Media Relations Case Study #1

THE CHALLENGE

A large publisher approached Deodandum asking for help promoting a small group study guide co-written by two of their authors. The study guide, Experiencing the Passion of Jesus, was being introduced in conjunction with Mel Gibson’s motion picture, The Passion of the Christ. Both authors had multiple book titles to their credit with the publisher.

The publisher and the mega-congregation that employed the pastor/author wanted to make as big an impact as possible for the study guide and the author in a brief window of time without spending much money.

THE STRATEGY

Deodandum media relations executives met with one of the authors, interviewed him, assessed his strengths, preferences and what he was comfortable with, proposed and, upon agreement, implemented the following plan:

• Confirm author's itinerary/speaking engagements for the next 10 weeks
• Develop press/media materials that publisher distributes and that we can use to promote interviews in print and electronic media
• Work with author to develop/refine brief 30-60 second "sound bite" monologue that succinctly lays out the need for the study guide, how it relates to the motion picture, and how it impacts his other evangelism work. Also refine and practice his three most important points.
• Work with author to develop list of "most frequently asked questions" and answers to those questions.
• Contact religious print and electronic media in cities to which he is traveling to set up interviews.
• Contact major religious print and electronic media nationally to pitch growing awareness and popularity of The Passion of the Christ, and piggyback the study guide and author's evangelism work

THE RESULTS

In a brief 4-6 week window of time, author conducted numerous radio interviews live and via telephone. More than 180 radio station/network and newspaper interviews and stories were logged in 32 states. Pastor was invited to deliver a week’s worth of 3-minute sermons on major religious radio network focusing on the points made in his books. Pastor referred us to others who asked us to help them. They became clients.

Media Relations Case Study #2

THE CHALLENGE

Individuals responsible for one of the most successful Sunday school curricula in the country had written a book outlining the rationale for the program and how other churches can go about setting up a similar program. Deodandum had been recommended to them and they contacted us to see if we could help them publicize the book and their program.

THE STRATEGY

After meeting with one of the authors and discussing the program and its benefits, Deodandum’s media relations executives proposed a program that involved the following steps:

• Develop promotional pieces to intrigue and draw in reporters:
  • Top Ten Sunday School "Beefs" From Kids
  • Evangelism Through Children Bullet Points
  • Radio Promotion Ideas for On-Air Talent/Producers
  • Author Bios
  • Sample Interview Questions for On-Air Talent/Producers
  • Press Release on "Making Your Children's Ministry the Best Hour Of Every Kid's Week"
• Contact/Pitch story ideas to major Christian Publications
• Pitch Interviews on Sunday school issues, using statistical data/findings in addition to book/author conclusions to radio stations nationally
• Develop and distribute a press release to a proprietary list of religion writers and editors at newspapers and radio stations across the country tying in a local church that uses the Promiseland curriculum.

THE RESULTS

Several major papers including the Arkansas Press Democrat and the Herald Newspapers of suburban Chicago ran articles on the book and the program.
Interviews featuring one of the book’s authors ranging from 20 to 40 minutes ran on more than 195 radio stations in 37 states.

Radio Product Promotion Case Study

THE CHALLENGE:

A client with a compelling need to generate millions of product impressions over months and months, but without the dollars budgeted to realistically do any advertising, public or media relations called Deodandum asking for help. The client wanted to promote some new products and to reinforce the importance of their other, better known products in the public’s mind, without spending a lot of money.

THE STRATEGY:

We suggested a radio promotion where, working on the client’s behalf, we would make free copies of key titles available at no cost to categories of radio stations. The stations could use them as promotional giveaways, and awards for on air contests. The publisher would pay for the cost of the books requested, the shipping, and the cost of our time to design and craft a program, implement it, contact radio stations, and process orders through their central shipping facility.

The client loved the idea and asked us to execute the concept. We:

• Developed brief electronic or fax promotional alerts for stations
• Designed a combined electronic or fax station agreement sign up and order form
• Selected target dates and events around which promotions could be targeted, spread over months to assure a constant flow of impressions
• Wrote on air promotional messages for each contest as well as contests with quizzes, questions and answers that could be used by on air talent
• Set up the radio station rules under which the program would run and product would be offered. These included at least two scripted product mentions (we provided examples) for each unit given away
• Established guidelines, quantities and procedures that satisfied most participating radio stations as well as the client
• Started calling and electronically contacting radio stations inviting them to participate
  

THE RESULTS:

The client was so pleased with the initial effort that they asked us to repeat the process with different titles and a fresh approach later that year. The second effort almost doubled the audience results of the first. To help assure that product awareness registered in all the key markets in which the client was interested, Deodandum added a small media buy. This allowed the client to dominate in every market they desired. The promotion was so successful the client had to ask us to stop weeks before they had planned.

The program was generating far more product requests… and promotional mentions…. than they had envisioned. Stations were coming back asking for more product, and the client was running short on inventory in some titles, and providing far more units than they had initially planned or budgeted for.

Radio Promotion Results & Product Impressions

	First Promotion	Second Promotion
# of Stations	46	108
# of Networks	3	5
Rating (AQH)	15,048,000	24,175,200
Est. Rating	13,275,700	21,505,634
TTL Rating	28,323,700	45,680,834