2. Objectives
• To appreciate the distinctions among advertising,
publicity, publications, annual reports and special
events and understand the unique tactical and technical
requirements for preparing messages for each
• To recognize the best tactics and techniques for
message presentation in the mass media that are
available to public relations practitioners
• To understand how media workers perform their jobs
and the best ways that public relations practitioners can
help them to do so
• To develop sensitivity to how cultural differences among
audiences can affect the way public relations messages
are interpreted and perceived
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3. Primary PR Tactics
• Advertising
• Publicity
• Hybrids that include a bit of both
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4. Advertising
• Paid-for time or space
• Except for PSAs, which is time and space
donated to a nonprofit organization or
cause
• May look like publicity: Special section that
includes what looks like editorial copy as
well as ads
• Controlled media
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5. Publicity
• Handled by editorial staffs of news media
• Is editorial copy
• Is uncontrolled media
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6. Line Between Advertising and PR
• Blurring further as traditional media are
used in more unusual ways and consumers
of media lose their ability to distinguish
between “fair and unbiased” news
messages and information that has not
been “vetted” by journalists in their
traditional role
• “Digital Natives”: get their news from Web
portals and from Web media such as blogs
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7. Special Editorial Sections
• Combination of advertising and publicity
• Display advertising
• Editorial copy devoted to a particular topic or event,
written by or for those who have paid for the
display ads
• May look very much like “regular” print content
• Broadcast version is an advertorial or infomercial
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8. Public Service
Announcements
• Referred to as PSAs
• Criticism of use and misuse remains
• Publicity-generated copy
• Placed through advertising staff (print) or
public service director (radio and TV)
• Space or time donated by media to
nonprofit organizations or nonprofit events
sponsored by commercial organizations
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9. Preparing Successful Ads
• Be clear about purpose
• Be clear about public you are targeting
• Use an organization’s logo to create identity
with the ad unless it might be
misunderstood in cross-cultural
communication
• Be cautious with the use of humor, making
comparisons or using negative comments
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10. Publications as Publicity
• Brochures
• In-house magazines, newspapers,
newsletters
• Annual reports
• All may be used to generate publicity
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11. Producing Brochures
• Determine purpose and audience
• Determine distribution (check with U.S.
Postal Service)
• Visualize with a mockup what the brochure
might look like
• Determine what needs to be said and
whether it can best be said with text or
visuals
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12. Producing Brochures (cont.)
• Decide about design features: color, paper,
typeface
• Create text and gather visuals
• Enlist layout artist or handle design and layout
directly using a computer
• Obtain printer estimates
• Proofread, edit, proofread again
• Print
• Distribute
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13. Producing House Publications
• Distribute to employees or members of
internal audiences
• Determine purpose
• Determine budget
• Determine format - newsletter, tabloid,
magazine – after studying media habits of
audience
• Determine distribution
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14. Producing House Publications
(cont.)
• Develop content: both what audience wants to
know and what it needs to know
– Questionnaires or other research techniques
can be used to survey audience
– May use employee/member correspondents or
PR staff only
• Prepare a mockup of text, visuals, cover
• Obtain printer estimates
• Design, edit, proof
• Print and distribute
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15. Producing Annual Reports
• Is shared task of PR and financial officer
• PR is communications expert responsible
for design and language
• Financial person is fiscal expert responsible
for content
• Key consideration is report’s impact on
priority publics: Investors, financial
community, SEC
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16. Producing Annual Reports (cont.)
• Planning begins almost a year in advance
• Report is a process almost as much as it is
a publication
• May be disturbed in printed form but also in
digital and video formats and posted to
organization’s Website
• Separate version may be done for internal
audiences
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17. Contents of Annual Reports
• Letter from the CEO
• Auditor’s report
• Financial statements
• Narrative section commenting on year’s operations
and accomplishments
• Photos and charts
• Best also to include an “executive summary” that
boils everything down to a clear, concise summary
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18. Speeches as Publicity
• Executive speech may receive one-time
media coverage
• Speech may be videotaped and distributed
to target audiences or posted on Web
• Text of speech may be reprinted in
brochure format and distributed to target
audiences
• Copies of speech may be distributed
internally
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19. Speech Checklist
• Set up a day ahead
• Find out what events are going on next door and get
them, or your event, moved if there will be noise
distractions
• Check out the sound system
• Check out the lighting
• Check out access to electrical outlets for broadcast
• Check out projection, computer systems
• Make sure proper chairs, tables, etc., are on hand and
placed correctly
• Arrange for water and glasses
• Locate nearest restrooms, telephones
• Prepare name tags
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20. Speech Checklist (cont.)
• Set up registration area and have list of invited
guests
• Provide place cards or seating charts
• Prepare an agenda/program of all activities to take
place during the event and distribute to participants
• Have writing materials available for last-minute
notes
• Prepare information kits for attendees
• Have easy-to-read clock
• Be sure all computer components are compatible
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21. Special Events as Publicity
• Speeches
• Open houses
• Celebrations
• Celebrity visits
• Conventions or trade shows
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22. Planning Special Events
• Start planning early
– For large events, a year in advance is not
too soon
• Create a blueprint plan and timetable
– Assign every detail
– Walk through the event to make sure you
don’t overlook anything
• Form committees or groups to implement
the plan
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23. Planning Special Events
(cont.)
• Use company artists, designers, copywriters,
exhibit specialists, etc., when they exist and are
available
• Provide special attractions to ensure attendance:
Celebrities, concerts, exhibits, tours, awards,
prizes, etc.
• Provide giveaways and souvenirs
• Arrange to move people to and from the event
• Publicize the event well in advance using
advertising to supplement as necessary
• Thank everyone when the event is over
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24. Visual Presentations
• Using easel pads
– Remember to provide markers
– Plan ahead for how to display multiple pages if
you want people to see all ideas jotted down
• Using overhead projectors
– Transparencies must be readable from a
distance
– Few words, lots of charts, graphs, visuals
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25. Visual Presentations (cont.)
• Using PowerPoint slides
– Type size should be large for legibility
– Provide handout that is copy of slides
used
– May be transferred to CD or digital file for
further distribution
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26. Audio Presentations
• Thoroughly test equipment
• Rent high-quality equipment if the
equipment provided by the meeting space
is poor
• Keep the presentation simple and direct for
easy understanding
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27. Institutional Video
• Be specific about needs: audience,
purpose, etc.
• May be done by in-house staff or outside
specialists
• May be video version of previously
produced printed publication like annual
report
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28. Judging Video Quality
• Attention span: gripping? interesting?
• Subject: adequately covered?
• Audience suitability: properly targeted?
• Visuals: quality? clarity?
• Timeliness: visuals, text up to date?
• Talent: participants, actors believable?
• Sound: appropriate? balanced?
• Editing: flow? pace?
• Script content: right quantity of words vs. visuals?
• Believability: honest? plausible?
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29. Celebrity Appearances
• Presence guarantees publicity
• May make arrangements through agent or
through organization with which celebrity is
involved
• Request bio info, photos for pre-appearance
publicity
• Provide all background information to celebrity or
agent
• Provide special amenities: from limo to special
foods to special host or “handler”
• Develop a schedule and stick to it
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30. Successful Publicity
• Is it important to the medium's audience?
• Is it local if a local medium?
• Is it timely?
• Is it accurate, truthful and complete?
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31. Judging Value of Publicity
Information
• Does it have news value?
• Does it have human interest?
• Does it have humor?
• Does it meet the needs of the media?
• Is it being delivered to the media at an
appropriate time in their schedules?
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32. PR Wire and Video Services
• Carry PR news directly into newsrooms, often
computer to computer
• Distribute both text and video releases
• Can result in national, even international, coverage
• Can also result in greater credibility for PR sources
because material is carefully checked before
transmission
• Some include clipping, videotaping, monitoring
services
• May deliver digital photos as well as text
• Disadvantage: don’t always know who received
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33. Public Relations and the Internet
• A “network of networks” that no one
manages
• Distributes text but also sound and video
content
• Many organizations maintain Websites that
are used for communication, sales, etc.
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34. Websites
• Method of attractively presenting organization to
millions around the world
• Consulting, Web design firms available to
develop sites if in-house capability lacking
• Has 24/7 nature so is available on demand
• Cheaper than most advertising and publicity
• Web manager must constantly update, correct
• Need to develop happy medium between breadth
and depth
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35. Working with the Media
• Requires some basic training in journalistic
techniques for gathering, reporting
information
• Requires being able to identify news
• Requires keeping background, historical,
factoid material ready at all times
• Requires familiarity with intended media
target: style, timing, content focus
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36. Materials for Media
• News releases
– Must identify with target media’s definition of news
– Must be prepared in appropriate style, form
– Must be prepared with media schedules in mind
• Photos, illustrations
– Some media will accept; others prefer to take their
own
– Be careful of arrangement as to who owns photos
or illustrations
– Know media specifications
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37. Materials for Media (cont.)
• Video news releases
– Often outsourced to enhance
international distribution
• Information based on promotions
– Often referred to as “marketing PR”
• Image marketing
• Publicity spin-offs
• Celebrity spin-offs
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38. Publicizing Special Events
• Establish a timetable to ensure all details
are addressed
• Prepare a mailing list for media and guests
• Plan the promotional plan in detail: Which
information will go to which media and in
what formats
• Consider all formats of information:
advertising, publicity, letterhead, invitations,
posters, etc.
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39. Publicizing Special Events (cont.)
• Develop media kit: mailed in advance,
handed out at event, mailed after the fact to
no-shows
• Set up newsroom if live coverage is
anticipated
• After the event send clipping, stories for
special, trade publications and special
audiences such as shareholders to extend
coverage
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40. Contents of Media Kit
• Fact sheet for organization
• Fact sheet on occasion
• Background and photos of people involved
• Background on organization and on event or situation
• Program or schedule of events
• Complete list of participants
• Straight new story
• Feature story
• Page of facts about event or organization
• Visual materials such as logos
• Information on cooperating organizations
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41. Relationships with the Media
• Good PR person knows a journalist’s job
almost as well as the journalist
• Good PR person knows which specific
journalists cover his/her organization,
industry, etc. and maintains contact even
when there is no news
• Good PR person develops a media list of
relevant reporters, editors and keeps it
current
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42. Relationships with the Media
(cont.)
• Good PR person is available to a journalist
whenever the journalist needs information
or assistance
• Good PR person immediately responds to
media requests or needs
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43. Relationships with Production
Pros
• Good PR person knows and understands
the production process for print, broadcast,
digital media
• Good PR person is able to articulate clearly
what he/she want
• Good PR person understands that the
higher the quality of the work desired, the
higher the cost
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44. Relationships with Other PR Pros
• An in-house PR practitioner may have to
work with an agency brought in for a special
project or event,
• Who is responsible for what must be
spelled out immediately to avoid confusion
and misunderstanding between the client
and PR services provider
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45. Relationships with Freelancer
• PR person may be asked by freelancer to
provide information and/or access
– Check out freelancer’s legitimacy first
– Make sure you both agree on the scope
and focus of the article
• PR person may hire freelancers to write for
the organization
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46. Contracts and Deadlines
• PR person arranges contracts with
suppliers of services: freelancers, printers,
AV services
• Everything needs to be spelled out,
including deadlines
• Meeting deadlines is essential for a smooth
operation
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47. Media Interviews
• Role of PR practitioner
– Preparer: briefs executive to be interviewed,
provides information to reporter
– Facilitator: arranges interview, provides follow-
up information, materials
– Clarifier: interprets facts, technical language
• PR person should not inject himself/herself into
the interview
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48. Interview Guidelines
• Select appropriate place for interview that is
comfortable for interviewee
• Allow sufficient time for interviewer to
complete assignment
• Know the topic of discussion and have
supporting material and information on
hand
• Coach the interviewee beforehand as to
what questions to expect
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49. Interview Guidelines (cont.)
• Know the reporter’s habits and quirks and
brief the interviewee
• Brief the reporter on the subject of the
interview
• Set ground rules for the interview and make
sure both parties understand them
– Is anything off the record?
• Make sure the reporter gets the story
he/she came for
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50. Interview Guidelines (cont.)
• Stay in the background. Don’t answer
questions or intrude unless the subject
begins to divulge information against
company policy
• Offer to provide answers to future questions
that might arise
• Do not ask the reporter when the story will
run or ask him/her to send a copy
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51. Rules for the Interviewee
• Know the topic you’re going to discuss
• Anticipate tough questions
• Be honest
• Answer questions directly and if you cannot
say so
• If you don’t know an answer, say you don’t
know and offer to get the information and
then follow up with it quickly
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52. Rules for the Interviewee
(cont.)
• Keep the interview as relaxed and cordial
as possible
• Avoid off-the-record remarks
• Don’t try to avoid answering questions that
are public record
• Offer help and additional information later if
the journalist needs it
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53. News Conferences
• Schedule them only when legitimate news
is involved
• Choose a site and time convenient to news
media
• Cover the news conference for your own
organization with videotaping, audio
recording, etc.
• Assemble and have available all
background information
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54. News Conferences (cont.)
• Offer a story and visuals or sound bites to
those media unable to attend
• Rehearse your spokespeople
• Share the results of your news conference
with management immediately after the
conference
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55. Media Tours
• Become thoroughly familiar with the people you will
meet
• Be sure all arrangements are firm
• Take plenty of money and credit cards
• Be sure your person keeps on schedule and fulfills all
commitments
• Keep up with props, supplies of media kits, luggage,
etc.
Make notes of what follow-up is needed
• Keep clippings if you are in town long enough to get
them
• Be responsive and sensitive to both sides
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56. Talking back to the Media
• What to do when the media make a
mistake:
– Correct the mistake
– Respond with an information campaign of
your own to correct
– If serious enough, a lawsuit might be
necessary
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