By Mary Roush

As students and professionals in Appalachia, reaching our target audience can be challenging due to the digital divide they experience compared to urban areas. This divide is rooted in limited technology and resources. How can we be a part of the change to help combat the lack of communication throughout Appalachia? 

Where Appalachians Stand 

According to the Appalachian Regional Commission, 15.5% of households in Appalachia do not have access to broadband internet—the lack of communication and broadband limits access to education, telework, healthcare and more. People living in the region can face economic and digital resource barriers. After the COVID-19 pandemic, communication access shifted as many could not find the necessary information to stay safe and healthy. A report published by the U.S. Department of Education in 2018 stated that 16% of working-age adults (16 to 65 years) are not digitally literate. However, professionals are moving to help bridge the gap and accommodate audiences. 

Lehrke, C. (2013, May 10). Rural West Virginia near Second Creek [Photograph]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/clpics10/8727627656

Burgess, R. (n.d.). West Virginia mountains and mountain ranges define the Mountain State. West Virginia Explorer. https://wvexplorer.com/attractions/mountains-and-mountain-ranges/

Why Tailored Messaging Matters in Appalachia

When reaching people in rural areas with limited resources, it is essential to understand your audience and tailor messaging to best suit their needs. Studies show that Appalachians use Facebook over other social media platforms for news and information. With the region’s aging population, it is important to consider marketing to an older audience while staying relevant to younger generations. Social media marketing can be a great tool when reaching all ages, making it especially useful for small businesses and health communication. It is affordable and easy to navigate for most users, allowing you to spread your message to many people in seconds. When tailoring messaging to your audience, it is important to remember tactics to help guide your campaign successfully. 

Chiang. (2022, February). Social media applications on a smartphone screen, Chiang Mai, Thailand [Photograph]. iStock. https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/social-media-applications-gm1371763060-441037484

Practical Tactics to Overcome Communication Barriers

Small communities trust the people in charge and will follow their leadership. Rather than getting information from a stranger, allow them to receive it from someone they already see daily. Work with leaders or businesses involved in the community to start the conversations and amplify their voices to help spread the message. 

Eaton, T. (2024, November 14). [Photograph]. Facebook. WSAZ. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1101738087982641&id=100044393805165&set=a.198014465021679

• Example: WSAZ news anchor Taylor Eaton posted to Facebook highlighting the Charleston Dirty Birds, Light the Night event and encouraging others to visit. As a local celebrity, she attracts a large following on social media. She is also part of many viewers’ daily news routines, giving her credibility with the audience. 

Text messaging allows you to reach your target audience directly. According to Quorum, the average open rate for text messaging is 99 percent, and the average conversion rate is often two or three times higher than email. This is an easy method to get your message straight to consumers. 

• Example: In 2021, the National Booking Service sent eligible participants COVID-19 vaccination invitations and reminders via text messages. The text message read, “NHS – Reminder: please book your free coronavirus vaccination online at https://www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by calling 119. Protect yourself and others.”

Rural community members are often extremely passionate about their local schools, events, or politics. When messaging and targeting a specific group, relate the message to something they care about. This helps build trust between you and your audience, as they relate to your message and brand. 

Farmers Bank. (n.d.). Farmers Bank Tailgate (Tuppers Plains). Farmers Bank. https://www.fbsc.com/involvement/

• Example: Farmers Bank, a local bank chain in southern W.Va. and southeast Ohio., sponsors local rivalry high school football games every fall. This allows them to give back to the community while engaging with existing and potential customers to continue their community bank brand. 

To get your message across, you must make it easiest for your audience. Rather than making them search for information, bring it right to them. You can use popular channels such as Facebook, Instagram, local newspapers, television commercials or even town halls/ focus groups. 

Shelem. (2023, May 3). Gonna frame this picture in my studio 😁 [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/shelem304/p/CryjeUPuYa6/

• Example: Tudor’s Biscuit World, a classic W.Va. staple, released this TV commercial introducing its new menu item, the breakfast wraps, featuring local rap artist Shelem. This commercial played in everyone’s home during each commercial break and went viral on social media for its new, creative advertising style. 

Engaging with your target community is about growing your brand’s trust and gaining a deeper understanding of the people you aim to reach. You can achieve this by volunteering, attending local events, and collaborating with existing community organizations. 

• Example: Chick-fil-A franchisees bring food trucks to small communities throughout West Virginia to provide their food to customers who do not live near a Chick-fil-A chain. This allows their team to dive into the hearts of communities to understand their customers’ demographic.

No Appalachian Left Behind

Bridging the communication gap in Appalachia and reaching a large but niche audience requires a community-centered approach that balances digital and traditional communication methods. Through thoughtful, tailored communication, you can positively affect Appalachian communities and help combat the barriers in the hills and hollers. By understanding the unique needs and habits of Appalachians, we can create messages that resonate, build trust, and foster connection so that no one is left unreachable. 

By Gabriella Sergent

If modern-day media has given us one thing, it’s the ability to connect. We all have that one person, business or organization we feel we know or are part of because of online interactions. Such a unique opportunity lies in sharing stories online, especially through video content. An article by the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce shared that “76% of small business owners who have used video marketing reported that it had a direct impact on their business.” 

Creating video content can feel intimidating. You might think it’s expensive and requires professional skills, but that’s okay! In this blog, I will share five simple tips for creating a video strategy blueprint for your small business. This blog will cover everything from cost-efficient strategies to sharing your brand’s personality. For each tip, I’ll also share an example from a West Virginia small business that already exemplifies the strategy. 

Tip #1: Narrate Your Entire Story: Highlighting The Emotions That Made It Unique 

As cliche as it may sound, every small business has a story to tell. Small businesses are founded on ideas that evolve into stories, which guide their goals and identities. When starting to share your business through video, it is important to share your story entirely. 

From start to finish, you want your audience to feel like they really know you and how your business came to be. What is important to you? What makes you unique? How do you see the future of your business? These are all great questions to answer in a video to connect with your audience. 

Mountaineer Roasting Co. is a coffee shop in Morgantown, W.Va., owned by a West Virginia University alum. In one of its original Instagram posts, Mountaineer Roasting posted a video sharing its story, from being started by a WVU alum to supporting WVU students who travel abroad. The video shared the company’s story from inception to its current status and included b-roll footage of the coffee shop and employees in action.             

You’ll see simple shots from around the coffee shop as you watch the video. Additionally, the video uses the sounds from the videos, like coffee beans being poured, to make viewers feel truly immersed in the process. Neither of these strategies takes advanced videography or editing skills; just an eye to show the entire story. Sharing personal stories, like being a WVU alumni in this case, creates characteristics your audience might resonate with and spark an emotional connection. 

Tip #2: Recognize Your Audience

Identifying your target audience is one of the most fundamental steps in creating an effective video storytelling campaign. Elements of the video, like the concept language and even background music, can be altered depending on who is watching. Additionally, where you share certain videos and formats will differ depending on your audience. 

For example, if your generation is younger, you might choose a shorter video posted on TikTok. In contrast, if you were targeting an older audience, you might choose a long-form video shared on Facebook. 

& Yoga is a Morgantown yoga studio that offers a variety of yoga styles and classes. Additionally, they offer a yoga teacher training program once a year. & Yoga’s audience is unique as they are located in a college town. They target both Morgantown locals and college-age students. This age demographic ranges from early twenties to fifties. They are not only looking to expand their customer base but also attract talent for their teacher training. 

To reach these audiences, they share regular and engaging content on their social media and website showcasing their staff. Their posts are multi-functional in reaching both of the audiences I listed above. Whether the goal of the post is to reach a potential client or teacher trainee, they can learn more about the space and the people that fill it.  When you look at their content, you’ll find simple imagery often accompanied by a narration from one of the instructors. The studio is focused on growing a community and highlighting this through its content. 

Now, don’t let the professional feel of their reels intimidate you. You do not have to be a professional to share video content online. Sharing content with your identified audience is a simple and effective way to elevate your business. 

Tip #3: Create Without Breaking The Bank 

You do not need to be or hire a professional videographer to share unique video content. Our phones hold some of the best user-friendly cameras in the business. You do not need a professionally edited, three-minute-long video to share your story. 

Start by finding inspiration for videos you might like to emulate on your page. This can be through trending sounds or concepts. Once you have a vision of what you want to share, simply start recording. Use your phone to capture the moments that make your business yours. Finally, use free editing software, like iMovie, Canva or the in-app services in TikTok or Instagram to edit your clips together. There are even free resources to add closed captions and other next-level elements to your videos. You might try Opus, a free AI-generated video clipping tool.

Mountaineer Popcorn is a locally owned popcorn company in Shepherdstown, W.Va. It is active on social media but does not often share professionally edited content. This reel from their Instagram account is very simple and requires no editing other than adding a layer of text overtop and music in the background. This simple but effective reel shows that their popcorn creations are handmade, that they release seasonal flavors, the ingredients that go into these new flavors and the name of the popcorn. 

Sharing low-edit content is not only easy but trendy. While apps like Instagram and TikTok offer a variety of editing opportunities, they are not always appropriate for the content. The most important component is that viewers will understand who you are and what you offer. This can be done without the extra editing. 

Tip #4: Define Your Drive & Let Your Brand Shine Through 

As a small business owner, you know the reason behind your work, your inspiration and your guiding light every day. Is your business playful, supportive, sophisticated, inclusive or unique? 

You’ve built a brand around these motivations, which encapsulate each part of your business. Video storytelling is where you let your brand shine through. Let what drives you form the language and messaging you share in your videos. 

Base Camp Printing, a West Virginia design and printing company in Charleston, W.Va., uses printing strategies and machines from hundreds of years ago to print modern-day designs. The reels on their account showcase their vintage machines and the women behind the designs that print them. Their brand personality includes modern designs with a vintage feel which is emulated through their video storytelling components. 

From sketch videos to product releases to pet photos, Base Camp does an ideal job of letting your brand inspire your content. I encourage you to reflect on your why and how it can shape your storytelling.

Tip #5: Embrace Simplicity

Do not overcomplicate it. Making any initiative to begin sharing video content is a great first step. Start by shooting simple and clean shots of the everyday business life that surrounds you. Find music that compliments the mood of your video and helps express your brand’s personality. 

There is no need to have the newest, greatest camera to tell your story through video content; the camera on your phone is ready to serve your interests. Finally, the story will tell itself when your journey has been written through time. All you need to do is be brave enough to start telling it.

A perfect example of a local small business keeping its storytelling strategies simple is The Brownie House. This Morgantown gem sells its delicious brownies both locally and nationally. It shares content on multiple platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. 

On the business’s YouTube account, they share simply shot and edited videos that help the audience get to know the business better. They can be found walking around WVU’s campus, handing out brownies, trying new flavors and even participating in trending sounds. 

You’ll find that the shots are very informal and showcase their personalities. They just set up a camera and chat with their audience as if they were friends. This account is a wonderful example of expressing your story simply but effectively. 

Wrapping It Up

Video storytelling can be intimidating but it does not need to be difficult. Start with the five tips we discussed today and approach each video as a learning opportunity to improve your skills. Starting simple and utilizing resources that are easily accessible to you is a great place to begin. Who knows, you might fall in love with video storytelling! 

References

1. Chamber, M. (2021, March 22). Why is Video Marketing So Effective for Small Businesses? McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce. https://mchenrychamber.com/why-is-video-marketing-so-effective-for-small-businesses/#:~:text=76%25%20of%20small%20business%20owners,adopt%20a%20video%20marketing%20strategy. 

By Levi Orcutt

Mistakes happen every day. Sometimes, they happen multiple times a day, or in such a grandiose, impossibly bad way that makes you scratch your head and think, “How did that even happen?” Those who make mistakes often make them spectacularly when it comes to advertising. 

The ad industry has many moving parts. Things must be scheduled in advance, but they are subject to change. Campaigns and programming must be approved by boardrooms and department heads and go through a litany of red tape before they are launched. Yet, mistakes happen. 

In this blog post, I will discuss my recent delve into media planning, including a deep dive into an infamous ad placement mistake, my conversation with an industry expert, and other informational ad-related tidbits. But first, let’s take a look at the video that got me scratching my head and wanting to understand more.

“Squeeze-back advertisements have been removed from the [Ukraine-Russia] coverage.”

This was the only statement made by a CNN spokesperson when Newsweek asked how this severe ad placement error could have happened. The incident garnered many reactions online and led to Applebee’s themselves issuing a statement that reads, “It should never have aired, and we are disappointed in the actions of the network.” 

The “Chicken Fried Ukraine” situation really struck me as something that simply should not have happened. Throughout life, I’ve seen my fair share of misplaced or poorly placed ads. I speculate that the vast majority of these mishaps are more likely than not the result of inattentive control room operators, newspaper editors with a sick sense of humor, or bad word association by a computer program. However, these cringe-worthy mistakes led me down the rabbit hole of media planning, and everything that goes into it. What I had assumed to be a mundane, repetitive process turned out to be exciting and, honestly, quite fascinating. 

So, come along with me as I not only reflect on and analyze my conversation with ABC Integrated Media Planner and WVU alum Jordan Stosic but also showcase that the “noncreative” roles in our industry can lead to equally satisfying career opportunities, experiences and fun!

Industry Insights from Jordan Stosic, Integrated Media Planner at OMG23 | ABC Entertainment

Below, I’ll recap in Q&A style, my conversation with this industry expert in an effort to shine a bit of light on the quandary of how an Applebee’s commercial appeared alongside coverage of an airstrike in Ukraine. 

What methods do you use to identify programming that best engages your target audience, and which key performance indicators help you gauge this connection?
When it comes to entertainment programming, there are a lot of contextually relevant options to pick from. Whether you are working on a police drama or a sitcom, there are loads of options across other broadcast and streaming partners to choose from to add to a target. A part of figuring out which programming to surround also comes with audience duplication. A lot of entertainment is about getting people who have watched or would watch to watch, so shows that have high audience duplication will always get included. That kinda shows you that your audience is already there and there’s a potential to convert non-duplicated audiences to be viewers of your similar contextually relevant show.

How do you incorporate current events and cultural shifts into your ad placement decisions to maintain relevance and resonance with viewers?
Trying to surround current events/culture shifts, I think, are two really different things. Culture shifts and shifts in how people consume media or engage in daily life will impact planning in its entirety. Take streaming platforms, for example. Entertainment used to put over 50% of budgets on traditional commercials on networks, but now it’s almost an even split between linear and streaming, knowing both audiences are equally important. When identifying cultural events or national holidays, it has to be relevant and align with your audience but should not be the entire focus of your plan or strategy. One or two partners aligning within the space of the event you are surrounding is a must (i.e., utilizing a publisher like Men’s Health and Women’s Health to surround National Health Month for a title like Grey’s Anatomy!). If you can make contextually relevant connections between audiences of your product/show and the publisher/platform you are trying to run with, then making something creative that can play in a fun way to an event or holiday is easy!

What key strategies do you follow to position ads effectively, ensuring they complement rather than clash with surrounding content?
Strategies change depending on tactic and partner. Take social tactics, which are a heavy engagement-focused area, while video tactics focus on viewability to explain concepts, whereas audio can be used to increase reach and awareness. When making tactical decisions, looking at historical performances and benchmarks of units is super important. Partners will provide benchmarks that if you buy a video commercial, it will have a 99% viewability or video completion rate, showing that the unit/partner is effective at generating awareness. Or if you’re trying to get people to download an app or go to a website, you’ll want units/partners that perform really well at generating clicks and engagement.

What approaches do you take to create meaningful, long-term engagement between your audience and the programming, ensuring your ads reflect their values and interests?
When thinking of ways to break through more and generate engagement, that is where custom videos with publishers work, or any influencer videos you use may work. If you take a more hard working approach, it would then be just to keep utilizing the same partners so that a particular audience is familiar with your brand. Honestly, I would say we do not create ads to reflect values, but rather generate interest and feature the show, and promote the new season. Our ads are used mainly to let people know a show is back on, and then if the show itself is good, they will come back. ABC also has a whole history and legacy that is recognizable, so it’s not difficult to play into the Disney portfolio to maintain longevity. 

Hodges, C. (n.d.). Jesus is watching you [Billboard photograph]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/gotweight/1992802926

My conversation with Jordan was productive, yes, but how does this relate to media planning or misplaced ads? Fantastic question dear reader, I will now explain that.

Media planning varies wildly in its application based on the product you are advertising or marketing. Jordan mentioned specifically that as he works for ABC and Disney, many websites and other platforms that feature NSFW content are unsuitable for advertisers, especially those he’s personally worked with. 

“Disney is insane with brand safety. When running ads we block thousands of explicit and MFA sites. A lot of partners can run contextual targeting which allows you to run ads solely on articles or in programming that is relevant to your programming.”

-Jordan Stosic

MFA, CNN, ABC123 What?
MFA stands for “Made For Advertising” and is often used to refer to sites that exist solely for advertising. Anyone who has done a Google search can provide a first-hand experience of clicking one of the top results and instantly having their device bombarded by pop-ups, trackers, banner ads, new windows opening or a multitude of other ad formats. These sites aggregate these ads and serve as a bastardization of the very industry in which they take part. MFA sites take part in what is called ad arbitrage or put simply, a website publisher paying less for traffic to their page than they are making from the ads displayed on said page. This is commonly found on lower-quality websites and actually has a lot of negative impacts both in the industry and outside of it. 

Most recently, Forbes was accused of selling ad placements to advertisers without making them aware that the placement was on their profit-generating MFA site, not the website that houses their content. Essentially, MFA sites trick advertisers into wasting money that won’t drive results.

Contextual targeting is also a large part of modern media planning and the Scooby Doo villain behind most of the “unfortunate ad placements” found on subreddits and forums. According to this article, as well as my research and insights gained from my correspondence with Jordan, contextual targeting is essentially a machine learning process in which an algorithm or other sort of program scans for topics of similar word choice, perceived emotional content, and curated segments to achieve the desired placement. It can be further simplified by suspending your disbelief and imagining a robot searching through web pages and databases to find the ideal space for your ad to grow and thrive. As much as you wouldn’t try to grow a sunflower under your bed, you wouldn’t put an ASPCA commercial on Disney Channel.

Why is any of this relevant to my life or career? I would never put an ad featuring a song about fried chicken next to live coverage of a sovereign country’s invasion.

While that may be true dear reader, there’s a non-zero chance the culprit behind our CNN placement error thought something similar. The point is that mistakes happen, and they can and will happen to anyone and everyone. That’s not to say that YOU specifically will make such a catastrophic error, but it should remind you to double-check everything, look at your work with fresh eyes, seek out a second opinion, and remember the context in which you’re working.

An even more brief conclusion to advertising mishaps and their unlikely origins

All of this led me back to my original inquiry, “How did CNN let that happen?” Unfortunately for myself and anyone reading this, the exact cause remains unknown. Through my research, I found many mentions of outlets reaching out to CNN for comment and even more mentions of their response-“Squeeze-back advertisements have been removed from the [Ukraine-Russia] coverage.” 

For better or worse, CNN has decided to practice the tried and true CCP technique of “Nothing happened on June 4, 1989 in Tiananmen Square. Please quit asking about it.”

By Taylor Isaly 

As a West Virginian, born and raised, I have seen firsthand, through volunteerism, the challenges and opportunities within nonprofit organizations in our community. I have also experienced how they could benefit from awareness, understanding and utilization of public relations. 

What Nonprofits in Our State Are Faced With:

Nonprofits make up the heart and soul of our state by facilitating change and providing resources for individuals in need. However, they are faced with the following challenges; 

• Lack of representation
• Little knowledge of web development 
• Social media management
• Insufficiency of time due to a small staff 
• Lack of funding

There is also the hardship of obtaining investors due to the obstacle of measuring success for a mission-based organization that relies on volunteers. With these volunteers typically having full-time jobs, they do not have time to devote to strategic web development and social media content creation, post planning and active online engagement. 

I have done nonprofit marketing for organizations like the Southwestern Regional Day Report Center (SRDRC) in Logan, WV. I have experience developing video and communications content for Project Empower and the Fresh Start Garden. Through this, I learned that individuals want to be involved. However, marketing is difficult in areas with little resources and a lack of digital awareness and access. 

“When you are a nonprofit or government entity funded by grants, there isn’t much extra money to spend on a marketing manager or website developer,” says Michelle Akers, Executive Director at the Southwestern Regional Day Report Center. 

Most nonprofit organizations lack the time and staff needed to dedicate to extensive marketing efforts. They could design and execute marketing strategies more effectively with the necessary resources to reach their target audience.

Southwestern Regional Day Report Center. (2023, March 17). [Photograph]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=583487650478877&set=pb.100064529419297.-2207520000&type=3

Why PR Would Benefit Nonprofits in WV:

Public relations for any nonprofit is crucial for spreading awareness and showcasing the credibility of the cause and its leaders. For people to donate their time and money, the nonprofit must tug at the audience’s heartstrings. It can do this by offering accreditation and engaging the community. 

Enhancing all social media platforms could increase user engagement, and it is the simplest and most cost-effective way to achieve this. Educating users on social media and its role in marketing would benefit them greatly. However, reaching a demographic that may not primarily use social media could involve providing media kits to local news outlets and offering creative interactive events within the community. 

Tips for Nonprofit Organizations

1. Know your target audience 

This is important for directing your marketing efforts in a way that is not redundant and ineffective. By understanding who you are trying to reach, you can use best practices for directly promoting to them. If the organization is in an area without digital access, realize that implementing community outreach physically might be the better route. 

For example, the Southwestern Regional Day Report Center gears its brand awareness towards individuals in the area who would benefit from intensive outpatient treatment for substance use and recurrent mental health diagnoses. Politicians, business owners and philanthropic organizations are also included in this audience to target for external funding. Therefore, they target their awareness through projects and event-based initiatives. 

2. Utilize social media for cost-effective marketing 

Social media is a free and user-friendly marketing tool that can be used quickly for convenience. This also reaches the furthest in terms of marketing to diverse audiences, as well as tapping into some younger demographics for volunteers. To reach a younger demographic of volunteers, social media is an accessible resource for spreading awareness and targeting volunteers in high school and college. 

3. Use personal storytelling to engage and call to action

Effective marketing for nonprofits involves highlighting the organization’s mission and value to the community. Building a trustworthy relationship with the audience encourages engagement and action. Personal storytelling—through videos, testimonials, images, or events—can evoke passion and motivate the public to contribute their time and money to the cause.

For example, I created a series of videos that included personal testimonies and tours of the Fresh Start Garden at the SRDRC. This showcased the love and care that went into the garden by the employees and the clients who nurtured the program daily. This link provides information on storytelling for nonprofits and explains these efforts in greater detail. 

Putting This Plan Into Action:

With a need for authentic public relations and a lack of resources to obtain them, nonprofits in WV should utilize student volunteers and set up internships, gaining volunteer hours to enhance their marketing efforts through the use of social media and writing. As a College of Creative Arts and Media student, I have had several internship and volunteer opportunities with local nonprofits. I have assisted in video storytelling, media development and writing efforts. This helped me gain insights into the career field I wanted to pursue and also helped guide me toward the College of Creative Arts and Media. 

Creating videos and sharing stories online allows nonprofits to quickly and cost-effectively update their audience on events and news. For demographics not active on social media, local news outlets, printed materials, or church bulletins can be effective alternatives. By using these methods, organizations can enhance their marketing efforts without straining their time or financial resources.

Why This is Important for The Martin Hall Agency:

The Martin Hall Agency supports grant-funded and nonprofit organizations across the state by providing hands-on experience in the field while contributing to the community. By exploring creative objectives and tactics that students can offer to the nonprofit sector, these efforts have the potential to benefit the state significantly.

Conclusion

Nonprofits in West Virginia need more support with representation and resources. However, they can explore creative ways to leverage public relations to advance their causes. By educating students interested in public relations and advertising, our college can help bridge gaps within the community, fostering growth through effective marketing practices. Engaging with the community to gather insights on collaborating with younger volunteers can unlock substantial opportunities.

By Maggie Stewart

How well do you know the story of a state steeped in natural beauty, rich culture and growing innovation? West Virginia, home to over 1.3 million acres of national forest and a thriving community of musicians and artists, is ready for a new narrative. Through strategic public relations, we can reshape how the world sees the Mountain State by highlighting its strengths, celebrating its unique culture, while also still acknowledging its challenges 

At Martin Hall Agency, we believe that every campaign begins with a strong strategy rooted in authenticity and creativity. This blog outlines how West Virginia can use public relations to elevate its public image and demonstrates how these strategies and tactics can be applied to real-world campaigns in the advertising and public relations industries. 

Spotlighting Emerging Industries

West Virginia is no longer just a coal state – it’s a state brimming with innovation. In the last few years, the technology and information industries have seen skyrocketing growth, particularly in North-Central West Virginia. According to the Seattle Times, “West Virginia has made a commitment to building out their infrastructure and advanced telecommunications in the North-central region of the state.” This presents a golden public relations opportunity to position the state as a leader in innovation. By creating compelling narratives around the success stories of local companies and their contributions to the state and local economy, West Virginia can challenge already established perceptions and inspire confidence in the state’s future. 

Possible PR Strategies and Tactics:

• Media Relations: Share profiles of tech start-ups and emerging companies in the tech and information sectors thriving in WV like Fusion Technology or Kodiak Robotics.
• Partnerships: Collaborate with other universities in the state, like Marshall or Fairmont State University, to highlight what role they (universities) play in fostering innovation in these areas.
• Content Creation: Putting out engaging videos featuring local employees and businesses, showcasing how tech is helping reshape the state’s identity. 

Media relations and content creation strategies can be applied to any rebranding effort. Putting a spotlight on what you do well, puts your best foot forward and lets you set the tone for what you want the narrative shift to look like. 

People gathered for the annual Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant W.Va On September 16^th, 2023.

Toy, S. (n.d.). Wild, wonderful and weird: West Virginia Mothman Festival Returns. Chronicle. https://shawneestatechronicle.com/5491/uncategorized/wild-wonderful-and-weird-west-virginia-mothman-festival-returns/ 

Building Community

Local events and festivals celebrating West Virginia and Appalachian traditions occur throughout the state each year. Events like the Mothman Festival and Appalachian Heritage Days showcase the rich sense of community that West Virginia has. They weave a tapestry of artistry, celebrating everything from local musicians, crafters, and artisans to farmers. W.Va. truly has a history of building community within itself through events. To amplify these efforts, PR campaigns can focus on storytelling to bring these traditions to life for outside audiences.

Possible PR Strategies and Tactics:

• Event Marketing: Partnering with travel bloggers or influencers and having them attend and document these events, reinforcing the message of warmth and hospitality.
• Digital Content: Creating a social media campaign that lets residents and visitors interact and share their favorite moments using fun hashtags like #CelebrateWV or #WVMoments.
• Video Spotlights: Creating long-form video content showcasing the artists and performers who bring these events to life would add to the narrative being built.

These strategies can be applied broadly to other campaigns’ digital strategies. Using hashtags makes your event more identifiable on social media and can extend its reach. By partnering with bloggers or influencers, you can tap into their already established audience and expand your reach even further.

Graph showing WV’s opioid overdoes death rates are rising, while the rest of the country see a decline.

WRITER, L. Cottrell STAFF. (2024, May 18). West Virginia sees rise in opioid overdose deaths while nation sees decrease, according to CDC. WV News. https://www.wvnews.com/business/west-virginia-sees-rise-in-opioid-overdose-deaths-while-nation-sees-decrease-according-to-cdc/article_9681a0d8-12d4-11ef-aac9-7b92c97320c6.html 

Balancing Honesty & Optimism

Building trust in a public relations campaign requires transparency. West Virginia faces significant challenges, including struggles with healthcare (ranked 48th nationally), infrastructure, and the ongoing opioid crisis. However, these challenges also present opportunities to highlight the state’s resilience and progress.

Possible PR Strategies and Tactics:

• Highlighting Solutions: Showcase programs WVU Medicine’s community health initiatives (e.g., Farm To You) or Ready, Read, Write West Virginia, which works to improve literacy in students. 
• Human-Centered Stories: Share stories of people or organizations working to address these issues, like video content of after-school programs or at addiction facilities like Healthy Minds.
• Data-Driven Messaging: Pair statistics with stories of measurable improvements, creating a more balanced narrative of the challenges and progress. 

These strategies could be applied more broadly to other campaigns. Showing human-centered stories gives a face to your campaign that it may otherwise be lacking, and data-driven messaging, if balanced correctly with the human touch, can also foster credibility. 

Inspiration From Others

Other examples of rebrands that went well can be used to further understand what a successful narrative shift looks like. Consider Cleveland State University, which was once overshadowed by all the larger schools in Ohio like The Ohio State and Case Western Reserve. CSU reshaped its image through strategic rebranding efforts highlighting its strengths and creating a fresh identity. 

Key Strategies and Tactics:

• Emphasizing Strengths: By focusing on its ideal downtown location, CSU positioned itself as a university that is woven into the culture of the city
• Showcasing Innovation: By promoting partnerships with local businesses and up-and-coming industries, such as internships with Fortune 500 companies like Xcel Energy and Leidos, CSU demonstrated its commitment to preparing students for the workforce and supporting businesses in the Cleveland area.
• Engaging With Stakeholders: The university used different means of engaging with the community to get their perspectives on the students and alumni, like community town halls. This helps build a more cohesive narrative around the transformation.

Shaping The Future of WV’s Narrative

Changing perceptions isn’t about hiding problems—it’s about telling a more complete story. West Virginia has the natural beauty, cultural richness, and growing innovation to inspire pride and attract attention. The state can balance transparency with optimism through strategic public relations efforts, positioning itself as a destination for progress and possibility.

Works Cited:

Toy, S. (n.d.). Wild, wonderful and weird: West Virginia Mothman Festival Returns. Chronicle. https://shawneestatechronicle.com/5491/uncategorized/wild-wonderful-and-weird-west-virginia-mothman-festival-returns/

WRITER, L. Cottrell STAFF. (2024, May 18). West Virginia sees rise in opioid overdose deaths while nation sees decrease, according to CDC. WV News. https://www.wvnews.com/business/west-virginia-sees-rise-in-opioid-overdose-deaths-while-nation-sees-decrease-according-to-cdc/article_9681a0d8-12d4-11ef-aac9-7b92c97320c6.html

The Seattle Times Company. (n.d.). The Seattle Times. https://jobs.seattletimes.com/article/west-virginias-fast-growing-it-and-high-tech-sectors/46076

Where West Virginia places in the U.S. News Best States rankings. (n.d.). https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/west-virginia 

 Martin Hall Agency. (n.d.-a). https://martinhallagency.com/

 Home. FUSION TECHNOLOGY. (n.d.). https://www.fusiontechnology-llc.com/ 

Kodiak robotics is safely driving an autonomous future. Kodiak. (n.d.). https://kodiak.ai/

 Live your marshall moment. Marshall University. (2024, November 15). https://www.marshall.edu/

Welcome to Fairmont State. Fairmont State University. (n.d.). https://www.fairmontstate.edu/

Mothman Festival®. MOTHMAN FESTIVAL®. (n.d.). https://www.mothmanfestival.com/

 Appalachian Heritage Days. Almost Heaven – West Virginia. (n.d.). https://wvtourism.com/event/appalachian-heritage-days-3/

 Home: Health Sciences: West Virginia University. Home | Health Sciences | West Virginia University. (n.d.). https://health.wvu.edu/farm-to-you/ 

Ready read write. West Virginia Department of Education. (2023, November 1). https://wvde.us/ready-read-write/ 

Healthy minds. WVU Medicine. (2022, September 28). https://wvumedicine.org/careers/healthy-minds/ 

Cleveland State University Home: Cleveland State University. Cleveland State University Home | Cleveland State University. (n.d.). https://www.csuohio.edu/ 

The Ohio State University. Home. (n.d.). https://www.osu.edu/ 

Case Western Reserve University. (n.d.). https://case.edu/ 

Xcel Energy. (n.d.). https://my.xcelenergy.com/s/state-selector?return=%2Fs%2F 

Smart  Smarter, M. (n.d.). Innovative Solutions through Information Technology, engineering and science. Leidos. https://www.leidos.com/ 

By Emily Sykes

If you had to guess, how often do you express your opinion online? 

In an age where social media has become increasingly more integrated into our everyday lives, the question arises: does social media activism truly influence political and social change, or is it merely a digital echo chamber? 

In 2023, 34% of social media users stated they had joined a group that was interested in an issue or cause, while 26% said they encouraged others to take action via social media. The rise of social media has transformed the landscape of political and social discourse, but does it go any further than online noise? 

As social media companies have eaten more and more of our daily lives, conversations that once happened in bars and coffee shops have migrated to forums and comment sections. The question must be asked: Does removing the face from the name change how people interact and congregate? This post explores the complexities surrounding social media activism and its impact on political and social change. Addressing these questions and concerns aims to offer readers a deeper understanding of the nuances and intricacies of social media activism. 

Social Media’s Impact on Society 

Through platforms such as X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, people can instantly amplify their voices, upload their opinions, and mobilize communities. Social media users do this through using hashtags, creating online groups, and starting petitions. All of these tools aid in bringing people together and organizing ideas for change, and while this may be effective, it cannot be said that there is a perfect transmission of ideas from voice to text.

For example, a group of activists hoping to start a food drive could create a forum or group discussion and discuss locations and times with people trying to help. Whereas this would have been done in a town hall or town square, it is now done online. There is one notable change in venues: anonymity. At the town hall, everyone knows each other, or at least could conceivably know each other after a few minutes of discussion. 

Anonymity and Its Influence

The removal of the identity influences how people interact, the time it takes to trust, and how much information is divulged. The situation gets more important when it comes to political discussion. Politics have sparked serious debates among different parties for millennia and bringing these discussions to social media completely changes the atmosphere of the conversation. Studies have shown that 53% of people interact in political discussions via social media and say things they would never say in person. Other studies have shown that the number of politically extreme groups has increased since the advent of the Internet. 

The Intersection of Online and Offline Activism

Social media activism and traditional forms of in-person activism are not mutually exclusive; rather, they complement each other in several different ways. It can be argued that one way is more effective, but many people believe they are a bigger catalyst for change when working together. Traditional forms of activism offer the ability for on-ground action, while online advocacy allows planning these in-person events. Social media activists can quickly reach a wide audience, which offline activists cannot do as efficiently. 

According to a study done by the Pew Research Center in 2021, approximately 72% of U.S. adults use at least one social media platform. This makes it easier for people to participate in online conversations on a global scale. By using both of these tools, social movements can maximize their impact.

Real-world Examples of Online Activism

An example of a successful online and offline activism campaign was the Black Lives Matter Movement. By utilizing the hashtag “#BlackLivesMatter,” social media users were able to raise awareness about systemic racism and police brutality. This awareness aided in spreading the message and organizing protests and more offline action. This movement began in 2012 and has progressively gotten bigger, with the hashtag now holding 25.8M posts on Instagram. 

Another example would be climate change campaigns that have started via social media and sparked real change in the government. 

People like Greta Thunberg, a climate change activist, are a perfect example of the younger generation finding their voice through social media and continuing to make real-life changes. Thunberg led a movement called Fridays for Future to mobilize a global network of climate activists and bring them together to begin protests, strikes, and lobbying efforts that have been instrumental in pressuring the government and large corporations to adopt better climate policies. 

Message Fatigue: Repetition in Online Activism

While many of these campaigns are influential because of their powerful meanings, they also utilize the strategy of repetition, which in some cases can amplify their message. This tactic capitalizes on a fundamental aspect of human psychology, employing repeated exposure to draw people in. By consistently seeing social media posts about climate change or Black Lives Matter campaigns, it can increase people’s likelihood to internalize these messages and want to engage with them more. 

However, the opposite of this theory can also be argued; if someone’s social media feed is constantly flooded with one topic, they risk message fatigue. This is when a person feels overwhelmed by the number of posts relating to a specific topic, which in turn can cause resentment toward it. 

The Future of Social Media in Politics 

The future of social media is always up in the air; apps are constantly changing and evolving and being replaced by the ‘next big’ app. What is certain is that with the rapid advancements in AI technology, the pattern of engagement and communication within social media activism will only increase. While the different apps may fluctuate in popularity, social media will likely continue to grow as a hub for people to connect, organize, and advocate for their beliefs. From minor issues to high-stakes campaigns and electoral debates, the power that social media has to amplify the voices of public opinion will only continue to grow stronger.

Online Activism: Good or Bad?

This increasing influence of social media and public opinion raises multiple questions. Will this be helpful or harmful to future political events? Will more social justice be brought about due to the catalyst of social media, or will it impede this change? Only time can answer these questions, but being aware of what’s happening on social media is important for all people, especially the younger generations, during this time of change. 

Generation Z is entering their post-education years and beginning new careers, giving them much influence over their communities. Being up-to-date and aware of what’s happening with technology and social media is essential for them to craft educated decisions that will benefit them and those around them.

This increase of influence also calls for more responsibility and vigilance when it comes to important discussions. Sites such as Instagram and Facebook are constantly searching for ways to decrease misinformation and algorithm bias their sites have, and they must continue to do so. While giving people free speech and unlimited power on social media can be helpful, it can also cause an uproar, and when this happens, there is no one to hold accountable except for a screen with a profile picture. 

As people continue to navigate the complexities of social media, it’s essential to understand that it is merely a tool and nothing more. Social media can cause change and bring people together in a way that’s never been done before, but it’s up to the people to decide if this change will be meaningful or harmful. Be a part of the Martin Hall Agency and learn how to leverage the power of social media for important causes in our community and state.

By Jolynn Allinger

Trust is an important word in the field of public relations. To connect and build strong relationships with one’s clients, there must be a level of trust between the two parties. For example, let’s say you are a teenage girl looking to buy a new lipstick. On a television commercial you see Kylie Jenner promoting her new line of Kylie Cosmetics. Later that day, you see a TikTok of a girl promoting the same lip product, but this time, it does not apply as smoothly as it did in the commercial you watched earlier. Do you trust the application from the television screen, or do you trust the person applying it in their own home recording with an iPhone?

TikTok, a social media app targeted to Generation Z, introduced TikTok for Business in 2020 to allow companies to use TikTok for promotion. Organizations were then able to start collaborating with influencers on TikTok who obtained a large following. Collaborations are extremely helpful to organizations because one influencer can connect an organization to a plethora of individuals within a target audience. 

Celebrity endorsements are another popular way for organizations to promote their products through one individual. Similar to a TikTok Influencer, celebrities usually have a following that consists of people within a certain demographic. However, unlike Influencers, celebrities gain their following through existing fame and can be seen/watched by a larger overall audience. 

With that being said, who do you trust more? Let’s take a look at a couple examples. 

Alix Earle the Influencer

In 2020, Alix Earle’s TikTok career took off after she posted a video of her and her friends getting dressed in trash bags for an event at the University of Miami. Earle continued to stay relevant by posting “get ready with me” videos, which resulted in gaining a large following among Millennials and Generation Z. 

Along with a large number of followers, Earle’s exposure online has connected her to brands like Benefit at Ulta, which carry a similar target audience and a mission statement of inclusive fashion and beauty. Earle collaborated with Benefit to reward customers who spend over $60 with a free makeup bag and a set of hair clips. 

@thebrandblueprint

Alix Earle’s Partnership with Benefit at Ulta #branding #brand #marketing #ulta #alixearle #benefit #productdesign #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo

♬ original sound – Brooke 💡 The Brand Blueprint

 When scrolling through Earle’s account, it is noticeable that she has used and loved Benefit products since 2022, long before Benefit reached out for a partnership. In an interview, Earle states that she tries out each product for a few months before she promotes it to her followers to ensure she genuinely likes it. 

While there is no direct source online stating how much this collaboration made, Earle makes roughly $40,000-$70,000 per post, depending on the partnership. Benefit, on the other hand, was able to sell out all of the Alix Earle bags and clips and gain large amounts of word-of-mouth public relations through other influencers and users who reviewed the products on their personal accounts, making Benefit products go viral.

With that being said, not all influencers are like Earle. It is important to research an influencer before deciding to trust them because not all influencers are as real as they appear.

Michael Cera the Celebrity

Michael Cera is a Canadian actor who gained fame from his role on the show Arrested Development. In 2024, he partnered with Cerave, a line of skin care products, to launch a humorous Super Bowl commercial. 

“Michael CeraVe” I CeraVe Super Bowl (Long Form)

As the partnership was announced during a Super Bowl commercial, it reached an audience of approximately 123.7 million viewers and cost roughly $7 million to produce. According to Search data, Cerave saw a 960% boost in search during the Super Bowl, and Michael Cera saw a lift of 4660%. 

As the collaboration between Cera and Cerave was successful, Cera benefited more than the company he was promoting. However, in an interview, Cera admitted that he is fond of the brand. He stated, “I think it’s a fine product, but that’s as far as it goes, as far as I’m willing to say.”

What is the Difference?

While Cera is a well-known celebrity, his fans do not get to see his morning routine on a daily basis, as opposed to Earle, who shows us her morning routine of using Benefit products every day. This fact alone can make Cera’s credibility in using Cerave products questionable. 

It is also important to do research when getting information online to determine whether the content is true or false. When an individual works with and represents a brand, it is crucial that the audience believes the endorsement, which is why trust is so important. 

A quote from The Social Media Hat states, “When we receive information from someone we know and trust, it activates the reward centers in our brain, which release dopamine and other feel-good neurotransmitters. This makes us more likely to remember and act on the information we receive.” 

As a public relations specialist, it is vital to maintain a good relationship between a company and its public. Choosing a spokesperson for a campaign or a collaboration is an important decision. The person must represent one’s brand well and be trustworthy.  Need help finding an influencer for your brand? Martin Hall Agency can help. 

By Izabella Venuto

Remember when Miley Cyrus went from Hannah Montana into her bad girl “Bangerz” era? From Mike Tyson to Oprah and Rihanna to Ice T, it seems every generation can point to a famous personality who has dramatically changed their career image.

Why Rebranding Matters:

In today’s fast-paced world, consumer preferences shift rapidly, and maintaining a consistent brand image can lead to irrelevance. Rebranding offers a strategic approach to realigning with evolving audience expectations, renewing brand identity and driving business growth. Time and time again, celebrities have changed their appearance and managed to not only stay relevant but also become more popular. By learning from the masters of reinvention, aka celebrities, we can gain insight to guide businesses through the rebranding process.

Let’s take a closer look at some iconic celebrity transformations and the strategies they used to reshape their public perception.

Rihanna and Reinventing Fashion and Beauty Standards

 Rihanna’s entry into the fashion and beauty industry with her brands Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty challenged traditional standards and celebrated diversity. Rihanna successfully redefined beauty norms by prioritizing inclusivity and innovation and captured a loyal audience. Brands can use Rihanna’s bold approach by challenging industry norms, involving inclusivity, and aligning their rebranding efforts with important causes that can cause cultural shifts.

Rihanna made significant strides when it came to inclusivity. She shifted her entire persona from that of a bad girl pop star to that of a business mogul whose companies are all about inclusivity. Along with being known for her music, she is known for her amazing looks and fashion sense, so her rebranding as a company owner made sense to her fans and made her products even more marketable. Her brand Fenty Beauty became famous not only because of Rihanna’s star status being behind it but also because of its inclusive 50-shade foundation range, and with her lingerie company Savage x Fenty, she held up inclusivity by including bra sizes from 32 to 46 in bands and A to H in cups, as well as underwear and sleepwear from sizes XS to 3X. With these major changes, she still stayed true to her vibe and what makes her popular. 

The Personal Rebrand

With the rise of her companies her music career took the back seat and her main focus became her businesses and making them successful and popular. She began only to promote her new image as a business mogul. She completely stopped releasing music, which was extremely unlike her at the time, and even went MIA on her social media and only had a proper public reappearance with the introduction of Fenty Beauty. Her silence and privacy kept fans intrigued about where she went and what caused the disappearance. When she came back, not only did the public’s perception of her shift, but the way she presented herself changed as well. Before her hiatus, she was known as an edgy pop star who wasn’t afraid to say, post, or do anything. Since then many people now see her as Rihanna the owner of Fenty Beauty. She mainly posted and promoted media about her new businesses and refrained from being as public about her life overall shifting the focus to all things on the business side.

Matthew McConaughey: Shifting Perceptions through Personal Branding

 His career resurgence is proof of the power of personal branding, as he takes on unconventional roles and embraces authenticity in his public persona. McConaughey transformed from a known rom-com heartthrob to a critically acclaimed actor. The reason why he went about his career rebrand was McConaughey’s transformation can be explained by him getting older and wanting to be known as a more serious actor. He took a break from being in films, and when he emerged, he only starred in more serious roles that didn’t relate to his usual romantic filmography. 

As a well-established actor, McConaughey knows how the effects of typecasting can affect an actor, so rejecting that notion and going for a completely different persona is brave. Brands can learn from McConaughey’s willingness to take risks, differentiate themselves, and create a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences.

Practical Tips for Rebranding Success

Based on these successful rebrands, some advice and tips companies can use to improve or change public perception:

1. Consistency Isn’t Always Key: Just because something already works doesn’t mean a change can’t increase success. Take Rihanna for example. She was already wildly famous just as a bad girl singer, but with her growing and changing fans and audiences she was always looking for something new
2. Be Authentic With Your Change: Matthew McConaughey’s successful rebranding as a serious actor was driven by his authenticity and willingness to take risks. Brands should strive to maintain authenticity throughout the rebranding process, ensuring that the new image aligns with their values and resonates with their target audience. Genuine branding builds trust and credibility with consumers.
3. Shift Focus When Necessary: Just as Rihanna shifted her focus from music to her businesses, companies should be willing to realign their priorities based on market trends and opportunities. Sometimes, a change in direction is necessary for growth and staying relevant. Assess where your brand’s strengths lie and adjust your focus.
4. Don’t Fear Deviating from the Norm: McConaughey’s exit from his typical rom-com roles illustrates the importance of breaking away from the expected. Similarly, businesses should be bold and take risks and differentiate themselves from competitors. A bold and distinctive rebranding strategy can set your brand apart and attract attention in a busy market.
5. Stay True to Your Core Values: While rebranding involves change, remaining true to your brand’s core values and identity is crucial. Rihanna’s transition from a pop star to a business mogul didn’t compromise her authenticity or values; instead, it enhanced her brand’s image.

Conclusion:

Rebranding is not just a cosmetic change; it’s a strategic move that can be an advantage for businesses that want to thrive in a dynamic market with so many different brands. There are many reasons for companies to rebrand: when there is a change in the target audience, when the brand proposition is no longer relevant; or when a competitor disrupts the market. 

Rebranding comes in many different ways. As audiences gain more influence and the market becomes increasingly more complicated, rebranding is not just expected but crucial. Relevancy is important for a brand’s success, but it must be regularly adjusted, or even a popular brand can suddenly lose its appeal. How a business is perceived is no longer solely controlled by the owner. Public opinion holds significant weight, which can weigh the same as expensive branding strategies. By studying the successes and strategies of celebrity transformations, brands can get valuable insights and inspiration for their rebranding. The key to all this is authenticity, innovation, and a strong understanding of your audience. So, embrace the journey of reinvention, and let your brand transform for the better.

By Brenda Gulliksen

Within the fast-paced realm of public relations and advertising, where messages are presented from all directions, one major component shines through as the key to success throughout the chaos: deeply understanding the target audience. Imagine a campaign that speaks directly to one’s deepest goals and dreams and connects on a personal level. This ability to understand and appeal to a specific target audience has influenced public relations and advertising for many years.

In this blog, the stories of creative innovators who dared to speak directly to their audiences and reshaped the advertising world will be uncovered as the journey through the history of advertising and today’s communication strategies unfold. Read on to explore the history, development and ongoing importance of target audiences in public relations and advertising as the puzzle of audience engagement is unraveled.

Bernbach and Ogilvy: Innovators of the Advertising World

Two names stand out as innovators: Bill Bernbach and David Ogilvy. These innovative-thinking advertising men changed the status quo by communicating directly with target audiences. They demonstrated their understanding that creating genuine connections with people was just as important to successful campaigns as product sales.

Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) co-founder Bill Bernbach firmly believed in the transformative impact of “big ideas” that touched customers’ emotions and intellect. One of Bernbachs most famous quotes is, “Advertising is fundamentally persuasion and persuasion happens to be not a science, but an art.”

Often referred to as the Father of Advertising, David Ogilvy was a master of persuasion who valued strategy and research. The book, The King of Madison Avenue, states, “Time magazine called Ogilvy “the most sought-after wizard in the advertising  industry.” Together, Bernbach and Ogilvy transformed the field of advertising, redefining the rules and inspiring a new generation of marketers.

Persona Creation

The creation of personas has become essential to contemporary public relations and commercial campaigns. Before diving deeper, it’s important to note that “Personas are fictional profiles that represent groups of similar people in a target audience. They can help you figure out how to reach people on a more personal level while delivering the right messages, offers and products at the right time.”

Plenty of examples involve successful campaigns that made excellent use of persona-driven techniques. Persona development has evolved into a standard procedure in the advertising industry, whether a car company is trying to reach out to fifty-year-old single dads or a fashion brand is targeting Gen Z women.

As part of the political discourse surrounding the potential ban on TikTok, it’s important to understand what this means for the 7 million small businesses and other users that rely on the platform as a main source of marketing. The ease of use and ability to get millions of views and thousands of followers off of a single video just by posting and letting the algorithm take care of the rest make it an ideal platform unlike any other for marketing. With platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, it can take years to grow a following and get a lot of impressions.

Developing Personas

Although Bill Bernbach or David Ogilvy did not create personas, their approaches to advertising influenced the development and use of persona-driven strategies in the advertising industry. 
“Persona Development is the task of creating a representation of different types of people who will interact with your product or service. These are generally fictional characters that may possibly use your business, brand, website or product.”  This strategy aligns with the ideas put forth by Bernbach and Ogilvy, who stressed the value of developing a personal connection with consumers and learning about their wants and needs.

 The Role of Account Planning Today

The introduction of account planning marks another significant advancement in the advertising industry. According to the article, J. Walter Thompson: The Origin and Development of Account Planning, “Account Planning emerged in 1968 in London as a consequence of the research and planning tradition that already existed at JWT. JWT’s corporate culture established the importance of the Account Planning approach that was valued by advertisers and spread to all offices. The planning tools used by the multinational today are updated versions of those that were designed from 1960 onwards.”

Account planners use research and analysis to create advertising ideas and communicate between creative teams and clients. By carefully examining consumer behavior and market trends, they can spot opportunities and develop campaigns that connect with the target audience. Account planning has become recognized as a crucial element of effective public relations and advertising campaigns, with agencies actively utilizing strategy and research to ensure their messaging connects with the target audience.

Account planning and target audience personas are crucial to successful marketing strategies, as they work together to guarantee successful target audience communication. Both start by having a clear grasp of who their audience is. Target audience personas create detailed profiles that represent different groups, and account planning gathers information to guide the overall campaign strategy.

Next, by determining which audience to target and how to craft messages that appeal to them, target audience personas direct the campaign’s strategy and messaging. Account planners utilize this data to create relevant messaging plans that resonate with the audience by matching audience preferences.

Account planning and target audience profiles also impact campaign development by directing decisions about strategies and distribution. By combining account planning and target audience personas, campaigns have a greater impact. All in all, by adjusting campaigns to the needs and preferences of the target audience, target audience personas and account planning collaborate to provide successful marketing outcomes.

“Is Pepsi ok?”: The Successful Targeted Advertising Campaign

One prime example of a successful campaign that tapped into its target audience is the “Is Pepsi OK?”  campaign aired during Superbowl LIII. The article states, “The key to the success of Pepsi’s campaign was self-awareness. The marketers tapped into real scenarios their customers have at restaurants when they encounter their product. Every time a waiter asks a customer, “Is Pepsi OK?” the customer will inevitably link the statement to the overwhelmingly positive commercial and campaign message.”

Realizing the need to establish a personal connection with its customers, Pepsi leveraged the emotions behind the question. Pepsi executed a brilliant marketing strategy by rephrasing the question to promote choice and individuality positively. The key insight that arose from this campaign was to “Figure out how your consumers perceive your brand and use it to your advantage in self-aware marketing campaigns.”

Given that the campaign addressed and acknowledged the underlying concerns of its target audience, this campaign touched an emotional connection with consumers. Pepsi created a message highlighting its products and confirming its commitment to customer satisfaction by understanding the small emotional factors influencing consumer behavior. The “Is Pepsi OK?” campaign’s success offers proof of the success of strategic communication to create deep connections with its target audiences.

Why Target Audiences Matter

This breakdown of target audiences in public relations and advertising highlights an important truth: Successful campaigns must understand and communicate with their target audiences. Communication methods have changed, emphasizing the importance of the target audience, from the creative approaches of Ogilvy and Bernbach to modern methods like account planning and persona development.

Understanding the importance of this can provide potential clients with important information on how to understand the marketing campaigns and business results Martin Hall Agency provides. In the same way, this blog offers a multitude of educational possibilities for prospective students within the MHA audience.

Let us continue to welcome the opportunities of the present and the lessons of the past as we turn to the future. By sticking to the core values of creativity, honesty, and strategic thinking, we can design campaigns that captivate audiences and create a long-lasting impression on their hearts and minds.

By Isabella Dill

Incorporating small-town charm into mass media marketing strategies offers a timeless allure that transcends digital barriers. By embracing authenticity, prioritizing community values, and evoking nostalgia, brands can craft campaigns that resonate on a profoundly human level, fostering enduring connections with their audience. It’s time to unlock the full potential of small-town sensibilities in modern marketing. Let’s take a look at some brands that are doing it will and exploring what we can learn from them.

Emphasis on Personal Relationships and Community Values

Small towns thrive on personal connections and communal values, nurturing loyalty through word-of-mouth referrals and personalized interactions. Larger brands can draw inspiration from this by prioritizing authenticity and cultivating genuine relationships with their audience. In our modern, post-COVID society, this level of personal connection holds greater significance than ever before.

Patagonia Grassroots Campaign

Take, for instance, Patagonia’s grassroots campaigns, which champion environmental activism, striking a chord with consumers on a deeply personal level. Rather than relying solely on conventional advertising tactics, Patagonia has carved out its niche by authentically aligning with environmental causes and supporting grassroots activism. Through initiatives like the “1% for the Planet” program and local environmental organization support, Patagonia demonstrates a steadfast commitment to positively impacting beyond profit margins.

Evolution of Influencer Marketing

Dove Real Beauty Campaign

The evolution of influencer marketing towards authenticity mirrors the intimate connections in small-town enterprises. Influencers who authentically share moments resonate profoundly with their audience, exemplifying the power of authenticity in forging connections.

Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign is a prime example, collaborating with everyday individuals to celebrate diverse beauty standards and foster inclusivity. This campaign consistently stands out as a beacon of advertising excellence, not merely promoting products but uplifting and empowering its audience on a deeply personal level. Through inclusive messaging and celebrating diverse beauty, Dove has struck a chord with individuals globally, by featuring real people instead of airbrushed models, forging a profound connection with its audience.

Nostalgia and Romanticism in Advertising

Brands are tapping into the nostalgia and romanticism associated with small-town life to evoke sentiments of warmth and community. Coca-Cola’s iconic “Share a Coke” campaign personalized bottles with individual names, fostering consumers’ sense of belonging and camaraderie. As reported by Coca-Cola, this campaign yielded a remarkable 2% increase in global sales and a 7% uptick in consumption.

By harnessing authenticity and community values, brands can forge deeper connections with their audience, driving engagement and loyalty. Incorporating small-town charm into mass media marketing strategies offers a timeless appeal that transcends digital barriers, fostering lasting connections with the audience. It’s time to unlock the potential of small-town sensibilities in modern marketing endeavors and at MHA we can help.