Secrets of Effective PSA Campaigns

Background:
Modern Public Service Announcements (PSAs) often receive high value air time and generate an impressive return on investment. Immunization programs that create compelling messages, and know how market them effectively can reach large segments of their audience with persuasive and/or informative messages.

Setting:
N/A

Population:
Audience segments targeted by PSAs promoting immunization

Project Description:
This presentation will explore the practical to tactical approaches of PSA creation, production, and distribution. Media experts will share how to create effective messages, engage local broadcasters, and avoid common pitfalls when implementing a campaign. Participants will learn what doesn't work when attracting the attention of a PSA director, and why localization, timeliness, humanization, visual interest, and topicality are critical to a successful PSA. The presentation will also explain how to evaluate a campaign's return on investment by calculating the value of donated media time, analyzing audience reports, and utilizing new technologies for television and radio PSA monitoring. Finally, participants will learn ways to extend the value of their advertising budgets by placing PSAs on Web sites, developing them into Podcasts, and making them available to digital newsrooms.

Results/Lessons Learned:
At the end of this presentation, participants will know how to:
Articulate attributes of an effective PSA;
Avoid common mistakes in PSA campaigns;
Identify strategies for pitching PSAs to local broadcasters;
Interpret tracking reports that calculate ad value, message reach, and return on investment;
Identify opportunities to extend the reach of PSAs through new media channels.