PR and marketing

Devastating floods and heavy rainfall have not broken the belief of rural Australians that water restrictions remain an essential part of Australian life.

Despite full water tanks and bursting river banks, many Australians still value water as a scarce commodity and fully expect to see their water bills rise in the future.

A recent survey of 1040 rural and regional Australians conducted by OurPatch, a community web portal, revealed that almost half of those surveyed believe water restrictions are a necessity and strongly support restrictions in their community.

Rural and regional Australians were surveyed about the effects of major issues on their town, including job availability, quality of life and cost of resources like water.

As well as revealing the strong support for water restrictions, the survey showed that the recent abundance of rainfall did not convince many that the price of water would improve, with 85 percent still expecting their water bills to rise.

Director of OurPatch, Simon Van Wyk said, “Years of drought have obviously instilled a strong appreciation for every last drop and rural and regional Australians remain very water conscious.”

“Overall, the results show widespread support for water restrictions and indicate that Australians have accepted water restrictions as a necessary part of life,” said Mr Van Wyk.

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About OurPatch and the survey
OurPatch is network of websites covering most of rural and regional Australia. OurPatch is the civic centre for the internet age with business and community information, local news and events and community engagement. They aim to deliver local news to rural and regional Australia. The survey of 1040 rural and regional Australians over the age of 18 was carried out in late December 2010, covering all states and territories of Australia and representing all demographics. http://www.ourpatch.com.au/

The North Sydney Oval will be transformed into a mini Brazil complete with film, music, dance, food and cocktails for the third annual LAN Brazilian Festa at ME Bank Starlight Cinema from 4.00pm on Saturday 19 February 2011.

The main stage will feature a Brazilian Drums workshop, traditional Chorinho, the best of Brazilian music, and the latest Brazilian craze to hit Australia, Zumba. Hear talks about the wonders of Brazilian architecture and the big names of bossa nova.

The event will feature a carnival parade with drumming, costumes, feathers and dancing. Festa goers will be able to try Brazilian food, play football and frescoball, listen to live bossa nova and samba music and learn to make a caipirinha cocktail.

The LAN Brazilian Festa is a co-production between Starlight Cinema and Festa Event Management.

Director of ME Bank Starlight Cinema, Jill Keyte said, “After the success of last year’s Brazilian Festa, we are looking forward to another fantastic evening, providing something for everyone, including families.”

“This year, the party doesn’t just finish with the film but will include an after party with a vibrant Brazilian DJ who will keep everyone dancing until midnight,” said Ms Keyte.

Co-Producer, Flavia Fontes of Festa Event Management said, “The event will provide the opportunity for Sydneysiders to have a taste of Brazilian culture without the expensive airfare. For native Brazilians it will be the perfect opportunity to connect with their home country.”

The feature film of the evening, screening at sundown, will be the dramatic black comedy, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (É Proibido Fumar), winner of Best Film and Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Actor at the 2009 Brasilia Film Festival.

Built into the Festa is a special family friendly programme including a separate children’s film screening, cooking classes sponsored by Real Transfer and activities from ABCD including football games and face painting.

Festivities start at 4.00pm with the feature film beginning at sundown. The after party will finish at midnight.

Tickets can be bought online at www.starlightcinema.com.au or at the gate from 3.30pm.

The event is sponsored by Lan Airlines, Macquarie University, Real Transfer and Sagatiba and supported by Brazilwear, ABCD and Capoeira Brazil.

Over the Christmas holidays I became addicted to two things: Angry Birds and Mad Men. My addiction to Mad Men is continuing. And frankly it has saved me from dreadful summer television.

I managed to kick my Angry Birds habit. Only because I finished them all. Every level. The end was like eating the last M&M in the packet without realising it was the last one. You may have heard me scream.

I did learn one thing. Angry Birds is like PR.

It’s all about strategy
So you have four red birds and one “bomb” black bird. You are faced with a structure made of stone, wood and glass. The laughing pigs are hidden under all of this. How are you possibly going to get them? Just like a PR scenario, doing a mass email out of media releases, or firing off the birds hoping for a direct hit isn’t going to work. Think carefully about it. What is the outcome? How can you best approach it? What is going to have the most impact?

It takes perseverance
You have been on the same level for hours. You have tried every strategy you can think of, “bombing” high, low and right on target. Red birds, egg birds and blue triple birds. Want to give up? No! Take a step away and think about another angle. In PR, one angle (or pitch) may not work, in fact, several may not work. But if you persevere, think laterally, keep going, then you get results - and move to the next level.

Share the joy
My father downloaded Angry Birds on my iPod, his knee surgeon told him about it and I have successfully got many friends addicted. Share the joy! If you love something, or are an expert – share your joy and knowledge. PR tactics are the perfect medium to share your experience and expertise to make other people’s lives better in some way. Even if it’s how to write a better website, or fill in your tax return or tips on parenting. The experience doesn’t have to be monumental; just the act of sharing is enough.

DOUBLE PASS GIVEAWAY – ME Bank Starlight Cinema is on again at North Sydney Oval! This is a fun, relaxed outdoor cinema screening a mixture of new releases and old favourites. To win a double pass to a film of your choice at ME Bank Starlight Cinema, be the third person to email me!

LEARN HOW TO DO PR – My next one day workshop on PR and media releases that get results is on 17 February. Learn how to construct a PR strategy including how to develop media angles, pitches, media releases, articles, case studies and editorials. You will also learn how to strategically use these tools to maximise your chance of achieving your PR objectives. Sydney Writers’ Centre. Book now!

I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter. 

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Social media and the Queensland floods

Social media has played a big role in the Queensland floods from being a useful source of information for those dealing with the floods first hand to letting people in other areas of Australia know how they can help.

When Queensland Police saw the widespread use of the hashtag #qldfloods on Twitter, they adopted the trend and used it as a primary information source. The Brisbane City Council, the ABC and tens of thousands of people then did the same.

Information about road closures, flood warnings, offers of assistance and ways to donate were all delivered through Twitter and Facebook. Social media became an important communication tool, particularly for people whose power or telephone lines had been cut off by the floods but who still had access to their smart phones.

When social media peaked
How social media was being used was measured and it was found that peak periods of tweeting often coincided with flood peaks, making it a vital news source alongside newspapers, television and radio. The research by the ARC Centre for Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation found that when the flooding reached its peak in Brisbane, up to 1200 tweets every hour were recorded.

In this situation social media proved to be just as essential for providing information as newspapers and television and is a great example of how using social media in conjunction with traditional media means your messages will reach more people and have greater impact.

Read the whole article at Public Relations Sydney blog.

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Is the media release dead?

Media releases are often the first thing that come to mind when discussing public relations. They are a tried and true method, and are often very successful. However there is much more to public relations than the media release.

Next time you start writing a media release, stop and think about what you want to achieve and decide whether a media release is definitely the right way to go.

While media releases are still often used, there are many more ways of building your brand.

• Writing a case study: a case study demonstrates your experience and knowledge by telling people about your company’s projects and achievements. Many magazines feature case studies in every issue, and often these have been pitched in. Case studies can also be used to illustrate a pitch or media release, bringing life to the story you are telling.
• Contributing an article: an article that shares your expert knowledge can be a great story. A great way of doing this is to write a ‘how to’ article that is relevant to the audience of the publication.
• Pitching an idea for a story or interview: a newsworthy topic for an upcoming feature in a publication is often a very successful technique to tell your news, establish yourself as a leader in the field, and strengthen your brand. Just make sure that you have a designated spokesperson for the brand who is comfortable giving interviews.

Read the whole article at CP Communications blog.

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Upcoming events

Here are some events coming up that we thought you might be interested in:

How to create a powerful LinkedIn profile
Social Media Women’s February event features Karalyn Brown, Director of InterviewIQ who will reveal the possibilities of a well constructed LinkedIn profile. The session will cover how to find jobs and win business using a powerful LinkedIn profile.
8 February 2011

AANA Congress: Window on 2011
The AANA Congress tackles issues facing the advertising, marketing and communications’ industry nationally. A round table of industry leaders will reveal how the economy, marketing, media and consumer spending are shaping up for 2011.
10 February 2011

PR and Media Releases that Get Results with Catriona Pollard
Catriona Pollard will teach you how to construct a PR strategy that gets results. By the end of this workshop you will understand how to come up with a media angle, write a pitch, media release, article, case study and editorial. You will also learn how to strategically use these tools to maximise your chance of achieving your PR objectives.
17 February 2011

Social Innovation BarCamp
A day of free workshops which are described as ‘Unconferences’, where anyone can present on issues that are important to them. Everyone is encouraged to have an open conversation within the workshops. It’s always a great day with very interesting people and topics.
26 February 2011

ad:tech Sydney
Come along to ad:tech, the leading annual event for the digital marketing and advertising community. The two-day event features panel debates and keynote addresses about social media strategy, digital media, mobile marketing and more.
9-10 March 2011

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Media releases are often the first thing that comes to mind when discussing public relations. They are a tried and true method, and are often very successful. However there is much more to public relations than the media release.

There’s been a lot of talk recently about whether media releases are still relevant. PR methods change with the times. With many brands vying for attention and so many stories wanting to be told in the media, it’s not enough to send a few media releases and hope that the coverage will follow. In fact, it’s just lazy PR.

Next time you start writing a media release, stop and think about what you want to achieve. Which publication do you want to be covered in? Who is your intended audience? What story do you want to tell? Then decide whether a media release is definitely the right way to go.

Start by reading the magazine or newspaper that you want your news to be featured in. This will give you an idea of their style, and details such as whether they take contributed articles and whether they feature case studies.

Remember, journalists receive so many media releases that yours can easily become another deleted email. While media releases are still often used, there are many more ways of building your brand.

• Writing a case study: a case study demonstrates your experience and knowledge by telling people about your company’s projects and achievements. Many magazines feature case studies in every issue, and often these have been pitched in. Case studies can also be used to illustrate a pitch or media release, bringing life to the story you are telling.
• Contributing an article: an article that shares your expert knowledge can be a great story. A great way of doing this is to write a ‘how to’ article that is relevant to the audience of the publication.
• Pitching an idea for a story or interview: a newsworthy topic for an upcoming feature in a publication is often a very successful technique to tell your news, establish yourself as a leader in the field, and strengthen your brand. Just make sure that you have a designated spokesperson for the brand who is comfortable giving interviews.

Your chosen tactic must take your PR objectives into account and the information you would like to tell your audience. If your goal is to establish yourself as an expert in the field, a contributed article might be a better tactic than a media release. This isn’t to say that media releases should never be used, but they should be used only when they are most appropriate, when there is something newsworthy to say.

Ten women selected by UBS will also participate in the program.

ME Bank Starlight Outdoor Cinema is launching its eighth season at North Sydney Oval, with a fabulous line-up of new release and classic films.

ME Bank Starlight Cinema offers a fun atmosphere for all ages where everyone can picnic under the stars while watching the best new films as well as some old favourites.

Jill Keyte, Producer of ME Bank Starlight Cinema said, “We have 34 great films on the programme and every night has its own theme. This is looking to be our biggest season yet!”

Nightly themes include Action-Packed Wednesdays, Comedy & Adventure Thursdays, Fun & Romance Fridays, Big Movie Saturdays and Young & Free Sundays. Family films are showing on alternating Friday and Saturday nights.

“What better way to watch a great film than under the stars on a warm summer evening? Make yourself comfortable on the soft grass and relax in front of our huge (16m x 8m) inflatable movie screen.”

“The North Sydney Oval has proven to be very popular over the past seven years, as it is a beautiful, relaxing outdoor location. We have another great line-up of films and early bookings show that this season will be as big as ever,” said Ms Keyte.

The 2011 season will be the second year ME Bank has been the major sponsor of Starlight Cinema in North Sydney.

Ian Hendey, Group Executive, Brands and Products at ME Bank said, “This great summer event provides us with a unique opportunity to bring ME Bank closer to the local community.”

“Over the seven-week season, we look forward to sharing in the fun and entertainment with our customers, shareholders and staff,” said Mr Hendey.

Bring a blanket, hire a backrest or sit in the Crust Lawn Lounge, where customers will have a great view from a bean bed right in front of the screen. ME Bank Starlight Cinema also offers Star Class, with VIP entry and service.

There is a film for everyone – young, old, couples, friends and families. Some of the highlights are The Social Network, potential Academy Award winner The Kings Speech, Love and Other Drugs, Burlesque with Cher and Christina Aguilera, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Breakfast at Tiffany's, plus two great lifestyle movies, the new surf film, First Love (releasing for Valentine’s Day) and spectacular snowboard film, That’s It That’s All, not previously seen on the big screen.

This season will feature two special events, The LAN Brazilian Festa on Saturday 19 February and Valentine’s Day on Monday 14 February.

ME Bank Starlight Cinema will run at North Sydney Oval from Wednesday 19 January until Saturday 5 March 2011, screening Wednesday to Sunday. Gates open at 7.00pm and films begin at sundown. There is covered seating for rainy nights.

Tickets can be bought at the gate or online at www.mebankstarlightcinema.com.au.