MAKING THE GRADE ON YOUR NEXT PR CAMPAIGN
The dog days of summer are here. As students begin to anticipate the new school year ahead, many companies are gearing up for their back-to-school initiatives. Marketing managers might be working with their PR teams to plan a back-to-school media relations campaign or wrapping their heads around upcoming fall product launches.
If there’s one thing that can unite marketing managers with students in their quest to get ahead of the curve, it’s this: pizza. We all love it. So, in the spirit of new beginnings (and pizza), here a few things to consider in planning your next PR launch using some examples from Domino’s recent Paving for Pizza campaign.
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IDENTIFY YOUR POTHOLES
To demonstrate how it was willing to go over and beyond for its customers, Domino's literally started filling potholes to make takeout easier. While not every launch or campaign calls for such a dramatic statement, it’s helpful to consider what major roadblocks exist for your target audiences in context with any new initiative. The process not only helps to align your value props with customer needs, but also might just open the doors for some creative ideation.
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EMBODY THE SOLUTION
While Domino’s has received lots of kudos for its ability to think outside the box (pizza pun intended), it was even more impactful because the underlying messages were consistent with the brand. Innovation and boldness in solving customer challenges have been a focus of the company since it reinvented itself during the late 2000s. The latest campaign, characteristically clever in execution, only reinforces the values that are already propelling the company forward.
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MAKE IT LAST
While Domino’s created a lot of buzz in the media after launching its campaign, the framework helped to ensure it had a staying power. The company started working alongside municipalities to repair roads even before issuing its initial press release, providing a meatier story for reporters to sink their teeth into. And, by introducing a website for customers to nominate their own towns for consideration upon launching, the company knew there would be ample opportunity for engagement online and across social media in the days to come.
In the same way students must plan ahead before the first day of class, getting their books and schedules in order, marketing managers have to do their due diligence in advance of launching any PR initiative. Like a good pizza, PR plans need to be baked until just right before they’re ready for consumption. So, with some creativity and strategic collaboration with the PR team, marketing managers can ensure they make the grade and deliver the right ingredients on their next campaign.
Reach out to begin brainstorming and get started on yours.
