With this issue, we begin an ongoing series examining the public relations challenges specific to a variety of vertical industries - and how a PR pro in any industry can learn
and apply a variety of skills. In the first installment, PR NEWS surveys communicators in the magazine industry to uncover their toughest challenges and most creative solutions to
getting media placements.
The Challenges
Narrowed media list. "The biggest challenge working for magazines is
you're getting press for the press," says James Humphrey, senior manager of
media relations for Architectural Digest. "You've got competitors that will
not cover anything you do."
Soft ad revenues and shoestring budgets. "Given the economic climate,
our PR perspective has shifted from being very consumer-oriented to being more
business and trade oriented," says Alison Raleigh, East Coast PR director for
Playboy magazine. "It's much more important to get our message out to advertisers
so they don't lose faith in our business."
Because of those plummeting ad revenues and, in many cases, attrition within the subscriber base, PR budgets are being sliced in the magazine industry. In an industry where
flashy schmooze-fest events are often the media relations weapon of choice, micro-budgets pose a serious challenge.
Positioning editors as experts. Magazine editors increasingly appear
as experts in broadcast media, expounding on everything from the benefits of
sunscreen to volatile political situations.
With so many magazines out there, it's sometimes a tough sell to persuade "Today" of your editor's value.
Bristly reporters. Not every editor is cut out for the small screen.
"You have two types of editors," says Lori Rosen, president of The Rosen Group,
whose clients include Modern Maturity and the Smithsonian magazines. "One embraces
the media and one really doesn't like to be positioned in the media."
Creative Solutions
Lengthen a Honed Media List. Magazine communicators know their competitors
will ignore their news. "Some magazines will still cover my news," says Jennifer
Maguire, publicity director for Seventeen and Seventeen.com. "But monthly magazines
are typically not an option."
Maguire relies heavily on television and daily newspapers for coverage. Because her media pool is shallower than some, she scrupulously tracks relationships with reporters who
are available to her, using tools like Media Central.
Catering to Advertisers on a Mini Budget. Magazines depend on the PR
department to keep advertisers in the fold. Playboy's Raleigh combines advertiser
relations with what used to be standalone media events. She recently used an
event put on by Michelob Light, a Playboy advertiser, to create a PR opportunity
for the magazine. Raleigh used the party to flaunt cover girl Jerri Manthey
(of "Survivor" fame), thereby generating buzz for the advertiser's event and
filling in the gaps of her own PR and event budget.
Rosen had similar success when she teamed with the publisher of Henry Kissinger's latest book to hold a reception plugging a Q&A with Kissinger in the July issue of Modern
Maturity.
Pros like Rosen make the most of every partnership and event to generate buzz for their brand, especially when promotional budgets are small.
Find the Hook. Whether you have serious brand clout or not, producers
are looking for a unique angle from your editors. Humphrey has garnered frequent
coverage for Architectural Digest in such unlikely outlets as "Entertainment
Tonight" by pitching the pub's coverage of celebrity homes.
And when nearly every general interest pub was covering the 50th Anniversary of "I Love Lucy," Rosen's staff nailed a "Today" interview for Modern Maturity editors by pitching
producers on a unique slant in their coverage: Lucille Ball's largely unknown role as a feminist.
Differentiate your organization from the crowd to open new opportunities for coverage - tout dissenting opinions, breaks from industry tradition and other unique perspectives
on the news of the day.
Media training makes good spokespeople better. Magazine pros can spot a prickly editor from a mile away - and whether he's the top dog or not, they won't put him on the air.
The best PR pros don't choose a company spokesperson based on corporate hierarchy; wonderful editors-in-chief (and CEOs) can be pitiful spokespeople.
"You can media train and media train, but that only helps a good person get better," Rosen warns.
(Contacts: James Humphrey, 212/286-5654; Jennifer Maguire, 212/407-9754; Alison Raleigh, 212/261-5000 ext. 3118; Lori Rosen, 212/255-8455)
What are the PR challenges particular to your industry? Contact Peggy Stuntz at 301/354-1762 or [email protected] to share the PR
hurdles specific to your line of business and your creative solutions.
Editor's Note
What else would you like to see featured in PR NEWS? What industry issues are weighing on your mind?
Join the staff of PR NEWS for a free Breakfast Buzz and share your thoughts! We'll discuss the latest trends, biggest news and top strategies in the PR industry.
Join us for our second Industry Insiders Breakfast at PR NEWS headquarters.
Date: Tuesday, August 28
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Place: 1201 Seven Locks Road, Suite 300
Potomac, MD 20854
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Reserve your spot today. Space is limited!