At its essence, publicity draws the attention of the public towards something. Just the facts is what publicity is all about. It’s not hype, not innuendo, or advertising. It does not attempt to sway public opinion in any specific direction. It is about facts, pure and simple.
Generating publicity is a marketing strategy that uses different forms of communication to gain attention and generate awareness. Inevitably, you want a collection of “just the facts” to formulate ALL your positions.
That’s what publicity is about.
Think of it this way: Do you base opinions on what people tell you that they heard or what you heard for yourself? Since we can’t be everywhere all the time, we depend on various media for information. So do your customers and prospects.
Publicity is the factual presentation of something or the process of disseminating information in order to gain interest from various audiences. It is very personal, despite it being “just the facts.” It is YOU talking to THEM. It is communication, but a specific kind of communication based on FACTS. For example:
SAMPLE 1.
O’Brian Design has launched a new interior design business called O’Brian Commercial Interior Design.
SAMPLE 2.
Chicago-based home furnishings and gifts emporium, O’Brian Design, is excited to announce the launch of its new interior design business, O’Brian Commercial Interior Design. Whether you need to freshen up a single wall or create and maximize space and efficiency throughout your office, O’Brian Commercial Interior Design is the perfect partner to handle your project from start to finish.
Both statements are statements of facts. However, one embellishes the facts more than the other by adding some opinions and hype (for example, using “you” in a release is really unacceptable). Sample 1, is publicity in its purest form. Sample 2 can be called publicity, but is more of a pitch and marketing than Sample 1. It becomes a question of relevance, believability, and, frankly, purpose.
You have to know which is which.