Upcoming Events:
– Match Day in Columbus will happen Thursday, February 21, 2013. If you are registered to be matched or are attending the networking luncheon without a ride, talk to other members about carpooling.
– Outstanding Senior Applications due this Friday by noon. Please send your resume and cover letter detailing why you should represent our chapter at Central Ohio Public Relations Society of America, to Dan Farkas at FarkasD@ohio.edu.
– Register ASAP for our Regional Conference! It is important to register early. The conference is entitled “Beyond the Basics” and will have several important speakers for you to network with. The conference is on March 16, 2013, from 10:30 AM- 5:30 PM. “This is your chance to talk with living, breathing people who want to hire Bobcats.” Adviser Dan Farkas said.
– PRSA Greater Cleveland Accepting Applications for 2013 Student of they Year Award. The recipient must be a current sophomore or junior studying public relations or communications, and will be awarded $2,000. The student must be a resident of Northeast Ohio to apply. To download the application, please visit http://prsacleveland.org/awards.aspx. Applications are due Friday, May 17, 2013. The winner will be contacted in June.
Tonight we heard from presenter, Ashley Showen, a 2011 OU-grad and current media buyer/account coordinator at Charleston Area Medical Center Health System in Charleston, West Virginia where she buys and traffics all paid advertising, manages the company’s SEM campaigns and co-managaes CAMC’s official social media accounts.
Our members were pleased to hear about the inner-workings of corporate, Not-for-profit, and healthcare public relations and marketing all in one presentation! The CAMC marketing team is responsible for the internal communication, patient relations, changes in the industry, and crisis communication. Ashley began explaining the structure of her marketing department within the healthcare system.
The marketing department’s structure is similar to the general structure of a corporate and non-profit PR team. CAMC’s team is made up of 17 professionals with positions of spokesperson, media buyer, web designer, account representatives, signage specialists, and graphic designers. Though the position of each professional is described, the tasks vary from day to day.
“When you get a job, chances are you will not just be doing PR. Everything is Strategic communications now. You are doing a wide range of things, not just in one role.”
CAMC’s marketing team utilizes forms of “traditional” and “non-traditional” forms of marketing throughout their campaigns. Traditional methods include television commercials, press releases, and media buying. Media buying is the “purchasing of media in different markets on an annually and quarterly basis.” Showen said.
What current students are more familiar with are non-traditional forms of marketing, including social media, search-engine marketing, and customer relationship management. Showen elaborated on a new form of marketing called “Predictive Modeling” which compiles lists of consumers based on region and statistical data, to receive marketing materials. Her biggest piece of advice was to integrate both traditional and non-traditional forms of marketing.
“People need to realize the value of integrating new and old media. You can’t assume that newspaper and television are dying off.”
Ashley shared some of the creative campaigns that her team has put together, including the “Power of Many” campaign to raise awareness of cancer. With this campaign, the team created a “Flash Mob” of hospital employees. Watch as this creative tactic comes to life! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-6BRB6Syrk
Thank you Ashley for your delightful and informative presentation!