We’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of media relations in rural areas throughout Hodges’ history. Here’s one of my favorite examples: For five years, we convinced journalists along the 340-miles of the James River to join students on canoes, kayaks and bateaux’s as part of the James River Expedition, a program that introduced students to Virginia’s history and ecology via week-long trips down America’s Founding River. Luckily, no one fell into the river (on-air). As you can imagine, the James River stretches through…
Read MoreWelcome to the “PR Watercooler” a semi-regular series where I scour the web for interesting PR trends, news and people. It was a schizophrenic January full of snow and 60-degree weather in Richmond. Much like me at the end of a House Hunters episode, the first 31 days of the year couldn’t make up its mind. Here are a few PR-related stories I’ve enjoyed recently – just as easily read in a sweater or a short sleeve shirt. 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer Reveals Record-Breaking Drop…
Read MoreIf you haven’t heard, iPhone releases its iPhone X today. I’ve been so interested in the device that MacRumors.com is now the second most visited site on my current iPhone, right under my favorite tech website TheVerge.com. In addition to new features like Face ID and an OLED screen, the updated iPhone X comes with a new public relations strategy to promote the release. Here is what’s new. The 24-hour embargo Since the iPhone 6’s release in 2014, iPhone reviews on the major tech sites…
Read MoreWhether you’re new to your role or have managed university communications for a number of years, it’s always a smart move to take a step back and take stock of all external communications from your institution. It’s an opportunity to reflect, improve and uncover new opportunities to tell the university’s brand story. We call this kind of project Research and Insights or a communications audit at Hodges, and here are some of the areas we look at: Are all communicators … communicating? Depending on the…
Read MoreA majority, if not all, of the communications we produce on behalf of clients is dictated by the Associated Press Stylebook. Especially any media relations outreach. Here’s some background from the AP that helps explains why: “The AP Stylebook is the definitive resource for journalists and a must-have reference for writers, editors, students and professionals. It provides fundamental guidelines for spelling, language, punctuation, usage and journalistic style.” In other words, journalists use it, and it’s important for PR pros to as well. The AP announced…
Read MoreI always use the start of a new year to examine different methods to do better, more efficient work. From meetings across campus to monthly reports (and pitching subject matter experts in between), staying on top of it all can be daunting. But have no fear, here are four apps that will make your life easier as a college communicator: Texture ($9.99 per month): Keeping up with magazine journalists’ stories and columns takes time and big budgets as subscriptions add up. With a monthly subscription…
Read MoreEarlier this year, an innovative new project launched within the Washington Monthly’s website to highlight the good work of foundations across the U.S. Successes of Philanthropy isn’t just a new column from the D.C.-based magazine that traditionally covers politics and government. It’s a stellar example of brand journalism, one that is funded entirely by nine foundations. The project’s founder and curator Jeff Hamond explained the reason for the effort in a Successes of Philanthropy post: In America, more so than in other countries, philanthropies play…
Read MoreThe Hodges Partnership’s higher education team recently spent three days at the 2016 College Media Conference in Washington, D.C. Organized by the Council of Independent Colleges and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the event included participation from about 100 colleges and universities, media panel discussions and great networking. How often do you get to spend a few days, talking PR with some of the best and brightest in the higher ed community? Kudos to the organizers – it was a great event….
Read MoreOh, the news release (also known as a press release). Is it dead? Is it alive? Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, we believe the news release is still an effective and efficient tool for communicating news. In fact, according to our account rep, BusinessWire publishes about 500 releases every business day. But there’s more to the news release than sending it to a handful of targeted journalists. Make sure you keep these tips in mind the next time you announce news: Develop an…
Read MoreIt seems like you can’t visit a tech website without seeing a headline about virtual reality. During Samsung’s Galaxy S7 event at the Mobile World Congress last week, an auditorium full of tech journalists wore headsets while Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg snuck in to talk about what virtual reality means for communications. It looked like a scene from the year 2050, but nope, this is 2016, folks. Earlier this year, I vacationed in Australia and visited the National Gallery of Victoria. The museum currently has an…
Read MoreI was impressed by a recent PRWeek piece by a prominent CEO I read on the importance of integrating traditional media relations and content marketing. This sums it up well: “For a while everyone was focusing on driving peer recommendations, but we must not underestimate the importance of journalists’ expertise when it comes to making the purchase. People want specialist advice.” Have you ever heard of the Rule of Seven? While different for every company, it touches on “effective frequency,” stating a customer must be…
Read MoreWe want your CEO to be on TV too. Let’s make it happen. Producers and guest bookers receive tons of email per day. A TODAY Show producer revealed she gets 300 email pitches per day at an event my colleague attended earlier this year. That’s 1,500 per week. I’d theorize their counterparts at business networks like CNBC and Fox Business have similar inbox email counts. So how do you stand out? Here are six tips to help you land that coveted national TV…
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