A campaign executed by Diageo in support of their Captain Morgan brand rum and themed around the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections is an example of how the old and the new still fit together. (I know, 2004 and 2008 an not that new anymore, but the example is still valid.) They incorporated social media by having www.captainmorganforpresident.com link to a Facebook fan page, and they used traditional media by distributing some great press releases, albeit tongue-in-cheek to the mainstream press. In 2008 the release they spelled out the “Captain’s” platform and posted a YouTube video. In the 2004 release they promoted an event during the Republican convention giving rides to the Hamptons to people who wanted to get away from Manhattan and the bustle of the convention. This is really a great concept with strong execution.
After going through this, I like to start a discussion with my students by asking:
What makes a great press release? (We’ve talked about press release content and structure by this point –we’re on to message by this point.)
What elements of greatness does the 2004 Diageo release show?
What are the common threads that tie traditional media, social media, and event PR together?
Since many students “get” social media, this connection is really an eye opener for them in learning how traditional PR works.
