Evaluate the how a public relations campaign must fit with its target audience.

Evaluate the how a public relations campaign must fit with its target audience.

What to do
Read the article (below) about a public relations campaign conducted for Sharpie markers and post your response to the following questions on the Discussion Board (total maximum length, 300 words).
Comment on/respond to at least one classmate post (Do more than say “great post” — say why the post is good … build on the comment … note another perspective.)
Why was this PR initiative for Sharpie considered successful to reach its audience?
What advantage/benefits does a cause-related PR campaign?
How did the use of different media channels connect with the target audience?
PR Week Online, by Lindsay Stein

Sharpie amps up ‘Ink it Pink’ campaign
OAK BROOK, IL: Newell Rubbermaid’s Sharpie brand is using traditional and social media outreach to promote its second annual “Ink It Pink” cause campaign, which launched today.

Cause-Related PR Campaign
The goal of the effort is to raise awareness and money throughout October to fight breast cancer. Sharpie’s AOR of eight years, Weber Shandwick Chicago, created the initiative with cancer research and treatment center City of Hope. Weber Shandwick Los Angeles is City of Hope’s AOR for PR.

Using Traditional and Social Media
The organization is using a “two-pronged approach” targeting traditional and social media to promote the initiative. A team of five employees at the agency’s Chicago and Los Angeles offices is working on the campaign.

Weber is sending products and information to long-lead publications and relevant online news sites, specifically targeting those that are writing “pink round-up stories,” said Melissa Layton, account supervisor at Weber Shandwick Chicago.

Leveraging Celebrities as “Influencers”
“Our PR effort includes media outreach to traditional and new media, such as local and network TV news, radio, newspapers, online bloggers, and other influencer networks, as well as a celebrity seeding program to engage celebrities in the campaign and ultimately get them to contribute their pink autograph and help elevate awareness,” said Susan Wassel, senior manager of PR and social media at Newell, via email.

Although Sharpie manages all of its social media channels internally, the agency is helping with digital strategy development and outreach. Weber is sending products to celebrities, asking them to “ink it pink” with its Pink Ribbon marker and return the items so the firm can post images online. The company will publish some autographed photos on its Facebook and Twitter accounts, and it will host giveaways and contests on its social media platforms, as well.

Selling Markers, Raising Donations for City of Hope
Sharpie will donate to the City of Hope for each pink autograph signed and submitted to its site, and it will give 10 cents for each Pink Ribbon marker and highlighter sold during the month. Starting this year, Sharpie will also donate 10 cents for each Pink Ribbon pen sold during the month.

The firm is also encouraging bloggers to sign something with a pink marker and post it on their websites for followecixrs to see, said Layton.

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