Communications and public relations (PR) professionals had expectations that 2021 would be the year we could finally return to some semblance of “normalcy,” along with the rest of society. Even the most precisely tuned PR campaigns at the beginning of last year were eventually deemed ineffectual or abandoned altogether, on account of how the pandemic has continued to upend every known strategy in the PR playbook. There is not a single profession that has not been in some state of flux since the onset of the pandemic.
As we face another year that is already rife with ambiguity and uncertainty, PR professionals are befuddled in terms of what strategies they can genuinely rely upon to amplify their clients’ and their own organizations’ messages successfully.
In a sense, the pandemic has served to make certain concepts of PR even more glaringly obvious: An organization’s message must be promoted in terms that are very precise, and consumers need to be targeted based on their circumstances and what they consider to be relevant. PR professionals capable of achieving as much in our post-pandemic society will make themselves indispensable to their clients and/or employers.
The following strategies can help you promote your message on a broader scale while also being enormously influential in terms of business development in the coming year.
Know your target audience.
A target audience is still largely defined as the members of society who are most likely to respond in a positive way to your message and take some form of action. For your message to be heard amid a very crowded media space, you need to understand the habits of your target audience.
For example, half of the global population is active on one or more social media platforms, so organizations should customize the most critical components of their PR campaigns to fit this habit because this is where a large target audience focuses a significant amount of their time and attention.
PR professionals who build a solid understanding of their clients’ target audiences put themselves in a stronger position to make the best decisions about the wording and content of their PR campaigns.
Embrace technology.
I mentioned social media earlier, but the new PR playbook calls for PR professionals to embrace technology on a wider scale to achieve success. In today’s world, to understand your target audience, you also need to understand machines. For an organization to get its message heard in such a crowded media environment, your message needs to find its way through a wilderness of filters, algorithms, content optimizers and recommendation engines. To beat their way through this jungle, organizations are relying heavily on technology.
Technologies can also be very effective in revealing trending topics and, more importantly, demonstrating to PR professionals how society is reacting to those topics. To stand out in modern society, an organization needs to understand how to use technology to create the proper digital footprint.
Build your PR team.
Successful PR campaigns employ the use of a wide array of tools and resources to help an organization promote its message. Consumer education, product placement and internet websites are all commonly used components in modern PR strategies. Take the time to create a team of reliable go-to consultants and vendors who can assist with creating precise messaging, content, media distribution and more before you need to launch a PR campaign.
Involve the community.
In our society, especially for messages geared toward the Millennial and Gen Z segments, PR efforts will yield greater success if organizations are proactive in communicating what actions they are taking to improve the climate, how they are contributing to social justice and/or simply what they are doing to make the world a better and more inclusive place. Successful PR in 2022 means organizations must go beyond merely providing “shareholder value” to dedicating routine resources to providing tangible support to humanitarian efforts, society and the environment. This is one of the most crucial keys to successful PR in modern society because it can instill a sense of trust within an organization’s target audience.
As we navigate the new year, PR professionals who are willing to adopt the technologies that can help them to better understand their target markets as well as demonstrate a commitment to philanthropy and social justice are those who will enjoy the greatest level of success getting their messages heard in the crowded media space. Once the above strategies are adopted, a conscious society will be listening.
Elev8 awarded 2021 Media Relations, Consumer Products Award for The Alkaline Water Company’s partnership with Shaquille O’Neal
LOS ANGELES–Elev8 New Media, a media and public relations firm specializing in securing media and press coverage for its client companies, earned the 2021 Media Relations, Consumer Products Award for The Alkaline Water Company’s partnership with basketball Hall of Famer and entertainment icon Shaquille O’Neal at the 57th annual Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Los Angeles PRism awards.
Elev8 New Media earns the PRSA-LA 2021 Media Relations, Consumer Products PRism Award for The Alkaline Water Co.’s partnership with Shaquille O’Neal.
The PRism Awards honor the best in strategic public relations and communications programs and tactical execution by PR professionals throughout greater Los Angeles. This year’s PRism Awards took place at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California.
“Communicating amid troubling times has proven to be a puzzle worth solving. Our team has proven their abilities to cut through the noise and deliver impactful messaging that yields tremendous results for our clients. Collaborating with The Alkaline Water Company on best practices amid this ongoing campaign has illustrated the importance of alliance between client and agency,” commented Jessica Starman, Chief Executive Officer of Elev8 New Media. “Working with Shaquille’s team over at Authentic Brands Group has been incredible. This award has overwhelmed our team with gratitude and joy. We look forward to fueling these efforts into 2022.”
“Congratulations! We at The Alkaline Water Company couldn’t be happier for Jessica and Elev8 New Media. We love working with her and her team. They’ve taken the time to truly know our people, our brand, and our objectives, and the results have always exceeded our expectations. This award proves what I’ve often told other business leaders, that Jessica and Elev8 New Media are simply the best,” commented Ricky Wright, President and Chief Executive Officer at The Alkaline Water Company.
Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a brand development, marketing, and entertainment company, is a strategic partner of the Shaquille O’Neal brand.
About Elev8 New Media
Elev8 New Media is a boutique media relations firm specializing in increasing awareness for companies through traditional and modern media. Elev8 New Media maintains valuable relationships with journalists, editors, analysts, and outlets giving our clients the best exposure.
Our team elevates media visibility through digital and social marketing, and is consistently developing, implementing, managing, and monitoring client coverage across various platforms. Getting the coverage and exposure you’re looking for is more than just talking to reporters and having on-air time – it’s about creating lasting relationships that will generate ongoing chatter and excitement. We help clients garner meaningful connections in the industry across TV, social, print, and digital media. We don’t settle to just raising the bar, we elevate it.
About The Alkaline Water Company
Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company (NASDAQ and CSE: WTER) is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkaline88®, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88® delivers perfect 8.8 pH balanced alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts our trademarked label ‘Clean Beverage.’ Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88® launched A88 Infused™ in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 Infused™ flavored water is available in six unique all-natural flavors, with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the Company launched A88 Infused Beverage Division Inc., which includes the Company’s CBD water and flavor-infused water. For the Company’s topical and ingestible offerings, A88 Infused Products Inc. includes both the Company’s lab-tested full-spectrum hemp salves, balms, lotions, essential oils, and bath salts, along with broad-spectrum hemp, powder packs, oil tinctures, capsules, and gummies.
To purchase Alkaline88 and A88 Flavor Infused products online, visit us at www.alkaline88.com. To learn more about The Alkaline Water Company, please visit www.thealkalinewaterco.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
Is the novel coronavirus causing the end of globalization? No. In fact, I believe globalization will incite a new network through new-found distribution channels.
While anti-globalization sympathizers push to limit the access of information available across the globe, it is imperative to remember that it is because of globalization that the BRICS are transforming to what they are today, which ultimately boosts developing economies.
In the past, trade deals have encouraged companies to globalize production. The way I see it, globalization is the resilient common denominator of multinational business success. But how do we maintain said success? There is no question about the harm caused as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Economies shrunk. U.S. unemployment hit an all-time high. Global tourism was (and still is mostly) a no-go, and the oil industry plummeted. It is important to realize that a global presence uncovers endless opportunities for the transfer of knowledge.
How will global economies recover? I believe globalization is a clear answer for how global companies can recover. What matters most to succeed is focusing on your supply chains, global networking, steady communication and staying true to your company’s values and ideology.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) provides a host of resources, topics and articles indicating that globalization is vital to future business success as many businesses are on the brink of extinction. The ability for companies to research, distribute and manufacture on an international scale is more possible than ever. Companies that reside in the consumer packages goods (CPG), manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries, among others, will need to create a highly effective strategy to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage on all fronts — in particular, on the international stage.
Research published in Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business Review by Katherine Dao, Mark Chun and Charla Griffy-Brown notes that companies are prompted to revisit old working strategies and alter them to a sustainable, new future. The future of work is leaning remote, and we are already seeing examples of this in major multinational corporations allowing employees to work from anywhere in the world. The well-researched article touches on a five-step strategy formulation model, in which global business executives can adjust to their company’s needs accordingly.
Good things can come from change, even on a multinational level. With that said, I believe the global economy is ready to take off from recent lows, focusing on new pro-growth proclamations in which companies can take full advantage. Ultimately, this could create more jobs in the U.S., leading to an uptick in exports.
Let us look at an example. The healthcare sector is illustrating continuous advancements in times of crisis, in addition to the added support of governmental agencies. The urgent need for an effective international vaccine distribution plan is vital to not only the success of our recovering economy but to human life. Globalization, increased trade and more access to information are making this happen.
So, what can companies do when faced with the ongoing challenges of barriers to entry, import/export taxes, cultural differences and, of course, Covid-19 to achieve long-term success? The answer is simple: Look beyond your current business plan and expand.
We work with clients across various industries (medical technology, biotechnology, automotive, CPG, etc.) that are continuously pushing boundaries by exploring a multichannel approach that not only allows them to enter new markets but actually enables organic brand and product recognition. Paid marketing is one thing, but what really differentiates the winners from the losers is building and establishing ongoing relationships with valuable media sources that will lead to broader and more diversified audiences around the world.
So, let’s look at a couple of best practices from a communications standpoint:
As you develop a global strategy, it is crucial that you do not overlook positioning and messaging. There are several moving parts when launching your business on a global stage, yet you must be able to clearly communicate what you are offering and why it will serve an underserved market. With that said, understanding the culture, language and tone in the territory in which you are expanding will play a vital role in your future success.
On the other hand, relationships abroad are of utmost importance as you look to intertwine your business with a different culture. Particularly, get to know the media in the market in which you plan to expand. Relationship building is crucial to success here in the United States, and it is no different abroad.
Companies have an opportunity to capitalize on the dream of becoming multinational household names. Try something new and shake hands with the unknown; it will only give you better opportunities for growth.
Elev8 New Media, a media and public relations firm specializing in securing media and press coverage for its client companies in both the traditional and modern media, today announced its participation as a sponsor of The LD 500 virtual institutional investor conference being held on September 1-4, 2020.
“With over 300 companies and more than 20,000 attendees, we look forward to participating in The LD 500 as a sponsor,” commented Ms. Jessica Starman, CEO and Co-Founder of Elev8 New Media. “The pandemic has brought forth new business segments and growth opportunities for several of LD 500’s presenting companies. As such, we anticipate a great event with several of our clients presenting exclusively online this year.”
Elev8 New Media provides public and media relations services to companies across several industries. By elevating client media visibility through digital and social marketing, the team is consistently developing, implementing, managing, and monitoring client coverage across various platforms. The firm is results-focused and driven by creative and strategic planning.
The Company will be available to virtually speak with those interested in obtaining media coverage during the event.
About LD Micro
Back in 2006, LD Micro began with the sole purpose of being an independent resource to the microcap world. What started as a newsletter highlighting unique companies, has transformed into the pre-eminent event platform in the space. The upcoming “500” in September is the Company’s most ambitious project yet, and the first event that can be accessed by anyone. For those interested in attending, please contact David Scher at or visit for more information.
About Elev8 New Media
Elev8 New Media is a boutique media relations firm specializing in increasing awareness for companies through traditional and modern media. We utilize the media to make these companies and their teams’ key leaders and experts in their perspective fields.
Elev8 New Media captures media coverage and maintains valuable relationships with journalists, editors, analysts, and outlets giving our clients the best exposure.
Getting the coverage and exposure you’re looking for is more than just talking to reporters and having on-air time-it’s about creating lasting relationships that will generate ongoing chatter and excitement around your company. We elevate the bar by making meaningful connections in the industry across TV, social, print, and digital media. We don’t settle to just raising the bar, we elevate it.
For more information, please visit www.elev8newmedia.com