Category: Public Relations

Soccer PR: USWNT World Cup Win

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, ,

I’m a soccer fan – more specifically, a U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) fan. So you can imagine, as the concluding whistle blew at the World Cup finals this summer and the USWNT paraded around the field in Lyon, France, I was watching from my home in Charlotte with tears of joy in my eyes. The beloved team I have ardently followed for the last six years won the greatest match in its sport.

With the lingering excitement from the USA win, I can’t help but think about how these soccer icons employed an unofficial – yet effective – PR strategy during the World Cup to support their own goal of securing equal pay in the industry. Through establishing relationships, understanding their audience and leveraging the tools and circumstances at hand, these pro-athletes fostered support and acceptance for equal pay activism.

Here’s how the USWNT made an impact in the PR game.

@kelleyohara

Social Media: Every day of the World Cup, the players were extremely active on social media. These interactions garnered excitement and attention, encouraged fellow players on match day and eventually gained worldwide engagement. Seeing the team not only post consistently but also intentionally interact with each other on social media platforms helped the nation to adore the friendships and camaraderie on the team. Bolstered by this bond with its fans, the USWNT effortlessly collected supporters to rally behind it on and off the field, even yielding “equal pay” chants after securing the final victory. 

The Power of Relationships: Due to the attention drawn to the wage conversation during the World Cup, USWNT sponsors willingly responded to the noise. Secret Deodorant, LUNA Nutrition Bars and other team sponsors donated money in an effort to help close the wage gap. Because of the positive relationships cultivated by the team, the sponsors made a statement of support, providing the team greater exposure, agency and acceptance. 

Press Coverage: The women knew the amount of news coverage they would get surrounding a World Cup win, so they took advantage of the opportunity. For example, the players weaved the topic of wage equality into post-match and post-win interviews. Players Carli Lloyd, Christen Press, Morgan Brian and other notables even sat down with then-CBS News Correspondent Norah O’Donnell to discuss their next steps in spurring the end to wage inequality in their sport.

With a win, the team more powerfully leveraged its position in the media’s presence to earn circulation of its equal pay message. The country that so faithfully supports the team’s on-the-field effort has now rallied behind its message of equality.

I love soccer and PR. Check out my introduction blog to learn a little more about me!

Read More

From Broadcast to Bloodworth Street

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, The Clairemont Team,

The past few months have been busy as I kicked off both my junior year at NC State and my communications internship at Clairemont Communications. I came to Clairemont from a summer internship in sports broadcasting where, ultimately, I learned the performance of TV broadcasting wasn’t for me. I entered the fall season with a determined pursuit to engage in the PR world. While going from producing news to pitching news may seem like a natural transition, the two aren’t as related as they seem! But, here are three reasons I took the leap:

STORYTELLING

Since I can remember, I’ve admired the artful combination of words that create a story and captivate audiences. In PR, producing well-written content is always the goal, and is strategically utilized to not just capture the attention – but also the influence – of an audience. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

In these tech savvy times, social media has made its mark as the most commonly used medium to communicate. On a variety of social media platforms, PR pros can craft a narrative to the public, pitch media and influencers and, most importantly, respond to reactions in real time for clients! 

DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS

It may sound cliché, but this skill is the foundation for much of my professional future. In this field, not only do I get to build relationships with my team and my clients but I connect with the public and of course, media. As a general lover of people, I feel I’m in my natural element getting to communicate with a variety of individuals.

While becoming a PR professional may be my focus, it’s not my only passion! Here are some fun personal facts!

  1. I was a cheerleader growing up, but my thing was tumbling. I spent more than three days each week in the gym practicing and perfecting flips. If you asked me to do a backflip now, my answer will always be, “I’m retired.”
  2. I’m an older sister. My sister Abigail is three years my junior, and my best friend. Since we’ve grown older, it’s common for people to assume we’re twins (see picture for proof)! 
  3. You’ve made it this far, here’s three facts in one because I can’t choose! Sports is my love language (NC State Wolfpack, Carolina Panthers and U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team), coffee runs through my veins (preferably iced and vanilla) and I can’t go a day without spending time with Jesus! 

Check out my first blog at Clairemont!

By Haylee Hicks, Clairemont Intern and junior at North Carolina State University.

Read More

Traits of Successful PR Communicators

Clairemont InternBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, ,

Maybe you’re a student, a graduate fresh out of college or a practicing PR professional; whichever hat you wear, this blog is for you. It’s always good to bring things back to the basics and remind yourself how to do what you do well. Read on for a few key tricks to keep in your toolbox in order to be a successful PR communicator. 

Trait 1: Be a candid and captivating storyteller.

Everyone loves a good story, and people are willing to buy into a story if it is told candidly. Knowing how to tell your client’s story in a captivating manner is essential for generating a response to your message. By artfully presenting your message, you elevate your client to a position of authority and respect, boosting brand acceptance. As PR professionals, our job is to solve problems, and storytelling can be the means by which this is done. Find the silver lining and craft a straightforward, sincere narrative to achieve the solution.  

Trait 2: Be an audience-centered researcher.

Know your audience and how they will receive your message. In PR, we must be conscious of the various lenses through which our audience will process information. A variety of factors including age, gender and socio-economic demographic can influence these lenses. It is important to understand your audience’s experiences and then let this shape the way you work. Look for reactions and responses to similar messages and leverage these things to format your strategy.

Trait 3: Be a strategic influencer.

I may be a Gen-Z, but when I say, “Be a strategic influencer,” I don’t mean the trendy term used to describe people with thousands of Instagram followers. Consider your audience and approach, and intentionally craft your delivery to be an agent of influence for your client. Because people respond well to prominence and relevance, being a purposeful communicator is important. With this in mind, connect with your audience by channeling your strategy through notable networks, times and people.

Trait 4: Be an exceptional writer.

In PR, the trait of exceptional writing should never be overlooked or underestimated. This is how you hook your audience initially and sustain its attention. The skill of collecting and arranging words in a manner that’s catchy and clear is necessary for creating influential content. Purposeful, powerful and perfect writing can encourage people to absorb and accept the PR message you’re promoting.

Have a message you need help spreading far and wide?

Drop Us a Line

By Haylee Hicks, Clairemont Intern and junior at North Carolina State University. 

Read More

Pitch Perfect

Kelli FletcherBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, ,

For many in PR, pitching media is their one job. Here at Clairemont, we’re in the communications business, so we wear many hats! And one of them is indeed pitching media.

When I first started in public relations, pitching was like a weight on my shoulders. Most days I just couldn’t gear myself up for fear of rejection from media. But with plenty of practice and the right guidance, I conquered that fear and even perfected the process that best works for me. Since then, I’ve had many successes pitching media and securing stories for clients. Below are four things I’ve found that have helped perfect my pitch process.

Top Tips

  • Know your audience. First thing’s first: find the right contact. Don’t pitch fashion to a finance reporter. Use a mixture of tools and personal research to confirm the most current contacts and their beats.
  • Create a strong subject line. It’s the first thing a reporter sees when an email enters his or her inbox, so make sure yours hits the spot. Tip: Make it short and include major keywords up front.
  • Make it clear (and be concise). Get to the point – and quickly. What are you asking of the reporter? State what you are pitching and why.
  • Make it timely. Take note of what’s going on in the world and think about how it applies to your client. Using current events to your advantage can result in coverage and help position your client as an industry expert for future opportunities.

Success Stories

When the pitch is on point, the result can be, too. Take a look at the examples below of a few clients we’ve put in the spotlight through creative, timely pitch strategies:

  • Wendell Falls: To attract media to the community’s location, Clairemont ditched a standard pitch for a more playful angle, sending tangible invitations that included a “wanted” poster and a cowboy hat, which one TV reporter even sported on her station’s morning show! 
  • WGU North Carolina: To highlight a critical partnership for this client, Clairemont used a timely military angle to grab the attention of multiple reporters at TV stations in different markets.
  • Lincoln Apartments: Individualized, creative pitches piqued the interest of targeted media and secured on-site coverage at the Lincoln Apartments ribbon cutting (which was performed by a dog).
  • North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs: The team landed a 24-minute iHeartMedia interview for several key leaders and volunteers of the NCAFC. The coverage was broadcasted across five major Triangle radio stations and helped to secure needed volunteer firefighters.

Have the perfect pitch all packaged up and ready to go? Make sure you don’t squash your chance of coverage by committing these six slapdash sins. Need help identifying and crafting the perfect pitch to tell your story?

Drop us a line!
Read More

Plan a Magical Event: Lessons from Disney

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , ,

Growing up in Orlando, I was raised in the shadow of the Magic Kingdom. Everywhere we went, there were signs of Disney’s influence. The company had a huge, white-gloved hand in all major city events, including the naming of our semi-beloved basketball team. Looking back, it seemed impossible to think there was a time that Disney wasn’t a cultural phenomenon or undisputed king of American theme parks.

But there was. Disney has made mistakes, including one of the most arguably terrible PR catastrophes. The 2019 summer marked the 64th anniversary of the opening of the original Disneyland in California – the day that became known internally as “Black Sunday.” You already know how this story ends, because … Disney. Instead, let’s take a look at some of the missteps Disney made that day and learn how you can avoid these faux pas to ensure success in your events.

Unfinished Ambiance

Believe it or not, this magical kingdom wasn’t fully prepared for its worldly debut. Even as the first guests poured into the park, crews of workers were still painting walls and finishing the gardens. The park was an active construction site as guests walked through the front gates.

Avoid being unprepared for party guests by building in ample time for your team to finalize preparations. Create a detailed run of show that includes pre-event prep time, a checklist with responsible parties and deliverables, a contingency plan for each item and a crisis plan for unexpected challenges. This list will help you circumvent those last-minute stressful situations.

Overcrowding

Opening day was supposed to only be for a select few friends and family – approximately 15,000 total. Disney welcomed almost double that number thanks to counterfeit tickets and lack of security detail along the perimeters.

Thankfully today, sites like Eventbright, Eventzilla and Evite exist to assist with invites and RSVPs to make it easy to organize and track attendees. For more private affairs, make sure to have a list of guests’ names at the door at the time of entry, and plan to have security stationed at any other possible entry points to avoid crashers.

Shortage of Supplies

The influx of guests brought with it another issue – a shortage of food and drinks. Even the public water fountains weren’t fully up-and-running, leaving guests wandering around both parched and hungry.

Keep an updated list of RSVPs and round up the number to anticipate a few extras. No one likes to come up empty when they go to get a drink – or bite. So skillfully stock your stations with food and beverages by calculating amounts needed using these tips. Not only will this keep your guests around, but it will also keep them happy!

As you know, in the end, Disney lived to tell the tale – and continues to do so. In fact, we can all share our Disney story, because despite the unfinished ambiance, overcrowding and shortage of supplies, Disney endured. If you haven’t arrived at your “happiest place on earth” yet, that’s ok. You might just be at your opening day. Take note of the challenges that arise and properly address them for a permanent fix. Then, continue on your mission to create magic for your clients – and others!

Want to read about a successful opening? Check out the celebration the Clairemont team planned and executed for our client, Vita Vite, when it opened its North Hills location.

Will Hornbeck is a rising senior at Wake Forest University. He thinks the best ride at Disney is the Carousel of Progress.

Read More