Document EqGYVadVxbLNBOn9mNQEJGGyb

GENERAL EDITOR John W. Gibbons . . . Automotive Safety Foundation, Washington, D. C. AUTHORS Howard Bonham . . . American National Red Cross, Washington, D. C. Harry A. Williams . . Automobile Manufacturers Association, Detroit, Michigan Harold L. Eves . . . . Mass Marketing Institute, Chicago, Illinois Tom A. Burke............ National. Safety Council, Chicago, Illinois L. J. McEnnis, Jr. . . . Northwestern University Traffic Institute, Evanston, Illinois Paul H. Blaisdell . . National Committee for Traffic Safety, Chicago, Illinois Published by National Committee for Traffic Safety 425 North Michigan Avenue Chicago 11, Illinois Copyright 1951 E--06624 Foreword J^any shocking statistics show the need for greater traffic safety, as a humanitarian objective and also as an important means of strengthening the nation's defense effort. The 35,000 traffic deaths in 1950, for example, together with the injury of more than a million others, cost approxi mately 485,000 adult man-years which otherwise would have been available for essential civiljan or military service. But facts like these, however grim and challenging, are not enough to bring about the public understanding and active support indispensable to a successful safety program. It takes more; much more. Like any other commodity, cause or concept, traffic safety must be "sold." And this means the use of forceful and effective promotion and publicity. ' Unfortunately, the traffic program is notably weak in this respect precisely at the point where it should be strong; that is, in attracting large numbers of people to conferences, institutes, meetings, seminars and similar state and local gatherings, and in utilizing these events for public educa tional purposes. It is at these meetings where safety techniques are formulated or revised, and' where public support for their application is organized. The deficiency is partly due to lack of knowledge of the vital role which promotion and publicity must play. More often, it is because professionals with "know-how" in th^ information field are not available, or at least have not been enlisted. The planning of safety events frequently is done by engineers, enforcement authorities, educators and others who cannot be expected to have a working knowl edge of promotion and publicity. Eventually, trained personnel must be provided for the information job.. Meanwhile, a procedural guide setting E-06625 fortk tke kasic activities necessary can ke kelpful. Tkat is tke purpose of tkis volume. In producing it, tke National Committee for Traffic Safety is following a suggestion made ky tke Committee on Puklic Information of tke President's Higkway Safety Conference. Text was prepared ky a group of recognized experts in tkis field. Tkey turned to tke states, cities and organi zations wkick kave done tke kest jok for examples of tkeir most effective teckniques. Tke aim kere is not merely to present suggestions kut to outline, step-ky-step, and in simple terms, a puklicity and promotion program for all types of traffic safety meetings. As a furtker step to insure tke practical value of tke document, it was reviewed ky a group of advertising and puklicity specialists drawn togetker from kusiness and industry. It is our kope tkat tkis kook will fill an important gap in needed traffic safety materials. William J. Scripps, Chairman Committee on Public Information NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY E--06626 Contents Chapter I Do You Need Promotion and Publicity? Essential to Attendance Two Types of Meetings II What to Do First Set Up a Committee Watch Out For Duds Get Professional Help Personal Contacts Important The Chairman Is The Key How Many Committeemen? III How To Promote Attendance An Attractive Announcement - Testimonials--Tried and True How Many Copies Needed? ' Making Personal Contacts When Should Mailings Be Made? Planning the "Stretch Drive" IV How To Get Pre-Meeting Publicity Select Proper Media When Should We Start? How to Prepare a Release Tips on Photographs The Editor You Should See Radio and Television V Publicity During the Meeting Facilities For the Press Interviews and Press Conferences Photographers--B.y All Means Home-town News Service Colorful Meeting Place VI The Job Has Only Begun Home-town Follow-up Continuing Committee Effort Permanent Organization References At meetings like this, safety techniques are worked out, and public support for them organized. But to get maximum results, meetings must be adequately publicized and promoted. The purpose is to "sell" the program. E--06628 Chapter I Do You Need Promotion and Publicity? DURING the past three decades there have been thou sands of meetings, institutes and training courses in the United States devoted to the consideration of safer streets and highways. Some have drawn capacity audiences. More often you or someone else has been compelled to apologize by saying: "Well, we made up in quality for what we lacked in quantity." . Why? One reason is that too often it is presumed people are so interested in safe streets and highways that a mere announce ment of a meeting or workshop will bring them together. Such is not the case. Good promotion and good publicity are essential to help obtain the desired attendance, and at the same time to tell the general public about the program. They are among the strongest weapons in the highway safety arsenal. Use them. Promotion and publicity are discussed separately in this manual for the sake of convenience; in practice, it,is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. We classify as "promotion" those activities, such as personal contacts, telephone calls and mailing of announce ments, which are aimed directly at the persons you wish to attract to the meeting. Some publicity will result from these activities, but not enough. You need the cooperation of the press, radio and other information media to get widespread knowledge of the event, and a better public understanding of its purpose and importance. That is the "publicity" part of the program. The objective ought to be to promote meetings in advance; to "wrap traffic safety in the most attractive package" .by employing insofar as possible the techniques which sell business and industrial products. Two Types of Meetings Techniques will vary with the type of meeting you are sponsoring. In general, all safety gatherings fall into two classes: 1. The "revival type," such as a Governor's or Mayor's Highway Safety Conference, in which the purpose is to put the problem into public focus; to establish sound organiza tion; to analyze needs, and to inspire those attending. 2. The "self-improvement type," of which the training institute, workshop and seminar are typical. These sessions usually are smaller, and based on some pattern of instruction. They should attract the maximum number of qualified persons. The suggestions in this book cover both types of meetings. In the following chapter are listed the things which should be done in advance. The promotion of attendance is covered in Chapter III. The publicity phase of the campaign is divided into two parts: Chapter IV deals with publicity prior to the meeting; handling of publicity during the event itself is outlined in Chapter V. Following that, in Chapter VI, is a brief discussion of the need to follow-up your conference or workshop, with some practical pointers in that direction. A selected list of useful materials, concludes the book. A starting point is getting the right people to do the committee job for which they are best fitted. E--06630 Chapter II What To Do First The first step in getting attention focused on your safety conference is to get help. Don't try to do the job by yourself. Even an experienced publicist finds it desirable to have a promotion and publicity committee established, as an integral part of the organization set up to plan and carry out any important event. For those who are not experienced in this field, the need for such a committee is imperative. The committee should be named well in advance of the meeting. If possible, it should get to work during the early planning stages, and participate in that planning. Early action in setting up a committee has two main advantages: 1. It enables, members of the committee to become thoroughly familiar with objectives and arrangements. Fre quently they can make valuable contributions to development of the program itself, because of their interest in its promo tion and publicity. 2. The committee needs lots of time to plan and carry out an effective publicity and promotion campaign. For most affairs, the committee should get to work several months in advance. Watch Out For the "Duds'' It is highly important to get the right people on the committee. One loaded with "duds" is worse than no committee at all. While it is sometimes helpful to include prominent people on the committee because of the prestige and stature of their names, this should not be the first con sideration in selecting membership. A much more important factor is the willingness and ability of committee members to work. You need a working committee, not an advisory body. At least some of the members should have the "know-how" and access to facilities for contacting the press, radio and other media. Professional publicists, when they can be persuaded to serve, are extremely valuable committee members. They can write and properly distribute the announcements, press releases and other mate rials required. If for some reason it proves impossible to secure for committee service a person qualified and willing to under take these tasks, and if you do not have facilities available through your own or cooperating organizations, then consider the employment of professional assistance on a part-time basis. This could range from a few hours of work up to several days or weeks, depending upon the size and im portance of the gathering, and the problems involved. Usually a qualified person can be found on the staff of a newspaper or advertising agency, who can do the work at night or in off hours. In many places free lance publicity specialists are available. Personal Contacts Are Important The committee also should include representatives of organizations with field staffs, or with other means of con tacting those making the decisions respecting attendance. In the promotion of attendance, there is no adequate sub stitute for personal contact; where that is not feasible, telephone contact should be made "with as many key people as possible. Obviously, in setting up the committee, you must turn first to organizations and agencies with an interest in highway safety. Tell them about the project, if they don't already know. Outline the job to be done in promotion and publicity, making sure that the responsibilities of the proposed com mittee are clearly understood. Then request from them the assignment to membership of persons who have a working knowledge of the subject, and who will be in position to contribute practical assistance. State and local safety councils, motor clubs, dealer associations, junior and senior chambers of commerce. s ^06632 trucking associations and highway user groups are among the organizations immediately concerned with safety of automotive traffic. ' Among government agencies, the police departments, departments of education and motor vehicle administrative offices most frequently are in position to help promote and publicize safety events. Newspaper and Radio Representatives Discussions with representatives of these groups will result in further suggestions for committee membership. Wherever possible, it is desirable to invite newspaper re porters or editors, radio and television station executives, and other media representatives to participate. If a news paper staff includes one person especially assigned to traffic and safety subjects, he or she also should be asked to serve. In some communities, editors and radio station execu tives do not ordinarily participate in the work of such com mittees. If this applies in your situation, the practical thing is to get the committee functioning first, and then to invite representatives of the various media to a meeting. Take them fully into your confidence. After an explanation of the committee's purpose and plans, their advice and coopera tion should be requested. The sympathetic interest of these people is invaluable; and if the story is told effectively, you can count on their support. Few other causes are as urgent and worthwhile today as the reduction of the heavy traffic death and injury toll. Get a Live-Wire Chairman The chairmanship of the committee is of special im portance. The task should be assigned to someone who appreciates fully the value and importance of the event being promoted,, and- who is both able and willing to devote the time necessary to do an effective job. Choose your com mittee chairman with great care; a live-wire chairman with 9 only a mediocre committee can accomplish wonders. With out good leadership, an otherwise satisfactory group is too often likely to let the program down. And be sure the chairman has a major place in the over-all planning of the program and arrangements. ' What should be the size of the publicity and promotion committee? No hard and fast rules apply; the membership can range from as few as five up to 20 or more in the case of a national or state-wide gathering of major importance. The quality of the membership is far more important than its size. Generally, however, it is unwise to set up a group so large that the conduct of meetings becomes unwieldy. An active committee of five to 10 persons frequently is more effective than a very large group whose members are led to believe, from the sheer numbers involved, that no work will be expected of them individually. The scope of the committee's assignment ought to be broad. It should be asked to draw up a campaign, along the lines suggested in the subsequent chapters of this book, and then see to it that the campaign goes into effect on schedule. That involves numerous responsibilities and duties. But the work of this group can easily determine the final success or failure of the entire project. Chapter III How To Promote Attendance You now have a good committee ready to go to work months in advance. What does the committee do? One of its first jobs is the preparation of an attractive announcement or invitation. Repeat that word "attractive;" your announcement will be competing with scores of other pieces of sales literature that cross the desks of prospective delegates or trainees. If it's not an eye-catcher, it may never get read. Attractive announcements require expert design and layout. The text must be brief, persuasive and crystal clear. If a committee jpember is qualified .to prepare the brochure, that should be his or her assignment. If not, the committee should consider having the work done professionally by an agency specializing in copy writing and layout. The an nouncement need not be elaborate nor costly; but it should be attention-compelling. Money spent for printing of an attractive piece is money well spent. The announcement should explain the aims and objec tives of the meeting; tell what subjects will be discussed, and who will participate. It should give the place, date ' " and hour of the event, and other necessary information, such as availability of hotel rooms and transportation. It Must Be a Selling Document But the announcement must do more than that. It must also sell the prospect on attending. The committee should ' conceive of it primarily as a sales piece. Its mission is to convince the reader that the course or conference is worth his time, or the travel involved, or the cost. How will attendance help him and his organization? Aim the message directly fit the audience you wish to attract. . One tried-and-true technique is the testimonial. A strong il ET--06635 statement about the value and importance of your meeting from someone well known and respected in the field will carry real promotional weight. If the meeting is designed to draw from different groups--such as police, educators and engineers--look into the possibility of using different testi monials. Your printer will explain how these substitutions can be made in the announcement. To make advance enrollment or registration as easy as possible, include a simple form, either as a part of the announcement or, preferably, on a separate sheet which can be inserted. Provide space for the name and address, plus whatever other information is desired, such as payment of registration fees, need for hotel accommodations, etc. Order Plenty of Extra Copies How many copies should you get? This will depend upon the extent of the advance promotion program your committee decides to undertake. While the announcement piece is being prepared, secure lists for distribution pur poses, and arrangements for mailing of the announcement by cooperating organizations enlisted for this purpose by the committee. Mailing lists may be obtained in several ways. Probably the two best directories of public officials are the RESERVATION FOR THE TRAFFIC JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS CONFERENCE June 14-15, 1948, Urbana, Illinois Please make checks payable to the American Bar Association. Registration fee of $5 is payable with this reservation. NAME____________________________________ ADDRESS_________________________________ POSITION_______________________________ I want a hotel reservation for___ I will make other arrangements. O I wish the following additional informa tion about the conference: :11. I. J'ruu.ptjiit;wweRlMWi-tJ.w ^ E--06636 Municipal Year Book (International City Managers' Asso ciation), and the Book of the States (Council of State Gov ernments). These may be obtained for $10 each by writing to 1313 East 60th Street, Chicago 37, Illinois. You may wish first to check your local libraries as to availability of these or other directories. Thce Swnni' Institute Traffic Training June 18- July27 ioCoo| tSUDii c P*P*ons `h* - Zttsss 'une 25-29 - ]con*"- T^tsto^,!tcr'!'1- JuJy -e8--1i33.~--WTd?eroi.^rv^cCebrberrepErPr<*ddHtuU:.-C,(-*p^st.rirIt0Joe^n>ieieff;corwvtrr`^HDa5*"Ji*ooiSgnnhhIs5IC6c,1"h000loo31n * worJcsho-___ _ July 2-J3 -POrl*WP " 30,1001 B Tran*- 3 ' s"Pcrvisorv 18-20 - ?.?- * Tr*^ life; .,he .' *-----JrdS,Aundus-Msrr--i. sS? A** TTr,eaffffitcc Institute af *.*V*r^7i .. 13 E-06637 Lists of associations are more difficult to obtain. In quiries about them can be addressed to the National Com mittee for Traffic Safety, 425 North Michigan Avenue, Chi cago 11, Illinois, whose Executive Director will know or can find out from members of the committee whether the requested lists are available. After determining approximately how many copies of the announcement will be required, add several hundred for good measure. You probably will need them for follow-up promotion, and it's far better to have copies left over than to be caught short. If the announcement is to be used in a direct mail promotion, which is discussed later in this chapter, it will have to be printed several months in advance of the meeting so that cooperating agencies will have ample time to aid in the promotion. Be Selective In Your Contacts If you had enough time and staff to contact personally every prospect, you'd have no attendance problem. But few organizations are so. fortunate. Contact as many as you can. But be selective; see those who have authority or supervision over others. If you want police officers to attend an institute, for example, don't try to reach a large number of officers individually. Call on the chief of police or the head of the traffic division. Similarly, to promote teacher attendance, call on the principal or superintendent of schools. In every case, leave copies of your promotion literature for further distribution. ' In planning this phase of the campaign, the committee should seek the help of organizations which have traveling representatives or regional offices, such as the National Safety Council, the Traffic Division of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, etc. Be sure to provide them with sufficient quantities of your sales piece- ... - Civic, business and professional associations also are 14 E-06638 sources of promotional assistance. The committee should see that the heads of associations in the immediate area are contacted personally, either in person or by telephone. Write to the others. Offer quantities of the announcement for distribution to their members. Brief Announcements At Meetings Some of the organizations in the area will hold meet ings of their own prior to the date of your event. Try to get a brief spot on the program at each of these meetings-- three minutes will do--to tell your plans. If this can't be done in person, telephone or write to the president or secre tary, asking him or her to make the announcement for' you. Submit a carefully prepared statement of what you would like to have said. Try to get him to arrange for distribution of the printed announcement on chairs in the meeting room. Don't overlook the service clubs -- Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, etc. -- the veterans' organizations, the parent-teacher associations and the motor clubs. They can do much to help promote attendance at community or state safety gath erings. Try to interest some of them in paying the tuition and other expenses of one or more students at training courses or conferences. Many of these groups are seeking sponsorship of worthwhile projects. The organizations which have agreed to mail your pro motion literature to their members should get it from two to three months in advance. This will give them time to decide how they want to handle the distribution. It provides time also for use of the information in their bulletins and other publications. . When Should the Mailing Be Made Your first direct mail promotion should reach prospects from six to eight weeks prior to the event. This is_neither too early nor too late. If the promotion is too early, recip ients of the literature may put it aside and forget it. If too 15 late, they don't have time to make arrangements to attend. Mailings to persons or groups who are directly inter ested, and who might be expected to attend, should include business reply envelopes for the return of registration forms. The point is to make possible their acceptance with the least amount of effort and inconvenience. In addition to direct prospects, others who can help build attendance should be approached. Directors of public safety, mayors and city managers, for example, ought to be informed of a training course for traffic police. (In addi tion to the police administrators themselves.) The letters should suggest that the mayor or city manager call the course to the attention of his police chief. The same procedure applies, of course, to other officials in municipal and state government Planning the Stretch Drive The committee should check enrollments, or the pros pects for attendance, three to four weeks before the meeting opens, to determine how much follow-up' promotion is needed. If you want no more than 50 persons in your class or workshop and registrations are approaching that number, then obviously little more needs to be done. But if the outlook is not favorable, then redouble your efforts. It's time to start ringing door bells again, using the phone, mail ing out announcements and letters. For maximum results, concentrate on contacts in your immediate vicinity. A meet ing of the committee should be scheduled for about this time, to get steamed up for the stretch drive. Promotion of attendance will succeed in proportion to the amount of time and effort piit into"it.- >' -06640 Chapter IV How To Get Pre-Meeting Publicity Several channels of communication are available to publicize your meeting. Some reach the public at large. Others can carry your message to particular groups or organizations. The promotion and publicity committee should analyze all available media, so that the proper materials will be furnished to each. If, for example, your conference is going to deal with all phases of traffic safety, a story on child accident prevention activities would be of special interest to a parent* teacher magazine; a labor publication might be particularly concerned with off-the-job safety. In the case of "self-improvement" meetings or institutes, the same care should be exercised in selecting the right materials for the right media. In publicizing a traffic police training course, for example, one release to publications in the law enforcement field could help build up the desire to attend by emphasizing the benefits to be derived by the officers and departments. At the same time, the story of need in the community or state for trained traffic personnel should be given to newspapers and radio stations to help develop the support necessary for a successful institute. Start Publicity Far In Advance Publicity on the meeting should begin as far in advance as possible. The most practicable plan is to start with an announcement story at the time the printed announcement is issued (see Chapter III). From that time until the session begins, releases should be increasingly frequent, with the publicity build-up reaching a climax at the meeting itself. Following the initial release, containing the basic facts on the date and purpose of the event, others can be issued j ;! , : j ' , .1 j j: j j| |" i j1 j; j ,, j, i j II i- ! j j. ! j ' j] : j jj from time to time giving further information. The appoint ment of various chairmen, for example, can be covered in one, two of even more releases, depending upon the size of the conference and number of committees. Quotes from each chairman on the importance of the meeting and the plans of his committee will increase the acceptance of the releases by all media. In the case of training institutes and other meetings, where few chairmen are appointed, the names of prominent persons scheduled as discussion leaders and lecturers can be utilized by the committee in the same way. Don't forget that the creation of your own promotion and publicity committee may be a newsworthy item itself! Feature Articles Are Valuable In addition to news releases with prominent names, dates and other information, feature stories also can be provided to the newspapers covering the area in which attendance is desired. A good feature, for example, would be a graphic review of the whole traffic safety problem, and the importance of the conference or institute in dealing with it. If such a feature is published, get permission from the newspaper to reprint it. A reprint of a good feature story offers valuable (and low-cost) help in the direct-mail promotion of the meeting. Get your release into the hands of the newspaper editor as early as you can; at least a day in advance of publication if possible. Don't expect acceptance of materials turned in only a few hours before the paper comes off the press. Editors become increasingly rushed as the deadline ap proaches, and can't give much consideration ,to your story if it reaches them late. In any case, releases intended for afternoon papers should be delivered no later than 10 A.M. on the day of publication; those for morning papers not later than 6 P.M. the day before. P-06642 How to Prepare a Release Prepare your story in a professional manner. It should be neatly typewritten, not scribbled on a piece of paper. Captions should be properly attached to photographs, iden tifying persons shown, left to right, and explaining the pictures briefly. In writing the release, avoid flowery or flamboyant language. Keep it short, brief and to the point An editor has only a limited amount of time to spend on each of the great many stories which come across his desk, and a limited amount of space for them in the paper. 19 LiJ The form of your release is important. Proper pre sentation enables the editor to cooperate with you. Following are rules which should be followed whenever practicable: 1. Use letter-size paper, but not stationery with an elaborate letter-head. Type your name, (or the name of your organization followed by your name), address and telephone number in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. 2. Indicate a release date in the upper right-hand corner of the same page. Specify whether the release is to AM or PM papers on that date. (Alternate releases, if you have a series of them, so that morning and evening papers will get an even break). 3. If a story is prepared for use by only one newspaper, put below the instruction for release: "Exclusive for the (name of paper)." (This should be done, however, only on special request of the paper; every effort should be made to avoid discrimination. If possible, editors should meet jointly with the committee at an early stage to agree on fair methods for handling the news.) 4. Don't put a heading on the story. That's the editor's job; he writes it to fit into the make-up and general style of his newspaper. 5. Leave the top third of the first page blank. The editor likes space for a headline or for an instructional memo to his staff. 6. Double-space the story. Better still, triple-space it. Leave wide margins on the sides. The editor appreciates plenty of space in which to mark revisions. 7. If the story runs to more than one page, put the word "more" at the bottom of each page so he knows it is not complete. Indicate the end of the story on the last page with a line or some other appropriate marking. 8-- You may not have to write the story for the local newspapers. When you get all the facts assembled, phone the city editor. He may turn you over to a "rewrite" man. 20 06644 In promoting a major conference, special features like this parade result in coverage by cameras and microphones, as well as by the press. Be sure that the publicity it gets includes references to your meeting, its purposes and its program. who will make notes from your report and then write the story. Or he may assign a reporter who will come around to collect the information from you. The assignment of a reporter usually results in better coverage than you could achieve by a release. Sometimes a reporter will dig deeper into the subject, secure interviews or arrange for photographs to be taken. The opportunity for a feature story also is enhanced when a reporter is assigned. In a state-wide event, of course, or one embracing a number of cities or states, releases should be mailed to the papers in the area covered. Practical Tips on Photographs If you submit photographs, choose prints with the most contrast, since they reproduce best on newsprint. They should be "glossy" prints, and preferably 8 x 10 inches in size. Don't write on the back, and avoid the use of paper clips, which can-damage photographs. Type your picture, caption on a separate piece of paper, attaching it with paste in such a way that the captior extends below the print and is readable 21 E--06645 from the front. If you mail photographs, be sure to include cardboard or other stiffener in the envelope so the print won't get creased or bent. Whom to See At The Paper? Whom should you telephone or visit at the newspaper? To whom should you send your releases? You may work with various people on the staff of a metropolitan daily. In smaller cities, responsibilities are consolidated, while on country weeklies the publisher often is the only editorial staff member. The following observa tions, based on a typical daily newspaper in a.medium-sized city, are offered for general guidance; someone on your com mittee will know the exact situation in your town. 1. PUBLISHER. He should be advised of the pro gram and its objectives, with a view of obtaining the general cooperation of his newspaper. Usually he is not the man to see about specific news or feature stories. 2. EDITOR. He, too, deals with general policy matters, and ordinarily doesn't concern himself with specific articles, photographs, etc. The editor's counsel and coop eration are very important, however. 3. EDITORIAL WRITER. It may be possible, in some cases, to suggest material for editorials. But don't try to write them yourself, unless requested to do so. If the opportunity arises, provide the editorial writer with facts and express your viewpoint. Offer to dig up any additional information he may desire; then leave it up to him. 4. MANAGING EDITOR. On some papers, the man aging editor devotes a considerable portion of his time to public affairs. In that event, the members of your com mittee are likely to know him; he should, of course, be contacted. 5. CITY EDITOR. This is the editor who will have the most to do with the newspaper phases of your publicity 22 P-06646 campaign. He decides whether or not a story will be printed, how long it will be, and other major questions. He assigns the reporters and photographers, and is the editor to call when you have a story. Get in touch with him. 6. SPECIAL TRAFFIC SAFETY REPORTER. The growing civic importance of traffic problems has led some newspapers in recent years to assign staff members to the subject on a continuing basis. If such a reporter is avail able in your city, obviously he is in position to see that the meeting or conference is thoroughly and intelligently publicized. 7. SUNDAY EDITOR. The Sunday edition of a news paper is different from the daily edition. It publishes more feature articles and photographs, and in some respects re sembles a weekly magazine. Feature stories usually are longer than news articles, more leisurely in their writing, and more detailed. People have more time to read their newspapers on Sunday than on other days of the week. The Sunday editor (or whoever has responsibility for the Sunday edition) should by all means be contacted by your committee. Tell him the full story, explaining the purpose of the meeting, why it is important to the community or state, how it will contribute to the reduction of human suffering and death. The Sunday editor will be interested, too, in any good photographs you can give him or he can have made to illustrate the story. 8. PICTURE EDITOR. A newspaper with a staff of photographers may have a picture editor who arranges the schedule for the taking of photographs. He should be advised at least three or four days in advance of any event which you believe would make a good news picture. Give him specific information in writing about the event and the people who will be involved. Tell him exactly when the picture may be taken; photographers usually work on a tight 23 E-06647 schedule. Be on hand to help get the names, and make sure the picture editor gets full information for his caption. It's best to have it in typewritten form. 9. WIRE SERVICES. Newspapers in other cities and states receive news from your community either through their own correspondents or, more often, through the "wire" services. The principal news agencies are the Associated Press, the United Press Association, and the International News Service. These organizations maintain bureaus in larger cities. In smaller places they rely for news upon local correspondents, who usually are staff members of the local newspapers. If your meeting or institute embraces a regional or state-wide area, the cooperation of both the wire services and the correspondents for out-of-town newspapers is highly important. The committee should find out who they are, and see that they receive releases and other information at the same time as the local newspapers. 10. COUNTRY PRESS. The so-called "country press" embraces the weekly newspapers published in small towns and rural communities. These papers are thoroughly read, and can be of major importance to your publicity program. A mimeographed release to weekly papers should be mailed to reach them Monday or Tuesday; most of them are published either Wednesday or Thursday. Their co operation in a worthwhile campaign may be secured through the state editorial or publishers' association. Stories also can be channeled to them through the Western Newspaper Union, an organization with offices in all .large cities .Vvhich prints a service known as "Ready Print," used by a great many of the smaller weeklies. Contact the state editor ol this agency, and interest him in the forthcoming event. Pictures for the country press should be supplied in the form of "mats;" (paper moulds from which stereotyped castings are made). Mats are light and easily mailed, and can be purchased from the Western Newspaper Union 24 ^~06648 or from many concerns servicing publicity and advertising media. 11. NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSPAPERS. In larger cities community newspapers are published weekly, usually in various shopping areas. Their requirements are about the same as those of the country press. In all relations with newspaper and radio representa tives, be open and frank. Give them full information, so that they are thoroughly familiar with the entire project. Only in that way can you be assured that their coverage will be informed and sympathetic. The importance of enlisting the cooperation of civic, business, fraternal and governmental organizations was em phasized in the previous chapter. As a part of maintaining active contact with these groups, see that they receive copies of all press releases. This will keep them informed of developments, and make information available for their use in bulletins, letters and communications to their members. Articles for house organs and association magazines should be individually prepared, however, after arrangements for their publication are made in each case. Radio and TV Cooperation Radio and television stations and networks have made vital contributions to the cause of highway safety promotion. Your committee should ask for their cooperation in publi cizing the conference or institute, and see to it that materials are made available to them in a form which will make that cooperation effective. Many stations have safety programs. Arrangements should be made for them to publicize your meeting. If they are sponsored by the station itself, the program director or station manager can arrange it. In other cases, the com mercial or civic sponsor should be approached with a request for assistance. The station manager can give you the names of persons to see and other information. 25 ^'"06649 How can your meeting be worked into a radio or TV show? It depends, of course, upon the format of each individual program. Announcements can be made on news casts. Other programs lend themselves to interviews with your committee chairmen or officers. If the committee arranges an interesting special event or "stunt," the radio and television stations may "cover" it. Personal Appearances On the Air If prominent persons are scheduled to participate in the program, try to get them on hand ahead of time for personal appearances on the air. (If they can't be scheduled a day or two in advance, get them on during or after the meeting. (See Chapter V). Be sure the station manager, program director or news director at each radio and television station receives all your releases. That information should be given to them for use simultaneously with the newspapers. In addition, supply the stations with "spot" announce ments. In many cities, radio and TV news commentators, "disc jockeys" and others with regular programs welcome information on events of this kind, particularly when they have to do with an important humanitarian cause. Don't merely ask them to publicize your meeting; that isn't ade quate. Give them the necessary information in writing, and, if possible, in a format suitable for broadcasting. The emphasis should be on brevity. Avoid long words and long sentences. A good announcement need be only 30, 50 or 100 words. If possible, get your radio material prepared professionally, to insure maximum effectiveness. In case you are sponsoring a large meeting, the com mittee should consider the advisability of giving a pre-con ference luncheon for press, radio and other media repre sentatives, to explain details, distribute background informa tion and advance "hand-outs," and to answer any questions they may have. This technique has proved highly effective. 26 E--06650 Chapter V Publicity During The Meeting The attendance promotion job must be completed prior to the meeting. But the publicity job reaches its climax at that point, and much of the educational values of the entire campaign depend upon an all-out effort at this time. Attendance by representatives of the press should be carefully arranged ahead of time. Follow up your formal invitations with telephone or personal calls. One or more tables for the press should be placed near the speakers' platform. Even if the meeting is held in an auditorium-style setting, a press table is needed for the convenience of reporters taking notes. Special events directors of radio and television stations also should be contacted in advance for coverage of principal addresses and reports. If the time of delivery of the talks Radio and television interviews before and during your meeting are excellent means of reaching the public. Prominent speakers make good subjects for interview. So do teen-agers, like the young man on the left, and popular personalities like Mary Hartline on the right. is not convenient for direct broadcasts, perhaps recordings can be made for use later when air time is available. After the meeting, be sure someone calls or writes the newspapers, radio and television stations, thanking them for their cooperation. Interviews and Press Conferences During the meeting special interviews and other types of personal appearances on the air should be arranged for visiting personalities. Make these arrangements in advance. Prominent visitors or program participants also can hold press conferences during the conference. Such a con ference permits a well-known and important speaker to answer reporters' questions on phases of the subject not fully developed during the meeting itself. If possible, the press conferences should be scheduled to follow the speakers' appearance on the program, so that the reporters can ask questions suggested by the talks. , Every major speech or report should be summarized before presentation, and a copy made available to press and radio representatives attending. These also should be furnished to all newspapers, radio stations and publications which might be interested. Copies in full of major speeches should be made available to the reporters covering the meeting. In the case of a large conference extending over a full day or more, typewriter and telephone facilities should be provided for the convenience of reporters assigned to the story. In addition, a member of the committee or someone else qualified should be on hand to supply information, and give other assistance desired. Be Sure Pictures Are Taken You will want newspaper photographers at the meeting. This must be arranged well in advance. A definite schedule of events should be given to the newspapers; this is important because an editor seldom can assign a photographer for 28 E-06652 all-day attendance. Don't stop with picture coverage by the newspapers, however. In addition, the committee should arrange for a commercial photographer, or an amateur who understands news photos, to supply prints for trade publi cations and other purposes during and after the session. Be sure someone is assigned to assist the photographers in lining up "shots," getting names properly, and furnishing other information required. If possible, arrange for a meeting of special guests and prominent speakers in an adjoining room either before or after the meeting, for the purpose of getting photographs. It may be feasible to combine picture-taking with the press conferences. Home-Town Press Service The people who attend your meeting from out of town are likely to be newsworthy in their own communities. The attendance list should be carefully studied for the possibility of news releases and, perhaps, photographs, to be sent back to home towns. In the case of pictures, pose the visitor with some well-known personality attending the meeting. Get action in these pictures by having the group looking at something or doing something; shaking hands, for example, if that is in order, or operating testing devices or other equipment. At important state or regional meetings, the mailing of releases to home-town papers can be organized on a large and worthwhile scale by setting up a special table or booth for this purpose. Announce from the platform that the value of the meeting and the furtherance of its aims can be greatly extended if everyone attending will stop at the table or booth and arrange for a personalized story to be sent to his home town paper. In most instances, a stock story can be used, with appropriate "fill-in of name and, if possible, 'a suitable qoutation. These releases should not be filled in on a -06653 mimeographed sheet, however. Each should be individually typed and forwarded by air mail to the local papers. Ask those stopping at the table for this purpose the names of their editors, so that the envelope containing the release can be personally addressed in as many cases as possible. The recording of short radio talks, for use by stations in the home-town area, also has been found effective. Meeting Place Should Be Colorful Meetings with large attendance are themselves media of publicity, and every effort should be made to have them as colorful and enthusiastic as possible. Decoration of the meeting room is an important factor. Your local outdoor advertising company usually can arrange for the display of large, mounted 24-sheet posters back of the speakers' plat form, on the sides of the meeting room, or both. When they are on the sides, spotlights should be put on them to add color to the setting, and to dramatize the important safety messages carried on them throughout the meeting. In many instances your local outdoor advertiser can also arrange to have large posters displayed on the street approaching the meeting place, as a welcome to visitors and as a means of emphasizing the importance of the gathering. Such a display also advertises the session to all persons going by, and sometimes provides colorful backdrop for news or feature photographs. 30 E--06654 Chapter VI The Job Has Only Begun The value of many a conference, institute or seminar has been lost or minimized by failure to follow-through with post-meeting publicity. The highway safety job does not stop when the gavel falls to close a conference, or when the certificates are awarded at a training institute. Such events generally mark the beginning of the real work to be done. The meeting only drew up the plans--now they must be put into effect. The session which formulates a program for a state or a municipality makes the need for follow-up quite plain. The problem is more obscure in the case of the training institute or workshop where public officials have been doing in-service work for the purpose of greater efficiency in their special technical field. Yet, we may seriously question the value of professional traffic training if the official is unable to use his new or improved knowledge in his own community. Publicity may be the only way in which the need for this exercise of professional competence can be brought to the attention of the public. Put Emphasis on Future Activities The first step of an adequate follow-up publicity pro gram is to relate final press releases to the job which remains to be done. The publicity must stress the fact that the event now concluded had a very direct and important relationship to the growing challenge of traffic accidents. This relationship will vary with type of project. For example: an institute which included a training course on chemical tests for intoxication provides a follow-up publicity tie-in at 'all places where chemical test evidence is- not used. In a state-wide or a city-wide highway safety conference, the "action program" developed is a natural background for 31 ,>f E--06655 traffic safety publicity until another conference revises the recommendations. Two other approaches to post-meeting publicity which become, in themselves, promotion for further steps in the traffic safety program: 1. The return to his home location of each person who attends a traffic safety meeting is news to his home town newspaper. Urge him to capitalize on this opportunity by giving a story to the papers when he gets back, including a "plug" for the general subject of the meeting. 2. Quite frequently a meeting results in some kind of permanent organization to carry on the program. The best examples are the proposals for a coordinating committee of state officials; a state-wide public support organization, a coordinating committee of city officials, or a city-wide public support organization, all of which follow the "Action Program" recommendations of the President's Highway Safety Conference. The enthusiasm generated at a confer ence is seldom sufficient to carry the organizational plan to a successful conclusion -- it needs an assist from the follow-up publicity. There are three possibilities: A. The promotion and publicity committee from the original conference or meeting to continue on an informal basis as sponsors of further promotion until the organization structure is operating. An example in line with this suggestion is the continu ation in Illinois of the Governor's Advisory Com mittee on Traffic Safety until the machinery' pro posed by the Illinois Highway Safety Conference could be established and in operation. B. The creation, at the meeting, of a new, small pub licity group to serve as an interim body until the _ organization plan is complete and can take over promotion and publicity duties. C. .An informational bulletin to the press, radio, out- 32 - ; r-v- -06656 door and television interests and to the publicity chairman of each organization, agency or depart ment which participated in the meeting, pointing out the need for their continuing promotional effort if they sincerely expect to achieve the broad program and organizational pattern which they recommended. Follow-up May Be Vital Properly handled, the follow-up steps for any type of traffic safety meeting can be the most valuable portion of the job of promotion and publicity. This may be the , only means of bridging the gap between a statement of ;7 objectives and positive action to achieve them. Probably % you have seen a well-planned and well-executed traffic safety meeting lose its punch because no one was responsible for ^ the follow-up. The media of public information, with all the willingness in the world, cannot "kindle fires" under the traffic program without the fuel of factual information. This is f the reason for the importance of competent promotion and | publicity. 1 <2*&- . ! ' j j ; j : , > ! i ii I I i II t; :4: IE--06657 Suggestions for Further Reading Council of State Governments, Chicago. The Book of the States, 1950-1951. Lists all pertinent data on state officials, statistics, etc. Fitzgerald, Stephen E. Communicating Ideas to the Public, 1950. Funk and Wagnalls, New York. General public relations techniques, including use of all media. International City Managers' Association, Chicago. The Municipal Year Book, 1951. A resume of activities and statistical data of American cities. National Association of Automotive Mutual Insurance Companies, Chicago. Here's How--to Combat Traffic Accidents with Safety Projects, 1949. Practical guide for many methods of promoting safety, including community activities. National Safety Council, Chicago. Public Education for Traffic Safety, 1950. A guide for participation in a continuing safety edu cation program. 34 E-06658 President's Highway Safety Conference. Reports of Committees on Organized Public Support and Public Information, 1949. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Appraisals of current programs in those fields. Priorities in the Action Program, 1950. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. A look at the overall safety picture. MAGAZINE ARTICLES Fisher, Judge Edward C. Education--It's Still the Big Job. Traffic Review, Spring, 1950, p. 12. An articles on the importance of public information to safety. Furlong, William B. You Are the Other Fellow. Kiwanis Magazine, October, 1950, p. 34. A discussion of the various fields in safety work which need support from the public. Scripps, William J. * Tell It to Your Editor! Traffic Review, Winter, 1950, p. 28. Examples of cooperation between police, safety com mittees, and the press. F-0fc659