay millions of dollars to have
tured a local breeder who also operated a dog obedience
their branded products in a high-profile television series or
school. The karate expert ran a martial arts academy.
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
9.4.3: Product Placement of chips in a scene may only cost samples of the product to
Television’s dramatic and comedy shows, as well as the the production crew and actors for daily use or for a party.
film industry, are good vehicles for promoting a company’s Hotels and resorts also garner exposure in location scenes
products and services. It is not a coincidence that the hero if they are willing to feed the crew and provide compli-
of a detective series drives a Lexus sports coupe or that a mentary rooms.
United Airlines plane is shown taking off or landing. Such It’s a cost-effective investment in publicity. O’Dwyer’s
product tie-ins to a show, also called plugs or plants, are Newsletter quotes Frank Zazza of iTVX productions

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 pub-
licity on television programs and upcoming movies. If
the company’s product or service lends itself to a particu-
lar 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 particu-
larly 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 spe-
cialty 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 Brad-
shaw provide some basic tips for placements that are well-
received and effective.
Issue Placement  A logical extension of product
placements is convincing popular television programs to
write an issue or cause into their scripts. Writers for issue-
oriented shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, CSI, and Law &
Order are constantly bombarded with requests from a vari-
Radio, Television, and Online Video 171
ety of non-profit and special interest groups. Many social
and health organizations also lobby the producers of day-
time 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.
Submit
9.5: Online Video
9.5 Review the salient features of owned media and
online videos in raising brand visibility
Although television still accounts for more hours of view-
ing 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 tradi-
tional television and cable networks. One is that the con-
tent 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 interven-
tion. It’s another example of the axiom that every organ-
ization is now a publisher.
172 Chapter 9
Another advantage of online video is that it enjoys lon-
gevity. 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 vid-
eos posted on its YouTube channel, where customers and
others can search for interesting footage. Most of the vid-
eos 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 vid-
eos 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 out-
source 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 videog-
raphers and costly production. Today’s generation records
videos on smartphones and compact camcorders that are
 Radio, Television, and Online Video 173

often uploaded to company intranets as part of an organi-

zation’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 Wil-
son 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 vid-
eos 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.

Submit

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 prod-
uct 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.

Post 0 characters | 140 minimum

Chapter 9 Quiz: Radio, Television, and ­Online Video

Chapter 10
Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts
Learning Objectives
10.1 Report the exponential growth of the 10.4a Report the general guidelines for writing
Internet and World Wide Web web content
10.2 Summarize the differences between 10.4b Describe the purpose and components of an
traditional and new media online newsroom
10.3 Report some of the winning characteristics 10.5 Review the utility of different types of blogs
of websites that help to achieve 10.6 Describe podcasts and their uses
organizational goals

10.1: The Web: Pervasive in For clarification, however, it should be noted that
Internet and World Wide Web are not interchangeable
Our Lives words. The Internet is essentially a giant network of hard-
ware and computers around the world that make it possi-
10.1  eport the exponential growth of the Internet and
R ble for you to send an email to anyone in the world. The
World Wide Web World Wide Web, on the other hand, is what allows you to
The World Wide Web celebrated its 25th anniversary in use browsers such as Google to access websites or web-
2014 without much fanfare. For those who have never pages. In other words, the World Wide Web is the portion
known daily life without it, it’s difficult to realize that it of the Internet that makes it possible for public relations
was a revolutionary development that transformed the writers to communicate with the public through websites,
media almost as much as the invention of the printing online newsrooms, blogs, and podcasts.
press by Gutenberg in the 1400s. The astounding growth of the Internet and the World
For centuries, the owners and publishers of newspa- Wide Web is old news, and any figures given today are out
pers, magazines, and books controlled the flow of informa- of date almost before they are published. Nevertheless,
tion. In the 20th century, broadcasters joined their ranks as some 2014 stats provide a base point for understanding the
gatekeepers who decided what content would be produced extent of this continued growth, as Internet connectivity
and distributed to the public. Control was still highly cen- becomes—like electricity—less visible but increasingly
tralized; only a few could afford to start a newspaper or essential to our daily lives.
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 liter-
ally 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 pub-
lic relations paradigms.

175
176 Chapter 10
Traditional Mass Media
Unidirectional: Dissemination of
news and information is generally
one-way, with restricted feedback
mechanisms.
Space/time constraints:
Newspapers are limited by space;
radio and TV by time.
Professional communicators:
Trained journalists, reporters, and
experts tend to qualify as
traditional media personnel.
High access costs: Cost of
starting a newspaper, radio, or TV
station is prohibitive for most
people.
General interest: Many
mainstream mass media target
large audiences and thus offer
This chapter explores the important role of the World broad coverage.
Wide Web as a major communications tool in today’s pub-
Linearity of content: News and
lic relations work. Its primary focus is how websites, blogs, information are organized in
and podcasts are created, with various examples of how logical, linear order; news
organizations have successfully used them in their com- hierarchy.
munications strategy. The chapter will also give you the
Feedback: Letters to the editor,
necessary understanding and skill to organize a website, phone calls; slow, effort heavy,
provide content for online newsrooms, create an effective moderated and edited; time/space
limited.
blog, and conduct a podcast.
Ad-driven: Need to deliver big
audiences to advertisers to
10.2: The New Public generate high ad revenues; mass
appeal.
Relations Paradigm Institution-bound: Many
traditional media are produced by
large corporations with centralized
10.2  ummarize the differences between traditional
S structure.
and new media Fixed format: Content is
produced, disseminated, and
The World Wide Web is now the major source of news and somewhat “fixed” in place and
information for millions of Americans. Its exponential time.
growth is due, in large part, to its unique characteristics,
which can be better understood by comparing the Web News, values, journalistic
with traditional mass media. The information below is standards: Content produced
and evaluated by conventional
adapted from a chart prepared by Kevin Kawamoto of the norms and ethics.
University of Washington for a Freedom Forum seminar
on technology. These major characteristics of the Web enable public
relations people to do a better job of distributing content in
a variety of formats.
Traditional Media versus the Web
Traditional Mass Media New Media
Geographically constrained: Distance insensitive: Media
Media geared to geographic geared toward needs, wants, and
markets or regional audience interests, regardless of physical
share; market specific. location of the user; topic specific.
Hierarchical: News and Flattened: News and information
information pass through a vertical have the potential to spread
hierarchy of gatekeeping and horizontally, from nonprofessionals
successive editing. to other nonprofessionals.
New Media
Interactive: Feedback is
immediate and often uncensored
or modified; discussions and
debate rather than editorials and
opinions.
Less space/time constraints:
Information is stored digitally;
hypertext (text documents with
links) allows large volumes of info
to be “layered” one atop another.
Amateurs/nonprofessionals:
Anyone with requisite resources
can publish on the Web, even
amateur and untrained
communicators.
Low access costs: Cost of
electronic publishing/broadcasting
on the Internet is much more
affordable.
Customized: With fewer space/
time restraints and market
concerns, new media can
“narrowcast” in depth to personal
interests.
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: Email, posting to
online discussion groups;
comparatively simple and
effortless; often unedited,
unmoderated.
Diverse funding sources: While
advertising is increasing, other
sources permit more diverse
content; small audiences OK.
Decentralized: Technology allows
production and dissemination of
news and information to be
“grass-roots efforts.”
Flexible format: Content is
constantly changing, updated,
corrected, and revised; in addition,
multiple forms of media can be
integrated in one multimedia
service.
Formative standards: Norms
and values obscure; content
produced and evaluated on its
own merit and credibility.

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.
Submit
10.3: Websites
10.3  eport some of the winning characteristics of
R — Jay Moye, senior editor of Coca-Cola’s
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.
Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 177
PR Casebook: Coca-Cola
Website Sets the Standard for
Brand Journalism
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 Coca-
Cola as a worldwide brand.
Its concept of “brand journalism” was that young
adults would be attracted to the site because it offers a vari-
ety of interesting stories about everything from how to
select an office chair to an employee whose passion is sky-
diving. In 2013, for example, Journey published more than
2,000 stories and more than 10,000 videos. Most of the con-
tent 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 authen-
ticity 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.”
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 say-
ing “Make a friend in Pakistan.” The two nations have been
enemies for years, but Coke got ordinary Indians and Paki-
stanis to wave at each other via cameras, flash peace sym-
bols, and toast each other with a Coke. The company didn’t
issue a news release about its “Small World Machines” cam-
paign 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 aver-
ages 33 million visitors daily, who spend an average of
almost 5 minutes reading various articles. In 2015, Coca-
Cola 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.
A SAMPLING OF ORGANIZATIONAL WEBSITES Not
every organization has the creativity, budget, and commit-
ment 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 encyclope-
dia 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
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 empha-
sizing its sponsorship of sporting events such as
motorcycle contests over rough terrain or surfing exhi-
bitions. Extensive feature stories, interviews with ath-
letes, 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
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 organiza-
tion 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 organ-
ization’s competition and the thousands of other web-
pages 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 organi-
zation 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 availa-
ble 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 iden-
tity and loyalty through brand journalism efforts such as
features, photos, and videos. The Coca-Cola and Red Bull
websites are good examples.

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 user-
friendly 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 exam-
ple 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.
Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 179
Starbucks is a good example of today’s trend toward
home pages that have a minimum of words on a back-
ground 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 sim-
ply 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 “respon-
sibility” 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 con-
tent. 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, naviga-
tion options, and functionality. The readability of a site, in
terms of layout and overall “look and feel,” can also influ-
ence 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 sin-
gle 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. Peo-
ple do things in odd and unexpected ways, so even the
most carefully planned project can be improved by usa-
bility 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 web-
site 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 exam-
ple, 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 depart-
ments collaborate.
The advantage of cross-functional teams is that vari-
ous 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 audi-
ences, and marketing can communicate the consumer ser-
vices 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 interact-
ing 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 con-
clude, “The fact that higher interactivity Websites are asso-
ciated with more positive organization perception is
important to organizations and PR practitioners with
 Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 181

l­imited time and funds to invest in recruiting and other

activities involving stakeholders.”
One successful application of this two-way dialogue is
Tips for Success
the website of the Broward County Public Schools in Fort How to Increase Website Visitors
Lauderdale, Florida. The school board was working on
A website’s content, design, cross-platform promotion, and
two new policies, and it realized that not everyone could
readability on different devices can influence the amount of
attend meetings to discuss the proposals. Therefore, the
traffic it receives. To attract first-time and repeat visitors to your
decision was made to post the policy drafts on the board’s organization’s website, consider the following tips.
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 con-
sumers 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 credibil-
ity. 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 dis-
cussed, 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 visi-
tors and holds their attention. The Tips for Success dis-
cusses different strategies for bringing more visitors to
your website.
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 pro-
motional 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

course, is a traditional advertising campaign. PepsiCo, for
example, combined online, offline, and mobile media ads
to promote its “Crash the Super Bowl” consumer-gener-
SEARCH ENGINES The essential key to the vast, sprawl- ated advertising for Doritos and Pepsi Max.
ing universe called the Web is a search engine. Of the mul-
tiple search engines available, the major one is Google, with
Yahoo! and Bing in a distant second and third place. In Pub-
lic Relations Tactics, Fredrick Marchini reports that, “Accord-
ing 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 typ-
ing 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? 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
 Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 183

10.3.5: Tracking Site Visitors terms of being easy to navigate, interactive, and attracting
visitors. It’s now important to further discuss how public
An important part of site maintenance is tracking visitors
relations writers should prepare the content for a website.
to your site. Management, given its investment, wants to
Two basic concepts are important when writing for the
know if the site is actually working. In other words, how
Web. First, there is a fundamental difference between how
well is it fulfilling its objectives? Is it generating sales leads?
people read online and how they read printed documents.
Is it selling products and services? Is it helping the organi-
According to a study by Sun Microsystems, it takes 50 per-
zation establish brand identity? Are journalists actually
cent longer for an individual to read material on a com-
using it to write stories?
puter screen. As a consequence, 80 percent of online readers
Fortunately, the digital revolution allows quick and
scan text instead of reading word-by-word.
tangible ways to monitor traffic on any website. A number
“The simple truth is that people read differently on a
of different measurement terms are used, and it is easy to
computer screen than they do on a piece of paper. Not only
confuse the exact meaning of each.
do computer monitors make it difficult to read for long
One such term is hit. When the Canadian Tourism
periods of time, but people who use the Web tend to be
Commission launched its website, ThisIsOurVancouver.
especially impatient, looking for information they want as
com, to battle an image problem after post–Stanley Cup
quickly as possible” says Mickie Kennedy, founder and
rioting, it generated more than 14,000 hits, or visits, in just
president of eReleases. The guidelines in the following
10 days. Some websites report much more remarkable
Tips for Success are adapted from Kennedy’s 10 command-
numbers of hits. Victoria’s Secret, for example, reported
ments for writing for the Web.
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. Tips for Success
Two other often-used terms are page view or page
impression. These terms are interchangeable and they refer The 10 Commandments for Writing
to the number of times a page is pulled up. Unlike a “hit,” Web Content
one completed visit equals one page view. For example, the Here are 10 general rules that you should keep in mind when
Canadian Tourism site’s 14,000 hits translated to about writing text for the Web.
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 particu-
lar 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  eport the general guidelines for writing
R
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
184 Chapter 10

­ ebsite a claustrophobic ‘filled-up’ look that discourages

w
visitors from remaining.” The Tips for Success below sum-
marizes what eye-tracking research further suggests about
making online content readable.

Tips for Success

How Visitors “Read” a Website
Multiple eye-tracking studies have been conducted about how
consumers look at a webpage. The research provides some
NONLINEAR WRITING The second main concept in insights on how to design a website and write content for it.
The following list of findings is adapted from an article by Neil
writing for the Web is that the writer needs to know the
Patel in Ragan.com.
basic difference between linear and nonlinear styles of
writing. Printed material usually follows a linear progres-
sion: 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 Caro-
lina, 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:
Think of it as writing in chunks, with each idea or infor-
mation 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 Microsys-
tems 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 guide-
lines 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 hand-
books 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

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 web-
page 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 For-
tune 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 organiza-
tion’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 announce-
ments 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 signifi-
cant announcement regarding its management or acquisi-
tion 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 blog-
gers 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 informa-
tion 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 expecta-
tion, 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.”
Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 185
“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 in-
cludes 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 news-
room 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 sug-
gested the following guidelines.

WRITING PROMPT
Why are online newsrooms on an organization’s website so impor-
tant in today’s world? Describe what should be available in an online
newsroom. Would you include a link to individuals in the public rela-
tions department? Why or why not?

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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 indi-
viduals 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 prov-
ince 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.
 Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 187

• 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 tradi-
tional 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
10.5.1: Types of Blogs
organization, its products, and services
Public relations writers are usually involved in three kinds
• To foster conversation among audiences with an affin-
of blogs: corporate or organizational blogs, employee
ity for or connection with the organization
blogs, and third-party blogs.
• To facilitate more interactive communication and
encourage audience feedback

Implicit in Walton’s list is the concept that the infor-

mal format of a blog gives organizations, particularly
large ones, more human characteristics. A research study
about corporate blogs by Hyojung Park and Glen Cam-
eron in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, for
example, found that “Blogs with first person narratives
appeared to create a more personal and sociable atmos-
phere 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.

ORGANIZATIONAL BLOGS A corporate blog is usually

Tips for Success
The Perfect Blog Post by the
Numbers
Blogpros.com, a consulting firm that conducts digital cam-
paigns for clients, analyzed 100 high-ranking blog posts and
calculated the averages for each of the following elements:
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 execu-
tive. 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 maga-

zine, 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 char-
acter would cost companies to defend in real-life lawsuits.
This showcased the firm’s legal expertise in a user-
friendly 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
Although customer relations and loyalty for organiza-
Public relations firm Ketchum Communications has a tions such as Southwest greatly benefit from blogs, a blog isn’t
daily blog that features postings by various staffers that a good fit for every organization. In fact, less than a third of the
highlights their expertise. A sample blog post is shown in Fortune 500 companies in 2014 had a corporate blog. Specialty
Figure 10.4. retailers and food consumer product companies had the larg-
est percentage of corporate blogs (44 and 31 percent) while
Figure 10.4 banks, utility companies, and mining companies had the low-
In this Ketchum Blog posting, Sue Maloney, director of strategic & est number. As Ben King noted in a Financial Times article,
creative planning, writes about ways to be more creative. One of her “The rapid, spontaneous back and forth discourse of the blo-
first tips is to start a “good idea” file to save cool ideas/articles you gosphere is not an easy fit with the slow, cautious approach
come across. Another tip is to be a local tourist. She recommends,
“Visit nearby landmarks, tourist destinations, local museums or art
favored by most corporate marketing departments.”
galleries for creative inspiration.” 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 posi-
tive 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 organ-
izations 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
 Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 189

related to or on behalf of the company. See the Tips for Suc-

PR Casebook: Seattle Police cess for IBM’s list of guidelines for employees participating
in blogs and other social media.
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
Tips for Success
possession and recreational use of the substance. The idea IBM’s Guidelines for Employee
was to inform citizens about the specifics of the legislation
in a way that would encourage voluntary compliance with
Blogs
the regulations. IBM encourages its employees to participate in blogs and
The police department decided that official and long other social media. It has generated a list of 10 guidelines that
has evolved over several years.
explanations would not resonate with the public, so the
approach was to package the information in an entertain-
ing 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 Fin-
gers: they distributed 1,000 bags of Doritos with an educa-
tional 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, accord-
ing to the company, are “super-technical” and “project-ori-
ented,” 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 dis-
like the word compliance” and went on to explain why.
Many organizations are uncomfortable with employee
blogs because they are concerned about liability or the pos-
sibility that proprietary information will be released. Other
companies, those that have a more open system of commu-
nication 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
Steve Cody, managing director of Peppercom, a public
blogs. Cisco, for example, tells employees: “If you comment
relations firm, adds several additional important points for
on any aspect of the company’s business...you must clearly
employee or client blogs:
identify yourself as a Cisco employee in your postings and
include a disclaimer that the views are your own and not • Be transparent about any former, current, or prospec-
those of Cisco.” Dell also expects employees to identify tive clients being mentioned in the blog.
themselves if they do any sort of blogging, social network- • Respond in a timely manner to individuals who post
ing, Wikipedia entry editing, or other online a­ ctivities 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 organiza-
tions 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 post-
ings on other blog sites. The products and services of organ-
izations are particularly vulnerable to attack and criticism
by bloggers, and an unfavorable mention is often multi-
plied 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 over-
took 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 responsibil-
ity 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 pro-
fessionals 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 provid-
ing materials directly in a manner that is helpful to blog-
gers, 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 moni-
tors 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 anni-
versary 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, over-
sized salt container full of games, decorations, recipes, and
Morton Salt products (see Figure 10.5 below). The blog-
gers, 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.

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 pro-
vided by Wikipedia: “A podcast is a digital medium that con-
sists 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 commu-
nications 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 down-
load 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 mini-
mum 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
Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 191
r­ elations staff produces a roughly 7-minute audio podcast
of four or five interesting questions and answers with com-
pany 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 inter-
est. 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 trans-
mission. 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 fea-
ture insights from professors regarding current trends
and issues.
Greater Rochester Enterprise repackages its hour-
long “Eyes on the Future” radio broadcasts as podcasts
that area business people can access anytime.
Purina, the pet food manufacturer, has a video pod-
cast 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 at-
tacks? Get answers to these questions and more in season
two of Animal Advice, where veterinarians field ques-
tions 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 pro-
fessionals. 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 read-
ing a news release or an executive’s speech into the micro-
phone. 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 top-
ics 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.
Summary: Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts
• THINK ABOUT THE TITLE. Select a name for your pod-
cast 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. Pro-
duce 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 direc-
tories, 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
 Websites, Blogs, and Podcasts 193

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 gen-
erate 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
11.2 Analyze the importance of social media in
public relations
11.3 Report the continued importance of the
traditional media
11.4 Express the different forms and uses of
social networks
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 conver-
sation 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 popu-
lation. According to statistics compiled by Go-Globe, a Singa-
pore 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
11.5 Describe the different formats and
approaches to micro-blogging
11.6 Describe the different media sharing sites
and their uses
11.7 Express how advances in mobile technology
have opened up a world of opportunities
11.8 Review the role of wikis in public
relations work
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 rela-
tions 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 under-
standing 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  nalyze the importance of social media in
A
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. Accord-
ing 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,
Figure 11.1
one-on-one conversations with ­stakeholders.”
SOURCES: “Monthly Active Users” data compiled by The Social Media Hat,
GREATER TRANSPARENCY. Organizations must “Every Minute of the Day”’ data compiled by TechSpartan.co.uk.
perform and behave in a more responsible manner
Social Media Use
because society expects greater transparency and
accountability. Communication must be more authen- Facebook
Logins on Facebook
tic and credible in a world where information and 600,000
1.35
Photos uploaded billion
YouTube
rumor can go viral in a matter of minutes. 67,000

Video uploaded on YouTube

1.0
TOTAL INTEGRATION. Social media is now fully 306 hours of content
billion

integrated as a major tactic in almost every public rela- Google+

tions program or campaign. Individuals who are spe- Google searches
4.19 million 540
cialists in social media and digital media management million

Every Minute Monthly Active

are now members of any public relations team plan- Tweets sent of the Day Users
433,000 Instagram
ning a campaign. 300
Apps downloaded from iTunes
“We use tools based on their strengths, and each of the 50,200
284 Twitter

18
entries in the social media space offers its own strengths

7m
regis
Pins added to Pinterest

70 temred users

ill
and weaknesses, possibilities and limitations.”

registered user
3,400

40

ion
illio
LinkedIn

million
— Shel Holtz, social media guru at an IABC workshop

n
Vines uploaded
450 Pinterest

s
Indeed, a study by ING Group found that 80 percent of Vine

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 per-
cent of journalists mine social media for story ideas. And in
a marketing industry report, more than 90 percent of mar-
keters say social media is important for their business.
WRITING PROMPT
What do you think is the major strength of using social media in a
public relations campaign? Explain
The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.
Submit
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 Digi-
mind, 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) arti-
cles 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

11.3: The Continuing Role respondents) ranked the highest. Other sources of ideas, in
descending order of influence, were broadcast TV, cable
of Traditional Media TV, face-to-face communication, and newspapers.

11.3  eport the continued importance of the

R
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 newspa- In other words, public relations professionals need to
pers, magazines, radio, and television. These media chan- understand that traditional media and social media are not
196 Chapter 11
mutually exclusive categories. Most public relations pro-
grams 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 tradi-
tional 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 objec-
tives. 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  xpress the different forms and uses of social
E tion’s website, on the other hand, is much more formal in
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 larg-
est social network in the world. In fact, 75 percent of Face-
book 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 advertis-
ing, marketing, and public relations professionals. Advertis-
ing 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 execu-
tives 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 organiza-
presentation because it projects the organization’s “offi-
cial” 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, promo-
tions, 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 com-
panies 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 rele-
vant 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 audi-
ence participation, as demonstrated by the following Face-
book 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?

The response entered here will appear in the

performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.
Coors

Submit

11.4.2: Google+
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
Although companies often use Facebook for promo-
using Gmail, other Google apps, and YouTube is invited to
tions and contests relating to a particular campaign, many
activate a free Google+ social networking account to inte-
organizations also have a Facebook page to provide basic
grate their online activities. Other social media analytic
information and to increase public awareness of its ser-
firms have estimated that there are about 350 million active
vices. Springfield Clinic in Illinois, for example, has a Face-
users, which is more than Twitter.
book page that encourages consumers to interact with the
Organizations and individuals use Google+ to post
page. The clinic posts a new article every morning that
comments, photos, and infographics, and to take advan-
deals with such topics as the latest medical news, back-
tage of its video chat service. About 50 percent of the For-
ground information on current issues in the health indus-
tune 100 companies have a presence on the site, and one
try, and new scientific studies. The page was named the
major reason is that the site has the full search engine sup-
best on Facebook in a recent year by Ragan’s PR Daily.
port of Google. In other words, postings on Google+ boost
search engine optimization in terms of your content com-

Tips for Success ing up first on Google searches.

Marketing professionals, in particular, like Google+
because its broad range of apps and services tend to pro-
How to Post an Effective Message vide more information on its users’ habits and interests
on Facebook than Facebook. A study by Forrester Research also found
Several studies have indicated the following signposts for an that posts by major brands generated nearly as much
effective post: 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,
11.5: Micro-Blogging Sites
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 invest-
and Apps
ment for us.” 11.5  escribe the different formats and approaches to
D
micro-blogging
11.4.3: LinkedIn: The Professional Micro-blogging sites such as Twitter, Vine, Instagram, and
Network the increasingly popular Snapchat are essentially a mini
version of a blog. Wikipedia defines micro-blogging as
This social networking website primarily connects individ-
users exchanging small elements of content such as short
uals in professional occupations. LinkedIn has about 300
texts, images, and video links. The major micro-blogging
million users from around the world, about a third of
site with the most users is Twitter.
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 indi-
viduals to connect with other professionals in their occupa-
tional 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 market-
ing 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 arti-
cles 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 consid- 11.5.1: Twitter: Saying It in 140
ered by many public relations professionals as the best
social network platform for posting “thought leadership” Characters or Less
essays on current issues and trends in a field or profession. Twitter, a social networking and microblogging site launched
Such postings are usually written by an organizational in 2006, had about 300 million active users worldwide by its
executive or an independent consultant to showcase their eighth birthday. It has grown rapidly if the number of tweets
expertise, become known as a “thought leader” in the field, sent daily is any indication: 50 million tweets a day in 2010
and perhaps generate some new business. jumped to 500 million a day by 2014. During the 2014 World
On another level, LinkedIn has become a major Cup competition in Brazil, for example, 32 million tweets
resource for finding a job and advancing career opportuni- were posted by soccer fans from around the world.
ties. It’s a site where users post their profiles, their updated Corporations have also embraced Twitter as an effec-
resumes, and even recommendations from work col- tive public relations tool. A 2014 survey by Simply Meas-
leagues and former employers. Public relations specialists ured and Interbrand found that 98 percent of the world’s
can search for a job several ways. They can search by job top brands now have one or more Twitter accounts, and
position (account executive for a public relations firm, for almost 80 percent of them tweet one to six times daily. The
example) or they can also research the hundreds of organi- content includes micro news releases, updates on an evolv-
zations that have pages on LinkedIn to find out about the ing situation or crisis, story pitches to a journalist, and
organization and what jobs are currently available. Accord- offers of discounts on goods and services. According to the
ing to DegreeQuery.com, 36 million millennials (15 to 34) Interbrand survey, 70 percent of the top brands have more
and 36 million current and recent college students have than 100,000 followers. Southwest Airlines has more than a
profiles, including their CVs, on LinkedIn. million followers and Coca-Cola has about 300,000.

Organizations use Twitter primarily to boost awareness
and enhance visibility on social networks. A study by Mash-
able 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 join-
ing these conversations is a way for people on Twitter to be-
come 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 get-
ting more robust. A tweet can now provide easy links to docu-
ments, 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 con-
vergence with mobile apps. One creative use was Tweet-a-
Beer at the Southwest by Southwest Interactive Festival
(SXSW), which enabled users to buy someone a beer via Twit-
ter. The idea was the brainchild of Waggener Edstrom, a pub-
lic 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 practi-
cally 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.
Social Media and Mobile Apps 199
In addition, Samsung was getting 900 mentions a min-
ute 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 com-
pany, uses the username @TalkToQwest to handle cus-
tomer questions, concerns, and complaints.
• Clorox used the hashtag #ickies in a campaign to gen-
erate conversations among parents about daily messes,
or “ick,” that they have to deal with.
• AeroSystems used Twitter to give employees, the pub-
lic, 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 fol-
lowing 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 sug-
gests 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 visi-
tors 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 organiza-
tions 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 tac-
tic? What about Vine?

The response entered here will appear in the

performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.

Submit

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, video-
sharing, 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 smart-
phones, apply digital filters to them, and then share them
on a variety of social networks such as Facebook or Twit-
ter. In fact, one survey by All Things D found that U.S.
teenagers preferred Instagram over Twitter and Face-
book, 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.”
 Social Media and Mobile Apps 201

“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 info-
graphics that can be easily accessed by the public via
smartphones, tablets, and regular PCs. Although Insta-
gram started out as a mobile application, it has also added
web-based profiles, expanding the service to the larger-
screen 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
11.6: Media Sharing Sites
the prospect of having a place to showcase their content 11.6  escribe the different media sharing sites and
D
in one place and possibly to direct users there from their uses
other media.”
The Web offers a cornucopia of websites, social media, and
Despite the square format imposed by Instagram, the
apps that overflow from desktop computers, tablets, and
general guidelines for producing excellent photos still
smartphones. Literally billions of shared videos, photos,
apply. Remember to (1) avoid wasted space, (2) keep the
and shared posts are available at one’s fingertips.
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 photo-
editing apps.
Using Instagram for advancing organizational objec-
tives, however, does require some extra guidelines. These
are outlined in the following Tips for Success.

Tips for Success 11.6.1: YouTube: King of

How to Use Instagram in Your Video ­Clips
Organization YouTube gets more than 4 billion views a day, and it is sec-
Here are some suggestions to help you make the most of ond only to Google in the number of searches it processes.
I nstagram’s format and cultivate your organization’s
­ According to data from Nielsen, more than 150 million
brand ­visually. 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 organi-
zations 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 con-
sumers will spend at least 2 minutes watching a video
about a product, and they are more likely to buy a prod-
uct after seeing a video than those who haven’t. Fulls-
creen, 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 cre-
ated by YouTube viewers.
4. Get the attention of journalists and bloggers.
5. Measure your success by using YouTube tools to deter-
mine 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 You-
Tube, 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-fla-
vored 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 broad-
cast 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

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.
r­ apping lines such as, “Straight outta Cape Cod, we are
keepin’ it real.” It worked because the parody of upper-
crust white men rapping isn’t typical rap imagery.
“Embrace online video and watch how creative, genuine,
and cool content becomes incredibly viral. Words can car-
ry 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 & Rub-
ber 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 inno-
vative 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
Social Media and Mobile Apps 203
publicity when it became a smash hit on iTunes, and Car-
roll made guest appearances on every major television net-
work. 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 Domi-
no’s Pizza franchise in North Carolina decided to post on
YouTube a video of them making a truly obnoxious sand-
wich that violated all health standards. The video went
viral, and it took weeks for the company to restore its repu-
tation 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?
The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.
Submit
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 competi-
tion 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 pub-
lic 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 sto-
ries. As a result, more than 1,000 posts appeared on Face-
book, 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.
• 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
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
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 Crea-
tive Commons item you can use freely for personal or com-
mercial 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?
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.
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,

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 pho-
tographer 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 organiza-
tions use Flickr as a public relations tactic.
Sample Uses of Flickr
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 basi-
cally 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 con-
tent such as infographics, videos, user-uploaded photos,
and recipes that can be easily “re-pinned” by individu-
als 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
Social Media and Mobile Apps 205
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 rea-
son 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 opportu-
nity 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 up-
load their favorite fashion photographs, recipes, and dec-
orating 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” pho-
tographs about a bridal show, which was re-pinned by
hundreds of fans.
• General Electric (GE) created boards with the theme of
“Badass machines” that creatively depicts the massive
gas-fired turbines and intricate jet engines the com-
pany builds.
• L.L. Bean has boards that reinforce its reputation as a life-
style brand. Some of its boards are “Boots,” “Camping,”
and “Woodland Creatures.” In 2014, it was the most fol-
lowed brand on Pinterest with 5.5 million followers.
• Whole Foods created several Pinterest boards with
such topics as urban farming and do-it-yourself pro-
jects 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 long-
time charity partner Look Good Feel Better through a
campaign, Pin It to Give It, in which each “repin” gen-
erated 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 deal-
ing with the environment, global warming, and protec-
tion of endangered species, such as whales.
206 Chapter 11
The Tips for Success provides some general point-
ers 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:
WRITING PROMPT
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?
The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.
Submit
11.7: The Rising Tide of
Mobile Content
11.7  xpress how advances in mobile technology have
E
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 con-
tent. Indeed, it’s estimated that there are now 7.3 billion
mobile devices worldwide. Smartphones are the most vis-
ible manifestation of the mobile world, and industry
research studies report that the U.S. smartphone penetra-
tion 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 smart-
phones, iPads, and other tablets has practically revolution-
ized 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 net-
works, 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
98% 99% 100%
92%
86%
74%
68%
32%
26%
14%
8%
2% 1% 0%
Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Pinterest Vine Snapchat
Desktop Users Mobile Users
 Social Media and Mobile Apps 207

Such findings amplify the point that millions of con- are also increasingly being used as virtual credit cards to pay
sumers (and journalists) now use their smartphones and bills and withdraw cash, as files that store a person’s medical
tablets as their primary source of news and information. In records, and even as a form of money that allows users to
one Pew Research Center study, more than 60 percent of make a purchase by waving the phone over a scanner.
U.S. respondents get news from their phones weekly; 36 What makes all this possible are various computer
percent get news from their phone daily. applications, which are now just called apps. In fact,
This means that public relations specialists need to research by analytics firm Flurry found that U.S. consum-
master the art of crafting mobile-friendly content in order ers now spend 80 percent of their daily time on smart-
to effectively reach consumers and other audiences. As phones and tablets just using various apps provided by
previously discussed, organizations have already discov- any number of app developers and organizations.
ered the value of using various social media networks to
reach smartphone users. They are now recognizing that 10 Most Popular Apps in the United States
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 The number of apps keeps multiplying. By mid-2014,

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 per-
sonnel, 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.
Submit
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 com-
puter 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
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 provid-
ing useful, objective information without being too com-
mercial. 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 custom-
ers. 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 • Make the app intuitive and easy to navigate.
for their children. Kendall-Jackson winery, on the other • Create a colorful, eye-catching icon for the app
hand, needed to expand its market to the 25 to 40 age • Make sure the app is optimized for the app store
group. It developed a mobile app, “K-J Recommends,” that • Provide content that empowers the user to interact with
pairs wines with food as well as mood, social situations, the app
and even the color of the table setting. • Publicize the app through email lists, the organization’s
On a more entertaining side, the pet food manufacturer website, social networks, and mainstream media.
Friskies offered a “Catify App” which enables users to • Continue to promote the app on a regular basis.
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.”
WRITING PROMPT
The following are some other examples of organiza-
In what ways can organizations develop apps that are useful to con-
tions creating apps as part of their public relations outreach:
sumers and, at the same time, promote their brand and its products?
Additional Examples
The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.

Submit

11.7.2: QR Codes: Rich Content a

Scan Away

Creating an app, however, is only one part of the pro-

cess. As Sam Weston, vice president of Huge, notes in
PRWeek, “. . . the organization must also promote and mar-
ket 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
Quick response codes, known as QR, are two-dimen-
edition, placed signs throughout the hospital, put flyers in
sional matrix bar codes that serve as URLs to connect
waiting rooms, and posted a link to the app on its website.
mobile users with an organization’s website and any
The Trust for the National Mall, on the other hand, had to
number of apps. The idea is that the consumer or a jour-
reach a broader audience. It posted notices on its Facebook
nalist can easily use their smartphone or tablet camera
and Twitter pages, created a short video on Vimeo, and
to access additional information in the form of articles,
used the hashtag #WW11AppWednesday to showcase dif-
videos, and photos about an organization, a product, or
ferent features of the app each week.
an event.
The ability to readily access and download informa-
tion is particularly attractive to journalists who are often
Tips for Success out of the office. Consequently, media relations specialists
often embed QR codes in flyers, media kits, annual reports,
How to Create and Promote an App brochures, news releases, and even pitches to journalists
• Be clear about why the organization needs an app via a tweet or an email. By scanning a QR code on a mobile-
• Understand your target audience. What kind of mobile enabled device, both journalists and consumers can access
devices will they use? a variety of content.
 Social Media and Mobile Apps 209

QR codes can be used in a variety of ways, and some social media expert, told Ragan.com that there are three
organizations are quite innovative in their use. The Sandy levels of texting for organizations.
Springs (Georgia) fire department, for example, used QR
Texting Everyone
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,
Texting Subscribers
“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 Author-
ity (California) has a large QR sign outside the local air-
port, so travelers can check local bus schedules. In another
Single Texts
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 ser-
vice 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 A good example of an organization using texting as a
and visual content. QR codes played a major role, for communication tool is the South Dakota Office of Tourism.
example, in a Gillette campaign for a new razor designed Skiers visiting the state can sign up to receive daily text
to remove hair from all parts of a man’s body. The ad, of message alerts about snowfall and weather conditions.
course, featured model Kate Upton in a swimsuit, sitting Email alerts to subscribers were already being used, but
on a beach lounge chair. Upton was asked how she liked sending messages directly to cell phones seemed to be more
her boyfriend’s body styled. A thought bubble contained a logical in terms of accessibility. Wanda Goodman, public
QR code that took the reader to a short video of Upton relations manager at the tourism office, told Ragan.com, “It
answering this and other questions. Her verdict: it was adds a level of convenience for travelers and builds another
very important for him to groom “down there.” 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:
11.7.3: Texting • Text messaging is an immediate, cost-effective way for
Sending text messages via a mobile phone is now perva- public relations professionals to communicate with a
sive and universal. In fact, the public relations agency variety of publics.
Ruder Finn reports that 62 percent of U.S. mobile phone • Texting should involve timely and actionable infor-
users use their phones to instant message or text. The mation.
advantage, according to Text Marketer, is that practically
• Text recipients should have the ability to opt in or out;
100 percent of text messages get read as opposed to only 22
otherwise, messages are little more than spam.
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
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 mes-
sage 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 collec-
tion of webpages that enables anyone who accesses it to pro-
vide input and even modify the content. The popular
Wikipedia is the best-known wiki, with hundreds of indi-
viduals 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 web-
site, using a basic Web browser.
• They promote meaningful topic associations between
different pages.
• They involve visitors in an ongoing process of creation
and collaboration.
Summary: Social Media and Mobile Apps
General Motors created a wiki site for its employees
and customers as part of its centennial celebration. It
encouraged individuals to contribute first-person experi-
ences relating to the company’s history via stories, images,
video, and audio. The advantage of the wiki was that indi-
viduals could comment on other contributions, correct
inaccurate information, and even add supplemental infor-
mation regarding their experiences and viewpoints.
GM originally considered the standard coffee table
book outlining the company’s history, but company spokes-
person 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 popu-
lar uses of the wiki are for event management, document
version control, and maintenance of standardized docu-
ments 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 pres-
entations, 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.
 Social Media and Mobile Apps 211

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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
12.2 Analyze the responsibilities of being a good
editor
12.3 Explain how intranets aid communication
within an organization
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 communi-
cate effectively . . ., help maintain their organization’s cor-
porate 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 communi-
cations 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,
212
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
12.7 Explain how and why brochures are
printed
12.8 Describe the utility and characteristics of
annual reports for companies
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 con-
siderations 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 pro-
duce 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 respon-
sibility to serve the interests of the employees or other con-
stituents. No matter the medium, if you are selecting
content and emphasis for a regularly scheduled communi-
cation product, be it newsletter or intranet, you are serving
as an editor.
There is also the issue of editorial freedom. Many edi-
tors, 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
 Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures 213

exercise its rights as “publisher.” Charlotte Forbes, a man- cross-cultural understanding. The editors also place the
agement consultant, sums up the management perspec- following statement in the magazine’s masthead: “We dis-
tive. She told PRWeek, “Corporations need to think of a tribute AramcoWorld to increase cross-cultural understand-
newsletter as something that can inform, educate, and ing by broadening knowledge of the histories, culture and
hopefully drive action, as opposed to being a reporter of geography of the Arab and Muslim worlds and their global
facts, after the fact.” This sentiment applies to brochure contacts.” In the issue shown in Figure 12.1, the lead article
and intranet content, too. is about Asmir Begovic, who migrated to the United King-
Indeed, editors need to balance the needs of manage- dom at age 3 and became a top soccer goalie. He returned
ment, the interests of readers, and their own journalistic to Bosnia to play for the country in the World Cup.
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 under-
Figure 12.1
This cover features a lead article about Asmir Begovic, a top soccer
stand that all three are interrelated.
goalie who migrated to the United Kingdom at age 3 and returned to
Take company strategies and goals. These are usually Bosnia to play in the World Cup.
based on broad concepts such as human resources, corpo- (Photo portrait by Haris Memija)
rate image, business expansion, competitiveness, productiv-
ity, 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 orga-
nization’s market share and what factors are involved in
making the organization more competitive.
These stories, if done well, should also interest employ-
ees 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 employ-
ees. Stories about competitiveness don’t have to be propa-
ganda. They can be written with the same degree of Figure 12.2
objectivity as any article in an independent publication. 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, personali-
12.2.1: A Mission Statement Gives ties and trends.
Purpose
The best editors, the ones who regularly win awards, par-
ticularly for publications such as newsletters or organiza-
tional 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 approxi-
mately 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 publica-
tion’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
214 Chapter 12
Another example of a premier corporate publication is
Sky, the in-flight magazine of Delta Airlines shown in Fig-
ure 12.2. Promoted as the “most-read onboard lifestyle
magazine,” Delta Sky features articles on travel, food, busi-
ness, lifestyle, celebrities and more. Delta is not only inter-
ested 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 digi-
tal 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.
Submit
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 Market-
ing 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 maga-
zine’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 corpo-
rate travelers in global business cities.
Editorial plans are relevant for public relations writers
in two ways. First, they enable the editor of an employee-
focused 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 organi-
zation 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 edi-
tor, 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 communi-
cate with their employees. Essentially, an intranet works on
the same principles as the Internet, but it is a private net-
work within an organization for the exclusive use of
employees and perhaps some other audiences, such as
suppliers. Because they are closed systems and the techni-
cal 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 informa-
tion from external news sites, blogs, and user-submitted
photos. MSW is an extremely efficient way to reach Micro-
soft’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 perti-
nent blog and a form to submit questions to the CEO.
 Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures 215

employees surveyed said they contribute to the intranet

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.
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.

Submit

12.4: Online Newsletters

12.4 Compare online newsletters with print publications
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
SAMPLE INTRANET FEATURES An especially appealing who has made a donation and provided an email address to
aspect of an intranet is its potential for collaboration and the organization. An example of an online newsletter pub-
social networking. REI, a retailer specializing in outdoor lished by the The National Geographic Society is shown in
gear and equipment, was “shackled by email,” according to Figure 12.4 below.
Diana Kowalsky, REI’s internal communications manager.
REI communicators relied on monthly email newsletters to Figure 12.4
reach employees. But many employees, especially those National Geographic Society newsletters feature excellent photo­
who worked in the retail stores, didn’t have company email graphy of places and people from around the world.
accounts and were therefore bypassed.
REI developed an intranet they labeled “Around the
Campfire.” It gave every employee access to internal infor-
mation 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 informa-
tion. REI Director of Corporate Communications Libby
Catalinich told The Ragan Report that “Around the Camp-
fire” 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. Three-
quarters used blogs and about two-thirds have wikis, dis-
cussion forums, and user comments.
However, there’s room for improving intranets,
according to the study. Only 19 percent of the organiza-
tions surveyed rated their social intranet tools as good or
very good. On the positive side, about 70 percent of
216 Chapter 12
Unlike print publications that go through a number of
production steps that are addressed later in the chapter, edi-
tors 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 rep-
lica of the printed newsletter in digital form. The home page,
or cover, of an online newsletter should be formatted to pro-
vide 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 con-
versational 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 sen-
tences 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 highest-
circulation magazine in the United States—AARP The
Magazine, a bimonthly produced by the American Associa-
tion of Retired People (AARP) for its members—has a cir-
culation 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 per-
cent publish in print and online, and 61 percent publish
online only. CEB concluded, “[I]t’s unlikely that the news-
letter will become obsolete. Companies with a lot of non-
wired 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 compa-
nies that have field staff and plant workers who have lim-
ited 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 communica-
tion 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, con-
sider 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

time as it sits on the family coffee table or in the doctor’s
waiting room. The look and feel of print publications, cou-
pled 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 com-
pany intranet are excellent channels for giving late-­
breaking news and daily updates, but newsletters and
magazines are better vehicles for in-depth analysis and fea-
ture 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 individu-
als 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.
Submit
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 infor-
mation. 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 peo-
ple and industry trends. Stories, unlike the shorter articles
Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures 217
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 pub-
lication, 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 news-
letter 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 teen-
agers, health tips from local experts and, of course, chil-
dren’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 per-
cent 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 com-
pany.” 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 exec-
utives. 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 suc-
cess with content that meets the ‘what’s in it for me’ stan-
dard, 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
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 newslet-
ter. 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 para-
graphs, 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-
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 con-
versation.” 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 con-
tent, 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 lay-
out techniques are discussed later.
12.6.2: Article Headlines
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 infor-
mation 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.”

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 news-
letters and magazines.
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 sam-
ple 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.
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 second-
ary headline is also often used in news releases.
Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures 219
You should also note that there are two styles of for-
matting. 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
• 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 motor-
cycle
• 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 dis-
cussed shortly.
12.6.3: Article Lead Sentences
The most important element, after the headline, is the lead
sentence or paragraph. All too often, the lead sentence or para-
graph 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 main-
stream 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 win-
dow dressing, for example, was “‘One size fits all’ no lon-
ger 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 Tips for Success
complete message.
Consequently, periodicals have distinct “personali-
Story Packaging Tips
ties” that reflect their organizations. Guide Dog News, the Jim Ylisela, writing for The Ragan Report, offered the following
newsletter of Guide Dogs for the Blind, features stories ideas for putting together a story package.
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 sim-
ple, 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 para-
graphs of body copy—one photo per page, and color head-
lines. 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 12.6.5: Periodical Format
hold little meaning or interest for lay readers. It thereby Newsletters are easy to produce, are cost-effective, and can
reflects the nature of the financial industry. reach any number of small, specialized audiences. Com-
Here are some tips on how to design a story as a com- puter software such as Microsoft Word makes it possible
plete “package” of text and images. for almost anyone to produce a simple newsletter with
 Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures 221

mastheads, a two- or three-column format, and clip art or • Use white space. Don’t think you need stories or illus-
scanned photos. In fact, Microsoft Office offers newsletter trations covering every single part of the page.
templates, as does Google Docs. Apple even has a business • Vary paragraph length. If your copy looks as dense and
application for newsletter templates that can be down- forbidding as the Great Wall of China, your readers
loaded from iTunes. The use of desktop publishing soft- will be intimidated. Make paragraphs seven lines long
ware such as Adobe Creative Suite will be discussed shortly. or less to create even more white space.
The most popular format for a print newsletter is • Break up longer stories with boldface subheads.
­letter-size, 8.5 by 11 inches. Organizations from large cor-
• Create bulleted lists. Any sentence containing a
porations to the local garden club use two- to four-page
sequence of three or more items is a good list candi-
newsletters to reach employees, customers, and members.
date. Listing also frees up more white space.
Although this format is workable, it has greater design
• Use only two or three typefaces, to give consistency to
limitations than the larger tabloid format, which is 11 by 17
your periodical. The variety comes in using different
inches. This format, often called a magapaper, allows a
type sizes, not a different type family.
great deal of flexibility in design and can incorporate more
graphic elements. • 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.
12.6.6: Periodical Layout The Tips for Success summarizes these concepts and
Layout is a plan showing the arrangement of the material offers additional pointers.
in the publication—the size and location of such items as
stories, regularly appearing columns, headlines, photo-
graphs, 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
Tips for Success
page. This offers two advantages. First, you can give sev- How to Create Great Publications
eral stories visibility on the cover if you continue stories on
Newsletters and brochures should be designed to convey
other pages. Second, continuing a story on an inside page
information in an attractive, uncluttered way. Here are some
encourages the reader to go beyond the first page. Another
general guidelines.
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 tem-
plate starts with the masthead, or the name of the publi-
cation. 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-break-
ing news items.
The idea behind a template is that the readers rap-
idly 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 avail-
ability 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:
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 pre-
pare 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 prac-
titioner 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

How to Work with Graphic
Designers
LAYOUT METHODS AND TOOLS The traditional
Designer Jessie Ford says a graphic designer should be an
method of layout, which is still helpful in this digital age, is
integral member of the public relations team. She offered these
to work with a blank template and sketch out where sto-
tips in Ragan’s Daily Headlines:
ries, headlines, and artwork will be placed. This method
helps you conceptualize the entire issue and how the vari-
What seems “quick and easy” may not necessarily be so.
ous 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 com-
puter-assisted publication design. The term layout is really Focus on your communication objective and audience.

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 Communicate specific needs.
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 illustra-
tion 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
Keep copy edits to a minimum.
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 Talk the talk.

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,

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 sev-
eral other suggestions for developing a good writer/designer
relationship in an interview to Ragan.com:
• 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.
• Discuss the publication’s purpose, strategy, and target audi-
ence 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 com-
posed 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 newslet-
ters, 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 par-
ties, 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
Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures 223
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.
12.7: Brochures
12.7 Explain how and why brochures are printed
Writing brochures, like producing newsletters and maga-
zines, requires the coordination of several elements. These
include message content, selection of type, graphics, lay-
out, 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 book-
let, 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. Organiza-
tions mail them or hand them out to potential customers,
place them in information racks, hand them out at confer-
ences, 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 employ-
ees, constituents, or customers—a brochure is the way to
do it.
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 spe-
cific audience and to accomplish a definite purpose, so the
following questions should be asked:
• Who are you trying to influence and why? Be as spe-
cific 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 bro-
chure, 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, depend-
ing on the answers to the above three questions.
• BASIC. Flyers, simple business forms, and one-
color 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 num-
bers of copies.
• GOOD. Materials that have strong colors, photos,
infographics, and other design elements need exact
alignment or registration of graphic elements. A full-
service printing shop is best for the production of bro-
chures 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 sam-
ples 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 (side-
stitched) or spiral-bound. Another alternative is perfect
binding, which is a glued binding with the brochure cover
wrapped around the binding. Magazines such as Cosmopoli-
tan 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 fin-
ished 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 a range of weights within these classes. Usually, the
plenty of white space around it. This means ample margins, heavier the paper within a class, the more it costs. Thus a
space between major subsections, and room for graphics. 100-pound cover is more expensive than a 50-pound
The concepts of good writing are the same for brochures. cover. These weights are based on the actual weight of
Short, declarative sentences are better than compound sen- 500 sheets of that paper in the standard sheet size. For
tences. Short paragraphs are better than long ones. Major your purposes, you need only remember that heavier
points should be placed in bulleted lists or under subheads. paper (the higher the number) is bulkier, stronger, and
If statistics are used, try to portray them as an infographic. It more expensive.
is always a good idea to pretest brochure copy on members The intended use will guide you in selecting the
of the target audience to be sure that it is understandable and weight of paper. A simple one-page flyer might be printed
that you have included all the necessary information. on 20- or 24-pound bond, which is the typical weight
used in office copy machines and letterhead. If you want
RESEARCHING BROCHURE CONTENT Gathering
it to be more substantial, you could use a 65-pound paper,
information for use in a leaflet or brochure may involve
which is more common for direct mail pieces or post-
anything from asking a few questions to conducting a
cards. Brochures are usually printed on fairly substantial
major survey. In most cases, the needed information can be
paper. This makes them look more impressive and last
found within the organization.
longer. You must consider, however, the total bulk of the
Keeping in mind the subject and purpose of the proposed
item. Brochures on thick paper are more expensive to
publication, start by talking to the people in the organization
mail, and the paper doesn’t fold very well in a brochure
who know the most about the subject. Tell them what you
that has several panels. There are seven types of paper,
want to accomplish, and ask for information that will enable
according to Media Distribution Services (MDS), that you
you to prepare a clear explanation of the subject. Often, all the
are most likely to use:
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 pro-
spective 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 ques-
tions as subheads. Many successful brochures consist
entirely of Q&As.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER Brochures vary so widely that

no general guide is applicable. Each has a different audi-
ence, 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 pre-
pare 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. Illustra-
tions, 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. Oth-
ers 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 repre-
sents 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, orga-
nizations are using such paper for newsletters, statio-
nery, 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 popu-
lar. Some of the earlier types in this group were hard
to read in body copy but quite satisfactory in head-
lines. 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 vari-
ety of fonts that are scalable to any size. In computer lay-
out, 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 head-
line 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 mea-
sure 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. Readabil-
ity 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 neces-
sary, use letter spacing to spread headlines. Use line spac-
ing 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.

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 pas-
tels 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 publi-
cation 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 Pub-
lic 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 cer-
tain 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, back-
ground screens (text boxes), and even body type. Black,
however, is the most often used color for body text in news-
letters, 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.
Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures 227
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 impos-
sible 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 sam-
ples of their work. Find out what various services cost. It is
particularly important to find out what software publish-
ing 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 sup-
plying the files needed to print your document success-
fully. 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 exam-
ple, 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 spec-
ifications of the publication you are planning. See the
Tips for Success for a list of the “specs” that printers
will need.
228 Chapter 12
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 pre-
pared 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 mar-
keting tool to build stockholder loyalty, attract new inves-
tors, 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 con-
sist 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 “storytell-
ing”: incorporating short features about employees and
their work or customers who have benefited from the orga-
nization’s products and services. One of Johnson & John-
son’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 narra-
tive 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 busi-
nesses 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 Press-
room 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 availabil-
ity 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

interested mainly in the quality of the management, earn-
ings, 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 thou-
sands 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 pharma-
ceutical firm, took this approach in its 2013 report. The cor-
poration 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 high-
lights 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 organi-
zation. 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, con-
sult, write, design, and produce the report. Tact, persever-
ance, 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 organiza-
tions 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, four-
color 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 organiza-
tions—especially those in the same industry; criticize it;
think of ways to make it more informative, more under-
standable, 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
Intranets, Newsletters, and Brochures 229
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 cor-
poration 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 fea-
tures 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 ACCOUNT-
ABILITY. All corporations are under intense public
scrutiny because of major scandals in financial report-
ing 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 compa-
nies 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 soy-
based 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, corpo-
rations 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 capa-
bilities brochure that markets a company on a world-
wide scale. Some companies even translate parts of
their annual report into several languages. The chair-
man’s letter in Nike’s annual report was translated into
French, Spanish, and Chinese.

Figure 12.10
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
• MORE EMPHASIS ON MARKETING. Today, the report to provide stories about how it is giving back to the communi-
annual report is also used as a marketing tool to ties in which it operates.
increase consumer loyalty and build the company’s
image. General Motors, for example, featured a glossy
color picture of its “World-Class Lineup” of automo-
biles in its annual report.
• READABILITY. Annual reports are becoming more
magazine-like, with summary headlines, easy-to-
understand charts and graphs, simple question-and-
answer sections, and more storytelling about employees,
customers, and how the organization is making a con-
tribution to a better world. This reflects the growing
trend of distributing the annual report to a variety of
publics—customers, current and prospective employ-
ees, 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 col-
lege 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 13.5 Review the usage of business letters by
are effective and appropriate organizations
13.2 Recognize the challenge posed by 13.6 Explain the use and content of proposals for
competing demands on public attention managing public relations programs
13.3 Report the uses of email for organizations 13.7 Report the basic sections of a typical public
and characteristics of professional email relations proposal for obtaining new business
13.4 Review the usage of memorandums in 13.8 Review the purpose and tips for writing a
organizations position or briefing paper

13.1: Developing Expertise The challenge of writing effective emails, memos, and
letters is best expressed by Richard E. Neff, a consultant in
in Business Communication Belgium, who writes in Communication World, “Writers
waste too much time producing texts that waste even more
13.1 Review five points to ensure that messages are time for readers.” The solution, he says, is to “write smart,
effective and appropriate simple, and short.”
Public relations personnel spend a large percentage of their “When people write letters and reports that are clear
working day engaging in interpersonal communications. enough and simple enough and accurate enough and
They are constantly sending, receiving, and replying to short enough—the time it saves the reader is immense.”
email, texting, summarizing the results of client or man- — Richard Neff in Communication World
agement meetings, answering voicemail, sending memos To be sure that your messages are pertinent and well-
to colleagues, writing proposals, and preparing position received, consider the following:
papers. All this takes organization, efficiency, and commu-
nication 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

These general guidelines are helpful in all communica-
tions, but in this chapter we will discuss the specific tech-
niques 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 con-
sumed 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
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 per-
cent 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
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 tril-
lion 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 cor-
porate 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 com-
puters 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 gratifi-
cation 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 pub-
lic relations is that organizations should respond to cus-
tomer emails within 24 hours.
Monica Seely, author of “Brilliant Email,” told the
Financial Times that companies are losing 20 days per per-
son because of poor email management. Some of her rec-
ommendations 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 cop-
ies 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 tech-
nologies 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 com-
munication on a global scale. As a professional communi-
cator, however, you need to recognize its limitations and to
use it efficiently to get your message through the thick for-
est 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. Accord-
ing to a survey of communicators in Fortune 500 corpora-
tions, email (1) reduces the cost of employee communications,
(2) increases the distribution of messages to more employ-
ees, (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 infor-
mation 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 disadvan-
tage when one considers that a hard copy of a communica-
tion 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 employ-
ees. Lastly, emails can be perceived as emotionless and
thereby open to inaccurate inference and interpretation.
Email is not suitable for all person-to-person com-
munications. 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 offi-
cial and permanent.
Also, experts say that email should never be a substi-
tute 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 confronta-
tion. 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-to-
face is crucial because email messages can be misunder-
stood; 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 com-
munication 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. Organiza-
tions are also increasingly using wikis and other online col-
laboration 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 some-
thing that would be embarrassing to you if the sender decided
to forward it to others.
“Although one can be quite informal in a personal con-
versation 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 sur-
veillance 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 com-
puter, 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 get-
ting 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 eti-
quette 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 “run-
ning something by” an executive, say what steps you
would take. This limits the back and forth because pre-
liminary 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 winnow-
ing 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.
13.3.3: Email Format
Like a written letter, an email has specific parts. Five com-
mon elements in a business email are the subject line, salu-
tation, 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 suc-
cinctly 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 char-
acters to give more detail. For example, you might say
“Tickets Available for May 5 Concert.”
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 Con-
cert on May 5.” When you provide context and more
description, the recipient knows exactly what is being dis-
cussed 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, sub-
ject 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, organi-
zation, and address as you would in a business letter. It is
also unnecessary to say, “Dear . . .” Just begin with the per-
son’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
the “bottom line” right away, so the recipient knows imme-
diately 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, espe-
cially if you’re addressing super busy executives. It is also
recommended that there be no more than 65 characters per

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. Ulti-
mately, 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, underlin-
ing, 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 let-
ters, 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.
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 Twit-
ter handle in a standard signature. This enables the recipi-
ent to contact you directly if he or she wants additional
information. It is also a handy reference for the recipient.
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 mes-
sage, 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,
Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals 237
schedule or cancel a meeting, remind, report, praise, cau-
tion, 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 tele-
phone 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.
CONTENT A memo should be specific and to the point.
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 con-
tain 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?
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 direct mail, but they go beyond the common description of
discuss how to publicize and promote the company’s direct mail as a form of advertising to announce a recall, sell
annual employee picnic. The president wants to encour- goods or services, or even to solicit funds for a charitable
age the families of all employees to attend, so please come organization. Form letters, often written by public relations
prepared to offer your ideas and suggestions on how to staff and signed by the head of the organization, usually
promote attendance.
give background or an update on a situation affecting the
These recommendations are based on a paper format; organization and a particular public.
email memos differ because the date, sender, and recipient A good example is a form letter sent to owners of GM
are embedded in most email messages. 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
13.5: Traditional Letters safety of its vehicles was a primary concern. A copy of the
letter was also published as an ad in various publications.
13.5 Review the usage of business letters by
Whether you are writing a personalized letter or a
organizations
form letter, the Tips for Success gives some general guide-
Many college students, used to the informality of email, lines about their purpose, content, and format.
have no idea how to compose a business letter. A business
letter, actually printed on paper and sent via the postal ser-
vice, requires a more systematic approach to writing and Tips for Success
formatting a message. It is written primarily to individuals
when a more “official” or formal response is required. How to Write Effective Letters
Job applicants, for example, make a much better impres- Efficiently
sion with prospective employers by sending a handwritten
A personal letter is a labor-intensive effort. Here are some ways
thank-you note instead of an email or text message thanking
to increase your efficiency and still keep the personal touch.
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 thank-
you notes are passé at best, and ineffective at worst. He
warns that a handwritten thank-you note sent by postal ser-
vice 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 indi-
vidual. 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 per-
manent than email and often serves as an official record of
a dialogue involving employment, an issue about com-
pany 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

13.5.1: Purpose of Traditional Letters
A letter may be used to give information, to ask for informa-
tion, 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 substi-
tute 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 para-
graph 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 recipi-
ent know you will telephone if something needs to be
resolved through conversation.
Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals 239
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. Addi-
tional 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 indi-
cated, 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 mate-
rial 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 prob-
ably 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 orga-
nization 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 para-
graphs. It’s wise to use short sentences and keep every para-
graph 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 obvi-
ous mistakes is sloppy and unprofessional. Many employ-
ers, 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 ser-
vices, programs, or policies. Any number of outside sup-
pliers 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 manage-
ment 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 accom-
plished—to persuade management to approve and autho-
rize 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 pre-
sented 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 orga-
nization’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 fol-
lowing organizational structure:
• INTRODUCTION. State the purpose of the proposal.
• BODY. Provide background to the problem situa-
tion, criteria for a solution, the proposed solution, a
schedule for implementation, personnel assign-
ments, budget, and some background on the pro-
posal’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.

In a more formal proposal, these four areas may be
extended as follows:
• COVER PAGE. The title of the project, date of submis-
sion, 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 ele-
ments 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 limita-
tions 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 substantiat-
ing 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) organiza-
tion information, and (6) a conclusion.
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 organiza-
tion. This process through which agencies vie for new busi-
ness is often two-tiered. First a company looking for a
public relations agency will examine the expertise of a
Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals 241
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 cli-
ent 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 cam-
paign 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 bid-
ding agencies must meet. A typical public relations pro-
posal 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
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 dif-
ferentiate 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 pre-
sentation to the client. The presentation enables the firm
to project its enthusiasm for the project, make a persua-
sive case for its recommendations, and answer any con-
cerns or questions.
242 Chapter 13

Figure 13.1 Figure 13.2

A proposal usually includes a somewhat formal presentation to Caribou Coffee locations include this kiosk at the Detroit Metropolitan
management to enable a joint discussion of the ideas presented Wayne County Airport.
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.

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, Minneso-
ta. 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-to- acquired by Beam, the spirits company. Skinnygirl prides
serve cocktails, as they say on their website. Bethenny Fran- itself on being “a fresh, modern, new-school way for you to
kel, seen in Figure 13.3, started Skinnygirl, but then it was cocktail, socialize, and live your life,” according to its website.

What Caribou and Skinnygirl had in common, beyond
being beverage powerhouses, was the need for a new pub-
lic 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 con-
siderations 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.
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 communi-
cations, 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 World-
wide, 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 distrib-
utor of news releases, issued “A Guide to Press Release Opti-
mization.” 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.”
Writing Email, Memos, and Proposals 243
“A white paper is not—and should not be—an overt mar-
keting 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 prod-
ucts 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.
• Keep it short. A position paper should be five pages or
less. If the paper is 10 pages or more, use a table of con-
tents or an index.
• Include an “executive summary” at the beginning of the
paper, which is a succinct summary of the report’s find-
ings or recommendations. It enables busy readers to rap-
idly 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 repeti-
tious information.
• Check for clarity. Is it clear what you want to say or
communicate?
• Avoid overt marketing and promotion for the organiza-
tion’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 organiza-
tions 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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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
14.2 Describe the three broad components of
effective speechwriting
14.3 Report the guidelines for giving an effective
speech
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. Ken-
nedy, 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. Speechwrit-
ing and presentations are important tools in public rela-
tions 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
14.5 Express panels as an interactive form of
communicating organizational messages
14.6 Examine the need to develop and promote
effective speakers as one of the key
actionables of any organization
brand awareness, convey a commitment to transparency,
and portray responsibility to society. Michael Witkoski,
writing in Public Relations Tactics, notes, “It’s easy to under-
stand 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, compe-
tent, 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 execu-
tives on the agenda of important conferences; organize
speaker’s bureaus; and publicize speeches. You might even
give a few speeches and presentations yourself. This chap-
ter 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
245
246 Chapter 14
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 commu-
nicated or delivered via another method. The main consid-
erations 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.
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 Com-
merce representatives.
• Attendees will have divergent familiarity with informa-
tion technology, so the speech will need to reflect middle-
of-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 listen-
ing, 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 under-
stood 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
“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

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 opin-
ion 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.
Giving Speeches and Presentations 247
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, per-
suade, activate, or commemorate? This is a start, but objec-
tives 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 appeal-
ing; 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, writ-
ing 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.” Conse-
quently, 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 opposi-
tion’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 vari-
ous viewpoints. The speech can still advocate a particular
position, but the audience will appreciate the fact that you
have included other points of view.
248 Chapter 14
Watch 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 audi-
ence’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 rein-
force 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 speech-
writer 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 un-
derstand 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 ex-
posing 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.
 Giving Speeches and Presentations 249

• Demonstrate to GMA board that GMA is speaking out
on the issues that affect their businesses.
• Frame the arguments other food industry spokespeo-
ple can use in other opportunities, within their compa-
nies and with the press.
KEY MESSAGES:
• The profile and purchasing habits of the American con-
sumer have changed significantly.
• We enjoy the safest and most abundant food supply in
the world, despite what you hear from a small but vo-
cal group of opponents.
• The grocery industry has surpassed government regu-
lations and everyone’s expectations in the rapid pro-
gress 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 memo-
rable 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 per-
ceived 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 Suc-
cess 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 audi-
ence 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 lis-

teners, not at them. Your choice of words can either elec-
trify 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-min-
ute 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 sen-
tences 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 speak-
er’s personality. For Reagan’s “tear down this wall” speech,
 Giving Speeches and Presentations 251

the president was making changes to the speech in the lim-
ousine 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 Rela-
tions Tactics some suggestions for focusing speech content.
message, media, and the speaker. Consequently, it is impor-
tant 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 counse-
lor and speech trainer. “First,” he says, “it functions as a transi-
tion 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.”

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 won-
derful 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,
252 Chapter 14
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 let-
ters, but most prefer the normal upper- and lowercase for-
mat 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 particu-
larly important for a speaker at a luncheon meeting. All too
often, the meal is served late or the group takes an exces-
sive 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 pre-
senting it. There is no chance to go back, no time to let it
slowly digest, no opportunity for clarification. The mes-
sage 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 summa-
rized 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 expres-
sion—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 audi-
ence 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, transfera-
ble 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, edu-
cation, intelligence, vocabulary, residence, interests, atti-
tudes, 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 ball-
room 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 mes-
sage will be perceived by other cultures and perspectives.

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 audi-
ence 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 per-
haps 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 Writ-
ing the Speech section for more tips on tailoring your mes-
sage for the audience.
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 audi-
ence. 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 refer-
ence 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 meet-
ing, the talk should be about 20 minutes long. As previ-
ously 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 announce-
ments 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.
Giving Speeches and Presentations 253
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:
14.3.5: 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 per-
formance, such as gestures, posture, and attire.
In other words, gestures play a major role in establish-
ing credibility. Gestures should agree with the vocal mes-
sage 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 Presi-
dent Barack Obama (Figure 14.1) for an example of how a
successful speaker uses gestures.
Nervous gestures, however, are distracting to the audi-
ence. 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 non-
verbal 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.
254 Chapter 14
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.
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 con-
tact, according to research studies, is the major factor that estab-
lishes 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 communi-
cate to an audience with voice alone. The audience also receives a
great deal of nonverbal communication from the speaker.
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
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 infor-
mation 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 two-
thirds 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
 Giving Speeches and Presentations 255

the annual State of the Union Address to Congress. More

Figure 14.2
often than not, however, most of us find ourselves giving
IBM used infographics in this PowerPoint slide to communicate the
presentations to a variety of audiences who need visual aids attitudes of Information Technologists in Africa.
to keep their attention as well as to increase their retention of
the information.
It is important to understand the advantages and dis-
advantages of each visual aid technique to determine what
will be the most effective in a given situation. Indeed, vis-
ual 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 pres-
entation may be the best approach. If, however, you are
conducting a brainstorming session where audience inter-
activity is the objective, perhaps an easel with a blank pad
of paper to record ideas is the only visual aid required.

14.4.1: PowerPoint
Microsoft launched the leading presentation software
PowerPoint more than 25 years ago. Now it has an esti-
mated 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 com-
puters. Microsoft estimates there are about 500 million
­PowerPoint users in the world, and about 30 million presen-
tations are given every day. In fact, about 1 million presenta-
tions are going on somewhere in the world as you are
reading this. You won’t be surprised that an estimated 6 mil-
lion 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 Pow-
erPoint.” 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 individ-
ual 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 Composing and Formatting PowerPoints
users may also add sound clips, animation, and video files Whichever medium you use to share your presentation,
to their slide presentations. Infographics are often used as there are some rules about the composition of a Power-
PowerPoint slides. A good example is the chart from IBM Point slide that you should keep in mind.
about its African operations that was part of a PowerPoint One key rule is not to make your slide too detailed or
presentation (see Figure 14.2). 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.”
This is not to say that every slide should look like the pre-
vious 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
consideration. PowerPoint has hundreds of colors availa-
ble 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 com-
plaint 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 recom-
mended 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 back-
ground 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.
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.
 Giving Speeches and Presentations 257

• To open hyperlinks without moving the cursor in front zooming technologies such as Prezi provide a real alternative
of the audience, press Tab to your link, then enter. to slide-based presentations. Other presentation tools are
• PowerPoint 2010 edition and later can make a video identified in the Tips for Success.
file of your presentation. Click file, Save, and Send, the
Create a Video.
• 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 Presentation Tools Beyond
thumbnail versions within the Slide Sorter view.
PowerPoint
• Print handouts of slides in Print Preview. Select Print,
Blogger Sharon Hurley Hall, writing in The Ragan Report, pro-
What, then select Handout Layout for 3 slides per page.
vided a list of free tools to enhance your presentations. Because
• For business presentations, stick to the minimal Power- these tools are in constant flux, some may no longer be available
Point animations: Appear, Fade, Wipe, and Zoom. while others may be newly available.
• Align your copy left or right for easier readability.

Art Samansky, president of a public affairs consul-

tancy, makes another comment about the use of Power-
Point 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 popu-
larity, such as Prezi and Keynote. Unlike PowerPoint and
its slide-based model, Prezi is a zooming presentation tech-
nology. Prezi presentations, or Prezis, are nonlinear “con-
cept 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 technol-
ogy 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.” WRITING PROMPT
Critics and fans alike note that Prezi is more difficult to Do you think visual aids matter in public speaking? Why or why not?
use than PowerPoint because you begin with a “blank can-
vas” rather than slide templates, and its zooming nature The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
can lead overzealous adopters to almost give audience
your instructor.
members vertigo.
While adoption is comparatively modest, for design
Submit
savvy presenters who want to stand out from the crowd,
258 Chapter 14

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 inter-
views. 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 mod-
erator. 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 organi-
zation’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 organi-
zation’s overall public relations program. Indeed, public
relations personnel are often involved in training speak-
ers 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 min-
utes in length. The rest of the time is spent on answering
questions from the audience.
The moderator may solicit audience questions in sev-
eral ways. One common method, if the audience is rela-
tively small, is simply to recognize people who stand up
and ask a question. In larger audiences, a portable micro-
phone may be brought to the audience member so every-
one 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 14.6.1: Executive Training
would be of most interest to the audience. Today, the public is demanding more open disclosure and
Individual panelists are asked to respond to or com- accountability from organizations, which are forcing many
ment on questions, or the question may be addressed to the executives to take the speaker’s platform and become com-
entire panel. In either case, it is your responsibility as a pany spokespersons. PR Reporter, in one survey of execu-
panelist to give a short answer (1 minute or less) so that tives, found that more than half spend 10 hours or more
other panelists will also have an opportunity to comment. each month meeting with outside groups. In addition, the
It is unfair for any panelist to monopolize the forum by majority average 20 speeches a year, about two-thirds spend

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, organiza-
tions 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 infor-
mation would be interesting to them.
Another consideration is what you want to say that will
advance organizational objectives—to position the organiza-
tion or industry as a leader, to plant the perception that the
organization is successful, or maybe to show that the organi-
zation is environmentally conscious and a good community
citizen. All speeches should have one to three key messages.
In regard to delivering these messages, video record-
ings are often made to help an executive see how he or she
comes across giving a speech. Video is a powerful educa-
tional 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 impres-
sion, 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 train-
ing spokespersons for interviews.
Giving Speeches and Presentations 259
14.6.2: Speaker’s Bureaus
Top executives aren’t the only ones who give speeches.
Many organizations effectively use technical experts, mid-
dle managers, and even rank-and-file employees on a sys-
tematic basis to extend the organization’s outreach to
potential customers, the industry, and the community.
Steve Markman, head of a conference and manage-
ment firm, makes the case in an article for Public Relations
Tactics. He writes:
Companies need to expose their expertise and technolo-
gies 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 indus-
try 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 pro-
viding 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 develop-
ment of a particular product. In other situations, a commu-
nity 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 sup-
porting 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 engi-
neer 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 before prestigious audiences that can help establish the
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 audiovis-
ual equipment, (4) the projected length of the presentation,
(5) directions to the meeting, and (6) primary organiza-
tional contacts.
The placement of the organization’s top executives, how-
ever, 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 select-
ing a few of the most promising invitations that are extended.
The criteria, at this point, become somewhat prag-
matic 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 audi-
ence, 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
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
executive as the spokesperson for the industry. In this situ-
ation, you contact the desired organization to offer the ser-
vices 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 appro-
priate 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 speak-
er’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 spe-
cific 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 accom-
modating photographers and television camera techni-
cians. 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.
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.
 Giving Speeches and Presentations 261

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 sen-
tence,” 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 pos-

sible 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 organiza-
tion’s intranet to employees.
An example is the keynote address that AMD presi-
dent 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 Representa-
tives or the U.S. Senate to insert the speech into the Con-
gressional Record.

Summary: Giving Speeches and Presentations

262 Chapter 14

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 audi-
ence? Why or why not? Describe the presenter’s body language
and how it affected the presentation either positively or nega-
tively. 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
15.4 Describe banquets and key things to keep
in mind while arranging them
15.5 Review major considerations for receptions
and cocktail parties
15.6 Report the purpose of holding conventions
and key logistics for planning
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 profes-
sional 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 com-
mittee 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
15.8a Examine the planning for promotional
events
15.8b Analyze the role that celebrities play
in promotional activities
15.9 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 Ger-
many 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 hap-
pen. Detailed planning and logistics are essential to ensure
that defined objectives are achieved, whether you’re organiz-
ing a committee meeting or a national conference. This chap-
ter 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 conven-
tion, entice the media to visit your booth at a trade show,
263
264 Chapter 15
­ andle celebrity appearances at a promotional event, and cal-
h
culate the number of portable potties needed for a commu-
nity-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 plan-
ning and execution of meetings and events as part of a pro-
gram 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 corpora-
tion. Indeed, through such meetings, employees or group
members have a chance to express their views and partici-
pate 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 manage-
ment 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 accom-
plished. 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 orga-
nizations, 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 com-
mittee meeting:
• LIMIT ATTENDANCE. Only those who are directly
involved should be invited.
• DISTRIBUTE THE AGENDA AND OTHER MATE-
RIALS IN ADVANCE. Let people know what will be
discussed or decided, so they can think about the
 Organizing Meetingsand Events 265

Figure 15.1 15.3: Larger Group

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.
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 plan-
ning 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 posi-
tional status and equal access to each other. The next
best alternative is a square table.
• SET A TIME LIMIT. The agenda should clearly state 15.3.1: Planning Large Group
the beginning and ending time of the meeting, so peo- Meetings
ple can plan their day. A meeting should run a maxi- The size and purpose of the meeting dictate the plan. Every
mum of 60 to 90 minutes. The longer the meeting runs, plan must consider these questions: How many will attend?
the less effective it is. Who will attend? When and where will it be held? How long
• MANAGE THE MEETING. The chairperson must will it last? Who will speak? What topics will be covered?
make sure the meeting stays on track. Do not allow an What facilities will be needed? Who will run it? What is its
individual or the group to go off on tangents. purpose? How do we get people to attend? A checklist for
• BUDGET TIME. Set a time limit for discussion of a planning a club meeting is provided in the Tips for Success.
specific agenda item. Do not spend an excessive
amount of time on an item that shortchanges other
items on the agenda. Tips for Success
• KNOW ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER. It may be
unnecessary in an informal, friendly meeting, but How to Plan a Meeting
knowledge of parliamentary procedure is helpful to Every meeting requires its own specialized checklist, but here
manage discussion and conclude it with a vote. is a general “to-do” list for a local dinner meeting of a service
• CLOSE WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW. At the end of club or professional association.
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 dis-
cuss 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 peo-
ple what was decided.
266 Chapter 15

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 meet-
ing 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 atten-
dance. If it is too small, the audience will be uncomfort-
able. 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.

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 discus-
sion groups. Typically, the audience starts in one large
room, where a speaker gives information and states a prob-
lem. The audience then moves into another room, or set of
rooms, where round tables seating 8 or 10 people are avail-
able. 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 furnish-
ings. 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 direc-
tional 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.
• WATER AND GLASSES. For speakers? For audience?
• AUDIENCE AND SPEAKER AIDS. Are there pro-
grams or agendas? Will there be notepaper, pencils,
and handout materials?
• NAME TAGS. For speakers? For all attendees?
15.3.3: Meeting Invitations
Members of clubs are usually notified somewhat infor-
mally through the organization’s newsletter, webpage, or
group e-mail. It gets more complicated, however, when the
Organizing Meetingsand Events 267
invitation list for a meeting or special event includes indi-
viduals who may or may not be affiliated with the organi-
zation or individual hosting the event. In this case,
invitations should be sent by mail, email, or an online invi-
tation service, depending on the nature of the event. An
invite to an informal cocktail party or reception, for exam-
ple, 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 pro-
cessing 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 facili-
ties 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 prob-
lem: “Even the calmest of organizers say they are increas-
ingly 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 prob-
lems, including last minute haranguing by the host, over-
whelmed 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
If everyone knows everyone else, registration can be some-
what 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 regis-
tration desk or table at the entrance. Here the names of
arrivals are checked against lists of those who have regis-
tered for the event and, in many cases, paid for it.
Greeting  A representative of the sponsoring organiza-
tion should be at the entrance of the room. If the number
attending is not too large, a personal welcome is in order.
268 Chapter 15
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 informa-
tion. 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 regis-
tration 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 audi-
ence 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,
 Organizing Meetingsand Events 269

gave this comprehensive checklist to Meeting News regard- ­ anquets, planners say it’s essential that you have confirmed
b
ing what speakers should be told about your meeting: and paid reservations in advance through the RSVP process.

• The meeting’s sponsor and who is expected to attend

15.4: Banquets
• Meeting purpose and objectives
• Presentation location, including meeting room, date, 15.4 Describe banquets and key things to keep in
and hour mind while arranging them
• Topic and length of presentation Banquets, by definition, are fairly large and formal dinner
• Anticipated size of the audience functions. They are held to honor an individual, raise
money for a charitable organization, or celebrate an event,
• Session format, including length of time allowed for
such as an organization’s anniversary.
audience questions
A banquet or even a reception may have 100 or 1,000
• Names of those sharing the platform, if any, and their
people in attendance, and staging a successful one takes a
topics
great deal of planning. The budget, in particular, needs
• Name of person who will make the introductions close attention. A banquet coordinator has to consider such
• Speaker fee or honorarium costs as (1) food, (2) room rental, (3) bartenders, (4) decora-
• Travel and housing arrangements tions and table centerpieces, (5) audiovisual requirements,
• Meeting room setup and staging information (6) speaker fees, (7) entertainment, (8) photographers, (9)
• Audiovisual equipment needed invitations, (10) tickets, and (11) marketing and promotion.
All of these components, of course, must be factored
• Dress code (business attire, resort wear, black tie)
into establishing the per-ticket cost of the event. You are
• Request to speaker for presentation outline, handout
not just paying $75 to $175 for the traditional rubber
material
chicken dinner, but for the total cost of staging the event. If
• Signed release to record or videotape the remarks the purpose is to raise money for a worthy charitable orga-
• Arrangements for spouse, if invited nization or a political candidate, tickets might go for $200
or more. The actual price, of course, depends on how fancy
Meals  Club meetings and workshops often occur at a the banquet is and how much you are paying for a speaker.
mealtime. In fact, many meetings include breakfast, lunch, See the Tips for Success for a checklist on how to prepare a
or dinner. budget for a banquet or other special events.
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 Tips for Success
what they normally eat for breakfast. People attending a
half-day or full-day workshop often partake of a self-served Making a Budget for a Banquet
continental breakfast—rolls, juice, and coffee—during the All events have two sides of the ledger: costs and revenues. It is
registration period just prior to the start of the meeting. important to prepare a detailed budget, so you know exactly how
Luncheons are either sit-down affairs with a fixed menu much an event will cost. This will enable you to also figure out
or buffets. A 30- to 45-minute cocktail period may precede a how much you will need to charge, so you at least break even.
luncheon, usually during registration, as guests arrive. A good The following are some of the items that you need to consider.
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 orga-
nization 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
270 Chapter 15

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 individ-
ual invitations, there usually is a committee that per-
sonally 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 au-
tumn benefit in midtown Manhattan, according to New
York Times writer Laura Lipton. The organizers considered

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 invita-
tions 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 ham-
burgers), 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 head-
quarters 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 com-
petition 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 dis-
cuss 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 ban-
quet 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.
Organizing Meetingsand Events 271
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 per-
cent 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 orga-
nizers 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, tim-
ing, 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 invita-
tions. 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 reason-
able 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 personal-
ized approach is to have staff inside the hall directing peo-
ple 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
272 Chapter 15

chips. People get hungry, and food helps offset some of the
Figure 15.4
effects of drinking. The bar is the centerpiece of any recep-
This is a timeline prepared by the organizers of an awards banquet.
Copies are distributed to the master of ceremonies and those tion, but you should make sure there are plenty of nonalco-
­scheduled to speak, so they know exactly how long their introduc- holic beverages available, too. Urns of coffee, punch, and
tions and short speeches should be, in order to keep the proceedings tea should be readily available in other locations around
on schedule. To keep the audience engaged, banquets must be fast-
paced and always end at a reasonable time.
the room.
“Don’t make a lengthy presentation part of an event.
CONSERVATION AWARDS BANQUET You’ll lose the attendees’ attention.”
JW MARRIOTT HOTEL
WASHINGTON, DC —Erica Iacono, reporter for PRWeek
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13

Crew Agenda There are two kinds of cocktail parties. One is the no-
3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Program agenda review – participants and staff only. Live run-through host bar, which means that guests buy their own drinks and
of C. Ghylin's remarks. (Grand Ballroom)
the host provides the room, any decorations, and the appe-
5:00 – 6:00 Private pre-reception for honorees, judges, Chevron staff. Honoree
photo session including E. Zern and J. Sullivan. (Suite 1231) tizers. A variation on the no-host bar is to provide attendees
6:30 – 7:15 Greetings and reception, open bar. Photo opportunities available. one or two drink coupons, but they buy any additional
(Grand Ballroom Foyer)

7:15 – 7:30 Close bar, enter Grand Ballroom.

refreshments. Most receptions, however, have a hosted bar,
7:30 – 7:35 C. Ghylin: Welcome and opening remarks.
meaning that drinks are free. This is the norm when an
7:30 – 8:20 Dinner served.
organization is having a cocktail party or reception for jour-
8:20 – 8:25 C. Ghylin: Introduces special guests at head table, introduces E. Zern. nalists, customers, or community leaders.
8:25 – 8:30 E. Zern: Welcome, honoree toast, introduces judges, completes A reception, like a meal function, requires you to talk
remarks.
with the catering manager to order finger food and vegeta-
8:30 – 8:35 C. Ghylin: Introduces J. Sullivan.
ble or cheese trays. If you have a reception over the tradi-
8:35 – 8:45 J. Sullivan: Remarks.
tional dinner hour, you should also order heavier hors
8:45 – 8:50 C. Ghylin: Introduces slide presentation.
d’oeuvres such as shrimp, sausages, or even petite lamb
8:50 – 9:25 Slide presentation. (C. Ghylin remains at podium)
(a) Introduces/explains honoree category; chops because many attendees will also make it their din-
(b) Comments on professionals. Introduces/explains honoree
category. ner. As a rule of thumb, there should be one bartender per
(c) Comments on citizens. Introduces/explains organizations' honoree
category. 75 people. For large events, bars are situated in several
9:25 – 9:40 C. Ghylin: Comments on organizations. Invites J. Sullivan and
E. Zern for plaque presentation. Plaque presentation.
locations around the room to disperse the crowd and
9:40 – 9:45 C. Ghylin: Final remarks.
shorten lines.
9:45 p.m. America the Beautiful.
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

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 peo-
ple 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 cele-
brate an organization’s or individual’s achievement, to intro-
duce 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
very generous in pouring drinks because more empty bot-
tles 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, usu-
ally 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

Society of America (PRSA) or even the National Associa-
tion of Realtors. Because the membership is widespread, a
convention is nearly always “out of town” for many
attendees, so convention arrangements must give consid-
eration 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) recre-
ation, (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 retail-
ers, 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, loca-
tion, 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 organiza-
tions rotate their conventions from one part of the state,
region, or country to another to equalize travel burdens.
Organizing Meetingsand Events 273
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 meet-
ing 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 loca-
tion 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 acces-
sibility 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 gen-
eral meeting in a large ballroom, where seating is theater
fashion and the equipment consists of a public address sys-
tem 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 partici-
pate, and when.
Event planners today must also ensure that any facil-
ity, whether it’s a hotel or a convention center, has suffi-
cient 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 equip-
ment that are used by people attending conventions fre-
quently 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 exhibi-
tors pay for the space they use.
The exhibit hall may be in the hotel where the conven-
tion 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 con-
ventions 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 Pro-
ductivity.” 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 signifi-
cant to say on a particular topic. In addition, there may be a
need for discussions, workshops, and other sessions focus-
ing on particular aspects of the general theme. Large con-
ventions 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 ses-
sion. 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 Interna-
tional, on the use of apps and mobile devices at conven-
tions and trade shows in a New York Times article.
It is important to realize, however, that not all conven-
tion 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 con-
ventions. This may range from informal get-togethers to for-
mal 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

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 conven-
tion. Reply forms should be provided, accompanied by
online hotel reservation forms.
Many corporations and organizations now use spe-
cialty firms such as Cvent that prepare digital invitations
and provide event management tools. The Tips for Success
discusses the use of online reservation services.
Tips for Success
Online Invites Make It Easy to RSVP
The digital age has made event planning more precise. A num-
ber of companies now offer event planners the ability to send
invitations via the Internet and to track response rates.
Organizing Meetingsand Events 275
“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
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 com-
munity 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.
Administration  Managing a convention is a strenu-
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 conven-
tion (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 conven-
tion 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 news-
room 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 esti-
mated 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, pro-
fessional workshops, and continuing education, while
trade shows are primarily a showcase for companies exhib-
iting 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 compa-
nies 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 maxi-
mum 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 giz-
mos. The 2015 show was primarily about the coming era of
the Internet of Things. Many companies exhibited smart-
home 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
Not every company has the resources to hire Lady
numerous cities. The largest one takes place in San Diego
Gaga, but here are some points to keep in mind if you get
every year and attracts more than 100,000 attendees who
involved in planning an exhibit booth:
are pop-culture fans of comic books, sci-fi/fantasy films
and television shows, video games, and collectible comic • Select the appropriate trade shows that have the best
cards. In 2014, the trade show celebrated the 75th anni- potential for developing contacts and generating
versary of Batman’s comic book debut. Marvel also future sales.
showed up with almost the entire cast of Avengers: Age of • Start planning and developing your exhibit 6 to 12
Ultron, who of course appeared on various panels and months in advance. Exhibit designers and builders
gave media interviews. 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 jour-
nalists 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.
15.7.2: Newsrooms and Media
Relations
Trade shows such as CES and MacWorld attract many jour-
nalists. About a thousand reporters, for example, descend
on MacWorld every year. Consequently, every trade show
has a newsroom or “pressroom” where the various exhibi-
tors 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 prod-
uct briefings and one-on-one interviews with key execu-
tives. 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 mul-
tiple other companies are also pitching them. If you can
arrange as many preshow interviews and briefings as pos-
sible, 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.

Hospitality Suites  Hospitality suites are an adjunct

to the exhibit booth. Organizations use them to entertain Tips for Success
key prospects, give more in-depth presentations, and talk
about business deals. How to Do Media Relations at a
The idea is that serious customers will stay in a hospital- Trade Show
ity suite long enough to hear an entire presentation, whereas
Sarah Skerik, director of trade show markets for PR Newswire,
they are likely to stop at an exhibit hall booth for only a few
provides some additional tips for working with the media dur-
minutes. Although goodwill can be gained from free concerts ing a trade show:
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 destina-
tions 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 cre-
ate 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
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 corpora-
tion 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 com-
merce 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 rib-
bon 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 open-
ing 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

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 get-
ting city permits require considerable advance planning.
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 “promi-
nence” is considered a basic news value.
A personality, however, can be a major budget item.
Stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Lopez, and Jon Stew-
art 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 restau-
rant. 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 celeb-
rity 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
Organizing Meetingsand Events 279
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 organi-
zation 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?
• 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 rest-
room 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 for local citizens, attract tourists, and often raise money for
to close the store. The people in line were outraged, and a various local charities. The planning and implementation of
melee started that caused injuries to a number of people. a festival require event planners to be experts in logistics and
the ability to manage a thousand details. The following is a
“Security at public events is a significant aspect that should
snapshot of two annual festivals.
get as much attention as lighting, sound, or signage.”
—Matt Glass, managing partner at Eventage,
as reported in PRWeek The Gilroy Garlic Festival
The farming community of Gilroy, California, is primarily
Liability insurance is a necessity, too. Any public event
known as the major producer of garlic in the United States.
sponsored by an organization should be insured, just in
This spawned the idea of having an annual Garlic Festi-
case there is an accident and a subsequent lawsuit charging
val where everything from garlic fries to garlic ice cream
negligence. If your organization doesn’t already have a
would be served.
blanket liability policy, you should get one for the event.
Charitable organizations also need liability insurance Read more.
if they are running an event to raise money. This is particu-
larly 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/ Figure 15.8
or humidity, traffic and the conditions of the road.” A chef prepares garlic for a dish at an outdoor booth in Gourmet
Promotional events that use public streets and parks Alley, a main draw of the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

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. Per-
mits 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 per-
mit 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 fes-
tivals as a way to promote themselves, provide entertainment
 Organizing Meetingsand Events 281

Belgrade Beer Fest Open houses are customarily one-day affairs. Atten-
dance is usually by invitation, but in other instances the
A major event that promotes Serbia as a nation worth visit-
event is announced in the media, and anyone who chooses
ing is the Belgrade Beer Fest. This 5-day festival attracts
to attend may do so. If you’re having a community open
500,000 visitors to drink 50 different brands of beer and lis-
house, you also have to think about entertainment and
ten to popular bands from the Balkans and is also popular
activities for the attendees.
with locals as a form of entertainment in the hot days of
Many plants offer tours daily or regularly while the
August. Planning for the annual event is a year-round pro-
plant is in operation. These tours are most common among
cess in terms of signing contracts with bands, negotiating
producers of consumer goods such as beer, wine, food prod-
with breweries for exhibit space, vetting food vendors, pre-
ucts, clothing, and small appliances. The daily tours are
paring promotional materials and news releases, and deal-
geared to handle only a few people at any one time, whereas
ing with such logistics as the number of portable potties
open houses generally have a large number of guests and
needed for all those beer drinkers.
normal operations are not feasible during the tour.
Read more.
For an open house or a plant tour to present the organi-
zation in the best light, it must be carefully planned, thor-
oughly 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 plan-
ning an open house:
• DAY AND HOUR. The time must be convenient for
both the organization and the guests.
• GUESTS. These may be families of employees, cus-
tomers, representatives of the community, suppliers
Figure 15.9 and competitors, reporters, or others whose goodwill
The Belgrade Beer Fest draws crowds to Usce Park for both the beer is desirable.
and the live musical performances.
• 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 availabil-
ity 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.
• 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
15.9: Open Houses and Plant Tours
the organization.
15.9 Describe open houses and plant tours and their • RESTROOMS. If you are expecting a large crowd,
logistics arrange for portable toilets to supplement the regular
Open houses and plant tours are another kind of special facilities that are available for the public. The American
event. They are conducted primarily to develop favorable Restroom Association recommends that there be one
public opinion about an organization. Generally, they portable potty for every 300 people, but portable potty
show the facilities where the organization does its work companies often recommend at least four potties for a
and, in the case of plant tours, how the work is done. A fac- four-hour event with 500 people attending. More potties
tory might have a plant tour to show how it turns raw are needed, however, if alcoholic beverages are served.
materials into finished products. A hospital open house • SAFETY. Hazards should be conspicuously marked
could show its emergency facilities, diagnostic equipment, and well lighted. Dangerous equipment should be
operating rooms, and patient rooms. 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 addi-

tional 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.
 Organizing Meetingsand Events 283

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 smart-
phones, 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
16.2 Describe the advantages and the
disadvantages of direct mail
16.3 Express the basic components of a direct
mail package
16.4 Report the basic objectives of public
relations advertising and its pros and cons
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 cam-
paigns and therefore need to know the writing basics
involved with these media.
Direct mail and advertising are also big business. Com-
panies 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 com-
munication 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
16.6 Identify the main components of a print
advertisement
16.7 Report some of the things to keep in mind
when working with an advertising agency
16.8 Describe the role of native advertising and
main concerns regarding its use
16.9 Report the characteristics of certain other
advertising channels
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
285
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 contribu-
tions. 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 forth-
coming 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 pur-
pose. For about $70, for example, DirectMail.com will pro-
vide 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 con-
stant updating is left to someone else.
Advances in marketing research, including demo-
graphics 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 dis-
count 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 addi-
tion, 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 com-
monly, receive a digital file that can be used to computer-
print them directly on mailing envelopes.
Direct mail is cost-efficient from a production stand-
point. 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. For-
profit 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.

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 mer-
chandise 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 invest-
ment) makes direct mail a major component of their com-
munication 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 peo-
ple 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 disadvan-
tages 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 compo-
nent is added—”gifts” such as address labels, greeting
cards, and even calendars that are designed to entice a per-
son to open the envelope and at least read the message.
Using Direct Mail and Advertising 287
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 appeal-
ing. 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 pro-
vide teasers and other information that cater to the ques-
tion, “Why should I open this?”
Sometimes, envelopes carry a preview of what’s
inside. UNICEF New Zealand, in one of its holiday fund-
raising 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 expen-
sively. 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 govern-
ment agency or there is the misleading teaser that you are
the winner of a large prize. In general, public relations writ-
ers 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 bet-
ter 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 let-
ter, 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 impor-
tantly, 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.
­ 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 let-
ter 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 para-
graph, 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 Fig-
ure 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 fund-
raising letter. There’s a photo of a polar bear and her cub, “Green-

Tips for Success peace” 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
How to Write a Fundraising Letter part of the recipient.

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 fundrais-
ing 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 empha-
sizes 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

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 mes-
sages 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 opportu-
nity 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 pack-
ages. Typically, the brochure describes a product, service,
organization, or company. It supports the mailing’s offer,
adding credibility to the overall message. An effective bro-
chure 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 per-
sonal testimonies or statistics to support your perspec-
tive. 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 high-
lighted by visuals such as bullets or graphic numerals.
• COLORS AND CHOICE. Provide prospective cus-
tomers 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 out-
lines benefits of your product, service, or issue com-
pared to others.
Using Direct Mail and Advertising 289
• 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 index-
card stock, so it is more rigid, should contain all the infor-
mation 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 pro-
vide 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 infor-
mation is valuable for updating lists for future mailings
to the same people.
If the person is making a charitable donation or buy-
ing 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.
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, calen-
dars, 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
­ 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 fol-
lowing in big, bold letters:
Enclosed: No address labels to use, No calendars to look
at, No petitions to sign, and No pictures of starving chil-
dren. 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
The American Marketing Association defines advertis-
ing 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 consum-
ers 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 adver-
tising (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 (insti-
tutional advertising), to create favorable opinions and atti-
tudes (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 Ameri-
can National Advertisers and Publishers Information
Bureau once suggested several characteristics that distin-
guish public relations advertising. The following list uses
the word “company,” but the concept is applicable to any

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 com-
pany by stressing the competence of the company’s
management, accumulated scientific knowledge, man-
ufacturing skills, technological progress, and contribu-
tion 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 pub-
lic 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 com-
pletely bypasses the newsroom gatekeepers and places its
messages, exactly as written and formatted, with the medi-
um’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 selectiv-
ity and the advertiser’s control of the impact and timing.
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 program-
ming. A luxury goods manufacturer, for example, might
advertise in magazines such as the New Yorker and National
Geographic, which have highly educated and affluent read-
ers. 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 audi-
ence, either nationally or locally.
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 com-
munications plan may involve informing the public
Using Direct Mail and Advertising 291
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, how-
ever, 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 gate-
keepers, 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 stand-
ards 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:
Table 16.1 The Cost of Traditional Advertising
Medium Media Platform Cost
TELEVISION Super Bowl $4.5 million
30 seconds of
airtime
Academy Awards $1.9 million
Sunday Night Football $570,000
Modern Family $257,000
Family Guy $223,000
Scandal $200,000
PRINT One page Wall Street Journal Magazine $167,000
of space U.S. edition
“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 advertis-
ing has led many companies to shift more of their
­marketing communications budgets to the Internet, prod-
uct 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 effec-
tive online ad.
Tips for Success
Effective Online Ad Elements
Internet advertising reached about $50 billion in 2014. The big-
gest 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.
CREDIBILITY Public relations executives are fond of say-
ing, “Advertising raises awareness, but publicity pub-
lished as news stories creates credibility.”
Because they are controlled messages, advertise-
ments are generally less believable than publicity that
appears in the news columns or on broadcast news shows.
The public perceives that news reports have more credi-
bility 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.
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 mag-
azines, with television and newspapers in second and third
place, respectively. The advantage of magazines is a highly
defined readership in terms of income, education, occupa-
tion, 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.
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

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 cam-
paign from the TeenDrive365 information on Toyota’s
main website.
The energy company Chevron often runs advertise-
ments 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 head-
line. 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 com-
munity members of policies and activities. This ad from Chevron
announces the company’s devotion to the communities in which
it operates.
Using Direct Mail and Advertising 293
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 stock-
holders. Such advertising often has the objective of inform-
ing and reassuring investors that the company is well
managed, is worthy of investment, and has bright pros-
pects 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 con-
sumer 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 evi-
dence to back up its claim. When the suit was dropped, the
restaurant chain ran another full-page ad in national news-
papers. This time the headline read, “Would it kill you to
say you’re sorry?” The copy assured investors and con-
sumers 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 sugges-
tions. 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 cam-
paigns 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.
294 Chapter 16

Cancer Society telling you to stop smoking or a company

Table 16.2 Public Service Campaigns Sponsored by the telling you it’s all right to buy its stock—the term “­advocacy
Ad Council
advertising” has a more exact meaning.
Sponsored It usually means advertising to motivate voters, to
Organization(s) Ad Campaign Goals influence government policy, or to put pressure on elected
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, • To educate U.S. citizens about how to officials. A good example is the campaign by the Humane
Centers for Disease handle food safely
Control and Prevention,
Society of the United States to put public and legislative
• The Food Safe Families campaign focuses
and U.S. Food and Drug on four safe food-handling behaviors pressure on the Canadian government to stop the killing of
Administration baby seals for their fur.
• Direct people to www.FoodSafety.gov
The Dollar General • To encourage literacy and education Allstate Insurance has also run a series of advocacy
­Literacy Foundation through a campaign about high school ads that call for more legislation to curb the dangerous
equivalency degrees
driving habits of teenagers. The company would like to
• A public service announcement directs
people to FinishYourDiploma.org. see legislation banning anyone under the age of 18 from
AdoptUSKids, U.S. • To encourage adoption from foster care using cell phones or any text-messaging device while
­Children’s Bureau (Dept. • In 2014, PSAs raised awareness of the driving. In addition, the insurance company advocates
of Health and Human
Services)
need for families to adopt siblings graduated driver licensing laws that place limitations on
new drivers.
American Heart • To educate women that heart disease
­Association and strokes are the cause of death for The headline of one Allstate ad noted that two-thirds
one in three women each year of teens said they text while driving and warned, “Some
• Direct people to GoRedforWomen.org of Them Will Never Be Heard From Again,” given that car
United Negro College • To raise awareness about Historically crashes kill more American teens than anything else. The
Fund Black Colleges and Universities
ad then urged readers to contact their congressional rep-
• Has used the slogan “A Mind is a Terrible
Thing to Waste” since 1972 resentatives and to ask them to support the STANDUP
Act. The ad closed with the directive: “Go to allstate.
com/STANDUP.”
Figure 16.3
The Ad Council partnered with several government agencies to
promote food safety. This website is only one of the elements of 16.5.5: Announcements
the campaign.
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 sym-
pathy 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.
Corporations also do public service kinds of advertis- • Doctors Without Borders announces a program to sup-
ing to generate goodwill. In most cases, it is related to their port doctors traveling to Africa to treat Ebola.
products and services. For example:
• The Pacific Gas & Electric Company provides information
WRITING PROMPT
on public safety and emergency preparedness.
• The Coca-Cola Company focuses on obesity education. Explain the difference between public relations advertising and mar-
keting advertising.
• Microsoft combined efforts with StopThinkConnect.org
to provide tips about online security.
The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by
16.5.4: Advocacy and Issues your instructor.

Although it can be argued that advocacy is an element in

Submit
all public relations advertising—whether it’s the American

16.6: Creating a Print Ad
16.6 Identify the main components of a print
advertisement
Print advertisements have several key elements: the head-
line, 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.
16.6.1: Ad Headline
Advertising expert John Caplets says, “The headline is the
most important element in most ads—and the best head-
lines 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 com-
petitors 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
Using Direct Mail and Advertising 295
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
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 computer-
generated 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 graph-
ics 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 inte-
grated 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 prod-
uct 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 ATTEN-
TION. 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 PER-
SUASIVE. The technique is a great way to show the ben-
efit 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 Shand-
wick 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 cele-
brate 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 fre-
quently throughout the campaign.
• Do always view an integrated account from the per-
spective of how public relations can complement
advertising and vice versa.
• Do consider the compatibility of team members’ per-
sonalities 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 newspa-
pers and magazines as paid content. Oftentimes adverto-
rials 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 edi-
torial copy. In 2013, $1.5 billion was spent on native adver-
tising, 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 for-
mal arrangement wherein a completely separate news-
room 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 pro-
vides 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, slide-
shows 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.

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.
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.
Submit
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
Using Direct Mail and Advertising 297
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.”
There are a variety of concerns about native advertis-
ing. The federal body charged with protecting consum-
ers—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 credi-
bility of earned media (public relations’ bread and butter).
Anna Keeve, a senior program manager at Stalwart Com-
munications in San Diego, wrote in PR News, “A new busi-
ness 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 under-
stand 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” prod-
ucts 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 corpora-
tion, given that—in his opinion—such news is seldom cov-
ered 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 pan-
els, (3) buttons and bumper stickers, (4) posters, (5) T-shirts,
and (6) promotional items.
298 Chapter 16
The next PR Casebook discusses how the U.S. Census
Bureau employed nontraditional advertising techniques—
those not involving mass media—to reach university stu-
dents. 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 gov-
ernment turned to the Public Relations Student Society
of America (PRSSA) and its annual Bateman Case Study
Competition for help in counting college students. Ac-
cording 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 of-
ten moving or too distracted with schoolwork to fill out the
Census form.”
Teams from the University of Georgia, Loyola Univer-
sity, 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 hand-
bills, 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
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, Ath-
ens, this question: “Is your silence worth $1,697?” The dol-
lar 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 Sil-
ver Anvil for its campaign.
16.9.1: Billboards
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, non-
profit organizations can obtain free or heavily discounted
usage of outdoor space that is temporarily unsold. Dis-
plays are usually scheduled in monthly units, and occa-
sionally 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 spe-
cial events. They are also useful in fundraising, when they

are distributed to people who make donations. In San
Francisco one year, money was raised for the ballet by sell-
ing “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 par-
ticular 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 organi-
zation. Magnetic bumper stickers are a popular alterna-
tive 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 post-
ers 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 Amer-
ican 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
Using Direct Mail and Advertising 299
advertise things with which they may or may not have
any direct connection.
Because so many people are willing to serve as bill-
boards, you may find an opportunity to use this medium,
which is particularly convenient for causes such as envi-
ronmental 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 con-
tribute 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 organiza-
tion 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 Promo-
tional Products Association International, writes in Pub-
lic 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 organi-
zation 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, promo-
tional items are made available at press parties and
trade shows.
The main consideration, says West, is choosing prod-
ucts 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 cook-
book 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 bill-
boards 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.
Submit
Summary: Using Direct Mail and Advertising
 Using Direct Mail and Advertising 301

SHARED WRITING: USING DIRECT A minimum number of characters is required

MAIL AND ADVERTISING to post and earn points. After posting, your
response can be viewed by your class and
Some people say that in today’s marketing environment the line instructor, and you can participate in the
between public relations and advertising is blurring. Describe a class discussion.
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 Post 0 characters | 140 minimum
something else? Why?

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 17.4 Analyze how public relations writers can
writers to be compliant with the law comply with copyright laws
17.2 Recognize the basis for libel and 17.5 Express the need for public relations writers
defamation lawsuits and how they can be to be cognizant of how trademarks are
avoided protected by law
17.3a Examine how invasion of privacy is a 17.6 Report the guidelines established by the
serious concern for public relations writers four federal regulatory agencies
and staff
17.7 Identify six guidelines to ensure smooth
17.3b Describe means of safeguarding against relations between the legal and public
invasions of privacy relations functions

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 prod-
uct 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:

302

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 organ-
izations 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
Working Within a Legal Framework 303
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 gov-
ernment 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 reputa-
tion. 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 collec-
tive 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;
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. Wal-
ter 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 con-
sidered “public figures” because they offer products and
services for purchase and comment by consumers. Conse-
quently, 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 impu-
nity. 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 individu-
als 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 consti-
tuted 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. How-
ever, experts recommend that you take several precaution-
ary 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 for-
mally 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 ser-
vices. Although comparative advertising is the norm in
the United States, a company must walk a narrow line
between comparison and “trade libel” or “product dispar-
agement.” Statements should be truthful, with factual evi-
dence and scientific demonstration available to
substantiate them. Companies often charge competitors
with overstepping the boundary between legitimate, fac-
tual comparison and defamation.
The dispute between Subway and Quiznos demon-
strates the dangers of an ad campaign based on user-gener-
ated content:
Subway sued Quiznos because it sponsored a contest for
the best homemade video showing why Quiznos sand-
wiches 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 revolution-
ary 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 Com-
mission (FTC) guidelines.

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.
Submit
17.3: Invasion of Privacy
17.3a  xamine how invasion of privacy is a serious
E • Double-check all information for accuracy.
concern for public relations writers and staff
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 employ-
ees. 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 “pub-
lic interest.” A number of court cases have shown that com-
pany 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
Working Within a Legal Framework 305
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 embar-
rass or subject an employee to ridicule by fellow employ-
ees. Here are some guidelines to remember when writing
about employee activities:
• Keep the focus on organization-related activities.
• Have employees submit personal stories or notes in writ-
ing, giving permission for them to be used or quoted.
• 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 employ-
ees 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 inter-
nal 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 news-
letter isn’t used in an advertisement.
If a photo of an employee or customer is used in prod-
uct publicity, sales brochures, or advertisements, the stand-
ard 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 com-
ments of employees and other individuals in product
306 Chapter 17

­ ublicity, sales brochures, and advertising. An added pre-

p
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 Face-
book users in “Sponsored Story” advertisements. Facebook
was accused of using the names, photographs, and identi-
ties 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 prod-
uct. The plaintiffs maintained that no one had requested
permission to use their names and photos in advertise-
ments. Facebook settled the lawsuit for $20 million.
Facebook is only one example of brands showcasing and Decide whether each type of information can be provided to the
reusing customer photos and videos on websites and social media without violating the employee’s privacy. Click the card to
check your answer.
networks. Such user-generated content, however, requires
companies to put in place customer permissions to avoid
If a reporter does seek any of this information, you can
lawsuits. If a brand is sponsoring a contest that involves sub-
handle the request in several ways, depending on the
mission of photos, essays, and videos by customers, the best
nature of the story. First, you can volunteer to contact the
approach is to have entrants check a box that they under-
employee and explain that a reporter would like to speak
stand and agree that the organization can reuse their content
with him or her. If the employee agrees to speak with the
for public relations and marketing purposes.
reporter, this absolves the company of responsibility. Sec-
In another situation, Walmart was accused of using an
ond, many organizations do provide additional informa-
employee’s photograph in an advertisement to promote the
tion to a reporter if it is included on an optional biographical
opening of a new store. The employee had previously given
sheet that the employee has filled out. In most cases, the
consent to use the photograph in another context but after
form clearly states that the organization may use any of the
the employee was fired, Walmart used the photograph in a
information in answering press inquiries or writing its
different context and attributed a quote to the employee that
own news releases.
he had not made. The employee won the lawsuit and was
A typical biographical form may have sections in
paid $15,000 by Walmart. These actions are called misappro-
which the employee can list such things as memberships in
priation of personality, which is discussed later in this chapter.
community organizations, professional affiliations, educa-
“If I used my mother in an ad, I’d get her permission— tional background, past titles and positions, and even spe-
and I almost trust her 100-percent.” cial achievements. This sheet should not be confused with
— Jerry Della Femina, advertising executive the person’s official employment application, which must
Written permission also should be obtained if the remain confidential. It’s also important to keep bio sheets
e­ mployee’s photograph is to appear in sales brochures or even up to date; one compiled by an employee 5 years ago may
in the corporate annual report. This rule also applies to other be hopelessly out of date.
situations. A graduate of Lafayette College sued the college for
using a photo of his mother and him at graduation ceremo-
nies, without their permission, in a financial aid brochure. 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
17.3.4: Media Inquiries about has just been named “Citizen of the Year” by the chamber of com-
merce. She’s on deadline and wants you to give her as much infor-
Employees mation as possible about the employee’s position, home address,
marital status, number of children, hobbies, and so on, so she can
Because press inquiries have the potential of invading an
write a good profile of this outstanding citizen. What, if any, informa-
employee’s right of privacy, public relations personnel tion will you give her? Draft an email response to the reporter.
should follow basic guidelines as to what information will
be provided on the employee’s behalf. The response entered here will appear in the
In general, employers should give a news reporter performance dashboard and can be viewed by
your instructor.
only basic information about their employees. Use the fol-
lowing flashcards to be sure you know what information
Submit
should and shouldn’t be provided to the media.
 Working Within a Legal Framework 307

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 compa-
nies, 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 crea-
tor and give information (and images) about the
employer. As John Elasser, editor of Public Relations Tac-
tics, 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 rela-
tions writers, can and cannot say in their blog posts, tweets,
or even their Facebook pages. One consideration is the pro-
tection 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. If employees mention the company in any way on a blog
Employees are also discouraged from talking about or other social media, most organizational policies require
fellow colleagues or making comments about supervisors them to reveal their affiliation to ensure transparency. But
and executives. Such postings can invade the privacy of most also have rules about appropriate social media content.
other employees and even lead to lawsuits if someone feels Walmart, for example, has a policy that states, “In any and all
that he or she has been ridiculed or defamed in some way. interactions make sure that you don’t share confidential or pri-
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, for vate information about the Company’s business operations,
example, has a number of regulations protecting employ- products, services, or customers; respect financial disclosure
ees against discrimination in terms of religion, ethnic back- laws; and do not say you speak for the Company without
ground, gender, and even their English skills. express written authorization from the Company to do so.”
Employee statements on their own personal blogs or
“If someone is a fisherman and they want to talk about
Facebook also have legal ramifications, which are dis- fly fishing outside of work, that’s not our business. But
cussed in the Tips for Success below. if someone is going to talk about notebooks, they have to
say they are from Dell.”
— Bob Pearson, vice president of Dell Computers

Tips for Success ORGANIZATIONAL EMAIL A number of court deci-

Can Facebook Get You Fired?
All employees should realize that they can get fired for (1) shar-
ing inappropriate comments via the organization’s email sys-
tem, (2) surfing the Internet at work, and (3) even criticizing
their boss on their own Facebook page.
sions 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 Employ-
ment 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 ac-
tive 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 Men-
delson law firm provide some tips about employer social
media policies based on recent NLRB cases.
1. Employers have limited ability to protect confiden-
tial 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 op-
erating 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 be-
cause 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 Transporta-
tion 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 per-
sons accountable for disparaging, negative, false or
misleading information or comments involving [the
company] or [the company’s] employees and associ-
ates on the internet . . .
The NLRB said these policies were “impermissibly
overbroad” because:
• They didn’t adequately specify what types of infor-
mation employees couldn’t post;
• They didn’t adequately differentiate information
employees were prohibited from posting and pro-
tected speech;
• They didn’t provide “appropriate,” “professional,”
“respectful,” or “unfavorable” examples of social
media content.
In short, employers can’t simply ban negative com-
ments 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 employ-
ees 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 af-
fect” 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 ambig-
uous and that it might keep employees from complain-
ing 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 chang-
es and check their social media policies with legal
counsel on a regular basis.
2. Social media policies need to be specific and easily un-
derstandable. What is allowed and not allowed on so-
cial media should not be subjective.
3. Consider whether social media policies could be inter-
preted as designed to keep employees from talking about
wages and other workplace employment matters.
4. Use examples and define limits when establishing so-
cial media policies for things like being “­respectful.”
 Working Within a Legal Framework 309

5. If a social media policy references something like non-
disclosure 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 cor-
porate annual report? Can a Pearls Before Swine comic
strip be featured in the company magazine without obtain-
ing 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 con-
stitutes 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:
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 unauthor-
ized 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 help-
ful 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 indi-
vidual 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 copy-
righted, if only to prevent unauthorized use by competitors.
Additionally, keep the following guidelines in mind when
reproducing or redistributing materials.

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 per-

manent 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 copy-
righted—but brochures, drawings, news features, ani-
mated 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-
310 Chapter 17
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 com-
posers, such as Chopin, can be used without violating copy-
right. 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 Hamil-
ton College says, “Plagiarism is a form of fraud. You pla-
giarize 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 para-
graphs 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 cre-
ation. Of course, getting away with it has become more diffi-
cult because of sophisticated tools such as Turnitin, which
can scan the Internet and find the exact sentence or para-
graph 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 In-
ternet 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 plagia-
rism, 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 para-
graph is really great, at least put it in quotes and give
proper attribution.
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 exam-
ple, only one paragraph from a 750-word article and up to 300
words from a longer article or book chapter. Complete attribu-
tion 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 Copy-
right 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, right-
click on a photo or illustration, and insert it into their Face-
book page or blog. The only problem is that many of those
photos are copyrighted and require permission and even a

licensing fee in order to use them in a public relations pro-
gram or campaign.
Copyright law clearly protects freelance and commer-
cial 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 suc-
cessfully 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 situa-
tion, 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 photogra-
pher 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 excep-
tion. 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 organ-
ization 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 repro-
duce 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
Working Within a Legal Framework 311
information to sell articles to other publications. That’s why
it’s important for public relations staffs to negotiate con-
tracts with freelancers. Writers may agree to assign all copy-
right 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 pub-
licity 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 car-
toon 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 mis-
appropriation 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.
Submit
312 Chapter 17
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 for-
ever” 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 recog-
nizing goods in a complex marketplace.” Research indi-
cates, 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 prod-
ucts. What is new, however, is the proliferation of trade-
marks and service marks in modern society. Coca-Cola,
Google, and Microsoft are some of the world’s most rec-
ognized brands, but they are only some of more than 1
million active trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office.
17.5.1: The Protection of Trademarks
The three basic guidelines for using trademarks are as
follows:
• Trademarks are proper adjectives and should be capi-
talized 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 Fed-
Exed the package” violates the rule.
In addition, organizations take the step of designating
brand names and slogans with various marks.
• The registered trademark symbol is a superscript,
small capital “r” in a circle: ®. “Registered in U.S. Pat-
ent and Trademark Office” and “Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.”
may also be used.
• A superscript “tm” in small capital letters indicates a
trademark that isn’t registered. It represents a compa-
ny’s common-law claim to a right of trademark or a
trademark for which registration is pending. An exam-
ple 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 labe-
ling, 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 exam-
ple, 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.”
Use the flashcards to quiz yourself on what each symbol represents.
Public relations writers play an important role in
protecting the trademarks of their employers. As a pro-
fessional, you will be expected to safeguard trademarks
and respect other organizational trademarks in the fol-
lowing ways.
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.
• Distribute trademark guidelines to editors and report-
ers and place advertisements in trade publications.
• Educate employees as to what the organization’s
trademarks are and how to use them correctly.
• 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 organiza-
tions are not infringing on a registered trademark. If
 Working Within a Legal Framework 313

they are, the company’s legal department should pro- Organizations adamantly insist on the proper use of
test with letters and threats of possible lawsuits. trademarks in order to avoid the problem of having a name
• Make sure the trademark is actually being used. The or slogan become generic. Or, to put it another way, a brand
law no longer permits an organization to hold a name name may become a common noun through general public
in reserve. use. Some trade names that have become generic or are
popularly used as generic names include app, aspirin, ther-
To respect others’ trademarks:
mos, touchtone, cornflakes, nylon, cellophane, yo-yo, and zipper.
• Ensure that the trademarks of other organizations are This means that any company can use these names to
correctly used and properly noted. A good source is describe a product. An additional list of trademarked
the International Trademark Association; it has a direc- brands is provided in the Tips for Success.
tory of more than 3,000 trademarks and service marks
with their generic terms. The International Trademark
Association also provides a helpful “Guide to Proper Tips for Success
Trademark Use for Media, Internet and Publishing
Professionals” on its website. Trademarks Require a Capital Letter
TRADEMARKED OR GENERIC? An example of an Trademarked names are like proper nouns: They are capital-
ized and should be followed by a generic noun or phrase. The
advertisement placed to remind others of your trademark
International Trademark Association (INTA) also recommends
is the Kleenex tissues ad that appeared in an issue of the
that trademarks should never be pluralized, used in possessive
Columbia Journalism Review (see Figure 17.1).
form, or used as verbs.
Currently, more than 700,000 trademarks are registered
with the U.S. government. Here is a sampling of trademarks
Figure 17.1 that are often assumed to be generic words:
Brand names in news releases usually include trademark symbols
to remind journalists that they should capitalize the first letter of the Absolut MapQuest
product or service in any article. The letter “R” with a circle around
it indicates that Kleenex is a registered trademark that is always Baggies Muzak
capitalized and spelled in a specific way. 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 alter-
native uses. IKEA said the website name infringed
on its trademark by misusing the company name.
The company later reconsidered, presumably think-
ing 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 Greet-
ings/Swift sweepstakes contest. Blue Sphere Inc., a
regional clothing producer, had previously trade-
marked 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 capital-
izing 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 confu-
sion in the public mind? Is there intent to imply a con-
nection between the defendant’s product and the item
identified by trademark?
• How similar are the two organizations? Are they pro-
viding 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 trade-
mark 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, profes-
sional athletes, and other public figures in an organiza-
tion’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 misap-
propriation of personality if permission and licensing fees
have not been negotiated.
Deceased celebrities also are protected. To use a like-
ness or actual photo of a personality such as Michael

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 remark-
able 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 permis-
sion 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 hav-
ing 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 tech-
niques, 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 web-
sites designed to look like legitimate consumer news
sites; the sites made false claims about the product and
posted fake consumer testimonials.
Working Within a Legal Framework 315
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 dis-
semination of a false and misleading representation in
any advertising or promotional material. This includes
advertising and public relations firms (and their person-
nel), which also can be held liable for writing, produc-
ing, 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 infor-
mation about their products and services that may be dis-
tributed 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 mis-
leading 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 statis-
tical evidence to support any claims. Gene Grabowski, sen-
ior 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 communica-
tor, you can easily get into competitive entanglements or
litigious issues.”
FTC investigators are always on the lookout for unsub-
stantiated claims and various forms of misleading or
deceptive information. Some of the common words in pro-
motional materials that trigger FTC interest include authen-
tic, certified, cure, custom-made, environmentally friendly, free,
germ-free, new, natural, unbreakable, perfect, first-class, exclu-
sive, 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 pro-
vide 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 Fed-
eral Trade Commission (FTC), should be taken into account
when writing product publicity materials:
GUIDELINES FOR ENDORSEMENTS AND DISCLO-
SURES 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 unsubstanti-
ated claims during a product pitch.
Bloggers and public relations firms are also under the
FTC microscope. Bloggers who endorse a product or ser-
vice must disclose whether they received cash, free prod-
ucts, 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.”
“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 con-
spicuous.” Among the guidelines are:
• Disclosures must be close in proximity to the “trigger-
ing 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 promi-
nently display disclosures.
• Disclosures should be made in common, understand-
able language.
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 compa-
nies, and major financial scandals have made the Securi-
ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) practically a
household name. This federal agency closely monitors the

financial affairs of publicly traded companies and protects
the interests of stockholders.
SEC guidelines on public disclosure and insider trad-
ing are particularly relevant to corporate public relations
staff members who must meet the requirements. The dis-
tribution 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:
The courts are increasingly applying the mosaic doc-
trine to financial information. A court may examine all
information released by a company, including news
releases, to determine whether, taken as a whole, they cre-
ate 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 poten-
tial investors.
Working Within a Legal Framework 317
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 experimen-
tal 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 finan-
cial 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 docu-
ments. 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 con-
cept 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 inves-
tors, 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 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provides
licenses to radio and television stations, allocates frequen-
cies, 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 broadcast-
ers they have to let people know where the material is com-
ing 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 manufac-
turers paid up to $11,000 to be part of a series of back-to-
school 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 cli-
ents don’t participate in or initiate “pay-for-play” strategies.
17.6.4: The Food and Drug
Administration
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the
advertising and promotion of prescription drugs, over-the-
counter medicines, and cosmetics. Under the Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act, any “person” (which includes advertis-
ing and public relations firms) who “causes the misbrand-
ing” 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 supple-
mentary product sheets or brochures that give full pre-
scribing information.
“Always minimize the risk of handing over a communica-
tion 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. Previ-
ously, the OPDP was called the Division of Drug Market-
ing, Advertising and Communications. Because
prescription drugs have major FDA curbs on advertising
and promotion, the drug companies try to sidestep the reg-
ulations by publicizing diseases. For example, Allergan, a
health care company that specializes in ophthalmic phar-
maceuticals, sponsors the website MyDryEyes.com. The
website suggests several ways to manage Chronic Dry Eye
Syndrome, including artificial tears and prescription medi-
cines. 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 celebri-
ties 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.
17.7: Working with
Lawyers
17.7 Identify six guidelines to ensure smooth relations
between the legal and public relations functions
You now have an overview of how various laws and gov-
ernment 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 inva-
sion 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. Law-
yers generally prefer to say little or nothing in most situa-
tions, 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

transactions, product recalls, and plant accidents.
­ umerous laws and regulations, to say nothing of liability
N ing cooperation and mutual respect between the legal and
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 develop-
ments. To do this, you should maintain a file of newspaper,
magazine, and online articles that report on legal develop-
ments 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.
Summary: Working Within a Legal Framework
Working Within a Legal Framework 319
The following guidelines can go a long way in ensur-
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.
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.

Post 0 characters | 140 minimum

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 18.3 Classify the eight elements that should be
ensure the effectiveness of any campaign incorporated into a campaign plan
18.2 Scrutinize the initial steps of developing a 18.4 Express the importance of ensuring the
plan for a campaign soundness of any campaign plan before
submitting it for approval

18.1: The Value to motivate its action. Each of these elements draws the
information as it is specified in the strategic plan.

of a Written Plan This chapter provides a brief overview of how to write

a comprehensive public relations program. With this skill,
18.1 Report a written plan to be imperative to ensure
you will become much more than a public relations
the effectiveness of any campaign
writer—you will also become a public relations manager.
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 18.2: Developing a PR Plan
on—that require considerable writing skill and creativity. 18.2 Scrutinize the initial steps of developing a plan
After mastering multiple “media techniques,” it is impor- for a campaign
tant to understand the key concepts of campaign management
The first step in developing a plan is to consult with the cli-
and public relations programming. Basically, we are now talk-
ent or your management. This serves two purposes. First,
ing about the coordination of multiple “tactics” as part of an
it gets these people involved. Second, it is likely to give
overall program to achieve organizational objectives.
you the basic information you need to start making a plan.
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 blue-
print. 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
18.2.1: Identifying the Situation
by the public to contribute to the accomplishment of the In talking with the people who will pay for the campaign,
plan’s objectives, and the message to be sent to that public you strive to identify the problems and opportunities
321
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 cam-
paign’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 distin-
guishes 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 treat-
ment 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 inhu-
mane 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 ani-
mals in the entire poultry producing industry. The cam-
paign 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 infor-
mation 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 ses-
sion 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 con-
duct a survey to ascertain the attitudes and percep-
tions 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, includ-
ing Cision and BurrellesLuce, provide profiles of vari-
ous 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,
 Planning Programs and Campaigns 323

will give you detailed information on consumer buying
habits and consumers’ major sources of information.
Another good resource is surveys by various organiza-
tions 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
(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.

18.2.3: Analyzing the Information

After gathering all pertinent information and perhaps con-
ducting a survey or several focus groups, your job is to
analyze all the facts and ideas. You must consider the reli-
ability 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 find-

ings 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 pro-
gram 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 pro-
gram or campaign plan. Organizations designate these ele-
ments in different ways, combining or dividing them as
seems appropriate. Nevertheless, any good plan will cover
eight elements: (1) situation, (2) objectives, (3) audience,
324 Chapter 18
Of course, there are variations of styles for plans. Pat-
rick 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 devel-
oping 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, Oppor-
tunities, 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.
12. Identify internal and external barriers to success.
13. Based on your analysis of allies and barriers, plan con-
tingency tactics should the unexpected occur.
18.3.1: The Organization’s Situation
An organization’s situation can be determined by summa-
rizing the organization’s relations with its public or pub-
lics. This tells why the program is needed and points out
the need or the opportunity. This may be the most impor-
tant part of the plan. Unless a client or management is con-
vinced 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.
• 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 cus-
tomers 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 aware-
ness, 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 con-
test 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 cus-
tomers $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.
PR Casebook: Lay’s Defines
“All-Natural” and Sets
Guinness World Record
on Facebook
A public relations plan contains eight basic elements. The fol-
lowing is an outline of a plan that Frito-Lay North America,

working with Ketchum, implemented using expert testimo-
nials, 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 prod-
ucts 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 differ-
entiate 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 Gen-
eration 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,
Planning Programs and Campaigns 325
2. announce the new all-natural product recipes via high-
profile 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 pro-
fessionals 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 impres-
sions, exceeding the goal by 141 percent. Ninety-nine
percent of the coverage was positive.
• The Facebook page received 1,571,161 “likes” in a sin-
gle 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 cam-
paign 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 con-
sumers about the availability of the new product and to
motivate them to purchase it.
There are basically two kinds of objectives: informa-
tional 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 eat-
ing 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 neces-
sarily mean that they will buy it.
Motivational Objectives  Motivational objectives
are more ambitious and also more difficult to achieve. How-
ever, they are easier to measure. Basically, you want to change
attitudes and opinions with the idea of modifying behavior.
Some motivational objectives might be:
• To increase the consumption of “healthy” foods, such
as strawberries
• To reduce cigarette smoking
• 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 “bottom-
line 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 can-
cer. 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,
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, com-
petitive 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 informa-
tional 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 measure-
ments. 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 addi-
tional 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.
Tips for Success
How Public Relations Helps Fulfill
Marketing Objectives
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.

WRITING PROMPT
What is the difference between informational and motivational objec-
tives? 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 spe-
cific 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, atti-
tudes 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
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 lemon-
ade 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.
Another common mistake is defining the mass media
as an audience. In 9 out of 10 cases, media serve as chan-
nels to reach the audiences that you want to inform, per-
suade, 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.
Data
D
Analysis
A
Insight
I
Strategy
S
The first step to strategy development, according to
Shift, is high-quality, reliable Data. The second step is Anal-
ysis of that data, which allows you to answer “What hap-
pened?” 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 devel-
oping Strategy. In any campaign, strategy must be keyed
directly to the objective, and it must be formed with a thor-
ough 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 sub-
head “Love Our Kids Vaccination Project.”
“A PR campaign or program is a series of coordinated,
unified activities and messages, driven by a single strat-
egy, delivered to relevant publics by a variety of means.”
—Doug Newsom and Jim Haynes,
authors of Public Relations Writing
The program to increase carpooling was based on
research showing that commuters were interested in sav-
ing 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 fundrais-
ing program was to use a country music artist as a spokes-
person 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 self-
interests.
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 promo-
tional event. Indeed, one of the criteria for an effective pub-
lic 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 rela-
tions 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 child-
bearing age
• Articles in newspapers and magazines catering to parents
• Pamphlets sent to child-care service providers
• Booklets mailed to every new mother explaining vac-
cination and the schedule of shots
• Letters to doctors reminding them to ask about vacci-
nations when a child has a checkup
• 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 tac-
tics. 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 infor-
mation on carpooling for possible stories. Another success-
ful 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 pro-
gram and tips on how kids can set up a lemonade stand
• An appearance by the country music singer at the Lit-
tle 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 regard-
ing the addition of social media to public relations cam-
paigns. 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.
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 pre-
pare a working calendar or schedule of deadlines and respon-
sibilities 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.

General Timing  A campaign must be timely; it must

Table 18.1 Sample Brochure Development Schedule
be conducted when the key messages mean the most to the
intended audience. Some subjects are seasonal; hence pub- Activity Date Due Responsibility
licists release information on strawberries in May and June, Outline brochure January 11 J. Ross, G. Jones
when a crop comes to market. A software program on Write copy January 18 J. Ross
doing your own taxes attracts the most audience interest in Photos and artwork January 25 A. Peck and N. Lopez
February and March, just before the April 15th deadline. Design and layout February 8 A. Peck and N. Lopez
At times, the environmental context is important. A
Final client approval February 15 B. Boss
campaign on carpooling might be more successful if it fol-
Printer prep and February 28 Ace Printers. G. Jones, supervising
lows a price increase in gasoline or a government agency proofs
report that traffic congestion has reached gridlock propor- Printing and binding March 10 Ace Printers. G. Jones, supervising
tions. A charitable campaign to provide for the homeless is Delivery March 15 United Parcel Service. G. Jones,
more effective if the local newspaper has just run a five- supervising
part series on the human dimensions of the problem.
Other kinds of campaigns are less dependent on sea- Other entries in this kind of table format might be prepar-
sonal or environmental context. The L.O.V.E. vaccination ing news releases, drafting speeches, writing pitch letters,
program, a Red Cross drive for blood donations, and even scheduling spokespeople on radio talk shows, arranging media
the selling of a new smartphone upgrade could be done tours, and commissioning a camera-ready feature article.
almost any time during the year. The pre-Christmas sea- You can also map activities by listing the activities at
son, however, is a favorite time for companies to introduce the left of a chart, with days or weeks across the top. Lines
new consumer products. or bars show graphically when various steps are being
worked on. This is often called a Gantt chart; an example is
Schedule of Activities  The second aspect of timing shown in Figure 18.2.
is the scheduling of activities during a campaign. A typical
pattern is to have a concentrated effort at the beginning of Figure 18.2
a campaign when a number of activities are implemented. Planning requires precision scheduling. This is a simplified Gantt
This is the launch phase of an idea or concept and, much chart showing the various activities and tactics in a public relations
like a rocket, it takes a concentration of power just to break program. Some tactics, such as social media, are ongoing; others
are phased in during the campaign.
the awareness barrier. After the campaign has achieved
orbit, however, it takes less energy, and fewer activities are Sample Gantt Chart for Six-Month Program
needed to maintain momentum. January February March April May June
Mobile App
You must also think about advance planning. Monthly
Satellite
publications, for example, often need information at least Media Tour
six to eight weeks before an issue. If you want something News
Releases
in the August issue, you have to think about placing it in Special
May or June. A popular talk show may work on a schedule Events
YouTube
that books guests three or four months in advance. A bro- Facebook
chure may be needed on March 29, but you must start the Twitter
brochure long before that date. To determine the starting Evaluation
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 rela-
tions 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 fre-
quently. 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 administra-
tive time usually takes the lion’s share of any public rela-
tions 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 esti-
mated 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-of-
pocket 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 col-
umn 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 per-
cent 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 increas-
ing 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 per-
cent 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 adver-
tising, 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 outstanding success. Each year, hundreds of these cam-

5. Tactics paigns are submitted for the Public Relations Society of
­America’s Silver Anvil award, which recognizes the very best in
6. Calendar (timing)
public relations planning and implementation. Of these, about
7. Budget 45 are chosen for excellence.
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, align-
ment of campaign with overall organizational goals, etc.)
• Capabilities of the team or public relations firm sub-
mitting 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
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 prog-
ress, 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 man-
agement 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.
Summary: Planning Programs and Campaigns
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 every-
thing 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
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 Depart-
ment 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 cam-
paign 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
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 aware-
ness of service for a non-profit organization. In other
words, did all the public relations activity “move the nee-
dle” in some way?
Today, with tight budgets and organizational execu-
tives demanding more results from their public relations
and marketing departments in terms of return on invest-
ment (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 Acad-
emy in the UK, “Measurement replaces digital as PR pro-
fessionals’ greatest training need.” In the survey, about 50
percent of PR students also surveyed acknowledged a
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
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 rela-
tions 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, communica-
tion 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  xpress measurement to be the final step in any
E
public relations program
19.2b Compare the different levels of measurement
The final step in any public relations program or cam-
paign 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 depart-
ment justify its investments without understanding what
they are getting out of it?”
“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, ana-
lyze the reasons, and improve your program accordingly.”
— Katie Paine, president of KDPaine & Partners, a
­measurement firm
Another important reason for conducting measure-
ment 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 pub-
lic 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 sim-
ilar future activities?
Answering these questions requires a mix of meas-
urement 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
e­ xposure, accurate dissemination of the message, accept-
ance 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 arti-
cle 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:
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 suc-
cess itself.
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 respond-
ents 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 pub-
lic relations personnel still use “media mentions” (clip-
pings) 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 sur-
vey 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 “clip-
pings” first in effectiveness but using advertising equivalency
ranked eleventh.
 Measuring Success 335

“You have to budget for measurement up front. Not on

Figure 19.1 the back. How much? Figure 5 percent of your total PR
Selected data from the Benchpoint survey conducted for the
spend, including fees and pass-through costs.”
Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) and
the Institute for Public Relations (IPR). The survey also showed — David Rockland, managing director of research
that 70% of respondents believe that measurement is an im- for Ketchum
portant part of public relations work.
Some practitioners maintain that public relations is
80
more art than science and is thus extremely difficult to
70
Clippings measure. Walter K. Lindenmann, a former senior vice pres-
Media evaluation tools
60
Opinion surveys
ident and director of research at Ketchum, takes a more
50 Benchmarking optimistic view. He wrote in Public Relations Quarterly:
Focus groups
“Let’s get something straight right off the bat. First, it is
Percent

40 Internal reviews
Online opinion surveys
30 Reputation index
possible to measure public relations effectiveness… Sec-
20
Blog measures ond, measuring public relations effectiveness does not
Dashboards
10 Advertising value equivalency (AVE) have to be either unbelievably expensive or laboriously
League tables
0
time-consuming.”
The Institute for Public Relations (IPR) also takes the
view that public relations effectiveness can be systemati-
cally evaluated. The IPR Measurement Commission has
WRITING PROMPT developed a notable library of research and guidelines
Why is measuring the success of a public relations campaign or pro- about measurement over the past 20 years, with papers
gram so important?
available free on its website, InstituteforPR.org. The insti-
tute’s slogan captures the essence of its mission: “The sci-
The response entered here will appear in the
performance dashboard and can be viewed by ence beneath the art of public relations.”
your instructor. Lindenmann suggests that public relations personnel
use a mix of evaluation techniques, many adapted from
Submit advertising and marketing, to provide more complete eval-
uation. In addition, he notes that there are at least three lev-
els of measurement and evaluation, as shown in Figure 19.2.
19.2.1: Current Status of
Measurement and Evaluation Figure 19.2
There are three levels of public relations measurement. The most
Public relations professionals have made considerable pro- basic is measuring media placements. At the second level, there is
gress in evaluation and measurement, the ability to tell cli- more concern about comprehension and retention of the message
ents and employers exactly what has been accomplished. on the part of the audience. At the advanced level, the emphasis
is on opinion and behavior change. Each level requires different
Sophisticated software programs and techniques are being
measurement tools.
used, including computerized news clip analysis, survey
sampling, quasi-experimental studies in which the audi- ADVANCED
ence is divided into groups that see different aspects of a
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

Measuring
public relations campaign and attempts to correlate efforts Behavior Change
Attitude Change
directly with sales. Opinion Change
Today, the trend toward more systematic evaluation Level #3
is well established. Katherine Paine, founder of her own
public relations measurement firm, says that the per- INTERMEDIATE
centage of a public relations budget devoted to measure- Measuring
ment and evaluation was about 1 percent in the 1990s, Retention
Comprehension
but is now closer to 5 percent. A 2010 study by the USC Awareness
Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center found Reception
about the same percentage; the average corporation Level #2
devotes only 4 to 5 percent of its total public relations
BASIC
budget to evaluation and measurement. Advocates say
Measuring
measurement should be at least 10 percent of budget, Targeted Audiences
because there is constant pressure on public relations Impressions
departments to justify their budgets and prove their Media Placements
value to the bottom line. Level #1
336 Chapter 19
On the most basic level are compilations of message dis-
tribution and media placement. The second level, which
requires more sophisticated techniques, deals with the meas-
urement of audience awareness, comprehension, and reten-
tion 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 evalu-
ated, 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 employ-
ee 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. Sch-
weitzer 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 meas-
urable. You should always ask yourself what method
will be used to measure this objective. Will you con-
duct a survey of customers or rely on the dashboards
provided by various social media platforms to iden-
tify your share of the conversation on each? The Inter-
national 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 objec-
tives 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 cam-
paign and after the campaign. This is more difficult than
just measuring “exposure” to the message, which is dis-
cussed 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, fea-
ture stories, photos, and tweets were produced in a given
time period. This approach is the classic example of docu-
menting an individual’s or department’s “output.”
This kind of measurement is supposed to give man-
agement 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 neces-
sary, 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 custom-
ers 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 newspa-
pers, 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

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 mate-
rial will be used? Such mass mailings really irritate journal-
ists, 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 pro-
grams 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 men-
tions 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 num-
bers 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 mon-
itor print media, online publications, and thousands of blogs.
VMS, a video monitoring service, covers all 210 U.S. televi-
sion markets. Clients can be notified within minutes of a tel-
evision 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 moni-
toring service evaluate clips on such variables as article word
count, advertising cost (or value) equivalent, audience, edito-
rial slant of the article, subject, number of keyword mentions,
type of article, byline, and how an organization’s overall men-
tions 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
Measuring Success 337
exposed to its message. Miller High Life, for example,
reported that it generated more than 5,000 newspaper, tel-
evision, radio, and online stories about its 1-second ad dur-
ing 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 statis-
tic among public relations firms and clients, but its impor-
tance and value are declining as a meaningful measurement
of campaign effectiveness. Today, public relations manag-
ers 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 net-
work 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 introduc-
ing 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 Recom-
mendations 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 seg-
ments 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 tel-
evision show, you use the audited average number of lis-
teners 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 Cham-
pagne 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 add-
ing up the circulation of each publication and the viewing
audience of various broadcast programs. The Frito-Lay cam-
paign 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 mes-
sage. 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 par-
ticular 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 equiv-
alency of HomeBanc’s news coverage one year was
$810,000, using a metric supplied by Burrelle’s Informa-
tion 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 King-
dom as being worth $32 million in worldwide publicity
for stout beer. And publicists have estimated that Sam-
sung got a billion dollars-worth of publicity from spon-
soring the Oscars once a celebrity selfie from the event
went viral.
The concept of using AVE and exercises in multiplica-
tion, 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 Associ-
ation (IPRA), and the Institute for Public Relations (IPR). In
a policy paper, the IPR called the use of multipliers “uneth-
ical, dishonest, and not at all supported by the research lit-
erature.” 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 mil-
lion!’ is a thing of the past.”
— Andre Manning, head of global communications,
Royal Philips Electronics
 Measuring Success 339

Indeed, the whole idea of advertising equivalency is 19.5.3: Systematic Tracking

highly suspect, because you are comparing apples and
Measuring the volume of media mentions is a start, but a
oranges. Consider the following points.
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 cov-
erage. 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 com-
petitors;
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 tab-
ulate 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 cov-
erage. 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 sum-
marizing 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.

Submit
340 Chapter 19
A systematic analysis may also show that 45 percent of
your company’s news releases are management and per-
sonnel 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 cam-
paign 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 web-
site 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 cul-
tivating brand loyalty and trust is based on creating valu-
able 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 plat-
forms. Another built-in metric is Social Network Referrals. It’s
important to know how many people are sharing an organ-
ization’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 understand-
ing 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 avail-
able 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, pin-
pointing customers’ response to particular types of con-
tent. 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.

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 Twit-
ter followers and activity.
• ViralWoot A Pinterest tool that shows new followers,
new repins, and new “likes.”
• Iconosquare An Instagram tool that includes a user-
friendly Instagram analytics section that shows big-pic-
ture 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.
Measuring Success 341
• 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 dash-
board 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/marketing-
cloud/features/social-media-marketing/
342 Chapter 19

“Measurement has become more sophisticated. You can

now measure share of voice, share of mind, and even un-
derstand impact of product sales.”
Tips for Success
— Jim Tsokamos, president of the Americas
for MS&L Group
How to Measure the Impact of
Social Media
One metric is called the “conversation index,” which
Katie Paine, CEO of KDPaine & Partners and a pioneer in pub-
is the ratio between blog posts and comments. It helps
lic relations measurement, wrote in The Ragan Report, “Meas-
measure whether a blogger is doing a lot of writing with
urement is not counting. Or monitoring. It is not the number of
very little response on the part of readers or whether the
followers, friends, rankings, or scores.” Instead, she wrote in
audience is engaged and contributing to the conversa- PRWeek that better evaluation of social media impact can be
tion. Obviously, blogs that generate a lot of “conversa- achieved by calculating the percentage increase for a number
tion” are more important to organizations in terms of of other factors.
feedback and dialogue.
Another widely used social media management tool is
Hootsuite. Its freemium model with Free, Pro, and Enter-
prise 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.

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?

The response entered here will appear in the

Hootsuite is also a good resource for students because it performance dashboard and can be viewed by
has a “Hootsuite University” in which students get 90 days of your instructor.

free access. They can access a library of case studies, take tuto-
rials on how to monitor social media sites, and even earn a Submit
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 meas- 19.5.6: Audience Requests, Costs,
uring the impact of social media. The key point is that the and Attendance
large amount of data generated by analytics isn’t very
There are several ways to measure the reach and effective-
helpful unless the data is analyzed to
ness of your messages through offline means.
1. generate insights that help you measure success and
REQUESTS AND 800 NUMBERS Another measure of
2. figure out how you might do things differently next
media exposure is to compile the number of requests for
time, to ensure greater success.
more information. A story in a newspaper or an appearance
The Tips for Success gives some additional guidelines of a spokesperson on a broadcast show often provides the
about the kinds of social media data that are fundamental impetus for driving people to a website to download more
to PR measurement. information, request a brochure, or even order the product.

In many cases, a toll-free 800 number is provided. The
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists,
through Fleischman-Hillard, conducted a public informa-
tion campaign about thyroid disorders and got 10,000
requests for its “Thyroid Neck Check” brochures. In addi-
tion, the organization’s website increased its “hits” from
4,000 to 12,000 immediately after the launch of the infor-
mation 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 manage-
ment 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 bath-
room while the commercial played.
Cost-effectiveness, as this technique is known, also is
used in public relations. Cost per thousand (CPM) is calcu-
lated 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 pro-
duced 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 audi-
ences 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 Discov-
ery, 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 rela-
tions 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 meas-
ure audience attitudes by observation and surveys. A stand-
ing 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
Measuring Success 343
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 inter-
view. 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 aware-
ness, 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 phe-
nomenal 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 center-
piece. 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 recogni-
tion 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 high-
fiber 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 persua-
sion. 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 com-
pany 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 $20,000-
worth of Christmas gifts to families in need.
Following the show, according to a monograph pub-
lished by Lawrence Ragan Communications, “a measure-
ment 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 in-
tent 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 me-
dia 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 atti-
tudes 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 ascer-
tained, 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 opin-
ions? 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.
Submit
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 suc-
cinctly: “The outcome of a successful public relations pro-
gram 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 con-
sequences of not doing anything about them, (3) form atti-
tudes and opinions favorable to conservation, and (4) take
some action, such as writing elected officials or even send-
ing a donation to Greenpeace.
Changing audience behavior or motivating them to
purchase a product or service is difficult to accomplish

through public relations efforts, because people are com-
plex 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 Hun-
gry 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 citi-
zens’ committee supporting the measure hired a public
relations firm to conduct a campaign to persuade the vot-
ers. 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 endorse-
ments, 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.
Submit
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
Measuring Success 345
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 cov-
ered, the publication’s credibility, and whether the publica-
tion 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 news-
letters 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 publi-
cations for employees or members of an organization, but
the same methods can be used to evaluate leaflets, book-
lets, and brochures distributed to external publics. Infor-
mal 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, newspa-
per, 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 head-
ings. You may wish to cover such subjects as management
announcements, new product developments, new person-
nel and retirements, employee hobbies and interests, cor-
porate 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 publi-
cation. 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 sur-
vey 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 impor-
tant.” Another rating method is to have them select a num-
ber from 1 through 5 to show the degree of agreement with
a statement.
A readership interest survey becomes even more valu-
able 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 sam-
pling 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 con-
tent-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 publica-
tion. Between meetings, members of the advisory board
would also be able to relay employee comments and con-
cerns 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 sto-
ries 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 instru-
ment 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.
Submit
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 imme-
diately 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 worth-
while 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 any-
thing that forced changes? What happened, and what
did you do?
• AUDIENCE. Was it properly identified? How effec-
tively 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 numeri-
cal 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 dis-
tributed, 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

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Chapter 19 Quiz: Measuring Success

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distribution. Retrieved from www.erelease.com
Kennedy, M. (2013, July). 6 ways to beef up your boilerplate. The Ragan
Report, 20.
Kennedy, M. (2014, August 1). Finding the best angle for your press
release. Retrieved from www.ereleases.com
Luttrell, R. (2013, March). Press pass: 5 questions to ask when writing
news releases. Public Relations Tactics, 14.
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
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
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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
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Public Relations Tactics, 5.
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Chapter 6
Kennedy, M. (2012, July 26). 10 tips to write the perfect email pitch.
Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragans-
daily/
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 story-
telling. 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
Disario, A. (2014, February). Breathing life into profiles: 5 steps for
finding and writing exciting personal stories. Public Relations
Tactics, 18.
Dupont, S. (2013, August). Branded content should be the core of
your PR strategy. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 22–23.
Gable, T. (2014, February). Delivering on the promise: 6 steps to
building brands with great stories and memorable content. Public
Relations Tactics, 12.
Gagilano, L. (2014, August). Smarter, not harder: Marrying content
creation. Public Relations Tactics, 13.
Jeffery, J. (2013, February). Articulate your message: Op-ed place-
ments 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.

Pirozzolo, D. (2013, February). Crafting a compelling narrative: How
storytelling can bring your PR efforts to life. Public Relations Tactics, 17.
Scott, D. (2013, August). Brand journalism boosts Web traffic by 451
percent. Ragan Report, 8–9.
Seitel, F. (2014, January). Why sponsored content is here to stay.
O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 44.
Stokes, T. (2013, May). How branded content can help reach consum-
ers. PRWeek, 16.
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
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.
Ward, D. (212, June). Infographics are becoming a major story in jour-
nalism. PRWeek, 21.
Wilson, M. (2012, July 2). 25 guidelines for great visual communica-
tion. Retrieved from www.ragan.com
Chapter 9
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 differ-
ence 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
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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
Monllos, K. (2014, April 30). Celebrities join White House PSA
against sexual assault ‘Help her. Never blame her.’ Retrieved from
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Media Resources 351
Piombino, K. (2014, April 11). Infographic: Why visual content is better
than text. Retrieved from www.ragan.com
Red Bull builds media empire. (2014, June 16). O’Dwyer’s Newsletter, 4.
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.
Shout Communications. (2014). Maximising coverage on television, radio,
and online [Guide]. Retrieved from www.shoutcommuncations.co.uk
Simon, D., & Claudio, J. (2014, April). A new, strategic approach to
video content. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 25.
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
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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,
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Heaton, C. (2010, November 22). 50 ways to get your site noticed.
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Krol, K. (2013, 2013, May). 7 signs you’re a bad blogger—and how to
get better. Ragan Report, 29–30.
Loechner, J. (2014, September 3). Fortune 500 blogs validate social
media presence. Research Brief: Center for Media Research. Retrieved
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Miller, L. (2010, August). PepsiCo has found the perfect podcast formula.
Ragan Report, 28–30.
Nowlin, A. (2014, April 29). Promote your blog with these 11 tools.
Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/ragansdaily/
Park, H., & Cameron, G. (2014). Keeping it real: Exploring the roles of
conversational human voice and source credibility in crisis commu-
nication 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.
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Vincx, F. (2014, August 13). 8 simple but effective tips for improving
an online newsroom. Ragan’s PR Daily. Retrieved from www.
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Wilson, M. (2014, August l9). Survey: Websites, online newsrooms
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352 Media Resources
Winchel, B. (2014, November l4). 5 branding lessons from Coca-Cola
Journey’s second anniversary. Retrieved from www.ragan.com
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Relations Tactics, 8.
Chapter 11
Allen, K. (2013, March 6). Mind-boggling facts about one day on the
Internet. Retrieved from www.ragan.com
Allen, K. (2014, April 15). 7 statistics that can raise your Facebook engage-
ment. 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 plat-
forms 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 com-
bat 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?
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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 fol-
lowers on Pinterest. Retrieved from www.ragan.com
Piombino, K. (2013, April 9). Infographic: An inside look at compa-
nies ‘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 fire-
storm. Retrieved from www.ragan.com
Smarty, A. (2012, October). Five ways to increase your brand’s visibil-
ity on Flickr. The Ragan Report, 8-9.
Topper, H. (2013, August). Responding to negative feedback on your
social networking sites. Public Relations Tactics, 18.
Weston, S. (2013, October). How can mobile apps evolve to remain an
effective tool for brand building? PRWeek, 47.
Worthham, J. (2014, May 4). Six seconds of loopy creativity, and mil-
lions of fans. New York Times, BU3.
Chapter 12
Fort, J. (2013, March 20). Graphic designer: 5 tips for working with
me. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.com/
ragansdaily/
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 entry-
level 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/

Piombino, K. (2012, February). Top three PowerPoint annoyances
revealed in a new survey. The Ragan Report, 32.
Pringle, S. (2014, April 28). 5 storytelling techniques the best present-
ers use. Ragan.com Extra. Retrieved from www.ragan.com
Reynolds, J. (2014, July 30). 12 most basic speaking mistakes that
crumble seasoned presenters. Retrieved from www.ragan.com
Spaeth, M. (2015, February 5). 10 rules to follow for powerful presen-
tations. 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.
Sharkey, J. (2012, April 24). The trade show updated: A shift at con-
ventions: Less high living, more Wi-Fi. New York Times, B9.
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.
Chapter 16
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.
Chapter 17
Aguilar, C. (2014, June 13). How to keep repurposed content out of
legal hot water. Retrieved from www.ragan.com
Federico, N. (2014, July 17). Can that corporate blog post get you in
legal trouble? Retrieved from www.ragan.com
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
Hazley, G. (2014, June). FTC sues coffee extract marketers over fake
news. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 9.
International Trademark Association. (2012). Guide to proper trademark
use for media, Internet and publishing professionals. Retrieved from
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Kupferschmid, K. (2014, April). Companies must adhere to copyright
laws or face the consequences. PRWeek, 17.
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against PR firm, ESPN. O’Dwyer’s Magazine, 9.
Media Resources 353
Myers, C. (2013, September 16). Free speech v. social media: Is your
policy legal? Retrieved from www.instituteforpr.org
Myers, C. (2014, February 24). #Disclosure: New FTC social media
guidelines for PR. Retrieved from www.instituteforpr.org
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.
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.). Bel-
mont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.
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again, gets some super revolting ideas. AdWeek. Retrieved from
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Potter, H. (2010, Summer). Integrating social media into PR plans.
The Strategist, 40–41.
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Chapter 19
Crawford, J. (2014, March 4). What now for PR measurement. Ragan’s
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and meaning. Institute for Public Relations. Retrieved from www.
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Hall, S. (2013, April). 16 alternatives to Google Analytics. The Ragan
Report, 1–21.
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Barcelona principles (measurement). The Strategist, 30–31.
Morgan, C. (2014, March 24). How to move PR beyond the AVE.
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tions research, measurement, and evaluation. Barnes & Noble Nook.
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media ROI. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved from web.ragan.
com/ragansdaily/
Wilson, M. (2014, July 14). Twitter’s updated analytics dashboard
offers broader engagement data. Ragan’s Daily Headlines. Retrieved
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Wolverton, C. (2014, March 3). Google Analytics 101: 5 Metrics for
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Glossary
Actuality A recorded statement by an identified person used in a
radio newscast. See Soundbite.
Advertising value equivalency (AVE) Converting news articles to
how much it would cost to advertise in the same space.
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 respon-
sible 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
Cropping The editing of photographs by cutting off portions of
the original.
Desktop tour A series of meetings at the desks of editors and
reporters at various media outlets for the purpose of building a
relationship.
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 expres-
sions 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-and-
answer 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 ser-
vice 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 mes-
sages on a specific topic.
Historical piece In feature writing, a story that stresses the continu-
ity 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 para-
graph of the news release.
Hype Exaggerated publicity about a product, service, or celebrity.
Often characterized by flowery adjectives and inflated claims.

Hypertext Text containing links (known as hyperlinks) to other digi-
tal 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.
Impressions Relates to the circulation of a publication or the audi-
ence size of a particular radio or television program. If a story or ad
appears in a newspaper with a circulation of 100,000, this consti-
tutes 100,000 impressions. Also see Page impression.
Infographics Computer-generated artwork used to display major
facts and statistics visually, typically in the form of a graphic inter-
face of tables, charts or graphs, simple images, and color.
Intranet A private network within an organization for the exclusive
use of employees. Intranets are based on the same principles as
the Internet.
IT An acronym for information technology, which encompasses hard-
ware, software, and how computer systems operate.
JPEG An acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group, which
deals with a common method to compress photos and send them
via the Internet.
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.
Listserv An Internet site that automatically emails messages to
individuals who subscribe to the service.
Magapaper An organizational publication that has a newspaper-type
layout but incorporates the design elements of a magazine.
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.
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, promi-
nence, proximity, significance, unusualness, human interest, con-
flict, 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, par-
ticularly 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.
Glossary 355
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.
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.
Paid co-creation An organization provides a grant for a media
outlet to develop stories on a particular subject.
Paid media Primarily ads that organizations pay to place in
traditional and online media, to distribute their messages about
their products and services.
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.
Pay for play Payment in the form of providing a media outlet cash,
advertising placements, or products in exchange for news coverage.
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.
Pitch Jargon for making an appeal to an editor or journalist to do a
story on your product or service.
Plagiarism A form of theft in which an author appropriates the writ-
ing or ideas of another author and claims them as his or her own.
Plugs Refers to mentions of organizations, products, and services in
movies and broadcast entertainment shows.
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-dimen-
sional 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.
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.
Retouching The alteration of a photograph by the traditional
means of airbrushing or, more frequently now, by the electronic
manipulation of a digital image.
Return on investment (ROI) A comparison of total costs to reach
an audience divided by the amount of business that is generated.
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. Pop-
ular 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 key-
words 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.
Snail mail First-class mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.
Social media Online networks that allow people to share opinions
and perspectives with each other.
Soundbite A statement or quote from an individual, which is
inserted into audio and video news releases.
Speaker’s bureau An organization’s effort to provide spokesper-
sons 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.
Spokesperson A term commonly used in the media to describe a
public relations person who provides information or a quote in a
news article.
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.
Stakeholders The groups impacted by an organization’s decisions.
These potentially include employees, consumers, neighbors, suppli-
ers, 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, ser-
vice, or event by a person or organization without a personal con-
nection 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.
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.
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/
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Fernando Leon/Newscom; Newscom; Rachel Megawhat/Alamy;
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Chapter 4 Splash News/Newscom; Newscom; Agencia el
Universal/Newscom; Wellphoto/Shutterstock; Mopic/Shutterstock;
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357
358 Credits
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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;
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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
Credits 359
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;
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Our Perceptions of an Organization?” Journal of Public Relations
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Companies”. The Wall Street Journal, Oct. 21, 1996.; Source: Diane
Witmer; Source: Joe Dysart a writer for Public Relations Tactics;
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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
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better.” Communication World, Mar 1. 1999. http://www.
thefreelibrary.com/
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- of the online audience.”, Communication World.; Source:
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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;
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starbucks.com; Source: Jakob Nielsen, “10 Good Deeds in Web
Design”, Nielsen Norman Group, October 3, 1999. Copyright Nielsen
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takeaways from eye-tracking studies.” Retrieved from www.ragan.
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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 beer-
flavored candies.” PRWeek, 45.; Source: Smirnoff; Source: Brian Solis
and Deirdre Breakenridge, authors of Putting the Public Back in
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October). Five ways to increase your brand’s visibility on Flickr. The
Ragan Report, 8–9.; Source: David Rosen, director of the Corporate-
Financial 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.;
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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
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images: “Social Media Active Users 2014” (http://www.
thesocialmediahat.com/sites/default/files/Social-Media-Active-
Users.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-via-
Mobile
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
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Editorial Calendar for Content Marketing”, Content Marketing
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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
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Times, June 15, 2011.; Source: Phisanu Phromchanya, James Hookway,
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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
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Distribution Services; Source: Mario Garcia quoted in Erik Battenberg,
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Public Relations Tactics, December 4, 2006.; Source: Based on Bill
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Tactics, October 1, 2013.; Source: Bob Butter quoted in Weidlich,
Thom, “Annual Reports - Financial follies shake annual reports.
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February 18, 2008.; Source: Johnson & Johnson, 2010 Annual Report;
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The Ragan Report.; Source: Based on Communication Briefings;
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by Jim Ylisela; Source: Based on Jessie Ford , “Graphic designer: 5 tips
for working with me”, Ragn’s PR Daily, September 13, 2012.; Source:
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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 , April-
May 1997; Source: Neff, Richard E., “CEOs Want Information, Not
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subject lines.; Source: Communication Briefings; Source: Max Kalehoff,
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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
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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: Gray-
Grant, 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 value-
added speaker”, Business Wire Newsletter, January 2003.; Source:
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Markman, “ Speaking Engagements For Executives ”, Public
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Engagements For Executives ”, Public Relations Tactics, May 2002.;
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Ragan’s HR Communication; Source: Douglas Perret Starr, Working
Credits 361
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;
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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,
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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
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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,
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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
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362 Credits

Public Relations Tactics; Stacy Gimbel, Public Relations Tactics; The North America, working with Ketchum; Source: Based on Shift
University of Georgia Communications; Source: Based on Catherine Ahles and Courtney
Botsworth ( Florida International University)
Chapter 17 Kleenex; EMPICS Sport/PA/AP Images; Source: Norm
Goldstein, The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual. The
Chapter 19 Courtesy of AT&T Intellectual Property; Source:
Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, Basic Books.;
Jonathan Tilley, “Measurement replaces digital as PR professionals’
Source: Gerald and Kathleen Hill, The People’s Law Dictionary, Fine
greatest training need”, PR Week, March 03, 2014.; Source: Bill
Communications.; Source: Morton J. Simon; Source: Jerry Della
Margaritis, senior vice president of worldwide communications for
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FedEx, PRWeek; Source: You Mon Tsang, CEO of the measurement
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firm Biz360, quoted in PRWeek; Source: Katie Paine, “Stop confusing
Playing it safe in the social media world”, CNN, November 10, 2010;
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employee blogs”, Public Relations Tactics; Source: Based on Gordon,
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P & Woon, L. (2014, July 23). “Six recent NRLB cases provide further
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public relations in St. Louis; Source: Geri Mazur, director of research
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HomeBanc Mortgage Company, quoted in Julia Hood, MEASURING
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Index
60 Minutes, 170 American Psychological Association Bieber, Justin, 33 Camera-ready, features, 328–329
A4S Security, 161 (APA), 154 Billington, James, 42 Canadian Tourism Commission, 183
Abbott Labs, 167 American Revolution, 30 Bing, 11, 89, 92, 182 Caplet, John, 295
ABI/Inform Complete, 12 Anheuser-Busch, 314 Biz360, 334, 339 Captions, photo, 142–143
Abundant Forests Alliance, 124 Anne Taylor Loft, 66 Bloggers, working with, 64 CARMA, 339
Academic Search Premier, 8, 12 Annual reports, 228–230 Blogs, 175, 186 Carmichael Lynch Spong, 345
Academy Awards, 33, 47, 199 content and delivery, 229–230 corporate blogs, 187–188 Carver, Benedict, 61
Achievers, 23 planning and writing, 228 employee blogs, 189–190 Case study technique, 31
Active audience, 27 Apple I work, 348 pitching to, 107 Case study, 115–116
Active verbs, 14 Apple iTunes Store, and podcasts, third party blogs, 190 Cat in the Hat, 42
Actuality, 153–154 331, 333 tips for writing, 187, 189 Catalysts, 25
Ad agencies, working with, 296 Apple Pages, 222 BMW, 86 Celebrity Access, 279
Ad Council, 165, 293–294 Apple Computer, 24–25, 27, 30, 45, 47, Body Celebrity Source, 279
Adobe Creative Suite, 221 66–67, 70, 82, 118, 170, 191–192, of email, 236–237 Centers for Disease Control, 154,
Advertising, 285, 338 209, 221–222, 247, 279–280, 340, 343 of a feature, 124 324, 340
advantages and disadvantages of, product placement, 170 of news release, 85–86 Chabria, Anita, 36, 51
291–292 Application story, 116 Boggs, Rich, 72 Champagne Wine Information
audiences for, 291 Apps, 194–210 Boilerplate, 86–87 Bureau, 72
billboards, 298 Arbitron ratings, 153 Bookers, 169 Chan, Tracy, 341
buttons and bumper stickers, 298–299 Aristotle 3, 21 Booklets. See Brochures. Chanel No. 5, 28
cost of, 291–292 Arizona Republic, 44 Boorstin, Daniel, 47 Channel, of communication, 234
credibility, 292 Arketi Group, 60, 79 Borders, 222, 255, 294 Channeling, 27
defined, 290 Arth, Marvin, 84 Boston Beer Company, 118 Charts, 144–145
impact of, 291 Arthur W. Page Society, 9, 36 BP, 112, 75 Chevron, 23
influence of Associated Press (AP), 16, 70, 84, 296 Bradshaw, Tim, 170–171 Chevron, advertising, 293
message of, 291 Associated Press Stylebook and Brainstorming, 48–50 Chiagouris, Larry, 52
posters, 299 Briefings on Media Law, 6, 11, 81 Branding, 30 Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), 157
promotional products, 299 Atkinson, Claire, 279 Briggs & Stratton, 53 Chopin, 310
purposes of, 290 Atlanta City Chamber of Commerce, 70 Brochures Christie’s, 167
timing of, 291 Audience analysis cost of design of, 228 Churnalism.org, 79
transit panels, 298 benchmark studies, 344 format of, 224 Cisco Systems, 92, 118, 171–172, 189, 203
on t-shirts, 299 for persuasive writing, 27 ink and color choice for, 226–227 employee blogs, 189
types of, 292–294 See also Measurement layout for, 224 Cision, 7, 106–107, 151–152, 243,
of websites, 182, 292 Audio news release, 153–154 paper choice for, 225–226 322, 337
Advertising Research Foundation, 133 delivery, 154 planning for, 223–224 white paper, 243
Advertising value equivalency (AVE), format, 153–154 printing of, 227 CisionPoint, 7, 107
338–339 production, 154 research for, 225 Clip art, 146
Advocacy and issue use, 153 tips for putting together, 225 Clorox, 47, 199
advertising, 294 Authorship, 309 typeface for, 226 CMI Event Planning and
Air New Zealand, 34, 343 Autism Speaks, 340 writing for, 224–225 Fundraising, 271
Akron Children’s Hospital 3, 207, 217 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, 279–280 See also Print Publications Coca-Cola, 14, 43, 51, 104, 125–126,
Alaska Division of Tourism, 119 Awards, 56–57 B-roll, 71, 150, 158, 160–161 170,177–178, 198, 229, 294, 312
Allen, Justin, 223 Brookings Institute, 127 annual report, 229
AlliedSignal, 46 Backgrounders, 104, 115, 118, 177, 185 Brooks, Kelly, 104 product placement, 170
Allure magazine, 33 Baidu, 11 Broward County Public Schools, 181 Cocktail parties, 272
Amato, Melanie, 44 Baker, Sherry, 36 Brown, Melissa, 248 Cody, Steve, 189
AMD, 261 Bandwagon, 32, 35, 55 Brown, Adam, 60 Cognitive dissonance theory, 23
American Academy of Banfield Pet Hospital, 123 Bulldog Reporter, 7–8, 69 Cohen, Susan, L., 312
Ophthalmology, 123 Banquets Burger King, 157 Collins, Thomas, 36
American Association of Clinical costs, 270 Burns, Heather, 223 Comdex, 261
Endocrinologists, 343 logistics and timing, 271 Burrelles, 7, 106–107 Communication theories of, 22–26
American Association of Retired tips, 269–270 BurrellesLuce, 322, 337, 339 Communication Briefings, 13, 184,
People, 216 working with catering ­managers, 271 Burson-Marsteller, 23, 259–260 237, 240
American Cancer Society, 32, 155, Bar chart, 144 Business Wire, 8, 11, 78, 90–92, 104, Communication Briefings, 13, 184,
299, 326 Barrie, John, 310 108, 111–112, 116, 124–125, 147, 237, 239–240
American Dental Association, 286 Baskin-Robbins, 54 185, 196, 243, 337 Communication World, 8, 15, 184
American Fly Fishing Trade Bateman Case Study Competition, 298 Butter, Bob, 228 Community calendars, 157–158
Association (AFFTA), 56 Bath, Scott, 40 Butterball Turkey, 62 Company profiles, 99
American Heart Association, 120, Baudisch, Paul, 183 Butzgy, Michael, 13, 184 Computers
154, 294t Beaufort County, 345 choosing, 4–5
American Heritage Dictionary of the Becca, 33 California Academy of Sciences, components, 5
English Language, 5 Belgrade (Serbia) Beer Fest, 281 104–105 cost, 4
American Idol, 170 Belongers, 23 California Association of importance of, 4
American Kennel Club, 53 Benchmark studies, 330 Winegrowers, 53 comScore Video Matrix, 206
American Legion, 51 BenchPoint, 334 California Pharmacists Association Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 5
American Library Association (ALA) Bennett, Christine, 214 (CPhA), 56 Conflict in news, 44
award, 12 Best Buy, 167 California Prune Board, 344 Conspiracy, 303
American Petroleum Institute trademark issues, 314 California Strawberry Advisory Consumer Electronics Show (CES),
(API), 64 Bias, avoiding, 18–19 Board, 28 263, 276

363
364 Index

Contact information, in news Direct mail Employee blogs, 189 types of, 115–119
release, 82 advantages and disadvantages of, privacy issues of 189 value of, 114–115
Contests, 51–52 286–287 Employee newsletters, privacy issues Federal Communication Commission
Contract, with photographer, 140 audiences of, 286 of, 217 (FCC), 154, 161, 317–318
Conventions brochures in, 289 Endorsements Federal Express, website, 178
administration, 275 costs of, 286 celebrity, 33 Federal Trade Commission (FTC),
attendance, 274–275 creating packages for, 287–290 in persuasive writing, 32–34 315–316
exhibits, 274 gifts in, 290 Enlyten, 34 Feeding America, 296
facilities, 273–274 information overload from, 287 Enron Corporation, 229 Ferguson, Fred, 123
location, 273 personalization of, 286 Entrepreneur magazine, 314 Fernandez, Lauren, 66
program, 274–275 purposes of, 286 Environmental Defense Action Festinger, Leon, 23
recreation, 274 reply card in, 289 Fund, 289 Field Museum of Chicago,
timing, 273 return envelope in, 289–290 Ethical considerations, in photo fact sheet, 99
Copyright, 309–311 tips on, 290 retouching, 141–142 media kit, 103–104
of art and photography, 310–311 Direct mail letter Ethos, 21 Financial Times, 10, 127
defined, 309 envelope for, 287–288 European Measurement Summit, 334 First Act, 41
fair use versus infringement, 310 headline and lead paragraph Evaluation. See Measurement First Amendment, 304–305, 315
online material, 311 of, 288 Event or exhibit announcements, 99 Fixed, 176
tips for, 309 post script of, 289 Events Flash, 274
work for hire, 311 tips for writing, 288 banquets, 269–271 Fleishman-Hillard, 23, 28
Copyright Clearing Center, 310 typeface and length, 289 cocktail parties, 272 Flickr, 204–205
Copyright Office of the Library Disney Parks, video, 172 conventions, 272–275 Food and Drug Administration
of Congress, 309 Disney, podcasts, 191 corporate sponsorships, 278 (FDA) 318
Corbis Corporation, 311 District of Columbia Housing invitations, online, 275 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 318
Corley, Carol Ann, 56 Authority, 53 open houses, 281–282 Forbes, Charlotte, 213
Corporate Communications Ditka, Mike, 40 plant tours, 281–282 Ford, use of audio news release, 153
International (CCI), 58 Dollywood, 72 promotional, 278–282 Ford & Harrison, 188
Corporate profiles. See company Domino’s Pizza, 203, 324 receptions, 272 Ford Motor Co., 51, 154
profiles Donahue, Phil, 168 trade shows, 275–277 Foundation Center, 241
Corporate social responsibility Donatella Versace, 33 value of, 263 Frame strategist, 24
(CSR), 230 Donovan, Ryan, 208 Evergreens, 15 Framing, 24–25
Cosmopolitan magazine, 224 Douglis, Phil, 136–137 Exclusives, offering, 65 Franklin, Benjamin, 285
Cost per thousand (CPM), 343 Dow Chemicals, 50 Executive Flight Guide, 214 Frequency, 330
Council of American Survey Downstyle, 219 Executive quotes, tips for, 86 Friedman, Marsha, 169
Research, 78 Dozier, David, 344 Exhibits Friedman, Mitchell, 169, 251
Courtesy bias, 346 Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group, 43 at conventions, 273–274 Frito-Lay, 87, 196, 324–325, 327, 337–338
Covenant House, 31 Drama, in persuasive writing, 31 at tradeshows, 276 Fujitsu, 210
Coyne Public Relations, 243 Dremel, 124 ExxonMobil, 344
Crisis communication, media Due diligence, 303 e-zines, 215 Gallup Applied Science, 142
relations, 74–76 Duncan, Arne, 42 Gandy, O. H., 59
CRO, 56 Dutton Children’s Books, 311 Facebook Insights, 340 Gantt chart, 329
Cropping, of photos, 141 Dysart, Joe, 182 Facebook, 4, 8, 25, 30, 46, 50–51, 54–55, Garcia, Mario, 227
Cunningham, Ward, 210 65, 79, 87, 92, 109, 111–112, 121, Gates Foundation, 344
Cury, James, 45 Early majority, 25 125, 147, 159, 162, 166, 194, Gelles, David, 170–171
cvent, 275 Early Show, 168 196–197, 200, 203–204, 208, 233, General Electric, 21, 205, 344
Cytryn v. Cook, 317 Earned media 126 296, 306–308, 314, 316, 324–325, General Mills, 64
Eastwick, 210 340, 346 General Motors (GM), 219, 229
The Daily, 9 Economist, 10 and employees, 307 annual reports, 230
Daily Beast, 9 Edelman Trust Barometer, 27–28 infringement issues, 314 wiki use, 210
Databases Edelman Worldwide, 127, 243 Fact sheets Genkin, Larry, 188
electronic, 12 Edelman, Richard, 8 defined, 97 Gerstner, John, 185
for research, 11 blog, 8 types and examples of, 97–100 Gillette, 32, 55–56, 209
Dateline, of news release, 81 Edelstein, Jonathan, 318 Factiva, 12, 337, 339 Gilman Ciocia, 40
Dean, Billy, 482 Editorial board, meetings with, 74 Fair comment privilege, 304 Gimbel, Stacy, 298
DeBeer’s, slogan of, 30 reasons for, 74 Fair Disclosure Regulation Global Green, 42
Deckers Outdoor Corporation, 312 tips for, 74 (Reg FD), 317 Global Positioning System (GPS), 118
Defamation, 303–304 value of, 74 Fam (familiarization) trips, 73 Gobbledygook, 15–16
DeFleur, Melvin, 290 Editorial calendars, 7, 107, 214 Family Features Editorial Syndicates, Gold’s Gym, 116
Delahaye/Medialink, 344 Editorial plans, 214 265, 268 Goldsborough, Julie Story, 12
Delicious, 46, 90, 341 Edwards, Lauren, 130 Family Features, 121–122 Goldstein, Andrew, 316
Dell, 204 Elasser, John, 307 Fear arousal, 34 Good Morning America, 168
employee blogs, 189 Electronic Arts (EA), 104 Fearn-Banks, Kathleen, 74 Goodman, Wanda, 209
third party blogs, 190 Electronic press kit. See also Digital Feature Photo Service, 78, 133, 147 Google Adwords, 80
Delta, 15, 214–215 press kit, 104 Feature placement firms, 125 Google Alerts, 46, 340
Dennis, Everett, 290 Email (electronic mail), 233–237 Feature story Google Analytics, 340
Department of Child and Family body of, 236–237 body, 124 Google Blog Search, 190
Services of New Hampshire, 46 closing, 237 contrasted with news releases, 165 Google Images, 140, 146, 223
Derelian, Doris, 12 content, 234–235 defined, 114 Google Search, 89, 197
Desktop publishing, 221–222 first sentence or paragraph, 236 examples of, , 125 Google Trends, 80
Desktop tour, 72 news distribution, 108–110 headline of, 123 Google, 4, 10–11, 82, 89–90, 92, 106,
Deutrom, Scott, 214 purpose, 234 lead of, 123–124 118, 150, 172, 175, 180, 182, 221,
Diagrams, 146 subject lines of, 236 parts of, 123–125 286, 310, 312
Diffusion and adoption, 25–26 salutations, 236 photos and graphics in, 124–125 employee blogs, 307
Digg, 9, 82, 90, 325, 341 tips, 234–236 placement of, 125–127 on Twitter, 199
Digital press kit. See also Email advisories, for VNRs, 164 planning of, 119–121 Grabowski, Gene, 315
Electronic press kit (EPK), 97, Emotional Appeals, in persuasive summary of, 124 Graham, Andrea, 73
104–105 writing, 34 tips for writing, 123, 125–126 Graphs, 159, 228–230, 243, 255
 Index 365

Great Date Now, 124 Huffy Sports Company, 124 Journalists, working with, 58–76 Litman, Gregg, 79
Greenpeace, 54, 205, 288 Human interest stories, 172 Jowett, Garth, S., 35 Logos, 21
Grey’s Anatomy, 171 Human Rights Watch, direct mail, 288 Junk mail. See Direct mail Los Angeles Fire Department, 199
Grocery Manufacturers of America Humanizing the issue, 31 Junkets, 73–74 Lowe’s, 119
(GMA), 248 Hungry Jack, 345 ethical issues of, 73–74 Lunch dates, with journalists, 65
Gross impressions, 338 Hunt, Todd, 290
Group meetings Hype, avoiding, 18 Kalehoff, Max, 238 Madonna, 33
facilities, 267 Hyperlinks, 182 Kalm, Nick, 111 Magapaper, 217, 221
greetings for, 267–268 Hyundai, video, 172 Kansas City Health Department, 28 Magazine shows, 170
invitation, 267 Kansas Wheat Commission, 299 Magazines, 8, 217–223
location, 266 IBM, 51, 79, 105, 134–135, 137–138, Katz, Darren, 190 format, 220–221
meals, 269 142, 145 Kauffmann, Peter E., 67 placement of feature in, 125–127
name tags, 268 employee blog guidelines, 189 Kawamoto, Kevin, 176 See also Print Publications
programs, 268–269 website, 178 Keller, Scott, 210 Majors, Randall, 240
registration for, 267–268 Illustrator, 227 Kendig, Karen, 270 Marchini, Fredrick, 182
seating, 266–267 Image building, 292–293 Kennedy, Mickie, 80, 183 Margaritis, Bill, 334
speakers for, 268–269 Imagery, 14 Kenneth Cole, 41 Marketwire, 60, 78, 90, 125
Groupon, 53–54 IMG, 64 Ketchum, 8, 40, 48, 188, 296, 325, 330, Markman, Steve, 259
Grove, Teri, 73 Implied consent, 305 337, 344 Marriott Corporation, 116
Grunig, James, 27 Impressions, 317 Key selling proposition, 328 Martin, Dick, 63
Guide Dog News, 220 Influentials, 25 Kidman, Nicole, 28 Martinez, Pedro, 56
Guide Dogs for the Blind, 220 Infographics, 143–147 Kimberly-Clark, 32, 40, 151 Martinson, David, 36
Guinness Book of World Records, 51 Informal lead, 84–85 King, Ben, 188 Maslow, Abraham H., 25–26, 28
Innovators, 25 Klepper, Michael, 109 Master Card
H.J. Heinz Company, 41 Inside Children 3, 217 Koch, Jim, 118 slogan of, 30
Haiken, Beth, 229 Intel, 51, 56, 137, 143, 147, 276 Kohm, James, 315 Masthead, 213
Hall, Julie, 51 online video, 172 Korbel Champagne Cellars, 103, 338 Mateas, Margo, 108
Hallahan, Kirk, 24 Intel’s Science Talent Search, 143 Kraft Foods, 54 Mattel, 23, 49
Hamm, Mia, 276 International Advertising Festival, 54 Kryptonite Company 190 McCaffrey, Lindsey, 18
Hanson, Arik, 79 International Association of Business McCormick & Company, 116, 324
Harden & Partners, 31 Communication (IABC), 8 L.L. Bean, website, 178 fact sheet, 99
Harley-Davidson, 229 International Civil Rights Center & Lady Gaga, 165, 276 news release, 207
online video, 172 Museum, 50 Laggards, 25 McCormick Place, 274
Harry Walker Agency, 270 International Music Products Lake, Matt, 61 McGuire, Craig, 79, 90, 104
Hattersley, Michael, 235 Association, 41 Lancaster, Hal, 47 McNamara, Cathy, 271
Hauss, Deborah S., 142 International Olympic Committee Lanham Act, 303, 315 Measurement
Hawaii Tourism Board, 167 (IOC), 314–315 Late Show with David Letterman, 56 advertising value equivalency,
Headline International Trademark Law & Order, 171 338–339
of feature, 123 Association, 313 Lawrence Ragan Communication, 344 advisory boards and focus
of news release, 82 Internet Lead paragraph groups, 346
Heath, Robert, 3, 21, 35, 37 prevalence of, 175 errors in, 84 of article recall, 346
Heckel Consumer Adhesives, 44 See also World Wide Web of feature, 123–124 of audience action, 344–345
Heinrich, Aaron, 60 Interviews, press guidelines for, 85 of audience attitudes, 344
Helitzer, Melvin, 106 preparing for, 66–68 of news release, 84–85 of audience awareness, 343–344
Help a Reporter Out (HARO), 107 tips, 68 types of, 84–85 content analysis, 345
Hewlett-Packard (HP), 60, 100, 125 Intranets, 214–215 Lead sentence, of email, 236 of cost per person, 343
electronic media kits, 104 Invasion of privacy Leaflets. See Brochures establishing objectives, 336
fact sheet, 99 employee blogs, 307 Lee, Ivy, 78 of event attendance, 343
Hicks, Nancy, 52 employee newsletters, 305 Legal issues importance of, 333–336
Hidden Valley Ranch, 54 media inquiries about avoiding, 304 of the Internet, 340
audio news release, 154 employees, 306 conspiracy, 303 levels of, 333–334
media alert, 102 photo releases, 305 copyright, 309–311 of media impressions, 338
Hierarchy of needs, 25–26 product publicity and advertizing, defamation, 303–304 of message exposure, 337
Higbee, Ann, 74 305–306 examples of, 302–303 of newsletters and brochures,
High Museum of Art, 294 Inverted pyramid structure, 85 invasion of privacy, 305–308 345–346
Hispanic PRWire, 9 Investor and financial relations libel, 303–304 of production and distribution,
Historical piece, 119 advertising, 293 regulatory agencies, 315–318 336–337
History San Jose (CA), 267–268 iPad 25, 45, 49, 161–164, 194, 206, 279 trademark infringement, 312–315 purposes of, 336
Hit, of a website, 183 iPhone, 16, 24–25, 45, 139, 205, 207, 343 working with lawyers, 318–319 readership surveys, 345–346
Hoffman agency, 78, 161, 164 IPRA, 9, 36, 170, 338 Lerch, Marie L., 246 requests and 800 numbers, 342–343
Hoffman, Barbara, 169 Isserman, Maurice, 310 Letter of agreement, with of social media, 340–342
Hollywood Chamber of Issue placement, 171 photographer, 140 systematic tracking, 339–340
Commerce, 57 Issues and Trends, 10, 191, 198 Letterhead, of news release, 152 tools, 334
Hollywood Walk of Fame, 57 iStockphoto, 223 Letters writing, 346
Holtz, Shel, 8, 24, 172, 191, 195, 209, 255 content, 239 Media advisory (media alert), 101–103
Home Depot, 42 J. Walter Thompson, 303 format, 239–240 examples of, 101–102
Homeownership Preservation Jack O’Dwyer’s Newsletter, 8 purpose, 239 Media alerts. See Media advisory
Foundation, 154 Jacobs, Charlene, 259 tips, 238 Media databases, 6–7, 322
Hometowners, 43 James Bond films, 170 types, 238 Media distribution services, 225,
Homewood Suites, 116 Jargon, 15–16 Letters to the editor (LTEs), 129–130 285–287
Honeywell Corporation, 31 Jewett, Sally, 167 Lexis/Nexis, 8, 12 Media gatekeepers, 60
Hoover Institution, 127 Jobs, Steve, 27, 66 Libel, 303–304 Media impression, 338
Hosted bar, 272 Johnson & Johnson, annual report, Line drawings, 146 Media kits
Hovland, Carl, 34 228–229 LinkedIn, 9 compiling, 103–105
HP Labs, 60 Jones, Brenda, 246 Lipinski, Lynn, 106–107 defined, 103
Huffington Post, 3–4, 9, 127, 296 Journal of Public Relations Research, 8 Lipton, Laura, 270 electronic, 104–105
pitch, 111 Journalism, correcting errors in, 65 Lissauer, Michael, 196 examples of, 105
366 Index

See also Press kits National Foundation for Infectious Nike, 201, 314, 343 as spur to action, 30
Media relations Disease, use of PSAs, 155 annual report, 230 tips for, 26–27
areas of friction, 61–62 National Heart, Lung and Blood cost per person advertising, 343 types of appeals, 28–29
checklist for, 63–64 Institute, use of PSAs, 155 slogan of, 30 PETCO, 49
in crisis situations, 74–76 National Investors Relations Institute swoosh of, 30 Peter Webb Public Relations, 44
editorial board meetings, 74 (NIRI), 71 Nikon, 51 PetSmart, 53
etiquette for, 64–66 National Labor Relations Board, 308 Nizer, Louis, 252 Pew Research Center, 59, 107, 158,
fam trips, 73 National Organization on Fetal No-host bar, 272 205, 207
importance of, 58–59 Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), 165 Nolan, Pter, 256 Philips Norelco, 123
junkets, 73–74 National Potato Board, 340 North American Precis Syndicate Photo news release (PNR), 142
media tours, 71–72 National Public Radio (NPR), 10 (NAPS), 117, 124, 152 Photo releases, 305
as mutual dependency, 59–60 National Resources Defense Council PSA use, 165 Photo session planning, 140
news conferences, 69–71 (NRDC), 43 Numbers, guidelines for using, Photography
press interviews, 66–68 National Turkey Federation, 23, 26 17–18 captions, 142–143
previews and parties, 72–73 Neff, Richard E., 232 cropping and retouching, 141
at trade shows, 277 New York Fashion Week, 64 O’Donnell, Victoria, 35 distribution of, 147
Media tour, 71–72 New York Times Stylebook, 6 O’Dwyer’s Communications and New in feature articles, 124–125
described, 71–72 New York Times, 10, 42, 59–60, 73, 79, Media, 8 keeping files of, 147–148
to generate coverage, 72 106–108, 126–129, 143, 190, 195, O’Dwyer’s, 316 outdoor, 138
as a relationship builder, 72 219, 270, 273,293, 325 Oakland Tribune, 31 See also Publicity photos
PR role in, 72 New York Women’s Foundation, Obama, Barack, 40, 253–254, 338 PhotoShop, 141, 227
Meet the Press, 56 270–271 Obama, Michelle, 42 Picas, 226
Meetings New York Yankees, 304 Obici, Amedeo, 119 Pie chart, 144
characteristics of Newegg, 314 Ochman, B. L., 89 Pilsbury, 279
group, 265–269 News Ogilvy PR Worldwide, 8 Pitch, 97
planning for, 265–266 creating, 50–57 OneUpWeb, 191 Pitchmaking, 105–112
shortcomings of, 264 external sources, 46–47 Online news release 13, 78, 81–82 to bloggers, 107
staff and committee, 264–265 internal sources, 45–46 Online newsrooms, 185–186 by email, 108–110
value of, 263 News conferences, 63–64 Online video, 150–151, 171–173 follow-up to, 112
Mehrabian, Albert, 253 appropriateness, 69 tips for, 173 opening lines in, 108–109
Memoranda (memos) handling, 70–71 Op-ed columns, 127–129, 261 researching for, 106–108
content, 237 invitations, 70 format of, 128 by telephone, 111
format, 237–238 location for, 70 placement of, 127–128 tips for, 110
purpose, 237 post conference, 71 purpose and motivation of, 127 using Twitter, 111–112
Message, of communication, 22 scheduling, 69–70 tips for writing, 127–128 Pitt, Brad, 42, 68, 199
Messages teleconferences, 71 Open houses, 281–282 Plagiarism, 310
clarity, 29 webcasts, 71 Oprah Winfrey Show, 344 Plain folks, propaganda technique, 35
persuasive themes, 29 News feature. See Feature story Oxfam, 290 Plans, in public relations
Meyers, Peter, 11 News feeds, 167–168 Oxford Pocket Dictionary and audience, 327
Mickey Mouse Law, 309 News release Thesaurus, 5 budget, 330
Microsoft MSW, 214 audio, 153–154 components of, 323–324
Microsoft Office, 4, 146, 221 body of, 85–86 Pacific Gas & Electric Company, 294 evaluation of, 330
Microsoft Publisher, 222 contact information on, 87 Page impression, 183 importance of, 321
Microsoft search engine (MSN), 11 dateline of, 84 Page view, 183 information analysis, 323
Microsoft Word, 29, 220, 222, 226 headline of, 82 Paid media, 4, 126–127 information gathering, 322–323
Microsoft, 11, 214, 312, 344 importance of, 78–79 Paine, Katie, 334, 342 information objectives of, 326
Middleman, Ann, 52 lead paragraph of, 84–85 Pamphlets. See Brochures marketing objective, role in,
Miller High Life, 337 letterhead of, 82 Panasonic, 137 326–327
Minkalis, Annette, 167 multimedia, 90–92 Paper motivational objectives, 326
Misappropriation of personality, 306, newsworthiness, 80 folds of, 224 objectives, 325–327
314–315 organization description in, 86–87 types of, 225–226 situation of, 324
Miss America, 47 online, 89–90 Paquette, Amy, 172 strategy in, 327–328
Miss Universe, 42 parts of, 80 Paragraphs, guidelines for writing, submission of, 330–332
Mission statements, 213–214 planning, 79–81 13–14 tactics in, 325, 328–329
Mitternight, Helen L., 184 speeches as, 261 Paramount Pictures, 311 timing in, 329–330
Mobile applications, news about speaking engagement, 261 Parties for the press, 72–73 written, 321
distributions, tips for writing, 80, 86–87, 94 PartyLine, 254 Plant tours, 281–282
207–208, 340 types of, 88–95 Passive audience, 28, 33 Planters, 119
Mobile media, 182 value of, 78–79 Pathos, 21 Plugs, 170
Morgan Hotel, 278 video (VNR), 158–161 Pay-for-play, 318 Podcasts, 175–192
Morton, Linda, 43 NewsCom, 133, 147 Payola, 66 Pogue, David, 106–108
Mossberg, Walt, 5, 45 Newsday, legal issues, 311 Pedison, Beth, 246 Polaroid, 276
Mothers Against Drunk Driving Newsletters, 8, 217–223 PepsiCo, 87, 182, 199 Politically correct language (PC), 19
(MADD), 32 format, 220–221 Personal appearances, 56 Politico, 9
MTV, 201 online, 215–216 Personality profiles, 115, 118 Polls, 32
Multimedia news release, 90–95 tips, 217–218 Persuasion Port Discovery, 343
example of, 91–93 See also Print Publications communication and, 21–22 Porter Novelli, 338
tips for creating, 94 Newsmagazines, as a source, 8 ethics of, 35–36 Porter, Jeremy, 85, 110
MultiVu, 155, 158–159, 167 Newspapers and propaganda, 35 Position papers. See White papers
as source for current events, rhetoric, 21 Post-it Notes, 312
Naked Juice, 138 9–10 techniques of, 36–37 Postman, Joel, 210, 243
National Association of Broadcast See also Print Publications Persuasive speaking, 34–35 Potter, Kate, 204
Communicators, 161 NewsUSA, 123 tips for, 26–27 PowerPoint (Microsoft), 46, 70, 121,
National Association of Realtors, 273 Newsweek, 10 Persuasive Writing 144, 146, 245, 254–257, 266, 274
National Education Association Newswires, 204, 337 audience analysis for, 27 PR Daily News Feeds, 8
(NEA), 42–43 Nichols, Barbara, 268 content and structure of, 30–34 PR News Group, 9
National Football League, 314 Nielsen, Jakob, 218 examples in, 32 PR News, 8
 Index 367

PR Newswire, 78–79, 90, 123, 125, 277 Public Relations Strategist, 8, 18 Ragan Report, 109, 126, 191, 204, 206, Scale models, 146
PR Reporter, 8, 234 Public Relations Tactics, 8, 16, 74, 106, 21218, 220, 246, 255, 257, 424, 342 Schering-Plough, 317
PR Writer. See Publicist 111, 121, 125, 143, 182, 185, 187, Ragan, Mark, 218 Schmelzer, Randy, 209
Present tense, 14 190, 199 Ragan.com, 5, 7, 14, 17, 34, 49, Schneider Associates, 51
Press kits, 99 Public service advertising, 290 106–108, 173, 177, 184, 207, Schubert Communications, 87
compiling, 103–105 Public service announcement (PSA), 209–210, 218, 220, 223, 252 Schulman, Mark A., 53
defined, 103 154–156 Ragan’s Daily Headlines, 8, 177, 222 Schweitzer, Albert L., 336
electronic, 104–105 characteristics of, 154 Rallies, 55–56 Scott, Mark, 338
examples of, 103–104 defined, 154 Read Across America, 42, 44 Search engine optimization (SEO),
See also Media kits distribution of, 156 Reber, Bryan, 2 82, 197
Press Release. See News release effectiveness of, 154 Receiver, of communication, 22 need for, 89
Pressroom, 185, 228, 275, 277 format of, 155 Receptions, 272 Search engine, 1011
Previews for press, 72–73 production of, 156 Red Crescent, 30 Sears, 16, 344
Prezi, 245, 257 sound added to, 155 Red Cross, 30, 34, 79 Securities and Exchange Commission
Print ads for television, 165 Redundancy, 17 (SEC), 99, 223, 228, 293, 316–317
artwork, 295 tips for producing, 156 References, 4–10 Self-interest, appeals to, 21
headlines, 295 use of, 156 blogs, 8–9 Sender, of communication, 22
layout, 295 Publicist, 10, 39 dictionary, 5 Sentences
text, 295 audience of, 3 discussion groups, 9 guidelines for writing, 13
tips for, 295–296 media gatekeeper, 40 encyclopedia, 5–6 poor structure, 16
Print publications objectives of, 3 media directories, 6–7 Seoane, Charlene, 214
audience interests, 217–218 skills of, 2 professional publications, 7–8 Service journalism, 115
design, 220 Publicity photos stylebook, 6 Sex in the City, 170
editorial plan for, 214 action in, 137 Regulatory agencies Shaquille O’Neal, 34
format, 220–221 camera angles for, 138 Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Shedd Aquarium 99
headlines, 218–219 captions for, 142–143 297, 304, 315–316 fact sheet, 98
layout, 221–222 composition of, 135–136 Securities and Exchange Commis- Shipley, David, 128
lead sentences, 219–220 cropping and retouching of, 141 sion (SEC), 316–317 Shorenstein, Marissa, 67
mission statement for, 213–214 distribution of, 147 Federal Communication Commis- Sierra Club, 21
photos and illustrations, 223 ethical considerations regarding, sion (FCC), 317–318 direct mail, 287–288
tips, 221–222 141–142 Food and Drug Administration Sigal, L. V., 59
value of, 216–217 finding photographers for, 139 (FDA) 318 Significance, 43
See also Brochures; Magazines; importance of, 133 Renderings, 146 Silver Anvil Award, 325
Newsletters; Newspapers lighting and timing of, 138–139 Reporter Connection, 157 Simmons Study of Media and
PRNewswire, 8, 81, 93, 126, 147, 337 photo session for, 140 Request for information (RFI), 241 Markets, 12
Procter & Gamble, 54 scale of, 137–138 Requests for proposals (RFP), 241 Simon, Morton, J., 305
Product demonstrations, 53–54 subject matter of, 133–135 Rescigno, Richard, 154, 157 Slander, 303
Product placement, 33, 170–171 technical quality of, 133 Research, 1, 10–12 Slogans, 30
history of, 170 tips for shooting, 135, 139 electronic databases, 12 SmartFood, 337–338
tips for, 171 Publicity, 39 search engines, 10–11 Smirnoff, product placement, 202
Product specification sheets, 99–100 brainstorming, 48–49 studies, 116–118 Smokey the Bear, 30
Prominence, 42–43 conflict in, 44–45 types, 10–12 Snail mail, 78
Promise, 123–124, 157, 288 contests, 51–52 Retouching, of photos, 141 Social Media
Promotional events, 278–283 creating news, 50–57 Return on investment (ROI), 287 blogs, 186–190
celebrities, use of, 278–279 human interest, 44 Rex Healthcare, 170 defined, 194
planning and logistics, 279–281 newness of, 45 Rex on Call, 170 Facebook, 196–197
Propaganda and Persuasion, 35 obstacles to, 39–40 Rhetoric 3, Flickr, 204–205
Proposals prominence of, 42–43 Rhetorical and Critical Approaches, 35 real simple syndication (RSS), 234
for features, 120–121 proximity of, 43 Rich, Judith, 48 texting, 209–210
purpose, 240 significance of, 43 Robertie, Renee, 46 Twitter, 198–199
organization, 240–241 special Events, 50–51 Rocca, Mo, 167 value of, 194
from public relations firms, 241–242 stunts, 54 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, copyright wikis, 210
ProQuest Newsstand, 12 timeliness of, 40–41 issues, 311 YouTube, 201–204
Protests, 55–56 Publics, 22 Rogers & Associates, 343 Social media release (SMR). See
Proximity, 43 Purina, 127, 191 Rogers, Everett, 25 multimedia news release
PRWeb, 11, 79, 90 Putka, Gary, 59 Ronald McDonald House Charities, 165 Society of Professional Journalists,
PRWeek, 8, 34, 36, 44, 51, 55, 58, Royal Caribbean, 73 ethics code, 73
60–61, 90, 104, 142, 160, 166–168, Queensland Tourist Authority, 54 Ruben, Brent, 290 Sonoma County Airport
179, 188, 196, 202, 208–209, Query, for feature story, 114–115 Rudman, Rick, 185 Express, 209
213–214, 228–229, 241, 243, Quick response codes (QR codes), 208 Ruiz, Hector, 261 Sony, 161
278–280, 285, 296–297, 315, 322, Quiznos, 304 Soundbite, 22, 153
334, 337–338 Safeway Select Bank, 44 Source credibility, 27–28
Pseudoevent, 47 Rabin, Phil, 156 Salutations, of email, 236 South Dakota Office of Tourism, 209
Public domain, 141, 310 Radio Salvation Army, PSA use, 165 Southwest Airlines, 82, 99–100
Public Relations audio news release for (ANRs), Samansky, Art, 257 use of Twitter, 198
components, 1 153–154 San Diego Convention Center, 179 SPEAK model, 254
definition, 63 audience of, 151 San Diego Zoo, 43 Speakers, 252
evaluation of, 333–346 community calendars on, 157–158 San Giacomo, Laura, 165 introducing, 251
framework, 1–2 importance of, 151 Satellite media tours (SMT), 150, placement of, 260
legal issues in, 302–319 news release for (RNRs), 152–153 157, 164 researching, 246
planning for, 321–332 promotion on, 157 content of, 167–168 training of, 258–261
Public Relations Association public service announcements on, cost of, 167 Speakers’ bureaus, 259
of Indonesia, 36 154–156 format of, 166–167 Special events, 50–51
Public Relations Quarterly, 3, 52, 335 Radio media tours (RMT), 156–157 origin of, 166 Speeches
Public Relations Review, 8 Radio news release (RNR), 152–153 tips for producing, 166 audiences of, 246
Public Relations Society of America tips for writing, 153 Saudi Aramco, 213 brevity of, 253
(PRSA), 8–9, 73, 331, 338 Rafe, Stephen, 68 Save Darfur Coalition, 55 coaching and rehearsal of, 252
368 Index

Speeches (Continued) Sun Microsystems, 13, 183–184, 189 Trammell, Jack, 153 Webcasting, 151
drafting of, 250–251 Sunkist, 327–328 Transfer, propaganda technique 35 Webcasts, 71
introducing speakers, 251 Super Bowl, 40, 47, 51, 158, 182 Trip Advisor, 32 Weber Grills, 53, 152–153
message of, 247 Surveys, 52–53 Tsang, You Mon, 334 Weber Shandwick, 64, 190, 296
news releases about, 261 conducting, 53 Tucker, Kerry, 12 Weber, Thomas E., 181
objective of, 247 online, 52 Tumblr, 296 Websites, 6–7, 9
outline of, 249 persuasive use of, 32 Turnitin, 310 attracting visitors to, 181–182
panels, 258 for research, 116–117 Twain, Mark, 216 effective building of, 178–180
publicity before, 260–261 Survivors, 23 Twitter, 5–6, 30, 46, 50, 55, 60, 65, 79, interactive elements of, 180–181
settings for, 249 Sustainers, 23 143, 194, 198–199 organizational use of, 177
strategy of, 247–248 Symbols, 30 chats, 9 for research, 9, 11
types of, 251 groups, 9 tips for, 180–181, 183
visual aids for, 254–257 Taco Bell, 196, 200, 293–294 pitches, 111–112 tracking visitors to, 183
word choice for, 250 Talk shows, 56, 168–170 tips for, 199 writing for, 183–186
Speechmaking advantages, 168 Webster’s New College Dictionary, 5
brevity of, 253 guests on, 169 UNICEF, 287 Weissman, Pete, 246, 251
focusing on audience, 252–253 product placement on, 168–169 United States Census Bureau, 298 Wells Fargo, 220
focusing on objectives, 252–253 tips for appearances on, 169–170 United States Equal Employment West, Angela, 299
focusing on specifics, 249 Talking heads, 159, 167 Opportunity Commission Westchester Medical Center,
gestures and eye contact, 253–254 Technorati, 90, 190, 340 (EEOC), 307–308 website, 178
SPEAK model for, 254 TEKgroup International, 186 United States Navy Seals, online Whetsell, Tripp, 106
structuring the message, 252 Teleconferences, 71 video, 172 White papers, 243
Speechwriting Telephone pitch, 111 United States Potato Board, 23 Whitmore, Steve, 66
demand for, 245 Television direct mail, 340 Whole Foods, 205
groundwork for, 246–248 magazine shows on, 170 United Way of America, 6 Wikipedia, 5, 11, 14, 78, 189, 191, 198,
process of, 249–251 prevalence of, 158 Unique visitor, 150, 183, 200, 214, 340 204, 210
researching the audience and public service announcements Unusualness, 43–44 Wikis, 210
speaker, 246 on, 165 UPS, 45, 121, 228 Wiley, Michael, 188
Spelling, 16 satellite media tours on, 166–168 Uses and gratification theory 22 Williams, Tudor, 334
Spin doctors, 36 soundbites for, 22 Wilson, Laurie, 321
Spokesperson, 66–67 talk shows on, 168–170 VALS, 23 Wilson, Matt, 173
Spokesperson, 67–68 video news releases (VNRs) for, Vaughn, Roy, 190 Wion, Rick, 190
ethics of, 66–67 158–161 Victoria’s Secret Wirthlin Group, 79
tips, 68 Template, 82, 221 website visitors, 183 Witkoski, Michael, 245
SRI International, 23 Testimonials Video clips, 11, 54, 71, 92, 103, 126, Witmer, Diane F., 181
Staff and committee meetings, in persuasive writing, 32 151, 164, 167, 169–170, 172, 185, Word choice, 13–14
264–265 propaganda, 35 197, 201–203, 260, 318, 321 Word Works, 146
Standard Rate and Data Services, 151 Texting, 209–210 Video news release (VNR), 95, Wordpress, 180
Stanton, Edward, 3 Third-party endorsement, 32 158–161, 317 Words
Starbucks, 72, 138 Time magazine, 10, 29 components 158 choice of, 13–14, 16–17
website, 178–179 layout, 221 costs, 158–159 commonly confused, 17
State Farm Insurance, 294 Timeliness, 41–43 format, 159 World magazine, 216
Statistics, 31–32 Today show, 56, 109 production, 160 role of, 2
Step Reebok, 72 Top ten lists, 53 tips for creating, 160 Writing
Stereotypes, avoiding, 19 Toyota, 31, 165, 293 Visual aids, for speeches, 70, 254–257 avoiding errors in, 15–18
Stewart, Joan, 74, 279 Trade Shows, 275–277 VMS, 337 focus of, 12–13
Stock footage, for VNRs, 164 exhibit booths, 276–277 Vocus, 7, 337, 339 preparing for, 4–8
Storyboard, for VNRs, 160 hospitality suites, 277 Vogel, David, 75 purpose of, 12–13
Stratacomm, 204 pressrooms and media Volmar, Phillip, 298 tips for, 14–15, 18
The Strategist, 16, 48, 60, 76, 89, 246, relations, 277
251–252, 328 Trademarks Walt Disney Corporation, 309 Yahoo!, 11, 89, 111, 117, 182, 313
Strategy 3, 23, 27 capitalization of, 313 Walker, Jerry, 139 Yamamoto, Mike, 115
Strauss Radio Strategies, 154 defined, 312 The Wallstreet Journal, 10 Yehuda, Bev, 167
Structure, of news release, 80 genericization of, 313 Wall Street Journal Stylebook, 6 YELP, 32, 304
Stunts, publicity, 54 infringement of, 313–314 Wal-Mart, 43, 344 Ylisela, Jim, 220
Sturk, Chris, 202 misappropriation of personality, Walton, Susan Balcom, 111, 187, 190 YMCA, 56
Styli-Style, 54 314–315 Wanta, Wayne, 133 Young, Michael, 277
Subheads, 101, 218, 221, 225, 243 protection of, 312–313 Ward, David, 51 YouTube Insight, 341
Subject lines, of sports teams, 314 Ward, Toby, 216 YouTube, 308–309, 324, 328, 337, 341
of email pitches, 108 Traditional media, continuing role of, Washington Mutual, 343
of emails, 236 195–196 Washington University, 127 Zarrella, Dan, 199
Subway, 304 Traditional news release, 88–89 Wasserman, Maya, 112 Zazza, Frank, 170
Summary lead, 84, 123 Trahan, Burden & Charles, 343 Water Pik, 116 Zupan, Mark, 165