PR 317 CH. 16 Notes

Summary of Working with an Ad Agency -

- A successful working relationship with an advertising agency requires frequent, clear, integrated communication. - Other important pointers for getting along with ad agencies include: clarifying responsibilities from the onset, seeking to complement each other's efforts, and considering the compatibility of all team members when selecting a partner agency.

Summary of the Basics of Direct Mail -

- Direct mail, used primarily in marketing to sell goods and services, also can be an effective public relations tool to inform, educate, and motivate individuals. - The three major advantages of direct mail are (1) ability to reach specific audiences, (2) personalization of message, and (3) cost effectiveness. - A major disadvantage of direct mail is the perception that it is "junk mail," which reduces its acceptance as a credible tool of communication.

Summary of Native Advertising -

- Native advertising, also known as sponsored content, is organizational content prepared by public relations professionals who pay to have it placed within news content, primarily in digital media. - Some PR professionals argue that native advertising is misleading or, worse, erodes the PR function.

Summary of the Business of Direct Mail and Advertising -

- Public relations writers help to develop "360-degree campaigns" that incorporate public relations and advertising strategies and tactics - Companies spend much more on direct mail marketing alone than the combined services of PR firms.

Summary of Creating a Direct Mail Package -

- The direct mail package has five components: (1) envelope, (2) letter, (3) brochure, (4) reply card, and (5) return envelope. - Advances in technology and market research allow you to rent or buy a mailing list that is compiled with scientific precision. - Non-profit and advocacy groups often use a compelling human-interest angle to start direct mail letters. - The headline and first paragraph, as well as the postscript, get the most readership in a direct mail letter. - Direct mail envelopes, experts say, attract more attention if they use commemorative stamps instead of metered postage.

Summary of Creating a Print Ad -

- Writing an effective ad requires considerable skill and imagination. You must think about the headline, text, artwork, layout, and how they all relate to each other. - Effective advertising copy is short and punchy. Copy must be oriented to the self-interest of the reader, viewer, or listener.

Investor and Financial Relations (16.5.2) -

A different type of public relations advertising is targeted to the financial community—individual and institutional investors, stock analysts, investment bankers, and stockholders. - Such advertising often has the objective of informing and reassuring investors that the company is well managed, is worthy of investment, and has bright prospects for the future. Financial advertising is used extensively during proxy fights for control of companies, when a company is undergoing some major reorganization, or when a company believes it is being unfairly attacked by consumer groups or regulatory agencies. - A variety of these ads appear in financial publications, notably The Wall Street Journal. EX. Taco Bell took out print ads in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal when the company was named in a lawsuit alleging its products were not as advertised. - The headline read "Thank you for suing us," using humor to get the reader's attention. The copy went on to reveal the restaurant's "secret" recipe for its beef taco filling, as evidence to back up its claim. - When the suit was dropped, the restaurant chain ran another full-page ad in national newspapers. - This time the headline read, "Would it kill you to say you're sorry?" The copy assured investors and consumers that Taco Bell had not changed its recipe in response to the lawsuit. Other forms of financial advertising are somewhat routine. - You can use an ad to announce a new corporate name, the acquisition of another company, or a new CEO. - Such ads help fulfill SEC requirements for full and timely disclosure. Releasing news to the media may be adequate, but many corporations also use advertising to ensure wide distribution.

Getting the Most from your Ads -

A successful advertisement grabs the reader's attention. To create an effective print ad, keep the following tips in mind. BUSY LAYOUTS OFTEN PULL BETTER THAN NEAT ONES. One split-run test showed busy layouts outpull neat ones by 14 percent. VARY SHAPES, SIZES, AND COLORS. People will get bored, and turn the page, if there is no variety. COLOR WILL ATTRACT ATTENTION. Although it may not be cost effective, consider using color when the product itself demands it. PUTTING SOMETHING ODD INTO A PICTURE WILL ATTRACT ATTENTION. David Ogilvy's iconic Hathaway Shirts campaign used a model with an eye patch. That odd little detail made the campaign a classic. TOO MANY EXTRANEOUS PROPS DIVERT ATTENTION. A curtain material company ran an ad with a cute teddy bear in it. The company got more calls asking about the bear than it did about its product. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE MORE CONVINCING THAN DRAWN ILLUSTRATIONS. Photos can increase responses by more than 50 percent. BEFORE-AND-AFTER PICTURES ARE VERY PERSUASIVE. The technique is a great way to show the benefit of your product.

Ad Headline (16.6.1) -

Advertising expert John Caplets says, "The headline is the most important element in most ads—and the best headlines appeal to the reader's self-interest or give news." Headlines should be specific about a benefit, or they can be teasers that arouse interest. EX. Here is a headline about a specific program: "The Phoenix Mutual Insurance Retirement Income Plan." - Caplets thought this was all right, but he created a headline that sold much more successfully. - An illustration of a smiling senior citizen fishing in a mountain stream accompanied the following, more appealing headline: "To Men Who Want to Quit Work Some Day." Caplets offers the following suggestions for writing an advertising headline: - Include the interests of the audience. - Use words such as "introducing," "announcing," "new," or "now" to give the headline a newsworthy appeal. - Avoid witty or cute headlines unless they include reader interest and appear newsy. - Present the headline positively. Don't say "Our competitors can't match our service" when you can say, "Our service surpasses that of our competitors."

Advantages of Advertising (16.4.1) -

Advertising, like direct mail, is paid and controlled mass communication. ----> This means that the organization completely bypasses the newsroom gatekeepers and places its messages, exactly as written and formatted, with the medium's advertising department. - Thus a PRIMARY REASON for using advertising as a communications tool is that control of the message remains with the sender. Some other advantages of advertising are its selectivity and the advertiser's control of the impact and timing. AUDIENCE SELECTION - Specific audiences can be reached with advertising messages on the basis of such variables as location, age, income, and lifestyle. - This is done by closely studying the consumer demographics of newspapers, magazines, websites, and broadcast programming. EX. A luxury goods manufacturer, for example, might advertise in magazines such as the New Yorker and National Geographic, which have highly educated and affluent readers. EX. The neighborhood deli, however, might advertise only in the local weekly that serves the immediate area. Online ads provide an additional means of targeting your audience, either nationally or locally. MESSAGE CONTROL - Gatekeepers frequently alter or truncate the news or features they receive. - Sometimes the changes do little harm, but occasionally the changes ruin an idea or eliminate an important point. - Your communications plan may involve informing the public about subject A before you say anything about subject B, but if a gatekeeper changes the order or eliminates one story, the sequence is destroyed. With advertising, however, you can be sure that your message is reproduced in the exact words you choose and in the sequence you have planned. IMPACT - With advertising, you can make your messages as big, frequent, and powerful as you choose. Media gatekeepers, by definition, are looking for newsworthy, timely material. - An organization, however, might want to send a message to a large audience that doesn't meet the standards of traditional news values. - The editor may discard your information or run it in a brief story buried on page 9. With advertising, however, you can have a much larger impact by simply buying the entire page. TIMING - If timing is an important factor, advertising can guarantee that your message will be timely. Prompt response to a public issue, a fixed sequence of messages, continuity of communication—all can be maintained through advertising. To the gatekeeper, your message may be just as usable on Tuesday as on Friday; but for your purpose, Tuesday may be a day too early and Friday is too late. - You can't be sure about the timing unless you pay for it.

Summary of the Basics of Public Relations Advertising -

Advertising, the purchase of paid space and time in a mass medium, can be a useful tool in a public relations program. - Public relations advertising does not sell products directly, but it can create a supportive environment for the selling of products and services by enhancing public perception of an organization. - The major advantages of advertising are : (1) ability to reach specified audiences, (2) control of the message, (3) frequency of the message, and (4) control of the timing and context. - Advertising has the disadvantages of : (1) high cost and (2) lower credibility than publicity that appears in news columns.

Disadvantages of Advertising (16.4.2) -

Although institutional advertising can be effective in getting key messages to specific audiences, there are some disadvantages. COST - Paid space is expensive. - Ads in multiple media, which are necessary for message penetration, can cost thousands of dollars in the trade (or business-to-business) press and millions in the consumer press. The high cost of buying space or airtime for advertising has led many companies to shift more of their marketing communications budgets to the Internet, product publicity, and direct mail. Online ads often are paid for per "click through," which can be more cost efficient. - BUT online ads may not create the same level of awareness that traditional mainstream media ad buys might. CREDIBILITY - Public relations executives are fond of saying, "Advertising raises awareness, but publicity published as news stories creates credibility." ----> Because they are controlled messages, advertisements are generally less believable than publicity that appears in the news columns or on broadcast news shows. The public perceives that news reports have more credibility because journalists, who are independent of the organization, have evaluated the information on the basis of truth and accuracy. - Indeed, a widely perceived value of publicity is the concept that a third party, the medium, has endorsed the information by printing or broadcasting it. Advertisements have no such third-party endorsement, because anyone with enough money can place an advertisement, provided it meets the acceptance standards of the medium.

Advocacy and Issues (16.5.4) -

Although it can be argued that advocacy is an element in all public relations advertising—whether it's the American Cancer Society telling you to stop smoking or a company telling you it's all right to buy its stock—the term "advocacy advertising" has a more exact meaning. ----> It usually means advertising to motivate voters, to influence government policy, or to put pressure on elected officials. EX. A good example is the campaign by the Humane Society of the United States to put public and legislative pressure on the Canadian government to stop the killing of baby seals for their fur. EX. Allstate Insurance has also run a series of advocacy ads that call for more legislation to curb the dangerous driving habits of teenagers. - The company would like to see legislation banning anyone under the age of 18 from using cell phones or any text-messaging device while driving. - In addition, the insurance company advocates graduated driver licensing laws that place limitations on new drivers. - The headline of one Allstate ad noted that two-thirds of teens said they text while driving and warned, "Some of Them Will Never Be Heard From Again," given that car crashes kill more American teens than anything else. ----> The ad then urged readers to contact their congressional representatives and to ask them to support the STANDUP Act. - The ad closed with the directive: "Go to allstate.com/STANDUP."

Return Envelope (16.3.5) -

Although reply cards can offer a self-addressed return address on the reverse side, an envelope with a return address is usually provided. ----> This ensures privacy, and an envelope is definitely needed if you are requesting a check or credit card information. Commercial operations often provide a postage-paid envelope, but non-profits generally ask respondents to provide their own postage. ----> This reduces costs, and more money can be spent on the cause itself. A non-profit may provide a postage-paid envelope but encourage supporters in the letter to help defray costs by covering the postage-paid designation with a stamp, thereby avoiding the mailing cost for the organization.

Ad Artwork (16.6.3) -

An ad can consist of just a headline and copy, but the most effective ones usually have a strong graphic element. - This may be a striking photo, a line drawing, or a computer-generated design. Visual elements play a crucial role in motivating a reader to even look at the ad. Artwork and graphics are doubly important if the ad is on the Internet. - In this case, text is secondary and graphics are primary. When developing advertising for websites remember that graphics can't be too complex because of possible downloading problems, but the ad does need to be interactive, with elements such as "click here" buttons to involve the reader.

Promotional Items (16.9.6) -

An inexpensive item with the organization's logo or name on it often accompanies public relations events. - Angela West, public relations manager for the Promotional Products Association International, writes in Public Relations Tactics, "Whether you're conducting a media relations program, staging a press conference, or hosting a special event, promotional products are a valuable public relations tool." Promotional items may include pens, coffee mugs, key chains, paperweights, mouse pads, flash drives, vinyl briefcases, plaques, and even T-shirts. - An organization may include such an item in a media kit, although most reporters complain they have enough pens and coffee mugs to last a lifetime. - At other times, promotional items are made available at press parties and trade shows. The main consideration, says West, is choosing products that bear a natural relationship to the product, service, or message being promoted. EX. A press kit for the Kansas Wheat Commission, for example, might include a cookbook with wheat-based recipes together with an apron and press release about commission activities.

Announcements (16.5.5) -

Announcements can be used for any number of situations. - The primary purpose is to inform the public promptly about something that might interest them. - This might be recalling a product, apologizing for a failure of service, announcing a community event, or even expressing sympathy to the families who lost loved ones in a plane crash. EX. Here are some examples of announcement ads: - Taco Bell reassures customers that its meat is 100 percent USDA-inspected following the filing of a class action lawsuit. - State Farm Insurance tells residents of a disaster area how to file claims. - The High Museum of Art in Atlanta announces a special exhibition of the work of Salvador Dali. - Doctors Without Borders announces a program to support doctors traveling to Africa to treat Ebola.

Direct Mail Brochure (16.3.3) -

Brochures are frequently inserted into direct mail packages. - Typically, the brochure describes a product, service, organization, or company. The Brochure supports the mailing's offer, adding credibility to the overall message. - An effective brochure must be brief but at the same time provide useful information. EX. A brochure insert for the Environmental Defense Action Fund, for example, gave "20 Simple Steps to Fight Global Warming." Here are some ways to increase interest in a brochure: RECOMMENDATIONS OR EVIDENCE. Use personal testimonies or statistics to support your perspective. These may be listed together or sprinkled throughout the brochure. Q&A. A question-and-answer format is informal and easy to follow. Keep questions and answers short. Make sure they seem natural and address issues of potential importance to the reader. WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME? Use lists of benefits highlighted by visuals such as bullets or graphic numerals. COLORS AND CHOICE. Provide prospective customers or supporters with a list of their options, whether it's product models or services. Research has shown that adding color to a brochure dramatically increases reader response. COMPARATIVE TABLES. Provide a visual that outlines benefits of your product, service, or issue compared to others. PULL QUOTES. Lift out text both visually and by size to make a key point. These items may or may not be actual "quotes." Most brochures used in direct mail are designed to fit into a standard number 10 business envelope. This means the brochure should be about 4 by 9 inches in overall dimension and contain just four or six panels.

Buttons and Bumper Stickers (16.9.3) -

Buttons are widely used in political campaigns and at special events. - They are also useful in fundraising, when they are distributed to people who make donations. EX. In San Francisco one year, money was raised for the ballet by selling "SOB" ("Save Our Ballet") buttons to pedestrians in the downtown area. In general, buttons have a short life span. - They are worn by convention delegates or by sales representatives during a trade show. - Buttons are sometimes sold at events as a wearable "ticket" to demonstrate that you've paid an entry fee or that you support the sponsoring cause. Outside of these areas, people don't generally wear buttons unless they are highly committed to a particular cause. Bumper stickers are another specialty item. - They are often used to support political candidates and social issues, but they can also be used to promote a special event or a scenic attraction or membership in an organization. Magnetic bumper stickers are a popular alternative to adhesive ones because they don't mar the finish on a car.

How to do a Direct Mail Package -

DEFINE THE AUDIENCE - Know exactly who you want to reach and why they should respond. The more you know about the demographics of the members of your audience and their motivations, the better you can tailor a letter to them. Don't waste time and money sending your material to people who can't or won't respond. GET THE ENVELOPE OPENED - There is so much junk mail that many letters go directly into the trash without ever being opened. Put a teaser headline on the outside of the envelope that makes the recipient want to know what's inside. The opposite approach, which also raises curiosity, is to use a sender's address but not the name of the organization. Using stamps instead of a postal permit number also increases envelope opening. KEEP THE IDEA CLEAR AND PERTINENT - State the offer or request in the first two or three sentences. Tell what the advantages or benefits are—and repeat them throughout the letter. At the end of the letter, summarize the message. You cannot be too clear. MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO RESPOND - Tell the recipient exactly what to do and how to do it. Include a postage-paid reply card or envelope. Design forms that require only a check mark to place an order or make a pledge. PRETEST THE CAMPAIGN - Conduct a pilot campaign on a limited basis. Prepare two or three different appeals and send them to a sampling of the target audience. By doing this, you can find out what appeal generates the greatest response before doing an entire mailing.

The Business of Direct Mail and Advertising (16.1) -

Direct mail and advertising are frequently combined with public relations strategies and tactics to develop what are called "360-degree campaigns," in marketing parlance. - Public relations writers will always contribute to such campaigns and therefore need to know the writing basics involved with these media. Direct mail and advertising are also big business. - Companies spend around $45 billion on direct mail marketing each year in the United States alone, according to Statistica.com. - Spending on advertising reaches almost $600 billion each year globally, according to AdWeek. - Of that amount, about $190 billion is spent in the United States. - By way of comparison, PRWeek says the top 10 public relations firms worldwide earned an estimated $4.3 billion globally in 2014. - To participate fully in these affiliated business communication industries, public relations writers need to understand the business and tactics of direct mail and advertising.

Advantages of Direct Mail (16.2.1) -

Direct mail is a controlled or owned communication medium, just like newsletters, brochures, and websites. - It allows you to have total control over the format, wording, and timing of a message to audiences as broad or narrow as you wish. Indeed, the three major advantages of direct mail are :(1) the ability to target your communication to specific individuals, (2) personalization, and (3) cost effectiveness. TARGET AUDIENCE - An appropriate mailing list is the key to using direct mail as an effective public relations tool. - At the most basic level, a mailing list may be a compilation of an organization's members, past contributors, employees, or customers. Organizations compile mailing lists on all sorts of audiences. EX. In public relations, for example, you may compile a mailing list of community leaders or civic organizations. You can also rent mailing lists from some membership organizations and media outlets. EX. If you want to send a letter to all dentists in your area, you might contact the American Dental Association. EX. If your purpose is to reach affluent or brand-conscious individuals, it would be logical to rent a list of BMW and Mercedes-Benz owners from the state department of motor vehicles. You can also rent the subscription lists of various newspapers and magazines if you feel that the demographics of the subscribers fit your particular purpose. EX. For about $70, for example, DirectMail.com will provide a list of 1,000 new home owners. - DirectMail.com also provides services such as inserting direct mail contents into envelopes and mailing up to 3 million of pieces of direct mail per day. The reason to rent rather than buy and own a list is that you know that the list is up-to-date and that constant updating is left to someone else. - Advances in marketing research, including demographics and psychographics, make it possible to reach almost anyone with scientific precision. Thanks to vast data-collection and data-crunching networks, it is now possible to order mailing lists based on people's spending habits, charitable contributions, and even their favorite beer. - Every time you purchase groceries with a store discount card, buy a book from Amazon.com, conduct a search on Google, or order something from a catalog, your name and address go into a marketing database that is often sold to other organizations. PERSONALIZATION - Direct mail, more than any other controlled or mass medium, is highly personalized. - It comes in an envelope addressed to the recipient and often begins with a personalized greeting such as "Dear Jennifer." In addition, through computer software, the name of the person can be inserted throughout the letter. - Specialized paragraphs can also be inserted in the direct mail letter to acknowledge past charitable contributions or refer to localized information or contacts. The technology, also allows handwritten signatures and notes to make the basic "form" letter as personable as possible. COST - Direct mail, according to Media Distribution Services, is relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of magazine ads and broadcast commercials. - Typically, a rented list of consumers costs about $49 for 1,000 names, or 4.9 cents per name, according to DirectMail.com. - You can get these names and addresses on labels or, more commonly, receive a digital file that can be used to computer-print them directly on mailing envelopes. Direct mail is cost-efficient from a production standpoint. - In many cases, non-profits prepare donation requests using one color (usually black for highest readability), with perhaps a second color for emphasis of key points. For-profit organizations, on the other hand, often send out thousands of full-color brochures with elaborate graphics. Postage is another consideration. - First class is the most expensive, but it is more reliable and timely than the cheaper third class (often called "standard mail"). - First class also ensures that mail is forwarded or returned without additional cost to the sender. Non-profit postage rates, available to qualified organizations, are the cheapest. - You can cut postage costs by presorting letters by zip code and mailing at least 200 pieces at one time.

Direct Mail Letter (16.3.2) -

For maximum effectiveness, the cover letter should be addressed to one person and start with a personal greeting, "Dear Ms. Smith." - Some letters skip the personal salutation and just use a headline that will grab the reader's attention. A headline or a first paragraph is the most-read part of a letter, so it must be crafted to arouse the reader's interest. - Some studies show that it takes a reader about 1 to 3 seconds to decide whether to read on or pitch the letter in the trash. As you develop the content of your letter, keep in mind the elements of the acronym AIDA— Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. - Your task is first to get and hold your audience's attention, then tell why the issue you're writing about matters to them. - Once that task is achieved, you need to engage their desire to act on their interest. - Most importantly, perhaps, is that you provide a specific action and an easy way to achieve it. HEADLINES AND FIRST PARAGRAPHS - A sales pitch for a product or service often has a headline that emphasizes a free gift or the promise of saving money. - Non-profit groups and public action groups, however, often state the need in a headline. EX. The National Resources Defense Council, for example, used a headline in red that said, "Stop Big Oil's Attack on the Arctic Refuge ... And Alaska's Imperiled Polar Bears." - The headline on a fundraising letter for a breast cancer marathon simply implored, "Please help me raise funds to finish breast cancer." You can use a straight lead for the beginning paragraph, or a human-interest angle. - The straight lead is to the point. EX. The Sierra Club began one letter from the executive director with the following: "I am writing to ask for your immediate help to ensure victory for the most ambitious government plan to protect endangered wilderness in our nation's history—the Wild Forest Protection Plan." Strong emotional appeals are also used. EX. Human Rights Watch started one letter with the sentence, "Imagine the brutality of being raped and seeking help through your government and the only response is silence." TYPEFACE AND LENGTH - Most direct mail letters are written on the organization's letter-size stationery. - There is no rule about length, but experts recommend a maximum of two to four pages. A typewriter-style font for the text, such as Courier, makes the letter appear more personal than a fancier typeface. Several tactics are used to make the letter easy to use. - One is short sentences and paragraphs. - Another is putting key words and phrases in boldface or even larger type. Some organizations emphasize key messages with a yellow highlighter, red ink, or underlining. POSTSCRIPT - The most effective direct mail letters always end with a postscript, or P.S. Many experts say this is the second most-read part of a letter, after the headline and beginning paragraph. - It gives the writer an opportunity to restate the benefits or make a final pitch for support. EX. ASPCA ended a fundraising letter with this postscript: "I have enclosed your special ASPCA pet tag just for you. Please let me know that it has arrived in good condition by returning the enclosed form to me today. When you do, please send along an additional gift if you possibly can. Remember, your support is saving animals' lives!"

Reply Card (16.3.4) -

If you want a response from the reader, the best way to get it is to provide a reply card. - The card, printed on index-card stock so it is more rigid, should contain all the information you and the reader require to process an acceptance to attend an event, make a pledge to the organization, or order merchandise. Additional care should be used to prepare the reply form printed on the card. Exactly what information do you need to process the reply? - Typical reply cards provide spaces for the respondent to give his or her name, address, city, and zip code. - In addition, you may want the person's telephone number and email address. ----> This information is valuable for updating lists for future mailings to the same people. If the person is making a charitable donation or buying a product, you need to provide categories for payment by either check or credit card. - If a secure online payment option is available, that should be noted in the letter and brochure. - The credit card information you need is : 1) the type of credit card, 2) the name of the person listed on the credit card, 3) the card number, and 4) the expiration date. It is important to ensure that the space allowed is large enough to accommodate the requested information. - A short line may not be sufficient for a person to write his or her complete address clearly. In general, reply cards should be at least 4 by 6 inches, and many of them are 4 by 8 inches.

The Basics of Direct Mail (16.2) -

Letters and accompanying material mailed to large groups of people is a form of marketing called direct mail. - Although many consumers and the media often refer to it as junk mail, it has a long history. EX. According to Media Distribution Services, one of the first examples of "direct mail" was in 1744, when Benjamin Franklin mailed a list of books for sale to a selected list of prospects. - Not exactly Amazon.com, but a start. Since then, the use of direct mail to sell ideas, goods, and services has skyrocketed. - Billions of direct mail pieces are produced each year in the United States, primarily to sell products and solicit donations for a variety of charities. - Indeed, according to some estimates, the average person receives 40 pounds, or about 830 pieces, of direct mail annually or 16 pieces a week. - For every 16 pieces of direct mail received, the average person gets 1 piece of personal or business mail. In fact, the U.S. Post Office processes 262 million pieces of direct mail each day. - The Post Office says 48 percent of the mail it delivers is direct mail. Although the major use of direct mail is to sell goods and services, it also is an effective public relations tool. EX. Direct mail, for example, is used by political candidates to inform voters about issues and also to ask for their votes. - It is used by charitable groups to educate the public about various social issues and diseases and to solicit contributions. - It is used by cultural organizations to announce a concert series or new exhibition or to seek volunteers. Corporations often use direct mail to notify consumers about a product recall, inform investors about a merger or acquisition, or apologize about poor service or shoddy goods. - Community groups use direct mail to let their members and other interested people know about forthcoming events or their stand on important issues. -----> In other words, whenever a number of people can be identified as a key public, it is logical to reach them with direct mail. While we will discuss direct mail as primarily a print product, it is important to recognize that direct mail tactics are also combined with or applied to email. - Oftentimes, direct marketing is used as a synonym for direct mail. - In fact, Direct Marketing News reported, "Response increases across the board when direct mail and email are combined in a multichannel campaign."

Gifts (16.3.6) -

Many non-profit and charitable organizations use direct mail packages that include a gift of some kind. The most common gifts are address labels, greeting cards, calendars, and tote bags. EX. As noted earlier, the ASPCA included a pet tag to appeal to its publics. - The theory is that the inclusion of such material cuts through all the competing solicitations and gives the person a "reward" for opening the envelope. The inclusion of such items, however, considerably raises the cost of direct mail, and it's no guarantee that people will make a contribution out of "guilt" or even "gratitude." - In fact, there is some evidence that such "gifts" can increase the ire of individuals, because they don't like charitable causes spending so much money on direct mail—money that could go to the cause itself. EX. Oxfam, the humanitarian aid agency, took this tack on one mailing. - The beginning of the letter announced the following in big, bold letters: "Enclosed: No address labels to use, No calendars to look at, No petitions to sign, and No pictures of starving children. What you will find is a straightforward case for one of the most effective humanitarian aid agencies anywhere in the world."

Billboards (16.9.1) -

Most outdoor advertising consists of paper sheets pasted on a wooden or metal background. - The 24-sheet poster is standard, but there are also painted billboards, which use no paper. Outdoor advertising reaches large audiences in brief exposures. - Accordingly, advertising for this medium must be eye-catching and use few words. Ten words is a rule-of-thumb limit for outdoor copy. - When design and copy are approved, the individual sheets that make up the whole advertisement are printed and then pasted to the billboard. Location is vital in this medium—and prices are based on the traffic that is exposed to the site. - Occasionally, non-profit organizations can obtain free or heavily discounted usage of outdoor space that is temporarily unsold. Displays are usually scheduled in monthly units, and occasionally there are gaps in the schedules, which may lead to discounted rates.

Working with an Ad Agency (16.7) -

Most public relations advertising is prepared with the assistance of an advertising agency. - The agency has employees who are experts in all phases of creating the ads and purchasing space in the selected media. In an integrated marketing communications campaign, personnel from a public relations firm and an advertising agency often work together on a campaign. EX. The Weber Shandwick public relations firm, for example, works with ad agency Lowe Campbell Ewald on the Great American Milk Drive for the Milk Processor Education Program, the National Dairy Council, and Feeding America. EX. In addition, FleishmanHillard public relations worked on a Connecticut Office of Tourism campaign with Adams & Knight advertising. Ketchum public relations worked with DDB to develop a campaign to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Morton Salt Girl. ----> The key to a successful relationship is keeping the communication channels as open as possible. - Sara Calabro, a writer for PRWeek, gives some pointers for working with an ad agency: - Do clarify the respective responsibilities of each agency from the outset and communicate openly and frequently throughout the campaign. - Do always view an integrated account from the perspective of how public relations can complement advertising and vice versa. - Do consider the compatibility of team members' personalities when selecting a partner agency.

Native Advertising (16.8) -

Native advertising is a form of advertising spawned by the combination of digital media and publishers' needs to generate advertising income in unconventional ways. Native advertising, also known as sponsored content, branded content, or sponsored journalism, is content that is written by public relations professionals and placed among news content—for a price. For decades "advertorials" have existed in print publications. - Native advertising is today's online version of the tactic. Print advertorials were content written by public relations professionals and published in newspapers and magazines as paid content. - Oftentimes advertorials appeared in special advertising sections of a publication where they were not directly adjacent to news copy, but they were presented as editorial content rather than advertising. POPULARTITY - The growth of digital media has provided a new opportunity for paid placement of promotional editorial copy. - In 2013, $1.5 billion was spent on native advertising, compared to $8.6 billion spent on banner advertisements. - Experts predict native advertising will be a $3.1 billion industry in 2017. The practice is widespread among well-respected news media such as Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Slate, The Atlantic, BuzzFeed, and even the Associated Press. - Forbes has a formal arrangement wherein a completely separate newsroom is set up for the magazine's native advertising program, "BrandVoice." Lewis DVorkin, Forbes Media's chief product officer, told PRWeek that there is a trend among advertisers to create their own content for Forbes to host on and in its various media. PLACEMENT - Traditional news media are not the only sources for native advertising placement. - Sharethrough is a software company, and there are several, that provides products to place in-feed native ads in social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Tumblr. Native advertising offers an opportunity for public relations professionals. - Since the content is supposed to mimic regular news editorial content, the news writing skills of public relations come into play. Native advertising provides the advantage of targeting potential customers or other stakeholders on their favorite platforms. - Public relations firm Edelman released a special report titled, "Sponsored Content: A broader relationship with the U.S. news media." In its report, Edelman noted that paid syndication was the most commonly seen native advertising. "Here sponsored posts, articles, videos, slideshows and information graphics from corporations appear within the news section," the report noted. EX. Toyota, Cadillac, and Boeing are among the major corporations that regularly run paid-syndicated posts on Slate, NBC News, The Atlantic, Gawker Media and others, according to the Edelman report.

Summary of Other Advertising Channels -

Other channels of public relations advertising include: 1) billboards 2) transit panels 3) buttons and bumper stickers 4) posters 5) T-shirts 6) promotional items

Other Advertising Channels (16.9) -

Other forms of advertising that can be used as a tactic in a public relations program are : (1) billboards, (2) transit panels, (3) buttons and bumper stickers, (4) posters, (5) T-shirts, and (6) promotional items. - The creative output of public relations students included application of some nontraditional forms of advertising, including some listed above.

Issues with Native Advertising -

PRWeek conducted a survey to examine the attitudes of news consumers to native advertising. Despite an ongoing debate within the public relations, advertising, and journalism industries about the ethics involved in native advertising, most respondents to the PRWeek survey said they were open to reading sponsored content. - In fact, they thought it was helpful to the overall news consumption experience. According to these survey respondents, native advertising is relevant when it meets these conditions: - the content is relevant to the reader, - the brand is relevant to the reader, - the reader trusts the brand, - the native advertising or sponsored content is relevant to the medium, and - the brand is perceived as an authority on the topic being "reported." There are a variety of concerns about native advertising. - The federal body charged with protecting consumers—the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)—is watching native advertising carefully to be sure it doesn't mislead consumers. - In fact, the FTC has held seminars with public relations professionals and journalists to discuss the pros and cons of the tactic. Some public relations practitioners voice concern about native advertising eroding the credibility of earned media (public relations' bread and butter). - Anna Keeve, a senior program manager at Stalwart Communications in San Diego, wrote in PR News, "A new business model is afoot that threatens not only objectivity in reporting and publishing, but also the opportunities for earned media." Public relations expert Fraser Seitel offered advice in O'Dwyer's to public relations professionals who produce native advertising. - He wrote that it is important to understand that native advertising isn't objective news. - To be most effective, Seitel noted, native advertising has to be placed in the appropriate context, echoing the findings of the PRWeek survey. Use native advertising to "pitch" products and services to consumers, but stay away from the hard sell. - Seitel also wrote that native advertising was a good place to acknowledge the good deeds of a corporation, given that—in his opinion—such news is seldom covered by journalists.

Posters (16.9.4) -

Posters are used in a variety of settings to create awareness and remind people of something. - Many companies use posters on bulletin boards to remind employees about basic company policies, benefits, and safety precautions. EX. Government agencies often use posters as part of public information campaigns about preventing AIDS, getting flu shots, or having pets neutered. Museum exhibits and art shows lend themselves to poster treatments. - The poster, often a piece of art itself, can promote attendance and can also be sold as a souvenir of the show. To be effective, a poster must be attractively designed and have strong visual elements. - It should be relatively large, convey only one basic idea, and use only a few words to relate basic information. A poster is a very small billboard. - Posters, if done properly, can be expensive to design and produce. ----> Therefore, you need to assess how the posters will be used and displayed. Costs can be controlled, often by buying ready-to-use posters from printers and having the organization's name or logo imprinted on them. - Local chapters of national organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, also get posters from the national organization that can easily be localized.

Creating a Print Ad (16.6) -

Print advertisements have several key elements: - the headline, - text, - artwork, and - layout Like when writing for VNRs and PSAs, you have to write copy for the ear, keep it short, and adopt a conversational style. - For television, you need strong graphic elements.

Public Service (16.5.3) -

Public service advertisements provide information, raise awareness about social issues, and give how-to suggestions. - A number of non-profit and charitable organizations, as well as governmental agencies, use such advertising for public education. The Ad Council often prepares ads for newspapers and magazines, TV stations, radio stations, transit signage, and social media. Corporations also do public service kinds of advertising to generate goodwill. - In most cases, it is related to their products and services. EX. The Pacific Gas & Electric Company provides information on public safety and emergency preparedness. EX. The Coca-Cola Company focuses on obesity education. EX. Microsoft combined efforts with StopThinkConnect.org to provide tips about online security.

T-Shirts (16.9.5) -

T-shirts have been described as "walking billboards," and some people, including sociologists, lament the fact that people are so materialistic that they willingly become walking ads for products, services, and social or political issues. - Why people do this remains unknown, but the fact is that they do spend their own money to advertise things with which they may or may not have any direct connection. Because so many people are willing to serve as billboards, you may find an opportunity to use this medium, which is particularly convenient for causes such as environmental protection. - Often such groups make sizable incomes from the sale of T-shirts. Corporations don't usually sell T-shirts, but they do distribute them to attendees at conferences, sales meetings, picnics, sponsored activities such as sports events, and events at other venues. - In these situations, the T-shirts contribute to a feeling of belonging to a team. Almost every town and city in America has at least one shop where you can order T-shirts. - You can specify just about anything you can imagine—slogans, corporate logos, symbols, and so on. The process is simple and fast, and the costs are low. At some time, almost any organization may find T-shirts useful.

The Basics of Public Relations Advertising (16.4) -

The American Marketing Association defines advertising as "the placement of announcements and persuasive messages in time or space purchased in any of the mass media." Melvin DeFleur and Everett Dennis, authors of the classic textbook Understanding Mass Media, go even further and state, "Advertising tries to inform consumers about a particular product and to persuade them to make a particular decision—usually the decision to buy the product." - They are describing the most common forms of advertising—national consumer advertising (the ad in Time magazine about a new car model) and retail advertising (the ad in the local paper telling you where to buy the car). In public relations and marketing, advertising is in the category of "paid media" (as opposed to earned media and owned media) because organizations or their advertising agencies create the ad and purchase media space for it. - However, advertising can serve other purposes besides just persuading people to buy a product or service. Todd Hunt and Brent Ruben, authors of Mass Communication: Producers and Consumers, say other purposes of advertising might be to build consumer trust in an organization (institutional advertising), to create favorable opinions and attitudes (goodwill or public service advertising), or to motivate people to support a cause or a political candidate (issue or political advertising). - These kinds of advertising can be placed under the umbrella of public relations advertising. In fact, the American National Advertisers and Publishers Information Bureau once suggested several characteristics that distinguish public relations advertising. The following list uses the word "company," but the concept is applicable to any organization, including non-profits, trade groups, and special-interest groups. "Public relations advertising" must: - Educate or inform the public regarding the company's policies, functions, facilities, objectives, ideals, and standards. - Create a climate of favorable opinion about the company by stressing the competence of the company's management, accumulated scientific knowledge, manufacturing skills, technological progress, and contribution to social advancement and public welfare. - Build up the investment qualities of the company's securities or improve the financial structure of the company. - Sell the company as a good place in which to work, often in a way designed to appeal to recent college graduates or people with certain skills. ----> In other words, public relations advertising does not sell goods or services directly. - Instead, its primary purpose is to inform, educate, and create a favorable climate of public support that allows an organization to succeed in its organizational objectives. Of course, an indirect by-product of this may be the selling of goods and services.

Creating a Direct Mail Package (16.3) -

The direct mail package has five basic components: (1) mailing envelope, (2) letter, (3) basic brochure, (4) reply card, and (5) return envelope. - On occasion, a sixth component is added—"gifts" such as address labels, greeting cards, and even calendars that are designed to entice a person to open the envelope and at least read the message.

Mailing Envelope (16.3.1) -

The envelope is the headline of a direct mail package, because it is the first thing the recipient sees. - If this doesn't attract the reader's interest, a person will not "read on" by opening the envelope. One study found, for example, that 60 to 90 percent of recipients make a subconscious judgment about a direct mail piece within 90 seconds of viewing it. According to Media Distribution Services, there are several ways to make an envelope attractive and appealing. - It can be visually enhanced through the creative use of paper stock, windows, tabs, teasers, and other design options. - Heavy, glossy paper can give the envelope the appearance of value and importance. - Windows can provide teasers and other information that cater to the question, "Why should I open this?" Sometimes, envelopes carry a preview of what's inside. EX. UNICEF New Zealand, in one of its holiday fundraising letters, used a knitted envelope. - The award-winning campaign was promoting giving gifts from UNICEF instead of another of Granny's knitted sweaters. Of course, not all envelopes tease so unconventionally or so expensively. EX. The Sierra Club often simply marks its envelopes "Urgent" in big, red letters. Organizations sometimes resort to trickery. - They make the envelope look like it is an official letter from a government agency or there is the misleading teaser that you are the winner of a large prize. In general, public relations writers should avoid using teasers and envelope designs that mislead readers or cause mistaken impressions. - This causes credibility problems and may border on being unethical. Your direct mail envelope should always have the name of the organization and the return address in the upper-left corner. Teasers should provide honest information. Research has also found that a regular stamp is better than metered postage at getting attention, and a commemorative stamp is the most effective. - Such stamps make the direct mail envelope look more important. Of course, a name and address printed on the envelope is better than an adhesive label. - And a handwritten name and address is better yet. Another suggestion is to make the envelope an unusual size—not the usual number 10 business envelope.

Ad Text. (16.6.2) -

The headline is followed by one or several copy blocks. - These are sentences and short paragraphs that inform and persuade. In general, copy should be limited to one or two major points. - Sentences should be short and punchy and use active voice. - A declarative sentence is much better than one that includes a dependent or an independent clause. The copy should evoke emotion, provide information of value to the reader, and suggest a way that the reader can act on the information. - You might include a toll-free telephone number, an email address, or the URL of the organization's website.

Ad Layout (16.6.4) -

The headline, copy, and graphic elements need to be integrated into an attractive, easy-to-read advertisement. A layout can be a mock-up of the planned ad, or it can be a detailed comprehensive that includes the actual type and artwork that will be used. In general, avoid all-capital letters or large blocks of copy. - Use serif type for body copy, avoid large blocks of reverse type (white on dark color), and use plenty of white space.

Disadvantages of Direct Mail (16.2.2) -

The major disadvantage of direct mail is its image as "junk mail." - All such mail, whether it is a first-class letter from a political party or a flyer from the local pizza parlor, is put into the same category of "useless" information that just clutters up a person's mailbox. Indeed, Direct Mail Information Service estimates that about three-quarters of direct mail is opened and about two-thirds of recipients read the contents. - Even when it is opened, it is estimated that only 1 or 2 percent of the recipients will act on the message. Despite such odds, U.S. consumers purchased $94 billion worth of merchandise in a recent year by responding to direct mail sales pitches. - Studies show that, on average, every dollar spent on direct mail advertising brings in $12 in sales—a return more than twice that generated by a television ad. Non-profit agencies that rely on direct mail for much of their fundraising also say that the ROI (return on investment) makes direct mail a major component of their communication strategy. INFORMATION OVERLOAD - As already mentioned, the average person receives more than 800 pieces of direct mail annually. - Although it is argued that a person reads direct mail in isolation from other messages and distractions, there is still the problem of clutter and the inability of people to cope with so many pieces of mail that clutter their mailboxes on a daily basis. ----> Consequently, it is important to know how to write and format a direct mail piece that gets opened, read, and acted upon.

Types of Public Relations Advertising (16.5) -

The majority of public relations advertising is done in magazines, with television and newspapers in second and third place, respectively. - The advantage of magazines is a highly defined readership in terms of income, education, occupation, and specific interests. A growing source for public relations advertising placement is online news media. Native advertising is paid placement of editorial content within a website. There are several types of public relations advertising. - At times, the distinctions between categories can become blurred; however, for the purposes of this discussion, we will deal with 5 basic types: 1) image building, 2) investor and financial relations programs, 3) public service messages, 4) advocacy, and 5) announcements.

Image Building (16.5.1) -

The purpose of image-building advertising is to strengthen an organization's reputation, change or reinforce public perceptions, and create a favorable climate for selling the organization's goods and services. Non-profits and civic groups also engage in image advertising. EX. A good example of an image-building campaign is Toyota's TeenDrive365, which projects its image as an automotive manufacturer concerned about safe driving education. - One magazine ad addressed to parents showed a child playing with a toy car in a dining room, to stress the need to emphasize safety to new drivers. - Consumers can learn more about the Toyota image-building campaign from the TeenDrive365 information on Toyota's main website. EX. The energy company Chevron often runs advertisements that are image-oriented rather than product- or service-oriented. - One ad from the We Agree campaign featured a photograph of a teen-aged boy and and declared Chevron's support for local schools in the headline. - The headline was followed by signatures of the president and CEO of a non-profit organization called "Project Lead the Way" and the vice president of human resources for Chevron.

Summary of the Types of Public Relations Advertising -

There are five kinds of public relations advertising: 1) image building 2) financial 3) public service 4) advocacy/issues 5) announcements

Transit Panels (16.9.2) -

This category includes the small posters placed in subway and commuter rail stations, the cards used in buses and rail cars, the highly visual ads often seen at bus stops, and the large ads on the sides and backs of buses. - All types of transit advertising require eye-catching graphics, but the copy can be longer than for outdoor posters. The person waiting for a train or holding a strap or a bar on a bus or rail car has some time to absorb a message. - Cards in transit vehicles often carry coupons or tear-off notes allowing readers to ask for more information or respond to some sort of offer