Successful media relations remain an untapped resource for so many businesses and organizations. You need to approach the media with sophistication, caution, and determination. Using mass media communication capabilities involves risks, but only if approached haphazardly with a naïve understanding of how the media works.
TMKG understands the differences between marketing and publicity, which is an essential component of successfully implementing media affairs communications. Publicity involves public relations strategies, and is more powerful than marketing because it is perceived as newsworthy. Marketing involves paid advertising, which typically is viewed by audiences more cautiously. The following simple chart represents industry accepted-characteristics between marketing and publicity:
Technique You control where You control when You control end result Has the most credibility
Advertising Yes Yes Yes No
Publicity No No No Yes
According to Sandra Beckwith, author of “How to Create Publicity That Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement,” implied editorial endorsement and backing of publicity gives it greater significance in the eyes of audiences. By generating publicity, you stand to better position yourself as an expert and educator. Even excellent advertising placements cannot showcase or draw attention to expertise like being quoted in newspaper or magazine articles. Publicity can also help sell products and services by increasing market exposure to them.
Using media affairs communications to improve your overall image can also be accomplished through publicity. Publicity can shape public opinion, translating into lasting relationships with consumers, voters, policy-makers or whomever is your audience. When defining your audience, it is important to determine how they get their news and information, uncover newsworthy topics in your campaign/organization, determine best ways to package news and target the appropriate media.
Clearly media solutions is vital to almost every aspect of shaping your image.
MEDIA SOLUTIONS
Over the years, we have secured interviews with CNN, USA Today, Washington Post, TIME Magazine and the Dallas Morning News, just to name a few.