Making Paid Advertising and Public Service Announcements Work
Synopsis: This article gives an excellent overview of guerilla marketing tactics non-profits can use to reach their key stakeholders, including paid advertising, PSAs and earned media concepts as well as a glossary of important advertising concepts.
How to Create A Top Notch PSA
Published in PR News
Synopsis: Article highlights various tips and techniques
for maximizing exposure via PSA campaigns.A Word About Public Service Announcements
Published in Executive Update, the magazine of the
Greater Washington Society of Association Executives.Authors: Bill Lang & Bill Goodwill
Synopsis: Public service announcements are a vital tool in generating awareness for critical issues while dispensing important information for many non-profit organizations. PSAs, strategically created and distributed, can help to achieve organizational marketing goals in a very cost-effective manner while netting millions of comparable advertising dollars in free space and airtime. But, however enticing the promise of a great return on investment may be, creating and deploying public service announcements is a major challenge.
What Factors Make Great PSAs - What to Avoid
The following questions were posed to Bill Goodwill, CEO, Goodwill Communications, Inc. by a reporter for PR News
What makes a successful PSA campaign?
Author: Dr. Jack Jorgens, Accent Media, McLean, VA
Synopsis: A seasoned producer provides eight key factors to consider when producing and distributing PSAs to the media.
Click here to view the article
PSAs Can Make a Difference, But it Takes TimeAuthor: Ruth Wooden, Advertising Age
Synopsis: The former president of the Ad Council cites examples such as the United Negro College Fund to illustrate the power of PSAs to raise funds and public awareness, and provides reasons why many PSAs fail to reach their objectives.
Are Public Service Ads Effective?Source: National Crime Prevention Council, Catalyst Newsletter.
Synopsis: This article is a synopsis of a larger and very definitive study regarding the role of public service advertising in deterring crime. The study, entitled "The Social Impact of the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign," was funded by the Justice Department and provides an excellent overview of PSA effectiveness, as well as an extensive bibliography of research studies on the subject. For the complete study, call 1-800-688-4252 and ask for NCJ 144533.
How To Make Your PSAs Stand Out In The CrowdReprinted with permission from PR Week Newspaper
With all the causes out there, the competition to get a public service announcement aired just gets tougher and tougher. Tony Seideman explores the creative elements you should consider to give your spot some zing - and increase its chances.
ARF Study Shows PSA ImpactAuthor: Advertising Research Foundation, reprinted in Public Service Report Newsletter
Synopsis: Research conducted by ARF in a study entitled "A Strategic Research Approach to Measuring Ad Effectiveness" concluded that PSAs can induce significant changes in public health behavior. The project was jointly sponsored by the Advertising Council and the American Cancer Society. Objectives of the study included: measuring effects of PSAs on the awareness, beliefs and actions of the target audience; measuring the effects of both average media schedules over time; and creating a research model to aid in evaluating future PSA campaigns.
PSAs: Do They Really Work?Author: Bill Goodwill
Source: Capital Communicator Newsletter
Synopsis: Author provides PSA campaign data from a variety of PSA campaigns to demonstrate that PSAs are not shown exclusively in "junk time," that they can stimulate a large volume of calls to 800 numbers, and that they provide a good return on investment.
PSAs Effective in Getting Out MessageSource: Joann Greco, Special to the Non Profit Times database
Synopsis: PSAs can be effective technique for fund-raising, recruitment, changing misconceptions and compelling people to take action. Author cites a campaign for the National Council on Alcholism as an example of how PSAs have stimulated phone calls and low-budget PSA techniques.
How to Get Results With PSAsAuthor: Margie Goldsmith, Public Relations Journal
Synopsis: PSAs - particularly for TV - have grown substantially in recent years, and this article provides a good overall review of frequency of usage and planning strategies.
You Can Produce Effective PSAsAuthor: William D. Novelli
Synopsis: Despite widespread criticism, public health PSAs can be effective if you maximize your efforts by taking a systematic, evaluative approach to programs. This article was written by one of the most knowledgeable experts in the country on social issues marketing, and was a co-founder of the public relations firm Porter-Novelli.
Don't Make Your Bath Water Too Hot and Keep Your Dogs Away from the AntifreezeAuthor: Doug Hill, TV Guide
Public service ads can run at the oddest times on the oddest subjects, but do seem to have an impact, including those campaigns aired by the networks using their own stable of personalities and talent. This article provides several examples of campaigns that have been successful, and how important PSA exposure is to both non-profits and stations.
In Public Service Ads, Celebrities Can Drum Up Fame or Shame
Published in the Washington Post
Synopsis: Some experts think the public and media need additional incentive to use and view PSAs because when a famous spokesperson appears, you are more likely to pay attention. Others warn that tying a star to a cause may backfire because organizations have no control over the direction of a celebrity's reputation after a spot is completed.
Kenneth Cole Creates and Launches "We All Have AIDS" Public Service Campaign on World AIDS Day
Synopsis: Media giant Viacom and the Kaiser Family Foundation join together to launch a national public education initiative to address AIDS.
So You Want Your Spokesperson to Be Famous
Published in PR News
Synopsis: While common wisdom says that celebrity
sells, this article says you should think carefully about using
a celebrity spokesperson for your product, service or cause.
Using PSA Strategy to Generate Media SupportAuthor: B. Goodwill, Non-Profit Times
Synopsis: A highly competitive environment for PSAs requires organizations seeking airtime and print space to use aggressive, imaginative tactics in developing their campaign plan. Article outlines six strategic steps organizations can employ to maximize their campaign exposure.
For Social Cause Advertising, Try 'Disenfranchise Marketing'
Author: Clifford Medney, Public Service Report Newsletter
Synopsis: "Marketing efforts against drug abuse, AIDS and the environment, to name a few, are one-dimensionally skewed from an advertising platform," observes the author who is sales director for a popular beverage brand. "Little of the marketing integration flows from a master marketing plan where each respective discipline carries the message forth on its own weight." He goes on to say that to be effective, the issue being promoted via PSAs needs to be treated as a product, like a "giant bar of soap out of control" to "disenfranchise" the product from the purchaser."
Let's Clear The Air About Public Service Announcements
by Jack McGuire
Synopsis:Mass communication expert outlines five major factors to consider when producing PSAs to generate maximum exposure.
Overcoming Declining PSA Response RatesAuthor: B. Goodwill, Public Service Report Newsletter
Synopsis: Article outlines four major reasons for declining PSA response rates where business reply cards are used as the method of evaluation, and four techniques to overcome the problem.
Health PSAs: What Does the Future Hold?Source: Public Service Report Newsletter
Synopsis: A roundtable discussion among 41 health communications practitioners reviewing the PSA environment, new proposals for paid air time and recommendations for future action.
How to Get More Cluck for the Buck When Distributing PSAsSynopsis: Two pamphlets - one for TV and the other for radio - provide practical tips for organizations who are planning PSA campaigns.
10 Commandments of PSAsAuthor: John Paul Kowal, Public Relations Journal
Synopsis: Often, PSAs alienate the audience by instilling guilt, confusion, or leaving a ho-hum impression, but this need not happen if you observe these dos and don'ts.
Partner With the Media to Build Safer Communities - An Action KitCAUSE RELATED MARKETINGPublisher: National Crime Prevention Council
Synopsis: Perhaps no other organization has done as much as the NCPC to plan, promote and evaluate successful PSA campaign strategies. While this action kit - consisting of a three-ring binder - pertains specifically to crime prevention, it is an excellent primer for any organization in developing a successful PSA campaign marketing strategy. It includes information on how to develop local community partnerships, PSA tips, samples of successful local campaigns and how to access the news media. To purchase a copy of the Action Kit, contact Michelle Robinson, 202-261-4184.
Cause and Effects MarketingSource: Brandweek Magazine
Synopsis: Charity, in and of itself, doesn't pass muster as cause marketers seek unprecedented brand accountability. Article provides examples of several outstanding campaigns which tied an important social issue together with a consumer products such as Avon's breast cancer awareness campaign, describes benefits to be realized by both parties in forging these strategic alliances.
Buy a Lipstick and Better the WorldSource: Good Housekeeping
Synopsis: A good background primer on cause-related marketing, with examples of major marketing campaigns in the public interest, and what consumers should consider when making purchases where cause related tie-ins are involved.
Corporate Sponsorships - The New Media Hybrid for the 90'sAuthor: B. Goodwill, NBACA News
Synopsis: This article is a synopsis of a larger study entitled: "Corporate Sponsored Media Campaigns - New Opportunities for Public Health" produced by Harvard University's Center for Health Communication. It provides an excellent overview of what corporate sponsorships are about, how they work, examples of campaigns, and the benefits to the three parties involved - media, non-profits and the corporate sponsor. For a copy of the complete study, contact: Susan Moses or Terri Mendoza, Harvard University School of Public Health 1-617-432-1038.
Non-Profits Get Market SavvySource: Jeff Smith, Advertising Age
Synopsis: Non-profits are increasingly lending their names to products as a way to generate income. Example in the article includes, the tie-in between the Arthritis Foundation and McNeil Consumer Products Company which produces aspirin, considered by many to be the prototype for future relationships between non-profits and corporate America.
Cause Related Marketing, Doing Well by Doing GoodSource: Responsive Philanthropy Newsletter
Synopsis: Article focuses on the "Charge Against Hunger" campaign which has become one of the more successful examples of cause related marketing, pairing the non-profit Share Our Strength and American Express, as well as other corporate partners in an on-going campaign to overcome hunger and homelessness.
Not Just a Worthy CauseSource: American Advertising
Synopsis: Cause related marketing delivers the goods and the good. Today's consumers often want more than just quality, price and service in their purchases; they want to do business with companies that are socially responsible. The companies, on the other hand, have discovered that cause-related marketing not only satisfies the consumer, but also helps position them on the right side of important social issues.
Turning Good Deeds Into Good BusinessSource: Promo Magazine
Synopsis: Faced with dwindling corporate donations, charities are creating promotion programs that deliver positive PR and increased sales. Many companies are viewing cause related tie-ins not so much as extracurricular activities but integral components in their overall business strategies, which has replaced the concept of doing good deeds strictly for altruistic reasons.
Cause and EffectSource: Doreen Brubeck, Promo Magazine
Synopsis: Charities are wooing marketers with turnkey programs that make them look good and move products too. Increasingly promotions are moving beyond the "feel-good" campaigns of a few years ago, and instead are focusing on marketing tie-ins that move product and create positive images of both corporate and non-profit partners.
A New Twist to Cause MarketingAuthor: John Garrison, President National Easter Seal Society
Source: Fund Raising Management
Synpopsis: A case history of how Easter Seals uses "social responsibility marketing" via corporate sponsors to bolster volunteering, employing people with disabilities, increasing both public support and public exposure. Article details how Easter Seals ties in national sponsors with local volunteers and other local support groups.
Note: also click on TV, radio and print media icons for articles on evaluation of PSA campaigns in these media.Tracking PSA Response Via Toll-Free Telephone Numbers
Synopsis: The set up of a toll free phone number for your customers might initially entail some expenses and hassles. But various companies had excellent success with the use of toll free phone numbers in their PSA campaigns.
How You Can Use Evaluation Data to Fine-Tune Your PSA ProgramAuthor: B. Goodwill, Workshop Handout, NBACA Conference, Houston, TX.
Synopsis: Developing a comprehensive evaluation system for your PSA program is critical to measuring success, and being able to justify the worth of your efforts. The article provides eleven parameters for measuring PSA effectiveness, with graphs for each.
Defining PSA Success Through BenchmarksAuthor: B. Goodwill, Public Service Report Newsletter
Synopsis: Author provides PSA campaign data resulting from 14 TV PSA releases, 21 radio campaigns, and 11 print releases, to establish a benchmark of PSA attainment against which other campaigns can be measured. Article also includes data on the impact of post-campaign follow-up.
How to Place PSAs in Your CommunityAuthor: B. Goodwill, GoodNews Newsletter
Synopsis: A basic primer for non-profit communications staff working at the grass-roots level, which addresses the importance of localism in placing PSAs, tips for localizing national PSAs, formulating contact lists, material formats and evaluating your efforts.
What's Next in Consumer MediaAuthor: Richard V. Ducey, National Association of Broadcasters Keynote Address, Broadcast Engineering Conference
Synopsis: Author outlines three different "ages" of media - Newspaper Age, Broadcast Age and the Internet Age, with a brief overview of the mass communications industry. Article also compares the advantages of the Internet Age to more conventional media, and provides a forecast for future consumer media.
New Media and New HabitsSource: Public Service Report Newsletter
Synopsis: Media trends are detailed, with an emphasis upon the decline of network television and the increase in Cable TV viewership. New media habits are also explored as well as several new media options such as "place-based" media and the increase in "niche" networks.
Line Between Public Service, Paid Ads BlursSource: Advertising Age
Synopsis: Story discusses the controversy surrounding corporations that underwrite PSA campaigns for worthy causes by funneling funds through a non-profit. A campaign funded by Quaker Oats Co. for the American Medical Association, and other examples are cited.
PSAs - What Can They Accomplish? To Buy or Not to Buy?Author: B. Goodwill, Public Service Report Newsletter
Synopsis: Evaluation data from business reply cards and the Broadcast Advertisers Reports was used to develop a profile of typical radio and TV PSA attainment, and the impact of paid advertising on PSAs. Sidebar includes tips for "High Impact Broadcast PSAs."
Paid Vs. Donated Media Strategies for PSA Campaigns ReviewSource: John Murry, Jr., Atonie Stam and John Lastovicka, Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 60: 1-29
Synopsis: PSA campaigns have traditionally relied on donated rather than paid advertising media. Recently, however, organizations have questioned whether donated-media strategies should be abandoned for paid campaigns. The article examines this issue in a three-market field experiment comparing the effectiveness of these two methods in decreasing youth drinking and driving. Note: the following abstract reviews the scholarly article.
Contact Goodwill Communications via e-mail for complete article
First Ever PSA Conference - Great Ideas, New DirectionsAuthor: Lew Brodsky, NAGC News Newsletter, National Association of Government Communicators
Synopsis: The first conference exclusively dedicated to public service advertising was held in Washington, DC to review the entire spectrum of PSAs, addressing what works, new media habits, evaluation procedures and guidelines for PSA network clearance.
Tough Competition for Free Television Time Leads Charities to Weigh Paid CommercialsAuthor: Elizabeth Klein, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Synopsis: Stiff competition for public service advertising on television has prompted many major charities to consider paying for broadcast time. This trend marks a major shift in public service advertising. Charities are also using new strategies including asking corporations to buy broadcast time, using consulting companies to distribute PSAs more effectively, and submitting PSAs to more cable television networks. Charities now face competition from state agencies and from "mega-campaigns" created by coalitions of non-profit groups and government agencies.
Getting Credit for Doing Good
Author: B. Goodwill, NBACA News Newsletter, National Broadcasting Association for Community Affairs
Synopsis: The lack of credible and complete PSA usage data could adversely affect the broadcast industry, in its attempt to deflect criticism from the FCC and others regarding the amount of PSAs being aired. Author discusses typical PSA usage and the need for the broadcast industry to provide a better method of evaluation.
We Have Met the Future and it is the InternetAuthor: B. Goodwill, NBACA News Newsletter, National Broadcastering Association for Community Affairs
Synopsis: Article summarizes the advantages of using the Internet for non-profits and broadcasters.
Peddling a Social Cause; Article ReviewSource: A. Miller and E. Williams, Newsweek
Synopsis: The advertising community has invested time, talent and other resources to help inform and educate the American public about a wide variety of social causes and it has paid dividends to the advertising agencies as well as the general public
Why Public Service Advertising Doesn't WorkAuthor: Joe Adams
Synopsis: There are 12 reasons why PSAs don't work as well as they should, and the reasons range from lack of pre-testing concepts, to producing campaigns that have too much self-interest. An excellent primer for anyone new to the business of PSAs.
Developing Pro-Bono PSA Campaigns - Guidelines For ClientsSource: School of Visual Concepts and the American Institute of Graphic Arts, Seattle Chapter
Synopsis: A helpful 12-step guide for non-profits to use when considering pro-bono advertising agencies to produce your PSA campaign.
First Ever PSA Conference - Great Ideas, New DirectionsAuthor: Lew Brodsky, NAGC News Newsletter, National Association of Government Communicaters
Synopsis: The first conference exclusively dedicated to public service advertising was held in Washington, DC to review the entire spectrum of PSAs, what works, new media habits, evaluation procedures and guidelines for PSA network clearance.
