The Case
Last fall, the American Highway Users Alliance (AHUA) - a nonprofit advocacy organization - commissioned a study to determine the nation's worst areas of traffic congestion.
The report shed light not only on the problems associated with highway bottlenecks, but also the benefits that could be realized by "uncorking" those bottlenecks (in terms of
shorter commutes, cleaner air and safer roads). The alliance wanted to garner press attention for its research and position itself as an influential leader in transportation
issues, but knew this wouldn't be easy. "Highways don't usually get a lot of attention from media because they're not sexy," says Bill Fay, AHUA president and CEO. "Just like
the public, the media tends to take them for granted. A lot of publications don't have transportation editors anymore."
The Strategy
AHUA hired the D.C. firm Strat@Comm to help map out the most direct route to ink and air time. The group had originally planned to launch its study findings during an annual
conference in early December, but Strat@Comm counselors urged the group instead to tip off the media just prior to Thanksgiving weekend - a time of heavy travel and generally
light news content. This proved to be a critical move.
Key Messages
Fortunately, AHUA's main message had broad appeal: Traffic congestion not only chokes the environment with unnecessary emissions, it also causes highway safety risks, road
rage, and billions of dollars in lost productivity time for American corporations.
Whereas highway proponents have, at times, found themselves pitted against environmental groups and mass transit interests in the news, AHUA's talking points neutralized that
possibility. Study findings spelled out the degree to which automotive emissions could be reduced by highway improvements. "People automatically think building more roads means
more pollution," says Ron DeFore, a principal at Strat@Comm.
Research also confirmed that despite available mass transit alternatives, Americans aren't prepared to stop driving. While total U.S. road mileage has grown by only five
percent since 1970, there now are 30 percent more people, 60 percent more licensed drivers and 90 percent more registered vehicles.
Road Rules
Going beyond finger-pointing and proposing highway solutions played well with reporters in the end. But it also helped secure grassroots support to handle the media blitz.
"This wasn't a negative story blasting the Department of Transportation," says Fay. "When state departments of transportation realized we weren't criticizing them, they became
tremendously involved [in rallying their communities] behind the issues."
In fact, it was state officials, truckers and individual motorists who took to the microphone at the 10 press conferences held around the country on the Tuesday before
Thanksgiving. "We wanted to [channel our message through] real people who were affected by [highway bottlenecks]," Fay says, "particularly for the print media attending the press
conferences who were looking for a local angle." The American Automobile Association (AAA) - an alliance member - helped build local interest and secure representatives to tell
the story in each market.
Built for Performance
Strat@Comm's placement goal was nothing less than front page news. The firm traveled to gridlocked traffic areas ahead of time to shoot b-roll footage and created a press kit.
Print journalists got a heads up about the impending announcement a week out, but TV crews were alerted only a day or two in advance. "You don't want to catch [TV producers] too
far in advance, or you'll peak their interest too soon and they'll move on," DeFore says.
The kicker? Strat@Comm secured an exclusive arrangement with USA Today. The story broke in the Gannett paper (taking up most of the front page) on the morning of the press
conferences with the headline, "National Gridlock," and set off a feeding frenzy. By this time, Strat@Comm had most of the pre-production done for a video package, which was made
available later in the day by satellite feed. Press conferences provided last-minute sound bites. The VNR was edited, packaged and uplinked three hours later.
Fuel Efficiency
Although the alliance's study and media campaign were unbudgeted expenses, Fay says his board members were ecstatic with the outcome. Consider the hits: AP, Reuters, CNN,
David Letterman's Top Ten List, NBC Today Show, ABC Good Morning America , Washington Post, MSNBC, ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, Bloomberg, NPR, New
York Times, ABC Radio, CBS Radio, CNN Radio and hundreds of local papers, TV stations and radio stations nationwide.
"Our chairman is looking at this as an advertising expense," Fay says. "Every penny of it was worth it. And had it been [actual] advertising, it would have been immensely
more expensive."
(AHUA, 202/857-1200, http://www.highways.org;
Strat@comm, 202/289-2001, http://www.stratacomm.net)
Keep your VNR from becoming a "DNR"
Tips from Ron DeFore at Strat@Comm
- Your product or service should hook into to a hot public policy issue or larger story. Otherwise your video will look like a commercial.
- Rate the news value of your story in relation to the market where you plan to hold your press conference. D.C., for example, has at least 100 press events per day. Can you
compete? - Be confident in your ability to get your VNR on TV network affiliate feeds. If you don't have the right relationships to get on track, a VNR may not be worth the
expense.
Budget Benchmark
Strat@Comm charges roughly $18,000 for a VNR package, including concept, sound bites, scripting, production, press notification, satellite feeds and electronic encoding to
produce client reports.
Strat@Comm Dish
HQ: Washington, D.C.
Founded: 1995
Gross Billings (99): $3.8 million
Staff: 22
Specialties: transportation, healthcare, environmental
Clients: Ford, GM, Daimler-Chrysler, Nissan...need we go on?
Unique selling point: Maintains complete video production studio inhouse.