how to engage the media to support your advocacy activities

How Effective Media Relations Can Support AdvocacyPresented by Laura Greer and Alissa Von Bargen

Hill+Knowlton Strategies

May 7, 2015

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Agenda

• Why advocacy?

• Why media relations?

• How to engage effectively with the media

• Using social media in advocacy

• Advocacy in the news: a CCSN example

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What is Advocacy?

+ Advocacy is acting or speaking in favour of a cause, idea or policy

+ It is the pursuit of influencing outcomes – including public policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic and social systems and institutions

+ It is telling your story to someone in government so that they are compelled to do (or not to do) something

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Why Advocacy?

+ All governments are faced with competing interests and concerns, as well as policy priorities and fiscal challenges – those who engage in this process will be heard

+ If you choose not to engage, your viewpoint will not be heard and decisions will be made without taking this viewpoint into account

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Why Media Relations?

• Media is a conduit to have your voice

heard

• Everyone listens to the news

• Media coverage gets the attention of

decision-makers

• May compel them to do (or not to

do) something

• Brings issue to the forefront

• The media a powerful tool that, if

utilized properly, can result in the

ability to affect change

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What Do We Mean by the “Media”?

• Print publications, e.g. local, regional or national newspapers, magazines

• Broadcast stations, e.g. television, radio

• Online news channels, e.g. Yahoo!, MSN

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Working Effectively with the Media

Understand how the media work,

and what compels them to cover a

story.

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How to Effectively Engage the Media

To cut through the clutter, ensure your story is:

1. Timely and new

2. Interesting and relevant

3. Incorporates a human interest angle

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1. Timely and New

• Timely and new

You need a “news hook” on which to hang your story

This is something that will the make the story new &/or timely

Examples: new research, an event, a major milestone

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2. Interesting and Relevant

• Your story needs to have some “new” and interesting information

What’s your news?

Why should people care about your news – how does it impact

others?

• Media want stories that are relevant for their audience(s)

How does your story appeal to the audience of the media you are

targeting?

For example, a national story appeals to a national newspaper or

broadcast station

A local angle appeals to local media, such as a community newspaper,

radio or TV station

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Human Interest Angle

• Media tend to cover stories with a human interest angle (i.e., a

patient or caregiver’s personal perspective)

People are drawn to stories of other people

In the absence of any other information, a really strong personal

story can be the hook the draws media in

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Tips to Effectively Advocate Through the Media

• Effective messages requires thought around…

What you want to say

How you want to say it

What you are ultimately “asking” for from your target audience

• If your key messages and “ask” are not clearly defined then you will not

get your point through

• All activities with the media MUST align with your other advocacy

activities

• Even stories that don’t directly address your issue, but that are related,

can set the stage for new discourse with government

• Ensure the media you are speaking with reach your target audience

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Some Tactics to Engage the Media

• Issue a news release

• Directly “pitch” a story to an individual reporter who has an

interest in the topic

• Hold a media event (press conference)

• Consider responding to relevant news items with a ‘Letter-to-the-

Editor’

• Author an Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) piece

• Meet with the editorial board of a newspaper

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Who to Approach

National or regional

newspapers

Community newspapers

Television stations

Radio stations

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Speaking to the Right Person

• Before reaching out to a media outlet…

Follow reporters to determine/understand their interests

Find out which reporter (if any) has been affected by the issue

personally

• When reaching out to the media, understand that…

Assignment editors are responsible for assigning stories to

journalists

News editors are responsible for what gets published

Health reporters are responsible for researching and developing

stories

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Using Social Media in Advocacy

+ Social media can help to advance your cause

+ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vine

+ Direct access to many decision-makers, potential supporters

and advocates

+ Real-time engagement

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Is it the Right Medium for You?

BE PREPARED!

+ Critical to have a specific goal and a strategy

+ You must understand your social media audience – what

demographics are you trying to reach? What are their online

behaviours?

+ Which channel you want to use depends on the audience and

your engagement goals

+ Do you want to be part of people’s daily lives (Facebook), part

of current events (Twitter), or communicate visually

(Instagram)?

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Twitter vs Facebook

Twitter + Engaging with thought leaders/media, keeping up with current events,

starting debates, conversations with people you may/may not know

+ Typical user: Female, early 30s, university-educated

+ Best practices: Using #hashtags, including @addresses, tweeting photos

Facebook + Engaging with friends/family, sharing personal information, connecting with

interests

+ Typical user: Average age increasing (38), checks daily, 229 friends

+ Best practices: Post photos and infographics, calls for action

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Key Considerations for Social Media

+ If you’ve decided you want to be on social media, consider the

following:

+ Resources – do you have the capacity to monitor social

media channels?

+ Authenticity – are you speaking to your audience in a real

voice?

+ Responsiveness – are you responding to your audience in a

meaningful way?

+ Timeliness – are you on top of the issues, and are you

engaging as events unfold?

ADVOCACY IN THE MEDIAAn Example from the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network

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Creating an Advocacy Platform

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Why some stories “work”

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Summary

• Media can be a powerful conduit to have your messages heard by

your target audiences

• To capture their attention, ensure your story is timely and new,

interesting and relevant and incorporates a human interest angle

• Align media and other advocacy activities

• Be clear with your messages and ask

• Engage media that will reach your key audience(s)

QUESTIONS

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

LAURA GREER

VICE-PRESIDENT

Direct Line + 1 416 413 4765

Laura.Greer@hkstrategies.ca

ALISSA VON BARGEN

SENIOR CONSULTANT

Direct Line + 1 416 413 4601

Alissa.VonBargen@hkstrategies.ca

HILL+KNOWLTON STRATEGIES

CANADA

160 Bloor Street East, Suite 800

Toronto, ON Canada

T + 1 416 413 1218

hkstrategies.ca