By Helene Solomon/SolomonMcCown
Major corporations and brands have long dedicated their
marketing dollars to national campaigns where their resources are
focused on advertising buys to promote products and services.
Public relations typically play a supporting role especially in
investor relations, new product rollouts, and crisis management.
While press coverage in or on national outlets (and in major
regional dailies) offer opportunities to frame key messages and
initiatives, more global brands are finding that local or regional
marketing programs, driven by public relations, are the best way to
build consumer loyalty and hammer those branded messages home.
By identifying a highly visible issue that their key audiences
care about, corporations can connect to their customers at an
intimate level. And, PR professionals have meaty programs with
which to make news and sustain visibility for the brand in the
local market.
Here are four ways that we have seen major brands create and
leverage programs that communicate key traits about the brand and
benefit them in local markets. They have also been easily
translated from region to region:
1. Build a closer relationship with the brand among consumers;
illustrate that the company cares about an issue relevant to them
or that they can benefit from.
2. Enhance selling opportunities for the client with their
targets - be they b2b or consumer.
3. Translate corporate vision and strategy in a way that will
resonate with local community (Ronald McDonald House houses
families of sick children while they are receiving treatment at a
local hospital: "McDonald's cares about kids and their
families.")
4. Work local relationships on the ground on behalf of corporate
clients who aren't located in the region, from media to strategic
partners to corporate and charitable. Simon Properties'
establishment of a literacy program features local mayors and
school principles reading at Simon Properties malls, for
example.
Not all companies will commit marketing dollars to local market
efforts, but the visionary companies that are committed to
strengthening their bond with their customers are seeing the
benefits and committing the dollars.