“Case Study on How to Obtain PR for a Women’s Organisation in Hong Kong”
Presented by Anna J H Fang, Director, anna fang public relations Past President, Hong Kong Association of Business and Professional Women
Hong Kong, March 2007
Topic: How to get publicity and noticed by the media for a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Hong Kong
Agenda Topics
- Media coverage for the Inaugural HKABPW Women CEOs Roundtable – March 2003 - Media coverage for International Women’s Day – March 2006 - Media coverage for the Matilda Sedan Chair Race Charities Fund
Hong Kong Environment
• More than 250 women’s organisations in
Hong Kong – NGOs, grassroots, and 30 business, professional and grassroots
• Only high profile and unique women and
events publicised in the press
Hong Kong Association of Business and Professional Women
• Established in 1979 • Supported employment and equal rights
•
•
legislation in HK Helped to establish the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Affiliated with BPW International
– 40,000 members, 80 year history – UN Consultative Status for 60 years
An Opportunity and Challenge Presented Itself
• 2003 Women CEOs Roundtable had 3 successful
businesswomen as speakers , Lorraine Hahn and a Champagne Brand as a sponsor
• Sponsor wanted media coverage! • HKABPW is a volunteer service organisation, NGO – so
lack of staff. ExCo members and members have their “day jobs”
Sponsor brought on board scmp.com and 10 day interactive campaign
• Luncheon attended by over 150 executives • Media coverage astounding for the HKABPW
• Press release sent out and editors invited to IWD Event
• Invited Far Eastern Economic Review, AWSJ, HK
Business, SCMP, HK Tatler, Chinese press – Apple Daily
to attend
The HKABPW Women CEO RoundtableDefining Experiences: Three Women CEOs and Their Pathways to Business Success – March 2003
• Organised by: • Sponsored by:
Media Coverage Summary
• • • • • •
Number of Interviews: 5 No. of Clippings: 16 No. of Media: 12 Pre-Event Publicity: HK$200,000 1,200,000 Media Coverage Value: HK$500,000 1,200,000 Post Event PR/Publicity: 200,000 HK$700,000 2,600,000 (US$90,000) Readers
• Total
Media Coverage in the Print and Interactive Media for the HKABPW Inaugural Women CEOs Roundtable (March-June 2003)
• One Week interactive campaign on scmp.com
-Value HK$100,000 (US$13,000)
• • • • •
Hong Kong Business – 4 pages Far Eastern Economic Review and feer.com – “CEO Call” Cosmopolitan, Apple Daily South China Morning Post “Who Do You Think You Are” Asian Wall Street Journal – “The Interview” The Standard – Women in Business – pre-event article Hong Kong Tatler / Talkies
(Post event photos sent to glossies)
Success of the Media Coverage
• Finding the right business angle without going toward
the society angle
• Post Event publicity included photos sent to key guests,
members, thank-yous to all that assisted to make the event a success
• Distributed event publicity results to BPWs around the
world – we were one of the first BPWs to approach corporate sponsors
Some Misconceptions
• Misconception that all stories are publicised by the press • The truth is only 1 or 2 pitches are accepted out of 100 •
per day Lack of understanding by people on how to treat the press (the press in Hong Kong would never go to a lunch or dinner event
just to get a free meal – they are too busy!)
• Some lack of understanding about how the Hong Kong
and international media work in HK by women executives
Corporate Image Building Program Fall 2003/Winter 2004
Collaboration with City University of Hong Kong’s English and Communication Dept Final Year Project Student Team New website www.hkabpw.org New brochures Membership Mentoring - Launch of the HKABPW Mentoring Program
Sponsors: ExxonMobil, Right Management, Seashell Publishers (Australia), and B&W Far East Publicity Ltd
HKABPW and the Center for Creative Leadership
• International Women’s Day on March 2006 • Theme – New Dimensions in Leadership • Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) offered a
•
scholarship to a BPW member to attend their Women’s Leadership Program – 5 day program worth US$6,000 apiece Two scholarships awarded to 2 HKABPW members worth in total US$12,000
Media Coverage for the Center for Creative Leadership/ HKABPW
• 5-Page Article in CFO Asia on one of the BPW recipients • • • • •
who happened to be a CFO/HR Director Article in Hong Kong Economic Times Full page in The Peak Magazine (Glossy) Full newspaper page in the Hong Kong Economic Times CCL was the Leadership Sponsor for the Gala Evening which had over 150 women in attendance Regional exposure through BPW Asia Pacific
Matilda Sedan Chair Race Charities Fund Nov 2004
• Collaboration with a City University of Hong Kong
student team as their final year project on this annual event • Charity raises money for 25 selected NGOs & charities for their projects not funded by the Government, HK Jockey Club or Community Chest • Support on the publicity by the student team to contact over 70-80 local English and Chinese press Media Coverage/Advertising Value HK$2,210,000 (US$300,000) Reaching 21 million viewers and readers
Summary
• Unique business or feature angle • Outstanding media value from press
articles in targeted publications to reach specific audience • Use high profile women to attract the press Thank you!