Interview a PR professional 3.7

Kevin Helton- 14 December 2016
Assignment 3.7

Intro
Interviewer- Kevin Helton
PR Professional- Matt Papka
President/Owner/Founder/PR representative of Ele8 Bikes

Kevin- Yes, sir, I appreciate your time, and before we get started I want to let you know I'm in a Sports Marketing and Media course for my school. This particular month we are doing a PR class, and for an assignment, I have to do an interview with a PR professional. Would you be willing to help me out?

Matt- Yeah if I can help you I sure will. I'll give you my best shot.

Kevin- Alright excellent, first off, What exactly did you do in the PR world?

Matt- Well I just provided information, to different PR people, people that wrote newspaper articles, people that were bloggers, about my bike convention and about fishing conventions. So my type of PR would have been that area, I was trying to get PR through newspapers writers to write about the product I invented and patted it.

Kevin- What advice would you give to someone who was wanting to get in a Public relations world, what advice would you give to get them where you been, to get into that kind of realm?

Matt- To be honest Kevin I'd have to say, that you have to think so many steps ahead, you have to really think and anticipate PR relations or PR events and how they will negatively affect, or impact you, and that would be how you base your questions on how you would handle a PR or interview for a particular subject or situation. So what you might be saying might open up a book with the person yours communicating with that you didn't want to open, or you have to think a few steps forward, so you don't open up a book in their mind to go a different angle of the story or PR, you don't want to give that angle an opening. So you have to sort of funnel it through, I guess a channel of communication to funnel it to see what kind of outcome you want. Is it a very abstract micro or macro type of thing, or you looking for a very specific information on what that interview is about. Because PR could be taken, as you see in the media today, and how someone can make a statement, and someone can chalk that up 10 or 20 times you know what I mean

Kevin- Yes sir

Matt-It'll make it feel like they meant this, but it really meant this, but it appears like they meant this. There are so many ways to take this, so in a PR world, you have to think about everything you're about to say and what comes out your mouth. So as you're delivering your words, you really have to think about what bridges you're opening to provide what story for your content

Kevin- Sounds like you almost have to play a chess game to think one step ahead.

Matt-Oh yeah I would say absolutely. For instance, with the PR about my bike, my bike helps everybody. The media folks took it upon themselves to say hey, it's more of a medical bike. So that that PR wasn't meant to be negative, but it impacted the project negatively because people that didn't have a special needs or disability thought they don't need that bike because I don't have a disability or challenge physically. The whole point of it was so that you could ride the bike better leg extension not about whether you was disabled or not. It was just an ancillary benefit that it helped people that had some issues.

Kevin-Wow, excellent. So what are some of your responsibilities, and how did these responsibilities integrate with the marketing and business objectives with your particular organization with your bike?

Matt- Well you have to start with your grass roots in guerilla type of marketing, but you really have to have a team of advisors that you can trust, that are objective, and you have to get into the feelings of it, along with focus groups. You might think you have the best name for it, for branding. Then you might find that that's not a great idea. So I think that's why you have to be open to be really critically open in your brain to say, hey it's my project its my idea, but I have to be open because the old story a million brains is better than one brain.

Kevin- So what kind of methods of communications did you use to reach out to the public, and how was that effective?

Matt- I think one of the best ways to look at it is the way commerce is done today. With so many different channels for distribution of products, or needs, or services. I also think that with the election we just had it proved that how a different degree of social media can not only get product out there and knowledge out there, but could also start a campaign. It could start a movement, it could start hope, it could start so many ancillary arteries from your message.

Kevin- Do you have any samples of communication strategies that you've used to actually achieve success?

Matt- Well I would use a PEP type of management. Which is a performance evaluation planning. So I would take the segment of what I'm working on and see how it's performing. Then you would evaluate it, and then you'd plan around how it'd change, so every angle gets fixed. Then turn it into a written plan so you can add things while staying focused

Kevin- Okay and now lastly, how is your public relations practice effected the reputation of your product?

Matt- You really have to have an open dialogue of on the record off the record before something PR can be taken out of the wrong context, because the interviewee doesn't know as much about your business as you do, or know the exact message so. It's good to do planning in these things because you get caught up in the whole hey oh my God the phone rang and I have to do this, so planning accordingly, so you don't get caught up in that moment. You just have to be grounded to stay on cue and message.

Kevin- Okay that'll pretty much sum things up again thank you for your time. Unless you have anything you'd like to add 

Matt- No I think it's interesting what you're doing and studying that particular field. Whatever you can learn will be great. You have a great day

Dallas Cowboys Red Kettle Campaign Extended

*Do Note This Is Not An Actual Event By The Dallas Cowboys, Any Member Of The Jones Family, or The Salvation Army, This Is Only Intended As A School Assignment*

Hello Everyone I am Charlotte Jones Anderson, Executive Vice President and Brand Officer here to encourage everyone to join the Dallas Cowboys in helping to give back to the community. The Dallas Cowboys and Salvation Army have been in partnership since 1997. I am excited to say our organization has helped many children and families. We are now extending and encouraging each and every one of you to join us here in our home game against the Buccaneers on Dec. 18th, to give generously before Christmas is on us.

If you're a season ticket holder or plan to visit AT&T Stadium be on the lookout for our bell ringers that will be all over the stadium (inside and out). Yes for all you loyal tailgaters who won't make it into the stadium we don't want to leave you out either. So if you're a season ticket holder, or you are here for the opposing team, or if you're only just passing by the stadium, stop by and see one of our Salvation Army volunteers to give what you feel in your heart so we can continue to give to those much less fortunate.

Here's the greatest part, every single penny that is donated to the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campain at the game on December 18th, Mr. Jones and my family will match doubling the money that is going to help out. So no matter what you decide to part with realizing even the smallest amount will get matched and that could be the difference in how many children actually get a Christmas this season. We can all agree everyone should have a Merry Christmas leading into a Happy New Year. Give what you can so that we can all be part of this miracle.

References:

Newswire, M.P. - (2014b) The salvation army kicks off 124th red kettle campaign during cowboys thanksgiving day game. Available at: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7346053-salvation-army-dallas-cowboys-kick-off-124th-red-kettle-campaign/ (Accessed: 5 December 2016).

In-text citations:

• (Newswire, 2014b)
 

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*Do Note This Is Not An Actual Event By The Dallas Cowboys, Any Member Of The Jones Family, or The Salvation Army, This Is Only Intended As A School Assignment*

Clinton Kaine Cancelled Campaign

​The event that I looked up was a campaign cancellation in Cleveland, OH, where presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton and VP candidate running mate Tim Kaine was supposed to speak. They said they had to cancel this event due to time constraints. However, the duo did visit the Saturday before they were meant to stop in Cleveland in Youngstown, OH. Youngstown is only 74-86 miles away from Cleveland, OH. Then on that Sunday they decided to push on down to Columbus, OH.

The state of Ohio is a pretty big state as far as the election goes. Both parties certainly would love to win that state, and it’s eighteen electoral votes that come with it. In the last 10 elections the state has gone Democrat five times (1976, 1992, 1996, 2008, 2012), and Republican five times (1980, 1984, 1988, 2000, 2004). Clinton and Kaine are hoping to keep the trend on the Democrat side and hoping that big state helps them clinch the election this year.

I don’t feel like the Democratic party did the wrong thing by canceling their tour when they were so close in Youngstown, OH. I am unaware of the information if they allowed the city of Cleveland to know in advance that they would not be in attendance so the base who was going to attend this campaign speech could make plans to go to Youngstown or Columbus. I know that if you are running a campaign trial you want to visit as many big cities and every single state that is a bubble state, to help your chances to become the next President of the United States of America. Each campaign has a set budget that they are willing to spend (willing to lose) to gain supporters for their cause to try and pick up voters. Both parties realize that the truly faithful Republicans will vote red no matter who is running, just like the faithful blue voters are Democrat always. They try to make strategic moves in their campaign to gather the fence rider voters, the one’s who truly listen to policies and align their beliefs with the beliefs of the candidates. This is truly why I do not think the Clinton; Kaine campaign did a bad thing due to their time constraints by canceling an event when they were so close to Cleveland the day before.

I must say I am not writing this blog as a form of trying to sway anyone opinion in the voting process come November 8th. I honestly just looked up where the event was being canceled and decided to look into it and write about it. I wish to stay as unbiased as possible on the blogs about who I feel would run this country better. I am sure I could find something negative about every candidate running in the election, but on the flip side, they could find something on me negative as well. I do encourage everyone goes out and vote; it is your right as an American. 

References:

Cunningham, K. (2016) Hillary Clinton event in Cleveland canceled. Available at: http://fox8.com/2016/07/30/hillary-clinton-event-in-cleveland-canceled/ (Accessed: 3 November 2016).

In-text citations:

• (Cunningham, 2016)

​(No Date) Available at: http://www.270towin.com/states/Ohio (Accessed: 3 November 2016).

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​(No Date) Available at: http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepoliticalsystem/a/2012-Electoral-Votes-By-State.htm (Accessed: 3 November 2016).

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