Although it may not have been successful, the resurgence of the #FreeBritney movement, a campaign launched by fans with a call for the California Courts to end her conservatorship and similar future arrangements, has become a social phenomenon. On July 2, politicians started taking notice of Britney Spears’ testimony and the public’s cry to help her when Sen. Warren and Sen. Casey wrote letters to the Dep. Of Justice and Health and Human Services asking for improved oversight of the nation’s conservatorship system.
All of this attention begs the question: Can public relations campaigns help to shape policy? For years, Teak has advised clients on ways to do this by including politicians in their campaigns as a means by which to advocate for change within their respective fields.
Here are two ways in which nonprofits can leverage public relations tactics to influence policy, without crossing the line into lobbying, and staying authentic to the organization’s brand and mission:
1. Invite elected officials to participate.
Encourage elected officials to be part of your media campaign by asking them to provide quotes in press releases and offer them as interview sources for reporters when appropriate. You can also invite them to participate in events, such as graduations, award ceremonies and press conferences, or invite them to see one of your organization’s programs or services in action. When they see firsthand the work that is being done and its impact, the work that still needs to be done and what needs to expand or shift for progress to occur, they will organically become more invested in the cause. By promoting their participation in your media campaign, you are showing their local constituents that they care and are involved in their community while also generating awareness for your organization – a win-win!
Example: College Bound Dorchester, in partnership with PJA Advertising + Marketing, created the Uncornered Photo Project Exhibit, previously displayed on Boston Common, outside Foxboro Stadium, and in Boston’s Seaport district and soon to be shown again in Boston. The exhibit pairs larger-than-life photos of famous and everyday people with stories about a time when participants found themselves cornered by racism, a traumatic event, or low expectations and the support they needed to become “Uncornered.” Prominent politicians were featured, including former Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins. Their portraits and stories were placed alongside those of former gang members who are Boston Uncornered students, their peer mentors and staff. The newest version of the exhibit will feature candidates running to be the next Mayor of Boston. The idea is to show how becoming Uncornered – or overcoming challenges so you can achieve your potential – is a universal experience. The campaign is designed to engage politicians and business leaders in the organization’s work to help the formerly gang involved break the cycle of systemic urban poverty, violence and crime.
2. Ask legislators to send proclamations.
Another means to draw attention to an important social issue is to ask legislators to send official letters and proclamations to participants when they receive awards or to mark important milestones for which your organization is advocating. While it seems like every day is some type of national celebration – after all, today is National Strawberry Sunday Day – creating buzz with unified messaging on a specific day is a unique way to create a sense of urgency for fundraising, advocacy and attention for a cause.
Example: In 2017 and 2018, Teak worked with Playworks New England to promote Recess Day in Massachusetts and Recess Day in Rhode Island. Each state’s respective Governor made the official proclamation, recognizing the importance of physical activity and safe, healthy and engaging play during the school day. The celebration created a moment for the nonprofit to develop a fundraising campaign in which current, past and potential supports were approached to support Playworks programming in local schools. The day also provided a timely hook for media to cover stories around an event created specifically for the day to draw attention to the cause. Ultimately, the goal was to show and tell the benefits of play to help influence future policy around the amount of time and quality of play during recess in elementary schools.
