Creating an Effective Community Relations Program

Presented by

Maureen Rich The Edison Group

Spotlight on Community Relations

Companies are starting to get it conscience isnt just trendy, its necessary Sustainable development plans are becoming commonplace No one wants to be Martha, Enron, etc. The Bonus: Doing good = Good for business

A Gradual Shift
PriceWaterhouseCoopers 2002 Sustainability Survey Report
140 U.S. companies 70 percent had no broad-based sustainability program in place yet. 69% were reviewing or revising ethics programs or their corporate-governance process

Top 10 Reasons Companies Are Getting Involved

Competitive Advantage (75%) Cost Savings (73%) Industry Trends (62%) CEO/Board Commitment (58%) Customer Demand (57%) SRI Demand (42%) Top-line Growth (37%) Shareholder Demand (20%) Access to Capital (12%)

PriceWaterhouseCoopers

In Their Own Words

More than 7 of 10 Americans say they distrust CEOs of large corporations 80 percent of surveyed CEOs agree non-financial indicators such as environmental and social performance metrics are essential to characterizing future financial performance Business Week 70 percent of investors consider reputation in their decisions Citizen watch 91 percent of surveyed CEOs believe CSR management creates shareholder value Managing CSR Report

Baseline Basics
Determine Goals Establish Protocol & Criteria Get Everyone Involved Incorporate PR Elements Establish a Metrics System

Determine Goals
What Do We Want Program/Involvement to Accomplish?
Reposition company Raise CEO profile Get more press coverage in X community Establish company as a resource
Community Media Government reps

Target a specific audience

Latino community Teens Elderly/baby boomers with aging parents

Establish Protocol & Criteria

Establish a process/protocol

Decide how to respond to requests

Relevance: What are our criteria for getting involved? Budget: What are our constraints? Always ask: Will fulfilling this request help us fulfill our goal/mission?

Determine level of involvement up front but get involved!

Be more than a name in a press release be visible Provide resources or planning support if possible

Consider pros, cons to partnerships

Weigh short- and long-term benefits

Get Everyone Involved

Encourage employee involvement
Show enthusiasm, participation from the top down Get departments involved Provide incentives (e.g., comp day for day spent volunteering) Create team-oriented events
Volunteer programs Sponsorships that foster teamwork Fundraisers

Prepare employees for events

Identify spokespersons (bilingual) Ensure consistent messaging

Incorporate PR Elements
Remember:
Dont do CR for the PR But leverage CR in ways that maximize PR potential Dont lose your mission!

But dont forget: not everyone (i.e., media) cares

Offer compelling stories beyond Company writes check Put spotlight on subject, not donation Offer solutions to timely problems Have local stories ready

Establish a Metrics System

Establish goals Understand your impact on quarterly, annual bases Characteristics of a good metric:
Measurable Easy Timely Repeatable Insightful Controllable

Pay attention to the data; dont just tally measure

Effective CR the SoCal Way

A 70s icon

combined with the right strategy!

Case Study: 21st Century Insurance

When the 70s Icon Becomes Part of the Strategic Solution
Situation Five Years Ago:
21st Century Insurance was a leading California auto insurer Heavily involved philanthropically but without strategic direction

Virtually no press coverage for any goodwill projects

Goals:
Continue philanthropy but with a more targeted approach Raise 21sts profile and get press coverage for their goodwill efforts!

PR Campaign Elements
Child safety seat program (targeting key demo)
Educate parents on state law, proper use

Unprecedented law enforcement partnership

California Highway Patrol

Spokesperson Erik Estrada

CHiPs connection
Appeals to parent age group Appeals to Latino community

State-specific, free educational materials

Child Safety Seats: A Parents Guide
Now in six states, in English and Spanish

Logistics
21st secures a large, easily accessible, highly visible site (e.g., mall parking lot) CHP officers set up multiple inspection tents Families arrive with children in vehicles Trained officers inspect existing seat for proper fit, installation and use 21st employees staff event to assist If seat isnt right, 21st donates brand-new seat

Community Outreach
The Edison Group handles all event promotion Fliers distributed in English, Spanish
Local child care centers Churches Schools Key community groups Event site

Media Outreach
Pre-Event Promotion
PSAs Calendar listings Morning of event media
Law enforcement officer, Erik Estrada provide live demo on-air

On-Site Media Relations

Setting the scene
Great visuals

Providing arc of story, from police to family to corporation

Why are we involved? Every officer, family, 21st spokesperson has a story

PR in a CR Program
Message Delivery Media training for company reps, spokesperson Spanish spokespersons Talking points Collateral materials
Press kit, bilingual guides B-roll package

Leveraging the Message Local, state or national events (e.g., Natl Child Passenger Safety Week)
Op-eds Silver-platter events

Results by the Numbers

Since the 21st Century Insurance Child Safety Seat Program began:
More than 60 events conducted More than 7,200 seats inspected More than 2,700 seats discarded More than 5,800 seats donated by 21st Key States/DMAs Media Industry Web

Weve helped raise companys profile within:

Child Safety Seat Campaign Highlights

21st continues to distinguish itself through partnerships with state law enforcement and elected officials In 2005, successful launches in AZ, IN, OH & TX Continued success in CA and IL These partnerships and collaborations with Industry Associations (e.g., IIHS), add legitimacy and increase news value All 35 child safety seat events in 2005 garnered media coverage
250 200 150 100 50 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 # of hits

Child Seat Campaign Media Hits 02 - 05

The Edison Group

Mission Statement
To help our clients communicate

successfully by thinking smarter, working passionately and keeping our promises.

Creating an Effective Community Relations Program

Presented by

Maureen Rich The Edison Group