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Media and Publicity
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There
are two ways of generating publicity: through advertising and public
relations
Advertising is guaranteed coverage with the only limit being your budget.
Advertising allows you to pay for space and say what you want within
reason. It is expensive. It is often overlooked, as viewers know it
is paid-for space.
Public Relations (PR) is what you get others to say about you and your
activities. It is therefore much more credible than advertising and
less expensive.
You may have the opportunity of working with a professional PR agency,
which will be able to develop a media programme and implementation plan.
If you are not working with an agency the best place to start is to
develop your own strategy and action plan.
Media Strategy and plan
Decide who you want to reach through the media. Do you want to target
women more than men? Do you want to run a campaign to reach teenagers?
You may also decide to run a media campaign about herpes aimed at family
doctors or pharmacists, both of whom have their own special trade media.
Prioritise the people you would like to reach, for example, your top
priority may be to reach women between the ages of 20-40.
You will discover that there are many different types of media, aimed
at various audiences. These include newspapers, weekly and monthly magazines,
radio programmes, television news and chat shows, websites and newsletters.
You will need to develop a target media list which reflects the people
you are trying to reach. If you are working on a fairly small scale,
you can do your own research and select a handful of magazines, newspapers
and journals that you would like to see cover herpes either within their
news or features sections.
If you are more ambitious you will need to work with a PR agency or
buy in a media list from a press agency. In some countries, these lists
are fairly extensive and can include hundreds of titles. Be selective
to start off with and make a priority list.
Media Spokespeople
Part of your strategy plan should be to identify and train appropriate
media spokespeople, who are able to talk to journalists about herpes.
Inexperienced or untrained patients SHOULD NOT undertake media activity,
nor should patients be “persuaded or pressured” to interact
with media or give interviews unless the situation is guaranteed to
be safe. The consumer media are always keen to have real-life stories
from patients willing to talk about their own experiences, but it is
imperative that people with herpes are not put in a compromising position.
It is essential to ensure that patient spokespeople are properly trained
to handle media questions and interviews. Some journalists work by asking
controversial and difficult questions and if your patient spokesperson
is not prepared, they can feel hurt and emotional. The key is for the
spokesperson to feel in control in any interview and proper media training
will prepare for this.
The project manager is often the best media spokesperson. Your medical
advisor and any other professional experts with whom you are working
also work well. Often they are already media trained and therefore experienced
and comfortable in conducting interviews.
Before any spokesperson is put in touch with a journalist, either by
telephone or face-to-face, it is important that they receive a thorough
briefing ahead of the interview.
They
need to know:
- who they are talking to
- what type of publication or programme the journalist is working on
- the story angle the journalist is interested in, e.g. new treatments,
or the epidemiology of herpes
- an idea of the questions
- if the interview is live or recorded.
Make sure you choose a spokesperson familiar and knowledgeable about
the subject in which the journalist is interested.
If you are co-ordinating the interview, ensure the journalist is working
for a reputable publication or programme.
Developing Media Stories
Before you make any proactive contact with journalists, decide what
information you have to offer them and ask yourself one vital question:
“Is this newsworthy and interesting?”
There are two main ways of achieving coverage in the press:
- issue a news or press release
- develop a feature idea
Press Releases
These are sometimes called news releases because the important consideration
is that you have something “new” to say. A press release provides
a journalist with news such as the launch of your new website, the announcement
of a new report about herpes or STDs, or the availability of new a treatment
or diagnostic test.
When you have something new to say or report, consider issuing a press
release. A release should be no more than 2 sides of A4 and be kept
succinct. Try and include a comment or quote from an independent expert
or well-known doctor, but ensure you get their permission to include
it in the release. The expert may well be asked for further comment
so make sure that you check if they are happy to do this.
Include your contact details, website address and helpline number if
you have these, so if the release is used the reader knows where to
access further information.
Feature Ideas
Features provide the chance to discuss a subject in much more depth
than a news item. Journalists preparing features need more background
information, normally more than one spokesperson that they can contact
for expert comments or a patient who can provide a case history. Make
sure you provide a proper brief to any spokesperson, as discussed earlier.
Often journalists developing features are pleased to receive photos
or diagrams that can help illustrate an article. Women’s magazines
run features in each issue but its important to understand that they
are normally planned some months ahead. If you are interested in placing
features about herpes, be prepared to wait a few months before they
are published.
You can develop a series of feature ideas based on a variety of topics
or themes e.g. diagnosis, telling your partner, screening, treatment
options. This way, different aspects of herpes can be covered in competing
publications.
Additional items such as case studies, myths and facts, and top 10 questions
can be provided to help develop and pad out a feature idea. Alternatively
they can be used as stand-alone items for health pages, providing the
journalist with accurate information ready to print.
Medical Publicity
If you decide to target doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals
you will find that there are a number of medical or trade titles that
you can approach. You may already be familiar with these publications
or they will be listed within your bought-in media list.
When issuing press releases or contacting these trade publications,
ensure you provide information that is more detailed and more technical
than the information issued to consumer press. Medical journalists will
often want information and statistics backed up with scientific papers
so be ready to provide references or copies of key articles.
Regional Publicity
If you are running an event such as a seminar or workshop, consider
contacting the regional press located within the area of the event.
Provide them with details of your activity, why you are running it and
some facts about herpes. Regional coverage tends to be easier to secure
than national as long as you have a local angle to offer.
Develop your Key Messages
Before you start pulling any information together for journalists it’s
a good idea to decide on your key messages up front. These should be
the most important points that you would like to see included in any
press reports.
For example:
- genital herpes is a common infection affecting up to 14-20% of sexually
active adults
- oral herpes (cold sores) and genital herpes are both caused by the
herpes simplex virus and can be transmitted to either site through oral/genital
sex
- herpes can be passed on from person to person through direct intimate
contact
- up to 80% of people with genital herpes don’t experience recognisable
symptoms and are therefore unaware they have it
- over 70% of people who get genital herpes acquire it from a partner
who has no symptoms and is unaware they have it
- effective treatments are available so it is important to seek medical
advice.
If you decide on your messages before you develop any press materials
you can ensure they are included in all appropriate media correspondence.
The priority of your messages and tone may alter depending on your target
audience. You will need to adapt them slightly, for example, if you
are targeting teenagers, where you may want to put more focus on prevention.
Decide who you are targeting and develop your key messages accordingly.
Language
As with key messages, language used should be adapted depending on the
audience you are trying to reach. Use words and language that will appeal
to your audience.
Media Reports
If you are selectively targeting papers and journals it is reasonably
easy to keep track of which journalists use and publish your information.
However, if you are issuing information to a wider list of journalists
via press releases you need to consider using a media monitoring system.
Professional monitoring can be set up via your PR agency or through
a press cuttings agency. This process will ensure you receive copies
of news items and articles published about herpes and can measure the
outcome and success of your publicity activities. It can also help to
monitor activities of any other groups who may be generating publicity
about their activities and products.
Keep articles together and develop media reports to itemise any coverage
achieved during your campaigns.
Media and Publicity Checklist?
-Devise a media strategy and plan.
-Identify and train spokespeople.
-Develop media stories using press releases, features, case studies
etc.
-Decide on regional or medical publicity, or both.
-Decide on key messages and what sort of language to use.
-Develop media reports to help monitor activities around herpes.
International Herpes Week 2000
A Media and Publicity Success Story
The IHA was responsible for developing and running the first International
Herpes Week campaign in November 2000. The aim of this campaign was
to create a platform to generate awareness and interest in genital herpes
in countries all around the world. The theme “Herpes doesn’t
discriminate” was chosen to help reduce the stigma attached to
the disease.
The IHA ran a number of core activities through its website and by providing
information and links to other popular health and news websites. Press
releases were developed and issued to other herpes support groups and
associations and to GlaxoSmithKline companies around the world.
Materials were adapted locally, translated and other information developed
to help communicate the messages about genital herpes during the dedicated
week in November.
Significant results were secured during the campaign with an estimated
9,700,000 people reached through the hits to the IHA website and local
activities combined.
Here are some examples detailing what some countries achieved on
a national level:
Australia
– developed new guidelines for managing genital herpes, targeted
at GPs
– direct mail campaign to disseminate guidelines
– TV advertising campaign in two key States, New South Wales &
Victoria
– community service announcements on radio
– news-poll survey and press materials
– over 2.4 million people reached.
France
– development of newsletters for healthcare professionals
– public health convention in Paris with over 700 delegates
– public Authorities Meeting
– articles in consumer and medical press.
India
– local herpes meetings for healthcare professionals
– meeting with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
– posters issued across hospitals around Delhi.
Malaysia
–
press materials translated and adapted
– Malaysian Herpes Hotline publicised
– CME programme for healthcare professionals.
Sweden
–
press release “every 20 minutes a Swede catches herpes”
– TV interviews with herpes patient group members
– patient booklet issued through women’s magazine Amelia
–
radio jingles on national radio
– adverts placed in lavatories of 120 restaurants, bars etc.
– billboard ad in main square of Stockholm
– men’s magazine advertisements.