Just like preparing for a mission at NASA, a huge amount of planning and teamwork goes into creating a charity campaign and the pressure on launch day is immense. And as with the rocket, there’s a lot riding on the news story to generate lift off, and by that, we mean grabbing attention and featuring in every last media outlet.
But launches aren’t always successful whether you’re an astronaut or a PR professional, and it’s important to learn and make the most of the situation.
This PR Network event discussed what successful campaign launches look like, how to manage the weight of expectation put on us to generate big news coverage, how to continue momentum beyond the launch, whether successful or not, and how to work with people who don’t quite understand what it is that we do!
Resources
- Article: Preparing the ground for a campaign launch: lessons from This Girl Can – Tanya Joseph, director of business partnerships, Sport England
- Article: Your team’s bigger than you think: landing media coverage with help from friends – Navprit Rai, communications manager, Trust for London
- Article: Want more media coverage? Then buying journalists coffee is not your priority – Michael Connellan, head of external affairs, JDRF
Presentations
The launch of ‘Whatever cancer throws your way, we’re right there with you’ – Claire Rushforth, senior media manager, Macmillan Cancer Support
- Video recording: Watch the video of Claire’s presentation (exclusive to CharityComms members, please contact our events team for the password).
The launch of Rebuilding Lives – Anil Ranchod, deputy director public relations and comms – media and special projects, Stroke Association
- Video recording: Watch the video of Anil’s presentation (exclusive to CharityComms members, please contact our events team for the password).
The launch of the Versus Arthritis brand – Shree Rajani, head of communications and Bronte McConnell, social media manager, Versus Arthritis
- Video recording: Watch the video of Shree and Bronte’s presentation (exclusive to CharityComms members, please contact our events team for the password).
About the PR Network
CharityComms’ PR Network is a group for professionals working in PR and media in UK charities and not-for-profits.
The PR Network gives you the chance to meet your peers, compare notes on workplace practices and share successes, ideas, challenges and inspiration. The network is designed to encourage networking and peer to peer support, sharing issues in a ‘safe’ environment.
The group meets three times a year to focus on a common challenge. The format of the meetings is one or two presentations on a specific topic, followed by small group discussions, providing a combination of best practice and peer-to-peer sharing.
If you’d like to be one of the first to hear about these events, please contact our events team to be added to the mailing list.