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March 23, 2007
Taking the Show on the Road
One of the most venerated techniques in PR is the media tour, which my father, Dan Edelman, created in the late 1940s with the Toni Twins (which Twin has the Toni?). A spokesperson goes on the road, appearing on local television and taking interviews with local print and radio outlets, endorsing a product, telling a compelling personal story that validates his or her news value.
It is an interesting to observe the evolution of the tour concept into a public affairs and corporate reputation PR technique. Let me give you an example:
The National Committee on United States-China Relations, based in New York City, is planning a thirty city event on May 31 to underline the economic benefits of US China trade. Working with the World Affairs Council, the goal is to attract local opinion leaders from business, academia and government, including congressmen and senators. There will be a satellite feed from Washington, featuring Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Hill. The hope is that attendees will tell stories of expanded exports or more cost-effective manufactured imports that have improved competitiveness.
Why take the show on the road? As noted in previous posts, I believe that business has to be more out front in establishing its rationale for specific policy recommendations. Otherwise, companies will find themselves already positioned in a negative context by those more adept at the game. Here is one example in the energy sector.
Companies should also recognize that there are power centers beyond the traditional political and financial hubs of Washington, Brussels, New York and London. For example, Silicon Valley has important think tanks (Institute for the Future), academic centers and media, while Seattle is home of the most influential philanthropy (Gates Foundation) and Amsterdam is the focus of the global NGO movement.
The dispersion of authority from government, mainstream media and business (especially CEOs) means that companies have to embrace the outside game and to work harder to sell a specific proposition. Hit the road, Jack!
Posted by Edelman at March 23, 2007 5:05 PM |
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Comments
I was so impressed to read that in 1940 the ideea of organising media tours, came from US, and your father was the innitiator. Running a PR consulting company in Romania, PRAIS Corporate Communications, we developed for the last 3 years in 41 counties a roadshow on CSR, putting together business people, mass media, local goverments, NGO's. The result was fantastic, thousand of people attend the events, having for the first time access to what CSR means, we reached an extensive media coverage - "no cash for editorial" all over the country, and the most important thing was that we contributed together with our client, to changind mentalities, motivating people to be responsible towards their communities. As you may see in Romanian or in USA - going to the source with the show, and why not, singind in the bus the lovely song "Hit the road, Jack!" we may have a bigger impact than organising a convention with 10 000 people. It is maybe a harder way, but it is great if you can make it!
Silvia Bucur
General Director
PRAIS Corporate Communications,
www.prais.ro
Posted by: Silvia Bucur at March 28, 2007 11:40 AM