Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Why Public Relations? Part 2
Part 2: Prepare the market | Build an image | Enhance relationships with key customers | Raise public awareness | Coordinate news media
Prepare the market
A new oral vaccine to prevent children’s diarrhea was making its way through the regulatory channels and the launch was in sight. One problem … the public and many healthcare professionals didn’t have any idea what the disease was and saw no need to use the vaccine. A nationwide media campaign was launched at least a year before the product was approved using key thought leaders at the CDC and other prestigious scientific institutions as media spokespersons. An elderly NIH scientist who had invented the vaccine and worked his entire career on its development, served as the “celebrity” spokesperson. By the time of launch, not only had the percentage of healthcare professionals cognizant of rotavirus and the RotaShield vaccine risen substantially, but also the manufacturer had secured recommendations from key government advisory panels to give the vaccine to all children. Parents were receptive because they now knew about the dangers of rotavirus and the value of the vaccine.
Build an image
To most children of the 60s, the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic meant quality medical care regardless of ability to pay. In the 20 subsequent years, the clinic and its founder had become
leaders in drug abuse research and education of physicians. But, to attract funding for expanded research, the clinic's efforts needed to be more widely understood. A strategy was developed to announce the clinic's national study of drug abuse trends as recorded by drug abuse treatment centers. The story was released cost-effectively via a television news story, a radio feature and a press release on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the clinic's founding. It was carried by more than 50 major market television stations, NBC, CBS, ABC and Mutual radio networks, the Associated Press, United Press International, USA Today and several daily newspapers. Shortly after the national publicity, the clinic received funding from a Fortune 500 firm to conduct new drug abuse research.
Enhance relationships with key customers
Pharmacists are often leaders within their own communities, providing expert guidance on matters of health and medicine. They are a direct link with the consumer and, consequently, a very important customer for pharmaceutical firms. To strengthen relationships with key pharmacists across the country, one firm sponsored an award to honor local pharmacists for outstanding community service and raised the company's visibility through a publicity effort in each recipient's community. The award, named for the international symbol of pharmacy, the "Bowl of Hygeia," was presented to each recipient by a company representative at state pharmacy association annual meetings. Stories honoring the recipients appeared in professional, business, community and alumni publications. In addition, the company invited the award winners as well as the presidents of national pharmaceutical associations to a gala reception and dinner in the company's headquarters city. Finally, a congratulatory advertisement featuring photographs of each award winner appeared in U.S. Pharmacist, American Pharmacy, the NARD Journal and the Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal.
Raise public awareness
Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer and its most deadly variety, malignant melanoma, is increasing at an alarming rate. To alert and to teach the public how to prevent the disease or to detect it early if it does occur, the American Academy of Dermatology initiated nationwide skin cancer screening clinics coordinated by local dermatologists during the month of May. To maximize the impact, a "do-it-yourself" publicity kit, using the theme "Ban the Burn," was developed for the local coordinators. It included press releases, public service announcements, sample speeches, posters and brochures along with instructions on how to implement each component. With the kits, each coordinator spread the word about protecting the skin from too much sun and examining it for skin cancer warning signs. Bolstered by promotion, the clinics screened more than 50,000 people. Hundreds of suspected skin cancers were detected early.
Coordinate news media
Lock & Key Productions, producers of the highly popular primetime ABC-TV Network show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, selected a small residential construction company, Kersteins Homes & Designs, to design and build a luxurious new home for a deserving local family. The production schedule demanded the entire construction to be completed in one week, and that the project remained confidential to the family and entire community until production commenced. The tight timeline required the contractor and hundreds of workers to remain focused and not be distracted by burgeoning crowd onlookers nor by the onslaught of news reporters who were expected to descend on the rural community during the construction. Parallax was retained to coordinate and manage all media activities. We designed a detailed media plan/timeline; issued statewide press announcements when production commenced; established an on-site media center for reporters to easily access information about the show and new home and conduct pre-scheduled interviews with program celebrities and local builders. Parallax staff managed all media activities, hosted reporters, and was on-call 24-7 to ensure reporters completed their stories while construction and production crews worked undeterred for seven days to complete the project. Significant statewide and local print, TV and radio news stories chronicled the project. Parallax also produced a documentary of the week-long project with video of construction scenes woven with comments from the contractor and construction crews, local officials and volunteers.
