October is a month dedicated to recognizing powerful movements and causes. It’s when pink shirts and accessories become more than a fashion statement. It’s when the world encourages important discussions of mental health in hopes of positive change. It’s when we celebrate being completely open with friends and family about who we are.
And for those same reasons, this month also reminds us of the power of Purposeful PR.
What is Purposeful PR?
When it comes to purposeful campaigns, the fundamentals of traditional PR remain the same. They require an understanding of a brand’s goals and audience, thoughtful messaging, and strategic placement. The underlying difference is the impact that campaign is designed to have and the depth in which you connect with that audience.
Purposeful PR aims to create a more meaningful, emotional connection with your target audience by giving them a sense of community. Instead of relating to them through interests and purchasing behaviors, you’re creating a bond through the qualities that define who they are; the traits ingrained in each of us as human beings. It’s about finding a familiar voice that’s compatible with your audience on an emotional level with messaging that represents a shared journey.
For some purpose-driven campaigns, the goal is to create hope. For others, it’s providing new information in support of a movement’s progress or needs.
All PR has a purpose. But purposeful PR is PR that’s part of something bigger.
The Value of Purposeful PR
We all want something in our day-to-day to have purpose. For many of us, that means working toward something not driven solely by revenue or income. It means having the ability to make a difference in the lives of others.
In the world of Entertainment PR, we’re lucky enough to bring important information and exciting announcements and insight throughout the media industry to audiences on a global level. We get to help spark thoughtful discussions with press through media training and a competitive strategy, and provide event support that helps organizations and brands bring people together to celebrate launches and successes.
But Purposeful PR allows us to go beyond the communities that our favorite shows and films have built and help people find positivity in their lives in ways that are deeply felt. We thrive in the opportunities to bring this layer of purpose to our entertainment clients, and we feel a true sense of pride in helping our clients in the non-profit PR space bring awareness of their missions on a national and global scale.
Having the ability to help amplify a positive message that delivers confidence, hope, and a sense of belonging to more people is something that we can all be proud of. When we can bring light in areas that feel the darkest to those battling a disease or struggling with mental health, it allows us to help people in truly consequential ways.
Considerations for an Effective Purpose-Driven Strategy
Every organization has its own motivations for a Purposeful PR campaign, but there are some general things to keep in mind.
For the non-profit space, think about how you can leverage new research or information that can help you differentiate yourself and your cause from others vying for your audience's attention. Focus on promoting the things you’re already doing to move the needle and have been successful in driving progress. And work with a PR firm who has strong relationships with the right press partners to get that message out there to convey hope in the places your audience is sure to hear it.
For entertainment brands, be extremely mindful of the news cycle and important dates on the calendar. One of the benefits of SMITHHOUSE’s strong press connections is that it allows us to keep a strong pulse on the current media landscape to identify and create opportunities for connection. That starts with understanding what outreach that company is doing both internally and externally for philanthropic work or community initiatives — beyond their usual entertainment content production. And it’s having a continuous understanding of what everyone else is doing beyond their revenue-driven priorities too — regardless of industry.
Internally, that means educating your employees on what they can personally be doing to enhance positive work cultures and support the different things that we as human beings need to feel happy and fulfilled — from a strong sense of well-being to a healthy lifestyle. In whatever specific community this may be, you want to uncover those key nuggets and promote them in a way that doesn’t feel exploitative or imitative.
And on that note, be authentic. In many cases, it's simply being as open and communicative as possible that the outreach you’re doing isn’t rooted in profit generation, but instead, in a personal mission — and why. Having the right spokesperson for this can make all the difference, so identify who this individual is and make sure they have the proper media training to deliver your message thoughtfully and effectively. The primary goal should be to convey that there are other layers to your business model that are important to you and make the specific reasons as to why really shine through. These purposeful aspects of your business are not only important to your consumers, but are also truly invaluable to helping your employees thrive within your organization and feel proud to be part of it.
How SMITHHOUSE can Help
Cultivating a mix of distinct executive backgrounds, SMITHHOUSE is uniquely built to understand our clients within a wide range of industries and communities. This allows us to find meaningful connections and opportunities to amplify these purposeful PR messages across networks. We’ve helped our Entertainment clients develop Purposeful PR campaigns in a variety of spaces, emphasizing the importance of folding these types of initiatives into their work on and off screen, while supporting our non-profit clients to strengthen their day-to-day efforts with the right media connections and messaging.
While topics surrounding mental health, the LGBTQ+ community, and personal health and disease awareness have recently become more inherent in PR across all industries, they have always been areas that we’ve encouraged our clients to explore. We’re proud of the impact we’ve been able to help so many clients have in so many communities, and we’re only getting started.
To learn more about how a Purposeful PR campaign can bring value to your brand and your audiences, contact SMITHHOUSE today.
