Keeping up with technology and communication changes is difficult enough for the individual, but anyone in the PR industry knows it’s a whole new challenge for those trying to reach the right audience with the right message. So how does an organization providing services for PR professionals stay ahead of those changes?
That was the challenge for News Canada, which has spent more than 30 years connecting organizations and agencies with media across the country.
The media landscape has changed, largely due to digital and social developments, making it more fragmented. Consumers are more wary of where they’re getting their information from, and do more research before making purchases. However, few organizations have increased their communication budgets, leaving PR professionals having to do more with less.
“Appropriately leveraging paid, earned, owned and shared channels has become essential to successfully reach target audiences. The lines between PR and advertising are blurring because there are so many ways to amplify your messages digitally and socially,” News Canada president Shelley Middlebrook said. “The ways communicators are getting their messages out, and consumers are making purchases have changed.”
To meet the changing needs of their clients, News Canada has adapted and evolved, expanding their services with video production and other digital and targeted content options, and are now rebranding as Fifth Story. The new name reflects the organization’s story telling role, and it references the five key services it offers: insights, production, distribution, measurement and analysis.
“It’s a reflection of how our services have evolved with the ever-changing communications industry. Traditional resources are still important and a big part of what we do, but it’s about expanding to meet our clients’ needs,” Middlebrook said.
Great storytelling and the ability to repurpose content across multiple platforms are key to successful content marketing. Creative video goes beyond simple b-roll, allowing organizations to engage with their public, while still making the most of often limited budgets.
“Clients are using more and more video because consumers are always on some sort of screen — video is more engaging and memorable,” Middlebrook said. “Also, clients need more content so you have to be more creative in how you can repurpose it.”
The company will continue to use the name News Canada to distribute content to its earned media network, while providing content solutions to marketing and communications professionals using the name Fifth Story.