Out of the Box

When I was in school training as a marketing professional, a professor cautioned that the best PR is “finding something intelligent to say.” He suggested that “being on message” which is a contemporary PR term means to say something that positions you as a leader. Thus, effective PR meant positioning yourself as an expert or saying something that has an impact on people.

In the ‘80’s and ‘90’s a new school of thought evolved that seemed to dictate that events may in fact be more effective as a way of generating PR. Why? Events receive more coverage, add color for the visuals and are a better bet to be newsworthy than a statement, unless the statement was so newsworthy as to have its life of its own.

The recent political conventions are a good example of how the event contributes to a far better PR story than the message. Senator Barack Obama is an outstanding orator that can captivate an audience. Had he just given another campaign speech, it would never be as effective as within the context of a national political convention. Similarly, the introduction of Governor Sarah Pailin was so much more effective with the background of the crowds, the banners, the color and the electricity.

Even the White House recognizes that events at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue are important in crafting the image of the president. That is why the White House press office organizes parties on religious holidays, bill signing ceremonies, and receptions for visiting heads of state. This is, of course, in addition to being presidential which means the usual speeches, press conferences and media interviews.

Action PR, as some marketers refer to it, is becoming more popular amongst all segments of corporate America as well as not-for-profits. It has become so dominant that many businesses have actually traded in advertising dollars for the event public relations. Some have taken to sponsoring high profile events believing that they actually get better bang for the buck out of being associated with such an event than from advertising.

Organizations too that at one time touted their activities and accomplishments through press releases are instead planning events. Even schools are calling attention to the quality of their educational programs by holding science fairs and other competitive events. 

Ad Age pointed out in a recent article that China spent an estimated $44 billion to hold the 2008 Summer Olympics, including an estimated $350 million for the opening ceremonies alone?
Why because this was an opportunity for China to tell its story that no amount of advertising could do. This was an event where China, concerned with its international image, particularly after all the negative publicity it had received over its brutality in Tibet, could tell its story the way it wants to in a controlled fashion.

The money spent by China is, of course, an extreme example that few other causes will ever spend. The beauty of action PR is that you do not need big budgets to achieve success. Some organizations achieve much with a small health fair, a recipe contest, and an art exhibit. Businesses can do the same depending on what business they are in. A kitchen manufacturer recently sponsored food demonstrations by two leading cookbook authors with more than 150 people showing up. A local bank invites its customers to a quarterly lecture by a leading economist. A hospital invites the community to a monthly seminar on different health topics.

Action PR is only as good as the follow-up, which means that you still have to tell the story and use the pictures as part of the story. If you feel that your event may be newsworthy, then by all means invite the media. But if not, be prepared to let the media know exactly what happened.
The media actually prefers this kind of PR rather than what many refer to as “fluff.” Some newspapers are very public about their interest in stories that are based on events.

Some marketing experts believe that Action PR and PR in general will continue to siphon off advertising dollars in the future. They feel that the event provides for a more effective way to get the message out. One expert pointed out that you can actually tell a better story through an event than through advertising. The event may allow a company to tout its quality and service, but at the same time it also affords the company an opportunity to demonstrate its social responsibility and its being involved with the community.

It is precisely because of the success of action PR that many companies and organizations are adding a marketing specialist to the ad agencies that handle their advertising budgets. Action PR is something to consider if you really want to achieve success with your public relations program. 

Out of the Box is a collection of strategic marketing articles that Lubicom has published on various topics, trends and ideas in the marketing world. The articles have been published in the Hamodia weekly newspaper circulated on three continents to a readership of well over 100,000.

The name, "Out of the Box" is a term used frequently in business nowadays to describe creative thinking that is not the norm. It is meant to help a business pull away from the pack or separate oneself from the competition. It is to some extent fraught with risk, simply because it is not the run of the mill thinking, but it is at the same time the key to reaching the next opportunity.

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