Jessica Starman, MBA, Co-Founder & CEO of Elev8 New Media.
People oftentimes won’t buy the best product, but they’re very likely to buy the best advertised product. Think about that for a moment. Having the best product won’t help an organization to achieve much if there isn’t anybody out there who knows your product is the best.
So, is this a public relations (PR) problem or a marketing problem? Or does it involve both professions?
The blurred lines between PR and marketing still present a conundrum where many professionals struggle. As the co-founder and CEO of a public relations firm, I’ve seen that an often-made mistake is to think that one is simply an extension of the other and that both are just different names for achieving the same thing. Unfortunately, many business leaders succumb to this mindset, and it’s a mistake that can hugely undermine an organization’s marketing goals and objectives.
A closer look at the two reveals that PR and marketing each serve their own unique purposes, and both have very different roles in terms of what each should be expected to achieve for your organization.
With target audiences growing increasingly distracted, organizations hoping to succeed in modern society would be prudent to build a clear understanding of how PR and marketing strategies differ from one another. In fact, both disciplines are important for an organization’s outward-facing strategy. Many organizations that are recognized as leaders in their industry became that way largely by marrying these two disciplines—a formula that yields optimum levels of brand awareness and revenue growth opportunities.
Public Relations Versus Marketing
In the simplest terms, PR efforts are focused on building a positive and dynamic reputation, commonly via third parties like journalists and news outlets, while marketing is more directly focused on lead generation and advertising—usually via a paid media source. In other words, marketing is saying, “We’re awesome,” while PR efforts cultivate a market environment where other people already know that you’re awesome because of an existing (positive) reputation.
A closer look at the two can help your organization avoid “putting the cart before the horse.”
Public Relations
PR is the discipline that you use to build the public perception of your company—its reputation. Therefore, I’ve found it’s best for an organization to define its brand before throwing money at marketing tactics. This is chiefly why organizations seek out PR professionals who have established relationships with journalists capable of accessing resources in television, magazine and social media environments. An excellent example of a successful PR practice is getting a reporter to write a favorable article about your company or product on a website or in a publication that reaches many. That’s good PR.
PR is widely recognized as a form of earned media, and it shouldn’t be expected to yield immediate results as one might expect from airing a commercial on TV. PR requires persistent efforts that are contributed toward a long-term strategy designed to promote a positive image for an organization’s brand in the marketplace.
In our industry, you will often hear that “PR is a marathon, not a sprint.” This is very true.
A closer look at sales reveals that getting more sales is often simply a result of brand awareness, which brings us to marketing.
Marketing
Marketing is widely defined as any effort that an organization dedicates toward promoting and selling its product or service to consumers, including advertising and marketing research. Marketing efforts such as advertising are focused on promoting a particular good or service to a specific demographic of consumers. It’s a paid form of media designed to generate immediate revenue. Marketing typically operates on a more accelerated timeline than PR, and it is precisely focused on a target audience, whereas your PR strategy is built to appeal to the public at large.
Remember that marketing, advertising and other forms of direct marketing are the shortest routes to increased sales.
Conclusion
Successful companies today have largely adopted a practice of strategically intertwining their marketing and PR efforts so that they can present a more pervasive brand image to the marketplace. In order to succeed, every organization needs to be able to sell its products, and if consumers aren’t receptive to an organization’s image, they’re less likely to buy. PR efforts, which a 2014 Nielsen study found to be 88% more effective than advertising, help you in the long haul, while marketing injects the marketplace with sudden bursts of persuasive information to help immediately sell a product or idea.
Frankly, to succeed in today’s marketplace, you will rarely find an organization that segregates its PR from its marketing efforts anymore. There is much more to be gained when PR and marketing departments work interdependently.
Elev8 New Media, a boutique media relations firm specializing in securing earned media and press coverage for its client companies in the traditional and modern media, today announced its participation as a sponsor of the 34th Annual Roth Conference, held at The Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel, in Dana Point, California on March 13-15, 2022.
Elev8 New Media today announced its participation as a sponsor of the 34th Annual Roth Conference, held at The Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel, in Dana Point, California on March 13-15, 2022.
This year’s event will host approximately 500 public and private companies from several sectors, including consumer packaged goods, energy, health and wellness, healthcare, sustainability, technology, metals and mining, energy, and more. The conference format will include 1-on-1 and small group meetings, analyst-selected fireside chats, thematic industry panels, on-demand presentations by companies that choose to pre-record them, and live entertainment.
“Throughout the pandemic, our team at Elev8 New Media has remained committed to delivering innovative public relations and media solutions that conveyed the best results for our clients. As we head back to Roth’s in-person conference this year, we look forward to capitalizing on additional and new opportunities for our clients as we navigate a post-pandemic world,” commented Ms. Jessica Starman, CEO and Co-Founder of Elev8 New Media. “We look forward to supporting and meeting with our clients in person while attending an incredible conference.”
To set up a meeting with Elev8 New Media at Roth, please reach out to [email protected] or stop by Elev8 New Media’s booth.
For more information about the 34th Annual Roth Conference, please visit https://www.roth.com/oc2022.
About Elev8 New Media
Elev8 New Media is a boutique media relations firm specializing in increasing awareness for companies through traditional and modern media. Elev8 New Media maintains valuable relationships with journalists, editors, analysts, and outlets, giving its clients the best exposure.
The team elevates media visibility through digital and social marketing and consistently develops, implements, manages, and monitors client coverage across various platforms. Getting the coverage and exposure you’re looking for is more than just talking to reporters and having on-air time – it’s about creating lasting relationships that will generate ongoing chatter and excitement. We help clients garner meaningful connections in the industry across TV, social, print, and digital media. We don’t settle for just raising the bar, we elevate it.
About Roth Capital Partners, LLC
Roth Capital Partners, LLC (Roth) is a relationship-driven investment bank focused on serving emerging growth companies and their investors. As a full-service investment bank, Roth provides capital raising, M&A advisory, analytical research, trading, market-making services and corporate access.
Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, Roth is privately held and owned by its employees and maintains offices throughout the U.S. For more information on Roth Capital Partners, please visit www.roth.com.
Despite how distracted modern society has become due to the omnipresence of social media, press releases are still remarkably effective in terms of their ability to promote a brand or message. The central role of the classic press release among the duties of a public relations (PR) executive has changed very little. Still, due to the dynamic nature of our ever-changing media landscape, it’s imperative that organizations adapt the strategies in place behind their press releases.
Today’s frenetic media environment is way too noisy and crowded for an organization to simply rely on “pushing” a press release through traditional channels in the hope that it will merit enough attention to make a measurable difference in their company. In fact, most modern press releases offer little in terms of “reader value.” They more closely resemble a confusing mashup of sales and promotional efforts than any kind of useful, newsworthy information about their brands or products. While the sheer spectacle of modern advertisements are in one way useful to the financial community, certain considerations must be made to ensure your press release is truly substantive, timely and relevant.
An ever-growing percent of Americans get their news online today. To be successful, a press release must be tailored to stand out amid a media environment teeming with competing messages. When the attention span of consumers has been reduced to split seconds, timing is everything. With a solid PR strategy in place to support a well-timed press release, your company can still be very successful in drawing new attention to your name, brand or product.
For organizations that want their press releases to have an impact in our society, the following strategies should prove very resourceful:
Today, one of the worst mistakes an organization can make in its press release strategies is to “release it and forget it.” A press release can no longer be trusted to achieve much on its own anymore. However, effective PR executives have discovered that they can amplify the message in their press releases when they are utilized as merely one component of a more extensive marketing or promotional strategy. To this end, the goals of PR executives and marketing professionals are often closely aligned with one another: building brand awareness, for example, as well as increasing sales. Today, effective PR executives should consider collaborating more frequently with their sales and marketing counterparts to distribute their press releases as part of a broader sales and marketing campaign.
Associating With Buzzworthy Topics
Now more than ever, PR executives should adopt a strategic mindset, which means monitoring what topics generate headlines or are deemed “buzzworthy.” Associating your message with current “hot topics” is a fantastic strategy for writing press releases that can paint your organization as a thought-leader among your industry. This can also be a clever way of captivating the interest of industry reporters, who are more likely to write a quick follow-up article on a particularly hot topic, further increasing a brand’s visibility.
‘Perfect’ Timing
PR executives should make every effort to closely track what is trending in the media. Timing your press release to coincide with trending topics can help leverage your message dramatically and make it more “newsworthy.” Adopting this strategy enhances your chances of getting the attention and coverage you desire. According to a compilation of many press release studies, Monday through Wednesday appear to be the most effective three days for distributing press releases, with several indicating Tuesday wins out as the day with the highest likelihood of getting clicks on your pressers.
Increasing Interactivity
This is one of the key distinctions of modern press releases—the fact that they have become increasingly more interactive. This suits our society quite well, as we grow more and more digital by the day. By including videos and links to additional resources that can better support the topic of your press release and add value to its message, your organization could have a much greater chance of successfully attracting the right people.
Remember, our modern society is highly digital and mobile. PR professionals are largely aware of this fact, and that is why modern press releases are rapidly morphing into the more interactive and engaging type of media events that we’ve seen over the past few years. The best press releases are reaching their target audiences sooner and more effectively by integrating these visuals and links.
Don’t Over-Promote
It may sound counterintuitive, but in today’s media landscape, the potential for oversaturation of your message must be considered as well. Reporters and media channels are more likely than ever to do their own analysis of your press release and evaluate it for its newsworthiness. On a similar note, a PR executive shouldn’t count on their reporter relationships to help them hawk their wares on the market, either. The journalist’s primary role remains to promote actual newsworthy information to their readers or viewers. While your goals may ideally work in tandem, it remains a dangerous risk to the integrity of all parties to blur the lines between journalism and glorified advertising.
Our society is inundated constantly with persuasive messages and information. Utilizing PR professionals to help shape your message will ultimately give you a competitive edge. By adopting the above strategies, your organization could be much more likely to create powerful press releases that can finally get your organization the attention it desires and deserves.
Communications and public relations (PR) professionals had expectations that 2021 would be the year we could finally return to some semblance of “normalcy,” along with the rest of society. Even the most precisely tuned PR campaigns at the beginning of last year were eventually deemed ineffectual or abandoned altogether, on account of how the pandemic has continued to upend every known strategy in the PR playbook. There is not a single profession that has not been in some state of flux since the onset of the pandemic.
As we face another year that is already rife with ambiguity and uncertainty, PR professionals are befuddled in terms of what strategies they can genuinely rely upon to amplify their clients’ and their own organizations’ messages successfully.
In a sense, the pandemic has served to make certain concepts of PR even more glaringly obvious: An organization’s message must be promoted in terms that are very precise, and consumers need to be targeted based on their circumstances and what they consider to be relevant. PR professionals capable of achieving as much in our post-pandemic society will make themselves indispensable to their clients and/or employers.
The following strategies can help you promote your message on a broader scale while also being enormously influential in terms of business development in the coming year.
Know your target audience.
A target audience is still largely defined as the members of society who are most likely to respond in a positive way to your message and take some form of action. For your message to be heard amid a very crowded media space, you need to understand the habits of your target audience.
For example, half of the global population is active on one or more social media platforms, so organizations should customize the most critical components of their PR campaigns to fit this habit because this is where a large target audience focuses a significant amount of their time and attention.
PR professionals who build a solid understanding of their clients’ target audiences put themselves in a stronger position to make the best decisions about the wording and content of their PR campaigns.
Embrace technology.
I mentioned social media earlier, but the new PR playbook calls for PR professionals to embrace technology on a wider scale to achieve success. In today’s world, to understand your target audience, you also need to understand machines. For an organization to get its message heard in such a crowded media environment, your message needs to find its way through a wilderness of filters, algorithms, content optimizers and recommendation engines. To beat their way through this jungle, organizations are relying heavily on technology.
Technologies can also be very effective in revealing trending topics and, more importantly, demonstrating to PR professionals how society is reacting to those topics. To stand out in modern society, an organization needs to understand how to use technology to create the proper digital footprint.
Build your PR team.
Successful PR campaigns employ the use of a wide array of tools and resources to help an organization promote its message. Consumer education, product placement and internet websites are all commonly used components in modern PR strategies. Take the time to create a team of reliable go-to consultants and vendors who can assist with creating precise messaging, content, media distribution and more before you need to launch a PR campaign.
Involve the community.
In our society, especially for messages geared toward the Millennial and Gen Z segments, PR efforts will yield greater success if organizations are proactive in communicating what actions they are taking to improve the climate, how they are contributing to social justice and/or simply what they are doing to make the world a better and more inclusive place. Successful PR in 2022 means organizations must go beyond merely providing “shareholder value” to dedicating routine resources to providing tangible support to humanitarian efforts, society and the environment. This is one of the most crucial keys to successful PR in modern society because it can instill a sense of trust within an organization’s target audience.
As we navigate the new year, PR professionals who are willing to adopt the technologies that can help them to better understand their target markets as well as demonstrate a commitment to philanthropy and social justice are those who will enjoy the greatest level of success getting their messages heard in the crowded media space. Once the above strategies are adopted, a conscious society will be listening.
Elev8 awarded 2021 Media Relations, Consumer Products Award for The Alkaline Water Company’s partnership with Shaquille O’Neal
LOS ANGELES–Elev8 New Media, a media and public relations firm specializing in securing media and press coverage for its client companies, earned the 2021 Media Relations, Consumer Products Award for The Alkaline Water Company’s partnership with basketball Hall of Famer and entertainment icon Shaquille O’Neal at the 57th annual Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Los Angeles PRism awards.
Elev8 New Media earns the PRSA-LA 2021 Media Relations, Consumer Products PRism Award for The Alkaline Water Co.’s partnership with Shaquille O’Neal.
The PRism Awards honor the best in strategic public relations and communications programs and tactical execution by PR professionals throughout greater Los Angeles. This year’s PRism Awards took place at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California.
“Communicating amid troubling times has proven to be a puzzle worth solving. Our team has proven their abilities to cut through the noise and deliver impactful messaging that yields tremendous results for our clients. Collaborating with The Alkaline Water Company on best practices amid this ongoing campaign has illustrated the importance of alliance between client and agency,” commented Jessica Starman, Chief Executive Officer of Elev8 New Media. “Working with Shaquille’s team over at Authentic Brands Group has been incredible. This award has overwhelmed our team with gratitude and joy. We look forward to fueling these efforts into 2022.”
“Congratulations! We at The Alkaline Water Company couldn’t be happier for Jessica and Elev8 New Media. We love working with her and her team. They’ve taken the time to truly know our people, our brand, and our objectives, and the results have always exceeded our expectations. This award proves what I’ve often told other business leaders, that Jessica and Elev8 New Media are simply the best,” commented Ricky Wright, President and Chief Executive Officer at The Alkaline Water Company.
Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a brand development, marketing, and entertainment company, is a strategic partner of the Shaquille O’Neal brand.
About Elev8 New Media
Elev8 New Media is a boutique media relations firm specializing in increasing awareness for companies through traditional and modern media. Elev8 New Media maintains valuable relationships with journalists, editors, analysts, and outlets giving our clients the best exposure.
Our team elevates media visibility through digital and social marketing, and is consistently developing, implementing, managing, and monitoring client coverage across various platforms. Getting the coverage and exposure you’re looking for is more than just talking to reporters and having on-air time – it’s about creating lasting relationships that will generate ongoing chatter and excitement. We help clients garner meaningful connections in the industry across TV, social, print, and digital media. We don’t settle to just raising the bar, we elevate it.
About The Alkaline Water Company
Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company (NASDAQ and CSE: WTER) is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkaline88®, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88® delivers perfect 8.8 pH balanced alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts our trademarked label ‘Clean Beverage.’ Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88® launched A88 Infused™ in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 Infused™ flavored water is available in six unique all-natural flavors, with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the Company launched A88 Infused Beverage Division Inc., which includes the Company’s CBD water and flavor-infused water. For the Company’s topical and ingestible offerings, A88 Infused Products Inc. includes both the Company’s lab-tested full-spectrum hemp salves, balms, lotions, essential oils, and bath salts, along with broad-spectrum hemp, powder packs, oil tinctures, capsules, and gummies.
To purchase Alkaline88 and A88 Flavor Infused products online, visit us at www.alkaline88.com. To learn more about The Alkaline Water Company, please visit www.thealkalinewaterco.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
Is the novel coronavirus causing the end of globalization? No. In fact, I believe globalization will incite a new network through new-found distribution channels.
While anti-globalization sympathizers push to limit the access of information available across the globe, it is imperative to remember that it is because of globalization that the BRICS are transforming to what they are today, which ultimately boosts developing economies.
In the past, trade deals have encouraged companies to globalize production. The way I see it, globalization is the resilient common denominator of multinational business success. But how do we maintain said success? There is no question about the harm caused as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Economies shrunk. U.S. unemployment hit an all-time high. Global tourism was (and still is mostly) a no-go, and the oil industry plummeted. It is important to realize that a global presence uncovers endless opportunities for the transfer of knowledge.
How will global economies recover? I believe globalization is a clear answer for how global companies can recover. What matters most to succeed is focusing on your supply chains, global networking, steady communication and staying true to your company’s values and ideology.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) provides a host of resources, topics and articles indicating that globalization is vital to future business success as many businesses are on the brink of extinction. The ability for companies to research, distribute and manufacture on an international scale is more possible than ever. Companies that reside in the consumer packages goods (CPG), manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries, among others, will need to create a highly effective strategy to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage on all fronts — in particular, on the international stage.
Research published in Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business Review by Katherine Dao, Mark Chun and Charla Griffy-Brown notes that companies are prompted to revisit old working strategies and alter them to a sustainable, new future. The future of work is leaning remote, and we are already seeing examples of this in major multinational corporations allowing employees to work from anywhere in the world. The well-researched article touches on a five-step strategy formulation model, in which global business executives can adjust to their company’s needs accordingly.
Good things can come from change, even on a multinational level. With that said, I believe the global economy is ready to take off from recent lows, focusing on new pro-growth proclamations in which companies can take full advantage. Ultimately, this could create more jobs in the U.S., leading to an uptick in exports.
Let us look at an example. The healthcare sector is illustrating continuous advancements in times of crisis, in addition to the added support of governmental agencies. The urgent need for an effective international vaccine distribution plan is vital to not only the success of our recovering economy but to human life. Globalization, increased trade and more access to information are making this happen.
So, what can companies do when faced with the ongoing challenges of barriers to entry, import/export taxes, cultural differences and, of course, Covid-19 to achieve long-term success? The answer is simple: Look beyond your current business plan and expand.
We work with clients across various industries (medical technology, biotechnology, automotive, CPG, etc.) that are continuously pushing boundaries by exploring a multichannel approach that not only allows them to enter new markets but actually enables organic brand and product recognition. Paid marketing is one thing, but what really differentiates the winners from the losers is building and establishing ongoing relationships with valuable media sources that will lead to broader and more diversified audiences around the world.
So, let’s look at a couple of best practices from a communications standpoint:
As you develop a global strategy, it is crucial that you do not overlook positioning and messaging. There are several moving parts when launching your business on a global stage, yet you must be able to clearly communicate what you are offering and why it will serve an underserved market. With that said, understanding the culture, language and tone in the territory in which you are expanding will play a vital role in your future success.
On the other hand, relationships abroad are of utmost importance as you look to intertwine your business with a different culture. Particularly, get to know the media in the market in which you plan to expand. Relationship building is crucial to success here in the United States, and it is no different abroad.
Companies have an opportunity to capitalize on the dream of becoming multinational household names. Try something new and shake hands with the unknown; it will only give you better opportunities for growth.
Elev8 New Media, a media and public relations firm specializing in securing media and press coverage for its client companies in both the traditional and modern media, today announced its participation as a sponsor of The LD 500 virtual institutional investor conference being held on September 1-4, 2020.
“With over 300 companies and more than 20,000 attendees, we look forward to participating in The LD 500 as a sponsor,” commented Ms. Jessica Starman, CEO and Co-Founder of Elev8 New Media. “The pandemic has brought forth new business segments and growth opportunities for several of LD 500’s presenting companies. As such, we anticipate a great event with several of our clients presenting exclusively online this year.”
Elev8 New Media provides public and media relations services to companies across several industries. By elevating client media visibility through digital and social marketing, the team is consistently developing, implementing, managing, and monitoring client coverage across various platforms. The firm is results-focused and driven by creative and strategic planning.
The Company will be available to virtually speak with those interested in obtaining media coverage during the event.
About LD Micro
Back in 2006, LD Micro began with the sole purpose of being an independent resource to the microcap world. What started as a newsletter highlighting unique companies, has transformed into the pre-eminent event platform in the space. The upcoming “500” in September is the Company’s most ambitious project yet, and the first event that can be accessed by anyone. For those interested in attending, please contact David Scher at or visit for more information.
About Elev8 New Media
Elev8 New Media is a boutique media relations firm specializing in increasing awareness for companies through traditional and modern media. We utilize the media to make these companies and their teams’ key leaders and experts in their perspective fields.
Elev8 New Media captures media coverage and maintains valuable relationships with journalists, editors, analysts, and outlets giving our clients the best exposure.
Getting the coverage and exposure you’re looking for is more than just talking to reporters and having on-air time-it’s about creating lasting relationships that will generate ongoing chatter and excitement around your company. We elevate the bar by making meaningful connections in the industry across TV, social, print, and digital media. We don’t settle to just raising the bar, we elevate it.
For more information, please visit www.elev8newmedia.com