Headlines
Public relations tips, tactics and trends
Volume
Two, Number OneWelcome to Headlines, a free newsletter published by Polaris Public Relations with practical information about the PR industry. Visualize your news The old cliché "a picture is worth a 1000 words" can be taken literally when it comes to media relations. While making sure you have the right wording and messaging in written materials is a critical first step, many practitioners tend to underestimate the contribution that a good visual can bring to securing media coverage. In fact, a good visual can often be the thing that tips the balance in your favour when attracting media to your event, extending coverage beyond geographical boundaries, or ensuring follow-up coverage long after the fact. When managed properly and creatively a strong visual might be just the ticket to capturing the interest of assignment editors who are inundated with hundreds of media invitations and news releases on any given day. More often than not, it may help guarantee prominent placement in a publication. But not any visual will do the trick. The more creative the visual, the greater the likelihood of a positive response. There have been countless occasions where a lesser story will gain precedence over a more significant one, simply because it has a stronger visual component to go with it. A case in point that demonstrates the value of creative visuals is a recent media launch we planned for CARSTAR StarPlex, a new collision repair operation in Mississauga.  To
stimulate media interest in the opening, we invited key journalists
to come to an
event where they could
damage
the president’s Mercedes with a sledgehammer. The
idea we wanted to convey was the confidence Mr. Mercanti had in his
company’s services and the quick turnaround time of repair work.
Media were invited to view the repaired car the following day, including
a taped record of the repair from start to finish.Not only did the visual reinforce the corporate message, it was unique enough to attract the attention of major television and print media. In fact, the Toronto Star decided to add their own twist to the theme, bringing kick boxers to the briefing—not to mention the fact that their follow-up article actually made reference to the photo opportunity that came with the invitation. The resulting coverage included a half-page feature in the Saturday Star Wheels Section, as well as significant on-air coverage with Global and CFTO. Estimated audience reach grew to 3 1/2 million on a program that was executed on a shoestring, translating into a cost per thousand people reached of less than $3.00. And the coverage continues. While there are no hard and fast rules about the use of visuals, some tips that can help you in determining how and when to use them include:
© 2004 Polaris Public Relations. All rights reserved. Shelley Pringle is principal at Polaris Public Relations, an associates-based PR agency that offers a full suite of communications services. She can be reached at 416.597.1518 or shelley@polarisprinc.com. 
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 Positive media coverage can help your company achieve many business objectives. It can generate awareness, establish credibility and build profile, to name a few. If you need help in developing a media relations plan, just give us a call at 416.597.1518. We’d be pleased to discuss your needs and develop an affordable program for your organization. If you’d like to suggest a topic for a future newsletter, or have a comment on this one, email us at info@polarisprinc.com.
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