Keep It Simple

Generally speaking, effective PR campaigns don’t need to be über sophisticated. Indeed the most effective campaigns are often the simplest.

I’ve just read about an award winning campaign run by the Thames Water PR team I’d like to share with you. In a nutshell the campaign involved:

Research – which highlighted that 41% of people flushed unsuitable products down toilets (establish the facts)
Press material – coining the phrase ‘sewer abuse’ (tell the story)
A photocall – ‘come and see the sewers under Leicester Square’ (bring the story to life)
A link up with TV’s Grimefighters (piggy back on something popular/topical)
Christmas case studies – positioning workers as ‘sewer heroes’ (give it a human angle)
Result: The campaign achieved 101 pieces of coverage in target media, and there were 9,000 hits to the campaign site.
I’d call that a result wouldn’t you?

Well Seasoned

December is finally here – so it’s time to start thinking about your Xmas PR campaign right?

Wrong! Timing is key in PR planning and if you don’t take into account media lead times you’re wasting your time.

The glossy monthlies work up to six months in advance so when the snow’s on the ground it’s time to be talking picnics, swimwear and bbqs.

Weekly magazines will have shorter lead times but we’re still talking months. Newspaper and broadcast lead times vary depending upon which section/programme you’re targeting, but you still need to allow plenty of time.

If it’s the trade press you’re targeting then long lead times also often apply – particularly when it comes to features.

As a rule it’s always good to have time on your side. Local papers often appreciate copy they can hold over - particularly during holiday periods, when news teams are depleted and pages still have to be filled.

So, who fancies an ice cream?