It's National Breast Cancer Awareness month, and brands are going all out to show their support. The challenge lies in the ability for organizations with cancer-related CSR programs to break through the clutter and let stakeholders know about the great work that they're doing. The solution lies in overarching PR efforts that go beyond the typical shout out.
One great example of deft PR for the cause is The National Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation, which is promoting, "Beyond the Shock," its free, online educational guide for women. Another case to emulate is Shoppers Drug Mart, which is a champion of women's health year round, and is hosting Weekend to End Women's Cancers to raise additional awareness this month.
The key is to run a PR campaign that extends beyond National Breast Cancer Awareness month. That will not only keep your organization at the forefront of the issue, but also distinguish it from the crowd as a brand that really cares about the cause. Here are three tips from DoSomething.org's CMO Naomi Hirabayashi on how to create a sustainable PR campaign.
▶ Offer something unique and specific. Create a campaign that offers a certain demographic a way to take action on a cause they care about that meets them where they are and works for their world.
▶ Kick off with an event. It can be a hands-on, intimate and meaningful experience for volunteers and celebrity sponsors. Also, the event news and photos will serve as strong PR assets at launch.
▶ Profile real people. Some of the strongest press coverage can come from regular people who participate in the campaign. Spend time to find inspirational and substantive stories from your own organization that can fulfill a strong human interest angle at the national level and fulfill the hometown pride at the local level.
To learn more about telling your CSR story with impact and compassion, register for PR News' Social Good webinar on October 22.
Follow Lucia Davis: @LKCDavis.