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Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.

From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.

What Clients Should Know About Working With Journalists

A major part of public relations is working closely with journalists. These relationships help drive awareness and coverage for clients. They are essential to their business goals and objectives.

To build and preserve good working relationships with journalists, it’s important that clients of PR agencies understand a few important things. By being prepared for the following, PR professionals and their clients can optimize and streamline coverage opportunities.

Journalists don’t want to repeat your crafted messaging

When reporters interview clients, they typically already have an angle for the story and interview. Journalists are not there to parrot company messaging. They want to unearth something new, timely and relevant for their audiences. It’s their job to have a unique, interesting angle to a story to share with their readers.

As a PR professional, it’s essential to prepare clients with appropriate language to cater to the journalists’ questions without sounding overly practiced or scripted. Oftentimes, journalists will have done their background research on the client and company. So, clients should assume the reporter has basic information and give them more specific and interesting details that cannot be found on the company website.

PR professionals can request interview questions in advance. However, sometimes journalists will not share questions before the interview. In this case, PR professionals can ask journalists to share the angle of the interview so they can ensure their clients have relevant information prepared for the interview. This caters to journalists’ desire to secure relevant, accurate information and also ensures PR professionals can prep clients on how to address reporters’ questions authentically without simply reciting company messaging.

Reporters likely won’t let you review the whole article

As much as we would like to see articles in advance, reporters rarely share full drafts before publication. If PR professionals are worried about inaccuracies in articles, they can ask to review the quotes used ahead of publication. Sometimes, journalists will share quotes with you prior to publication without being asked, especially if they want to ensure the article is accurate. However, this doesn’t always happen. Therefore, if PR professionals want to review quotes, they should request this early in the process so the journalist can prepare and avoid any clashes with deadlines.

Clients should be aware of this process before the interview. PR professionals can inform them that while they can request to see the article in advance, the likelihood of that happening is slim. If there happens to be factual problems and inaccuracies in the final, published piece, journalists can amend their articles for accuracy, if necessary.

Journalists need bios, headshots and graphics

Journalists will often ask for supporting materials like bios and headshots of the people quoted or interviewed. Clients should have these materials ready for PR professionals to avoid confusion or bottlenecks with the journalists, in the event they’re working on a strict deadline.

In some cases, journalists will also require hero images, which the client or PR professional should be ready to provide. These often need to be exclusive, one-of-a-kind images to accompany the article.

Journalists sometimes request additional sources

After a journalist interviews your client, they may request to speak to other people to back up claims made by the spokesperson. For example, if the story focuses on the benefits of a company’s software, they may ask to speak to a customer.

As a PR professional, it’s important to understand upfront if the reporter will need additional resources. Organizing these interviews and connecting reporters with resources can take time and can delay publication if not handled quickly.

In some cases, your client may not want to connect a journalist with a customer. If this is the case, it’s essential to know this early in the interview process so the journalist is aware. This can impact their ability to write the article.

There can be a long lead time for coverage

Journalism is a fast-paced industry. However, coverage can be delayed. PR professionals should set expectations with clients that they may have to wait to see content publish.

As a best practice, PR professionals can ask journalists when they think the outlet will publish their story. In some cases, this decision is made by their editors. If a publication date isn’t clear, routinely check the outlet for the article, and be sure to share it with the client as soon as possible.

Making clients aware of how journalists work helps set expectations and ensure there is no confusion when building these relationships. As a result, you can streamline the interview and publication process, making it easier for everyone.

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Tideworks News: Simulated Training, Marine Software Go-live, Brenock & Virgin Voyages

The supply chain became a household topic of discussion during the pandemic. However, container volumes and staying on top of terminal operations is a 24/7 focus of our client, Tideworks Technology. The company has had an active year with a few exciting deployments of different products with customers.

For background, Tideworks develops comprehensive terminal operating system (TOS) solutions that support vessel planning, yard management, gate operations and reporting. Its solutions play a significant role in optimizing marine and intermodal terminal operations, improving productivity, and enhancing supply chain efficiency for terminal operators worldwide.

From advancing into virtual reality solutions to amplifying a new customer update from Tideworks’ joint-venture company, it was a busy summer with a few notable company, partner and customer announcements. Let’s dive into the developments.

In early June, we had the opportunity to work with Tideworks to announce the successful deployment of its latest product offering, DriverSIM by Tideworks. The solution is a simulated, supplemental training tool for terminal yard tractor drivers and was created with one of Tideworks’ customers, Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT). MIT is one of Latin America’s most significant logistics hubs, connecting approximately 125 ports through its operations.

The simulated platform helps drivers learn how to maneuver the equipment and landmarks of the terminal in a virtual setting before they are on the ground. By using a simulated solution for equipment training, terminal operators reduce pain points and cost investments involved with this process. Ongoing use of the solution will also help minimize equipment emissions.

The launch of DriverSIM demonstrates Tideworks’ commitment to helping terminal operators leverage emerging technologies and improve productivity across various segments of their operations.  

The CPR team worked with Tideworks to develop and share a press release with key media. As a result, Tideworks had several articles published about the news. The team also provided a reporter with a virtual DriverSIM demo to see the training solution’s interface.

Below is a snapshot of some of the articles around the news:

Later in June, Tideworks also announced that its customer, Santa Marta International Terminal Company (SMITCO), a container terminal operator based in Santa Marta, Colombia, went live with Tideworks’ marine TOS solution, Mainsail 10. This deployment was Tideworks’ 15th successful implementation of its latest TOS solution.

As a gateway for trade between South America, North America and Europe, SMITCO’s use of Mainsail 10 will help the terminal manage cargo volumes from different supply chain stakeholders. 

Below is a list of some of the coverage we helped Tideworks secure as a result of this update with SMITCO:

Over the summer, Tideworks’ joint-venture company, Brenock Technology, also had a significant milestone to announce. For background, Brenock entered into a joint venture with Tideworks in 2020, allowing Brenock to leverage Tideworks’ global network and accelerate its growth.

At the end of June, Brenock announced that Virgin Voyages signed a five-year agreement with the company as its port cost management software provider. Through the agreement, Virgin Voyages will use Brenock’s planning and cost management solutions across its fleet of four ships. Virgin Voyages’ selected Brenock’s planning and management tools because they are cloud-based and mobile-ready, providing fleets with a modern, end-to-end cruise management system.

We had the opportunity to collaborate with Brenock to develop the announcement and showcase the milestone with Virgin. Below is a snapshot of the articles secured with cruise and maritime industry publications:

With a few trade shows and other updates planned for the remainder of the year, we are excited to continue supporting and amplifying Tideworks’ and Brenock’s milestones.

 

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Living Our Core Values: The Foundation of Our Culture

In the fast-paced business world, values are often discussed but seldom lived. At Communiqué PR, we believe in articulating and embedding our values into every aspect of our work culture. These aren’t just words on a wall; they are the principles that guide our every action and decision.

Below is a summary of our six core values and what they mean to us:

  1. Delivering superior results isn’t just about the end game for us. It’s about dedication, efficiency, and a constant strive for perfection. We take pride in producing work that speaks for itself, work that’s excellent at the first go, minimizing waste and rework.
  2. Our commitment to embracing client service and partnership is palpable in every handshake, every email, and every project. Our clients are not just business associates but partners in our journey. It’s not just about meeting expectations but about exceeding them consistently. The trust and respect we earn from our clients is our greatest reward.
  3. At the heart of our operations is the belief to collaborate and work as a team. We understand the power of collective effort. By sharing, supporting, and helping each other, we achieve what would be impossible individually. It’s not just about teamwork; it’s about being there for one another.
  4. We nurture a proactive, positive spirit in everything we do. Challenges? We view them as opportunities. Resistance? A chance to grow stronger. Our drive and determination are fueled by passion and the sheer joy of hard work.
  5. In a world where the lines are often blurred, we act with integrity. Trust is hard-earned and easily lost. Our commitment is to be honest, transparent, and accountable. We own up to our mistakes and never compromise on our principles for transient gains.
  6. Last but certainly not least, we believe in being respectful. Whether it’s a team member, a client, or a competitor, we listen, understand, and act with fairness. Every voice matters, every perspective is valued, and every person is treated with dignity.

We understand that to succeed in the business world, it’s imperative to be anchored by strong, unwavering principles. This foundation steers our professional journey and creates a legacy of trust, excellence, and commitment.

These values allow us to understand each client (and one another) to provide truly exceptional service and outcomes. Instead of resorting to generic, one-size-fits-all solutions, we prioritize crafting strategies that resonate with each client’s unique needs, aspirations, and brand essence.

To our team, partners, and clients: thank you for being a part of this journey, where our values are our compass, guiding us to strive for more, to be better, and to always remain true to ourselves.

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Navigating the Waters of Business Rebranding: Pros and Cons

The business landscape is constantly evolving, which leads many companies to consider rebranding as a tool to stay relevant, revitalize their image and capture new customers. Rebranding can yield remarkable results and pose disastrous pitfalls.

Twitter’s controversial rebrand to X has put brand image top of mind in marketing and PR. The history of rebranding is filled with cautionary tales and successful transformations. Here are a few things to consider when approaching a possible rebrand. 

Rebranding Cons:

  • Customer Confusion: Drastic changes can confuse customers, tanking sales and engagement. An ill-considered 2009 Tropicana rebrand cost the company 20% of its sales. One of its biggest issues? Customers didn’t recognize the brand without the iconic orange with a straw. Tropicana reverted to the original design a few months later.
  • High Costs and Resources: Rebranding involves updating everything from logos and packaging to marketing materials and websites. The associated costs, in both time and money, can be substantial.
  • Potential Backlash: Not all rebrands are well-received. If customers feel a deep connection to the old brand, sudden changes can alienate the very audience the rebrand was intended to attract.
  • Lost Identity and Authenticity: Over-enthusiastic rebranding attempts might result in losing the company’s original essence, leading to a loss of authenticity and a weakened brand identity. X’s rebrand suffers from this problem, with many users finding the change from Twitter to be ‘jarring’.

Rebranding Pros:

  • Fresh Appeal: A well-executed rebrand can make the company more appealing to current and potential customers. A company can better align with contemporary aesthetics and trends by updating visuals, messaging and positioning. Starbucks is a great example. The company has changed its logo a few times since its first update in 1987. However, the brand has maintained its recognizability by keeping its iconic two-tailed mermaid throughout multiple rebrands.
  • Expanded Market Reach: Rebranding can open untapped markets by shedding outdated perceptions and making a brand more accessible to a broader audience.
  • Adaptation to Changing Values: As societal values evolve, a rebrand can help a business reflect these changes. By embracing sustainability, diversity or other relevant values, a company can resonate more deeply with socially conscious consumers through rebranding.
  • Differentiation in Competitive Markets: Rebranding allows a company to stand out from competitors by presenting a unique identity. A distinct brand identity can help a business discover a niche and foster stronger customer loyalty.

Rebranding can be a powerful tool for growth and revitalization. It also comes with challenges and risks. Success hinges on careful planning, effective communication and a deep understanding of what customers love about the brand. By weighing the pros and cons, businesses can decide when to embark on a rebranding journey.

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Small Satellites, Big Dreams: Unveiling LeoStella’s Next-Gen Satellite Bus

Small satellites are growing up: getting bigger, more powerful and capable of supporting increasingly complex missions. That doesn’t mean, however, their price tags and time to market are falling back to the legacy space days and their hundred-million-dollar budgets and years-long development.

Earlier this month at the Small Sat Conference in Logan, Utah, LeoStella, a U.S.-based small satellite design and manufacturing company, announced the commercial availability of its next-generation, SDA-class satellite bus, the LS-300. At its exhibit booth, LeoStella showcased a scale model of the LS-300 and detailed its enhanced features.

Known for its state-of-the-art manufacturing process, rapid production and proven and reliable operational efficiency, LeoStella now offers a small satellite bus with increased power and larger and heavier payload capacity. While the LS-300 is larger than LeoStella’s existing satellite bus platforms, the company can manufacture and deliver all its satellites at scale, facilitating the development of ten- to fifty-satellite constellations for commercial and government use.

Leading up to the announcement, our team shared the news with key media contacts and facilitated interviews with LeoStella’s CEO. Below is some of the ongoing LS-300 coverage:

In addition to driving these results, we secured and designed the exhibit booth, helped with video production and managed the creation of a small model of the LS-300.

Stay tuned for more news from LeoStella!

 

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Tips to Successfully Employ Generative AI in Content Development

Generative AI has notably impacted public relations, revolutionizing how professionals develop and execute communication strategies. Content development is one area of PR ripe for its support. PR pros can leverage tools such as ChatGPT to draft press releases, pitches, thought leadership articles, blog posts and social media posts, which can streamline time investments and boost efficiency.

That said, generative AI is not a magic wand.

In recent media outreach, for example, our team learned from an editor that his publication no longer accepted contributed content due to declining submission quality. The editor attributed the content degradation to the use of generative AI platforms in writing the submissions. This revelation raises intriguing questions about the role of AI in content creation without sacrificing quality and ways that PR pros can strategically leverage the cutting-edge technology.

As a PR pro who relies on ChatGPT to supplement content creation, I’ve summarized my top three tips to streamline development without sacrificing quality.

No. 1: Creativity Assistance

Platforms such as ChatGPT can serve as a starting point for PR professionals to get their creative juices flowing. For example, let’s say you’re tasked with writing a blog post for a client about the advantages of cloud-based solutions for small businesses. You might first Google the top challenges facing small businesses in a particular industry and, based on the results, ask ChatGPT to generate an opening hook that draws readers into the blog.

Here are a few other ways PR pros can leverage tools like ChatGPT to inspire creativity in content development:

  • Ask the tool to generate metaphors or analogies to illustrate a point.
  • Ask the tool to rewrite a paragraph using a different tone or voice.
  • Ask the tool to list suggested titles for the content you’ve developed. (Be careful that you’re not putting any confidential content into the platform.)

No. 2: Outlining and Structure

I’m sure many writers would agree that it’s easier to build upon a foundation than to lay one. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can assist with establishing an initial foundation.

Let’s return to the hypothetical blog post about the advantages of cloud-based solutions for small businesses. A PR pro can ask ChatGPT to generate a blog post outline that touches on three specific sections:

  1. Introduction and challenges X, Y and Z.
  2. The role of cloud-based solutions in overcoming these challenges (including subheads).
  3. Summary, conclusion and call to action.

The result is an outline from which the PR can build and inject company-specific messages and examples.

No. 3: SEO Optimization

The relationship between PR and search engine optimization (SEO) has evolved, becoming more intertwined. Both PR and SEO rely heavily on content creation. PR pros create press releases, articles, blog posts and other content to promote their client’s brand. On the other hand, SEO professionals create high-quality, relevant and optimized content to improve search engine rankings and drive organic traffic to websites. When PR and SEO collaborate, they can align their content strategies, ensuring that the content generated for PR purposes is optimized for search engines, enhancing its visibility and reach.

Generative AI and ChatGPT can support PR pros in developing content optimized for search engines in a few ways. Let’s revisit the company blog post about the advantages of cloud-based software for small businesses.

Upon securing key terms from the SEO team, PR pros can input them into ChatGPT for assistance in generating compelling headlines and subheads. They can also use ChatGPT to generate concise meta descriptions that adhere to SEO terms and drive click-throughs.

When used strategically, generative AI can act as a digital wordsmith, helping PR pros develop original and engaging content tailored to specific audiences. PR pros must never forget that human oversight is essential to ensuring AI-generated content is accurate, well-written and aligned with brand identity.

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