Measuring Success: Quantifying the Impact of Creative Thinking in Public Relations

Quantifying the impact of creative thinking in public relations is notoriously tricky. Creativity is a cornerstone of effective public relations strategies, weaving trending topics, brand MYTHOS, and media essentials into compelling narratives. It’s the engine driving your PR agency’s relationship, allowing professionals to develop connections and craft stories that surprise and captivate. But measuring creativity? Some would say impossible. But we’re not just creative storytellers, we love facts and figures. We can measure anything. Even the most inventive campaigns have metrics.

In this post, we dive into measuring the success of messaging work and creative storytelling in PR. Read on to learn more, and reach out to us to get started on telling your story.

Measuring the Success of Creative Messaging through Resonance

Working with Blue Practice means diving into “messaging sessions” in month one. Conversations with innovators and thought leaders on your team help us understand your business, challenges, and desired media perception. Armed with this info, we create taglines, messaging hierarchies, and positioning statements. But how can the success of a few statements be measured?

With resonance.

Once media coverage kicks in, we track how the media’s perception changes and whether our messages resonate. We did this work with veritree, working closely with their team to develop a unified language that defined their mission, and the media responded consistently. With the help of our unified positioning language and the high resonance of our messaging work, veritree was able to build trust with the media and build more awareness and credibility for their work.

Measuring the Success of Creative Storytelling

Success in creative storytelling can be measured even before the pitching process begins. Early measurements act as a litmus test, ensuring narratives are not just compelling but strategically aligned.

Starting the measurement process before pitching enables a proactive approach to refining and iterating on messaging during the pitching process.  Here are a few ways to measure success before pitching even begins:

Ways to Measure Success Even Before You Start Pitching

  • Team excitement sets the stage for a positive tone for the campaign. If you’re excited, the media is more likely to be as well.
  • Verifiable data points weaved seamlessly into the pitch is already a win. Data adds credibility and is practically a non-negotiable in today’s media landscape.
  • Novel angles on relevant topics offer a fresh perspective that can serve as a reason for a writer to publish a follow up to a recent story.
  • Context in the broader landscape provides depth and relevance.
  • Giving writers a reason to cover your story now ensures its timely impact.

When There Hasn’t Been Media Coverage Yet

Measuring success isn’t confined to headlines; it starts earlier. Preliminary indicators (listed below) can provide valuable insights into the potential success of your narrative, becoming crucial metrics that offer a proactive way to gauge the resonance of your story before it goes live. A few ways to measure success before stories are published:

  1. Response and Interest from Journalists
    In the pre-publication phase, gauging the response and interest from journalists is a good indicator of the narrative’s potential success. Positive responses indicate an alignment between the story and the media’s interests and signify its newsworthiness. If positive responses aren’t rolling in after some follow-up, it may be time to tweak the pitch, add additional context or data, or consider a different time peg. All of this information is key in building media coverage.
  2. Follow-Up Questions from Media
    An equally telling metric in the early stages is the nature of follow-up questions received from the media. Thoughtful inquiries indicate a deeper interest in your story and demonstrate a journalist’s intent to delve into the details. These questions are not just inquiries; they are hints that can lead to a deeper understanding of what aspects of your narrative resonate most. By paying attention to these questions, you can refine your storytelling strategy and address potential gaps, ensuring your narrative is not only captivating but also aligns well with the media’s interests.
  3. Stories Published Around the Same Topics
    Observe whether stories around similar topics are gaining traction in the media. This can indicate that there is a curious audience for content related to your news, validating its relevance and potential impact. Analyzing the media landscape for similar themes provides valuable context and positions your story within a broader conversation. It not only showcases a demand for the content you’re crafting but also indicates that the narrative aligns with current trends and interests, setting the stage for successful media outreach.

Measuring Once Coverage Rolls In

Once the media hits have started rolling in, it’s crucial to pinpoint and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) that illustrate the impact of the campaign. These metrics help paint a picture of the success of the campaign – from messaging resonance to the number of stories published about the company.

KPIs and Why They Matter:

  • Number of Stories Published:
    Beyond mere quantity, the number of stories published provides a gauge of the campaign’s reach and distribution. It signifies how widely the narrative has been embraced by the media, offering insights into its potential visibility and influence.
  • Type of Outlets that Covered the News:
    Distinguishing between industry-specific and mainstream outlets, as well as niche versus A-tier publications, informs strategic adjustments for future pitching efforts and helps us ensure alignment with the topics of coverage in target outlets.
  • Audience Resonance (Did We Reach the Intended Outlets?):
    Assessing whether the campaign reached our desired outlets offers valuable insights into the accuracy of messaging positioning statements and indicates whether they resonated as intended with the target audiences.
  • Impressions/Reach:
    While not a definitive measure of actual readership, impressions and reach provide an overview of the potential influence a publication holds. Understanding the levels of reach is crucial within the context of the campaign, guiding strategic decisions based on the perceived impact of different outlets.
  • Messaging Resonance (Were Our Positioning Statements Utilized?):
    Evaluating whether the stories positioned the company as intended is vital in gauging the success of the messaging strategy. This KPI offers a broader-scale perspective post-publication, allowing us to ascertain whether our positioning statements were effectively integrated into the media narrative.

In the world of public relations, success is a journey, with lots of opportunities for measuring success along the way. From crafting resonant messaging to measuring impact, the creative process is both art and science. Are you looking for help telling your story? Reach out to chat with us!

Cleantech Storytelling & The Harmony of Mythos

Companies in the mission-driven business of sustainability and climate solutions need great storytelling to cultivate the compelling “why” consumers should go along on their brand journey. While many focus on data and technology as the basis of their story, there’s an often-overlooked creative facet that’s equally critical—the mythos in storytelling.

Mythos was called out in Aristotle’s Poetics as the “arrangement of incidents” in a story. It’s the weaving of a narrative so that it resonates with your audience. According to Aristotle, it’s not enough to have a groundbreaking product or a revolutionary idea. The way you tell your story, or how you blend together its LOGOS (Logic) with ETHOS (Credibility) and PATHOS (Emotion), is the formula for composing a compelling story.

You might see these ingredients in the following examples:

Examples: Tesla, Patagonia, the Ocean Cleanup

  • LOGOS – Tesla favors how logical, efficient, high-performance approach can drive its brand story. Their approach to electric vehicles is about offering a smart alternative that can outperform traditional cars. This logical appeal resonates with consumers who value both sustainability and innovation.
  • ETHOS – Patagonia is a brand synonymous with environmental responsibility. Their commitment goes beyond products; it’s about a corporate ethos that champions sustainability. This credibility resonates with consumers who seek brands that align with their values.
  • PATHOS – The Ocean Cleanup taps into PATHOS, pulling at heartstrings with the visual and emotional impact of ocean pollution. Their mission connects emotionally, drawing support from those moved to protect our oceans.

The real magic happens when these elements blend into a cohesive MYTHOS. You do that by creating a narrative that’s not just logical or credible but also emotionally engaging.

The Mythos in IKEA’s work in sustainability

We can see the interplay of these three narrative ingredients in IKEA’s work in sustainability. LOGOS is evident in IKEA’s practical, affordable, and innovative designs, appealing to the logic of consumers seeking functionality and value. ETHOS shines through their extensive sustainability initiatives, like sourcing eco-friendly materials and aiming for 100% renewable energy use, establishing them as a credible leader in environmental stewardship.

However, it’s the PATHOS where IKEA’s mythos truly comes to life. They don’t just sell furniture; they sell the dream of a better, more sustainable everyday life. Their narrative is about creating a cozy, welcoming home that also cares for the planet. This emotional connection speaks to those who want to make eco-friendly choices without compromising on style or comfort.

IKEA’s story resonates because it’s not just about furniture; it’s about being part of a global movement towards sustainability, offering a sense of belonging and purpose to customers. This cohesive blend of logic, credibility, and emotional appeal positions IKEA as a brand that understands its audience’s desires for a sustainable, yet aesthetically pleasing, lifestyle.

Connecting to that emotion is about understanding the audience’s values, desires, and fears. It should be a story that people can see themselves in, a story that inspires and motivates.

It Matters How You Tell It

Companies navigating a landscape of innovation and sustainability shouldn’t look over the power of storytelling and the art of mythos. It’s not just about the technology or the data; it’s about how you weave these elements into a narrative that captures the imagination and inspires action. It’s not just about what you’re doing; it’s about how you tell your story. Get in touch with us to develop your mythos.

Strategic PR: A Valuable Companion to Science and Tech Innovation

Strategic PR for Science and Tech Innovators

In the belt-tightening world of tech and science startups, where every penny and minute count, securing traditional PR agencies often takes a backseat. Companies are becoming resourceful, opting for a mix-and-match approach to PR services like browsing a candy store – picking a press release here, a social media blast there, all while keeping a keen eye on the bottom line. This ad-hoc strategy is like running a gourmet kitchen using only a microwave. Sure, it’s cheaper and faster, and with all the new tools out there—AI that can almost read your mind, platforms that promise the PR equivalent of instant noodles—it feels like you’re getting the job done. But when you’re building something meant to last, something truly disruptive, you need more than just a quick fix.

The Need for Strategic PR in the Tech and Science Landscape

Many of these plug-and-play communications apps and dashboards present a false sense of empowerment, making companies believe they can automate significant portions of the PR process, from identifying market trends to generating content. This DIY ethos often undervalues the depth and coherence of a strategic PR partnership.

Real-Life Impacts

This approach overlooks the depth and cohesion that a strategic PR partnership can provide. The Picking and choosing services in this manner results in a patchwork of PR initiatives that may fall short in building a meaningful narrative that advances the company’s long-term vision.

Take for instance a biotech startup developing a novel means of gene editing plants for climate change. They’ve invested heavily in research and produced what they consider a groundbreaking report, complemented by a sleek explanatory video. Despite the intrinsic value of their work, they find the echo of their launch is muted. The content might be meticulously crafted, but it doesn’t quite stir the industry or captivate the intended audience. It wasn’t written with the audience in mind – or the currency of the narrative that’s been unfolding across their industry.

It’s a reminder that without a foundational strategy, even the most revolutionary ideas can struggle to find their footing. And it isn’t unique to one startup; it’s symptomatic of a larger pattern within the innovation ecosystem. Undervaluing strategic PR is a big misstep for companies at the forefront of technological and scientific breakthroughs.

The Role and Value of Strategic PR for Science and Tech Innovators

Strategic PR isn’t just an add-on for for science and tech innovators  but a fundamental precursor that shapes how innovations are perceived in the market. As companies approach pivotal moments like commercialization or strategic alliances, the guidance of a PR agency isn’t a luxury but an absolute necessity.

Strategic PR’s Market Positioning and Narrative Impact

Strategic PR is more than media engagement and press releases. It’s an art form that can position a brand, shape its narrative, and set solutions apart from the chorus of “next big things.” Strategic PR is crucial for anticipating the market’s pulse and integrating a company’s offerings within industry narratives. It’s a discipline that probes deeper, asking pivotal questions: Who needs to hear our story? What change do we seek to inspire? How do our initiatives dovetail with our overarching mission? Engaging with a PR team from the inception ensures that every piece of communication is intentional and impactful.

Understanding public perceptions and leveraging them to enrich a brand’s participation in industry conversations is the cornerstone of a successful PR strategy for science and tech innovators.

In the realm of science and technology, where every innovator is vying to be the disruptor, a nuanced PR strategy can set a company apart now and years down the road. It’s not merely about capturing attention; it’s about holding it, nurturing it, and directing it towards a narrative that not only informs but engages and inspires.

For science and technology startups, the role of PR is not auxiliary; it’s fundamental. It’s not an afterthought to the innovation process; it’s a precursor that shapes the public and market’s reception of that innovation. As these companies approach pivotal moments—be it commercialization, funding rounds, or strategic alliances—the foresight of a PR strategist is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Strategic PR for the Long Haul

The value of strategic PR lies in its ability to anticipate the market’s pulse and weave a company’s offerings into the fabric of industry narratives. It’s about understanding the nuances of public perception and leveraging them to build a brand that not only enters the conversation but also enriches it.

For the innovators and disruptors working on cutting solutions, remember: strategic PR is not a service to be commissioned in isolation. It’s a partnership that should be nurtured from the very beginning, one that evolves with your company and amplifies your impact.

As these companies chart their course through uncharted territories, the guidance of a strategic PR partner is the compass that ensures their innovations don’t just launch—they soar.

Earned Media and the Need for Holistic PR Engagement

hands holding a world of public relations efforts

Ah, the good old days of public relations, when a well-crafted press release was your golden ticket to media coverage. But let’s face it, the media landscape has undergone seismic shifts that have turned traditional PR strategies on their head, and require holistic PR engagement. And as someone who’s been in the trenches of communications for years, I can tell you that navigating this new terrain is a communications challenge that requires more from your PR agency than media outreach alone.

Shifting Journalistic Realities

Remember when journalists had the luxury of time to sift through press releases and pick stories that piqued their interest? Those days are long gone. Newsrooms are shrinking, and the journalists who remain are juggling multiple beats, leaving them little time to give your story the attention it might deserve. It’s like trying to catch someone’s eye in a crowded room where everyone is shouting.

The Commercialism Conundrum

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room—the commercialization of editorial content. Financial pressures are driving many more media outlets toward advertorials and paid opportunities. What was once the realm of pure journalism is now a marketplace, and your compelling story might just need a price tag to be heard, as has specifically happened to me in a media interaction recently.

The Digital Age and New Media Players

The digital age has democratized media, giving voice to bloggers, influencers, and citizen journalists. While this has its merits, it’s also muddied the waters of what constitutes earned media. Many of these new-age media folks charge for what they call “collaborations,” making the landscape even more complex.

So, where does this leave us, the communicators, the storytellers? It’s clear that the old playbook won’t cut it. We need a holistic communications strategy, one that goes beyond the press release and the media pitch. We’re talking multi-channel approaches that leverage social media, influencer partnerships, and even community engagement. It’s not just about getting your story out through the press; it’s about creating a narrative that resonates across multiple platforms and touch points – both through media and directly to the audiences you’re looking to reach.

Redefining PR in the Modern Era

And let’s dispel the myth that PR is just about earned media. In today’s world, PR professionals are jacks-of-all-trades. We’re not just storytellers; we’re brand ambassadors, crisis managers, and much more. Relying solely on earned media is an insufficient and outdated strategy that misses the huge opportunities that savvy PR can bring to your organization today.

So, what’s the game plan? First, let’s embrace data-driven decision-making. Analytics can offer invaluable insights into audience behavior and preferences. Second, relationship-building needs to be at the core of our strategy. A strong network can amplify your message and open doors that you didn’t even know existed. Third, let’s focus on quality over quantity. A compelling, newsworthy story will always find its audience. And lastly, let’s be adaptable. The only constant in the media landscape is change, and our strategies need to be as dynamic as the environment we’re operating in.

The rules of the game have changed, but the game is far from over. As communicators, it’s up to us to adapt, innovate, and find new ways to tell our stories. Get in touch to get started today.