Page 504 - Foundations of Marketing

Advertising and Public Relations | Chapter 16 471

Going Green

Launching a Green Public Relations Campaign

Green public relations (PR) campaigns are a tempting in digital advertising or use recycled paper to market their
opportunity for businesses. Approximately 40 million U.S. campaigns.
consumers consider themselves environmentally friendly, Additionally, PR professionals must choose appropri-
prompting many organizations to jump onto the green ate marketing mediums. Studies have shown that con-
bandwagon. However, as with every PR campaign, compa- sumers prefer in-store signage and online advertising; in
nies must carefully consider several different factors. fact, 40 percent of consumers have indicated they would
First, a PR professional must determine what claims like to see more green information in stores. Marketers
to make about the product or business. Using ambigu- also have a number of online outlets from which to
ous terms like “eco-friendly” does not adequately inform choose. Many experts believe that the best way to connect
the consumer about how the product or business is with green-minded consumers is through social networks,
green. Instead, PR professionals should select claims online green communities, and through blogs like treehug-
that can be substantiated. It is also important for PR ger.com. Actively posting on these sites and referring
professionals to use environmentally friendly marketing customers to these sites to read its posts can significantly
c
techniques. For instance, PR professionals could engage reinforce an organization’s green claims.

© iStockphoto.com/CRTd
Publicity is a part of public relations. Publicity is communication in news-story form
about the organization, its products, or both, transmitted through a mass medium at no charge.
For instance, each time Apple CEO Tim Cook announces that the company will introduce a
new model of the iPhone and iPad, the story is covered in newspapers and television news
shows throughout the world for months afterward. Although public relations has a larger, more
comprehensive communication function than publicity, publicity is a very important aspect of
public relations. Publicity can be used to provide information about goods or services; to
announce expansions or contractions, acquisitions, research, or new-product launches; or to
enhance a company’s image.
The most common publicity-based public relations tool is the news release , sometimes
called a press release, which is usually a single page of typewritten copy containing fewer
than 300 words and describing a company event or product. A news release gives the firm’s
or agency’s name, address, phone number, and contact person. Companies sometimes use
news releases when introducing new products or making significant announcements. Dozens
of organizations, including Nike, Starbucks, and clean-energy companies, are partnering to
publicity A news story type
create awareness of the economic benefits of national climate and energy legislation through
of communication about an
press releases and other media. As Table 16.4 shows, news releases tackle a multitude of
organization and/or its products
specific issues. A feature article is a manuscript of up to 3 , 000 words prepared for a specific transmitted through a mass
publication. A captioned photograph is a photograph with a brief description explaining its medium at no charge
contents. Captioned photographs are effective for illustrating new or improved products with
news release A short piece
highly visible features. of copy publicizing an event or
There are several other kinds of publicity-based public relations tools. For example, a press a product
conference is a meeting called to announce major news events. Media personnel are invited feature article A manuscript
to a press conference and are usually supplied with various written materials and photographs. of up to 3 , 000 words prepared
Letters to the editor and editorials are sometimes prepared and sent to newspapers and maga- for a specific publication
zines. Videos may be made available to broadcasters in the hope that they will be aired. captioned photograph A
Publicity-based public relations tools offer several advantages, including credibility, news photograph with a brief descrip-
value, significant word-of-mouth communications, and a perception of media endorsement. tion of its contents
The public may consider news coverage more truthful and credible than an advertisement press conference A meet-
because news media are not paid to provide the information. In addition, stories regarding a ing used to announce major
new-product introduction or a new environmentally responsible company policy, for example, news events

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