Prepping for PRISMS

A workshop with Rebecca Cronje

23 November, 2011

Overview of workshop

9 am• So what are the PRISMS anyway?• PR: Yesterday, today and tomorrow• A few case studies • Some feedback from the judges• Q&A session

10:30am: Tea break

11:00am• Review the categories • How to compile your entry • Some quick tips • Q&A session • Some inspiration from Cannes 2011

So what are the PRISMS anyway?

Loeries PR Awards

• Awards excellence in creativity and fresh thinking

• Aims to take the discipline of creativity forward by showcasing the top of the crop

• Judging is immediate – they know in seconds if it is a winner or not

• Strategy and business results not that important; it’s more about the idea – was it original and innovative?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Am71YUTd5Y

Cannes PR Awards

• Annual international awards • Similar to Loeries in that it

awards creative brilliance • However, business results also

play a role, but they have to be spectacular!

• High standards mean it is very tough to get through to the final stage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2srVQDlbi44

The Golden Quills

• Receives entries from all over the world• Part of the IABC (International Association of

Business Communications) and open to members and non-members

• Includes the broader communications industry, not just PR

• Open to strategists, managers, practitioners, corporate, government, NGOs, agency execs, photographers, graphic designers, creative conceptualists, tacticians and students

• Similar to PRISMS in that it awards business outcomes, not publicity outputs

The PRISMS

• Is 15 years old • Are the only awards that truly measure PR

achievements • Identifies excellence in the public relations

and communications industry that delivers real business outcomes

• Metrics based on international best practice

• Has evolved with the times and today includes categories for social media, online communications and digital media relations as well as communication research and community relations

• Agency recognition with direct impact on new client leads

• Individual recognition: You can include a PRISA win on your CV forever

PR: Yesterday, today and tomorrow

PR: Yesterday

• PR in South Africa is 40 years old • Despite not having the technology tools of

today, it was very strategic • Effective media tools:

• Strong media angles• Effectively written media releases• Opinion pieces which expressed a

contrarian view point• Media-friendly photos• Well targeted product drops• Round tables with key journalists• Close relationships with journalists

• Those that fell along the wayside:• Press conferences• Hand delivered releases• ‘My friend the editor’ approach

PR: Yesterday

PR: Yesterday – a day in the life • Media releases were faxed...!• They were distributed after 17h00 – once

the JSE had closed• Photographs personally hand-delivered to

media in full colour, jumbo size• Captions were pasted on the back• Birthday presents to the media, invitations

to agency parties and one-on-one lunches were the order of the day

• A lot of effort went into exclusive pitches – no spray and pray in sight!

• Media opportunities were limited: three Sunday papers, six national and two weeklies

• Couriers delivered media releases to journalists

• Clippings were faxed to clients; hard copies delivered once a quarter

• Office email only arrived in 1996...and even then not all clients and media were online...faxing and couriering continued for some time

PR: Today

What is it in your view?

PR Today: Content producers that create talkability

PR tools of the trade • A blend of traditional and new media tools:

• Press releases Video releases• Thought leadership commentary Blogs• Opinion pieces Social media campaigns• Spokespeople profiling Microsites• Media liaison Blogger liaison• Media briefings Voxpops• Desk-side one-on-ones Stunts/ Guerrilla tactics • Key influencer programmes Activations• Third party partnerships Online videos• Advertorial/ trade exchanges Blogs• Media partnerships Podcasts• Media round tables• Creative brand-building campaigns• Corporate reputation management

PR Today: Is insightful

• Understands and follows macro and micro trends

• Has relevance and context• Is aligned to consumer needs and

wants• Taps into news of the day

PR Today: Is creative

• Is highly creative • Collaborates with other creative partners –

social media, designers, event planners, photographers, videographers, artists

• Works best as a strong single-minded idea • Tells a story and makes a client’s brand or

service engaging and compelling

PR Today: Executes

• Project manages • Leverages budgets for maximum effect• Is tailored and targeted

PR Today: Generates debate

• Is results-driven• Is aligned to a client’s business objectives• Is focused on outcomes vs. outputs • Is integrated with other marketing functions • Engages with key influencers (industry

bodies, stakeholders, bloggers, etc) over and above media relations

PR: Tomorrow From Generalists to Specialists

http://vimeo.com/album/1674292Video #3

PR: Tomorrow Integration of paid, earned, shared and owned media

http://vimeo.com/album/1674292Video #5

PR: Tomorrow The social media release

Educate-followers-on-services-and-products_-PitchEngine-com-social-media-release[www.savevid.com].mp4

A few winning case studies

Sanlam: Save Your Future

• The retirement industry is traditionally very dull

• Characterised by brokers and asset managers – not very appealing to young people!

• However, results of the SEB Symposium 2010, showed how few people of retirement age have enough to live on – for up to 30 years!

• So our brief was to create a breakthrough PR campaign that engaged with 20 – 30 year olds and made saving for retirement more compelling

Sanlam: Save Your Future

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sanlam-Save-Your-Future/153889134624793

Content produced

Blogger relations

We targeted 20 key bloggers with anunusual delivery of their bank statementfrom 2050.

It was designed onclear plastic to look like a tabletdevice from the future.

Content was tailored to the blogger’sinterests and hobbies e.g. attendance atTED 2050 for a journalist that oftentweeted about TED conferences.

Media relations

Results36 pieces of coverage valued at R1 081 094 achieved

85% of coverage communicated the message that South African young adults were not saving enough

85% of coverage also highlighted that the future is likely to bring additional financial pressures

Over a three month period there were 14 554 views of the Facebook page

The campaign attracted 3 800 fans (on Facebook and Twitter

13 of South Africa’s leading bloggers covered thecampaign

Gold 2008MWEB’s WIMAX

• The challenge: MWEB was competing for a commercial WiMAX license and had to influence the regulator, ICASA on its capability and credentials. It had limited BEE credentials and no CSI campaign and was competing against all the big industry players

• How: We developed a high impact, influencer programme using a combination of media relations, industry affairs, CSI and reputation management efforts result aimed at positioning MWEB as the authority on WiMAX - even without a commercial product

Gold 2008MWEB’s WIMAX

• The result: Buy-in from key influencers in the telecoms industry and a high level of awareness among the regulatory decision makers about MWEB’s capabilities. It positioned MWEB as a leader in providing wireless Internet in Soweto, improving the lives of residents and small business owners.

• Media results: R7,5-million worth of coverage in targeted publications added to the campaign's success. The campaign made a strong case for MWEB to be awarded a commercial license. ICASA awarded the license, however it was taken to court the next day.

Gold 2010Capitec Virtual Branch Tour

The challenge: New to the retail banking sector, educating media about how the bank’s unique technology-based offering operated was critical. But as journalists’ time is so limited, we did it virtually instead of in a branch

The solution:We produced a very cost-effective five-minute video clip featuring Q&As with CEO Riaan Stassen as well as a tour of a branch

Gold 2010Capitec Virtual Branch Tour

How we did it:This was presented to key media at one-on-one desk-side briefings allowing us to answer any further questions there and then

Outcomes:We not only educated the media, we also fostered relationships which has resulted in on-message editorial coverage ever since….

Kulula_Final.mov

Overall Gold 2011kulula: Not the World Cup

Media coverage highlights

Media coverage highlights

Results:

• On-message media coverage (free) valued at over R28-m

• Achieved significantly more coverage than competitors during the World Cup

• Significant uptake of flights (50 000 extra seats were made available to cope with demand)

• Industry awards: Gold Loerie, Gold PRISM, Overall PRISM Gold, shortlisted for Cannes Lions 2011

Not the World Cup Campaign

Some feedback from the judges

“Sales figures would have made this a 20 out of 20

score.”

“Well planned campaign, underpinned by excellent strategy”

“No measures for goals otherwise would have scored

higher”

“As the objectives contained no measurement,

however good the end results were, was this what the

client expected?”

“Desktop research done? How? Where?”

“Both planning and execution are the strong points of

this project but I don’t see much originality in this.”

Useful snippets

Reviewing the categories (Remember: The same entry can be submitted in more than one category)

Business-to-business

• For an excellent business-to-business PR campaign

Communication research – NEW

• For research conducted for the development of business/ communication strategies

Community relations – NEW

• For community relations campaignsnot conducted by local government/communication strategies

Consumer PR for an existing product

• For imaginative PR activities around an existing consumer product

Consumer PR for an existing service

• For imaginative PR activities around a consumer service

Corporate communication

• For excellence in enhancing a company's overall reputation through corporate communication

Corporate responsibility

• For excellence and leadership in CSR

Crisis management

• Example of excellent communication management during a crisis

Digital Media Relations – NEW

• For the successful use of digital media relations in a PR campaign

Environmental

• A PR campaign focused on an environmental issue with substantial impact on society

Event management

• For the planning and delivery of a successful event with a PR dimension

Financial services & investor relations

• Use of PR for a financial product or service or investor relations

Healthcare

• For an outstanding PR campaign in the pharmaceuticals or healthcare industry

Integration of traditional & new media – NEW

• For effective and successful integration of both traditional and new media in a PR campaign

Internal communication

• For a creative internal communication campaign that engaged and informed personnel

International PR campaign

• For a coordinated PR campaign spanning five or more countries, for any kind of company or organisation

Launch of a new product

• For well-planned PR activities around the launch of a product

Launch of a new service

• For well-planned PR activities around the launch of a service

Media relations

• For effective traditional media relations in a PR campaign

NGO campaign

• For an effective PR campaign by a charity or NGO targeting a specific issue

Online crisis communication –NGO

• For excellence in managing online communication strategy during a crisis

PR on a shoestring

• For an imaginative PR campaign done on a small budget

Public affairs

• A well-planned and orchestrated public affairs (lobbying) campaign that clearly influenced or changed public policy

Public sector

• For an effective public sector (local authorities, councils, government departments or government authorities) campaign that used PR tactics to raise knowledge or awareness of an issue or change behaviour

Publications

• For PR publications such as newsletters or magazines that showed excellence and imagination in communicating with stakeholders. This can be in print or electronic format.

Reputation & Brand Management Online – NEW

• For excellence in positioning a company’s image and maintaining brand awareness through online communication channels

Social Media for Public Relations – NEW

• For excellence in the use of social media as a PR tool

Sponsorship

• For an innovative PR campaign that promoted or created awareness of sponsorship of an event or activity

Technology

• For the effective use of PR in the technology sector, including B2B and consumer campaigns

Travel & Tourism

• For the successful use of PR in the transport, travel, hotel or tourism industries

Compiling your entry

The building blocks

• The executive summary • Your opening statement• Business outcomes vs. PR outputs• Challenges and opportunities • Research and key insights • Planning • Execution• Evaluation

The executive summary

Prelim judging is based on this summary – so very important to get right! Limited to 1200 words ONLY

Minimum size of type is 12 points

It must be written in English

Photos can be included, but other visual material to be sent via CD/ DVD inMicrosoft Word Format with the entry form

The opening statement

100 words or less

Describes why the entry is worthy of an award

Tip: Write this AFTER having all the facts (tactics, research, outcomes, client feedback) – easier to condense into a summary

kulula Not the World Cup – example OVERVIEWIn January 2010 local airlines were bombarded with negative media coverage on the apparent cost hikes of domestic flights to the World Cup host cities. However, Atmosphere’s quick-thinking and multi-faceted campaign, which blurred PR, social media, advertising and word-of-mouth, got the world smiling and restored kulula’s credentials as a much-loved maverick brand.

The campaign not only built the reputation of kulula but also placed it in the midst of the World Cup media hype globally without any official endorser status and on a limited budget.

The campaign succeeded in attracting new business with a significant rise* in flight ticket sales over the World Cup period. (50 000 extra seats were filled beyond their normal capacity). kulula secured 332 items of coverage valued at over R8.6 million (AVE 1:1) over the campaign period (February to August 2010).

The Opportunity

Approach

Outcomes

Business results

Challenges & opportunities

State which company/ institution the approach was developed for

Outline what the challenge/ brief was

Align the brief to industry insights where relevant

Summarise the opportunity that the challenge presented

State which geographical region it was conducted in

Sanlam Save Your Future – example

CHALLENGES• Limited interest in retirement or personal finance media among 20 - 30 year-olds• Very strict rules exist re: communicating and providing advice on personal finance• Internal caution re: using social media for the first time

OPPORTUNITIES •Social media hadn’t been used to communicate on retirement issues before • Retirement isn’t interesting, the future and what it will be like, is• Twitter had great potential to act as a storytelling platform that allowed messages to spread across networks

Research

Field or desktop/ library research Used to define the challenge

Determines the approach and objectives

Forms the backbone of ‘Why’ you did what you did

Research – kulula example

To understand key talking points re: the 2010 World Cup we conducted in-depth research of local and international media (25 to 30) and phoned 50 friends and family:

• FIFA were heavy-handed in dictating to locals how to conduct business during the event;•Sepp Blatter was facing some public criticism for taking himself too seriously;•No-one was really speaking out for South Africa and its ability to host a successful event;•Local travellers believed airlines would use the event to over-charge.

Consumer insights

Planning Outline your objectives and how you’ll measure them e.g. ensure high levelof awareness; launch; position; educate; foster relationships with key media;create demand; strengthen awareness; differentiate from competition; providegreater understanding; etc.

State who your audience is – example for ghd •Primary: Fashion and style influencers (designers, stylists; social scene commentators; salon owners and ghd trade partners) •Secondary: Hair stylists; Style conscious upper income consumers with active social networks

Key messages

How did you package your approach? (Print media, newsletter, website, socialmedia, event, stunt, activation etc.)

Tactics i.e. How did you implement the activity?

How did you get client’s buy in?

Execution

Description of your approach’s implementation Outline any difficulties encountered and how they were overcome

Outline your tactics and how they were used

TIP: Don’t include every detail, and especially not those that are obvious e.g. –rather select those that were critical to the execution and campaign’s success

Sanlam Save Your Future tactics

• Photoshoot with Jeannie D and Loyiso Bala• Facebook Page and personal profile pages for the fictional celebrities in 2050•Customised landing page to make campaign and video digestible • Twenty bloggers given a bank statement from 2050•2oceansvibe partnership to interview the future versions of the celebrities• Media relations focused on lifestyle, marketing and trade media to support social media and drive interest

Save Your Future example

Save Your Future example

Save Your Future example

Evaluation

Show how well the results measured against objectives

Show how well the objectives were met i.e. Greater awareness of the issue;social media engagement (number of likes on a site); higher sales; increase in enquiries/phone calls; response to call to action; legislative changes; increase in volunteers joining the programme; visits to a website; extending a sponsorship,etc.

All outputs to be stated as AVE 1:1

kulula Not the World Cup example The campaign garnered massive local and international media coverage and thousands of new fans for kulula – online and real life ones.

On a relatively small budget, Atmosphere secured local and international brand awareness through unpaid media exposure on international channels such as CNN, Taiwan News and BBC.

This was despite strict marketing regulations from FIFA and without kulula being aligned with the World Cup as an official brand.

In addition to attracting the goodwill of consumers and establishing kulula as fun-loving, truly South African brand, the campaign boosted ticket sales over the World Cup period.

Quick tips on drafting your entry

Follow PRISA’s guidelines

Spell check your entry over and over again – then ask someoneelse to check it too

Include supporting material: videos, sound bites

Research and add stats where relevant

Include images in your entry

Don’t write too much & get to the core idea in 2 – 3 sentences

If you can’t tweet the idea it’s too complicated

Give yourself enough time to draft the entry and edit it – several times

Keep a checklist of what to include

Some inspiration from Cannes 2011 (Because South African work is good enough to enter )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAetcxXJRME

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhRRi8iIL0o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUs2lBo2QjM

Questions?