Global climate change is arguably the most pressing issue of the day. According to a 2015 World Bank report, a warmer climate could lead to the destruction of fragile ecosystems, worldwide crop failures, more unstable weather events and drive hundreds of millions into extreme poverty. Yet, despite the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change, a large number of people remain unaware – or worse, skeptical – of the challenge at hand. The need for greater public awareness is dire. Thankfully, Canada’s Ecojustice is stepping up to the challenge. What is Ecojustice? Ecojustice is a Canadian environmental law charity that represents community groups, non-profits, First Nations and individual Canadians in the fight for environmental justice. In addition to – and in support of – its legal activity, Ecojustice educates the public on various environmental issues such as climate change. The charity achieves this objective through a sophisticated digital marketing and advocacy […]
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How Justin Trudeau Won a Majority Government With Social Media
Justin Trudeau defied the polls when he and his Liberal Party soared to a majority government during the final moments of the 42nd Canadian Election. Although much of Trudeau’s success can be attributed to mistakes made by his rivals, there is no denying that his campaign’s prowess on social media contributed to his last-minute momentum. Trudeau has a formidable presence on social media, which is especially true when compared to his two main rivals Conservative Leader (and Prime Minister) Stephen Harper and NDP Leader Tom Mulcair. As of October 25, 2015, Trudeau had more than double the number of Facebook followers than Harper at 518,455. Pretty good considering that Harper has been Canada’s prime minister for almost 10 years. So what did the Trudeau campaign do on social media to mobilize potential supporters to vote for him on Election Day? To find an answer, I looked at the campaign’s Election Day […]
Read moreWhat Is The Most Important Metric in Digital Marketing & PR
Measurement and analysis should be an integral part of your organization’s digital marketing and public relations strategy. Information learned from this process can be crucial in helping you determine next steps and grow your organization’s outreach. Yet, with so much data available to measure, it can be easy to get misdirected or lost. So what is the key measurement metric in digital marketing and PR? That answer, as seen in the examples below, has everything to do with your organization’s objectives. My Organizational Objective Is to: Provide Information to Stakeholders Many essential services in the public sector exist for this very reason: to provide important information to the public that is both easy to find and understand. Example: Toronto Public Health’s “DineSafe” website provides restaurants with easy-to-follow guidelines on food safety. What should I measure? User experience – For an informational, “how-to” website, you may consider asking visitors to take part in a quick, anonymous – and optional – on-page survey. Ask visitors if they found the […]
Read moreNon-profit’s Communications Highlight Benefits of Simulation in Healthcare Education
Providing an accurate and succinct message to a target audience is an essential and often difficult task for a non-profit organization. This is especially true if the organization’s messaging and subject matter is technical and/or not known by the public at large. SIM-one – Ontario Simulation Network is an excellent example of a non-profit organization that understands how to connect with its audience. SIM-one advocates for the advancement of simulation in health professions education as a means to improve patient safety and the quality of care. For those of you not familiar, simulation is an experiential form of training that replicates real-world situations. When applied to healthcare education, simulation can include the use of role-play, manikins and virtual reality. Recently, I helped SIM-one produce online content for a communications campaign that showcased the benefits and innovative uses of simulation in healthcare education. When completed, the content included articles that examined […]
Read more6 Ways to Handle a Public Relations Disaster
Want to know how to handle a public relations disaster that could damage you and your organization’s reputation? Check out these 6 very different approaches below of how public figures have addressed mistakes and accusations. 1. Transform Your Image: Michael Vick NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s reputation quickly went down the toilet after he was arrested and convicted for his involvement in a dog-fighting ring. Many people, including myself, were furious and believed that Vick would never recover from the incident. Vick, however, was able to resuscitate his career when he transformed his brand by becoming a volunteer, educator and advocate for animal rights. 2. Rationalize What Happened: Shinzo Abe When Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologized for Japan’s aggression during World War II, he attempted to rationalize what led Japan to commit the aggression in the first place. The “apology” was largely derided by Japan’s neighbours in China and South […]
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