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Vegetarian Food Fair Manual Draft Part II Section 10: Creating publicity materials Publicizing your vegetarian food fair may be the most important work you do to ensure a successful event. You must reach as wide an audience as possible, making them aware of the event and reminding them of the place, day(s), and time it is taking place. Many options are available for publicizing your event, and you should take advantage of as many media as you can to boost turnout to your event. Publicity will also be a primary part of the costs of organizing the food fair. You should review your advertising budget (see Section 3) once you've collected details on the publicity options that are available. Public service announcements (PSAs) Radio and television stations will often devote airtime to a community calendar or announcements about local events that are open to the public. To have your vegetarian food fair included in these listings, you should create a PSA. A PSA is a short sound bite that covers the 5 Ws: who, what, when, where, and why. The first line should give the date on which the PSA expires (the date of your fair) and request that the announcement be read on or before that date. The announcement itself should be as brief as possible, giving the details necessary to inform people about the time and place event and how to get there. You might also mention primary sponsors or a keynote demonstration or speaker to attract listener interest. Simply sending a PSA is not a guarantee that the station will use it. When possible, direct your materials to an individual at the station with whom you have a working relationship or who has done other coverage of your group's events or campaigns. TOP Format For radio and television the preferred format by snail mail is single-spaced text on a 3 x 5 card for easy handling, reading, and filing. You should provide 45-second, 30-second, and 15-second options. Fifteen- and thirty-second formats are used most often. If you are faxing information, the 3 x 5 card format is less important, but you should keep this size in mind to guide content. Be sure all submissions are neatly typed (double-spaced on event letterhead for faxed materials). TOP Guidelines for creating advertisements Sample 14: PSAs in 30- and 45-second formats PSA (45 seconds): Please use as often as possible on and before May 15 Contact: Gerry Coffey 256/350-2823 Lots of busy families think they're they just don't have time to eat right. But there are ways you and your family can learn to still eat well while leading busy lives. Learn how to choose disease-and-cancer fighting "5-A-Day" servings of fruits and veggies recommended by the American Heart Association. A chef from Jamos Restaurant in Huntsville, and a family member from Grant Street Produce-a Mom & Pop enterprise in Decatur-will help show you how. Join them and other health-oriented people Tuesday, May 23, at 7 p.m. for our free monthly class and support group: That's HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES: Disease-Free-Living: Through Fitness & Nutrition. No Charge. Public Welcome. Refreshments Served. For more information call HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES Directors: Gerry or Ray Coffey at 256/350-2823. PSA: 30 seconds: Please use as often as possible on and before May 15 When preparing their own text, radio and television reporters often print the text on the right half of the sheet of paper, double-spaced. This layout is easier to read because the eyes can see half a page of lines in one glance, but not a line of full-width page text. This guideline is helpful because the preferred reading for good diction and pronunciation is about 2½ words per second, which is also the average number of words that can fit on the right half sheet of paper with a 1½-inch right margin. You can get an idea of this pace by preparing text and then timing yourself without rushing or reading too slowly. Exact timing isn't critical, as the announcer will usually adapt his or her reading speed to the time. Radio and television PSA format differs a little from print releases in that information about the event is given before the name of the person or event. This order of information reduces the likelihood that a listener will miss this important information that, in print, is there in black and white for reference. TOP Guidelines for creating advertisements Posters and flyers One of the easiest ways to attract attention for your event is to create eye-catching posters and informative flyers that you can post and distribute on public kiosks and at local businesses. If your budget allows, you could have a professionally designed poster or flyer created. With the wide availability of inexpensive computer graphics and clipart programs, you might also be able to create your own flyer. TOP Guidelines for creating posters and flyers ___ Prominently display the logo or name of the fair, and make sure it appears on each poster and flyer you design. You should also include the name and logo of your group or organization. Press releases A press release is a standard way of disseminating information to all forms of media. You can fax or send press releases to newsletters, newspapers, and magazines as well as to television and radio stations. These media receive many press releases each month, however, so it is important that yours follow the correct style and also be attractive and interesting. A press release should follow a standard form. TOP Guidelines for creating a press release (courtesy of PETA)
Media packets You should create a media packet for distribution to members of the media should they request it. Often newspapers and magazines, and perhaps even radio or television follow up a press release with a request for more information for in-depth coverage. A reporter may request an interview on which to base an article, or he or she may simply contact you for more information. By having a ready-made media packet available, you'll save yourself the trouble of getting something together at the last minute. The packet might include a short article about the food fair in addition to brochures or other fact sheets about vegetarianism. You could include photographs or other camera-ready visuals as well. Include information about your organization in the packet, and prominently display contact information for a spokesperson for your organization. If your initial press release does not result in media coverage, you might consider sending or dropping off the entire media packet. Often once you provide the material, the newspaper or magazine will follow up with an article or other coverage. You can also submit an editorial or column during in the weeks preceding the fair. These short pieces serve two purposes: they can highlight an issue or problem that you address at the food fair (for example, an environmental, animal rights, or health issue), and they provide details about the food fair as a source for more information about this issue you describe. Be aware of deadlines for submissions; they vary from source to source, and for some magazines and newsletters, deadlines occur well in advance of publication. TOP Advertisements All forms of media accept and use advertisements. Advertising is expensive, so it is worthwhile to contact local media to see if they would donate free advertising for the food fair. You could inquire about free ad-vertising when you send out sponsor letters (see Section 6). If free adver-tising is not an option, you should review your budget carefully and use advertising that is most cost-effective. Local newspapers usually provide the cheapest advertising, and their wide distribution and large readership ensures that your ad will reach as many people as possible. Guidelines for creating advertisements ____ Be sure the details are most prominent, and include names or logos of your sponsors as well. The fair logo and the name and logo of your organization should also appear. |
