Agnieszka Szostak, Founder PR Outreach - The Good, The Bad and the PR (How to Web Conference 2014 - Game Development Track)

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE PR

AGNIESZKA SZÓSTAK

WHAT IS PR ?

1.What my friends think I do?

WHAT IS PR ?

1.What my friends think I do?

2.What my parents think I do?

WHAT IS PR ?

1.What my friends think I do?

2.What my parents think I do?

3.What I think I do?

Stand alone among themighty forces !

WHAT IS PR ?

1.What my friends think I do?

2.What my parents think I do?

3.What I think I do?

4.What community thinks I do?

WHAT IS PR ?

1.What my friends think I do?

2.What my parents think I do?

3.What I think I do?

4.What community thinks I do?

5.What journalists think I do?

WHAT IS PR ?

1.What my friends think I do?

2.What my parents think I do?

3.What I think I do?

4.What community thinks I do?

5.What journalists think I do?

6.What I really do?

PICKING UP A BIG PR AGENCY

• A big media outrich

• Excellent reporting data

• A dedicated person to

lead your campaign

PROS CONS

• Costs

• The lack of personal

approach to the project

• Assigning interns to lead

less profitable projects

And…

Q: What would you consider the mostannoying thing when getting in touch withPRs representing company?

• NOT ANSWERING OR A REPLY LAG – 64%

• A ‘NO COMMENTS!’ REPLY – 15%

• NOT ENOUGH (P)REVIEW COPIES – 13%

• FOLLOWING UP TOO FREQUENTLY – 4%

PICKING UP A SMALL PR AGENCY

• Costs

• Personal approach to

each project

• Big flexibility

PROS CONS

• One person responsible

for lots of projects

• Very little reporting data

• Limited possibilities of

negotiating rates and

placement

REPRESENTING YOURSELF

• No additional cost

• Full dedication to the

project

• Full control

PROS

And…

Q: When doing an interview, visitting companybooth at trade shows or looking for supportwhen you are doing your story, do you preferto talk to devs, management or PR/Marketingreps?

• DEVS – 48%

• MANAGEMENT – 1%

• PR/MARKETING REPS – 6%

• DEPENDS ON A STORY – 45%

REPRESENTING YOURSELF

• No additional cost

• Full dedication to the

project

• Full control

PROS CONS

• Lack of time

• Lack of media contacts

• Lack of PR knowledge

And…

Q: When e-mailing/calling PR reps with aquestion how quick do you think they shouldrespond?

• WITHIN 2-3 HOURS – 21%

• WITHIN 24 HOURS – 66%

• WITHIN 2-3 DAYS – 11%

• WITHIN A WEEK – 1%

PR CAMPAIGN MILESTONES

1.Game announcement

2.Preview code send out

3.Review code send out

4.Release

And…

Q: What do you think about embargos?

• I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ‘EM – 68%

• I HATE THEM! – 2%

• I GOT USED TO THEM – 30%

PR ASSETS

1.Videos

2.Screenshots

3.Cover Arts

4.Cover Renders

5.Concept Arts

6.Character Arts

7.Character Renders

8.Fact Sheets

And…

Q: What kind of assets are most useful foryou?

• VIDEOS – 21%

• SCREENSHOTS – 21%

• COVER ARTS – 10%

• COVER RENDERS – 6%

• CONCEPT ARTS – 10%

• CHARACTER ARTS – 6%

• CHARACTER RENDERS – 6%

• FACT SHEETS – 16%

Q: How many different assets in one batchwould you consider sufficient to do a story?

• 1-3 – 30%

• 3-5 – 48%

• 5-10 – 19%

• 10-15 – 3%

• OVER 15 – 0%

Q: What's your usual deadline for delivering assets when you are planning a story?

• 1 DAY AHEAD – 24%

• 2-3 DAYS AHEAD – 46%

• 3-5 DAYS AHEAD – 16%

• 1 WEEK AHEAD – 10%

• 2 WEEKS AHEAD – 2%

• MORE THAN 2 WEEKS – 1%

Q: What do you think about exclusives?

• EXCLUSIVE STUFF IS A MUST – 24%

• I DON’T CARE MUCH ABOUT THOSE – 7%

• IT’S NICE BUT I’LL LIVE WITHOUT IT – 68%

RULES OF PITCHING A STORY TO MEDIA

1.Research

2.Start a relationship

3.Send a press release

4.Follow up

And…

Q: Do you consider press releases useful?

• YES – 94%

• NO – 6%

Q: How many press releases you get a day?

• 0-10 – 30%

• 10-30 – 48%

• 30-50 – 16%

• 50-100 – 3%

• OVER 100 – 3%

Q: In your opinion what time is reasonable for a PR to do a follow up about a story he's trying to pitch to you?

• AFTER 2-3 DAYS – 38%

• AFTER 3-5 DAYS – 41%

• NO EARLIER THAN AFTER A WEEK – 21%

Q: When you ask a PR a question he can't really answer, what kind of reply is satisfying for you?

• A ‘NO COMMENTS’ WILL DO – 4%

• ‘I CAN’T ANSWER THAT’ IS OK – 32%

• I LIKE TO KNOW WHY – 64%

THANK YOU!

Agnieszka Szóstak@Aga_Szostak

[email protected]