As I sit here typing on a late April day in 40 degree weather, I’m reminded of this unpredictable season and it’s parallels with the spur-of-the moment nature of the PR industry. Whether you’re creating content for a social media campaign or pitching a traditional Mother’s Day brunch, it’s important to keep one thing in mind: strategy. The goals of your client cannot become lost in a sea of pink carnations and Claritin commercials. Our challenge as public relations representatives is to keep our client’s messaging clear & consistent while properly utilizing the creative tools provided by seasonal trends.
Here in NYC, this challenge is especially relevant as most of our clients are experiencing
periods of adjustment directly related to the season. Spring for most restaurant clients means the debut of new menu items created with care using fresh, seasonal ingredients; others have a stronger seasonal tie that dominates our strategy and scheduling for the foreseeable future. For example, NYY Steak Manhattan, the official steakhouse of the New York Yankees, has kicked off baseball season and is focusing on their game day menu offerings as well as capitalizing on the excitement of the baseball happenings going on uptown. Non-sport related clients like Sherry Lehmann Wine & Spirits see just as much action with the change of season. While they may not have a tie-in quite as dominating as Major League Baseball, many of their sales initiatives and goals are influenced by the debuts of new vintages and seasonal selections like sparkling rose. Our goal as PR and Social Media professionals is to promote this NYC landmark business as unparalleled experts in the industry, while still highlighting the shiny and new. Like most things in life, good PR will result from good balance (and a little bit of elbow grease).
-Sarah Cox
