Event Location Impacts Publicity

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Universal Information Services uses our blog as a mouthpiece to amplify and illuminate issues related to measuring the impact of public relations and media exposure. Often covered in our writings are topics that show how the fundamentals of business and PR communication intersect with behavioral outcomes on a desired audience. Media monitoring has evolved well past the function of simply tracking results and now must interpret the effectiveness and impact those results have. We hope you find engaging content and ideas within the Universal Amplifier.

By Todd Murphy | July 24th, 2012

Think it doesn’t? Think again.

As a follow up to my blog dispelling the myth that the value of print media monitoring has been reduced because of changes in the newspaper industry, I wanted to turn my attention to the impact location has on event publicity.

Events, as a public relations tool, may be the first known application of public relations. What was the Boston Tea Party if not a public relations event that generated some solid publicity? In terms of impact I think it is safe to say that story had serious “legs”. Similarly, today’s events have the great capacity to generate media exposure, or not.

In 2013 the U.S. Senior Open will be held in Omaha, Nebraska. Our media analysis and news monitoring teams have reviewed past golfing events, like Omaha’s Cox Classic, to show how location can impact media exposure. This infographic prepared by Universal Information Services illustrates how location can impact an event, like a golfing tournament.

What one can see in our statistics is that some communities gain greater media coverage than others, even when holding the same event. For example, Omaha historically generates very good media exposure for “The Other PGA Tour” when compared to cities of equal or greater size. Why this is undoubtedly has many factors: Corporate Sponsors, civic group support, volunteer base, distance from other cities hosting similar events and so on. All these factors, and more, must be considered when planning an event that is intended to generate a strong public relations impact for the media.

Like the Cox Classic, we expect to see the resulting media exposure for the 2013 U.S. Senior Open in Omaha to surpass that same event as held in prior years and at other locations. Obviously PR professionals try to plan in a way that will maximize their media exposure. Of course this assumes that media exposure is one of many outcomes the PR plan includes. With a goal of raising awareness for an event, and ancillary participants of that event, choosing your location and venue should be a primary concern. I’m curious to hear from the real PR pros as to what factors they find most important when planning an event. Seriously, what components are most important to you when planning a PR event? Do tell!