| In recent years, the
folks behind Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest - - which dates
back to 1916 - - have scored a huge publicity windfall. Shea Communications,
a Manhattan-based PR firm, orchestrates the annual July 4th ritual
which draws the top competitive eaters worldwide to battle for the
coveted Mustard Yellow Championship Belt. Where once 30 spectators
watched contestants stuff frankfurters down their gullets, the event
now attracts groupies, blue-chip sponsors, and live coverage on
ESPN.
In 1997, principles George and Richard Shea capitalized on the
tremendous media coverage the Nathan’s contest brought their
client and formed the International Federation of Competitive Eating
(IFOCE). IFOCE, which is the governing body of all stomach-centric
sports, complete with safety guidelines and rankings, has both raised
the event’s profile and turned competitive eating into a lucrative
sport. The federation now organizes 70 publicity driven “eating
events” a year.
Add a dash of humor and a pinch of international rivalry –
the four-time world champion and top eater hails from Japan –
and the contest has generated a publicity boon for Nathan’s
that could never be replicated through advertising. According to
the Sheas, hot-dog-stand franchiser Nathan's Famous has reaped 200
million media impressions in two years from the event.
This is PR at its best.
Public relations represents the most potentially powerful communication
tool in a company’s marketing arsenal. PR is a complex process
that can produce compelling results when used correctly. Sometimes
all it takes is a clever publicity stunt: The Rose Bowl began as
a way to shine a spotlight on Pasadena, California; Hollywood honchos
started the Academy Awards to raise Tinseltown’s profile;
and local boosters organized the Miss America pageant to lure tourists
to Atlantic City after Labor Day.
Most PR campaigns, however, owe more to perspiration than to inspiration.
PR is about building relationships and defines how you are perceived.
PR campaigns put you in direct contact with your target audience
through publicity, public appearances, and community outreach.
Current PR practices use an array of techniques including media
relations, speaking engagements, special events, direct mail, opinion
polling, and focus groups. PR firms distribute information through
the Internet, satellite feeds, broadcast faxes and database-driven
phone banks.
Here are some basics to put your company on the media map:
1. Develop a plan. A strategic and focused PR
program is more likely to achieve desired results. Make sure to
identify the following: Who is your target audience(s)? What key
message and benefit do you want to communicate? What are your short-
and long-term objectives?
2. Create a targeted media list. Develop a list
of journalists that cover your industry in broadcast (television,
cable, radio) and print (daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, special
interest newspapers, consumer magazines, trade magazines). You can
compile these lists by researching resource directories (i.e., Burrell’s,
Bacon’s) and online sources.
3. Do your homework. Before pitching any publication
or broadcast media, have a thorough understanding of its coverage
area, audience, and deadlines.
4. Find a unique angle. Straight news stories
may not always be the way to go. Be sure to state the facts, regardless
of the story angle. The most important facts (who, what, when, where)
should always be presented in the lead paragraph of a press release.
5. Create a colorful headline. You have only a
moment to capture an editor’s attention and it is often the
headline that makes or breaks your press release.
6. Use artwork. A picture is worth a thousand
words. Sending out post-publicity photos with identifying captions
is often welcome by media outlets and is a very effective way to
extend coverage of a PR event.
7. Consult the editorial calendar to see which
topics the publication will be covering in the months ahead, and
devise your pitch around one of these items.
8. A PR no no! Don’t flood the media with
publicity materials about day-to-day occurrences. To gain credibility
and ink, you must be selective and send newsworthy items, including
significant achievements (i.e., strategic alliances, awards), business
anniversaries, employee promotions/new hires, and research results.
9. Groom your staff to become “ambassadors”
of your company. Staff is important in promoting the company
image and should be made an integral part of the PR process. You
must promote your brand internally since your staff is often on
the front lines.
Remember: a lot can happen in a New York minute. To make news,
you have to become a top dog….or just eat a lot of hot dogs.
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